by Chris Caldwell

Maui-marvellous hospitality at the Grand Wailea Resort & Spa. Grand yes. Unaccommodating no. We were treated to Mai Tais on reception and escorted promptly to our gloriously appointed rooms. Luxury was embedded in the art of the hotel, the design of our food and in the climate of the air. Although hot during the day it was never uncomfortable. Those Tommy Bahama clothes you bought that never get worn in Canada… yes, they work wonders on a sultry evening at the resort.

Whale Soup – but not for eating

This is whale season.- so really it should be called the “Grand Whalea Resort”. Starting in mid-November to April – and in January and February the locals call the ocean “whale soup”. Humpback whales gather here to mate, just off the shores of south Maui. I caught sight of a few breaches around 2pm one Thursday. The world stood still as hundreds pointed and gasped when it was apparent there was a show being put on for us close to the shore. If you are an avid naturalist like me you will want to be here for the whale watching season.

One extreme highlight was snorkeling out about 100 meters and holding my breath for stillness and silence to hear the whale songs under the water. Think ‘Chewbacca meets a herd of happy cows’ – a mix of clicks and whirs with gentle moans that soothe: a private concert for me. I almost forgot to breathe again as I closed my eyes to focus my full attention on hearing underwater.

Many excursions are available for the timid and intrepid. Cast yourself to the wind with a zipline tour crossing valleys and waterfalls or hike into the rainforest to observe rare species, and taste coffee and papaya from the stem. Helicopter tours or a submarine tour are out-and-about, above and below, options. A week isn’t enough time to try them all.

Food for foodies

Let’s talk food at the Grand Wailea. As a foodie, I critique the smallest crusting of herb and combination of tastes. I talk food, eat food, and imbibe in conversation and wine with whomever is in earshot at the table until tipsy. Food and socializing are inseparable for enjoying a meal, and the Grand Wailea does just that in style and comfort. Take the grass-fed beef from Oregon, lightly dressed with butter no doubt and broiled to a medium perfection, allowing the knife under its own weight to reveal the tenderest morsel.

Do yourself a favour and go to Maui. Now.

Do yourself an even bigger favour and let the Grand Wailea pamper you while you’re there.

Chris Caldwell is Tempo Toronto’s Innovator: and he hasn’t yet ceased gloating about either his tan or his impromptu luxury trip to Maui. No sympathies from the Tempo Team!

Related posts:

1. Maui Moments: quest for sanity
2. Maui Moments: en route
3. Toronto Farmers’ Markets

by Chris Caldwell
Up at 4am Toronto time. It’s dark outside and I feel awkward but proud that I have accomplished something that many have slighted me for…I’m up early! At least locally anyway – maybe God’s way of telling me I’m meant for living here? Nah – just jet lag.

Once the sun was up you could see Wailea, Maui is beautiful – something pristine and valuable. The people are very conscious about keeping it that way. No Tim Horten’s cups and cigarette butts blowing around on these streets – there is a pride of home and I suppose living on an island induces that ethic. Too bad more people do not realize we all live on an island in space. Real estate prices are in the millions, but when in near perfect climate you can be pharaoh here.

After shedding my first skin, I venture to one of the eateries, the one with the almost unpronounceable name – Humuhumunukunukupua’a – yes for real. Who cares about names when 100% Kona coffee is pouring down your throat.

A fierce storm blew in tonight while eating dinner. The rain actually assaulted the patronage with a sideways blow. Didn’t stifle the meal but quite something to see how rapidly the weather came and went. Good thing I wasn’t out for a three hour tour.

Then day 3 arrives

Read’em and weep people of Toronto. It’s a sunny day in Maui after a deluge the night before. Now it’s 27 degrees and slight breeze but ‘they’ say there is more trouble tomorrow night for Wailea, South Maui.

Wailea offers world class golf and has a world class spa here at the Grand Wailea resort.

The word ‘wai’ (water) was combined with the name ‘Lea’, a fertile sea of fish and also the goddess of the canoe. Finding the perfect koa log to carve into a voyaging canoe was important to the survival of the population and culture.

With a revival in heritage teaching, students and elders are rebuilding these vessels as they had hundreds of years ago. Recently, a group has shown that travel throughout the Pacific is possible by reading waves, wind and stars by undertaking a trek – as would have been done when the people of Hawaii settled this area of the Pacific.

How to make a poor man’s martini. When the mini-bar isn’t working for you, get thee to a mall and locate premium ingredients. One part hotel room glasses, one part walking down the hall with the ice bucket. You get the picture. Cram ice into one glass and pour vodka until full. Stare at it for 20-30 seconds because you just realized there is no way to shake it. Then applaud yourself for thinking of using the hotel room coffee pot. Pour a load of ice and vodka into the coffee pot and shake. Re-glass. Enjoy.

