So the dreary winter days of study and concentration are over, and it’s time to take a break – a spring break! College spring breaks offer students a chance to kick back and relax after months of hard work. One way many students celebrate is by taking a spring break cruise. Spring break cruises are fun, exciting, luxurious, and in many ways, safer than traveling to one particular destination while on break. Here are some tips for choosing an amazing spring break cruise.

How to Choose a Spring Break Vacation Cruise

Find a spring break cruise that offers all the party options, entertainment, and amenities you want. Many cruise ships feature a variety of restaurants offering everything from exotic cuisines to pizza and burgers. Also, ask about the entertainment. Does the cruise ship offer modern-day music concerts with the type of music you enjoy? What other types of entertainment are provided? Find out if the cruise has bars, dance halls, a casino, on-board games, and a swimming pool.

Spring Break Cruise Destinations

Popular cruise liners such as Carnival might offer many ships going to different destinations. A popular destination for college spring breakers is the Caribbean. Other popular spring break destinations include South Beach, Hawaii, Panama City, and Cancun. These places have beautiful tropical weather, abundant nightlife, and great beaches. If traveling from the United States or Canada, European cruises usually last two weeks or more, so choose one that will fit in your available time frame. No matter what your destination, being on the cruise ship for the entire trip is not so bad either. Cruise ships usually offer everything you could ever want during spring break!

Choose a Cruise Ship

There are a number of cruise ships that offer spring break packages including Royal Caribbean, Carnival Cruise Lines, Celebrity Cruises, or Costa Cruises. Familiarize yourself with these by researching online before booking a spring break cruise. Shop around to find great deals for the destinations and adventures that appeal to you. Look for all the features you want, and ask a few of your friends to come along. You might receive a discount by ordering multiple tickets. Compare destinations, on-board activities, entertainment, food, and other features before securing a cruise package.

Are You an Adventurer?

Some cruises are geared toward young adults who are seeking an adventure. These may offer parachuting, scuba diving, rock climbing, hiking adventures, or other extreme sports. Book an adventure cruise with a few friends who enjoy the same types of sports. This can be a fun, memorable time with your college buddies.

Cruise Safety for Spring Breakers

A spring break cruise might be your dream come true, but don’t forget about safety. Be careful whom you associate with even while on board the ship. Travel with close friends you can trust and stay with them at all times, especially if you take an adventure excursion or go sightseeing on land. Keep your money and valuables in a locked safe if one’s available. Take a detailed map with you when leaving the boat for a land tour. Also, find out the legal drinking age while on the ship and at its destinations. Have all the proper documentation and identification if traveling to another country. Also, let family and friends know exactly where you’re going, what ship you’re on, and how long you will be gone.

Book your spring break cruise online to enjoy savings and to find the adventure you want. You can check with travel and tour sites such as Travelocity, Expedia, Orbitz, Travelzoo, and others to see which offers the best deal.

More and more Spring Breakers are looking to do something different from the traditional Spring Break venues and with that in mind we want to announce our newest Spring Break Destination at www.springbreakshare.com. Welcome to Ireland, where the fiery Celtic spirit that is as much a state of mind as it is a place, lives on.. From the beautiful cliffs of Moher near Galway to the cosmopolitian city of Dublin, to the Blarney Stone in Cork. Ireland has something to offer everyone in the makings of a Spring Break vacation you’ll never forget. Remember your College days are numbered make the best of them! See you over at www.springbreakshare.com Where Spring Break Never Ends!

If you’re a sales rep for a Spring Break Travel Company check out our new Member Pages at www.springbreakshare.com! Here you can create a page all about your services and get your banner on our destination pages! It’s a great way to let College Spring Break members know why they should choose you for their next Spring Break Vacation! It’s totally free and we’ll even help you out designing your banners and header artwork if you need it. To access them simply login and click “Member Pages” in the user navigation bar. Create your page and choose “Travel Company” for the business type. Fill in some info about your company, customize your header, and activate your page! Hotel, resort, and nightclub owners – these pages are for you too!! – Check it out.. www.springbreakshare.com

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The seven-book set of Harry Potter books autographed by author J.K. Rowling are seen at the National Braille Press in Boston, Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2007. (AP Photo/Bizuayehu Tesfaye)

I read all the Harry Potter books, I went to all the Harry Potter movies and next I will visit the Wizarding World of Harry Potter.  Here I have compiled some things that I hope to find in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter during spring break 2010.

The Wesley Home

Harry Potter’s second home the Wesley’s house.  Mr. and Mrs. Wesley treat him as their own child.  I would feel as if I were in a dream touring through the multiple floor wizard home, which features altered muggle’s gadgets.  My fascination with wizarding items is comparable to Mr. Wesley’s fascination with muggel gadgets.   A rollercoaster through the house would be perfect.  They could shape the coaster vehicles like the flying car.

A 3D model of Hogwarts Castle just imagine the ride you could experience within.

Hogwart’s Castle

Rumors on the internet say Hogwarts Castle is going to be a roller coaster. A few must have rooms that are crucial for me to have the best experience.

• The dining hall where the choir is singing and the sorting hat displayed
• Living quarters, starting first with Gryffindor and moving to Slytherin house
• The forbidden floor where I can see the fluffy the three-headed dog, play a little chess and move on to see the mirror which displays all your desires
• Then to Professor Dumbledore’s office
• Moaning Myrtle’s bathroom
• The basement where Potter fought one of Voldemort’s Horcruxes
• Lastly the Room of Requierment

The Three Broomsticks

The Three Broomsticks a popular hangout for Potter, Granger and Wesley is where I will first experience a non-alcoholic butterbeer. This local hangout will definitely be in the Wizarding World of Harry Potter theme park.  Universal Studios is keeping a lot of attractions secret about the park, but the Three Broomsticks is one attraction they are promoting.  The pub’s menu will consist of tasty treats such as Irish coffee, beer or ale, and shepherd’s pie.

In addition, to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter Orlando is creating another attraction called the Great Orlando Wheel.  Check it out in the video.

