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Posts from Kingston, Ontario, Canada

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Arrive without travelling

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

As much as I like to travel, it is not feasible to go everywhere I want to go. But I can still enjoy things from other countries in the comfort of my own home. Today’s post features food and music from countries that I have never visited.

The Ukrainian “Prague” cake, right before we started to eat it.

The vivid cover photo at the very top of this post is the packaging for a “Prague” chocolate cake. While Prague is of course in Czechia, the cake itself is from Ukraine. And the photo right above this paragraph is the cake you see when you take the lid off the packaging. The cake is now gone, but it definitely tasted like Europe! It’s always fun to try new products like this.

Ukrainian sour cherry jam

Speaking of new Ukrainian products, we’re trying the above cherry jam. We wanted to replace the cherry jam we previously used. This Ukrainian one tastes better, and sour cherries are actually the first ingredient! This is a big win because most jams have sugar as the first ingredient. As a bonus, this jam was also less expensive than the one we previously used.

Smoky salsa from Mexico

While I have visited a number of Latin American countries, I have never made it to Mexico. I love very spicy food, but it is sometimes a challenge to find a spicy salsa that has no garlic. This spicy Mexican salsa is packed with smoky flavour and isn’t runny. The regular price is “above average”, so I bought four jars the last time it went on sale.

I’m looking forward to trying this snack from India

Speaking of spicy food…that’s one of the reasons I like Indian cuisine. This snack from India is a little different, as it is a sweet and sour mix. I wasn’t sure that sour would work in a dry snack, but I tried some khatta meetha recently and was pleasantly surprised. India is a very long way to go, but I am sure that I will find plenty to like if I’m ever able to visit there.

Side 2 of Bob Marley’s classic “Exodus” album. One of my favourite sides of music.

To accompany all this tasty food, I turn to my (vinyl) record collection. When I’m in a more meditative mood, Bob Marley’s “Exodus” album hits the spot. While I have never made it to Jamaica, my luggage has! When I was returning from a business trip to San Antonio many year ago, the airline messed up my luggage and sent it to Kingston, Jamaica, rather than “my” Kingston.

Side 1 of Jorge Ben’s “África Brasil” album. Nice gold vinyl too.

A little more adventurous is Jorge Ben’s “África Brasil” album. This 1976 album is a fusion of various types of music, but still very Brazilian. I have a lot of Brazilian music in my collection, and this is one of the best. Even if you think you don’t know this music, you probably will recognize at least one song. Rod Stewart had a hit in the late 1970s that lifted the melody from “Taj Mahal”. Ben successfully sued Stewart, and the royalties went to Unicef instead.

“The Indestructible Beat of Soweto” – a 1985 compilation from South Africa

Long-time readers know that I really enjoy a lot of South African music. It’s another faraway place that I’ve never visited. The above compilation album (“The Indestructible Beat of Soweto”) features mostly mbaqanga music, which is what formed the basis of Paul Simon’s very successful 1986 “Graceland” album. But this album was released the year before Graceland. It was one of the first albums of contemporary South African music to be widely available outside the country.

The title of today’s post is from “The Inner Light”, by the Beatles. It is a George Harrison composition that uses Indian instrumentation, while the lyrics are based on the Tao Te Ching. Another good line from the song: “The farther one travels, the less one knows.” Maybe that will be the title of a blog post some day!

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Special Considerations for Sports Travel

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

Today’s post is about ensuring that sports travel is as successful as it can be. My focus is on competitive sports, although some of these tips can be applied to recreational sports or even just regular leisure travel.

At the top of Klein Matterhorn, just before altitude sickness kicked in!

A. Know the Environment

It’s very easy to determine things like the altitude, average temperature, and humidity of your destination. All of these can play a huge role in dictating the types of conditions you’ll be facing. I can attest that altitude sickness is a real thing, and that overly dry climates can be just as challenging as very humid ones.

Talking about altitude…Hikers enjoying the view from the Sun Gate (Machu Picchu, Peru)

By researching this in advance, you can pack accordingly and minimize the risk of being completely unprepared for the weather or geography.

Phoenix, Arizona, is very dry. If I ever return, I’ll bring lots of lip balm.

B. Respect Jet Lag

A rule of thumb is that it takes one day to fully recover for each time zone. So, if you are travelling to central Europe, expect a full six days to pass before you are truly acclimated to your new location.

