What all cruisers need to know

Waking up in a different locale every day is one of the joys of cruising.

But many first-time cruisers book their trip then wonder whether they should sign up for the shore excursions offered by the cruise line.

These trips can easily add hundreds of dollars to the final cost of a holiday so it’s best to do some homework before deciding when to sign on for a group tour and when to just get off the ship and tour independently.

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It’s not a case of right or wrong. In addition to the cost, it really comes down to what type of traveller you are.

Organized shore excursions are a complete no brainer. Every detail — right down to bathroom breaks, free time and, sometimes, meals — is taken care of. Passengers just have book the tour, pay the money, then show up at the designated time and place.

The group is usually accompanied by an escort from the ship and a local guide, who will provide you with background on the wonderful sights you are seeing. These helpful people will also make sure you don’t wander off and miss the ship’s departure. If the tour runs late, the ships waits. If you get lost on your own, the ship sails to the next port and you have to figure out how to rejoing the cruise at your own expense.

In general, these excursions might be good for people who don’t feel confident striking off on their own, panic at the thought of having to communicate in a foreign language or have no sense of direction.

But if you are a confident traveller and the thought of being shepherded around in a large group makes you bristle, you will be much happier just setting off on your own. This is particularly true in most Western European cities and towns, where everything is close together, public transit is excellent and cafes are easy to find. Sleepy small towns — such as those in the Greek islands or in the Caribbean and other places are also pretty easy to navigate.

Here are a few other things to consider:

— If you are thinking about taking an organized excursion, carefully read the tour descriptions before you sail and set a budget. These contain important information about the tour such as the activity level and the conditions you will encounter. Translation: If you are a fit, high energy person, avoid the “panoramic” tours, which are usually bus trips targeted at seniors or those with mobility issues. On the other hand, if you have a health issue or are a fulltime couch potato, perhaps you should pass on the strenuous hike up rocky Mt. Etna.

— As a general rule, avoid trips that involve a lot of travel time. For instance, during a port call in Rostock, Germany, a 12-hour excursion to Berlin

included seven hours of train travel and an additional hour getting to and from the station. I opted for a tour of two closer towns instead.

However, on a Celebrity cruise that visited St. Petersburg, Russia, for two nights, I did take the 16-hour excursion to Moscow, which involved a lot of

travel time and some expense. I reasoned it would probably be many years before I returned to Russia and seeing Red Square, the Kremlin and the KGB Museum

were definitely worth it. The only down side was it left only one day to tour the also-wonderful St. Petersburg.

— Sometimes a shore excursion is a better way to visit an attraction that might otherwise require you spend a lot of time lining up. Often cruise lines have arrangements with major museums and attractions that give tour groups priority access. And enormous museums, such as the Hermitage in St. Petersburg, are best seen with a guide who will maximize your visit by showing you a representative sampling of its treasures.

— A shore excursion can also be a better way to tour remote areas, such as Patagonia, where the sights you want to see may be some distance from the ship, and taxis and buses aren’t plentiful or frequent.

— Don’t feel compelled to take a tour in every port. In many ports, it’s easy to tour independently. Ships often dock close to the town centre or arrangements have bee made for a low cost passenger shuttle between the port and the ship. Many cruise lines also provide detailed information and maps for passengers who plan to head off on their own.

On a Mediterranean sailing aboard Carnival Freedom, cruise director John Heald gave excellent information for indepently touring every port including tips for using vaporettos (public water taxis) in Venice, how to reach Rome on the local train (about $10), typical taxi fares to attractions, and great inexpensive places to eat.

— If you can afford it, go ahead and splurge on a “must do” outing. A helicopter tour of four glaciers during a Holland America Alaska cruise was pricey but it is one of my best cruise memories. Landing on the glacier then getting out and walking around on the blue ice was magic.

Another standout from a Princess cruise to Alaska was taking the Gold Rush-era White Pass and Yukon Route Railway from Skagway to the White Pass summit.

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The cleanest countries in the world

Iceland is the cleanest country in the world. This may be hard to believe right now, what with the clouds of volcanic ash grounding flights across northern Europe, but according to researchers at Yale and Columbia universities, the Nordic island ranks first out of 163 countries on their Environmental Performance Index.

Researchers ranked countries based on 25 indicators, including water and air quality, greenhouse gas emissions and the impact of the environment on the health of the population. (For more detail on the methodology, click here.) A score of 100 is excellent. Sierra Leone ranks at the bottom of the list with a score of 32. The U.S. ranks in the middle of the pack with 63.5. Iceland took top honors with a score of 93.5 thanks to ample clean water, lots of protected nature areas, good national health care and a plenitude of usually clean geothermal power.

Slideshow: The World's 10 Cleanest Countries

Will Eyjafjallajokull wreck Iceland's rating the next time the academics run the numbers in 2012? The answer is no. "We do not score natural disasters," says Daniel Esty, a professor of environmental law at Yale who heads up the EPI and wrote the acclaimed book Green to Gold. The index is weighted to metrics that track how governments are performing relative to environmental policy goals, such as access to adequate sanitation and water, habitat protection and industrial emissions. The amount of sulfur dioxide released from fuel usage counts, not what's put out by volcanoes.

There are two paths that can take a country to the top of the EPI rankings. First, a country could be gifted with a rich endowment of clean water, diverse biology and not have sullied it with rampant industrialism. That's how Cuba, Colombia and Costa Rica placed so high.

Alternatively, a country could have industrialized and polluted its environment, but eventually gotten rich enough to start cleaning it up. That's the case with the European countries that make up more than half of the top 30.

"The richer you become, the more polluted you become, to a point. Then you become cleaner," says Christine Kim of Yale, research director for the EPI.

The U.S. is still on the upswing, says Esty. "Forty years ago the U.S would have had bad scores" like China (rank: 121st) and India (123rd). America, as it's matured, has made big strides in cleaning up lakes, rivers and streams, with clean drinking water available to practically the entire population. Air quality has gotten much better in places like Los Angeles. What's more, "no country is a better forest steward," says Esty. And despite the plague of pine bark beetles laying waste to millions of acres of forests across the west, "the U.S. is re-foresting at a rapid rate."

Sounds good, so why does the U.S. rank so much lower than those Europeans? "People in the U.S. are shocked the U.S. ranks so low. In Europe they're shocked the U.S. ranks so high," says Esty.

Trace the cognitive dissonance to greenhouse gas emissions, where the U.S. places very poorly because of our reliance on coal for 50% of power generation and our reliance on cars to traverse wide-open spaces. America's fully industrialized peers Japan (ranked 20th), Germany (17th) and the U.K. (14th) did far better. The best way for America to improve its score: make a big push toward generating power from nuclear and natural gas.

But could we ever place better than Cuba, which is ranked ninth? Well, Cuba's scant industrial base limits pollution, while socialized health care helps limit environmental-related illness. At least that's what the data claims.

"There's some made-up data out of Cuba," says Esty. They have problems with the veracity of China's data, too. The U.S. on the other hand has very high data quality because "we [in the U.S.] are able to get bad news published." Despite misgivings on Cuban data, "we don't use our judgment on data to push down countries' rankings."

Another unusual case is Belgium, which lags far behind its neighbors France, the Netherlands and Germany and the rest of Western Europe. Belgium is in 88th place, on par with Ukraine and lower than any other European country. The data on Belgium shows "incontrovertible systematic underperformance," says Esty. Less nuclear power, worse water quality and less protection of open spaces.

Esty cautions that it's more useful for policymakers to compare a country's results with those in its peer group. Desert countries will have trouble scoring high in the rankings because of their complete lack of emissions-free hydropower, and limited ecological diversity. Yet in the 2010 study, for the first time, the researchers decided to count sea water desalination as a renewable water source. This helps the oil-rich countries, which can afford to build desalination plants. (See "Making Sweet Water From (Almost) Perpetual Motion.")

In an enviro-measurement quandry, those oil and gas-rich regimes like Saudi Arabia (99th place) and Qatar (122th), don't get docked for the environmental impact of their exported hydrocarbons.

Esty says that of the 75 nations to give feedback to his researchers on their EPI rankings, none has been more outraged than South Korea. Landing in 94th place, between Gabon and Nicaragua, South Koreans see this study as an insult unbefitting their status as a first-world developed nation. The South Korean ambassador filed a protest. A bureaucrat even called up research director Christine Kim's grandmother back home in South Korea to complain. The South Koreans' overly rosy environmental self-assessment might have something to do with the worse performance of neighboring China and North Korea (147th place). Esty says the data on low levels of biodiversity and significant air pollution aren't in doubt.

A bastion of hope and irony: the most biodiverse place on the Korean Peninsula is the demilitarized zone, says Esty. Yet some of the deer there, because of landmines, only have three legs.

Slideshow: The World's 10 Cleanest Countries

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Just horsing around

ONTARIO - I catch my breath as I settle in the saddle. Sunny, the horse I’ve been given to ride at Horseplay Niagara, shifts under my weight and my heart jumps into my mouth. At the moment she seems bigger than a dinosaur.

“Don’t pull the reins until I tell you, OK?” Karen, a guide in chaps and a long leather coat is giving me instructions.

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What she’s telling me isn’t quite computing. I’m too terrified. A variety of scenarios that involve falling off and being stomped on by heavy hooves rush through my mind.

“Pull the reins, yes ...” I mumble incoherently.

“No, I said don’t pull the reins yet,” the guide corrects firmly.

I had a bad horse experience when I was just eight-years-old. While vacationing in a village in Portugal, some kids thought it would be fun to put my sister and I on a horse and then see if they could make the animal to kick us off.

While we were on, someone began swatting the horse’s hindquarters with a stick, causing it to buck. Everyone was laughing, even my sister thought it was fun, but I was terrified and began to cry. Finally taken off the horse, I swore never to get on another one again.

So why am I doing this? Well, it’s time to make peace with the fear; to show it who’s the boss. But I quickly find out Sunny is the one in charge. After being untied from the post, she quickly falls into a line of 15 other horses as our trail ride begins. It turns out all I had to do was relax.

“We spend a lot of time with our horses getting them ready for beginners to ride,” Kathy Buttigieg, the owner of Horseplay Niagara, explains.