Hogwart’s Castle Photo provided by Wikimedia Commons

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Looking back on the previous year I realized that the travel world has changed me.

After decades of showing up 1 hour before my flight (and that’s for international flights, mind you) now I end up showing up so early – I have 2 hours at the gate.

I credit that to ElAl.

A good friend of mine showed up 2+ hours before his flight to Madrid and made it to check in with plenty of time to spare. Unfortunately for him, the flight was overbooked. Rather than bump a happy bumpee, they dug up the fine print and informed my friend that he did not show up on time. Don’t worry – the story has a happy ending.

For ElAl. Not for my friend, who was shipped to Barcelona and had to find his own way to Madrid. Cost – 1/2 day of vacation and at least $500. So, now I get there 3 hours before the flight. I am a changed man.

Second big change was reported in the New York Times.

Not about me, personally, but about the average traveller is ditching the web and booking flights through their travel agent. For the first time, I called a travel agent and had them do all the work. Changed flights ten times, paid later, speak to a human – it was all new for me and quite refreshing. (Kind of like my 8 year old kid discovering the VCR – you just put the tape in and press play. What a great idea! No menu! No scratched disk! No Estonian subtitles! – Just play the movie.) I actually had a good travel agent honest enough to tell me if I could get it cheaper online. But, I must admit that I still enjoy using the Western Union hold from time to time in online bookings.

And of course, if you need to decide where to do your Hannukah shopping on Long Island – at Roosevelt Field Mall or at Smithhaven Mall – you need the web. Or for conditions at Mt Baldy Ski Resort. If you just like reading blogs – try this travel blog and this vacation blog.

I guess this is a good place to introduce my readers to Josh Herst – blogger and Web entrepreneur, founder of TripHub. For our Canadian readers – check out this post with a rabbi’s experiences in the Canadian tundra (that’s a bit north of Hampstead, eh?).

• Restaurants Blog
• Shopping Blog
• Lloyd Center Mall Portland
• Pearlridge Shopping Center
• Potomac Mills Outlet Mall

While  The Legend of Billie Jean hasn’t yet made the transition from obscure VHS to DVD, it looks as though it’s a possibility, thanks to fervent nostalgics that transformed the ballyhooed 1985 teen movie into a cult classic. (Yeardly Smith did record DVD commentary for Sony, who was supposed to have released it by now). Surprisingly, those with a Netflix account, can endure the technological limbo, and add the movie to their Instant Queue.

This film is an odd product for its day, given the kind of movies that once typified the teen genre. Amidst numerous, cheaply produced T & A comedies (Private School, Spring Break, Porky’s, etc.), which indulged the exploits of mindlessly horny adolescents, John Hughes would soon become an 80s icon with sincere portrayals of American youth, both in drama and comedy. Elsewhere, a sub-genre of C-grade films that, seemingly inspired by 1950s pulp fiction, raised paranoia about the urban teenage timebomb (i.e. Class of 1984, Savage Streets, 3:15). Well, somewhere in the middle of all this is The Legend of Billie Jean. The B-grade action-drama (which includes a tasty foot chase!) isn’t set in the halls of the All-American high school, the comfort of Middle-class America, or even the grimy streets of the inner city, but more unusually, was filmed in and around the coastal Texas city of Corpus Christi.

At the forefront of The Legend of Billie Jean is the vigilante teen hero — or in this case, a heroine. This much had been done before, most notably, in Jonathan Kaplan’s 1979 film, Over the Edge. Based on true events, it tells the story of a burgeoning, fictional Colorado suburb brought to its knees in a violent revolt by its  bored and restless young residents who were ignored in its development. The decade’s punk cinema, too, steeped in a naive devotion to anarchy, was rife with temporary youth revolt (changing the status quo is hard work). Smithereens and Times Square, for example, featured angsty heroines who energized young, alienated audiences with their songs about mass delusion. Pump Up the Volume, which shares its star Christian Slater with The Legend of Billie Jean, was released in 1990. A sort of precursor to the free culture principals, it centered on an introverted teenager who, by  night, becomes a popular pirate radio DJ that urges the town’s disaffected teenagers to challenge arbitrary authority.

But, unlike these films, and contrary to the kind of war cry lyrics in Pat Benatar’s theme song, Invincible (“We can’t afford to be innocent/stand up and face the enemy…”), Billie Jean doesn’t exactly scream hardened leader. Helen Slater’s asthmatic 17 year-old centerfold-esque Billie Jean is confident, selfless, and innocent.

…In other words, she’s unrealistically wholesome.

Even her eventual MTV-styled makeover into a sexy feminist-guerrilla hybrid (add revealing wetsuit, buzz cut, carefully applied makeup and combat boots), it is an uncomfortable, shallow (“Billie Jean, you look… famous”), and temporary metamorphosis. Confident and selfless as she may be, her background — living with her brother and widowed mother in a sleepy trailer park — seem to only offer minimal impetus for her ethics, and no fodder at all for the crisis that erupts, setting the scene, of course, for that that beloved logic-suspending 80’s movie cheesiness.

The film begins, quite simply, with Billie Jean’s brother, Binx (Christian Slater in his film debut; no relation to co-star Helen Slater) humiliating a couple of assholes that won’t leave he and his sister alone. In retaliation, they steal Binx’s prized motor scooter while he and his sister are out on the lake. (Yes, the premise already sounds corny, but it is an update of The Legend of Michael Kohlhaas and horses just don’t mean the same to the average American teenager). Billie Jean assures her brother that they’ll  return the bike, and when they don’t, Binx decides to get it back himself. Hoping to avoid making matters worse, Billie Jean grabs her friends and heads to the police station, but the cop she speaks to (Peter Coyote) is, somewhat understandably, no help in the matter.

