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Timeshare Presentations
Feb 24th
Property management and vacation resorts have found a new way to market their properties. Like the name suggests, timeshares offer vacationers the opportunity to share use of a property for a specified period of time. If you want a vacation spot without making a substantial investment, a timeshare may be the right option for you.
Timeshare presentations are important advertising and marketing tools in the travel industry. Potential investors are lured to timeshare presentations to be shown an overview of the available properties.
If you are interested in taking part in a timeshare presentation, you can usually call the resort directly and inquire about any visitor promotions. Lists of resorts are available from RCI and II membership catalogs. Potential vacation resorts can also be found by browsing the Internet. If you are visiting a hotel resort or resort city, ask for more information at the service desks or virtual help centers usually found in the hotel lobby area.
Agreeing to an offer made in a timeshare presentation can be a major investment, so be wise about it. Don’t be afraid to haggle for a better price. These people offering timeshares at these presentations are given discounts, so convincing more people to buy a timeshare means more money and discounts for them. Try to get as much as you can from your agreement, and be sure to get a concrete guarantee that you will ensure you receive everything you’ve agreed upon.
A single woman or man wishing to bring a boyfriend or girlfriend should purchase separate single packages. By doing so, they will receive two premiums, and more benefits. Stand firm if the timeshare group tries to convince you to buy a couples’ plan. The final decision is yours to make.
If during the timeshare presentation you don’t like what is being offered and decide to leave, give the group leader an honest reason. While encouraging you to join, the presenters will usually promise to take no more than 90 minutes of your time. If the allotted time is up, you can say that you’ve met your end of the bargain. If you’re not satisfied, simply state that you’ve already given your precious time and do not wish to be badgered further. Tell them the truth if you’re not crazy about the offer, or make excuses. Whether you say that you don’t care for the resort or tell them that you have a brother in the area and you can stay for free, the final decision is yours. By attending a timeshare presentation you are under no obligation to stay or to buy.
Be sure to write everything down during the timeshare presentation. Anything that you agree upon must be documented and therefore legitimate. Jot down notes during the presentation to help in your decision making process. Afterwards, evaluate what you have written and ask for more details. If breakfast is included, know whether it’s a continental breakfast or a buffet. If a television is offered with the room, find out of it’s colour or black and white, and if cable channels are included. Know exactly what you are getting and take nothing for granted. This is the only way to ensure top value for your dollar.
If you decide to join the timeshare, you will likely need to meet certain requirements in order to qualify. Proper ID and a credit card are usually required prior to your admittance. Most timeshares require that you be at least 25 or sometimes 30 years of age, and if you are married you will most likely be asked to bring along your spouse.
Don’t allow yourself to be pressured into making an immediate decision. If you like the timeshare offered, get the contact number of the person or company, as well as a cancellation fax number. This will enable you to contact the manager directly to negotiate or cancel if you see something in the contract that you do not like.
In signing the timeshare contract, protect yourself by having a disclaimer included in the agreement. The disclaimer should state that you have the option of canceling within seven days without charge or penalty if the benefits and services are misrepresented or not available. Include a clause that in the event of cancellation, your money will be refunded. Further, if the exact amount you paid for the timeshare is not refunded or credited within a ten day period after notification, request a fee of $50 per day to be paid to you until you receive your full refund.
Include in the disclaimer that this specific contract supersedes all other contracts in this transaction. This is a necessary precaution in ensuring your security. If you wish to cancel the contract, do so immediately.
Don’t leave cash, even if they insist that you leave a deposit after the presentation. Simply say that you have a credit card, but no cash available.
Spending money on your precious leisure time can be a great investment, and timeshare presentations can be excellent venues to find the right vacation property. Take time to attend several presentations, and to review all of the details before making your final decision. You’ll find it’s well worth the extra effort as you’re enjoying the vacation of your dreams.
