ANNAPOLIS, MD -- Catherine Hoffman `Katy` Woodfield, 64, a longtime resident of Winchester on the Severn and a seasonal resident of Maui, Hawaii, died July 2, 2000 at home from complications resulting from a brain tumor. Mrs. Woodfield, a native of Albany, NY, was a professional ice skater and performed with the Ice Follies in the late 1950's. Also an accomplished roller skater, she was a national champion in the sport in her younger years, when she taught skating and produced skating shows. Most recently, she taught skating to challenged children in the Annapolis area. She also had worked with the Girl Scouts in Albany, NY. She was married in 1985 to Albert Woodfield. They were members of the Annapolis Yacht Club. Loyal fans of the Baltimore Orioles, they had season tickets to games which they shared with their many friends. They enjoyed travel, fishing and crabbing and water sports, especially snorkeling. She served for many years as the hospitality chairman of the Winchester Community Association. In addition to her husband, she is survived by three daughters, Tracy Hanlon of Ballston Spa, NY, Kelly Holipsky of Morgantown, W. VA and Holly Wirth of Yuma, AZ; her father, Jack Hoffman; her brother, Tom Hoffman; two sisters, Melva Olson and Jackie Hoffman, all of Albany; a brother, Ernie Hoffman of FL; two grandchildren and three stepchildren, Kathy Christopher of Centreville, Albert Woodfield III of Galesville and Bruce Woodfield of Annapolis. She was the daughter of the late Thelma Hoffman and the sister of the late George Hoffman. Visitation will be from 2-4 and 6-9 p.m., Wednesday at Kalas Funeral Home, 2973 Solomons Island Road, Edgewater, MD. Funeral services will be at 11 a.m., Thursday at Calvary United Methodist Church, 301 Rowe Blvd., with burial in Woodfield Cemetery in Galesville. A memorial service will be held in the Albany area at a later date. Memorial contributions may be made to the American Brain Tumor Association, 2720 River Road, Des Plaines, IL 60018 or the Salvation Army, 351 Hilltop Lane, Annapolis, MD 21403. KALAS FUNERAL HOME 2973 Solomons Island Rd. Edgewater, MD 21037 (410) 956-4488
воскресенье, 30 сентября 2012 г.
суббота, 29 сентября 2012 г.
Time for Selig to address Marlins' fishy moves? - New Haven Register (New Haven, CT)
I was thinking:Major League Baseball should be less concernedabout the fat cat-Yankees, Red Sox and Mets, and more about concernedabout these biennial fire sales by teams like the Florida Marlins.Commissioner Bud Selig should impose, in the best interest ofbaseball, a directive that prohibits a team from gutting its talent.At some point soon, Selig needs to impose a strict deadline on theFlorida owners to move the team-; or forfeit the franchise.
-If Denham Brown continues to play like he did in Maui, coupledwith the return of Marcus Williams and solid play of freshman CraigAustrie, UConn will be the most complete team in college basketball.
-I count seven AFC teams-; Indianapolis, Denver, Pittsburgh,Cincinnati, San Diego, Jacksonville and New England-; that are betterthan any team in the NFC.
-Has anyone seen or heard from the New York Yankees thisoffseason? Their silence is perplexing.
-Arbitrator Richard Bloch, the ex-Dartmouth goaltender, made thebest save of his career last week by deflecting Terrell Owens'attempt to subvert the concept of team.
-I trust the ceremony to honor former Whaler greats Ron Francis,Kevin Dineen and Ulf Samuelsson prior to the Jan. 6 Hartford WolfPack game is more than a ticket promotion.
-Coming off the great trade for Josh Beckett and Mike Lowell, Ithink it safe to assume the Red Sox aren't crippled from the neck upby the exodus of Boy Wonder. One more quality starter, likely comingin a trade for Manny Ramirez, will put the Red Sox over the top.
-Are you telling me that it takes 48 hours to flip a coin in orderto finalize the seedings and opponents for the first round of theClass SS state playoffs Tuesday? Because Brookfield and Holy Cross-Waterbury finished in a dead heat, none of the pairings (includingtop-seeded Brookfield and No. 2 North Branford) will be set until acoin flip settles the issue today.
Couldn't executive director Mike Savage just flip the coin Friday,so everyone could get on with its business? Is there that muchdistrust?
-The defense of the Chicago Bears is outstanding, but to suggestthat it's in the same class with the 1985 Super Bowl champion Bearsand its renowned '46 Defense' is blasphemy.
-Ellen Pompeo (Meredith Grey on Grey's Anatomy) or Julie Bowen(Denise Bauer on Boston Legal-; and of course, Ed's girlfriend)?
-With Pedro Martinez and the resurgent Tom Glavine at the front ofthe Mets' pitching rotation, GM Omar Minaya is shrewdly swinging forthe fences before the window of opportunity goes by. If Minaya getsBilly Wagner and a catcher, he can go fishing for the next fourmonths.
-I'm still not sold on Eli Manning in a big spot, despite thehype.
-The best sports theater of the week, and certainly the mostcontentious, is scheduled for Hartford federal court Monday, whereboxing promoters Jimmy Burchfield and Gary Shaw will throw the legalleather over the rights to New Haven super middleweight Chad Dawson.I'm making Shaw a 6-1 favorite to keep Dawson, while Burchfield is 3-1 favorite to receive monetary compensation.
-The Indianapolis Colts' unbeaten season comes crashing downMonday night against the Pittsburgh Steelers.
-Charlotte Bobcats coach Bernie Bickerstaff has completely misusedand misunderstood the real the value of Emeka Okafor. I cringe when Isee the Mark Blounts, Adonal Foyles and Michael Olowokandis, guyswith less minutes and far less talent, averaging more blocks per gamethan Okafor, the best shot-blocking big man to come out of thecollege game in the last 15 years.
-Timberwolves GM Kevin McHale wouldn't survive a month if hetrades Kevin Garnett to the New York Knicks.
-The Southern Connecticut Conference has come up big with fiveparticipants in the state high school football playoffs, more thanany other conference in the state. Xavier-Middletown and Hillhousewill bring home championships for the league.
-Willy Wonka I or II?
-The decision by Selig to deny the reinstatement of Pete Rosebefore 2006 virtually dooms Rose's future candidacy for the Hall ofFame, short of an intervention by a court of law. Rose will now need75 percent approval, beginning in 2007, from the Veteran's Committee,seen as largely hostile.
Hamden's George Grande, the TV voice of the Cincinnati Reds, andalso master of ceremonies at Cooperstown's annual Hall of Fameceremony, said that 'in talking to the Hall of Famers, there's atleast 60 to 70 percent that would not vote for him. There are stillsome old-timers who have made it clear to the people at the Hall ofFame that if (Rose) steps up there, they're walking off the stage, orwon't show up.'
Rose's only hope, if reinstated, is to get back on the writers'ballot, arguing that the 15-year clock on his eligibility through thewriters should never have begun if he wasn't allowed to be placed onthe ballot.
-Curtis Deloatch returned to Giants' practice Friday. Is this agood thing?
пятница, 28 сентября 2012 г.
Going Wild on Kauai; From beaches to backpacking, the Garden; Isle is Hawaii's hot spot for active tourists - The Spokesman-Review (Spokane, WA)
Leaving winter behind for a vacation break to Hawaii doesn'tnecessarily require going cold turkey on muscle-powered outdooractivities. Personally, I can relax on a beach with the best meatloafers on the planet - for about 30 minutes. Then, like a growingnumber of Hawaii visitors, I look forward to a hike, paddle, dive orother active pursuit beyond the manicured landscaping.
My restlessness was accelerated late last winter when myvacationing but watchful parental eyes noticed a young, musculargolden boy - I'll give him the benefit of the doubt and call him'Buddy' - had locked his radar on one of my teenage daughterswithin seconds of our arrival to one of the busiest beaches onKauai.
I looked at my wife, who was slathering a third layer ofsunscreen onto her winter-white skin, and said, 'I think I'll bemore relaxed when we get on the trail.'
All of the major Hawaiian Islands are ripe with active outdoorrecreation options, including great hunting for deer and wildturkeys and fairly good fishing if you want to go that route.
Even on the more heavily populated Oahu, our family has sampled asurprisingly extensive system of hiking trails, and you can get awayfrom the chaos of Honolulu and Waikiki with ocean kayak rentals.
Just a short air-hop away, however, Kauai has several standoutattractions for the tourist who wants to spice the tropicalexperience with outdoor adventure.
Only 3 percent of this versatile island has been consumed bycommercial and residential development. A good chunk isagricultural, while a full half of the island is forested and themajority is reasonably natural, partly because it's too wonderfullywet or rugged to mess with.
Kauai is smaller than the Big Island, Oahu or Maui, but it'spacked with opportunities, some of them unique.
For example, Kauai is the only Hawaiian island with navigablerivers for flatwater kayak paddling.
Kauai has some of the easiest access to areas where snorkelerscan swim with sea turtles.
None of the other major islands has a feature to compare with theNa Pali Coast and its spectacular, precipitous and undevelopedbastion of tropical wilderness for hiking or paddling.
The north side of the Kauai has no shortage of good beaches andis the best base for adventures on the roadless Na Pali Coast alongthe island's west side.
The east and south sides of the island have most of the river-paddling options.
For a spring break trip, we settled on the south side in thePo'ipu area, a good base for sea-turtle snorkeling forays and hikingaround Waimea Canyon - Hawaii's grand canyon. Po'ipu has the well-known additional benefit of being the sunniest and driest spot on anisland where rain is going to fall somewhere almost every day.
Time flies when you're having fun, and we found that spending alittle extra on conveniently located accommodations helped us makethe most of our week in paradise. Driving the crowded, windy islandroads can gobble up big chunks of precious days.
The Sheraton-Kauai is expensive but central to tons of activity.Sharing the same beach is a campus of condos at the Castle KiahunaPlantation, where active people who don't mind walking a short wayfor their ocean view can save some money with off-beach units.
Both are situated near Po'ipu Beach, distinguished in 2001 as thebest in America by Dr. Beach. (Check it out at www.drbeach.org.)
Hiking was high on our agenda, but we didn't come to Hawaii towalk away from the waves. As a fisherman, I learned long ago that itpays to hire a guide for an introduction to new waters beforeexploring them on your own. That same strategy paid dividends forsnorkeling.
By spending a morning with an Aloha Kauai Tours snorkel guide, wewere quickly tuned in to shy and camouflaged marine species beyondthe obvious colorful schools of fish. We learned to use the currentsrather than fight them. We got tips on where to go and areas toavoid, and closed the session in a mesmerizing swim with a group ofsea turtles.
Snorkeling is an active sport that appeals to tourists with awide range of physical abilities. Our guide pointing out thatoverweight people find unique freedom to exercise in the buoyancy ofsaltwater.
The sport is simple, too, once you master the basic theory that asnorkel is a big air hose, unless you tilt your head too farforward; then it's a giant straw.
With a beach experience behind us, we devoted the next day toseeing another niche of the island by foot. Being experiencedhikers, we had brought a few key items that helped us walk awaycomfortably from the crowds.
Among them: Daypacks for food, ponchos and two-liter hydrationsystems, plus trekking poles and light hiking shoes to handle ruggedand sometimes treacherously mud-slick trails.
Our teenagers initially resented being dragged away from thebeach, but their jaws dropped in awe as we hiked down a ridge westof Waimea Canyon and looked across to waterfalls and down almostvertically to the Na Pali Coast.
I knew the scenery was going to be spectacular even before webroke out of the forest canopy.
'Hear the helicopters?' I said. 'People pay a lot of money to flyover the best scenery on Kauai, and we're hiking here for free.'
Looking beyond their yawns and rolling eyes, I think the girlswere impressed in a teenage sort of way.
From one vantage on an open rocky slope where feral goatsfrolicked, we could see the ocean crashing on the beaches, thehelicopters tiny as bugs in the vast canyons where ribbons of waterstreamed down imminently green slopes.