Binx eventually comes home a bloody mess; the bike is destroyed. Fruitlessly trying to be diplomatic Billie Jean presents  Hubie Pyatt (Barry Tubb), one of the conspirators, with an estimate from the body shop at his father’s beachfront souvenir store, asking him to compensate them for the damages. When he refuses, she takes up the issue with his father, who turns out to be an even bigger sleazebag, attempting to bargain for sexual favors.  Wondering what is taking so long, her brother and friends wander into the now-empty store (Pyatt makes his grotesque advances upstairs). Binx opens the cash drawer and finds a gun and, when Billie Jean frantically climbs down the stairs urging that they all leave, Binx threatens Pyatt with the gun, sheepishly telling him to leave his sister alone and give them the money. That simple. But, when Hubie walks in on the middle of this, his father quickly concocts a plausible explanation: the kids came to rob him. When Hubie doesn’t want to leave them to get the police because Binx is pointing a gun at his dad, Mr. Pyatt scoffs that he wouldn’t actually keep a loaded gun in the drawer. Binx, distraught, confusedly examines the gun when he accidentally shoots Mr. Pyatt. When Hubie runs for help, Billie Jean, Binx, and their friends get the hell out of their, now a couple of teenage fugitives.

Ridiculous as the movie soon becomes — in one scene, Billie Jean and the gang intervene in the abuse of an anonymous kid, and later, they devise a fake kidnapping of the Mayor’s nerdy son (actor-turned-director Kieth Gordon) to gain some leverage — this emphasizes the film’s commentary on the public’s thirst for celebrity and sensationalism. Immediately, Billie Jean attempts to make amends by contacting the police officer she previously spoke with (he is the only evidence that what transpired may have been an accident) to arrange their surrender, with the added caveat that Pyatt pay what is owed. When, the story is picked up in the local media, they become local antiheroes, celebrated by the young and criticized by the old. “Fair is fair” becomes their moniker and Billie Jean, the most morally-conscious and level-headed, becomes the spokeswoman for the fugitive group. On the one hand,she’s viewed by her peers as a (misunderstood) symbol of victorious teenage rebellion. Young girls in particular begin to emulate her clothes and hairstyle, and more importantly, form underground support networks that Billie Jean accidentally becomes aware of later on. Elsewhere, local news reporters, radio DJs, and merchandisers eat up the story. Even the Pyatts profit, selling posters of in their shop. So intensely sensationalized, trivialized, and exploited, it’s hard for Billie Jean, her brother, and friends not to get swept up in the inevitably disillusioning frenzy. The moment where Billie Jean, distraught, pulls down a poster and looks at the illustration of herself in front of a target perfectly captures this idea.

Pat Benatar is said to really berate this movie before performing “Invincible” at concerts, though this might indicate an underlying, unwanted contractual obligation to work on the film (or some other manner of being professionally wrong with regards to this movie). It can hardly be called the worst movie ever made (Fatal Rescue instead deserves that title). It’s heavy-handed, exaggerated adventure, and entertaining enough all the same.

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If you know me, you know I don’t give two shits about hipster-type indie rock stuff.  It’s usually real boring and I can’t tell the difference between bands, much like an assessment of metal by an indie rocker.  That’s pretty unfair I guess, so I’ll throw you a bone.

I like what Fool’s Gold is doing.  They are an 11-piece band in Los Angeles, CA and one member is Brad Caulkins of The Sun, who also happens to be my buddy.  They have a real nice tropical vibe going, and the sprinkling of hebrew lyrics brings it to a very international place.  This really brings me back to the beach in Tel-aviv, even on a cloudy grim late fall Columbus day.

Perez wrote them up, so I’m a bit late but still in time to bump this on your spring break trip to Majorca.

While you’re at it listen to Zohar Argov as well.

Spring break is a pricey experience sometimes.  However, spending a lot on a college budget is not ideal.  As my roommate and I have been looking for a good spring break package I thought it would cool to report some of the less expensive yet still fun vacations.

Be shipped off to Paradise by Carnival's Paradise cruise ship. Photo Credit- Beau Hudspeth

Cruises, see 3 places in one week

Carnival Cruise lines offers a West Caribbean vacation starting in Miami, FL traveling to Key West, FL; Cozumel, Mexico and then back to Miami.  This vacation without taxes starts around $274.  This includes food, but not beverages while on the boat.  You can buy a hotel separately , or you can find the nearest campground where you can pitch a tent.  In Florida it always seems warmer than Chicago so camping shouldn’t be that risky, right?

• Price starting at $274

Party cruise to one island

Your friends want to experience a cruise, but you are not to keen on being stranded at sea for to long.  Not a big fan of Titanic I am guessing? Companies have introduced cruises with one island destination.  For example you, your friends and 1000 other college students can pile on to what is known as a Party boat for a few hours, and then once you arrive at your destination you vacation there for the next four days.  Packages that I have seen online start at $349, and include beverages, food, and hotel accommodations on and off the island.

• Price starting at $349

Corona manufacturing plant in Mazatlan, Mexico. Photo Credit- Stan Shebs

Mexico Party Bus

Take an all-inclusive Motor Coach bus to Mexico for about $399.  Mazatlan Party bus vacations include 10 free meals, five night hotel stay, easy payment plans and more.  For those in the north you must fly south, but this trip is very popular for Texas college students as reported on Mazatlan site.

• Price starting at $399

What are some other inexpensive spring break websites? Where did you find your deal at?

In Part 1 we met:

I. The Pious Patriarch (Naboth)
II. The Pouting Potentate (Ahab)

Now we will meet Jezebel, the wife of Ahab.

III. The Poisonous Pupeteer

And Jezebel his wife said unto him, Dost thou now govern the kingdom of Israel? arise, and eat bread, and let thine heart be merry: I will give thee the vineyard of Naboth the Jezreelite.

I Kings 21:7

This is so characteristic of how the devil works. Lacking the ability to know the thoughts and intents of every heart the way God does, he watches and observes… Until it’s time for him to “arise.” He rises like a serpent with its head poised to strike. He finds someone who is saying no to God’s way – someone who loves things more than God – someone who loves self more than God. Then the devil arises, and he strikes, and he tells his servants to arise. Beware of the poison of those who will manipulate you at the behest of the devil.

