Just for the fun of it, I have come up a few descriptive terms for some of the many cities and places that I have visited during my travels around the world. You may agree or disagree with my characterizations, as it is strictly subjective. Feel free to add your own characterizations of popular travel destinations/places to this list.

SOUTHEAST ASIA
Thailand
Bangkok - Exotic, intriguing, fascinating, a human zoo
Chiang Mai – provincial, cluttered, jigsaw puzzle
Pattaya – trashy, noisy, ugly, fun

Laos
Vientiane - lazy, slow, every day is Sunday
Luang Prabang - ambiance, quaint, delightful, colonial

CARIBBEAN
Jamaica
Kingston - It’s a jungle, funky, intimidating, rough around the edges
Montego Bay - Honky tonk, untidy, fun
Ocho Rios - bland, antiseptic
Port Antonio - Colorful, ambiance, picturesque, mysterious
Negril - rustic, hedonistic, anything goes, relaxing

Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic) – Exciting, very lively, fun
Havana (Cuba) - beautiful, clean, romantic
Castries (St. Lucia) – shabby, unappealing, could use a facelift
Bridgetown (Barbados) - mellow, picturesque, pleasant

MEXICO
Mexico City - Cosmopolitan, monstrous, exciting, lively
Guadalajara - Green, green, green, the real Mexico, colonial but modern
Cancun - fabricated, plastic
Oaxaca - Colorful, ambiance, colonial, fascinating, laid back

SOUTH AMERICA
Bogota (Colombia)– fascinating, grand, handsome
Cartagena (Colombia) – very romantic, beautiful, sensual, ambiance
Lima (Peru)– sprawling
Quito (Ecuador) – romantic, colonial, beautiful, wonderful vistas

CENTRAL AMERICA
Guatemala City (Guatemala) – pretentious, hollow, false sense of grandeur
San Jose (Costa Rica) - blue-collar, humble, down to earth

AFRICA
Accra (Ghana) - smelly, humble, unkempt, friendly
Abidjan (Ivory Coast) – Cosmopolitan, attractive, Paris of Africa
Lome (Togo)– moped city, strange
Bamako (Mali)– sensuous, puzzling, exotic

UNITED KINGDOM
London – Stiff, proper, stately

Costa Rica is one of my favorite destinations - there is so much natural beauty crammed in this small country of 19,600 square miles. From the humble capital city of San Jose, located in the center of the country at about 3.600 feet above sea level, everything is close at hand - the Caribbean and the Pacific Coast are less than 90 minutes away, the lush lowland rainforests of the Caribbean slope are about 75 minutes away and the cloud forests and the volcanoes of the central highlands are less than 1 hour away. For a visitor who can afford only 7-8 days in Costa Rica, it is possible to explore a variety of habitats and life zones in a very short time period.

The following 8 day/7 night itinerary would be ideal for such a traveler:

• One night in San Jose - if you arrive during the day, you may have time for a quick highlights tour of the city and some shopping
• Two nights in the Caribbean lowlands - an opportunity to explore the lush rainforests of Costa Rica. Nature hikes, white water rafting, birdwatching etc.

Alternate: 2 nights in Tortuguero - well-established ecotourist destination located on the Northern Caribbean Coast. Wet coastal forests, very lush and green. Drive/take motorboat from San Jose/return by air. Important nesting area for both Green and leatherback turtles.

• Two nights at Bosque de Paz - private nature reserve and lodge at about 7,000 feet above sea level, Cloud forests and montane rainforests, Secluded and quiet. Ideal for hiking and nature studies

Alternate: Two nights in Monteverde - popular ecotourist destination and mountain resort straddling the continental divide. Misty cloud forests, very lush and green with views of the Pacific Ocean. Somewhat commercial but there are many attractions in the area. Many lodges to choose from. Nice social scene.

• Two nights La Fortuna – Popular resort area, and site of Arenal Volcano, most active volcano in Costa Rica

If you can afford to stay 3-5 days longer, I would add an extra night at Bosque de Paz and in San Jose and/or perhaps 2-3 nights in Manuel Antonio, a popular resort area with lush tropical landscapes and excellent beaches on Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast. Alternate – any number of resort areas located on the Nicoya Peninsula (Northern Costa Rica) – Ocotal, Playa Tamarindo, Playa Samara or Nosara.

For your information, a variety of tour packages to Costa Rican are offered by Calypso Island Tours, with themes ranging from turtle watching to butterfly gardens. All these tours are fully customizable.

The last time I was in Barbados (September 2003), I stayed at the Casuarina Beach Club. Located about ½ mile south of the busy tourist hub of St. Lawrence Gap, the Casuarina was an absolutely wonderful place and had done so much towards community tourism and safeguarding the environment. It was only 1 ½ years later (in Spring 2005) that the Casuarina closed up shop and the property was sold to Almond Resorts. In my Eulogy to the Casuarina Beach Club, I discussed my feelings towards this hotel in detail.

At this time, I would like to share some memories with you of this special hotel in a short video that I put together. Enjoy!

