“G” is for Gifts and Souvenirs

I’m blogging A to Z in April! No, really. Check back daily, because you’re an optimist! And I am NOT so far behind that I won’t catch up.

“What did you bring me?” It follows on the heels of “Welcome Home!” more often than you’d think. But it’s not a sign of your loved ones’ greed; it’s simply their way of travelling the world vicariously through you. They want to know that the postcard message “wish you were here” was sincere – that you thought of your mother, kids, neighbours, etc, while you were away. And really, you did, right? At least once, for half a second?

Gifts from your travels are a way to share your discoveries and adventures with those around you. No matter where I’ve gotten to, it’s second nature to want to bring something home for the kids -and sometimes my mom, etc. I don’t spend a lot, but I do enjoy searching for things that they’ll like/use/appreciate. Even if it’s just a “My mom went to the Andes, and all I got was this lousy t-shirt” kind of thing. It doesn’t even have to be something place specific – I’ll often see something cute or different that you could probably get just about anywhere but I haven’t seen before. My last travel gift was actually an IKEA purchase (we don’t have an IKEA at home) I hauled home a tabletop greenhouse from Ottawa for my urban farmer husband so that he could start his herbs inside in February.

I think of gifts as the things I bring other people, and souvenirs as the things I buy for myself to commemorate my trip. Again, sometimes it’s just a keychain, but I do keep my eyes open for something different. The ceramic pig in my living room came from a darling little store called The Back Door in Kimberley B.C.  I loved that store, visiting several times during my visit out west, and the memory it provides always brings a smile to my face. And you should have seen the look on airport security’s face when they realized I had a “pig” in my carry-on.

The best, most different souvenir I have is technically contraband from the Walt Disney World Resort in Florida. The year was 1985, and I was standing in line for It’s a Small World. The decorative ball atop the queue stanchion came off in my hand – so I put it in my camera bag. Yep, I’ve got a ball of lead from WDW. Can you imagine bringing that through security these days?

I encourage my kids to souvenir shop too, and offer them tips -don’t buy what you can buy at home, try for something a little different. They’ve gotten into the habit of bringing things home as gifts- I have a lovely scarf from Paris, and some funky jewellery from Cuba. Of course, as airline regulations change, and baggage charges climb, the gifts change a little. It’s always a good idea to think first – ok, you want to buy it, but do you want to carry it?

What are your favourite gifts and souvenirs from the places you’ve been?

“F” is for Food

I’m blogging A to Z in April! Check back every day (except Sundays) for a new post!

Mea culpa. I missed two days and am now playing catch-up – maybe that’s why Sundays aren’t included? They give you a chance to make up for the rest of the week? Regardless…back on track we go.

Food is a HUGE part of travelling anywhere. From the snacks you pack for the car or plane, to the sustenance you require when you get where you’re going, food’s a big deal. For some people, food is one of THE highlights of travelling; new and exotic dishes, local flavours, restaurants that ooze ambience…eating is part of the trip.

Sadly, I am not one of those people. I’m not a particularly adventurous eater, and I usually don’t have a very big appetite. Very often, when forced to choose between eating and doing, I’d rather do – I can always grab a snack later.  When my daughter confessed to frequenting McDonalds while visiting Italy, France and England, I understood completely – I’m always reluctant to spend the time and money that eating well usually takes too.

I do understand that for most travellers, this is not the case. Part of the adventure is sampling local cuisine, enjoying the  dining experience, and, of course, taking pictures of the unique and creative ways that food can be presented in various places. This is know, in Internet terms, as food pRon. (unscramble the letters, it makes sense)

Admittedly, it was on a cruise that I first tasted lobster. Likewise, a chilled banana soup that sticks in my mind 20 years later. And Mexican food in Cozumel was a darn sight better than Taco Bell. And there’s a little place called the Sugar Shack on Highway 11 in Northern Ontario that makes THE best pancakes with maple syrup ever.

What’s the best dish you’ve tasted in your travels? Favourite restaurant? Share your recommendations!

