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Destinations (7)
Tropical cruises are both beautiful and peaceful and full of jewels to remember. The colors of the tropics are straight out of an artist’s palette. Emerald green palms sway in the ocean breezes with puffs of sugar white clouds wafting by in the absolute gorgeous royal blue sky. Turquoise seas break ever so gently upon the white beaches of beauty. One need only remind themselves when on one of these getaways that it is not in fact an artist’s rendering. They are there. In the midst of the beauty that is the tropics.
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More than a million people live in the rain forests throughout the world. Usually they are descendents of those that came before them dating back hundreds and even thousands of years.
The primary rain forests of the tropics are located in Brazil, inhabited by the Kayapo and Yanomami people; Mexico, inhabited by the Lacandon people and Zaire or New Guinea, inhabited by the Efe Pygmies. They are able to live and sustain themselves in these forests through hunting, fishing, and using forest products. Sometimes they keep these things for themselves, other times they use them to sell or trade. As a people, in all rain forests throughout the world, the number of inhabitants is in decline as the forests shrink. This has been occurring for many years.
The inhabitants use rivers and paths as their method of travel. Most live among the rivers where they can easily fish, trade and sell their catches.
There are those people of the tropics that make their living by using the rain forest. They don’t live there but they use the resources found there to make their livelihood; for example the rubber tappers. Rubber tappers do just that; they tap and collect latex from wild rubber trees. They then sell or trade the latex to the companies and businesses that use it.
As precious as the rain forests are for our tropics, we must be aware they are in decline. As more and more destruction takes place, the inhabitants die of and the vegetation turns to soil. Visit a rain forest on a tropical vacation while you can! You might just become and advocate for there continued vitality and health!
St. Croix is an oasis of beauty, clean waters, pearly white sand and treasures to find. One of the historic landmarks found within St. Croix is the easternmost point of the United States; not by longitude but by travel. The landmark is called Point Udall and is named after Stewart Udall who was the United States Secretary of the Interior under both John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson.
Above Point Udall a sundial was built to commemorate the new Millennium in the year 2000. The sundial is known as the Millennium Monument. To get to the sundial from the Point, one must travel a difficult path comprised of volcanic rock. The locals warn tourists that this path is moderately difficult to travel and to use care when visiting the Monument. But the path is worth traveling for Point Udall and the Monument are full of history and significance for the United States and are absolutely meaningful and profound when seen.
Another sight to see is not so beautiful but very important to the people of St. Croix. It is one of the largest oil refineries in the world. It's called the Hovensa Oil Refinery and rumor has it that the refinery is owned by a Venezuela Oil Refinery company. The people of St. Croix find much employment there and when asked the answer is always one of hush-hush. It is a sight worth seeing and will startle one in its size.
Columbus's Landing is found in Salt River Bay in St. Croix. This is the location where Columbus made land fall in 1493. It is also the sight of the first clash between the Europeans and the Americans. It is an historical place to go visit when in St. Croix.
Destination: San Juan, Puerto Rico. Bliss has never been wrapped as beautifully on this tropical destination. Shopping for fine art depicting the seaside in Old San Juan, a walled district dating back nearly 500 years to the Spanish occupation is only one of the many things that create San Juan. Ease into a seat in an open aired café and dine on a freshly grilled, butter-drenched lobster. Spend the day sunbathing on one of the legendary beaches. Wander through exotic gardens brimming with colors of ginger, helconia and indigenous palms. Look out over the water from one of the cliffs that create a pallet of turquoise color. Go scuba diving or big game fishing with a charter service. There are so many sights to see and experience in San Juan that it has to be experienced. Lying in the shade with nothing to do but relax. Comb the beaches for seashells to bring back on board and home with you. Walk under the many canopies of palms lining the streets. The list is endless in this magnificent paradise. Cruising and visiting San Juan will enrich your life and touch your soul for endless years.