****************************************************************************

I came across some very disturbing news the other day that caused me to shed a tear or two – I discovered that the Casuarina Beach Club in Barbados had ceased operations in Spring 2005 due to financial problems and the property had been sold to Almond Resorts, a large resort management company headquartered in the Caribbean. With the management’s dedication to conservation and environmental issues not to mention the magnificent rainforest-like gardens that enveloped the hotel, the Casuarina Beach Club wasn’t just any hotel - it was both a sanctuary and a very special institution.

I first discovered Casuarina Beach Club on my first trip to Barbados in 1985 when it only had 45 units or so. Of all the hotels I visited, the Casuarina, while definitely not the most luxurious hotel on this small island, was by far my favorite. In the ensuing years, I sent a number of clients to this fine property including my parents, and I had the opportunity to stay there myself in late 2003. When I returned, I really didn’t recognize the Casuarina as it had grown quite larger (but in a very environmentally friendly way). The showpiece of the hotel was the magnificent rainforest gardens - so very lush and green.

The philosophy of the Casuarina Beach Club was grounded in a very strong environmental ethos - they implemented a number of environmentally friendly practices – including composting, recycling as well as actively promoting local Bajan culture and community tourism. Eclectic paintings by some of Barbados’s premier artists were often on display throughout the hotel amidst plantings of lush tropical foliage and flowers. Over the years, the Casuarina had received numerous awards for their Green Philosophy and Conservation ethos.

After a significant expansion and thorough remodeling of the existing facilities over the last three years, the new resort renamed The Almond Casuarina was scheduled to reopen in May 2008. Among the major changes, the new hotel will have added 100 more guestrooms - bringing the room count up to 267 - two more swimming pools, a fitness center and like all Almond Resorts, it will be all-inclusive.

I can only imagine that in order to accommodate the expansion, a good chunk of the rainforest gardens was removed and many trees in the immediate area were destroyed in the process. The additional facilities and rooms can only have a negative impact on the environment in the already resort saturated area known as St. Lawrence Gap. I really can’t say whether Almond Resorts will continue all the environmentally friendly practices of the former management - my gut feeling says no, but I guess the new Almond Casuarina will be profitable, hence sustainable.

Goodbye Casuarina Beach Club; I will miss you dearly!

Speaking of Bangkok, I have produced a short video on the fascinating urban culture of the “City of Angels”, the #1 ranked city in Travel and Leisure’s 2008 travel poll. Highlights include a tour of Soi Cowboy, a popular entertainment zone which caters to men and Khao San Road, the so-called tourist ghetto of Bangkok. With the exception of one mildly graphic scene there is absolutely no nudity or vulgarity. ENJOY!

Travel and Leisure, an American based magazine devoted to tourism, recently published their 13th annual travel poll. Voted by their readers as the top city destination in the world was Bangkok. My hometown of San Francisco was voted as 10th best. In the world’s best hotels poll, India and luxury tented camp resorts in East and South Africa dominated the rankings. Keep in mind that their readership is mostly American - as travelers, they are not the budget, backpacker types and their choice in accommodations is geared towards deluxe and luxury class hotels.

Why is Bangkok #1? I can understand why travelers from the west (farangs) would be attracted to the City of Angels. Bangkok has that magical allure – in many respects it is very westernized but at the same time it is so very exotic and foreign. Pluses are fantastic shopping opportunities, a variety of fascinating cultural attractions, a great selection of fine restaurants representing cuisines from around the world - Thai, Indian, Chinese, Italian, French, American, Japanese etc - and a most titillating nightlife. In addition, Bangkok has some of the best luxury hotels in the world – not necessarily where I stay when I go to Bangkok as I like more humble surroundings. By the way, in T & L’s poll, The Oriental Hotel in Bangkok was voted as the 13th best hotel in the world - the highest ranking of any hotel in Thailand. Also as far as big cities go, Bangkok is one of the safest in the world. On the downside, like most big cities, Bangkok has horrendous traffic jams and there are problems with air pollution. Oh well, you can’t have everything. Bottom line, if you’re a foodie and shopping is your thing, then you’ll love Bangkok.

My personal take - I must admit that while I am not particularity fond of big cities, I find the City of Angels to be absolutely fascinating. Despite concessions to modernity and to the West, Bangkok carefully maintains the essence of Siam culture – the old ways and traditions remain as strong as ever. Notwithstanding numerous trips there, Bangkok continues to be a puzzle and mystery to me. Maybe that’s the reason I keep returning – to solve the puzzle.

If you have traveled in Thailand, I’m sure you may have probably come to the conclusion that if you’ve been to one Thai city – excluding Bangkok and Chiang Mai of course - you’ve been to them all. What I mean to say is that most town and cities in upcountry Thailand are relatively nondescript with their cement-block and egg carton architecture.

Of course this is somewhat a generalization, but it does have some merit in the eyes of a Westerner. Behind this obscurity of sameness, there’s lots of color and vitality in the alleyways and backstreets of Thai cities. So bottom line, don’t judge a book by its cover.

