Avoid Jet Lag - Fast Before Traveling

No one likes jet lag. The biological clock-based affliction officially classified a circadian rhythm sleep disorder, is a real traveler's bane. The Author is not one to treat serious substances like Melatonin lightly, in the absence of mountains of reassuring research, so that is not an option. Having tried and dismissed most common remedies, it was a pleasure to read today in the Internation Herald Tribune about a new study that offers a more palatable treatment, or preparation in this case. This article reveals that it is entirely possible to "turn-off" our biological clock - the culprit in jet lag. That's right. You can just turn it off, with a little advanced planning and effort. And a modicum of willpower.

The study authors suggest fasting (read: starving yourself) for at least 16 hours before that upcoming trip abroad. That's no food at all, BTW. Seems that based on scientific investigations, this approach is successful in turning off one's biological clock for a spell. Makes sense when you think about it. Starvation takes the body out of its normal, well-fed routines and internal timekeeping is suspended to enhance the search for food - an immediate need at that point. So simple, so elegant. Why didn't we think of that before?

jet lag

Barcelona's Boqueria Market

Dating to the 1200's, Barcelona's Mercat de la Boqueria is another fine, old market for foodies and digital camera buffs. Off of the city's most famous Avenida, La Rambla, La Boqueria is filled with the best looking produce, seafood, dairy, poultry and meat you can imagine. There are even a few bars and food stalls inside for those who want to linger. And you'll want to linger. The place is eye-candy for foodies. In a city that worships the bizarre and unusual architecture of Gaudi and boasts of the ultra-modern co-existing with the historic, La Boqueria is an anchor in the real world. A place where the fruits of the earth and sea trump the edifices of man. Check it out.

Spain
Barcelona
travel

Morocco's Mother of all Marketplaces

The Medina in Marrakech is surely the mother of all marketplaces. A 1500 year old market, the Medina has today over 4500 vendor stalls (Souks) that populate a maze of outside and covered alleyways that require familiarity or a guide to navigate. We opted for a guide, and got one of the very best. Mustapha Karroum, national guide #831, can usually be found at La Mamounia Hotel. Right now, that Marrakech landmark is in its second year of rennovation and thus Mustapha is temporarily without a home base. No matter. He is so well known that our own hotel, the Ville d' Orangers, knew to call him when we inquired for a guide.

I was first in Marrakech over 30 years ago, during the "hippie" years when Americans discovered Morocco. Mustapha was a kid at the time, who hung around the souks looking for hippies willing to provide a few coins for directions. We reminisced about that era and marveled at the changes that come with the passage of time. He took us through the leather workers street, the metal workers alley, past stalls of spices and fabric to hidden antiquities stores and newly commissioned small hotels - right in the middle of the old Medina. We were treated to a lecture, massage and demonstration in a Berber homeopathic pharmacy and capably led through one of the city's finest historic sites the old Maderasa ( image below) where religious students gathered among the arches and ancient architecture to study the Koran.

The Medina is fronted by an enormous square where snake charmers with Cobras ply their trade and colorful Berber water carriers wait for tourists with cameras to take their pictures and provide a coin. The square is the site of the outside food vendors and the famous "lamb alley," where all parts of the animal are available for consumption, and yes, I mean every part. I've included a lot of images from this memorable visit in a slideshow featured in a previous post.

Marrakech
travel

Road Diary - Spain 08

The Seville Spring Fair was memorable. First for the amount of rain that fell; and second, for the intensity of the partying when the clouds cleared and the sun shone through. The city was awash in polka dots, the preferred pattern for this season's Flamenco dress. And at least half of the women in town, it seemed, were in full Flamenco finery. Ruffles, embroidered scarves, tiaras and artificial flowers for the hair. Though such costumes could be seen all over town, the nexus of color, form-fitting gowns and excitement was concentrated at the site of the fair. I will have lots of images and slideshows of the fair and its revelers, horsemen and dancers in a future post. Most of the hotel Internet services don't provide card-readers or USB ports so I'm not uploading the majority of my images. Be patient. The rewards will be considerable.

