Cool cats & views of Galiano

GALIANO ISLAND, B.C. -- When my travel pals found out I went for a ride to Bluffs Park with Humphrey Bogart, they all had the same response: "I hope he wasn't driving."

Of course not, I assured them. First of all he doesn't have a licence and second, he much prefers parking his butt up against the windshield while gazing at the passing scenery from the side window.

Humphrey Bogart is a handsome Bengal cat who lives at the Galiano Inn and loves going out for drives. On this day he was enjoying a ride in one of the inn's new Smart Cars, which guests can rent for $80 a day. I had asked proprietor Conny Nordin if she'd take me out for a quick spin to test the vehicle and Bogart, who apparently follows Nordin everywhere, seemed happy to tag along.

A sensitive cat with a mature countenance, he wasn't meowing as much as usual. I think he was concentrating on how to keep his balance on the new dashboard without falling onto my lap.

I had visions of travelling around the island with Bogart, a la John Steinbeck, who once took his dog on a drive around America, a tale he recounted in his book Travels With Charley.

At the Bluffs Park viewpoint, which resembles a Group of Seven painting, a ferry boat in Georgeson Bay was making its way to Galiano. Also visible from the 168-metre-high cliff was Mayne Island, Seal Rock, and the narrow Active Pass, where Orca whales are frequently spotted. A few metres from the lookout, a hiking trail runs along the clifftop ridge, among tall stands of Douglas fir, cedar and Garry oak trees.

Bluffs is just one of several parks on this slender island, which is 30-km long and 6-km at the widest point. There's also Dionisio Provincial Park with its beautiful beaches, and Bellhouse Provincial Park with its rocky peninsula and groves of copper-coloured arbutus trees. From hiking paths on forest trails to interesting sandstone formations along the coast, best viewed from a kayak, there's a lot to explore.

Bogart was left alone in the car for less than a minute but he meowed the whole time. On the drive back, Nordin recounted how she and her husband travelled every back road on all of the Gulf Islands looking for property but kept returning to Galiano.

"The views are always different and the people are interesting," she explained, reflecting on the decision to move to the island full-time.

Local painter, Kenna Fair, whom I'd met the previous day, believes Galiano is the arts hub of the Gulf Islands.

"We have three operating art galleries, which is good for this size island, and lots of studios."

One of the biggest annual events is the art festival on the first long weekend in August, which is so popular that visitors are advised to book a ferry ticket in advance.

Along with the "interesting people" are a few well-known (at least among islanders) and much-loved feline critters. Aside from Bogart, there's Shadow, a friendly 10-year old long-haired black cat at Galiano Island Books -- an excellent bookstore near the ferry dock, and Bart, who resides at the Hummingbird Inn Pub.

"Bart's hilarious," said Pam Welch, an esthetician at the Madrona del Mar spa. "If you order fish and chips he's right there, you have to make room for him."

Everyone told me Bart was a fluffy orange cat, but the animal I saw at this popular watering hole looked like he'd been freshly shorn.

"His hair was getting natty so we had to cut it," owner Debbie Spees said.

I watched Bart lap up some fresh cream, then go outside to sniff the air, before returning indoors where he crawled under a pool table. The bartender showed me a comical photo on the wall of Bart lazily draped over a railing. He really is a character.

With so many artists and well-known company cats on the islands it seemed natural that the two should merge in some quirky way.

"We're asking artists to put a concept forward for whimsical paintings of a cat in the context of a local business, so we'll have the cat in bookstore, the pub and the inn," explained Nordin.

The winning submissions will then appear on local souvenirs. As early as this fall, visitors may find artistic images of Bogart, Shadow and Bart reproduced on notecards, coffee cups and perhaps, appropriately, mouse pads.

---

ABOUT GALIANO

One of B.C.'s Gulf Islands, Galiano is less than an hour by ferry from Vancouver. It has a population of 1,100 and a mild, dry climate. During the summer the Hummingbird Inn Pub has live music on weekends and also runs a free pub bus for campers and boaters. A Daytripper shuttle bus also operates during the Art Weekend July 3 to Aug. 3.

