Shoe Lovers Dream

I admit that I am an addict. I LOVE shoes. I am a true shopaholic and one of the things I am always in search of are cute and comfortable shoes. In most cases one wins out; either they are cute (high heels, strappy sandals, peep toe pumps) or comfortable ( sneakers, flats and Havianas). But occasionally these two worlds meet and you get the shoe girls dream. When walking down Florida in Buenos Aires Argentina we happened upon a leather shoe store named Praga. It was a little bit of heaven. Pick a color, any color, and pick a style of shoe and this is what this store was like. From gladiator sandals in champagne, to red high heel stilleto boots, purple strappy heels, to blue loafers every color and style under the rainbow was there. When you add the exchange rate of the dollar and the high quality Argentinean leather, I may have just found my own vision of heaven.

After several hours working with Isolina to find just the perfect shoes in every color imaginable, we left overjoyed with our purchases. When traveling to Argentina it is adviseable to bring an empty carry on since we found several places with shoes, bags and clothes we loved. If you like shoes then head down to Florida and our friends at Praga.

Praga
Shoes, Bags and Jackets
Florida 586
4328-6112
www.calzadospraga.es.mn

All Aboard - Tips for Cruising the High Seas

Janelle Poe, travel writer for TheBlackTraveler.com and children’s book writer, shares tips and suggestions on how to cruise with your friends after a girls getaway on Carnival Cruise Lines!

My girlfriends and I love to travel but as much as we love to delve into the deep, we often find ourselves stuck in the shallow end of the pool, and our purses.  Never the types to be discouraged, we have found a wonderful way around our monetary hindrances…cruising!  What better way to see a variety of cultures and landscapes, make sure you get plenty of sun, sand, breathtaking views of the ocean, and all the food and beverages (non-alcoholic/non-carbonated) you can handle at one reasonable price?  If you’re ok with sharing a room with friends (up to 4 in a cabin), are willing to be understanding of the culinary attempts to feed thousands of people practically 24 hours a day on limited refrigeration and freezing systems, don’t mind being around lots of couples and families, and want to get a little taste of a few places, then cruising is for you and yours my friend.

My first cruise was a 4-day, 3 nights cruise from Miami to the Bahamas last year in early November.  This year’s was my 2^nd cruise, a 7-day voyage from Tampa to Grand Cayman, Cozumel, Belize, and Isla Roatan in Early September.  Both have been to celebrate 30^th birthdays but the concept is well on its way to being an annual fixture in the calendar for my crew, Las Tres Reinas.  Of course, we hope to include others in our yearly seascape, lovers, friends and family in the future.  There are so many great things about cruising and one of the best parts is that there’s something for everyone to enjoy; it just depends on your willingness to discover it and how long you can make that joy last!

Here’s a quick list of Dos and Don’ts to make your next cruise more enjoyable.

DO:

• Pick a cruise that is in your budget and will stay there even with the added expenses of airfare, refreshments on board, souvenirs, excursions, and transportation to and from your point of embarkation.
• Pick a cruise that is a reasonable length of time for you to be away and on a boat. Try starting with a 3 or 4 day one if you’re not sure how strong your sea legs are.  Bring some Dramamine and Tylenol/Aleve just in case.
• Take a look at the ship’s layout before purchasing your package. What level do you want to be on?  Will there be a window, balcony?  While you don’t spend too much time in your room, you want to be as comfortable as possible and it can be a little weird having a room without a window.
• Think about the weather. Hurricane season in the Caribbean is late August thru Mid-October.  This might affect your ship’s travel plans.
• Find out what the ship’s itinerary is ahead of time. Know how long you will have in each port of call and what those ports will be.
• Research your ports of call. Find out about the local history, the main attractions, and the things that make this place special.  Can you walk around when you get there or will you need a taxi/bus tour, etc…Plan your itinerary accordingly.
• Fill out the ship’s paperwork ahead of time and make sure your passport is in order well ahead of your travel date.
• Make a copy of your passport to bring with you and carry it with you when you leave the ship.
• Check out the pre-arranged excursions for each port & pick a few possible options based on your time, interest & budget. Try to find one thing each family member would like to do.  If there’s a really special one, go ahead and book it before you leave so there’s no chance of it being sold-out once you get there.  You can also do this on-board the ship, but make sure to do so at least 1 day prior to arriving at that destination.
• Purchase insurance if you’re traveling with someone with health issues. You never know what could happen and if emergency services are required, they will be super expensive out at sea.
• Check your ship’s rules for bringing food and alcohol on board. You can save money by bringing snacks and your own alcohol, but there are limits.
• Lay out your clothes and plan for your days and nights. How will you be spending most of your time?  Walking in sunny weather, dancing the night away, or being fancy?  Most cruises have at least one Captain’s Dinner, which requests passengers to wear Formal Attire.  Your ship may also have laundry facilities but don’t count on them because they may not always be operating properly.
• Bring lots of sunscreen, bug spray, batteries, a book, a deck of cards or travel-sized game, comfortable shoes, waterproof shoes, and a water bottle.
• Pack a fold-up poncho and/or umbrella and take it with you when you leave the ship. You never know what the weather will be like when you’re off the ship.
• Bring at least an extra $100 in cash when you leave the ship and keep it somewhere safe. You never know what could happen and you might not always have access to an ATM nor does every vendor accept credit cards.
• Find out what time the ship’s Back Aboard time is and plan on getting there 30 minutes before then. You never know what could happen and it’s no fun running for your life to catch the boat.  They will leave you.
• Make sure you know how to get back to the port if you walk out of visual distance from the ship.  Pick up a local map from the ship before debarking or from one of the excursion companies or information desk at the port.
• Read the Daily Guide provided by the ship to know what’s going on and make sure to try a few activities you wouldn’t normally do otherwise.
• Eat and drink plenty of fluids (especially water) to keep yourself hydrated and full of energy during your busy schedule.

