Spotlight on Israel and Jordan

The ancient sights of the Holy Land draw visitors from around the world with 3.5 million tourists visiting in 2010. The wondrous religious sights are not the only attraction however. Fabulous beaches, renowned cultural events, excellent food and wine plus outstanding wellness, spa and eco vacations make the region inviting for all types of visitors. Israel and Jordan are certainly alluring lands with much to offer today's traveller.

The beautiful land and seascapes of Israel and Jordan are steeped in ancient history and spiritual heritage. It can be an overwhelming experience for visitors to take in sights and places of such great historic and religious significance in places like Jerusalem, Bethlehem, Nazareth, the Sea of Galilee, the Dead Sea, Masada, the Baptism Site of Bethany Beyond the Jordan and ancient Petra, carved out of the mountain side, dating back as far as 7,000 BC.

These modern countries offer many other destinations, well known for recent historic events and natural beauty, as well as some outstanding activities not to be missed:

• See some of the most striking desert scenery in the world at Wadi Rum near Aqaba, Jordan. This is where T.E. Lawrence began his revolt against the Turks in 1917 and the area was used in the filming of the movie, Lawrence of Arabia.
• The city of Tel Aviv is well known as a cultural and entertainment centre, home to some stunning Bauhaus architecture as well as great beaches. It's one of the six UNESCO World Heritage Sites found in Israel.
• Active adventures abound with some unique opportunities. A rare mix of desert cliffs, alpine meadows, rivers and forested ridges offer year round activities with excellent rappelling, skiing, hiking, river rafting and kayaking. Divers can enjoy an underwater tour of Roman antiquities at Caesarea while beach and water sport vacations are popular at the many excellent Mediterranean and Red Sea resorts.
• Enjoy a variety of music festivals in the region like the Jacob's Ladder Folk Festival, Red Sea Jazz Festival, the annual Jerusalem Woodstock Revival and the Al Balad alternative music festival. The most breathtaking concert location is at the fortress of Masada in the Judean Desert which overlooks the Dead Sea. This venue is renowned for its world class operatic productions in this dramatic setting.
• You might be surprised at the excellent quality of food and wine you'll enjoy during your stay. Jordan offers a wide range of delicious Arabic food and wine. Drinking strong Arabic coffee is a customary tradition. Israel is a noted destination for food aficionados due its great cultural diversity which is reflected in the food scene around the country. The new haute Middle Eastern cuisine is served at fine restaurants in Tel Aviv and Jerusalem. Try the local wine with your meals as Israel's wine industry is thriving.

There'll be more on the fascinating and alluring worlds of Jordan and Israel later this week!

Vancouver Island Spotlight

From the air, Vancouver Island appears like a giant bird in full flight. It seems to hover over the ocean, approaching the mainland but stopping short. The island is rugged, rich and lush, and its cuisine is inspired by the wild foods of the First Nations inhabitants.

Pacific waters provide most of the island's dominant fare, namely wild salmon, halibut, oysters, spot shrimp, mussels, clams, crayfish and Dungeness crab. Inland, Cowichan Valley is the island's fertile heart. Farmers, vintners and culinary artisans ten the raw ingredients that serve a growing eco-gastronomy scene with an international reputation. In the forests, professional foragers and woodland enthusiasts collect chantrelles, morels, shiitake and lobster mushrooms.

If you're interested in experiencing the culture and beauty that is Vancouver Island, you have many options for places to stay. From short-term vacation rentals on Vancouver Island to countless B&Bs and hotels, there's definitely a place for you to stay! Talk to an experienced travel specialist today and they'll help you plan your perfect trip!

Sculptures in Scandinavia

This past July, my family and I embarked on a trip to Scandinavia and the Baltics. Throughout our time in Scandinavia we came across a number of breathtaking sculptures. Copenhagen in Denmark is, of course, home to the famous ‘Little Mermaid’ sculpture. However, I found several other sculptures much more powerful than the Little Mermaid.

My absolute favourite was the Gefjon Fountain sculpture in Copenhagen. Gefjon is a Norse goddess associated with plowing, agriculture and fertility. The fountain was inspired by the ancient legend about the creation of Zealand. In the legend, Gefjon is told that whatever land she plows in 24 hours will be hers to keep. Gefjon turns her four sons into bulls and works them brutally through the night. It is said that she plowed away Lake Mälaren, Sweden, creating the island of Zealand, Denmark. I found this sculpture profoundly moving and would recommend it to anyone travelling to Copenhagen.

In Oslo we visited the famous Vigelandsparken in Frogner Park. The park, envisioned by the sculptor Gustav Vigeland, is one of the most outstanding attractions in Norway. One our favourite sculptures in the park was the Monolith which is completely covered in naked human figures.

In this picture the kids are all standing in front of Vigeland’s bronze fountain. Around the fountain are sculptures of children and skeletons entwined and growing out of trees. These sculptures signify that from death comes life anew.

