Venice and Soriano

We had a great trip that was smooth and surprise free. Venice was our favourite, the delightful

boutique hotel, Hotel Bella Venezia, was quite wonderful, its location was perfect and the rooms were very luxurious.  Their breakfasts were amazing: coffee got sent from the bar rather than from the machine, just because the server took a liking to me.  We loved the Venetian glass and brought home some beads as well as three whisper light Italian linen dresses!   One cannot get a bad meal in Italy.  In Florence the  Uffizi  got checked off our bucket list.  Our last stop, Soriano, was a perfect rest, the scenery was stunning, especially from our window, of Castello Orsini.  With no car, we walked everywhere and found it to be a very walkable town, even though there were times we

were dodging the traffic of teeny cars and delivery trucks.  The walk up and down the mountain kept the pounds off!
We learned from a guide at the Orsini Castle that the houses all jammed up against the castle were configured that way not just for protection of the plebeians (who wouldn't have far to escape to castle  in case of attack), but so that said castle would be easier to defend,  what with all those twisting alleys and pathways.  

Almshouses in Amsterdam

Amsterdam is a popular tourist destination for North Americans and Europeans. Even though many of the streets are only for pedestrians they are still crowded and at times chaotic. One day while walking on the Kalverstraat my friend showed me a massive door but on that day it was locked.

Recently we were able to gain entrance and explore the Begijnhof. Initially the Begijnhof was established in the late 1300’s as a residence for lay religious women (differing form nuns in that they did not take vows). Similar Almshouses (Hofjes) were built during the 17^th century in the Jordan district to shelter the widows of sailors.

Entering the courtyards of these residences you generally find a cluster of twelve apartments around a central garden and you forget that you are in a city. While there are twenty one of these Horfjes still managed by the local government in the Jordaan district they are private homes so access to these areas occurs rarely. As a tourist I feel quite fortunate to have seen three.

 

Volcanos

We have learned to fear volcanos: they emit gases, erupt lava and occasionally explode. In many cultures they have been your “go to” place for human sacrifice. Nicaragua is a country that straddles two tectonic plates and is part of the Pacific Ring of Fire: you can literally see the chain of cones. Volcanos in this country preside over the landscape and offer sanctuaries of biodiversity for plant and animal species, dormant craters act as reservoirs and porous rock filters water for the farms below.

The Mombacho Volcano features a cloud rainforest at 1150m with hiking trails that people can enjoy guided or independently. Downhill from the primary forest you find the coffee growing area and can either learn about the harvesting process or go zip lining. The Canopy Zip Line tour is set over seven legs of varying lengths and difficulty. As a first time zip liner rather than feel intimidated I felt a connection to the rain forest environment.

Masaya Volcano is much more easily accessed: it is an active site and the cone has been deforested from an eruption in the 2013. Drivers can park within twenty feet of the rim to look into its active caldera. While there are trails around the craters, exploring the area depends upon wind direction because the gases emitted can make you sick after a while.

East of Leon, Casa Negro Volcano is a site for sand boarding (like snow-boarding but on volcanic sand). While ascending the cone, boarders get to enjoy vistas of the surrounding peaks. It felt very primal…after reaching the top I got to run the rim trail before descending on my board. Sand boarding involves wearing coveralls, heavy gloves and a visor that protect you from the coarse sand. It was much easier than I expected: the slope looks steep but the sand is deep and offers some resistance for controlling your speed.

 

My experience at all three locations felt very “elemental”. Volcanos are a force of nature but the landscapes they generate are quite inspiring. Perhaps “experiencing life on the edge” isn’t an entirely bad thing.

Travelling to El Salvador

I recently had the opportunity to visit Suchitoto in Northern El Salvador, Puerto Barillas on Jiquilisco Bay and the country’s sun coast. During my time there I saw nature preserves, heritage architecture and expansive beaches. In my opinion there are a lot of contrasts and while I felt intimidated by the razor wire and presence of guns many of the people in the hospitality industry were genuinely warm. El Salvador has a great potential for tourism in the next decade.

Suchitoto overlooks a man-made lake which carries the same name. Traditional Spanish homes mark the cobble stone streets of this colonial city.  During the civil war of the 1980’s the town sustained heavy bombing and many people deserted their homes. The government is now working to revive the area as a tourist destination by restoring and repurposing these abandoned buildings as hotels and restaurants. While walking the streets we visited the Iglesia Santa Lucia which is renowned for its interior woodwork and saw a woman selling bread from a large basket that was perched on her head. The area also hosts avian tourists: from my terrace at the La Posada de Suchitlán and I saw a variety of birds and insects then during our afternoon tour of Lake Suchitoto we went to a massive colony of egrets and cormorants.

