Vacations In Paradise

Anne and I have been fortunate during the last thirty years to have traveled much of the world and enjoyed many of its beauties and pleasures. We've walked the sands of the Sahara, the foothills of the Swiss Alps, and the back alleys of Hong Kong; we've sailed the Atlantic, Pacific, and Indian oceans; the seas of the Aegean, Mediterranean, and Caribbean, and the Nile and Chao Phraya rivers; we've descended into the tombs of the kings of Egypt and climbed the stairs to the burial chamber of the great pyramid at Giza; we've stayed in first class and last class hotels around the world and, of course, we've eaten in some splendid (and definitely some not so splendid) restaurants during our travels. Through these pages we hope to share some of these experiences and travels with you. We hope you enjoy reading about these wonderful places and viewing some of the pictures from our many albums. Any questions we are just an e-mail away.

The links provide a brief description of the places visited and activities engaged in while there. These pages are graphics intense with lots of pictures and may take some time to download. Check back frequently as new destinations are added occasionally.

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China and the Yangtze River

In October 2001 Anne and I, along with my sister Carol, her husband, John, and daughter, Alicia, realized a lifelong dream ... we walked on the Great Wall of China. During our month long trip we visited Beijing, Shanghai, Suzhou, Wuhan, Chongqing, Xi'an, Guilin and Hong Kong. We saw many wonderful things like the Imperial Palace, Shanghai's Bund, the terracotta warriors of Emperor Qin and the limestone peaks of the Li River. We also sailed the Yangtze from Wuhan to Chongqing, a distance of over 600 miles, and enjoyed the vistas of the Three Gorges and the Lesser Three Gorges. A highlight of the trip was a visit to the site of the Three Gorges Dam Project at San Dou Ping. Join us at this link to view the pictures from our trip. Click here to visit China and sail the Yangtze River.

2001

1999

Tahiti and French Polynesia

Tahiti and French Polynesia. Close your eyes for a moment. Let your mind wander with the thoughts that those words provoke. Did you see beautiful, crystal clear waters with gentle waves lapping the shore? Did you see jagged mountain peaks covered with lush tropical forest? Did you feel the hot Sun beating down on your skin? Did you enjoy the sights of native islanders doing traditional dance? Did you delight in the smells of the fresh sea air? Did you cringe with the thoughts of sharks and sting rays coursing through the waters? Did you hear the waves breaking on the barrier reef? Did you miss the newspapers and television?

For more years than I care to remember, Anne and I have wanted to visit these magical islands. Finally, in 1999, we made it. Our first venture south of the Equator (we've been close several times before, but this was our first time crossing that magical divide), and I'm happy to report we were not at all disappointed. These islands were all we imagined and so much more. Click here to visit five of French Polynesia's islands ... Rangiroa, Moorea, Huahine, Bora Bora and Tahiti.

The ABC Islands
Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao

The ABC islands, better known as Aruba, Bonaire and Curacao, are located in the southern most part of the Caribbean just a few miles off the coast of Venezuela.

Aruba is, perhaps, the best known of these islands as it has become a Mecca for tourism and timeshare ownership. Anne and I have traveled there almost every year since 1981 and have seen it transform from a fairly quiet, sleepy little island into one of the top vacation destinations. Today it is "Americanized" with all the amenities you would expect to find at home. Click here to visit Aruba.

Bonaire on-the-other-hand is known to few, that is unless you are a scuba diver. Bonaire is one of the world's most sought after vacation spots for those that scuba dive and its entire tourism industry is centered around that sport. Unlike Aruba, Bonaire retains much of its foreign charm, reminding us of what Aruba was like 20 years ago. Click here to enjoy the above and underwater world of Bonaire.

Curacao and its capital city of Wilemstead are known as a "shopper's paradise." While not as popular a destination as Aruba, Curacao has much to offer tourist. Beautiful hotels, an active night life, and some beautiful beaches can be found on Curacao for those who venture to visit this island. Click here for a quick trip through Curacao and Wilemstead, its capital.

