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Birthday

Celebration on the Sand

Blow out your candles on the beach

Barbados

Food, Wine, & Rum Festival

Where to taste the real Caribbean

Plan the Ultimate Wedding Weekend

Planning Tips

Destination Wedding

Destination Wedding


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ADInsideFrontCover

One happy escape to one of the best beaches in the world

Book your happy escape today with Almeda Travel.Almeda Travel American Express450 Meyerland PlazaHouston TX 77096713-592-8000www.almedatravel.com

© 2013 Aruba Tourism Authority


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469

121620222526

A WORD FROM REY

MAKE A WISH: EXTRAORDINARY BIRTHDAYS

THE FLAVORS OF ITALY

40TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE BLACK SKI SUMMIT

LOVE, WHAT A TRIP

THE CANADIAN CARIBANA GETAWAY

BARBADOS FOOD WINE & RUM FESTIVAL

WINE TASTING EVENT

35 YEARS OF ALMEDA TRAVEL

Table of Contents

One happy escape to one of the best beaches in the world

Book your happy escape today with Almeda Travel.Almeda Travel American Express450 Meyerland PlazaHouston TX 77096713-592-8000www.almedatravel.com

© 2013 Aruba Tourism Authority

6 12

16 2220

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Greetings! Welcome to Urban Navigator, Almeda Travel’s destination

magazine. I’m Rey Alton, your personal travel guide. Some of you may know me as the man behind the best vacation you ever had! When a trip is over, the passports are put away and the suitcases are unpacked, we probably won’t hear from each other until the next vacation, right? WRONG. It’s the job of Urban Navigator to keep you in touch with your travel expert. URBAN NAVIGATOR keeps you in the loop on the latest in travel trends, hot trips, the newest hotels and super-secret destinations, as well as highlight client trips as you take a behind the scenes look into their experiences through their eyes. Real snapshots included!

This edition features “Travel Stories”, chronicling our client’s destination birthday celebrations, travels to Italy, Snowmass, Canada, Barbados, the tale of my destination wedding, and Almeda Travel turning 35 years old. We’re looking forward to seeing your travel stories between the covers of Urban Navigator. Stick around; it’s going to be an amazing journey!

Until then……….Keep It Moving!

Rey Alton Rey Alton

A Word from Rey

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WHO: LISA ROGERSWHERE: WORLD WIDE

Make a Wish:Celebrating Your Birthday in Style

Each year as a person’s birthday nears, they start to decide what kind of cake to

have, not what exotic destination to celebrate it in. For more than five years, Lisa Rogers has celebrated her birthday in style by packing her bags and jetting setting to a tropical location with a group of friends ranging from 8 to 50 people.

Urban Navigator sat down with Lisa to ask her, “With all the different things you can do for your birthday, why do you prefer to take trips out of the country?”

According to Lisa, “I do have a party weekend in Houston where we party for three days, but getting away from the city with no phones....it’s just fun. From the Paradisus La Perla, The Royal Playa del Carmen, or going on a cruise; the list goes on. Working with an Almeda Travel advisor has allowed my celebrations to get bigger each year.”

Lisa prefers the all inclusive hotels, why? “That’s a no brainer; nobody has to bring any money! At the Paradisus La Perla ,we didn’t leave the property for anything because it was that nice. We didn’t even do any water sports,

because we enjoyed sitting around the pool just drinking, eating, lounging, and having a great time with each other.”Lisa’s Almeda Travel advisor booked the group on the “Royal” side of the hotel, where the resort offers premium liquor. “That’s now becoming apart of the selection process in booking an all-inclusive hotel for the trip. We want to make sure that they have a premium liquor option”, said Lisa.

To assist Urban Navigator readers with planning a birthday celebration of their own, we wanted to know the answers to the top three questions:

How do you select the location?“I sit down with my Almeda Travel advisor to help decide where I want to go and he pulls a few brochures according to what we may like. I look at what appeals to me visually and then I look at the amenities the hotel has to offer. I also look for the all adult properties. That

narrows it down to where we will go, because there are not a lot of all adult hotels out there. We prefer no noise from children, because we are loud enough on our own. We have done trips in the past where children came with us and it didn’t go over too well. After that, we decided that we wanted adult only trips.”

