Holidays at destination clubs

Having lived in Europe and the United States and with family in England, British-born Emma Campbell and her husband were toying with the idea of buying a second home but couldn't decide where.

So instead of spending a hefty amount for a vacation home in a location they were unsure about, they joined a destination club that would enable them to spend holidays in luxury homes around the globe.

"We just could never settle on what would be the right place," said Campbell, who lives in Massachusetts. "As we have travelled all of our lives, and so have our kids, we also didn't like the idea of being tied to one place."

What she and her family did like was the ability to spend Christmas skiing one year and on the beach the next in million- dollar homes complete with a concierge and cleaning services.

"Another attraction was the lack of headaches and maintenance that you get with a second home," she added.

The Campbells are not alone. Industry experts estimate that about 6,500 people belong to destinations clubs, which were first launched about a decade ago.

INDUSTRY IS ITS INFANCY

For an initial fee that can range from $70,000 to 450,000 depending on the club, annual dues and a minimal charge per night, destination club members have access to homes dotted around the world for a limited numbers of days each year.

In most clubs members do not have a stake in the properties, only the right to use them. The initial fee is usually refundable for 80 percent of its future value.

Unlike time shares in which investors buy set times at a resort each year, destination clubs are similar to country club membership.

"It's a nomadic traveller's product," said Rich Keith, co-CEO of Ultimate Escapes, the first publicly owned and publicly traded destination club. "The number one driver is this ability to have a sense of wanderlust and be nomadic."

He says the club's membership, at 1,200, has remained stable since the start of the recession. Members travel, on average, about 27 days a year to the club's many destinations.

About 95 percent of its members are from North America, but Keith sees Europe as an untapped market, which he says is about a decade behind the United States in embracing the concept.

Even in the U.S. and Canada, Keith believes the expansion potential is enormous. He believes current members represent only a tiny fraction of the potential market.

But critics warn that destination clubs are not without risk and the industry is self-regulated. There have been bankruptcies and law suits filed against clubs.

"I would say, 'Buyer beware.' You need to understand that when you give people an initiation fee that is supposedly 80 percent refundable that you understand that the refundability is based on consumer sales velocity and the financial health of the club," said Harold Nusbaum, the president and CEO of American Resort Development Association (ARDA), which represents the vacation ownership and resort development industries.

"The member of that club doesn't own anything but a membership, so if the club doesn't work anymore the membership is not worth anything," he added.

But Campbell has nothing but praise for destination clubs.

"It works for us ... I prefer having it to a second home," she said.

Keith is convinced there are enough well-heeled customers willing to dig deep into their pockets to assure the future of the industry.

"As long as people travel, as long as people vacation, we are going to be a viable product and a viable solution." he said.

Saving Lives Through InnovationGift wrap these travel destinations

Top 10 places to enjoy a cup of tea

Fancy a cuppa? From highbrow salons to highland plantations, Lonely Planet lists the world's best places to have a cup of tea in its "1000 Ultimate Experiences" guide. This list is not endorsed by Reuters.

1. LONDON, ENGLAND

Ladies, don your gowns; gents, start pressing your ties. Afternoon tea at the Ritz is a splendid formal affair: silver pots and fine china chink at 4pm sharp under the vaulted glass and chandeliers of the Palm Court. It's not cheap, but you'll be in good company - this venerable hotel has served exotic infusions to everyone from King Edward VII to Charlie Chaplin. If the budget won't stretch, try alternative institutions: the organization Classic Cafes champions the formica-countered greasy spoons of the 1950s, a dwindling number of which are still serving brews in vintage surrounds. Tie not required.

2. TRANS-SIBERIAN RAILWAY, RUSSIA/CENTRAL ASIA

Nonstop, the epic Moscow-Beijing train journey takes over six days. The best way to spend them is befriending your carriage mates - Russian businesspeople, Mongolian traders, Buddhist monks. Each car has a samovar, a hot-water urn where you can top up your mug to ward off the Siberian chill. Samovars are more than kettles: entrenched in Russian society, they're made for communal drinking. The local saying 'to have a sit by the samovar' means to talk leisurely over endless cups of tea. Fill your flask - and those of your new-found friends - and watch Europe roll into Asia.

3. PARAGUAY, URUGUAY & ARGENTINA

Mate is the national beverage - and a national obsession - across sacross swathes of South America, drunk by all, from city-dwellers to pampas-drifting cowboys. Made from the dried leaves of the yerba mate plant, it was, according to the Guarani people, delivered to humans by the moon goddess in thanks for saving her from a jaguar. To join in you need to get the right gear: a silver bombilla (infusion straw) and accompanying guampa (gourd). Tuck these into your saddlebag and set off on a jaunt with the gauchos: this 'liquid vegetable' will keep you riding and cattle-driving through the night.

4. YUEYANG, CHINA

Ever since a tea leaf allegedly floated into Emperor Shennong's cup of hot water around 2700 BC, the Chinese have extolled the beverage's virtues, medicinal and social. For a brew above others, head to Junshan Island, an atoll of bamboo and woodland set on Dongting Lake, a 45-minute sail from Yueyang. Home to a unique golden tortoise, the island also nurtures a clutch of bushes that produce the exclusive silver-needle tea, one of China's rarest, beloved of rulers past and alleged to contain life-extending powers.

5. SAHARA DESERT

There's no such thing as a quick cuppa in the North African desert. For local nomads, tea drinking requires patience and dedication. Each sitting involves not one but three rounds, each with a distinctive flavor. 'The first is strong like love, the second bitter like life, the third one sweet as death', the adage goes. This isn't about thirst-quenching - it's about forging friendships in carpet-lined tents over dainty glasses. Laze under the date palms of Mauritania's Terjit Oasis or head out into the sand sea from Ghat, Libya, to find traditional brewers - and leave yourself plenty of time.

6. UJI, JAPAN

Temple-strewn Uji is the tea capital of Japan. Green tea - which grows here abundantly - finds its way into everything, from the traditional wooden boxes lining the shop shelves to soba noodles and ice-cream cones. To understand the importance of the drink, however, you must attend a traditional chanoyu (tea ceremony). In the tiny, tatami-matted rooms of the Taiho-an Tea House, kimono-clad women will serve you with studied formality. The ritual - involving beautiful utensils, delicate pouring and effusive appreciation on your part - is the only thing more important than the drink itself.

7. INCA TRAIL, PERU

You're at 4000-plus meters, hemmed in by high peaks and gasping for breath but determined to make it to the Inca marvel of Machu Picchu. What you need is coca tea. Beloved by Andeans the length of the range, this bitter brew wins no flavor contests but its raw ingredients, coca leaves (also the basis of cocaine), increase oxygen absorption into the blood. It's nature's answer to altitude sickness. And what better place to try it than huddled on a mountainside, in a valley flecked with Inca ruins, under an unobscured galaxy of stars.

8. BOSTON, USA

In 1773, a band of angry Bostonians stormed three docked British ships, throwing the boats' precious cargo - about 24 million cups' worth of tea - overboard. The plaque commemorating the fracas now sits between Congress and Purchase Streets, but better to visit the grand Old South Meeting House, where the protestors were whipped to a frenzy by Samuel Adams all those years ago. Or, for a more modern cuppa, head to Ming's Market. This Chinese emporium offers hundreds of teas, purporting to cure everything from simple pimples to troubles of a more intimate nature.

9. DARJEELING, INDIA

It'll start on the train there - the call of the chai wallahs pacing the platforms, hawking their masala-spiced nectar. But that's nothing compared to Darjeeling itself. Once you switch to the narrow-gauge steam train that hauls up to this 2000m-odd hill station you're surrounded by the stuff: tea in the cafes, tea in the bazaars and a deep-green leafy profusion of tea cascading down the hillsides, with the might of the Himalaya behind. Between April and November (picking and processing season) take a plantation tour and marvel at what goes into a humble tea bag.

10. HILL COUNTRY, SRI LANKA

Hover above south-central Sri Lanka and all you'll see is green. The cool highlands have been blanketed by tea plantations since the late 19th century - with just splashes of rainbow-sari-clad pickers disrupting the color scheme. Nuwara Eliya is a good place for a quality brew and, with its 18-hole golf course and country club, can seem more British than, well, a cup of tea. To get in among the action take to the trails in the Bogawantalawa Valley, where you can walk or cycle between old planters' villas and pluck a few leaves for yourself.

(Editing by Miral Fahmy)

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Disneyland still tops

She lost her stuffed puppy somewhere between the Enchanted Tiki Room and Tomorrowland.

Too much ground to cover and thousands of people meant the search was futile -- we retraced our steps, but no puppy.

To us, her parents, it was just another toy, but to our three-year-old daughter, the lost black-and-white stuffy was cause for heartbreak -- Disneyland may be the Happiest Place on Earth, but not when you're a little girl with a lost dog.

So, it was off to the Lost and Found, fingers crossed.

Chances were, there'd be no stuffed puppy, and our already-upset daughter would end up sobbing. We braced for the worst, the way parents do.

But this was no ordinary Lost and Found. This was Disneyland's Lost and Found.

The puppy, as predicted, wasn't there -- but the cheery attendant wasn't going to let that ruin our daughter's day.

