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New apps coming onstream to make your vacations more memorable

“There’s an app for that,” has be ome a cliché for people carrying the current generation of wireless technology.

“There’s an app for that,” has be ome a cliché for people carrying the current generation of wireless technology.

And the Canadian travel industry hasn’t let the fact escape their notice.

Here are just a pair of examples of how vacationers carrying their iPhones or Blackberries can tap into information to make their trips more meorable.

In Gatineau, Que., the Canadian Museum of Civilization has introduced a free BlackBerry application giving users access to audioguides previously available only on museum-supplied headsets.

“In essence, the history of the foundation of Canada is brought to Canadians and the world through this new application,” the museum said in a release.

The app lets users explore the museum’s Canada Hall, which outlines the history of the country since the year 1000, and the First Peoples Hall, which focuses on how aboriginals shaped Canada.

It also provides automatic updates about museum programs and exhibitions.

The museum launched a similar app for the iPhone and iPod Touch last December.

Museum CEO Victor Rabinovitch claimed the BlackBerry app is a world first.

“We are delighted to be the first museum in the world to provide this progressive and convenient technology to the public,” he said.

The app, developed in partnership with Tristan Interactive of Ottawa, is available at BlackBerry App World.

Around the world, it’s already well-known that people can research and sometimes even make reservations at restaurants wirelessly.

A new vegetarian directory lists over 100 restaurants, businesses and organizations in the Vancouver area.

It is available online at www.earthsave.ca/vegdirectory and is also being distributed to local tourist outlets and hotels.

Restaurants range from Greens and Gourmet on West Broadway — described in the directory as the city’s oldest and largest vegetarian buffet (homemade desserts include vegan cheesecake) — to Radha on Main Street in the eastside, a centre for yoga as well as vegetarian food.

There’s also Naam, a Vancouver institution on West 4th Avenue with a garden patio and serving nachos, enchiladas and fries with miso gravy.

Retailers include Anna’s Sauerkraut-O, which sells organic fermented sauerkraut made according to a Slovakian recipe.

In North Vancouver, the Rebellious Tomato Organic Gourmet Pizza offers several vegetarian, organic pizzas and vegan cheese. Iskcon in Burnaby provides “karma-free” organic meals.

As well, beach concessions sell veggie burgers and tofu dogs.