How do you motivate people to come on the trip every year? “I’m a person where everything is visual for me, so I research everything about the hotel that’s both good and bad. If you read a bunch of negative things, then you look for the negative. I study reviews because, I like to know what resort restaurants people enjoy and send some of the positive reviews to my group. I also pull pictures that people have posted on the reviews, from regular people just like us. I post them on Instagram to get people excited about going. People go crazy over the pictures, which sparks their interest and people want to know where we’re going.”

How do you get people to make the payments?Lisa confessed, “It’s not easy! I usually set a scheduled date for everyone to make their payment on the tenth of every month, starting about 6 to 7 months in advance. That way the cost of the trip is broken down into smaller payments, instead of paying one big lump sum. That’s one of the advantages of booking with Almeda Travel, payment plans.”

Celebrate your next birthday in style. Why just have birthday cake when you can have fun, sun, and relaxation too?!!?

Celebrate your next

birthday in style. Why

just have birthday

cake when you can

have fun, sun, and

relaxation too?!!?

‘‘’’


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Flavors Italyof

The

Who::: Christy ClophusWhere: Florence and Venice

Italy is one of the few places in the world that offers beautiful art, magnificent architecture, fashion, splendid food and fine wines; to view all in one trip. Not to mention history seems to stare you in the face, every corner you turn. This is exactly why Christy Clophus and her boyfriend decided to plan a trip to Italy. “Our vacation choices this year were originally between Italy and Spain, but after much consideration we decided to go with Italy. We wanted to see what Italy was all about and see the scenery in person; not just in the movies.”

To plan their trip Christy and her boyfriend sought the expertise of Almeda Travel. “Our advisor was very knowledgeable and made sure to explain every aspect of our trip to us”, Christy said. The Almeda Travel advisor was able to organize a range of tours for the clients, which allowed them to take in every aspect of the Italian culture.

Christy’s first stop was Florence, the capital city of the Italian region of Tuscany. Florence is considered the artistic capital of Europe, with the finest galleries, and is the architectural gem of Italy.

During their stay in Florence, Christy and her boyfriend stayed at the Bernini Palace; a four star hotel located in the heart of the

“I can’t wait to go back. Visiting Italy was such a

great experience.”


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city center. The hotel is a renovated 15th century building with the style of Florence Renaissance that shows through its combination of shapes and colors. According to Christy, her stay at the Bernini Palace was wonderful. “People at the hotel were very warm, welcoming, and accommodating. During my stay I purchased some art in Italy and the hotel was kind enough to ship the art home for me.”

To get the entire Florence experience, Almeda Travel booked three tours for Christy to partake in. “The most memorable experiences during the tours were seeing the famous David by Michelangelo and the scenery of the Piazza del Duomo; on the Florence Morning City Tour. We also went on the Siena and San Gimignano Tour, which was one of the most beautiful places that I had ever seen.” said Christy.

The next stop on their trip was the city of Venice. Venice is a city like no other in the world, with its intricate network of canals weaving their way through the city. Here is where you can board a romantic gondola and return to an era of lavish and exquisite grandeur.

“The water scenery in Venice is very beautiful. The buildings in the city are old, but have a lot of character to them. It’s nothing like you have seen in the United States. There’s also a lot of history through out the city with the cathedrals and the surrounding

statues. The statues in Venice were not just standing there to be seen, but better yet told a story or had a distinctive meaning.”

While in Venice, Almeda Travel booked Christy to stay at the four star Kette Hotel. “The Kette Hotel is located right in the

center of everything and the hotel staff was very accommodating. The weather was so nice in Venice, that we slept with the windows opened.”

During their visit to Venice, Christy went on the Unusual Venice Afternoon Walking Tour and Gondola Promenade Tour. This tour allowed the clients to experience an actual gondola ride through the Grand Canal and other minor canals.

