Travel teaches...

INVADE

The Games are coming!



The Toronto 2015 PanAmerican Parapan Games.
The largest sporting event in Canadian history.
Featuring athletes from the Americas.
In just under 6 weeks! (July 10, 2015)

Capture the spirit!
Will you be there?
Join us!
Don't miss it!

For more information CLICK HERE.

My TO - May 30, 2015

Maple Leaf Gardens
60 Carlton Street
Toronto, ON
M5B 1L1



Originally built as the home Toronto's hockey team The Toronto Maple Leafs, Maple Leaf Gardens has also been the home to many other sports teams. As well it has been the location of many concerts and other events.




The Gardens has long been considered one of the main sites of the hockey world. It was the dream of many Canadian youth to one day play hockey there.

Today, Maple Leaf Gardens houses Loblaws, a Canadian retailer and Ryerson University's athletic centre known as the Mattamy Athletic Centre.




A reminder of the past glory days of hockey is the mural of the Maple Leaf logo hanging on the east wall inside Loblaws. It is made of seats from the blue section at the Maple Leaf Gardens.

Where in the World? - Week 28 - May 29, 2015

Where in the World? Week 28 - May 29, 2015

Where in the world is this?

Enter your answer in the comment box below.

Check back next Friday (June 5) for the answer, and another photo.

Where in the world was last week's photo?

Bethesda Fountain

Central Park,

New York, New York

Saturday Brunch - A Turkish Delight

Brunch at a restaurant just off Istiklal Caddesi

Highways and byways...May 28, 2015

The Dionne Quints Museum

Multiple childbirths in today's world are not uncommon. However, back in the early 20th century this was not the case.

On May 28, 1934, a set of quintuplets was born in northeastern Ontario. All five of the girls survived.

The children who were born in a farmhouse near North Bay, Ontario, immediately gained international notoriety.

The farmhouse has been moved to North Bay, and is now a museum which allows you to get a glimpse of their early life eighty years ago during the Great Depression.

The museum is open from mid-May to mid-October.

Click here for more information.

Thoughts and Tips #43 - May 26, 2015

In this issue:

-BBC - Travel - Debunking foreign myths
-World's 10 Most Important Memorial Museums
-Christiania | Copenahgen's Enchanting Hippy World
-The Saturday City: Leon | Nomadic Matt's Travel Site
-The Best Hikes in the United States and Canada
-How To Order a Beer in Australia - state by state - Contented Traveller
-The Top 7 Cruise Planning Myths... Busted!
-6 Travel Tips to Help You Fly Through Airport Security

BBC - Travel - Debunking foreign myths

Mint Images/ArtWolfe/Getty

Whether it is the notion that Brits only drink tea or that all Argentineans dance tango, cultural stereotypes can overshadow a coutnry's true nuances.

For a more authentic take on the world, we turned to question-and-answer site Quora.com to ask locals: "What do you think every foreigner should know about your country?"...
Read more...


World's 10 Most Important Memorial Museums

Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum / Photo Michio Ide

While tragedy can strike unexpectedly and senselessly, commemoration is an essential part of dealing with its consequences. As these ten memorial museums and remembrance halls demonstrate, cultural awareness, public education and memory can at least in part, aid the recovery process.  From the infamous Auschwitz-Birkenau in Poland to the House of Slaves in Senegal, here are ten of the most important memorial museums in the world...
Read more...



Christiania | Copenahgen's Enchanting Hippy World

Mural in Christiania / Hannah Bergin

Copenhangen is a remarkably neat city, with flat-fronted building that line immaculate streets and a distinctively horizontal skyline broken only by an occasional church spire. But venture a little outside the centre, across the Knippelsbro Bridge and through a series of increasingly narrow streets. Nestles there, between what appears to be blocks of abandoned, vandalized buildings overgrown with wild foliage, is the beautiful chaos of a remarkably developed and decidedly content hippy community...
Read more...


The Saturday City: Leon | Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Located in northwest Nicaragua, Leon is a college town often overlooked by tourists who stay south near Granada, Ometepe, and the beaches. However, given that the area has so much to do, I expected a lot of tourists but instead found mostly empty hostels and few gringos wandering the streets during my visit...
Read more...












The Best Hikes in the United States and Canada

Love hiking but don't fancy carrying your tent and other overnight stuff up that mountain? Then you'll love our upcoming posts about the best (half) day hikes in various countries all over the world. Most of them can be done by anyone who has a bit of stamina and a passion for the great outdoors! Today we're starting with the best hikes in the United States and Canada...
Read more...





How To Order a Beer in Australia - state by state - Contented Traveller

Ordering a beer in Australia is easy, but ordering a beer in every state (in) Australia is not so easy.