The 12-mile loop connecting the Nu'alolo and Awa-'awapuhi trailsranks among the best dayhikes on the island, although 3 miles arealong Waimea Canyon Drive in order to get back to a vehicle parkedat the Koke'e Lodge.
My wife, Meredith, made a stab at sticking out her thumb and wasnot only rejected by the first few passing rental cars - theyactually sped up as they shot by.
She was fairly demoralized, noting that she had no troublehitchhiking last time she tried, although that was around 25 yearsago. But her daughters soothed her aching ego by pointing out thatshe surely would have been given a lift if it weren't for the 'Rambolook' from mud caked on her shoes and legs.
She even had splatters of red mud on her face from a couple of'whoopees' down trail sections that occasionally and naturally erodein this volcanic landscape into virtual tunnels of traction-defyingamusement.
Three other top Kauai hiking attractions:
-- The Kukui Trail, 5 miles round trip, drops 2,000 feet intoWaimea Canyon for the shortest route to the canyon floor and a largeswimming hole at the bottom.
-- The Kuilau Ridge Trail, 4.2 miles round trip, starts beyondthe University of Hawaii Agricultural Experiment Station on Route580 and leads to intimate views of native flora and smallwaterfalls.
-- The Kalalau Trail, up to 22 miles round trip, is the originalHawaiian trail on the Na Pali Coast from Ke'e Beach into theisolated Kalalau Valley. It's the most celebrated trail in Hawaii,for good reason. Dayhikers can easily hike into a stunning beach andto 300-foot Hanakapi'ai Falls.
By planning ahead and getting a permit, you can hike in and camp.Just be aware that the trail can get gnarly and dangerous in wetweather.
Humility is one lesson I've learned from adventuring in differentparts of the world. Even experienced hikers should read and askquestions before venturing into new territory. Hawaii is noexception.
For example, showering under the spray of a waterfall after asweaty hike is risky, particularly in this eroding volcaniclandscape where rocks often are swept down over the falls.
Swimming in the pools of those photogenic waterfalls andfreshwater streams runs the risk of leptospirosis, a flu-likebacterial disease that's not uncommon in Hawaii. It can becontracted through cuts in the skin or by swallowing contaminatedstream water.
'The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook,' by Andrew Doughty and HarriettFriedman does a decent job of summarizing outdoor attractions andhazards, but no guidebook is a substitute for common sense.
And no guidebook will tell you everything.
'The Ultimate Kauai Guidebook' tipped us off to a nifty coastlinehike starting from popular Shipwreck Beach next to the opulent HyattRegency Hotel.
Serious hikers might overlook the hike, since it starts byskirting the Po'ipu Bay Golf Course, where admission apparently haseverything to do with your tax bracket and nothing to do with yourhandicap.
The guidebook, however, doesn't mention that you can extend thishike for miles, alternating from rock cliffs to sandy beaches.
We spent a marvelous four hours of discovery here, feasting onthe sights, ranging from wildflowers on shore to whales blowing inthe distance. Sea turtles often showed up spread-eagle in the wavesnear shore.
My wife struck up a conversation with a white-haired butotherwise very brown angler on a cliff over his honey hole in thesurf. He was fishing for mackerel and snapper, and, like any seriousfisherman I've ever known, he had serious opinions on how it's done.
He said he was fishing with a jig. 'That's all you need, anywherein the world,' he said. 'Even for the salmon in your neighborhoodback in Washington.'
We watched him cast and wished him well as we continued our hike.
'Watch where you walk,' he said, pausing and pointing to thecrumbling rock ledges over the roaring surf. 'So you don't go homein a box.'
While hiking was a great way to exercise and see Kauai up close,the ocean was more inviting than ever after we'd been in themountains.
Of course, the activity doesn't end at the beach. You can't askfor a better full-body workout than a few hours of learning how tosurf.
My daughter, Hillary, and I took a surfing lesson on Po'ipu Beachand had a ball catching waves after the lesson was over. I wastreading water where the waves were building so I could give Hillarya shove and get her started when I met another father performing thesame service for his teenage daughter.
Pretty soon, the other dad and I realized we'd been deserted outthere as we bobbed beyond the breakers, with a few 10-year-oldfledgling surfers zeroing in on our lull and asking for shoves.
The other dad spotted his daughter sitting on the beach with somelocal surf bums.
'I think I'd better go and get my family out on a hike,' theother dad said, referring to our brief exchange of islandactivities.
'Oh, and there's your daughter,' he said, pointing over to thecalmer water where Hillary was lounging on her surfboard as if herfather were asleep on the beach rather than snorting surf whilewaiting to launch her into another wave.
'Looks like she has a friend, too,' he said.
That's no friend, I thought, that's 'Buddy,' who apparently hadbeen slinking off from the action like a shark waiting for anopportunity.
I swam to shore and paged through the guidebook, saltwater stilldripping off my nose, and started looking for another hike.
четверг, 27 сентября 2012 г.
DEALS & DIVERSIONS - The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
05-29-1994
DEALS & DIVERSIONS
Date: 05-29-1994, Sunday
Section: TRAVEL
Edition: All Editions -- Sunday
Column: DEALS & DIVERSIONS
SPA SAVINGS
The Doral Saturnia International Spa Resort in Miami is offering
special packages for guests at the adjacent Doral Resort and Country
Club from June 1 through Oct. 15. Savings are 25 percent to 35 percent
over standard rates. The offer applies to all Doral spa programs,
including the two-night Grande getaway; and four-, seven-, and 10-night
programs. Every spa program is all-inclusive, with three meals daily,
use of all spa facilities, fitness equipment, sauna, whirlpools, and
swimming pools. Tap dancing and tai chi -- as well as boxing aerobics and
aqua-aerobics -- classes are available. Sample reduced rates are $435 for
the two-night Grande getaway and $1,860 for a seven-night program.
Prices quoted are per person, double occupancy, and do not include tax
or service charge. (800) 331-7768.
FREE NIGHT
A three-day, round-trip rail journey from Paris to Prague departs
Oct. 6.
Need an extra day of sailing in the U.S. Virgin Islands? The
Sapphire Beach Resort and Marina in St. Thomas, which boasts 171 luxury
suites and villas, plus tennis courts, restaurants, and a water sports
center, is offering a 'Seventh Night Free' program for the months of
June, September, and October. Book six nights and stay the seventh night
free. Rates range from $175 a night for a yacht harbor suite to $250 for
a beach-front villa. The resort offers activities for families including
horticultural tours, volleyball, and treasure hunts. (800) 524-2090.
DEAL FOR DADS
Planning a weekend for Father's Day? Contact the Country Inns in
the White Mountains, an association of 20 quality inns located in and
around New Hampshire's Presidential Range. All participating inns are
offering exceptionally low rates for Friday and Saturday night stays on
June 17 and 18. Choose from in-town and end-of-the-dirt-road inns,
mountain inns, formal Victorian accommodations, and bed and breakfasts.
The Mountain Fair Inn in Campton, N.H., for example, is $24 per person
per night including breakfast, while the Snowvillage Inn in Snowville
is $38 per person per night plus breakfast. Area attractions include the
White Mountain National Forest, a nationally known area of 700,000 acres
that offers hiking, swimming, and canoeing. Enjoy trout fishing amid the
area's covered bridges as well as golfing, tennis, and a steam-powered
railway trip up Mount Washington. The famous Franconia Notch Flume is
another natural highlight and there are tram tours up 4,200-foot Cannon
Mountain. Information: (800) 562-1300.
HYATT SAVINGS
Hyatt Resorts is offering guests savings at 15 resorts in the
United States and the Caribbean with its 'Hyatt's Summer Free For All,'
which features four-, five-, six-, and seven-night packages including a
free night and savings of up to 50 percent. Guests choosing a five-night
package may save more than $700 at Hyatt Regency Cerromar Beach in
Puerto Rico, $500 at Hyatt Regency Maui, and $300 at Hyatt Regency Hill
Country in San Antonio, Texas. There are also packages including air
fare, car rental or airport transfers, and packages featuring golf,
tennis, and water sports. Some resorts offer free and discounted bonus
activities. Travel must be reserved and taken before Aug. 31. Ask about
the deals at Hyatt's in Hawaii, Florida, South Carolina, and Grand
Cayman -- to name a few -- by calling (800) 233-1234 and for air-inclusive
vacations (800) 772-0011.
HAWAII OFFER
The 800-room Ilikai Hotel Nikko Waikiki is celebrating its 30th
anniversary by passing some savings on to travelers with package rates
(which include tax and gratuities) valid now through Dec. 31. They
include:
A $699 Family Affair package that includes three days and two
nights in an ocean-view room with kitchen; midsize rental car; $100
credit at the hotel's cafe; four passes to the Polynesian Cultural
Center; and complimentary parking. Based on two adults and two children
under 18.
The Romantic Getaway package at $699 includes three day and two
nights in a one-bedroom ocean-front suite; $100 credit at the Ilikai's
restaurant and bar; daily in-room continental breakfast for two; and
complimentary parking.
The Club 5-0 package for travelers 50 and over at $575 includes
three days and two nights in a one-bedroom ocean-front suite; daily
continental breakfast for two at hotel's cafe; two passes to the
Polynesian Cultural Center; and complimentary parking.
A $626 Getaway and Play package includes three days and two nights
in a one-bedroom ocean-front suite, two-hour tennis lesson for two; soup
and salad bar at the hotel's cafe; and complimentary parking. (808)
949-3811 or (800) 255-3811.
DIVING DEAL
The five star Melia Mayan Cozumel of Mexico is offering a 15
percent discount on its diving days package through Sept. 15. The
discounted package is priced at $105 per person-per day (including tax)
and is based on double occupancy, a minimum two-night stay, and includes
standard room, round-trip airport transfers, breakfast buffet, and boat
diving. Non-divers accompanying a diver pay $69.99 per day and there is
transportation to and from the dive shop and round-trip boat
transportation. Also provided are two tanks of air, backpack, weights,
weight belt, on-board lunch, and non-alcoholic beverages. Dives are near
the Palancar Reef with a professional guide from Caribbean Divers. All
divers must be certified by either the YMCA, the National Association of
Underwater Instructors, the Professional Association of Dive
Instructors, the Scuba Schools International, or the National
Association of Skin Diving Schools. (800) 33-MELIA.
Keywords: TRAVEL
Copyright 1994 Bergen Record Corp. All rights reserved.
среда, 26 сентября 2012 г.
Choice resorts: where associations meet for rejuvenation & relaxation. (no full text - illustrations only) (directory) - Association Management
Choice Resorts
Where Associations Meet for Rejuvenation & Relaxation
Eight out of 10 associations consider resorts for their meetings, including conventions, board meetings, and educational seminars. With $30 billion being spent for association meetings in one year, why in this cost-conscious age do associations still pick resorts? 'We met on Waikiki Beach, with post-trips to Hawaii and Maui. Our architects arrived stressed out, with expectations of perfect service delivery from staff, and left whistling |Don't worry; be happy,'' according to Connie Wallace, CAE, executive vice president of the Tennessee Society of Architects in Nashville. Here's a sampling of what some of the resorts that recognize associations as important to their business have to offer.
Boca Raton Resort and Club 501 E. Camino Real P.O. Box 5025 Boca Raton, FL 33431-0825 (407) 395-3000 Fax: (407) 391-3183 David Feder, Senior Vice-President, Sales and Marketing The Boca, on Florida's Gold Coast, features magnificent accommodations, private beach, two golf courses, 29 tennis courts, marina, and superb dining and entertainment. In addition, it has 65,000 square feet of meeting space to serve groups of 15-1,500.
The Broadmoor P.O. Box 1439 Colorado Springs, CO 80901 (719) 577-5777 Fax (719) 577-5779 Peter S. Bonell, Director of Marketing The Broadmoor features three outstanding 18-hole championship golf courses, 16 tennis courts, three swimming pools, and a skeet and trap range. Ice-skating and a ski slope are also on the property.
