Cuba to remain American free, methinks...Whistler tix on sale...More Blue Rodeo

A couple months ago it was all the rage. U.S. President Barack Obama was at last going to lift the gates on American tourism to Cuba.

Stacks of New Yorkers and Miamians would flock to their local airports and hop on planes to embrace the heady culture of Havana and the endless beaches. Thousands of blenders would be fired up to greet them on the ground with minty mojitos, and tourism in Cuba would skyrocket.

It sounded too good to be true. And I suspect it is. There was a report from Time online yesterday that said a U.S. lifting the ban on American travel to Cuba is, quelle surprise, stalled in the House of Representatives. The bill apparently has cleared one committee but truculent congressmen in two other House bodies might make sure it doesn't even come up for a vote this year.

On a scale of 1-10, I'd have to think Cuba's embargoed status is about minus-173 on Obama's to do list. My goodness, the economy is in near disaster mode down south, he's dealing with the horrible situation in Afghanistan, not to mention Pakistan and a very strident Russia...and now he's trying to put his stamp on the Middle East peace process, and he's gonna worry about little old Cuba and give the Republicans another sword with which to slice and dice his political capital between now and the mid-term U.S. elections in November?

I'm no expert on American politics. I did grow up there and studied political science in university, however, and I still think I have at least a vague idea how things play out with our neighbour to the south. And I just can't see the Obama administration going to the trouble.

The bad news is the lack of competition might not drive down prices the way some thought, although prices are already quite good for a Cuban holiday. The good news is you won't have to elbow anyone from Michigan out of the way at the buffet table in Holguin come January.

BRRRR....IT'S HAPPENING, FOLKS....

Saw a tree that was more red than green on a bike ride in North Toronto on Sunday. That's not good. Now comes word that, and I can hardly bring myself to type this, (sniff)...now comes word that 2010/2011 Whistler Blackcomb early bird season passes have gone on sale.

Basking in the aftermath of the Winter Olympics and what they say is 1,025 centimeter (404 inch) snowfall average, folks at Whistler Blackcomb say that from now until Oct. 11 an unlimited Season Pass is available for $1,349; a saving of $350. Unlimited Season Passholders get unlimited access to the PEAK 2 PEAK Gondola between Whistler and Blackcomb mountains year-round, both winter and summer.

I've had a chance to ride the gondola twice, and it's a hoot and-a-half. Beautiful in winter, as you can see at left, but also lots of fun in the summer if you get the chance to check out British Columbia next year.

ADRIAN BRIJBASSI ROCKS OUT IN STANLEY PARK

I wrote last week about seeing Blue Rodeo, my favourite band on the planet, perform at the Molson Ampitheatre. Naturally, fellow Star Travel dude Adrian Brijbassi was out west and saw them sing outdoors at Stanley Park in Vancouver on the weekend. He, of course, had to trump the travel editor by filing a report on the beauty of it all. I'm not jealous. He did a nice job, as you can see below. I just hope he enjoys that nice two-week trip to Serbia next January for our "Testicle Cooking Festival" special section.

By Adrian Brijbassi

VANCOUVER - The B.C. bud was fragrant as several hundred Blue Rodeo fans helped Greg Keelor celebrate his birthday on Sunday night at one of the country’s best open-air venues, Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park. After the crowd belted out “Happy Birthday”, Jim Cuddy serenaded his partner-in-rhyme with “Try” (kind of a creepy choice for the moment, but hey, it’s Vancouver). The highlight was a lengthy jam on “Five Days in May” as Cuddy again sang better than a white, heterosexual man should be able. Keelor usually regales the Vancouver audience with “English Bay” and the story of how he wrote that tune about long-distance love while watching the waves from the Sylvia Hotel, but this time he did the haunting “What Is This Love?” Almost thought Sarah McLachlan would walk out on stage at that moment. Kudos to the crowd who were on their feet a lot – a nice change from many previous sit-on-your-hands-like-you’re-a-hostage audiences. Another great show from these Canuck icons!

Now, if Cuddy would only share his favourite travel stories with Travel Editor Jim Byers – that’d be an encore!

Weird foods of the world...A testicle festival in Serbia...Monday Travel Photos

Sorry to interfere on what you were hoping might be a normal Monday, but there's pretty weird stuff going on out there, folks.

Associated Press carried a story on the weekend about a remote Serbian mountain village called Ozrem, where they had the World Testicle Cooking Championship. Visitors get to watch cooks fry, flambe, broil and boil everything from bull to camel to even kangaroo testicles, which you'd think might be hard to get past customs. I mean, they give us a hard time when we bring cheese home from Europe, right?

"Bulls testicles are the best, goulash style," said last year's winner, Zoltan Levai.

"I came here last year and decided to come back," said Anna Wexler, originally from New York (that explains it) and now a citizen of Israel. "It was delicious. There was testicle moussaka, goulash, stallion, boar, bull and many other things."

I can only imagine what the trophy looks like.

Serbia, of course, isn't the only place in the world with unusual cooking habits. I was served bee pupa in China a few years ago, as well as snake. It wasn't bad. I'm not into things like liver or kidneys, but I did try some sweetbreads at a posh Toronto restaurant a couple months back. I wouldn't have them again, but I don't think there's anything wrong with eating just about anything that makes you happy.