Related posts:

1. Maui’s Grand Wailea
2. Maui Moments: en route
3. Cook Islands: Rarotonga

Our Systems and Innovation guru at Tempo Toronto, Chris Caldwell,  set off for Maui for a week’s respite. He’ll be blogging about his experience so we can share the joy vicariously. Today, the departure.
Off to Maui, with 11 hours of flying time before arriving in Kahului.  As we take off,  I instinctively use my death-grip on the seat arms as I begin to tense, pray and not love the feeling of going airborne without a net. I’m sure the guy’s arm next to me will be OK, perhaps bruised. But then again,  I might have a date when next in Los Angeles.

I don’t have a laptop with me. My refusal to accessorize myself with technology reflects my Luddite hypocrisy as I blog, instead,  from my iPhone. I really hate the auto-correction on this thing. Now if we could do that for my mouth before my hoof enters my mandible…could be bigger than Facebook. Speaking of which I just watched The Social Network in flight…two thumbs up and a sore seat.

How things have changed on international flights. Time was when it was a luxury time for all, with attentive attendants plying us with food and beverages aplenty. Now we’re just numbers, if you don’t like pretzels you’re out of luck on the food side, and we’re nickeled and dimed for blankets, cushions, headsets and terrible pizza. Now we even have to pay for checking a bag? That’s the cost of airline deregulation in the late 20th century. We got used to cheap flights and luxury travel … really must remember that I’m being transported thousands of miles in relative safety in a relatively short time, that flight attendants are there primarily for our safety, not as high altitude servants, then eat my home-made turkey and avocado on rye with gratitude and appreciation.

I’m well on my way, having I left 1:30 Toronto time (between snowfalls at the weekend and expected for today) and will be arriving about 3am Toronto time, 10pm local Wailea time. This is a first-time visit to Hawaii for me, and I can’t wait to experience the Hawaiian culture, the big waves, the spectacular scenery and the heat. We’re expecting 27 Celsius by day. Lucky me.

Related posts:

1. Maui’s Grand Wailea
2. Maui Moments: quest for sanity

York, England is so packed with history – romans, vikings and medieval times – it’s impossible to dor more than scratch the surface, unless you stay for a few days. Renowned for its exquisite architecture, tangle of quaint cobbled streets and the iconic York Minster, York is fast developing a flourishing, cutting-edge scene. Delve into the city’s vibrant café culture, take time out to enjoy some of the country’s most talented street entertainers or simply watch the world go by while sipping a drink by the river.

A city of contrasts and exciting discoveries, York is a place where the old encompasses the new and the commonplace meets with the unexpected. On a recent visit to England, a visit to York in the north had us almost believing we were on a movie set. But no, these ancient buildings are for real. There’s a Starbucks in a 500-year old building, no less. Streets such as ‘The Shambles’ host historical buildings that accommodate a variety of retail businesses. On some streets you can reach out and touch a building on the other side of the lane from an upstairs window. It all seems a little bizarre. York, however, is the most fascinating and historically captivating city you may get to visit in England. I can’t understand why it’s taken over 55 years for me to go there.

Although dull and overcast, you will notice that this was a dry day to visit York.

The Merchant Adventurers’ Hall is a medieval guildhall and was one of the most important buildings in the medieval city. The major part of it was built in 1357 by a group of influential men and women who came together to form a religious fraternity. Now, that’s old!

Seeing straight? The original beams in this now retail store have sagged over time.

Trendy retail in tiny old shops.

Reach out and touch / somebody’s hand …  You can reach from one side of this street to the other, the upper floors are almost touching.

Impossible to do justice to the massive and magnificent cathedral, York Minster, this door detail of one of its ancient doors shows the patina and wear of the ages.

Not all are 500-year old buildings: there is a mix of historical architectural styles.

Related posts:

1. Two wheeled heaven
2. Graffiti Culture in Toronto
3. Historical Kleinburg: closer than you think

Sex, drugs and rock and roll? Is that your impression of Amsterdam?

Try this instead … a beautiful diverse city, full of affable Dutch people and visitors from around the world basking in the rich cultural experience that is Amsterdam. Arts, history, culture, unique and quirky architecture, bridges and canals. People walking, young lovelies biking in summer dresses and heels, over 50s biking in style, streetcars, traffic-free zones, all the locally-made Heineken and Grolsch you can drink, and arguably the friendliest locals in northern Europe.