1981

through

2000

1994

Southeast Asia
Singapore, Hong Kong, Macau,
China, Bangkok, Phuket and Japan

This vacation would be a month long odyssey to some of the world's most wonderful and exotic locations. Leaving in mid-January Anne and I flew to Singapore where we spent five days before heading to Hong Kong to meet friends. Three days enjoying Hong Kong and another three days in Macau followed. While that may seem a short time for such wonderful destinations this was our second trip so the time was adequate for a refresher. While in Macau we would make our second one day excursion into the People's Republic of China. Our next destination would be Bangkok, Thailand where we would visit fiends and enjoy the sights of the old Kingdom of Siam before heading off for a week's rest in Phuket, Thailand's Riviera. Saying good-bye to Ken and Darla in Phuket, Anne and I flew to Japan for five days before returning home. It was an absolutely wonderful trip and we're ready to go again. Click here for a quick trip to southeast Asia.

Sailing in the British Virgin Islands

This photo album chronicles our week sailing in the British Virgin Islands with our friends Ken, Darla, Jim, Cheryl, Mike and Janet. Follow our adventures as we enjoy life as only possible while living aboard the Grand Oasis, a 63' tri-marine sailboat. Go swimming and scuba diving, enjoy a relaxing moment on the beach, visit BVI's hot night spots, and enjoy a surprise that knocked us off our feet at the end of the trip. This was truly a once in a lifetime adventure. Click here to sail the British Virgin Islands.

1997

1992

1993

2001

Diving Grand Cayman

Grand Cayman is known throughout the world as a premier dive destination. Located just south of Cuba it is easy to reach from the United States and offers travelers everything you might expect on a tropical island and more. Hotels, restaurants and bars are everywhere and one can be found to fit almost anyone's taste, but the reason we went to Cayman was for the diving. Diving Cayman's crystal clear waters and walls is a pleasure you won't soon forget. Click here to explore above and below Grand Cayman.

Egypt, Ancient Land of the Pharaohs

Join Anne and I as we set out on an adventure of a lifetime ... sailing the Greek Islands and exploring the ancient sites of Egypt. This trip, a combined cruise and land package, began with our arrival in Athens where we had only enough time to see a few of the city's famous landmarks before boarding Epirotiki Line's Atlas cruise ship. Once aboard the Atlas we set sail for the magnificent island of Rhodes where we visited Lindos and its acropolis, then onto Alexandria, Egypt, legendary home of Cleopatra. After a day visit to Alexandria we sailed to Port Said, the port city for Cairo, where we disembarked for a week's stay traveling through Egypt. In Cairo we visited the ancient sights of the Giza, the great pyramids and sphinx, Sakkarah, Zoser's pyramid, and Memphis. We continued south to Luxor visiting the temples of Luxor and Karnak, the Colossi of Memnon, Dier El-Bahari and, of course, the Valley of the Kings. From Luxor we continued onto the ancient sights of Edfu and Kom Ombo before arriving in Aswan. In Aswan we visited Elephantine Island, the Aswan Dam and Philae. After a week in Egypt we boarded the Atlas for the remainder of our cruise. Our remaining ports of call would be Israel where we visited Bethlehem and Jerusalem, and then onto Ephesus, Turkey site of Hadrian's Temple and the mile long marble walkway. On these pages you will see many of the most popular tourist sights these countries have to offer. Just click here to begin your journey to the ancient past!

1984

1970

1971

1989

Visit the Top of the World

The Swiss and French Alps

The "Top of the World," what a magnificent and inspiring place to visit.

Join Anne and I as we explore several of the Earth's most beautiful mountains ... Mont Blanc nestled in the French Alps not far from the Italian border, Zermatt, Switzerland with its majestic views of the powerful and awe inspiring Matterhorn, and Grindelwald, home of the unmistakable Eiger. Enjoy many photographs of these wintery hideaways and discover the charm and beauty of the small villages nearby. Click here to explore to begin your trip to the "Top of the World."

Coming Attractions

As of May 6, 2002 the coming attractions block remains empty. At current we have no immediate plans for another trip, however, I'm sure that will change in the coming months. These are such unsettled times it's difficult to plan ahead to our next grand vacation. When there is something to report Anne and I will update the web page to list it.