Under our Tuscan sun

OLIVE GROVES

The countryside is subtly changing, with grapevines and olive groves now appearing and the road is beginning to twist and turn as we go upward into the hills. We believe we have found the zoom-zoom road from a certain car commercial and at this point I am glad I'm in the backseat enjoying the view and not behind the wheel. Fancy European cars and motorcycles whiz by us as we travel through ancient towns. We have arrived in Tuscany and just have to locate our villa.

The villa we have booked for a week's stay came highly recommended by our travel agent. Muricciaglia is ideally located just off the road from Castellina to Radda in Il Chianti. Our hosts, Mimma and Franco Ferrando, have provided excellent directions and we find it easily. As we turn off the highway and onto the gravel road to the villa, my sister and I look at each other and smile -- we're finally here!

Mimma welcome us with a glass of wine and then gives us a tour. Muricciaglia sits on 65 hectares of woodland, olive groves and a small vineyard. There have been dwellings on this property for more than 500 years. There are two villas for rent -- we are staying in the Fienile, an old hay barn. It has two bedrooms, two modern bathrooms, a loft with twin beds, a living room, a modern kitchen and laundry facilities.

There is a beautiful infinity pool all guests share. The temps this week are a bit cool and the pool is not heated, so we'll have to settle for sitting by the pool and not in the pool. Mimma is a chef that travels the world teaching the fine art of Italian cooking and offers classes to her guests. We did not book a class this time and promise ourselves to do so on our next visit.

The location of our villa is perfect for day trips to explore Tuscan towns. On our first full day in Tuscany we make the short trip to Panzano for Sunday market day.

There also happens to be a wine festival taking place, so the town is bustling. We find a parking spot on the edge of the narrow roadway and walk the short distance into town. The market place has vendors selling goods ranging from leather purses to clothing to cheese. We stop at a butcher shop and purchase a pork loin for dinner. Upon leaving Panzano we find a quaint roadside restaurant to have lunch at. We dine outdoors, enjoying fresh homemade pasta and washing it down with wine. Our view is that of a painting -- hills covered in vineyards with the dark purple grapes hanging heavy on the vines and large stone villas surrounded by tall cypresses.

The next day we decide to journey the 20 km to Siena. The medieval historic centre rises high above the rest of the city. After we park our car we travel up five escalators to take us through the ancient walls. Following the narrow streets lined with shops we eventually find ourselves at the famous Piazza del Campo. The famous sloped square is surrounded by restaurants and vendors selling postcards and souvenirs.

Twice a year, horse races take place in the piazza. Since the middle ages, representatives of the town districts have competed in the race around il Campo. Spectators fill the bowl of the piazza while the horses and riders in colourful costumes run around the perimeter three times trying to become the winner of the prestigious Palio di Siena. These events take place in July and August. I can picture the horses tearing around the piazza with the spectators cheering for their favourite.

BREATHTAKING

We tour the famous gothic cathedral, which was built between 1196 and 1215. The workmanship is unbelievable. The inlaid marble floor and marble pillars are breathtaking. Before lunch we manage to find some time to shop and purchase some leather purses and wallets. The selection is great and the prices seem quite reasonable. We dine outdoors at a small restaurant in the Piazza del Campo. We again enjoy fresh pasta and a bottle of local wine and take in the sights and sounds of the piazza.

Another day trip takes us to San Gimignano, a walled medieval town with 14 towers. At one time there were 72 of these towers, which are believed to symbolize the wealth and power of the medieval families that resided here. This is another wonderful town to explore the winding, narrow streets and go in and out of the numerous shops. The small stores offer a great selection of linens, leather goods, ceramics, cheeses and wine. We spend a few hours here sightseeing, shopping and having a delicious lunch at Hotel Bel Soggiorno, which offers a great view of the surrounding countryside.

Upon leaving San Gimignano we journey the short distance to Monteriggioni. You can see this impressive walled town in the distance long before you arrive. It was built in the 1200s and has not changed much over time. There is a church, a couple of restaurants, small shops and homes all within the stone walls. It is a marvel to see how dwellings have survived the wars and elements over time.

On our last full day in Tuscany we venture out to discover Volpaia, a tiny hamlet up in the hills behind Radda. After thinking we've taken the wrong turn we end up on the correct route -- yet another narrow, winding road to the village. Volpaia is like most towns in Tuscany, you will see your destination long before you reach it. Most towns are perched high on hills. This was done in order to protect them from rival neighbouring towns centuries ago.

Volpaia proves to be a most interesting stop. We enjoy a cappuccino in the small town square before venturing out to walk the narrow cobblestone streets. We pick up some locally made wine and vinegars before stopping for lunch at one of the two restaurants. Our view is again spectacular and the food equally good.

Most restaurants offer indoor and outdoor dining and we choose outdoor as often as we can. The food in Tuscany is everything I thought it would be. Every restaurant offers a wide selection of fresh pasta plus different meats. Pork, wild boar and rabbit appear quite often on the menus, roasted or in stews. The wine menus are extensive, highlighting the Classico Chianti, for which the region is famous. We take every opportunity to sample the local favourites either on our plates or in our glasses.

The day is still young when we depart Volpaia so we decide to try and find a castle we were told we should not miss. We head in the direction of Gaiole and a few kilometres further down the road we find ourselves at the Castello di Brolio in Chianti.

Built in 1000 A.D. the castle has a long, colourful history. The Ricasoli family have owned it since 1141 and continue to live in a portion of the enormous fortress. Nearby, the family owns a winery that produces the famous Brolio wine.

We walk around the outside of the 50-foot-high walls before entering the gate and touring inside, where a chapel houses generations of tombs of the Ricasoli family. We continue along the south terrace, where on a clear day you can see Siena in the distance. Below is a view of the gardens, olive groves and vineyards. The surrounding hills are covered in cypresses and conifers. You can almost picture the scene centuries ago as rival armies would assault the castle attempting to gain possession. This happened many times until the mid 1500s.

Our week-long stay in Tuscany is over much too soon, even though we still have two weeks in Italy, visiting Florence and then Rome. I think back on the friendly people we've met, delicious foods we ate and the unbelievable sights we saw and start thinking of a return trip to Tuscany.


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Magic on the Mediterranean

Lolling on the deck of a cruise ship in the Mediterranean is an inviting image any time, but we found it especially appealing during the off season.

Cruising in the winter is wonderful -- none of the crowds, heat or humidity of summer travel. Travel along the Mediterranean is cool and sunny, with temperatures ranging from 16C to 20C in December, January and February.

Our 14-day cruise with Royal Caribbean aboard the Brilliance of the Seas luxury ship took us to Spain, Portugal, Morocco and the Canary Islands. This all-inclusive luxury cruise encompassed all our needs: Relaxation, comfort and the excitement of travel without costing a fortune.

As first-time cruisers, we envisioned a quiet trip gazing into tranquil blue waters while reading a book and sipping a glass of wine. The reality aboard Brilliance of the Seas was different and one embraced by our silver-fox shipmates from the U.S., Britain, Canada, Spain, Germany and Russia.

They expected to be entertained. Endless bingo and poker games, mini-golf, rock-climbing, swimming, working out in the fitness centre and lectures on topics ranging from shopping at the ports to acupuncture were available. You could also dance, try karaoke or enjoy comedians and entertainers in any of the 11 lounges.

Cruisers who love to eat were rewarded 24 hours a day. The food on the ship was ample and plentiful but it catered to the 60-plus crowd who seem to prefer traditional fare. The attendants were friendly and efficient. We found other cruisers loved to chat and socialize, so if you wanted absolute peace and quiet, you had to search for a nook.

There were only two rough days at sea when the 90,000-tonne ship rocked back and forth. As I lay feeling nauseated in our suite, my husband and hundreds of others carried on with no problem.

The ports of call were definitely the highlight of this cruise. The first stop, Barcelona, is a city you cannot help but love. Barcelona has it all: Friendly people, delicious food like tapas, paella, and fresh seafood, topped off with the spirited wine from their own region Catalunya. There's shopping, museums, cathedrals, the Barri Gotti or Gothic Quarter with many buildings dating back to Medieval times, Sagrada Familia, Guell Park and many more of Antoni Gaudi's world famous architectural wonders.

The next stop is Malaga, which is a lovely seaside capital of Spain's Costa del Sol. Malaga, the birthplace of Picasso, has steep, winding streets and pretty white houses with adobe rooftops along the cliffs. At the top of the city is an interesting 14th-century castle, Castillo de Gibralfaro. Malaga has orange trees, sandy beaches and a city centre with all kinds of shops, cafes and fresh seafood. We had calamares a la plancha for lunch, which came right out of the sea that morning.

After sailing through the Strait of Gibraltar, you arrive on the coast of Funchal, Madeira, a picturesque city with lush tropical fruit and flowers. At the local farmer's market, you will be coerced into tasting some unusual fruits you have never heard of but will remember, like paw paws and guavas. Speciality items include handmade embroidered linens, delicate needlepoint and sweet Madeira wine.

We visited three of the seven Canary Islands: La Palma, Tenerife and Lanzarote.

La Palma is a volcanic island that rises 7 km above the Atlantic. Our port of call, Santa Cruz de La Palma, the capital, is on the edge of the volcanic crater called la Cadereta. Tenerife, the largest of the Canary Islands and known as the Island of Eternal Spring, has the Anaga mountains running through its centre and Teide, a dormant volcano and Spain's highest mountain. Santa Cruz de Tenerife, our port of call, is 290 km off the coast of Africa. This bustling port city has all kinds of stores with leather goods, clothing, perfume and jewelry. Lanzarote has more than 100 volcanoes. Plants grow out of rich, black volcanic soil here.

