The Carnary Islands

Say hi to my quest blogger, Nikolai Rudenko, a freelancer in advertising and marketing who enjoys travel and photography and sharing experiences with friends  Please enjoy his travel post on The Canary Islands, with information about Lanzarote and Tenerife.   It sure makes me want to pack my bags and head out for some adventure.  Look at those views!

The Canary Islands: Top Outdoor Excursions
If you’re looking for a summer break that involves more than just lazing on a perfectly formed beach, the Canary Islands would be the perfect choice for package holidays in the sun. While they’re certainly inundated with fabulous beaches, they also have plenty of outdoor excursions on offer which will bring you closer to the vast and breathtaking landscapes of these volcanic isles. Whichever Canary Island you choose to base your holiday on, there’ll be an outdoors adventure for you.

Lanzarote: Timanfaya National Park
Located on the southwest coast of the island, the Timanfaya National Park is a sight to behold. While you may be used to its beaches, watersports and tourist-clad resorts, a short coach ride will bring you closer to a side of Lanzarote you have never witnessed before.
While there hasn’t been any major volcanic activity recently, its volcanic past can be seen clearly as you cast your eyes over the barren landscape, with steam geysers being of particular interest to tourists.

Tenerife: Mount Teide
Mount Teide is a volcano in the heart of Tenerife’s Teide National Park. Considered to be sacred to the island’s aboriginal people, the volcano can be reached via public road, with a cable car ride taking avid visitors to its summit.
Gran Canaria: Maspalomas Sand Dunes
Located in the popular resort of Maspalomas on the south coast of the island, these sand dunes are vast, expansive and well worth a visit. Choose to explore them via a unique camel ride, or hop on a dune buggy to kick up some sand dust for an exhilarating trip!

Alternatively, the island of Fuerteventura was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2009, and provides plenty of fabulous outdoor excursions including the unique black sand beach at Ajuy. Wherever you choose, you can be sure to be within easy reach of memorable outdoor adventures that will add another facet to your Canary Island break.

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Cyprus

Say hi to my quest blogger, Nikolai Rudenko, a freelancer in advertising and marketing who enjoys travel and photography and sharing experiences with friends  Please enjoy his travel post on Cyprus, it sure makes me want to pack my bags and head out for some adventure.

Captivating Cyprus

There's so much to love about Cyprus. For starters, it's the mythical birthplace of Aphrodite, the legendary goddess of love, and it's clear that she left her mark here. This captivating island is a beautiful place that's home to glorious seascapes, gorgeous golden sands stunning mountains, so as destinations go, Cyprus holidays are pretty close to perfect.

Anchored in the Mediterranean Sea, Cyprus offers a wonderful climate that regularly peaks in the early 30s during the summer season, and hovers around 20-25 during spring and autumn. Even during the winter months, temperatures on this lovely sunny island make t-shirts and shorts a possibility while the rest of Britain is shivering in winter's icy grip.

So, sunshine aside, what else can you expect from Cyprus holidays? Its resorts are plentiful and enormously varied. You've got party-mad Ayia Napa for non-stop nightlife and energetic clubs that will keep you dancing 'til the small hours. This is a great spot for 18-30s style getaways and, as well as a buzzing nightlife, it's also home to some cracking beaches. So make sure you pack your swimwear and plenty of Factor 30 - because sunburn and blisters are never a good look!

For something a little quieter, Nissi beach is located just a few miles away from Ayia Napa and makes a great spot for anyone who fancies being within reach of the nightlife, without compromising a good night's sleep. Or if you fancy soaking up a bit of classic Cypriot culture, head to the town of Paphos. This is a great place with a lovely harbour and stacks of historical sights nearby, including Aphrodite's Rock and the ancient Tombs of the Kings.

You'll find holidays here and in many other locations by flicking through the holiday brochures of major tour operators, like Thomas Cook. Even better, get online and search the website for all the latest moneys-saving deals and inspiration on where to go. One thing's for sure, Cyprus holidays are pretty special - and one visit to this captivating island is never usually the last...

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Scotts Brats on Palm Beach, Aruba

Meet Scott and Leslie.  Scott and Leslie formerly of Wisconsin here in the United States now make their home in Aruba, One Happy Island.  After vacationing in Aruba for a good number of years, they got married on the beach, and the rest if history.  Scott and Leslie serve up an awesome breakfast, and lunch right on the beach in Aruba on Palm Beach.

They're located at the Playa Linda Resort, a very popular spot on the beach.

You can have a quick bite without breaking the bank.  The food is good, the service is fantastic, the  people are friendly, and the prices are reasonable.

You can walk right up and order and take it with you, to the beach, or the pool area.

You can eat while you're walking on the beach.

For breakfast and or brunch, you can enjoy the Bloody Mary Bar

I highly recommend Scotts Brats and Leslie Bunz (take another look at the pictures), for breakfast and or lunch.  We would have eaten here more then twice, but only found it on our last 2 days...this trip.  We will be back, and we will visit with Scott and Leslie and enjoy both breakfast and lunch with them.

AND as a bonus, folks they play great music.  Check it out and tell them Sandy and Ernie (Buckeye's) sent you.

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Braves All Star Grill in The Atlanta Airport

 When you get up around 3 am to catch an early morning flight, having a Bloody Mary with your breakfast seems totally in line.........by this time we'd been up about 5 hours already.  Braves All Star Grill in the Atlanta airport is a must.  Good food, good Bloody Mary's and a really fun atmosphere.  Everyone was upbeat and fun........and they were far more awake then we were.  Hubby and I both had an omelet, toast, and fried potatoes with our coffee and Bloody Mary's.  Somehow a Bloody Mary for breakfast always signifies the beginning of vacation from our perspective.

 Braves All Star Grill is located in concourse D.  If you're tight on time, not to worry Carolyn and the other wait staff will get you in quickly.  Things were hoping with people coming and going.  We had some time to kill before our next flight so we got to relax and enjoyed the friendliness and efficiency afforded to all.

This was our wonderful, fun, and super waitress...Carolyn.  Please look her up she'll make your day.  Generally, you make do in most airports grabbing whatever you can; this was not such an occasion.  We enjoyed our breakfast, and we will return on our next flight through Atlanta's airport.  Have your phones powered up when you get there, they have a deal for you using your phones which results in your getting a discount.

Thank you Carolyn and Braves All Star Grill for a great start to our vacation!

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.

Sunrise on Board Air Tran

 It's time for Travel Tip Thursday.  When you take an early morning flight...don't go sleep as soon as you get on the plane.  If you do.........you'll miss this.

 Don't pack your camera where you can't get to it.  I keep my small point and shoot nothing fancy camera in my purse, in my purse under the seat so I knab it quickly.

Not pictures you could put in a contest, but was happy not much of a reflection.  Held the camera close to the window, took the first picture with the flash, the other 2 without the flash.    This sunrise was taken out the window of my Air Tran flight heading from Columbus to Atlanta on my way to Aruba.  Do pop back in for photo's and information about Aruba, one of my favorite places to travel.

Pop in Often, remember Menu Mondays for dining tips, Traveling Tips on Thursday, and any day for vacation destinations.