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Oscar Week: Travel Movies We Love

2/25/2014

In the spirit of Oscars weekend and the big-ass party we’re having with great friends at our Pennington Pad on Sunday (OK, it’s a small gathering, but it’s BIG on fun), I’ve created a list of 7 movies that beckon the wanderlust we all love.

While I’ll never travel to outer space like Sandra and George in “Gravity,” the destinations in these flicks are within reach. And the destination you'll go to is ...

The African Queen (1951) – Bogart and Hepburn brave rapids on a long journey down an African river. Sounds like a fun way to see the continent (minus all the Germans shooting at you, of course).

Lawrence of Arabia (1962) – Never has wandering through the Arabian desert been more appealing than when viewing the sweeping vistas of the movie on a wide screen with Peter O’Toole majestically adorned in his flowing white robes.

The Talented Mr. Ripley (1999) – I especially want to revisit this one to catch the great early work of Philip Seymour Hoffman. Matt Damon chillin’ in those swim trunks on a beach in Italy is priceless, too.

Lost in Translation (2003) – Bill Murray and Scarlett Johansson cross paths while on separate trips to Japan. I’ve not yet been to this wonderful country. But, as a Westerner, the title fits what I’m expecting.

Sideways (2004) – I’m no wine drinker, but I wanted to be after watching Paul Giamatti and Thomas Haden Church slosh their way through California wine country.

Into the Wild (2007) – Head to the Last Frontier as Emile Hirsch embodies Chris McCandless in the true story of a young man who shunned his possessions and hitchhiked to Alaska to find a new life. “The core of man’s spirit comes from new experiences.”

The Way (2010) – Martin Sheen embarks on a pilgrimage on El Camino de Santiago, or the Way of St. James, in northern Spain as a way to honor his dead son in what turns out to be a journey of self discovery. The pic features great natural settings that beckon you to rise to the challenge of this famed trek.

I know there are tons more. What did I miss? Let me know your favorites.

JR

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Basking in Blue Waters at Maya Key on Roatan, Honduras

2/20/2014

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I have been to Roatan twice. The first time, I enjoyed the wonderful waters and weather with a snorkeling outing aboard a catamaran -- a highly recommended experience. This recent visit, I had a chance to enjoy another type of excursion.

Last week, I joined a group for a beach outing while ashore during the port stop of my Royal Caribbean cruise on Navigator of the Seas. We zipped over to Maya Key, a mere five-minute ferry ride from the port area. Maya Key operations manager Cindy Carter, a transplant to Roatan from Fort Lauderdale, Fla., says 98 percent of the resort's visitors come from cruise ships.

We caught a day at private island retreat on a gloriously blue-skied and sunny day. When is it not like that in Roatan, I suppose. I expected that it would be the typical cruisers' beach day that I had experienced many times before:

Meaning, a bus ride to a beach. "There’s your lounger, there's the beach, there's the water, here's your drink ticket. Have a fun time."

Don't get me wrong. Those types of beach outings have been cool, too. Plenty of snorkeling, and they typically come with a nice lunch.

But the experience at Maya Key offered a few nice additional activities for visitors. Some required added fees, and you can typically design your group's outing to include everything you want to do.

Try snorkeling off their scenic pier. Drop right in at the end of the long pier and immerse yourself into the reef environment of colorful fish and coral varieties.

You can also hike along the resorts garden paths. The whole facility is a wild animal rescue preserve, and we were treated to a tour that showed off exotic species like jaguars, ocelots, monkeys, toucans, macaws and a baby crocodile. Maya Key also offers sea lion and shark and stingray experiences, in which you jump in and swim with the creatures.

You can explore the Mayan ruins and interpretive center which sits amid the acres of lush tropical gardens enveloping the facility. The resort also features a large swimming pool and lounge area as well as a bar and grill. We chowed down on a buffet-style lunch of delicious, spicy Honduran food, including rice, chicken and fish.

My brother and I also made sure we sampled all three varieties of Honduran beer (twice). I find that's always the best way to truly cap off a busy beach day in the Caribbean.

Above, Bart shows off the flavors to savor when in Honduras: Salva Vida, Port Royal and Barena. We got a bucket of six for $15. Not too shabby.

I very much recommend checking out Maya Key for a day ashore the next time you're in Roatan.

Till next time, thanks for reading and travel happy.

JR

4 Comments

A Great Trip With My Brother on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

2/18/2014

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By John Roberts

We had a blast. It was even more fun than I would have imagined. Bart and I live in separate states and have for quite a while. So, we don't get together as often as we'd like. I was happy when he was able to get a week off at a moment's notice and join me on a work trip.
That's right, I was working, and Bart was playing. Boy, did he ever.
I couldn't have asked for a better wing man to help me mix and mingle with all the new journalist friends we met while checking out the newly refurbished Royal Caribbean Navigator of the Seas as we sailed out of Galveston, Texas, to the Caribbean ports of Roatan, Honduras; Belize City, Belize; and Cozumel, Mexico.

Let's relive some of the food and fun and physical acts that we enjoyed during our weeklong getaway.

The Food ...

The Fun ...

As always, thanks so much for reading.
Travel happy,
JR

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Oscar Week: Travel Movies We Love

Basking in Blue Waters at Maya Key on Roatan, Honduras

A Great Trip With My Brother on a Royal Caribbean Cruise

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