If you want to save money on your dream vacation or important business trip, then be sure to check the internet for money saving offers that can’t be found anywhere else. Many times, air fares, care rentals, hotel rooms, even complete packages and cruises can be had for significantly less money than offline resources. The other neat thing is that shopping for online travel bargains is super fast and easy when you know a few tips
Online shopping can usually reap a bounty of and you can’t beat the convenience either. While a local travel agent may take you by the hand and walk you through the process of finding your dream vacation, it does come with a price tag, after all, you are essentially “hiring” this person to do the shopping for you. For those that are super busy this personal attention may be worth the added but if you have the time nothing beats the practicality of sitting at home and doing your shopping online. Think about it, it’ll probably take you more than just a few minutes and a few precious gallons of gas just to get started shopping locally.
One of the first places to start your search would be “The Big Three” of the travel sites. The three are Orbitz, Expedia and Travelocity. With just a few clicks of a mouse you can compare some of the internet’s finest offers on a variety of different travel services, like rooms, fares and cars. The great thing about searching these three is that you can compare flights and itineraries very quickly. In just a few minutes you can plan the perfect vacation but also save some big money in the process.
Another place to look is at the new “niche” travel websites. You’ll find sites that cater to travelers that wish to go to Europe, Islands, Australia, just about anywhere that you can think of has a website that is dedicated just to that location. To find these sites all you need to do is go to your favorite search engine and type in “your destination” bargains or ”travel deals” ….this will give you great search results to choose from.
Whether you’re looking to kick back and relax on as sunny beach somewhere or go on the adventure of a lifetime, the internet will help you find the best bargains and the best tips for your trip. The money you save will probably be enough to plan a special excursion at your destination so have fun and go shopping! bargains. So if you want to save a boatload of money off the cost of your travel, choose to find your travel bargains online.
Finding the time to find quality mexico-travel-tips.info/ travel resources can be time consuming. Webmaster, Holly Dodd has created the
website: my-travel-secrets.info my-travel-secrets.info to help travelers find travel deals. She can also be found on the internet at: blog.buckstopper.com Buckstopper.com
Cheap vacations can still be relaxing, fun and whatever else you want them to be. Unlike cars and shoes, vacations don’t get better according to price. Give up that expensive resort if you don’t have the money, but don’t give up your vacation. Try one of the following ideas instead.
1. Visit your friends. The key here is to have friends with spare beds that live in interesting places. You’ve probably had friends tell you to come and stay a while, so why not take them up on it? I’m hoping my friends move to Hawaii.
2. Caretaking vacations. Someone in California, Costa Rica or Colorado wants you to stay in their house while they’re away. You’ll have to water the plants, and maybe watch the cat, but you’ll get to stay in a beautiful home. You may even get paid. To learn more caretaking opportunities, visit the Caretaker Gazette online.
3. Outdoor vacations. Outdoor adventure doesn’t need to be expensive. Just stay close to home, and use your imagination. On “Tom Sawyer Day” we hike up a river for hours, then build a raft from dead trees. Then we float on it back to the car. It’s cheaper and more fun than a guided river trip. Where can you hike or bicycle for free?
4. Treasure hunting. Take a trip to a ghost town or beach with a metal detector. In Arizona an old Mayan Indian showed us where to find arrowheads, semi-precious stones, and ancient pottery. Treasure hunting is cheap, and you might find something valuable as well.
5. Cheap beach combing vacations. What’s more relaxing than sitting on the beach with a drink? Restless? Start collecting seashells and driftwood. Bring a metal detector to find more valuable things. There are beaches in Florida where you can camp in your RV, and cheap motels on or near the beaches in Michigan.
6. Stay home. Make a list of sights to see, and things you’ve always wanted to do that are within an hour of home. Spend a weekend or a week checking off your list. No expensive hotels or long-distance drives.
7. Shopping trips. Cheap vacations don’t normally involve shopping, but they can. Visit flea markets and rummage sales in some scenic corner of the country. Have a shopping adventure for less than a day at the mall.
