World Peace Begins with Bringing Peace Into My Own World by Taking Time Off

…You may be thinking, why is a Karen posting a blog about World Peace on her timeshare blog? Read on!

I remember back in the early 70’s as a young girl, seeing Volkswagen Buses, which often had a non-conforming ‘hippie’ at the wheel. A “Visualize World Peace” bumper sticker was a common sighting on a VW Bus, and seemed almost a ‘staple’ accessory for a free thinker who owned a car.

Then the age of the “Yuppie” came along in the 80’s, and more luxury cars rolled off the production lines to meet the demands of this new breed of people. The purchases they made seemed to place a high priority in ‘making a statement’ in the world. Some owners of yuppie cars sometimes donned a different version of the 70’s bumper sticker that said “Visualize Whirled Peas”…! I remember laughing at that bumper sticker whenever I’d see it, admiring how clever it was… but perhaps the owners really believed the sentiment of World Peace was a joke.

Now more than ever, people are overly-worked, overly-burdened, overly-stressed, and overly-ill, spinning wildly, due to simply not prioritizing the time and space to simply relax and take time to re-group, on the excuse that ‘time is money’, or the list of responsibilities is never-ending. Rest and Relaxation in our world is pushed in the back of the line, in the name of getting ahead, staying ahead, or simply catching up. Westerners are operating at such a high pace, often an entire year passes by without even the thought of taking time off to restore the body, mind, and spirit.

Instead of spending money on vacationing, some people are instead spending money on medical bills and other therapies due stressful lifestyles. Even doctors are telling patients to take time to relax, encouraging vacation time. Rest and Relaxation is no longer a luxury. It is a matter of survival.

I can personally testify that this has been a part of my life story. I, too, have been overly-stressed for years on end, foregoing valuable timeshare vacation time in the name of getting ahead or staying ahead in my career, only to find that earlier this year, I was sick for almost 2 months. My body crashed. My mind crashed. I just couldn’t keep up any more. I knew at that point that things needed to change, in order for me to re-claim my authentic enthusiasm for life. I find it ironic that I’m in the timeshare business, which is luxury vacations made affordable, and I wasn’t even giving myself the time to experience the wonderful product I’ve chosen to advocate as my career over the past 23 years!

I’m a big advocate of the economic benefits of timeshare, but now more than ever, I also value the spiritual, emotional, and physical benefits of timeshare vacationing. It is now a matter of survival for me to pamper myself with at least one week each year to a very special place to leave my cares behind.

Regardless of the type of setting or amenities that suit your tastes, there are almost 6,000 timeshare resorts on our planet now. Millions of families just like you are already timeshare owners. Timeshare Owners who value the importance of taking time off with their loved ones are staying at rejuvenating, luxurious (and affordable) timeshare resorts right now, as you are reading this sentence.

After working hard all year, leave behind the idea of stuffing the family into hotel rooms. Experience timeshare vacationing and you’ll not just see the economic value of timeshare vacationing; you’ll experience a rejuvenating peace in your life, year after year. It’s more important than ever.

Imagine yourself enjoying time away on an island, such as the island of Kauai at the Kauai Beachboy. Or the sweet scent of pines in the crisp mountain air of Lake Tahoe at Marriott’s Timber Lodge. Perhaps a trip South of the Border to Mexico at the Dreams Los Cabos & Club Casa Dorada Beach and Golf Resort is in your list of desires. Take some time for yourself and your family. Do it in luxury. Make it count. Make it memorable. Make it peaceful.

World Peace: Let it begin with me.

Eastern Europe is a Winter Wonderland

When I say Eastern Europe-what do you think? If the image in your mind is dreary and filled with snow, then you are only half right. There definitely is snow (a lot of it) in Eastern Europe during the winter, but as for the dreary part, you've got it all wrong!

The prices you can pay to travel to Eastern Europe during the winter months pale in comparison to the prices for the western part of the continent. The winter is not peak travel season, so you can get great rates on everything from your airfare to the trinkets you buy to give to friends back home.

Eastern Europeans do not hide or hibernate during the winter. They have great festivals, wonderful shows, fantastic operas, and beautiful ballet productions all year long. In fact, because it is an area used to the cold climate, there are some festivals and productions that can only be seen during the winter. This is a testament to a region that embraces and celebrates the weather during all seasons. You won’t have to fight to get tickets, either.

