Under Canvas, Grand Canyon, Arizona

I just received this promo from the Netherlands Board of Tourism. Starting a week from today, February 4th, you can click on www.holland.com and enter to win such prizes as a monthly delivery of fresh tulips for a year, a Dutch bicycle, an iconic piece of Dutch furniture, even a diamond made in Amsterdam. The biggest prize is two round trip, KLM business class tickets to Amsterdam, given to the person who sends in the most creative photograph under the heading “Just be. In Holland.” While there, take that Dutch bicycle on the country’s increasingly popular biking and barge trips. The beauty of these bike trips is that unlike a typical inn-to-inn biking trip, you don’t have to pack your bags every morning to check in at the new night’s lodging. The barge follows you along the route, so you’ll be staying in the same berth the entire trip.
Found out this week that ActiveTravels made the list of top travel blogs in the world, according to Gary Arndt’s Everything Everywhere. The extensive list was based on SEO metrics, but it’s obviously skewered toward his liking since Everything Everywhere is ranked number 4. Regardless, I appreciate the effort Gary took to finally have a list of travel bloggers all over the world. He mistakenly notes that I started blogging 19 years ago. I actually purchased the ActiveTravels URL 19 years ago but didn’t start blogging until 2009. It’s nice to be recognized for my work on the blog. I can’t thank you enough for taking the time to check in now and then to find out what’s new in the world of travel. Keep it up so I can crack the Top 100 listing by 2020!
Country Walkers, the tour operator that likes to slow down to appreciate the splendor of the world on two feet, is celebrating its 40th anniversary in 2019 with a slew of new trips to far-flung locales like Zambia, Chile, and New Zealand. But we really like the itinerary to Sri Lanka, an 11-day jaunt coined "Sri Lanka: Ancient Temples & Tea Trails." The February trip is already sold out, but there’s still availability on the December trip. We had dinner in Bangkok recently with a woman who has traveled all of Asia on 2 to 4-hour flights. She told us she loves Sri Lanka and returns there often. Fantastic scenery, history, culture, and people.
Two press releases that came across my desk this past week caught my eye. Opening in May in the heart of P’town is the 15-room Salt House Inn. The guestrooms evoke a Cape Cod beach-cottage appeal and the gourmet breakfast is served at a communal table in the garden. The inn is co-owned by David Bowd, who knows how to create a stylish getaway, working as managing director of the Ian Schrager Company and currently chief operating officer at Andre Balazs Properties. Also opening in May in Burlington, Vermont, is a 125-room property called Hotel Vermont. The hotel will feature a Vermont favorite, the second Hen of the Wood restaurant, nominated for a James Beard award in 2011.
t’s not just the stunning setting of Laguna Lodge, nestled in a 100-acre nature preserve on the shores of Lake Atitlan, surrounded by three volcanoes. Or the ultra-sybaritic services, like soaking your body in the hot river rock pool or opting for a deep tissue massage at Hummingbird Spa after a day of hiking, mountain biking, kayaking, rock climbing or horseback riding. No, it’s that the owners Mayah and Jeffro Brandon (she’s a Kiwi, he’s an Aussie) have their hearts in the right place