DON’T

• Schedule a flight that will not give you enough time to get on or off the ship. Allow at least 3 hours in between your time of departure.
• Do anything stupid. On ship, it could get you thrown off.  At a port, it could get you in trouble with foreign authorities.  Or you could get physically hurt.  It’s just not worth it.
• Drink the water in ports of call, unless you’re absolutely sure it’s purified. This includes ice and slushy drinks.  Bring a water bottle and fill it up on the ship.
• Rent mopeds unless you already have plenty of practice driving one or don’t care about spending extra money in case of an accident. I highly suggest buying the liability insurance, but that won’t cover you if you fall over and damage the bike.
• Wear uncomfortable shoes when leaving the ship. Chances are, you’ll be doing a lot of walking and you won’t be returning to the ship.
• Run around on board. The boat is tilting, there could be water or spilt drinks, and the decks are never completely dry.  Avoid embarrassment and pain by taking it easy and watching where you’re going.
• Offend the nation. Remember that you are a guest in someone else’s home.  You can always leave a place looking better than it did when you got there.  Recycle and be kind, even if others are rude to you.  Tourism has many unseen and unintentional impacts on a community.
• Waste your time on the ship when you’re docked at a port. Even if you’ve been there before, there’s something new for you to discover.  Eat a good breakfast and get out there!
• Leave the ship without making sure you have a time piece and your time matches the ship’s time. The ship time might be several hours different from whatever local time it is on that port.
• Wait until the last minute to head back to the ship. Give yourself plenty of time.
• Forget any liquor you purchase on board or off-shore will be held until the last night of your cruise.
• Forget to tip your table waiter on the last night and your cabin steward in the morning before you debark. They work very hard to take care of you and make little money, so return the favor.
• Forget you have to go through customs before your trip is over. The earlier you get up, the quicker you’ll be finished.  Keep in mind they will not accept plants, food (unless packaged), or animals and it can be a lengthy process.
• Forget it’s a vacation! You’re there to have fun so try not to let anything stress you out and have a great time with your lucky companion(s)!

Remember that you get what you pay for so be discriminatory about deals, unless you really don’t mind.  Cruises are hotels on the water, and there are differences in the quality between a stay at the Sheraton, Marriot, and W hotels in their accomodations, service, food quality and general atmosphere.  Pick somewhere you’d be comfortable and find out about their options, especially in terms of dining options.  I can only speak for my experience with Carnival, I think they’re pretty good overall and I would compare them to a Marriot, not too fancy, but not too shabby either.  From what I hear, Royal Caribbean and Celebrity Cruises are a step above.

Each day, and night on a cruise is a brand new one.  So the music on deck might get a little old, go check out a show or a live band; or better yet, plug in some of your own music and check out the ocean views.  Maybe it’s freezing in the dining room; go upstairs to the buffet and take your food outside.  Perhaps the casino has taken too much of your money; go lay down and read a book, or watch a movie in your room.  There are so many opportunities for fun, excitement and adventure on a cruise, but the rest is up to you.  Enjoy!

Janelle Poe is is NYC born, but not bred, although she acknowledges the city has always been her home. Raised on the East and West coasts, and having spent a few years living abroad in Europe, traveling has always been a big part of her life, from the time she was a young child and hopefully until the very end. While her income doesn’t always match her desires, she tries to travel as much as she can, and outside of the United States at least once a year. She is a writer currently working on children’s books and hopes to be published in 2009. Till then, she will continue to discover and enjoy new places, food, music, and of course the unique people this incredible world has to offer. Then she’ll go home and write about it, hopefully inspiring others to do the same.

Interested in having your story featured on Escape Together? Contact us at info@escapetogether.com for more information.

3 Ways to Plan a Romantic Getaway on a Budget

1. Stay Close to home.
   

When we think of getting away from it all we often think we must be on a beach half way around the world. Though that can make for a great vacation you can easily getaway from it all without leaving your home city. Stay in the Downtown area of a nearby city and save on airfare and time. Downtown areas usually have really low weekend rates because they mostly cater to business professionals. You can get upgraded suites and rooms at times for half what they would cost during the week.

1. Splurge on Dinner and save on other meals
   

Try to choose a hotel with a full breakfast included and then grab something quick for lunch. You can easily find something quick and under $15 if you stay in a centrally located area. Then make your dinner the big special event. Eat somewhere that you can get a little more dressed up and look at each other over candlelight.

1. Do inexpensive things you used to do when you first started dating.
   

If you have gotten into the routine of your relationship you may not go on many dates anymore. Use your weekend as a chance to do the things you usually never have time to do together. Go see a movie or a play, play a round of miniature golf, or even just walk along a scenic area of the city. If the weather is nice ask the hotel to pack you a lunch or buy food from a local market and have a picnic in a local park. Most of what makes a romantic weekend perfect is the ability to have uninterrupted time to spend together. Even if it seems like the activity is something you could easily do at home try to remember the last time you actually did this activity together. If you can’t remember or it was too long ago to really count then it is not something that you would do normally and can be included in your weekend.