Explore the coast of British Columbia with Maple Leaf Adventures

by Kraig Becker on

For more than twenty years Maple Leaf Adventures has been providing unique and affordable opportunities for travelers to visit the stunning coastlines of British Columbia and southern Alaska, with a host of tours designed to offer amazing wildlife experiences while immersing travelers in the native cultures that are still prevalent in the region today.

A quick glance at Maple Leaf’s list of tours and you’ll begin to understand why they were named one of National Geographic Adventure‘s best adventure travel companies. Their trips range in length from five to eleven nights, with small groups of travelers boarding the Maple Leaf, a 92-foot long, 104 year old, wooden schooner that has been refurbished with modern amenities and outfitted to make these expedition cruises as comfortable as possible for passengers. The entire experience is enhanced further by the presence of top naturalists and historians who specialize in the B.C. and Alaskan coasts and serve as guides for the these adventures.

Eco-tourism may have become a hot topic in the travel industry over the past few years, but for Maple Leaf Adventures, it has been part of the companies philosophy since it was founded back in 1986. All of the tours have been meticulously planned to have as small of an impact on the environment as possible, and the company has championed conservation efforts along the B.C. coastline for years. In addition, Maple Leaf was instrumental in opening travel options to the Great Bear Rainforest and parts of Vancouver Island.

Personally, the thought of taking an adventure cruise along the Alaskan or B.C. coasts sounds like an amazing experience. The fact that the cruise takes place on a wooden longship that provides a sense of history, only enhances the appeal. With so many interesting options to choose from, it is difficult to recommend just one, but it’s also hard to top their voyage to the Gulf Islands, in Autumn no less. Those lucky enough to make that journey are treated to spectacular scenery, the great migration of birds heading south for winter, spawning salmon, and giant orcas, with the stunning backdrop of all the fall colors. Sounds perfect to me!

Northeastern Montana: More than land to blast through

by Jamie Rhein on

I’ve driven through northeastern Montana twice. The second time was last summer. Each time my husband, kids and I have blasted through on our way to elsewhere–once to East Glacier and once to Billings. With the miles it takes to get that far from central Ohio, putting the pedal to the metal is a tendency.

As we pass each town separated by wide expanses of scenery topped by endless sky, “That looks like a neat place. I wonder what it’s like?” My attention, however, is more on our friends who are waiting for us at the end of journey. After reading this travel article in the New York Times, I’m thinking that the next time we should stop longer than it takes to fill the gas tank..

First, I didn’t realize how rich in dinosaurs this region is. My son is sooooo determined to dig for dinosaur bones. Here it’s possible. When we were in Miles City, one of the region’s towns, and the only place we stopped, the only digging was by my husband who dug a pheasant that we hit back in North Dakota out of the grill of our car.

Along with digging for dinosaur bones, fishing for paddlefish is another area offering. Plus, there are several museums that pay tribute to the natural and human history and life of this part of Montana. Next time, we’re parking the car and getting out. The article is a keeper since it tells exactly where to go.The article’s slide show is a perfect enticement.

Into Dakar: The Typical Tourist Trifecta

by Grant Martin on

It’s already been said that one doesn’t go to Dakar for the proper tourist attractions. Pick up a Lonely Planet guide to the entire country of Senegal and you’ll find a book about the size of the Kalamazoos. The draw to Senegal is not in its proper monuments or attractions, but rather in its people, history and culture.

That said, there are a few interesting sites to see if you’re looking for a day of relaxation, photo opportunities and maybe a little hassling from local trinket vendors. Break them up into a few days if you would like, but all three of these can be done in a good solid day.

Ile de Gorée (top photo)

Historically known as a slave trading hub (although the volume of slaves exported from here is questionable,) the island of Gorée 2km off the coast has been restored over the last few decades to pay respect to the ancient industry. Numerous buildings have been rebuilt to historical accuracy, with yellow and red painted walls brightly bordering the perimeter of the island. It’s a stark contrast to the buildings on the mainland, and a fairly obvious pull to tourists.

On the 45 acre island, one can visit the slave museum, history museum and any number of small shops and historical alcoves to piece together bits of Gorée’s past. Walking up to the crest of the island affords a beautiful view of Dakar as well the company of a towering concrete monument of mysterious origin.

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Expect to find a wide variety of overpriced Senegalese trinkets and art on the island, as well as guides offering their service to take you around. Maintain a steady line and you’ll avoid most of the ruckus.

There is also a small beach on Goree, but it’s fairly overcrowded and not a safe place to leave your personal belongings. If you really fancy a visit to the beach, consider Ile de Ngor on the north side of Dakar (pictured above,) with quieter, safer and nicer beaches with attendants and umbrellas.

Entry into the museums is less than $5 each while the ferry for Goree leaves frequently from downtown Dakar.

Pointe Des Almadies

A small volume of tourist-centric commerce has been built around the westernmost point of continental Africa, Point Almadies (pictured below.) One can grab a meal of fresh fish and fries at one of the numerous restaurants then walk out to the pier and take photos near the lighthouse. Afterwards, an artisians market is nearby and on the way home there is even a casino that one can stop in and visit.

Cab fare from central Dakar should cost about $5.

