Miller Chills

      Hey, hey, hey! Vacationeers! I am back. Miss me? Yeah, well…anyway, I missed ya’ll. So what have I got in stored for ya this time around? Remember a couple months ago I did a review of the beautiful Mexican resort city of Acapulco? Well, I got the goods on her sister resort city of Cancun. Heard of it? Sure ya have. Cancun is among one of the top vacation resorts in the world.

      On the map you can find this treasure of a vacation spot on the eastern coastal side of the Yucatan Peninsula, a little over 1,000 miles from Mexico City.

      Nicknamed ‘The Glistening City,’ the name Cancun has two possible translations. Since this area was once a part of the Mayan empire, one translation maybe, “nest of snakes or pot.” The other is  ”place of the golden snake.”

      Like I just said, Cancun was a region once occupied by the Mayans, so there are plenty of Mayan ruins to visit and explore. Ask about archaeological sites like, Coba, Muyil, Kinichná, Dzibanché, and Oxtankah.  Very cool stuff vacationeers.

      You’re main way to get to Cancun, will be through the Cancun International Airport. Maybe you’re thinking a narrow dirt runway strip that if you were standing at one end, you could throw a rock and come close to reaching the other end. No worries, folks. This airport is fully modernized, servicing about 10 million people a year. The airport is also conveniently located only 12 miles from the ‘hotel zone.’ And you say you’re not interested in driving a rental car while in Cancun? There is a bus transit service that caters to the hotel zone.

     The climate in Cancun is tropical with just small temp changes between seasons. But it does have rainy seasons. If you think it might be too warm, onshore trade winds compensate for that. Cancun has an average annual temp of 80 degrees. The yearly rainfall total is around 52 inches. You can enjoy more temperate conditions from November to February.  It is hottest from May to September. So what. Just hit the white sand-covered beaches and enjoy that clear blue water.

      The night-life in Cancun is, in a word…awesome. There are nightclubs, restaurants, discos, and beautiful outside squares that are well lit and lined with shops and stores of every type. It’s everything you could want in a getaway. Oh yeah, Cancun has been spared the crime and drug-related violence other parts of Mexico has been enduring as of late.  So you are clear my friends. Aaand…tell ‘em Miller sent ya! 

      Hello my fellow vacationeers and lovers of paradise, Miller here to tell ya about an island that you gotta check out. It is one of the many Greek islands located in the Aegean Sea. This little jewel of an island is called Skepelos. With the exception of the cars and motorbikes that you’ll see cruising around, you will truly feel like you have stepped back in time. So hey, let’s take a look and listen up.

      Like I said a minute ago, Skopelos is one of several islands that make up what is known as the Sporades group. Of course you can visit any of these beautiful islands, but Skopelos comes to mind in particular because the movie version of the musical “Mamma Mia” was filmed there.

     In island legend Skopelos was founded by Staphylos, one of the sons of the god Dionysus and the Princess Ariadne of the island of Crete.     

      The first thing you’ll notice is the water. It’s clear, beautiful, and teeming with aquatic life if you wanna go scuba diving. The other is the architectural style of the buildings. It’s pure and simple, and fills you with a sense of history that will make ya wanna go native…forever.

      Since Skopelos is a mountainous island, there’s only a few beaches that are accessible by trails. But there are some, like  Velanio, (an unofficial nudist beach), Limnonari, Panormos, Adrines, Milia, Kastani, Elios, Hovolo, Armenopetra, Kalives, Glyfoneri, Glysteri, Perivoliou, Keramoto, Chondrogiorgos. These available sources of fun and relxation in the sun are great for all vacationeers.

      As far as the food goes, you’re usual Greek fare is served in local resturaunts and dining establishments.  There is an abundant of fish dishes, along with olives, feta, (cheese made from goat milk), honey, phyllo dough sandwhiches and pies made with goat meat and cheese, and of course wine.