Of special note in Seville is the Alcazar Real. Home to Spanish royalty, including the current royal family when in Seville, the Alcazar is a grand and stunning campus. The gardens are simply extraordinary. On par with the Huntington in Southern California, Montreal's botanical gardens and (on a smaller scale) the gardens at Versailles, the Alcazar's very old and formal grounds are spectacular. While in Seville, we visited the Museum of Flamenco and attended a wonderful performance of traditional style artists at the Casa de la Memoria. Much more on those events in later posts.

Following Seville, we took the bus to Granada. There, we joined the throngs of visitors touring the fabulous Alhambra. The last Moorish outpost in Spain during the "re-conquista," Granada is still the most "Arab" of all Spanish cities. Again, pics and links to follow.

Marrakech Morocco Slideshow

Road Diary - April 08

After three days exploring the souks in the Medina at Marrakech, we´ve arrived in Seville for the Spring Fair. Arrived to buckets of extraordinary Spring rain as well. I´ll have many, many pics soon - so prepare to be dazzled and delighted.

Marrakech´s Casbah, the Medina souks, is the mother of all marketplaces. Over 1,500 years old in parts, the Medina is comprised of a seemingly endless maze of small alleyways and 4,500 hundred shops. That´s right. There is a street of metal workers crafting ornate Arabic-style wrought iron; a street of leather workers hawking raw skins, making luggage and pointed Moroccan slippers; a section of spice sellers, herbalists and parfumeries; and of course, Lamb Alley where a hungry visitor can purchase and consume freshly roasted lamb of any variety including lamb´s head and eyeballs. Snake charmers with Cobras; monkey masters with furry, sometimes threatening creatures on chains, black African dancers and Berber women offering Henna tats are set up in the square in front of the entrance to the souks. Violently visual, intensely engaging and sensual.

We stayed in Marrakech at the fabulous Ville d´Orangers. Much more on that, with images, in a later post. And more on Seville in the Spring Fair in the next post.

Why We Love Portland

Though my family lives in rural southern Oregon, my partner and I are spending a lot of time in Portland these days. Maybe it's because we need our regular city fix, or maybe it's because both of our adult daughters are camping out at home as I write. In any case, we're both involved in a serious and on-going love affair with the Rose City. I'm cross-posting this article to my new blog, Portland Condo, where I'll be regularly holding-forth on all things Portland, Oregon.

As west coast cities go, Portland is rather an unknown to many. And we like it that way. People mention San Diego, Long Beach, LA, San Francisco & Seattle without so much as a nod to Oregon's biggest burg. So let me fill in the spaces for the uninitiated. Portland is the city that Google's "Impeach Bush" more than any other in the country. It is the country's "greenest" city, with well over a million trees and 25% of the city covered by canopy. There are over a quarter million trees on roadsides in Portland.


The city has a number of downtown highlights: The trendy Pearl District with its abundance of lofts, galleries and high-end furnishing emporiums and the formal Chinese garden, walled and compact with a charming tea house in the center is nestled in the heart of the city. The city's famous rose and Japanese garden at Washington Park are totally fabulous, and the Tom McCall Waterfront Park along the Willamette river is close to everything and provides a great venue for the city's many parties, like the now famous Cinco de Mayo bash. And of course, the Tri-Met & Max rapid transit system is an example of efficiency and good planning. Free to all riders in the downtown, it is possible to take the system all the way to the airport or more distant residential burbs for a small fee.

Portland is known for its open and progressive attitude and politics; its green hillsides and cityscape; great views; good food and the quintessential Northwest state-of-mind. Locals sport a favorite bumper sticker which urges: Keep Portland Weird.

We are especially fond of the food and wine. I'll be posting extensively on the new blog about our favorite restaurants; events, and art exhibits. So feel free to surf on by Portland Condo from time-to-time if you've got an interest in the Northwest and the Rose City.

