Time travel online

It's always exciting to arrive in a new city. I like arriving at night, so the suspense of this new place stretches into the next morning. After a late arrival via Westjet at about 11:30 last night at the Halifax Airport, I picked up my rental car at the Thrifty Counter from a very friendly customer service representative on duty who inquired whether he was going to be mentioned in my Nova Scotia travel experiences – so here you go, this is a little shout-out to the friendly young man working the late shift at Thrifty's who gave me my first welcome in Nova Scotia.

I then checked into the nearby Hilton Garden Inn for a brief, but hopefully effective night of rest. Early this morning I got into my rental car and on my way to my first destination: the Grand Pré National Historic Site which commemorates the lifestyle and expulsion of the Acadians, original French settlers that came to this area in the 1600s. I first drove south from the airport to locate Highway 101 and after several unsuccessful attempts to find the right exit I finally linked up with the big highway that connects Halifax with Nova Scotia's western shore. The interior of the peninsula is made up of gently rolling forested hills and as you reach the northern shoreline, the land flattens out into tidal mudflats. Windsor, Hantsport and Wolfville are the major local settlements and the main body of water, the Minas Basin, features the highest tides on earth.

Less than an hour and a half after my departure I reached the Grand Pré, French for "large meadow" where I met Victor Tétrault, Executive Director of the Société Promotion Grand-Pré, who filled me in on the history of this site. The Grand Pré is an ancient settlement of the Acadians, descendants of the original French settlers in north-eastern North America. Acadians originally settled the areas around Nova Scotia, New Brunswick and Prince Edward Island in the 1600s and are culturally distinct from the French immigrants that settled in Quebec. The earliest Acadian settlement took place in Port Royal, less than two hours west of the Grand Pré, in 1604.

Acadians were astute farmers and through an ingenious system of dykes they managed to reclaim large tracts of land from the ocean. Victor explained that studies have shown that many farming communities of this era were really based on subsistence farming, where the average wealth base was "one unit of livestock" per person . The Acadians were rather wealthy since their average wealth per person was estimated at 8 to 9 units of livestock. They generated more agricultural products than they needed for their own consumption and started trading their surpluses with surrounding communities.

The Acadian settlers were also a peaceful group and got along well with the local Mi'kmaq Indians, even learning their time-honoured fishing and hunting techniques. The Mi'kmaq had developed a fishing technique that involved a network of criss-crossed stakes that would be set up in the tidal flats during low tide and when the water levels rose, this mesh of wooden sticks would simply trap fish and all that was necessary was just to go out there and pick up the fish.

Territories in north-eastern North America changed hands numerous times between the English and the French in the 1600 and 1700s and the Acadians decided to remain neutral, refusing to take either side. In the Treaty of Utrecht of 1713 France ceded Acadia as a British procession, at which point the area became known as Nova Scotia. During the following years, the British Governor Richard Phillips tried to coerce the Acadians to swear an oath of allegiance to the British Crown, but the Acadians steadfastly refused. Consequently, the decision was made that the "French Neutrals" needed to be removed and deported from their territories. Thus the Great Expulsion, the "Grand Dérangement", a brutal act of ethnic cleansing, began.

Between 1755 and 1763 about 10,000 Acadians were rounded up and deported to locations in New England, Maryland, Pennsylvania, Virginia, North and South Carolina and Georgia, even as far awa as Martinique and St. Domingue. Some Acadians were deported back to France, while others tried to hide in the woods, often sheltered by their friends, the Mi'kmaq. Some Acadian settlers made their way to relative safety in Quebec. Many families were torn apart, their houses were burnt, their livestock killed and fields destroyed. A great many Acadian settlers ended up in the former French territory of Louisiana where the Acadians became known as the "Cajuns". Some families were expelled five or more times from different locations they were deported to.

Although there were numerous deportations of different groups during these turbulent historic times, the deportation of the Acadians was unusual because so many were not sent back to France, their country of origin, or another French colony. Instead they were deported to British territories where Anti-Catholicism was rampant, and in the southern colonies it was feared that the Acadians would join slaves in a general uprising.

Once peace returned in 1763, some Acadians started to migrate back but they never settled in their original settlement areas again. Instead, many Nova Scotia Acadians moved into the area around Baie Ste-Marie or St. Mary's Bay between Digby and Yarmouth where they took up fishing as a livelihood. Today hundreds of thousands of people across all of North America and beyond can trace their origins to the Acadian Diaspora.

