Why in the world, you might well ask, is this yacht named Aspen Alternative? The idea is that instead of shivering in the Rockies in winter, you should be in her hot tub in the Bahamas, a frozen drink in your hand, the sun warming your soul.

A French expression that means 'The Land of Plenty,' Le Pays de Cocagne, suitably describes the Charente region of southwest France, home to the king of brandies, cognac. Charming villages dot the vineyard-rich countryside, churches and chateaux bear witness to history, and the rites of cognac production are central to life.

Of all the words that comes to mind when describing the remarkable wines of Chateauneuf-du-Pape, glamorous is not high on the list. Here in the southern Rhone valley you won't find multi-million dollar wineries or multi-star restaurants. And despite the name, there's hardly a chateau to be found. But the wines are profound, complex, and in a world where it's sometimes hard to distinguish between a cab from California and a boutique wine from Bordeaux they have a character that's all their own.

Knowing who to trust when planning a yachting vacation is vital. Dynamic brands driven by dedicated leaders tend to surpass their promises. When Candy & Candy teamed up with Edmiston to produce and market the 45m / 147ft Candyscape the results for charter guests quickly proved sweet.

While the Caribbean Sea is full of treasures, perhaps none are as rich and diverse as Jamaica. Sure, it has the beaches, beautiful weather and resorts to make it a popular winter destination, but veer off the beaten path, and you will find a vibrant culture and natural wonders to excite any adventurer. Is it any wonder that Jamaica was once the destination of choice for 007's creator, Ian Fleming?

The northernmost coral island, Bermuda lies in the Atlantic Ocean, just 650 miles east of North Carolina--and actually closer to New York than to the Bahamas. And while easily accessible from her Caribbean neighbors, Britain's oldest colony seems a world away, in both tradition and attitude.

There's romance in the old whaling days, and one cannot help but to be fascinated by the stories of this bygone era ~ The men who paddled out in small boats armed with hand held harpoons to do battle with the great whales. Many drowned and even the more modern whaling operations in the early to mid 1900's had a high level of danger. Books such as R.B. Robertson?s ~ 'Of Whales and Men' make for compelling reading. Times have though changed.

Born of Fire, the Galapagos Islands are tips of submarine volcanoes, a place where evolution can be observed In-Situ. Hundreds of miles from mainland Ecuador, animals and plants set adrift have somehow found and colonised the desert islands. Floating rafts of vegetation, wind, air currents and oceanic drift all helped this colonisation.

Connoisseurs of luxury travel are well acquainted with Silversea Cruises: four Italian-built ships known for their all-suites accommodations, all-inclusive price, personalized service, and some of the finest dining at sea. The 388-passenger Silver Whisper had only around 260 guests at my sailing, which with a crew of 295, superseded their usual phenomenal crew-to-passenger ratio.

Having heard so much about the city of Barcelona, the beauty, the art, and the people, I decided it was time to dust off the old Spanish vocab and check it out myself. After eight years of high school and college level Spanish, I thought I knew a decent amount of the language. What I quickly learned was how those lessons once memorized become vague recollections without constant practice. Now I was only prepared with a few key phrases in the field...

There are many ways to arrive in Venice but perhaps the very finest way is to do so in your own yacht. Fortunately in recent years several companies have set up shop offering self-drive motor yachts, which enable sailors to undertake such an adventure. We chose to use Connoisseur a British based company using British built boats that come with easy to read instructions all in English. The company has bases throughout Europe and in each employ young English speaking staff full of enthusiasm for yachting vacations.

The English are known for their reserve, but you might not know it after taking a spin in the Aston-Martin Vantage, a screaming hunk o' 'Yeah, baby!' that's an undeniable attention-getter. During our test drive, the car drew nonstop double-takes from at traffic lights and on the highway. On the highway, we noticed Jags, Benzes and Bimmers rolling up alongside us, checking out the ride.