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Food, wine, parades, live music and finally getting outdoors after a long winter … what’s not to love about the spring festival season? If you’re seeking inspiration for a last-minute spring trip, don’t miss the festivities going on around the U.S. in celebration of everything from strawberries to Cinco de Mayo. Read on for info on our five favorite upcoming spring festivals.

New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival: New Orleans, LA
Despite its name, the New Orleans Jazz & Heritage Festival showcases much more than just jazz music; headliners this year include Jimmy Buffett, Robert Plant & the Band of Joy, Cyndi Lauper, Wilco, Wyclef Jean and dozens of other artists in every musical genre you can imagine. In addition to live concerts every day, the festival — which runs for 10 days from April 29 through May 8 — also offers a Louisiana Folklife Village and a Native American Village where visitors can watch crafts demonstrations and enjoy traditional local music. And don’t forget the food! This is your chance to sample N’awlins favorites like muffuletta, red beans and rice, po’boys, and crawfish pie.

big sams funky nation new orleans jazz festival 2010



California Strawberry Festival: Oxnard, CA
Whether you like ‘em baked into a shortcake, dipped in chocolate, slathered with whipped cream or even tossed on top of a pizza, strawberries are the center of the action at Oxnard, California’s annual Strawberry Festival on May 21 and 22. Check out the Strawberry Promenade to watch cooking demonstrations and take in an informative exhibit on the “Life of a Strawberry.” Live music, a kids’ area, and locally made arts and crafts round out the offerings.

california strawberry festival oxnard ca



Cinco in the Park: Denver, CO
Denver celebrates Mexican culture and heritage with its annual Cinco in the Park festival, scheduled this year for May 7 and 8. The holiday of Cinco de Mayo commemorates a battle in which the Mexican town of Puebla overcame the French back in 1862; in modern-day Denver, the fiesta includes music, dancing, a parade and a Green Chili Bowl Cook-Off, in which local restaurants duke it out over who has the best spicy recipe.

cinco de mayo dancers denver



Nantucket Daffodil Festival: Nantucket, MA
After a long and snowy winter, the island of Nantucket celebrates the spring thaw each year with its colorful Nantucket Daffodil Festival. This year’s festivities, which run from April 29 through May 1, will feature annual events such as the antique car parade (the vehicles are, of course, bedecked with daffodil blooms), the daffy hat pageant (how many flowers can you fit onto your baseball cap?) and the daffy dog parade (a daffodil-decorated Fido might lack a little dignity, but he’ll sure look pretty).

nantucket daffodil festival daffy hat



Vidalia Onion Festival: Vidalia, GA
Did you know that the Vidalia sweet onion is Georgia’s official state vegetable? Help celebrate all things onion at the 34th annual Vidalia Onion Festival, which runs from April 28 through May 1. The town goes all out for the festivities, which include an air show, a concert (with “American Idol” alum Kellie Pickler as the headliner), a Miss Vidalia Onion pageant, a rodeo, a motorcycle rally and, of course, plenty of opportunities to sample those yummy onions! Try the sweet onion rings, available downtown all day during the festival, or attend the Vidalia Onion Culinary Extravaganza with a local chef and cookbook author. Those with iron stomachs can join the onion eating contest.

vidalia onion festival air show



For more ideas, see our Top 10 Stunning Spring Destinations.

– written by Sarah Schlichter

old crown london London is full of free things to do. A bunch of world-class museums, such as the British Museum, the National Gallery, the Tate Modern, and the Victoria and Albert Museum, offer free admission. There’s no charge to watch cheeky orators embarrass themselves and others in front of large crowds at Speakers’ Corner in Hyde Park. And it’s free to see the changing of the guard at Buckingham Palace.

Travelers to London can also enjoy complimentary comedy shows in the heart of the city, which I accidentally discovered on a trip earlier this week.

Searching the Web for something budget-friendly and fun to do on a weekday night, I came across an online listing for “The Ideas Factory,” a free comedy show at a bar in London’s Covent Garden neighborhood. On a whim, I showed up at the bar (Old Crown on 33 New Oxford Street), and was directed to a small room upstairs. It was a tiny, dimly lit space with two beat-up couches and some folding chairs. There were just three or four people standing about drinking beer. The place looked like a sad and poorly attended party hosted by college students in a studio apartment — no stage, no audience and no microphone; this didn’t seem promising.

