Two cities in one, Winston-Salem was formed by the merger of the separate towns of Winston and Salem in 1913. Salem dates back to 1753 when the first Moravian missionaries from Germany arrived in the area. The name Salem comes from the Hebrew word, shalem, meaning “peaceful” or “complete.” Winston was established as the county seat in 1849 on land north of Salem and named after a local Revolutionary War hero. The city became one of the largest tobacco producers in the United States as the headquarters of R.J. Reynolds Tobacco Company.

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On October 29, 2012, Hurricane Sandy struck New York City, causing unprecedented damage across all five boroughs. The superstorm, which began as a tropical wave in the Caribbean, caused 43 deaths and $19 billion of damage in the city. Approximately 17 percent (51 square miles) of New York City’s total land mass was flooded, and a quarter of buildings were without power for days.

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ClassPass ($40 off), a flexible, subscription service that gives you access to top fitness studios and gyms, is a great way to stay in shape while traveling. You can conveniently book classes online or through the app at a significant discount to what you would normally pay if purchasing directly from the studio. There are participating studios in nearly every US city, as well as Europe, Asia, and Australia. You can filter your search by type of activity (e.g. yoga, cycling, boxing, etc.), difficulty level, or neighborhood. Your membership also includes free access to ClassPass Go, which offers hundreds of audio-guided workouts from top instructors.

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The safety of the swimming pigs in the Bahamas has been confirmed after Hurricane Dorian swept through earlier this month. Abaco and Grand Bahama in the north suffered a massive hit, but the Exumas, where the pigs are located, were spared. Many tourists have been cancelling trips to the island nation, fearing that the hotels would still be recovering from the damage or that it would be inappropriate to enjoy a vacation so close to where tragedy had struck just a few weeks ago; however, the Bahamas are urging tourists to keep coming. The most popular islands were unaffected by the storm, and the Bahamian economy depends on tourism and needs the revenue in order to rebuild.

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In 2017, I went to Cuba for my February winter escape. Visiting Cuba is truly a unique experience and feels like stepping into the past.

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Every year I plan a trip to someplace warm during February to escape the winter weather in New York. In 2016, I chose the Yucatán Peninsula for its diving, beaches, food, history, and culture. [Read more…] about Can in Yucatán