Jetsettersblog

Mona Mona Mona

Looking for an adventure? Overwhelm your senses and come experience the enchantment of the Mona Passage- Mona Island, Monito Island, and Desecheo. Located just off the coast of Puerto Rico, these uninhabited islands connect the Atlantic Ocean to the Caribbean Sea. Not only is it home to rare birds and iguanas but the diving is just absolutely breathtaking. There are no words that can describe the diving found in the Mona Passage. See for yourself in this YouTube video produced by one of our guests. You can also see some great pictures taken of Mona by our guest Ben Seggerson in this newsletter.

Mona Sail Dates

7 Day Mona Itinerary

Nov 14, 2009 – Nov 21, 2009 $1995 Nekton Pilot

Nov 21, 2009 – Nov 28, 2009 $1945 Nekton Pilot

Nov 28, 2009 – Dec 5, 2009 $1845 Nekton Pilot
Dec 5, 2009 – Dec 12, 2009 $1745 Nekton Pilot
Dec 12, 2009 – Dec 19, 2009 $1745 Nekton Pilot
Dec 19, 2009 – Dec 26, 2009 $1695 Nekton Pilot
Dec 25, 2009 – Jan 2, 2010 $1795 Nekton Pilot
Jan 2, 2010 – Jan 9, 2010 $1795 Nekton Pilot
Jan 9, 2010 – Jan 16, 2010 $1795 Nekton Pilot

NEW- 10 Day Mona Exploration Itinerary
Sept 12, 2009 – Oct 3, 2009 $2495 Nekton Rorqual
Oct 5, 2009 – Oct 10, 2009 $ 2495 Nekton Rorqual

New 10 Day Mona Exploration Itinerary

Come join the Nekton Rorqual on our New 10 Day Mona Exploration Itinerary as we cruise on Isla Mona, Isla Monito, Isla Desecheo, South West Puerto Rico and Vieques.

Much of the diving is off of the shear cliffs and wave swept boulders calved from the cliffs. Because of the waves, currents and proximity to hard vertical surfaces, much of the diving requires good buoyancy control and proper functioning equipment providing the ability to descend quickly, swim under the wave zone, enjoy the dive and swim away from the wave zone surfacing in the calmer water well off the cliff. For your diving efforts you will be rewarded with abundant sea life including sea turtles too numerous to count, sharks on nearly every dive and fish life of every description.

While each 10 Day Mona Passage cruise may vary due to weather and sea conditions, the outline below will give you a good feel for the adventure you could experience!

Saturday:
You will fly into San Juan Airport in San Juan, Puerto Rico (airport code SJU). From San Juan, you’ll need to make your way to Puerto Del Rey Marina near Fajardo, about 35 miles from San Juan. One may rent a car, arrange for a private transfer, or ride in a shared van with other Nekton guests. (Please note that the shared shuttle may require a wait as other Nekton guests arrive.) Dinner is served onboard and boarding begins at 5PM. Later that night the vessel gets underway for the first destination at Vieques.

Sunday: Wake up at the first dive site of the trip. Immediately after breakfast, there will be a general dive briefing and a dive site briefing, followed by the dive deck being open until lunch. This will be your chance to see the beautiful reefs in Vieques.

Monday dive the different dive sites off South West Puerto Rico such as”The Isthmus” (80′).

Tuesday- Saturday: dive Mona/Monito/Desecheo

Isla Monita- Here is your first introduction to the numerous turtles of the area including the endangered Hawksbill and Leatherback. Be sure to look for tags under their front flippers as the four island rangers, the Department of Natural Resources and the Puerto Rican Universities do a great job of tracking the local populations.

Isla Desecheo is a tall mountain-like island with steeply rising slopes and a low-lying shoreline including a couple of beautiful protected coves which are great for kayaking. The lee side or western shore diving includes shallow patch reefs with profiles to 10 feet. This will be your first introduction to the prolific basket sponges of this unique area. Everywhere you look, you will see basket sponges of all sizes in both individual stands and mass colonies.

Your first morning dives will typically be on the choppier north side, weather permitting, at a very dramatic site called Hobbit House. Here you will enjoy many swim-throughs under island-born boulders morphed by centuries of reef building. The end result is an enchanting odyssey not soon forgotten.