Originally a lesson and boarding stable, Horseplay Niagara began offering recreational horse riding 12 years ago because no one else in the area did. It turns out that was the right thing to do. The horse riding took off and now that is all the ranch offers all year long.

With about 35 horses to choose from, they can pretty much accommodate any type of rider, but they specialize in first-timers whose nerves can’t take a frisky mount.

“We teach the horses that no matter what, they are to follow along and stay with the group,” Buttigieg says.

That’s exactly what Sunny is doing as she turns onto the Trans Canada Trail. I don’t have too much to do. I just hold onto the reins and try to stay in the saddle with my boots in the stirrups. With a guide at the top of our line, one in the middle and one at the end, there’s no chance of getting lost in the woods.

My hands relax and the colour returns to them as I begin to appreciate the scenery. The clop-clop of the horse’s hooves play a soothing, rhythmical song and I can imagine drifting off to sleep with the slow rocking of the ride.

Within a few minutes we arrive at a quarry where we stop to get pictures. Flying high above is a red-tail hawk and Tony, the only male guide on this trek, tells me that garter snakes are around, too.

My heart takes a leap as I recall every western I’ve seen where a horse gets spooked by a snake on the trail and makes a run for it. I express my fears to Tony, who immediately calms my nerves.

“These horses are used to everything,” he says. And horses that don’t pass the distraction tests don’t make it out to the trail, he adds, assuringly.

On our way back to Horseplay, we begin to gallop slowly. No need to dig my heels into Sunny’s soft belly — she starts and stops as our front guide leads. The galloping is fun and I realize this was a great idea. As we slow down, my hand leaves the horn for the first time and I pat Sunny’s soft neck.

“Good girl, aren’t you a good girl,” I whisper.

Unfortunately though, I’m beginning to feel the effects of the saddle on my rear end. We arrive back at the ranch and my slow descent from the horse and subsequent painful gait is noticed by one of the guides.

“Take a nice warm bath tonight, you’ll feel much better tomorrow,” she promises me.

If you go

Horseplay Niagara is about 90 minutes southwest of Toronto in the town of Wainfleet. They offer a variety of riding packages. Beginners may want to take the one-hour trail ride, which costs $35 per person and can be taken by kids six and up. The Sunset Trail Ride runs for 90 minutes, costs $50 per person and is recommended for children older than nine. They are open year-round and will ride in rain or snow.

Horseplay Niagara is extremely family friendly. All trail rides include access to an outdoor playground, mini-golf, a zip-line and a mini climbing wall. All riders under the age of 18 must wear helmets. Helmets for children and adults are available at no extra cost. For more info, contact horseplayniagara.com/905-834-2380.

tripswithkids.ca

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Jamaica offers much for whole family

JAMAICA - Travelling with children can be a daunting task, whether it is a few hours in a car, or half-a-day in airports, on planes and on small buses trekking across Jamaican highways.

But when the destination is the Beaches Boscobel resort just outside of Ocho Rios, Jamaica, it is worth the trip, headaches and travel-induced stress.

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The relatively small, compact resort on the island nation’s north coast is a paradise for families, offering plenty to keep the young ones occupied, good food, clean lodgings and, perhaps — most important — a friendly, conscientious staff.

The hospitality begins the moment you walk out of customs at Sangster International Airport in Montego Bay, where Cookie Monster from Sesame Street welcomes your family at the Beaches/Sandals suite, offering free refreshments (Red Stripe beer for the adults, fruit punch for the kiddies) while you wait for your ride to the resort.

Admittedly, the two-hour ride from the airport to Boscobel is long, and it is tough to relax watching people drive in Jamaica, but the scenery of this lush, green country is beautiful, with mountains to the right and the Caribbean Sea to the left.

Beaches Boscobel sits atop a bluff overlooking the sea and is an oasis of sandy beach surrounded by a rocky shore. One staff member put forth the rumour the hotel was once a Playboy Mansion, but this couldn’t be confirmed. However, a section of the hotel was cleverly designed into the face of the bluff leading down to the beach. Atop these three-storeys of rooms is the main level of the resort, where you will find the pool (with swim-up bar), stage and main restaurant — the Bayside buffet. Another storey up from that is the main hotel tower.

A word of caution if you have mobility issues — as the resort is built on a bluff, there are a lot of stairs. There are ramps and elevators to provide some alternatives, but it is difficult to get around without encountering some flights of steps.

The suites at Boscobel are clean and well appointed, but should really only be used for sleeping. As with any vacation, the experience here is outside.

There are activities for children of all ages. A Sesame Street-themed children’s centre is open daily, and if parents need — or want — a break, there is child care available. Younger ones will also delight in a waterpark that features several slides catering to kids under 6, sprinklers, floating island animals and even a jacuzzi. Every night, there is a stage show targeted to the younger audience, and it is usually starring Elmo, Bert and Ernie, Grover and the other stars of Sesame Street.

Older children can take a ride on the bigger waterslides, play in the large pool or partake in any number of organized activities, from dances and short cruises (to a beach where a portion of the James Bond movie Dr. No was filmed) to a scavenger hunt and making tie-dyed T-shirts. They will also be drawn in by the interactive stage show that will have them up dancing, singing, playing silly games and guessing trivia each night.

On the ocean, and included in the cost of your trip, is snorkelling (an amazing reef runs along the north coast of Jamaica, featuring a vast array of fish and other aquatic wildlife for your observing pleasure), a glass-bottomed boat, sailing, banana boat tubing, kayaking and — for a small fee — scuba diving.

To escape the sun, there is an arts and crafts centre running programs daily as well as an Xbox garage to give kids a video game fix, should they need it.

But with so much to do, this garage is rarely used. Our kids (aged 9, 11 and 13) brought iPods, PSPs and Nintendo DSs with them, and they never left the safe. They barely even turned on the TV in our room for the duration of our stay.

The food at Boscobel is astounding.

There are five restaurants on the resort from which to choose, ranging from classic Italian to a good old-fashioned barbecue pit. The Venetian was a personal favourite of our crew, but we also enjoyed Arizona’s. The steaks aren’t quite as thick as you would get at home, but the eatery is situated on a deck stretching out into the ocean. The setting is spectacular.

The Bayside is the only restaurant open all day, every day. Specials change daily, and it cleverly features a kiddie section — Sesame Street-themed of course — with smaller counters, smaller tables and chairs, and a selection of children’s favourites, from hot dogs to macaroni and cheese to chicken nuggets.

There are several trips offered off the resort, including swimming with dolphins, a safari and hiking up Dunn’s River Falls. These cost extra, and as a word of warning, Jamaican merchants in these tourist areas are extremely aggressive. We opted for the hike up the falls. It’s a tourist trap, no doubt, but a fun way to spend an afternoon. The kids had a blast.

But perhaps most important, our children, and those of most every other family at the resort, were smiling and laughing the whole week, and brought home with them memories to last a lifetime.

kalvin.reid@sunmedia.ca

If you go

To Jamaica

Beaches Boscobel presents itself as a “cashless” resort. They put a $400 hold on a credit card when you check in, and anything you buy, whether it is souvenirs or excursions off the resort, are charged against that. Tipping is frowned upon, but it is always appreciated if you can discreetly slip a little something extra to a favourite bartender or waiter. Security is a priority. Resort officers take your name and room number down if you are leaving the resort, and note your return. The waterpark is crawling with lifeguards and uniformed security personnel. Safety was never an issue during our stay. For more information, see beaches.com/main/bo/bo-home.cfm.

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World's top party cities

Every city has its charm--its own unique qualities that make it stand out, whether it's the culture, the architecture, the history, the food, the arts scene or some combination thereof.

But the greatest party cities have all these things, yet undergo a complete transformation after dark. They become a little louder--and maybe even a little naughtier than the rest.

In Depth: World's Top Party Cities

There's perhaps no better example than Bangkok. With famously friendly locals and skyscraping luxury hotels, sumptuous street food and elegant nightclubs, the city has long been on the map of every partying traveler.

The city was once reputed for go-go bars and not much else, but night-owl-friendly Bangkok has since cleaned up its act--or at least added to it--thanks to a dynamic convergence of expatriate party promoters and international DJs. Breakbeat junkies flock to the dance floors of 808 Bangkok while music lovers with an appetite relax inside the minimalist interiors of Bed Supperclub, a hyper-stylish venue with a sleek restaurant and art gallery.

“There's an incredible energy in the streets of Bangkok after sunset,” says Sanya Souvanna Phouma, creative director of Bed Management, which develops and operates boutique hotels around the world. “You have night markets, food stalls and people--a lot of people. Needless to say, the new clubbing and bar scenes have been growing along with newcomers on the restaurant scene, which pulls the market upward.”

Revelry Specialists
What makes for a great party city is obviously subjective, and while it involves variables as concrete as the number of nightlife options available, the ineffable but all-important spirit of a city is also central. To highlight the best party spots, we sought the advice of the aforementioned

Sanya Souvanna Phouma, creative director of Bed Management, as well as Marissa Anshutz, an associate director at Camron, a public relations firm in the U.K.

Stateside, New York City is the undisputed epicenter of enthusiasm. Despite numerous mayoral overtures to quiet, clean, and calm the Big Apple, the city remains one of the world's top destinations for partygoers.

With a 24-hour subway system, a staggering array of palatial and bantam nightclubs, late-night restaurants and elegant bars, New York is teeming with countless forms of nocturnal bliss. The Pink Elephant in Chelsea is a surefire option for those seeking an electrifying club night, while the decadent Gramercy Park Hotel's Rose Bar is a more sophisticated but equally enchanted place to unwind.

According to Anshutz, who formerly worked at PR and marketing agency Syndicate (which counts the Rose Bar and L.A.'s Villa as clients), New York has always been a party city--but smaller, more intimate venues are now as popular as the notorious mega-clubs.

“The chic set is desperate for something authentic, diverse and bespoke--so places like The Rose Bar and The Box offer the perfect haven,” Anshutz says. “It also helps that New York City is the first stop for jetsetters who bring the latest and greatest in music and fashion from Europe.”

Bash in Berlin
Much like New York, Berlin is the linchpin of European hedonism. There are more than 3.4 million inhabitants, no curfew, spectacularly designed clubs, and a partying aesthetic that privileges the casual over the obviously done-up.

