Travellers will love the new ebook "Tastes and Travels" It combines destination reviews with food culture and recipes.

The destinations cover lots of Caribbean locations (along with a couple of other locations around the world) with a load of information on what to do and what is exciting. Then the book goes onto to the food culture in that destination...and gives great-tasting recipes for you to try at home!

There are even some general articles on cruising and travel tips, as well as articles on cooking tips.

Would you like to learn about Jamaica? How about the Cayman Islands? Or how about Panama? Would you like to find out about Italian cuisine and then find recipes like Italian Wedding Soup or Stuffed Eggplant? Would you like to know how to make Curry Goat or Cuban Pork with Mango Salsa (from Cuba)? Would like to learn travel tips like "Purchasing Art on Vacation" or "Travelling with Kids"? All this is found in this new ebook...and much more!

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

Travel to Honduras

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

Roatan is the largest and most developed of the three Caribbean islands that make up Honduras, Central America. It is a simply idyllic paradise with turquoise clear waters, various sand beaches and clear blue skies that makes an ideal vacation spot.

Roatan Island is only four miles wide and thirty-three miles long. It has a paved road running down 75% of the length of the island that leads to the various beaches, destinations and attractions that the island offers. The fantastic landscapes that the vacationer can enjoy while traveling down the highway is truly impressive.

The island is surrounded by an impressive coral reef that is considered one of the largest in the world, which is part of the large Meso-American Barrier Reef. Travelers can enjoy the marvelous underwater world with snorkeling and scuba diving, or by taking a tour on a glass-bottom boat or riding in a mini-sub. Viewing the marine life and old shipwrecks found in the reef environment is not to be missed.

The capital city of Roatan is Coxen Hole, where visitors would arrive via the sailing port or international airport, but it is not the main tourist centre of the island. French Harbor, which is the second most important town in Roatan hosts the most recognized restaurants and has great shopping, nightlife and hotels.

West End, located on the western side of the island, is one of the tourist spots to see with beautiful beaches, restaurants, hotels and attractions for tourists. Here the visitor can rent a motorcycle to tour the island, take a kayak to paddle among the ocean waves, shop in the many souvenir shops, or dance the night away in the lively nightlife activities.

West Bay offers its own beautiful beaches with calm, peaceful waters and glittering white sands. This three-mile long stretch of white sand is considered one of the prettiest in all Honduras. Sandy Bay has beach hotels and restaurants for the sun-loving tourists, as well as a research centre, The Institute of Marine Sciences, to explore. The tourist visiting this area can enjoy a dolphin show, windsurfing or even just relax with a soothing spa treatment.

A vacationer to Roatan could enjoy learning about the Garifuna people who first settled the island in 1797. Every year on November 12th an exciting festival is held to celebrate the event. A visit to Politilly Bay in Punta Gorda is a great attraction to enjoy with dancing and music of the Garifuna culture.

Oak Ridge, and Afro-Antillean community, is very picturesque and is known for its tradition of building houses on the water. Local tours include water taxis to the mangrove swamps so vacationers can view the wildlife.

Paya Bay in Roatan is perhaps the most visited place for a Roatan Island vacation. It is close to Oak Ridge and is known for its white sand beaches and sparkling clear waters.

A ferry that connects Roatan to the mainland of Honduras runs twice daily allowing the visitor more sightseeing options. Roatan also has a recently completed dock capable of docking large cruise ships.

With the spectacular white sand beaches and the majestic reef surrounding this island, Roatan makes for a great vacation spot.

A Caribbean Wedding

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

The Caribbean islands have long been a favorite honeymoon destination for newly married couples. The weather there is sunny all year round and wedding couples can enjoy a number of wonderful vacation activities together, like taking tours, trying water sports, or even just lying in the sun. In the past few decades, it has also become very popular to travel to the Caribbean for the wedding itself, not just for the honeymoon. There are both advantages and disadvantages to doing so.