If you're not staying overnight at the Galiano Inn, it's still possible to meet Bogart on your way to the Inn's "eat," restaurant -- the island's only oceanfront fine dining room or at the Oceanfront Terrace, which serves gourmet wood-fired pizzas. For more, check galianoinn.com or galianoisland.com.

writer@interlog.com

A romp through Barcelona

A romp through Barcelona

BARCELONA -- It's the kind of place that has so much greatness it makes you wish you could paint. But a camera will have to do.

Cosmopolitan but quaint. Stylish but classy. Historic but cutting edge. Edgy but friendly. Busy but not stupid busy. And, of course, let's not forget about the warm breezes coming off the Mediterranean Sea and the exquisite flavours of the unique Catalonian cuisine.

You are not going to forget this Spanish holiday. I long for the sweet sounds of Spanish guitars and the serene landscapes the whole flight home.

The thing about a trip to Barcelona is there is so much to see and do that a second or third trip would not be out of the question. And there will always be tapas -- at the end, in the beginning or the middle -- on every trail, too. These tasty little dishes always include Spanish ham, chorizo and cheese, and are all splashed down with some of the finest wine in the world.

It's how they do things in Catalonia. It's impossible to go hungry for more than a minute. The cuisine and wine are just as much a part of the Barcelona tourist experience as any of its historic landmarks or the picturesque harbour.

As Pere Romeu, founder of the famous 4Gats restaurant, said in 1899: "Food and drink are served at any time."

The 4Gats is just one of many legendary restaurants in Barcelona where the fare is always tasty -- whether it originates from land or sea. Once a mecca for strugglng artists and bohemians, in the 1900s 4gats was a favourite of Pablo Picasso -- who sketched and held his first exhibition there -- Miguel Utrillo and Ramon Casas.

No matter how much you eat, you will work it off as there is some serious walking to do around this city. Fortunately much of Barcelona is wheelchair accessible and there is also a successful bike-sharing program that lets you pick up a bike, ride it from one end of town to another without having to bring it back. Just park it and get another one the next time. Very European.

Contemporary Barcelona is so progressive and relaxed it's hard to believe this beautiful city was caught in the middle of the nasty Spanish Civil War, which started in 1936. It appears to stand as it did for centuries.

When describing incredible Barcelona, it's hard to know where to start. There are so many eras, so many interesting characters and neighbourhoods. and so many triumphs. The best part for a tourist is it has transitioned well from ancient times to modern times.

Whether you take a peaceful stroll along the famous La Rambla -- to shop or hang out -- or travel down to the harbour or tour the ancient city, you can't help but feel you are somewhere very special.

Writer Ernest Hemingway certainly felt he was somewhere special during his time here in the 1930s. Same goes for Somerset Maugham, who described Les Ramblas as the "most beautiful street in the world."

While that may be true, there are many others that would come a close second.

After flying in from Toronto aboard Air Transat my first stop is the Gothic Quarter -- or Barri Gothic. If it feels like you are stepping back in time, it's because you are. This is where the oldest remants of Roman Barcelona and the Barcelona of the Middle Ages can still be found.

Right in the heart of it all, I watch as an elderly artist paints an even older cathedral -- never once looking in the direction of potential buyers. He has to concentrate. There is much detail to capture in this house of worship -- originally built in 1298.

He is not the first to paint it nor will he be the last but the art speaks for itself -- both on the canvas and in the buildings surrounding it. Barcelona is itself a work of art -- a masterpiece and a good place to be if painting is your life.

Just steps from this painter of 14th and 15th century architecture is the fascinating Museu Picasso dedicated to the incredible life and art of Picasso. One of Spain's most famous sons, Picasso lived much of his adult life in Paris but he spent his formative years in Barcelona.

The city shaped who he became. He couldn't have found a place more rich with history -- whether it be the original city walls, the vistas of the Mediterranean Sea or the stunning architecture or countryside. You can see those influences in the artist's early works, which are on display at the museum.

Old also meets new in the Gothic Quarter, where team flags fly proudly proclaiming the recent triumph of Barcelona over rivals Manchester United. Barcelona won Europe's biggest contest -- the UEFA Champions League football tournament -- on May 27.

The joke around Spain is that as much cava was consumed to celebrate the win as was swallowed in 1975 when Gen. Francisco Franco's reign as dictator came to an end. Much of the sparkling wine would have come from the region's foremost winery -- Codorniu -- where vintners have made the Champagne-like beverage for five centuries.

