When up for more vacations in Phoenix AZ, you have the option to enjoy world-class resorts, have a thrilling time having outdoor adventures, play golf, shop, relax at spas and other possible activities. While experiencing these, you are set amidst the amazing backdrop of the Sonoran Desert. What else is there to ask for that more and more vacations in Phoenix AZ!

The outdoorsy type will long for more vacations in Phoenix AZ as the city provides so many activities. There are several guided tours to choose from, mostly though the Sonoran Desert. There are options for horse back riding and jeep/ hummer desert tours. You can explore the many rivers and lakes or just have a leisurely time at the city’s parks.

Those who want to learn more about history and culture won’t be disappointed as well. The city boasts of several museums and galleries. The city is a melting pot of cultural influences: Native American, African, Asian and Hispanic. These influences can be seen in the several art and performances shows that are regularly held in several venues in the city. Venues include: The Arizona Opera, the Arizona Theatre Company and the Valley Youth Theatre.

You won’t be missing sports either. Phoenix is one of thirteen cities to have teams in all the professional sports leagues. You are then assured that anytime you visit Phoenix, you will surely be able to catch a game or two. The city has state of the art sports facilities: US Airways Center, Chase Field, Dodge Theatre and more.

Accommodations in Phoenix AZ range from chic high-class hotels to cowboy accommodations in dude ranches. The hotels will spoil you with the softest pillows and the most finicky attention to detail, all to maximize your pleasure. In the dude ranches, you get to experience authentic Western living. These places offer experiences in horseback riding and ranching. Of course, there are different accommodations in between these two very diverse options. You will always have good choices that suit your budget.

Food selection at the city can also be a wonderful experience. There are several restaurants offering different cuisines. Some of these restaurants are led by renowned chef’s who have been featured in magazines and television shows. Other must-trys include the city’s signature Southwestern and Mexican dishes. These dishes are made with homegrown ingredients.

Shopping is also a great way to pass the time. Try the magnificent Scottsdale Fashion Square or the high-end Biltmore Fashion Park. Young shoppers can head to Mill Avenue for unique locally-made accessories, clothes and souvenirs. Art collectors can go to the galleries that line Main Street and Marshall Way in Scottsdale.

East of Cabarete, a famous tourist resort for kitesurfers, opens the Costa Verde. You enter via Gaspar Hernandez whose main street is constantly bubbling of life. The road continues through increasingly exuberant vegetation, remains of a thick forest untouched until the second half of the 19th century. Very soon small colored wooden cabins arise along the road, offering bags of local almonds.

A few kilometers away hides Playa Magante. A trail divides itself in two and leads to both ends of this beautiful grey sand beach. Few bungalows, right on the beach, welcome the tourist; you will sleep soothed by the murmur and eat fresh fish offered by the local restaurants.

Back on the main road, to Rio San Juan, the most famous town on the Costa Verde. Its Laguna Grigri is a must; boats slide in the mangrove to reach the sea or the cave of swallows and Playa Caleton.

Finally, comes Playa Grande, known as one of the most beautiful beaches in the country. A magnificent 18-hole golf course designed by Robert Trent Jones overlooks the beach and offers a stunning ocean view.

Before reaching Cabrera in the province of Maria Trinidad Sanchez, the road runs through Cabo Francés Viejo, a small national park of 1.5 km2. The white limestone cliff stands out in the background of Playa El Bretón.

Cabrera is a small city on the Atlantic coast, but also a province of 276 km2, offering numerous beautiful natural landscapes. Cabrera is located on a promontory of limestone terraces going down to the sea. In some places the land reaches the sea, while, in other, 400-meter cliffs overlook the ocean. The province of Cabrera offers a wealth of amazing sceneries and striking ocean views. Samana peninsula can even be seen from Cabrera on clear days.

There is a typical Dominican atmosphere in the little town. For a long time Cabrera was just a passage between the Amber Coast and the Samana Peninsula, and only a few foreigners were lucky enough to get a glimpse of its beauty and tranquility and built in their vacation or main residence in Cabrera.

The city is planted along a coastline carved by the centenary assault of waves. On stormy days, the landscape has something reminding of Britain or Ireland. Going either east or west you are not very far from beautiful beaches. Each one has its own style, between a hiden creek and a long stretch: Playa Bretón lying at the feet of limestone cliffs; Playa Caletón de Dario hidden behind a luxurious residence, Orchid Bay, where homes are caressed by the sea breeze; Playa Diamante, a small closed bay where the Ocean enters gently, bringing joy to the children with no fear of the deep sea; and Playa La Boca in the small fishing village of La Entrada. The latter, little known by tourist guides is a long stretch of fine sand. To access Playa La Boca take the royal alley lined with palms, alongside a river flowing into the sea. On their days off, Dominicans can enjoy either freshwater or saltwater, to the beat of tropical music. If the sea is generous, the inland is no less. On the outskirts of La Entrada, Laguna Doudou and the blue lake invite visitors in their green and blue, soft and fresh waters, a great way to escape the bite of the sun. Further up peaks and valleys succeed one another, as green as meadows in Normandy; from the heights you can enjoy the sea without growing tired. Nagua, where trade and agriculture dominate, is the exit door from the Costa Verde.

