I think the Irish are unlucky.
Every St Patrick’s Day I conjure up visions of eating corned beef and cabbage for dinner. Then I wonder “What wine goes with corned beef and cabbage?” The corned beef is too salty and doesn’t work with any wine very well. Someone yells to me that beer is more in order. Maybe a wine from Ireland?
The climate of Ireland isn’t the best for growing grapes. There's only one wine that that comes from Ireland and it's made by Llewellyn's - a farmer in north county Dublin. His normal produce is apples and he makes a lot of apple juice for upscale independent retailers. His wine is more of a novelty item at best. What is interesting about Irish wine is the Irish connection with Bordeaux. Irish names like Lynch, Barton, Phelan adorn the labels on some of the best wines from the Bordeaux region. As for wine making, the Irish are better off sticking to the black stuff, Guinness.
But I’m a wine guy and don’t care for beer so I do some more digging. Guess what? It seems that corned beef and cabbage is more of an American St Patrick’s Day tradition. According to Bridgett Haggerty of the website Irish Cultres and Customs their research shows that most likely a "bacon joint" or a piece of salted pork boiled with cabbage and potatoes would more likely have shown up for an Easter Sunday feast in the rural parts of Ireland. Since the invention of refrigeration, people eat fresh meats. Today corned beef and cabbage is considered a peasant dish and is more popular in the United States than in Ireland. People eat it on St. Patrick's Day as a nostalgic reminder of the Irish heritage.
If you want to try really authentic Irish dishes, Gerry at www.WineOnline.ie says that one of the very traditional Dublin dishes is Coddle which is still served to this day. http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=608. The most famous dish is probably the Irish Stew http://www.matchmywine.com/index.php?mod=match&p=details&id=607.
Many of these dishes had their origins in very basic peasant style food dating back to the pre-famine era (mid 1800's)when potatoes were the staple Irish peasant diet mixed with vegetables and meat, if available - the slow cooking process of the stew allowed for lesser cuts of meat. And man are these two recipes hearty.
But if your heart is set on Corned Beef and Cabbage, food and wine pairing isn’t an exact science. Laurence with The Irish Wine Blog at www.sourgrapes.ie says “I'd go with a fruity red with high acidity to get through the saltiness of the corned beef. I'll put my neck out and suggest a Chianti Classico.”
For St. Patrick’s Day, Guinness and Green may be more American, but In the spirit of food and wine pairing, try a truly Irish dish and pair it with a great wine.
About The Author
Mike Birdsall
MatchMyWine.com explains how to match Irish http://www.matchmywine.com food and wine, not an easy thing to do. If you really want to be Irish, try a more traditional recipe and a great bottle of wine. Check out MatchMyWine.com for more great tips about http://www.matchmywine.com food and wine pairing, and tons of recipes like Irish Stew and Irish Coodle.
Saturday, May 24, 2008
Saturday, April 19, 2008
Beach Holidays For Fun In The Sun
Everyone loves beach holidays! The little ones can dig in the sand and splash in the lapping waves. The older ones can swim, get a tan, or just relax. The inquisitive types can explore for sea life, tide pools, and drift wood. The warm breezes and natural beauty are invigorating and restorative. Any trip, however, can cause discomfort if you do not plan well. Here are things you can do to make your beach holidays easier, safer, and more meaningful.
In many parts of the world, people head for their beach holidays in the family car. When planning a trip, it's always a good idea to give the car a good cleaning out first. This will give you more room for your luggage. Stock you glovebox, too, with a few first aid and comfort items, such as sunblock, acetominiphen for headaches, a roll of antacids, a few cough drops, and a few bandaids. Don't forget a couple of scrunchies or pony-tailers for long hair. Get the tires checked and replace any that are likely to go flat. Get an oil change if it's getting close. Road trips are not much fun when they include breakdowns. And whatever you do, make sure you have a map and a place to keep it handy.
Travelling with kids is always a challenge. They may be particularly excited and impatient when they know they are going on beach holidays. Make sure they have cool water bottles and healthy snacks to munch. Try a simple car game to make the time pass. Many kids like looking for letters of the alphabet on signs. If several people get involved it can be quite fun.
