Travel Hotel Blog

Samba Adventures in Brazil

August 28, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

By Phineas Upham

When I took a trip to Rio de Janeiro in the colorful country of Brazil, I was drawn to dance. Everywhere I went, I saw Brazilians dancing so wildly and with such grace. Despite the individual styles, I saw a certain uniformity in the type of dance –Samba!

Samba is an old Brazilian style of dance with African origins. It has many different variations, but it’s fairly easy to identify because of the specific rhythm involved. At Carnival, street performers moved their bodies in the rhythmic Samba dance.

The basis of Samba involves rapid steps taken on a quarter of a beat as well as a swaying and rocking motion. It’s particularly difficult to learn how to dance with a partner because it’s so fast paced!

I arrived at a Bossa Nova late in the evening as most Brazilians don’t show up until almost midnight. I was surprised to find that the version of Samba that most people did at the nightclubs was very different than the stiff classroom style.

I highly recommend taking Samba lessons next time you visit Rio de Janeiro. You will be completely intoxicated by the South American flair…even if you do trip all over yourself in the process.


Phineas Upham Phineas Upham is an investor from NYC and SF. You may contact Phin on his Phineas Upham website or Facebook page.

Keep Your Feet Warm this winter; Get a Floor Heater

August 27, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Nothing feels better on a harsh winter night than kicking back and relaxing with a warm cup of cocoa in a heated room. Room heaters have become the companion of millions of families all over the world through years of cold winters. However, something that is not as popular as room heating at the moment is electric floor heating. As a result of this, most people still have to suffer walking on freezing tiles even if they are in a heated room.

An underfloor heating system is a good accompaniment to your room heater provided that you have solid floors made of materials like marble, granite or similar. By installing an electric floor heating system, you can be cozy 100% of the time when you are at home. With the system in place you will no longer get a surprise cold treatment every time you have to walk around your home.

The way an underfloor heating system works is that really thin wires are run throughout the room beneath the floor tiles and electricity is sent through these wires to emit heat. A floor heater is affordable and is non-intrusive; in fact, a floor heating system will only affect your floor height by a miniscule 3/16th of an inch.

Cheap and effective electric floor heating systems are widely available online and most leading hardware stores. If you are a bit handy with your tools, floor heaters can be installed without the help of an electrician.

Article submitted by EZ Floor Heat. For your heated floor needs go and check out EZ Floor Heat. EZ Floor Heat offers great deals and convenient shopping and shipping options.

Vacationing at the Pocono Resorts

August 27, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

The Poconos is the best vacation destination for newlyweds and couples. The resorts and hotels found at the Poconos often offer honeymoon special: a specially designed package for newlyweds. This package is offered at resorts that host couples only. Singles are not allowed to visit these resorts. The honeymoon special takes the form of an all-inclusive package that has a variety of activities planned for the newlywed couples. The activities are both romantic and engaging in nature and may include both on-site and offsite events. Fun loving and adventurous couples can enjoy romantic hikes along well-guided trails.

The Pocono resorts are well furnished with executive amenities, which ensure that each couple gets to have the best experience. The rooms are spacious with good view of the beautiful Pocono Mountains. Newlyweds that take a Pocono honeymoon will not get bored; the resort organizes a variety of activities to keep the couples enjoying themselves. The nightlife is also unique and exquisite as honeymooners can go around to nightclubs and have a blast. The dining needs of couples attending Pocono honeymoon are catered for by expert chefs that are always on standby to ensure that the honeymooners get to sample the best of their culinary skills.

This article has been submitted by honeymoon destinations. Honeymoon destinations organize the best honeymoon and weekend getaways for couples. The honeymooners who visit one of the resorts ran by honeymoon destinations can also take advantage of the package and visit the Pocono spa.

Visit Florida’s Merritt Island National Wildlife Refuge

August 23, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

There’s more to see in Florida than the Epcot Center and Walt Disney World. The Sunshine State is home to a wide range of exotic wildlife and beautiful scenery. If you’re planning a family vacation to the Sunshine State, consider spending a day or two exploring the state’s outdoor offerings, and we don’t mean the beaches. If you want to see animals and plants that most people only get to see in zoos, consider visiting the Merritt Island National Refuge.

