Mission District of San Francisco: history/great food ... Deal of Day:

For years I’ve been getting nudges from the San Francisco tourism folks to check out the Mission district.

It had gone from something akin to derelict to a trendy, fun area and was well worth investigating, I was told. Even our former mayor, David Miller, mentioned it in passing one day when we chatted about his travels.

I finally got around it on a recent visit, and had a great time. Mind you, it was one of those postcard-perfect spring days in the city; about 18 or 19 Celsius with hardly a whisper of wind and the chill-inducing summer fog still (they hope) weeks or even months away.

After circling the area for 20 minutes to find a parking spot (hint to visitors; take one of the many public transit options, or even take a short cab ride from downtown; the parking scene is a nightmare), we finally pulled up in front of a small, storefront church called the Voice of Christ Full Gospel Church that had a white zone painted on the curb; meaning we could park as long as services weren’t going on. We took the chance and left the car on a nearby street, then walked back to Mission Dolores (formally Mission San Francisco de Asis, named after St. Francis of Assisi), the heart of old San Francisco.

The mission was founded June 29, 1776 (oddly, just five days prior to the birth of the United States) by Father Junipero Serra, the wandering priest who set up missions up and down the state and who is possibly the father of modern California and certainly of Spanish California. According to the website, it's the oldest intact building in the city of San Francisco and the only intact Mission Chapel in the chain of 21 established under Serra's direction.

It’s a basic, white adobe structure at the base but there are towering, glorious spires with ornate carvings and green-gold domes that look very much like a cathedral in the south of Spain.

For a couple bucks you can take a short tour of the grounds and the church, which is well worth the effort. The church has brilliantly coloured stained glass windows that feature missions up and down the state. You’ll see Santa Barbara with what looks like an angel or Santa Barbara herself floating above in a cloud and streams of golden light shining down on that city’s classic, hilltop mission; a highlight of any visit to Santa Barbara by the way.

Outside there’s a beautiful tile mural in a small, pretty courtyard that shows Spanish missionaries at work in what would become the Golden State. There’s a small exhibit of local native culture; displays of pyramid shaped homes built with leaves or strips of bark, arrowheads and other nods to the indigenous people the Spanish were trying to “save.”

Best for my money was the small cemetery on the south side of the building, where the first headstone I spotted was in memory of a certain Henry Valley of Lower Canada, who died in 1854. There are a ton of headstones for Irish immigrants, too, and it’s all set in a pretty, tree-covered yard with towering evergreens, impossibly pink-and-white roses and perky yellow daffodils, at least in mid-April.

As we walked down Dolores St. we passed Mission Dolores Park, which was filled with maybe 100 folks doing outdoor yoga in the sun and kids playing soccer and Frisbee and lovers resting on blankets below those famous pastel San Frandisco homes of sunny yellow and creamy Delft blue.

We were headed for lunch at a fabulous restaurant on Mission called Foreign Cinema that the tourism folks had recommended. We walked past colourful murals on the local community centre showing what looked like Adam and Eve (I think) on the shores of San Francisco Bay, as well as a block-long painting dedicated to the hometown baseball heroes; the San Francisco Giants. Below a likeness of 1960’s pitching star Juan Marichal (I saw him pitch a no-hitter at Candlestick Park when I was a kid) were the words “All of us are created equal, Some of us grow up to be Giants.”

Foreign Cinema sits on what still looks like a slightly dodgy but very much up-and-coming stretch of Mission St., with old theatres and tumble-down shops alongside trendy bars. They show old movies on a giant sheet in the evening in the covered courtyard, but during the day Foreign Cinema is a bright, cool spot with a sunny indoor seating area with light-wood and high, white ceilings and a beautiful wood floor. There’s an adjacent courtyard (where the movies are shown at night) that’s covered with opaque cloth that lets in plenty of California light. The outdoor seating area also is sprinkled with old, clunky metal speakers from a drive-in movie theatre; a fun touch.

There’s also a very cool art display space next door with plenty of great local art to gaze at.

The food, of course, is the main attraction. And it didn’t disappoint.

The cocktails are named after movies; a nice nod to the Foreign Cinema angle. There’s a Last Tango In Paris with Plymouth gin, Seville orange, St. Germain liqeur, lemon and egg white (no butter, sorry) and also one called the Motorcycle Diaries, featuring Diplomatico rum, pineapple, lime, Velvet Falernum and mint. There’s a good selection of beers, including locally produced Anchor Steam, and also lots of awesome wines, more French and Italian then California (again, in line with the foreign theme). I can attest to the taste of the St. Germain with sparkling wine, St. Germain liqeur and lemon and also the “A Very Long Engagement,” with sparkling wine, brandy, lemon and peychaud’s bitters (delicious).

Being brunch and all, we had to try the homemade pop tart; a large, flaky pastry dusted with sugar and filled with strawberry jam. Later we tired some outstanding halibut tartare tostadas: small corn tostadas stopped with fresh halibut and spiced with wasabi, radish, daikon and Serrano chilies. A definite kick but oh-so-tasty. I wasn’t overly fond of the fishy tasting brandade: whipped cod with potatoes, thai chilies and grilled bread. But the Robust Persian flat omelet was fabulous, featuring  garlic, onions, sliced avocado, angel hair potatoes and outstanding tomato jam.

Even better was the calamari, done Oaxacan (Mexico) style in a small bowl with tomato, chick peas, peppers and hot peppers, served with homemade tortilla chips. Yum.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal for a lovely looking Costa Rica rainforest resort for just $925, including $330 in taxes.

 

• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star Villas Sol Hotel, located in Liberia, Costa Rica
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• Accommodations in a Supersaver Studio, featuring 1 double bed (Max occupancy: 2 adults) or a Hotel Room featuring 1 King or 2 Double beds (Max occupancy: 3 adults or 2 adults + 2 children)
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks

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Offer Details

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American Graffiti flashback ... China conquering tourism world ... Deal of Day

I try to stick to travel themes and news in this blog. But occasionally travel can take you to a rather personal space, so allow me a small indulgence today.

To set up the story, I've got to go back in time a bit. I grew up in a small town outside San Francisco called Castro Valley; a semi-rural (at the time) township where former Blue Jays General Manager Pat Gillick once worked on a chicken farm that was either owned by my Uncle Jerry or was right across the street (neither of us could quite figure it out last time we talked).