Looking intense against our very strong Czech opponents in Prague – or maybe it’s just fighting the jet lag after arriving the day before.

In practical terms, this means one thing: arrive early! For my upcoming trip, I will arrive in France more than a week before the serious competition starts. I will be practicing within two days of arrival, and playing in less competitive events soon afterward. However, I won’t have any truly intense matches until jet lag is but a memory.

Shocked and awed at Forcella Staunies (Cortina d’Ampezzo, Italy) – save this type of piste for later in the week!

This leads to my next point…

C. Ease into the Intensity

Don’t go crazy over the first few days. Though it will be tempting to practice all day, in order to get used to the local conditions, it is best to gently increase the intensity. I do this for two reasons.

When you first arrive, limit your exertion to walking. That’s what I did on my first day in France in 2024 – here’s a fun record store in downtown Lyon.

Firstly, it reduces the risk of injury…particularly if you haven’t played for a while. Secondly, intensity uses up your mental and physical resources. You want to have something left in the tank for the final few matches…not just the first ones. Finally, including some leisure time also keeps everything in balance.

An easy, low altitude piste near Zweisimmen, Switzerland – ideal for the first day of skiing

D. In competition, stick with the familiar

The competitive surroundings will be new and interesting…maybe even challenging. The opponents will be different. The accommodations will be unfamiliar. The food will be different. Maybe the language is different too. All of those things use up mental energy and can take a toll on you, even if it seems fun at the time. So why would you want to experiment with a new technique or new equipment on top of that?

A local market in Santiago, Chile

I firmly believe that I play best when I am in a “flow” state – it’s almost unconscious. I don’t have to think about what I’m doing. All the hours of practice have led to that point. And it is much easier to be in a “flow” state if you are using familiar equipment and techniques.

More fun (with good equipment) at the Swiss-Italian border, high above Zermatt and Cervinia

E. Do the Hard Work Before the Trip

My goal is to have a completely unencumbered mind when the competition gets serious. That means it is much better to do the hard work before I go, so that I am not “cramming” upon arrival. It’s like preparing for an exam.

McGreer Hall at Bishop’s University (Lennoxville, Québec) – looks like a good place to study!

I don’t want to disclose too much about my pre-competition preparations here. But, in general, this would encompass things like developing game plans and doing my sports psychology reading. That last one is really important. I read a couple of special sports psychology books each winter so that I’m ready to hit the ground running in the spring. Even though the content is familiar by now, it still needs a bit of time to settle. If it has settled, I can then call on those resources easily if I suddenly need them in the midst of the competition.

Cambridge, England – Yes, this would be a good place to study too!

Bringing it all Together

I know that if I do all of the above things, I am maximizing my chances for success. I’ve done what I can to control what is truly within my control. Yes, luck plays a role. So do other external factors. But while I can’t control everything, I am increasing the odds that unforeseen situations end up in my favour. And in competitive sports, where there are no easy matches, it really is about improving the odds.

Delivering a bowl at the 2022 Canadian Lawn Bowling Championships

A final thought…some old clichés stick around because they’re true. Here is one of my favourites about sports competitions: “The harder I work, the luckier I get.” That is particularly true for competing in unfamiliar places.

[The photo at the very top of this post is from Madonna di Campiglio, Italy. I don’t think it is well known to Canadians, but it is justifiably popular among Italian skiers for an enjoyable week “away from it all.”]

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Travel Flashback: Harrington Harbour, Quebec (1999)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

In the 1990s, Aeroplan (Air Canada’s loyalty program) had some great deals. The cheapest reward level would let you fly from anywhere in Ontario to anywhere in Quebec. Well, I found a nifty itinerary: a five-flight (!) odyssey from Kingston, Ontario, to Harrington Harbour, Quebec.

The airport in Sept–Îles, Quebec

As one of my long-time friends had recently moved to Harrington Harbour, I took the opportunity to visit on the May 23 (Victoria Day) weekend. I flew from (1) Kingston to Toronto, (2) Toronto to Montreal, (3) Montreal to Sept-Iles, (4) Sept-Iles to Chevery (an 11-seat plane with a stop in Natashquan), and (5) Chevery to Harrington Harbour (by helicopter). Whew! I certainly maximized my frequent flyer reward on this trip.