Casablanca was disappointing if not for the pottery, food and handicrafts. The city itself is dusty and dirty, but the Hassan II Mosque is outstanding. It is the second-largest in the world and definitely worth a visit.

We wished we had more time to explore Morocco outside Casablanca.

Cadiz, one of the oldest cities in Spain, is gorgeous. It is an ideal holiday location with old cobblestone streets a short walk to the sea. I sampled a large plate of fresh anchovies just like the locals, crunching down the bones and all with a swig of San Miguel cerveza.

Lisbon -- the oldest capital city in Europe -- is a shopper's delight with quality wool items, exquisite leather purses, wallets, shoes and boots. Its bakeries are famous for rich custard tarts that melt in your mouth.

Below, flower market in central Cadiz, Spain, the historic seaside city is located next to Spain's Sherry Triangle.

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IF YOU GO

MORE INFORMATION

To get the best price for a cruise, be flexible on dates and itineraries, and check prices often on websites. Prices drop significantly a few weeks before the sail date and cruise lines post deals. But when you find a good price, book quickly. Booking online is easy with a representative at royalcaribbean.com.

Per person prices for this off-season cruise ranged from $799 for a room with a balcony to $1,079 and up for a suite with a marble bathroom with soaker tub, bar, balcony, concierge lounge, CD player, DVD player, big-screen TV, and 24-hour room service. The cruise line offers tours at each port of call ranging from $50 to $200. Our cruise sailed round trip from Barcelona. We stayed one night at the Euro Grand Marina on the harbour (about $200) before the cruise and four nights at the Rivoli Ramblas on Las Ramblas ($150 per night). Flights to Barcelona from Toronto in December, January and February range from $750-$850 per person, round trip, on airlines such as Delta, Air Canada or British Airways. Check online or with a travel agent for fares.


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Southern comfort

APALACHICOLA, Fla. -- Jiggs Zingarelli operated a print shop in this Florida Panhandle fishing village. It thrived once, but in later years business fell off. But Jiggs (his real name was Genaro) didn't worry about that for he preferred to sit around with the locals, and anyone else who dropped in, and talk about just about anything under the sun.

There wasn't a pot-bellied stove but in every other way this was a traditional old-south store, more a talk-shop than a business. You could tell how laid back it was from his sign: "Open most days about 9 or 10 a.m., sometimes 12 or 1 p.m., except when we are somewhere else but we should be here."

Jiggs Zingarelli died in September (2008), but the relaxed southern lifestyle that he epitomized lives on all over the Panhandle.

This part of Florida, bordering on Alabama and Georgia, is quite unlike the rest of the state. While most of Florida counts winter the high season, it's the opposite here. Summer is when the big crowds arrive, for the Panhandle is far enough north to be temperate from June onward.

"We have much more in common with the Deep South -- with 'Dixie' -- than with the rest of Florida," one public relations person tells me. "We're four hours from Birmingham, Alabama, five from Atlanta. But it's 12 hours to Miami, 16 hours, something like 850 miles (1,360 km) to Key West."

Everything reminds you that you're in the Old South: Drawls as thick as the local tupelo honey, zydeco music, grits for breakfast, bayous . . .

Daytime temperatures in winter run between 15 and 20C, not enough to attract its traditional vacation base from southern states but enough to draw northerners and Canadians who like rental rates that are far lower than Clearwater, Naples or Miami. (They say here that if they see someone swimming in February, he or she is a Canadian).

The visitors love the marvellous beaches: White sand of refined quartz, ground so fine it squeaks under your feet. Panhandle beaches are regularly voted the best in a state that's justly famed for its sands.

Still, there are pockets where the other Florida has invaded, where unspoiled state parks and beaches are cheek-by-jowl with T-shirt shops, mini-golf arcades and all the other kitsch. You'll find all the excitement you crave in such places as Pensacola Beach, Destin, Fort Walton and Panama City.

And naturally the Panhandle has its share of offbeat things, such as the world's smallest police station (it's contained in a phone booth in Carabelle), and the tin-roof shack in Two Egg (yes, that's the name of the town) where actress Faye Dunaway was raised.

The area was once known, rather snootily, as "the Redneck Riviera," referring to the summer hordes who descend from Arkansas, Tennessee, Alabama and Georgia. But don't use that expression in south Walton County, where several high-end planned villages, with houses and condos priced in the millions (even in a depressed market) have sprung up.

First came Seaside, which is so picture perfect it was taken over by Hollywood as the location for The Truman Show in 1998. Seaside is modelled on a New England village; other upscale developments include Watercolor (Florida "cracker" style), Baytowne Wharf (southern fishing village) and Rosemary Beach (pan-Caribbean).

And then there's my favourite, Apalachicola, a real fishing village (80% of the state's oysters comes through its docks). But it won't be the same without Jiggs Zingarelli.

For further information, check the websites floridapanhandlevacation.com and visitflorida.com.

This tin-roofed house, above,now abandoned, was the childhood home of actress Faye Dunaway. It's in the hamlet of Two Egg in the Florida Panhandle.


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Medical emergencies in the air rise

TORONTO — If you’ve ever been on a plane, feeling a little dizzy or under the weather, the thought might cross your mind: How would the airline deal with a medical emergency in the air?

In fact, it’s a relatively common occurrence, and each airline has its own set of protocols for helping someone in distress.

WestJet has seen its number of incidents increase. There were 888 health-related issues in the air last year, including nine instances when planes were diverted for medical reasons, said Mark Frezell, director of in-flight for the airline.

“One, it’s due to the growth in our flights, and second, I believe it’s attributed to our aging population,” he said from Calgary.

Last month, a paper published in The Lancet looked at medical issues associated with commercial flights, and said that almost two billion people travel aboard commercial airlines every year.

“In-flight medical events are increasingly frequent because a growing number of individuals with pre-existing medical conditions travel by air,” it said.

Resources to deal with such situations include basic and advanced medical kits, automated external defibrillators and support from medical staff on the ground, said co-author Dr. Mark Gendreau of Lahey Clinic Medical Center in Burlington, Mass.

“To their credit, the airlines have really stepped up and enhanced their ability to deal with in-flight medical emergencies, over, I would say, the last eight years,” he said in an interview.

Typically, flight attendants or the captain will ask if there’s a doctor on board to assist, and will check credentials before accepting the help. A satellite phone or radio will be used to contact physicians on the ground.

WestJet and many other airlines around the world have contracts with MedAire, an Arizona-based company that took its first call at the MedLink Global Response Center in 1987.

It draws upon the expertise of physicians in the emergency department of Banner Good Samaritan Medical Center in Phoenix, and has access to more than 100 medical specialties.

MedLink receives about 17,000 calls a year from airplanes, said Heidi Giles MacFarlane, vice-president of strategic development. Altogether, there were 649 medical-related diversions in 2007, meaning that a plane had to land somewhere other than its planned destination so that a passenger could receive care.

But diversions are upsetting to passengers, require reprogramming of navigation equipment and can affect the landings and takeoffs of other flights, according to Gendreau.

“Airports charge the airline a fee for diverting the aircraft to their airport unexpectedly,” he said. “And this is not cheap. It can range from $5,000 to $25,000 depending on the airport.”

At Air Canada, spokesman Peter Fitzpatrick says the airline’s top priority is the safety of all customers and crew.

“This is why it is very important that customers with medical conditions such as recent major surgery, or certain known illnesses or injuries, be approved for travel before the departure (48 hours),” he said in an email.

MacFarlane said the typical incidents on board are usually not that devastating.

“The most common injury — there are two, actually, that compete for top place. And one is appendage injuries from meal carts and beverage carts, so people get their knees hit frequently or their toes run over from the carts. And then objects falling from overhead storage bins.”

On the illness side, fainting is the most common event, she said.

There are a number of contributing factors. For instance, someone might be winded from having run from a tight connection, or just be generally unwell.

“As you go up in altitude you become oxygen deprived, or what they call hypoxic,” she said.

In 2007, MedAire’s top medical complaint overall was neurological at 5,836 cases, followed by gastrointestinal at 3,373, respiratory at 1,699, cardiovascular at 1,393 and orthopedic at 733.

Recently, they received a call about a child who had ingested silica beads from a shoebox, and the parents were quite distraught, said MacFarlane.

“The MedLink physician was able to involve the poison control centre at the hospital to specifically discuss the chemical dangers of silica gel, which, by the way, happened to be benign — other than perchance making the child vomit.”

In terms of flight attendant training, Frezell said WestJet goes above and beyond Transport Canada standards that require a first-aid course once every three years.

“We try and teach them not only the skill and procedures around first aid but then how to manage the situation, and that’s a big part of it,” he said.

“Some specific things this year that we’re working on — we usually hit this every year — is CPR and using the automated external defibrillators, AEDs. They’re on every aircraft.”

Gendreau said that in the United States, medical kits are part of the cockpit checklist and the plane can’t leave the ground without them.

He gives a lot of talks to physicians on the topic of offering in-flight medical assistance.

“And the airlines are notorious for — you’re assisting in an in-flight emergency and you ask ‘Can you please get me the medical kit?’ And they come back with this Mickey Mouse kit that has bandages, Band-Aids and a stethoscope, but not that real enhanced kit.”

“And as I tell the physicians, you have to specifically tell them ‘I want the advanced medical kit please.”’

A death on board is the worst experience, the experts agree. In 2007 there were 77 deaths on board flights that MedAire was assisting.

“In the event that someone appears to have expired, we would typically advise them to continue on (to the intended destination), and then we would provide advice on how to best handle the situation given the circumstances,” MacFarlane said.