When asked if she would ever visit Italy again, Christy had this to say. “I can’t wait to go back. Visiting Italy was

such a great experience. The people are very welcoming and they take pride in everything that they do. The food in Italy was amazing

with everything being fresh and all the pastas were homemade. I even brought home pasta and cooked it for Mother’s Day. We had gelato everyday, as there was a gelato shop on every corner maybe even 2 or 3 on the same street.

Every evening their was a live orchestra playing outside, it was just like a scene you would see in the movies. Overall our trip to Italy was an awesome experience.”

Italy has so much to offer regardless of your age and interests. It has great weather, beaches and magnificent cities. To top it off, the food and wine in Italy is always appetizing and the people are welcoming.

“Every evening their was a live orchestra playing outside,

it was just like a scene you would see in the movies.”


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In February, the National Brotherhood of Skiers (NBS) celebrated the 40th Anniversary of hosting their bi-annual Black Ski Summit.

The NBS Black Ski Summit is considered to be the largest ski convention in the United States with over 60 national and international ski clubs participating worldwide. Founded in 1973, by Art Clay and Ben Finley; the NBS mission is to develop, support, and increase minorities in winter sports. The Black Ski Summit defies the notion that African Americans do not ski.

The 40th Anniversary Ski Summit was held in Snowmass, Colorado with around 3,000 people in attendance. The atmosphere of the Black Ski Summit is festive in the sense of a homecoming celebration; where you see alumni who have been attending for years mixing with the newcomers. You don’t have to be an expert skier to attend the Ski Summit as there are plenty of individuals that ski on different levels; from beginners, experts, and the occasional ski bunnies who don’t ski at all.

The week long Summit includes an Olympic style opening ceremony, competitive skiing, snowboarding contest, and legendary happy hours. The happy hours are one of the biggest focal points of the Summit. After a long day of skiing people rush to the happy hours to mingle, party, and listen to music being spun by the likes of Biz Markie and Kid Capri.

The Summit has a tremendous economic impact on ski towns and resorts that play host to the event. One of the most memorable Ski Summits was hosted in Whistler, Canada. The combination of being out of the US and being at one of the best ski resorts in the world, helped make it unforgettable. For more information on the NBS Ski Summit go to www.nbs.og.

A N N I V E R S A R Y O F T H EB L A C K S K I S U M M I T

40th

THE BLACK SKI SUMMIT DEFIES THE NOTION THAT AFRICAN

AMERICANS DO NOT SKI.


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Celebrity’s Alaska.

Explore your wild side.

Alaska took millions of years to evolve so it will take days to absorb it. Booking an Alaskan Cruisetour continues your experience after the journey getting there. You’ll spend more time on land with a professional Tour Director, guiding you daily to must-see destinations and taking care of all the details to make your journey as carefree as possible. Luxurious hotels and travel accommodations are built in, so your only concern is to wear comfortable shoes.

*Onboard credit offer is valid on select sailings. Onboard credit is quoted in US dollars. Onboard Credit is not redeemable for cash and any unused amounts will expire at 10 pm on the last night of the cruise. Offer is not combinable with any other savings offer, or onboard credit offer, or other offers. Offer is based on availability. Onboard credit will be applied by Celebrity Cruises prior to the departure date. Certain restrictions apply. ©2013 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta & Ecuador. 13033758 • 4/2013

Almeda Travel 450 Meyerland Plaza

Houston, Texas 77096 phone +1 713-592-8000 www.Almedatravel.com

Celebrity’s Europe.

Discover a new you as you explore the Old World.

Arriving for your Europe cruise, you’ll explore lands rich in romantic languages, classic architecture, food, art and music for one or multiple days at a time. You can hop from port-to-port, or take a Cruisetour, which allows you to have more land time to explore. So you can spend time enjoying centuries-old treasures on land and return to luxurious accommodations onboard to restore the new you.