Many have been inspired by Barcelona.

Modern artists, such as American filmmaker Woody Allen, are creating their own little piece of Catalonian history. Allen shot his recent hit Vicky Cristina Barcelona on these streets in 2007.

Allen -- who calls his film "a love affair with Barcelona" -- was obviously impressed. The filmmaker uses many city sights as backdrops for steamy scenes between the main characters (Spaniards Javier Bardem and Penelope Cruz, Americans Scarlett Johansson and Patricia Clarkson, and Britain's Rebecca Hall).

"Ever since that movie came out we have had so many people ask us about where to go see where this was shot or that," says Susana Rivera Sanz of the Tourist Office of Spain in Toronto.

In fact, it's fairly easy to discover gems like those captured on film by Allen because -- in addition to it being a great walking city -- there is also a double-decker tourist bus that takes visitors around town.

Two of the most popular stops are at landmarks created by famed Spanish architect Antoni Gaudi.

While Gaudi'a architectural gems seem to be on the corner of every street, visitors can't miss La Sagrada Familia, the enormous Roman Catholic basilica that even 83 years after the architect's death is still a work in progress. The unfinished masterpiece has no equal on the planet.

Gaudi took on the project in 1883 and it haunted him for the next 43 years of his life as he scrambled to finish it. Interupted by the Civil War, completion is scheduled for 2026 -- the 100th anniversary of the architect's death.

Another stunning Gaudi landmark, also accessible from the tourist bus is Park Guell -- a 17-hectare development with structures that look like they stepped off the pages of a fairytale. Originally designed as a housing development it turned out to be no fairytale for developers who could find few buyers for the new project, which was constructed from 1900 to 1914. Today the garden complex is one of Barcelona's most visited destinations and a popular spot for weddings.

Park Guell's surreal structures make me muse about the dreams, talents and inspirations of Spaniards like Gaudi, Picasso or 19th century painters like Santiago Rusinol or Ramon Casas, whose paintings are on display in city museums and also at a rare gallery high above the city at Montserrat. Visible from many parts of Barcelona. Gaudi, was clearly inspired by the haunting rock formations of Montserrat and its monastery.

And you can clearly see how the artists who frequented 4Gats might have been inspired by their conversations over Catalonian wine. It's fascinating to sit at a table enjoying paella -- the house specialty -- just feet from the table where Picasso himself regularly dined.

And as Woody Allen might have discovered when filming Vicky Cristina Barcelona, in this city you don't have to to paint to rub shoulders with greatness. Greatness is all around.

'Trailer Park' tourism

DARTMOUTH, N.S. - Anyone who thinks the spotlight died on Ricky, Julian and Bubbles the day the axe fell on the cult TV hit "Trailer Park Boys" hasn't been to Nova Scotia lately, ya know what am sayin' dawg?

Their unfortunate DNA is littered all over the province.

On a recent spring night spent at the Bubbles Mansion night club co-owned by Bubbles' alter ego Mike Smith, a fellow restaurateur from Ulsan, South Korea sits at the bar, hoping against all odds the soft-hearted and soft-in-the-head kitten freak will come through the door.

The Canadian television classic has such a global following, fans who frequent her club a million miles away from Sunnyvale Park gather regularly to watch re-runs and sink shooters every time their most cherished character drops an f-bomb.

At the Mansion, followers can take souvenir snapshots of themselves outside Bubbles' shed - the real deal, which was torn down and set back up again on the bar's dance floor after every season - kittie plaques, table top hockey game, toilet and all.

The shopping carts that Bubbles would steal from one grocery store and sell to another to make a buck hang from the ceiling.

Photos of him in his trademark Coke-bottle glasses and protruding lower lip playing guitar with Rush idol Alex Lifeson, with Getty Lee on bass, decorate the walls.

Smith owns several more restaurants in Halifax, including Bubba Ray's sports bar on Spring Garden Road, which has 26 flat-screen TVs, 60 wing sauces and as many artifacts signed by another Nova Scotia hero, Sidney Crosby.

But it's across the Macdonald Bridge, in the working-class town of Dartmouth, where the real diehards can get their TPB fix.

