India Adventurer

One young lady from Kamloops is doing a Rotary Exchange in India...She has created a blog about her life and experiences...It really captures some of the craziness that India is and of course like any travel, especially travel in India, causes one to philosophize (I guess that's a word since the wrong spelling thing didn't come up)...So here is the link...Enjoy...

http://becca-adventuresinindia.blogspot.com/

Must See Buildings

I came across this website listing six must see buildings...I haven't seen all of them but would certainly agree on the ones I have seen.

http://travel.sympatico.msn.ca/RobinEsrock/Articles/6_buildings_you_cant_miss.htm?feedname=photo_gallery_travel_6_buildings_you_cant_miss&pos=6&nolookup=true

Las Vegas

As I had alluded to before, I have done a lot of travelling. So when I booked our holiday to Vegas I wondered what I could possibly find there that I couldn't find in other places I had visited or still hope to visit.

Let me tell you...this place is amazing...there is something for everyone...I would like to share some of my tips and favourites.....

Take a jacket of some sort...nothing heavy...something to keep you warm in the highly air conditioned buildings....

While I'm a consistent user of Visa (yes you too will be singing "Visa Las Vegas"), take some cash....you will need this to pay for cab fares and to tip staff at hotels and such....

Make your way to where you want to be early...Nothing is very far, but the crowds on the street, the traffic, the heat and of course all that might distract you on your way to your destination will make that three block walk much longer than it might be elsewhere.


My favourite things to see, do and eat....

Dueling Pianos at New York New York or Harrahs...this is free and so much fun...it is amazing to hear all of the songs that these people know.....by the way, the dueling pianos at Kahunaville in Treasure Island are not so much fun....very vulgar....

Improv at Harrahs....this will run you about $35/person but worth every cent for a good laugh...

The fountain show at the Bellagio...free...and totally amazing.....

Walking through any of the hotels...it is amazing all the theme related things they can put in those hotel....

Watching the Pussy Cat Dolls at Caesar's Forum...totally free...totally cheesy...totally fun....and funny....

Eating crepes in Paris....mmmmm...

Having steak at Samba Brazilian Steakhouse in the Mirage....This is not for the faint of stomach as the portions are huge and you will want to try a bit of everything...Our meal came with all you can eat salad and several side dishes - creamed spinach, yam fries, jicama salad, fried plantains, carrots, rice and beans....oh yeah not to mention a huge steak....Our meals were $30 for the 16oz New York Steak and $35 for the 12oz Filet Mignon. Stomach saving and wallet saving tip: apparently if you order one steak dinner, you can pay an extra $10 and share the meal...believe me there is enough for two....Oh yeah try the mojitos.....at $10 per they are well worth the expense and the hangover the next day.

Gondola ride at the Venetian Hotel...yeah I know it sounds cheesy, but we enjoyed it so much...$16/person and you share with two other people...the gondolier serenades you...nope he doesn't have to paddle as it is motorized...even so a nice break from the sidewalks....

Dinner at Alize on the 56th floor of the Palms Hotel....Expensive yes...but the view, the atmosphere and of course the company were great...not to mention the scallops and the chocolate souffle....Oh yeah this is one of those times when you will most definitely need your Visa card as meals start at about $40...but well worth it for the experience and the quiet....

Rev at the Wynn Hotel, Mystere at Treasure Island and Mama Mia at Mandalay Bay...all very high quality productions....

Walking on the street with some frozen concoction...everyone does it...it is Vegas baby....Yeah!!!! (I wish you could hear me sound like Austin Powers)...

Surprise find....The Garden Cafe at the Tropicana Hotel...very reasonably priced food, huge portions and of course something everyone needs at least once during a vacation...comfort food...

Shocking but entertaining: the porn slappers...ah yes those guys and some gals handing out cards that advertise for local girls...more directly...prostitutes...they slap the cards against their hand and try to give them to you...thus the name porn slappers...at night they also carry lit signs advertising girls...like I said something for everyone in Vegas....

Must Miss Extravaganza: the pirate show at Treasure Island...none of the performers can act, dance or sing at all well...Frankly, I was embarrassed for these people and even more embarrassed that I was there watching the thing....totally degrading for women and after all the work we do to be on even ground with men...

Disappointing Meal: Enoteca San Marco at the Venetian...I was so looking forward to sitting in this restaurant as it looks so beautiful in the pictures on the Internet, but the service is poor, the bread is awful and there are no extras like parmesan cheese or even salt and pepper on the table...wow that is arrogant!!!!! My food was super salty...actually that was all it tasted of...so as far as I'm concerned this is a must skip...