Cosmopolitan culture, a rich patchwork of fine and ethnic restaurants, great hotels, all the shopping you’d want (if that turns your crank),  and the Flower Market set the scene for international travellers who enjoy a rich experience.

The city of Amsterdam is tight on space, and ancient. It was not designed for cars. While there obviously is traffic in all modern cities, Amsterdam being no exception, there are so many alternatives to get around easily and comfortably – biking, streetcars, canal boats that weave through the interconnected networks, and by foot.

Walking means you can drop into any patio in any plaza on a whim. Stay in a downtown hotel (we were at the Jolly Carlton) if you can, so you can indeed walk. It’s such a pleasure to get away from the constant roar of traffic noise, you don’t have to worry about where to park, and it makes detailed exploration a reality not a fantasy. Amsterdam people are friendly and sociable – gathering on canal boats, and at cafe seating on the canal edges. While there are too many great places to highlight them all, most enjoyed were the Ann Frank museum, the Van Gogh museum, exploring nooks and crannies on foot, dining out – the choice is huge – and the really informative canal tours that abound. The canals are one of the best ways to get around this charming city, and something every visitor must try, at least once.

About the sex and drugs … yes, the trade in both is legal. Quite openly. But surprisingly it’s all so well managed and sectioned-off that it just about avoids utter debauchery. I visited outlets for both, one inadvertently, one out of curiosity. Here’s a couple of anecdotes.

Getting off a canal boat on a damp, chilly morning, a hot coffee was in order. Hey presto! Right next to the dock there’s a “Coffee House”. Perfect. Sitting at the bar, I’m presented with a menu. Expecting to see “Latte, Capuccino, Americano …”, it took me a few seconds to clue into the fact that I was staring at a marijuana menu (I didn’t know there was such a thing.) “Er, can I just have coffee?”, I asked, sheepishly. “Of course,” responded the server full of amusement. When I looked around, innocent and naive twit that I am, I got the picture. Cannabis use is legal and open in Amsterdam. They just use some coffee houses to do so. The coffee was great, and – to my relief – free of intoxicants.

The red light district of Amsterdam is arguably frequented more by tourists who come to gawk than by patrons, although patrons there are, aplenty. In a voyeuristic way, it’s an interesting 10 minute visit to view the ‘shop windows’ where ladies of the night display their scantily clad wares.  I was so intrigued by this openness I just had to interview one of the purveyors of her services, between ‘meetings’. A young, attractive, intelligent woman in her early twenties, she was paying her way through college 10 minutes at a time, for a fee equivalent to $65. Just like any Toronto girl next door – really – this represented a logical student job for her, in a safe, controlled district of the city. She spoke of it much like a student in Toronto would talk of working restaurant  shifts between classes. Who are we to judge? It’s a different culture.

Amsterdam is a must-not-miss city.

Related posts:

1. Two wheeled heaven
2. Maui Moments: quest for sanity
3. Olde Yorke Towne

Perhaps Los Angeles is too everything – too glitzy, too smoggy, too Rodeo Drive, too Hollywood – for the average over fifty traveller. Or maybe when you’ve seen it once, the gilded city loses its gloss.

Don’t get me wrong, LA is fabulous. But seasoned travellers tend to go off the beaten track, take the road less travelled … which is exactly how you might find yourself in the Ojai Valley, California, about 90 minutes north west of the City of Angels. A small town nestled in a productive viticultural and agricultural valley with the best type of Olde Mexican flavour, and a tight-knit community to go with it. But what a welcoming place.

It’s a day visit; a special one. And if you choose the slower ‘over the top’ route, you’ll be repaid by stunning views and exhilarating scenery of the Los Padres National Forest. It has a micro-climate all of its own. Feel the fresh, arid mountain valley air – a far cry from the acrid humidity and blasting heat that is LA. It’s hot, but comfortable.

The charming town of Ojai is an eclectic blend of browser shopping, art galleries, jewellers, spiritual centres, parks, spas, gift shops, wineries and theatre. If you like antiquing and gallery hopping this is the place for you to spend a relaxed day ambling and appreciating. You may well find an al fresco musical festival going on in the shady Arcade Plaza complete with its unique Matilija Poppy sculpture and a Farmers’ Market on Sundays. The art scene in Ojai is legendary, with a breathtaking annual Ojai Studio Artists Tour each October. Ojai Historical Walking Tour, Chamber Music Concerts, Artisans Fair, native plant sales, certified farmer’s market days, and concerts are all on offer on a regular basis.

Go, and have a great day out next time you visit California. You’ll fall in love with Ojai.