It was so traditionally American that it's to laugh; mostly white, fairly conservative, with jocks occupying the top of the social ladder and a main drag where folks would actually cruise on a Friday night in 1974. Much like they do in Modesto, California in American Graffiti, which I watched Thursday night on a flight from Toronto to San Francisco, which is kinda the theme to my Friday posting.

The movie, a masterpiece in my humble opinion, came out in the early 1970's. And it was hugely popular at my high school, where I was (sorry if this sounds like bragging) senior class president and reasonably well known if not top of the social scene. I was getting ready to head out of town to go to university in Los Angeles. A few kids in my high school were going to university in the Bay Area, but only a few of us were venturing so far away.

It's not quite like American Graffiti, where two of the four main male characters are spending their last night in Modesto before (they think) heading East to college. But it's similar.

The joke in my high school, I guess, is that I was something of a Ron Howard (see photo above) kind of guy. Pretty straight, involved in student council, all that. I didn't date the head cheerleader like Howard's character, Steve Bolander. A shame, that.

At the end of the film, Steve reverses the course he talks about all movie long and decides to stay with his pretty girlfriend in Modesto. His buddy, Curt, played marvellously by Richard Dreyfuss, opts to ignore his previous instincts and fly east to explore the world.

The similarities between Bolander/Howard and I were strong enough that when the time came for my high school paper to put out an end-of-term, pretend look at where various Castro Valley High students would be in ten years, some smart-ass dplace me in the same spot as Bolander. The school paper story mirrored the end of the movie by stating that 10 years after graduation I'd be the same as Ron Howard's character, namely "Insurance Salesman, Modesto, California."

It was pretty funny, I gotta admit. And I've laughed about it over the years whenever I've thought of the movie or of Modesto or my semi-awkward days in high school, where I really wanted to be the cool football player and not a student council geek.

I got on the plane on Thursday night to fly back to my childhood home to visit my Dad in the San Francisco Bay Area. I scanned the movie list on Air Canada and, lo and behold, found American Graffiti. I watched it and smiled and laughed and thoroughly enjoyed every minute of a marvellous, marvellous movie that's touching and ironic and interesting and fun and wonderful in every way.

I've thought about the movie a lot over the years. I had a great time at UCLA and took a trip to Europe after I graduated. In Italy I met a wonderful girl from Don Mills who I ultimately fell in love with. I ended up moving to Toronto in 1981, where I've been working in journalism (32 years at the Star come August) ever since.

Anyway, as the movie ends, they flash up the main characters and explain where they were later in their pretend lives. I laughed when I saw the bit about Steve Bolander being an insurance guy in his hometown. But what slew me was the next part, which I'd completely forgotten about. The next sequence in the bit about "where are they now" is an update on what happens to Curt (see photo), the Richard Dreyfuss character who left the clutches of his small town home for a college life back east. What do they have him doing? "A writer living in Canada."

Wow. All these years I've laughed about being pegged as the insurance guy, played by Ron Howard. Instead, my life arc took me in the direction of Richard Dreyfuss, who became a writer living in Canada.

I was freaked out. I mean, what are the odds of a movie that takes place in a town so similar to where I grew up plays out so much like my life, and then my watching it for the first time in years on a plane from Canada, where I work in journalism, back to my Modesto-like home town in California? It was so bizarre. I was gobsmacked and had to get up and shake out the cobwebs. One of the flight attendants asked me what was wrong, so I guess I was either white as a ghost or talking to myself. Or both.

I explained the whole movie/life thing to her. I think she thought I was nuts. And maybe I am. But it just slays me. I mean, whoever wrote that high school story and put me as Steve Bolander had the right movie, just the wrong guy. I was Curt, Steve's best friend. But I guess I could easily have been Steve if I hadn't wanted to see the world a bit. Or maybe if a cute cheerleader had thrown her arms around me after a drag race crash and begged me not to leave my hometown for the lights of L.A.

Life is like that. You take a left turn walking down the street in Barcelona and in seconds you find something that changes your life. In my case, I was in Rome in 1979 with some girls who I liked a bit but not a lot. We were supposed to meet at the main train station in Rome one morning and travel together to Florence. I couldn't find them so I hopped on the train and started chatting with one of several girls travelling together. One of them ended up being my wife of nearly 32 years, bless her patient soul.

Typing up this blog on Friday I'm still shaking my head over the movie and how it intertwines with my life. And I'm glad I wasn't one of the other main male characters in the film. John Milner, the tough guy/racer with a heart of gold, ends up being killed by a drunk driver. Terry, the nerd who dates the goofy, ditzy blonde, ends up dying in Vietnam.

I got to be the writer living my dream job in a great country like Canada. How lucky is that?

CHINA ON THE MOVE

I wrote the other day about how China has become the number two source of tourists for Canada, surpassed only by the United States. Now I see there's a United Nations World Tourism Organization report that saw CHina is the top tourist source market IN THE WORLD.

I guess it was only a matter of time, but in 2012 Chinese folks spent $102 billion abroad.

Back in 2000, only 10 million Chinese went abroad. Last year? Try 83 million.

In 2011, Chinese tourists spent 73 billion dollars abroad. Last year it was $102 billion, an increase of 40 per cent, said Xinhua news agency in China.

Amazing.

Back in 2005, China was seventh in terms of international tourism spending. Now they're on the top of the heap. And I can't see them giving up the title any time soon.

Also rising up are Brazil, wiith $22 billion in spending, and Russia, which saw international spending jump 32 per cent last year, according to Xinhua.

No wonder every tourism board in the world is chasing the Chinese, Russians and Brazilians.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for a crazily priced Sunwing flight from Toronto to Amsterdam, set at just $599 all in. That's less than a flight to Vancouver a lot of days.

Jaunt Highlights

• Sunwing prides itself on providing you with the best in-flight services and entertainment equipment.
  Your return airfare to Amsterdam includes:
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  • Hot towel service

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• See famous art in the Van Gough museum and Rijksmuseum
• Soak up the cozy charm or gezelligheid

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World's least visited countries/A Barenaked Lady does travel TV/Deal of Day

We all know about the countries that get the most tourists: Italy and France and the U.S. and all that. France had 79.5 million visitors a year, which is tops on the planet. But what about the places that see the least number of visitors?

 I ran across a great list the other day, from the United Nations World Tourism Organization and blogger Gunnar Garfors. These are all countries that contrast - just a bit - to France's numbers, with visitations ranging from 73,000 down to a mere 200. Most are in the poorest parts of Africa or scattered across the Pacific Ocean.

Here's the list.