Isla Monito- Enjoy a drift dives off Isla Monito for some colorful and dramatic cliff diving. Isla Monito, the smallest and most vertical of the islands, is so steep and deep that mooring or anchoring is not possible. There is the possibility of seeing just about anything here where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean Sea.

Monday: Enjoy drift dives at La parguera in South Western Puerto Rico. Overnight the boat makes the passage back to Fajardo, Puerto Rico.

Tuesday:
The boat has arrived back at the dock. Disembarkation is at 8:00 am. We will transport you and your gear back to the airport in San Juan.

Please schedule flights AFTER 12:00 PM to allow time for arrival back to the San Juan airport and REMEMBER DAN’s recommended waiting period between repetitive diving and flying.

Nekton Diving Cruises

phone: (800) 899-6753
email: newsletter@nektoncruises.com
web: http://www.nektoncruises.com

German engineers had their share in the development of modern transportation technology. From Otto Lilienthal’s flight experiments to Graf Zeppelin’s airship to the engines and cars of Porsche, Daimler and Mercedes – innovation and design has its roots in Germany. Besides the well-known car museums in Stuttgart (Porsche, Mercedes), the Autostadt in Wolfsburg (VW) and Munich (BMW), Germany boasts some of the most interesting and extensive transportation museums in Europe, featuring everything from the first slow steps of mass transportation to high speed jets and trains.

The Transport Museum in Dresden, the former royal city of Saxony’s kings, boasts probably the most complete collection of transportation history in Germany. It is situated in the Johanneum, a Renaissance building (1586) where the Electors of Saxony used to park their horses and carriages more than 400 years ago. If it has wheels, flies or floats, visitors can see it here – locomotives, trams, automobiles, motorcycles, bicycles – everything, in fact, which “moves” people in the truest sense of the word. The exhibition presents developments and state-of-the-art technology in railways, local public transport, motoring, aviation, inland and maritime navigation. www.cometogermany.com

One hour outside of Frankfurt, the Car & Technology Museum in Sinsheim is a world of discovery for all ages. There are 10 exhibition halls (90,000 square feet of exhibition space) with over 3000 exhibits to admire: 40 racing cars and sports cars, over 300 classic cars, 200 motorcycles, 20 locomotives, 60 aircraft, engines, American ‘dream cars’, agricultural machinery and commercial vehicles, a military history section and Europe’s largest permanent Formula 1 exhibition, not to mention the biggest dance organ in the world.

The absolute highlight is the original supersonic Air France Concorde F-BVFB which offers on-board visitor access. Guided tours in English are available. www.museum-sinsheim.de  (German only)

The Deutsches Museum in Munich is a Mecca for anyone interested in science and technology. It was founded at the beginning of the 20th century and is one of the world’s most important technology museums. Covering a total area of almost 180,000 square feet the Deutsches Museum has an extensive and highly interesting collection of exhibits from the worlds of science and technology: from experiments that visitors can start themselves at the push of a button and presentations about cars, airplanes or space travel. www.cometogermany.com

The Zeppelin was the first air mass transportation system and a flight under the giant balloon was a luxury experience. In Friedrichshafen near Lake Constance in southern Germany, visitors can follow the history of the Zeppelin in its original factory, see how it was built and actually take a flight

The world’s largest collection relating to the history and technology of aviation (from its beginnings to the Zeppelin NT) is on display in around 12.000 square feet of exhibition space at the Zeppelin Museum. Here visitors can experience the vast scale and sheer charisma of these “giants of the skies.” The main attraction is a walk-through reconstruction of a 100 feet section of the LZ 129 “Hindenburg” Zeppelin. Flights today are still considered a luxury at $250 per person. www.cometogermany.com

to Capture Larger Conference Events

Christchurch CBD hotels band together to capture larger conference events

Christchurch’s strength as a conference destination has been boosted by the formation of a new co-operative to entice more business tourism to the city.

The co-operative, Conference on Cashel, involves the Hotel Grand Chancellor, Holiday Inn City Centre, Hotel SO and Oaks on Cashel, sharing resources and working together to service larger conferences.

