Town makes most of winter

KIRKENES, Norway -- The weather outside was frightful, the fire inside delightful.

A week after my visit to this town of 9,500 near Russia's border, snow was finally falling and -- mere steps from where a chef cooked us reindeer steaks and local vegetables -- the annual Snow Hotel's construction was underway.

Warmed by the Gulf Stream that pervades the north, despite being 240 km above the Arctic Circle the temperature was a bit warmer than Toronto two days before I flew home Oct. 26 from Oslo.

Pale wintry morning sunlight highlighted the surrounding grass-and moss-covered rocky hills, plus forests of birch and fir in the river valley.

After a day of touring, cold rain began as our taxi van reached the highway's edge near the Radius Kirkenes resort, prompting me, five Canadian companions and a Norwegian guide to walk quickly.

After crossing a wooden bridge and board path, we passed a small group of domesticated reindeer watching warily while chewing the protein-rich moss near the grassy site of the Snow Hotel due to open Dec. 20.

A replica of a round wooden structure provided refuge, plus a warm, welcoming fire. The building resembled a tepee-like skin tent the native Sami -- once called Laplanders -- use while herding reindeer.

As we warmed beside the stone-lined hearth at the centre of the circular room, chef Tor Erik told me he left the hotel business two months earlier to study Sami cooking, with a few modifications.

"We try to keep the old way of cooking," he said. "We don't do the shortcuts."

Above burning logs, he pivoted flat aluminum foil-covered iron pans, placing the 2.5-cm thick sliced meat to simmer above the coals, then prepared a salad of rucola greens seasoned with parmesan cheese and balsamic vinegar, with a side of garlic-edged crusty white bread.

"We use local herbs and local berries," Erik explained. "We live so close to nature, we are lucky we can use what is around."

The atmosphere -- reminding me of wood slat cottages of my youth -- and twinkling flames of tiny oil lamps on the windowsills, added to the enjoyment.

Assured that all of the reindeer in the adjacent safari park were accounted for, my slight hesitancy about the main course gave way to a Norwegian version on the old saying: "When in Rome ... "

Accompanied by hearth-baked potatoes and vegetables, and served piping hot and medium-cooked, my reindeer steak was the leanest I have ever tasted, not strong like venison, but nonetheless extremely tasty. Local fish and veggie plates were also available. Berry-topped chocolate mousse, plus dark-roast coffee, topped off a lovely meal.

As the glow of twinkling candles in the windows receded, we had a few minutes of exercise, retracing our footsteps to an asphalt path, where a light, chilly drizzle -- and young Norwegians whizzing by on roller-skis -- reminded us the site would soon be transformed into a winter wonderland.

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WINTER WONDERLAND

Located in Sor-Varanger on a branch of the Varanger Fjord, the harbour town of Kirkenes (church headland) dates to 1862 and is made up of about 90% Norwegians and 10% Russians. The municipality was almost entirely rebuilt after German troops torched it before retreating in 1944.

Just 12 km from the Russian border, Kirkenes has numerous winter activities. These include skiing, snowmobile safaris, ice fishing, an outdoor forest spa, dog-sledding, the Northern Lights -- nature's best illumination show -- even a night in the Snow Hotel at Radius Kirkenes ($425 per night with a three-course dinner and breakfast from Dec. 20 to May 1).

A popular port of call for cruise ships, such as those operated by Hurtigruten, the town has good pubs, restaurants, shopping centres and three well-appointed hotels, the Rica Hotel Kirkenes, the Rica Arctic Hotel and the Kirkenes Hotel.

You can learn about the plight of 3,500 residents who took refuge in a tunnel beside the town's open pit iron ore mine before being freed by Soviet troops during the Second World War, visit its entrance, then a bomb shelter in a residential neighbourhood where a well-done documentary film is shown in a small underground theatre.

Since the town is so far north, the midnight sun shines from about May 17 to July 21 and darkness lasts from about Nov. 21 to Jan. 21. Although the coldest record was -41 C one winter, temperatures average -11.5 C in January, 12.5 C in July.

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THINGS TO DO

- Grenselandsmuseet, the Border Country Museum, tells of war and peace along the Norway-Russia border.

- Feb. 6, Sami "National Day."

- March 10-11, Europe's longest sled dog race.

Tours

Kirkenes is the final destination for the Hurtigruten working cruise and cargo ships, which sail the coast north from the southwest coastal city of Bergen.

To arrange a trip locally, contact GLP Worldwide Expedition Travel and Tours, 1211 Denison St, Unit 26, Markham, ON L3R 4B3; phone toll free 1-866-383-1110, 905-489-1938 or 905-489-1939. GLP is an agent for the Hurtigruten Norwegian Coastal Voyage, see coastalvoyage.ca or e-mail requests@hurtigruten.ca.

MORE INFORMATION

Hoybuktmoen, the Kirkenes Airport, has non-stop flights between Oslo, the capital, and the northern coastal city of Tromso. To visit Russia, its consulate here can provide visas.

For information about local sites, attractions, check the Kirkenes Turistinformasjon website, kirkenesinfor.no.

Trip has strings attached

PRAGUE, CZECH REPUBLIC -- The curtain rises in a quaint theatre in Prague's tourist hub to reveal a sly libertine nobleman, Don Giovanni, trying to carry off Donna Anna, the Commandant's daughter.

Anna resists and Giovanni escapes from the Commandant's palace, pursued by Anna, who wants him punished. Her father rushes to help and is killed by Giovanni.

This is the first of many dramatic and comical scenes in Mozart's opera Don Giovanni, composed as a gift to Prague. When Mozart wrote the tale of the incorrigible lothario, chances are he envisioned a grandiose production filled with dramatic effects, impassioned scenes and larger-than-life characters.

He probably did not expect those larger-than-life characters to be a mere two-feet tall and carved from wood -- marionettes, to be exact.

I caught this absurdist and amusing production of Don Giovanni at the National Marionette Theater in Prague, which staged the city's first marionette version of the Mozart opera in 1991 and has since performed it 3,000 times.

Marionette operas and theatre are a prominent part of Prague's contemporary arts and culture scene, but they are also rooted in a long tradition going back to the 12th century, when marionettes were used in religious ceremonies and folk customs.

Today, they're part of the city's tourist industry too. You can barely wander down a street without encountering wooden stringed puppets beckoning you to watch them dance or take them home as a pricey souvenir. These marionettes, waiting to be brought to life at nearly every corner, also add to the visitor's sense that Prague is a fairy tale come to life, with its castles, romantic bridges, cobblestoned streets and the sounds of Vivaldi ringing out from church courtyards.

"Puppets are to Prague what pizza is to Rome," says puppeteer Vlad Brodsky.

Families began learning the craft from puppeteers who wandered the Czech countryside. Theatre scripts and puppets were passed down through generations, and the art form became a source of national pride.

The family tradition of puppetry declined in the 19th century, but then went through a revival 100 years later, when puppet theatres began sprouting up everywhere. Puppetry associations began forming in the early 20th century, such as The Czech Union of Friends of the Puppet Theatre in 1911. Its most active member, Jindrich Vesely, promoted puppetry across the country by publishing the magazines Czech Puppeteer and Puppeteer.

SHOWS FOR ADULTS

The puppetry movement intensified after the First World War when the Czechoslovak Republic was established. Over 2,000 puppet ensembles developed. Some regularly performed for children; others, like puppeteer Josef Skupa, created shows for adults.

After the Nazis invaded, the art form went underground. Puppetry began being used for political dissent; some puppeteers were considered national heroes.

After the war, puppetry began to flourish again. Performances in Prague's Rise Loutek Theater, founded in 1920, grew in popularity. Today the amphitheatre-shaped, art-nouveau theatre is home to the National Marionette Theater.

The production I saw at the National of Don Giovanni, accompanied by what sometimes sounds like an old phonograph, is amusing, though at times, silly and repetitive as the puppets are limited in what they can execute. But the story is successfully portrayed, and the production definitely makes you chuckle.

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JOURNEY TO PRAGUE

- Direct flights to Prague can be pricey. It may be cheaper to fly to a hub like London or Amsterdam, then catch a flight on Eurostar or some other domestic airline.

- National Marionette Theatre: Atecka 1, Prague, Praha 1; www.mozart.cz or 011-420-224-819-322. Opera tickets are $26 US, available 30 minutes before a show starts. Two performances a day (in the afternoon and evening).

- Marionette Museum: U Karlova 12, Old Town; www.puppetart.com or 011-420-222-220-928.

- World Festival of Puppet Art: May 17 to 31, 2009, www.puppetart.com/festival.htm

- Be sure to buy correctly zoned transit tickets if you ride the city's public transit system, which is quite efficient. I didn't read the ticket dispensing machine correctly, bought the wrong ticket and was confronted by transit police officers who gave me the option of 48 hours in jail or a $38 US fine. (I took the fine.)

Uncorked in B.C.

A glass shattered on the floor and the ringing sound inspired a good-humoured unison of "oooh" around the room.

This was what unofficially started the East Kootenay Wine Festival at the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort. With nearly 100 wines to choose from, it was difficult to pick only a handful in order to retain composure.

"Wine is a very personal experience," said Harrison McKay, the resort's marketing manager and a self-proclaimed wine lover and pupil.

"I have a lot to learn," he added.

The educational aspect of wine-tasting was underlying the entire event, as earlier in the day some guests had a chance to learn how to properly taste and appreciate wine.

The key lesson, McKay said, was "really understanding the importance of the nose."

But the tasty education did not stop there. During the evening event, all of the winemakers were more than eager to share the stories of their vineyards, as well as the uniqueness behind the tastes of their representing wines and of course, to pour the glasses.

The Golden Beaver Winery, for instance, got its name thanks to the owners' visit to Calgary four years ago.

Having drank Australian Yellowtail wine while in town for the Stampede, Bruno Kelle recalled being inspired by the winemakers' apt representation of its current home.

"I wanted to have something that represents Canada," he said, adding the "golden" epithet of the name came about because of the vineyards' location in Golden Mile, a terroir where the Golden Beaver gives home to 10 types of grapes.

While the whimsical name and its sweet Viognier 2007 drew some to Golden Beaver, others followed the rumours of a delicious, rich Merlot at the neighbouring table.

"What's unique (about the Merlot)...is that it's by Australian winemakers," said a representative from Therapy Vineyards, adding the wine is grown in the vintners' backyard.