"Your puppy isn't here, but I have another little dog who really needs a home," he said, lifting a little stuffed hound from under the counter.

Like magic, the tears were gone -- her eyes lit up, she hugged the new dog, and her smile returned.

And that, more than anything, sums up the Disneyland experience: Excellent customer service, and meticulous attention to detail, no matter how seemingly trivial.

A quality experience means more than ever in a still-shakey economy, where any vacation involving airports is a major investment.

There'd be nothing worse than blowing the bank on the holiday of a lifetime, only to have it fall short of expectations, young or old.

With Disney, there's no such worry.

From the minute we walked through the famous main entrance, my family fell under the Disneyland spell, staring with slack-jawed wonder at a scene so familiar from postcards, books and television.

Our little girls, three and five, spotted the castle ahead, the older one whispering to me with reverent respect, "That's where Sleeping Beauty lives."

That awe never diminished for the three days we spent exploring Disneyland and its impressive neighbour, California Adventure.

It's 54 years old, but there's no tiredness or neglect to be found in Walt's original theme park -- shoddy and thrown-together are simply not in the Disney vocabulary.

For our family, it was apparent from the minute we took our girls on their first ride: Dumbo the Flying Elephant has been twirling around for a half-century, but it looks and feels brand new.

And it's as fun as any modern ride -- Disney's classic attractions are kept pristine with upgrades and constant care, and for young visitors, they remain fresh favourites.

The aforementioned Tiki Room is another simple concept. You sit on benches, watching animatronic birds and flowers as they sing a catchy tune, but our delighted girls insisted we go back three times. Walt sure knew his audience -- and his modern successors know too.

Of course, it goes beyond rides, whether it's a classic like Peter Pan, the re-imagined Finding Nemo Submarine Voyage, or the awesome and brand new 3-D shooting gallery of Toy Story Mania.

Even mealtimes are magical.

Having lunch at Ariel's Grotto, with all of the Disney princesses in attendance, had our little princesses mesmerized, as the royalty paid personal visits to each table.

And the food -- which could easily have been an afterthought -- was excellent.

Just the right royal mood then, to head over to the new Bibbidi Bobbidi Boutique at Sleeping Beauty's Castle, where girls are made over, complete with hair, make-up and gown.

Boys may say yuck, but there's armour and swords for the wannabe knight as well -- or the young Jedi can always build a custom lightsabre at the Star Tours giftshop.

Whether it's rides, costumes or just strolling around, Disneyland is a can't-miss experience -- even the line-ups are fun, because of the built-in effects and scenery.

For our kids, the best part of all was the free entertainment throughout the Disney parks.

Watching Goofy dance to the Dixie-jazz of the Disney fire department band was impromptu and hilarious, while the daily parades of characters which run through both parks are a sight-and-sound extravaganza.

Aladdin -- A Musical Spectacular, is a 40-minute play of Broadway quality -- it's truly amazing, with top-notch acting, singing and scenery that never fails to astound.

With so much to do, Disneyland can be exhausting, but reserving a little energy for the night-hours is a must.

Magical, a fireworks show set to music from Disney's famous films, fills the sky over the castle -- and like everything Disneyland does, it's breathtakingly good.

To close the day with stars in your eyes and a song in your heart -- it's the perfect ending to a perfect vacation.

MICHAEL.PLATT@SUNMEDIA.CA

-----

IF YOU GO to Disneyland

Warm weather and smaller crowds make fall one of the best times to visit Disneyland.

Sept. 25-Nov. 1, Disneyland celebrates Halloween. Famous villains from classic Disney movies will join the festivities, while famous attractions take on a spooky, but still family friendly, theme.

ATTRACTIONS:

- Space Mountain becomes Ghost Galaxy -- throttle through the outer reaches of an uncannily creepy cosmos.

- A new fireworks spooktacular, hosted by Jack Skellington from Tim Burton's The Nightmare Before Christmas, explodes into the night skies.

- Jack can also be found hosting guests at the revamped Haunted Mansion.

- Both parks and many Disney characters will be dressed in the spooky spirit of Halloween.

- Special Halloween treats and merchandise are available.

- On select nights in October, kids can go trick-or-treating in the ultimate Disney neighbourhood at Mickey's Trick-or-Treat Party at California Adventure. Tickets for this event sell out annually, so book early.

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Olympics launched Utah's ski industry

SALT LAKE CITY — In addition to great powder snow and a long winter, Utah’s ski industry is blessed by the lingering buzz of the 2002 Winter Olympics, plus a major nearby airport that makes getting to Salt Lake City easy from other parts of the country.

The Olympics brought international acclaim, dozens of new and faster lifts and thousands of more hectares of skiable terrain. Traffic on the slopes was up by 37 per cent in the six years after the Olympics, before the economy soured, making Utah skiing a US$1 billion industry.

“That was our coming-out party,” said Nathan Rafferty, president of the trade group Ski Utah. “We were always in the shadows of other resorts, like Colorado’s. But hosting the Olympics put us on the map.”

The most noticeable Olympic legacy has been nonstop development, most recently at Solitude Mountain Resort, which just added its fourth new chair lift since the 2002 Games.

Another legacy, say local skiers: It’s getting crowded on the slopes. Forget trying to ski Saturdays at the most popular resorts, they say. The lift lines at Alta ski area, for one, are getting longer with waiting skiers more impatient.

Off the slopes, this season’s biggest improvement is a new set of state liquor laws. The reforms broke up a private club system that made getting inside a bar without a membership a hassle. Utah still strictly regulates drinking venues, a quota system limits their numbers, and regular strength draft beer is banned, thanks to the influence of the teetotalling Mormon church.

But lawmakers are starting to ease up, in part to make the state a more attractive destination.

From the outset, no Utah resort built itself up bigger or faster than Snowbasin, the downhill Olympic venue near Ogden that dropped $200 million on a makeover with stately day lodges and high-speed chair lifts, gondolas and a tram. Snowbasin, still without any base lodging, rarely sees a crowded lift line.

The Canyons, a rival in development that was once the smallest Park City resort, now bills itself Utah’s largest ski area. That claim might properly go to Vail-sized Powder Mountain, still something of a Utah secret, but skiers there have to climb, shuffle along mountain ridges or get pulled by a snowcat to reach much of the terrain.

Powder Mountain, with 2,225 hectares, is hidden in the mountains 31 kilometres northeast of Ogden.

Utah offers a variety of resorts all within an hour’s drive of the airport. Many rub shoulders near Salt Lake at higher elevations of the 3,353-metre Wasatch Range. There’s renewed talk of linking them up, making for North America’s largest skiing complex.

For now, Utah’s resorts are happy to bask in Olympic glow.

“It’s fair to say all of the resorts have benefited to varying degrees from the Olympic recognition,” said Mike Goar, managing director of The Canyons, which sprawls across eight peaks and 1,400 hectares. “It really did shine a bright light on Utah. This is a terrific location because of easy access and consistent snow.”

Truth be told, Utah always had the best snow, a secret the Olympics spilled far and wide. Major skiing magazines started to consistently rate Utah’s resorts the best.

For a third straight year, Deer Valley Resort has been named the No. 1 North American ski resort by a leading magazine, Skiing.

Deer Valley gets high marks mostly for service. For snow alone, Alta-Snowbird ranked No. 1, as it almost always does in major surveys.

More than 1,200 centimetres of snow blanket Utah’s northern mountains from October through May. Thanks to the combined effects of the desert and Great Salt Lake, winter storms dispersing dry, powdery snow can linger for days over Wasatch resorts. From the northwest, the storms funnel into Salt Lake City’s Cottonwood Canyons, dropping their loads on four resorts that log the biggest season totals.

For a religious state, the snow here is almost holy.

“You blow it off your hand, it’s like smoke,” said Bill Tatton, a 47-year-old financial consultant now attending helicopter flight school. “We have the best snow on this rock (planet,) especially when the Great Salt Lake turns it on. I’ve skied days when you needed a snorkel to breathe, it’s so deep and light.”

Not one to miss a good day of skiing, Tatton was trudging up Alta in fresh snow one October day before the lifts started operating. He grew up skiing in Colorado, then spent time at California’s Mammoth Mountain Ski Area, but his first time in Utah, he said, was like nothing else.

It’s like falling on pillows of dry feathers.

“The snow also smells differently — a salty aroma,” said Rick Yost, a 57-year-old locomotive engineer for Union-Pacific Railroad. “It was in my face a lot when I learned to powder ski.”

Utah’s ski industry rivals Lake Tahoe’s, a mountainous region straddling California and Nevada that also receives a bounty of snowfall. In many ways, the two Olympic regions progressed similarly on bragging rights.

The 1960 Winter Games were held at Squaw Valley, a sprawling ski area with 33 ski lifts. One lift is by reputation North America’s best for transporting skiers quickly to the resort’s best terrain. Together, the lifts move more people uphill faster than anywhere in North America.

“It put Tahoe on the map,” said John Wagnon, president of the trade group Ski Lake Tahoe. “It was early in Winter Olympic history, before the grand fanfare it has now.”

It was the first televised Winter Games, “so people all over the world saw California skiing,” Squaw Valley spokeswoman Savannah Cowley said. “It gave us an international name.”

