It’s time for another week of trying to figure out American pro football. Two weeks into our charity underdog pool, we have 11 players with points — more than half the participants. And they’ll be poring over this list of underdogs (in caps) to see which one can win its game outright, without the benefit of the point spread. The spread is relevant only in that it determines how many points the pool players get if they’re right:
14 CAROLINA at New Orleans
10.5 MIAMI at New England
10.5 TAMPA BAY vs. Green Bay
10 DETROIT at Seattle
10 WASHINGTON at Atlanta
9 HOUSTON at Indianapolis
6.5 KANSAS CITY at Jacksonville
5.5 TENNESSEE at San Francisco
3.5 SAN DIEGO at NY Giants
3 ARIZONA at Chicago
3 CINCINNATI vs. Baltimore
3 DALLAS at Philadelphia
3 DENVER vs. Pittsburgh
On the administrative side, the charitable contribution that we’ll be making when the playoffs are over now totals $420, which will be divvied up $300 for first, $75 for second, and $45 for third. And bragging rights among our players? Priceless.
Even if you’re not formally playing, you may have an opinion about which of the ‘dogs is this week’s best bet. Don’t be shy, now.
Written by Travel News on November 5th, 2009 with no comments.
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Start packing your swimsuits and sunglasses, and head to the Caribbean this winter! BA has launched several new flights to the Caribbean this season, bringing their total number of flights to the region up to 45 flights every week. The new flights will be between
London Gatwick and Montego Bay, Jamaica, and Punta Cana in the Dominican Republic (both known for their sun-drenched beaches). These new routes mean that British Airways currently
offer more flights to the Caribbean than any other UK carrier.
So if your summer tan is fast fading away and you’re languishing under layers of knitted jumpers, maybe it’s time to ask the boss nicely for a week or two off. After all, lounging about on the golden sands of a beach in St. Kitts, rum-based cocktail in hand, will surely help recharge your batteries in no time. Just tell your boss you’re trying to boost your productivity. If St Kitts or Montego Bay isn’t your scene, BA also offers flights to Barbados, Trinidad and Tobago, Grenada, and St. Lucia. Just open up a map of the Caribbean, close your eyes point, and BA will take you there.
And don’t forget to pack your sunscreen!
(Photo: travelmodule.csiadmin.co.uk)
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For more information, or to book, call your travel agent or visit The Yachts of Seabourn
Related posts:
- Seabourn Offers Europe Cruise Deals for Spring 2010 …
- Book Now and Save on Europe Tour Specials …
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- Seabourn Offers Europe Cruise Deals for Spring 2010 …
- Book Now and Save on Europe Tour Specials …
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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Any tourist who visits Transylvania (western/central Romania) and asks “where’s Dracula?” is likely to be directed to Bran, the home of a medieval building that many tourist brochures call “Dracula’s Castle.” The 
problem: Bran actually has no connection with Dracula, whether you’re looking for the fictional Transylvanian count or the factual Wallachian prince. The consolation: Bran Castle is a stunning and spooky edifice whose true history is an interesting tale in itself.
As you approach the castle, you will encounter dozens of stalls that exploit the supposed Dracula connection by selling vampire-themed T-shirts, mugs and masks, as well as specimens of folk craft and musical instruments. So Bran is, among other things, a great place to buy a goofy souvenir.
If this commercialization seems a shame, it is worth bearing in mind that the real story of this castle, first constructed in the 14th century, has a lot to do with trade. Situated on a major road that linked the principalities of Transylvania and Wallachia, the castle was a customs point as well as a place where mercenary soldiers guarded the border. The castle, located atop a cliff, was erected by the citizens of nearby Brasov, the most southeasterly of the major cities of Transylvania. It would retain the function of Transylvanian border checkpoint until the 1800s.
Like the castle in Hunedoara, Bran Castle saw two particularly intense periods of physical development: during the era of Transylvanian ruler János Hunyadi in the 15th century, and during the time when Gábor Bethlen governed the area in the 17th century. The tallest part of the castle – the spindly tower with the lookout post at its peak – was added in 1622.