We North Americans are pretty squeamish about such things. I did a Google search on weird food festivals in the U.S. and didn't come up with much. There's a zucchini festival in Eldorado, Ohio every year where they serve "zorn dogs and zice cream," which sounds pretty gross. They have a Spam Jam in Hawaii every year, Hawaiians being quite fond, for the most part, of the canned meat. You can go into a lot of shops and find Spam Sushi; a slice of spam on a roll of sticky rice wrapped in seaweed. It's pretty decent.

I also spotted something called the Weird Food Festival in Van Nuys, California; a part of Los Angeles in the San Fernando Valley. Apparently it's grown a bit, but it started out in some guy's apartment when he and his friends dined on Limburger cheese, Indian pickled mango and ketchup chips, which are still pretty exotic for Americans.

MONDAY PHOTOS

I've been lucky enough to see some pretty cool places in the world, so I thought I'd share them from time to time with a Monday mini-photo spread. Here's a few from the past few months; one of a lovely sunset at a friend's cottage in Muskoka, a shot at Sugar Beach here in Toronto (not far from the Star's office at Yonge and Queen's Quay) and, just for a hint of exoticism, a nice hillside village in Corsica.

Star guy Adrian Brijbassi gets a Vancouver food tour from legedndary Vikram Vij

Star Travel writer/organizer/web guy/deputy editor in all but title Adrian Brijbassi is wrapping up his vacation out west, but couldn't resist filing a blog post on the restaurant scene in British Columbia's biggest city. Specifically, he got to take a tour with the hugely talented Vikram Vij.

 

VANCOUVER — Vikram Vij isn’t just one of Vancouver’s leading restaurateurs, he’s also a fan of the city’s eclectic food scene. The other day he took some time to introduce me to a couple of recently opened spots in areas where tourists may not think to venture for fine food.

 

The first was Campagnolo, a charcuterie at 1020 Main Street, close to the Pacific Central bus terminal. Campagnolo (www.campagnolorestaurant.ca) cures all its meats on the premises, a sure sign of a restaurant serious about charcuterie. It also serves a range of reasonably priced cuisine, including pizzas, salads and a must-try appetizer of pan-fried chickpeas with mint and citrus. The wine list is short, but it has a strong mix of provincial and international selections. A moscato from Italy was a refreshing finish, similar to an ice wine but not as sweet.

 

The room was airy with understated décor, adding a classy touch to a part of town long known for dive bars and seedy nightlife.

 

“You may not expect to find a restaurant of this calibre here, but things are starting to change,” Vikram says.

 

Stop No. 2 was Bao Bei, a Chinatown restaurant that’s only been open for a few months and was doing brisk business midweek. It’s fusion cuisine includes Shao Bing (braised pork on a sesame seed flatbread with Asian pear), grilled squid with pork belly and bok choy, and a delicious beef tartar topped with quail’s egg and served with lotus root chips. Really interesting stuff from chef Joel Watanabe.

 

Bao Bei (www.bao-bei.ca) is tucked away at 163 Keefer Street, not Pender, which is the main street in Chinatown. It’s also not far from Main and Hastings, the notorious corner where Vancouver’s drug culture is on cringe-inducing display.

 

“Again, location doesn’t matter as long as the food is good. You can see they’re packed, so word is getting out,” Vikram says of Bao Bei, whose name means “treasure” or “precious”. “And you can see from the sign it’s called a ‘Chinese brasserie’. That’s saying something about where they want to go and it takes some guts to do this kind of food.”

 

We finished the night at Chambar, the Belgian restaurant that opened a few years ago and has turned into a favourite in town. Along with great mussels and scallops, Chambar has an outstanding beer selection and brews its own ale and lager.

 

As you’d expect with a local celebrity, wherever Vikram goes there are plenty of people who wave and come over to shake hands. The front-of-house staff at the restaurants are happy to see him and chefs drop by the table, eager to hear what he thinks.

 

“Vancouver isn’t like other cities. We all support each other, we all want to see each other’s restaurants do well,” says Vikram, whose own establishments — Vij’s and Rangoli — continue to do amazing business. Waits are now three hours for a table at Vij’s and about an hour at Rangoli. Both restaurants (www.vijs.ca) are on 11^th Street, just off of Granville.

 

Vikram will be moving to a new 2,400-square-foot location on Cambie Street soon, allowing him to meet the demand.

 

In the meantime, he has a new cookbook (“Vij’s at Home”, co-written with wife and chef Meeru Dhalwala) that’s already sold thousands of copies in Canada, and he is helping to set up the second annual Canadian Chefs’ Congress, which takes place in Duncan, B.C., on Sept. 11-12. Some of the nation’s leading chefs from each province and territory will cook for 500 invited guests and select media members.

Great stuff, Adrian. Thanks. And now, back to your regularly scheduled blogger, Jim Byers.

NEW YORK FASHION DEALS

NYC & Company, New York City's marketing, tourism and partnership organization, announces more than 40 NYC hotel properties are offering Fashion’s Night Out packages during the month of September

Deals include discounted room rates, gift cards, continental breakfast, complimentary cocktails, Fashion’s Night Out clothing items and canvas tote bags for shopping sprees on September 10. Some of the hotels participating in the City celebration include 6 Columbus, Fashion 26, Hudson New York, Paramount Hotel New York and the Mandarin Oriental, New York

In an effort to increase visitation and consumer participation in the Fashion’s Night Out fashion show on September 7 at Lincoln Center and the citywide shopping event on September 10, varying special offers will start September 1 and run until September 30.