This is how I arrived in Harrington Harbour! This helicopter travels to and from the mainland village of Chevery, Quebec

Harrington Harbour is a small fishing village (current population 205) on the remote North Shore of the St. Lawrence River. While it lies in Quebec, it is very close to the Labrador border…and it really felt like a Newfoundland outport. English is the spoken language, and the accent is similar to what you hear in rural Newfoundland.

View from the eastern edge of Harrington Harbour

While my itinerary was challenging, I did not have too much choice. Harrington Harbour is on an island near the mainland village of Chevery. But, even today, neither one is reachable by road. The only real choices are travelling by air or, between April and January, by boat. As you can see from the photos, there was still some snow on the ground even though summer was less than a month away.

The aptly-named Windbreaker Bridge in downtown Harrington Harbour. Notice the horizontal drawstrings.

As there are no roads to Harrington Harbour, there really isn’t a need for big cars and trucks. And there really aren’t streets either. Instead, there is a network of boardwalks upon which smaller vehicles (like ATVs) can navigate the rocky terrain. When the ships can’t access the town in the winter, neighbouring communities are accessible by snowmobile.

Looking east from Harrington Harbour

By 1999, I still hadn’t visited any of Canada’s northern territories. But when I look at the Harrington Harbour pictures now, I see a little bit of Nunavut in the rocky, treeless landscape. When you look at a map, this begins to make sense. Harrington Harbour is almost as far north as James Bay.

The wharf and fish plant in downtown Harrington Harbour

As a rare visitor from Ontario, I was welcomed into the community for a couple of special events. The first was a volleyball game. As with my high school exchange to Hinton, Alberta, this was a sport that everybody in Canada seemed to play.

The wind has calmed down a bit!

I also took part in the Victoria Day festivities. As you can see, a serious bonfire was built and it burned for quite a long time.

United Church in Harrington Harbour, Quebec.

While those activities were boisterous, it wasn’t hard to escape into complete silence. There aren’t any other communities on the island, so you can walk in pretty much any direction and be completely alone in the very northern landscape.

Victoria Day bonfire in Harrington Harbour

It is not easy for remote communities like Harrington Harbour to retain population. Having road access would likely create more opportunities and make it easier to keep people around. But, for now, there is still a 375 km gap east of Kegaska that is not accessible by road. I am not aware of a completion date for the extension of Route 138.

Stay tuned for more Canadian flashbacks…and, before too long, my spring trip to France!

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Travel Plans for 2025

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

A couple of posts ago, I said that I was in the process of confirming my plans for my spring trip. Today’s post reveals those details, as well as the other major trip I have planned for later this summer.

Downtown Rouen, France (but not the South) – July 2018

As has been the case for most of my recent major trips, lawn bowling competitions are “anchoring” each trip. But, especially for the first trip, there should be time for other activities as well. So, here we go…

Awkward intersection in Vitré, France (but not the South) – July 2018

My first trip is to southern France. I will be spending non-competition time in Lyon and Annecy, but also hope to explore some of the “off-the-beaten-path” Ardèche region. I wasn’t too far from this part of France in 2020, but once again it was for skiing purposes.

Bayeux’s Cathedral at 11:00 p.m. (not the South of France) -July 2018

I’m quite excited about this trip. I spent a little bit of time in Lyon last year, but somehow managed to miss out on the oldest (and perhaps most riveting) part of the city. I’ll make up for that this time around. But I also hope to revisit a great restaurant I visited in the Part-Dieu neighbourhood. And Annecy is apparently known as the “Venice of the Alps”!

The Arc de Triomphe, overlooking l’avenue des Champs-Élysées, Paris (not the South of France) – July 2018

Later this summer, I will be travelling to Calgary, Alberta, for a major Canadian competition. I’ve been in the Calgary area a couple of times for skiing, but this will be my first proper visit in the summer. The closest I’ve come is a summer 2013 visit to the Edmonton area.

The mighty Seine, from the Eiffel Tower, Paris, France (not the South) – July 2018

In addition to these trips, I will once again be crisscrossing Ontario in the summer months. And depending on how the season goes, maybe another (Canadian) trip will materialize. But even if that doesn’t happen, France and Alberta tick all the boxes for me this year. I put a lot of thought into selecting them, and I look forward to sharing them with you when the time comes!

