DAYS OF DAYS OF

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TraveLife
JULY / SEPTEMBER, 2014
MAGAZINE
DAYS OF
WINE
&
ROADS
IN GERMANY
DON’T MISS
MISS
DON’T
Camera Corner
Corner &
& Frequent
Frequent Flyer
Flyer
Camera
IN THIS ISSUE WE GO TO:
Spain, New Brunswick, New Mexico, Paris, Nashville, Bermuda,
Shanghai, New Zealand, Toronto, Montreal, Antigua and Niagara
Have a save trip.
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Contents
Talk ab
See who out the luck of
th
won our
BlackBer e Irish!
ry Cont
est
TraveL
ife
JULY /
SEPTEMB
ER, 2014
DAYS OF
MAGAZIN
E
WINE
&
ROADS
IN GERM
RMANY
DO
DON’
N’TT MI
MISS
SS
Cam
Camera
era Cor
Corner
ner
IN THIS
&
& Fre
Freque
quent
nt Fly
Flyer
er
Spain, Ne ISSUE WE
GO TO
w Brunsw
:
Shangh
ick, New
ai, New
Mexico,
Zealand,
Paris, Na
Toronto,
shville,
Montreal
Bermuda,
, Antigu
a and Nia
gara
Cover Story
While driving through Germany’s lovely
southern wine region, Marc Atchison got
to meet some locals like Karen tending
their vineyards, above, and the winemakers
always made him feel welcome.
www.travelife.ca
July / September, 2014
BLACKBERRY CONTEST WINNER
Irish eyes are smiling!
Mary Ireland, left, a regular reader of
TraveLife, is the winner of our BlackBerry Q10 contest. The Winnipeg resident’s name was chosen from among
the almost 4,000 entries we received.
72
Mary, who has travelled far and wide,
says the favourite places she’s visited
are the Canadian Rockies, Australia
and Europe. Congratulations Mary and
stay tuned for more TraveLife contests!
48
Read Marc’s story on page 66
20
Our Staff
Publisher & Lifestyle Editor:
Annie Tsu
Editor-in-Chief: Marc Atchison
[email protected]
Assistant Editor: Claudia Tsang
Design: Joey Tang
Chief Copy Editor: John Moore
Contributors
Carol Perehudoff, Lily Chiu, Ruth
Atherley, Anna Hobbs, Aurelie
Resch, Karen Asp, Gale Beeby,
Miriam Porter, Cynthia Dial,
Maggie Koa, Mark Dimitroff,
Kristian Bogner, Steve Hope
Our Address
TraveLife, 15 Kern Road
Toronto, Ont., M3B 1S9
TraveLife online
www.travelife.ca
6 Spain’s Palma is perfect
10 Paris young at heart
14 The Frequent Flyer
16 Nashville really rocks
20 Camera Corner tips
24 Old road, new thrills
28 Toys to travel with
30 Hotel Check-out
36 Whistle stop in Toronto
40 A tale of two cities
48 A Grand Island
52 Shanghai a wonder
56 Tackling Antigua
62 Niagara is aging well
66 Vine time in Germany
72 Cycling in New Zealand
PALMA’S
PERFECTO
6
July 2014
Marc Atchison finds
Palma’s lazy days,
sunny disposition,
unique food and
great landmarks
appeal to visitors
P
ALMA DE MALLORCA, SPAIN — The lunchtime
crowd at the Bodega Tapas Bar on trendy Avenue La
Rambia are too busy consuming pinchos (small snacks)
to notice the strangers in their midst. Glasses of txikito
(young white wine) and zurito (quarter pints of beer) line
the tiled bar waiting for a server to collect them. A festive mood hangs
over the legendary bar with the low-hanging ceiling where tables are
set so close you rub shoulders with your neighbour
There are lots of pinchos to choose from — croquettes, stuffed peppers, tortilla de patatas, anchovy and cod seem to be the most popular.
Soon a young man appears and asks what we’d like. He quickly recognizes the puzzled looks on our faces and offers to assist.
“I will make up a nice plate for you, señor — you will like it,” says
the server before disappearing into the kitchen.
Our mouths water in anticipation as we watch others gobble down
the traditional Basque treats in an establishment that has been serving
them for centuries.
:KHQRXUVHUYHUUHWXUQVZLWKDSODWHWKDW¶VRYHUÀRZLQJZLWKDYDULety of goodies, he asks what has impressed us most about this lovely
Spanish city where small, narrow streets wind and twist until they
VSLOORXWLQWRODUJHQHLJKERXUKRRGVTXDUHV¿OOHGZLWKVWDWXHVRIQDtional heroes.
We tell him the city’s massive cathedral is one of the most impressive structures we’ve ever seen.
“La Seu (aka Palma de Mallorca Cathedral) is our Taj Mahal — no,
MARC ATCHISON PHOTOS
Palma’s massive cathedral is just one
of its many impressive landmarks.
7
July 2014
The circular Bellver
Castle, above, one
of the few of its kind
in Europe, is a true
masterpiece. Outside
the city’s great cathedral, Spanish dancers
entertain the tourists
and inside, where former kings and queens
now rest, the organ
is bathed in glorious
stained-glass light.
it’s better,” says the server with a twinkle in his eye.
After lunch, we make our way along the lovely, shaded
La Rambia, which formed part of the legendary Roman
Road, in the direction of the massive cathedral, which is
one of the most famous and beautiful Gothic structures in
all of Europe.
Started in the 13th century, the cathedral took hundreds of
years to complete and we owe its existence to King James
I of Aragon, who almost died coming to Mallorca in 1229
WR¿JKW$UDERFFXSLHUV:KLOHHQURXWHDYLROHQWVWRUPDOmost sank the young king’s ships and, fearing for his life,
James prayed to God and promised if he was spared, he’d
build a temple on the island in honour of the Virgin Mary.
After arriving safely and defeating his Arab enemy, James
TXLFNO\EHJDQIXO¿OOLQJKLVSURPLVHDQGXVHGWKHIRXQGDtion of a small mosque built earlier by the Muslims to create the Christian masterpiece that now stands as a beacon
on the island.
The wow factor inside this massive cathedral — it
stretches 121 metres in length and 55 metres in width —
ranks right up there with other great Christian churches,
including St. Peter’s Basilica.
Ironically, because it was built on the foundation of the
old mosque, the cathedral that’s made of the best Mallorcan
sandstone, faces towards Mecca instead of Jerusalem, like
other Catholic churches.
Spain’s legendary architect Antoni Gaudi was brought
in to help with the cathedral’s restoration in 1901 but the
temperamental artist abandoned the project in 1914 after
8
July 2014
becoming embroiled in an argument with contractors.
Three naves rest on 44-metre-high octagonal pillars inside the massive structure and eight chapels line each of the
naves. The royal chapel at the back of the church houses the
tombs of King James II and King James III.
One of the many impressive features about the cathedral
is the huge arched entrance and its facade resplendent with
*RWKLFVFXOSWXUHV7KHFDWKHGUDO¶VWUHDVXU\LV¿OOHGZLWKD
trove of priceless pieces, including two large Baroque silver candelabras that were made in the 15th century and several pieces made of pure gold.
The cathedral is not the only impressive structure the
kings named James erected in Mallorca. The Castell de
Bellver (Bellver Castle) may not be as impressive as the
cathedral (few buildings in the world are) but it’s still a
highlight that many visitors seek out when here.
Built in the 14th century by James II and completed by
James III, the Gothic-style Bellver is one of the few circular
castles in Europe and was used for many years as a military
prison. It now captivates tourists with the many historic artifacts displayed in its museum.
The castle originally served as the royal residence and offers visitors stunning panoramic views of Palma de Mallorca.
Other impressive sites on Mallorca include the Capocorb
Vell, ancient ruins that date back to 1000 BC, the Caves del
Drach, which provides great acoustics for music concerts,
DQG)RUQDOXW[DYLOODJHMXVWRXWVLGH3DOPDZKLFKTXDOL¿HV
as one of the most picturesque places in Spain. •
Old Paris
YOUNG at heart
Family-friendly
museums keep
kids intrigued
while exploring
City of Light
By Aurélie Resch
TraveLife Contributor
P
ARIS — France’s
capital is more than
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fashion. Paris prides itself in welcoming and
entertaining families, too. So you
may not be settled in for a quiet
evening with a glass of wine at
the top of the Eiffel Tower, but
you can discover a world of activities that are not only fun but
will also raise your kids’ cultural
awareness.
MUSEUMS
• The Centre Georges Pompidou,
at Beaubourg Les Halles, dedicates space to families, featuring
a different artist every six months.
Through interactive exhibits, children aged 5 to 10 can explore the
painter’s work, tools and sources
RILQVSLUDWLRQ2QWKHPDLQÀRRU
workshops are offered to various
age groups. Little ones can enjoy
a gigantic mural of Paris, which
they can paint and decorate their
way. Teenagers can develop their
talent through workshops and interact with guest artists, and the
youngest ones can explore the
architecture and exhibitions of
the Centre and create their own
model of the museum under the
guidance of curators.
www.centrepompidou.fr
• The Louvre offers an interactive
visit of its most famous pieces
with an audio guide Nintendo
3DS XL and has lots of activities
AURÉLIE RESCH PHOTOS
.LGV¿QGSOHQW\RISOD\VSDFHDWWKHEDVHRIWKH
city’s most famous landmark, the Eiffel Tower
10
July 2014
The museums and art galleries of Paris, including the Louvre, devote
space to kid-friendly activities and boat cruises offer their own fun.
to discover its many collections. Workshops, tales
and itineraries specially crafted for children and
teenagers are given throughout the Louvre, introducing young visitors to the various techniques
artists used for their masterpieces. These fun and
educational activities require advance booking.
www.louvre.fr/ateliers
• The Cité des sciences, La Villette, has educational workshops and fun activities such as: discover the human body, experiment the powers
and uses of water, learn about the planets and
stars, live the life of insects, shoot your own TV
show.
www.cite-sciences.fr/en
11 July 2014
EXPLORING
The beauty of Paris is appreciated in its streets.
Walking the Champs Elysées in the evening
and seeing the splendour of the Arc de Triomphe, gazing at the stunning view from the
top of the Eiffel Tower, having your caricature drawn in the Place du Tertre, or strolling
among the statues and fountains of the Jardin
du Luxembourg are all activities families can
enjoy.
Another great way to have fun and unwind at
the same time is to take an Enchanted Cruise.
Two elves take you on a tour of Paris and tell
you all about the Seine River, while singing
songs, playing tricks and making you laugh
during your one-hour ride. Young children
are invited to participate in games and learn
about the main Parisian monuments and the
city’s epic history.
www.bateauxparisiens.com/cruise-tours-paris/
enchanted-cruise.html
THEME PARKS
Paris is the capital of fun, too, and these theme
parks are all within 45 minutes of downtown.
• Parc Astérix, home of the heroic Gaul warrior created by René Goscinny in 1961, welcomes visitors from April to January in a park
divided into themes: Greece, Rome, Egypt
and Vikings, which offer their own fun attractions (Oziris, in Egypt, is one wild reverse
roller coaster). Shows offer entertainment and
a pause between rides. Be prepared to get wet
as many rides involve water slides.
www.parcasterix.fr/en
• Disneyland Paris allows you to meet with
your favourite Disney characters and enjoy
some heart stopping rides. Divided into three
areas — Disney Village, Parc Walt Disney
Studio and Parc Disneyland — Disneyland
Paris offers sure thrills and fun for the entire
family in English and French.
www.disneylandparis.fr
• For the little ones, there’s nothing like
spending a day at the Playmobil Fun Park and
creating things with hundreds of Playmobil
¿JXULQHVLQJLJDQWLFVHWWLQJV7KHUHDUH
square metres of space divided into 12 playground areas, plus one dedicated to 18- to
36-month-olds.
www.playmobil.fr
So, next time you head to Paris for a romantic interlude, take the whole family because
you’ll have much more fun! •
12
July 2014
Paris chefs take kids
into account when they
create their amazing
pastry items, which are
decorated with playful
colours and shapes. The
sugar burst helps keep
the kids active at area
museums and theme
parks where they get a
chance to test their skills
playing space age games.
Now is Your Time to
Visit www.toureast.com/ilovejapan
for special Japan tours
Visit www.ilovejapan.ca for
Japan Travel Information
FR
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YE N
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LILY CHIU PHOTOS
6WRSSLQJWRZDWFKVXUIHUVHPHUJHIURPWKH3DFL¿FDQGZDWFKWKHPFKDOOHQJHWKHZDYHVZDVRQHRIWKHPDQ\KLJKOLJKWVRI/LO\¶V/RV$QJHOHVVWRSRYHU
California Dreamin’
Flight attendant Lily Chiu
shares her secrets on how
airline crews enjoy cities
while on short layovers
This issue: Los Angeles
14
July 2014
L
OS ANGELES — As my
cab pulls up to the hotel, I
suddenly realized that I had
nothing planned for my one
precious layover day in Los
Angeles. I usually spend days in advance of landing in a city researching
where I can go, where the best places
are to indulge in local cuisine, what
time the sun sets — I’ll even go as far as
investigating how big the hotel swimming pool is. But there I was with absolutely no clue as to how I should spend
my one day in the City of Angels.
Luckily, as I walked into the lobby, I
noticed some guests renting bicycles at
a desk in the hotel. At that very instance
I decided I would let two wheels take
me on an adventure ride around L.A.
After picking up my bike, I headed out in the direction of
Fisherman’s Warf located along the boardwalk in Redondo
Beach. That’s when my heart began to race — not from my
bicycle ride, but rather from all the exciting seafood dishes
that the chefs at a restaurant called Quality Seafood were
making right in front of my eyes.
There were endless varieties of fresh, locally caught oysWHUVJLDQWOREVWHUVFUDEVDQGMXVWDERXWDQ\NLQGRI¿VKWKDW
you can imagine sitting in front of me. But the best part was
the option of either ordering pre-made foods like their clam
FKRZGHUFHYLFKHGHHS¿UHGFODPVRUWKHFDWFKRIWKHGD\
WKDW¶VSUHSDUHGWR\RXUVSHFL¿FDWLRQV
It was quite the scene watching people hammer crab legs
on their tables to loosen the sweet goodness inside and
slurping down clam chowder.
