Anyone planning a trip to the Great Smoky Mountains National Park in North Carolina has probably
already come across the Swag, a country inn,
where the national park sits right in the backyard. Or perhaps you’ve been? From what I’ve discovered the
Swag has received much acclaim for it’s great panoramic views, more than just comfortable rooms, and is said
to be an experience not to miss. Extraordinary gardens in bloom, spring showers, and quiet trails will provide
something for all. Though I’m sure no one wants to stay locked up in their rooms while vacationing, it never
hurts to indulge by a warm fireplace with a handmade quilt. Rooms at the Swag become available April 24
until November 13, 2005.
Learning Spanish: in Honduras
We’ve long been advocates here of learning new languages, even for those who are at an age when most dogs think they can’t learn new tricks. And so it was with a certain feeling of delight to read this Washington Post article about a family that heads to Honduras to beef up and pick up some Spanish skills.
In the story, two moms and four kids head to Copan, a dainty little village to pick up some Spanish skills from an intensive language course. The group finds in the locale the ideal place to immerse themselves not just in the language, but in the culture and surroundings of Latin America.
Country Sites: Virtual Finland
I’m going to start a series of posts on specific country Web sites, selecting one or two sites that really do a great job selling and explaining a particular country. And today, I am beginning the series today with a post on Finland:
Lots of countries have tourist sites that they use to provide information on the people, the places to see, the food and culture of a place. But few others I’ve seen are quite as well-designed and comprehensive as this site for Finland. Perhaps it’s the sleek, simple Scandinavian sensibilities at work, but I took some time looking around Virtual Finland site and found it wonderfully good. You can always visit Lonely Planet for information on a country, but sometimes it’s a good idea to go to the sites of the country itself. This is a perfect case in point.
From history to culture to food to travel to great photos, the folks at Virtual Finland have done a truly superb job on this site, for visitors and Web-lookie-loos alike.
Diving Honduras Too
While we’re on the topic of Honduras, you might also consider heading there for some fine diving. I posted about Utila and the Bay Islands in Honduras over at Divester.
Honduras has long been known as one of the world’s finest dive spots, and as you peruse these sites, you’ll see why. Whale Sharks, a phantasmagoria of tropical fish, excellent reefs, not to mention the opportunity to dive AND learn Spanish, well, you just can’t go wrong making this your next destination.
Bali’s Big Bounce Back
It was two years ago that extremists blew up a nightclub in Bali killing over 200 mostly Australian people. The
blast smudged a big black mark across Bali as a haven for fun-loving, paradise hunters and for a while seemed to kill
the island’s tourist industry.
Well,
according to the NYT, reports of Bali’s demise are somewhat exaggerated. Yes, the island is back, as both a
tropical paradise and a place to spend an evening in mai tai induced stupor. Proving that you can’t keep a good man –
or island, and we all know they are not the same thing – down, signs of Bali’s upswing are everywhere.