Archive for November, 2009

Things to Do in Portland, Oregon

Portland, Oregon is not a large city, but it’s still a popular vacation destination due to it’s beautiful landscape and many fun activities. Like any good city, Portland offers activities that everyone can enjoy, regardless of their tastes or interests. There are literally thousands of things to do in this great city, but below you will find some of the best things to do in Portland, Oregon.

1. Sight-see

While sight-seeing is a common activity in every vacation destination, it’s especially prominent in Portland. There are so many beautiful sights to see in the downtown area, and thankfully, most of them are not crowded or overrun by tourists. There are many gardens and gardens scattered around the city, and visiting one can be a great, peaceful way to pass the time. Also, Portland as a whole is very bike-friendly, with many trails and places for bikers to ride. So if you’re a bike enthusiast, taking a spin around the city is highly recommended.

2. Visit Powell’s

Powell'sPowell’s City of Books is a book store that is, quite frankly, huge. Stretching for several city blocks, this multi-story bookstore is like heaven for avid readers. You can find every type of book at Powell’s, and since many of the books are used, prices are very affordable. If you’re a book lover, a nice warm cup of coffee and a trip to Powell’s is all the entertainment you could possibly need.

3. See a play

Portland is known for its cutting-edge theatre, choirs, and other stage performance groups. There are theatres all throughout the town, and there is almost always a major play or performance going on in Portland. So whatever the season, whatever the day, look to the performing arts for entertainment in Portland.

How to Snap Great Travel Photos

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Traveling is a memorable experience, and we do everything we can to capture the essence of a place, a city, or even a restaurant. Photography is the best way to do this, and getting the best pictures possible is the first step in taking home beautiful cherished memories. When traveling, leave behind all of those cliché photo skills you learned from your mom. Use these to snap the best and highest quality photos possible! Don’t let a single memory or significant event pass you by! Capture all of the beauty of the world, and you might be surprised with what you get in the end!

1. Always use the correct camera setting. You don’t need an SLR camera to take a high quality image. Just use the right setting for your environment, and click away! It is especially important to use flash and macro settings when they are called for. Don’t use flash in an already bright environment, it can ruin the image!

2. Take multiple pictures of the same scene. If you snap 5-10 of the same thing from varying angles, you are sure to get a perfect picture in the bunch somewhere!

3. Always use a full height tripod or a mini tripod when you want to take a picture of something particularly striking. This is great for landscapes and monument photography, but not good for quick snap shots of people or the world around you.

4. Take pictures of everything! You will regret it if you don’t, so take snap shots of everything you pass by even if it seems insignificant. You will be surprised once you get home!

5. Don’t be afraid to use the video function on your camera. Sometimes the best memories are to be had from videos. Take a video of the crowds around a museum, or take videos of yourself in a specific area. Have fun!

6. Try different angles for certain images. It’s interesting to see the world how you really see it, so don’t stick to one humdrum boring angle.

7. Read up on photo composition. Learning how to artistically compose your photos can make your travel pictures that much more elegant.

8. You don’t have to ask people for permission to take their photo, but you might want to as a common courtesy. Especially if you plan on taking an artistic shot, just ask!

9. Make sure you have plenty of memory space. It’s not fun to take pictures then run out of space on your memory card! It doesn’t hurt to have multiple for back up, just in case.

10. The most important part of travel photography, is to always have a back up battery! Most cameras use lithium ion batteries, so it doesn’t hurt to have multiple charged ones on hand if you going to be out for the majority of the day!

Visit the Top 5 Most Interesting Leaning Towers

The Leaning Tower of Pisa is not the only leaning tower in the world that you can visit. There are so much more leaning towers available on the face of the Earth that you can drop by the next time you decide to take a holiday. Here are the best 5 you should find out more of.

1. The Leaning Tower of San Pietro di Castello, Venice, Italy
Venice is well known for its interesting building structures and one of them includes the Leaning Tower of San Pietro di Castello. The charmingly old building leaned to one side as a result of the passage of time and waterlogged soil. Standing in the bell tower itself offers you a great many photos to bring home where the scenic surroundings are sure to wow your friends and family.

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2. Tower of the Milices, Rome, Italy
Yet another interesting structure from Italy, the Tower of the Milices or the Torre delle Milizie was constructed in the year 1200 but thanks to an earthquake the devastated the area in 1348, the tower’s top level crumbled to pieces, leaving the main structure intact but tilting 1.36 degrees towards the north east direction. The tower is expected to lean more throughout the years, so we shall soon see if this won’t rival the Leaning Tower of Pisa

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3. Temple Church, Bristol, England
Is it a temple or a church? It’s neither now; it’s a leaning tower! This tower alarmingly leans approximately 5 feet outwards but experts announced that there is no real danger resulting from this leaning tower. The church’s construction was completed during 1460, more than a century since work building began. A Knights Templar church stood in its original site. During World War II, serious damage caused the building to enter a state of disrepair but it is now in safe hands under the observation of the English Heritage.

