The more I research and study nutrition, the more amazed I am to find there are an increasing number of products being made that allow us to make healthy choices.  As adults, we have more awareness, and hopefully, a greater degree of “sense and sensibility” than our children in making those daily decisions about what we eat and drink.  It is also critical that we begin sharing our knowledge with them and helping children make healthy nutrition choices as well; that we put in front of them products to choose from that are going to become part of living a healthy lifestyle.  We all know kids think Gano Excel’s Cafe 2.0 Schokolade is great – but did you know it’s also great for them?

That’s right: every packet of this belly-warming, chocolatey family favorite is packed with vital nutrients and focus-boosting “brain foods” that make it a “hit” for kids’ health: body and mind!

So, why should you make Gano Schokolade a regular part of your child’s diet? ·

NO CAFFEINE!

Unlike other hot chocolates, Schokolade is 100% caffeine-free. Numerous studies indicate that children’s intake of caffeine should be strictly limited to no more than 45mg/day (if that). Wouldn’t it be great if you could satisfy your kid’s sweet-tooth without sugary, caffeine-packed cocoas? ·

POWER OF EXCELLIUM!

On his recent trip to the States, our company’s founder, Mr. Leow Soon Seng, confirmed that Gano Excel Cafe 2.0 Schokolade contains Excellium, a potent health-boosting formula made from the mycelium of Ganoderma lucidum. Mycelium is classed as a top-flight “brain food,” special edibles that boost mental activity and focus, because of its high-concentration of polysaccharides. Who ever heard of a cocoa that might help your kid achieve even more!

MAKE NUTRIENTS GO FURTHER!

The same mycelium that gives Schokolade its brain-boosting power may also help your kids absorb nutrients better! Unlike your old cocoa – all junk, no food – Schokolade helps the nutrients in your kid’s other food do more. Imagine pairing a cup of Schokolade with a packet of Gano Spirulina C’Real Oats for your child’s breakfast: that’s a powerhouse combo that can’t be beat! Oh, and Schokolade just happens to contain a gram less sugar than standard grocery store cocoa! No caffeine and less sugar means calmer kids…and makes Gano Schokolade a parent’s best friend for those long winter “inside days”!

You know my intent with my blog is to provide you with rich content; information that is powerfully impactful in the lifestyle choices you are then able to make.  Once in a while, however, giving you that information may require giving you a call to action so that you at least give some of these nutritional items a try; reading about it won’t make a difference in your life!   With that in mind, I encourage you to place an order and let your kid’s try a chocolate drink that will take the chill from a fall day, boost their focus and increase their ability to absorb other nutrients – all without the intake of caffeine!

Click here to place your order

[caption id="attachment_1308" align="alignright" width="200" caption="Greece Tour... impact of economic crisis"][/caption]

I suppose managing my Greece Tour requires being cognizant, and appropriately addressing, the economic crisis the country is experiencing.  Every day there is a report of one nature or another about the general European sovereign debt crisis to which we as Americans probably respond very little, knowing we are in the midst of our own!  But… a little history might be in order.

According to all that I have read, 2009 brought the unhappy results of a combination of the impact of a world financial crisis and uncontrolled Greek government spending… the most severe economic crisis the country had experienced since 1974.  The kicker was that early in 2010 reports leaked that successive Greek government officials were found to have, with great deliberation, consistently mislead the country about staying inside the country’s monetary union guidelines.  This improper reporting allowed the government to spend beyond its means, hiding the deficit and continuing to spend far beyond their means.

By May 2010, the adjustment was estimated to be one of the highest in the world, with a forecast of public debt to exceed 120%.  This news created an international crisis, derailing the confidence of Greece’s ability to repay its massive sovereign debt. The “rescue” package offered by the International Monetary Fund required Greece to adopt harsh measures in an effort to regain control of its deficit.

As of November 2010, Greece reported actual 2009 figures of government deficit at 15.4% of GDP and government debt at 126.8% of GDP; figures to be exceeded only – as speculated – by Ireland in 2010.

In an earlier post I did address how all this impacted tourism; a summary of that article is that pricing will be more favorable, some local events may be curtailed, the opening of newly built hotels may be delayed, and transportation schedules will be condensed.

The bright side… travelers are much less likely to face excessive crowding at the myriad of attractions, hotels, and taverns.  The owners of the facilities, who are naturally inclined to share their culture with their visitors, will have more time to spend with visitors – translating into a more memorable trip at bargain prices.  Travelers will have a wonderful vacation; perhaps better than in a normal economy!  Check out the site for huge discounts on the Greece Tour May 2011.

Today I woke up thinking… what are the reasons OTHER people want to go to Greece?  Here I sit… all resolute and sure about the underlying passions that drive my desire, but what about YOU?  I wondered if I listed a top ten list, how many I would cover.

1. Spending time in a location that is distinctly different from where you currently reside.
2. Following some sports team, or music group, or attend a specific “festival.”
3. Getting into the archaeology of a country of “ancients,” and embracing the artifacts that support that history, and the evolution of mankind.
4. Having fun on some of the world’s best-known beaches.  Bare is not for me, but I am informed that is available should it be on your bucket list.
5. Educational tours for the young and inquiring minds to expand the understanding of Greek history and culture.
6. Getting married in one of the most amazing possible destinations in the world.  I am reminded of the movie, Mama Mia, and can only imagine how it would be to have a wedding like that!
7. Just knowing you are checking off one more thing on your personal bucket list, or making sure it happens for your best friend or loved one.
8. Experiencing the kind of music, art, culture and food that you can find only in Greece!
9. Confirming whether the country lives up to all the interesting, intriguing aspects that are revealed in some movie you have seen – such as Zorba the Greek or Mama Mia.
10. Taking time from a much too busy schedule to experience a way of life that might just have more meaning and quality than the hub-bubb and hustle you are currently living.

