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Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The wave of the future for RV dealerships?
Plans are in the works by Traveland
USA based in Orange County, California to build the largest RV
dealership and resort in the country. In addition to seeing the latest
RVs onsite, amenities available for campers will include massages, and a
concierge and maid service, similar to that found in upscale hotels.
Although many RV dealerships already offer campgrounds, I wouldn't be
surprised if Camping World, FreedomRoad, and others jump on the
bandwagon if the one-stop concept of offering luxury services for RVers
proves successful.
Are you at risk for a heart attack?
My father-in-law recently had a heart attack. He didn't have all the
usual signs of one, other than perspiring heavily and having shortness
of breath. Thankfully, his wife was able to respond quickly and call an
ambulance to get him to the hospital. It was found that he had an
aneurysm, with complete blockage of an artery and 75 percent blockage of
another. That left one artery doing the work of three.
He was
very fortunate, able to have a bypass with the aneurysm removed, and is
now home exercising and headed to a full recovery. He received the best
medical treatment from the expert work of Dr. Ron Kennedy, who performed
his open heart surgery. Dr. Kennedy along with the other doctors
involved are to be commended for their incredible work, as well as the
high quality of service he received at St. Dominic's Hospital in
Jackson, Ms.
In the lobby of the hospital is an eight foot tall
bronze statue of St. Dominic, who was described as, "No one ever talked
to St. Dominic without feeling better for it." That is exemplified
today, given how friendly and helpful all the nurses and staff were,
many times going well beyond the call of duty. In the words of Sister
Dorothea with St. Dominic's Hospital, "Every human life is sacred." That
passion for providing quality and caring service sets St. Dominic's
Hospital to a high level.
Prevention through daily exercise and a
quality diet help to reduce the risk of a heart attack, along with
routine checkups. In educating others on what a heart attack is and the
typical signs to look for, be sure to watch this interesting video:
Monday, January 14, 2008
Coppersmith Inn in Galveston
Built in a Queen Anne style by a talented German immigrant that predates
the 1900 Storm, the Coppersmith
Inn has an endearing charm. The curved staircase is one of many
attractive features of the house. Be sure to watch our feature video on
the Inn. As with the other b&bs we feature in Galveston, free cruise
parking is provided for guests who stay while taking a cruise.
With
Valentines Day (not to mention Mardi Gras) coming up soon, Galveston
provides a perfect locale to enjoy with your loved ones for a romantic
or fun getaway.
More features on Galveston coming soon, including
more B&Bs visited, the Star Drug Store, talented artists we met, and
interesting places to see while on the island.
Edited on: Monday, January 14, 2008 6:59 PM
Categories: Accommodations
Wednesday, January 09, 2008
New cruise ship sails into Galveston
The cruise lines have had a positive impact on Galveston Island in
recent years for cruise vacationers to flock to and depart on cruises to
fun places like Cozumel, Mexico, Montego Bay, Jamaica, and the Grand
Caymens. We noticed that the historic Strand area was busy, with shops
and restaurants buzzing with tourists on our recent visit. Many of the
area bed & breakfasts also offer free parking for guests who stay and
then go on a cruise.
One
of the world's largest cruise ships, Royal
Caribbean International's Voyager of the Seas now departs from the
port of Galveston with cruises to the western Caribbean.
The
138,000 ton cruise ship can carry more than 3,000 passengers, has 14
decks, and is currently the 3rd largest cruise ship in the world (see
recent new ship coming in 2008). While on board, you may choose from ice
skating, playing video games, watching movies in a two story theater,
shop in a shopping district, casino gambling, go night clubbing, or dine
in a three story restaurant.
Another big news item for Royal
Caribbean is the debut of their newest cruise ship in 2008, Independence
of the Seas, which is anticipated to take to the waters for an inaugural
voyage May 2, 2008. This ship will be larger than the Voyager (160,000
tons), and be able to carry 3,600 passengers at a time. Royal Caribbean
will now have the top 4 largest cruise ships in the world.
Independence
of the Seas will cruise initially in Europe during summer 2008, with
Ft. Lauderdale the port for destinations to the Caribbean during the
winter season.
We will have more details in our upcoming new
Galveston segments on fun cruises now available and things to do around
the island.
Edited on: Wednesday, January 09, 2008 5:56 PM
Categories: Cruises, Destinations
Tuesday, January 08, 2008
Avenue O B&B in Galveston
Built in a Mediterranean style in 1923, this Avenue O house has been
operated as a B&B by Connie and Jim Porter since 2002. With the
popularity of cruising (Royal
Caribbean and Carnival cruise lines depart bi-weekly from Galveston),
local B&Bs like Avenue O have become very popular as a stay before or
after taking a cruise. Free parking is also provided to make it
convenient for guests taking a cruise, and to avoid the hassles of
securing parking downtown.
Read our new feature and video on the Avenue
O B&B from our recent stay. More features on Galveston coming
soon, including more B&Bs, the Star Drug Store, and interesting places
to see while on the island.
With the holidays and a recent computer glitch we have been delayed somewhat with new ones. We hope to get up to speed soon (at least that's our New Year's resolution...).
Edited on: Tuesday, January 08, 2008 2:42 PM
Categories: Accommodations
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
NCL introduces innovative new cruise ship, the "It Girl"
With much fanfare, Norwegian Cruise Lines has introduced a new cruise
ship the Norwegian Gem, nicknamed as the "It Girl."
Imagine going on a cruise where you can go bowling, gambling, with a
wide range of other entertainment, including a WII two-story game in the
main atrium. Guests have a selection from 10 restaurants on board.
Luxury suites are available with offerings that equal that of the finest
hotels.
Through our industry partnerships, we provide cruise
reservations for NCL and many other lines.
For the inaugural voyage
of the "It Girl" from New York, two cruises are available:
10
Night Exotic Southern Caribbean
starting from only $949
11
Night Exotic Southern Caribbean
a few cabins still available from
$2,599
Watch for more cruising news coming soon.
Tuesday, January 01, 2008
New Galveston videos - area B&Bs
There were many great places to bring in the new year. If at Billy Bob's in Fort Worth, you could have caught the Texas favorite Kevin Fowler. If you are a Southerner as I am, you are probably making plans for some cabbage, black-eyed peas, and cornbread for your dinner to make sure the new year is a good one (well, the cabbage may be a stretch, especially if you brought in the new year into the wee hours).
There are so many fascinating places out there to visit. As many people only get a 1-2 weeks a year for a vacation or a few weekend getaways, we feel it is important to emphasize the more unique destinations that we visit for our travel guides.
Here is a sneak peak of our new YouTube player for Galveston which includes our newly created videos for Avenue O, Coppersmith Inn, Lost Bayou Guesthouse, and the Villa B&Bs in Galveston. We will also be creating more videos for other video services, along with new feature segments to be added soon.
Edited on: Tuesday, January 01, 2008 12:41 PM
Categories: Destinations, Videos