Half the excitement of going out in Berlin is trying to locate the club you're after, as the more thrilling venues are often hidden from plain view. Crowds seeking live music flock to the unmarked doors of Tausend, an uber-hip bar packed with Berlin's stylish locals, particularly on Saturday nights. This is one of the few bars in Berlin where casual won't cut it, so leave your sneakers at home.

An outdoor club/lounge featuring live music and river views, Bar 25 is another Berlin gem. South of Mitte, Kreuzberg's 103 Club entertains masses of indie rockers with live acts and parties, while Cookies reigns as the favored spot on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Despite Berlin's recent ascent, London still stands out as a dashing city known for its posh clubs and edgy music scene. "City wealth, oil wealth, and daddy's wealth” with “the odd prince or two” tossed in help to create London's trademark party atmosphere, says Anshutz. “Royals and glitterati queue up at West London's Boujis nightclub to down the signature "Crack Baby shot--a mix of vodka, champagne and fruit juice.”

Exotic Experiences
Some parties are worth traveling a great distance for.

According to City Guide Tel Aviv, Israel's unofficial capital is a “hedonistic, multi-cultural Mediterranean metropolis.” Nicknamed “the city that never stops,” Tel Aviv boasts a steamy nocturnal playground not for the faint of heart. While local officials have cracked down on noise-polluting beachfront parties in recent years, the mayhem continues indoors at venues like the underground Barzilay Club. Part of what helps keep the party going is that bartenders in Tel Aviv, in general, are notoriously generous with alcohol servings.

Renowned for its decadent carnivals and sinfully gorgeous locals, Rio de Janeiro is one of South America's most festive cities. Lush rainforests and white-sand beaches give Rio its natural glow, and the city also boasts a number of five-star restaurants, swank clubs and hip bars.

Far from South America but equally as hot is Reykjavik, Iceland's capital city and home of a big night scene with a small-town vibe. With a history of producing experimental musicians like Icelandic rockers Bjцrk and SigurRуs, it's no wonder Reykjavik pays homage to the auditory-inclined with prized nightclubs like NASA, an auditorium-like space with nightlong live music acts. Bar lovers with stamina enjoy participating in the frequent Icelandic rъntur, a night-long, marathon-style pub crawl.

In Depth: World's Top Party Cities

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Shanghai goes green for Expo

SHANGHAI, China — Looking for the China of pagodas, farmers in rice paddies and Mao-suited masses pedalling bicycles through grim city streets?

You won’t find such scenes here when Shanghai’s World Expo opens May 1.

What you will find: A giant octopus, an alpine meadow and an apple-shaped “green city,” among dozens of pavilions in all shapes, colours and sizes featuring a kaleidoscope of visions for the Expo’s theme: “Better City, Better Life.” And, of course, millions of other visitors.

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Shanghai’s Expo is likely to be the largest World’s Fair ever, with some 70 million visitors expected to attend in the six months before it closes on Oct. 31. It’s certainly China’s biggest event since the 2008 Beijing Olympics.

The huge international show-and-tell will showcase China’s status as a world industrial power, giving Shanghai — its biggest city — a long-awaited chance to show off its stunning transformation from crumbling factory town into modern global metropolis. In this age of information overload, visitors to the Shanghai World Expo are unlikely to find here the kinds of brand new technologies, such as television, that debuted at world’s fairs decades ago.

But governments, groups and corporate sponsors, spread over 5.28 sq. km along both sides of the Huangpu River, will be offering ideas for sustainable urban living.

In Pudong, on the east side of the river, where the national pavilions and most big facilities are located, giant white funnels will provide shade, channel sunlight to underground walkways and collect rainwater for recycling. In Puxi, on the west side, a collection of local and corporate pavilions will demonstrate “urban best practices” focused on sustainable urban technologies and heritage preservation.

Solar panels in Expo buildings will create a five-megawatt solar power system — China’s largest. Zero-emission electric vehicles will be used on the Expo grounds. Expo organizers say most of the materials used to make the pavilions will be recycled; they have pledged to eventually end with a “carbon-neutral” impact.

Like the Beijing Olympics, the Expo will leave a legacy of new landmarks, the most eye-catching the 69-metre China Pavilion — a scarlet structure some say looks like a mahjong table. Though imposing, it’s much shorter than the 300-metre Eiffel Tower, built for the 1889 Universal Exposition. A clamshell-shaped cultural centre that will seat up to 18,000 people, a conference centre and a new stadium also will permanently join the skyscrapers lining the Huangpu. Several of the old industrial buildings that will house expo exhibits will remain to house museums and other cultural facilities, officials say.

Hoping for an escape from the crowds? The Swiss pavilion features a four-minute chairlift ride above a rooftop alpine meadow. The United Arab Emirates has a pavilion shaped like sand dunes, Israel’s mimics a sea shell, Romania’s a green apple, Macao’s a jade rabbit lantern. Craving some octopus fritters? Keep an eye out for a five-tonne, eight-legged sign being shipped in by a famous Osaka “takoyaki” outlet. Whether it’s Belgian chocolates, Japanese sushi or hot, prickly Sichuan cuisine, the Expo will offer a smorgasbord of choices, with nearly 200 outlets able to feed some 40,000 people at a time, Expo organizers say.

Outside the Expo site, the city has built a new airport terminal, subway lines and expressways to accommodate hundreds of thousands of extra visitors a day. No detail seems too small — new awnings on colonial mansions and 10 roly-poly baby pandas from western China to amuse guests who venture out to the city’s zoos.

By day, once-grimy office blocks and apartment buildings shine under new coats of paint. By night, the city glows with artful illuminations — dots, rainbows, spot lights and strip lighting accenting the city’s diverse architecture. Statues and images of Haibao the “treasure from the sea,” a big-eyed blue Expo mascot meant to represent the Chinese character for people, or “ren,” adorn practically every public space.

Unlike hyper-controlled crowds for the Olympics, the Expo is meant to be an “open-door” event, tourism officials say.

“We have no restrictions at all. We welcome all visitors from all countries,” said Cheng Meihong, vice chairman of Shanghai’s tourism administration.

Tickets (about $28) for May 1 opening day are sold out.

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City of shadows

I'm trying to tell you, the travel writers who call Prague a "fairy tale" city are wrong. Explore the enchanting streets lit by gaslight, they write. Hold your lover's hand while you stroll across the Charles Bridge and then off into the sunset. Or so they imply.

What's conveniently left out is the other part of the fairy tale, the part populated by witches and gargoyles and imps. The part where older versions of the Brothers Grimm--Cinderella murders her stepmother, the Little Mermaid kills herself--ring more true.

Prague is dark, filled with grotesque reminders everywhere of its storied, bloody past. And it will teach you a lot, if you let it. I traveled in and out of Prague for six months, but even in an evening, the city can change you. It can also tear you apart.

Like it did Kafka. Prague's bleakest fiction writer was haunted not only by his evil father but also the mysterious city which he tried to leave andt never could. Not for long.

Kafka wrote in the bustling Cafй Slavia, but his nightmarish style of narration comes from his experiences growing up in its brutal, midnight streets. Prague is truly Kafkaesque, a world that is senseless, surreal and often dangerous. The city made Kafka one of the most influential fiction writers of all time.

Kafka believed that "the world has gone nuts," and nowhere is this more evident than on the trams of Prague, which ferry the Czech people from their morning thoughts to their office to their evening pints. It's here that the effect of the communist past of Prague is still pervasive.

The older generation that crowds the trams with armloads of grocery bags still very much remembers the random persecution of their friends, their family, themselves. They are disoriented, too, by the new, freer lives they are now allowed to live. They still dress in drab, grey clothing--since when have they been told to wear anything else?--and try not to watch the young couples that neck and straddle one another on tram seats, try not to listen to the new music. The most well-loved rock band of the older generation, The Plastic People, was censored, then banned and put on trial. The music of my childhood, an old woman on the tram tells me. Which music? I ask. She can't remember.

An underground Plastic People concert we attend is performed with an air of prohibition. I watch a woman shed grey clothing for an orange miniskirt, spike her hair and sing loudly to the opening song. Here, it's clear, she can forget--the public executions, the years of suffering, the sight of Jan Palach, a student of Charles University, lighting himself on fire.

The new generation, however, has learned from their parents. They know what it means to rebel. On May Day in Prague the nationalists prepare for battle against anarchists in Namesti Miru square (literally, "Square of Peace"). They look ready to kill, but they just want to be heard. Sticking their chests out, they knock fists against palms in preparation, separated by a double cordon of riot police. The anarchists wear masks; the nationalists wear bare faces. The riot police are covered in enough armor to go to war. By evening the police are still holding both groups back, but I hear a man say: Next year I'll kill someone.

But politics doesn't matter on holidays. The night before May Day is the Burning of the Witches, where hundreds of Czechs (of every party) gather by the river to set broomsticks and giant effigies of witches on fire. We watch and scream in delight as the fire burns higher, and when it gets too hot, we shed our clothes and jump naked into the water. Lovers and teenagers and old women alike are spurred on by an elation that comes only with wickedness.

The Czech people have never been kind to their witches. In medieval times, hags, heretics and state enemies were lucky to be the burned at the stake. The alternative was a "head crusher" or a "beheader." Or the "Virgin of Nuremberg," whose spikes penetrated the body everywhere except the vital organs, so a witch would slowly bleed to death. Wandering through the tourist center, where stall owners despise tourists in spite of (and because of) depending on them, a tilted museum still holds 60 of these torture instruments.

For the Jews, when things got bad, the Golem came to the rescue. According to Czech legend, the Golem monster was created by a 16th-century rabbi to defend the Prague ghetto from anti-Semitic attacks. The locals are very serious about the need for the monster, and after a while, I am, too. The Jews needed the Golem long after that rabbi's time. In the garrison town of Terezin, not far from Prague, it's not the military history that is remembered but the death of nearly 100,000 Czech Jews. Terezin's concentration camp killed many of Prague's brightest. The gas ovens still stand, but what sticks in memory is the thousands of shoes outside the chambers, and watercolor pictures painted by children just before they were gassed.

In Prague a Jewish cemetery lies half empty, because the generation it was built for never got graves. A film festival shows a movie made by an Austrian Jew about his time in a concentration camp. I look for reactions, but the audience is silent, stoic. No one cries. This is life. Maybe it takes a weighted history to understand that.

