A Rimowa Junker52 flight over Toronto in a vintage plane: utterly awesome!

I'm finding this hard to put into words.

I got an invitation a couple weeks ago to go on a short flight over Toronto in a vintage, 1930's Junkers JU 52 plane that's owned by the folks who make those fabulous, retro-looking Rimowa suitcases with the ridges.

Well, sure. I mean, that's not an invite that slides into one's email basket every day, right?

I thought it would be fun. It was 10,486 times that.

They took four or five groups of Rimowa folks, Lufthansa workers, media types and celebrities up for 20-minute tours. Included in the latter group was film director David Cronenberg - my brush with Hollywood for the year.

I got on and sat up near the cockpit next to Hans DeHaan, the very entertaining new Regional Sales Director for the Lufthansa Aviation Group in Canada.

The plane is a monstrously beautiful one; all gleaming silver and deep grey and thrumming and powerful as all get out. It doesn't make noise; it roars its power with a deep-throated resonance that's simply amazing to hear.

We took off slowly. And I mean slowly. Halfway across the Toronto Harbour and I don't think we were more than 200 feet off the ground. As we passed the smokestacks over on the portlands (and hit a small air pocket) we were barely even with the top of the stack.

Anyway, we headed out over Ashbridges Bay, the Beach and the Scarborough Bluffs in the near-sunset, with huge, billowing clouds on the horizon before making a U-turn and heading downtown. We were about even with the top of the CN Tower and the views were outstanding.

Our pilot surprised us by circling close to the Tower. VERY CLOSE. I was told later that the president of the Tower was on board my flight and was thinking of saying something but didn't. I mean, you could look out and see what folks were eating in the restaurant we were so close. I guessed 300-400 feet but someone on my flight thought it was more like 200.

We continued west along the shoreline to Humber Bay Park, then banked and came back to the Island Airport, passing sailboats bobbing in the lake and pleasure/cruise ships heading out of the harbour and landed at what felt like 20 kilometers an hour; smooth and almost like we were floating or landing in a glider.

It was hotter than blazes on the plane as there's no AC (and no seat-back movie!) and the plane is dura-aluminum; making most of us on board feel like Swiss Chalet chickens by the time we got off.

Still, nobody complained. It was magic.

As we passed over downtown I looked out at some towering clouds bathed in yellow-orange light. The sun was slanting down onto the Toronto Islands and we were thundering through the sky and I thought, "Okay, THIS is flying. THIS is what people used to get excited about when they took to the skies; a sense of awe and adventure that most of us lose on endless commuter flights to Montreal or family trips to Florida."

I felt like a six-year-old on my first flight, and it was a wonderful, never-to-be-forgotten experience.

They served some lovely appetizers - thanks to some wonderfully decked out flight attendants - and then put on a stunning dinner in the main hangar, with white tablecloths and silver and tender steaks and fish and pasta and desserts and fancy appetizers.

All in all, one of the great nights I can ever remember experiencing anywhere.

Thanks to the folks at Rimowa and to Lufthansa for the invite.

 

 

WTF: Colorado city A-1 slogan ... new poll gives thumbs down to Canada culture

This might be one of the great stories of the year. It seems, believe it or not, there's a town in Colorado called Fruita. (Yeah, all the good names - Steamboat Springs, Golden, Denver - were taken). Anyhoo, the good burghers in charge of promoting this little piece of Colorado paradise decided they would do up a nice marketing slogan. What did they come up with? I'd try to describe it but you can see for yourself.

I absolutely love it. Cheeky and fun and cutting edge and just the thing to get folks talking about moving the state capital to Fruita, a small city west of Grand Junction and huddled close to the border with Utah.

A story on msn.com describes the controversy thusly:

The popular destination for mountain bikers, rafters and other DIY adventurers considered the slogan after a couple's homemade WTF stickers proved popular with local businesses...but the idea also led to "hundreds of emails, phone calls and in-person contacts from overwhelmingly dismayed residents," according to The Daily Sentinel. "When I've explained [what WTF stands for online], or had my grandson explain it," Fruita mayor Ken Henry said, "They've come unglued."

Well, yeah, I can see some older folks tsk-tsking a bit. But, honestly, had anyone in the world EVER heard of Fruita, Colorado before this came about? Other than my cousin in Idaho who claims to have a friend living there? I don't think so.

CANADA CULTURE SUCKS!!!!

Geez. You think we're making a bit of a mark around the world with stories about Toronto's restaurant scene or Vancouver's edginess, and now this.

A web site called Hub Culture (www.hubculture.com), which looks pretty edgy and hip and cool and all that, has published its sixth annual "Hub Culture Zeitgeist," a poll of allegedly edgy and hip and cool cities around the world. You know it's an important poll because they coolly slipped in the word Zeitgeist, a German phrase that means "we're really cool. And edgy and hip."

