About Me (Barbara Weibel)

Barbara Weibel After years of working 70 hours a week at jobs I detested, I felt like the proverbial "hole in the donut" - solid on the outside, but empty on the inside. Searching for meaning in my life, I abandoned my successful but unsatisfying career and set out on a six-month solo backpacking trip around the world to pursue my true passions of travel, writing, and photography. My blog features stories about the destinations I visit, people I meet, the crazy things...Read more here....


Monthly Archives: September 2009

Downtown Gatlinburg wasn’t always filled with cheesy souvenir shops, wax museums, and fast food joints. In the years before Dollywood and the miles-long carnival strip of Pigeon Forge, this eastern Tennessee town was known for craftsmen and artisans who occupied shops and roamed the city streets, demonstrating their skills.

Gatlinburg_Craft_historic

An early craft shop, not so different from what you'll see today. Photo courtesy of Great Smoky Arts & Crafts Community.

As tourism grew, escalating rents drove the arts and crafts community from the city center. But for the vision of woodworker John Cowden and a few of his friends, they could have faded into obscurity. Suffering from from long hours and worn out feet, Cowden and his fellow artists decided to just stay home where they would be near their tools and the source of their supplies. They opened workshops, studios, and galleries right alongside their homes or even inside them, most of which were concentrated along a an eight mile loop along that winds through the Tennessee hills surrounding Gatlinburg. As visitors started coming, other craftsmen and artists joined in, until it grew to be the largest group of independent artists and craftsmen in America.

Located just three miles from downtown, this historic district has been designated a Tennessee Heritage Arts & Crafts Trail. Marked with distinctive signs, the trail is easily driven, and all of the shops provide free and ample parking. Better yet, from mid-March through December, leave Continue reading

You might also like:

This week’s Blogging Boomers Carnival is stuffed with interesting articles ranging from why boomers are not at the head of the line for H1N1 flu shots to the top ten fears about growing older. And that’s just a small sampling – you’re definitely going to want to check it out. Read a brief summary of all the posts at The Boomer Chronicles.

You might also like:

With growing anticipation I approached the town of Moore Haven in central Florida, where I expected to catch my first glimpse of Lake Okeechobee, the second largest freshwater lake lying completely within the United States. I negotiated a long curve into town, watching for the lake to emerge on my left. Nothing. No water, no view. Just a giant, grass-covered berm rising 20 feet above the highway. My stomach flip-flopped a bit. Surely the lake was not being held back by this mound of dirt? As if mocking me, the berm followed me around the southern shore. By the time I had passed through Moore Haven, Clewiston, South Bay, and Belle Glade, it became clear that the highway would afford no view of the lake. At various spots, signs pointed to Okeechobee trailheads, but I was expected in West Palm Beach and had no time to explore. Besides, the thought of millions of gallons of water lapping at the top of that behemoth berm, just waiting for an opportunity to break free and sweep me away, was unsettling to say the least.

Clewiston Things To Do

Lake_Okeechobee1

The dike at Port Mayaca, easternmost point of the lake. Locks control releases from the lake into the St. Lucie canal, which flows to the Atlantic Ocean.

The next day, having finished my business on the east coast, I headed back home, determined to delve further into the mystery of the missing body of water. Lake Okeechobee emerged approximately 6,000 years ago when receding seas revealed the Florida peninsula and the shallow depression that became the lake. Since that time, Okeechobee has been the liquid heart of south Florida. Although shallow (its average depth is nine feet), the lake holds enormous amounts of water. Each year it captures billions of gallons of rainwater during the summer rainy season. With no natural outlets, Okeechobee historically overflowed its southern rim, sending a miles-wide sheet of fresh water south and helping to create the Everglades.

There is evidence that Native American tribes settled close to the lake some 4,000 years ago; in fact, the word Okeechobee is the Seminole word for “Big Water.” For centuries, Native Americans coexisted with Continue reading

You might also like:

After dinner, I stopped in the lobby to arrange for a 7:30 a.m wake up call the following morning.

“We’ll be happy to do that, Ms. Weibel, and would you like a follow-up call 15 minutes later?” asked the woman behind the front desk.