Copper Mountain Resort Meeting & Conference Sales 1601 Blake St., Suite 300 Denver, CO 80202 (800) 247-3257 (303) 595-9272 Fax (303) 595-9218 Kathleen Callender, Director of Conference Sales Copper Mountain's professional meeting center introduces the Copper Commons, more than 11,000 square feet of meeting space, plus excellent services and spectacular surroundings. One call does it all.
The Greenbrier White Sulphur Springs, WV 24986 (304) 536-1110 (800) 624-6070 Fax (304) 536-7834 William E. Gilmore, Director of Sales and Marketing A Mobile five-star, AAA five-diamond resort, the Greenbrier is one of America's premier destinations. It features superb accommodations, cuisine, meeting, and sports facilities. Meeting planners' package is available.
Grouse Mountain Lodge 1205 Highway 93 West Whitefish, MT 59937-3152 (406) 862-3000 (800) 321-8822 Carol Gallagher, Sales Manager Montana's breathtaking best! The Grouse Mountain Lodge has a 27-hole golf course, tennis, boating, fishing, whitewater rafting, and skiing. It's near Big Mountain and Glacier National Park and has convention capacity for 400. Full amenities.
Loews Ventana Canyon Resort 7000 North Resort Dr. Tucson, AZ 85715 (602) 299-2020 Fax (602) 299-6832 Tracy Church High in the mountains above Tucson, this resort offers 18 holes of Tom Fazio-designed golf, 10 lighted tennis courts, two swimming pools, a fitness center, and five restaurants and lounges.
Marriott's Marco Island Resort & Golf Club 400 South Collier Blvd. Marco Island, FL 33937 (813) 394-2511 Fax (813) 394-4641 Samuel R. Zabawsky Hidden away on a subtropical island in the Gulf of Mexico, Marriott's Marco Island Resort & Golf Club offers everything a meeting planner could want. And less. Featuring the best beaches on the island, this Gold Key resort is where even Floridians come to escape the crowds. Yet it is easily accessible by regular airline routes to southwest Florida.
Opryland Hotel 4800 Opryland Dr. Nashville, TN 37214 (615) 889-1000 Fax (615) 871-7741 Jerry Wayne, Director of Marketing The Opryland Hotel has 1,891 rooms, including 120 suites, and more than 500 garden terrace rooms. The hotel offers tennis, swimming, an 18-hole championship golf course, and a musical theme park.
The Pointe Resorts 7500 N. Dreamy Draw Dr., Suite 215 Phoenix, AZ 85020 (800) 528-5771 Fax (602) 870-2797 Paul Ference, Director of National Sales Three spectacular mountainside locations in Phoenix feature all-suite accommodations, two championship golf courses, racquet sports, fitness centers, riding stables, swimming, and distinctive themed dining.
Sheraton Bal Harbor Resort 9701 Collins Ave. Bal Harbor, FL 33154 (305) 865-7511 Fax (305) 864-2601 Eric Jellson, Director of Marketing Herb Kaplan, Director of Public Relations A $22 million renovation, to be complete in December 1991, will include 650 new rooms and suites, two new ballrooms, two new restaurants, two pools, tennis, golf, boating, 600-foot beach on ocean, and world-class shopping.
PHOTO : The Boca Raton Resort and Club features two golf courses.
PHOTO : The Broadmoor features golf courses designed by top architects.
PHOTO : Copper Mountain offers superb skiing.
PHOTO : The Greenbrier in the Allegheny hills.
PHOTO : Montana's Grouse Mountain Lodge.
PHOTO : Golfers tee off at Loews desert resort.
PHOTO : Enjoy excellent golfing at Nashville's premier resort, the Opryland Hotel.
вторник, 25 сентября 2012 г.
BON VOYAGE.(Sunday Magazine/Travel) - Rocky Mountain News (Denver, CO)
Scenic trains a-rollin'
Two scenic Colorado railroads have resumed for the summer season.
The Royal Gorge Route has three daily departures, through Oct. 8, at 9 a.m., noon and 3 p.m. The train, which features open-air observation cars and a concession car with food and drinks, takes passengers on a 24-mile, two-hour journey into the depths of the Royal Gorge, from Canon City to Parkdale and back. Tickets may be purchased at the historic Santa Fe Depot in Canon City. They are $24.50 for adults and $16.50 for children 3 to 12. Reservations are recommended and may be made by calling (888) 724-5748, or (303) 569-2403.
The Georgetown Loop Railroad has 11 daily departures through Oct. 1. The train travels between Georgetown and Silver Plume, a distance of just two miles but with an elevation difference of more than 600 feet. Adult roundtrip tickets cost $12.95 and children 3 to 15 can ride for $8.50. There is no charge for children 2 and younger if they are sitting on a parent's lap. Information: (303) 569-2403, or visit: www.georgetownloop.com.
National Trails Day event
The Colorado Fourteeners Initiative, in conjunction with Eastern Mountain Sports and the American Hiking Society, is sponsoring a National Trails Day event Saturday on Mount Bierstadt, one of Colorado's most popular 14,000-foot peaks. Volunteers will help restore damaged areas and construct new trails. No previous trail-construction experience is necessary. Information or registration: (303) 278-7525, Ext. 115.
Big-band cruise to set sail
A big-band theme cruise, featuring Sammy Kaye and the Four Freshmen, will be sponsored by OASIS-Denver, with hosts Sue and Dennis Stretar of KEZW / Senior Showcase. The Hawaii cruise will sail Dec. 9 from Maui and will visit four islands and five ports. Deposits must be made by June 5. Information: (303) 405-4223.
Mountaineer to speak
Ed Viesturs, one of America's foremost high-altitude climbers, will host two slide shows about his career in mountaineering, including the 1996 Everest IMAX expedition for which he was climbing leader. The shows will be at 8 p.m. Thursday at the Chautauqua theater in Boulder, 900 Baseline Road, (303) 440-7666; and at 7 p.m. Friday at the Denver REI Flagship Store, 1420 Platte St., (303) 722-8351. Proceeds will benefit the American Himalayan Foundation, the Access Fund, Big City Mountaineers and the Colorado Mountain Club.
Outdoor festival in August
The International Outdoor Festival, the first sports and cultural event of its kind, is open to anybody who loves the outdoors. The festival, Aug. 24-27 in Aspen, will feature world-class athletes and expert guides who will lead courses in trail running and hiking, mountain biking, climbing, kayaking, fly fishing, paragliding, nutrition, yoga and mind and body. Registration before Thursday will include a limited-edition Mountain Hardware WindStopper Test Team vest and Mondo Schwag Bag. Registration costs $575. Information: (877) 702-7736.
Auction to aid arts center
The Anderson Ranch Arts Center annual Art Auction Aug. 12 will feature a silent auction, picnic lunch and live-auction preview from noon to 1:45 p.m. Proceeds will benefit programs of the Anderson Ranch Arts Center, which is at 5263 Owl Creek Road in Snowmass Village. Information: (970) 923-3181, or www.andersonranch.org.
Travel shows scheduled
Changes in Latitude, 2525 Arapahoe Ave., Boulder, will present two adventure-travel shows. On Wednesday, Dr. Cory Sperry will discuss immunizations, common health problems and what medical supplies to take on your next trip. On June 7, a program will be given on women traveling alone. Information: (303) 786-8406.
Mountains of Ecuador
Colorado Mountain Club will present a program on mountains of Ecuador at 7:30 p.m. June 8 at the club in Golden, 710 10th St., Suite 200. South America explorer-guide Kevin Haight will talk about some of the most popular climbs along ``volcano alley'' between the eastern and western cordilleras of the Andes. Information: (303) 279-3080.
European rail travel
понедельник, 24 сентября 2012 г.
XTERRA lets Ogden show off with triathlon. - The Salt Lake Tribune (Salt Lake City, UT)
Byline: Kristen Moulton
Aug. 17--OGDEN, Utah -- The XTERRA Mountain Championship off-road triathlon gets under way here this weekend, giving Ogden -- and Utah -- a chance to showcase mountain, lake and city amenities.
More than 600 athletes from 25 states and several foreign countries -- professionals alongside amateurs -- will swim nearly a mile at Pineview Reservoir, power their mountain bikes 18.6 miles up to the top of Snowbasin Ski Resort and run 6.2 miles of trails through the adjacent forest.
Ogden, professional triathlete Melanie McQuaid of Victoria, British Columbia, said Thursday, 'has all the beauty of cities like Boulder, without the pretensions.'
McQuaid, 34, won the championship here in 2006, its first year in Utah after the Utah Sports Commission and the Greater Ogden Athletic Legacy Foundation, or GOAL, persuaded the event's owner to move the triathlon from Keystone, Colo.
Saturday's competition is the last of four regionals in the XTERRA America Tour. The finale is next month at Lake Tahoe, Nev., and the world championship will be in Maui, Hawaii.
Tom Kiely, chief executive of Team Unlimited, the Hawaii-based company that owns the XTERRA competitions, said 'love' is what persuaded him to choose Ogden for the Mountain Championships and for the company's first XTERRA Winter World Championships at Snowbasin next March.
'Everywhere we go, we're embraced, but this is a serious romance,' said Kiely.
The natural assets, an enthusiastic cadre of volunteers supplied by GOAL and a big community welcome make Ogden a perfect host city, he said.
And, XTERRA fits with Ogden's push to market itself as a hub of outdoor adventure recreation, Kiely said.
Jeff Robbins, chief executive of the Utah Sports Commission, said that although such regional XTERRA championships typically pump $2 million to $3 million into a city's economy, the world championships could mean $8 million or more.
Although March's event will be the first world winter championship and won't generate that much money for Ogden at first, the event can be expected to grow fast and contribute greatly to Utah's economy, Robbins said.
But just as important as the financial contribution is the buzz it gives to Utah as a magnet for recreation, he added.
The state's $6 billion recreation industry is one of four that Gov. Jon Huntsman Jr. has targeted for economic growth.
Ogden is the only city in the world to play host to two XTERRA competitions, and it could get more than a few days of excitement out of this weekend's event because the marathon will be captured in a half-hour segment that Team Unlimited will market to national television networks.
Trey Garman, the group's marketing director, said crews have been shooting video of fly fishing, kayaking and the rides available at Ogden's new Solomon Center.
Those shots will make up to 40 percent of the segment, which Team Unlimited hopes will be shown next May, Garman said
Kym Buttschardt, president of GOAL, said she especially likes that XTERRA includes amateurs. She'll compete in the triathlon, but so will her 9-year-old son, competing on a team with her husband.
'The whole community is plugged in. . . . This is promoting a healthy community,' Buttschardt said.
MORE INFO:
A two-day festival in downtown Ogden at amphitheater park on Washington Boulevard will be part of the XTERRA Mountain Championship.
--Today:
Noon-8 p.m. -- Beer garden, a kids zone with rope climbing and other challenges
4 p.m. -- Swim clinic
5 p.m. -- Mountain bike clinic, kids foot race, live music
5:30-9 p.m. -- Hair cut-a-thon to benefit Challenged Athletes Foundation
6 p.m. -- Kids bike race, 12k trail run, 'Cruise for a Cause' bike ride to raise money for Weber Pathways and GOAL Foundation
--Saturday:
9 a.m. -- Championship race begins at Pineview Reservoir
9:30 a.m. -- Amateur race begins at Pineview Reservoir
10 a.m.-2 p.m. -- Expo at Snowbasin with exhibits, food, music
1:30 p.m. -- Pro awards and special awards at Snowbasin
6-9 p.m. -- Food booths and beer garden in park
7:30 p.m. -- Awards ceremony, to be followed by highlight video
9 p.m. -- Free concert
To see more of The Salt Lake Tribune, or to subscribe to the newspaper, go to http://www.sltrib.com.