Despite my unease, I stayed, expecting a mediocre show at best, and an embarrassing flop ending in violence at worst. Yet the show was brilliant. The comedians, who hammed it up just inches from a tiny group of roughly 10 people, were polished, professional and delightfully clever. Performers included Matthew Highton, Paul Duncan McGarrity and Jay Cowle, established British comedians who also do standup at the “real” comedy clubs — you know, the ones that charge admission.

During a break in the show, I asked one of the performers why he bothered to appear at a free show in such a dark and diminutive room above a bar. He explained that this kind of intimate performance is common in London, where comedians arrange small events for the purpose of testing new material in front of an audience.

Spending the evening as a comic guinea pig in London was an unforgettable experience. To find free comedy shows in London, check out Time Out London (www.TimeOut.com/London).

– written by Caroline Costello

Carrick-a-Rede Rope BridgeHappy St. Patrick’s Day! In honor of this cherished holiday, we scoured our forums to find out what our readers like most about Ireland — and it turns out there’s a lot to love in the Emerald Isle. From thousand-year-old ruins to wind-swept coastal towns, below are seven magical must-see places and itineraries in Ireland, recommended by our well-traveled readers.

Have you been to Ireland? Share your favorite Ireland sites in the comments.

1. “I recently took a trip to Ireland and visited Skellig Michael, a World Heritage Site off the country’s western coast. It was probably the most amazing place I have ever visited. It is a barren island (covered in puffins!) that housed a colony of monks more than 1,000 years ago. I had to climb 700 feet of steep stone steps to see the monks’ ancient beehive-shaped dwellings, which are still almost completely intact.” — Metravellongtime

2. “Surrounded by mountains, Belfast is pristine, clean and elegant. Gorgeous architecture, great shopping, friendly people. It offers opera, theater, restaurants, plus a great nightlife.” — costelj1

3. “I liked Hore Abbey, in Cashel, County Tipperary. Naturally, everyone goes to the incredibly well-preserved Rock of Cashel, so imposing on its higher ground. The Rock is solid, but there’s something much more interesting about Hore in its ruined state. There’s no doubt that a mystical experience — an old white terrier bade us follow her to the abbey — helped consecrate my visit.” — WackyHeathen

4. “We spent one week on the Dingle peninsula, which I would highly recommend, one week in Galway, based outside of Clifden, and one week in Cork. I really enjoyed all three, which were very different.” — TheTraveler

5. “I loved the Carrick-a-Rede rope bridge on the coast in County Antrim. The bridge is suspended about 100 feet above the water and leads to a teeny little island with great views of the coast. Walking over the bridge was pretty scary to me (you can feel it swaying a bit and I’m afraid of heights), but the views were worth it.” — soliteyah

6. “We have been to Ireland three times. We love the southwest area of Ireland — especially Killarney. The ring of Kerry is so beautiful, as is the Dingle Peninsula.” — dthebolt

7. “For the best places in Ireland, I gravitate to the west: Cork and especially West Cork for wild scenery and wonderful people; Connemara and Mayo — high mountains, kayaking, walking and great pubs; Sligo and Donegal — distinctive towns and a different culture than the rest of Ireland; and the north — unspoiled areas of great beauty and hospitable people. Overall, the people are Ireland’s greatest natural resource!” — fastnet

Want more Ireland advice? Visit our Ireland travel forum.

–written by Caroline Costello

farmerIf the recessionary mindset has taught us anything, it’s that delivering suspicious packages is not the only way to travel cheaply. Enter the working vacation, where callous-palmed travelers don the sun hat and gloves of the temporary laborer, and pay for their camp grub, modest accommodations and instructional lessons on trail maintenance by picking heirloom tomatoes or keeping leaf-eating beetles at bay. Below are two ingenious ways to take a vacation for next to nothing.

(Editor’s Note: If you already have a full-time job upkeeping trails or cultivating organic crops, we don’t recommend the following options.)

WWOOF
Harvest 22 varieties of figs in Malibu. Help build an off-the-grid dwelling situated at 10,000 feet in Colorado Springs. Rake wild blueberries and make wine in Phillips, Maine. What is this strange bourgeois migrant labor, you ask? There are some 1,200 farms associated with WWOOF U.S.A., the American chapter of World-Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms. (There are thousands more across the planet, but costly flights make extreme penny pinching more of a challenge.) The exchange: You work for a half day, and the farm owners, which you’ve hopefully vetted (and they you, crazy eyes), provide food and shelter. No previous experience extolling the virtue of the soil is needed, but you do have to be at least 18 years old to work on your own. (Those younger than 18 must be accompanied by an adult.)