Skiing around Lake Tahoe was at its infancy. Now major resorts around Lake Tahoe log up to 3.5 million skier visits a season. Utah recorded 3.9 million last winter, down from 4.2 million the year before.

Utah has 13 to Lake Tahoe’s 14 resorts, but half a dozen of Tahoe’s ski areas are much smaller than most of Utah’s.

Stewart Katz, for one, moved to Lake Tahoe to beat the Utah crowds and its desert heat in summer. Summers at Lake Tahoe are much cooler.

“It’s also a lot cheaper for locals out here,” said Stewart, a retired South Carolina pawnshop businessman who snapped up season passes at Heavenly and Kirkwood resorts for US$329 and $259.

But Katz admits the bounty of dry Utah snow can’t be beat.

At Alta last spring, he recalls, “we had a foot a day for 14 days in April. You couldn’t even breathe.”

One of those days, “I came off the mountain choking.”

———

On the Net:

Ski Utah: http://www.skiutah.com

Ski Lake Tahoe: http://www.skilaketahoe.com

Squaw Valley USA: http://www.squaw.com

———

For more information:

— Park City Mountain Resort: http://www.parkcitymountain.com/summer/index.html or 800-222-7275.

— Deer Valley Resort: http://www.deervalley.com/index.jsp or 888-754-8477.

— Canyons Resort: http://www.thecanyons.com/home.aspx or 435-649-5400.

— Park City Chamber of Commerce and Visitors Center: http://www.parkcityinfo.com/ or 800- 453-1360.

For your own safety, stay alert and away during snow-removal operations!Squaw Valley marks 50 years

Surprising Santiago

SANTIAGO, Cuba -- His visit was unannounced and completely unexpected, but when he walked through the doors of the Casa de la Trova, everyone recognized him immediately. Paul McCartney had obviously gotten word of a good place to enjoy Cuban music. One day in January 2000, the former Beatle strolled into this popular club to hear some live music, which is performed daily at the cozy venue in the heart of the city.

Nine years later, regulars at the club are still talking about the visit.

"No one knew he was coming. It was a surprise to all of us," one man told me. McCartney left behind a note of thanks (in Spanish) that now hangs on a wall.

Another wall is adorned with painted portraits of some of the talented Cuban musicians who have played here over the years, including El Guayabero and Compay Segundo -- a Santiago native -- who was honoured with a Grammy award as part of the Buena Vista Social Club.

Santiago is considered one of Cuba's most musical cities. It certainly lived up to its reputation on the day of our visit. The tour bus had deposited us in the heart of the city at Cespedes Park where a lively cultural show was underway. Costumed dancers and singers, along with a troupe of drummers played in the midday heat, with the four-centuries-old Catedral de la Asuncion as a backdrop. If you're looking for great free entertainment, chances are you'll find it here, amid the many trees and fountains.

In fact you don't have to venture far from the park to see some of the city's many attractions. Aside from the cathedral, there's the 18th-century house where the poet Jose Heredia was born; and the eclectic Casa de la Cultura Miguel Matamoros, a venue for performances and other events.

Santiago, situated between the Sierra Maestra mountains and the sea, has been described as "perhaps the most African," and "the most passionate city in Cuba."

You could also add one of the most historic. The country's oldest museum is here. The beautiful Museo Provincial Bacardi Moreau -- in a Neo Classical building -- contains items ranging from an Egyptian mummy to Cuban paintings and exhibits on the 19th century independence struggles.

Santiago also has what is considered to be the oldest building in Cuba. The home of Spanish conquistador Diego Velazquez, which dates to 1516, is now the Museo de Ambiente Historico Cubano. A tour of the nicely preserved home, which has been declared a national monument, reveals several Moorish features including a long, narrow courtyard, painted frescoes, cedar ceilings with geometric patterns and wooden screens, which protect the balconies from the sun and public view. The rooms include furniture from the 16th to the 19th centuries.

If Havana boasts several Ernest Hemingway haunts, Santiago can claim a brush with another famous author -- Graham Greene. In his book, Our Man In Havana, he describes Santiago's historic Hotel Casa Granda, as a place where spies frequently lurk.

Venturing onto the terrace of this all-white Neo-Classical building, which opened in 1920, I get no sense of the intrigue that once may have pervaded the air. What I discover though, is a pleasant place to have a drink and escape the heat while enjoying the view of Cespedes Park.

Spies aside, Santiago is better known as the "Cradle of the Revolution." It was here on July 26, 1953, that Fidel Castro and his followers launched a failed attack on the Moncada Barracks, an event that became an inspiration to rebels and changed the course of Cuban history.

At the Ayuntamiento or town hall, you can see the central balcony where Castro made his first speech to the Cuban people on Jan. 1, 1959. As this year marks the 50th anniversary of the revolution, many consider it a historic place worth visiting.

For more, check gocuba.ca or call the Cuba Tourist Board in Toronto at 416-362-0700.

WRITER@INTERLOG.COM

SIDE TRIPS

An interesting side trip from Santiago is a visit to the Basilica del Cobre about 20 km west of the city. Set on a hill surrounded by tropical vegetation, the basilica contains the statue of the revered Virgen del Cobre.

According to legend, in 1606, three slaves who worked in the copper mines of El Cobre, were out in a boat during a storm. An image of the virgin floating on the waves suddenly appeared and came to their aid. A few years later the virgin became an object of veneration for local people who continued to attribute miraculous powers to her.

The black Madonna, which is kept in a glass case behind the high altar, is dressed in yellow and wears a crown of diamonds, emeralds and rubies. Proclaimed the protectress of Cuba in 1916, the Virgen del Cobre, was blessed by Pope John Paul II during his visit to Cuba in 1998.

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Experience the real Italy

It is said 'all roads to lead to Rome' and 'when in Rome do as the Romans do'. However, on my recent trip to Italy I was fortunate to walk another road and experience what the native Italians living in quiet, laid-back villages and towns do.

My landlords, Rosa and Nello LeDonne, insisted when I visited Italy it was important I take a few days to explore their area of Quadri and Atelata in the Valley del Sancro (mountains).

I was thrilled to accept their kind offer and what an incredible experience it was.

First, I must note how cute and comfortable my room was in the little motel/bar/restaurant/souvenir shop I was lodged in. There were only five units and I was the only guest so I had a room that overlooked the Fiume Sancro giving me a most serene view of the mountains and streams which I was soon to personally view as the LeDonnes chauffeured me all over this particular area.

I mentioned in my previous column the fantastic, complimentary breakfasts in the large cities. At this tiny inn, I was treated to my first experience of being served an early morning Cappuccino with a fresh baked croissant, so I blame this lodging for my becoming addicted to this delightful cup of coffee.

Each morning before the LeDonnes came for me to start the tour of the day I would take a short walk to the Piazza and watched Quadri come alive as the old men gathered outside to play cards or chess while the older women, all attired in black, waited on park benches for the fruit and vegetable trucks to come roaring into the village selling their fresh-picked wares. A quaint fountain in the centre of the square, spouting out sprays of water gave off a cooling feeling much appreciated even at 8 a.m.

I must have been a novelty as I was given the 'eagle eye' up and down as I strolled along the square, listening to the women chatter away, no doubt discussing the gossip of the day.

What was astonishing was to notice the one gas pump right in the centre of this square with cars, trucks and motorcycles parked in and around in in haphazard fashion. In fact, it was quite amusing to notice if the small parking area was filled up, a car would just park right in front of any car, block it off and go about his business. If the person owning the vehicle was the one blocked in he would just lean against his car, arms folded across his chest and wait patiently for the owner of the blocking car to finish his business and move on out. Talk about courtesy and patience, but then I soon realized nobody in Quadri ever seemed to be in a rush.

Most of the residences were sort of like very, very, small condominiums and every one had a balcony on which the women hung the hand washing to dry on the railing. In fact, this was quite common across all of Italy as I witnessed washing out on balconies all over the country as I sped from city to city on the trains. I soon discovered why.

At the home of Rosa's sister, Adelia Belfiglio, I noticed in a little cupboard the tiniest washing machine that would probably hold one sheet and a pillow case at best. Thus, most of the smaller items were washed by hand to save water and electricity. People in Italy are ever so conscious of the environment and despite the high temperatures (90F) I rarely saw an air-conditioning unit even in high-class establishments.

Cooling of the homes and businesses was achieved by ceiling fans and shutters on the windows. What impressed me was the hanging of colourful ribbons of beads to cover the entrance.

When I inquired, "How come you must part these beads to get in" I was informed, "They are to keep the flies out."

What a great idea. Another thing that impressed me was the fact bedrooms did not boast huge walk-in closets. Instead, beautiful huge armoires, with delicate carvings and hand-painted flowers on the doors, took care of the wearables.

I was welcomed into so many homes to visit Nello and Rosa's families and friends I felt I actually belonged there. Of course you barely were seated at the kitchen table when the lady of house would set out cold drinks and Italian treats which I soon discovered would be rude to refuse, even if I wasn't hungry.

In Nello's little town, we sat near a fountain, savouring a refreshing Gelato, enjoying the serenity of watching the water spouting up to land on huge bronze lily pads before trickling down back into the well.

During our trek all over the Pescara area, we climbed up the winding mountains to reach the high peaks. What a sight it was to behold the vista below where very small villages are built right into the mountain side. The rear of some of the homes are flat up against the face of the mountain providing the back wall.