If a visit to the Greenridge Mobile Home Park makes you feel like firing off your pistol or throwing a bottle, it's because Greenridge was once a set for Sunnyvale, where the boys grew their dope, hatched their half-cocked, get-rich-quick schemes and tangled with the law.

Any TPB fan lucky enough to be invited inside the trailer of Danny Kempt is in for a treat.

Kempt is brimming with stories about what life was like when the lovable louts filmed their show along the park's otherwise tranquil streets.

"It was like living in the city, it was beautiful, all that activity," says Kempt in his easy-on-the-ear East Coast lilt.

"A hundred days or so they were here. It was just like living in the graveyard across the street the next morning when they were gone. I got up and I said 'What?' Nothing. Not hardly a car. It was a riot when there were here. It was a riot."

Danny's friends J. Bird Dorey and the girls Mandy and Cindy are over, having a lunchtime party that will stretch well into the evening hockey game.

J. Bird beams with pride as he explains that his daughter was one of the bottle thrower kids who tormented Mr. Lahey, the park's alcoholic manager.

The whole scene is classic Trailer Park Boys and yet the true pot of gold is still a short drive away on Bissett Road.

The jail, where the boys ended and began almost every season as the drug deals that would catapult them out of the park bombed, sits at the top of a long driveway.

A sign on the locked fence says that trespassers will be prosecuted but it's not hard to find another way in.

Ray's "house," the red and black truck cabin that Ricky's dad lived in after the chip pan fire burned down his trailer, is still on the grounds.

The white picket fence that surrounded the park with irony is there too. The trailers have been taken away but the outlines of where they once stood still mark the spot.

An earthy brown substance still clings to the only paved driveway on the lot, likely the famous hash driveway Julian was trying to hide from the cops in Season 5.

So, is living in a Nova Scotia trailer park anything like the way it looks on TPB?

"It depends, you know what I mean?" says Danny Kempt, a cold can of Molson Export in his hand.

"Like as I say, the tray is there, it don't matter who comes through the door," he adds pointing to the ashtray next to his swivel arm chair that's never without a smoke.

"It's just the boulevard of broken dreams, right?" he says, collapsing into laughter as he points to the James Dean movie poster to his left, and the one of Cheech and Chong to his right.

"As they say,'Up in smoke we go, har har har.' "

-

If you go . . .

-Bubbles Mansion night club: Located at 5287 Prince St., at the Market Street intersection in downtown Halifax, across from another national historic site, the Citadel.

-Bubba Ray's: Bubbles' wing and sports bar is a five-minute stumble along Brunswick Street to the popular Spring Garden Road.

-Greenridge Mobile Home Park: To soak up the atmosphere, hop in the car and cross the Macdonald Bridge to Dartmouth. Take Portland Street (it turns into Cole Harbour Road), until you come to Bissett Road. Both the park and the old jail set are on Bissett.

-The stunt yard: Where the cop cars hauled the boys to jail, is just across the road from the park. The TPBs didn't travel far.

Rediscover Ontario

Is there anything more glorious than summer in Ontario? It's the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather, hop in the car and go for a drive, hike, cycle, camp out or take in some of the province's many attractions. We know the economy is a bit tough this year, so we've put together some suggestions for how to make your vacation dollar go a little further. Special offers, getaway packages and yes, free events, will make for a wonderful and affordable holiday.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Camping is a fun and affordable way for families to vacation. Campgrounds offer activities geared to all ages, such as crafts, hayrides, movie nights and dances.

Whether you're looking for a park with lots of amenities or you want to get back to nature in a wilderness setting, there are plenty of places to pitch a tent.

Ontario is home to more than 100 provincial and national parks, such as Bruce Peninsula National Park, Fathom Five National Park, Presqu'ille, Sandbanks, Killarney, Point Pelee and Algonquin provincial parks. Camping fees at provincial parks range from $25.75 per night for a basic site to $40 for a premium campsite with electricity and showers. There are discounts for seniors and persons with disabilities. See ontarioparks.com and ontariotravel.net.

Also check out Camping in Ontario, a reservation service for private campgrounds that has specials such as stay three nights or more during the week and get a night free at Bon Echo Family Campground. Contact campontario.ca or 1-877-672-2226.

Explore Northumberland

Northumberland has a new Outdoor Adventure Map that covers the county's best trail networks, five best cycling routes, birdwatching, golf and public fishing spots as well as a geo-caching link.

