Beginning of My Panama Canal Cruise on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas

Cabo San Lucas Marina

Time to start posting some travel photos. This one was taken at the beginning of my Royal Caribbean Panama Canal cruise on April 3rd, 2014. The cruise would be an adventure from the beginning. It was the first ever cruise I would join late. What do I mean by late? I mean that the cruise had already started on April 1st. The cruise began in San Diego, California. However, to keep the folks where I work happy, I'd agreed to cut 2 days off the cruise by joining it in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico. You can join Royal Caribbean cruises late or leave early as I've found out the last 2 months. However, there are conditions. In the case of joining a cruise late, the cruise must be open ended i.e. it starts in one port and finishes in another. Also, you must notify Royal Caribbean in advance if you plan to do this and get approval from their security. My travel agent Joel Mills did that though it was still a little scary as I did wonder if the ship would know I was coming. I'd never been to Cabo San Lucas before and, I didn't want a screw up and have to try to get back home from there.

The airport that serves Cabo San Lucas is at Los Cabos. From there, I took a shuttle that was supposed to drove me off at the Wyndham but, I got it to drop me off close to the pier. Then, I walked to the pier with my suitcase and introduced myself to the Mexican security there. To my relief, they had my name in one of their books. They checked my passport, verified that I was who I said I was and let me through. Then, I got to go through the routine again with Royal Caribbean.

Once they confirmed I was who I claimed to be, they gave me my SeaPass which I would use to get on board the ship with. As the port/marina is very small at Cabo San Lucas, you have to tender out to your cruise ship. Once on board my ship Legend of the Seas, I'd finish my in-processing with the ship and my cruise would begin. It was the beginning of a very fun 2 week adventure. Stay tuned for more posts.

Lucky and Led Mystery Series Review

During my May cruise on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas, I got to attend mass repeatedly. This isn't normal as Royal Caribbean doesn't always offers the services of a priest on its cruises as I've seen from personal experience. I didn't know they did it at all until I did my April Panama Canal cruise on their Legend of the Seas ship. During the May cruise, the Roman Catholic priest was a retired U.S. Navy chaplain named David P. Remy. As he is a vet like myself (although I served in the Air Force), this made him points with me right off the bat. He was a great priest and, I really enjoyed his masses. They gave a nice start to each of my days on board the ship.

Shortly, before I left the ship, Father Remy remarked that he was an author. He has written and published 6 e-novels. 5 of those are the Lucky and Led cruise ship mystery series (Cruise to Mayhem, Cruise to Hell, Cruise to Pandora, Cruise to Yuletide and Cruise to Critique). As I really liked the priest, I decided to buy 1 of his novels (I later bought the other 4) and see what I thought of the series.

The series has to be kind of unique in that one of the primary characters - Father Lucky, is a retired Navy chaplain who works as a priest on various cruises. This character gives an interesting insight into how things work on cruise ships as far as chaplains and for the ships in general. Father Remy has extensive experience in that way as he's done over 45 cruises over the years and will do 7 cruises this year alone (he told me that during the May cruise). People who have cruised on cruise ships will definitely be able to connect with some of the things he tells about in his novels. The stories are very nice and move along well. Nor are they overly long so, I found them easy reads. The novels are cheap cost wise. The first 2 cost me $1.99 each and the last 3 cost me $2.99 each from Kobobooks.com.

Concerning e-readers, the e-novels are meant for Kindle e-readers which created a problem for me with my Nook e-reader. Barnes & Noble doesn't sell them because of that. Luckily, Kobobooks with their app can work with Nook e-readers. I haven't any problems reading the novels through their app.

Overall, I've very much enjoyed the 2 e-novels I've read so far and, I look forward to reading the other three. Plus, it was very cool getting to meet their author during my May cruise. If you like cruising or mystery novels, you might enjoy these easy and neat reads. Happy reading all!

Cariloha Product Review

During my May cruise on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas, I saw some information on Cariloha's bamboo products. I thought it sounded interesting having clothing made out of bamboo so, I decided to buy something and see how well it worked. I bought 2 Men's t-shirts and 4 pairs of white socks at their Crown Bay, St. Thomas store. The t-shirts felt very soft. Cariloha claims their bamboo merchandise is softer than cotton and, from my experience, their claim is valid. It really is. Also, they claim it will keep you cooler in the summer and warmer in the winter. I say maybe on that. Lastly, they claim the product is very "Green." Bamboo grows very quickly (one variety can grow as much as 3 feet in 1 day according to them), requires little or no pesticides and can grow in a number of places. I know from personal experience it can grow in Maryland.

One down side to their products is you will pay a little premium for them. The Men's t-shirts cost $34 a piece and their white socks were $12 a pair though they have a deal where if you buy 3 pairs, you get a 4th pair free.

The chain is proving popular and, franchises are opening in a number of places in the U.S. I saw a thing where they recently opened a store in Washington D.C. which I plan on visiting some time soon. Also, I plan on visiting their store in Key West, Florida when I visit there again next year during a cruise with Royal Caribbean. I think they have a number of stores in the Caribbean too.

One thing about their Men's t-shirts. Some of them have the name of the town the shop is located in and some of them don't. According to the folks I spoke with at their Annapolis, Maryland store, some folks don't like the town name on the shirts so, Cariloha puts out some shirts sans town name to keep them happy. Personally, I like having the town name on them. That makes them something of a collectible to me and gives me a way to show folks some of the places I've traveled to.

Overall, I've been pretty pleased with Cariloha's stuff. I think it's pretty cool that it's made out of bamboo. I don't like that it is a little pricey. They do have sales which can help with that. Plus, I really do like the stuff. I'd definitely recommend it. If there is store near where you live, check it out. They do make very good stuff.

Update June 28, 2014: I did visit their Washington D.C. store which is located at the National Harbor in Oxon Hill, Maryland. I really liked this store. I got to chat with the owner who is super nice. Plus, they had some nice deals. I wasn't wiped out with the National Harbor.

Market House Annapolis Maryland WiFi Review

Today, I got to visit the old part of Annapolis, Maryland. I wanted to post something on the Internet from my Nook e-reader so, I looked for a place with free WiFi. I walked into Market House at 25 Market Place and saw a sign claiming they have free WiFi. Awesome! I bought 3 scoops of gelato from their Firenzes Gelateria, sat down and tried to connect to the Internet. No go. It turned out the sign was total bs. The place doesn't offer free WiFi. A worker at one of the shops I spoke with said the local government was supposed to do something about it but, they apparently haven't. :-( Thankfully, there are a couple places in the dock area that do offer free WiFi like the Starbucks at 124 Dock Street. So, if you want to surf the web, skip the Market House. Happy Internet surfing all!

The Staff of Serapis Book Review

Like Rick Riordan did previously with Son of Sobek and the paperback release of The Serpent's Shadow, Riordan and Disney have released The Staff of Serapis with the paperback release of The Mark of Athena. Like with Son of Sobek where it also included the first chapter of  the then upcoming The House of Hades book, The Staff of Serapis has the first chapter of Blood of Olympus, the final and climactic book in the Heroes of Olympus series. The paperback version of Mark of Athena came out April 8th. As I didn't care to buy that book a second time, I waited for the e-book version to come out which was released May 20th. The e-book version comes in 2 versions. One is the short story with the 1st chapter of Blood of Olympus and sells for $1.99. In the 2nd version, Rick Riordan tells the story via audio and, it too has the 1st chapter of Blood of Olympus. The 2nd version costs $2.99. I bought the 2nd version as I thought it would be cool to listen to Riordan tell the story. Plus, it's only cost an extra $1. The Riordan audio version comes in 3 parts. The first 2 parts last 34:45 roughly each and the 3rd part lasts 32:15 roughly. Riordan does a great job of leaving you hanging at the end of the first 2 parts to where you can't wait to hear the next part.

The short story itself is a good one and leaves a fascinating opening for Riordan to continue the Olympus stories with a new tangent (I leave it to you the reader to find out what that is). However, if Riordan decides to go that way, he won't be able to do it for a while as he is supposed to start work on a new series that features the Norse mythology. It'll be interesting to see what he does with that. The story also has a possible spoiler in it which I won't reveal. Again, you'll have to find out what it is yourself. I don't think it'll sadden any of Riordan's readers. Whereas the Son of Sobek featured Carter Kane and Percy Jackson, The Staff of Serapis features Annabeth Chase and Sadie Kane.

Concerning the first chapter in the Blood of Olympus novel, it doesn't excite any but, it does make you wish they would come out with the book sooner. It's not supposed to be released until October 7th, 2014 (groan, grumble, grumble, grumble). For those who don't want to buy The Staff of Serapis short story, the 1st chapter will be released later this summer according to Riordan's website.

Overall, I liked The Staff of Serapis. I'd recommend to any fans of Riordan's books. I confess, I'm waiting big time for Blood of Olympus to come out in October. I want to find out how things end. Do the Roman and Greek demigods make peace instead of war? Do the 7 demigods on the quest some how defeat the giants? Will 1 of the 7 demigods die in the final book? There have been a number of references to a big sacrifice being necessary. We'll see. For now, I'll content myself with The Staff of Serapis and the first chapter of Blood of Olympus. Happy reading all!

Hard Rock Rewards Program Assessment

I've been a member of the Hard Rock Rewards program for over a year and a half now. I thought it time to write an assessment of the program and why I don't like it as much as I liked their previous rewards program called All Access.

The current Hard Rock Rewards program has 2 levels. There is the free level which doesn't cost you anything and, there's the VIP level which costs you $24.95 per year. The advantage of the VIP level is you get greater benefits than the free level. The most noteworthy in my opinion is the 10 additional reward points per dollar spent at each cafe you visit. Those 10 points per dollar can make a big difference on when you earn your next $15 reward. With the free membership, you'll have to spend $250 for each $15 reward certificate. With the VIP level, you'll spend $166.66. So, with the VIP level, you'll save $83.34 for each reward certificate. In this way, you'll get back the price of the VIP membership with your first rewards certificate.

Update October 27, 2015: This is no longer true. Hard Rock International has done away with the VIP level for reasons unknown to me.