On the flip side, she said two babies were born on flights in recent months, and the mothers and babies were fine.

“It’s very, very frightening from a number of perspectives because you’re dealing with not just one life, but suddenly two. And there’s nothing more rewarding than being told that the baby’s been born and is crying — and it’s usually not just the baby that’s crying at that point.”

Frezell said WestJet has never had the experience. “We haven’t had to give birth, which is great. That’s not part of our first-aid program, so we’d be doing a diversion for that.”


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The world's best cruises, period

If you haven't taken a cruise in 30 years, you're in for a big surprise. Gone are the days of blue-haired grandmas crowding the bingo hall and creaky-hipped grandfathers struggling to stay upright on shuffleboard courts. These days, every cruise line worth its sea salt features fine dining, Las Vegas-style stage shows and wet-and-wild theme park thrills. If your idea of great cruising is an all-you-can-eat buffet and a dessert bar that stretches from bow to stern, you may be disappointed by the industry's latest developments.

Click here for our full list of the 11 Best Cruises, including the winner for Best Overall Value.

More than ever, choosing the right cruise line—and sometimes even a specific ship—depends as much upon your budget as your expectations.  And these days, cruising may be exceptionally kind to your budget: The capsized economy has produced bargains for even the highest-end cruises, especially if you sign up at the last minute.

How, then, to pick the right one?

Knowing that one size does not fit all, the editors of Forbes Traveler convened a panel of cruise experts and asked them to identify the best cruises in 12 different categories. Panelists were pulled from travel agencies, publications and websites that review cruises and from within the cruise industry itself. Some of their answers may surprise you.

Where to go is typically the first question cruisers ask themselves, so it's no surprise that Best Ports of Call drew the most "beauty is in the eye of the beholder" responses from our panelists. One passenger's exotic Caribbean seaside town is another's overcrowded tourist trap. But overall, says Jason Colman, an elite cruise counselor scholar certified by the Cruise Lines Industry Association (CLIA), Oceania Cruises offer "the most intensive look at some of the world's greatest cities—with most sailings including an overnight or two in port." Maria Saenz, senior travel counselor at Montrose Travel, agreed. "Oceania's customer base is well-traveled and they do hit the best ports in any given itinerary. They know when and where to stay overnight."

There are two schools of thought when it comes to choosing your cabin. Some say, spend as little time in your room as possible. There are excursions to be enjoyed (or, lounge chairs to be sat upon). On the other hand, being comfortable during your "off hours" means more rest and relaxation—and a better overall cruise experience. Either way, according to nearly half of our experts, the Best Rooms are found aboard Regent Seven Seas ships. Lori Herzog, a senior cruise consultant at CruiseCenter.com, describes all-suite staterooms that feature "residential-style décor, flat-panel televisions, large living areas for entertaining and in-room dining." And, they average 350 square feet.

Click here for our full list of the 11 Best Cruises, including the winner for Best Overall Value.

Even on the best cruise, you should get off the boat at least once. Every cruise company is eager to arrange shore excursions that range from simple shopping trips in nearby towns to heart-pounding helicopter tours. When it comes to offering the Best Excursions, food and travel writer Janice Wald Henderson, among others, says Crystal Cruises leaves "its competitors in the dust." Before and during the cruise, Crystal's agents can arrange trips for passengers of every persuasion—from sedentary voyagers who want simple walking tours to more adventurous travelers who may want to "overnight on a glacier" or go "windsurfing in Turkey."

Indeed, adventure cruises are gaining in popularity, and may range from highly technical deep-sea diving trips in the Caribbean, to swimming with sharks in South Africa, to retracing Darwin's steps in the Galapagos. According to our panel, the Best Adventure Cruises are offered by Lindblad Special Expeditions. This collection of small expedition ships travels to far-and-away destinations, including Antarctica, the Arctic, Africa and the Indian Ocean—in comfort. Like many other cruise lines, they offer trips to the Galapagos Islands, but theirs are conducted in cooperation with the National Geographic Society—which drew particular praise from Stuart MacDonald, CEO of Tripharbor.com and former CMO of Expedia.com

There's a reason that cruises are popular among families: It's easy to keep the kids busy, and toddlers can't get lost. (At least not for long.) But which cruise is best for families? The traditional response is Disney Cruise Line, which operates two nearly identical liners, Disney Magic and Disney Wonder. According to Bob Mick, aka Dr. Kruz Nutty, Disney is great for families with younger children because "they really know how to make magical vacations for families"—but they can fall short when it comes to older kids.

In the survey's closest race, Disney Cruise Line actually failed to take the title for Best Family Cruise. Instead, Royal Caribbean International squeaked ahead of the mouse with 45 percent of the vote (compared to Disney's 42 percent). According to CruiseCenter.com's Lori Herzog, "Royal Caribbean offers a fantastic program for families since their ships are large and have multi-faceted venues to entertain kids and families of all ages." She cites an extensive Adventure Youth program for the younger set as well as a “Just For Teens” Center. Other panelists describe kid-oriented ice-skating, full-court basketball, miniature golf, rock-climbing, movie theaters and stage shows.

"Nobody else can touch Royal Caribbean’s world-class and extensive family-based product," says Herzog. What's more, Tom Coiro, vice president of Direct Line Cruises, predicts that Royal Caribbean's new Oasis of the Seas, to be launched in December 2009, will offer "the most astounding array of family activities imaginable."
 
But the cruise industry is an ever-evolving business. The Avid Cruiser's Ralph Grizzle recommends family cruisers stay tuned for industry developments. "Disney has a trick or two up its sleeves with its two new ships, the first coming in 2010."


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Whistler fest is 'rad'

There likely isn't a teenager on earth who wouldn't be wowed by the cool stuff that goes on in Whistler, B.C. during the Telus World Ski & Snowboard Festival (WSSF).

The 10-day fest, taking place April 17-26, is a giant rock concert, computer game, art show and snow-and-skate competition rolled into one. It's like spending your vacation inside a music video.

"There are so many families who plan their annual vacations around this festival," says Lisa Richardson, a WSSF organizer who likens the annual festival to the CNE -- on steroids. "The concerts, the tents, the competitions, the free stuff -- there's such a huge degree of animation for a teenager. There's always something to look at."

New and teen-friendly at WSSF this season is the Park 'n' Fly Skate Jam, taking place in a Whistler underground garage on opening day, April 17. Skaters from up and down the West Coast are coming together to compete. Kids can bring along their own skateboards and jam with their idols.

A Skate of the Art party that night -- open to all ages -- will feature skate art and photos. It's open until midnight, and like many WSSF events, admission is free.

Also new to the fest and kid-friendly this year are the Grenade Games, April 20-26. This snowboarding event includes a superpipe competition, a poker run, skate sessions, a dual slalom moguls event and a slopestyle and monster air competition.

Says Richardson: "The Grenade Games redefines the snowboard contest in a way that will leave the International Olympic Committee shaking its head."

Returning to Whistler for the festival is the annual Orage Masters, April 19. Known in the ski world as the "Anti Comp," it combines a slopestyle contest with a team-based free-for-all approach, and features top freeride athletes skiing in biker outfits, Viking drag and Star Wars costumes.

This is an on-hill daytime event that's free -- all teens need is a lift ticket. Kids can spend some time watching the athletes compete, then head out to practice new moves in a nearby terrain park. A Jib Zone has been specially crafted at Whistler for the event; athletes are competing for $25,000 in prizes.

The free Zune Concert Series runs outdoors on Whistler's mainstage throughout the festival. Big name acts have just been announced, including Ozomatli, Ten Second Epic, Thornley, Lotus, The Arkells, The Stills, Metric, DJ Z Trip and 54-40.

The series is also attempting to establish itself as a springboard for emerging Canadian bands. There's a search on now for undiscovered talent with the Zune Concert Series Competition. Undiscovered bands can upload an original music track at zune.ca. The winner will play live at Whistler.

Zune is Microsoft's new alterative to Apple's iPod, and will be featured everywhere at the Whistler festival. Kids can try them out in tents that line Whistler's walkways. Also on hand for free trials: Cellphones, cameras and computer games. Expect a huge presence from PlayStation.

For more information on the Telus World Ski and Snowboard Festival, including deals on accommodation and lift passes starting at $74 per person, visit wssf.com.

LORIKNOWLES.COM


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Greek ruins tell stories

DELPHI, Greece (AP) — I saw the news on a sunny spring day, traipsing through ruins where the Oracle held court, in a place once deemed the center of the Earth.

The report was dated by a couple of thousand years, carved in ancient Greek letters on a marble slab, filled with passages of the era’s noteworthy events. It was also an example of how the abundant remnants of the ancients still have relevance here in Greece, where vibrant modern life coexists casually with the past. Our journey included stops in the Bronze Age, the Golden Age, the eras of the Roman occupation and Byzantine influence, with side steps to the paths of the disciples of Jesus, and some of the wonders of the ancient world.

Traveling with my family on an organized tour, we started in Athens, where a third of the Greek population lives and works. The city spreads out below the Acropolis, which glows under lights by night for an awe-inspiring view from virtually anywhere in the city. (Building-height restrictions of 24 stories ensure its view will not be obstructed.)

We joined a crowd on the same stone pathway once traversed by throngs as part of an annual rite, known as the Panathenaic procession, to the site of the grandest of temples around 500 B.C.

We clambered past the ruins of the formal entrance, the Propylaia, and stood before the remains of the Parthenon, where a huge statue of the goddess Athena once stood. I was struck by how much of the edifice is still intact, although restoration is ongoing.

Nearby and also remarkably intact is the Erechtheion, famous for massive statues of women used as supporting pillars. Below the walls is Theatre of Herod Atticus, dating to A.D. 161 but now restored and in use.