      The largest community and municipal center on the island is the main port of the island, (Skopelos or Chora). It  is situated in a bay on the northern coast.  It has between 3,000 and 4,000 residents.  The second largest is the village of Glossa. It is located on the northwestern tip of the island, close to 16 miles from Skopelos town. It is a quiet village with traditional houses, and has around 2,000 residents.

      Skopelos is one of the greenest islands of the Sporades.  The island has a wide range of flowers, trees and shrubs. 

      Because of a huge increase in the ownership of cars on the island, something Skopelos was not ready to deal with, you’d be better off getting around on foot or by bicycle. But that is this wonderful place’s only drawback. Besides, if you’re like me, you probably need the exercise and you won’t miss anything. Trust me…you will not want to. And tell ‘em Miller sent ya.

      Vacationeers! Hello, Miller here…yes,  yet again I’ve got a delightful destination for ya’ll. Listen up because I’m talking about one of the most sought after vacation spots in the world, Rio de janeiro. Yeah, you’ve heard of it, you know what people are saying about it, now get you’re butt down there and find out for you’re self.

      The first great thing about Rio is it’s one of those places that’s geared for tourism. So there’s a boatload of things you can do, places you can stay, and people you may or may not want to get naked with. But that’s a whole other website, folks.

      The grandest thing you’re ever gonna see is the statue, Christ Redeemer which sits atop Corcovado Mountain. This world famous statue of Jesus Christ stands over 252 feet high and covers an area of over 2,300 feet. At 80 years old, the statue is synonymous with Rio. It used to take a hike up 220 steps to reach the statue, but with the addition of escalators and elevators, everyone can enjoy this grand attraction.

      Another famed tourist attraction is the Sugar Loaf Cable Car. Constructed in 1912, it’s one the world’s oldest working cable cars and the first in Brazil. The brainchild of Brazilian engineer, Augusto Ferreira, millions of tourist, including celebs like Brooke Shields have rode in this cable car. The view is spectacular. The car travels through three stations, Praia Vermelha, Morro da Urca and Pão de Açucar.

      Another main attraction for tourist and locals alike is Ipanema beach. During the summer there’s all kinds of activities you can enjoy, volleyball, beach football, or just lay out and enjoy the sun. If you’re a good swimmer or surfer there’s plenty of that goin’ on too. Body surfing and boarding can be enjoyed in these beautiful waters, but be careful if you’re a novice at these sports as the currents are pretty rough and somewhat unpredictable. Other highlights include the Hippie Fair and Street Festival where you can buy Brazilian handcrafts and musical instruments.

      The Copacabana neighborhood with it’s Palace hotel, early 20th century fort, and beach is an awesome spot for everyone. The beach is lined with resturaunts, bars and clubs for you’re pleasure. The fort, which houses the Army Historical Museum is great for the whole family.

      And the nightlife my fellow vacationeers, is as you can imagine, offers a huge variety of clubs, pubs, bars, and restaurants that serve every taste and activity to make you’re nights ones to remember. So travel to the land of the samba and tell everyone you meet,  Miller sent ya!

      Hello vacationeers! Yep, it’s Miller…again. Do you believe paradise exist? I’m not talking about a garden where you got two folks running around butt naked with the woman sneaking off to talk to a snake about the best produce to sample, we all know how that one turned out. I’m talking about the beautiful state of Hawaii. Yeah, that’s right…the whole state is a modern day garden of eden.

      Created some few thousand years ago by a tremendous amount of volcanic activity, the Hawaiian Islands are almost too beautiful to describe. But, since I’ve never been at a loss for words, I’ll give it the ole’ college try. There are a chain of eight ‘main’ islands with the island of Hawaii being by far the largest and often referred to as ‘The Big Island’. The other seven islands from the Southeast to the Northwest are,  Maui, Kahoʻolawe, Lānaʻi,  Molokaʻi, O’ahu, Kaua’i, and Ni’ihau.