Because it has been somewhat isolated, a lot of Eastern Europe's charming architecture, has not been heralded as much as other parts of the world. There are gorgeous cathedrals and stately castles awaiting you there. If you are into photography, you'll jump at the opportunity to photograph some of these great buildings with a backdrop of pristine snow.

Winter is a time to connect with the local people in Eastern Europe, since many other travelers choose to stay away at this time of year. Shopkeepers and restauranteurs are probably less harried during the winter and may be more amenable to conversation since things are quieter.
If you like to vacation, but dread the hustle and bustle of trying to get through jam-packed streets or do not have the patience to wait in long lines to get into a museum, then off-peak winter travel may be for you. And if you want to go somewhere that everyone hasn't already been, check out Eastern Europe.

Timeshare Forecast: Sunny with a Chance of Extra Vacation Fun

Recently Pricewaterhouse Coopers released the results of an annual study they undertake to evaluate the climate in the timeshare industry. A press release that detailed the study characterized the outlook for timeshares as sunny. This is great news as you look at your schedule for the upcoming year. The resorts you already love and the ones you want to try for the first time are ready and waiting to accommodate you.

Timeshare sales based on purchasing weeks at a resort remain strong, while the market for points-based timeshares is growing rapidly as well. The increased flexibility and a wide array of options for upgrades make timeshare travel a very attractive choice. You can get five-star treatment, help with planning activities, discounts on local attractions, and much more. Planning your vacation is a lot easier when you don’t have to do it all yourself.

People are realizing what some of you already know—the opportunity to customize your vacation time is invaluable. More and more people are opting to take short getaways in addition to longer vacations. Also, with today’s hectic pace, everyone cannot take the long leisurely vacation that they would like to take. But it is possible to get away for a long weekend.

People are opting to take more off-peak vacations. We expect to see people vacationing in the summer or during the winter holiday season, but more travelers are seeing the advantages at other times of the year. Vacationers are adding an extra day to their three day weekends, like Columbus Day or Veterans Day. They are also using their timeshare points to vacation on weekends that don't center around holidays, times when fewer people are heading to vacation destinations.

We are seeing more people chose to celebrate special occasions with a short trip. Your anniversary, promotion, birthday and other milestones deserve their due. Why not celebrate with a change of scenery? To assist you in finding the perfect long or short get-a-way, visit our sponsor, Timeshare Giant to search for and even book your next timeshare vacation.

Spunky Old Broads Live It Up in Sin City

February is Spunky Old Broads Month (don't you love it?)! So, gals, gather up your bosom buddies and head for Atlantic City on the Jersey shore. There's no place that quite says "Spunky Old Broads" like the casinos on the nation's oldest, most famous and delightfully tacky Boardwalk. Make sure you pack your sequins!

Home to the only beach front casino strip in the country, nearly every casino in Atlantic City boasts a posh hotel just waiting to pamper you and send you home with a smile on your face. Wine, dine, see a show, play the slots or try your luck at the blackjack table amidst the glitz and glam that is distinctly Atlantic City. In summer, America's world-famous, five-mile long, historic Boardwalk (built in 1870) stretches from the exciting Steel Pier amusement park all the way up to peaceful Garden Pier, home of the fabulous Atlantic City Art Center. The chilly days of winter will allow you to dabble unhurriedly through the Center's delightful three-gallery museum. You'll find wonderful folk and fine art by local, regional and nationally-known artists to take home as a reminder of your trip to Sin City.

The Atlantic City area is an artists' mecca. Just 15 minutes away in Oceanville is the Noyes Museum of Art, the only fine arts museum in South Jersey, or Down Jersey as the locals call it. Five galleries and a walkway hold changing exhibits of local art, framed against the serene backdrop of the Edwin B. Forsythe National Wildlife Refuge. An hour west you can watch art in the making at the Wheaton Arts & Cultural Center in Millville. Make sure you visit the stunning Museum of American Glass and the eclectic Down Jersey Folklife Center. You'll find plenty of artists in residence willing to chat and demonstrate the creative process.

New Jersey's premier spot for gaming, live entertainment and shopping, the Wyndham Sky Tower (shown) is just a block from the Boardwalk and close to everything you want to see and do. Between visits to the galleries or stints at the tables, lounge around the pool, take a cleansing steam or gossip in the hot tub with your friends. Click the link above for full details on the Wyndham Sky Tower or click the post title to preview other Atlantic City timeshares.

Celebrate President's Day in Washington D.C.

