"NOYB" wrote in message
k.net...

If you read the entire article that you cited, you'd know *why* the Gulf
Coast of Florida wasn't listed:

"Popular places today are subject to a variety of pressures - development,
pollution, globalization, mass tourism," the magazine's publisher stated.
"We wanted to get a measure of how well destinations are taking care of
themselves."

"Typical sun-and-sand destinations score low because most are vulnerable
to
overbuilding and degradation."

----------------------------------------------------

Wanna know *why* we're vulnerable to "overbuilding and degradation"?
Because people actually *want* to live in Southwest Florida. I know it's
a
difficult concept to understand for someone that lives in a place where
more people are emigrating from than immigrating to...

As with most magazine articles, the data is too simple to draw any
conclusions from, other than to say that some types of people want to live
in a certain type of environment. If the area you're talking about continues
to rise in popularity, it's inevitable that it'll turn into an endless mass
of concrete and strip malls. The only people with a decent view will be
those who can live right on the beach. This is OK with some people, I guess.
But in other parts of the country, the trend is to reverse this process. To
each his own, I guess.

--
Do not respond to my Hotmail address. It's never checked. Post all responses
here.

"Paul Fritz" wrote in message We were in
Cusco on Easter, so all the locals were dressed up as well.
Going up Wachu Pichu was like walking up a skyscaper......,mostly
switchback
stairs, unitl you get to the top, where rain would have made it tricky.

Getting back to the Galapago's.....you should take time to spend a
couple
of days in Quito, it is an interesting town. Guayquil is mostly an
industrial prot city. Equador uses U.S currency, but makes its own
coinage
as well. If you ever wonder what happened to all the one dollar
coins....I
think they all ended up there. Don't know if you know, but there is a
$100.00 entrance fee you pay immediately when you land on the islands.
One
of the naturalists told me that if you sail your own boat, the cost is
$200
a day per person, and you have to pay for a naturalist to stay on board
the
entire time you are there. It is definitely worth the trip. My daughter
decided that she wants to work there now.



I have been in the coastal areas of Equador. Manta, and another town. Took
a 16 day cruise from Val Pariaso to Ft. Lauderdale via the Panama canal. I
am looking at landing in quito and some of the group going to MP and I plan
on an Amazon side trip out of Quito. Probably a months vacation from the
wrecked.boats political wars.
Bill

Calif Bill wrote in message news:i3n4c.17225$%
blah, blah
Paul Fritz" wrote in message
blah, blah

Hey what gives.. I was shamelessly using this thread to promote tourism in
my home province....
whats with all this Galapagos talk??

"Don White" wrote in message
...

Calif Bill wrote in message
news:i3n4c.17225$%
blah, blah
Paul Fritz" wrote in message
blah, blah

Hey what gives.. I was shamelessly using this thread to promote tourism in
my home province....
whats with all this Galapagos talk??



You do not freeze your Patootie off in the Galapago's. Makes it higher on
the tourism list than places that freeze the waters. And the Canadian
Looni is creeping up in value, making it less desirable to travel in your
area. And Equador uses US currency, so do not have to deal with your
colored monoply money. psssssst! And Bloom County would say.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...

"Paul Fritz" wrote in message We were
in
Cusco on Easter, so all the locals were dressed up as well.
Going up Wachu Pichu was like walking up a skyscaper......,mostly
switchback
stairs, unitl you get to the top, where rain would have made it tricky.

Getting back to the Galapago's.....you should take time to spend a
couple
of days in Quito, it is an interesting town. Guayquil is mostly an
industrial prot city. Equador uses U.S currency, but makes its own
coinage
as well. If you ever wonder what happened to all the one dollar
coins....I
think they all ended up there. Don't know if you know, but there is a
$100.00 entrance fee you pay immediately when you land on the islands.
One
of the naturalists told me that if you sail your own boat, the cost is
$200
a day per person, and you have to pay for a naturalist to stay on board
the
entire time you are there. It is definitely worth the trip. My
daughter
decided that she wants to work there now.



I have been in the coastal areas of Equador. Manta, and another town.
Took
a 16 day cruise from Val Pariaso to Ft. Lauderdale via the Panama canal.
I
am looking at landing in quito and some of the group going to MP and I
plan
on an Amazon side trip out of Quito. Probably a months vacation from the
wrecked.boats political wars.
Bill

We spent three days in the Amazon as well.......in Brazil.....great
place....the Ariana Jungle Towers....out of Manaus, but it took a bit of
flying to get there. The Equadorian side (according to my travel agent) is
a bit more unstable, and would not have been comfortable taking my 13 y.o.
daughter there.

