Lahaina easy on the budget

LAHAINA, Hawaii -- The quirky handwritten sign outside the souvenir shop on Front St. enticed me to venture inside. "Come in and get your free gift," it read. "No purchase required -- unless you feel guilty that is."

The store actually had some surprisingly beautiful hand-crafted items. But it got me thinking about the word "free" and how I'd spent the entire afternoon sightseeing in Lahaina for next to nothing. Of 61 listed attractions I managed to get to about two dozen, and only encountered an admission price twice, and even then it was under $3.

Lahaina is a historic city on Maui, and no trip to the island is complete without a visit to the former Hawaiian capital. For freebie lovers it's got everything.

First, it's a walkable city so there's no need to pay for buses or taxis to get around. Many visitors arrive on cruise ships, but if you're staying in Kaanapali, it's just a short shuttle bus ride away.

And, with the help of one of the complimentary self-guided tour maps, there's no need to hire a guide or join a tour group unless you want to. You can learn at your own pace about Hawaiian customs when royalty ruled the island, see artifacts from city's rowdy whaling days or marvel at the landmarks built by early Chinese and Japanese immigrants.

The free map I like best is published by the Lahaina Restoration Foundation but any map with a legend will suffice, as historical markers around town provide lots of information.

A good place to start a tour is at the court house, an attractive building dating to 1859, in the heart of the city. It houses a visitor information centre on the main level (where you can pick up maps and brochures) and the Lahaina Heritage Museum, with changing exhibits, on the second floor.

In the basement, a former jail now functions as an art gallery, where photographs and colourful oil paintings hang on white-washed walls around, and in some cases inside, the cells.

There was even more art outside, where dozens of vendors selling anything from watercolours of Maui scenes to Polynesian carvings displayed their work on tables under an enormous Banyan tree. Planted in 1873 to mark the 50th anniversary of Lahaina's first Protestant Christian mission, the tree is an attraction in itself. It measures about a half of kilometre in circumference!

Under the shade of its sprawling branches, I met local musician Michael Kollwitz, who was playing a new and unusual instrument called a Chapman Stick. Invented in Los Angeles in 1974 by Emmett Chapman, it resembles the neck of a guitar but wider and has 10 strings, which are tapped against the frets producing a very distinctive sound. Kollwitz was one of the first students of the instrument.

You never know what you'll find under the Banyan tree, which seems to be a hive of activity, and not just for humans. In the evenings, it becomes a roosting place for thousands of raucous mynah birds!

Nearby are several other places worth seeing:

- Baldwin Museum, once the home of missionary and doctor Dwight Baldwin who helped inoculate 10,000 Maui residents for small pox.

- Master's Reading Room, constructed in 1834. It's believed to be Maui's oldest building and was a hangout for visiting sea captains, after missionaries banned prostitution and the sale of alcohol.

- Wo Hing Museum. The first Chinese who came to Maui in the 1800s worked on sugar plantations and built tunnels and irrigation systems. This two-storey building, with a Taoist altar upstairs, was their social gathering place. The former cookhouse next door now shows some of Thomas Edison's first films, which were shot in Hawaii, circa 1898.

- Hauola Stone. In the harbour -- close to shore and visible above the tide -- is a large angular stone-shaped like a low-backed chair. Used by ancient Hawaiians as a birthing stone, it was also believed to promote health and healing.

- Pioneer Inn. Lahaina's first hotel was built in 1901 and has a Canadian connection. George Freeland, an RCMP officer from Vancouver was sent to Hawaii to "get his man," but when he failed his mission, he decided to stay in Maui and built this inn, which was the only hotel in West Maui until the 1960s. It's still in operation today.

- About 10 minutes from Lahaina, the Kaanapali Beach Hotel stages free nightly hula shows in the Tiki Courtyard from 6 to 9. There's also a free hula show during the Sunday brunch from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. See kbhmaui.com.

WRITER@INTERLOG.COM

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IF YOU GO TO MAUI

For more, check visitlahaina.com or call 808-667-9193. With the money you save on your self-guided tour, you might want to splurge and see an evening cultural performance. Ulalena is an award-winning show depicting Hawaii's history in music, dance and drama. It runs at the Maui Theatre in Lahaina. Check MauiTheatre.com or call 877-688-4800 or 808-856-7900.

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Top trends for weddings away

My friend Leeanne got engaged to her boyfriend at Christmas. Wedding plans are already underway.

Leeanne told me her husband-to-be suggested they throw a destination wedding. I was immediately excited to have a good excuse to take off for the tropics, but, Leeanne was concerned the cost of getting to the destination would prevent some guests from showing up on her big day.

Despite her concerns, destination weddings are all the rage, says industry expert Rebecca Grinnals of Engaging Concepts in Florida.

"While the industry was bracing for the worst, the opposite occurred. Brides began to reprioritize and rethink everything ... More brides opted for simplicity, choosing to wed away from home in a more casual setting," Grinnals says.

To do a destination wedding right, Grinnals offers these ideas:

1. Make it hot. "The Caribbean continues to be a very popular region for destination weddings," Grinnals says. "One of my favourite getaways is the Cayman Islands because there is a wealth of high quality service providers and their weddings don't have that overdone, 'packaged' feel. Everything is tailored." A wide variety of lodging helps control costs.

2. Make it about your passions. "Over 9,000 Chinese couples married on the opening day of the Beijing Olympics and I anticipate many will choose to do the same during the Vancouver Olympics," Grinnals says.

3. Make it individual. "Destination brides feel less limited by tradition, so we are seeing them throw all caution to the wind and wearing dresses in colours like fuchsia, tangerine and ocean blues," Grinnals says.

4. Make it about the dress(es). Grinnals says destination brides are opting for two dresses, a wedding dress and a casual reception dress.

5. Make it about culture. Grinalls suggests serving local foods, giving local products as gifts, and mixing in elements from your own culture for "a truly unique" experience."

6. Make it dramatic. Whether you speed off in a boat or ski down a mountain, make your wedding exit one the guests will never forget.

7. Make it musical. "At home or abroad, couples are ditching the DJ in favour of creating their own playlists on an iPod," Grinnals says.

8. Make it hi-tech. Social media is popular for destination wedding couples who use sites like Twitter and Facebook to keep everyone up-to-date, especially those unable to attend.

9. Make it green. "From venues to vendors, (brides) are making green choices," Grinnals says.

10. Make a mess of your dress. Popular in the Caribbean, the couple holds a photo shoot the next day and jumps into the ocean in their wedding outfits, Grinnals says. "It's a chance for the couple to really let their hair down after all the stress and pressure from the months leading up to the big day. It's one of my favourite trends."

READ MORE AT MEANDERING MUSINGS -- BLOG.CANOE.CA/TRAVEL

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Winter Olympics inspired by Inukshuk

The emblem of the Olympic Winter Games is a colourful humanoid with arms spread wide, a contemporary interpretation of a stone landmark called an Inukshuk with a history stretching back more than 3,000 years in Inuit culture.

Sitting atop the Olympic Rings, the symbol looms large on licensed merchandise and is sure to generate curiosity once the Games are under way.

An Inukshuk (in-OOK-shook) is a carefully balanced pile of unworked rocks and slabs. The Inuit have built them through time to guide travellers, assist with hunts, warn of danger or indicate caches of food. A miniature version stands hip-high, with others measuring one to two metres, one builder said.

With a more human look, the design for the Olympic emblem was chosen in 2005 from about 1,600 proposals to represent hope, friendship, hospitality and teamwork, according to Vancouver organizers. Named Ilanaaq (ih-LAH-nawk), meaning friend, it was cast in Canada's red and two shades of blue, along with green, yellow and gold, to evoke the host country's sweeping forests, mountains, islands and sunsets.

Towering examples of Inukshuks have been constructed in modern times, like the sculpture located in Vancouver on English Bay, left over from the 1986 World Expo. Other First Nations peoples in Arctic regions from Alaska to Greenland also used such markers and they can be found around the world, including one on the summit of Pike's Peak in Colorado and elsewhere in the western United States, where they were built by Navajo and other Native Americans.

In the Inuit culture, Inukshuks played a key role for the nomadic people in the frozen, unforgiving climate of northern Canada and were built to withstand winds of more than 150 kilometres an hour, said Peter Irniq, an Inukshuks builder, former commissioner of the northern Nunavut Territory and an Inuit cultural teacher who lives in Ottawa.

"They're symbols of survival," he said. "Whenever I'm around Inukshuks in the Arctic I am never scared because I know that Inuit have lived there before me for many, many thousands of years and have survived from hunting and fishing," he said.

Norman Hallendy, who has written two books on the subject, said the markers served a multitude of roles.

"It was really part of their life support system," he said. "Some were reminders of a dangerous place, some pointed to the safest or easiest ways to get home."

Along some Arctic coastlines, the more human-looking form was once thought to be put up to proclaim to Scottish whalers, "OK, we're here, which meant they could stop and trade for fresh caribou or take some people on board as pilots," Hallendy said.

In years past, one Inuit use for human-looking rock structures was far more solemn, Irniq said.

"When Inuit made them a long time ago, they represented murder and it also represented suicide, that there was murder or there was suicide at that place," he said.

The day-to-day Inukshuks took on different shapes, depending on their function. Some were built with peepholes or windows to look through in a certain direction, revealing good places to find seal, caribou or Arctic char. It could have been placed equidistant from prime fishing or hunting grounds or had one slab extended to indicate direction.

For stores of game too burdensome to carry, an Inukshuk sometimes included antlers on top to make the spot easier to find under snow and ice, Hallendy said.