8. Hotspring vacations. Hotsprings in many parts of the United States are free or inexpensive to use. Camp in an R.V. or tent to keep it really cheap. Spend nights around the campfire and days soaking in hot water. My personal favorite is a beautiful place in Arizona (106 degree water), with hiking trails. We paid the $30 annual fee and stayed more than a week.
9. Greyhound bus travel. Taking the bus is an alternative to expensive gasoline if you’re traveling alone, and the trip itself is sure to be an adventure. Pick a nice place within a day’s ride, pack a bag and go.
10. Camping vacations. In Florida we stalked alligators and watched a dozen other forms of wildlife. Every night we sat around the fire with new friends from England and Texas. We escaped winter there for eight days in our van. There were hot showers, and the campground was free. Camping can be the cheapest of cheap vacations.
Steve Gillman hit the road at sixteen, and traveled the U.S. and Mexico alone at 17. Now 40, he travels with his wife Ana, whom he met in Ecuador. To read their stories, tips and travel information, visit: everythingabouttravel.com EverythingAboutTravel.com
Tinajo is located in the central north part of Lanzarote and considered by many to have the best surfing conditions in Europe.
Elements of the coastline have become synonymous with the term “The Hawaii of Europe”.
The first of two beaches takes us to La Santa, in a village by the same name and developed around a natural lagoon that borders a little peninsula. This relatively quiet area is dominated by the internationally famous hotel and sports complex, known as Club La Santa, a ‘winter’ training ground for international sports stars.
If you are into active sports or simply want to maintain your fitness regime whilst on holiday or if you want to pamper yourself whilst your partner ‘does his own thing’, then this is the place to go. Club La Santa offers just about everything you could want in terms of active sports and everything you’d find in the very best gyms or fitness centres ‘at home’.
Another article I’ve written “31 Lanzarote Sports – Club La Santa” provides detailed information that might help you decide whether this is the place to stay, so I will only briefly cover it in this article.
Activities include Tennis (10 courts), Squash (5 Courts), Badminton (6 Courts), Beach Volleyball (2 courts), Indoor & Outdoor Basketball courts, Golf (Mini Golf and short game training), 5-a-side football, Full sized Football, Aerobics, Leisure Pool, Olympic size Swimming Pool, Children’s Swimming Pool, Boxing, Weight Lifting and a fully equipped fitness centre with 6 Rowing Machines.
There are lots of beach/water sports on a beach measuring 910m long and consisting of fine white sand.
If you are an experienced diver and want to go on a snorkel safari, an ‘intermediate’ or simply a beginner keen to learn then checkout the diving centre programme (by the leisure pool) as it caters for all three levels. Equally, if you are into surfing then you’ve come to surfers paradise as this areas has some of the best surfing waves in Europe.
If you’re more into the pampering side of a sports centre at home, then why not consider the Hydrotherapy bath/ Jacuzzi, Cold Dip and Shower, Steam bath/ Saunas, Hydro-massage bath with essential oils, in private room (additional payment required), Hydro-jet massage, in private room (additional payment required), Manual treatments (additional/ seperate payment required), Physiotherapy, Massage (Sports-, Relax-, Lymphatic Drainage-, Shiatsu Massage and Foot Reflexology).
After a hectic day, there is a range of entertainment on hand from Karaoke to guest appearances from semi-professional artists. As you’d expect, there is excellent parking on site, although it can be accessed just as easily by guaguas (autobus) and most equipment can be hired on the day at the club.
Our second beach in this area is the neighbouring beach known as Tenaza (it is actually 2km. away from Tenaza itself), located in a rural area and measuring 90m long by 6m wide and consisting of sand mixed with fine grained black gravel. There is a parking available locally.
