Introduction to Cozumel

One of the world's top dive destinations, Cozumel offers undersea reefs with fairy-tale landscapes, while its stunning Caribbean beaches lure landlubbers. San Miguel, the island's only town, is small and pleasant, if not beautiful. Residents congregate around the plaza Sunday evenings to enjoy live music and chat with friends. Cozumel enjoys popularity with cruise ships, so the town's waterfront is lined with jewelry stores and souvenir shops. Don't worry: This is as far as most cruise-ship passengers ever venture. A secluded sunset beach is never far away.
Beaches
Sunbathing on pure white sand, sipping Dos Equis beer under a palapa hut, soaring over the surf on a parasail: The surfside options are nearly endless at Cozumel's beach clubs. Head to large, all-inclusive resorts for the best in modern beach amenities, or make your way to Playa San Francisco or Playa Palancar for quieter, simpler days in the sun. Cozumel's southern and eastern shores are lined with smaller, sun-kissed beaches, nearly deserted and free of charge.
Things to Do
Imagine the Native culture that dominated Cozumel for centuries at San Gervasio. The small, inland ruins were a ceremonial Maya center from 1000 BC, drawing worshipers of Ixchel, goddess of women, the moon and fertility. Visitors absorb more of Cozumel's history at the Museo de la Isla de Cozumel. The main floor explores the island's natural history, including indigenous animals and the formation of coral; upstairs, you'll find exhibits about human history with cannons, swords and ship paraphernalia.
Eating and Drinking
Breakfast rules at Cocos Cozumel. A glass of tropical fruit juice and a local favorite, huevos divorciados (fried eggs on corn tortillas), start a Caribbean day off right, but you can opt for ham and eggs if you prefer. El Moro is a local favorite, serving up fresh enchiladas, a chicken dish called pollo Ticuleño and platters of fresh seafood in its humble orange-colored dining room. Inventive seafood and vegetable combinations form the elegant tapas creations at La Cocay.
Nature
Cozumel ranks as the number-one diving destination in the Western Hemisphere. Dozens of local dive shops outfit divers for exploration of Cozumel's finest underwater nature displays: Palancar Reef, famous for its undersea caves, canyons, fish and colorful coral; Santa Rosa Wall, an exceptionally deep reef with sea life, coral and sponges; and Yucab Reef, with vivid coral displays.
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Introduction to Rome

　　If Rome is the Eternal City, it is also a city with no end of ruins. It's impossible to see all of the temples and monuments from previous empires, try as you might, so begin with the Pantheon, the Colosseum and St. Peter's Basilica and see how far you get. But for the true flavor of Rome, make time to linger over a glass of Chianti wine. Visit its fountains in the moonlight. These experiences are as much a part of the city as the Roman Forum.

Things to Do
Rome boasts one grand tourist attraction after another, but the Roman Forum and its neighbor, the Colosseum, stay with you forever. True, most of these ancient archways, temples and aqueducts are little more than ruins, but the grandeur that was ancient Rome never fails to humble modern visitors. A very different but no less popular era of history resides within the Vatican City. Walk through the cool, imposing sanctuary of St. Peter's Basilica before admiring the masterpieces of the Vatican Museum.
Shopping
At the base of the Spanish Steps, Via Condotti is Rome's most fashionable address, and while it's possible to buy Gucci and Armani around the world, there's nothing like buying those exquisite handbags and suits in the city that originated them. For younger shoppers, Via Del Corso sells hip jeans and Italian soccer shirts near the Piazza del Popolo. If you're interested in buying Italian chocolates and wine -- and who isn't? -- you're in luck. Those items are sold throughout Rome.
Nightlife and Entertainment
After-hours entertainment doesn't get any lovelier -- or more romantic -- than wandering Rome's meandering streets after dark, when the Roman Forum, for instance, or the Trevi Fountain are bathed in moonlight. Rome has a thriving nightclub scene, but when in Rome why not do as the Romans and choose a table in a sidewalk café on the Piazza del Popolo or the Via Veneto. There locals talk long into the night over Campari or wine.
Restaurants and Dining
The Sapori del Lord Byron is romantic Italy at its finest. White lattice-work, bold colors and masses of cut flowers make this restaurant the place to pop the question, and the kitchen serves arguably the finest Italian cooking in Rome. Trattorie across Rome prepare traditional favorites like pasta and saltimbocca, but you can't beat a stop at a street market for a picnic of blood oranges, fresh bread and prosciutto. Then cap it off with a luscious gelato for dessert.