Often we would just stop and get out of the car to peer below for a bird's-eye view miles below where tiny streams flowed through equally tiny villages that from this high looked like little doll houses. Rosa or Nello, with justifiable pride, would point out the incredible vistas below where they had lived before they emigrated from Italy to Kenora.

All during our three days of touring the LeDonne areas I couldn't get over the hundreds of fig trees just growing by the side of the mountain roads. It was feast time for Rosa and Nello and they kept stopping to pick fresh figs and gorge on them with exquisite delight.

It just so happened that Nello's niece and husband, Pasqualina and Franco Donatelli, hosted a celebration to mark the 'coming of age' of their son Dario, who turned 18 on Aug. 30 and I was included on the invitation list.

One thing I noticed no matter where you went in Italy to eat, from the swankiest of dining spots to the tiny open-air bistros, every table was covered with beautiful linens and serviettes (no paper here).

But let me describe the menu that took us five hours to eat. Time was spaced between courses giving the guests a chance to get up and dance to taped music which was a really nice feature. Starting with an appetizer of proscuitto and melone increasingly heavier items followed such as Stuzzicherie (baked beans, cheeses and salami); then came the customary pasta dish of linguine al salmone e rucola; next were crepes that were as light as clouds filled with carne e spinaci (meat and spinach); there is always a meat course and the birthday treat was scaloppina ai funghi (veal and mushrooms). Spinach must have been a fresh produce as the next course was spinaci al burro (a truly delectable light and fluffy spinach souffle).

Now came the surprise course --would you believe plates of poutine (Canadian-style French fries with gravy and cheese) and I can't recall seeing any catsup. The final course before desserts was the famous crisp Italian salad of fresh picked greens.

After another bit of rest while tables were cleared the desserts were brought out. Of course, the torta was a cake decorated in the birthday boy's favourite sport of football (I made the mistake of stating, "Oh how nice, the cake is featured with soccer balls" and was quickly corrected to note the decorations were 'footballs'.

Finally, out came platters of fresh slices of melons, oranges, kiwis, grapes and other refreshing fruits served with one's choice of either Dolce or Secco champagne.

The regular meal was accompanied by copious bottles of Montepulciano Colle Cavaliere (red) and Chardonnay (white) wines and as quickly as one bottle was noted as empty by the servers another took its place.

Caffe with an Amaro nicely wound up the meal.

At Italian affairs entire families are included on the invite meaning a lot of younger children attended.

Naturally, a meal taking this long had the youngsters getting impatient and this is when I thought it would be a good time to hand out the colouring books and crayons donated by the Ontario Provincial Police and the red Frisbees graciously given to me by the City of Kenora.

The little ones got right at colouring and the older children went outdoors and it wasn't long before they were squealing with delight as they tossed the Frisbees to each other with wild abandon. The city also gave me a few pens and lapel pins which, during my trip I dispensed to deserving people. I also picked up a supply of 2009 Kenora calendars at the Tourist Bureau and I must say, they didn't cost me a cent, but turned out to be the best and cheapest souvenir I could have given them.

At the hotel in Lago di Garda, the entire staff immediately gathered around the reception desk to flip through January to December to get an idea of our bears, snow and ice, fall foliage, the lake etc. through those coloured photographs and this tiny token was a well received gift.

I had to stay the night at the Ambra Palace Hotel in Pescara as my train to start my railway tour left early in the next morning. I had asked for a wake-up call for 7 a.m. which came right on time. I was barely out of the shower and dressed when there was a knock on my door. You can imagine I was a mite frightened as I didn't know anyone in Pescara and wondered who it might be. The peep-hole was too high for me to see through but I opened the door anyway.

There was a waiter, in full uniform, handing me a silver tray with a Cappuccino and croissant on it with a smile and a Buon Giorno greeting that really made my day.

In fact, the train station was so close, you could see it from the hotel lobby. The concierge had the bell-hop take me and my luggage right to the station entrance to save me the cost of a taxi.

This started my tour and some incredible train rides. What amazed me, over and above all the washing hanging over balcony railings, was the thousands and thousands of acres of olive trees and grape arbours. No wonder Italy is famous for these two terrific exports. Actually, Italy produces more wine than any other nation.

I would like to extend heartfelt thanks to the Italian relations and friends who extended me such great hospitality.

On Rosa's side is her sister, Adelia Belfiglio and niece, Giovina D'Amico; and relations Mirella and Carlo Simonetti, their daughter Carol and son Piergiuseppe all in Quadri.

Speaking of the Belfiglio family, Ralph Belfiglio and wife, also named Rosa, early immigrants to Kenora asked if we would stop at a nursing home to visit Rosa's century-old father, Guiseppi (who sadly passed away Oct. 26). I took his picture with Rosa presenting him with some hand knit socks made by daughter Rosa Belfiglio. All of a sudden, out of nowhere, three residents of the home sidled up to me and asked, in Italian (translated by Rosa) if I would take their pictures together as all three are named Guiseppi and nobody had ever taken their picture. I complied and gave three copies to Rosa Belfiglio to send to them at the nursing home.

On Nello LeDonne's side are brothers Elio and wife Assunda; Ottavio and Anna; Settimio and Pierina. Unfortunately Nello's brother, Girolamo, was recently deceased so we took time to visit his grave-site and then drove over to visit with Girolamo's widow, Veneranda.

In Borrello, land is running out so now there are no more under-ground burials. All the deceased are placed in mausoleums that rise up quite a few stories as a way of further saving space. We also visited Nello's sister, Iolanda, married to Pio Gasrbarro. Nello's sister, Ida Rosa in Quadri, is a truly sweet woman who presented me with a fetching bonnbonniere to remember her by. It was nice to visit the home of Nello's nephew Dino and his wife, Rita, their daughter Tanya and sons Danny and Octavio.

It seems every Italian in Kenora wanted me to visit their family or at least, visit the place where they lived and Rosa, Nello and I did just that. I saw Rosina LaSelva's original home as well as the area where all the Belfiglios hail from. One evening, Rosa Belfiglio's brother and wife, Nicola and Lora, came to Quadri to see me as years ago when they were in Kenora for a wedding, I entertained them and they wanted to see me again.

We drove quite a way to visit Kenoraites, Cosmos and Maria Zollino who were in Pietra Ferrazzana, a teeny, tiny place built right into a mountain. Unfortunately, Maria was out shopping so we didn't get to see her but did chat a bit with Cosmos.

A couple of tips: in Italy, barring something very disastrous or unforeseen accidents all trains leave exactly on time so don't be late. I stayed in at 10 hotels and not one provided face cloths. There was an abundance of bath (many were linen which were just lovely) and hand towels and lovely toiletries but nothing to wash your face and body with which I thought strange. Maybe because guests steal them -- I don't know. So best to bring your own face cloths.

My first three days in Quadri were wonderful and it was truly a great start to my Italian sojourn. It was in these small villages I captured the true flavour of the warmth of Italians, the joyous way they look at life, and how garnering a lot of possessions doesn't interest them. They know how to live life to the fullest, take what comes, accept it and move on. Being with the wonderful people listed above really made my holiday a trip I will forever enjoy as, in years ahead, when my mind trickles back down memory lane I shall always have many moments to remember.

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Start your kids skiing early

Take it from a gal who learned to ski at age two and is now doing her best to pass the best of this sport onto her own young children: Start your kids skiing early.

The benefits of learning to ski at a young age are as plentiful as snowflakes in a Barrie snow storm -- too numerous to count.

At the top of the list, though, is the fact kids are short. When they fall they don't have a huge distance to drop so it doesn't hurt as much. Plus, in their daily lives kids are used to falling -- much more than adults -- so they're not bothered by wipeouts on snow.

As we all know from school, children's brains are like sponges that soak up knowledge. It's the same for skiing. Youngsters catch on much quicker than adults, and hang onto that knowledge for a lifetime. Like riding a bike, one rarely forgets how to ski.

I'm not going to fib, skiing can be expensive. Lift passes, ski rentals, even food is costly at ski areas. But this winter there are Canada-wide children's ski programs in place that can ease the strain on a parent's wallet.

Let's start with the Snowpass, sponsored by the Canadian Ski Council. Children in Grades 4 and 5 across the country qualify for a free pass that gives them three free ski or snowboarding days at each participating ski resort.

In Eastern Canada alone there are 95 participating ski areas in the Snowpass program -- that's 285 free ski days for every Grade 4 and Grade 5 student! Some ski areas have extended their free skiing coupons to kids in Grade 6. Parents can also save with Snowpass coupons on discounted adult lift passes and equipment rentals.

Participating Ontario ski areas include Blue Mountain, Horseshoe, Hockley Valley, Glen Eden, Earl Bales and Mount Chinguacousy Brampton. Available online (snowpass.ca) and through elementary schools, Snowpasses are distributed to children born in 1999 and 2000.

Also from the Canadian Ski Council this season: Discounts during National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Week, which runs across Canada Jan. 16 to 24.

For parents interested in getting their kids into skiing, this may be the week to do it. Many participating areas are offering 50% discounts or two-for-one's on combination packages that include ski or snowboard lessons, lift passes and equipment rentals.

