Main Tourist Attractions In Dunoon, Scotland

Dunoon sits on the Firth of Clyde in the Cowall Peninsula and bordered to the north by the villages of Kirn, Hunter’s Quay and Sandbank, and by the Holy Loch.

The town has a connecting ferry with Gourroch that for a hundred years has been transporting tourists to the picturesque town, today tourists can still get aboard the last seagoing paddle steamer in the world, The Waverley, which still calls in regularly at Dunoon through the summer months.

Interestingly the Holy Loch during the Second World War was used as a submarine base, and it played host to an American Naval Base during the Cold War. It has now been transformed into a sophisticate marina, with facilities for boat and yachts that is enjoyed by sailing enthusiasts from across Scotland.

One of the main tourist attractions in Dunoon is the Cowal Highland Gathering, the largest Highland games in the world held on the last Friday and Saturday of August.

The tournament includes the World Highland Dancing Championships, piping and shinty competitions; attracting participants and spectators from around the world. Also of interest is Castle Toward originally dating back to the 15th century but since renovated several times in different decades.

Ownership of the castle passed to the council in the 1990’s and it has since turned into an outward bound activity centre, and recently the grounds of the castle have been used in the BBC’s children’s TV series Raven.

If you are interested in botany or enjoy strolling through parks and gardens then Dunoon and Cowal host some of the best flora and fauna in the West of Scotland. Situated seven miles north of Dunoon is the Benmore Botanic Gardens, 150 acres of garden featuring some of the tallest trees in Britain including a great avenue of Giant Redwoods.

Them comes the Morag’s Fairy Glen beside Innellan a woodland walk area that has a wide range of trees specimen including beech, birch, oak and ash lining the paths that run alongside the Berry Burn which follows into waterfalls and picturesque pools.

Ardkinglas Woodland Gardens, at the North of Loch Fyne holds one of the finest collections of rhododendrons and conifers within the British Isles; a visit during summer is highly recommended to take advantage of the beautiful blooms.

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Moving to Oakland California

Oakland, California is located on the east side of the San Francisco Bay. To the west it offers 19 miles of coastline and to the east you can view splendid rolling hills. You will be pleased if you find your new relocation in a place that has some of the most beautiful views in the world, such as the clear Crystal Bay, the Oakland Bay and Golden Gate bridges, and the magnificent Pacific Ocean. Oakland’s landscape is a mix of charming hillside neighborhoods; exciting and diverse architecture; a bustling waterfront; two lakes; and more parks and open space per capita than any other city in the Bay Area. This is primo real estate and a great place for relocation.

If you are moving to or finding relocation in Oakland California — you will find the year-round vacation weather, with its temperatures in the mild 50’s and 60’s in the winter and spring and 70’s throughout summer and fall, easy to live with.

If you are moving or relocating to Oakland, California – you will find that it has a metropolis and a small-town feel in all of its real estate. The community is sophisticated with a neighborly feel. If you are relocating to Oakland because you are looking for real estate with value you will be pleased with what you find in the Oakland, California real estate market. The real estate market offers a wide variety such as established residential neighborhoods, prosperous commercial districts, first-rate sports teams, and noteworthy architectural landmarks that will help make your relocation to Oakland a success.

If you are moving to Oakland — which is in Alameda County, you’ll find the community is rich with history, beauty, shopping, and many cultural events.

History of Oakland — Founded in 1852, Oakland, California has a rich and deep history that goes back further than its 155 years. Native Americans lived in the region for more than 5,000 years. The Spanish found relocation in the area in the 1770s, and settled about 50 years later. Then, the Gold Rush brought in a great diversity of people from Asians to African Americans, and many with Northern European extraction, who moved to the area and put down their roots in this pioneer real estate.

Real Estate and Neighborhoods Oakland — is a network of communities, and the real estate is rich with old-fashioned neighborhood shopping districts. If you are considering moving or finding new relocation to this area you may want to check out Oakland’s many commercial districts. And, Oakland’s real estate is full of appealing neighborhoods.

Old Oakland Located between Clay and Broadway – from Seventh to 10th Streets, historic Old Oakland is full of stylishly restored Victorian buildings that date back to the 1870s. This is truly beautiful real estate. Old Oakland boasts new house shops, galleries, and restaurants. On Fridays, youll find the Friday Farmer’s Market. This area is also has a revival of the historic 1870’s downtown with a carefully restored main street. This real estate is alive again with shops, restaurants, spas, and offices. They are all in a Victorian setting that evokes the era of the Railroad.

Chinatown — Chinatown is a 25-block commercial and cultural district, and it reflects Oakland’s diverse Asian community. The Chinatown Street Fest attracts 100,000 visitors annually, and the Oakland Asian Cultural Center is one of the largest Pan-Asian cultural centers in the United States. Many Asians have found relocation in this great real estate community and continue to see relatives moving here. Also, the neighborhood has many specialty shops, restaurants, markets, bakeries and attractions. In addition, visitors to the downtown neighborhood will find fascinating stores that carry fresh produce, live seafood, healing herbs, and everything from chopsticks and to porcelain. You’ll find many of these things at Pacific Renaissance Plaza. Who wouldnt want to find relocation here in Oakland?