In contrast Jiquilisco Bay is a mangrove wetland which offers protection to a diverse array of species. On my boat trip to the turtle conservation project I saw a crocodile, spoon bills and a tiger heron.  Guests staying at Puerto Barillas have the opportunity to discover the bay’s wildlife through boat tours, fishing excursions and kayak rentals. Our group took part in a turtle conservation project that capture, measures and tags Hawksbill turtles. Part of the Eastern Pacific Hawksbill Initiative, this project offers visitors the opportunity to participate in their volunteer program http://www.hawksbill.org/get-involved/volunteer/ .  

The Costa del Sol Beach spans a distance of twelve kilometres and is popular with surfers. The evening I was there the water was warm and the waves were great for body surfing but also a little intimidating. This area is located thirty-five kilometres from San Salvador Airport making it a nice stopover point for passengers transiting the country.

Currently the destination has some infrastructure issues: with the exception of the Costa del Sol most tourist areas have poor road access and English is not well comprehended even within the hospitality industry. Personal security was always at the back of my mind: even though a recent customer got a local taxi at the airport I recommend that visitors pre arrange ground transportation before arrival.

Jordaan Food Tour

 

 

 

 

While travel is about discovering new places and customs it also helps you learn things about yourself. Food tours provide a great opportunity to try different food and learn how a city developed in relationship to other cultures. Recently I enjoyed a food tour of the Jordan area in Amsterdam. Our trip featured some stereotypical Dutch food but also cuisine inspired by its colonies. Our first stop was at a traditional “brown café” which is a pub historically decorated in dark woods.  After meeting our group and enjoying poffertjes with coffee our guide lead us through the area to different shops and restaurants where we sampled pastries, herring, kibbling, cheeses and bitterballen. I expected to sample  Indonesian Food however our tour included a Suriname restaurant: this cuisine had been developed by Indonesians when they immigrated to Suriname. The fusion of cultures made for a great food experience.

Brú na Bóinne

New Grange

The Neolithic Period commenced about 10000BC and ended between 4500-200BC. As a reference this is the period in which Jericho was built and Stonehenge erected: it was also the era during which passage tombs were created beside the Boyne River in Ireland. Today a world heritage site has been established at Brú na Bóinne which features these tombs: two of which are accessible to visitors. Knowth and New Grange were both built about 3200BC and served as ceremonial tombs that incorporated astronomical clocks into their designs. In the case of New Grange that calendar function continues today: the passage of that structure is designed so that light only enters the center of the tomb on the winter solstice. This feature allowed farmers to determine when spring would occur so that they could commence planting crops.

Inner Passage at Knowth

The tombs are similar in size but differ from each other in two ways. Knowth has one passage oriented to the east with a second to the west and most of the kerbstones around its perimeter have been decorated with designs. New Grange is slightly smaller with only one passage (facing to the south) and the front of it was decorated with a design of black and white stones.

The presentation at New Grange includes a lighting component that mimics the entry of light into the passage which occurs at the winter equinox. Starting in darkness a flickering beam stretches across the chamber and you visualize light as a dynamic force and understand the relevance of the sun in Neolithic culture.

We may marvel at the tombs because of the methods and labour used to construct them however their carved kerbstones make them significant. What you see at Brú na Bóinne represents the highest concentration of megalithic art in Europe. The meanings of the symbols are for the most part a mystery but one has been interpreted as a calendar and a second as an astronomical map.

Kerb Stone at New Grange

Hoorn

European cities get crowded during the summer months and Amsterdam is one example: streets are congested and hotels become expensive. Hoorn, located thirty five kilometres north of city is a viable alternative for exploring the Netherlands. Day trips to Amsterdam are feasible but the town itself features historic buildings, traditional squares and outdoor cafes. Its smaller size makes it easier to connect with people: on my third day the residents made me feel like a local. The area is a great location for cycling or walking: cars are prohibited on several of its streets and the Grote Noord is exclusively a pedestrian thorough fare. Hoorn became a city in 1357 and its seaport served as a base for the Dutch East India Trading Company. Touring the area you can see the old locks to the city’s canals and two towers that served as part of the original city walls. Many of the buildings built during the Elizabethan Era still are in use

including the Maria Tower which can be rented as tourist accommodation. Two dikes now separate Hoorn from the sea and it now functions as an inland port on the Markermeer. On Saturdays the town hosts a large Farmer’s market where shoppers can explore a wide variety of food and products.

