Travel and Transitions

Presenting: Ottawa's Byward Market - Special Events, Culture & Art, Boutiques and Culinary Delights in a Historic Setting

2006-01-27T10:12:00.000-08:00

January 27, 2006

Presenting: Ottawa's Byward Market - Special Events, Culture & Art, Boutiques and Culinary Delights in a Historic Setting

Ottawa has a myriad of sights to visit and the ByWard Market is one of the major entertainment areas in Ottawa. It combines a great selection of restaurants and night spots, with funky boutiques and retailers, galleries and artsy places and a busy outdoor market. Throw in a good dose of special events and you've got yourself a happening place!

I myself will be heading off to Ottawa on February 10 to sample Canada's capital, and to check out Winterlude, Ottawa's winter festival, which will be held this year from February 3 to 19, 2006. Winterlude includes skating on the Rideau Canal, the world's largest outdoor skating facility according to its Guiness World Book of Records designation of November 2005.
Let me give you an idea of the enormity of this skating opportunity: the Rideau Canal's surface is the equivalent size of 90 Olympic rinks and stretches for 7.8 km (4.8 miles) through downtown! And it features all kinds of outdoor entertainment as well as the famous Beavertails, Ottawa's signature pastry, so skating on the Canal will be a definite must on this upcoming trip.
So, after a good round of outdoor exercise I will certainly be checking out what the ByWard Market area has to offer and quench my well-deserved hunger with a great meal.
In anticipation of my visit I had a chance to talk to Meg McCallum, from the ByWard Market Business Improvement Association, who was able to give me a great overview of this ecclectic area.

1. Please give us a general overview of the ByWard Market, its location and its history.

Established by Lieutenant Colonel John By in 1826, the ByWard Market is one of Canada's oldest and largest public markets. The legendary builder of the Rideau Canal, Colonel By himself laid out the street plan of the Market, designating George Street and York Street to be extra wide to accommodate the creation of a public market and gathering place. 180 years later, the Market is still going strong!

Within an area roughly four blocks square, you'll find cafés, specialty food shops, boutiques, galleries, restaurants, pubs, hair & aesthetics salons and more! Easily accessible on foot, by transit, by bicycle or by car, the ByWard Market offers a unique experience for all. Whether you're here at dawn to welcome the outdoor vendors with their overflowing stands of fresh fruits and vegetables, flowers, and art & crafts; joining some friends for brunch/ lunch/ dinner or shopping; or staying up till the wee hours at one of our hip nightspots, you'll find the ByWard Market has something for you!

2. The ByWard Market still houses a farmers market today, please give us more information about that.

Outdoor vendors are an integral part of the ByWard Market experience. You'll find ByWard's vendors outside, no matter the weather, 363 days per year (closed Christmas Day and New Year's Day)! At the peak of summertime, there may be 175 stands operating, selling fruits & vegetables, bedding & gardening plants & cut flowers, arts & crafts, maple syrup & honey. In the winter months, you're more likely to find Christmas trees, natural wreaths & garlands, firewood, cut flowers, maple syrup & honey, and art & craft.
The farmers market is surrounded by specialty food retail shops - butchers, bakeries, imported items and more. As an example of the variety of goods you'll find, there are over 1000 types of cheese to be found!

3. Please tell us about the variety of culinary experiences that are available in the ByWard Market.

With over 80 restaurants, you'll never run out of options for dining. In the summer months, patios are the place to go, both to take advantage of the sun and warm weather and to people watch. In the winter, you'll find a warm welcome in some of the area's most beautiful heritage buildings, such as the Courtyard Restaurant and Mamma Grazzi's Kitchen. The ByWard Market is home to several internationally recognized chefs and sommeliers - try the Social, Luxe, E18hteen and Domus Café. You'll find Canadian cuisine at its finest, along with Thai, Mexican, Indian, Aboriginal, Japanese and more. If you're in a hurry, the ByWard Market building is home to several take-out options, or you can assemble a picnic lunch with breads, meats, cheeses, fruits and veggies from the farmers market. Don't forget dessert - there are several bakeries and gelato shops to choose from, as well as the Rocky Mountain Chocolate Factory or Sugar Mountain for those with a sweet tooth!

4. There are also a number of nightlife opportunities in the ByWard Market. Please tell us about those.
The Market is home to over 20 nightclubs featuring world reknowned dj's and live music; as well as more than 50 restaurants, pubs and lounges that stay open until 2 am. You'll find everything from martinis and single malt scotches to a world wide selection of wines and spirits. Venues run the gamut from intimate to extravagant; for the salt of the earth and the cream of the crop. Some not to be missed experiences include Fat Tuesdays New Orleans Experience (cajun cuisine and a carnival atmosphere), the Rainbow Bistro (live blues music), The Collection/Mercury Lounge/ Bar 56 (3 floors of martinis, dj's, culture and style), and Zaphod Beeblebrox (recently made famous as the filming location for the Rolling Stones latest video).

5. What type of retail and shopping opportunities can be found in the area?

With most retail shops being locally owned and operated, Market business owners are masters of their crafts. You'll find quality, experience and cutting edge trends in the many fashion, housewares and specialty boutiques. If you're looking for locally designed jewelery and clothing or picks from designers across North America and Europe, the shops on Sussex, Clarence and Dalhousie will wow you! If your interest in cooking has been piqued, try Ma Cuisine, Les Concepts Zone or Domus Housewares for kitchen gadgets galore! From there, of course, you'll start to want to redecorate your whole house... and this is the place to do it. Roche Bobois, Philip Van Leeuwen and many more furniture shops are to be found, along with specialty bath and bedding stores such as Mon Lit and Bed Behaviour. This is only a sampling of the variety of shops - you really have to visit to see for yourself!

6. What special events are you planning during the ByWard Market Mardi Gras?

Warm your fingers, toes, and your spirits as you take part in a variety of great activities all week long. From a masquerade ball to live Southern bands, you will find fabulous entertainment options for everyone at ByWard Market Mardi Gras from February 3 - 14th.

Plus, all week long, take advantage of extraordinary discount prices at 20 of the ByWard Market’s trendiest boutiques and salons. Over 25 great ByWard Market restaurants and bars will be serving up special Mardi Gras Menus all week; with tasty Southern dishes and beverages such as all-you-can-eat Creole mussels, Mardi Gras martinis, Cajun seafood jambalaya, and much more.

7. You are planning a "Winterlude Stew Cook-Off" for February 3, 2006. Please tell us about this special event.

For only $10 you can sample stew created by over 20 of the Market’s finest restaurants, including last year’s winner of both Judge’s and People’s Choice awards, Luxe Bistro. The 15th annual Winterlude Stew Cook-Off takes place at the south end of the ByWard Market Building on Friday, February 3, between 12 and 2 p.m.

Winners are chosen by the public as well as by a panel of celebrity judges including a master chef from Le Cordon Bleu Cooking School. All proceeds from the stew cook-off will be donated to Operation Go Home.

8. You have another special event planned for February 18, 2006: a Snow Volleyball Tournament. Please tell us about that.

Winter doesn't need to be spent inside! The Snow Volleyball Tournament brings out up to 40 teams to compete for bragging rights in friendly competition. The action takes place on Saturday, February 18 at 3:00 pm beside the Whiskey Bar at 112 York Street. Proceeds raised at the event will be donated to Operation Go Home.

9. Please tell us about the galleries and the arts and culture opportunities that are accessible in and around your area.

To start with, the National Gallery of Canada anchors the Market at it's north-west edge. And just across the street is the Notre Dame Basilica - a beautiful cathedral worth a visit to see the marbled painted archways and pillars. Throughout the Market you'll find many small galleries, commercial and publicly owned. The Ottawa School of Art offers short courses, workshops and lectures, and has a shop, a student gallery and a large public gallery. Lafreniere & Pai Gallery is home to works by some of Canada's best glass and ceramic artists, and Gallery of the Kanadas showcases aboriginal and inuit art. Many restaurants host exhibitions, and the Sussex Courtyards are home to several whimsical sculptures.

10. What are the ByWard Market Ambassadors?

The ByWard Market Ambassador program is operated through a community partnership and includes tourism, safety and information functions. Each summer ByWard Market Ambassadors circulate throughout the Market area contributing to a positive Market experience by…
- Providing tourists & the public with an on
-street resource for questions about the Market & the City
- Providing a safety &security function by monitoring the street activity & responding to situations that require intervention
- Providing front
-line response & first aid treatment in the case of accident or injury
- Maintaining positive community relations with all Market stakeholders

Look for the bright yellow t-shirts with INFO on the back...

11. What are some of the special events coming up in 2006?

The Market is its own festival! Special times of the year are:

May - Celebrate the spring return of fresh local produce and bedding plants to the outdoor market, the opening of patio season, and new spring fashions.

June - Sunday, June 4th - the ByWard Market Auto Classic gives you one more reason to visit the Market, as over 100 classic and collector vehicles are on display throughout the Market

July - Canada Day on July 1st, the ByWard Market is the place to see and be seen! Close enough to Parliament Hill to catch the fireworks, make the Market your base of operations for meeting up with friends, people watching and celebrating.

September - Bring home the harvest! And while you're picking up apples and squashes, leeks and garlic, take a detour to find some back to school fashions.

October - Get all you need for your Thanksgiving feast at our local butchers, bakeries and outdoor market. And then come back to pick up your pumpkin for Hallowe'en!

December - The Market turns into a winter wonderland! Fresh pine boughs decorate the heritage streetlamps, carollers serenade you with traditional Christmas carols, and free horse-drawn carriage rides are offered in the weekends leading up to Christmas. The heritage buildings and cobbled courtyards make an excellent backdrop for a taste of the holidays as they were one hundred years ago.

Thank you, Meg, for giving me a good overview of the ByWard Market. I look forward to checking out some of these places in person in a few weeks from now.

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at www.travelandtransitions.com

Banff - Lake Louise: Stunning Beauty and Nature At Its Best in the Canadian Rockies

2006-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

January 23, 2006

Banff - Lake Louise: Stunning Beauty and Nature At Its Best in the Canadian Rockies

For the first time ever, my husband and I are going to go skiing in the majestic Rocky Mountains: in March of 2006 we are going to go to stay a week in Banff, Alberta and we are also going to explore Lake Louise, the turquoise jewel of the Canadian Rockies. As we have never been to this region, I have started to do some research and contacted the official visitor information website for the communities of Banff and Lake Louise in Banff National Park.

I had a chance to speak with Quintin Winks, Manager of Media Relations for Banff Lake Louise Tourism, who was able to provide me with excellent background information about the Banff / Lake Louise Region.

1. Please provide us with some general information about Banff/Lake Louise. Where is it located, what is the weather like?

Banff is located within Banff National Park, in the Canadian Rockies of Western Alberta. The town of Banff is famous for its spectacular setting, but it is more than just a pretty place. As Canada's first incorporated municipality in a national park, Banff is a very special community. It is environmentally-conscious, balanced, rich with character and culture and a friendly and open community. The elevation of Banff townsite is 1,383 m (4,537 feet), the highest town in Canada. The elevation of Lake Louise is 1,536 m (5,039 feet), the highest permanent settlement in Canada.

Summer (July - August): The summer season usually has low humidity, warm temperatures and daylight hours lasting until 11:00 p.m. at the height of the summer equinox.

Autumn (Sept - Oct): Fall sees diminishing daylight hours and warm days with cooling evening winds.

Winter (Nov - March): Although it can and does snow at any time of the year, the first snows generally begin to fall in November. The average temperature during the winter months is around -12º C (6º F); however it is not unusual to have a two-week cold snap during December or January where temperatures plummet into the -30 degree C/F range. Fortunately Banff and areas west and south, regularly receive a welcome weather phenomenon called Chinooks, warm winds that produce spring-like temperatures in a matter of hours.

Spring (April - June): Rain and warming temperatures begin to melt winter away from the valleys in April, however snow does not leave the mountain passes until mid-summer. While the average precipitation is relatively low during this time, snowmelt pushes the rivers to their crests.

2. How can one get to Banff/Lake Louise and what is the best way of getting around locally?

Situated in the Rocky Mountains of Alberta, the town of Banff is located inside the boundaries of Banff National Park. It is situated 128 kilometres (80 miles) west of Calgary, 401 kilometres (250 miles) southwest of Edmonton and 850 kilometres (530 miles) east of Vancouver. Commercial airlines service each of these three Canadian cities, and buses to Banff and Lake Louise run year round.

Banff is easily accessed by bus or car using the Trans-Canada Highway. Calgary to Banff driving time is about 2 hours depending on traffic and road conditions. Speed limits inside the national park are 90km/hour.

The closest major airport is the Calgary International Airport. Scheduled van and motorcoach shuttle services connect Banff with Calgary Airport. Departures are limited (usually 3 or 4 per day).

3. What are some of the major sights in and around Banff/ Lake Louise?

Banff is famous first and foremost for its spectacular natural scenery, but also for its museums, national historic sites and heritage buildings.

Architectural and heritage guidelines ensure the town retains its mountain culture and charm. Banff also has three historic sites (Cave & Basin, Banff Park Museum and Bankhead) and numerous heritage buildings, one of the best performing art schools in the country (The Banff Centre), top-notch art galleries (The Walter Phillips Gallery and Canada House Gallery among others) and a world-renown museum specializing in the art and history of the Canadian Rockies (the Whyte Museum of the Canadian Rockies).

Wildlife is also abundant within Banff National Park and many visitors return home with memorable photographs of species that make use of the park.

From bridge to biking, there is so much to do in the Banff area including airplane tours, barbecues, billiards, boat tours, bowling, dogsledding, downhill and cross-country skiing, fishing, golf, hiking, snowshoeing, nature tours, horseback riding, carriage and sleigh rides, mountaineering and climbing, hiking, hot springs and spas, museums and art galleries, gondolas, snocoach tours, sightseeing, whitewater rafting, kayaking and float trips.

4. Please tell us about the skiing opportunities in Banff/Lake Louise and other winter activities on offer in your area.

Three outstanding ski resorts, Ski Banff@Norquay, Sunshine Village and Lake Louise provide more than 7,700 acres and 240 trails offering countless options to skiers and snowboarders of any ability. From wide-open bowls and tree-lined glades covered with fresh dry champagne powder, to meticulous groomed slopes and state-of-the-art snowmaking, visitors enjoy unspoiled scenery, short lift lines, and guaranteed friendly local hospitality. The last major snowstorm through this area was less than one week ago and the snow conditions are powder, powder, powder. More snow is forecast in the coming days.

There are over 80km of cross-country trails within a short drive of the Banff townsite alone. The vast network of track-set and untracked trails, and telemark slopes throughout Banff National Park calls nordic skiers of all abilities. The Banff National Park Service keeps up to date trail conditions and weather forecasts.

Banff also offers guided snow-shoeing tours, ice walks, dog sledding and ice climbing, not to mention heli-skiing.

5. What about activities during the summer time?

Ride through a pine forest hearing only hoof beats, zoom down waterslides, or come face to face with a grizzly bear while exploring an interpretive museum. Banff Lake Louise offers something for everyone.

Enjoy the spectacular views from the Brewster Gondola, explore the Columbia Icefield from aboard the enormous snocoach, rent a bike and ride around the park or get up early and enjoy a bird walk in the spring. There’s also guided tours through Johnston Canyon, nature walks, a skateboard park and several fine patios for enjoying a cool refreshment after hours of exploration in the summer sun. That’s just the tip of the iceberg.

6. Banff / Lake Louise's history is connected to the expansion of railways across Canada. Please give us a brief historical overview of the area. 1883

The railway passes through the Banff area and reaches Laggan Station (Lake Louise). Three railway workers, Frank McCabe, Tom McCardell, and William McCardell, stake claim to the natural hot springs on the side of Sulphur Mountain.

- 1884: Lord Steven, a former CPR director, christens the area "Banff" after his birthplace, Banffshire, Scotland.

- 1885: The federal government sets aside a 26 km² reserve surrounding the hot springs discovered two years earlier. Two years later, that area is increased to 670 sq. km. The Canadian Pacific Railway Company and the federal government cooperate in promoting the area as an international resort and spa as a way to support the new railway and ease the financial pressures on Confederation.

- 1888: The Canadian Pacific Railway Company builds the area's first large tourist accommodation, The Banff Springs Hotel.

- 1911: Automobile access to Banff is made possible by the construction of the Banff/Calgary Coach Road.

- 1917: The park's area is increased to 7 125 km². The Canadian government passes the first National Parks Act.

- 1930: Rocky Mountains Park is renamed Banff National Park and its size becomes fixed at 6641 km².

- 1933: The Banff Centre for Continuing Education is founded.

- 1985: Banff, Jasper, Yoho and Kootenay National Parks along with four adjacent provincial parks are declared a World Heritage Site by the United Nations Educational Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO).

- 1990: Through a joint agreement between the local citizens and the federal and provincial governments, the town of Banff becomes the only incorporated municipality within a Canadian national park.

7. Our readers would like to find out about the festivals and special events in Banff/Lake Louise.

Festivals and special events are many in Banff and Lake Louise. The most immediate two are Ice Magic and Winterfest. Ice Magic involves artists from all over the world converging on Lake Louise and carving 300 kilogram blocks of ice into spectacular sculptures (January 27-29).
Winterfest is a series of fun activities. The most up-to-date information on all festivals and special events can be found at http://www.banfflakelouise.com/

8. What about restaurants and entertainment in Banff / Lake Louise?

With inventive panache, chefs relentlessly reach new culinary heights. Recipes change according to the seasons and make use of the freshest local ingredients. During the fall and winter, this means game, squash and legumes, while spring features asparagus and mushrooms and summer highlights edible flowers and fresh fruits.

The town has a wide variety of tourism-related businesses including over 118 restaurants with food to suit every palette. There’s Indian cuisine, sushi, Korean, Chinese, Western, Pasta, Thai, Greek and just about every other variation.

Banff is also home to The Banff Centre. This institution is host to many forms of entertainment, including art galleries and installations, theatre productions and concerts ranging in variety from string quartets, blues, jazz, ethnic and rock ‘n’ roll. There is something happening virtually every week of the year. Banff also has a cinema, bowling lanes, water slides and indoor pool and billiards hall. There’s an indoor rock-climbing wall, skating rink, tennis courts and myriad other things to do for entertainment regardless of the weather.

9. What are some of the shopping opportunities in Banff / Lake Louise?

Enjoy strolling alongside locals and world-travellers as you discover a cosmopolitan collection of galleries, boutiques and cafés. Shops range from internationally recognized clothiers or independently-owned establishments to Canada's oldest department store.

10. What type of accommodations options are available in Banff / Lake Louise?

From five-star elegance to the cozy comfort of cabins or chalets, Banff Lake Louise has more than 100 hotels, motels, condominiums resorts, lodges and bed & breakfasts that will make you feel at home whatever your tastes.

11. What are some of the major events and big news stories coming up in 2006 and beyond in Banff/Lake Louise?

Banff looks poised to host a skins golf game this summer that will attract some of the biggest names in golf.

Also big in the news is the commencement of Banff Refreshing, a sidewalk expansion program and greening that will make downtown Banff much more pedestrian friendly and reduce the amount of traffic using the downtown core.

The first phase of the Trans-Canada Highway twinning project will also swing into high gear this summer, making transit through Banff National Park faster and safer than ever. Of note with this project are state-of-the-art wildlife crossing structures to keep animals off the highway.

Passing of a recent lighting bylaw means that Banff’s night sky will become more and more clear as time passes.

Thank you, Quintin, for your time to provide us with more information about the beautiful Banff/Lake Louise area. We look forward to exploring your area first-hand in March!

For further information about Banff/Lake Louise please contact: Banff Lake Louise TourismP.O. Box 1298, Banff, Alberta, T1L 1B3, CanadaPhone:403-762-8421 Fax: 403-762-8163 Email: info@banfflakelouise.comWeb: www.BanffLakeLouise.com

http://www.textronics.com/

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/

Presenting: Danielle Weiss Talks About Sustainable Tourism

2006-01-16T11:07:00.000-08:00

January 16, 2006

Presenting: Danielle Weiss Talks About Sustainable Tourism

Danielle Weiss is the Sustainable Travel Coordinator for G.A.P Adventures, Canada's largest adventure travel company and winner of many distinguished entrepreneurial and travel industry awards. I am also happy to say that G.A.P is also the sponsor of our first travel story contest who has generously provided the top prize for our contest: an amazing adventure expedition cruise through the Amazon.

G.A.P Adventures is a very unique travel company that combines small group adventure tours with concepts of environmental sustainability and social conscience.

Danielle is also one of the main people behind the Planeterra Foundation, a non-profit organization that was developed by G.A.P Adventures as a way to give back to the people and places they visit on our tours. Danielle herself is an avid traveller and in her personal interview she shares her personal stories of how travel changed her life.

I had a chance to ask Danielle about "sustainable tourism" and what all of us can do to minimize our impact on the communities we come in touch with. Here are her insights:

1. Please tell us more about "Sustainable Tourism", what is it?

I would define Sustainable Tourism as tourism that has minimal impact on the environment, respects local people and cultures, offers economic benefit to locally owned businesses and incorporates community-based ecotourism projects.

2. What does it mean to be a "Responsible Tour Operator"?

Being a Responsible tourism means being committed to offering low-impact tours that benefit traveller and host alike. G.A.P Adventures is an example of a company that prides itself on being a responsible operator. We work with local communities, businesses and individuals to develop sustainable tourism opportunities that help local economies while minimizing negative environmental and cultural impacts. We travel in small groups, use local transportation and stay in locally-owned accommodations.

Part of G.A.P's operating philosophy is to respect the communities in which we operate. G.A.P does this by acting in a manner that is environmentally, socially and economically responsible. While our sustainable tourism policies are constantly evolving, our commitment to socially conscious, grassroots style travel has never changed. In recognition of our efforts in the area of social responsibility, G.A.P won the Ethics in Action Award. We are proud of our reputation, the work we do with local communities and the style of travel we offer to our passengers.

3. What are "Ecotourism Operator Standards"?

With the help of Conservation International, G.A.P Adventures developed a set of Ecotourism standards which act as a code-of-conduct to ensure that we act responsibly at all levels of the company. Every year these standards are re-examined and, where appropriate, targets are raised or new standards are added.

- Company-wide policies:

1 Use of local transportation
2 All G.A.P Adventures staff and partners are aware and knowledgeable of the Standards program.
3 Reduce, Reuse (and Recycle whenever possible).
4 Annual contribution to conservation and community development NGOs (non-governmental organizations).

- Marketing:
1 Promote Standards in all marketing campaigns.
2 Marketing materials: Brochure contains at least 20% post-consumer recycled paper. Newsletter to remain online.

- Tour Operation:

1 Visit at least one officially established protected area on each tour and provide information on such areas to our clients.
2 Provide employment and/or business opportunities to local people.
3 Suppliers are encouraged to improve their own environmental/social standards.
4 Maximum group size is 12 passengers on all G.A.P Tour Leader-led tours. G.A.P ensures that local operators and other travellers are aware of the benefits of conducting small-group tours.
5 No use of suppliers who support exploitative practices. For example, we don't condone selling endangered species products, harming threatened habitats or prostitution.

- Tour Leaders:

1 Tour Leaders are fluent in English and Spanish.
2 Tour Leaders receive special training in low-impact travel and are selected based on their knowledge, commitment to and awareness of sustainable travel. Tour Leaders must possess First Aid and CPR certification upon being hired.
3 Tour leaders are encouraged to research eco-friendly operators, accommodation, and possible projects that can be incorporated into our tours.

- Accommodation:
1 All hotels have less than 40 rooms, except joining and departure points, which have less than 100. Otherwise, the best feasible option is employed. Best feasible option means that if there is an alternative that is a more responsible option in terms of the social and natural environment, this can be taken.
2 The majority of accommodation is locally owned.

4. What makes travelling with G.A.P Adventures unique in the context of sustainable tourism?

Travelling responsibly as a passenger on a G.A.P Adventures tour results in a more enjoyable and authentic travel experience. We believe that tourism should be about interacting with other cultures, not exploiting them. This means travelling with local people on public buses rather than looking at them through the window of a private tour bus; and staying at a small, locally- owned guesthouse rather than a large, foreign-owned hotel. It also means travelling in small groups that are less intrusive and offer more opportunity for local interaction.

5. What does being a "Responsible Traveller" entail?

As a traveller, you can do a lot to help ensure that tourism in developing countries remains a positive experience for everyone. The following guidelines offer suggestions for low-impact and culturally sensitive travel:

- Stay on the trail
Straying from the trail while hiking can cause erosion and other environmentally harmful impacts.

- Respect the wildlife
Viewing animals from a safe distance is fine; touching, feeding, or cornering them is not.

- Respect endangered species
Do not buy products that exploit wildlife, aid in habitat destruction, or come from endangered species.

- Do not litter
This is one time when the old adage "When in Rome, do as the Romans" doesn't apply. Even if you see a local person littering, set an example and dispose of your garbage appropriately.

- Reduce waste
Recycling is extremely limited or non-existent in most developing countries. Avoid products with excess packaging; opt for beverages in glass bottles as they tend to be re-used.

- Protect local water systems
Use only biodegradable soaps and shampoos while camping. Avoid sunblock while snorkelling as the chemicals are harmful to the coral reef - wear a T-shirt instead.

- Respect cultural differences
Local customs and traditions may be different from our own. Take the time to learn what behaviour is acceptable and what isn't.

- Take photos with care
Always ask permission to take photos of people and respect their wishes if they refuse. If you do take a photo, offer to send copies back to them and make sure to follow through with your promise. If your subject wants immediate compensation in return for the photo taken, offering a piece of fruit or bread, or a souvenir from your home are ways to do it.

- Learn a few phrases
Take the time to learn about the country you are visiting. Learning about the customs and a few words in the local language can go a long way and is appreciated by the local people. It also makes your interactions more meaningful and memorable.

- Giving gifts
G.A.P highly discourages offering money to people begging on the streets of Latin America. Parents often send their children out into the streets, since a child can make more than their parents make begging on the street. This promotes further dependency and encourages more parents to send out their children. Instead, we would suggest offering a piece of bread or fruit.

- Support Local Artisans
Support local artists and artisans by purchasing locally made goods. Many communities sell handmade crafts that you may purchase while on tour. You may also ask your Tour Leader for recommendations about where to find local markets, stores and cooperatives.

6. Please tell us more about Planeterra as well as about your Community Projects?
The Planeterra Foundation is a non-profit organization that is dedicated to making a positive difference in the lives of people and communities around the world through support of community projects, local organizations and international charities.

The Planeterra Foundation was developed by G.A.P Adventures, and provides us as a company, our travellers and other donors with a way to give back to the people and places we visit on our tours.

G.A.P Adventures pays all administration costs and matches each donation dollar-for-dollar so that 100% of each donation goes to support Planeterra projects. By identifying projects and organizations that specialize in different areas, our donors are provided with a variety of worthwhile projects to choose from and support. Based on the individual needs of each project, resources are delivered on an annual basis in the form of funds and/or materials.

We support a number of community projects throughout Latin America which our travellers are given the opportunity to visit while on our tours. These projects focus on the areas of health, education childcare, women's projects, wildlife conservation and the development of community-based ecotourism.

To learn more about the individual community projects that we support please visit:http://www.planeterra.org/community.html

7. Why did G.A.P Adventures become so committed to the concept of sustainable tourism?

Planeterra is a labour of love and a dream that has come together after years of planning. As a company that strives to give back to local communities, developing our own foundation has long been on the agenda and is now a reality. We have been very successful as a company and part of our mission statement is to never forget what really makes our company and programs great

Bruce Poon Tip, G.A.P Adventures' founder and C.E.O. has the following to say about his company's commitment to sustainable tourism:

"It's about community, people and cultural exchange. It is our duty to show ultimate respect for the privilege we all have with modern international travel. In appreciation of the people and places that have provided us with unforgettable memories and experiences, we encourage you to help us give back to the country in which you have travelled. We ensure that 100% of your donation goes back to the people and supports community development with the goal of promoting long-term sustainability. It is my duty as the founder and CEO of G.A.P Adventures, to help preserve our planet, her people and to make sure her treasures are around for the next generation of eager travellers and wide-eyed explorers."

8. What additional sustainable tourism initiatives are you working on?

a) Raising $100,000 to help build a home for street kids in Peru
Every year donations made to the Planeterra Foundation are dispersed amongst the community projects and international charities that we support. In addition to raising funds for the various local projects and charities we support, the Planeterra Foundation currently has a goal of raising $100,000 which will be used to purchase land and build a home for street children in Cusco, Peru.

We are working together with Inti Runakunaq Wasin (IRW), Quechua for "house of the people of the sun", a local non-profit organization that acts as a haven for children who live in extreme poverty. IRW currently rents a small apartment space and is operated by a group of social workers, teachers and other professionals who volunteer their time to provide support programs for children and their families. Children are given the opportunity to voluntarily drop-in and participate in a variety of classes and workshops that teach them valuable skills including reading, writing, carpentry, handicrafts, shoe repair, cooking, music and English.

IRW currently works with 50 children but have a goal of establishing a bigger home outside of Cuzco in order to provide services to more children in need. The Planeterra Foundation is organizing fundraising events and is relying on matched donations from travellers and other donors in order to make this dream a reality.

b) Upcoming Fundraising Events
We have just recently hired a full-time Fundraiser, Elinor Schwob, who comes to us with 15 years of fundraising experience. With Elinor's help we aim to raise a minimum of $250,000 for our projects in 2006 through matched donations from travellers and some exciting fundraising events. We will continually be updating the Planeterra Events page with information about these events:

http://www.planeterra.org/support.html

c) New Volunteer Tours
For many people, travelling is about gaining an understanding and appreciation of new cultures and developing relationships with local people. This year we have developed a new style of tour that incorporates a volunteer component so that travellers have the opportunity to help improve the basic living conditions of the local people while having an unforgettable cultural experience. In 2006 our goal is to research and develop more of these types of tours.

PROJECT PERU
Travellers have the opportunity to work alongside local host families to build a Peruvian cooking stove. Without the help of travellers that want to make a difference, these communities do not have the resources to build safe and clean cooking stoves for themselves. Benefits of the stove include the removal of smoke from the kitchen, a 50% reduction in wood used and the reduction of eye and lung infections especially among women and children. Travellers will also have the opportunity to visit Cusco, a women's weaving project in the Sacred Valley and the lost city of Machu Picchu .

For more information about this tour please visit Project Peru

PROJECT GUATEMALA
Working alongside members of the community and international volunteers travellers will participate in a project that provides villagers with clean drinking water in Guatemala 's eastern highlands. Travellers may also have the opportunity participate in other cultural aspects of village life such as learning to make tortillas with the women, helping with the corn harvest, and teaching English to the children. We will also visit the colonial town of Antigua , relax on the shores of Lake Atitlan and explore the colourful Sunday market in Chichicastenango.

For more information about this tour please visit Project Guatemala

No training or special skills are required, just a desire to help make a difference.

3) Planeterra in Africa
In 2006, we will be expanding the scope of Planeterra to support community and conservation projects in Africa.

Danielle, I appreciate that you took your time to educate us about the concept of sustainable tourism and what all of us can do to show respect to the people and places that we have the privilege to visit. Good luck with your work for the Planeterra Foundation......