      Because of Hawaii’s mild tropical climate, the fact that it has the 4th longest coastline in the U.S., much of it being gorgeous beach-front, and just the overall beauty of the fauna, Hawaii has been, is,  and probably will be a top vacation spot for tourist from all over the world. These islands have something for everyone, I mean it folks. The large and diverse wave action on most of the coastline are an ideal attraction for surfers. Hawaii’s volcanoes are a draw for vulcanologist, who wish to study the subject of their science, at a safe distance of course, because these bad boys are active.

      Ever since the first Europeans set foot on the islands in 1778, they knew immediately that Hawaii was special. Captain James Cook was this first European. However, during his second visit to Hawaii in 1779,  he and four of his men were killed when the good captain tried to abduct Kalaniʻōpuʻu, the king of ‘The Big Island’. Cook’s reason for this was to hopefully hold the king as ransom for one of his ship’s boats that had been stolen by a minor chief and his men. This tactic had worked before on the island of Tahiti with peaceful results, but Kalaniʻōpuʻu and his warriors fought back. Cook and his men were killed as they attempted a retreat back to their boat.

      Many of the Polynesian culture and customs from way back are still practiced to this day. Alongside these old customs are modern day conveniences such as beautiful hotels and motel lodgings of all types. If you wanna go island hopping there’s ferrys’, boats, and hydrofoil boats that service tourist to all the islands. And don’t forget about the U.S.S. Arizona Memorial at Pearl Harbor on the island of O’hau.  You, you’re significant other, and the entire family will love these beautiful islands. So load up and get you’re tail out to America’s little treasure in the Pacific. Oh yeah…tell ‘em Miller sent ya.

      Miller here. So you like the beach? Sure ya do. Well then, you need to travel to the Tarheel state of North Carolina and check out the coastal town of Atlantic Beach. Known as the Crystal Coast to locals and located in the eastern part of what’s called the Bogue Banks,  Atlantic Beach offers miles of beautiful beachfront, historic locations, and modest prices for hotels, motels, and condos.

      Historic sites include Fort Macon and it’s museum located inside the fort. Dating back to the civil war era, the museum contains all kinds of memorophilia like weapons of that time, letters written by soldiers and commanders that were stationed there, and pictures taken during the war between the states. Across the Atlantic Beach bridge and a few miles to the north is the historic town of Beaufort which is the county seat and has a rich history dating back to the time when pirates, like the infamous Blackbeard, roamed the waters of the outer banks. The actual home where Blackbeard stayed while in Beaufort is a museum and one of the highlights of this historically rich area. The Maritime Museum is a great place to visit as well. There is a treasure of ship models, pictures, boating equipment used back in the day by seamen, and all kinds of info on the diverse sea-life that thrives in these coastal waters. This includes an accurate model of a Great White shark that was caught just off the coast some years ago. The waterfront of Beaufort is also a big attraction for tourist and visitors. There are a host of antique shops, resturaunts, taverns and clothing stores lined all along this old fashioned maritime waterfront.  When I lived there, the town of Beaufort and the county did a total overhaul of the waterfront, giving it a more rustic look, like old fashioned street lamps. Still powered by electricity, it still reminds one of a bygone era.   

      There are party and charter boat rentals galore for the fishing enthusiast, or if you just wanna cruise around the waters of the Crystal Coast. For kids of all ages, Atlantic Beach offers up water-parks, go-cart tracks, and other amusement park type activities.

      If you’re into scuba diving, you can take an adventurous trip below the waters and check out sunkin ship wrecks and all the sealife the Atlantic Ocean offers.

      As far as food and the nightlife goes, there’s a bounty of that as well. Seafood of course, along with the usual restaurant fare. And you gotta try North Carolina BBQ, there’s nothing like it! As far as getting you’re party on, there are taverns, clubs, and plenty of bar and grills at you’re disposal. So what are ya waiting for? Get on over there, and tell him Miller sent ya.                More vacation hot spot info on the way…

      Hello vacationeers. This is Miller again, and man have I got the place for ya’ll. It’s the island country of New Zealand.  Located 900 miles east of Australia in the Pacific, New Zealand can offer any vacationer almost any kind of backdrop for your’e viewing pleasure. Made up of two large islands, the North Island and South Island, and many smaller islands, New Zealand has a special quality. It’s terrain is made up of a diverse variety of landscapes you could find elsewhere, but here they’re all in one spot. Almost.

