Kelowna – The Heart of Canada’s Garden of Eden

The Okanagan Valley slices like a surgeon’s incision in a north-south direction through B.C.’s mountainous interior. Blessed by sunshine and bounteous vineyards and orchards, it’s Canada’s Garden of Eden, and a place I love to visit. This time I was drawn by the occult and mystical: the pyramid at Summerhill Winery (http://www.summerhill.bc.ca/). As Stephen Cipes, the winery’s proprietor, the creator of the pyramid and an aging happy hippy explained, “This is the world’s most accurate model of Egypt’s Great Pyramid. Due to its sacred geometry it channels energy and enhances the wines we store there.” We tasted his sparkling wine, and I could only agree.

At Father Pandosy Heritage Mission (http://www.okanaganhistoricalsociety.org/pandosy_mission.html), we strolled among old log buildings, recalling the early days of the valley, when life was much simpler.

Later along the concrete of downtown, I mounted a paddleboard, handcrafted by local artisan Derek Frechette (http://www.peregrinelongboards.com/), who also gave riding pointers to this aging duffer. I rolled along slowly and tentatively as youngsters raced past, but with a huge grin.

The accommodations at Manteo Resort (http://www.manteo.com/), right on the banks of the lake, were comfortable, and the food at its Wild Apple Restaurant ( http://www.wildapplerestaurant.com) was great. The second evening I feasted at the popular Cabana Grille.
In the morning we hiked high on Knox Mountain. The air had an intoxicating freshness, arrowleaf balsamroot flowers bloomed bright yellow among the dry grasses and Kelowna and Lake Okanagan were laid out below us like feast. Turning a corner, we unexpectedly encountered a rock cairn and then another and another. An anonymous sculptor had erected about 50 rock cairns, like Inuit Inukshuks, here on a ridge. Some loomed over two metres in height and took unusual shapes, often like dream-land creatures. They were mysterious and spiritual.

No question, Kelowna rocks!

For more information: www.tourismkelowna.com

Fredericton: Warmth, Whiskey & Gourmet Cuisine

The tediousness of flying across our vast land to reach Fredericton was quickly washed away by New Brunswick’s warmth and hospitality. What a TMAC conference! Who would have thought the city would throw open the doors of its historic Government House, which we reached by a lovely, sun-warmed stroll alongside Canada’s most storied river. En route, Andrew and I even encountered some delightful rascals, one of whom wore a scarlet tunic and kept ringing a loud brass bell.

To the screech of bagpipes the horde of TMACers entered the not-so-modest domicile of the Lieutenant Governor. Sipping a cranberry sparkling wine I wandered through three floors of history encountering an attractive belle playing a harp, painters painting and a duo playing fiddle music. Everyone was smiling and laughing; Government House overflowed with good cheer.

But the best part was the food! Gourmet culinary stations were sprinkled throughout this formidable manse. Freshly harvested oysters, shucked right before me, slid down my throat. I tried to concentrate — unsuccessfully — on the chat of a striking lady representing Manitoba, or was it Edmonton, or perhaps Montreal, while the tastes of poached lobster topped with caviar cream lingered on my palate. Around each corner awaited scrumptuous gourmet snacks: fresh smoked salmon, succulent crabcakes, bacon-wrapped turkey – all produced locally. Finally, I reached the desert table. Nirvana! Ecstasy! Calories be damned, I dove into the truffles, devouring about ten. Oh yes, the cheesecakes and chocolate tort weren’t bad either.

As the crowd began to thin, Andrew and I headed into the town centre, lured by rumours that a certain pub, the Lunar Rogue, served 400 different whiskeys from around the globe. Soon we were happily sipping a dram washed down by a pint of best bitter, chatting, somewhat incoherently, with the locals.

Stumbling back to the hotel with the moon reflecting from the still waters of the St. John River, I emitted a small belch. A memorable evening indeed.

Namibia has the Largest and Most Beautiful Dunes in the World

Namibia stunned me. It is so dry, hot and barren, yet so picturesque, a rich visual feast. From Little Kulala Camp we drove into the Sossusvlei region surrounded by immense, deep-red sand dunes stretching to the horizon, their sharp ridges curving sinuously, dividing the landscape into bold patterns of bright redness and velvet shadow.

Barefoot, we trudged up the spine of one of the largest dunes. From the top, I could see for miles in the hot, dry air. Sand, sand lay everywhere and in starkly beautiful patterns. Accustomed to lush rain-forests of western Canada, I found this terrain naked, yet, it had a powerful appeal and its own splendour.

Later, we flew along the coast. An immense desert of dunes, known as the “sands of hell”, lies along the entire Atlantic Ocean. I could see how wind constantly shifts the geography, creating incredible designs. We passed over a shipwreck with its skeletal ribs protruding from the sand, now far from the sea.

