(First of four parts, jump to part 1, part 2, part 3, part 4).

It was my great pleasure to be the beneficiary of experiencing the reality of Tranquilo Bay Resort in May of this year. Located centrally within the 68-island archipelago of Bocas del Toro off the Caribbean coast of northern Panama, this resort has, in terms of its development, an immediate past history that proves that truth can be harder to imagine than fiction.

For nearly two weeks, I experienced the varied...

by Lew Toulmin

Star Clipper is a ship that’s unique — except that she has a twin, along with a new, larger sister, with an even larger sister on the way.

While most cruise ships cruise under power, the focus of Star Clipper, her twin, Star Flyer, and the larger Star Clipper is on cruising under sail, with style and luxury. These ships are perfect for experienced sailors seeking more comfort than what is provided by the typical sailboat or for nonsailors who want to find out...

For the past seven years, a new threat has made itself home on our shores: West Nile virus.

West Nile virus is transmitted by mosquitoes. It has been a cause of infection in the Middle East, Africa and Southwest Asia for centuries. Some medical historians even believe Alexander the Great suffered from West Nile virus infection.

The virus normally exists in nature as a bird-to-mosquito-to-bird cycle. People are accidentally infected by virus-carrying mosquitoes, although...