Not that you needed another reason to go to New York, but there's also the newly opened Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC hotel. Some of you may have heard of the Gansevoort down in the meatpacking district, with its cool rooftop bar. This is a new Gansevoort up at 29th and Park, on the edge of the quiet but well-located Murray Hill area.

The p.r. folks tell me it's 20 storeys with "249 elegant, generously-sized guestrooms averaging 475 square feet with loft ceilings, and 37 suites ranging from 560 to 1,550 square feet, many with balconies and floor-to-ceiling windows."

Just be prepared: introductory rates at Gansevoort Park Avenue will start at $395 USD per night from August 26 to September 7. After September 7, 2010, the rates at Gansevoort Park Avenue NYC will start from $495 USD per night.

BLUE RODEO ROCKS

This has very little to do with travel, but I guess I could point out that the band is in Vancouver this weekend. Anyway, I caught Blue Rodeo's Molson Ampitheatre Show at Ontario Place Thursday night, and it was awesome.

The keyboard player, Michael Boguski, was spectacular all night, but especially during a raucous version of crowd favourite "Five Days in May." He really pounds the keyboards. And I've always loved drummer Glenn Milchem's work; powerful yet also restrained when required.

The usual singalong to Greg Keelor's "Hasn't Hit Me Yet" was wonderful, and Jim Cuddy did some real rocking out on his guitar. It's a shame we haven't heard bassist extraordinaire Bazil Donovan croon of late, but there's always next year.

My wife and I have now seen these guys 20 or 25 times. We kinda lost count, but we started going around 1988 and make it a regular show at the ampitheatre and at Massey Hall, where we always order the second seats go on sale and usually get the second or third row. Insanely great shows.

It was funny to see several elderly folks with canes at a rock concert, as well as a few kids. The group in front of me featured a boy of about 10 with two adults in their late 20's or early 30's, plus an older guy who turned out to be former CFNY deejay Don Burns! They had a fabulous time, bopping and rocking all night long.

If you've never seen Blue Rodeo, you're missing a group of real Canadian icons. There's not a more passionate, tuneful, musically talented and enjoyable band on the planet.

Now, if I can only get Jim Cuddy to call and tell me about his favourite travel spots I'd really be in heaven....I'd even buy him a glass of his favourite red wine.

 

Go Media/Canadian Tourism Commission wraps up in Toronto...Crazy Mexico tours

Thanks to the folks from Edmonton for a nice closing night at Go Media, the annual Canadian Tourism Commission session for journalists and travel folks to mix and mingle. This year's event was held here in Toronto, and the Tourism Toronto and Ontario Tourism folks did great work as hosts at receptions on Monday and Tuesday night. Last night it was Edmonton's turn.

They had mimes and jugglers, who were trying to convince skeptical reporters just how easy juggling really is. I suspect there are better places to toss balls in the air than crowded ballrooms filled with candles and glasses of wine, but that's just me.

They also had a band called The Bea Arthur's - three guys with a set of drums and two ukeleles. They wore short pants, blue and yellow argyle-like socks and short-sleeved white shirts with blue and yellow ties. It was a bit like AC/DC meets golfer Payne Stewart. They played some Lady Gaga and other stuff, then had a great time with Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody.

The final band was Souljah Fyah, a fine reggae style outfit. I was hoping for a deejay to play Jumpin' Jack Flash but it didn't happen. Maybe next year!

OKAY, I DON"T GET THIS

Reuters carried a story the other day about how some travelers to Mexico, mostly Europeans, are signing up for "undercover tours" in a lousy part of Mexico City, which is rife with drug dealers, prostitution and pirated goods. Others are heading to Hidalgo to do bizarre simulations of the treks made through Mexico by illegal immigrants.

I think the latter is particularly disgusting. There's nothing amusing about a desperate search to find a better life for yourself, and to do a "simulation" of the dangers people face trying to escape to the U.S. or another country is, I think, hugely disrespectful. That's the case any time, but especially when looks at the papers today and sees how a band of some 70 or so people trying to get to the U.S. were slaughtered by Mexican drug cartel members.

Folks clamouring for family sections on airplanes? Sure, but why stop there?

I see that 60 per cent of people surveyed by a company called Skyscanner say they'd be in favour of family sections on airplanes.

I gotta admit it's an interesting thought. Right now you get little tykes sprinkled all over the place, and you never really know if you're going to be safe from Little Johnny. (Don't get me wrong; I adore kids. I have three. They were all pretty well behaved on airplanes, mostly because my wife was smart and packed lots of things for them to do and eat and drink).

Writing in USA Today, Gary Stoller said that "Skyscanner posted the poll on its site Aug. 11-23, after a confidential settlement last month between Qantas and a 67-year-old American passenger who sued the Australian airline after a 3-year-old screamed on her flight last year. The woman complained of excruciating pain in her ears and was taken to a hospital before the Darwin-bound flight departed from Alice Springs.