Hello From Cuernavaca – The Most Intense Day Of My
Feb 24th
Hello From Cuernavaca – The Most Intense Day Of My Trip (Part II)
The Santa Maria area is a rather poor area and was an independent village prior to being gobbled up by Cuernavaca. We parked the car and hiked down into a barranca (ravine) with a river at the bottom. Cuernavaca is located in the shadow of several ancient inactive volcanos and the soil is made up of conglomerate material. Many small rivers come down from the mountain tops, and the waters erosion has created more than 70 ravines in Cuernavaca certainly the most predominant topographical features of this town. There is apparently only one street in town that is level (built under the dictator Porfirio Diaz), all other streets are at an incline due to the topography.
Ruben explained that houses have been built without permits in many of Cuernavacas ravines, and the people that live there have no sewer systems, no access to the citys water system. As far as electricity is concerned they tap into the power system illegally. The city cant do much since it is unable to rehouse these people after a possible eviction.
Similarly, Cuernavaca used to have a railroad which has since been abandoned in the last 10 years. The steel of the railway tracks was removed and sold off, and local people came and settled in the former railway corridor, of course without building permits. Again, the government cant really do much about these settlements.
Once we arrived at the bottom of the barranca, we saw a local family doing their laundry. They live in very poor conditions and dont have washing machines, so whenever necessary, they take all their dirty laundry, come to the river, wash everything by hand and dry it on a string hung between two trees. Definitely a full day endeavour.
Ruben and I hiked on and he explained the different climactic zones and the variety of trees. There is a temperate zone and above that is a coniferous zone with a great variety of plants, animals and birds. We made our way forward around roots and rocks beside the river bed. In this part of the river the water is totally clear and local people capture it in long rubber pipes (hundreds of meters long) that run beside the river bed and then lead up to their houses. Again, they tap into the water on their own since they dont have access to any government-provided water system. As we continued we walked past 2 trout farms that cultivate fresh-water fish for commercial purposes. After about 45 minutes we arrived at a cascada a fully enclosed mountain wall that normally has a waterfall, but since it is dry season right now there was no water cascading down the rock wall.
Here was the end of our walk, so we turned around to make our way back. We stopped at the first trout farm to talk to the owner Javier. He cultivates trout in this very remote location without road access. In addition he runs a restaurant from here, so that means he always has to pick up his supplies (beer, drinks, food, etc.) and carry them on his back to his restaurant. Equally he has to carry his merchandise freshly caught trout out of this area for 1.5 kilometers to transport it to local markets. He mentioned that he regularly carries loads of 50 kg and although he has a rather slight build, many other people have said that they would never be able or want to do all the physical work that he does, but Javier loves it.
Interestingly, Javier comes from an urban family that has always owned businesses, and he used to run his familys company in the city before he moved out to this remote area. Javier is very happy when he talks about his business, and he has found his niche hidden away amongst the foliage of the Barranca de Santa Maria.
The family that we had seen earlier had finished doing their laundry and Ruben was kind enough to ask them if they were willing to have their picture taken and they agreed. We chatted a bit and they said that doing their laundry is pretty much a full-day activity and they have to carry everything in and out.
We saw a beautiful evening sky when we made our way back to Rubens car and the whole area had such a pristine feel to it. Ruben explained that interest in nature in Mexico is still in its infancy. In all of Mexico City (25 million people) there are only 4 stores that sell tents and outdoor equipment. People are more enchanted with football and baseball and environmental awareness barely exists yet, as evidenced by traces of garbage that can be found in many nature areas.
Ruben’s interest in nature was awakened when he went on a trip to Canadas West Coast and fell in love with hiking and nature exploration. He also said that Mexico is a haven for bird-watchers, although local residents have no interest in that activity.
After our 1.5 hour hike he dropped me off downtown so I could have a nice little dinner. On the way to the city centre he pointed out to me the oldest church in Latin America which was built in 1525.
He dropped me off right across from the cathedral at the famous Marco Polo Restaurant where I was looking foward to an Italian dinner. I hadnt really eaten much all day, so this was going to be a nice way to end an extremely compact day. Unfortunately all the seats on the outside balcony facing the beautiful lit-up church were taken, but they gave me a nice table facing the interior courtyard. I had a delicious Stracchiatella Soup and a simple Ensalata Mista. After that I walked past the Palacio de Corts where there was all sorts of street life and I hopped into a bus to get back to where I was staying. I had a very nice chat with my host Cinthias family and told them about my compact day.