From here, we followed the footsteps of Socrates through what was once the political center of Athens — the Agora. Notable is the fully restored, colonnaded Stoa of Attalos, which features a fine museum. While only 15 of the original columns remain, their sheer size shows that the Zeus temple at one time was larger than the Parthenon, and the largest in Greece.

Athens offers enough history to consume months or years of sightseeing, so these highlights are just a sample. But there’s so much more outside the city, not only in terms of history but also natural beauty. Marathon Plain, northeast of Athens, was the scene of the Athenians’ battle victory in 490 B.C. over the Persians. Beyond there, the traffic thins out as the road meanders past olive plantations, along the shimmering Gulf of Corinth and gradually into the highlands.

In Delphi, we were again following the footsteps of the ancients on the Sacred Way on the slopes of Mount Parnassos. The upward path brought us past the ruins of the temple of Apollo, dating back several hundred years B.C., and the excavated site of the Oracle, whose ambiguous incantations came at a price in sacrifices and donations. Still intact is the conical stone marking the mythological center of the Earth.

We passed the slab that served as a supporting wall and also a newspaper of the day, and on to a 2,500-year-old theater carved into the hillside. Above was a newer stadium, built by the Romans during their occupation and still remarkably intact. Like many excavated sites, this was cordoned off. But our next stop, Olympia, was not.

The route to the site of the first Olympics presented a constant contrast between the old and modern: A space-age cable-stay bridge carried us to Peloponnese, a peninsula on the other side of the canal at Corinth. At the foot of the bridge was a well-preserved fort dating to the days of the Crusades. Homes along the way, featuring traditional orange tiled roofs, also had rooftop hot-water heaters energized by the abundant sunshine.

And mountaintops once considered the realm of the gods are now the domain of a newer power — energy. Numerous wind farms have sprouted along high ridges that streak across the island.

Walking past the site of the Palestra in Olympia, a visitor can imagine contestants from the early games — they started here in 776 B.C. — practicing boxing and wrestling. In the center of what was essentially an Olympic village are the remains of yet another Temple of Zeus, its once-grand columns now scattered about the base. This is also the site of another ancient wonder, where the statue of Zeus once stood. We stood at the site of the ritual lighting of the Olympic flame, which even today is lit in the ancient way, using the sun’s rays and a mirror, and then under the vaulted arch leading to the stadium, which even by the ancients’ standards is quite simple.

A bowl carved into the earth and nearby hillsides provided room for thousands of spectators. And the field where the early races were held is open. We were among the visitors who could not help but try a quick dash across the hard-packed dirt.

Moving even farther back in time, to the 1,700-1,100 B.C. late Bronze Age, we were guided by our driver, Pericles, eastward through Arkadian Mountain passes to Mycenae. While much of its fortified palace atop a citadel lies in ruins, some of its features remain intact, such as the 46-foot-thick stone wall to warn off invaders. They are so immense that even Greeks in later centuries believed they must have built by giants; that’s why they are known as “Cyclopean” walls.

Visitors can walk to a corner of the citadel and enter a dark opening where 99 steps lead to a cistern that provided water to the hilltop city. Bring a flashlight and watch your step.

Nearby, we entered the conical stone tomb once thought to be that of Agamemnon, of Trojan War fame. It turns out to be that of Mycenaean King Atreus, who was laid to rest in Egyptian fashion in his underground tomb. No need for a flashlight here; a golden shaft of sunlight provides all the illumination needed to behold this “Beehive Tomb.”

Moving east from Mycenae, a 21st century traveler can literally step to the center stage of the fourth century B.C. at Epidavros, site of the well-preserved outdoor theater that seated 14,000 — and still does for special presentations. Visitors from Spain, Germany, Russia and elsewhere took turns standing at the stage to sing songs, recite poetry or just speak out to their compatriots sitting high in the semicircular structure. Their words and melodies could be heard in the top tiers.

Past the seaport of Nafplion, a former capital of Greece, we stopped for coffee at the edge of the Corinth Canal, a deep gorge that connects the Ionian and Aegean seas in a region where St. Paul preached to the early Christians. (You can briefly catapult back to modernity at the canal, where a bungy-jumping business offers thrill leaps from a bridge.)

A visit to Greece is incomplete without touring at least some of the islands. From Piraeus, we sailed to Mykonos, in the Aegean’s Cyclades islands. Rough April seas prevented us from going ashore. But the seas had calmed by the time we berthed in Rhodes.

Here, the Colossus of Rhodes overlooked the entry of ancient visitors until it was claimed by an earthquake in 227 B.C. While the Colossus is gone, the castle built by the Knights of St. John during the Crusades retains much of its original magnificence. Visitors today roam the inner side of the ramparts, where scores of shops and restaurants line the meandering walkways.

If you’re looking for a break from sightseeing for some beach time, Elli Beach is a short and pleasant walk from the harbor, just past the casino. Like most beaches, it has pebbles. For a sandy beach, it’s a cab ride (about $20 or 15 euros) to touristy Faliraki, which attracts a rowdy young crowd in the summer.

Our cruise took us on to the tiny island of Patmos, marked by its gleaming white homes below the 11th century Monastery of St. John, a mountaintop bastion known for its collection of books, some dating to the sixth century. Visitors can enter the cavern where St. John composed the last book of the New Testament, Revelations. The vista of the town below and Aegean Sea is nothing less than spectacular.

Our visit coincided with the Greek Orthodox Easter. We watched in the village as a couple of local men carried a lamb on a spit to a home where a roasting pit awaited and the traditional feast would soon begin.

The holiest day was rung in with great celebration the previous night. I watched from the deck of our ship as fireworks lit the harbor, flares rose, horns blared, ship whistles sang out and church bells pealed. Then I caught a glimpse of a somewhat familiar custom, with a twist: A woman on deck handing an officer two red-dyed eggs.

———

GREECE NATIONAL TOURISM ORGANIZATION: Link to archaeological sites: http://www.gnto.gr/pages.php?pageID758&langID2. Greek tourism office in U.S.: 212-421-5777.


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Nordic exposure

ABOARD MS POLARLYS -- Cruise ship passengers who cross the Arctic Circle regularly receive a chilly reception from King Neptune.

But even knowing this, many volunteered to meet him during my first visit to Norway.

The grizzled Roman god of the sea -- called Poseiden in ancient Greece but in our case waiter Patrick Palm -- certainly bore no malice.

Indeed, after each passenger's neck got a splash of cold water, Norwegian crawberry wine soon took any shiver out of their timbers.

"That was fun," Luila Neerman, travelling with husband Ulrik, a plumber from Denmark, enthused after the baptism ceremony on the Norwegian Sea aboard our magnificent 12,000-tonne vessel.

Built in 1996, the seven-deck, 123-metre white-hulled ship -- whose name means "Northern Lights" -- is one of 14 Hurtigruten liners, explained Nils Urban Eriksson, the genial, knowledgeable cruise director and artist.

The more than 120-year-old firm's ships ply the breathtaking fjord-and waterfall-lined Atlantic Ocean coast between Bergen and the most northern town of Kirkenes, near Russia.

The liners carry cruise and daily passengers, mail and cargo and stop at 34 ports.

Eriksson said settlements date back 12,000 years and one of the oldest peoples, the Sami -- reindeer herders once called Laplanders -- emigrated from Asia.

Early Norse ventured forth in open boats. Ocean-going traditions continue, but roads and railways now link many communities, including Oslo.

Norway's largest city, the capital offers superb walking, with wide streets, a port for ferries, train service directly to the airport and numerous parks. Cultural centres include the city hall, where the Nobel Peace Prize is awarded each December, the royal palace and a new Opera House.

Unlike ships that sail to sun destinations, Hurtigruten cruises offer a relaxing experience for people who can afford the time and seek their own amusements.

Polarlys can carry 737 day or cruise passengers and 35 cars, with 479 cabins for seven-or 12-day voyages plus lounges. There is fine dining and a 24-hour cafe on the fourth deck, which also has a children's playroom, satellite TV, an Internet room, plus a large bar-lounge with after-dinner entertainment which, in our case, was provided by singer Sylvia Krasteva and her musician-singer partner Yassen Gerassimov, from Bulgaria via Morocco.

On northern and southern voyages, passengers can disembark at several ports and see the sights, adding to the enjoyment of this "Land of the Midnight Sun."

At Alesund, guide Maaike Van Dijk took us on a walk through the colourful town which -- like many in Norway -- was ravaged by fire. Most of the city of 41,385 was rebuilt with concrete after the Jan. 23, 1904, inferno. Buildings in Art Nouveau style, cobblestone streets, cafes and shops provide ample, attractive venues.

Many passengers enjoyed sitting in Polarlys' panoramic bow lounge on deck seven. Some travellers relaxed, happy to sink deep into comfy stuffed chairs when the seas swelled, making walking a challenge.

It was here that Odd Erik Bostrom, a retired cruise ship courier from Bergen, offered us the history and family lore that brought him and a female companion to the northern region.

Bostrom's grandfather came from Lofoten, islands with a breathtaking landscape -- sheltered coves and beaches surrounded by 160 km of mountains, where Orca whales visit in summer.

"This is the most important area of Norway," Bostrom said, describing centuries of cod fishing as "the backbone of the economy."

Built around 870 AD, the first homes replaced overturned boats fisherman shivered under for shelter, he said. Once-a-day dining -- "the most healthy meal you can eat," but with little appeal today -- was on cod, cod livers, cod roe and potatoes.

Bostrom said "Norway was a poor country, but they could export fish. They transported their catches to Bergen, the only city where the king allowed export shipments."

