Van Island a port in a storm

Gale-force winds have whipped up three- to four-metre swells on the Pacific.

The rain is so relentless, the canopy of the old-growth forest we're walking through is scant protection.

People not only flock to Vancouver Island's West Coast to witness weather like that, they pay good money to go out in it.

Storm-watching is centred around tiny Ucluelet and its better-known neighbour, Tofino.

Weather that would otherwise be considered fit only for demented ducks is relished at hotels anxious to fill rooms in the off-season.

That includes the new Black Rock Oceanfront Resort in Ucluelet, which had been open just two weeks when I arrived in early February.

Arguably the most sensible way to watch a storm is from the dry, warm side of a floor-to-ceiling window, preferably with one hand clasping a bracing drink, the other a loved one's shoulder.

But for some, nothing will do but to feel the wind reddening their cheeks and water leaking down their necks.

That's how we ended up in the capable hands of Gisele Martin of Tla-ook Cultural Adventure Tours, a First Nations owned and operated company. (Call 1-877-942-2663 or visit www.tlaook.com).

She led us along Schooner Cove Trail, in Pacific Rim National Park, stopping to share her considerable knowledge of the rainforest, its ferns and endless varieties of lichen.

The trail, a kilometre-long boardwalk with many sets of stairs, emerged near a tiny village where Gisele grew up and a sand beach strewn with long strands of bone kelp dislodged from the ocean floor.

Thanks to inadequate rain gear, my shoes and slacks got wet. I opted out of the afternoon fun, a stroll on part of the Wild Pacific Trail, at Ucluelet, with Bill McIntyre, owner/operator of Long Beach Nature Co. (Call 250-726-7099 or e-mail waves@oceansedge.bc.ca).

His outings include a "luxury to wilderness'' hiking experience.

The Wild Pacific, which hugs the coast, is hewn by hand through old-growth rainforest. It's one of two places recommended for safe storm viewing. The other is the deck of the Wickaninnish Interpretive Centre in Pacific Rim National Park.

Storm-watching season runs November to March, with the biggest ones blowing in from December through February.

Resorts offering storm packages include:

* Black Rock, the newest and biggest development along this stretch of coast with 133 studio and one- and two-bedroom suites, all privately owned. Float Lounge has floor-to-ceiling windows overlooking the open ocean. Call 1-877-762-5011 or visit www.blackrockresort.com.

* The Wickaninnish Inn, on Chesterman Beach, promises ocean or beach views from each of its 75 guest rooms and suites. Phone 1-800-333-4604 or visit www.wickinn.com.

Ucluelet is a five-hour drive northwest of Victoria. B.C. Ferries also sail to Nanaimo, which makes for a shorter drive. (Visit www.bcferries.com).

Presentations

Novack's Talks With Travellers, 7 p.m. March 9, 211 King St., London. Nahanni Wilderness Adventure, with Maya March.

If you go

For more tourism information, visit www.vancouverisland.travel

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


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What's up with Montreal?

MONTREAL - Montreal is poised to be festival central this summer, recession or not.

There will be music and comedy and much more in the city, which will also see the anniversaries of several of its most successful events.

The Montreal International Jazz Festival is turning 30. The Cirque du soleil, the international fireworks festival and the Montreal Bike Fest, which culminates with the Tour de l'ile cycling event, all turn 25. But that only scratches the surface of what's going on.

Marie-Josee Pinsonneault, a spokeswoman for Tourism Montreal, reels off a list of attractions, including an exhibition on pirates, an avant-garde music festival and a beer festival where more than 400 types of brew can be sampled.

"I think it will be a rediscovery of all the great opportunities, venues and festivals that Montreal offers every summer," she said of the jam-packed events calendar.

She acknowledged travellers may be keeping a closer eye on their wallets this year.

"Right now everybody is uncertain," she said. "But I'm sure everybody will need a bit of holidays and everybody will need something to change their minds."

She added that the currency exchange rate should also give a boost to Montreal's tourism industry, something that was echoed by Hugo Leclerc of the Montreal International Jazz Festival.

"A lot of our visitors are from the U.S. and the difference between the Canadian and U.S. dollars should be able to work in our favour," he said.

Montreal gets about a quarter of its tourists from the U.S. and half the total number are from the rest of Canada.

The jazz festival and the Just for Laughs comedy festival are two of the anchors of the season.