After my near-heartburn dining experience, it was time to
work off the calories so I rode my bike over to Hermosa
Beach and nearly fell off at the sight of a group of attracWLYHSHRSOHÀDVKLQJPRYLHVWDUJRRGORRNVDQGEXOJLQJHLJKW
pack abs while playing volleyball on the beach. To help digest my lunch, I lied down on the warm sand, listened to the
VRXQGVRIWKH3DFL¿F2FHDQODSWKHVKRUHDQGVRDNHGXSWKH
sun and beautiful view — the abs, of course!
After spending some quality time with Mr. Sun and getting
some colour on my winter bleached Canadian skin, it was to
move on again.
The bike ride had turned into an exhilarating experience
that was highlighted by the breathtaking sights around me
— to my left I admired the endless sea of soft sand that
GULIWHGRIILQWRDQD]XUH3DFL¿FWRP\ULJKWVWRRGVWDWHRIWKH
art, million-dollar beach front homes, each architecturally
different from each other. Till this day, I wonder how I didn’t
fall off my bike staring at everything except the road ahead.
I made my way to Hermosa Pier and noticed a bunch of
surfers paddling out into the ocean in hopes of catching a
few waves. I stopped to watch and was awed at the determination of the surfers as they paddled out in search of that
“perfect wave.”
Often, a towering wave would wipe them out, but always,
without a thought, the surfers quickly turned their surfboards
around to headed back out into the ocean.
After my long afternoon of sunbathing and watching hopeful surfers, I decided it was time to part ways with Mr. Sun
and look for some shade, which is why I stumbled into a bar
called Watermans, one of a strip of bars and restaurants just
off the Hermosa boardwalk.
The bar was jammed-packed that Sunday afternoon with
surfers and blond bombshells — I actually thought I had
accidentally stumbled into an Abercrombie & Fitch party as
the patrons looked like they jumped off an A&F poster.
There I met an interesting local who told me how he had
just moved to L.A. and was enjoying every minute of his
QHZ OLIH , GH¿QLWHO\ ZDV QRW DEOH WR GLVDJUHH ZLWK DOO WKH
amazing things that he told me about California (one of the
things being their year-round amazing weather)!
After a few drinks, and sharing our admiration for the active and lively Californian lifestyle, we rode our bikes out to
Manhattan Beach to watch the sunset.
The clouds dramatically changed colours as the sun got
Lily poses with her
sleek bike during her
day-long ride along
the Los Angeles shore.
She got plenty of
exercise and needed
it after diving into
some very appealing
seafood dishes.
smaller and smaller and eventually disappeared into the horizon. The perfect ending to a perfect day.
I never thought that a spontaneous day with no plans would
have given me the most interesting eight hours of my life.
So forget about renting a car the next time you visit a
beach destination: bikes are environmentally friendly and
WKH¿WQHVVVDY\ZD\WRJR$QG\RXQHYHUNQRZZKR\RX
might meet along the way. •
NEXT ISSUE: Diving in Thailand
15 July 2014
Music is the
HEART & SOUL
Of Nashville
16
July 2014
Country Music mecca has so much
to offer the millions that it attracts
By Cynthia Dial
TraveLife Contributor
N
Lower Broadway, upper inset,
is the mecca of country music
joints — where some of the
biggest names got their start
and where visitors to Nashville converge each night.
The Parthenon, lower inset,
is Nashville’s most impressive
structure and was built in
1897. But music is the heart
and soul of this city.
CYNTHIA DIAL PHOTOS
ASHVILLE, Tenn. — The voice over the airport public
address system announces: “You can pick up your luggage – and guitar cases — at carousel 1.” That’s Nashville, or Music City, as it’s called. Music is everywhere, at
PRUHWKDQOLYHPXVLFYHQXHVDQGIURPWUDI¿FER[HVDW
intersections while you’re waiting for the light to change. On New Year’s
Eve, it’s not a silver ball that drops at midnight, it’s a musical note.
Nashville is the world’s largest community of songwriters and, despite
WKHIDFWWKDWLW¶VKRPHWRKLJKSUR¿OHDUWLVWVVXFKDV.HLWK8UEDQ.LQJVRI
Leon and Dolly Parton, it still maintains a down-home feel.
“Honor Thy Music” is written above a doorway in the Country Music
Hall of Fame — a monumental structure that is a short distance from Music
City’s Walk of Fame, the historic Ryman Auditorium of Grand Ole Opry
repute and Lower Broadway’s honky-tonks.
The hall pays tribute to “country” through its vast collection of recorded
music, video clips, celebrity costumes (from Carl Perkins’ blue suede shoes
to Faith Hill’s Versace gown), musical instruments such as Taylor Swift’s
Swarovski guitar, and even Elvis’s solid gold Cadillac.
A visit to RCA Studio B, known as the “Home of a Thousand Hits,” can
be arranged through the Hall of Fame. The importance of the studio (set
in the heart of Music Row, 16th and 17th Aves. South) is legendary. More
than 35,000 songs were recorded at Studio B, including 40 million-selling
singles, 1,000 American hits and more than 200 recordings by Elvis —
more than any other studio. It opened in 1957 and operated until the day
after Elvis’s death in August, 1977 — a coincidence which became an unintended tribute to the King.
Newest to Nashville’s scene is the Johnny Cash Museum. Among its treaVXUHVDUH-RKQQ\&DVKDQG-XQH&DUWHU¶VPDUULDJHFHUWL¿FDWHDVWRQHZDOO
IURPWKHIDPLO\¶V+HQGHUVRQYLOOH7HQQKRPHWKDWZDVGHVWUR\HGE\¿UH
and the handwritten manuscript of the songwriter’s last tune (penned days
before his death in 2003).
Lower Broadway is four blocks of door-to-door music joints. Open daily
from 10 a.m. to 3 a.m., this stretch of honky-tonks is known for its atmosphere as much as its music. This is where legends like Willie Nelson and
Kris Kristofferson began their careers. Some of today’s top performers pop
LQ IRU LPSURPSWX FRQFHUWV DW YHQXHV ZKHUH FRXQWOHVV KRSHIXOV ¿QHWXQH
their repertoires.
17 July 2014
The posh Belle Meade Plantation claims to have had a Civil War battle fought on its front lawn. It’s the most prestigious neighbourhood xin Nashville.
Not too far away from Broadway, in a nondescript strip mall, is
the 90-seat Bluebird Café. Since its 1982 opening, it has become
a Nashville treasure. It’s a mecca for aspiring singers and steeped
in history. Faith Hill and Kathy Mattea honed their skills on its
intimate stage and singer/songwriter Taylor Swift was discovered
here at age 15.
The city’s No. 1 attraction, the Grand Ole Opry, is synonymous with Nashville. Its on-stage memories are legendary . . .
from Carrie Underwood’s show-stopping performance of Tammy
Wynette’s Stand by Your Man to Vince Gill’s unscripted invite to
jazz vocalist Diana Krall to join him for a duet.
In 1974, the Opry moved from its long-time home at the Ryman
Auditorium to its current location at The Opry House, adjacent
to Gaylord Opryland Resort. The move left the Ryman vacant
for two decades, but it was restored as a national showplace in
1994 and hosts the Grand Ole Opry each November, December
and January.
Nashville is to music what Paris is to romance. But though music is typically at the top of most tourists’ itineraries, this city
is much more. It was founded on Christmas Day, 1779. Among
its pioneers was Rachel Donelson, who later became the wife of
SUHVLGHQW$QGUHZ-DFNVRQDQG2SUDK:LQIUH\ZDVWKHFLW\¶V¿UVW
IHPDOHDQG¿UVW$IULFDQ$PHULFDQQHZVDQFKRU
The city’s highest point, “Capitol Hill,” has its most luxurious
digs, The Hermitage Hotel. Named after Andrew Jackson’s Hermitage estate, it is Tennessee’s only Mobil Five Star and AAA
Five Diamond hotel.
18
July 2014
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Persian rugs throughout, Italian Sienna marble at the entrance
and a stained glass ceiling in the vaulted lobby — it became the
preferred gathering place for city socialites.
A local saying is that millionaires live in Brentwood and billionaires live in Belle Meade, the city’s most exclusive enclave.
Belle Meade Plantation’s 150-year-old antebellum home claims
to have had a Civil War battle fought on the lawn (evidence is
found in bullet holes embedded in the columns). A noted race
horse plantation, many famous horses were bred there or can
trace their lineage to the farm, including Iroquois, Seabiscuit and
Secretariat.
The mistress of Belmont Mansion, Adelicia Acklen, was one
RIWKHQDWLRQ¶VULFKHVWZRPHQDQGKHUKRPHUHÀHFWVKHUOLIHDQG
times. Standing at the foot of the mansion’s stairway, it’s easy to
imagine it during the wedding reception for Acklen and her third
husband, Dr. William Chetham in 1867. Deemed a “modest” affair of 2,000 guests, French emperor Napoleon III sent a diamond
tiara for her to wear on the occasion.
Nashville’s most impressive museum structure is the Parthenon.
Built for the state’s 100th anniversary and the Tennessee Centennial Exposition in 1897, it is the world’s only full-size duplicate
of Greece’s Parthenon, and houses a spectacular statue of Athena
(itself a duplicate of the statue in Athens). Dramatically covered
in gold leaf, the 12.8-metre-tall statue is the largest indoor sculpture in the Western World.
As you can see, Nashville is more than just Music City. •
Air New Zealand can connect you to 52 cities in 16 countries,
including 27 destinations in New Zealand and 8 cities in Australia.
You can pick up an non-stop Air New Zealand flight to New Zealand
from San Francisco, Los Angeles, Honolulu or Vancouver B.C.
We also fly non-stop to the Cook Islands and London from Los Angeles.
where can we take you?
CO
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A
M
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A Journey Through Ladakh ( Nikon D3X with 70-200mm VRII lens - f/4 at 1000 sec. ISO 800) — I was riding another camel through this mountain desert in
Ladahk, India when I saw this composition of another group of camels with a monastery in the background. I had to shoot at 1000 of a second minimum to
freeze the action and minimize my own movement. I used the active VR feature of my lens to further reduce any camera shake.
Staying
By Kristian Bogner
TraveLife Contributor
& Nikon Ambassador for Canada
In Touch W
with your camera
20
July 2014
HETHER travelling on an
expedition, or shooting in the
Canadian Rockies, I strive to
achieve excellence in-camera
so that I have very little editing to do later. Here are some pro tips you can
utilize to add some “instant sizzle” to your images - allowing you to spend more time shooting the beauty around you and less on editing
afterwards.
Get to know your gear to achieve excellence in-camera
Take the time to get to know your equipment, and experiment with all of
\RXUVHWWLQJVWR¿QGRXWZKDWZRUNVEHVWIRU\RX0\IDYRXULWHFDPHUDVWR
shoot with are my Nikon D4S for its speed, precision and incredibly high
ISO capabilities, and my Nikon D800E for the detail I can capture at 36
megapixels. Here are some settings you can try using to achieve fantastic
results right out of the camera:
First, set your camera to shoot RAW to capture all the image data recorded
by the sensor. That will allow you to edit or correct your image later on with
Nikon View NX2 or other photo-editing software without causing a reduction in image quality.
Next, go to your in-camera Picture Control Settings and crank up the saturation and sharpness. Consider tuning your contrast as well, depending on
your subject. These adjustments will immediately make a HUGE difference
in most images. Experiment with your white balance to warm up or cool
down your images. I often
use a cloudy or shade setting to warm up a sunrise
or sunset.
Your camera’s ISO speed
setting determines its sensitivity to light. Higher
ISO settings are used in
low-light shooting situations to capture more light,
but this also often produces image noise or grain.
Noise can be an issue on
some cameras at ISO sensitivities over 1,000 ISO.
In hand-held situations
where you are shooting at a higher ISO, set your High ISO Noise Reduction
settings to Low or whatever setting works best for your camera.
Nikon’s D-Lighting setting works great to get more detail in the mid-tone
to shadow area. I usually leave the D-Lighting set on low or normal. If you
don’t have this feature, you can try reducing the contrast when shooting in
GLI¿FXOWOLJKWDQGZLWKGDUNFRQWUDVWLQJVXEMHFWV
Master the light
Good lighting is a key element to getting an outstanding photograph.
When shooting outdoors, it is generally better to do so in the early morning
and late evening because the quality of light is lower and warmer. This time
of day will create more pleasing shadows, contrast and texture, along with
more vibrant colours in your images.
Early morning may bring fog, mist on the water and maybe even some
wildlife to complement your image. Mornings generally have less haze and
less wind, and that might help you get a clearer shot. Sunsets can be epic
and offer warm and wonderful lighting opportunities.
Many photographers pack up and head home right after the sun goes
down, but sometimes, the magic starts to happen 10 minutes or so after the
sun sets. Powerful colours in the sky begin to appear and you may see bright
pink/red hues emerge. If you have some truly interesting clouds, your sky
may become electric!
Get creative - Paint with light
One of my favourite techniques is to paint an outdoor night time scene
About The Ambassador
Kristian Bogner
Kristian is a commercial, architecture, adventure, fashion, and
sports photographer, Nikon Ambassador for Canada, speaker and
Manfrotto Pro Photographer. For
some inspiration and more pro
tips, check out kristianbogner.com
or attend one of his photography
workshops. To find out more, go to
photographicrockstar.com.
The Nikon Ambassadors
The Nikon Ambassadors Program
is a collective initiative dedicated
to recognizing the most influential
leaders in modern photography.
In a rapidly changing industry,
the significance of these admired
photographers goes beyond the
creation of inspiring imagery; this
diverse group of individuals has
shown a commitment to empowering photographers with knowledge, providing guidance for the
imaging community, and a mastery of technology and trends.
