This Summer Check Out Petoskey, MI

I traveled up to Northern Michigan this winter hoping for some extreme weather. Two trips to Petoskey, MI – one in November and another over Christmas and New Years were great fun, though the weather was not as extreme as I had hoped.

I was in Petoskey last June for a wedding and thought a winter trip would be fun – which it was. Petoskey is a charming town on Little Traverse Bay (Lake Michigan) about 70 miles north of Traverse City Michigan. I had never been to this part of the world before and I am highly recommending it as a place to visit.

• Cava in Bay Harbor for pizza, beer and pool
• Symons General Store is a great source for gourmet food supplies
• Petoskey Health & Fitness for a good workout
• Roast & Toast for a great cup of coffee

The Caribbean Islands are wonderful, but there are a lot of other wonder sights and towns to visit – like Petoskey & Harbor Springs, MI.

Caribbean Pirates Move to Hawaii for Fun in the Sun

The upcoming filming of ‘Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides’ will take place on the Hawaiian Islands of Kaua’i and O’ahu.

Johnny Depp will star in the 4th Pirates of the Caribbean (or 1st installment of Pirates of Hawaii).

According to our sources, the change in locale is not about a lack of booty in the Caribbean Islands. I’m sure the Hawaiian Islands also have enough booty to keep a gang of Caribbean cutthroats happy for the duration of the filming.

It may be good timing for the project to move to Hawaii as the Caribbean continues to deal with the effects of the recent earthquakes in Haiti (another one today 6.1) and the 5.8 quake that hit the Cayman Islands on Tuesday (no damage reported). Seems like Mother Nature has yet to completely settle down in Caribbean.

The move to Hawaii makes the film title – On Stranger Tides – even more meaningful.

Florida Teen Wins Poker Tournament while Haiti Deals with Quake

Haiti, one of the most impoverished countries in the Western Hemisphere, is dealing with death, destruction and the effects of years of bad building practices. There is no doubt that better building standards and more share the wealth could have reduced the amount of death and destruction that resulted as a result of the recent earthquake.

But, even as the world community rushes aid and resources to help Haiti, life goes on. While Haiti continues to deal with poverty, a Florida teen has won $2.2 million in the recent Poker Stars tournament held in the Bahamas.

Harrison “gibler321″ Gimbel bested a 1,529-strong field from 57 countries after winning his seat into the $10,000 no limit hold’em tournament in a $1,000 satellite held the night before the event started.

Not bad for a 19-year old that dropped out from his first year of college in September.

Earthquakes & Poker – Poverty & Instant Riches — Life!

Caribbean Cougars are Down, Time Shares and Unemployment are Up

It looks like the Caribbean Islands are still calling to U.S. baby boomers and others seeking surf, sand and gentle breezes as their home away from home.

“Member demand for vacation exchange and resort rentals in the Caribbean is strong and we continue to affiliate new projects throughout the region,” said David C. Gilbert, executive vice president of resort sales and marketing for Interval International. “In today’s environment, shared ownership offers resort developers a compelling business model with multiple profit centers and higher occupancy levels than hotels. In the case of mixed-use projects, it also provides the potential for cost-saving operating synergies and reduced marketing costs.”

Additionally, interest in the region among U.S. resident leisure travelers considering a shared ownership purchase is significant. According to the Future Timeshare Buyers: 2009 Market Profile, the Caribbean is one of the preferred international destinations of choice among U.S. resident leisure travelers interested in purchasing vacation time in the next two years, as approximately eight in 10 (78 percent) indicate they want to vacation in the region.

Perhaps 2010 will be a better year for time-shares and fractional ownership in the Caribbean. Fractional ownership was really building steam in the Caribbean Islands until the downturn in the global economy. There are many great deals on timeshares and fractionals available in the Caribbean Islands.

Carnival Cruise Lines Says No to Cougars

So-called “Cougars” and the men who pursue them won’t be cruising for companionship on Carnival Cruise Lines.

The Miami-based company has turned down a party planner trying to book a group of older women and younger men.