Concerning the program itself, your reward points are good for 12 months after which you lose those points. Each reward certificate you earn is good for 6 months before they expire. If you don't have any activity with your VIP membership for 12 months and your VIP membership has expired, Hard Rock can delete your membership though they will notify you 30 days before they do so. (See Update)

Between the 2 levels of membership, the VIP membership is the better one though you have to renew it every year i.e. pony up another $24.95 each year. (See Update)

In comparison the previous All Access program, the Rewards program isn't as good. With All Access, your points NEVER expired as I remember whereas they do with the Reward program. You could keep amassing your rewards to where you can could amass a serious reward (I got up to $140 worth of rewards before sadly Hard Rock got rid of the All Access program) vice getting the $15 rewards certificate which you must use within 6 months. You can't carry over your rewards like you could with the All Access program. The All Access was totally free. There wasn't a VIP level where you had to pay $24.95 a year as I remember. For all these reasons, I'm not thrilled with the Hard Rock Rewards program BUT, it is better than nothing. (See Update)

I plan to stay a member and keep trying to visit Hard Rock Cafe's I haven't been to before. Last month, I got to visit their cafe in Cartagena, Colombia for the first time which was pretty neat. Next year, I hope to visit their cafe in Helsinki, Finland for the first time as well as visit their cafe's again in Stockholm, Sweden and Copenhagen, Denmark. I very much like getting their t-shirts and showing the world some of the Hard Rock cafes I've been to. Cheers all!

Addition October 27, 2015: Not all cafes participate in the rewards program. I found this out thankfully before trying to visit the Hard Rock Cafe in Stockholm, Sweden. If you're planning a visit to a Hard Rock Cafe, you might want to check their website and see if they participate in the program before you visit the cafe.

Also, I did get to visit the Copenhagen, Denmark cafe this August and, I found out it's no longer right next to the Tivoli Gardens. I don't know when it moved. I did find it a fine cafe though I didn't eat there (that wouldn't have made any sense with all the fine FREE food on board the cruise ship I was sailing on). I bought some souvenirs and gifts but, I still found it nice. Staff there were very helpful.

Lastly, I visited the London, England Hard Rock Cafe while en-route to my July/August 2015 cruise. Their gift/souvenir shop is across the street from the cafe vice behind it. I did have dinner at this cafe and, I very much enjoyed it. I got very happily stuffed there. Visiting this cafe brought back lots of memories. This was the first Hard Rock Cafe I ever visited and was like a home away from home when I was stationed in the United Kingdom with the U.S. Air Force. It was great to get to visit it again.

Tech Tools PI-810 World Time Travel Alarm Clock With Flashlight Product Review

The main travel clock I use for my travels is the Tech Tools PI-810 world travel clock with flashlight. While it has some drawbacks, it is the easiest to change time zones on as far as I know (I'll give an example later in the review). The clock is sold on Amazon for between $11 and $12 which isn't vary expensive. The clock is small (guesstimate is it's 6 inches long and an inch and a half wide) so it doesn't take up a lot of space in your suitcase. It has a drawback in that the buttons on it are exposed and so they can be hit causing it to beep. I try to pack the clock around things that won't cause it to go off. Another drawback to the clock is it uses 2 different types of batteries. It uses 3 LR44 lithium cell batteries for the flashlight and 2 AAA for the clock functions. This is annoying. Also, you must have the directions that come with the clock in order to set the alarm functions or change the temperature from Fahrenheit to Celsius or vice versa (press the down arrow while in normal time mode). The temperature gauge as far as I know is accurate and handy.

The biggest plus of this clock is the ease you can change it between time zones. It has 18 time zones on it. Each time zone is covered by a particular city example: New York for the Eastern Standard time zone. In order to change between time zones, you simply twist the rotating knob at the end of the clock to the city that has the time zone you want. During my recent Panama Canal cruise on Royal Caribbean's Legend of  the Seas ship, I changed time zones 3 times. Thanks to this convenient clock, all I had to do was turn the knob one click to the next time zone.

Overall, I think Tech Tools PI-810 world travel clock is a decent travel clock. It is particularly handy if you're going to be travelling to different time zones. With it, you just turn the knob to the appropriate time zone vice having to reset the time on the clock like with my Brookstone Microbeam travel clock. Personally, I'd recommend it but, I know from reading reviews on Amazon that not every one likes the clock. So, you may want to order one and if you don't like it, you can return it like some have apparently done. Happy travels all!

Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas Wi-Fi

Recently, I got to sail on Royal Caribbean's Independence of the Seas cruise ship. While on-board, I tried out the ship's Wi-Fi and found out what the prices were for its various Wi-Fi plans. The plans can vary from ship to ship and, that was the case in this instance.

Independence of the Seas offers 4 plans:

1 hour plan - $29.95
1 day plan - $59.95
Unlimited plan for 1 device - $189.95
Unlimited plan for 2 devices - $229.95

With the 1 hour plan, you get 60 minutes that you can use at various times. This is different from their 1 day plan which for some reason must be used continuously for 24 hours. I confess I didn't like that I had to use the 1 day plan all in 1 day and, I wouldn't recommend it. With the unlimited plans, the big thing there is how many devices you can have hooked up to the Wi-Fi at one time. With the unlimited plan for 2 devices, you can have 2 devices hooked up at the same time. This would be handy for families. If you're on a long cruise and surf the web a lot, the unlimited plans are definitely the way to go. I do wish Royal Caribbean offered the unlimited plans on more of their ships. Right now, it's only available on this ship, Allure of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas. I would've greatly preferred it over the 1,600 plan I got on their Legend of the Seas ship.

For Crown & Anchor members, the Diamond discount is $29.95. This will get you 1 hour of free Wi-Fi or $29.95 off one of the other plans. I'm Diamond and since I wasn't staying for the whole cruise, I took the 1 hour free Wi-Fi. I wasn't wiped out with this offer otherwise. $160 (after the discount) for unlimited Wi-Fi still isn't cheap in my book though it is way better than what Royal Caribbean has offered before.

One final difference I found between the Wi-Fi on Independence of the Seas and Legend of the Seas was you could hook up to the Wi-Fi using the Mozilla Firefox browser. The sheet with the information on the ship's Wi-Fi states that Firefox, Internet Explorer and Safari version 3 or higher will work on their Wi-Fi. Internet Explorer as far as I know works on all of Royal Caribbean's ships and apparently is their preferred browser. On Legend of the Seas, I tried logging on Mozilla Firefox and, the page would lock up at the log-in point. On Independence of the Seas, the log-in page worked fine. As I don't have the Safari browser, I didn't test that one. It would be nice if they added the Chrome browser to the list of browsers you can use.

Lastly, the Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship. This is one of the upgrades Royal Caribbean is doing to its entire fleet and will encourage people to use the Wi-Fi. It's a real pain to have to search for a hotspot on the ship. Happy surfing on the Internet all!

Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas Wi-Fi

From April 3rd to April 16th, 2014, I sailed on Royal Caribbean's Legend of the Seas ship (the rates posted are current at the time of this sailing). I used the ship's Wi-Fi considerably (approximately 1,500 minutes) which is the most I think I've ever used the Wi-Fi on any of their ships I've been on. The ship's Wi-Fi worked really well. I never had a problem getting on though I think I did get bumped off a few times for unknown reasons. The Wi-Fi is available throughout the ship including all cabins. I primarily used it in my inner cabin and, it worked fine there. I can't tell you how fast the connection speed was though I had no problems holding a texting chat with a friend on Facebook.

The pay as you go rate is a very high 85 cents a minute. The pre-paid plans available are as follows:

38 minutes - $24.95 which breaks out to 66 cents a minute
90 minutes - $49.95 which breaks out to 56 cents a minute
208 minutes - $99.95 which breaks out to 48 cents a minute
555 minutes - $199.95 which breaks out to 36 cents a minute
1,599 minutes (the Wi-Fi sheet showed 1,666) - $399.95 which breaks out to 25 cents a minute

I bought the 1,599 minute package as I didn't want to have to worry about my Internet time. I was on a 2 week cruise and, I figured correctly I'd use most of the time up. I think this package would be better for families vice 1 person like myself.

I discovered that Royal Caribbean's Wi-Fi has connection problems with Google's Chrome browser and Mozilla's Firefox. I would try to log in at the connection page and, it would repeatedly hang up. I was never able to connect to their Wi-Fi going solely through those browsers. Apparently, you must use Internet Explorer though I did discover a workaround for my Nook e-reader which is an Android device which I'll blog about later. Microsoft doesn't make an Internet Explorer version for Android devices which creates real problems for those who want to use them on Royal Caribbean's Wi-Fi. I mentioned this to Royal Caribbean on my cruise feedback. I don't know if Royal Caribbean will do anything about this problem.

You can use your Crown & Anchor Wi-Fi discounts on the pre-paid plans. I used my Emerald discount which was 15% and saved $60!

Overall, Legend of the Seas's Wi-Fi worked really well but, it was expensive. I wish Royal Caribbean would introduce an unlimited plan like they have on their Allure of the Seas and Navigator of the Seas. If you want to save money, you would do well to look for places in the various ports that offer cheaper Wi-Fi. I found them in Guatemala and Costa Rica. Happy web surfing all!

Update October 18, 2014: I did a Maine/Canada cruise Legend of the Seas last month. I was able to re-check the ship's Wi-Fi rates. They haven't changed. Because of its expensive rates, I searched for and was able to find places during the cruise that had free Wi-Fi such as Starbucks on Commercial Street in Portland, Maine.

FYI, for Diamond Members, I found out they got 30 minutes of free Wi-Fi. I don't know why you get less time on this ship than I got on Independence of the Seas.

Overall, I wasn't pleased with the ship's expensive Wi-Fi rates. Unless you really need to get on the Internet, I'd avoid using this ship's Wi-Fi. You will really pay a lot for the privilege.

Brookstone Flip Calculator with World Clock Product Review

I bought Brookstone's Flip Calculator with World Clock because I lost the operating instructions for my Journey's Edge Robotic Calculator with World Time Clock. The 2 calculator/clocks are basically the same though slightly different. The instructions I received with my Brookstone device worked for my Journey's Edge device. The slight differences are with the front of the case that opens up and, how you access the compartment that holds the batteries. The front of the case has a different appearance i.e. one is smooth while the other has a button you can use to close the clock. The battery compartment is different in that with the Brookstone device, you can slide the cover with your fingers to open it while with the Journey's Edge, you have to use a small philips head screwdriver to unscrew a small screw to open the compartment - a small hassle. Both devices use AG13/LR44/357 batteries. Ironically, it may cost you almost as much to replace the batteries on the device as what it cost you to buy it. I bought a 3 pack of 357 batteries for $5.67 at Wal-Mart.