For hunting, since the Inuit lived in small groups, the piled landmarks were placed in lines along each side of caribou routes. Women and children hid behind them, waiting patiently for the beasts to arrive and startling them into believing there were more people. The spooked caribou were forced in the direction of men waiting with bows and arrows.

In Cape Dorset, a centre of Inuit art at the tip of Baffin Island in Nunavut, Inukshuk Point is home to more than 100 of the markers and has been designated one of Canada's national historic sites.

"That is one of the most sacred sites in the entire eastern Arctic," said Hallendy, who lives far away in the small village of Carp, 56 kilometres from Ottawa, but has travelled to the north many times. "It is very, very moving. When you go there, you're almost struck dumb by the power of the place. You can feel it. You can see it. It's a very inward and a very quiet experience."

Inukshuk, he said, could also be venerated, honoured with offerings of food or a lock of hair, or considered evil or good.

To Hallendy, the markers will always be most special in their natural surroundings. Some, he said, have generated mini-ecosystems of their own. Seed-laden bird droppings have led to flowers and other life around the base against an otherwise desolate landscape.

"You get a whole bloody tiny little universe that begins to live at the feet. The Arctic is virtually a desert, but you have this incredible, beautiful little micro world that's lush with things. It's a magical world."

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Disney for the very young at heart

A trip to Disney World may provoke many well-marketed scenarios: meeting Princess Aurora for the first time; sauntering through the castle on a perfect summer day; your child turning to you as fireworks dazzle the night sky saying “thanks for everything, mom.” However, those who brave Florida’s Disney World with very small children know that at any moment, the magic could turn tragic.

As veterans of two tours of duty, Matt and Tracy know there are several ways to keep the dream alive—for children and parents.

Fly, Don’t Drive

Driving from Toronto to Orlando will take you three days. Behind the wheel for at least eight hours each day, you will also have to take into consideration bathroom and meal breaks every few hours, as well as those emergencies that would make prospective parents think twice ( a three year old with stomach pains in a two hour traffic jam will leave you panicking, for example).

Granted, road trips can stretch your dollar, but when you consider gas, hotels, meals and incidentals, the savings are generally minimal, especially if you can take advantage of flight deals. Leaving from Buffalo, or any other American border city, could save a family of four hundreds of dollars.

Some may also suggest travelling by car “adds to the fun.” We found that such a long drive simply exhausted our children before they entered the gates. Spend your energy wisely - save it for the parks!

Have a Plan

If you haven’t been to the “House the Mouse Built” since you were young, you need to know something: it’s changed. A lot!

What once was a leisurely two day tour through Magic Kingdom and Epcot is now an epic journey through four sprawling theme parks, two water parks, Downtown Disney and more, notwithstanding the endless delights provided by a range of custom hotels like The Grand Floridian or The Yacht Club.

For the kids, Magic Kingdom is everything. We found that rides are fun but soon forgotten, yet experiences like lunch at the castle with Cinderella are worth their weight in memories. However, the rides you’ll want to plan for are famous for a reason: It’s a Small World, Pirates of the Caribbean and even the Haunted Mansion for the bravest of little souls.

Yet, our prize for the best “unexpected” delight was Mickey’s Philharmagic, a 3-D experience that took three years to make and had us checking our watches to see if we had time for seconds. There are other attractions appropriate for young children at Epcot, Disney Studios and Animal Kingdom and planning your route will help save invaluable time and energy.

Epcot’s Kim Possible World Showcase Adventure had our daughter begging for more, and the interactive Turtle Talk with Crush had even the grown-ups believing Crush was speaking to us from the deep. On your way through Disney’s Hollywood Studios, make sure you check out the incredible Muppet Vision 3-D experience as well as the Voyage of the Little Mermaid for a refreshing journey under the sea.

And if the thought of getting tied into one park for the day makes you a little nervous, the Hopper Pass is a convenient purchase which lets you move from park to park whenever you feel like revisiting a past attraction.

You Can’t Do It All

Much to the chagrin of list makers, you can’t do it all in one visit, especially with young children. In fact, there are large components of Disney World that are geared for much older teens and even adults - Tower of Terror, American Idol Experience, and the understated, yet hair-raising, Dinosaur.

Kids need times of rest and recovery from their overloaded senses, instead of being dragged from exhibit to exhibit, dispassionate and uninvolved. Surprising to us was that staying around the hotel and going for a leisurely dip in the pool or a free ride on the monorail was just as satisfying to our brood as exploring Ariel’s Grotto.

As well, depending on the time of year, excessive lines, frequent summer storms or intense August heat could prevent you from a couple of “must dos” the first time around. It’s better to take your time and maintain the right attitude rather than keeping a frenzied pace. Just keep telling yourself you’ll be back someday, and, if you set the right tone, your kids will want to come with you.

Take Some Time to be a Grown-up

Walt must have known that as much as we like to believe we’re young at heart, we still need to be treated like adults.

These days at Disney, there are endless activities for moms and dads. Don’t miss the Magnolia Golf Course near the Polynesian, the luxurious Grand Floridian Spa enjoyed by stars such as Paula Abdul, award winning restaurants like Victoria & Albert’s Chef’s Table, and a thriving night life filled with dance clubs and blues nooks.

These activities can be embraced during scheduled “nap times” or even while the kids are down for the night if you want to take full advantage of Disney’s convenient babysitting service. If you feel guilty enjoying the pleasures of the Kingdom without them, you can sooth your conscience by enrolling the little ones in the Mouseketeer Club, a sensational program for kids as young as four to be entertained with crafts and fascinating activities.

Those solitary moments of peace and quiet or an exhilarating date under the stars will leave you refreshed for another day of child-like activity under the Florida sun.

Anyone who has ever taken young children to Disney World knows the experience is unique. The excitement, the wonder, the belief in magic can never be replicated by any other vacation or perhaps by any other age group. Consider not just their limitations, but yours. With a little planning and patience, everyone’s dream can come true.

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Air NZ to offer economy class "beds"

WELLINGTON, Jan 26 (Reuters Life!) - Longing for a lie-down, long-haul? Air New Zealand will offer flat beds to economy class passengers on some flights later this year.

The national airline has designed a Skycouch, which can be folded flat to the seat in front and will be big enough for a couple or a couple with a small child.

It will take the space of three normal economy class seats and cost two seats at standard prices and a third at half price. They will be available on the the airline’s new fleet of Boeing 777-300.

The airline says the couches and a general makeover of the cabins in the new planes is aimed at revitalising long haul travel.

“For the past three years we have been designing a new long haul experience that will reignite the passion of today’s travellers. For those who choose, the days of sitting in economy and yearning to lie down and sleep are gone,” chief executive Rob Fyfe said in a statement.

Air New Zealand, three-quarters owned by the New Zealand government, built a full sized replica of a Boeing 777-300 cabin to develop the couches and new decor.

The airline is also giving its premium economy and business premier classes a revamp including seats that do not recline into the space of the passenger behind, and an on-demand food service.

The new planes and in-flight services will be offered initially on the Auckland-Los Angeles route, and then extended on flights to London in time for next year’s Rugby World Cup, which is being held in New Zealand.

The airline said it also expects to refit its Boeing 777-200 to the new configuration over the course of next year.

(Reporting by Gyles Beckford, editing by Miral Fahmy)

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Play the markets

DUBAI, United Arab Emirates -- Why go all the way to Dubai to shop for international brands in a mall? Much more interesting to explore some of the city's -- and the country's -- fascinating markets or souks. In a place known for over the top extravagance, they're among the few places where you can still get a deal.

Some souks specialize in mainly one product -- such as gold, spices or carpets -- while others carry a bit of everything, including exotic items you can't find at home. There are several high-end souks, too, and they're often as interesting for their architecture as their merchandise.

Gold souk

If you're looking for a bargain on "bling," put Dubai's gold souk at the top of your list. The prices here are among the lowest you'll find anywhere in the world -- some claim as little as a quarter of what you might pay at home. If you bargain, you should be able to knock off at least 20% of the stated price.

The souk, which has a collection of more than 120 shops, is the biggest market for the precious metal in the U.A.E. In addition to intricate gold jewelry, you can also find precious stones and pearls.

The best time to go is in the late afternoon or early evening as most stores are open until 10 p.m. The weather is cooler at night and the souk is at its busiest and most atmospheric.

Most hotels provide a free shuttle bus or you can take a cab. Get off on the Bur Dubai side of the creek and then venture on board an abra (water taxi).

You can buy necklaces, bracelets, rings, earrings and pendants in modern or traditional designs. Gold is priced according to weight and daily gold prices are either displayed in the shop or in the local paper. If you can't find what you want, consider getting your own piece exclusively designed.

Spice souk

An easy walk from the gold souk -- and near the dhow moorings for easy trading and unloading -- is the spice souk. Burlap bags containing fragrant spices cram the narrow streets and alleys, where women in kandouras -- long sleeved full-length dresses -- and men wearing dishdashas -- ankle-length loose fitting white cotton garments -- come to shop.

Most stalls sell cardamom, saffron, paprika, nutmeg, dried limes, thyme, vanilla pods, dried cinnamon, henna and frankincense. The prices are good and so is the selection. Spices come from India, Pakistan, Iran, Syria, Sri Lanka and Madagascar. The biggest sellers, according to one merchant, are frankincense and saffron.

Vendors, many of them from Iran, are very friendly and will happily identify any spices you don't recognize.

Khan Murjan

If there's such a thing as a five-star souk this is it. The Khan Murjan -- a recreation of the famous 14th century Baghdad souk -- is in the Wafi Mall next to the pyramid-shaped Raffles Dubai hotel. The centrepiece of the souk is an amazing stained glass ceiling -- one of the biggest in the world -- which had to be carefully assembled by hand over the course of several months.