Jack London Square This neighborhood and real estate market offers dining, lodging, shopping and top-notch jazz, along the water’s border. In addition, if you are moving here you might enjoy raising a mug at Heinhold’s First and Last Chance Saloon. The waterfront boasts dozens of stores and just by moving a few streets east, youll run into the warehouse district. This nine-block area has a wholesale produce market, coffeehouses, restaurants, and residential and commercial lofts.

Lake Merritt – Another neighborhood with wonderful real estate is Lake Merritt. Here you might decide to join joggers for the best view of Lake Merritt. The lake is one of Americas most stunning urban saltwater lakes. In addition, it is the oldest national wildlife refuge. The real estate in the Lakeshore/Grand Avenue area is lined with restaurants and shops. Built in 1926, the Grand Lake Theater still shows the most up-to-date movies, and even features moving music, which is played on an antique Wurlitzer organ.

North Oakland In North Oakland — youll find Piedmont Avenue, where the real estate is an eclectic mix of vintage and antique shops, boutiques, bookstores, and jewelry stores. If you are thinking about moving to this area or finding relocation, please note it is full of side walk cafes and coffee houses and top-of-the-line restaurants that offer eclectic cuisine.

Rockridge – This real estate combines city sophistication with a hassle-free suburban/urban environment. The real estate extends more than two miles from Oakland to Berkeley. College Avenue is rich with restaurants, bars, specialty shops, gourmet foods, rare books, clothing, and antiques. Market Hall houses a bakery and sells produce, fish, flowers, and has wine markets. Many businesses have found this to be a great relocation. Favorite shops include: Pendragon Fine Books, Loot; Ildi & Co. a gift store; Poppy Fabric; and the Thelma Harris Art Gallery. Also, you might want to let the kids run free as they are moving about in Rockridge Kids, a popular toy store. If you are considering moving or finding relocation to this charming area with great real estate, you will certainly find a lot of real estate to choose from.

Montclair Village – This is at the bottom of the East Bay hills, making it a grand stop before or after a trip to Chabot Space & Science Center, or one of the nearby parks. The area features cafes, restaurants, and coffee houses (many with seating outdoors), and terrific shopping. Walk through this neighborhood’s quaint streets and youll be glad you are considering moving and finding relocation here. You might join the locals as you sip coffee, while whiling away your days on picturesque benches along the main thoroughfare.

The Fruitvale District – This neighborhood has become a flourishing multicultural commercial area with a strong Latino influence. It is recognized throughout the Bay Area. Its cultural events such as the annual Dia de los Muertos Festival attract thousands of people. And, the new Fruitvale Village real estate has added retail and office space, and housing. All this surrounds a pedestrian plaza at the Fruitvale BART Station. When you get hungry, stop in at one of the area’s many taquerias.

Downtown Oakland’s business district – is home to many shops and restaurants. Some are in historic buildings with landscaped plazas and placid courtyards. Also, check out the Oakland Museum Sculpture Garden or purchase your favorite international paper at De Lauer’s newsstand on Broadway. All thats left to do is sit back to enjoy a beautiful Oakland day.

Piedmont Avenue Like – its longer counterpart, College Avenue, this busy Neighborhood Street in the northern part of Oakland draws many shoppers. Particularly known for its vintage and antique shops, this small stretch of commercial buildings and real estate is also home to specialty boutiques, gourmet food stores, restaurants, caf? and bars. For a bite to eat after window-shopping, you might stop in at the ever-popular Piedmont Grocery, or treat the kids to a cone at Fenton’s Creamery and Restaurant. Its worth considering moving to of finding relocation in Oakland just for the ice cream.

Temescal – In the heart of Oakland’s northern residential district, this growing shopping real estate boasts a number of classic and historic buildings. Genova’s Delicatessen, a popular Italian deli, is one of the area’s top dining experiences. This is great real estate, and if you are considering moving to Oakland, you might consider this neighborhood for relocation. Oaklands Economy and Transportation Oakland’s economy historically was based on industries. One of the first big employers moving into Oakland was the Southern Pacific Railroads. For years it had an iron grip on Oaklands waterfront, because the railroad stopped on the Oakland side. Both San Francisco and Oakland are ports, but the Port of Oakland has become by far the prevailing port. The Port of Oakland is the nation’s fourth busiest container port in the Bay Area. The Oakland International Airport is served by 12 major domestic and international airlines, and Oakland has even whittled into San Francisco’s airport business.

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DESTINATION: MARIN COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

The kids and I planned a hooky day right before the Christmas holidays. Right before the East Coast contingent would arrive. We knew we would do our fair share of typical sightseeing – which is always a pleasure. Shopping in Union Square, a trip to Napa to see Coppola’s latest excesses manifest themselves at the old Inglenook winery, and good food and drink galore. But today it was destination Marin. The only question was where.