Introduction to Seattle

Mountain and ocean views, fresh seafood, great coffee and better wine: What's not to love about Seattle, the largest city in the Pacific Northwest? The sparkling waters of Elliott Bay, Lake Union and Lake Washington wrap around this city, where shimmering skyscrapers and forests of evergreens coexist. Punctuated by the Space Needle, fed by the Pike Place Market and entertained by the Seattle Mariners, Seattle offers rich experiences for outdoor enthusiasts, families and foodies. The only question is what to do first?
Things to Do
In a city offering remarkable vistas, the view from the Space Needle beats them all. From the observation deck or restaurant 520 feet above ground, you can see it all -- Seattle's gleaming glass-and-steel downtown, sparkling Puget Sound and, on a sunny day, snow-capped Mount Rainier to the east. The gleaming skyline is no less spectacular from the deck of a ferry. A cruise to Bainbridge Island from Pier 52 sets up the perfect photo opportunity.
Shopping
Outdoor lovers swoon at the notion of shopping for Gore-Tex jackets, hiking boots and repelling equipment in Seattle, the city that gave sporting goods companies REI and Eddie Bauer their start. Upscale department stores like Nordstrom (a Seattle original) and Macy's dominate the downtown malls Westlake Center and Pacific Place, while colorful Native American artworks fill galleries around Pioneer Square, Seattle's birthplace.
Nightlife and Entertainment
Much of Seattle's entertainment scene is located downtown. The Seattle Center hosts varied performances ranging from one of the nation's premier opera companies to classical music. At the other end of the spectrum is Pioneer Square, known for its energetic, boisterous (and sometimes rowdy) bars and clubs that appeal to a young crowd. For a more sophisticated nightcap, head to hip and happening Belltown for fancy cocktails.
Restaurants and Dining
Seattle's quintessential food experience is Pike Place Market. Visitors nibble their way through Asian pears, fresh strawberries and crusty sourdough, then buy specially packed boxes of king crab legs to cook at home. The original Starbucks sits across the street from the market, but Seattle visitors have no trouble finding good coffee on nearly every Seattle street corner. At dinner, the Seattle Waterfront serves clam chowder and Pacific coast salmon as the sun sets in the Puget Sound.