There were once 40,000 fishermen, he said. Since 1946, however, the industry declined to about 3,500.

Norway's economy grew after World War II, and today it ranks among the wealthiest, most peaceful and educated nations. The fourth-largest oil exporter -- mostly from the North Sea -- also has rich natural gas, hydropower, fish, forest and mineral resources.

The land of Dale Rosten's ancestors also attracted the General Mills cereal quality manager and his wife Kimberlee from Minnesota.

"Grandfather was from a mining town near the Swedish border," Rosten said, "Grandmother was an 'uplander'. "

We met as our ship slowly sailed past the breathtaking scenery I often spent hours admiring -- from grey-black, often barren rocks jutting from the ocean to wooden homes, barns and occasional lighthouses that cling to the sometimes tree-lined shores.

Rosten believes his forebearers passed through Trondheim, a Norwegian centre of education, technical and medical research with almost 167,000 inhabitants.

Another good walking city, Trondheim's magnificent Nidaros Cathedral is the only one in Norway of Gothic style and was built over the grave of St. Olav, its patron saint. There is also the large Olavshallen Concert Hall; wide streets and colourful multi-level 1700s wooden riverside buildings.

Warmed by the Gulf Stream, Tromso is also well-worth exploring.

With no sun for two winter months and total sunlight for four months, guide Jan Heuer said the two-island city of 65,000 residents boasts several "northernmost" world sites, including a university, botanical gardens, brewery, cathedral and Burger King.

One of the highlights is the Polaria Aquarium, where three 250-kg northern "bearded" seals put on a show and I had a chance meeting with Arne Berge, a 1952 graduate of Concordia University in Montreal and former president of the Norwegian-Canadian Association.

At Norway's most northern point lies North Cape, which offers breathtaking views popular with hikers and tourists. Beside its 307-metre high plateau and a cliffside building that houses a cafe, shops and a theatre is an international peace monument designed by seven children brought from around the world in 1988.

When we disembarked at Kirkennes the next day, several members of the crew came to bid us farewell.

In addition to a warm, friendly atmosphere on MS Polarlys and ashore, the voyage of a lifetime could only end with us saying "Tausend Tak" -- a thousand thanks.

---

BOTTOM LINE

CRUISE TIPS

- Hurtigruten's peak cruise season is summer, but even fall and winter voyages attract visitors, many hoping to see the Northern Lights, which offer a light show ranging from soft greyish white to brilliant greens.

- En route with Icelandair, we saved time clearing passport control for Norway at the airport in Reykjavik, Iceland.

BOOKING

Hurtigruten offers many itineraries and discounts for early bookings, etc. For instance, after a current early booking bonus, a southbound six-day cruise from Kirkenes to Bergen starts at $749; a seven-day northbound Bergen to Kirkenes cruise starts at $949; a 12-day round trip voyage starts at $1,359. Cruise fares are per person based on double occupancy in an inside cabin during low season. Fares include all cruise taxes and are in Canadian dollars. Some restrictions apply. The company's most popular cruise sails north from Bergen for a 12-night round-trip voyage.

- For more on Hurtigruten's cruises, contact GLP Worldwide Expedition Travel & Tours, 1211 Denison St., Unit 26, Markham, ON, L3R 4B3 or requests@hurtigruten.ca. On the web, visit hurtigruten.ca or call 905-489-1938, or toll-free 1-866-383-1110.


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Save your cash when calling home

Phoning home is a "must" when I'm on the road. E-mail is handy, but nothing is as reassuring as hearing my wife's voice at the other end of the line.

But long-distance calling can produce some unpleasant surprises.

A London reader says he was billed $31.63 on his Capital One MasterCard after using it for a pay phone call from Prague airport to Amsterdam that lasted "no longer than about one minute."

When he questioned the cost, the service provider told him that $31.63 was their basic international rate. Fortunately, the reader was a first-time user of the service so they reversed the charges.

Wherever possible, I use a Bell Canada Calling Card to phone home. Here's how it works: From my hotel room, you dial 9 to obtain an outside line. Then you dial a toll-free number, which varies depending on what country you're calling from, to reach Bell Canada. Finally you punch in a PIN number that includes the digits of your home telephone number, then the number you are calling.

You can phone Canada from more than 130 countries and be billed in Canadian dollars. You can call from one foreign country to another, too, but Bell warns that rates are "premium priced."

You can still get tripped up by stiff hotel connection fees.

Last spring, I phoned home from Holland. At checkout, I was handed a bill for 9 euros (about $15). When I protested, the clerk explained that the hotel charges 1 euro per minute even for local calls. (Bell Canada, by the way, only charged me $10 for the actual long-distance call).

Travelling in Switzerland a few months later, I took the precaution of checking with hotel reception first about their fees for making a local call. It was only a few cents per minute. (Bell's charge for my six-minute call was $8.21).

One way to beat hotel connection fees is to buy prepaid calling cards that give you a set amount of time for a set price.

When I visited the Caribbean island of Curacao, a sign in my room warned that long-distance calls were expensive. I noticed a public telephone in the lobby and asked a hotel employee if I could use it. I could if I had a prepaid card, he replied, and pointed to the gift shop.

The card I bought cost less than $6 and was good for 20 minutes. It still had some time left when I was ready to leave so I gave it to another guest who was staying longer.

Be wary of using pay phones in Caribbean and Mexican resort areas plastered with signs offering long-distance service to the U.S. and Canada. They may redirect your call to an alternate provider who will ask for your credit card number. Aside from the obvious danger of giving a stranger in a strange country such information, who knows how much the call itself will cost?

MAIL CAN BE SENT TO DOUG ENGLISH, C/O LONDON FREE PRESS, P.O. BOX 2280, LONDON, ONT. N6A 4G1; FAXES TO 519-672-1824.


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Top 10 billionaire cities

New York City has regained its title as the billionaire capital of the world.

After losing out to Moscow last year, New York is once again the primary residence of more billionaires than anywhere else on Earth. And that's after it lost more than a fifth of its billionaires.

Last year the Big Apple had 71 billionaires within its borders. Today there are 55.

Since the collapse of Lehman Brothers last September, chaos on Wall Street has wreaked havoc on the fortunes of New York's financiers. Private equity billionaire Stephen Schwarzman has lost $4 billion in the past year. KKR's Henry Kravis is down $2.5 billion.

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Maurice (Hank) Greenberg lost his billionaire status as his fortune was wiped out amid the demise of AIG. Worth $1.9 billion last year, he has a net worth of less than $100 million today. Also gone from our list of the World's Billionaires is former Citigroup Chairman Sandy Weill. His Citi shares have lost nearly all of their value.

Other notable New York residents who have lost significant wealth: News Corp. Chairman Rupert Murdoch, shareholder activist Carl Icahn and real estate titan Donald Trump.

New York's richest resident, Mayor Michael Bloomberg, actually saw his net worth rise. Gotham's chief executive bought back a 20% stake in his financial data and news firm, Bloomberg LP, last year from Merrill Lynch, revaluing the company at a much higher price. Today he is worth $16 billion.

Moscow fared far worse. Last year, the Russian capital claimed 74 billionaires. Two-thirds of those are now gone. Today Moscow has only 27 billionaires.

Causing the carnage: plunging oil, real estate and commodity prices, plus a decline in the value of the Russian ruble against the U.S. dollar. Among the drop-offs is Dmitry Pumpyansky, an industrialist from the resource-rich Ural mountain region, who lost $5 billion as shares of his pipe producer, TMK, sank 84%.

Moscow is still home to Russia's richest man, metals mogul Mikhail Prokhorov, worth $9.5 billion.

Rounding out the top three billionaire cities is London, taking second place with 28 billionaires. London continues to attract the wealthy from other countries, like Indian citizen and steel magnate Lakshmi Mittal, Russian oil and chemicals tycoon Leonard Blavatnik and Dutch Heineken heiress Charlene de Carvalho-Heineken.

Hong Kong retains its title as the most popular city for Asian billionaires, with 21 living in the former British colony. Its richest resident is Li Ka-shing, head of Hutchison Whampoa and Cheung Kong Holdings, the 16th richest man in the world with a $16.2 billion fortune.

Other notable Hong Kong residents are Henderson Development Chairman Lee Shau Kee and the Kwok family. The Kwoks are behind one of Hong Kong's most storied real estate firms, Sun Hung Kai Properties.

There are two new locales in our list of the top 10 billionaire cities: Chicago and São Paulo, Brazil, which tied for ninth place with Mumbai and Tokyo. Each of those cities has 10 billionaires in residence.

São Paulo is the only South American city in the top 10. Nearly 11 million people live in the teeming metropolis, including Joseph Safra, head of Banco Safra and Dorothea Steinbruch, who controls one of Brazil's largest steelmakers, Companhia Siderurgica Nacional.

The U.S. has more cities in the top 10 than any other country: New York, Chicago, San Francisco, Dallas and Los Angeles.

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Smartest city in Canada

Kingston, ON — Folks here sure are smart.

Residents in this waterfront city outsmart the rest of Canada, with more PhD

holders per capita than any other major Canadian city, according to Statistics Canada figures and some number crunching by Sun Media.

In a city of 152,360 people, 2,545 hold earned doctorates — that means 1.67% of the population holds a PhD and the prefix Dr. to their name, triple the national average of 0.56%.

News that his native city is home to some of the country's most accomplished brainiacs came as no surprise to Kevin Parker, the director of the psychology clinic at Queen's University and a PhD holder himself.

"Kingston is rich in terms of research work with a disproportionate number of knowledge-based industries," Parker said. "It's got a big city feel, but is a relatively small university town."