John Plumb, frequent visitor to Lanzarote, a place that is now my ‘home from home’ having taken the plunge into villa ownership on the island – See villa-rochelle.co.uk villa-rochelle.co.uk
John is also the administrator of the “Lanzarote Villa Owners Club” @ lanzvillaowners.com lanzvillaowners.com
As one of the world’s most historic and ancient cities, Rome attracts millions of tourists every year. From the old world opulence of the Roman Forum and the Catacombs to the serene natural beauty of Villa Borghese, Rome’s main sites are appreciated by crowds of travellers from around the world. However, in order to gain some true insight into the historic heritage of Rome and its ancestors, it’s crucial to appreciate the tradition of luxury and grandeur afforded by the old city sights.
The Colosseum, for instance, is a reigning symbol of Ancient Rome and one of the city’s flagship monuments. But it’s crucial to view the Colosseum not just as a hallmark specimen of Roman architectural prowess, but also as the venue of lavish public spectacles and gladiatorial combat. For nearly 500 years, the Colosseum was used as the site of gladiatorial games, mock sea battles, animal hunts, dramas based on Classical mythology and executions – maintaining its status as a prime feature of the greatness of the Roman Empire and an enduring symbol of the power of the Emperor.
Another Roman ruin that draws the fascination of thousands of tourists every year is the Baths of Caracalla. The baths incorporate a complex that covers approximately 13 hectares and could accommodate up to 1600 bathers in its prime – more of a luxury leisure complex than a simple series of baths. As well as a range of temperature controlled bathing rooms and pool areas, the Baths of Caracalla also incorporates a public library and a shopping centre – indicative of the Baths’ status as one of Rome’s most indulgent hotspots.
The abundance of Renaissance and Baroque architecture in Rome is also a prominent indicator of its affluent heritage, with the Piazza del Campidoglio often cited as the most impressive example of Renaissance creation in the city. Designed by Michelangelo, the piazza was initially constructed as a symbol of the new Rome in 1538, in order to impress Charles V, the Holy Roman Emperor.
Other marks of Rome’s grand Renaissance period include the Palazzo del Quirinale (now the seat of the President of Italy) the Palazzo Venezia and the Palazzo Farnese – all of which were opulent palaces built by Rome’s most famous aristocratic families. Additionally, the Fontana di Trevi acts as Rome’s most enduring representation of Baroque architecture, and is one of the city’s most cherished monuments by residents and travellers alike.
If you’re planning to stay in Rome for a true taste of the city’s grandeur and luxurious past, keep in mind that you’ll be able to find a range of rome-tourism.com/ apartments in Rome that are located in the heart of its UNESCO protected historic district. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy the benefits of high quality accommodation while exploring the magnificence of the city’s most famous sights at the same time – the perfect recipe for a true understanding of Roman luxury!
Adam Singleton is an online, freelance journalist and keen amateur photographer. His portfolio, called flickr.com/photos/capquest_photography/ Capquest Photography is available to view online.
When you think of South Florida many people think of the words tropical, palm trees and gorgeous beaches. South Florida consists of such large cities as Ft. Myers, Ft. Lauderdale, Naples, Miami, as well as the Florida Keys. These cities are lined with large palm trees that grow perfectly in these warmer climates. It is sunny and beautiful here and the favorite past time of most residents are water sports. Boating, fishing, water skiing or swimming can be fun activities that help people to enjoy the beautiful weather surrounding them. Away from the water, people also enjoy hunting, watching the hometown Miami Dolphins play NFL football and golfing. You can get on the tee almost year round and enjoy a quiet day on the course.
Homes have drastically increased in value in South Florida over the last few years. Ft. Lauderdale and Naples are elite areas and have a prestige associated with owning a home in these cities. These beachfront communities are very popular and people enjoying living here year round or having this as a winter home. Many larger cities have put money into renovations and upkeep of their roads, landscaping and community areas to bring in more visitors and show what a great vacation destination this can be too. Many upscale shops have opened as well as superior dining and nightlife.
