Harbour Island Bahamas - Best Kept Secret
Promise not to tell? One of the best kept secrets of the bahamas is Harbour island. This romantic little island, known as "Briland" by its inhabitants, is a short hop from the states. A one hour flight from florida to north Eleuthera followed by a brief cab and water taxi ride gets you to this bahamas gem in a hurry.
Harbour island is less than 4 miles long and a 1/2 mile wide. Its long wide beach is famous for its hard-packed pale pink sand. The likes of Fodors and Conde Nast rate it as one of the "best bahamas beaches." The beach, combined with some great restaurants, hotels and vacation home rentals, makes Harbour island a destination of choice amongst bahamas enthusiasts. It's no surprise to find a few "rich and famous" there -- they know they won't be hounded.
Central to Harbour island is Dunmore town. This quaint and friendly community features old Victorian structures adorned with Bahama's colorful pastel paint schemes. No high rise hotels, fast food or traffic jams on this island!
Golf cart rentals are the transportation of choice. Swimming, snorkeling, scuba diving, fishing, and just plain walking the beach are some of the popular activities. To be sure, Harbour island is not known for its shopping and night life nor is there any gambling. If you seek large crowds, wild parties or theme park rides, this is not your destination.
Harbour Island's weather is delightful; especially during late winter and Spring when there is little chance of rain. ocean breezes take any edge off of moderately warm temperatures ranging from the 70s to 80s during the day and late 60s at night. Air conditioning during season is unnecessary -- ceiling fans are adequate. Nothing beats falling asleep to the sounds of the ocean through an open window.
Dining out is casual. The better restaurants include Pink Sands Hotel, Coral Sands, The Landing, Rock House, Romora Bay Club and Harbour Lounge. For local fare, Ma Ruby's should not be missed. And there are more... Part of the pleasure of exploring the island is checking out the restaurants. When compared to other Bahamian islands, Harbour Island has one of the best selections of restaurants -- all within close proximity to any place you stay.
On the ocean side, hotels include Pink Sands Hotel, Coral Sands Hotel and Dunmore beach Club. On the bay side, it's The Landing Inn and the Rock House. On a budget? There are other hotels to choose from. Visiting Harbour island is not cheap, but if it was, then everybody would be there, right?
Harbour Island's vacation home rentals and villas are numerous. Location and size come at a price. If you desire "beachfront", the better locations are usually on the north and south along the east coast. If you want to save a little, there are some nice rentals in Dunmore town and others located in the interior of the island. The beach is always minutes away.
Look for home rentals on the internet offering more than a few photos so you know what to expect. A number of rentals are handled by rental or real estate agents who may not provide much in the way of details, descriptions, map locations or photos. Owners who care about promoting their home rental typically have independent web sites and accept e-mail inquiries directly.
The better house rentals on Harbour island are booked nearly a year in advance of prime season. Those who want the best make early reservations -- many are repeat customers. You can also take a "standby" position on a number of rentals in hopes someone cancels. Ask for referrals and double check policies for deposits and refunds.
If you seek a memorable and relaxed bahamas vacation coupled with sun, sea, great food and a romantic beachfront that will knock your eyes out, consider Harbour island. See you on the beach!
Copyright 2004 Perry Joseph
Perry Joseph is a freelance writer, website developer and frequent visitor to the bahamas. For more information on Harbour island, visit his website: Harbour Island Bahamas
Online Magazines And Yoga
Flattening Your Stomach in Four Easy Steps
You look at it every day and wish it would just go away; that little pouch below your belly button that keeps staring back at you. You do crunches, sit ups, the works, and yet there it is just hanging around. There are all sorts of cute names for it: snack pouch, spare tire, love handles, and the list goes on. All you know is that you want it gone.
The American Council on Exercise calls the bicycle one of the most effective ab exercises out there. This exercise is one of many that should be completed as part of a lifestyle change which includes both diet and exercise. Just doing ab exercises all day will not get rid of the excess fat that you have around your waistline.
The following four areas of diet and exercise will help you gain the toned, flat stomach that you are craving.
1.Fat Intake
How much fat is in your diet? The American Food Pyramid says that a healthy diet is one that Emphasizes fruits, vegetables, whole grains, and fat-free or low-fat milk and milk products, includes lean meats, poultry, fish, beans, eggs, and nuts, and is low in saturated fats, trans fats, cholesterol, salt (sodium), and added sugars.
