Deca Wakeboarding Waterpark

Upon its inauguration on August 2009, the Deca Wakeboarding Park has instantly become the newest waterpark craze in Philippines. It is located near the area of Tugbok and Mintal in Davao City.

The Rates & Schedules

The Deca Wakeboarding Park is opened during weekdays (Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays) and weekends (Saturday and Sunday) usually from 8:30 – 12:30 PM then 1:30 – 5:30 PM.

• Whole Day: Php 1000
• Half Day: Php 7000
• For Davao Residents: Php 700 (Whole Day), Phph 500 (Half Day)
• For Deca Homes Resort Residences: Php 500 (Whole Day), Php 350 (Half Day)
  

There are special rates and passes during Wednesdays. On that day, the park will be opened at 10:30 in the morning until 12:30 PM. It opens again at 1:30 PM and the closing time is 5:30 PM.

• Whole Day: Php 800
• Half Day: Php 550 (morning only) Php 700 (afternoon only)
• For Davao Residents: Php 600 (Whole Day), Php 400 (morning only), Php 500 (afternoon only)
• For Deca Homes Resort Residences: Php 500 (Whole Day), Php 350 (morning or afternoon)
  

Expansion & Beyond

Upgrades and expansions are still going on. Although the place is still incomplete, many people foresee services and accommodations in the place will not disappoint their expectations. As of the moment, their limited accommodation includes an overnight stay at their private rooms ideally made for four persons only, which the price clocks at Php 1000. Amenities also get better and the place continues to improve their Cable Park, restaurants, sports shop and massage center.

How to Get in Deca Wakeboarding Park

It is recommended to ride a taxi of about Php 200 or 300 from downtown area or Davao International Airport, respectively. A mini-bus is also available if you’ll from Bangkerohan Market while an air-conditioned bus will take you to the park if you’ll from Calinan, Bukidnon or Cagayan de Oro.

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Four of the Best Beach Resorts in Samal

Who can imagine that the ideal escapades of your lifetime are found in the north western part of Island Garden City of Samal? History tells us that the term Samal was first used in the earliest days and it referred to many tribal groups living on the island (Sama). Today, the entire Island Garden City has 46 barangays and becomes a part of Metro Davao.

It is also the home of over forty beach resorts with finest accommodations and amenities. Visit one of these beach resorts and you’ll surely forget all the stress and pressures an urban city has given you. The one question you might have now is: What’s the one best resort of all?

Luckily, there are more than two answers to that question. It’s good that you are reading this article and let me enumerate to you the four of the most excellent resorts in Samal.

• Blue Water Beach Resort. This fantastic Mediterranean beach resort offers you Apartels, clubhouse, pavilions and cottage units ideal for seminars and other occasions such as birthdays, anniversaries and honeymoon. The royal sea shores also become its strongest attraction due to its pure white sand and incredible highlights.
  

• Bali-Bali Beach. This is a semi-private beach resort in which its name Bali-Bali originally derived from Pangasinan meaning “beautiful.” The accommodation, along with its various amenities, such as Clubhouses and Anahaw Pavilion offers exquisite services and it can certainly satisfy your innermost cravings.
  

• Pearl Farm Beach Resort. The Pearl Farm is considered as one of the first-rate beach resorts in the Island Garden City of Samal. There are a number of remarkable accommodations such as Cottages, Villas, Hilltop Rooms and Mandaya Rooms to lodge in. The infinity and swimming pools certainly look alluring, which can truly charm every man’s attention.
  

• Maxima Beach Resort. The Maxima Rest House is your perfect getaway from all the noises, which is situated at the center of an ocean. All what your heart’s desires such as swimming, snorkeling, fishing, rafting etc. are all here while you get all the support during your stay, just like you are resting inside your house.
  

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The Grand Canal in Venice, Italy

What is Grand Canal?