The length of a farmstay is determined by you and your host, and can vary from a few days to a season. Gaining access to WWOOF’s online database of farms costs $30.

Appalachian Trail Work Crew
Working as part of a volunteer crew to build and protect the Appalachian National Scenic Trail is a decidedly couch-free affair. Trail crews tackle large-scale projects such as trail relocations and rehabilitation, and bridge and shelter construction. The work is rigorous and there are no “vacation days” if you’re working for the minimum week-long stint. But what you do get, if you’re so disposed, is the chance to pass on the 75-plus-year legacy of a 2,181-mile trail that runs from Georgia through Maine, the pursuit of which has given men, women and children the freedom to grow wizard-like beards without recoiling in society’s mirror. As part of the bargain, you also get food, transportation to the work site, the chance to share a group tent, work tools and equipment, and crew leadership. Volunteers are responsible for providing their own camping gear.

Apparently, there are quite a few hardy noble souls ready to take on the task — there’s often a waitlist for the first-come, first-served positions, which are filled in equal parts by men and women, with ages ranging from 18 to 80.

Not interested in sleeping on a stranger’s couch or getting your hands dirty on vacation? Check out these nine creative ways to save big on your next trip. And don’t forget to use our handy travel budget calculator for planning a wallet-friendly getaway!

Ever been on a volunteer or working vacation? Tell us about it below.


– written by Dan Askin

When I pulled into Shelby with a group of other travel writers and tour operators, I had no idea that our arrival was big news — until we wound up on the front page of the local paper. “Focus on Cleveland County: Travel pros visit for a taste of our area,” ran the headline in the Shelby Star the next morning, complete with full-color photos.

We may have been the news of the day, but this little town in western North Carolina will soon be making its own headlines. It’s the future home of the Earl Scruggs Center, which will feature “music and stories of the Carolina Foothills” — including, of course, plenty of information on Scruggs himself, an internationally recognized banjo player and bluegrass musician who hailed from the Shelby area. (Among the exhibits will be banjos and other instruments played by Scruggs and his contemporaries.) The museum is scheduled to open in early 2012.

Not into bluegrass? Scruggs is only one of Shelby’s claims to fame. Come to town in the fall and you could catch the annual Liver Mush Expo, celebrating one of the region’s culinary delicacies. Pig liver and other parts (including the snout) are combined with cornmeal to create a liver mush loaf, which is sliced, fried and served in a variety of ways. I tried it on bread with jelly, and then with cheese and eggs — and can affirm that it tastes better than it looks! (The flavor is a bit of a cross between sausage and scrapple.) You can sample this “poor man’s pate” all year round at the friendly Shelby Cafe.

liver mush shelby cafe mustard livermush


Save some time for strolling around downtown, or rather Uptown (a moniker deliberately chosen because it was more cheerful). Shelby boasts three main historic districts as well as a bevy of cute little boutiques and specialty shops. I stopped in the Cleveland Country Arts Council building, where a pottery show and sale was running, and boggled at the low prices for beautiful, locally made art. Also worth a visit is the Don Gibson Theatre, a restored Art Deco venue that hosts musicians, films and comedy acts.

North Carolina may not be the first place that comes to mind when you think of wine, but the number of wineries in the state has more than quadrupled in the last 10 years — and the Shelby area is getting in on the action. It’s easy to drive a loop around the region’s three wineries: Baker Buffalo Creek Vineyard & Winery, Owl’s Eye Vineyard and WoodMill Winery. Be sure to sample a few muscadine wines, which are local to the Southeast and offer high levels of healthy antioxidants (about 20 times as much as a Merlot).

If you’ve got kids in tow, make time for a stop at the Shelby City Park, with its historic 1920′s “carrousel” and miniature train. It’s just 50 cents each for a ride.

owls eye vineyard winery shelby north carolina

bankers house shelby north carolina historic

cleveland county courthouse shelby north carolina



– written by Sarah Schlichter

Mark your calendars. The National Cherry Blossom Festival has unveiled the most hotly discussed seasonal bellwether since that groundhog popped his head out of his home in early February.