The hotels are all sited within 60 metres of each other on the southern side of Christchurch’s city centre – Cathedral Square – and collectively offer unrivalled conference facilities and accommodation options for conference organisers looking to stage events in the Garden City.

The Hotel Grand Chancellor already boasts the largest hotel conference facilities in the South Island (they can cater for 1000 delegates) but now it can draw on the facilities at the other hotels involved in Conference on Cashel to provide additional accommodation and conference break out rooms.

Bree Jones, sales manager from the Hotel Grand Chancellor, says Christchurch now has the edge over the likes of Wellington which struggles to find enough hotel beds in the central city when hosting large conferences.

The four hotels involved in Conference on Cashel are all positioned on the doorstep of Christchurch’s newest entertainment area, South of Lichfield, and the High Street fashion precinct, making them the perfect base for visitors to the city.

“Everything is within walking distance and even if delegates are staying at different hotels they’re not more than 60m apart which makes it very easy from an organisational point of view,’’ says Bree Jones.

Gaynor Dyet, sales manager for Holiday Inn City Centre, has embraced the opportunities created by the cooperative.

“We have successfully worked with Hotel Grand Chancellor on larger events in the past, says Gaynor, “however, with the opening of Hotel SO, and the apartment accommodation offered through Oaks on Cashel, we are in an even stronger position to manage the diverse needs of association conferences.”

General manager of Hotel SO, Mike Smith, says: “On our own we would miss out on a lot of opportunities because we would not have enough accommodation or break-out rooms but when we pull together we can handle much larger conferences.’’

“Together we can pitch for conferences which we would not get individually.’’

Oaks on Cashel business development manager Elaine Thompson admits her venue already caters well for the convention market. “We know when the larger conventions are taking place in Christchurch, as we invariably receive increased enquiry for our apartment accommodation; especially for couples and families who enjoy the convenience of self catering” says Elaine.

This week Mt Buller begins the rollout of a new logo and brand identity to give the resort a fresh new look ahead of the 2009 winter season.

The new logotype reflects Mt Buller’s position as Victoria’s most accessible, welcoming and contemporary alpine resort with facilities and challenges for everyone from families to black run ski and board enthusiasts.

The new Mt Buller symbol comprises a snowflake and a blue mountain topped with white snow, set against a blue sky. The flake also represents people with outstretched arms symbolising openness and a warm welcome – the very feeling people have when they come to Mt Buller.

Laurie Blampied, General Manager at Buller Ski Lifts welcomes the new look, “Mt Buller continues to grow and improve each season and we are delighted that we now have a new logo that captures our optimism for the future.”

Mt Buller had not changed its logo in over 15 years and in light of extensive improvements and developments on the mountain over this time Mt Buller decided it was time for a new look that appropriately reflected the present day resort.

Phil Nunn, CEO of the Mt Buller & Mt Stirling Alpine Resort Management Board explains, “More than just a logo update, this new brand identity for Mt Buller represents the changes that have been steadily taking place to enhance the experience of visitors on the mountain and the commitment we all have to growing and improving Mt Buller as a year round visitor destination.”

Mt Buller is the only ski resort in Australia to have invested in new lift infrastructure in recent years. Last year the green-powered Holden Express 6-seater chairlift commenced operations moving 3,200 skiers up the mountain every hour.

There have also been extensive improvements to snowmaking operations, lift reliability and development right across the resort including new suite apartments atop the Mt Buller Chalet.

Victorian Tourism Minister Tim Holding congratulated Mt Buller on the launch of the new branding and for its commitment to growth and investment during challenging times.

Visit www.walking.visitwales.com

Can you name something that is great for body, mind, and soul; in harmony with nature, eco-friendly and free?

Before you answer, it gets better. Can you imagine doing this something in an historic, unspoiled place that is so dramatically beautiful, you have to pinch yourself to make sure it’s real?

If you guessed a walking vacation in Wales, you are correct. With three national parks, 498 miles of national trails and 18 regional routes all in a compact country that is about the size of Massachusetts, Wales beckons the two-footed traveler.

This year, walkers have the opportunity to sample two new routes, the Wat’s Dyke Heritage Trail and the Ceredigion Coast Path, both 60 miles in distance, but considerably different in terrain.