Sure, you can walk into any pub (hotel) and say, "I'll have a beer mate", and yes, you will get a beer. However, ordering a beer correctly in Australia is not that easy, as it varies from state to state or territory to territory, if you like...
Read more...



The Top 7 Cruise Planning Myths... Busted!

Frequent cruisers and travel agents mean well when they give you advice about when, where, and how to cruise. Everybody and their Uncle Larry has an opinion about cabin choices, itineraries, and ship choice...
Read more...






6 Travel Tips to Help You Fly Through Airport Security

Image copyright: Teri Verbickis

I'm a pretty patient person, but my tolerance is tested in a line at the Motor Vehicle Department, the grocery store (why do they have 15 registers and only open two when there are 75 people in line!) and airport security...
Read more...

My TO - May 24, 2015

The Distillery District
55 Mill Street
Toronto. ON





The Distillery District is a popular area just east of the downtown core of Toronto. It is home of a number of cafes, restaurants, bars and shops in what was the site of the Gooderham and Worts Distillery.

The forty heritage buildings are fine examples of Victorian industrial architecture.






Click here for more information.

Thoughts and Tips #42 - May 24, 2015

In this issue:

-Want to Travel? Stop Thinking
-sateless suitcase | 10 Things that Surprised Me about Jordan
-Out in France: The secret to language learning success
-Prioritizing Quality Time v Counting Countries: Encouraging Full Cultural Immersion with Hanne Velik - Mapping Megan
-Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Cuba
-How to Choose Great Locally Owned Accommodations When You Travel | Cosmos Mariners
-Rooftop Gardens of Hong Kong | Explore Traveler
-Confessions of a Cruise Ship Chef
-61 Travel Tips to Make You the World's Savviest Traveler | Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Want to Travel? Stop Thinking

Helsinki Cathedral. Photo by Dimitry B via Flickr

Some people are impulsive. They live on the edge, on whims, and flights of fancy. Other people are planners. They research their trips and want details, and more information. Most everyone fits somewhere between these two extremes, but I (usually) fall into the latter category. I plan, and I research, and I think, and then I overthink. When it comes to travel, sometimes thinking is bad. Not that you shouldn't think at all. Please don't be stupid. Just don't think, or maybe to be a bit more specific...
Read more...


sateless suitcase | 10 Things that Surprised Me about Jordan

Looking back, I had no idea what Jordan was going to be like before I boarded my flight. I had tried to google some of the places on our #GirlsGoneJordan itinerary, but in the end I traveled to...
Read more...


Out in France: The secret to language learning success

Learning a new language can be a humbling process. And time consuming and frustrating but also rewarding and fun. Depending upon your goals and how much time you have to learn a language, it may take a while before you get to a point where you feel comfortable conversing with others. But mo matter where you are now and where you'd like to be in the future, there's a secret to language learning success. It'll help you to look like you're better at a foreign language than you actually are. Her's the secret to looking like a pro even when you're not.
Read more...








Prioritizing Quality Time v Counting Countries: Encouraging Full Cultural Immersion with Hanne Velik - Mapping Megan

There are many different ways to travel, however for those looking to achieve full cultural immersion; that is to discover new cultures and impact and interact with local communities along the way, it is essential to dedicate quality time to each destination, more-so than you would in an average trip. And no-one knows this better than Hanne Hellvik, a traveler who has visited over 50 countries...
Read more...


Top 10 Tourist Attractions in Cuba

Cuba is a land with fascinating history. This Caribbean island was once the busy intersection stop for travelers, treasure bearers and pirates. Many people seeking the fortunes of the newly found America made their home here and gave birth to an amazing and diverse...
Read more...


How to Choose Great Locally Owned Accommodations When You Travel | Cosmos Mariners

Over the years, I've stayed in many hotels. Some were awesome, some were so-so, and some had me worried that I would see the next sunrise.

One thing that I have learned along the way is that some of my favorite stays have been at locally owned and independently operated places: each is different, and your stay is more likely to leave an impression.

Read more...















Rooftop Gardens of Hong Kong | Explore Traveler

Rooftop gardens are making a debut in the corporate jungle of Hong Kong. For years the citizens have been on the long road to disconnect from nature and now it is a long way home. In the 90's over 1/3 of the produce sold in Hong Kong was local, now it is a little more than 2%. There was a time that in the New Territories, the land that stretches from urban Kowloon to the border with mainland China, that farming reigned supreme. Now these farms too, have gone the way of urban life. Most of the food eaten in Hong Kong comes from...
Read more...