First, you must consider who you want to have present at your wedding. By law, you will probably be required to have a certain number of witnesses, and you may not be able to imagine your wedding without your father to walk you down the aisle or your best friend as your best man. Remember that every guest you want to be present at the wedding will have to be flown to the island. In many cases, the guests will not be able to afford this trip themselves and you will have to pay for all or at least some of it. If this isn’t in your budget, it may not be possible for you to have everyone present at your wedding ceremony. The cost of a Caribbean wedding where you pay for everyone attending is definitely a disadvantage. It is becoming more of a trend, however, for the guests to pay for their own way.

Remember also that you will probably be vacationing for your honeymoon wherever you hold the wedding. While it may be nice to have friends and family around for the wedding, you might wish they would disappear after the wedding. Your guests may also remain at the vacation location as part of their own vacation so if you want some private time, an all inclusive couples only resort may be what you need for them to stay out of your way.

However, one of the main advantages is also that you are already in the location where you’ll be honeymooning. Travel is stressful and not a good way to start a new life together, so instead, you can just jump right in to paradise. Not only that, but your wedding will be a very memorable romantic event because the beach background overlooking the sunset and ocean. The location creates a great chance for that romantic wedding you are looking for, as well as some great photo opportunities. Many couples love the island scenery, so a Caribbean wedding may be perfect for you.

If you decide to have a Caribbean wedding, use your travel agent or contact a wedding planner from the specific island to which you will travel. He or she can help make sure that your big day goes smoothly and that you will have the time of your life on your honeymoon. They will also ensure that you will have all the paperwork you need, and will take care of co-ordinating your guests vacations as well.

Traveling to Naples, Florida

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

When traveling to Florida most people think of Miami, Fort Lauderdale or Disney. But there are other great places to visit in Florida and Naples is one of them. Naples is located on the Gulf of Mexico and is an area where nature abounds alongside its cosmopolitan core.

Beach and sun lovers can relax on over seven miles of Naples’ spectacular white sand beaches. They can soak up the tropical sun, frolic in the turquoise Gulf waters or dolphin watch off the long Pier.

Golf and sports enthusiasts will love Naples too. Naples offers the highest ratio of golf courses per capita within the United States, with over 35 golf courses in the area. Major state, national and professional golf tournaments have been held here for decades and well-known golfers like Jack Nicholas and Arnold Palmer have been known to frequent Naples’ courses. And, what may be a bonus to some or an obstacle to others, is the wildlife one can see while playing golf here as eagles, osprey, alligators and other wildlife abound.

Naples also offers surprisingly good tennis opportunities for the avid tennis player as well. There is year-round sailing, jet skiing, boating and wind-surfing. And with so much of Naples’ activities centered on the water, fishing plays a major role in Naples’ attraction. The tourist has the option of leisurely throwing their line off the newly-remodeled Pier or charting a boat for and exciting day of deep-sea fishing.

Although Naples offers an abundance of cultural activities in its metropolitan area, with the Philharmonic Center for the Arts in Pelican Bay, the Naples Playhouse, dinner theatres, open air concerts and the like, being right next door to the Everglades offers tourists a wealth of opportunity to view nature.

There are several excursions and safaris into the Everglades that begin in Naples. The tourist can take in the wild mangroves and delight in the viewing of alligators, manatees, dolphins, bears and a never-ending array of birds on their airboat tour. They can visit Big Cypress State Reserve or the Everglades National Park, which is home of the world’s largest mangrove park. Or they can stop at Museum of the Everglades or the Smallwood Museum for a cultural bend to their nature experience.

The shopping in Naples also won’t leave the serious shopper wanting. There are several select shopping centers with fashionable shops, art galleries and bistros, and the downtown shopping is within walking distance to the beach. And every spring Naples holds the Naples Spring Arts Festival where artists from far and wide exhibit and sell their works.

Naples is a place that appears to have everything going for it. Tourists will not be left wanting when they visit Naples, whether they are looking for a relaxing beach experience, an activity filled vacation or a nature escape. Visit Naples soon and see for yourself what others are raving about.