Copyright (c) 2007, The Salt Lake Tribune
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
воскресенье, 23 сентября 2012 г.
Roads not taken can lead to luxury - The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
The Record (Bergen County, NJ)
04-08-2007
Roads not taken can lead to luxury
By SHANNON ROXBOROUGH, SPECIAL TO THE RECORD
Date: 04-08-2007, Sunday
Section: REAL ESTATE
Edtion: All Editions
Column: GETTING AWAY
Forget the South Florida condo, the cottage in the Hamptons and the chalet in Aspen. They're far too clich, not to mention ridiculously overpriced. Savvy weekenders, vacationers and retirees are surfing the Web for up-and-coming residential developments in areas that will never become the next Hilton Head.
Even though most of these places lack the cachet of many traditional second-home communities and are much harder to get to than the Jersey Shore, they are scenic, not yet overrun and, in some cases, quite affordable.
White Point Estates, Queens County, Nova Scotia
Once a retreat for well-heeled outdoorsmen, this quaint seaside development consists of wooded, waterview and oceanfront home sites in a luxury resort on the Atlantic Ocean. Lots range from three-quarters of an acre to 2 acres on which buyers can build homes. The enclave, like Nova Scotia itself, attracts American, European and Canadian second-home hunters seeking New England charm at a fraction of the cost. Residents will enjoy a Canadian PGA-rated golf course, a wide range of outdoor recreational pursuits and a laid-back lifestyle. Prices start at $45,000. 800-613-2171 or whitepointestates.com.
Four Seasons Residence Club, Vail, Colo.
In recently renovated Vail Village (one of the world's top ski resorts and year-round outdoor destinations) at the new Four Seasons Resort, this club consists of 19 cabins, each divided into 12 shares. Amenities include a ski valet, a 25,000-square-foot spa, and heated outdoor pool. From $390,000. 800-343-0799 or fourseasons.com/ownvai.
The Cliffs at Keowee Falls, S.C.
Situated on the banks of Lake Keowee one of the Southeast's most pristine freshwater lakes this 394-acre development boasts panoramic views of the Blue Ridge Mountains. This community consists of lakefront, lake view and lake access home sites, and a collection of cottages overlooking the 18th hole of a brand new Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Course. Home lots start at $200,000 and the homes start at $750,000. 866-435-5123 or cliffscommunities.com.
Ritz-Carlton Club and Residences, Maui, Hawaii
On picturesque Kapalua Bay with views of Lanai's and Molokai's volcanoes, the Ritz is offering 84 full-ownership and 62 two-, three-, and four-bedroom fractionally owned condos (each divided into 12 shares) at its oceanfront resort, plus 107 full-owned condo suites at the nearby hotel. In addition to a 30,000-square-foot spa and a 6,100-square-foot beach club, there is a lagoon-style pool, as well as tennis courts and a stretch of some of the world's finest white sand. Priced from $300,000 for the club resort; from $895,000 for condo hotel suites. 800-278-0121 or ritzcarltonrealestate.com.
Trump at Cap Cana, Dominican Republic
Donald Trump is developing a 30,000-acre luxury resort, above, that will include private bungalows, villas and estate lots with ocean views. Located on the eastern tip of the Dominican Republic, Cap Cana will feature 5,000 residential units (with private infinity pools, stone patios, and outdoor hot tubs), 500 hotel rooms, three Jack Nicklaus Signature Golf Courses and a 1,000-slip marina. Amenities will include luxury shopping, fine dining, world-class spas, water sports, polo, and horseback riding facilities, to name a few. From $465,000. 800-785-2198 or capcana.com.
Bay Club at Falcon Point Ranch, Seadrift, Texas
Just 2 hours from Houston, surrounded by a 6,000-acre ranch and wildlife preserve, this intimate gated coastal community consists of 108 waterfront and water view home sites on San Antonio Bay. Residents will enjoy easy living close to a luxury lodge with 24-hour concierge service, a swimming pool, community piers and a trail system for hiking and biking. $250,000 and up. 877-375-4868 or falconpointranch.com.
The Palmyra Resort & Spa, Montego Bay, Jamaica
This luxurious 16-acre Caribbean resort has 656 full-ownership units, running the gamut from one-bedroom condo units to three-bedroom oceanfront villas. Residents have access to the world-class Espa, a five-star, 23,000-square-foot spa, and receive three golf course memberships. From $450,000. 866-725-3969 or thepalmyra.com.
Lincoln Harbor, Lake Logan Martin, Ala.
About 90 minutes west of Atlanta, Lincoln Harbor is courting second-home buyers with 952 lakeside condos, town houses and estates, which will be built over the course of seven years. Known for its world-class bass fishing, Lake Logan Martin is nestled in the southernmost foothills of the Appalachian Mountains. Amenities will include fitness facilities, opportunities for water sports, nature trails, concierge and housekeeping services, and a lakefront restaurant. From $369,000. 877-525-3378 or lincolnharbor.net.
R&R Holding Developments, Hamilton County, Fla.
Located in northern Florida just across the Georgia border, Pine Shadow Ranch, Deer Park Ranch and other communities under development will consist of custom-built log homes on 5-, 10- or 20-acre rural lots in gated communities near Suwannee River State Park. In addition, there are plans for a 50-acre camping area, swimming facilities, a restaurant and convenience store. All price ranges. 407-448-0567 or sales@fssii.net.
The Phillips Club at Lincoln Center, New York City
For those who crave big-city stimulation, this private residence club in Manhattan near Central Park West was created as an alternative to more expensive apartments and less spacious luxury hotel rooms. The club offers fractional ownerships for one-, two-, and three-bedroom residences. Perks include access to the members' lobby and lounge, privileges at Reebok Sports Club/NY, concierge services, pre-arrival grocery shopping and long-term clothing storage. From $315,000 (the new The Phillips Club II has prices starting at $155,000). 877-644-8900 or phillipsclub.com.
Got a second-home story you'd like to share? E-mail Shannon Roxborough at ForeignPassport@aol.com
Big Island's big side _ the lands where King Kam built a nation. - Chicago Tribune (Chicago, IL)
Byline: Toni Salama
KAILUA-KONA, Hawaii _ The road to the summit of 13,796-foot Mauna Kea was closed one day because of snow and ice. Beaches `round the island were off limits a couple of days later for a briefly imposed tsunami warning. At the precipice of Kilauea, the mist was so thick that the volcano's gaping caldera, 2 miles wide by 3 miles long, was invisible all long. Rains along the Hamakua Coast were heavy enough that the 442-foot Akaka and 400-foot Kahuna waterfalls, normally prim and white, plunged brown from the mountainsides. And all of that during less than a week in January.
Here is an island provocative and moody. Frustrating. Demanding, dangerous, exhilarating, captivating and, in the next minute, the opposite of all those things. Hawaii's Big Island is cobalt-blue Pacific waves beating themselves into white froth over fierce black boulders; lush rain forests, fancy golf courses, active lava flows, cactus-riddled cattle ranches, black-sand beaches, drive-by waterfalls, dozing sea turtles, resorts with built-in water parks, funny little towns, whale spottings, front yards aflame with poinsettias ...
And it's the next big thing. There are moments here that can't be experienced in such proximity anywhere else in the world, not even on the neighboring islands.
Maui and Oahu still get more visitors and more exposure. But travelers looking for a different, a 'new' or a more adventuresome Hawaii are turning to the Big Island. The bustling West Coast, where the big resorts and most excursion headquarters are located, is the logical place to start
KAILUA-KONA
The waters of Kailua Bay are capricious with their alohas, but predictable. Take a seat at one of the open-air eateries along Alii Drive, keep your eye on the waves, and not too many minutes will go by before one of their number vaults over the retaining wall to break in a watery crescendo over unwary strollers. Surprise!
This question-mark-shaped bay is the nexus of the Kona Coast, sending snorkeling parties and fishing charters off from the pier, welcoming back record marlin catches, challenging Ironman triathletes, nursing the area's several histories. There's always a nice breeze here, the cooling shade of a banyan tree and something to eat. It has been a lure for a good 200 years.
At the northern end, apart from the water traffic on a platform in the bay and generally overlooked, is the reconstructed heiau (hay-ow), or temple, that served as the seat of government 1812-1819 for Hawaii's most famous king, Kamehameha the Great. He unified all the islands into a single nation. Get used to his name; it's everywhere.
Ahuena Heiau, a small complex of thatched shelters, carved figurines and an oracle tower, was where King Kam, for short, performed rituals, prayed, ran his government and brought up his son, Liholiho, in the old ways. Today, toddlers play safely on the shard of beach nearby. Five nights a week, they hold the Island Breeze Luau on the adjacent shore.
Huilhee Palace, completed in 1838, dozes by the bay's southern end. It's a two-story summer cottage that wouldn't be out of place in New England, except for the palm trees and the fact that its 3-foot-thick walls, now stuccoed, are built of lava stones and coral mortar. A double porch, with a dieter's dollop of gingerbread, looks out to sea.
It sustained damage during the Oct. 15, 2006, earthquake and is still undergoing repairs. If you could see it in all its glory _ you can't right now because most of its artifacts are in safe-keeping until the building is fully restored _ you'd find doors and furniture made of koa, a lustrous dark-auburn hardwood native to Hawaii; a reproduction Hawaiian sled, testament that surfing wasn't the only radical sport of the pre-contact era; and decorative redwood pillars that King Kalakaua picked up on a state visit to California. He and his queen, Kapiolani, bought the building in 1884 and commissioned the massive and ornately carved koa wardrobe that took the silver medal at the Paris International Exhibition of 1889. The wardrobe's rightful place is here, and, according to the non-profit Daughters of Hawaii that oversees the palace, it survived the quake intact.
Across Alii Drive, and older than Hulihee Palace, is Mokuaikaua Church, the first in the Hawaiian Islands. According to church historians, at least some of its stones came from pre-contact Hawaiian temples, destroyed on the orders of King Liholiho even before missionaries arrived. The sanctuary's exposed beams are of ohia, another native Hawaiian hardwood, plucked from the slopes of Hualalai Volcano that rises above the town. On either side of the altar are those strange standards, called kahili, that look something like a lampshade covered in feathers. They're one of the symbols of Hawaiian royalty.
Another old-timer is the red-roofed Kona Inn, the 1928 hotel, now a restaurant, responsible for putting Kona on the marlin-fishing map. It's at its most charming during a dinner of ono, a mild, sweet white-meated fish, accompanied by the flicker of tiki torches and the sound of the surf.
The best pursuit, though, is to do what most people are doing: just strolling Alii Drive, enjoying the sun and fresh air and music floating from passing cars, prowling the warren of souvenir shops and eateries, stopping at mom-and-pop coffee kiosks to sample 100 percent Kona brews _ bagged beans go for about $19 a pound _ feeling lucky to be here. Nobody seems to care that the stores are on the shabby side and could stand more than a fresh coat of paint. This place is possessed of a mood, a vibe, a spirit, a glow, a something that transcends the clutter, maybe even legitimizes it.
There's no such thing as a bad Kailua sunset. Every restaurant along Alii Drive overlooks the water. Bar hoppers haven't very many teeters to totter between one watering hole and the next, especially near the night-volleyball courts (no one seems to use them during the day). And a lot of the same places that were hot spots the night before are even busier with the morning breakfast crowd.
Alii Drive's tourist zone peters out at the Royal Kona Resort, an aging _ or call it retro _ landmark recognizable by its ski-slope profile, reminiscent of the curving helmet of Hawaiian chiefs. Beyond that, the condos take over.
There's more to Kailua than this; there are banks and supermarkets and auto repair shops and a Wal-Mart at the top of a hill with a knockout view over the town, its bay and cruise ships when they're anchored off shore. But they're not worth leaving the waterfront unless you're headed out of town anyway.