25. Dominica, 73,000. Pretty Caribbean country (see rainforest photo at right) but small.

24. Chad, 71,000. Not so many tourists given political unrest in this part of Africa.

23. Central African Republic, 54,000. One of the poorest countries in Africa, but apparently there are nice river trips you can take.

22. Liechtenstein, 53,000. Sandwiched between Switzerland and Austria, it's a country I actually drove through once. Pretty spot. I think I stopped. For a minute. I don't remember.

21. Djibouti, 53,000. Said to have great diving. And a great, great name.

20. Sierra Leone, 52,000. Great beaches, Garfors said.

19. Tonga, 45,000. One of those tiny Pacific countries, with fab coral reefs but few tourists.

18. East Timor, 40,000. Political issies keep folks from visiting what's said to be a pretty country connected to Indonesia.

17. Bhutan, 37,000. I keep reading this spot in the Himalayas is the happiest country on earth. Maybe because they don't get many annoying tourists.

16. North Korea, 35,000. Safe to visit. Unless you run into Dennis Rodman.

15. Libya, 34,000. Do I really need to write anything for this entry? I didn't think so.

14. Guinea-Bissau, 30,000. Another poor Afircan country.

13. Mauritania, 29,000. Not much to see in this part of west Africa. Nice camels, though (see pic below).

12. Federated States of Micronesia, 26,000. Hard to get to, but beautiful.

11. Solomon Islands, 23,000. More beautiful South Pacific scenery but not a lot of flights in. Country includes Guadalcanal, site of one of the worst battles of World War II.

10. Afghanistan, 17,500. I'm shocked that many people go, to be honest. Looks beautiful in photos but way too many other things going on.

9. Comoros, 15,000. Garfors says great seafood in this island spot north of Madagascar, and mosquitoes not as bad as folks think. Still, I'll take a pass.

8. Sao Tome and Principe, 8,000. This island spot is said off the coast of west Africa is said to be the smallest nation on (or near) the continent.

7. Turkmenistan, 7,000. I can't think of anything to say about this central Asian country. Not quite as crazy as North Korea, says Garfors.

6. Equatorial Guinea, 6,000. I think there are too many countries in the world with Guinea in the name.

5. Marshall Islands, 5,000. Fab diving but even I, a map freak, couldn't find them on the globe without some help.

4. Kiribati, 4,700. Wikitravel says this nation of Pacific atolls is friendly but that "South Tarawa is one of the most densely populated, severely poverty-stricken places in the world."

3. Tuvalu, 1,200. Rising tides could make this Pacific nation disappear. So boogie on down to Tuvalu while you still can. Said to be the third least populous nation on earth, smaller only than Nauru and Vatican City.

2. Somalia, 500. See entry for Libya.

1. Nauru, 200. Not far from Kiribati (hey, a new tourism slogan!). The smallest nation on earth, just 21 square kilometers and just under 10,000 residents. If it was downtown Toronto it would, of course, have 1.6 million inhabitants in 86 storey condos with shards of broken glass littering the sidewalk. A troubled economy and a fair bit of poverty, apparently (see photo at left). Garfors calls it the only country in the world with a capital but I don't know if that's true. Lots of phosphate mining and some beautiful water.

BARENAKED LADY ON TV

Travel+Escape and Farpoint Films say they'll begin production on a new TV series called The Illegal Eater, and that former Barenaked Ladies frontman Steven Page (remember him?) will star.

The 13-episode series will debut this fall and feature Page "on a mission to hunt down clandestine dining experiences as he explores the tastiest, creative, underground and often illegal spaces that chefs around North America have to offer."

"My passion on the road has always been to obsessively research the foods, restaurants and markets that make each place I've played different," said Page. "Often, newer trends start underground before breaking through on the public's palate, so I can't wait to explore everything from fancy, underground supper clubs to hole-in-the-walls."

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on hand for a week in sunny Samana in the Dominican Republic, priced at $791 (including $392 in taxes).

Jaunt Highlights

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• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
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Ten places I'd rather be today ... Bogart festival in Key Largo ... Deal of Day: Italy

I've just about had it.

I love this city. I really do. But I HATE WINTER AND I'M SICK OF THE COLD. I mean, has anyone looked at the forecast for the next couple days? Two degree highs from now til the end of the weather page on the back of the Star's sports section today.

TWO DEGREES? IT'S ALMOST APRIL!!!!!

The Weather Network forecast this morning shows the temperature climbing all the way to six degrees by next Thursday. Woo hoo!

Geez, I know it'll warm up eventually but I could really use a blast of heat. Which brings me to this list of 10 places you should check out if you feel the same way; all of them places I've had the good fortune to visit in the last few years.

1. Tahiti. Okay, it's expensive to get there, but it's one of the most beautiful places on the planet; crystal clear lagoons, green, jungle clad mountains rising into an impossibly blue sky, great food and warm, friendly people. The most romantic place I've ever stayed in my life was an overwater bungalow (alas, I was on my own) at Le Taha'a Resort. Unbelievable. Bora Bora is a prettier island, as is Moorea (see photo at right at the fabulous and affordable Club Bali Hai resort) But I liked that bungalow the best.

2. Dunedin, Florida. Last chance to catch the Jays in person before they fly north for their home opener. Maybe the last chance to see Ricky Romero in a big league uniform for a while, too, given talk that he might start the season in the minors.

3. Jamaica. You could try one of the all-inclusives but I had a fabulous time at Jake's at Treasure Beach a couple years ago. There's not much in the way of a beach, but the coastline is beautiful and there's a small pool. Best of all is that fun, funky spirit of the place, which has rooms that feel like Morocco meets the Caribbean and great staff. Dougie the bartender is a treasure.

4. New Zealand. It's just turning fall down there now, but the weather is still pretty great. It's supposed to be 23 degrees in Auckland tomorrow. It's a cool city with a great harbour and excellent food. Tremendous beaches are close by, as is Waiheke Island, which has not only great beaches but world-class wineries, olive orchards and inventive, local cuisine. It's still pretty warm down on the South Island these days, too. Queenstown lies on the shores of one of the prettiest lakes you'll ever see. And the Pinot Noir they make at nearby wineries is to die for.

5. Santa Barbara, California. Great wineries, terrific food and beautiful scenery. The beaches are long, the hotels are terrific and the red tiled roofs and towering palm trees paint a pretty picture (see photo at left).

