I’m always impressed with a good black-and-white photo, but this one by the ubiquitous fiznatty positively took my breath away. What you’re looking at here is the exhalation of a humpback whale, photographed in the Great Bear Rainforest in British Columbia, Canada. Beautiful, isn’t she?
If you’ve got some great travel shots you’d love to share, be sure to upload them to the Gadling pool on Flickr. We might just pick one as our Photo of the Day.
When you think of Canadian food products, wine doesn’t exactly spring to mind. Back bacon and maple syrup, yeah, but wine? Mention Canadian wine and the first reaction you’re likely to get is either laughter or a blank stare.
That’s beginning to change as vintners in the Great White North are proving themselves.
The history of Canadian wines goes way back. Even the Vikings, who visited eastern Canada a thousand years ago, called the place Vinland after the vines of native grapes they found. The Native Americans (called First Nations up here) only used the grapes for eating, but it wasn’t long after British and French immigrants showed up that the first attempts at wine production were made. By the mid-nineteenth century it had become big business.
The major wine growing regions are British Columbia (shown here) and Ontario, with much smaller levels of production in Quebec and Nova Scotia. It should come as no surprise that most of vineyards hug the southern border and much of the wine they make is icewine.
Icewine is produced from grapes that have frozen on the vine. They aren’t harvested until the temperature dips lower than -8 Celsius, which means harvest is often as late as December. The frozen grapes only produce a tiny bit of juice rich with acid and sugar. The resulting wine is a very sweet dessert wine that comes in smaller bottles and is best served chilled and in small glasses. The expensive production process leads to a corresponding price tag. Canadian icewine is considered some of the best in the world.
Some Canadian producers actually import grapes and press them in Canada or mix them with Canadian grapes. These are labeled “Cellared in Canada” and are not true Canadian wines. All Canadian ice wine is the real stuff. Frozen grapes aren’t hard to come by here.
But icewine isn’t the whole story. According to the Canadian Vintners Association, more than thirty varieties are produced in the country. The Rieslings of Ontario were the first to show promise back in the Seventies, and Vidals, Chardonnays, and other varieties have become prominent. Pinot Noir, grown in Niagara, has done so well that Boisset, the largest producer in France’s famous Burgundy region, has joined with Vincor International, Canada’s largest wine company, to build a winery in Niagara dedicated to Pinot Noir and Chardonnay.
If the French have faith in Canada’s potential, that means something. Who knows? With global warming, Canada may become the new southern Europe.
If you like getting naked – but don’t want to wait for an occasion – get your (bare) ass to one of the top five nude beaches in the world. From Miami to Vancouver to Mykonos to St Maarten, you’ll find a place to roam free. Thanks to TripAdvisor for pulling this together.
Haulover Beach Park – Miami Beach, Florida
More than a million people hit Haulover every year to live the relaxed life of a nudist. If you go, you’ll stand out by trying to look like you’re not.
Wreck Beach – Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
At this clothing-optional beach, you’ll be able to gaze upon eagles and herons … or a whole lot of body parts you don’t normally see in public. According to one of TripAdvisor’s readers, “Wreck Beach is a magical place where I can strip off my layers of clothes and judgments, troubles and insecurities, and become one with the earth.”
Paradise Beach – Mykonos, Greece
They’re more open-mined in Europe, right? You bet! Check out Paradise Beach in Mykonos, where you can go “swimming in the blue waters and lying on the white sand in a place where humans celebrate the good parts of life.”
Orient Beach – St. Maarten, Caribbean
Head down to the Caribbean to shed your second, unnatural skin. At Orient Beach, you can feel the sand in every orifice. According to one TripAdvisor traveler, “Orient Beach was one of the most beautiful beaches I’ve ever visited. A ‘sun worshipers’ paradise.”
Black’s Beach – San Diego, California
Watch for the cliffs, which are absolutely beautiful. Then, surf naked or simply sun the spots normally not exposed to rays.
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!
A magnifying class will be held over Vancouver from February 12 to February 28 for the Winter Olympics, and Vancouver’s prostitutes want to put their best feet forward. To prepare for the influx of business and – media onslaught – Prostitution Alternatives Counselling and Education Society (PACE) is helping the city’s sex worker population understand what to expect.
The Canadian agency is putting together a brochure that will help the local working girls understand how to handle requests for photos and interviews – and a general sense of what their rights are when dealing with society’s true vermin (the press). In addition to the pamphlet, PACE will hold a discussion session to bolster the printed lessons.
Congratulations, reporters: even hookers aren’t comfortable around you.
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