Consumer Traveler thinks that when it comes to tarmac delays that we want to have our cake and eat it, too.  See what you think.

West Seattle Blog gives us a peek at some wildlife along the shore.  It’s part of the reason why Seattle is such a great place to live.

Gadling shares what it would be like if airlines ran restaurants.  This would be funny if it weren’t all too true.

LA Times tells us about FREE tours of the White House Gardens.  If you’ll be back DC way, this sounds like a great idea.

My Marrakesh always has such wonderful finds from her corner of the world.  One day I’m heading that way for a visit, and will convince her to take me shopping.

AAA Travel Views snagged me with an article about what goes into a 5-star hotel evaluation.  Ahhhhh, luxury!

Ron Dubin always captivates with his photography, and this one of the Seine in Paris brings back memories of a wonderful vacation.

LUXUO introduced me to Louis Vuitton City Guides.  Love their bags, but have never seen their city guides.  Anyone?

Nerds Eye View advises about mistakes that rookie RV-ers make, and owns up to the one she made herself.

A Single View provides a little airline humor.  Who has the guts to use this bag tag?

Sharing Experiences talks about what it takes to be a travel writer, and how to get some good travel learnin’.

Tripbase tackles the age old problem of post-vacation blues.  My choice?  Start planning another vacation ASAP.

Travel Rants talks about Google Sidewiki.  What do you think?

What a Trip talks about a trip to Ketchikan.  Read about the must-do in the great city in Alaska.

The Vacation Gals have a great giveaway, combining the Wii and travel.  Go and enter!

PlanetEye Traveler – Lisbon has my mouth watering with a great fine dining review.  Now I’m hungry!

Till next week, happy reading!

Photo credit:  Mary Jo Manzanares

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iTravelnet writes about ActionAid Australia’s TOTO project.  They’re looking for an outreach blogger to write about poverty.  Deadline to apply is August 30th, so if you’re interested move quickly.

(c)Mary Jo Manzanares, 2009

My Bella Vita explains how a simple geography question about how many continents there are can fuel an international discussion.  The answer may not be as simple as you think.

The Amsterdam Guide explains proper tram etiquette.  If you’ll be traveling Amsterdam by public transportation, this is good advice to make things easier for you.

AAA Travel Views writes about the AAA Roadside iPhone app that’s now available.  I love my apps, so you can bet that I’ll be using and reviewing this one soon.

My Mélange lists her travel regrets.  We all have some, of course, but reading her list will make you more determined that ever to travel to the fullest.

The Vancouver Traveler revisits Woodstock, British Columbia-style.  Not just a US phenomena, Woodstock resonated, and continues to resonate, around the world.

Intelligent Traveler has a writer putting Jet Blue’s Flight Pass to a test.  You can follow along as Katie travels and uses the pass for a month.

Money Hacker lists 12 ways to travel for free.  They won’t work for everyone, of course, but maybe you can find one that captures your attention and give it a try.

Upgrade Travel Better writes about Hertz’s decision to start photographing rental cars in order to avoid conflict about whether there’s been additional damage.  Sounds like a good idea to me.

The South Florida Traveler helps us learn how to prepare for a hurricane.  Good info to know before your need it, rather than after, but I still hope I never have to put it to a test.

Consumer Traveler names the world’s worst hotel, and spills the beans on a few others as well.

Richard P. Carpenter’s Travel & Trivia lists information to consider when deciding when to travel where.  It takes into account weather, special events, vacation times, currency valuation, and more.

Global Nomad has great photos and accompanying commentary about the beggars who work Sudder Street in Kolkata, India.

Northwest Cheapsleeps recommends things to do and see in Long Beach, Washington, reminding me that I haven’t been there in quite awhile.

Eye Flare picks up the discussion on whether or not TripAdvisor censors reviews – especially negative ones.  Jack’s advice is solid, always read with some skepticism.

Travel Rants points out how to spot a fake travel site.  Sad, but true, travelers continue to get hoodwinked by unscrupulous vendors.  Ignore this advice at your own peril.

Enjoy the week!

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Gadling – 10 passengers we love to hate, the baggage claim vulture.  It would be funny if it weren’t so true.

The Amsterdam Guide – Coffee shops and hash houses.  It’s what we really want to know, but are afraid to ask.  Marianne gives us some recommendations and practical etiquette.

Nomadic Matt – The top 10 party cities.  Reading this made me feel a little old, but only for a few minutes, as it’s more than just clubs.

Luxury Travel Guide – Where the wealthiest traveler’s stay.  I’d have to get together a couple thousand of my closest friends to afford these spots.  Pretty fabulous, though.

Traveling Mamas – Mountain Mama gives a review of The Beatles’ LOVE, a Cirque du Soleil show.  I loved this show myself!

The South Florida Traveler – If your feet are aching after a night of serious partying, kick off your heels and pick up some after-party shoes from a vending machine.

Gail at Large – Tempting treats at a Toronto cookie shop.  You get to choose your own dough, add your favorite extras, and then they’re baked and ready for you in just a couple of minutes.  Yummmmm!

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The gardens represent a wide range of gardening styles and plant collections, covering diverse parts of the world.  It’s an interesting blend or culture with flora and fauna.  And, because this is the mile high city, there’s some focus on high altitude climate and how that can impact a garden.

While it’s hard to believe that a botanical garden can be even “greener," Denver seems to have done it with the city’s first green roof.  It’s a real-life example of how green roofs can be used for individual building owners, and for larger communities, in creating an eco-friendly urban environment.  Green roofs provide habitat for a variety of creatures, and help reduce pollution and decrease noise.  They’re economically friendly too, as green roofs help reduce heating and cooling costs as well as help extend the life of the roof.

