Polar bear Capital of the World

Have you ever wondered where the Polar Bear capital of the world is?  Well it’s right here in Canada.  Specifically, it’s Churchill, Manitoba which is on Hudson’s Bay in the Arctic Circle.

There are typically two optimal seasons to travel here: summer and fall.  I’ll go over how to get there as well as the benefits of travelling during the two seasons.

Most will probably have to fly to Winnipeg and catch a train to Churchill, which takes approximately 2 days, covering 1,700 km.  Once you’re there, you’ll either have to figure out how to get to your accommodations (rental, taxi, etc.) or you may be picked up depending on the arrangements made.

The summer season is warmer, which makes it more bearable to walk around without freezing.  The average temperature is 9 degrees Celsius.

[Frontiers North Polar Bear](2008 Travel Manitoba)  http://everythingchurchill.com/wp-content/uploads/photogallery/large/frontiers_north_polarbear_11.jpg

Other than being able to enjoy the natural foliage of the arctic you will also be able to see  icebergs floating on the Bay as well as the wildlife.  Remember, Churchill is best known for its Polar Bear population.  It is likely to see the northern lights during this time, but the colours are not as vibrant due to the warmer temperatures and brighter days.

The fall season is excellent too.  Although there will likely be snow on the ground and you won’t be able to enjoy viewing the arctic vegetation, you will be able to enjoy magnificent views of the Aurora Borealis or the Northern lights.  When going on polar bear excursions the polar bears will have their snow white winter coat of fur and can be seen in their picturesque environment which everyone can identify them with.  Other than being a little nippy, I would prefer the fall season for the added beauty of the northern lights.

[Northern Lights Churchill] (2008 Travel Manitoba) http://everythingchurchill.com/wp-content/uploads/photogallery/large/churchill_007.jpg

Typical excursions do not allow for children under the age of 8, so this destination is recommended for families with little children.  It does, however, offer a wealth of natural beauty, knowledge, isolation and … adventure.

Join me next time for more travel bites.

Sources:

http://www.viarail.ca/en/trains/prairies-and-northern-manitoba/winnipeg-churchill

http://www.theweathernetwork.com/statistics/CL5060600/camb0033/

http://everythingchurchill.com/northern-lights/

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Do Movies inspire Travel?

While watching a movie, do you ever catch yourself thinking, " I wanna go there!"

Or "wow, what a breathtaking scenery?  I'm sure a lot of us have "discovered" destinations, we had not thought about prior to watching certain films. I'll share what's on my list:

Lord of the Rings- filmed in New Zealand. I admit, I was one of the fans caught up in the Trilogy when it hit theatres, and still so, when I bought it on dvd (and watched it over and over again...)   This movie tops my list because not only was it filmed in a beautiful location, but it is also a story of adventures.  Do you wonder how director Peter Jackson transformed Tongariro National Park to create the war scenes of Middle Earth?  A lot of what set the scenes are natural and breathtaking landscapes, though there was much man-made set design incorporated with CG to turn it into a surreal vista.

[Tongariro National Park] (2010 National Geographic Society)
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/07/tongariro/white-text 

And then there's the comedic Couples Retreat, filmed in Bora Bora.  This movie also sparked increased interest in travelling to French Polynesia.  It highlights the exquisite accommodations in water bungalows, which are not unique to this area, but have now become synonymous with it.  I admit, after watching this movie, I am more eager to visit this area.  The location says it all: a tropical island far away from urban and suburban life, beautiful beaches, and being pampered to your heart's content.

[St. Regis- over water] (TahitiLegends.com. March 28, 2011)
http://www.tahitilegends.com/LEG1/specials/indextaescapes.html

The next movie is a bit of a stretch of the imagination, because it is entirely animated. However, to me, Disney Pixar's Up inspires adventure in the young and old. I loved watching this movie with my young family, and I also enjoyed researching a bit about it too. This movie evokes the spirit of adventure when a boy tags along with an old man in his balloon-equipped floating house to fly to (fictional) Paradise Falls in South America. 

The Disney Pixar team actually visited locations in Canaima National Park, in Venezuela, South America; such as Mount Roraima, and Angel Falls  to build the setting for their story. The picture below is of Angel Falls, the tallest waterfall on earth, at 979 m.

[Angel Falls] [Science 4 Grown Ups.com. April 6, 2011] http://science4grownups.com/archives/2009/05/29/general/the-real-world-behind-ups-paradise-falls-530

Sources:
http://ngm.nationalgeographic.com/2009/07/tongariro/white-text
http://www.tahitilegends.com
http://science4grownups.com/archives/2009/05/29/general/the-real-world-behind-ups-paradise-falls-530
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Canaima_National_Park

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Culinary Travel

What is culinary travel?