Romancing the Ocean (Nikon D3 with 24-70mm lens - f/13 at 1/2 sec. ISO 100) — I shot this brilliant sunset at a magical place called Seal Rocks, Australia
using a tripod and dragged my shutter for a 1/2 of a second to capture some movement in the water to give the image a more artistic look.
with light. You will have to put your camera on a tripod and use
a long exposure while painting the subject with different light
VRXUFHVOLNHÀDVKOLJKWVJORZVWLFNV/('VFRORXUHGJHOV6SHHGOLJKW ÀDVKHV DQG PXFK PRUH7KLV WHFKQLTXH ZLOO KHOS \RX JHW
dramatic results with vibrant colours and it can be a lot of fun
– especially if you share the moment with friends and get them
involved.
I would suggest starting with a 20- or 30-second exposure with
your camera on a tripod at 100-250 ISO. Set your aperture deSHQGLQJRQWKHGHSWKRI¿HOG\RXZDQWWRDFKLHYH,VXJJHVWIWR
begin. I exposed my image “Mystical Moon Rise over Botanical
Beach” (pictured above) for 180 seconds using a Nikon programmable cable release and a headlamp to paint the waves with light
LQDVZLUOLQJSDWWHUQZKLOHÀDVKLQJP\1LNRQ6SHHGOLJKWVHYHUDO
times at full power to the left of the image to illuminate the scene.
Know when to use a tripod
Use a tripod when shooting in low light to capture all the brilliance without going too high with your camera ISO settings and
causing unnecessary image degradation. To reduce vibrations
which may cause camera shake I love to use my Nikon WR-R10
and WR-A10 Wireless Remote Controller and Adapter. You can
also use the built-in exposure delay mode available in most new
camera settings. If your lens has a VR (Vibration Reduction)
function, then turn it on in NORMAL mode for sharper images.
If you have to shoot hand-held then try adjusting your shutter
to shoot faster, depending on the type of lens you’re using. For
example, with a wide-angle lens, try to shoot faster than 1/30 of a
22
July 2014
Ocean Tranquility (Nikon D4 with 50mm 1.4 lens - f/8 at 30 sec. ISO 100) —
It was quite dark and I did a longer exposure from my Manfrotto tripod to
transform the waves into a subtle mist around the rocks in Maui, Hawaii.
second, and with any focal lengths over 70mm, try to shoot faster
than 1/250 of a second.
Get comfortable with adjusting your settings in-camera and try
VRPHWKLQJGLIIHUHQWGXULQJHYHU\VKRRW$OORZFUHDWLYLW\WRÀRZ
through you and continually aim to expand your photographic
WRROER[&RQQHFWWR\RXUVXEMHFWYLVXDOL]HWKH¿QDOLPDJH\RX
want to achieve and take the time to capture it in-camera with
excellence. •
DX
Format
24.2
Megapixels
5 fps
Continuous
Shooting
100-12800
ISO (expandable
to 25600)
Full HD
Video 1080p
Big power, small size.
Capture and share your world.
Creating beautiful photos and videos has never been easier
Life is full of surprising, joyful moments—moments worth remembering. The D3300 makes it fun and easy to preserve those
moments in the lifelike beauty they deserve: stunning 24.2-megapixel photos and 1080p Full HD videos with tack-sharp
details, vibrant colours and softly blurred backgrounds. The D3300 is a small and lightweight HD-SLR that’s easy to use,
too. Like sharing your photos? With the optional WU-1a Wireless Adapter,* photos can appear instantly on your compatible
smartphone or tablet for easy sharing. Want more professional-looking photos, but unsure of the camera settings? D3200’s
built-in Guide Mode gives step-by-step help when you need it (it’s like having an expert at your side), and you can easily get
creative with built-in Image Effects, filters and more. And its all backed by Nikon Canada’s 2-year warranty for the camera,
and 5-year warranty for all NIKKOR lenses, both with in-Canada service. Now that’s peace of mind. Learn more at Nikon.ca
or visit an Authorized Nikon Canada Dealer.
Nikon.ca
*Sold separately
This camera’s Wi-Fi® capability using the WU-1a Wireless Mobile Adapter can only be used with a compatible iPhone®, iPad®, and/or iPod touch® or smart devices running
on the Android™ operating system. The Wireless Mobile Utility application must be installed on the device before it can be used with this camera. Learn more at Nikon.ca
Trail
Ride
Through New Mexico
24
July 2014
SHUTTERSTOCK PHOTOS
Old road leads
to new adventures
By Marc Atchison
Editor-in-Chief
S
ANTA FE, N.M. — I’ve reached a
crossroads on my trip through New
Mexico’s glorious outback — a
juncture where America’s present
intersects with its cowboy past. The
voice inside my car’s GPS tells me to take Interstate 25 — the fastest route to Albuquerque.
The guide book I’m holding indicates a scenic
bypass known as “The Turquoise Trail” (Hwy.
14) will offer me more insight into this wonderful state’s history.
I decide to turn off the GPS and point the car
LQWKHGLUHFWLRQRI7KH7XUTXRLVH7UDLOWKH¿UVW
road built that connected Santa Fe with Albuquerque.However, the Trail’s history dates
back long before New Mexico’s two largest
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7KHNLORPHWUHORQJ7UDLOZDV¿UVWFDUYHG
out of the desert wilderness by the state’s native
people, who’ve been around here since prehistoric times. Then, when the Spanish arrived,
they carted the riches (gold, silver, turquoise
and zinc) they found in the surrounding mountains back along the Trail to Mexico before being shipped to Spain.
Legendary cowboys like Kit Carson rode the
Trail and outlaws lurked in the sagebrush waiting to ambush the stage coaches that brought
easterners to the southwest.
The highway is dotted with small mining
towns — Golden, Cerrillos, Madrid, Tijeras —
that once lured fortune hunters to these parts,
and ghost towns, reminders that there wasn’t
always “gold in them thar hills.”
My drive along The Turquoise Trail is interrupted by gorgeous views of the endless outback, which sprawls out until it reaches majestic mountain ranges with lyrical Spanish names
— Ortiz, Sandia, San Pedro and the Cerrillos
Hills.
Charming Cerrillos, whose history dates back
WR$'LVWKH¿UVWPDMRUWRZQ,HQWHUZKLOH
driving south. The former boom town is a shadow of its heydays when precious turquoise was
cut out of the mountains. Some of it even found
its way into Spain’s crown jewels.
The Turqoise Trail is littered with reminders
of the past — some good and some bad.
25 July 2014
Old Adobe-style buildings dot the roadside along The Trail and remind us of the critical role the road played in the development of the southwest.
Miners from all over the world made their way to Cerrillos
to dig for precious metals and at one time the town boasted 21
saloons.
Cerrillos, whose dirt streets are a vivid reminder of the Old
West, was so important that it was once considered a candidate
for the state capital before Santa Fe won out.
$V,VFDQWKHÀDWGXVW\WHUUDLQERUGHULQJWKH7UDLO,DOPRVW
expect John Wayne to appear on the horizon riding his trusty
VWHHGSOHQW\RI+ROO\ZRRGZHVWHUQVZHUHPDGHLQWKLVDUHDDQG
some movie stars actually live here.
The “Welcome to Madrid” sign indicates I’ve arrived in one
of the most interesting places in the United States — a town
that was once the biggest coal producer in the southwest before
it became a ghost town and then later was reborn as the artist
colony it is today.
Madrid is one of only two places in the world where soft and
hard coal can be found in the same mine and they dug deep into
the earth — shafts as long as 5,000 metres deep — to get it.
However, Madrid’s fate was doomed when coal fell out of favour and it was soon abandoned. It remained a ghost town until
hippie artists arrived in the ’60s and ’70s. They converted old
company stores and homes into galleries and today they rival
those I admired in Santa Fe.
,W¶VWLPHIRUD¿OOXSVR,SXOOXSWRDJDVSXPSLQ*ROGHQD
former gold mining town, and the attendant tells me his birthplace was once called El Real de San Francisco de Paola. But
ZKHQWKH863RVW2I¿FHDUULYHGLQWKHPLGVWKH\GHcided America had too many San Franciscos and renamed the
town.
“Hope you enjoyed your Golden moment,” laughs the young
man as he waves another stranger goodbye.
Information
•$OOPDMRU86DLUOLQHVRIIHUÀLJKWVWR$OEXTXHUTXHIURP7RURQWR
• For more information on New Mexico, go to www.newmexico.org
• For information on The Turquoise Trail, go to www.turquoisetrail.org
A few kilometres down the road, I reach the high point of my
GULYH²ERWKOLWHUDOO\DQG¿JXUDWLYHO\²ZKHQ,SXOOLQWREHDXtiful Sandia Crest (a short side trip off the Trail along Hwy. 536)
where, from the 20,000-metre summit of Sandia Mountain, I
get a breathtaking view of the surrounding glory.
To reach the summit, I take the Sandia Peak Tramway, the
longest jig-back tram in the world, and the ride is one of the
most awe-inspiring I’ve ever experienced.
Cedar Crest, whose Museum of Archaeology traces the existence of North America’s earliest inhabitants — right back
to the Ice Age — is where I pull off and enjoy a spectacular
southwestern meal.
, ¿QDOO\ UHDFK WKH HQG RI WKH 7UDLO LQ 7LMHUDV WKH VRXWKHUQ
gateway to this remarkable highway. This is another town that’s
teeming with archaeological wonders but I’m running out of
time, so I jump back on I-25 and race to Albuquerque’s airport
WRFDWFKP\ÀLJKW
7KHGULYHDQGVWRSVDORQJ7KH7XUTXRLVH7UDLOFRQVXPH¿YH
hours of my time. It would have taken less than an hour to reach
Albuquerque had I elected to take I-25. But time on The Turquoise Trail is time well spent. •
27 July 2014
TO AVE
YS L
TR
A step in the right
DIRECTION
Here are some items you might
want to bring on your next trip
The TwoAlity boots come with lots
of different liners to match your
mood while hiking around the
world. UWater audio gear, above,
is the smallest in its category and
easily goes from sand to sea. The
WooBamboo toothbrush, far right,
is an eco-friendly product.
28
July 2014
N
OW that airlines are charging hefty fees for luggage
– some are even starting to charge for carry-on bags
– it’s important to pack wisely and keep weight to
a minimum. So here’s some well thought out items
that should lighten your load:
TwoAlity, the rain boots for every outfit: When it comes to
rain and outdoor boots, she can change as much as she wants
with a pair from TwoAlity as featured in Bobbie’s Buzz on The TODAY Show with Kathie Lee and Hoda. All she needs to buy is one
pair of rubber boots and change out multiple liners or inserts in
prints and colours that pop.
Starting price: $69.99 / www.thetwoalitystore.com.
The Wallet Case: The multifunctional Wallet Case, right, offers protection combined
with sleek luxury and a dash of do gooder
karma. Fit your cards, credentials, cash and
phone in a protective and attractive case.
The Wallet Case features a fashionable
snap-on closure system to ensure the case
is securely closed. And remember, when
you buy a ShareBrands Wallet Case, 25 per
cent of the sale price goes to one of their
social causes.
Cost: $30 / www.ShareBrands.org.
Pocket Poppet: The Pocket Poppet is a
fashionable open drape front cardigan
that is created to fold into its own attached
pouch. That pouch also works as a third hand in holding important documents in an easily accessible location while going
through security. The adaptable design translates to any type of
event, activity, or errand for the ultimate in style mileage!
Cost: $99 (all prices U.S.) / http://www.thepocketpoppet.com
WooBamboo “Sprout” – Eco-friendly toothbrush: WooBamboo brushes utilize organically grown moso bamboo, which is
grown naturally, without any added chemicals or pesticides of
any kind, and they are coated in a completely natural wax to
keep it silky and dry. You can literally recycle the bristles. Plus,
bamboo is naturally antimicrobial – a bonus when travelling.
Cost: $4.95 / http://www.woobamboo.com.
Continued on page 76
29 July 2014
Enjoying
Bermuda’s
PINK LADY
Legendary Reefs Resort & Club
treats their guests like family
30
July 2014
HOTEL CHECK OUT
By Marc Atchison
Editor-in-Chief
S
OUTHAMPTON, BERMUDA — A man with a
smile as bright as a Bermuda day leads us into the
reception area of The Reefs Resort & Club where
our ears pick up on the sweet sound of a cappella
singers coming from down the hall.
³*RFKHFNLWRXW´:LQ¿HOG7RGGWKHUHVRUW¶VHQHUJHWLF
70-something bellman encourages us.
So we follow the hallway until it drifts off into the resort’s main dining room (Ocean Echo) and there, performing in front of attentive diners, are a dozen young women
dressed in chic black party dresses.
³%HDXWLIXOVRXQGLVQ¶WLW"´VD\V:LQ¿HOGZKRFRPHVXS
behind unannounced.
“The girls are from Harvard University and their group
is called the Krokodiles. They come here and literally sing
for their supper — all part of a tradition that dates back
PDQ\\HDUV´VD\VWKHWRQHG:LQ¿HOGZKRGRHVSXVK
ups every day.
“Harvard’s male a cappella singers will be here tomorURZQLJKW´:LQ¿HOGLQIRUPVXVZKLOHHVFRUWLQJXVWRRXU
ocean-front room perched high above the resort’s pinkcoloured beach.
“The reason our beach is pink is because of the coral
reef that’s just offshore. The sea is so shallow here you
can walk out to the reef and snorkel,” says the delightful
bellman, who is just one of the many congenial staff members who welcome guests at the legendary Reefs in lovely
Southampton.
0RVW5HHIV¶JXHVWVLQIDFWDUHRQ¿UVWQDPHEDVLVZLWK
staff.
“That’s because we have so many repeat guests,” says
David Dodwell Jr., whose family took ownership of the
landmark property in the 1950s (it opened in 1947) and
The pink coloured beach and villas
that make up the legendary The
Reefs Resort & Club are delightful
MARC ATCHISON PHOTOS
31 July 2014
The Reefs’ pink facade blends in beautifully with the pink-coloured beach
that drifts off into the Atlantic. Cottages are cute, cozy and roomie and you
get the best view of the property from the rocky Point.
transformed it into Bermuda’s most treasured resort.