"It's a true Neramatian !" he said, referring to the vineyard-trimmed area.

Among the more traditional grape wines, there was also a fair representation of other fruit wines, the winner of which was Rustic Roots Winery that took home both the first and second prize for best dessert wine.

The sweet Blackberry wine 2008 came in second, while the crisp, five-apple, 100% organic-blend Iced Apple came home a winner.

"We're in the fruit business," said a fourth-generation farm owner excitedly, while encouraging me to savour the fresh taste of the apple wine.

"Breathe it in -- it's like biting into an apple," said a fellow wine taster.

"What I've enjoyed is experiencing all the different notes," said McKay, "my perception's improved."

The rich plethora of B.C. wines offered, representing sparkling, white, red, rose as well as dessert wines, McKay could summon up only one conclusion.

"In the past, I wouldn't have expected the B.C. wines to be that good."

Guns 'n' glory

NORFOLK, Va. -- In this city famous for history and the U.S. Navy yards, one ship stands out -- in more ways than one.

Measuring 270 metres and almost as long as three football fields, the best way to start appreciating the USS Wisconsin is to stand on the boardwalk dock facing the bow. Then look up. Way up.

Built for $110 million, the mothballed 45,000-tonne behemoth launched at the Philadelphia Naval Shipyard on Dec. 7, 1943, is not just a museum piece.

In case of war -- or a faraway conflict deemed to need such a large gun platform -- the 65-year-old battleship last called back into action during the 1990-91 Gulf War has been only temporarily docked, by order of the U.S. Congress.

It was one of four "Iowa class" battleships built during World War II.

Two others exist, but retired dentist Dr. Eugene Kanter said his ship is the only one still shipshape enough to be reactivated. "It's the largest artifact of the navy's," said Kanter, a guide who served on board in 1956-57.

USS Wisconsin is operated beside the Hampton Roads Naval Museum at Nauticus, The National Maritime Center.

Walking the teak-topped steel deck above a triple hull designed to withstand deep penetration from enemy shells, visitors are overshadowed by turrets of nine 16-inch -- 406 millimetre -- 50-calibre heavy naval guns. They can spit a 1,200-kilo armour-piercing shell 39 km.

When firing, Dr. Kanter said, the noise was deafening for the 77 men inside each turret.

A video I bought in the adjacent store shows the ship shuddering, its superstructure enveloped in dark, powdery smoke whenever USS Wisconsin spoke.

Its first sailors are now grandfathers, some great-grandfathers. Walk aboard and you'll meet a few. The volunteer escorts on the great ship's deck, the only section open, proudly wear inscribed yellow shirts plus ball caps bearing their ship's name.

One stood out the day I was there, for he served on a "foreign" ship, the USS Salem. And he had a Canadian connection.

After leaving the U.S. Navy, he returned to "civvie street" and became vice-president of Heinz Canada.

"I lived in Oakville," he confided. "They'll let just about anyone on board," another veteran teased.

Dispatched to the Pacific Ocean, the first crew shelled Japanese fortifications during the Battle of Leyte Gulf, then protected U.S. aircraft carriers as they launched air raids against enemy positions.

During the 1950-53 Korean War, the Wisconsin shelled North Korean targets.

Later decommissioned, the battleship became part of the U.S. Navy reserve.

Winsconsin was reactivated in 1986, upgraded with much old-style small weaponry replaced by modern equipment, including Tomahawk anti-ship missiles, Kanter said.

This huge vessel was damaged once, in 1956, when much of the bow was lost during a collision with a destroyer in heavy fog. The bow from the USS Kentucky, a battleship left unfinished in 1945, was used as a replacement at the Norfolk Naval Shipyard.

Finally, as you walk on the wooden deck, keep an eye out for photos -- there is another Canadian connection. One photograph shows Canadian prisoners-of-war aboard USS Wisconsin at Yokohama and Niigata, after Japan capitulated in 1945.

Standing tall and proud, with flags whipped by breezes off the Elizabeth River, this grand old ship serves as a reminder of the might of ocean battles, with memories and honour that binds old sailors forever to its decks.

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BOTTOM LINE

GETTING THERE

Air Canada flies daily to Norfolk International Airport, just off Interstate 64 in Norfolk, Va. Take exit 279 and follow Norview Ave. to the airport's entrance. Call 1-757-857-3351. About a 7-8-hour drive from Toronto, USS Wisconsin is docked beside the Hampton Roads Naval Museum in downtown Norfolk.

The museum is filled with exhibits about the navy history of the Hampton Roads area, offering interactive activites, and a fine gift shop, Open Tue.-Sun., call 1-757-664-1000. Admission, adults $10.95, children 4-12 $8.50, military and seniors $9.95, includes hi-def movies The Living Sea and Gateway to the World.

Viva, Venezia!

VENICE, Italy -- It was cold and the threat of snow filled the air when we woke up in a little French town on the outskirts of Geneva, already filled with anticipation about an impending drive through the Mont Blanc Tunnel into Italy.

Cars coming down from the mountains had piles of white slush on their hoods and it was hardly a welcome sight for a family of winter-weary Manitobans vacationing in Europe without skis.

There was a bit of a gloomy air in the car as we ascended the highest mountain in Western Europe and drove through the continent's longest tunnel.

It was all cast aside as soon as we emerged into Italy and found much warmer temperatures and bright sunshine on the other side of the Alps.

GLORIOUS SKIES

We pointed our rented car toward the Adriatic Sea and made a bee-line for Venice, where after just a five-hour drive, temperatures in the 20s and glorious blue skies awaited us.

It can be said now that there are few places better to be than Venice on one of those splendid spring afternoons. Especially when you are surrounded by loved ones, who were wearing long pants and heavy sweaters just that very morning.

Now clad in shorts and T-shirts and experiencing one of the world's greatest tourist destinations under ideal conditions, it made for an unforgettable day.

Criticized by many in Europe as being more like an Italian Disneyland than the marvel of architecture and city planning that it is, Venice is still awe-inspiring, especially to those who have never floated on its serene canals, walked its tiny, car-less streets and ancient bridges or browsed its quaint shops.

Oh yes it's crowded, even when it's not peak season. Indeed there as many people selling food, cheap trinkets and potentially costly "free" boat trips as in your average Mexican resort.

But the sheer spectacular beauty and unique structure of the island city is enough to override the commercialism and the romantic atmosphere of a city largely unchanged for hundreds of years is something every person should experience at least once in a lifetime.

While Venice is famous for not having cars on its streets, it's actually quite easy to reach the island in a vehicle. We easily found parking space in the Tronchetto, a large facility on a man-made island on the Venice end of the causeway from the mainland and paid 20 euros a day to leave the car there.

It didn't take long from there to experience everything that makes Venice great and you could see by the wide-eyed gazes of our children (aged 13 and 9) as we rode the Vaparetto down the Grand Canal into the heart of the city that this was going to be the absolute highlight of their European vacation.

Honestly, where else is the bus ride to the hotel a major attraction?

Stopping near the magnificent stone Rialto Bridge, which has spanned the Grand Canal since 1591, we managed to find our hotel after a bit of aimless and confused wandering (with some help from a kind restaurateur) and settled in for a few days of building lifelong memories.

The Four Seasons Bed and Breakfast near Campo San Polo, the city's second largest square, suited our needs very nicely with a family suite complete with full bathroom, living room, bedroom and shared kitchen. Considering many hotel rooms in Venice go for $300-$500 per night, the Four Seasons was reasonably priced ($225 per night for a family room) and comfortable.

200 PALACES

From there we were easily able to walk the entire city (at least the part that is on the main island of more than 100 that make up Venice). Through the labyrinth of narrow streets, we made our way to the famed Piazza San Marco and realized as we searched our guidebooks for places to see that the real attraction of Venice is the city itself.

It's filled with churches (125 to be exact), museums, palaces (more than 200 line the Grand Canal alone) and, of course, timeless tourist favourites such as the Bridge of Sighs, Rialto Bridge market, Basilica di San Marco, Accademia and the Doge's Palace.

Lineups can be long for many of those attractions, so we busied ourselves walking amongst the scores of people -- and hungry pigeons -- and simply soaking up every moment of the visit.

No trip to Venice would be complete without a tour of the city on a gondola, and while we had to dig deep in our money belts to come up with the 80 euro fee for a 35-minute ride, it was well worth the money.

The gondoliers are all lifelong Venetians, whose fathers and grandfathers were gondoliers as well. They are the best tour guides imaginable and know the story behind every bridge, building and waterway. Through the inner-city canals, out into the Grand Canal, under the Rialto Bridge and past the one-time home of Venice's most famous citizen, Marco Polo, we travelled, all the while wishing the trip would never end.

On that short tour we learned there are 160 canals in Venice and the architecture is mostly Byzantine (12th and 13th century), Gothic (13th to 15th century), Renaissance (15th century) and Baroque (17th and 18th centuries). Many of the buildings look worn and mossy but are remarkably well-preserved considering they rest in tidal waters.

We learned Venice was once the world's greatest maritime power and of course was home to explorer Marco Polo, who based his famed adventures from the islands. Once its own empire, the city was also part of the Napoleonic and Austrian empires before becoming part of Italy in the 19th century.

It hasn't changed physically since that time although it was sinking annually until it officially stopped in 1983. It's still prone to large-scale flooding of course, which makes winter a dodgy time to visit. Once home to more than 121,000 people, the main island of Venice now has a population of just 61,000 as more and more of the residents are moving to the mainland to avoid the influx of tourists.

After our glorious gondola excursion, we enjoyed dinner in an outdoor cafe on the banks of the Grand Canal and retired to bed hardly believing we had spent only half a day in the city.

PIAZZA VIEW

Not blessed with as fine weather the rest of our stay, we still found plenty to do, including a visit to the Campanile, the city's tallest tower in Piazza San Marco. We rode the elevator to the top at a cost of eight euros per person and enjoyed the brilliant view of the piazza and the lagoon. Amazingly, you can't see a single canal from the top of the tower due to the clustered buildings.

We also discovered that short boat trips to some of the other islands are a must. The Lido features sandy beaches and a glorious Adriatic coastline, while Murano, with its glass-blowing museum, and Burano, with its colourful buildings, are also popular.

We chose to take the vaparetto to Murano and were not disappointed. The entire island is devoted to the art of glass blowing and you can enter some of the furnace rooms to watch the artists at work. It's a fascinating display that is perfect for the family.