Is it when the dish ran away with the spoon? Possibly to save the meatball that rolled away when somebody sneezed?

No, that’s silly.

Culinary travel is a trend for travellers who seek destinations that appeal mostly to three of the particular 5 senses… taste, smell, and sight.
Some tour operators offer specialized itineraries where tourists can experience not only the culture, but the cuisine of the area.  Itineraries can be incorporated with local cultural music, wine tasting, tours of bakeries, and gourmet cooking classes taught by renowned chefs.  Since I love travel and food, this is very interesting to me.

I came across web pages that dedicate sections to travellers coming from all over to tell them what is most notable and where to look for it. I’ll share with you what I found:

If you like wine, you may enjoy a visit to Bordeaux, France. Bordeaux is central to many vineyards, as well as small shops specializing in quality cheese.  Tuscany is also a region you may want to consider if vineyards are on your list. Wine and cheese soiree, anyone?

A visit to Marrakech may convince you to sample Moroccan cuisine; and you may learn how to recreate the gastronomical delights presented to you, after participating in the cooking classes offered to tourists.

[Morocco] (2009 Gourmet Safari Inc.) http://www.gourmetsafari.com/photo/

gallery20%20exmor/pg_sp_marrakech.shtml

[Moroccan Rice bowl with Vegetables and Sultanas]
(Fotobank.ru; March 10, 2011)
http://www.fotobank.ru/img/SF13-8003.jpg?size=l

Another food destination I'd like to mention is Poland.  In the regions of Poland, visitors may experience the Polish culture by partaking in meals prepared in farm houses to restaurants in the urban areas.  While in Poland, you may want to sample some Pierogi, which are stuffed dumplings; or maybe some Zrazy, which is are pork rolls with bacon and pickles, and even Kaczka pieczona z jablkami, which is baked duck with apples.... mmmm...

[Pierogies.]
(Poland Culinary Vacations Inc. March 20, 2011)
http://www.polandculinaryvacations.com/
images/content/polish_cuisine/right_5_large.jpg

  

The Culinary Institute in Cracow, on the outskirts of Krakow is open to anyone fond of cooking who would like to better their abilities. The sessions teach the students how to prepare a three course Polish meal, as well as drinks.

[Pastries] (Polish Culinary Vacations Inc. March 20, 2011)
http://www.polandculinaryvacations.com/

I don't know about you, but I'm getting hungry.  I may revisit this topic again as I delve deeper into some destinations and discover others.

Sources:
http://www.foodvacation.com
http://www.gourmetsafari.com/europelandingpage.shtml
http://www.polandculinaryvacations.com/

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Get away for the Girls

Sometimes I catch myself day dreaming, that I’m somewhere far away, relaxing, with my closest friends. I’ve never actually had the chance to do this for real, though that’s not to say that it can’t or won’t be done. What I’m talking about is the girls only trip. Some lucky bachelorettes do this with their inner circle of friends for a week or weekend, living it up before the wedding day, but who says you can’t have a girls only holiday without an occasion?
I’ve been inspired by promotions that some all inclusive resorts in the Caribbean have offered in the past, with added bonuses to personalize your “best friends” experience and catering specifically to girls only groups. The Caribbean is just one of the many destinations to choose from. Cruises are another great idea, but I’ll talk more about those in another post.

Recently, I was in conversation with some of my lady friends who were dreaming of an exotic spa getaway, with natural hot springs as a must. We even laughed that we should do a world tour of the best destinations to relax in and be pampered... so I got inspired to do some research.

After much more daydreaming, I found some places I’d consider visiting:

The town of Kusatsu in Gunma, Japan is famous for having natural hot springs, and Onsen Ryokan. Onsen Ryokan are a type of Japanese style resort, varying from small to large, where you can experience Japanese culture and traditions, and some have great spas!

JTB Global Marketing & Travel Inc.
[Mizunoto Onsen] (Nov 24, 2010)

http://japan-articles.japanican.com/en/
articles/hakone_kowakudani_onsen_mizunoto.html

New Zealand boasts many volcanic natural hot springs, and some have become luxurious health spas for tourists to visit. The water is said to have healing properties as well, depending on where you visit. There are sections of hot spring spa resorts also located around rainforest scenery.

Iceland, also being a volcanic island, is among some of the most visited destinations for hot springs. Though some of these hot springs are man made, they still boast luxury. On the Reykjanes Peninsula in southwest Iceland, a tourist can be pampered with various treatments, such as full body massages, algae wraps, mud masks, and silica treatments...

