Sincere guides, practical itineraries, and what we learned hitting the road.
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canadaMontreal International Jazz Festival: The Event That Brought Us Here There is one part of Montreal's summer that Alice and I simply refuse to mis…
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brazilForty Three Years in Pernambuco Without Sailing Once I lived in Pernambuco for 43 years and had never sailed. Not once. Not at Cabanga, not in It…
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canadaGetting Around Montreal and Understanding Public Transportation Want to know how to get around Montreal ? The city is not designed around driving…
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canadaWhat Is This River Shuttle, and Why Do So Few Visitors Know About It? After several Montreal summers, Alice and I learned that some of the city's…
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portugalGoodbye Taxis, Hello Hairpin Turns: Beginning Our Northern Adventure Some travel days unfold exactly as planned. This was not one of them. We exc…
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mexicoOur Expectation: Escape the Cancún Resort Bubble and Find the Real Mexico The trip began with an airfare promotion too good to ignore. Montreal's…
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mexicoTime Genuinely Slows Down in Bacalar That is not a figure of speech. You feel it physically after leaving the car: fewer horns, smaller crowds an…
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canadaWhat Is MURAL Festival, and What Makes It Different? Most art festivals work like this: you enter an enclosed space, see completed works, walk ar…
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canadaMontreal's Best Parks Beyond the Obvious Choice Everyone mentions Mount Royal when discussing Montreal's best parks. It is the obvious answer, th…
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portugalCâmara de Lobos: A Strong Local Identity Navigators João Gonçalves Zarco and Tristão Vaz Teixeira named the village after the large colony of mon…
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portugalFunchal Through a Reality Filter During eight days on Madeira, Funchal served as our strategic base. We reserved two full days to test the capita…
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canadaLe P'tit Train du Nord is a 232 kilometer linear park built on an old railway line in the Laurentians region of Quebec. It is one of the most bea…
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greeceWhy did we include Paros in our trip for two? As first time sailors through Greece's Cyclades, Alice and I chose a less obvious trio: Milos, Paro…
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greeceDriving in the Greek islands: what we learned Whether a rental car is worthwhile depends on each island's size, how long you will stay and the it…
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greeceWhere should you stay in Milos? Milos is a hidden jewel of the Cyclades. The island where the famous Venus de Milo was discovered combines volcan…
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greeceWhy three days in Milos is not enough Milos seems carved by hand to remind us that life can be lighter. The “Island of Colors” began our 12 day r…
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portugalLagos cliff walk: Praia da Batata to Ponta da Piedade The trail from historic Lagos to Ponta da Piedade is essential for nature lovers who are co…
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portugalA relaxed start from Lagos We did not jump out of bed at 6 am. After a proper breakfast in Lagos, we drove to Albufeira Marina . In the second ha…
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portugalOlhão: nature and authenticity in Ria Formosa Albufeira and Lagos make excellent Algarve bases, but travelers wanting raw nature, gentler prices…
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portugalOn our first trip to Portugal, we wanted to know whether Instagram's colorful palace justified hours in line. My uncle has lived nearby for more…
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greeceA city where history stays visible Chania is an open air museum. Its heart is the Venetian Harbor , built in the 14th century and surrounded by f…
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greeceThe Megalopotamos River makes Preveli unique The Megalopotamos River cuts through the gorge and reaches the sea on Preveli's sand. Native palms f…
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greeceA 300 meter giant in southern Crete In Rethymno, Kourtaliotiko Gorge rises more than 300 meters around the road. Wind channeled through rock make…
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canadaStaying nearby gave us an advantage We were based in North Vancouver , so reaching the park was easy. Arrive early. The first time slots gave us…
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canadaAn unplanned British Columbia detour A Flair Airlines deal from Montreal took us to Vancouver over the April Easter holiday. Sea to Sky Gondola w…
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canadaWhere to stay: three realistic choices Montreal to Sandbanks is about 380 km , roughly four hours. Stay at least one or two nights or the drive o…
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canadaFrozen in real life The famous Mur de Glace , or Ice Wall, felt exactly like Elsa's castle. This is no human construction; winter sculpts it natu…