      You’ll have to travel some to get to these exotic and at the same time familiar places. Oh man, let’s see…you can travel to the city of  Auckland, the site of one of the most powerful volcanic eruptions in history. Yeah, you see, New Zealand sits on the edge of the Pacific ‘ring of fire’, and has some serious geothermal activity. Lake Taupo in particular, which is a caldera, meaning it was once the center of a super volcano. Over 26,000 years ago the volcano erupted, covering the North island in ash, 200 meters deep.  The volcanic zone is still there in the mountains of Ruepehu, Ngauruahoe and Tongariro. There are mud pools that bubble and spew out steam. You can travel to Rotourua to find these bad boys. 

      It’s amazing. You can travel throughout New Zealand and be astounded by the diversity of the land. From snow-capped mountains and forest terrain to beaches and beautiful hillside country, so green you’ll think you died and went to Ireland. I mean it, folks. There’s also the urban areas for the on-the-town vacationers. There,  you’ll find every modern convenience for your comfort, dining, or partying pleasure.

      There’s plenty to do outdoors as well, besides sightseeing. You go hiking if your’e so inclined. With all the different landscapes and terrain, there’s plenty to see, sights you won’t soon forget my friends. If you are into the watersports thing, and enjoy a little danger and a lot of excitement, take a kayaking trip, through one of  the many waterways of this beautiful island nation. There’s also scuba diving, wind surfing, and lots more to do along the coastal beaches of New Zealand. If your’e really feeling dangerous, and haven’t had a heavy meal less than an hour before,  there is bungy jumping.

      When I said earlier, some of the landscapes may be familiar to ya. Probably because you saw them in the movie, “Lord of the Rings”. All three chapters of the movie were filmed here. Get there,  enjoy and tell ‘em Miller sent ya.         More articles on the way…

      Lying about 190 miles southwest from the Mexican capitol, Mexico City,  is Acapulco. You know of which I speak, I’m sure. It’s one of the great resort vacation spots in the world. Located on the Pacific Ocean side of Mexico, Acapulco was and is a major port for the nation. Uh, yes it is, but it’s no secret, that Acapulco rocks.  Acapulco is located on a deep perfect semi-circular bay with beautiful beach front property for tourist and pleasure seekers of all kinds.  The city’s port has been active since colonial times.  The name Acapulco translated, means ‘At the big reeds’. In case you wanted to know. Use it as an icebreaker to begin a conversation with a hot beach babe.

      The city became a popular resort in the 1950′s when Hollywood types and the social elite began vacationing there. Today, the city is still one of the most popular resorts in the world. The city is split into two different areas,  the north end of bay or the ‘tradional’ part of Acapulco is the location visited so frequently during the mid 20th century. Then there’s the south end, which contains many new high rise hotels. Basically, the north end which was once the posh part of Acapulco, traded in it’s diamond and now the south end is the swanky part of town. I like the north end, thank you. It’s more affordable and still very entertaining.      

     When I think of Acapulco I think of gorgeous beaches and beach babes. great food, and great looking beach babes, and the nightlife. Oh yeah, my fellow vationeers, Acapulco has got the nightlife going on. For decades, Acapulco’s nightlife has been the stuff of legend and a leading reason why tourist come here. But first, let’s talk about the north end some more. This part of town host mostly home grown middle class Mexicans. So don’t be suprised if you don’t see all that many caucasian folks. But if you live in Texas like me, it won’t be that much of a change. There’s the boardwalk you can check out. There’s diners and restaurants all around. Do you like authentic Mexican food? 