A story on the site today says there are signs the U.S. and European economies "are finally evening out from their death spirals" and that "income equality is being addressed via pop culture platitudes." Don't you feel better already?

One interesting bit is that the Hub Culture folks note the emergence of more BRIC cities (Brazil, Russia, India, China), not to be confused with BRICK cities (Mississauga, Scarborough, Welland) in the top 20.

Indeed, Sao Paulo, Brazil ended up #1 in the world for the third year running. Here's what Hub Culture had to say about the Brazilian city (see photo below right):

"Perched at the top of the list for a record third year is São Paulo, where the defining topic of conversation continues to be how hard it is to find good help.  You know things are going well when staffing your dinner party adequately is a major topic of concern.  It is however a harbinger - inflation and class ambition do not make a tranquil mix forever. The strong currency and commodity growth at large aren't the only thing fueling Brazil - property and consumer retail are continuing to enjoy enviable growth rates despite a 4Q dip last year. Meanwhile, the city is ever more popular, and ever more desirable for corporate postings, regional businesses, and those looking to experience the Brazilian boom first-hand. Enjoy it while it lasts, Brazilianos."

Second was Hong Kong, up from number seven in 2011. Here's the Hub Culture report:

"Hong Kong hits a high note this year - a cosmopolitan mix, fantastic shopping and epicenter attitude for business make it the world's drop-in city.  But the downsides - pollution, overcrowding, and little thought for public space - have often held it back. Despite these issues, lately the world just seems to bend more toward Hong Kong - maybe because there is an ever stronger air of confidence and derring-do in the city? HK simply doesn't care what everyone else thinks anymore, and that makes us all care even more (especially big brother to the north).  As the world navigates the shift of power from west to east, Hong Kong remains perfectly balanced between the two. Plus, try going out on a weekend - holy schmodel! HK is ground-zero to the world's young, rich and beautiful, tomorrow's bright lights rocking today's late nights."

The rest of the top 20 is as follows, with the 2011 ranking in parentheses:

3. Beijing (7)

4. Berling (4)

5. London (9)

6. New York (6)

7. Sydney (3)

8. Singapore (11)

9. Istanbul (18)

10. Rio de Janeiro (20)

11. Capetown (17)

12. Tokyo (12)

13. Seattle (unranked)

14. Mexico City (16)

15. Shanghai (8)

16. San Francisco (10)

17. Dubai (15)

18. Los Angeles (4)

19. Moscow (15)

20. Abu Dhabi (19)

Nope, not a Canadian burg to be found. Not even Peterborough made the list.

I did a little research, however, and found that Toronto was ranked ALL THE WAY UP AT 17th back in 2009, when David Miller was mayor and culture wasn't an evil word in the rotunda at City Hall. Even then, however, the praise heaped upon our fair city was fairly tepid. Here's what Hub Culture wrote about the Big Smoke in their 2009 ranking:

"Stability is a big theme of the moment, and Toronto keeps coming up in this thread.  Canadian globe trotters are heading back home to Canada's most influential business city as they check out of their stints abroad.  Again, the economic roll here has been a bit more mellow, so the vibe hasn't been totally destroyed by doom and gloom.  Take into account Toronto's great outdoors and socialized services, and it all starts to look pretty good."

Wow. Stability! Influential business city! Great outdoors!

I can see TO maybe being out of the 20. Maybe. But behind Dubai and Abu Dhabi? Crikey.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Porter gets into package tour biz...2020 Olympic bids and trouble for TO 2024

We knew it was coming, but still a good item in today's Globe and Mail by reporter Brent Jang, outlining Porter Airlines' plans for a package tour biz.

It's been registered as Porter Escapes (good name for a company with a raccoon as its mascot, I think), and will offer all-inclusive holidays with flights, hotels, rental cars, insurance and other services. It's expected they'll focus on spots such as Myrtle Beach (golf), Vermont (skiing) and Tremblant (skiing), although Porter officials say they also will look at packages (probably theatre, maybe even TIFF, I guess) for folks coming to Toronto. Which is certainly good news for the local economy.

Of course, the packages also should help Porter boost its so-called load factor. Right now, Porter tends to fill roughly two-thirds of its seats or occasionally close to three-quarters, while folks like Air Canada and WestJet hover closer to 80 per cent. Porter CEO Robert Deluce says he doesn't need load factors that high as he has lower operating expenses with his fleet of smaller planes. Still, no business person in his right mind would settle for a score in the low 60's when he or she can bump it up to the mid-70's.

It'll be interesting to see how Porter markets the new business. It sounds like they'll be gearing things to shorter hauls, as most folks don't do Tremblant for one or two weeks the way they might do, say, Barbados. If I was a betting man I'd be looking for ski packages, theatre packages, golf and cultural packages versus sand-and-surf. I'm not expecting package tours for people flying from Toronto to Timmins (sorry, Timmins), but a weekend getaway package for Torontonians heading to Boston, Chicago or New York would be perfect, not to mention Quebec and Montreal. Those packages also would be a little different from the beach-sun packages offered by the likes of AirCanada Vacations, WestJet Vacations, Nolitours, etc...