In terms of price, both are priced closed to each other. I bought the Brookstone model on sale for $6.99. Supposedly, it regularly sells for $9.99. Ebay lists the Journey's Edge model for $7.99. You shouldn't pay more than $10 for one of these calculator/clocks and, you may be able to pay less depending on the deal you might be able to find on Ebay.

Both devices can display the time and date for 16 different time zones. The device will be set for a base time example: New York and, you press one of the other 15 buttons to see the time and date for the other time zones which are listed by a single city example: Tokyo or Moscow. If you don't know what time zone your particular city is in or the one you'll be traveling to, you'll have to look up what time zone it shares with what city. One minor annoyance is that you can't keep the clock set on the time zone you're traveling in like you can with Tech Tools PI-810 Traveling World Time Clock (I'll be reviewing this another time).

As for the calculator function, it works fine but, I question how much you need a calculator barring figuring to determine what something costs in your local currency.

Both devices come with an alarm and a countdown timer though the alarm isn't super loud. Another plus of the device is its light weight. Also, it takes up very little space when folded up.

Overall, it's an ok travel clock but, I think the TI clock I mentioned is better and is only a little bit more expensive than this device. Brookstone has a Microbeam Travel Clock which comes with a built in flashlight which can be handy traveling but, it doesn't have the different times zones this calculator/clock has and, it costs over 4 times more than this device ($29.99 for the Microbeam clock). This device has 2 pluses over the TI clock in that the buttons for it are protected when it's closed and, it uses just 1 type of battery i.e. AG13's where as the TI clock uses 3 AG13's and 2 AAA batteries (I'll explain why in my review of this travel clock). Happy travels all!

Porthole Cruise Magazine Review

Here is the promised review on Porthole cruise magazine. As I said in my review on Cruise Travel magazine, I think the Porthole magazine has a more professional/higher quality look and feel to it though it also contains more advertising in it. The magazine like Cruise Travel offers useful information on ports and as well as telling about various cruises on offer. For example: the February 2014 issue had an insider's look at Marseille, France as well as what it's like to cruise on the Tere Moana and the Aranui 3. I thought the Aranui 3 was particularly interesting as it goes to places you'd never get to visit other wise like the Marquesas Islands in French Polynesia. Also, it had an article on tips for socializing at sea. One downside to cruising vice group land tours is you are very much on your own on a cruise unless a spouse/significant other, relation or friend comes along. For those curious what the future holds for cruising, it had an article on what might await future cruisers.

Price wise, the magazine is nearly half the price of Cruise Travel for a 1 year/6 issue subscription ($19.99 vice $38.95) and is less than half the price for a 2 year ($29.99 vice $68.90) with no extra charge for getting the digital version as well. If you want to buy just the digital version (an option not offered with Cruise Travel though it may be offered with the app (I plan to check on this)), it costs $15.99 for a 1 year subscription and $19.99 for a 2 year subscription (a real bargain).

Overall, this is a fine cruise magazine. It differs from Cruise Travel in that it doesn't technical details on some ships as well as offering a listing of what lines sail into what ports but, it does offer excellent (and potentially useful) articles with very good pictures. I'd say it's a more upscale cruise magazine compared to Cruise Travel. If you're into cruising, I think it's worth subscribing to especially with the cheaper subscription prices. Happy travels all!

Disclaimer: All views expressed here are my own. I didn't receive any compensation for writing this review and, I paid out of my own pocket for the February issue of Porthole magazine which I based my opinions of it on.

Cruise Travel Magazine Review

I know of 2 magazines that cover specifically travel on cruise ships. They are Cruise Travel and Porthole (will be reviewed by me later). I think Porthole is the more professional looking of the two magazines BUT, Cruise Travel magazine has its advantages in my opinion. One of them is some great and potentially useful articles. Example: the January/February 2014 issue tells readers what kind of wedding at sea packages are available on cruises as well as the rules on having the ship's captain marry would be newlyweds. The November/December 2013 issue has a cruise calendar that shows all the itineraries for different cruise lines for the winter/spring period. This can be handy in that it allows you to compare itineraries helping you find the one that best fulfills your travel desires.

Cost wise, the magazine sells for $5.99 (U.S. dollars). 1 year subscriptions sell for $38.95 and 2 year for $68.90. The magazine comes out bi-monthly (every other month).

The only down sides I've seen with the magazine is I wish there were more articles and, I think some of their reviews of various ships were a bit gushy. One reviewer of a Silversea cruise I think was a bit over the top on their praise of the ship and the things it had on board. Still, the magazine does give good information on what various ships and cruise lines have to offer.

Overall, I think the magazine is worth subscribing to if you like to go on cruises or are interested in doing it. It provides good information on different cruises, ports, ships and things to do in various ports. I was impressed enough with the magazine that I plan to subscribe to the magazine myself. Happy cruising all!

Garmin Nuvi 2797 LMT GPS Review

I've had a Garmin Nuvi 750 Global Positioning System (GPS) unit for a number of years. I've been very pleased with it BUT, I began to run into problems with its memory. The new map updates kept getting larger in size and, the unit didn't have enough memory built in to handle them. So, I had to cut out various updates. I tried to upgrade the memory on the unit but, it had problems with the new large memory mini-cards. So, I decided to buy a new GPS unit. I settled on the Garmin Nuvi 2797 LMT because of its 7 inch screen, the lifetime map and traffic updates and, you'll never have to upgrade the memory on it (I don't know why).

The unit sells for $269.99 at Best Buy (where I bought mine). It comes with a suction cup thingy as well as a car power cord you can plug into your car's cigarette lighter and a cable for hooking it up to your computer so you can download map updates.

The unit is very easy to use. I haven't had any problems trying to find addresses on it. I particularly like the split screens where it'll show the exit I want and what lane I should stay it. Also, it shows special warnings when you enter school zones. Bluetooth wise, it has a function where it can tie in to your bluetooth capable phone and enable you to talk on your phone through the unit (I haven't tried this function to see how well it works). The 7 inch screen comes in handy in that it's very easy to see various roads on it as well as what's coming up ahead of you.

Overall, I've been very pleased with this GPS. I don't use it all the time because I don't travel that much but, when I do need it, it works great. I would definitely recommend it to others. The unit gets a 4.6 out of 5 (164 reviews at the time of this post) on Best Buy's website by other units which to me means others think it's a pretty good unit too. Happy traveling all!

Update December 9, 2015: I tried out the Bluetooth phone link with this GPS this past October when I was driving down to Richmond to see my friend Harvey. The link proved handy as I was able to talk to my friend without having to hold my smart phone while driving. Later, after I got a map update, I found I had to re-link my smart phone with the GPS unit. Apparently, that information gets lost or wiped out during the map update. Overall, I am pretty pleased with this feature even though I doubt I'll use it much.

Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center Jessup Maryland Review

I've visited the Salvation Army Family Store and Donation Center in Jessup, Maryland a number of times to donate items but, I've never gone inside the family store. Today, I decided to check it out so, I could report to you my readers on what it has and what it's like.

The store and center is located at 10350 Guilford Road in Jessup, Maryland. It's open Monday through Saturday though I don't know its exact hours (I'll have to get those on another visit). Donations are accepted in the back of the building while there is parking in front of it for shoppers. For bargain hunters, the best day to visit the family store is on Wednesdays when all clothing is half off. I was able to get 2 pairs of Men's Dockers pants for $3.25 a pair! Mind you, you will have to hunt a good bit to find something that fits clothing wise and, in some cases, you'll have to try it on (they have rooms for that) as some clothing doesn't have tags telling what the size is. Also, there are NO refunds or returns. Once you buy it, that's IT!

Another plus for this store is for those looking for a good deal on furniture. I was surprised by the selection of sofas, dresser drawers and dining tables. You might find a nice bargain here.

Lastly, all books, CDs, DVDs (this selection didn't impress) and records were $1 each. I did see a few decent CDs for sale there though I didn't browse the books.

I found the staff at the store helpful and patient which was a plus (especially for someone who hadn't been in there before).

Overall, I thought it a pretty nice store. I do wish they would mark the sizes of the various clothes so, you wouldn't have to hunt all over them to find them if they have it on them. It has a great location in that it's just off the Maryland 32 and Route 1 intersection heading toward Jessup so, it's easy to get to.
Here's a link to the Salvation Army Family Stores which provides driving directions to the Jessup, Maryland store as well as directions to other stores in Maryland. Lastly, buying things from this store does help a good cause. The Salvation Army does a lot of good work and, they help a lot of people. Happy shopping all!

Kerrygold Ballyshannon Cheddar Review

The Irish Kerrygold brand is definitely doing their best to sell their Irish butter and cheeses in the United States (U.S.). Recently, while shopping at the Laurel, Maryland Sam's Club store, I stumbled upon their Ballyshannon cheddar. As the cheese is made in Ireland and, I like Ireland a lot, I decided to buy a pre-cut block of their Ballyshannon and Dubliner (review coming later after I've tried it) cheeses.

As I stated, their Ballyshannon cheddar comes in pre-cut and wrapped blocks packed by the Irish Dairy Board Inc in Evanston, Illinois. Sam's Club sells the cheese for $5.97 (U.S.) a pound. My pre-cut block weighed 1.8 pounds. The cheddar is different from other cheddar cheeses I've seen in that it has an ivory color vice the normal yellow. Like other cheddar cheeses, the Ballyshannon is a firm cheese with a good flavor. The cheese has a good shelf life as the one I tried supposedly would've been good till the end of October. However, like other cheeses, it must be refrigerated at all times.

Store wise, there are a wide range of stores in the United States that carry Kerrygold products. I checked the www.kerrygoldusa.com webpage for locations near where I live that sell their products and, I found out, Giant, Weis, Safeway, Shoppers Food Warehouse also sell their products. While I didn't see it listed on their website, I know the Costco in Elkridge/Columbia sells their Dubliner and Blarney Castle (review coming later once I've tried it) cheeses. I can't tell you how their prices stack up compared to Sam's Club. I would think Costco would be comparable with the others being more expensive.

