Ideal islands for families

The terms "family vacation" and "relaxation" don't always mesh.

Children have a habit of keeping harried parents constantly on the go, and it doesn't stop while on vacation, no matter how warm and sunny. Somehow the next three destinations have figured out a gold-plated formula: How to keep kids and teens entertained while also helping parents relax!

Ocho Rios, Jamaica

Action can be non-stop on the beaches of Ocho Rios -- swimming, sailing, para-sailing. And there's a slew of all-inclusive, family friendly resorts just outside of town. But it's the day trip to nearby Dunn's River Falls that's a keeper for kids' memories forever: A climb up a 183-metre tropical waterfall made possible by all-natural, all-beautiful travertine rock steps.

The water is cool, swift and amazingly clear as it jets rapidly toward the Caribbean Sea. The sound alone is enough to calm a harried parent. Ocho Rios activities also include tubing along clean, gentle streams through mountainous Jamaican terrain and horseback riding on empty stretches of beach.

Where to stay: The most relaxing for parents just may be the newly renovated Beaches Boscobel Resort & Golf Club in Ocho Rios. Beaches has a firm handle on keeping kids engaged no matter the age: pools and waterparks galore, plasma TVs, 18-and-under nightclubs, Xbox 360 Game Garages and frequent visits from Sesame Street's Elmo, Bert and Ernie -- they even read bedtime stories. But there's also a lot for parents to enjoy, including yummy food, impressive wines, nanny services and cushy poolside cushions. See beaches.com.

Barbados

The Caribbean island of Barbados is 267 square km of absolute tropical luxury. The blue vibrancy of the water is enough of a fix for a mom's worth of winter family stress. But Barbados has oodles of fun attractions for kids as well.

Top of list: Barbados Wildlife Reserve, known locally as the animal kingdom of Barbados. Most memorable are the monkeys -- many a weird greenish colour and full of four-year-old-boy-style vim and vigour. Your kids will also remember their encounters with the deer, armadillos, turtles, pythons and iguanas. Harrison's Cave is another family hotspot -- 2.3 km of networked caves, including the 15-metre-high Great Hall full of stalagmites and stalactites. Also fun: Surfing Barbados waves or swimming with the sea turtles.

Where to stay: Anywhere along the island's west coast in St. James Parish. Here the sea and landscapes are not only beautiful, but the beaches and surf are more gentle -- ideal for little ones swimming. Barbados has a mature selection of family hotels and resorts. It's also full of self-sufficient apartment and condo rentals. Try Vacation Rentals by Owner: vrbo.com.

Kaua'i, Hawaii

There's a reason rich folk like Oprah hunker down on this remote Pacific isle for some R&R: It's possible. Far from the maddening crowds of Oahu and Maui, the Hawaiian island of Kaua'i is paradise family style: lush landscapes, pretty crescent beaches, rolling blue sea, zero freeways and loads of quiet -- that's for the parents. For the kids, Kaua'i has something very hot-yet-cool: a keen surfing vibe. Surfers are everywhere -- on nearly every beach you visit. And surfing schools are everywhere, too -- local surfers are often looking to earn extra cash. They say the gentle surf of Kaua'i is ideal for beginners. If surfing isn't enough to keep your kids engaged, paddle boarding -- a hot new, gentle craze -- on one of Kaua'i's quiet streams will. And then there's the Puka Dogs, oddly delicious Hawaiian-style hot dog available only on Oahu and Kaua'i.

Where to stay: Outrigger's Kiahuna Plantation in Poipu, Kaua'i is as family friendly as they come. The self-sufficient condos with lush views of gardens, ocean and beach have access to one of the best learn-to-surf spots on the island. See outrigger.com.

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Hawaii’s got your heart

Britain's quirky architectural fantasy

Portmeirion has to be one of the oddest places in Britain, a kingdom generously endowed with quirky spots.

Variously described as a tourist village and an architectural fantasy, it was the brainchild of architect Clough William Ellis. He bought a peninsula on the coast of Snowdonia, in north Wales, in 1925 and spent the next half-century designing more than 40 buildings and importing parts of others. These decorate a ravine with massive rock outcrops. Adjoining it are a garden and woods filled with rhododendrons and exotic plants and trees.

The result has been likened to a Mediterranean village. But even Mediterranean villages have plain-looking buildings, a description that applies to few of Portmeirion's structures, which include a bell tower, an octagonal domed building called the Pantheon, gatehouses, two buildings that straddle driveways, a pavilion, a piazza with statuary and sculpted shrubs, a lighthouse, an observatory tower, even a triumphal arch.