2020 SUMMER OLYMPIC BIDS ARE IN, BUT I SEE TROUBLE FOR TORONTO 2024

And then there were five. The cities who are officially entered in the 2020 Summer Olympic sweepstakes are as follows: Madrid, Qatar, Tokyo, Istanbul and Bazu, Azerbaijan. Both Tokyo and Istanbul are multiple bridesmaids in the Olympic department. Istanbul has bid a few times for the Games, including a quest for the 1996 Summer Olympics in a fight with Toronto, Atlanta and other cities.

Qatar has made immense strides in international sports and will host the World Cup of Soccer in 2022. But I suspect the early sentimental favourite is Istanbul; as it's a perfect blend of east and west. Some events would probably be held on the European side of the city, and some in Asia. That's a nice symbol for the International Olympic Committee, which takes itself pretty seriously on these world-peace type issues, even if they are doing far too little to get Saudi Arabia to allow women athletes into the Olympics.

Rome was expected to do quite well in the race but, with Italy under such economic duress, pulled out a few days ago. Tokyo and Japan have been knocked around a bit, of course, so they'll certainly get some sympathy votes. And never underestimate the Euro-centricity of the IOC, which gives Madrid a solid shot. The city has fallen short of the podium a couple times lately, and the Spanish have some influence in the IOC, for sure. And, except for Istanbul, they have no Europe rival to deal with on the 2020 ballot. That's a big help.

The vote will take place in September, 2013.

Of course, there's something of an interest in this in Toronto, where some folks still are dreaming of a 2024 Summer Olympic bid. There's no North American city in the bidding for 2020 (as expected). Which means the door remains wide open for North America to get the Summer Games for the first time since 1996 in Atlanta, which seems like decades ago. (Wait a minute. It WAS decades ago).

The 2024 bids should be due in about four years. That gives a little time for the city of Toronto to prove itself with the 2015 Pan American Games.

Given the incredible costs of the Olympics, however, I can't see Ontario's finances - or those of the city - improving soon enough for a 2024 bid. I know Mayor Rob Ford likes these sort of things, and I see his point. The Olympics are great for city-building if done right and on budget. But a bid would have to start organizing in the next year or two to make it to the official 2024 bid stage, and the Ontario government almost certainly would have to backstop the thing. Given that massive warning shot fired across Queen's Park's bow yesterday about reduced growth and the need to slash spending, I don't think Ontario politicians are going to be too quick to embrace a Toronto Olympic bid. I could be wrong, but I think right now the optics would be just shy of terrible...

FRANKFURT AIRPORT CANCELLATION WOES

More than 1,000 flights could be disrupted today as workers strike at Frankfurt airport.

And trade union GdF is calling for another day of walkouts on Friday from the marshalling staff - airport workers who guide planes in and out, the website travelmole.com reported.

Quoting Reuters news reports, they said Lufthansa has cancelled nearly 100 flights including its London to Frankfurt service.

Its website said: "Lufthansa regrets any inconvenience to Lufthansa passengers caused by the threatened strike measures by the GdF union and will do its utmost to minimise impacts on passengers. Passenger support and service has paramount priority."

Let's hope this isn't a sign of things to come in Europe....

QANTAS MAKING OVERSEAS CUTS

Also from travelmole comes a report that Qantas is cutting 500 jobs, closing two international routes and reducing capacity on some domestic routes.

It follows the airline’s profits being hit by an industrial dispute and rising fuel costs. Qantas today reported an 83% fall in net profit to $42 million for the six months to the end of December, blaming a $194 million cost from industrial action and the grounding of its fleet, and a $444 million increase in fuel prices.

Qantas will withdraw from the loss-making Sydney-Mumbai and Auckland-Los Angeles routes, and reduce capacity on a range of routes including Sydney-Bangkok, Sydney-Perth and Melbourne-Perth by using smaller aircraft. The loss of the Qantas link from Los Angeles to Auckland is sure to be a blow to the tourism folks in New Zealand.....

Awesome food right here in T.O. for a Family Day staycation...Travel News

Finally got a chance on the weekend to find out what the fuss about Burger's Priest is all about.

The new shop on Yonge St. north of Lawrence is close to my home, so I got there at 11:45 a.m. for a noon opening. There were only two people in front of me at the time, although there probably were 25 folks in line when they opened the doors.

Having read all the stories, I was a tad confused about the ordering procedure. I knew they have all sorts of weird orders you can make with names like the Tower of Babel (see photo) or the Vatican Intrigue (oh, wait, that's today's front page). But I just wanted a simple cheeseburger with the only civilized things to put on a burger; mustard, onions and pickles. I waited a few seconds and placed my order for the cheesburger, fries and a chocolate shake. Grand total: a little less than $15. Grand result: sheer heaven.