Visiting Jamaica

20 Best Jamaican Recipes Ebook - offers recipes of the best 20 Jamaican recipes with that spicy, Island taste you love! Only $1.99! Get your copy today!

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

Jamaica is one of the most beautiful of the Caribbean Islands, as you will see if you ever are fortunate enough to vacation there. Their beautiful white sand beaches and distinct Island culture make it a place worth visiting.

The tranquil beaches surrounded by crystal clear ocean waters make it an ideal spot for sun-lovers and water sport enthusiasts alike. The visitor can indulge in fishing, wind surfing, snorkelling, scuba diving, or swimming. They can hire fishing boats or sailboats for further adventure, or there are also many other attractions that can keep the Jamaican vacationer happy.

Evening entertainment offers fine dining at your resort, or more leisurely choices at local bars, roadside stands or hotspots. Of course, trying the spicy local flavours that Jamaica is famous for, such as jerk pork, curry chicken or a hot Jamaican Pattie, is not to be missed. They also offer wonderful seafood dishes, from lobster to crab delicacies. Try them all, and follow it up with a smooth rum punch made with true Jamaican rum.

Nightlife in Jamaica is certainly ‘hopping’ with their unique reggae music. Vacationers can sway to and fro to the beat of famous Jamaican artists like Bob Marley at the local bars and nightclubs.

Meeting people in Jamaica is easy because of their warm, friendly people. Jamaican’s come from a rich, diverse culture blended from around the world. Their motto “Out of Many, One People” sums it all up. The language spoken in Jamaica is English, but you will often hear slang or “Patois” which often sounds like a foreign language. The commonly heard phrase of “Irie mon” simply means everything is cool or good.

Jamaica has its own currency, the Jamaican Dollar, but US money is widely accepted.

The best tourist spots to visit are on the north coast. Montego Bay and Ocho Rios are the most popular, but Negril, which is located on the west coast, is also widely visited. A must-see in Ocho Rios is the famous Dunn’s River Falls, where visitors, lead by a Jamaican guide, can climb up a series of cascading falls. The location is certainly picturesque and vacationers can have fun experiencing the adventure of the climb.

Montego Bay, Jamaica’s second largest city and the original tourist hotspot, also features many attractions for visitors. They offer plantation tours, one of which is to the great Wyndham Rose Hall Plantation, and bamboo river rafting. There is charter fishing, cycling, golfing, horseback riding, scuba diving, or many other vacation activities, as well as the gorgeous beaches.

Negril has a wide expanse of pure white sand beaches perfect for lounging in the sun. It has been labelled the “Capital of Casual” and some of the beaches are even clothing-optional. Scuba diving in Negril is said to be Jamaica’s best, but other visitors can enjoy deep-sea fishing, parasailing, glass bottom boat trips, catamaran cruises or other water activities. And, an exciting place for visitors is the famous Rick’s Café where you can relax with a drink and watch the cliff divers, or better yet, be more adventurous and brave the cliffs yourself.

Visiting Jamaica’s sparkling azure waters and beautiful white sand beaches is a must on any vacationer’s agenda. And, experiencing the unique culture of this Caribbean Island is one a tourist will not easily forget.

Choosing a Family Cruise

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Cruising doesn’t have to be just for singles or adults. There are many cruise lines that offer many amenities geared towards families with children, and even some cruise lines (like Disney) that are especially geared to children. In fact, most cruise lines welcome families with children. Cruise ships can be an ideal setting for a family vacation.

Be aware, however, in some cases, traveling with infants or pregnant women may be subject to some restrictions. Some cruise lines may require a physician’s letter to state that the mother-to-be or baby are in good health and fit to travel, or that the pregnancy is not high-risk. Other cruise lines may have age restrictions for infants, or restrictions on the mother’s gestation time. It is best to check the guidelines for the ship you wish to travel on before booking.

