04 November 2008

Wild, Adventurous, fascinating Canada. Canada is high on my list of favourite places to visit. I have been to the cities of the East Coast, the rugged ness of Nova Scotia and the wildness of the West. On the east coast, Toronto, the gateway, is the largest city in Ontario. For shopping The Eaton centre is a must with its 320 stores and 17 cinemas. The CNN tower is amazing and the revolving restaurant left me quite dizzy. Toronto has 5 Chinatowns, Little Italy, Little Portugal and The Grand Indian Bazaar. Niagara Falls can be taken as a day trip from Toronto but personally I loved my overnight stay in the Sheraton on The Falls. The night views are lovely. The Maid of the Mist is fun, but be prepared to get wet. I felt that I was on a movie set, it was so stormy and wet, yet it all added to the enjoyment. Ottawa is the capital city and the National Government sits here. I took a sight seeing tour and visited The Parliament Buildings, The Embassies, Universities and Museums. Luck might have you seeing the Changing of the Guards. Montreal and Quebec are two of my favourite cities. Montreal is a blend of the old and new, with its cobblestone streets, trendy boutiques and The Underground City. Quebec is amazing, I love its quaintness and French feel. All in all the East coast has all of the ingredients for an amazing holiday. Halifax in Nova Scotia is one of the safest and friendliest places I have ever visited. It is a bustling city with lots of visitors due to the fact that it is a naval town. My day spent whale watching has special memories for me, scanning the great ocean for a glimpse of the huge whales. Finally for the icing on the cake and my visit to the west coast. Vancouver is the gateway to the great outdoors and after three days sampling the culture, shopping, Stanley Park and Chinatown I was ready for the more sedate Victoria Island. I have lovely memories of a lunch on the harbour. Victoria can be taken as a day trip from Vancouver or as an overnight. Banff, Lake Lousie, Whistler and Jasper are all part of the mix in this fantastic location. This is the very heart of the great outdoors, with an abundance of National Parks, and fab lakes. The views of Lake Louise from The Fairmont Chateau would melt the hardest of hearts. I have a photograph taken on the edge of Lake Maligne, it is so amazing that you would not be mistaken to think that it is a postcard. The west coast of Canada is also a fantastic ski location, with Banff, Lake Lousie and Whistler all offering spectacular skiing. Canada is so diverse; it has something to suit everyone. The Rocky Mountaineer gives the opportunity to travel long distances with ease and still see the beautiful country. Car rental, Camper van rental, rail or flights are all readily available. The one thing I would recommend is that you do as I have, one location at a time. It is to be savoured not rushed.

04 November 2008

Cape Town for seven days – Blissful If someone told me prior to my visit to South Africa, that you could spend seven full days in a city, I would have thought it a joke, but Cape Town is the exception to the rule. Cape Town, known as the Mother City, combines beauty, history and culture. I stayed in The Southern Sun Cullinan which is a short walk from the Victoria and Alfred Waterfront and what a great choice it was. I had on my doorstep a wealth of beautiful restaurants, which would cater for anyone’s budget, a vibrant atmosphere, and a choice of excursions second to none. Nothing pleased me more than to have a spot of lunch, while listening to the fantastic jazz music, followed by a stroll out to Camps Bay, entertained by the surfers enjoying the thundering waves. It is amazing to have a choice of city, beach and an abundance of things to see and do in the one location. My first excursion was to Robben Island. Nelson Mandela was imprisoned here from 1964 to 1982. I really enjoyed my conversations with the Tour Guides who are all ex prisoners. The escorted tour of the townships gave me an insight into what African life is like, full of colour, culture and interesting people. A cable car ride to the top of Table Mountain is a must, with it feeling similar to being on top of the world, while the icing on the cake was a trip to Cape point, to see the meeting of the Atlantic and Indian Oceans. The Baboons are here in their droves. They are cheeky and pushy and would literally take the bite out of your mouth. You really do have to be careful when they are around. A visit to see the penguins on my way back was the perfect ending to a perfect day. A lot of retail therapy was the finale of a fantastic week and the waterfront leaves no stone unturned when it comes to designer shops. We had a really good last night in one of the local bars where a fantastic band entertained us to the wee small hours. I got into conversation with a local lady who asked me where I was from. I told her Ireland and she said she would love to visit but she was afraid to do so. Hopefully the peace process has dealt with her fear. I told her that a lot of my customers were equally afraid to visit Cape Town and she couldn’t understand why. After my visit I would agree with her. My leaving wish was to return, and I did so the following year. I spent another two nights in Cape Town, visiting the wine lands, before flying to George. From George I rented a car and our first stop was Oudshoorn. We had a lovely overnt and the next day I visited an Ostrich farm, before driving to Knysa for two nights. I had a lovely ferry journey across the estuary to a wonderful Nature park. Beach was calling the next day and I drove to Plettenberg Bay. Eventually I got to Port Elizabeth where I enjoyed two nights on Shamwari game reserve. On arrival I had an amazing drive and got face to face with Rhino, Elephants, and Lion. The atmosphere on Shamwari was brilliant and what a lovely feeling sitting outside, having a bite to eat around a log fire. South Africa is a country of such diversity and after two visits I still have so much more to do. So much to see and do, and so little time.