The castle started serving a different purpose after World War I, when there ceased to be a border here because Transylvania became a part of Romania. Owned by Brasov city until that point, the castle was donated to the royal family of Romania. Queen Maria adopted it as a summer residence during the 1920s and a small chapel in the castle grounds contains her heart.
A lot of what you see in the castle now, as you follow the designated tourist route around its four floors, dates back to Queen Maria’s period. You can see the bedrooms for the different members of the royal family, as well as their dining room, library and music room. Some furnishings reflect the fact that the queen – who was born in England – was a fan of Romanian folk crafts. But in addition 
to her touches, some artifacts from the frontier days are also on display, such as weapons and medieval traded goods.
The castle can be visited from 9 am till 5.30 pm, every day except Monday. Having wound around the different chambers, the route finally leads you to the pretty courtyard at the castle’s center.
Next to the castle, there is a “village museum” containing peasant buildings that were transferred here from villages in the surrounding area. The houses were originally constructed between the 18th century and the beginning of the 20th century. You can look inside to get a 
taste of typical peasant interiors – as opposed to the royal version of them found in the castle itself.
Heavily tourist-oriented, the town of Bran has plenty of restaurants and hotels. Hanul Bran, with an extensive covered terrace that looks right up to the castle, is quite a pleasant restaurant. Try its “Castel” cutlet, a slab of pork topped by a big chunk of liver and slathered with melted cheese.
Related posts:
- Hunedoara: a True Gothic Transylvanian Castle …
Related posts:
- Hunedoara: a True Gothic Transylvanian Castle …
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We arrived at sunset. The Temple of Apollo, now just a remnant of the original, ancient edifice, clung to a rocky outcrop just north of the port. We walked out along the quay to see the stone pillars, backlit against the 
pomegranate-red sunset. Others stood in small groups viewing the ruins. The only sound was of the waves cutting against the rocks.
This peaceful introduction to Naxos set the tone for our visit. Naxos, Greece has only recently discovered tourism and it still retains a sleepy atmosphere in keeping with its agricultural roots. The largest island in the Cyclades chain, Naxos has a hilly, green interior that is ringed by sandy beaches and small towns. We based ourselves in Chora Naxos and settled in for a wonderful week of leisurely exploration.
Lining the waterfront promenade of this busy town, are several open-air restaurants. And despite their touristy appeal, quite a few offer delicious, fresh seafood at a reasonable cost. Alleys lead back from the waterfront into the winding streets of the town’s Venetian quarter, the Kastro. In a full week of exploring this area, we could never quite map-out the intricate maze of narrow pedestrian streets. And it was this feature that contributed to the charm of stumbling upon hidden shops and plazas. We often found breakfast by discovering a bakery as it opened, and paying a mere euro for a delicious, hot spankopita off the tray.
One morning, we wandered into an inviting café that was tucked away somewhere up a hill. Its dark wood interior framed charming windows that opened to a cobblestone alley below. It was a neighborhood place, lovingly tended by the owners who invited us back that night for ouzo, appetizers, and traditional Greek music. This type of small-town friendliness is common on Naxos, many of whose residents are still farmers or fishermen.
The towns people take great pride in the Naxos Castle and the adjacent Tower of Glezos. The castle, surounded by a pentagonal wall, long served as a fortification, and most recently was transformed into the Venetian Museum. Entrance to the museum, which sponsors classical music concerts in the summer months, is just inside the gates of the castle.
Chora’s main square is a bustling mix of tourist restaurants and bars. It’s the best place on the island to catch a soccer game, and is a lively mixture of visitors and locals. Chora Naxos also boasts some of the best Mexican food in Greece at the Picasso Mexican Bistro, an expat-owned restaurant that will satisfy any homesickness with a heaping plate of beans, sizzling peppers, and homemade tortillas.
To the south, the town gives way to Agios Georgios, a crowded but pretty stretch of beach, popular for swimming. We, however, preferred the narrow beaches of Plaka and Agia Anna, a few minutes further down the road, that were full of bars, snack shops, live music, and more youthful crowds.
