world - Blogs - Tripatini2024-03-29T10:51:13Zhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/feed/tag/worldWorlds Most Expensive Trains Journeyhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/worlds-most-expensive-trains-journey2020-06-03T07:45:02.000Z2020-06-03T07:45:02.000ZEva Marishttps://tripatini.com/members/EvaMaris<div><p>Go back in time and enjoy a train journey that you will never forget. In the past days, luxury travel was only possible in first-class flights. This is a new era of luxury train journey. It is exciting to relive the old look of the train with all modern facilities and services. Train travel is the most exciting means of transportation.</p><p>Here, we explored some of the greatest and most expensive trains in the world and highlighted five of the most recognized "best" train services anywhere in the world.</p><p><strong><a href="https://www.orientrailjourneys.com/blog/most-expensive-trains-in-the-world/" target="_blank">Worlds Most Expensive Trains Journey</a></strong></p><p>1. Indian Pacific<br />2. Blue Train<br />3. Eastern & Oriental Express<br />4. Rocky Mountaineer<br />5. Venice Simplon Orient Express<br />6. Pride of Africa<br />7. Golden Eagle Trans-Siberian Express<br />8. Maharajas Express Train<br />9. Royal Scotsman<br />10. Palace on Wheels</p></div>Post-Pandemic Safari Inspiration From Acacia Africahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/post-pandemic-safari-inspiration-from-acacia-africa2021-03-27T14:11:41.000Z2021-03-27T14:11:41.000ZBea Villiershttps://tripatini.com/members/BeaVilliers<div><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459266,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459266,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009459266?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>Recent events have altered our lives considerably, but while our freedom to roam is on hold, we can still escape online and make plans for the future. Ready to inspire your itchy feet, leading adventure travel specialist, Acacia Africa has picked out a list of safari holidays that are likely to be in demand once we start to wander again, the operator including a selection of blog posts and YouTube videos, so you can indulge in Southern and East Africa from the safety of your sofa.</p><p></p><p>Arno Delport, Sales & Marketing Manager at Acacia Africa, comments, "Travel can be uplifting, and by providing some much-needed inspiration we are hoping to raise everyone's spirits - every online journey a virtual springboard to new and exciting adventures."</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>THE CALL OF THE NATURAL WORLD</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459678,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009459678,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009459678?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>The end of self-isolation will undoubtedly trigger a desire to rediscover the natural world. Africa is the ideal choice for anyone wanting to get back in touch with nature, the continent home to breathtaking landscapes, abundant wildlife and spectacular migrations. While Kenya plays host to "The Greatest Wildlife Show On Earth," the Masai Mara is a year-round crowd-pleaser for Big Five fans - especially those hoping to catch sight its feline inhabitants, the Big Cat Diary, Big Cat Tales and The Lion King remake all set in the beloved game reserve.</p><p></p><p>Also, part of the annual event, the open plains of the Serengeti burst into life during "Green Season" - roughly half a million wildebeest giving birth over a two or three week period (usually in February). The <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/kenya-and-tanzania-adventure-13-days-20KTA13" target="_blank">13-day Kenya & Tanzania Adventure</a></strong> includes game drives in the Mara, the Serengeti National Park and the neighbouring Ngorongoro Crater - the bonus, an additional three-night stay on the tropical island of Zanzibar. From £1,395pp (no single supplement) + £980pp (Adventure Pass) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Nairobi - ends Dar es Salaam. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p>Discover the wide-open vistas, sweeping sunsets, warm smiles and magnificent wildlife of <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vQL_Nf-3ryw" target="_blank">East Africa</a></strong>. Join Acacia Africa in the Masai Mara and see the herds of elephant and zebra roam free. Visit a local Maasai Village. Gaze into the expanse of the Ngorongoro Crater and explore the wilds of the Serengeti National Park.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460090,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460090,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009460090?profile=original" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>QUALITY FAMILY TIME & TOGETHERNESS</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009460862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009460862?profile=original" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;">Victoria Falls (c) @thecuckooproject</p><p></p><p>Currently, many of us are separated from our loved ones, a sure sign that 3G holidays will be in demand when the world opens up to travel once again. One of Acacia's family-friendly small group safaris, the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/kruger-and-victoria-falls-accommodated-20KVF7A" target="_blank">seven-day Kruger & Victoria Falls</a></strong> makes stops in South Africa and Zimbabwe, the itinerary including game viewing in the Kruger and Matobo national parks, before coming to a close at the Victoria Falls.</p><p></p><p>Weekly Saturday departures make this the ideal half-term adventure - night flights and zero jet lag an added bonus for those with kids in tow. From £895pp (two sharing) + £590pp (Safari Pass) including all highlights, transport, accommodation (twin-share rooms with en suite facilities), most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Pretoria - ends Victoria Falls. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p>Explore the wonder of the <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zyITJIR6rrU" target="_blank">Victoria Falls</a></strong> from all sides in this epic video capturing the world's largest curtain of falling water from the land and the skies.</p><p></p><p>See <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2019/03/08/south-africas-hidden-gems-is-south-africa-on-your-bucket-list/" target="_blank">South Africa</a></strong> from all sides...</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461862,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009461862?profile=original" /></a></p><p style="text-align:center;">Addo Elephant Park (c) South Africa Tourism</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>MEETING CHALLENGES HEAD-ON</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461890,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009461890,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009461890?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>Crises have the power to wreak havoc, but they can also focus the mind and give us the confidence to meet challenges head-on. For that reason, Acacia claims in the days to come, more of us could find ourselves saying yes to adrenaline-fuelled pursuits. Covering off the best of Southern and East Africa's adventure capitals, the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/grand-african-adventure-56-days-20GAA56" target="_blank">56-day Grand African Adventure</a></strong> passes through Jinja, Livingstone and Swakopmund - white water rafting down the Nile, bungy jumping from the Victoria Falls bridge and sky-diving over the Namib desert just some of the thrilling pursuits on offer.</p><p></p><p>The trip also features an optional 16-kilometre hike to Livingstonia in Malawi, the exhilarating itinerary combined with safaris in eight countries - gorilla trekking in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park a major highlight. While shorter stints on the continent have become increasingly popular, Acacia expects to see a rise in the number of people taking longer overland trips of five weeks or more, recent events causing people to reevaluate their priorities in life. From £4,450pp (no single supplement) + £1,140pp (Adventure Pass) + £640pp (Gorilla & Chimp Permit) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Cape Town - ends Nairobi. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gkOEy3rVJHU&t=49s" target="_blank">Experience Africa</a></strong> - A Once-in-a-lifetime Adventure...</p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;">One <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2019/09/16/one-adventure-is-never-enough/" target="_blank">Adventure</a></strong> Is Never Enough...</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>MAKING A POSITIVE DIFFERENCE IN THE WORLD</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008790675,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008790675,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9008790675?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>Over the last few weeks, we have seen an outpouring of goodwill - in our cities, across social networks and between nations. A silver lining in otherwise uncertain times, these grassroots humanitarian efforts will likely inspire many more of us to opt for holidays that reflect these same values. In the words of Bill Gates, "It (Covid19) is reminding us that our true work is not our job, that is what we do, not what we were created to do. Our true work is to look after each other, to protect each other and to be of benefit to one another." Keen to give back, we might find ourselves actively volunteering or making a conscious decision to book tours where tourism makes a positive difference to communities and wildlife projects.</p><p></p><p>Travel on the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/rivers-lakes-and-mountains-44-days-20RLM44" target="_blank">44-day Rivers Lakes & Mountains,</a></strong> your walking safari in Zimbabwe's Matobo National Park providing support for the Matobo Rhino Trust program; seek out Africa's endangered Wild Dog in Zambia's South Luangwa National Park where conservation efforts have helped to keep the painted dog on the landscape; and traverse dense undergrowth in Uganda's Bwindi Impenetrable National Park - the population of the world's last remaining Mountain Gorillas making a comeback. Covering seven countries, the adventure includes additional wildlife viewing, and a trip with a purpose, an optional half-day of volunteering in Uganda and the opportunity to work alongside local craftsmen in Malawi. From £3,815pp (two sharing) + £880pp (Adventure Pass) + £640pp (Gorilla & Chimp Permit) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Pretoria - ends Nairobi. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009462852,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009462852,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009462852?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">Go walking with rhinos in <strong><a href="https://www.suitcasestories.be/must-do-walking-with-rhinos-in-zimbabwe/" target="_blank">Zimbabwe</a></strong> and meet Mik & Valerie, Editors of Suitcase Stories...</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">Safari online with <strong><a href="http://acacia-africa.com/blog/2017/02/22/fighting-extinction-matopos-rhino-experience/" target="_blank">Simple Discoveries,</a></strong> the team getting within a mere few feet of the endangered rhino...</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463692,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463692,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009463692?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">How to Be a Humanitarian on Tour & <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2020/02/20/how-to-travel-as-a-humanitarian-with-purpose/" target="_blank">Travel with Purpose</a></strong>...</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>A LONGING TO DISCOVER THE EXTRAORDINARY</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009463885,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009463885?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p>The global pandemic has reminded us of our own fragility, and regardless of age, that our time on this planet is limited. That fear might well awaken in us, not just a desire to travel, but a longing to discover the extraordinary. From exploring attractions that are unique to the world to viewing endangered wildlife and engaging with communities whose traditional way of life could well disappear.</p><p></p><p>Book a seat on the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/zanzibar-to-cape-town-34-days-20ZTC34" target="_blank">34-day Zanzibar to Cape Town,</a></strong> the camping adventure including a safari with the Kalahari Bushmen (your visit contributing to the survival of this fascinating tribe); an optional underwater safari in Lake Malawi - the freshwater lake inhabited by cichlids, a colourful range of fish found nowhere else in the world, and 24/7 wildlife viewing at Etosha, the national park's waterholes among the best places in the world to see the endangered Black Rhino (Namibia is home almost half of the world's population of black rhino). From £2,820pp (no single supplement) + £300pp (Adventure Pass) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Dar es Salaam - ends Cape Town. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;">Travel across <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9ZFlrr2rJPs" target="_blank">Botswana's</a></strong> Land of Giants...</p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;">This is <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IoMAyTC5rtk" target="_blank">Namibia</a></strong> - a journey into the wild...</p><p style="text-align:center;"></p><p style="text-align:center;">Experience <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=s0XCaYLYUX8" target="_blank">Malawi</a></strong> - the warm heart of Africa...</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464694,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464694,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009464694?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p style="text-align:center;"><strong>CHOOSING TO TRAVEL MORE RESPONSIBLY</strong></p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464882,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009464882,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="400" alt="9009464882?profile=original" /></a></p><p></p><p></p><p>One of the most dramatic effects we have seen in recent days is the considerable reduction in air pollution while countries are on lockdown. That's cause for everyone to take a more sustainable travel stance when they finally hit the road - Earth Day already heightening the importance of this message - the 2020 theme focused on climate change. Always looking for innovative ways to reduce its travellers' carbon footprint, Acacia Africa partners with Greenpop, and in the summer of 2019, the operator signed up to help its local suppliers limit the number of single-use plastic bottles on their tours.</p><p></p><p>The Serengeti & Ngorongoro safari vehicles used by Acacia are fitted with new 20-litre water dispensers, each one carrying safe potable drinking water from Arusha. Game drives on Tanzania's "Endless plains" and within the Ngorongoro Crater, are in included on the <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/tours/highlights-of-tanzania-north-11-days-20NHOT11" target="_blank">11-day Highlights of Tanzania,</a></strong> the Adventure Camping tour priced from £1,395pp (no single supplement) + £600pp (Adventure Pass) including all highlights, transport, camping accommodation, most meals, services of a tour leader and driver. Starts Dar es Salaam - ends Nairobi. Year-round departures.