Overall, I was pretty pleased with the Ballyshannon cheddar. It reminded me of my tour of Ireland and my hope I can visit there again some day. I'm looking forward to trying the Dubliner and Blarney Castle cheeses I bought. Stay tuned for reviews on those. Bon appetit!

Update February 26, 2014: I visited Costco's Glen Burnie, Maryland store and, I found out you'll pay a premium for Kerrygold's Irish butter. Their butter sells for $4.66 a pound there which is over $2.50 more a pound than Costco's brand which sells for $2.12 a pound. Personally, I suspect Kerrygold's butter isn't worth the premium (butter is butter to me) though I haven't taste tested it yet.

Sogel Fresh Cooked Mussels Review

While shopping at the Laurel, Maryland Sam's Club, I stumbled upon a product I hadn't seen before. It's Sogel's Fresh Cooked Mussels. As I like mussels, I decided to try them.

The mussels come precooked in 2 one pound bags. You can heat them up 2 ways: 1) you can boil 1 of the bags for 4 to 5 minutes in rapidly boiling water and let cool for 1 minute or 2) you can microwave on high 1 of the bags for 3 to 4 minutes and let cool for 1 minute. If you microwave the mussels, you must cut 3 small punctures in the bag to let steam escape.

The mussels come in a garlic butter sauce which is pretty good. They must be refrigerated at all times between 34 and 38 degrees Fahrenheit (1.1 to 3.3 Celsius). The mussels are grown on ropes on Prince Edwards Island, Canada. Cost wise, the Laurel, Maryland Sam's Club I bought them at sold a box (2 bags) for $9.98 U.S.

Overall, I was very pleased with this product. I really like mussels and, this was a very easy way (I microwaved the ones I tried) to have some. Price wise, I think they're very reasonably priced though I'm not an expert on what imported mussels are selling for. If you like mussels and would like a very easy way to have some, I heartily recommend you try this product. Bon Appetit!

8700 Washington Boulevard Savage Maryland McDonald's Wi-Fi Review

I had a McDonald's coupon which would get me 2 of their large sandwiches for the price of 1. Because of that, I decided to stop by the McDonald's which is close to the Extended Stay America I'm staying at. While waiting for my order to be filled, I tried out their Wi-Fi.

I picked up 2 signals which may be the problem at this McDonald's. Both signals came in very strong. One was for ATT and the other was for Wayland Portal which I'd never seen before. McDonald's standard Wi-Fi provider is ATT. For whatever reasons, every time the webpage came up where I would press on the I accept button (accepting the terms of use), nothing would happen. After trying for something like 10 minutes, I gave up.

Because of my failure to connect, I have to give this McDonald's a thumbs down Wi-Fi wise. I plan
to go back at a later time and, I'll test their Wi-Fi again. We'll see if it works that time. Stay tuned.

Update February 19, 2014: I was off today so, I decided today was a good day to test this McDonald's Wi-Fi again. Plus, I had coupons where I could get 2 Big Macs or 2 Filet-o-Fish sandwiches for $4. I think I saved $4 with each coupon. This McDonald's will let you use up to 2 coupons per visit which is nice.

Concerning their Wi-Fi, this time it worked very well. One neat thing about Nook e-reader is when you visit a place you've been to before, it'll automatically connect to that place's Wi-Fi signal. This time, there wasn't any conflict between the ATT and Wayland signals and, it promptly connected to the ATT signal which was very strong. I did have a minor glitch in that I was able to post to Facebook BEFORE the standard agree to terms of use window came up. Because I hadn't accepted the terms, Facebook wouldn't let me put where my location was with my post which was weird. Once I accepted the terms of use, it would.

Overall, I was very pleased with this McDonald's Wi-Fi and, I give it a big thumbs up. If you're in this area, this is a place worth stopping at if you need Internet access. Happy surfing all!

Correction: I discovered that I put the wrong town name on my first post for this review. Apparently, this McDonald's is considered to be in Savage (according to the McDonald's website any way) even though the Extended Stay which is less than a block away is in Jessup. I confess I don't understand how they determine which town places like these are in which are on the boundaries of the town.

McDonald's Shamrock Shake Review

It's that time of year again when McDonald's comes out with their shamrock shake. It's a green mint flavored shake they sell till St. Patrick's Day (Ireland's Patron Saint) here in the United States (U.S.). I thought I'd reviewed the shake before but, I couldn't find the review on my blog. So, I'm reviewing it again.

The shake is green, mint flavored and topped with a maraschino cherry. I bought a large shake at the McDonald's located on 8700 Washington Boulevard in Jessup, Maryland. Price wise, it cost me $3.19 before tax. I found the shake good. I like things with the flavor of mint and, the shake has a nice mint flavor. Plus, I like that it reminds me of Ireland which I enjoyed visiting and would like to visit again some time.

Overall, if you like mint milk shakes, I think you'd like this one. I know I did. I plan to have another when I visit McDonald's again. Do remember, you can only get these seasonal milk shakes till St. Patrick's Day. After that, you'll have to wait another year to get one. Cheers all!

The Lightning Thief Graphic Novel Review

I'm a big fan of Rick Riordan's Percy Jackson books. I read all 5 of the first series and all 4 of the Heroes of Olympus. And, like other fans, I'm impatiently waiting for the final book - Blood of Olympus, to come out next fall. I bought The Lightning Thief graphic novel purely because of the shipping deal Amazon has. If you spend $35 or more, you get free shipping. If you don't, you can get clobbered. The main item I wanted from Amazon was a travel clock which cost a little over $10 and, the shipping would've been half the price of the clock. As I didn't care for that, I looked for $25 worth of other items so, I could get the free shipping. As I like Riordan's books, one of the items I decided to get was The Lightning Thief graphic novel.

The graphic novel was released on October 12, 2010. So, it's a bit late to review the thing. Still, I thought I'd put in my 2 cents worth. The novel has 128 pages and cuts out a lot of bits (the meeting with Medusa and the Tunnel of Love episodes come to mind) to keep it that short. That's something I didn't like about it. In one case, they even changed the story. Close to the end, Percy has gotten Zeus's master lightning bolt back BUT, he's stuck in California and, the big meeting between Zeus and his father Poseidon is going to be taking place above Manhattan. He has to get there pronto. In the novel, he raised the airfare by playing on people's sympathies while in the graphic novel, he apparently get's one of Hades minions to spring the money to fly him back.

The artwork in the graphic novel is good. The story does move along in the graphic novel like it does in the novel. I liked seeing what the characters looked like. I found the bit where Luke tries to figure out who Percy's father might be funny. Price wise, I paid $7.67 for my copy which I thought very reasonable. However, I still wasn't wiped out with the story in the graphic novel. I like the full length book version a LOT more than the graphic novel.

Overall, I found myself disappointed with the graphic novel. I wish it were longer so they didn't cut out as many bits. Personally, I wouldn't recommend it. Stick to the book version, it's a LOT better than the graphic novel. Happy reading all!

The Mall in Columbia Wi-Fi Review

The Mall in Columbia as it's titled (it's located in Columbia, Maryland) brags about offering free Wi-Fi. I decided to test it and find out if there are any strings attached with their Wi-Fi. I found out really fast there is. The first is you have to join The Club. The Club is where they send promotions and events by email. You can also receive them by text message though this part is optional. The email thing isn't. Second, once you've sign up for The Club, you click on freewifi-TheClub signal. Then, you call up a brower window where you'll use your email address to log in to their free Wi-Fi. According to my Nook e-reader, their Wi-Fi signal rated as good though I think it's more ok. When I first tested the mall's Wi-Fi, the signal actually dropped out and, I had to disconnect and re-connect to it to get it to work again. I'm definitely not impressed with their free Wi-Fi.

However, there is an alternative. The Mall in Columbia has a Starbucks located in the C section of the mall next to the entrance (close to Sears) on the upper level. Starbucks doesn't require you join anything. All you have to do with them is agree to their terms of use. Like at other Starbucks, ATT provides their Wi-Fi connectivity. Signal strength wise, it was good. Sadly, their signal doesn't carry very far so, you must be in the Starbucks or right next to it to use it.

Between using the mall's Wi-Fi and Starbucks, I found I preferred Starbucks Wi-Fi as it was more reliable and has fewer hassles. Also, I suspect you won't have to deal with as many people using the bandwidth. Happy surfing all!

Twining's Rooibos Tea Review

Before I begin on my review, I feel I should mention that I like Twining's tea a lot. I first tried them while I was stationed in England with the United States Air Force. I got to visit at least twice their original store on 216 The Strand, London, England which was opened in 1706 and, I still have the Royal Spode tea cup/mug and saucer I bought from that store. They are a very British tea company and, they make great teas.

Twining's rooibos tea is a fine product in their product line. Their rooibos tea comes from the Cedarberg Mountains in South Africa. Rooibos tea is interesting in that for centuries, South Africans made a bush tea from the plant's leaves (Source: Wikipedia). Dutch settlers in South Africa used the bush tea as an alternative to the expensive black tea which had to come from ships in Europe. Since the 1930's, the tea has taken off. The tea doesn't contain any caffeine and, it's naturally high in antioxidants (Source: Wikipedia).

Twining's rooibos tea is red is like all rooibos teas. I feel it has a brash taste like their English breakfast tea but without the caffeine as I previously noted. Cost wise, Wegmans sells a 20 bag box of the tea for $2.99. You can get the tea for the same price on Twining's U.S. website store but, you'll have to pay shipping.

Overall, I was very pleased with this tea. Thanks for to it not having any caffeine, it's one I can drink in the afternoon without having to worry about it keeping me up. The potential health benefits (see the Wikipedia article) are an added plus. If you like herbal teas, this tea is worth trying out. It's a very good one. Happy drinking all!

Laurel Sam's Club Wi-Fi Review

 I don't know if all Sam's Clubs offer free Wi-Fi. I checked their website and, they don't say anything about the service. I do know that their club in Laurel, Maryland offers free Wi-Fi. This past Wednesday, I finally got to test it out using my Nook e-reader. ATT provides their Wi-Fi connectivity. You click on the ATT signal and, it gets you an Internet Protocol (IP) address. Then, you have to call up a webpage that shows the address of the Sam's Club and, you have to check that you agree to their terms for using their free Wi-Fi. Once you do that, it connects you.

