North America Travelling: 2013

среда, 18 декабря 2013 г.

Yosemite in Winter

Winter is the least busy and possibly most beautiful season in Yosemite. The crowds go home, frost coats the trees in the morning, fog freezes, waterfalls start flowing only to freeze at night and snowstorms coat the park in a white blanket. The wildlife comes out and hotel rates go down.

If you get up early on a cold morning, you may see Yosemite Falls frozen solid and hear the loud, cracking sounds the ice makes as it breaks loose and plummets to the ground. Near the Falls, you might even see an even rarer phenomenon: frazil ice, a spongy mass of ice crystals that flows like water and sometimes overflows the creek bed.

Yosemite weather can be cold, especially at the higher elevations, and winter is California's rainy season, which means snow in the mountains. Find the average weather in Yosemite and check snow reports, river water levels, road conditions and more at the National Park Service website. The Yosemite Valley is at 4,000 feet elevation and even if it snows, it seldom stays very long. At higher elevations, more snow accumulates and it can stay all winter long.

The Badger Pass ski area opens as soon as enough snow accumulates. It includes a terrain park and lots of beginner and intermediate slopes, making it a good place for kids and others just learning to ski. A free shuttle goes there from the Valley.

Yosemite in Winter: Special Events

Three of Yosemite's most popular events occur in winter:

Bracebridge Dinners: A Yosemite winter tradition since 1926, the Bracebridge is the ultimate Christmas feast. The four-hour pageant features entertainment from more than 100 cast members coupled with a seven-course meal to create an unforgettable experience. Contrary to what you may read elsewhere, enough performances are held to accommodate almost anyone who wants to go, and the lottery reservation system was suspended several year ago.

Chef's Holidays: Held in January and February, these events features cooking demonstrations and a dinner prepared by some of the country's most prominent chefs. Go for it all, or just enjoy the gala dinners served on Tuesday and Thursday nights.

Vintner's Holidays: Held in late October and November, this event features wines and winemakers, wine-tasting seminars and a gourmet dinner prepared especially to complement featured vintners' wines.

понедельник, 2 декабря 2013 г.

The Most Romantic Places in Canada

Romantic places in Canada range from cosmopolitan cities to tiny, out-of-the-way towns. The following list comprises the most romantic places in Canada.

Niagara Falls, Canada, is probably best known as a honeymoon destination, attracting millions of honeymooning or just plain romantic couples every year. Historically, this town has been a bit of a shabby tourist town, but its reputation has improved.

Quebec City is about as romantic a place as you'll find anywhere in the world. This provincial capital is steeped in history and European in flavour, with cobblestone streets, intimate cafes, and architecture dating back to the 17th century. Of course, the fact that people speak French only adds to the romance of the town.

In the same way that New York City or Chicago offers romance to vacationing couples, so too does Toronto. A large, bustling, metropolitan city, Toronto boasts romantic restaurants, luxury hotels, a waterside location, and is right up there with London and NYC in terms of top-notch theatre and live shows.

Escaping the busy life of the city inspires romance, and Cape Breton's laid back way of life and dramatic landscape will have you and your partner forgetting to check your messages. Although Cape Breton is part of Nova Scotia, it has a distinct identity and is famous for its Celtic heritage, which visitors may enjoy through the music, food and charm of the people. Cape Breton is also home to one of the world's most beautiful drives: the Cabot Trail - particularly stunning in autumn. Lobster may be eaten in abundance and at reasonable prices year-round.

Montreal is a thriving, metropolitan city with culture, fine dining, romantic hotels and restaurants. Add to that the charm of waterside Old Montreal, where the architecture dates as far back as the 17th century and the streets are cobblestone, and you have a city ripe for romance.

Whether you're cosied up in the Banff hot springs overlooking alpine scenery, hitting the slopes, or snuggled under a blanket being towed in a dogsled, Banff serves up romance year-round. This Alberta destination is a charming town nestled in the Canadian Rockies, less than an hour from Calgary.

Sitting off the coast of British Columbia, Vancouver Island is home to the province's capital city of Victoria, and features dozens of romantic inlets, coves, harbours and bays with incredible vistas of the Pacific Ocean and romantic lodges, resorts and rentals. The island is home to one of Canada's most famously romantic inns.

For as much as Niagara Falls is touristy and tacky, Niagara-on-the-Lake is charming and quaint. This historic town is a 15 min drive from Niagara Falls and is famous for the annual Shaw Festival - one of the world's premiere theater festivals. Much of the town's architecture has been restored and Niagara-on-the-Lake has a plethora of charming bed and breakfasts and boutique hotels.

The Eastern Townships is a swish southeastern Quebec region that many U.S. travellers have come to appreciate along with weekending Montrealers. Apart from stunning fall colour, this region of Quebec offers visitors a glimpse back into the 18th and 19th centuries with well-preserved, picturesque towns boasting traditional architecture, such as churches, homes, round barns, covered bridges and more.

Whistler is consistently hailed as one of the world's best ski destinations, and fine choice couples, adventure seeking or not. This resort town is about a two hour drive away from Vancouver along one of the most scenic drives you'll ever take - the Sea to Sky Highway. Year-round, Whistler offers visitors fine food, spas, and plenty of opportunity for activity, all in a breathtaking, majestic locale.

четверг, 7 ноября 2013 г.

Epcot International Food & Wine Festival

Each year, the Epcot International Food & Wine Festival features marketplaces with ethnic cuisine samplings from the top "foodie" cities of the world. More than 25 international marketplaces from Hawaii to Belgium will offer tasty treats at the 18th anniversary of the event and chefs will be debuting the tastes of Scotland.