Cruising today can offer families a lot of bang for their buck while vacationing. Many ships are designed with kid-friendly facilities and services in mind. Many have supervised activities for children, dedicated children’s areas, children-only swimming pools, and special counselors and babysitting services that allow parents kid-free time for themselves. Some ships even have youth programs for older children, with planned activities to help them meet other children their own age. Some ships even have special age-appropriate discos for traveling youth.

The cruise ships of today have numerous activities aboard that children love. They have swimming pools and water slides, movie theatres, bowling alleys, skating rinks, rock climbing walls, etc. as well as games, craft lessons, and other activities for children. Parents will not find it difficult to keep their children happy and occupied on any cruise ship.

Food aboard a cruise ship is also family and kid-friendly. While parents can enjoy a gourmet filet mignon and a vintage glass of wine, it isn’t hard for a child to find a slice of pizza or a plate of French Fries to munch on. Food variety onboard a ship is indeed vast. And, children can eat as much or as little as they want—good news for a growing young teenager!

There are also special cruise lines that especially cater to children. Disney has a line that provides activities for kids from sun-up to sun-down, with everything to entertain them from craft lessons to magic shows and everything in between. They also offer adult only areas for parents to seek refuge. These areas have adult-only pools or include activities like wine-tasting sessions.

Things to look out for when planning a family cruise? You may need to do a little research, however, as not all ships offer programs for children and youth. Although they may still allow children to cruise, parents may need to be prepared to look after and entertain their own children. Also you should find out about children’s discounts, how many children are allowed in a room with the parents, extra beds, cribs or cots, adjoining cabins, safety and security issues, and ratio of staff members to children. All of these could affect the cruise line you choose.

There are so many activities that children can enjoy aboard ship, and parents can also enjoy their own relaxing kid-free times as well. On the whole, a cruise can be a great way for a family to enjoy their vacation time.

Jamaican Cooking Plus Recipe

20 Best Jamaican Recipes Ebook - offers recipes of the best 20 Jamaican recipes with that spicy, Island taste you love! Only $1.99! Get your copy today!

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

Jamaican cooking definitely has a unique style and flavor all its own. Today’s style of Jamaica’s cooking is represented by Jamaica’s motto, “Out of Many, One People”. Since Jamaica’s inhabitants have come from all around the world, including British, Dutch, French, Spanish, East Indian, West African, Portuguese and Chinese, Jamaican cooking represents this blend of cultures and has incorporated that together with the island’s bountiful harvest.

Jamaica’s original inhabitants were the Arawak Indians, who died out after the arrival of the Spanish in 1509, due to disease and overwork. To help with the workload, the Spanish then began importing slaves from Africa. The Spanish brought with them their own culinary influences, such as a dish still popular today called escovitch fish.

In 1655 the English took over Jamaica from the Spanish and brought their own influences into Jamaican cuisine. With them came the development of one of Jamaica’s most popular foods, the Jamaican Pattie, which is a spiced meat turnover that is the equivalent of the island’s hamburger.

A century later, after emancipation, indentured laborers of Chinese and East Indians replaced the African slaves. These immigrants brought with them the curry dishes that are present in nearly every Jamaican menu today, such as curry goat, chicken and seafood.

You can see that Jamaica’s food has been influenced by its history. “Bammie”, a toasted flat cake eaten with fried fish today, was made from the cassava grown by the Arawaks. The Maroons, escaped slaves who were always on the run, devised a way of “jerking” meat (through spicing and slow cooking pork) that is popular in Jamaica today. Breadfruit, yams, root vegetables and ackee were brought from Africa to cheaply feed the slaves. And, as mentioned, the Chinese and East Indians brought with them their contributions of exotic flavors in their curry and other spices.

As well as the contributions of the foreign influences, indigenous vegetables, such as cho-cho (a squash-like vegetable) and callaloo (similar to spinach) are also popular in Jamaican cooking today, along with the island’s fruits of bananas, coconuts, mangoes and pineapples. Among the more exotic fruits popular in Jamaica are guineps, pawpaw, sweetsops and the star apple.