Bruce Hills, head of the Just for Laughs festival, says his event will soon announce the big-name headliners already booked.

"We plan on a big, star-studded, fantastic event for the summer," Hills said, although he acknowledged it may have to be fine-tuned if some corporate sponsors who have not yet confirmed their presence opt to bow out.

"At that point, we'll have to make decisions," he said. "I don't think the stars will be affected but other things - maybe what we do on the street - will be affected a little bit."

The tab for the street performers is paid by corporate sponsors whereas star acts generate ticket revenue.

Hills said Just for Laughs will still offer economical package deals, which he expects to be "even more in demand with the (economic) climate the way it is."

Leclerc says about a dozen shows have been announced for the jazz festival with more to come. Legendary guitarist Jeff Beck, bluesman Buddy Guy and the festive Pink Martini are among those on the bill.

"All the sponsors were confirmed for this year so as far as everything is concerned there aren't any worries for this festival," said Leclerc, who noted the event will add an extra day this year as it does for every five-year anniversary.

The prestigious Rogers Cup tennis tournament is on tap again starting Aug. 10 and the Circuit Gilles Villeneuve will echo with the sound of roaring race car engines as NASCAR returns to the city on Aug. 29-30.

"With the experience we've gained over the last two years, the on-track performances of Canadian drivers such as Ron Fellows and Patrick Carpentier and the growing popularity of NASCAR in our province, we are confident this third edition will be a resounding success," said Francois Dumontier of Stock-Car Montreal, a subsidiary of the International Speedway Corp.

Marquee events aside, travellers to Montreal also have an abundance of restaurants, clubs, stores, bars, the Biodome and museums at their disposal.

Among the attractions, the Pointe-a-Calliere archeology and history museum is offering a look at pirates through 150 objects, giving a glimpse into the lives of privateers from the 16th to 19th centuries.

For the frugal traveller - or anyone looking for reasonable prices - Montreal hotels are continuing their "sweet deals" packages, offering cut rates and other discounts, depending on the length of the stay.


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An odyssey in Dublin

DUBLIN -- Ireland may bill itself as the land of "a hundred thousand welcomes." Too often, tourists come away feeling like the saying really refers to exorbitant prices.

It doesn't have to be like that. Much of the best that Dublin has to offer is either free or the cost of a pint of stout.

With a weeklong St. Patrick's Festival full of free events around the corner -- and recession hitting Ireland hard -- Dublin's delights can be had at a discount, particularly if you're happy to live more like a real "Dub" than a jet-setter.

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ST. PATRICK'S FESTIVAL: March 12-17 kicks off the Irish tourist season with an ever-growing list of street attractions, performances and cultural events. The best freebie if you've got preteens in tow is the weekend-long Merrion Square funfair, featuring free access to bouncy castles and handouts of sausage rolls.

There's also March 17's three-kilometre parade, which, if the weather's fine, attracts a half-million spectators. Stake out your position before 10 a.m. for a clear view of the noontime promenade -- and brace for boozy bedlam on the streets afterward. Favourite lookout points: O'Connell Street on the north side and College Green outside Trinity on the south.

WWW.STPATRICKSFESTIVAL.IE

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CHEAP DIGS: Dublin is one of Europe's most compact capitals, with plenty to see and do by foot, so book a hotel or B&B in the urban heart. Dublin's inner north side -- delineated by the River Liffey that cuts the city in two -- is scruffier and less desirable to the image-conscious, but convenient on foot or by bus.

Hotel rooms in Dublin are pricey, usually charging per person rather than per room. Insist on a room rate or look elsewhere. Those travelling solo will fare better in Dublin's hundreds of home-based B&Bs.

WWW.DUBLIN-BNB.COM

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CHEAP EATS: Don't worry about finding authentic Irish cuisine. It doesn't exist -- and if it did, would almost certainly be served by an immigrant from Spain, Poland or China.

The authentic Irish dining experience, however, means the pub -- preferably a buffet-style lunch for about $13 a head before drinks. The word "carvery" on a pub's chalkboard sign typically means lunch includes beef, ham, turkey and stuffing, with salmon and pasta options, plus spuds and other vegetables -- drowned in gravy if you like.