What better time to visit Washington D.C. than February when we celebrate the birthdays of two of our nation's greatest leaders: George Washington and Abraham Lincoln. Washington is one of those cities with so much to see; you could spend weeks there and never come close to seeing it all. If it's your first visit, you can catch the high points and get an overview or you can delve deep into whatever interests you most and plan to return.

You can spend an entire vacation touring the fabulous galleries of the Smithsonian or visiting the many stunning memorials and specialty museums that crowd the city's center. You can tour the capital, spend some time in the Gallery watching the legal meanderings of our country's representatives at work, and the chow down on a hearty bowl of bean soup in the commissary -- it's a perennial Congressional favorite. You can visit later in the spring and delight in the Cherry Blossom Festival when delicate pink and white petals drift like snowflakes through the air. You can tour myriad government buildings and learn all manner of fascinating facts. (Don't miss the Spy Museum -- so James Bond!)


No matter what your plans, for touring the capital, the Wyndham Old Town Alexandria (shown) is the perfect place to stay. Located in the charming heart of Old Town Alexandria, the Wyndham is just a short jaunt to the Washington transit stop, the smartest way to get around the capital's major attractions. Parking in the city is not for the feint of heart. You'll generally wind up closer to the sights taking the Metro. It can be a long walk from your parking place to the building you plan to visit.


For a rare treat, visit the newly opened Lincoln summer cottage on the grounds of the Armed Forces Retirement Home. Lincoln and his family spent summers in the cottage from 1862 to 1864 to escape the heat and humidity of the National Mall. In Lincoln's day the sprawling property, just 3 miles from the White House, was surrounded by bucolic farms and served as the President's private sanctuary. It was here that President Lincoln paced the floor contemplating the end of slavery while his children played on the grounds. For Lincoln admirers, it's a must see, along with the Lincoln Memorial and Ford's Theater.

"This is one of those places that is hidden in plain sight, and yet it's one of the most significant historic sites," said Richard Moe, president of the National Trust for Historic Preservation which just completed the seven-year, $15 million restoration. The site just opened to the public this week on President's Day, February 18.

In audio and video recreations, actors portray the president, first lady Mary Lincoln and their associates to tell the stories of events centered around the cottage. The history of people and events was meticulously pieced together from letters, diaries and newspaper accounts. A multimedia room allows visitors to play the roles of rival cabinet secretaries debating emancipation.

Leave Your Heart in San Francisco

It's Valentine's Day. A time for romance, candlelight, flowers and slow dancing with your honey -- and chocolate. A girl has to keep her priorities straight, after all!

For me, there is no city in America more romantic than San Francisco. Like legendary singer Tony Bennett, I left my heart in San Francisco the first time I visited and have been returning regularly ever since. From the shiny red cable cars that climb it's 48 hilly square miles to the broad expanse of the golden gate bridge that connects it's peninsula to Oakland and the mainland, San Francisco is filled with amazing, funky, unique things to see and do.

Among my favorite sites to see are:

• taking a leisurely sunset stroll past the shops and street vendors on the way to a scrumptious meal on Fisherman's Wharf;
  
• twisting crazily down picturesque, flower-banked Lombard Street;
  
• spending quiet moments contemplating the exquisite stained glass windows of Nob Hill's Grace Cathedral;
  
• wandering the tranquil paths of the traditional Japanese Tea Garden in Golden Gate Park;
  
• expanding my horizons with a quirky lecture at the innovative Exploratorium, physicist Frank Oppenheimer's amazing interactive museum;
  
• wondering at the gargantuan sculptures that hover above the you at the stunning Museum of Modern Art and, of course;
  
• spending a delightful leisurely afternoon browsing through fabulous shops and galleries;
  
• sampling exotic cuisines from a host of nations . . .

I could go on and on. San Francisco mesmerizes you like some exotic, misty-eyed beauty, then steals your heart away forever. You'll want to stay right in the center of things. I love the elegant urban suites at the Inn at the Opera (above, left). Located right in the famous San Francisco Civic Center, home to six performance houses, the Inn is just steps from wonderful music, exciting theater, charming bistros and unique shops. For other fabulous San Francisco timeshare accommodations, click the post title.