Next time:

the art show at the Bellagio

the world's largest chocolate fountain at the Bellagio

more dueling pianos

more shows

dinner for sure at Samba

try some different restaurants....

shop...does anyone know where Old Navy is?

Last tip...don't get to the airport too early...there is nothing to do there and once you get through security the food services are minimal, crappy and expensive....

I can't wait to go to Vegas again...although I expect it will be at least a year...If you get there before I do, eat, drink and enjoy....

Realization

I've had the opportunity and privilege to do a lot of travelling. The one thing I've come to realize is that I can't see, do or eat everything that I would like to.

So you are probably shaking your head and thinking "no kidding"!!!!!!

You're right absolutely no kidding...so what does this realization mean ultimately...well I have to be happy with everything I did get to see, do or eat....I also have to hope that there will be a next time to explore all those things I hoped to try.

Montreal

I had been to Quebec and this City as a child...but you know what that means...I don't remember the whole thing...

Recently, I had the opportunity to visit Montreal with a friend and really enjoyed the City...So here are my favourite things to do in Montreal and some suggestions for future visits...

Save room and time to eat, drink and people watch at many of the cafes and restaurants throughout the City...this is a City of people who like to eat and drink...dinner seems to be late in the evening and takes place over the course of a few hours...The outdoor places seem to be mostly western fare...there are a wide range of ethnic restaurants that seem to serve authentic meals....

Walk through Old Montreal and watch the street entertainment...Grab an ice cream and find a bench or again go to one of the many outdoor cafes...

Eat crepes....mmmmm....crepes...I had chocolate banana at Juliets on St. Denis and raspberry cream at Coras at the Plateau....

Go up to the look out at Mont Royal and walk down to St. Jo's Cathedral...yes that most impressive building that you can see from your airplane. Watch the pilgrims climb the steps on their knees....

Watch a movie at the Forum...yes the former home of the Montreal Canadians is now a theatre...but there are still seats there and of course the stars in the sidewalk out front...

Well those were my favourite things to do in Montreal....I certainly hope that I have another opportunity to explore and eat in this City in future travels...till the next time Bon Voyage!!!!!

Reference

I'm now quite taken with Keith Bellows. He writes regularly for "National Geographic Traveller". In the March 2008 issue, he interviews Andrew Harper. As a reference point, Andrew Harper has his own newsletter that reviews hotels around the world. His clientèle is upscale, so the hotels and resorts he visits are higher end. Andrew Harper talks about finding authentic places around the world. He believes that there are enough places around the world that of course they still do exist. He does acknowledge that high-end travel can create a barrier between the local culture and people and the traveller. He also discusses sustainable travel/tourism. On the one hand, he is quite hopeful while on the other hand he admits there are areas of the world that we may not be able to save. Anyways just a brief introduction to Keith Bellows and what he does. Keep up the good work!!!!!!

Supermarkets

One of the things I like to do is visit a supermarket or convenience store when I go to a new place. It makes me feel like I'm connecting with that part of the world. What kind of milk do they drink? Where does it come from? What snack food to they eat? Is it savoury or sweet? What kind of bread to they like? I can spend hours exploring various grocery stores. Try 7-11 in Bangkok for its array of savoury snacks, Monoprix in Paris for wine or puddings in glass jars, Itoyokado in Japan for whatever the travelling vendor is selling that day, Atlantic Superstore in Halifax, or any nameless corner store in India for biscuits or spicy snacks. All of these places and their products will reveal something about the region and the people there that just can't be found in any guidebook.

Articles

I subscribe to National Geographic "Traveler", especially since it is cheaper than buying off the shelf each time it comes out. I have to admit I don't always read the articles. However, today, I took the time to read two article out of the April 2008 issue.

The first was "A Life on the Road" by Keith Bellows. Bellows records his interview with a life-long traveller, Rolf Potts. There were two things that Potts said that struck me as so familiar. The first is that if you want to do it, then do it. It isn't as expensive or as unattainable as you might think. The second is that mass tourism does have its place and should not be looked down upon as that experience might be all that person gets and might be his "wow" travel moment.

The second was "The Joy of Comfort Food" by Daisann McLane. It was well-written and closely matches my own experiences in eating. I certainly remember trying to bring myself to eat from the Thai side of the buffet table at breakfast. It did take me a couple of days but once I got there....