That would be, of course, when the peak blooming days are for the cherry blossoms along D.C.’s Tidal Basin: March 29 – April 3. Check the National Cherry Blossom Festival Web site for details and the full schedule for the March 26 – April 10 event (think everything from parades and parties to road races and street fairs).

cherry blossom festival


No matter when the peak is (and it can swing wildly from mid-March to mid-April depending on how harsh the winter was), there are a few things you should know if you’re planning on going. I lived just outside of Washington D.C. for nearly 20 years and found that even though it’s Tourist Central (and why not?), those flowering trees were just as much of a local magnet. A few tips:

Avoid the crowds.
Easier said than done. While cherry trees are scattered around the city, the iconic forest of pink is sequestered around the Tidal Basin just off the National Mall — and the body of water itself is ringed by a relatively narrow sidewalk. So you can expect a tightly packed mass of humanity on weekends. I’d suggest going in the early morning (watch the sunrise over the blossoms — it’s magical) or in the late evening. During dusk it’s a beautiful scene, and you won’t have to push your way through a crowd. Even better, go during a workday because most everyone is, uh, working.

Watch your step — and your head.
The trees swoop fairly low in some spots, and you could conk your noggin if you’re not paying attention. There’s also a sea of dogs underfoot for some reason (really, why can’t people just leave Mugsy at home?), so it’s easy to get tangled up in someone’s leash or stumble over a wayward Chihuahua. Sidewalks can be a bit uneven in spots as well, so consider going off the trail and walking among the trees themselves.

Pack a meal.
I can’t think of a better place to eat than on a blanket tucked under the cherry trees, and there’s ample greenswards that allow you to do so. But because the Tidal Basin is fairly far afield from delis and the like, it’s best to arrive onsite with food in hand.

Wear comfortable shoes — and do the entire circuit.
You can’t get a really get a good sense of the breadth of the display without actually walking the entire route, so give yourself a few hours (at least). You can visit the F.D.R. and Jefferson memorials along the way (both are top-notch photo ops as well), and you’ll be surprised at how different the vantage points are as you progress.

Don’t drive.
Ok, you can drive if you arrive early enough and opt to park closer to the Mall, which is 15 to 45 minutes away by foot depending on where you settle. Just about every distance in Washington looks closer than it actually is, so be aware that you may have a schlep before the schlep. It’s best to take mass transit, but even the Metro will involve a bit of a hike. Or grab a cab and get out a few traffic-free blocks from the main event.

Stay off the trees.
That’s Rule No. 1 actually — there are warnings everywhere to that effect. But it doesn’t matter: There’s always someone clambering on a branch. If you witness this affront on nature, feel free to lash out at the culprit, and everyone will think you’re a D.C. native (they’re very protective of this amazing asset).

– written by John Deiner

Snow is still blanketing much of the country. But I’m not complaining.

In fact, I was deeply grateful for the soft, yielding snow when I was violently thrown from my dog sled. During a recent excursion in Colorado, my sled tipped over and I was dragged several yards through the snow before I tumbled off, only to be left face-down in the powder as the dogs bounded away. I couldn’t stop laughing. Besides, who could be mad at this face?

husky


It wasn’t the canines’ fault that I went catapulting from the sled. My travel companion, who had taken the reins of the two-person sled, hadn’t quite gotten a feel for the contraption and leaned too far to the right as we rounded a sharp curve, causing the sled to capsize. The dogs know what they’re doing. It’s the humans who are responsible for keeping the sled from tipping, by balancing their weight properly as they’re pulled through twisting trails.

I was in Breckenridge, Colorado — the ski resort town that’s home to spine-chilling vertical drops at 13,000 feet. But I got my biggest adrenaline rush off the slopes, being tugged through the woods by a team of speedy Siberian huskies. I was surprised to discover that recreational dog sledding is, well, a bit treacherous. Tumbles and spills are to be expected — which is exactly why those piles of powdery snow come in handy.

We booked our excursion with Good Times Adventures, the only local dog sledding operation in the Breckenridge area. The hour-long ride through the gorgeous Swan River Valley cost $70 per person. Below are some more photos of the adorable dogs at Good Times.

husky sled dogs


sled dogs


sled dogs


Have you been dog sledding? Tell us about it!

– written by Caroline Costello

Admit it. While you’re jetsetting across continents, dancing in bars and dining on exotic delicacies, deep down you’re thinking about faithful Sir Barksalot, who is back at home in a boarding kennel, whining at a picture of you.

You’re not alone. On Facebook, we asked our readers to tell us what they miss the most about home while traveling, and the majority of respondents revealed that above all, they miss their pets.