After giving me a brief introduction to Acadian history Victor took me on a tour of the facilities. The Grand Pré National Historic Site is actually a large piece of land that was donated about 100 years ago by a local businessman by the name of John Frederick Herbin who was an Acadian descendant. He gave the land to the Dominion Atlantic Railway with the condition that it be made accessible to Acadians forever. The company later gave the site to Parks Canada which turned it into a National Historic Site.

The New Visitors and Interpretation Centre houses a multimedia theatre, an exhibit hall, a gift shop, a multipurpose room and administration area along with other visitors' facilities such as restrooms, public phones, etc. The entire facility is run jointly by Parks Canada and the Société Promotion Grand Pré, which represents the Acadian community. The grounds around the Centre are made up of flat farmland, a winding river and railway tracks that still serve for freight transportation.

We walked outside the Centre and Victor pointed out to me a metal sculpture on the side of a long, low-lying hill that consists of 4 life-sized individuals, representing an Acadian family that is being torn apart by the deportation. This sculpture was unveiled just a few weeks ago, on September 3, 2006. Victor mentioned that the sculptor was looking for an appropriate place to position the sculpture once it had been transported to the Grand Pré site from Montreal. The sculptor was unable to find a proper location for his masterpiece, pacing for hours through the entire property. Finally he found a spot, right there on the hillside. He just knew that this was where the sculpture would have to go. Through archeological research it had been discovered earlier, unbeknownst to the sculptor, that an Acadian house had been located right next to the sculpture and the foundation of this house is now outlined by wooden stakes. Hearing about this psychic connection between Acadian history and a present day sculptor gave me the goose bumps, and this example just underscores the spiritual and historic significance of the Grand Pré National Historic Site.

Victor also enlightened me that the Grand Pré is a location of reconciliation. During the 2004 celebrations to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the arrival of the Acadians, tens of thousands of Acadian descendants congregated in the Grand Pré area for a reunion. The local Shaw family, a Planter family who was assigned to settle the area after the expulsion of the Acadians, invited the descendants of the Thibodeau family, who had come from all over North America, to stay on their property. Only two families had ever lived on this stretch of land: the Thibodeaus and the Shaws. The Shaws as a matter of fact, had coined a phrase "Be careful of the tippie-toes", which really meant "Be careful of the Thibodeaus". Both groups of families celebrated together and the Shaws stated that they were not the owners, but rather the keepers of this land, and that their home would always be open to the Thibodeaus.

The celebrations proceeded with exuberance until one man, a Thibodeau family member from Quebec stated in front of everyone "I only have one thing to say: we Thibodeaus are going to come back and take this land". The entire crowd gasped at the thought of implied conflict until he continued "I am going to marry Sarah". Sarah was a member of the Shaw family. The audience breathed a collective sigh of relief. This vignette is just one of many stories of reconciliation and forgiveness that have taken place here in the Grand Pré area.

Victor and I crossed the railway tracks and approached the Memorial Church, built in 1922. In front of the church is a statue of Evangeline, heroine of an 1847 poem by American author Henry Wadsworth Longfellow. "Evangeline" tells the story of a young Acadian woman who dedicates her entire life to searching for the man she loves from whom she was separated at the time of deportation. The tragic story concludes with Evangeline finding Gabriel, her true love, on his death bed in Philadelphia.

Beside the church Victor pointed out some archeological excavations to me. The Grand Pré site is a significant historic site and ongoing archeological research has turned up more clues about early Acadian life in the Grand Pré area. When Victor had to say goodbye to me as he was on duty at the Memorial Church, I went back inside the Visitors Centre and watched a brief yet extremely informative video about the history of the Acadians which effectively tied it all together for me.

After leaving the Visitor Centre I decided to drive a few kilometers east to the actual deportation site in the Minas Basin. The Deportation Cross was erected in 1924 to commemorate the deportation of 2000 Acadians who were deported from this very site.

As I started to make my way westwards towards Annapolis Royal, another originally Acadian settlement, I reflected on the significance of this site for one of the founding cultures of Nova Scotia. I was amazed at the perseverance and the power of the human spirit displayed by hundreds of thousands of Acadian descendants who have lived in diaspora all over the world and for centuries have managed to survive and hold on to their cultural heritage despite much adversity that they have experienced. Despite all this human tragedy and upheaval, the stories of reconciliation and forgiveness found here at the Grand Pré National Historic Site are a sign of hope for all us.

Costa Blanca is simply Golf Heaven. It is not just the spectacular and rather humbling scenery in every direction that inspires and excites, but the overabundance of world class golf courses peppering the Coast truly makes the Costa Blanca one of the most desirable golfing vacation destinations in the world. You can hardly put your finger down on a map of the Costa Blanca without hitting a golf course, or sometimes even two depending on the size of your finger! There are over 20 courses of all sizes, suitable for all levels of expertise and temperaments, out of which 12 are listed as among the best in Europe, if not the world.