"P.Fritz" wrote in message
...

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...

"Paul Fritz" wrote in message We
were
in
Cusco on Easter, so all the locals were dressed up as well.
Going up Wachu Pichu was like walking up a skyscaper......,mostly
switchback
stairs, unitl you get to the top, where rain would have made it
tricky.

Getting back to the Galapago's.....you should take time to spend a
couple
of days in Quito, it is an interesting town. Guayquil is mostly an
industrial prot city. Equador uses U.S currency, but makes its own
coinage
as well. If you ever wonder what happened to all the one dollar
coins....I
think they all ended up there. Don't know if you know, but there is a
$100.00 entrance fee you pay immediately when you land on the islands.
One
of the naturalists told me that if you sail your own boat, the cost is
$200
a day per person, and you have to pay for a naturalist to stay on
board
the
entire time you are there. It is definitely worth the trip. My
daughter
decided that she wants to work there now.



I have been in the coastal areas of Equador. Manta, and another town.
Took
a 16 day cruise from Val Pariaso to Ft. Lauderdale via the Panama canal.
I
am looking at landing in quito and some of the group going to MP and I
plan
on an Amazon side trip out of Quito. Probably a months vacation from
the
wrecked.boats political wars.
Bill

We spent three days in the Amazon as well.......in Brazil.....great
place....the Ariana Jungle Towers....out of Manaus, but it took a bit of
flying to get there. The Equadorian side (according to my travel agent)
is
a bit more unstable, and would not have been comfortable taking my 13 y.o.
daughter there.






I am 61 and I think the situations have quieted down.
Bill

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...

"P.Fritz" wrote in message
...

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...

"Paul Fritz" wrote in message We
were
in
Cusco on Easter, so all the locals were dressed up as well.
Going up Wachu Pichu was like walking up a skyscaper......,mostly
switchback
stairs, unitl you get to the top, where rain would have made it
tricky.

Getting back to the Galapago's.....you should take time to spend a
couple
of days in Quito, it is an interesting town. Guayquil is mostly an
industrial prot city. Equador uses U.S currency, but makes its own
coinage
as well. If you ever wonder what happened to all the one dollar
coins....I
think they all ended up there. Don't know if you know, but there is
a
$100.00 entrance fee you pay immediately when you land on the
islands.
One
of the naturalists told me that if you sail your own boat, the cost
is
$200
a day per person, and you have to pay for a naturalist to stay on
board
the
entire time you are there. It is definitely worth the trip. My
daughter
decided that she wants to work there now.



I have been in the coastal areas of Equador. Manta, and another town.
Took
a 16 day cruise from Val Pariaso to Ft. Lauderdale via the Panama
canal.
I
am looking at landing in quito and some of the group going to MP and I
plan
on an Amazon side trip out of Quito. Probably a months vacation from
the
wrecked.boats political wars.
Bill

We spent three days in the Amazon as well.......in Brazil.....great
place....the Ariana Jungle Towers....out of Manaus, but it took a bit of
flying to get there. The Equadorian side (according to my travel agent)
is
a bit more unstable, and would not have been comfortable taking my 13
y.o.
daughter there.






I am 61 and I think the situations have quieted down.
Bill

If it was just me, I would have had no problem with it....On the other hand,
there was a riot in Lima about a month after we had been there.

"Calif Bill" wrote in message
link.net...

"Don White" wrote in message
...

Calif Bill wrote in message
news:i3n4c.17225$%
blah, blah
Paul Fritz" wrote in message
blah, blah

Hey what gives.. I was shamelessly using this thread to promote tourism
in
my home province....
whats with all this Galapagos talk??



You do not freeze your Patootie off in the Galapago's. Makes it higher on
the tourism list than places that freeze the waters. And the Canadian
Looni is creeping up in value, making it less desirable to travel in your
area. And Equador uses US currency, so do not have to deal with your
colored monoply money. psssssst! And Bloom County would say.

Yes, but we are getting close with that new $20.

No Loonies in the Galapago's......didn't meet any Canadians either......but
lots and lots of boobies. :-)