</p><p></p><p>Get ready for some <strong><a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LqdP-Jvh5Hc" target="_blank">nature-reality TV</a></strong> in the Serengeti, a leopard facing off against a hyena, the gripping encounter (fast forward to 6:35) filmed by Alex & MJ from On The Go Productions...</p><p></p><p>Safari Inspiration From <strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/blog/2019/06/03/safari-inspiration-from-the-big-screen/" target="_blank">The Big Screen</a></strong>...</p><p></p><p>All prices exclude return flight. Independent flight prices available on request. Acacia Africa's Adventure Camping and Adventure Accommodated Tours are aimed at travellers aged 18-39'ish. The operator's Small Group Safaris and Signature Safaris & Tours are open age (from eight years). Acacia offers pre and post accommodation and a wide selection of city breaks and short stays.</p><p></p><p><strong>Acacia Africa</strong> (<strong><a href="https://acacia-africa.com/" target="_blank">acacia-africa.com</a></strong>) SATSA membership No. 1931, Atta membership no. 20151 and ABTA No. W4093 PROTECTED.</p><p></p><p></p><p></p></div>What Makes A Luxury Hotel In London?https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/what-makes-a-luxury-hotel-in-london2020-05-22T09:01:45.000Z2020-05-22T09:01:45.000ZJeremiah Thomashttps://tripatini.com/members/JeremiahThomas<div><div align="justify"><p>London is a prominent and popular travel place in the world. As the first choice of a huge number of travelers, it is truly rewarding to visit there for a vacation escapade. In order to make the most of your time, you should guarantee extravagance and comfort in the hotel you are going to book ahead of time. A lavish convenience in the city can bring a lot of euphoria and fulfilment in your trip.London is a prominent and popular travel place in the world. As the first choice of a huge number of travelers, it is truly rewarding to visit there for a vacation escapade. In order to make the most of your time, you should guarantee extravagance and comfort in the hotel you are going to book ahead of time. A lavish convenience in the city can bring a lot of euphoria and fulfilment in your trip.</p><p><a href="https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02423/london_2423609b.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://secure.i.telegraph.co.uk/multimedia/archive/02423/london_2423609b.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" width="500" class="align-center" alt="london_2423609b.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p><p>For that, why don’t you get a room in 5 star hotels? London luxurious hotels will make you appreciate an entire period of your spree in the city!</p><p><br /> <strong>In the meantime, let’s get to know 5-star hotels. What makes a luxury hotel?</strong></p><p><br /> • Every hotel has a specific number of things, the beds with a shower, and the administration. These are only the nuts and bolts. At that point, when you move beyond that, you have various things that they can offer, such as comfort, conveniences, and satisfactions. The more of these offers are offered simply means that they are well and professionally executed. In these components, a hotel will earn its star that any accommodations acquire. </p><p><br /> • The world class administration is provided in these accommodations to be basically exceptional. Aside from incredible amusement different services, such as the rejuvenating spa, swimming pools, restaurants and bars, vehicles for hire, conference rooms, shopping centers, and fitness centers can make everyone be delighted. </p><p><br /> • London luxurious hotels may charge a high rate butyou will experience 100% comfort and convenience in your stay. They offer outstandingservices and rich structures that make you consider this lodging is an alternate manner. You will appreciate every single second you spent there while you encounter the sincere solace while sitting in very much beautified sumptuous rooms. </p><p><br /> • They offer Free Wi-Fi and 24/7 room service. Many average hotels offerto charge forWi-Fi for their guests, making it less than convenient, but in a luxury hotel, you will receive secureaccess to the Internet in your room at a high-speed connection and highly reliable. Whilst they provide higher quality service especially for dining options and pre-order breakfast to deliver to you when you wake up. Of course, the food is expectedly delivered fresh, hot, and delicious.</p><p><br /> A few to mention luxury or 5-star hotels in London are the Plaza on The River Club and Residence, London Hilton on Park Lane, Grand Royale London Hyde Park, and Le Méridien Piccadilly Hotel. These are a portion of <strong><a href="https://lifeofluxx.com" target="_blank">london luxurious hotels</a></strong>. Look for such extravagant hotels on the web. You can book a room on the web and become more acquainted with different packages. </p><p><br /> Indeed, if you are hoping to go on a trip to London and you really need to make the most of your time there, at that point, stay at one of the London luxurious hotels. These hotels are 5-star accommodations; the most elevated rating that any inn can get. They arespecialized in guaranteeingevery client’s wellbeingand gratifying experience that one will never forget.</p></div></div>Tourism Australia Invites Indians to ‘Experience the Game and Beyond’ at the ICC T20 World Cups in 2020https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/tourism-australia-invites-indians-to-experience-the-game-and-12020-01-22T08:47:30.000Z2020-01-22T08:47:30.000ZRebeccahttps://tripatini.com/members/Rebecca<div><p><span style="font-weight:400;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009437671,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009437671,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9009437671?profile=original" /></a></span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">How lucky you will be if you went to see ICC T20 world cup and you get holiday package also as a bonus. For your double happiness, Tourism Australia has initiated a campaign called “Experience the game and beyond” after its ICC cricket world cup 2015’s huge success.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">Campaign’s vision is to bring together Australian lifestyle and the most lovable sport of India. To give the realistic touch to the campaign, Infinity squared Pvt. Ltd. made a digital commercial. Harsha Bhogle (a renowned cricket commentator), Shibani Dandekar (Indian singer/actress/anchor) and Brett Lee (former cricketer) have given their voice over.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">There are three phases i.e. Booking, Awareness and consideration of campaign for boosting the visitation in the country. Along with the commercials the campaign will also give you the advantage of a variety of digital mediums. You will get the options of video, native, programmatic and search.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">You will also get to see, the exemplary cricketers like Brett Lee and Mithali Raj showcasing the destinations. To add the cherry on the top, $5 million to be additionally funded has been announced by the Minister for Tourism of Australia. It is a step ahead to promote the ICC T20 cricket world cup and drive masses to the men and women tournament along with boosting the country’s tourism.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">To not let you get cheated by anyone, here are the names of ticketing agents and sub-agents officially appointed by ICC. Bharat Army, Sports Konnect, <a href="https://blog.pickyourtrail.com/t20-worldcup-australia/" target="_blank">PickYourTrail</a>, Medallin Sports, Fanatic Sports, Cutting Edge and Gainwell Sports are authorized to sell cricket cum holiday packages in India.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">The women's tournament will get on the floor on 21 February and finale will be held on the 8th of March, on the day of International Women's day. And men’s tournament will be played from 18th October to 15th November. Eight cities i.e. Perth, Hobart, Geelong, Brisbane, Melbourne, Sydney, Adelaide and Canberra will host these two tournaments.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">Brent Anderson has said that love for cricket is the thread that bonds Australia and India together. Australia has witnessed remarkable growth in tourist especially from India and it is expected that T20 world cup will take it to new heights. He also said that Australia is very excited and eager to welcome Indian guest for the most awaited cricket tournament in their iconic stadiums and also give them a taste of Australian lifestyle. Founder Director of Scarecrow M&C Saatchi, Mr. Manish Bhatt also gave his opinion about the campaign. He said that it’s a very amazing idea to mix cricket commentary with Australian experiences.</span></p><p></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;">So Pickyourtrail has some exciting <a href="https://pickyourtrail.com/icc-t20-worldcup-event-men?utm_source=worldcupt20tickets&utm_medium=Referral&utm_campaign=DJ" target="_blank">T20 world cup 2020 packages</a> that you just can’t resist buying or book </span></p><p><span style="font-weight:400;"><span><a href="http://worldcupt20tickets.org/" target="_blank">ICC T20 2020 tickets</a> with us.</span></span></p></div>10 Remarkable Places To Visit Before You Diehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/10-remarkable-places-to-visit-before-you-die2019-10-04T09:44:02.000Z2019-10-04T09:44:02.000ZPoonam Sharmahttps://tripatini.com/members/PoonamSharma<div><p><br /> <em><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009376676,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009376676,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="750" alt="9009376676?profile=original" /></a><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/before-i-die-black-board-gm882259508-245533215" target="_blank"><span style="font-size:8pt;">Clement Peiffer</span></a></em><br /> <br /> <br /> It's a wide world full of wonders, and articles "places to see before you die" have become commonplace in recent years. Thinking about the question, I have my own list, and it includes not just the expected, but also some places you might not expect. Let's have a look - and if you agree, disagree, or have your own bucket-listers, please tell me about them in the comments!<em><br /> <br /> <a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008715687,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008715687,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="800" alt="9008715687?profile=original" /></a><span style="font-size:8pt;"><a href="https://www.istockphoto.com/photo/stone-structure-on-hill-overlooking-town-gm184332696-17405075" target="_blank">Gosijek-B</a></span></em><strong><br /> <br /> <br /></strong></p><p><strong>Albania</strong></p><p><br /> Did I say unexpected? This tiny, bucolic Balkan country with an impenetrable language unique in the world has been growing after it spent much of the 20th century as an isolated bastion of Stalinism. It has beautiful pristine beaches with crystal clear water, impressive medieval cities such as <a href="https://www.tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/gjirokastra-albania" target="_blank">Gjirokastra</a>, and Islamic architecture (it's Europe's only Muslim majority country)</p><p></p><p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009377857,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009377857,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="750" alt="9009377857?profile=original" /></a></strong><br /> <strong>Bangkok</strong></p><p><br /> Thailand's capital is popular all over the world especially for its vibrant nightlife and amazing hospitality, able to maintain traditions and primitive architectures dated from hundreds of years. You can experience adventure, excitement, beauty, landmarks and many more in this city.</p><p><strong><br /> <br /> <br /></strong></p><p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009378075,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009378075,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="750" alt="9009378075?profile=original" /></a></strong></p><p><strong>Bruges</strong><br /> <br /> The capital of West Flanders, situated in northwest Belgium - its old town famously crisscrossed by canals (leading to the nickname "Venice of the North") and cobblestone streets lined with evocative medieval buildings - is one of the most romantic and visited town in the world attracting tourists from all over the world.</p><p></p><p><img class="img-fluid rounded" src="https://storage.googleapis.com/needpix-storage/rsynced_items/cape-town-1562907_1280.jpg" alt="cape town table mountain waterfront free picture" /></p><p><strong><br /> Cape Town<br /></strong></p><p></p><p>Spectacularly sited on this country's southwest coast of South Africa, Cape Town is the complete package: compelling history, dynamic culture, dazzling natural beauty, thrilling adventure, and luxurious hotels and restaurants with great cuisine and local wines.</p><p></p><p><strong><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009378276,original{{/staticFileLink}}" target="_blank"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009378276,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="750" alt="9009378276?profile=original" /></a></strong><br /> <strong>Istanbul<br /></strong></p><p><br /> With the history of more than 2,500 years, Istanbul is blessed with culture, tradition, stunning monuments, mesmerizing scenic views and exciting nightlife. In this meeting point of east and west, you can encounter people from various cultural backgrounds and enjoy both western and eastern foods.</p><p><br /> <img alt="File:Prague (6365119737).jpg" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/a/a7/Prague_%286365119737%29.jpg/800px-Prague_%286365119737%29.jpg" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Prague<br /></strong></p><p></p><p>Astride the Moldau River, the Czech Republic's capital can lay claim to being Europe's most beautiful, a tour de force of historic architecture from the Middle Ages onward, as well as known for its diverse cultural scene, pubs serving some of the continent's best beer, and vibrant nightlife.</p><p><br /> <br /> <img src="https://www.goodfreephotos.com/cache/brazil/rio-de-janeiro/cityscape-and-landscape-view-of-rio-de-janeiro-brazil.jpg" alt="cityscape-and-landscape-view-of-rio-de-janeiro-brazil.jpg" /></p><p><br /> <strong>Rio de Janeiro<br /></strong></p><p><br /> Another spectacularly sited city, Rio is Brazil's most popular destination thanks to its 20 gorgeous beaches including iconic names like Ipanema and Copacabana, as well as legendary music and nightlfe scenes. In addition, there are also quaint colonial-era neighborhoods and lush natural areas like Tijuca Forest to enjoy.<br /> <br /> <br /> <img alt="File:Colosseum in Rome, Italy - April 2007.jpg" src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/5/53/Colosseum_in_Rome%2C_Italy_-_April_2007.jpg/800px-Colosseum_in_Rome%2C_Italy_-_April_2007.jpg" width="800" height="470" /></p><p></p><p><strong>Rome<br /></strong></p><p><br /> The Eternal City boasts 3,000 years of history, with some of the world's most famous monuments, dating back to the ancient Roman Empire, as well as art, cuisine, and high fashion. <br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://i2.nicepik.com/files/222/133/82/stick-fishermen-sri-lanka-fishing-ocean.jpg" target="_blank"><img src="https://i2.nicepik.com/files/222/133/82/stick-fishermen-sri-lanka-fishing-ocean.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" alt="stick-fishermen-sri-lanka-fishing-ocean.jpg?