Venice and Peter Ilyich's Suite

If you've ever dreamed of vacationing in Venice, now would be the time. Don't hesitate, as Europe's most famous waterfront antiquity is about to change forever. Already battling back the Mediterranean, Venice's many canal-front villas are soon going to be dealing with the rising tides of global warming. And when you're already situated at sea level, that can be a problem. Especially if your city is already sinking. Built on thousands of now petrified wooden pillars, Venice is, in fact, sinking. The Italian government has an ambitious plan to "raise" the entire city, but I wouldn't hold my breath.

The city is also slowly morphing from a real, working metropolis to a tourist- and student-driven destination that has been losing population for a couple of decades. Add to that the humongous cruise ships that regularly ply the entrance to the Grand Canal, releasing waves of tourists every hour or so, and you've got Disneyland in the making. So go now. Venice is still grand.

A cruise along the canals reveals an architectural diversity that is stunning and instructive. Gothic palaces next to Baroque. Villas with one floor evidencing medieval construction, and upper floors appearing distinctly Renaissance. Then there's the bridges. The Rialto, Venice's largest bridge, is one of the most photographed locations on the planet. Go and you'll see why.

Home to Antonio Vivaldi, Venice was popular with composers. If you go, consider staying in the very room where Russian composer Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovski penned his Fifth Symphony while on extended holiday. The room, appointed in antiques and red velvet, is at the Londra Palace overlooking the Grand Canal. On the second floor, the suite has shuttered windows that look over the activity below and the canal a few steps away. The Londra Palace is located just around the corner and a few steps down from St. Mark's Square, the center of Venetian life. Visit the cathedral as well as the Basilica across the canal.

If you want to take home a piece of Venetian history, consider a work of glass. Murano glass is famous, but quite ornate. And you should be aware that trips to the glassworks on the Isle of Murano are always accompanied by the best hard sell you've ever experienced. And why not? The vendors there have been at it a while. For that reason, many guides recommend making your glass purchase in Venice proper. We found a wine-red glass plate that now graces our mantle. If you like lace, Venice is also famous for its own handmade styles. Personally, I'm partial to the milifiore glass beads that Venetian traders took to Africa hundreds of years ago. The African recipients of these beads thought so highly of them that they were frequently used as currency for trade. For that reason, Venetian beads became known as African Trader Beads.

Seniors in the Cockpit - Arrogance on the Ground

Look, there are already a bunch of good reasons not to fly commercial airlines unless forced to do so. There is no other industry I can think of that happily takes about ten big ones a year from me every year and then treats me like I am chicken manure on the bottom of a pair of barn boots. I mean, really. Add the inconveniences of the TSA, new passport requirements, barking orders from airport speakers and surly crowds (and why wouldn't they be?); the whole experience has become unpleasant and stressful. Institutional arrogance, I've heard it called. The airlines know we need to fly, so they make no effort to extend themselves at all. Evidence the recent Jet Blue fiasco that stranded passengers for 11 hours on the tarmack, in sight of the terminal. And, of course, that's not the only case of this kind of outrageous customer abuse - its just the latest. I could go on-and-on about this indignity, but then we all have our own horror stories in that regard - and therein lies the rub. We're all getting screwed, blued and tattoed by our "partners in travel." Go figure. Time for a Passengers' Bill of Rights.

Now, the FAA wants to extend the compulsory retirement age of commercial pilots from 60 to 65 years of age. This, after their own spokesperson said as recently as last May that there was no scientific support for doing so. So it is not inconceivable that two, long-time members of AARP could soon be flying your booked flight to wherever - while 14,000 younger pilots languish on furlough from the airlines. Age discrimination is ethically bankrupt. And inflexibility is a bad thing. Don't want to summarily exclude experienced professionals from the cockpit, that wouldn't be right. Unless there was a good reason to do so. And there is. According to background on the wire, no studies have been done to determine whether adding those five years, as in international aviation, has an effect on safety. That's not good enough for me, and it shouldn't be good enough for you either. After all, air traffic controllers are required to retire well before 60, let alone 65. Many age-sensitive jobs that involve public safety have such rules.