Jezebel knew just which strings to pull. She injected the poison of greed and covetousness, and she started to put on the devil’s own puppet show.

Take a moment to figuratively look around you right now. Who has hold of your strings today? Are you surrounded by good and Godly friends? People who will hold you accountable in tough love? Who will tell you when you’re sinfully pouting? Or do you have acquaintances who are working for the devil? You can recognize them by the way they always have a soothing word – they’re quick to tell you just what you want to hear. And secretly they are pulling the strings and they are moving your hands away from prayer and the Bible. They are moving your feet away from the church house. They are pulling your eyelids open until the wee hours on Saturday night, and holding them down on Sunday morning. You need to ask God to cut those strings.

When Jezebel started pulling the strings for her devilish puppet show, she played a masterpiece of evil. First, she forged Ahab’s name on a poison pen letter.

So she wrote letters in Ahab’s name, and sealed them with his seal, and sent the letters unto the elders and to the nobles that were in his city, dwelling with Naboth.

I Kings 21:8

Then, she blasphemed God by pretending that someone in Jezreel had sinned against Him and Ahab.

And she wrote in the letters, saying, Proclaim a fast, and set Naboth on high among the people:

I Kings 21:9

To be “set on high” was not an honor. It was to be placed in the seat of the accused. Naboth, who had honored God, was being falsely accused of dishonoring God. When the devil says “arise,” there are always plenty of his children eager to do his bidding. Jezebel brought out two puppets to bear false witness.

And there came in two men, children of Belial, and sat before him: and the men of Belial witnessed against him, even against Naboth, in the presence of the people, saying, Naboth did blaspheme God and the king. Then they carried him forth out of the city, and stoned him with stones, that he died.

I Kings 21:13

Covetousness led to lying, and to blasphemy, and to theft, and to murder. Never kid yourself that the sin of coveting what your neighbor has is a harmless or a minor little fault.

II Kings 9:26 tells us that not only did these sons of Belial, these worthless puppets – playing on the ends of their strings for their evil puppet-master Jezebel – kill Naboth, but they took his little sons out and killed them, too. They did this so that Ahab would not have to contend with any heirs to Naboth’s vineyard.

If you play with sin, sin will play with you. And if sin plays with you, it will wreck your life. If you fool around with sin, sin will make a fool out of you.

Sin will take you further than you wanted to go.
Sin will teach you more than you wanted to know.
It will keep you longer than you wanted to stay.
It will cost you more than you wanted to pay.

So far, we have seen 2 despicable characters: Ahab, the Pouting Potentate, and his manipulative and evil wife, Jezebel, the Poisonous Puppeteer. We have seen one person in this whole account who has acted honorably: Naboth, the Pious Patriarch. And he and his beloved sons have been killed for their trouble.

Now we will see that when someone arises to the cause of God, and then the devil and his minions arise to do battle, the outlook is not always rosy from start to finish. When the devil says “arise,” sometimes his victims are struck down. But aren’t you glad that, even though Satan has his followers to whom he can say “arise,” God has His man to whom He can say “arise?”

And the word of the LORD came to Elijah the Tishbite, saying, Arise, go down to meet Ahab king of Israel, which is in Samaria: behold, he is in the vineyard of Naboth, whither he is gone down to possess it.

I Kings 21:17-18

IV. The Pestering Prophet

Elijah was Ahab’s and Jezebel’s old foe. He did not live in a palace like Ahab. He was from the little town of Tish. He did not wear fancy clothes like Ahab. He wore rough clothes. He did not dine on delicacies and herbs like Ahab. He had a strange diet in the wilderness. But underneath his rough exterior, he had a pure heart, a holy devotion to God. Ahab’s fine garments covered a corrupt, rotten heart.

Ahab wandered through the vineyard that Jezebel had got for him with treachery. We might wonder if suddenly a shadow suddenly a shadow fell across his path: the shadow of Elijah the prophet.

I call Elijah the pestering prophet not because he was a pest in general, but because in the days when Ahab’s wife and yes-men encouraged every frivolous sin he indulged in, Elijah alone was the one voice who would not condone, who not go along, who would not soften his tone, who would not bow before the throne of the wicked.

And Ahab said to Elijah, Hast thou found me, O mine enemy? And he answered, I have found thee: because thou hast sold thyself to work evil in the sight of the LORD.

I Kings 21:20

Elijah was not really Ahab’s “enemy.” No, he was the only friend he had in all the land. Your best friend is the one who tells you the most truth. Elijah was no more Ahab’s enemy than Christians who are intolerant of sin, are the enemies of a nation. We live in a day and age when we are not only allowed to sin, not not only tempted to sin, not only encouraged to sin, but praised and honored for being good at sin. We tolerate everything in this world – except intolerance.

Liberalism says that everyone is free to do what he wants – except to tell the Truth about Jesus. We don’t want Christ in anything anymore. We are not supposed to talk about celebrating Christ’s birth in December – we’re just supposed to say “Seasons Greetings.” We are not supposed to celebrate Resurrection Day – we are supposed to have “spring break.” We don’t pray in our schools anymore – we’re too busy reminding our kids that they came from an amoeba or a monkey. A man can fornicate with a man or a woman with a woman – and celebrate it in a parade. But if you stand up and say the Bible says it’s not marriage, it’s sin, then you’re guilty of a hate crime! When a missionary or a pastor or a Christian father or mother who was faithful for 60 years dies, it’s not on the news. Because if it were on the news, it would have to interrupt the spectacular tribute to some idol whose great contribution to society was wearing a sequined glove and walking backwards while pretending to walk forward! According to today’s society it’s narrow-minded, close-minded, “everybody who rejects Jesus is going to Hell,” Christians who are the only problem we have in this country. And that’s the way it’s portrayed in the media.

Ahab called Elijah “my enemy.” “Hast thou found me, O mine enemy?” And this wasn’t the first time Ahab had taken this attitude toward Elijah. After Elijah had told Ahab it was not going to rain, he went to see him after three years of drought.