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p><p><strong>Sri Lanka</strong></p><p><br /> Once known as Ceylon, this largely Buddhist island country south of India is packed with magnificent beaches, ancient ruins, fabulous ecotourism, welcoming locals, famous tea, elephants, and delicious cuisine - all at fabulous prices.<br /> <br /> <br /> <a href="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Sunset_gondola_Basilica_Della_Salute_.png/800px-Sunset_gondola_Basilica_Della_Salute_.png" target="_blank"><img src="https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/2/21/Sunset_gondola_Basilica_Della_Salute_.png/800px-Sunset_gondola_Basilica_Della_Salute_.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" class="align-center" width="800" alt="800px-Sunset_gondola_Basilica_Della_Salute_.png?profile=RESIZE_710x" /></a></p><p><strong>Venice<br /></strong></p><p><br /> Built on 118 islands on a lagoon, "la Serenissima" is of course unique in the world for its amazing history, art, and architecture - not to mention its canal and gondolas. It's also famously under increasing pressure from climate change and overtourism, so you might want to put this high on your bucket list.</p><p></p><p>For more information, see our pages on <a href="https://www.smartholidayshop.com/europe-tour-package.html" target="_blank">Europe honeymoon packages</a><em><a href="https://www.smartholidayshop.com/europe-tour-package.html" target="_blank"></a></em> and <a href="https://www.smartholidayshop.com/thailand-tour-packages.html" target="_blank">Thailand honeymoon packages</a>.</p><p></p></div>Stargazing in Guanacaste, Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/stargazing-guanacaste-costa-rica2016-03-06T15:03:38.000Z2016-03-06T15:03:38.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009038891,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009038891,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009038891?profile=original" /></a><br /></b></p><p>Whether or not you can name the constellations or planets, it is always fascinating to look up at a clear night sky and get lost among the stars.<br /> <br /> <b>Anyone can enjoy stargazing</b>. The best places to go, of course, are where the sky is wide open and very dark, with no distracting city lights. Up in the mountains, or in the desert, or out on the open ocean; it is breathtaking to stare upwards at night at millions and millions of twinkling stars and planets in a blue black sky.</p><p><b><br /> Costa Rica is one of the <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/articles/the-worlds-top-10-stargazing-spots" target="_blank">top places in the world for stargazing</a></b> according to <em>Travel+Leisure</em> magazine; especially now during Costa Rica summer (December through April). <b>February and March are the best months</b> for clear star-filled night skies. These dry season months offer astronomy buffs incredible opportunities to see the constellations of the <b>Southern Cross, Omega Centauri, the Magellanic Clouds, the Eta Carinae Nebula</b>, and countless other spectacles in the Milky Way.<br /> <br /> Astronomically, <b>Costa Rica’s location at 10 degrees north latitude</b>, just above the equator, allows you to <b>easily see <a href="https://www.fourmilab.ch/cgi-bin/Yoursky?z=1&lat=10&ns=North&lon=84.4&ew=West" target="_blank">northern and southern hemisphere constellations</a></b>, the moon and planets.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009039475,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009039475,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="360" alt="9009039475?profile=original" /></a><br /> Stargazers traveling to Costa Rica also get the added bonuses of <b>watching the night sky in a warm tropical climate</b>, and during the day enjoying spectacular natural scenery, abundant wildlife, fun adventure activities and friendly local people.<br /> <br /> <b>Guanacaste, Costa Rica</b> is a superb stargazing location. <a href="http://www.guachipelin.com/en/" target="_blank">Hotel Hacienda Guachipelin</a> at the foot of the colossal, active <b><a href="http://www.guachipelin.com/en/location/map.html" target="_blank">Rincon de la Vieja Volcano</a> in Guanacaste</b> is a particularly excellent place. There are no city lights near the family-owned hotel, set on a 3,460-acre ranch, to wash out the night sky. And the unique surrounding dry tropical forest trees lose their leaves like in northern autumn and winter, opening the sky even more to see stars. You can be inspired by an immense sky filled with millions of stars and listen to the symphony of tropical life at night.<br /></p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009039855,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="400" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009039855,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9009039855?profile=original" /></a><br /> Best times for stargazing in Costa Rica:</b> from 7:00 to 10:00 p.m. and again at 4:00 a.m.<br /> <br /> <b>More stargazing opportunities:</b> You can view the sky as seen from various cities around the globe at the <a href="https://www.fourmilab.ch/yoursky/#Skymap" target="_blank">Your Sky</a> website. <a href="http://www.stellarium.org/" target="_blank">Stellarium</a>is a free open source planetarium for your computer that shows a realistic sky in 3D. If you are in San Jose, Costa Rica, visit the <a href="http://www.planetario.ucr.ac.cr/" target="_blank">San Jose Planetarium</a> at the University of Costa Rica.</p><p> </p><p><b><i> </i></b></p></div>Costa Rica's Golfo Dulce, One of the World's Most Pristine Ocean Habitatshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/costa-rica-golfo-dulce2017-07-15T01:30:00.000Z2017-07-15T01:30:00.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009163267,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009163267,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="640" alt="9009163267?profile=original" /></a><br /> One of the most pristine ocean habitats in the world is located in Costa Rica -- the Pacific gulf of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Golfo_Dulce,_Costa_Rica" target="_blank">Golfo Dulce</a>.</p><p><br /> Located in the southern region by the Osa Peninsula, the 31-mile-long (50 km) gulf of Golfo Dulce is recognized by National Geographic as one of only four tropical fjords in the world, and it is the tenth deepest. With an average annual temperature of 86 degrees Fahrenheit, it is an extremely rare biome.<br /></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009163854,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="700" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009163854,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="9009163854?profile=original" /></a><br /> Given its low human impact due to its remoteness, the sheltered gulf is home to abundant marine life in its calm and clear jade green-blue waters. More than 25 species of dolphins and whales and four kinds of sea turtles live here; and it is a vital breeding and birthing zone for endangered <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/hammerhead-sharks-in-golfo-dulce-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">hammerhead sharks</a> and migrating endangered <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/nicuesa-lodge-welcomes-whale-watching-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Humpback Whales</a>.<br /></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008991054,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008991054,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="580" alt="9008991054?profile=original" /></a><br /> On very dark nights, usually during Costa Rica's dry season, the water in the Golfo Dulce glows with an eerie iridescence, seeming as if the ocean has turned into a liquid sky of blue stars. This is bioluminescence: when bacteria and plankton in the water emit light resulting from a chemical reaction in their organism.<br /></p><p>A great place to experience the Golfo Dulce is at <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/" target="_blank">Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge</a>. Nicuesa Lodge’s entire philosophy and operations are based on environmental conservation and <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/sustainability.aspx" target="_blank">sustainability</a>. The extraordinary rainforest eco-lodge holds the highest <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/playa-nicuesa-rainforest-lodge-gets-top-sustainable-tourism-rating-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Certification for Sustainable Tourism</a> (CST) in Costa Rica and the prestigious <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/where-to-stay/top-tripadvisor-greenleader-award-given-to-costa-rica-eco-lodge/" target="_blank">TripAdvisor GreenLeaders Platinum Status</a><b>.</b> And they have received the <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/costa-rica-eco-lodge-named-cleanest-beach-country/" target="_blank">Ecological Blue Flag Award</a> six years in a row for keeping one of the cleanest beaches in Costa Rica.<br /></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008956079,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008956079,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" width="640" alt="9008956079?profile=original" /></a><br /> In June, Costa Rica expanded its ocean conservation in honor of World Oceans Day 2017 to now protect 15% of its marine territory. Costa Rica’s expanded protection of its seas aligns with the United Nations Environment Program in its goal to preserve one-tenth of all oceans by 2020. Environmental organizations are lobbying to make Golfo Dulce a marine protected area in Costa Rica.<br /></p><p>After joining the global <b>UN Clean Seas campaign</b> earlier this year, Costa Rica also has pledged to fight plastic marine debris and to replace single-use plastic – which can take hundreds of years to degrade – with renewable and compostable materials.<br /></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009041456,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="700" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009041456,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-center" alt="9009041456?profile=original" /></a></p><p><b><i> </i></b></p></div>Costa Rica Cresting to the Top of the World Surf Scenehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/costa-rica-surfing-to-the-top-of-the-world-surf-scene2016-07-02T16:11:11.000Z2016-07-02T16:11:11.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009055081,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009055081,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009055081?profile=original" /></a><br />With excellent surf on two ocean coastlines, Costa Rica is emerging as a powerhouse on the world surfing scene.</p><p><br />The Costa Rica National Surf Team made national history last year when they were crowned the <b><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/costa-rica-world-champion-surfing-team/" target="_blank">2015 World Surfing Champions</a>,</b> winning the International Surfing Association (ISA) 2015 World Surfing Games held in Nicaragua.</p><p> </p><p>And in a short couple of months, Costa Rica will host the <a href="https://www.isasurf.org/defending-world-champion-costa-rica-to-host-2016-isa-world-surfing-games/" target="_blank">ISA 2016 World Surfing Games</a> from August 6 to 14 in Jacó beach on the Central Pacific Coast. National teams from 33 countries on five continents will compete against defending champion Team Costa Rica for the title. Costa Rica already successfully hosted the World Surfing Games once, in 2009 at nearby Hermosa Beach.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9009032278,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9009032278,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9009032278?profile=original" /></a><br />Costa Rica’s Favorite Surf Spot, Santa Teresa Beach</b></p><p> </p><p>Named a <a href="https://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches-cTop-g291958" target="_blank">top 10 beach in Central America</a> and Costa Rica for 2016, Santa Teresa is one of the most popular surf spots in Costa Rica. Discover the thrill of surfing in Santa Teresa on surf and yoga retreats in Santa Teresa Costa Rica at <a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Tropico Latino</a>.</p><p><b><i> </i></b></p><p></p></div>Football and World Cup fever used for global peace and social changehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/football-and-world-cup-fever-used-for-global-peace-and-social2013-10-01T18:24:58.000Z2013-10-01T18:24:58.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p style="text-align:justify;">You don’t need a well-manicured grass pitch. You don’t even need all 22 players, or fancy uniforms … or even shoes, for that matter. All you need is a ball and people willing to play.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Football-brings-kids-together-in-South-Africa.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Football-brings-kids-together-in-South-Africa-300x189.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Football-brings-kids-together-in-South-Africa-300x189.jpg?width=300" /></a>The <strong>most popular sport in the world – football</strong> (known as soccer in the USA) – can be played anywhere by anyone. That’s the simple beauty of a sport that traverses borders, has brought bitter enemies together, even stopped wars, and has been a <strong>unifying force across the planet</strong>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“As a consequence of its simplicity and global popularity, a number of non-governmental organizations (NGOs) have noted the suitability of football as a mechanism to help build peace and promote social development in post-conflict societies,” wrote <a title="Football Perspectives by Joel Rookwood" href="http://footballperspectives.org/building-peace-playing-football" target="_blank">Joel Rookwood</a> and Clive Palmer of Liverpool Hope University, UK, in a 2011 study entitled <a title="Soccer & Society: How Football Can Help Build Peace" href="http://www.academia.edu/3510330/Invasion_Games_in_War-Torn_Nations_Can_Football_Help_to_Build_Peace" target="_blank">“Soccer & Society.”</a></p><p style="text-align:justify;">The <a title="UN Sport for Development and Peace Program" href="https://www.un.org/wcm/content/site/sport/peace" target="_blank"><strong>United Nations Sport for Development and Peace Program</strong></a> takes the message further to include all sports: “Sport as a universal language can be a powerful tool to promote peace, tolerance and understanding by bringing people together across boundaries, cultures and religions.”</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Footballs-famous-World-War-I-truce-match-photo-by-Chester-Chronicle.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Footballs-famous-World-War-I-truce-match-photo-by-Chester-Chronicle-300x218.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Footballs-famous-World-War-I-truce-match-photo-by-Chester-Chronicle-300x218.jpg?width=300" /></a>Football has played an important role in mending rifts between nations</strong>. History has us remember the famous <a title="World War I Christmas Day 1914 football truce" href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2276931/Football-match-planned-Flanders-battlefields-mark-centenary-World-War-One-Christmas-truce.html" target="_blank">Christmas Day 1914 truce</a> during World War I in Flanders, Belgium, when German and British troops put down their guns for a day to play football (England won). Famous Brazilian football star Pelé's 1969 trip to Nigeria with his soccer club, Santos, caused a three-day cease-fire in the Biafran War, reports the <strong>“Play Soccer Make Peace!” projec</strong>t, initiated by the <a title="World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations" href="http://www.wango.org/activities.aspx?section=psmp" target="_blank">World Association of Non-Governmental Organizations (WANGO)</a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:justify;"></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Football</strong> has become a vital instrument for hundreds of <strong>social <a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Israeli-and-Palestinian-boys-playing-football-image-by-Football-4-Peace.