Miami
Beach has received a lot of recent popularity with many noticeable celebrities coming to stay here and enjoy relaxing on this beach. Many have even purchased homes here to come to Florida and get away from many of the larger cities where paparazzi hound them.
The Keys will always be a tropical paradise. They crystal clear water, assortment of breathtaking and exotic fish, as well as great reefs and coral to view while scuba diving or snorkeling. People charter boats here to have some of the best fishing of their lives. And even those who want to stay on land love the island vibe that is felt here. The storefronts, restaurants and hotels cater to individuals who want to get away from the hustle of the big city and just unwind in the sea air. Come to South Florida and see for yourself what a great place it is to be. But be careful, because you may not want to go home!
Bob Lipply is a top Real Estate Broker Associate in the lipplyrealestate.com Florida Real Estate area.
He and his team have been helping families relocate to Florida for years. Lipply Real Estate also specializes in lipplyrealestate.com Tampa Bay Real Estate Visit his website where you can search the MLS for up to date available homes for sale.
Known for its sunshine and beautiful beaches, a St. Petersburg vacation is a great choice. Read on to learn what to do and where to stay to make the most of your trip to St. Petersburg/Clearwater.
What to See and Do
Warm Gulf waters and beautiful sunsets are a big draw for a St. Petersburg vacation. Relax and play on miles upon miles of soft white sand beaches.
If you’d like to get out on the water, a St. Petersburg vacation has something for you. Jet skiing, kite surfing, wind surfing, kayaking, snorkeling, and more are readily available on most beaches. Fishing charters are also popular.
Back on land, one of the most popular pasttimes is golf. With over 50 courses in the area, you’re sure to find one to suite you. A St. Petersburg vacation is great for any golfer.
Where to Stay
There are plenty of places to stay. You can usually find the best prices on St. Petersburg Hotels online. Our suggestions are as follows:
The Marriott Suites on Sand Key is the choice luxury hotel in the area. This property features a Gulf view and a great pool. Here you’ll get access to beaches and a boardwalk with shopping and dining options. The only drawback of this property is that the beaches are across the street (rather than directly connected to the resort. Aside from this drawback, this is a great option for your St. Petersburg vacation.
The Sirata Beach Resort is a great moderate acommodation. This property is a little bit older than the Marriott, but it has lots of things going for it. The biggest draw is that it is right on the beach. This is very convenient. It is also walking distance from great shopping and dining options. When I take a St. Petersburg vacation, this is my first choice.
If you’re watching your money, check out the Boca Ciega Resort. It doesn’t have a lot of amenities, but it has a great location. It overlooks the Boca Ciega Bay and has boardwalk access to shopping and dining. This is a great choice for your budget St. Petersburg vacation.
A St. Petersburg vacation is a great way to relax and take in some beach activites. The great weather and variety of things to do make it hard to pass up.
No amount of denial will make the dual-price system in Mexico go away. In Mexico’s Heartland, you are liable to see this operational more so than in other places, but then again, not. Where this is particularly applicable is in the irrevocable habit Mexican landlords have of charging Americans and Canadians far more for rental properties than they do Mexicans. Some are honest. I would take a guess most will gouge you.
I know one lady who charges a Mexican $400.00 for a property (and still that’s too much) but charges Americans almost twice that. This lady robbed us blind until we developed enough contacts in the community to move out and into something more reasonable.
Having contacts is how Mexico’s culture works. It is a group-dominated society as opposed to the “I am American, hear me roar” individualism that dominates America. Mexico, when it functions smoothly, does so based on relationships. It is a “who you know culture.” No amount of flustering American bravado is going to get you anywhere in Mexico. You’ve got to develop relationships in Mexico.
Where my wife used to teach ESL, the Mexicans would routinely demand tuition discounts from the Mexican director based on “whom they knew.” There were times when I wondered if any of the students actually paid the going rate for classes at the school. The parents of the students would dicker with the director over the fees. They said they “deserved” a discount for their child’s English classes because of the relationship they claimed to have with someone prominent in Guanajuato.