I found the signal at this Sam's Club to be excellent. I had no problems surfing the web or posting on my Facebook page. I consider this service a big plus over Costco which definitely doesn't offer free Wi-Fi at their stores. I plan to visit other Sam's Clubs in Maryland to see if they offer free Wi-Fi as well. Stay tuned for more updates on that.

Arundel Mills Mall Wi-Fi Review

After spending a nice 3 hours in Baltimore's Inner Harbor, I decided to ride my TMAX to the Arundel Mills Mall in Hanover, Maryland. I wanted to put some more tokens on my Dave & Buster's power card only to find out once I got there, I'd forgotten the thing. :-( My 2nd objective there was to test the mall's FREE Wi-Fi. I found out from the mall's website www.simon.com/mall/arundel-mills that it offers free Wi-Fi though they warn you that you'll have to agree to their terms and conditions (standard for free Wi-Fi). As I didn't have a problem with their terms and conditions, I gamely tried to connect at the Arundel Mills Mall. On the list of Wi-Fi signals, you click on Simon WiFi. I did that, my Nook e-reader tried to find me an IP address and, I promptly started getting Wi-Fi errors. Uh oh! Shades of the Starbucks at the Trump Boardwalk Hotel. I decided to move around the mall to see if that would help and, it helped in that the log-in page came up. It asked for my first and last names and either an email address or cell phone number. It claimed this information was mandatory in order to hook up. The company that runs the mall would use your email address to send you emails telling you of specials at the mall as well as new stores. If you supplied your cell phone number, they'd text about such things. I filled in the information and tried to connect and repeatedly got errors where I had to go back and try sending the information AGAIN. After the 3rd try, I noticed a little further down was a box you could check that would get you out of the emails or text messages. I checked the box as I wasn't feeling generous with the mall after all the problems I was having connecting to their Wi-Fi.

Eventually, I did get the service to work though I suspect I spent at least 15 minutes or more repeatedly trying to connect. During the whole process, I would receive at least 2 more Wi-Fi errors. Once I did connect, the connection was sufficiently fast. I will give the mall at little slack as I wonder if part of the problem was a number of people using their free Wi-Fi. The mall was packed today I suspect because it being Martin Luther King Day. I'll have to test the mall's Wi-Fi another day when there aren't such large crowds.

For now, I can't rave about this mall's free Wi-Fi. I had a real job trying to get it to work. If you wanted an easier free Wi-Fi connection, the Arundel Mills Boulevard McDonald's I reviewed was close by. It was definitely easier to use than the mall's Wi-Fi. Still, you can put this mall on your list of places that do offer legitimate free Wi-Fi. Happy surfing all!

Update February 17, 2014: I tried connecting to the Arundel Mills Mall free Wi-Fi and, I had problems again.  I definitely wouldn't recommend their Wi-Fi. Also, while I was at the mall, I tried the free Wi-Fi at their Books-a-Million store. Their Wi-Fi worked great. However, Books-a-Million has apparently instituted a policy where if you don't belong to their Millionaire's Club, you have to pay a small fee to use their Wi-Fi. Club members get to use their Wi-Fi for free. As I'm a member, this isn't a problem for me but, it could be for others.

Inner Harbor Barnes & Noble Wi-Fi Review

After I had a nice lunch at the Baltimore Hard Rock Cafe, I walked next door to the Barnes & Noble located at 601 East Pratt Street in the Inner Harbor. The store is located in a former power station. The store has retained some of the huge piping and wooden floors from the former power station giving the store a nice character. In terms of Wi-Fi, once you press to connect to B&N under the Wi-Fi signals, a disclaimer may pop up. I don't remember if one did. I do remember I had fewer hassles hooking up to their Wi-Fi then I had when I tried to connect to the Wi-Fi at the Starbucks I tested in Columbia, Maryland. If you have a Nook e-reader like I do, the store will offer you free reading for up to 1 hour of a number of e-books. I didn't try it out so, I don't know how well it works or how vast the selection is. The store offers drinks for sale which can be nice while your surfing the web.

Overall, I was very pleased with this store. It was easy to connect to their Wi-Fi and, I had no serious hassles (see my review about Arundel Mills Mall). This is definitely an easy place to hook up to the web if you're in Baltimore's Inner Harbor. Happy surfing all!

Inca Kola Review

On a train trip from Ollantaytambo, Peru to Aguas Calientes, Peru to see the lost Inca city of Machu Picchu, I got to try Inca Kola for the first time. My tour director Mauricio told me it's the national soft drink of Peru. I found it different. To those of us in the United States (U.S.), Inca Kola is VERY different from what we're used to cola drink wise. All colas in the U.S. are black in color. Inca Kola is bright yellow. Also, Inca Kola has a some what sweet taste and, folks in the U.S. would say it tastes like bubble gum or club soda. To me, it tastes like bubble gum.

After my Peru tour ended and, I returned to the U.S., I stumbled upon Inca Kola at a Shopper's Food Warehouse (SFW) supermarket. As I'd an awesome time in Peru, I decided to get a bottle of the soft drink. I found I still like the stuff. Price wise, Wegmans sells a 2 liter bottle of it for $1.79 while SFW sells the 2 liter bottle for $1.89. However, SFW offers a greater range of the product. They have it in glass bottles, cans, plastic bottles and the diet version. Wegmans only offers it in the 20 ounce and 2 liter plastic bottles in the regular flavor i.e. no diet version. Inca Kola isn't found in the normal soda section of either store. You'll find it in the International Foods sections of each chain.

In preparation for this post, I did a little further research into the soda and, I discovered some interesting facts about the soda. The reason it is so popular in Peru is because it originated there and, the company based a lot of its appeal on Peruvian nationalism. Inca Kola is interesting in another way in that they are one example where the local brand beat out the International brand. Coca Cola tried to beat Inca Kola in Peru and lost due to better marketing on the part of Inca Kola Corporation and its parent company Jose R. Lindley Corporation (source: http://marketing.blogs.ie.edu/archives/2008/09/inca_kola_the_s.php). Sadly, Inca Kola decided to sell out to Coca Cola in 1997 for $300 million dollars though they got to keep the rights to the product in Peru as well as take over the distribution of all Coca Cola products there. Coca Cola in turn promised to promote the soda throughout the world and apparently has done so some what as it is available in the U.S. One last note though on the downside is that the U.S. version of Inca Kola may have more caffeine that its Peruvian version. According to a poster on the source webpage, the U.S. version may have 2 or 3 times the amount of caffeine than Coke (shades of Mountain Dew Batman). I wonder if Coca Cola decided to try to have the product compete with Mountain Dew in that way as they are close in color.

Overall, I like Inca Kola though others may not. I'm not crazy about the high level of caffeine in it but, I do like the taste and, it reminds me a lot of Peru when I enjoy a glass of the soda. Also, it isn't that much more expensive and than other name brands in the U.S. If you haven't tried Inca Kola and, you think you might like a soda that tastes like bubble gum, you might want to give it a try if you can find it. Happy drinking all!

Pacific Gas & Electric Bill Scam Alert

I thought I'd let everyone know that someone possibly in India is using the Indian company Anka International's email address (ankamachines.com) to send out bogus Pacific Gas & Electric bills. I received an email today informing me I owed the company over $500! There's a couple problems with that. First, Pacific Gas & Electric is based in California and, I live in Maryland. Second, I don't own a home or rent an apartment or house at this time. In fact, at this time, I don't have to pay any utility bills at all so, this is obviously a scam. Please be watchful of this apparent scam.

Arundel Mills Boulevard McDonald's Wi-Fi Review

As my readers know, I was a bit irked when I found out the Wi-Fi at the Benson Drive McDonald's in Columbia, Maryland was down. I really wanted to try McDonald's free Wi-Fi and see if it's any good. So, today, I made a visit to the McDonald's at 7053 Arundel Mills Boulevard in Hanover, Maryland just to try out their Wi-Fi.

I didn't see any markings on the building saying anything about Wi-Fi at this McDonald's. Maybe, they assume people will know about it. After I placed my order at the counter, I found a seat and turned on my Nook e-reader. I found this McDonald's uses AT&T Corp (ATT) for its Wi-Fi service (just like Starbucks). I  don't know if that's true throughout the entire United States. The ATT Wi-Fi signal came in strong and, I had no problems getting an Internet Protocol (IP) address. When I clicked on a browser window, McDonald's page came up where I had to agree to their conditions as far using their Wi-Fi service. Once passed that, I was free to check my emails and surf the web.

I found the connection speed plenty fast though I can't post any numbers as far as bytes per second. I didn't do any extensive testing but, McDonald's free Wi-Fi should be fast enough for those doing normal surfing and checking of emails.

Overall, I was very pleased with McDonald's free Wi-Fi. I would definitely recommend it. Plus, according to their website, it is available in over 11,000 McDonald's restaurants. I'll definitely be putting McDonald's on my list of places to try when I want to use Wi-Fi to surf the web. Happy web surfing all!

Extended Stay Hotel Jessup Maryland Wi-Fi Review

One of the things Extended Stay America brags about is its FREE Wi-Fi. It is a noteworthy service considering what I've seen some places can charge to hook up to the Internet. I remember one Hyatt hotel in New York City I stayed at years ago that charged 50 cents a minute to hook up to the Internet.

At the Extended Stay hotels, they do have FREE Wi-Fi though they also offer a Wi-Fi service you have to pay for. What's the difference? Connection speed. The FREE Wi-Fi is what they call Wi-Fi Lite. Speed wise, it averages about 85 kilobytes per second (source: speed observed by me when I downloaded some map updates for my Global Positioning System (GPS) device). Their pay Wi-Fi service which I think they call high speed Wi-Fi costs up to $20 a month. The price depends on how long you want the service. I think they offer it for an hour, a day and a month (I use the month option). Connection speed wise, it does live up to its claim that it's 2 and 1/2 faster than their Wi-Fi Lite. I observed connection speeds of 235 kilobytes per second with it sometimes being faster than that.

Signal wise, they offer a very good signal which is pretty strong. To my surprise, I've even been able to pick up the signal in the hotel parking lot with my Nook e-reader. To those who might be tempted to try to get some FREE Wi-Fi this way, you have to have a password given to you when you check into your room at the reception desk in order to connect.