The problem of competence and quick, reflexive action in the cockpit is not limited to age. I'm sure that a lot of travelers have noticed lately that their "connector flights," that is those flights to and from their final, non-hub destination, are being provided by Sky West planes that bear the colors and brands of their larger airline partners. In fact, St. George Utah-based Sky West now has the largest fleet of commercial planes in the aviation industry. They operate the "commuter" lines for most of the majors. And they pay their young pilots about the same wage as a first year teacher, or less. Yup, your life in the hands of the very modestly compensated. I think that speaks to competence, and the value airlines place on passenger lives. Like you'd want a discount surgeon to do that bit of work you need. Uh huh. Not buying it. The anti-globalization forces warned us that we'd have to adopt third-world standards to compete in the international economy. U.S. airlines are already there. Big time.

Madrid: Always On

Madrid is my favorite European capital, and I love all of Europe. What makes Madrid special for me is the feeling it evokes when I visit. Madrid is full of passion. Everywhere. The food is prepared with passion. The music, especially the local Flamenco, is raw and passionate. The architecture is grand, the tree-line Avenidas wide, and the many plazas are bustling centers of activity.

The Plaza Mayor, which dates back to 1581, is the grand center of the city. Lined with 237 balconies, shops and outside restaurants, it is a place for the community to meet, to stroll and to relax and socialize.

Madrid parties around-the-clock. In fact, unprepared tourists sometimes complain about the constant activity. What's not to love? Yes, the city requires that adults stay awake until the wee hours of the morn. For example, the great flamenco players in small local bars don't even wander in until midnight. But the Spanish, ever resourceful, accommodate their unusual cycle by maintaining the afternoon siesta as at least a time to rest and relax. Though I've read recently that the pressures of global capitalism are causing more Spaniards to act like the rest of the business world. Shame.

Spanish culture is a crazy mix of European, North African, Gypsy and Arab influences. It all works, in a unique and memorable way. The capital, of course, is very cosmopolitan. Characterized by wide avenidas, like the famous Avendia Reforma, the city boasts some of the best museums and gardens that can be found in major capitals. The Prado Museum is every bit as impressive as the Louvre in Paris. (Read: The Flanders Panel, by Arturo Perez-Reverte. A "parlor mystery" with the Prado at its core.)

Of interest to art lovers is the relatively new, state-owned Thyssen-Bornemisza Museum. Its collections are vast and deep. Think: El Greco, Goya, Velasquez as well as a number of Flemish masters.

The Royal Botanical Gardens, just next to the Prado is one of the finest downtown formal gardens I've seen. The specimen trees are magnificent, as is the large, Victorian-style conservatory. And of course, there are fountains. Lots of spectacular fountains. Not like Rome, mind you. But very beautiful and very Spanish additions to the city's landscape.

If you go, I recommend staying at the small but elegant Hotel Orfila. Just down the street from the British Embassy, the charming small hotel has a five-star kitchen, a stunning courtyard patio, and beautiful rooms. When I was 20, I stayed just next to the Plaza Mayor at a modest but comfortable hotel which is still operating: La Perla Asturiana.

The City is famous for its Tapas, classic small plates with a wildly tasty variety of ingredients; its seafood, often served on enormous platters with a sampling of everything; and for El Botin, the oldest continuously operating restaurant in the world (ask for a table in the cavernous downstairs room). For authentic Flamenco, avoid the tourist traps with dinner and a show. Look for the small bars with tiled walls like the Monteleon (the old Solea's new iteration), Candela and check-in at Los Gabrieles. If you've got to do dinner and a show, book the Cafe Patas.

Daytrip: to the ancient walled city of Granada, once the capital, home of Spanish steel, Moorish architecture, an ornate Cathedral, and some old-style metalworking foundries.