The Reefs actually has one of the highest repeat guest
rates in the industry — about 45 per cent — which
Dodwell credits to his staff, who “treat everyone like
family.”
The night we arrived, long-time guests known as
The Repeaters, were being feted on the resort’s ocean
view terrace, an event that occurs almost nightly here
at sunset.
³/DUU\ &DVR RI 1HZ <RUN SDLG XV WKH PRVW YLVLWV
he came here 128 times,” says Dodwell about a guest
who now holds a place of honour at the resort. “When
Mr. Caso passed away a few years ago, we decided
to name the terrace we added at the Point (where the
property falls off into the azure Atlantic) in honour of
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visited us.”
Many of the resort’s wedding ceremonies (they host
about 45 a year) take place at the Point, where the view
of the rocky Bermuda coastline and endless sea is quite
spectacular. Equally breathtaking is the view from the
resort’s well-appointed rooms that all look out on the
horseshoe beach with sand as soft as sugar.
Most of the rooms have been brought up to modern
standards but securing one of the 61 rooms at the legHQGDU\SURSHUW\ZLWKWKH¿QHGLQLQJUHSXWDWLRQLVQHYHU
easy. In the past 10 years, the owners have invested
about $10 million U.S. putting a fresh new face on the
resort affectionately known locally as the “Pink Lady,”
with a lot of emphasis being placed on upgrading bathrooms.
All the rooms come with plaques bearing lyrical names and our junior suite, high on a cliff at the
32
July 2014
to East
As ia .
A colourfu l blend of culture and places.
From idylli c countrysi des to bustl ing cit ies, E ast A sia exu des a c harming
appeal that’s hard to resist. W hether it’s mouth- wateri ng local cuisine or
remains of ancient magnifi cent monuments, Ea st As ia offers plenty to
#BMJt#BOg kokt#FJKJOHt Chongqing t Guangzh outHanoJtHo Chi Minh Ci ty
Hong KoOHt Jakar tBtKuala Lumpurt.BOJMBt Osa kBtPhnom PFOItPhu ket
SeouMt4IBOHIBJt4Jn gaporFt Tokyo t Yangon
Launching soon Chengd u
For more information, please visit qatarair ways.com
33 July 2014
“#1 Resort in Bermuda, Turks and Caicos, and the Bahamas.”
Condé Nast Traveler Reader’s Choice Award, 2013 & 2014
800.742.2008
thereefs.com
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amused as others try to conquer the paddle boards supplied at the recreational centre.
Information
• Most of the guests at The Reefs hail from the U.S. but Canadians now account for
about 15 per cent of the resort’s clientele. That’s because Canadians have better lift
to Bermuda with Air Canada and WestJet.
• %HUPXGDLVMXVWDKRXUÀLJKWIURP7RURQWR
• The Reefs has recently added a luxury residence property next to the hotel which
offers a timeshare-type schemes.
• The Reefs is a 4-star-plus property and its limited inventory of rooms and 5-star
service makes it one of the most sought-after resorts on Bermuda and the prices
UHÀHFWWKDWKLJKHQGUHSXWDWLRQ+RZHYHUWKHUHVRUWRIIHUVJUHDWRIIVHDVRQUDWHV
• The Reefs is in walking distance of the legendary Fairmont Southampton and its
highly-rated 9-hole executive golf courses.
• For information and rates on The Reefs, go to www.thereefs.com
eastern end of the property, afforded us remarkable
views of the black volcanic coast. In the evening, we
toasted an active day of swimming, snorkelling and
sunbathing with a local cocktail on our terrace while
watching the sun dip into the sea.
“I hope our ‘sandboni’ didn’t wake you this morning?” says Dodwell, referring to the Zamboni-like
machine that cleans the beach early each day before
guests start arriving to soak up the sun. The Reefs’
beach, by the way, is a guests-only facility and the
crystal-clear shallow water that laps the shore is perfect for young families.
After watching the gorgeous sunset from our terUDFH ZH ZDON DORQJ ÀRZHUOLQHG SDWKV WR UHDFK
Ocean Echo, one of the Reefs’ excellent restaurants.
The resort’s playful beachside Coconuts is one of
Bermuda’s most popular dining spots but was closed
during our visit.
The Ocean Echo is aptly named. Guests are serenaded by the lovely sound of the waves crashing
against the surrounding rocks while enjoying classic
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few hours earlier offshore.
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freshly caught snapper with the spicy sake reduction
and the crispy pork belly we enjoyed was Michelinstar worthy and the Papaya Crème Brûlée was the
perfect ending to the perfect meal.
After meals, guests usually drift into the pub-style
bar off the main dining room and listen to local performers while engaging in lively discussions with
the bar staff.
“Our best known bartender was Fonte Davis,”
remembers Dodwell with a heavy heart. “Fonte
passed away suddenly recently but he was a legend
with guests. Even if you hadn’t been to The Reefs
in years, Fonte would always remember what you
ordered on your previous visit. He was remarkable.”
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the “remarkable” description and their genuinely
hospitable nature make a stay here an experience of
a lifetime. No wonder this resort has lots of “likes”
on Facebook.
The hotel’s spa is staffed by experienced therapists
and comes complete with a treatment menu usually
reserved for much bigger facilities. The quiet room
overlooking the property’s beach where guests wait
before their treatment gets you in a relaxed frame of
mind before the therapist arrives.
Like most buildings in Bermuda, The Reefs’ facade is painted a candy-colour and its pink exterior
blends in magically with the turquoise sea and lush
greenery surrounding the property. The boutique
Reefs, which is best described as Bermuda chic, has
received accolades from almost every major travel
publication — Conde Nast, Travel&Leisure and
Forbes among them — and is always rated among
the Top 5 properties in Bermuda.
The Reefs is a indeed family resort that treats everyone like family. •
35 July 2014
36
July 2014
MARC ATCHISON PHOTO
Blowing off some
STEAM while on a
WHISTLE stop in Toronto
An American writer uncorks a hidden gem
at the base of the city’s landmark CN Tower
By Karen Asp
TraveLife Contributor
T
ORONTO — The CN Tower might be this city’s
most famous landmark, but it doesn’t hold a whistle,
er, candle to Toronto’s hidden gem: Steam Whistle
Brewing. Some might say that the brewery’s location in the historic John St. Roundhouse should
vault Steam Whistle to the top of the city’s attractions list. After
DOOWKH5RXQGKRXVHZDVEXLOWLQDVD&DQDGLDQ3DFL¿F5DLOway steam locomotive repair facility. It closed in 1988 and sat
empty for about 10 years before Steam Whistle moved in. Steam
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It’s not just the building, though, but the brewery itself that has
a unique story. After all, only by visiting Steam Whistle can you
say you’ve been to the sole North American brewery to produce
just one beer, a pilsner so beloved it’s now as much a part of the
Canadian culture as maple syrup.
In fact, although Steam Whistle is distributed coast-to-coast in
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WKHRQO\SODFH\RX¶OO¿QG6WHDP:KLVWOH
And if you’re an environmental-minded cerevisaphile, there’s
another reason to love this brewery. Steam Whistle, which produces about 150,000 barrels per year (the equivalent of about
417,000 bottles per week), is Canada’s greenest brewery.
Need more convincing to visit? Perhaps the free sample will be
PHOTOS COURTESY STEAM WHISTLE
Steam Whistle Brewery and its famous water tower sit
in the shadow of Toronto’s landmark CN Tower and
both make Canada’s largest city very proud.
37
July 2014
enough to drive you in. Or in my case, walk in from my “home”
base at the Fairmont Royal York Hotel.
It’s not only a Friday afternoon but also a sweltering summer
day when I visit, which may explain why the brewery is packed.
I have no problem scoring my free sample, though, and I love
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of Stella Artois, which along with Heineken, is Steam Whistle’s
main competition.
The beer is also as natural as natural can be.
“Our environmental platform begins with the beer,” says Sybil
Taylor, communications director, who leads me on a tour.
In Canada, breweries are allowed to put any one of 100-plus ingredients in beer, but Steam Whistle uses only four: spring water,
malted barley, German hops and yeast.
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RI*02VJHQHWLFDOO\PRGL¿HGRUJDQLVPV6WHDP:KLVWOHZDV
WKH¿UVW&DQDGLDQEUHZHU\WRDFKLHYHWKLV
I’ve toured many breweries, but as I walk through Steam Whistle (tours are offered every day except Christmas and New Year’s
Day), it’s clear this brewery is in a class of its own. Not only
is it impeccably clean, in an odd way, it’s also one of the most
beautiful, thanks in large part to the many windows that allow
natural light to stream in. The brewery also features artwork by
up-and-coming artists. When I mention this to Sybil, she offers
an interesting analogy.
“It’s like the Willy Wonka of beer factories,” she says.
Not only does beer alone inspire everybody to be in a good
mood, the brewery also offers a full-sensory experience.
“You get to see the natural ingredients being transformed into
an award-winning craft brew, feel the heat of the brewhouse,
VPHOO WKH EUHDG\ DURPDV RI WKH EDUOH\ DQG ÀRUDO DURPDV RI WKH
hops, hear the bottles moving along the conveyors and taste our
pilsner fresh off the line,” says Sybil.
What quickly becomes apparent, though, is just how darned
green this brewery is. For instance, when Steam Whistle installed
a new brewhouse in 2008, it cut its water waste output by a third.
The steam coming off the top of the brewing vessels is captured
and used to produce all of the brewery’s hot water needs, and 100
per cent of the electricity used by the brewery comes from renewable sources like wind and low-impact hydro generators.
In addition, Steam Whistle diverts about 95 per cent of its waste
DZD\IURPODQG¿OOV+RZ"$Q\RUJDQLFZDVWHLVFRPSRVWHGDQG
any food left over from the hundreds of events the brewery hosts
each year is sent to a local street mission or women’s shelter.
The brewery also encourages employees to engage in “clean air”
commuting, using either bike paths or commuter trains to arrive
and depart from work.
And then there’s the green bottle, which contains 30 per cent
more glass than standard beer bottles and can be reused up to 45
to 50 times before breaking.
There are two things you need to notice on the bottle. First, the
born-on date, which includes month, day and year. Steam Whistle
actually considers any bottle over three months not to be fresh.
The other? The “3FG” insignia inscribed on the front of every
bottle.
Some inside scoop: The brewery was the brainchild of three
guys who had all lost their jobs. They decided to open a brewery, which they initially named Three Fired Guys (3FG) Brewery.
The name didn’t stick— later, the founders stumbled upon Steam
Whistle when they envisioned putting a whistle on top of the
brewery to signal the day’s end and ultimately, time for a reward
The copper kettles where
the famous Steam Whistle
pilsner is brewed gleam as
natural light bounces off
them. The pilsner is carefully
watched over by brewmaster
Marek Mikunda, left, before
bar girl Shannon pulls a
pint and serves it up to the
many visitors the Canadian
brewery gets each year.
in the form of good craft beer — but the insignia did. And yes, the
brewery does boast a steam whistle, which you can pull. (If you
do, make sure you give it a hearty tug.)
Yet one question is nagging me. I know the brewery’s mantra
is “Do one thing really, really well,” but seriously, why just one
beer?
“We believe that if you focus on one thing, you can perfect it
and become a true expert, like an Olympic athlete who forsakes
all else in life to become a world champion,” Sybil says. “We
want to become the pilsner expert and make our pilsner better
and better.”
My take? The only way Steam Whistle could get better is if
I could buy it in the States where I live. Until then, follow my
strategy and bring a bigger suitcase. •
39 July 2014
40
July 2014
A Tale of
2 cities and 1 boy
While Toronto and Montreal are bitter rivals, a young man named Noah
finds that Canada’s two biggest cities are united in their love of hockey
Noah sits in a replica Montreal Canadiens dressing room, left,
and checks out Leafs’ memorablia at the Hockey Hall of Fame.
Getting to meet Canadiens’ mascot Youppi was one of the
many highlights Noah enjoyed on his trip to Montreal.
STORIES & PHOTOS BY MIRIAM PORTER
A WEEKEND IN TORONTO
N
A WEEKEND IN MONTREAL
OAH stares in bewilderment as I
pack his dolphin bathing suit next
to his snow pants. I explain several
times to my 7-year-old that we are
going on a fun “staycation” in our
own city. He keeps asking if I’m sure I didn’t make
a mistake and we’re in fact going back to the Bahamas.
Poor kid. He’s lived in Toronto his entire life, but
there is so much of the city he hasn’t seen, so my
goal is to visit parts of Toronto we don’t normally
see.
This year Toronto celebrates its 180th anniversary and is proudly the most multicultural city in
D
Continued on next page
Continued on page 45
OZENS of laughing children are runQLQJDIWHUKXJHÀRDWLQJEXEEOHV0\
son Noah is among the mix of locals
and tourists chasing the super-suds
along Place Jacques-Cartier.
Tiny hands gleefully squish the bubbles faster
than the man with the biggest bubble wand I’ve
ever seen frees them into the sunlight.
As I stand watching the happy confusion, I overhear two middle-aged women contemplating if
they are too old to jump for bubbles.
“Go for it,” I tell them and seconds later they
are running with the giggling children chasing the
bubbles.
41 July 2014
Noah goes out on the
edge at the CN Tower.
the world with more than 130 languages and dialects spoken. I
ZDQWWRLQWURGXFH1RDKWRWKHPDQ\QHLJKERXUKRRGVWKDWUHÀHFW
our city’s amazing diversity.
So, we hop on the subway and head downtown to check into the
kid-friendly Eaton Chelsea Hotel — Canada’s largest with 1,590
guest rooms and a favourite with its smallest guests because of its
indoor corkscrew water slide.
As the sleek silver subway car rumbles under the city, Noah
decides it will take eight stops before we reach our “staycation”
destination. Noah asks with a twinkle in his eyes: “I wonder what
Toronto is like?”
When we enter the recently renovated lobby, Noah is instantly
fascinated by what appears to be a jungle growing out of a wall.
