May 2012

PADDLING PALAU By Jane Cassie "Keep your eyes peeled," our guide, Jayden Twelbang, warns. "Crocodiles like to hang out along these shallow shorelines." "He's kidding, right?" I ask my husband who, after hearing this tid-bit of information, quickens up his paddle pace. ...read more »

PRAGUE ON THE FLY: A 48-hour sojourn By Chris McBeath Sometimes a cab ride, like the one I took in Prague, is an adventure unto itself. Although the railway station was only a few blocks from the Iron Gate Hotel in the heart of Old Town, the confusing journey along the city's historic cobblestone streets took almost twenty-five minutes, and in the dark of night there were moments I questioned where I might end up. By day, however, all was revealed. Our driver had been a Formula One master of Prague's complicated, one-way, labyrinthine network of back alleys that crush up against buildings, cower beneath gothic architecture and wind around picturesque squares. ...read more »

A DAY IN REGAL SEVILLE By Rick Millikan Leaving Cadiz aboard a motor coach with fellow shipmates, guide Maria confirms our keen interest in exploring Spain's fourth largest city. "Seville best represents Iberian culture and sophistication. It's a pleasure to share a slice of its rich history with you!" ...read more »

WALKING THE WALK - A TWENTY-FIVE YEAR HIKE IN WALES By Colleen Friesen Doesn't a path sound lovely? Something you skip along to Grandma's house…past little flowery-fenced cottages in dollhouse villages. And if that lovely path is in Wales-just a wee bit of a place tucked into that Not-So-United Kingdom-wouldn't it be fair to believe that it would all be rather diminutive? ...read more »

April 2012

B.C.'s BOUNTEOUS BACKYARDS By Margaret Deefholts "You'll find your happiness lies, right under your eyes…back in your own backyard," warbled Sammy Davis Jr. How true! We travel abroad in search of new and exciting adventures, often forgetting that tucked into our own British Columbian "backyards" are gorgeous wilderness trails, cruises along the spectacular west coast waters, restaurants offering distinctive West Coast cuisine paired with local wines, and markets with uniquely crafted treasures. ...read more »

PORTLAND - A CULINARY MECCA By Hans Tammemagi Since my wife, Allyson, is a formidable cook, we decided to visit Portland, Oregon, so she could chomp on the culinary scene and see if it was truly worthy of its burgeoning reputation. We were encouraged by friends who enthused about exotic food carts, generous happy hours - an unknown entity in Canada - and talented chefs with a fierce locavore bent. Reasonable prices and the lack of a sales tax also drew us...read more »

A ROYAL WEEKEND IN OTTAWA By Jane Cassie Have you ever wondered what royal living would be like -pedigree service, posh pampering, chef-prepared meals? While staying at the Fairmont Château Laurier during this weekend escape to Ottawa, we get a real regal taste...read more »

March 2012

A Romantic Step Back in Time By Jane Cassie Back in the 1970's, my husband and I were high school sweethearts-bound together by heavy hearts and raging hormones. For two years we were never apart -dating, doting and devoted, from skiing the slopes of Grouse Mountain to strolling the shores of Spanish Banks. But like most teenage flings, things eventually took a turn -a change of interests, a need for growth, and yes, a parting of our ways. A few years later we had both married different people, had someone else's babies and had moved on in life. ...read more »

GREEN LUXURY IN A BELIZE RAINFOREST By Robert Scheer Was an enormous lion howling outside my thatched cottage? It sounded more like a T-Rex. I might have been worried if I hadn't been told earlier there was a family of howler monkeys nesting in the nearby treetops. I was in a rainforest in Belize, where I would not only see black howlers in the wild, I'd also come face to face with a live tarantula, witness a Blue Morpho butterfly emerging from its chrysalis, discover secrets of Mayan shamans, stumble upon a pair of toads mating, and devour the most delicious pancakes I'd ever enjoyed. ...read more »

FORGET THE SKIS - WHISTLER UNPLUGGED By Colleen Friesen There are many different kinds of silences; the holy quiet of cathedrals, the soothing wash of waves on a sandy beach, or the reverent quiet discovered while looking up at a star-pierced sky. ...read more »