Mention this ad and receive $100* onboard credit when you book an ocean view or higher stateroom.


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Celebrity’s Alaska.

Explore your wild side.

Alaska took millions of years to evolve so it will take days to absorb it. Booking an Alaskan Cruisetour continues your experience after the journey getting there. You’ll spend more time on land with a professional Tour Director, guiding you daily to must-see destinations and taking care of all the details to make your journey as carefree as possible. Luxurious hotels and travel accommodations are built in, so your only concern is to wear comfortable shoes.

*Onboard credit offer is valid on select sailings. Onboard credit is quoted in US dollars. Onboard Credit is not redeemable for cash and any unused amounts will expire at 10 pm on the last night of the cruise. Offer is not combinable with any other savings offer, or onboard credit offer, or other offers. Offer is based on availability. Onboard credit will be applied by Celebrity Cruises prior to the departure date. Certain restrictions apply. ©2013 Celebrity Cruises Inc. Ships’ registry: Malta & Ecuador. 13033758 • 4/2013

Almeda Travel 450 Meyerland Plaza

Houston, Texas 77096 phone +1 713-592-8000 www.Almedatravel.com

Celebrity’s Europe.

Discover a new you as you explore the Old World.

Arriving for your Europe cruise, you’ll explore lands rich in romantic languages, classic architecture, food, art and music for one or multiple days at a time. You can hop from port-to-port, or take a Cruisetour, which allows you to have more land time to explore. So you can spend time enjoying centuries-old treasures on land and return to luxurious accommodations onboard to restore the new you.

Mention this ad and receive $100* onboard credit when you book an ocean view or higher stateroom.


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Destination weddings come in all sizes. From eloping with just the bride and groom, to an intimate setting with close family, or a huge upscale event with everyone you know there to witness your nuptials. When it came time to plan my wedding I knew exactly what I wanted. I wanted our

wedding to be unique, adventurous, while being romantic and beautiful at the same time. This

is exactly what I got when I married my husband on September 1st in Riviera Maya, Mexico.

We took the ordinary destination wedding and turned it into the ultimate weekend experience for not only our memories, but for our guests as well. We made sure that we paid attention to every single detail; from the welcome bags, wedding favors, location, hotel accommodations, guest transportation, and most importantly the average cost per guest. It sounds like a lot of planning but it all paid off in the end.

Love, What a Trip WHO: DETRA CUNNINGHAM

WHERE: RIVIERA MAYA, MEXICO

With the soft sand under my feet, the sunset in the horizon, the ocean breeze blowing through my hair, and the waves crashing in the distance as we said, “I DO”. I knew we had made the right decision

on having a destination wedding.


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The DestinationVIVA Mexico!!! After evaluating a number of locations for the perfect wedding setting, we selected Mexico for the following reasons:

1. Convenient destination from any gateway in the United States.

2. Riviera Maya has had a number of brand new luxury hotels built in the last three years.

3. Prices can be fairly inexpensive if you plan in advance.

4. The beaches are absolutely stunning.....perfect setting for a beach wedding.

These are things to keep in mind when selecting any destination wedding location for a large group of people. You want to make sure your guests can afford to attend with easy travel arrangements.

The HotelOnce the destination was selected it was on to choosing the hotel. Before you start, it’s wise to talk to your travel advisor to get information on the best hotel choices for destination weddings. Majority of the time your travel advisor will have the contact information of the resort wedding coordinator, which will come in handy when it’s time to get the wedding contract information from the hotel. Once

you are in touch with the wedding resort coordinator, ASK QUESTIONS. Here are a few of the questions that I had for my wedding coordinator prior to committing to the contract:

1. Will you allow me to bring in additional

decoration items?

2. What is your cancellation policy?

3. What are the locations you offer to have weddings on your resort? (Beach Gazebo, Chapel, etc)

4. Will you have pictures of the flowers, cake, and other items I have to choose from?

5. Can I view your photographer’s website to see his/her pictures?

6. Do you allow outside vendors for pictures?

7. Can I have a private dinner reception?

8. What are the legal requirements to get married in the country?

This list of questions can go on and on, but that’s ok as there are never too many questions to ask....this is going to be your wedding day. After getting all the right answers to my questions, we selected the Excellence Riviera Cancun Resort & Spa.

