Link Love on Thanksgiving Day

San Ramon Valley CA Real Estate – If you’re in need of a Realtor in the East Bay of California.

Petoskey Mi – If you haven’t visited the Great Lakes and Northern Michigan, put it on your bucket list.

Tired of daydreaming? Explore the Obvious at Open-Secrets

If you decide to move and need an electrician in Petoskey be sure to contact Emil.

If you would rather have a ski condo in Park City Utah – contact Tom Ward

If you’re a business in the San Francisco Bay Area or planning an event, you might need these services:

• Temporary Fence Rental
• Portable Toilets
• Recycle Cooking Oil

Link love is posting a link to sites or blogs, usually unsolicited, that you enjoy, admire, or find useful.

Want to take guitar lessons from a pro?

Forget About Occupying Wall Street – Get Down to St. Thomas for Fun & Sun

5 miles from the St. Thomas Airport lies the family-run Mafolie Hotel & Restaurant. The Mafolie Hotel has shuttle service to downtown Charlotte Amalie and Magens Bay Beach. The hotel gives you easy access to local sightseeing in Charlotte Amalie and nearby activities around St. Thomas. The Mafolie Hotel offers panoramic views and is the ideal spot for enjoying all St. Thomas has to offer, from Blackbeard’s Castle to the pristine white-sand beach of Magens Bay. The Mafolie’s pool bar is one of the island’s open secrets.

In the shadow of the St. Thomas airport lies Brewer’s Bay – don’t let the jet noise scare you away from this island treasure. Brewer’s Bay is protected from the easterly trade winds and is an excellent place to relax and swim in the quiet lake-like water. Local food trucks supply hungry beach visitors with “pate” – fried stuff dough pocket delights. There are no bathrooms, restrooms or any other visitor amenities.

Catch a little history on St. Thomas at the A. H. Riise Mall (opened in 1838) – beautiful boutiques selling luxury jewelry, watches, fragrances, skin care and cosmetics. Be sure to pick up a bottle of Cruzan rum and a piece of nautical jewelry.

While vacastioning in St. Thomas, USVI – be sure to plan a daytrip to Hassel Island (135 acres) or “Estate Orkenhullet” (Danish for hurricane hole) which has a long and complex history, and is rich in historic structures and artifacts. In 1978, 95% of the Hassel Island was sold to the National Park Service, becoming part of the Virgin Islands National Park.

Some claim that Virgilio’s is the best Italian restaurant in the Virgin Islands where you can dine with opera music, stained glass windows, and crystal chandeliers. The food is  prepared in Northern Italian style – light on thick tomato sauces, but heavy on the garlic. Treat yourself to a great meal of Italian food while vacationing in St. Thomas.

If diving or snorkeling is included in your St Thomas vacation plans, be sure to stop by Coki Beach Dive Club – they specialize in beginner snorkeling and night diving.

No vacation in St. Thomas is complete without a Kahluah laced milkshake from Udder Delight Shake Shack located just outside Magens Bay Beach.

Caribbean Islands – Take  Licking and Keep on Ticking? We Hope!

It’s been a hell of a year for the Caribbean – earthquakes, tropical storms, oil spills and now coral bleaching.

According to the NOAA Coral Reef Watch monitoring system, coral bleaching is likely in the Caribbean in 2010. With temperatures above-average all year, NOAA’s models show a strong potential for bleaching in the southern and southeastern Caribbean through October that could be as severe as in 2005 when over 80 percent of corals bleached and over 40 percent died at many sites across the Caribbean. Scientists are already reporting coral bleaching at several Caribbean sites and severe bleaching has been reported from other parts of the world.

Tropical storm and potential hurricane Mathew (#15 so far this year) is spinning through the Caribbean Islands. Like many, I am hoping that Haiti avoids a direct hit this year as they continue rebuilding efforts from the series of earthquakes.

Having been a commercial lobster fisherman in the Caribbean earlier in life, I am a big fan of the Caribbean and its natural wonders. I am hoping that this ecosystem along with the rest of planet earth has many more thousands of  millennia ahead of it – healthy ones to be sure.

The waters, islands and beaches of the Caribbean are some of the best jewels of the Americas.

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