Having heard about Naxos’ lovely interior, we planed to rent motorcycles and explore. Unfortunately, we were provided with a less glamorous option: a 4-Wheeler. These squat, hardy machines top out at around 40 mph. We rented a bright purple creature and took off into the mountains. Despite the indignity of sleek Ducatis passing our silly little 4-Wheeler, we learned that independent transport is really the best way to see Naxos. We wound through gray olive groves, quaint farms, and tiny villages comprised of a few white, sun-baked homes. We refueled in the mountain village of Filoti, a cluster of buildings perched above a wide agricultural valley, and were delighted by the sight of Mt. Zeus, the island’s highest point, which cast its shadow over the valley.
In the town of Halki, the Vallindras Distillery makes citron, a liquor distilled from the local fruit of the same name. We toured the distillery, which has been in operation since the late 19th century and still uses its original methods and equipment. At the end of our complimentary tour, the guide poured a taste of the sweet, citrusy, emerald-green liquor. The traditional processes used to make citron, its homegrown ingredients, and the distillery’s new focus on tourism, perfectly embodied the changing character of this quiet island.
Related posts:
- The Greek Isles: Naxos and Mykonos …
Related posts:
- The Greek Isles: Naxos and Mykonos …
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For most of us, hotel stays come with check-in and check-out dates. But many lodgings claim to have guests that refuse to leave, lingering in the rooms or on the grounds long after their scheduled stay. Check in to one of these hotels if you want to spend Halloween with real ghosts. And why limit it to Halloween? Since the spirits in these establishments are not staged seasonal events, ghost hunters can spend the night with specters year-round. In case you missed it: check out our list of Haunted Hotels of the East.
Stanley Hotel, Estes Park, Colorado
The
Stanley Hotel (above) was made famous in 1977 by Stephen King’s The Shining, but legend has it that the hotel was home to spirits long
before King modeled his “Overlook Hotel” after the property.
The
building sits on land originally owned by the British fourth earl of
Dunraven, who used it as private hunting reserve. Angry locals drove the earl out and automaker F.O. Stanley bought the
property in 1909 and opened the Georgian-style hotel. Some claim that
the bitter Lord Dunraven haunts the 4th floor, where lights switch on
and off mysteriously and furniture moves around by itself. In Room 412, one guest claims that he was possessed by an evil entity that drove him
to speak in tongues.
In the 1970s, King stayed in Room 217 of
the almost deserted hotel just before it closed for the season. While
it is uncertain whether or not King experienced paranormal
activity, The Shining generated a flurry of ghost sightings and other
eerie
events.
Guests who have stayed in Room 408 have reported hearing children
playing and laughing loudly outside their door but finding nothing when
getting up to investigate. They also claim to have left the room for a
few seconds only to return and find the entire room in disarray and
handprints of small children on the mirrors. Too scared to stay
overnight? The hotel also offers daily ghost tours.
Crescent Hotel and Spa, Eureka Springs, Arkansas
Legend has it that several ghosts reside at the 1886 Crescent Hotel & Spa; eerie sightings have been reported in guest rooms, the lobby, the dining room and on the grounds. The most haunted room, 218, is home to the spirit of Michael, an Irish stonemason who fell to his death from the roof during the hotel’s construction and landed on the future site of the room. It is reported that he bangs on walls and turns the television and lights on and off.
In the late 1930s, Norman Baker leased the property for use as a controversial hospital and health resort. His ghost often appears outside the Recreation Room. Some claim that Baker’s lack of formal medical training is what led many of his patients to die here and never leave.
Stay a night at this hotel and you might experience these other ghostly sightings: a young woman carrying a crying baby; a bearded man who asks “are you waiting for me?”; or a young man who collapses and disappears on the floor.
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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A few years ago could you imagine travel companies talking about their social media experiences to a room full of people from around the travel industry? Next Tuesday, both the sponsors and speakers will be interacting with the audience and sharing their experiences at Travel BlogCamp.
Looking at the attendee list it should be an interesting night with plenty of discussion and networking.
