If you wish to escape the stresses of life, the bustle of the work week and the noise of traffic, these fanciful destinations will make you feel like you’ve stumbled into a magical world. From an enchanting Alpine palace in Germany to an English landscape so beautiful it inspired Beatrix Potter and JRR Tolkien – these dreamy destinations are so magical, it’s hard to believe they’re real.
Holland's Tulip Fields
The flowers were imported into Holland in the 16th Century and peaked in popularity in the 17th Century, during the Dutch Golden Age. More than three billion tulips are grown in Holland each year, attracting tens of thousands of visitors each year. It’s a modern pastime to circle the flower farms on foot, bike or via caravan, and the tulips have a rich, storied history. They grew so coveted in the past, that they created the world’s first economic bubble. The most popular fields are located in western Holland between the cities of Leiden and Den Helder. Others are situated near the city of Enkhuizen and in the nearby province of Flevoland. Tulip season spans from March until August, giving travelers plenty of time to view the vibrant display.
Lake District - England
This place is said to be JRR Tolkien's inspiration for the Shire as well as Beatrix Potter's inspiration for Peter Rabbit. Famous poets including William Wordsworth, Samuel Taylor Coleridge and Robert Southey were also inspired by these rolling hills and glittering lakes. The perfect setting for a fairy tale setting. Each year, 16 million visitors come to the 885 square mile Cumbrian National Park for its lake cruises, mountain hikes and awe-inspiring sightseeing. It can seem like stepping into a storybook realm of undulating fells, whitewashed cottages and stonewalled fields where ponies roam.
Preikestolen - Norway
Also known as Preacher’s Pulpit or Pulpit Rock because it resembles a lectern, Preikestolen is a rocky 75 by 75 foot rocky plateau that towers 1,800 feet above the crystal-clear waters below. The steep cliff was formed during the Ice Age about 10,000 years ago, when the edges of a glacier bumped up against the surrounding mountains. Water from the glacier penetrated the crevices of the mountain and froze, eventually breaking off colossal portions. Left behind was the dramatic precipice of Preikestolen. Cracks in the plateau will eventually expand and fragment Pulpit Rock into a pile of rubble. Have no fear, according to geological investigations this will not happen in the foreseeable future.
Neuschwanstein Castle - Bavaria
This magical palace has everything a fairy tale castle should: a romantic setting, a glowing limestone facade, fanciful turrets and an elaborate interior featuring shining suits of armor. In reality, the castle was originally commissioned as a personal retreat in 1869 by King Ludwig II, the reclusive ruler of Bavaria. Immediately after his death in 1886, it was opened to the public and today more than 1.3 million tourists visit each year. This enchanting Romanesque Revival fortress that rises majestically from the Alpine foothills of southwest Bavaria, is rumored to be the inspiration behind Sleeping Beauty’s Castle in Disneyland and Cinderella’s Castle in Disneyworld.
Krzywy Domek - Poland
Poland’s fantastically topsy-turvy Krzywy Domek, or Crooked House has an undulating roofline and warped windows and doors. This 43,055 square foot building was inspired by the fairy tale illustrations of Jan Marcin Szancer and the work of artist Per Dahlberg. The vertigo-inducing building in the seaside resort town of Sopot houses a shopping center, restaurants and a radio station, and draws thousands of tourists each year to see the modern architectural marvel for themselves.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
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Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
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The one rule on a cruise vacation is very simple: Anything is possible. From an endless array of dream-come-true destinations to the unforgettable adventure of the most innovative ships at sea, you're going to love every minute. We promise.
The world is waiting. Experience the vacation of a lifetime, only on Royal Caribbean International®.
Adventure Awaits
Sail with Rawhide Travel and Tours and explore 240 incredible destinations in 72 countries.
Caribbean
Where Everyone Feels Like A Kid. Even The Kids: Welcome to the world's ultimate outdoor playground. Gorgeous coral reefs, swimming with dolphins and our private islands are only the beginning. Bring your sense for adventure and get ready to have fun.
Bermuda
You'll Be Locals By The End Of Your Journey: Get up close and personal with the pink-sand beaches and pastel-painted houses of this enchanting island. Just 600 nautical miles off the coast, its charming culture and colorful cuisine make for the perfect getaway cruise.
Alaska
A Family Outing Of Glacial Proportions: Stunning wildlife. Awe-inspiring glaciers. Budding metropolises. Nothing compares to an expedition through the Northwest. It's easy to see why so many flock to this region every year.
