April Fool’s Day, is not officially considered a holiday, is most definitely a notable day that is celebrated in many countries on April 1. The thing that is so special about April 1 (April Fools) is that it is the day for playing hoaxes and practical jokes of varied sophistication on others. The aim of these jokes is to bring embarrassment to the gullible.
Superstitions have it that the practical jokes are meant to be played before noon, and that those that are performed afterwards will bring bad luck to the perpetrator. This limitation is widely losing it’s value as a superstition as it is believed to have been conspired up by annoyed parents and school teachers who were wanting a respite from the day of pranks, as well due to the fact that many major hoaxes throughout history have appeared after noon. Another superstition is that anyone who fails to respond in the proper spirit of tolerance and amusement to the jokes played on them is also said to be liable to suffer from bad luck. Weaker sources indicated that being fooled by a pretty girl will be accompanied by marriage, or at bare minimum a friendship with her. That sounds like a good deal if she is truely pretty and it’s not just April Fools. Along the lines of relationships some people believe that being married on April Fools’ Day is not a good idea for a man, and that forever in the future he will be ruled by his wife. Read the rest of this entry »
One of the most used departure ports for cruise ships in the Caribbean is San Juan in Puerto Rico. We decided to arrive a day early to San Juan in order to see some sights before our cruise ship departure. San Juan, known as ‘La Ciudad Amurallada’ (the walled city), was founded in 1521 and is the oldest city under the US flag. During the 16th century, the Spanish used it as a point of departure for expeditions to the New World. Fortifications in the Old San Juan section of the city repulsed numerous attacks from the English and the Dutch during those years. Today, Old San Juan is a charming seven square block commercial and residential area with cobblestone streets.
The cruise ship terminal is actually located near the south side of Old San Juan so instead of booking a hotel in the beach resort area of San Juan, we decided to book one right in the old section for close proximity to the terminal as well as the local sights. The $17 US taxi ride from San Juan’s airport to Old San Juan was about half an hour. During the ride, I was impressed by how developed the city was compared to many other cities I’ve visited in the Caribbean. The beach high-rise hotels along the north side of San Juan were visible from the highway. Our stay for the night was at the Hotel Milano which is right on Calle Fortaleza, which is one of the major commercial streets in Old San Juan. The hotel was clean and comfortable but not luxurious which was okay with us as the price was very affordable. Its quality was probably comparable to a Travelodge or Days Inn. A very pleasant surprise was the free continental breakfast at the hotel’s rooftop restaurant. It gave a nice view of the neighborhood from the top.
We spent the day and evening walking the many cobblestone streets and alleys in the area. There are over 400 restored colonial buildings from the 16th and 17th century here. There were also several plaza squares and parks. One of the nicest services offered in Old San Juan is a free shuttle bus which covers two different routes through the district. There was a bus stop about 1/2 block away from our hotel which was very convenient. Riding on the shuttle buses through both routes gave us a good overview of Old San Juan. We were able to stop off at several points of interest including the huge El Morro fort. After our visits to each attraction, we just had to
wait for the next bus to come by to continue our tour. In the evening, we did get lost while walking since many of the streets look very similar. But with our map, we eventually found our way back to the street where the Hotel Milano was. We decided to dine at one of the nearby restaurants for authentic Puerto Rican cuisine and were not disappointed. My lady especially adored the two different plantains we ordered.
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Why Take a Celebrity Cruise Vacation? Well, with all the cruise lines available, all the cruise destinations,and the range of prices, there are cruises to please every traveller, no matter how jaded.
In our fast-paced society, it’s an very cost-effective and time-efficient way to take a holiday. Think about the time involved in driving yourself to many different destinations, packing and unpacking at every hotel, and trying to find restaurants and personal services. On a cruise you don’t drive anywhere for 7, 10, 14 days or even more. Even if you were on a bus tour with someone else doing the driving , you haul around your suitcases and repack it all at each new destination. On a cruise, you check your luggage when you check in and it automatically appears in your cabin, stateroom, or suite. You’re at home and don’t have to pack for the duration of the cruise. And the food is legendary! Each ship has many restuarants staffed by world-class chefs, and the cost of the food is included in the cost of the cruise. At every port, guided tours are available so you won’t miss any of the local attractions. You won’t have to mind your children constantly, either. Supervised activities like water skiing are available to keep them occupied. And at the end of your holidy staff will retrieve your luggage and place it on shore at the intended pick-up point. Taking a cruise vacation frees you from so many of the worries associated with traveling, and leaves you with even more time to relax and enjoy your destination.
Celebrity Cruise Lines offers the most competitive deals in the travel industry. Conde Nast Traveler consistently rates Celebrity Cruises as one of the world’s best cruise ship lines. Services include informative lectures about your location, upscale boutiques, and Las Vegas style entertainment created for Celebrity by Cirque du Soleil. Try your luck in the Casino or even collect fine art at an onboad auction. Enjoy exotic nightlife at The Bar At The Edge of the Earth.
There’s an overdose of pampering awaiting you at the world-famous Aqua-Spa by Elemis. Try a deluxe manicure, a luxurious facial or even a relaxing massage. Celebrity offers acupuncture by a licensed acupuncturist and Chinese medicine as well. You’ll feel renewed and invigorated.
But Celebrity isn’t just for the grown-ups. Kids feel right at home on these cruises. The Celebrity X-Club Youth Program has age-specific activities and entertainment for each age group. Science and nature exploration, talent shows, treasure hunts, children’s dinner parties, slumber parties and a lot more are all arranged by professional staff. Favorite areas of the ship are set aside for the younger seafaring set only, like the Shipmates Fun Factory, teen center and pools. When the ship is docked, adults have the option of going on cultural tours by themselves without bored children tagging along. And the children can enjoy vigorous, noisy activities without wearing out the parents. What a relief for both generations!
Age or disability do not hamper cruising. Ships are designed for mobility-impaired passengers, and staff is always ready to help with passengers’ medical needs. Celebrity Cruise Lines accommodates those who want dialysis or supplemental oxygen, and more medical services can be arranged if requested beforehand. Emergency care is always available on board, saving you the trouble of finding a doctor who speaks your language in a foreign country.
Dinner is a vital event in itself on a cruise ship, a tradition dating back to the late 1800’s when cruises were for royalty and the wealthy who expected elegant formal dinners. Again, in today’s lifestyle the elegant dinner is optional, and for those who like to dine casually, food is available around the clock from cafeterias and room service . All the same, for those who like a ritzy event where they can show off their best attire and jewelry, there are optional formal dinners where ladies put on long formal evening dresses and gentlemen have on tuxedos.
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When maneuvering a vessel in tight quarters, the ability to have a quick visual reference of your rudder angle is very important. A collision could jeopardize the safety of your passengers and of others. It could damage your boat and your pride. Luckily for us, technology provides a solution.
A rudder angle indicator is a nautical device which monitors your rudder’s horizontal position. It is also referred to as a rudder reference gauge, rudder locator, or a rudder position sensor. We took a look at several different types of rudder angle indicators and reviewed them for you in this article.
During testing we found that these rudder locators to be inaccurate and unreliable. Any time that the boat rocks from side to side, the needle swings back and forth making it virtually useless in choppy water. On vessels with hydraulic steering, these indicators give poor reference of the rudder angle due to variances in hydraulic fluid pressure. Our Score: 3/10