From Cabarete to Puerto Plata

East of Gaspar Hernandez begins Costa de Ambar (The Amber Coast), named from its large deposits of the fossil resin. Cabarete is a resort known worldwide for its strong winds (one of the top 10 world spots) for the enjoyment of kite windsurfers. It is also a pleasant place for swimmers with 3 miles of beach and a buoyant nightlife with its bars and restaurants right on the sand under the coconut trees. This is definitely an international spot! Further west lies the town of Sosúa, tourist mecca and melting pot. Dominicans and foreigners get to know each other in the district of El Batey (name formerly used only for the Haitian district), while other Dominicans stay in the Charamicos, the poorest district, however undeniably full of the joie de vivre of its inhabitants. The beautiful bay of Sosua, with its translucent green waters joins the two districts. Under the coconut and palm trees, small local shops display Haitian art, jewelry and local multicoloured pareos. You can also indulge yourself with a fresh fish and “tostones” (fried plantains) under the shade of a parasol, lying on a lounge chair.

Walking around in the district of El Batey you will discover the synagogue and the Jewish Museum. During the Second World War, the dictator Trujillo opened the doors of the country and offered to Jews in exodus to settle in what was then a village. The Jewish community established itself on this land and participated in the development of the town.

To get to Puerto Plata, the road runs through sugar cane fields. At the entrance of the city, the road is lined with the large hotel Playa Dorada lying along the long beach, which joins the “Malecón” (walk) in the city. There is a heavy traffic in the city: cars and motorcycles compete for the road, be careful and have eyes everywhere to avoid any accident.

The town is overlooked by the mountain Isabel de Torres, named by Christopher Columbus in 1492. You can climb by cable-car to admire – when the weather is clear – a magnificent panorama of the city and its bay, and a statue of Christ, more modest, though, than in Rio de Janeiro.

In the center one can still admire the ancient splendor of the city and its wooden Victorian houses, notably around “Parque Central” restored in spring 2008. You have to lose your way in the adjacent streets and get caught by the charm of this city rocked by the Atlantic Ocean; you have to sit down and start a discussion with a Dominican, they are always smiling and happy to share with you; you have to visit the museum of amber that tells the story of a marriage of the fauna and flora in the sap of the trees 30 million years ago; you have to enter the Fortress of San Felipe at the end of the “Malecón”, the oldest relic of the 16th century, which once defended the city against pirates’ attack, and housed prisoners at other times of his long history.

Puerto Plata to Monte Cristi

The exit of Puerto Plata towards the west is as lively as its entry; everything becomes more peaceful approaching the Bay of Cofresi named from the famous Puerto Rican pirate. Slightly aside from the beach, toward Imbert is a magical place, Damajagua falls. Go there light with your material well-packed in sealed bags to climb down natural water slides and plunge into the 27 waterfalls (”charcos”) of the river.

Further west you reach the Bay of Luperón offering boats a natura creek shielding them form the storms. It is a quiet place where lies a small fishing port. A few kilometers away, you arrive to what was the first city in the New World, La Isabela. The road is difficult but the landscape deserves the trip. On 10 December 1493, Christopher Columbus founded the small colony. Today, there are the ruins of the military section called “Castillo.” At short distance are Punta Rucia and its beautiful beach of la Enseñada. From here you can sail in a small boat to reach “Cayo Paraíso”, a small sandbar in the middle of the sea. You can swim surrounded by the fish.

The last guard before crossing the border with Haiti is Monte Cristi. The landscape gets drier, the vegetation tougher with a variety of cactus. It rains a little in this region. The city had its golden age with its natural port and its export of agricultural products, bananas and wood, to Europe. Today, poverty pervades the streets. The city does not lack of interest, however, with its salt marshes, the National Park El Morro, which encloses a spectacular rock dressed in a ochre ground, its Cayos Siete Hermanos (7 Brothers Keys) that beyond the corals used to offer a haven for pirates and bucaneers from another time.

For futher information about Dominican Republic, consult my website.

Along the Wasatch Front the bulk of Utahns live in a corridor almost completely cushioned from the twofold threat of declining house prices and mortgage delinquencies. Foreclosure filings are right down on last year in Utah, numbers light even in the Salt Lake basin where the population is most concentrated. There has been strong price appreciation in this area over the last year, although the rate has now slowed. The economy is strong, unemployment negligible, and the state’s share of loans in default very low; with limited use being made of sub prime lending. Maybe it’s just a matter of timing- Utah’s housing market hotted up later than the rest of the country, and not until 2004.

There are some signs that that Utah is not immune to the financial pressure that falling house prices will inevitably bring, a search through current listings of foreclosures finds a small number but high percentage share of expensive larger homes; 5 and 6 bedrooms, 5,000 to 7,000 sq.feet of luxury living on the eastern side of Salt lake city, listed below current market value at around $800,000. Foreclosure sales in the last quarter have averaged $180,000 versus a median home price for the state of $165,000, the reverse of what you might expect. For those thinking to include Utah foreclosures in their search for affordable housing, don’t be alarmed, there are several 3 to 5 bedroom bungalows on the west side, between 1,200 and 2,200 sq.feet, listed at $70,000 to $180,000 with some smaller units starting from $51,000. But note that there is little repo housing available from Government institutions.