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Israeli-and-Palestinian-boys-playing-football-image-by-Football-4-Peace-300x161.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Israeli-and-Palestinian-boys-playing-football-image-by-Football-4-Peace-300x161.jpg?width=300" /></a>development programs</strong> run by private and community-based organizations around the world. In the Middle East, two initiatives – <a title="Football 4 Peace International" href="http://www.brighton.ac.uk/sasm/consultancy/sport-and-leisure-cultures/football-4-peace/" target="_blank"><strong>Football 4 Peace</strong></a> and another by <a title="FIFA helps promote peace in Israel and Palestine" href="http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/organisation/footballgovernance/news/newsid=2179643/index.html?intcmp=fifacom_hp_module_about_fifa" target="_blank"><strong>FIFA</strong></a> (<a class="zem_slink" title="FIFA" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=47.3813888889,8.57444444444&spn=0.01,0.01&q=47.3813888889,8.57444444444%20(FIFA)&t=h" target="_blank">The International Federation of Association Football</a>) – are helping <strong>Israel and Palestine</strong> come together using football to promote peace. The <a title="Football For Peace" href="http://www.footballforpeace.org/" target="_blank"><strong>Football for Peace</strong></a> organization, another NGO, stages goodwill international peace matches on different continents to promote cultural exchange and peace between boys and girls, men and women.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">The race to qualify for the <a title="FIFA 2014 World Cup in Brazil" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/news/newsid=2179516/index.html" target="_blank"><strong>2014 FIFA World Cup in Brazil</strong></a> will hit fever pitch over the next two months as teams fight for a place in the <strong>biggest single-event sporting competition in the world</strong>. Already on its world tour, the <strong><a class="zem_slink" title="FIFA World Cup Trophy" href="http://www.fifa.com/" target="_blank">FIFA World Cup Trophy</a></strong> was on display <strong>in Costa Rica this past weekend</strong>, Sep 27-29. The world’s most iconic symbol of football is flying around the globe, giving fans the chance to see it up close before the June 12 start to the World Cup.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-Football-for-Hope-initiative-Getty-Images.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-Football-for-Hope-initiative-Getty-Images-300x198.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="FIFA-Football-for-Hope-initiative-Getty-Images-300x198.jpg?width=300" /></a>FIFA and the World Cup Organizing Committee are <strong>using the World Cup 2014 to promote football as a means for social change</strong>. Thirty-two teams of boys and girls from grassroots organizations all over the planet will come to Rio de Janeiro during the last two weeks of the World Cup to celebrate their achievements and demonstrate the power of football for world peace in the <a title="FIFA Football for Hope Festival 2014" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/sustainability/football-for-hope.html" target="_blank"><strong>Football for Hope Festival 2014</strong></a>. Additionally, FIFA will call attention to world social issues through their official environmental program, <a title="FIFA Football for the Planet 2014" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/sustainability/football-for-planet.html" target="_blank"><strong>Football for the Planet</strong></a>, and their <a title="FIFA anti-discrimination initiative" href="http://www.fifa.com/worldcup/organisation/sustainability/anti-discrimination.html" target="_blank"><strong>anti-discrimination initiative</strong></a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-World-Cup-2014-logo.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/FIFA-World-Cup-2014-logo-150x150.jpg?width=150" width="150" alt="FIFA-World-Cup-2014-logo-150x150.jpg?width=150" /></a>Besides advancing world peace and other social issues, major sporting events such as the <strong><a class="zem_slink" title="2010 FIFA World Cup" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-26.2347972222,27.9823527778&spn=0.01,0.01&q=-26.2347972222,27.9823527778%20(2010%20FIFA%20World%20Cup)&t=h" target="_blank">FIFA World Cup</a>, the Olympic Games</strong>, etc. <strong>drive tourism sky-high</strong> for the hosting country, and those countries lucky enough to be spotlighted with winning teams or athletes. Sports tourism is big business. According to FIFA, <strong>football generates $26 billion dollars annually</strong>, especially in Europe.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">For <strong>Costa Rica</strong>, a promotional video about tourism to the country aired throughout Europe during the <a class="zem_slink" title="2006 FIFA World Cup" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=52.5147222222,13.2394444444&spn=0.01,0.01&q=52.5147222222,13.2394444444%20(2006%20FIFA%20World%20Cup)&t=h" target="_blank">World Cup 2006</a> in Germany, creating a huge interest for travel. Now, seven years later, <strong>Costa Rica’s travel statistics show more than 2 million tourists visit Costa Rica annually</strong>, spending about 2 billion dollars.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Costa-Rica-national-football-team.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Costa-Rica-national-football-team-300x182.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Costa-Rica-national-football-team-300x182.jpg?width=300" /></a>Football is one of Costa Rica’s biggest passions. <strong>Costa Rica was the ninth country in the world to qualify for the 2014 World Cup</strong>, and has high hopes to do well in the world event. Currently <strong>ranked third in the CONCACAF</strong> (<a class="zem_slink" title="CONCACAF" href="http://www.concacaf.com/" target="_blank">Confederation of North, Central American and Caribbean Association Football</a>), <strong>Costa Rica has played in three World Cups so far</strong> – 2006 in Germany, 2002 in Korea/Japan, and 1990 in Italy.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Travel to Costa Rica</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;">For travel to Costa Rica, either on business or vacation, let <strong>Expediciones Tropicales</strong> take care of all of the details. Their online <a title="Costa Rica guides online travel directory by Expediciones Tropicales" href="http://www.costaricaguides.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Costa Rica Guides</strong></a>, a <strong>Costa Rica travel directory</strong>, helps you with hotel reservations, Costa Rica tours, Costa Rica vacation packages, private transportation, rental cars, shuttle services, local flights and information on what to do, where to go and which places to see while you're in Costa Rica.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Article by <a title="Follow writer Shannon Farley on Google+" href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/104506194721250694108/posts" target="_blank">Shannon Farley</a></strong></p></div>World Tourism Day challenges us to be water-responsible travelershttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/world-tourism-day-challenges-us-to-be-water-responsible-travelers2013-09-10T18:27:29.000Z2013-09-10T18:27:29.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p style="text-align:justify;">Re-use your towels at your hotel, ask that your bed linens not be changed daily, take a shower instead of a bath, wear water-resistant sunblock – these are all ways <strong>travelers can be responsible water consumers</strong> and participate in this year’s <strong><a class="zem_slink" title="World Tourism Day" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/World_Tourism_Day" target="_blank">World Tourism Day</a></strong> that highlights <a class="zem_slink" title="Water conservation" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Water_conservation" target="_blank">water conservation</a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/World-Tourism-Day-2013-image-by-UNWTO.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/World-Tourism-Day-2013-image-by-UNWTO-300x164.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="World-Tourism-Day-2013-image-by-UNWTO-300x164.jpg?width=300" /></a>In support of the <a title="UN International Year of Water Cooperation" href="http://www.unwater.org/water-cooperation-2013/en/" target="_blank">United Nations International Year of Water Cooperation for 2013</a>, this year’s <a title="UN World Tourism Day" href="http://wtd.unwto.org/" target="_blank">World Tourism Day</a> (WTD) on September 27 is themed: Tourism and Water: Protecting our Common Future.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Travelers are reminded that water scarcity, and lack of clean freshwater and sanitation, plague much of the world. The <a title="Follow the World Tourism Organization on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/WorldTourismOrganization" target="_blank"><strong>United Nations World Tourism Organization</strong></a> (UNWTO) is focusing on tourism’s significant contribution to <strong>worldwide water conservation</strong>, and its role as a change-inducing force. As a trillion dollar industry with over one billion people traveling internationally in 2012, <strong>tourism is a powerful influence</strong> the UN wants to use for raising awareness and changing behaviors.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“This offers a unique opportunity to shine a spotlight on water, both as an asset and as a resource, and on the actions needed to face up to the water challenge,” said UNWTO Secretary-General Taleb Rifai in his <a title="Official World Tourism Day message by UNWTO Secretary General" href="http://wtd.unwto.org/en/content/unwtosg" target="_blank">official WTD 2013 message</a>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Water-conservation-poster.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Water-conservation-poster-300x225.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Water-conservation-poster-300x225.jpg?width=300" /></a>About <strong>780 million people in the world do not have access to clean water</strong>, and 2.5 billion do not have access to adequate sanitation, according to UN statistics. Over half of the world population lives in urban areas, and while urban areas are better served than rural areas, in many countries they are struggling to keep up with population growth, reports the UN.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">“As one of the largest economic sectors in the world, it is the responsibility of the tourism sector to take a leadership role and ensure companies and destinations invest in adequate water management. If managed sustainably, tourism can bring benefits to the national and local communities and support water preservation,” said Rifai, who was recently re-elected for a second term as UNWTO Secretary-General.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>How you can help</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Clean, accessible water is vital to tourism</strong>, from hotels and restaurants to tours and transportation. Moreover, millions of people travel around the world every year to enjoy water destinations, from beaches and coastlines to lakes, rivers and other wetlands.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Here are a few <strong><a title="100 ways to conserve water" href="http://wateruseitwisely.com/100-ways-to-conserve/?view=list" target="_blank">ways you can be responsible with water</a> when you travel</strong>:</p><ul style="text-align:justify;"><li>Take a shower instead of a bath.</li><li>Turn off the water while soaping up, and turn back on to rinse off.<a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Water-conservation-photo-by-Earth-Times.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Water-conservation-photo-by-Earth-Times-300x188.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Water-conservation-photo-by-Earth-Times-300x188.jpg?width=300" /></a></li><li>Leave your towels on the rack so housekeeping knows you are still using them.</li><li>Let housekeeping know that you don't need to have your linens changed every day.</li><li>Where possible, select eco-friendly, sustainable accommodations with water-conscious programs, such as reclaiming gray waters for landscaping irrigation, and using biodegradable soaps and cleaning products.</li><li>Use water-resistant sunblock to avoid polluting the sea and damaging marine fauna. Scientists have shown that commonly found sunscreen ingredients can kill coral.</li><li>Look for eco-friendly hotels that are registered as <a title="TripAdvisor Green Leaders program" href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/GreenLeaders" target="_blank">TripAdvisor GreenLeaders</a>.</li></ul><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong><a class="zem_slink" title="Costa Rica" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=9.93333333333,-84.0833333333&spn=10.0,10.0&q=9.93333333333,-84.0833333333%20(Costa%20Rica)&t=h" target="_blank">Costa Rica</a> is a World Leader in Ecotourism and Conservation</strong></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Costa Rica was one of the first countries to pioneer <a title="Ecotourism in Costa Rica" href="http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/ecoturismo.asp" target="_blank">ecotourism</a></strong>. The Central American nation hosted World Tourism Day in 2002, leading the world on the theme of ecotourism as the key to sustainable development. Costa Rica placed fifth best in the world in 2013 for its environmental performance, according to the <a title="Environmental Performance Index report 2012" href="http://epi.yale.edu/sites/default/files/downloads/2012-epi-full-report.pdf" target="_blank">Environmental Performance Index</a> (EPI) released earlier this year by the Yale and Columbia universities.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Costa-Rica-CST-logo.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/09/Costa-Rica-CST-logo-284x300.jpg?width=233" width="233" alt="Costa-Rica-CST-logo-284x300.jpg?width=233" /></a>Sustainable tourism is deeply ingrained in Costa Rica. The country’s tourism board manages a <strong>Certification for Sustainable Tourism Program</strong> <strong>that ranks <a title="Hotels in Costa Rica with CST certification" href="http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/buscador/FCRBuscaProdDeta.asp?idProd=1&chkCST=1,2,3,4,5&Filter=CST" target="_blank">hotels</a>, travel agencies and tour operators, rental car companies, and tour parks in sustainable principles</strong>. In most hotels nowadays in Costa Rica you can find informative notices about water conservation and other ecological practices.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Costa Rica travel agency <a title="Travel agency Team CRT is CST certified in Costa Rica" href="http://www.visitcostarica.com/ict/paginas/categoriaDetalle.asp?idCate=67&idItem=252&sPais=14" target="_blank"><strong>Team CRT is a CST-certified travel services company</strong></a>. The CRT Team is committed to design and develop exciting vacations to Costa Rica that support <a title="Team CRT's sustainable tourism practices in Costa Rica" href="http://www.costarica4u.com/sustainable-tourism-costa-rica" target="_blank">sustainable tourism</a>. <a title="Team CRT travel agency in Costa Rica" href="http://www.costarica4u.