I must concur. There isn’t much unconditional love to be found in hotel lobbies and airport waiting lounges. Sure, customs’ drug-sniffing canines are cute, but we’re not supposed to pet them (which I discovered the hard way). When you need to scratch your pet itch while traveling, consider the following options.

dog bark park innIn the Doghouse
Retreating into the belly of a giant dog may be taking the whole “man’s best friend” thing a little too far. Nevertheless, lodging is available inside the world’s largest beagle at the Dog Bark Park Inn in Cottonwood, Idaho. Visitors are invited to “Experience the Dog!” by circling three times before dozing off in a dog-themed room inside a massive two-story canine named “Sweet Willy.” There’s even a cozy loft inside Willy’s head, where one can squirrel away and think dog-like thoughts. Don’t forget to bring your dog-print pajamas and collection of self-help books.


cat boatPuss and Boat
Amsterdam’s De Poezenboot (or in English, the Cat Boat) is the only houseboat-cum-animal sanctuary in the Netherlands (and possibly in the world, I’d wager) — and it’s open for tours. Anyone who’s been inside a Dutch houseboat knows they’re typically quite small, so the tour is brief. You walk in, you look at a room full of cats, and then you leave. When I last visited the Cat Boat, one particularly angry feline growled at me from atop his cage while I stood at a distance, calling to him sweetly. A staff member told me, “He’s beautiful, but the nasty thing’ll bite your hand off.” Despite this one unbalanced animal, I got my cat fix — there were a few less menacing creatures onboard.

cat cafeI’ll Have a Large Coffee and a Domestic Shorthair
Tokyo, land of avant-garde pop-culture trends and humanoid robots, is igniting a fad that combines two popular pastimes: cats and caffeine. At Tokyo’s cat cafes, dozens of resident felines weave between the legs of coffee-drinking cat people, and patrons pay hourly fees to pet purring balls of fur while sipping on lattes. According to CNN, as many as 100 cat cafes are operating in Japan.





dog cruiseCaptain Canine

Why not free Sir Barksalot from his kennel confines and take him on a cruise? There’s only one ship that permits pet-owners to bring their four-legged counterparts onboard: Cunard’s Queen Mary 2. The luxury ship boasts an onboard pet kennel, plus a “Pets on Deck” program that provides fresh biscuits, beds and blankets, pet toys and more. Fees range from $500 to $700 per cruise, which isn’t too shabby considering at-home kennel costs can be comparable. Plus, professional cruise photos of you and your Airedale make fabulous Christmas cards.


cowHave a Cow

Farm Sanctuary, a shelter for farm animals rescued from stockyards and slaughterhouses, has a charming bed and breakfast at its Watkins Glen shelter in the Finger Lakes region of New York. Guests stay in private cabins (daily vegan breakfast is included) and are invited to help out with farm chores and explore the Sanctuary grounds. Choose to sponsor an animal prior to your visit and you’ll get a V.I.P. tour that includes a personal meet-and-greet with the cow, duck, goat, chicken or other barnyard creature you’ve generously funded. Companion animals are welcome.


For more information about hitting the road with your dog or cat, read Traveling with Pets.

–written by Caroline Costello

During spring, when frozen fields evolve into painterly kaleidoscopes of color, certain destinations shine. While Holland is arguably the most famous spot for flower aficionados, with Provence, France being a close second, there are plenty of domestic destinations that can compete with the big bloomers. Here are a few of our favorite places to see roses and rhododendrons in the U.S., with bonus travel deals to match.

1. Philadelphia International Flower Show

The Philadelphia International Flower Show, the world’s largest indoor display of flowers, is a world-renowned affair (the show is even highlighted in that famous book, “1,000 Places to See Before You Die”). The event takes place each spring at the Pennsylvania Convention Center, which transforms into a wild array of eye-popping floral exhibits, featuring everything from fantastical arrangements to full-on gardens brimming with colorful blooms. This year, the theme is “Springtime in Paris,” and the show will take place from March 6 through March 13.

The Deal: The Windsor Suites Philadelphia is currently offering a special flower show package, which includes accommodations, two tickets to the show and breakfast for two, starting at $169 per night.

Philadelphia flower show


2. Yellowstone National Park

Carpets of wild irises, shooting stars, yellow violets, ladies’ tresses and countless other wildflower species take over Yellowstone National Park from May through August (head to the park in June and July to catch the peak). Expect rolling meadows full of flowers and shocks of electric-pink blooms growing from forest floors during late-spring and summer months. Take a ranger-guided hike to learn about Yellowstone’s variety of flowers from a park expert.