Ethnic Charm Colors Hollywood, Florida

Want to try something a little different when you visit Florida this winter? Hollywood, located about midway between Fort Lauderdale and Miami Beach, is an eclectic mix of old Florida and modern glitz, seemingly the last affordable beach town along Florida's gilded Atlantic shoreline. The stately town clings to its wonderful multi-ethnic heritage. Seventy-five years ago Hollywood's idealistic founder, Joseph Wesley Young, designed a town that would welcome everyone "from the opulent at the top of the industrial and social ladder to the most humble of working people." Hollywood residents still reflect that friendly welcoming ideal.

In Hollywood you'll find seedy neighborhood bars, homespun miniature golf courses and mom and pop motels rubbing shoulders with luxury high-rise condos, fabulous (but not fabulously priced) restaurants, funky shops and one of the Seminole Nation's most expansive hotel/casino complexes. Spend some time in downtown Hollywood which is full of charming ethnic restaurants and cute little funky shops. Don't miss the Make sure you browse the charming bric-a-brac at the Jeweled Castle on Hollywood Blvd. and the wonderful Kids-n-Science toy store on Harrison St.

Sample the waterfront restaurants where you can find everything from pizza and burgers to Mediterranean and French Canadian. One of my favorites is the Hollywood Grill on North Boardwalk. I love the unique Armenian cuisine, about $75 for a very hearty dinner for two. If you want to dine al fresco, Le Tub Saloon on North Ocean Dr. is delightful. Be forewarned, it's cash-only. Try the $11 burger (more with cheese) which was named best burger in the country by GQ magazine a few years ago.

There are several timeshares in Hollywood, but I like the windswept charm of the Neptune Hollywood Beach Club (click the post title to take a virtual tour). It's right on the beach and convenient to all of Hollywood's attractions.

Mexico's Golden Beaches Beckon for Spring Break

The warm waters of the blue Pacific, palm trees swaying in the ocean breeze, golden sand beaches that stretch away forever -- Ah! Mexico! If you're looking for somewhere different to go for spring break, try Mazatlan. A gem perched on a peninsula north of Puerto Vallarta, Mazatlan's 16 gorgeous miles of golden beach beckon sun-starved northerners.

You'll have a wide choice of accommodations in Mazatlan which boasts 34 timeshare resorts (click the post title to preview all 34). The Marina El Cid Hotel & Yacht Club (above, left) features elegant Mediterranean-styled units and boasts both freshwater and saltwater swimming pools. Or stay at the magnificent Costa de Oro Beach Club (below, right) where you can walk outside your door right onto the beach.

Unlike many of Mexico's resort areas, Mazatlan was a Nahuati tribe settlement before the Spanish established a port there in 1531. The beautiful old city predates the days of tourism by centuries. The city is undergoing a renaissance, restoring the old colorful buildings to their former lustre. The narrow streets and wrought iron railed balconies will remind you of New Orleans' French Quarter.

You'll find sophisticated art and decor, intricate handmade jewelry and eerie leather tribal masks in the town's charming shops. Make sure you visit the architecturally exquisite 130-year old theater, now home to a resident dance company and a school of contemporary dance. You'll find wonderful bargains and a few offerings Americans will find bizzarre (pig's heads?) in El Mercado, the large open-air market. For tourist trinkets -- shell necklaces, striped blankets, braided friendship bracelets -- shop the mercado before you try the shops. Prices generally run 50% cheaper at the mercado.

New Orleans Is for Lovers

Mardi Gras is in full swing right now, the streets full of costumed revelers counting down the days to the start of Lent on Wednesday. By sometime Tuesday night (or possibly the wee hours of Wednesday morning), the last float will cruise down Bourbon Street, the last circle of beads will be thrown, and the last tired dancer will go home to bed. Slowly, over the next few days, New Orleans will lose its brief annual mask of depravity and resume its everyday face of genteel Southern charm.

Virginia may boast that it's for lovers, but I don't think there's any place more romantic than New Orleans. Graceful southern mansions and thick-trunked trees dripping with wispy tendrils of Spanish moss form the perfect background for romance. Sample savory Cajun delicacies on a moonlit riverboat cruise and slow dance with your sweetheart under a starry sky. Step back in time as you cuddle close on a carriage ride around the city's charming historic French Quarter. And, of course, there is the lure of Bourbon Street's soft smooth jazz and lush oyster bars. New Orleans is the perfect place to spend Valentine's Day with someone you love.

On the edge of the French Quarter and just two blocks away from New Orleans' scenic riverfront sits the charming Club La Pension timeshare resort. Its old world charm, intimate setting, friendly souther