The region has one of Ontario's longest trails, the 500-km Ganaraska Hiking Trail. Or hop in the car and try Northumberland's new Road Rally that takes in 35 clues take you through little known hamlets, past old general stores, bakeries, farms and artisan studios. Contact northumberlandtourism.com or 1-866-401-EAST.

Laid-back Kawarthas

Cottagers love Peterborough and the Kawarthas area and there are lots of good values this summer. Free concerts Wednesdays and Saturdays at Peterborough's Festival of Lights at Del Crary Park (festivaloflights.ca). Lang Pioneer Village with its working Grist Mill (langpioneervillage.ca/index.php) and Riverview Park and Zoo (admission free, peterboroughutilities.ca/Park_and_Zoo/Features_and_Attractions.htm) are also fun for families.

Peterborough is also home to the world's largest hydraulic lift lock, located along the Trent-Severn Waterway. Cruise up and over the lift locks for less than $20 per adult and $10 for children (liftlockcruises.com) or park yourself nearby and watch the action. Also check out the Canadian Canoe Museum (canoemuseum.ca/), where the collection includes dugouts, birch bark canoes and skin kayaks. See thekawarthas.net for more.

Fall for Niagara

Stand at the crest where the water catapults over and you can feel the power and energy of Niagara Falls. And it's free, along with a stroll along the gorge or a cycle along the Niagara Pkwy. Summer at its best.

The Niagara Region offers lots of inexpensive fun for families, including: The Welland Canal Centre at Lock 3 (stcatharineslock3museum.ca); a 5-cent spin on the St. Catharines Antique Looff Carousel in Lakeside Park; Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum which includes the 1901 Neff Steam Buggy (portcolborne.ca); Mildred Mahoney's Doll House Gallery in Fort Erie (mahoneydollhouse.com); a climb to the top of the recently restored Brock's Monument (niagaraparks.com/heritage/queenston_history.php); and check out uniformed soldiers or re-enact a siege at historic Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake (pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/fortgeorge/index_E.asp) and Fort Erie (oldforterie.com). For more on the Niagara-area, see tourismniagara.com and niagarafallstourism.com.

Fire and music on water

IlluminAqua on the Welland Recreational Waterway (July 10, July 24, Aug. 7 and 21, and Sept. 4) presents an interactive production of fire and music. Concerts on a floating stage start at 8 p.m. at Merritt Park Amphitheatre. Seating is free (first come, first serve). Performers include Leahy, Nikki Yanofsky, David Francey, Kathleen Edwards, The Joys, Tom Fun Orchestra. Contact illuminaqua.com or 905-735-1700, ext. 2777.

Relax in Huron County

Known as Ontario's West Coast, Huron County is the quintessential summer playground with camping, hiking, cycling, beach bummin', motorcycle touring routes and heritage walking tours.

Check out: Shakespeare to the Shoreline, nine themed self-guided day tripping routes (shakespearetotheshoreline.ca); Blyth Festival celebrating 35 seasons of affordable Canadian theatre (blythfestival.com); Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend (huroncountryplayhouse.com); Tug Boat Rides on the M.V. Donald Bert out of Goderich marina (519-524-9551). For more on Huron County events, visit ontarioswestcoast.ca.

Rediscover Ontario

Is there anything more glorious than summer in Ontario? It's the perfect time to get outdoors and enjoy the warm weather, hop in the car and go for a drive, hike, cycle, camp out or take in some of the province's many attractions. We know the economy is a bit tough this year, so we've put together some suggestions for how to make your vacation dollar go a little further. Special offers, getaway packages and yes, free events, will make for a wonderful and affordable holiday.

Enjoy the Great Outdoors

Camping is a fun and affordable way for families to vacation. Campgrounds offer activities geared to all ages, such as crafts, hayrides, movie nights and dances.

Whether you're looking for a park with lots of amenities or you want to get back to nature in a wilderness setting, there are plenty of places to pitch a tent.

Ontario is home to more than 100 provincial and national parks, such as Bruce Peninsula National Park, Fathom Five National Park, Presqu'ille, Sandbanks, Killarney, Point Pelee and Algonquin provincial parks. Camping fees at provincial parks range from $25.75 per night for a basic site to $40 for a premium campsite with electricity and showers. There are discounts for seniors and persons with disabilities. See ontarioparks.com and ontariotravel.net.