After several months in Prague, I start to avoid the darkness of the city. I visit tourist sites I missed, believing that it must be only in covert spaces that bleakness rules. But gargoyles peek out of every corner, arch and gateway, most with thorns attached, reminding you they are there to ward off evil spirits. At St. Vitus Cathedral in Prague Castle, I try to concentrate at the soaring buttresses of the church but almost trip over the relics of St. Wenceslas. Even the Gothic architecture of my apartment building summons nightmares.

I try to avoid, too, the Astronomical Clock at the city center, where at every hour, a bell tolls, the windows of the clock fly open and mechanical figures begin to dance out in frightening but fateful disharmony. Twelve mechanical apostles are followed by mechanical skeletons and then mechanical "sinners," reminding the watchers of their impending death. As tourists race to snap pictures, Czech thieves make off with their wallets. A local tells me that when the clock was made, the town officials blinded the clockmaker, so he could never duplicate his masterwork.

That's it. We have to get out, I say. We plan a trip to Prague's countryside. But the sleepy town of Kutna Hora includes not just silversmiths but also the Church of Bones, a Gothic structure adorned by the remains of more than 40,000 dead. The church was originally a burial site for the bodies left behind by the bubonic plague and the Hussite Wars, kept in order by a half-blind monk. Finally, an artist was commissioned to fashion the overload of bones into works of art. A sour-faced tour guide shows us bone bells, bone chandeliers and garlands of skulls.

And that's when I realize that I've come to like the darkness. Maybe it's something about that oxymoron, "grotesque beauty." Or that it's because what shocks also excites. Or as Kafka believed, it's that suffering is a necessary element, and it will teach you things.

So we venture into the dark, tripping over cobblestone streets that lead to underground bars and find a generation of Czech kids dying to get messed up. I don't know if they do this to shake off the grey suppression of their parents, or if it's because the reality of the city's history hurts too much. But the truth of Prague is that preteens hunch in every dark corner, swigging beers and smoking forbidden cigarettes until the sun comes up. In U Sudu, a barely lit subterranean wine-cellar-turned-bar, every kind of grass grows and everyone is stoned. Somewhere in the center of the city, a large-nosed girl tries to stick needles in me in a bar bathroom. I don't do heroin, I protest. She only laughs at me. This is her happiness.

And the zenith of any evening in Prague, we soon realize, is absinthe. My friend warns me about the drink, the green fairy of Bohemia: It's 130-proof, and it will kill you. Or it will try. Undeterred, I pour an ounce in a shot glass, and then balance a spoon with a sugar cube on it, waiting for the bartender to light the sugar on fire. I pour the hot mess down until my throat's in flames. Two Czech men dance nearby, throats burning of absinthe, too, and the city's history of suffering is written on their faces. One man dances as if he has no bones in his body, the other as if he were a robot-man. I remember that a Czech writer coined the word "robot," which literally translates to "hard work." Suffering. It must have been hard to have the city you love controlled for so long, I think. Or maybe it was their parent's city.

Because these men's Prague is a free city. Clockmakers are no longer blinded nor bodies crushed. The gas ovens lie in disuse. While the city still wears, may always wear, a cloak of suffering, their bodies tell it differently. In a no-bones, body-swagger dance, the man smiles at me and tells me that in his Prague, a positive element is coming to life.

WHILE YOU'RE THERE

Kafkaesque

- Cafй Slavia, where Kafka often wrote

- The New Jewish cemetery, where he is buried

- The Kafka Museum

If You're Interested in Communist History…

- Go to a Plastic People concert

- Visit the Museum of Communism

In Spring…

- Go see the riot between the nationalists and anarchists on May Day

- Go to the Paleni Carodejnic Witches' Night on the last night of April

If You're Into Medieval Torture and Monsters…

- Visit the Museum of Medieval Torture Instruments

- See the play The Golem of Prague or eat at the U Golema restaurant

- See the Jewish quarter where the 16th-century rabbi lived

If You are Interested in Jewish History…

- Take a day trip to Terezin

- Visit the old and new Jewish cemeteries

The Dark(er) Side

- Visit St. Vitus Cathedral at the Prague Castle or St. Teyn church in Old Town Square

- On the hour, go to the astronomical clock

- Take a day trip to the Bone Church at Kutna Hora Night Time

- Check out U Sudu wine bar or Chapeau Rouge bar

- Go to Radost FX and stay until the wee hours for breakfast

This article appears in the Apr. 16 issue of Forbes India, a Forbes Media licensee.

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Quebec abuzz over Cohen exhibition

SHERBROOKE, Que. — People in Sherbrooke are abuzz over the coming summer exhibition of artworks by superstar Leonard Cohen at the local Musee des beaux-arts, says museum spokesperson Lise Boyer.

“We already have a huge reaction here,” Boyer said shortly after the show was announced. “Newspapers, citizens — we’re receiving e-mails, everybody’s beside themselves.”

About 50 drawings, including pastels, charcoal and watercolour works, by the Montreal-born singer-songwriter will be on display from June 19 to Oct. 3.

The exhibition, which drew thousands of visitors when it came to Montreal for the city’s recent High Lights Festival, includes self-portraits, studies of women and sketches of objects such as furniture and glasses. Cohen’s artwork has been compared to that of surrealist Jean Cocteau. His son Adam Cohen said earlier this year that his father is a huge fan of French artist Henri Matisse.

The Eastern Townships museum will also have a summer show of works by the late Montreal artist Guido Molinari. Some 30 drawings and paintings by Molinari, who was considered a master of abstract painting, will be on display from June 19 to Oct. 11. Boyer expects people will come for Cohen and discover Molinari.

“People who aren’t that interested in art will come just because of the name Cohen,” she said. “We believe just by the reaction from the local people it’s going to be a very good summer.”

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Canada's summer theatre festivals

Hollywood and Broadway have stolen some of Canada’s finest actors. Ryan Gosling. Kiefer Sutherland. Kim Cattrall. Mike Myers. Christopher Plummer. But any fan of great theatre knows that there’s plenty more where they came from. I was lucky enough to catch Chris Plummer in Anthony & Cleopatra at Ontario’s Stratford Shakespeare Festival last summer—astonishing stuff (though he’ll always be “The Sound of Music’s” Captain von Trapp to me).

From fringe to fully produced, Canada’s summer theatre season is packed with amazing performers and great theatre festivals.

A sampling (by start date) for 2010:
Shaw Festival, Niagara-on-the-Lake, ON, April 1 - Oct. 31, 2010. Between the too-cute town and the nearby wineries, it’s hard to go inside for a show. But the fest of plays and musicals related in some way to George Bernard Shaw and his times is always fun—not to mention top-notch.What’s cool about it? Plenty of wit and comedy.   

Stratford Shakespeare Festival,Stratford, ON, April 10 - Oct. 31, 2010. Theatre fans throughout the eastern US and Canada know that Stratford, one of the world’s great theatre festivals, always delivers great performances. Christopher Plummer returns to Stratford, this time in Shakespeare’s The Tempest, and some of the continent’s finest musical theatre will feature Brent Carver in Jacques Brel Is Alive and Well and Living in Paris.What’s cool about it? The variety of perfectly produced shows.  

Magnetic North Theatre Festival, Kitchener-Waterloo, ON, June 9 - 19, 2010. This fest of new Canadian theatre alternates between Ottawa, ON, and other Canadian cities every other year.
What’s cool about it? “Magnetic Encounters” allows audience members to get personal with the actors, maybe even have a sing-along.  

Charlottetown Festival,Charlottetown, PEI, June 17 - Oct. 9, 2010. Canada’s most famous redhead, Anne Shirley,comes to life every summer in an astonishing musical production—Anne of Green Gables – The Musical—on her “home” island, Prince Edward Island. This festival offers other uniquely “island” productions like Abegweit—The Soul of the Island, which was performed at the 2010 Winter Games in Vancouver, BC. What’s cool about it? The focus on local lore.  

Theatre Under the Stars, Vancouver, BC, July 9 - Aug. 21, 2010. While the performances are fun and earnest, the outdoor Stanley Park setting makes this annual summer theatre worth a visit. Plus, the possibility that they’ll have real rain for Singin’ in the Rain is just too rich to pass up. What’s cool about it? Frequent impromptu, onstage appearances by the park’s famous raccoons.

SummerWorks, Toronto, ON, Aug. 5 - 15, 2010. Known as the “largest juried festival in Canada,” and held in funky spots like the Gladstone Hotel, this fringe-style fest in Canada’s largest city focuses on new, indie plays that reflect both Toronto and Canada—a great way to get a taste of truly up-to-the-moment Canadian culture. What’s cool about it? Local and funky productions.

Edmonton Fringe Festival, Edmonton, AB, Aug. 12 - 22, 2010.North America’s original fringe festival—and still one of the continent’s largest—brings Alberta’s capital city a huge dose of cultural variety every August. Performers from around the globe vie for a chance to strut their stuff at this legendary fest. What’s cool about it? You really don’t know what you’ll see until you see it.

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Bird sightings good for mid-April

SOUTHWESTERN ONTARIO - There were a lot of good bird sightings last weekend.

At Westminster Ponds, Reinhold Pokraka picked up seven phoebes, eight flickers, a pileated woodpecker, 18 flickers and a red-bellied woodpecker and saw a loon flying overhead.

Pokraka may also have heard and seen an fish crow. They have quite a different call than our common crows and sound much like a young crow here, but it's too early to see juvenile crows here yet, so it is possible it was a real sighting. I have seen a fish crow at Point Pelee in May - at least a month later.

Another bird that is often missed here because of the difficulty of identification is Bicknell's thrush, an eastern bird. It looks like a greyish back hermit thrush with the usual spots in front, but also has a reddish tail like that of a hermit, but it does not bob its tail up and down. The Bicknell's thrush could be identified by its call, but it does this rarely when not on territory in the eastern part of North America.

Last Tuesday was an even better day for Pokraka and Murray Larmour at Westminster Ponds. On Saunders Pond, they saw the beginnings of the waterfowl influx, which will peak in the next two weeks. Waterfowl included six pied-billed grebes, six wood ducks, bufflehead duck, a marsh hawk, ring-necked duck, ruddy duck, blue winged teal, hooded merganser, a coot and a red-necked grebe - the latter may increase in numbers by today.