It took a few minutes for the burger to get made, but that's a good thing as it was as fresh as can be; juicy and moist and absolutely dead-on wonderful. Apparently they only use salt and pepper, but either they cook these things at the lord's optimal temperature or it's the best beef on the planet, because it's an incredible hamburger. Not in that "oh, my god can you believe this taste" kind of way; just in a "wow, they really nailed a perfect, simple hamburger" kind of way. Which is probably tougher.

The bun wasn't anything special but the whole experience was, well, satisfying as hell. Great fries. I thought my chocolate shake was a bit sweet/syrupy and I'd personally only give it an 8 out of 10, despite being thick and rich. The fries are an 8.8 or maybe a 9, but the burger is a 9.7 out of 10. Seriously, the only one I've had that's better is at a place called Val's in Hayward, California, near where I grew up. Val's does a burger on an open flame and they're much bigger and just a tad browned on the outside. A Val's milkshake is a beautiful thing, but their fries are far too chunky to merit a good score unless you get them extra crispy.

Anyway, 2,500 miles is a long way to go for a hamburger. So get thyself to Queen East or Yonge and Lawrence and check out Burger's Priest. Just don't try it on a Sunday as they're closed for church.

I also recently got around to checking out Pizzeria Libretto on Ossington Ave. and thought it was dynamite. On Mondayand Friday they had a fixed lunch prix deal with a pizza, choice of caprese or arugula salad and either biscotti or gelato for $15.

They do simple (mostly) pizzas and cook them for just 90 seconds in a 900 degree pizza oven. The crust is thin and bubbled and perfectly singed and the sauce is great. I tried a strange style with applewood-smoked lamb bacon. A touch too gamey, I'd say, but quite good.

The arugula salad comes with walnuts, shaved parmesan and sliced pears and is just outstanding.

I loved the homemade chili oil you can put on your bread or pizza. I asked but they don't sell it. Instead, a young woman (the service is outstanding) got a small jar and filled it up for me to take home. No charge.

A great street in Toronto and a dynamite spot for pizza.

IGUANAS AND SCOTLAND AND BACKPACKERS AND AIRLINE FOOD ... TOURISM NEWS FROM HERE AND THERE

Sounds crazy, but Puerto Rico has something of a green iguana problem. Seems the lizards are multiplying like rabbits and dashing to and fro around the airport in San Juan, causing delays and forcing an eradication program, as they have few natural predators. The critters can grow to 1.8 meters long and live for 20 years. Some folks hope to harvest them and sell the meat in the United States, although I have no idea who goes to the Piggly Wiggly and orders up iguana tenderloin...Travelmole reports that Lufthansa "enjoyed a record breaking year in 2011, carrying more passengers to and from the UK & Ireland than ever before." It's said the biggest increase was in Scotland, where the new service between Aberdeen and Frankfurt saw passenger numbers grow by more than 25%. Dublin and Birmingham also saw significant increases...Sounds a bit counter-intuitive but research by the TNT Travel Show found that backpackers prefer word-of-mouth recommendations (just like me back in Europe in 1979, prior to the Internet) over online reviews. Research of more than 1,000 youths found that most 18-35 year olds don't use online reviews so much because, and this makes sense, they leave their smartphones at home. Sounds like they check out online reviews and such at Internet terminals, but most are smart enough to leave their expensive iPhones with Mom and Dad while they stay overnight in crowded hostels. I think it's a good idea to take a cheap cell phone for text messaging or emergency calls, but I wouldn't recommend young folks take expensive smartphones on a backpacking trip...According to a study by University of Manchester and Unilever, folks think the airline with the best food in world is Turkish Airlines. In second place was Singapore Airlines, while Etihad took third place ahead of Aer Lingus and Emirates in fifth place. The next five places, in order, were taken by Cathay Pacific, KLM. Qantas, Aeroflot and Air France. American Airlines occupied last place in the table, below Lufthansa and Alitalia. I didn't see where Air Canada fit in, if it was even included in the survey, that is.

Germany puts focus on wine: and it's damned good, Fairmont Hotels expansion

I'm an enthusiastic wine guy, but I can't say that I've ever walked into an LCBO in the 30 years I've been in Toronto and purchased a bottle of German wine. Not once.

I like a good Riesling, and I'm sure I've had some good German varieties. But I've tended to buy Ontario riesling, or something from the Alsace region of France, when the need arises.

That could change after a Germany-Lufthansa event at Sassafraz restaurant on Wednesday night. I'd never seen the variety before, but they served a soft, juicy Pinot Noir made near Baden, Germany, from a winery called Konigschauffhausen. Wow; really, really nice. I would've sworn it was from New Zealand, it was that round and fruity and deeply-coloured.