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Team CRT</strong></a> arranges nature tours, beach vacations, adventure tours, family vacations, relaxation vacations, honeymoons and golf vacations.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">More information about sustainable travel <a title="Sustainable Travel Organization" href="http://sustainabletravel.org/" target="_blank">here</a>.</p><p></p><p>Article By <a href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/104506194721250694108/posts">Shannon Farley</a></p><p></p></div>Go surfing in Costa Rica, home of the world champion surf team 2015https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/go-surfing-in-costa-rica-home-of-the-world-champion-surf-team2015-06-15T23:33:17.000Z2015-06-15T23:33:17.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969901,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969901,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="519" alt="9008969901?profile=original" /></a>Costa Rica is celebrating <b><a href="http://www.surfrider.org/isd" target="_blank">International Surfing Day</a> on June 20</b> big this year. <b>Costa Rica’s surfing “dream team”</b> <b>made national history</b> on June 7 when they were crowned <a href="http://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/11834-costa-rica-wins-the-2015-isa-world-surfing-games" target="_blank">2015 World Surfing Champions</a>.</p><p> </p><p><b>Costa Rica’s team won the overall gold medal</b> in the <a href="http://isawsg.com/" target="_blank">International Surfing Association (ISA) 2015 World Surfing Games</a> held at Playa Popoyo, Nicaragua, competing against 26 teams from around the world. The medal, along with the Fernando Aguirre World Team Trophy and the International Olympic Committee (IOC) President’s Trophy designated <a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/06/08/costa-rica-crowned-2015-world-surfing-champion" target="_blank">Costa Rica the world champions of surfing</a>.</p><p> </p><p>They are called <b>the “Costa Rican Dream Team”</b>: international surfing star <b>Carlos</b> <b>Muñoz</b> from Esterillos, Latin American champion <b>Anthony</b> <b>Fillingim</b> from Santa Teresa, 2015 Costa Rica National Surfing Circuit leader <b>Jason</b> <b>Torres</b> from Jacó, 11-time national women’s champion <b>Lisbeth</b> <b>Vindas</b> from Jacó, and <b>Noe Mar McGonagle</b> from Pavones who is ranked 16th in the world by the ISA, and his sister <b>Leilani</b> <b>McGonagle</b>, now a six-time world medalist.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969691,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008969691,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="549" alt="9008969691?profile=original" /></a>The team won another <b>gold medal in the ISA Aloha Cup</b> tag team event at the championships. The brother and sister team of <b>Noe Mar and Leilani McGonagle also brought home winning medals</b>: the <b>gold medal</b> for the <b>Men’s Open Division for Noe Mar</b>, and the <b>silver medal in the Women’s Open Division for Leilani</b> – the 6<sup>th</sup> world medal for the 15-year-old surfer. Leilani just won the <b>gold medal at the <a href="http://news.co.cr/young-surfer-from-costa-rica-is-now-a-world-champion/38650/" target="_blank">Rip Curl GromSearch International</a></b> last month in Sao Paulo, Brazil.</p><p> </p><p>Although a small country in Central America, <b>Costa Rica is becoming known in the world</b> not only for having <b>great surf on two ocean coastlines</b> but also for <b>producing great surfers</b>. This year Noe Mar McGonagle is so far ranked #12 on the Qualifying Series (QS) of the World Surf League, and Carlos Muñoz is close behind at #16. Leilani McGonagle and surfer Emily Gussoni of Jaco also are competing at the World Surf League level.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008970456,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008970456,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008970456?profile=original" /></a>One of <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/learn-how-to-surf-in-santa-teresa-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s favorite areas for surfing</a> is <a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/santa-teresa-costa-rica.html" target="_blank">Santa Teresa Beach</a></b> on the southern Nicoya Peninsula – home to dream team surfer Anthony Fillingim. Santa Teresa is one of the <b>competition beaches in the <a href="http://www.surfingcr.net/stage/" target="_blank">Costa Rica National Surfing Circuit</a></b>. <b>Santa Teresa</b> also was named one of <a href="http://www.tripadvisor.com/TravelersChoice-Beaches-cTop-g291958" target="_blank">Central America’s top 10 beaches</a> for 2015.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296600697,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296600697,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="521" alt="9296600697?profile=original" /></a>Visit Santa Teresa on a <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/destinations/costa-rica-surfing-paradise-malpais-santa-teresa/" target="_blank">Costa Rica surfing vacation</a></b>. If you don’t know how to surf, you can easily take surf lessons. <b><a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/accommodation.html" target="_blank">Where to stay in Santa Teresa, Costa Rica</a>:</b> Beachfront at beautiful <a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/location.html" target="_blank">Playa Carmen in Santa Teresa</a>, <strong><a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/" target="_blank">Hotel Tropico Latino</a></strong> offers <strong><a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/retreats/costa-rica-surf-camp-in-santa-teresa-beach.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica surf vacations</a></strong>, <a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/activities/surfing-in-santa-teresa-costa-rica.html" target="_blank">surf lessons</a>, and also <b><a href="http://www.hoteltropicolatino.com/retreats/costa-rica-yoga-retreats-at-santa-teresa-beach.html" target="_blank">Costa Rica yoga retreats</a>.</b></p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p><p> </p></div>World Oceans Day 2015: Protecting Golfo Dulce Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/world-oceans-day-2015-protecting-golfo-dulce-costa-rica2015-06-05T18:31:39.000Z2015-06-05T18:31:39.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008930677,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008930677,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008930677?profile=original" /></a>Out on the calm, clear, jade green-blue water of the <a href="http://cetaceansgolfodulce.blogspot.com/p/golfo-dulce.html" target="_blank">Golfo Dulce</a> (“Sweet Gulf”) in <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/about-playa-nicuesa/getting-here/" target="_blank">southern Costa Rica</a>, it is easy to think this must be <b>one of the most pristine, beautiful places on Earth</b>. And it is. This inner sea is a <b>critical habitat for endangered migrating southern Pacific humpback whales, dolphins and sharks</b>, among other marine life.</p><p> </p><p><b>Then our boat passes a small patch of floating plastic bottles</b>, chips bags and other random flotsam. Trash. Human trash. And we are reminded that <b>if anything were to ruin this amazing creation, it would be humans</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968087,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="200" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968087,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008968087?profile=original" /></a><a href="http://www.worldoceansday.org/" target="_blank">World Oceans Day</a> on June 8</b> reminds us to honor and protect the <b>beauty and life of the world’s oceans</b>. The <b>annual event by the <a href="http://www.un.org/en/events/oceansday/" target="_blank">United Nations</a></b> focuses this year on the theme <b>“Healthy oceans, healthy planet”</b> and especially on <b>eradicating plastic pollution</b>.</p><p> </p><p>“The ocean and its wildlife are choking on plastic, and we need to both stop this pollution at the source, and clean it up from the coasts,” states the World Oceans Day information. <strong>“The ocean is the heart of our planet.</strong> Like your heart pumping blood to every part of your body, <b>the ocean connects people across the Earth, no matter where we live.</b> The ocean regulates the climate, feeds millions of people every year, produces oxygen, is the home to an incredible array of wildlife, provides us with important medicines, and so much more! In order to ensure the health and safety of our communities and future generations, <b>it’s imperative that we take the responsibility to care for the ocean as it cares for us</b>.”</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968260,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968260,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008968260?profile=original" /></a>On the inside of <b>Costa Rica’s Osa Peninsula</b>, <b>Golfo Dulce</b> is approximately 50 km (31 miles) long and 10-15 km (6 -9 miles) wide with a <b>steeply sloped deep inner basin</b>. It is this depth, bottoming out around 215 m (705 ft.), and <b>low human impact</b> of the remote, sheltered gulf <b>that attracts large marine life</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b>Endangered <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/whale-watching-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Pacific humpback whales</a></b> from the southern hemisphere <b>migrate here every August to October</b> to breed and give birth. The gulf is vital to the species’ survival, according to the <a href="http://cetaceansgolfodulce.blogspot.com/" target="_blank">Center for Cetacean Research of Costa Rica</a> (CEIC), which is lobbying with other environmental organizations to <b>create a</b> <b>Marine Protected Area within Golfo Dulce</b>.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968275,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968275,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008968275?profile=original" /></a><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/dolphin-tale-wild-dolphins-golfo-dulce-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Dolphins</a> – Bottlenose Dolphins, Spotted Dolphins, Spinner Dolphins, and occasionally-seen False Killer Whales – <b>and also sharks</b> live in these waters. You can find <b>tiger sharks</b> and <b>different species of <a href="http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/scalloped-hammerheads-become-first-shark-species-on-the-u-s-endangered-species-list/" target="_blank">hammerhead sharks</a></b> in Golfo Dulce. The <b>area is</b> <b>particularly</b> <b>key for hammerhead sharks</b>, which also come to the gulf to breed and give birth – usually beginning in May. Juvenile sharks then grow for four years in unprotected areas in the Golfo Dulce, according to Andrés López, investigator for the organization <a href="http://misiontiburon.org/en" target="_blank">Misión Tiburón</a> (Shark Mission) in Costa Rica.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008967893,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008967893,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008967893?profile=original" /></a> “Every day we are convinced more about the importance of Golfo Dulce for sharks. Today at dawn we marked 13 hammerhead sharks and two tiger sharks,” reported Misión Tiburón on their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Misi%C3%B3n-Tibur%C3%B3n-Costa-Rica/260573634353?fref=photo" target="_blank">Facebook page</a>.</p><p></p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968301,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968301,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008968301?profile=original" /></a> </p><p><a href="https://www.facebook.com/NicuesaLodge" target="_blank">Visit Golfo Dulce in Costa Rica</a></p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008952670,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="200" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008952670,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008952670?profile=original" /></a>See amazing marine life in the Golfo Dulce</b> when you stay at <b><a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/" target="_blank">Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge</a> in Costa Rica.</b> Set in the rainforest on a <b><a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/activities/5-tropical-beaches-want-visit-southern-costa-rica/" target="_blank">remote beach of the Golfo Dulce</a>,</b> the Costa Rica eco-lodge offers <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/activities/ocean-eco-adventures/" target="_blank">boat tours in Golfo Dulce</a> to see marine life and during <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/having-a-whale-of-a-time-at-playa-nicuesa-rainforest-lodge-in-costa-rica/" target="_blank">whale-watching season</a>. You also frequently can see beautiful <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/sparkling-bioluminescence-in-golfo-dulce-costa-rica/" target="_blank">bioluminescence in the gulf</a> on clear nights.</p><p> </p><p><b>Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge</b> holds the <b>highest <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/about-playa-nicuesa/our-philosophy-of-sustainability/" target="_blank">Certification for Sustainable Tourism</a> (CST)</b> in Costa Rica, and recently received the <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/costa-rica-eco-lodge-named-cleanest-beach-country/" target="_blank">Ecological Blue Flag Award</a> for the fifth time for keeping one of the <b>cleanest beaches in Costa Rica</b> free of trash and pollution.</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/costa-rica-eco-lodge-rates-packages/" target="_blank">Contact Playa Nicuesa Rainforest Lodge</a> to visit the unique <a href="http://www.nicuesalodge.com/activities/rainforest-eco-adventures/" target="_blank">nature and adventure travel destination</a>.</p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>For the biggest beach party in Costa Rica, attend the Costa Rica National Surfing Championships in Julyhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/for-the-biggest-beach-party-in-costa-rica-attend-the-costa-rica2015-06-18T20:29:15.000Z2015-06-18T20:29:15.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008967088,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008967088,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008967088?profile=original" /></a>Coming very soon to <a href="http://www.enchanting-costarica.com/costa-rica-2/beautiful-uncrowded-beach-at-playa-hermosa-in-jaco-costa-rica/" target="_blank">Playa Hermosa by Jacó</a> in Costa Rica are the <b><a href="http://www.surfingcr.net/stage/" target="_blank">Costa Rica National Surfing Championships</a> for 2015</b>. The annual national event will take place <b>July 17 to 19 on Playa Hermosa</b> in front of the Backyard Bar & Restaurant.</p><p> </p><p>If you are in Costa Rica at this time, <b>don’t miss this fun beach party and exciting Costa Rica surfing competition</b> on the third weekend in July 2015. Newly opened <b><a href="http://www.hoteltramonto.com/en/" target="_blank">Hotel Tramonto</a> is the best place to stay in <a href="http://www.hoteltramonto.com/en/contacting-hoteles-hermosa-beach.html" target="_blank">Playa Hermosa by Jacó</a></b>. The <b>modern </b><a href="http://www.hoteltramonto.com/en/jaco/rooms-hermosa-beach.html" target="_blank">76-room hotel</a> is located on the quieter <b>south end of Playa Hermosa</b>. Great surfing waves are right out front, and the competition will be just down the road. The <a href="https://www.facebook.com/HotelTramontoHermosa?ref=hl" target="_blank">Playa Hermosa beachfront hotel</a> features an <b><a href="http://www.hoteltramonto.com/en/jaco/playa-hermosa-restaurant.html" target="_blank">Italian restaurant</a>, swimming pool, and a beautiful sunset terrace</b>. Rooms are available in three categories: standard, superior and suite. Complimentary breakfast is included for all hotel guests.