Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:38:43 -0700 http://www.borntravelers.com/ en-us http://www.borntravelers.com/images/logo.gif http://www.borntravelers.com/ gerald.jansen@yahoo.com http://www.borntravelers.com/Article11.html If you have visited PV on more than one occasion you know that restaurants there come and go very quickly. The competition is very tough. An establishment that is good one year won't be the following. We recently were in Puerto Vallarta for a month. During that time we visited a number of restaurants are observations are as follows: Gaby's: Quality of food, only average, prices too high. Ole': (in old town) This long time favorite is just awful and prices are high. I ordered Carne Asada, medium rare and it was so well done I could have used it for shoe soles. When I told the waiter, he just shrugged his shoulders. Beware the hotels and street sharks are still pushing this restaurant. Consequently, there is often a long line of unsuspecting victims. Joe Jack's Fishhouse: Not worth the prices. Menu is limited. PiPi's: This is landmark, it is still good and worth a visit for first time visitors. However, the portions are getting smaller as the prices are going up. Guess that is just a sign of the times. Mon, 11 Feb 2008 12:38:43 -0700 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article10.html We used a travel coupon for The Mayan Palace in Nuevo Vallarta and invited friends to join us since the apartment was two bedrooms. We found the grounds and the facility very beautiful. We were annoyed by their sales staff from the onset of our week. They wanted to sell their product and became very rude and obnoxious in the process. We learned of instances where they coerced both young and elderly couples out of their savings with lies that maintain that buying into their timeshare is really an investment in the future with great returns. We talked with many people that own timeshares at the Mayan and found many disenchanted owners. Sun, 14 Oct 2007 10:29:16 -0600 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article9.html June 8, 2007 We have returned home now after 54 days of travel to four countries: Spain, Italy,France and Germany. The trip went as planned. We took over 2000 pictures and journaled almost every day. In Italy we stayed in 7 different Hostels and one Timeshare. Our stays at Hostels was a great social experience. We met fellow travelers in our age group from all over the world. We shared travel experiences and life experiences. All of our accommodations were clean and secure. The cost for several days in a hostel was often times less that one night in a hotel. If you plan a trip to Italy you should Check our the hostels in Luca, Genoa, Ischia, Venice, and especially Florence. The hostel in Rome is well located, but very austere and it can be noisy. The young people who stay there take advantage of Rome's night life and they often times come in very late feeling no pain. However, the management attempts to put people of the same age group together when possible so it isn't all that bad. As time permits we will be putting pictures into the Photo Albums and inputting articles from our journals, so check back for a chronicle of our trip. Fri, 08 Jun 2007 08:41:41 -0600 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article8.html April 7, 2007 On Saturday the 7th we packed our bags and left Churriana. Our first stop was for lunch in Marbella with an acquaintance from years past. We were then taken by our Churriana host to the Miraflores resort, a short distance East of Marbella. The large resort consists of three sections, Pueblo, Jardin and Rancho. Our accommodations were in the Rancho section in unit 317. The third story suite had a fantastic view of the Mediterranean. The bus from Torremolinos to Marbella stops at the resort. A small shopping plaza with a super market, several restaurants, and a video store with internet access were within walking distance. The location is centrally located on the Costa del Sol midway between Malaga and Gibraltar. We have found that rental cars are often more trouble than they worth in Europe. Parking is always a problem, if not impossible. Bus transport is usually inexpensive and frequent. Our fare into or from Torremolinos is only €1.20. Parking starts at about €2.00 per hour. There are many places near or on the Costa del Sol worthy of a visit. If you visit only one it must be the Alhambra in Granada. A palace/fortress, built by the Moors, it is truly a magic place, one of the wonders of the world. Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:23:49 -0600 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article7.html Upon arrival at the Malaga airport we went to the baggage carrousel, as usual our two bags were the in the last group to be off loaded. The Malaga airport is being expanded again. Nine years ago, at the end of our last visit, it was also under construction. Spain began its transformation for the 92 World’s fair and Olympics and hasn’t stopped to this day. The EU has certainly been a boon to the economic health of Spain and all of Europe. Monies for infrastructure are being provided where needed. Thu, 12 Apr 2007 10:13:51 -0600 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article6.html April 3rd and 4th 2007 In Portland Deenie and I split up, She using frequent flier miles on American, First and Business Class no less; while I flew on Delta in the no so cheap, cramped seats. My flight went through Atlanta, hers through Dallas/Fort Worth. We met up in Frankfurt about 9:00 am on the fourth. We then spent until 5:30 p.m. at the Frankfurt airport, wandering around, a salad and two waters at McDonald’s cost over 9 euros, about $13.00 us. Nothing is ever reasonable at airports and Frankfurt is no different. Thu, 05 Apr 2007 23:38:36 -0600 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article5.html April 2, 2007 The journey begins at about 6:00am as I sit down at my computer with my first cup of coffee. I bring up the Amtrak website to check on the progress or our train. It is scheduled to arrive at Chemult, our pickup station at 9:40 a.m. However, true to reality, the train’s anticipated arrival is already 5 plus hours late, 2:40 p.m. The day begins with more unscheduled boredom. I call our friends who have volunteered provide us with a ride to the train and reschedule for 1:30p.m.; as the morning progresses so does the anticipated arrival of the train. When we finally leave the train’s arrival time has been pushed back to 3:40 p.m. The short drive only takes about 30 minutes. Thu, 05 Apr 2007 21:20:13 -0600 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article4.html March 23, 2007 In preparation for our trip in April we have been booking our accommodations and travel in Europe online. We have searched many websites looking for bargains. By comparing prices we can make an informed decision and save money. Here are some tips using the knowledge we have gained. 1. If you are going to be in a country, say Italy, use a Italian train pass rather than a Euro Train pass. It is less expensive and is good for two full months. 2. If you are traveling from country to country use a European Regional airline. Through a booking site such as http://www.kyak.com, http://www.wegolo.com or http://www.myair.com You won't believe the fares that you can get. For instance Paris to Bonn $36.86us or from Venice to Paris for $80.11us. 3. The Hosteling International site at http://www.iyhf.org/ is a great resource for planning and reserving Hostels. I will be writing another article dedicated specifically to Hostels. They are not for everyone. However, if you want to travel longer on less you should consider using them for some of your accommodations. Fri, 23 Mar 2007 09:01:27 -0600 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article3.html My wife and I rarely use a travel agent. The internet provides many travel opportunities that just were not available to individuals even a short time ago. Additionally, as “Ad Lib” travelers we often change our itinerary on the fly as we travel. Being tied to a tight schedule just isn’t our style. So when it comes to making airline and other reservations paying attention to the details and small print is up to us. The competitive nature of the airline industry is no secret. The fight for passengers is wicked. This created an environment that causes airlines to lock in tickets and their fares once they are purchased. A ticket that has been purchased, no matter how far in advance, is considered money in the bank by the airline holding the ticket and here in lies a trap that one must be aware of. Tue, 20 Feb 2007 10:05:39 -0700 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article2.html January 31, 2007 I have been busy preparing the itinerary for our up coming trip. Traveling in Europe for six weeks these days, on a budget, requires time and imagination. My wife and I never use a travel agent. We could not afford their time or the trips that they would ultimately design. Wed, 31 Jan 2007 17:44:02 -0700 http://www.borntravelers.com/Article1.html Deenie and I are planning a major trip. We will be leaving in April for the Costa del Sol in Spain to visit an old friend and celebrate his birthday. We will be there for a week. Then it will be on to Italy for about 4 weeks. We will be staying at Hostels, Timeshares and Hotels. In Italy we will start in Milano, then to to Rome, Florence, the Puglia region in the heel of the "boot" of Italy. We will then go north to Venice and then on to Germany. Our trip will take approximately 6 weeks. It is my intent to write as we go. Since we are traveling light I am not carrying a Laptop so we will depend upon Cybercafes. Stay tuned. Thu, 18 Jan 2007 10:38:59 -0700