With beach holidays particularly, there is always a need to provide for skin safety. Be particularly careful about being in the sun for long stretches of time between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Use a sunblock with a high SPF rating and replace it after getting wet or drying off with your towel. The towel you choose can make a difference too. Thick towels get heavy and tend to trap a lot of sand.
You may find you like thin towels at the beach. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and some sort of foot protection to keep your feet from being burned on the hot sand.With a little preparation your beach holidays can be enjoyable and problem-free. When you arrive home you will be relaxed, refreshed, and ready for work. Take a minute to unpack and get your laundry going. It won't belong until the kids will be shouting, "When can we go on beach holidays again?"
In many parts of the world, people head for their beach holidays in the family car. When planning a trip, it's always a good idea to give the car a good cleaning out first. This will give you more room for your luggage. Stock you glovebox, too, with a few first aid and comfort items, such as sunblock, acetominiphen for headaches, a roll of antacids, a few cough drops, and a few bandaids. Don't forget a couple of scrunchies or pony-tailers for long hair. Get the tires checked and replace any that are likely to go flat. Get an oil change if it's getting close. Road trips are not much fun when they include breakdowns. And whatever you do, make sure you have a map and a place to keep it handy.
Travelling with kids is always a challenge. They may be particularly excited and impatient when they know they are going on beach holidays. Make sure they have cool water bottles and healthy snacks to munch. Try a simple car game to make the time pass. Many kids like looking for letters of the alphabet on signs. If several people get involved it can be quite fun.
With beach holidays particularly, there is always a need to provide for skin safety. Be particularly careful about being in the sun for long stretches of time between 10:00 a.m. and 4:00 p.m. Use a sunblock with a high SPF rating and replace it after getting wet or drying off with your towel. The towel you choose can make a difference too. Thick towels get heavy and tend to trap a lot of sand.
You may find you like thin towels at the beach. Wear sunglasses to protect your eyes and some sort of foot protection to keep your feet from being burned on the hot sand.With a little preparation your beach holidays can be enjoyable and problem-free. When you arrive home you will be relaxed, refreshed, and ready for work. Take a minute to unpack and get your laundry going. It won't belong until the kids will be shouting, "When can we go on beach holidays again?"
Benefits Of A Good After School Program
Children grow up in a society that demands expertise in everything. You really cannot sit back and decide that learning from textbooks is enough for the overall development of your child. It's the age of specialization and your child cannot afford to miss out on this window of opportunity. So, scour your locality for the most advantageous programs and enroll them for the ones you think are the best.
After school programs are basically designed to develop a talent or a skill that is ignored by regular schools. These programs could be educational or recreational in nature. Whatever type they are, they basically aim to keep the child active and interested.
The most important advantage of a good after school program is that it widens your child's area of interests. He or she is introduced to new things, sometimes interesting, sometimes challenging. Mastering a new art form or a new skill increases the child's self-esteem. It also allows you to introduce your child to new career options. A child attending a music class may decide that she likes it so much that she wants to make a career out of it in the long run.
Socialization is another great advantage of after school programs. Children get to meet others who share their interests and make new friendships. An acting class or a soccer class can be lots of fun. Many of these programs coach children for performances or matches. Performing on stage or playing a match can be a great experience for a young child.
After school programs keep your teenager busy. He or she thus has some amount of protection from destructive habits like drugs and alcohol. Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy through diverse absorbing activities are less prone to abuse, depression and burnout. Significant increase in achievement and attendance and a reduction in drop out rates are other advantages of a good after school programs.
Most after school programs have children interacting with one or more adult. This allows them to benefit from positive relationships with adults. Children often find it difficult to confide in parents and teachers, but may open up with other adults.
Socialization is another great advantage of after school programs. Children get to meet others who share their interests and make new friendships. An acting class or a soccer class can be lots of fun. Many of these programs coach children for performances or matches. Performing on stage or playing a match can be a great experience for a young child. After school programs keep your teenager busy. He or she thus has some amount of protection from destructive habits like drugs and alcohol. Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy through diverse absorbing activities are less prone to abuse, depression and burnout. Significant increase in achievement and attendance and a reduction in drop out rates are other advantages of a good after school programs.
Most after school programs have children interacting with one or more adult. This allows them to benefit from positive relationships with adults. Children often find it difficult to confide in parents and teachers, but may open up with other adults.