At the heart of the souk is a gorgeous, marble courtyard, where you can enjoy an authentic Middle Eastern meal while being serenaded by musicians.

Take a stroll through the Moroccan, Syrian, Egyptian and Turkish quarters and see artistic traditions from across the Islamic world brought together in one place.

More than 150 shops sell an array of local and international arts and crafts, including intricately woven Persian rugs, painstakingly carved Moroccan furniture, and Damascene mother-of-pearl mosaics. Don't miss the Khan Al Saboun shop run by Badr Hassoun & Sons, a Lebanon-based company that has been making soap since 1480.

Carpet souk

If only top quality carpets will do, you may want to focus on shops in the upscale Souk Madinat Jumeirah or the Khan Murjan. But to see lots of carpet stalls all in one place offering a range of prices, head for the carpet souk on Al Meena Rd., near the main port area in Abu Dhabi.

Sometimes called the Afghan souk, this market carries both handmade and machine-made Oriental carpets, as well as Yemeni mattresses, and traditional Arabic cushions, which you can have made to order for a reasonable price. With dozens of stalls lined up side-by-side it's great for comparison shopping. Bargains can be found if you haggle.

WRITER@INTERLOG.COM

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IF YOU GO TO ABU DHABI

MORE INFORMATION

Etihad Airways, the national airline of the United Arab Emirates, operates three non-stop flights-per-week from Toronto to the capital Abu Dhabi.

Flights on the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, depart Toronto Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. Return fares in economy in February/March average around $1,686 plus taxes (about $350-$400) For more call 416-221-4744 or check etihadairways.com.

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Social networking changing travel

Isahrai Azaria is heading to Austin, Texas, in February, and thanks to Facebook, she already has 40 acquaintances, an invitation to go water tubing, and a line on the best vegetarian lunch place in town.

"It's been unbelievable," said Azaria, a singer who lives in San Francisco. "It was just a quick post on Facebook, but one of my Facebook friends is friends with some people in Austin," and those friends sent her tips on everything from yoga studios to local bus service.

Social media is changing the way people travel. It's replacing recommendations from experts and strangers with a targeted selection of information from acquaintances and their networks.

"Social media and travel are a perfect fit, because they both are built around this idea of sharing experiences and storytelling," said Mary Madden, a senior researcher at the Pew Internet and American Life Project in Washington, D.C. "Content, whether that's a blog post about your favorite restaurant or the story from your latest trip to Greece and photos of that trip, is a form of social currency that you share with other people who frequent your social media space."

Travelers have used the Internet for years to find hotels, restaurants and other attractions. Some Web sites offer recommendations from guidebook writers, critics and other experts, while others — like TripAdvisor.com, Yelp and Chowhound — offer feedback from individuals about their personal experiences. But credibility can be an issue. A good review could be written by the business owners themselves or their friends, while bad reviews could come from their competitors. A destination Web site might only list businesses that pay to be featured.

In contrast, a recommendation from a Facebook connection or your Twitter feed may feel more trustworthy and less random than something you stumble across on a Web site — even when the tweet or Facebook message is from someone you don't know.

"I see my social media network as a big focus group, a big travel guide," said Jessica Flynn, who owns Red Sky Public Relations in Boise. "I don't know all the people directly who I follow on Twitter, but I just find them interesting."

Last summer, Flynn let it be known on Twitter and Facebook that she and her boyfriend were headed to Vancouver Island in British Columbia, Canada. She heard back from the owners of cheese shops, wine bars, and bed-and-breakfasts.

"It is commercial, in a way, but it also gives me a connection that I would never have had," said Flynn. "I wrote back, 'I'll be 30 miles south of you. What do you know about that area?' And then they responded and gave me something."

Azaria, who doesn't drive, looked on mass transit Web sites when searching for a place to stay in Austin. She got bus schedules, but couldn't tell which neighborhoods were safe for waiting at a bus stop.

"When I have a friend of a friend tell me on Facebook it's kind of sketchy in this area, it's like, 'OK, let me think about a different area,'" said Azaria.

Airlines, hotel chains, tourism agencies and companies like Orbitz also use Facebook to keep fans up-to-date on specials and deals. Facebook applications like Dopplr let users share travel plans and add reviews.

Outside of Facebook, trip-sharing Web sites such as Everlater provide a way for travelers to post their stories and photos.

Twitter has become a medium for travel-related businesses to provide quick messages about upcoming events, promotions, even weather conditions. It's also a way for these entities to identify regular customers and reward them with discounts. Other travel businesses use Twitter to build relationships with customers and promote visitor satisfaction by answering individual queries through Twitter with on-the-spot advice.

A Web site called Twisitor Center lists hundreds of local tourism authorities around the world that tweet: http://twisitorcenter.com/. One of them, Travel Portland, the Portland, Ore., marketing office, uses Twitter to help travelers get quick answers to their Portland-related questions.

Many of the tweets received at Travel Portland are from people looking for restaurants. A staff member serves as official Travel Portland tweeter, but anyone who sees the feed can respond to a query. "The nice thing about Twitter is (visitors) may also get six, seven, eight answers back from people who live in Portland," said Deborah Wakefield, Travel Portland's vice president of communications. "If somebody is downtown, asking about a great hotel for kids, they may get recommendations from people who have a favorite."

Tweets are especially handy if you're walking around outside looking for a good breakfast place — a common query for Travel Portland.

"Even if your phone has Internet capabilities maybe it's slow or difficult to see a web site — so Twitter makes it really convenient when you need one of those instant recommendations," said Wakefield.

And Tweets are limited to 140 words, a welcome contrast to the torrent of information on the Web.

"People start to rely on those trusted portals that help sift the cream from the top," said Madden, of Pew. "Otherwise people would be overwhelmed by information by doing research on line."

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Try local beers at brewpubs

The T-shirt in the souvenir shop says it all: "Chicago's a drinking town with a sports problem."

Chicago celebrates St. Patrick's Day by turning it's river green, boasts hundreds of bars (such as The Map Room, which BeerAdvocate.com says is the No. 5 spot on a list of 50 bars in the U.S. to enjoy a beer), and was the inspiration for Bye Bye Liver: The Chicago Drinking Play.

Breweries abound in this city, and while there aren't many brewpubs, it's worth visiting them.

Goose Island has two brewpubs -- the original is on North Clybourn (northwest of the downtown area) and a second is near the ballpark in Wrigleyville. The beers ranged from the 312 wheat ale -- which our server Mary says most beer aficionados are not fans of -- to the Mild Winter seasonal brew, Christmas ale, the extra pale ale, a nut brown ale and the oatmeal stout (her personal favourite).

The food is exactly what you want while sampling beer. While the nachos are good, go for the pub chips. They're made in-house, are cheaper than the nachos and are delicious.

Although not a Chicago original, the Rock Bottom Restaurant and Brewery on West Grand Ave. is also a must-stop for beer lovers. The flavours in these beers are more muted than other craft brewers, but this can make for easy drinking and ensuring everyone in your group will find a beer they enjoy.

And now, Josh Deth is preparing to open Revolution Brewery in Logan Square later this month. It will have eight house brews and eight guest tapes, along with "the best brewpub food in the city," Deth says.

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Brushes with bogeys in Arizona

My playing partner, a smooth-swinging Manitoban, has just hammered the ball down the left side of the split fairway from the elevated tee. Not to be outdone, I take out driver and launch my ball over the dusty, rock- and cactus-covered hill on the left that hides the green, and cuts off all but 35 yards of hole. It’s a calculated risk that pays off this time.

That’s the challenge the 378-yard, par-four 15th hole on the Dinosaur Mountain course at Gold Canyon Golf Resort in Arizona presents. Go long and left with a driver and have an easy wedge into the green, or play it safe with an iron up the right side and leave yourself with a longer approach into this tiered, guarded green. It’s a stunning risk-reward hole, split in two by a craggy, scrub-filled arroyo that is ready to swallow balls and turn beckoning birdies into bogeys or worse.

What makes number 15 all the more breathtaking on this particular day is the 20 or so mule deer that have gathered in the middle of our landing area for a late-afternoon snack. Nature’s greens-keepers munch away on fairway, oblivious to the projectiles that land like stray bullets at their hooves.

“That’s the most deer I’ve ever seen at one time,” says a marshal who has worked at Gold Canyon for 20 years and has made his way out to check on our progress as the sun begins to slip behind the surrounding mountains. Maybe they’ve been brought out of hiding by the storm that has swept through the canyon like a whirlwind, delaying the completion of our round and momentarily bringing temperatures down near single digits.

The gray-coloured deer are unfazed as we make our way to our balls, glancing up only occasionally and moving away oh-so-casually. Heck, I could have reached out and touched a few with my club. In fact, I’m more nervous than they are, wondering if one of the mountain lions that patrol the surrounding hills might want to make a meal out of these healthy looking creatures. Maybe we’ll be mistaken for food in the same way scuba divers are mistaken for seals by great whites? It’s a fleeting thought, though, and my brightly coloured golf attire is probably enough to set me apart from the four-legged gallery. I get down to the task at hand, hoping to stick a lob wedge to within birdie range. “Nice shot,” I’m sure I hear one of the bemused deer say.

While we’re lucky enough to get this close to these beautiful animals, they aren’t the only wildlife we encounter on our recent six-day golf trip. Rabbits and grouse are our constant companions, nervously scurrying back and forth across cart paths and into the nearby scrub like pedestrians making their way across busy intersections. We also come across the occasional wild boar and roadrunner, too. No coyotes, though. For those, we would have to head to Glendale.

