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I call them "light zones" — areas in world displaying sunshine in powerful and rarified splinters of sheen, effusing plant leaves and tree bark with dancing fluid colors for just a moment, and it can not be photographed truly but only scratches a quick sketch across retina before banked in mind's memory and then there is a rapid change, squeezing light in another direction and in a different spectrum.

While hiking in rainforests of Kenai klieg barn doors opened a filter of red light lensed through a smoking volcano across Turn Again Bay. The light in Hawaii is an interchange of power and vision, afterall, light is nature's fastest moving force, so you have to be alert to catch it bouncing off tips of elephant grass and skin of Kuhio trees. In trade winds head-high elephant grass sparkles and waves, as if tules were shot into ground by light itself.

Light in Caribbean oozes. You have time to grasp it. It is not always as colorful as in Pacific. It is brighter. It is more golden. Ian Fleming named his home in Jamaica Golden Eye because sun sets on yachting lagoon and when viewed from Oracabessa (Golden Head in Spanish), a hill above lagoon, it does look like an unblinking golden pupil.

The indigenous Arawak were first to arrive in Barbados from South America. I wish I knew Arawak description of light that they saw, but their language went extinct with tribe. When first British arrived in 1627, just a mile down coast from Glitter Bay at present day Holetown, there were no natives around whatsoever. Give British credit for navigating first to best beaches.

The Glitter Bay site was named at turn-of-the-18th-century by prominent Barbados businessman, George Manning. In 1930s property was acquired by Sir Edward Cunard, a member of famous shipping family, and nephew of renowned London hostess, Lady "Emerald" Cunard.

George built Great House that is now part of grand Fairmont Hotel resort at Glitter Bay in St. James Parish. He played host to celebrities and members of British aristocracy in that halcyon era between wars, including late Ronald Tree, grandson of Chicago tycoon Marshall Hall, and Cunard was Winston Churchill's frequent wartime host. Ronald Tree rented Glitter Bay for a holiday from Cunard family in 1946 and later went on to develop Sandy Lane Hotel just around corner.

Together Tree and Cunard made Glitter Bay a byword for refined relaxation on winter holidays. Their friends strolled through acres of landscaped gardens aflame with tropical flowers like bougainvillea and air-scenting lilies, shaded by royal palms. You can now stay in beautiful Beach House modeled on Cunard family palazzo in Venice, Italy. All is still quiet grandeur reflecting "glitter" of a bygone genteel society.

The two resorts at Glitter Bay recapture that style of gracious living. The gardens have flourished. The magnificent Beach House suites are named after former Cunard guests — Sir Edward, Lady Emerald, Clarence, Marquis. The Great House still stands and today houses reception and concierge areas, gym, and administration offices.

The first hotel on West Coast of Barbados was Miramar Hotel, built in 1940s. The original hotel was only 12 rooms in what today is home to Palm Terrace Restaurant and administrative offices at newer and renovated Fairmont property, Royal Pavilion.

I bought a new swimsuit before we arrived at Zephyr Cove Resort. I'd heard it was a Mecca for watersports and was not disaTake Catamaran around Lake Tahoeppointed. For mellowest of beach bunnies to those seeking adrenaline rushed thrills, Zephyr Cove Resort has it all, and in a spectacular setting on soft, sandy shores of Lake Tahoe.

We took our time getting to Zephyr Cove Resort, driving along Lake Tahoe East Shore Drive. It's a National Scenic Byway and there are so many scenic turnouts and short hiking trails from road that we spent all day dawdling 72 miles from North Lake Tahoe, where we'd camped night before, to Zephyr Cove. (If we'd known in advance how nice Zephyr Cove campground was, we might have done drive a day earlier.

The Castle at Emerald Cover on Lake TahoeThe Zephyr Cove beach is popular with day trippers who come to relax on mile of spotless golden sand. Folks also come from all around Lake Tahoe to cruise on Dixie II, stern-wheeled paddle boat that tours lake five times a day in high season.

Just a short hop up road from resort are casinos of Stateline where stout of heart - and of wallet - can test their luck. Harrah's, Harvey's, Caesars Tahoe, and Horizon are a few of big ones, but smaller ones will happily relieve you of your greenbacks - or add to it, if you're having a winning streak. Of course, you can catch a show too; we had a Beatles revival, a cabaret, and a first run movie theater to entertain us, to name just a few of options.

Zephyr Cove, located on Nevada side of Tahoe, is an old-fashioned resort with all comforts of modern living. Our tidy, two room cabin included a microwave in A Typical Cabin at Zephyr Cove Resortfully-stocked kitchen, cable TV, and even a data line for dial-up email service. (Sorry, you have to bring your own laptop.) The location lets you decide how you want to spend your vacation. You can run up road for groceries if you want to do your own cooking, or you can take advantage of restaurant that's just up from your cabin.