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296600684,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="600" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296600684,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9296600684?profile=original" /></a></p><p><b>Costa Rica’s national surfing team made world news</b> recently when they were crowned <a href="http://www.surfertoday.com/surfing/11834-costa-rica-wins-the-2015-isa-world-surfing-games" target="_blank">2015 World Surfing Champions</a> on June 7 at the International Surfing Association (ISA) 2015 World Surfing Games held at Playa Popoyo, Nicaragua. The team also won the <b>gold medal in the ISA Aloha Cup</b> tag team event at the championships. Individual medals were won by the brother and sister team of <b>Noe Mar and Leilani McGonagle of Pavones</b>: the <b>Men’s Open Division gold medal</b> <b>for Noe Mar</b>, and the <b>Women’s Open Division silver medal for Leilani</b> – the 15-year-old surfer won the <b>gold medal at the <a href="http://news.co.cr/young-surfer-from-costa-rica-is-now-a-world-champion/38650/" target="_blank">Rip Curl GromSearch International</a></b> in May in Brazil.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968082,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008968082,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="480" alt="9008968082?profile=original" /></a></p><p><b>The “<a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/06/08/costa-rica-crowned-2015-world-surfing-champion" target="_blank">Costa Rican Dream Team</a>”</b> of surfers included: international surfing star <b>Carlos</b> <b>Muñoz</b> from Esterillos, Latin American champion <b>Anthony</b> <b>Fillingim</b> from Santa Teresa, 2015 Costa Rica National Surfing Circuit leader <b>Jason</b> <b>Torres</b> from Jacó, 11-time national women’s champion <b>Lisbeth</b> <b>Vindas</b> from Jacó, <b>Noe Mar McGonagle</b> who is ranked 12th in the world by the ISA, and his sister <b>Leilani</b>, now a six-time world medalist.</p><p> </p><p><b>If all six world champions show up for the national finals on July 17</b>, the competition will definitely be gripping. <b>Lisbeth Vindas just won the </b><strong><a href="http://www.ticotimes.net/2015/06/15/world-champ-surfers-keep-doing-their-thing-at-kolbi-2015-natl-surf-circuit-in-nosara" target="_blank">Beach Club Cup Nosara 2015</a></strong> women’s open division on June 14 at Playa Guiones by Nosara – the sixth national circuit competition for 2015. Vindas is poised to win her 12<sup>th</sup> national title in Playa Hermosa. Esterillos surfer <b>Carlos Muñoz</b>, ranked 16th in the world by the ISA this year, <b>won the men’s open division</b>.</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9296601270,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9296601270,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="620" alt="9296601270?profile=original" /></a> </p><p><b>Playa Hermosa is easy to get to from San Jose, Costa Rica</b>. The beautiful, uncrowded black sand beach is just past Jacó Beach on the <b>Central Pacific Coast of Costa Rica.</b> <b>The <a href="http://www.hoteltramonto.com/en/contacting-hoteles-hermosa-beach.html" target="_blank">drive to Hotel Tramonto</a> from San Jose</b> takes approximately 75 minutes using Route 27 and the Southern Coastal Highway. At the far end of Playa Hermosa, turn right on the beach access road and follow the signs to Hotel Tramonto.</p><p> </p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>Honor World Environment Day with sustainable tourism in Costa Ricahttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/honor-world-environment-day-with-sustainable-tourism-in-costa2015-06-05T18:16:35.000Z2015-06-05T18:16:35.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963701,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008963701,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" alt="9008963701?profile=original" /></a>What is your <b>dream for the planet</b>?</p><p> </p><p>Live sustainably? No unusable trash? Less food waste? Clean oceans and water sources? Trees, mountains and forests protected? Well-being of people and animals? Communities living in harmony and respect?</p><p> </p><p><a href="http://www.horizontes.com/" target="_blank">Horizontes Nature Tours</a> in Costa Rica has the same dreams. They care about <b>how travel and tourism affects not only their home of Costa Rica, but the entire planet</b>.</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008964486,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="350" class="align-right" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008964486,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008964486?profile=original" /></a>On <b>June 5</b> people everywhere celebrate <a href="http://www.unep.org/wed/" target="_blank">World Environment Day 2015</a> (WED) with the United Nations Environment Program to raise awareness worldwide about environmental issues and call people to action.</p><p> </p><p><b>This year’s theme is “Seven Billion Dreams. One Planet. Consume with Care”</b> focusing on the main <b>things people consume and waste</b>: water, food, energy, and all natural resources like forests and animal products. The theme is a powerful one, because it is an opportunity for <b>every person to take a look at how we live and how it impacts the planet – how we shop, eat, live and travel</b>. Every person is responsible in his or her own way to care for the Earth.</p><p> </p><p>“The well-being of humanity, the environment, and the functioning of the economy, ultimately depend upon the <b>responsible management of the planet’s natural resources</b>,” states the UN on the <a href="http://www.unep.org/wed/about.asp" target="_blank">WED website</a>. “By 2050, if current consumption and production patterns remain the same and with a rising population expected to reach 9.6 billion, we will need three planets to sustain our way of life.”</p><p> </p><p>“<b>Consuming with care</b> means living within planetary boundaries to ensure a healthy future where our dreams can be realized,” says the UN. “<b>Living sustainably is about doing more and better with less</b>. It is about knowing that rising rates of natural resource use and the environmental impacts that occur are not a necessary by-product of economic growth.”</p><p> </p><p><b><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008942295,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008942295,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="476" alt="9008942295?profile=original" /></a>Horizontes Nature Tours</b> promotes <a href="http://www.horizontes.com/sustainable-tourism-and-policies" target="_blank">sustainable tourism</a> with our staff, our travel partners and our tourist guests. Our <b>sustainable tourism practices</b> include:</p><ul><li> Protection of national patrimony</li><li>Positive social impact of tourism by supporting the communities we visit</li><li>Low impact travel programs</li><li>Work with small travel groups to minimize impact in natural areas</li><li>Promote Costa Rica’s national parks and natural areas</li><li>Efficient transportation</li><li>Waste and water management</li><li>Energy efficiency</li><li>Tree planting program</li><li>Recycling program</li></ul><p> <b>Horizontes Nature Tours</b> has been honored with the <b>highest level of <a href="http://www.horizontes.com/certifications-awards-and-recognitions" target="_blank">certification in the Sustainable Tourism Program</a></b> of the Costa Rican Tourism Board. In addition we participate in the <b>Rainforest Alliance Verified Program</b> and the <b>Blue Flag Ecological Program</b>.</p><p> </p><p><b>You</b> <b>care for our planet with how you travel</b> when you <b><a href="http://www.horizontes.com/about-costa-rica" target="_blank">visit Costa Rica</a> with Horizontes Nature Tours. <a href="http://www.horizontes.com/design-your-trip" target="_blank">Design your Costa Rica vacation</a></b> with <b>Horizontes Nature Tours</b> today.</p><p><b> </b></p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>See why Costa Rica was named top five best places in the world to retirehttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/see-why-costa-rica-was-named-top-five-best-places-in-the-world-to2015-03-19T02:32:31.000Z2015-03-19T02:32:31.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008933855,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="650" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008933855,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008933855?profile=original" /></a>John Boggs first <b>fell in love with Costa Rica</b> many years ago when he was in the Air Force stationed in Panama. He visited Costa Rica frequently for R&R and on business, but it wasn’t until 2013 when he and his wife, Gay, finally <b>moved to the renowned tropical country to retire</b>.</p><p> </p><p>Selling their house in Virginia, they opted for the <b>adventure of</b> <b>international retirement life</b> and chose <a href="http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/index.php/articles/162-making-atenas-costa-rica-your-new-home" target="_blank">Atenas, Costa Rica</a> <b>for their new home</b>. The couple liked <b>Costa Rica’s</b> <b>family-based culture</b> and chose <b>Atenas</b> for its <b>great location</b>. The small country town is located 45 minutes from the <b>capital city of San Jose</b>, 30 minutes from the <b>Juan Santamaria International Airport</b>, and 45 minutes from <b>Pacific Coast beaches</b>.</p><p> </p><p>“We love the people here. It is a <b>very respectful country and the people are so kind</b>. It reminds us of how the United States was when we were growing up, very family based,” explained Gay Boggs. “In Atenas, we love that we are so close to great health care and close to the airport. It is a <b>small town atmosphere</b> but is very <b>close to everything that we need</b>.”</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008934097,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008934097,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008934097?profile=original" /></a>The Boggs’ are not alone in moving to the country CNN recently named “<b>one of the most amazing destinations for 2015.”</b> <b>Costa Rica,</b> along with <b>Ecuador, Panama and Mexico</b>, are all <b><a href="http://internationalliving.com/2015/01/the-best-places-to-retire-2015/" target="_blank">top five best places in the world to retire</a>,</b> according to the <b>2015 International Living Retirement Index.</b></p><p>Retirees laud <b><a href="http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/index.php/costa-rica-land-and-farms-for-sale" target="_blank">Costa Rica’s affordable real estate</a> and cost of living, good private health care, great weather and relaxed lifestyle</b> as attractive reasons to move to the Central American nation.</p><p>Don and Janie Orsino of Southern California were considering <b>Costa Rica, Panama, Ecuador and Uruguay for places they might like to retire</b>, until they visited Costa Rica. “We did one of those <b>retirement tours in Costa Rica</b>, and we were so convinced after that tour that we didn’t go to those other places,” said Don Orsino. “Everywhere your eye falls <b>it is so beautiful</b>. The weather is great. The <b>people are the friendliest</b> of anywhere in the world, and it has a <b>good stable economy</b> for us to buy a house.”</p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008934260,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008934260,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008934260?profile=original" /></a> </p><p>The Orsinos found their <b>new <a href="http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/index.php/costa-rica-homes-for-rental-and-sale" target="_blank">retirement home in Atenas, Costa Rica</a></b> in November 2014 using realtor Dennis Easters of <a href="http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/" target="_blank">Pure Life Development of Atenas</a>. “Atenas is a neat little town with a lot of nice shops. It is <b>close to the beach,”</b> said Orsino. “We also chose Atenas because if in the future we decide we want to use our home as a <a href="http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/index.php/articles/167-vacation-rentals-are-the-new-way-to-stay-in-atenas-costa-rica" target="_blank">vacation rental</a>, or even if we decide to sell, we know we can get <b>much better prices in Atenas</b> than in many other areas nearby.”</p><p> </p><p>When the Boggs’ <b>chose Atenas as their retirement destination</b>, they opted to <b>build their dream custom home</b>. “We learned quickly that real estate in Costa Rica is not like the United States with its regulations, but <b>we found a few realtors in Costa Rica who were the most professional</b>,” commented Gay Boggs. “Dennis Easters and Gerardo Gonzalez of <a href="http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/index.php/testimonials" target="_blank">Pure Life Development of Atenas</a> found us exactly what we were specifically looking for. They listened to what we wanted and didn’t waste our time, which is rare. We were very <b>impressed with Dennis’ builder and the high quality of construction</b>.”</p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008924855,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="550" class="align-center" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008924855,original{{/staticFileLink}}" alt="9008924855?profile=original" /></a>Realtor Dennis Easters said he left Florida for Atenas because he loved the small community that gave him a feeling of home. “We always say that we’re not selling houses or properties; we sell dreams,” said Easters. “I’m living my dream and I want to share this piece of paradise with others.”</p><p>See what it would be like to <a href="http://www.atenasrealestate.cr/index.php/costa-rica-homes-for-rental-and-sale" target="_blank">live in Atenas, Costa Rica</a> in this <a href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mXPnmOFV_ls" target="_blank">new video</a> from Pure Life Development of Atenas.</p><p><b><i>Article by Shannon Farley</i></b></p></div>Recent Maya finding in Belize - 2012https://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/recent-maya-finding-in-belize-20122012-01-26T12:55:45.000Z2012-01-26T12:55:45.000ZPacz Tourshttps://tripatini.com/members/PaczTours<div><p>Pacz Tours has these fully or nearly intact 2000+ year old pots just discovered this week as road maintenance was being done in San Ignacio on Burns Ave. Main street in town.<a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008680058,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008680058,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008680058?