GOLFER'S PARADISE

It’s no secret Arizona is a golfer’s paradise. Hundreds of top-notch courses and resorts spread out across the state like spider webs from the major hubs. But we decide to check out first hand what all the fuss is about and fly south into Phoenix during the American Thanksgiving. We’ve chosen three resorts that, while all excellent in the services they provide, differ in topography and challenge.

Our first stop after navigating our way to the car rental agency at the maze-like Sky-Harbor International Airport is the award-winning Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa, a five-star 331-room resort, 30 minutes southwest of the airport.

Wigwam, whose roots date back 80 years as a guest ranch for visiting Goodyear executives, is home to 54-holes, including the Blue and Gold courses. (Courtesy Wigwam Golf Resort and Spa)

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Teen entertainment challenge

Winter breaks with teenagers can be a challenge. Or so I’m told.

My experience is limited to having taken my son — then about 18 — to Jamaica for a week one winter.

After discovering he’d indulged in what I called “the weed of wisdom," and praying, as they searched our luggage on our return to Pearson, that he hadn’t tried to smuggle any home with him, I concluded that perhaps one trip south with a teenager was enough.

But that was decades ago, before the travel industry started thinking about catering to adolescents.

Conversations with parents suggest they want to take their offspring somewhere safe where there’s enough to do to keep them out of their hair.

All-inclusive resorts are an obvious choice. Given a beach, pools and the freedom to eat and drink at almost any hour, kids aren’t likely to wander off the property.

But what about activities specifically for the 13-plus set? I asked a woman who was showing me around the Azul Sensatori, an all-inclusive that opened near Cancun last winter. (Visit www.karismahotels.com/resort/azul-sensatori-hotel-karisma).

“Teens are in the twilight zone,’’ she replied, suggesting that resort operators were still developing ways to serve them.

The Sensatori had three rooms exclusively for guests 13 to 17.

One was an arcade with video games and billiard and ping-pong tables.

Another was Breeze Teens Club, a lounge-cum-sports bar/disco that looked just like an adult one except only non-alcoholic drinks are sold. She said having the resident DJ offer sound-mixing lessons, and letting teens take turns playing DJ, was proving particularly popular.

The third room was an Internet cafe where a lad was sitting in front of what I took to be a small TV screen on which a soccer match was in progress.

“Who’s playing?’’ I asked, to be polite.

He patiently explained that he wasn’t watching a game, he was taking part in it. What I took for a small TV was an Xbox, one of those interactive gizmos I’d read about but couldn’t fathom.

I gave him a foolish grin and decided to leave the twilight zone for a more familiar landscape — a real bar where they served real booze and showed real sports on real TVs.

Some parents like cruise ships because they’re secure and offer programs for younger passengers. Some lines have ones for those 12 to 14, others for the 15-17 set.

One such program is offered by Carnival: Teen singles party, pool parties, golf lessons, “mocktail’’ party, Win, Lose or Draw and other games, deck parties, track events, karaoke nights.

Mail can be sent to Doug English, c/o The London Free Press, P.O. Box 2280, London, Ont. N6A 4G1; faxes to 519-672-1824.

CAA-Quebec is ready for the arrival of compulsory driving lessonsVegas for New Year’s

Making peace with winter

Here are some more ways to have fun in the snow and cold starting with "making peace with winter,'' compiled with the help of Ontario Tourism publicist Scott Adams.

* * *

Try the Haliburton Highlands.

Offered is a "sampler" of fun and active experiences such as dog sledding, ice fishing, ice climbing, cross-country skiing, snowshoeing, downhill skiing, skating, tobogganing and sleigh rides.

These are fully guided, one-or multi-day packages through March 15, with or without accommodations.

"Throw in some wonderful meals, exceptional accommodations, even live entertainment and you have the winter adventure of a lifetime,'' Adams said. www.yoursoutdoors.ca; (705) 754-3436.

* * *

Mush you huskies!

Learn to dogsled and "discover the thrill'' of driving a team of purebred Siberian huskies while exploring Haliburton's winter wonderland.

Participants will be treated to hot chocolate and fresh pastry snacks on the trail and get memorable photos with the huskies.

Offered by Winterdance, it has a variety of options including a 2.5-hour, half-day, full-day, multi-day, moonlight and solo trips. www.winterdance.com; (705) 457-5281.

* * *

Bigfoot lives at the Grand River Conservation Authority's Laurel Creek Nature Centre in Waterloo, at least if there's enough snow.

A snowshoeing outing is planned Jan. 31 from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. to learn about this "ancient art."

There will also be some trail-side botany and identifying trees and plants, winding up with a round of hot chocolate.

If conditions are not adequate for snowshoes, which will be provided, the adventure will take place on foot.

Reserve at (519) 885-1368. Fees: $10; $5, children; $25/family of four or more.

Weather permitting, there will be cross-country skiing from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. and an interpretive snowshoe hike, 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. (pre-register), at Shade's Mills Conservation Area in Cambridge, free admission.

There's ice fishing at Shade's Mills, Belwood Lake in Fergus and Pinehurst Lake in Paris, where there is also snowshoeing. www.grandriver.ca; 1-866-900-4722.

* * *

Terra Cotta Conservation Area, Halton Hills, offers Snowshoeing 101 Jan. 30 and Feb. 13, 10 a.m. to 11:30 a.m.

This is to learn the basics of snowshoeing "while enjoying the beautiful winter scenery'' of the Niagara Escarpment, part of the Credit Valley Conservation Authority.

Snowshoes are provided. www.creditvalleyca.ca; (905) 670-1615, Ext. 429.

* * *

Ski for Life teaches outdoors enthusiasts how to cross-country ski.

"Lessons focus on the development of fundamental skiing skills while teaching not only the importance of physical fitness, but also demonstrating cross-country skiing as an active winter lifestyle.''

Depending on conditions, lessons are offered at locations including Albion Hills, Bolton; Laurel Creek, Waterloo; Arrowhead Park, Huntsville; Holiday House B&B near Belleville; Borden Crescent Walking Trail, Tillsonburg; and Wildwood Conservation Area . www.skiforlife.net; (519) 842-4652.

* * *

Dog sled races will take place Jan. 30 and 31, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., at the Kortright Centre for Conservation in Woodbridge, north of Toronto.

"Come and enjoy a variety of race lengths and formats all run by animals who truly love their work,'' Adams said.

Admission is $8; $6, seniors and children; free to age four; $4 for parking. www.kortright.org; (905) 832-2289.

* * *

Nature in the City, presented by Upper Thames River Conservation Authority, is a series of illustrated talks about nature in London.

The free series on Tuesdays from Jan. 19 through Feb. 23 runs from 7:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m. at the Central Library (Wolf Performance Hall) at 251 Dundas St.

Soaring with Raptors on Jan. 19 features Steve Bucciarelli of Predator Bird Services showing one of the birds while "On the Trail of the Wild Mammals: Tracks and Scats of Elusive Creatures'' is Jan. 26 with Alistair MacKenzie of Pinery Provincial Park.

On Feb. 2, Monarch Migration has University of Western Ontario biologist Jeremy McNeil tracing the amazing life story of the butterflies that spend their winters in Mexico.

Wetland Wildflowers is the Feb. 9 topic with UWO botanist Jane Bowles. London's Amazing Tree Quest is Feb. 16 with urban forester Ivan Listar discussing the ReForest London contest to discover the most distinctive trees.

On Feb. 23, learn about the Coves, the oxbow ponds and wetland remnants of an ancient meander of the Thames River with Jaclyn Goodwillie of Friends of the Coves Subwatershed. www.thamesriver.on.ca; (519) 451-2800.

Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com-- -- --

IF YOU GO

To learn more about great Ontario outdoor adventures, go to www.ontariotravel.net/outdoor or call 1-800-ONTARIO (668-2746).

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Get glowing in Turks & Caicos

PROVIDENCIALES, Turks & Caicos -- Who'd have thought worms could be a tourist attraction? Sounds crazy. But that's how it is on Providenciales (or Provo for short), where visitors happily pay for a chance to go on an excursion to see the odontosyllis enopla.

Then again, these are no ordinary critters. They're glow worms, and during mating season they put on an extraordinary display.

When our catamaran departs Leeward Marina at dusk for the tidal flats where the worms gather, the air is warm and the water calm. I'm gazing at the black velvet star-filled sky, when Captain James Deane (aka Capt. Pringle) pipes up: "One piece of advice -- please try not to use your camera flash while the worms are, how should I say, enjoying themselves."

This, the amiable captain explains, could disrupt their amorous behaviour and cause them to have problems reproducing.

The 30 or so passengers participating in the excursion with Silver Deep are already lined up along the railing, looking down into the water for signs of life. Within minutes of leaving the dock, we see the first flash of light, then another and another, many of them just metres away from the boat. The green light they emit seems to be about the size of a pin head, and the flash is brief, lasting only about a second, but they pop up here, there and everywhere.

After the initial novelty wears off, I'm left with one question. What exactly is going on here? Just then, Capt. Deane, who must be reading my mind, offers an answer. It seems the female, while swimming in circles just below the surface of the water, releases a luminescent egg mass. The male then responds by emitting short light pulses of his own, while doing a little nuptial dance until he encounters the eggs, and releases his gametes into the water. And voila, several eggs are fertilized! All we see though, are the flashing lights.

The tours are popular, not only because the sight is an unusual one, but also because it's something that can't be seen every day. The sparkling mating ritual is at its height for only two to five days after a full moon, so visitors who happen to be on the island on these days feel privileged and compelled to take advantage of their good timing. The whole display starts about one hour after sunset and only lasts from 10 to 30 minutes.