At Ontario's Oshawa Ski Club, for example, a two-person lift, lesson and rental deal is selling for $48 during National Learn to Ski and Snowboard Week.

Toronto's Earl Bales Ski and Snowboard Centre is offering two-for-one lift passes, and Barrie's Horseshoe Resort will sell two-for-one learn-to-ski packages.

For a list of the week's discounts, go to skicanada.org.

Known commonly as Discover Skiing packages, discounted lift, lesson and equipment rental combinations are also available at most Canadian ski areas throughout the ski season. Check skicanada.org for updates.

Other ways parents can save on skiing: Blue Mountain, for example, is advertising heavily discounted (up to 50% off) daily lift passes during its special ski weeks, including the Coors Light Ski Spree (Jan. 4-8). Quebec's Tremblant is offering a 15% discount on lifts and lodging on two-night or more stays all season.

Take advantage of these deals to give your kids the lifetime gift of skiing.

LORIKNOWLES.COM

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'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

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Niagara's 'Winter Wonderland'

Three-million sparkling lights and 125 lighted displays have transformed Niagara Falls into what is called a "Winter Wonderland."

Add a little snow and the setting will be complete for the 27th annual Winter Festival of Lights that shines brightly through Jan. 4 and attracts more than a million people.

New is the Rink at the Brink for outdoor skating and there's a huge ferris wheel overlooking the falls and indoor skydiving.

The featured lighting displays can be found at:

- Dufferin Island: With numerous displays of Canadian wildlife including moose and buffalo, howling wolves, charging rams, bears, beavers, deer and dinosaurs. There are also 3,000 sets of tree lights creating a "mystical aura" of illumination.

- Queen Victoria Park (at the bottom of Murray Hill): For the 20 "Enchantment of Disney" displays depicting classics such as Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs, Sleeping Beauty's Castle, Fantasia - the Sorcerer's Apprentice, Winnie the Pooh and Tinker Bell.

There are also new classics including as Toy Story, Beauty and the Beast, the Little Mermaid and the Lion King.

- Niagara Falls: Various areas of the city are alight including the Lundys Lane, now known as Candy Cane Lane, with candy cane displays and lamppost illuminations.

Fallsview tourist area has lamppost illuminations along Fallsview Boulevard and downtown has lights on trees and building decorations along Queen Street to complement the illuminations at Centennial Square.

- Niagara Parkway: The "Winter Wonderland" is along this five-kilometre stretch with displays featuring the grape and wine industry, historic Battle of 1812 and Fort Erie racing.

Activities depicted include skating, skiing, hockey and carriage rides along with the huge Canada-U.S. flag, a snowman band, large illuminated Menorah and teddy bear parade.

Outside the Niagara Parks Police building, which is illuminated with lights choreographed to music, are Royal Canadian Mounted Police displays.

Just beyond the Rainbow Bridge, there are brightly decorated houses and bed-and-breakfast establishments and a nativity scene.

Festival chair Joe Miszk said the rink is a "huge hit" with visitors being able to skate "just steps away from the magnificent sights and sounds of Niagara Falls."

It's at the brink of the Horseshoe Falls across from the Table Rock Centre and is open daily through Feb. 28 from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. There are skate, helmet and locker rentals available, along with skating lessons.

Then, view the falls from the towering Niagara Skywheel with its enclosed climate-controlled gondolas and visit Niagara Freefall for indoor skydiving in a vertical wind tunnel with padded floors and walls.

Over at IMAX Niagara, Santa Versus the Snowman is playing on the huge screen while the Oh Canada Eh?! Dinner Show has Jump, Jive and Jingle. Some 30 holiday classics are given "a rock n' roll twist" in this tale of six strangers stranded in a 1950's-style diner on Christmas Eve.

There's also the Broadway-style production of Scrooge at the Niagara Centre for the Arts through Dec. 27.

The Niagara Parks Floral Showhouse has its seasonal display of red, white and pink poinsettias, cyclamen, azaleas, Christmas cactus and paperwhite narcissus while tropical birds fly throughout the display houses.

The free New Year's Eve Extravaganza in Queen Victoria Park starts at 8 p.m. with entertainment including headliners Glass Tiger and Styx and fireworks over the falls at 9 p.m. and midnight. There are also fireworks next Friday and Dec. 18, 26 and Jan. 1 at 9 p.m.

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Foxtrots:

- The Woodstock Fanshawe Singers perform the "Sleigh Bells Ringing!" concert today at 2 p.m. and "Christmas Tidings," an evening of traditional choral music, tonight at 8 p.m. at St. Davids United Church, Springbank Avenue, Woodstock. Info: (519) 539-9411.

- Christkindl Market, reflecting a German Christmas market, is on this weekend at Kitchener City Hall. Reliving a centuries-old tradition, the free fest has more than 70 vendors and music, dance, traditional food and drink, model train display and crafts. It continues today until 9 p.m. and Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

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If you go:

Winter Festival of Lights information: www.wfol.com; www.niagaraparks.com; 1-800-563-2557.

There is no charge but donations are "gratefully accepted" at the exit of Dufferin Islands ($5 to $10 a car suggested to support the displays).

The Rink at the Brink charges $9.99 for daily admission with skate rental ($8 without) and $7.99 ($5.75 without skates) for children to age 12.

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10 places to celebrate the holidays

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 “glцgg”—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 mйlange 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.

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Christmas in Prague

PRAGUE, Czech Republic -- How do you make one of the most beautiful cities in Europe even more beautiful?

Add a crown of snow to Prague Castle, frost the baroque statues of the Charles Bridge with glittering ice crystals, and fill the Old Town's historic squares with fairytale Christmas markets.

Prague (with a climate much like Southern Ontario) does not always have a White Christmas, but the festive season is always beautiful, always magical and always enchanting in the ancient capital of the Czechs.

Prague's unofficial holiday season begins this year on Saturday, Nov. 28, when the city's Christmas markets (Vanocni trhy) open.

The markets, which run until New Year's Day, are charming temporary villages of gaily decorated and lighted wooden huts and stalls. There you can find small Christmas presents like Bohemian crystal and carved wooden toys, handmade lace and ceramics, crafts and Christmas decorations. You can stock up on homemade Czech specialty foods, sausages and cakes. You can even pick up your live carp for Christmas Eve's traditional fried fish dinner.

Be sure to have a mug of hot mulled wine in hand to keep you warm while strolling through the happy throngs of holiday shoppers, soaking in the sights, sounds and smells, and listening to the golden voices of local and international choirs performing outdoors throughout the Christmas season.

The main Prague Christmas markets are set up near each other in Old Town Square and Wenceslas Square. Each market has 75-100 huts and stalls, with several other smaller markets within a 10-minute walk at Havelske Trziste and Namesti Republiky.

The "official" Czech Christmas season starts this year on Saturday, Dec. 5 -- Mikulas (St. Nicholas' Day) -- when old St. Nick wanders abroad accompanied by an angel and a devil, calling on children to entertain him with a song or poem. If a child is good, he or she will get a sweet reward. But a bad child may get a lump of coal -- or even end up in the devil's sack.

In Prague, Nicholas usually makes his appearance in Old Town Square in the late afternoon on Mikulas. As night falls and St. Nick departs, the giant Christmas tree (fresh from the forests of northern Bohemia) in the middle of the square will suddenly blaze to dazzling life as the switch is thrown to turn on thousands of lights garlanding the evergreen.

In the middle of December, the markets will have new additions -- giant tubs of live carp, grown in the centuries-old fish ponds of Trebon in southern Bohemia. It's estimated about 800 tonnes of live carp are sold throughout the Czech Republic in the two weeks before Christmas.

The carp, spiced and fried, will be the centerpiece of most Czech families' big Christmas Eve dinner. Most families choose to have the carp killed and cleaned at the market before taking it home, but some Czechs keep the fish alive in their bathtubs until the actual day of the feast.

After the carp dinner is finished, the best place to close out Christmas Eve is, again, the Old Town Square where thousands of celebrants will gather by candlelight in front of Tyn Cathedral for Christmas carol mass. The carolling usually starts about 9:30 p.m. and continues to midnight mass. Midnight mass is also celebrated at other churches throughout the city. It is a heart-stoppingly beautiful time and place to be.

Christmas Day is quieter, but the festive season ends with a bang the following week on New Year's Eve, when the city's streets and squares again fill with joyous crowds and the skies over Prague Castle, the Vltava River and the Old Town explode with dazzling fireworks.

IF YOU GO

TO THE CZECH REPUBLIC

CHRISTMAS MARKETS

Prague's Christmas Markets are open seven days a week, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m.

MORE INFORMATION

For more information on travelling to Prague, contact Czech Tourism at czechtourism.com.

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Glitz & glam of Miami

MIAMI, Fla. — Amid the glitz and glam of this popular playground, Miami always has so much goin’ on, including one of the hottest tickets in sport — Super Bowl XLIV (Feb. 7 at Dolphin Stadium, nfl.com) and related events.

From cutting-edge art galleries to Latin-inspired music to spectacular nightlife, from tropical beaches to incredible shopping and family attractions, the buzz here is oh, so welcome. Add to that a very favourable exchange rate (about 95 cents on the dollar at press time), plus good deals and there’s real value for money in Miami this season.