The native pimento tree brings allspice to many Jamaican dishes, as do ginger, garlic, nutmeg, and the Scotch Bonnet peppers, which are considered some of the hottest peppers on earth. The Scotch Bonnet is essential to making the jerk pork, chicken and fish for which Jamaica is famous.

Jamaica’s national dish is saltfish and ackee, an island breakfast dish. Ackee, when cooked looks and tastes much like scrambled eggs. Ackee is poisonous until it is ripe and is always served cooked.

Rice ‘n peas is also a popular island dish, but is made not really with peas but beans (usually red kidney beans.) Other favorite Jamaican dishes include red pea soup, hard dough bread, fish tea (a fish bouillon), Johnny cakes (fried or baked breads), mannish water (a spicy soup made from goats’ heads), bulla (a spicy bun), stew peas (a soup of red peas or gungo peas), Solomon Gundy (an appetizer made of pickled fish) and festival (a type of bread).

As you can see, Jamaica offers a vast variety of dishes influenced by the island’s history. From British, Spanish, African, East Indian and Chinese, the cuisine of Jamaica offers a mixed variety and is very flavorful, often spicy, and is a culinary experience that all will enjoy.

Pumpkin Chicken Soup

2 pkgs. Grace’s Pumpkin/ Chicken soup mix
4-5 medium new potatoes
2 small onions
3-4 medium carrots, cut in chunks
5-6 chicken pieces (thighs)
1 large can pureed pumpkin, or 1 ½ cups steamed pureed fresh pumpkin
6 cups water
1 pkg. chicken bouillon powder
2 TBSP. cooking oil
Pinch each of Salt and Pepper
¼ of a country pepper (or Scotch Bonnet pepper), chopped very finely

In large stock pot, brown chicken pieces in cooking oil.

Wash and cut up potatoes into large chunks. Cut onions into chunks. Peel and cut carrots into 1” pieces. Add to stock pot.

Add all remaining ingredients to pot and simmer together for 1-½ hours. Serve.

Taking Vacation Photographs

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

Vacations are very memorable experiences and as such should be remembered long after you return home. One of the best ways to remember the wonderful time you had on your vacation is with photographs. Every time you look at a picture you took on your trip you will your spirit down memories path in accordance with your unforgettable journey. These pictures you take are priceless and it is worth learning a few tips to make your picture-taking memories more rewarding.

When you begin to pack for your vacation, keep in mind the things you will need for your picture-taking excursions, such as:
• Camera, batteries (plus extras), memory card(s), battery chargers
• External flash (if needed), tripod, portable storage device
• Power adapter (if traveling abroad)
• Camera case—waterproof if you plan on going to a beach or wet vacation spot
• Underwater camera if you like to scuba dive or snorkel (even a cheap disposable one will get those unforgettable underwater shots!)
• Be sure your camera has a wrist-strap—you don’t want to lose your camera when you are handing upside-down in the rainforest treetops!

Make sure to charge your camera batteries before you leave home, and ensure that you clear your memory card. It is also a good idea to take an extra memory card with you. Don’t be afraid to shoot lots of pictures of the same subject – a digital camera can hold a lot of pictures and you can sort out the good from the bad when you get home.

Do a little research before you leave home about the spot you are traveling to and try to pre-plan some of the photos you may wish to take. You can research travel guides, books and magazines to help plan what pictures you may wish to include in your memory album. This may also be helpful not only in planning what type of shot you may wish to take, but may affect when and what time you travel to a certain location. Would you like a picture of misty sunrise over the Rocky Mountains? Or you can plan a shot of elephant feeding time at the San Diego Zoo—or maybe fireworks over the Eiffel Tower? Make a list of these potential shots and plan your trip accordingly.