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at www.travelandtransitions.com

Preview: Voices of Diversity - Esther and Li Head Out On A Holocaust Education Trip and Create A Documentary

2006-01-10T12:49:00.000-08:00

January 10, 2006

Preview: Voices of Diversity - Esther and Li Head Out On A Holocaust Education Trip and Create A Documentary

Once again, the work on the website continues spinning a web of wonderful new contacts. My awesome dentist, Dr. Rajiv Arya, one of the truly enlightened human beings (we discuss world philosophy while he drills on my molars....), told me last year about this trip he went on a few years ago. He explained that it was a Holocaust education trip and that the entire 2-week journey was documented by two young women from Toronto in a documentary entitled "Those Who Lie Beneath".
Well, no doubt, I had to meet these two creative and ambitious young women. Connecting with Esther Garfin and Li Yeh has been in the making for quite a few months since they are both busy professionals in the television industry in their respective fields of law and business affairs. This Holocaust education and anti-discrimination trip literally fell into their lap unexpectedly in early 2002. At that time, both worked at the same TV production company (although on the non-TV production side of things), and they got the idea to do a documentary on this very unique journey.
With little pre-production on this project, they essentially grabbed a camera person and went off to explore some key sites related to the Holocaust in Germany and Poland. Interestingly, Esther's background is Jewish and one set of grandparents was originally from Poland so Esther has a rather personal connection to the Holocaust. Li, on the other hand, is of Asian descent, and simply wanted to learn more about this particular era in history. To make it even more interesting, the camera person is a young Canadian woman of German heritage who also narrates the documentary. She describes her own personal journey of confronting her fore-father's past.
With a diverse group of 12 other travellers Esther and Li explored various historic sites in Berlin, and the concentration camp of Ravensbrück in Germany. Then they headed east on a train (the historical irony of this choice of transportation is not to be missed) to Poland to visit Warsaw, Lodz and Cracow. They visited the extermination camps of Treblinka, Majdanek and Auschwitz. In their words, the harshness progressed the further the trip went on. Esther even had a chance to visit her grandparents' birth town of Kielce, Poland.
What really fascinates me is that this documentary is intended for a diverse audience of people from different ethnic groups and religious affiliations. Even the choice of having the documentary narrated by a young woman of German descent underscores this cross-cultural angle.
"Those Who Lie Beneath" demonstrates that the Holocaust is a tragedy and lesson of pan-human proportions, transcending all faiths, generations and cultures. Ultimately, the documentary reinforces that although some people may have grown tired of hearing about the Holocaust, it continues to hold critical lessons for all of us as hate can exist in any community at any given time.
In the upcoming interview, Esther and Li will talk to us about their personal experiences on this trip, the interesting subthemes in this diverse travel group, the learning experiences and challenges involved in creating this documentary and the insights they gained from this journey.

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at www.travelandtransitions.com

Finding Inspiration and Looking Ahead

2006-01-03T10:59:00.000-08:00

Tuesday, January 3, 2006

Finding Inspiration and Looking Ahead

So this website is a little more than a year old. Actually http://www.travelandtransitions.com/ was originally registered some time in February of 2005, but I started an earlier version at a different URL in October of 2004.

As you may know, this website was originally inspired by my own personal early mid-life crisis, by my uneasiness about the stresses of modern life, by a general feeling of being burnt out, wanting to try something new and searching for my real passion. From about 2002 and onwards I had spent quite a bit of time soul-searching, thinking about who I thought I am, what I might be good at, what I can't stand, what I might be passionate about, and how I might be able to make a small difference.

I started to realize that my existing life-style was not working for me any more: being stuck behind a desk all the time, working hours and hours on spreadsheets and marketing campaigns and dealing with paperwork just wasn't cutting it any more. There was an adventurer, a traveller, a hobby philosopher and closet idealist with boundless curiosity waiting in the wings, just itching to be released.

So I started wrecking my brain as to how I could reconcile these newly rediscovered personality traits and do something with them. And after some trial runs with other concepts, http://www.travelandtransitions.com/ was born.

A little more than a year after its inception - where have things gone with the website? Well, right now the website has just over 300 pages of unique content. Since the beginning of the website I've travelled to a variety of places and written a multitude of live travel stories from these exciting spots:
- Spain (including Barcelona, Tarragona, Valencia, Ibiza)
- Austria with a short side trip to Italy and Slovenia
- a ski trip to Quebec
- a wonderful socio
-cultural and linguistic learning experience in Havana - Cuba
- an extended weekend in New York City
- a fast-ferry trip to Rochester
- kayaking on the Ottawa River
- a wonderful 5-day trip to Victoria and Vancouver and a visit to the Servas Conference ("travelling for peace")
- the phenomenal Toronto visit of my brother, his wife and 2 friends and their first time in Canada or North America for that matter
- various local explorations including the St. Lawrence Market, a weekend admiring scare crows in the Kawarthas, a fall country tour to Caledon, Fergus and Elora
- a wonderful extended weekend trip to one of my favourite cities: Chicago
- and a 16 day road trip to Florida with my husband to explore "Orlando Off The Beaten Path".

I've seen quite a lot. And I've learned a lot. I spent huge amounts of time learning about web design, internet marketing, website traffic building, online publicity and related issues. But in addition to my Internet activities with the travel website, I also discovered renewed vigor to dedicate myself to my full time business, www.textronics.com, my language services and translation company.

I now have a fabulous team of people from all over the world: our linguistic experts reside in virtually every region and every country around the globe. My in-house staff is very multi-cultural in itself: I am currently working with people from Pakistan, Mexico, Russia, China, Ethiopia and we will soon have an intern from Japan. Previous interns have come from India, Nigeria and Germany.

In addition to allowing me to discover the world, the team that works with me has given me the opportunity to explore multi-culturalism right here on site. My staff are a pleasure to work with and I am truly proud of them. Just before Christmas we had a lovely potluck lunch and we were sampling home-made foods from 5 or 6 different countries. Along the same lines, we must have had about the same number of different world religions represented in our group, and it warms my heart to see that all these people from different places are getting along well. They recognize the similarities that exist among all of us as human beings, are open to learning about our differences and they appreciate the unique customs and traditions that may exist in our native cultures. It is extremely inspiring to be part of this multi-cultural learning experience on a daily basis.

In November we had a big cause for celebration: we celebrated 15 years in business and jointly with a great Toronto organization by the name of Skills for Change (a local immigrant settlement agency) we celebrated diversity and the positive impact that new immigrants can make in our workplaces and our communities. My multi-cultural staff members shared their stories of coming to Toronto, of some of the difficulties they faced initially until they found a placement with Skills for Change and received a full-time job as a result.

All these experiences confirmed that one of my key purposes here in this lifetime is to communicate this message of understanding, tolerance and peace. A message of connecting with people from other cultures, locally and abroad, to break down barriers, mistrust and prejudice.

This past year has really given me an opportunity to come into my own as an entrepreneur who runs a couple of unconventional businesses: a small business serving a mostly corporate clientele that provides high-quality multi-lingual services, and a website dedicated to unconventional travel. Both of these ventures deal with multi-lingual and cross-cultural issues and they complement each other quite nicely.

The coming year will hold a number of new challenges: first and foremost, we will shortly be launching our huge story contest, with the top prize winner receiving an exciting expedition cruise through the Amazon River, sponsored by Canada's biggest adventure travel company: G.A.P Adventures.

There will be more travels ahead: so far I have planned a ski trip to Banff/Lake Louise in March, around April of 2006 I am planning to head off to Mexico and the beautiful colonial city of Cuernavaca to study Spanish. There will be other small excursions to Montreal, Ottawa, the Muskokas and of course various local discoveries in my beloved Toronto. The fall may hold another language study or adventure trip, possibly somewhere in Latin America. And in December we are planning a big reunion with my brother and his wife in the Canary Islands, part of Spain and located just off the coast of North Africa.

Of course there will be plenty of interviews with interesting and inspiring individuals, there will be practical advice, feature articles, and finally, there will be travel stories written by you, the readers.

What can I say - 2005 has been a great year, a year of learning, of experiencing, of travelling, of broadening my mind, and a year of realizing what I am meant to do. In retrospect I may have been right on the nose when I picked the name for this website: "Travel and Transitions - Life is a Journey - Explore New Horizons".......

http://www.textronics.com/

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/

Presenting: Danielle Weiss - Latin America Fan and Sustainable Travel Expert

2005-12-22T10:51:00.000-08:00

December 22, 2005

Presenting: Danielle Weiss - Latin America Fan and Sustainable Travel Expert

I had a chance to meet Danielle through G.A.P Adventures, Canada's largest adventure travel company. G.A.P is sponsoring our first Travel Story Contest with the fabulous top prize of an expedition cruise on the mighty Amazon River and in working with them I have had a chance to meet a few staff members of this unusual and highly successful ecologically and socially conscious travel company.

Danielle is one of those individuals, who at a very young age, could already have written a book. After growing up in Toronto and attending university, Danielle spent several years living in Latin America and also worked as a tour leader for G.A.P Adventures where she got exposed to a variety of countries and regions in South America.

Along the way she fell in love with the people and cultures of Latin America and made some key experiences that have shaped her for a lifetime. Let's listen to Danielle's story and how her time in Latin America has truly changed her life.

1. Please tell us a bit about yourself, where are you from, what is your background?

I was born and raised in the suburbs of Toronto by my mother. For the first ten years of my life my mom and I travelled to Europe on a regular basis to visit our relatives and when I was a bit older, we began to take holidays to warmer climates in Mexico and the Caribbean. Despite the fact our trips south were mainly resort vacations, these trips opened my eyes at young age to a world that extended outside of southern Ontario suburbia. When I was 19 I travelled for the first time on my own to British Colombia. I met travellers from around the world as I hiked and backpacked and I am sure it was this trip in particular that instilled the travel bug in me.

2. What other places have you travelled to?

After my first solo travel experience in BC, I decided to travel to the Middle East when I was twenty. I walked into a Kibbutz office in Toronto and within one week of deciding and absolutely no idea what I was getting myself into, I found myself on a plane to Israel. I spent a month volunteering on a kibbutz and then another month travelling through Israel and into Egypt. Despite a bumpy beginning, it ended up being an incredibly empowering experience knowing that I could travel as a single woman through the Middle East on my own.

After that the majority of my travelling has been within Latin America with a few visits to places in other parts of the world. My travels over the past few years have taken me to Ecuador, Peru, Bolivia, Argentina, Brazil, Uruguay, Venezuela, Guatemala, Costa Rica, Malaysia, Borneo, Spain and Antarctica.

3. During university you travelled to Guatemala and Costa Rica. What were these first trips to Latin America like.

The year after Israel I booked my next trip to Costa Rica with a friend from University. We spent a month backpacking around the country on local buses and staying in hostals. It was low season so we ran into very few travellers along the way. We spent most of the time in the northern province of Guanacaste where we befriended a group of locals. We ended up spending almost our entire vacation with a retired cattle rancher, a doctor, a hotel owner and a well-known Costa Rican singer…Frank Sinatra style. Unlike my other trips, where I spent the majority of my time with other travellers, this was the first time that I got to know the locals who introduced me to the real Costa Rica.

Less than a year later I found myself in Guatemala for two months where I enrolled in one-on-one Spanish Language classes. I spent hours talking with my Spanish teacher who told me about the tortured history of her country including stories of her friends and family that had disappeared. She made me realize how lucky I was to have grown up in Canada and I learned that you can never really know a place unless you take the time to meet the local people and listen to the stories of their reality.

4. A key experience for you was your trip to Ecuador in your third year of university during which you studied at a local university and did some volunteer work. This time changed your life. Please tell us about that trip.

After leaving Guatemala my Spanish had improved immensely and I was ready for the adventure of a lifetime. I was in my third year of University and I had been accepted to a study abroad program in Ecuador. Little did I know that one year in Ecuador would change me and my life forever. I spent the first semester living with a family in a small town located about half an hour from the capital city of Quito. Even today eight years later I am still in touch with them on a regular basis and know that we will be friends forever. I studied at the university and took courses on Latin American culture, history, politics, economy but what I remember the most were my experiences outside of the classroom. That was the year I learned to speak Spanish, I made life long friends, I travelled all over the country and met new and interesting people from all over the world. At times I felt helpless when I saw the reality of people living in poverty wishing that there was something I could do. But at the same time I found that the people who appeared to have the least were the ones that gave me the most. It was then that I decided that I wanted to dedicate my life to working with poor communities in Latin America.

During my second semester I lived on a reserve with local and international volunteers in the coastal jungle. We spent four months doing community outreach to surrounding communities. It was the year of El Nino so we would walk for days along paths through the jungle at times with mud up to our thighs, through torrential downpours and wading through rivers to get to these remote communities. The people in these communities were always so welcoming. We planted fruit trees around the schools so the children would have fruit to eat, we taught environmental education, and started a women’s coop teaching them how to weave hats out of banana leaves to sell. Because the international volunteers would come and go, my closest friends were the Ecuadorians who worked there. During that entire year I knew that there was nowhere else in the world that I would rather be.

5. What was it like coming back to Toronto after this trip? What did you do when you got back in town.

Saying goodbye to my friends in Ecuador was heartbreaking. They asked me if I’d be coming back, but I said no because I still wanted to go to Asia and see more of Africa. I flew home for a week saw my mother and my friends, quickly realizing that it was impossible for me to describe a full year of life changing events and xperiences into a five minute synopsis. I felt like a completely new person.

After a week of catching up with friends and family I was back on a plane out west for a season of tree planting which I have to admit is one of the hardest jobs out there. I loved being in the outdoors, I loved working hard, I loved camping and I loved the lifestyle, but my heart and mind were still in Ecuador so I found it very difficult to adjust to the new people and situation. I decided I needed a break and time to digest what I had just been through before throwing myself into a completely new world. I ended my contract early, and flew back home.

Unfortunately coming back to Toronto was like being forced to snap back into a reality that I didn’t want to be a part of. Of course I had missed my mother and my friends, but I was going through some serious reverse culture shock. At the time I knew nothing about reverse culture shock, but it wasn’t until months later that I read a chapter in a book about it. I was so relieved when I realized that what I was going though was normal and that everything would be okay. They say it takes about as long for you to adjust as the amount of time you have been away and it was true.

5. Why does Latin America hold such a fascination for you?

I have no idea why Latin America holds such a fascination for me. I am convinced that I have spent past lifetimes there because when I am there I feel more at home than I do anywhere else. I love the people, the culture, the mountains, the jungle, the coast, the food, the music and the language. Individuals, families and communities have welcomed me into their hearts and homes and when I am there I really feel as though I am living each day.

6. You decided that you needed to go back to Latin America, where did you go and why?

In my last month of university I came to the realization that I wasn’t going to be happy unless I returned to Ecuador. After numerous computer searches I came across a short 150 word posting looking for an intern to help out with a research project in the Andes of Ecuador. I worked harder on that application than I did on my final thesis and within a week of handing in my thesis I was back on a plane to my beloved Ecuador.

7. You have participated in volunteer projects in Ecuador. Please tell us about hose.

When I returned to Ecuador for the second time I spent the first two months living with the Ecuadorian family I had grown to love during my university experience and spent my days improving my Spanish by studying at a language school in Quito.

I then spent the next six months doing an internship in the Ecuadorian highlands. I worked alongside two Americans and an Ecuadorian living in a mountain refuge studying one of the last remaining high altitude forests. We spent weeks at a time camping out in the forest, doing transect lines and scientific studies. We travelled to mountain communities where we worked with the local school children and planted native trees around the school.

With a grant from Yale University we tried to buy the land but unfortunately the local landowner wouldn’t budge. So after months of trying to convince the landowner we finally gave up and instead we decided to purchase a piece of land in front of the mountain refuge and create a high altitude organic farm. We developed the Nucanchi Yuracuna Foundation and I became the Director of the organic farm. The other volunteers returned home and I was left to work alongside a group of Ecuadorian farmers. We plowed and tilled the land and planted habas and quinoa. I bought books in Quito and studied organic agriculture and we planted native trees around the border of the land. We had plans to build a greenhouse and use it as a model for farmers in Ecuador. Unfortunately the funding ran out and I found myself ready for a change and a new adventure.

8. There was a time when you had very little money. You literally survived on a dollar a day. What happened and how did you handle the experience?

My next move took me to Riobamba, a town located just half an hour from the farm. I became an English teacher at an English language institute in town. I taught there for five months before returning home for one month at Christmas.

After spending a month at home I returned to Ecuador. Within a few hours of returning I was robbed and I lost everything! I didn’t even have three dollars for the bus ride back to Riobamba. I was only teaching one hour a day at the language school earning 15,000 sucres which at the time was the equivalent of one dollar per day. I had enough money for one meal a day and spent most of my time hungry. I knew that I could have called home for help but I wanted to see if I could survive on my own.

Luckily I lived with a wonderful Ecuadorian family who didn’t mind waiting for my rent money. I posted signs up all over town in restaurants and internet cafes advertising my service as an English tutor. Little by little I had students lined up and taught classes in their homes. In hindsight I know it was a good experience for me because I truly understood what it was like to live on almost nothing, I realized could overcome all obstacles, I learned to count my blessings and it definitely made me appreciate all the wonderful people in my life.

9. While you were in Latin America, you connected with the adventure travel business. How did that come about?

The day before I returned to Canada for Christmas, I was having breakfast at one of my favourite restaurants in Quito when I saw a poster advertising for a job to work for G.A.P Adventures, the Great Adventure People. The poster said, “Do you love Latin America? Do you love to Travel? Are you a Great Adventure Person?” I knew right away that it was the perfect job for me. While in Toronto I dropped off my resume at G.A.P’s head office before returning to Ecuador.

After a month I received an email from G.A.P asking that I go to Quito for an interview with the Quito manager. Shortly after I received a call in Riobamba that I had the job. I had four days to quit my teaching and tutoring jobs, sell my car, breakup with my boyfriend and move out of my apartment. The next thing I knew I was on a 36-day training trip with G.A.P Adventures travelling through Ecuador, Peru and Bolivia. Initially the best thing about the job was that I was given a $15 day budget for food after eating for less than a dollar a day, I was over the moon.

10. You spent about a year on the road as an adventure tour leader. What places did you see? What activities did you do? What was it like to be on the road so much?

I spent just over a year leading tours for G.A.P Adventures which was an incredible experience. After having spent several years in Ecuador I remember the day I first crossed the boarder into Peru. I was travelling with an experienced G.A.P tour leader and her group of travellers. I think I was more excited that day than anyone else in the group. I had never really thought about exploring more of South America. I had travelled all over Ecuador, to the Amazon, all along the coast, into the mountains, to the touristy areas, and to places that had never before been visited by foreigners. I knew Ecuador better than most Ecuadorians but I felt that I still had so much to explore and discover within Ecuador itself, which is why venturing out to another country had not really crossed my mind.

I was excited to finally see more of South America and I felt as though I was starting a new chapter in my life. Just like Ecuador, I also fell in love with Peru, Bolivia and Brazil. Each country is unique and special in its own way.

As a tour leader I wanted to show each person in my groups what made Latin America so special for me and I wanted them to come away from their trip sharing a love for Latin America. I always made sure to include places that most tourists didn’t have the opportunity to visit. Sometimes I would take them to local restaurants in the non-touristy part of town so that they could try the local Peruvian delicacy, Guinea pig. Other times I would take them to visit my local family in Riobamba and we would spend the night learning how to play Ecuadorian drinking games with cards, and once I got my group to help make hot chocolate and bake bread which was delivered to children outside of Cuzco at Christmas. Other activities that made the job great were hiking the Inca Trail, white water rafting in the Amazon, mountain biking down winding mountain roads and visiting community-based ecotourism projects.

Like any job, there are pluses and minuses. I loved being a tour leader and was happy to deal with any and every obstacle that I encountered, like transportation strikes, mudslides, political unrest, poor group dynamics, sick travellers etc. Every day was an adventure and I really felt as though I was living each day to the fullest. But the truth is that for me, living out of a backpack, staying in hotels and eating in restaurants took its toll. G.A.P has some tour leaders that have lead for over five years and to this day I am in complete awe of them. After finishing my contract I felt that I was ready to take a break. I looked forward to staying in one spot for awhile, to sleep in the same bed for more than a night at a time, to cooking my own meals and to spending time with friends.

11. What learning experiences have you gained from your travels?

Travelling has opened my eyes, my heart and my mind to new cultures, people from all over the world and to the natural beauty of each country that I have visited. Despite having gone to university for five years, I feel that my biggest education has come from life and from travelling. For me it has always been about the people I have met along the way. It’s amazing to me how you can know someone for a month, a week, a day or an hour and you can feel like you’ve known that person your entire life. I’ve learned that we can learn something from everyone. When I travel I feel alive and I feel open to the world and to every experience that comes my way.

I have also leaned to appreciate how fortunate we are here in Canada. What made me realize how lucky we are were certain incidents such as watching helplessly as a man sliced off his finger with a machete, watching a woman writhe in pain in a village that was an eight hour walk from the nearest health clinic and having a four week old baby die in my arms. These and other experiences really made me appreciate how lucky we are to have access to free healthcare, safe drinking water, education, jobs etc. They are basic rights and I want to spend the rest of my life working to help people gain access to these things.

Travelling has also taught me that I am at my happiest when I live each day to the fullest and to appreciate everything and everyone in my life. I believe that we are all on a spiritual journey and that everything that happens to us, especially that bad things are because there is something we need to learn from them. The biggest learning experience is life and the best thing we can do is to live it.

12. After about 36 months in Latin America you somehow ended up back in Toronto. How did that happen and what does it feel like?

After finishing my tour leading contract with G.A.P, I spent the next six months back in Quito volunteering for an non-governmental organization, called Accion Ecologica. They were fighting the construction of a new oil pipline that was cutting through several natural reserves and indigenous territory. After six months of volunteering with them I realized that it was about time I figured out what I was going to do with my life next. After much though I finally accepted a position in the head office.

The first three months were very difficult as I felt that I had just left a lifetime of memories and friends behind me but this time I knew what to expect as I had already reintegrated once before. It wasn’t easy, but it has now been four years since I returned to Canada which is about the same time I was away and I am very happy to be where I am. I still get itchy feet every once in a while, but Toronto is a great city, I love my job and the people I work with.

13. You have become an expert in Sustainable Tourism. What does that mean and what do you do?

I currently work for G.A.P Adventures as the Sustainable Tourism Coordinator. Despite the fact that I have spent quite a bit of time travelling I wouldn’t exactly consider myself an expert in Sustainable Tourism but I have seen the positive and negative effects of tourism and I believe that everyone who travels must be conscious of the affects they may be having on the environment, people and the cultures in which they are travelling.

It is my job to ensure that we operate responsibly at all levels of the company. In the head office we have implemented eco-friendly initiatives. On the ground we travel in small groups (max 12 on the majority of our tours) we stay in small-scale hotels, travel using local transportation and incorporate community-based ectourism where possible. It is also my responsibility to develop and manage G.A.P’s non-profit organization, the Planeterra Foundation. Through this foundation we support local community projects and international charities that work in the areas we operate.

14. What are you 3 favourite / most interesting / most significant travel memories of all time?

It is really difficult for me to narrow down three of my favourite/most interesting travel memories of all time. I’ve had so many eye opening, life changing, entertaining and interesting experiences that I really wouldn’t even know where to start. In Latin America, I have felt at times that I have lived an entire lifetime in just a few days. So when you multiply that by several years, I’ve got enough memories and stories to fill a book. For that reason I have decided to start writing down my stories and am hoping to get them published one day.

15. What are you plans in the next while, travel and otherwise?

My plans for now are to continue working for G.A.P Adventures in Toronto and to continue developing the Planeterra Foundation. Eventually I would love to live in Latin America and work directly with the communities we support. As for traveling, there are still many places I’d like to explore in Latin America. Other places I would like to travel to include India, Nepal, Tibet, Laos, Cambodia and West Africa.

Thank you, Danielle, for sharing your inspiring story and I hope you'll keep us up-to-date on all the exciting things that lie ahead for you.

http://www.textronics.com/

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/

Presenting: Susanne Schleyer - A young German photographer confronts German history

2005-12-22T09:57:00.000-08:00

December 22, 2005

Presenting: Susanne Schleyer - A young German photographer confronts German history

History can be a fascinating topic. Personal family history, particularly in the case of German families, bearing the historical legacy and burden of the Second World War, can be even more so.

My brother, who continues to be a great source of story ideas, came across an interesting German multi-media artist and photographer by the name of Susanne Schleyer, who had recently published a book called “Unterwegs” (“On the Road”), that includes photos of 12 world cities that she had visited, that were used as an inspiration for stories written by well-known German authors.

From 1994 to 2004 Susanne, together with her artist partner Michael J. Stephan, created an extensive project called "Trilogie" in which they confront German history in a very personal way. All three components of Trilogie use large-scale and regular size photos along with sound collages and interview sequences.

Part 1, "Asservate" (“Exhibits”) includes 160 black and white photos, sound recordings and a table and a chair. It illustrates 3 generations of German men in 3 different societies: After finding out about her grandfather's role during Nazi Germany, Susanne created a three-dimensional photo album portraying her grandfather, representing the Nazi years; her father, who grew up in the former Communist East Germany; and her brother, who represents a modern reunified Germany.

Part 2 of Trilogie is called "Bueno!” and encompasses 449 photos and 23 oversize images with sound recordings. Susanne and Michael travelled to Buenos Aires to research and portray the German emigrant community: Germans that emigrated to Argentina before, during and after World War II, including a motley collection of Jewish refugees and Nazi perpetrators. While Asservate drew on German photo albums, Bueno! was produced directly on-site in present day Argentina. What in Europe had become a far away past, was preserved and upheld at the other end of the world – German history shock-frozen in the past.

Part 3 of the trilogy, entitled “Sologubowka”, encompasses 8 tableaux with 130 large-scale black and white photos, examining Nazi Germany’s invasion of Russia in the context of the consecration of Europe’s largest war cemetery, housing thousands of German WWII soldiers, which stands in stark contrast to the one single symbolic grave, representing the almost one million victims of the Leningrad Blockade when the Nazis held Leningrad under siege for 900 days. This exhibition has a definite political edge to it.

As the daughter of an Austrian nazi who faught in World War II, who never talked about his past and has now been dead for more than 10 years, I have a bit of envy in light of the fact that my name-sake Susanne Schleyer has actually been able to find out about her family’s history. She knows what her grandfather was involved in, whereas to this day I am still in the dark about my father's past.

Here you can read this fascinating story about a modern-day German artist who has had the courage to confront her own personal and her national history.

1. Please tell us about yourself and your background.

I am from a small town in the German province of Thuringia [in former East Germany] and have been living in Berlin since age 18. I studied arts and German philology and later took an artistic photography degree in Leizpig. As an artist and photographer I live and work together with the artist Michael J. Stephan.

2. In the context of your art photography projects you have travelled a lot. Please tell us about the countries and cities that you have seen.

Because of our projects we had to travel a great deal since they were conceptual works which are implemented using images, text and sound. In order to take the pictures and to record the sound you have to travel to real locations. It would take to long to list all the cities and countries, but we have traveled all over North America, South America and Europe.

3. Please tell us about your recently published book „Unterwegs“ („On the Road“). How did you get the idea for it, how did you realize that idea?

During our travels for the various projects photos came about that were outside of our ideas. These were very narrative photos describing daily life in the various countries or cities. That’s how I got the idea of creating a book about twelve metropolitan cities: Berlin, Prague, Amsterdam, San Francisco, Buenos Aires, Saint Petersburg, Vienna, Amerstam, Rome, Venice, London and Paris. I gave these images to twelve very well-known young German authors and asked them to write stories for the photos. This was the opposite of the way it is usually done where normally visual artists always illustrate texts that have already been written.

The only condition was that these authors had already travelled to these cities before. In their stories they had to hook themselves into 2 or 3 photos and describe details of the photos. This resulted in very interesting combinations. Stories that entertain. Stories of murder, stories of love, detective stories etc.

4. Together with Michael J. Stephan you created a large-scale project with the title Trilogie. What triggered this project?

It is a matter of course for us artists that we make political statements. Art for the pure sake of art does not interest us. At the beginning of our work on Trilogie (1994) there was a time in Germany where the historical and sociological processing of the Third Reich had progressed a great deal. However, we, as the grand children of this generation, were not told anything about the daily life and the daily circumstances of how things could have developed into this situation. Even in artistic projects abstract statements were made. People spoke in the third person or of “other people”. When I decided to say “I” (use the first person) in the project Asservate (“Exhibits”, part one of the trilogy) and to connect German history with my own family, I encountered a great lack of understanding.

I don’t mean rejection, but people were simply not used to make personal references to the Third Reich. Today this is totally different. Many young authors and creative artists use their families’ stories in their work. This trend began at the end of the 1990s and continues today.

5. Please tell us in detail about the project „Asservate“ (“Exhibits”). What does it consist of, how did you execute it?

Much more often than one could guess through official reports or familiar conversations, we encounter in daily life and in the history of Germany a phenomenon that is the topic of the project “Asservate”. It deals with the question of how children and grand-children of Nazis live with their inherited “burden, the burden of the past.

In the families there is much silence or denial. It was rather late that I found out about the involvements of my grandfather with the NS regime. 1994 I then decided to research the past of my family in detail, and to process it through photos. A kind of walk-through family album had materialized from the extensive collection of materials. A personal family story/history was created that is prototypical for a large part of German families. The photo materials of my grandfather that I found are the basis for the project. I juxtapose the material of the son (my father) and the grandchild (my brother). The merciless banality, the routine processes quickly lead to a usual daily routine, even after the historic catastrophe. Life goes on, only the algebraic signs change, so to speak.

6. In what cities has the exhibition been shown? What was the reaction to the „Asservate“ photo exhibit?

So far the exhibition has been shown in 16 different locations, in German museums in larger and smaller cities, but also in the Netherlands, among other places. There was a sequence of reactions that was always the same: the viewers discovered themselves in the images time and time again with their own family histories. In very few cases people actually talked about the real persons that were the topics of the exhibition. In the Netherlands the media asked what is this German woman trying to tell us? We don’t have anything to do with this war, etc. In Germany there was a great media response. Apparently I had hit a blind spot.

7. Please tell us about the project „Bueno!“. Where did the idea come from, how did Michael and you complete it?

We worked on the Trilogie for a total of 10 years. We always knew that the project Asservate could not remain by itself. Trilogie consists of an imaginary cycle.

Part 1: personal German history
Part 2: German emigration, affecting all Germans who had to leave Germany
Part 3: the campaign of conquest of the German Wehrmacht and its failure. This is a very brief synopsis.

In Buenos Aires we were looking for German emigrants who had to leave Germany before, during or after the Second World War. This applies to Jewish refugees as well as to avowed Nazis.

In contrast to the “average German family”, great fissures open up here which could never be closed due to life in exile. They were not hushed up, but rewritten. New old pictures in the albums.

Stories were personally mystified: Whatever had passed in Germany a long time ago had been conserved at the other end of the world. We met Jewish refugees and non-religious leftists, economic adventurers, economic refugees, and last but not least, avowed Nazis. Victims and perpetrators were mixed together at random. The Black Box of the German minority in Argentina brightly reflects the periods of our Germany history because they were frozen in time.

8. In what cities was the photo exhibition shown? What was the reaction to “Bueno!”?

The photo exhibition “Bueno!” has so far only been shown in Buenos Aires, and in part it has encountered the same lack of understanding that it isn’t permissible to show images of victims and perpetrators in one exhibition side by side. The participants, however, had no problem with this. We definitely wanted to show that all these people were Germans and what had become of them.