Low tide at Saint-Servan, France (not the South) – July 2018

For fun, the photos for today’s post are all from my summer 2018 trip to (not southern) France. Except for the cover photo at the very top – that’s from Alberta!

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Travel Flashback: Road Trip to Timmins (2000)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

For today’s post, I’ve decided to go way back…25 years, to be precise. I was just starting my 2nd work career, and funds were relatively scarce for summer vacation purposes. We accepted an invitation to visit one of my law school friends in Timmins, Ontario, and hit the road in my (then) trusty Dodge Neon.

The non-existent community of Khartum, Ontario

Wikipedia describes the Timmins economy as “based on natural resource extraction.” In other words – lumber and mining play a huge role. More than 40,000 people live there, and it is the largest city in northeastern Ontario. As it is about a nine-hour drive due north from Kingston, we stopped overnight in North Bay before making the final push.

Eganville , Ontario – where french fries matter!

On the way, we stopped in small Ontario places like Khartum (which consists of a sign but no actual community), Eganville (home of legendary french fries), and Matheson (an important highway junction). And we also visited Rapides-des-Joachims, a tiny Quebec hamlet on an island accessible only from Ontario.

This local dog accompanied us throughout our visit to Rapides-des-Joachims, Quebec

While my friend’s house was in the city of Timmins, we didn’t spend too much time there. He also had a cottage just outside the city, and that turned out to be the base for most of our visit. Staying on a remote lake is a good way to experience this part of Ontario. Our only real “sightseeing” stop in Timmins itself was at the Hollinger Mine, where we went on an underground tour. The photo at the very top of this post is a restored typical miner’s house (a “Hollinger House”) from the glory days of mining in Timmins.

Ding Ho Restaurant in Matheson, Ontario. It’s still there, and still highly rated!

As a child, I had usually spent a week or so each summer at a friend’s cottage on Eagle Lake. It was about 45 minutes north of Kingston, close to the village of Sharbot Lake, Ontario. It was a special place, with neighbouring cottagers from all over Ontario and the northern U.S. I guess I wasn’t completely unfamiliar with cottage life, but whatever cottaging skills I had were already quite rusty by 2000. By now, they are probably non-existent! But I could still handle a canoe when we visited Norway in 2010.

About to enter the Hoillinger Mine in Timmins

Staying at the cottage was a great way to “get away from it all.” But all good things must end. Our circuitous route home took us through Ville-Marie (northwestern Quebec) and then through and around Ontario’s Algonquin Park. The pictures from that journey seem to be from a completely different era. And I suppose they are.

Near Kenogami Lake, Ontario

I’m particularly struck by a picture of a disused church (formerly known as St. Leonard’s Anglican Church) in the ghost town of Rockingham, Ontario. It had been abandoned since 1941, but the local community restored it in 1999-2000. The setting, at the edge of a thick forest, is very evocative. It’s well worth a visit if you find yourself in the area.

The former St. Leonard’s Church in Rockingham, Ontario

Coming soon: my 2025 travel destinations revealed!

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My interview with Bob Dylan

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

On New Year’s Day, I went to the Screening Room (our local independent cinema) and watched “A Complete Unknown”. It’s a new biopic about Bob Dylan, touching only on the period between 1961 and 1965. It made me think about a Dylan experience I had 35 years ago, in the spring of 1990.

At that time, I was the Music Director of CFRC-FM (Queen’s University Radio). My role involved liaising with the record companies. They would provide us with new releases, and we would provide them with feedback on how our programmers liked the new stuff. College radio success was often a stepping stone to bigger and better things.

Sometimes, we would get special opportunities. A band might stop by the station for an interview or even a quick performance. And we would occasionally get free passes to concerts. Most of my interviews involved Canadian bands such as the Northern Pikes or the Grapes of Wrath. I have to admit, it was cool to go the show and be acknowledged by the band from the stage.

As bands became better known, they tended to become very selective with their interviews and appearances. International stars usually didn’t need to do promotion with university stations, although some might make an occasional appearance out of nostalgia (a lot of musicians had been college radio DJs themselves). But even the more prominent acts would still reserve a few tickets for local media, including our station.