Be sure to remember to include the human element when you are taking pictures on your vacation. Pictures of scenery are great, but since this is your vacation it should be a memory experience at the same time. Take pictures of your family and friends, and even some of the people you meet at the places you travel to. All of these elements add to the quality of the experience. And, try to get at least some pictures with you in it. There is always someone around to take a picture of you in front of that famous landmark—just be sure it is someone trustworthy not to run off with your camera. A good idea is to take along a cheap disposable camera that you can give to the passerby instead of your expensive one. This way if he does drop the camera or runs off with it you won’t have too much to lose. You may not get as good a picture quality, but it will still be a memory shot.

Always remember to take lots of pictures on your vacation. That time in your life is a one-time experience. You may return to the same vacation, but the time spent there will offer a different experience each time you visit. It is priceless to remember the great time you had through your vacation photos.

Advance Preparation for Your Cruise Vacation

Tastes and Travels Ebook It offers reviews on various travel destinations and has articles on the cuisine of each place (as well as recipes that you can try).

20 Best Jamaican Recipes - This great new cookbook offers recipes with that spicy Island taste you are sure to enjoy! Relive a taste of the Caribbean today!

When it comes to vacationing aboard a cruise ship, many individuals consider preparation to be the luggage that they plan to bring with them. Packing for your cruise ship vacation is important; however, it is not the only preparations that you should make. Preparing for your cruise shouldn’t wait until the week before your trip either. Rather, it should begin as soon as you book your cruise ship reservation.

The type of cruise that you will be taking is vital to your preparations. A large number of cruise ships travel on international waters. In addition to being on international waters, many dock at international ports. Before you are able to board your ship, you will have to have the proper identification with you. With international cruises, this identification often includes a driver’s license and a passport.

Unfortunately, when it comes to obtaining a passport, there are many individuals who wait until the last minute. Last minute passports can be obtained in the event of an emergency, but most require at least a 10 days or more to process. You will not be automatically granted a passport; instead you are required to apply for one. Almost all individuals that apply for a passport are granted one, but planning ahead is the best option. If you allow extra time, then if an error is made on the information you supply, you will have enough time to fix it before your cruise ship departs.

As mentioned, proper identification is needed to board a cruise ship. But your passport and driver’s license are not the only forms of documentation that you should bring onboard. If you are covered under a health insurance plan, you are encouraged to bring your health insurance cards. In the event you fall ill while on vacation, your insurance cards will allow you to obtain the needed medical attention.

In addition to your medical insurance cards, it is advised that you bring along all of your needed medications. You may even want to consider bringing along extra medication as well. Many physicians will write extra prescriptions for their patients that are traveling abroad. Should your medication become lost or misplaced, the extra prescriptions can be filled on the ship and used until you return home. While requesting extra medication from your healthcare provider, you may want to question them on safety precautions aboard a cruise ship also.

To pay for onboard and port activities, you will need to bring along extra money. Although cruise ships are famous for their cuisine, there are sometimes extra charges for drinks, so you need to be prepared for this. Vacationing aboard a cruise ship is similar to vacationing anywhere else in the world. You are encouraged not to carry large sums of cash with you. If you must bring cash along, you are encouraged to divide your money up and place it in safe locations. Almost all cruise ships and popular cruise ship ports accept credit cards, cashiers checks, money orders, or traveler’s checks. These forms of payments are great alternatives to carrying cash.

When traveling aboard a cruise ship, you are urged to give a copy of the cruise ship’s itinerary to multiple friends and family members. This will make it possible for you to be contacted in the event of an emergency. When registering for a cruise ship, you may also be required to give the contact information of someone that should be contacted in an emergency. Your first thought may be to give the contact information of your spouse, children, or a close friend. When doing so, it is important to make sure that they will be on land and accessible.

Once you have made the above mentioned preparations, you can begin focusing on other preparations, such as packing your luggage. When packing, you are urged to keep the climate of your cruise in mind. Are you taking an Alaskan cruise, a Mediterranean cruise or a Caribbean cruise? Keeping these in mind, at the same time, you should be prepared for unexpected weather. You should also check with the cruise line or your travel agent for luggage weight restrictions. Making the proper cruise ship preparations will ensure that your vacation will be a success.