BY JANET STEINBERG Barbados is a magical mélange of hustle, bustle, charm, and class.  Beneath a turquoise sky, and surrounded by aquamarine waters, this idyllic island is a solace for relaxation and a virtual mecca for active lifestyles and cultural pursuits.  It is endless sun-washed, sugary, sand beaches and craggy,...

BY JANET STEINBERG She’s “The Swinging Queen”. No, you’re not hearing the words of a new ABBA song, nor are you reading the title of a hit tune in a “Mamma Mia” sequel. This Swinging Queen is Queen Emma, Willemstad’s famous 19th-century pontoon bridge that, without saying a word, shouts “bon-bini” (welcome) to Curacao. Queen Emma may be...

 BY JANET STEINBERG Playa, Playa, Playa, (beach, beach, beach) might well have been the name for Antigua, had Christopher Columbus known it had 365 crescent-shaped, white sand beaches...

BY JANET STEINBERG Turquoise!  Although it is not my favorite color, to me this aqua-blue hue connotes two things of exceptional beauty…a brilliant aquamarine gemstone and a brilliant Caribbean sea.  For all intents and purposes, when winter’s frigid breath paints it frosty picture up North, I prefer the latter. On one of my cruises to the Southern Caribbean and Lesser Antilles, we began with...

BY JANET STEINBERG The Midwest Travel Writers’ Convention, the birth of three great-grandchildren, and the wedding of my grandson, were among the reasons that kept me from traveling abroad this past year.  However, in spite of the fact that there was no time for traveling internationally, those reasons didn’t keep me from having many fascinating experiences. Come along with me...

BY JANET STEINBERG “Como esta?”  (how are you?) is the friendly greeting of Costa Ricans when you arrive in their tiny country of approximately 4-million people. Don’t reply: “Fine”.  Just say: “Pura vida!”  More than any other two words in a Costa Rican’s vocabulary, Pura vida (Life is good) reflects their upbeat attitude. Being the cruise-aholic that I am, I choose to visit Costa Rica by ship....

BY JANET STEINBERG A gentle breeze wafting through French balconies overlooking the Promenade des Anglais…an aquamarine sea lapping the shore of a glimmering stone beach…a canopied 4-poster bed flanked by 17th century sconces and paisley linen walls…a bottle of champagne shared with someone you love.  Life doesn’t get much better than that!  For me, that paradisiacal life was at the Hotel...

BY JANET STEINBERG                  Like a ball that’s been slammed to the ground, Detroit has been slammed to the ground.  But like a ball, Detroit is bouncing back. Truly America’s “Comeback City”, Detroit has hit a home run with me. Detroit’s downtown occupancy rate is now at 98% and...

BY JANET STEINBERG Although I’ve been to New York City dozens of times…done dozens of things…taken dozens of tours…I called this my “First Time Ever” trip. This time was going to be different.  This time I would do things…and go places…I’ve never experienced before in The Big Apple. GROUND ZERO MEMORIAL: Without a doubt, number one on my “First Time Ever” list had...