After we watched for an hour or so, we hunted for souvenirs in the dozens of shops along two main canals which feature everything from tiny trinkets to $100,000 chandeliers.

With an abundance of monuments, art galleries and music houses, not to mention a famous film festival and many other cultural happenings, Venice is hopping most of the year, but we found the crowds to be bearable in the spring.

One word of caution -- this trip is not for the faint of wallet. It cost us 26 euros for a family of four just to take a one-way trip on the vaparetto. When you throw that cost on top of the gondola, the hotel, the parking and the food, you quickly realize you would have to be made of money to stay in Venice for any great length of time.

Then again, you don't need more than a few days in Venice to have the experience of a lifetime.

'Christmas Story' house open

CLEVELAND - If the movie "A Christmas Story" is one of your holiday favourites, consider a visit to the house in Cleveland where many scenes in the film were shot.

The movie, which premiered 25 years ago, featured a kid named Ralphie who pleaded for a Red Ryder BB gun for Christmas.

Fans can visit the house used in the filming of the movie, restored to its appearance in the film. There is also a museum displaying movie props and costumes.

The interiors were filmed on a Toronto soundstage, but now the inside of the house has been recreated to look just like in the film, which was set in the early 1940s.

Says owner Brian Jones: "I studied the film frame by frame to get the look right."

That look, of course, includes the famous "leg lamp," a table lamp in the shape of a woman's leg, clad in a fishnet stocking.

Fans remember how Ralphie's father, played by the late Darren McGavin, was enchanted by the lamp, while his mother (Melinda Dillon) was mortified when he put it in the front window for all the neighbours to see.

Jones loved the movie so much that when the house came on the market two years ago he bought it for US$150,000, then spent as much again gutting the inside and rebuilding it as it had looked on the Toronto soundstage.

He prowled eBay to buy period artifacts from all over the U.S. His latest acquisition is the 1937 Oldsmobile that McGavin drove -- the car that had a flat resulting in Ralphie swearing -- you don't hear the word, but the narrator calls it "the Queen Mother of dirty words.''

"Look at that," a visitor says, pointing to a bar of red Lifebuoy soap in the bathroom, just like the soap used to wash out Ralphie's (actor, now producer, Peter Billingsly's) mouth.

Jones says 37,000 visitors from all over the continent have toured the house since it opened in November 2006.

Most wander out into the back yard, recalling how Ralphie, in a daydream, saves his family from attack by using his "official Red Ryder 200-shot carbine," the BB gun, with a compass in the stock, that's all he wants for Christmas.

The movie is built around his wish for this coveted gun and his parents' refusal to buy it.

"You'll shoot your eye out," his mother says, as every mom has ever said about a BB gun.

Across the street is a gift shop and museum. In the store, you can buy every imaginable doodad connected with A Christmas Story.

The museum showcases stills from the film, behind-the-scenes pictures, and artifacts such as Ralphie's little brother's snowsuit -- the one that got Randy so muffled up that he couldn't move his arms -- and the chalk board from the school sequences.

A Christmas Story House & Museum is located at 3159 W. 11th St. in the Tremont neighbourhood. Admission is $7.50 for adults, $5.50 for kids 7-12. Hours are Thursday-Saturday, 10 a.m.-5 p.m.; Sundays, noon-5 p.m. The site is also open Wednesdays Dec. 10, 17 and 24, 10 a.m.-5 p.m., with the final tour beginning at 4:30 p.m., but it's closed Christmas Day, New Year's Eve and New Year's Day.

Details at http://www.AChristmasStoryHouse.com

Vegas on a budget

LAS VEGAS - Things are noticeably quieter on the Las Vegas Strip these days and casinos usually known to boast excess are dropping prices to cope with a bad economy that has hit Sin City particularly hard.

It might seem weird, since people generally think one thing when they come to Las Vegas, big money. But enough inexpensive fun exists here to fill a trip without stinging stakes. Examples include US$45 rooms at the Monte Carlo, slow-paced poker games and free attractions, from lion-watching to a manmade volcano.

"It's the whimsy - it's just fantasy enough. It doesn't take itself so seriously that you can't have fun while you're enjoying the entertainment," said Jan Jones, senior vice president of communications and government relations for Harrah's Entertainment, Inc., and a former mayor of Las Vegas.

"You're not supposed to be overtaken by the grandeur, you're supposed to be captivated by the creativity," she said.

Gambling: OK, so gambling and the concept of being "on a budget" don't seem likely partners, but if you're tired of blackjack's big swings and don't want to spend hours pumping slot machines for a penny a pull, try Pai Gow poker.

This table game, a variant of a Chinese gambling game played with dominoes, can be found at just about any casino with stakes starting at about $10 per hand, equal to or less than the cheapest blackjack tables.

Your goal is to assemble the seven cards dealt to you into two separate poker hands - one with five cards and another using two - in hopes of beating the dealer on both. A single joker in the deck can be used either as an ace or as a wild card to fill a straight or a flush.

Win both hands and win the bet, lose both hands and lose. Winning one hand but losing the other means the hand is a push - no money won or lost.

Because of the nature of the game, pushes happen more often than wins or losses.

The house gets its edge in two ways. First, it benefits from identical hands, so it would win a two-card showdown if you each held ace-king. Second, it charges a five per cent commission on all wins. That means a $10 bet will get you $9.50 if you win.

If you're confused, ask the dealer to assemble your cards the way the house would play them. Other players at the table likely will offer their help, too. Unlike blackjack, you can't affect anyone else's hand, so there's no pressure of taking a bad hit and costing other players.

That makes this game a whole lot less tense than others - plus you'll still get free drinks.

Free entertainment: Lounge acts and good people-watching posts are plentiful on the Strip but it's tough to beat the beauty of the fountains at Bellagio.

Sidewalk space is free for people to gather and watch the water dance to whatever's playing, whether it's classical music, opera or popular tunes. Below the surface, the 3.2-hectare lake holds some 1,000 custom-built nozzles and about 4,000 lights programmed to create complex choreography.

Showtimes are every half-hour starting at 3 p.m. on weekdays and noon on weekends, with shows every 15 minutes from 8 p.m. until midnight (except on windy days).

Beyond the fountains, free entertainment can be found just about anywhere.

The developers of the fountain show are also premiering a new volcano at The Mirage on Monday, with flames dancing for roughly five minutes to music from Grateful Dead drummer Mickey Hart and Indian tabla musician Zakir Hussain (every hour on the hour from dusk until 11 p.m.), http://www.mgmmirage.com.

Off the Strip, the Show in the Sky at the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino features a coed cast of singers and dancers taking over one side of the casino, riding floats on tracks from the ceiling and performing on the hour every hour from 7 p.m. to midnight, http://tinyurl.com/6czncg.

There are animals to see for free, as well, including flamingos at the wildlife habitat at Flamingo Las Vegas and lions at the MGM Grand.

Those entertained by basic Vegas glitz and glam should simply walk through Caesars Palace and the Bellagio (including a stop at Bellagio's seasonally changing botanical garden), the Venetian and Palazzo (through the Grand Canal Shoppes with its daily street performers) or the Wynn Las Vegas, http://www.wynnresorts.com. Encore, the new resort attached to Wynn, opens Dec. 22.

Getting around: Getting up and down the Las Vegas Strip on the cheap is easy - especially if you're willing to walk a little bit.

Free trams run along the Strip 24/7 between Mandalay Bay and Excalibur and between The Mirage and Treasure Island. Harrah's runs another free shuttle for customers between its casinos, running every 30 minutes from Caesars Palace, the Rio, Harrah's Las Vegas and Paris Las Vegas.

For $2 a ride or a $5 all-day pass, the round-the-clock bus service known as the Deuce could be the cheapest way to travel along the entire Strip without walking, all the way to downtown, http://tinyurl.com/6kowne.

The monorail that runs from the Sahara Hotel & Casino to the MGM Grand is $5 one way, so especially if you're with a group, it's cheaper and faster to split a cab.

A little-known bonus for big-time savings (though it'll take a long time): When you leave the airport terminal, catch the free shuttle to the airport's rental car centre. From there, you can catch the Deuce across the street and ride to your Strip hotel. The reverse works when you want to go back to the airport, too.

Not too shabby, considering cabs charge $1.80 on top of any regular fares just to pick passengers up from the airport.

If you're adventurous (and use good judgment), there's always another option as you deplane, wait for bags or stand in the long, winding taxi line: ask if anyone nearby is heading to the same destination, then split the fare. Cabs charge the same whether there's one rider or five.

Rooms: As with any resort destination, the best deals are midweek and offseason nights. Expect to pay more on weekends.

Check with the hotels, as they often offer the lowest rates themselves, especially in direct-mail offers to customers belonging to loyalty programs.

Overall, average daily room rates were down 9.2 per cent for the first nine months of 2008 compared with the same time period last year, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Officials at MGM Mirage, which owns 10 hotel-casinos on the Las Vegas Strip, say the company's resorts guarantee the lowest rates when booking online through the individual properties. Some examples from now through March include: $64 per night at the MGM Grand, 800-929-1111, http://www.mgmgrand.com, or $45 per night at the Monte Carlo, two-night minimum, 866-919-1960, http://www.montecarlo.com.

Like other companies, Harrah's Entertainment - http://www.harrahs.com - uses an elaborate formula to price rooms at its casinos, and gives many away to customers through its loyalty program, Total Rewards.

That means that prices can range wildly - even day-to-day - as casinos operate under the assumption that they can't make any money if a room isn't occupied.

For example, the same suite at the Rio costs $65 on Wednesday, Feb. 25, but $135 the next night and $290 that Saturday, according to the company's website.

Food and drinks: Buffets are a decent option. The Luxor dinner buffet costs $19.99; breakfast and lunch are less.

But a couple off-menu specials at the Hard Rock Hotel & Casino might be worth a trip slightly off the Strip (a free shuttle runs there from the Fashion Show Mall). Ask for the steak and shrimp special, which includes an eight-ounce New York sirloin, three jumbo shrimp, a salad and garlic mashed potatoes for $7.77. Or, if you're really hungry, the $9.99 prime rib special includes a salad, mashed potatoes and steamed veggies, along with all the meat you can handle.

At most clubs you'll pay cover fees and premium prices for drinks - though if you're among a group of young women, you may be able to talk your way in for free.