The same goes with housing. When you first move here as an expat, we encourage everyone to rent. You will probably be gouged through the ceiling in rents. However, this will give you some time to develop relationships within the community. When you begin making contacts with someone well known in the city, then you can name-drop when trying to do most anything in this region.
However, here is the clincher. In order to make these contacts, you have to speak the language and show a high degree of familiarity with Mexico’s culture. Why would they help you if you are a Gringolandian who never ventures out into the community to associate with the common Mexicans? And, how can you, if you cannot or will not develop a high enough degree of spoken fluency in Spanish?
You can’t depend forever on bilingual Mexicans with whom to interface with the real Mexico outside your Gringolandia Bubbles.
Want to know more about living in Mexico’s Heartland and how to assure your expat adventure doesn’t end in disaster? Click on link below:
Doug Bower is founder of zyworld.com/theolog/page14.htm Mexican Living Print & eBooks
‘Twas a time, not many years ago, when we considered Disney’s vacation packages and their add-on options with skepticism. Buy a dining package? Ridiculous! You had to overeat at only the most expensive restaurants to get your money’s worth. But Disney changed all that with the introduction of the Disney Dining Plan package add-on for Magic Your Way vacation packages.
The Disney Dining Plan package has proven so popular that we just had to experience it for ourselves. So, for our recent 10-day research trip at Walt Disney World we bought adult-priced dining packages for the two adults and two teens on our team — $37.99 each, per day. You can study and theorize all you wish, but there’s no replacement for actually experiencing things first-hand.
How Does It Work?
The Disney Dining Plan puts guests on a two-meal-and-a-snack per day diet for each night of their stay. There’s great flexibility. Unlike older plans that supplied earmarked coupons for breakfast, lunch, and dinner, the current plans provide “credits” encoded onto a Key to the World card. One card per guest room held all the credits for that room (though I understand that recently Disney began separating adult and child credits). For our ten-night stay we had 40 table service credits, 40 counter service credits, and 40 snack credits that we could use any way we saw fit during our stay. The big challenge is to actually use them all wisely, since unused credits expire without refund at the end of your check-out day (11:59 pm), and some meals are just not quite as good a value as others. Certain Table Service meals “cost” two credits, rather than one. Generally, these reduce the value you receive under the dining plan, sometimes substantially.
We’ve often said that two full meals per day at Walt Disney World are plenty of food, and this meal plan was proof-positive. How’d it work for us? Too well (looking at my poor waistline). Each Table Service credit buys appetizer, entree, dessert, soft drink, tax and gratuity, and each Counter Service credit buys entree, dessert, soft drink and tax. This is more than we normally eat — we generally split or skip appetizers and desserts at table service restaurants, and don’t bother with dessert at all at counter service. It takes a bit of will-power to say no to that extra, “free” food. After a big dinner, we sometimes didn’t have an appetite for the next day’s breakfast.
Your dining receipts will list the number of dining credits you have remaining. We found that these numbers were not always accurate. Keep all those receipts! At least once during your vacation, visit the lobby concierge at your resort for a detailed print-out of your dining activities, and compare those with your own records. You don’t want to be caught a meal short on your last day by a computer error!
Is the Dining Plan a Deal?
In one of those, “Wow, I coulda had a V-8″ moments, I realized that the average meal prices that we provide in our guidebook are calculated on exactly the same formula Disney uses for its Table Service and Counter Service meals on the dining plan — an appetizer, entree, dessert, soft drink, tax and 18% gratuity for Table Service, and entree, dessert, soft drink and tax for Counter Service. Do you want to know whether your meal plans deliver good value? Just add up the numbers. You’ll quickly see that an average Table Service dinner at Le Cellier ($53) is worth more than the day’s cost for the dining package. OK, so you usually don’t eat appetizer and dessert? Deduct $7.50 each for the typical cost of a Table Service appetizer/dessert, and you’re still ahead. That means your Counter Service meal (average value $12) and Snack (average value $2.50) are freebies! It also explains why it’s so hard to get a reservation at Le Cellier these days.