“E” is for Electronics

I’m blogging A to Z in April! Check back daily (except Sundays) for a new post!

I hinted at this with the “D” post yesterday, but have you noticed how our attraction to electronics has changed the traveling experience? The TV commercials make it all look so easy – just whip out your phone and snap a pic of the two of you in front of the Trevi Fountain. Edit and email this great video clip of you (or someone) whitewater rafting on the Colorado before your hair’s even dried.  Skype your conference call and no one will ever know you’re in a Tokyo hotel room instead of in your office in Duluth.

iPads, phones, laptops, cameras and even Kindles – yes, even Gameboys and portable DVD players –  are awesome tools and toys to have along with you for the trip. But it also translates into more stuff to carry and keep track of -and eventually it’s all going to have to be plugged in to something and recharged.

Is it any coincidence that the airlines started to charge for baggage right about the time our concept of travel neccessities started to change? In 1999, I could have done just fine with a carry-on only; now the gadgets and cords and chargers take up valuable space. On a recent overnight trip to Toronto, I realized that the number of cords in my bag outnumbered the pairs of clean socks! When we travel by car, we’ve even taken to designating a bag as the “electronics” bag, keeping all the cords and chargers in one place. MInd you, as someone who once shared the task of carrying a JVC Super 8 movie camera up Dunn’s River Falls in Jamaica, the toys themselves have gotten a lot lighter. It just seems like there’s so much more of them!

Hotel rooms aren’t exactly keeping up with progress either. Whereas we used to check in, dump our bags and reach for the remote, we now spend the first half hour locating all the outlets, so everything can be plugged in to recharge. And there are never enough outlets, or they’re in wildly inconvenient places.

What are your electronic must-brings when you travel? How do you deal with the plethora of cords and batteries while on the road?

“D” is for digital cameras

I’m blogging A to Z! Check back every day in April (except Sundays) for a new post!

When I was a kid, making sure the Instamatic had a full roll of film and fresh batteries for the flash were a part of every vacation. (or flashbulbs- remember the flipflash?) With only 12 or 24 exposures available, I had to choose carefully which of those travelling moments I was going to record for posterity. And I remember one time, showing off my Florida pictures to a relative, he complained, “there’s no people in your pictures. There should be people.” My view was that the people I was traveling with were typically people I saw all the time; far better to expend my film on once-in-a-lifetime views.

Digital photography changed all that. With a digital camera in my bag, I could record people, places and scenery with abandon – and if the shot didn’t come out right, well, it could be deleted with the touch of a button. There’s no question that digital photography has changed everyone’s travel experience -you only need to look at the hundreds, or thousands of pictures downloaded after every trip.

But digital cameras have brought their own nuisance factor to travelling. First of all, almost everyone along for the trip usually has a camera, and they’re not afraid to use it.  So now you end up with 100s of photos times four or five – everyone wants their own shot of that monument or museum display. Waiting for everyone to take their picture of that fabulous statue before we can move on just about wears out my patience. Not to mention the room that multiple cameras, battery packs, chargers and cords takes up in the carry-on luggage.

And then there’s the photos themselves. Yes, it’s nice to be able to show off pictures on Facebook and email vacation adventures to faraway friends, but all the viewing requires a computer or digital frame. One of the things I remember as a child is repeatedly sitting down with the family albums in a quiet spot and looking over this pictorial record with my mom or my brother. That hardly ever happens now. Sure, you can print the photos – or some of them (seriously, how many of those hundreds end up being worth printing?) But mostly, people don’t. And  sitting side-by-side in front of a screen just isn’t the same as cuddling up on the couch and turning the pages.

And what happens to those photos eventually? Well, I try, every now and then, to burn a few CDs or DVDs, but then the CD just gets filed away and rarely looked at anymore.