One day, I received a call from the Canadian rep for Columbia Records. Bob Dylan was playing at the Kingston Memorial Centre the next night…would I be interested in a pair of tickets? Of course, I said yes. I played some Dylan on my show from time to time. But then the rep continued: would I be interested in interviewing Bob?

Deep breath.

I said I would be happy to do that. The rep told me to get to the arena in the late afternoon, pick up the tickets at the box office, and let the box office staff know that I was there to interview Mr. Dylan.

Needless to say, I didn’t sleep too well that night. Not only is Bob Dylan one of the most famous musicians ever, but he also had a reputation for doing very, very few interviews. And even when he did them, he had a reputation for being…a challenging interview. Nothing would be worse than being unprepared for an interview with Bob Dylan.

I worked very hard to come up with questions that were informed, but not obsessive. Unique, but not silly. The parameters were challenging indeed. I felt like I was preparing to defend my doctoral dissertation on contemporary popular music…in front of the guy who revolutionized it.

On the day of the concert, I arrived at the Kingston Memorial Centre with the 97th draft of my profound but cool interview questions. I confidently strode to the box office, and picked up my free tickets. And then I asked the clerk…would Mr. Dylan be available for our interview now? She asked me to wait a minute, and disappeared from view. This may well have been the longest minute of my life. It was all becoming very real. Bob Dylan was in the building, and I was about to interview him. I was 21 years old.

The clerk eventually returned. She said that the label rep had indeed mentioned the interview to the venue management. Alas, in a very apologetic tone, she said Mr. Dylan was unfortunately no longer able to do any interviews that evening.

At the time, I was naturally very disappointed. But, in retrospect, maybe it was better that Bob wasn’t available. No matter how good my 97th draft of questions may have seemed then, I think I would do a much better job now. I probably wasn’t ready to defend my dissertation in 1990.

I suspect that Bob Dylan remembers little about his May 30, 1990, visit to Kingston. After all, he calls his 60+ years of performing the “Never Ending Tour.” He’s done thousands of concerts all over the world. But we’re all human. Maybe, just maybe, he felt bad about not doing the interview. And if he did, it’s not too late. He can have his people call my people. I might be able to carve out some time for him.

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Travel Endpoints!

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

You either like travel planning, or you don’t. Very few people are neutral about this. Fortunately, I really enjoy structuring a trip. It may sound strange, but one of the best parts for me is figuring out my “endpoints”. For an overseas trip, this means the airports for my arrival and eventual departure.

I’m about to start that process now. I have an overseas trip planned for a couple of weeks in the spring, and I already know how I will be spending most of my time. But there is still some unaccounted time at the beginning and end of the trip. This makes the endpoints really important.

When I was in Europe earlier this year, my endpoints were Lyon (new to me) and Zürich  (not at all new to me). I was happy to explore Lyon, and I decided to end my trip in Winterthur (very close to the Zürich airport) as an alternative to Zürich.

Selecting those key endpoints for my spring trip is a complex challenge. As always, I am striving to keep my travel costs at a minimum. But it is a mistake to focus only on airfares. Taking direct flights, rather than dodgy itineraries with multiple connections, reduces the risk of lost luggage and/or missed flights. Ground transportation can also be very expensive, depending on the country.

I also have to consider the timing of my trip. For example, I love visiting Zweisimmen (Switzerland), but it is best in the summer or winter. At other times of the year, the weather can be dreary and many things are closed. So, I need to consider whether my proposed early- and late-trip locations are open or shut at that time of year.

But it is also possible for a location to be “too perfect” at a certain time of year. I need to check whether there is something special happening that could makes prices and crowds oppressive. I’m not planning on visiting the French Riviera in February, but it might not be a great idea in any event…that’s when the Fête du Citron (Lemon Festival) is held in Menton.

Despite all these caveats, the flip side is this: whatever I decide, I should have the opportunity to experience something truly different. Hopefully, I will get to some places I’ve never been before. And it’s really fun to dig up special experiences, even if I’ve been to one of my endpoints before. I had been to Chicago in the summer of 2013, so initially I wasn’t thrilled to be marooned there in the winter of 2014. But I managed to have a great winter stay there, despite the frigid temperatures.

I expect that the endpoints of my upcoming trip will be finalized by the time of my next blog post. I’m really looking forward to the thrill of the chase, especially as my home town is damp, cold, and dark right now.