We also calculated the average cost of Table Service and Counter Service breakfasts, lunches, and dinners across Disney property to arrive at an average value for each kind of dining credit. A Counter Service lunch/dinner averages $12, Table Service dinners average $41, and that snack credit is worth $2.50. That adds up to a $55.50 value daily. Pay $7.50 cash for a continental-style breakfast, and your daily food budget is $44.99 for meals worth an average of $63.
Before you get too excited, consider the Signature Dining “gotcha.” The value of the average Signature Dinner or Dinner Show (either of which cost 2 Table Service credits) is $61, a value of $30.50 per credit. Signature Dining at lunch drops to a $42 value ($21 per credit), and that coveted 2-credit Breakfast at Cinderella’s Royal Table is worth $40 (you do the math). Those can pull your daily meal average below the cost of the dining package on the day(s) you use them, but you may still come out ahead overall when you consider the savings on other days. You may be tempted to pay cash for some of these meals, to increase the value you obtain from your dining credits, but you still have to find ways to use those extra credits before they turn into pumpkin soup. You may still prefer to use two credits for those special meals, and pay cash for a counter service meal to replace that Table Service credit. Keep your calculator handy to work out the best value for your needs.
Another “gotcha” might be your hotel room rate. We had to surrender our Annual Pass discount at All-Star Sports in order to qualify for the dining plan. The new reservation cost us an extra $20 per room per day ($40/day in our case), or $10 per adult. Add that to the cost of the dining plan ($47.99 total, in our case), and we weren’t necessarily getting a big bargain, although the way we utilized the meal credits, we still came out a bit ahead.
Free dining is offered as part of some of Disney’s vacation packages. Since the value of the meal plan is the same regardless of the resort you select, you’ll get the most bang by staying at lower-priced resorts. A good Annual Pass discount at a deluxe resort may provide greater dollar savings than the free meal plan, but be sure to factor-in the savings you may enjoy using the dining plan, not just the purchase price of the plan, since you won’t be able to combine the dining plan and an Annual Pass discount.
Your Table Service server will love the fact that you’re on the dining plan. His/her tip is calculated using the actual menu prices of the items you’ve ordered. You may not have the appetite for dessert, but if you order it and just eat one bite, your server is the richer for it. On the average, we had better service using the dining plan then we ever had when we paid cash, and considering the normally high quality of Disney service, that’s really saying something. We were treated like cruise ship passengers. “Are you sure you don’t want dessert? It’s wonderful! I’ll box it up for you if you can’t eat it here.” We could also stretch the budget by using dining plan appetizers as toddler Alexander’s meals. The more extravagantly we ate, the brighter the glint in our servers’ eyes.
As part of the experiment, I made a habit of ordering the most expensive items on the menu. While that was a very satisfying tactic at some establishments, at others (like 50s Prime Time Cafe) it seemed like the kitchen was skimping on the “best.” Prime Time’s top-priced shrimp cocktail consisted of a half-dozen soggy, medium-sized defrosted shrimp, a bit of iceberg lettuce, a lemon wedge and some bottled cocktail sauce, slapped on a regular bread plate. No appealing presentation, no flavor, nada. The $19 sirloin steak couldn’t have weighed more than 6 ounces. Granted, six ounces is plenty of steak for my lunch, and it was tastily prepared, but I’d have been incensed to have received either the appetizer or entree if I had been paying cash. The 50s Prime Time “standards” like onion rings, meatloaf and fried chicken were far more satisfying, even if they didn’t add up to the maximum bang for the dining credit.