Since the worms' spawning cycle is governed by lunar and solar patterns, what you see may vary depending on when you go. Silver Deep's Paola Deane says displays are typically better in the summer and on the third and fourth nights after the full moon.

The captain and crew of our boat have another theory.

"The more rum you drink, the more glow worms you see," jokes Ali, one of the deck hands, who's been serving us pizza, cookies, fresh fruit and rum punch.

Dolphin fun

If you miss the glow worms, there's always a chance you may see Jo Jo, the friendly wild dolphin who sometimes communes with humans and has become somewhat of an island mascot.

"I was in the water and a lady said, 'he's coming towards you,' " said Barbara Ward, a visitor from Littleton, Mass. "He (Jo Jo) swam right up to me. He was very docile and tame. We saw him a few days ago, too, but not that close."

In two days, I'd met at least half a dozen people who'd seen the animal and in every case the sighting was in the morning around 8 a.m. on Grace Bay beach near my hotel, Ocean Club West, distinguished by its pink beach umbrellas.

Grace Bay is the place to be on Provo and reason enough to come to the island. Aside from a visit to the Conch Farm and a snorkelling excursion to the local cays, I spent most of my time along this 8-km long stretch of white sand and turquoise waters.

I also have some memorable meals here. Among them: Ocean Club's plump, scrumptious conch burgers, which won first place in the specialty category in the Turks + Caicos 2009 Conch Festival; the lobster tail with an eye-popping presentation at Opus; and the blackened mahi at Coco Bistro with its jungle-like setting (the Bistro is across the street from the beach).

After dinner, it's worth checking out the elegant new "Infiniti Bar" at Anacaona, billed as the longest bar (it's 27-metres) in the Caribbean. But for the most unique and refreshing beverage head to nearby Ocean Club (east) for its beetroot mojito, which won an award at the recent Conch Festival.

Everywhere I go along Grace Bay, I scan the waters looking for Jo Jo. I never do see him, but it's good to know he's still out there.

---

IF YOU GO TO TURKS & CAICOS

MORE INFORMATION

Grace Bay Beach is lined with several upscale hotels, but for affordability one of the best deals is the 86-room Ocean Club and its sister property 78-room Ocean Club West (oceanclubresorts.com) -- conveniently located just 20 minutes from the airport in Provo. All rooms have kitchens and lovely large screened-in balconies. There is an Internet station, fitness centre, tennis courts, a library with books and movies to borrow, and bicycles that guests can use for free.

Prices for a seven-night stay including air with WestJet (which has new non-stop service on Wednesdays and Saturdays from Toronto to Provo) and transfers start at $1,328 per person based on double occupancy. Rates vary depending on travel dates. Air Canada Vacations also offers package deals with air and hotel to both Ocean Club properties starting at $1,879.

Silver Deep has several excursions including the two-hour glow worms trip (for $69) every month. The full moon for the next few months occurs on Jan. 30, Feb. 28, and March 30. Check silverdeep.com or call 649-946-5612.

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Tales aboard a Baltic cruise

The summer weather can be cool and wet and the major attractions can't hold a candle to those in, say, the Mediterranean or the Middle East.

But the Baltic Sea is increasingly popular with cruise enthusiasts looking for an alternative to such traditional destinations as the Caribbean and Alaska.

It's also a comfortable way to visit St. Petersburg, in Russia, something my wife had yearned to do for years. So that's why a couple who rarely cruise sailed there for more than two weeks in August.

Swan Hellenic's Minerva was our choice of ship for two reasons: It stops longer in St. Petersburg than many of its rivals and it's a fraction their size, holding 365 passengers at most.

We sailed from Dover, England, set foot in five countries and were kept by rough weather from a sixth, had four full days and parts of others at sea, transited the Kiel Canal, and finished 1,425 nautical miles later back near those famous White Cliffs.

St. Petersburg is unquestionably the Baltic's main attraction. More than half a dozen cruise ships were already there when we docked.

Most of their thousands of passengers wanted to visit one thing above anything else - the fabled Hermitage museum.

So we made like sardines, chivvied along by the grim-faced matrons, the "babushkas,'' who seem to rule the place. Notable paintings were pointed out as we went by, but rarely was there time for much more than a glimpse.

My advice is to spend your precious time on the decor instead - on gleaming parquet floors, Carrara marble by the ton, gilded bronze, majestic vases of lapis lazuli, malachite, and jasper, twinkling chandeliers, and enough gold leaf to rival Versailles. As my wife remarked: "No wonder there was a revolution.''

It was less hectic next day at Peter the Great's summer palace and gardens, partly because we were let in ahead of the general public.

Taking a sightseeing boat along some of St. Petersburg's canals and onto the fast-flowing Neva River provided a different perspective.

We motored past old palaces and mansions, all decorated in pastel colours on Peter the Great's orders, the guide told us, because the city got so few sunny days. On the other side of the Neva, we swung close to the naval cruiser Aurora, built in 1900 and permanently moored by the Naval Academy.

Other ports of call included:

 Tallin, Estonia's capital. The charming and well-preserved Old Town is a good spot to get away from the guided tours and poke around on your own.

 

   Warnemunde, Germany. A sobering departure from normal shore-excursion fare is the pre-trial prison once used by the East German secret service, the Stasi, and now a documentation and memorial site. I was fascinated by the copies of "denunciations,'' often by friends, neighbours and even family members, and photos of people incarcerated there, and frustrated by the fact that the only information in English is a pamphlet.

 

  Bornholm, Denmark: Maybe it was the return of sunshine, or the bucolic surroundings, but a coach tour of this tranquil little island was a hit. Plans to shop for pottery in an old fishing village were thwarted by a sudden need to sample Bornholm "soft ice,'' ice cream cones to which you have the option of adding toppings such as whipped cream and jam.

 

  Rothskilde, Denmark. The remains of five Viking ships, recovered there in the 1960s, are housed in a museum. A surprise was seeing a book on Canadian birch bark canoes at a stand where a woman was making bark items. She told me birch bark objects as old as 2,500 years have been unearthed.

 

 

Mail can be sent to Doug English, c/o London Free Press, P.O. Box 2280, London, Ont. N6A 4G1; faxes to 519-667-4528.

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Lovely new links

PALM HARBOR, Fla. -- One of the first tricks that a guest at the Innisbrook Resort and Golf Club learns is to be ready to go right after the ringing of one of the trams that moves folks around its sprawling grounds in the St. Petersburg/Clearwater area.

If the shuttle isn't there immediately, it's usually within eyeshot and has a driver who will chat or fire off jokes on the way to Packard's steak- house or the clubhouse at the Island golf course, where chances are you will meet another charming employee, who will initiate a giggle or five from a resort guest.

Their attitudes and efficiency hasn't escaped the eye of the boss.

"From the moment I decided to buy Innisbrook, the bricks and mortar were great, the grounds were wonderful, but what moved me to buy it were the employees," said Sheila Johnson, who first began checking out the property in January 2007, just as the annual PGA Tour stop there had concluded.

"I have never been to a facility where the employees were so passionate about a property," added Johnson, who closed the deal in mid-July to bring Innisbrook under the umbrella of Salamander Hospitality LLC, which she serves as a chief executive officer.

With her employees as a cornerstone, Johnson was immediately willing to lead by example in her efforts to raise the stature of Innisbrook to one of the top resorts in the United States. Within a day of closing the deal, extensive renovations were being made to the Island course.

"Within 22 hours, the earth-moving equipment was on the golf course and in a little more than 90 days, we had completely renovated the Island golf course and modernized it," said Doug Schmidt, director of membership and golf public relations for Innisbrook.

"The golf course now plays 7,310 yards, par 71," Schmidt said. "We have a par four 11th hole now, one of the longest par fours, certainly in Florida."

Other changes included new Tif Eagle greens, cart paths, signage, irrigation systems, tree plantings and landscaping on a course that can leave you with plenty of awkward shots should you be even slightly awry.

The renovations to the Island course offers Innisbrook a powerful one-two punch in golf courses, with the presence of the Copperhead course, home of the Transitions Championship and lauded by several PGA Tour players. The Highlands North and Highlands South courses round out the extensive offerings for golfers.

A full-service spa has also opened to go along with a new fitness centre and extensive renovations to the tennis centre, clubhouses and meeting spaces, among other changes.

Johnson says she is a firm believer in the old adage about spending money to make money.

"I want to make money, too. I'm not stupid," said Johnson, who is believed to be America's first African American female billionaire.

"I really believe that if you put the quality into something and you really put your heart behind something, it's going to come back to you," said Johnson, who can back that up with personal experience.

The reason she chose Salamander as her company name is it's a lizard that can walk through fire and still survive. This survivor has faced the heat before.

An accomplished violinist and music teacher, Johnson is best known for starting Black Entertainment Television with ex-husband Robert L. Johnson, a former cable industry lobbyist, with the support of investor John Malone, in 1980. While the rise of BET resulted in her current fortune, it wasn't easy.

"It's just like any new idea," she recalled. "We thought our idea would catch on among all African American businesses.

"Still, there was that unbelievable doubt that we don't trust what you're doing, we don't quite know what you're doing, we don't understand what you're doing and the fear factor of committing advertising dollars to a network that may or may not work."

That's why Malone's backing played an integral role in the development of BET, including getting the network on satellite.

"John Malone was really smitten with the idea of starting a cable network targeted at African Americans," she said.

However, she recalls looking under cushions to find change to do her laundry and clipping coupons to do grocery shopping.