Barbados Leads Unemployment Jump in Caribbean Islands

The unemployment rate in Barbados jumped from 8.3 percent in 2008 to 10 percent in 2009 making this Caribbean Island the unfortunate leader in increasing unemployment in the region.

Keep Your Caribbean Vacation Free from Violent Crime

Want to up your chances for getting murdered on your Caribbean vacation? If not, you may want to stay clear of The Bahamas, Puerto Rico and Jamaica.

These three Caribbean Islands are at the top of the list for murders in 2009. 2632 murders in total on these three islands.

When planning Caribbean vacation, personal safety should be a consideration. A good tan doesn’t look so good in the morgue.

Which Caribbean Islands are safest?

If you want to enjoy a Caribbean Island vacation without having to worry about your safety, perhaps you should consider vacationing in the Leeward Islands:

• U.S. Virgin Islands: St. Thomas, St. John, St. Croix, Water Island (US)
• British Virgin Islands: Tortola, Virgin Gorda, Anegada, Jost Van Dyke (UK)
• Anguilla (UK)
• Saint Martin/Sint Maarten (Fr./Neth.)
• Saint-Barthélemy (Fr.)
• Saba (Neth.)
• Sint Eustatius (Neth.)
• Saint Kitts
• Nevis
• Barbuda
• Antigua
• Redonda
• Montserrat (UK)
• Guadeloupe (Fr.)

The Leeward Islands have some of the lowest violent crime rates in the Caribbean Islands. The beauty of the Leeward Islands is unsurpassed. The seas, sand, flora and sun are just what you want for your Caribbean vacation.

The Leeward Islands are perfect for family vacations, weddings or couple get-a-ways.

The Leeward Islands represent some of the top tourist destinations in the Caribbean. With some of the strongest economies and lower crime rates the U.S. Virgin Islands, British Virgin Islands, Anguilla, Saint Martin/Sint Maarten, Antigua and the other Leeward Islands are the destination of choice for vacations without the thrill of drug related violent crime.

The Dutch Continue to Define Their Role & Influence in the Caribbean Islands

Same Sex Marriages in the Dutch Caribbean Islands

Six islands in the Caribbean: St. Eustatius, Saba, St. Maarten, Aruba, Curaçao and Bonaire, are still part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. The Dutch have been in the process of restructuring the borders and autonomy of the various island entities, including the extent to which Dutch Law will apply to local island administration.

A recent article in the St. Maarten Daily Herald revealed that the Dutch want no discrimination in these six islands in regard to same-sex marriages. Once instituted, these islands may see tourism revenues increase from greater numbers of gay & lesbian vacationers.

The Dutch are Plotting World Domination

Crazy Venezuelan strongman Hugo Chavez has accused the Dutch of being behind a sinister plot to help the U.S., Canada and Mexico to combine in a new super country – the North American Union. I can certainly see the Canadians going along for – can’t you?!!?? – that ride and the U.S. might as well absorb Mexico as it would at least make all of their current hassles with Mexico domestic instead of international.

No 14-year Old Dutch Sailors Allowed

Fourteen-year old Laura Dekker, who went to court at age 13 to fight for her right to become the youngest female to circumnavigate the globe has surfaced in St. Maarten. Fleeing The Netherlands and her boat, Guppy, Laura disappeared from Holland. No word yet on how she made it to St. Maarten.

Well as you can see, the Dutch continue to influence news and events in the Caribbean Islands.

Caribbean Islands Sex Vacations for Canadians & Others

There have been several reports out of Canada about the blooming Caribbean Sex Vacation trade. It seems that tens of thousands of Canadian women are making there way to the Caribbean Islands for some fun in the sun that includes some free-wheeling sexual escapades.

Should this shock us? I would think that most people taking a vacation in the Caribbean Islands have sex on their minds along with surf, sand, rum and sun.

I remember when I was  in my twenties, I was fishing commercial lobster out of Georgetown, Grand Cayman. Every time we anchored up in the harbor at Georgetown, I had some sexual thoughts on my mind. Of course, I was 21 at the time.

There was this pair of Canadian sisters, whose father had a little scooter business on the island. Thank God for the Canadians and there more open attitude toward sex. I knew a Canadian girl in Germany a few years before my Cayman Island fishing days – she too, had a more casual attitude toward sex.

