Archive for the ‘Travel Expert’ Category

The Burning Flames of Chimaera

Tuesday, February 14th, 2012

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Travel websites describe the burning flames of Chimaera as fascinating. They recommend the eternal fire of Lycia is a “must visit” when in the Antalya region. One travel writer even went as far to describe a mystical presence which mesmerized her.

The flames burn from crevices in the rocks of the Cirali Mountains and ancient beliefs credit this location as the source of the myth of the Chimera, a ghastly creature which is composed of the parts of various animals and who breathes hot fire flames in defence.

For hundreds of years, sailors could see the flames from sea and used them as a landmark while tales of their origins were colorful and varied. Even

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Skystreak walkaround — the next to rare Douglas D-558-1 at the Carolinas Aviation Museum

Monday, February 6th, 2012

Skystreak walkaround — the next to rare Douglas D-558-1 at the Carolinas Aviation Museum

The Skystreak performed in the shadow of the Bell X-1. The importance of the X-1 missions cannot be understated — neither should the Skystreak accomplishments be forgotten. Data gathered during the flights of Douglas’s D-558-1 not only were critical in designs of aircraft flying in the high subsonic and transonic ranges but also so with ordnance positioned under the wings. This res

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New England Ski Deals Abound – Take the Teens and Tweens

Thursday, January 19th, 2012

 

Winter has been a long time coming to New England this year.  To date, Boston has seen just 3 inches of snow and ski country is still getting excited every time the flakes fall.  The good news is that the chilly air has descended in earnest from Canada and the mountains are making snow every second they can.  Of course, it is a lot harder to motivate families to pack up and head North when there is no snow on the ground in their hometown.

If youve been delaying taking the teens and tweens for a ski getaway you are in luck, as the major New England resorts are offering a range of lodging discounts and packages, in the hopes of saving their seasons.   Some of our favorite ski areas in Vermont and New Hampshire are on the list of those trying to sweeten the deal.  If you can squeeze in a mid-weekend trip, or add an extra day to a long weekend, you may be in for some real savings.   Here are just a couple of the deals that have shown up in our mailbox in the last few days.  If you have a favorite mountain, now is the time to visit their web site and see what they have to offer.

  • Sugarbush, in Warren VT has organized a series of mid-week and extra night free deals among the many lodging options located near the 4,000 plus foot mountain.  Ski and Stay packages start at $99 a person based on double occupancy with two days of skiing/riding and a three night stay, midweek.  The  luxury slopeside Clay Brook condos are offering a  lodging and lift ticket bundle starting at $189 per person, per night, based on quad occupancy (two adults and two youths ages 7-18) with two days of skiing/riding and a two night stay, midweek.  Today Sugarbush reported 107 trails open with base depths ranging from 14 to 30 inches.
  • Smugglers Notch, a great family destination that offers ski-in/ski-out condos, great ski schools and lots of off slope activities is offering 10% discounts on most of their winter vacation packages. The ski instructors are top notch and the mountains supply a nice range of options.   Our teens had a great time there last winter break check out our series about all the great facilities and activities our teens enjoyed at Smuggs.   As of today they had 35 trails open with bases ranging from 16-30 inches.
  • Cranmore Mountain in North Conway, NH reports they got 8 inches last night and are running 35 trails with depths of 14-26 inches.  North Conway, and the entire Mount Washington Valley area of New Hampshire, is one of our favorite four season New England getaway destinations.  Cranmore is right in town which means you have easy access to the shops and restaurants and a wide range of hotel options, including at least one with its own indoor water park!  In addition to skiing and snowboarding there is tubing, a mountain coaster and an adventure park to keep the teens busy.  Check out the Chamber of Commerce web site for discounts and last minute deals for North Conway and surrounding areas near Attitash and Wildcat Mountains.

Just cant get out of town but still want to get the teens and tweens skiing?  Central and western Massachusetts ski trails are open too with a little help from the recent cold snap.  Learn to ski deals are particularly abundant as listed on the Ski Massachusetts Deal page.  Mt Wachusett, Jiminy Peak, Nashoba and Berkshire East are all open for business.

Winter is a lot more fun when you get outside, and the mountains are waiting.  Hope you can find a good deal to take the teens and tweens skiing and snowboarding in New England soon.

 Tagged with: family travel, ski, snowboarding

Exploring Al Hoceima, Morocco

Friday, January 13th, 2012

The Rif Mountains and the Mediterranean beaches are what make of Al Hoceima one of the most attractive and enticing cities in Morocco. Entering the city, you may think you are arriving in a very common Moroccan town with cube-like buildings, cafes and a few hotels. Despite this, the natural setting around Al Hoceima is makes it seem much more remote than most people probably imagine.

Al Hoceima, also known among the locals as Biya, is located on the Mediterranean coast of Morocco.

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Solo Travel Destination: Morocco

Sunday, January 8th, 2012

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Hi traveler. Why not sign up for the Solo Traveler newsletter on your right. And, if you like this post, please give it a thumbs up on Facebook. The link is at the bottom of the post. Thanks for visiting!

We are pleased to present a new Solo Travel Destination Post from Jane, a member of the Solo Travel Society . Jane is from the United States, and submitted the following report about Morocco. Do you have a solo travel destination that you would like to recommend?

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