We won! We won! just a bit of gambling to say to ourselves that we did take a chance with a few quarters. And, it bought back a local luncheon for us in Immokalee!
Multiple Showtime on a large screen, a bed anyone can be comfortable in, updated to ultra modern fixtures and am AC that didn’t wake the dead! The Platters show had many dancing in the isles! Oldies but immensely nostalgic goodies on full display!Ah,, the pool! It was warm enough for us to enjoy! Clean and clear with a head and shoulder waterfall!!!!No time for use in an overnight for us! Too busy dancing to the Platters. But, this exercise room was all there just before a swim!
AmericanPressTravelNews 3/4/18–Correspondent, David, my son is in the Netherlands-Guess he’s there to go ice fishing! He’s an adventurer-chip off his old dad! Today he wrote the following piece about his stay at Hotel Van ORANJE in Noordwijk aan Zee Netherlands. Well dad, this was a great find while, just 15 minutes from the hustle and bustle of Amsterdam. Going to the beach in minus 2- degrees would seem not to be such a good idea in the U.S., but when you can take advantage of great, 5 -star hotel with 6 incredible restaurants, why not.
Traveling alone, I still felt like a star at this place. I was even given a personalized note telling me to enjoy my Dutch Royal Stay, and it was certainly that for 140 Euros. I enjoyed the facilities indoor pools, saunas, steam rooms, and a gym setup for an athlete. I certainly enjoyed a great dinner at the Restaurant Dutch. After my hot shower, I just asked for 4-course dinner, and sat back. Ah, the food was delivered and explained in great detail by the chefs protege. While biting down on an assortment of “great eats” I watched as table- side meals were being prepared for couples in suits and dresses, out for dates, and usual Saturday Dutch dinner revel in their special night out. I was just off the plane and thought the place was casual dress. Turned out to be no problema! Once my sumptuous dinner was complete, I strolled around and looked at the beautiful Rembrandt art, statues, and other gorgeously decorated restaurants on site. You can go horseback riding, windsurfing, hiking and just about any sport including golfing here.
A dessert that I will never forget!
After talking with some of the staff, and of course, while the summer is warmer, it just didn’t matter how cold it was- you still enjoy this beautiful Hotel! Dad, I swear me and all guests around me are truly treated like kings and Queens. I learned that Europe (or at least this incredible slice of heaven in the Netherlands) had it all over too many watered down, and bleached out other resort hotels I’ve visited in the U.S. and around the world in my travels. And my room;it was fantastically comfortable!! Address is: Koningin Wilhelmina Blvd 20 2202 GV Noordwijk, Netherlands tel. 3171 367 6869
One of 4-courses was a chicken dish. The sauce, ah, the sauce!A slice of sea bass to write home about. I guess I just did!Everything was so clean and beautiful! Felt like I was in “old Europe.”
Los Cayos=(Those Bones) as the Spanish called the Keys Hundreds of years ago!
AmericanPressTravelNews.com-October 1st-Islamorada, FL. Keys–Recently the whole world viewed and anguished over a natural weather and earth set of disasters-namely hurricanes and earthquakes. One hard hit area-the Florida Keys took it on the chin with winds and surges, before Irma headed for the rest of FL., Keys residents received nearly as hard a hit, as the area ever had. Yes, there have been worse storms and far more deaths, as in the 1935 Labor Day disaster that even blew a train off the tracks that linked mainland Florida with all the habitable islands in the Keys chain-over 500 people died in that one. Irma pummeled Puerto Rico, then Harvey slammed a left and right punch, and nearly finished this country of 3.5-million off, which probably will never recover fully.
Taking into consideration there is a need for housing, as so many homes and apartments were damaged and are uninhabitable, at least one group in the small town of Islamorada and surrounding Keys; Coastal Vacation Rentals of The Florida Keys is trying to match locals, residents and would-be visitors with clean, livable rentals as a bridge, or permanently for their needs and quiet peace and enjoyment of their lives. David at Coastal Vacation Rentals is doing just that! I asked David (yes, he’s my son) if he has has weekly, monthly and yearly rentals from traditional island homes and apartments, to some of those local swank homes available as vacation abodes for the highly discriminating vacationers, both Bayside or Oceanside, and inland as well? Dave told me that “if we don’t have what locals and visitors are in need of, we will find it for them” David has called Keys home of 40-years. After leaving for military service, he is now transitioning back to the Keys full time, and is working with Coastal Vacation Rentals of the FL Keys. One of his major specialties in the Military was Logistics. Generals and Colonels relied on David and his crews to “gettin er done.” And he never let them down. He is bringing his strengths in Logistics to doing this too, as far as getting it done, for whoever works with him and his team in the keys, as well.
In the military, he knows how to make it happen in disaster, or during quiet times too!. So finding the rental of house, boat and offering full concierge services is a cake-walk for him. Sure I am his father, and who better knows what his son is capable of? I’m sure after Irma’s visit and the fact that he was brought up in the Florida Keys, he knows the ins and outs of the Upper Keys, and has a tremendous support group of others, also brought up in the fabulous Florida Keys, just a keystroke away from helping him, making it happen. While Hurricane Irma has taken out some of the resorts, David spent time before and after the latest natural disaster both for Keys Emergency Management needs and tourism housing there. It would be is a great opportunity for anyone working with David to hit a homerun in finding whatever their needs are in The keys this year. Be assured the Keys will be more desirable this winter then ever. Less people, more fish and perfect, personalized service. NOTE: CURRENTLY DAVID IS DIRECTOR OF EMERGENCY MANAGEMENT FOR THE UNITED STATE AIR FORCE!
Barb relaxes on one of the Cathey grown pumpkins. Each gourd can make 15 pumpkin pies.
APtravelnews-September 11th, Walnut Cove Farm–Waynesville, North Carolina–Agri-tourism is very much alive and well at Walnut Cove Farm. Joseph and Tara Cathey have worked hard and smart turning one acre of land in Waynesville, NC and 3-acres in Bethel into a wonderfully productive garden and growing enterprise. Majic Heirloom Tomatoes, all kinds of greens and other field and tree fruits and veggies attract people from all walks of life to farm to table suppers often accompanied by Blue Grass music where guests as we did actually watch the process of grinding and pressing fresh apples into the most delicious apple cider straight from the press. While there, we enjoyed silver dollar sized little tomato pies (I ate 10 of them, beyond “good”) drank two glasses of cider and felt like Superman- the apples and tomatoes boosted my “WOW” factor by at least 10 (at least Barb and I felt like it did) and these folks made you genuinely feel as welcome as family. We loved this place. Besides the dinners they provide to the public they also supply restaurants and other businesses in and around Waynesville with produce for their uses in healthy, creative dishes too! Do we recommend going out of your way to visit these fine folks and enjoy a farm to table dinner? Oh, yes!!!!
Walnut Cove Farm – Owned by Joseph and Tara Cathey. Farm to table dinners and suppliers from June thru October. 575 Walnut Cove Road, Waynesville, NC (828) 400-0115.
A cornucopia of fresh! Tomatoes, and great garden crops! The Cathey’s also market flowers as well!
Grind and press apple juice into delicious cider. Manual labor of love!The Cathey’s pour a canning jar of the sweet, fresh pressed apple exhiler of life!! The cider really complimented the tomato pies!Tomato pies. Cheese covered heirloom maters! Oh, so good! I ate 10 of these silver dollar sized delights!
The Valley Cove Farm to plate barn full of nostalgia and relaxation plus great suppers!
