By Armando Sarlat Travel trends have dramatically changed as a direct result of a global financial recession. Before we pack our bags, 90.5% of Americans are now being more prudent and have scaled back on their travel plans. Our goal is to spend less on leisure travel, and we're finding several ways to make that happen. We are cutting back on the length of our trips, and trading down on our hotel rooms. While in the past some of us wouldn't think twice about a jaunt to Europe or South America, we are now opting for destinations closer to home. In [View Full Entry]

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By Armando S. Sarlat "We'll have Manhattan, the Bronx and Staten Island too. It's lovely going through the zoo." Manhattan Staten Island, also known as Richmond County, is one of New York City's five boroughs. The other four are Manhattan, Queens, Bronx and Brooklyn. It is the southernmost borough, just a 25-minute ride from lower Manhattan on the famous Staten Island Ferry. Many "Islanders", folks from other boroughs, and tourists alike enjoy the sea breezes of a round trip ferry ride through New York Harbor. It's great for picturesque views of Manhattan's skyline, and a close up [View Full Entry]

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My quickie is about a fast but fabulous trip to our nation's playground -- Las Vegas. Together with family and friends, I travelled for a long Mother's day weekend. I know. If you're not thinking "oh, how sweet;" your thoughts are at "family and friends in VEGAS ... for MOTHER'S DAY!? GOOD GRIEF!!" Hey, it's not that hard. I did it, and so can you! Here's my Las Vegas travelogue along with five basic guidelines for your next successful group travel quickie. Read on, read on! RULE #1 -- Dude, have a plan. Even among family and friends, it's never an [View Full Entry]

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by Armando S. Sarlat On January 3, my mother and I embarked on what would be the greatest journey of both our lives - a trip to Mali in West Africa. There we would attend the wedding of our friends Miah and Boubacar. I would also have the opportunity to promote the business of iTravel with a local travel company there. To complete the vacation, we planned two days in Morocco in Northern Africa, and three days in Barcelona, Spain. Before I get into the wonderful aspects of this trip, let’s start with the not so good stuff - the actual [View Full Entry]

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A New "Viva" for Panama! by Armando S. Sarlat Searching the globe for a new hot new spot? Get acquainted with the new Panama! Once thought of as a poor banana republic, Panama is transforming like a moth to a butterfly before our very eyes. Not unlike what we've seen in Dubai, Panama’s entire infrastructure is currently moving toward a complete and rapid-paced overhaul. This is, in large part, due to the profitability inherit in the day-to-day operations of the Panama Canal. In 2000, the job was turned over to Panama from the United States. This monumental [View Full Entry]

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