Tracy Ford, the hotel’s public relations director explains the hoWHO¶Vµ1HGODZ/LYLQJ:DOO¶KDVEHHQVFLHQWL¿FDOO\SURYHQWRFOHDQ
air because it breaks down pollutants and returns clean fresh air to
the occupied space, in this case, the hotel lobby.
7UDF\WHOOVXVDERXWWKHKRWHO¶V¿YHUHVWDXUDQWVDQGORXQJHVWKH
Family Fun Zone, where Noah falls in love with two rabbits —
Marble and Dash — and a Teen Lounge.
Toronto has an awesome waterfront and in summer we visit
Queen’s Quay, Harbourfront and the Toronto Islands frequently.
%XWLW¶VZLQWHUQRZVRRXU¿UVWVWRSLVWKH&17RZHUZKHUHLW¶V
warm and we get amazing views of the frozen city.
Toronto’s iconic landmark was built in 1976 and for a long time
was the world’s tallest freestanding structure. In 1995, the CN
42
July 2014
7RZHUZDVHYHQFODVVL¿HGDVRQHRIWKH³6HYHQ:RQGHUVRIWKH
Modern World” by the American Society of Civil Engineers.
It’s actually a telecommunications hub but also has three resWDXUDQWV DQ RXWGRRU ORRNRXW D JODVV ÀRRU WKH LQVDQHO\ VFDU\
Edgewalk and a Skypod level, 33 stories higher than where we’re
standing.
My heart stops momentarily when Noah shouts, “I’m jumping
RQWKHJODVVÀRRU´7KHYLHZIURPWKH6N\SRGLVVSHFWDFXODUDQG
it’s hard to get Noah to leave the glass enclosed pod but there are
other wonders our city has to offer, so let’s go!
We, like true Canadians, love hockey and because Toronto is
home of the Hockey Hall of Fame (Front and Yonge Sts.) we
head over to see the hockey shrine — Noah is rocking his Toronto
Maple Leafs jersey.
Before reaching the lovely old bank building where the Hall is
located, though, I treat Noah to some of Toronto’s famed street
food. A food truck serves up some of the tastiest French fries
we’ve ever devoured.
Once inside the great Hall, I wonder if I’ll ever get Noah to
leave. He’s mesmerized by the largest collection of hockey memorabilia in the world and delights in sitting in an authentic dressing room (his blue Leafs’ jersey stands out against the tricolour
Canadiens uniforms in the replica Montreal room), takes shots
at a net, searches for photos of his favourite players and is bewildered by the glistening Stanley Cup, which is encased like a
crown jewel.
I’ve scored big by including the Hall in our staycation tour.
The next day after enjoying a delicious vegan breakfast at the
Eaton Chelsea, I inform Noah we are taking the City Sightseeing
bus tour, which we join at Yonge-Dundas Square, the city’s new
ultra-modern gathering spot across form the iconic Eaton Centre
(the world-famous enclosed shopping mall is actually the most
visited tourist attraction in the city).
We board our yellow trolley and meet tourists from London,
Germany and Florida. We hear many different languages being
spoken and meet some fellow Torontonians who, like us, are using this tour to get to know their city better.
Our friendly guide, Thomas, is a wealth of information. Toronto’s motto is “Diversity is our Strength,” Thomas booms over the
microphone. I had no idea. This this is going to be an educational
tour for me. Noah is wide-eyed as the trolley passes through Toronto’s diverse neighbourhoods: Little Italy, Chinatown, Queen
St. West, the Distillery District, the Beach and the Church St.
district, where Canada’s largest LGBQT community lives.
My personal favourite is Kensington Market, where you can
¿QG HYHU\WKLQJ IURP YLQWDJH FORWKLQJ VWRUHV 1+/ MHUVH\V DUH
super cheap), organic produce, alternative shops and delicious
HWKQLFUHVWDXUDQWV²WKHVZHHWSRWDWRGDWHPXI¿QDW8UEDQ+HUbivore was amazing.
Toronto’s diversity really comes through in its restaurants —
there are Greek restaurants on Danforth Ave., Japanese sushi in
Yorkville at Sushi Inn, and authentic Italian pizza and pasta in
Little Italy (Terroni is amazing). Our favourite is Fresh (with
multiple locations) which specializes in healthy modern veggie
food. Noah’s preferred meal at Fresh is the blueberry pancakes
for weekend brunch and I would never turn down the tempeh
Florentine.
When the trolley rumbles to a stop at the Royal Ontario Museum, Noah and I rush to the dinosaur section where we stare in
wonderment at the skeletons of these creatures that roamed the
earth millions of years ago.
The museum’s exhibitions on the prehistoric worlds of Greece,
China and Egypt (Noah is especially fascinated with the “mommies”) and bravely enters the bat cave, a realistic depiction of a
cave in Jamaica with 800 realistic bats.
Our trolley passes Casa Loma, where days earlier we toured the
gothic revival-styled castle that is now a popular museum. We
were greeted by European elegance and learn that this was the
IRUPHUKRPHRI¿QDQFLHU6LU+HQU\3HOODWW&RQVWUXFWLRQEHJDQ
in 1911 and was completed three years later. There are 98 rooms,
secret passages, towers, gardens, stables and, Noah’s favourite, a
300-metre-long underground tunnel. Weeks later, Noah still talks
about the haunted ghost stories that were whispered to us during
our tour.
Halfway through our bus tour, I become Noah’s private guide
and talk about my life in Toronto.
In Yorkville (Toronto’s Rodeo Drive) I point out the clothing
VWRUHWKDWKLUHGPHDWWKHDFDGHP\ZKHUH,OHDUQHGVLJQODQJXDJHWKHVWUHHWZKHUHRXUVWUD\FDWZDVIRXQGDQG0W6LQDL
Hospital, where Noah was born.
We wake early on the last day of our staycation and the Canadian men’s Olympic hockey game is about to begin. Noah begs
me to watch the game from the lobby where dozens are gathered.
I cover up my pajamas with a sweatshirt and order a Starbucks
coffee from the hotel’s Market Garden. We watch the game surrounded by energetic and patriotic guests. I’m wide awake by
The pre-historic residents
at the Royal Ontario
Museum were a real
thrill for Noah but an
even bigger thrill was
joining in the celebration
of Canada’s gold medal
Olympic hockey win
with thousands of other
Torontonians in the city’s
famed Dundas Square.
the end of the third period when Canada claims the gold medal.
Everyone cheers wildly and we hear cars honking outside the
hotel.
We race onto Yonge St. and walk to Dundas Square where hundreds of happy fans are celebrating. Maple Leafs jerseys are worn
by every ethnicity imaginable and the square is a sea of Canadian
ÀDJV,UHDOL]HWKDWGLYHUVLW\WUXO\LV7RURQWR¶VVWUHQJWK
After an awesome weekend, Sunday night creeps up too soon.
I tell Noah it’s time to go home. He looks at me and says, “but
Mommy we are home, this is our city. We never left.” •
• For more information on Toronto go to www.seetorontonow.com
• Eaton Chelsea: www.eatonchelsea.com or call 1-800-243-5732
43 July 2014
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Noah and mom share a hug at the top of Mont-Royal, which offers some
spectacular views and also enjoyed a bubble show in Old Montreal.
So impressed with the mock Montreal Canadiens dressing
room he saw at the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto, Noah insists
that we come here in search of French Canadian hockey players.
Little did we know that Montreal is one of the most kid-friendly
cities in North America. If you have any doubt, just come to Place
Jacques-Cartier and see the kids chasing the bubble man.
The handsome square is the main meeting point in Vieux-Montreal, the oldest part of this 17th century city. Named after the
French explorer who discovered Canada, Place Jacques-Cartier is
VXUURXQGHGE\ORWVRI¿HOGVWRQHEXLOGLQJVDQGWKHQDUURZVWUHHWV
leading off it are home to some of Montreal’s best restaurants.
Noah takes a brief break from bubble-smashing to enjoy a true
French Canadian delicacy – thick maple syrup drizzled over ice
and rolled on a stick. The $3 treat from Cabane A Sucre brings a
sweet smile to Noah’s face and the owner tells us he’s been operating at this location for more than 20 years.
The maple syrup is boiled right from the tree with nothing added, so hungry patrons enjoy the pure taste. Next to us, a street
performer belts out “Hallelujah” while playing guitar. We give
him some change and continue on our way. But before leaving
Old Montreal we enjoy a delicious pizza at Bevo Bar and Pizzeria
RQ5XH6DLQW9LQFHQW±WKHZRRG¿UHRYHQDGGVWRWKHLUDXWKHQWLF
meals.
With full tummies, we hop on Montreal’s Metro, and head for
the renowned Science Centre where Noah explores science and
technology through interactive devices in the kid’s discovery
area.
We check out the temporary exhibit, the Caves of Lascaux (on
until Sept. 14 this year), where we step back in time to discover
the Cro-Magnon era.
The Science Centre also boasts an IMAX theatre, and I insist
we watch the French version of Galapagos in 3D. After all, Noah
attends a French immersion school in Toronto, so this will be educational. The movie’s images are spectacular, but I don’t underVWDQGDVLQJOHZRUGP\KLJKVFKRRO)UHQFKLVRIOLWWOHKHOSKHUH
As the credits roll, though, Noah exclaims, “That was awesome, I understood the whole thing!”
Afterwards, we explore Parc Mont Royal – a forest right in the
heart of the city. No matter the season, tourists make it a point to
come here to get a spectacular view of this sprawling metropolis.
The park that wraps around the mountain was designed by Frederick Law Olmsted, who also co-designed New York’s Central
Park.
45 July 2014
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It’s the weekend before Noah’s 8th birthday so we celebrate with a special dinner at Aux Vivres on Rue SaintLaurent. This vegan restaurant boasts delicious organic
SURWHLQV IUHVK ORFDOO\ JURZQ YHJJLHV DQG QR DUWL¿FLDO
preservatives in their wide assortment of salads, bowls
and burgers. Noah makes a wish and blows out a candle
on top of the best chocolate apple cake we have ever
tasted.
The next day we hop back on the Metro and head over
to the Rio Tinto Alcan Planetarium and learn about our
solar system. We lie back in comfy seats and watch
stars, planets and entire galaxies whiz past us at ferocious speed.
Noah is in awe at how big the universe is and my
hockey-obsessed son curiously asks, “If there are aliens
out there I wonder if they play hockey?” We explore the
multi-media exhibit and Noah operates a robot on the
surface of Mars and examines the largest collection of
meteorites in Quebec.
After our out-of-this-world experience, we decide to
learn about plant life at the Montreal’s award-winning
Botanical Gardens. On our walk up the hill, we pass
the famed Olympic Stadium, where Montreal hosted
the 1976 Summer Games. Noah excitedly hops onto the
podium and pretends to accept his gold medal … for
hockey, of course.
The Botanical Gardens have a collection of 22,000
plant species, 20 gardens, and 10 exhibition greenhouses spread over 75 hectares. After seeing more exotic plants than we’ve ever seen before, we end up in
DJUHHQKRXVHDPRQJWKRXVDQGVRIEXWWHUÀLHV7KH%XWWHUÀLHV*R)UHHH[KLELWLVVHDVRQDO)HEUXDU\WR$SULO
DQGWKHPDLQJUHHQKRXVHLVWUDQVIRUPHGLQWRDEXWWHUÀ\
sanctuary. These gorgeous creatures represent every colour of the rainbow and land right on happy visitors.
We learn about the mysterious chrysalis process and the
magical transformation these creatures make from catHUSLOODUVWREXWWHUÀLHV
But let’s not forget the reason we came to Montreal in
WKH¿UVWSODFH
It’s NHL playoff season and locals are proudly wearLQJWKHLU&DQDGLHQV¶MHUVH\VFDUVGULYHE\ZLWKÀXWWHULQJ
&DQDGLHQVÀDJVDQGHYHU\RQHLVWDONLQJDERXWKRFNH\
Hockey is a religion in Montreal and the storied Canadiens, winners of more Stanley Cups than any other
NHL franchise, are revered by everyone. The Toronto
Maple Leafs are the enemy, so we make sure Noah’s
Leafs jersey is well hidden under his winter coat.
As we walk along Rue Sainte-Catherine, Noah suddenly lets out a glorious yell.
“Look Mommy, it’s Youppi!” he shouts and runs off
to hug the Canadiens’ famous mascot like he’s a longlost friend.
Within minutes, Noah has a hockey stick in his hand
and is playing with Youppi and some local kids.
It’s truly a magical moment for my hockey-loving
son. Suddenly, in the quiet streets of Montreal, Noah
screams SCORE!!
Finally, some French I understand. •
• For information on Montreal go to: www.tourisme-montreal.org
and www.bonjourquebec.com
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New Brunswick is simply
GRAND
Carol Perehudoff and some friends discover tranquil
beauty of Grand Manan Island on a paddling outing
48
July 2014
Kayakers slip out into Seal Cove as
the sun rises over Grand Manan Island. New Brunswick treasured island
ZKHUH¿VKHUPHQFDVWWKHLUQHWVDQG
KDXOLQDULFKKDUYHVWRI¿VKLVRQHRI
the most delightful places to visit.
CAROL PEREHUDOFF PHOTOS
49
July 2014
Lazy days spent looking out on the endless beauty that surrounds
Grand Manan Island or walking along its unspoiled beaches are just a
few of the things that draw people to this New Brunswick treasure.
Writer’s kayaking
adventure on island
almost turns into a
wet T-shirt contest
By Carol Perehudoff
TraveLife Contributor
G
RAND MANAN ISLAND, N.B. — It’s not every
day you go sea kayaking in the Bay of Fundy with
your bikini top stuffed with toilet paper. And no,
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minke whales that frolic through the bay, or even
Ryan, our buff-looking guide.
When I’d arrived last night on Grand Manan Island, a 90-minute ferry ride off the southern coast of mainland New Brunswick, I’d discovered that one of the foam pads in my bathing
suit top was missing. (Why the heck don’t they sew those things
in?) And mindful of a steady rain falling as our kayaking group
assembled at Seal Cove on the lower east side of the island, I
didn’t feel like turning my sea kayaking adventure into a wet
T-shirt contest.
