Latest Travel Blog Entries

Sunday, January 31, 2010

As you get ready to travel?

Here are some tips to give you peace of mind while you are away and make sure you do not make your house as a target of opportunity. These are some simple precautions from the experts.

• Be mindful of who is around when you are discussing your trip - there is no need to let too many people know or draw attention to the fact your house might be empty for a period.
• The best deterrent is to have someone housesit. If that is not possible, ask a trusted neighbor or friend to take in the newspaper, mail, and any other deliveries and keep an eye on the house. Give them your trip plans and an emergency phone number so they can reach you in case of an emergency. You can also arrange with the post office and newspaper to suspend delivery for the time you are away.
• Lock doors, windows and secure sliding doors (a metal rod or a broomstick in the sliding door track is an inexpensive lock), as well as the garage, the basement, and the attic. Some people even disconnect the power to motorized garage door openers.
• Move any valuables from plain sight.
• Check on your appliances, unplug anything that doesn't need to be on while you're away. Lower air conditioning/heating units to energy-saving levels.
• Set timers to turn on lights if you do not have someone staying at the house.

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

Word                                Spelling                                 Pronunciation

Wednesday, January 13, 2010

For seven days in February, Sapporo becomes a winter wonderland filled with hundreds of beautiful snow and ice scupltures. People from around the world have come here over the past 61 years to view these breathtaking works of ice art, sample regional delicacies and watch musical entertainment on snow stages.

Thursday, December 24, 2009

Regional Cuisine Specialties

With an inexhaustible variety of dishes to pick from in China, here are some culinary specialties you just can't miss during your travels:

• Beijing-Peking duck
• Hong Kong-Dim sum
• Szechuan-A hot-pot meal (Chinese fondue)
• Shanghai-Shanghai river crabs

Dining Do's and Don'ts

Here are some (un)common courtesies to consider when dining in China.

• In contrast to western rules, slurping is considered an acceptable way to cool down hot soup. Also, since rice is difficult to eat with chopsticks, it's perfectly normal to lift the bowl from the table and scoop it into your mouth.
• Before refilling your teacup, extend the courtesy of refilling the cups of fellow guests at the table, even if they are not empty.
• Many Americans were told as children to clean their plates when eating. But in China, eating the last piece of food on the table is an insult-signifying that he or she did not serve enough food for the guests.
• If placed incorrectly, chopsticks can be omens of bad luck. Standing them in your bowl after dinner replicates a sign of death-incense sticks standing in a bowl of ashes.

Tuesday, December 15, 2009

China, the Yangtze River & Hong Kong 16 days from $4,590 or 14 days from $4,290 per person double plus on-tour air Beijing ~ Xi’an ~ Guilin ~ Yangtze River cruise ~ Shanghai ~ Hong Kong

Visiting Beijing's historic hutongs with the director of the Beijing Cultural Heritage Protection Center Experiencing Beijing, old and new, with a dragon boat cruise and visits to sites like the Forbidden City, the Summer Palace and the 2008 Olympic Village and competition venues Tea tasting followed by a private talk with the conservation director at the Terra Cotta Warriors museum A private introduction to Shanghai on the VIP viewing terrace at the Shanghai Urban Planning Center A three-night cruise along the Yangtze River and through the Three Gorges aboard the Yangzi Explorer, the newest and roomiest ship on the river, offering amenities one would expect at a five-star hotel Riding the world's fastest train, the Maglev, that can reach speeds up to 268 mph!