Most poll respondents in favor of creating a families-only section said they don't have young children and "want to sit as far away as possible" from them.

Skyscanner spokeswoman Mary Porter says results of the unscientific poll are not surprising. A previous poll found that young children are the "most annoying" factor on flights. "I can still remember that feeling of dread when you found yourself seated next to a baby on a long flight," Porter says. "However, since regularly flying with my 1-year-old, I am much more aware of what a stressful and often embarrassing situation it can be for parents.""

Personally, I wonder why we would stop there. It makes sense, perhaps, to have no-peanut zones on airplanes. I read the other day that they have them at ballparks in the U.S., which allows parents of kids with peanut allergies to safely sneak their child off to the old ballgame. That makes sense.

Maybe we could try the following, too:

- Steven Slater-free zones

- No turning on your Blackberry until we actually, truly, really reach the gate zones

- No overt snuggling zones. Nothing wrong with a little smooch, but getting all lovey-dovey on an airplane is embarrassing to those around you, folks. You want to get lucky, try the mile high club in the washroom.

- No "Rush" zones. Flying is stressful enough. If I hear Geddy Lee at 35,000 feet I'm gonna hurl.

AIRPLANE MEALS COOKBOOK

As Dave Barry might say, I AM NOT MAKING THIS UP.

It seems that Singapore Airlines' has published a cookbook. Yes, that's right. An airline cookbook.

The press release I got said the book is called "Above and Beyond: A Collection of Recipes from Singapore Airline's International Culinary Panel."

"Dispelling the myth that airline food can't be of high quality, the cookbook reveals the complexity and exacting, attention-to-detail required to create meals on an airplane that appeal to a discerning clientele."

OMG.

Singapore says it serves 55,000 meals a day and that they follow a "regimented menu process that scrutinizes all elements of food preparation, including texture, freshness, seasonality and presentation. The chefs employ their deep culinary knowledge to deliver a unique and enjoyable experience aboard Singapore Airlines, unlike that of any other carrier."

I've never had the pleasure of flying on Singapore, but it's probably better than American Airlines "great pretzel recipes of the 20th century."

KING EDDY HOTEL TORONTO

Thanks to the folks at Le Meredien King Edward in Toronto for putting me up last night, allowing me to save a commute back home and then a quick turnaround for today's Go Media breakfast at the Canadian Tourism Commission meetings in downtown Toronto.

It was a rather large room, at least 400-450 square feet, I'd say. Comfortable bed, nice desk, a great bathroom with a ton of marble and lots of counter space and a great shower. Nice and roomy, and bigger than some entire hotel rooms I've had in England.

They even had a place in the shower to put your shampoo! You know, one of those molded soap holders that goes into the wall to allow you to rest your soap or razor, what have you. This sounds simple but I've stayed in two hotels in the last couple months that had straight walls in the shower with no place to put ones belongings, which I found utterly bizarre.

The room was large, but it might be time for a remake. There was a ton of chintz; the curtains, the photos, the wallpaper in the bathroom. It probably goes over well with older folks who like to take tea in the afternoon, but it was a bit over the top. Also, I didn't get my 7 a.m. wakeup call. That's not good if you're on business.

(Maybe you didn't hear, but how about golfer Jim Furyk missing his alarm on Wednesday at a golf tourney in the U.S.? He was late for the pro-amateur tournament and had to forfeit his participation in The Barclays tourney, which starts Thursday. Yikes).

The Consort Bar is a good, solid hotel bar with nice views of King St. I thought they were a little shy in terms of original drinks/martinis, but the prices were more than reasonable. And the lobby is as lovely as ever.

Go Media/Canadian Tourism Commission conference off to musical start

Cool tunes Monday night at the Royal Conservatory of Music, thanks to Tourism Toronto.

This week marks the annual Go Media session sponsored by the Canadian Tourism Commission, a wild couple days of networking by travel folks and "speed dating" between travel/tourism reps in Canada and journalists from all over North America and beyond. Basically, journalists sign up for a 10-minute chat with a tourism rep and then dash from table to table in a big room, learning all about what's new in Saskatoon/Sault Ste. Marie/Squamish and then do it all over again. It's kinda fun, but exhausting.

Anyhoo, because this year's event is in Toronto at the Royal York Hotel, the folks from Tourism Toronto had the job of hosting the opening night soiree on Monday. They had hoped to do the steel band outside on Philosopher's Walk next to the University of Toronto, but rain forced them to have the music inside the new glass conservatory building. Not their fault, but it was a touch loud so I sauntered upstairs for something a little quieter. They had dynamite East Indian food and a great atmosphere upstairs.

The Toronto people took advantage of the city's diversity and had various food stations representing different neighbourhoods. There was a lovely risotto with mushrooms (at first I thought it looked like oatmeal; guess I need new glasses) from Little Italy and a great souvlaki from Greektown.

There was the steel band, as I mentioned, but also a lovely sax player belting out tunes like "The Girl from Ipanema." Oh, and Caribana girls. Several Caribana girls. I seem to recall someone taking my photo with a few of them, but I haven't seen the evidence.

