Tempo Toronto » Travel

Maui Moments: quest for sanity

admin — Wed, 12 Jan 2011 22:58:42 +0000

Awaiting the Grand Luau

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.

Maui Moments: en route

admin — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:31:15 +0000

En route: the Long Haul

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.

Olde Yorke Towne

admin — Sat, 06 Nov 2010 19:49:59 +0000

City of York: spanning eras

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.

Beautiful PEI

admin — Fri, 25 Jun 2010 17:24:12 +0000

Prince Edward Island – “The Gentle Island”

It’s tiny: just over 2000 square miles – but there’s so much packed into this island province you can stay awhile and truly enjoy. PEI, the smallest province in Canada is known for red sand beaches and potatoes, Provincial Parks, sand dunes, lighthouses, engaging little communities, and fabulous golf courses. ‘Out east’, in the Gulf of St. Lawrence, PEI almost kisses the coast of New Brunswick along the eight mile curve of the impressive Confederation Bridge, the longest in the world.

Charlottetown is delightful with all the mod cons of city life, a vibrant harbour, and stunning architecture.

A series of four of the American TV morning shows, Regis & Kelly, is hosted in Charlottetown in July from 12 to 15. We can only hope that they bypass the humdrum ‘Anne of Green Gables’ tourist trap, and focus on the absolute beauty of this calm place, the stunning coastline, and the tranquil welcome of the capital city Charlottetown, the Birthplace of Confederation. That kind of North America-wide TV coverage for this beloved province can only help to expose some of the delights of Canada to a massive audience.

Easy to get to from Toronto with 2-hours or so regular scheduled flights into Charlottetown airport, it’s a must for your summer travel schedule, especially if you have a golf fanatic in the family. PEI has distinguished itself as Canada’s number one golf destination twice in a row.

There are close to 30 courses, all beautiful, most with a stunning (and distracting) view of the ocean from at least one green. From the air, PEI probably looks like one massive golf course with rolling greens, woodlots and water traps. I’m not a golfer, but The Dearly Beloved is, and he couldn’t help but be impressed by the quality and the reasonable cost of a pleasurable round with a buddy.

We avoided ‘Green Gables’ completely and deliberately, instead enjoying lunches by the sea in quaint hamlets, scenic drives, a pleasant morning poking around Victoria Harbour (marvellous coffee, delectable chocolate), lobster suppers (even the Subway sandwich shops have a lobster sandwich), and a good sing-song to live music in one of Charlottetown’s vibrant Irish Pubs. What a friendly lot they are! There are B&B’s aplenty – we stayed in one overlooking a horse farm. The entire PEI pace – tempo, in fact – is delicious.

Yes, PEI is gentle, and we shall return for more. (next page for more photos)

Cook Islands: Rarotonga

Cook Islands: Rarotonga

admin — Sat, 02 Jan 2010 16:20:51 +0000

Celebrating New Year in Rarotonga – as close as you can get to the international date line

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.

Maui Moments: quest for sanity

Historical Kleinburg: closer than you think

admin — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:17:11 +0000

Vaughan’s little jewel – many people don’t know where Kleinburg is

This sleepy little village used to be way out in the country but, firmly part of the GTA, is now surrounded by estate lots, prime real estate for the affluent and sits just north of the almost unstoppable march of Woodbridge development.

Residents are clinging steadfastly to the green spaces included in the City plan for the area. It’s historic, quaintly beautiful, and hangs its hat on the boutique businesses that offer a charming alternative to the soulless big box retail model.

Many haven’t heard of Kleinburg, or aren’t quite sure where it is. It’s in Vaughan, about 30 minutes drive from downtown Toronto, and five minutes from highways 400, 427 and the 407, at Major Mackenzie and Islington. This is a suggestion for a day out in Kleinburg.

Undoubtedly, the burgeoning Sunday brunch business at The Doctor’s House influences the many GTA residents, who sample from its groaning boards, to then spend a lazy afternoon poking around in the specialty retailers, cafes and one antique store. The whole place is hardly bigger than, say, an average Costco warehouse. This makes for a great stroll which you can do in a couple of hours. You could spend an entire day if you take advantage of the walking and biking trails too, and spend a few hours at the McMichael Canadian Art Collection.

Influence in the village is an interesting blend of nouveau Italian and WASP, where gelato rubs shoulders with custom framing, and a talented pastry chef displays his food art just up the street from the McMichael Gallery. There’s a Historical Walking Tour booklet that’s worth picking up in from one of the retailers and which will bring your visit to life once you get familiar with the history.