Other birds spotted around Saunders and the Fish and Game pond were large numbers of flickers, two killdeers, three juncos and two chipping sparrows. They also picked up one snipe, 26 phoebes, a swamp sparrow, a winter wren and song sparrows.

There were also 30 cedar waxwings along with another 30 golden-crowned kinglets. There was an early blue grey gnatcatcher and a rough wing and tree swallow.

In all, they counted 47 separate species - very good for the middle of April.

Updates

Pokraka also reported a male indigo bunting at a feeder outside London. Pokraka and Larmour spotted three yellow-rumped warblers.

Bob Hayward in south London also had several yellow-rumped warblers. There was a south wind for part of Monday night so it is likely they all came in together, as warblers and other birds will often do in the spring. This can be obvious at a place like the tip at Point Pelee in spring.

Bill and Colleen Lindley's visit to Aylmer produced few waterfowl but a lone tundra swan was still there.

thomasnhayman@rogers.com

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Head to Alberta's Badlands

If you dig dinosaurs, make tracks for Alberta’s Badlands.

Focus on Dinosaur Provincial Park, where they unearth and identify fossils, and the Royal Tyrrell Museum, in Drumheller, where the most impressive finds are prepared and displayed. These include a massive skeleton of a Tyrannosaurus rex and more than 30 others of critters that roamed, flew or swam 65 million years ago in what is now Alberta.

Adults get a kick out of this, but it’s the kids who really revel in it.

Images: Visiting Dinosaur Provincial Park

Images: Top dinosaur destinations

Brad Tucker, the park’s visitor services co-ordinator, told me that next to palaeontologists, the people who study prehistoric life, seven-year-olds are the experts.

I got an inkling the previous day at the Royal Tyrrell when rain prevented me from doing a fossil hunt called Dinosite.

The alternative was Fossil Casting. This put me in a room with 17 youngsters, roughly 6 to 13, who proceeded to show how much they knew about T-Rex and his pals and, by extension, how much I didn’t.

One little gaffer correctly identified the “very famous dinosaur around these parts," (Albertasaurus); another gave a decent definition of palaeontology (“a dinosaur dig-up"). All excelled at getting dirty making plaster casts they could take home as a souvenir.

Another program, Secrets of the Lost Quarry, had youngsters form teams to solve a mystery. Arm-waving and yelling answers appeared to be mandatory.

Armed with tweezers and a magnifying glass, two young brothers from Leduc and I had great fun picking through a box of fossilized remains, pebbles, brass buttons and scraps of old newspaper.

The museum’s only 90 minutes from Calgary airport and attracts thousands a day in summer, so advance registration for programs is advised. Visit tyrrellmuseum.com.

Meal tip: WHIFS, in the nearby Badlands Motel, has tasty food and a model train network covering the ceiling.

It’s two hours to Dinosaur Provincial Park, a UNESCO World Heritage Site, via the Hoodoo Trail — Hwy. 10.

The landscape in the Red Deer River Valley is weird — rock hills with layered bands of glacial till, mudstone, bentonite (which locals call “dinosaur snot’’), sandstone, coal and ironstone. You pass hoodoos, pillars of sandstone capped by erosion-resistant rock so they resemble giant mushrooms, and the Atlas Coal Mine Museum, which offers a variety of tours.

Hwy. 10 climbs from the valley to a plain so lacking in features it was easy to spot wildlife. I saw pheasants, deer, a prong-horn antelope, and lots of gophers. Watch for domestic bison at tiny Patricia, just outside the park.

The Badlands are usually so hot in summer that a bus tour of the park is recommended. But the rain that had hit the Royal Tyrrell had caused flash flooding in the park. The campground had been evacuated and any hope of a bus tour washed away.

Plan B was a tour of the laboratory where fossils the palaeontologists have identified are taken for minor preparatory work before being shipped to the Royal Tyrrell.

The park offers several outdoor programs. Bonebed 30 Guided Excavations sounded particularly exciting because participants help excavate for real fossils. It’s offered weekends in July and August and is limited to six persons.

Several escorted hikes are available. Brad Tucker says there are some places where fossils are so plentiful “you can’t avoid stepping on them."

Tucker also encourages visitors to explore on their own, following trails where he says they’re likely to spot “really good fossils." Visit dinosaurpark.ca.

Meal tip: Customers barbecue their own steaks and burgers inside the Patricia Hotel, a saloon. An eight-ounce rib eye is $16. The server/bartender said the best part was never hearing a complaint about how the meat was cooked.

For more information, see canadianbadlands.com.

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Glassy-eyed in Montreal

MONTREAL — Cities in Europe have been doing it for a while — creating a theme year around which they highlight particular sites and stage events to attract visitors.

Now at least one Canadian city has introduced a similar idea. Montreal, City of Glass 2010, involves the participation of no fewer than 42 organizations.

Images: Battle of the Canadian cities

Images: Montreal parties all summer

Among them: 25 of the city’s 35 museums, five galleries (one virtual), two universities, one theatre, three maisons de la culture, and a tour company. In all there’ll be 100 exhibitions, as well as workshops, a fashion show and subway tours. Fittingly this year, Montreal will also host the annual Glass Art Association of Canada conference from May 26-30.

The City of Glass project was the inspiration of Benoit Legare, director of the Montreal Science Centre. In meeting with other Montreal museum directors, Legare, an artisan and glass collector himself, became increasingly aware of the city’s rich glass collections. And so a theme year was spawned, focusing on glass in relation to four main areas: Art, architecture, science and history.

Highlights include:

— Tiffany Glass: A Passion for Colour at Musee Des Beaux-Arts de Montreal. Visitors have until May 2 to see this exhibit of 180 works including a range of unique vases crafted into organic forms, lamps, jewelry and a selection of oversized stained glass windows. Reguar admission $15 and $7.50 on Wednesdays from 5 p.m. to 9 p.m.

If you miss the exhibit, the museum’s permanent collection has 22 Tiffany pieces, including 18 stained glass windows, two lamps, a vase and a table setting. General admission to the museum is free. Check mmfa.qc.ca.

— Notre-Dame Basilica. In addition to regular guided tours, this year a new themed tour focuses on the basilica’s stained glass windows. Learn about the windows created by master glassmaker Francis Chigot in Limoges, France, and see windows normally inaccessible to the public such as those in the sacristy.

Ninety-minute tours in English will take place on Thursdays at 1:30 and 3 p.m. from May 26 to Sept 2, $15. Check notredamebasilica.ca.

— On the catwalk with Verre Couture. Espace Verre, in collaboration with the Montreal Science Centre, hosts a fashion show May 29 featuring wearable glass outfits created by 15 Montreal and 15 international designers and glass artists. Cost $32, at the Belvedere hall of the Montreal Science Centre. For more, call 1-877-496 4724.

— Studio Guido Nincheri. Painter and master stained glass artist Guido Nincheri (1885-1973) worked at this east-end Montreal studio, which produced 5,000 stained glass pieces for customers throughout North America before it closed in 1996. Everything looks much as it did while the studio was still in operation, and now Nincheri’s grandson Roger is opening the doors for free public tours every Sunday from May to September at 1832 Pie-IX Blvd. For hours, check chateaudufresne.com.

— Chateau Dufresne Museum. The Beaux-Arts style mansion’s new exhibition — Nincheri’s Secular Work — is devoted to the art of Guido Nincheri. His studio was owned by the Dufresne brothers. A number of little-known works — on display for the first time — can be viewed until Sept 12. Wednesdays to Sundays. Cost $7. Check chateaudufresne.com.

— Nature in Glass: The Blaschka Glass Models, at Musee Redpath, one of Canada’s oldest museums. The Blaschkas — father and son glass blowers who worked in Dresden, Germany, in the late 1800s — created a glass menagerie of sea animals, flowers and even microscopic organisms that were anatomically detailed and scientifically correct. Only a few of the extraordinary and fragile models remain; the knowledge of how they were created has since been lost. See 27 Blaschka models on display until Oct. 29. Free admission. Check mcgill.ca/redpath.

— The Musee Marguerite-Bourgeoys has a few surviving fragments of the 150-year old stained glass windows from the Chapelle Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours discovered in 1996 and now restored and presented in the exhibition Ultreia! Onward Pilgrim. Continues to Jan 16, 2011. See marguerite-bourgeoys.com.

A real glass act

Aside from the special events this year, there are lots of permanent glass attractions in the city including amazing contemporary architecture (Centre CDP Capital building and the Palais des Congres); valuable stained glass windows in numerous churches and public buildings; the unique Le Lustre Sculpture by Italian Luigi Moretti in Place Victoria; Espace Verre — a glass blowing and glass arts school, studio and gallery which is housed, appropriately, in a former fire station; and almost two dozen glass art works in the city’s metro system by prominent Quebec artists. Add to that shops such as Galerie Noel Guyomarc’h Bijoux D’Art or Royer Objets Trouvailles boutique and one of the city’s newest hotels — Hotel Le Crystal with its impressive glass chandeliers.

If you go

For more, check CityofGlassMontreal.com or call 1-877-350-2010. Pick up the Musees Montreal free magazine which highlights the places with glass exhibits this year. Via Rail has various Getaway package deals including one to Montreal ($331 including taxes) that includes round trip train travel from Toronto, two nights accommodation and a three-day Montreal Museum Pass (30+ museums). For more, check viarail.ca/en/packages.

writer@interlog.com

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Unexpected Orlando attractions

Q: My mother lives in a retirement home near Orlando, Fla. She always enjoys entertainment. Do you know of any shows that might be worth looking into?

— S. Hubert, Toronto

A: Orlando Tourism has a terrific resource on its website orlandoinfo.com. Check out Unexpected Orlando, a directory listing over 100 cultural and heritage attractions. One local operator I came across is Orlando Arts Getaways (orlandoartsgetaways.com), run by Central Florida’s official arts and culture guide Red Chair Project. Representing more than 360 arts and culture organizations, this group offers discount packages for cultural events with hotel stays and dining. On the horizon is Orlando’s 8th-annual Cabaret Festival, April 30 to May 16. Prices for performances range from $12 to $28. For more, visit orlandocabaret.com.

