As you know from my last post, I had such a great time in the Dominican Republic. The travelogue from my trip to Santo Domingo and La Romana is up, so check it out to the right. Enjoy!
Archives for February 2009
Culture and Luxury in the DR
February 24, 2009 by
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A Valentine’s Weekend to Remember
February 19, 2009 by
I’m not one to make a big deal out of Valentine’s Day, but the fact that it fell over the President Day weekend this year, made it an appealing time for a quick getaway. I’m all about spontaneity, so when I was asked a few days before if I was interested in going, of course I couldn’t say no.
I immediately jumped onto Jet Blue’s website, as they are great with last minute travel. While their prices go up as it gets closer to the departure date, just like with other airlines, they are usually very fair in the pricing. They also happen to be my favorite airline because of their in-flight entertainment, spacious legroom, and friendly and accommodating crew. They also give you little bottles of water instead of pouring you a cup from their big “I don’t know where that water came from” bottle. The blue chips also beat the mini bag of nuts you usually get, if you’re lucky. I was excited to see they still had room available on their flight from JFK to Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic, which was a quick three and a half hour flight.
We spent one day in Santo Domingo and stayed at the Hilton Santo Domingo, which is the newest hotel in the city. While the city is not for long trips, it’s nice to see the Colonial Zone and experience the culture and people of Santo Domingo.
The next day, we transferred to La Romana, two hours from the city. Tropical Tours provides transfers with vans that can fit up to seven people, so getting around can be fairly easy. You definitely want to take this option, as driving can get a bit crazy! Even this girl, who drives all the time in NYC, would have been a bit scared!
Casa de Campo in La Romana is an incredible resort, and while it caters to families, if you are going as a couple, you will never feel overwhelmed by the children. Since the resort is so huge, they give everyone their own personalized golf cart so you can get to the marina, beach, shooting center, horseback riding stables, or incredible spa. There is a beautiful part of the resort, Altos de Chavon which consists of cobblestone streets, quaint shops and boutiques, phenomenal restaurants, an amphitheater and disco. The resort also works with Scuba Fun, a local diving and snorkeling company that takes you out on their various sized boats to the gorgeous nearby islands where you can see some very colorful fish, huge sting rays, and starfish. My only wish is that we had more time to check out all of the fun activities and amenities. Stop back soon to read more about my trip in my travelogue, and in the meantime, if you’re thinking about a quick getaway, think about the Dominican Republic.
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Wear a Sexy Kilt In Scotland!
February 12, 2009 by
Aye! You’re thinking about going to Scotland!What a perfect getaway, especially since the dollar is getting stronger against the pound.Scotland is an amazing country with many diverse regions, and easy enough to get around, preferably by public transportation since they drive on the other side of the road.
I was in Scotland for the kickoff of Homecoming which coincided with Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burn’s 250th anniversary.Homecoming is aimed at motivating people of Scottish decent, as well as those who simply love Scotland, to come home in 2009 and take part in an inspirational celebration of the culture, heritage, and the many great contributions Scotland has given to the world.Celtic Connections hosted music events throughout Scotland to celebrate the festivities at great performance venues such as the Old Fruitmarket in Glasgow.
After a quick six hour flight on Continental Airlines, I was in the bustling city of Glasgow.Glasgow is a fun and hip city with great shops, restaurants and bars, along with museums, galleries, and the famous Glasgow School of Art.The main shopping districts in City Centre consist of Princes Square with lots of designer shops, Buchanan Street, the main shopping strip in Glasgow with all types of stores and a mall, and Merchant City.Merchant City is one of the oldest quarters of Glasgow and the cultural heart of the city with numerous restaurants, design shops, and galleries.While there are plenty of buses to take you around Glasgow, I suggest exploring on foot so you can take in the character of each section of the city.Plus, when you get turned around like I did, everyone is so helpful and friendly when asked for directions.
From Glasgow, you can take less than an hour train ride from Queen Street to Edinburgh for around 10 pounds.I highly suggest making this part of your itinerary.As the capital of Scotland, this remarkable city has a breathtaking historical skyline consisting of the famous castle, stately homes, medieval chapels, the parliament, and the Queen’s palace.Extending down the royal mile from the castle is a mix of traditional and contemporary shops.Kenny Hanley, a Scottishman and tour guide for “Small World Tours” took me around Edinburgh to show me the highlights in my limited amount of time there.Kenny is extremely knowledgeable when it comes to Scotland’s traditions and history, and also a lot of fun.
If you are a big Robert Burns fan, you can trace his life in Scotland by starting in Ayr and visiting the Burns National Heritage Park and stepping inside his cottage where he grew up.While in Ayr, we were treated to a piping parade in celebration of the Robert Burns weekend.Did you know that a good majority of the cashmere made for major labels is made in Scotland? You can get a tour of Begg Scotland, and see the process of how cashmere is made in Ayr before it ends up on the shelves of some pretty popular stores.
In order to get a good sense of the infamous poet, Robert Burns, you can visit the Burns House Museum located in Mauchline, a little town northeast of Ayr.This is the town where Burns met his wife, Jean Armour.I unfortunately only had four days to spend in such a magical country, but you should definitely leave yourself some more time to explore the other beautiful regions such as the highlands, Loch Lomand, and Stirling.
You know what they say, when in Rome…well when in Scotland, you must eat what the Scots eat, and that includes such dishes as haggis, black pudding, and smokies.
Surprisingly, I liked the haggis, despite the fact that it’s made from a sheep’s heart, liver and lungs mixed with onion, oatmeal and spices and boiled in the animal’s stomach.The music is fun, especially from one of the country’s popular bands, the “Red Hot Chili Pipers” who rock out on their bagpipes.
So if you have a few days or a week, I definitely recommend a trip to Scotland.With so much history, great shopping, and beautiful landscapes, you’ll get immersed into another culture and place in time. And as a Scottish woman told me, you can never go wrong with a man in a kilt.
Previous Post: So Many Places to Go, People to See…
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So Many Places to Go, People to See…
February 8, 2009 by
This weekend I attended the NY Times Travel Show at the Javits Center in New York City, and boy, did it inspire me! I already love to travel, but seeing all of these incredible destinations under one roof really made me want to drop everything and travel the world! The Caribbean, Europe, South and Latin America, Southeast Asia, Australia, and so many places right here in the United States! The Philippine and Thai booths were giving incredible ten minute massages, while the Caribbean booths like Anguilla were offering up rum punch and rum cake. There were also parts of the convention hall devoted to luxury and spa travel, as well as adventure companies for those looking to stay active and try new things.
There were seminars throughout the day in two rooms and the Travel Channel’s Samantha Brown and Andrew Zimmern talked about their shows and how they landed what most would consider the best job in the world! There was also a seminar on travel writing run by Max Hartshorne from GoNomad.com, and Arthur and Pauline Frommer spoke about the best way to travel despite the economy.
While I was very exhilerated by the prospect of traveling all over the world, I was also excited to talk with the New Jersey tourism board and those representing Cape May. As a relationship talk show host in New Jersey, I am always looking for romantic getaways close to home. There are some beautiful bed and breakfasts and hotels right here in New Jersey. For those who may not be able to spend the extra money on airfare right now, these are the perfect options to steal away for a little romance. In the peak season, people from out of state make the Jersey Shore their vacation spot, so why not take advantage of it’s beauty when it’s less crowded? If you have a romantic spot in New Jersey where you like to go to get away for a few days or a week, I want to hear about it. As I discover new resorts and inns here in the Garden State, I will tell you all about them!
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