UP NORTH
Hawaii Highway 270 starts at Kawaihae and ends in frustration, but that's no reason not to take the drive. Heading north from the junction of Hawaii Highway 19, there are good views of Maui and the imposing height of Mt. Haleakala across the Alenuihaha Channel on all but the cloudiest days. In winter this is a good vantage point for spotting humpback whales, no binoculars necessary. Beyond the desolate, arid stretch, the road turns east to Hawi and Kapaau and becomes a jungle trek.
The Big Island boasts 11 of the Earth's 13 climate zones, and this drive is just one study in how quick the transition is from the emptiness of dry grasslands to dense tropics, with papayas and bananas growing beside the road.
Hawi and Kapaau are a pair of villages where gift shops and eateries have moved into storefronts built during the island's sugar era. A painted statue of King Kam stands here _ he was born nearby _ but there's a better one in Hilo. The road stops at Pololu Valley Overlook, but you might not be able to: the half-dozen or so parking spaces at road's end are perpetually taken, and that's too bad. The best views are a hike down the mountain on the trail tourism officials say has just reopened after sustaining damage in the earthquake.
The real reason to come out this way is the drive back on a different road, Hawaii Highway 250 southbound from Hawi to Waimea/Kamuela. It follows the ridge of the Kohala Mountain Range, and when it clears the eucalyptus and ironwood trees, at about the 3,000-foot level, there are arresting vistas: down and out to sea, down and across the wide valley of the Parker Ranch and up, up again, almost 14,000 feet up to the summit of Mauna Kea, possibly snow-capped, and of Mauna Loa beyond that. It's one place that really brings home the size, the mass of this island.
Waimea itself, which also goes by the name of Kamuela, is deceptively busy. With two shopping centers and more than its share of restaurants and traffic, there's a sense that something momentous vacation-wise is afoot. There's not. This once-drowsy little cowboy town has awakened to find itself suburbed. Parker Ranch headquarters and its historic homes, ATV adventures and horseback rides are all but ignored by the glut of passersby. So is the museum dedicated to Hawaiian astronaut Ellison Onizuka, who lost his life in the 1986 Challenger Space Shuttle disaster.
KOHALA COAST
Expensive resort hotels gave the Kohala Coast its cachet (and we'll cover those in an upcoming story). But there are a few other reasons to venture this stretch of Hawaii 19 besides fluffy bathrobes and high-thread-count sheets.
Puukohola Heiau National Historic Site is a platform temple finished in 1791 with lava-stone walls 100 feet long and up to 20 feet high in places. King Kamehameha the Great himself joined his people in the building of it to appease the war god Ku, and then sacrificed a rival chieftain here to seal the deal. It's not striking: It'll never give the Parthenon or the Pyramids reason to fear their place among the world's must-sees. It is, however, important in the Hawaiian scheme of things. The best view of it is along the coastal path, a short walk from the parking lot of Spencer Beach Park next door.
As for Spencer Beach, it's not the best the Big Island has to offer. But it is a bona fide beach-with-sand on an island so new, geologically speaking, that it hasn't had time to make very many. It's relaxing, as long as the tent city that has sprung up here doesn't make you nervous. There's a makeshift security station, also in a sort-of tent.
Everyone says the best beach on the island is Hapuna Beach State Recreation Area and they're right: a loooong stretch of clean, honey-blond sand and adequate parking, facilities and rentals _ water tricycles seem especially popular. Get there by taking the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel exit.
At Mauna Lani, past the shopping center with the Ruth's Chris Steak House and the Tommy Bahama's Restaurant, past the Fairmont Orchid Resort, lies a field of petroglyphs believed to have been etched here before Westerners arrived. Getting to them means a three-quarter-mile hike through a Hallo- ween forest of gnarly tree branches. The reward is looking at human stick figures that, from the viewing area, look to be at least 18 inches tall. Many of them are drawn in pairs and are holding hands.
Absorb the petroglyphs, and the modern rock-art messages along the highway between Mauna Lani and Kailua don't seem so out of place. These are a recyclable graffiti _ 'Happy Birthday Brenda,' 'Kyle + Julie 12/'06' _ posted in bleached-white coral that stands out against the earthscape of black lava. Robbing stones from someone else's message to create your own is part of the tradition.
There's another beach of soft, brown sand at Anaehoomalu Bay, adjacent to the Waikoloa Beach Marriott Resort & Spa. Maybe it's the competition from the designer retail and dining at the Kings' Shops, but nobody seems to pay any attention to this picturesque spot or the ancient fish ponds here.
CAPT. COOK AND THE SOUTH
South of Kailua, Hawaii Highway 11 leaves the coastline and strings together several hillside towns so closely that there's no telling them apart: Honalo, Kainaliu, Kealakekua and Capt. Cook. Browsing their historic storefronts is more intriguing than in Kailua _ H. Kimura Fabrics, for instance, seems to have been here from Day One _ and less expensive than at the coastal resort hotels. These shops aren't overcrowded. Neither are the snack bars, such as Sandy's Drive-In, that are a local mainstay. It's also easier to find a parking place.
Really, there are only three reasons to leave this stretch of highway: coffee farms, old churches and ancient sites.
To be specific: The aroma at Kona Joe Coffee Co . is outdone only by the flavor of its beans and the view from its cafe out over trellis-trained coffee trees all the way to the sea. The scenery at diminutive St. Benedict Catholic Church is mostly indoors. Clouds and palm branches spread across its ceiling. Biblical tableaux cover its walls. This wedding-chapel-sized landmark built at the turn of the last century is remembered by all as the Painted Church.
Puuhonua o Honaunau National Historical Park takes a little more explaining. It's actually two ancient sites in one. The first part was once a royal resort off limits to commoners, with fish ponds, reconstructed huts and an exclusive canoe-landing beach where these days endangered Hawaiian green sea turtles come to sun themselves.
The second part is more esoteric, a stark peninsula of black lava, cut off from the rest of the island by a wall 17 feet thick and accessible only by sea. It was set aside as a place of refuge for soldiers and civilians on the wrong side of a war, for example, and certainly for lawbreakers. Anyone able to reach this place would have been not only safe, but forgiven.
Park rangers say that some visitors stay for hours and feel something profound and that others walk through in a few minutes and leave shrugging their shoulders. Most don't leave, though, without taking a picture of the reconstructed thatched-roof temple and its clutch of wooden gods, especially the two large ones, called Kii, whose fierce, grimacing faces have become the icons for the Big Island.
Continuing south, Hawaii 11 finds its way through hardwood stands, macadamia nut groves, real estate for-sale signs and Naalehu, America's southernmost pleasant spot in the road. When the trees give way to grassy hillsides there are thrilling views of the coastline.
A side road leads down to Punaluu Black Sand Beach, where a ragged company of palm trees take whatever punishment the winds decree. The sand is a little too much on the coarse side for bare feet, but you have to try it anyway. It really is jet black: lava that's taken a pounding by the surf long enough to be pulverized into this state. In fact, the wave action keeps most people out of the small bay and on the shore at water's edge, a respectful distance from the Hawaiian green sea turtles that come ashore here.
There's a progression on Hawaii 11 where pastures give way to a forest of dead trees, then lava fields supporting a stunted growth of vegetation. Then a warning comes into view. 'Caution. Fault zone. Watch for cracks in road.' It's a sign that the volcano, the active one, Kilauea, is just ahead.
___
HOW BIG IS BIG?
The Big Island of Hawaii is anything but modest. Nothing small ever happens here. To prove it:
_All the other islands of the state of Hawaii could fit inside its 4,021 square miles _ with room left over for Rhode Island.
_It is home to Mauna Kea, which is 'only' 13,796 feet above sea level but when measured from the sea floor _ which is where it got its start _ is the highest (32,000 feet) mountain in the world.
_The world's largest grouping of astronomical observatories is scattered across that summit.
_It is home to the still-active Mauna Loa, which stands only about 100 feet shorter than Mauna Kea but spreads out to fill 19,000 cubic miles; thus it counts as the tallest and most massive volcano in the world.
_The Big Island's Parker Ranch, with about 150,000 acres, is larger than the King Ranch in Texas.
_It's still growing. The lava flow from Kilauea Volcano's Puu Oo vent adds between 250,000 and 650,000 cubic yards to Hawaii every day.
___
IF YOU GO:
GETTING THERE: The Big Island has airports at Kailua-Kona and Hilo.
GETTING AROUND: Rental car rates at the Kona airport start as low as $245/week (taxes included) for an economy car from Thrifty. In Kailua-Kona, you probably won't be lucky enough to find street parking. The attended lot at King Kamehameha Hotel charges $1.50 per half hour. Unattended lots are less. Most hotels and resorts in the Kona/Kohala corridor charge $9 or $10 per night for parking. Parking in Hilo is plentiful and free. When I was on the island in January, gas was $3 a gallon.
STAYING THERE: Watch for our upcoming, separate stories on Big Island lodgings.
DINING AROUND: In Kailua-Kona: The eggplant parmesan is homemade at Basil's Pizzeria Restaurant on Alii Drive. That dish plus soft drink and tip comes to just under $16. A shave-ice all the way _ that is, a snow cone with ice cream and azuki beans _ comes to $5.25 at Beach Dog Internet Cafe, off Alii Drive.
In Honokaa: Jolene's KauKau Korner serves a vegetable tempura plate or a hamburger steak plate for the same price: $7.75. Add a coconut 7-Up _ a house specialty _ and the bill comes to $9.64 before tip. A hot malasada (Portuguese doughnut sprinkled with sugar) costs 99 cents at Tex Drive In .
Along the Kohala Coast: Waikoloa Resort counts a Roy's Waikoloa Bar & Grill (Pacific Rim fusion) in the Kings' Shops shopping plaza. The chain restaurant is one of the stars in chef Roy Yamaguchi's crown and a regular stop on the foodie circuit. The take-out deli at Merriman's Market Cafe, from celebrity chef Peter Merriman, always seems to attract long lines. The shopping center at Mauna Lani has a Tommy Bahama's Tropical Cafe & Emporium (808-881-8686) that serves tortilla soup ($9 for the bowl) and chicken satay ($13 for six) with equal finesse. The breakfast buffet at Hapuna Beach Prince hotel's Ocean Terrace costs $29.17 with tax.
South of Kailua-Kona: Breakfast at Kona Joe Coffee farm comes with a view from its carefully tended hillside all the way to the ocean. A slice of warm chocolate bundt cake and a cup of coffee total $5.72, tax included. Sandy's Drive-In is as good a place as any to sample a loco moco (a stack of rice, hamburger patty, eggs and gravy, all in a take-out bowl) and medium Coke, all for $4.64 tax included. At the Sheraton Keahou Bay, an omelet ($13.50) and coffee in Kai restaurant come to $17.17, including tax. In Naalehu, Hana Hou Restaurant, southernmost restaurant in the U.S.A., will charge you $9.63 for a grilled cheese sandwich, Diet Coke, peanut butter cookie and coffee, tax included.
Hilo and Volcano: Dining at Volcano National Park and in Hilo will be covered in upcoming stories.
INFORMATION: Contact Big Island Visitors Bureau at 808-961-5797 or www.bigisland.org.
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Toni Salama: tsalama@tribune.com
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(c) 2007, Chicago Tribune.
Visit the Chicago Tribune on the Internet at http://www.chicagotribune.com/
Distributed by McClatchy-Tribune Information Services.
_____
PHOTOS (from MCT Photo Service, 202-383-6099).
суббота, 22 сентября 2012 г.
Just like Dad - AZ Daily Star
Whether you see him in the mirror or feel him peeking out at themost unexpected times, there's no denying some part of us is 'justlike Dad.'
From those who talk to Dad every day to those who said goodbyelong ago, readers searched their hearts and memories to come up withthe part of their fathers they share. Some are proud of theirresemblances, some resigned. All are laced with love.
Happy Father's Day.