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canadaFrom Montreal, Parc Omega is simple by car. Its signature experience is feeding wild animals through the window while staying warm. The question…
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canadaWe visited on a mild 5°C weekend in mid March. Late season meant some attractions were already closed, but we tested the park's main experiences.…
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canadaWhy does everyone talk about Montreal? Montreal has two faces. Summer brings festivals, terraces and outdoor life; winter turns the same city int…
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bahamasA Quebec Spring Break ritual For many Montreal families, driving to Cape Liberty in New Jersey and boarding Royal Caribbean's Anthem of the Seas…
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canadaHow Montreal became part of our lives We have lived in Montreal since 2018. Over the years, I have watched visitors line up for expensive attract…
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portugalUnderstanding Pico do Arieiro At 1,818 meters , Pico do Arieiro (officially Pico do Areeiro in European Portuguese) is Madeira's third highest po…
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portugalPR9: a green fairy tale in Madeira PR9 Levada do Caldeirão Verde begins at Casa das Queimadas and runs for roughly 12 km round trip to a waterfal…
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portugalDriving in Madeira is an experience in itself: dramatic mountains, tunnels that seem endless and a new viewpoint around every bend. But do you re…
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portugalMadeira has turquoise water, dramatic coastal trails and mountain viewpoints, but few places feel as unreal as Fanal Forest . Its ancient trees b…
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portugalMadeira may be known as the island of flowers, but Ponta de São Lourenço proves that its nature can also be dry, raw and dramatic. PR8 crosses vo…
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mexicoParadise does not always begin at arrivals The Riviera Maya offers turquoise water, Maya ruins, resorts and cenotes. Cancún Airport, however, can…
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greeceMandrakia Mandrakia looks like a Cycladic postcard. Whitewashed buildings surround a small cove, and brightly painted syrmata , traditional boat…
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mexicoWhy Cozumel attracts so many boat tours Cozumel is famous for clear Caribbean water and reef diving. El Cielo , named for the starfish visible on…
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mexicoWhy cenotes make Yucatán special Cenotes are natural openings into the limestone aquifer beneath the Yucatán Peninsula. Some are open pools, othe…
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greeceOur private day on the water in Milos Greek rules allow certain low powered boats to be rented without a formal boating licence. In Milos, Alice…
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canadaA Quebec summer half day in Saint Côme About 90 minutes from Montreal, Au Canot Volant offers a simple combination: hike through the forest, then…
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mexicoA word about Bacalar Bacalar is a freshwater lagoon rather than a Caribbean beach destination. Its changing depths and limestone floor create the…
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mexicoI could promise ten easy steps to escape corrupt police in Mexico. It would be good for SEO, but it would be a lie. You can do everything correct…
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mexicoWhat is Los Rápidos? Los Rápidos is a narrow channel connecting sections of Bacalar Lagoon. The gentle current carries swimmers through exception…
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canadaWhere is Cyprus Lake Campground? Cyprus Lake Campground sits inside Bruce Peninsula National Park , south of Tobermory. Its greatest advantage is…
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canadaIn July 2023, I took the Flowerpot Island Drop Off Cruise from Tobermory with Blue Heron Cruises. The combination of glass clear water, shipwreck…
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canadaWhat Is the Montreal Fireworks Festival? This is one of the largest fireworks festivals in the world. It takes place every year between June and…
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canadaCanada is not only snow For most of the year, Quebec's river landscapes sit under cold or ice. From roughly June through August, warmer condition…
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greeceTravel time: flight versus ferry A domestic flight may last less than an hour, but total time includes airport transport, early arrival, security…
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greeceSlow ferries versus fast ferries Conventional ferries are large, slower and generally more stable. They carry vehicles and provide decks, lounges…
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greeceMulti city flights for Greece and its islands An open jaw itinerary can save time: arrive in Athens and leave from Crete, for example, instead of…
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canadaMontreal's deep relationship with water Montreal is an island shaped by the St. Lawrence River. Water drove trade, industry and settlement, but i…
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canadaWhale watching adventure in Quebec Where the Saguenay River meets the St. Lawrence, cold nutrient rich water supports one of Canada's strongest w…
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