9. Please tell us about your personal experiences with the German emigrants in Argentina, for example with the Jewish refugees as well as with the ex-Nazis. How are the relationships between these two groups today, what is the story of the second and third generation of these emigrants?

From our personal experiences I can only say that the two groups live side by side and have little to do with one another. For the grandchildren in the meantime, the past hardly plays a role at all. They speak very little German and they see themselves as Argentinean. Little is spoken about the past so that many grandchildren, for example, no nothing about the involvements of their grandparents during the Nazi regime.

But it is also important to clarify that not every non-Jewish German is a Nazi, even in the group that arrived in Argentina after 1945. Unfortunately people often make sweeping statements and people are assigned collective responsibility who did nothing wrong based on their own proper behaviour.

10. Please tell us about your time in Buenos Aires. What did you see and learn during that year?

We experience a multi-cultural city where the German minority is one of many minorities. Buenos Aires is a city of immigrants. We liked this mixture of South American flair and European culture very much and we felt very comfortable there.

11. Please tell us about the project „Sologubowka“ and its historic background. How did you get the idea, how did Michael and you complete it?

In the fall of 2000, the largest cemetery for German soldiers in all of Europe was consecrated in Sologubowka. The small town is 70 km outside of Saint Petersburg. On the huge property only one symbolic grave reminds of the hundreds of thousands of Soviet victims [of the Leningrade Blockade]. We were present during the official German celebrations. We met German army veterans, former Red Army soldiers and Russian civilians, and again recorded sounds and images.

We put everything together in tableaux which also integrate photos from German and Russian photo archives. Removed from their usual contexts, assigning the photos based on criteria of nationality all of a sudden becomes almost impossible. The victims recognize themselves in the perpetrators, the perpetrators find themselves in the victims. A depressing image. Again we show the perspective of historical heritage. The heritage of war.

12. What was the reaction to this photo exhibition? In which cities has it been shown?

This photo exhibition was shown in Saint Petersburg, in the place where the people of Leningrad, or of Saint Petersburg as it is called today, have created a memorial to honour the victims of the Leningrad Blockade. As grandchildren of World War II Germans we had a somewhat strange feeling to have the first exhibition in a memorial that has always only been a memorial since its inception.

The reactions were varied. On one hand, the project was welcomed. After all we did not secretly sneak into this memorial, but we were invited by Russian museums. On the other hand we again encountered a great lack of understanding, especially since we are from Germany. This wasn’t really because of the project itself.

13. Please tell us about your other artistic projects. What else do you have planned?

Trilogie has been completed for 2 years. Currently we are working on a photo exhibition about my high school class.

What has become of the various students after 20 years? We completed high school in 1982, in a time were East and West Germany still existed. We grew up in East Germany in an area that was called “Sperrgebiet” [“Prohibited Zone”] that was very close to the German-German border. We lived on an island inside of an island. That interests us. How did this „island life“ impact on our life today? We can’t say any more abut this at the moment, since we have only been working on this project for a short time. Again, this will be a multi-media project.

Thank you, Susanne. We appreciate your unique insights into using art to deal with personal and national history. Good luck with your future project!

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A Conversation with Clare Wang: China - The Mysterious Giant

2005-12-21T10:16:00.000-08:00

December 21, 2005

A Conversation with Clare Wang: China - The Mysterious Giant

Cross-cultural connections and understanding foreign cultures has been a fascination and ambition for me for a long time. In my full-time business, Textronics Communications, a full-service language and translation service business, I have a chance to work with specialists who are located in all corners of the world. Some of these international individuals are located with me right here on site, and help me run the business. Naturally, I like to explore my colleagues' experiences in their home country and get a better understanding of the culture that they come from.

China, due to its size and economic success, is one of the powerhouses of the world economy, and people are starting to take more interest in this exotic country that is so unknown and foreign to many of us. I thought I'd have a conversation with Clare to learn a bit more about this fascinating country.

Clare Wang has been working with me now for more than a year and a half. She was brought up in Beijing, China's capital, in a middle-class family. Her father is an architect, and her mother is an accountant. She has a B.A. degree in English from the Beijing Institute of Technology and worked for Legend Computer systems, the world’s third largest computer manufacturer, now under the name of Lenovo. She was part of the marketing team of FM 365, Legend’s online platform, working with clients such as Intel, Microsoft, McKinsey, China TeleCom, etc, which really opened her eyes. Clare also worked for a magazine called MetroZone, a bilingual monthly publication. While there she started a brand new career as a writer and editor. The most exciting interview she ever had was with the heavy-weight champion Evander Hollyfield when he visited Beijing in July, 2001.

In September of 2001 Clare made a very important decision to move to Canada where she and her husband set up their first home in Toronto. Clare worked with me full-time at Textronics as a Customer Service Specialist, and much to our chagrin, we lost a fabulous team member when her husband got offered a job in Victoria, BC, earlier this year and Clare moved out to the west coast.

However, Clare and I still continue to work together on special projects, and Clare now also works as assistant to the Associate Dean, at Royal Roads, University where she helps out the Dean and provides assistance to the university's international students. It’s another arena where Clare uses her cross-cultural skills.

Here are some of Clare's unique insights into the country and culture of China:

1. Please tell us about travelling in China and some of the communications crunches that foreigners encounter in China.

Dell Computer's Founder and CEO Michael Dell spoke at Columbia University recently. While answering the question, “How can we be as successful as you?”“Leave this school right now and go to China”, said Michael Dell.

With a total surface area of 9,627,343 square kilometers, China occupies by far the major part of the mainland of eastern Asia. A country the size of Europe or ten Japans has entered the world market.

No place in the world has seen changes like China. Ancient China covers 11,000 years of history. Even twenty-five years ago, “Communist China” remained a mystery for many westerners. And now the increasing prevalence of "Made in China" labels signals greater economic growth of China with incredible growing rates often top 9 percent a year.

Not to mention the Chinese cultural relics such as Great Wall, Forbidden City, Qin Terracotta Warriors, etc. are getting known and recognized by the western world, just like Jackie Chan’s Kung Fu movies. With Borders being open, Beijing International Airport is always teeming with foreigners looking for adventures in the mysterious oriental land. Among them there are investors, specialists, students, travelers and those that are curious about the history, culture, people, economy and politics of the “Pearl Shining in the East”.

Away from their home town, there is the sheer joy of exploring such a vast and ancient land. However, when traveling in a foreign country such as China, bear in mind that your trip could involve various elements of stress: it could be the weather, traffic, food, lodging, or cultural barriers.

The first thing that strikes western visitors is often the extraordinary density of population in China, home to more than a billion people! It is also incredible that the Chinese have built amazing modern cities. It is just so different from the filthy sprawling tiny place most foreigners thought before they actually came to China. And not many have ever seen elsewhere the mammoth expressways that circle the city, some of them ten lanes wide and full of traffic that seemingly never ends.

A foreigner can also go desperate for Chinese food, but can’t be served because he has a problem to either read the menu, or find someone to interpret for him. Due to the all-too-common linguistic hurdles faced by both sides, a virtual barrier is lying between the foreigners and the locals. Although for years English has been adopted as one of the compulsory education subjects in China, most westerners find the average English level of the Chinese people still not sufficient to communicate.

How about the other way around? As old as classical Latin, the Chinese language is one of the most difficult languages to learn as a second language. Once in a while, I’ve heard foreigners saying “nihao” (“hello” in Mandarin) and “syeah syeah” (“Thanks”), but very few of them could move further than that.

Please talk to us about Preferences, Taboos and Superstitions

My friend Ken, an exchange student from Germany, currently studying Chinese history at Beijing Normal University, was really possessed by the desire to explore the interesting preferences, taboos ands superstitions of the Chinese culture. Here’s a few from his collections he would like to share.

- Chinese people often ask each other “Have you had dinner already?” They are not feeling hungry or asking you to treat them a dinner. It is a general greeting just like “How are you?”

- Ardent western gentlemen should be reminded that: your head will be ripped off if you kiss a Chinese woman in the cheek to show “fellowship”.

When you are considering choosing a gift for a Chinese friend, try to keep the following things in mind, as some really good stuff might have offensive meanings in Chinese culture:

- The green hat: in the Chinese language, “giving a green hat to a man” means to have an affair with his wife.
- Daisies and chrysanthemums are only good for funerals; Rule No.1: anything related to death is not favorable in China.
- The number 4 is similar to how westerners hate the number 13, Chinese people don’t like 4. In many high-rises, you will only find Floor 3, 3A and 5. It has nothing to do with religion. It’s just because the number sounds like “death”. Please refer to “Rule No. 1”.
- 250: moniker for brainless people.
- Clock: in Chinese, “giving some one a clock” shares the same pronunciation with “attending one’s funeral”.
- Book: sounds like “loss”.
- Shoes: sounds like “evil”.
- Umbrella: sounds like “break up”, the worst gift idea for wedding.
- Red Ribbons on the gift package are preferred; white ones are the last choice you want to make.
- Good or lucky numbers: “6” is symbol of success; “8” brings fortune, and many other number entail superstitions. I believe you have heard of stories that some Chinese throw thousands of dollars down the drain to get a phone number or license plate ending with “888”.

And thousands of Chinese dialects make things even complicated: Northern Chinese Dialect (including Mandarin, Sichuan Dialect, etc), Wu, Jiangxi, Hunan, Hakka, Cantonese, and Fujian dialects, etc. Shanghai residents often joke about a fine Italian restaurant “Va Bene” which recently opened a store in Shanghai, as “Va Bene”, which means success in Italian, but it unfortunately sounds like “expensive” in the Shanghai Dialect; in Hong Kong and Guangdong Province where Cantonese is spoken, people go crazy for a weird looking seaweed called “fa cai”, which means making a fortune in Cantonese.

Please explain the concept of “Lao Wai” and the Local Representative

As a result of China’s internationalization, more and more foreigners found good niches for themselves in the booming Chinese cities such as Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou and Shenzhen. There are tons of opportunities there, and the consumption level is considerably low. Once they figured out the strategies for successful adjustment to the culture, the only thing left on their “to do list” is to enjoy life. Meanwhile, residents of these big cities have also got accustomed to seeing a diversity of foreign faces around. Often referred to as “Lao Wai”, which means “an old foreign buddy” in Mandarin, foreigners are no longer a spectacular creature to the Chinese.

There are still obstacles that a “Lao Wai” has to overcome in order to do business complicated. And this could be fatal to a business or an individual aiming to succeed in China.

For example, an American company is in a business negotiation with a Chinese company. The American representative who is from a more straight forward cultural background, may want to start the negotiation with a simple and straight forward question such as “what do you want to achieve?”. This will create a really bad first impression right away, and make his Chinese partners feel that he is trying to observe sensational subjects that they have deep inside.

The other example is that many Americans also find it hard to understand the importance of dinner to doing business in China. They are often frustrated by thinking that it’s extremely inefficient to spend many more hours in a restaurant than in a meeting room; however, their Chinese partners consider it a successful business and networking strategy and are very excited about getting the contract signed on the dining table.

This is why a local representative is so important. He can not only cut down the odds that his “Lao Wai” boss may look silly, but also serve as a good stepping stone and a bridge that connects both ends. If a foreign company is to launch a brand in China, it is always safe to seek advice from local professionals. For one thing, they know the market and the culture very well. Second, they could tell “Lao Wai” investors if the brand name means anything negative in the local language so that they won’t open a second “Va Bene” in Shanghai.

Fortunately, years after China opened door to the outside world, Chinese people have obtained enough experience to put away most misunderstandings or inadvertent mistakes caused by cultural obstacles while dealing with foreigners. They are introducing advanced business theories and gradually switching to an international strategy. And foreign companies are also modifying their strategies to adjust to the Chinese market. The opportunities also brought more and more “Lao Wai” to China and quite a few of them are planning for their long-term development in China. It is just a learning process for all.

Thank you, Clare, for sharing your insights and giving us a better idea of Chinese culture.
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Central Florida's Parks and Gardens Offer an Abundance of Colours, Shapes, and Textures

2005-12-19T09:18:00.000-08:00

December 19, 2005

Central Florida's Parks and Gardens Offer an Abundance of Colours, Shapes, and Textures

Florida has a great amount of biodiversity and nature lovers will enjoy the great variety of plants found in the Sunshine State. On our recent trip to Orlando we had a chance to visit several locations with a beautiful parks and gardens, such as the Harry P. Leu Gardens and the Historical Bok Sanctuary. Even my excursion on the Scenic Boat Tour in Winter Park brought me up close to some of the fascinating flowers and plants found in the Orlando area.

Florida has a mix of subtropical and tropical climates and the area around Orlando are more subtropical. Central Florida has a hot, but often stormy climate and experiences many thunderstorms with a frequent risk of hurricanes.

Geographically, the Central Florida area encompasses Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, and Volusia counties, and some consider Polk and Sumter counties also to be part of Central Florida. This low-lying area is dominated by hundreds of lakes surrounded by marshland. Historically predominant industries include cotton, citrus and cattle-raising. The climate favours a great deal of plant and animal species.

Nature lovers will revel in Central Florida's abundant gardens and parks which give them a perfect opportunity to enjoy nature up close. Here is a collection of parks and gardens that will give you great exposure to Central Florida's natural beauty:

Archbold Biological Station P. O. Box 2057, (Old State Road 8), Lake Placid, FL 33862 Phone: (941) 465-2571. "The Station fosters long-term ecological research on native plants and animals of central Florida and also provides environmental education for K-12 children."

Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales, FL 33853-3412; Phone: (941) 676-1408. "Historic Bok Sanctuary offers visitors Florida's most abundantopportunities for aesthetic, cultural and personal enrichment. The lush landscapes of the Olmsted gardens, the majesty and music of the carillon tower and the splendor of Pinewood Estate create an experience that inspires all who visit."

Cypress Gardens 2641 South Lake Summit Road, Cypress Gardens, FL 33884; Phone: (800) 282-2123. "Standing sentinel in the historic gardens is the giant Banyan tree, which was planted in 1939 from a seedling during the parks early years. Topiary Trail features a collection of colorful topiaries, including a variety of animals such as a rabbit, swan and serpent. The crowning gem in this trail of jewels is the waterfall, a sparkling cascade accented by brilliant floral blossoms. The Plantation Gardens grace the manicured landscape of Snively Mansion and include the aromatic herb garden, a glorious rose garden and the butterfly garden adjoining Wings of Wonder."

Disney Wilderness Preserve 6075 Scrub Jay Trail Kissimmee, FL 34759; Phone: (407) 935-0002. "Fifteen miles south of Walt Disney World, in the heart of Central Florida, lies the Disney Wilderness Preserve. The site, originally the Walker Ranch, is now owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy, a private, non-profit conservation organization that is responsible for the largest network of private conservation lands in the world."

Harry P. Leu Botanical Gardens 1920 N. Forest Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803-1537; Phone: (407) 246-2620. "Miles of paved scenic walkways that take you through garden settings, including: America's largest Camellia collection outside California and the largest formal rose garden in Florida, a house museum dating from the 1880's, a palm garden and bamboo garden. New gardens include the Tropical Stream Garden and the new Kitchen Garden with herbs, vegetables and a butterfly garden!"

Highlands Hammock State Park 5931 Hammock Road, Sebring, FL 33872; Phone: (941) 386-6094. "The contrast of the dark swamp waters against the bright trunks of the bare trees is reminiscent of more northerly forests. White-tailed deer munch their way through the campsites, enjoying the scattering of acorns around the base of many oaks. Bobcat tracks are found each morning in the damp sands along the roadways, and the Barred owls call as soon as the sun goes down. Visitors are enjoying viewing alligators as they soak up the warm sun that follows the cool nighttime temperatures."

Lake Kissimmee State Park 14248 Camp Mack Road, Lake Wales, FL 33853; Phone: (941) 696-1112. "Florida's cowboy heritage comes alive with living history demonstrations of the early Florida "cow hunters" in an 1876-era cow camp, open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekends and holidays. White-tailed deer, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, turkeys, and bobcats have been seen in the park, located on the shores of lakes Kissimmee, Tiger, and Rosalie. Visitors enjoy boating, canoeing, and fishing in the picturesque lakes. Nature students can hike over 13 miles of trails to observe and study the abundant plant and animal life. Six miles of trails are open to equestrians. A large, shaded picnic area with pavilions is available. The park has full-facility campsites, as well as a primitive camping facility. The youth camping area can accommodate up to 50 people. The dark skies make stargazing a popular nighttime activity for campers."

Ocala National Forest USDA Forest Service, 17147 E. Hwy 40, Silver Springs, FL 34488 Phone: (352) 625-7470. "The Forest offers 383,573 acres of unique ecological sites, trails, natural springs. There are hundreds of camping sites throughout the forest offering everything from full-service campgrounds to more rustic sites. The National Forest also has designated trails for horseback riding. Hunting is permitted in designated areas where the enforcement of state regulations is strict. Recreation areas include Alexander Springs, Fore Lake Recreational Area, Juniper Springs, Lake Eaton Loop Trail, Lake Eaton Sink Hole, Mill Dam Recreation Area, Salt Springs and Salt Springs Trail. Specially marked walking/hiking trails are located throughout this wonderful resource. Lake Eaton Sinkhole and the Lake Eaton Loop are only two of the trails that allow the visitor to explore the area on easily traveled interpretive trails."

Silver River State Park 7165 N. E. 7th Street, Ocala, FL 34470; Phone: (352) 236-1827. "This park has more than 14 distinct natural communities, dozens of springs, and miles of beautiful trails. The adjoining Silver Springs attraction houses the headwaters of the Silver River, which flows through the park into the Ocklawaha River. The park is home to a pioneer cracker village and the Silver River Museum and Environmental Education Center. The center is operated by the Marion County School District in cooperation with the park and is open to the public on weekends and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00. p.m. Admission to the Museum is $2.00 per person.Children 6 and under are free."

Silver Springs P. O. Box 370, (5656 E. SR-40), Silver Springs, FL 34489; Phone: (800) 234-7458. "Silver Springs is a 350 acre nature theme park surrounds the headwaters of the beautiful Silver River, the largest artesian spring formation in the world. Located 90 miles north of Orlando, just east of Ocala, Florida. Here you can view the underground springs from our famous glass-bottom boats, where you’ll see fish, shellfish, turtles and alligators in water that’s up to 80 feet deep and 99.8% pure. Walk the beautiful grounds and experience the natural habitats of Florida’s largest alligators, endangered bears and panthers, Kritter Korral petting zoo, plus an entertaining variety of wildlife shows from Birds of Prey to snakes and reptiles. There are rides and exhibits for all ages in a natural setting of stunning beauty. "

University of Central Florida Arboretum 4000 Central Florida Blvd. Orlando, FL 32816-2368 Phone: (407) 823-2141. "The Arboretum of The University of Central Florida was founded in 1983. From the original 12-acre "quick view" garden with a mix of ornamental and native plants in the pond pine community adjacent the Stockard Conservatory Greenhouse, The Arboretum has grown to nearly 80 acres. North of the 9 acre man-made lake and the Engineering E-2 parking lot, trails take visitors through a 5-7 acre cypress dome and a picturesque 2-3 acre oak hammock. North of the oak hammock the trail crosses an open area with wild rosemary and sand pine, and oak scrub, returning to the cypress dome. An unmarked trail circles the cypress dome on the north, club mosses and carnivorous sundews lining the sides, before rejoining the main trail on the southwest side of the dome. Follow the broad white sand trail west through a 'mature' [last burned in the 1950's] sand pine and wild rosemary community for a quick exit to the University Field House road, or return on Arboretum trails."

Winter Park Kraft Azalea Gardens, Winter Park, Phone 407-599-3334: Located on Alabama Drive off Palmer Avenue. Thousands of azaleas, tropical shrubs and trees grow luxuriantly along the shores of Lake Maitland where cool breezes and breathtaking sunsets can be found. Azaleas bloom January through March.

Although the Orlando area is mostly known for its big-thrill attractions and theme parks, nature lovers will find plenty of parks, gardens and wilderness areas to enjoy. For more information about the Orlando area contact the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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Central Florida's Wildlife: An Abundance of Diversity

2005-12-19T07:24:00.000-08:00

December 19, 2005

Central Florida's Wildlife: An Abundance of Diversity

When you go to Florida, wildlife confronts you everywhere. Especially all the exotic birds fascinated me, often you come up close to subtropical bird species while playing golf or picnicking in a public park.

Central Florida is actually a much more interesting destination for naturalists than I would ever have expected. Both Florida's plant life and wildlife are surprisingly diverse and Florida is the 3rd most ecologically diverse state after Hawaii and California.

It is a nearly flat lowland that gently slopes to the sea on the east and west coasts. This lowland has unique physical features that are associated with the diverse ecosystems that exist here. The predominantly low-lying topography was created by fluctuating sea levels over time. Coastal features include dunes, barrier islands, lagoons and tidal rivers, which were formed by tides, currents and winds.

The interior of Central Florida is characterized by swamps, marshlands and inland lakes, a haven for birds. South of Orlando is the Lake Wales Ridge, a ridge of sand hills paralleled by flatlands and sandy rolling hills. This ridge used to be an island in earlier geological times when ocean levels were higher. As a result many of the species that exist here are unique to this area.

The Florida Birding Trail (http://www.floridabirdingtrail.com) is a collection of sites throughout Florida selected for their excellent bird watching or bird education opportunities. This 2000-mile trail is designed to conserve and enhance Florida's bird habitat and promotes bird watching activities, environmental education and economic opportunity.

Florida truly is a birder's paradise, due to its unique geographical location between tropical and temperate regions. Florida is also a destination for many migratory birds from the north, some birds fly 3,000 miles to get here. In total Florida is home to more than 470 verified species of birds. A great article about the different species of birds found in Florida can be found at the Florida's Birders List, provided by Visit Florida.

Some of the unique birds to watch in Florida include the following:

American Avocet
Limpkin
American White Pelican
Mottled Duck
Anhinga
Pine Warbler
Bald Eagle
Purple Gallinule
Black-Bellied Whistling Duck
Roseate Spoonbill
Black-Necked Stilt
Sandhill Crane
Crested Caracara
Snail Kite
Eastern Bluebird
Swallow-Tailed Kite
Florida Scrub-Jay
Wood Stork

Naturally, one of the most well-known Florida animals is the American alligator. And although this time we didn't see any (except for a gator tail sticking out from under some shrubs on our Swamp Buggy Tour), alligators have made an incredible comeback after they were headed for extinction due to overhunting earlier in the 20th century. Alligators were taken off the federal endangered species list in 1987, and on particularly warm days they can be seen sunning themselves on the edges of ponds and waterways.

Different species of fish also exist in Central Florida, a fact that makes it a popular destination with anglers. The species include large-mouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, sunshine bass, speckled perch, catfish and a variety of other sweetwater fish.

The wildlife of Florida is rich and varied, yet most of us are familiar with only a dozen or so species. Florida's amphibians include amphiumas, mudpuppies, newts, salamanders, sirens, frogs and toads.

Many interesting mammals can also be found in Florida, including armadillos, bears, beavers, bobcats, deer, feral pigs, foxes, manatees, minks, moles, opossums, otters, panthers, pocket gophers, rabbits, raccoons, seals, shrews, skunks, squirrels, and weasels.

Of course reptiles don't only include the American Alligator, but also anoles, geckos, lizards, skinks and turtles. Hobby naturalists will really enjoy their getaway to Central Florida.

A wonderful summary of Florida's wildlife can be found in a Wildlife Calendar at Visit Florida.

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Orlando - Off the Beaten Path:Discovering Central Florida without visiting any theme parks... Can it be done?

2005-12-12T11:32:00.000-08:00

Monday, December 12, 2005

Orlando - Off the Beaten Path:Discovering Central Florida without visiting any theme parks... Can it be done?

One of my husband's favourite places is Florida, since he is an avid golfer and likes to get away from the cold Canadian winter for his birthday in early December.

For a while now we had planned to visit Orlando, but neither one of us are into theme parks. So there was the challenge for me: would we be able to visit Orlando without setting foot into Disney or Universal Studios? For someone as curious as me this was a suitable challenge and I had been doing weeks of searches on the Internet and communicating with the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau to find out about interesting destinations off the beaten path.

Well, I am happy to say, we arrived back safely yesterday from our trip, and the trip itself was quite an adventure since we decided to drive from Toronto to Orlando, about 2100 km each way! Actually, the drive was not as painful as I expected. The drive through Pennsylvania and West Virginia was nice and hilly, and I particularly enjoyed coming over the ridge of the Appalachians, right where Virginia and North Carolina meet, where you get a beautiful view of the piedmont area around Winston-Salem that spreads out towards the Atlantic in front of the mountain chain.

And I am even happier to say that in the 14 or so days that we spent in Orlando, not only did we get to play a lot of golf (to make my husband really happy...;) - including Mystic Dunes, Champions Gate, Royal St. Cloud Links, Hawk's Landing and Timacuan Golf and Country Club, not to mention the Walking Hall of Fame experience of the PGA Father Son Challenge at Champions Gate, but I also got to explore some really interesting places, destinations I would not have expected in Orlando and its surrounding region. I also had a chance to do an interview with GolfOrlando to get a much better idea of why Orlando is called "The Ultimate Golf Theme Park".

We started off our first week with a visit to the Orange Country Regional History Center, which gave us a suitable historic background of Orlando and Central Florida. Then, for some sociological and cultural insights, we visited the Well's Built Museum for African American History and Culture in Orlando. To top off our first day of exploration we enjoyed a walk around picturesque Lake Eola in downtown Orlando.

The next item on my off-the-beaten path agenda was a discovery of the City of Winter Park, a beautiful suburb of Orlando, reminiscent of Old European towns. I also went on the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, which was an entertaining, informative and visually appealing excursion.

The adrenaline revved up significantly on our next outing: a very high-speed airboat ride at Boggy Creek, that was followed up by a much lower speed swamp buggy ride in a custom-built monster truck that took us through authentic Florida landscape.

After our golf outing at the Royal St. Cloud Golf Links we enjoyed a wonderful picnic by the waterfront in sunny downtown Kissimmee. Then, on a beautiful Sunday morning we drove about an hour outside of Orlando to reach the quaint town of Mt. Dora, where I hopped on the "Herbie Express", part of the Mt. Dora - Lake Eustis Scenic Railway.

From midweek in the second week onwards the weather took a turn for the worse. While planes were sliding off runways in Chicago and record temperatures were registered in the mid-western states, we were freezing in Florida where the mercury hovered around 68 to 70 degrees Fahrenheit (around +20 degrees Celsius). So I bought a rain jacket, and determined not to let the freezing cold interfere with our plans, we headed out to continue our explorations.

On a day that was forecast to be rainy, but just ended up being a bit grey and clammy, we went out to discover Loch Haven Park, Orlando's center of science, art and culture. We then continued our explorations further south to discover some of Orlando's historic neighbourhoods and parks such as Lake Cherokee and Lake Lucerne.

As the drizzly weather continued, we went on to visit Florida's Natural Visitor Center in Lake Wales, about an hours drive south of Orlando, where I got a really good understanding of Central Florida's citrus industry. I spent the afternoon in another famous attraction in Lake Wales which holds two National Historic Landmarks: the Historic Bok Sanctuary, where I got to see the beauty of the Bok estate and its historic carillon tower, combined with a tour through the historic Pinewood Estate, which was decked out in full Christmas decorations.

During these 2 weeks in Florida, we got exposed to a lot of its plants, flowers and wildlife, much of which you run into casually even while playing golf or picknicking by the waterfront. Florida has a surprising amount of natural diversity and I enjoyed watching the various types of birds, lizards, and squirrels. The only thing we didn't get to see was a live alligator (with the exception of the well-hidden rear end of a small alligator during our swamp buggy tour - unfortunately I couldn't even get a good picture of that one..).

On our drive home, on a bright sunny day (of course...), we stopped off in St. Augustine, a historic town founded by the Spaniards in the 1500s, and the oldest continuously inhabited town in the United States - a mighty photogenic place, I should add.

So, you ask, is it possible to spend 2 weeks in Orlando without even setting foot inside a theme park and still have a good time? Well, based on the above itinerary I'd say that my plans to explore Orlando off the beaten path came to full fruition.

Mission accomplished.

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A Walk Through St. Augustine - The Oldest Continuously Inhabited City in the United States

2005-12-10T10:36:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December 10, 2005

A Walk Through St. Augustine - The Oldest Continuously Inhabited City in the United States

On our way home from Orlando, a little more than an hour into our 20+ hour road trip back to Toronto, we stopped in St. Augustine, "the nation's oldest city", just north of Jacksonville - indeed the oldest continuously occupied European settlement in the United States, having been founded by the Spanish in 1565.

St. Augustin's founder, Don Pedro Menendez, came ashore on September 8, 1565, and chose to name the settlement after the patron saint whose feast day coincided with the day of landing. Of course, before the Spanish ever set foot on Florida soil, the Timacuan Indians had already been here and they watched Menendez and the roughly 1500 colonists and soldiers settle here. Over the last few centuries the city experienced governments from different countries, including Spain, Britain, and since 1821, the United States.

The real rise of this community came in the late 1800s when Henry Flagler (1830 to 1913) built two hotels and took over a third as part of the Flagler hotel chain. Flagler was the co-founder of Standard Oil, and although not as well known as some of the other early magnates of capitalism, he was one of the wealthiest individuals of his time. Flagler had a major impact on Florida: he founded the Florida East Coast Railway as a means of transporting guests to and from the north to his hotels in St. Augustine, Palm Beach, and Miami. A honeymoon visit to St. Augustine in 1881 with his second wife inspired Flagler's vision to transform this sleepy town into a winter playground for the rich.

Three of Flagler's former St. Augustine hotels are still in use today: Flagler College (the former Hotel Ponce de Leon), the Lightner Building - St. Augustine's City Hall (the former Alcazar) and Casa Monica, redone as a county courthouse in the 1960s, and reopened in 1990 as the restored Casa Monica Hotel. During the late 19th and early 20th century Flagler also developed a residential neighbourhood called the Model Land Company tract.

Within a few short years Flagler's dream of a resort town for northerners faded and he, and the wealthy northern visitors, moved further south. He continued to develop the Florida East Coast Railroad down the peninsula, into and across the Florida Keys, creating hotels and communities along the way.

St. Augustine is centered around the Plaza de la Constitucion, which anchors the Lightner Museum / City Hall, Casa Monica and Flagler College, three stunningly beautiful structures. Located in the former Alcazar Hotel, the Lightner Museum houses collections of legendary hobbyist and antiques collector Otis Lightner.

St. Augustine has a wealth of other historic and architecturally interesting structures. The most historically significant structure in St. Augustine is the Castillo de San Marcos, built by the Spanish between 1672 and 1695. The 19th century Lighthouse Museum is located in the St. Augustine Lighthouse on Anastasia Island east of town across the Bridge of Lions. St. Augustine also houses the oldest store in town dating to the turn of the last century. Talking about old buildings, St. Augustine is home to the Gonzalez-Alvarez House, dating back to 1727, known as the "Oldest House Complex", a National Historic Landmark.

The Mission of Nombre de Dios is located on the west bank of Matanzas Bay, and it is said to have been the site of the first Catholic Mass in what is today the United States. The Spanish Quarter Village is a living history museum composed of a collection of colonial period houses where guides recreate the dress and lifestyle as seen in 1740.