Ashland is for Lovers

According to a recent USA Today article, Ashland, Oregon is one of the most romatic destinations in the country. That's what I'm talking about. Southern Oregon really does rule. In so many ways. So if you're a local reader, tune out for this post. Let's talk Ashland.


A mountain-side alpine village just 20 minutes over the border from California, Ashland is home to the Oregon Shakespeare Festival the longest running theater festival in the county; to the Mt. Ashland ski resort; the Ashland Independent Film Festival, and to Lithia Park.

The charming downtown is almost European, dotted with bakeries, exotic gift and clothing stores, and a very wide variety of first-class eateries. There are more bed and breakfast inns than you might guess, and the grand dame of southern Oregon, the Ashland Springs Hotel. The town is also home to Southern Oregon University, Jefferson Public Radio, and the One World Series of world music. Of course there are numerous art galleries, and a weekly art walk. A new Tibetan Buddhist spiritual center is under construction to complement the many other faiths that are represented in town. There's an active farmer's market, a weekly artisan's market in the season, and a food co-op. And Ashland is wired. Massive broadband pipes, through the city's Ashland Fiber Network. Maybe that's why there's always a few software publishers setting up shop in the remodeled railroad district. (Pic below: Lithia Creek in the Park)

Come visit, but don't plan on relocating to this delightful village unless you've got some serious juice. Like Berkeley, Laguna Beach or Mendocino, Ashland also hosts a bunch of very upscale neighborhoods with very custom homes. Not to worry, if you fall in love there are a number of more modestly priced small towns and rural acres close by.

Tree House Bed and Breakfast

If you are looking for a really unusual road trip in the Oregon woods, you've got to factor Out-n-About, the Treesort, into your list of potential destinations. Located practically next door to the Oregon Caves, a wonder themselves, the Treesort is an eclectic collection of amazing treehouses, tree-pees, platform campsites and cabins. There's a natural swimming hole in a meadow surrounded by Oak and Madrone, just below the Doug Fir and Pine forests on the hillsides around the valley.

But it's the tree houses that are mind boggling. One, for example, consists of three rooms; including a full-bath with claw-foot tub, a separate bedroom, and a sitting room with French doors onto a substantial balcony. Another, the subject of a Japanese TV spot, is 36 feet above the ground, again with French doors and a balcony. There's a "family compound" of treehouses, connected by rope bridges and equipped with bunks for the kids. And this is not Disneyland. There are dirt paths, horseback rides and hiking; river rafting and just plain hanging out. It's a low-key, laid-back place that often hosts overseas guests seeking that "out-of-the-ordinary" experience. And take it from me, it is totally out of the ordinary.



Like every truly unique location there's a fascinating story and a singularly unique individual behind the treehouses in Takilma. Proprietor Michael Garnier has lived in the area for over 30 years. He's a former Green Beret who does things his own way, without a lot or regard for the opinions of others. In other words, he's a real Oregonian. You need to have him tell you the stories about how his dream became a reality. I wouldn't even go there, it's his story to tell. Suffice it to say there was an epic struggle with some clueless bureaucrats over decades covering a variety of issues. Bottom line: Michael won. The guy's made a significant contribution to the area's economy, created jobs and maintained a pretty light footprint on the land in the process. He's got serious cred as an early environmental activist, and roots in the oldest and best known commune in the state.

So here's the trip. Fly or drive to Medford. Stay a night or two, visit Crater Lake and Ashland. Then, head out through Grants Pass to the Illinois Valley and Cave Junction. Stay at the treesort and visit the Oregon Caves. If you've got the time, cap off the trip with a visit to the Coast and a night or two at the Best Western on the beach in Brookings. Come on by, you know you want to. Just to check out the treehouses. The rest is cake.

Bandon by the Sea

The fog lifts off of Bandon Dunes, exposing Oregon's rugged Pacific coastline. Gray gives way to shades of green, glistening with dew.