"The Costa Blanca is More" – is the slogan of the Provincial Patronato de Tourism, and they couldn't have said it better. What they mean is that there is more on offer here than you can even imagine. Blue flag beaches abound, offering all modes of water-sports. Some beaches are lined with palm-lined promenades, cafes, bars, restaurants, gift shops, and other curiosity shops where you can spend hours. Then there are the health spas and the healing mud baths of San Javier and Mar Menor. Another fun activity would be browsing the local markets on the various Market days where there's no saying what you may find.

Historical Wonders - Other than the golf, the spas, the water sports, the theme parks, and the shopping, you also have the sense of awe afforded by the architectural gems that hark back to magnificent periods in history. Castles, Cathedrals, Forts, and Towers exist amid natural wonders and majestic mountain ranges. Every province has its own museums of arts and archaeology where you get a pretty good understanding of the awesome sense of history the place holds.

Hot Spots – The entire Costa Blanca has been taken up by tourism to varying degrees. While provinces like Moraira are unscathed, those such as Benidorm are devoted entirely to the trade. Benidorm is the ideal place to pitch tent if you are on a family vacation. Besides being surrounded by golf courses, there's also the Aqualandia Water Amusement Park, Mundomar Marine Exotic Animal Park and the ever popular Terra Mitica said to have the wildest rides in Europe. Puerto Banus is another hot spot with its night golfing, and an enchanting marina.

World-Class Dining - Cuisine from all over the world vies with the delicious local dishes. The flavours and aroma of Pescaito Frito, Boquerones in Vinagre, and of course the ubiquitous Paella, will stay with you long after you have left the Costa Blanca. There are also a remarkable number of British and Indian restaurants, and also some Chinese eateries.

Getting around from Coast to Coast – Costa Blanca has a very good local transport network, but having said that, to fully appreciate what the Costa Blanca has to offer, you'll do well to hire a car. You can book your hire car in advance at visiting
Your-Carhire.com - specialists in Spain car rental services and pick it up from the airport when you arrive.

South Korea is a very interesting country, which I recommend visiting for a series of reasons. Below ten reasons to visit Seoul and South Korea.

1. Korean food - even though Korean food has some elements in common with other Asian cuisines, such as the use of soy and soy products (like tofu, soy sauce etc.), some spices and rice, it is entirely unique. There are ingredients, combinations of flavours and recipes that you will not find anywhere else, so, if you are a food lover and interested in experiencing new flavours it is worth visiting Korea. There are Korean restaurants around the world, but you will never find the same flavours and variety of Korean cuisine as in Korea itself.

2. Shopping - shopping in Korea is an amazing experience. In a city like Seoul you are able to go shopping at any time of the day and night. Also, the variety of shopping centres, markets, shopping areas and department stores is incredible and caters for every taste, need or pocket. Often shopping in Korea is part of a family day out, as many shopping centres are created near attractions such as amusement parks, aquariums and places of interest for tourists.

3. The kindness of Korean people - like in other Asian countries, interpersonal relationships in Korea are very important and so Korean people are usually friendly, very kind and willing to help their friends. Sometimes they might seem blunt comparing to westerners, but they are rarely malicious. The important thing, anyway, is to know some of their customs and etiquette in order to avoid cultural misunderstandings.

4. The Korean city of Kyongju - Kyongju is an old city, basically an open-air museum with a high concentration of the best-preserved Korean Buddhist art (sculptures, pagodas, temples and palaces). If you are interested in Asian architecture Kyongju is worth a visit, as Korean traditional architecture is unique. Kyongju is one of UNESCO World Heritage Sites.

5. Korean traditional medicine - if you are interested in traditional Asian medicine, than it is worth experimenting traditional Korean acupuncture. Korean acupuncture is based on the same principles as Chinese acupuncture and some Korean practitioners study in China, but it is slightly different. Also, a typical Korean treatment is cupping, which was made famous in the west by Gwyneth Paltrow. Acupunctures practitioners in Korea are very good and they charge very cheap prices comparing to acupuncturists in the west.

6. Korean ginseng and green tea - Korean ginseng is considered to be the best in the world and, if you are a fan of this medicinal root, you can buy it cheaper in Korea. Also, Korean green tea is very good and great for health.