I suspect this is why, even though it’s easier than ever to take your own pictures, souvenir photos have skyrocketed in popularity. Your family enters a venue or restaurant and someone else takes your picture. An hour later, you have a nice hard copy that you’ll take home and frame. You might have three versions of the same shot on your memory card, but you buy the photo anyway, because you kow in your heart of hearts it’s likely to end up as the only printed record of the moment.

Do you print your digital photos?

“C” is for Camping. And Cottaging.

I’m blogging every day in April (except Sundays) from A to Z! Be sure to check back daily for a new post.

Today’s topics are inextricably linked in our family. We’ve camped since the children were little; it’s an economical way to see a lot of different places, and most children far prefer having room to run as opposed to being cooped up in a hotel room. More recently, we’ve joined some family members at a cottage in Northern Ontario two years in a row. The cottage is so small and so rustic, it’s a lot like camping – in fact, we even sleep in the tent!

This little tent has seen a lot of places. When my husband first bought it, I wondered at the extravagance; the box said “sleeps 6” and there were only four of us then. It seemd huge! In fact, it’s officially a 2-room tent, with a removable “wall” in the middle. I think the wall’s been up once, and I don’t know what it sleeps 6 of, but it can’t be normal-sized people.  For the first few years, we’d set out four sleeping bags nice and neat, and wake up in the morning like a litter of puppies, all piled on top of one another. Later, the “big girls” got their own tent, and our tent was for the two of us and “the baby.” For the last two summers, the tent has housed the two of us and the dog – and it’s still crowded!

I also require a few comforts when I camp, such as an electrical hook-up, a Mr. Coffee, and a nice reading lamp inside the tent. Other than that, I’m pretty easy to please, I think.

The cottage, as I say, is rustic. Electricity, but no running water. The setting is beautiful though, right on the water near North Bay, nice and secluded. Our days are spent swimming, reading, paddling, reading, fishing. The best part is being surrounded by extended family, and gathering around the fire at night to talk and laugh.  At night, we crawl into our tent and fall asleep to the sounds of the night – no car horns, no sirens, and best of all no phones. It’s a welcome time-out from everyday life. 

One of the things I like best about camping and cottaging is that my husband’s so darn good at it. He knows exactly where to put the tent, exactly when and how to cook our meals, exactly how to start and keep the fire going.  All of these are things I could manage myself, I’m sure, but it’s much easier to sit back while he takes charge. I’m a bit of a control freak, and letting go at home doesn’t come half as easily – but when we’re away, I just don’t feel the same compulsion.

That little tent has lasted about 17 years now – turned out to be a good investment. Yet another example of the husband knowing exactly what he was doing.

 

“B” is for Books

I’m blogging A to Z during the month of April! Check back here daily (except Sundays) this month for a new post each time!

My love of books and reading is well documented; imagine my delight when I discovered that my foray into travel opened up entire new genres of reading material! Here are a few travel-related books that I’ve read lately, as well as an old favourite:

Life Nomadic

If you’ve ever dreamed of selling everything you own and travelling the globe for a while, this is a fairly light, informative read. I picked it up for my Kindle for free earlier this year, and promptly recommended and loaned it to my own teenaged nomad wanna-be. Tynan knows whereof he speaks, and it’s exactly his experience that he shares in this book. I found his information to be very practical and straightforward, as well as illuminating (cashmere socks, really?) The only thing I felt was rather vague was his insight on how to earn a living on the road -once I figure that out, I might be willing to give some of his other tricks and tools a try!

The Best American Travel Writing 2011

This was another Kindle purchase, but one I actually paid for. I was partly attracted to it by the fact that Sloane Crosley is the editor of this edition – I just loved her voice in I Was Told There’d Be Cake. This anthology features a variety of travel essays; they’re not just destination-themed travelogues, there’s some variety there. My favourite was a piece on the challenge of finding your way around – wherever you may happen to be. While I wasn’t crazy about all the essays – some just lost me, and I gave up – there’s enough here to make it worth the price.