Beat the lunchtime crush -- and enjoy the freshest grub -- by arriving at 12:30 p.m. sharp when the food is unveiled. Two of the best are Nancy Hands on Parkgate Street outside a main entrance to Phoenix Park, and Fagan's on the main Drumcondra Road to the airport. Fagan's is best known as the favourite pit stop for former prime minister Bertie Ahern. You might bump into him; his office is across the road. Fagan's walls are also covered with pictures of Bill and Hillary Clinton's visit in 2000.

Most proper restaurants are overpriced and particularly scalp you for wine. Stick to a pint of beer or cider; if you find a pint for under $5, you're doing well.

THE place to get a coffee and watch the world go by -- if you can stand the wait for an upper-window seat -- is Bewley's Cafe on Grafton Street. Its food and service have greatly improved under the ownership of Cafe Bar Deli, which also runs a vegetarian-friendly restaurant on a parallel street.

WWW.CAFEBARDELI.IE

But two pre-Celtic Tiger restaurants remain most worth the money: Elephant & Castle in the heart of Temple Bar, and 101 Talbot Street, tucked away on the more stubbly faced end of Dublin's biggest shopping thoroughfare. Both restaurants are usually packed to the rafters. Talbot makes a perfect pit stop before an evening performance at the nearby Abbey or Gate theatres.

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GREAT STROLLS: Walking the paved towpaths and restored locks of the Grand Canal is an easy calorie-burner (unless you stop at pubs on every corner). More temptations await in the cobblestoned, riverside Temple Bar district.

The must-do walk is through St. Stephen's Green, particularly on crisp spring days as the bulbed flowers burst into bloom.

Head to nearby Fitzwilliam Square to take in the smallest, finest Georgian square in Ireland.

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MUST-SEES

- Guinness brewery tours are $19, or 10% less if you book online. It's worth it for no other reason than to enjoy your tour-ending pint of the black stuff from the brewery's panoramic rooftop bar, which offers the best view of Dublin.

WWW.GUINNESS-STOREHOUSE.COM/EN/INDEX.ASPX

- Trinity College has student-run tours -- http://www.tcd.ie/Library/heritage/tours.php -- for $13, which get you insight into Ireland's oldest academic institution, an incredible view of the Long Library (yes, it did inspire the design of the Jedi library), and a gander at Ireland's most famous book, the painstakingly illustrated Book of Kells. Or wander through the pretty, compact campus on your own for free.

- Catch the choirs' evensong performances in St. Patrick's Cathedral -- entry $6 -- or Christ Church Cathedral -- $7.60. Christ Church also has magnificent bell-ringings.

WWW.STPATRICKSCATHEDRAL.IE

WWW.CCCDUB.IE/


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Volunteer vacation work in progress

NEW YORK -- You could pay a lot of money for the privilege of donating your labour to a worthy cause somewhere around the world on a volunteer vacation.

Or you could just throw your sleeping bag in the car, drive to a nearby park, and for as little as US$150, spend a week in the wilderness rebuilding trails with other nature-lovers.

Here are some tips on how to find a volunteer vacation on a budget -- along with some sample trips.

Tips: "Flight and accommodations are your two most expensive pieces of this," said Doug Cutchins, co-author of Volunteer Vacations: Short-Term Adventures That Will Benefit You and Others, just out in its 10th edition from Chicago Review Press. "So domestic volunteer vacations are always cheaper than international."

Robert Rosenthal, a spokesman for VolunteerMatch, a national non-profit organization, agreed that volunteering close to home is not only cheaper, but also serves important domestic needs.

"It's hard to argue that somewhere in Costa Rica is in more need than communities like Detroit," he said.

Rosenthal said an important tradeoff is that when you pay more money in fees to take part in a volunteer vacation, "you get other people doing the logistics.

"Budget equals having to do more of the work yourself."

VolunteerMatch operates a website at http://www.volunteermatch.org with a database of opportunities and groups.

Paying for your trip: Many organizations encourage participants to find "sponsors." Often this amounts to little more than a form letter you e-mail to everyone you know asking them to donate money.

If you can't afford a trip this year, save money to take the trip next year.

Or, if you are a student, instead of asking grandma to write a cheque, perhaps you can work off a loan by devoting a few weekends or a week to helping her with a project -- a garage sale, basement cleanup or getting her garden in shape for spring.