Another item of note. Each device you use to connect will be given it's own Internet Protocol (IP) address. You can use multiple devices to hook up to the Wi-Fi in your room HOWEVER, you will have to use the password the first time to log in on Each device. If you pay for the faster Wi-Fi, that will be good only for the device you pay for it on. It doesn't switch over to other devices you may use as I've found out from personal experience. If you want the faster service for a 2nd or 3rd device, you'll have to pay the charges for EACH device.

The faster service can be helpful if you're going to download some big files like GPS map updates or Windows operating system updates.

Overall, I've found the free Wi-Fi at Extended Stay America hotels (I've stayed at 2) to be a very nice service. It isn't free as you have to stay at the properties to be able to use it BUT, it can save you money or hassle (you don't have to go in search of a free Wi-Fi hotspot). I've been very pleased with it. Happy Internet surfing all!

Snowden River Starbuck Wi-Fi Review

The second place I decided to check Wi-Fi wise today was the Snowden River Starbucks located at 7090 Deepage Drive in Columbia, Maryland.

The Starbucks there is your standard Starbucks. It offers good parking, the standard Starbucks menu and FREE Wi-Fi (it isn't always free as I found out when I used it in Nassau, Bahamas, see my review on that). The Wi-Fi is provided by ATT. When you click on it, it says there is a log-in which threw me initially. However, I persevered and found out there isn't any password you need. You click on a button that takes you to an ad provided by the sponsor of the Wi-Fi which you can skip if you wish. Once you're past the ad, you're in. The Wi-Fi has good connectivity though I can't tell you what the connection speed is there. I didn't try to access any video to if it could handle that. I posted on my Facebook page and checked emails on my Nook e-reader and, it worked fine.

The only thing I could knock about the place was I wasn't wiped out by their peppermint hot chocolate venti I bought. I don't know what milk they used if they used any but, it wasn't very good though it did have a noticeable mint flavor to it. Still, this has nothing to do with the Wi-Fi which was the most important thing to me. Other people like me used it to surf the web and as far as I could see, they weren't having any problems either. This Starbucks did seem to be pretty popular as they were doing a good bit of business today. Happy web surfing all!

Benson Drive Columbia Maryland McDonald's Wi-Fi Review

Note to all: I specified Benson Drive in the title because there are 4 McDonald's Restaurants in Columbia, Maryland.

According to the McDonald's website, there are over 11,000 McDonald's restaurants that offer FREE WiFi. I had to pick the one who's WiFi was down. I'd never tested the WiFi at a McDonald's and, I wanted to see if there were any problems with it. The Wi-Fi at the 8305 Benson Drive McDonald's in Columbia, Maryland definitely has problems at the time of this post. The restaurant was reportedly recently remodeled. As far as I could tell, this was true and, they did a very nice job of it. However, according to the person who took my order there, while doing the remodeling, they cut 3 of the wires that helped run the WiFi at the restaurant knocking it out. I tested it with my Nook e-reader and found that I could pick up a very strong signal however, I got repeated WiFi errors if I tried to get an Internet Protocol (IP) address. So, for now, there isn't any WiFi at this restaurant. I plan to check back at the place in about a month or so and see if they get it fixed. Stay tuned for an update.

Update June 1st, 2014: My apologies to my readers for taking so long to get back to this McDonald's to test its WiFi. I finally made it there today. I found out the WiFi is working there though it seems to have some kind of problem. I kept getting WiFi errors saying no Internet connection even though I had an Internet connection that worked i.e. could post stuff on Facebook, check emails, etc. Go figure. So, you may get WiFi errors but, you will be able to connect to the Internet here. Happy Internet surfing all!

Wegmans Thousand Island Salad Dressing Review

I like thousand island salad dressing and when I saw the Wegmans brand thousand island salad dressing, I decided to give it a try. I know Wegmans makes good stuff. I found that their thousand island salad dressing lived up to their name. It has a good thousand island flavor and wasn't very expensive. A 1 pint (16 ounce) bottle sells for $1.99. Diet wise, the dressing is gluten free, lactose free and trans fat free. It does have a bit of fat in it. A 2 tablespoon serving will provide you with 17% (11 grams) of your daily allowance for fat (based on 2,000 calorie diet). Also, it has a bit of salt as the same serving has 260 milligrams of sodium (11% daily allowance). Calorie wise, 2 tablespoons of the dressing has 130 calories with 100 fat calories. (Source for nutrition information: one of the bottles of the dressing I bought).

Overall, I thought it was fine salad dressing. I don't know how it stacks up price wise compared to bigger name brand dressings like Wish Bone or Kraft. I plan to check that out some time and will post an update on it here. Happy dining all!

Calbee Shrimp Chips Review

While stationed in England, I discovered prawn (shrimp to those in the Unites States) flavored crisps (potato chips to those in the United States). I thought they were pretty cool. I munched many a bag of prawn flavored crisps. While searching through the snacks sections on Wegmans webpage, I discovered they offered Calbee Shrimp Chips. They reminded me of England and, I decided to try them.

The chips are different from prawn flavored crisps in that they have ground up shrimp in them. For those who are allergic to shellfish, you'll want to avoid these. The crisps have a shrimp flavor to them. As they're baked not fried, they're not as fattening as crisps (potato chips). The chips have no cholesterol or trans fats. A 1 ounce serving has 5 grams of total fat and 130 calories. Price wise, Wegmans sells a 4 ounce bag for $1.99. The only down side to see to this tasty snack is they use Monosodium Glutamate (MSG) in them. I don't like MSG and, I think they put it in too many processed foods.

Overall, I liked Calbee's Shrimp Chips. They remind me of England even though they're made in California. Strangely, Wegmans stocks them in the International Food section. I don't know why. I'd definitely recommend them if you like shrimp. Happy snacking all!

E- book Review of Cruise Ships Ports and Tips - An Under and Over View by Steve Duell

Beginning in August of 1992, Steve Duell began working on various cruise ships as a singer and guitar instrumentalist. After many years, he wrote an e-book titled Cruise Ships Ports and Tips - An Under and Over View. This is a review of that e-book.

Judging from the title of Duell's e-book, you would assume it's about various ports and tips to travelers cruising to them. While Duell does give information on some of the 30 ports he traveled to while working on cruise ships, in my opinion, the book isn't so much a book about those ports as it's a glimpse into what it's like to work on a cruise ship. This is what really interested me about the 93 page e-book. As my readers know, I did an All Access tour on Royal Caribbean's Splendour of the Seas. I found the tour really interesting because you get to see what goes on behind the scenes. In Duell's e-book, you get to read about what it's like from someone who actually worked on at least 10 different cruise ships. It isn't all wine and roses. There are long hours and long separations from family. Another thing that is trying for those who work on the cruise ships is they work for set time contracts - 6 month minimum up to a year (I believe). After that, you out-process from the ship, go home and wait to see if they offer you another contract. This part of working on the ships would really dissuade me from working on them. For Duell, I suspect it wasn't a problem because he's used to working from gig to gig. For him, it would be a plus in a way in that he would have 6 months of guaranteed gigs plus room, board and the chance to travel thrown in.

The only negative I have about Duell's e-book was I felt it needed more editing. I found misspelled words and missing words in other sentences. These imperfections however are minor compared to the interesting information he shares. Also, Duell's e-book isn't expensive. Barnes & Noble sells it for $2.99 and, it doesn't take that long to download it.

Overall, I thought it an interesting and affordable short read. If you want more information on Duell, his website is: www.onebusyguy.com Happy reading all!

Owings Mills Mall Review

Yesterday, I visited the Owings Mills Mall for the first time. From the outside, it looks like a nice mall. However, when I walked in, I got a serious shock. Owings Mills Mall is a mall that is dying. I walked around and saw a number of empty shops in the mall. It reminded of Laurel Mall which slowly died before they finally tore it down. I don't know why this mall is doing so poorly. It looks like it's in good shape. It has plenty of parking. Yet, it clearly isn't drawing the business it needs. Unless it has a store you need something from and it's close to where you live, I'd pass on this one.

Pilot G2 Gel Pen Review

A.C. Nielsen claims that Pilot's G2 gel pen is the #1 best selling gel pen in America. I don't know if that's true or not. I do know Pilot makes a good gel pen that comes in a very nice array of colors. Before I get started on my review, I have to clarify just which G2 pen I'm reviewing. There are 6 different categories of G2 pens. They are:

- Breast Cancer Awareness pen
- G6 which is a bigger G2 pen
- G2 Pro
- G2 Limited
- G2 mini
- regular G2 pen

The Breast Cancer Awareness Pen, it comes in Black and Pink ink in fine point though you can only buy the black ink pen from their United States website: www.pilotpen.us. I don't know if various stores sell the pink ink pen. This pen as far as I know is the same G2 pen with the only difference being it has the pink ribbon emblem on them symbolizing breast cancer and every purchase of these pens causes a contribution to be made to the National Breast Cancer Foundation. A set of 2 will cost $4.41 on Pilot's U.S. website.

The G6 is a larger version of the G2 and comes in blue, black and red ink (not nearly the great range of colors the standard G2 has) in fine point only. It comes singly ($2.88), 2 pack ($5.69) and 12 pack ($32.40). Note: Prices quoted are from the Pilot's U.S. website.

The G2 Pro is a more stylish sleek pen which comes in 3 different barrel colors (red, black and blue) with black ink and a fine point. It comes in single packs and sells for $5.15.

The G2 Limited is a high end G2 pen which comes in a metallic finish in fine point with black ink. It sells in single packs for $15.

The G2 Mini is the smaller version of the G2. It comes in fine point with blue, black, red and green inks. The 3 pack sells for $4.50 (no green pen). The 4 pack sells for $6 (all 4 colors or just black). The 12 pack sells for $17.76 (just black or blue).

The regular G2 pen comes with 4 different points: ultra fine, extra fine, fine and bold. For ultra fine, extra fine and bold, you have a choice of just 4 colors: black, blue, red and green. For the fine point, there are an incredible 15 colors. They are:

- Black
- Blue
- Red
- Green
- Purple
- Pink
- Turquoise
- Navy
- Burgundy
- Hunter Green
- Orange
- Teal
- Periwinkle
- Lime Green
- Caramel

One thing I found that confounds me a bit is Pilot's G2 20 pen fine point set. The G2 20 pen set contains ALL 15 colors as well as 4 additional black pens and 1 additional blue pen. The Pilot website doesn't offer this pen set for sale and yet, you can buy it at Sam's Club for $16.24 and higher on Amazon and Ebay. I don't understand why that's the case. If you want to get all 15 colors on Pilot's Internet store, you'll have to buy the 12 pen assorted box ($25.68 - doesn't include shipping) AND the 4 pen set that contains Teal, Periwinkle, Lime Green and Caramel ($8.61 - doesn't include shipping). Shoppers would do better to buy the 20 pen set at Sam's Club or on-line at Amazon or Ebay.