Surprisingly, this barren landscape harbours and sustains life. We saw a herd of desert elephants sliding down a towering dune. Beetles, spiders and snakes leave patterns in the sand.

At Swakopmund, Land Rovers — modern-day camels — carried us deep into the endless sand dunes. The guide raced up the crest of a tall dune and then dove down the other side. It was wilder than a roller-coaster ride. Parking in the lee of a dune, our guide set a table with white linen, fresh oysters, calamari and salads. I sipped a wine and gazed at the tall dunes marching into the pounding surf.

Next day I joined a desert nature tour, kicking off my shoes as the guide let air out of the tires to give his big Land Rover better traction. Then he drove into the dunes, stopping whenever he spotted a clue. “This is the desert newspaper,” he said pointing at tiny tracks in the sand. “During the night spiders, lizards and beetles come out. In the morning before the wind comes up you can read their tracks.” He followed a faint trail, scooped sand furiously and triumphantly held up a translucent Palmetto gecko. Later, pointing at the bizarre tracks of a sidewinder snake that travels sideways, he noted, “It’s poisonous.” I wished I had not removed my shoes.

Sitting high on a dune, I realized my lasting memory of Namibia, this parched piece of paradise, would be of seductively beautiful desert dunes.



*** To learn more about this amazing country and see over 130 colour photos, view my on-line book Impressions of Namibia at:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2881752 ***


General info on Namibia: www.namibatourism.com.na
Wilderness Safaris operates lodges throughout southern Africa with 18 camps in Namibia: www.wilderness-safaris.com
Travel Beyond makes bookings for Wilderness Safaris in North America:
www.travelbeyond.com
Namibia Tracks & Trails makes travel and accommodation arrangements in Swakopmund and throughout Namibia: www.namibia-tracks-and-trails.com

Poverty: The Other Side of Africa

Namibia is the best country in Africa to visit. You will see amazing wildlife, especially exotic big game, and the natural setting is spectacular with sensuous desert scenery and a stunning coastline. Best of all, the people are friendly and travel is safe.

But Namibia, and Africa as a whole, has another side, which includes high unemployment and poverty. To gain insight into these problems, I took the Swakop Township Tour while visiting Swakopmund. Beetle, a large African with dreadlocks, picked me up at the guesthouse and we set off to see the township and informal settlement. He explained how the former was set up by under apartheid rule and all blacks were forced to move there. The informal settlement houses new arrivals from rural areas and has no electricity.

He parked and we walked past small, shabby homes through sandy, treeless streets. Outhouses were shared with two or more homes. Children played in the street and Beetle, who grew up here, explained that because everyone knows each other and life is lived mainly on the street, crime is low.

We entered the home of Ouma Lena, a distinguished-looking 83-year-old lady, the chief of the Township, she spoke in the Damara click language with Beetle, who translated. Next we visited the tiny one-room hut of Auguste, a Nama herbalist, who showed me the plants and potions she uses to treat ailments. Wooden, painted figures like voodoo dolls were poised over her medicines.

The tour closed with a traditional meal of traditional beer, spinach dish, millet paste and fried grubs, which, surprisingly, tasted good.

Driving back to the town centre, I was surprised at how eye-opening and thought-provoking the tour had been. Yes, it was depressing, yet it is a tour that every person from a developed nation should take. Perhaps it will help us seek ways to more equitably share the planet’s wealth.

*** To learn more about this amazing country and see over 130 colour photos, view my on-line book Impressions of Namibia at:
http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2881752 ***

General info on Namibia: www.namibatourism.com.na
Swakop Township Tours: www.culturalactivities.in.na
Namibia Tracks & Trails makes travel and accommodation arrangements in Swakopmund and throughout Namibia: www.namibia-tracks-and-trails

Namibia has the Best Big Game Safaris in the World

My heart was thumping as I sipped a glass of wine right next to a pride of five large, powerful lions. Dusk was settling, the temperature was dropping and the cats were restless, starting to think about a snack, and here we were, sitting in an open Land Rover looking just like five tasty hors d’oeuvres.


We were in Ongava Game Reserve, bordering Namibia’s world-renowned Etosha National Park. Earlier we had watched a herd of desert elephants amble along a dry, dusty riverbed. An ostrich raced across the sparse landscape. Three white rhinos foraged, huge and ponderous. Zebras, a tangle of attractive black-and-white patterns, drank at a water hole next to springbok and oryx.

Namibia, Africa’s third largest country and sparsely inhabited, is making a strong case for becoming the go-to country for seeing big game. It hasn't been easy for exotic animals, such as rhinos and elephants, were being decimated by hunting, but progressive anti-poaching and rhino translocation programs have made a big difference. Elegant safari camps offer fascinating views of lions, cheetahs, rhinoceroses, giraffes, kudu, oryx and much more.

Best of all, the Namibian people are friendly and travel is safe.