Introduction to Punta Cana

    On the easternmost tip of the island, 211km (131 miles) east of Santo Domingo, is Punta Cana, the site of major vacation developments, including the Barceló and Meliá properties, with more scheduled to arrive in the future. Known for its 32km (20 miles) of white-sand beaches and clear waters, Punta Cana and Bávaro are an escapist's retreat. Set against a backdrop of swaying palm trees, these beaches are unrivaled in the Caribbean. Within some of the most arid landscapes in the Caribbean -- it rarely rains during daylight hours -- Punta Cana and Bávaro have been recognized throughout Europe (especially Spain) and the Americas for their climate.
Both Punta Cana and Bávaro, two resort areas at either end of a long curve of beach lined with coconut palms, are virtually towns within themselves. The beach is so mammoth there is rarely overcrowding, even with masses of visitors every month of the year. Bávaro and Punta Cana combine to form what is nicknamed La Costa del Coco, or the Coconut Coast, land of the all-inclusive resorts. Don't expect a town or city. From Punta Cana in the south all the way to Playa del Macao in the north, there's only one small community, El Cortecito. Everything else is all-inclusives and beaches.
Capitalizing on cheap land and the virtually insatiable desire of Americans, Canadians, and continentals for sunny holidays during the depths of winter, European hotel chains participated in something akin to a land rush, acquiring large tracts of sugar-cane plantations and pastureland. Today their mega-hotels attract a clientele that's about 70% European or Latin American. Most of the other clients are Canadians and Americans. The hotel designs here range from the not particularly inspired to low-rise mega-complexes designed by the most prominent Spanish architects.
Some of them, particularly the Barceló Bávaro complex , boast some of the most lavish beach and pool facilities in the Caribbean, spectacular gardens, and avant-garde concepts in architecture (focusing on postmodern interplays between indoor and outdoor spaces).
The mailing addresses for most hotels is defined as the dusty and distinctly unmemorable town of Higüey.
If you choose to vacation in Punta Cana, you won't be alone, as increasing numbers of Latino celebrities are already making inroads there, usually renting private villas within private compounds. Julio Iglesias has been a fixture here for a while. And one of the most widely publicized feuds in the Dominican Republic swirled a few years ago around the owners of Casa de Campo and celebrity designer Oscar de la Renta, who abandoned his familiar haunts there for palm-studded new digs at Punta Cana.
Above all, don't expect a particularly North American vacation. The Europeans were here first, and many of them still have a sense of possessiveness about their secret hideaway. For the most part, the ambience is Europe in the Tropics, as seen through a Dominican filter. You'll find, for example, more formal dress codes, greater interest in soccer matches than in the big football game, and red wine rather than scotch and soda at dinner. Hotels are aware of the cultural differences between their North American and European guests, and sometimes strain to soften the differences that arise between them.

Introduction to Washington, D.C.

    If power is your aphrodisiac, Washington, D.C. will seduce you. It's full of grand images and remarkable words, from The Capitol building and the Pentagon to Lincoln's Gettysburg Address inscribed on the Lincoln Memorial. Politics is this city's business: walk the corridors of government, hear big names dropped with nonchalance and marvel at the riches of its museums, from the Smithsonian Institute to the National Archives. Beyond politics, however, a creative, diverse community relaxes in shady parks and a bubbly, eclectic restaurant scene.
Things to Do
For first-timers, a White House tour is a must; after all, it's the home and office of the President of the United States. Gaze up at the intricate rotunda of The Capitol. Look at the history of journalism at the interactive Newseum or immerse yourself in the National Gallery of Art. For the best view of the city, climb to the top of the Washington Monument, an obelisk-shaped tower in the middle of the Mall. In spring, jog under cherry blossoms in the East Potomac and West Potomac parks.
Shopping
Go undercover with a pair of spyglasses at the International Spy Museum store or go over the top in chic Georgetown designer boutiques. You could spend a day at the boutiques and spas of Friendship Heights. Head to Adams-Morgan and U Street for eccentric collectibles, shoe boutiques, and left-of-center music stores. Come Saturday or Sunday to barter and shop with the locals at the Eastern Market.
Nightlife and Entertainment
The office crowd may dominate the bars downtown, but in nearby Dupont Circle, the clubs attract a noticeably younger and more laid-back clientele. Earth lounges and bars populate Penn Quarter, while residential Georgetown is the place for sophisticated cocktail bars. D.C. is proud of its live music scene; live rock, blues, and jazz are the soundtrack to many U Street nightclubs. The John F. Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts hosts theatre, musicals, jazz performances and the National Symphony Orchestra.
Restaurants and Dining
Washington's eclectic dining scene begins in Adams-Morgan, where the world is vying to jump onto your plate. Try a spicy Ethiopian beef dish. Get a taste of New American cuisine in the Ward/U Street corridor, with combinations of Somali, Moroccan and Middle Eastern dishes, or a savory jerk chicken egg roll. Flavors from Burma, Thailand, and Indonesia are served in Chinatown. Cross the river for juicy buffalo burgers and soul food in Georgetown's cosmopolitan eateries.