The pictures from today’s blog are all from a December 2 walk at Lemoine’s Point in Kingston. And, other than the cover photo at the very top, they are all in chronological order!

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Travel Flashback: Yukon and Alaska (2003)

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

In the summer of 2003, we visited a friend from Hinton, Alberta, who had recently moved to Whitehorse, Yukon. It was my first, and so far only, visit to this northern Canadian territory.

The Yukon River, near Whitehorse, Yukon. It’s big, of course.

The strongest impression I had from the Yukon was the space. It wasn’t completely isolated (the Alaska Highway passes through Whitehorse), but I never had the feeling of being crowded either. The streets were wide and everything just seemed…big. Despite not being on a sea, ocean, or even a lake, even the boats were big (see the SS Klondike photo at the top of this post).

Our train on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad, on the way to Skagway, Alaska.

The most “touristy” part of our trip (and thus the most photographed) was our journey on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad to Skagway, Alaska. This railway originally ran from Whitehorse to Skagway, and it was the main route to the Yukon interior during the Klondike Gold Rush. The railway closed in 1982, but then reopened again in 1988 as a summer heritage railway.

Bleak terrain on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad,

During our visit, the first part of our trip was by bus: only the portion from Bennett (B.C.) to Skagway was operational. It now runs from Carcross (Yukon) to Skagway, and there are plans to have it once again run the entire length from Whitehorse to Skagway. There were some anxious moments en route…this is not easy terrain! But we made it to Skagway safe and sound. In fact, the line ends right on the docks where cruise ships stop in Skagway.

Hiking in the Dewey Lakes area, just above Skagway, Alaska.

Skagway is a small town, with only about 1,200 residents. You’re never far from nature, so it is easy to find appropriate hiking trails close to town. As we didn’t have a lot of specialized equipment, we limited ourselves to the Dewey Lakes area.

Hiking in the Dewey Lakes area, just above Skagway, Alaska.

Even though this was close to town, we really felt like we were “off the beaten track”. In some ways, the terrain (and tricky footing) was similar to our hiking adventure on Vancouver Island in 2023.

A saloon in downtown Skagway, Alaska.

Back in town, the local tourist industry really plays up the gold rush days. And with good reason: those were Skagway’s glory days, when the population was around 12,000! We found an old-fashioned saloon, and many other buildings that haven’t really changed in more than a century.

Jefferson Smith’s Parlor, in downtown Skagway, Alaska.

Given the small population, and the popularity of summer cruises along the Alaska coastline, Skagway is really transformed when a ship arrives. The inlet that ends at Skagway is quite narrow, but we still saw some fairly large ships sailing into port.

Between the docks and downtown Skagway, Alaska.

After a couple of nights in Skagway, we returned to Whitehorse. However, our “return” tickets on the White Pass and Yukon Route Railroad were actually for a bus on the return leg of our journey. I presume that this is to maximize the benefits from the short summer tourist season.

Exploring the coastline on the Taiya Inlet at Skagway, Alaska.

I think our two nights in Skagway were just right for us at the time. One full day of hiking and exploring the town felt appropriate. Since few of the cruise passengers actually stay overnight here, the evenings were very quite and peaceful.

I went through a phase where I would dramatically scale steep rocks.

Coming up – another international adventure!

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Travel Flashback: My most northern destinations

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

The summer is a great time to head north. With the long hours of daylight, there is so much more to see! On that note, here are some of my most northern destinations…

Overlooking Iqaluit’s harbour

In Canada, the farthest north I’ve been is to Iqaluit, the capital of Nunavut (Canada’s largest territory). After getting over the sticker shock, I developed a much deeper appreciation for the differences between the various parts of Canada. As I wrote in this post about my 2013 trip to Iqaluit, you should take advantage of any opportunity you might have to visit Nunavut. You will never forget it!

“Welcome to Iqaluit”, in the 4 languages of Nunavut

2013 was a great year to go north. Later that summer, I found myself in Yellowknife, the capital of the Northwest Territories. Yellowknife is still connected by road (albeit a very long road) to the rest of Canada, which meant that it had some superficial similarities to other Canadian cities. But, as with Nunavut, I felt that a true Northern experience would require a trip to one of the smaller outlying communities. That remains a travel goal of mine.

