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Québec City Shines @ Sustainable Tourism Symposium
Catch phrases have specific linguistic lineage. In the case of responsible tourism, the line begins with ecotourism, evolves through sustainable tourism, and arrives at geotourism. Expectations were very high at the 2009 International Symposium on Sustainable Development in Tourism, and rightly so...
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Topnotch Resort & Spa: Kindness Driving Success
The basis of any philanthropic activity is an act of human compassion, the drive to do something positive for people in need. And while today’s benevolent landscape is booming with non-profits, charities, and goodwill projects evolving into the fastest growing sector of a troubled economy, there are inspired examples of profitable enterprises using the kindness factor as a mode of operation...
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Valentine's Day: Ancient Fable Celebrates Romance
The history of Saint Valentine’s Day has all the elements of a cinematic blockbuster. But since stories passed on through the ages have a habit of being embellished, and without scientific proof, we must accept the legend for what it is, a romantic love story filled with passion, which unfolded over 1700 years ago in Rome...
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Golf vs. Nature in Los Cabos
Now don’t get me wrong, I love to play golf. To a ridiculous degree, actually. God forgive me, but I missed my youngest son’s first birthday to peg it up in the tropics (and I could tell you every single shot I hit on every course I played - I know, I’m a sinner). But every now and then you visit a place – a special place where the Great Almighty has taken extra special care...
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Canouan Island: One Man's Big Deal
The curious tale of Antonio Saladino investing eighteen years and millions of personal and investor dollars into creating a luxury Caribbean resort, where residents were recently living in Medieval conditions. Saladino attracted worldclass brand names to join him like Raffles, Donald Trump, Moorings Yacht Company, American Airlines, and Amrita Spa. Now Tiger Woods, Tony Blair...
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Camping Among Africa's Wild Creatures
Ruth Lor Malloy takes us on a compelling adventure to the Okavango Delta in the north of Botswana, where she faces down an African elephant in heat and spies other wild beasts along her adventurous camping path. Take heed of her wise advice for those considering an African trek, and bring your courage...
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Backcountry Powder Skiing in British Columbia: Get Rewarded!
Your heart is pounding. Your lungs are screaming. Your legs are burning. Straight ahead of you a massive, ice-crusted peak explodes into a sky so blue, so pure, so endless, it doesn’t really seem like you’re on earth. Your eyes have never absorbed something quite like this before. Around you stubby trees, ghosts veiled in sheets of snow and ice - and a yawning powder bowl...
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A Sightly Switzerland: Touring Art and Architecture
We entered the red brick cylinder shaped building with its porthole windows and stealthily climbed to the fifth floor. There we entered the atelier of famous architect Mario Botta catching him in a boardroom meeting. “No pictures. Keep quiet,” admonished our tour guide. She’d boldly lead us there to admire...
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Royal Canadian Pacific: Romancing the Rails
Romance infuses any luxury train excursion with an elixir of sensory pleasures, enticing even the most skeptical of travelers into a kind of timeless reverie fit for royalty. The very sight of vintage rail carriages, decked out in shining brass and polished wood finery, ignites universal images of Agatha Christie-type characters churning through the morning fog along silver rails...
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Enjoying the Fruits of the Vine in Beautiful British Columbia
If you enjoy fine wine, sumptuous cuisine and spectacular scenery, you’ll find some of the best – in all categories -- in beautiful British Columbia. With roughly 150 wineries in the province, it would be quite an endeavor to visit them all.
But several are particularly noteworthy because they have created a niche for themselves or are outstanding for one reason or another...
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10 Commandments for Travellers to Israel
Sixty years old isn’t middle age when it comes to countries. Far from it but Israel recently celebrated this milestone. In the middle of a desert, the country has blossomed amidst the great historic and ancient history and one of the most important centres for hi tech and diamond cutting industries. It’s now a world presence in this often troubled small nation with just 7 million people...
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Basking up the Good Life in Basque Country
It wasn’t an easy trip. I got lost twice while discovering the gems of Northern Spain. But it was well worth it. Driving up the cobblestone road to the magnificent Marqués de Riscal Hotel, I knew I had arrived in a magical place. Penned as the “City of Wine,” the hotel is the centerpiece of a destination resort that was more than six years in the making...
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All Aboard! Canada's Transcontinental Train
The poetry of a transcontinental train adventure begins upon arrival at Montreal’s Central Station. As if on cue, a capped employee opens our taxi door, then heads quickly for the trunk to wrestle with the luggage, while shouting directions to other cabbies vying for access to unload their patrons. The billowing steam of the sub-zero temperature creates a perfect backdrop to...
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Into the Blue with Belugas
I found myself stuck in a wooden shack trying to squeeze my thigh into what appeared to be a skinny black garden hose. While the rest of the snorkelling group piled into the Zodiac inflatable boat, I was thinking I probably shouldn’t have lied about my weight...
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Mediterranean Cruise
Erica and I (sans children) are heading for the Med. After a few days in Rome, we'll be cruising west on the Azamara line's Quest, a relatively tiny ship with only 700 paasengers. Among other highlights, we'll be at the opening of the Cannes Film Festival and be taking in the new splendour of Barcelona...
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Quebec City’s Suburban Chateau the Ultimate in Chic
A luxury hotel in a suburb? The idea might seem incongruous, but the five-star Chateau Bonne Entente has turned its Ste. Foy Quebec location into an advantage. Twenty minutes from Quebec City and just four kilometers from the airport, the Chateau turns out to be a veritable boutique resort...
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Vantage Family of Charities
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