Cabo San Lucas

This is the sight of the Williams Family Vacation every year. We bought a place at Pueblo Bonito, Sunset Beach in 2009 and it has been money well spent. Cabo is located on the very tip end of the Baja Peninnsula. It's only a short 2 hour flight from Houston. We always go in May and the weather is just right.

There are quite a number of things to do in Cabo. The restaurants are plentiful and reasonably priced. We go to the Marina every night and eat by the water and watch the sun set and the boats come in from a day of fishing. Many places on the Pacific side beaches are very rough with a wicked undertow. Once again, there are secluded places where the water is clear and very calm.

The resort is second to none. Everybody should be forced to stay there for at least a week!! The service is above incredible. The grounds are manicured so neatly that I would challenge anyone to find one single weed on the property. The Executive suite that we have has 2 full bathrooms with marble showers and a full kitchen. Every room is facing the water.

Downtown is a busy place at night and we drive around all over the place. We found an Italian Restaurant, Salvatore's that has the best lasagna in the world. If you like shrimp, try the Shrimp Factory and they will bring you a pound or two at a time. If you like authentic Mexican food, you are in the right place, try Desperado's, for freshly prepared guacomole, tableside.

The scenery is great and picture taking opportunities abound everywhere. Wear lots of sunscreen, count your Peso's and enjoy a laid back lifestyle for a week at a time before you come back to reality.

New York New York, is it everything they say?

The Big Apple, The Yankees, Subways, Chinatown, Little Italy, and the list goes on and on. This is my favorite city in the world. There is never a dull moment in the "City". When you leave you need a vacation to get rested up. Every time we have gone we have been on the go from early in the morning until well after dark.

One of our favorite things to do when we get to New York is eat. Any kind of food you want is available, and it is good. We have a tradition of eating sausage dogs from the street vendors. Always ask the price before you buy or you will pay too much. Another one of our favorites is Carmine's. It's a family owned Italian joint where the portions are huge and the service is excellent. Chinatown offers some great dishes as well. Then to top it all off, walk over to Little Italy and get a desert and a cappuccino. That's living baby !!

The only way to travel in New York is by the Subway. It is cheap, fast, and safe. You can get anywhere you want to go once you figure out the trains. Never take a cab unless you are really dressed up and want door to door delivery. A trip from Coney Island to the Bronx is the same price as a trip that goes 2 blocks. Enjoy the flavor of the city and catch the train. You will see some interesting people as you ride. Just don't stare !!

Times Square is the happening place. Anything you want to see, you will find it there. There is so much noise and activity that it will blow your mind. Stop in a deli and get a canoli, you will enjoy it. Did I mention the lights and billboards? Take a camera and get a lot of pictures. These are the places you see on TV every day. New York is where the action is.

Take the subway to the Financial District and see the Trump Tower, the "Bull" on Wall Street, and of course, "Ground Zero". It will make you proud to be an American, just to stand there and try to imagine what it may have been like on that dreadful day in 2001.

How about those Yankees? The new park is magnificent. There is nothing remaining of the "House that Ruth Built", except the memories. I have been to both parks and they are both special places. Nobody has ever gotten bored in New York City, if they were still breathing !!

The Hawaiian Islands

When you think of beautiful places, Hawaii comes to the top of the list. Hawaii has it all when it comes to scenery. Incredible mountains, pristene shorelines, and flowers that are quite breathtaking. As soon as youland at the airport, you realize you have entered a different land and a different lifestyle.

You would be hard pressed to find anyone who gets in a hurry. It's a "Hang Loose," kind of place. Just relax and get on Island time and you will enjoy yourself much more. They are even 65 hours behind us when you look at the clock!!

We climbed to the top of Diamond Head and walked along Wakiki Beach on the afternoon we were on Oahou. We rented a car and took a whirlwind tour before wew took a red eye and came back to reality. You see all kinds on the most commercial island of them all.

As we explored the Island of Kauai, we were amazed by the beauty. No picture or description can do this special place, justice. You must see it for yourself in order to understand how beautiful it really is. We rented a car and found many places that were not on the tourist map. We took paths that led to secluded beaches, through jungles, and to waters that would sweep you away in a heartbeat.

We were able to walk the same paths that the movie stars walked as they fimed such classics as, Raiders of the Lost Ark, Jurassic Park, and Fantasy Island. It was surreal to see those places with my own eyes that I had watched on television for 30 years.

In my humble opinion, no place in the word is as beautiful as Hawaii. It is a little piece of heaven, here on earth.

Aruba

Our next big adventure was to Aruba. We certainly enjoyed this southern location as well. The beaches were simply stunning. The sand was beautiful and the waters were crystal clear. The weather was hot but certainly not unbearable. In Aruba, there is a trade wind that blows all of the time. You must be careful about sunburn, you will scorch before you realize what is happening.

We rented a car and drove around the entire island. The island is not very big and there is no way to get lost. It seemed like there was only one road in and one road out. If I remember correctly you get to drive on the right side of the road, or is it the other way around?? I just can't remember.

We took a trip and viewed the famous lighthouse on the end of the island. Along the way we passed a Chinese restaurant! Can youimagine, a Chinese restaurant in Aruba? As we always say, there is one in every town. We found some very good sushi in Aruba as well. We also ate at Beni Hana's. I know there is one in Memphis, but I wanted a long evening out for dinner !

We did some snorkeling and found the water to be very rough when we were trying to dive down and view an old wreck that had been there for over 100 years. As we snorkkeled close to the beaches, the water was much calmer and very enjoyable. The pool area was very peaceful at the resort. There was a full staff of security that was constantly patrolling the place, so you felt very safe. Aruba is a place I would like to visit again someday very soon.

Gary's Travels: St. Thomas

Gary's Travels: St. Thomas: "In 2006 we visited St. Thomas, Virgin Islands for the first time. It was a beautiful place with white sandy beaches and a tropical climate. ..."

St. Thomas

In 2006 we visited St. Thomas, Virgin Islands for the first time. It was a beautiful place with white sandy beaches and a tropical climate. I was living in Knoxville at the time, so as you can imagine, it was cold and dreary as I boarded the plane, on my way to paradise.

We landed and the sun was a welcomed sight. Then we were whisked away to our resort. It was a Marriott property, so as you can imagine, it was plush. We really enjoyed the pool area and the many fine foods that were available to us.

We were able to take a boat across to the Island of St. John and had dinner at an outdoor BBQ place. For a minute I thought we were back in Tennessee until I saw all of the chickens running around loose! On our way back to St. Thomas, the captain allowed me to steer the huge sailboat upon which we were sailing. It was my first time at the helm of such a large vessel. In the beginning I was a bit nervous, but as I looked around there was nothing to run into, so I thought, how wrong could this go?

We were told stories about Blackbeard capturing slaves many years ago. On one particular trip, he took a ship full of slaves and placed them on a deserted island. The legend says that he told each man that he would be back at daybreak to pick the lone survivor of the night up and carry him away. It was to be a murderous night on the island. The next morning, only one man had survived the mayhem and he was rescued. Now that is a survivor story that cannot be shown on television.

As you will see by the photos I have posted, it is a beautiful place and I highly recommed it as a vacation spot. The language is English and it is relatively easy to get around. The snorkeling is superb and the weather is as good as it gets.