Europe
The Destination That Takes Your Family Places: Unpack once and experience all the richness and beauty of Europe. From cites where the history books come to life before your eyes to the breathtaking fjords of the North, there's something for everyone.
Your Adventure Starts Here
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Prayers of thanks and special thanksgiving ceremonies are common among almost all religions after harvests and at other times. The Thanksgiving holiday's history in North America is rooted in English traditions dating from the Protestant Reformation. It also has aspects of a harvest festival, even though the harvest in New England occurs well before the late-November date on which the modern Thanksgiving holiday is celebrated.
In the English tradition, days of thanksgiving and special thanksgiving religious services became important during the English Reformation in the reign of Henry VIII and in reaction to the large number of religious holidays on the Catholic calendar. Before 1536 there were 95 Church holidays, plus 52 Sundays, when people were required to attend church and forego work and sometimes pay for expensive celebrations. The 1536 reforms reduced the number of Church holidays to 27, but some Puritans wished to completely eliminate all Church holidays, including Christmas and Easter. The holidays were to be replaced by specially called Days of Fasting or Days of Thanksgiving, in response to events that the Puritans viewed as acts of special providence. Unexpected disasters or threats of judgement from on high called for Days of Fasting. Special blessings, viewed as coming from God, called for Days of Thanksgiving. For example, Days of Fasting were called on account of drought in 1611, floods in 1613, and plagues in 1604 and 1622. Days of Thanksgiving were called following the victory over the Spanish Armada in 1588 and following the deliverance of Queen Anne in 1705.
Here in the US, the modern Thanksgiving holiday tradition is commonly, but not universally, traced to a sparsely documented 1621 celebration at Plymouth in present-day Massachusetts. The 1621 Plymouth feast and thanksgiving was prompted by a good harvest. Pilgrims and Puritans who began emigrating from England in the 1620s and 1630s carried the tradition of Days of Fasting and Days of Thanksgiving with them to New England. Several days of Thanksgiving were held in early New England history that have been identified as the "First Thanksgiving", including Pilgrim holidays in Plymouth in 1621 and 1623, and a Puritan holiday in Boston in 1631. According to historian Jeremy Bangs, director of the Leiden American Pilgrim Museum, the Pilgrims may have been influenced by watching the annual services of Thanksgiving for the relief of the siege of Leiden in 1574, while they were staying in Leiden. Now called Oktober Feesten, Leiden's autumn thanksgiving celebration in 1617 was the occasion for sectarian disturbance that appears to have accelerated the pilgrims’ plans to emigrate to America. In later years, religious thanksgiving services were declared by civil leaders such as Governor Bradford, who planned the colony's thanksgiving celebration and fast in 1623. The practice of holding an annual harvest festival did not become a regular affair in New England until the late 1660s.
Thanksgiving proclamations were made mostly by church leaders in New England up until 1682, and then by both state and church leaders until after the American Revolution. During the revolutionary period, political influences affected the issuance of Thanksgiving proclamations. Various proclamations were made by royal governors, John Hancock, General George Washington, and the Continental Congress, each giving thanks to God for events favorable to their causes. As President of the United States, George Washington proclaimed the first nationwide thanksgiving celebration in America marking November 26, 1789, "as a day of public thanksgiving and prayer to be observed by acknowledging with grateful hearts the many and signal favors of Almighty God".
In modern times the President of the United States, in addition to issuing a proclamation, will "pardon" a turkey, which spares the bird's life and ensures that it will spend the duration of its life roaming freely on farmland.
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We're always looking for new and off-the-beaten-path destinations and since it’s Thanksgiving week, look no further than your own backyard. These Midwestern finds feature great small towns, adventures and more.
Drives
These few suggestions can also be classified as adventures, but just sit back and enjoy the journey with no particular destination in mind.
Smoky Valley, Kansas A 60-mile scenic route winds through gentle, morning mist-veiled central Kansas hills.
Historic Hills, Iowa Follow the Des Moines River through sleepy onetime riverboat stops known as the Villages of Van Buren in southeast Iowa.
Land of the Cross-tipped Churches, Ohio See grand churches built by German and
other settlers along a 38-mile western Ohio route.
Outdoors
There is nothing to compare to the great outdoors.
Matthiessen State Park, Utica, Illinois Next to the ravines and waterfalls of Starved Rock State Park, the smaller Matthiessen has some of the same terrain but is less crowded.