But casinos are filled with bars and many offer lounge or club-like atmospheres without long lines or covers. Some notables include the eyecandy sound lounge & bar in Mandalay Bay, which has DJs spinning every night, and Napoleon's in Paris Las Vegas, with its duelling pianos.

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On the Net: http://www.visitlasvegas.com

Gifts for travellers

NEW YORK (AP) — This Christmas, make an early New Year’s resolution: I will not bring home T-shirts made in China as souvenir gifts from my travels.

Instead, when you’re looking for something to bring home to family and friends, seek out locally made items. And consider sticking to products that can be used up — think edibles or cosmetics — so that you don’t add to all the stuff people already have clogging up shelves and closets.

If you’re stuck home this year and can’t do your shopping in far-flung locales, many products can be ordered online from the places they are made. This lets you give a friend or relative a reminder of a beloved place even if you haven’t been there, whether it’s a hometown or favorite vacation spot.

Often these types of gifts are also unique to their localities, like products made from fireweed, a colorful herb that can be seen growing tall by the roadside in Alaska. If you can’t make it there before Christmas, fireweed soap, lip balm, teas and jams can be ordered from Denali Dreams — http://www.denalidreams.com/ — and the Alaska Herb Tea Co. — http://www.alaskaherbtea.com.

Just remember that Transportation Security Administration rules apply to jams, syrups and other items brought home by plane. Either pack them in checked luggage, or if you’re buying last-minute at the airport gift shop, observe the 3-1-1 guidelines (items under 3 ounces, in a 1-quart size clear zip-top bag, one bag per traveler). Many vendors make 3-ounce gift sizes for items like jam to help you get through the airport. Details at http://www.tsa.gov/travelers/airtravel/holiday.shtm.

From Maine, don’t forget fragrant pillows or sachets filled with balsam and fir, or classic balsam incense cones from Paine Products in Auburn, http://www.paineproducts.com. Wild Maine blueberry jam is another local favorite, from Stonewall Kitchen — http://www.stonewallkitchen.com — in York, Maine. From elsewhere in New England, Flax Pond Farms in Carver, Mass., sells cranberry soap, cranberry tea, cranberry candy and can ship boxes of cranberries; http://www.flaxpondfarms.com.

If you want your gift to have a little spice, bring home hot sauce or Creole seasonings from New Orleans, or order some Aunt Sally’s melt-in-your-mouth Creole Praline candies, which come wrapped, six or 12 to a box, in crushproof, nicely designed cardboard sleeves, http://www.auntsallys.com/.

From Norway comes the iconic Bjorklund cheese slicer, designed by a Norwegian engineer in 1925. If you can’t make it over, order from a Wisconsin company that imports nearly all of its wares from Scandinavia: http://www.giftsofnorway.com, $23. And from Israel, a pack of Dead Sea Mineral Mud from Ahava Dead Sea Laboratories is perfect for a home spa day, $25 from http://www.ahavaus.com in case you can’t get to the Holy Land in person.

Here’s a novel idea for delivering international cuisine as a wrapped gift: Destination Dinners Recipe Kits — http://www.destinationdinners.com/, $25. Each kit includes spices, sauces and dried items as well as cooking instructions, a shopping list for fresh ingredients and fun facts. Kits include chicken garam masala (Bangladesh), jerk chicken (Jamaica) and jambalaya (New Orleans-style).

Above all, use your imagination to seek out something yummy or unusual that might transport the recipient to a beloved faraway place.

Just remember the wise words of Suzy Gershman, whose “Where to Buy the Best of Everything” book (Frommer’s) offers this advice for traveling shoppers: “Don’t buy into the national craze at a foreign destination and bring gifts back to the U.S. expecting them to be appreciated. No one cares about the soccer team, the scalloped seashell cockles worn by ancient pilgrims or the national flag made into a headscarf if they haven’t been to that country. Saying ‘this is the latest thing’ only works if it’s from Paris.”

If you prefer more utilitarian gifts, here are a few for folks who send a lot of time on the road. A new travel pillow that just begs you to snuggle up and take a nap is called Travel Rest, http://www.travelrest.net, $26.95. Unlike little blowup collars that sit on your shoulders, it’s a long inflatable tubular design that curves around one side of your neck, then lies diagonally across your chest like a shoulder belt. The design is particularly inviting for kids on a long car or plane ride. Inflated it’s 30 inches long and 6 inches wide; deflated and folded flat, it’s 2 by 9 inches.

For the hipster traveler who equates retro with cool, check out retro flight bags with graphics vaguely reminiscent of the Cold War era at the travel store Flight 001 — http://www.flight001.com, $52.

The Nirvana Organizer from http://www.zenclasstravel.com ($40) is a nifty bag that you can attach to a seatback tray table or use for the backseat of a car to keep all essentials straight, whether for a grown-up or a child. It folds up to about 8 by 12 inches, opens to 19 by 20, and comes with a shoulder strap. It has pockets and holders for a phone, cup or bottle, pens and pencils, memory cards, documents, tickets, passport, and money, plus a key chain clip, mesh pockets and a large zippered pouch.

Laptop bags designed to help travelers get through airport security faster also make a good gift, like Samsonite’s “Checkpoint Friendly Laptop Case,” around $80 from many retailers. When opened and lying flat, screeners can see the laptop in an inside, insulated pocket with a strap to keep it from slipping out. The other side of the bag has pockets and dividers for papers and gadgets.

Finally, TravelSmart — http://www.travelsmartnewsletter.com — is selling the Adventurer’s 7-In-1 Tool, $26 (including shipping and handling), which comes with an LED flashlight, compass, digital thermometer, magnifying glass, safety mirror, whistle and dry storage compartment for matches and medications, under 5 inches long and just 2 ounces. Buy it for bikers, hikers, campers and even drivers, to keep in the glove compartment.

German vineyards uncorked

For a prince, Constantine zu Salm-Salm is a pretty good waiter -- make that sommelier.

The prince was pouring us samples of his wines in the ancient family palace in Wallhausen, in the Nahe region of Germany.

Nahe itself straddles its namesake river, a branch of the Rhine.

The wine tasting -- and many to follow -- was part of an effort by the German Wine Institute to familiarize writers with the wines of the Rhine, rieslings in particular.

The Germans, it seems, have grown tired of having sand kicked in their faces by vintners in Chile, Australia and South Africa who were flooding their domestic market with cheap, but not bad, wines.

Their answer was to upgrade their product -- and their prices -- and start exporting thousands of litres to foreign markets.

So far, the strategy seems to be working.

Back to the prince. He was entertaining visiting wine writers -- I'm not to be included -- and doing a great job of it, when Papa walked in.

That would be Prince Michael zu Salm-Salm, who gave us a tutorial on German tipples, such as his beer theory: The reason beer drinkers get out of hand, he says, is because unlike wine, beer is fiddled with -- manufactured really.

Wines, he pronounces, are a product of nature and so sit better in the belly and do not produce aggression.

The princes gave us eight or nine -- it's hard to keep track -- wines to sample.

All seemed damned good to me. What the other folks -- wines critics -- thought, they kept to themselves.

The scene would be repeated many times over the next few days -- I think we sampled about 100 wines -- reds, whites and roses.

Now, here's a test for anyone thinking of getting married: So they don't get drunk, wine tasters sip the wine, swirl it around their mouths and then spit the remains in to a jug. I'm sorry, but it's really inelegant. If you can stand the sight of a future spouse dribbling plonk into a communal jug over and over, your marriage will probably last.

On with the wine tour, which was coupled with a great sampling of German cuisine, the idea being we could see what wines went well with what foods.

The concept worked well enough until the "spice incident."

Rolf Gast is a rather intense man who has spent a good part of his life finding the right combinations of spice to kick up foods that would then be paired with the perfect wine. He ran us through an elaborate presentation at Vier Jahreszeiten Winzer, a wine co-operative based in Bad Durkheim.

He put an awful lot of work into it.

So that night we headed off to Limburg Abbey, perched high on a hill overlooking the town.

What no one counted on was that Germany's national soccer team was playing in the European Cup that night, and the chef -- who had been fully prepped by Gast -- took off to watch the game, apparently, leaving his wife, who hadn't been brought up to speed on the spices and their usage, holding the bag.

The result was under-seasoned food that left Rolf in a funk. Quite rightfully so. He is, after all, the Sultan of Spice.

Oh well. Some of us bought a couple of cans of his concoctions. Darned good stuff.

The rest of the wine-food tour was a bit of a blur, but some things stand out quite distinctly, particularly the kindness of Germans.

One noteworthy example was when we visited the Winzeller Hex vom Dasenstein in Kappelrodeck, hard by the legendary Black Forest.

Two of our group commented to no one in particular that they loved German bread. (Who doesn't?)

We later took a bus to another winery.

About a half hour in, the local wine queen showed up with a huge basket of bread for us.

And back to the Winzeller Hex vom Dasenstein: After visiting a pavilion that the winery had set on a mountainside, we went back to headquarters.

Halfway down the winery boss ordered our driver to stop, and we ended up at a well that was stocked with beer and bottles of water. The couple who live across the road from the spring restock the booze -- one euro for a bottle of beer.

Just a couple of end notes.

Prince zu Salm-Salm's family name comes from an incident in which an ancestor saved a king and was granted salmon rights along a large stretch of the Rhine.

The family crest is two salmon.

D.R. pumps up service

A new highway, a new airport, and a slew of new resorts, most sporting a casino. Those are the major developments in the Dominican Republic.

But what impressed me most was the improvement in resort service and the attitude toward guests.

There was no sign, at least in the half-dozen all-inclusives we either stayed in or ate at, of the irritating indifference I noticed on earlier trips to winter sun destinations.

I'm not referring to the slow pace euphemistically described as "manana" or "working on Caribbean time.''

I mean front-desk staff who looked right through you, bartenders whose surly expression improved only with prospect of a tip, and restaurant staff too busy gossiping to notice someone needing a caffeine fix.

The service I experienced this time was generally attentive, often accompanied by cheery greetings and hundred-watt smiles. (I've excluded situations where they might have known I was writing about the place and done the VIP bit).

Maybe the change has to do with the fact tourism is better established, or there's more competition.

In Punta Cana, any of Canada's major tour operators can put you into 20 or more hotels. That puts Punta Cana up there with Cuba's Varadero for sheer volume.

I compared notes on this trip with other travel journalists and a few of the 200 or so travel agents there.