I'm told wine production began in Germany in 800 B.C. and that there are some 80,000 vintners, which is a lot. They grow some 140 types of wine, although riesling is king. Apparently, some 60 per cent of the world's Riesling comes from Germany.

But they're also the third largest Pinot Noir producer, after France and the U.S. I would've thought maybe New Zealand, but the wineries there are pretty small, while Germany is an enormous country with tons of vineyards.

Anyway, it's always nice to learn something new. So thanks, guys.

While we're on the subject of Germany, things are going quite well for them economically these days. Tourism remains a huge industry, of course, and they'll be celebrating with all kinds of wine festivals from May to October of next year.

Lufthansa has added three direct flights each week in winter from Toronto to Dusseldorf, so folks can avoid Frankfurt if they so wish. MInd you, Frankfurt is getting a major expansion and a facelift, I was told.

Lufthansa also is bringing back first class seats on the Toronto-Frankfurt route, and spending a huge amount of money - $2 billion I was told - on upgrades to their planes.

FAIRMONT EXPANDING AROUND THE GLOBE

The folks at Fairmont Hotels, which is based here in good old Toronto, are keeping up the pressure on their competitors with several new hotels in the works.

They sent out a note on Thursday to say that In March, 2012, they'll open a new property in the Pink City of Jaipur, India (see photo at right). It's their first property in India; a major growth area for many hotel chains.

"Offering 199 spacious and luxurious guestrooms, nine 1- and 2-bedroom villas as well as a Presidential Suite, the hotel’s atmosphere will reflect the unique character of the region, while also capturing the air of a modern day palace," officials said. "Guestrooms will include over-sized bathrooms with soaker tubs, state-of-the-art Bose sound systems and 40” flat panel televisions."

Also on the way for 2012 are hotels in Kyiv, Ukraine and Baku, Azerbaijan, as well as Makati, The Philippines and, last but not least, the Fairmont Palm Jumeriah on Palm Island in Dubai.

"Looking beyond 2012, Fairmont is also working on a number of exciting hotel development projects in markets like Saudi Arabia, Russia, Fujairah, and China and remains focused on international expansion with brand growth targeted for key markets in Europe, Asia, the Middle East and Africa," officials said.

 

 

 

 

Forget Santa, check out Ft. Lauderdale on Sunday at Dundas Square instead

No offence to Mr. Claus or Sunday's annual Santa Claus Parade. But if you're in Toronto this coming Sabbath and are looking for a reminder of warmer climes, look no further than Yonge and Dundas, where you'll find a welcoming reception from the good folks at Fort Lauderdale tourism.

They love their Canadians down in Florida, of course, where we're a huge part of the travel market. They're expressing their appreciation on Sunday with ten large ice blocks encasing colorful swimwear will surround a sandy palm tree-lined “island” in a promotion staged to attract Toronto residents to Fort Lauderdale’s sunny shores.

There also will be an appearance by the bureau’s Beach Mobile decked out with models wearing bathing suits (gee, you hate to see that). Street teams will distribute free ice scrapers (thanks for the reminder of what's to come, guys), lip balm and opportunities to win Fort Lauderdale beach getaways with airline partner Sunwing Airlines. For four hours Greater Fort Lauderdale will own four of the large digital screens and broadcast live streaming footage of Torontonians having fun at the beach as well as feature a live Tweet Board.  
 
“The image of bikinis frozen in big blocks of ice should get the message across that Greater Fort Lauderdale is where you can thaw out and defrost your swimsuit, your nose, fingers and toes this winter,” said Nicki E. Grossman, president, Greater Fort Lauderdale Convention & Visitors Bureau.  “Canada is our number one international source market and we never take that for granted.  In fact, we are rolling out the “Defrost Your Swimsuit” campaign in Toronto even before it’s launched in the U.S.”

The event runs from 10:30 a.m. to 4 p.m.

AMERICAN ARROGANCE ON THE WANE?

Don't tell Mitt Romney, but an international study group says U.S. citizens are thinking more like Europeans these days. It also found that French citizens are FAR less ego-centric about their culture than you might have thought.

A fascinating study by the Pew Research Center finds that 49 per cent of U.S. respondents feel their culture is tops in the world. That's a lot, but back in 2002 you would've found that 60 per cent of Americans felt that way. By 2007, it was down to 55 per cent. And now it's just less than one-half.

As a born-and-raised American, I find that hugely refreshing. The U.S. is a hugely mixed bag with lots to offer, but I don't know how anyone in ANY country can say their culture is the best on the planet.

What's perhaps even more interesting than the U.S. number is the results for France. The study found that only 27 per cent of French folks feel their culture is better than anyone's, and isn't that a poke inthe eye to all those tourists who complain about French waiters?

The study found that 47 per cent of Germans think their culture is best (almost as bad as Americans, and probably not something that would surprise the Greeks). For Spain, the number was 44, and in Britain it was way down at 32.