Not that it proved to be a problem.
“It can get cold out on the bay,” warned Alison, a fellow kay-
50
July 2014
aker and New Brunswick local, so I added a long-sleeved top,
two hooded rain jackets and an extra brimmed rain hat before
GHHPLQJP\VHDND\DNLQJRXW¿WFRPSOHWH
The bay was a steely green as we paddled past the breakwater,
the sky a thick grey. Behind us stood a cluster of 54 wooden
buildings built mainly between 1870 and 1930, grey and red
herring smokehouses and sheds that resembled — to this prairie
girl’s eye — big barns on stilts.
Now a National Historic Site, the smokehouses are a poignant reminder of Grand Manan’s past as the largest supplier of
smoked herring in the world.
“It won’t look the same when we come back because of the
tides,” Alison said, paddling alongside me and my kayaking
partner, Mark, a sporty-looking Montrealer who seemed less
than enthusiastic about having a partner.
“I wanted a single kayak,” he told me. “But there weren’t any
left.”
,W¶VWKHRXW¿W,WKRXJKW,VKRXOGQ¶WKDYHDGGHGWKHH[WUDKDW
But I like to be prepared for the worst kind of weather. Evidently so did the explorer Samuel de Champlain, who sought
Carol in her kayak.
Information
Getting there: Ferries for Grand Manan depart from Blacks Harbour on the mainland.
Where to eat: The Dining Room at the Inn at Whale Cove. Located
1 km up Whistle Road.
Where to sleep: Shorecrest Lodge, 100 Route 776, Grand Manan.
Adventure High offers Sea kayaking tours, 83 Route 776, Grand
Manan.
)RU PRUH LQIR RQ 1HZ %UXQVZLFN YLVLW WKH RI¿FLDO 7RXULVP 1HZ
Brunswick
shelter on tiny White Head Island just off Grand Manan during
a storm in 1606.
According to a pamphlet I picked up at my B&B, it was
Champlain himself who added the ‘Grand’ to the island’s original name of mananook given by the local Maliseet, Passamaquoddy and Penobscot people.
At 24 kilometres long and 10 kilometres, the island might not
appear as ‘grand’ as its name suggests, but it’s the largest of
New Brunswick’s Fundy Islands and a popular destination for
those who love the outdoors.
With Mark steering from the back, we passed beaches, neat
clapboard houses and fences decorated with buoys. The coastline looked tame, but Grand Manan, half volcanic and half sedimentary rock, has two faces. The western side of the island is
rugged and wild, with hiking trails winding through thick Acadian Forest and waves crashing against jagged cliffs.
“A good place to crash your kayak,” Alison said.
“Um, we’re not going there, right?” I asked.
“No.” She laughed.
“Good.” I’m all for drama in nature but I prefer to enjoy it
from shore – and whether experienced by water or land, there is
plenty of nature to enjoy.
Laid-back Grand Manan is a destination for beach lovers,
birdwatchers, whale watchers and boaters, and for those who
prefer B&Bs and cottages to 5-star hotels.
Its get-away-from-it-all feel has attracted a long list of fans
over the decades, including author Willa Cather, who summered
at Grand Manan’s Whale Cove throughout the 1920s and ‘30s
in a cottage that can still be rented today.
I should rent it and write novels, I think, plunging my paddle
in water.
Or take up painting and bird watching like the well-known
naturalist John James Audubon, who documented the island’s
plentiful birdlife in 1833.
$VWKHUDLQLQWHQVL¿HV,VWDUWIHHOLQJOHVVOLNHDQDUWLVWHDQG
more like Champlain scanning the coastline for shelter. I have
to admit, however, that under my many layers I’m warm and
dry and there is yet a wave (or a whale) to be seen. Relaxing, I
settle into the rhythm of paddling, breathing in the fresh salt air
and listening to the patter of the rain. •
51 July 2014
MARC ATCHISON PHOTOS
7KH3HDUO7RZHUOHIWZDVWKH¿UVWDUFKLWHFWXUDOZRQGHUWRULVHDERYH3XGRQJEXWVLQFHWKHQPDQ\
RWKHULPSUHVVLYHVWUXFWXUHVKDYHEHHQHUHFWHGPDNLQJ&KLQD¶V¿QDQFLDOFDSLWDORQHRIWKHPRVW
impressive cities in the world. The Shanghai Tower, far right on opposite page, is the latest addition.
PUDONG
China’s Towering Success
Sky’s the limit for the ‘other’ Shanghai
as it becomes country’s economic capital
By Marc Atchison
Editor-in-Chief
P
UDONG, CHINA — The closest most foreigners
get to this futuristic city, whose skyline looks like it
MXPSHGRIIWKHSDJHVRIDVFL¿FRPLFERRNLVIURP
the observation boardwalk on the Shanghai side of
the Huangpu River.
Visitors are fascinated by the jungle of glass and concrete
towers that sit across the river in an area designated as a “special
economic zone” by the Chinese government. Buildings come
in every geometric shape imaginable and stretch to dizzying
heights — many Pudong skyscrapers exceed 100 storeys.
The tourists snap photographs of Pudong’s iconic Oriental
Pearl Tower, the communications marvel shaped like a ChristPDVWUHHRUQDPHQWWKDW¿UVWEURXJKWZRUOGZLGHDWWHQWLRQWRWKLV
architectural wonderland when it opened in 1994.
52
July 2014
53
July 2014
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But because Pudong is void of the charming colonial neighbourhoods that make Shanghai such a joy to tour, few tourists feel
the need to cross the river and explore the modern wonder that
only 15 years ago was farmland.
They don’t know what they’re missing.
Enticed by the prospect of “walking” under the Huangpu River through a 647-metre-long pedestrian tunnel, I decide to visit
Pudong one sunny autumn morning. However, as I discover, you
don’t really “walk” in the tunnel, you hop on an airport-style
people mover and are entertained with blinking lights and lots of
historic photos as you’re pulled along.
Children seem to enjoy the experience more than I do, which
is why I make the return voyage to Shanghai aboard a ferry that
costs just two yuan (about 25 cents). The tunnel experience costs
45 yuan (about $7.50 Cdn.)
I emerge from the tunnel at the foot of the Pearl Tower, which
is the third tallest in the world and one of China’s most photographed landmarks. A small park fans out from the base of the
tower and leads to a riverside promenade offering some spectacular views of Shanghai’s historic Bund — the avenue lined with
FRORQLDORI¿FHEXLOGLQJVWKDW3XGRQJUHSODFHGDV&KLQD¶VFDSLWDO
RI¿QDQFH
Joggers and some elderly women practising tai chi join me on
WKHSURPHQDGHOLQHGZLWKÀRZHUEHGVUHVWDXUDQWVDQGFDIHV²
this is where the ferry dock is also located. With the rising sun
bouncing off the glass towers, turning Pudong into a giant crystal
chandelier, I begin my tour by walking through a small park and
onto Lujiazui Ring Road where the entrance to the Pearl Tower
is located.
2QRQHVLGHRIWKHVWUHHWRI¿FHZRUNHUVDUHKXUU\LQJWRWKHLU
jobs while on the other guards are readying the grounds of the
Pearl Tower and neighbouring Shanghai Aquarium for another
busy day — both are very popular with domestic tourists.
I follow Lujiazui until it drifts into Century Avenue, Pudong’s
main thoroughfare. The busy street that’s always clogged with
cars and trucks is a tourist attraction in itself. Designed by the
French, Century Avenue features eight botanical gardens containLQJPRUHWKDQSODQWVDQGÀRZHUVDQGLQVWHDGRIVLGHZDONV
designers built a system of overhead walkways that take pedesWULDQVWRDPXOWLWXGHRIRI¿FHWRZHUVDQGVKRSSLQJPDOOVZLWKRXW
ever having to cross the busy street.
From the overhead walkway I get the best views of the skyscrapers and Pearl Tower and can see more of the architectural
details each building offers. While most buildings stand pencil
straight, some lean and others curve and others even have holes
and squares cut into them. There are more than 20,000 high-rise
buildings in Pudong that stand 11 storeys or higher and 1,000 of
those exceed 30 storeys.
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ZLWKLWVJODVVVNLQ$VLJQLGHQWL¿HVWKHLPSUHVVLYHHGL¿FHDVWKH
Shanghai Tower, which, when completed, will be the second tallest in the world next to Dubai’s Burj Khalifa.
Shanghai Tower’s spiral design is what impresses most and I’m
not surprised to read later it’s already earned several architectural
awards. When topped off, the Tower will stand 632 metres — 121
storeys in total.
The Tower is stands next to two other impressive skyscrapers
that have also earned high architectural praise — the Shanghai
World Financial Centre (WFC) and Jin Mao Tower.
The WFC rises 100 storeys (492 metres) into the sky and is
3XGRQJ¶VVK\KLJKEXLOGLQJVFRPHLQPDQ\VKDSHVDQGVRPHOLNHWKHRI¿FH
towers above, actually curve at the top.
home to the ultra-luxurious 174 room Park Hyatt Hotel, which
holds the distinction of being the second highest hotel in the
world. The world’s highest hotel, Grand Hyatt, is located in the
WFC’s neighbour, the Jin Mao Tower, whose 88 storey postmodern design draws heavily on traditional Chinese architecture in its
shape — a tiered pagoda.
While they may stand on the Pudong side of the Huangpu River, most of the buildings are christened with “Shanghai” in their
names (we must admit that “Shanghai Tower” sounds better than
“Pudong Tower.”)
Other buildings that are eye candy for architectural buffs like
me are the 60-storey Shimao International Plaza, whose upper 48
ÀRRUVDUHKRPHWRWKHURRP/H5R\DO0HULGLHQ+RWHODQG
the Shanghai Wheelock Square, which features a large shopping
arcade.
Most of the skyscrapers, in fact, feature shopping plazas at their
base and the occupants are the Who’s Who of the upscale fashion
world — Gucci, Prada, Hermes, Valentino, Tom Ford and Chanel,
just to name drop a few.
%XWLW¶VUHDOO\WKHPLOOLRQVTXDUHPHWUHVRISULPHRI¿FHVSDFH
that lure companies to China’s new economic capital. Pudong is
also where Shanghai’s international airport is located, a massive
complex that handles about 50 million passengers a year.
In 2016, Disney will open a new theme park in Pudong, near
the site of the 2010 World Expo, which was unquestionably the
biggest and best world’s fair ever held. Some of the impressive
buildings that were featured at Expo remain open to tourists.
At the end of my tour, I take a high speed elevator to the top of
the Shanghai IFC building where the amazing new Ritz-Carlton
Hotel is located. From the hotel’s outdoor terrace, I get a bird’seye view of Shanghai, the Bund and the Huangpu, which in the
ODWH DIWHUQRRQ LV FURZGHG ZLWK VORZPRYLQJ EDUJHV ¿OOHG ZLWK
coal.
It’s a beautiful view but the only problem is, from this vantage
point, I can’t see the towering wonders of Pudong. •
55 July 2014
56
July 2014
MARK DIMITROFF PHOTOS
Tackling Antigua’s Mighty
HERCULES
Mark Dimitroff gets
a special tour of this
enchanting isle with
a very special guide
S
T. JOHNS, ANTIGUA - “It’s going to be chaos today” Sean remarked as he picked us for
our full day tour. “With three cruise ships in
port it’s going to be real busy.”
Not exactly what one wants to hear as we
embarked for a private, six hour tour of the beautiful
island of Antigua. With the average cruise ship holding
over 2,000 guests, we were looking at an unlikely but
potential 6,000 people wanting to see the key sights of
Antigua on the same day. All I could think of was cattle
EDQJLQJXSDJDLQVWHDFKRWKHULQSHQV,KRSHG,ZDVQ¶W
to rue this day.
However, Sean assured us that we had no worries,
and he would use his experience and island wisdom to
HQVXUH ZH ZHUH QDYLJDWLQJ WKH VLJKWV ZLWK WKH VSHFL¿F
goal of avoiding the “cattle buses” as they’re known. We
ZHUHVWLOOQRWFRQ¿GHQWWKLVZRXOGEHWKHFDVHEXWRIIZH
went regardless.
As we left the bustling capital of St. Johns we were
immediately taken by the openness and candor of Sean.
“My life is an open book” he states. “Ask me anything
about myself or the island.”
So throughout the day we do just that, and Sean artfully mixes in island facts and history with touches of
his own tales and experiences, and answers our personal
questions just as easily as he does island ones. A good
looking native Antiguan, Sean is decked out in a fuchsia
Antigua VIP Tours shirt and looking most professional,
getting smiles and nods from local men and women
alike.
We start by heading to the local hospital which is situated high above St. Johns. This gives us perspective
overlooking town itself as Sean shows us the direction
we’ll be heading and explains our itinerary to see the
most famous and popular sights on the island.
Antigua’s imposing cliffs rise
to dizzying heights above the
azure waters and challenge
visitors to test themselves.
57
July 2014
Back in the car again, amongst the facts we learn is that Sean
LV G\VOH[LF<HW KHUH KH LV UXQQLQJ KLV VXFFHVVIXO WRXU ¿UP$V
a child he understandably had issues at school, before he was
diagnosed correctly. Later in life he did a stint in the Antiguan
military, and tells us with an impish grin and a sparkle in his eyes
how he passed the entrance exams by telling the examiner that he
forgot his glasses and couldn’t read the exam — so she took pity
on this poor boy and read him the questions, leading him to ace
the entrance exam. He learned a lot of tough lessons in his past
and is clever enough to know that being successful at his business
today depends on him keeping his customers happy and delivering superlative service. To that end, he has both standard tours
and custom tours . . . you can see exactly what you want. As Sean
says, his role is to “Be of Service”, and he is exactly that.
