Travel

Last month, we asked you, our readers, about your favorite lesser-known Mexican hideaways: those resorts, inns, B&Bs, and hotels you love and look forward to revisiting. Readers answered the call with great suggestions such as a $58-per-night gem in Manzanillo, $300-a-week vacation homes in Progreso, and the ultimate splurge in Cancun.ManzanilloManzanillo, known as one of the prettiest beach destinations in all of Mexico, has a reputation as an upscale resort area, rich in golf courses, sport fishing, and dive sites. But reader Phyllis P. has found a hotel that offers all the elegant charm of the destination at a price that can’t be beat: “Our favorite place to stay in Manzanillo is the Hotel La Posada. It’s a small pink inn with about 25 rooms, and is clean, quiet, reasonable, and fun. It is within walking distance of some restaurants and easy to catch the bus to get around Manzanillo. We love being right on the beach with the pool right there and watching the ships and boats
(Read the full post about ‘Don’t Miss It: Readers’ Favorite Places to Stay in Mexico’…)

If you’ve ever had the pleasure of eating Buffalo wings dripping with butter-infused hot sauce, you’ve tasted food that originally came from Upstate New York. You also might be surprised to learn that potato chips were originally invented in Upstate New York, in Saratoga Springs. Often overshadowed by New York City’s understandably more famous cuisine, Upstate New York is a meat eater’s paradise, home to such foods as beef on weck (also known as kummelweck), chicken spiedies, white hots, and the amazingly sinful garbage plate. Buffalo Wings Originally invented by the Anchor Bar in Buffalo, New York, locals refer to them as chicken wings (or more simply, wings). When we lived in Western New York, our local pizzaria used to sell them with their pizzas, along with soft garlic knots dipped in butter. Each year, the City of Buffalo holds a chicken wing festival. Last year, a record 27 tons of wings were eaten by 78,000 very happy people. Hopefully, this
(Read the full post about ‘Meat Eater’s Paradise: Five Legendary Foods from Upstate New York’…)

. Every year, hundreds of Kiwis skip the New Zealand winter for back-to-back summers. They head north to teach American kids loads of fun activities at summer camps across the United States. Summer camp is an American tradition, almost a rite of passage, and for Kiwis looking to experience the American way of life while working in a fun environment, Summer Camp USA is a unique opportunity. I'm an Aucklander aged 20, and I travelled with IEP New Zealand to work as a "counsellor" at a summer camp near Belfast, Maine, the heart of New England in the northeast of the US. I wanted to travel and to work with kids, and Summer Camp USA sounded like an interesting experience. About 600 Kiwis travel each year to work as counsellors and instructors. It's a great chance to live in another country with a very different culture. As a counsellor, I was in charge of a cabin of up to 20 girls. Some camps are single sex, some mixed. Some kids stay the whole eight weeks of summer,
(Read the full post about ‘Happy campers in the USA’…)

And you thought Blues was dead. Hah! In just 13 days, the biggest blues event in the world, the International Blues Challenge (IBC), begins. It lasts only three days, but this event brings in over 180 Blues acts from 36 states and nine countries. And where will all this madness and mayhem take place? In Memphis, Home of the Blues. Each year the Blues Foundation, in support of its stated goal of raising consciousness and awareness of the blues, hosts this extravaganza, which takes place in the Beale Street area, the cradle of the Blues. And each year it seems the Blues Foundation bests itself from the previous years. Then they cap it off by hosting an awards celebration that blows the doors off any others around. State and national blues organizations across the globe run their own versions of qualification trials, picking and usually picking up the tab for these groups and musicians while they’re in Memphis. There are solo competitions, pairs, small groups, large groups, and
(Read the full post about ‘The Blues Foundation Hosts 25th International Blues Challenge’…)