Beauty Tips From Moose Jaw

This book was the Leacock winner in 2005, but I just got around to reading it in 2011. Will Ferguson is one of my favourite humorists, so I was looking forward to seeing how he would utilize his voice in a travel-themed collection. I wasn’t disappointed; he’s as funny and thought-provoking as ever! I also appreciated the glimpse into some of the lesser-known nooks and crannies of this great country of ours.

The Unofficial Guide to Walt Disney World – any edition

I’ve been buying this well-known guidebook almost annually since 1996 – whether I’m heading to WDW or not! Add to that the fact that only about 25% of the book is updated from each previous version, and you know I’m either weird, or it’s a really good book!

It’s a really good book. The authors and editors cover one of the most-visited places in the world with a combined sense of humor and total seriousness. They want you to have a good vacation -and they want you to laugh while you do it. Aside from the presentation, the authors get their facts straight, and provide you with useful, useable information. Sure, you can get info about visiting WDW almost anywhere these days – but I’ve yet to find an equal to the UOG, as it’s affectionately known amongst us Disney-philes. Even if you never use a touring plan, or check out a crowd-level, you’ll be glad you invested in the book. I’ve also checked out the UOG to Las Vegas, and it’s equally well done.

“C” you tomorrow!

“A” is for Airports

It’s rare to find anyone who has anything very positive to say about airports. While much is printed, blogged and tweeted about the hassle involved in traversing this no-man’s-land between here and there (wherever “here” and “there” happen to be), I can’t recall reading or hearing about anyone who’s been particularly happy about spending time in an airport.

Until now. I love airports.

I’m not what you’d call a frequent flyer – I’ve flown perhaps two dozen times in my life. And none of that internationally. And I can’t say that I’ve a specific airport that stands out as a favourite. But I haven’t yet met an airport I didn’t like either.

From Denver (the largest airport I’ve ever been in) to Elliot Lake, Ontario (I recall it was about the size of my living room), there’s something about the coming and going that I find at once soothing and exhilarating. Leaving home, stepping into the airport is the point at which I begin to truly feel “away.” Coming back from a trip, it’s once again the arrival at the airport that turns my attention away from the vacation just passed and toward home. For me, the stress of traveling- going or coming- stops when I get to the airport, not the other way around.

The airport is the world in miniature; I’ve never understood those who glue themselves to a movie or book for two solid hours before their flight leaves. Oh sure, I read; I also people watch, shop, eat, wander, eat some more. I particularly like browsing the news-stands; were it not for the aforementioned Denver airport, I likely never would have discovered Mental Floss magazine, for instance. My gut reaction to the plot of The Terminal was “how cool would it be to live in an airport?” It’s right up there with the concept of living in a shopping mall (thank you Richard Peck)

I’m sure part of it derives from when I was little; my grandpa would often take me out to the local airport to watch the planes take off and land. This was back in the day when anyone could get through the gate and go right up to the window. We’d watch a few planes, then adjourn to a nearby truck stop for  a snack. I even loved watching the baggage pickup – staring at that hole in the wall, trying to guess when it would spit out the first suitcase, and who it would belong to.

I’m the first to volunteer when anyone I know needs a ride to the airport. And I’ll even pay for parking and go in to wait when I’m picking someone up. It’s not as much fun anymore, with all the good stuff on the other side of security, but I’ll take what I can get.

What’s your favourite airport experience?

Let’s Go To The Movies

The movies figure prominently in my personal history – or at least, movie theatres do. For decades, family members ran two of the three local drive-ins. I’m just one of many cousins that count working the concession stand as one of my earliest jobs (my first, in fact!) Later, I’d work at the sole movie theatre at the time in Elliot Lake ON. (it appears the current version has two screens – I’d love to know when that happened!)

Because of this, and as a member of the last generation to meet the movies in a theatre – proscenium, curtain, balcony – as opposed to the multi-plex, I was pleasantly surprised to be introduced to this little gem during my trip to Ottawa last month.