Your estimation of value extracted can plummet when teenaged girls are involved, at least in our experience. What happened to the kids who are drawn like flies to the most expensive items on the menu when we’re home, paying cash? When all restraints were removed, they went right to the bargain-priced comfort foods! Appetizer? “Do we have to?” (That’s one way to get a free toddler meal!) Even desserts weren’t tempting them. In short, whatever Disney may have “lost” feeding me, they more than made up feeding Allie and Melanie.
I’ve focused on the values to be had at the Table Service establishments. What of Counter Service? Our magic calculations determined that average costs vary little, whether you’re buying breakfast or lunch/dinner. A counter service breakfast with all the trimmings at a resort food court averages $10.50, and the lunch/dinner average is just about $2.00 higher. So, if you need a big breakfast to start your day, you aren’t really cheating yourself by using a Counter Service credit.
The Snack credit was the biggest surprise for me. Skinflint that I am, I hate to buy treats at theme parks, gas stations and convenience stores. “I’ll just have a sip/bite of yours, honey!” Sure, I’d do a Dole Whip once a visit or a Mickey Bar when I’m not worrying about chocolate stains on my white polo shirts, but normally; I just hit the water fountain when I need to hydrate. Oh, the luxury of an ice cold Coke in the blistering Florida sun! Even so, it was hard to use up all those credits. Our solution? Spend your remaining snack credits on Mickey Rice Crispy Treats — they’re virtually indestructible in your baggage and a fun way to share the magic with friends back home.
And one more trick while we’re talking about beverages. If you’ve purchased refillable mugs at your resort, use the soft drink portion of your Counter Service credit on a bottled beverage from the Grab-n-Go. It’ll come in really handy later on. Meantime, your refillable will do all the heavy sipping at the food court.
All in all, I had a very satisfying experience with the Disney Dining Plan. While it’s not a one-size-feeds-all solution, it is a viable option for many vacationers.
This article may be distributed freely on your web site and in your ezines, as long as this entire article, copyright notice, links, and the resource box are unchanged.
About the Author: Dave Marx is an award-winning author of over 30 print books, including the passporter.com/wdw/guidebook.htm best-selling PassPorter Walt Disney World guidebook. He is married to co-author Jennifer Marx and dad to two kids who love Disney. Read more of Dave’s articles on Disney and general travel at passporter.com passporter.com and in the popular passporter.com” target=”_new Disney discussion forums.
Many people may think of Honduras and recall a memory from 7th grade that involves a map of Central America, a pop quiz, and a prayer. For the avid cigar smoker, however, Honduras is thought of as much more. One of the biggest tobacco producers on our planet, cigar lovers think of Honduras as a virtual Mecca, a place where tobacco seeds go to make their parents proud.
Honduras, located near Guatemala, El Salvador, and Nicaragua, is a country made up of an instable history, one that involved fights for independence, hurricane devastation, human rights violations, and political diversity. Together these have all caused Honduras to be among the poorest countries in Central America. But, unlike some of its adjacent countries, Honduras is rich with cigar making ingredients: when Central American neighbors want to borrow a cup of tobacco, the door of Honduras is one of the first places they knock.
Honduras is a segment of Mesoamerica, the nickname given to the land that reaches from Mexico to Costa Rica. Because Mesoamerica is located in an area home to a wide range of animals and plants, it’s known as a biodiversity hotspot, an area with diverse resources that are threatened by destruction. At last count, Honduras was in possession of over 6,000 species of plant, with one of these being tobacco.
Similar to the cigars made in the Dominican Republic, some Honduras tobacco has Cuban roots, with many tobacco growers fleeing Castro’s rule and planting themselves, and their seeds, in other countries. In fact, the early 1960’s saw expert cigar makers come over to Honduras from Havana, with approval from Castro’s government, to help with tobacco growing techniques. While initially intending to return to Cuba, some of these experts remained in Honduras, keeping with them their knowledge from Cuba’s tobacco past and the tools for Honduras’ tobacco future.
The climate of Honduras is extremely appealing to tobacco growers, with an environment that allows all varieties of tobacco seeds to thrive, particularly Cuban seed tobaccos and Connecticut seed tobaccos. This growing environment ultimately allows the tobacco grown in Honduras to be full-bodied, flavorful, strong, and in possession of a heavy aroma.