Q: Friends of mine will be visiting Calgary and Vancouver on a business trip before visiting me. They are interested in jogging and have asked me for suggestions. I’ve not visited these cities. Do you know of any good places for running?

— F. Battista, Vaughan

A: Both cities have jogging trails. Run.com is a good place for information. Routes are recommended and mapped out by fellow joggers using Google maps, which show the start and finish points along with information on elevation and ratings for scenery and difficulty. For Calgary, over 160 routes are listed. One of the most popular is a 10-km route along the Bow River, which crosses Prince’s Island Park.

For Vancouver, 197 routes are mapped out. Scenic ones include the Coal Harbour route with its scenic ocean and mountain views, or jogging from Yaletown to Stanley Park and back.

Q: I’m interested in a writer’s retreat. Do you know of any before the end of April?

— J. Castro, Toronto

A: Thomas Hardy is the inspiration for an upcoming writers’ weekend on April 23-25, where scribblers will gather at Summer Lodge — a historic English country house hotel that may be haunted by Hardy — for a weekend of literary discussion.

“Summer Lodge has close associations with Thomas Hardy,” hotel general manager Charles Lotter said. “He lived nearby and the hotel is at the very heart of the Wessex landscape he immortalized. The village pub, the Acorn Inn is featured in his novel Tess of the d’Urbervilles as The Sow & Acorn.”

Participants will have the opportunity to learn the tricks of the trade from four writers: Business travel guru Roger Collis from the International Herald Tribune; novelist Marcelle Bernstein; investigative journalist and novelist Eric Clark; and ad copywriter Jim O’Connor.

The package starts at $340 per person per night based on double occupancy and includes taxes, full English breakfast daily, a three-course dinner, welcome champagne and canapes, attendance to all writer workshops, and more. For more information, visit summerlodgehotel.co.uk.

ilona@mycompass.ca

Nisga'a invest to boost tourism

The view out the window as you wind through British Columbia's rugged Nass Valley is classic temperate coastal rainforest.

Cedar and Sitka spruce hem in BC 113, a two-lane blacktop, on both sides.

A bear cub ambles along the forest edge. A bald eagle surveys its territory. The Nass River, a milky, grey-green colour from the minerals in mountain runoff, holds the promise of trout and salmon.

Then, abruptly, you come upon a scene of utter desolation - grim-looking lava fields where little but lichen grows.

Lava from a volcanic eruption about 300 years ago flowed more than 20 km, wiping out villages and killing an estimated 2,000 inhabitants. When it reached the Nass bottomland, the lava spread, cooled and hardened, covering an area 10 km long and three wide.

Today, it's Nisga'a Memorial Lava Bed Provincial Park, an attraction you can drive around yourself or visit on a guided tour.

The Nass Valley is home to the Nisga'a. They're a First Nations people who, after 113 years of trying, succeeded in negotiating a treaty and land claims agreement with the federal and provincial governments.

Today they own 2,000 square kilometres of the Nass and have at least some say in or rights to another 42,000.

With their traditional sources of income - forestry and salmon fishing - in tough shape, the Nisga'a are investing in tourism.

The guided lava fields tour is one of three offered from mid- May to mid-October. Another takes you to see fish wheels that lift salmon from the river so they don't get bruised; the third is a mushroom and botanical excursion.

All three tours include lunch and a chance to shop for crafts by local artisans. Rain gear is provided, as is safety equipment where needed.

No minimum numbers are required, and so anxious are the tourism workers to attract visitors that they'll even pick you up in Terrace, 100 km south.

Terrace is accessible by road but also by what VIA Rail used to call the Skeena train, which runs between Jasper, Alta., and Prince Rupert, B.C.

For tour costs and schedules, phone Nisga'a Commercial Group's tourism number, 1-866-633-2696, or visit www.ncgtourism.ca.

Visitors are also encouraged to attend community events - a wedding, for example, or a stone-moving feast, which occurs within a year of a Nisga'a's death. A calendar of events can be found at www.nnkn.ca.

Of the 2,800 Nisga'a living in the Nass, 1,800 are in New Aiyansh, capital of the Nisga'a Nation. Four totem poles stand in front of their impressive government administration building, which is open to visitors.

Three smaller communities house the rest:

Gitwinksihlkw, which has a16-site campground and a 121-metre-long extension bridge that was once the only access to the village.

Laxgalts'ap (also called Greenville), where we visited a workshop where a nine-metre dugout canoe was being carved.

Gingolx, on Portland Inlet, at the mouth of the Nass River, near the Alaska border. Salmon, crab and halibut are caught, and sea lion are hunted in late winter. Gingolx is the most northerly Nisga'a settlement, 170 km from Terrace. It didn't have road access until BC 113 was extended in 2002.

Accommodation is limited and should be arranged well in advance. There are bed and breakfasts in each village, an RV site at Nass Camp, and campgrounds in a couple of locations.

Our group stayed at Vetter Falls Lodge, a complex built in the mid-1990s of massive logs. It's within walking distance of the lava park.

Adrienne Clarkson had one of the main lodge's four bedrooms when she visited the Nass as governor-general in 2004. Rates range from $95-$105, single, $135, double, including breakfast, and evening meals can be arranged. Three other buildings with kitchens are also available to rent. Visit www.vetter-falls-lodge.com.

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

Wine lovers tour of New Zealand

It has been said that if you know a country’s wine, you know the country. Spending time in one of New Zealand’s ten major wine growing regions allows visitors to learn a great deal about the country, the people and, of course, the wine!

Wine tours in the land of the long white cloud are highly popular and with boutique wineries found on both the North and South Islands, you’re never far from a good glass of wine. Wine growing regions in New Zealand include Northland, Auckland, Waikato/Bay of Plenty, Gisborne, Wairarapa, Hawke’s Bay, Nelson, Marlborough, Canterbury/Waipara Valley and Central Otago.

New Zealand is a country that takes its enjoyment of wine seriously. So seriously, in fact, that wine enthusiasts can follow the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail – a 380-kilometre long self-driving touring route that covers both the North and South Islands. You don’t have to worry about getting lost, because along the way, there are road signs with images of grapes. No words, just a bunch of grapes. It’s like a little secret code for wine lovers.

On the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail, visitors experience the real New Zealand complete with five regions that provide excellent boutique wines, gourmet food, charming small town life, sparkling coastal waterways and a thriving, busy and beautiful capital city.

While Tararua and Wellington aren’t wine regions themselves, they are part of the trail and connect Hawke’s Bay with its Syrah, the Wairarapa, known for Pinot Noir, and Marlborough with its iconic Sauvignon Blanc. Each of the wine regions is famous and offers fans of the grape the opportunity to experience several distinctive wine styles.

More than 230 wineries are found along the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail and an estimated 100 of them have a cellar door open to wine lovers. Visitors are always welcomed with world famous Kiwi warmth and friendliness. The wine trail works for both wine novices and those with more experience and knowledge. Know nothing about wine, they’re happy to share their wisdom; know plenty and an engaging discussion will ensue.

On the trail, you come across both large estates and smaller vineyards that make batches by hand. In most of New Zealand’s wineries, the emphasis is placed on quality rather than quantity.

The trail is a year-round experience with each season bringing a new and different adventure for the visitor. Many of the wineries can be found in close proximity to each other, making it ideal for visitors to stroll or cycle between them. No matter what time of year, there is always the opportunity to find treasure in a bottle on the Classic New Zealand Wine Trail.

Carnival Cruises dreams big

Pink Floyd pumped up the atmosphere while kaleidoscopic lights flashed across the indigo night, highlighting constellations eons away as the Carnival Dream sliced through waves en route to Cape Canaveral, Fla.

For many of the passengers dancing to the music on deck, their hands stretched skyward as if grasping for the Big Dipper, this blast-off party at sea marked the finale of a fun-filled cruise, but also the beginning of a star-studded experience at NASA’s Kennedy Space Center.

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Images: The top ships on the seas

Smart planning on the part of Carnival Cruise Lines to pick a spot that would intrigue all ages as the home port for the brand new Carnival Dream. By doing so, it created a terrific opportunity for turning a cruise into a sea-to-sky immersion, for mixing play and learning.

Cruisers eager for splashy Caribbean escapades could broaden their horizons with “tours to outer space,” gleaning new meanings for the celestial skies.

Organizing fun and awesome experiences is serious business for Carnival Cruise Lines. So it’s not surprising that, with over 4 million passengers projected for 2010 — 625,000 of them children — CCL buoyed up the Dream with a host of new attractions.

At $860-million US, the 3,646-passenger, 130,000-ton Carnival Dream is the biggest, grandest vessel in the CCL fleet, with an evolutionary design featuring vast spaces made for social mingling and entertainment.

The 11-deck-high atrium lobby — a sunlit space combining dance floor and lounge — features nightly music on a bandstand cantilevered over a semi-circular bar. Deck 5’s Ocean Plaza is “party central” that begs you to linger at the disco or the multi-video-screened sports bar. This leads (on each side of the ship) past glass walls to outdoor terraces that access the Lanai — a 1-km-long outdoor promenade with four scenic whirlpools (two on each side) that jut out over the ship’s beam.

Outdoor activities centre on the main pool, where a massive movie screen also features nighttime laser shows. There are thrills galore at the aft Aqua Park, with its 100-metre-long Twister slide — the longest at sea — the DrainPipe funnel slide, and dual 250-metre-long racing slides; and fun at the small pool, 18-hole mini golf course, basketball and volleyball courts.

Those seeking solace can escape to the Skydeck Serenity pool area. This “free” adult-only retreat has a country-club cachet with canopied chaises.

The Dream is, well, a dream for couples with kids in tow, as the 19,000-square-feet children’s facility caters to three age groups (2-11, 12-14, 15-17). The only glitch: The video arcade — which is up-to-speed with the latest games and virtual “car races” — can be addictive.

As for keeping track of family members — particularly older teens — the Dream is smartly scattered with 36 Fun Hubs, interactive computer stations that serve as the first social network afloat, and allow passengers to text message their whereabouts.

The Dream’s great advantage is new accommodation categories for families and couples craving luxurious space: 193 cabins have two bathrooms and five berths; and there are affordable Cove Balcony staterooms close to the water line.

