NEW ORLEANS, LOUISIANA

New Orleans, with its richly mottled old buildings, has more the flavor of an old European capital than an American city. Townhouses in the French Quarter, with their courtyards and carriageways, are thought by some scholars to be related on a small scale to certain Parisian "hotels" - princely urban residences of the 17th and 18th centuries. Visitors particularly remember the decorative cast-iron balconies that cover many of these townhouses like ornamental filigree cages. European influence is also seen in the city's famous above-ground cemeteries. The practice of interring people in large, richly adorned above-ground tombs dates from the period when New Orleans was under Spanish rule. The ancient oaks of St. Charles Avenue arch over the avenue like a canopy... St. Charles Avenue must be the loveliest place in the world.  Creole cottages and shotgun houses dominate the scene in many New Orleans neighborhoods. Both have a murky ancestry. The Creole cottage, two rooms wide and two or more rooms deep under a generous pitched roof with a front overhang or gallery, is thought to have evolved from various European and Caribbean forms. The shotgun house is one room wide and two, three or four rooms deep under a continuous gable roof. As legend has it, the name was suggested by the fact that because the rooms and doors line up, one can fire a shotgun through the house without hitting anything. One of the truly amazing aspects of New Orleans architecture is the sheer number of historic homes and buildings per square mile.  New Orleans' architectural character is unlike that of any other American city. A delight to both natives and visitors, it presents such a variety that even after many years of study, one can still find things unique and undiscovered.

COSTA MAYA, MEXICO

Once the Imperial Maya's Port of Call now Puerto Costa Maya is the leader in culture and adventure travel in the MexicanCaribbean! Explore the wonders of the Mayan Coast, the incredible Great Maya Reef austounding architectural feats, endless white beaches and the mysterious sacred cities of the ancient maya. Discover for yourself the wild, unexplored beauty of the Mayan Coast.

SANTO TOMAS DE CASTILLA, GUATEMALA

Lying on the quiet Caribbean, this small town began as a fruit production company. It is a gateway to the ruins of Tikal, a Mayan city that flourished around 700 to 800 AD. Archaeological digs have unearthed intriguing clues about a sophisticated Mayan culture able to predict the solstice and farm the land with great success. At its pinnacle, Tikal's highly spiritual population swelled into the tens of thousands. Today, migratory birds in the enchanted forest fly above ruins of ancient temples, monuments, and ball courts. Keen-eyed visitors might spot the rare quetzal, the country's national bird.

BELIZE CITY, BELIZE

Belize City is located in the heart of the country. From there you will be able to make your connection to everywhere else you want to go; from taking a bus to go north and visiting the Community Baboon Sanctuary, Crooked Tree Wildlife Sanctuary and other attractions to catching a boat to the Cayes to taking a bus to visit relaxing Placencia, the adventurous Cockscomb Basin, the only Jaguar Reserve in the world to the mysterious archaeological sites such as Caracol and Xunantunich and the interesting Mountain Pine Ridge area. Belize City has the only manual swing bridge in the world which is still being swung daily. The oldest Anglican Cathedral Church in Central America, St. John's Cathedral, was built in 1812 from bricks brought as ballast from European sailing ships.

COZUMEL, MEXICO

The beautiful island of Cozumel, the largest inhabited island in Mexico, is a paradise for divers from all over the world. The island is surrounded by more than 25 reef formations where divers of all ages and skills can enter into a completely fascinating and different world: endless coral inhabited by immense shoals of colorful fish. The possibilities are interminable for both beginners and experts. East of the Yucatán Peninsula, on top of the age-old structures of the Mayan coral reef, the second largest in the world, stands the Island of Cozumel, the largest inhabited island in Mexico.  The Island of Cozumel measures 48 km from north to south but only 16 from east to west. On either side of the island, beaches form a long, white sandy coast. Gentle waves and transparent waters wash the western side of the island, while huge waves crash against the eastern side.