Travel to Spain Enjoy a Spring Day in Barcelona

One of the most fashionable and cosmopolitan European cities is Barcelona, the right place to enjoy a spring day walking through its magnificent streets, shopping or finding a Barcelona holiday apartment. Yes, after your arrival at this gorgeous city it is more likely you will want to stay, so finding an accommodation in Barcelona is a must.

On your next visit to Spain, check with your travel agent for possibilities in receiving both cheap international plane tickets and Barcelona apartment rental facilities, including home-stay with selected families of the best neighborhoods, or live in a fully equipped Barcelona holiday apartment.

For those who prefer home-stay, the packages usually include breakfast and dinner with the family, while the Barcelona apartment rental does not include any meal options. Cheap international plane tickets in addition to a home-stay in the city are usually marketed as \Student Packages\ but anyone can take these specials.

In fact, the advantage of an accommodation in Barcelona with a local family gives people the opportunity to learn Spanish and the regional culture. Either some packages include expressly a series of intensive Spanish Lessons at home-stay or local institutes groups per levels, and includes all course materials and Internet facilities.

From the perspective of a Barcelona holiday apartment, you can enjoy the historic treasures of the city, or simply relax after spending a spring day at any of the beaches nearby, such as Nova Icaria, Bogatell, Mar Bella and Barceloneta, all around the Olympic village and marina undertaken for the 1992 Olympics, including its popular symbol \Naranjito\ (little orange)

An accommodation in Barcelona next to these installations include beautiful sights of the Mediterranean sea, but also the amenities of the beaches and facilities such as disabled access, sun beds, showers and lifeguards in season time. Locals have made an Olympic effort maintaining the pristine cleanliness of both sand and sea after the Olympics games.

Whichever your choice, booking in advance round cheap international plane tickets and Barcelona apartment rental, is a must since Barcelona is one of the most wanted tourist destinations in Spain, with a number of attractions ranging from the best museums and historical routes, to beaches excursions and water sports.

Pick up services at the city\'s airport on arrival and departure dates are usually included with your accommodation in Barcelona, with bilingual support wherever you go, and particularly if you are traveling to learn the language through a supervised program or at home-stay.

On your next visit to Spain, check with your travel agent for possibilities in receiving both cheap international plane tickets and Barcelona apartment rental facilities, including home-stay with selected families of the best neighborhoods, or live in a fully equipped Barcelona holiday apartment.

Voltage Converters Don't Fry Your Appliances!

Most of North and South America, the Caribbean and Japan use
110 volts at 60Hz while most European counties use 220 volts at
50Hz. This means you may need to use voltage converters to use
many of your electrical appliances. Plugging a 110 volt
electrical product into a 220 volt socket without a voltage
converter will damage or destroy the appliance.

To know if you need a power converter you should check any
electrical appliance as you pack them for your trip. Each
appliance will have a small rating plate which will tell you if
the product is single volt or dual volt (i.e. Use 110 or 220 or
both). If the rating plate says it is a dual volt appliance you
will not need a voltage converter, however, any single volt
appliance will need a travel converter. There are several
different kinds of travel voltage converters available. Small
electronics - like your electric razor or toothbrush - need a 50
watt converter while heating appliances like heating pads,
hairdryers and curling irons require a stronger ac power
converter (a 26 - 1875 watt converter is ideal). Dual voltage
source converters are available that can handle both the low and
high end electrical needs.

Almost all travel converters require the use of ac adapters (In
fact I have never seen a travel converter that did not require
the use of an AC adapter) so make sure you bring some along on
your trip. Most manufacturers of travel voltage converters sell
them in kits with power adapters.

European Cruise Never A Waste Of Money

A cruise along the European coastline, wouldn\'t that be just a
dream come true? If only you had the time and money to go on
board a cruise ship and visit all those ports in the
Mediterranean, to then go around the Iberian Peninsula to the
North Sea up, up, and away almost to Siberia. It\'s a dream,
isn\'t it? Wrong! If you are planning on traveling to Europe and
you think cruising is the most expensive way, you are making a
serious mistake.

There are many ways of getting to know Europe. You can go on
your own, stay at a Bed & Breakfast, rent a car, have lunch at
diners, and really spend serious money on overpriced European
goods. Traveling on your own apparently seems less expensive,
but if you write down everything you spend, you might be alarmed
at the expenses. Let\'s say you\'re walking around London and you
feel thirsty, wouldn\'t it be terrible to pay for bottled water
at a price three times what you pay at home? Paying a local tour
guide is almost always more expensive and not always do they
have understandable English. The best option for land traveling
is going on a package deal if you want to save on a travel guide
but that is about it. If you are going on a package deal you
might as well go on a cruise!

