Theme Week New Zealand – Hamilton

28 April 2023 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

Hamilton centre from Hillcrest © Nzwj/cc-by-sa-3.0

Hamilton centre from Hillcrest © Nzwj/cc-by-sa-3.0

Hamilton (Māori: Kirikiriroa) is an inland city in the North Island of New Zealand. Located on the banks of the Waikato River, it is the seat and most populous city of the Waikato region. With a territorial population of 179,900, it is the country’s fourth most-populous city. Encompassing a land area of about 110 km² (42 sq mi), Hamilton is part of the wider Hamilton Urban Area, which also encompasses the nearby towns of Ngāruawāhia, Te Awamutu and Cambridge. In 2020, Hamilton was awarded the title of most beautiful large city in New Zealand.   read more…

Theme Week Florida Coasts – Big Bend Coast

24 February 2022 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  9 minutes

Dekle Beach © DiscoverTaylor/cc-by-sa-4.0

Dekle Beach © DiscoverTaylor/cc-by-sa-4.0

The Big Bend region of Florida is an informal region of the state. Different definitions of the region include counties stretching across northern Florida from the Apalachicola River to the St. Johns River. The Big Bend Coast, however, is the marshy coast without barrier islands that extends along the Gulf of Mexico coast of Florida from the Ocklockonee River (Wakulla County) to Anclote Key (Pasco County). Visit Florida, the state’s official tourism marketing corporation, uses varying definitions of the region, including just four counties, Jefferson, Taylor, Dixie and Levy counties, in one definition, and 12 counties, including Levy, Dixie, Gilchrist, Lafayette, Suwannee, Columbia, Hamilton, Baker, Union, Bradford, Clay, and Putnam counties, in another. The Big Bend Scenic Byway is a marked route through Franklin, Leon, and Wakulla counties.   read more…

The Royal Princess

1 December 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: Cruise Ships, Yacht of the Month Reading Time:  6 minutes

Royal Princess in Antigua © flickr.com - Ian Gratton/cc-by-2.0

Royal Princess in Antigua © flickr.com – Ian Gratton/cc-by-2.0

Royal Princess is a Royal-class cruise ship operated by Princess Cruises, a subsidiary of Carnival Corporation & plc, and is the third ship to sail for the cruise line under that name. The largest ship to have been built for Princess at the time of delivery in 2013, she became the flagship of Princess. As the lead vessel of the Royal class, she lends her name to the company’s Royal class, which will consist of six ships upon the last ship’s delivery in 2021. The ship measures 142,714 GT and has a capacity of 3,560 passengers.   read more…

Hamilton on the Islands of Bermuda

23 July 2021 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: General Reading Time:  6 minutes

Front Street © JoeyBagODonuts/cc-by-sa-3.0

Front Street © JoeyBagODonuts/cc-by-sa-3.0

The City of Hamilton, in Pembroke Parish, is the territorial capital of the British Overseas Territory of Bermuda. It is the territory’s financial centre and a major port and tourist destination. Its population of 854 (2016) is one of the smallest of any capital cities. According to Numbeo, Hamilton, Bermuda holds the record for the highest cost of living index in the world with the cost of living rate in Hamilton being at 147.42 as of 2021.   read more…

The Grand Princess

1 April 2020 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: Cruise Ships, Yacht of the Month Reading Time:  7 minutes

in Split © Ivan T./cc-by-sa-3.0

in Split © Ivan T./cc-by-sa-3.0

Grand Princess is a Grand-class cruise ship owned by Princess Cruises. Built in 1998 by Fincantieri Cantieri Navali Italiani in Monfalcone, Italy, with hull number 5956, at a cost of approximately US$450 million. She was the largest and most expensive passenger ship ever built at the time. Grand Princess was the flagship in the Princess Cruises fleet until the new Royal Princess took that title in June 2013.   read more…

The Adonia

3 May 2016 | Author/Destination: | Rubric: Cruise Ships Reading Time:  6 minutes

Adonia in Split © Ivan T./cc-by-sa-3.0

Adonia in Split © Ivan T./cc-by-sa-3.0

MV Adonia is a cruise ship which is the sole vessel of the Fathom fleet, a new brand of Carnival Corporation & plc. The ship was built by Chantiers de l’Atlantique at their shipyard in St. Nazaire, France. Adonia is a twin sister ship of the Pacific Princess (which is the smallest ship of Princess Cruises), four sister ships are operated by Oceania Cruises and two sister ships are operated by Azamara Club Cruises.   read more…

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