Another plus about the 20 pen set is it comes in a decent case that you can store the pens in. This keeps them from getting beat up.

Another issue I have with Pilot and their G2 pen is their claim that it's refillable. This is only partially true in the United States (U.S.). If you need a refill for a black, blue, red, green or purple pen, you're in luck. If you want any of the other colors except Hunter Green (they apparently don't offer that color any more in the United Kingdom), you'll have to order the refill from a British website. I found 2 that offer 14 of the color refills for L1.15 without Value Added Tax (VAT) and L1.38 with VAT. I don't know what they charge for shipping to the U.S. though both state they ship there. The 2 British websites where you can buy the refills are:

- www.tigerpens.co.uk

- www.cultpens.com

Writing wise, I found the regular G2 pen to write fine. It glides across paper smoothly enough. I don't know if Pilot's claim that it lasts twice as long as other gel pens is true. The ink cartridges do seem to have the normal amount of ink in them.

Overall, I like Pilot's G2 pens. I particularly like the regular fine point pen because of the array of colors it comes it. I think that's a big plus compared to other gel pens. If it weren't for that option, I don't think the pen is any better than other gel pens on the U.S. market. Happy writing all!

Update January 3, 2016: I've tried 3 different nib/point sizes with these pens so far. I didn't realize they had an ultra fine point (yes, I know I mentioned it in this blog entry but, it's been a while since I wrote it). I plan to buy an ultra fine point G2 pen to see how well it writes. Of the broad (1mm), fine (.7mm) and very fine (.5mm) point sizes, I've found the broad and fine points write very smoothly. Conversely, it feels like the very fine point scratches the paper when I write with it. Because of that, I don't like writing with it as much as I like writing with the other 2 point sizes. The broad point lives up to its name in that it does have a broad line. One last bit of information for this post: I had to buy a 4 pack of the broad point pens at the Laurel, Maryland Staples to try one of them out. The 4 pack cost me $7.99 (just to give you a current price on the pens). Stay tuned for another update once I get an ultra fine point pen and see how well it writes.

Update April 30, 2016: I've tried the G2 ultra fine point nib i.e. .38mm and, I feel it scratches the paper too like the .5mm does. On a different subject, I've found out Pilot produces G2 fine point pens in metallic colors - silver, gold, blue, green, purple and pink. The set also came with a black pen and a white ink pen. I don't think I've seen these in many stores. I had to buy my set through Ebay. Also, they sell outside the United States a set of pastel colored G2 pens - green, yellow, pink, purple and blue. This set came from an Ebay seller in Greece. I've never seen these pens in the United States. I continue to be pleased with these pens though I like Pilot's erasable Frixion pens too (see my recent review on those).

Update May 18, 2016: From now until June 5, 2016, Sam's Club has a special on G2 pens for Advantage Plus members. You can buy up to 3 fourteen pen packs of either black or blue fine point pens for $11.43 vice the normal price of $14.43. Also, you can buy up to 3 twenty pen packs of assorted colors (has all 15 colors in it, I checked!) for $13.98 vice the normal price of $16.98. I think this is a particularly good deal compared to the black or blue pen packs. You're talking getting 6 more pens for just $2 more. One slight downside with the 20 pens packs is they have the nice carrying case they used to have. I really like the carrying case and, I think it's a bummer they don't have it anymore at Sam's Club.

Jules Destrooper Butter Biscuits Review

While shopping recently at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, I stumbled upon some Jules Destrooper Butter Biscuits. The biscuits come in a neat retro looking tin so, I decided to buy some and see how good they are.

The biscuits are made in Lo, Belgium by the Biscuiterie Jules Destrooper N.V. which was founded in 1886. According to the tin, they've won gold medals at expositions in Paris (1911) and Ghent (1922). For those of us who in the United States, we wouldn't consider the biscuits to be biscuits. They look more like waffle wafers to us. They're thin and have a criss cross design on them. The biscuits are different from what Americans are use to but, they're still pretty good. The neat tin they come in makes them even cooler in my opinion. However, the tin and the fact they're imported from Belgium make them more expensive. A 240 gram (approximately 8 and 1/2 ounces) tin sells for $11.99 at Wegmans.

If you can't make it to a Wegmans, you can buy the biscuits on-line at the following website: http://julesdestrooper.elsstore.com/. They're called butter crisps at the website and sell for $5.79 for a 6.1 ounce box (this price doesn't include shipping). However, you can't get the biscuits/crisps in the tin from the website. Happy munching all!

Shorai LFX Battery Review

As I previously reported, I've had problems with my Yamaha TMAX battery dying on me in cold weather or when I accidentally ran it down. Because of this, I decided to get a better battery for my bike. The battery Heyser Cycle recommended to me was the Shorai LFX battery. The battery is supposedly a lot tougher and wouldn't have any problems starting my bike in the winter. It would be over 6 months before I'd get to find out how true that was.

We had a really bad patch of cold weather here in Maryland where I wasn't able to ride my TMAX for 2 weeks. I hadn't forgotten my previous battery problems and so was concerned when I was finally able to ride my bike again. Initially, it looked like my fancy new battery was going to fail. The electronics flickered on my bike and, I thought "oh shit!" Then, the bike kicked over. The new battery had proved itself worth the money. I'm certain that if I'd had the old battery in the bike, I would've had to re-charge it. If you're going to ride your TMAX in the winter, you might want to think about getting a Shorai LFX battery for it. It sure beats the hassle of having to re-charge a dead battery. Happy riding all!

Calbee Snapea Crisps Review

While doing my weekly shopping at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, I came across Calbee's Snapea Crisps in the condiment aisle. They sounded different so, I decided to try the 3 varieties as well as their Lentil Snaps which are just like the Snapea Crisps.

What are Snapea Crisps? They're baked green pea pods (or lentil pods in the case of the lentil snaps).  Apparently baking the pods can make them nice and crunchy and Calbee adds 4 different flavorings (salted, ceasar, black pepper and tomato basil for the lentil snaps) to give them some kind of taste. The flavorings aren't overbearing and don't contain any monosodium glutamate (big plus in my book). The crisps/snaps offer a big plus over regular potato chips in that they have less fat, more fiber and less sodium than regular potato chips. They're an easy way to get your veggies (no cooking involved) which everyone needs.

Price wise, the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans sells the 4 different kinds for $1.99 for each 3.3 ounce bag (3 ounces for the lentil snaps). Compared to potato chips, this does make them a little pricey though any veggie snack as far I know isn't going to be cheap barring potato chips.

Taste wise, I found they taste fine. They advertise the tomato basil as Zesty. I found it tame.

Overall, I think they're a nice natural snack that is better for you than potato chips or corn chips. Also, I like that they are a very easy way for me to get my veggies. Do remember if you're interested in these crisps that you'll find them in the condiment section vice the snack section. I think they do that because they are veggies. Wegmans puts pickles, olives, peppers and pickled okra in the condiment section too. Bon appetit all!

January 5, 2014 Update: From January 2, 2014 to January 26, 2014 Costco is offering 20 ounce resealable bags of Calbee's Lightly Salted Snapea Crisps for $5.39 (after they take off $1.50 for the promotion). This is a great deal if you like these crisps. You're talking paying about getting the same product for less than half the cost - 60 cents an ounce at Wegmans vice 27 cents (rounded up) an ounce at Costco. The only down side I see to this deal is you can only get it in the lightly salted flavor. For those who like these crisps, this is a deal they should take advantage of while it lasts.

Another Generic Propecia Enters the U.S. Market

This past September, Camber Pharmaceuticals, Incorporated based out of Piscataway, New Jersey announced it would begin selling generic Propecia in the U.S. market. The company will be offering the drug in the 1 milligram pill in 30 count and 90 count containers. (Source: http://camberpharma.com/news/camber_PR_New%20Products%20copy.pdf) This breaks the exclusivity that Dr. Reddy's Laboratories Limited had at the beginning of the year when they entered the U.S. market in what I believe was the first offering of generic Propecia.

I found out about this when I bought my latest Propecia refill and found out it was made by Camber Pharmaceuticals. Also, I found out that the new generic is apparently cheaper than that for sale by Dr. Reddy's Laboratories. Sam's Club is offering the new generic in 90 count form for $72.53 (that's the price I paid at their Laurel, Maryland store on December 6, 2013) which is over $30 less than the generic (which was probably Dr. Reddy's) back in September (see my September 4, 2013 post). Please note that to get this price at Sam's Club, you must have an Advantage Plus membership.

The cost difference between the generic Propecia and name brand Propecia is now such that you can buy a 9 month supply of the generic for the same price approximately as you can for a 3 month supply of the name brand. This is a HUGE savings. Personally, I hope the generics continue to bring the price down on this once expensive drug.

Update March 9th, 2014: The price on this generic is holding steady. Last week, I bought a 3 month refill at Sam's Club for $72.50. Do remember you must have an Advantage Plus level membership to get this price.

Update June 6th, 2014: The price on this generic has apparently gone down a little. I bought my latest 3 month refill yesterday and, it cost me $64.43.

EZ Pass Review

As I mentioned in my review on the Starbucks at Trump Plaza Boardwalk, this past Sunday, I drove up to Philadelphia and Atlantic City. The trip brought back memories when my travel friend Harvey and I drove to Atlantic City and stay at least 1 night at the Trump Taj Mahal. The drive ended being an adventure as neither of us were prepared for all the toll roads we hit going to and coming back from Atlantic City. Repeatedly, we had to stop at toll booths and dig out change or small bills to pay the various tolls. Later, when I drove to a hotel I stayed at not far from Dulles International Airport, I got caught by surprise again and remember counting nickels to pay the tolls on my way to the hotel. Those trips (to and back) got me interested in the EZ Pass program.