Ponce de Leon's Fountain of Youth National Archaeological Park exhibits foundations and artifacts of the first St. Augustine mission and colony. It also houses the Landmark Spring, Explorers Globe and Navigators' Planetarium. St. Augustine also houses the Oldest Drug Store and the nation's Oldest Wooden Schoolhouse, built more than 200 years ago while Florida was under Spain's rule.

Unfortunately we did not have a chance to explore St. Augustine in detail, but our brief excursion into this historic city quickly proved what a unique destination St. Augustine really is. As a matter of fact, the city welcomes around 2 million visitors every year who come to discover a unique historic part of America. A settlement with authentic Spanish roots, complete with Castillo and all, is a truly unique sight in the U.S. and it was definitely worth the detour.

Here is a collection of websites for further information on St. Augustine:- the City of St. Augustine, - the St. Augustine Visitor Guide- Visit Florida's information page about St. Augustine- the St. Augustine Historical Society- the City of St. Augustine's Department of Heritage Tourism

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Golf in Orlando: Timacuan Golf and Country Club

2005-12-09T09:40:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 9, 2005

Golf in Orlando: Timacuan Golf and Country Club

On our last full day in Florida we had a chance to play another beautiful golf course, this one located about half an hour north of downtown Orlando in the community of Lake Mary. Timacuan Golf and Country Club was built in 1987 and was originally designed by a Ron Garl. In 1996 the course was renovated by architect Bobby Weed and today it is ranked in the top 14 in the state of Florida. Timacuan's other accolades include having been chosen as one of the most golf-friendly courses for women by Golf for Women Magazine.

Bobby Weed's redesign encompassed many elements of the course and ensured that all players will have an enjoyable round of golf. Timacuan also features a large driving range and putting green. Par is 71 and the course plays close to 7,000 yards from the back tees. Timacuan's unique features include a links-style front nine and a Carolina feel complete with gorgeous pines and lakes on the back nine.

Timacuan Golf and Country Club also has a lighted practice facility and is home to the Mike Bender Golf Academy. Mike Bender is a two time North Florida PGA Teacher of the Year, and is ranked by Golf Magazine as one of the Top 100 Instructors and Golf Digest as one of the top 50 Instructors in America. While we were there, a young golf aficionado was receiving a very thorough one-on-one video-taped lesson and we admired her elegant drives into the driving range.

We drove in on a winding road through a residential area and were greeted by Timacuan's spacious two-story club house. I had a chance to talk with Kim Shield who handles marketing for Timacuan, who explained that the club house features a full service grill room downstairs, and can host up to 250 people in the upstairs dining room which has panorama windows that offer a beautiful view of the golf course, making it a popular destination for corporate and private functions. The club house also hosts a Sunday brunch from 11 am to 2 pm as well as a Wednesday night buffet.

Kim filled me in on some other unique details on this course. Considering its location in Seminole County north of Orlando, it mostly serves local residents. The area around the course offers a lot of things do to, including a variety of waterfront restaurants, the Sanford Zoo, the Sanford Historical Museum, and Colonial Town Park, a local development that features restaurants, theatres, hotels, cinemas, shopping, all in all a nice area to walk around in.

We thoroughly enjoyed our round, despite the grey, drizzly weather as Timacuan features a very scenic layout. The course had a wonderfully friendly feel to it, and we enjoyed our chats with course staff while waiting for our cart and were warmly welcomed by the starter. Upon hearing that we were from Canada, one of the local members generously gave us his chip for practice balls and this friendly ambience got us off to a good start.

Hole number 2 is one of the most difficult holes on the course, and I promptly made two separate ball donations into the pond. The front nine is surrounded by an attractive residential development that never intruded into our golf game and a couple of holes actually feature drive-through bunkers. The Carolina-style back nine had its own set of challenges, particularly since water comes into play on seven holes.

Timacuan's rates are quite reasonable: for June to October 2005 the rates ranged between $55 and $65, from November 1 to January 11, 2006 the rates vary from $69 to $79, and in high season from January 12 to April 23, 2006 the rates range between $85 and $95.

Driving directions:Lake Mary is located about 10 miles northeast of Orlando and is easily accessible via the interstate system. Off of the I-4 take exit 101a to Rhinehart Rd (go right). First light Timacuan Blvd (go left). Go one mile to the Timacuan entrance on right. Follow Timacuan Blvd to the clubhouse.

Statistics
Par 71 Yards Rating Slope
Gold 6915 73.7 135
Blue 6403 71.2 128
White 5892 68.6 119
Green 5243 70.0 124

For more information please visit Timacuan Golf and Country Club's website or call them at (407) 321-0010.

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Orlando Off the Beaten Path: The Serenity of the Historic Bok Sanctuary and Pinewood Estate

2005-12-08T11:14:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 8, 2005

Orlando Off the Beaten Path: The Serenity of the Historic Bok Sanctuary and Pinewood Estate

The Historic Bok Sanctuary is located about an hour southwest of Orlando near Lake Wales, also home to the Florida's Natural Visitor Center that I visited earlier in the day. The Sanctuary was founded by Edward W. Bok, who immigrated to America in 1869 from the Netherlands when he was 6 years old. Through determination and hard work, he became a highly successful publisher and editor of Ladies' Home Journal, a Pulitzer Prize-winning author, respected humanitarian and an advocate of world peace and the environment.

I am always fascinated by stories of industry magnates and successful entrepreneurs who became philanthropists and donated their estates to the public. Edward W. Bok is definitely one of those fascinating individuals.

As a successful publisher, Edward Bok, a Pennsylvania resident, used to retreat to Florida in the winters and became enchanted with the beauty and vistas from Iron Mountain, which, at 298 feet above sea level, is the highest point in peninsular Florida. Awed by the tranquility of the area, he wanted to create a place that would "touch the soul with its beauty and quiet", and he purchased land which he transformed into a sweeping landscape of lush gardens, designed by the famed landscape architect, Federick Law Olmstead Jr. The bird sanctuary houses 126 different species of birds as well as a variety of endangered plants and animal species.

The crowning jewel of the Historic Bok Estate is the Carillon and Belltower, a National Historic Landmark, built by the best craftsmen of the day. The splendid neo-gothic and Art Deco tower was built using a combination of coquina rock from St. Augustine, Florida, and pink and gray marble from Tate, Georgia. New York sculptor Lee Lawrie's carvings adorn the tower and represent images of Florida's native flora and faun as well as images from Greek myhthology and the Bible.

Edward Bok remembered the music of carillons from his childhood in Holland, and he commissioned the famous John Taylor Bellfoundry company of England to produce a world-class carillon for his "Singing Tower" as the focal point of the garden. This carillon is one of only 4 in Florida and its 60 bells weigh from 16 pounds to nearly 12 tons. Brief recorded carillon music is played every 30 minutes, and recitals are featured daily at 1 and 3 pm. During my visit I was able to catch the 1 pm performance, and just outside the Carillon Tower is a television screen that features a live broadcast of the carillonneur performance.

Another National Historic Landmark, Pinewood Estate, has been part of the Historic Bok Sanctuary since 1970. It represents one of the finest examples of Mediterranean Revival architecture in the state of Florida. The grounds surrounding it were also designed by Frederick Law Olmstead Jr.

Originally named "El Retiro", meaning "retreat" in Spanish, the estate was built in the early 1930s for Charles Austin Buck, a Bethlehem Steel vice president. He had made a fortune in the steel industry and wanted to build a winter estate where he could be surrounded by his 9 children and 18 grandchildren during the holidays.

The Mediterranean-style garden features a Spanish frog fountain that leads guests into an enchanting stone grotto at the front of the house. An Oriental moon gate fountain is located off the dining room porch and an English-style country garden with a rolling lawn and pond reflects the afternoon sunsets.

Charles Austin Buck was a great admirer of the Latin lifestyle and architecture, his "El Retiro" Mediterranean revival home has many characteristics of an antique Spanish villa, including a barrel-tile roof, thick walls, substantial carved doors and woodwork, and intricately detailed wrought iron. The entrance hall's dramatic staircase features a different tile pattern on each riser. Colourful Spanish-style tiles were handmade in Tunisia and much of the original furniture was handcrafted in Cuba.

From November 25 to January 1, 2006, the Christmas at Pinewood home tour is available to visitors as a favourite holiday tradition. During my visit I had the pleasure of touring the villa as every room was superbly decorated by a variety of locally sponsored designers. Every room featured a docent that was able to provide insight into the unique history, features and furniture of each room. Amazingly much of the furnishings and artwork are original to the estate.

After visiting Pinewood Estate and the historic Carillon Tower I had a chance to explore the grounds of this amazing sanctuary, and its beautifully designed gardens indeed offer a wonderful retreat to nature.

The Pine Ridge Trail offers a unique nature experience, providing a glimpse into the native flora and delicate ecosystem of Florida's Lake Wales Ridge. In ancient times, when ocean levels were higher, the Lake Wales Ridge was above water and formed a chain of islands. As a result, many plants and animals are unique to the Ridge which features rare plant species found nowhere else in the world. Thirteen of the species located here are on the federal endangered list. Many of these plants are grown in the Sanctuary's Endangerd Plant Garden.

Being the nature lover that I am, I was enchanted by the beauty of the gardens and a variety of plants and blossoms captured my attention:

For me the Historic Bok Sanctuary was a real feast for the senses, and it will delight architecure and music lovers, history buffs and naturalists alike.

Historic Bok Sanctuary, located about 55 miles southwest of Orlando and 60 miles east of Tampa, near Lake Wales, Florida, is open every day from 8 am to 6 pm. The award-winning Education and Visitor Center is open 9 am to 5 pm. Admission is $8 for adults and $3 for ages 5 to 12. Members and children under 5 are admitted free. For more information call (863) 676-1407 or visit www.boksanctuary.org.

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Learning about the Story of Citrus: Florida's Natural Visitor Center

2005-12-08T09:11:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 8, 2005

Learning about the Story of Citrus: Florida's Natural Visitor Center

One of the things that Florida is known for is, you guessed it, is orange juice! The citrus industry has been playing a big role in Central Florida for many decades, and considering its importance, I wanted to learn a bit more about it.

So with the help of the Orlando Visitors and Convention Bureau I was able to locate "Florida's Natural Growers", a citrus-processing cooperative that produces the well-known "Florida's Natural" brand of juices. The cooperative was founded in 1933 and today more than 1000 independent growers are part of this cooperative processing and marketing organization.

Florida's Natural operates a 540 acre fruit processing center in Lake Wales, about an hour south of Orlando. They are now the largest employer in the Lake Wales area. The facility also offers a visitor center which educates tourists on the history of Florida's citrus industry, and the science and processes behind citrus juice production.

I first viewed a 10 minute video which provided a very good overview of Central Florida's citrus industry. The organizational structure of Florida's Natural is quite interesting as well since it is not a corporately owned juice company like Minute Maid or Tropicana (owned by Coca-Cola and Pepsi Co. respectively), but rather it is a cooperative of local farmers that share in the production of the fruit and the juice. Florida's Natural prides itself in doing things a little differently from the big juice companies and its unique nature is reflected in its motto:

- We own the land
- We own the fruit
- We own the company

Orange cultivation was originally introduced by the Spaniards several centuries ago. Grafting resulted in stronger and more resistant trees which produced fruit in 3 years instead of 15 years. Fruits are still picked by hand, put into containers, which are boxed and shipped by truck to the processing plant.

A variety of quality control processes are applied and fruit is washed and separated by size by grading inspectors. About 95% of Florida's orange harvest goes to juice production. Florida's Natural extractor machines can handle about 13 million pounds of oranges every 24 hours. Once the fruit has been squeezed, a so-called finisher removes the seeds. Then the juice is flash-pasteurized and packaged.

The key thing about Florida's Natural products is that they are not made from concentrate, but rather contain only pure unsweetened fruit juice. Different varieties of orange juice are stored and blended in order to ensure that the taste is consistent throughout the different harvests during the year. The organization prides itself that its juice is as close to the grove as you can get and it is the fastest growing not-from-concentrate brand. Florida's Natural 64 ounce cartons are shipped all over the globe.

In addition to juice, every part of the orange is used to produce other products, such as orange oil, for example, while seeds and peel are processed into cattle feed. Florida's Natural growers also believe in wildlife conservation and have created wildlife habitat areas while employing various methods for reducing water usage.

In addition to the video screening theater, the Visitor Center houses a gift shop in the front and a walk-through display area that provides information about various themes, including weather, the history of the citrus industry, the history of citrus juice packaging, two display panels on the indigenous species of wildlife, as well as a variety of classic orange juice advertising posters.

When I was done with the educational part of the Visitor Center I explored the Gift Shop where I found all sorts of souvenirs and citrus-related presents, including citrus-scented candles, jams, marmalades, creams, t-shirts, books, hats, everything you can imagine with a citrus theme. I picked up some orange-flavoured (and orange-shaped) Whetstone Chocolates as treats for my friends at home.

I also got to taste free samples of 4 varieties of juices which represent a good cross-section of Florida's Natural product line, which includes different types of orange juice (with varying degrees of pulp and some with additions of vitamins or calcium), ruby red grapefruit juice, apple juice, cranberry apple cocktail, lemonade, raspberry lemonade, and lemonade ice tea.

Dropping by the Visitor Center at Florida's Natural was a great introduction to one of the most important industries in Florida and gave me a real appreciation of everything that goes into producing that healthy, refreshing glass of orange juice that I enjoy in the morning.

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Discovering Orlando's Historic Downtown Neighbourhoods and Parks

2005-12-08T09:05:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 8, 2005

Discovering Orlando's Historic Downtown Neighbourhoods and Parks

Downtown Orlando offers a welcome reprieve from the purpose-built areas to the south-west of the city that have been created solely to accommodate tourists. In fact, many of the historic downtown neighbourhoods are beautiful, offer a great variety of architecture, and give you a feeling of community where regular people actually live and work.

Right around the downtown core are a number of beautiful neighbourhoods that lend themselves nicely to exploration on foot. Some of the streets are cobble-stoned, making them the perfect destination for a neighbourhood walk.

After visiting Loch Haven Park, on this grey and drizzly day, we decided to drive south, park our vehicle and explore some of the central neighbourhoods on foot. We parked in Lake Cherokee Park, walked all the way around the lake and delighted in admiring the upscale architecture and the wildlife on the lake.

Bird lovers are able to see a great variety of water birds right in the middle of town and we observed one waterbird, as it sat quietly and then catapulted its head forward to catch its winged prey, all within a split second...

On this misty day the atmosphere was even a bit mysterious, with Spanish moss hanging down from ancient oak trees. You could almost see mist drifting off the lake. One of the interesting features of Orlando are its lakes, more than 300 of them, that can be found throughout the entire city, and many of them are equipped with facilities and public parks.

We carried on from Lake Cherokee to Lake Lucerne, which is immediately south of Orlando's downtown core. Several fountains adorn the middle of the lake and you get a perfect view of downtown Orlando's architecture.

Orlando has a surprising number of public parks with special facilities that provide recreational opportunities for local residents as well as tourists. With the help of the City of Orlando's website I have compiled a list of some of the special outdoor public spaces that Orlando has to offer. These places include a very reasonably priced golf course, Loch Haven Park - Orlando's center of culture and science, the Dickson Azalea Park, a variety of wetland areas, an ecology center, camping and more. In one word, public spaces that offer free or inexpensive recreational and educational opportunities:

Lake Cherokee is bordered by a 3.8 acre scenic park and surrounded by the Lake Cherokee Historic district, a residential neighborhood with architecture representing virtually every significant period of Orlando’s history.

Lake Eola Park is a popular destination in the downtown area, with many people taking advantage of the beautiful surroundings to walk at lunch or in the evenings. The sidewalk that circles the lake is .9 miles in length, making it easy for visitors to keep track of their walking or running distances. Other activities available to park visitors include renting ($10 for ½ hour) swan-shaped paddle boats, feeding the live swans and other birds inhabiting the park, being paddled around the lake on a romantic gondola cruise (www.gondola.com), seeing a concert or a play in the Walt Disney Amphitheater, watching the children play in the playground, grabbing a bite to eat at The Terrace on Lake Eola or relaxing amid beautiful flower beds and a spectacular view of Orlando’s skyline.

Orlando Loch Haven Park covers 45 acres and serves as the region’s premier cultural park. Nestled between three lakes, Lake Estelle on the north, Lake Rowena on the east, and Lake Formosa on the south, the park is located on North Mills Avenue and Princeton Street. The park was renovated in February 2001. With the many museums or theatre groups located in the park, there is always something new to see or do. The lawn areas in the center portion of the park are wonderful places to sit and enjoy the lake views shaded by majestic oak trees. One of Central Florida’s oldest and largest oak trees, "The Mayor", grows in the park near Orlando’s Mennello Museum of American Folk Art.

Located just minutes from downtown Orlando, Dubsdread Golf Course features the oldest public layout in the area, originally designed in 1923. This classic course has plenty of history attached to it as the former site of the Orlando Open, when it hosted such golf legends as Sam Snead, Ben Hogan, and Claude Harmon. Today, golfers are treated to the same beautiful scenery and challenges of the original course, including narrow fairways and heavily bunkered greens. A full restaurant and bar complete the ultimate golfing experience. Dubsdread is also the home of the Dubsdread Golf Learning Center, a full service teaching facility. Visit "http://www.historicaldubsdread.com/" for more information.

The Mayor Carl T. Langford Neighborhood Center provides a natural oasis in downtown Orlando. The center is located in a shady oasis of mature oaks, wide sidewalks, green lawns, birds, butterflies and plenty of room for the kids to play. Young children will love the swinging bridge over the creek and the playground . There are a great deal of educational and fun nature programs offered in this beautiful neighorbood center.It offers a yearly summer nature and art camp, as well as family and corporate picnics at a reasonable rate. The Mayor Carl T. Langford Park is a beautiful place to have a quaint wedding ceremony at an affordable rate. The Central Florida Folk, Inc. performs the second Sunday of each month through fall and spring.

The Wetlands Park is a great place to come out, relax and enjoy nature. The most popular activities are bird-watching, nature photography, jogging and bicycling. Nature enthusiasts will be greeted by 1,650 acres of hardwood hammocks, marshes and lakes. There are over 20 miles of roads and woodland trails crisscrossing the Park.

Experience a walk through time as you meander along Fern Creek in historic Dickson Azalea Park located across the street from the City of Orlando’s Mayor Carl T. Langford Park. The Washington Street Bridge was constructed in 1926 and is reflective of many bridges found in South Florida. The lush landscaping, singing birds and flowing water are a treat to many visitors. This park is an oasis for those needing a quiet place to eat lunch or to reflect when this area was a watering hole years ago for cattle ranchers to quench the thirst of their cattle in Ferncreek. The dragonflies, shady trees and quietness of Dickson Azalea Park are a must see for people of all ages to experience.

Enjoy a day of family fun and play in the City of Orlando's beautiful 300-acre Bill Frederick Park at Turkey Lake. Open year-round, seven days a week this park has something for everyone. A swimming pool is open for those hot summer days, large pavilions for huge group picnics are available for rent and small sun shelters for family gatherings are available on a first come first serve basis. The well stocked lake for fishing is tempting to all anglers from novice to experienced. A children's farm is on-site as a remnant of the farm era of the property. The Ecology Center has an air conditioned meeting room. The camping area is a reasonably priced destination for people from all over the U.S. and the world who visit Orlando and area attractions. Another area has bunk houses and grills for those nature based group retreats or chaperoned youth groups. Park visitors are offered a wide variety of nature-oriented activities including: hiking, baseball / softball, volleyball, biking, and large playground for the kids. Feel free to take advantage of our Youth Group rates, Family Pass and Individual Pass.

As you can see, in addition to theme parks, Orlando offers a surprising variety of inexpensive family fun and recreational opportunities off the beaten path that offer interesting things to explore for the whole family.

For more information about Orlando please contact the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau.

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Exploring Orlando's Loch Haven Park: A Center of Arts and Culture

2005-12-07T09:04:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, December 7, 2005

Exploring Orlando's Loch Haven Park: A Center of Arts and Culture

On this overcast day we decided to explore other areas of Orlando in more detail. About 10 minutes north of downtown Orlando is Loch Haven Park, an area that holds a number of major attractions, including theOrlando Museum of Art, the Mennello Museum of American Art as well as the Orlando Repertory Theatre, the Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival, the Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra, and the Orlando Science Center.

We started our exploration off with a trip to the Leu Botanical Gardens. The centerpiece of the gardens is the Leu House Museum, a restored farmhouse dating back to 1888. It is located on Lake Rowena, one of the hundreds of lakes in Orlando, and surrounded by a 50 acre garden of roses, palms and camellias. The complex also features an orchid house with one of the best collections of orchids in the United States. The Leu Botanical Gardens also offer a new tropical stream garden, a kitchen garden complete with herbs and vegetables and a butterfly garden.

Just 10 minutes away is Loch Haven Park, one of Orlando's centers of art, culture, and science. One of the main attractions is Orlando Museum of Art (OMA), one of Florida's cultural gems and a popular destination for visitors from all over the world. The collection features American art from the 19th century to the present, African art and art of the ancient Americas. Outstanding temporary exhibitions are drawn from private collections and those of the world's great museums.

The upcoming exhibition at the OMA is called the "The Art of the Motorcycle". Based on the landmark Guggenheim Museum exhibition, it explores the motorcycle as both cultural icon and design achievement and offers a thought-provoking challenge to conventional assumptions about art and popular culture in the modern age. The exhibition will run from Jan. 22 – July 23, 2006 and feature more than 70 historic and contemporary motorcycles.

The Mennello Museum of American Art is centered around the Museum's outstanding permanent collection of paintings by Earl Cunningham (1893-1977). It also houses special exhibitions, publications, and programs that celebrate outstanding traditional and contemporary Amercian artists. The Museum's Cunningham collection was donated by collectors Marilyn and Michael Mennello of Winter Park, Florida, and was opened to the public on Nov. 22, 1998.

The Orlando Science Center includes ten themed exhibit halls with a large variety of interactive activities for children and adults. A CineDome Planetarium shows large format films and an Adventure Theater as well as five Discovery Laboratories can keep everyone busy for hours. In total the Science Center has four levels of hands-on exhibits, a 200-seat cafe, 7,000 square feet of exhibition space for national and international traveling exhibits. The Orlando Science Center is open Monday to Thursdays from 9 am to 5 pm, Fridays and Saturdays from 9 am to 9 pm, and Sundays from noon to 5 pm.

The Orlando-UCF Shakespeare Festival is a non-profit professional theater that produces professional productions of Shakespeare, classics and contemporary plays, as well as plays for young audiences. The group also develops new plays from readings through World Premieres and fosters innovative educational programs to serve the community.

As a professional theatre for family audiences in partnership with UCF, Orlando Repertory Theatre (The Rep) opened its doors on October 9, 2003. The theatre focusses on classic and contemporary children's literature. It is a place where young audiences can come and experience the adventure and creative wonder of watching their favorite characters come to life.

Loch Haven's cultural offerings continue with the annual Orlando International Fringe Festival of theatrical performances. The 10-day, world-renowned festival showcases original works; premiere performances; and first-class improvisational comedy, musicals, drama, mime and dance in 500 shows by more than 300 performers from around the world.

The Orlando Philharmonic Orchestra is Central Florida's resident orchestra, appearing in more than 105 performances each season. As a fully professional ensemble, the Orlando Philharmonic engages the talents of more than 80 professional musicians from around the globe. The Philharmonic‘s mission is to foster and promote symphonic music through excellence in performance, education and cultural leadership.

For general information about Orlando please contact the Orlando Visitors and Convention Bureau.

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Travel Guide - Canada

2005-12-06T11:05:00.000-08:00

Travel Guide - Canada

Canada - my chosen home country. Canada is the second largest country on the planet and its dimensions are truly huge, it spans nearly 7700 km from east to west. Nearly 90% of its population congregate within 100 km of the US border. Canada's climate can be a bit harsh in the winter, but the summers tend to be hot and intense. Officially Canada is a bilingual country with Quebec being the center of francophone life. Canada's native cultures have left an imprint all across the country.

Canada is composed of numerous provinces and territories, including Alberta, British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, the Northwest Territories, Nova Scotia, Nunavut, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, Saskatchewan and the Yukon.

Its landscapes are extremely diverse, from rolling hills and steep cliffs that drop down to the ocean in the Maritime provinces, to the Laurentian Mountains in Quebec, to the rugged beauty of the Canadian Shield with its thousands of lakes in Ontario (including Algonquin Park), from the infinite horizon and the crisp blue skies of the Prairie provinces, to the mountainous charm of the Alberta and British Columbia, to the wilderness of the Canada's northern territories, Canada is composed of varied landscapes.

To many people, Canada is known as the great land of wilderness, and there is certainly a lot of that. Hikers, canoeists, campers, fishermen, hunters and outdoorsy folks all have a great time here. With its oceans, lakes and rivers Canada is also a mecca for water sports fanatics. Skiers will love find opportunities in the Eastern part of Canada, particularly in Quebec, and in the West, in places like Whistler, Banff, and Lake Louise, just to name a few. On top of it, Canada is a world class golf destination, with literally thousands of golf courses, and many of them affordable. But Canada has much more to offer: its cities are full of culture and sophisticated recreational opportunities, from museums to theatres to fine dining and shopping.

One of my favourite parts about Canada is its diverse population. Cities like Toronto, Montreal and Vancouver are places where immigrants from all over the world have congregated and brought with them their lifestyles, traditions and cuisines. My new home town of Toronto, renowned for its multiculturalism, has more than 7000 restaurants that reflect the culinary traditions of the entire globe.

Quebec City is the only fortified city in North America with an architecture dating back to the 1600s. Montreal has a unique European flair with its outdoor cafes and street life. Ottawa is the seat of Canada's government and in the winter the Rideau Canal turns into Canada's biggest outdoor skating rink. Toronto is home to people from more than 100 cultures and is a multicultural mosaic with all its diverse neighbourhoods and festivals. Vancouver has one of the most stunning sites, being located right on the Pacific Ocean, surrounded by high mountains. And there are many more interesting cities to visit, Calgary, Victoria, Ottawa, Halifax, Charlottetown, Moncton, Niagara Falls and many more.

Canada's recreational and cultural diversity will surprise you.

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Travel Guide - Chicago

2005-12-06T10:54:00.000-08:00

Travel Guide - Chicago

Chicago is one of the great cities of the world and one of my favourite destinations for long weekend getaways. Here you will find some useful information about this city that will enable you to plan your own escape to Chicago.

History

In 1673 French explorers Jacques Marquette and Louis Joliet passed through what is now Chicago. Chicago's first European settler was Jean Baptiste Point du Sable, a fur trader from Santo Domingo of French-African descent. He built the first settlement in 1779 at the mouth of the Chicago River. The construction of the Illinois and Michigan Canal provided a connection between Chicago and the Mississippi and fueled population growth in the area in the 1830s. In 1837 Chicago was incorporated and had a population of 4,170. The city became a transportation hub in 1848 when the Illinois and Michigan Canal was completed and the first locomotive arrived. Chicago was also known for its stockyards which served the nation between 1865 and 1971.

On October 8, 1871 the Great Chicago Fire (supposedly started when a cow kicked over a lantern) started and claimed 300 lives, left 90,000 residents homeless and essentially destroyed the entire city. This turned into one of the greatest opportunities for rebuilding and within just a few years the entire city was reconstructed.

During the second half of the 19th century, the city’s growing industrial worker population campaigned for better working conditions, better wages and an eight-hour work day. There were several clashes between workers and the police, the most well known was the Haymarket Square Riot of 1886.

In 1893 Chicago hosted the World's Columbian Exposition that attracted nearly 26 million visitor during its six-month run. In order to provide transportation to the fair, the Chicago Transit Authority introduced the first elevated trains to Chicago. Today the system's "L" train encircles the city's central business area, referred to as the "Loop". Chicago's cultural interests can be traced to this era, when its orchestra, library and major museums were established. In 1909 Daniel Burnham's comprehensive city plan was published which provided an unobstructed lakefront, a citywide system of parks and a green belt of forest preserves.

Alternate periods of corruption and reform characterized the city’s political history in the early 20th century. In the summer of 1919 race riots erupted throughout the United States, the worst occurring in Chicago on July 27. The riots shocked the nation and prompted many to launch efforts toward racial equality through volunteer organizations and reform legislation. The prohibition era during the 1920s saw a lot of gang activity. Al Capone was the most well-known of gangsters. His illegal activities culminated in the Saint Valentine's Day Massacre of 1929, a violent shootout to eliminate his competitors. He was convicted of income tax evasion in 1931, sentenced to 11 years in prison and was released on parole in 1939. Crippled by syphillis he spent the rest of his life in a mansion in Miami Beach, Florida.

In 1933 Chicago hosted the the World Fair, dubbed "A Century of Progress", to show the technological accomplishments of civilization since the city was incorporated. The fair attracted 39 million visitors in a two-year period.

Richard J. Daley was elected Mayor of Chicago for the first of six times in 1955. For 21 years, Daley served "the city that works'. During his time in office, O'Hare International Airport (which became the world's busiest) began operations, the Sears Tower (one of the world's tallest buildings) was erected and McCormick Place Convention Center (the largest in North America) opened.

In 1976, Mayor Daley died in office. Since then, Chicago elected its first female mayor (Jane Byrne in 1979) and its first African American mayor (Harold Washington in 1983). In 1989, Mayor Richard M. Daley, son of Richard J. Daley, was elected mayor and still holds the position.

The city of Chicago has increased its exposure as a world-class city by hosting the World Cup Soccer Tournament in 1994, the Democratic National Convention in 1996, the International Pow Wow in 1998 and an International Millennium Celebration in 1999/2000.

Neighbourhoods

Chicago's multicultural heritage is reflected in its neighbourhoods, which now attract thousands of visitors each year. It is home to nearly three million people from all over the world. People of African, Chinese, German, Greek, Vietnamese, Italian and Scandinavian descent are among those who have made Chicago their home. After Warsaw, Chicago has the second largest population of Polish people in the world.

Architecture

Chicago is the birthplace of modern architecture. From historic landmark buildings to contemporary masterpieces, Chicago is home to unique and innovative designs that have shaped American architecture. Chicago is a living museum of architecture, thanks to geniuses such as Daniel Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, Ludwig Mies van der Rohe, Helmut Jahn, Frank Gehry and many others.

Museums

Chicago is world-renowned for its diverse collection of museums, which explore a variety of subjects, including Chicago history, art, African American culture, astronomy, natural history and more. The Museum Campus, located in Grant Park, features the John G. Schedd Aquarium, the Adler Planetarium and the Field Museum of Natural History. Other famous Chicago museums include the Chicago Historical Society, the Museum of Science and Industry, and the DuSable Museum of African-American History. Various ethnic groups, including the Mexican, Polish, Lithuanian, Swedish, Greek, Ukrainian and Jewish population, have their own museums, showcasing their history, art and costumes. The Museum of Contemporary Photography and the Museum of Holography will appeal to individuals with an interest in visual arts.

Tours

Chicago can be explored by foot, bus, bike, boat or plane and its famous landmarks can be discovered on land, river, lake or in the sky. The Chicago Architecture Foundation offers guided walking and river tours to explore the city's unique architecture.

