If you’ve ever booked a Caribbean vacation with friends—and agreed to let them do all the planning—you know that the likelihood that they’ll customize the itinerary to suit their tastes could leave you out in the cold. For that reason, take control of your upcoming holiday plans by personally designing a stay that includes your favorite activities, attractions, and entertainments. How to assure yourself of…
Although Belize is blessed with more than 180 miles (300 km) of coastline and beaches, many consider the beaches along the Placencia Peninsula in southeastern Belize to be the very best. The 16 miles of beaches on the peninsula are referred to by locals as “barefoot perfect”, an apt description. The Maya Beach area in the northern part of the peninsula is home to unspoiled…
Scholars at Atlanta’s Georgia Tech University delved into a topic that few academic institutions have attempted: The origins of the term “going viral.” Their discovery, that going viral has been around for more than 120 years, came about as the result of access to databases covering more than 10 million newspaper pages. The first example? Presidential candidate William Jennings Bryan’s 1896 Democratic National Convention speech….
Mom probably warned you about the downside of bragging, but it’s human nature to share successes, good fortune, and blessings. Further, there are times when bragging is helpful, as evidenced by reviews written by guests at Belize’s Laru Beya Resort. Read a few and you’ll understand why guests felt impelled to rave about this tropical haven. They ran out of exclamation points! One couple apologized…
Once upon a time, spring break made parents of college-age kids crazy because these school sabbaticals earned reputations for being endless parties inviting risky behaviors by unleashed collegiates. It’s not hard to understand why students wanted to break free after a semester of hard work in classrooms, labs, and during exam times. Over time, spring break grew to be such wild occasions, average travelers grew…
How grateful are you feeling this year as Thanksgiving approaches? Did you know that gratitude plays a major role in keeping you healthy? According to psychologist Matt Killingsworth, the happiest people on earth practice the art of gratitude regularly rather than saving it all up for Thanksgiving. Dr. Robert A. Emmons agrees. The University of California-Davis professor has proven that the “The human need to…
…especially if the destination you choose is Belize, the only Central American nation where English is the primary language. Members of your family are likely starved for in-person get-togethers with the people they love and if you’ve appointed yourself (or been drafted!) as the coordinator of this getaway, make the job as easy as possible by picking a resort offering family members a perfect stay….
How important are arts and music festivals? Georgia Southern University Masters candidate Kimberly F. Rudolph wrote her honors thesis on the topic. Art festivals, she discovered, are more than excuses to shop. They’re unifying, too! According to Rudolph’s research, art and music festivals are community-building events that bring like-minded people together, so even if our politics and opinions are diverse, when we share entertainment experiences,…
Are you a planner or are you the first person in your crowd to grab opportunities to be spontaneous? This personality trait has nothing to do with being rash or taking risks. Spontaneous people are fun to be around because they tend to be happier, more creative, flexible, adventurous, and they seem to handle stress more efficiently as a result. If you’re a spontaneous person—or…
According to an article published in The Harvard Crimson, Americans rush around too much, said University of Berlin Professor Adolph Goldschmidt. “They never bother to rest and reflect,” he added. “They want to see how many miles they can make in a day.” His words were delivered at a 1930 lecture, yet little changed about American travel habits over time – until Carlo Petrini, protesting…