According to its website, the Mayfair Theatre opened in 1932 and has never been owned by, or affiliated with, a major chain. My daughter and I visited on a Saturday evening – J. Edgar, starring Leonardo Dicaprio was playing.   We were the first customers of the evening; all told, there might have been 20 in the audience by showtime. I didn’t really take any pictures as we weren’t sure of the policy on that, and I’d already been admonished by a security guard in the Glebe for taking a picture inside the Fifth Avenue Court.

But oh! Did it take me back! The decor is classic movie house; glamourous and comfortable at the same time. It leaves you with the feeling that going to the movies is an “event.” So often now, between multiplexes and Netflix, there seems to be nothing special or unique about the act of watching a movie. But there should be.

And the best thing was the conversations it sparked between my daughter and I about what going to the movies used to be like. In addition to working tales and drive-in memories, I reminisced about the theatres my own hometown used to have – the Centre, the Park, the Palace.

I like the set-up at the Mayfair; if I were an Ottawa citizen, I’d definitely be buying a membership. On Oscar night, the theatre featured a live telecast for members, complete with liquor licence. What a night that must have been!

For anyone visiting Ottawa, if you’re looking for a break from the museums and parks, the Mayfair is a nice “something different” and the cost is reasonable. You can see what’s playing and when on their website. Go check it out!

P.S. Sadly, I can’t wax poetic about the movie itself. J. Edgar was not well written, nor was it well acted. And the makeup was awful. Two thumbs down.

Check the date!

How time flies! It seems like only yesterday that news of the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative was first announced, and then implemented. This, of course, required Canadians, many of whom had enjoyed travelling in and through the US for years, to now produce a passport upon entry to “the States” by land, sea and air. In fact, it was almost five years ago that discussion of this initiative first started, and almost three years ago (June 2009) when the policy came into effect.

For families like mine – where most of our travel took place in Canada and the US – this meant you needed a passport for the first time ever. Even if you were just making a quick run across the border for groceries. Or to pick up someone at the airport. Or to visit a friend. And also for families like mine, who weren’t prepared to shell out the cost of passports for everyone all at once, (they’re about $85 apiece!) you probably started getting your family’s passports one at a time, nice and early in advance of the deadline.

If this was your process, it’s time to start checking your dates – Canadian passports are typically valid for five years (three years for children under 3). Depending on when your family started acquiring their passports, the expiry dates may be approaching soon.

I know my passport isn’t exactly top-of-mind for me: it stays in a safe place 95% of the time. If you’re a passport holder who doesn’t travel outside of Canada often, it’s probably not top-of-mind for you either. You know you have it, and that’s enough -enough to safely envision that spur-of-the-moment cruise in the Carribean with a Detroit departure. But that expiry date can sneak up on you! And while simply having a valid passport may be enough for entry into the US, many countries you may ultimately travel to could require a certain length of remaining validity, like three or six months.

It’s time to check your expiry date, and figure out a system for keeping track of it. Maybe writing it down on your yearly calendar is the answer – a simple “renew passport” notation could be the answer. Or check it today, and then make checking the date part of your birthday routine every year.

After all, it would be a real downer to decide to jet off to Europe this summer and then discover you’d have to postpone your trip.

For more information about Canadian passport validity and renewal, visit Passport Canada.

Up On The Hill

Parliament Hill, that is, home to Canada’s House of Commons and Senate. No trip to the nation’s capital would be complete without taking time to drop by and check up on your elected Member of Parliament. ( mine did not appear to be present – his seat was empty)

Visiting Canada’s Parliament Buildings is surprisingly easy, considering that this is the centre of the country’s government. You just hike up the long curving driveway (private vehicles are no longer allowed to drive right up to the door), present yourself to the incredibly polite doorkeeper and say you want to take a tour. She tells you what time the next tour begins, and you’re set!