After school programs are basically designed to develop a talent or a skill that is ignored by regular schools. These programs could be educational or recreational in nature. Whatever type they are, they basically aim to keep the child active and interested.
The most important advantage of a good after school program is that it widens your child's area of interests. He or she is introduced to new things, sometimes interesting, sometimes challenging. Mastering a new art form or a new skill increases the child's self-esteem. It also allows you to introduce your child to new career options. A child attending a music class may decide that she likes it so much that she wants to make a career out of it in the long run.
Socialization is another great advantage of after school programs. Children get to meet others who share their interests and make new friendships. An acting class or a soccer class can be lots of fun. Many of these programs coach children for performances or matches. Performing on stage or playing a match can be a great experience for a young child.
After school programs keep your teenager busy. He or she thus has some amount of protection from destructive habits like drugs and alcohol. Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy through diverse absorbing activities are less prone to abuse, depression and burnout. Significant increase in achievement and attendance and a reduction in drop out rates are other advantages of a good after school programs.
Most after school programs have children interacting with one or more adult. This allows them to benefit from positive relationships with adults. Children often find it difficult to confide in parents and teachers, but may open up with other adults.
Socialization is another great advantage of after school programs. Children get to meet others who share their interests and make new friendships. An acting class or a soccer class can be lots of fun. Many of these programs coach children for performances or matches. Performing on stage or playing a match can be a great experience for a young child. After school programs keep your teenager busy. He or she thus has some amount of protection from destructive habits like drugs and alcohol. Surveys indicate that children who are kept busy through diverse absorbing activities are less prone to abuse, depression and burnout. Significant increase in achievement and attendance and a reduction in drop out rates are other advantages of a good after school programs.
Most after school programs have children interacting with one or more adult. This allows them to benefit from positive relationships with adults. Children often find it difficult to confide in parents and teachers, but may open up with other adults.
Saturday, March 29, 2008
How To Survive When Lost In Another Country
Traveling is one of life’s greatest pleasures. But especially for trips to another country, where everything is new and strange, traveling can be quite a drag.
And if worse comes to worst, being lost in another country could be the most horrible nightmare of your life. That is when learning the skills to survive when lost in another country helps.
Here are some tips to help you endure the consequences of being lost in a strange place and live through the means of survival until you can go back to your homeland
1. Presence of mind
Being lost in another country is one thing, but not having presence of mind is another and could be the worst thing that could happen to you.
It is still understandable that you might get lost in another country because the place is totally strange to you. The only way to survive being lost in another country is to have presence of mind so you can think of ways to get a ride back home.
Or if luck permits it, you can possibly discover your way to your exact destination without having to spend more than what you can afford.
2. Stay where you are
If you think you are lost, without the slightest idea where you are, or if you do not have any clue how to head back to where you have come from, stay where you are. Attempting to move further or trying to discover ways to go back will only make matters worse.
Besides being a complete waste of energy, according to statistical reports, nearly 70% of people who are lost cannot find a way to return to where they came from.
3. Learn to provide your basic needs
If you really cannot think of a way to find your way back home, maintain your basic needs by carrying an ample food and water supply as well as clothing before you leave your place.
You never know what will happen next once you have arrived in another country. So it is best to carry your basic needs with you in case something goes wrong, such as getting lost.
Keep in mind that traveling to another country is not all play. You have to keep your senses with you and your mind clear to anticipate the necessary things that you have to do in case something occurs, such as being lost in another country.
And if worse comes to worst, being lost in another country could be the most horrible nightmare of your life. That is when learning the skills to survive when lost in another country helps.
Here are some tips to help you endure the consequences of being lost in a strange place and live through the means of survival until you can go back to your homeland
1. Presence of mind
Being lost in another country is one thing, but not having presence of mind is another and could be the worst thing that could happen to you.
It is still understandable that you might get lost in another country because the place is totally strange to you. The only way to survive being lost in another country is to have presence of mind so you can think of ways to get a ride back home.
Or if luck permits it, you can possibly discover your way to your exact destination without having to spend more than what you can afford.
2. Stay where you are
If you think you are lost, without the slightest idea where you are, or if you do not have any clue how to head back to where you have come from, stay where you are. Attempting to move further or trying to discover ways to go back will only make matters worse.