I would love to hear why you, personally would love the opportunity to travel to Greece – - – please leave a post and share with others.

What is Greece, but to explore and enjoy!

[caption id="attachment_1081" align="alignright" width="125" caption="The Greece that inspires artists..."][/caption]

Destinations, culture, sea, nature, architecture, religion, history; activities, leisure, touring, food delights – each adding to the fascination and allure of this legendary country.

The month of May will always find Greece, being enveloped in the arms of spring, with floral delights as communities embrace May Day – which surprises many American travelers.  May Day for the Greeks is a continuation of the Soviet inspired International Workers Day, and is celebrated in a myriad of floral arrangements, tying it together somewhat with the pagan holiday,  Festival of the Flowers, which once was associated with the mythological characters, Demeter and Persephone.  Unfortunately for our Greece Tour in May, 2011, we will arrive some days after the event, but we can expect to see many remaining vestiges of the celebration.

[caption id="attachment_1083" align="alignleft" width="125" caption="Santorini... perhaps the "real" Atlantis!"][/caption]

Exploring the island of Santorini was a must on our agenda!  Known to be the most mythical spot in the Cycladic Islands, Santorini, which was once nothing much more than a round, ordinary island, found its claim to fame when an ancient volcanic explosion left nothing but a crescent-shaped rim around the underwater caldera. Talk to some of the islanders and you may hear that Santorini just might be the real Atlantis!  Not to be discounted as veritable, however, is the fact that Santorini was a major Minoan outpost… until it suddenly slipped beneath the sea in a single night, leaving naught but a floating pumice cover above the water,  and poignant memories of a once beautiful city.

Santorini still offers many activities and sites to enjoy, starting with the view of the island as you approach it from the cruise ship, wondering if the volcano dragon with remain asleep during your visit!  Buried under a layer of volcanic ash, leaving walls and artifacts intact, is the story of Akrotini, where travelers wander the excavated streets of a town of ghosts.  Watch closely and you might see hanging baskets of the best plants reserved for wine-making, and in their popularity, have set the pace for wine museums, tasting and winery tours.  The month of May was chosen for the tour, under advisement that the temperature is best and the crowds, normally experienced in August or September, are diminished.

At the end of the stay in Santorini, I will be confident you will share that Greece truly is to explore and enjoy… in its destinations, culture, sea, nature, architecture, religion, history; activities, leisure, touring, food delights – each adding to the fascination and allure of this legendary country.

Jan Vitale… ensuring you experience your travels and come away enriched!

Vital Enterprises, LLC.

Greece Tours, May 2011

It is true, I believe, that history repeats itself, and that belief was supported by an article I read this morning about how Greece took the future in its hands by creative thinking!  The same type of “great thinking” that made Greece the leader in so many areas of life became evident once again…   finding tourist officials who looked at the diminishing tourist trade, brought about by the financial and political turmoil – and looked for a country whose travelers enjoy luxury and still have the ability to afford it.  Replacing the loss of annual visitors from England and Germany was critical – the next best step was creating relationships and special packages for Chinese tourists.   The activity was initiated based on a survey completed in 2005, where Greece was voted as China’s favored tour destination. 

The little island of Hydra appears to have seen significant benefit in the aggressive marketing platform – seeing what may well be ten times the number of previous year’s visitors from China.  Not only do the Chinese warm to travel bargains, they like the fact that touring Greece is more about the country and the culture than tourism and shopping.

Aside from financial and political woes, we can only hope that Greece does not become ambivalent about its role in Europe, or the loss of hard-won independence and identity to supervening powers.  As I work to design Greece tours, my one question remains whether prime minister Papandreou, known for high-level lateral thinking, can strategically plan and predict the fundamental changes in the country’s economy, structure  and culture. 

From a news wire report on Friday,  the government sees the make sense benefit of supporting tourism by electing to drastically reduce sales tax for the travel industry from 11 to 6.5 percent – a decision that has the potential to raise tourism proceeds by close to $850 million.  This move will not only allow the country to be competitive with other countries, it will keep businesses that support tourism open longer, as well as maintain or increase employment.  At just short of 20 percent of the gross domestic product, Greek tourism may now be able to rebound somewhat from the losses suffered during the year from strikes, violent street protests and an increasing debt crisis.

According to a recent article in the Travel Daily News International, the Tourism Deputy Minister George Nikitiades, believes with an aggressive and strategic plan, 1.5 million annual visitors to the country is possible… by offering low-cost carriers flights into Greece some marketing subsidies.   The author of this article was somewhat dismayed that the same kind of support is not being offered to the tour operators who send thousands of visitors to the country every year – with no additional incentive other than drastically reducing their commissions just to make the packages attractive to travelers.  The one really great point of this article is that… the collective give, take and support of the tour operator, hotel and airline – providing sellable margins – can keep all three in a state of profit.  From my personal perspective, creating this type of win/win through collective efforts will sustain Greek tourism long-term.

Enough of the news… and back to some excitement about the Greece Tour being planned for May, 2011!  It has been a challenge - deciding whether the trip should be 9 days or 12; it has been interesting – being offered hotel choices which have had bad reviews; and it has been a test of my professional expectations to have been told in the beginning what my expectations might be – and then later be given totally different information.   But – and here is where you win… I persevere because my custom designed cruises are ultimately worth every effort I expend.  I am hoping you are thinking about how YOU are going to spend YOUR time in May, 2011.  In the meantime, if you haven’t done so yet, slip over to the Subscription page of Vital Enterprises, LLC and claim your complimentary copy of Traveling Lite 101 – How to Pack, What to Pack and What to Pack it In!