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Here is a unique way to visit Mexico and learn about the culture firsthand by attending the Taste of Playa International Food Festival on September 5, 2009, in Playa del Carmen, Mexico.

The first annual gourmet sampling event is open to the public and will showcase and celebrate the chefs of over 35 local restaurants throughout Riviera Maya.  Participants include John Gray’s Kitchen, Cocina 38, and the Glass Bar to only name a few.

A portion of the proceeds will go towards providing clean drinking water for the nearby Ak Lu’um International School which teaches physically and developmentally challenged students.

For more information, visit: Taste of Playa

It’s not too late to come and enjoy the ‘Greatest Outdoor Show on Earth’ – the Calgary Stampede!  Starting July 3, 2009, and running for 10 days, the Stampede welcomes an average of 120,000 visitors per day.

The Stampede events include Chuckwagon races, a Rodeo featuring some of the world’s best rodeo athletes, a Grandstand Show featuring music and entertainment, plus animals and agriculture by the corral full.

Tickets are still available; for more information, visit: CalgaryStampede

Happy 4th of July!  

Here’s a quick look at Fourth of July Celebrations across the USA.  Fireworks at are the top of the list, followed by food, fun, and music.  What more could anyone want?

Spokane, WA
2-day festival at downtown Riverfront Park with food, live entertainment and fireworks at 10:00 p.m.

Chicago, IL
Millennium Park has all day activities and music with fireworks over Lake Michigan at 10:15 p.m.

Sunbury, OH
Independence Day Flea Market from 7:00 .a.m. to 5:00 p.m.; plus a parade at 10:00 a.m. and fireworks at 10:00 p.m. at Big Walnut High School

Prescott, AZ
All-day carnival plus a performance by the United States Military Band; fireworks at 9:00 p.m. at Pioneer Park.

Fort Lauderdale, FL
Watch the city’s annual fireworks extravaganza at Fort Lauderdale Beach

Keystone, SD
2-day event at Mount Rushmore ending with fireworks on July 4th

Gatlinburg, TN
Attend the 34th annual Midnight Independence Day Parade featuring a special tribute to the U.S. military along with a recreation of President Roosevelt’s motorcade in 1940

 Why stay in a hotel if you can experience the amenities of a cruise and the benefits of land?  Norwegian Cruise Lines has a deal for you.

Enjoy the Vancouver 2010 Olympics from the comfort of your own cabin onboard the Norwegian Star cruise ship.  These unique accommodations include either a three or four night duration, including gourmet dining, return airport transfers, transfers to/from the Sea Bus Terminal in North Vancouver, city tour and more.

While onboard the Norwegian Star, you’ll be pampered and can enjoy 13 restaurants, 8 lounges, spa, fitness center, endless activities, Captain’s cocktail reception, complimentary 24 hour room service, and of course, top-notch nightly entertainment.

Rates for staying onboard the Norwegian Star during the 2010 Vancouver Olympics start at only $99 USD per person.  For more information, visit: Vancouver 2010 Cruise Ship .

~Please note: this is a re-post of Thursday’s blog as it didn’t display correctly for many readers~

Everyone who goes on vacation wants to take great photographs.  Unfortunately, many of us do not think like a photographer – we all take that one great shot that we hope turns out.  A true photographer takes a hundred photos knowing only one will turn out.

David Huffman’s Travel Photo Tips: Know Before You Go book is a great read for the budding photographer or for anyone wanting to learn a bit more about their camera other than point, shoot, and pray.

Published in 2008, this great travel-sized paperback helps you first choose a digital camera for purchase and then shows you how to use it in an easy to follow format.  There are sections covering camera features, controls, settings, and handling, plus others on weather and basic editing techniques.

And you’ll get a 20-page bonus book covering advanced photo editing, enhancement, and correction techniques.  This detailed section also gives great advice on utilizing your own photo editing software and includes tips for purchasing advanced software.

David Huffman has worked in the photography industry for over thirty years, twenty of them with Eastman Kodak.  For more information, visit: David Huffman’s Travel Photo Tips: Know Before You Go or to learn more about David Huffman’s work, visit: David Huffman.

In the idyllic setting at the base of Whitefish Mountain Resort, on the shores of Whitefish Lake, and only miles away from Glacier National Park, lies the town of Whitefish, Montana.

For five days each summer, this small town of just over 5,000 residents, comes alive the music of Mozart during the Festival Amadeus running July 27 to August 1, 2009.  Presented by Glacier Symphony and Chorale, the event gives participants the opportunity to meet & greet with the musicians, enjoy food and fun, while younger enthusiast can attend a Mozart music camp for children.

Other summer musical events in Flathead Valley include the Thursday night concert series in Columbia Falls; the Sunday night Riverbend Concert Series in Bigfork featuring all genres of music including jazz, piano, and classical; plus the Picnic in the Park concert series in Kalispell – all running from June through August.

For more information or to order your FREE Flathead Valley Montana 2009 travel guide , visit: Montana’s Flathead Valley .

For the second year in a row, Marriott Golf, is offering ‘a yearlong series of one day events’ to promote family togetherness in golf.

The Marriott International Family Golf Festival invites families to Marriott Golf properties for a fun afternoon of FREE instruction, golf clinics, activities, interactive games, plus a chance to win family vacation prizes!

Plus, after 3 p.m. on the Golf Festival day, children and families can golf for FREE.  An estimated 10,000 children and parents participated in the Marriott program in 2008.

Marriott offers more than 60 golf courses at 44 locations in 13 countries – with more than 1,000 holes of championship golf.  Visit Marriott.com to see a complete list of 2009 Golf Festival Dates .

With over 65 rides and attractions on over 2,000 acres, Silverwood is one huge theme park!

Located just minutes north of Coeur d’Alene, ID, Silverwood is a theme park inside a natural theme park with nearby rivers, lakes, mountains, and forests offering some of Idaho’s best outdoor adventures.

Silverwood has two world-renowned wooden roller coasters, a new mammoth Aftershock steel coaster and a 16-acre water park with rivers, wave pools and high speed slides, called Boulder Beach Water Park.

Weekends are a blast a Silverwood Theme Park – check out the Father’s Day Weekend when Dad gets into the park for FREE, and the Fireworks Extravaganza on the July 4th weekend.

For more information, visit Silverwood Theme Park & Boulder Beach Water Park.