In the 26 years I have lived in Marin County, I have taken hundreds of day trips around the county with my husband and kids. With all due respect to the Philadelphia suburbs I hail from, I could only muster a few in all the years I lived there. One could only visit Valley Forge so many times and even the Amish country and quaint New Hope got stale after a score of repeat trips – and these meant a trip outside my county. County actually didn’t mean much back there.

In Marin, it’s everything. It’s the bond that holds this incredibly diverse band of municipalities and unincorporated areas together. It’s a very tangible feeling of membership into an extraordinary piece of land bounded by the ocean and the bay and infused with hundreds of miles of meandering open space that is of paramount importance to all of its residents.

Today we opt for a trip to Mount Tamalpais, the imposing mountain that hosts hundreds of trails, lakes, waterfalls and wildlife. It is cold and clear as I make my left turn at the “2 AM” Club in Mill Valley to head uphill. It’s the only way I know to get there, and I don’t know how I know this way, but it always gets me there. We are treated to a unobstructed climb – in warm weather the narrow road holds competing traffic and bicyclists. We plan to eat lunch at the Mountain Home Inn, a mainstay for fantastic food and views year-round.  We refuse to be daunted when my son locks the keys in the car, so we eat slowly while waiting for AAA to come. Oversized hamburgers and mesquite grilled chicken sandwiches are extra delicious, as is the tomato soup I am still trying to replicate. We agree as we always do, that we should spend the night here sometime and ask the hostess about the rooms. She gives us a few keys and we explore a few of the one-of-a-kind cozy rooms until she rings us that our car rescuer is here. The inn and the rooms are as friendly as she is. We agree on Room #1 for a future date.

Back in business, we drive to the top parking lot and hike our way to the peak in record time. It dawns on me that Marin County is the best place in the world if you like to eat great food and then hope to work it off.  I remember doing the same thing in the Austrian Alps – after a trip into one of the many magical towns like Kitzbuhel and St. Anton, we would head back up the mountain to our lodge, making a stop halfway up for a beer and a mouthwatering sausage sandwich. A mere snack before dinner. I lost about 5 pounds after a two-week vacation. My kind of diet. My kind of vacation. Very Marin, too.

From the top of Mt. Tam you can really comprehend the amazing topography of Marin County – a sliver of green hills and valleys between two majestic bodies of water. We pick out Tam’s smaller sister, Mount Burdell in Novato, some 15 miles or so away and our home town, then look for more well known landmarks, the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz Island, The Transamerica Tower in The City and the rolling Marin Headlands. Westward we look down on Stinson Beach and we decide that’s our next destination.

It’s a quick, breathtaking drive down the mountain as we land at Marin’s largest strip of southern-California-like beach. It’s a mecca in the summer but today there are just a few dozen beachcombers. We run for a mile in the crystal clear air, chasing sea gulls. We run past a sign advertising “Shakespeare on the Beach” and we plan to attend a performance next summer. Our friend is the Director of the Marin Shakespeare Company, and we frequent his talented performance closer to home at a fern-covered amphitheater on the campus of an old college – but a production on this beach sounds like great fun.

We decide to head back to Novato, Marin’s most northern city via the water, up Highway 1, which ultimately can wind you up and down the coast to Oregon if you are so daring. But first, we follow a security truck marked “Sea Drift” – we have always wondered how one enters this toney enclave that sits between the ocean and a scenic spit. We find all sorts of quaint beach cottages as we make our way to the gatehouse, and we make great plans to lease one for a week this summer.

We pass the Bolinas Lagoon with seals sunning themselves at every turn, pass the rolling horse ranches, through miniscule Dogtown and into the town of Olema. Another one of our favorite places to eat near the beach is the Olema Inn and we talk about stopping for some oysters – but we are still full. I tell the kids about shooting a commercial for the Inn – and how each room is decorated with comfortable European charm to complement the tasty food. Another place we will spend the night some day.

Now on to Point Reyes Station, the tiny West Marin town that we stop at on every return trip from any one of our favorite beaches. Today there isn’t much produce at Toby’s Feed Barn – in summer you can stock up on fresh fruits and vegetables as well as other locally produced goodies. The Station House Café provides top notch dining here, and in summer, if you make it up the road through the Point Reyes National Seashore, you’ll get to Drakes’ Beach Café where the fish and chips are shouting fresh inside, and barbecued oysters and corn-on-the-cob are simmering outside on the grill. Today however, we happily settle for huge chocolate chip cookies, hot chocolate and expresso at Café Reyes, tucked in behind our favorite antique shop where we find a few small Christmas gifts. We have been looking for red chili pepper lights that I want to hang in my kitchen and one small shop has them hanging in the window. We are disappointed to learn that they only have green ones left and we all concede this just won’t do: we buy more gifts instead.

We feel as though we have been to several different worlds today and it’s only four o’clock: mountains and beaches and numerous small towns, and as usual, we’ve just hit a few of the spots Marin County offers us.