Festival Count

More than 300 national and international wines

More than 1.5-million sumptuous samplings throughout the festival

More than 100 of America's most celebrated chefs and 160 Walt Disney World chefs

More than 300 wine and beer seminars

More than 1,200 fireworks exploding each night over World Showcase Lagoon in "IllumiNations: Reflections of Earth" grand finale

138 Eat to the Beat! concerts

33,000 bottles of wine and champagne

1.5 million samplings throughout the festival

300,000 wine servings

360,000 beer servings

100,000 desserts served... sweet!

Festival Highlights

The Festival Welcome Center will again host daily wine seminars, bottle signings, author events and culinary demonstrations. Eat to the Beat! concerts will again entertain guests three times nightly at America Gardens Theatre. World Showcase will be the backdrop for performers from many countries as they sing, dance, perform arobatics and comedy for the festivities. A sampling of entertainment includes:

High-energy Celtic music of Off Kilter (Canada)

The Arabic rhythms of Mo'Rockin (Morocco)

Perfect harmony of Voices of Liberty (American Adventure rotunda)

Infectious beat of internationally acclaimed Mariachi Cobre (Mexico)

Retro British hits by British Revolution (United Kingdom)

Jaw-dropping stunts by The Jeweled Dragon Acrobats (China)

Hilarious antics of World Showcase Players (United Kingdom)

Along with the entertainment showcased at Epcot pavilions and special exhibits, festival guests can enjoy Eat to the Beat! concerts performed each evening at America Gardens Theatre in World Showcase. The evening concerts are scheduled daily at 5:30, 6:45 and 8:00 p.m. and are included with regular Epcot admission.

пятница, 25 октября 2013 г.

Alaska

The largest of the US states, Alaska spans an incredible 586,000 square miles. With its myriad of geographical terrains which split the state into 5 distinct regions and the expanse of water encircling over three quarters of the state, Alaska showcases a world of ecosystems just waiting to be discovered.

Follow a pod of giant humpback whales as they breach into the air, watch the spellbinding grizzly bears as they lead their cubs to food and safety, spot puffins, bald eagles, moose, harbour seals and polar bears as they go about their daily rituals. The wilderness boasts a wealth of wildlife indigenous to their Alaskan habitats. Take to the water for a view from a different perspective. Cruises sweep along the inside passage, calling at intricate ports along the way. For a more intrinsic experience, small ship cruising with Cruise West enables guests to get up close and personal with the flora and fauna and offers the option of taking a raft to less accessible destinations accompanied by professional guides knowledgeable in the terrain. Ocean day cruises venture out to Glacier Bay, Kenai Fjords and Prince William Sound offering a wonderful glimpse of coastal Alaska with dramatic mountain scenery, tidewater glaciers and the water's abundance of wildlife. For the more adventurous, kayaking and rafting along the thousands of rivers and coastal waters enables exploration of destinations difficult or impossible to access by land.

Ascend into the skies for a bird’s eye view. Helicopters, light aircraft and float planes whisk you into the air across land and sea. Circle magnificent Mount McKinley, fly deep into back country wilderness or land on a glacier and tread where few others have been before. From an hour’s pleasure flight to a full day tour fly fishing in the wilderness, Alaska is an inspirational experience which shouldn’t be missed.

Back on land, a self drive or escorted itinerary are the only ways to truly experience the best of Alaska. Traditionally commencing from Anchorage, this small city is a wonderful introduction to life the Alaskan way. Sitting at the base of the Chugach Mountains, Anchorage is alive with arts, culture and speciality shopping. Leaving the city behind, the scenery is transposed to reveal small villages, rugged landscapes and gigantic national parks.

One of the most famous attractions, Denali National Park is home to North America’s tallest mountain. Standing 20,320 feet in the air, Mount McKinley’s magnificence attracts visitors from across the world. Visitors flock to the 6 million acre park, to hike, bike, raft, ski and explore the world's largest protected ecosystem, home to 750 species of flowering plant, 39 types of mammal and 165 bird species.

Take a sternwheeler cruise from Fairbanks, try dog sledding or how about testing your luck panning for gold? Bathe in the naturally heated waters at Cheena Hot Springs, drive into Wrangell St. Elias National Park, North America’s largest national park, which is 6 times the size of Yellowstone, or explore the historic mining town of Kennicott. Sail out of the seaside village of Valdez on a sightseeing cruise to Prince William Sound or Columbia Glacier. No visit to this enchanting destination is complete without exploring Seward, Kenai, Homer, Girdwood and of course, Kodiak Island. The Kenai Peninsula boasts spectacular scenery and idyllic seaside villages but primarily is renowned as a natural habitat for Alaska’s abundant population of marine wildlife and birds.

From a relaxing retreat to intrepid wilderness exploration, from small ship cruising to a soft adventure, whatever way you choose to appreciate this stunning destination, you can be assured that one visit is never enough!

вторник, 9 апреля 2013 г.

Top 10 places for visit in San-Francisco

10. "Wave Organ"
"Wave Organ " is not devoid of elegance, the name of the sculptural object, built right on the shore of San Francisco Bay. The idea is to convey the sound of the waves through many tubes. And the object turned out like a fortified bunker with protruding everywhere sewer. However the place is very unusual.

9. Chinese town

According to some reports, the Chinese town of San Francisco is the largest Chinatown outside of Asia. Hard to say how much is true, but on the Internet indicated that live in it, more than 100,000 Chinese people and the population density the area ahead of other parts of San Francisco in 10 times!