*** To learn more about this amazing country and see over 130 colour photos, view my on-line book Impressions of Namibia at:
         http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/2881752 ***

General info on Namibia: http://www.namibatourism.com.na/
Wilderness Safaris operates lodges throughout southern Africa with 18 camps in Namibia: http://www.wilderness-safaris.com/
Travel Beyond makes bookings for Wilderness Safaris in North America: www.travelbeyond.com

Namibia Tracks & Trails makes travel and accommodation arrangements throughout Namibia: www.namibia-tracks-and-trails.com

Dizzying Dubai - 3

Oryx and Sheikh (apologies to Margaret Atwood)
Leaving the bustling cityscape behind, I headed to the Dubai Desert Conservation Reserve and the Al Maha Resort, an unusual combination of raw nature and extreme luxury. We turned off the main highway and drove along a small sand-blown road until in the distance I saw a clump of trees with tents scattered among them. After check-in, a golf cart drove me to a villa with a large sail of a canvas roof. Inside, I was greeted by a king-size bed, Arabian antiques and bathtub in which you could launch a ship. Outside, wooden decks and a personal infinity pool offered long views over the desert. I felt guilty as hell, but it was absolutely, deliciously decadent.

The resort with its pools attracts a variety of animals and birds, an oasis in the middle of a dry, hot desert. I went for a drive with a naturalist in the afternoon as the sun turned soft orange. An endangered oryx posed against the sky. Delicate little Arabian gazelles gazed shyly at us. On spotting us, a sandfish lizard disappeared into the dune in a flurry of sand. The dunes were like art with sculpted ridges and rich shadowy ripples.

This piece of desert offers a good-news conservation story. The oryx, an antelope with long sharp horns, was declared extinct in 1968. The Sheikh organized a breeding program in Arizona using a number of captive oryx. In 1998, about 50 oryx were returned and released in the reserve. With government protection, including a fence around the 225-square-kilometre reserve, the population prospered and has grown to over 400 today.

Later, I mounted a camel and we rode for 20-minutes into the desert. We dismounted and walked among the dunes in bare feet, sipping sparkling wine as the sun set in a brilliant giant orb. Then we mounted up and rode back to our modest villas and a sumptuous dinner at the Al Diwaan restaurant.

Next morning I rose for an early swim and then lazed by the pool with a coffee listening to an avian orchestra of coos, chirps and warbles. I never imagined the desert would be so, well, luxurious and comfortable.

More Information:
+ General info:  definitelydubai.com
+ The Desert Conservation Centre:  http://www.ddcr.org/
+ Tours: http://www.knighttours.co.ae/

Dizzying Dubai - 2

A filly, several actually, drew me to Dubai. I came to see the World Cup horse race, the richest in the world with total purses exceeding $26 million US.

A gala Arabian Nights evening preceded the race by two days. We drove along a modern highway and soon were in the desert. We passed the Outlet Mall, an enormous structure surrounded by miles of empty sand, and a sign that the recent financial crisis has slowed Dubai’s incredible boom. A camel train wandered past.

A roofless arena that looked like an old fort loomed out of the desert. We entered along a row of Persian carpets laid on the sand. Inside, the arena tiers were set up with elegant tables, glistening glasses and cutlery. We wandered around in the sand-floored centre enjoying displays of Bedouin crafts and foods. As the sun set in a blaze on the western horizon, we went to our al fresco table. We tucked into sumptuous Arabic style cuisine, washed down with, surprise, copious quantities of wine. Then the show began. We were entranced by music, including an Arab band playing bagpipes (!), and horses doing intricate manoeuvres and stunts. The Sheik was present and I got to within about 30 metres. The evening closed with a dazzling fireworks display. Arab hospitality is fabulous!

Two evenings later we fought through thick traffic to get to the big show, the World Cup race. What a party! It’s the social highlight of the year. Beautiful ladies in hats, stiletto heels and ample curves and cleavage paraded back and forth, occasionally contrasting with local women totally encased in black. The new state-of-the-art Meydan stadium, the largest and most opulent horse-racing venue in the world, was crammed with over 60,000 exuberant, happy people. Sheik Mo was in attendance, constantly followed by a coterie of sycophants, all dressed in flowing white traditional robes. Oh, yes, and there were eight horse races. The Godolphin Stables, owned by the Sheik, who else, was the big winner, with three triumphant horses. A magnificent show of dancing, lights and fireworks preceded and built up the suspense for the final race, the Dubai World Cup with a purse of $10 million US. In the thundering charge down the final straight, horses from beleaguered Japan came in first and second.

Late in the night, we fought our way hotelward through thick traffic. I closed my eyes and wondered. The evening had been spectacular, and it had delivered a clear message: the Sheikh is pushing hard to make Dubai a world-class destination. Only time will tell if the initial enormous growth will continue.

More Info:  + General info: definitelydubai.com
+ Tours: www.knighttours.co.ae