Ojai Valley Chamber of Commerce

Related posts:

1. Toronto Farmers’ Markets
2. Olde Yorke Towne
3. Amsterdam Intrigue

What better way to spend New Year’s Eve than in a place so close to the International Dateline that you are completely confused about the time let alone the date? En route to Vancouver from Australia and New Zealand, Rarotonga is a little rock, insignificant in the vastness of the Pacific Ocean, yet the vibrant center of the Cook Islands.

Its almost a circle, about 34 km in circumference, dominated by surprisingly high mountain peaks and home to lush rain forests that cascade to a palm-fringed shore. The island is almost completely encircled by a reef, with a lagoon of clear turquoise water between you and the reef drop off, marked by a colour change to deep blue. The lagoon is delightfully calm, offsetting the backdrop of waves that crash against the reef edge in a hypnotic cycle. Swimming, kayaking, snorkelling and small craft sailing are prominent on the menu of aquatic activities.

Arriving late at night on a massive Air New Zealand 747, it was hard to imagine a vast vessel landing with any space to spare at Rarotonga’s International Airport on the North Coast. But land it did, and skillfully so. It was dark and had been raining, but all visitors were welcomed with friendly smiles, music and live crooning, and the mandatory leys: but of fresh flowers, not plastic imitations.

Accommodations: There are plenty of places to stay in Rarotonga. Staying at the premium Muri Beach Club Hotel on the south east edge of the island assured a chauffered ride in a late model, luxury import (BMW perchance) and efficient check-in. It’s a privately owned boutique style resort, not a chain, and had a surprising list of amenities including free Internet access, a boon when really feeling the remoteness of this little island from ‘the rest of the world’. The restaurant is great, there’s a large swimming pool, shopping and business services, and a spa – all the amenities we’d hope for.

Commercial centre: Avarua is the main town on the island and is the commercial centre of the Cook Islands. You’ll find a good selection of shops, banks, cafes and visitor facilities. It is also the main port and where you can find many cruising yachts docked.

Getting around: This is a small yet fascinating place, and getting around is easy. Two main roads circle the island on the Ara Tapu coastal road, through villages and past beaches; or you can take the older inland road, which winds through fields of taro, pawpaw, bananas and local farmlands. The island bus is inexpensive to ride, runs multiple times each hour, in both directions (one circular roadway, so you go either clockwise, or anti-clockwise). Car rentals are available, but many visitors rent motor scooters, as we did for four of our five days there. What fun that was – it provided complete flexibility and made the entire island accessible on demand. You have to pick up a licence to drive one in Avarua, but it’s an easy process.

HIGHLIGHTS

The people: Rarotongans are charming without being effusive. They are never ‘in your face’ and rarely intrude on your privacy. However, show a Rarotongan some genuine interest and they will respond with beaming smiles and friendly warmth.

Home comforts: There’s a brilliant cafe opposite the international airport, owned and operated by a New Zealander, we  entered coffee nirvana with excellent baked goods. The patio became a daily haunt. The food was delicious throughout the island, with the hotels such as the Pacific Resort (near our hotel) reaching international standards while also tempting us with traditional island dishes.

Tahitian pearls: Before discovering the convenience of scooter rentals, and stranded in Avarua waiting for a bus in the rain, a local pearl farmer and family kindly rescued us in their pick-up truck. On the way back to the hotel they stopped to pick papayas from their friend’s papaya plantation, and insisted that we took some for ourselves, each timed in sequence to reach the peak of ripeness on each successive day of stay: the best papayas ever. Better than that, they opened their pearl store on new year’s day for a private shopping moment. They have their own island from which they farm oysters, and know the provenance of each beautiful pearly offering. The two pearls we chose were sized and graded, offered to us at amazing prices, and came complete with an official provenance. There’s an entire science to pearl buying, and their depth of knowlege was truly appreciated by us.

New Year celebrations: The entire island came alive. Starting with cocktails at Trader Vic’s in Avarua and an appetizer or three – the place was humming – then, at sunset, heading back to the Muri Beach Club Hotel for champagne. We kicked off our shoes and strolled along the white sand beach to the Pacific Resort for dinner al fresco along with, it seemed, the entire tourist population on the island. It was packed, it was noisy, and the music was loud. It wasn’t really a fifty-plus scene, though pleasant enough, prompting us to head back to our hotel to herald in the new year, just the two of us, with more bubbly on the sand outside our beachside suite – cosy, yet exotic at the same time.

Local culture: Saturday is market day, and it’s a must-see event. Exotic produce, colourful textiles, ‘fast’ food and cultural items abound, including characteristic wooden carvings (that clearly had Viagra users as models). Apparently the whole island came to market day, and the music, sights, smells and mingling with the locals was a heartwarming cultural experience. Touring the island by hiking into the peaks, driving the inner roads, or wandering through the farms gets you off the tourist track instantly and allows you to appreciate the geography and the people.

