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        Debbie's HELLO WORLD

     

     

    The Brookstreet Hotel, Ottawa

       

    Truly an excellent experience was had by the entire family. And sure enough the Brookstreet Hotel is of course a Celtic Manor Resort which may help explain why we enjoyed our stay there so much. 

    It is located in the high-tech community in Ottawa. They often refer to it as the Silicon Valley of the North. The hotel itself has received a couple of prestigious four-diamond awards from both CAA and AAA. It is a 276 room hotel with its very own golf course which my husband likes a lot.

    The restaurant is also a 4 diamond establishment and offers "oriental" as well as  the"local" cuisine which can be enjoyed indoors or on the outdoor terrace. There is also an elegant bar where you can enjoy a light lunch or  a cocktail.

    The hotel provides event planners as they have a state of the art conference and meeting facility as well as a 5200 square foot ballroom. The additional amenities include two luxurious swimming pools, a fitness studio and a wellness spa. Definitely a place to stay if you are going to Ottawa either for business or for pleasure.

                 

      

     

     

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    Theme Cruises

    These days there are lots of different types of cruises that you can go on. The television is littered with commercials for everything from family cruises to adventure cruises to celebrity cruises and everything in between. There are so many different types of cruises to choose from, that the special features are just as integral to the trip as the cruise itself. From Disney family cruises to safari trips to celebrity comfort, there is a special adventure from everyone, man or woman from infancy to one hundred and one. Below are outlined just a couple of these different types of cruises and what they have to offer.

     

    Safari Cruises offer five different adventure destinations: the pacific northwest, Alaskan wilderness, Columbia and Snake rivers, Mexico ’s sea of Cortes , and California wine country. These five different trips combine the luxurious on ship experience with rugged outdoor adventures to cater to the different sides of personality in all of us. These are small, focused tour groups, and the three ships in the fleet carry only from twelve to twenty one passengers each. This provides for an in depth, attentive and community building experience for all. Whether you are relaxing and sipping wine in Napa or trekking the same path that Lewis and Clarke took, you will be able to test your personal comfort level without having to give up any personal comforts.

     

    Windjammer Barefoot Cruises offer a huge variety of cruises, from a 7 day stay in Panama and Costa Rica exploring the rainforest to a photography contest themed cruise, there is a little bit of something for everyone all over the Pacific and the Caribbean . In addition to a huge variety of locations, from the Bahamas to Mexico , Windjammer Barefoot Cruises offers several different themed cruises. There is the Pirate’s week once a year, and then the Serenity Cruise, which is focused on the well being and rejuvenation of all passengers. The most popular by far though is the Single’s cruise. What better way to meet the new love of your life than on a luxury cruise ship? Windjammer does a great job of packing the ship with equal numbers of men and women, so there is always something for everyone to enjoy onboard.


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                      Travel Blog

                 "Forget Mailing Postcards Back Home While On Vacation"

    Specialized Web sites cater to the traveler who wants to create an online journal that includes pictures, maps and more. Before signing up for one, it's best to know how it works and who has access to your writings.

    Online journals are often referred to as blogs. There are certainly many places online where you can set up and maintain a blog. Travel blog sites, however, provide tools generally not available on generic blog sites.

    For example, visitors can follow your itinerary as you write and upload pictures during a trip. There is also a mapping feature that traces your route. Some sites also let you upload video and audio files. And you can do all this from the road with a Web-connected laptop or from an Internet café. 

    At TravelPod for instance, you can upload video (MPG, AVI, WMV and MOV files) and photo (JPG, GIF, PNG, BMP) files. You can also upload MP3 audio files. Storage space is limited to 5 megabytes. TravelPod claims this is enough for 600 compressed photos.

    TravelPod is free to use as long as you like. However, if you make a one-time donation, your storage space increases. Each $1 gets you another megabyte of photo storage. For $20, the ad banners go away. If privacy is important to you, spend $50 for a password-protected travel blog. This way only people you authorize can actually view it.

    You can send automatic notifications to friends & family when you post a new entry. Visitors can post comments, but they must register first. Comments can be disabled and posts deleted, 
         Note:     TravelPod retains the right to use your travel blog for promo purposes.

         
       TRAVEL THE WORLD FOR LESS      

    Nature Reserves On Grand Bahama Island  

    The natural beauty is one of the most important factors that have made the Bahamas a celebrated vacation destination for decades. Preserving that beauty is important to the Bahamas , not only because it is good for tourism, but also because it is right. The numerous nature reserves demonstrate the commitment the Bahamas has to maintaining the safety and diversity of their wildlife. Grand Bahama Island is home to many of these fine reserves.