Following the food pyramid will help you find the fats you need in good foods like nuts and plant oils as opposed to potato chips and ice cream. You should be taking in less than 30% of your caloric intake from fat so check your labels when youre purchasing packaged products. Many products now have the trans fats listed as well, so you can see which percentage of fat belongs to which group; saturated, non-saturated, trans, etc.
2.Carbohydrate Intake
Maybe your friends were on lo-carb diets and were amazed at the weight they lost. Maybe you tried one too? Carbohydrates are amazing in that each molecule attracts four water molecules to it and they hang out together inside your muscles. When you start decreasing the amount of carbohydrates you take in, you start to see weight loss in the form of fat loss. Oops, I mean water loss. No more carbs means no more four molecules of water hanging on, means lower numbers on the scale. Carbohydrate intake is essential for brain activity as well as muscle function. Our bodies feed off of glucose and glycogen which is supplied directly by carbohydrates. Eating whole wheat and whole grain is the way to go- stay away from white products; rice, pasta, bread, etc. Brown is best. Carbohydrate intake should be no more than 65% of your diet.
3.Cardiovascular Exercise
Running, cycling, swimming, aerobics; they are all using oxygen and so the prime energy source comes from muscle glycogen and fatty acids. The furnace is on and its burning fat. You may have heard that cardio is good for burning fat, and that is true. Cardio exercise should be done for a minimum of 20 minutes and hopefully for longer and should be done at least three times per week, hopefully more. According to the American Council of Sport medicine, If weight loss is your major goal, participate in your aerobic activity at least 30 minutes, for five days each week.
You cant melt fat off of one area specifically, but it will come off over the whole body in time. We all lose fat from different places first. Just remember that cardio is a complement to the diet and the floor work that will also do.
4.Floor work
Abdominal exercises were once believed to be something we could do everyday. We now know that the abdominals are like any other muscle and they need time to recover and rest.
Floor work is an essential component in getting a toned tummy. There are four main abdominal muscles that we can work: the rectus abdominus, which runs from the sternum to the pubic bone, the transverse abdominus which runs horizontal all around the torso connecting near the spine, and there are the obliques- internal and external which run alongside our ribs in opposite directions.
Exercises:
hip lifts:
Lye on your back with your legs straight up in the air. Keep your back pressing into the floor and think about tightening a belt around your waist. Slowly pull your belly button to the floor and as you do so, feel your hips lifting gently off the floor as your legs are lifted. Do not lift with the legs, but instead with the abdominals. Repeat 10-15 times.
The Plank:
Facing the floor, get on your hands and knees, keeping your shoulders over your hands. Straighten out your body and keep your toes on the floor. You should be straight like a board with your abs pulling in tight. Breathe in and out naturally. Hold for up to one minute. Repeat 4-5 times.
The Bicycle:
Lye on your back with you knees bent. Slowly pull your upper body off the floor and support your head with your hands. Activate your abs by pulling your belly button to the floor and release any pelvic tilt. take one shoulder and turn your torso to face your opposite knee. Go to the other side. Think of riding a bicycle as you turn slowly from side to side. Repeat for 20 repetitions.
Double Leg Drop:
Lye on your back with your legs straight up in the air. Keep your back pressing into the floor and think about tightening a belt around your waist. Keeping your abs pulled in at all times, slowly drop your legs toward the floor, keeping them pressing together. If you feel your back begin to arch, pull your legs back to the starting point. Inhale on the way down, exhale on the way up. Only go as far as you are comfortable with and go slowly. Repeat 10 times.
diet and exercise are the only ways to get to your goals and they need to become part of a new lifestyle if youre going to maintain the body you want. Quick fixes, pills, drinks, diets, etc are only good for short term and could have long term effects that dont equate to your ultimate goals.
Nicole Palacios BSc, has been an integral part of the fitness industry for the past 11 years, working first as a group fitness instructor, and more recently as a personal trainer. She is certified through ACE and the BCRPA as a personal trainer, and is also a supervisor of fitness leaders. Her passions include fitness writing, weight training, and helping her clients pursue their fitness dreams. She has also started a Stroller Fit walking and toning group for moms in Vancouver, Canada.
Check out her website at http://www.perfectfit.ws, or contact by email at Nicole@perfectfit.ws
Yoga Cl Houston Texas
Golf Vacations
Where are you going on vacation with your family this year? There are many places that you could go - beaches, resorts, theme parks, big cities, tourist traps - but one option that you may not have considered is a golf vacation. this type of vacation can offer a lot for families - and not just golf!