I’m not saying all Canadians are casual around sex or that the entire population of Canadian women are flocking to the Caribbean Islands to get naked with the locals, but those three Canadians were sure a lot less inhibited around sex, than this lad from the USA.

In reading the various blog posts about Caribbean sex and the growing numbers of Canadian women traveling to the Caribbean Islands for winter romp to chase the blues away all I can say is I for one prefer the Canadian Maple Leaf ver the puritanical fig leaf.

Other Links of Interest

The most beautiful Hooters Girls from around the world will arrive in the Virgin Islands to film the Hooters Dream Girl television features and shoot to Hooters Magazine.

During the week, Hooters Girls will be interviewed for the television show Dream Girls and modeling for Hooters Magazine photo shoot, as well as participate in various competitive events around the island. 16 Dream Girls Hooters will be in St. Thomas on Wednesday, November 18 from noon – 2:30. The Hooters of St. Thomas is located at Buccaneer Mall in Havensight, USVI.

The VICL Fall Boat Show is also a time when new Charter Yacht Vacation Brokers are able to get certified so they can actually open their businesses. Flagship is the clearing house that is providing the New Broker Training this year, with Sue Maki as the facilitator of this critical two part mandatory seminar. Sue also was the instructor for the new Brokers taking their certification course at the BVI Charter Yacht Show. Another important event of the Boat Show is the annual VICL Board of Governors meeting. All VICL members are invited to attend so they are able to get updated on the issues and actions that will be enacted this next year.

Located in the Caribbean Sea, the St . Thomas Island is the capital of the US Virgin Islands .

The US Virgin Islands are comprised of a cluster of many small islands and three primary islands: St. Thomas, St. John and St. Croix. Columbus first set foot on St. Thomas in 1474 as I recall. The British Virgin islands are also made up of a cluster of many small islands the primary one of which is Virgin Gorda. If you’ve never been there, I highly recommend The Baths at Virgin Gorda. This is a natural outcropping of enormous granite stones portions of which are in the surf so you can walk, swim, snorkel among them in spectacularly clear, warm water and gorgeous.

Other Links of Interest

Love those Burgers, Love that Beer & Love those Wings

St Thomas Labor Day was full of Love!

For the Labor Day holiday on St Thomas, I spent the day at Hull Bay at of very steep Hull Road. There’s a boat launch, so all the fisherman and divers launch there.

Bugs is Huge in St Thomas, USVI – meaning there’s a huge lobster at Hull Bay called bugs.

There’s a wonderful secluded beach where the locals go – no crowds and a lots of beach. We had lunch at the Hull Bay Hideaway for beers and the best hamburgers in on the north side. This part of the island is one of two areas where the French settled. On St. Thomas, Frenchies split into two groups. One group went into the North Side hills to be farmers. Because of the steep and rocky terrain, farmland was terraced to keep crops from washing away. These terraces are still in use today.

After the Hideway, we headed over to MoJo’s to meet with friends. MoJos is the new place in town where the the best hot wings on earth happen to be served!

All in all, my labors for this year’s Labor Day resulted in being well taken care of with food, booze and friendship.

You Don’t have to go to a Friendly Market to find Wild Game on St Thomas

First thing in the morning we drive to a small market called Friendly to pickup the daily newspaper and start looking for a cottage or share-rental not a lot in my price range, housing can be a challenge here.

The Island is 13 miles long and 4 miles wide with a large mountain in the middle great for views but hard to build on so a lot of the rentals are on the road very undesirable.

After a day of looking Debra and I had a great dinner at “13″  a new restaurant on the North side.

After a week I find my cottage!! Down a long steep drive deep (naturally!) in the jungle over looking Carrot Bay and the Atlantic. The yard is alive all the time, wild Chickens, Iguanas, Land Crabs,  Birds and Lizards of all sizes. This is not the driveway I want to fall down on in a rum-drunken stupor – there’s no telling what I’d look like in the morning if I survived the night.

Speaking of wild chickens – aren’t cock fights illegal? Then why are these guys fighting all day long while I’m trying to rest up for my next adventure??