"My goal was to try and buy a week's worth of groceries for $25 and when I could do that, I was just so excited," she recalled. "It was lean, let me tell you,"

The drive and passion paid off over 20 years later when BET was sold to Viacom for a reported $3-billion, which was split when she and her husband divorced. Despite those billions, she realizes she has work to do, just like those she employs.

Her greatest challenge may be getting Tiger Woods to play Innisbrook, either at the Transitions Championship or just for a look-see. That may be impossible considering the media storm surrounding Tiger right now, but then again, Johnson has a history of getting things done.

For more information on Innisbrook, see innisbrookgolfresort.com.

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New cars, boats, wine

Among my favourite pastimes to brighten an otherwise bleak January are kicking some tires in Detroit, sipping an icy cool one in Niagara and riding the waves indoors in Toronto.

Yes, the renowned North American International Auto Show in Detroit is alive and well.

Attention turns to the Motor City this month for an insight on how automakers are coping and putting the pedal to the metal attempting to cruise back onto Easy Street.

Visitors to the show, running from next Saturday to Jan. 24, will find a new feature, Electric Avenue, and about 30 worldwide and 10 North American product unveilings at the downtown Cobo Center.

"The public and media will be treated to a number of world debuts of highly anticipated vehicles from exhibitors such as Ford, Chevrolet, BMW, Audi and Volvo to name a few,'' said Doug Fox, show chairperson.

Electric Avenue will showcase green vehicles such as the Nissan Leaf, Mitsubishi MiEV, Commuter Cars Tango 600 and the SABA "Carbon Zero'' Roadster.

These are the latest in electric vehicles, with about 20 on display, and technology by both traditional automakers and innovative entrepreneurs will be shown.

As well, there's the EcoXperience where the public can take rides inside and burn up that quarter-mile (0.4-kilometre) track through Michigan landscape in low-emission vehicles.

Returning is the sneak-peek gala evening, the Charity Preview, next Friday from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., with tickets costing $250 US.

Inspecting the fleet as more than 1,000 boats will be on display at the Toronto International Boat Show. (Handout)

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Canada's cardinal capital

The results are in and you needn't look far for the cardinal capital of the nation.

Pete Read has forwarded a complete list of species and numbers for the Christmas Bird Count (CBC).

Numerous feeder counts were the latest to arrive. This makes the totals more important for comparing other sightings. We are interested in seeing if the London CBC contains the largest number of cardinals in the area. And yes, it looks like London is still the cardinal capital of Canada with a total of 747 birds.

Numbers were not up to last year's count of 863, but still ahead of the average for the last 10 years of 657. This was London's 101st count and theses birds have appeared on 95 of these counts. It's quite a feat to have the most cardinals on a CBC, what with all the other possibilities around. But the habitat here and the river valley all seem to provide the right protection winter and also the right kind off berries.

Of course we wouldn't have the numbers if they were not given a helping hand by all the bird feeders in and around the city packed with sunflower or safflower seeds. I mention the latter as squirrels don't like safflower. We see mourning doves at the safflower feeder as well, so it is good for at least two species and likely more.

It is interesting how cardinals reached London in the first place. Cardinals appeared as a southern bird at Point Pelee in the late 1800s. They disappeared for a few years, but returned to nest there in the early 1900s. Since then they have spread as far north as Ottawa and perhaps farther.

I suppose if the average temperatures get higher, they will spread even farther north - and with climate change this is a real possibility. The colour of the male - a bright red stands out so beautifully against the snow - gives you a lift to see one in the dark days of December and January. So keep the feeders filled and help them along. In temperatures below freezing they need all the help they can get. It would be nice if we could get that number up to 1,000.

In numbers of species we finally settled in at 73 - a very good number for an inland count. Ten-year average is 72. There were other large numbers of separate species that bodes well for the future. For example, 10 year average of red bellied woodpeckers is 50. Last year the count was 57 and this year, 73 were counted. It too is a southern bird and it's great to see them doing so well.

They get their red bellied name for the small patch of red on the lower abdomen of the male. It could have been called red headed, as there is a lot of red on the head of the male, but that name was already taken by a bird with a head that's totally red. There were none listed on our count as they are primarily a migrant bird while the red bellied can be classed as a resident.

There were also 73 downey woodpeckers, topping last year's high by two birds. The average is 57. There was a huge surge in the number of Canada geese at 7,538 , higher than last year's total of 5,847 and well above the average of 3,980.

Both sharp shinned hawks and Cooper's hawks were up from last year.

There were a few bird species down from last year's totals, including cedar waxwings - 65 versus 529. But Carolina wrens were up at 45 compared to 33, with the average of 21.

There were a number of birds in the one category including, of course, the white fronted goose, wood duck, coot, Iceland gull, lesser black backed gull, pileated woodpecker, hermit thrush, chipping sparrow, swamp sparrow. Starlings were down to about the average, about half of last year's numbers. American crows were down to 482 from more than 13,000 last year.

It was a good count and some birds are tending the way we would like them to go.

Tom Hayman can be reached at thomasnhayman@rogers.com

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Canada's cardinal capital

The results are in and you needn't look far for the cardinal capital of the nation.

Pete Read has forwarded a complete list of species and numbers for the Christmas Bird Count (CBC).

Numerous feeder counts were the latest to arrive. This makes the totals more important for comparing other sightings. We are interested in seeing if the London CBC contains the largest number of cardinals in the area. And yes, it looks like London is still the cardinal capital of Canada with a total of 747 birds.

Numbers were not up to last year's count of 863, but still ahead of the average for the last 10 years of 657. This was London's 101st count and theses birds have appeared on 95 of these counts. It's quite a feat to have the most cardinals on a CBC, what with all the other possibilities around. But the habitat here and the river valley all seem to provide the right protection winter and also the right kind off berries.

Of course we wouldn't have the numbers if they were not given a helping hand by all the bird feeders in and around the city packed with sunflower or safflower seeds. I mention the latter as squirrels don't like safflower. We see mourning doves at the safflower feeder as well, so it is good for at least two species and likely more.

It is interesting how cardinals reached London in the first place. Cardinals appeared as a southern bird at Point Pelee in the late 1800s. They disappeared for a few years, but returned to nest there in the early 1900s. Since then they have spread as far north as Ottawa and perhaps farther.

I suppose if the average temperatures get higher, they will spread even farther north - and with climate change this is a real possibility. The colour of the male - a bright red stands out so beautifully against the snow - gives you a lift to see one in the dark days of December and January. So keep the feeders filled and help them along. In temperatures below freezing they need all the help they can get. It would be nice if we could get that number up to 1,000.

In numbers of species we finally settled in at 73 - a very good number for an inland count. Ten-year average is 72. There were other large numbers of separate species that bodes well for the future. For example, 10 year average of red bellied woodpeckers is 50. Last year the count was 57 and this year, 73 were counted. It too is a southern bird and it's great to see them doing so well.

They get their red bellied name for the small patch of red on the lower abdomen of the male. It could have been called red headed, as there is a lot of red on the head of the male, but that name was already taken by a bird with a head that's totally red. There were none listed on our count as they are primarily a migrant bird while the red bellied can be classed as a resident.

There were also 73 downey woodpeckers, topping last year's high by two birds. The average is 57. There was a huge surge in the number of Canada geese at 7,538 , higher than last year's total of 5,847 and well above the average of 3,980.

Both sharp shinned hawks and Cooper's hawks were up from last year.

There were a few bird species down from last year's totals, including cedar waxwings - 65 versus 529. But Carolina wrens were up at 45 compared to 33, with the average of 21.

There were a number of birds in the one category including, of course, the white fronted goose, wood duck, coot, Iceland gull, lesser black backed gull, pileated woodpecker, hermit thrush, chipping sparrow, swamp sparrow. Starlings were down to about the average, about half of last year's numbers. American crows were down to 482 from more than 13,000 last year.

It was a good count and some birds are tending the way we would like them to go.

Tom Hayman can be reached at thomasnhayman@rogers.com

Uphill from here

You could sum it up this way: Bhutan is the most beautiful and unspoiled. Nepal has the best mountains and worst traffic. And Tibet is the most exotic and tragic.

Having always wanted to see the Himalayas, I decided -- at age 74 and with two hip replacements -- it was now or never time. So with veteran mountain trekker and friend, Toronto lawyer Kathy Robinson, I joined a small group of international tourists (four Portuguese, five Americans, we two Canadians and a guide) and undertook the journey of a lifetime.

The trip, arranged by Mountain Travel Sobek out of California, took 17 days and covered the two countries and Tibet, an "autonomous region" of China.

We were lucky. Apart from two initial days of pouring rain in Bhutan, the remains of a typhoon, the weather was glorious -- clean, hot sunny days and cool nights. Weather is important on a trip where the gigantic mountain ranges you've come to see can be visible one minute, hidden by clouds or fog the next.

We were also lucky that our trip-long guide, a Nepalese Hindu, is an expert on the intricacies of Buddhism, with its myriad deities and Buddha in all his mystic forms. He managed to make each of the monasteries and temples we visited daily somehow different from one another.

He also had a sense of humour and a welcome cynicism about some of each area's customs. That was tested when after numerous entries into security-ridden Tibet, his trusty Lonely Planet guide was confiscated because it has a foreword by the Dalai Lama.

- - -

The difficulty level of our tour was billed as "moderate," which meant many climbs up steep, muddy narrow trails or scores of wooden or rock steps to see the sights -- monasteries and temples, mostly. These are invariably built at the tops of mountains, our guide noted, since Buddha expects his pilgrims to exert some effort to achieve enlightenment!

I found the treks strenuous but doable (with the help of walking poles). Two or three optional climbs in Bhutan and Tibet -- like the famed Taktsang (Tiger's Nest) monastery in Bhutan, perched precariously on a crag 822 metres above the valley -- I left to the fitter members of our group.