Speakers
Joining me will be:
Murray Harrold – Advantage Travel
Joel Brandon-Bravo – Frommer’s
Guillaume Thevenot – Hotel Blogs
Eva Keogan – Lastminute.com
Moderating the evening will be Kevin May from Tnooz who are this year’s media partner.
Gold sponsor
Sunshine.co.uk
Silver sponsors
I Wanna Go There
Cheapflights
Accor
Essential Travel
World Travel Market
I am travelling down to London on Monday, I have plans for Monday night and Tuesday, but I will be at ExCeL on Wednesday for World Travel Market, if anyone wants to meet up for a coffee, just drop me an email. Thursday I plan to do a little bit of sightseeing before heading back up North.
Fantastic support
Unfortunately, registration has now closed and I am confident that we could have filled the room twice over but I want to keep the BlogCamp to a small enough size that there’s enough time to network and for the audience to join in the talks.
I would like to thank all of the sponsors, partners and the speakers who have all been fantastic.
Let the BlogCamping commence!
This post was syndicated from the Travel Rants Blog.
Countdown to Travel BlogCamp 2009
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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With a population of around 1.5 million people, Auckland is no bustling metropolis. Heck, it’s not even the capital of New Zealand (go ahead, look it up – I’ll wait). It is, however, the country’s largest city and the hub for most international flights coming into the country. For Americans flying from Los Angeles and San Francisco, it is their first taste of Kiwi culture (though not kiwi birds). While it’s a small city, there is plenty to do in and around Auckland if you know where to look. I recently made my second trip to City of Sails and was reminded of how quirky it can be and amazed at the natural beauty that exists just outside the the city limits.
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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Contigo Restaurant opened earlier this year in San Francisco, soon after we completed our San Francisco city guide. But we have recently discovered that this is our kind of place, a restaurant with something extra, something special. The extra special in this case is an environmentally-conscious approach to cooking and interior design, meaning food using products from local organic farmers and fishermen, and a space built from recycled materials. So the walls of the dining room were made from a century-old redwood salvaged during the building’s construction, and the water glasses are recycled versions of wine bottles.
The equally eco-friendly menu serves Spanish (or better yet, Catalan) cuisine, and as connoted by the name “Contigo” (meaning “with you” in Spanish), it evokes “connection,” “community,” or “conviviality.” It’s therefore a great choice for a group dinner in a hip but informal ambience, with seating available in the dining room, the open kitchen and bar counter, or in the covered back patio by the restaurant’s own vegetable garden. You can share small (”pica-pica”) dishes or go for the larger offers (”platillos”), all inspired by Barcelona but with the ingredients and the spirit of San Francisco.
-See the complete San Francisco city guide.
________________________________________
Back to UCityGuides.com – The Ultimate City Guides
or check out UCityGuides.com Hotels – Design, Boutique, Luxury, Cheap Hotels
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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Is this another sign that the global economic crisis is over? Hermès recently opened two more shops in two different parts of the world, so apparently luxury is once again on people’s wish lists. One of those new shops is in Paris (the first one on the Left Bank), on Rue de Grenelle 16. Because this is a temporary shop, it’s not that large, but it’s quite attractive. A cardboard art installation stands at its center, further tempting curious shoppers before the grand opening of a much more spacious store on Rue de Sévres. Apparently that future shop will be so grand that it just may overshadow the flagship on Rue du Faubourg St. Honoré.
The second recent opening was cross the Atlantic, in São Paulo. It’s Brazil’s first Hermès, and it naturally had to be located in the country’s most sophisticated city. It is found inside the luxury Cidade Jardim shopping mall, and although São Paulo is not a beach city, the highlights for the Brazilian market are the brand’s beachwear and signature beach towels.
-See the complete São Paulo city guide.
-See the complete Paris city guide.
________________________________________
Back to UCityGuides.com – The Ultimate City Guides
or check out UCityGuides.com Hotels – Design, Boutique, Luxury, Cheap Hotels
Written by Travel News on November 4th, 2009 with no comments.
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