As one of the most important waterway in the city of Venice in Italy, the Grand Canal runs two miles long, thirty–ninety meters in width and with an average depth of five meters. Its one end leads into the lagoon near Santa Lucia Railway Station while the other end leads to Saint Mark Basin. Along the banks of the Grand Canal stood 170 and more buildings which represent the deepest artistic welfare of Venice. The palazzos in the lagoon such as Palazzi Barbaro, Palazzo Daro, Palazzo Barbarigo, Ca’ Rezzonico, Ca’ d’Oro, Ca’ Foscari symbolizes the how rich the whole place is.

What to do in Grand Canal?

• Grand Canal Boat Tour - Experience the magnificence and romance in Venice by touring the entire street of the canal for one whole hour. Price rates are determined by each person. This covers the fee of the local expert guide, for Prosecco Wine, the luxurious motor-launch and headphone.

• Skipping the Line between Saint Mark’s Basilica and Gondola – Take your time gliding through a labyrinth of small canals while touring and skipping the line tickets to Saint Mark’s Bassilica.

• Private Gondola Ride – Spend your time enjoying the sunset and a gondola ride during late evenings. Begin the journey from Bacino Orseolo through the small enchanting Venetian & Grand Canals towards the famous Rio S. Luca and back. This Gondola Ride is a great way to celebrate your wedding, engagement, birthday and anniversary.

• Gondola Serenade Private Day & Night Tour – Have an excursion in the Lagoon City with the Gondola Ride with music. Enjoy the duration of the ride while the two Venetian singers singing famous Italian songs.

• Romantic Cruising – End your travel itinerary by cruising with your romantic partner through the isolated waterways in floating city while passing under small bridges.

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New England Restaurants With Great Service

Charley Manning featured a great topic yesterday afternoon on his WRKO Boston radio talk show, focusing on the challenges restaurants face in today's tough economy. I caught a few segments where many callers and restaurant employers felt  that good service was as important  as the food.

I don't know about you, but too many restaurants I've been to have average service, at best. It seems like either the management is too busy to pay attention to its customers, the often transient wait staff disinterested and lacking good listening skills -- or both.  Several restaurants, however, come to mind when thinking of offering a pattern of excellent service. This includes waitress or waiter friendliness from start to finish, bringing the food out on time, and a host or manager that interacts well with the customer.  In no particular order, here are some New England dining spot where we have found a  general commitment to excellence when it comes to "service with a smile (and yes, the food ranges from very good to outstanding, too):

Date night restaurants:
Clay Hill Farm, Cape Neddick, Maine
Salem Cross Inn, West Brookfield, Mass.

Family-style restaurants:
Hollis Country Kitchen, Hollis, N.H.
Tock of the Town, Medfield, Mass.
Commons Cafe and Eatery, Foxboro, Mass.
The Restaurant, Woburn, Mass (cafeteria-style service)
Vanilla Bean Cafe, Pomfret, Conn. (order at the counter)

Pizza:
Prince Pizzeria, Saugus, Mass.
New London Pizza, Concord, Mass.

Seafood restaurants:
Fisherman Restaurant, Noank, Conn.
Jake's Seafood, Hull, Mass.

Diners:
Don's Diner, Plainville, Mass.
Miss Lyndon Diner, Lyndonville, Vt.

We look forward to your feedback on New England restaurants with good service!

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Five Ways to Get Affordable Vacation Packages for Holidays

Many people want to believe planning is the best way to find affordable vacation packages for holidays. It takes a lot of your time depending on your budget and where are you going. I am writing this article to tell you the numerous tips and techniques on how you are going to obtain a vacation package of your lifetime.

1. Search the Internet – The Internet has now become the newest hangout in terms of searching the best deals and offers. Apart from the part that the entire process is prompt, there are various websites you can visit. That means, the more websites you can land, the bigger your chances to select the finest offers and discounts.
2. Talk with Travel Agents – If you have nothing to do at home, spend some time browsing your yellow pages and start calling a number of travel agencies in your city. Jot them your prepared questions and listen to what they are offering. Just be extra careful with their sweet negotiations though. These are experts you’re talking to and by having a fruitful discussion with them, I am sure something so good comes up along the wire.
3. Join Promo and Other Ads – Try your luck and fill-up those promotional coupons in shopping malls. These promotional ads won’t do anything bad to you. You’ll surely be safe and sound in their hands. Just make sure when you’ll win, you immediately contact the travel organizers and ask for some affordable add-ons.
4. Talk with your family or with the people online – Does someone in your family travel a lot? If yes then ask them what they did. This is your easiest way to get information that require less thinking and you simply need to follow what he or she is telling you.
5. Read Travel Magazines – Perhaps, you are an avid reader of travel magazines. Take this opportunity to get the vacation package of your lifetime. Leaf those pages one at a time and who knows, you can find a section that tells you to book a ticket for two to your dream destination.