In Punta Cana, many of us stayed at Ocean Blue, which is partly owned by the Montreal-based Transat group.

Ocean Blue received largely favourable comments. The only complaint I heard was a common one -- the distance you might have to walk to reach the lobby, the beach or the buffet restaurants.

That's because Ocean Blue, like most newer all-inclusives, are built on a long, narrow strip that runs back from the beach rather than along it.

Ocean Blue, and neighbouring Ocean Sand, have a shuttle service that's supposed to make the rounds every 15 or 20 minutes, but guests might get better results by phoning and requesting a pickup.

Other Punta Cana resorts favourably mentioned by agents included:

- EdenH, managed by Mike Bryant, a personable Canadian from Belleville. This elegant property opened last January and Bryant estimates Canadians have constituted 60 per cent of his guests so far.

- Grand Palladium, a brand that covers the Bavaro Resort and the adjacent Palace Resort. (In December, a third Grand Palladium, the adult-only Royal Suites Turquesa, is set to join them).

- Paradisus, whose name is on two sister properties, the Punta Cana and the Palma Real. Golf is included in rates at these five-stars.

(If you're interested in what other holidayers have to say about Punta Cana resorts, visit TripAdvisor, a free website loaded with reviews. Right now, the three top-rated ones are Iberostar Bavaro, Excellence Punta Cana and Majestic Colonial).

What an increasing number of all-inclusives have in common is availability of an upgrade which, for a fee, confers a variety of perks on the guest.

Ocean Blue has Privilege Club, Grand Palladium Bavaro has Imperial Club, Paradisus offers Royal Service, and at EdenH there are not only Le Mirage rooms but Le Mirage Concierge ones.

Oh, and that new highway and airport I mentioned at the start?

Details next week.

Top warm all-inclusive vacations

A no-expenses-barred winter vacation is tempting enough in a year that isn't marred by stock losses and layoffs. This year, when more than three quarters of Americans reported experiencing significant stress over money and the economy, according to the American Psychological Association's annual Stress in America survey, the urge to get away may be all but impossible to suppress.

But after two nights at the Ritz Carlton in Grand Cayman ($1,518), two six-course tasting menus with wine pairings at the island's top restaurant, Blue ($402) and greens fees at the Jack Nicklaus-designed course Britannia ($100 per person), you could end up with something almost as scary as a notice from your company's HR department: an enormous bill. In Depth: Top All-Inclusive Warm-Weather Vacations

Enter the luxury all-inclusive. Guests at these little slices of heaven--they're no longer wholly considered a purgatory of mediocrity--can indulge as much as they want in everything from lobster to cocktails to local excursions, all without the threat of a constantly increasing tab.

Though not traditionally a luxury product, all-inclusive resorts are experiencing an upswing in visits by wealthy customers, driven by the poor economy, according to Milton Pedraza, CEO of affluence research firm the Luxury Institute.

"There's tremendous popularity and demand for all-inclusives right now," he says. "The perception is that these hotels are a better deal."

In other words, a set price does wonders for easing the minds of financially anguished travelers who truly need to relax.

A Tough Transition

Tapping into the luxury market has not been easy for all-inclusives, which are saddled with stereotypes about garish plastic armbands and warmed-over buffet-style meals. "When you tell somebody they're staying in an all-inclusive resort it has somewhat of a déclassé meaning," says Martin Rapp, senior vice president of leisure travel for New York-based luxury travel company Altour. "That can make it hard to attract affluent guests."

Wendy Eardley, assistant manager of Curtain Bluff in Antigua, one of the first luxury all-inclusives, says the problem may have to do with the idea of getting something for nothing. "Sometimes people think getting so much means there's something wrong," she says.

Eardley would know. Though slightly more expensive than a night at Grand Pineapple Beach Resort ($462 for an ocean-view-room all-inclusive) in Long Bay, Antigua, Curtain Bluff's $995-per-night package buys a deluxe beachfront room, three gourmet meals a day, afternoon tea, premium drinks, scuba diving and room service--which would cost substantially more if all were purchased separately.

Unfavorable stereotypes notwithstanding, luxury all-inclusives continue to spring up. The last few years alone have seen the opening of two new resorts on the Mexican Riviera from luxury all-inclusive chain Secrets; three Grand Iberostars in Jamaica, the Dominican Republic and Tenerife; and the luxury boutique resort Sivory in the Dominican Republic--all high-tourism locations that are home to many traditional all-inclusives, like the Superclubs and Beaches brands. The difference is that the luxury properties embrace quality over quantity, from name-brand architecture to five-star food.

Round Hill Hotel and Villas Resort in Montego Bay, Jamaica, for instance, offers an optional all-inclusive plan. But unlike other all-inclusives, which often are showy new building complexes, Round Hill is an 18th-century sugar plantation renovated by designer Ralph Lauren. (Oceanfront rooms start at $800 a night, all-inclusive.)

Similarly, boutique hotel Sivory eschewed the sprawling all-inclusive campus for a smaller, more intimate setting ($750 per night for a luxury oceanfront junior suite, an additional $150 per person per night for the all-inclusive plan).

Many of the high-end all-inclusives also offer food a la carte rather than all-you-can-eat, circumventing another negative stereotype: that of the undiscerning, gluttonous tourist. Curtain Bluff, for example, employed French and Swiss chefs from the moment it opened. The current executive chef, French-born Christophe Blatz, trained under multi-Michelin-starred Alain Ducasse.

Customized Packages
Other hotels are escaping the low-class notion by offering ultra-luxurious services you wouldn't ordinarily find on an all-inclusive menu. In addition to meals, packages at Half Moon in Jamaica offer customized extras, from massages and facials in the Perfectly Pampered package ($3,520 for three nights in a deluxe suite) to horseback riding and golf greens fees in the Ultimate in Luxury package ($1,180 per night for a deluxe suite).

And hotels like Royal Plantation in Jamaica and Paradisus Palma Real in Punta Cana even offer guests a signature "pillow menu" from which they can choose the most comfortable way to sleep.

Even properties not initially designed to be all-inclusive are offering add-on options like free meals, parking or spa treatments with the aim of nabbing travelers who want a set price up front. According to Rapp, this snares customers about as well as lowering rates, without hurting the resort's bottom line.

"Once you lower rates, if the economy recovers, it's very hard to raise them again," Rapp says. "If you're offering add-ons instead, you're not really lowering the rates, so you can go back to your previous prices that much easier."

Despite the improvements and the wallet-friendly prices, all-inclusive resorts are not perfect for everybody. People who prefer to experience local culture on their own may feel stifled in the confines of an all-inclusive complex. Foodies, too, may feel restricted by short wine lists and limited restaurant options.

But especially in locations where guests feel uncertain about local food choices or uncomfortable leaving the resort--especially in some of the more economically disadvantaged Caribbean islands where all-inclusives flourish--the everything's-included style of vacation can deliver a luxury experience for a reasonable price. In Depth: Top All-Inclusive Warm-Weather Vacations

Art of German Xmas markets

NUREMBERG, Germany - This time of year, the Christmas spirit descends on Germany's cities and towns in the form of wooden stalls laden with pretzels, toys and baked goods of all shapes and sizes.

More than 130 places in Germany host Christmas markets, each one emphasizing regional specialties and flair. The celebrations have developed into an art form, with handcrafted wooden ornaments, elaborate nativity displays and delectable treats that would leave Santa and his reindeer turning up their noses at mere cookies and milk.

The markets are a major tourist attraction, drawing visitors from around the world. But the markets also draw on centuries of Christmas traditions in this country where the Protestant Reformation took root and where the current pope was born, with some customs dating back to the Middle Ages.

Dresden and Nuremberg compete for the oldest and most famous Christmas markets.

Dresden, in Germany's east, boasts the Striezelmarkt, the oldest documented Christmas market in the country, dating to 1434. It is the home of the largest "Christmas pyramid" - a 45-foot-high wood structure lit with candles that spin the tiers of the decorated pyramid.

The tradition for Christmas wood carving comes from the Erzgebirge, or "Ore mountains," an old mining region south of the city that borders the Czech Republic. Nutcrackers and "smoking men" incense holders were originally created here.

The Stollen Festival is another highlight of the market, with the largest loaf of Christstollen - a buttery, spiced loaf weighing between three and four tonnes - cut and served to visitors Dec. 8.

In Nuremberg in Bavaria, the city's Christkindlmarkt is perhaps the most famous of all the markets, counting some two million visitors from Japan, the U.S., China, all over Europe and elsewhere around the world every year.

They come for the Lebkuchen, a spicy gingerbread baked here since 1395 and "3 in a Weggla," which are tiny Nuremberg wursts, served three little sausages abreast in a bun with spicy mustard. The Christkind, an angelic or fairy-like character, is the symbol of the market, and a woman with golden hair and a crown opens the market each year with her Christmas proclamation and hears the Christmas gift wishes of the children.

In Frankfurt am Main's historical centre, the Dom Roemer transforms from its post-Second World War reconstruction of history into a wonderland of carousel music, bundled groups of people laughing around cauldrons of hot spiced wine called Gluehwein, and thick clusters of gingerbread hearts laden with hardened frosting.

In Aachen, bakeries offer their famous Aachener Printen gingerbread and marzipan bread. In Berlin, the 17th-century Charlottenburger Palace is brilliantly illuminated behind the market, and the Jewish Museum hosts a combined Hanukkah-Christmas market with kosher delicacies.

The popularity of the Christmas markets has spread around the world, inspiring copies in Britain, the United States and elsewhere.

The German American Chamber of Commerce was inspired to create a market in Chicago after Nuremberg's Christkindlmarkt, and even has the Nuremberg's former Christkind, Eva Sattler, an original Nuremberger, opening the market with a traditional proclamation.

Marco Geroni, 31, a lawyer from Italy on holiday in Berlin with his family, said they had already visited several Christmas markets.

"I think the markets are very funny," he said. "My mother is going crazy buying things for under the tree."

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If You Go . . .

Germany's Christmas markets: http://tinyurl.com/5c9n9d is a compendium of information from Germany's tourism agency about hundreds of Christmas markets. It features a map of cities with markets with links for more information as well as details on various German Christmas traditions.

Striezelmarkt: http://www.dresden.de/index-en.php offers details on the Striezelmarkt, home of the original Christstollen, a rich, buttery loaf that is ubiquitous in Germany during the holidays.