And it came to pass, when Ahab saw Elijah, that Ahab said unto him, Art thou he that troubleth Israel?

I Kings 18:17

That’s what the government – that’s what society – that’s what popular culture – is saying to Christians today: “You are the ones who are troubling America.” One day – and it might be soon – they’re going to see just what this world will be like without Christians troubling it – and they’re not going to like it one bit.

I. The Pious Patriarch
II. The Pouting Potentate
III. The Poisonous Puppeteer
IV. The Pestering Prophet

In Part 3, we will examine the Preeminent Precept.

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I know this is obscenely overdue, but here it is — the final chapter of my spring break adventures from back in April!

When I woke up in Sorrento, I discovered that my “deluxe hostel” also had an all-you-can-eat breakfast buffet, complete with tasty Italian pastries and various sugar-loaded cakes. At the time, I didn’t realize that it cost an extra 5 Euros, but it was totally worth it.

The rain had cleared up and Sorrento was under bright blue skies. There is a certain charm to the place, in spite of being completely geared towards tourism. I guess at this point in the trip, I was used to hyper-touristy Italian cities and was just glad that this one was smaller and more intimate than most.

In my mind, there are two particularly peculiar aspects of Sorrento. First of all, it is inundated with Anglophones — Brits, Americans, Australians, etc. (and about 99% of them are over age 45, which shouldn’t come as a surprise for a top Rick Steves recommendation). Secondly, Sorrento has an obscene amount of stray animals — hordes of dirty cats watch you walk down the street, as you try to avoid the not-so-friendly-looking dogs running towards you. It’s sad.

Anyway, the primary reason I stayed in Sorrento was to see the Amalfi Coast, which didn’t disappoint. I boarded a bus loaded with an international cornucopia of (mostly aged) tourists. As chance would have it, a French kid sat next to me. But I was focused on the view from the window as the bus climbed up to the high, winding coastal road.

Ah! The views…

The scenery was absolutely spectacular. Comparable to, and perhaps even surpassing the Pacific Coast Highway.

However, the view was rendered slightly less enjoyable by the inevitable motion sickness caused by driving along this twisting, winding cliffside road. The road is remarkably narrow – barely wide enough to fit two cars, nevermind a bus – and the locals speed around corners like maniacs. The tunnels that pass through sections of cliff are even narrower than the road itself, which led to an interesting event that I’ll mention in a bit.

My first stop was Positano, a town whose lightly-colored Mediterranean houses are organically situated upon a staircase of rock that descends into the sea. Both the landscape and the architecture were quite different from what I had seen up to this point in the north of Italy. Of course, Positano is another tourist magnet, but I was thoroughly enchanted by its attractively decorated shops and enflowered walkways leading to the beach. There was a pleasant, almost exotic ambiance here — the feel was more “Eastern” than anything I’d experienced before, almost looking more like Greece than Cinque Terre.

But the biggest draw was the sea. I had never seen such beautiful, bright azure-tinted water with my own eyes. I followed a small cliffside path, covered with shy little green lizards, to a quiet beach distant from the hustle and bustle of the town. There were only about two other people on the beach, and I just plopped down on the rocks somewhere and enjoyed the sun’s warmth. After all the hectic moving around I had done on this trip, it was a delightful moment of peace and reflection. The bright blue water, the crash of the waves … I’m undeniably drawn to the ocean and it has a profound introspective impact on me.

After a very tranquil respite, I returned to the town and bought a lemon slushie from one of the local street vendors. They were using real, locally-grown lemons so I had to give it a try. Quite good. I then bought a bus ticket to Amalfi from a very friendly shopkeeper, who provided me with a delightful little history lesson on the region in Italian. He asked me if I was Italian, which I assume is a positive evaluation of my language skills.

I hopped on the bus towards Amalfi, the next town along the coast. The ride revealed even more dramatic scenery as we wound along the  road, passing castle ruins and a tiny beach wedged between two huge cliffs (one of which was decorated with a perpetual manger scene).

Amalfi’s bright white houses stood out in stark contrast to the green landscape and blue water. Although seemingly smaller than Positano, the town was even more bustling with tourists. I was a little put off, since there wasn’t really anywhere to escape the crowds. The exterior of Amalfi’s cathedral was stunning, but you had to pay to go inside. I ended up just getting a tasty calzone and eating it by the sea while waiting for the bus back to Sorrento.

The ride back to Sorrento was nothing short of an experience. The trouble largely began when our bus was about to enter one of the coastal road’s narrow tunnels, only to stop just in time to avoid a head-on collision with an oncoming bus. The problem was that the tunnel opened up to a sharp corner in the road, so it was very difficult for either bus driver to manoeuvre into a position to let the other one pass. The oncoming bus managed to leave a gap for the cars behind it to pass, and then decided that the best option would be to drive backwards along the cliffside road.

The oncoming bus started speeding in reverse, apparently quite confident that there wouldn’t be any cars behind it. The bus driver had to back up to a spot where the road was straight enough and wide enough for our bus to pass it, which wasn’t an easy task. He must have driven backwards at for at least 5 minutes before we managed to pass him, stopping occasionally to let perplexed motorists in his lane go by.

The initial bottleneck had already caused our bus a delay, but we were stopped for an additional 15 minutes or so when we reached a traffic jam on the road. I never discovered the reason; but I think it was either road work or fallen rocks. The most amusing thing to me was that during this whole ordeal of a trip, our bus driver was extremely amused by everything that was happening and didn’t show one sign of frustration. When we were stuck in traffic he just got out, had a smoke and chatted with some of the passengers.

Back in Sorrento, I enjoyed another relaxing night with a room to myself. Although I intended to get up early the next day with the purpose of seeing Pompeii, the best laid plans of mice and men… Instead I slept in and decided I would rather have more time in Rome than stop in Pompeii for just a couple of hours. Although I felt a little disappointed, ultimately I think it was a good decision.