Also check out Camping in Ontario, a reservation service for private campgrounds that has specials such as stay three nights or more during the week and get a night free at Bon Echo Family Campground. Contact campontario.ca or 1-877-672-2226.

Explore Northumberland

Northumberland has a new Outdoor Adventure Map that covers the county's best trail networks, five best cycling routes, birdwatching, golf and public fishing spots as well as a geo-caching link.

The region has one of Ontario's longest trails, the 500-km Ganaraska Hiking Trail. Or hop in the car and try Northumberland's new Road Rally that takes in 35 clues take you through little known hamlets, past old general stores, bakeries, farms and artisan studios. Contact northumberlandtourism.com or 1-866-401-EAST.

Laid-back Kawarthas

Cottagers love Peterborough and the Kawarthas area and there are lots of good values this summer. Free concerts Wednesdays and Saturdays at Peterborough's Festival of Lights at Del Crary Park (festivaloflights.ca). Lang Pioneer Village with its working Grist Mill (langpioneervillage.ca/index.php) and Riverview Park and Zoo (admission free, peterboroughutilities.ca/Park_and_Zoo/Features_and_Attractions.htm) are also fun for families.

Peterborough is also home to the world's largest hydraulic lift lock, located along the Trent-Severn Waterway. Cruise up and over the lift locks for less than $20 per adult and $10 for children (liftlockcruises.com) or park yourself nearby and watch the action. Also check out the Canadian Canoe Museum (canoemuseum.ca/), where the collection includes dugouts, birch bark canoes and skin kayaks. See thekawarthas.net for more.

Fall for Niagara

Stand at the crest where the water catapults over and you can feel the power and energy of Niagara Falls. And it's free, along with a stroll along the gorge or a cycle along the Niagara Pkwy. Summer at its best.

The Niagara Region offers lots of inexpensive fun for families, including: The Welland Canal Centre at Lock 3 (stcatharineslock3museum.ca); a 5-cent spin on the St. Catharines Antique Looff Carousel in Lakeside Park; Port Colborne Historical and Marine Museum which includes the 1901 Neff Steam Buggy (portcolborne.ca); Mildred Mahoney's Doll House Gallery in Fort Erie (mahoneydollhouse.com); a climb to the top of the recently restored Brock's Monument (niagaraparks.com/heritage/queenston_history.php); and check out uniformed soldiers or re-enact a siege at historic Fort George in Niagara-on-the-Lake (pc.gc.ca/lhn-nhs/on/fortgeorge/index_E.asp) and Fort Erie (oldforterie.com). For more on the Niagara-area, see tourismniagara.com and niagarafallstourism.com.

Fire and music on water

IlluminAqua on the Welland Recreational Waterway (July 10, July 24, Aug. 7 and 21, and Sept. 4) presents an interactive production of fire and music. Concerts on a floating stage start at 8 p.m. at Merritt Park Amphitheatre. Seating is free (first come, first serve). Performers include Leahy, Nikki Yanofsky, David Francey, Kathleen Edwards, The Joys, Tom Fun Orchestra. Contact illuminaqua.com or 905-735-1700, ext. 2777.

Relax in Huron County

Known as Ontario's West Coast, Huron County is the quintessential summer playground with camping, hiking, cycling, beach bummin', motorcycle touring routes and heritage walking tours.

Check out: Shakespeare to the Shoreline, nine themed self-guided day tripping routes (shakespearetotheshoreline.ca); Blyth Festival celebrating 35 seasons of affordable Canadian theatre (blythfestival.com); Huron Country Playhouse in Grand Bend (huroncountryplayhouse.com); Tug Boat Rides on the M.V. Donald Bert out of Goderich marina (519-524-9551). For more on Huron County events, visit ontarioswestcoast.ca.

'Trailer Park' tourism

DARTMOUTH, N.S. - Anyone who thinks the spotlight died on Ricky, Julian and Bubbles the day the axe fell on the cult TV hit "Trailer Park Boys" hasn't been to Nova Scotia lately, ya know what am sayin' dawg?

Their unfortunate DNA is littered all over the province.

