If you have ever been spent time in Canada’s Capital as a visitor or a resident, then you likely know of the Rideau Canal. The narrow channel weaves through Ottawa landmarks and neighbourhoods along an 8km stretch, connecting the metropolitan’s two universities while delivering the most picturesque scenery a city can provide. Many of usContinue reading “Advent Calendar – Dec 14th: Skating (or walking) Ottawa’s Rideau Canal”
Tag Archives: tourism
Advent Calendar – Dec 9th: Humans Need Connection
Travel should be about helping you connect with the people of the countries you are visiting, to understand their culture, their economy and their history. What I like about cruising is that we get that opportunity, not only in port, but also with the people we meet on board. There are typically over 60 nationalitiesContinue reading “Advent Calendar – Dec 9th: Humans Need Connection”
Advent Calendar – Dec 4th : Beyond Shore Excursions
I have written before about cruising and until our recent trip to Mexico, preferred vacations on ships rather than resorts. I would say that for a vacation in the Caribbean, a cruise is still my preference. This year, we took 3 Caribbean cruises, visiting islands of the lesser and south Antilles (St-Thomas, St-Marten, Barbados, St-Lucia,Continue reading “Advent Calendar – Dec 4th : Beyond Shore Excursions”
Advent Calendar – Dec 3rd: Once a year, go someplace you have never gone before
We all know that travelling gives us an opportunity to expand our knowledge and gain a better understanding of other cultures, and countries. Beyond this, the benefits of travel are quite tangible, physically and psychologically. I walk more when I travel, and my stress level goes way down. The fresh air stimulates endorphins, putting meContinue reading “Advent Calendar – Dec 3rd: Once a year, go someplace you have never gone before”
Visite guidée de notre logement en Toscane – Guided Tour of Where we stayed in Iano, Italy
Alors voici deux video vous donnant un aperçu du village de Iano, dans la commune de Montaione en banlieue de Florence, en Toscane, ainsi qu’un visionnement de notre logement pendant notre séjour de 2 mois. J’inclus d’abord les coordonnées de google maps afin de vous situer quelque peu. Nous étions a 1 heure de Florence,Continue reading “Visite guidée de notre logement en Toscane – Guided Tour of Where we stayed in Iano, Italy”
Is cruising for you?
We took our first cruise vacation in 2012. It was an exciting trip for my entire family, to mark my parents 50th wedding anniversary. The trip aboard Royal Caribbean’s Oasis of the Seas was memorable in so many ways, but we were the only ones in the family to catch the cruise bug. The appealContinue reading “Is cruising for you?”
Oh Italy – You have so much to show us…
We left Tuscany on a beautify sunny morning in late October. We decided to take the scenic route back to Rome, before we left Italy the next day. After two month of visiting all of the hills and valleys of the Golden Triangle that is Pisa, Sienna and Florence we thought we had become quiteContinue reading “Oh Italy – You have so much to show us…”
« I’m toooo young to die… »
Eliza was a greeter we hired when we arrived from Rome to Florence. She arranged for our luggage to be collected from the train, and for someone to hail a taxi for us. While we waited she shared with us a lot of personal information. We told her we just needed a taxi to getContinue reading “« I’m toooo young to die… »”
When Uptown really is Up…
We were dropping off our friends at the Certaldo train station, when on our way home we noticed at the end of the street, a rail track going directly up the hill in front of us. Suddenly, it jogged my memory about something I had read, I believe in Rick Steves guide to Italy. OfContinue reading “When Uptown really is Up…”
Travel? Not without certain comforts of home
When we decided to be world bohemians for 4 months, it was clear that we nevertheless would need (want?) some comforts of home. Mindful of the bags we would be dragging our intention was to be ruthless and pack only what was absolutely necessary. In Italy especially, elevators are few, and the cobble stones streetsContinue reading “Travel? Not without certain comforts of home”
Head over heels for Florence
Firenze – you conquer my heart every time. The last time I saw you it was March of ’78. I was a mere girl of 15, and you won me over with your fresh strawberries at every gelateria and your magnifique paintings from Boticelli, Michelangelo and Leonardo. Now, I am a mature woman of 55Continue reading “Head over heels for Florence”
Trying to be a non tourist in Venice
Italy is a relatively young country, as young as Canada actually, with the unification of all of its regions and cities finalized in 1870. I will spare you the complex historical evolution of how it came to be a nation-state, but suffice to know that prior to the unification, Italy was a collection of city-stateContinue reading “Trying to be a non tourist in Venice”
SOAR Coaching and Personal Insights 