Think about the advantages of a European cruise. All your food
and drink is already paid for, so you won\'t pay European prices
on food and drink, you will pay what you would pay at home. When
the cruise arrives at a city, you have a tour guide with good
English. The only downside to cruises is the time limit for
exploring the cities ashore, but the advantages totally
overshadow this. If you take the total expense for cruising and
divide it by the total number of days you will be traveling, the
outcome might be much less expensive than land traveling.

So you should stop thinking that cruises are just for rich
people because they are not. It is just a question of class and
self-allowance. If you believe you can go on a cruise, you will
because it turns out less expensive than land traveling.

There are two main routes on European cruises. You can take the
cold Northern route, which is the Baltic Sea (Scandinavia and
Russia), Norwegian fjords, the Arctic Circle, and British Isles.
Make sure you take plenty of winter clothes, because out at sea
is much colder than on land. It is a beautiful cruise, although
it is more indoors. You can also take the Mediterranean course,
which is probably more appealing. You get to know Barcelona,
Southern France, Italy, and Greece. It is warm and pleasant
there and you can go to the pool on the cruise ship and enjoy
the outdoors. There are also possibilities of making a
connection between both courses and get to know the entire
European coastline.

It is just a matter of being wise with your money and knowing
how to save up. It is not impossible to go on a European cruise,
it is wor

Finding the Right Home Rental in Lake Tahoe

There are a few patterns to consider when looking for a Lake
Tahoe home rental. You\'ll pay more for the houses near the ski
areas in the winter time no matter the size and you\'ll always
pay more for lakefront properties no matter what time of year.
But if you can decide what you need (or want) and what you want
to spend there are a multitude of choices for house vacation
rentals in and around the beautiful lake.

High up on a hill, overlooking the western shores of Lake Tahoe
sits an 8,000 square foot home visited by presidents,
dignitaries and the merely wealthy. Built in the 1930s by a
noted steel magnate, the house is now available for rent,
ranging in price from $3,000 per night to $50,000 per month
depending upon the season. It comes fully equipped with a full
staff of cook, housekeeper, maid and butler, a choice of
automobiles to use, a pool and down on the lake, the private
boat dock with what can only be described as a \lake yacht\
complete with a skipper who will gladly ride you to any point on
the lake - all at no extra charge.

Or, if you prefer, stay in a beautiful, upscale neighborhood
where the lawns are neatly mowed, the kids play safely outside
on the sidewalks and the driveways all end with a basketball
hoop hanging from the garage. Houses like this are plentiful in
several areas around the lake and average in price from $300 per
night to $1200 per week for three, four or even five bedrooms.

You can call any one of a number of local real estate agents to
arrange a house vacation rental for you at a modest fee. Tell
them exactly the type of home you\'re looking to rent and they\'ll
will find it for you. If you\'re the more adventurous type, you
can get a bit more bang for your buck by researching the
numerous websites on the internet. And, if you\'ve got any
familiarity with the area, you\'ll likely find exactly what you
want without much trouble.

Learn The Local Language Before Taking Your Next Trip Abroad

Before going on your next vacation or business trip abroad, consider learning some of the language that is spoken where you\'re going. You can get started learning easily and relatively inexpensively. Learning the local language can enhance your travelling experience, sometimes in ways you never thought of.

You can begin with just a few greetings and phrases, progress to a more \'survival vocabulary\' level, or if you really like, you can go ahead and spend months studying the language in-depth. In any case, if you find you like speaking and learning the language, you can always expand on what you\'ve learned at first and further your study.

Why learn the language? For one thing, it is easier to deal with the local people if you speak even a little of their language. Don\'t assume everyone speaks English. Numbers, greetings, directions and simple questions are not very hard to learn and are very useful. The locals will appreciate the effort on your part, and in fact, you may receive slightly better treatment than you would otherwise. In a perfect world that wouldn\'t be true, but every little bit helps.

Improving communication with the locals is important. By learning some of the language, you reduce the possiblity of miscommunication. \Please,\ \Thank You,\ \How much is that?,\ and \Where is ...\ are all easy to learn and can go a long way toward friendly encounters. These phrases can be very handy for all the times you go to restaurants, buy something, take a taxi etc.

Travel is simply more fun when you speak the language. It\'s all part of the adventure. Learning the country, the people and the culture will expand your possibilities. By learning another language you can increase your social contacts and travel opportunities. Work, study and even retirement abroad all become more possible.

So, how do you go about starting to learn a new language? There are lots of different sources you can use to get started.