Also fascinating were results on what people think about government. Asked what was more important,  the freedom to pursue life's goals without government interference OR having the state guarantee no one is in need, 58 per cent of Americans cited the need to avoid government interference, compared to 35 per cent for the other side. No surprise there, I'd say. Actually, I might have expected a tally higher than 58 per cent on the no-interference side of the equation.

In Britain, 55 per cent of folks said having the state be sure nobody is in need was more important, with 38 per cent taking the non-interference side. In Spain, it was even more extreme, with 67 per cent opting for the state's role and only 30 per cent citing the need for government to stay out.

Asked about the importance of religion, 50 per cent of Americans said it was important, compared to 22 per cent in Spain, 21 per cent in Germany, 17 per cent in Great Britain and just 13 per cent in France.

There's tons more in the report, too. Great reading.

 

Another Toronto Olympic bid (this time 2024); maybe third time is the charm?

I try to stick to travel on my travel blog (what a concept). But sometimes I can't help delving into other topics for a bit, especially when it's something as global and political and fascinating as the Olympics.

I headed up the Star's coverage of Toronto's 1996 bid against Atlanta, et al..., and also our coverage of the 2008 bid against Beijing. Both, as I recall, were losing efforts on Toronto's part. I also covered Vancouver's bid for the 2010 Winter Games, which had a happier ending.

It is, therefore, with great interest that I see yet another bid in the making. Bob Richardson, the chief operating officer for the 2008 Toronto bid and an unabashed Olympic junkie, is talking up a bid for the 2024 Summer Olympics.

He'll have to get the okay from Mayor Rob Ford, and probably from the province and also from the feds. First up would be the city, without which nothing happens.

Mayor Ford's team turned away Richardson's effort to drum up support for a 2020 bid, saying the city's financial situation didn't allow for such things. It's a fair point, but in August Councillor Doug Ford - the mayor's brother and sometimes political spokesman - said he'd be open to a bid at a future date.

There was talk of a Quebec City bid for the 2022 Winter Games, which would've put Toronto on ice. But Quebec's mayor ruled out a bid a couple months ago, clearing the decks for a Canadian entry for 2024, at least in theory.

There's still a huge need for better amateur sporting facilities in Canada, especially of the summer variety and most notably in our most populous province. The Pan Am Games would help, but the Olympics are a star of a much greater intensity and would, if handled properly from a financial standpoint, bring in that much more.

I don't know if the security costs are worth it these days, but if you don't mind a billion dollars or two in federal/provincial/local money for fences and x-ray machines and police overtime it could work.

The issue becomes, of course, whether 2024 is winnable. Toronto 1996 bid leader Paul Henderson was right when he said Athens wasn't guaranteed the 1996 Games, notwithstanding it was the 100th anniversary of the birth of the modern Olympics, held in Athens in 1896. He was right, but it was Atlanta that elbowed its way into the winners circle for the 1996 Games.

The Toronto folks knew they were up against it for 2008, when they took on the behemoth Beijing bid. They shot themselves in the foot with Mayor Mel Lastman's talk about cannibals in Africa, but they were never going to win the 2008 Games unless China did something really stupid on the international front. They didn't, and they ran a very good Games, albeit one lacking in soul (see photo of the famous Birds Nest stadium in Beijing).

So now we come to 2011. The last Olympics in North America were the largely forgettable 2002 Winter Games in Salt Lake City, Utah. The last Summer Games - and the IOC tends to think of their two babies as separate entities - on our continent were the 1996 Olympics in Atlanta.

Here's how the Games have gone since Atlanta: Nagano, Sydney, Salt Lake, Athens, Turin, Beijing. Vancouver. Next: London, Sochi (Russia), Rio de Janeiro and Pyeongchang, South Korea (the 2018 Winter Olympics).

Those bidding for the 2020 Summer Games? Doha (Qatar), Rome, Madrid, Istanbul, Tokyo and Baku, Azerbaijan. The short list comes out next May and the vote will be in 2013.

None of those cities are in North America, of course. But there’s talk of Denver or Reno-Lake Tahoe for 2022, as well as Munich and Norway (a sentimental favourite given the now-legendary status of the Lillehammer Winter Olympics).

The IOC and the United States Olympic Committee still aren’t on the best of terms given disputes over television money and other issues, but there’s at least a possibility of a North American winner. That might scupper a Toronto bid, but, given the vagaries and outright unpredictability at times of the International Olympic Committee, it might not.

Either way, 2024 appears at this early stage to be a lot more winnable than the 2008 effort.

Is it worth doing? I don’t quite know yet. Is it worth watching? Absolutely.

 

 

 

 

It's 2012 travel list time & Lonely Planet goes goofy ... Also Berlin/Vienna news

There's frost on the pumpkin here in Toronto and that can only mean we're getting close to the year-end. And that can only mean it's time for more travel lists.