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4. Oude Kerk, Delft, the Netherlands
The Oude Kerk, affectionately known as the Old Church is an interesting landmark in the city of Delft, the Netherlands. It leans out a staggering 6.5 feet away from the original axis and can be a rather startling site for those who see it for the first time. It houses an old bell weighing 9 tons and we can all bet that the bell is rarely rung due to its massive weight and height above ground!

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5. Nevyansk Falling Tower, Sverdlovsk, Russia
This building was erected in the city of Sverdlovsk, Russia and leans approximately 7 feet outwards. Built by a famous associate of Czar Peter the Great, the tower has been known to house hidden treasures in the form of gold and silver after some of it was found in hidden compartments within the chimney. It was rumored to be hidden there by a counterfeiter looking to hide his loot.

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Enterprise #1 in Car Rental Customer Satisfaction

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For an unprecedented 6 years in a row, Enterprise Rent a Car once again tops JD Powers’ 2009 Car Rental Satisfaction Survey. Surprisingly, the company that boasts it’s customer service prowess, Hertz, wasn’t even in second place – it was ranked third behind National Rent a Car. The survey notes that overall, customer satisfaction has increased for the car rental agency as a whole.

The survey takes 12,000 responses and rates car rental companies in several areas: price, ease of pickup, quality of rental car, ease of return, ease of reservation, and airport shuttles and busses. Overall, consumers were much happier this years than in previous years; in fact, this year breaks a two year trend of double digit declines in customer satisfaction.

Of course, the level of satisfaction also depends on the type of customer. National is geared towards non-business customers’ and their needs and is very competitively priced. On the other hand, National and Hertz tailor their services to business customers. For instance, Hertz fares particularly well on convenience of airport shuttles compared to Enterprise, but Enterprise performs far better in price.

The report also notes that as a whole prices have been declining across the industry. This can be attributed to smaller fleet sizes that are replaced less often, decreasing costs to the car rental agency that is then passed to the consumer. However, not everything is within the car rental agency’s control – taxes are often levied against car rentals, since these “hidden costs” are almost always approved by residents as a way to increase tax revenue.

The car rental agency has come a long way – they are changing to meet the current economic environment, as well as the customers’ constantly changing needs. In this difficult time, it’s nice to see a company succeed by providing great service at a reasonable price.

Delicious Places to Eat in L.A. – Pink’s Hot Dog Stand

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For 70 years Pink’s has been a family operated hot dog stand in Los Angeles, California. This special hot dog stand began in 1939, when many Americans were struggling and good food was expensive. Pink’s prided themselves on providing fantastic hot dogs that anyone could afford. They have a variety of options to, and special chili that is well known all around the country to day.

In the 1940s Paul Pink bought a small building for his hot dog business, and it stands there today as the place thousands of Americans visit daily. The hot dogs come with any toppings you choose, such as chili, onions, and mustard, and cost only $2.95. Even their massive 10 inch hot dogs cost less than $4! Mostly everything is under $6. Technically from an economic stand point, these amazing chili dogs are a better “value” than they were in the late 30s. Not a lot of mom and pop restaurants can say that they survived 70 years in a growing city, but Pink’s has thanks to the great service.

Everyone eats at Pink’s, especially if they are local residents. Travelers are always in line here to get a whiff or taste of the delectable hot dogs that Pink’s serves up fresh. When eating here you might get lucky and see a famous celebrity eating here too – even the wealthy adore this place! Some celebrities knew of Pink’s way before either was famous, yet they keep coming back to visit and meet fans while eating! So not only do you get a $2.95 hot dog, but you get an opportunity to meet your favorite stars if they are eating there!

Of course, Pink’s isn’t just a restaurant. Any foodie will know that visiting Pink’s is like visiting a small food museum, a relic of the past and how good food service can do so much for the owners and the community. Since lines are often extremely long, people find themselves conversing with those in line with them over the delicious food. Some people actually bring food to eat while waiting in line! It’s an adventure more than anything, and definitely something to see while in Los Angeles on vacation.