First is online. There are endless websites that can help you start learning a particular language. Travlang.com offers free online words and phrases with audio that you can use to pick up the basics. About.com is also an excellent source with some more in-depth tutorials for many languages. You can also do a search on any search engine for \learn spanish\ or \learning chinese\ or any other language, and you will find many sites with free tutorials.

There are also loads of commercial products to help you learn a language, many designed for the traveller. There are books, tapes, cd\'s, videos and software products. In some cases, there are combination packages that can be very comprehensive. The Pimsleur line of audio tapes and cd\'s are ideal for a simple, pain-free introduction to a language. The Living Language line of book and tape combo\'s are also relatively inexpensive and effective. RosetteStone, Teach Yourself, Transparent Language and many others provide products for whatever medium you are most comfortable with that can get you started learning a language.

Another possibility is a class or tutor. The personal interaction between people is what language is all about, so for many people, this is the best way to begin learning a foreign language. You can also go one step further and take a \'learning vacation.\' This is an immersion class or learning tour in the country you are going to.

Just about anywhere you go it will benefit you to learn the local language. Learning a language for travel will broaden your horizons and present you with a growing list of opportunities for your future. The bottom line is to enhance your travel and just have fun. Learning even a little of a new language will make travelling easier and more rewarding, with minimal risk on your part. You may even find it enjoyable enough to continue your study further. If you can improve your travelling experience, and add a valuable life-skill in the process, then why not do it?

Ron is a long-time language enthusiast, exploring Spanish, French, Swedish, Esperanto and others.Learn more about studying a language on your own at Language-Learning-Advisor.com This guide for self-study language learners has reviews and recommendations of language learning methods and products, links to online learning resources, learning tips to maximize your study time and effectiveness and articles on language learning.

Tips and Hints On Hiring a Car In Spain

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How Car Rental Agencies Can Make Your Trip That Much Easier

Car rental agencies, along with many other factors, have played a vital role in increasing the easiness of travelling by providing a service through which travelers can easily rent a car of their choice. One can rent a car of any color, shape and model at reasonable prices from these car rental agencies. A rented car, which has been rented from an office sited in one city, can be easily dropped at another office situated in a different city. Besides manual reservations, most car rental companies have developed interactive websites to assist in making online reservations and helping travelers.

Being able to rent a car is a service as the number of companies providing car rental services has greatly increased in the last few years. National car rental, Enterprise car rental, Budget car rental, Thrifty car rental, Alamo car rental, Cheap car rental and many others are all recognized for providing admirable amenities and services to their customers. Initially, many of these intended to capture the American market only, but now almost all have open sub-offices in many different countries of the world.

It really doesn't matter where in the world you're traveling to or from. You can easily rent a car to take care of your transportation needs. People even rent cars from the local car rental agency in their home town. Why? Possibly because their car isn't as late model as they would like, yet they still want to take some time and get away.

Be aware that some car rental companies have geographic restrictions on their cars. You'll need to know where you intend to go and make sure that your rental agreement allows that. Once you've dotted all the I's and crossed all the t's you can hit the road and really enjoy yourself.

Mike Yeager

Publisher

http://www.a1-vacations-4u.com/

mjy610@hotmail.com

Go to Guatemala!

Does Mayan culture pique your interest? Do you want to see a live volcano? Does visiting a place called the Land of Eternal Spring interest you? If so, go to Guatemala!



Nestled in Central America, Guatemala is a land with an ancient history and an intriguing present. Long ruled by the Mayans, this people group suddenly died off well before the Spaniards conquered the land. Still, you see the Mayan look in the faces of many of the people.



Bright colors adorn much of the clothing, and villages are occupied by people who are hardworking and friendly. Because Catholicism is so strong, expect to see a huge cathedral in many of the larger towns.



Guatemala City is a modern, loud, noisy, and smelly place. Still, it is the seat of government for the nation and the place many tourists start their vacation. Tikal and other resorts are nearby and the one active volcano in the country is near Antigua, the ancient capitol of this Central American destination.



Why is it called the Land of the Eternal Spring? Well, this applies mostly to Guatemala City as its elevation of 4700 feet keeps it cool enough year round. Even in summer evenings you will reach for a sweater or jacket to ward off the chilly air. Contrast that with the coastal areas where year round heat and humidity is commonplace.



Here is an excellent site [Spanish that will tell you more about this wonderful country:



http://www.terra.com.gt/turismogt/

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

Matt Keegan is The Article Writer covering topics as diverse as travel, business, advocacy and sports. Please visit his high performing site at www.thearticlewriter.com for more information.

Western US Retirement Picks

I am pursuing my final career - and I am quite comfortable working a 40-hour schedule for the first time in my life. I take my time and pick my clients carefully.

