RIU Tequila, Mayan Riviera, SUNWING Vacations

Recently I had been on an all-inclusive to the RIU Tequila in Playa Del Carmen. Saying that it was a great experience is an understatement. It was an AMAZING experience! Not only did I have a great facilities there, but we also had access to the RIU Yucatan and their facilities!

The location of the resort is very good if you are an explorer like myself. We were within an hour range from a lot of major attractions such as Tulum and Xel Ha. It was a 30 minute walk on the beach to go into the markets of Playa Del Carmen and we took a cab back to the resort instead of walking and it was less than $10 USD.


The RIU Tequila isn't right on the beach but the Yucatan is (it's only a 5 minute walk) and we preferred it that way because our resort was more quiet. SUNWING has this great program here for that you can stay at one but play at both!

There are 3 specialty restaurants and 1 buffet. The specialty restaurants were Mexican, Asian, and a Steakhouse. We made reservations for the Steakhouse twice because it was that good!

The service was very good and the entertainment at night was also great. There were lots of lounges in the shade as I get sunburnt easily and even putting sunscreen on doesn't necessarily keep my pigment white!

On the Yucatan we had access to watersports such as kayaking. It's so beautiful to do it right in Playa Del Carmen and you can see all kinds of different resorts from the water's view. The water is crystal clear and very clean!

G Adventures 2016 New Trips Overview

Foods you MUST try when you visit Spain

After being a tourist in Spain then returning to live there for over a year, I got to know the country quite well with what's great to see and explore but also what is great to eat!

On average when I went out to a restaurant with friends, I would spend between 6 - 12 euros depending on how many Tapas we bought. Tapas are basically a bunch of appetizer plates that you would share during the meal. Sometimes you don't even have a main dish, you just eat lots and lots of Tapas and don't worry you won't go home hungry.

Here is my  list of foods & dishes to try & enjoy in Spain.

Jamon. Spanish Ham is a staple in everyone's household. It's very popular because of they way it is cooked. It is dried out for about a year before even being served.

Tortilla de Patatas. Spanish Omelet. It's simply potatoes, eggs, and salt. You can add other ingredients like I did with my homemade tortilla below. I put some onions and sausage in it! 

Caqui. This is a very popular fruit that is grown in the south of Spain. I had it almost after every lunch. 

Patatas con Lemon y Sal. This is a very traditional way of eating potato chips in the region where I lived in Spain called Murcia. In the South they like to put lots of freshly squeezed lemons and some salt and pepper on their potato chips. I loved having this as a snack with my Spanish roommates.

Croquetas. These can be mixed with almost anything and you can put almost anything in them. I prefer my croquetas with mushroom and spinach! 

Pan con Aceite de Olivas. The Spanish LOVE  to have toasted fresh bread drizzled in olive for their breakfast. I had this almost everyday. I also liked to grate fresh tomato and put that on my bread as well which is also common.

Smooy/llaollao. You can never go wrong after tapas having a tasty frozen yogourt. These two brands were mine and my friends absolute favourite! 

Soup with Albondigas. I like to call this a "Glorified Meatball". It's like a meatball but has lots of flavourful spices compared to the meatballs you just put on your spaghetti.

Cherries. I never experienced picking cherries off a cherrie tree before. My friend in the Valencian province invited me to come to his orchard and pick lots and lots of cherries! 

Paella. This dish is what Spain is mostly known for. My favourite paella is Paella de Valencia. It has a mix of rabbit and chicken with a few vegetables. 

Why Cruising is the Best Way to Travel

Some say that cruising is just too expensive for their travel budget. Trust me when I say it is actually more affordable than a land-based vacation if you are wanting an extended high-quality vacation that goes to various countries and ports around the world!

Here are a few examples of what is included on a cruise:

• Transportation from port to port
• Main dining halls and select restaurants for all 3 meal times
• Select house wines
• Entertainment onboard such as Comedy shows and live theatre

Cruises range from very leisure type to very elegant white glove service. If you are looking for a family vacation or a more leisure/fun cruise then you'll for sure want to head onto one of Carnival's Fun Ships! What is also great about Carnival is that it is the ONLY cruise line that has a 100% Satisfaction Guarantee. What that means is that if you are not satisfied with your vacation while on the cruise, Carnival will give you 110% back and fly you home for free + a $100 credit to try a different Carnival Cruise. What better value are you going to find than that!?!?!?!

Be sure to check out the Carnival Vista. She is the newest member of the Carnival Cruise Line and is to launch this spring in Europe. This ship is a must experience and let's not forget about Guy's Burger Joint!

If you are looking for a more boutique style cruise, then Azamara Club Cruises are a great choice! You'll even go to ports that larger cruise ships don't have access to. Also you'll be very happy that bottled water is included!

Take Advantage of 10% off Contiki Tours going to Asia & Europe!

10 Reasons Why You Should Book A Cruise On Carnival Vista

Carnival Cruise Line offers the newest member of their fleet, the Carnival Vista! Here are a few reasons (and there are lots more!) to book your next cruise with Carnival on this specific ship.

 

#1 Kids & Teenagers Club. Camp Ocean, Circle C, and Clubs O2 will make parents very happy and feeling secure about leaving their kids in these programs while parents get some R&R or alone time. The programs run for ages 2-17.

#2 Cloud9Spa. If you are looking for a time where you can relax and be fully pampered, Cloud9 Spa offers a full-service salon and body treatments!

#3 Enjoy Guy's Burger Joint. This popular burger joint if FREE for guests! Enjoy it while you can as on land you won't find that same deal!

#4 Choose from 5 different types of family staterooms. There are staterooms for every type of family available on the Vista!

#5 The Havana Stateroom. This Stateroom has hammocks & private veranda's. What better experience of an accommodation are you going to find at sea? I think you'll have a hard time finding it!

#6 Experience the largest WaterWorks water park at sea. (I don't think an explanation is needed for this one!)

#7 The Skyride. This is a self power circuit up high in the sky and it's powered by yourself just pedaling away! Have fun and get some exercise in while you race with a family member or friend.

#8 IMAX Theatre. Experience the very first IMAX Theatre at sea. You'll get to see at sea some of the most popular films that are currently in theatres on land!

#9 Delight yourself in the 2 main free dining rooms. You'll want to take advantage of their great red & white house wines!

#10 110% Money Back Guarantee. No other cruise line in the world offers this. If for some reason you aren't satisfied during your journey (which I'm sure you will) Carnival will give you 110% back of what you purchased and also send you home for free! There is absolutely no risk!

Take advantage of 10% off from Contiki going to Europe!