I think of our other exploits just in Sausalito alone. The nefarious Sam Z, a colorful character, who often held court at the still-hopping No Name Bar and owned quite a bit of the town, was once our landlord when we owned an athletic shoe and apparel store across from his famous waterfront eatery, “Zack’s,” now the Paradise Cafe. Sam let me shoot some commercials on Richardson Bay in front of his establishment for an East Coast client, and the kudos were impressive – but what seemed like the Riviera to them was just a few clever angles, easy to find in Sausalito.

My friend Tony is another unlikely Sausalito scion  – a transplanted Chicago musician, he operates an enormously successful women’s sportswear business from his Sausalito base while also buying and restoring a mammoth waterfront design complex, a movie theatre, an office building and a restaurant. Locals keep an eye out for his “sample sales “along with those of a few other manufacturers headquartered nearby. It’s always a treat too, when scores of local artisans, some his tenants, open their doors and show off their unusual works.

But that’s for another day. We head back over the Nicasio hills where movie mogul George Lucas has his environmentally low-key, technologically high-octane compound. It’s said he is illusive, but I’ve been behind him in line at the Taco Bell drive-through in Novato, and ate lunch a few tables away at the Marin Brewing Company in Larkspur. My neighbor Harlan, fitted him and his then girlfriend, Linda Ronstadt for glasses at his optical shop in San Rafael. His understated image precisely mirrors Marin County.

We make one final stop as we head into Novato, to the Marin French Cheese Company, also known as Rouge et Noir. Made on-site, you can’t find better brie anywhere.  The absolute truth. Also camembert and schloss. We buy six flavored rounds ripe for eating and head to our town. This super family-oriented city of close to 50,000 is home to numerous leading high technology companies, yet maintains a small-town feel that is reflected in its “old town” shops, excellent schools and active park and recreation department and more. In summer, Novato hosts the annual Festival of Art, Wine and Music. Once a small, local affair, it now brings in huge crowds from all over. I don’t know how he does it but an insurance agent and amateur musician in town, has managed to consistently book great acts to satisfy every musical taste.  I think Novato is an incredible place to raise a family, to work, to shop and to dine. It has a flavor, as uniquely it’s own as any of the places we visited today.

Once again, “destination Marin” is a great success. I wonder what our next escapade will be. I know it will involve great food, beautiful vistas and some outdoor activity – on a hill, at a beach or a festival, on one of the bays – on bike or foot or boat, with a tennis racquet, a golf club or even an umbrella.

Copyright January, 2010

Christine Scioli

All Rights Reserved

The ending of this part 2 of 3 introduces part 3, the final installment.
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Changing Hotel Locations Can Help You Save

Don Nadeau, the president of BidonTravel.com, often discusses how to bid on Priceline hotels, but here he talks about location as another powerful way to save on hotel rooms.

When you’re planning to spend some time in or near a place like Boston, Zurich, London, or San Francisco, you can save by not staying in the same hotel every night.

And, even if you’re just spending a couple of nights, you can sometimes save as much as 50 — 70% by choosing the right hotel location, as explained below.

Let’s say you’re a couple planning a trip to the San Francisco Bay Area for a special occasion.

You would like to spend the week: visiting wineries, hiking in Point Reyes National Seashore and Muir Woods, exploring Big Sur, Carmel and Monterey, and experiencing the highlights of San Francisco. It would be simple for you to book seven nights in a San Francisco hotel. After all, you would be within an easy day’s drive of everything you want to see.

However, seven nights in a San Francisco hotel would be expensive—and even more so as you probably want an especially nice place for this trip. And, on top of that, you would have to pay about — 45 a day for parking in a safe area.

Instead, why not spend the first three nights closer to the Wine Country and the national seashore?

You could book a very nice resort-style hotel in or near Santa Rosa for a fraction of the cost of a similar hotel in San Francisco.

You would end up really close to many of the finest Napa Valley wineries, the Calistoga hot springs spas, and even the exceptional restaurant of the Culinary Institute of America. Moreover, you’d be just a few minutes from beautiful Point Reyes National Seashore.

Then, after your last night in Santa Rosa, you could enjoy a scenic drive along the Marin County coastline toward San Francisco, with stops in charming Sausalito and the redwoods of Muir Woods National Monument before heading over the Golden Gate Bridge.

That night, you could even end up dining at one of the many fabulous San Francisco restaurants using money you’d saved on hotels! You’d be staying in San Francisco two nights.

After your last night in San Francisco, you wouldn’t need to head out right away. You could still spend most of the day exploring the city.

Then, timing your drive before or after any rush hour traffic, you could take scenic southbound Interstate 280, which runs in a greenbelt along a ridge, giving you views of San Francisco Bay. Near San Jose, you’d switch to State Highway 85 and then U.S. 101, and continue toward Carmel and Monterey.

In the Carmel and Monterey area, you would have a choice: You could either use some of your hotel savings to stay in a fantastically romantic place, such as the Tickle Pink Inn along the shore, or continue to save by booking a quality place inland. For the latter, the ultimate hotel money saver in the Carmel and Monterey area is the nearby town of Salinas.