Christkindlesmarkt: http://www.christkindlesmarkt.de/english/ offers details about the Nuremberg market, the tradition of the Christkind and her appearances at the market.

Getting there: Most Christmas markets are located within easy walking distance from main train stations. Germany has an extensive, efficient and moderately priced rail system that can whisk travellers between most cities and towns, big and small. Private compartments can be booked for groups and families.

Winter wildlife at Yellowstone

YELLOWSTONE NATIONAL PARK, Wyo - We were expecting to see plenty of wildlife on a winter outing to Yellowstone National Park, but - silly us - we thought we might have to get through the entrance first.

But as we drove through the gateway community of Gardiner, Mont., toward the Roosevelt Arch, the century-old ceremonial north entrance to Yellowstone, we were distracted by the action on the gridiron at Gardiner Public School. A herd of bison covered the field.

Beyond, more bison grazed on the school's front lawn. Bison lounged on the sidewalk at its main entrance. Bison wandered among the cars in the parking lot.

"Those kids must have to be awfully careful going to and from class," my wife remarked. More people in Yellowstone are injured by bison than fall victim to grizzly bears - though numbers for both are very low.

A few snapshots, and then it was through the Arch for the short drive to the entrance station. More bison grazed just inside the park boundary. Interspersed among them were bands of elk and pronghorn antelope. Within the next two hours, we also would see bighorn sheep, mule deer, coyotes, a bald eagle and more bison - all from the road.

Summer visitors to Yellowstone also expect to see wildlife. But most don't realize that winter can be prime time for wildlife viewing. Deep snow in the high country drives elk, deer and bison down into the open valleys, where the weather is milder and they can more easily paw or push snow aside to get to the dried grass beneath.

And where the grazing animals gather, predators follow - particularly the grey wolf, which has achieved star status since its reintroduction to Yellowstone in 1995. At any given moment on any winter day, dozens of binoculars and spotting scopes are sweeping the Lamar Valley in northeast Yellowstone from pullouts, looking for any sign of wolves.

This is home turf for my wife and me, since we live only a three-hour drive away, and we tend to visit Yellowstone more in winter than in summer. We enjoy telling stories of being serenaded by wolf and coyote howls echoing off the mountains, of watching a coyote stalk and pounce on a mouse by listening to it scurrying under the snow, of inadvertently skiing so close to a bison that we could watch his bloodshot eyes zero in on us - and of not exhaling until we had put a safe distance between us and the bison.

But there's more than wildlife in Yellowstone in winter. The frigid air enhances the steam spouting from its famous geysers, making them even more spectacular. Its plateaus and broad valleys are made for cross-country skiing and snowshoeing; some scenic drives in summer are designated cross-country ski trails in winter.

Most of Yellowstone is closed to auto traffic in winter, but the part that is open to cars offers some of the richest wildlife viewing opportunities in the park. It runs from the park's northern entrance at Gardiner to the snowbound community of Cooke City, Mont., at the northeast entrance (the road beyond Cooke City is closed in winter).

En route, it passes through the Lamar Valley, which some have called America's Serengeti. This is where most of the park's wolf watchers hang out.

But even areas closed to auto traffic remain open to visitors, via snowmobile or snowcoach. Visitors can travel by snowcoach to Old Faithful and ski the circuit around the Upper Geyser Basin, the largest geyser concentration in the world. After skiing, visit the Old Faithful Snow Lodge, a modern hotel that invites visitors to curl up in comfy lounging chairs in front of lobby fireplaces. (Yellowstone's winter season officially began Dec. 15, but due to a sparse snowpack, snowmobiles were not being allowed in right away. Check with park for current conditions.)

Those staying in gateway communities can also take snowcoaches into the park on day trips. Cross-country skiers can access scheduled ski drops and pickups for specific trails from in-park hotels.

And for those staying near the north entrance, winter is the best time to try that special Yellowstone experience called hot-potting.

As you drive the eight kilometres from Gardiner to Mammoth Hot Springs, you will cross the Gardner River. You may notice a big parking lot to your left - seemingly serving nothing. It's not marked, but this is the best opportunity in Yellowstone to take a dip in a wild hot springs without having to hike for 32 kilometres first.

Park rules require that you walk upstream less than a kilometre from the parking area to where the footpath reaches the river. Here waters from the Boiling River hot spring mix in pools with cold water from the Gardner River. (Note that hot-potting is allowed during daylight hours only.)

You won't be alone. And take care in how you dress - there are no changing rooms (but bathing suits are required), and you'll have that hike back through the snow and wind after your dip. But the experience of soaking in steaming hot water in a river during a snowstorm is one you will never forget.

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If You Go . . .

Getting there: To reach the park's north entrance, fly to either Bozeman or Billings, Mont. From either, take Interstate 90 to Livingston, then south through the Paradise Valley to Gardiner. From the north entrance, the 70-kilometre road to Cooke City is open to autos. Snow tires are required; be prepared for winter driving conditions. The park's east, west and south entrances also are open, but only to tracked over-snow vehicles with a commercially guided group.

Weather: Yes, Yellowstone in winter is cold; for brief periods, it may even drop to those mind-numbing lows of your imagination, -20 F or lower. But much of the time, daytime winter temperatures are in the teens and 20s, with low humidity. Best fabrics for clothing: polypropylene, polyester fleece and wool - not cotton.

Accommodations: Gardiner offers a variety of chain and independent motels and bed and breakfasts; go to http://www.gardinerchamber.com/. Lodging is available in the park, but it fills up quickly. The Mammoth Hot Springs hotel is reachable by auto. Rooms are a bit Spartan, but the location is superb. The Snow Lodge at Old Faithful is a magical place to stay, but you'll leave your car at either Mammoth or West Yellowstone, Mont., and travel to the lodge by snowcoach or guided snowmobile. When budgeting for the trip, remember you must pay for your room as well as for transportation as well; look for package deals. For park lodging, go to http://www.travelyellowstone.com.

The century-old Chico Hot Springs - http://www.chicohotsprings.com/ - about 48 kilometres north of Gardiner, midway down the Paradise Valley, is extremely comfortable, has one of the best restaurants in Montana, and boasts a wonderful hot springs pool. Montanans visit Chico for celebrity watching as well; many Hollywood types have Montana retreats in the Paradise Valley. Accommodations range from rooms with bath down the hall, US$52 a night, to luxurious cottages up to $355.

Activities: Skis and snowshoes can be rented at the Mammoth Hot Springs hotel. Some of the best snow for skiing is past the wolf-watchers, along Soda Butte Creek on the way to Cooke City. For hot lunch, try the cafe past the general store in Cooke City - great pie. The Mammoth visitor centre has maps of ski trails and latest conditions.

The park's interior can be accessed for skiing or sightseeing via snowcoach or guided snowmobile tour. Make arrangements at the activities desk in the Mammoth Hot Springs hotel lobby. The park requires quiet, four-stroke machines, and has always required snowmobiles to stay on roads and observe speed limits. That can make a guided snowmobile tour on a rental an unforgettable and even low-impact experience.

Dog-sled excursions are offered through Chico Hot Springs. You'll travel on an unplowed Forest Service road on the edge of Montana's Abasaroka-Beartooth Wilderness. Outings range from two hours to all-day. You'll get the chance to run the team yourself. Mush!

British mistletoe boom

Pucker up if you're planning to go to Great Britain for Christmas.

There has been a bumper crop of mistletoe.

Unlike the plastic versions, romantics in the U.K. revel in the opportunity to hang real mistletoe above a doorway or arch, ready and waiting to steal a kiss. And if the mistletoe comes complete with ripe sticky white berries, even better. There's luck in a lass eating one.

Traditionally, a man should remove a berry while kissing a woman. When there are no more, kissing should stop.

This year's crop is reportedly especially lush with berries -- credited to a mild winter last year, when the flowers were being fertilized on the female plants, harvesters say.

"With so many berries this year it should certainly be a good Christmas for kissing," Jonathan Briggs, who runs Mistletoe Matters in Gloucestershire, said in The Observer, a London newspaper.

Prices are also expected to be cheaper due to the abundance.

A spiky parasitic plant, mistletoe grows mainly on apple, poplar and lime trees and is harvested in the U.K. mainly in the Herefordshire, Gloucestershire and Worcestershire areas.

Regarded as delivering the kiss of death when attached to other plants, it sprouts in the wild from seeds left in the droppings of birds who eat the berries.

Indeed, that is the root of the plant's name, arising from an ancient belief that "that life could spring spontaneously from dung," according to the Flower Shop network's website. Mistel is the Anglo-Saxon word for dung, and "tan," the word for twig, became toe. Bluntly put, mistletoe was translated as "dung-on-a-twig." How romantic!

The lure of mistletoe began in Scandinavia, where the plant represents peace and harmony. Before Christianity, its berries were thought to be a symbol of fertility.

Following ancient pagan customs, hugging or kissing under mistletoe began with the Roman festival of Saturnalia, to celebrate forgiveness of bad feelings over the previous year.

In medieval times, parents would hang a sprig above a baby's cradle, believing it had a magic charm that would prevent the infant being exchanged for a fairy "changeling" by evil pixies. Later, as a symbol of romance, a girl who refused a kiss under mistletoe was said to be doomed never to marry.

25 Canadian spa deals

TORONTO - When driven to distraction over the holiday season, a bit of pampering at the spa might be just the ticket to soothe frazzled nerves.

The online magazine Travel to Wellness lists 25 spa deals across Canada. They include single treatments, half-day packages, free nights, a two-for-one offer, discounts and free meals.

Le Spa at Fairmont Le Chateau Montebello, in Montebello, Que., has a one-day package that includes lunch, a massage, a pedicure, a manicure and a product gift pack.

An Indonesian-inspired experience at Sahara Spa in Moose Jaw, Sask., includes an aromatherapy foot soak and a body scrub.

The Ancient Cedars Spa at the Wickaninnish Inn in Tofino, B.C., has a package that includes two nights' accommodation, spa treatments and Christmas dinner for two.

Other spas listed include Riverstone Spa, Inn at the Forks, Winnipeg; Elmwood Spa, Toronto; Holtz Spa, Ottawa; Away Spa, W Hotel, Montreal; Spa Inspirations, Manoir Victoria, Quebec City; Inn on the Cove & Spa, Saint John, N.B.; Spirit Spa, Halifax; and Spa at the Monastery, St. John's, N.L.