The cigars from Honduras have worked to make a name for themselves, becoming a cigar that connoisseurs routinely seek to take out for a smoke. With the fertility of the land, the natural resources, and the knowledge passed down from generation to generation, tobacco makers in Honduras have been able to perfect the growing of home grown seeds, delivering some cigars that are 100 percent Honduran.
Many Cuban companies continue to work on Honduras lands and many American companies have also taken root in the cities of Danli and the San Pedro Sula. Established as cigars made of the highest quality, cigars from Honduras sell frequently in the US, with only cigars from the Dominican Republic selling more often. This popularity has transcended continents, as Honduras cigars have started to gain popularity in parts of the United Kingdom, like a cigar sent off for a successful European tour.
While Cuban cigars were once without competition, viewed by so many as the only cigar on the market that could not be rivaled, Honduras cigars are beginning to gain momentum, challenging Cubans to a bout of greatness. When it comes to the cigar loving population of the US, it may only be a matter of time before cigars from Honduras beat Cubans; since Cuban cigars can’t get into America, they will have to forfeit.
As Honduras cigars gain in reputation, the country of Honduras also begins to gain ground, rebuilding from past destruction and turmoil. As the demand for Honduran cigars increase, the amount of acreage used to grow tobacco increases and the amount of revenue the country of Honduras receives from exports begins to rise as well. If this keeps up, we can only hope that someday Honduras will be as rich as the cigars it produces.
Orlando, Florida is a mystical land where everything is blown out of proportion. Leave everyday world behind when you visit Orlando, Florida because this is where the magical Seaworld is, Skull Kingdom, Wonder Works, Ripley’s Believe It or Not, and many other parks and entertainment centers to fill your vacation with unbridled fun and excitement. Orlando is a place of sunny beaches, family parks, theatres and loads of tourist attractions. There’s never nothing to do in Orlando, Florida.
First of all, if you’re going with your whole family, you can take the kids to the absolutely breathtaking SeaWorld. Many vacationers rant and rave about the absolutely adorable dolphins, sharks and other bizarre-looking sea creatures amidst the laid-back and yet exciting atmosphere where there is a vast collection of sea animals that you can introduce to your children. The schedule for each of the shows is arranged in such a way that you don’t have to run from one show to another in a hurry. In fact, you can literally spend the whole day at SeaWorld, going from one show to another, at a leisurely pace.
And if you’re visiting Orlando, Florida, you can’t miss visiting the Universal Studios in Florida. Universal Studios is a place not only suitable for the kids, but even the adults find the place absolutely captivating. Some folks go to Universal Studios, Florida more than 3 times a year, where they leave ‘everyday world’ and ‘restraint’ behind at the doorstep. Even though some say that the wait for the rides are long and tiring, most of them agree that the wait is well worth it!
The Wet n Wild in Orlando, Florida has been bringing in visitors, vacationers and tourists from all over the world simply because the place is clean, well-kept with hundreds of rides for kids and adults alike. There are rides for just about anyone, from 18-months to 88-years old! Those who like the feeling of being in the sea, you should rent a boogie and take a ride in the huge wave pool. Every other minute, the horn will blow and all of a sudden, you will feel like you’re in the sea.
The Sleuths Mystery Dinner Theatre is among one of the many places that tourists go to only to leave it with very distinct pleasant memories of. Not only is the food excellent, the show they have there is always fresh and unique. And for those who like to get a little scared, try out the Skull Kingdom, Florida. Enter the Skull Kingdom, wander around and get taunted and terrified by a cast of freakish characters out to raise your blood pressure.
Dakota Caudilla, journalist, and website builder Dakota Caudilla lives in Texas. He is the owner and co-editor of travel-florida.net travel-florida.net on which you will find a longer, more detailed version of this article.