-Wendy Fougner

City Snap Guide: Key West

Key West, America's southernmost city, is quirky, fun and eminently gay-friendly. Once you arrive, you'll feel removed from the rest of the Sunshine State in this paradise of particular charm. Stroll palm-lined streets to discover gingerbread mansions, tin-roofed conch houses, open-air bars and sidewalk cafés. Walk in the footsteps of Ernest Hemingway, Harry Truman and Tennessee Williams. Visit the renovated Historic District, known locally as the Key West Bight, and arrange a day on the water to fish, snorkel or scuba dive.

Hemingway's Glory Days
On July 21, coinciding with Ernest Hemingway's birthday, you'll see Hemingway doubles everywhere. The Pulitzer Prize-winning author left an enduring legacy in the city, commemorated during the annual six-day Hemingway Days celebration. Catch a reading during the festival and get a book signed by an acclaimed author, or watch stocky white-bearded men vie to win the look-alike contest. Year round, you can visit the Whitehead Street house, built in 1851, where Hemingway lived in the '30s. Above the pool house is a separate writing studio where the novelist penned To Have and Have Not and polished the initial draft of A Farewell to Arms.

Key Lime Pie and Cool Cocktails
Pop into Sloppy Joe's, a beloved drinking spot since 1937 that pours a steady stream of cocktails from 9:00 a.m. to 4:00 a.m., located at the corner of Greene and Duval streets. Visit Better Than Sex and try it's Kinky Key Lime pie, a fluffy lime chiffon creation with macadamia nuts. This romantic dessert spot dips its wine glasses in chocolate to better match the decadent warm brownies, peanut butter pies and 'Sugar Daddy Cheesecakes.' Be sure to have a nosh at B.O.'s Fish Wagon. It started out as a catering truck, serving what many locals believe to be the world's best fish sandwich, but the burgeoning ranks of fans prompted the purveyor to build a restaurant - modelled after the original truck. Just step up to the counter and order.

Sunset Celebration
Head to Mallory Square just before sunset to witness the famous celebration of the setting sun. About two hours before the sun dips below the Gulf of Mexico, masses of locals and tourists flock to the water's edge to catch the nightly arts festival. Join in and watch jugglers, magicians, escape artists and other streeet performers, get your fortune told by psychics or buy everything from jewellery to sculptures, paintings and objects d'art from local artists.

Driving in Norway

This past July I had the pleasure of visiting Norway on a family trip through Scandinavia and the Baltics. On the trip I found that one of the best ways to experience Norway at your own pace is by renting a car and driving. There are a number of beautiful scenic drives in Norway and taking a car means that you can stop where you want, when you want. These photos are from our drive from Lillehammer (host of the 1994 Winter Olympics) to the lovely town of Lom.

When you’re driving through Norway’s countryside, time stands still. The country is characterized by lush valleys, rugged peaks and peaceful lakes and streams. Overall, Norway is absolutely stunning.

In order to rent a car in Norway you must have a full, valid driver’s license and be over 19 (or 25 depending on the rental company). The speed limit on highways is around 80 km/h. Be careful when you’re driving, and watch out for deer and sheep!

-Wendy Fougner

City Snap Guide: Montréal

Montréal has so many incredible things to do all year round, although you can't beat late spring to early fall for the best time to go there. It can get fairly hot in the summer, but just as cold in the winter - so pick the kind of season you like the most. With all the festivals in the summer, it's hard to keep up but amazing nonetheless. Winter would be beautiful around Christmastime, and who can resist maple sugar stands in February?



Festivals, Festivals, and more Festivals

Montréal is home to some of the greatest festivals in Canada. It is truly a city of festivals - although the season peaks in mid summer, it's a tradition that continues all year round. There's a festival for each and every month in Montréal. Here's a taste of what you might hit when you arrive in Montréal.

In January, the major winter festival in Montréal, La fête des Neiges, takes place for three consecutive weekends in the magical setting of Parc Jean-Drapeau. In February, you can discover the Montréal High Lights Festival - technically three festivals in one. The summer months are packed with music festivals, such as Osheaga and the International Jazz Festival. There's also Juste Pour Rire (also known as Just For Laughs) during the summer. The streets are abuzz with characters and fun things to do. Just leave your hotel! Before you know it, the festival season starts all over again.

Who can say no to poutine? And other food, of course.

The amount of food available in Montréal is unbelievable. There are of course, some things you must try. First, the famous Québécois dish, poutine. This combination of cheese curds, gravy and fries is prevalent all over Montréal. The best known place for poutine is La Banquise - which is conveniently open 24 hours.

Once you've experienced poutine, your next stop should be one of the many crêpe places around town. There are tons of places and lots of variety - some places let you choose buckwheat flour instead. One of the best places to have a crêpe and some incredible chocolate, is Juliette et Chocolat. There are two locations in Montréal you can go to. Don't forget to try the chocolate fondue - it's to die for!

