posted by Charles H. Russo on Sep 9
By: John Simmons
“Maui No Ka Oi”, translates quite simply to Maui is the Best! And if you’ve ever traveled to the Hawaiian Islands, you know exactly why this catch phrase is so popular- because Maui, also known as the “Magic Isle”, is filled to the brim with art, culture, and enough history to sink a whaling boat.
The island of Maui is the second most popular tourist destination in this south pacific island chain. Nearly 120,000 people call this 727 sq. mile isle their home, while pineapple and sugarcane are still their key exports. 2.5 million visitors each year travel to the golden-white sand beaches, mile-high mountain peaks and scores of breathtaking, natural waterfalls, all creating an ideal backdrop to the most relaxing vacation of your life.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Sep 5
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a Traveler’s Health section that can be a great resource in planning your vacation. There are tips on traveling with children, travel for the disabled, airline travel, traveling with pets, etc. If staying healthy while on the move is a concern, then check this website out before you go.
posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 29
August 29th 2007
First sorry for the lack of updates. It’s been a very busy 3 weeks since my daughter was born. She just fell asleep after her 6am bottle, which gives me some time to update the site before I drift off into unconsciousness.
Doctors, August, and the ER. What do these three things have in common? Quite a bit actually.
At 8 days our daughter had diarrhea pretty bad, over 6 times a day. The next day it continued and we didn’t know if that was normal or not so we called our doctor. The message on her voice mail said she was on vacation and gave the name of another doctor who was filling in for her. So we called him, he wasn’t there (a secret vacation maybe?). So we called our family doctor, she’s on vacation. Ok, her usual replacement. She’s on vacation too. Darn. Look up pediatrician in the yellow pages. The other one in our town is on vacation.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 23
By Cassie Davis
If you need a true break and are looking for a getaway that is both serene and interesting, Saugatuck, Michigan is definitely the ideal destination. With the water lapping at your feet and a perfect balance of man-made and natural beauty, this town definitely offers all that you could ask for. Located on the bank of Kalamazoo River, Saugatuck is a perfect location to unwind and enjoy life’s simple pleasures.
Activities at Saugatuck
While the option of having a lazy holiday is always open, Saugatuck also offers a lot of different activities that can keep you busy through your vacation. If you are a water lover, you could consider sailing boats, yachts, pontoon boats or opt for a peaceful boat ride. If you want an adrenaline rush, you may want to look into the racing boats. Of course, Saugatuck is one of the world’s best destinations for perch fishing, so fishing enthusiasts alike should have no problem keeping themselves busy.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 22
Yes, it
posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 15
Taking a break from child-shopping in Africa, Brangelina are chateau-shopping on this continent. The couple may not yet have a pied-a-terre in Paris, but are snapping up property around the rest of France. In 2005 it was reported that the couple had taken a mansion in Normandy off the hands of Yves St. Laurent. Now comes news of a chateau purchase just north of Aix-en-Provence. The villa is accessorized with a vineyard. Petite Brigitte, the resident celeb-spotter for The Paris Blog, informs us:
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 14
Step back in time a bit and consider taking the train to your next ski vacation. RMA Tours is offering great deals from Minneapolis or Chicago to ski destinations in Colorado and Montana - other departure cities are available, just give them a call or visit their website for details.
Enjoy a change of pace with RMA Tours’ Throw Momma on the Train mid-Season Amtrak ski train vacation special to Whitefish, Montana, home of Big Mountain Ski Resort. Starting at $669 per person (based on double occupancy) you will receive round trip coach rail fare to Whitefish, MT from Minneapolis or Chicago, transfers; 5 nights lodging, a 4 day lift ticket taxes ARE included in this price. Rates are good through March 25, 2007.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Aug 10
August 10th 2007
Our second daughter was just born this week and while I was talking to my parents about how nice it was in France I heard them telling me how it was in the US. Quite a bit different.
Having a baby in France is a very enjoyable process. First, with the socialized medicine, you can pick any doctor you want. If you pick a hospital you won’t pay anything, and if you pick one of the best doctors in one of the best private clinics in Paris, you may end up paying $500 or so but that’s it. If you have a cesarean it’s reimbursed 100%. The hospital stay is a mandatory 5 days, you can’t get out of there quicker unless you sneak out the window. If you have a cesarean it’s 7 days.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Jul 24
July 23rd 2007
In my last post I wrote about a strategy for getting a good seat. A few days later I came across another one, but this time I was on the receiving end. Let me explain.
My wife kept our daughter home from daycare so I took the train to work instead of the usual metro. Despite it being the vacations, the train was pretty full. I mean usually it is standing room only, which isn’t a big deal really since it’s only 12 minutes. But last Friday, I got on and there was 1 seat. And it was full of stuff.
I looked around, debating if I should go for one of the fold-out seats by the door or go for the nice, well protected stroage seat window seat. All in 0.01 seconds I might add since if I didn’t take it someone else would. So I went for it.
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posted by Charles H. Russo on Jul 22
July 02nd 2007
Today (Saturday) we drove to Paris to go to our favorite baby supply store. Usually parking spaces are very hard to come by but this time we saw a spot right away. A very nice big spot. Highly unusual on this street. Then we realized why. Here is the view from our parked car:
I thought it was kind of funny, my wife was too stressed that one of us were going to step in it. I must admit, for the first few years in France (and even on vacation before moving here) I thought it was totally disgusting. Actually I still do, but I’m used to it. I’ve accepted the fact that I live in Paris, the dog poop capital of the world.
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