The Grapes of Wrath no longer haunt John Steinbeck’s Salinas. It’s become a pleasant working-class town with a center city that people enjoy in the evening.

Salinas puts you a mere 25 minutes from Carmel, but in a different price range altogether.

So, what have you done here? You’ve had three nights in Santa Rosa, two in San Francisco, and two in the Monterey area.

Not only have you saved a lot on hotels—even if you splurged in Carmel—you’ve also saved a lot of time commuting from a San Francisco hotel. This is time you’ve been able to use visiting fun and memorable places, rather than on the road.

When saving money helps you have a better vacation, you have travel savings at its finest.

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Using Art to Enhance Your Travels

There’s a certain kind of traveler that loves art and beauty. She seeks it out and spends hours trolling through museums, wandering around cathedrals and looking, seeing so much that she may develop a sore neck, or worse, Stendhal’s Syndrome. Stendhal, a 19th century French novelist, was so overcome with the beauty of Florence that he developed symptoms of disorientation – dizziness, sweating, and overwhelm. Over the years, others have reported similar symptoms when faced with so much beauty. The lover of art and beauty is forced to take refuge in café breaks and deep naps at the hotel. Art, however, can provide the solution for too much beauty. Not viewing it, but doing it.

Simple art exercises provide a way for a traveler to absorb the splendors of travel in a deep, meaningful, and lasting way. Quick sketches done as a drawing or a brief writing of details offer an opportunity to slow down and really soak up a setting. Artist Frederick Franck, in his book The Zen of Seeing, encourages drawing as a way to turn overwhelm into depth an intimate way. “Atmospheres build themselves up out of a million imperceptible micro details, elements often too minute, too fleeting for the conscious mind to pick up. The eye-heart-hand reflexes notes down, so that the buildings, and even the faces that form themselves on the paper become unmistakably Roman, Indian, Parisian, or Japanese.”

By pausing to capture impressions, a traveler becomes more than a sponge, absorbing paintings, sculptures, and dramatic buildings. When you pause to create something in the moment, you are able to connect from the deep well of yourself to the thing you are drawing. A Provencal place, an array of vegetables from the local market, and a crumbling pile of Roman ruins come alive under the gaze of an artist. The world becomes more vivid when you look to see what you can draw or capture in a paragraph. Everything can be interesting, when you are willing to truly see it.

Franck’s books on the subject of seeing more through drawing are delightful. His drawings are expressive and well wrought. The sketches leap off the page and bring the viewer into the scene. It may be intimidating to the novice artist to see such craft. People often claim that they ‘can’t draw a straight line’, meaning that their artistic talents are nil. The same is true for writing. Postcards home often don’t stray from the formulaic recitation of events. Franck insists that ‘seeing’ rather than ‘looking at’ is the key not only to better art, but richer life experience. Capturing the essence of a place or a moment doesn’t require great artistic talent or extensive polishing. Simply slowing down, paying attention, and releasing expectations of ‘good’ drawing or writing is the recipe for expressing something that months later will recall a special experience from a trip.

Natalie Goldberg, author of Writing Down the Bones, applies similar concepts to writing. Her technique, ‘free writing’, invites the writer to choose an object or a subject and write without stopping. No editing, pausing, crossing out or judgment is allowed in the process. When using this as a travel tool, you are able to engage with the details of a place. Your verbal snapshot of the bartender at the local café, or of the taxi driver who zoomed you through the streets of Paris become vivid reminders of a moment. Rather than write about a day in which you took in a thousand new impressions, you can zero in on one or two experiences and chronicle them in a deeper way. Like Franck, Goldberg insists that the work be allowed to unfold without judging it. The point is not to produce ‘art’ or ‘writing’ but to engage in the world through art and writing. The process, not the product, is what is valuable here.

What’s the result of all this paying attention? When we slow down, connect to our creative core and really see, we are more present. The whirl of impressions doesn’t tug at our senses, clamoring for attention. A reflective peace settles us deep in the scene, allowing us to become part of the landscape, rather than skimming over or passing through. It is no coincidence that both Franck and Goldberg are Zen practitioners. And while we don’t need to become Zen masters to experience the world deeply, adopting the method of slowing down and seeing can enrich our travels and our lives at home.

Using art as a means to engage with a place empowers you, not just as a witness, but as someone who is involved in the creative act. Journey of the Senses, an American tour operator, leads tours that focus not on a stream of sights, but on engaging profoundly with a few experiences. The trip to Provence includes a visit to a goat cheese farm, an olive oil tasting and a wine tasting. In California, participants are invited to connect with the landscape. Redwood forests, beach coves and grassy hills become the guides for slowing down and seeing. Alongside the visits are lessons in gesture drawing and free writing. Using these creative tools, participants get closer to the experience and take home not only a guidebook of their own design, but a memory that holds them more deeply. Drawings and free writes provide a more personal chronicle than photos. Looking over a notebook from the trip that includes your art and words is a visceral reminder of place and atmosphere.