      Now…the nightlife. There are multitude of great nightclubs and discotheques. Don’t worry, unlike here, the bartenders and waitresses are competently bi-lingual. So get your party on.  Now, let’s get serious, vacationeers. If you choose to come here,  be wary of the cops in Acapulco. There’s a number of police that are corrupt and will rip you off. However, they can’t bother you as long as you keep your nose clean. So do yourself a favor and don’t bring your friend that hasn’t had a girlfriend in over a year and acts like he’s still in college.

      Once again, this is Miller, wishing you great times.         More articles are coming…

      Hello vacationeers. Miller here…again. Well, as you may or may not know, most of my articles are derived from research not actual experiences…dammit. But take heart. This journey to another vacation paradise is no journey for yours truly. It’s the beautiful Island of Galveston, and I live here. Impressed yet? No? O.K. then, I’ll tell ya about this tough little land mass in the Gulf of Mexico.

Hurricane Ike did a number on Galveston and the surrounding areas, but Texas and Texans don’t quit. The comeback the area has gone through has been fast and steady. I came to Galveston to visit my sister and just fell for the place. And this was shortly after Ike. The atmosphere along with the island itself is irresistible.

First there’s the climate, which is tourist friendly most of the year. From March to late November, the temps and the weather are condusive for tourist and visitor fun. Established as a township in 1836, Galveston’s main attraction is the Seawall and the beaches. For safety

This photo of Galveston Island is courtesy of TripAdvisor

purposes there’s no alcohol consumption and no glass containers and bottles are allowed on the beach or the Seawall. If you wanna drink booze and bust bottles, take it to a bar like any self-respecting redneck would do. But, if you can be responsible, about 11 miles down the road there’s a small community called Jamaica Beach. Separate from Galveston, J.B. is its own township and alcohol consumption, (not abuse), is allowed. The Jamaica Beach police patrol the beaches all day and often. And their response time to a call on the beach is under 5 minutes. Don’t ask how I know this.

Although it’s not my thing, but if your into bird-watching, Gakveston is the place for it. There’s a wide variety of bird species native to the Island, and 3/4 of the species in the U.S. pass through Galveston during the Fall on their southern migration routes.

There’s motels, hotels, and bed & breakfast to fit any taste and wallet size. If your a serious golfer, even seriously bad,  the Island offers up 2 golf courses. If you’re not serious, there’s putt-putt. If you’re an angler there’s plenty of fishing piers and fishing spots on the Island. But you wanna get out on the water? Okay, there’s charter boats available to take you out in search of ‘the big one’. If you can handle a boat, there’s boat rentals around for you. Then there’s Schlitterbahn waterpark and Moody Gardens for the enjoyment of the whole family.

Along the Seawall there’s a host of restaurants to satisfy any taste. There is surf , souvenir, and beachwear shops all along the Seawall. The downtown area is historically significant. Homes that have stood the test of time since the early 19th century are prevalent. There’s  horse and carriage rides for couples or kids. The famous ‘Strand’ in the downtown area is great for shopping for antiques, or stop into a pub for a drink or something to eat. Galveston has a little bit of everything for anyone who has a little bit of time on their hands. Come see for yourself. Do it.                I’ll be back soon…

      Hey folks. Miller is back with another great vacation spot for ya. Whether it’s just you, or you and a significant other, or your a mom and dad looking for a fun and economic vacation for the tribe, your gonna find it in Ocean City. O.C. can provide you and yours with all sorts of fun activities. Even if it’s just a weekend or your gonna hang for a week, you won’t be troubled with having nothing to do, or if ya just wanna relax and do nothing, no worries there either. 

      First off, your gonna need a place to crash and keep your stuff while your in O.C. No problem folks. Ocean City has a spectaculous venue of sprawling high-rise  hotels with spanking glorious rooms, cozy, comfortable motels with regular rooms and efficiency apartments. There’s also spacious condos on the beach for rent, and homey bed and breakfast spots. Plenty of choices to fit all spectrum’s of affordability.