The Deal: Parade Rest Guest Ranch, which is located near the Yellowstone park entrance, is currently offering special spring rates for stays from May 20 through June 12.

 Flowers in Yellowstone National Park


3. Portland Rose Festival
Portland, the “City of Roses,” an urban center where pretty gardens seem to sprout on every corner, welcomes spring with its annual Rose Festival. This year’s celebrations take place from the end of May through mid-June. The high point of the whole shebang is the Grand Floral Parade, a must-see frenzy of floats, flowers and music. Other fun events include a rose lighting ceremony with fireworks and a heart-pounding dragon boat race on the Willamette River.

The Deal: The Red Lion Hotel Portland, which is located right on the Grand Floral Parade route, is offering special Rose Festival rates starting at $99 per night.

Portland Rose Festival


4. Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve

Vibrant orange, yellow and red blankets of poppies appear in the Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve, located about a two-hour drive north of Los Angeles, in early spring. Look for blooms to arrive as soon as March. The peak period for viewing eternal fields of flowers generally happens in mid-April. The reserve has eight miles of quiet trails that are perfect for hiking, photography, wildlife spotting and picnicking.

The Deal: When you stay at the Hampton Inn and Suites in Lancaster, California (the city of Lancaster is next to the Poppy Reserve), save 20 percent on your weekend stay.

Antelope Valley California Poppy Reserve


5. National Cherry Blossom Festival
Our nation’s capital transforms into a breathtaking blush-pink panorama of blooming cherry trees each spring. Thousands of trees popping with color near icons like the Washington Monument and the Jefferson Memorial make for stunning photographs. On top of that, the Cherry Blossom Festival features more than 100 performances and events — many of which are free — including guided tours, fireworks and even a 5K run. The festival runs from March 27 through April 11.

The Deal: Book a Cherry Blossom Festival package at the Melrose Hotel and get accommodations, dinner for two and a late check-out with rates starting at $156 per night.

National Cherry Blossom Festival



– written by Caroline Costello

spa roomVisit Lake Atitlan in Guatemala (and you should, come to think of it), and you may find yourself in the tiny village of San Marcos. With only a few hundred residents, cheap food and labyrinthine pathways contoured by stone walls, fences and trees, it’s one of the more unexpected New Age communities you’re likely to encounter — and with an international population at that.

It’s here I realized a few years ago that one of the best ways to get the rub on a place is to, well, get a rubdown in the place. You can choose from any number of massage therapists, but I picked one on the outskirts, where the heavily traveled path wasn’t so well worn. I wrote my name next to a time on a piece of paper tacked to a post, then showed up at my self-determined appointment, wondering what I’d gotten myself into. Not to worry: With thunder rumbling in the distance, the masseuse showed up precisely on time at the front door, led me to a lovely little room overlooking a garden and chatted about life in Guatemala in broken English as she provided the best $20 massage money can buy.

I’d go back in a heartbeat, if I could find the place again.

Since then, I’ve eagerly jumped at any chance to spa out, though nothing has topped my Atitlan experience. There’ve been massages at Utah’s Sundance resort, as well as in Vegas, London and North Carolina’s Outer Banks. I had a claustrophobic aromatherapy session in Berkeley Springs, West Virginia (think fragrant steam pumped into a phonebooth). I took the waters on a soaking tour of Saratoga Springs’ mineral baths in Upstate New York.

And now, a pedicure — in the middle of the ocean. During a recent spin on Royal Caribbean’s new Allure of the Seas, a loquacious charmer named Kim gave my weary toes some much-needed attention while she shared stories about her family back in Jamaica and recounted tales of working on a cruise ship. Bottom line: She misses her homeland, loves her floating workplace. While my toenails are still shiny from Kim’s efforts, the effects of the hot-rock leg massage and the cooling gels that followed it have, sadly, long disappeared.

(In case you’re wondering — and you are — I am not the only man to ever receive a pedicure at sea. Kim told me that about 20 percent of her clients are men. And when I asked her what sorts of pedial horrors she sees on a typical day, she just sort of shuddered and said, “I don’t want to think about it.”)

What’s next on my spa bucket list? I don’t know. I do know that you live and learn when you sit and soak, so I’m up for anything. Well, except for this:



To be honest, I’d rather talk to a human and learn something than have doctor fish nibbling dead skin off my big toe. But if you want to know more about this treatment, check out Seven Extreme Spa Treatments from Around the World.


– written by John Deiner