Cooking instruction is another branch of art that can deepen a traveler’s experience. Dozens of cooking abroad programs can attest to the power of food as a way to explore a region. The palette of a region is a reflection of its unique history, art and heritage. The French call this ‘gout de terroir’ or taste of the earth. A participant in Arles bemoaned the fact that her bakery in California couldn’t make baguette with the same crunchy texture. The gout de terroir, which includes the method of growing, cultivating and cooking foods, provides a unique and regional flavor. Through market tours and a gradual building of palette of flavors, techniques and local ingredients, travelers literally take in the sense of a region.

A fun art exercise is to have participants wander a city’s streets, choosing one detail to draw. In a Journey of the Senses tour in Arles, participants sketched the doors found on one street. This allowed them to gain a deeper understanding not only of the architecture of the city, but of themselves. “When I stopped to draw the doors, I saw so much more. I thought I had a perceptive eye, but it was only when I slowed down to draw did I realize that I could see more detail, and get closer to what was around me,” said Sherell, a 2005 participant.

In a world that constantly calls for more, more, more, using art as a travel tool is an invitation for deeper, deeper, deeper. We travel to escape our normal routine. We refresh our spirits in the face of great beauty and achievement. By bringing ourselves into the creative dance, we give ourselves a richness that surpasses the photos we take and the treasures we buy and bring home. A renewed sense of confidence, a more sharply honed eye and an appreciation for the simple things are treasures that we can use again and again in our own town and on other trips.

Save California’s State Parks!

Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger is proposing to cut funding to 80% of California’s State Parks. We live in Southern California and regularly enjoy the State Parks. We head to them to surf, camp out and go hiking. We plan numerous vacation trips around visiting these State parks and would hate to lose any of them.

California is in a budget crises, a big part of which is because of reduced sales tax revenue. People are buying less, as they try to save more and therefore the state is losing money from sales tax. Most of those people who used to spend their money at the shopping centers are most likely spending more time at the California State Parks. In a study published in 2008, the University of California-Berkeley found that for every in public money spent on state parks, .35 is returned to the state in taxes from tourism and other revenue they generate.

It therefore seems to us, that California can only gain tax revenue by keeping the State Parks open and funded. With more Californians taking vacations at home this year and other US State residents also cutting back on their holiday travel, we suspect that the State Parks will be even more popular this year than ever before. Even without funding, visitors will come to the parks anyway and enjoy the beaches or redwoods or hiking trails. They will park on the roads outside and walk in. However without funding these parks may need to reduce the number of rangers on duty and these rangers will have a wider area to patrol. This could lead to environmental damage such as fires, vandalism and erosion because of the difficulty the rangers will have in covering a park.

Of course we hope that we can all restrain ourselves from damaging property or causing environmental damage on purpose. But the rangers are there to guide all visitors to the park and are prepared to take the correct action to prevent or reduce problems when they arise.

There must be a better way for California to save money and solve their budget problems. Eliminating funding for the State Parks does not seem to be a good solution and may result in increased spending in the future. You can send a message to the governor and other state legislaters through the Surfrider Action Network at http://actionnetwork.org/campaign/caparks05_09 and tell them not to cut funding to our State Parks.

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Ideas for Winter Vacations

When it comes to winter vacations, you have many options from which to choose. Some love to partake in winter activities like skiing or snowboarding during the winter months, while others like to get away from it all and head off for sunnier climes. No matter what you want to do, there are packages available for all types of winter vacations and shorter getaways. All you have to do is decide where you want to go, and then shop around for the best price.

When winter comes, many people get the winter blues, and winter vacations are often a great cure for this. Some people like to take vacations exclusively in the winter months because they know this is when they need it the most. Christmas is a popular time. Some like to visit family and sneak in a vacation all at the same time. This is a great time to do it if your job will allow you to take off during this hectic time.

January is another great time to take winter vacations. Usually many businesses slow down during this time, and it’s easier to get time off. This is also a great time of year for winter sports like skiing, snowboarding, sledding, and tubing. You may find great deals on winter vacation packages to any number of ski resorts throughout the northern part of the US. For many, this is their peak season, and they will offer deals to get you to come and enjoy their facilities.

You may also find great deals on tropical getaways. For many, winter vacations are when they take the time to visit the warmer parts of the world. They may just take a short trip to Florida or California, or they may go to the Caribbean. When it is cold in the US, it is summer in Australia. If you ever wanted to go visit Australia, this may be the perfect time to do so. Australian Christmas is warm, sunny, and usually celebrated with a barbeque. That may be the most memorable of all of your winter vacations if you choose to go.

Lastly, another good spot for winter vacations might be Europe. It is still cold over there, but there are far less people traveling. This will give you smaller crowds when seeing sights, and in most cases, a chance to find great deals on airfare and hotel reservations. Look for package deals, and talk with a travel agent about winter vacations if you aren’t sure which way to go.