The Antrim Coast

The Antrim Coast of Northern Ireland extends between Ballintoy and Portrush. Prior to 1998 political issues discouraged tourism into this area and it remains relatively rural. On the day I travelled the A2 along its coastal route the weather was sunny and we had clear views of Rathlin Island and the Hebrides of Scotland. Many of the scenes from Game of Thrones are filmed in the area including the sites of Dark Hedges and the Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge. It’s popularity has attracted tourists to the area and a visit to Dark Hedges, an avenue of mature Beach trees that interconnect over the road way, should be taken either early morning or late evening, a second location equally popularized is Carrick-A-Rede Rope Bridge located east of Ballintoy. The one kilometre path to the bridge is scenic but remember that you need to buy a ticket at the trailhead before making the hike otherwise you are not able to cross to the island. Originally fishermen crossed to Carrick-A-Rede to harvest salmon but now it is managed by the National Trust as a tourist attraction. The village of Ballintoy is nearby and looks like a great spot for cyclists or hikers to stay in a bed and breakfast or enjoy a local pub.

 

Seven miles away the National Trust manages a visitor’s center at the Giant’s Causeway. The building itself has won an architectural award: part of it is set underground so that it is inconspicuous against the cliffs and its basalt columns echo the geology of the area. To view the Giant’s Causeway visitors have to walk 800 meters from the reception down the hill to Port Noffer. Ulsterbus offers service between the two points during the high season so that tourists may avoid trekking up or down the hill. I was impressed by the center’s interpretive displays which traced the theories, fact and fiction of this landform.

Our final call was a photo stop at Dunluce Castle east of Portrush.  This site is also managed by National Trust: most of the room have fallen in but visitors can view it’s two remaining towers and walk down to the Mermaids Cave beneath the stronghold (another setting used in Game of Thrones).

Trent Canal Hastings to Campbellford

My first experiences on the Trent Canal were when I visited cousins in Hastings and the lock keepers would let us help turn the arms which opened and closed the lock gates. Recently friends invited me to join them on their boat for the trip from Hastings to Campbellford. These communities are also connected by the Trans Canada trail which gave me the opportunity to cycle to Hastings without worrying about traffic.

 

Trans Canada Trail

The trail itself is beautiful: it starts just behind the Canadian Tire and travels on the old rail bed to the bridge in Hastings. The surface is stony with some packed earth areas, small bridges extend over creeks and it passes through a huge culvert under Highway #35. I saw a lot of birds as while transiting fields, woods and at one spot a barnyard. The day was warm but a lot of the trial is shaded. Mountain bike tires are necessary: there is loose gravel and road tires are ineffective.

Lock 15 - Healey Falls

Going down the canal was a blast. Hastings is at Lock 18 while Campbellford is located below Lock 13 and the drop varies at the different locations. Our most significant descent were the double locks at Healey Falls with a drop of twenty four feet: it was bizarre to see the base of the canal appear as we dropped below the eight foot depth. Staff at each lock were good about taking the lines to secure our boat and often would stop their routine to chat. En route we saw lakes and farmland: most of the route is secluded and you only find shops and restaurants in the larger towns of Campbellford and Hastings.

 

Cycling in the Netherlands

 

There are more bicycles than people in the Netherlands and for many in that country cycling is their primary transport. I noticed while travelling that bike riders use a dedicated lane  which is  often separated from the main roadway by a curb and they have the right of way in traffic roundabouts. Cycling is popular because the terrain is flat, communities are located close to each other and car parking space is limited. In fact many towns exclude access to cars in their downtown areas.

Dedicated Cycling Lanes between Roadway and Canal

For visitors who wish to explore the Netherlands by bicycle the tourist board has designed a system of maps with posted highway routes that will guide you through an area and in the off hours passengers can take their bikes onto trains (for an additional fee). In Amsterdam I noticed that most rental bikes were older designs but once you get outside of the cities you can rent performance models. Locating yourself in Hoorn, Alkmaar or Marken puts you within an easy distance of several communities for day trips.  One excursion which looked appealing was travelling by steam train from Hoorn to Medemblik, then steamship to Ankhuisen and cycle back to Hoorn.

Titanic Belfast

We are all familiar with the Titanic: an unsinkable ship that went down on its maiden voyage in April of 1912. That crossing hosted aristocrats, businessmen and politicians so the tragedy had a significant impact upon the world. One century later people are still fascinated with the disaster: there are touring shows that display its artefacts and Cobh Harbour in Ireland marks the last Port of Call for the Titanic with an audio/video experience. Years of reading stories and watching movies about its sinking made the story boring to me.

My recent visit to the Titanic Experience in Belfast changed that feeling because the presentation is broad in scope. Titanic Belfast showcases the phenomenon of Titanic organized into ten galleries featuring different aspects of the voyage, ship building and nautical protocols. The first display, Boomtown Belfast, caught my interest and my attention continued to the last exhibit which details current technologies used to explore the ocean.

Guests start their tour by learning about Ireland’s changing economy prior to shipbuilding and the depth of poverty that led people to leave the country. This display included an activity which showed where the emigrants relocated to in Canada and made me feel connected to their experiences. From these initial themes stories unfold as you proceed through the site providing you with an encounter rather than a display. This exhibit not only educated me about Titanic but served as a good introduction to the contemporary history of Belfast and Ireland.