Miami specials

No matter when you’re visiting, keep tabs on the best deals for hotels, attractions, tours, and arts and cultural events in Miami. Visit miamiandbeaches.com and click on the “special offers” link for the latest. Many of Miami’s favourite family attractions, such as the Miami Seaquarium, Miami Metrozoo, Jungle Island, the Miami Children’s Museum and the Everglades Alligator Farm list their special offers on this site.

Help yourself and the animals

The “Save Money, Save Wildlife Discount Card” at Miami Metrozoo provides six “multi use” coupons and 10 “one time” coupons offering more than $75 US worth of discounts for $5 US. It’s an annual fundraising initiative of the Zoological Society of Florida and Miami Metrozoo to encourage appreciation for the world’s wildlife and to help preserve it for future generations. And AAA/CAA members save $1 off regular admission to Miami Metrozoo (must present identification at the gate).

Relive the glory days

The famous Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables offers free tours of the magnificent property and grounds every Sunday afternoon at 1:30, 2:30 and 3:30. A storyteller spins tales about the hotel’s early days and rich stories of the city’s past.

In its heyday, The Biltmore played host to both European and Hollywood royalty including the Duke and Duchess of Windsor, Ginger Rogers, Judy Garland, Bing Crosby, Al Capone and assorted Roosevelts and Vanderbilts. Today, the hotel proudly boasts a four-star, four-diamond ranking and is the only hotel in South Florida recognized as a National Historic Landmark.

More info: biltmorehotel.com.

Focus on the arts

If you didn’t get to Art Basel Miami Beach, held in early December, don’t worry, because you definitely haven’t missed Miami’s hot art scene. Next up is Art Crush 2010, Jan. 6-8, which features a weekend of Miami’s gallery district openings, wine tastings, art performances, open studios and museum exhibitions taking place concurrently with Miami International Art Fair (MIA). This annual event covers 65 sq. km, and is spread over several days. It will open on the eve of MIA, Jan. 6, move to Coral Gables on Jan. 8, and end at the Wynwood Art District on Jan. 9-10. More info: ifae.com.

Admission is free to Miami Beach Festival of the Arts, Jan. 30-31, which showcases the juried artwork of more than 100 artists from across the country, including paintings, sculpture, glass, ceramics, jewelry and photographs. There’s entertainment by local arts groups, an international food court and children’s activities. More info: gonorthbeach.com.

A cultural night out

— Miami City Ballet (miamicityballet.org) offers one-third off on select seats starting 90-minutes before curtain time for Programs II, III and IV at the Arsht Center (excludes the Nutcracker perfomances).

— This season New World Symphony (nws.edu) includes several world-class orchestra concerts, chamber music, family concerts, open rehearsals, educational concerts and numerous free events. Until the end of March, NWS will have 24 performances where all the tickets in the hall are $15 or less (13 of these are entirely free). Also included in the 24 performances are two nights of $2.50 concerts, with three different 20-minute works performed throughout the night (at 7, 8 and 9 p.m.). These $2.50 concerts are designed to encourage passersby to drop in and check out some classical music.

Galleries and museums

— The Wolfsonian-FIU (wolfsonian.org) offers free admission to the museum and all of their galleries on Fridays from 6-9 p.m. Also note that all installations on the first floor or in the lobby space are free and open to the public.

— The Bass Museum of Art (bassmuseum.org) offers free admission for children under six.

— The Holocaust Memorial (holocaustmmb.org) is open daily and free of charge.

— Vizcaya Museum & Gardens (vizcayamuseum.org) offers free admission to children five and under. — The Miami Children’s Museum (miamichildrensmuseum.org) offers free admission every third Friday of the month from 3-9 p.m.

— The Miami Art Museum (miamiartmuseum.org) offers free admission every second Saturday of the month.

Celebrate in Little Havana

Viernes Culturales (Cultural Fridays) in Little Havana offers a free monthly celebration from 6 p.m. to 11 p.m. on the last Friday of every month. During the festival, which takes place along Calle Ocho (8th Street) from 14th to 17th Avenues, the streets are transformed into an open-air gallery with 100-plus artists, sculptors and artisans filling up the sidewalks with their wonderful creations. Local restaurants as well as art galleries, shops and the historic Tower Theatre all celebrate the event and there are free walking tours of Little Havana. More info: viernesculturales.org.

Coral Gables Gallery Night

On the first Friday of every month, you can stroll the Gables Art Walk for free. During this special evening, art galleries keep their doors open to the public from 7-10 p.m. providing useful advice on fine art and even a glass of wine and some cheese. More info: greatgables.com/CoralGables/GalleryStroll.html

Free arts guide

Download a free copy of the Art Circuits Miami guide at artcircuits.com.

Shopping

With its wealth of designer shops, smart boutiques and fabulous malls, Miami has some of the best shopping in the United States. Check out the savings at Aventura Mall (across the street from the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club), which offers a First Class Shopping Rewards passport for discounts from their vendors. More info: aventuramall.com.

Hotel deals

— JW Marriott Hotel Miami’s “Park and Cruise” package includes complimentary valet parking for one vehicle per room and one-way transfer to the Port of Miami. Rates from $189—$239. Valid through Dec. 31. More info: marriott.com/miajw.

— The Angler’s Boutique Resort has a “Seasoned Travelers Package” for three days and two nights that includes a two-storey, one bedroom suite with Jacuzzi, welcome cocktails for two, and one dinner for two in the gourmet restaurant 660 Mediterranean Kitchen. Priced from $595. More info: theanglersresort.com.

— Mayfair Hotel & Spa’s “Spa Escape for Two” package includes executive suite accommodations with a king size bed or two queens, featuring a two-person Jacuzzi on a private balcony; two 30-minute aromatherapy massages or two Radiant Express facials; full American breakfast for two served in the restaurant; plus a Crazy Pianos $35 gift card. Package price is $379. Valid until Jan. 31. More info: mayfairhotelandspa.com/specials_and_packages/#spa.

— The Tides South Beach is offering a “One More Night” package starting from $1,067.85 for four nights, which includes daily complimentary breakfast in the lobby. Valid until Jan. 31. Some restrictions apply. More info: tidessouthbeach.com.

Luxury for less

— If you’re thinking of splurgin, look no further than the Fairmont Turnberry Isle Resort & Club in Aventura (between Miami and Fort Lauderdale). Special rates and packages this winter put this gorgeous getaway more in reach. For example, the “All the Best package” includes accommodations in a spacious Fairmont Room; complimentary overnight valet parking; daily breakfast buffet in the Cascata Grille restaurant; $50 US resort credit per room, per night, to be used on property at any choice of restaurants, lounges, golf courses, pro shops and spa services; unlimited admission to the Willow Stream Spa including fitness centre and classes (excluding treatments) and complimentary shuttle transportation to and from Ocean Club and Aventura Mall. From $449 US per night, based on double occupancy from Jan. 5 to April 14, 2010.

More info: fairmont.com/turnberryisle.

— The exquisite Setai hotel is offering early booking rewards with package prices from $550. Guests who reserve 30 days in advance receive 15% off the best available rate. Book 60 days in advance and receive 30% off the best available rate. More info: setai.com.

— Body meets soul in the 6,500-sq.-metre Wellness Spa at Canyon Ranch Hotel & Spa in Miami Beach, where you can get a great workout and focus on wellness. Luxuriate in Aquavana, healing water thermal cabins and soaking tubs exclusive to Canyon Ranch. Float in the rooftop Bamboo Pool and watch the sun rise over the ocean. For a challenge, climb in the 13-metre indoor rock-climbing wall.

Canyon Ranch Spa Miami Beach is celebrating its first anniversary with a special stay four nights in any suite and receive a fourth night free package. Book by Jan. 1 for a stay through Jan. 15. And if you can’t stay that long, receive a $150 spa allowance with any two- or three-night stay. More info: canyonranchmiamibeach.com.

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Geared up for the holidays

Travel products make great Christmas gifts. And they cover the gamut, from clothes and luggage to electronics and items that can make a journey more comfortable and safe. Here's a sample:

LIGHTS, CAMERA, COLOUR

The Olympus FE-46 Digital Camera Coloring Set is a novel gift the whole family can enjoy. Relive family vacations or keep little ones amused en route with personalized colouring pages. Mom or Dad can snap shots of the kids, then enter a code at Crayola.com/colorme and transform the photo into a colouring page that can be printed out. The kit comes with 12 megapixel camera, case, 64-pack of Crayola Crayons, software, code good for six months of unlimited prints, batteries and cables for about $129.

QUIET TIME

Sony's noise-cancelling headphones are designed to eliminate ambient noise such as crying babies, chatty passengers and the airplane engine. You can also use them to listen to your iPod, MP3 player or in-flight entertainment. Having your own headsets is also more hygienic (how many others have worn the airline issued earphones) and saves money (many airlines charge for headphones). Plus you'll get a better fit with these deeply cushioned ear pads. Widely available from electronic retailers and Magellan's, which offers a lightweight model with carrying case, two adapters and battery for $149 US.

Unfortunately you can't easily wear noise-cancelling headphones to bed. For that there's the Travel Sound Therapy System from Sound Oasis. In addition to keeping time, it has 17 soothing nature sounds designed to help you sleep in noisy hotels, $89.85 US. Magellan's.