Besides being a complete waste of energy, according to statistical reports, nearly 70% of people who are lost cannot find a way to return to where they came from.
3. Learn to provide your basic needs
If you really cannot think of a way to find your way back home, maintain your basic needs by carrying an ample food and water supply as well as clothing before you leave your place.
You never know what will happen next once you have arrived in another country. So it is best to carry your basic needs with you in case something goes wrong, such as getting lost.
Keep in mind that traveling to another country is not all play. You have to keep your senses with you and your mind clear to anticipate the necessary things that you have to do in case something occurs, such as being lost in another country.
Eat Moderately: The First Step To Loose Weight
The first step to loose weight and be healthy is to control your eating habits. Loosing weight starts with eating moderately.
Did you know that your new automobile is likely to have a larger cup-holder than your older model? That restaurants use larger plates, bakers are selling larger muffins, pizzerias have larger pans, and fast food companies are using larger French fries and drink containers than 20 years ago? Did you know that identical recipes for cookies and desserts in the old editions of “Joy of Cooking” specify fewer servings?
It is evident to all of us that overweight and obesity have increased sharply in the USA in adults and children in the last few years. Since studies show that activity of people has not changed much in the last decades, the increase in body overweight must come from a change in the food intake. Considering that about half the people in the USA consume their meals outside the home, the portion sizes become an important factor in the increase of body overweight.
The American Journal of Public Health published a study about the current sizes of portions in restaurants, fast foods, and food manufacturers. The authors compared the data with the sizes of the past 30 years, and they came up with some amazing numbers. First they noted that all the portions offered in every category exceed by far the guidelines of the USDA and the FDA. Cookies are seven times bigger than recommended, cooked pasta five times larger, muffins three times larger, and so on.
Then they discovered that portion sizes began to grow in the 1970s and have continued to grow at the same rate as body overweight. Food and fast food companies today promote larger items and use larger sizes as selling points. Widespread price competition has induced manufacturers to introduce larger items as a means to expand market share, since they discovered that profit rises when the product size is increased. In the mid ‘50s Mc Donald offered only one size of French fries: that size today is called “small”. The food industry invests billions in making their products more attractive, sexier, saltier, or sweeter and we are vulnerable to their promotions. This happens at a moment when we became more sedentary and kids spend longer hours in front of the TV or their computers.
Going to Europe or other countries we see some striking differences in the food habits. First of all there is not so much advertising about food. Most of the Italian TV ads are about basic ingredients such as olive oil, wine, and pasta, and not so much about prepackaged food or fast food chains. In addition the portion sizes are considerably smaller than in America. I recently had dinner in a steakhouse and the smallest portion available on the menu was a 10 oz filet mignon. That is about three times larger than the average size of a portion of meat in Italy.
I noticed myself many times that people moving to the USA from other countries would gain weight in few months. There is no doubt in my mind that the large amount of food we ingest today is one of the main causes for the general growth of overweight in America. This doesn’t affect only people with a weight problem, but also those who are maybe only a few pounds over and struggle to control the size of their waistline. In an environment where lifestyle and advertising pushes to eat out more and in larger quantities it is imperative that we learn how to control ourselves.
One very good way to start I learned from a trainer at the gym, and I encourage everyone to try. It is very simple: On a notepad write down everyday for a week everything that you ingest. Take note of the quantities, not only for the main meals, but even the smallest things such as drinks, candies and snacks. Then with the help of a calorie chart add up the numbers. Many people say “I don’t know how I gain weight. I don’t eat very much”. I bet they are ready for a big surprise. It is incredible how all those little things we munch during the day add up to a large number of calories.
After the shock, the realization will come that something needs to be done. First it is important to understand what a regular portion looks like. 3 oz meat: is approximately the size of a deck of cards or a bar of soap (when was the last time you saw a steak of that size?); 3 oz fish: the size of a checkbook; 1 oz cheese: the size of matchbox; one medium potato: the size of a computer mouse; 1 cup pasta: the size of two eggs.