Taking a short yet cheap vacation to visit Pink’s is definitely worth the time and money. To say that you have dined at Pink’s is like saying you ate at the Holy Grail of hot dog stands. It’s THAT famous! If you can’t be in Los Angeles there are a few other locations that are now Pink’s stands. They are still family owned, but just spread out a bit more! These can be found at Hollywood Park Studio, Bell Gardens Bicycle Club Casino, The Greek Theater, and the famous Aladdin Hotel in Las Vegas. If you want legendary food, at a rock bottom price, Pink’s is the place to visit while in California!

Puerto Penasco: A Lesser Known Mexican Vacation Spot

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Puerto Penasco is a beautiful city located by the shore of the Gulf of California. The name translates to “Rocky Point” in English. This beautiful city is a gorgeous vacation spot for families and couples that prefer a quiet vacation. Cancun and other well known Mexico resort areas are great, but if you want something a little closer to what Mexico is really like, Puerto Penasco is the place to go.

The actual area of the city is large, but there aren’t very many people or buildings crowding the area. There are tons of wonderful restaurants, beaches, hotels, and shopping areas to nab great locally made things. Puerto Penasco is the closest beach for people in New Mexico and Arizona, making it a very popular spring break destination for college students. It doesn’t get as crazy as other Mexico spring break destinations, but if you prefer fewer crowds then don’t visit here in April.

For lodging there are tons of upscale hotels and condos to meet your budget and needs. If you prefer something more affordable there are plenty of those available. Currently new hotels and condos are in development, so you can expect beautiful new seaside lodging options soon! All of the hotels are modern and up to date with everything you need, and the condos provide a perfect environment for longer vacations and private beach access. Some of the hotels offer great nightlife adventures as well.

There are two strips of beach in Puerto Penasco, one is free and one is dedicated to timeshare owners and condos and resort hotels. Depending on where you want to go and your plans, you can choose either. There are plenty of restaurants to choose from on either beach so you will never be without food. Other shopping venues include street side sellers that are selling hand crafted goods and more delicious treats.

If you want to enjoy a nice day of boating, boat rentals are available, as are parasailing trips and many other tours to choose from. There are even ATV rentals available so that you can take them on the nearby sand dunes. If you have never used a Jet Ski, Rocky Point offers Jet Ski rentals too. Other fun rentals include banana boats, kayaking, and even snorkeling! Imagine looking into the beautiful clear blue waters and getting up close and personal with all of tropical fish! To snorkel you simply have to go visit another island called “Bird Island”, where you can see sea lions and dolphins.

It’s hard to get bored in Puerto Penasco, even though it’s a small city there are tons of wonderful activities to keep you and the family entertained. It is truly a marvelous family resort area, or just a nice place for a short and quiet vacation. Whatever the reason, this is one of the places you will never hear of unless you go see it for yourself!

3 Favorite Mexico Vacations

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Mexico has always been a fantastic place to visit. No matter what you’re in the mood for, you’re sure to find it somewhere – world class cuisine? Try Mexico City. Looking for great beaches? Puerto Escondido is your destination. Beautiful antiquities? Ancient sites abound. All these reasons make Mexico perfect for any vacation; here’s some of the more popular destinations.

The capital city of Mexico gets the first mention here. Mexico City is easily the most populous city in the country, with over 8 million residents. Because of this, it is easily one of the most modern. It hosts restaurants from top chefs such as Michael Mina; has plenty of American favorites like Starbucks at every corner. And if you’re looking for nightlife, Mexico City’s got it. Mexico City also plays host to many national treasures, such as the National Museum of Anthropology in Chapultepec Park. Don’t be scared by all the media hype regarding crime in this big city – it’s no more or less than you will find in any major metropolitan town.

While Cancun steals all the national spotlight, locals know that Mexico has many better options. Playa del Carmen rises to the top of many of those lists. Long favored by locals, after seeing the beautiful white sandy beaches and clear blue waters, it’s no wonder why. The best part is, unlike it’s more expensive neighbors, Playa del Carmen has many hotels to fit any budget. Don’t forget to visit the nearby Mayan ruins.

Puebla, situated a mere 3 hours away from Mexico City, offers tourists an amazing look into Mexico’s storied past. A truly history city, many buildings have been preserved and are open to the public. It is here, at the Museo de la Revolucion that the Mexican civil war started in 1910. The city is famous for it’s pottery, so be sure to bring enough money to buy some as gifts. Oh, and don’t forget to try the mole; it’s a local specialty as well.

While Mexico doesn’t offer the same amount of flashiness as it’s neighbors, it does offer great weather all year round and beautiful destinations at an affordable price. Savvy travelers recognize a vacation to Mexico is a bargain compared to a trip to Cancun. Take a chance on Mexico – you might find yourself pleasantly surprised.