For spa enthusiasts, 65 spa staterooms and suites include exclusive amenities and spa privileges at the 23,750-square foot, 3-deck-high Cloud Nine Spa. CCL’s most elaborate spa boasts a seawater therapy pool and hamman. Be prepared to book treatments early. I missed out on the “sensational” new bamboo massage by waiting too long.

With the Dream, CCL expanded dining options, offering Traditional Dining at designated times and tables in the dining room and On Your Time dining (open seating ).

Feasting on gourmet meats in The Chefs Art steakhouse is by reservation, with a $30 US surcharge. Meanwhile, guests can choose The Gathering buffets. Compliments are deserved for the abundant, fresh quality of fruits, salads and meat and seafood dishes that are prepared to order at the pasta bar, burrito bar, and Mongolian and Indian food stations.

To cap off the cruise, the Dream’s nightly entertainment features a peppy mix of Las Vegas-style shows — some with daring pyrotechnic accents — and Comedy Club reviews, ranging from family friendly routines to X-rated humour. For romantics at sea, nothing beats the profusion of stars sparkling in the midnight sky.

if you go

Cruising

The Carnival Dream sails from family friendly Port Canaveral, alternating seven-day Eastern and Western Caribbean itineraries. For full itineraries, pricing and specials, see carnival.com.

City of Angeles full of magic

Only a two-and-a-half hour flight away, Los Angeles is a convenient, fun, sunny and yet often forgotten travel destination for Vancouverites.

With a bevy of hot dining, entertainment and nightlife options, there are plenty of reasons to take your next holiday in La La Land.

WHAT TO DO AND SEE:

The city is packed with iconic sites and exciting attractions, so there truly is something for everyone here.

Whether on a family vacation or a romantic getaway, you'll find something to suit your fancy.

- Disneyland and California Adventure Parks

The ultimate L.A. travel destination, these legendary theme parks are a great place to take the kids or to relive your own childhood. Pirates of the Caribbean, It's a Small World, Monsters Inc., and Mr. Toad's Wild Ride are classic rides suitable for all ages and shouldn't be missed.

If you're looking for a thrill, be sure to test your courage at Splash Mountain, Space Mountain, Hollywood Tower of Terror, and California Screamin'.

Several days should be set aside to explore Disneyland, while the smaller California Adventure can be toured in a day.

TIP: Disneyland's Blue Bayou Restaurant, a Cajun-Creole eatery, is an extremely popular (and magical!) place to dine - it's actually situated in the Pirates of the Caribbean ride and is surrounded by pirate ships and fireflies. Be sure to book a reservation as early as possible because this joint fills up weeks in advance.

- Universal Studios:

Check out awesome rides based on hit movies and TV shows (The Simpson's Ride and Shrek 4-D are particular gems) or tour the studios themselves to view sets from movies like How the Grinch Stole Christmas and The War of the Worlds.

Afterwards, stroll the nearby Universal City walkway and settle down in one of the many hip restaurants and bars offered.

Provided you get there early and stay late, the theme park can be toured in a day.

TIP: Spend a little extra to get Front of the Line passes--the time they'll save from waiting in line will more than justify the splurge.

- Hollywood Boulevard:

A movie-lover's dream. Check out your favourite celebrity's star, tour the famous Grauman's Chinese and Kodak Theatres, and take your pic with the likes of Johnny Depp and Angelina Jolie at the Hollywood Wax Museum. A whole day can easily be spent here.

TIP: Be sure to carry change on this strip. Many local actors and actresses dress up as movie characters and are happy to pose for photos with you - but a small token of appreciation is expected.

WHERE TO EAT AND DRINK:

The problem isn't finding an awesome place to eat or drink in L.A., it's figuring out which of the many ones to go to! Here are a few jewels to get started with:

- Mel's Drive-In - various locations

A classic California establishment and longtime celebrity favourite, Mel's Drive-In is a yummy and eye-pleasing spot to grab some comfort food. Styled like 1950s diners, they even have mini jukeboxes at each table (25 cents a song).

- The Standard's Rooftop Bar - 550 South Flower at Sixth Street

An ultra-chic place to swill a cocktail. Lounge by the pool, recline in a vibrating waterbed pod or simply admire the city lights.

- Barney's Beanery - various locations

An L.A.-based restaurant chain with a menu that's 10 pages long. Choose from a wide array of all-day breakfast, South of the Border, sandwich, salad, soup, and burger items. Be sure to save room for dessert--the S'Mores are unbelievably delicious!

- Miceli's - 1646 Las Palmas Ave.

Tucked just around the corner from Hollywood Blvd., this charming and surprisingly affordable Italian eatery boasts the distinction of being Hollywood's first-ever pizza house.

Established in 1949, its good food and fantastic customer service has attracted the likes of JFK, the Beatles, and Julia Roberts.

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Least visited European capitals

EUROPE - Looking for that off the beaten path kind of place to discover? Flight website Skyscanner has listed the top 10 least travelled capitals in Europe.

Chisinaeu, Moldova tops the list. It is known for its green spaces and architecture. It is also home to the Milestii Mici, the largest collection of wine in the world.

Skyscanner's list was produced in response to reports that Spain was no longer an exotic enough European destination for Brits.

"Spain has been deemed too British for British people, so why not visit somewhere a little off the beaten path? Although some enjoy the familiarity of fish and chips and Carling lager on tap, many want to feel like they have left the UK behind when they go on holiday," Barry Smith, Skyscanner co-founder and business development director, said in a press release. "Skyscanner’s list of Europe’s 10 most secret cities are still undiscovered enough to be new and exciting, and you’re unlikely to bump into many Brits there."

Minsk, Balarus came in second and Luxembourg was third.

Europe's Secret Capital Cities:
1. Chisinau, Moldova
2. Minsk, Belarus
3. Luxembourg, Luxembourg
4. Skopje, Macedonia
5. Sarajevo, Bosnia and Herzegovina
6. Podgorica, Montenegro
7. Kiev, Ukraine
8. Zagreb, Croatia
9. Belgrade, Serbia
10. Tallinn, Estonia


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Doors Open, come on in

Here's a chance to visit an old radio museum and Canada's oldest independent microbrewery in Guelph or Uncle Tom's Cabin near Chatham.

Or, how about a visit to an "e-house" near Hamilton or Camp X, a Second World War spy training camp?

It's all possible as the popular Ontario Heritage Foundation's Doors Ontario program kicks off another season letting people take a peak inside places that are normally off limits.

Expanding to 55 communities, these free events run from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. starting April 24 in Guelph, then swing open in Hamilton on May 1 and 2, Whitby on May 1 and Chatham-Kent on May 8.

Guelph

Door Open Guelph offers an "eclectic mix of sites," said Sally Wismer of the Guelph Arts Council.

Some of the Royal City's "most architecturally and historically significant buildings" will be open to take a peak inside on April 24.

Visitors can discover the Hammond Radio Museum that houses more than 2,000 rare and historically significant items that reveal the development of radio over the past 100 years, Wismer said.

There's Homewood, a beautifully restored Italianate-style limestone house, once owned by Charles Kingsmill, first director of the Canadian Navy.

Stop by the Wellington Brewery, an independent microbrewery, producing traditional brews with all-natural ingredients.

There's the Linamar Corp. Frank Hasenfratz Centre of Excellence in Manufacturing, a new building that features many eco-friendly design elements.

The Ignatius Jesuit Centre has operated in this bucolic setting since 1913 and its main building, now called Orchard Park, houses businesses and organizations including the little-known St. Philopater Coptic Orthodox Church.

The Woodlawn Cemetery Lodge in Woodlawn Memorial Park is an 1883 Gothic brick structure that continues to be the home of the cemetery keepers.

There's also the community's second-oldest stone church, now a mosque occupied by the Islamic Society of Guelph.

On the railway siding behind St. George's Church is a 1941 wooden Canadian Pacific caboose restored by the Guelph Historical Railway Association.

Partnering with the Guelph Hiking Trail Club, there will be the city's first Trails Open experience.

Starting from the parking lot of Eramosa River Park, guided hikes will be led along the Radial Line Trail to discover interesting historic and geological features.

Chatham-Kent

Doors Open Chatham-Kent on May 8 includes Uncle Tom's Cabin Historic Site in Dresden.

Uncle Tom's is the home bought in 1841 by black slave Josiah Henson, who escaped from the U.S. via the "Underground Railroad." He established the Dawn Settlement there, a refuge for fugitives from slavery.

Doors Open publicist Sheila Gibbs said in Chatham, visitors can tour the former Ursuline Sisters' Pines Chapel considered to be the jewel of the work by architect Joseph Storey.

Then visit Caleb Village, the former nunnery now a retirement home, and renovated motherhouse that was turned into high-end condos.

Local entrepreneur Dan Warrener has turned the former Chatham Armoury into a special-event venue and natural history museum.

Visit Retro Suites, the latest hotel to occupy the site since the 1890s when Francis Towne Merrill built the Merrill Hotel.

This is one of Canada's most distinctive boutique hotels, with individually designed, automotive-themed rooms and a restored, original historic exterior.

Other Chatham locales include CFCO/CKSY/CKUE radio stations, Chatham Greenhouses, Maple Leaf/St. Anthony's Cemeteries and Mausoleums and St. Nektarios Greek Orthodox Church.

In Wheatley, check out Hickson Century Farm with displays of antique farm tools, tractors and gas and steam engines, and the Wheatley Harbour Authority, home to the largest freshwater commercial fishery in the world.

Hamilton

Other sites include the "e-House" in Puslinch, part of Doors Open Hamilton, referred to as the "no furnace, off-the-grid house." Open May 1 only.

Also in Hamilton on May 1 and 2 is the William J. McCallion Planetarium at McMaster University.

One of only a few remaining in Ontario, this 1950s planetarium reopened last year with "breathtaking technology that enhances the night-sky experience." To view a show, sign up at www.physics.mcmaster.ca/planetarium.

In Whitby on May 1, there's a Camp X Tour from 1 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. led by author Lynn Philip Hodgson on the site of a Second World War spy training camp.