6. Corsica. Okay, it's only 16 degrees today but it's a lot better than here. It's a great part of France, with historical ruins, glittering beaches, great local wines and absolutely tremendous food. An easy flight from Paris or Marseille.

7. Hawaii. Anywhere in Hawaii. I prefer Maui because it was my family's semi-annual vacation spot for years, but Kauai is beautiful and the Big Island has tremendous variety, including the volcanoes and huge ranches with cowboys, called paniolos. I recently wrote about Lanai, which is tons of fun. And don't forget Oahu. Waikiki is fabulous, and Honolulu is a fun, cosmopolitan city with great food and culture. There are great hiking trails and incredible beaches all over the island of Oahu, which doesn't get enough exposure in my book.

8. Barbados. Terrific golf courses and endless, sunny beaches in the west. On the east side, you can find casual restaurants and rum shacks and windswept beaches that go on forever, often with big surf. Don't miss a chance to visit the eccentric and highly entertaining Hunte's Gardens.

9. New Orleans. Again, absolutely killer food and a great cocktail scene. But also tremendous history in this whirling melting pot of a city (see photo at right). I've got a story on New Orleans in Star Travel tomorrow.

10. Australia. Sydney is one of the great cities of the world, with picture perfect beaches like Bondi and Manly, an outstanding harbour, great architecture (well, the Harbour Bridge and the Opera House, anyway) and great food. I had a great visit to Dunk Island, up near the Great Barrier Reef, after the Olympics in 2000. And I was lucky enough to take a trip to Uluru (formerly known as Ayers Rock) and the outback a couple years ago, a near religious experience. A country with a little bit of everything.

VOGUE PUMPS UP TORONTO

Despite the weather, Vogue Magazine is touting our fair city. A story I spotted on their website (via Twitter) talks about taking urban trips for March break and names Toronto, Istanbul, Dallas and Lisbon as "four of the buzziest cultural capitals."

HERE'S LOOKING AT YOU, KID

Nice item here from Associated Press on a cold, dreary morning. (Wait, did I mention that already?)

Key Largo will celebrate the 65th anniversary of the movie "Key Largo" with a film festival honouring the movie's late star Humphrey Bogart.

Bogart was married to Lauren Bacall, who also starred in the movie. Their son Stephen Bogart is scheduled to headline several events at the Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in Key Largo May 2-5, including a May 2 cocktail reception that he will host with film critic Leonard Maltin. The reception will be followed by an outdoor waterfront screening of the movie.

The 1948 movie "Key Largo" told the story of a group of gangsters holed up in a hotel with the hotel owners and others during a ferocious hurricane.

The festival will feature screenings of additional Bogart films and other classics. Cruises will be offered on the original, century-old African Queen, the boat used in the Bogart film of the same name. Registered as a national historic site, the vessel was relaunched in 2012 following a $70,000 restoration.

Stephen Bogart will also host a "Casablanca"-themed Bogart ball May 4 at the Hilton Key Largo Resort with a Moroccan-themed dinner where Maltin will speak about Humphrey Bogart's contribution to the film noir genre. Tickets to the ball are $175 per person.

Tickets to individual screenings are $10 each. Details at http://www.bogartfilmfestival.com.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on offer for fabulous Tuscany for $2,647, including $498 in taxes. As a guy who met his wife in Florence, I highly recommend this part of Italy for a romantic getaway. Even if you don't drink wine.

Jaunt Highlights

• SAVINGS: Save $300 per couple off regular rates!
• 9-Day/8-Night Dolce Vita in Tuscany, Italy Coach Tour, featuring visits to Cinque Terre, Florence, wine tastings, a cooking class, and much more!
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• 8 Nights' accommodation at 4-Star Hotels featuring rooms with private bath or shower, 2 single beds or 1 double bed. Hotels include NH Hotel Excelsior in Siena, Italiana Hotels Florence and the Grand Hotel Beverly Hills in Rome.
• Includes transportation via motorcoach, boat and train, services of an English speaking guide, and all entrance fees as per itinerary
• 16 meals including daily breakfast, 4 lunches, 4 dinners, one including a ¼ litre wine & ½ litre water

• Experience a real Italian cooking lesson in Tuscany
• Sample the robust taste of Italian wines in the countryside they're created in
• Stay in luxurious 4-star accommodations

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on June 6, 2013
• Pricing (rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Toronto:
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  Single: $2849
  Triple: $2099
  Tax: $498
  
  We also offer other departure DATES and GATEWAYS.
  Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
  
  
• Includes all taxes and service charges
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

Via Rail gets more entertaining ... Transat attendants falling ... Deal of Day: DR

Train trips with VIA Rail are about to get a little better.

Canada's rail giant has announced that they'll now be showing CBC news and other shows on board their trains, as well as top documentaries and other entertainment.

Starting in Spring 2013, the new interactive digital platform will provide passengers on VIA trains in the Windsor-Quebec City corridor (sorry, that's all for now) "free access to Canadian programming, including CBC/Radio-Canada TV shows programs, documentaries and animation from the NFB, and "Heritage Minutes" vignettes and Memory Project veteran interviews produced by The Historica-Dominion Institute."

Over time, they said, entertainment will be added from other organizations.

"Over the past two years, VIA Rail passengers have become accustomed to world-class Wi-Fi on our trains. Today, we are pleased to extend our Wi-Fi offer with entertainment and information produced by Canadians, for Canadians," officials said.

Okay, it's not quite Netflix. But it's certainly a nice step, and fitting that the content will be Canadian.

The VIA press release says the "on-board entertainment initiative required a total investment of $543,000 by VIA Rail. This program is part of VIA Rail's modernization plan launched in 2007, and was made possible by the nearly $1 billion in capital funding announced by the Government of Canada since 2007 to rebuild aging equipment, refurbish stations, upgrade infrastructure, improve accessibility and support critical information technology projects."

Rail officials posted a YouTube video about the coming system, which you can find here.

FAIRMONT ANNIVERSARY DEALS

The legendary Fairmont Banff Springs hotel is celebrating its 125th birthday with a year-long deal. The special 125th Castle Celebration Package offers two nights in luxury and a daily resort credit of $125. Guests can enjoy sumptuous dining with expansive mountain views, golf on the world-famous Stanley Thompson golf course, hikes down the Spray Valley to the site of the original Rundle stone quarry or a sojourn in the world-class Willow Stream Spa. Available year-round, rates start from $359 per night with a minimum two night stay.