Nine years in the making trail, the Wat’s Dyke Heritage Trail follows the route of an ancient dyke that dates back 1,500 years and is said to be the earliest border between England and Wales, pre-dating the famed Offa’s Dyke. The route, which runs parallel to the Offa’s Dyke trail, combines footpaths, bridleways and quiet country lanes between Llanymynech near Welshpool and Greenfield near Holywell.

The trail crosses the border into Shropshire, England passing the town of Oswestry before making its way into Northeast Wales. Please visit www.watsdykeway.org  for more information.

Bottlenose dolphins, National Trust properties, beach combing, a lively University town and Dylan Thomas connections are all part of the extreme pleasures to be discovered on the new Ceredigion Coast Path.

Please visit www.walkcardiganbay.com  for more information.

Walkers who prefer to travel in the company of skilled guides and enjoy the camaraderie of fellow walkers may want to consider Mountain Travel Sobek’s escorted “Historic Hikes of Northern Wales,” and Country Walker’s “Wales: Snowdonia & The Northern Coast.”

Please visit www.mtsobek.com  and www.countrywalkes.com  and type in Wales.

And while it is always a good time to walk in Wales, 2009 is a special year because it marks the 60th anniversary of the National Parks and Access to the Countryside Act.

Thanks to this act, there are wide-open spaces throughout Britain where the air is pure and deep breaths flow effortlessly.

Please visit www.nationalparks.gov.uk

To download a copy of the free Visit Wales walking brochure, please visit www.travelwales.org  and for more information about walking in Wales, visit www.walking.visitwales.com

Once you are in Slovakia, especially in the capital city Bratislava, you can’t miss the area of the Small Carpathian Wine Route. You won’t regret making a trip to the small cities (Pezinok, Modra, Svaty Jur or Slovensky Grob) and villages under the hills of the Small Carpatian Mountains.

Although small in size they are great in their silent beauty with traditions, architecture and folklore based on production of wine.

Wines served here are usually the quality dry sort wines and the best way to taste them is to visit cellars of private vintners.

Vintage and popular feasts full of special drinks of grapes and food specialties are something that attracts thousands of visitors to the region.

Geese baked in a special local manner are served with thin potato pancakes called lokša (loksha) mostly in any house in the village.

More Events held in the area of the Small Carpathian Wine Route

• August 29, 2009– Day of Open Doors with the Goose Specialties (Slovenský Grob)

• September 11-13, 2009– Vintage in Rača (public wine-tasting)

• November 20-21, 2009- Day of Open Cellars’ Doors 2009 – dozens of wine cellars are accessible for public

Central Europe Experience

visit www.gotocentraleurope.com.

This wonderful and very affordable package from TRAVEL BOUND takes you for 3 nights to Salzburg and its charming surrounding.

First, enjoy a half-day excursion to the Hohenwerfen Fortress, dating from the 11th century, which was shown in the movie ‘The Sound of Music’. After taking an elevator up to the fortress, participate in a flying birds of prey show, walk around in the fortress or visit the shops of the knights. And enjoy a breathtaking view over the Austrian Alps!

Then the following day, join a tour to the Land of Music, passing the village of Hof and Lake Fuschl, and finally arrive in St Gilgen, where you will take a boat ride. The cruise takes you to St Wolfgang, where you visit the church and the famous ‘White Horse Inn’. Then take the steamed cogwheel train to the top of the Schafberg. From the top, enjoy amazing panoramic views over the alpine lakes from Salzburg.

Includes:

3 nights accommodation in a wide selection of hotels
Return private transfer from airport or station to accommodation

Half-Day Excursion to the Hohenwerfen Fortress
Full-Day Excursion around the Land of Music

This sample land-only package price is based on double occupancy in a standard room in the Ananas hotel on select travel dates during the validity period and may vary based on actual travel dates.

Package subject to change or may be discontinued at any time.

Other hotels are available at different rates. Package price includes all taxes and service charges, and breakfast daily. Holiday surcharges and/or blackout dates apply.

Package must be available at time of booking. Currency fluctuations may affect price. Valid for travel through September 30, 2009. Standard terms and conditions apply. Package is non-changeable once booked.