Sometimes I cant believe how much I manage to cram into my day, but this one was definitely up there
Learn How Online Hotel Booking Can Save You Dinero
Feb 24th
Isnt it great that lots of things can be achieved from home these days? For instance, I never have to visit a bank for deposits and withdrawals.
Yes, youre right.This is the age of technology. Some simple tasks such as ordering pizza from your laptop or having roses delivered to your wife is quite possible with the click of the mouse.
Also, one thing thats possible these days is online hotel booking.Hence, I can book those ideal lodgings from the comfort of my couch with a notebook computer on my lap. I dont deal with a misleading brochure and an irritable desk clerk.
Have you ever used online hotel booking as your method of reserving a room? I got to know about this back in the late 90s. Suddenly, I became enlightened. I love the possibility of seeing the hotel online. There is no more guessing or gambling. I can know where I and my family will be sleeping.
You can get a variety of hotel pictures during online hotel booking. Do you want to know exactly what the rooms look like? Then, there is no problem. Its also feasible for you now to get a glimpse of the view from the hotel.
With the aid of your computer, its now possible to see the actual quality of your hotels location. I know you probably surf the internet daily and therefore wont have problem with online hotel booking.
Preparing for a huge vacation? Have you gone through all the hotel options available? if youre interested in online hotel booking, then simply open your favorite search engine and type in your destination.
However, you must get ready for lots of results. Just scrutinize the various hotels before actually reserving a room in one of them.
Check out their ratings, view, and prices. This is the ideal way to book an hotel in this day and age of technology. One of the benefits of online hotel booking is the money you save. If youre tired of being ripped off for reserving your room at the wrong time, then let online hotel booking reveal the available rooms and prices.
Youll get the variation in costs due to season and date. Its recommended that you get your ideal hotel ahead of time and book early.
This is how you can save lots of money. When the time comes, others may come in and pay more for getting the rooms at a wrong time.
Online hotel booking does not only make the whole process simple but also help you get the right hotel at the best price.
Things You Must Know Before Hiring A Limousine Online
Feb 24th
Hiring a limousine is not as simple as you think and your limousine rental service, might just take you for quite a ride, if your not very careful. Its therefore quite important that you select a good and reliable limousine service and ensure a smooth and safe ride all the way.
Quite often, you can judge how a limousine service treats their customers through a telephone inquiry. If your call is answered promptly and courteously by a company and if they give you all the important and relevant information without hesitating, you can be assured that they are a good bet.
While looking at web sites of limousine operators, its best to check if they have a fixed line number and a physical contact address. A mobile number or just a vague p.o. box number are signs of poor or fly by night operations.
It’s also important to see if the web site of the company whose services you’re considering hiring, displays images of their own vehicles. Many companies use pictures of brand new limousines but have cars that are battered and beaten. Its best to physically examine the cars.
There are times when you might come across agents who will tell you that they can secure quotations on your behalf. In such cases, the limousine operators pay for each inquiry they receive or a percentage of the hire value. It means that you will pay a higher price than you would otherwise These brokers often make claims that their limousine operators as “accredited” or “approved”. It’s best to stay away from such types.
Price is an important determining factor. Note that all limousine operators so not charge the same price. A professional limousine operator generally charges $45 an hour for a minimum of 4 hours for a car like a sedan while a stretch limousine may cost $60. A super stretch limousine may cost o a few dollars more. Even if you have to pay a slightly higher price in order to hire a service from a reputed and established limousine operator, it’s always worth it.
It’s also important to keep in mind the duration that you will need the limousine for. It generally takes about an hour to prepare a limousine for dispatch. Therefore, most operators ask for a minimum charge or a minimum hire duration of 3 hours or so. This is generally higher during peak periods like Christmas, New Year’s Eve etc. The minimum hire charge is most likely to be in the region of 150.