Indeed, Canada's first capital city, has been called the country's "smartest workforce" for supporting global research centres such Dupont, Bombardier and Invista, a producer of synthetic fibres such as lycra.

The city also boasts a premiere university, Queen's, as well as the Royal Military College, points out Jeff Garrah, chief executive of the Kingston Economic Development Corp.

"There's a direct relationship between the high percentage of PhDs and the presence of global technology centres," he said.

The ability to attain a doctorate degree is directly related to a person's IQ, says Barry Schmidl, president of Mensa Canada, an exclusive group for people who score in the top 2% of intelligence tests.

Generally, PhD holders score an average of 120-125 on IQ tests, while the average Joe's IQ is around 100.

"There are more people with university degrees in Mensa than in the general population," he said from Dartmouth, N.S. "They're likely to be in school longer because school is easier. Among all the PhD holders in Kingston you'll find a lot of people who would qualify for Mensa."

Incidentally, Mensa Canada's national headquarters is based in Kingston, but Schmidl said that's just a coincidence.

While he doesn't have a PhD, Craig Meeds, 31, is a chartered financial analyst with TD Waterhouse in Kingston, and a Mensa proctor in the city who helps administer tests. Writing the qualifying exam is a way to confirm suspicions or challenge yourself, Meeds said, as "everyone who writes the test thinks they're smart enough to write."

Mensa represents a cross-section of society that includes real estate lawyers, doctors, prison guards and mechanics, and is stratified into even higher echelons of intelligence, Meeds said, not unlike Kingston itself.

"The people I meet are doctors, engineers, lawyers and entrepreneurs. It's an amazing city in its diversity in human capital. Chances are that just about anyone you meet has an interesting career path," he said.

IQ tests measure a person's capacity to learn, process, and reason, and aren't knowledge-based.

And while high IQ scores means a person may be a fast learner, that doesn't guarantee life success.

Malcolm Gladwell's bestselling novel, Outliers, for instance, features Christopher Langan, said to be the world's smartest man with an IQ registered at 200, smarter than Albert Einstein and physicist Stephen Hawking.

Despite his stratospheric brainpower, Langan has worked mostly labour-intensive jobs and for 20 years was a part-time bouncer in Long Island.

"Having a high IQ gives you an inherent advantage over someone else who's not Mensa material, but it won't make or break your chances of success," Meeds said."A high IQ is a gift, but not enough to make you succeed or not."

Method: Sun Media used the latest 2006 population census numbers and 2008

educational attainment figures for the story. Only Census Metropolitan Areas

were used.

SIDEBAR: Smarts of another kind.

In a 2001 Hill Strategies study, the hamlet of Cape Dorset, Nunavut, was singled out as the most creative municipality, where 23% of the labour force worked in the arts, almost 30 times the national average of 0.8%.

Occupations include actors, musicians, artists, dancers, writers and filmmakers.

Carving and printmaking are listed as major economic activities in the town.

Meanwhile, Montreal's plateau area was named the most creative neighbourhood, with 605 artists out of 7,560 workers for an artistic concentration of 8%.

Creative communities attract people, businesses and contribute to economic growth, said Elizabeth Keurvorst of the Creative City Network of Canada.

"Producing artists is important but keeping them is also important," she said, noting at a minimum cities should have performance, exhibition, and work spaces. "It's important to be surrounded by like-minded people but if you can't afford to live there, they'll leave."

SIDEBAR:

Top 5 smartest cities in Canada's, measured by PhDs per capita

1 Kingston, Ont. 1.67%

2 Guelph, Ont. 1.4%

3 Victoria, B.C. 1.27%

4 Ottawa-Gatineau, Ont. 1.22%

5 Saskatoon, Sask. 1.05%

Least PhDs per capital

1 Barrie, Ont. 0.15%

2 Oshawa, Ont. 0.20%

3 Brantford, Ont. 0.22%

4 Saint John, N.B 0.24%

5 Abbotsford, B.C. 0.28%


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Magic musts

In these turbulent economic times, a trip to Walt Disney World is probably the first luxury to get chopped from the family budget. The Disney folks know this, and while they haven't cited the global recession as a catalyst, they're currently offering some unprecedented deals on vacations.

Guests who book a four-day Walt Disney World package for stays between March 17 and April 4, or April 19 and Aug. 15, of this year get three extra nights of hotel accommodations for free, along with three additional days of theme park passes.

As an extra perk, vacationers who travel between March 17 and March 29 will get a free $200 US Disney Gift Card, good for most shops and restaurants in the parks and resorts.

It's a sweet deal to be sure -- a one-week Walt Disney World visit can be had for as little as $1,271 US for a family of four -- but the offer's only good until March 29. Check out disneyworld.ca/3free for more details.

Seven days might sound like a lot of time at Walt Disney World, but you absolutely need to spend at least a day in each theme park to hit all the must-see rides, shows and shopping. Here are my personal can't-miss picks for each park:

Magic Kingdom -- You can't visit Magic Kingdom without doing the trifecta of mountain rides -- Space Mountain, Splash Mountain and Big Thunder Mountain Railroad. Each is a classic.

Disney's Animal Kingdom -- The Expedition Everest roller coaster is always a guaranteed thrill. If you ask nicely, they'll let you sit at the front. And for this one, you really do want to.

Epcot -- Mission: SPACE is awesome, but the world pavilions remain my fave. The massive store in the Japanese pavilion has a bigger selection of Hello Kitty merchandise than just about anywhere in Tokyo.

Disney's Hollywood Studios -- With all due respect to the Rock N' Roller Coaster and the Twilight Zone Tower of Terror, Toy Story Midway Mania is a stupendously fun 3-D take on carnival games.


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Shaking up tradition

EDINBURGH, Scotland -- At a ball, wedding or funeral, a parade, clan "gathering" or even a ceilidh, Scotsmen are often dressed to kilt.

During a recent return visit to my ancestor's homeland, I couldn't resist dropping into the best-known kiltmaker in the capital.

Near stone walls embedded with cannonballs left by Oliver Cromwell's gunners during the capture in 1650, Howie Nicholsby's 21st Century Kilts (TFCK) carries on a three-generation tradition -- with an added difference.

The first hint is a poster of action film star Vin Diesel wearing a leather one.

Inside, Tom Johansmeyer, a travel-writing companion from New York, donned an army camouflage kilt.

Off-kilter, perhaps, but the owner has fans for such "man-skirts" of many colours and styles.

Working at his dad's Geoffrey (Tailor) Highland Crafts Ltd., Nicholsby, 30, became bored with tradition and whipped up a silver-coloured PVC-snakeskin kilt in 1996.

"When I first started wearing it, people thought it was a medieval outfit," he said. "They thought it was made of metal."

Celebrities began calling after his mod designs were a hit at London Men's Fashion Week 1999.

Nicholsby says they project younger, funkier images of Scotland, not tied to traditional family or clan tartans.

The shorter kilts also exude manly sexuality, he said, adding his fashion-designer girlfriend and customers including Sir Elton John, Madonna and David Beckham, agree.

Mod versions may draw taunts, but Nicholsby says "people will respect a man who has individual style."

Brought to Scotland by Vikings, he says kilts were never for women.

Nicholsby and other craftsmen are lobbying the government to prevent cheap imports -- widely displayed in tourist areas priced as low as $60 -- from being called "kilts," saying they sully the good centuries-old name.

With at least three metres of material, Nicholsby's kilts range from $550 -- Johansmeyer's "Desert Storm" included -- to $850, leather $2,500. Deep front pockets and car seatbelt buckles are extra.

Hand-sewing takes about six weeks, but Nicholsby said "if somebody was visiting from Canada or the States for about two weeks, we could probably get one finished before they leave. A jacket or doublet takes longer.

So did Johansmeyer dress traditionally "commando" style? Or did he wear briefs under his kilt?

"You could call me a true Scot," he said, grinning.

And what was beneath Nicholsby's kilt?

"Shoes and socks."

---

MORE INFO

TFCK is at 61 The High St., Royal Mile, Edinburgh EH1 1SR. For information about ordering kilts, check the website: 21stcenturykilts.com. For tourism information, check visitscotland.com.


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All San Francisco has to offer

SAN FRANCISCO - The original '49ers came armed with pickaxes but it's possible to mine the pleasures of the City by the Bay without striking gold.

Jump aboard a ferry or streetcar for a cheap tour of San Francisco's scenic splendour, grab a burrito from a Mission District taqueria and catch a glimpse of wild life, from the sea lions barking away at Fisherman's Wharf to the two-legged denizens of the Haight Ashbury District.

Getting around: A seven-day adult pass for San Francisco municipal transit including cable cars is US$24.

For $59 you can buy a City Pass that also includes a ride on the Blue & Gold fleet and entrance to a number of museums, including the California Academy of Sciences in Golden Gate Park (famous for a 2.5 acre living roof). http://www.citypass.com/price/sanfrancisco.html.

Free guides and maps are available at the Visitor Information Center of the San Francisco Convention & Visitors Bureau (SFCVB) - http://www.onlyinsanfrancisco.com/ - located at the cable car turnabout at the foot of Market and Powell streets. The centre also has information on free walking tours of the city. For more info go to http://www.sfcityguides.org.

Famous places: If you're going to San Francisco you may or may not want to wear some flowers in your hair but you will definitely want to put comfy shoes on your feet, as a lot of the city is best seen by foot.

Walk the winding outlines of Lombard Street between Hyde and Leavenworth and appreciate its steep curves.