Well, not quite. This was my first time taking the official tour – the last time I was inside was for a private tour (long story) in 1993. Things have changed a bit, the most obvious one being the level of security. Now, upon entrance, you go through a security check very similar to, yet slightly more thorough than, what you’d encounter at an airport. There’s an x-ray machine for your belongings – we were required to power up our cameras and Kindles to demonstrate their legitimacy – and a metal detector to pass through. We were allowed to keep everything with us but our ice skates, which they tagged and sent off somewhere for us to retrieve later.

And then you’re in! With 45 minutes until the next tour, we were encouraged to view the Peace Tower on our own, as well as the public gallery of the House of Commons. I was very excited about this gallery sitting- husband frequently watches Question Period on TV, and I figured it would be slightly more exciting in person.

Lots of stairs - at least the MPs are getting their exercise!

To sit in the gallery, you go through yet another level of security- xray, metal detector – and then they keep everything. Everything -coats, cameras, phones, bags. They even made me take off my scarf. (perhaps they thought I might fashion it into a lasso and hogtie an MP?) In the gallery, each seat is equipped with an earphone that allows you to clearly hear what is being said below, in French or English. The security guard posted at the entrance will hand you a map of the House, so that you can see who sits where.

Except on a Friday afternoon, there’s no need for a map – there’s no one there! Only five or six MPs were present; it was explained that after morning Question Period on Fridays, most MPs clear out for the weekend, heading home to their ridings. (or perhaps they were heading out to Winterlude) There was an MP reading something, and another responding, but they appeared to be as bored as the spectators. We were tickled to see that one of the Conservative backbenchers present appeared to be preparing the mailer that goes to her constituents. Poor thing has to do her own folding and stapling!

We didn’t stay long in the gallery, and retrieved our camera and coats before heading up the Peace Tower.

Peace Tower Clock

View from the Peace Tower

The view is certainly glorious – and it’s a fun diversion to play count the Canadian flags from each of the four windows. If you can twist and angle your body just right, you’ll see you’re just under the clock. You also catch a glimpse of the bells as you ride the elevator up or down – if you’re lucky, you even get to hear them ring.

Immediately below is the Memorial Chamber, housing Canada’s Books of Remembrance.  It’s a sobering reminder of the sacrifices made by thousands of Canadians in time of war.

Then it’s time for the tour – you wait for your guide in a hall containing lists of the members of each Parliament. The guide then arrives, and gets things started. A frequent mention throughout the tour is the Fire – coincidentally, we were visiting on the 96th anniversary of the fire that destroyed the Centre Block in 1916.

The Senate

Portrait of Queen Victoria. Notice the crown to the right. There's a story about that.

On this day, we were not allowed to take pictures in the Library, which is a shame; the place is so beautiful, I could have stayed there all day. Then it’s on to see the Senate Chamber. Just outside the Chamber are the portraits of Canada’s monarchs through the ages. The portrait of Queen Victoria has a neat story attached to it, which our guide did not share. However, Alex has taken the tour 4 times in the last two years, so she told me. Ask your guide while you’re there. Inside the Chamber, the murals depicting scenes from the First World War are breathtaking.

Two of the Famous Five - and me!

After your tour has concluded, you can wander the grounds outside and see the statues and monuments. The one I make sure never to miss is the one depicting the Famous Five. I’m not an art or statue kind of girl, but there’s something about this one that just speaks to me.

Like all good attractions, the Parliament Buildings do have a gift shop, which you can visit before going outside. It’s very small, and the merchandise is limited -I’m not sure who would be in the market for golf club covers that say Parliament Hill, Ottawa on them. There are some nice artistic prints available, and some interesting books about Canada’s government and history. Oddly enough, there are also action figures of past Prime Ministers, but only two – Sir John A MacDonald and Sir Wilfred Laurier. Each figure is dressed in the common style of their time, and has a small side table as an accessory. MacDonald does not come with a miniature bottle of whiskey, which I think would increase sales.

Oh, and by the way, admission is free. If you arrive outside of a tour time, or after the buildings have closed to the public for the day, you can still tour the grounds yourself. I did just that in 1993 – and bumped into my local MP in the rear parking lot!