The program is simple enough. You buy a transponder from 1 of the participating state agencies (prices vary depending on the transponder), pay in advance enough money to pay for 1 month of tolls and set up an account to where you can recharge your account ensuring you always have money in it to pay for the various tolls.

The toll booths in the participating states will have lanes where you can pay with your EZ Pass. You drive into the lane, an antenna picks up your transponder and your account is charged. Most of the time, you can drive right through the lanes without having to stop saving lots of time. On my recent trip, I would've had to stop 9 times to pay over $28 in tolls. The EZ pass was priceless in this way. One downside to the EZ Pass is you will be charged a $1.50 a month service fee if you don't use the pass for that month. Still, if you're going to be driving on toll roads on the following states, it is really worth getting an EZ Pass.

The following states participate in the EZ Pass program:

Delaware
Illinois
Indiana
Maine
Maryland
Massachusetts
New Hampshire
New Jersey
New York
New York City
North Carolina
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
Virginia
West Virginia

For information on each of these state's particular EZ Pass program, go to the following webpage and click on the appropriate state: https://www.ezpassmd.com/en/about/facilities.shtml

Overall, if you're going to be driving on the various toll roads in the previously mentioned states, EZ pass can save you lots of hassle and time. I was really glad I had mine on my trip north. I'd definitely recommend the program to those who have to drive on the mentioned toll roads. Safe travels all!

Starbucks Trump Plaza Boardwalk Wi-Fi Review

Yesterday, I drove to Philadelphia and Atlantic City so, I could visit the Hard Rock Cafe's there. I wanted to get them added to my Hard Rock travel map and get closer to earning my first reward for visiting so many different cafe's. You get the first one when you visit 10 different cafe's.

While in both cities, I visited Starbucks so I could use their free Wi-Fi to post updates on my travels on Facebook. For me, the biggest reason I visit Starbucks is because of the free Wi-Fi. I have to use Wi-Fi to access the Internet when I use my Nook e-reader. Accessing the Internet this way is way easier than carrying my laptop around. I use a Sprint USB modem I own to access the Internet on my laptop.

I thought all Starbucks shops offered free Wi-Fi barring the small ones in airports as I found out in the Miami airport. To my surprise, the one in Trump Taj Mahal doesn't have Wi-Fi (according to the lady who was working behind the counter). So, I went in search of another Starbucks. I figured there had to be another one some where in Atlantic City.

To my delight, I found another Starbucks at the Trump Plaza Boardwalk. They confirmed they have free Wi-Fi. I tried connecting and, it requested a password. They told me the password is starbucks (makes sense). I entered the password and, my nook e-reader waited and waited and waited and waited for an IP address that never came. I asked the folks there what might be the problem. First, they said try turning the Wi-Fi off and on. It didn't help. Then, they suggested I completely shutdown my e-reader and bring it up. That caused me to get constant Wi-Fi errors stating that the network was overloaded and, I couldn't connect. The people at the Starbucks assured me their Wi-Fi worked but, I was never able to connect there. Later, a saleslady at the Under Armour Outlet store said she'd had the same problem. As luck would have it, there is a Starbucks at 120 North Michigan Ave which is less than a block from the Under Armour store. I tried to connect to their Wi-Fi and, my e-reader connected immediately. Also, I didn't have any problems connecting to the Starbucks Wi-Fi at the Philadelphia shop on 12th and Maple (I believe that's the address) I visited. Because I didn't have any problems elsewhere and the lady at Under Armour experienced the same problem, I have to believe there is some kind of problem with the Wi-Fi at the Trump Plaza Boardwalk. I definitely wouldn't recommend the place because of this.

Note: there are Starbucks located at the Showboat, Caesar's, Golden Nugget, The Borgata, Tropicana Casino and Resort and Tropicana Marketplace which MAY offer Wi-Fi. As I didn't know about these other locations, I didn't visit them to try them and see if they offer or how well the Wi-Fi works at these places.

Haddon House Smoked Mussels Review

I like mussels and so when I saw Haddon House Smoked Mussels for sale at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, I decided to try them.

According to the box which holds the 3 ounce tin of smoked mussels, the mussels are farm raised in China. They are packed in a tin, covered with sunflower oil with some salt added. Each 3 ounce tin holds approximately 2/3 of a cup of mussels. Calorie wise, a 1/3 cup serving of the mussels has 95 calories with 45 of those coming from fat. The mussels do have some saturated fat but no trans fat. Also, they have 50 milligrams of cholesterol. Interestingly, a single serving of the mussels can supply a person with 40% of their daily requirement for iron (based on a 2,000 calorie diet). Price wise, a tin of the mussels will cost you $1.99 which isn't too exorbitant. Taste wise, the mussels were bland though I think that's typical of mussels. Shelf life wise, they seem to have a good shelf life. They box I bought said they were good till April 2014 which would give them at last a 5 month shelf life (I bought the ones I sampled last month).

Overall, I thought the mussels were ok. They didn't wow me though they are a convenient way to have them. You don't have to cook them. You can eat them right out of the can like I did. If you like mussels, you might want to give them a try. Bon Appetit all!

Atlantis Resort Tour Review

I thought it was time for another travel blog entry. As any of my readers know, I visited Nassau, Bahamas twice this past September. On my second visit, I did the Discover Atlantis tour. The tour cost $39 as I remember. Here is a picture of the resort:

As far as I know, the Atlantis resort is the most famous one in the Bahamas. It was built with an Atlantis theme and features the largest open water aquarium in the Caribbean. Here is a picture of some of the fishes in their tank:

The tour guide my group had was very good. She was funny and knowledgeable. I don't know about others in the group but, I was shocked when the guide told us how much the Michael Jackson suite was. The suite goes for $25,000 a night with a minimum 4 night stay. Supposedly, a butler is included. I still can't imagine a hotel suite being worth $25,000 a night. Also, there is supposedly a 6 month waiting list for the famous suite. I think those folks don't have better things to spend their money. The resort has some impressive artwork that artists created that was supposed to have been created by the Atlanteans. Here are 2 examples:

Overall, the resort was impressive though I don't have any desire to stay there. It's too expensive. Also, to me, the Bahamas are just another sun and sand Caribbean island. Plus, I didn't find some of the Bahamians very friendly. I found the people in Bermuda to be nicer. However, if you're going to visit Nassau, I would recommend you do the Discover Atlantis tour. I was very pleased with this tour and would highly recommend it.

Correction: the cost of the Discover Atlantis tour is $59 not $39. I got the price mixed up with the Hemingway walking tour I did in Key West.

Creative Snacks Company Green Bean Chips

While shopping at the Columbia, Maryland Wegmans, if I see something that catches my eye, I'm prone to seeing what it is and if I like it, I'll try it. Such was the case with Creative Snacks Company's Green Bean Chips. The chips are actually green beans that have been cooked in canola oil. They come in a 5.25 ounce plastic bowl container and sell for $5.99. As far as snacks go, the $5.99 price makes them a bit pricey. Plus, while I suspect the chips are a lot better for you than potato or corn chips, I doubt kids are going to be very enthusiastic about eating them.

Calorie wise, the chips come in at 130 calories for a 1 cup serving. Each bowl container holds 5 servings. A serving contains 3 grams of fat with no saturated or trans fats. They also contain 3 grams of fiber which is always a good thing.

The chips have a good shelf life. I bought the ones I sampled this month and according to the container, they'll stay good till mid April 2014 i.e. 5 months.

Overall, I think they're a decent and nutritious snack though pricey. They don't have any noticeable flavor to them. They're not something I would go rushing out to buy. I don't know how widely available this product is. Bon appetit all!

Maryland Veterans Cemetery Crownsville

A couple years ago, Richard A. Medema, a church friend died of inoperable liver cancer. I wasn't able to attend the funeral because I was traveling. I think I was doing an Alaska cruise on Radiance of the Seas. I kept meaning to visit the Maryland Veterans Cemetery in Crownsville where he is buried. I remember seeing one of the direction signs as I passed through Crownsville on my way to the Maryland Renaissance Festival.

Today, I finally drove out there to see his grave and to say a prayer for him. The cemetary itself is all right. It isn't as impressive as Arlington or the American Cemetery at St. Laurent by Omaha Beach. It has a small memorial chapel as well as neat rows of square tombstones inlaid in the ground.

Initially, I tried to find my friend's grave on my own but came to realize how big the cemetery is. Thankfully, they have a small office across from the memorial chapel where there's a database machine you can punch in the deceased's last name and find out where they're interred. The office also has maps of the order of the cemetery. These proved very helpful too.

I finally found his tombstone. I remembered him. Richard Medema was an extremely fine man. He had a wonderful family and was a great christian. He died when he was just 55 years old which seems to me to be too early. He should've had more years to live. His youngest child was just 7 I think and his oldest was in her first year of college.

The cancer was terrible in that you could see it slowly killing him. He gradually wasted away. It had to be hell for his wonderful mother who had to bury him. He was her favorite son. It has to be very hard for a parent to bury one of their children.

After saying a prayer for him and his family at his grave, I walked back to my car. Next week, I'll go back to church and, I'll hear them sing the church songs I used to sing with him and his family during church. They'll remind me of him. I know he's at peace and thankfully isn't suffering from the cancer that caused him so much pain. Still, I wish he was alive. He was a very fine person and a blessing to all who knew him.

Wegmans Pepper Jack Cheese

Once every 2 months, I receive coupons from Wegmans that get me either $3 off a $15 purchase or $5 off a $25 purchase. They'll also include coupons where you can get $1 off a $5 purchase in either the dairy, bulk section or frozen section. I decided to use the dairy coupon. I looked for something to try besides milk. I found Wegmans offers 12 ounce, 16 slice packages of Pepper Jack cheese. They use 2% milk in the cheese which presumably reduces the fat in it though it still has 25 fat calories per slice and 50 calories overall. They state the cheese is medium spicy though I found it to be low spicy in my opinion. The 12 ounce packages cost $2.99 at their Columbia, Maryland store.

Overall, I wasn't really impressed with their Pepper Jack cheese. The biggest advantage I found to it was it comes in individually wrapped slices which makes ideal for adding on sandwiches. Otherwise, I think there is better Pepper Jack cheese out there. I don't know how it stacks up price wise compared to other brands. I plan on buying a bulk kind of Pepper Jack I've bought before and see how it stacks up price wise. Stay tuned on this.