Betty’s Hope is our next stop, and rightly so as it best illustrates the islands history. En route, Sean tells us that Antigua was
a commercial centre for sugarcane, and he hints at the parts of the
island history that they are not so proud about: the slave trade that
ÀRXULVKHGWRVXSSO\ZRUNHUVIRUWKHPDVVLYHDQGQXPHURXVVXJarcane plantations. We arrive to two beautifully restored windmills which centre the museum buildings and associated ruins
that were the footprint and foundation of the plantation. To our
delight, we are one of only a few cars there. So far, so good.
Inside this must-see for history buffs, we learn that for 250
years Betty’s Hope was a major and prosperous sugar plantation,
supplying sugarcane, molasses and rum to Europe. We see the
beauty of the site, and at the same time learn tons about island
history, culture, sugarcane production, and are educated on the
darker side of this industry as well.
Owing to this sweet legacy, Antigua has more windmills per
58
July 2014
The likeable Sean,
left, guides visitors on
adventure tours of his
beloved Antigua and their
efforts are rewarded with
spectacular views of this
island paradise which is
famous for some unique
things like the smallish
black pineapples, like the
ones pictured below.
59 July 2014
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square kilometre than any other
sea level, was a nice, more reCaribbean island, and on our
laxing, respite. Offering specdays journey we witness this
tacular views of the island from
¿UVWKDQG WKHVH WKLPEOHOLNH
one of the highest vistas we see
windmills — both restored and
the confetti of sailing ships all
in ruins — dot the lush landscape
around the island, their pure
as if dropped by the hand of God.
whiteness effervescent in the
We visit popular Devils Bridge
tropical glow of blue ocean, unon the east coast, where the waGHU D UHÀHFWLYH FDQRS\ RI GHHS
ter has eroded the limestone rock
blue sky with white, cotton ball
away to form a natural bridge
clouds.
and blow-hole that shoots water
These postcard vistas include
up in liquid projectile jets as the
Monserrat and the island Guagiant waves crash in. Spectacudeloupe, seen behind the lower
lar, a site in and of itself, the real
harbour dotted with an endless
sideshow is watching the odd
array of sailboats lazily awaittourist like this middle aged man
ing their next adventure. The
who ventures a little too close
Shirley Heights Lookout Bar &
for that Kodak moment and gets
Restaurant is the perfect place to
drenched when the blowhole
enjoy a cooling drink and soak
lets go. Mother Nature seems to
in the sun and sights.
know just when to act, and so
From here Sean also points
did his wife who caught it all on
out Eric Clapton’s house which
camera. Treacherously slippery,
could easily be a 5- Star resort,
we take a pass on crossing and
and he schools us on Clapton’s
spend our time watching the sea
island efforts with a drug rehab
and spray show.
centre that he built and funded,
Again, few tourists - Sean tells
which we later see.
us he takes his own route so we
On our way around the island,
avoid the masses in the crowded
we get up close and personal
buses.
with local vendors and get to
Off the beaten path, and a site
try the islands infamous Black
ZHVSHFL¿FDOO\DVNHGWRVHHWKH
Pineapples (a not-really-black,
Pillars of Hercules are ruggedly
smaller, lusciously sweet cousin
beautiful and almost otherworldof the fruit you buy at your local
ly in appearance. Typically seen
grocery store) and bagged sugar
from kayaks or canoes oceanscane.
LGH ZH WDFNOH WKH GLI¿FXOW ODQG Antigua has more windmills per square kilometre than any other island
Sean has made reservations at
access route by foot through in thre Caribbean and the symbols of the past can be found everywhere.
a local restaurant, the CarIbbean
brush and trees, 30 minutes later
Taste, “an exotic native restaucoming to the end of land where
rant” where we are the only dinSean tells me we now have duck down and go under part of the ers for an authentic home cooked island meal of salted cod and a
cliff, where the water has eroded away the land over time, to get goat curry. Both excellent.
WRWKHRWKHUVLGHEXWWRGRWKDWZHKDYHWRWLPHLW³EHWZHHQWKH
Next we see Nelson’s Dockyard, where visiting well-to-do’s
waves” to try and stay dry (so much for playing it safe at Devils dock their yachts and come to wine, dine, shop and play. Keeping
Bridge, I lament).
the character of the original installation and buildings, this is a
Sean counts the waves, slowly, to time the lull best. Once. beautifully restored destination that has a little of everything for
7ZLFH7KUHHWLPHVDQGWKHQGHWHUPLQHVWKDWZHJRDIWHUWKHVHY- everyone, from history to culture to arts, crafts and Cafés overenth wave. Carrying 12 kg of camera gear, I place my trust in looking the marina, and is not to be missed. Home and headquarSean.
ters from 1784 to 1787 for Admiral Horatio Lord Nelson, this site
Successful in crossing (unsuccessful is staying completely dry) houses several Nelsonian artifacts such as his personal telescope
we then make our way further jumping from one to another gi- in the Dockyard Museum.
ant ‘stepping stones’ in order to get around a rocky outcrop and,
Before heading back to our boat, as our last stop to complete
¿QDOO\VHHWKH3LOODUVIURPWKDWSRVLWLRQ2GGO\HQRXJKWKLVZDV our tour, we visit one of Antigua’s 365 beautiful beaches, Pigeon
the ‘land access’ to The Pillars, but we’re not ‘on land’ any more Point.
as we stand on a mere two-metre wide lily-pad of a boulder 10
³7KLVLVRQHRIWKHRQO\EHDFKHV\RX¶OO¿QGZKHUHORFDOVWRXUmetres out in the ocean. Sean uses his body as a splash guard to ists and yacht owners all come together” points out Sean. “It’s
protect my camera setup as I take my ‘money shot.’
part of a protected national park and offers outstanding views of
Other than one dive boat nearby, we were completely alone and the mountains”.
in awe of the majesty of this prehistoric landscape.
As our day in paradise was coming to an end, we couldn’t have
6XUYLYLQJWKDWH[SHULHQFH6KLUOH\¶V+HLJKWVDWIHHWDERYH agreed more, chillin’ in the warm silky water. •
61 July 2014
Raising
A Glass
To
Ontario
Coach tours let visitors sample
province’s wine and hospitality
By Maggie Kao
TraveLife Staff
N
IAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE, ON — From a
perched terrace overlooking a sea of green vines
that seem to stretch to the horizon, I stare at my
lovely surroundings while sipping a glass of sweet
ice wine and think to myself, “Now this is how life
should always be.”
My idyllic respite at Ontario’s famed Peller Estates winery is
soon ended when the coach driver announces: “It’s time to move
on to our next vineyard.”
Peller Estates is just one of the stops we make during a day of
touring the wine country that surrounds quaint Niagara-on-theLake just outside the tourist mecca known as Niagara Falls.
2QWDULR¶VZLQHFRXQWU\LVHTXDOWRDQ\WKLQJ\RX¶OO¿QGLQ,WDO\
France, New Zealand or California and the Niagara area is often
62
July 2014
called the “Napa Valley of the
North.” And while maybe not
as mature as some of those other
historic wine regions, Niagara’s
growers are quickly making a
name for themselves globally
for the quality and taste of their
vintages.
Peller Estates is a perfect example — its wines have won a
number of national and international awards and the winery
has become a must stop for the
coach tours, most of which originate in Toronto, an hour’s drive
away.
Many Niagara wineries, including Peller, have added restaurants to their vineyards — the
kitchens are usually governed
by up-and-coming chefs — and
the “wine and dine” packages
they offer have become popular
options with tourists.
“Our next stop will be Southbrook Vineyard,” the driver announces to the passengers, who
don’t have to worry about drinking and driving.
Another advantage for those
staying overnight in the Niagara
area is that the coaches will pick
you up at the hotel where you’re
staying and then drop you off
after the tour ends. There’s also
lots of private wine tours on offer and hotels in the area will
arrange those for guests as well.
There are half day and full day
MAGGIE KAO PHOTOS
Weekend coach tours bring tourists to the
Niagara wine region where they wander in
vineyards thick with fruit, enjoy a glass of
the local grape, tour wineries stacked high
with wooden barrels, stroll through historic
Niagara-on-the Lake, left, and soak up the
sweet scents that hang over the gardens.
63 July 2014
While enjoying a glass of local wine from the terrace of a Niagara
restaurant, guests are afforded great views of Lake Ontario
and the history that abounds here.
tours available and many now include dining experiences —
lunch or dinner — and the menus at each of the vineyards is top
quality in every way. I especially like the friendly servers that we
meet on our day trip.
“This is the most relaxed I’ve been in weeks,” an elderly man
on the bus tells me as the driver pulls into the Southbrook entrance. The organic wines produced at Southbrook are full and
ÀDYRXUIXODQGEXUVWLQJZLWKORWVRIIUXLW\WDVWH²1LDJDUDDIWHU
all, is the fruit basket of Eastern Canada.
As the bus rumbles along the back roads to our next stop — Ravine Winery Restaurant in the small village of St. Davids — we
SDVVRUFKLGV¿OOHGZLWKDSSOHSHDFKSHDUSOXPDQGFKHUU\WUHHV
and the rolling countryside drifts off in all directions. Ravine’s
vintages are favoured by foodies across Canada and one sip tells
me why — its Riesling is especially good.
Our last stop is Trius Winery, a vineyard whose bottles are becoming increasingly popular with wine drinkers because of its
LQWHQVHIUXLW\ÀDYRXUV,WVDZDUGZLQQLQJUHVWDXUDQW²LWVFKHI
is a recipient of the 2010 Toronto Gold Plate Award — is gaining
just as much attention at the winery.
For those who don’t want to sit in a coach, there are plenty of
other options in wine country —– you can ride of horse or a bike
DFURVVWKH¿HOGVZHUHWKHJUDSHJURZVDQG,VHHVHYHUDOELNHUV
lying between the rows of vines soaking up the sun and sweet
smells that hover over this region.
As our coach slowly cruises down the main street of historic
Niagara-on-the-Lake, I watch people sitting on restaurant balconies holding glasses of wine from the local vineyards we’ve
just visited. Many of the restaurants in the town with the War of
1812 history feature local wines and their patrons are often seen
in the local licquour store purchasing bottles of Ontario wine to
take back home.
Lots of people use Niagara-in-the-Lake as their base while
touring the wine region and the local hotels — most of them
5-star quality — offer packages that include private and group
tours of the nearby vineyards.
Like many of the homes I see along the tree lined streets of
64
July 2014
this fairy-tale town, the hotels and B&Bs are designed to blend in
with the colonial brilliance of this town which once served as the
capital of Upper Canada — circa 17th Century.
My favourite area hotels in Niagara-on-the-Lake:
1- The Prince of Wales: Located on Main Street, this dollhouse
style property is chic in the extreme and its cozy rooms, restaurants and spa are all the talk of this town. It’s also located in easy
walking distance to the Shaw Festival Theatre, one of the biggest
drawing cards in Niagara-on-the-Lake.
2- Harbour House: It offers gorgeous views of Lake Ontario,
especially at sunset, from its main patio and is located close to the
town’s historic golf course where troops who fought in the War of
1812 camped out before the big battle which saw Canadian troops
hold off the invading American army.
3- The Charles or Oban inns: Both are a bit off main street but
well worth the walk. The Charles Inn looks a bit shabby from
the outside but looks can be deceiving — inside, gourmet meals
await and lots of people praise the Charles’ dining room in Trip
Advisor. The Oban Inn is especially lovely as it sits overlooking
the lake and golf course.
4- Queen’s Landing: It’s a bit more modern in design but offers
great service and its main dining room is spectacular.
5- White Oaks Conference Resort and Spa: Just off the QEW,
the main highway from Toronto leading to Niagara-on-the-Lake,
White Oaks has quickly earned a reputation for top quality everything — its indoor tennis facility may be the best in the country. A
recently opened outlet super mall right next door to White Oaks,
featuring over 100 stores, is sure to attract a lot more guests.
If you’d like to stay in fast-paced Niagara Falls — a short drive
away along the scenic Niagara Parkway — may I suggest the
quaint Sterling Inn & Spa. It’s within easy walking distance of
the Falls and the service level here is fantastic — they slip a note
under your door each evening asking what time you’d like breakfast delivered to your room next morning. It also offers a relaxing
steam room and free parking.
So let’s raiase a glass and toast Ontario’s charming wine region
— it’s only going to get better with age. •
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A trip through Germany’s
southern wine region is
enhanced when you do it in
an RV, or caravan as they are
known to Europeans. The
RVs, whose interiors resemble
a 5-star hotel room, bring you
to thre front door of the area’s
excellent wineries where
you meet vintners like Josef
Gierer, right, and Bernhard,
Prince of Baden, whose family rules Schloss Castle, where
the Queen’s hisband, Prince
Philip once attended school.
As you make your way from
one vineyard to another, you
follow a trail of vines that
swoop down into lovely Lake
Constance, above.
66
July 2014
IT’S A VINE TIME
To explore Germany’s southern wine region
MARC ATCHISON PHOTOS
By Marc Atchison
Editor-in-Chief
N
ONNENHORN, GERMANY — We climb to
the highest spot on Josef Gierer’s sloped vineyard where the young vintner uncorks one of his
family’s best vintages and pours me a drink. The
view from here is spectacular. Row after row of
neatly-kept vines, lush with new growth, cascade down the rolling countryside before dropping off into lovely Lake Constance
ZKHUHWKHVQRZFDSSHG$OSVDUHUHÀHFWHGRQWKHPLUURUHGVXUface.
“From here you can see Switzerland and Liechtenstein,” says
the proud Bavarian whose award-winning label — Winzerhof
Gierer — is recognized as one of the area’s best.
For more than 300 years, Josef’s family has tilled this rich,
fertile land that was made perfect for grape-growing during the
last Ice Age.
“I come here when the sun is just beginning to set because the
view inspires me. It makes me appreciate how fortunate I am
to be living here and to be making wine,” says the likeable man
with the red wine complexion.
The vineyards in this quaint Bavarian hamlet (pop. 1,638) are
all small, family-run operations like Josef’s, but unlike the rest
of Germany where Riesling rules, the favourite wine here is
Muller-Thurgau Trocken, a drier version of Riesling.