For something off the beaten track, a little out of the ordinary, and a stop-off point on the way to or from Australia or New Zealand, it would be a shame to miss the Cook Islands.

Related posts:

1. Maui Moments: quest for sanity

The Red Centre of Australia is home to what the Australian boutique group, Voyages Hotels and Resorts, describes as a ‘Luxury Australian Outback Experience”. About the luxury, they are not lying.

When you want to combine a faux camping experience in the wilderness with luxury accommodation and memories for life, Longitude 131 is a world apart – a pleasant surprise when compared with the touristy bustle of sunburned arrivals at the airport, destined for the ‘other’ resorts. Tempo Toronto travelers paid their own way for a visit to Longitude 131 in December, when the heat is fearsome and the sunshine relentless, but the luxurious surroundings made it a truly pleasant sojourn.

For what it’s worth, the marketing blurb on the web site reads thus: “Luxurious, eco-sensitive and romantic, Longitude 131° lies at the gateway of the dual World Heritage listed wilderness of Uluru-Kata Tjuta National Park, complete with 5-star luxury and private views of the sun rising and setting over Uluru (Ayers Rock).” Longitude 131 hosts 3,400 guests each year, 68% international, and 17% from North America. There were no fewer than four other Canadians during our stay (including two people traveling alone), a total of five from Toronto. Even at full occupancy, it never once felt crowded.

HIGHLIGHTS:
The ‘tents’ – there are just 15 private luxury tents with all modern amenities, including wireless Internet on the property. When we say tent, we are referring to a 400 square foot suite on stilts. The white dome roof is triple tented to create an illusion of camping but more so is designed to stay cool in summer and warm in the winter. The amenities are complete eco-sensitive luxury with reverse cycle air-conditioning, solar water heaters for instant hot water, CD player with spa music, iPod docks, and a wall of glass overlooking Uluru optionally shaded by motorized flick-of-a-switch blinds. No expense has been spared to make it a haven for rest and relaxation. Each tent’s interor décor is custom designed to reflect some part of the history of the area, for added interest.

Related posts:

1. Maui’s Grand Wailea
2. Cook Islands: Rarotonga

After what seemed like too long a winter, I decided – rather impetuously – to look into traveling alone to Tuscany for a painting trip. As a working artist, I am always looking for new inspiration to draw from, and the painting sites in Europe seem endless. It’s as if every time you turn a corner, you encounter what will be a new painting.

Previous trips to Italy were the typical, and exhausting, 10 cities/14 day marathons. Little time was included to really taste the flavours of small town Italy, not to mention to document my trip with my art.

I Googled ‘artist’s apartments in Tuscany’ and as soon as a little place in Barga popped up on the screen, I knew I had found my Utopia. My booking ensued. There was little information available on this tiny town I had never heard of, but that didn’t sway me. I just had a feeling this was the place I needed to go.

I left in April for two weeks, and immediately fell in love with Barga, some of it standing for over 2,000 years, and filled with artists, musicians and poets, many of whom befriended me as soon as I arrived. The locals laughingly refer to Barga as a ‘black hole’ that sucks you in, but in reality it is the most beautiful, welcoming place. Like in the many small villages in Italy it is always the people, the community, that makes the difference. Barga stands out with its quirky mixture of Italian and Scottish residents living comfortably side by side. Every evening was filled with spontaneity as I would find myself at some local café or restaurant that would suddenly become a dance floor or a concert hall for local musicians who happened by.

I had originally planned to travel by train to see some surrounding cities and sites, but became quickly attached to this special place. I didn’t leave at all.

At the beginning of the trip I painted with oils but soon put down my brushes to just drink in the ambiance and surrounding beauty, travelling to every corner and every village in the beautiful valley that lay at the foot of Barga Vecchia, meeting more people along the way each day. There was no uncomfortable adjustment period when being introduced to someone new, just warmth and inclusion. As my trip neared its end, my artistic streak was inspired and I began to paint furiously with watercolour. I’ve included some example sketches here.

You may need to be a little bit brave to do it, but travelling alone always presents new possibilities – which you may not embrace if you have a companion with you, with their own needs (remember Shirley Valentine?) Perhaps intimidating at first,  travel without a safety net is an eye-opener … you never know what could happen and whom you may meet. I’d do it all over again. Tomorrow if I could.

Doris Pontieri

Related posts:

1. Local artist expands horizons with co-creation
2. Silver Surfers – Getting on Board with Social Networking