My husband and I talked at length the other night about attempts that were made to contact un-contacted tribes like those headlined last year. The tribesmen were touted as savages by a lot of people, presumably because it was “us” using our methods of civilization to spy on “them,” who had none. We discussed what defines and differentiates the civilized from the savage. My husband is a recently retired Marine who spent a year in Okinawa and Korea. He spent five winters in a tent in the highest elevations of Norway and deployed to the Mediterranean where his ship was diverted to the Adriatic Sea off the coast of Croatia. He crossed the border at Kuwait into Iraq in 2003 and spent time off the coast of Liberia on his way home. While stationed with Marine Forces Europe, he spent a great deal of time in Africa. He is no stranger to adversity and has witnessed much poverty. His military resume has given him a clear perspective on the world’s have-nots than could be had by any number of
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Draft your legal documents and sign them over a bottle of Dom Pérignon. Invite hundreds and spend thousands on your wedding. Get your license and have your witnesses witness it. Have your honeymoon in the Caribbean and live happily ever after your divorce is finalized – but for cryin’ out loud, do it in private! It’s an outrage that part of my newspaper is committed to non-news items like engagements (many of which will never materialize) and marriages (half of which will implode before you can say “I do…wish I’d married your brother”). As if that weren’t enough, in 20, 50, even 75 years, roughly a third of these duos will make us hear about it all over again under the guise of anniversaries. Pearl Harbor has an anniversary, too. Need I say more? The local government dutifully tracks these non-news events, going so far as to make them part of the public record. Public! It’s no subtle reminder just how depraved the
(Read the full post about ‘Satire: The Case for Banning Heterosexual Marriage’…)

Perched on a mountain in the Gold Coast hinterland, Gwinganna is considered the Rolls-Royce of health retreats. That suits me. But as my brother drove me up the retreat's steep driveway - it could double as a black-diamond ski run - my casual optimism disappeared. There's no television, no radio, no newspapers, no pass-outs. That's right, they lock you in. I immediately wanted a cigarette and 400 Lindt balls. The grounds were magnificent and tranquil and the staff serene and smiling, even though the nicotine and alcohol cravings had me screaming, "It's a cult!" on a loop in my head. My panic eased when staff told me I could use my BlackBerry in assigned areas. "No," my brother told them, "she's a CrackBerry addict." The staff took it and cheerfully locked it in the retreat's safe. I went to my room and was immediately distracted by the opulence. The king-size bed was princess-worthy with about eight pillows and a mattress so
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From its large-scale beach resorts and bustling cities to its beautiful forests and tiny villages, Mexico is one of the most popular travel destinations around. However, this vast country is not known for being one of the safest options for vacationers. Despite this reputation, travelers can still have a fun-filled holiday! Sticking with these simple tips will help you have an enjoyable and safe vacation. Do Your ResearchResearching your destination prior to departure is a good way to learn about the history of Mexico and which places to visit. It can also warn you of any current travel precautions or health warnings. Websites such as the U.S. Department of State, WorldTravelWatch, and Visit Mexico have information about the country and provide a plethora of emergency numbers and addresses. Travelers can also check international news sites to learn about any relevant happenings such as riots or protests. Do Not Travel AloneWhile many people love to go on solo vacations, in Mexico,
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It's hard not to think of Norman when you're spending the weekend at The Vintage. His craggy, hatted features are festooned on posters throughout the development in the heart of the Hunter Valley wine district. The Queenslander, who notoriously blew more majors than he won, designed the course a decade ago. Today it is regarded as one of the finest golf courses in Australia. Friends will vouch for the fact that I'm a pathetic golfer. But the A$39 ($48) nine-hole dash after 4pm (including an electric buggy) is too attractive to miss. Especially as I've got two caddies on hand, not one. My six-year-old, no sports fan, loves being the scorer because he can practise his maths (though my embarrassing score isn't helped by the three or four shots he adds to each hole). Meanwhile, the four- year-old has taken to shouting "terrible shot, Daddy," even before I've hit the ball. You don't have to be a golfer to enjoy staying at the clumsily named Grand
(Read the full post about ‘Fairway to heaven’…)