And now that’s he’s been made head of the family business,
Josef has introduced some varieties of his own and proudly shows me a Sauvignon Blanc he recently produced. Even
WKRXJK LW¶V \RXQJ WKH FULVS WURSLFDO ÀDYRXUV DUH D ZHOFRPH
respite from the sweet Rieslings.
Persuading his father that his Sauvignon Blanc was a worthy
addition to the winery’s shelves, however, wasn’t easy.
³$W ¿UVW P\ IDWKHU GLG QRW OLNH WKH WDVWH RI P\ 6DXYLJQRQ
Blanc, but a few glasses later he decided it would sell well,”
laughs Josef, who lives on the compact vineyard with his entire
family.
Visitors are always welcome here and stay in a small guesthouse the family has built at the front of the property. For just
80 euros ($120 Cdn) a night, you get to live the life of a winePDNHUDQGVWD\LQRQHRI¿YHWDVWHIXOO\GHFRUDWHGDSDUWPHQWV
that all feature breathtaking views of the vineyard and surrounding brilliance.
“And your stay includes free wine tasting — all day!” emphasizes Josef with a devilish twinkle in his eye.
Josef is just one of the delightful people I meet on a drive
through southern Germany’s Baden-Wurttemberg wine region
that starts out in Stuttgart, where I meet a lovely “wine queen,”
continues through a picturesque medieval wine town ruled by
a good-natured prince, includes a visit to a magical Garden of
67 July 2014
Eden island in the middle of Lake Constance, and brings me to
the front door of some interesting landmarks along the way.
And the mode of transportation I choose to make this drive fascinates people back home: a recreational vehicle (mobile camper), or caravan as it’s known here, which allows me to drive the
winding back roads of wine country at my leisure and enjoy some
of the remarkable camp sites where Germans like to spend weekends and holidays.
Not long after I arrive in Stuttgart, Germany’s Motor City
where Porsche and Mercedes-Benz are headquartered, I meet
Petra Hammer, a former regional wine queen who now works
with a growers’ co-operative known as Collegium Wirtemberg to
promote the wines of Uhlbach, the local district.
On a clear night with the sun setting behind the majestic hills
where the grapes grow, Hammer hosts an al fresco dinner of slow
roasted lamb and pork accompanied by white asparagus in a vineyard overlooking Stuttgart.
She tells me that each German, on average, consumes 21 litres
of wine a year, “but in Stuttgart, we drink 40 litres a year on average.”
In Stuttgart, they buy wine in six packs — daily!
Of the 13 wine-growing regions in Germany, Stuttgart, where
the hearty pinot grape rules, is best known for the “freshness” of
its vintages.
“Rieslings here are bolder and have more attitude than the
Rieslings produced in other parts of Germany,” says Petra, as
she pours a glass of Silvaner, an Old World wine that’s making a
comeback.
Petra tells me “65 per cent of Germans drink red” and that “50
per cent of the wine produced in the Stuttgart region is consumed
here.”
$IWHU VDPSOLQJ ORFDO YDULHWLHV RI 5LHVOLQJ GH¿DQWO\ QRW DV
VZHHWDVRWKHU*HUPDQ5LHVOLQJV,¶YHWULHGD&KDUGRQQD\WKDW¶V
far less oaky than its French cousins, a Lemberger that’s made
ZLWKDVPDOOHUEHUU\WKDWIRUWL¿HVWKHWDVWHDQGD7UROOLQJHUWKDW¶V
light in colour and taste, Petra introduces a “special” red called
Trollinger 6 that “must be served at a temperature of 6 degrees
Celsius to truly appreciate the taste.”
The cool red is a local favourite that’s usually consumed after
a hard day’s work. The wine even has its own special glass that
looks like a mini beer mug.
1H[W GD\ LW¶V WLPH WR VWDUW P\ ZLQH URDG WULS EXW ¿UVW , SLFN
up the RV at the Hymer dealership just outside Stuttgart. Hymer
(the Rolls-Royce of motor homes) is one of the oldest makers of
caravans in Europe and the unit they have waiting for me looks
like a 5-star hotel room on wheels.
However, before I get behind the wheel, I decide to tour the
Erwin Hymer Museum across the street where the history of the
“caravan” is documented in some very entertaining exhibits. DurLQJWKHWRXU,OHDUQWKDWWKH¿UVWKRUVHGUDZQ³FDUDYDQ´DSSHDUHG
in England around 1885 and the name “caravan” comes from the
Persian word meaning “travel with a group.”
There are 80 vintage campers of various shapes and sizes on
display in the museum and most date back to the turn of the 20th
century. Erwin Hymer, to whom the museum is dedicated, was
one of the earliest pioneers of the mobile camper.
It takes a bit of time getting used to driving the sleek camper along the tight, winding roads that lead to the Gitzenweiler
Hof campground on the edge of Lake Constance, where I spend
P\¿UVWQLJKWFDPSLQJXQGHUWKHVWDUVVLQFHP\WLPHLQWKH%R\
68
July 2014
Lovely Meersburg, above, is one of Germany’s great historic cities and its main square surrounded by colourful buildings like the one below, is the perfect place
rest and enjoy some local cuisine at a restaurant overlooking its lovely harbour. The wine growers around Meersburg welcome guests for vineyard dinners.
Scouts. The plush campground, which features a supermarket-style grocery store, a pub
and an adjacent restaurant, offers some of the
cleanest bathroom and shower facilities I’ve
ever seen. The cost of an overnight stay here
equals about $30 Cdn. but the experience of
meeting other campers is priceless.
Next day, I’m up bright and early, shower
and hit the tourist route around Lake Constance, which leads me to the fairy-tale town
of Meersburg. From a point overlooking the
medieval town’s busy ferry port, I’m awed by
the view of Lake Constance and the Alps in
the distance.
Famous for its two castles — New Castle and
Old Castle — Meersburg is a popular tourist
haunt with Germans and their neighbours and
the town square, surrounded by half-timbered
houses and large candy-coloured public buildings, is one of the most delightful in Europe.
A short time later, the road leads me to the
entrance of Schloss (Castle) Salem where I
meet the delightful Bernhard, Prince of Baden,
who presides over one of Germany’s most famous family vineyards.
The castle, which is home to a prestigious
private school that Prince Philip, the Duke of
Edinburgh, once attended, was presented to
Bernhard’s family by Napoleon and the former monastery is a
one of the most beautiful castles anywhere. Its grand halls and
DEEH\¿OOHGZLWKSULFHOHVVDUWLIDFWVDQGGHFRUDWHGZLWKHODERUDWH
gilded ceilings, are fascinating to tour and in the castle’s wine
cellar visitors are treated to some rare vintages.
Prince Bernhard makes an appearance during my tour and
delights with tales about his family’s past and
excites with samplings of his vineyard’s Sekt
(champagne), Muller-Thurgau, Chardonnay and
a Riesling that costs about $60 Cdn a bottle. The
taste of each is exquisite and it’s not hard to understand why the Weingut Markgraf von Baden
label is so highly respected throughout Europe.
On Day 3 of my drive, I visit the Winery
Schmid, the highest vineyard in Germany offering more spectacular views of Lake Constance
and the Alps. The family is celebrating the completion of a new reception hall when I arrive and
proudly shows off the Swiss-designed building
with the modern edges.
When I pull into the Campground and Hotel
Wirthsof a few hours later, I just have enough
energy to enjoy a meal at the on-site restaurant
before curling up in the RV’s comfy bunk and
quickly fall to sleep.
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Meersburg to catch a ferry to lovely Mainau Island, a former royal retreat that is now one of
Germany’s most treasured botanical sanctuaries.
On the way, however, I can’t resist a stop at the
Dornier Aerospace Museum in Friedrichshafen,
another lovely town on the edge of Lake Constance. The museum honours Claude Dornier, a
pioneer of the German aerospace industry and the
displays of pre- and post-World War II planes and missiles are
truly worth the stop.
After parking the RV, I hop aboard the Mainau Island ferry and
as it pulls out of port, I get a wonderful view of the lovely buildings that line the shore, including Meersburg’s Old Castle, which
dates back to 630 AD.
69 July 2014
Seeing wine makers tend to their vines and visiting wonderful museums and historic castles is all part of touring southern Germany’s wine region in an RV.
Information
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• In Stuttgart, a good hotel choice is the centrally located Hotel am
Schlossgarten: www.hotelschlossgarten.com
• For information on the Collegium Wirtemberg wine grower’s co-op,
go to www.collegium-wirtemberg.de
• For information on the Collegium Wirtemberg wine grower’s co-op,
go to www.collegium-wirtemberg.de
• Erwin Hymer Museum: http://www.erwin-hymer-museum.de/en/start.html
• Salem Castle: www.markgraf-von-baden.de
• For information on how to organize an RV trip to Germany and what you’ll
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www.germany.travel
• To learn more about the German Wine Institute go to www.germanwines.de/
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once owned by Grand Duke Frederick I of Baden (he bought it and
built a summer palace here) has become one of Germany’s mostvisited attractions.
Giant redwoods imported from the United States that have grown
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what keeps people spellbound during a visit here. The island also has
its own vineyard and the summer palace and adjacent church are all
must-sees.
My unique tour of Germany’s southern wine region ends in Konstanz, a lovely university town that borders Switzerland where the
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the local Hymer dealer and board a plane back to Stuttgart for my
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remember all the great people I’ve met and the wonderful things I’ve
seen on this journey while sipping a glass of Riesling.
It’s the perfect way to end this fabulous tour of Germany’s loveliest wine region. •
70
July 2014
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New Zealand’s
THE WHEEL DEAL
72
July 2014
PHOTOS COURTESY NEW ZEALAND TOURISM
Many visitors to this outdoor wonderland
opt to see its wonders from the seat of a
motorcycle or bike and the view in majestic
73
July 2014
By Ruth Atherley
TraveLife Contributor
A
UCKLAND — While there are plenty of ways to
get around in New Zealand, one of the most fun
is on two wheels. With so many options – motorcycle tours, biking in a wine region, or riding the
New Zealand Cycle Trail — visitors can lift their
feet off the ground and check out the sights, sounds and magic
of the country.
With stunning views and dramatically changing landscapes,
New Zealand roads offer an exceptional experience for motorcycle fans. Bularangi Motorbikes rent and offer one- and
multi-day guided tours on Harley-Davidsons. The tours are
run through Auckland, Christchurch and Queenstown and are
self-ride or passenger, so even if you don’t have a motorcycle
licence, you can experience the thrill of riding a Harley.
For those who want to use their own power to move the
wheels, most wine regions throughout New Zealand have a
range of bike tours. The tour operators provide the bike, helmet (you are drinking wine, after all) and tailor the route and
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interests.
Cycling lets you ride at your own pace, often along the edge
of the scenic vineyards. And if you’ve indulged a little too
much, the operators will gladly come and collect your bike –
and you, if necessary.
In the Marlborough region, famous for its sauvignon blanc,
Wine Tours By Bike, highlighted as a “top tour” by Lonely
Information
• Air New Zealand offers
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• There are many companies
offering cycle tours of New
Zealand and New Zealand
Tourism can help identify
the ones that suit your needs.
You can get more info at
www.newzealand.com/ca/
Planet, offers customized self-guided bike tours. The bikes
even have special wine carriers to hold purchases from the cellar doors that you visit.
For those who want to take their cycling to that next level, the
clear choice is the New Zealand Cycle Trail — Nga Haerenga
— which, in Maori, means “the journeys” in both a physical
and spiritual sense.
When the last of the 22 “Great Rides” that make up the trail
are completed by the end of 2014, cyclists will have almost
2,500 kilometres of dedicated bike routes through iconic landscapes from the top of the North Island to the bottom of the
South Island.
Seeing New Zealand on two wheels gives visitors the opportunity to see many regions of the country from a different perspective. Whether on a motorcycle or bicycle, riders are sure to
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75 July 2014
Continued on from page 29
Cap-Sac:
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Cap-sac offers
ff b
baseball
b ll caps
for adults and kids and visors with a zippered closure to hold all of
your necessities, leaving you hands free for fun. Cap-sacs also fold up
to fit in a pocket or purse. All Cap-sacs have a comfortable Velcro closure and are made from a soft nylon. One size fits most.
Starting price $14.99 / www.cap-sac.com
UWater: UWater offers the world’s smallest action audio gear that
goes from sand to surf. Designed to go anywhere, the very lightweight
UWater G5 is a 4GB 100 per cent waterproof MP3/FM player that can
be attached to goggles, a headband, armband, swimsuit, wetsuit or
belt so that you can play your favourite songs or listen to audio books
while out enjoying water sports.
Cost: $60 / http://www.gearedtobefit.com
Halo Belt 2.0: Whether you’re skiing, running, cycling or participating
in any other sport while travelling, the Halo Belt is an easily packable
device that could save your life. The Halo Belt was created to let you be
seen in low visibility situations. It works by using a combination of 3M
super reflectives and a custom designed fiber optic system. The belt
recharges in two hours via USB and provides 36 hours of use in flash
mode. http://www.halobelt.com
Vintage TRADITION: For all skin conditions including: dry, chapped,
calloused, cracked, sun-damaged skin, rashes, burning, itching and
wrinkles. Simply rub into the problem area and remember, a little goes
a long way. It does not result in a greasy look or feel because it is readily absorbed as nourishment.
Cost: Starts at $19.95 / www.vintagetradition.com
Hood To Go: Hood To Go will protect you from a sudden downpour
and keep your hair dry and looking good. It’s a water resistant microfiber hood attached to a mini vest that just slips over your arms and is
easily worn under any jacket or over a shirt, adding no bulk. Each one
comes packaged in a little black pouch that you can easily toss into a
purse or tuck into a pocket.
Cost: $20 / http://www.hoodtogo.com
NapAnwhere: The NapAnywhere is a portable head-support pillow
developed specifically by a physician for frequent travellers. This comfortable, portable device can be used effectively while travelling on
planes, subways, trains, buses and cars as a passenger. Small and compact, it fits easily into your carry-on, backpack, laptop bag or purse.
The NapAnywhere is available in three colours.
Cost: $59 / http://napanywhere.net/
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