LET IT RAIN

My cheap rain suit was no match for a downpour encountered on a day tour in Iceland. Sitting on a bus in wet clothes all day, I vowed to get quality gear next time. One good choice is the Gore-Tex Monsoon jacket ($155) and Typhoon pants ($98), from Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC), which are "guaranteed to keep you dry." It's the kind of gear you don't need often, but in inclement weather, the investment is worth every penny.

HATS OFF TO TILLEY

When it comes to hats for all seasons, no one does it better than Tilley.

Ford using virtuel reality to fine-tune sound quality inside future vehiculesGift wrap these travel destinations

Gift wrap these travel destinations

Q: I'm not into exchanging big Christmas gifts but I am interested in giving a travel-type of gift this holiday season. Any suggestions would be much appreciated.

-- G. BRUNO, ETOBICOKE

A: Companies like Gift Wrapped Travel -- giftwrappedtravel.com -- are responding to this need.

"Our business allows you to buy a travel experience for someone at their holiday destination. We have over 4,500 sightseeing and activities in 80-plus countries. Depending on what is available in the destination, shoppers can gift wrap gourmet and wine tours, cycling and walking tours, city tours by Segway, special interest tours -- photography, literature, even pubs," says Robyn Arthur about the Australian-based company.

Some gift ideas include a Chocolate Lover's Tour in Paris; a Foodie's London Tour; a Wine & Cooking Class in Paris and an Edgar Allen Poe Greenwich Village Tour in New York.

Arthur says if the recipient doesn't like the gift experience, they can exchange it for another in their database. It doesn't matter where your gift recipient is or where they're going. "We ship anywhere," she says.

ilona@mycompass.ca

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Christmas in the capital

OTTAWA -- While many Canadians look to warmer climes for a Christmas vacation, the capital offers a real winter extravaganza for the hearty.

Yuletide visitors will have to brave the climate -- December's average temperature is -3 C and snowfall for the month averages 57 cm -- but they'll find a lot of rewards.

By now, the city is aglow in Christmas lights. About 300,000 bulbs trim the Peace Tower and other public buildings. They shine from the monuments and trees along what's known as Confederation Boulevard, which stretches from downtown to the residences of the prime minister and Governor General.

This year, the lighting ceremony coincides with today's arrival of the Olympic torch relay.

The Centre Block of the Parliament buildings is open into the evenings. Visitors can tour the decorated halls and climb the Peace Tower itself for the spectacular view of a downtown awash in lights.

Jantine Van Kregten, communications director for Ottawa Tourism, says there are attractions for tourists of all ages.

Many of the national museums have seasonal programs, in addition to their regular exhibits.

"The science and technology museum does a really cool event called 'Talk to Santa,' it's a ham radio club that comes in so you can radio Santa instead of writing a letter."

The museum also marks the winter solstice, Dec. 21, with indoor and outdoor family activities to celebrate the shortest day of the year.

There are also the agriculture museum, the museum of civilization, the war museum, the museum of nature, the aviation museum, the Bank of Canada's currency museum and the National Gallery. Or check out the tours of the Royal Canadian Mint.

The National Arts Centre offers a variety of shows through the month, ranging from the Royal Winnipeg Ballet's Nutcracker to Handel's Messiah, a Leahy Family Christmas and a new production of A Christmas Carol.

If it's not too cold, there are self-guided downtown tours. Brochures offer guides to the city's street art, which ranges from the imposing statues of prime ministers, statesmen and heroes, to monuments, memorials and even Jean-Yves Vigneau's whimsical alley cats, 14 bronze felines which peer down at passersby from the walls of a downtown parking garage.

Getting out on Ottawa's famous Rideau Canal skateway, with almost eight kilometres of groomed ice, is an iffy proposition for December, because it depends on the weather.

"It's up to Mother Nature," Van Kregten says. "If I could wave my magic wand it certainly would be open. We all definitely hope for it."

Some years, it's late January before there's a deep enough freeze to allow for skating.

If the canal is open, skate rentals are available along the waterway. The traditional accompaniment for skating is a beaver tail, a platter of deep-fried, sweet dough topped with anything from lemon sugar to maple syrup.

For those with a taste for winter outdoors, Ottawa has it all.

Gatineau Park, just north across the Ottawa River, offers 200 kilometres of cross-country ski trails. There's downhill skiing, too, just a few minutes away.

"We don't have the Alps, we don't have the Rockies, but on a Tuesday night after work you can be out skiing . . . it's so accessible to downtown," Van Kregten says.

The Centre Block of the Parliament buildings is open into the evenings. Visitors can tour the decorated halls and climb the Peace Tower itself for a spectacular view.

Oxford aglow with festivitiesWinter Driving Conditions Cause Drivers Anxiety from Coast to Coast

Oxford aglow with festivities

Santa sightings are happening throughout the area as the jolly gent of the north makes the rounds in advance of the festive season. A good spot to present your wish list is in Ingersoll, at Santa's Festival Village.

It's also the location of the national award-winning Festival of Lights that has the town aglow at this time.

The village is open today and on Fridays, from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and Saturdays, from 1 p.m. to 9 p.m., through Dec. 19. Also planned this year are added days -- Dec. 21, 22, 23 and 28, 29 and 30 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Santa holds court with Mrs. Claus in the workshop at the village located at the Ingersoll Cheese and Agricultural Museum.

"The village has a huge model-train display, quaint shopping indoors and it's where children can get their picture taken with Santa,'' said Cathy Bingham of Tourism Oxford.

Entertainment includes story-telling, magicians, puppets, clowns, a candy-cane hunt and balloon sculptures on various weekends. There are also horse-drawn wagon rides and fresh-cut Christmas trees for sale to support local minor hockey.

Children can drop off Santa letters and help fill a sleigh with non-perishable food items for the Ingersoll Inter-Church Christmas Relief Fund.

Gifts from the Business Improvement Area are discount saving coupon books offering deals at downtown stores. After visiting the village, take the tour of the more than 300 sparkling light displays timed to music on 88.9 FM.

As one of the national champions of the Winter Lights competition, the lights remain on daily from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. through Jan. 3.

Visitors can drive by or take a stroll through various parks and the downtown to see the glittering lights, which include themes of an old-fashioned and traditional Christmas and children's favourite characters.

Accommodation packages are available at the Elm Hurst Inn and Country Spa and Comfort Inn and Suites. Elm Hurst offers an overnight with dinner and buffet breakfast in the Victorian Mansion Restaurant for $136 a person, double occupancy (1-800-561-5321).Comfort has an overnight with breakfast for $89.99 (1-888-751-5777).

---

Other area happenings include the Woodstock Santa Claus Parade tonight starting at 6 p.m. on Dundas Street, and the opening of Season's Greetings at Annandale National Historic Site in Tillsonburg next Friday from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

There will be refreshments and a one-of-a-kind penny sale of Christmas door decorations and stuffed stockings. Admission is by donation.

Welcome Back Otterville Studio Tour is today and tomorrow, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m., when artists and crafters open their studios to the public in the historic village. (www.welcomebacktootterville.ca; 519-879-6352.)

The Down Home Country Christmas Craft Show is next Friday through Sunday, 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Held at the Tillsonburg Special Event Centre, this 25th anniversary event will have more than 100 juried crafters and artisans. Lunch is available in Santa's kitchen, with admission $4 (12 and under, no charge).

---

The glow of more than 2,000 candles will illuminate Sainte-Marie among the Hurons next Thursday through Saturday, 5:30 p.m. to 9 p.m.

The First Light event includes a colourful historic encampment and visitors can "stroll the candlelit paths leading to a variety of fun-family activities,'' said publicist Bill Brodeur.

At the recreated French Jesuit mission, children can make candles and corn-husk dolls and write Christmas cards with historic quill pens. The cookhouse will be filled with the smells of baked goods available for sampling. Historic blacksmithing will be demonstrated and a Nativity creche will be on view along with an historic musket drill and music.

Admission is $5 (under five, no charge) with a non-perishable food item. www.saintemarieamongthehurons.on.ca; 705- 526-7838.

If you go

For more information about Ingersoll's Santa Festival Village and Festival of Lights, go to www.ingersoll.ca or call 519-485-0120.

Additional information about events in Oxford County are available at www.tourismoxford.ca; 1-866-801-7368.

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Take the lug out of luggage

I just bought my first piece of wheeled luggage.

That meant ditching Old Faithful, a soft-sided carryon I'd used since the early 1980s. You may have seen bigger and even older versions in yard sales. You know, the kind with the grip handle?

Change isn't something I embrace quickly. I never had a digital camera until a year or so ago and still don't own a cellphone. And when they inquire at airport security about a laptop, I wave my trusty pocket notebook.

It took the combined effects of aging and too many marathon hikes through airports that threatened to dislodge my arms from their sockets to convince me of the need to take the "lug'' out of luggage.

So just weeks before my birthday -- number 73 if you must know -- I took the plunge.

First, I took the interior measurements of my old bag. Then, tape measure in hand, I visited Sears and The Bay. Both stock several brands and had some on sale.

I examined carryons by Heyes, Atlantic, Samsonite and Delsey before settling on a Roots "Smooth'' 19-inch upright. It was 50% off, so I paid $85, plus tax.