For more information or to book, please call Travel Bound at (800) 808-6541.

Hotel des Academies et des Arts Launches Chez Charlotte Tea Room

Luxury Boutique To Exclusively Serve Macarons By Famed Pastry Chef Pierre Hermé

Hotel des Academies et des Arts in Paris’ 6th Arr. is pleased to announce the opening of Chez Charlotte, an intimate and gourmet tea room dedicated to serving the best quality tea and pastries to a sophisticated clientele including both local Parisians and international travelers. Although primarily named after owner Charlotte Inchauspé, Chez Charlotte was once a café next door at 13 Rue de la Grande Chaumiere where painters would often trade works of art to pay their bills. Although that practice is not a policy at the new incarnation, the hotel is excited about yet another historical tie to the history of the neighborhood.

Set within the lobby of the 20-room boutique hotel which pays homage to its neighborhood’s artistic heritage, Chez Charlotte serves a wide selection of gourmet teas from Le Palais des Thés, the foremost tea purveyor throughout Europe. With over a dozen teas from around the globe on offer, guests can savor the flavors of varieties such as The du Tigre, which is a Taiwanese smoked tea, or Fleur de Geisha, a tea inspired by the Japanese Hanami tradition of viewing cherry trees in blossom.

The highlight of the tea service however is the selection of Macarons from celebrated French Pastry Chef Pierre Hermé that accompany the herbal libations.

Hermé, whose shops grace the streets of Saint-Germain-des-Pres and Tokyo, masterfully creates these sweet treats which are simple slices of heaven.

With a thin, crisp shell, circular in shape and slightly rounded, Hermé’s Macarones appear in a rainbow of colors like jewels on their plate. Mirroring the creative talents of the other artists that have contributed to the hotel, Hermé has created Macarons made of Balsamic vinegar, white truffles with grilled hazel nuts, chocolate and foie gras, wild roses with fig and foie gras, as well as black truffle.

Hotel des Academies et des Arts is the only hotel in Paris to serve Pierre Hermé Macarons.

Besides his small shop on Rue de Bonaparte, Herme’s Macarons can be found at famous French bistros Deux Magots and Lipp, both in Saint-Germain.

The exceptional value of the hotel continues in Chez Charlotte where Tea is 4,50 Euros and a selection of Macarons Pierre Hermé is 8 Euros. Chez Charlotte is open seven days a week from 2:30pm – 6:00pm.

Reservations are not necessary, although can be made via e-mail at reservation@hoteldesacademies.com .

THE JOINT with A FULL WEEKEND of rock ‘n’ roll entertainment

Paul McCartney, The Killers and Avenged Sevenfold Christen The Joint

Snoop Dogg Performs at REHAB Season Kick Off

Carey Hart Opens Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company at its New Home Base

Las Vegas, Nev. – The scene in Las Vegas is about to change forever, starting with the opening of the new Joint concert venue at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino, Las Vegas. Despite the economic downturn, the Hard Rock is still expanding and plans to welcome summer in true rock fashion with a wild, wet, and unbelievable weekend April 17-19. Sir Paul McCartney will headline the extravagant weekend opening the all new $60 million concert venue The Joint at Hard Rock.

“We’ve had some of the biggest names in the entertainment industry perform at our hotel over the past decade including The Rolling Stones, Metallica and Foo Fighters,” said Randy Kwasniewski, President and COO of Morgans Hotel Group Las Vegas and Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. “The new Joint allows us to take the live music scene in Vegas to the next level by giving artists and bands the opportunity to perform in front of sold out crowds inside one of most sophisticated and authentic concert venues in the country.”

The weekend lineup also includes the much-anticipated grand opening of motocross superstar Carey Hart’s Hart & Huntington Tattoo Company. The event marks the achievement of Carey’s two longtime dreams of having his tattoo shop and rock club, Wasted Space, under one roof.

And as many people around the country are anxiously awaiting warmer weather, the creators of Vegas “daylife” will launch a new season of REHAB for its record-breaking sixth year.

Events will continue at the property all weekend with various after-hours parties at Wasted Space, Rare 120, AGO, and Body English.