Be Our GuestWith all the major wedding logistics set, the next items on the list are to mail save-the-dates and build a wedding website.

Before you start trying on wedding dresses, you must take care of the logistics such as selecting a travel advisor, the budget, the location, and how to inform

your guests of the far away locale.


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• Save-the-Date - These should be mailed to your invited guests at least 6 to 7 months in advance. That way people can know the dates, request time off from work, and most importantly start to budget for the trip.

• Wedding Website - A wedding website is a must if you are planning a destination wedding. It gives your invited guests detailed information on everything from travel information, lodging, group activities, and appropriate dress for specific events.

Be a Great HostWe didn’t want our guests to be bored and we wanted to be great hosts; as our guests did travel a great distance just for us. We planned enough activities to feel like a group trip, but also enough leisure time for our guests to enjoy by themselves. Prior to their departure everyone received a wedding chronicle that listed the different events we had planned for the wedding weekend.

We started off with a meet & greet happy hour where all of our guests received a welcome bag that consisted of vacation necessities and wedding favors. This also gave our guests a chance to meet each other and swap stories on how they know the bride and groom.

On the night before the wedding we

treated our guests to a night out in Playa del Carmen to the Coco Bongo Show & Disco. The shuttles arrived at our hotel at 10:00 pm and we took a 30 minute ride to Playa del Carmen. The city is very lively with a mix of

tourists and local party goers. Being that we purchased all

our tickets as a special group (ask your travel advisor) we were given special wrist bands, shuffled pass the long line, and taken to our reserved section. Once

inside we danced the night away with live impersonations

of Beyonce, Elvis, Usher, Lady Gaga, movie choruses of Moulin

Rouge, Chicago, Grease, and Bettlejuice. As the drinks kept flowing with the non-stop open bar, we didn’t notice it was 3:00 am and it was time to catch the shuttle back to the hotel. What an exciting confetti filled night!

The Big DayAfter having a couple of fun filled days leading up to the wedding day, I hardly had time for any jitters. Thanks to all our pre-planning, everything seemed to fall into place exactly as I had imagined it to be. The groomsmen looked handsome in their bow ties, the bridesmaids looked elegant as they held their pink parasols, and the couple of the hour looked stunning.

A destination wedding is the way to go when you are trying to showcase the greatest detail of all.....LOVE. Because that’s when the real details have room to shine.


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When one thinks

of visiting

Canada the

first things

that come to mind are hockey

and Niagara Falls. This is

exactly what Diane Carter and

her girlfriends were thinking

after something on television

sparked their interest to see

Niagara Falls. When Diane

called to book their yearly girlfriend

getaway, their Almeda Travel

advisor suggested that

they push their trip back a

couple of weeks to attend

Caribana. Every year

in the month of August

Toronto hosts North

America’s largest street

caribbean festival, Caribana

officially called the Scotiabank Toronto

Caribbean Carnival.

According to Diane, the carnival has a

very diverse atmosphere. “The carnival

is where all the Canadian African/

Caribbean descent population

gathered to celebrate. You

had people from Barbados,

Jamaica, and Trinidad; it

was just a smorgasbord of

people.”

The ladies watched the

parade on Lakes Shore Drive

Blvd, which was only a short

ten minute walk from their hotel the

Fairmont Royal York. “Everything about

the parade was great! The scenery is

WHO: DIANE CARTERWHERE: CANADA

The Canadian Caribana Getaway

Every year in the month of August Toronto hosts

North America’s largest street

caribbean festival, Caribana.


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beautiful with the lake in the background and

the street is decorated with tons of unique

floats. Everyone participating in the parade

(as well as people watching) danced the entire

time, waved their country’s flag and talked

about the island they represented.”

While visiting Toronto the ladies got a

chance to try some of the local restaurants.