7. Korean sauna - Korean sauna is a great experience if you are a wellness fanatic. Korean saunas are rather different from any other spas around the world and quite cheap by western standards. In Korean sauna establishments you can find the traditional Korean kiln sauna, as well as steam rooms and dry saunas and you can have body scrubs and traditional Korean massage.

8. Korean Nore-bang - Nore bang is the Korean version of the Japanese Karaoke. If you love singing but you are too shy to do it in public, or you would like some background music and the songs texts, in Korea you can go to a nore-bang (literally sing room), with your friends or on your own. A nore bang is a place with individual private rooms for singing, so in privacy you can enjoy singing as you please.

9. Korean amusement parks - Korea boasts some great amusement parks, such as Everland near Seoul. Especially if you are travelling with kids, this will be a highlight in your trip to Korea, a country where you can find traditional Asian culture as well as the newest and most exciting entertainments.

10. Experiencing Korean culture as a whole - it is worth visiting South Korea, just for the opportunity to experience a culture that is so different from our western cultures. Korea, even if it is a small country, has its unique culture, where traditions and innovations, old and new coexist.

Summer is Alaskan cruise season, and despite the enormous popularity of this particular destination, there are still some bargains to be found.

Although it's known for glaciers and polar bears, going to Alaska is a bit like going on safari. This state is 65% national park, national forest, or national wildlife preserve. In fact, only one percent of this gigantic state (3.5 million lakes!) is privately owned.

The result is lots of unspoiled natural habitat for creatures ranging from the bald eagle to the black bear. You can't beat the fishing; photographers will find this place a paradise. You can see moose, elk, wolves, different types of bears, and all kinds of fish.

An Alaskan cruise is also one of the best way to see some of the world's most spectacular glaciers. Glaciers are actually moving rivers of ice. The sheer weight of them pushes them downward and outward and they move, in inches usually, over the course of years. Glaciers creak and groan as they move, providing eerie sound effects. Every now and then, you may get to witness the spectacular process of "calving," which occurs when a large chunk of ice breaks off from a glacier with a resounding crash and splash. Calving is how icebergs are born.

There was a time when most glaciers had to be observed from a distance. Most are not safe for hikers or climbers (this is the original "slippery slope") and are just plain inhospitable. That's why a cruise can allow you to drift by these magnificent creations in comfort and safety and see them as few other people in history have ever been able to observe them.

Most Alaskan cruises offer plenty of excursions and a flight-seeing tour is a great way to take in a glacier. In Alaska, flight-seeing has become enormously popular because many of the state's most specactular natural attractions are not readily accessible by land. (For example, you cannot get in your car and drive to Juneau, Alaska's capital city. No roads. Juneau is accessed by boat or plane, period.)

Alaskan culture is extremely diverse. There is a relatively large indigenous population in Alaska and cultural influences on the state range from Eskimo to Russian (the Russians owned Alaska till 1867).

Throughout history, Alaska has always been a frontier. Way back in the 1800s, Alaska was the destination of a lot of gold miners and those who came to "mine the miners". In the 20th century, there was an oil boom. Right now, Alaska is enjoying what might be called a discovery bonanza as more and more people are finding out that it is a great vacation destination.

Alaska sought to woo tourists a while ago with the creation of a railroad that connected it with the lower 48 states. (Alaska is one of only two U.S. states that does not border on another state.) These railroads brought spectacular scenery to the passengers and allowed them to get in and out of a state that is sometimes fairly inaccessible. Today, these railroads are updated and maintained.

The problem with the railroads is that once you arrive at your destination, how do you get around?

Alaskans have always relied on ferry boats to move between towns and the Alaskan Ferry is something that increasingly numbers of tourists are discovering as well. If you have a vehicle, you can drive it on board and take the ferry (with your car) to your next destination. The Alaskan Ferry (http://www.akferry.org) even offers staterooms, food courts, and some common areas so that you can spend some time moving around the country. The ferry allows campers to camp onboard, too.

But the best way for the newcomer or comfort-lover to see Alaska is by cruise ship. The cruise ship allows visitors the luxury of remaining in one stateroom as the vessel makes port here and there, giving passengers time to helicopter, flight-see, dog-mush, whale watch, shop, or go on photo safaris by day.

Alaskan cruises typically take place from July to September, which are the best months to see the state anyway.

When traveling to Alaska, do take some warm clothing, including hats, jackets, mittens or gloves, and heavy socks. Even if the air temperature is not particularly cold (it can be 40 or 50 by day), the wind onboard ship can make it seem colder than it is. But remember to pack sunscreen, sun glasses, and a hat or a visor because the sun still reflects on the water; glare is common and the unprotected can get burned.