Although they may not look it, most are houses and cottages containing self-catering accommodation that can be rented.

Noel Coward wrote Blithe Spirit while staying in one of them, called Fountain, in 1941.

There are also two hotels. One -- called Y Gwesty -- is a former summer home facing the coast that was built in 1850. The other, Castell Deudraeth, a restored mansion, opened in 2001.

The architectural styles are all over the map -- Classical, Gothic, Palladian -- and the colours are strong -- raspberry, peach, turquoise, ochre, yellow, blue. They're the original shades, and can't be changed because virtually all the buildings are Grade 2 in Britain's Listed Buildings System.

You can't take in all of Portmeirion in one visit. I had been there before and kept running across things I missed the first time.

Like the 17th-century plaster ceiling in the town hall that once adorned a stately home some distance away. Ellis bought it at auction and had it, and parts of the mansion, transported to Portmeirion and reassembled.

Or the Bristol colonnade, hundreds of tons of masonry brought in pieces more than 300 km by road and put back together like a giant jigsaw puzzle.

Or the gilded statues of Burmese dancers atop Ionic columns and the smiling Buddha from the set of the movie Inn of Sixth Happiness, filmed nearby.

"You see something different every time you come here," our Welsh guide told us.

In Britain, Portmeirion is probably best known as the setting of the 1960s TV series The Prisoner. Starring Patrick McGoohan as a recently resigned secret agent who has been kidnapped and taken to a place called The Village, it became a cult classic.

Fans visit Portmeirion every year to dress as series characters and be chased along the seafront by huge balloons similar to ones used in the show to prevent McGoohan's character from escaping. The next Prisoner convention runs April 8-10.

Portmeirion is open daily except Christmas. For details, see portmeirion.com.

denglishtravel@gmail.com

Disney Fantasy to sail next spring

48 hours in Riyadh

Saudi Arabia's capital Riyadh is a growing city of over four million, combining the flair of a financial centre with a traditional desert lifestyle as it is home to one of the biggest Arab camel markets.

The desert city is a showcase of the kingdom's struggle to balance modernization while preserving its conservative Muslim traditions. Many elegant shopping malls and restaurants have sprung up but cinemas, bars and even water pipes are banned -- and don't even think about getting an alcoholic drink in Riyadh.

Reuters correspondents with local knowledge help visitors get the most out of a two-day visit. The weekend in Saudi Arabia is on Thursday and Friday. Shops close during prayer times, and on Friday only open after five in the afternoon.

With sights scattered around we recommend renting a car -- a cheap alternative to taxis with a car costing as little as $20 a day. Plenty of rental firms are located in the central Olaya street. Most historical sights have road signs in English.

THURSDAY

10 a.m. - Start your exploration with a visit to the National Museum and the few remains of the old city. The museum showcases the history of the Arabian Peninsula and the kingdom's history -- all displays are in English.

It's open every day but best to call the tourist hotline (01 402 9500) as the museum has special family visiting times during which single men may be banned from entry.

The National Museum is in the old city where you will still find some old mud houses or remains of the city wall from the pre-oil era when Riyadh was just a small dusty town.

Next door is the Murabba Palace (Qasr al-Murabba) built by state founder Abdul-Aziz Ibn Saud where you can see the first royal Rolls Royce.

Afterwards take a taxi to nearby Masmak Fort which Ibn Saud captured in 1902.

If you want to walk, you'll find an interesting place on your way on the left after the second traffic light -- a cemetery in line with the austere Saudi version of Sunni Islam shunning any veneration of tombs. It's just a rough field with unmarked stones of various sizes in total disorder.

3 p.m. - It's lunch time

Take a taxi to the landmark Faisaliah Tower and go to the food court upstairs where you will find plenty of inexpensive restaurants and cafes. You'll get a feel for Saudi social life -- the place is a main meeting point for teenagers who are strictly segregated by gender in different sections.

5 p.m. - How about a visit to the camel market? Take a taxi or drive toward Dammam where you'll find hundreds of camels kept in stables in a desert field outside the city where they are also auctioned off.

The market is loud and not a place for the faint-hearted. After the auctions, herders use canes to drive the camels into pick-up trucks for shipping.

FRIDAY

9 a.m - 6 p.m. - The call to prayer will be ringing out across the city at prayer times and most malls are closed until after 5 p.m., so it's a good opportunity to visit nearby Dir'iyah and see the ancestral home of the al Saud family.