Confessions of a Cruise Ship Chef

A typical cruise ship kitchen (Photo: Oceania Cruises)

Ever wondered what goes on behind the scenes in a cruise ship kitchen? How the staff keeps hungry passengers satisfied on a long sailing? We caught up with executive chef Jörg Becker aboard Oceania Cruises' Nautica en route from Tokyo to Hong Kong. It was a full sailing, which meant that  Becker had plenty of mouths to feed each day

Read more...

61 Travel Tips to Make You the World's Savviest Traveler | Nomadic Matt's Travel Site

Most people aren't born savvy travelers. It's something that only comes with on the road experience. In the  beginning, you make a lot of mistakes. Travel savviness is a process born of missed buses, foolish behaviour, cultural unawareness, and countless tiny errors. Then, one day, you being to seamlessly move through airports and integrate yourself into new cultures like a fish to water.

Read more...

"Travel is sometimes stepping out of your comfort zone...

United We Play! / Jouons Unis! / ¡Unidos Jugamos! - Toronto 2015

The Games are coming!



The Toronto 2015 PanAmerican Parapan Games begin in just under 7 weeks! (July 10, 2015)

Capture the spirit!
Will you be there?
Join us!

For more information CLICK HERE.

Where in the World? Week 27 - May 20, 2015

Where in the world is this?

Enter your answer in the comment box below.

Check back next Friday (May 29) for the answer, and another photo.

Where in the world was last week's photo?

Universidad Nacional Autonoma de Mexico
Mexico City,
Mexico

Thoughts and Tips #41 - May 20, 2015

In this issue:

-11 Perfect Canadian Road Trips You Need to Take in Your Lifetime
-Falling in Love With Turkey on a Mind-Blowing Photo Tour
-Visit Marrakech - Food Fun Adventure in Marrakech - FiveDollarTraveller
-To Tip or Not to Tip? Tipping Etiquette Guide for International Travelers
-How To Select The Best Cruise Ship Cabins | Travelzoo
-How to Pack Smartly for Your Italian Vacation | Espresso
-The future of airline fees: What you're likely to pay more for
-The Happiest Countries in The World Might Also Be The Prettiest
-R&R on a Houseboat in Lampang

11 Perfect Canadian Road Trips You Need to Take in Your Lifetime

Read more...
















Falling in Love With Turkey on a Mind-Blowing Photo Tour

Drew Dunlop

If you think you have an idea of just how mesmerising Turkey is, think again. I certainly wasn't prepared to be as blown away by the country as I was. Istanbul alone is enough to leave any traveler reeling - let along the other towns, regions and landscapes of this incredible destination...
Read more...







Visit Marrakech - Food Fun Adventure in Marrakech - FiveDollarTraveller

Prepare your eyes for a visual feast. It's hard to take it all in as you are bombarded by colors, fabrics and locally crafted metal and wood.

Marrakech is one of the busiest cities in Morocco, Africa. It's world famous for (its) maze like souks, fascinating handi crafts and due to many of the building being build in red sandstone, has the nickname "Red City".
Read more...


To Tip or Not to Tip? Tipping Etiquette Guide for International Travelers

To tip or not to tip? That was - and is - the question whenever we travel internationally. How much is expected? Are you even supposed to tip? Knowing the tipping etiquette when you travel is something I have often times overlooked, only to find myself in quite the pickle. The worst was when we were in Russia...

Read more...

How To Select The Best Cruise Ship Cabins | Travelzoo

Photo: Flickr

For those travelers planning their next cruise vacation, it can be overwhelming picking between cabin types on a variety of cruise lines. Here are some tips to ensure your cruise will be smooth sailing.
Read more...

How to Pack Smartly for Your Italian Vacation | Espresso

We know that arranging for a vacation across the ocean can be daunting, and that's why we offer easily accessed assistance to help you with your plans. But once you get to the week before your vacation, and the ominous task of preparing your suitcase looms even closer, you begin to panic, and the thought of hiring a personal assistant for the day - just to take care of the luggage - crosses your mind.

Read more...

The future of airline fees: What you're likely to pay more for

Scottsdale, Ariz. -- What's the next big thing on the fee front for airlines?

David Cush, CEO of San Francisco-based Virgin America, thinks it should be a change in baggage fees. Speaking at an airline conference in Phoenix earlier this month, he said the way major airlines charge for bags is backward and doesn't make sense economically.

Read more...

The Happiest Countries in The World Might Also Be The Prettiest

If you're looking to take a trip to the happiest places on Earth, then here's your bucket list.

Every year, the World Happiness Report analyzes a number of nations and then ranks them in order of happiness. Countries are measured based on factors like living standards, employment rates and earnings. Of course, some of the top countries make big investments in healthcare, too.

Read more...