When eating out choose the small or medium sizes instead of the large ones. Ask for half of the meal to be packed to go. Share your portion with a friend. Don’t eat the bread and butter before the meal. For your home don’t buy a lot of food, but buy single serving packages. If you snack don’t eat from the bag, but place a few chips or crackers on a dish. Cut in the amount of sauces, mayonnaise and cream cheese, and use low calories types. If you are a big eater fill yourself with a large quantity of vegetables and eventually fresh fruit.
In conclusion: Everyone that tries to keep weight under control knows how difficult it is. The first step is to be inventive in ways to reduce the sizes of the food portions.
Anna Maria Volpi is a cooking instructor and personal chef in Los Angeles. Visit Anna Maria website http://www.annamariavolpi.com/ for step-by-step illustrated traditional Italian recipes for tiramisu, pasta, pizza, lasagna, risotto, gnocchi and much more, articles and food newsletter.
Did you know that your new automobile is likely to have a larger cup-holder than your older model? That restaurants use larger plates, bakers are selling larger muffins, pizzerias have larger pans, and fast food companies are using larger French fries and drink containers than 20 years ago? Did you know that identical recipes for cookies and desserts in the old editions of “Joy of Cooking” specify fewer servings?
It is evident to all of us that overweight and obesity have increased sharply in the USA in adults and children in the last few years. Since studies show that activity of people has not changed much in the last decades, the increase in body overweight must come from a change in the food intake. Considering that about half the people in the USA consume their meals outside the home, the portion sizes become an important factor in the increase of body overweight.
The American Journal of Public Health published a study about the current sizes of portions in restaurants, fast foods, and food manufacturers. The authors compared the data with the sizes of the past 30 years, and they came up with some amazing numbers. First they noted that all the portions offered in every category exceed by far the guidelines of the USDA and the FDA. Cookies are seven times bigger than recommended, cooked pasta five times larger, muffins three times larger, and so on.
Then they discovered that portion sizes began to grow in the 1970s and have continued to grow at the same rate as body overweight. Food and fast food companies today promote larger items and use larger sizes as selling points. Widespread price competition has induced manufacturers to introduce larger items as a means to expand market share, since they discovered that profit rises when the product size is increased. In the mid ‘50s Mc Donald offered only one size of French fries: that size today is called “small”. The food industry invests billions in making their products more attractive, sexier, saltier, or sweeter and we are vulnerable to their promotions. This happens at a moment when we became more sedentary and kids spend longer hours in front of the TV or their computers.
Going to Europe or other countries we see some striking differences in the food habits. First of all there is not so much advertising about food. Most of the Italian TV ads are about basic ingredients such as olive oil, wine, and pasta, and not so much about prepackaged food or fast food chains. In addition the portion sizes are considerably smaller than in America. I recently had dinner in a steakhouse and the smallest portion available on the menu was a 10 oz filet mignon. That is about three times larger than the average size of a portion of meat in Italy.
I noticed myself many times that people moving to the USA from other countries would gain weight in few months. There is no doubt in my mind that the large amount of food we ingest today is one of the main causes for the general growth of overweight in America. This doesn’t affect only people with a weight problem, but also those who are maybe only a few pounds over and struggle to control the size of their waistline. In an environment where lifestyle and advertising pushes to eat out more and in larger quantities it is imperative that we learn how to control ourselves.
One very good way to start I learned from a trainer at the gym, and I encourage everyone to try. It is very simple: On a notepad write down everyday for a week everything that you ingest. Take note of the quantities, not only for the main meals, but even the smallest things such as drinks, candies and snacks. Then with the help of a calorie chart add up the numbers. Many people say “I don’t know how I gain weight. I don’t eat very much”. I bet they are ready for a big surprise. It is incredible how all those little things we munch during the day add up to a large number of calories.
After the shock, the realization will come that something needs to be done. First it is important to understand what a regular portion looks like. 3 oz meat: is approximately the size of a deck of cards or a bar of soap (when was the last time you saw a steak of that size?); 3 oz fish: the size of a checkbook; 1 oz cheese: the size of matchbox; one medium potato: the size of a computer mouse; 1 cup pasta: the size of two eggs.
When eating out choose the small or medium sizes instead of the large ones. Ask for half of the meal to be packed to go. Share your portion with a friend. Don’t eat the bread and butter before the meal. For your home don’t buy a lot of food, but buy single serving packages. If you snack don’t eat from the bag, but place a few chips or crackers on a dish. Cut in the amount of sauces, mayonnaise and cream cheese, and use low calories types. If you are a big eater fill yourself with a large quantity of vegetables and eventually fresh fruit.
