A while ago, I published a post about ten cities I would have no problems visiting over and over again. It wasn’t a comprehensive list of course and I received lots of feedback from readers about their favorite cities to visit. Inspired by their ideas, I decided to add another ten of my favorite cities […]

Ten things to do in Victoria, British Columbia
Victoria is the capital of the province of British Columbia on the Pacific coast of Canada. Situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island, Victoria is popular as a day-trip destination for visitors to (the city of) Vancouver. I’m one of those visitors – prior to my last visit, I’d been to Victoria several times […]

Cool glitz and a phenomenal view
The doormen opened the doors with a smile and a “Good Afternoon” as I entered the Fairmont Pacific Rim Hotel in Vancouver. As the doors opened, I found myself in a cavernous lobby with a shining marble floor and an impressive marble wall which ran the length of the lobby. I made my way to […]

A Shangri-La in downtown Vancouver
The Shangri-La Hotel Vancouver is something of an anomaly in this vibrant Canadian city, at least, that’s what I soon discovered. Located in an impressive 62-storey tower of glass and steel, British Columbia’s tallest building, the Shangri-La Hotel may look daunting from afar but once you step through its doors, a completely different experience awaits. […]

Unforgettable winter experiences
I have a bit of a love/hate relationship with winter. On the one hand, I love the gorgeous winter scenes and the cozy feeling of sitting by a crackling fire with a glass of wine. On the other hand, I hate the blistering cold wind which seeps into your bones, slippery pavements (I’ve lost count […]

The incredible view from Grouse Mountain
It’s my favourite spot for a panoramic view of one of the most spectacularly-located cities in the world: Grouse Mountain in Vancouver, Canada. I first visited Grouse Mountain during my second visit to Vancouver in the 1990’s. Of all the many things to do in Vancouver, this turned out to be one of my absolute […]

The diversity of Canada in photos
Canada, the second largest country in the world, is a land of great diversity; from the icy emptiness of the Arctic north to the vibrant metropolises of Toronto and Montréal, and from the vast expanse of the Prairies to the impressive peaks of the Rocky Mountains. I’ve been to six Canadian provinces/territories: Ontario, Quebéc, British […]

2014: my year of travel
Gosh! Another year comes to a close and another begins! 2014 was a wonderful travel year for me. I chalked up tens of thousands of miles, visiting twelve countries on five continents. In my New Year’s post at the start of 2014, I wrote: I prefer to see each new year as a blank canvas, waiting […]

Five ways to enjoy winter in Montreal
Winters in Montreal are cold. VERY cold! I fell in love with the city the first time I visited… in the summer, and each time I gushed about it, people would say, “Yeah, visit in the winter and see if you still love it that much!”. Well, I did, and I must say, my admiration […]

Winter fun in Quebec – the #LoveWinter video
It was a trip filled with laughter and various firsts for me: I learned how to snowboard (well, kind of), joined in the fun at a winter festival and I went ice-fishing on the frozen Saint Lawrence River. Together with my four friends, Melvin, Caspar, Nienke and Becki, I embarked on an unforgettable one-week trip […]