I like Lonely Planet a lot. I know they've kinda taken over the world, but you can't fault them for putting out good guides.

I do, however, have to wonder about their latest group of lists. They sent me an item today to say that their top 10 cities for 2012 travel are London, Muscat (Oman), Bengaluru (India), Cadiz (Spain), Stockholm, Guimaraes (Portugal), Santiago (Chile), Hong Kong, Orlando and Darwin.

You can always argue with things like that. I don't know where Bengaluru came from and I don't know Guimaraes at all. I kinda like that they chose Orlando, which is featured in Star Travel this Saturday and has a lot more going for it than the Mouse.

But the Lonely Planet folks also sent me their list of best-value destinations for 2012, and it's quite, well, stupid. They have a heading on the press release that says the following: "If past years (or recessions) have sucked up your travel budget, plan smart and get more bang for your buck in 2012)."

They then go on to list, in the number one spot for VALUE, the NorthEast USA. Yep, the home of New York City and Boston, two of the pricier cities on the continent.

Number two is more like it: Tajikistan, followed by Lesotho (see photo below) and the Mekong Delta of Vietnam. Number five? SAN FRANCISCO!!!!

I adore San Francisco. It's a fabulous place. But VALUE?

I guess you could argue that any city that great is worth the price, so it's a good deal. San Francisco has tons to offer and you CAN find cheap places to eat and great places to wander for free. Ditto for New York. But hotels in both cities are pricey, and neither is a destination most folks would consider as "great value," at least not in the traditional way of thinking of the phrase.

I mean, if you put Lesotho in there and Tajikistan, you clearly don't mean high-end, popular destinations that cost a fair bit but still deliver a strong punch.

The six through 10 spots in the value destination are Japan (usually expensive but probably a better deal since the horrible tsunami they had), Ohrid in Macedonia, Merida in Mexico, Iquitos in Peru and Porto, Portugal.

I understand maybe they wanted some American destinations, but value destinations in the U.S. would, I think, be someplace like Las Vegas or maybe Austin, Texas or Myrtle Beach or Milwaukee, which, incidentally, is a pretty good town. Definitely NOT the Northeast USA or San Francisco.

While we're on the subject of lists, here's what the folks at Frommers have said about top destinations for 2012: Curacao, Chongqing  (China), Fukuoka (Japan), Beirut, Ghana, London's Greenwich neighbourhood, Girona (Spain), Kansas City (not a bad town, either), the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico and, finally, The Bay of Fundy. They listed the Bay of Fundy as being in Nova Scotia, which is partly correct, and say they choose it because it's a "quiet, charming area; perfect for recharging your batteries."

BERLIN AND VIENNA JOIN FORCES

One is known as an edgy city with plenty of history. The other is known as a quiet, historic city with more energy than you might expect.

They make a good couple, Berlin (see photo) and Vienna. So much so that they've joined forces and are marketing themselves together as tourist destinations.

"In Europe we're competitors but not here," Burkhard Kieker, CEO of Visit Berlin, told me over breakfast the other day. "Vienna has old style from the empire but also a great savoir vivre. Berline is edgy but it's the focal point of a lot of history with a young and vibrant crowd."

"Our cities are similar enough and different enough to make the perfect match," said Norbert Kettner, managing director of the Vienna Tourism Board.

Kieker said the two cities are only an hour apart by plane and flights cost as little as 29 Euros.

There are no direct flights from Toronto to Berlin right now, Kieker said, but Berlin will open a new airport next June and he hopes to have service restored and that Berlin will turn into a major European airport hub.

Vienna is an historic and a beautiful city, said Kettner. But it's also got plenty of galleries and nightspots and edginess to it.

"We're old-school but not old-fashioned."

Kieker said world war sites are popular in Berlin but the city is trying to be careful.

"We don't want to do a Nazi Disneyland," he said.

Kieker said Jewish life is increasingly vibrant in Berlin and that his city is the number one foreign destination for Israelis.

The two cities began their joint marketing in Brazil earlier this year and continued it this week in Toronto with a couple media events.

 

 

 

Cruising the Mosel River with Star Travel guy Richard Ouzounian

            When you’re touring Germany, you soon learn that the Mosel River unfortunately winds up playing second fiddle to the Rhine and that’s unfortunate, because it’s a fascinating region, not just for its history and culture, but for its wines and liqueurs, which can possess a complexity underneath their surface sweetness that Rhine wines often miss.

            The Avalon Waterways river cruise that my wife, Pamela, and I recently took was largely devoted to the Rhine, but it detoured down the Mosel just long enough to make us want to go back and revisit the region at length at a later date.

            We first entered the area at Koblenz, where the Rhine and the Mosel intersect. It’s a proud military city whose strategic position has made it crucial for more than 2,000 years.