Montréal is also famous for it's smoked meat sandwiches, and there's no other place to hit but Schwartz. Grab a sandwich and a pickle to go - it's packed inside and it's nicer to eat it in the park. Last but definitely not least, get one of their famous bagels at the Fairmount Bagel Bakery. They're hard to resist!



Sainte-Catherine Street & More

One of the best things about Montréal is the abundance of shopping - nearly anything you could desire! From vintage shops to high end boutiques, malls, and locally owned shops, Montréal has everything. Sainte-Catherine Street (or rue Saint-Catherine in French) is the mecca for shoppers. Almost anything you can imagine is on Sainte-Catherine's stree.

The métro station Peel or Guy-Concordia will let you off right there - parking is tough in that area, so you're better off to just grab a 3-day tourist pass at any métro station for all of your quick jaunts around town (it's only $14). There is also a series of underground malls connected to one another in that part of Montréal which can be accessed via the Peel station or the McGill station. If you do happen to have a car while in Montréal, head up to Laval (a suburb of Montréal) which is home to Le Carrefour Laval, the biggest shopping center in the eastern side of Canada. The best way to find the greatest shops in Montréal is to just start exploring the city.

Vieux-Montréal & Museums

For the tourist in you, head down to Vieux-Montréal. It's the oldest part of the city and chock full of all your touristy needs as well as a ton of restaurants for any type of cuisine you could imagine. If you drive down, make sure you park at the parkade next to the Montréal Science Center - it's right next to the action, and way easier than finding parking on those cobblestone streets. If you're taking the métro, get off at any of the three stops on the orange line that service the area: Square-Victoria, Place-d'Armes or Champ-de-Mars. There's tons to see and explore, but you'll be on foot - so bring comfortable shoes!

Montréal is also home to two incredible art galleries as well as a number of museums. The main attractions are Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (or Musée des beaux-arts in French) where the permanent collection is always free, the Contemporary Art Museum (or Musée d'art contemporain in French) and the Canadian Centre for Architecture (or Centre canadien de l'architecture in French). Bring your walking shoes - there's a lot to see in those museums!

Tons of Nightlife

Nightlife in Montréal is great. They have everything from clubs to bars to pubs to lounges. Anything to suit your taste. For some of the busiest places in town, hit up Crescent Street or the Gay Village. For a slightly different atmosphere, try La Distillerie - they serve their drinks in mason jars. It gets pretty busy, so get there early. For those looking for something a little classier, try the bars in Vieux-Montréal (or Old Montreal).

Gorilla Trekking Rwanda - Part 2

The night before my trek was hardly sleep filled as I lay there in anticipation of the day to come! We met at the park headquarters at about 6am and got divided into groups of no more than 8. There are approximately 7 different gorilla groups in the area. Our gorilla group was called 'Group 13', with approximately 15 gorillas in that group. My fellow trekkers were 2 other couples. Plus we had 2 guides and armed military escorts provided by the park.



Our trackers had already been up at the crack of dawn and were tracing the steps of our group from the previous day. We had a 30 minute drive from the park headquarters before we began our walk. We walked on marked trails through farm land, slowly gaining altitude before we reached the park border fence. We were at about 3000 metres, which did pose some altitude issues for me and a couple of the others, but we took it slow and just plodded along. Once we crossed into the park it was basically bushwacking, some scrambling on all fours and trying to stay away from the stinging nettle!



Our guides were in constant communication with the trackers via 2 way radio and when we heard they had come upon them and they were not far up ahead a hush fell over our group. When we came upon our trackers it was in a little clearing and there were some black furry balls dotted here and there.



As we approached, the gorillas looked at us but weren't the least bit bothered. We just sat or crouched and soaked it all up. The moms were nursing babies or just grooming, the teens were flying around above us in the bamboo doing Tarzan acrobatics. It was definitely playtime. We never knew when one was going to land right in front of us and we had to scurry out of the way so as not to be perceived as a threat. We walked a tiny bit further and discovered the silverback. Although you know they must be formidable, it isn't till you are a few feet away that you feel dwarfed by their presence. Once again he was not the least bit interested or bothered by us. The maximum time allowed each day with a group is one hour and that went all too quickly. I walked away trying to sum up what had just happened and realized I had been mesmerized, but that I also had just had one of the purest experiences ever.



The next day I did a trek to see the Golden Monkeys. This was also fabulous. An easier trek, wandering through farmers’ fields and low lying bamboo forest. We saw hundreds of these monkeys flying over our heads and swinging on bamboo. Unfortunately they just wouldn't stay still for photos! The bamboo forest we hiked through was stunningly gorgeous! One can also hike up to Diane Fossey's grave site or do another gorilla trek or just tour this very scenic area.



I thought seeing the gorillas once would be enough, but it isn't. They are magnificent creatures and I will be going back! Suffice it to say it was absolutely fabulous!