It was a fun evening, followed this morning by a breakfast put on by Tourism Saskatoon. They put on a Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan Festival in Saskatoon every summer, and the actors are pretty good. They had a fellow playing Shylock from Merchant of Venice this morning, and he was particularly talented. But somebody missed the memo about keeping these things brief, and instead of a 10-minute preview they put on a half-hour show on a day when many tourism/travel people had a hugely busy day of appointments to get ready for. I don't want to criticize the folks in charge. And, like I say, the acting was mostly very good. But someone didn't understand the time constraints of the audience.

Onwards and upwards, however. Tonight there's a Tourism Ontario event at the Distillery District, one of my favourite parts of town for sure. It should be a good night.

A NIGHT AT THE STRATH

Rather than sleeping at home and getting up early for the breakfast today, I opted to spend Monday night downtown. The Royal York was fresh out of rooms, so I wandered off to the Strathcona Hotel for the night.

I remember the days when you wouldn't send your brother-in-law to the Strath, but I'd heard they'd fixed things up and I was curious. It was a small room, for sure, but quite nice. Hardwood floors, nice linens, a hugely comfortable bed, a flat-screen LG television, an iPod docking station/radio, a small desk and a shower with decent water pressure. You don't need much more than that.

They had white, wooden shutters on the windows, which was kinda neat, and some very cool mood lighting built into the wall next to the headboard. I'm told rooms down low can be loud but I was on the 11th floor and didn't hear a sound.

I didn't check out the restaurant or the facilities, but at $209 for the night (taxes included), it's a decent room in a great location. A touch pricey considering the size of the room, but quite satisfactory in style/comfort.

Star Travel guy Adrian Brijbassi meets some B.C. characters. Go figure!

HAIDA GWAII, B.C. — Good guy Duane Foerter of the Queen Charlotte Lodge is one of those characters you sometimes meet on a journey who amaze you with their knowledge of their surroundings. Foerter is from small-town Ontario (Clifford, near Kitchener, to be exact), which makes his deep understanding of this remote part of British Columbia all the more incredible.

 

Duane has committed to memory a bounty of information about the Haida people and their history on these more than 100 islands. As the Queen Charlotte Lodge’s marketing manager, Duane is looking to develop new products to complement the world-class salmon fishing program the lodge offers. One of those activities incorporates a visit to the unmarked historical site of Kung, an abandoned Haida village on the north end of Graham Island, about a 10-minute boat ride from the lodge. Kung means “dream town” and it definitely has a mystical, almost spooky feel to it. A walk through its spindly Sitka spruce trees and centuries-old mortuary makes you think it could be a good setting for the next Blair Witch movie. Kung was once home to more than 350 Haida, including chief Albert Edward Edenshaw, before European trading shifted south, forcing relocation of the First Nations group.

 

Since arriving in Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) nearly 30 years ago, Duane has developed a passion for the history of the tribes (Haida are divided into two groups, Eagles and Ravens, and they’re supposed to marry each other, and because it’s a matriarchal society children belong to the tribe of the mother).

 

“This is a fascinating culture. These people used to be called the Vikings of the North Pacific because they were the most feared of all the First Nations people in this part of the world,” says Duane, who is “as white as they come.”

 

Duane’s also become an accomplished angler and boater. He took me out for some halibut fishing and we brought up two good-sized ones within 15 minutes of dropping our lines into the water. We also managed to hook the propeller and in MacGyver-esque fashion, Duane stepped over the back railing of the boat to uncoil the line. While leaning over on the propeller stand, he patiently undid the line as the Pacific rocked the small fishing boat from side to side, keeping me clutching onto a rail for balance.

 

When asked how a guy who went to Ryerson for photography and is nicknamed “Shooter” learns to do something like that, Duane says, “Oh, you know, you just sort of pick these things up.”

 

Duane’s photos are all over the lodge and on its website (www.queencharlottelodge.com). When he’s not behind his desk replying to emails and devising marketing strategies, he’s out on his boat taking photos of the lodge’s guests as they reel in salmon and halibut. The dramatic photos are so good it’s not hard to imagine seeing them in National Geographic Traveler. A slideshow of the guests in action is shown in the lounge at night. The photos also help promote the Catch & Release program because it documents the moment. “People want the proof that they’ve caught it,” Duane says. “Once they have that in the form of a photo, they’re more likely to release a fish.”

 

Women Get Hooked

 

Another diversifying option Duane and the lodge are looking at is Romantic Getaways. A spa is now on the premises and more and more women are showing up, and having success at fishing. Burmah Martin, who has 18 grandchildren, caught three tyees (Chinook salmon larger than 30 pounds) during her four-night stay. Andrea Dietel of Missouri reeled in a 48-pounder and two more fish greater than 35 pounds. “We’ll be having a barbecue when we get home,” she says. But if there were more activities beyond fishing, the lodge’s clientele could be broadened.

 

One option is a romantic cookout on the edge of the lodge’s property, away from the guest and staff quarters. As an example of what the lodge is thinking, chef Jin Chong set up a grill as the sun set behind Naden Harbour. He prepared a delicious clam bake, along with grilled steak and scallops, and beef carpaccio, and served it with wine on a candlelit table for two. Then graciously left.

 

He crunched through the grass and his feet knocked rocks on the beach as he walked away, leaving behind the moonlight and the kingfishers’ whirr. It was a gorgeous setting that exemplified the beauty and ruggedness of the north.