Dramatic scenery, world famous winter resorts, popular summer sports, an enlightened and vibrant arts community with growing retirement attractions in the south, Utah continues to grow fast and jobs are aplenty. Just a little pioneering spirit and you too will prosper.

I’ve always thought I knew what a mommy blogger was. I’ve heard the term, I know a couple of mommy bloggers, and I read all kinds of blogs, so I am familiar with mommy blogging in general.

I try to keep an open-mind about all blogs, and there are some great writers out there writing on mommy blogs, and I enjoy and respect that. I write a blog, but I don’t consider myself a blogger, and I certainly don’t call myself a daddy blogger, though there are hundreds of men who do think of themselves that way.

There are several things about mommy blogging that intrigue me, so I decided to do some research. I wanted to know how deep the mommy blogger “movement” ran, whether it was about more than cloth vs. disposable diapers, why women become mommy bloggers, and whether the phenomenon had run its course.

I think there’s a subtle contradiction in the term “mommy blogger.” In a career context, the words “mom,” “mother,” and “mommy” traditionally have had an almost apologetic element to them, or have served as qualifiers. A “working mom” was someone who balanced career and family life. An underlying implication is that this involved tradeoffs, or sacrifices, in the quality of both family life and career. The term “stay at home mom,” came into use as a way of saying “I don’t work for a company, but I do an equally or more important job than my husband.”

“I think mommy blogger can be demeaning because you don’t see the word daddy blogger being bandied about,” freelance journalist Kimber Schmahl, who does not consider herself a mommy blogger told me. “I certainly don’t feel my blog is any less worthwhile because I am a mother.”

Whether it’s politically correct to say so or not, the mommy blogging field is an offshoot of blogging in general. The very early days of blogging were generally dominated by male bloggers. When women started blogging it was initially (though no longer) a novelty, and the notion of a mommy blogger was all the more unusual.

Even today, mommy bloggers remain a minority, albeit a large one. According to one study, 57% of the total female population in the U.S. is online regularly, but only 20% of online users are moms. And in the last three years, Internet use by moms has tripled. In other words, the market for mommy bloggers should be growing.

“The mom blogger field is an over saturated one right now,” says Mae Mason, creator of Mutha Mae’s “Word to Your Mutha” blog. “There aren’t enough hours in the day to get through all of your favorite blogs/mom networking sites/mom forums.” Mae says she blogs because she likes the attention, enjoys the outlet, and draws strength and confidence from her readers.

Mommy blogger Kristen Munson thinks “mom blogs are going to remain very influential, whether they are personal or for business,” adding, “Most women have an inherent need to interact with other women, and the Internet makes this possible in so many unique ways.”

From a thematic standpoint, the idea of a mommy blog does not generally appeal to me, because I have always assumed mommies blog about mommy stuff, like choosing a private school or day care provider. I have children, and my wife and I have a circle of married friends with whom we get together socially, and these topics are constants, so I have no need for an online forum for this. I prefer to spend my online time on my career and on personal interests like antiques, vintage motorcycles, music, rhetoric and persuasion, etc.

Zoe Siskos, a blogger and Social Media Analyst who often helps clients interact with mommy bloggers, says “I always keep in mind that a person is not their blog…Being a ‘mommy blogger’ may be a piece of that, but I also enjoy diving into their blogs to find out what other ways they like to define themselves.”

Still, even the most popular mommy blogs often focus on the minutiae of being a mommy. This can be very appealing to advertisers who want to promote car seats, children’s clothing, baby formula, etc., as well as fashion and women’s lifestyle products.

If you’ll pardon the mangled metaphor, perhaps the mother of all mommy blogs is Dooce, written by Heather Armstrong of Salt Lake City. According to ABC News, “Armstrong says she prefers to chronicle ‘the mundane and boring details of the life we all live.’” While this holds no interest for me, apparently I am alone. Dooce boasts 1 million monthly readers, and receives “$40,000 per month in revenue from advertisers like Wal-Mart, Hewlett-Packard and, most recently, the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints.” Mommy blogging is big business, though Mason “doubt(s) there will ever be another Dooce phenomenon.”

Dooce was also the winner of the 2008 Blogger’s Choice Awards for “Hottest Mommy Blogger”, which brings me back to this notion of mommy blogging’s potentially confusing messages: mommy bloggers often take stands on social and political issues, and actively support mothers and families as important institutions, while at the same time, writing openly about sex, and in some cases, porn and sex toys. I can understand how people are receiving mixed messages from some mommy bloggers, and this could make it difficult for some of them to take a clear, firm moral stand on gender and sexual issues.

I think mommy blogging, like blogging in general, is a very useful and healthy pursuit for most people. Mommy blogging is surrounded by complex social and gender issues, and both perceptions and misconceptions. There is both tremendous opportunity to do good, and potential to deliver mixed messages and demean women.