Destinations

Amazing what one remembers from a unique experience — did you know that polar bears have very flexible noses so that they can quietly wait for a ringed seal to pop out of a hole in the ice but still smell possible dangers to the left and right of them by angling their nostrils to either side?  Did you know that they have their claws up on the top of their very fully padded feet so that the nails make no noise as they stalk on the ice?   These and many other natural details we learned on an amazing journey to CHURCHILL, MANITOBA  — the Polar Bear Watching Capital of the North.   Churchill, a small town of 850 citizens located on the shores of Hudson Bay hosts a gathering of the polar bears of the region as they wait for the pack ice on the Bay to harden.  They are awaiting a seal meal after almost 4 months of no food intake and can only do this once the ice hardens..  Large males, females with one or two yearling cubs or with their “coy” (cub of year… this year’s issue) as well as  younger females await the ice and regain their energy for the feast time ahead.

Fascinated photographers, amateur naturalists and polar bear enthusiasts come from around the world to Churchill during October/November each year to view the variety of wildlife in this Arctic region.  What can you see??  Arctic fox, red fox, Arctic hare, ptarmigan, sable, gyrfalcon, hardy ravens, and the ever-so-fascinating polar bears.  With -15ºC temperatures (warm compared to later in the winter season) and brisk winds, I had to find my old Antarctica gear in the bottom of drawers and the back of the closet in order to be prepared for time on the taiga and tundra.  I traveled with Frontiers North on the “Enthusiasts Program” which gave me time to experience my first dog sled rides with eager and hardy running dogs of the Wapusk Adventures dog stable.  The town of Churchill has solid citizens proud of their town and clear in their purpose — full of good humor and many, many “just escaped’ polar bear stories … you have to look left, right, in front and behind you when you step out of doors.  Actually, the town has a 24/7 Polar Bear patrol to make sure the bears don’t wander into town.  The nightly 1000pm curfew siren reminds kids that they must be at home and inside for safety.  Those occasional nighttime forays by an errant bear may result in being put in Bear Jail, then tranqilized and finally helicoptered about 50 miles from town to be released on the shores of the Hudson Bay ice flow.

I spent two full days on a famed Tundra Buggy (specially designed hardy vehicles on huge industrial-sized rubber tires with a viewing cabin on top as well as an open deck platform on the back) traveling across the landscape in search of wildlife and bears in particular.  Our naturalist guide and experienced driver helped us spot a variety of bears — sleeping quietly in the low taiga willows, walking behind agéd but very small spruce trees, male bears sparring on the ice testing their strengths with each other in mock fights, and mother bears with twins or small coy cubs ever wary for larger and more aggressive males.  One full day we spent in town visiting the outstanding Eskimo Museum and the Parks Canada Museum and Historical display.  We were able to see an amazing video of the remarkable Northern Lights (we did not see it in real-time as we were close to the full moon).  The real Aurora Borealis will have to await another adventure to the far northern climes.

DID YOU KNOW ……  MONTRÉAL is one of the more exciting and interesting North American cities??   Did you know …. that Montréal has summer festivals galore and they not only appear in sequence but even, if you are lucky, overlap to give you the full panoply?   Did you know …. both French and English are equally used and you get the best of both cultures?

I just returned from an educational trip to Montréal during the “Just for Laughs” Festival and found the town active, vibrating with energy and full of people just enjoying marvelous summer weather.  Located on an island in the St Lawrence River almost due north of New York City and easily reachable by air or train from the Northeast USA no less California, Chicago and places in between, Montréal is a perfect place to enjoy both spring, summer, autumn and winter activities.

Summer:  stroll rue St Paul O. in Old Town Montreal — sampling maple products, buying olive oils and cheeses - fresh-made and piquant -, breakfasting in small cafés with large bowl of café au lait or caffé latte munching a croissant, a baquette with confit du canard, or just soaking up the sun at a small outside table watching others flow past your table.  Catch a horse-drawn carriage for a gentle clip-clop journey over cobbled streets near the original foundations of the city walls overlooking the riverbank.  Not far away and just up the hill, the “International district” full of Scottish-designed, masonry buildings from the turn of last century and end of the century before proclaim the fiscal might and  entrepreneurial energies of past captains of industry.   Modern architecture pierces the sky and you see reflected in these panes of glass, historic buildings of the bygone days.

Summertime brings the flourishing of the many covered markets scattered around the city of Montréal, where attractively decorated baskets hold impeccably fresh herbs, legumes, vegetables and fresh fruits — all with small restaurants and stand-up counters for those whose hunger needs immediate attention.  A mixture of English and French punctuate the busy atmosphere and families, single shoppers and elderly citizens alike make sure their home ‘pantries’ are filled with the best of foodstuffs.

Many neighborhoods are undergoing renaissance with classic buildings being renewed both inside and out … tiny gardens in the “Italian district” have beans, basil and tomato plants in profusion in their yards proclaiming the summertime’s bounty.  Because Montréal has attracted peoples from all over the world, their cuisine and cultures have added to the mix and no matter where you go in Montréal, you will see signs on storefronts offering the specialities of their region to others in town from different backgrounds.   It is a lively city and fabulous for young people to enjoy the varied nightlife no less the many annual festivals of jazz, humor, culture and history on offer.

Did you know …. Montréal is a World Class Destination??   When you think travel, think Montréal.  It will surprise you and delight you!!!

 I had the good fortune to find myself in Vancouver this past weekend and got to be one of the 1st guests at The Loden, a brand new hotel built from the ground up with a focus on being “Green”.  It is a boutique hotel with 77 rooms on 14 floors.  The entire top floor houses their penthouse and it is amazing.  It would be the perfect venue for an elegant cocktail reception!
 
The furnishings and the decor of the rooms are beautiful and the bathrooms are simply amazing - the bathroom appears to be 50% of the rooms square footage.  The rooms are wired to support the latest technology and high speed internet is free.  Every room can satisfy even the biggest geeks technological dreams, including IPod docking stations in very room.  They also have a huge gym for the number of rooms.
 
They are offering an introductory rate of 199.00.  It is centrally located and easy walking distance to most spots.  (2 blocks from Robson Street - for the shopaholics).