 

Hemingway Moment Gone Wrong

 

The cookout dinner was a relaxing end to a stay that was sometimes hairy. When Duane had untangled the propeller I also asked if he ever gets nervous on the water, he said, “Yeah, there are times when you feel like you’re in over your head out here.”

 

So it was for me when I took a boat out without a guide and headed for the fishing grounds, which are about 30 minutes from the lodge if you go at 4,500 rpm. I had never driven a boat except for those miniature ones you guide with remote control, so this didn’t seem like a bright thing to do, but the guys at the dock said it was no problem and Duane told me the boats were custom built so guests could take unguided trips. The steering is mounted on a centre console, not a rear propeller that you must constantly tug.

 

Okay, I said, I’m game.

 

Things started out well. An eagle swooped overhead as it dropped down to pluck a fish from the serene waters of Naden Harbour. An unforgettable sight. But as soon as I got out of the harbour, the clouds turned dark, the waves swelled to eye level and I got nervous. If I went over the waves too fast, the boat flew and landed hard. If I went too slow, the waters jostled the vessel from side to side. I couldn’t find the right feel.

 

A dockhand had set me up with one pole with one herring as bait on it and assured I would catch a fish. Rather than turn back and disappoint him, I kept going for the fishing grounds. I wobbled my way there — in nearly two hours.

 

The tide was going into the harbour, so I turned the boat in that direction figuring it would save me time because I would drift back in while I fished. I put the rod on the downrigger and trawled for the one salmon I was hoping to bring back. Turns out I’m no Hemingway in more ways than one.

 

Keith the “fishmaster” saw something wrong with my line and drove his emergency vehicle beside me then hopped onboard. I hadn’t positioned the rod properly in the downrigger and had attached a clip too far down on the line, preventing the bait from going out far enough to be effective. Keith set me up again then got back onto his boat, which the lodge uses to communicate with anglers by radio and to help those who need assistance on the water.

 

It wasn’t long before I saw the line rattling. I took the rod out of its holder and reeled. Whatever it hooked was pulling me to the back of the boat. I let it run then reeled then let it run, the way I’d learned from the experts at the lodge. Whatever I’d snagged was damn strong. I kept tugging and tugging. Eventually, the line snapped, cutting my hand. Figuring whatever it was had gotten away, I hung up the pole and headed back to the lodge. More dark clouds came and this time they brought rain. I went back in at 3,200 rpm, soaked and in near-panic. Just as I hit the harbour, the engine cut out. Panic went to terror for a moment when the boat didn’t restart on my first try. A couple of more turns of the ignition key and it was on. When I got back to the lodge, the sun was out, an eagle was waiting for fish (not from me, of course) and a dockhand told me the engine went out because a line was tangled on the propeller. Turns out the thing that fought my rod so hard out on the water was my own boat: Fitting, since it was a challenge in more ways than one on that day.

 

Back in Vancouver …

 

There’s no better way to celebrate survival — and a birthday — than with a meal at your favourite restaurant in the world. Thanks to Vikram and the staff at Vij’s and Rangoli for another memorable visit!

 

 

Rising travel stars: Oslo, Kiev, Havana, Mexico City and London Ontario????

Okay, those are cities you don't over see sharing the same headline. But a couple reports that floated across my desk recently showed that those are among the cities (there are more surprises below, so stay tuned) that have seen the highest increase in searches at cheapflights.ca, cheapflights.com and cheapflights.co.uk.

It sounds kinda weird, but here are the numbers.

In North America, Havana in the first part of this year saw its number of searches at cheapflights.ca go up by 92 per cent. Mexico City searches jumped 83 per cent, which was TIED WITH OUR OWN LONDON, home to the University of Western Ontario Mustangs. Next in the North America category was Deer Lake, Newfoundland with 74 per cent more searches this year than last, followed by Kelowna and Abbotsford B.C. at 70 percent, and a three-way tie between Toronto, Hamilton and Fredericton, New Brunswick, at 67 per cent.

A word of warning here is that these were searches for flights, not necessarily expressions of interest in flying to and staying in those destinations. London is a growing hub for southern Ontario, so perhaps some folks simply wanted to fly in or out of London. But it's also getting bigger by the day, and folks down there tell me there are fine hotels and restaurants, so perhaps some people were looking for an alternative to Toronto.

Cheapflights.ca site editor Oonagh Shiel said in a press release that sites such as London, Deer Lake (a lovely part of Newfoundland, by the way) and Kelowna (a stunning part of B.C.) are making a recovery from the 2009 economic downtown and also have had successful promotional efforts and additional flights, which is what I suspected was part of the increased search numbers.

As for the bottom feeders, cheapflights.ca found that searches for some major American destinations were way down in the first part of 2010, suggesting folks were taking vacations within Canada. Clearwater, Florida searches were down a rather dramatic 24 per cent, while those for Detroit (gee, imagine that) were down 18 per cent and searches for Raleigh-Durham were down 17 per cent.

