My grandfather was born in what is now the Ukraine, but was then known as Czarist Russia. When he later emigrated to the U.S. and got married to my grandmother, he wanted to go on …
August 17, 2012
Canada: stories & travel reviews
Niagara Falls, Like Grandpa Used to Love
Vancouver's Japadog – Taste the Strange
“Japadog” sounds like a word David Letterman would say for comic effect. In actuality, Japadog is a Vancouver street vendor that sells grilled hot dogs, both Japanese style and those referred to as “regular hotdogs” …
June 21, 2012
Parlez-Vous Canadian? Montréal
Who would have thought they speak French in Canada? I sure as hell didn’t. I also never imagined it’s so hard to get to – at least for the frugal foreigner. Making arrangements in advance …
Travel with Your Dog: Pelee Island, Ontario
Sometimes, my dog and I need to get away from it all – maybe a little exotic jaunt to a Canadian island. You might be wondering about the logistics of traveling with your pup and …
July 1, 2011
Hope, British Columbia
With only forty minutes of planning, two friends and I decided to visit a friend who was working on an archaeological dig in Hope, British Columbia. Eager for a road trip, we cleared two weeks …
May 28, 2011
There's So Much More to Detroit
There’s so much more to Detroit than what’s in the foreboding Chrysler commercials. It’s taken a beating in the press with the hard times that have befallen the auto industry, but still offers a vibrant …
May 15, 2011
Victoria, British Columbia
Next time you visit Seattle, it’s a quick hop over to the lovely garden city of Victoria in British Columbia. Make sure to bring your passport, and climb aboard the Victoria Clipper on the Seattle …
January 11, 2011
Summer Tripping
Democratic congresswoman Susan Davis, who regularly travels the world for free, thanks to junkets staged by the Washington-based, nonprofit Aspen Institute, has been at it again. From August 14 through 21, according to House travel …
October 6, 2010
Truro, Nova Scotia
"Truro is a hole," scoffed Timothy, a student from Halifax. "Don't go there if you can avoid it." But somehow I ended up in Truro – twice. This grim little town was nothing more than …
August 22, 2010
Going Outdoors in Whistler, British Columbia
The drive from Vancouver Airport up to Whistler Village is about two and a half hours of pure eye candy. Although I mention a drive, you really don’t need a car in Whistler at all. …
August 13, 2010
Winter Olympics Backgrounder
The first time I visited Vancouver was in the late ’60s. I was living in Fairbanks and decided to spend the winter outside, which is what we called any place not in Alaska. Since it …
February 17, 2010
Vancouver, B.C.
My first impression of Vancouver was that the general vibe is less hectic than in most U.S. cities. People are friendly, and when they ask “What do you do?” it seems they’re more interested in …
February 8, 2010
Autumn in Vancouver
Autumn is an ideal time to visit Vancouver, British Columbia, when the foliage is particularly vibrant. A sophisticated city with a mix of gardens and woodlands, Vancouver can be described as temperate rainforest within a …
August 3, 2009
Bugaboo Range Heli-Hiking, Canadian Rockies
While on a "heli-hiking" trip in the Canadian Rockies (more specifically the Bugaboo Range), we were hit suddenly with a heavy snowstorm, which was unusual for July. Heli-hiking involves a small group, with a guide …
July 8, 2009
Blood is thicker in Canada
Heymatt: Mt boyfriend is from Canada, and he claims that when people move from a cold climate to a warm climate, their blood gets thinner and they are more sensitive to cold. Huh? -- Terra, …
August 9, 2007