So for some very interesting perspectives and some well written articles, check this issue out.

The Connection

I've just had the pleasure of travelling from British Columbia all the way to Nova Scotia. This is my first time in Nova Scotia and I was really stricken by the things that connect this country. I will do my best to list them here; I may add or change a few but this is how I see it at the moment.

The Trans Canada Highway
CBC
CTV
Tim Hortons (oh yes they love their Tims out here)
Our need for coffee across the country

The W

I had the pleasure of staying at the W hotel in Seattle. Even though I had never heard of this hotel chain before, doesn't mean that it isn't worth mentioning.

We arrived at about 10 in the evening. The music was blaring and candles were burning everywhere. The hotel staff was friendly and efficient. The porter, very coolly dressed in black, helped us with our luggage. The room was nicely appointed with a big window seat, a very comfy looking bed and a large ultra-modern bathroom.

Our bed was super comfortable although I didn't think the bathroom had been cleaned properly. The hotel staff were super friendly and very helpful.

I never ate at the restaurant or drank at the bar as the items on the menu were very expensive...Why would I pay $20 for eggs, toast, hashbrowns and bacon when I can go down the street and get the same thing for $10?

Even so, every evening the lobby and bar area seemed to be packed with drinkers and diners. In fact, walking through the bar made me feel oh so not cool. The eating/drinking establishment anyways is for the very hip 20 somethings. It is the place to see and be seen...and for the wanna bes.

Anyways I liked the hotel...particularly the bed. The location can't be beat. Next time, I go to Seattle, I will consider the W for my accommodation.

Seattle

My husband has been bugging me for a long time to go visit this west coast city. Why bother I thought as it will be just like Vancouver (probably one of my favourite cities in the world)?

Anyways because our flights to Paris were out of and in to Sea Tac and because of the late return, we decided to stay in Seattle for a couple of nights.

Frankly, two nights was not enough time. I really liked what I saw. Most importantly, to me anyways, were the restaurants. We ate dinner at two very different places - the Purple Cafe and Wine Bar and Pan African.

The Purple Cafe was very hip and chic while the Pan African well it just was. The Purple Cafe had a wide range of food selections including pasta, sandwiches and meat selections. The waiter was shmoozy but did make good recommendations, particularly for the wine. The prices here well not cheap...Dinner for two with one appetizer, two main dishes, a latte, a glass of wine and the tip about $80.

The Pan African well it just was with easy to manage paper table coverings. The Pan African had half a dozen meat selections and about half a dozen vegetarian selections. All for under $10...I love a deal...The service was fast, efficient, even friendly but certainly not shmoozy. The food arrived quickly and was yummy and filling. Our meal, two main dinners and a beer, was $20.

I liked both places for very different reasons...I would happily go back to either. However, I also look forward to future opportunities to eat in many of the other restaurants around Seattle.

Lucky Me!!!!

I am a very lucky girl...spoiled too! My husband surprised me with a trip to Paris for new year's. I had been to Paris before and had climbed the Eiffel Tower and seen the Mona Lisa. What I couldn't do the first time was eat as it was just so expensive for a couple of 20 year olds.

My husband booked the Hyatt near the Charles De Gaulle Airport...very nice...comfy beds...but also very expensive...

We made the trek into Paris everyday and walked...we walked as much as possible...Paris is a city to walk in...Everywhere you go is beautiful...beautiful buildings and street corners...

My husband was not all that interested in the big sites...I think more because of the line ups than anything else...I was okay with that as I had seen many of the sites before.

I was so looking forward to eating this time...I was very disappointed...I just found the food inaccessible. Someone had told me that even the bad food is better than the best food we have in North America...I'm afraid not.

More than that, I found what I consider the heart of any place, the people, inaccessible. People were helpful enough, but certainly not warm or even friendly. Efficient, direct but certainly friendly!!!

While Paris is not among my favourite world cities, I had a lot of favourite moments....the bakery near the Eiffel Tower, chocolat chaud at some designer chocolate shop at Montmarte, my husband's reaction to the Eiffel Tower, walking, raspberry tarts and chocolate macaroons at Paul...mmmm...thanks Paul, Monoprix, $6 espresso at the hotel, walking to the creperie place near the Bastille and eating yummy crepes, dancing with my hubby like crazy people in the elevator for the security videos at the hotel....

I'm thankful to my husband for his very thoughtful gift and hope that even though I won't ever turn 40 again, we will still be able to pick up and go at the drop of a Euro.