A voyage to magnificent Costa Rica includes many of the most beautiful views in the world! Breathtaking in beauty, Costa Rica offers a blend of mountains and flatlands that make up a world of their own. Hiking trails abound among the forests and the dollar goes a fair way in Costa Rica. Among these hiking trails are many lush waterfalls with clean and tropical blue colored water. The foliage is nothing short of tremendously beautiful. Rainforests can be found where one can discover the untouched regions of this magnificent destination. Usually Costa Rica cruise vessels stop at George Town in the Cayman Islands. It is here where a breezy Caribbean flair is added to the voyage. Additionally, beautiful Cartagena is unmistakably South American with a rhythm so joyous it ensures a festive New Year’s Eve. Cruising through the Panama Canal, Mexico shines radiantly. Huatulco is a nature lover’s paradise with activities as exhilarating as mountain biking and as relaxing as beachcombing. Cabo San Lucas anchors Baja California with striking scenery and an easy going attitude. Although not all cruises make the same stops, with the main destination being Costa Rica, one’s trip will be full of memories and breathtaking views that is Costa Rica.
A cruise to St. Maarten in the Virgin Islands is a definite must for those who want beauty and water mixed with lots of fun nightlife! Whatever your idea of paradise, this voyage presents it in living color. One can snorkel the turquoise waters off idyllic Princess Cays beach or ramble the cobblestone streets of Old Juan noticing buildings of a palette of cool pastels. Both are both immensely memorable and opportunistic in their joys they bring! Usually cruises to St. Maarten have a midnight departure time which allows one to enjoy the nightlife found in St. Maarten. Additionally, the sunsets are fiery over the water of the docks and streets. It has been said among many visitors that all the colors of the rainbow seem more vibrant in the tropics, from the deep green palms to the bright hues found on paintings throughout stores on the island. The colors are simply said, magnificent. Another favorite pastime of visitors to this island is watching pink flamingos forage for food among the streets and pathways among the island. Off-road safaris are also wonderfully popular among visitors to St. Maarten. Nearby St. Johns and St. Croix are usually among these cruise routes and their beauty is nothing short of breathtaking. If you have the opportunity to cruise to St. Maarten, take it. The joys and memories you will capture will be with you for your entire life.
By taking a cruise to the tropics that is the Caribbean one can experience the tremendous diversity of the seven Caribbean countries. Life in diminutive Princess Cays revolves around the beach. San Juan tantalizes with distinctive Latin cuisine such as grilled chorizo tapas. French in character is the exuding elegance and serenity that is St. Barts. Nature reigns supreme on Virgin Gorda, especially at the cleansing The Baths, a jumble of huge boulders that form beachside tidal pools and grottos.
The Baths are part of the British Virgin Islands and they reek of what represents the lifestyle and easy going spirit of the Caribbean. Additionally, among the stops in these cruises can be Grand Turk. One may remember this from many years ago with history being made; for it is here where a museum lies with mementos from astronaut John Glenn, who splashed down nearby after orbiting the Earth in 1962. While full of natural beauty and grace, the Caribbean is home to outrageous and gorgeous sailboats that many of the natives use to travel between islands gathering and delivery goods for sale or personal use. For a wonderful adventure that is pure tropical, visit the seven islands of the Caribbean.
A tropical cruise getaway that if full of both beauty and wonderful fishing is Toucan in Belize. Fly fishing is very popular and available in this colorful destination. From tarpon to spelunk the fly fishing is a past time that one must consider treating themselves to as they arrive in Belize. Found also in this tropical treasure is an ancient Mayan ceremonial cave. In this cave one can scuba dive and find some of the mysteries that lie within. Found here are many colorful and beautiful birds and parrots roaming free. The people in Toucan are welcoming and always looking to make your cruise more exciting and memorable. Restaurants serving the freshest of seafood can be found among coves and forests that make up Belize. Besides fly fishing there are many sporting activities to take part in. Scuba diving and all-terrain vehicle expeditions are just a couple to name. Additionally, nearby and usually among cruises routes to this area are Guatemala's Santo Tomas de Castilla, full of Mayan influences and Mexico's eco-conscious Costa Maya. For a colorful and exciting tropical getaway, consider a cruise to Toucan, Belize.