My jaw dropped open. I have always wondered why hotels don’t offer this service. Turns out I was just staying at the wrong hotels; at the Ritz-Carlton in Palm Beach Florida, multiple wake-up calls are standard operating procedure.

Ritz-Carlton_Palm_Beach_Pool

Oceanfront pool at the Ritz-Carlton Palm Beach

I had been invited to stay at the Ritz in preparation for writing a review about the property. Because the resort has earned the prestigious AAA Five Diamond and Mobil Five Star awards, I knew I was in for a treat. But I was also apprehensive. When I abandoned my corporate life three years ago, I traded my stressed-out life of luxury for a happier, albeit poorer existence. My wardrobe these days consists mostly of khakis and, since a laptop is an absolute necessity, I carry a backpack rather than a purse. My only other stay at a Ritz-Carlton had occurred some 15 years earlier, at a property with an extremely formal atmosphere where dressing for dinner was a requirement. I worried about being under-dressed, unaccepted, and judged this time around. Continue reading

You might also like:

EarthTV.com, which broadcasts live video from more than 70 worldwide camera locations on six continents, has announced a contest that offers entrants a chance to win new Vivitar underwater digital cameras. Entrants need only register on earthTV and earn “miles” (i.e. points) by clicking on various worldwide camera shots; every click gets you closer to a prize. The armchair traveler who has collected the most miles by October 16 will be declared the winner. Random winners (regardless of miles) will also be picked to win prizes. Read about the details on the EarthTV.com contest page. Read more about the prizes here.

vivitar-camera

Win one of these cameras simply by watching travel videos at earthTV.com

From New York to Hong Kong, from Paris to Sydney, earthTV.com broadcasts live video from more than 70 worldwide camera locations on six continents. The launch of earthTV.com in North America followed the worldwide success of earthTV Network, which reaches more than 2 billion television viewers globally by providing live programming to over 50 TV networks in over 200 countries, including The Weather Channel, NHK and Sky TV. earthTV.com is a fascinating site for travelers, technologists, or anyone who wants to see the rest of the world from their computer.

You might also like:

It’s that time again! Time for the weekly Blogging Boomers Carnival, where you can read summaries of a dozen different posts discussing a dozen varied subjects of interest to us midlife folks! See one you like? Just click through to read the full article. Check out this week’s carnival at So Baby Boomer.

You might also like:

Follow Hole in the Donut

Free Photography Ebook

Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers
To download your free copy of "Around the World with 40 Lonely Planet Bloggers," subscribe to Hole In The Donut to receive an email each time a new article is published
* = required field

powered by MailChimp!

VISIT MY SPONSORS


If you are looking for a dream vacation, here is a great list of the best beaches in the world by country

Las Vegas Show Tickets


Prague Hotels
by Prague-Stay.com, the leading accommodation server in Prague


Last minute car rental

Perfect holidays in Maldives from Letsgo2

Disney World Tickets



Book cheap Amsterdam breaks from AA Getaways

Condos




Orlando Vacation Hotels
Orlando Vacation Hotels

Truck Tracking System

Punta Cana Hotels

Booked a holiday and looking for an airport transfer Holiday Taxis provide airport taxis and airport shuttles to thousands of destinations worldwide including sunny alicante transfers Get a quote & book online today with us!
If you are planning on taking the kids away on holiday, the don’t forget to look for family travel insurance before you leave.



Las Vegas Shows
Las Vegas Shows



Disney World Hotels

Disney Tickets

Cheap holiday deals from Expedia.co.uk. Find the latest travel deals on hotels, flights, car hire & more.

Who Likes Us on Facebook

AWARDS, HONORS, AFFILIATIONS

I'm a featured blogger on Lonely Planet

Top ten women's travel blogs

I helpedpeople get clean water
led by Tripbase







Vacations




Tips from the T-List

Travel Blog Sites - Top 100
As chosen by TravelPod, the web’s original travel blog



ZenCollegeLife Top 50 American Travel Blog




Alltop, all the cool kids (and me)