The monasteries and temples visited are uniformly magnificent, especially the few remaining in Tibet, where thousands had been "liberated" (read destroyed) during the Chinese Cultural Revolution. Several hundred have since been rebuilt because they have become a tourist draw and a cash cow for Beijing.

Frustratingly, the most gorgeously decorated inner sanctums with their giant golden statues of Buddha and dozens of lesser gods, are off limits to photography.

In Lhasa's fabled Potala palace, where only a handful of its 1,000 rooms are open to the public, no photographs are allowed. With up to 2,300 visitors per day and admission ranging about $15 to $30, that's a lot of tax revenue for the government.

- - -

We began our journey in Bhutan, which is so determined to keep its customs and environment pristine, it restricts the number of tourists (currently about 6,000 annually) and insists on each visitor spending about $225 US per day, which sounds expensive but includes hotels, most meals, guides, transportation and so on.

Twenty-five years ago Bhutan had no airport and it was a five-day trek into the remote Himalayan country. Now one flies in two hours from Bangkok, Thailand.

Aboard our Druk Air flight, the crew kept referring to His Highness. After landing, we learned His Highness was a distinguished monk visiting from North America who was greeted with traditional white scarves and prostrating admirers.

The country's young king -- Jigme Khesar Namgyal Wangchuck -- is something of a rock star. His portraits, and those of his predecessors, are everywhere. The fifth king took the throne in 2008, two years after his father abdicated in order to establish a modern constitutional monarchy in Bhutan.

Despite political reform, Bhutan has maintained its traditions. Only buildings that are brightly painted and adorned with intricately carved wood are allowed. The capital city, Thimpu, is tiny, with one traffic island, and relatively few cars. Rice paddies tumble from every hill, bright red chilis dry on tin rooftops, and marijuana grows at a local police station!

The marijuana is used routinely for "health," even on animals, and perhaps explains the country's famous claim that its gross product is "Gross National Happiness."

- - -

One doesn't see the seriously high mountains (7,300 metres and taller) until one gets to Nepal. It has most of the world's highest ranges and while we flew over Mt. Everest and had great views on three separate occasions, perhaps the most beautiful view was at Pokhara, where we saw the Annapurna range with its cone-shaped 7,300-metre Machhophuchhn (Fishtail) mountain lit up by a rose-coloured dawn.

Staff at the Shangri-la hotel will wake guests up at 6 a.m. if the mountains are visible.

- - -

Hotels, by the way, were mostly luxury accommodation. The Zhiwa Ling Hotel (Place of Peace) in Bhutan's Paro village has heated marble bathroom floors and a spa to die for.

In Lhasa, we were the first group to stay at the newly opened Kyichu Heritage Hotel, which is a traditional Tibetan building that was once the home of the 11th Dalai Lama -- picturesque to the nth degree, but the solar water heating system needs work.

Meals were almost all buffet style and ranged from delicious to barely edible. We eschewed the delicacies advertised on one Tibetan hotel's elevators -- Chicken and Cheese Fungus with Yak Bones, Boiled Sheep's Head and -- my favourite -- Picked Yak Pennis.

Here are some other interesting facts gleaned from the journey:

- Bhutan's national sport is archery. The country outlaws cigarettes, although lots of people smoke anyway, and doesn't allow booze on Tuesdays in an effort to curb drinking. Some inhabitants chew "doma," a betel nut paste that stains and rots teeth.

- In Kathmandu, capital of Nepal, traffic -- especially motorbikes -- is lethal. Crosswalks and traffic lights are routinely ignored. Left to its own devices, most of Nepal's sights would be in ruins. Generous grants from Europe and Japan have helped rebuild and maintain places such as the medieval villages in Bhaktapur and Bodhnath.

- Tibet is a region under siege. The capital, Lhasa, is now 65% inhabited by Han Chinese and with the opening of the railroad from Beijing to Lhasa, and increasing crackdowns on protests, Tibetans see the beginning of the end of their unique religion and culture, despite the rebuilt monasteries.

On our last night -- while viewing the gorgeous spectacle of the Potala lit up in the darkness -- one of our guides summed it up sadly: "We Tibetans are proud of three things. One is the Dalai Lama. Another is the Potala. And the third is YOU," he said, pointing to me and meaning that as long as the world keeps coming to Tibet, his country's past will never be forgotten.

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Along rural Alberta's wintry roads

The air was clear and the sky was blue and the moon shone with a silver glow over Mossleigh.

Framed by the three elevators lined up along the town's main street, it looked like a point of light. Through my long lens I could see craters and what looked like vast dusty plains on its surface. As the sun set and the brightness of the day drained from the sky I could see it even more clearly. A bit longer lens and it felt like I'd be able to see the Apollo astronauts' footprints.

I drove on into the gathering dusk to try to take some pictures by moonlight.

The sun had set and a long twilight began as I drove east through Arrowood and on past Shouldice and Queenstown. I saw deer out on the fields in the deepening blue light and came across a rubbish fire burning behind an old farmhouse. It was kinda pretty, the orange glow of the flames rising behind the smoke into the indigo sky.

I hit fog patches at Milo, but I could see the glow of the moon through the mist, so I headed back north again toward Cluny and just before Blackfoot Crossing the sky cleared again.

But it had turned cold. The fog had marked a demarcation between warmer air to the west and a band of cold to the east. My mirrors fogged and I had to crank the heater a couple more notches to keep comfortable.

Bands of cloud covered swatches of the sky now but the moon still shone through and lit the countryside with a soft glow. The whiteness of the snow kicked the light around and there were coloured specks of Christmas lights on farmhouses. I turned off the highway to check out Bassano dam by moonlight.

I drove slowly along the snow-covered roads leading to the dam and watched the countryside slide by in the silvery light. A couple of times I stopped and shut off the truck just to listen. A train was coming from somewhere to the west and I could hear the rumble of the engines long before I heard it sound its horn at a crossing. A dog barked somewhere off in the distance.

There was probably a 20-degree difference between here and the city and the cold filled the truck as I drove along with the heater off to avoid warm air ripples when I stopped to take photos.

By the way, if you decide to drive in the country by yourself on a dark, cold winter night, don't listen to any audiobooks of Stephen King stories while you're doing it. I had 'Salem's Lot going and there were a couple of times when I could have sworn I saw something move just on the edge of the headlight's reach.

Mist was rising from the open water below the dam and swirling in the yellow sodium lights of the spillway. The moon had gone behind a band of thin cloud but most of its light still made it through. The combination of light and sodium vapour lamps gave the frosty cottonwoods and sagebrush a lovely glow.

I could hear geese down on the river calling up from the dark and a light wind generated by the moving water shook the frosty sage. But it was cold standing there waiting for the camera to finish its long exposures. I headed back west again.

I passed back through the fogbank near Crowfoot Creek -- another Stephen King shiver at that -- and was back into warmer air by Gleichen. I paused for more pictures on Hammer Hill.

This time the moonlight was undiminished by clouds and the long exposures rendered an almost daytime look to the scene. Had the horses I was shooting known to stay perfectly still for 15 seconds it would have looked like mid-afternoon. Well, except for the stars in the sky. Moonlight is just reflected sunlight so even though it looks blueish, it actually has the same colour spectrum as daylight.

I drove on toward the city under the light of the last waxing moon of the year. It would have been in its full glory on New Year's Eve just a couple of days later, but the forecast called for clouds and snow. This would be the last moonlight of 2009.

Not a bad way to end the year, driving in the country with the moonlight's silver sheen. But what's that just on the edge of the headlights? Something moving. Something with very sharp teeth.

Just a coyote trying to outrun me. I slowed until it turned off into a field. Maybe next time I better listen to a Christopher Moore audio book. Coyote Blue, maybe?

Welcome to 2010.

MIKE.DREW@SUNMEDIA.CA

Skiing is believingFor your own safety, stay alert and away during snow-removal operations!

Visiting bathhouses in Budapest

BUDAPEST, Hungary - Sometimes called the "city of spas," Budapest is home to over a dozen thermal spas. The bathhouses make perfect destinations for weary tourists, sore backpackers, and families - as well as hung-over concert-goers.

I visited two of Budapest's biggest and most visited baths, Szechenyi and Gellert last summer. They were filled with 20-somethings wearing bracelets from the annual Sziget festival, a seven-day music event that's one of the biggest in Europe.

Many of my fellow spa-goers looked like they could have used some of the healing powers the therapeutic waters have to offer. A week of partying can have that effect on your facial expressions.

The Szechenyi baths are located in City Park. The Neo-Baroque building is beautiful inside and out.

The three outside pools are decorated with various statues of water gods and marine life. Many of the statues have hot water shooting out, creating popular spots for hot water massages.

Visitors have their choice of 18 pools, five swimming pools and 13 thermal baths. The water temperatures range from 20-to-40 C.

The inside is huge and made up of many different rooms, making it easy to get lost. In addition to hot and cold pools, there are sauna and steam rooms at various temperatures. There was even a pool with medicinal waters containing various minerals.

Bathhouses with indoor pools are open year-round, of course, but Szechenyi also has one huge hot pool outside that remains open all winter, with clouds of steam rising into the cold air.

Several outdoor pools outside of Budapest also operate in the winter, including those in Harkany, Heviz, Visegrad, Egerszalok and Hajduszoboszlo.

The Gellert Baths have many of the same features as Szechenyi. The baths are in the Hotel Gellert, on the opposite side of the Danube River. Gellert is on the Buda side of town, while Szechenyi is in Pest.