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008680282,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008680282,original{{/staticFileLink}}" width="640" class="align-full" alt="9008680282?profile=original" /></a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008680289,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008680289,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008680289?profile=original" /></a><a href="http://instituteofarchaeologynich.blogspot.com/2012/01/who-says-we-get-day-off-burns-avenus.html" target="_blank">**Read more</a><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008680289,original{{/staticFileLink}}"> </a> .Tours in the <a href="http://www.pacztours.net" target="_blank">maya world of belize</a></p></div>Three Costa Rica teams to compete for gold in World Rafting Championships in New Zealandhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/three-costa-rica-teams-to-compete-for-gold-in-world-rafting2013-10-21T21:53:00.000Z2013-10-21T21:53:00.000ZShannon Farleyhttps://tripatini.com/members/ShannonFarley<div><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>New Zealand</strong> is about as far from <strong>Costa Rica</strong> as you can get. That’s where 21 <a class="zem_slink" title="Costa Rica" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=9.93333333333,-84.0833333333&spn=10.0,10.0&q=9.93333333333,-84.0833333333%20(Costa%20Rica)&t=h" target="_blank">Costa Rican</a> men and women are headed at the beginning of November to compete in the <strong>World Rafting Championships</strong>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Set for <strong>November 13-24 in <a class="zem_slink" title="Rotorua" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=-38.1377777778,176.251388889&spn=0.1,0.1&q=-38.1377777778,176.251388889%20(Rotorua)&t=h" target="_blank">Rotorua, New Zealand</a></strong>, the biennial <a title="IRF World Rafting Championships 2013" href="http://www.internationalrafting.com/events-2/events/world-rafting-champs-2013/" target="_blank"><strong>World Rafting Championships</strong></a> (WRC) will draw <strong>69 teams from 27 countries</strong> to compete in four divisions with men’s and women’s categories – Open, Masters, Junior (under 23) and Youth (under 19).</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Rafting-Womens-Team-Costa-Rica-compete-in-slalom-competition.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Rafting-Womens-Team-Costa-Rica-compete-in-slalom-competition-300x199.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Rafting-Womens-Team-Costa-Rica-compete-in-slalom-competition-300x199.jpg?width=300" /></a>The WRC is the pinnacle event in the highly-competitive <a class="zem_slink" title="Rafting" href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rafting" target="_blank">whitewater rafting</a> world</strong>, governed by the <a title="International Rafting Federation" href="http://www.internationalrafting.com/" target="_blank"><strong>International Rafting Federation</strong></a>. The <a title="History of International Rafting Federation World Championships" href="http://www.internationalrafting.com/about/history/" target="_blank"><strong>first</strong> <strong>IRF World Rafting Championships</strong></a> were held in <strong>Costa Rica in 1998</strong>, and most recently again in <strong>2011</strong>. Top international teams match their whitewater skills in four events – a short sprint, head-to-head between two teams, slalom and a downriver endurance race. Raft teams are composed of six members with a 7<sup>th</sup> alternate.</p><p style="text-align:justify;">Each of <strong>Costa Rica’s teams</strong> has its own story. The <strong>women’s team won a silver medal in slalom at the 2011 WRC</strong>; they are going for gold in November. The <strong>men’s team is the current Costa Rica National Champion</strong> and is hoping to place in the top three at the WRC. The star-studded <strong>master’s team is packed with rafting veterans</strong> who have 25 years of competition experience, including Rafael Gallo, who is owner of Rios Tropicales rafting company in Costa Rica and President and founding member of the IRF.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Rafting-Masters-Team-from-Costa-Rica.jpg"><img class="align-left" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Rafting-Masters-Team-from-Costa-Rica-300x217.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Rafting-Masters-Team-from-Costa-Rica-300x217.jpg?width=300" /></a>New Zealand will be the first WRC with a Master’s competition</strong> for team members over age 40. “We have the longest history of any team in the world competing internationally,” said Rafael Gallo. He and team captain, Victorino Urzola, participated in the first international rafting event with <a title="IRF history of international competitions" href="http://www.internationalrafting.com/about/history/" target="_blank"><strong>Project RAFT in Siberia in 1989</strong></a>, and team members have taken part in many subsequent world competitions. “It has been my dream to go to New Zealand,” Gallo remarked. “We hope to get some medals. We’re very good in slalom.”</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a target="_blank" href="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Rafting-Womens-Team-Costa-Rica-training-on-the-Pacuare-River.jpg"><img class="align-right" src="http://enchanting-costarica.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/Rafting-Womens-Team-Costa-Rica-training-on-the-Pacuare-River-300x199.jpg?width=300" width="300" alt="Rafting-Womens-Team-Costa-Rica-training-on-the-Pacuare-River-300x199.jpg?width=300" /></a></p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Slalom is the forte of the women’s <a title="Women's Costa Rica X-Pinner Team on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/ClubRaftFemCR" target="_blank">Costa Rica X-Pinner Team</a></strong> (sponsored by the X-Pinner sports clothing company). “The slalom is our event. Our trainer (Alejandro Contreras) competed in kayak in slalom and it is his specialty,” explained team captain Lil Castro. “The slalom is a really technical competition, and maybe because we were river guides, we’re good at slalom.” Besides the silver medal at the 2011 WRC, the team has placed well in slalom at <strong>Pan-American Competitions</strong>, earning a <strong>gold medal in 2010 in Brazil</strong>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008800863,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="628" class="align-left" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008800863,original{{/staticFileLink}}" height="194" alt="9008800863?profile=original" /></a>For the <strong>men’s <a title="Men's Costa Rica Xtreme Team on Facebook" href="https://www.facebook.com/pages/Equipo-Rafting-Costa-Rica/459516864085823" target="_blank">Costa Rica Xtreme Team</a></strong>, the downriver is the event they hope to win. “We are river guides and know how to go down a river; we are experienced kayakers and that helps us,” explained team member Walter Centeno. “There is much more competition in the men’s events, and we train a lot in teamwork to perfect our coordination.” Team members have competed in <strong>five World Rafting Championships and are six-time Costa Rica National Champions</strong>.</p><p style="text-align:justify;"><strong>Costa Rica is one of the world’s top destinations for whitewater rafting</strong>, and <a class="zem_slink" title="Turrialba, Costa Rica" href="http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=9.9,-83.6833333333&spn=0.1,0.1&q=9.9,-83.6833333333%20(Turrialba%2C%20Costa%20Rica)&t=h" target="_blank">Turrialba</a> – home of adventure tour operator Explornatura – is the “whitewater rafting capital” of Costa Rica. <a title="Explornatura adventure tour operator in Costa Rica" href="http://www.explornatura.com/" target="_blank"><strong>Explornatura</strong></a> specializes in <strong>Costa Rica rafting and adventure tours</strong> near Turrialba.</p><p><strong>Article by <a title="Follow writer Shannon Farley on Google+" href="https://plus.google.com/u/0/104506194721250694108/posts" target="_blank">Shannon Farley</a></strong></p></div>Mr. Gay World: Anuncio de los Directores Continentales - Alfredo Ferreyra nombrado Director para America del Surhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/mr-gay-world-anuncio-de-los-directores-continentales-alfredo2011-10-11T12:37:48.000Z2011-10-11T12:37:48.000Zalfredo ferreyrahttps://tripatini.com/members/alfredoferreyra<div><blockquote><p>Mr. Gay World: Anuncio de los Directores Continentales</p><p>MGW: Continental Directors Announced</p></blockquote><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008657454,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008657454,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008657454?profile=original" /></a></p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Comunicado de Prensa </p><p>For Immediate Release</p><p> </p><p>Mr. Gay World announces Continental Directors</p><p>Mr. Gay World gets ready for fourth annual global competition with a</p>well rounded volunteer advisory board from all corners of the globe.<p> </p><p>Sydney, Australia - October 11th, 2011 - Eric Butter, President of</p><p>Mr. Gay World announced today his new global volunteer advisory board</p><p>representing all corners of the globe. Butter says, "Many of our</p><p>international producers have been on the Mr. Gay journey for a number</p><p>of years and as Mr. Gay World heads into our fourth global competition</p><p>set for South Africa we felt it was time to reorganize our structure</p>to maximize our synergies with each of the global regions."<p> </p><p>Mr. Gay World welcomes volunteer directors from Africa, Asia, Europe,</p><p>North America, South America and Oceania. All of the directors have a</p><p>huge wealth of knowledge in LGBT Tourism, Human Rights and sexual</p>diversity.<p> </p><p>Coenie Kukkuk - Africa | Co-Founder of Mr. Gay South Africa (Pty) Ltd</p><p>and an accomplished attorney. Kukkuk is a commissioner of the Small</p><p>Claims Court and is an activist in South Africa for sexual diversity</p><p>and equal human rights. Kukkuk is a member of the Pink Loerie Mardi</p><p>Gras organizing committee and runs a social news network called</p>Gayspeak News.<p> </p><p>Noemi Alberto - Asia | Co-Founder of Mr. Gay World and Mr. Gay</p><p>Philippines. Alberto sits on the Executive Committee for Mr. Gay</p><p>World and is the Chairperson for Mr. Gay Philippines. Alberto is a</p><p>chemical engineering graduate and successful business woman in Manila</p><p>with a career placement agency. Alberto is active with various</p><p>outreach programs including charity work and education with HIV/AIDS</p>founding the "Red Ribbon Campaign."<p> </p><p>Tore Aasheim - Europe | Playing a key role in creating both Mr. Gay</p><p>Europe and Mr. Gay World. Aasheim is the President of Mr. Gay Europe</p><p>and recently held the role of district council leader in Oslo; he is</p><p>the chairman of the gay network of the Socialist Leftwing party of</p><p>Norway and he is the editor of the pansexual magazine Cupido in</p><p>Norway. Aasheim has an international degree in Journalism and has</p><p>been working as to Editor in Chief for a radio station, a newspaper</p><p>and several lifestyle magazines. Aasheim has been Managing Director of</p><p>a model agency and an acting school. Aasheim has also worked in</p><p>television with a national music show and interactive TV shows,</p>covering anything from public service to gay lifestyle.<p> </p><p>Dean Nelson - North America & Oceania | Co-Founder of Mr. Gay World</p><p>and Mr. Gay Canada. Nelson sits on the Executive Committee for Mr.</p><p>Gay World and is the Executive Producer of GayWhistler's WinterPRIDE</p><p>and currently sits on the Board of Directors for Travel Gay Canada.</p><p>Nelson has been active in various community groups including Vancouver</p><p>Pride Society, InterPride, GLISA 2011 North America Outgames Society</p><p>and the founder/executive producer of the 2010 Olympic Winter Games</p><p>PRIDEhouse, an LGBT pavilion that celebrated sexual diversity and</p>created a dialogue on homophobia within sports.<p> </p><p>Alfredo Ferreyra - South America | Alfredo was born in Buenos Aires,</p><p>Argentina, studied at home and abroad getting two Master in Business</p><p>Administration degrees. He has worked for 25 years for IBM retiring in</p><p>the position of Business Control. Since 2001 he was the founder of</p><p>several companies related to LGBT activities and tourism services. He</p><p>is specialized in personalized and tailor-made services to the LGBT</p><p>community. He has joined IGLTA in 2001 and since 2007 he was named</p><p>IGLTA Representative to Argentina and Uruguay. He works with a variety</p><p>of LGBT Non Profit Organizations and HIV/AIDS foundations. Finally he</p>is currently working as LGBT Market Consultant in Latin America.<p> </p><p>Alfredo Ferreyra - Sud America | Alfredo nació en Buenos Aires,</p><p>Argentina, estudió en su país y en el exterior obteniendo dos</p><p>Maestrías en Administración de Negocios. El ha trabajado por 25 años</p><p>en IBM retirándose en la posición de Control de Negocios. Desde el año</p><p>2001, él ha fundado varias compañías relacionadas a las actividades</p><p>LGBT y a los servicios de turismo para la comunidad LGBT,</p><p>especializándose en productos turísticos personalizados y privados. Se</p><p>incorporó a la IGLTA en el año 2001 y desde el año 2007 fue nombrado</p><p>Representante de la IGLTA para Argentina y Uruguay. El trabaja en</p><p>varias Organizaciones No Gubernamentales LGBT y en Fundaciones de</p><p>Lucha contra el VIH/SIDA. Actualmente se desempeña como Consultor del</p><p>Mercado LGBT en América Latina.</p><p> </p><p>Mr. Gay World is very excited to welcome the new team of MGW12 and</p><p>looks forward in helping to raise awareness of sexual diversity and</p><p>equal human rights throughout the world. Mr. Gay World competition</p><p>will be held in Johannesburg, South Africa April 4-8, 2012. The grand</p><p>finale of Mr. Gay World will be on Sunday, April 8th, 2012 8PM at The</p>Lyric Theatre, Gold Reef City Casino, Johannesburg, South Africa.<p> </p><p>The mission of Mr. Gay World (MGW) is to advance national and</p><p>international gay rights through education and public performance.</p><p>MGW creates authentic leaders who will take responsibility, not only</p><p>in his own community but on a global stage, speaking out for equal</p><p>rights by inspiring those around him. MGW is a genuine and positive</p><p>role model that will champion equality and diversity in the media both</p><p>gay and mainstream.</p><p> </p><p>For more information on Mr. Gay World please visit mrgayworld.org</p><p> </p><p>About Mr. Gay World ( MrGayWorld.org )</p><p> </p><p>The Mr. Gay World Competition is the Twenty First Century beauty</p><p>contest where the delegates represent their nation as the best</p><p>spokesperson and embody the spirit of their nation. The delegate</p><p>chosen to represent his peers on a global stage will not only have the</p><p>inner beauty of confidence, self assurance, charisma and natural</p><p>leadership abilities but he will also take care in his outward beauty.</p><p> </p><p>4th Annual Mr. Gay World Competition heads to Johannesburg, South</p><p>Africa (April 4-8 2012)</p><p>Mr. Gay World Grand Finale is set to take place in the dynamic city</p>of Johannesburg, South Africa, April 4-8, 2012.