A quiet oasis just outside Riyadh, the village with its palm trees, traditional mud houses and historic guard towers is a welcome change from the bustling capital and gives you an idea how desert life was in the pre-oil era.

The government is currently refurbishing the old settlement which was the first capital of the ruling family, but you can see many old houses outside the construction site.

Parts of the old village wall have already been restored next to the visitor's centre showing pictures and maps.

To get there follow the airport road where you will see brown signs guiding you to Dir'iyah, a mere 25-minute drive.

8 p.m. - It's dinner time!

Why not try one of the fancy restaurants in Riyadh's Kingdom Tower? The city's tallest building is home to the empire of Saudi royal and billionaire Prince Alwaleed bin Talal.

The best choice is Spazio 77 (www.spazio77.com) which offers excellent Italian cuisine and spectacular views from the 77th floor. A bit less glamorous is The Grill at the Four Seasons (01 211 5000) which is also located in the Kingdom Tower. Great steaks and burgers.

Shishas, or water pipes, are not allowed in Riyadh due to religious opposition but if you fancy smoking one after dinner to cap off your stay, drive up from Kingdom Tower to the airport road and then follow signs to Dammam.

After some 8-10 km you will find on the left side of the road a cluster of brightly illuminated cubicle shisha cafes. Sit back and contemplate your visit with a puff or two of flavoured tobacco.

Saudi Arabia opens doors to pilgrims

Top 10 ski destinations

For travellers who embrace the snow with sheer dedication, winter is a time to take advantage of all the fresh powder on the ski slopes. Travel website Cheapflights.com offers powder hounds its choices for the top 10 ski destinations. Reuters has not endorsed this list:

1. Park City, Utah

Just south of Salt Lake City, Park City is no little sibling when it comes to drawing tourists. Famous for hosting the Sundance Film Festival each year, it's also home to serious alpine skiing. Six mountains and 114 trails give cold weather adventurers plenty of room to roam, and other mountain activities like tubing and an alpine coaster won't disappoint. Its dining and apres ski options aren't half bad, either.

2. Whistler, British Columbia

Alpine skiing and mountain biking are big at Whistler Blackcomb, which is consistently voted a top ski destination each year. Whistler hosted most of the 2010 Winter Olympics' alpine, Nordic, skeleton and bobsled events, so if you're ready to claim your glory on the slopes, head to the world-renowned Whistler to try your hand at these great heights. But watch out for the bears -- the fuzzy friends in Whistler have been known to open even locked car doors for a snack.

3. Zermatt, Switzerland

Just near the border of Italy, situated in the Swiss Alps at the southern end of Matter Valley, Zermatt is a prime starting point for explorers who take the Haute Route to Chamonix and the Patrouille des Glaciers. You can also get an international lift pass that allows you ski on the Italian side of the border in Cervinia. Skiing inside Zermatt gets divided up into four areas known as Sunnegga, Gornergrat, Klein Matterhorn and Schwarzsee, each characterized by its own unique traits. Another distinct note about Zermatt -- you can ski here in the summer.

4. Val d'Isere, France

In southeastern France, on the border of the Vanoise National Park, sits Val d'Isere. Diverse in its level of difficulty, the ski haven welcomes visitors from all over the world to explore its downhill slopes and outstanding culture. Its lively slopes cater perfectly to its even livelier nightlife, and making the transition between the two is made easy. A free shuttle between the towns of Val d'Isere and La Daille runs every five minutes during the day, and every 30 minutes at night. The area also shares ski domain with Tignes.

5. Verbier, Switzerland

Often known as some of the most challenging skiing in the Alps, Verbier offers nothing short of exhilaration. Located in a high and sunny spot, this beautiful area can be downright intimidating, especially on something like its black run down the front face of Mont-Fort. Classic runs, like the unmarked route from Col des Gentianes and Mont Gele are notables.

6. Chamonix, France

Sitting right under Europe's highest mountain, Mont Blanc, Chamonix has a wide range of intermediate and advanced skiing options. Known as the extreme free-riding capital of Europe, it's also a hot spot for snowboarders as well. Once the day of downhill fun comes to a close, gear up for its dynamic town filled with more than 100 restaurants and bars.

7. St. Anton, Austria

Holding its head high with a glamorous reputation, St. Anton is no one-trick pony. Beyond its glitzy facade, it brings the thrills with world-class skiing, fantastic powder and lots of unmarked trails. Experts enjoy steep drops like that of Zura and the challenging powder bowls of the Valluga. Beginners find their own excitement on the lesser-demanding slopes, or can head to the neighbouring resort of Lech, just a bus ride away and skiable on the same lift pass.