Traffic on the sister sites of cheapflights.com and cheapflights.co.uk also showed some interesting results. Searches in 2010 were up 149 per cent for Oslo, Norway (see photo at right) over the 2009 numbers, while searches for Kiev, Ukraine went up 142 per cent and searches for Budapest jumped 129 per cent. Tirana, Albania, for goodness sakes, went up 124 per cent. (In all seriousness, I've heard Albania can be pretty cool. Still a bit dodgy in terms of service, but a lovely coastline with a quarter of the crowds of nearby Croatia).

HOTWIRE CANADIAN HOTEL STUDY

Hotwire.com has issued its August hotel price survey for Canada. The company found that rates in Halifax dropped 15 per cent compared to August, 2009, with a 3.5 star property being available for just $84. Prices in Barrie dropped 12 per cent with a 3-star property going for $83, while prices in Oshawa-Whitby fell nine per cent. A three-star property in Oshawa-Whitby could be found for $72 this month, they said.

London, which I mentioned above as a hot search spot on cheapflights.ca, saw a 5 per cent drop in hotel rates in August, according to hotwire. The company said a 3.5 star property in London could be had for just $74, and that's pretty good.

MY KINGDOM FOR A FRIDGE

A study by J.D. Power and Associates and Homewood Suites by Hilton found that complimentary Internet (HOORAY) is the most important in-room amenity these days. Which makes sense in our plugged-in world, and in a world where more and more of us are working late into the evening.

In addition to talking about free Internet (DID I MAKE MYSELF CLEAR ON HOW I THINK HOTELS AROUND THE WORLD NEED TO MAKE THE INTERNET FREE?), a whopping 83 per cent of those surveyed said they often work in the evenings or on weekends, an increase of 11 per cent over figures in 2000. Which suggests Europeans are right; us folk in North America take work far too seriously.

Anyway, in addition to FREE INTERNET, the survey found folks really want an in-room kitchen, stocked with requested food. Of course, they're all working til midnight and have mortgages to pay to greedy banks and can't afford to eat out, so it makes sense they want a kitchen.

Respondents also said they could use a microwave, as chances are that even if they DO make a meal in their in-room kitchen the boss will call and demand an hour of their time while their spaghetti with Ragu sauce goes cold on the counter and congeals into a massive, cold mountain of glue.

I've never stayed in one of their properties, but Homewood folks say they've begun something called "Distinctly Homewood" enhancements, with a "30-day rotational menu which includes a daily, full hot breakfast and evening meal with drinks every Monday-Thursday." They say they also have  added better TV's in the rooms, as well as granite countertops, wood laminate flooring, better bedding and improved fitness equipment.

Star Travel guy Adrian Brijbassi gets out-fished in beautiful British Columbia

Star Travel writer Adrian Brijbassi continues his west coast odyssey. Today he checks in from his fishing trip. I've also included a post from Wednesday...

HAIDA GWAII, B.C. Having never fished, I had no appreciation or understanding for it. That changed when
Paul Clough, owner of the Queen Charlotte Lodge, took me out on the Fish Finder, his aptly named,
custom-built, 600-horsepower beauty of a boat.

Clough and his wife, Cynthia, are quite the team, readying multiple lines on the Fish Finder, baiting them
with anchovy and moving deftly around the edges of the boat even with wine in hand and cigar between lips.

         "This is how you fish," Cynthia, a one-time Canadian Olympian, said with a big, delightful grin after a sip of chardonnay.

The previous night, the lodge provided a unique way to learn how to deal with the salmon that run through the waters of Haida Gwaii, the northern wilderness area of Vancouver Island that's sometimes called the Galapagos of the North for its natural wonders. The Queen Charlotte Lodge has a salmon simulator game that's a lot of fun and surprisingly realistic. It was set up in the lobby after dinner and you hold a rod that's hooked up to the game console while trying to get the feel for when to let a fish run and when to reel it in.

Remembering those lessons and with Paul and Cynthia's help, my wife Julia and I both actually did what we thought was impossible before we arrived here: we caught salmon with something other than a fork. It was exhilarating, an adrenaline rush that can quickly make you addicted to doing this.

"We take people out because Cynthia and I enjoy turning them on to fishing. We want to see others enjoy this as much as we do," says Paul, who often hosts staff members, corporate clients and other guests on the Fish Finder.

In about an hour of fishing, we caught six small salmon, which we hope to barbecue next week when we're back in Vancouver. That was a puny take compared to what others brought back to the lodge. There were several tyees - Chinook salmon larger than 30 pounds - hauled in on the day. Notably, one 43-pounder wasreleased back into the waters.

"All the lodges here do a good job of informing guests about how we want to conserve and replenish the salmon stock. We encourage guests to release the large fish back into the waters. It's good for the gene pool. Big fish breed big fish," says Paul, who first came to the lodge in 1993 as a guest and bought the 20-acre property six years later.

"I had been to all the lodges in the area and this one was by far the best."

The lodge, which has been featured on a World Fishing Network reality-TV series, rewards guests who hook tyees with the honour of ringing the dockside bell. They're also feted with gold and silver pins at an evening presentation ceremony.

In a few hours, I'm heading back out to the Pacific - on my own this time- to see if I can reel in a whopper alone. Although I'd be happy with just survival.

---------------------------

HAIDA GWAII, B.C., Aug. 18, 2010 — Even up here, at the farthest edge of the country’s west coast, a Maple Leafs fan can’t escape the jokes.