This is also an eventful year for Quebec City’s Fairmont Le Château Frontenac, which Fairmont said "is celebrating 120 years as the most photographed hotel in the world." The 120th Anniversary Package highlights the Fairmont Le Château Frontenac’s inauguration in 1893 with a special rate and historic gift. The package includes accommodation in a Fairmont room, a full buffet breakfast for two at Le Café de la Terrasse restaurant, a vintage reprint poster of the famed Château Frontenac, and access to the hotel’s indoor pool. Available through June 24, 2013, rates start from $189.30 per night (to celebrate the hotel’s opening in 1893).

(I don't know about that most photographed hotel in the world bit. But it probably makes sense when you think about the hordes of tourists in and around Quebec City in summer. There's no way to quantify these things and I guess there could be a hotel somewhere next to a famous landmark that has its picture taken more often, but I can't honestly think of one. I mean, there's no Hyatt Machu Picchu I know of and there's not yet a Comfort Suites at the end of the Golden Gate Bridge or a Ritz Carlton under the Eiffel Tower.)

In Arizona, Fairmont Scottsdale Princess is celebrating a quarter century of luxury. The AAA Five-Diamond resort’s 25th Anniversary Early-Bird Special is perfect for a summer getaway. The package includes nightly accommodation and a daily $25 USD food and beverage credit. Available for stays from May 27, 2013 to September 2, 2013, rates start at $125 USD per night.

TRANSAT CHANGES

The Star's Vanessa Lu reports on looming changes to staff on board Transat flights.Writing in today's paper, she says that because of stiff competition in the leisure travel business, "Air Transat’s flight attendants have agreed to $9 million in cost-saving measures.

About 1,750 flight attendants, represented by the Canadian Union of Public Employees, voted 66 per cent in favour of the company’s plan, which will reduce the number of flight attendants on Airbus 330 wide-body planes to 10, from the current 11.

“They haven’t touched our salaries,” said Peter Buzzell, president of CUPE’s Air Transat component, in an interview. “Working with one person less, that just means we have to work a little bit harder.”

 

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY: DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal on tap for the sunny D.R. this week for $1,087, including $388 in taxes.

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save $300 per couple with Jaunt compared to what you'd pay for the same vacation on other sites!
• BONUS: ACV Privileges featuring exclusive check-in/check-out, 4 guaranteed a la carte reservations, 20% spa discount, and more!
• All-inclusive 7-night stay at the 4-Star Grand Bahia Principe El Portillo, located in Samana, Dominican Republic
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Samana, and round-trip airport/hotel transfers
• Accommodations include a Standard Room featuring 1 king or 2 twin beds and a balcony or terrace. Maximum occupancy: 2 adults, or 2 adults and 1 child
• Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks
• The exquisite natural beauty on the Samana peninsula
• It's a charming property that's perfect for family getaways
• Close the beautiful town of Las Terrenas

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on March 17, 23 & 24, 2013
  Other DATES and GATEWAYS available. Call us at 1-855-687-5925.
• Pricing (Rates are per person, plus tax):
  
  Toronto:
  Double: $699
  Single: $1039
  Child: $699  
  Tax: $388
  
  
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

The Florida Keys ... Canada shines in tourism report ... Deal of the day: China

"It's a Caribbean-like destination with the safety and security of the United States."

That's a pretty good, one-sentence description of the Florida Keys. I'd take credit, but the line comes from Keys tourism spokesman Andy Newman, who gets to spend his time promoting a beautiful and exotic slice of American travel versus, say, Minot, North Dakota.

"You can dive and fish in all the areas of the Keys, but we really have five distinct areas, each with its own forte," Newman said in a recent visit to these parts. "Key Largo is great for snorkeling and scuba and features John Pennekamp Coral Reef State Park, the first underwater park in the U.S. Islamorada (see photo of the Morada Bay resort at right) is great for sport-fishing. It's said there have been more world fishing records off Islamorada than anywhere on the globe. Marathon is great for families as no point of the Keys is more than 90 minutes away. That means you can experience everything and not have to change hotels. And there are two centres for swimming with dolphins."

Newman said Big Pine and the lower Keys is a great eco-centre/wildlife refuge, with herons and mangroves and excellent kayaking/canoeing. It's also where parts of PT 109, the movie about the World War II service of U.S. President John F. Kennedy, was filmed. Little Palm Island and the nearby water stood in for the South Pacific in the film, he said.

Then, of course, there's Key West, with the Hemingway House and the Harry S. Truman Southern White House and great bars and restaurants and colourful houses. There's also a great deal of culture, including the Tennessee Williams Theatre and occasional symphony performances. Also on the cultural side, there's the Morada Way arts and cultural district on Islamorada. Newman said they do art walks with music and food every third Thursday to celebrate the upper keys culture.

If you're heading down in May, you also can check out the Humphrey Bogart Film Festival in Key Largo (where else) from May 2-5.

All in all, an outstanding - and convenient - destination.

CANADA RISES A BIT IN WORLD TOURISM REPORT

The World Economic Forum put out its 2013 Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Report the other day, and Canada moved up a notch from 2011, taking over the number eight spot.

The report is based on "factors and policies to make it attractive to develop the travel and tourism sector" in countries around the globe.

Topping the charts this year was Switzerland with a 5.66 score, followed by Germany and Austria at 5.39. Then came Spain and the UK at 5.38 each, followed by the U.S. (5.32), France (5.31), Canada (5.28), Sweden ((5.24) and Singapore (5.23). The next ten were Australia, New Zealand, Japan, Hong Kong, Iceland, Finland, Belgium, Ireland and Portugal.

Europe kicked massive butt in this report; nailing down the entire top five and placing 13 entries in the top 20.

As for the bottom 10, the 131-140 spots were held, in order, by Madagascar, Algeria, Yemen, Mauritania (I guess the GET MORE IN MAURITANIA campaign isn't working so well), Lesotho, Guinea, Sierra Leone, Burundi, Chad and Haiti.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY: CHINA AND HONG KONG

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal for a great, 23-day trip to China and Hong Kong, priced at $4,249.