The Plateau

Like Paris, Dakar is divided into several regions called arondissiments. Here, however, the divisions are purely bureaucratic, and the locals rarely refer to their neighborhoods by what arondissiment it’s in. Where government and popular opinon overlap, however, is in the Plateau, the southernmost point of Dakar and home to many of the embassies, officialities and pomp of Dakar.

Here you can scour around for cafés with wireless internet, mainstream restaurants and boutiques selling traditional Senegalese wear, all against the backdrop of street vendors hawking and taxis buzzing by.

The best place to do this is on Ave. George Pompidou (also known as Ponty) just west of Place de Independence. From here you can also walk south towards the Presedential Palace, in front of which it’s rumored that “even the trees hate the President.”

Unless you’re in Dakar during the dead of winter, it’s going to be a rather sweaty visit throughout the city, so make sure you bring a bottle of water and take plenty of breaks. Worst case scenario, you can always jump into the Atlantic and cool off between destinations.

Read more from Dakar here.

A legendary stone circle in England

by Sean McLachlan on

Everyone knows about Stonehenge, England’s most famous ancient monument, but did you know that there are nearly a thousand similar stone circles in the United Kingdom? Some are almost as big as Stonehenge, and all are steeped in folklore and legend.

A favorite of mine are the Rollright Stones, which you can get to as an easy day trip from Oxford or London. They’re near Chipping Norton, a fifty-minute bus ride from Oxford. This is a chance to get out of town and experience some of England’s peaceful countryside as well as a bit of prehistoric mystery.

The Rollright Stones is actually a general name for three ancient monuments within sight of each other. There’s a circle of low stones called the King’s Men, and nearby is a tall, strangely shaped stone called the King Stone (pictured here). A little further away is a cluster of five tall stones called the Whispering Knights. The names come from an old legend.

A long time ago, the legend says, a king and his army were passing through the countryside when five of his knights drew apart and conspired against him. As this was happening, a witch appeared and told him that if he could see the village of Long Compton a mile to the north by taking seven steps, he would become king of England. The king headed off, stretching out his legs as long as he could to get as far as possible, but on his seventh step a ridge rose up ahead of him. This ridge is still there and is called the Arch-Druid’s Barrow. The witch cackled and told him that he would never be king of England. Then the king, his knights, and the conspirators all turned to stone.

(I’m only repeating a legend, folks, so please don’t start a religious flame war like the last time I mentioned witches)

Stone circles are also associated with fertility, and old reports tell of young men and women meeting at the stones to eat, drink and, ahem, “be merry.” Ladies, if you want to find out the name of your future husband, press your ear against one of the Whispering Knights and he’ll whisper it to you. If you’re trying to get pregnant, press your breasts against the King Stone and you soon will be. “Making merry” with someone would probably help too.

So much for legend, what’s the real story of the Rollright Stones?

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The Whispering Knights used to have a roof, making a little building called a dolmen. Dolmens were used as tombs for important people and were generally covered with earth to make an artificial hill. It dates to about 4000-3500 BC. This was during the Neolithic, what archaeologists call the last phase of the Stone Age.

The King’s Men was built in the late Neolithic around 2500-2000 BC and is one of many stone circles set up at that time. Many of these circles have astronomical alignments, and the King’s Men is no exception. Two stones line up to mark the spot on the horizon where the moon rises on midsummer’s night. What does this mean? Nobody knows, since they hadn’t invented writing yet.

The King Stone is a bit more recent, probably erected around 1800-1500 BC in the Bronze Age. It’s a single standing stone and marked the spot for a cemetery. It’s interesting that people chose to bury their dead here at this site, already ancient in their day. Some researchers have tried to find astronomical alignments with the King’s Men, but there’s no solid theory yet.

There’s an easy, eight-mile circular hike to get to the Rollright Stones from Chipping Norton, the nearest town of any size. Details of the hike can be found in most hiking guides covering Oxfordshire. I used 50 Walks in Oxfordshire (AA Publishing, 2003).

The ultimate vacation home: a lighthouse

by Sean McLachlan on

Thinking of curing those recession blues by investing in a vacation home? Why go for the traditional beach-side bungalow or alpine chalet when you could get something a little more original?

Perhaps 76 acres of undeveloped beach and a famous lighthouse in the southwest of England would be just the thing?

Upton Towans beach in Gwithian, Cornwall, is up for sale. It was here that a young Virginia Woolf used to vacation with her family, and the broad beach and beautiful view of the offshore lighthouse are said to have inspired her 1927 novel To the Lighthouse.

The 86-foot tall Godrevy Lighthouse, pictured here, was built in 1858 after the SS Nile crashed into the nearby rocks and sank with all hands. It’s one of the most attractive lighthouses on the English coast and draws in thousands of tourists a year, who also stroll along the beach and surf in the rough waters.

Bidding for the land, which will benefit Hall for Cornwall theater, is expected to start at £50,000 ($81,000). The sale comes with a couple of conditions: the land must remain open for public use and it cannot be “developed” (i.e. ruined). That means visitors will still be able to enjoy this rugged stretch of Cornish coast and its literary associations.

So if you are looking for some real estate and you don’t want to wreck it, this may be the thing for you. You’ll have to get used to sleeping in a lighthouse, though.

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