Jim Fox can be reached at onetanktrips@hotmail.com

IF YOU GO

Doors Open Guelph:

guelpharts.ca/doorsopenguelph; 519-836-3280; e-mail: gac@sentex.net

Doors Open Chatham-Kent:

www.doorsopenchatham-kent.com; 1-800-561-6125; e-mail: sgibbs@doorsopenchatham-kent.com

Doors Open Hamilton:

www.doorsopenhamilton.ca; 905-540-5086; e-mail: info@doorsopenhamilton.ca

Doors Open Whitby:

www.whitby.ca or www.doorsopenontario.on.ca;

Call 905-430-4306, ext. 2317; e-mail: doorsopen@whitby.ca

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Virginia's underground fantasyland

LURAY, Va. — The crowd stands enraptured as Beautiful Dreamer booms from the giant organ.

The word "giant" is a bit of an understatement here, for this organ covers an area the size of three football fields.

We are right in the middle of Luray Caverns, an underground fantasyland of multi-hued stalactites and stalagmites, translucent draperies, reflecting ponds and other natural wonders.

Images: Cave adventures

The stalactites — they’re the columns that hang from the ceiling like giant icicles — have been harnessed into organ pipes. The Great Stalacpipe Organ, as it is called, came into being in the 1950s. A mathematician, electronic genius and musician called Leland Sprinkle spent three years selecting stalactites to precisely match a musical scale.

Then rubber mallets were wired throughout the complex and connected to a console in the 45-metre high ``Cathedral,’’ the largest cave. When the keys are played, mallets strike the appropriate stone “pipes,” and music is produced.

The most popular tunes, guides say, are Beautiful Dreamer, Beethoven’s Fur Elise, and Oh Shenandoah (hardly surprising, as Luray is the centre of the northern Shenandoah Valley.)

Sprinkle played for visitors for many years but nowadays a computer operates the mallets. But the console is still there.

Paved, well-lit trails guide visitors through this, the largest and most impressive of the caverns that dot the Blue Ridge Mountains of western Virginia. Visitors are given headsets offering a running commentary and guides are placed all along the route to answer questions.

One recurring question is: How did this happen? The guides explain that, over millions of years, mildly acidic rainwater percolating through upper layers of hard rock ate away at the softer limestone strata, eventually carving the caverns. Sediment in the water dripping down ends up, again over eons, as stalactites, stalagmites (columns that rise from the floor) and draperies (from water dripping down the walls).

And the process hasn’t stopped.

“New deposits accumulate at the rate of one cubic inch every 120 years,” says a guide.

When you reach an underground pond called the Wishing Well, you notice that previous visitors have thrown coins into it. That inevitably leads to the question: How much? We’re told that, since 1954, when they first began to count it, 20 million coins have been tossed in.

“So far we’ve taken out more than $600,000. The money goes to charities,’’ the guide says.

Luray Caverns, designated a Registered National Landmark by the U.S. National Parks Service in 1974, attracts some 500,000 visitors annually.

The caverns were discovered on Aug. 13, 1878, when Luray tinsmith Alexander Campbell felt a draft of cold air from a hole in the ground on a hill west of town. He and his companion widened the opening and, candles in hand, climbed down. They found themselves in what they’d later learn were the largest caverns east of the Mississippi.

Smithsonian Institution experts came to visit. Their 1880 report says: “It is safe to say that there is probably no other cave in the world more completely and profusely decorated with stalactite and stalagmite ornamentation than that of Luray.”

Also on the site are an historic car and carriage museum and the “Luray Singing Tower,” a 35-metre high structure containing a carillon of 47 bells.

For further information, visit luraycaverns.com. Travel information on Virginia is available at virginia.org.

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Get close to nature in St. Kitts

BASSETERRE, St. Kitts — If people know anything about St. Kitts at all, it’s usually that it’s one of the few Caribbean islands with a UNESCO World Heritage Site (Brimstone Hill Fortress National Park), and home to the “Last Railway in the West Indies” — now used for scenic train tours.

Perhaps even fewer people are aware the island is also an ideal destination for nature lovers. Did you know, for example, St. Kitts was the first English colony to pass legislation protecting its interior forests? Or that the island is home to a very rare Oceanic Rainforest (which is actually expanding), and that unique plants and animals such as the St. Christopher Bull Finch and Malcolm Smith Procter fern can be found in the cloud forest of the island’s mountains?

These are just a few of the intriguing things I learned on a “Valley of the Giants Rainforest Hike,” with guide Gregory Pereira, owner of Greg’s Safaris. The hike begins near the beautiful manicured gardens at Romney Manor, home to a magnificent 350-year-old Saman tree, which dates back to the days when the great, great grandfather of the third U.S. president owned this property.

Walking on a dirt path that leads down to the valley floor, where birds chirp and tiny lizards rustle under leaves on our approach, Pereira points out many of the highlights.

There’s the trumpet tree, whose giant leaves are brewed in teas to help control high blood pressure and other conditions; a ficus tree called the “Strangler fig” (a popular backdrop for photographs), whose huge buttressed roots reach down to the bank of the Wingfield River; translucent Anole lizards and two different types of hummingbirds.

“Our local folklore says that you should never cut down a kapok tree or harm it in any way or it will bring bad luck,” explains Pereira, standing at the foot of this towering giant. Apparently in pre-colonial times, the indigenous people considered the bat, which is attracted to the tree’s flowers, to be the reincarnated spirit of their ancestors.

“While you’re walking, keep an eye out for the brown mongoose or the green monkeys,” Pereira tells the group. “You’ll often see them here.”

The pleasant looped trail, rated easy to moderate, is just one of several different ways to explore the island’s wild side.

For something more physically challenging, there’s a hike to a dormant volcano — Mount Liamuiga, which at 1,155 metres is the highest point in the Lesser Antilles island chain. From the trail head 335-metres above sea level, it’s a rugged two-hour climb to the crest of the massive crater, which measures 304-metres deep and about 1.6-km wide. At this height you can see neighbouring islands of St. Eustatius, Saba, Nevis and in the hazy distance St. Maarten/St. Martin and Antiqua.

Track plan

If hiking or driving don’t appeal to you, take the train. The St. Kitts Scenic Railway, originally built between 1912 and 1926 to transport sugar cane from the fields to the mill in Basseterre, now functions as a sightseeing train.

The two-hour tour by rail covering 28-km and 45 minutes by bus makes a complete circle around the island. Travelling on tall steel bridges over canyons and winding through sugar cane fields, small villages and farms, you’ll pass old sugar estates, abandoned windmills and chimneys, and glimpse the ocean surf.

Peninsula

One of the wildest and most picturesque places on the island is the south-east peninsula. To give you an idea of how untamed the area is, a road wasn’t built here until 1989.

Even with the multi-million dollar development of Christophe Harbour, which will include a luxury resort, golf course and marina, much of the peninsula remains in its natural state. On a drive along the 9.6-km long road, you’ll be tempted to pull over at the crest of every hill to photograph the rugged terrain, pounding surf and many secluded beaches.

Brimstone Hill

This 17th century fort may not be the first place you think to visit if you’re looking for nature, although it is located within a National Park and it’s a tranquil place to spend time exploring one of the island’s must-see attractions. Designed by British and built by African slave labour, the fort, says UNESCO, is the earliest surviving British example of the type of fortification known as the “polygonal system” and one of the finest examples anywhere in the world.

For more information, check stkittstourism.kn. For details on tours, visit gregsafaris.com. The Valley of the Giants Rainforest Hike is $50 US and includes a four-hour tour with a two-hour interpretive hike along rainforested trails. The Mount Liamuiga Volcano Hike is $85 US per person and lasts about nine hours.

writer@interlog.com

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Outdoor museum takes you back

STAUNTON, Va. - You take a turn off Route 250 just outside this Blue Ridge community and you enter the Twilight Zone.

You're standing in a German village, circa 1710.

The women wear dirndls, the men are in woollen knee-breeches and lederhosen.

Walk a hundred metres and you're in rural Ireland, watching a blacksmith forge a horseshoe. Ask him what year it is and he says 1730. A bit farther on you stop to admire an English herb garden as it was planted and tilled in 1690.

They're all part of the Frontier Culture Museum, an outdoor living-history lesson focusing on these three groups of immigrants: Rhinelanders, Scotch-Irish from Northern Ireland, and English.

They brought their old-world cultures, skills and traditions here to the Shenandoah Valley in the 18th century. The museum shows how, by the 19th century, these disparate roots had morphed into the all-American culture of the Shenandoah today.

The signature buildings - homes, barns, piggeries, forges - were brought from their original locations and rebuilt, stone by stone, on 110-hectares of rolling meadows here. The German peasant farmhouse once stood in the village of Hordt, in the Rhineland. In Germany at that time, we're told, farmhouses were right in the villages, not in remote rural surroundings as in Britain and Ireland.

The Irish buildings - the most primitive of the "imports" - came from County Tyrone, and the English ones from Worcestershire and Sussex Each house is surrounded by a smallholding where farming methods of the 18th and 19th centuries are practised.

Costumed interpreters and workers on the sites, and a video in the visitor centre, explain how the three immigrant groups ended up together in the Shenandoah. The English and the Scotch-Irish had moved west from coastal Virginia and the Germans came south from Pennsylvania.

(The Scotch-Irish are known in Canada and the United Kingdom as Ulster-Scots because their ancestors, mostly Scottish Presbyterians, had immigrated to Northern Ireland in the 1600s to take land seized by the British Crown from the Catholic population).

There's a fourth set of historic buildings on the site. It's called American Heritage, and these buildings, and the little farm that surrounds them, show how elements from the other three strains meshed to become a typical American farm of the 19th century.

The farmhouse here - moved from elsewhere in the valley - is the most luxurious, relatively speaking, of the four homes, with wooden floors, porches, cellars and upstairs bedrooms.

At the other end of the scale, the Ulster house has just two rooms and a floor of hard-packed clay. In some such houses, the guide says, the family lived in one room and the animals in the other.

Coastal Virginia (called The Tidewater) was the site of the first permanent English colonization of what became the United States, following the landings in Jamestown in 1607.

"Jamestown was the cradle, but it was here (west of the Blue Ridge) that America took root," one historian/guide tells visitors.

More information

Staunton (pronounced Stanton), population 24,000, is just off exit 222 on I-81 and about 15 km west of the Blue Ridge Parkway's northern end. I-81 runs from the Canadian border at the Thousand Islands to Knoxville, Tenn.

Information on the Frontier Culture Museum is available at frontier museum.org.

For general tourist information on Virginia, visit virginia.org.

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