“We are proud to celebrate this important milestone in our expansion, especially during this challenging economic time,” said Phil Shalala, VP of Marketing for Hard Rock Hotel & Casino. “The Hard Rock is staying true to what our audience expects and starting the summer season on a positive note.”

The Joint:

The new Joint will rock to larger audiences and will be one of the most sophisticated, intimate, and authentic venues in Las Vegas. The state-of-the-art and innovative concert venue is continuing the legacy of its legendary original Hard Rock venue. To maximize fan’s enjoyment with a genuine experience, the new Joint will double in size while keeping the historic atmosphere of the original venue, from which it inherited its name. The furthest seat in the house for any of the 4,000 fans is only 155 feet from the stage, keeping the performance personal and memorable.

REHAB:

Creating the “daylife” pool party scene in Vegas, the sixth season of Rehab will be kicking off with a blowout performance by non-other than the infamous Snoop Dogg on Sunday, April 19. Selected by the Travel Channel as one of “The Top 10 Pools” in the world the Hard Rock continues to raise the bar for REHAB with cabanas often filled with the hottest celebs and swim-up blackjack at the poolside Palapa. Rehab takes place weekly ever Sunday through September.

Hart and Huntington Tattoo Company (H&H Tattoo):

H&H Tattoo is officially opening April 18 at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino Las Vegas. The shop is founded by freestyle motocross legend, FMX phenom and television star of “Inked,” Carey Hart. The shop will cater to Hard Rock’s young, hip clientele and celebrities. The shop and Hart’s nightclub Wasted Space will host various parties for guests throughout the weekend. “The Hard Rock has always been, and continues to be, one of the coolest and most high profile casinos in Las Vegas so it was a natural fit. We are one of the most high profile tattoo shops in the country so we chose to be in the highest profile casino in the country,” says Hart on the recent move to the Hard Rock.

Angsana Velavaru, located in the pristine South Nilandhe Atoll in the Maldives, will launch its first standalone collection of water villas in July 2009. The 34 InOcean Villas are located a little more than one-half mile from the island of Velavaru, where the resort’s original 79 villas are located, and will be the first “floating resort” perched in the middle of the Indian Ocean.

Ranging from 1,885 square feet to 3,122 square feet in size, each of the spacious 20 InOcean Villas, 11 Premier InOcean Villas and three Sanctuary InOcean Villas provide guests with an intimate and idyllic getaway. Sliding glass doors along the living, sleeping and bath areas offer guests an unobstructed panoramic view of the Indian Ocean. Each two-story villa is reminiscent of a stylish loft with contemporary coral design accents.

Guests can relax on an airy outdoor deck with a hammock suspended over the water and swim in an over 200 square-foot infinity pool.

InOcean Villas can be booked at an introductory rate of USD 750++ per night, per villa.

The Premier InOcean Villas and two-bedroom Sanctuary InOcean Villas feature an extended deck into the ocean, complete with a cozy pavilion for leisure lounging or yoga practice.

Modern amenities at the resort include a flat screen TV, stereo system with iPod docking station and wireless internet.

Azzurro, the resort’s new gourmet Italian restaurant and bar, has been added toward one end of the InOcean Villa cluster. Guests can also enjoy complete access to the facilities and services available at the main resort on Velavaru Island.

These amenities include dining at Funa and Kaani restaurants, cocktails at Kuredhi Bar, culinary classes, Angsana Spa treatments in an outdoor spa pavilion or air-conditioned treatment room, water sports like diving, guided snorkeling safari and wakeboarding, and a dedicated Marine Lab which organizes hands-on eco activities like coral planting, reef cleaning and marine biology classes.

For reservations and inquiries, please visit www.angsana.com  call 1(800) 591-0439, or emails reservations-velavaru@angsana.com

About Angsana Velavaru

Known also as ‘Turtle Island’ in the local Dhivehi language, Angsana Velavaru is feted for its turquoise lagoon and spacious pool villas, being one of the few resorts in the secluded southern reaches of the Maldives. The resort is a scenic 40-minute seaplane journey from Malé island, and provides guests with a back-to-nature experience complemented with a wide range of activities for friends, loved ones and the whole family.