Taste

Chicago has thousands of restaurants serving a variety of culinary delights to suit every taste, every budget and every mood. Taste of Chicago is an annual festival featuring house specialties from dozens of the city's restaurants. It is held during the last week of June and first week of July and attracts hundreds of thousands of culinary fans.

Shopping

Shopping in Chicago began on State Street, the center of the Loop. The original and flagship Marshall Field's department store opened in 1852 on State Street. The famed "Magnificent Mile" that runs along Michigan Avenue from the Chicago River to Oak Street offers hundreds of specialty shops and boutiques presenting top-of-the-line goods from around the world. Oak Street features designs from Paris, Milan and Manhattan.

Family Entertainment

Navy Pier offers more than 50 acres of shops, restaurants, gardens and entertainment attractions. It holds a 15-story Ferris wheel, an IMAX theatre as well as the Chicago Children's Museum. Kids on the Fly is a "satellite" Chicago Children's Museum located at O'Hare International Airport that entertains and educates children during layovers or waiting times at the airport. The Children's Zoo at the free admission Lincoln Park Zoo includes live animal presentations, a petting zoom, a zoo nursery and a hands-on learning center for kids.

Music

Chicago is one of the hot beds for jazz and blues. Jazz began to spread from the South between 1910 and 1920 and Chicago became the nation's jazz center in the 1920s. "Chicago style" jazz also originated in the 1920s and during the 1930s, Benny Goodman, a one time child prodigy from a poor Chicago family, was established as the "King of Swing". In the 1930s and 1940s blues eventually came north to Chicago and has remained a popular music genre ever since. Today the city features many jazz and blues venues and hosts a variety of music festivals throughout the year, including the the Chicago Jazz Festival, the Chicago Blues Festival, the Chicago Gospel Festival, the Chicago Country Music Festival, the "Viva Chicago" Latin Music Festival and the World Music Festival.

Parks and Recreation

Chicago features 7300 acres of parkland, including 552 parks, 33 beaches, nine museums, two world-class conservatories, 16 historic lagoons, 10 bird and wildlife gardens. Historic Grant Park and newly created Millennium Park are among the most well-known of Chicago's green spaces. Chicago also features 6 golf courses, 9 lakefront harbours, and a multitude of tennis courts for outdoor recreation. The waterfront trail along Lake Michigan's shoreline is a mecca for joggers, bikers and in-line skaters.

Spectator Sports

Chicago is a big sports town and home to several professional sports teams, including the Chicago Bulls (basketball), the Chicago Bears (football), the Chicago Cubs (baseball), the Chicago White Sox (baseball), the Chicago Blackhawks (hockey) and the Chicago Wolves (semi-pro hockey). It holds historic sports venues such as Wrigley Field, Comisky Park - now known as US. Cellular Field, and Soldier Field.

Useful Links:
Chicago Convention and Tourism Bureau

Chicago Architecture Foundation

Chicago Parks

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Spain:

2005-12-06T10:47:00.000-08:00

Spain:

Spain is a country with a long proud history including settlement by the Ancient Romans and many centuries of domination by the Moors. It is a country of great diversity, with mountain ranges in the North East, beautiful beaches in the South and a luscious green coastline in the north. Spain is great for lovers of the outdoor, whether you enjoy hiking, biking or other outdoor pursuits.

The center of Spain is characterized by an arid plateau and Madrid is right in the heartland of this fascinating country. In the Spanish capital you'll find many places to visit: the Prado, one of the world's bests art museums, the Palacio Real (the Royal Palace), and the Museo Nacional Centro de Arte Reina Sofia featuring masterpieces by Salvador Dali and Juan Miró. For more lighthearted entertainment visit the Rastro, Madrid's biggest flea market.

Barcelona is the second-largest city in Spain and known world-wide for the architectural creations of José Antonio Gaudi, with the still unfinished Sagrada Familia cathedral topping the list. When in Barcelona don't forget a visit to the Barri Gótic and take a walk on las Ramblas, one of the most beautiful streets in the world, a tree-lined boulevard where you can delight in the talents of street performers.

Further south, the region of Andalusia awaits you with Moorish treasures such as Seville, Cordoba and Granada, where a visit to the Alhambra is a must. A visit to a bull fight, a Flamenco show or a sherry-tasting are authentic Spanish experiences that should not be missed. Food lovers enjoy Spanish cuisine such as paella and tapas with its typical Mediterranean ingredients. Festivals such as the Semana Santa and the running of the bulls in Pamplona manage to spice up the traveller's experience in Spain.

The Costa del Sol from Malaga westwards down to Marbella and Gibraltar is of course known for its excellent climate and beautiful beaches, (and to some degree, its overdevelopment). Further east you will find other well-known coastal stretches, such as the Costa Blanca, south of Valencia and the rugged Costa Brava, northeast of Barcelona.

Northern Spain including the provinces of Galicia, Asturias, Cantabria and the Basque Country is referred to as "green Spain", it's a region that receives a lot more rainfall than the arid south and offers beautiful coastlines and lush green mountains. San Sebastian is one of the major cities in the north, located on a beautiful bay. Further west, Santiago de Compostela is a world-famous pilgrimage site and the end point of the Camino de Santiago.

And let's not forget the charm and beauty of the Balearic Islands, Ibiza, Mallorca and Menorca as well as the Canary Islands (Lanzarote, Fuerteventura, Tenerife, La Palma, La Gomera and El Hierro). Spain is one of my favourite destinations, its history, mystery and charm are unique.

Here are a few essential links for travel planning in Spain:

Official Spanish tourist office

Lonely Planet website

Frommer’s websiteSpain

Madrid’s municipal tourist office

Barcelona tourist office

Seville tourism information

Granada tourism information

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Italy

2005-12-06T10:44:00.000-08:00

Italy:

Italy is an extremely diverse country and one of my favourites. It has a fascinating history, going back to the ancient Romans and beyond and was a cultural powerhouse during the Renaissance period. It is truly one of the cradles of Western civilization.

Rome is the "Eternal City": Today a hustling and bustling overcrowded metropolis, it was the hub of Ancient Rome, the capital of an enormous and powerful empire. Today one can admire many relicts from Roman times: the Roman Forum (Foro Romano), the Colosseum and the Pantheon, among many others, are witnesses to a highly refined culture that existed more than 2000 years ago. A visit to the Vatican also underscores the uniqueness of this city. Outside of Rome there is just so much to discover.

Florence comes to mind immediately, one of the primary tourist destinations. Florence is the capital of Tuscany and known for its many sights: the Duomo (the Cathedral of Santa Maria de Fiore), the Uffizi, the Ponte Vecchio, Michelangelo's David, and many more. You can also enjoy the quieter villages and serene landscapes in the interior of Italy, with Tuscany as one of the preferred destinations for interior travel. A favourite Tuscan location is San Gimignano, fabled for its many historic towers.

The word Venice immediately evokes romantic notions of canals, the Piazza San Marco and the Doge's Palace, the Rialto Bridge, and of course the gondolieri. There are many other cities and towns to explore. Milan, for instance, is Italy’s fashion capital and has stunning architecture to admire. The old city of Verona is the setting for Romeo and Juliet. Genova is an important harbour city on the Ligurian coast. The glamorous coast along the Italian Riviera around San Remo and Imperia has attracted many Hollywood celebrities. Many other famous historic towns are located in the north: Bologna, Siena, Padova, Vicenza, Trieste.

In the south there are cities such as Naples, Cosenza, Salerno, Sorrento and many more that let you explore Southern Italian hospitality. The eastern side of the boot-shaped Italian peninsula is generally quieter than the western side and cities such as Ancona, Pescara, Bari and Brindisi and their surrounding areas have their own charm. Historic sites in the south include the ancient cities of Herculaneum and Pompeii that were destroyed by a volcanic eruption in 79 A.D. Needless to say, geologists are going to be interested in seeing the still active volcanoes Etna and Vesuvius. Italy’s landscape is truly stunning.

The Italian Alps with the limestone spires of the Dolomites are simply majestic, and the famous lakes such as Lago Maggiore, Lago di Como, Lago di Garda, Lago di Iseo are blue jewels embedded in green mountains and hills. Hiking, mountain biking, skiing and windsurfing are favourite acitivites in the north of Italy.

Naturally, Italian cuisine and wine are appreciated the world over and a trip to Italy can become a venerable feast for the senses. Some of the most visually stunning scenery can be found just south of the Bay of Naples, along the Amalfi coast and the island of Capri. The islands of Sardinia and Sicily, reputedly the birthplace of the Mafia, glisten like gems in the Mediterranean.

There are just too many places to mention, Italy is simply a fabulous place to visit. Check out some of the links below and dream about all these beautiful far-away places.

Essential links for travelling to Italy:

Italy’s Official Tourism Website
Frommer’s Italy website
Lonely Planet Italy website
Official website of Rome
Official website of Florence
Official website of Naples
Official website of Venice
Tourism in Sicily

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Greece

2005-12-06T10:37:00.000-08:00

Greece:

Ancient Greek culture thrived from the 3rd millennium to the first century B.C. and its cultural accomplishments, art, architecture and philosophy deeply influenced thinkers, writers and artists in many subsequent civilizations. The concept of democracy originated in ancient Greece and became the foundation of political principles for most modern nations. Greece – truly one of the cradles of modern civilization.

Picture Athens in its heyday crowned by the Acropolis. The Parthenon, an ancient Greek temple dedicated to the goddess Athena Parthenos (Athena the Virgin), is located on the Acropolis. Although partly in ruins today, it remains a masterpiece of Greek architecture. Overall, Athens has much to offer: near-constant sunshine, access to sandy beaches and idyllic islands, and the sites of the 2004 Olympics.

Today you will see a thoroughly modern city with a population of around 5 million people, complete with overcrowding and pollution. Nevertheless the ancient sites are unique in the world.

History buffs will want to explore other historic places like Delphi, Olympia, Epidauros and Mycenae. Greek mythology seems to come alive here. The Greek islands are sparkling jewels in the Mediterranean and there are literally thousands of them.

Crete is the fifth largest island in the Mediterranean and a favourite tourist destination for northern Europeans. Corfu is the most northerly of the Ionian islands with a mountain chain in the north, a central hilly region and a flat southern area. Rhodes is part of the Dodecanese islands and is known for its healthful climate and fertile soil. The island of Santorini is a photographer's paradise with its white villages that are nestled into steep volcanic cliffs. Mykonos is one of the most beautiful islands of Cyclades, it is cosmopolitan and offers an intense nightlife. A ferry trip in between the various islands can be an exciting way of getting around and exploring the local lifestyle.

Macedonia, the ancient home of Alexander the Great in the north of Greece, has several well-known travel destinations: Halkidiki, Thassos, Thessaloniki. The capital of Macedonia, Thessaloniki, is the second largest city of Greece. It was first established in 316 B.C. by Kassandros and named after his wife, Thessaloniki, sister of Alexander the Great. Its unique charms comes from large avenues, parks and squares,with trees lining commercial streets with showy shop-windows.

Among the most unique sites in Greece are the Monasteries of Meteora, ancient buildings patched against a series of surrealistic-looking rocks with precipitous vertical drops. There are four monasteries and two convents that are still active today and certainly worth a visit. Greece combines stunning scenery with ancient history and near perfect weather which make it a great travel destination.

Essential links for traveling to Greece:

Tourism Offices for Greece
Greek travel information
Lonely Planet Greece website
Athens tourism information
Crete tourism information
Rhodes tourism information
Santorini tourism information

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Germany

2005-12-06T10:34:00.000-08:00

Germany:

After a very turbulent history, Berlin is now Germany's capital - again. After Germany's reunification in 1990 steps were put in place to restore Berlin's splendour. After being the center of Germany's imperial past, it became the headquarters of Nazi Germany and places like the Reichstag recall that era of history. The post-war division into Eastern and Western Germany with the Berlin Wall dividing the city is another fascinating chapter of modern history.

Today, economic redevelopment and a real estate boom can be seen everywhere. Sites such as the Brandenburg Gate, the Kaiser Wilhelm Memorial Church, the glitzy shopping boulevard of the Kurfürstendamm, a walk Unter den Linden (the former East's Berlin masterpiece), are standard fare for travellers to Berlin.

Another favorite destination for travellers is Germany's south, the Bavarian Alps and Bavaria's capital, Munich. Munich, of course, is the location of the world's largest Oktoberfest and the Hofbräuhaus is probably the most well-known beer hall in the world. You can also catch some nude sunbathing in the Englischer Garten.

Outside of Munich the romantic Castle of Neuschwanstein is a favourite destination. Winter Sports enthusiasts will enjoy the Bavarian Alps and Garmisch-Partenkirchen was the site of 1936 Winter Olympics. Somber reminders of Germany’s WW II past can be visited first hand in places such as Dachau and Nuremberg, The remnants Hitler’s mountaincommand post are located on the Obersalzberg.

Germany offers many other areas of interest, how about a cruise up the Rhine River, or a visit to Cologne or the city of Trier, with its history dating back to Roman times? Other gems include Augsburg, Regensburg, Heidelberg and many more. Hamburg is well known as an ancient merchant and trading city as well as for its red light district. And the Black Forest area with its quaint villages is another favorite destination for many travellers.

Here are some essential links for Germany:

Germany Official Tourism Website
Lonely Planet Germany Website
Frommer’s Germany Website
Berlin’s Official Tourism Website
Cologne’s Official Tourism Website
Hamburg’s Official Tourism Website
Munich’s Official Tourism Website

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France

2005-12-06T10:32:00.000-08:00

France:

Paris - the City of Lights. Romantic images come to mind of strolls along the Seine and the spires of Notre Dame. The Eiffel Tower is undoubtedly the most recognizeable symbol of Paris. But the great promenade of the Champs-Elysées and the Arc de Triomphe are equally famous the world over.

Museum lovers will cherish Paris since they have access to such world-class museums as the Louvre, the Picasso Museum and the Musée d'Orsay. And exploring Montmartre, the city's former artists community, then ascending Paris' highest hill to the Basilica of Sacré-Coeur is an experience no traveller should miss in Paris. The Ch ateau de Versailles, Louis XIV' opulent castle with its beautiful gardens, is just southwest of Paris.

France is just a beautiful country to explore and offers so many areas of interest. A favorite are the Loire Chateaux, a collection of beautiful castles that dot the Loire Valley. One of the most famous areas is of course the Cote d'Azur, also known as the French Riviera that stretches from St. Tropez to Cannes, Nice, Monte Carlo and Menton.

The coastal highways on the French Riviera have been featured in many movies and offer panoramic views of the Mediterranean and the mountains. The Provence is the hinterland of the Riviera and over the years has inspired many artistis including Van Gogh and Cézanne.

Normandy of course is one of the primary historic sites of World War II and is an important destination for history buffs. Wine-growing regions such as Alsace, Bordeaux, Burgundy and Champagne have their own charms. French cuisine has inspired discerning gourmets for centuries. The French High Alps offer beautiful vistas and excellent skiing in the winter. France is a very diverse tourist destination that will offer something for every taste.

Here are some essential links for France:

France Official Tourism Website

Lonely Planet France Website
Frommer’s France Website
Paris’ Official Tourism Website
Cannes Official Website
Lyon’s Official Website
Monaco (Monte Carlo) Official Website
Marseille’s Official Website
Nice’s Official Website Strasbourg’s Official Website
Toulouse’s Official Website

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England

2005-12-06T10:26:00.000-08:00

England:

England is the heartland of Great Britain, one of the great empires throughout history. London itself is a truly modern, cosmopolitan city whose roots are firmly grounded in many centuries of history. Places like the Tower of London, Tower Bridge, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace and Kensington Palace (formerly the residence of Princess Diana), Trafalgar Square, Picadilly Circus and Hyde Park ring a bell everywhere.

Visit one of the many museums in London or simply enjoy a cup of afternoon tea in one of the salons and lounges throughout London. Check out Madame Tussaud's Waxworks, Westminster Abbey, or St. Paul's Cathedral.

Outside of London check out Windsor Castle. Overall, England is a veritable treasure chest for castle-lovers. One of the typical ways to travel in England is to enjoy the fabulous hospitality of a private bed & breakfast. The Cotswolds are a beautiful area with rolling hills, featuring stone houses just the way you always ipictured a truly English landscape. Stratford-Upon-Avon is the birthplace of William Shakespeare which is must see for every Shakespeare fan. Performances by the Royal Shakespeare Company will delight theatre buffs.

If you like bigger cities, check out Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Birmingham and Liverpool, home of the Beatles. Britain’s Roman history is apparent in many places, including Hadrian's Wall near Newcastle. And a visit to Stonehenge will bring you up close to one of history's mysteries.

England’s lovely coastline can be enjoyed in one of many resort towns. Southend-on-Sea officially offers some of the best beaches of Europe and is well known for its pier, its theatre and music events. In the south east of England, Canterbury's cathedral is a splendid example of medieval British architecture. In Dover you can catch ferries to the European continent.

As one of the world’s most famous university towns, Oxford has a scenic riverside setting with museums, shops, restaurants and a vibrant entertainment scene. Cambridge, its rival city, has winding streets and splendid architecture and is perfect for a daytrip from London.

Brighton is a beautiful seaside city with gorgeous architecture. The Isle of Wight offers a serene getaway from the hustle and bustle of the cities. Bournemouth is a holiday resort town on the South East coast of England with award-winning beaches, parks and gardens. A visit to England can be the perfect combination of culture, history and relaxation.

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Travel Guide - Austria

2005-12-06T10:02:00.000-08:00

Travel Guide - Austria

Austria, my home country. Where do I start? I guess history is a good place and it was the Habsburg dynasty that shaped this country's fate for many centuries. Austria is known all over the world as the setting for the Sound of Music and people instantly associate the idyllic lake and mountain sceneries with Austria. From the High Alps in the West to the plains in the East, Austria is a beautiful country. Almost everyone has heard of its capital Vienna, of places like Salzburg and Innsbruck, but other cities like Graz, Linz, Bregenz and Klagenfurt have their own charm and definitely merit a visit.

The famous Alpine lake district where “Sound of Music” was filmed offers up almost dream-like landscapes with towering mountains, pristine lakes and charming villages. Visit the famous imperial castles in Vienna, check out the Opera or attend a concert by the world famous Vienna Boys Choir. Music lovers will enjoy Vienna which has been the home of many famous composers including Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, Joseph Haydn, Franz Schubert, Johannes Brahms, Johann Strauss Sr., Johann Strauss Jr., Ludwig van Beethoven and Arnold Schönberg. The famous white horses of the Vienna Riding Schoolare another unique attraction. You can experience culture galore here.

In the summer Austria is beautiful for hikers and sightseers, owing to the many baroque castles, monasteries and churches you can visit. Athletes such as mountain climbers, bikers, hang-gliders and even golfers will have a ball here.

During winter Austria becomes a veritable wonderland for winter sports, no wonder since it's one of the word's top destinations for skiers. In addition Austria offers many other activities, such as taking a cruise on the Danube, tasting fresh wine at one of the Heurigen in and outside of Vienna, attending one of the many festivals (such as the Mozart Festival in Salzburg, the Bruckner Festival in Linz), enjoy a luxurious spa treatment at one of the many spa towns or explore one of the quaint little villages and sample a taste of Austrian Gemütlichkeit.

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Useful Country Guides

2005-12-06T09:59:00.000-08:00

Useful Country Guides

To make your travel planning quick and easy, I have compiled and continue to compile country guides that contain a brief overview of the country with references to each country's main regions and travel destinations, its history and culture.

The country guides also provide you with useful links to the main tourism sites for each country. In addition I have provided numerous links to books or other media that are related to various topics discussed in the country guides. So if you are thinking of getting a book about the Provence or about Florence, or maybe if you want to learn about the history of flamenco, about French cuisine or the British monarchy, for example, I have already provided convenient links to a selection of books about these topics.

The beauty about these book links to Amazon.com is that many times Amazon provides a "Look Inside" feature, which gives you the opportunity to view a good portion of the book in electronic format online. So that means you can do a lot of additional research without even having to purchase a book. So start planning your next trips by visiting some of these informative country guides:
Travel Guide - Austria

Travel Guide - Canada

Travel Guide - England

Travel Guide - France

Travel Guide - Germany

Travel Guide - Greece

Travel Guide - Italy

Travel Guide - Spain

Regional and City Guides

Through our own research and collaboration efforts with a variety of regional experts we are pleased to offer you insider coverage on different regions and cities which will give you a behind-the-scenes view into many different vacation destinations.

Chicago travel guide

Montreal's unique underground city

Montreal's spectacular mountain

Banff, Alberta - More than a cute tourist town

Romantic Kennebunkport, Maine

The majestic Adirondacks and the charming Mirror Lake Inn

Smugglers Notch, Vermont - Away from the pollution

Newport, Rhode Island - A romantic voyage back in time

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Mount Dora: Southern Charm in Central Florida

2005-12-04T15:47:00.000-08:00

Sunday, December 4, 2005

Mount Dora: Southern Charm in Central Florida

In my quest to find unusual destinations to visit in the Orlando area, I stumbled over a little town by the name of Mount Dora just about 45 minutes north of Orlando. I had read that it was a very picturesque small town located on a lake, and one of its main attractions was a scenic railway.

Mount Dora is only 27 miles or 43 km northwest of Orlando. It has an elevation of 184 feet above Lake Dora, which makes it Florida's only "mountain top town". Indeed the rolling hillsides and winding roads are a welcome unique feature in the generally flat topography of Florida.

Mount Dora's history dates back to the 1800s. In 1846 Lake Dora was named for Dora Ann Drawdy. She and her husband homesteaded two miles south of Mount Dora. In 1880 the town’s first name was Royellou, named after the three children of Postmaster R. C. Tremain - Roy, Ella, and Louis.

Then in 1883 the town was renamed Mount Dora. Incorporated as a town in 1910 with 370 residents, the town now has a population of around 10,000 people. The first railroad service through Mount Dora began in 1887 and by 1915 there were two passenger trains daily in each direction. At one time citrus was the major industry in the area, with a great deal shipped from Mount Dora, while today Mount Dora's major industry is tourism.

According to the Local Chamber of Commerce, the town also has a number of claims to fame, including:
- The Friendliest Small Town
- Best Antique Shopping
- The New England of the South
- The City of Parks- Festival City
- Top 100 Great Towns of America
- Best Romantic Escape
- Money Magazine "Top Places to Live Today"

What drew me here personally was the ride on the the "Herbie Express", which is part of the Inland Lakes Railway, located in Mount Dora and Eustis, Florida. The ride I went on is a one hour train ride between Mount Dora and Wooton Park in Tavares. We departed in a Pullman sleeper railcar originally built in 1949 that was later refunctioned as a commuter railcar.

The route initially takes you along Lake Dora and later continues inland past shopping malls, and suburban residences. A young conductor explained the local sights to us and kept us entertained. The Lake Eustis / Mount Dora Railway also features other train rides, such as the Lake County Champion, the Blue Swan Dinner Train, and the Magnolia Sun Lunch Train. The Lake County Champion round trip is 2 hours and 20 minutes, with an opportunity for a short visit in Eustis to enjoy Ferran Park and area shops.

The oldest structure in Mount Dora is the Lakeside Inn, established in 1883. It features a wrap-around porch, gingerbread trim and a steep roof crowned with a corner spire. The grounds are beautifully landscaped.

Many of the walking and trolley tours through this quaint town start at the former 1915 Atlantic Coast Line Depot, home of the Mount Dora Area Chamber of Commerce since 1973. Mount Dora's most renowned architectural jewel is the Donnelly House. This Queen Anne-style structure uses design elements characteristic of the Victorian Era.

The Donnelly House was constructed in 1893 by John Phillip Donnelly, the first mayor of Mount Dora. The home sits on Donnelly Street within walking distance from downtown Mount Dora. The Donnelly House is just one of the many restored 19th and early 20th century buildings in the Golden Triangle area.

This charming little town also features a whole host of specialty retailers and is one of Florida's largest antiques and collectibles centers. Renninger's Twin Markets is renowned for its antiques shopping. The town also features a large variety of gift shops, fashion boutiques, decorative art galleries, interesting cafes and restaurants as well as charming bed and breakfasts.

One of my favourite features of this town, which also refers to itself as "City of Parks", are the many public green spaces by the water. Donnelly Park, located right downtown and dating back to 1924, offers free concerts and other civic events. The park also features a tennis court and shuffleboard facilities.

After my demanding stroll through Mount Dora's winding streets I walked down to the waterfront to Evans Park, which is located across from the lighthouse. The view from the waterfront bench was magnificent and I relaxed on the bench as I soaked up the sunshine. The park is adjacent to the Mount Dora Lawn Bowling Club, one of the largest in the United States. Its 300 member association plays host to local and regional tournaments.

Simpson Cove and Grantham Point are adjacent to Palm Island Park and feature the only inland freshwater lighthouse in Florida. This lighthouse was built of bricks and donated by local residents. Gilbert Park features a public boat ramp, picnic area, croquet court and children's playground along Alexander Creek.

Palm Island Park features a 1700 foot fresh water hiking trail and boardwalk through oak trees draped with Spanish moss. Other wildlife, including bald eagles, and local indidgenous plants can be admired here as well.

The City hosts many major annual events such as the popular "Mount Dora Arts Festival". This event attracts over 150,000 people each year and has been ranked among the top art shows in the country. Other events include the Antique Boat Show, Antique Car Show, Golf Tournament, Bicycle Festival, Crafts Fair and Plant and Garden Fair.

While I was exploring this charming little town, my husband played golf at the Mount Dora Golf Association. He played a beautifully manicured full-size 18-hole course, and at $18 including cart, this outing was a real bargain. The Mount Dora area also offers a variety of other golf courses, including the Black Bear Golf Club, the Country Club of Mount Dora, Deer Island Golf Club, Eagle Dunes Golf Course, Heathrow Country Estates Redtail Golf Course, the Mission Inn Golf & Tennis Resort and the Pine Meadows Country Club.

I capped off my explorations with a delicious late afternoon ice cream on the patio of the Sunshine Mountain Bakery, soaking up the sun while waiting to hear about my husband's golf adventures. Mount Dora is a great day trip from Orlando and we enjoyed our drive back through the countryside of rural Florida.

For more information about Mount Dora you can visit the Mount Dora Chamber of Commerce's website.

Golf in Orlando: Playing Links-Style at the Royal St. Cloud - Unpretentious Golf at its Best

2005-12-03T09:48:00.000-08:00

Saturday, December 3, 2005

Golf in Orlando: Playing Links-Style at the Royal St. Cloud - Unpretentious Golf at its Best

For a real links-style golf experience we discovered the Royal St. Cloud Golf Links, located in St. Cloud, about 25 minutes southeast of the Orlando airport or the Disney area. The Royal St. Cloud Links greet you with a rolling layout of links-style fairways, punctuated by classic links bunkers that feature names such as Hell, Spectacles, Devil's Pocket and Hoofprint. True to its link heritage, every club in the bag will be utilized as the terrain is naturally varied.

Unlike other Orlando golf courses, the Royal St. Cloud is free of any residential developments and offers a pure golf experience. The design features four sets of tees and from the blue tee offers a championship length of 7,111 yards and a 74.6 rating, all on flawless fairways and silky-smooth Tifeagle greens.

Its motto, as printed above the entrance to the club house is "Original Golf Played Here", and indeed the Royal St. Cloud features original style golf at its unpretentious best. I had a chance to talk to Bill Filson, the Director of Golf and since 2002 co-owner of this facility.

Bill has an extensive teaching background. He has personally studied under some of the top-ranked teaching professionals and brings 12 years of teaching experience that featured beginners to PGA tour professionals. Bill has consistently been a top-ranked PGA Professional. The Royal St. Cloud's teaching staff is complemented by Dave Rummels who brings 17 years of valuable PGA Tour experience with him and can share advice from the “Tour” with the students. Associate Professional, Doug Holloway, has 16 years coaching experience.

At the Royal St. Cloud Golf Links the commitment to teaching the game of golf commitment includes state-of-the art video equipment and even a teaching tent for inclement weather. Lessons, programs, and clinics are offered for every skill level and requirement. Bill explained that they run very reasonably priced children's clinics at $7.00 per clinic and the club has 120 members in their junior program. Ladies can also learn the sport without embarrassment in a relaxed, comfortable environment. And with every family membership at the club kids play for free.

Bill prides himself on offering one of the greatest values in golf in the Orlando area. For the 2005-2006 season rates vary from $46 to $48 from November 1 to January 10, and $64 from January 11 to April 30, 2006. Discounted tee time rates are available after 11 am or 12 pm respectively, 7 days/week. Bill went on to say that the fees at the Royal St. Cloud are always reasonable, and that he aims not to oversell his course, but to exceed the visitors' expectations.

In addition, he offers a very unique proposition: a 100% money-back guarantee with no conditions if you didn't enjoy your playing experience at the Royal St. Clouds. He said in the almost three years since he has run this course only 2 people ever asked for a refund; a phenomenal achievement, considering that several tens of thousands of rounds are played here every year.

One of the very unique features of this course is the handcrafted stonework which is evident in four bridges found throughout the course that have been hand-built by one individual brick by brick. Bill said that some of the bridges are even a little bit crooked, just to give them more character. The most famous stone bridge can be found on the 5th hole and many of the British visitors to this golf course come here specifically for this unique feature.

Bill explained that his golf course serves a value-based market that is composed of local residents, snowbirds escaping the cold northern winters, and British golfers, a very loyal crowd who refer this facility to many of their friends back home.

The Royal St. Cloud Golf Links have been rated as one of the Top 5 Most Underrated Golf Courses in the Orlando area and they have hosted the 2004 and 2005 British Junior Amateur. With its wide-open fairways the course looks deceptively simple, however, I experienced very quickly the unique challenges offered by the Royal St. Cloud. Traditional links golf is played on the ground, unfortunately I still managed to find water several times, despite the generously open fairways.

The other feature I really enjoyed were a number of the ponds on the back nine of the course that were playing host to a variety of local wildlife and water birds. I particularly enjoyed watching a very rare specimen of wood stork stalking the edges of a pond for food, and a crane standing upright with stretched out wings. The course had a very relaxed, casual and friendly feel to it and we enjoyed a tasty hot dog after our game on the beautiful patio outside the clubhouse as a way to cap off a very enjoyable golf experience on a gorgeous day.

Driving Directions from the Disney Area:
Royal St. Cloud Golf Links is an easy 25 miles from the Disney area.(25-35 minute approximate drive time)
• Take Osceola Parkway to the Florida Turnpike
• Take Exit 244 to Hwy 192, turn left.
• Go 4.6 miles to Vermont Ave, turn right.
• Take Vermont 2.1 miles to Creek Woods Road, take a left.
• Go only .7 miles to Michigan Ave, take a right directly into the Golf Club.

Statistics
Par 72 Yards Rating Slope
Blue 7111 74.6 128
Gold 6680 72.2 125
Green 6083 69.2 115
Citrus 5531 66.6 111

For more information please visit Royal St. Cloud Golf Links website or call them at (407) 891-7010.
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Our High and Low Speed Adventures at Boggy Creek Airboat Tours and Swamp Buggy Rides

2005-12-02T13:08:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 2, 2005

YEEEEEHAAAAW!!!!

Our High and Low Speed Adventures at Boggy Creek Airboat Tours and Swamp Buggy Rides

After my rather quaint and leisurely scenic boat ride through Winter Park, a rather different boating experience was in store for me: a high speed airboat ride through Lake Tohopekaliga, provided by Boggy Creek Airboat Rides.