Costa Rica is one my favorite places in the world. It is so green and lush and the tropical landscapes are simply marvelous. In addition, the ticos have such an even temperament and are so cordial to the tourists. What a wonderful place to be!

The worst thing I can say about Costa Rica are the roads. I have driven a number of times in Costa Rica, and let me tell you thing - outside of the Pan American Highway and the scenic thoroughfare which passes through Braulio Carillo National Park to the Caribbean Coast, the roads are abysmal. There are potholes (in Spanish, huecas) of every size and shape imaginable - in general, they are somewhat circular in shape and range in size from 1 - 10 feet in diameter or more. I have heard of small cars been swallowed by huge crater size huecas.

Driving at night in a tropical downpour, while dodging huecas of every size and shape can be especially treacherous – all I can say, been there, done that! I remember very distinctly driving from Poas in the mountains just outside of San Jose on a fogged-in evening to the lowlands of San Carlos Valley. The visibility factor was next to zero! Descending from 9000 feet or so to the lowlands, the heavy mist gradually morphed into a steady rainfall, and I remember dodging pothole after pothole in my 4WD drive car rental with the hi-beams on. What a harrowing adventure that was. Thank G_D, I didn’t have a backseat driver accompanying me or that would have definitely been my last ride! My recommendation is to refrain driving at night on secondary roads and in the countryside. Better be safe then sorry!

A number of years ago (1999) while surveying the beaches and hotels in Costa Rica’s popular Tamarindo resort area, I decided to visit the Melia Resort and Country Club, a luxurious all-inclusive resort that had recently opened at Playa Conchal. While I’m not very fond of large all-inclusive resorts per say because of their rather severe environmental impact, I must admit that the Melia was tastefully done and the 18 hole professional golf course was very impressive – despite the massive amounts of water needed to maintain it. Even more impressive was the dazzling beauty of Playa Conchal, a beach that is definitely one of a kind in Costa Rica.

The sand at Playa Conchal is composed of millions of crushed seashells of many different hues; it looks white but with a decidedly pinkish tinge and is very cool to the touch – definitely not your typical sand beach. The waters are a magnificent turquoise blue with a very gentle surf - perfect for swimming and snorkeling. Reminds me a little bit of the beaches that you’ll find in the Mexican Caribbean. Besides the sprawling Melia resort which occupies the southern end of the beach, there are a number of other small resorts scattered along the hillside. Located just north of Playa Conchal, separated by a hill and some rocks, is the small village of Brasilito - the sands at Playa Brasilito are a light gray and the waters a dirty brown, quite a contrast to the neighboring Playa Conchal.

Like all beaches in Costa Rica, Playa Conchal is open to the public- however unless you are staying at Melia or at one of the hillside hotels, the only way of getting to Playa Conchal is to swim around the promontory which separates it from Playa Brasilito. The alternative is to pay the Melia Hotel a day fee to use their facilities (and have access to the beach). In my opinion, Playa Conchal is by far the most beautiful (and most unique) beach in Costa Rica.

Since I was last there in 1999, the Melia has seen been renamed the Paradisus Playa Conchal, Go Figure!

Over the years, I have visited many beaches in Costa Rica - from the long and wide white sand beaches at the popular Pacific Coast resort of Playa Tamarindo to the black volcanic beaches near Cahuita on the Caribbean coast. If you were to ask me which beach is my favorite in Costa Rica, it would be Playa Espadilla in Manuel Antonio, a popular resort area located along Costa Rica’s Central Pacific Coast.

Backed by a luxuriant jungle clad hillside that spills onto the shoreline, the beaches of Manuel Antonio stretch for a distance of about 5 miles from north to south. The ambiance is wild and tropical. The northern end of this white sand beach is marked by a headlands that juts out into the ocean; on the other side of the headlands is the small town of Quepos. From the roadside - in particular from La Mariposa Hotel which is located at the apex of the hill on the road to Quepos - there are some very dramatic panoramic views of the coastline and the entire resort area. Going towards the southern end of this long stretch of sand is Hotel Karahe, one of Manuel Antonio’s few beachfront hotels. From the roadside, there is a short path to the beach - the beach here is known as Playa Espadilla. In front of the Karahe’s beachfront restaurant, you’ll find a nice shaded area underneath some trees - it’s a wonderful place to relax, read a book, take a snooze or watch the people stroll by. In addition, you will probably be visited by a variety of ferocious looking iguanas looking for a handout.

At the southern end of the beach just before you hit the entrance to the National Park(about ½ mile past the Karahe) are a series of small open-air restaurants where you can buy some cold beer or have something to eat; the black bean soup here is especially tasty. Please note: Unlike the big time beach resorts in Mexico, beach vendors are very rare in Manuel Antonio and on most public beaches in Costa Rica.

A close runner up to Playa Espadilla (Manuel Antonio) as my favorite beach is the magnificent Playa Conchal. Located south of the international resort area of Tamarindo in the northern province of Guanacaste, Playa Conchal has some absolutely remarkable turquoise waters, and the brilliant white sand beach is made up of millions of tiny seashell fragments. The beach here is absolutely spectacular!