           The citadel of Ehrenbreitstein still provides a sense of what it was like to look over the juncture of these two great rivers from a position of command and it’s impossible not to be moved by the giant sculpture of Emperor William I, which stands at the place where the rivers meet.  It’s supposedly the largest equestrian statue in Germany, if not the world and I have no reason to doubt that.

            But if Koblenz assaults you with its power, then Cochem wins you over with charm.  It only has 5,000 residents, but, inch for inch, it’s one of the most fascinating cities I’ve ever encountered.

            It too dates back over 2,000 years and elements of every stage of its development remain side by side to marvel at.  Also, reminiscent of New Orleans, is the fact that the centre of the town lies to far below the river that it floods regularly, about once every 10 years and the residents cope with it by  making sure the ground floor of all their homes and stores are made of tile so they can be easily cleaned when the waters recede.

            Pride of place, however, goes to the Reichsberg Cochem, which stands high above the city.  First built in 1131 and left in ruins by Louis XIV’s troops in 1688, it was restored in 1868 by a millionaire businessman, Louis Frederic Jacques Ravené, who created it as a tribute to his young wife.

            The work he did is extraordinary and you can spend hours wandering through the complex, multi-leveled rooms.  But underneath, you’ll feel the lingering sadness of the castle’s history.

            Shortly after the renovation was complete, Ravené’s wife left him for a younger man and he died a year later of a broken heart.

            That may depress you so much that you’ll be forced to seek solace in one of Cohem’s charming cafes, sipping their unique schnapps made from the local “red peach”, which is actually a frumpy grey on the outside, with a brilliant scarlet fruit inside.

            Something to think about as you sit and drink and think about the power of history, architecture…..and romance.

Star Travel guy Richard Ouzounian cruises the lovely rivers of Germany

            To celebrate our 34^th anniversary, my wife, Pamela, and I took a river cruise down the Rhine and Mosel rivers on Avalon Waterways’ newest ship, the Panorama.

I’ll be reporting about the whole experience of river cruising in the Travel section in a few weeks, but I wanted to blog about some of the things we saw and did along the way.

            After boarding in Frankfurt, the first place we stopped was Mainz, a city of about 200,000 which can trace its original Roman origins to the first century BC. Nowadays its best known for three things: it was the home of Johannes Gutenberg and his printing press, about 80% of the city centre was destroyed by bombing during the Second World War, but has been restored to its original architecture by the city fathers and finally, it has one of the most awesome markets I have ever seen.

            We were lucky enough to be there on a bright Saturday morning in spring and Spargel was the word. It was the height of asparagus season, but in this part of Germany, it means white asparagus and you could practically go snowblind from the displays of virginal stalks piled on the market tables. I also encountered some glorious red carrots, radishes in abundance and enough sausages to gladden the heart of anyone who ever got homesick for Ocktoberfest.

            It was wonderful to see hundreds of local Mainz residents pleasantly jostling each other as they sampled their wurst of choice with glasses of Rhine wine and discussed everything from the weather (a dry spring which left the Rhine almost too low for cruising!) to the soccer championship being held in town.

            Any doubt about how devoted the residents are to their sport?  Even the sacred statue of Gutenberg in the town square was decked out in full soccer regalia. Go, Mainz!

           We also stopped in Rudesheim, a charming small town where wine and brandy making are the big industries and everyone is constantly pressing cups of Rudhesheimer Kaffe into your hands, sweet with caramelized sugar, dense with whipped cream and heady with the local Asbach brandy.

            Rudesheim also has a glorious museum called Siegfried’s Mechanical Music Cabinet, which is devoted to music-making machines through the centuries, some of them too astonishingly complex to believe!

            Cologne was another revelation. It’s Germany’s fourth-largest city, but its major concern these days seems to be recreating its past, especially in the long-gestated creation of its Jewish Museum.  They allow the public to watch all the excavation and restoration in progress and it’s possible at this point to see the foundation of the Roman ruins, dating from 38 BC, with the structure of the Jewish buildings that were erected on top of them a few hundred years later.

             The big calling card, of course is Cologne Cathedral, which began construction in 1248 and has never been completed.  No, really! As soon as one wing is finished, another is in need of restoration and there are centuries of artisans who are constantly employed working on this towering structure.

            Our guide told us that the most coveted job in Cologne is one on the restoration crew, because it’s the most secure position possible.  She also drew our attention to some of the gargoyles that had been recently restored, one of them in the image of the mascot of the local soccer team.

              Of course, Cologne is also the home of Eau de Cologne, the grandmother of modern perfume and it began here, in 1709, not under the banner of 4711 as is frequently thought, but in the house of Farina, which is still open and dispensing fragrant history.

             Did you know Napoleon loved their eau de cologne so much he had a special pocket kept in his boot to hide a bottle of it?  Wellington may not have smelled as good, but who won the battle of Waterloo, anyway?