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Kid-friendly travel perks

Kim Orlando knows a thing or two about traveling with a brood. The 44-year-old, Greenwich, Conn., wife and mother left her career as a document manager two and a half years ago to devote her time to TravelingMom.com, a Web site that offers vacation advice and ideas to mothers

It hasn't always been easy to come up with interesting travel options for busy parents. "When I first started TravelingMom, I was really motivated to find resorts that don't just have an all-day camp for the kids," says Orlando. "I was often met by blank stares [from travel professionals]. I wanted something more inclusive; activities that the whole family could do together."

The good news for families: Since 2007, many hotels, resorts and airlines have made traveling with kids more fulfilling, and infinitely easier. In Depth: Kid-Friendly Travel Perks

For example, kids are a top priority at the Inn of the Anasazi in Santa Fe, N.M. Not only do families have access to concierge MaryAnn Ruiz, who is specially trained in planning family activities, kids and parents have an opportunity to take a cooking class with the hotel's executive chef Oliver Ridgeway. The chef helps the entire family create his signature macaroni and cheddar cheese flavored with Dijon mustard.

The kids then decorate sugar cookies with the chef's icing tools. The macaroni dinner is served at the hotel's restaurant on a specially designed plate adorned with your child's name. (Parents can select from the full menu while kids dig into the pasta.) At bedtime, the decorated cookies are delivered to each child's room with a glass of milk. (A two-night package, including the class and accommodations for two adults and one child, starts at $329.)

This burst of family-friendly amenities, activities and accommodations has a lot to do with demand. While Americans will spend 9.7% less on leisure travel in April, May and June 2009 than they did in the same period last year according to Waltham, Mass.-based market research firm IHS Global Insight, those who can still afford to travel are bringing the whole family along, and they expect more for their money than ever before. Indeed, nearly 60% of family travelers take advantage of children's services, according to the Travel Industry Association in Washington, D.C.

Even the tiniest of your clan can benefit from extra amenities. The just-launched Baby Butler Service at Marco Island Marriott Beach Resort includes a daily diaper delivery, in-room crib, free meals, a baby gift and 10% discount on baby rental items such as infant tubs, strollers, highchairs and bouncy seats. "Families with small children have enough to worry about when packing for a vacation," says Bob Pfeffer, director of sales and marketing at the resort. "We wanted to simplify their packing needs by creating a valuable service." (Packages that include the Baby Butler Service start at $274 per night.)

Some resorts and hotels are taking catering to kids even further, offering accommodations with an adjoining suite dedicated to the little ones. For instance, at the Omni hotels in Los Angeles and San Francisco, the Kid's Fantasy Suite includes a separate kids' room stocked with bunk beds, videogames and a fridge filled with yogurt, carrot sticks and candy. What's more, every child receives a backpack after check-in filled with a stuffed animal and five mystery items. (Rates start at $249 per night.)

Some of the most grown-up of vacation activities are now available to kids, such as a trip to the spa. At the Tabacón Grand Spa Thermal Resort in Arenal, Costa Rica, the family spa includes chocolate body wraps, back massages and mineral pools, which can be enjoyed by all.

Kim Orlando, the family travel expert, recently took her family there. "While my 10-year-old daughter received a therapeutic chocolate wrap on one therapy table, my 12-year-old son received a back massage on the other table," she says. "Meanwhile, my 8-year-old son, my husband and I relaxed a few steps away in a mineral springs-fed Jacuzzi." In Depth: Kid-Friendly Travel Perks


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Canada's most notable spas

TORONTO - In her annual list of notable Canadian spas, industry observer Anne Dimon singles out the leech therapy at one Ontario establishment for special mention.

"We haven't tried this yet and we're not sure we want to but it's certainly the most unusual spa treatment that has come to our attention from across Canada in the last year," Dimon says.

Elemental Embrace in Brighton, Ont., uses leeches for blood-letting - a treatment it calls "Ratamokshana." The spa says it offers Ayurveda treatments native to India.

Dimon cites spas in categories including best for fitness (the Spa at White Oaks Resort & Spa at Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ont.), best oceanfront (Wickaninnish Inn & Ancient Cedars Spa in Tofino, B.C.) and best spa at a historic resort (Fairmont Algonquin St. Andrews by the Sea, N.B.).

Offering the "most exotic outdoor experience" is Spa Ofuro in Morin-Heights, Que., an establishment "drenched in a Japanese theme" with pagoda-style architecture, Japanese art, furnishings and sculptures.