On a recent spring night spent at the Bubbles Mansion night club co-owned by Bubbles' alter ego Mike Smith, a fellow restaurateur from Ulsan, South Korea sits at the bar, hoping against all odds the soft-hearted and soft-in-the-head kitten freak will come through the door.

The Canadian television classic has such a global following, fans who frequent her club a million miles away from Sunnyvale Park gather regularly to watch re-runs and sink shooters every time their most cherished character drops an f-bomb.

At the Mansion, followers can take souvenir snapshots of themselves outside Bubbles' shed - the real deal, which was torn down and set back up again on the bar's dance floor after every season - kittie plaques, table top hockey game, toilet and all.

The shopping carts that Bubbles would steal from one grocery store and sell to another to make a buck hang from the ceiling.

Photos of him in his trademark Coke-bottle glasses and protruding lower lip playing guitar with Rush idol Alex Lifeson, with Getty Lee on bass, decorate the walls.

Smith owns several more restaurants in Halifax, including Bubba Ray's sports bar on Spring Garden Road, which has 26 flat-screen TVs, 60 wing sauces and as many artifacts signed by another Nova Scotia hero, Sidney Crosby.

But it's across the Macdonald Bridge, in the working-class town of Dartmouth, where the real diehards can get their TPB fix.

If a visit to the Greenridge Mobile Home Park makes you feel like firing off your pistol or throwing a bottle, it's because Greenridge was once a set for Sunnyvale, where the boys grew their dope, hatched their half-cocked, get-rich-quick schemes and tangled with the law.

Any TPB fan lucky enough to be invited inside the trailer of Danny Kempt is in for a treat.

Kempt is brimming with stories about what life was like when the lovable louts filmed their show along the park's otherwise tranquil streets.

"It was like living in the city, it was beautiful, all that activity," says Kempt in his easy-on-the-ear East Coast lilt.

"A hundred days or so they were here. It was just like living in the graveyard across the street the next morning when they were gone. I got up and I said 'What?' Nothing. Not hardly a car. It was a riot when there were here. It was a riot."

Danny's friends J. Bird Dorey and the girls Mandy and Cindy are over, having a lunchtime party that will stretch well into the evening hockey game.

J. Bird beams with pride as he explains that his daughter was one of the bottle thrower kids who tormented Mr. Lahey, the park's alcoholic manager.

The whole scene is classic Trailer Park Boys and yet the true pot of gold is still a short drive away on Bissett Road.

The jail, where the boys ended and began almost every season as the drug deals that would catapult them out of the park bombed, sits at the top of a long driveway.

A sign on the locked fence says that trespassers will be prosecuted but it's not hard to find another way in.

Ray's "house," the red and black truck cabin that Ricky's dad lived in after the chip pan fire burned down his trailer, is still on the grounds.

The white picket fence that surrounded the park with irony is there too. The trailers have been taken away but the outlines of where they once stood still mark the spot.

An earthy brown substance still clings to the only paved driveway on the lot, likely the famous hash driveway Julian was trying to hide from the cops in Season 5.

So, is living in a Nova Scotia trailer park anything like the way it looks on TPB?

"It depends, you know what I mean?" says Danny Kempt, a cold can of Molson Export in his hand.

"Like as I say, the tray is there, it don't matter who comes through the door," he adds pointing to the ashtray next to his swivel arm chair that's never without a smoke.

"It's just the boulevard of broken dreams, right?" he says, collapsing into laughter as he points to the James Dean movie poster to his left, and the one of Cheech and Chong to his right.

"As they say,'Up in smoke we go, har har har.' "

-

If you go . . .

-Bubbles Mansion night club: Located at 5287 Prince St., at the Market Street intersection in downtown Halifax, across from another national historic site, the Citadel.

-Bubba Ray's: Bubbles' wing and sports bar is a five-minute stumble along Brunswick Street to the popular Spring Garden Road.

-Greenridge Mobile Home Park: To soak up the atmosphere, hop in the car and cross the Macdonald Bridge to Dartmouth. Take Portland Street (it turns into Cole Harbour Road), until you come to Bissett Road. Both the park and the old jail set are on Bissett.

-The stunt yard: Where the cop cars hauled the boys to jail, is just across the road from the park. The TPBs didn't travel far.