Jaunt Highlights

• EXCLUSIVE SAVINGS: Save over $4000 per couple, when compared to similar packages on other sites!
• 23-Day China In-Depth Tour, including a Yangtze River Cruise, visits to the Ming Tombs, the Great Wall of China, Hong Kong Island, and more! 
• Includes round-trip flight with Air Canada from Toronto, Calgary or Vancouver, to  Beijing, airport/hotel transfers in China, and all transfers throughout the tour
• Accommodations in 4 or 5-Star hotels. See Offer Details section below for hotels included (based on double occupancy)
• Includes Visa (valued at $115pp) and gratuities for local driver & guide (valued at $265pp)
• Includes meals throughout the tour (as indicated in itinerary below)
• Includes accompaniment of an English-speaking guide and all required entrance fees (as per itinerary)

Why We Love It:

• Experience rural China and its bustling metropolises
• Includes a visit to Hong Kong
• See the Great Wall, the Terracotta Warriors and other world renowned sites
• Enjoy experiences like an acrobatic show, authentic dinner and a river cruise

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on November 7, 2013 from Toronto, Calgary or Vancouver
  

• Pricing (based on double occupancy, plus tax):
  Single: $4929
  Double: $3879
  Tax: $350
  
  
• Hotels include the following: Oriental Bay Hotel, Beijing; Holiday Inn Vista Hotel, Shanghai; Metro Park Hotel, Suzhou; Xinan Counter Villa Hotel, Tunxi; West Lake Golden Plaza Hotel, Hangzhou; Titan Times Hotel, Xian; Park Hotel, Guilin; Shenzhen Airline International Hotel, Shenzhen and the Regal Oriental Hotel, Hong Kong.
• Valid passport is required for travel from Canada
• Prepaid gratuities (which are already included in the price) are mandatory
• This offer is 100% non-refundable at time of booking

 

 

 

 

 

Travel ideas for March, awesome Ireland tourism video and my Deal of The Day

The cardinals are singing their mating songs. The temperature in Toronto is supposed to be above freezing for several days in a row. And daylight savings time is around the corner.

There's hope for spring, folks, and there are plenty of great places to check it out. Here are a few that come to mind on a grey but not overly cold Monday morning in T.O.

Victoria isn't quite in spring conditions yet, but the long-term weather forecast calls for temperatures up around 10 degrees by week's end. And the spring flowers should be coming out about now, which is always heartening.

Mind you, as expensive as it is to fly within Canada these days you may as well head south to something a little warmer. Yeah, they had snow in Tucson, Arizona last week at the WGC Match Play championship golf tourney, but that's pretty rare. The forecast is for daytime highs up around 20 Celsius by mid-week; just about perfect for golf or (for Canadians, anyway) lying by the pool.

It's a little cool right now down Myrtle Beach way, maybe 13 degrees later this week, but in the Tampa Bay area it's supposed to be near 20 and then down around 16 or so later this week. Not hot, but the Blue Jays are now in full spring training mode in Dunedin (see photo) so you don't have to worry if it's not perfect beach weather.

Further afield, here are some expected daytime highs for the next little while in various parts of the world.

Paris: Only 2 degrees today, says the weathernetwork.com, but all the way up to 15 or 17 degrees towards the end of next week. Talk about a change in seasons.

Rome: The cardinals gathering in Rome (as opposed to the ones in my backyard) should expect a bit of rain, but also temperatures soon up around 15 degrees.

Honolulu: Only about 23-24 degree highs the next couple days; downright chilly for Hawaiians. I bet the locals will be wearing toques.

Bangkok: Phew. Daytime highs all week around 35 or 36 with a fair bit of sun. Those luxury hotel swimming pools should be pretty full. Yeah, it's expensive to get there but a four or five-star hotel can often be found for $200.

Sydney: It's supposed to be around 28 today and tomorrow but then cooling off to the low 20's later in the week. Don't forget, for them it's about to turn into fall.

Jamaica: You don't need a weatherman to know which way the wind blows in this part of the world. Daytime highs in Montego Bay ranging from roughly 24 (cool for them) to 28 C this week.

IRELAND TOURISM VIDEO

Ireland has put together a smashingly good travel video to help lure folks for The Gathering 2013, a huge festival where Irish folks - or those who wish they were - get together for festivals of all kinds. There are festivals for left-handed people, for folks named Clair (or Clare or probably Clara) and all sorts of gatherings, including a Messiah festival and a Riverdance festival and a ton of sporting events.

The video is loads of fun, with comedian Andrew Maxwell strolling the city and Ireland's seaside with surfers, babies in beards and folks with red hair (in various places), so check it out here.

TOURISM BOOST FOR IRAN? DOUBT IT

A "best picture" win for Lincoln would undoubtedly have helped boost tourism in Virginia, where much of the film was shot, and in Illinois, where Lincoln was born. Instead, Oscar gives the nod to Argo. Notwithstanding the factual inaccuracies (galore) and the downplaying (severely) of Canada's role, it's not a bad film. But I don't think it'll do a lot to boost tourism in Iran. Just a hunch.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY: GREECE AND TURKEY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, has a deal for a land and sea package for nine days and seven nights in Greece and Turkey for 2,029, including $670 in taxes .

Jaunt Highlights

• BONUS: FREE UPGRADE - Enjoy 5-Star Hotel Accommodations in Athens, Outside Cabin Stateroom on cruise portion, and Business Class for Ferry transfers
• BONUS: Extend your flights post tour for up to 30 days at no additional cost (return from Athens)
• 9-day/7-night Greek Islands & Turkey Cruise onboard the Louis Cristal, including 3 night post-cruise stay in Athens
• Includes return airfare from Toronto to Athens on Air Transat
• Ports of Call include: Piraeus, Greece; Mykonos, Greece; Kusadasi, Turkey; Patmos, Greece; Rhodes, Greece; Crete, Greece; and Santorini, Greece
• Includes 15 meals

• You'll have the chance to explore Greece in the heart of its most dynamic city, and to traverse its diverse islands
• Your ship provides comfortable, upscale accommodations

Offer Details

• Valid for travel on July 7 & July 14, 2013
  (Other dates available. Please call: 1-855-687-5925)
• Pricing (Rates are per person, and based on double occupancy):
  
  Single: $1739
  Double : $1359
  Tax: $670
• Valid passport required for travel from Canada
• This offer is refundable until Feb 28, 2013  at 5PM EST. After that time, this offer is 100% non-refundable

 

 

 

 

 

Canadian Tourism video makes mark in UK (it's quite good, as you can see here)

Nice to see some good news for Canada's sliding tourism industry. This country has slipped - badly - in terms of incoming tourism numbers over the years.

But maybe a cool, new video put out by the Canadian Tourism Commission that displays both urban cool and country culture, not to mention a fair bit of adventure, will help.

Canadian Press filed a story on Wednesday that said the video "has been an online hit around the world, generating about 1.6 million views since its Nov. 20 launch on YouTube.