JEWELS OF THE FRENCH RIVIERA: Monaco, Nice and Monte Carlo By Chris Millikan The Nieuw Amsterdam anchors in Monaco's shimmering blue waters as eager day-trippers board her waiting tenders, impatient to sample the fabled French Riviera. Though we soon dock amid ultramodern skyscrapers, a mix of history and glamour soon delights us. ...read more »

February 2012

AT HOME IN MALAYSIA By Margaret Deefholts A sonorous chant wakes me up. The pre-dawn light filters through the window, and I am suddenly awake, listening... I don't understand the language, but I'm drawn into the rolling syllables, the rise and fall of the unseen singer's voice. It is a call to prayer from the village mosque and, like I do at a performance of Italian opera which language I also don't understand, I merely close my eyes and listen. The chant dies away. Other more mundane domestic sounds take its place - a cockerel crowing, the whistle and chirrup of birds, and from somewhere inside the house, a muffled conversation. I peer blearily at my watch. 6.a.m. Time to get up. ...read more »

I "HEART" NEWFOUNDLAND'S AVALON Story by Karoline Cullen Orange feet slap the water and black wings flap furiously. Like a wind-up toy gaining momentum, the puffin takes flight. With small fish clamped in a brightly coloured bill, the determined bird heads for land to feed its young. From our tour boat deck, I see floating, diving, and flying puffins-thousands upon thousands of them. They are so cute, my heart does a little pitter patter. ...read more »

PHILADELPHIA FREEDOM - A VISIT TO THE CITY OF BROTHERLY LOVE Jamie Ross I have a fascination with all things historical, and if ever a community has put its stamp on the face of American history, Philadelphia is it. It was a hotbed of activity during America's struggle for independence from Britain, with the likes of Thomas Jefferson, George Washington and John Adams walking her streets. As such, Philadelphia was a city I've always wanted to see. The trouble here was, it was a spring minor hockey tournament that gave me the opportunity to visit, so I was accompanied by my thirteen year old, hockey-playing son who felt the most important moment in history was the Canucks run to the Stanley Cup final a year ago. ...read more »

BORDERLINE SWITZERLAND by Caroline M. Jackson Bordered by five European countries, Switzerland's perimeter reflects the diverse culture of its European neighbors. Because its rail system zigzags across the Alps like a spider web, Swiss visitors can make easy daytrips into adjacent Germany, Italy, France, Austria and Lichtenstein. ...read more »

WINE ROUTE ON HORSEBACK: The Bounty of Yakima Valley By Lauren Kramer To truly appreciate the Yakima valley in eastern Washington State, you have to drive with your nose in the wind. The valley's rich, fertile land bears acre upon acre of fruit and vegetables, and their aroma is a meal in itself. Apple trees give way to tomato plants, peppers dart into view, hops climb 20-foot twine and fruit trees stand in perfectly symmetrical lines. ...read more »

January 2012

LOVIN' THE LOMILOMI By Jane Cassie I confess. I'm a massage-aholic. And even though my husband, Brent, supports this pampering addiction, a spa holiday is the last thing on his bucket list. But during this trip to Hawaii Island, where huna (harmony) and mana (spirit) are embraced, he eventually does an about face (and body) and becomes a lover of the 'lomilomi.' ...read more »

JAMBO AFRICA! By Margaret Deefholts I have a balcony seat at a spellbinding show. The stage is a gigantic mud hole, surrounded by thick African jungle, and the performers have been front centre for the last hour. ...read more »

SURMOUNTING SINAI By Irene Butler "Let's climb that biblical mountain!" After a week of barely moving from our lounge chairs facing the Red Sea, except to partake of delectable cuisine along restaurant-row in the touristy town of Dahab, I feel some calorie burning is in order. My husband Rick isn't sold on my suggestion for its workout value, but in anticipation of great photo ops he agrees to go, stipulating, "as long as I don't have to carry down any stone tablets." Leaving our seaside haven in a tour van filled with fellow adventurers, we head into the interior of south-eastern Egypt. Stunning desert-scapes of shifting golden sands are succeeded by rugged mountains of limestone and granite. Arriving at St. Katherine's Monastery which lies in a gorge at the foot of Mt. Sinai, our guide Mohammad explains, "Mt. Moses is not visible until after our visit to St. Katherine's when we take the path up around the monastery." ...read more »