      In this vacationeer’s opinion, the Ocean City boardwalk is the main attraction for folks of any age. You can walk, rent a bike, or use the O.C. boardwalk tram, which can take you anywhere on the boardwalk in just minutes. I know…cool. For the younger or young at heart ones among us, there’s games and arcade centers of all kinds to satisfy old and new taste in gaming fun. There’s an amusement park with a Ferris wheel that gives you a birds-eye view of the boardwalk and a roller-coaster ride, if you like going from 10 to 85 mph in 3.6 seconds. And if you wanna scream and possibly puke on yourself or the person next to ya.Can it get any better? Possibly. Also along the boardwalk is a gluttonous amount of food proprietors ready to serve you up your choice of french-fries, crab-cakes, hotdogs, cheeseburgers, fried chicken, pit cooked BBQ, and pizza.  Then for your sweet-tooth, there’s caramel pop-corn, funnel-cakes, ice-cream, and Ocean City’s famous salt-water taffy. From morning, noon and night, the boardwalk is open to serve your vacation fun needs.    

      For more adult fitting fun, there’s O.C.’s dining and night-life. Spicy steamed crabs along with an assortment of delicious seafood fresh from the Chesapeake Bay. Thick and juicy steaks for some surf ‘n’ turf action. Then there’s fried chicken, pit BBQ, huge sandwhiches, juice-dripping ham and many other delicious southern food delights. And as for the night clubs? You can pick any number of clubs that I’m sure will spin your favorite music fare. It’s all here, folks. And that’s where it’ll be. It’s up to you to come and check it out for yourself.      I’m signing off for now, but “I’ll be back.”

      Hey,hey,hey, it’s me, Miller again. How’d ya like South Beach. Everything I said it was? I know. I’m kinda of a genius that way. Well look folks, I’d be remissed if I didn’t mention all the fun things the family can do while in Florida. So moms and dads, get your rugrats and listen to ole’ Miller.

      Florida’s west coastal beaches are open and waiting for ya’ll. Relax folks, I know, the oil spill catastrophe is still in the back of everyone’s minds. It was a terrible thing, but nowhere near the end of the world, although the media might have had you wondering. Despite the spill, Florida’s Gulf coast is coming back in a big way. Go check it out for yourselves. You will not be dissappointed.

      The beautiful white beaches, friendly and welcome towns, and the reasonable affordability of the Gulf area makes this a great family vacation spot. Down on the southern coast, Naples has a children’s museum that sounds like a kid’s playground. Well, ya know, it almost is, as most everything is fully interactive and all touchy feely. You know kid’s, if they can’t reach out and touch, pinch,punch,twist, and pull on something, they’re just not gonna have a good time. I know I never do. Included is an art studio and gallery, a treehouse, and a virtual journey through the everglades. And since it just opened this year, it’s all brand spanking new! I can’t wait to get in the treehouse!

      If you head north just a ways, you’ll hit Tampa. This ethnic diverse city has all sorts of stuff for the whole family to enjoy. Let me lay it out. First, there’s Bucsh Gardens. However, if your not into big crowds there’s an awesome aquarium with all kinds of aquatic critters, and friendly attendants ready to help and inform. Then there’s a zoo. I know, stop me now. But hang on fun family vacationeers. Because of the diverse ethnic background of the city there’s a huge assortment of foods from Cuba, the islands of the Bahamas, Puerto Rico, and of course good ole’ American cuisine. Also, every year, the city of Tampa is invaded by pirates. These buccaneers come in on an authentic and fully rigged out pirate ship. Surrounded by a fleet of pleasure boats there to protect the city, a small engagement ensues with the pirates winning of course. Then, after these marauders come ashore and ‘capture’ the key to the city, they put on a full-scale parade. Dressed in their swashbuckiling regalia they march through the streets of Tampa. Hide your booty ya’ll!  It’s a rip roaring good time for everyone. Hope ya’ll head down there and check it out. Have fun and vacation on!   More articles are coming so stay tuned……