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Old School Boston!

If you enjoy the Boston and New England of yesteryear, we think you'll enjoy our newest VisitingNewEngland publishing network blog addition, Old School Boston.

Here, we will take a reflective and sometimes humorous look at some of the Boston restaurants, retail stores, local media, television and radio commercials, travel attractions and events, town and city icons, etc., that warmed our hearts and minds when growing up in the 1960s and 1970s.  Some subject matter you'll find in our first several articles include Rex Trailer, Willie Whistle, Grover Cronin's Department Store, the Cottage Crest restaurant, the "Famous Jim Sands" radio show,  legendary sports anchor Don Gillis, the Dave Dinger Ford radio jingle and the Zayre retail chain.

Much more is on the way!  As always, feel feel to contribute your Boston and New England memories to this new Blog!

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Shop Locally in Putnam, Conn. the Antique Capital of New England

It takes some getting used to, but Putnam, Conn., ultimately grows on you. The old Montgomery Ward building (pictured here; Montgomery Ward, however, is long gone), the many locally-owned antique stores, head-on parking, a leisurely pace and a growing restaurant and retail scene help make Putnam unique, serviceable and with a rough-around-the-edges but pleasant personality.  We recently spent some time here and really enjoyed the antique stores and the modest but nice Christmas decorations around the downtown area.  If you need some other place to shop than the big box stores, Putnam is surely a worthy New England destination.

For more information on this small New England town located in the northeast sector of Connecticut, please visit read our Putnam CT travel article at VisitingNewEngland.com.

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Christmas Lights Display at Wrentham Town Common

The southwest Boston suburban town of Wrentham, Mass., always comes up with a fantastic Christmas lights display at its beautiful town common. Although the look of this town common is classic New England year-round, things just seem to come alive even more during the holiday season. With a gazebo all decked out in white lights, big trees with multi-colored lights and places to stroll along this multi-acre open space, the holiday spirit is always alive and well at this pleasant, little downtown spot.

We'd love to hear your comments on the Wrentham town common Christmas lights display, or any other holiday travel attraction that you enjoy in New England!

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Hagimit Falls

As what other people believe, a waterfall is a symbol of rejuvenated cleansing. It’s hard to ignore its natural free flowing water no matter how big or small it is. Look beyond what you see and you seem to realize a waterfall is nature’s way of saying wash yourself and live the life you want to have.

Located in the Southern part of the Philippines (just two kilometers away from Penaplata), there stood the Hagimit Falls – the Garden City of Samal’s crowning glory due to its relaxing ambiance. The formation of the rocks where the water is flowing (about 6 feet high to 3 feet high) is in its finest. The numerous trees that surround the place are its mighty soldiers keeping the entire area clean and green. Dip your body on the flow of the current and you’ll instantly discover its invisible magic that soothes not only the exterior side of you but for the most part, it also heals the inner part of you.

Hagimit Falls is also an ideal camping site for a small group of friends or a family of five members who want to reboot themselves from all the types of stress by living in the city. Tents can be built on the side, cook some nutritious food, drink some wine while witnessing the real beauty what Mother Nature can bring. The Hagimit Falls certainly offers you the serenity you’ve been searching for in years that even the prominent writers such as John Grisham and JK Rowling might want to stay here to finish their next bestselling novel.

The entrance fee is cheap and affordable. Of all the negative feedback circulated around the Internet, seeing Hagimit Falls is not a disappointment. Getting here is worth all your effort and worth all your money you need to spend.

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