TEEING OFF IN PARADISE: The Turks & Caicos Islands By Liz Clark A golfing vacation in the sunny and warm Caribbean turned out to be the best remedy to beat our winter blues. Way back in 1992, my partner Geoff and I had heard of a new golf course on the island of Providenciales, Turks & Caicos Islands in the British West Indies. Although the final bells and whistles were not quite in place at the Provo Golf Club, the Karl Litten-designed 18-hole championship course was open for business. What good luck for us, especially as the only other course up to that time had been the Governor's 9-hole private course on the Grand Turk Island. ...read more »

December 2011

KICKING BACK IN THE KOOTENAYS By Jane Cassie Photos by Brent Cassie "Ready to kick-up more powder?" my husband asks excitedly, when realizing that I've been struck with a case of ski fever. "They say it's all downhill at our next stop." ...read more »

CRUISING UP THE NILE By Margaret Deefholts I am dodging objects flying in through my window. The first bundle whizzes by my head; a second one thuds against the ceiling. "Whoa!" I shout leaning out of the window. "Stop! Enough!" ...read more »

TREKKING AROUND THE WILD AND MYSTERIOUS SHETLAND ISLANDS By Jamie Ross I sit on the stone wall that protects Burrastow House from the sea, looking out over Vaila Sound. The beautiful twilight Shetland sky of the Summer Dim is blood red, and reflects off the shimmering ocean waters. "Back home we have a saying, red sky at night, a sailor's delight," I say to a young islander who has stopped for a chat. ...read more »

ON THE ROCK OF ST. PETER By Julie H. Ferguson When I clambered onto the full flight from Paris to Rome, the last thing I wanted to do was talk to a fellow passenger. I closed my eyes, exhausted after twenty hours of travel. Lunch arrived and my seatmate, a mild-mannered gent, said, "I always chat during the meal-I'm Peter." My heart sank, but I gathered my remnants of energy and replied, "I'm Julie from Vancouver." ...read more »

November 2011

TALLINN'S MEDIEVAL HEART By Jamie Ross My son and I are seated at a big, rough-hewn wooden table in Olde Hansa, feeling like we are experiencing some sort of time travel, plucked from the 21st Century and transported back into the Dark Ages. The only light in the old tavern comes from hundreds of candles which, while atmospherically appealing, also make it difficult to fully determine what is on our plate. What we are eating is elk steaks, rabbit, bear and boar sausages, cabbage soup and lentils and I'm washing mine down with a goblet of honey beer. It is excellent, if mysterious. Minstrels entertain us, while our serving wench, attired in period garb, tells me that the owners consulted historical experts to see what authentic fare should be put on the menu. ...read more »

CRUISING THE BACKWATERS OF KERALA By Margaret Deefholts My son Glenn looks incredulous. He whispers: "Rs.300 for an eight hour cruise? That's less than CA$8.00. Is the boat safe?" I nod and whisper back. "It's not a luxury boat - but yes, it's perfectly safe." Riyas Ahammed, who heads up the company, is writing up our tickets. "Hurry," he urges, handing them to me, "The boat is leaving in a few minutes." He beams and waves us out of his office. ...read more »

OUR CAPITAL'S COLLECTIBLES By Jane Cassie Images by Brent Cassie History was never my thing in school, so when my husband, Brent, suggests that we scout out some museums during this trip to Ottawa, I scrunch up my nose. "It's one cultured city," he says, when scanning the twenty-nine venues. "I'm sure you won't be bored." After just two, he's absolutely right. I'm anything but! ...read more »