We got started early in the morning and took the first tour out. The temperature must have been about 45 degrees Fahrenheit or so, and in wise anticpation we both wore our Canadian winter jackets. Good thing, because it gets pretty darn cold zooming along at high speed on the airboats.

We were the first ride out of the gate, and fortunately we were provided with white blankets which kept us reasonably warm. Off we went on our 6-passenger airboat, exploring the coastline of Lake Tohopekaliga, getting a glimpse at various types of wetland birds, including bald eagles, ospreys, egrets and cranes that live here in the Central Florida Everglades. The name of the lake means "sleeping tiger" and it extends over 11,968 acres.

Our captain, "big and beefy Chad", took us around to give us an idea of an authentic Florida lake experience. At one point he drove the airboat onto land and got out of the boat to take a picture of us. After the picture he really cranked it up as he went northwards on Lake Toho. At the northern end of the tour he took us into some sidearms of the lake where we got see the marshy wetlands up close. On the way back he took his foot off the brake and firmly put it on the gas pedal. He mentioned that airboats can reach speeds up to 65 miles per hour, I think we must have been pretty close. He even did some gentle turns with the boat which turned into an exhiliarating high-speed slalom experience for all us in the boat.

I looked over at my husband, and he had a strange smile on his face. After the ride was finished he admitted that he was really scared, for one thing he doesn't swim and he was worried about exiting our high-speed vessel. But not to worry, Chad brought us back safely, and I for one, being a bit of a high-speed freak myself, was glowing with the experience - I truly had a blast!

According to Michelle Peters, who works at Boggy Creek Airboat Rides, the company was founded by her sister and brother-in-law, Margie and Chris Long, in 1994 and operation was started with one 6-passenger airboat. Today, the Boggy Creek Airboat Rides are among the top 10 Orlando attractions according to the Orlando Business Journal. The company now has eight 18-passenger boats and two 6-passenger boats.

The company is AAA approved and all of its captains are Master Captains who have to undergo a one-year apprenticeship. The Coast Guard does surprise inspections to ensure compliance with all safety regulations. Michelle also mentioned that the Water Management Authority uses their airboats because they virtually float on the water and are less invasive to plant and wildlife than regular propeller driven boats.

In addition, the company has added swamp buggy rides to their offerings about 4 months ago. The swamp buggy was completely custom built by a company that regularly builds monster trucks. We entered this monster vehicle from its rear end over a ramp and started our swamp buggy tour.

Chad, being the all-round talented individual that he is, also took us out on the swamp buggy, this custom-built monster contraption. We went through some solar-powered remote controlled gates onto a working cattle ranch. Florida actually still has a pretty sizeable cattle industry, and the historic term for Florida cowboys actually is "cow men".

On our swamp buggy ride we saw a variety of wildlife, including cattle and some awefully cute baby cows. We also caught a glimpse of the very tail end of an alligator, who was doing its best to hide itself under the leafy vegetation surrounding a little pond. We also saw some deer and a whole range of different birds, including the tall sandhill cranes who seem to be totally unafraid of human beings. The ground was pretty wet in some areas, and I was amazed that our vehicle was capable of plowing through all the muck - we even crossed a river!

Boggy Creek Airboat Rides and Swamp Buggy Tours is a great family outing, and the high-speed experience will even soothe teenagers' cravings for high adrenaline fun. Airboat tours are generally half an hour long, are offered every half hour and don't require reservations. In the summer, the company offers night rides that are an hour long. Michelle mentioned that on one of the night tours last summer she saw 17 alligators, who are nocturnal creatures and come out in full force at night time.

Well, we didn't really get a good view of any alligators, but the combination of airboat ride and swamp buggy tour really kick-started our engines for the day!

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A Little Picnic Lunch in Kissimmee

2005-12-02T10:45:00.000-08:00

Friday, December 2, 2005

A Little Picnic Lunch in Kissimmee

After our exhilarating airboat ride and swamp buggy tour at Boggy Creek, we snaked our way north towards Orlando and decided to have a picnic lunch in the Orlando suburb of Kissimmee. This town is located at the doorstep of Walt Disney World complex and offers a variety of tourist class accommodations near historic downtown Kissimmee. The historic downtown districts feature walking tours, antique shops, shopping, dining, or sightseeing.

According to the City of Kissimmee's web site"local historians have offered many variations of the origin of the city's name. Most agree that Kissimmee is a modern spelling of a tribal word. The book Florida Indians and the Invasion from Europe by Jerald T. Milanich, links "Kissimmee" to a village of the Jororo, one of Florida's lesser-known tribes. Historian John Hann researched Spanish documents about missions estabilshed to convert the Jororo and other groups to Christianity in the late 1600's. Spanish records indicate that a mission was built near the tribe's main village, also called Jororo. Another mission was called Atissimi. Milanich writes, "Hann suggests that the name Atissimi, sometimes given as Jizimi and Tisimi, may be the source of the modern place name Kissimmee." A 1752 Spanish map used the name "Cacema" which has evolved into today's spelling, Kissimmee."

Kissimmee's main strip features a variety of local merchants and restaurants. The town was festively decorated and even the police department showed itself in a festive pre-Christmas mood:

Kissimmee is located at the north end of Lake Tohopekaliga and one of its squares is appropriately named "Toho Square":

We noticed several murals throughout town, illustrating the town's history. My husband tried to check if he could blend into the mural without being noticed, I am not so sure that it actually worked:

We decided to have a nice little picnic lunch and settled in on a bench right in front of the "Big Toho Pier":

Here is another view of the Big Toho Pier, a serene place where we enjoyed the warm December sun:

A gaggle of seabirds was congregating just on the other side of the pier:

On a brief walk along Lakeshore Boulevard we discovered a war memorial that commemorates the Second World War:

For more information about Kissimmee contact its Convention and Visitors Bureau. Call 800.333.KISS (5477) or visit their website for more information.

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Golf in Orlando: Attending the Legendary Father Son Challenge Tournament at Champions Gate

2005-12-01T09:31:00.000-08:00

Thursday, December 1, 2005

Golf in Orlando: Attending the Legendary Father Son Challenge Tournament at Champions Gate

After our exciting round at Mystic Dunes, it was only mid-afternoon on a gorgeous day with blue skies, so we decided to take a 10 minute drive and drop in on the Father Son Challenge at Champion's Gate, which has been held for the last 3 years at this golf course in the South part of Orlando. You can't miss Champion's Gate, when you first get off exit 58 on the I-4, the impressive main entrance gates to Champion's Gate are right there.

The Father Son Legend is truly a walking Hall of Fame of Golf, and it's a celebration of the sport as well as of the bonds of family. Famous golf professionals of the present and the past play with their talented sons and daughters, and all of them share a passion for the game.

This year's line-up included Jack and Jackie Nicklaus, Arnold Palmer and his grandson Sam Saunders, Vijay Singh and 15 year old son Qass, Mark and Shaun O'Meara, Craig and Chris Stadler, Bob and David Charles, Raymond and Robert Floyd (Raymond has won the Father Son Challenge 5 times since 1994 together with his sons Robert and Raymond Jr.), Hale and Steve Irwin, Tom and David Kite, Bernard and 15 year old Stefan Langer, Davis Love III and his 12-year old son Dru, Johnny Miller and Johnny Miller II, Larry and Josh Nelson, Curtis and Tom Strange, Lee and Daniel Trevino, Fuzzy Zoeller and his daughter Gretchen.

We parked our car and approached the club house. Just as we were walking towards the stands on the 18th hole, Davis Love III had finished his round and was coming towards the club house. It is really an amazing experience, seeing all these world famous celebrities and icons of the sport, up so close and so relaxed in this unique tournament format.

The rules of playh are based on a Scramble Format, which means that on each hole, each player drives and the best drive is selected. Each player then plays a second shot from the spot where the selected drive lies, and the best second shot is selected. This process is completed uniti the hole is completed.

When we were there we also saw golf greats like Vijay Singh, Mark O'Meara and Lee Trevino finish their rounds. It was great seeing Vijay, relaxing after his final putt with a coffee in hand, awaiting the arrival of his son on the last hole and watching his son's last putt of the day. Because this tournament pairs up the great players of golf with their sons or daughters, it really gives you a much better feeling of these professionals as human beings, and according to Allan Findley, General Manager of Champions Gate, many of these players truly relish this event, which allows them to celebrate their sport as a family away from the pressures of the PGA Tour.

We really enjoyed the atmosphere at the Father Son Challenge, and it would have been great to see some of the other legends of golf, like Jack Nicklaus and Arnold Palmer, in person. Unfortunately we have an extremely tight schedule and will be unable to come back on a second day, but it was a great experience, getting a first person look at this "Walking Hall of Fame" of the game of golf.

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A Walk through Winter Park - A Hint of New England in Florida

2005-11-30T14:54:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

A Walk through Winter Park - A Hint of New England in Florida

Just a few minutes north of downtown Orlando awaits Winter Park, a charming picturesque suburb steeped in history. After my excursion on the Scenic Boat Tour, my local expert Wanda Salerno took me on a little walk through town past beautiful historic neighbourhoods.

With is origins as a citrus growing region, Winter Park became a major destination for wealthy northerners during the early 1900s, who came into town by train to reach their elegant winter retreats, seeking shelter from the cold winters of the north. Elegant mansions and and stately old oak trees draped with Spanish moss bear witness to this historic era.

Wanda then took me through some of Winter Park's hidden courtyards, which are filled with specialty retail stores and galleries. Winter Park features a large variety of galleries and I had a chance to sample three of them, all of which carried vastly different artwork:

- Scott Laurent Collections
- Native Visions Gallery
- Timothy's

Our walk took us out on to Winter Park's main street, Park Avenue, which houses 10 blocks of specialty retailers, galleries and ecclectic restaurants. Park Avenue is flanked on its west side by Central Park which offers a welcome sanctuary of relaxation with its graceful fountain, walking paths and shaded benches.

We then went on to explore Casa Feliz ("Happy House" in Spanish), the signature residential work of renowned architect James Gamble Rogers II.

In 1932 Robert Bruce Barbour, a chemical engineer from Massachusetts, commissioned Rogers to design a home on Lake Osceola, which turned out to be the Andalusian-style masonry farmhouse that we see today. This home was not only cherished by Barbour, but by the community as well. Throughout its history, it has hosted garden club tours, symphony orchestra concerts, poetry social meetings and a dinner for author Sinclair Lewis.

In 2001, in order to prevent the house from demolition, Casa Feliz was moved across Interlachen Avenue to its present location on Park Avenue. This move was one of the most dramatic events in Winter Park's history. Casa Feliz was transported on 20 pneumatically levelled dollies, and an elaborate pulley system moved the house about 75 feet per hour. After the house was in position at its new location, skilled craftsmen worked on restoring it to its original 1933 condition. A special landscape design was commissioned to reflect the style of the era.

Today, Casa Feliz is available to rent for weddings, parties, business meetings and events. Its unique features provide the perfect backdrop for a truly memorable event.

As a centre of local culture, Winter Park also features three well-known museums:

- the Charles Hosmer Morse Museum of American art, which holds the world's most comprehensive collection of works by Louis Comfort Tiffany, including Tiffany’s 1893 Chapel. The museum also features paintings, furniture and other works primarily from the late 19th and 20th centuries.

- the Albin Polasek Museum and Sculpture Garden: 3 acres of gardens, featuring sculptures and painters by Albin Polasek. The museum is listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

- the Cornell Fine Arts Museum, which focuses on western world art of the 20th century and includes paintings, drawings, sculptures and other art from America and Europe. This museum is located at Rollins College, one of the top rated liberal arts colleges in the country.

The Winter Park Historical Museum examines various historic time periods, interchanging exhibits and rotating displays highlight some of the changes that have occurred in central Florida.

While I explored the town my husband actually played a round of golf at the 9-hole Winter Park Country Club, which is nestled beautifully inside Winter Park's historic neighbourhood. The WPCC is the second oldest golf club in the Central Florida area and makes its way through the downtown Winter Park area and provides a challenge to even the most experienced golfer. He enjoyed his outing, and a cost of $12, it was an extremely affordable outing on a well-maintained golf course.

We capped off our excursion with an enjoyable dinner at a restaurant called 310 Park Avenue, right on Winter Park's main strip. While a good portion of the Orlando area is very new, Winter Park is a welcome oasis of history and ambience that is perfect for a day of exploring.

For more information on Winter Park contact the Winter Park Chamber of Commerce, www.winterpark.org.

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The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour - Entertaining, Informative and a Visual Delight

2005-11-30T08:56:00.000-08:00

Wednesday, November 30, 2005

The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour - Entertaining, Informative and a Visual Delight

The Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour, founded in 1938 and located just 15 minutes north of downtown Orlando, is one of these lovely side trips that combine beautiful scenery, a bit of local history, some close-up exposure to local wildlife and vegetation with a relaxing outing in a slow-moving 18-passenger pontoon boat, all complete with expert (and sometimes humorous) narration provided by the boat's captain.

The tour takes you through 3 lakes: Lake Osceola, Lage Virginia and Lake Maitland. On this gorgeous day, with brilliantly blue skies, the boat whisked us past hundreds of beautiful water-front estates, many of which were originally built in the 1920s and originally sold for $20,000, while fetching between $500,000 and several million in today's booming Central Florida real estate market. Even boathouses are worth between $30,000 and $40,000.

In Lake Virginia we came up close to the grounds of Rollins College, one of the top rated private liberal arts colleges in the South Eastern United States, founded in 1885 by New England Congregationalists. Rollins College is the oldest recognized college in the state of Florida with a small student body of 1,700 students, housed on a beautiful 70 acre Mediterraean Revival Campus. Our expert captain / tour guide mentioned that tuition at the college is $38,000 and the ratio of students to professors is 12:1.

Condos are located right next to the college, selling today for between $450,000 to $1 million. As we approached the narrow Venetian Canal that would take us from Lake Virginia to Lake Maitland, our captain made us aware of all the interesting vegetation growing alongside the canal: Egyptian papyrus, Spanish moss (an airplant and not a parasite), the Princess flower, colourful bougainvilleas and resurrection fern. We saw a variety of birds, including an Osprey eagle, a snake bird, a great blue heron and a white egret, which used to be the good luck bird of the Seminole Indians.

On Lake Maitland we learned that there was an alligator cave from which 150 alligators were removed into the Florida Everglades to prevent a rather dangerous collision between local wildlife and civilization.

Along the Venetian Canal we also saw variegated ginger and banana trees, as we slowly passed under the arched Palmer Avenue Bridge. Philodendrons, palmgrass, bamboo, a plant called firespikes and an interesting arrangement of "air potatoes", round tubers hanging down from a tree branch, adorned our journey through the canal.

At 450 acres and 30 feet deep, Lake Maitland is the largest of the 3 lakes covered by the boat tour. A dam controls the water level and interestingly, the lakes all drain northwards into the St. John's River which flows into the Atlantic near Jacksonville. The Kraft Azalea Gardens, located on Lake Maitland on Alabama Drive off Palmer Avenue, feature thousands of azaleas, tropical shrubs and trees. Azaleas are in full bloom January through March.

Our expert captain also pointed out various mansions that have been used as backdrops in various movies and commercials. Lake Maitland also features several small islands with rather naked looking trees that house colonies of cormorants, fishing birds that consume up to a pound of fish a day.

We slowly made our way back from Lake Maitland to Lake Osceola where our relaxing and scenic boat tour came to an end. On this gorgeous day it was a fabulous outing that provided an appropriate historical context for a further exploration of the beautiful city of Winter Park.

The Scenic Boat Tour, a Winter Park institution for almost 70 years now, is located at the end of Morse Avenue on the shores of Lake Osceola. It is a very affordable outing at $8 for adults and $4 for children (children under 2 ride free). Boat tours run every day from 10 am to 4 pm (except Christmas). For further information contact the Winter Park Scenic Boat Tour.

www.textronics.com

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An Orlando Jewel: The Wells Built Museum of African American History and Culture

2005-11-28T16:59:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 28, 2005

An Orlando Jewel: The Wells Built Museum of African American History and Culture

After I had received a general overview of the history of the Orlando area in the Orange County Regional History Center, I wanted to delve a little deeper into the social history of the Orlando area, and the Wells Built Museum of African American History and Culture was going to give me a more in-depth look into Orlando's African American history.

To this day this area west of I-4 is primarily inhabited by African Americans and the difference in housing and facilities between this area and the downtown area is quite notable. As a matter of fact, the very name "Division Street" points to a distinct historical line of demarcation between black and white residential areas.

The origins of the Wells Built Museum date back to a prominent local African physician by the name of Dr. William Monroe Wells who started building the Well's Built Hotel in 1926 to provide lodging to African Americans during an era of segregation when accommodations were not available to them in other areas of Central Florida.

Next door to the Wells' Built was once the South Street Casino, a performance hall, which featured musicians that traveled the 'Chitlin Circuit' performing for audiences all over the country. The hotel opened with three storefronts on the first floor and hotel rooms on the second floor.

Dr. William Monroe Wells was one of Orlando's first black physicians and came to the area in 1917. Born in Ft. Gaines, Georgia, in 1889, Dr. Wells completed his medical training at Meharry Medical College. During part of WWII, Dr. William Monroe Wells was the only African American physician in Orlando.

During segregation, white physicians did not treat African American patients. African American doctors, therefore, earned their money from people of their own race. He worked very hard to serve the growing African American population in Orlando. With the help of his assistant, Mrs. Josie Belle Jackson, Dr. Wells is known to have delivered over 5,000 babies in Orlando.

He treated patients who suffered from pneumonia, influenza, scarlet fever and other serious illnesses before drugs like penicillin were introduced. Many of Dr. Wells' patients were extremely poor. He treated their illnesses though they many times could not afford to pay his fee. This allowed them to speak forcefully against poor conditions that existed in the African American community without fear of losing their livelihood.

Although African Americans were taxpayers like other residents of Orlando, they did not have access to recreational facilities, good schools, police protection, health care and other services that were provided to white citizens. This led him to build the South Street Casino and the hotel next door.

Dr. Wells booked bands and other big name entertainers to perform at the South Street Casino. Many famous performers that we know today played at South Street Casino within the Chitlin Circuit. A few examples of these performers are:

- Ray Charles

- B.B. King

- Louis Armstrong

- Guitar Slim

- Bo Diddley

African Americans came from all over the surrounding areas to Orlando to shop and take in performances of popular musicians at the South Street Casino. After the performances at the casino, the artists checked in at the historic Wells' Built Hotel. In its heyday, the Wells' Built provided lodging for clientele such as Pegleg Bates, Ella Fitzgerald, Roy Campenella, Thurgood Marshall, and Jackie Robinson. The entertainers and athletes who frequented this establishment made it one of the most popular venues for African Americans in the South.

Today the museum features over 6,000 square feet of display space. It retains the original hotel facade, a guestroom featuring authentic furniture, beading and decorations of the 1930's, and also bears an original interior wall reflecting important architectural elements and designs unique to the period. Exhibition material collected for display include: official hotel documents, an original Negro League baseball jersey, photographs, artifacts, books, multi-media exhibits, slave records and other items of historic significance.

Dr. Well's home has been moved to the site of the Casino and will be restored and opened to the public. The Well's Built Museum of African American Culture and History is located just west of I-4 near Church Street at 511 West South Street, Orlando 32801, tel. (407) 245-7535.

http://www.textronics.com/

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Orange County Regional History Center: A Great Introduction to Central Florida's History and Culture

2005-11-28T10:52:00.000-08:00

Orange County Regional History Center: A Great Introduction to Central Florida's History and Culture

Exploring Orlando "Off the Beaten Path" has been the theme for our trip and I intend to explore the Central areas of the Sunshine State, and flush out all those unexpected and unconventional destinations in and around Orlando. In my discoveries of Orlando, I have been working closely with the Orlando Visitor and Convention Bureau, to get the input of local experts and work out an itinerary for our two weeks in Florida, without setting foot once into a theme park.

One of the first places they suggested was the Orange County Regional History Center, home to the varied and extensive collections of the Historical Society of Central Florida. Located in the heart of downtown Orlando in the beautifully restored five-story Orange County Courthouse, The History Center is continuously distinguished as the area's "Best Museum". When the History Center was built as a courthouse in 1927, the jail was on the top floor, with quarters for the jailer and his wife, an infirmary, and separate cellblocks for white women, white men, black women and black men.

With an exciting roster of ever-changing exhibits on display and travelling exhibits on loan to other facilities, The History Center is one of Central Florida's premier attractions. Members, educators and visitors alike find a wealth of fascinating information, delivered in dynamic fashion. From guided tours and "hands-on history" events to fun-packed summer camps and interactive children's programs, learning is fun for all ages. History Center members can take advantage of a number of special value-added benefits, including discounts and exclusive event opportunities. The stately facility is also available for event rentals, ranging from unparalleled conferences to unforgettable weddings.

The First People exhibit takes visitors back in time to see how Paleo-Indians lived in the days before European Contact. First Contact helps visitors imagine Native American's reaction and the changes in their lifestyles due to the arrival of the Spanish. A recreated early 19th century Seminole Settlement provides a look at artifacts of Florida's most famous tribe and a replica Florida Pioneer cabin lets curious guests test a Spanish moss-filled mattress and discover the much-discussed origin of the term "Florida Cracker".

Other permanent exhibits include Cattle and Citrus, Central Florida's first major industries, Tourism, Transportation, Real Estate, Aviation, the impact of Walt Disney, and Central Florida's African American community. From a replica World War II B-17 bomber and a two-story dome featuring over 150 unique Central Florida icons to the restored 1927 Courtroom B, and the outdoor Heritage Square courtyard, a wealth of fascinating sights and experiences awaits visitors to the History Center.

Our first stop in the museum was the Orientation Theatre. Set as a Florida back porch, you can relax in a rocker while being surrounded by the sights and sounds of Central Florida. Right after our introduction to Central Florida's history we had a chance to meet Shanon Larimer, spokesperson for the Museum, who gave us a great overview of this facility.

The exhibits feature many interactive displays and Shanon, our museum expert, indicated that new exhibits offering even more interactive features will be coming on stream shortly. We particularly enjoyed Courtroom B, an authentic courtroom that is part of this former Orange County Courthouse, with furnishings and decorations dating back to 1927. One of the benches in the front has an inscription "Ted Bundy", indicating this infamous criminal may indeed have been sitting here on this very wooden bench in the past. Bundy was in fact tried in the former Annex to the 1927 Orange County Courthouse, but historians still debate the authenticity of the signature. The seat backs of the prisoners' benches are all scuffed up with markings of the handcuffs that tied their hands behind their backs.

Shanon also showed us a very famous friendship doll that was given to the United States by the Japanese. Every year hundreds of visitors come from Japan and visit the History Center, with the specific intention of seeing this friendship doll.

The Historium gift store sells memorabilia, books and souvenirs while the Educational Program's office offers a wide range of programs and activities for children of all ages as well as tours, workshops and lectures for adults. Ongoing special events include a Third Thursday themed evening event and a Saturday morning Farmer's Market staged in the lush Heritage Square courtyard in front of the building.

Fortunately for visitors not just hungry for historical insights, there are ample dining opportunities right outside the Museum. Wall Street Plaza, which abuts the History Center, features eight bars and restaurants lining a brick-paved pedestrian sidewalk. Restaurants include the Wall Street Cantina serving Mexican fare, The Globe, a relaxed European-style café featuring both indoor and al fresco dining, and the new Waitiki Retro Tiki Lounge, offering the best in upscale island seafood.

From Too Jay's and Kress Chop House on Church Street, to cutting edge cuisine at The Bohème and sushi bar Ichiban on Orange Avenue, and from Sam Sneads and HUE on Central Boulevard to the Lake Eola Yacht Club, Lee's Lakeside and GondEola featuring candlelit dinners aboard a gondola on Lake Eola, History Center visitors are sure to find just the right meal to top off their museum experience.

Inspired by our discovery of the History Center we continued our learning experiences at the Well's Built Museum of African American History and Culture, followed up by a relaxing walk around Lake Eola, to take in a beautiful sunset. We capped off an intense day with a tasty Mexican Dinner on downtown Heritage Square. In one afternoon we managed to satisfy our desire for learning and our cravings for spicy Mexican food.

Conveniently located at 65 East Boulevard in the heart of downtown Orlando, the History Center is open Monday through Saturday, 10 am to 5 pm, and Sunday from 12 to 5 pm. General admission is $7, students with a valid student ID and seniors (60+) pay $6.50 and children ages 3 to 12 $3.50. Visitors receive two hours of FREE covered parking at the Orlando Public Library with paid admission (not valid for special events). Guided tours are offered on Saturdays at 11 am and included in the price of general admission. For more information visit www.thehistorycenter.org or call (407) 836-8500.

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
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Exploring Downtown Orlando - A Beautiful Walk Around Lake Eola

2005-11-28T10:44:00.000-08:00

Monday, November 28, 2005

Exploring Downtown Orlando - A Beautiful Walk Around Lake Eola

After our interesting visits to the Orange County Regional History Center and the Well's Built Museum of African-American Culture and History, we decided to continue our explorations of downtown Orlando and its surrounding historic neighbourhoods. After driving through beautiful residential areas, framed by majestic oak trees adorned by Spanish Moss, we decided to take a stroll around beautiful Lake Eola, which is just minutes from downtown's Heritage Square, home of the Orange County Regional History Center, and every second, third and fourth Saturday of the month is also home to a lively farmer's market. By this time, the sun was starting to set and Lake Eola and the surrounding highrises were bathed in the golden hues of sunset.

Lake Eola is one of Orlando's more than 300 lakes and is surrounded by established residential areas and highrises ringing the downtown core. The park extends over 43 acres (17.2 hectares) and provides generous sidewalks around the lake on a 0.9 mile (1.4 km) loop around the water, which is enthusiastically used by walkers and joggers. The lake itself can be explored on paddle boats, and other facilities include a playground, a small outdoor cafe, gondola rides, and the Walt Disney Amphiteatre for special events.

Lake Eola is intricately connected with Orlando's history. Even the origin of the name Orlando may be connected to Lake Eola: the first European settlements in the Orlando area grew around an old army post: Fort Gatlin. According to one story, a U.S. soldier by the name of Orlando Reeves, was killed by an American Indian's arrow while on sentinel duty in what is today Lake Eola Park and may have given name to this town. Originally, Orlando had been called Jernigan after a Georgia settler, Aaron Jernigan, who settled in the area in 1843. The origin of the town's name Orlando is not certain, however: another popular story claims that a certain Judge Speer named the settlement after the Shakespeare Character "Orlando" in the play "As you Like it."

Be that as it may, the town was named "Orlando" in 1857 and was centered around the cotton and cattle industry. Demand for beef was fuelled by Cuba while cotton plantations thrived until the Civil War, which stole away the area's workforce, compounded by a devastating hurricane in 1873. "Orange fever" hit Central Florida in the 1870s, aided by the completion of the South Florida Railroad in 1880.

The Great Freeze of 1894 to 1895 destroyed Florida's citrus industry and it took 15 years to recover. Florida's citrus industry peaked in the 1950s with more then 80,000 acres (32,000 hectares) of plantations.

Orlando's first airport opened in 1922. Orlando also plays a significant role in the defense and aerospace industry: during World War II bomber pilots were trained here. A missile factory was built by in 1956 by a forerunner of the Lockheed Martin company, which still serves as the backbone of the area's technology industry today.

Tourism became Central Florida's main draw. From an early entertainment park in 1895, to the creation of the Cypress Gardens Adventure Park in 1936, the opening of Walt Disney World Magic Kingdom in 1971 really laid the foundations to Central Florida's tourism boom. Other Disney attractions followed, including Walt Disney World Resort, Epcot, Disney-MGM Studies, and Animal Kingdom. Universal Studios Florida opened in 1990, followed by Islands of Adventure in 1999 and Universal City Walk, an entertainment complex.

Indeed tourism is Central Florida's main industry today, with more than 50 million visitors annually and yearly revenues of $28 bllion. Tourism combined with high-tech and the citrus industry are the three dominating economic sectors in Central Florida.

After our walk around historic Lake Eola we strolled back into downtown and grabbed a table on the street patio of "Tijuana Flats", a Mexican restaurant located right on Heritage Square, and just one of many diverse kinds of eating establishments in the downtown core.

While savouring some tasty and very filling Mexican food, we watched the early evening street life in Orlando's downtown. We reflected on how different the downtown area is in comparison to the newer and very spread out tourist-oriented hotel and resort areas, which often seem rather devoid of character. Here in the downtown area you really get a feel for the history and the community that started developing in the first half of the 19th century. The downtown and Lake Eola areas, all of which are on an easily walkable scale, have a much more authentic ambience to them which we thoroughly enjoyed.

For more information about Orlando contact the Orlando Convention and Visitor Bureau. The Orlando Regional History Center can be found at www.thehistorycenter.org.

www.textronics.com

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60 Years After - Some Personal History Questions

2005-11-25T12:52:00.000-08:00

November 25, 2005

60 Years After - Some Personal History Questions

My recent connection with Susanne Schleyer, a German photographer who has done several large-scale photo exhibitions, questioning Germany history, has reopened some of my own questions about history. As you know I was born in Austria, more than 20 years after the Second World War. I left my home country at the early age of 20 to come to Canada, and to be frank, when I was growing up I always felt like I was a bit of an outsider, a rebel who didn't quite fit in.

It is now 60 years after the end of World War II, one of the modern world's key historical events. My father was a key person in my own personal history, mostly because of his physical and emotional absence, and my absence of knowledge about him and his past. What I do know is that he was drafted at the age of 17, in 1941, that he was an ardent Nazi, and that he fought both on the East and West Front. I do know that my father remained a racist until the end of his life. Until 1994, when my father was on his death bed, I had never had a personal conversation with him, and even at that time I was unable to get any insights about his past or personal involvement in World War II.

This immediate personal connection to one of the most horrifying (if not the most horrifying) eras of human history has rummaged around in my subconscious for a long time. Even as a child I had a real interest in the Second World War, and particularly in the Holocaust. What has puzzled me for a long time is how could human beings, regular human beings from my own neck of the woods, go down these dark roads of inhumanity and evil.

The mass psychology of the Third Reich has always fascinated and scared me because many people seemed to have lost all vestiges of civility and turned into hateful obedient tools of death and destruction for Hitler's regime. That fact that Hitler was born in Austria, and that many of the top Nazis were from my home country, has fuelled my profound interest in this era. I can't help but feel a certain sense of shame and guilt for what the generation before me did.

The two key topics that have impacted me the most are the psychology of the victims and the psychology of the perpetrators. For many years I have been reading books written by survivors of the Holocaust, about the time after the Nazis came to power in 1933, the time before the war, the early years of WWII when some emigration was still possible, stories about the Jewish ghettos in Warsaw and Lodz, stories of emigrants living in exile all over the world, and stories of survivors who reported about the horrific crimes against humanity that were committed in the concentration camps. Most recently I have been reading survivor stories about how survivors coped after the War and rebuilt their lives, started families and tried fit into a normal existence again, despite all the trauma they had gone through that kept reappearing in their lives, even after liberation.