Charles C. Deam Wilderness Area, Indiana Trails run through deep woods in Hoosier National Forest, 70 miles south of Indianapolis.
Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area, Manistee, Michigan In this area, you could very easily have a Lake Michigan beach to yourself.
Adventures
Valentine, Nebraska You'll hear Smith Falls before you get a clear view through the foliage. If it's a summer day, you also might hear yelps as other adventurers step into the icy, 70-foot, spring-fed shower, a ritual of canoeing down north-central Nebraska's Niobrara River.
Overlooking the waterway nearly 300 miles northwest of Omaha, this ranch town (population: 3,000) serves as the base for any number of outdoor activities and spectacular landscape--the unspoiled river, its forested valley and the surrounding pine-studded Sandhills.
A cruise on the reliably floatable Niobrara, a National Scenic River, is the centerpiece of most treks here. But lots of outdoorsy types come for fishing, cycling and camping, too. Hikers with binoculars stroll the trails of Valentine National Wildlife Refuge, a haven for some 260 bird species.
Taum Sauk Mountain State Park, Missouri South of St. Louis, the state's highest point has a network of hiking trails leading to scenery as dramatic as the better-known southwestern Missouri Ozarks.
Gypsum Hills, Kansas Mountain biking along a scenic byway reveals beautiful red-rock buttes and canyons in the southwest part of the state.
Small Towns
Arrow Rock and Blackwater, Missouri
Two-lane highways wind through woods and past farms and you might feel as though you've traveled back in time. Spend some time in Arrow Rock and Blackwater and you'll find a great blend of past and present. The dining room in the restored Iron Horse Hotel, serves some skillful dishes and the historic schoolhouse holds a gift shop. A Gothic Revival church has become the Lyceum Theater, staging Broadway-style productions.
Come enjoy a way of life that's disappeared everywhere else.
Paxico, Kansas No one really knows how this remnant of pioneer days survived 30 miles west of Topeka, just north of I-70. However, there are some buildings from the 1800s that now hold antiques and specialty shops.
US-12 towns, Michigan Three Oaks, Coldwater, Jonesville and other pretty, historic towns with shops, inns and even a drive-in theater dot the original Chicago-Detroit road.
Brownville, Nebraska located 75 miles south of Omaha on the Missouri River, this village boasts an old-time paddle wheeler that you can cruise the Missouri River. It also has art galleries and a theater.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
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6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
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Thanksgiving Is this Thursday, we all know about the main dishes, but what about the sides? here is an easy one and it is quick too. Pop this sweet potato mixture into your slow cooker on Thanksgiving morning. It will be ready to serve as soon as everyone sits down to dinner. This sweet-and-salty side could not be easier to prep on Thanksgiving morning. Best part? It's made in the slow cooker, so you're saving valuable stovetop space. Enjoy!
Ingredients
4 pounds slender sweet potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch-thick slices
1/2 cup frozen orange juice concentrate, thawed
4 tablespoons butter, melted
3 tablespoons light brown sugar
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary
2 teaspoons cornstarch
1 tablespoon cold water
1/2 cup loosely packed fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, finely chopped
1 tablespoon orange zest
2 garlic cloves, minced
3 cooked bacon slices, crumbled
Directions
Place sweet potatoes in a 5 to 6 quart slow cooker. Stir together orange juice concentrate and next 4 ingredients in a small bowl. Pour over sweet potatoes, tossing to coat.
Cover and cook on low for 5 1/2 to 6 hours or until potatoes are tender.
Transfer potatoes to a serving dish, using a slotted spoon. Increase slow cooker to HIGH. Whisk together cornstarch and 1 Tablespoon cold water until smooth. Whisk cornstarch mixture into cooking liquid in slow cooker. Cook, whisking constantly, 3 to 5 minutes or until sauce thickens. Spoon sauce over potatoes.
Stir together parsley, orange zest, and garlic. Sprinkle potatoes with parsley mixture and crumbled bacon.
Makes: 8 servings
Total time: 6 Hours
Have a wonderful and safe Thanksgiving!
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
Thanksgiving is upon us and statistically it is the busiest travel time of the year. So many people clamoring to make it home to family and back again on Sunday. The day before Thanksgiving is a busy day indeed for airlines, and with the holiday travel season here, we wanted to provide some invaluable tips for making airline travel less stressful.