Located near Cape Canaveral, this natural sanctuary features a whopping 140,000 acres of various habitats, including coastal dunes, saltwater estuaries, pine flat woods, and freshwater impoundments, to name a few. The entire refuge is home to over 1,500 species of flora and fauna, making it the ideal place to see Florida’s unique plants and animals.

Visitors to this large refuge can take part in many recreational activities, ranging from wildlife drives to fishing and boating. The Black Point Wildlife Drive, for example, takes guests on a seven-mile drive through marshes and pine flatwoods, making it possible for people to get up close and personal with various birds as well as alligators, river otters, bobcats and snacks.

Other popular activities available at the refuge include bird and wildlife observation, the manatee observation deck, and canoeing. The Manatee Observation Deck is especially pleasant; a viewing platform on the northern side of Haulover Canal, the deck makes it possible for visitors to see these endangered gentle giants. The refuge also offers fishing and hunting, with plenty of lagoons and rivers to choose from, including Mosquito Lagoon and Banana River. Hunters can enjoy waterfowl hunting.

Travel blog post sponsored by Plan B International, a boutique real estate agency with professional real estate associates with college degrees and experience in the local and international markets. To get more information, or buy or sell through this real estate company, please visit Planbinternational.com.

Forests in Brazil

August 19, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

By Phin Upham

If you’re a fan of Mother Nature, then you should definitely check out an nature tour in Brazil. Brazil is a huge country that offers amazing nature unlike anywhere else in the world. One of the best parts of the natural world of Brazil is the beaches. The beaches are very clean and offer plenty of great surf.

In addition to the beautiful beaches, Brazil offers spectacular national parks. The Amazon Rainforest is out of this world! By far it’s one of my favorite places in the world. The flora and fauna are truly something to see. Despite the fact that the rainforest is beautiful, it’s also dangerous and very difficult to navigate by yourself. For this reason, I highly recommend that tourists sign up. Ecotourism is growing in popularity in this South American country.

Ecotours are a great option for a few reasons. Ecotour guides are very knowledgeable; it’s like having your own National Geographic magazine with you.

There are many tours, including some that involve overnight camping in the middle of the rainforest. Make sure to do your research to find a reputable ecotour group. Only some groups require that their guides undergo extensive training and study before leading groups into the wild.


Phin Upham About the Author: Phin Upham is an investor at a family office/ hedgefund, where he focuses on special situation illiquid investing. Before this position, Phin Upham was working at Morgan Stanley in the Media & Technology group. You may contact Phin on his Phin Upham website or Twitter page.

The Most convenient Way to vacation in Paris

August 19, 2013 by · Leave a Comment 

Paris is considered as one of the leading tourist destinations in the world. People who visit France either for business or for pleasure often land in the capital city. Paris plays host to a myriad of international conferences and events. Additionally, most honeymooners and leisure-seeking travellers find themselves in this beautiful European city. Between the Parisians commuting and the influx of people who visit France, the roads tend to get congested. The Paris visit pass was designed to afford travellers, both local and international the convenience of accessing or securing public transport to their desired destination.

The Paris visit pass offers visitors who come to visit France an opportunity to sample the best that the public transport system has to offer. Holders of this travel card also benefit from tours that entail hop on hop off bus tours. The use of this card is considered the most convenient way of going around Paris. Visitors who come into Paris are encouraged to purchase this card. This travel card comes in handy especially for those who would wish to take bus or rail tours to different attraction sites. There are different types of Paris visit cards that vary according to their prices and periods of validity.

 This article was submitted by Euroquest Travel Group. Euroquest Travel Group is a leader in France’s Tours and Travel industry. This company organizes different vacation packages. Euroquest Travel Group also organizes French Riviera vacation, which allows vacationers to relax in the cool beaches of France.