R&R on a Houseboat in Lampang

After an eventful first month in Thailand, we were looking to get away from the bombs in Khon Kaen for a little R&R. Fortunately, an opportunity presented itself. Charlie's friend has a houseboat in Lampang, about 2 hours outside Chiang Mai, and we had an invitation to board. I was itching to see Chiang Mai anyways, so we figured we'd make a trip out of it. We headed to the bus station and booked our tickets...

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Thoughts and Tips #40 - May 17, 2015

In this issue:

-World's top 10 tourism-friendly countries - IOL Travel Tips
-Oh, the Places You'll Go: 6 Vacation Destinations for Children's Literature Fans | Brightly
-Through Your Lens" The Many Faces of Myanmar
-Getting around in Cuba - My adventures across the world
-Where to Go 2015 | Travel Deals, Travel Tips, Travel Advice, Vacation Ideas | Budget Travel
-A Guide to Lahaina, Maui | Going Awesome Places
-Cruise Holidays - Finding the Right One For You | Caribbean Cruise Reviews
-A brief guide to identity protection on the road | Road Warrior Voices
-The 20 Craziest Requests Travel Agents Received This Year | TravelPulse

World's top 10 tourism-friendly countries - IOL Travel Tips

Washington - For the first time, Spain ranks as the world's most tourism-friendly country in the World Economic Forum's Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, according to rankings recently released in a biennial report. Spain's leading status is "thanks to its cultural resources, infrastructure and adaptation to digital consumption habits," a press release accompanying the report said.
Read more...




Oh, the Places You'll Go: 6 Vacation Destinations for Children's Literature Fans | Brightly

Children's books can take us places we never dreamed possible. Who hasn't wondered what it would be like to step into Narnia, or visit Willy Wonka's chocolate factory, wander the streets of Whoville, or swim to Atlantis? Sadly, the fact that these locales are imaginary means we can't ever visit (at least not during waking hours). But don't despair. Authors don't always make up the settings for their stories. With a little effort, you can plan a vacation to the incredible real-life destinations found in your favourite children's books.
Read more...


Through Your Lens" The Many Faces of Myanmar

spencerlz / Instagram

The WorldPost's "Through Your Lens" series brings you stunning photos taken by social media users in a different country around the world every week. This week, we explore magical Myanmar.

From the ancient city of Bagan to the myriad stupas of Mandalay Hill to the incredible teakwood bridge over the Taungthaman Lake, Myanmar is undoubtedly one of the most spiritual and unique tourist destinations in the world.
Read more...





Getting around in Cuba - My adventures across the world

Vintage cars are one of the symbols of Cuba. They are anywhere. Some are so dear to their owners, who take so much pride in them that have completely renovated them, changing the engin(e), placing new appliances, and what not. Some others are just plain old cars, which make load of noise and, what is worst, produce and incredible amount of smoke and pollution. Yet, riding on one of those car is an experience and you will want to do it. Sitting on the huge back seat you almost feel...
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Where to Go 2015 | Travel Deals, Travel Tips, Travel Advice, Vacation Ideas | Budget Travel

Wondering where 2015 will take you? Our top travel picks for this year offer different kinds of vacation bliss, from white-sand beaches to world-class shopping to architectural marvels. Which destination should you visit? Take the quiz!
Read more...




A Guide to Lahaina, Maui | Going Awesome Places

You may not heard of Lahaina but you've definitely heard of Maui. Sitting on the west end of the island, Lahaina is one of the four major towns that's a great backdrop for activities, entertainment, food and as a place to call it a night. While it may not have the beaches of Kaanapali...
Read more...


Cruise Holidays - Finding the Right One For You | Caribbean Cruise Reviews

Are you thinking of taking a Cruise? Planning and booking a cruise vacation is much different than booking other types of holidays. Here are some tips to finding the right cruise vacation for you...
Read more...











A brief guide to identity protection on the road | Road Warrior Voices

Nerves can run high prior to departure because you're trying to remember to shut off the George Foreman Grill and make sure the dog doesn't disappear before you accidentally forget Kevin at home. And once you're out the door and finally on the beach in Bermuda, the last thing you want to worry about is someone buying baby clothes and a new Maserati with your credit card...
Read more...




The 20 Craziest Requests Travel Agents Received This Year | TravelPulse

Part and parcel of any agent's job, at least in theory, is to make good on clients' requests in the hopes of fashioning idyllic travel experiences for them...
Read more...

Dripping with sweetness

Seen on Istiklal Caddesi, Istanbul

All journeys have secret destinations...

Where in the World? Week 26 - May 15, 2015

Where in the world is this?

Enter your answer in the comment box below.



Check back next Friday (May 22) for the answer, and another photo.

Where in the world was last week's photo?

Maligne Lake
Jasper National Park
Jasper, Alberta

Click here for more information