Another important question is reliability. Stretch limousines are expensive to maintain and repair and poor companies often overlook any maintenance or repairs. Hiring from such companies can be quite disastrous. Your limousine may not show up on time or breakdown mid-way on your journey.
Its also important to know how long has the company whose service you plan to hire been in business. If they are well established, they are obviously more reliable than someone who has just started out a few months ago.
Try and find out how many cars the operator has in its fleet. Just in case the one you have hired breaks down, will they send you another one at once.
Is the operator you’re planning on selecting situated close to where you need to be picked up from? That will ensure that they reach you on time.
Its also important to know how old the car you will be driving in is. After all, you don’t want to show up in a beaten car at your fancy do. Its also sensible to view the car physically, a few days in advance if possible.
Also check what the rental price includes. Does it include VAT, Drinks, Gratuities etc? Don’t ever hesitate to as if your chauffeur is licensed, trained and polite.
Does the company have the appropriate private hire insurance? It’s best to view it.
Its also quite sensible if you have written confirmation of the price?
Will you be given a booking confirmation with the itinerary and price included?
What are the payment methods they accept? What is the deposit you have to pay and when is the balance due? It’s important to know these in advance to avoid confusion later.
A professional limousine operator will be able to answer all your questions satisfactorily and ensure that you have a smooth and comfortable experience.
“The Peace Crib” – A Modern Neapolitan Crib In Florence
Feb 23rd
“The Peace Crib” – A Modern Neapolitan Crib In Florence
The first time I came to Italy, in Naples, I was struck by the cribs of 1700. They opened new horizons to me. I was used to the one of the Metropolitan Museum of New York, small and simple at the base of an imposing Christmas Tree.
The cribs of Naples were a real discovery to me! Together with the crib Yvonne DiPalma born in Philadelphia met also the sculptor Michele Attanasio. She fell in love with him, got married and with him opened the Paul Whistler Art Gallery, near Sorrento.
For Christmas, in a place where everybody prepares a crib, they started to make one in the Gallery: scenarios by Michele and characters by Yvonne.
This is how it has begun, by chance, the most charming and passionate adventure of the life of this artist. In the first Installation there are 20 characters: sculptures representing the people of the town and famous figures.
This was the start of a thirty-year experience. Every year after that debut in 1976-77 it has had more and more success; it was an opening up of a new life.
The crib emigrated to Florence where it found in Monsignor Setti a supporter and in the Basilica of San Lorenzo a home. In the town of iris the two artists found the same enthusiasm of the first time: that miracle of a sincere participation.
After San Lorenzo, it went to Loggia Rucellai (1981), then to Rome, in the Oratory of Santa Maria in Via, then back to Florence, in the church next to the Gallery of San Jacopo SoprArno (1991). In 1992 the crib by Yvonne was the set in the Theatre Parioli of the programme Maurizio Costanzo Show.
Since then, the work increased at home until the interlude of Christmas 1999, when it was lent to the 7th International Festival Costruimo il Natale, in the crypt of Santa Croce of Florence.
And now lets know better this very special crib made of characters of about 50-centimetre height. Yvonne creates the body with iron wire, fabric and stuffing.
To be noticed that all clothes are sews one by one and represent the Neapolitan models of the 18th century. The heads and hair are in terracotta; each sculpted head is a masterpiece of refinement. All characters have the features either of people the artist has met in her life or of famous figures, among them many international politicians: the presidents of United States Nixon, Reagan, Carter, then the Russian, Italian, French, Chinese ones etc. Thirty years of history of 1900 in a crib
Beside the human characters, there is the world of international animals: in addition to the traditional ox and donkey, there are also horses, sheep, cats, elephants, cocks, baboons, rams, kangaroos, etc all in terracotta reproduced in the minutest details.
How many are the Crib characters now? Yvonne has stopped counting when they have been more than 200!
They have got out of control and have become alive! Indefatigable, Yvonne creates different groups and expressions, always reflecting upon life and world around us.
Do not miss it in Florence, Via San Zanobi 58 –