8. Vail, Colorado

Time after time, Vail is classified as one of the finest ski resorts in the world. Its seven Back Bowls and exceptional powder draw expert skiers from around the globe. Due to the mountain's size, there is plenty to do for beginners, regulars and veterans - the only problem is that most skiers run out of vacation time before they can truly explore the entire mountainous layout.

9. Banff, Alberta

Breathtaking scenery may be Banff's claim to fame, but its recognition goes much further than glittery aesthetics. With a long ski season, light and dry snow, fantastic facilities and three major resort areas, skiing in Banff is a pleasure. Settled in the Canadian Rockies, the unspoiled area is home to nature's elks and moose, among other creatures -- and partnering with its home-grown beauty comes its lavish and luxurious accommodations: The resort area crawls with five-star hotels to welcome tired skiers after a long day on the slopes.

10. Jackson Hole, Wyoming

Beginners beware, this is expert territory. Set in the Grand Teton Mountains, Jackson Hole adds a little attitude with its altitude -- offering up steep runs, deep powder and narrow chutes. A few outstanding parts include the Cheyenne, Tensleep and Laramie Bowls, and more challenges are just a shuttle-ride away in Grand Targhee.

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A little island with a big history

Don't tell Cape Bretoners there are just two official languages in Canada. For many of them, there's a third: Gaelic.

No surprise when you consider this unique part of Nova Scotia is the self-styled Celtic Heart of North America.

It's a living history dating from the 1770s when people from the Highlands and Western Isles of Scotland began emigrating to Nova Scotia. In Cape Breton, they found a landscape mirroring their misty-mountained homeland.

Their descendants keep the culture alive. Road signs in the western region are in Gaelic and English; Gaelic language classes are held in many communities; some radio stations have Celtic programming; there is an international Celtic Colours festival each October; a Gaelic arts and crafts college; a single malt Scotch whisky distillery; and a Highland village detailing life over a span of 150 years, from 1770 to 1920.

The village is located near the community of Iona, smack-dab in the middle of the island overlooking Bras d'Or Lake, which cleaves Cape Breton in two.

It is a time tunnel trek meandering through five generations of settlers -- their homes, their work, their worship -- beginning with a traditional "Black House," which ordinary folk would have lived in before crossing the ocean, a dry stone-wall structure with wooden rafters covered with a thatch of turf. The floor was generally packed earth and there was a central hearth for the peat-fuelled fire. There was no chimney for the smoke to escape though; instead it sootily seeped its way through the roof, hence the term "black."

But in Cape Breton, the newcomers found forests aplenty and quickly switched to log cabins and then more substantial homes built of planed lumber and with fireplaces in the middle, about as close to central heating as you could get in the mid-1800s.

The reconstructed village also includes a schoolhouse, general store, carding mill, the Malagawatch church originally built (1874) to serve the staunchly Presbyterian settlers, and some representative livestock including a trio of ginger-haired Highland cattle named Pam, Mooka and Alice as well as a small herd of rare Soay sheep, a hardy, fine-fleeced breed originating in the remote St. Kilda archipelago, about 65 km from the Western Isles.

Costumed staff, some conversing in Gaelic, are stationed at many of the buildings, including the forge where a willing blacksmith pounded out a 4.4-cm iron nail from scratch in three minutes.

The Scottish connection is evident in myriad Cape Breton place names, including Dunvegan, a west coast Ceilidh Trail community.

There are four other theme-named highway routes: The Cabot (as in explorer John Cabot) Trail in the northwestern highlands; the Fleur-de-Lis Trail in the Acadian southeast; the northeast (Guglielmo) Marconi Trail, centred on Sydney, and honouring the Italian inventor's transatlantic wireless station built near Glace Bay in 1902; and the Bras d'Or scenic drive, which encircles the mid-island lake on lesser-travelled routes bordered by swaths of pink and mauve lupins and yellow hawkweed.

HISTORIC SITE

If Marconi was the Wizard of Wireless, Alexander Graham Bell could be easily be called The Great One.

The Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site at Baddeck pays tribute to Scottish-born Bell, not just because he invented the telephone (1876), but for various far-sighted pursuits including aviation (the 1909 Silver Dart, Canada's first airplane flight) and hydrofoils (a world record 114 km/h by the HD-4 in 1919), not even considering his work with, among other things, tetrahedron kites, X-rays, desalinization and sheep breeding -- all to the detriment of his one-time dream of becoming a concert pianist.

