May Day in Leavenworth

Although the origins of the May Pole seem to be lost in folklore and pagan history, the celebration of May Day remains as a way for people to celebrate the arrival of Summer in the northern hemisphere.  Leavenworth, WA decorates a huge May Pole in the village square and welcomes tourists to join in the fun.  Clowns circle the crowd on unicycles and juggle for their entertainment, while a band dressed in lederhosen play polkas on Sunday May 10 , 2009.  If you have never visited the colourful town, try to do so.  It is always a treat to stroll the streets and enjoy the decorative buildings.  This town knows how to entertain!

Find The Back Roads

I always enjoyed Robert Frost’s quote: “Two roads diverged in a wood, and I took the one less traveled.”

The other day I drove the back roads not far from my house and was able to capture this wonderful old structure that is a homestead of one of the area’s earliest settlers.  The Haynes Ranch near Osoyoos stands with dilapidated pride, defending its right to exist along with the burrowing owl that nests in the desert landscape on the same hillside.  The elements, will soon claim this historic reminder of our pioneer past and how sad it will be to lose this landmark.  In the harsh light of a cold winter day, it looked so lonely and I could not help but pause, just as Robert Frost did on his silent road and think about how quickly time marches on.

When you travel, take time to explore the back roads and investigate the less travelled places.  There may be a totally unexpected delight just around the next hidden corner.  To quote another author, Marcel Proust, ” The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”  Happy exploring!

Think Green When You Travel

When we set out on vacations, let’s not leave behind our values.   If you practice the philosophy of thinking green, then take your good habits with you, (two out of three people say they don’t) and observe ways to save our environment.

Go Green when you travel

Here are a few tips:

1. Take short showers
2. Turn off the lights when you leave a hotel room
3. Take your own shampoo and other products (those plastic mini-bottles are going to end up in landfill after only 1 or 2 uses!)
4. Re-use your towels and sheets if you are on a long-stay.  Many hotels now ask you if you would like to do so.
5. Don’t use those plastic cups if you have your own water bottle or travel mug to drink from.

Miss the camping?

When it is winter in Canada, we think wistfully of warm campfires and balmy summer evenings with family. So why not make some memories for January?  Build a nice fire in your fireplace, spread a blanket in front and have a picnic indoors in front of your living room fire.  Have some popcorn, hotdogs, or even just sandwiches and coleslaw.  The kids will think it is great fun.  My daughter even pitched a small tent in their living room and let the kids “camp out” for the night in their sleeping bags.  Play a board game or tell ghost stories with the lights out and recapture some of the fun you have when you are camping.  Enjoy some family time!

Huge new ships mean Huge Savings!

Huge cruise ships are coming on line like the Carnival Splendor, and the  Royal Caribbean which will be carrying over 3,000 passengers at a sailing.  With the economic slump, these companies are putting out great bargains to help stay afloat!  That means travelers can afford to travel in luxury to some of the exotic places like Bahamas or St. Vincent that could be pricey as land holidays.  With a little searching you can find a ship with fares for about $100 a day.  Considering that gets you delicious food, exotic travel and fun entertainment on board, the deal is fantastic!

Sail Away!

Wishing for Christmas in Hawaii- but caught baking Cookies!

 

Poinsettia growing wild in Hawaii

Last year at this time I was enjoying a drive along a narrow road in the hills of the Big Island, Hawaii, and we came across this lovely poinsettia growing wild over a mailbox.

This year, although I would love to be there again, I am home preparing to have Christmas at our house, with loved ones traveling here.  So as I do my Christmas baking, dreaming of Hawaii, but caught in reality, I want to share this wonderful cookie recipe with my readers.

ENJOY and HAPPY HOLIDAYS!

MINT SURPRISE COOKIES:

1/2 cup softened butter      1/2 cup granulated sugar

1/4 cup packed brown sugar        1 egg    1/2 tsp vanilla        1-1/2 cups all purpose flour

1/4 cup of graham cracker crumbs            1/2 tsp baking soda       1/2 tsp salt       and                                 a package of colored cream mints:              Cream the butter and both sugars together, then beat in egg and vanilla.  Add flour, crumbs, baking soda and salt; mixing well.  Wrap each mint in about 1-1/2 tsp of dough.  Arrange on ungreased baking sheet and  bake at 370 degrees for 8-10 min.  Makes about 5 doz.

Where to Stay in Las Vegas?

When I planned a trip to Las Vegas, I wanted to access one of the 5,000 resorts that my GRN membership offered me.  I chose the Polo Towers because it was central to the STRIP.  The convenience was not the only thing I found to be an advantage.  I now am hooked on this type of travel.  The condo experience is truly a luxury.  Concierge service offered shuttles to the grocery store to stock the fridge, and full housekeeping services.  I loved coming off the noise of the street and not have to walk through a noisy casino to get to my suite.  The rooftop pool and hot-tub offered a sanctuary when the fast-pace of sightseeing, shopping, and gambling started to stress me out.  The staff of the Polo Towers was always accommodating, making my stay a real pleasure.

Why would I ever buy a single timeshare when the GRN offers access to thousands world-wide?  Instead of paying $20,000 and upwards for only 2 weeks stay a year, I can choose to travel anytime of year.  The inventory is amazing.  This is the best $3,000 (USD) I have ever invested for the lifetime membership in the world of luxury travel!

Vegas- a world on its own

There is no other skyline like Las Vegas!  You can see New York, travel to the pyramids, ride the Eiffel Tower and glide over the water in  a Venetian gondola – all in one day!

Las Vegas is truly an escape from reality!  You cannot help but get caught up in the spirit of things.  I was so amazed at how friendly the tourists are to each other, offering suggestions about shows, where to find a great buffet, and how to save taxi fare by riding the double-decker bus – the Deuce.

The Deuce costs, you guessed it- $2 a ride, or $5 for all day.  During the day it is a great way to travel up and down the strip, but by night time, the traffic is a nightmare and be prepared to have long waits to go only a few blocks.  It is much like riding a party bus, and we had fun chatting with people from all over the world.  I remember one little senior lady who was as sweet as could be who actually played Texas Hold’um in a charity game with some of the best known names in Poker and WON!  Now that is something to tell your grandchildren!  You’ve got to love Vegas!

Frost-free

When I have to scrape windows in the morning, then it is time to search for sunnier climates!  As a Canadian, I  should be used to cold, but instead I spend time thinking about where I can travel to get away from it!  Well, with the travel deals that are out there you can easily escape for a week at a time.  I am booked on WestJet to fly to LAS VEGAS!  On Saturday, we will spend some fun time waundering the strip, and if I am lucky, lounging by the pool for a few hours, just to warm up again.  If the weather is not good, I intend to book myself into a spa.  What is your favorite get-away for a week?

Festival of the Grape

Stomp, stomp, stomp those grapes!  Well the Festival of the Grape in Oliver, BC proved itself to be a winner again this year with thousands of people attending to sample the sweet nectars that are produced by vinters from all over the lovely province of BC. The Powder Blues Band provided rockn’ blues tunes to keep the crowd tappin’ their toes when they weren’t squashing grapes!

This year the festival outdid itself in providing a fun area for children to play – rock climbing walls, clowns, face painting, obstacle courses, and oodles of fun things for kids to do.  I have always thought of this as an adult venue, but this year I realized that it is really a fun family event as well.

Of course the tents where they poured the wine were packed as people vied for a spot to sample a new or a favorite wine.  I have to admit I liked the Pinot Noir from the Silver Sage this year.  If you have never experienced the Festival, you must put it on your list of events to attend during the Fall Wine season.