Travel
Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat is an Alberta gem
Sometimes the best way to de-stress and reconnect with your creative side is to try something that you have never done before — even if you are pretty certain you won’t be good at it.
“We’re going to start with a little watercolour,” said Karin Huehold, the art instructor at Diamond Willow Artisan Retreat near Turner Valley. READ
Norwegian Breakaway kicks off
The Rockettes are best known for dancing at the Radio City Christmas Spectacular, but they did their signature kick line on a cruise ship Wednesday. The dancers are the godmothers for Norwegian Cruise Line’s new ship, Norwegian Breakaway, which was christened at a pier on the Hudson River. READ
Holy Toledo
It is Sunday morning and fishermen are lined up on the banks of the Tagus River below the old city of Toledo, Spain. High above them, the old city seems to be a mass of structures haphazardly heaped on top of a rocky mound that is surrounded on three sides by water. READ
Hummingbirds flying jewels
As I held a hummingbird in my hand and listened to its heart through a stethoscope, I felt intimately connected to a fellow traveller. Although in comparison, these birds make my wanderings look small, a rufous hummingbird, on an ounce-for-ounce basis, migrates the farthest of all birds! READ
Cycling Majorca
I can hear the distant tinkling of sheep bells as I shift gears and huff and puff to get my bike up a steep hill on the Spanish island of Majorca. Both sides of the road are lined with honey-coloured rock walls and I stop at the top of the hill to catch my breath and take in the view – a patchwork of olive groves, vineyards, and secluded sheep farms. READ
Get the skinny on the Mukul Luxury Resort and Spa
It is 6:30 a.m. and I am thinking about skinny dipping in the private plunge pool located on the deck of my ocean view cabin at Mukul Luxury Resort and Spa in Nicaragua. I was in junior high school the last time I even remotely considered taking a skinny dip and it didn’t go well — my two cousins ratted me out to my grandmother. Since the incident, I have done Grandma proud — restricting myself to a one-piece bathing suit on even the least restrictive beaches. READ
SLIDESHOW — The birds of Boundary Bay
Last week we made a quick trip Boundary Bay, an internationally recognized Important Bird Area on the Fraser River estuary. READ
Land of fire and ice
Another world is closer than you think. I do not mean Richard Branson’s flights to space next year; I am referring to Icelandair’s direct flights from Toronto to Reykjavik. READ
World tour — on a private jet
This is Part 1 of a two-part feature. When asked what they plan to do, many prospective retirees list travel as one of their ambitions. It is becoming increasingly popular for new retirees to celebrate their freedom from work obligations by enjoying a big trip to someplace they have always dreamed of visiting and this past summer, when retirement was looming for Leith Damiani, she and her husband Jim started looking for an adventure. READ