"For many of us, the holidays can be stressful, and even more so in times of economic uncertainty," said Anne Dimon, editor of Travel to Wellness. "So stress-reducing spa visits could very well be the perfect gift to give or to receive this holiday season."

For the list of spa deals, visit www.traveltowellness.com/spadealsfortheholidays

Whistler Blackcomb top resort town

NEW YORK (AP) — Conde Nast Traveler magazine’s annual ski poll named Whistler Blackcomb in British Columbia the best ski resort town in North America. Whistler Blackcomb also won for best apres-ski and activities, as well as for best local dining.

Also in the top 10 rankings, which appear in the magazine’s December issue, are Telluride, Colo.; Deer Valley, Utah; Aspen, Colo.; Jackson Hole, Wyo.; Sun Valley, Idaho; Vail, Colo.; Beaver Creek, Colo.; Park City, Utah, and Sun Peaks, British Columbia.

Big White in British Columbia won for top terrain. Deer Valley won for best lifts and lines. Jackson Hole scored highest for local ambiance.

Navigating airports at Christmas

If you're flying to a holiday get-together, here are some tips from the U.S. Transportation Security Administration to help speed your way through airport security.

1. Do not gift-wrap carryon items. Security officers are required to remove the wrapping paper. Wrapped gifts should be packed in your checked bags, according to TSA spokesman Christopher White.

2. Do not bring remote-controlled toys as carry-on luggage. "Unfortunately in this world we live in, terrorists have an interest in using remote-controlled detonators," White said. You can put them in checked bags.

3. Pies (and other food, such as gingerbread, cookies and the like) are permitted as carry-on items. "It doesn't matter the consistency, though we may perform some additional scrutiny on the passenger or the plate," White said.

4. Jams and jellies are considered gels and are therefore subject to the 3-1-1 rules if brought as carry-on items: They must be in containers no bigger than 3 ounces, and they must all fit in one one-quart clear zip-top plastic bag. (Otherwise, wrap them carefully to prevent breakage, and put them with your checked bags.)

5. Every U.S. airport with more than one security lane now has a designated "family lane," but you don't need to be travelling with children to use it, according to TSA spokesman Christopher White. These lanes are open to any travellers who don't want to be rushed, whether due to special needs, or just wanting a few more minutes to remove shoes and coats, open up laptops and deal with other items. Travellers carrying medically necessary liquids over three ounces (such as diabetics) should also use the family lanes, White said.

Good news for the future: Checkpoint X-ray machines are being upgraded with advanced technology that can distinguish between liquid explosives and beverages, so "we are considering making changes some time in 2009" on the ban on liquids over 3 ounces, White said.

More information at http://www.tsa.gov.  For Canadian Airport Authorities information, visit http://www.tc.gc.ca/programs/airports/caa.htm.  

 

10 places to celebrate Christmas

Elves in Hawaiian shirts? Reindeer rodeo? Whale sashimi? From the Arctic Circle to the Aloha State, we celebrate the multicultural mania inspired by the president-elect to bring you global Christmas traditions. Yes, Virginia. It’s holiday party time around the world.

The Scandinavians have the perfect excuse for hard Christmas partying: It’s dark by 3 p.m. In December, our Nordic friends start distracting themselves from the never-ending twilight by placing candles in their windows and breaking out the Acquavit (a liquor so strong that it was once thought to raise the dead).

The Danish Christmas Eve is called “Julaften,” and the parties go on all night. Yuletide hospitality features roast goose, rice pudding, red cabbage, and our personal favorite: pickled tongue. Look for horse-drawn Carlsberg wagons delivering the year’s specially brewed Christmas beer, with staff in Santa hats giving away free samples. Danes also like their “glögg”—a potent variety of mulled wine jazzed up with raisins, nuts and cloves steeped in pure Aquavit. Travel advisory: A Danish elf named Nisse in gray trousers and a red cap likes to play pranks during Christmas. On Julaften, many families put out a bowl of rice pudding for him so that he doesn’t take his mischief too far.

See our slideshow of 10 Places to Celebrate Christmas.

In Sweden, the Christmas season launches with Santa Lucia Day, when young women wear white robes and candle wreaths to wake their family with songs and saffron buns. This charming ritual completed, the Swedes get down to drinking “snaps,” a flavored form of Aquavit. Across the country, revelers enjoy the splendid Christmas Smorgasbord, complete with ham, “lutfisk” (dried white fish), rice porridge, and succulent little jellied pig’s feet. Yum. Not to be outdone, the Finns kick things off at Christmas dinner with ice-cold vodka to accompany cold fish hors d’oeuvres. A hefty shot of liquor at Christmas was once believed to bless the crops, and even the non-drinkers—i.e. children and domestic animals—took part in the ceremony. The most Fin-tabulous Christmas happens above the Arctic Circle in Lapland. Join the fun with reindeer sleigh-rides, or even try your hand at reindeer-lassoing, a favorite pastime of the Sami people. The Finns claim that Lapland is the original home of Santa Claus, but Greenlanders beg to differ.

Which brings us to our next stop. Greenland is the ultimate Christmas adventure, scoring high for both topography (most of the country is covered by an ice sheet) and gastronomical daring. Plus, the tourism board claims that Santa Claus has a vacation home near the town of Uummannaq. Greenlanders celebrate Christmas by placing red-orange stars in their windows, and giving each other nifty presents like tusks and sealskin mits. After Christmas Eve’s coffee, cake, and caroling, everyone receives a special delicacy: whale blubber. That’s right, “Mattak” is a piece of whale skin with a strip of blubber inside that is said to taste like coconut—only a hell of a lot harder to chew. Another favorite is “Kiviak,” made by burying a whole auk (a seabird) in sealskin for several months until it has reached a mouth-watering stage of decomposition. Bonus: Iceland’s economic meltdown means there Iceland/Greenland packages available on the cheap.

Moving on to the British Isles, we find those wacky Welsh celebrating Christmas in their inimitable way. In certain rural areas, the end of Christmas season is marked by a pre-Christian custom in which a villager is chosen to be the “Mari llwyd.” This lucky person travels from door to door draped in white and carrying a horse’s skull on a long pole. The Mari llwyd and his band of merry-makers demand entrance at each house and challenge the occupants to a sort of Welsh rap-contest known as a “pwnco.”

The Slavs are no slackers when it comes to Christmas celebrating. In Poland, the “Wigilia,” or traditional feast, begins when the first star appears. Everybody scans the evening sky, hoping to be the first to call out, “Gwiazdka!” or “the little star!” That moment, the Poles break their 24-hour fast. Celebrants wish upon paper-thin wafers with fellow guests to clear any bad vibes accumulated over the year.

See our slideshow of 10 Places to Celebrate Christmas.

In warmer climes, Santa has to make a few practical adjustments. He shows up in Hawaii in a bright red outrigger canoe, escorted by elves in aloha shirts. The Honolulu City Lights is a month-long extravaganza featuring a lighted 50-foot Christmas tree and eye-popping light displays throughout the city. At City Hall, you’ll see giant holiday characters, including a 20-foot-tall barefoot Santa who sits dipping his toes in the fountain. Down in the Caribbean, traditions dating back to slavery have produced a flavorful mélange of Christmas merriment. In the Bahamas, Santa joins the Mardis Gras-like street festival Junkanoo, said to originate in West Africa. On December 26, Bahamians parade through town in costumes made of cardboard and crepe paper, singing, chanting and dancing all the way.

No country on the planet out-celebrates the Puerto Ricans—who start the Christmas season in early December and continue on until Jan. 17. Christmas brings a boisterous traveling caroling party known as the Asalto. Friends show up unannounced at each other’s houses, singing and playing instruments. The hosts greet their visitors with food, including a special chicken and rice stew. Drinks are served, and then the hosts join the party, which moves along to the next house and continues this way until daybreak.

Many countries where Christianity is not the main religion still put on a more-than-respectable party. In Goa, India, a former Portuguese colony, the arrival of the Magi is celebrated each January with nine days of fireworks and partying. The fun culminates in The Feast of the Three Kings (Jan. 6), which is celebrated enthusiastically by both Christians and Hindus. Lucky young boys chosen to play the part of the kings dress in Technicolor costumes and arrive at the local church on white horses. The best celebrations are held at Church of Our Lady of the Mount in Old Goa.

We think world peace would be a swell idea for the holidays. Taking the party global is a step in the right direction.

See our slideshow of 10 Places to Celebrate Christmas.

Love on location

There's no better recipe for romance than a tropical island paradise. And one of the many advantages of having a destination wedding is the stress-free ease that comes with planning one. The sunshine, relaxed atmosphere and exotic settings are just the icing on the cake!

Thinking of saying "I do" in an exotic locale? Here's some information to help you choose your wedding location:

CUBA

From the hustle and bustle of Havana to the lush green landscape of Holguin to the white sand and crystal-blue waters of Varadero, Cuba has all the ingredients for a romantic Caribbean adventure.

Getting hitched: Tying the knot is incredibly easy in Cuba. If you have never been married before, all you need is a valid passport and a tourist card. If either the bride or groom has been previously married they must also produce a birth certificate and certificate of divorce, or if widowed, a certificate of marriage and certificate of spouse's death.

The pros: Perhaps one of the most affordable Caribbean getaways, Cuba has all the sun, sand and surf you can handle. In addition, the country itself -- from the classic cars to the world-class cigars to the island charm -- will steal your heart.

The cons: Cuba's communist state and poverty can be hard to handle. You'll often hear Cubans muttering, "No es facil," (it is not easy) in passing. The food, though abundant at resorts, can also be bland and boring.

"I do" place: The Iberostar Varadero (iberostar.com), located on a beautiful and secluded part of Varadero beach and surrounded by tropical gardens, is a popular choice for its value, accommodations and wedding facilities. For ultimate seclusion, say "I do" at the Royal Hideaway Ensenachos by Occidental Resorts (royalhideawayensenachos.com). This luxury five-star resort, located on the unspoiled "Cayo" Ensenachos on the North Coast of Cuba, features two of the most beautiful beaches in the country, 24-hour room service and personal concierge.

More information: Visit gocuba.ca.

DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

The white-sand beaches, impressive mountain ranges veined with spectacular rivers and waterfalls, and saltwater lakes teeming with exotic wildlife are just part of the Dominican Republic's appeal.