I have also read some interviews with perpetrators, about how many of them claimed that they were just following orders, that they had no choice but to obey these orders. That doesn't answer the questions for me why many of the perpetrators participated so ardently in some of the atrocities, as if they derived some sadistic pleasure out of these events. The key question for me is: how would I have reacted if I had lived in these times? Would I have stood up for some human principles? Or would I have quietly collaborated, turning a blind eye, trying to avoid unpleasant attention from the authorities? Or would I have been an opportunist, participating in whatever ways necessary to ensure my own personal gain?

The generation immediately before me, first and foremost represented by my own father, is a mystery to me. I strongly hesitate to say that people from my geographic area (Central and Eastern Europe, including Germany, Austria, Hungary, Poland, Ukraine and neighbouring countries) have a propensity towards racism, since that in itself would be a prejudiced thing to say. In some of the recent books I also read that none of the other major world powers was particularly proactive in saving Central Europe's Jewish citizens from destruction by the Nazis. I think the antisemitism of that era was a much wider problem that manifested itself in the most horrific way under the Nazis..

However, the question remains, why is it so hard for us human beings to peacefully coexist? Why is it so hard for us to accept differences in religion, dress, customs and traditions? Why do we always have to judge other groups negatively that are different from ours?

I guess some of this is answered by basic behavioural science, that we always react to something that is unknown and different with fear and suspicion. Maybe our propensity to have prejudices is deeply rooted in our biological heredity of self-preservation.

Whatever it is, history is there to be learned from, and mistakes that were made should never be repeated. These questions have been tormenting me for a long time, and I don't have the answers. I have realized, however, that maybe as a response to the generation before me, I am going to try to be an advocate for diversity, for acceptance and tolerance, to make my own small contribution so we will never go down this road again.

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at www.travelandtransitions.com

Celebrating Diversity

2005-11-24T12:49:00.000-08:00

November 24, 2005

Celebrating Diversity

Those of you who are familiar with this website and know a little more about me know that I have had a profound interest in people from other cultures for a long time. Learning different languages naturally went hand in hand with this cultural curiosity.

Ever since I was a child I have tried to make a connection with people from other places, and my arrival in Toronto just over 19 years ago was one of the most eye-opening experiences I ever had, simply because all of a sudden I was dropped into this most multicultural of cities. Suddenly I was surrounded by people from all over the world - what an amazing change from my experience growing up in my ethnically homogeneous little country town in Austria.

Throughout the last 19 years in Toronto I have truly come to enjoy and embrace diversity, and in my full-time business, www.textronics.com, a language and translation services company, I have the opportunity to work with people from all over the world.

On November 18, 2005 Textronics organized a breakfast event which was themed “New Canadians – The Essential Business Asset”. We held this event jointly with Skills for Change, a well-known Toronto immigrant settlement organization that helps New Canadians find jobs and adjust to the Canadian workplace. This joint event was intended to recognize the great collaboration between Textronics and Skills for Change which has successfully placed a number of SfC-trained New Canadians with Textronics. The Toronto Board of Trade actually facilitated this connection when they put me at the same table at a networking luncheon last year with David Hughes, Administration Manager at Skills for Change, which gave me a chance to learn about this wonderful organization.

We also celebrated the fact that Textronics has been in business for 15 years, and the contribution of Textronics’ team members, most of whom are New Canadians and came to us through Skills for Change. Our team at Textronics today includes individuals from China, Russia, Pakistan, Mexico, Ethiopia and Austria, and our multi-lingual, multi-cultural workplace experience has become one of our key success factors.

After David's welcome, our breakfast event was kicked off by a humorous ice-breaking session presented by “Dr. Giggles”, Nelson Briceno from Skills for Change, who made us stretch, practice laughing and taught us some basic salsa moves. A nice way of waking people up on a cold November morning....

With an appropriately warmed up crowd, Jane Cullingworth from Skills for Change gave us an overview of SfC services, and Michael Small, co-founder of the IBM Visible Minority Council, emphasized the importance of integrating New Canadians into our workplaces. In light of recent events in Europe (i.e. the riots all over France) many of us realize the critical importance of successful immigrant integration.

Last but not least, the entire team at Textronics had a chance to speak about their immigrant experiences. Starting with myself, who came to Toronto from Europe more than 19 years ago, we continued with 4 other team members, Munira, Olga, Vanessa and Khurram, who have all been in Canada for a relatively short time. They all talked about the difficulties that immigrants generally face when they come to Toronto and want to enter the workforce. The importance of Skills for Change as an organization who makes this transition much smoother became plainly obvious in the light of these real-life experiences of these New Canadians.

The event was well attended by people from organizations such as the Royal Bank, IBM Canada, the City of Toronto, the Toronto Board of Trade, Rogers Communications, Alliance Atlantis Communications, CGA Ontario and many more. Telelatino, a local Latin television station, recorded the event and will feature it later this month. The positive feedback has encouraged us to look into additional ways of promoting newcomer talent and diversity in Toronto.

In addition to the economic and business-related contributions that my multi-cultural team makes to my company, just working with people from all different corners of the world has truly been one of the most enriching experiences of my life. We tell one another stories about our customs and traditions, we bring in foods from our home countries, we watch movies from one another's cultures, and I think all of us have learned a great deal from one another and we actually enjoy one another's company.

As you can imagine, this special breakfast event was an exciting experience for us, and I'll frankly admit it that all of us were quite nervous leading up to the event. The breakfast was a real success and these immigrant stories really touched the audience. So after all went well, last Saturday was a day for more celebrations. Our entire team got together and we went on a guided tour of the St. Lawrence Market with Bruce Bell, the famous Toronto historian. I had earlier gone on his tour and raved about it, and now my team members had a chance to experience the tour first hand.

Bruce is a regular contributor on this website and his tours are always special since Bruce conveys not just Toronto's political past, but also its social and human history in a very entertaining manner, combining his profound knowledge of history with his knack for comedy and the performing arts.

We started with the St. Lawrence Market and learned about its history and got to sample some delicious treats from the food vendors. St. Lawrence Hall was next on the program, and we later visited Toronto's first Post Office, one of the few buildings still left over from before Toronto's Great Fire of 1849. Our final stop was the famous St. James Cathedral where we actually bumped into the Anglican Bishop of Toronto.

We then capped off our outing with a driving tour of downtown, covering places like Old and New City Hall, Osgoode Hall, University Avenue, the Provincial Government Buildings at Queens Park, the University of Toronto Campus, Chinatown, Queen Street West, the Polish area on Roncesvalles, over to High Park, and then back along the Lakeshore to Toronto's Eastern Beaches.

Most of my team members have only been in Toronto for a relatively short period of time (in some cases less than a year), and I got the impression that they really enjoyed this outing, to learn more about their new home town. We will follow this discovery up with more tours next year where we all will get to explore our city and the local surrounding areas.

What we really learned from Bruce was that it's only been in the last 30 years or so that Toronto has developed into the open-minded, tolerant and cosmopolitan metropolis that it is today. The greater part of Toronto's history was characterized by strict societal divisions that separated people by class, religion, ethnic and economic background, even gender.

Last week was great, we got to celebrate 15 years in business, and a great collaboration with Skills for Change, an organization that makes such a difference in helping new immigrants integrate successfully, an organization so recognized for its expertise that it has received delegations from Sweden and Germany, to provide insight into its model of immigrant integration.

And to cap off this special week we got to celebrate Toronto and its history, and we all appreciated how lucky we are that we live in this day and age where we can all enjoy the freedoms and opportunities that surround us here in this special place.

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at www.travelandtransitions.com

Preview: Eliza Haddad, Lebanese-Canadian Film Producer, Sheds Light on the Children of Iraq

2005-11-16T11:18:00.000-08:00

November 16, 2005

Preview: Eliza Haddad, Lebanese-Canadian Film Producer, Sheds Light on the Children of Iraq

I am discovering interesting people all around me. Eliza Haddad has been a client of my full-time business for a while now and I knew that she was involved in the film industry. During a recent work-related project I had a chance to see her film the "Lost Innocents", a intensely moving documentary about two children that have become bombing victims in the Iraq War.

Eliza is a freelance producer of film and television documentaries and drama. With eleven years experience, she was 2nd unit producer on the Alliance Atlantis Feature film "The Five Senses", has produced two dance films with Bravo Television and several documentaries with Vision TV and OMNI TV. Eliza’s interest is strongest in the realm of social and historical documentaries that leave huge emotional impressions on an audience. She has been a jury member for the HOT DOCS Film Festival, the Geminis and the Genies. She is currently in development on a feature-length theatrical release documentary and is preparing a drama series concept for development. In addition, she is a course instructor for emerging producers in documentaries for several artist-run centres.

"Lost Innocents: The Children of War" is a documentary that is very personal and close to her heart. A Lebanese Canadian, Eliza grew up during the war in Lebanon. For the past two years, she has wanted to make a documentary on the children of Iraq and how her experiences during the war might bring her closer to understanding these children and future that awaits them. “Lost Innocents” is a documentary that she is very proud of and one that has brought two very special Iraqi children into her life and her heart.

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
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Presenting: Bruce Bell - Comedian, Actor, Playwright, Renowned Historian and Lover of Toronto

2005-11-16T10:57:00.000-08:00

November 16, 2005

Presenting: Bruce Bell - Comedian, Actor, Playwright, Renowned Historian and Lover of Toronto

The work on this website continues to allow me to connect with all sorts of interesting people. Some time in September my brother called me from Austria and told me that he had read about this fellow - Bruce Bell - in a German travel magazine. Apparently he gives guided culinary tours of the St. Lawrence Market and my brother felt he was a really interesting individual.

Needless to say, the minute I hung up the phone with my brother I was on the Internet searching for "Bruce Bell", found his website www.brucebelltours.com, and dialed him up on the phone. Since then I have had a chance to go on Bruce's St. Lawrence Market tour and I have to say this tour really stirred an interest in Toronto's history in me. Bruce's tours are certainly unique and entertaining. I also found out that Bruce is the official historian of many historic buildings in Toronto, truly a recognized authority on Toronto history.

Because I enjoyed his tour so much I suggested to Bruce that we collaborate on a regular basis, which will give me an opportunity to sample his other tours while he has allowed me to republish some of his existing articles about Toronto and its history. Bruce covers some fantastic stuff, including the Distillery District, the Royal York Hotel, St. James Cathedral, the Gooderham Building - a.k.a. the Flatiron Building, Toronto Island and many more. His stories, as his tours, are informative and entertaining at the same time.

Of course I wanted to find out more about Bruce, a person who has carved a very unique niche for himself, essentially combining his expertise in Toronto's history with his performing arts background. So without further ado, let me introduce you to Bruce Bell.....

1. Please tell us about your background (I believe you grew up in exciting Sudbury....)

I was born and raised in Sudbury Ont where my dad worked for INCO as a nickel miner. Both he and my mom had a great love of history which I seem to have gotten from them. History was always my favorite subject in school; however at an early age I realized I wanted a career in showbusiness.

2. Please tell us why you decided to move to Toronto and what it was first like when you arrived.

I wanted to be an actor so during the summer of 1972 I took off with a friend to Toronto where I got a small walk on role in the movie CLASS OF ’44. I came back to Sudbury to finish high school but I was bitten by the acting bug so I left school and joined the Sudbury Theatre Centre and my professional stage debut in THE MAN WHO CAME TO DINNER that winter in 1972 at the age of 17. The following January I left Sudbury for good and moved back to Toronto.

3. You initially worked in Toronto as a busboy at the Famous Royal York Hotel. While there you also met a lot of celebrities. Please tell us about that time.

I arrived in Toronto in January 1973 and like thousands of people who came before me I hurried out of the cavernous Union Station onto Front Street with the taxi cabs lined up, the people hurrying to catch the 5:15, the vendors, the pigeons, the noise, the rush, the smells and the realization that I wasn’t in Sudbury anymore.

As I stood on the plaza waiting for a cab I also thought about where I should start looking for a job when I found myself staring up at the massive Royal York Hotel rising up from across and thought why not try and get a job there?

There was one job available that I felt I was pretty much suited for, busboy in the famed Imperial Room. During my year spent bussing tables in the opulent dinning room I also happened to ingratiate myself with some of the biggest stars in showbizness as they passed through on the lucrative supper club circuit.

I stood in awe (hidden behind the curtains because busboys weren’t allowed in the room during showtime) as Ella Fitzgerald, Tony Bennet, Duke Ellington, The Mills Bros, Peggy Lee, Cyd Charise, Count Bassie and the mesmerizing Marlene Dietrich performed in the vastness of the Imperial Room. I felt it was a once in a lifetime education to see these great entertainers in action and it has stayed with me my entire life.

4. You also worked as a stand-up comedian. Please tell us more about that time, what was it like, where did you perform?

After I left the Imperial Room I wanted to be in showbiz myself full time, not an easy thing to do I soon realized. I took a job as an usher at the Royal Alexandra Theatre where for the next couple of years I got to see some of the world’s greatest actors in action.

The most down to earth actor I met back in those heady days was, the legend herself, Katherine Hepburn. She would let me sit with her in her dressing room while she dabbed on what she called a necessary evil of showbiz - her make-up - and tell me stories of old Hollywood. But for all the great stars I was rubbing shoulders with it just made me want a life on the stage for myself. While working at the Alex I did manage a walk-on role in a production of Cinderella that just added fuel to my fire.

In the mid 1970’s I became friends with Mark Breslin who was starting up a comedy club called Yuk Yuks and asked if I would be interested in joining. While not a standup myself I loved comedy and together with a friend of mine Colleen Pierce we formed a comedy duo named BELL and PIERCE where for the next couple of years we performed all over Toronto, on TV, radio and even made a movie together : THE RISE AND FALL OF TONY TROUBLE, a satire of old Hollywood movies with me as fictional 40’s film star Tony Trouble. By the mid 1980’s I had branched out on my own and became a standup comic and started to do TV commercials to subsidize my income.

5. You have also been working as an actor and a playwright. Please tell us more about that.

As much as loved the world of standup by the late 1980’s I felt I wanted to branch out as my comic routines were more in the vein of long stories that I would act out so I decided to write another play. I had written a few plays earlier, including one based on the life of stage legends John Barrymore and Tallulah Bankhead and one that our movie THE RISE AND FALL OF TONY TROUBLE was based on.

I wrote I SLEPT WITH TONY TROUBLE in 1989 (as a sequel to the Rise and Fall) and became a great success on the fringe circuit her in Toronto and had productions in Edinburgh festival, Stratford, Vancouver and London, England. After that I wrote and produced a few more plays and in 2000 I won a Toronto Arts Council award for playwriting.

However, as much as loved acting, comedy and playwriting I felt the early passion I once felt was gone, and now I wanted to spend the rest of my life doing something that I loved. All my life I loved history and somehow I wanted to make a living writing about history, especially Toronto’s, for a living.

6. Furthermore, you write a history column about the St. Lawrence Neighbourhood Community. How and why did you become such a history buff?

I moved to the St Lawrence neighbourhood in 1993 where I found myself smack dab in the middle of where Toronto started as the town of York way back in colonial times. I had been reading about our early history for years and now I actually was living in an area where it all began. In 1999 I began to submit stories to the St Lawrence Community Bulletin which was the main newspaper for people who lived downtown and from that a new career was born that combined my love of acting, writing, comedy and history all into one.

7. You seem to have a special love for Toronto. Why is that?

My love for Toronto began as a kid when we used to come down from Sudbury to visit the CNE every year. Even as a young child I had a fascination with this big beautiful city with its subway, skyscrapers and all theses people on the street! I think anyone coming from a small town to Toronto either is completely overwhelmed and wants to go back home or like me wants to stay.

8. What are some of your favorite historic Toronto places and stories?

I love Union Station and still to this day when a friend calls up and wants to meet for coffee or a walk around I always say lets meet in front of Union Station. Not only is it a beautiful building but its very vibrant. I think of Union Station not only as the gateway to our innercity but as the heart of Toronto.

I have a great affection for St Lawrence Hall also. It was there during the mid 1800’s that some of the world's greatest singers, speakers, dancers, actors, writers, politicians all came to entertain and inform Torontonians in a time before TV, radio, movies and the Internet.

The Great Hall is one of the only rooms left in Canada where all the Fathers of Confederation had met and during its day St Lawrence Hall was the scene of many anti slavery meetings denouncing the practice of slavery that America was fully entrenched in.

9. You are the official historian for a number of famous Toronto buildings, including the St. Lawrence Market, St. Lawrence Hall, the Hockey Hall of Fame and others. How did that come about?

As I began to write my regular column and delve into the past of some of our greatest architecturally treasures I came up with the idea of approaching the owners of these magnificent structures with the idea of making me their official historian as a way for me to become more involved in these buildings. Its strictly voluntary and makes for good stories when I do my tours.

10. Today you offer special tours of Toronto, such as the St. Lawrence Market Tour, the Distillery District Tour and the Toronto Art Deco Tour. Please tell us more about these tours.

I try and add a personal touch to my tours (hence my honourary historian titles) and some of my tour guests often comment jokingly that the tours are more often about me than the city itself. I like to combine my love of history with a bit of drama, making a tour with me a walk my guests are not likely to forget. I look upon the sites I visit as a stage set.

With the Distillery I like to tell of the Irish Imigrants who after fleeing the great famine back home in the 1850’s standing before the very gates we are now about to enter ourselves and thinking what they were thinking, a new start of life.

With my Art Deco tour I like to take my guest back to the roaring 1920’s when flappers decked out in furs would drive up to the bank in their sportscars and withdraw money for a night on the town, never thinking the big crash was just around the corner.

11. What's in store for Bruce Bell over the next few months and years?

My only goal in life professional speaking is to continue to do what I do for as long as I can. I have finally found something that not only is a passion of mine but a good way to make a living, telling stories about the greatest city on earth. Toronto.

Thank you Bruce, for telling us about yourself. We certainly share a love of this city and I look forward to sampling one of your other tours in the near future. All the best...

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at www.travelandtransitions.com

A Great New Resource for Travellers to Toronto: The Toronto Greeter Program - "TAP into TO"

2005-11-16T07:09:00.000-08:00

November 16, 2005

A Great New Resource for Travellers to Toronto: The Toronto Greeter Program - "TAP into TO"

I am a big proponent of Greeter Programs, i.e. programs that involve local volunteers who are coordinated by the city, then matched up with tourist who are looking for a personal tour of the city. Greeter Programs allow travellers to get to know the city through the eyes of a local resident and they are fabulous.

I have used Greeter Programs in New York City as well as in Chicago, and I recently found out that Toronto launched its own Greeter Program this summer. I had a chance to talk to Jamie Maxwell, Development Officer at the City of Toronto's tourism department, who filled me in on all the new convenient resources for tourists visiting Toronto.

1. The City of Toronto has recently launched a Greeter Program called "TAP into TO". Please tell us more about the program. What neighbourhoods are covered, what languages are offered? What is the format of a greeter tour?

TAP into TO! is a greeter program that is offered to visitors to Toronto free of charge. Visitors can either go online at www.toronto.ca/tapto or call us at 416-33-TAP-TO (338-2786) to register. Once they have given us their information (home address, Toronto address, preferred date, etc) we match the visitor with one of our greeters based on interests and neighbourhoods selected.

Our volunteer greeters will meet with the visitor in a public place to lead them on a 2 to 4 hour neighbourhood visit showing them “their” Toronto. The greeters are not commercial tour guides but rather, very enthusiastic individuals that love Toronto and want to show it off. We also want our visitors to feel good about our public transit system, so we provide them with round trip TTC fare while on a TAP into TO! program. People seem to really appreciate it and it does encourage them to use it for the rest of their stay.

We currently offer the program to visit 46 Toronto neighbourhoods in 13 different languages

2. Please tell us a bit about the history of this Greeter Program. How did it come about? Did you collaborate with any of the other existing greeter programs?

A few years ago, I was asked to look into similar programs to see what we could find out them. After a quick search on the internet and a few emails to some of the existing programs, I found that there were greeter programs in New York City, Melbourne, Australia, Chicago, and Adelaide, Australia. It was pretty clear to us that this is a dynamite program and one that we would love to offer to visitors to Toronto. Unfortunately, there just wasn’t any money available to launch such a program and the idea was shelved for a couple of years.

A grant from the Ontario Ministry of Tourism and Recreation was offered to us in 2004 to establish TAP into TO! along with a mobile information centre and the opportunity to have a Toronto specific staff person at the Province’s Visitor Information Centre.

The other greeter programs were very helpful when it came to answering our many questions. We even had Mike and Rita from Adelaide Greeters stop into our office while they were on their North American vacation! They spent a couple of hours with us giving us a presentation about their program in Australia.

3. What training to the TO Greeters receive?

Well after going through the process of applying, being interviewed on the phone, going through a personal interview and having us check their references, our greeters go through a 4 hour training session that involves their role as a volunteer, effective communication, ensuring a memorable experience and the actual TAP into TO! program itself. It is very interactive and believe me there is never an issue with people not getting involved. Our greeters are the most outgoing group of people that I have ever met. The 61 greeters have been selected from over 200 people who have volunteered. More will be needed as demand grows.

4. The program is very new and has been in place officially since June of this year. Please tell us about your experience so far and the feedback that you have received from international travelers.

We have been delighted with the popularity of the program with both our greeters and visitors. I am also amazed at how many different people from so many different countries have found out about our program from their homes in the U.K., Australia, Peru, Germany, Israel, all over the U.S. and China to name a few.

I have also been very impressed with the feedback that we are getting from our visitors. Most express their disappointment that more cities do not offer this service (I am usually pretty quick to mention to them that including Toronto, they can find greeters willing to show them around in New York City, Chicago, Houston and Fairbanks in the United States, as well as Melbourne and Adelaide in Australia).

Some of the comments include:

“His in-depth knowledge, obvious love of, enthusiasm for, and interest in ‘his’ Toronto made our visit so much the richer….Once again, very many thanks for the wonderful introduction to Toronto, by your most affable ‘Greeter’ Ed.

“I think it’s a superb project. I really do. To meet a local who knows the neighbourhood and enjoy a stroll around downtown seems to me the ideal way to begin a stay in the city.”

“I would certainly recommend this program to anyone visiting for the first time. I was able to get a feel for the different neighborhoods and see places I would most likely not have found or ventured off to on my own.”

Probably the biggest challenge to date has been a request for a greeter from a woman and her 3 year old son. Sounds pretty average, until I discovered that the TAP into TO! experience was for the son, not the mother. Most requests are for the parents and the children get to tag along. Not this time. This time the parent got to tag along visiting some kid centered places off the beaten path. Apparently the three of them had a great time!

5. What makes this Greeter Program unique and different from other programs?

I’m not sure how our program is different than the others since we really learned much from them. I do know that we provide a package of information to the visitor for their use during the rest of their stay. This includes a map of Toronto’s underground PATH, a map of the TTC (our public transit system), a list of events occurring while they are in town, a list of professional tour companies, a general reference guide to Toronto (emergency numbers, tipping guidelines, getting around, etc), a list of attractions in the city, a map of Toronto, etc. I am unsure if the other programs do this.

6. How do I go about booking a Toronto greeter for my vacation?

People generally fill in the on-line application form that is found at our website, www.toronto.ca/tapto . However there have been a couple of people who have called in their request and even one gentleman who made his way to my office at City Hall. I was really pleased when I was able to take his information in the morning only to send him out that afternoon with a greeter. It doesn’t happen like that every time however as we usually need at least a week to find a greeter and the more lead time given, the better.

7. Please tell us about Toronto Mobile Ambassador Program (MAP).

MAP TO is another exciting initiative that we will be launching in the Summer of 2006. During the busier tourist months the MAP TO vehicle will be traveling to large festivals, street corners, special events (anywhere there is a large number of tourists) to provide brochures and other visitor information that is usually only available at tourist information centres in buildings or at Toronto hotels. We are hoping that this will encourage visitors to see what else there is to do while they are already making their way around town.

8. Please tell us more about the tourism resources located at the Atrium on Bay.

The Province of Ontario operates a number of Tourist Information Centres around the province. The Toronto location is located at the Atrium on Bay and is a great resource for all information relating to Ontario. Thanks to the grant provided to us we were able to hire 4 Toronto information staff to be on hand in this office during the summer months. It was a great success and has encouraged us to examine finding additional locations for the future.

9. Toronto also has a new "wayfinding system" called InfoToGo and the newly developed pocket map. Please tell us more about this new resource for tourists.

InfoTOGo is a great new visitor wayfinding system. The unique design of the InfoTOgo pillar, inspired by the architecture of City Hall, includes wayfinding maps specifically designed for each area of the City that you will find the pillars. . Highlighted on each map are the key sites of interest, historical locations, public transit and area descriptions. A built in, coin operated system dispenses a pocket-sized, fold-out, full colour Toronto map. Many units also provide free information through a push-button audio system. Currently there are 24 information pillars in various Toronto neighbourhoods.

The maps are really handy as well. For $2.00 you get a pocket-sized, fold-out, full colour Toronto Map. One side of the map features an enlargement of the downtown core, while the reverse illustrates the City as a whole. Key attractions, transit routes and other useful information for visitors is also provided.

10. Please tell us about some of the major events coming up over the winter (e.g. Cavalcade of Lights, Winterlicious, etc.).

Beginning at the end of November, the City’s 39th annual Cavalcade of Lights will be launched at Toronto City Hall and throughout the city. At Nathan Phillips Square there will be skating, Saturday night fireworks, Toronto’s Official Christmas Tree, lighting displays, City TV’s traditional New Years Eve bash. Also going on in 14 Toronto neighbourhoods there are energy efficient lighting displays each designed to fit the theme of the neighbourhood. There is also a bus in operation to take you to the various neighbourhoods so you can shop during the day and visit the lights at night.

Of course there are many other events relating to the holidays happening all over the city. A really good source of what’s happening can be found at www.toronto.ca/special_events or by calling 416-338-0338.

And just as you are getting over the Cavalcade of Lights, you will find that at the end of January, you get to celebrate winter all over again with the Toronto WinterCity Festival and Winterlicious. For 14 days starting January 27, 2006, there is a series of world and North American premiere performances by internationally renowned theatre troupes to the streets of Toronto. The WinterCity passport offers discount admissions to over 40 Toronto attractions. Probably everybody’s favourite part to all of this is the Winterlicious culinary offer, where with fine cuisine and great value are offered at 120 of Toronto's top dining establishments. But sign up early since it is a seasonal favourite. Again, going to www.toronto.ca/special_events or by calling 416-338-0338 will tell you all you need to know.

Thank you, Jamie, for sharing this information with us. I am sure out-of-town travellers will find this information very helpful.

www.textronics.com

For more travel articles, advice, photos, interesting interviews &
the opportunity to win a cruise on the Amazon River
visit my website at www.travelandtransitions.com

T.O. History Revisited - The Gooderham Building and Its Surrounding Area, by Bruce Bell

2005-11-15T18:29:00.000-08:00

November 15, 2005

T.O. History Revisited - The Gooderham Building and Its Surrounding Area
By Bruce Bell

Bruce Bell is the history columnist for the Bulletin, Canada’s largest community newspaper. He sits on the board of the Town of York Historical Society and is the author of two books ‘Amazing Tales of St. Lawrence Neighbourhood’ and ‘TORONTO: A Pictorial Celebration’. He is also the Official Tour Guide of St Lawrence Market. For more info visit brucebelltours.com

This summer tourists from around the world will once again stand on the Front Street meridian and snap a thousand pictures of the historic Gooderham Building framed within the stunning skyline of a modern day Toronto. I often wonder how many of these photos I end up in as I cross the street just as one of those tourists is snapping their camera.

Arguably it’s the most photographed building in Toronto and because it’s well over a hundred years old it shows up in practically every book ever written on this city in the past century. Built in 1891 (it pre-dates New York’s more famous Flatiron building by 10 years) it has come to symbolize the defiance of 1960’s Urban Renewal by its very existence, standing proudly at the apex of Church, Wellington and Front like the bow of some great ship.

To us it’s always been there, but for a hundred years prior to its construction the building that at one time stood there was to the people who once called this area home just as important and historic to them as the Gooderham is to us.

Around 1800 Church Street was considered the outskirts of town and Wellington, then called Market Street, was an access road for farmers coming into the town to sell their produce at the Market. The only other reason to come out this far would be to visit Coopers wharf that lay at the foot of Church Street just south of Front to collect your mail, say good-byes to old friends or shop at the first general store in York that once stood on its massive wooden pylons. The only other major structures in the area were Chief Judge Scott’s home at Scott (named after him naturally) and Front Streets and York’s first jail where the King Edward Hotel now stands.

In 1820 Peter MacDougall, a French Canadian of Scottish descent, arrived in York and built a small farmhouse on the corner of what would later become Church and Wellington where Pizza-Pizza now stands. The land was once owned by the Attorney General John Macdonell, the aide de-camp to General Isaac Brock who died at his side during the War of 1812 at the bloodbath at Queenston Heights.

As I wander around Church and Wellington Streets today I can’t help wondering did Macdonell as he lay dying on the battlefield ever think of this same corner in his beloved York with the hope of one day retuning and building a home for himself. The land was passed on to his nephew, James on the condition that he change from being a Catholic to becoming an Anglican and it was he who in turn leased it to Peter MacDougall.

In 1829 the house was remodeled by John Brown and turned into a hotel named Ontario House. In a local newspaper article written that year it says“On the corner of Church Street stands The Ontario House, a hotel built in a style common then at the Falls of Niagara and in the United States. A row of lofty pillars, well grown pines in fact, stripped and smoothly planed, reached from the ground to the eaves and supported two ties of galleries which, running behind the columns, did not interrupt their vertical lines.”

In 1845 the Ontario House was taken over by Russell Inglis and renamed The Wellington. As a boy while working in a restaurant in Scotland, Inglis waited on novelist Sir Walter Scott (Ivanhoe) and would later retell conversations he had with the famed Scotsman to his enthralled patrons. The hotel prospered because the area was now a stage couch terminus and in order to supply enough rooms for his over night guests he annexed the Coffin Block across the street.

The Coffin Block, named because it looked like a coffin, stood were our present day Gooderham stands today at the apex of Front, Church and Wellington streets. It was 3 stories high, topped off with a with a flat roof, and in its basement was where people booked travel by stage coach to various parts of Upper Canada- places that had roads of course. This was Union Station before there were trains.

In 1816 it took four days to reach Niagara Falls by stage coach.An advertisement dated September 20th 1816 states “A stage will commence running between York and Niagara: it will leave York every Monday, and arrive at Niagara on Thursday; and leave Queenston every Friday. The baggage is to be considered at the risk of the owner, and the fare to be paid in advance.”

In 1835 the basement operation became the headquarters to the William Weller (of Colbourg) Stagecoach Company. He operated a line of stages from here to Hamilton known as the Telegraph Line. In an advertisement he tells his passengers that he will ‘take them through by daylight on the Lake Road, during the winter season’.

Exactly 170 years ago, on June 19th 1832, something truly horrific happened in front of where the Flatiron stands today when a gentleman was found lying on the wooden sidewalk gasping for breath. Within a few hours he would be dead from Cholera. It soon began to spread rapidly and by the end of the summer a quarter of York’s population was either dead, dying or extremely sick.

Across from the hotel was the notorious Henrietta Lane. Long gone, this laneway ran from Wellington up to Colborne Street where Gooderham Court, the condo complex now stands. Notorious because the street was filled with brothels, it was also ground zero for the first Cholera epidemic. Not surprising considering it was just steps away from the harbour.