"The video, produced in 30-second and two-minute versions, was pieced together from some of the 8,000-plus submissions the commission received this past summer in response to a contest calling for visuals that 'captured the essence' of Canada."

The video features lots of lakes but also a "rapid-fire sequence" of roller coasters and ice cream cones and bears and fish tacos and dolphins and northern lights and moose sniffing into a car and pods of dolphins, not to mention cityscapes and native dancers and wolves and surfers and skidding mountain bikes and such, all put together with a screaming-good song by a Vancouver band called Yukon Blonde and shot in that herky-jerky style so popular with car commercials today.

The video is "an anthem for Canada to inspire visitors from around the world to come visit here," said commission CEO Michele McKenzie.

The 30-second version currently is being screened in U.K. movie theatres, said Greg Klassen, the commission's senior vice-president of marketing strategy. He added there are plans to roll it out to other international markets over the next few months.

The commission has recently shifted some of its marketing efforts toward Asia, particularly China, and wants to get the video seen on that country's versions of Facebook and Twitter.

"We will dribble it out in China, test it to see how well it performs, and if it performs well we'll unleash it a bit more and spend a little bit more money pushing it out," said Klassen.

I'm biased as a Canadian, but I think it's quite good. Edgy, fun and, best of all, perhaps a bit surprising for folks overseas. Nice job, guys, and nice work by all the Canadians who sent in all the video to begin with.

JAUNT.CA DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, is offering up a 4.5 star all-inclusive hotel in Holguin, Cuba (the Riu Playa Turquesa) for early 2013 for a pretty fair price. The seven-night deal goes for $549, plus $290 in taxes, for a total of $839. Not incredibly cheap by Cuba standards but it looks like a very nice property. a definite cut above the cut-rate spots often advertised for Cuba.

Here are some highlights of the deal, according to jaunt.ca:

- Savings up to $512 per couple

- The first child from 2 to 12 stays free and the second child only pays for the flight

- Includes return airfare from Toronto, Ottawa, Montreal, Winnpieg, Quebec City or Halifax to Cuba

- Accommodations in a Standard Hotel Room,  featuring 2 twin beds and a balcony or terrace. (Maximum occupancy: 3 adults, 1 child)

- Daily breakfast, lunch and dinner, and unlimited alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks.

The property is said to feature "an impressive open air lobby with a bar and impressive grounds" that include "a slew of pools and waterfalls."

The resort is close to Roca Azul Bio-Parc, offering a wealth of hiking opportunies and wildlife experience.

The deal is valid for travel on certain dates in January and February, so check jaunt.ca for details on this and other packages.

WIZARD OF OZ THEATRE DEAL IN TORONTO

Toronto's Pantages, a Skyline Hotel, has a nice Wizard of Oz theatre package. Available until Feb. 28, 20913, the package starts at $399/night and includes accomodation at the "boutique, all-suite Pantages Hotel" (just steps from the theatre) and two tickets to the Wizard of Oz production at the Ed Mirivish Theatre.

For information, go to www.pantageshotel.com or call 1-888-889-0068.

 

More visits, my precious: The Hobbit aids New Zealand ...West Jet seating changes

In case you hadn't heard somehow or aren't a fan of Lord of the Rings (in which case I would ask you to move to someone else's blog IMMEDIATELY), the latest Peter Jackson flick hits the big screen in Canada next week.

The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey is set to open in Canada Dec. 14, and it's likely to put another surge into the New Zealand tourism scene. Tomorrow's (Dec. 8) Travel section of the Star will have a story on the town of Matamata, which in in the movies is made up to look like the village of Hobbiton, in New Zealand, and the Canadian opening on December 14, a trip to experience Middle-earth is likely on the bucket list for many fans. Below are some of the top New Zealand tourism activities focused on The Lord of the Rings and The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey, courtesy of New Zealand Tourism (with the odd comment added in from me).
 
Hobbiton
Near Matamata, a picturesque town just two and a half hours from Auckland (New Zealand’s largest city, and a great spot to start a trip), visitors can enjoy a guided tour of the Hobbiton Movie Set. Hidden in the magical, spectacularly green, rolling hills of the area is Hobbiton, the film set made famous in The Lord of the Rings trilogy. Along with 37 Hobbit holes, fans can check out the Green Dragon Inn, The Mill and other structures used in the upcoming films. Not only has Hobbiton gained fame as a movie set, it is also a working farm experience, café and conference facility. It’s definitely a must for anyone who wants to truly experience the “Shire” when in New Zealand.
 
Four-Wheel Drive Safari of Scenes in Queenstown
Any reason to visit Queenstown, on New Zealand’s South Island, is a good one, and a four-wheel drive adventure through Middle-earth gives visitors a great reason to go. The Queenstown area was prominently featured in the filming of The Lord of the Rings trilogy and Nomad Safaris offers two different tours designed specifically for fans. The guides are definitely one of the highlights of the tour; many were extras in the films. They know, and are happy to share, all of the local gossip about what the stars of the movies did while they were filming in the area. I visited Queenstown when I was in New Zealand a couple years ago. I didn't do this tour but I did visit Chard Farm winery, which is on the banks of the river that features the giant statues of the old kings that's prominently featured in Lord of the Rings. I also visited the small stream where they filmed the scene where Liv Tyler lets loose a torrent of water to help Frodo escape the Black Riders. It sounds silly, but I kinda got goosebumps looking at it...
 
Wellington
Everyone who goes to Wellington falls in love with the fun, foodie and fashion-focused city that sits at the southern tip of the North Island. Known to many as “Wellywood” because of its flourishing film industry, fans can experience the ultimate Middle-earth full-day tour with Wellington Rover Tours – where fans can follow in the footsteps of Hobbits, and spend the day learning film secrets. Wellington also boasts the Weta Cave, which screens a behind-the-scenes look at Weta and interviews co-founder Peter Jackson, among others; has a mini-museum with some of the characters; and features props and displays from The Lord of the Rings films. For the duration of The Hobbit: An Unexpected Journey world premiere week, Wellington will be known as “The Middle of Middle-earth” and will be host to the premiere, where celebrities, filmmakers, fans and entertainment journalists from around the globe will all converge to celebrate the release of the first of three Hobbit movies.
 
Air New Zealand (www.airnewzealand.ca) has direct non-stop flights from Vancouver to Auckland and offers flights from many other North American cities. For more information about New Zealand, please visit: www.NewZealand.com.