Nathan, 13; Steven, 8; Brittany, 7; Jesus and Martin, 3; andJessica, 18 months, about their dad, Jesus Lopez
Our dad is full of energy even after a hard day at work, and wehave a lot of energy even after a long day at school. When our dadgets home, he still takes us on pony rides right on his back. As bigas we are, he can still carry us all. Our dad is just so strong, andso are we. We know that we are because when he gives us big bearhugs, we hug him back just as tight.
David and Christopher Metzger and their dad, Mark
Our dad is a great guy and is always there to help with homework,go on field trips and play video games. Both of us are 'just likeDad' in that we are enthusiastic fishermen. Our dad is anexperienced fisherman in all weather and places. We all love to fishin Tucson, Rocky Point, Maui, Missouri and anywhere we can findwater. We all love to fish in the sun, the rain, in fishing huts andin boats - 'just like Dad.'
Ever since I was a little girl, I have been my dad's shadow.
He rode horses, punched cows and made people laugh. I did, too.He cowboyed and persevered in tough situations. So did I. Everythingthat has ever been of interest to me, I learned from my dad.
I love to work with horses and cattle, work outside, and makebits and other black-smithing objects.
I have inherited Dad's personality - both his witty smarts, his'cowboy up' attitude and belly rolling sense of humor. I say bellyrolling because it is genuine humor - neither one of us knows how tobe funny. We just are.
People seem to know I am a Moss.; I work at Arizona Feeds, and Ihave had old cowboys walk in, glance at me, then glance again a bitlonger, walk over to my counter and slyly question me with, 'YouByrd's daughter?' I suppose all of us Mosses look alike, and I amglad that is true because I am proud to have been raised by such aloving, kindhearted, cowboy of a dad.
Carol Szel and Ed Szelewski
People always say I look like my mother, until he takes off hisglasses and puts on her wig.
Ben Esparza, 10, son of Sam Esparza
I think I'm just like my dad because everyone always tells me,'You're just like your Dad!' Not only do people say we look alike,but they say we act alike, too. Sometimes, when I am out, people sayto me, 'You must be Sam Esparza's son.' I think we act alike becausewe do the same stuff together: fishing, hunting, camping, workingout in the yard, watching sports together, swimming and, myfavorite, golfing. I love being like my dad. My dad spends a lot oftime with me, and I like that. I hope when I grow up, I am just likemy dad. I love him.
David J. Bukunus about his dad, Charles, who died in 1998
As much as I hate to admit it, I share many things with myfather. We both had a love of photography and film editing. The 1964Buick Riviera was our dream car. And deep down, household productsconfuse the hell out of us.
Take the introduction of plastic sandwich bags. At first theycame on a roll and you tore off a bag for your sandwich. Simple? No.
I remember watching my father tear off his first bag, just likehe did with waxed paper. He inserts his sandwich into the bag.Unfortunately, there were no instructions that said to tear off onewhole bag. There he was, inserting his sandwich into the sealablebag and watching it fall straight through to the floor. Prettyfunny, hmmm?
Last week, in the produce section of Fry's, I personally rippedoff one of their plastic bags on a roll and inserted six tomatoes.They fell right on the floor. It seems I hadn't ripped off the wholeplastic bag.
As I stood there, looking at my produce on the floor, once againI said to myself, 'I am just like my old man.'
Hannah Mangum, 12, about her dad, Jeff
I am like my dad because I never have to be told to do work, andI do it all by myself. Also, we both like to have everything neatand organized. Everything has to be prompt and orderly. We both liketo read, learn and study. We both try our best and turn things inthe time they are due, and no later. We are both hard workers, butwe both like to watch scary movies together. We both had blond hairwhen we were younger, then it got darker over the years (to brown).We both love our family very much and take care of our familymembers. My dad is very special to me.
Holly M. Collett about her dad, Clarence
Oh boy, am I like my dad! The older I get, the more non-
compliant I am. It's all over my medical charts. I am 72 and Itake one pill a day, and I am researching ways to get it out of mylife. I remember Dad displaying the flag on appropriate days. I dothat, too. Never miss. I remember Dad getting dressed at the VAhospital and telling the staff 'I'm going home,' and he did(complete with left-side partial paralysis). He lived to a ripe oldage. Me too, Dad. No one tells me what's good for me. I am a chipoff the old block.
Skylar Anne Mason, 5, about her dad, Karl
I am just like my dad because we both love chocolate so much. Welove the chocolate and the marshmallow the best when we eat s'mores.When Mom was away, Dad put chocolate ice cream and chocolate syrupon his waffle.
Karen Mracek, 23, about her dad, Curtis Mracek
How am I like my father? Oh, let me count the ways. I have hishair and his smile; I have his compassion and his determination; andI have his dedication and his love for my mom. I am like him in somany ways, it is almost scary. These little subtleties makethemselves known to me more and more as I grow older. And with thegood comes the bad. As I age, as gracefully as my father has, I alsonotice that the quirks and extremities that make my dad so lovablehave not been lost on me, his second daughter.
The hereditary nuance that I am most reminded of is that I havemy father's fingers. While this may be an unusual observation, I amconstantly reminded of it, even as I type along on my keyboard.First of all, I know they are my father's hands because my motherhas delicate and petite hands, which she managed to pass on to mysisters. I, on the other hand,
inherited these trunks of fingers. They are hearty and sturdy andquite wonderful hands for a son. But being a girl, it
didn't take me long to realize that my hands would be bettersuited for Shaquille O'Neal. It's hard to find gloves that fit, andeven with the help of nail polish, my nails seem dwarfed by myfingers. And then there was the traumatizing ordeal of ordering myhigh school class ring.
But with maturity comes age, or perhaps the other way around. NowI can look at my hands and think of my father. I see the bookcaseshis hands built for me when I was a little girl. I see the handsthat would lift me onto his shoulders and the hands that wouldn'tlet me fall. I see the hands that discipline and the hands thatprovide for my family. With his hands, he writes wonderful prose,solves impossible problems and builds amazing structures. I wouldn'ttrade them for the world. I can only hope that one day the hands myfather passed on to me can have the same strength and energy hishave.
Jodie Jackson of Phoenix about her Tucson dad, Bob Jackson
Ever since I was a little girl, people have told me how much I'mlike my dad, and I've always taken that as a compliment. Not onlyhave I inherited his eyes and teeth (I spent eight years in braces;thanks, Dad!), but we've got the same sense of humor and can makeMom laugh out loud for hours! What I'm most proud of in being likemy dad is his ability to see the good in people and always give themthe chances he thinks they deserve, even if it makes his job harder.He is a fair and well-respected man who keeps his word no matterwhat the cost. I'm so lucky to have not only a great dad, but agreat friend, too!
Patrick Doyle, 13, of Rio Rico, about his dad, Louis Doyle
We both like to go to the beach and eat seafood. I have big eyeslike my dad. Both of us like the Diamondbacks and the Cubs. We laughat the same things. We like to take trips. We like to hang outtogether and listen to music.
Nolan Kirk, 9, about his dad, Jim
I am just like my dad, Jim, because we both like to ride bikes.We go on tandem rides together. I like to pedal fast and so does he.He is my hero.
Chloe Buser, 11, about her dad, David
пятница, 21 сентября 2012 г.
Let the outrigger canoe races begin! (Hawaii canoe races) (Travel and Recreation) - Sunset
IN ANCIENT HAWAII, THE hand-carved canoe was the ultimate expression of oceanic technology. Hawaiian royalty traveled in swift canoes delicately balanced with graceful outriggers. And in the early 19th century, King Kamehameha's massive canoe navy helped bring the islands under his rule. During festivals, the same vessels used for fishing became hot rods raced for speed and distance.
While the sport nearly died out during the last century, outrigger canoe racing has undergone a strong revival in recent years. This year, about 80 canoe organizations will compete in at least a hundred scheduled races between January and November.
Modern racing canoes are streamlined versions of six-man fishing canoes. The design approved for all races is not more than 45 feet long and weighing at least 400 pounds.
Boat crews provide a study in teamwork. The bow paddler, or stroker, sets the pace; the person in second or third position calls side-to-side paddling changes every 8 to 14 strokes. The two middle paddlers provide brawn; the fifth adds to the brawn but is mainly responsible for bailing in long-distance races. The rear paddler is the steersman, using the paddle as a rudder to turn and also reading the waters and currents to plot a course so the canoe won't huli (capsize).
The best races to watch from shore are local, fixed-course regattas held in sheltered bays, with courses usually set around buoys 1/4 to 1/2 mile apart. Most courses are close enough to the beach for easy viewing, and spectators can picnic and mingle with paddlers as club teams ready for their events.
Each island has its own kickoff to the regatta season, which ends with state championships on Maui August 7. Then long-distance racing takes over. Distances range from 5 to as much as 55 miles in open ocean, so the best place to watch a race is the finish line, not only for the excitement of the finish, but for the beach party that often follows. The most famous race is the 40-mile Molokai-to-Oahu 'marathon,' September 26 for women (called the Na Wahine O Ke Kai) and October 10 for men (called the Molokai Hoe). The first racers should cross the Waikiki finish line at Fort DeRussy Beach between 1 and 3.
четверг, 20 сентября 2012 г.
SORRY, WRONG NUMBER SOME CONSUMERS HAVE WISED UP ABOUT TELEMARKETING SCHEMES. BUT THE CONMEN KEEP COMING UP WITH NEW ONES.(Living) - Albany Times Union (Albany, NY)
Byline: Rick Karlin Staff writer
Deborah Richeson of Colonie thought she was getting a free fishing boat, but ended up high and dry after being reeled in by what consumer advocates say may be the latest twist in a timeworn telemarketing scam.
It's called a 'reload' or 'recovery service' scheme and it works like this: You get a letter from a company - let's call it XYZ Promotions - saying you have won a valuable prize like a boat or vacation in Maui. All you need to do is call XYZ's toll-free number. When you call, you get a high-pressure sales pitch for some overpriced merchandise.
Eventually, you may receive the merchandise, but no prize. Or you may get a worthless prize. Or you may get nothing at all.
Soon after, you get a phone call from another firm. The salesman tells you that XYZ has gone out of business, and you won't be receiving your prize, but he wants to make it up to you. If you buy some of his merchandise, you will be eligible to win another prize, such as a stereo or television set.
This is called a reload scheme, since the same deceptive sales pitch is said to be 'reloaded' or recycled for a second time.
Cleo Manuel, spokeswoman for the National Consumers League, said her group has learned of this scheme in the last month or so. While it is not known how many companies are engaged in reload schemes, she said their existence is an indication that boiler room operators are developing novel ways of netting their victims.
The need to come up with fresh schemes, she said, also suggests that the public is getting wise to the dubious telemarketing sales pitches blanketing the nation during the past few years.
'These guys are really quick. They are learning fast,' Manuel said of those who operate reload schemes.
'This is a big business,' added Eileen Harrington, associate director of the Federal Trade Commission's Bureau of Consumer Protection. Her agency estimates that telemarketing fraud costs the public between $3 billion and $40 billion a year.
A recent survey conducted by Louis Harris and Associates for the National Consumers League found that 92 percent of all Americans have been contacted by at least one 'guaranteed prize' mail scheme.
Some of the schemes are directed to consumers, while others aim at businesses.
Richeson got a taste of how these schemers target small businesses when she encountered the now-defunct Consumers Choice Marketing Inc., also known as C.C.M.I., of Fountain Hills, Ariz.
Her dealings with the firm started last winter when she responded to a letter informing her that she had won a 'sport fishing boat and outboard motor' and should call C.C.M.I.'s toll-free number to claim her prize. 'This test marketing evaluation is being offered to business owners only,' stated the letter.
When Richeson, who is starting an apparel sales business, called the toll-free number, she learned that she would have to pay a $99.50 shipping and delivery charge to get the boat.
Then came the pitch.
C.C.M.I., she was told, would waive the shipping charge if she ordered 100 pens monogrammed with the name of the her fledgling company. Cost of the pens was $200.