In conclusion: Everyone that tries to keep weight under control knows how difficult it is. The first step is to be inventive in ways to reduce the sizes of the food portions.
Anna Maria Volpi is a cooking instructor and personal chef in Los Angeles. Visit Anna Maria website http://www.annamariavolpi.com/ for step-by-step illustrated traditional Italian recipes for tiramisu, pasta, pizza, lasagna, risotto, gnocchi and much more, articles and food newsletter.
Preparing For Your Children's College Education
You should have money set aside for emergencies, because as your children get older and you establish your home, the unexpected expenses will come more frequently. If you don't have emergency funds set aside, those expenses can cause major stress in your marriage.
You also want to continue funding retirement and savings plans. This is the ideal time of life to begin setting aside money for your children's college education. For example, if at a child's birth you started depositing $100 per month in a savings account for his or her education, you would have deposited $21,600 by the time the child turns eighteen. However, through the magic of compounding, if that money had earned an average of 12 percent per year (which is not unrealistic), you would have accumulated $75,786 toward that college education (before taxes). That would pay for four years at almost any college in America today. (It may not in eighteen years, but it would today.) If you made a one-time deposit of $5,000 at birth and it grew at 12 percent compounded annually, the fund would be worth $42,893 (before taxes) at the end of eighteen years.
There are many ways to save regularly for college education. Mutual funds offer investment programs in which your bank account can be drafted each month for a certain amount - as low as $50, depending on the fund. If you start early and have an eighteen-year perspective, you'll be able to weather the ups and downs of market cycles, and many funds have exceeded 12 percent annual return over a long time period.
Company savings plans and whole life insurance policies bought for the child at birth can also be good alternatives for college savings. The real issue is not so much the investment vehicle as it is the discipline of saving. You won't give up today's desires for future benefits unless you have a long-term perspective.
By making these recommendations, we're not saying that every child has to go to college or that you should pay for 100 percent of your children's college education. What we are saying is that if you want your children to go to college and you want to pay for that, starting early is the easiest way to do it. Waiting until kids are college age is extremely difficult.
The above advice steps from great experience of families all over the country. There are hundreds of thousands of couples who have put four and even five or more of their children through college by properly planning. To wait until your children are in college to begin saving for that education might ease financial pressures in the short term, but it will definitely compound the pressure in the long term.
You also want to continue funding retirement and savings plans. This is the ideal time of life to begin setting aside money for your children's college education. For example, if at a child's birth you started depositing $100 per month in a savings account for his or her education, you would have deposited $21,600 by the time the child turns eighteen. However, through the magic of compounding, if that money had earned an average of 12 percent per year (which is not unrealistic), you would have accumulated $75,786 toward that college education (before taxes). That would pay for four years at almost any college in America today. (It may not in eighteen years, but it would today.) If you made a one-time deposit of $5,000 at birth and it grew at 12 percent compounded annually, the fund would be worth $42,893 (before taxes) at the end of eighteen years.
There are many ways to save regularly for college education. Mutual funds offer investment programs in which your bank account can be drafted each month for a certain amount - as low as $50, depending on the fund. If you start early and have an eighteen-year perspective, you'll be able to weather the ups and downs of market cycles, and many funds have exceeded 12 percent annual return over a long time period.
Company savings plans and whole life insurance policies bought for the child at birth can also be good alternatives for college savings. The real issue is not so much the investment vehicle as it is the discipline of saving. You won't give up today's desires for future benefits unless you have a long-term perspective.
By making these recommendations, we're not saying that every child has to go to college or that you should pay for 100 percent of your children's college education. What we are saying is that if you want your children to go to college and you want to pay for that, starting early is the easiest way to do it. Waiting until kids are college age is extremely difficult.
The above advice steps from great experience of families all over the country. There are hundreds of thousands of couples who have put four and even five or more of their children through college by properly planning. To wait until your children are in college to begin saving for that education might ease financial pressures in the short term, but it will definitely compound the pressure in the long term.