Sandstone hillocks emerge from the fog, covered with thorny gorse and punctuated by fine, silky sand eruptions sporting grassy cowlicks. Native Salal groundcover and a variety of evergreen shrubs frame the dunes.

Coastal river deltas, estuaries and marshes - with well defined trails and facilities - make the Oregon coast an ecologically diverse, user-friendly destination. I come back several times a year, for the mushrooms; the flowers; the fresh, sea air; and, for Bandon. Over the years, we've been almost 50 times.

Founded by Irish Americans and named after a village in the old country, Bandon once was considered southern Oregon's most beautiful town, until a massive fire wiped it out in the 1930's.  Construction on the new town began in 1938. Bandon-by-the-Sea, the new village, is edgy - defined by a weathered wood sheik; cabins sporting seagull wind vanes; and the occasional whiff of patchouli oil.         Bandon is not a multi-colored, European fishing village, it has a special presence and charm of its own.

The marina is a small but fully-functional commercial fishing center, which also caters to sports fishing off the coast and in the nearby Coquille River. Fresh seafood, especially salmon and shellfish, is available at marina fish markets and in local restaurants.

Bandon's old-town section has the requisite seacoast souvenir and fudge shops, punctuated by new-age emporiums run by aging hippies; and, the finest art gallery within several hundred miles: The Second Street Gallery. The village also has its own glass-blowing factory, producing some fine Pacific Northwest art glass.

An African Art shop and an artisan cheese factory on the Coast Highway also attract a lot of visitor interest. The proprietor of the African Art shop visits the biennial African Art Auction in Burkino Faso, so he's got some great pieces including large, ceremonial dance masks and batiks.

The Bandon area also boasts a world-class, rainforest garden - next to rocky coves populated by seals, sea lions, and the occasional pair of playful sea otters. This unique and beautiful setting, on a winding, cliff side scenic highway in rainforest, is reason enough to visit.

Shore Park Acres, a premier coastal garden just a short drive away, is getting close to 100 years old. Specimen Rhododendrons are over ten feet high, and equally wide. The Camellias and Azaleas are just as impressive.

Wandering through the mature garden with its specimen trees towering over formal boxwood-bordered flower beds is inspirational. At the end of the formal space, there is a Japanese-inspired garden surrounding a perfect, serene pond. Walking even further into the state park, one encounters the All American Rose Selection Display and herb garden.

Everybody that visits loves Shore Park Acres. As the web site boasts: Something is blooming almost every day of the year. Garden lovers rank this site along with West Coast favorites like the Rose Garden and downtown Chinese garden in Portland, The Huntington Gardens in San Marino and the gardens at Golden Gate Park.

But there's more to the park than the gardens, the surrounding sandstone cliffs descend suddenly into tiny, protected coves with small white-sand beaches; trails dot the hillsides; and the drive itself, featuring multiple vista points, fern grottos, and old-growth canopies is magical.

The Oregon coast is a national treasure. So it has a lot of mountain and seaside state and national parks, most with restroom facilities, many with extensive campgrounds, and some with Yurts that can be rented for overnight camping.

Yurts are peculiarly suited to southern Oregon's ethereal coastal grottos. They provide time-tested shelter in a small footprint with low-impact on the land. And they're, well, so charming.

Yurts, cabins and campsites are available at several Oregon coastal State Parks, including: Umpqua Lighthouse State Park, between Bandon and Coos Bay; Cape Blanco, south of Bandon; and, Loeb State Park, further south in Brookings.

Dotted with pastures, cranberry bogs, lily farms, primeval and second-growth forests, Bandon and the surrounding southern Oregon Coast resemble in many ways old English and Scottish seaside landscapes. That may be why Bandon's newest golf destination resort, Bandon Dunes, is already being compared to St. Andrews and Turnberry.

True to the tradition of real "links golf," the three, distinct new Bandon courses span rolling grassy dunes, forest, lake - and ocean-front vistas - in the most beautiful setting on the coast.