“We didn’t want to eat food that you

could get in the US; we wanted to experience

Canadian food. Our favorite restaurant was

Jack Astors, which served a popular dish called

poutien and it is very delicious.” Poutien is a

Canadian dish made with french fries, topped

with brown gravy, and curd cheese.

Outside of Caribana Diane and her friends

got to visit Niagara Falls, where the atmosphere

changed to a family oriented setting. “The set

up around Niagara Falls is really nice with a

ferris wheel, other rides, restaurants, casinos

and shopping boutiques.”

“While being at the landmark, we saw a lot

of things that we would like to share with our

children on a return visit.”

“The set up around Niagara Falls is really nice with a ferris wheel, other rides, restaurants,

casinos and shopping boutiques.”


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Barbados

Food, W ine, & Rum Fest iva lWhere to taste the real Caribbean

O P E N I N G A C T

Located on the roof of the newly developed Limegrove

Lifestyle Centre under white linen tents with iridescent

lighting and calypso music playing in the background

you will find the official kick off party of the weekend.

The Opening Act is where you get a chance to meet the

chefs and purchase your signed copy of their

most recent cook book. Urban Navigator got

a chance to meet world renowned Chef

Marcus Samuelsson and purchase

his latest cook book, “New American

Table”. While you rub elbows with

your favorite chef you will also enjoy

a variety of hors d’oeuvres, wine, and

rum. The Opening Act definitely set the tone

for the remainder of the festival.

FOR FOUR DAYS IN NOVEMBER, Barbados hosts one of its most talked about events of the island; the Barbados Food, Wine and Rum Festival. The festival allows you to experience the beauty of the island, exquisite food, drinks and mingle with some of the most highly acclaimed chefs of the cooking world. With numerous events to choose from it’s hard to select an event as you don’t want to miss anything. The festival includes a wide range of events from cooking demonstrations, dinners, wine tastings, tours and parties. Urban Navigator traveled to Barbados to partake in a few of the festival events and found each event to be rewarding in its own right.


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A M B R O S I A I IIf you consider yourself a fan of the cooking world or a big foodie, then Ambrosia at the Barbados Food, Wine and Rum Festival is the event for you. By far the best event of the weekend as you taste more food, wine, and rum than your taste buds can image. All the guest chefs are in attendance and have created a dish for everyone to enjoy.

The event is located at the Lion Castle Polo Estate with an ambiance that looks and feels regal. Upon entry to the event guests are given a wine glass that fits perfectly into the buffet plate that will hold all your food for the night. Guests hop from food station to food station indulging in dishes from local Bajan chefs and culinary creations from guest chefs. Highlighted dishes of the evening included maple glazed duck atop a sweet cornbread muffin by chef Tom Brodi, a crostini topped with lamb bolognese and mint ricotta by chef Mark McEwan, and of course the fried and grilled marlin by local Bajan chefs from Oistins. The wines of the evening were great but the drink that topped it all was the rum punch filled with Mount Gay Rum at chef Paul Yellin’s table.

If you don’t get a chance to experience the rest of the festival, it’s ok because thanks to Ambrosia you get a chance to experience it all in one place.....food, wine, and rum.

O I S T I N ’ S F I S H F R YEveryone that travels to Barbados must experience Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry to get an authentic taste of the island. A 30 minute cab ride from most Barbados hotels lies Oistins, a place swamped with locals ready to start the weekend. In Oistins you will find rum shacks, grills, music, dancing and people hanging out.

Once you arrive to Oistins, the first thing to do is to decide which brightly colored wooden building to eat from. It will be hard to make a decision, because it all smells delicious. The most talked about grill in the area is Uncle George’s Fish Fry Grill. Besides spotting the sign you know you are in the right place due to the extremely long line wrapped around the grill.