Unlike my old bag, it isn't expandable and lacks the full-width, zippered side pockets into which I'd been accustomed to stuffing paperbacks, a windbreaker, a Tilley hat, maybe an umbrella, and brochures from my wanderings.

What swayed me was the weight, only 2.1 kilo, less than half that of several other makes. That's important when you're trying to lift a bag into and out of the overhead bin.

The key measurement to remember when buying a carryon is height. If you're told a bag is a 21 or a 19, that's how tall it is in inches, wheels included.

If you customarily use a variety of airlines, don't buy a carryon taller than 20 inches. While Air Canada, for example, allows bags up to 21.5 inches tall, the maximum on WestJet and Sunwing is 20.

All three airlines have the same weight limit, 10 kilos (22 pounds) but some international carriers won't allow that much. I had to check my carryon with Air New Zealand because their maximum was 7 kilos (15 pounds).

An expandable carryon can be a traveller's best friend, but take care not to stuff it until it becomes too wide for legal carryon. (A new website, luggagelimits.com, has information on 70 airlines).

What criteria should you use when shopping for a carryon? A woman who used to repair luggage told me to look for:

- In-line wheels inset from the sides. Wheels located at the sides are more easily broken.

- Reinforced corners.

- Small, stubby "feet'' on the bottom; larger ones tend to break off.

- A concealed pull handle. Exposed ones are more easily damaged.

- Nylon zippers, which can be repaired, rather than metal ones.

I'd add this:

- Handles on the side and the bottom for hefting it into the overhead bin.

- A telescoping handle long enough to allow the bag to be pulled comfortably.

Keep in mind that soft-sided luggage is more flexible than hard-sided and usually lighter.

The first test of my new bag was going to be a tougher one than usual, two, short, back-to-back trips from one side of Canada to the other. I knew I'd need clothing suitable for mid-September in Prince Edward Island, a warmer layer for Whistler, B.C. and extra trousers.

So I did a test packing. If the new bag proved inadequate, I could exchange it for another while the sale was still on.

It passed. But I'm hanging on to Old Faithful for a while, just in case.

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New Zealand stars in hit movies

Movie fans have always wanted to know more about the making of their favourite films. In New Zealand, there are many movie themed activities and tours that take fans behind the scenes and showcase some breathtaking locations while providing some insider scoop about the making of the films.

In the upcoming release of The Lovely Bones, a feature film directed by Kiwi Peter Jackson and starring Rachel Weisz, Susan Sarandon and Mark Wahlberg, New Zealand is once again in the news for providing the incredible locations for internationally acclaimed films.

New Zealand’s most famous film production is undoubtedly Jackson’s Lord of the Rings trilogy, which was filmed entirely in New Zealand. The upcoming filming of The Hobbit in New Zealand, directed by Guillermo del Toro and set for filming in March 2010, is stirring up that excitement all over again. Throughout both the North and South Islands, Lord of the Rings fans can tour the film’s locations with experienced guides who not only know some insider details of the filming, they often also appeared as extras.

Other box office successes such as King Kong; X-Men Origins: Wolverine; The World’s Fastest Indian; and The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe showcased New Zealand’s dramatic and breathtaking scenery and cemented its reputation as a world-class filming location. In fact, three strong contenders for this year’s Oscar Best Picture nominations have New Zealand connections: The Lovely Bones (directed by Jackson), Bright Star (directed by Kiwi Jane Campion) and Avatar, which was partially filmed in New Zealand.

For movie buffs, this provides excellent opportunities to check out locations and talk to locals about their experiences and to hear about some one-on-one “local moments” with stars like Hugh Jackman, Cate Blanchett, Liv Tyler, Orlando Bloom, Ian McKellen and Viggo Mortensen. Just ask any local in New Zealand who their favourite star is and you’ll hear great, personal stories about the actors.

While filming, many of the stars take advantage of all the fun things to do in New Zealand. While filming The Warrior’s Way, Kate Bosworth took time to skydive; comedian Robin Williams has gone heli-mountain biking, George Lucas and Hugh Jackman took a wild ride in Queenstown on Shotover Jet and the list of celebrities that have bungy jumped includes Tiger Woods, members of U2, Slash of Guns and Roses and Velvet Revolver, as well as Scottish comedian Billy Connolly who—not to be outdone—did the Nevis Highwire Bungy naked.

For movie fans, a trip to New Zealand is like a visit to the candy store. With a long history of great movies made in the country and locals who want to show you where and how – and tell you about their experience with the stars, film buffs can peek behind the scenes of some of the biggest blockbusters of this decade, as well as some of the best independent films made while visiting New Zealand.

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Squaw Valley marks 50 years

OLYMPIC VALLEY, Calif. — Cut into a Sierra Nevada canyon, defined by steep granite cliffs and tree-dotted peaks, Squaw Valley USA is one of the Lake Tahoe area’s premier ski resorts, attracting more than a half-million to a million visitors each ski season.

But 55 years ago, when former Wall Street lawyer Alexander Cushing campaigned to bring one of sport’s greatest spectacles here, the idea of the Winter Olympics in a state known more for surf than snow was laughable.

“They knew about California, but they thought it was orange groves, beaches and movie stars. They wondered, ‘Where would you ski in such a balmy Camelot?”’ said David Antonucci, author of “Snowball’s Chance: The Story of the 1960 Olympic Winter Games, Squaw Valley and Lake Tahoe.”

Location wasn’t Cushing’s only obstacle. His fledgling resort had only been open five years and consisted of one chairlift, two rope tows and a 50-room lodge. There also was little infrastructure in the area to support such a massive event — one dirt road led to the mountain — and no real town.

But after intense lobbying that included citing statistics that the valley gets more than 1,100 centimetres of snow a year, dispatching well-connected friends to campaign for votes and securing financial support from the state, Squaw beat out three more glamorous European cities to be awarded the games.

“It caused quite a stir,” said Cushing’s widow, Nancy Cushing, chief executive of Squaw Valley Ski Corp. “It was pretty, pretty amazing.”

The next four and a half years were busy with preparations. A ski jump was constructed, and an ice arena built. Hotels and restaurants sprang up, and a highway was carved through the mountains to bring visitors from Reno.

But the legacy of the games is not in Olympic-ordered structures that have stood the test of time (in fact, most are no longer there.) Rather, the staying power is found in what has happened since the event.

“The Olympics delivered a second economy to the area,” Antonucci said. “The area had a fairly strong summer economy but by hosting the Olympics, it elevated the Tahoe area to a winter sports destination.”

Lake Tahoe, located on the border of California and Nevada, now has the largest concentration of ski resorts in North America.

This year, Squaw Valley is celebrating its 60th anniversary and the 50th anniversary of the Olympic games.

From Jan. 8-17, the resort will host 20 events commemorating the Olympics. They include an Olympic Torch Relay, opening ceremony and an 1960 Olympian reception. The events are either free or to raise money for a new Lake Tahoe ski heritage museum.

The turnoff from Highway 89 into Squaw Valley is marked by two large towers capped by Olympic rings. They are flanked by the U.S. and California flags, and at the base of each stands a flame. The Truckee River rushes along the road.

There is enough room on the side of the road to pull over and snap a picture of these relics of the games and grab a soft drink from a 7-Eleven, the only chain store for several miles.

A two-lane road carries you up through the canyon past Tudor-style condominiums, Queen of the Snows Church and a fire station. A-framed cabins and luxury mansions are tucked into the northern side of the valley. On the southern side, across a field that bursts with wildflowers in the summer, sits the upscale Resort at Squaw Creek.

The chairlifts — there are now 33 of them — come into focus as you get deeper in the canyon. Then a massive parking lot signals you’ve reached the Village at Squaw Valley, nestled at the base of the slopes and made to look like it came right out of the Alps.

The Village is constructed as a pedestrian shopping mall with stores, restaurants and lodging. Bands play outside in the summer and large fire pits draw friends and family in the winter. It is the focal point of the apres ski life in Squaw Valley.

Dentists Ian Vanzyl and Ewa Konopka regularly make the nearly four-hour drive from their home in Lake County.

“I’ve skied all over Europe,” said Vanzyl while walking around the village with his wife on a recent sunny, but chilly Saturday. “Squaw is the most efficient mountain. Your value for vertical feet for dollar is probably the best anywhere in the world. It’s just amazing terrain.”

The terrain is considered among the most challenging in the Sierra Nevada, attracting risk takers who hurl themselves off of cliffs to the delight of chairlift observers. But 70 per cent of the runs are for beginner or intermediate skiers, and many of the mountain’s attractions don’t even require strapping on skis or a snowboard.

A gondola whisks visitors up the side of the mountain in eight minutes. The thrilling ride brings you to 2,500 metres to high camp, where, come spring, skiers and snowboarders can trade their bibs for bathing suits and take a dip in an outdoor pool that stays open through the summertime. Tennis courts, bars and restaurants are also at this base with stunning views of Lake Tahoe.

“Most mountains, the beginners are relegated off to the side down at the base and they don’t enjoy the magnificence of skiing,” Cushing said. “That’s a big part of skiing — being able to enter the alpine environment.”

———

If You Go . . .

Squaw Valley Calif: http://www.squaw.com/ or 800-403-0206. Hosted the Winter Olympics in 1960.

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