One tale told by a Parks Canada interpreter at the Baddeck centre (expect to spend two hours there, and bring the kids) relates how Bell and some associates spent several hours one day dropping cats (onto a mattress) from a height of 2.5 metres to confirm they always landed on their feet.

And yes, here too there's a Gaelic connection: The inventor's home overlooking Baddeck for most of the last 35 years of his life is called Beinn Breagh, meaning "beautiful mountain" and it's where the innovative scientist and engineer is buried.

V CAPE BRETON MORE INFORMATION

See the following websites for travel ideas and details on visiting: highlandvillage.ca celticheart.ca pc.gc.ca/bell pc.gc.ca/louisbourg cbisland.com

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UK tourists have to wait for wax Kate

She may marry into Britain's royal family in April, but Prince William's fiancee Kate Middleton will not take her place alongside the royals at Madame Tussauds until later in 2011.

The London wax sculpture museum said it will try to book a sitting with Middleton after her wedding on April 29 and it would then take sculptors up to four months to make the model, the BBC reported on its website.

The museum was also waiting to hear if Middleton would donate an outfit for the waxwork.

Britain's Queen Elizabeth, her husband Prince Phillip and heir-to-the-throne Prince Charles as well as his wife Camilla and his sons William and Harry are already cast in wax at the popular stop on London's tourist trail.

"It looks likely it will be shortly after the wedding and then it takes four months to complete," a spokeswoman for Madame Tussauds said. "I imagine the sculptors will probably go to her and the sitting normally takes a couple of hours."

Middleton's waxwork look will depend on what she wants and whether she can donate clothing.

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Understanding Rome's new hotel tax

Q: I'm worried about how Rome's new tax will affect a two week trip to that city. Any ideas on how I could avoid it?

-- J. Pick, Oshawa

A: Rome's new hotel tax kicks in Jan. 1. Travellers who stay at four- and five-star hotels in the city will be charged 3 euros per night, and travellers who stay a properties rated three stars or less will be charged 2 euros per night. Children under two and youth hostels are exempt from the tax.

Some travel companies have announced they will absorb the new tax for now.

Jeff Element, president of the Travel Corporation -- which includes sister brands Trafalgar Tours, Contiki Holidays and Insight Vacations -- says his company will be absorbing the cost in 2011.

"All clients who are currently booked or plan to book a holiday with us that includes a Rome hotel stay in 2011 will not be responsible for this new government- imposed tax since we feel very strongly in honouring our price commitment," he said.

Trafalgar has five new Italy itineraries with its new "At Leisure" programs. Contiki Holidays has two regional tours, Simply Italy and Italian Espresso. Insight Vacations has launched new Gold deluxe escorted tours that include an Italian Vogue itinerary. For more information, contact your travel agent.

Q: Do you know anything about taxis and public transit in Cardiff, Wales?

-- A. Harwansky, Toronto

A: Wales' capital has a relatively new fleet of environmentally friendly "bendy" buses. For transit information, visit cardiffbus.com. There are several cab companies in the city, which are listed on the official visitor's website of Cardiff, visitcardiff.com. One of the popular ones is Premier Taxis (premiertaxis.net) purported to have one of the biggest fleets in Wales.

Q: Can you offer any tips on finding information on green building projects around the world. My interest is primarily on architecture.

-- A. Stathorne, Mississauga

A: Environmentally sustainable buildings are gaining popularity around the world. I discovered an informative website devoted to green roofs (greenroofs.com) created by Green Roofs for Healthy Cities, a Toronto-based nonprofit organization. The website lists winners of the 2010 Green Awards of Excellence and also has a database of green roofs that are accessible to visitors. The search function allows you to narrow queries by location, building type, project name, project year, key words and more.

Q: Florida has been our winter getaway for many years but this winter we're interested in trying a new place. What destinations will be popular this winter?

-- N. Nolan, Etobicoke

A: Canadians continue to book winter getaways in sunny climes. Florida remains a favourite but if you'd like to try something new, Cuba, and the Dominican Republic are popular and well priced. All-inclusive resort holidays are big in the Caribbean. Sandals Resorts (sandals.com) has properties across the Caribbean including Jamaica, St. Lucia, Antigua and Bahamas. Luxury hotel chain RIU Hotels & Resorts (riu.com) has properties throughout Mexico, the Dominican Republic and Cuba, and also also in Tunisia, Portugal's Algarve and Morocco.

ilona@mycompass.ca, Twitter @mycompasstv

Spirits linger at Canada’s hotels