If you’ve got a flight this week and specifically Wednesday, you’re joining a bit less than 3.6 million people taking to the skies. A bit more than 3.6 million will fly Sunday. All told, airlines expect to fly more people this Thanksgiving season than they did during the same period last year. But if that number scares you, be happy you're not driving. Approximately 42 million people will be driving.
To make matters worse winter storms often cause delays, canceled flights and bad tempers.
According to travel experts, the best day to travel for Thanksgiving is actually the day of. If you can’t get a jump start on your vacation, consider leaving the morning of Thanksgiving, when most have already reached their final destination and most airlines offer reduced fare options.
All airlines suggest customers arrive hours before their scheduled boarding time during regular travel periods in order to allow an adequate amount of time to get through security. While the normal time frame, a minimum of two hours before domestic flights and three hours before international flights, will usually ensure you don’t miss your flight, it is recommended adding extra time to allow for the expanded number of passengers traveling around the Thanksgiving holiday.
Not only will carrying on your luggage save you time at the airport, it will also ensure that you have the essentials handy in the case of an emergency. During the holiday season (especially during a winter storm watch) it isn’t uncommon for flights to be canceled or heavily delayed. Having your basics such as a change of clothes, medications and toiletries handy (remember: only liquids and gels in 3.4-ounce containers or smaller allowed), will make airport delays all the more bearable.
Speaking of weather-related delays, checking and double-checking your airline reservations will only ensure a more stress-free holiday travel experience. Checking in online 24 hours before your flight, and reconfirming your seat reservation, is a smart plan of actions if you’re planning to get out of town for Thanksgiving Day.
Not only will preparing for the security screening process, such as remembering to place liquids in plastic baggies, taking off your shoes and jackets, and placing metal and other objects in bins help, but utilizing the TSA’s pre screening process can also add less time to your travel time. Passengers 12 years of age and under and 75 and older, known travelers or active duty service members are allowed to apply for the TSA Pre check process to potentially avoid the pat-down process.
All of us hope you have a safe and Happy Thanksgiving Holiday.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
Are you stuck looking for that perfect Holiday Gift. Give that special someone something they will treasure for all time. A wonderful Royal Caribbean® Holiday Cruise.
Having the best time at the best time of the year is at the top of everyone’s holiday wish list.
And that’s just what you get when you book a Royal Caribbean® holiday cruise to the Bahamas or the Caribbean. We take care of everything and all you have to do is relax and cherish the holiday memories with your family. Start a new holiday tradition this year. Only on Royal Caribbean.
HANNUKAH & CHRISTMAS SAILINGS
Allure of the Seas®
7-NIGHT EASTERN CARIBBEAN
December 6, 2015
FROM $1,149* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $110.67 per person are additional.
Anthem of the Seas®
8-NIGHT BAHAMAS HOLIDAY
December 19, 2015
FROM $1,499* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $148.04 per person are additional.
Adventure of the Seas®
7-NIGHT SOUTH CARIBBEAN
CHRISTMAS CRUISE
December 19, 2015
FROM $1,065* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $63.46 per person are additional.
Liberty of the Seas®
7-NIGHT WESTERN
CARIBBEAN HOLIDAY
December 20, 2015
FROM $1,142* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $83.62 per person.
NEW YEAR’S SAILINGS
Freedom of the Seas®
7-NIGHT EASTERN CARIBBEAN
December 27, 2015
FROM $1,824* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $108.22 per person are additional.
Anthem of the Seas®
8-NIGHT BAHAMAS HOLIDAY
December 27, 2015
FROM $2,044* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $148.04 per person are additional.
Allure of the Seas®
8-NIGHT BAHAMAS HOLIDAY
December 27, 2015
FROM $2,789* USD PER PERSON
Taxes, fees and port expenses of up to $117.12 per person are additional.
*Prices are per person, cruise only, double occupancy and in US Dollars. All itineraries and prices are subject to change without notice. Certain restrictions apply. ©2015 Royal Caribbean Cruises Ltd. Ships’ registry: The Bahamas.
Let Rawhide Travel and Tours help you with all your business and leisure travel needs. Call
us at (602) 843-5100 or visit our website: rawhidetravel.com.
Presented By:
Rawhide Travel and Tours Inc.
6008 West Bell Rd # F105
Glendale, Arizona 85308-3793
602-843-5100
rawhidetravel.com