    The Rand Memorial Nature Center is a beautiful 100-acre reserve that is found on East Settlers Way , just a short distance from Freeport , on Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas . It serves as the headquarters for the Bahamas National Trust, which is a nonprofit organization devoted to wildlife preservation and conservation.



    There are many trails to walk and many fine plant and animal sights to see. On the first Saturday of every month, there is a bird-watching tour. This broad expanse of pineland is home to many species of birds, and among the most flamboyant to be seen is the West Indies Pink Flamingo. On the last Saturday of each month, there is a wildflower walk, in which participants tour the site, taking in the tropical colors and scents of the local flowers.

    Also on site are fascinating exhibits and educational programs designed to familiarize participants with the native flora and fauna. There is a gift shop with many informative books and creative souvenir and gift items. The reserve is open Monday through Friday from 9am to 4pm. Admission costs $5 for adults and children 12 and over. For children aged 5 through 11, the rate is $3 and children under 5 are admitted free of charge. Guided tours of the ground can be arranged by appointment.   



    Another favorite nature reserve is Parrot’s Jungle Garden of the Groves . This 12-acre garden and nature reserve is located at Midshipman Road and Magellan Drive , and is home to an incredible variety of plant life, including literally ten thousand trees. There are many types of birds that make their home here, including cockatoos, macaws, and the white-crowned pigeon. In addition to a small waterfall, cool bodies of water, lovely lawns to wander, and a playground, there is also a petting zoo.

    There are a wide variety of animals, including pygmy goats, pot bellied pigs, and raccoons. This is an excellent destination for families, as it is quite child friendly, full of things to look at and to do.

    The garden is open daily from 9am to 4pm . There is an admission fee of $9.95 for adults and children over the age of 10. The rate for children aged 3 to 10 is $6.95 and those under 3 are admitted free of charge.

    Nature reserves are plentiful and easily accessible. On Grand Bahama Island the nature reserves are home to numerous species of birds and animals, exotic plants and flowers. For those who have an interest in eco-tourism, Grand Bahama Island in the Bahamas is sure to provide an exciting and memorable experience.

    Tall Tales about Cruising

    Don’t tell anyone but there are a lot of stories “floating” around about Cruising. Many people are going to believe these stories until they go on their very first cruise.

    Tall tale #1 – Only senior citizens vacation on a cruise ship. This is so not true! Ok, perhaps years ago, but cruising has been gaining a following for years with the new yuppie generation as well as the seniors, those people ages 55 and up.   Because people are living longer and longer, age 55 is not longer perceived as old.   Rather, people in their early 50’s through early 60’s are now the new “middle” agers.

    Tall tale #2 – The only activities are shuffleboard and bingo aboard a cruise ship.   Well, those activities are available, but there is so much more.   Exercise classes, dancing, lounge acts, skeet shooting, and wine classes are just a few of numerous things you can find on board the ship.   How about a crafting or art class? Perhaps a trip to the spa for a comforting massage and facial is more your speed.   Maybe you want to relax around the pool with a good book or participate in a card tournament. Of course, you also have the shore excursions to look forward to when the ship goes to port.

    Tall tale #3 – Everyone just eats and eats and eats.   With all the activities on the cruise ship, who has time to eat?   Of course, the food is plentiful but so are the menus.   You can choose to dine on lighter fare and keep an eye on your calorie intake.   Or you can order up a pizza with the works.

    Tall tale #4 – I’ll spend all my time in the bathroom due to seasickness.   Being green around the gills is cause for concern and it does occasionally happen.   However, cruise ships these days are modern technological marvels.   Stabilizing technology helps prevent the side to side and up and down motions also known as rolling and pitching.  

    The best offense is often the best defense.

    By being prepared for the possibility of seasickness, you can fend it off with a few easy and cheap solutions.   Dramamine is probably the most widely known seasickness treatment.   It is a non-prescription medication that should be taken a few hours before your cruise.   However, some people seek alternatives because there are side effects such as tiredness, cotton mouth, and being wired to the point of not sleeping.

    Other seasickness remedies are those sea-bands.   These are bracelets you wear on your wrist and it uses an acupressure technique.   There is a little button on the inside of the bracelet that pushes against certain pressure points in your wrist.   This is another nonprescription option.   Your doctor can also prescribe a patch you wear behind your ear that will send out a timed-release of medications to help with your symptoms.


     

     

     

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