Blue Lagoon Ltd. [Silica Massage] (Feb 1, 2011)

http://www.bluelagoon.com/Geothermal-spa/Treatments-

Massages/Spa-Indulgence/

In southern Chile, Chilean Patagonia is marked with breathtaking scenery, featuring natural hot springs. Resorts are incorporated into the area, and include spa treatments; some which would have anyone feeling totally relaxed. Some luxurious treatments I found interesting are the various types of massages, like hot stone and floating massages.

Patagonia Connection Puyuhuapi Lodge & Spa 

[Patagonia] (Feb 14, 2011)
http://www.patagonia-connection.com/en-

patagonia-spa-thermal-spa.php

The more I read, the more I want to continue reading; it just looks like so much fun. I hope I’ve given you some ideas.

Please leave a comment if you know of some other destinations to add to this post.

Sources:
http://www.japanican.com/index.aspx; 
http://www.japan-guide.com/e/e2029.html;
http://www.patagonia-connection.com/en-patagonia-spa-thermal-spa.php;

http://www.bluelagoon.com;
http://www.glacierhotpools.co.nz/index.html

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Family Travelling

Family travelling is a 2 part series consisting of Travelling with an infant (under 2) and Travelling with Children (2-17).

Part 1: Travelling with an infant (under 2 years of age)

Since having my son we’ve been sticking to the all inclusive resorts for our vacations.  My husband wants us to go on adventure tours, but unfortunately the minimum age for many is 6.

Apart from the comfort of the all inclusive resorts in the Caribbean one also has to consider what they seek in a vacation.  Are you looking to discover the local culture?  Take the path less travelled?

If you want just to relax on the beach and not leave the resort, then really anywhere would be just fine.  But for those of us who seek adventure and have a little one tagging along, it gets a little difficult.  For my son’s first trip we went to Mexico and stayed at an all inclusive resort.  We chose this destination for the comfort of an all inclusive with the adventure of visiting some ruins and local attractions.  For my husband and I, it wasn’t our first trip to the country which added a little bit of comfort.  The other added comfort was that we invited the grandparents along… it always helps to have a babysitter travel with you.  This definitely proved helpful when we needed extra hands or just wanted a little romantic time alone.

To rewind a little, we first made a visit with his pediatrician who then gave him his baby Twinrix shot for Hepatitis A and B.  We wanted to make sure we had everything we needed, so one month in advance, we made a list of absolutely anything we thought we may need to pack. Since our son is a messy eater, (and I expect most toddlers are) I wanted to ensure we had enough bibs packed, but I didn’t want to carry around dirty bibs everywhere we went to eat, so we opted to buy disposable bibs, which actually worked out pretty well, and we were able to reuse the ones that didn’t get too dirty the first time used.

One week prior to departure, we packed most of our luggage, and then checked everything the night before since our boy likes to take things and hide them.  We knew we wanted to travel during the winter and we stocked up on swim diapers during the summer, because we didn’t expect to find much selection in swimming supplies after the summer ended.  Luckily his sandals we bought during the summer just barely fit his rapidly growing feet.

At an all inclusive, you shouldn’t be too worried; they usually have high chairs; have a few designated washrooms for diaper changing (just look for the larger stalls in some); and provide playpens in the rooms for the infant to sleep in.  We lugged our Pack’n’Play on our trip, just in case. It stayed folded up most of the time, though the grandparents were eager to keep it in their room so that our son could stay with them for a few nights and my husband and I could have some rest.

Take-off and landing was not a bad experience for us.  We brought a sippy cup of water for our boy to drink during these times and it distracted as well as soothed him for both events.

Stay tuned for part two in this series, coming next week!

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Babymooning

Everyone’s heard of taking a honeymoon; the romantic getaway after one of the biggest days in a couples life.  A new trend that I’ve started to notice is the increase in the number of couples seeking a babymoon.  Essentially it’s a vacation that a couple would like to take as the last time for just the two of them, before the arrival of their bundle of joy.

Some people go on a babymoon prior to conceiving, while others decide they need to take a trip once they find out they are pregnant (I fall into the later of the two categories).  Most of the expecting couples opt for beachfront resort vacations.  Since most of my clients are from the Greater Toronto Area in Canada it’s understandable.  Flights to the Caribbean are relatively short with many specials available in this highly competitive market, making it also an attractive deal for most.

The only restriction is that most airlines will not let you fly if you are in your third trimester.  Be sure to speak with your doctor prior to narrowing down your options.  He/she can provide valuable insight into which areas would not be advisable for a pregnant woman to travel, and also which areas would require immunizations prior to travelling.  Other things to consider if you’re travelling while pregnant is easy access to washrooms (I know this first hand).  Taking a long day tour by taxi is fun, but stressful if you are in remote/rural areas... and a small being has kicked your bladder from the inside.  

17 weeks, and I didn't show much

Visit my blog for next week’s entry in this series, where I will be discussing family friendly vacations.

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