I get to take a day off here and there for golf, and I travel around the western states every couple of months. Over the past two years I have been keeping an eye out for the perfect spot to retire in the Western US.

I now live in a small community near the Bay Area in Northern California. I\'ve lived here for 20+ years, and it has been great. The Bay Area is vibrant, has a good climate, and is home to some of the most creative people on the planet. But it certainly isn\'t paradise.

It is an expensive place to live. The highways are congested. The boarders of the US are out of control and that has hit California hard. The government is dysfunctional, and we pay a premium for that. While we have good weather, it is great half the year and somewhat over-rated the other half. My business has changed over the past five years. I can do about 80% - 90% of it from anywhere. That\'s the beauty of information and communication technology.

Let me share with you what I have found as I looked for better working/ retirement locations in the western US.

- Portland, Oregon area; especially Southern Washington

-Prescott, Arizona

-Northern Baja, Mexico

-Hilo, the big island of Hawaii

-Boise, Idaho

Southern Washington: I recently visited a friend who built his dream house on a few acres in Southern Washington, about 30 minutes from Portland. His 2,500 square foot house cost about the same as a acre lot in the Bay Area. He is within easy drive of a good airport and Oregon has no sales tax. He can explore the Cascades and reach ocean or skiing in a few hours. Yep - it rains a lot, but not as much as Seattle.

Prescott, Arizona: This gem is home to 30,000 people, who enjoy mountain vistas and a temperate, sunny, four-season climate thanks to its mile-high elevation. If you aren\'t real fussy, you can find a nice house for $350k. If you are a little fussy or want some land, expect to pay $500k or better. Prescott is an old, established town with historic buildings and strong family culture. It\'s true that absentee Californians have snapped up a good bit of the real estate up. But they have been are running around most of the west buying spare homes and putting them in the \bank\ for future use.

Northern Baja, Mexico: Don\'t write this one off too fast, especially if you are in So Cal. and want a second home near the beach. It is not as crazy as it sounds You can live near the beach in Rosarito and get an absolutely great ocean view or ocean front house for a fraction of the price of a house located two hours north in San Diego county. South of the Border property even has financing available from this side of the border.

Hilo Area on the Big Island: One of the best deals in the United States has been discovered and land prices are climbing rapidly, but guess what? Land in Hilo is still inexpensive. If you are looking for a slow pace, it doesn\'t get any slower than Hilo. This area is absolutely beautiful yet not a prime location for vacation resorts and condos. Condos on Kauai, Maui, and the other side of the big island run $500 - $750k, yet a Hilo acre lot can be purchased for $40 to $75k, and houses for $150k. If you want some privacy, like to garden, and have dreamed of building a hideaway on an tropical island, there is still time to do it in the USA. It rains almost daily in Hilo but showers are short and the 75 to 80 degrees temperatures makes the showers and lush green growth a real delight.

Boise is rated as the second best city to do business in the US by Forbes Magazine. It has a population of about 400,000, and median house prices around $165,000. Boise is an excellent gateway to the natural beauty of the Northern Rockies. For those of you not quite ready to hang it up, but looking for an interesting, affordable small city environment, Boise deserves your serious consideration.

John Thomas is an author, mentor, and business consultant who works exclusively with entrepreneurs and owners of small and mid-size businesses. He provides advice on web site promotion at TrafficistheKey.com/

Tour de France Viewing in Person What to Expect (Part 1)

What does an HC (hors categorie, or \out of category\) or even a
Category 1 or Category 2 climb feel like? Can I do it, or would
I need to get off and walk? How much of the Tour de France will
I get to see if I go there on an organized tour? These are just
several of the many questions cyclists ask while they are
contemplating a trip to France to see the Tour.

Experiencing the Tour de France in person can be the fulfillment
of a lifetime dream for many cyclists. Seeing the colorful
peleton swoosh by, riding the famous mountains like the Alp
d\'Huez or Col du Galibier in the Alps, for example, are dreams
for many cyclists, both avid riders and weekenders. Watching the
Tour on OLN is not like being there, however, and those who have
the right expectations will get the most for their time and
their money.

How Much Will I See? One must first realize that being at
the side of the road for the Tour is not the same as watching
stages on TV. Television has great advantages, of course, due to
the cameras mounted on motorcycles and helicopters which follow
the riders. In that way one can follow the progress of specific
riders for several hours. When one is at the Tour in person,
however, the peleton goes by quickly, and many novices seem
almost perplexed by the obvious. Some say things like \Gee, that
was fast. I didn\'t get to see much at all.\ And this is true if
the location one watches from is on a flat area early in the
day\'s race. Even if there is a breakaway by then, one would see
only the small group of escapees and then the peleton zoom by
probably just a few minutes later.