Monday, March 17, 2008
Growth Of Whale Watching Tourism
Maybe it’s because its murky depths are one of the few places we haven’t yet taken over, but the ocean and all creatures that live beneath the waves have long been a fascination of mankind. We depend on the ocean for nourishment that supports live on land. It can hold life or death, and just like the rest of the planet, as it becomes a commercial playground, even its residents become our entertainment. Perhaps whales are interesting because of their mammoth size, or it maybe its because of our shared need for oxygen. Whatever the connection is, whale watching tours have become big business all over the world.
People have probably been watching whales for all of time, hoping to catch rare, brief glimpses of the massive creatures while out casting their nets, but whale watching as an organized activity dates back to the early 1950s. The first groups observed the creatures from the land. The Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego was designated as the very first official place for the public to watch whales. A few years later, the premier water-based tour was established, charging $1 per customer.
Over the past five decades, the pastime of whale watching has grown to enjoy increasing popularity on East Coast of the United States as well. There are large groups of Humpback Whales near some of the larger cities near the Atlantic, a breed famous for its playful, grand guests. Its diving and tail slapping are sure to draw a happy crowd. Their close proximity to clusters of people makes them a convenient spectacle. The trend has continued to expand and, according to a 1998 study, is now operating to some extent in more than 80 countries all over the world.
There are many different breed of whales throughout the world’s waters, and at least as many ways to observe them. You can stay on dry land, appreciate and aerial view from a small plane or helicopter, or even take a cruise. You can kill an hour, an entire day, or a couple of weeks. It can cost up to thousands of dollars per person, or as little as it takes to buy a movie ticket.
If a whale watching excursion is part of your vacation itinerary, it might be a good idea not to schedule very strictly on the day of your tour. The ocean is not the same as going to the zoo. You will be dealing with real, untamed animals that are not going to conform to a time slot. It is very much a “hurry up and wait” kind of activity, and as such, may not be appropriate for smaller children.
Like many of our natural resources, some kinds of whales have been hunted to near extinction. Most animal rights and environmental groups support whale watching activities because they draw attention to the problem without being very invasive to the animals. A little good press can go along way to making people realize what a precious resource nature is. Having the opportunity to witness the majesty of whales in their natural habitat is the best way to impress upon people what is at stake if we take no steps to protect the animals and their homes.
About The Author
Kelly Hunter operates http://www.whale-watching-tours-guide.com and writes about Whale Watching Tours.
People have probably been watching whales for all of time, hoping to catch rare, brief glimpses of the massive creatures while out casting their nets, but whale watching as an organized activity dates back to the early 1950s. The first groups observed the creatures from the land. The Cabrillo National Monument in San Diego was designated as the very first official place for the public to watch whales. A few years later, the premier water-based tour was established, charging $1 per customer.
Over the past five decades, the pastime of whale watching has grown to enjoy increasing popularity on East Coast of the United States as well. There are large groups of Humpback Whales near some of the larger cities near the Atlantic, a breed famous for its playful, grand guests. Its diving and tail slapping are sure to draw a happy crowd. Their close proximity to clusters of people makes them a convenient spectacle. The trend has continued to expand and, according to a 1998 study, is now operating to some extent in more than 80 countries all over the world.
There are many different breed of whales throughout the world’s waters, and at least as many ways to observe them. You can stay on dry land, appreciate and aerial view from a small plane or helicopter, or even take a cruise. You can kill an hour, an entire day, or a couple of weeks. It can cost up to thousands of dollars per person, or as little as it takes to buy a movie ticket.
If a whale watching excursion is part of your vacation itinerary, it might be a good idea not to schedule very strictly on the day of your tour. The ocean is not the same as going to the zoo. You will be dealing with real, untamed animals that are not going to conform to a time slot. It is very much a “hurry up and wait” kind of activity, and as such, may not be appropriate for smaller children.
Like many of our natural resources, some kinds of whales have been hunted to near extinction. Most animal rights and environmental groups support whale watching activities because they draw attention to the problem without being very invasive to the animals. A little good press can go along way to making people realize what a precious resource nature is. Having the opportunity to witness the majesty of whales in their natural habitat is the best way to impress upon people what is at stake if we take no steps to protect the animals and their homes.
About The Author
Kelly Hunter operates http://www.whale-watching-tours-guide.com and writes about Whale Watching Tours.
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