There are, according to golfing experts, no weak holes at the new courses. There are also no carts, and will never be "homes on the course." This is golf the way it was meant to be played; the courses shaped by the seasons and the weather; every round, every hole different and challenging. Three, acclaimed, world-class links courses - all in one place.

A journey to the Oregon Coast is a challenging trip. That, however, is part of the mystery. A major reason for the unspoiled spaces and attainable solitude. Golfers are certainly finding ways to make the pilgrimage. And that is validating the decisions of policymakers in Bandon to emphasize the environment and recreation, while moving away from logging and resource extraction.

The Tribes of the Lower Umpqua believe that spirit powers in nature can take pity on a person, give that person songs and dreams, and guide and protect the individual through his or her lifetime. From my perspective, it is easy to understand the roots of such a philosophy. After all, the Umpqua lived along the river by the Oregon Coast.

Traditional Music Enclaves in Canada

I'm sitting here in the frigid, unusually snowy Northwest thinking about Canada in the Summer and Fall. Fans of various types of European traditional music and worldbeat flock to Canada's eastern provinces in the Summer and Fall. With good reason.

I've referenced Quebec City's fabulous Festival d'ete, held each July, in a previous post. That fine festival, set in North America's oldest town, has a serious musical vibe going all the time. Concerts are scheduled from morning until late at night, all over old-town and in the outdoor expo facility. There are three "tracks" of music, generally: Francophone Pop; Classical, and Worldbeat. I have attended performances by Kurdish groups, Balkan Gypsy bands, African Griots, Indian slide guitar players and Amadou & Miriam while at the Festival. Last summer, Twisted Sister provided a heavy metal exclamation point to the event. You could hear that concert all over town. I highly recommend this party, it's awesome. In addition to the scheduled concerts, every amateur performer and street musician within miles shows up for the duration. Flamenco dancers, magicians, sword swallowers, unicyclists, mimes, sax players blowing sad tunes; all there, all showcasing their best stuff.

Stay at the Chateau Frontenac, if you've got the juice. At the Manoir Victoria, if you're looking for good, but more modestly priced digs. At the Frontenac, a "turret" room low enough to enjoy the activity along the boardwalk is the ticket. At the Manoir, there's a fifth floor room with a balcony overlooking the street that is right on top of the action.

Further East, there's the Festival mondial de folklore de Drummondville. An annual festival held in Drummondville, Que, during 10 days each July, it includes music, dance, and art exhibitions. The event has well over half a million visitors a year.

Quebec is home to Canada's "Acadian" community, much like Louisiana hosts their Francophone cousins in the U.S. Acadian tunes often feature an energetic accordion, with traditional instruments. There is an annual Acadian World Conference held in Moncton, New Brunswick that features some concerts.

The Canadian Maritime provinces are a treasure-trove of traditional musicians, events, and festivals. There's no shortage of good pubs with lively Celtic music as well. Known for their seafaring tunes; the Maritimes are rich in Scottish; Irish and old English communities that hold fast to their musical heritage. Cape Breton, Nova Scotia is the site of the only Gaelic-speaking college in the Western Hemisphere. There is music happening in Nova Scotia 24/7/365. One, continuous Celtic musicgasm. Scottish traditional fiddle Diva, Natalie McMaster, calls this area home. Flautist Chris Norman is often around as well, playing his wooden Celtic flute, or an old English Baroque instrument. The best-known of all Canada's Celtic music Festivals is held in October every year on Cape Breton: Celtic Colours. The island is also the site of famous national parks and two of Canada's most beautiful drives. What's not to love?

In New Brunswick, the Miramichi Folksong Festival runs for six days in late Summer. The event was founded in 1958 in Newcastle, NB, and held every August at the Lord Beaverbrook Town Hall.

Traveling in Canada is easy and economical, though you'll now need your passport to get BACK into the U.S. Figures. The rate of exchange is favorable, unlike Europe, and the locals are friendly. I've been back four times.