The Gellert's facility is beautiful, if somewhat touristy. It features outdoor pools, including a wave pool and eight indoor thermal baths. But be prepared for a wait in the locker room on busy days. There were some 20 people waiting for their lockers to be opened or locked and only one attendant on the day I visited.

While you're on the Buda side of the Danube, it's worth a 20-minute city bus ride to Memento Park, where you'll find monuments from the communist era. The park is a tribute to Hungary's political struggles, from the Soviet takeover in 1949 to the Freedom Fighters' protests against Communism in 1956, which were ultimately crushed, to the fall of communism in 1989.

On the Pest side of town is the House of Terror. The building was used as a headquarters and prison by the Nazis and the communists. Hundreds of Jews and anti-communists were killed in the basement.

After visiting the House of Terror, we needed a place to relax and decided to check out one more bathhouse.

We headed to the Kiraly baths, which has alternate days for men only and for women only. I had read a brief description of Kiraly in a travel article and had seen a beautiful framed photo of the bathhouse, which dates to the 16th century, hanging on a wall in our hostel.

But the outside of the building, with chipped green paint and graffiti, was nothing like the beautiful exteriors of the Szechenyi and Gellert baths.

I had my swimsuit with me. My buddy and travelling companion, Ryan Johnson, went to the counter to purchase a swimsuit for himself and entry tickets for both of us.

"Oh boy, Williams," he said. "This is going to be interesting."

We were given white-cotton loincloths to wear. We headed to the changing rooms and I couldn't hold in my laughter trying to figure out how to wear this tiny garment. In the other spas, we and all the other guests had worn swimsuits. We later saw a couple of others at Kiraly wearing swimsuits too; something had been lost in translation when we were handed the loincloths.

The main sauna room was dimly lit by the sunlight coming through small openings in the domed cupola. After submerging in the main spa, I realized the loincloths left nothing to the imagination: They were completely see-through when wet.

We also soon realized the bathhouse was a gay hangout. We're not in that target audience, but it was no big deal. Then we observed some behaviour that would have made me uncomfortable in a mixed-gender spa. We decided to leave after a half-hour.

Unfortunately, Kiraly was the only spa we visited that didn't offer a refund if you left the facility prior to two hours.

At Gellert and Szechenyi, we'd reluctantly pried ourselves out before the two hours were up in order to get some money back. The refund system is electronic, so even if you stay a minute over two hours, you miss the refund. At Gellert, we were slowed down by the wait in the locker room and didn't make it in time, but at Szechenyi, we got back 300 forints.

It sounded like a lot of money, even in a country where we were withdrawing local currency from ATM machines by the thousands. Later we did the math, and realized that the 300 forints we had torn ourselves away from those wonderful spas in order to get back was worth all of US$1.57.

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If You Go...

BUDAPEST BATHHOUSES: http://www.spasbudapest.com/tartalom.php. Entry prices vary from spa to spa. Gellert was US$18.40 (3,500 forints) for entry and locker rental. Szechenyi was US$16.30 (3,100 forints). Kiraly was US$13.60 (2,500 forints).

The Lake Maggiore Bugatti at Retromobile 2010!Take the lug out of luggage

A month in the Algarve

For roughly a half century, Portugal's warm south -- the Algarve -- has been Europe's most popular winter destination. Roses bloom in December. Almond blossoms line roads in January. By February fragrant gardens bloom on farms whose fields run to the cold sea. Winter temperatures average about 16 C.

Since the Algarve draws many thousands of Canadians, Germans and people from Britain, the Portuguese naturally built hotels and resorts to accommodate everyone. Unfortunately some areas became overbuilt and some towns began to look almost like apartment blocks. By 1990, the country saw its error and reduced this random growth to preserve towns with old Algarve character.

With a population of less than 5,000 and a tiny pedestrian-only town centre, Carvoeiro is such a town. Last year, my wife Barbara and I settled there for a month.

Carvoeiro isn't a place for late-night revellers but if you like an easygoing atmosphere, give it a thought. It's poised above a calm inlet nestled between two cliffs. Above each cliff are climbing streets with cafes and inns.

Gaetano Spano came from Florence years ago and has never left. He's the owner and chef of the fine Via Italia Ristorante.

"The world passed Carvoeiro by," he told me one afternoon, "that's what's so good about it. It's for people who like peace and quiet."

We went in March, having booked an apartment in a villa called Casa Limao, which Barbara found on the Internet. It was 20 minutes on foot from downtown, had three well-appointed apartments and a back garden with a large pool and deck shaded by palms and colourful potted plants. Cushioned lounges were welcoming places for reading or dozing in the afternoon silence.

Given its location on a hill, the walk back up after dinner downtown might prove an obstacle for some, good exercise for others.

One day after lunch I picked up a book someone left in our apartment -- Algarve: A Portrait. It was written many years ago, when according to its authors (David Wright and Patrick Swift) the town had 700 inhabitants. "After a few days at Carvoeiro," they wrote, "the neurosis of time completely evaporates ... sunrise, noon and sunset become the markers."

Back then, the day's main event was the fishermen's catch. There wasn't a single policeman. Naturally, time and tourism changed that: The perimeters of the town have sparkling villas and resorts; fine golf courses and tennis courts are nearby.

The hilly main street, Estrado do Farol, leads to restaurants like elegant Via Italia Ristorante, a fine Portuguese eatery Casa Algarvia, and a worthy Indian dining room, O Indiano Tandoori. For good cheer and hearty food, there's Smilers Bar, owned by Robert and Geraldine, a couple from Britain, who once a week post a sign welcoming visitors to Carvoeiro's Canadian Club lunch.

But aspects of timeless culture remain, as if echoes of a never to vanish past. And some stores open and close at random, posting a hand-lettered sign in the window saying: "Not in Now."

---

IF YOU GO To Portugal's Algarve

ACCOMMODATIONS

The Algarve has always been an economical destination but the recession has made it even more so. Our apartment at Casa Limao cost $1,000 for the month. Our son, his wife and small son came for a week and stayed in a very nice unit for less than $70 per night. See checkrent.carvoeiro.com/propertydetail.php?property_id=57. A beautiful resort in town is Algar Seco Parque (algarseco.pt).

MORE INFORMATION

For information on Algarve travel, see visitportugal.com, jmvacations.ca, cantrav.ca, flightstoPortugal.ca/specials.php, and accordtours.com.

The Lake Maggiore Bugatti at Retromobile 2010!Surprising Santiago

On par with the best

MYRTLE BEACH, S.C. -- A soaring loonie mixed with tough economic times has created a perfect storm of sorts that's blowing favourably for Canadian golfers.

Not since the pre-development boom days of the 1980s have Snowbirds seen the kind of prices currently being offered here -- and not just at the lower-end courses.

Stay-and-play packages for some of the best Myrtle has to offer can be had for less than $100 day. And when we're talking best, we're talking about quality tracts than can compete with some of the top courses in the world.

Myrtle boasts the highest concentration of championship courses on the globe, with four of them along the 100-km stretch of the Grand Strand making it to Golf magazine's prestigious Top-100 list.

Whereas in the past Myrtle could have been justifiably criticized for having only a few superior courses sprinkled among the more than 125 it had at the time, Golf Digest's highly respected "Place to Play" Guide ranks 47 of the current lot four-star or better.

Pete Dye, Robert Trent Jones Sr., Willard Byrd, and Mike Strantz are just some of the top designers who have plied their trade here, while golf greats Davis Love III, Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer are among those who put their stamp on courses.

"Now is the time with the exchange rate, and the courses offering great specials," says Heath Carter, director of new market development with Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday. "Especially the timing, that early March, February is a great time to come, the rates are fantastic."

From a marketing stand point, Myrtle Beach was revolutionary in its bid to attract tourists. Competing golf courses saw early on the advantage of working together to make the city a destination point, following a mantra that what's good for one could be good for all.

It was with that mindset Myrtle Beach Golf Holiday has been able to run as a non-profit trade association, representing 76 of the courses, 107 package providers and five golf schools. In a nutshell, it's one-stop shopping at its best.

"All these package providers find out exactly what you are looking for, and book rates and hotel accommodation for the group," Carter says.

"If you've been to Myrtle Beach 100 times, or this is your first time, you can go to our website (golfholiday.com) and get all kinds of information.

"One of the new things we've got is called a quick-quote system. A person can go there, put in a little information of what they are looking for. Put in the date your coming, the number of golfers and you will get a quote from five vacation suppliers."

Golfers have the choice of staying and playing at one resort, such as Barefoot Landing, which is home to four courses (Norman, Fazio, Love, Dye), or treating the Grand Strand like a buffet.

"You can be centrally located. It's easy to travel from one end to the other," Carter says. "Within 30 minutes you can be playing north end courses or south end courses."

And while driving to Myrtle Beach has been a Canadian right of passage for years, getting there has never been easier for golfers in Quebec and Ontario. DirectAir flys out of Niagara Falls, N.Y. , and Plattsburgh, N.Y., while Porter Air provides flights out of the Toronto Island Airport.

"In under two hours you can be in Myrtle Beach and teeing it up," Carter says. "We want to get as many Canadians as we can to Myrtle Beach to play golf."

---

IF YOU GO ...

- There are 103 golf courses along the Grand Strand, 425 hotels, and 89,000 rooms.

- There are more than 1,700 full-service restaurants. Among the highly recommended are Sea Captain's House, Greg Norman's Australian Grille, and Frank's Outback.

- Direct Air and Porter Air both offer direct flights to Myrtle Beach International Airport.

- The average winter temperature is 13 C-15 C while spring is 20 C-28 C.

- For more information or booking contact golfholiday.com.

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