Take a daytime stroll in the green oasis of Golden Gate Park or amble along the kitschy but still entertaining Fisherman's Wharf. At Pier 39, sea lions bark for free and a few blocks away, at Pier 45, the Musee Mecanique - http://www.museemecaniquesf.com/ - offers old-time thrills with an antique arcade that includes famous Laughing Sal; fork over 50 cents to hear her creepy cackle. Ghirardelli Square on the west side of the wharf at Beach and Larkin streets has a collection of shops, restaurants, an ice cream shop and two wineries.

From the wharf you can take SF Muni Route 30 and transfer to Route 28 at Laguna & Chestnut to reach the southern end of the Golden Gate Bridge, where you can snap pictures and walk across if you're feeling spry.

Sightsee like it's 1967 with a visit to the Haight Ashbury District and poke through the area's eclectic mix of head shops, boutiques, second-hand clothing stores, cafes - and more head shops.

For a foggy interlude visit Ocean Beach and stroll the wide sands or trace the outlines of the ruined remnants of the Sutro Baths, an old pleasure ground. (And do remember to bring long pants and a warm jacket for your visit - yes, even in high summer.) The restored Cliff House, 1090 Point Lobos Ave., offers a variety of options from an upscale dinner at Sutro's to more casual fare at the Bistro or a drink at the bar.

Turn over a new leaf at City Lights Books, the independent bookstore co-founded in 1953 by poet Lawrence Ferlinghetti, 261 Columbus Ave., http://www.citylights.com/.

Visit the Ferry Building at the foot of Market Street and admire the produce on display on the Tuesday and Saturday farmers market, http://www.ferrybuildingmarketplace.com/. You can pick up a hefty burger from Taylor's Refresher and, weather permitting, eat it on the picnic benches outside, watching the ferries come in and out.

Chinatown starts with an elaborately decorated gateway on Grant Avenue and unrolls from there, a dense and bustling neighbourhood threaded with tiny alleys.

Cheap eats: Get some java with a kick at the Buena Vista Cafe near Fisherman's Wharf, said to be the home of the original Irish coffee, 2765 Hyde St.

Pick up a slice of pizza in North Beach, or a burrito from one of the many taquerias on 24th Street in the Mission district. Eat potstickers in Chinatown or get some takeaway crab and sourdough (or clam chowder in a bread bowl) from Fisherman's Wharf. Another al fresco option is to stop at the deli at the Marina Safeway, 15 Marina, and picnic across the street on the grassy expanse of Marina Green.

For a high-low experience, window shop the boutiques of Union Square in downtown San Francisco and then pick up a latte at the Emporio Rulli right on the square. Go ahead, have a pastry, too, it's a well-known fact calories consumed on vacation don't count.

And besides, you'll be doing all that walking.


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Honky-tonk holiday

NASHVILLE, TENN. -- There is no beach. No theme park. No casinos.

No Super Bowl. No Mardi Gras. No World Cup.

Nashville is the city that tore down its theme park to build a (gasp) shopping mall.

Yet this central-Tennessee city, famous worldwide for its records and rhinestones, is a worthy destination for tourists pinching pennies -- recession or not.

There's plenty of free music plus educational and cultural attractions to fill up a few days without lightening the wallet. You can stay, eat and be entertained at less cost than in many comparable cities.

"We look at it as a value destination," said Butch Spyridon, president of the Nashville Convention & Visitors Bureau. "You can have an instant vacation at minimum expense."

'FIDDLES AND FRINGE'

Nashville has built much of its reputation on fiddles and fringe, marketing itself as "Music City USA."

So check out the cluster of a dozen or so honky-tonks along a three-block stretch of downtown Nashville near the Cumberland River. The beer is cold, the music is loud and the admission is free. The joints stand together like sturdy soldiers in formation, awaiting the jean-clad, cowboy-hat wearing patrons with well-worn boots on their feet and anticipation in their throats.

Just walk in, find a table (if there is one), order a brew and have a good time. The only concession to revenue is a tip jar passed around periodically. The especially savvy bars leave it near the door to signal customers coming or going.

"It's an experience that can't be duplicated anywhere else," Spyridon said.

These aren't just a collection of bars run by fly-by-night rubes. Most have been in business several years. Tootsie's, one of them, even has a public relations firm.

"You get to partying, and pretty soon you're dancing on the bar," Steve Smith, Tootsie's owner, said in describing a typical visit.

The most upscale of the businesses is the Wildhorse Saloon, though its website doesn't describe it as a honky-tonk. It's referred to as "a mecca of entertainment."

It has three levels, 6,131 square metres and has sold around 10 million bottles of beer since opening in 1994.

It's $4 to $8 US to get in and there are three dance instructors on staff giving free lessons nightly, except for Monday when the club is closed -- possibly to give all involved a chance to recover. Beer specials at the honky-tonks are as little as $2.50.

At a Nashville shrine, in the heart of the downtown entertainment district, you can request your favourite country song and hear it from a friendly guitarist -- for free.

David Andersen performs daily at the Country Music Hall of Fame and Museum, strolling throughout the atrium before patrons pay their $17.95 to enter the museum area.

On his guitar, he'll play just about anything you want to hear: You Are My Sunshine, I Can't Help Falling in Love, Spanish Eyes.

MET 1 MILLION

Andersen will politely ask you to sign his journal -- and it's helped him keep track of the people he's met. He claims it's more than 1 million.

"I just really enjoy playing these songs and meeting so many people," he said.

Tickets for the Grand Ole Opry, Nashville's legendary country music show, are $38 to $53 for around 2 1/2 hours of performances.

For nightowls, the Ernest Tubb Midnite Jamboree is held every Saturday night (actually early Sunday mornings) at a theatre near the Grand Ole Opry House northeast of downtown. Entertainment is free with performers like Michael Martin Murphey, Charlie Louvin and Jack Greene.


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America's most visited museums

Attendance at the Smithsonian's Air and Space Museum rocketed to 7 million in 2008—an increase of two million since our last report. The home of the Wright brothers’ 1903 Flyer, the Apollo 11 command module, and a fleet of other airborne wonders touched down in a tie for first place on the Forbes Traveler’s most-visited museum list.

In fact, the Smithsonian’s overall headcount was up two million compared with the 2006 numbers, for a grand total of 25.2 million visits. The vast and diverse collection of institutions in Washington, D.C. are perennial visitor favorites.

See our slideshow of 25 Most Visited Museums.

As the economic downturn set in last year, it may have helped that the Smithsonian's admission was free. But elsewhere, attendance largely kept pace with previous years' numbers.

"High gas prices in 2008 may have had some impact, but overall our attendance was a bit higher than we had projected," said Nancy O'Shea, Public Relations Director at Chicago's Field Museum, which welcomed nearly 1.4 million visitors last year.

Douglass McDonald, president and CEO of the Cincinnati Museum Center, said his institution "continues to see strong attendance figures, even in difficult economic times... In 2008, CMC hosted the highest attended exhibit in the city’s history: Bodies... The Exhibition brought in 315,000 visitors.” (The Cincinnati Museum Center's total 2008 attendance was more than 1.3 million.)

While special exhibits can act as visitor magnets, sometimes the buildings that house world-class collections can attract more interest than the contents within. “We call it the Bilbao effect,” says Jason Hall, the director of government and media relations for The American Association of Museums, referring to the Frank Gehry-designed Guggenheim in Bilbao, Spain, which “everybody concedes has had an effect in turning around fortunes in that city.”

See our slideshow of 25 Most Visited Museums.

“More and more,” Hall explains, “museums seem to be hiring an international name architect or architectural firm that promises to do some innovative design for a new building.”

Indeed, our top-25 tally is stocked with renovated facades and star-architect attractions, from the de Young Museum in San Francisco and the renewed MoMA in Manhattan, to Washington, D.C.’s Holocaust MemorialMuseum, designed by I.M. Pei and his partners.

Science museums make a particularly strong showing on the Forbes Traveler 25. Some of these sprawling complexes have the look and feel of theme parks. Like children’s museums, they tend to feature hands-on exhibits geared to kids and their families.

Janet Rice Elman, the Executive Director for the Association of Children's Museums, says she’s seen children’s museum attendance grow over the years, and she adds that many youth-oriented museums have recently shifted their focus to younger children (infant to 8 years old). “Most children’s museum have spaces dedicated to early childhood audiences, and the new trend is to have multiple early-childhood spaces and exhibits,” she explains.

To find out which art, science and history collections drew the highest number of exhibit-gazers, young and old, explore our slideshow of America’s most magnetic museums.



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Obama food tour of Hawaii

HONOLULU — President Barack Obama doesn’t need a restaurant guide when he visits Hawaii.

When the island icon comes home to visit family and vacation, he knows exactly where and what to eat. His favourites range from Hawaii’s top fine-dining establishments to walk-up windows where US$10 could buy a carb-rich feast.

Michelle Obama once said, “You can’t really understand Barack until you understand Hawaii.”

And there’s no way to truly experience Hawaii without tasting the local “grinds.”

During his past two visits to Honolulu, where he was born and raised, Obama provided a glimpse of what pleases his presidential palate. While he has undoubtedly become a fan of Chicago fare, he didn’t experience deep-dish pizzas or Italian beef sandwiches growing up.

The closest young Obama got to snow was slurping a Hawaiian shave ice.

“I’m going to get a plate lunch,” Obama proclaimed, moments after arriving in Honolulu on his August vacation.

The name “plate lunch” doesn’t quite do it justice. It should be called: Heaping pile of rice and meat crammed into a plastic foam container that could feed a small family, costs about $6, will require a couple of Rolaids and induce a two-hour nap.

And if there’s nothing on the plate that’s deep fried, soaked in mayonnaise, smothered in gravy or doubles your bad cholesterol level, it’s not a true plate lunch.

That could account for why the health-conscious president we see now was pleasantly plump during his childhood when he was known as “Barry.”