The Denver Botanic Gardens are open year round.  Summer hours are Saturday – Tuesday, 9 am – 8 pm; Wednesday – Friday, 9 am – 5 pm.  The rest of the year the gardens are open 9 am – 5 pm daily.

Admission is $10.50 for adults; $7.50 for seniors (65+) and military; $6 for youth (4-15) and students; and FREE for children 3 and under.

There are also three satellite locations, each offering a distinct experience:

• Denver Botanic Gardens at Chatfield
• Mount Goliath
• Centennial Gardens

While it’s tempting to think of the gardens as a summer destination, each seasons brings a new experience.  So go back often!  It will be a new experience every time.

Photo credit:  flickr

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Often referred to as the “Garden Isle,” Kauai is one of the wettest spot in the world, with an annual rainfall of 460 inches. 

I’m most familiar with the town of Lihue, on the southeast coast of Kauai.   Most visitors, however, may be more familiar with Waimea, once the capital of the island, and the first place in Hawaii visited by Captain James Cook. 

While there’s still beaches and sand, the lushness of Kauai lends itself to lots of other outdoor activities.

To learn more about Kauai, and all the other Hawaiian Islands, head over to The Hawaii Traveler, and read what Jody has to say about one of the top vacation spots in the United States.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Now in its second year, the only industry-wide trade show, conference, and media event promotes blogging and new media with its seminars, panel discussions, keynotes, and exhibitor booths.  Not only that, it’s a heck of a lot of fun!

If you are already a blogger, vlogger, or podcaster, or maybe you just want to know more about them all, this conference is sure to give you a chance to learn, network, and party with some of the stars of the blogosphere.

BWE conference pricing starts at $75 for exhibits only, $300 for full access, and $750 for the Executive & Entrepreneur conference.  If you want to go, register by August 22nd when the prices go up. 

The conference will be held in the South Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center, 3150 Paradise Road, Las Vegas.  The convention center is conveniently located on the monorail system, providing easy access to and from major strip hotels.

One more reason to go to BlogWorld Expo – I’ll be there.  If you’re going, be sure to leave a comment so that we can meet up!

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A.  I try to eat local whenever I can, and enjoy experimenting with the various cuisine where I am traveling.  While you won’t find dining on fried worms, or sauteed insects, I generally prefer to sample some of the local dishes.  Why eat American food, since I can get it  any time when I’m at home.

I try to use common sense, and refrain from unsanitary street vendors, but all in all I’ve had good experiences with small, out-of-the-way cafes.

I much prefer to be adventure and savor the local delicacies — like the HUGE lemon in this photo.  The lemon was used, along with several others, to make a refreshing lemonade while I was in Sorrento, Italy. 

This area of Italy is known for its lemons, used for delicious gelato, and also for lemoncello, a very popular lemon liqueur.

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Unlike many countries, the United States has no national sales tax that is comparable to the GST (goods and services tax) or the VAT (value added tax) that is found in many other countries.  Instead, each state, county and/or municipality sets their own tax rate.

This means that what you pay in tax in one location may be different from what you’d pay in another location.

Additionally, in some locations certain goods are tax exempt, most typically food, and some things are taxed at different rates.

Prices quoted on a sales tag or by sales personnel do not include tax, so be sure to take that additional charge into consideration when evaluating a purchase price.

Confused?  Just ask what the sales tax is.  We don’t try to keep track of what it is from one place to another, and not knowing isn’t a big deal.

One way that you may avoid paying sales tax is to have your purchase shipped out of state.  Since a shipping charge will likely apply, you need to make sure that any savings outweighs the additional cost.  If you’re making a rather large purchase, ask your sales clerk about this option and decide if it’s the way to go.

And if you’re visiting Alaska, Delaware, Montana, New Hampshire, or Oregon, you’re really in luck.  Those states have no state sales tax at all.

Photo credit:  wikimedia

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No, it’s not Venice.  It’s the Gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas, Nevada.

Okay, it’s a little touristy, and it’s definitely NOT Venice, but it’s still a bit of romantic fun away from the flashing lights and noise of the casinos.  You need to take a break from the fast paced action some time, and this isn’t a bad choice.

The gondolas have been fashioned after authentic Venetian ones, each seating four, and operate rides both indoors and out.  If your party doesn’t fill the gondola, you’ll likely be paired up with others.

The indoor gondolas float their way through the Grand Canal Shoppes, beneath bridges, shops, and cafes that have been created to give the feel of Venice.  The ride lasts about 15 minutes.

The outdoor gondolas offer a more “authentic” feel (since you really are outdoors), but are a few minutes shorter.  On a nice day I’d choose outdoors.

Same day reservations can be made in person, starting at 9 am for the indoor ride, and 10 am for the outdoor ride.  The gondolas operate Sunday – Thursday 10 am – 11 pm, and weekends till midnight.

The ride costs $16 per person.  A private two person gondola ride can be arranged, and is often used for special celebrations.

The Venetian Hotel is located at 3355 South Las Vegas Boulevard (map it).

Photo credit:  personal collection

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Bateaux Parisiens is a cruise company that conducts sightseeing, lunch, and dinner cruises on the Seine, along with operating a river-boat shuttle called Batobus.

I opted for an evening sightseeing cruise, and for an hour we cruised the Seine while the hostess pointed out a number of attractions.  The commentary was pleasant and informative, and not filled with the typical puns and drivel that you so often get on tours.

Schedules vary, but details and information can easily be found in the city.  At the time I was there the sightseeing cruise operated every half hour until 10 pm, and cost €11.  It was easy to walk up and get a seat.  Reservations required, however, for lunch and dinner cruises.

Thanks for the contribution, Jon. 

Photo credit:  Jon Rochetti

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