Floating houses in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories.

And yes, I’ve been to the Yukon Territory (and Alaska) too! However, so far, I haven’t converted that experience to a post on this blog. It’s a rainy day project of mine to track down some pictures and make it happen. The same goes for my 1999 trip to Harrington Harbour, Quebec, a remote village on the north shore of St. Lawrence River (near Labrador).

Downtown Grímsey, right beside the Arctic Circle

Despite living in Canada, the farthest north I’ve ever been was in…Iceland! In 2008, we spent a remarkable two weeks there. We even made it to Grimsey, an island north of the Arctic Circle. Sure, the journey by boat made us sick, but once again it was an experience that we’ll never forget.

The boat we took back to Balestrand, Norway

On mainland Europe, I’ve been to each of the Scandinavian countries. But within those countries, my most northerly destination was Fjærland, Norway (see photo at the very top of this post). You can find the details in this post about our 2010 adventure in the Norwegian fjords. Interestingly, I wasn’t particularly struck by the “northernness” of this area. It was beautiful, to be sure, but in an Alpine way! Sometimes, it felt like we were in Switzerland rather than Scandinavia.

Broch of Gurness, Orkney

Another northern destination that left an impact on me was Orkney, a cluster of islands off the northern coast of Scotland. Like many other northern destinations, there weren’t a whole lot of trees in Orkney. But, as you can see from these two posts (one about ancient Orkney, the other about “relatively more recent” aspects of Orkney), you don’t need a lot of trees to be a captivating place. We haven’t returned yet, but one day we will.

Kirkwall Bowling Green, Orkney – I hope to play here for real someday!

As I reviewed my blog posts about these northern destinations, two common themes emerged: (1) the north is unforgettable, and (2) we’ll return someday and dig even deeper!

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My local haunts in downtown Kingston

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(Kingston, Ontario, Canada)

In response to popular demand (and Keith), I’m finally including some pictures from my historic hometown of Kingston. This post focuses on some of my “haunts” in the downtown core.

Amadeus Cafe Restaurant in Kingston, Ontario

Amadeus Cafe has been serving Austrian and German food on Princess Street for at least 30 years now. Whenever I need a fix of schnitzel or smoked farmer sausage, this is a no-brainer. Even the side dishes are excellent, and they have a great selection of beverages on tap. I recommend it without hesitation. But ensure you make a reservation: it can get busy!

Mango Restaurant in Kingston, Ontario

The official name is “Mango Thai & Pan-Asian Cuisine.” I’m usually skeptical of places that “specialize” in more than one type of cuisine, but Mango is actually a good choice for diners who don’t all share the same tastes. It’s conveniently located right across the street from Amadeus, if one of them is fully booked.

Something Else Records (left) in Kingston, Ontario

The team at Something Else Records knows me by name, so I guess I’m at this Wellington Street store quite a bit. It’s more comfortable than your typical record shop, and they’ve made a lot of special orders for me over the years. And there’s a pub, a Caribbean roti place, and a tea room on the same side of the street!

Pan Chancho Bakery in Kingston, Ontario

Pan Chancho Bakery is a Kingston institution. It grew out of the even older Chez Piggy restaurant, about a block away on Princess Street, and even serves food of its own now, too. My favourite treat here is a batch of balsamic mushrooms from the deli counter.

Mio Gelato (centre) and Woodenhead’s Pizza (right) in Kingston, Ontario

After a good meal, or even before, there’s nothing wrong with having some gelato. It’s the right thing to do. And while it’s located on touristy Ontario Street, Mio Gelato has been serving up high quality gelato for a long time now. I’m partial to the intense fruit gelatos, but dark chocolate gelato is really good too (dark chocolate and raspberry is my favourite combination).

The Prince George Hotel, City Hall, and (at back) the old Firehall on Ontario Street in Kingston, Ontario. And the black car clearly just ran a red light.

While I haven’t been there much lately, I also used to really enjoy the oven-fired pizza at Woodenhead’s. Arbre Amore was my favourite kind. Woodenhead’s is right beside Mio Gelato and just a block from City Hall (see above photo, as well as the photo at the very top of this post). This place can be noisy, so be prepared!

While Kingston has a beautiful downtown, I have lots of favourite places outside the downtown core too. I’ll cover some of those in an upcoming post!