View the Action At Climbs The best way to combat this
problem is to view stages at climbs. Getting to the route hours
before the riders arrive, one can ride a favorite climb, like
the Col du Tourmalet in the Pyrenees or the Alp d\'Huez, for
example. Expert cyclists can ride the whole climb, but novices
need only ride a portion so that they can get a taste of what it
is like for the pros. They can also pick out a good viewing
spot, although organized tours may stake out a spot for their
group. Some of the best spots are found after climbing several
switchbacks and locating yourself where you can look down the
hill and see the riders approaching from below. They will take a
while to reach you, and since the peleton is often spread out on
the climbs, your viewing time will be much longer, perhaps even
20-30 minutes on some stages. You will get a better look at the
individual riders as well, as they obviously move slower on the
upslopes. The frenzied mountain top finishes one sees on TV can
also be misleading for first time Tour viewers. Many of these
locations are not accessible on race days, and most of the
people who are on the side of the road at the top have been
camping there for several days or have hiked miles to see the
finish. They are only in a position to see one stage, so for
organized tours that wish to view several stages in succession,
this situation is not an option. If one is fortunate enough to
see a time trial stage, the whole problem is alleviated. Riders
pass by one at a time throughout the day, so the \vanishing
peleton\ problem is not an issue in that case.

The French Police The French police, called gendarmes,
provide security along the race routes, and they can be very
arbitrary. The roads upon which the Tour is held will be closed
by the police sometime before the Sponsor\'s Caravan arrives.
This colorful parade of vehicles precedes the riders typically
by an hour, and samples of various products are tossed from the
vehicles to the spectators. Most of the gendarmes are tolerant
of the tourists who ride bikes along the Tour race route before
the peleton arrives. Sometimes, however, if one is riding a bike
on the Tour route for the day, a gendarme might be strict and
will tell that person he cannot ride on the road any longer
because it is closed. The best course of action is to get off
the bike, walk along until the gendarme is no longer in view,
and then take off riding again to get to where you want to go.
This technique isn\'t always foolproof, however. On one stage of
the 2005 Tour de France our guests were riding on the Tour
route, and they returned rather quickly saying that a gendarme
would not let them continue on the road. I later rode my bike in
the same direction they did in order to investigate. I passed
quite a number of gendarmes along the way, and all they did was
to tell me to stay well to the side and be careful. At about 10
kilometers from the finish line a gendarme stopped me and asked
where I came from. I told him \the United States\. Somewhat
exasperated, he sputtered, \no, how far have you been riding on
the road, it\'s closed!\ I said I came from kilometer 3 and
passed many gendarmes, none of them stopped me and all just told
me to be careful. He said \well, they are not doing their jobs,
but I\'m doing mine!\ This was the archetypical Frenchman, king
of his little plot of turf. He made me go off on a side road for
awhile before finding the Tour road again closer to our viewing
position. Fortunately the vast majority of gendarmes are more
reasonable than this person, but they are responsible for public
safety and are doing a balancing act between that and letting
the tourists enjoy themselves. Of course when the Sponsor\'s
Caravan arrives, one has no choice but to stop, as the vehicles
zip by quickly and are somewhat reckless at times.

Cultural Tourism in a Responsible Way

Tanzania is the focus of this short report on the new wave in cultural tourism. Tanzania has something to offer everyone; many attractions have become a magnet for tourists. Kenya seems to running a poor second to Tanzania over the past two years. Tanzania is a peaceful paradise for the tourist, boasting no tribalism and a nation where hospitality is a tradition. Truly the Tanzanian culture is gentle and peace loving; welcoming visitors into their country and homes.

Many claims are made over destinations around the world being safe and friendly; however, I believe Tanzania is unique in Africa in being precisely what is claimed; a peace loving welcoming culture; a jewel in the crown of Africa.

The new wave in cultural tours has begin in Arusha - the north of the country. Here, many tourists want to see more than the animals. The culture and the people are the destination; they are what make Tanzania so special. Not the plastic, dull, staged cultural experience offered in a lukewarm attempt to get more business; but a true experience of life in Tanzania.

The ideal way to experience this is to spend a few days in a Town or village; away from the hotels. To stay in a Tanzania or an Ex-pat home and spend some time getting to know how life works in Tanzania. Many people are starting to do this and then from this home-stay base organizing a safari. To coordinate a safari from Arusha yourself is cheaper, safer and offers more flexibility. More time can be spent in Tanzania and at a relatively low cost.

If you have some time to take a long break then this is a great way to learn and understand another culture. There are a few organizations that are beginning to offer this help. Community focused organizations and even a few tour operators will offer these services.