It was kind of slow-goings from Sorrento to Naples to Rome, but I was happy when I arrived in the capital. It took me a while to find my hostel because it wasn’t very well-signed (the bottom floor was a café), but I called and made very good use of my Italian skills. It was warm and I was sweaty from carrying all my bags around, so the hostel owner kindly gave me a free Coke. I was shown my room and then I set off to explore the Eternal City.

My first target was the Colosseum. As I rounded a corner, it emerged right in front of me, in all its glory. It’s a very magical moment when you first set eyes on such an iconic structure — the Eiffel Tower, the Golden Gate Bridge — and the Colosseum was no exception. It definitely lives up to its iconic status — this thing is big. I got goosebumps and/or butterflies just looking at it. I was in freaking Rome.

I decided not to go into the Colosseum right away, but rather to get a more general overview of the city first. I had two more days in Rome, which was considerably more time than I’d spent anywhere else on this trip. As I walked past the Imperial Forum, I was simply overwhelmed. Sure, there were tourists everywhere, but the sheer awesomeness of the ubiquitous Roman architecture overshadowed any sense of “kitsch.” I had no idea that this part of central Rome was so well-preserved and undeveloped. It was incredible.

One of my few complaints about Rome is that it is not very pedestrian-friendly. There is a lack of crosswalks, even sidewalks, and walk signals; to aggravate things, the drivers are very aggressive and your chances of having one stop for you are next to zero. As I remarked to my Italian friend Claudia, “È pericoloso camminare a Roma!”

As I passed by the impressive Victor Emmanuel monument and headed towards the Tiber, it started to rain. Not a downpour, but just enough to make my evening stroll through Rome even more romantic. I found shelter beneath the virtual forest of trees along the Tiber, which was a pleasant surprise — the Seine could learn a thing or two. As the sun went down and the street lamps went on, the light reflecting on the wet cobblestones was magical.

I zig-zagged my way through Medieval Rome’s cobblestone streets, towards the Piazza Navona and the Campo de’ Fiori. The evening sky was incredible; first, the pink and blue hues of sunset clashed against massive, white cumulus clouds. As the light faded away, the sky turned an amazing dark, cobalt blue. The illuminated fountains at the Piazza Navona were just magical at this time.

I grabbed some kind of square pizza (I think) for dinner and sat at the foot of the Giordano Bruno statue in the Campo de’ Fiori whilst I ate it. I watched a group of French schoolchildren taunt and terrorize one of those “statue” street performers, although he remained completely still throughout (even when the kids pretended to kick over his money can). Eventually, though, the dramatic evening sky took a turn for the worse and it began to thunder and downpour. The street performer got out of costume and took off, and I followed his lead.

Even though I was getting soaked as I made my way back to my hostel, there was a certain romance to it all nonetheless. The lights, the rain, the thunder and lightning — there was no question that I was in the Eternal City. It felt epic. I passed through the beautifully illuminated Piazza della Repubblica before reaching my hostel, where I encountered my roommates – three college-aged Canadians from Ottawa who were drinking and blasting hip hop when I walked in.

They seemed friendly enough when we were introduced, but it didn’t take long to realise that they were pathetic jerks. The course of their conversation turned to their various sexploits and plans for the evening — each one of them expected to seduce an Italian girl and take her back to the room, and their subsequent descriptions were a little too graphic to post here. I dreaded the idea of waking up at 3am to you-know-what, but I just laughed to myself when they all came back in the middle of the night empty-handed and surprised about it.

The next morning I discovered a lovely little Roman sculpture garden nearby, then plotted a course between some of the big tourist attractions — the enchanting but inevitably overcrowded Fontana di Trevi, the ancient Pantheon, the Medieval Castel Sant’Angelo, and ultimately the Vatican. These latter two, in particular, were most impressive and grandiose.

Before crossing the Tiber to visit the Castel Sant’Angelo, I decided to eat lunch along the edge of the river. Unfortunately, this doesn’t seem to be quite as popular in Rome as it is in Paris, so most of my company were rather sketchy homeless characters. The biggest disappointment, however, was that I accidentally dropped my precious bottle of water into the Tiber and watched it float downstream. I felt doubly bad because I was contributing to what is already a rather dirty river.

I headed to the mighty Castel and enjoyed its sweeping panoramic views of the city. From there it was on to the Vatican — I didn’t realise that you could literally walk straight in via a main boulevard, but it was cool to see the flags suddenly change from Italian to Vatican. Nuns and priests were sprinkled in among the hordes of tourists, and there were a lot of fancy cars about — I guess not everyone takes a vow of poverty. St. Peter’s was impressive and imposing from outside, and the line to get inside was just as impressive and imposing.

I survived the queue and entered the massive basilica. The ubiquitous Renaissance artwork was overwhelming. It was impossible to get a sense of the hugeness of all the statues and other artwork dozens of feet above me. Still, I was a little disappointed … I much preferred the mystique of the Gothic cathedrals I had visited in France and England. The architecture just appeals to me a lot more, I guess.

I caught a glimpse of the silly Swiss Guard, then practically blinked and was out of the Vatican, whereupon I got somewhat lost on the western side of the Tiber and couldn’t find the entrance to the Gianicolo. But I did find the Fontana dell’Acqua and enjoyed the impressive view. I began the long descent towards the river and back into the heart of Rome towards the Roman Forum.

Luckily, entrance to the Forum and the Colosseum was free on this particular day. Unfortunately, it was getting late, so I had to rush a little to see as much as I could before everything closed. I’m not sure if I had ever really paid attention to what the interior of the Colosseum looked like on TV before, so it seemed different I guess. I eavesdropped for a few minutes on a guided tour and realised that it would’ve been so worth the extra money — instead I was just walking along, trying to take everything in and read the little signs here and there, but mostly just overwhelmed.

Some Spanish tourists also asked me to take their picture, but with all the people in the Colosseum I couldn’t tell who was in their group and who wasn’t. Judging by the looks on their faces when I handed them back the camera, I think I included way too many people in the group shot whom they didn’t even know; they were on the rightmost edge of the frame.