Princess Cruises a regal itinerary

Princess Cruises has an ideal summer itinerary combining visits to several "tropical" islands on an impressive ship with a convenient close-to-home port.

While considering options for an early June cruise, we also wanted several leisurely days at sea and to visit some far-away "exotic" locales.

So, we didn't hesitate in booking passage on the Caribbean Princess, sailing nine days roundtrip from New York City to Bermuda and to the Caribbean ports of San Juan, Puerto Rico, St. Thomas, Virgin Islands and Grand Turk in the Turks and Caicos.

This was designed to introduce our son, Jeff, daughter-in-law Lisa and grandson Adam, three, to big-ship cruising.

Sailing from New York is a must-do experience, in this case from the Red Hook Terminal in Brooklyn.

"It doesn't get much better than sailing with the Manhattan skyline in the distance, passing the Statue of Liberty and going under the Verrazano Bridge," said Karen Candy, Princess publicist.

The immense size of the 18-deck ship stretching to the sky made it seem like it just narrowly squeezed under the bridge, with the stacks just clearing it.

"I am always a little nervous and tell everyone to look up at the top of the ship to see just how close we come to the bridge," said Captain Marco Fortezze as the vessel headed out into the Atlantic Ocean. Adam congratulated him with a "high five."

This itinerary is "extremely popular," offering a tropical escape with the convenience of sailing roundtrip out of New York, Candy said.

We avoided the airline hassles and expense by taking an eight-hour drive along the New York Thruway, through picturesque lush green hills, forests and lakes of Pennsylvania and into New Jersey.

Stopping for the night at an inn in East Rutherford, N.J., it was less than an hour to the port the next morning with convenient parking beside the ship ($20 US daily fee). The GPS guiding us through the Manhattan maze paid for itself on this trip alone.

Arriving about noon, embarkation was a breeze and we were on the ship exploring -- searching out our staterooms and the lunch buffet -- within 20 minutes.

The Caribbean Princess is quite a sight, carrying 3,286 passengers on this 4,500-kilometre voyage.

Along with 900 balcony staterooms and a deck of mini-suites, the five-year-old ship recently added a piazza-style atrium with street entertainers, International Cafe for specialty coffees and sweet treats, and Vines, a wine, seafood and cheese bar.

There's also the adults-only retreat Sanctuary and the new alternative (extra charge) Crown Grill steak and seafood restaurant.

And, every afternoon the "cookies-and-milk" men tour the pool areas offering fresh-baked cookies and cold milk.

As the largest ship we've sailed on, it didn't feel crowded, although it got busy in the atrium and bar/club areas with the popular nighttime shows filling up quickly.

Along with traditional dining at 6 p.m. and 8:15 p.m. in the Palm Dining Room, there are two "anytime" dining rooms, the 24-hour Horizon Court and room service, Sabatini's Italian restaurant, Cafe Caribe with "themed" buffets, "ultimate" balcony dining, a pizzeria, burger and hot-dog grill and Scoops ice cream bar.

We also took part in the Chef's Table, a special treat for "foodies," hosted by executive chef Nilo Palma assisted by Giuseppe Franchina, maitre d' hotel.

This is a three-hour-plus extravaganza of sights, tastes and conversation, starting with a galley tour at dinner rush where we enjoyed French champagne and hors d'oeuvres.

The specially prepared multi-course tasting dinner paired with wine included blue crab margarita with avocado and mango, Alaskan salmon tartare, braised escargot vol-au-vent and trio of beef, veal and pork tenderloin on a "medieval spiked flambe roaster au jus."

The Caribbean Princess also has the immense "Movies under the Stars" screen where we watched the NBA finals under the stars and a full moon.

In Bermuda, we visited the aquarium and zoo that included a 45-minute boat ride from the West End dock.

In San Juan, we took the five-hour excursion to the El Yunque Rainforest and hiked beside huge waterfalls and climbed lookout towers. We strolled along the malecon (waterfront boardwalk) taking in the hot, hot, hot Saturday Latin nightlife.

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If you sail

Bermuda-Caribbean nine-day fares from New York are from $1,099 US while San Juan seven-day fares start at $599.

The Chef's Table for up to 10 diners is offered several nights a cruise, cost $75 US; reserve early.

Details: www.princess.com; 1-800-PRINCESS