Coastal Trek in Vancouver Island's Comox Valley is listed as having the best hiking program.

And for gourmet cuisine, Dimon lists Treetops Tapas & Grill at Grotto Spa, Tigh Na Mara Resort in Parksville, B.C., and the Inn at Manitou in McKellar, Ont.

For the complete list, visit www.traveltowellness.com.


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10 life-changing yoga vacations

The night that we helped the baby turtles make their mad dash into the sea, it all came together: It was turtle birthing season along the Pacific Coast where The Tides Zihuatanejo spreads its cabanas along the shoreline. We had just spent five days practicing yoga twice daily in a shady pavilion on the same beach where these tiny babies hatched. Each evening at sunset, as we were facing the sea in Warrior One pose, female turtles dug their nests in the sand, just as we burrow down to our daily routines.

Most people who do yoga agree that it is a long process of slowly getting stronger, steadier and lengthier. Every class is a new chance to perfect a pose or go deeper, but it can take an intense focus on your practice to open new doors of awareness, and opting for a yoga retreat is the best way to do that. When you combine all of this with luxuriant spa treatments and gourmet meals in a beautiful destination, the holiday not only relaxes but might give birth to a new you.

See our slideshow of 10 Life-Changing Yoga Vacations.

There are plenty of new yoga retreats every season, but planning a yoga vacation requires discernment. Many luxury resorts, like The Tides, are now hosting various retreats, and the huge differences are the quality of spa services and the level of accommodations. After an intense day of yoga, the last thing you want to do is share a bunk bed with a snoring fellow participant. Rather, at The Tides, I awoke each morning to hot coffee and freshly baked chocolate croissants before the morning session and then returned to my palapa-covered villa to take a dip in the private plunge pool.

Shannon McClatchey, a marketing manager and long-time yoga enthusiast, initially chose MayaTulum because of a specific instructor, but valued the level of comfort at the resort, including the spa treatments. She says, "Don't even think of coming here without booking something… the Mayan Clay massage is not to be missed." But it's not just the big differences that sort the good yoga vacations from the mind-blowing ones—the details count a lot too. McClatchey says, "The grounds are meticulously maintained—I walked barefoot everywhere including the dining room. The food is fantastic. You can order off the menu if you want, but otherwise I have nothing but praise for the healthy, mostly vegetarian (except for fish) cuisine."

From the yoga bar breakfast spread of fresh tropical fruit and juices, homemade granola, yogurt and other goodies to the verbena-scented cool towels handed to you after class, The Tides ensured a seamless retreat. Not to mention the in-room massages—the airy cabanas are so peaceful that when the massage therapist came to my room, he set up the table and aromatherapy candles, immediately transforming it into a treatment room.  

See our slideshow of 10 Life-Changing Yoga Vacations.

For many, a retreat is also a communal experience. Each night, the 20 or so participants dine together and on the final night there's a beach bonfire party with special cocktails and live music. Many in The Tides retreat group were regular students of Tom Morley, an L.A.-based instructor with a Brentwood studio and various private celebrity clients. Individual yoga teachers affect the dynamic of the class, and Morley's style mixes a sense of childlike freedom with the discovery of a deep spiritual connection to yourself. It was easy to feel relaxed in the non-competitive environment he created, which can be summed up by a Ramana Maharishi quote he asked us to think about: "It is your duty to Be, not be this or that."

It's pretty common for students to follow a particular instructor on a retreat, but it's not neccessary at yoga resorts that have ongoing yoga instruction, like Haramara in Sayulita, Mexico, or SwaSwara in India. As noted, a yoga vacation doesn't have to be austere, and in fact, indulging all the senses may be the surest path to nirvana. So if you have the chance, say yes to the multi-course gourmet meals at a Big Sky Yoga Retreat or the tequila tasting at The Tides Zihuatanejo. Add a day of windsurfing along Mexico's Pacific Coast or hiking in the Montana mountains, and the immersion in your surroundings may help you achieve that tricky combination of awareness and relaxation.

Every yoga vacation is going to be life-changing, whether it's volunteering with the Shreyas Retreat's community outreach or focusing for a week on the yogic breathing of pranayama on the Caribbean's most blissful island. Of course, at times the retreat will be physically and mentally challenging, but right when your muscles begin shaking with every pose and you have broken through emotional boundaries, you can surrender to a lava rock massage and a cooling kelp body masque.



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