Responsible tourism should be a two way learning experience. You the tourist will learn about the culture [and much about yourself and the culture you visit will benefit from your interaction. Friendships and bonds can reach far into the future. An American friend of mine visited the Usambara Mountains before her safari in 2001. This visit affected her so much she has returned to us after four years to come and live and work in Tanzania. She is busy organizing the building and staffing of a primary school.

This is an extreme case and certainly not the norm, however, to experience a genuine cultural safari then the home stay is the way to go. Other benefits of the home-stay will be to give you chance to organize a safari from within Tanzania at a cheaper rate than you would get from organizing it from outside the country. I would urge you to consider this as a way of getting to know Tanzania, being able to afford an extended time here and also helping in the communities of Northern Tanzania.

For more information on Tanzania Culture look at http://www.tanzania-info.co.uk and for safaris look at http://www.betheladventure.co.uk - Support responsible tourism and change lives.

How to Enjoy the Holidays With Your Relatives

Here are five simple things that will make the next holiday party enjoyable for everyone.



1) Leave Home Without It



Unless you visit like-minded people, leave your private cause at home. Cover the tattoo, remove the nose ring, take out the tongue stud. Similarly, avoid editorials, lectures, and sermons. Remember: it\'s a holiday party. No one comes to be offended.



2) Make Them Special



Let others talk. Be impressed (or at least interested) with what they say. Ask questions to encourage telling more. Find something to praise. Give your complete attention while listening. Appreciation is a gift that lasts a lifetime.



3) Detach



Let others be themselves. Accept what people say, regardless how outrageous. Avoid correcting, criticizing, or complaining. Ignore bait that lures you into arguments. Avoid taking things personally. Just say, \Ah, how interesting,\ and move on.



4) Talk Friendly



Offer compliments. Be positive. Be gracious. Be mature. Find diplomatic ways to express your ideas. Avoid negative words, especially \not,\ because negative ideas trigger a defensive response. Be a source of solutions instead of complications.



5) Behave



Avoid trick questions (\What kind of idiot would do this?\). Avoid punitive stories that contain hidden insults. Avoid baiting people into arguments. Spend time with people who enjoy your ideas. Realize it is always a bad idea to start an argument.

Article Source: http://www.articledashboard.com

- - -

Steve Kaye helps leaders hold effective meetings. He is an IAF Certified Professional Facilitator, author, and speaker. His meeting facilitation and leadership workshops create success for everyone. Call 714-528-1300 for details. Visit www.stevekaye.com for a free report.

Party on a Boat in Lake Tahoe

If you love being on the water and water sports, you should plan
a trip to Lake Tahoe. Not only is the scenery beautiful, but
there is miles and miles of lake for you to speed around on in
your boat. Depending on what type of boat you have, you can do
all kinds of water sports with it. You can also fish if you want
to or just take a leisurely ride around the lake and get tan!

You can go skiing, wake boarding or parasailing in Lake Tahoe
but don't forget your life jacket! No matter how old you are,
it's always essential that you prepare for the unexpected. Even
if you're just riding on the boat, wear a life jacket at all
times in case there are big waves or unforeseeable currents that
are much stronger than you. You may feel silly wearing a life
jacket but trust me, they can and will save your life in an
emergency.

It's advised not to drink when you're driving your boat in Lake
Tahoe, but people tend to do it anyway. Think of it this way:
you wouldn't have 10 beers and then go drive your car, would
you? Hopefully the answer is no and you should give your boat,
the passengers in it and all the other people on the lake the
same courtesy. Your vision and motor skills are highly
distorted, even after just a few drinks, so appoint a designated
driver to keep everyone safe.

It's always fun to have a party on a boat in Lake Tahoe, so
think about having your next birthday or anniversary party
there. If you have a large enough boat, you can invite some
friends to swim, ski, fish or suntan with you on it. Make sure
you bring great food and music and everyone will have a great
time!

Alaska Cruising 2006... A Quick Preview

Thinking about an Alaska cruise this summer? You\'ve got tons of
options along the sea routes of \the Great Land\ in 2006. And
few, if any, passengers who make the trip will return home
disappointed in this region of towering mountains, lush forests,
endless acres of untrammeled wilderness, whales in the water and
brown (grizzly) bears on shore. Equally exciting: Alaska Native
cultures still vibrant and living, and \Sourdough\ goldrush
history still reflected in many structures and sites connected
to the Klondike stampede to the Yukon.