From the Colosseum I headed to the Forum, once again completely overwhelmed (and mesmerised) by the ubiquitous ruins. But the late afternoon lighting was very dramatic and the mystique of the place was awesome. I just couldn’t get my mind to imagine what it looked like two millennia ago, partly because I really had no idea what I was looking at most of the time.

My next mission was to reach the park overlooking the Piazza del Popolo before sunset. Rome has an extremely limited subway system, but it would take me where I wanted to go. I got stuck behind some confused American tourists at the ticket machine, but still managed to reach the Piazza on time. Lovey-dovey couples abounded at the best sunset viewpoint in Rome (or so I’m told) and had to fend off aggressive Bangladeshi rose salesmen.

The sun set and filled the sky with a yellow and orange glow, as the lights of the city turned on one by one.

The next morning, I rendezvoused with my old Roman friend Claudia from Sussex. She was gracious enough to give me a tour of her city, including some of the more “authentic” parts of Rome and her old stomping grounds. We visited the beautifully enflowered Spanish Steps and gradually walked our way to an authentic Roman restaurant for lunch, which Claudia very kindly treated me to. The appetizer of salumi (mixed meat – a very Italian thing), bruschetta and beans was excellent; the penne alla carbonara was incredibly cheesy; and the tiramisu was the best I’ve ever tasted in my life.

It was a really hot day and we had done a lot of walking already, so we headed to the Gianicolo for some shade. Claudia shared her childhood memories of watching the puppet show. We then headed to another park where she had spent much of her childhood, the sprawling grounds of a former villa. It was both a Saturday and the Day of Liberation, so the park was full of Italian families. It was astonishing — while most of Rome was crawling with tourists, I suddenly discovered where all of the real Italians were.

The villa grounds were enchanting. Huge shade trees blocked out the harsh sun and all the greenery was delightful. I was so happy that I got to see this side of Rome that I would never have known about.

From there, Claudia accompanied me to the bus stop that would take me back to my hostel. I don’t remember how long we waited for the bus, but it must have been at least half an hour. We reasoned that there might have been a limited schedule due to the holiday. Claudia was nice enough to wait with me the whole time!

I returned to my hostel, which I must point out was not situated in the nicest part of the city by any means. I had never really felt unsafe anytime during my travels until this point; I think I witnessed two separate arrests in the area around my hostel. Oh well – the hostel was cheap!

I had to leave sometime around 4 in the morning to catch my bus to the airport. For some reason the bus driver was playing Amy Winehouse, which was an odd soundtrack for a 4 a.m. ride to the Ciampino airport. Anyway, I said goodbye to Italy as I boarded my plane for Paris. I was happy to be going back “home,” especially after such an exhilirating and busy Spring Break, but I also felt a strong desire to return to Italy.

My opinions on the country are mixed, in large part because I was turned off by the touristiness of the big cities and many other areas. Some Italians lament the lack of respect their countrymen have for property and cleanliness (i.e. graffiti, litter, etc.) and I think this does reduce the aesthetic appeal of many areas (Naples is probably the best example). Rome was my favourite city, but I felt that the touristiness even here was a little too much — it didn’t seem to have as many “authentic” areas in the heart of the city where you can escape the tourists, which is much easier in Paris IMO.

The subpar train system was also a little annoying, although it didn’t screw up my schedule too much. But I did really enjoy the incredible amount of history in the cities and the stunning beauty of the more rural areas I visited (Lake Como, Cinque Terre, Tuscany, Amalfi Coast). I was very interested by the cultural differences between North and South (old southern men in suits walking arm-in-arm? How Godfather). Italians seem to be an honest, outgoing people; the sense of propriety is also not as strict as in France. While some Italians called me “ragazzo,” or “giovane,” I would always be a “monsieur” to the French (although I guess I did hear “jeune homme” on occasion).

I really want to go back to Italy to get a broader view of the country. I particularly want to visit areas that are not as popular with the tourists. And I miss speaking Italian.

Photos:

Amalfi Coast – Part I

Amalfi Coast – Part II

Rome – Part I

Rome – Part II

Rome – Part III

THE RESORT RECOMMENDS THAT TRAVELES USE SUBSERIES PRODUCTS DO TO

THEIR COMMITMENT TO REEF SAFE PRODUCTS….SUBSERIES HAS OVER 9 REEF FRIENDLY

PRODUCTS  TO DIVE FOR!

Panama City Florida is opening the first airport in America since September 11, 2001.  Spring breakers can now schedule a flights straight to Panama City. Northwest Florida-Beaches International Airport was named on Wednesday morning November 11, 2009 reports Pensacola News.

For more information on airports check out the list of top 5 airports in America according to Travel and Leisure Magazine.

!!!

Photo Credit: LAX, Florencio Briones; Phoenix, UsAirRetro “America West” Paint Scheme; Tampa, Dustin Coates; Seattle, Walter Siegmund; Minneaplis/St. Paul, Jayme Halbritter

Mexico is a popular vacation destination.  While a large nubmer of individuals visit Mexico during the summer, there are many who choose to visit during the spring.  Many of these individuals are on spring break.  If you are like most college students, you may want to spend you spring break vacationing in Mexico.

One of the many reasons why Mexico is a popular vacation destination among college students is because of the legal drinking age.  Unlike in the United States, the legal drinking age is only eighteen in Mexico.  This law enables almost all college students to drink alcohol on their break, an activity that all enjoy.

While vacationing in Mexico, there are an unlimited nubmer of destinations that you can choose from.  If you are interested in partying, socializing, and spending time with your peers, you have a number of Mexico destinations to choose from.  You will find that many of these locations are beach resorts.

The most popular spring break destination in Mexico, if not the whole world, is Cancun.  Cancun is most famous for its nightlife.  Cancun is literally loaded with a large nubmer of bars and nightclubs.  If you are interested in partying the night away, Cancun is the place to do it.  Just a few of the many nightclubs in Cancun include the Bulldog Café, Dady ‘O, Margaritaville, Fat Tuesdays, and Senor Frogs.

