Gone with the Family

Hangin' on Waikiki Beach

I have read so many articles this week about Disney's new resort, Aulani, on the Hawaiian island of Oahu that I can't stop thinking about our own Hawaiian trip three years ago.  This is Emma on the world-famous Waikiki Beach in Honolulu with Diamond Head in the background.  As you can see, the laid-back Hawaiian lifestyle suits her perfectly!

An Impromptu Pottery Class in Istanbul

While on an Eastern Mediterranean cruise with Celebrity Cruises this past summer, we were fortunate to be able to spend two days in Istanbul, Turkey.  We booked a guided tour with EKOL Travel for part of the first day to see the main sights in Sultanahmet (the historic area of Istanbul) - The Blue Mosque, Hagia Sophia, Topkapi Palace and The Grand Bazaar.

I had read ahead of time time that tour guides will suggest watching a rug demonstration, however, nothing in my research had mentioned ceramic shops.  To be quite honest, I wasn't even aware how important the ceramics industry was in Turkey.  So as we were walking through Sultanahmet with our guide, Cennk, I was surprised when he suggested that we have a look around Firca Ceramics and watch a demonstration on the craft of ceramic making. 

Carousels in the South of France

When we were traveling in the south of France we discovered, much to the delight of our younger daughter, that many of the towns and villages had old-fashioned carousels in the historic areas.  Once one of these charming merry-go-rounds has been spotted it is impossible to pass it by without riding - at least once.  For the cost of about a Euro it provides a very pleasant diversion from sightseeing and puts a smile on everyone's face.

 

 
Emma riding a carousel in Avignon, France

Top 10 Things for Families To Do In Niagara Falls

Niagara Falls, Canada is a destination that is bursting with activities for families with kids of all ages.  Whether you are in town for a week or just a weekend there is more than enough activities to keep the kids busy and begging to come back for more.  Here's our family's list of the Top 10 Things to Do In Niagara Falls.

Dreaming of Cape Breton Island

A number of years ago our family spent the better part of a week on Cape Breton Island in Nova Scotia, Canada.  Cape Breton is a family-friendly island known for its spectacular natural beauty, celtic music,  diverse recreational activities and, of course, it's seafood.  We thought that Cape Breton Island was one of the most beautiful places that we had ever visited and we certainly aren't alone in that opinion.  Cape Breton Island was recently selected once again as one of the best islands by readers of Travel & Leisure magazine in the 2011 World's Best Awards (finishing 3rd behind Santorini and Bali). 

Swimming with Sea Lions at Coral World

A couple of years ago our family went on a spring break cruise of the Eastern Caribbean with Holland America on the ms Eurodam.  One of the ports of call was St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands where  we decided to spend our day at Coral World Ocean Park on Coki Beach.  Coral World is a marine park that has exhibits, a touch pool and an underwater observatory where guests can view non-captive fish going about their day in the Caribbean.  There are also a number of activities which must be reserved ahead of time and require an additional fee.  These include: Sea Lion Encounter; Sea Lion Swim; Sea Trek; Snuba; Shark Encounter; Turtle Encounter; and the Nautilus Semi-Submarine.    

A Colourful Afternoon in Roussillon, France

We visited a number of picture perfect French villages on a family trip to Provence, however, one of the most memorable was probably the village of Roussillon in the popular Luberon region of the country.  The easiest way to access the village is to park near the base and walk uphill into the town which is located at the top of Mont Rouge.  As you do so you would definitely be forgiven for thinking that you are somewhere other than France - Santa Fe perhaps - because Roussillon has a very unique look that distinguishes it visually from other villages in the area.

 

                      Katie walking into the village of Roussillon

A History Lesson at The Laura Secord Homestead

On a recent day trip to the Niagara Falls area, my husband, our 8 year old daughter and I visited  The Laura Secord Homestead which is one of several heritage sites operated by the Niagara Parks Commission.  The homestead is located in the village of Queenston just off the Niagara Parkway and only a few minutes drive from Niagara Falls.  The restored homestead was the residence of Canadian heroine Laura Secord from 1803-1835.

 

 
Emma outside The Laura Secord Homestead

Coronado Beach in Winter

Our family visited San Diego, California during the Christmas holidays last year arriving in the late afternoon on December 28th to a gorgeous, sunny day - albeit a bit cooler than we had hoped Southern California would be.  It didn't matter though because it was definitely a lot warmer than what we had left behind in Toronto.  We checked into our room at the Hotel del Coronado, dropped off our luggage and headed out to explore.  We saw many people bundled up in coats, hats and gloves but we weren't discouraged - we were heading to the beach.

Book of the Month: Book Lust To Go

 

The Book of the Month for September is Book Lust To Go by Nancy Pearl.  Ms. Pearl is described in her biography as "America's rock star librarian" who lectures widely on books and reading and regularly recommends books on NPR.  She has published other compilations of recommended books, however, this is her first to focus on literary globetrotting.  Ms. Pearl provides an alphabetical listing of her recommendations for the best fiction and non-fiction reading for more than 120 particular destinations.  Chapters include "Canada, O Canada", "Maine Tales", "Roman Holiday" and "Peru(sing) Peru" just to name a few.