Next to Henrietta lane was John Grantham’s livery stable and behind that in the Big Field, as it was known, was the winter quarters of George Bernard’s Circus. All that muck, horse manure and mosquitoes were the perfect breeding ground for a disease that not only was wiping out our local population, but what began a year before in India was now spreading across the world. It would be years before they figured out that cleanliness was paramount to healthy living, and until then York and the rest of the earth continued to suffer through these outbreaks.

By the 1840’s the area surrounding the Coffin Block had the look and feel of a wild-west town complete with saloons, prostitutes, wooden sidewalks and horses stuck in the mud. The area was so abundant with mud, partly due to the closeness of Lake Ontario with its waters constantly washing ashore, that the nickname Muddy York came into being.

It never ceases to amaze me, but going to school in Sudbury as I did, the term Muddy York together with Hog-town was probably all I was ever taught about what one day would become my ultimate obsession- the history of York and its people.

If that first Cholera epidemic a decade before was seen as horrific then the event that happened in front of the Coffin Block on December 28 1841 was nothing short of wondrous. It was on that spot that Toronto emerged from the dark ages when we lit our first gas street lamp. This new-fangled gadget brought Toronto into the gas age and for the first time people were walking around at night under the fuzzy glow of this marvelous invention.

Before street lamps were installed going out at night was a dangerous occupation. Even today at night when just a few street lamps go out at once the effect can be a bit frightening. The gas for this new invention, made from coal, was supplied by Charles Berczy, son of William (Berczy Park is named for them), and his company would eventually grow and become Consumers Gas.

In 1860 Russell Inglis died and his hotel, the one time famed Ontario House and now known as the Wellington was demolished. In 1862 the site (now Pizza-Pizza) became the headquarters to the Bank of Toronto. When built the bank was the most sophisticated and luxurious building in the city and if it were still standing today would easily rival the Flatiron for the attention of the tourist’s camera and no wonder they were both built for the same man, George Gooderham whose family owned Gooderham and Worts distillery.

In 1832 George’s father, William Gooderham, arriving from Yorkshire; brought with him money and 54 family members to help his brother-in-law James who arrived a year earlier expand his bakery business at Parliament and Mill Sts, to be known then as Worts and Gooderham.

In 1834 James Worts, despondent over the death of his wife in childbirth, committed suicide. William Gooderham, together with his 7 sons (his 6 daughters, like other well-bred women of the 19th century, were not encouraged to work) and the nephews left orphaned after the death of his sister and James, took control of the factory and re-named it Gooderham and Worts. The 'Worts' in the name of the factory is not named for James Sr. but for his eldest son, James Gooderham Worts, who took over his fathers' side of the business.

In 1837 the company began distilling the wheat by-products into booze for a thirsty city. Toronto for all it's soon to be Victorian idealism and demeanor was a saloon-laden town with a tavern for every 100 people. Beer was drunk then, like water is today. Mothers fed their babies beer, kids drank beer openly in the streets, magistrates and clergy drank on the job and no wonder, water then was filthy and tasted horrible.

Dead horses, cats, dogs, manure and daily garbage were thrown onto the ice of Lake Ontario and when the ice melted, the sewage would sink into the lake where upon people would drink the stuff untreated. That in turn led to the aforementioned cholera outbreaks, killing thousands. Beer seemed a nice alternative to death.

And the Gooderhams were becoming experts at making good tasting beer and alcohol as well as extremely wealthy and in 1859 they undertook a massive building project. Under the supervision of architect David Roberts Sr., five hundred men worked on the construction of what are today the oldest standing sections of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery at Parliament and Cherry streets.

Using four massive lake schooners to move stone from Kingston quarries the factory’s main building, the still standing gristmill, was finished in 1860 at a cost of a then staggering sum of 25,000 dollars, making it the most expensive building project in Toronto at the time.

In 1843 William Gooderham, built the Little Trinity Church on King E because at the time St. James Cathedral at King and Church used to charge a pews fee and many working class Anglicans couldn't afford to pay it. As their fortunes grew the Gooderhams beginning in 1885 started to build worker-cottages on Trinity and Sackville Streets (still standing) but for all their wealth and power they continued to live amongst their workers in a house, now demolished, on the NW corner of Trinity and Mill Streets.

In the late 1800's as Toronto was becoming more class conscious and the dividing lines between commercial and residential areas became more defined, George Gooderham, son of William, who had now taken over the family business, built for himself an impressive mansion (still standing) in the fashionable Annex area on the NE corner of Bloor and St. George in 1889.

George, now in full control of the family business, developed it into a financial and commercial empire becoming not only the richest man in Toronto but in all of Ontario. As the distillery flourished he enlarged its facilities and began to expand his own interests that included the Toronto and Nipissing Railroad, Manufactures’ Life Insurance and philanthropic enterprises like U of T and The Toronto General Hospital.

In 1882 George became the president of The Bank of Toronto (forerunner to The TD) and built as the head office the grand Bank of Toronto building on the corner of Front and Church where now Pizza-Pizza stands and where Russell Inglis’s Ontario House Hotel once stood. In 1884 George, needing more room as his offices in his Venetian inspired bank building were becoming overcrowded, he erected a three-story office building next door.

Today the site of that long demolished building, which was almost as opulent as the bank, is now part of the L-shaped condo complex Gooderham Court whose main entrance is on Church Street.

By 1890 that too was getting crowded so what he needed was not only more office space but a building that was to stand out in a sea of magnificent structures that once graced our streets. In 1891 he commissioned David Roberts Jr., the son of the architect who had built the distillery, to erect the Gooderham Building the last remnant of the Imperial City at a cost of an astonishing $18,000.

There, on the fifth floor, underneath the green cone-shaped cupola, he set himself up in an office that overlooked not only the busy intersection below but also everything and everyone he held command of including his soon to be finished King Edward Hotel.

From his ships in the Harbour to his trains on the Esplanade to his Distillery in the distance to his employees at the bank all were within sight of the original Big Brother. Then he had commissioned, what was to become one of the great legends of our neighbourhood, a tunnel to pass underneath Wellington Street to connect with his Bank of Toronto.

When he died on May 1st 1905 his funeral at St. James Cathedral, against his last wishes for a small affair, was one of the largest the city had seen. He was a great benefactor, builder and much loved man to the people of Toronto who lined the streets to show their respect as his cortege made its way to St. James Cemetery.

After his death the Bank of Toronto began to plan a move into what is regarded the most beautiful building Toronto ever knew, its new headquarters on the corner of King and Bay in 1913, itself demolished in 1960 and replaced with the equally stunning TD Center. (A scale model of that monumental building complete with its 21 Corinthian columns can be seen under glass in the TD Center’s main banking hall and out at the Guildwood Inn in Scarborough standing like an ancient Greek theater its impressive King Street entrance has been preserved).

When the army of bulldozers swept through the old downtown core centering around Church and Front Sts. in the late 1950’s and early 60’s, one of the first gemstones to be eradicated from the scene was Mr. Gooderham banking palace which by then had become a records center covered with a century of soot and grime.

It was replaced by what was seen at the time as an award winning design. The little TD bank that still stands in part and converted into the Pizza Pizza was, when I first saw it, one of my favorite small buildings in the city, until of course I saw pictures of what was demolished to make way for it.

In 1920 the distillery founded by the famous Mr. Gooderham as he was commonly known and by the tragic Mr. Worts was bought by the Hiram Walker Company and continued to operate up until the 1990’s.

In 1957 the Gooderham estate sold their namesake Flatiron building to Velco investments who in turn sold it to David and Thomas Walsh for 600,000 dollars in 1973. It was they who saved the Flatiron from demolition as everything else around it was being eradicated off the face of the earth by giving it a much needed half a million dollar overhaul. In November of 1975 the Gooderham building was finally designated a Historic site. In 1998 Michael and Anne Tippin took control and once again the Gooderham underwent a painstaking restoration.

The Gooderham Building today has people lined up around the block to take a peak inside as we witnessed during the latest Doors Open which the Tippins also co-chair. I can’t help thinking that 40 years ago we were in such a hurry to live like the Jetson’s we had to destroy anything that got in our way as we sped towards the future.

There really is not much left from Toronto’s Golden Age of Architecture when industrial titans like George Gooderham would spare no expense to build what they hoped would be lasting monuments.

Now that the future is here, our wish is for why couldn’t we have saved and preserved more of these beautiful treasures. I love looking at the Gooderham when fog has blanketed the modern gleaming city built behind it. Its then you get a glimpse of what it once must have looked like when first built, standing magnificently alone its stature fully appreciated.

The haze might disappoint the tourist, but not me.

T.O. History Revisited - The Most Haunted Corner in Toronto? Sherbourne and Adelaide,by Bruce Bell

2005-11-15T17:49:00.000-08:00

November 15, 2005

T.O. History Revisited - The Most Haunted Corner in Toronto? Sherbourne and Adelaide,by Bruce Bell

The building on the southeast corner of Sherbourne and Adelaide exists today because it had the fortitude to adapt to the times. Or, it was just plain lucky.At present it’s totally unrecognizable but underneath all that red paint and patchy brickwork sits a fine Georgian house first built in 1842 by blacksmith extrordinare, Paul Bishop.

He built his house upon the foundations of one of the most famous manor homes of old York and consequently it now occupies some of the most historic land in the city. Paul Bishop’s house went on to miraculously survive the Great Fire of 1849, the onslaught of the Industrial Revolution and the horrors of the 1960’s Urban Renewal. Now thanks to Camrost-Felcorp Developers who have assured me that this historic house will be restored back to its early 19th century splendor as part of their new development of the north east section of King and Sherbourne to be known as Kings Court.

In 1793, the year of our European founding, what was to become the south east corner of Sherbourne and Adelaide was still part of a great forest. There was a small stream running into Lake Ontario which then came up as far as Front Street and the only buildings in the area were a few canvas and wooden huts hastily set up by the Queens Rangers in preparation of Gov. Simcoe’s arrival. In 1798 one of those Queens Rangers, William Jarvis, having liked this corner of the new capital of Upper Canada, now called York, so much that he built a small villa on what would become the four corners of Sherbourne and Adelaide and named it Jarvis House after himself, naturally.

The house built of squared logs was 30 by 41 feet had 2 floors and was covered with clap-boarding. The only major exterior detailing being a fanlight over the front door. William, the Provincial Secretary and Registrar from before Simcoe’s arrival in 1793 until his death in 1818, decided not to spend too much money on the outside in case he was forced to sell if the capital was to move to London.

The house sat on 2 acres spread over the entire Sherbourne and Adelaide area. The estate held 2 barns, a root-house, a stable, a chicken coup and, like the rest of our well to do founding fathers, had slave quarters built to house the six people he owned.

After William Jarvis died in 1817 his son cut the house and grounds into smaller sections. The house itself was taken over by a man named Lee who turned it into a restaurant and billiard room and added a small addition. In 1821 James Padfield rented a portion of the building and started a school.

When the school was disbanded in 1824, Isaac Columbus took possession of the property and converted one part into workshops and the rest into his home.Isaac, a native of France, made swords and guns for our side during the War of 1812 at his forge near Fort York. Described as a ‘real character’ by 19th century historian Henry Scadding, he remembers telling Columbus that a specific item must be ready by a particular hour. Columbus staring him down with a terrifying glare reminded Scadding that only the King of France can use the term 'must'.

Isaac hated the liberals of early Toronto because he believed that modern ideas ‘hindered the King from acting as a good father to his people’. In 1832 Isaac moves out and James Kidd moves in. It was during this time that the Jarvis House, as it was still known, became famous for unearthly reasons.

During the Cholera epidemics of the 1830’s several people died in the house including a few by suicide. Room after room wase now being sealed shut to prevent its spread. Townsfolk began to talk. ‘There’s something not right at the old Jarvis House’.

One dark and stormy night Mr. Kidd hears unnatural noises coming from Secretary Jarvis office, boarded up ever since it was believed to be haunted. So with a pistol in one hand, a crow bar in the other and lightning striking a ghostly silhouette upon the wall, James Kidd begins to pry open the door, but as he does the noises stop.In an age when Frankenstein-the novel was a huge hit stories like this had a life all their own. A few days later a man by the name of Baxter arrives to spend the night at Jarvis house. Mr. Kidd hoping to solve the mystery assigned Baxter the haunted room.

During the night, it is recorded that ‘sounds of fury and noises never heard on this earth’ emanated from the haunted room. The next morning a haggard Mr. Baxter appears at breakfast with suitcase in hand telling all present “I will never pass another night in that room, let alone this house, Good day”. Some believed the apparition might have been that of John Ridout who was shot and killed in a duel by Samuel Jarvis, son of William, in 1817. To this day many believe his spirit, whose family had an estate next door, still floats about the Sherbourne and Adelaide area in search of his grave. Oh yea I forgot to tell you, both families had private burial grounds in their back yards.

In 1842 James Kidd sells the house to Paul Bishop on the condition that he be allowed to live there until he dies. He dies a year later and in 1848 Paul Bishop tears down the old Jarvis house and builds upon the foundations the structure that still stands, in part, today.

Bishop, a French Canadian whose real name L’Eveque meaning ‘the Bishop’ was Anglicized upon his arrival in Upper Canada, established himself as a 1st class blacksmith, locksmith and wheel maker, was also the son in law of previous owner Isaac Columbus. Before taking ownership Bishop had his workshop across the street on the northeast corner (today the site of the Jazz giant Montreal Bistro) where in 1837 something truly historic happen.

A few years before in 1834, the year of incorporation, Thornton Blackburn came from the United States and found employment working as a waiter in Osgoode Hall. In 1837 and always the inventive sort, Mr. Blackburn took a pattern of a horse drawn taxicab known then only to Montreal and London UK to Paul Bishops workshop. It was there in his shed that Mr. Bishop built for Mr. Blackburn the first horse drawn taxicab in Upper Canada. At a time when the United States, the land of the free-home of the brave, were still torturing and enslaving a tenth of their population, we here in Toronto had as our first taxicab owner a run-away American slave. The foundations of the house that Thornton and his wife Lucie lived in for over 50 years on Eastern Ave near Cherry street which served as a stop on the Underground railroad have been recently been found and preserved.

In 1860 Paul Bishop, having built the house he lived in for almost 30 years, left town and disappeared from our history books. The house then came under the possession of Thomas Dennie Harris. In his time he was one of leading merchants of the city, chief engineer of the fire brigade from 1838 to 1841 and harbour master from 1870 to 1872. Between 1841 and 1864 he was a warden of St. James’ Church. Harris owned a hardware store since 1829 around the corner at 124 King east, but it was destroyed during the Great Fire of 1849. Harris died in 1872 and with the encroachment of the Industrial Revolution upon this end of town the end was near for his home too. The small yard and fence that surrounded the house were torn up, as were the trees. Ironic because as warden of St. James one of Mr. Harris’s duties was to protect the poplar trees that surrounded the church at the time.

The great estates of the neighbourhood like the massive Moss Park (a story unto itself) up the street, the Ridout homestead next door and Russell Abbey down the street were being divided up and eventually demolished.

The area once part of a great forest was to become for the next 100 years a polluted industrialized zone. The historic house at Sherbourne and Adelaide was stripped bare of its interior ornamentation, it’s windows bricked up, new doors were smashed through, its chimneys the very essence of its Georgian appeal though still standing were built upon and the grand memories of its former days just faded away. For the next 10 decades it became everything from a machine shop to a garage to a flophouse. But it still stands and unlike its neighbours will return from the ashes to remind us all of our glorious past.

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The 200 Year History of the St. Lawrence Market - Part Two, by Bruce Bell

2005-11-15T11:17:00.000-08:00

November 15, 2005

The 200 Year History of the St. Lawrence Market - Part Two
By Bruce Bell

By the late 1890’s Toronto, once a lonely sparsely populated colonial government outpost of a burgeoning British Empire, was now a booming capital city of almost 200,000 citizens.

The new municipality along with its buildings were now taking on Imperial pretensions, and as the centre core of the new metropolis was moving westwards it was decided to build a more opulent City Hall to replace the outdated and well just plain boring Front Street City Hall.

The question then became what to do with the antiquated old one?

For the most part everything that was a reminder of our colonial past was coming down, smashed into the ground for if the unadorned wooden structures were left standing they would remind us that we were not what were pretending to be (see my opening sentence). Snob appeal on a grand scale.

But not all of our Victorian forbears were for giving up on our early roots. A Market Commission was formed and they recommended to the City that the Front Street City Hall undergo a major renovation, which would last from 1899 to 1901.

The architect chosen, John Siddall, decided to do away with the east and west wings and remove the clock tower, but rather than tearing down the entire City Hall he instead created a treasure.

If you stand facing St. Lawrence Market from across the street you can still see the yellow brick outline that was the center block of our 2nd City Hall. Of course, you can get a better view from inside the Market. That center block, once the home to the Council Chambers and now the Toronto Archive Art Gallery, is a wonderment of reclamation.

With its graceful arches, hidden alcoves and the great fan window that looms over the inside of the Market, the former Council Chamber is a reminder that unfashionable and dated structures need not be discarded so hastily.

Siddall placed an enormous roof (known as Siddall’s Shed) over the new building, built supporting trusses to hold it and raised the Council Chamber floor to allow more height over the main entrance.

Unfortunately he and City Planners also decided to tear down the masterpiece of Victorian commercial splendor that was Toronto’s third farmers market (built after the Great Fire of 1849) and constructed instead a fourth Market to be an exact copy of the new South Market.

The old centre of town was now to get two Markets, North and South with an enormous canopy (which lasted until 1954) spanning Front Street connecting the two. So with this mammoth awning in place preventing any light from entering the street below and together with the polluting gasoline engine making its appearance the area now devoid of any of the picturesque vistas it had once known, the newly renovated St. Lawrence Market opened for business in 1904.

And the neighbourhood, once quaintly known as Muddy York, began its 60 year descent into an urban rotting hell including the Market's most stylish addition, St. Lawrence Hall.

During the first half of the 20th century the once elegant St. Lawrence Hall (also built after the Great Fire of 1849) and its Grand Ballroom became everything from a men’s hostel to an army and navy surplus outlet to the first home of the National Ballet of Canada. It too began to deteriorate after the great move westward and its once gleaming white brick façade began to blacken with years of soot and grime.

Worse was the fact that succeeding generations of Torontonians were becoming totally unaware not only of its presence but of its glorious past.

In 1960 a real estate firm wanted to buy up the land bounded by King, Jarvis, Market and Front streets, the original Market Square (as stated in the 1803 document signed by Gov. Peter Hunter) and build a modern high rise and a parking garage. One plan called for the entire St. Lawrence Market area to be completely eradicated off the map and replaced with an enormous entertainment complex rivaling New York City’s Lincoln Centre.

The famed Gooderham or Flatiron at the apex of Church and Front was to be replaced with a giant obelisk and today’s Berczy Park behind it was to be home to giant glass and steel skyscrapers. What is now St. James Park beside the Cathedral on King was to be home to the new CBC Broadcasting headquarters.

The land that a century and a half earlier was set aside for a Public Market and what is now the North Market was to be turned into a paved concourse. The Market area was to be no more.
This almost happened, remember no one lived around these parts to object, and except for a few lone voices of dissent including historian and architect Eric Arthur there was nothing to stop the developers who were already obliterating the downtown core.

Urban Renewal was sweeping across North America and nothing was going to stop the powers that be from turning our cities into modern mega-metropolises, if Europe could re-build after WW2 then so should we. Why should they have all the glass and steel and super highways?

Mind you they had to, we just wanted to. Sometimes Toronto’s renewal projects worked brilliantly like with the space-aged New City Hall (though I would liked to have seen the massive and opulent 3000 seat Shea’s Hippodrome theatre that once stood there), and at other times urban renewal was a complete and utter waste.

The Grand Post office that once stood on Adelaide at the head of Toronto Street was regarded as one of the most beautiful buildings on the continent and the first public building built by the new Federal Government after Confederation. Its replacement, an enormous glass and steel monstrosity that recently underwent a reno-job, was the norm as far as the ‘new look’ of structures was concerned.

In the middle of all this destruction and mayhem lay the fate of our beloved Market and the Great Hall that bore its name. At a meeting involving various like minded historical preservation groups it was suggested that they urge the City to acquire St. Lawrence Hall immediately.

On September 29th 1961 Royal Assent was given to the National Centennial Act which set out ‘the organization and financial pattern for the great observance of Canada’s 100th birthday.’ George Bell, Toronto Parks Commissioner, recommended a park be built next to St. James and the renovation of St. Lawrence Hall as part of Toronto’s Official Centennial Project.

Unlike the other 20,000 buildings that were destroyed during Urban Renewal, St. Lawrence Hall was to be spared, but not so the north Market. Built in 1904 as an exact copy of today’s South Market, the 4th market to stand on that site was demolished and replaced with what is today without exception the ugliest public building in Toronto, the North Market or Farmers Market as it is better known.

On the evening of December 28, Governor-General Roland Michener along with architect Eric Arthur officially re-opened St. Lawrence Hall by igniting a still in use gas fireplace in the Great Hall in front of a glittering crowd. At the end of the evening Mayor Dennison announced that Northern Affairs Minister Arthur Laing had designated St. Lawrence Hall a National Historical site.

In 1971, the City’s planning board and a consultant’s report had proposed that the South Market be demolished. At a public meeting held in the fall of 1971 something extraordinary happened, a crowd of angry citizens who wanted to keep the landmark market shouted down the City planners. The long suppressed voice of a citizens led movement that was years in the making, was finally being heard.

In 1969, John Sewell running for City Council, used as a political poster, a picture of himself standing amongst the rumble of a demolished building with a caption reading "When will this stop"?

The group who wanted to save St. Lawrence Market called themselves Time and Place and they recommended that it be renovated and The Council Chamber, which sat unused for 70 years, turned into a public gallery.

So with money from all three forms of Government in place, the outside was cleaned, a new floor was poured, the brick piers supporting the roof trusses were re-enforced, and one half of the roof was replaced.

Downstairs, which once housed the former jails and later was used for wholesale storage and the unloading of trucks, was gutted and refurbished. After years of being covered-up and forgotten, the original foundation bricks and graceful vaulted arches that today skip above our heads as we shop at Phil’s or buy rice at Rubes or grind our coffee on the lower level, were exposed.

St. Lawrence Market when first opened 200 years ago was the only game in town. Today it’s just one of thousands. It’s survived the onslaught of the Super Market revolution of the 1950’s, home deliveries, fast foods, corner stores, frozen foods, chicken franchise, microwave dinners, MacDonald’s, fad diets, 24/7 shopping and the internet. But it still stands as a testament to our past.

It defines who we are as Canadians and as Torontonians, it’s where we came from and it’s where we are headed. To our European visitors who come to our city and say Well isn’t that cute, our market back home just celebrated its 1000th birthday!

You can tell them as charming as our little birthday may be, the reason the Market is where it is in the first place was because for centuries previous Canada’s First Nations used this spot as their spring fishing grounds making the catching and trading of fish in the St. Lawrence Market area a practice that could be over 10,000 years old.

How cute is that?

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The 200 Year History of the St. Lawrence Market - Part One, by Bruce Bell

2005-11-15T07:12:00.000-08:00

November 15, 2005

The 200 Year History of the St. Lawrence Market - Part One, by Bruce Bell

It must have been quite a sight and sound on August 26, 1793 for a family of Mississauga First Nations as they went about their daily chores on the banks of the great lake, for out on the waters a huge British sailing ship fired a massive cannon.

With that loud pop the area, which for generations had always been a good place to fish, known to them as to’ron’to (where the waters converge), was now to be called York.

The men firing the cannon under the leadership of the new Governor named Simcoe who, despising all things ‘Indian sounding’, proclaimed the name change and set out to build a new capital of Upper Canada.

The Mississauga family who for a thousand years previous had called the area home stayed on for while, teaching their time honoured traditions to the new settlers, but soon discovered they were no longer needed (or wanted) and left.

As the old ways were being surrendered to the new, two enterprising colonial entrepreneurs bought their wagons together, one selling fish the other vegetables. With that simple move the first European style public market in the area was born.

Ten years later, on November 5, 1803, with the recently arrived British now fully settled in, the next Lieutenant Governor, Peter Hunter, proclaimed that same land now overrun with a mish mash of wagons bearing fruit and vegetables and barrels overflowing of fish be set aside for an official Public Market with its own fishing wharf to follow.

That new Public Market beside a place where the citizens could buy, haggle and barter for their food was also to be where the town crier would announce the news of the day, where the stocks and pillories holding thieving men and women would stand, where slaves and indentured servants would be tied to the whipping post and publicly flogged for trying to escape their harsh existence and where the town’s folk would gather around the well and gossip on the days events.

All this daily life would be surrounded by the sounds of chickens clucking, cows mooing and pigs squealing while being slaughtered where they stood.

That same land, now the site of St. Lawrence Hall on King St. and the Farmers Market on the NW corner of Front and Jarvis with the wharf once the fishing grounds of that First Nations family, now the site of the South St. Lawrence Market, is about to celebrate its 200th year since Governor Peter Hunter’s proclamation.

As the town grew so did the Market area. In 1824 the market, to hold all the open corrals of cattle, fish barrels and carts laden with crops, was closed in on the east, west and south sides with an oak ribbon fence with three small openings on each side. That rudimentary first Market was torn down in 1831 and a larger one made of red brick with arched gateway entrances on Front and King Street was opened on the site the following year.

That second market of which a beautiful scale model can be seen in the Citizens for the Old Town at 159 King Street E in St. Lawrence Hall was an open air public market surrounded by a two story enclosed walkway to protect the butcher stalls below. It had at its southern end facing Front Street a small Inn named the Market Arms and at its northern end above its King Street entrance York’s Council Chambers.

After it was resolved to incorporate the Town of York into the City of Toronto in 1834, William Lyon Mackenzie was appointed our city’s first mayor in a room that once stood facing King Street.

That market was also the scene of one of Toronto’s most gruesome and bizarre accidents. If you’re queasy about such things read no further.

In 1834 a week before the vote was to be cast on our city’s future, a group of people were standing on the second level being addressed on the fundamentals of the upcoming election. A creak was heard coming from the floorboards followed by a huge snapping sound when the entire western portion of the public gallery collapsed. 24 people were critically injured and 3 others, including the nephew of Colonel James FitzGibbon (the officer Laura Secord informed of an American attack during the War of 1812) died after they were impaled on the butcher hooks below.

In that same year of incorporation we now had a population of 9,000 and 10 years later in 1844 it grew to over 24,000. With this new expansion came fresh cash and a decision to construct a new City Hall to replace the old above the King Street entrance to the Market where Mackenzie was sworn into office. A competition was held, as was the custom when public buildings were constructed and the winner was Henry Bowyer Joseph Lane. Lane was only in Toronto 4 years (1843-1847) but in that time managed to build Little Trinity Church on King E, additions to Osgoode Hall and The Holy Trinity Church behind the Eaton Center.

So in 1844, on land where the Home District Farmer’s Storehouse once stood on the SW corner of Front and Jarvis Streets, work began on the new and desperately needed City Hall and building it on the then waterfront would give the new Hall an impressive appearance as ships rounded the bay.

‘There, in all its splendor, the new City of Toronto and it’s center, its grand City Hall’.

That City Hall, Toronto’s second, still stands in part surrounded by the South St. Lawrence Market. Where the main entrance to the south Market is today, there was a foyer, spiral staircase and the Police Office. The staircase led up to the 2nd floor where, facing Front St., the Mayor had his new digs. At the rear, overlooking the Harbour on the 2nd floor, was the Council Chamber and the third Floor held the Public Gallery that looked down over the Chambers. The two arches (the present red doors were added in 1876) that flank the main entrance led to the Market stalls. The basement was the domain of Police Station No. 1 and its infamous jails.

Being situated so close to the waterfront would also produce one of our neighbourhood’s greatest urban legends. The horrors of the Dungeon.

Before the days of prison reform and common sense justice, people were thrown into that jail, chained to the wall (where Dominos coffee grinder is) and later executed if so deemed, for as little as stealing a piece of candy.

During a storm the creeks that at one time started their journey above Davenport Hill and flowed down into Lake Ontario would swell, flood the jail, and the helpless people shackled to the wall would drown or at the very least, hang knee deep in all the contaminated debris washing up from the open sewer that was backwashing in from Lake Ontario. If those walls could talk, they’d scream.

So there it was, that new center of town, just as Governor Hunter had envisioned less than 50 ago Jarvis (then Nelson) and Front Streets, the Bloor and Yonge of its day with a new City Hall across from an impressive Market.

But all this would change on the morning of April 7, 1849 when Toronto awoke to a blaze that nearly destroyed the entire city. What once was an agriculturally based city of about 35,000, was quickly being consumed in a rage of fire.

The center of town bounded by King, Adelaide, George and Church Streets was to change forever and along with it, the entire future of the City of Toronto. The fire started about one in the morning in a stable behind a then popular drinking establishment called Covey's Inn on the north side of King Street, just east of Jarvis where Harvest House now stands.

The flames leapt from floorboards to tin roofs to wooden sidewalks, gathering fuel along the way. Taverns, inns, book stores, clothing outlets, homes, newspaper offices, hardware stores, dry-good emporiums, liquor shops and the Market all gone in one night of unbelievable terror.
Toronto changed forever that night, but in the aftermath of the destruction a new city was to be born and at its heart were to be built two new magnificent structures (one of them St. Lawrence Hall, still standing today) to replace the second market building.

The third Market building that was to occupy the NW corner of Front and Jarvis had it survived, would be as revered and as photographed as the Gooderham building is today.

Architect William Thomas completed Toronto’s third market building and it’s companion St. Lawrence Hall in 1851. St. Lawrence Hall still stands of course, but sadly it’s companion market is long gone.

When first constructed the main door to St. Lawrence Hall was the main entrance to the Market itself.

In 1884 C.P. Mulvany wrote in his book Toronto: Past and Present about Christmas at that wondrous market whose entrance was a passageway through St. Lawrence Hall...

"There is a central arcade, the first half of which, opening on King Street, is occupied by stalls teeming with children's toys, nick-knacks, cheap jewelry, perfume and second-hand books. After this come the butchers' stalls, opening into the arcade and each of them opening also into the east and west sides of the market square where are ranged the farmers carts laden with dairy produce, meat and vegetables. The show of meat in the market is worth a visit and nothing equals it in any other Canadian City. But the best time to visit St. Lawrence Market is at Christmas time when the huge beef-carcasses, rich with fat, hang side by side some of the finest labeled with the name of some hotel proprietor or prominent citizen who may have purchased that splendid provision for the Christmas feast.

Huge deer suspended from the rafters, antlers still attached, next to a black bear in plump condition. Pigs, wild turkey, swan, prairie chicken, grouse, and partridge all await the Christmas feast. Brilliantly illuminated and brightly decorated The St. Lawrence Market is undeniably one of the things worthy of being seen in Toronto during the Christmas Holidays"

For the first 25 years of its life the St. Lawrence Hall was the pre-emanate concert hall in Toronto and ranked amongst the greatest performance venues in North America.

The mid 19th century were the hall’s golden years. But the end was it sight. In 1874 the Grand Opera House, a brand spanking new state-of-the-art 1700 seat theater on Adelaide, just west of Yonge, opened and immediately stole the crown and the thunder from St. Lawrence Hall.

A few years later the Hall started its decline into oblivion. By the late 1890’s, Toronto was booming, its population was almost 200,000, and it was time to build yet another City Hall.

The question was what to do with the old one?

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