“I take so much abuse here over the Maple Leafs,” laments Chris Paterson, a chef on the MV Driftwood, a
floating vessel that belongs to the Queen Charlotte Lodge.

Paterson is in his fourth season working in Haida Gwaii, which was officially known as the Queen Charlotte Islands until June, and is one of the more than 70 staff members of the lodge catering to about 80 guests.

On the Driftwood, Paterson serves up chowder, burgers and smokies to the anglers who descend on the north Pacific chasing the chief, or tyee, a Chinook salmon 30 pounds or greater. (Adrian - I think he serves chicken, too, or that's a pretty funny-looking burger hanging above his head - Jim).

Prior to joining for the lodge, Paterson was a chef in the Turks & Caicos. Although he’s been away from Toronto for more than a decade, he maintains an apartment in the GTA and hope for the city’s woeful hockey team.

“I always tell people to remember that we have the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto and the Stanley Cup is there all the time,” he says.

In Haida Gwaii, Paterson lives on the Driftwood with other staff from the ship and those guests who don’t stay in one of the main lodge’s rooms. The reason guests may opt for the Driftwood is because it’s in the middle of the fishing action in Haida Gwaii, considered by many fishermen to be the best salmon fishing spot in the world. You can wake up, set your line over the ship, have breakfast then head out on a lodge-provided boat into the ocean to challenge the tyee.

Even those guests of the Queen Charlotte Lodge who don’t stay on the Driftwood can enjoy the food Paterson and others prepare. When you float up to the lodge, you catch sight of a number of the lodge’s sturdy fishing boats docked on the sides and deckhands ready to reel you in for lunch.

The Driftwood is the complimentary pitstop for those anglers who get hungry but don’t want to travel back
into Naden Harbour and the lodge, which is about a 15-minute boat ride away.

“The salmon fishing here is the best you’ll find, but there’s so much more than that,” says Paterson, who has caught a 40-pound tyee since he started working for the lodge. “I see humpback whales and orcas on a regular basis. We stand here and we watch eagles all day. If you want to see the real wilderness, this is
it.”

The Queen Charlotte Lodge is featured on the reality-TV series “The Lodge” on the World Fishing Network
and has built a reputation for offering luxury stays in one of the most pristine wilderness settings
contained in our country — or any other. We’ll have more reports from the lodge and Haida Gwaii in the
coming days.

Cool ideas for boosting service...and tourism numbers...in the Caribbean

Had breakfast earlier this week with Hugh Riley, secretary general/CEO of the Caribbean Tourist Organization.A good guy. More importantly for you the traveler, he's got some terrific ideas on how to make the Caribbean even more attractive for Canadians and other visitors. (It would be hard to make anything more attractive than the beach pictured at right, Sugar Beach in St. Lucia, but there you go.)

Riley has stayed at many hotels over the years, and used rental cars and other travel services. He often fills out suggestion forms where customers can critique the cleanliness of a hotel room or comment on other issues.

His idea? Do that for the entire Caribbean, so that visitors would fill out a "total customer satisfaction" report.

"We have things like blue flags to rate our beaches, and hotels get ratings. But what about other issues such as road signage for visitors, or customs and immigration service, or simply day-to-day travel experiences? We should be rating those and giving overall ratings to countries. Nobody on the planet has done this to my knowledge."

I think it's an incredible idea. Of course, some folks might not like the ratings. But a poor report card would help people identify their problems and improve their service. Or, as Riley puts it, "a rising tide lifts all boats."

Riley said the issue is due to be taken up at a conference of tourism officials in the Caribbean in October. October 25-29 is Caribbean week in Toronto, with lots of fun events in store.

"It's always been something a hotel or a restaurant can do," Riley said of a rating system. "But what if you're staying in a villa or a private residence?"

Riley said he doesn't want the Caribbean to lose its laid-back charm.

"We don't want to be regimented. But an important part of a visitors' experience is fine service."

Riley said there would have to be some major training and education elements. Some improvements would be costly but many would be simple and cheap.

"For example," he said. "I had to take a business trip to Toronto a while back and I was really stressed about it. I was tired and busy and didn't really feel like it. I got to Pearson and got a cab downtown. The bellman grabbed my bags and when I got to the sidewalk he looked at me and said, "Good evening, Mr. Riley. I hope you had a nice trip. Welcome to the Intercontinental Hotel."

Riley said he couldn't believe it.

"All that tension just disappeared and I felt incredible," he said. "I don't know, but he probably just looked at my name on the baggage tag."

It's a small thing and it didn't cost the bellman or the hotel a nickle. But it made Riley feel like a million bucks, and that's something special for anyone in the tourism biz.

Canadian visits to the Caribbean were up 1.1 per cent over the first six months compared to the first half of 2009, Riley said, with almost 1.7 million visits between January and June of this year. Overall visits were up 3 per cent, which is quite good in a tough time.

"Canadians feel almost a family connection with the Caribbean," he said. "They tend to stay longer and not just do the "fly and flop" thing. They want to be involved in cultural events and activities.

"I go to Oistin's (a famous beach area in Barbados) and the Canadians are there every time," he said with a laugh. "I see them on the stage. They like to let their hair down."

Romance is a big part of the Caribbean's lure, and Riley said he's seeing a very steady bridal market and more destination weddings.