Richeson sent her money via an air courier, as the company requested, but that didn't speed things up. Three months later, Richeson got her pens but no boat.
Shortly after that, Richeson received a suspicious sounding call from a Florida salesman who told her that C.C.M.I. had gone out of business and he was sorry to hear that Richeson never received her boat. But he wanted to make good on the prize by offering her either a 25-inch TV, a VCR, or a vacation. He then launched into a sales pitch for promotional items at which point Richeson slammed down the phone in anger.
Richeson then called the Arizona Attorney General's office and learned she probably will never see the boat she was promised.
C.C.M.I., she was told, filed for Chapter 7 bankruptcy which essentially allows a company to close down while leaving unsecured creditors such as Richeson out in the cold.
'It's almost impossible to get money out of them now,' said Lisa Columbia, a spokeswoman for the Arizona Attorney General's Office, who added that C.C.M.I.'s file was since been closed. The Arizona AG's office has received at least 35 complaints regarding C.C.M.I., said Steve Tseffos, another spokesman for the office.
C.C.M.I. President Todd Dohm, whose phone number was listed in Phoenix, did not return repeated phone calls left on an answering machine.
The company's bankruptcy lawyer, Dennis Wortman, also failed to return calls to his Phoenix office.
The entire affair, including the call from Florida, sounds like a typical reload scheme, in which either the original salesperson, or a different company makes a sales pitch to the same victim for the second time in a row, said Manuel.
Harrington said the Federal Trade Commission does not say if the agency is investigating a particular company for possible fraud or unfair trade practices. But she said the entire C.C.M.I. affair sounded like a classic reload scheme. 'From our perspective,' said Harrington, 'we've never seen that kind of solicitation sent out by a legitimate business.'
Lothar Goernitz, the Phoenix-based trustee who was appointed by the court to oversee C.C.M.I.'s bankruptcy, said that about 1,000 customers have money in their dealings with the company. Some thought they were receiving boats while others were told they were getting vacations. 'They sent in their $99.50 and they want to know where their boat is or where their Hawaiian vacation is,' said Goernitz.
C.C.M.I. appeared to do most of its business in California, Ohio, Maryland, Vermont and upstate New York, he said, although he was unsure how many of the more than 1,000 creditors were in the Empire State.
He said a former C.C.M.I. employee said the company found its targets by scouring local chamber of commerce lists of new businesses.
In an effort to secure whatever assets the bankrupt company might have, Goernitz went to C.C.M.I.'s headquarters in the small town of Fountain Hills, about an hour outside of Phoenix. When he arrived at the company's office, all that was left were 21 telephones, an answering machine, three personal computers and a letter printer. 'It was kind of like one of those little sweatshops,' Goernitz said. 'It was a boiler room.'
In retrospect, Harrington said the circumstances surrounding Richeson's encounter with C.C.M.I. was full of 'red flags.'
Among the danger signals:
The offer sounded too good to be true. 'We call them rubber dinghy solicitations,' Harrington said of mail or phone solicitations offering fishing boats for remarkably low prices. 'Who can afford to give you a fishing boat for buying pens?' asked Harrington, who noted that promotional pens are always popular items for small businesses.
The company's request that Richeson pay via a courier service rather than through the mail or by credit card.
That could mean a number of things. One may be that banks issuing credit cards are reluctant to deal with the firm. Or, it could mean the company is trying to avoid scrutiny by the U.S. Postal Service, which has been cracking down lately on fraudulent business practices conducted by mail, said the National Consumers League's Manuel.
Goernitz said he was struck by how simple it was for this firm to go unscrutinized.
Among the ranks of unhappy customers were doctors, lawyers, architects and small business owners such as Richeson. Of the many victims he has spoken with, Goernitz said, most said that the idea of getting a boat for $99.50 sounded fishy. Many of the people called the Arizona AG's office or the Phoenix Better Business Bureau to see if there had been complaints against the company. Neither agency had any record of the firm at the time.'These people all told me that they were sharp enough to inquire,' said Goernitz. 'There ought to be some things in place to prevent this from happening.'
Even Richeson took some precautions. She paid for her $200 worth of pens by a money order rather than a check, since she was concerned about an out-of-state company getting her checking account number.
Now, she has chalked the affair up to experience, made even more bitter when she learned that she could have purchased the same promotional pens locally for about 40 to 50 cents each, rather than the $2-a-piece price she paid C.C.M.I.
среда, 19 сентября 2012 г.
Deck Chairs Give Way To Sweaty Fun at Sea - Chicago Sun-Times
Once upon a time, taking a cruise meant lounging and eating,eating and lounging, with perhaps a bout of shuffleboard if energypermitted.
Forget about it. With 40 percent of today's cruise passengersage 40 and younger, and older customers increasingly concerned abouthealth and fitness, most lines have set up active programs afloat.These range from easy activities like walking laps on board to suchexuberant offerings as biking down a volcano slope in Hawaii orcanoeing in Alaska.
Virtually every ship has some kind of gym and spa, but allcertainly are not created equal. A so-called fitness facility couldbe a little room with some rusty equipment and a floor for sit-ups.Or it could be a 12,000-square-foot extravaganza of equipment,aerobics classes, saunas, whirlpools and massage rooms. If workingout at sea is of prime interest, be sure to ask specifics about thefacilities on any ship you're considering.
Here are some innovative programs afloat. In most cases, theshore excursions cost extra - from $20 for a few hours of snorkelingto $100 for a bike trip down a volcano. Ask ahead.
American Hawaii packs an array of vigorous activities into itsseven-day trips out of Honolulu, which operate year-round.
The 800-passenger Independence and Constitution call at threeHawaiian islands. On Maui, you can bicycle (fast) down Mt.Haleakala, a dormant volcano, or wind-surf the island's legendarywaves; on Kauai there's kayaking; on the Big Island of Hawaii,there's golf. Snorkeling and scuba diving are offered at severalports.
Aboard the sister ships, the large fitness center has all thelatest exercise equipment. There are aerobics classes every morning,a jogging deck, two fresh-water pools and hula lessons.
Princess is one of the most ambitious entries in the activitysweeps, with its Sports Ashore program. For example, on itsseven-day southern Caribbean itinerary out of San Juan, the1,400-passenger Star Princess offers horseback riding in San Juan;golf in Martinique; golf and sailing on Barbados, St. Maarten, andSt. Thomas; and, on the Grenadine island of Mayreau, a full day ofsports and games, including water-skiing and volleyball. There'ssnorkeling and diving at many ports.
The line's New Waves program offers scuba certification on allCaribbean itineraries. Passengers get shipboard classes and pooltraining, then go on dives out of most ports.
On board, the state-of-the-art gym takes up much of the lowerdeck. There's an equipment room with Kaiser 300 machines, an aerobicworkout room, aerobics classes throughout the day, pool aerobics, andplenty of trainers around to help passengers develop individualizedwork-out plans.
Club Med and action are synonymous. Ditto for the Club's386-passenger cruising village, Club Med 1, which makes weeklongCaribbean voyages out of Martinique. (Club Med 2 is scheduled toenter service in the South Pacific in December.)
The five-masted sailing vessel's main claim to fame is its largesports platform, which drops open from the stern, converting the backof the boat into a floating marina. Out come sailboards, sailboats,water skis, snorkel and scuba gear (for certified divers only), and ahost of other nautical toys. Passengers never need to go to shore toget wet and wild. Nor must they sign up at any activities desk.They just meander down from their chaises and get the next equipmentavailable.
The best view aboard is from the top-deck fitness center, whichhas floor-to-ceiling windows, equipment galore, and lots of bouncyaerobics classes. The gym is open 24 hours a day to suit even themost exuberant fitness buff.
Carnival packs plenty of activities into even its three-dayBahamas jaunt out of Miami. First off, the 2,600-passenger Fantasyhas the largest fitness center afloat: 12,000 square feet of exerciserooms (with 35 machines), aerobics space, whirlpools, saunas andmassage rooms.
During the ship's call at Nassau, passengers can buy a golfpackage at the Cable Beach Gold Club, or play tennis or racquetballat the Riviera Hotel, next to the Crystal Palace. There's also ascuba trip to a sunken ship. Underwater photography is excellent.Snorkelers can book a boat trip to a designated underwater park witha large live coral reef.
Holland America caters mostly to older travelers on itsseven-day summer Alaska cruises, but passengers have been keen on theline's Explorer and Adventurer shore excursions.
Options on the 1,214-passenger Noordam include canoeing in a20-person boat with a Native American guide in Ketchikan; a naturecruise and hike in Sitka; a helicopter tour and glacier walk out ofJuneau, and salmon fishing in Ketchikan and Sitka. Excursions may bebooked separately or as part of one package.
Royal Caribbean gives customers a good workout on its seven-daytrips aboard the 2,600 passenger Majesty of the Seas sailing fromMiami.
There's snorkeling and scuba diving on Grand Cayman Island, andoff Cozumel, Mexico; climbing Dunn's River Falls in Ocho Rios,Jamaica, and a host of water and beach sports (volleyball, kayaking,snorkeling, tug-of-war) on CocoCay in the Bahamas chain. Theon-board spa and gym is huge.
вторник, 18 сентября 2012 г.
HAWAII'S BIG ISLAND A LAND OF LEGENDS, RAIN FORESTS AND RIVERS OF FIRE - Daily News (Los Angeles, CA)
Mother Nature herself,' says George Applegate, who hasaccompanied us on this tour to watch the Kilauea lava flow.
We (there are eight of us) stand awestruck at the sight. Aboveus, vast numbers of stars twinkle in the night sky; in front of us,great folds of cold lava glisten in the moonlight. And there is thatboiling ribbon of orange ...
'This is,' says a fellow lava-watcher, 'the most surrealexperience I have ever had.'
Amen, brother.
Watching the Kilauea lava flow is one of the most amazingexperiences on the Big Island, one that is enjoyed by tourists andresidents alike (the volcano is, in fact, the island's top touristattraction). When darkness falls, folks drive out as far as they canon Chain of Craters Road leading to the flow, park their cars alongthe roadside and train binoculars and cameras on the orange sliverand the explosion of fire in the sea.
Hawaii's Kilauea Volcano - Earth's most active volcano - erupteda dozen years ago, yet the lava still flows. It has gobbled uphousing tracts - about 200 structures to date - the village ofKalapana and 4-1/2 miles of this road on which we are standing.
It is a keen reminder that we mere mortals are not in chargehere. But while Mother Nature taketh away, she also giveth. Newblack-sand beaches are being created as the hot lava meets the coldwater and is pounded into granules.
'We are 500 acres larger now (since the lava began flowing),'says Applegate, of the Hawaii Visitors Bureau, Big Island Chapter.
In other words, you may have seen Hawaii, the Big Island, butyou won't have seen the new and bigger Big Island.
This 4,038-square-mile island - which could easily accommodateall the other Hawaiian islands and thus is nicknamed the Big Island -is indeed a place of wonders. It could take more than a week to seethem all.
Here, you can sit on a sultry beach on a winter day and studythe snow-capped Mauna Kea and Mauna Loa volcanoes. You can loseyourself in a rain forest, visit a macadamia nut farm or an orchidgarden, tour one of America's three royal palaces, pluck a mango offa roadside tree or count rainbows in some of the island's hundreds ofwaterfalls. You can wonder at its numerous microclimates (everythingfrom desert to rain forest) and see Mauna Loa, the world's mostmassive mountain - more than 100 times the breadth of Mount Rainierin Washington - and the second-highest mountain in the world (itrises only 13,677 feet above sea level but is rooted 18,000 feetbelow).
Want to see the highest mountain in the world? I know, youthought it was Mount Everest in the Himalayas; but really, it's onthe Big Island. You just can't see it all. Mauna Kea is 13,796 feetabove sea level, but 18,000 feet below. It's total 31,796 feetdwarfs Mount Everest's 29,108.