Family vacation in Northern California

South Sea Dreams, A Vacation Of A Lifetime

Pacific Islands, otherwise Oceanus, is a constellation of more than 25,000 islands as well as atolls of more than 20 nations and territories that are spread across the central and western Pacific Ocean. Sprawling over millions of square kilometers, Pacific Islands’ total land area is about four-fifths of the size of Alaska. Significant of the members of the Pacific Islands are Australia, New Zealand, Federated States of Micronesia, and Republic of the Marshall Islands.

Based on the culture, geography, and ethnic backgrounds of the inhabitants of the islands, Pacific Islands are categorized into three groups: Melanesia, Polynesia, and Micronesia extending towards the north across the Equator.

Located on the south western region of the Pacific Basin, particularly north and north-east of Australia – Melanesia, literally meaning ‘black islands,’ is truly a region of remarkable contrasts. Despite its strong Polynesian cultural background, Fiji Islands, one of the most charming destinations on the planet, forms a part of Melanesia. Papua, Papua New Guinea, the Solomon Islands, Vanuatu, and New Caledonia are the other Pacific Islands that are included in this region. A specialty of Melanesia is that it boasts of larger islands, which constitute about 99% of the total land area of all Pacific islands as well as about 85% of overall population of Pacific Islands.

The largest area in the South Pacific – Polynesia, meaning ‘many islands,’ stretches about 7000 kilometers from Midway Island and Hawaii in the north to Easter Island in the east and New Zealand in the south. Polynesia consists of more than a dozen of the central and south Pacific’s prime island groups. Among the Polynesian territories and nations are French Polynesia, located halfway between Australia and California and consisting of five island groups such as the Society Islands, the Tuamotu Archipelago, the Gambier Islands, the Marquesas Islands, and the Tubuai islands; Easter Island – a territory of Chile which is located halfway between Tahiti and South America; Cook Island, a stunning island situated in the Pelican Archipelago; Niue, Tonga, American Samoa, Samoa, Tokelau, Wallis and Futuna, and Tuvalu.

Many of the Polynesian islands are a much favored destination for newly weds, honeymooners, and people vacation with large families. South Pacific’s island destinations such as Tahiti, Moorea, Bora Bora, Rapa Nui, Rarotonga, Aitutaki, Tongatapu, Vavau, Tutuila, Upolu, and Savaii, are much popular among the vacationers.

Additionally, some of the Polynesian destinations such as Tahiti and Bora Bora in the Society Islands of French Polynesia (Tahitian Islands) are considered a great destination for weddings. Many hotels and resorts located in this area provide superb facilities for weddings as well as for a memorable honeymoon. However, unlike wedding destinations such as Fiji and Cook Islands, French Polynesian islands such Tahiti and Moorea entail the couples to comply with certain requirements prior to the wedding.

Lying between Hawaii and Philippines in the northern region of the Pacific, Micronesia (small islands) contains more than 2000 islands. Located north of the Equator and the Melanesia Islands, Micronesia is made up of seven distinct units, including Commonwealth of the Northern Mariana Islands, the Republic of the Marshall Islands, the Republic of Kiribati, the Territory of Guam, the Federated States of Micronesia, the Republic of Palau, and Nauru. An interesting thing regarding the islands in the Micronesia region is that majority of them were formerly German, Japanese, or British colonies.

Depending upon the size of the islands, Pacific Islands are further categorized into two main groups: low islands and high lands. The low islands primarily include coral reefs and islets that are spread across the Pacific. Further, most of the low islands rises more than one meter above the sea level, and some of them are the islands found in the Phoenix, Tuvalu, Gilbert, Marshall, and Tuamotu groups. On the other hand, the high islands mostly consist of rugged mountains, hills, and few active volcanoes, where earthquakes are common as well as severe. Among high islands are Papua New Guinea, the Marianas, New Britain, Hawaii, New Caledonia, New Zealand, Fiji, Samoa, the Solomon Islands, and Vanuatu.

Pacific Islands are home to some of the most exquisite beaches in the world, such as, Samoa beach, Ofu Beach, and Tonga beaches. Some of the islands in the Pacific including Tahiti and Easter Island have excellent hiking trails. For activities such as scuba diving, surfing, and sailing, Pacific islands like Vanuatu and Bora Bora offer superb options. In short, each of the Pacific Islands is unique, and is noted for its amazing culture, history, and cuisine.

People across the globe consider islands in the Pacific as remote area. It is often seen that Pacific Island vacation is mostly focused on destinations including Australia and New Zealand. But, the truth is that these islands are among the most romantic and loveliest on the earth. Pacific Islands can be easily reached from Los Angeles through two hours fly to Tahiti.

So visit these amazing islands and see your South Sea dreams come true!

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What Is A Home Spa?

Traditionally, a Spa was a natural mineral spring people would bathe in for positive health benefits. Over time, the idea evolved to the point where you can now have a massage spa experience in the comfort and privacy of your own home.