RUINAS DEL REY AND EK BALAM Off the Beaten Track on the Yucatan: By Chris Millikan Mysteriously abandoned and forgotten in the jungle for centuries, restored stone cities now reveal the magnificent architecture, artwork and technology of a civilization over 2000 years old. Settled in Cancun's resort zone, we soon re-acquaint ourselves with the Maya, but this time at two lesser-known sites. ...read more »

October 2011

MEMORABLE MELAKA By Margaret Deefholts The old man flashes me a toothless grin. "Welcome to Melaka", he says. "And to Medan Portugis kampung. My name is Manuel Rodrigues." Rodrigues is of mixed Malay and Portuguese descent, and his family, have lived in this small village for four centuries. ...read more »

BEAUTY HAS AN ADDRESS - OMAN By Irene Butler A sense of tranquility wraps around us as we gaze at white latticed buildings and mosques wedged between charcoal mountains and the royal blue Gulf waters. The heat of the sun is tempered by gentle breezes. Our walk along the seaside promenade is filled with alluring detours; a stop at the fish market to watch the buyer-frenzy over the day's catch, a climb up stone steps to forts clinging to the cliffs - remnants of Portuguese rule. ...read more »

TEXADA ISLAND TREASURES By Liz Clark Do boaters have all the fun cruising British Columbia's Gulf Islands? What about we landlubbers who only travel by car and ferry? Exploring from the inside out, my husband and I set about to discover many places of natural beauty inaccessible by boat on Texada, the largest island in the Strait of Georgia ...read more »

UNDERWATER WONDERS OF PALAU By Jane Cassie Images by Brent Cassie "Just take that leap of faith," Loreen Sugiyama says with a cheeky grin. It's easy for her to say. She's not wearing the snorkel. But, reflecting back over this day there are a couple of things I know about my Palauan guide. She's true to her word. And she's all about the adventure! ...read more »

September 2011

HAWAII ISLAND'S NIGHT LIGHTS By Jane Cassie Images by Brent Cassie and James L. Wing Boots, sweaters, mittens -it looks like I've packed for a ski trip instead of Hawaii Island. But no worries-I didn't forget my flip flops. With eleven climate zones to cover, I've come prepared. And during this touring week, I'm captivated by these night light perspectives that span from the island's shoreline to the highest peak. ...read more »

A DAY IN THE LIFE OF PUERTO VALLARTA Margaret Deefholts I make my way gingerly down a steep cobbled street in Puerto Vallarta's Gringo Gulch, past white-stucco red-tile roofed villas, with crimson or purple bougainvillea spilling across their walls and doorways. The shadows are short, and the sun is fierce. Perspiration trickles down my back, and my hair is plastered to my forehead. But that's fine…I am a child of the tropics, and this is my kind of weather! ...read more »

NORTH WALES: FROM CHESTER TO CRICCIETH Caroline M. Jackson My husband and I began our one-week adventure from the walled city of Chester which abuts the English/Welsh border. Drawn by its rural ambience, we sojourned in the little town of Llangollen which nestles in a deep mountain valley carved out by the River Dee. We wandered across its Gothic bridge and indulged in a poke of hot off-the-griddle Welsh cakes. From the nearby wharf we watched families taking horse-drawn narrow boat trips along the Llangollen Canal. ...read more »

PERSIAN PASSIONS Colleen Friesen Farzan Safa is an eight-year old Canadian. "I am learning Farsi," he says with a beaming smile. He's never been to Iran, but he knows that the mountains overlooking his North Vancouver neighbourhood look like the Alborz mountains in Tehran. He's looking forward to visiting Iran, "I want to meet my cousins." ...read more »

August 2011

CAPTIVATING CAPPADOCIA by Margaret Deefholts The music is haunting: a solo zurna plays a piercingly sweet melody supported by a soft steady drumbeat. An expectant hush falls on our audience as five men file into the circular arena and bow with arms crossed against their chests, to a "master" standing at one end. They then take their places in a circle. Clad in long flowing white gowns, brown caps on their heads, they begin to twirl, slowly at first and then gaining speed, their skirts fanning out, arms outstretched, eyes closed and heads angled to one side. They are the whirling dervishes of Turkey. ...read more »