Cancun is most known for its night life; however, you will need to find something to keep your days busy.  If you love the beach and all of the activities it has to offer, you will not be disappointed.  Along the beaches, you can swim, sunbathe, play volleyball, or toss a Frisbee around.  In addition to the activities found on the beach, you can also ride four-wheelers, take jungle tours, go horseback riding, experience an ocean cruise, or go snorkeling along the coast.

While Cancun may be the most popular Spring Break destination in the world, Mexico has a nubmer of other beach areas that you may want examine.  One of those locations includes Acapulco.  In many ways, Acapulco is similar to Cancun.  Acapulco has an active nightlife and other amazing activities, which can be found on or off the beach. 

As with most beaches, while in Acapulco you can sunbathe along the shore, go swimming in the ocean, or participate in a nubmer of outdoor beach sports games.  In addition to traditional beach activities, you find even more to fill up your day, on and off the shoreline.  Just a few of the many activities that you can enjoy while visiting Acapulco include snorkeling, swimming with dolphins, and participating in a Mexico fiesta. 

The nightlife in Acapulco is often compared to Cancun.  You can spend your nights partying away in bars, nightclubs, strip clubs, or discos.  Just a few of the many bars in the Acapulco area include Mangos, One Dollar Bar, and Yuppies Sports Bar.

Whether you choose to spend your spring break in Cancun or Acapulco, you will have to make your plans ahead of time.  Your Spring Break vacation can be planned on a whim; however, many popular hotel resorts quickly fill up during spring break.  As soon as you decide that you are going to spend your break in Cancun or Acapulco, it is likely that you would want to make your travel plans right away.

When making hotel and travel accommodations, it is important not to make reservations with the first airline or hotel that you come across.  A large nubmer of resorts in the Cancun and Acapulco areas offer spring break packages. Many of these packages are designed to save spring breakers money.  In addition to searching for beach resorts that offer vacation packages, you may want to examine the deals found on discount travel websites. Many of these deals are similar to ones that you may find being offered by a popular resort.

With all of activities, services, and facilities found in Mexico, you are sure to enjoy your Spring Break. In fact, so many students enjoy their time there that they often return the following year.  Whether you what a simple vacation or to start a tradition, Mexico is the place to be.

Top 10 Spring Break Party Destinations for College Students

You SO want to be this girl.

1.Cancun Mexico
The spring break destination for the Girls Gone Wild wanna be in you. Expect wet t-shirt contests galore, rail liquor loaded with rohypnol, guidos and herpes, herpes, herpes. Bad decision making is expected, ditto lax condom usage. When you Google “Spring Break,” the first result to pop up is its Wikipedia entry. “In locales such as Cancún, Mexico, spring break activities traditionally include binge drinking, recreational drug use and casual sex.” Anyone who says they’re going for the snorkeling during peak season is lying. Sisqo hosted an MTV Spring Break Special in Cancun. Even if you DO have dumps like a truck, truck, truck, this alone should be reason enough to avoid.

Worth it.

2.Acapulco Mexico
VIP! OPEN BAR! UNLIMITED DOS EQUIS! STS will do just about anything to get you to go to Acapulco. Not advertised: airport scams, shitty beaches, drug wars, swine flu. Reconsider risking death to dance with the devil. If you have to go, save a little money by booking a one way ticket. You’re not coming back.

Nope.

3.Party Cruise to Bahamas
Party and cruise in the same sentence shouldn’t sell you on this destination. 90% of the people on board will be students, but what about the other 10? Not the best location to bump into Dad i.e. Roman Polanski. Awkward. Imagine, 100s of drunk strangers on one boat together with sea sickness, food poisoning and STDs. Even the worst frat parties have multiple escape routes. On a boat, you’re fucked. Forget about having sex with [insert name here] Real World star host in the miniscule cabins. Go somewhere else and just book a half day booze cruise? You’ll thank me later.

4.Mazatlan Mexico
Mazatlan will cause you to reevaluate the saying ‘What happens on Spring Break STAYS on Spring Break.’ Includes: Morals, dignity, underwear, the local you married, valuables, Daddy’s credit card. Excludes: VD, memories, that weird rash on your face.

5.South Padre Island
Upsides: kegs are delivered to the beach, you’re still in America so there must be a Waffle House somewhere. Downsides: you’re on an island in Texas that will make you think of your father every time you go down. Have fun with that.

6.Jamaica
The resorts are beautiful. Stay on them. Everything is legal in Jamaica. Including killing spring breakers. Instead of going there, pop in an old Shaggy CD (Beenie Man will suffice), and YouTube Usain Bolt breaking the 100m World Record in the 2008 Olympics. It’s a lot safer.

7.Panama City Beach
The “Spring Break Capital of the World” sees over 100,000 students flock to its shores every year. Panama City Spring Breaks are sponsored by such reputable companies as Victoria’s Secret, Xbox, and Banana Boat. If you were the shit in highschool, you probably went here, stayed at a Holiday Inn/Best Western/some variation there of, drove drunk, got naked, and generally partied like a rockstar. In highschool. Onwards and upwards folks.

8.Puerto Vallarta
Puerto Vallarta is known as La Ciudad Mas Amigable en el Mundo (The Friendliest City in the World). Translation: pack a gun.

9.Nassau Bahamas
Bacardi is made in the Bahamas, so expect a complimentary cocktail once you clear customs. It’s all downhill from there. The Atlantis on Paradise Island sets the standard for accommodation in the Bahamas. Unfortunately, the Atlantis is actually the exception, not the rule. Expect to see lots of cruise ships (i.e. frenzied tourists con fanny pack), drug dealers, and overly friendly men. If your hotel boasts a “man made beach,” it is actually just a 10 x 10 meter shallow pool sectioned off from the harbor. The booze is free flowing, but isn’t it everywhere? Every side of the beach is the shitty side unless you’re staying at Atlantis.

10.Cabo San Lucas Mexico
No wet tshirt contests? How is this even on the Top Ten List?

MIAMI SUBSEXY CROWD NOW HAS A WATERPROOF HAIR AND SKINCARE TO DIVE FOR

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