Plate lunches have been a part of Hawaii for decades. They are believed to have originated in the 19th century plantation era, when sugarcane workers brought rice, pickled vegetables and other leftovers from dinner and took a lunch break together in the shade. Decades later, “lunch wagons” started delivering plate lunches to labourers, much like they do today.

Plate lunches reflect the state’s multicultural population, with Japanese, Korean, Chinese, Filipino, Hawaiian and American influences.

There are literally hundreds of combinations of plate lunches to choose from, and some places now offer gourmet selections and more healthy choices with brown rice and tossed salads, instead of the traditional white rice and macaroni salad.

Plate lunches are widely available from white lunch wagons parked around downtown and at many restaurants. The best spots don’t show up in tour books, but the locals prefer it that way, because the lines are already too long.

Besides plate lunches, island cuisine often focuses on fresh fish and vegetables grown locally with seasonings borrowed from across the Pacific Rim.

At one point during his last visit, Obama offered journalists a shave ice. Hawaii’s shave ice is a monster version of the snow cone, featuring fine-shaved powder with no icy chunks and a long list of tropical flavours.

“Guys, here’s your chance,” Obama said. “No? I’m telling you, this is really good.”

Here are some of the places President Obama eats when he’s in Hawaii, along with some of the eateries he spent time in growing up:

Indigo: 1121 Nuuanu Ave., Honolulu

Maya Soetoro-Ng, Obama’s sister, who lives in Honolulu, has said Indigo is one of her brother’s favourite spots. Indigo is a hotspot in Chinatown, popular with everyone from locals like Kelsey Grammer to Honolulu’s political and business power players.

This “island fusion” eatery features a fresh and eclectic menu by chef Glenn Chu that matches the urban, Eurasian decor.

Greg Johnson, Indigo’s vice president of operations, said when the Obamas visited in August, they started with the dim sum plate (US$14), which includes goat cheese won tons, lumpia-wrapped shrimp (similar to eggrolls) and duck mu shu rolls.

For dinner, they had one of the most popular items: toasted black mustard and pepper crusted ahi served rare with wasabi soy, sun dried tomato and olive tapenade ($36).

“We treated them just like any another guest,” Johnson said. “What I mean by that is, we made sure not to take pictures, or bother him or his guests and really just let them enjoy themselves.”

Other popular dishes are miso-marinated salmon ($22) and tandoori-style grilled chicken breast with mint pesto ($24).

———

Alan Wong’s: 1857 S. King St., Honolulu

Another Obama favourite is Alan Wong’s, according to his sister. The acclaimed restaurant is a leader in Hawaii Regional Cuisine, which is a fusion of flavours and foods from the islands’ many cultures, stressing local ingredients like seafood and produce.

Dinner entrees range from $27 to $52. Popular items include ginger-crusted onaga, a long-tail red snapper, and twice-cooked short rib.

———

Rainbow Drive-In: 3308 Kanaina Ave., Honolulu

Obama mentioned Rainbow as a possible stop to get his local plate lunch fix. It’s located just outside of Waikiki and popular with hungry surfers and locals looking for a quick, hearty and affordable meal.

Traditional plate lunch offerings include hamburger steak ($5.75). A mix plate comes with teriyaki-style beef, mahimahi and boneless chicken for $6.50.

The outdoor eatery hasn’t changed much since it was founded in 1961 by Seiju Ifuku, who learned to cook while during World War II while serving in the Army.

———

Zippy’s: 24 locations on Oahu, one on Maui

Obama also mentioned Zippy’s, one of the few diners open around the clock. It’s sort of like Hawaii’s version of Denny’s, a family restaurant serving breakfast, burgers and local favourites.

An institution for four decades, Zippy’s is best known for chili served with white rice or spaghetti. It’s a chili no Texan would love, but is beloved in the islands. It’s so ubiquitous in Hawaii that it is sold in local Pizza Huts and Taco Bells.

Obama mentioned the restaurant’s “Zip Min,” a bowl of noodle in hot broth with everything from won tons and vegetables to fish cake and sweet pork.

He isn’t the only president to have a penchant for Zippy’s. Bill Clinton and daughter Chelsea dined at the Zippy’s in Hawaii Kai in 1993. A year ago, Chelsea returned to the same Zippy’s while stumping for her mother.

———

Grace’s Inn: two locations in Honolulu

Alan Lum, Obama’s high school basketball teammate at Punahou, said a favourite spot was Grace’s. The team’s favourite dish was chicken katsu on top of a bed of chow fun noodles, two scoops of rice and a side of mac salad. Chicken katsu is a deep-fried, breaded chicken filet served with a side of sauce.

“I know Barack grinded at Grace’s!” Lum said in an e-mail.

———

Island Snow Shaved Ice: 130 Kailua Road, Kailua

Island Snow has served up cold, colourful concoctions to NBA athletes, rock stars, Michelle Pfeiffer, Jamie Lee Curtis. Even with its star-studded clientele, the super laid-back, surfer-type crew doesn’t bat an eye.

Until Obama walked in.

“It was nuts,” said Richard Whaley, who created the treat for the then-presidential candidate in August.

Whaley said Obama’s entourage seemed like it was 300 deep, including police, Secret Service, reporters, photographers, staffers, friends and about a dozen kids.

The shop has a framed copy of a widely distributed AP photo showing Obama sitting on a bench that day, eating shave ice with his daughters and other children.

“It’s the shave ice that went around the world,” Whaley said.

And things haven’t been the same since. Tourists have flocked to order the same shave ice Obama ordered and sit on the same bench. The store even sells Obama T-shirts now.

Obama had the regular-size cone ($2.50) with three flavours: “choo-choo cherry,” “da kine lemon-lime” and “tangy guava-orange.” The most popular item is the “Rainbow” — strawberry, vanilla and banana.

———

Chowder House: 1050 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu

A sign in the window of the Chowder House says he ate there as a U.S. senator and often as a student. The low-key restaurant’s menu ranges from fried seafood to sandwiches for about $10. But it’s best known for clam chowder in sourdough bread bowls ($8). So what did Obama eat?

“Cheeseburgers,” said the waiter.

———

Sakura Restaurant: 41-1801 Kalanianaole Hwy., Waimanalo

Sakura is located on the top level of the clubhouse of Olomana Golf Links.

Manager Jun Tsuchiya said Obama and his friends usually order pupus (appetizers) after a round of golf. They have shared the ahi poke ($10.95), fried gyoza ($6.95) and the 12-ounce ribeye steak ($15.25). Ahi poke, a popular isle appetizer, is raw tuna cut into cubes, marinated with soy sauce, sesame oil, green onions and other ingredients.

Tsuchiya even has an autograph from Obama that reads, “Thanks for the good food.”

Obama didn’t stop by during his last visit. Instead, he went to the snack shop outside. He purchased two hot dogs, two Spam musubi and drinks. Spam musubi is a slice of fried Spam atop a block of rice and wrapped together in dried seaweed. It wasn’t known if Obama ordered the Spam treat for himself or his buddies.

———

Kua Aina Sandwich: 1200 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu

Obama created quite a scene when he stopped at Kua Aina and purchased a box of burgers to take to nearby Ala Moana Beach Park to share with family and friends during his visit in August.

Obama ordered eight 1/3-pound cheeseburgers ($7.50), six 1/2-pound cheeseburgers ($7.90), 10 Kiddie Burgers ($4.50) and 20 orders of fries ($2.25 or $3.25). He must have received a presidential pardon because his tab totalled just $116.50, about half of what it should have been. He did leave $40 in the tip jar.

The burgers are simple, yet satisfying. They come with a charbroiled patty, lettuce, tomato and grilled onions on request between a kaiser bun. A few hours after eating burgers, Obama was the guest of honour at a sold-out fundraising dinner at the Kahala Hotel & Resort, where guests paid $2,300 a seat.

———

Baskin-Robbins: 1618 S. King St., Honolulu

This might not be one of his favourites, but it’s where he landed his first job.

He scooped ice cream at this small parlour located across the street from the playground where he used to play basketball until dark. It’s located in a densely populated, working-class area just a few blocks from his grandparent’s high-rise apartment building, where he spent several years of his childhood.

While wearing his brown cap and apron, young Obama would dish out more than just 31 flavours.

“Girls would come in. You’d be trying to talk to them. They wouldn’t give you the time of day because you were in this cap,” Obama said last April.

———

Koko Marina Paradise and Kokonuts Shaved Ice: 7192 Kalanianaole Hwy., Honolulu

After watching dolphins at Sea Life Park, Obama and his daughters ate at Koko Marina Paradise deli owned by Akemi Shindo, bypassing the nearby Subway sandwich shop.

“Let me get a tuna sandwich,” Obama said, asking for it on 12-grain bread, tomatoes and no mayo. “Actually, can you melt cheese on that? Can you make like a tuna melt with cheddar cheese?”

The tuna melt is now known as the “Presidential Order” and costs $6.50. Besides a wide variety of sandwiches, the deli also features fresh crepes and even teriyaki beef bowls ($5).

Obama then went across the parking lot to order shave ice at Kokonuts Shave Ice and ordered 15 treats for his daughters, friends and staff members. Owner Sabina Yi said Obama had the small lemon-lime and cherry and that business has picked up since his visit.

———

Mariposa: 1450 Ala Moana Blvd., Honolulu

Obama, family and friends spent an evening last year dining at this relaxed but swank eatery inside the Neiman Marcus store at Ala Moana Center.

Dinner entrees include king crab cioppino ($32), grilled lamb chops ($36), seared diver scallops with lilikoi (passion fruit) butter ($29) and the Kona Kampachi fish grown in a fish farm off the Big Island ($32).


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