COAST AND CANYON, A B.C. CIRCLE ROAD TRIP by Cherie Thiessen The snow-cloaked Coast Mountains elbow the Skeena River, dripping long, silvery waterfalls, and there's a tang of cottonwood wafting through the campervan window as we dawdle down Highway 16 from Prince Rupert to Prince George. Also known as the Yellowhead Highway, the narrow road invites a slower pace. We pull over to gawk and guzzle tea in our snug little RV. Enclosed like turtles, we're never disappointed with meals, transportation, or hotels. All we need are campsites, and there are plenty to choose from, from scenic provincial and federal parks, to fully serviced, strategically placed private sites. We're giddy with endless choices and wide-open spaces. ...read more »

TRANSFORMED BY A MAYA MEDICINE WOMAN IN BELIZE by Robert Scheer The Maya medicine woman smeared a handful of green, aromatic mud onto my forehead, binding it with a strip of cloth, as she had done on the soles of my feet and the palms of my hands. I looked like a mummy in mid-wrap. The "mud" was actually a poultice of ground cacao beans and nine medicinal herbs. Aurora had picked them fresh from her garden, and I watched as she chopped and blended them in her kitchen. She told me the treatment would draw out bad spirits and give me more energy, and I should lie down for 30 minutes while the herbs did their work. ...read more »

CRUISING THE RIDEAU by Jane Cassie Images by Brent Cassie What unique waterway bridges two Canadian cities, is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, and is one of the most beautiful places on earth? Answer: Ontario's Rideau Canal. The 202 km (126 mile) channel flows continuously from Kingston to Ottawa, just as it did when it was built back in 1832. The series of lakes, rivers and dams are linked by forty-seven locks at twenty-four stations, most of which are still operated by winches, chains and manpower. During this cruise we travel from Perth to Jones Falls and the entire way are treated to a journey back in time. ...read more »

DRESDEN'S RADICAL RENAISSANCE by Chris McBeath For three long February nights in 1945, some 1,100 Allied Forces aircraft dropped more than 3,000 tons of munitions onto the city of Dresden, creating a swirling firestorm that had the force of a hurricane. For eight nights the burning glow could be seen more than 160 km away. And when it subsided, the city's core had been reduced to 15 sq km of smoldering rubble. The story is retold often, largely because it is what makes Dresden's renaissance so remarkable-few other cities have undergone, and are still embracing, such radical transformation. ...read more »

July 2011

AMAZING ALASKA by Chris McBeath Barely one per cent of visitors to Denali National Park make it this far into central Alaska. Most stop at the Eielson Visitor Center, take pictures of Mount McKinley, then turn back. But with a few extra hours, you can become one of the rarefied few and find yourself at an early 1900's pioneer cabin at the end of the dirt 'road'. Literally. Next stop? Siberia-500 miles to the east. ...read more »

CHICAGO FOR (ALMOST) FREE by Margaret Deefholts There are a couple of things about Chicago that come as a pleasant surprise. Firstly, you don't need a car to get around-buses and L-trains, cover a huge swath of the city and suburbs. They run frequently, are clean and have ample room. A 7-day unlimited transit pass for only US$23 is as close to a freebie as you can get! ...read more »

RIDING HIGH ON HAWAII ISLAND by Jane Cassie Images by Brent Cassie What springs to mind when you think of Hawaii? Relaxing beaches, rolling surf, revitalizing spas? Without a doubt, they're all great forms of tropical R&R. But what about riding the range? Sprawled out between the Hawaii Island's lava Kohala Coast and her moisture-laden Hamakua shores are lush rolling hills that lure many a cowboy (and girl). And today, they're mesmerizing me. But when it comes to the giddy-up-and-go thing, I'm certainly no Calamity Jane. ...read more »

THE BLUEBERRY ROUTE Looping Quebec's Lac St. Jean by Rick Millikan Inspired by previous cycling on Quebec's network of bikeways, my wife Chris and I seek another adventure extraordinaire. Choosing Veloroute des Bleuets, we'll loop 256-kilometers around Lac St. Jean in six leisurely days. ...read more »