Getting hitched: Couples will need valid passports, original birth certificates and a solemn declaration that the parties involved are single. The declaration has to be signed and notarized by a notary public. In addition, it is necessary to have two witnesses, each with valid passports, who are not blood relatives.

The pros: The Dominican Republic has both fine boutique hotels and price-competitive all-inclusive resorts that cater to all tastes and budgets. The country also has some of the most beautiful beaches in the world.

The cons: Due to increased travel to the country in recent years, some resorts have raised the price of their wedding packages making it pricey to personalize your celebration. High demand has also resulted in less personal service and cookie cutter wedding ceremonies in some resorts.

"I do" place: The Majestic Colonial Hotel (majesticcolonial.com), an ocean-front resort in Punta Cana, is a popular choice both for its stunning location, luxury accommodations and selection of on-site wedding options (church, gazebo, beach and tropical garden ceremonies). For ultimate luxury, couples might consider checking in to the country's newest secret, Cap Cana (capcana.com), a five-star plus golf and spa sanctuary located on 8 km of pristine ocean-front, just south of the eastern most tip of the country.

More information: Visit godominicanrepublic.com.

JAMAICA

The picturesque paradise of Jamaica could be considered a pioneer in the destination wedding market. For years, adventurous couples have been flocking to Jamaica for the island's long sandy beaches, protected coves, rugged mountains, waterfalls, caves and sunshine.

Getting hitched: To marry in Jamaica, couples will need a valid passport and a certified copy of their birth certificates, which includes father's name. French Canadians need a notarized translated copy of all documents and a photocopy of the original French documents.

The pros: Unlike some other Caribbean destinations, wedding ceremonies are performed in English and couples aren't required to submit to blood tests. In addition, the country offers many wedding options from beach ceremonies to sunset cruises to underwater "I dos" -- even nude nuptials.

The cons: Common complaints include concerns about rowdiness away from resort areas and topless sunbathers.

"I do" place: Nobody does destination weddings like Sandals Resorts (sandals.com). Whether you're eloping or going for an extravagant affair, planning a wedding with this resort chain is easy breezy. There are many wedding and honeymoom packages to choose from, incuding several designed by wedding-planner-to-the-stars Preston Bailey. And, with Sandal's exclusive "Stay at 1, Play at 7" program, you can stay at any one of their spectacular Jamaican resorts and still enjoy the stunning amenities and scenery of their other six locations.

More information: log onto visitjamaica.com.

MEXICO

One of the most popular destination wedding locations for Canadians, Mexico has everything to make your special day unforgettable. Couples can choose from an intimate ceremony by the sea, a mystical ritual performed by a shaman or an elegant fiesta with hundreds of guests in a colonial hacienda.

Getting hitched: To be legally married, couples must take part in a 10-minute civil ceremony and provide copies of valid passports. Blood tests must also be taken within 15 days of the date of marriage and notarized by a doctor in Mexico. If divorced or widowed, a certified copy of the divorce decree or death certificate is required.

The pros: Mexico offers a variety of resorts and hotels to choose from and you can plan a wedding as elaborate or low-key as you would like.

The cons: Popular resorts can fill up and it can be hard to get a wedding date and time. As well, due to popularity, some resorts will host up to 10 weddings or more a day, taking away from the intimacy of your special day.

"I do" place: Mexico's Mayan Riviera plays host to a variety of beachfront hotels and resorts, most of which offer on-site wedding coordinators. Popular wedding resorts include the five-star Grand Palladium Riviera Resort and Spa (fiestahotelgroup.com), which features 454 stylish guest suites, and the Gran Bahia Principe (bahiaprincipeusa.com), which consists of three five-star hotels offering a variety of services and activities.

More information: Go to visitmexico.com.

PUERTO RICO

Both lush and exotic, historic and cosmopolitan, this modern paradise offers all the comforts of home from world-class shopping and dining to tropical landscapes and over 500 years of Spanish culture.

Getting hitched: In addition to valid passports, all couples must visit the Demographic Registry to acquire marriage licence documents and receive a medical examination no more than 14 days before the wedding. If either person is divorced or widowed, an original divorce decree or death certificate must be presented.

The pros: As United States Commonwealth, Puerto Rico offers many of the comforts of the U.S. mainland including currency, the same electrical standards, U.S. laws and many English-speaking residents. The food and drink scene is also world-class -- the Pina Colada was invented in Puerto Rico!

The cons: Due to its modern amenities and U.S. ties, the country sometimes lacks that quintessential Caribbean charm that is abundant on other islands.

"I do" place: The Gran Melia Puerto Rico Resort & Villas (granmeliapuertorico.com), nestled on the country's northeastern shore offers one of the Caribbean's most luxurious resort experiences, featuring modern facilities, Puerto Rican flavour and a Spanish flair. For a more boutique experience, check into the El Convento (elconvento.com), located in the heart of Old San Juan. The only "small luxury hotel" in the country, this boutique hotel hosts elegant accommodations, lovingly restored from a 350-year-old Carmelite convent.

More information: Go to meetpuertorico.com.

Let's go island hopping

Few Caribbean countries offer as many opportunities for island hopping as St. Vincent and the Grenadines.

On a recent one-week trip we visited 10 islands, and spent the night on four of them without ever feeling rushed. The experiences ranged from quaint islands such as Bequia, to the private retreat of Palm Island, as well as uninhabited cays where we swam with tropical fish and relaxed on the beach.

What makes island hopping here so easy is the close proximity of several of the Grenadines plus a frequent ferry and air service.

ST. VINCENT

It may not be known for its beaches (for that visit the Grenadines) but St. Vincent does offer amazing scenery, best explored on a road trip on the windward or leeward sides of the island (both are equally rewarding).

Look for turnoffs to waterfalls, hiking trails and native petroglyphs. Add to that the oldest botanical gardens in the Western Hemisphere, and many early 19th century buildings in the capital Kingstown -- including Fort Charlotte. No mega resorts here but you will find St. Vincent has reasonably priced lodging and is a good base from which to visit other islands.

YOUNG ISLAND

Legend has it a Carib chief who admired a horse owned by the British governor of the day, Sir William Young, swapped the island for the animal! There's no sign of a horse today, but it is possible to see agoutis, iguanas, lizards and the endangered St. Vincent parrot on this private island just 182 metres from St. Vincent.

There are 29 cottages set in lush tropical foliage but if not staying the night, come for the day (visitors are welcome with prior arrangement) and enjoy lunch, laze on the beach, play tennis, wind surf, snorkel or walk around the triangular-shaped 14-hectare island. The 24-hour ferry service runs on a demand basis. Young Island operates two yachts, which can be chartered for a day sail to Bequia or Mustique.

BEQUIA

Though it measures just 8 km by 4.8 km, Bequia is the largest of the 33 islands that make up the Grenadines and after St. Vincent offers the most options for accommodation with at least 19 hotels and guest houses. We travelled by ferry (about an hour from St. Vincent) to this quaint island of 5,000 people. A bus tour took us to scenic lookouts, the Old Hegg Turtle Sanctuary, a whale museum, the Hamilton Battery, and a model boat builders workshop.

Later we strolled through the capital of Port Elizabeth and relaxed on a golden ribbon of sand known as Princess Margaret Beach -- one of several nice beaches on the island.

MAYREAU, TOBAGO CAYS

The following morning we flew to Union Island (20 minutes, $40 US one-way) and boarded an 18-metre catamaran for a day of sailing with Captain Yannis. Mayreau, our first stop, is rimmed by virgin beaches. Up a hill there's a one-road village, home to 254 people, a stone church and a great view of the Southern Grenadines. Most visitors hang around on the beach, swimming or snorkelling.

After some R&R we headed for the Tobago Cays, one of those idyllic spots where water shimmers in every shade of blue imaginable. The Cays, which are uninhabited -- unless you count the large green turtles and octopus I met after diving into the water -- include five islands near a barrier reef that comprise a protected Marine Park. Here you can swim with goatfish, wrasse and parrot fish among elegant fans, and coral.

PALM ISLAND

By late afternoon we're deposited on another gorgeous stretch of sand, this one on Palm Island, where we'll spend the night. Though it's a private island, with 37 luxury cottages and suites made from thatch, bamboo and terra cotta, day visitors are welcome if arrangements are made in advance. It's worth the effort to see the sunset from Casuarina Beach and to walk the nature trails, where you'll likely encounter large Green Iguanas in the trees. At night, fall asleep to the sound of waves lapping on shore.

PETIT ST. VINCENT

With white sand beaches and interior rolling hills, P.S.V., as it's known, is another pristine private island. The only way you can visit this gem is by staying at its only resort.

Owners Haze and Lynn Richardson have created a tranquil getaway with 22 secluded cottages ($495 US per night), where you are ensured prompt service (two staff members for every guest), and tasty meals using local organic produce. There are no phones, TVs or computers. Instead guests communicate by raising a yellow flag for service. Activities include snorkelling, sailing, kayaking, windsurfing, water skiing or doing nothing at all.

UNION ISLAND

Our next stop is Union, this time for a short tour of the island where, in the 18th century, the French and later the English were involved in the slave trade. Today Union is a stopping off point for yachtsmen, and its airport is the main gateway to the smaller Grenadine islands.

Union is distinguished by its near vertical peaks -- 304-metre-high Mount Toboi is the highest in the Grenadines. Attractions include 17th-century Fort Hill plus lagoons, reefs, beaches and bays. Union is ideal for a day cruise to the neighbouring islands of Mayreau, P.S.V. and the Tobago Cays, none of which can be accessed by air.

CANOUAN

After a night in St. Vincent we fly to Canouan, a former farming and fishing community home to about half a dozen hotels and guest houses including one of the finest resorts in the Caribbean -- the 156-room Raffles Resort. Before entering this five-star property, however, we are forced to stop our vehicle several times for turtles. A few wayward critters had wandered onto the road. It seemed a fitting encounter on Canouan, a Carib word meaning "turtle island." The spacious grounds, which you traverse by golf cart, include an oceanfront spa, a casino, infinity pool, two lovely beaches and the Trump International Golf Club. No matter where you look, the views -- usually of the ocean and tree-covered hills -- will put you at ease.

My only regret is we didn't make it to Mustique due to lack of time and money. I wanted to see the villas of the rich and famous, including Brian Adams, David Bowie and Mick Jagger. Then I remembered that line from the Rolling Stones: "You can't always get what you want ..." But you can try!

For more on St. Vincent and the Grenadines check svgtourism.com.