<p> </p><p>President of MGW, Eric Butter said, "We are so excited to take our</p><p>Big Five (continents) to Africa to experience the 'Rainbow Nation' for</p><p>our fourth annual competition over the Easter holidays. The producers</p><p>of Mr. Gay South Africa have produced excellent quality events and are</p><p>so looking forward to the production and unique African experience</p>they are planning for the international delegation." MrGayWorld.org<p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p> </p><p>Mr. Gay World - International Media</p><p>Dean Nelson</p><p>MGW Media Relations</p><p>Tel: +1.604.288.7218</p>dean@mrgayworld.org<p> </p><p> </p><p>Mr. Gay World - African Media</p><p>Coenie Kukkuk</p><p>Media Relations</p><p>Tel: +27 12 348 3717</p>Email: coeniek@mrgsa.co.za<p> </p><p>Mr . Gay World - European Media</p><p> </p><p>Tore Aasheim</p><p>Media Relations</p>Email: tore.aasheim@mrgaymail.com<p> </p><p>Mr. Gay World - Latin America Media</p><p>Alfredo Ferreyra</p><p>Media Relations</p><p>Email: <a href="mailto:buegay@gmail.com">buegay@gmail.com</a></p><p> </p><p><a href="{{#staticFileLink}}9008657454,original{{/staticFileLink}}"><img width="750" src="{{#staticFileLink}}9008657454,original{{/staticFileLink}}" class="align-full" alt="9008657454?profile=original" /></a></p></div>T-Minus 51 Dayshttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/tminus-51-days2011-06-17T19:00:00.000Z2011-06-17T19:00:00.000ZTania Paynehttps://tripatini.com/members/TaniaPayne<div><p><span style="text-decoration:underline;">January 26th 2009, 03:01</span></p><p>Perhaps unusually, I’m beginning my travelogue from my desk at home. Having told everyone our plans for the next year (top three comments so far: “That’s going to test the friendship”; “Don’t get pregnant”; “What if I die?” Thanks for that, Mum), and after all the calls made and emails sent to travel agents, and having attended nearly all of Alex’s leaving dos, as far as I’m concerned, we’ve already started. We’ve even come up with a departure date: 1st February. <br /><br />Frankly, the travel agents haven’t responded with quite the enthusiasm we had hoped for. Trailfinders, the agent I used for my last adventure abroad, seemed a good prospect over the phone and said they looked forward to our visit in store to discuss our trip. But they forgot to agree this with the advisor who served us. Our assigned agent listened with professional patience to our wants list and, when we finished, said “Sure” blandly and we sat in silence as she tapped away at her keyboard, finally announcing an approximate cost of £2.5 grand. Surprised that we weren’t prepared to hand over the cash with gay abandon right there and then, she seemed really quite put out when we asked for suggestions to get the most bang for our buck, apparently exasperated that we didn’t have everything all planned out already and wanted something more from her than a finger workout and a total cost. <br /><br />So, we sent off 5 emails to different tour operators and travel agents with a proposed route. We were the opposite of inundated with replies. We were entirely undated. With one exception: Paul from Travel Nation, the only one who seemed to have a found job that appealed to any kind of personal interest. At last, we heard the words we had been longing to hear: “If I were you” followed by the clincher: “That’ll save you a grand”. All we’d had to do was remove India and Japan from our itinerary. After all, Africa, South East Asia, Australia, New Zealand and South America is probably enough to be getting on with. He is clearly a genius among travel agents. Now all we have to do is cough up the cash.<br /><br />In the meantime, I’ve raided Dad’s international contacts list and emailed 99 of his friends and colleagues across the planet. I’m still receiving replies, ranging from offers to connect us with various NGOs, to home invites and road trips, one confused “Professional contact only!” (oops) and only 31 delivery failures. And on leaving Alex’s house this morning, we bumped into the guy from two doors down the road whose family turn out to be based in Nairobi, owning properties all along the east coast of Africa, who has given us his mobile number and promised to send his brother out there an email for us. <br /><br />So, it feels like we’re well on our way, and we haven’t even bought the tickets.</p></div>Sports Tourism Big in Africa this Summerhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/sports-tourism-big-in-africa2010-04-01T13:30:00.000Z2010-04-01T13:30:00.000ZHarry Bunnellhttps://tripatini.com/members/HarryBunnell<div><a href="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7BR3dYmDyhk/S7SdSGami7I/AAAAAAAAAD8/1buT9uUpdos/s1600/africangame6.jpg"><img style="float:left;margin:0 10px 10px 0;width:200px;height:132px;" src="http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_7BR3dYmDyhk/S7SdSGami7I/AAAAAAAAAD8/1buT9uUpdos/s200/africangame6.jpg" border="0" alt="" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455157982937910194" name="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5455157982937910194" /></a><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">It is set to be a year of massive sporting events, 2010 kicked off with the Winter Olympics in Whistler, and the whole world is anticipating the FIFA World Cup in South Africa this summer. There are many economic and social benefits to hosting international events. Whistler attracted 250,000 visitors to the area and $10 billion in revenues. Along with the financial injection, a host city will see development to infrastructure, increased jobs, and a continued development model of growth even after the event has been and gone.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">The World Cup Finals in South Africa this June are on an even bigger scale and could contribute 50 billion rand to the economy, while tourism could generate a further 15 billion rand, with 3.5 million fans expected to attend the tournament. Not only will this be a great boost to the continued development of South Africa but surely for the continent as a whole.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Going to South Africa to watch your team play this summer is no cheap holiday. Once you have bought your flight, paid for a hotel and calculated spending money, the costs can run into the thousands. For those who want to see the Finals in Africa this summer there is another region that is equally amazing, but tourism there is less often on the media map. On the westernmost region of the African continent, West Africa is on the flight route from Europe and America to Cape Town and will be a great destination to visit during the World Cup.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">The concept of sports tourism in West Africa is nowhere near the same level as South Africa, but that could be changing with the opening of new facilities such as the</span> <a href="http://www.ghananewsagency.org/s_sports/r_13957/"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Right to Dream</span></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">academy in Ghana.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Football is the biggest sport in West Africa. Watched and followed everywhere, kids and adults alike pretend to be in their role-models shoes by playing the ‘perfect game’ in every condition, sometimes only with a ball made from rags. Famous footballers such as Didier Drogba and Craig Bellamy are using football as a tool for community development and education through the setting up football and education centres for children in West Africa. It would be great to start channelling more money from sports tourism into communities in countries such as Côte d’Ivoire and Sierra Leone where it is needed most.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">In June, West Africa will be alive with passion as their football heroes battle it out on the global stage. Bars and hotels across West Africa will be showing the games, and the local people will be more than happy to welcome and share a drink with a football fan. As well as going for the African football vibe, a holiday here is sure to give an experience of Africa quite different from the roaring stadiums and hustle bustle of crowds in the South African capital. There are four West African teams in the World Cup finals this year; Cameroon, Côte d'Ivoire, Ghana, and Nigeria. These are four very different West African countries with equally amazing possibilities for rich fulfilling natural and cultural holidays.</span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">Cameroon, for example, is home of Barcelona striker Samuel Eto’o. Also dubbed 'Africa in miniature' due to the diversity of its terrain, biodiversity and cultures, Cameroon is one of the most exciting and unexplored countries in West Africa. From lush rainforest hiding waterfalls to pristine beaches, this country has a wealth of resources which can provide tourists with the most unique and unforgettable experiences. Click</span> <a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/cameroon-holidays.html"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">here</span></a></span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">for some ideas about holidays in Cameroon.</span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">Another football role-model, Chelsea star Michael Essien, hails from Ghana, the country whose name means ‘Warrior King’. Often considered as the friendliest country in West Africa, this country was the seat of the Royal Court of the once powerful Ashanti Empire, whose vestiges are still visible today in the Ghanaian culture. Festivals, ceremonies and social values are a testimony to the prosperous past of this amazing country. C<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">lick</span> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;"><a href="http://www.westafricadiscovery.co.uk/ghana-holidays.html">here</a> t<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:Georgia, serif;font-size:16px;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">o discover the opportunities for travellers seeking adventure and exploration</span></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size:small;">.</span></span></span></span></span></span></p><p class="MsoNormal"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family:'trebuchet ms';font-size:small;">For anyone looking for a different and unique experience of watching the World Cup this summer, West Africa is well worth checking out. It is a culturally rich and diverse region, full of surprises and life changing experiences. There are a wide selection of tour operators whose holidays respect the environment and support the economies of local communities. By choosing responsible tours travellers can discover the beauty of West Africa safe in the knowledge that their trip is making a difference and that money from tourism is going to communities that will really benefit from it.</span></p></div>Half a World Away: The Power of Connection in Travelhttps://tripatini.com/profiles/blogs/half-a-world-away-the-power-of2010-03-04T20:12:25.000Z2010-03-04T20:12:25.000ZUncle Sam's New Yorkhttps://tripatini.com/members/UncleSamsNewYork<div>by Samuel Cook<br /><br /><p style="text-align:center;"><img src="http://unclesamsnewyork.files.wordpress.com/2010/03/world-map.jpg?w=300&h=159" alt="world-map.jpg?w=300&h=159" /></p><br /> <br />This past week, I took the opportunity to take my first real vacation since the summer of 2007. It is ironic that an executive of a travel company never gets to travel himself, but such is the reality of running a business - I have had to put my passion for traveling on the back burner as I have built a business around serving the needs of other travelers. My last vacation was a whirlwind trip around the United States to visit friends and family before I deployed on my second tour to Iraq. I was also looking for somewhere to attend graduate school, and it was on this trip that I rediscovered New York City and decided this was the place that I had to live and start a new life. It was on this trip that I discovered the power of connecting with the local population and engaging them on their terms. Instead of Times Square, I found the taverns of Greenwich Village, and strolled the streets of New York City, far and wide. And what I found is that the magic of travel is to truly interact with the local population.<br /><br />So this past week, I went on a vacation to Fiji. I was there at a conference, but the conference was focused on improving your health, life, and finances, so while I was in classes for most of the day and evening, I found it be a well needed break. It wasn’t a typical trip I would call a vacation – on those I usually attack them full on as an adventure, a call to action to see, experience, and soak in the local culture. That was not the purpose of this trip; I had intended it as a time to relax. But on this trip, I encountered some truly magic moments that reminded me of why we travel in the first place.<br /><br />Fiji is a set of Islands in the Pacific Ocean between Hawaii and the Australian continent. It was first settled over 3,500 years ago by voyagers from the Polynesian culture of Asia. It was first discovered in 1643 by a Dutch Explorer named Abel Tasman while he was looking for the great Southern Continent. Fiji had a long history of fierce tribal warfare and cannibalism, which mainly deterred European voyagers from frequenting the Islands, and it was known for a long time as “The Cannibal Isles.” Fijians today call this period “The Time of the Devil.” With the discovery of Australia in the late 1700s by Captain Cook, Fiji fell under the influence of Britain as a key strategic way station for its new pacific holdings. Fiji received independence from Britain in 1970. Today it is a vibrant country sustained on tropical agriculture and tourism.<br /><br />I spent my time in Fiji on the Namale Resort near the small Island town of Suva Suva on the Island of Vanua Levu. The views from our resort were breathtaking, situated on a hill overlooking the Pacific Ocean, the expanse before us so vast that at sunset you had trouble telling where the waters ended and the heavens began. I took snorkeling trips in pristine coves laced with Coral and brimming with tropical fish, and also did some swimming in the ocean and hiking around the tropical forests surrounding the resorts. And all of this was spectacular, but what really made the trip worth the effort were two special interactions with the Fijian people. Now while the Fijian Islands used to be known as the Cannibal Isles, that has long since been replaced by a wonderful, carefree spirit that makes you wonder how they manage to not see how serious life should be!<br /><br />We visited a Pentecostal local church, and the Fijian people in the congregation sang in a natural harmony that we spend years teaching in our music schools. I think if I lived in paradise, I would probably also learn to sing so well. The highlight of the local interaction came on the night that the local villagers donned their ancient war outfits while singing. These traditions once sustained the Island before Western life invaded the Islands. I felt like I was on a magic carpet ride through time, watching men in ancient warrior garb with spears dance in front of men, jumping in and out of roles they played with such deadly ferocity centuries ago. And then hearing these deep baritone warrior voices blend with the sweet soprano of the ladies who form the backbone of their tribal clan – the ladies invariably far outlive their warrior husbands. It is hard to describe the sound of a proud group of people singing about their land in an enchanting beautiful and unintelligible tongue.<br /><br />This break, although too short and not the typical adventure I would embark on, reminded me the reason that I got into this business in the first place. Sometimes in the midst of owning a business, I tend to lose sight of the passion and the reason that I was inspired to create my vision in the first place. At the end of the day, I got into this to provide the unique experiences to visitors that I have had the honor of experiences during my travels all over the world. Just as there is magic in the tribal dances and singing of Fijian culture, there is also magic in the streets of New York City. Seeing the Fijian singers, I am reminded of a wonderful summer evening last year in New York City, when I was leading a pub crawl through Greenwich Village. On Bleecker street, around sunset, a group of street singers began their routine across from the hot dog stand. Everyone stoppe ; the whole street was too enchanted by their wonderful harmony to move. All we wanted to do was just stand there and let them keep singing, bringing us back to those memories in our mind of those times that we cherish.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.unclesamsnewyork.com/">http://www.unclesamsnewyork.com/</a><br /><br /><a href="http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Uncle-Sams-New-York/182225010022?ref=ts">http://www.facebook.com/pages/New-York-NY/Uncle-Sams-New-York/182225010022?ref=ts</a></div>