16 Cruiselines, 47 Vessel in \'06

Among voyaging choices: No fewer than 16 cruiselines will
dispatch a total of 47 big and little vessels on literally
hundreds of sailings this spring, summer, and fall. And that
doesn\'t include Alaska\'s 11 wide-ranging state-owned passenger
and vehicle ferries, most with staterooms and food service. You
can board a couple of these ships as far south as Bellingham,
Washington.

Some of the major vessels in the cruiseliner fleet -- floating
grand resorts actually, with swimming pools, fitness centers,
Vegas-style shows, casinos, movie theaters, and lounges -- will
accommodate more than 2,000 passengers per sailing. In contrast,
some of the smallest ships will pamper only a dozen or so.

Departure Ports

Cruiseship ports of departure include Seattle, San Francisco,
Vancouver, and Prince Rupert, plus a number Alaska coastal
communities - among them Ketchikan, Petersburg, Sitka, Juneau,
Cordova, Whittier, and Seward.

Cruise lengths vary. You can book a short cruise of three
nights/four days in Prince William Sound or you can sign up for
a traditional seven-night/eight-day roundtrip \Inside Passage\
voyage from Seattle or Vancouver to Southeast Alaska and return
(longer from San Francisco). Or you can book a
seven-night/eight-day one-way \Gulf and Glaciers\ cruise between
Vancouver and Seward or Whittier. If you have the time (and
budget) you may opt for an \expedition\ sailing. Longest is 24
nights/25 days and includes the Bering Sea and even Russian
ports and cruising areas.

Glaciers

Of course, an Alaska cruise would hardly be an Alaska cruise
without a day or more at major glacier viewing sites, among
them: Glacier Bay National Park north of Juneau; Hubbard
Glacier, which \flows\ off Wrangell-St.Elias National Park into
Disenchantment Bay and Russell Fjord north of Yakutat; twin
Sawyer glaciers within the U.S. Forest Service\'s Tracy
Arm-Ford\'s Terror Wilderness Area between Juneau and Petersburg;
and Southcentral Alaska\'s Prince William Sound with College
Fjord and other glacier-rich sites.

If you want more than sea travel you can book the increasingly
popular option of a \cruisetour.\ That is, before or after your
cruise you can experience the likes of a tour to Denali National
Park, Fairbanks, Prudhoe Bay (on the shores of the Arctic
Ocean), Canada\'s Yukon Territory, or other popular land
destinations.

For cruiseline-by-cruiseline itineraries and options, following
are the names, phone contacts, and websites of the 16 companies
cruising Alaska in 2006.

Large-ship Cruiselines, 1,000 to 2,672 passengers

Carnival Cruise Lines, 1-800-CARNIVAL (http://www.carnival.com)

Celebrity Cruises, 1-800-437-3111 (http://www.celebrity.com)

Holland America Line, 1-800-637-5029
(http://www.hollandamerica.com)

Norwegian Cruise Line, 1-800-327-7030 (http://www.ncl.com)

Princess Cruises, 1-800-PRINCESS (http://www.princess.com)

Royal Caribbean International, 1-800-722-5045
(http://www.royalcaribbean.com)

Companies With Mid-Size Vessels, 300 to 999 Guests

Radisson Seven Seas Cruises, 1-866-314-3213 (http://www.rssc.com)

Silversea Cruises, 1-800-722-9955
(http://www.silverseacruises.com)

Smallship Lines, Serving a Dozen Guests to 299

American Safari Cruises, 1-888-862-8881
(http://www.americansafaricruises.com)

American West Steamboat Co., 1-800-434-1232
(http://www.americanweststeamboat.com)

The Boat Company, 1-360-697-4242 (http://www.theboatcompany.com)

Clipper Cruise Line, 1-800-325-0010
(http://www.clippercruise.com)

Cruise West, 1-800-888-9378 (http://www.cruisewest.com)

Discovery Voyages, 1-800-324-7602
(http://www.discoveryvoyages.com)

Lindblad Expeditions, 1-800-EXPEDITION
(http://www.expeditions.com)

Maple Leaf Adventures, 1-888-599-5323
(http://www.mapleleafadventures.com)

Ferries

Alaska Marine Highway System, 1-800-642-0066
(http://www.FerryAlaska.com)

BC Ferries, 1-250-386-3431 (http://www.bcferries.com)

Copyright 2006 by Mike Miller. All rights reserved.

Niagara falls For Love The Sheraton On The Falls Resort

Niagara falls For Love - The Sheraton On The Falls Resort

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While Niagara Falls has long been considered the place for lovers - particularly for honeymooners - developers are broadening the appeal as a destination resort for families and retirees. But at the heart of it, it's still a spectacular setting to find, celebrate, or renew romance for any age.