Between 1970 and 1997 is the time when home spa’s made the most progress in their designs. They grew from a makeshift redwood hot tub full of leaks and bacteria to a masterfully engineered miniature pool with jets and streamlined for comfort. Pumps were installed by the manufacturers for water circulation and filtration and sanitization was introduced as an important factor for healthy spas.

A spa is an experience where a person improves their health through water. While soaking in warm water has proven to relax muscles and release tension, air and water jets serve to massage and stimulate circulation. Having a massage spa leaves you refreshed, invigorated, revitalized and relaxed and the increase in blood circulation offers positive healing to your whole body.

The problem with visiting health spas in commercial venues is the high cost. If you want to introduce massage spa’s as part of your lifestyle, it can be very expensive to make regular visits. With a home massage spa, you have one amount to pay, then it is yours forever to use whenever you please! Whether you prefer to sink into the relaxing depths alone after a hard day at work or would like to invite a few friends over for a spa party, you will always love your home massage spa as if it were a best friend.

Many people who have an injury or health issue have chosen to install a home massage spa. Whether your problem is internal or external, using spa massage will have positive benefits for you. Anything that causes you to relax and reduce stress levels frees up more of your bodies energy to focus on healing your problem. For anything muscular, spa jets are the perfect personal massager! You can position yourself weightlessly and effortlessly in almost any position you can imagine to direct the jets to massage your problem areas. This improves recovery times for athletes and enhances long-term repair of damaged tissue.

In today’s fast-paced environment, everyone’s minds are racing through thousands of different thoughts and stresses every moment of the day. Dedicating time to clearing your mind of worries and allowing yourself to achieve deep healing relaxation can be difficult, but not when you have a massage spa! All your problems, stress and thoughts will melt away when you relax in your home spa and being in your own environment will mean you can really let your hair down and enjoy the experience to the max.

A less expensive alternative that offers just as many health benefits is installing a portable home spa. This is a fantastic modern day invention that can turn your regular bath tub into a luxury spa massage for you and the whole family. Another benefit to this option is that you can easily take it with you when you move or use it in multiple bathrooms in your home.

The idea of having a home spa is to simulate the experience of a natural mineral spring or spa resort. The healing benefits have long since been known for massage and warm water soaking, and using the method regularly with a home spa will increase longevity and improve your overall health mentally, physically and emotionally

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Saunas and Infrared Saunas

Introduction to Infrared Saunas and Traditional Finnish Saunas

When I think of a sauna, I think of luxury resorts, hotels, gyms and holidays abroad. Now, with the help of new technology, you can have an infrared sauna in your very own home, bringing this luxury pastime into your dwelling abode. The Finns have long made saunas a tradition and continue to uphold this culture where there is one sauna to every 2.6 people: that’s 2,000,000 saunas for a population of 5,255,580 (2005). Considering the number of televisions the Finns have is 1.92 million (1995 est.) and the number of telephones is 2.5 million (1995 est.), saunas certainly have their place in the Finnish culture. Saunas are extremely relaxing, they’re good for the health and they are a place for families, that’s why they have become such a big part in Finnish culture.

Pre-cut or Pre-assembled Infrared Sauna

Infrared saunas are manufactured in all shapes and sizes for the tastes and styles of all customers. The infrared sauna can arrive at your house pre-built in the form of sauna kits and they can also come in panel form, bespoke for your room requirements. The ease of installation of the infrared sauna kits has made it a popular choice amongst sauna buyers. Installation of an infrared sauna from a kit is just a matter of slotting the sides together, putting the roof on and plugging it in. One can go from infrared sauna parts in a box to a fully built infrared sauna in 20 minutes!

Indoor or Outdoor Infrared Sauna

After you have decided what type of infrared sauna you want, the next step is to decide the location. First it is important to use a shower to rinse off after using the infrared sauna therefore it is useful to have one near the infrared sauna. You also have the option of having the infrared sauna inside or outside. Outside infrared saunas are constructed and treated differently to indoor infrared saunas.

Infrared Sauna Woods

Another choice you may have to face, depending on the infrared sauna company you use is the type of wood you want for your infrared sauna. Infrared sauna wood can come in many varieties including hemlock, spruce, cedar, redwood and aspen. Each of these woods are available in different varieties and colours, leaving the sauna buyer with a healthy selection to choose from. These woods absorb the steam from the evaporated water in the sauna and the temperature of the sauna wood remains relatively cool, giving the bather a relaxing experience, not getting burnt in the infrared sauna. Cedar wood is hardy, resistant to decay, good in harsh weather conditions, aromatic and is pleasing to the eye. Traditional Finnish saunas are made from Nordic white spruce which has a white tone and small knots. Pine and domestic spruce are not of the same quality as Nordic white spruce as the woods have knots which are larger and more susceptible to drying and fall out over time.

Summary

Infrared saunas are a long term addition to your home. When making a purchasing decision, take into consideration all the factors previously mentioned. The worst thing that could happen is to buy an infrared sauna which you are not pleased with. Make sure what you’re buying is what you want; after all, infrared saunas are for relaxing.