The menu on the chalkboard consists of marlin, shrimp, salmon, lobster, fish pie, and mac pie. Once your order is placed

the chef puts your food on the grill and chars it to perfection. Take a seat at the picnic table and sink your teeth in! The food is priced fairly

as you are given tons of food. The lobster which is $125 BBD (about $63 USD) is so large that it hangs off your plate. The marlin and shrimp plate are also a nice portion as the shrimp are jumbo. To complete the meal wash it down with a Banks Beer, the official beer of Barbados. It gets no more authentic than this.......Oistins Friday Night Fish Fry.


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AD


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For one evening Almeda Travel, Urban

Navigator, and the U.S. Virgin Islands

showed their client appreciation by hosting a

wine tasting at The Tasting Room Uptown Park.

The private event, “A Taste of the U.S. Virgin

Islands”, was held in the Bordeaux Room and on

hand were representatives Rey Alton (Almeda Travel

- Urban Navigator) and Jacqueline Hodge (USVI -

Southeast Regional Manager). The guests in attendance

enjoyed tasting wines from the seven nations, that had

once controlled the region, all while learning about

the uniqueness of the three major islands

that makeup the USVI.

Wine Tasting Event


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Almeda Travel is excited to be celebrating the 35th anniversary of the company’s humble beginnings! The idea of a travel agency was a dream of Wash and Jackye

Alton, whom were both new comers to Houston relocating from Washington, DC. Wash Alton had just graduated from Howard University School of Dentistry, while Jackye was a stay at home mom to their two small children. After Wash opened a dental office with two other young progressive dentists, Jackye decided it was her turn to pursue a career as an entrepreneur.

In 1977, the first office of Almeda Travel was opened with two desks, left-over display cabinets from the previous occupants and a 500 pound safe. The Alton’s were now both located in the same building, on Almeda Road, with the travel agency on the first floor and the dental office on the fifth floor. The two small Alton children were a visible fixture taking the elevator between the two offices of Mom and Dad. Soon both children were stamping brochures and entertaining the customers. The travel agency remained on Almeda Road for ten years until 1988, when it was relocated to the medical center in the prestigious Fannin Bank building.

In 1990, the Houston economy began to change and went through an economic down turn. For a while business was so bad that Jackye and her one employee would dial the phone to make sure that the phones were still working. On occasion a sales representative from Carlson Travel

would visit the office to inquire about Almeda Travel joining them as a subcontractor to provide travel assistance to the Department of Defense. After a bit of hesitation Wash and Jackye decided to join the network, which opened the door to more business. Within five years

Almeda Travel was located in 5 states with 27 offices and 65 employees.

Today, Almeda Travel is located in the Meyerland Plaza Mall in Houston and operates a call center from this location along with a retail leisure operation. Almeda Travel is the 2nd largest minority

owned and operated travel agency in the US.

Over thirty-five years later, we are proud to still be grow-ing. What’s our suc-cess secret? YOU. The continuing dedication and referrals from our clients have made us

the company we are today. In honor of our 35th birthday, all of us from Almeda Travel would like to say a humble and heartfelt Thank-You to the best clients in the world!

Thirty Five Years Later

The continuing dedication and referrals from our clients have made us the company we are today.


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For the explorers seeking new adventures. The couples in search of the perfect pool bed escape. The little ones ready to play in sun-drenched water parks.

We’ve got a collection of world- renowned hotels and resorts

just for you in some of the most incredible destinations.

Get ready to dive into vibrant culture. Splash in the sparkling waters thatkiss the fi nest coasts of Mexico, andthe Dominican Republic.

BARCELÓ BÁVARO BEACH RESORT

BARCELÓ MAYA BEACH RESORT

Best All-InclusiveVacations in the Caribbean

Top all-inclusive resorts in premium beachfront locations Reservations | 1 800 BARCELO

*Resort Credit is valid at select hotels until December 31, 2013 Minimum night stays and other restrictions my apply.


NAVIGATOR

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(Value: $150.00)

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toll free: (800) 992-5112UrbanNavigator:EMAIL: [email protected]

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5. EasyInstallmentPlans

Almeda Travel and American Express, a perfect combination to plan your next getaway.

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