You can also discover the world of the ancient Hawaiians inmuseums, temples and the Pu'uhonua O Honaunau National HistoricalPark, stroll the friendly town of Hilo with its several nurseries andgardens and boulevard of banyan trees planted by famous people, andsee the southernmost village in America - sleepy little Naalehu. Andyou can go sport fishing, golfing, hiking, snorkeling, scuba diving,hunting and - believe it or not - skiing.
You can also move around here easily (only 133,000 people liveon the island) and the residents are warm and welcoming.
So why isn't the Big Island the travelers' choice over, say,Oahu and Maui? Beats me. Oahu draws 4.7 million visitors per year,Maui nearly 2.3 million, while the Big Island attracts about 1.1million. Maybe it's the lack of glitz and glamour, although it doeshave the chic town of Kailua-Kona and some lush, plush resorts suchas the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, the Ritz-Carlton and the Mauna LaniBay Hotel.
'We are not flashy, but we are real,' says Applegate.
And in my two days here, I do indeed find slices of the realHawaii:
Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, located on the southeasterncoast of the island about 28 miles southwest of Hilo, with oneentrance off Route 11: Steaming bluffs, gigantic calderas (collapsedsummits), lunarlike landscapes, yellow soil and lava-covered trees -this is a fantastical world.
'It looks like the devil's handiwork,' says one man as we peerinto the vast, barren fire pit called the Halema'uma'u Crater - acrater inside Kilauea.
Smells like it, too. The pungent aroma of sulphur wafts out ofthe steaming fissures in the crater, one of several in the400-square-mile park that stretches from the sea to the summit ofMauna Loa. Pele - the fire goddess who, according to legend, createdthe Hawaiian Islands by causing volcanic eruptions - is said to livehere. As we are studying the massive hole, a group brings offeringsto her. They step to the edge of the crater and pull flowers,pineapple, grapes, poi and wine from their bags. These they willdrop into the crater. It takes much to appease this fiery creature(gin will do nicely - it's her favorite drink) and you only bringthings; you don't take. (It is considered bad luck to take homechunks of lava; each year, several packages of the basalt rock arereturned to the Hawaii Visitors Bureau).
But there's more to see here than just the craters. There arehiking trails, a fern forest, campgrounds, petroglyphs and otherwonders.
I walk through a rain-forest trail into the Thurston Lava Tube,a 400-foot long tunnel where tiny ferns sprout out of the cold lavawalls. It was created when the surface of a lava flow cooled and themolten lava flowed out, leaving the tube. At the small Thomas A.Jagger Museum where volcanoes are explained via graphics and videos,I peer in wonder at the remains of a park ranger's uniform. In 1985,while taking an Italian tourist around the Kilauea lava flow, GeorgeUlrich fell through a lava blister - a thin crust over molten lava.His pant-leg was burned away, his boot charred, his heat-resistantgloves stripped, his hatchet encrusted with lava. Pulled out by thejournalist, he survived.
At the Kilauea Visitor Center, where information and smalldisplays on volcanoes are featured, there's a visitor's register from1894. 'I came, I saw, but I failed to conquer,' wrote one.
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Historic Park, off State Route 160about 19 miles south of Kailua-Kona: Some 400 years ago, thispeaceful place by the sea welcomed those who needed a second chance.At this old Hawaiian place of refuge, people who broke the sacredlaws (called kapu) could come for absolution. Defeated warriors orthose who refused to fight the frequent wars were also welcomed.
It was a sanctuary, and that sense of tranquility still pervadesthe area, which has been restored to its appearance in the 1700s. Adocent gives a brief orientation talk in the small amphitheater,telling us about the days when it was forbidden for women to eat withmen and a commoner could not let his shadow fall on the rulingchief's palace grounds nearby. Seasons for fishing, gathering woodand hunting animals were strictly observed, lest the gods becomeangry and let loose with volcanic eruptions, tidal waves, famine orearthquakes.
You can come here now and swim in the ocean, but I wander thegrounds instead, viewing the thatched-roof examples of the ohi'a woodhouses, the canoe built in the way of the ancient Hawaiians (koa woodwith coconut-fiber lashings), heiau (temples) and a halau, an A-framestructure where ancient Hawaiians worked and stored items.
Visitors crack open coconuts that free-fall from the trees, andthere are native Hawaiian plants in profusion. But perhaps the mostfascinating link to the ancient Hawaiians is the original wall thatseparated the palace grounds from the sanctuary and which stillstands. Built of black rock about 1550, it is a masterfulaccomplishment. No mortar holds this jigsaw-puzzle wall in place.
'This is just fascinating,' says one woman. 'I'd like to spenda lot more time here.'
So would I.
Pu'u O'o Ranch Rainforest, off remote Saddle Road on the Konaside of the island: Early on a cool Monday morning, I am bouncingalong in the back seat of a four-wheel-drive van navigating rough,roller coaster-like roads leading to one of Hawaii's best, butleast-known, rain forests. We pass piles of red and black lava,buckwheat and mustard. This is a weird world where some lava wearswhite lichen, giving it a whiskered look; where koa trees and swordferns grow out of the lava; Monterey pines flourish; and lava rocktakes fantastical formations. And that's just going there.
'This rain forest is as fine an intact natural forest as wehave,' says Rob Pacheco, the guide for our five-person group, as heparks the van in a clearing bordered by rough lava rock called 'a'a.The backdrop for this scene is the lush green of the forest that,Pacheco says, is full of native plants, birds and insects.
('There's nothing in here that's going to bite you or attackyou; but if anything gets on you, don't brush it off. Let me know;it could be something good,' he says with all the relish of a truenaturalist.)
Armed with walking sticks, we clamber over the lava rock to theentrance. Pacheco carved out these trails himself, keeping themnarrow so as to cause a minimum of damage. He discovered the forestone day when he got lost on a hiking expedition. Now, the propertyowner allows him to bring visitors to the forest.
Everything here, Pacheco tells us, is native to Hawaii; sometrees and shrubs are found nowhere else in the world. Rare birdslike the I'iwi and the Akiapola'au wear vibrant colors and theircalls are the only sound in this silent place.
The rain forest is growing on a 2,000-year-old lava flow. Hugekoa trees dwarf a vast variety of ferns; it smells loamy here and inplaces, the earth is slippery muck. We use our walking staffs toraise the ferns and make our way on the trail. Sometimes, only ourheads are visible in a shroud of green.
'The species in other rain forests are in the canopy,' Pachecosays. 'In Hawaii, it's in the understory because there were nopredators to send them high.'
Pacheco introduces us to khalij pheasant chicks, wildblackberries, orangey-red Hawaiian raspberries, and oakwood ferns; henotes the peculiar sight of a fallen tree now hosting other treesgrowing on it and tells us that in Hawaii, there are mintless mint,thornless raspberries and flies that don't fly. Before Captain JamesCook came to the place he called the Sandwich Islands with his waterbarrels full of mosquito larvae, there were no mosquitoes, no nativeants, amphibians or termites, Pacheco says.
And he tells us the bad news: Seventy-five percent of theextinct birds in the United States are native to Hawaii. More than250 Hawaiian species of plants and animals are on the EndangeredSpecies List; several hundred more are candidates.
By allowing a limited number of visitors to see this rain forest- and paying the property owner for the privilege - the survival ofthis special place is ensured,he says.
Hulihee Palace, Kona: Just across Alii Drive from restaurantsand the lava-and-coral Mokuaikaua Church built in 1837 by theisland's first Christians, is the humble royal abode called HuliheePalace. It, too, is built of lava and coral, with koa and o'hiatimbers, but it backs up to a sea wall (part of which was battereddown in a storm a few weeks before my visit). From 1838 until 1916,it was the royal version of a beach house - and there is a coveredveranda where the royals could sit and enjoy the lovely view ofNiumalu Bay.
Now, it's a museum run by the Daughters of Hawaii. And, whilethe two-story, Georgian-style palace seems rather modest on theoutside, there are real treasures inside. Fabulous hand-carved koawood sideboards, inlaid wood tables and a giant lead-lined woodentrunk are among the sights - and most are original to the house, ourguide says. The one sideboard took four years to create; the trunk,one of six, belonged to Queen Kapiolani, he tells us. He points to aphoto of her. Attired in Victorian dress, she is quite large - morethan six feet tall and 400 pounds, he notes.
Not, apparently, unusual for the day.
'The average Hawaiian was over six feet,' he informs us.
So, her bed upstairs is seven feet long and it's not a rope bedas was customary; instead, it's got wooden slats.
It becomes apparent as we tour the house that what we are seeingis a freeze-frame of a metamorphosis, when Hawaiians began sheddingtheir old ways and adopting the dress and manner of the Victorians.
But it is places like this that guarantee the old Hawaii willnever die.On location
The best way to see the island of Hawaii is to take your time -and plan to stay on both the Hilo and Kona-Kohala Coast sides of theisland. Otherwise, you'll spend too much time driving from place toplace. Hilo, which is the rainy side of the island (it gets about136 inches a year), is about 96 miles from the town of Kailua-Kona.
One way to see the most and make the most of your time is to flyinto Hilo and spend a few days exploring the city and HawaiiVolcanoes National Park. It's best to stay at least one night on thevolcano because Hilo is a long, 28-mile, winding trip away, and thebest time to see the volcano is at night, when the fiery orange lavashows up the best. I stayed at Kilauea Lodge, Old Volcano Road,Volcano Village, Hawaii 96785; (808) 967-7366. It's a rustic, cozybed-and-breakfast inn with rooms ranging from $95 to $120 per night,double occupancy. The lodge, a former YMCA camp, houses aNrestaurant that serves not only breakfast, but dinner, as well.
From here, you can easily explore Hawaii Volcanoes NationalPark. Cost is $3 per person or $5 per vehicle per week. It's open24 hours a day year round. For information on the activity of MaunaLoa and Kilauea volcanoes (the lava flow is not always visible), call(808) 967-7977. For park information, call (808) 967-7311.
On the Kona-Kohala Coast side of the island, you'll find lots ofhistorical sights, chic shopping, and beaches. There are plenty ofplaces to stay here, from modest hotels to lavish resorts. I stayedat the Hapuna Beach Prince Hotel, 62-100 Kauna'oa Drive, Kamuela,Hawaii 96743; (808) 880-1111. It's a quietly elegant complex withrooms and suites ranging from $325 to $450 per night, single ordouble. If money is really no object, there's the $5,000-a-night,8,000-square-foot Hapuna Suite, a free-standing, three- orfour-bedroom home that comes complete with a butler, a swimming pooland a gourmet kitchen (Robert the butler can do the cooking if youdon't bring your own chef).
All hotel rooms face the ocean and have lanais; you can playtennis or golf, swim in the pool or the ocean or enjoy the sauna orexercise room.
Pu'uhonua o Honaunau National Park is 19 miles south ofKailua-Kona near the village of Honaunau off State Route 160. Thevisitor center is open from 7:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. daily.Orientation talks are offered between 10:30 a.m. and 3:30 p.m.Information: (808) 328-2288.
To go to the rain forest, visit the Hakalau Forest NationalWildlife Refuge, where birding is popular, or Hawaii VolcanoesNational Park, you can contact Forest & Trail, (808-329-1993).They'll pick you up and deliver you back to your hotel. Excursionsare $119 for adults, $95 for children ages 4 to 17; children 3 andunder are free. Group rates are available. All trips include pickup and drop off, continental breakfast, lunch, beverages, water,outewear such as rain ponchos, and day packs, binoculars and walkingsNticks. Plan on a full day for each excursion.
Hulihee Palace, 75-5718 Alii Drive, Kailua-Kona, Hawaii 96740;(808) 329-1877, is open from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. weekdays, 10 a.m. to 3p.m. weekends. Admission is $4 adults, $3 seniors, $1 students and50 cents for children under 12. Free outdoor concerts are offeredthe fourth Sunday of the month.