My wife and I spent a couple days in late September exploring the Canadian side of the falls and hosted at on of the area's premier hotels, The Sheraton On The Falls. (The Sheraton offers great off-season rates around Valentine's Day.

After a drive from Toronto, where I had been n business, we were ready to relax and we couldn't have picked a better location. The hotel booked us into one of their premium suites, complete with sitting area and fireplace, king-size bed, jetted tub, and unparalleled views of both the famous Horseshoe Falls and American Falls. Whether it's the nightly man-made light show of colors splashed on the falls or a sunrise playing in the mist, the hotel offers a front-row seat.

We arrived in the afternoon and by that eveneing we explored the shops, restaurants and attractions on Falls Avenue and Clifton Hill. The Sheraton is at the heart of the Falls Avenue development, featureing a Planet Hollywood restaurant, Hard Rock Caf, Rainforest Caf, and attractions, including a simulated Ride Over the Falls, Dino Island 3D ride, Elvira's Haunted Coaster, a Hershey chocolate shop, and Casino Niagara.

Inside Casino Niagara, it's evident that this is no longer the Niagara Falls popularized in the Marilyn Monroe movie, 'Niagara.' The over-60 crowd lined the blackjack tables and filled the seats in front of the slot machines. In fact, it's the casino and a steady stream of retirees driving the development on the Canadian side; enough so, that the Canadians are planning a second casino and their envious American neighbors hope to open one of their own to revitalize Niagara Falls, New York's depressed tourist district.

Around the corner from the casino, Clifton Hill-area streets are brimming with attractions and tourist traps, including souvenir shops, arcades, small thrill rides, fun houses, and fast food joints. If your wallet's fat enough, you can spend the entire day at places like the Guiness World Records Museum, a Ripley's Believe it or Not museum and theater, haunted houses, a thrill ride accompanied by a 70mm film, and Movieland Wax Museum.

On our trip up the hill we ducked into the Rain Forest Caf for dinner. The menu items featured Chimi-Cha-Cha, Magambo Shrimp, and Mojo Bones (slow-roasted ribs). The restaurant includes a collection of animatronic wildlife - life-sized elephants and fearsome gorillas, choreographed to a recycling soundtrack of music and theatrics. Sitting amid tropical trees, guests experience simulated rainstorms. A volcano at the entrance of the restaurant erupts periodically. It's a great place for couples, but is certainly among the attractions meant to draw families.

After exploring some shops, we returned to the hotel to find the hotel's turndown service had left chocolates and robes on the bed. A rainbow of colors played over the water and mist as we opened an unscreened window to provide an unobstructed view of the scene.

The next morning we discovered the Niagara Falls area with the help of Niagara Falls Scenic Tours. The tour operator's coaches offered a soft seat and a fast way to take in all the Canadian side has to offer. George, our tour guide, filled the ride with facts, figures and interesting stories, like the one about the boy who went over the falls and lived to tell about it. We were accompanied by couples from England and the States.

The tour took us to the Mount Carmel Monastery and then a cruise on the Maid of the Mist. From May to late October, tourists don plastic ponchos and crowd onto four double-decker boats from both the Canadian and American sides for a 30-minute cruise below the American, Bridal Veil and Horseshoe Falls.

Along the way, we saw visitors in much heavier rain gear navigating trails, bridges, stairs and platforms near the base of Bridal Veil Falls. Accessible from the American side, The Cave of the Winds walk takes visitors on an elevator down a 175-foot shaft to the bulwark of trails . From the highest platform, the Hurricane Deck, the tour appeared to offer heart-stopping thrills as tourists hung on as water rushed around them.

Soon it was our turn for a close dose of Mother Nature's fury and water as the captain steered the boat close to the cascade.

If Maid of the Mist didn't get us wet enough, George sent us on a walk through the damp tunnels and onto an observation deck at the foot of the Horseshoe Falls in something called Journey Behind the Falls. Despite a descent through thick stone, the noise of the falls is thunderous and the vibration of water pounding rock is ever present.

After drying off, we were escorted a few miles downstream to an overlook above the river's famous whirlpool and great gorge. We watched as adventurous tourists screamed over the swirling water in jet-powered boats. The so-called Spanish Aero Car also moves people on a suspended cable car system above the treacherous waters.

We took a diversion to a nearby floral clock and provincial park, before enjoying a ride back to the falls for a delightful lunch in the rotating restaurant at the Skylon Tower. Along with a good meal, the tower offers spectacular views and the chance for camera buffs to get some

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Jetsetters Magazine Editor - Read Jetsetters Magazine at www.jetsettersmagazine.com To book travel visit Jetstreams.com at www.jetstreams.com and for Beach Resorts visit Beach Booker at www.beachbooker.com

About the Author

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