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Jul 2009
This Pearl is Fishy
Where is it? Macedonia
Describe it? One of the oldest lakes in the world, crystal clear Ohrid is a popular holiday spot and a source of major pride for Macedonians. It is also a source of the unique Ohrid Pearl, which is crafted from the scales of the endemic Plasica fish. But buyer, beware: only a handful of local families sell genuine Ohrid Pearls, so we’re thinking it’s best to bypass the makeshift souvenir table near the McDonalds. Just a hunch.
How much? This silver ring cost $32.
FROM MY FOOD AND SOUVENIR COLUMN IN
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The Curtsy Conundrum
By Reb Stevenson
Like Cinderella to the ball, I was going to Buckingham Palace to meet HRH Prince Philip, the Duke of Edinburgh and the king of questionable quotes.
There was no doubt as to how I would greet him. The choreography had been outlined in an email entitled “Royal Protocol.”
“Upon being presented to HRH, it is customary to give a short bow from the neck for gentlemen and a curtsy for ladies.”
A curtsy!? My generation’s formal greeting consists of a sloppy salute and a rhetorical “howz it goin’?”
As usual, the guys were getting off easy with a simple head bob. They had that action down pat, as (from my understanding) it’s a customary response for males when they encounter one another at a urinal and feel the need to offer an acknowledgement but not an invitation to get beaten up.
A curtsy requires elegance, grace and balance. For there is a dangerously fine line between a delicate plie and toppling into a disheveled, bruised heap directly upon a royal’s polished shoes.
The occasion: some 70 travel writers from around the globe were summoned to Buckingham to ogle the State Rooms and learn about a new public exhibition marking the 60th anniversary of the Commonwealth.
To pique our interest even more (and, in my opinion, provide comedic fodder for our articles), Prince Philip agreed to make an appearance even though it happened to be his 88th birthday. Read More...
Cruise Blues
25/07/09 23:26 Filed in: USA
Being of the somewhat shallow opinion that taking a ride on any unusual type of transportation automatically makes an attraction worthwhile, a couple of weeks ago I eagerly hopped aboard The Tahoe Queen paddlewheeler for a 2.5 hour cruise.
History on an Industrial Scale
21/07/09 12:32 Filed in: England
PHOTOS AND STORY BY REB STEVENSON
ENGLAND–Any alumnus of Grade 10 history knows this about The Industrial Revolution: there were factories. Lots of them.
As for any other details, they're about as foggy as a breath of London air circa 1860.
The problem is that this event failed to stimulate the youthful imagination like the knights of the round table, the guillotine and – well, geez – even Sir John A. Macdonald seemed sexy in comparison. Yes, sexy.
So when I heard that this year marks the 300th anniversary of the start of the Industrial Revolution in England, my instinct was to fall into an instant coma on my desk.
But then, like a shrill recess bell, something jostled out of my stupor. It's called Ironbridge. Read More...
Britain's A Bargain!
16/07/09 13:28 Filed in: England
By Reb Stevenson
Pounds: you either pack them into your wallet after withdrawing from a British ATM or pack them onto your thighs after depositing some fish and chips into your mouth. Either way, the term pound is usually greeted with fear and loathing. I cant offer any liposuction, but I can take a weight off your shoulders when it comes to stressing about certain expenses over the pond. You may already know that the pound is as lean as its been since the mid-eighties. But furthermore, there are mad (crazy) deals to be had in Blighty (England) even if youre skint (poor). No, Im not taking the piss (pulling your leg). So bone up on a few of these tips, switch off Coronoation Street and get spending, luv! Read More...
Summer Camp...in Downtown Toronto
By Reb Stevenson
Move over Algonquin Park, there's a new destination for happy campers in Ontario: downtown Toronto!
(Cue chorus of laughter from tents everywhere.)
Adopting a carved wooden bear as its mascot, the hotel aims to summon your best memories of summer camp -- in a less supervised setting, of course.
"It's an adult return to that free-wheeling, nostalgic feeling of long summer days," says manager Ana Yuristy.
Read More...
Meet a Local: Virginia City
10/07/09 10:21 Filed in: USA | Meet a Local
Name: Jim Caravello (a.k.a. Diamond Jim)
Location: Virginia City, Nevada
Quote: “I’ve always been into the old west, so when I moved up here from California I thought ‘I’ve gotta dress like I’m in Virginia City.’ I dress like this when even when I’m not working at the visitors centre. I have several costumes, including a miner, a cowboy and the town drunk. This one is called The Gambler.”
Three Things You Can Bet on in Reno
The casino scene: not for me. Why? Three reasons:
1. The incessant bleepy-bloops of the slots.
2. The depressed blobs in Hawaiian shirts who play them.
3. The surreal, labyrinthine layout that has you going in circles, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of daylight so you can identify an exit!
Therefore, I set out to find a few things in Reno, Nevada, that are authentic, fun and necessitate going outdoors. Here are the spoils:
THE AWFUL AWFUL BURGER
Lured by a sign promising a $1.99 breakfast, I wandered into the back of The Nugget Casino only to find what just might be the most authentic and enjoyable eatery in Reno. The staff and customers at this 66-year-old institution were chatty and welcoming. And if you know what you’re doing, you’ll order the Awful Awful Burger (“‘cause it’s awful big and awful good”), a beef monstrosity set atop a pound of fries for $6.77. The most shocking bit: everybody was ordering it for breakfast!!!!