WEST JET REVAMPS SEATING/PRICING (and also eyes international market)

Nice job in today's Star Business section by Vanessa Lu, who wrote about WestJet's three new fare groups.

Starting next spring West Jet will try to woo business travellers with the "Plus" fare package, which will give added legroom, priority screening and boarding, flexible cancellations or flight changes and more, including drinks and snacks and priority access to those oh-so-valuable overhead bins. Next in line (and cost) will be the Flex fare, which has added, um, flexibility. And then the Econo fare, which is the cheapest and has the least amount of leeway for changes (and also fights for the overhead bins, I suspect)....

WestJet officials figure about two-thirds of the folks seeking the Plus fare will be business types.

It's forecast that the move to premium economy, which a bunch of other airlines are doing (including Lufthansa on long-haul flights), will generate $50 to $80 million in added revenues. That suggests the Plus fares will come at a substantial premium, but all WestJet officials will say is that the Plus fares will be competitive.

Obviously they won't be comparable to economy fares but they should be competitive with Air Canada's business class.

WestJet, as you may know, will be introducing its new, regional service across Canada next year. It's called Encore and is meant to service smaller cities who've been clamouring for more airline operations.

While WestJet is aiming at smaller markets in the short term, a report in the Globe and Mail today says the Calgary-base cmpany is talking with Boeing and Airbus about buying some wide-body big boys that could fly much farther than WestJet's current fleet.

Officials are keeping a tight lip on this one, saying they probably won't do anything until Encore is up and running and that there are no definite plans. But they wouldn't be talking with aircraft manufacturers if they didn't intend to do something, and it certainly fits WestJet's pattern of slow but steady growth.

The airline today took possession of its 100th Boeing Next Generation 737 plane.

LUFTHANSA HAS A NEW DISCOUNT CARRIER

Interesting. Just as I finished typing out that bit about WestJet and it's three-tier pricing scheme, I got a note from Lufthansa saying they'll launch an airline called Germanwings on July 1 next year, complete with a similar scheme.

The press release from Lufthansa said Germanwings "is set to revolutionize the European low-cost market. In the future it will offer the highest value airline product in this segment in Europe"

"Passengers will be able to create their own package and adapt it in detail to their individual needs, from low-cost flying without add-ons to a high-quality passenger experience with lots of amenities and extras," officials said. While offering Economy Class across the board, the "new Germanwings" will boast three fares with different service packages. "Best", the highest quality product, will cover the needs of business passengers in particular but also appeal to leisure travellers, the "Smart" fare product will include certain add-on services with the customer being able to pick others as needed, while "Basic" will be the no-frills low-cost fare.

Officials said that up to 20 million passengers are to be transported on European direct services  using approximately 90 aircraft.

SNOW IN EUROPE - UGH

Travelmole reports that "heavy snow across northern and central Europe is causing flight delays and cancellations.

KLM has cancelled all of its European flights until at least midday today following heavy snow fall in Amsterdam. It said de-icing aircraft may also delay departures."

If you're headed to Europe today or tomorrow, be sure to check with your airline well ahead of departure time....

 

 –

What's old in Scotland ... new art centre for Montreal ... Jaunt.ca cruise deals

The tourism job is a tricky one.

On one hand, folks like to talk about what’s new. It’s a natural way to start a conversation, of course. But it also can be a dangerous game.

I get dozens of emails a week from tourism boards in Canada and the U.S. and Europe, all giving me thousands of words on a new hotel in this town or a new art festival in that one.

But sometimes I think everyone in the industry, myself included, gets too focused on what’s new that we forget about the stuff that makes a city or a tourism region popular in the first place. I mean, most tourists heading to Paris don’t care if there’s a new Shangri-La hotel opening. They want to know about the Eiffel Tower or Notre Dame or the Louvre.

So when I met with Mike Cantlay of Visit Scotland yesterday, I jokingly started our chat by telling him, “I don’t care what’s new; tell me what’s old in Scotland.”

He laughed but he said he completely understood where I was coming from (a rarity in my life).

“Tourism is our biggest industry,” he said. “We want people to understand the unique features that make Scotland different.”

Cantlay, sporting a white shirt with a red and blue tartan tie for our coffee meeting, said Scotland has to make sure it keeps its iconic sights and activities front and centre as they’re what make Scotland Scotland. That means golf, castles, whisky, Robert Burns, tartans and bagpipes.

Plus, of course, a certain emphasis on other activities and, naturally, at least some focus on what’s coming up that’s different and might bring people back a second or third time.

Sports have been a big focus for Scotland, and it’s hosting the Ryder Cup golf tourney in 2014 at Gleneagles and also playing host to the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow that year. The Commonwealth Games will bring some 6,500 athletes from 71 countries and they expect to sell a million tickets.

They’re bidding for the Youth Olympic Games in 2018 and are lobbying the Tour de France to start a future race in Scotland, which would be interesting to say the least.

The year 2014 also marks a Scotland Homecoming year, and there are plans for a new branch of the Victoria and Albert museum in Dundee for 2015 or 2016.

“Tourism is the easiest industry” to help Scotland stay on its feet, Cantlay said. “You invest one dollar and you’ll get 20 dollars back.”

The British pound has fallen mightily against the Canadian dollar over the past couple years, to the point where a visit now is probably one-third cheaper than two or three years ago.

“The whole country is one-third off,” Cantlay said with a laugh. “But it won’t stay that way forever.”

NEW MONTREAL CENTRE

I don’t recall hearing about it before, but the folks at Montreal Tourism tell me The Phi Centre opened up this summer as a new art spot. It’s a multi-disciplinary centre with films, music, a new exhibition space with “cutting edge interactive installations” and room for conferences, corporate events and more.

A restaurant is planned for late 2013 or early 2014, and the centre is located at 407 Saint-Pierre at the corner of St. Pierre and Rue St. Paul in Old Montreal.

JAUNT DEAL OF THE DAY

Jaunt.ca, a division of Torstar, still has a great deal on for cruises. Their exclusive Norwegian Cruise Lines Balcony Sale ends this coming Saturday evening and features three of NCL’s top ships, the Pride of America in Hawaii, the Norwegian Epic in the Western Mediterranean and also in the Eastern Caribbean and the Norwegian Breakaway out of New York City.

The deal includes added value such as paid gratuities, onboard credits and reduced rates.

Jaunt also has deals across Canada and other parts of the world, so check them out at jaunt.ca.