Of course, one of the main reasons to go on a golf vacation is play golf - and we all know why you like to do that - great courses, the great outdoors, and most of all a great game. A secondary reason to go on golf vacation is to learn to play (or existing players can improve their standard of play) - as many golf resorts offer coaching or facilities for beginners. If you love to play golf, but your spouse is not into the game, you may find that a golf vacation is in fact a perfect opportunity to introduce them to the game, and involve them in your hobby.
One thing to remember though is that even if you are a family of golf fanatics, you are unlikely to spend every second of your vacation on the golf course. Much as you might love golf, you will need some other activities to be available. And this is especially true if your spouse or kids are not quite as keen on golf as you are. Fortunately, most golf vacation resorts are very accommodating, and many provide a lot more than just golf!
The United States of america is fortunate in being blessed with many beautiful golf vacation resorts with truly excellent facilities and accommodation for families. There are in fact golf resorts all over the country, including in Hawaii, so you and your family can enjoy a fabulous golf vacation in whichever part of the country you choose. So why not get thinking, discuss it with your spouse, and before too long, you and your family could be enjoying a fabulous golf vacation.
For a guide to family-friendly golf vacations in the USA, please visit http://www.guide2golfvacations.com/
For a guide to improving your golf fitness, please visit http://www.guide2golffitness.com/
If you have a golf web site, click the "Affiliates" link at the bottom of the page to earn great commissions promoting either of these guides.
Yoga Music Yoga Product Yoga Exercise Yoga Certification
Mobilize Your Web Site
Mobilize Your site
With technology taking leaps and bounds day by day, it is essential for growing businesses to stay up to date with the efforts of the expanding market.
Just as the everyday user understands how to use their high tech cell phone, another appears on the market with more features than the first. The future can be seen through our inevitable cell phone marketing machine. Cell phones have the ability to combine the advancements of technology into one device. From another angle, many successful companies have directed their marketing to the world wide web of advertising. Having a website is an easy way to direct customers to the overview of what a company has to offer.
The problem
Now the question is... How can the success of the web be accessed to the cellular world? Many cellular carriers already offer this feature for their customers on their mobile devices; however, there are a few kinks.
The speed of the web on a cellular phone cannot be compared to the high speed you receive on your PC at home, but this is going to be a temporary issue. Another problem is that sites have become so graphically dependant which makes it hard to view the entire site via cell phone.
The answer
Mobilize your site! This new feature for websites will make them appear more easily onto a targeting cell phone. Mobile or mobi sites will enable users to easily navigate throughout a website which is especially designed to be viewed using a cell phone. Less time is spent waiting for the site to load, and more time is available for the user to browse the site. This also will save on bites transferred or downloaded which can build up quickly on a wireless bill.
Mobile Web site features
Mobi sites are not just a way to cut out things and simplify a website. There are special features and programs embedded that allow the normal features that appear on websites to be mobilized.
- The Custom form Wizard allows users to input information which can be sent directly to the business they are browsing. Contact information or even a question can be sent in the form of an email directly to the business contact.
- Businesses can Receive Payments via Mobile. Users can input information using their mobile phones and a payment can be made directly to the business.
- A Hit counter is also available on these Mobile sites, which keeps a count of how many mobile visitors a business has had.
- Just like on a normal website, businesses can add Audio & Video Clips to their mobile sites. These mobile video and audio clips will not slow loading times as a normal website would do if accessed on a cellular phone.
- Accessing Driving Directions is a useful feature which is offered on mobile sites as well. While visiting a mobile site, the user will have the option to get directions to the business from wherever they currently are located.
- The Last Modified Date/Time Stamp will let visitors know when the site was last updated. This feature lets searchers know that your business undergoes routine maintenance and updates.
- The Tell a Friend link will allow a user to email the link to a friend letting them know about the mobile site.
- The Click-to-Call feature allows a user to directly call the business. While looking at the mobile site, a user will have the option to call the business directly from their phone without losing their place on the site.
- Google Searches can also be performed from a mobile site, giving users the option to look up related items on the web.
- The add to Phone book option is also available. This feature allows cell phone users to add a companys number found on their mobile site directly to their address book in their cell hone.
Veronica Coulston is assistant web master for Roe Graphics web design firm in Jackson, tennessee.
Volcom Yoga Mat