DABBLING IN EDWARDIAN ROAD RAGE
Because I’m of the female persuasion, I react to a “car museum” the way a male would to a “china doll emporium.” However, Reno’s National Automobile Museum is surprisingly girl-friendly. Cars from as early as 1892 are parked along cool streetscapes, there are costume displays to complement the wheels, and (best part) you can even play dress up.
BASQUE DINING
Northern Nevada had a major influx of Basque immigrants last century, and Reno is home to two unique restaurants. I popped my head into the Santa Fe, which has been serving “family-style” meals since 1949. What that means is that you plunk yourself down
at a communal table (possibly with strangers, so lose that antisocial edge for now) and you help yourself to food from great big platters.
Owner Philippe Zubillaga, a congenial and unpretentious chap, told me: “everywhere you go now, there’s a television and a sports bar atmosphere. This forces everyone’s hand because you have to talk to your neighbour. I appreciate that it can still happen.”
A full dinner consisting of regional cuisine like oxtails, Lomo Pork, beans, fries, salad, bread, table wine and dessert costs $19.
1. The incessant bleepy-bloops of the slots.
2. The depressed blobs in Hawaiian shirts who play them.
3. The surreal, labyrinthine layout that has you going in circles, desperately trying to catch a glimpse of daylight so you can identify an exit!
Therefore, I set out to find a few things in Reno, Nevada, that are authentic, fun and necessitate going outdoors. Here are the spoils:
Lured by a sign promising a $1.99 breakfast, I wandered into the back of The Nugget Casino only to find what just might be the most authentic and enjoyable eatery in Reno. The staff and customers at this 66-year-old institution were chatty and welcoming. And if you know what you’re doing, you’ll order the Awful Awful Burger (“‘cause it’s awful big and awful good”), a beef monstrosity set atop a pound of fries for $6.77. The most shocking bit: everybody was ordering it for breakfast!!!!
Because I’m of the female persuasion, I react to a “car museum” the way a male would to a “china doll emporium.” However, Reno’s National Automobile Museum is surprisingly girl-friendly. Cars from as early as 1892 are parked along cool streetscapes, there are costume displays to complement the wheels, and (best part) you can even play dress up.
BASQUE DINING
Northern Nevada had a major influx of Basque immigrants last century, and Reno is home to two unique restaurants. I popped my head into the Santa Fe, which has been serving “family-style” meals since 1949. What that means is that you plunk yourself down
Owner Philippe Zubillaga, a congenial and unpretentious chap, told me: “everywhere you go now, there’s a television and a sports bar atmosphere. This forces everyone’s hand because you have to talk to your neighbour. I appreciate that it can still happen.”
A full dinner consisting of regional cuisine like oxtails, Lomo Pork, beans, fries, salad, bread, table wine and dessert costs $19.
Simulator Takes Flyers to New Heights
BY REB STEVENSON
VANCOUVER–The ticket looks like any other boarding pass. But my seat isn't 8A or 29C ... it's a comfy chair in the cockpit of a Boeing 737 jet. Furthermore, I'm going to be flying the big metal bird.
Now, before you swear off air travel forever, I should probably clarify something: This cockpit is in an office building on the outskirts of Vancouver International Airport.
A new attraction for tourists, Flight Adventures is a simulator that gives everyday folk a taste of pilothood. Read More...
Homes Away from (Your) Home
04/07/09 13:44 Filed in: Sleeping Around | Toronto
Love your relatives, but don't want to live with them? Here are some local landmarks to put them up when you just can't put up with them
BY REB STEVENSON
It's summertime and the relatives are coming to visit. What joy!
Cue the barbecue, the digital cameras ... and the excuses for why they can't stay with you.
Need a few? Here are some classics: hole-riddled blow-up mattress, carbon monoxide leak, renovations in the guest room (suggesting that a jackhammer might start up after midnight is highly effective).
Once you've successfully persuaded your kinsmen that sleeping at your house is uncomfortable and/or life threatening, it's on to stage two: finding them a hotel.
But you draw a blank, because you live in Toronto. You've never been up the CN Tower, let alone stayed in a hotel `round these parts. This is only natural.
Therefore, I have created this cheat sheet to help you pair the right relative and room. Read More...
And Take Extra Care When Buckling Up!
03/07/09 16:47 Filed in: Airlines | New Zealand
Their Tragedy, Tourism's Triumph
01/07/09 14:51 Filed in: Europe
Here’s what I wrote:
Why people ignore it: Because it's a departure from the predictable Venice-Florence-Rome track and you have to go through big bad Naples to get there.
Why you shouldn't: Until you experience it for yourself, it's hard to grasp the sheer magnitude of Pompeii, which was frozen in time when Mount Vesuvius erupted in 79 AD and dumped a lethal storm of hot ash upon the unlucky community. Yearn for time travel? It doesn't get better than this real Roman city, complete with streets, restaurants, baths, an amphitheatre and its own impressive colosseum. The site is so large that you might find yourself alone inside an ancient home, admiring 2,000-year-old
Info: Pompeii is open year-round and entry is $17 for adults. Get there by taking the Circumvesuviana train south from Naples (which isn't that bad. Try their margherita pizza, you'll see). Budget an entire day to see it properly and don't bypass the excellent audioguide or the circular walk around the perimeter. www.pompeiisites.org
