talk travel - Rackcdn.com

1

talk travelWE EXPLORE ndash YOU DISCOVER

Food Wine amp Lifestyle Magazinewwwtalktravelca

INCREDIBLE

INDIA



CHINABeyond Your Imagination

INDIA COLOURFUL RAJASTHAN

PENTICTON BIKES BEACHES WINE amp BEER

SKAGIT COUNTY TULIP FESTIVAL

TOP 10BEST PLACES TO RETIRE

SEE WHY EVERYONE IS RUSHING IN TO SEEhellip

THE F-20 IS ALSO AVAILABLE AS A FALCON ECLIPSE OR GT

LUXURY 5TH WHEELSOFFERING WHAT LUXURY IS CONVENIENCE

ldquoRIVERSTONErdquo 5TH WHEEL

StkRV3926StkRV3836

44430 Yale Road WestON THE FREEWAY IN CHILLIWACK

SALES DEPARTMENT OPEN7 DAYS A WEEK

DL8217

Bi-weekly payments - 60-240 $0 down 599 OAC Payments include warranty

Our mission to provide the best RVs RV products and service to the public in a honest error-free professional and mutually enjoyable manner

CHECK OUT OUR ENTIRE INVENTORY ONLINE AT WWWOCONNORRVCOMEXPERIENCE the OrsquoConnor AdvantageSELLING

anRV

BUYING anRV

We have a better than95 success rate inselling consignment

Over 100 entry-level tohigh end new amp used RVs on site every day

6047922747 bull 18779123909

Bi-weekly payments - 60-240 $0 down 599 OAC Payments include warrantyBi-weekly payments - 60-240 $0 down 599 OAC Payments include warranty

6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909

Ad antageAd antageAd antage

OrsquoConnor RV Proudly Serving RVrsquoers for Decades

PERFORMANCE DESIGNED RVrsquoSFOR WORK PLAY OR BOTH

PERFORMANCE DESIGNED RVrsquoS

FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHTOrsquoConnor RV Proudly Serving RVrsquoers for Decades





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT


THE F-20 IS ALSO AVAILABLE

AS A FALCON ECLIPSE OR GT

LUXURY 5TH WHEELS

OFFERING WHAT LUXURY IS CONVENIENCE


StkRV3926

StkRV3836

44430 Yale Road West

ON THE FREEWAY IN CHILLIWACK

SALES DEPARTMENT OPEN

7 DAYS A WEEK

DL8217

Bi-weekly payments - 60-240 $0 down 599 OAC Payments include warrantyOur mission to provide the best RVs RV products and service to the public in a honest error-free professional and mutually enjoyable manner

CHECK OUT OUR ENTIRE INVENTORY ONLINE AT WWWOCONNORRVCOM

EXPERIENCE the OrsquoConnor Advantage

SELLINGanRV

BUYING anRV

We have a better than

95 success rate in

selling consignment

Over 100 entry-level to

high end new amp used

RVs on site every day

6047922747 bull 18779123909


Bi-weekly payments - 60-240 $0 down 599 OAC Payments include warranty6047922747 bull 18779123909

6047922747 bull 18779123909




FOR WORK PLAY OR BOTHPERFORMANCE DESIGNED RVrsquoS

FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926

StkRV3836

44430 Yale Road WestON THE FREEWAY IN CHILLIWACKSALES DEPARTMENT OPEN7 DAYS A WEEK

DL8217




EXPERIENCE the OrsquoConnor AdvantageSELLINGan

RVBUYING an

RV



6047922747 bull 18779123909



6047922747 bull 18779123909

6047922747 bull 18779123909Ad antageAd antageAd antage




FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT

EXPERIENCE the OrsquoConnor

AdvantageCHECK OUT OUR ENTIRE INVENTORY

ONLINE AT wwwoconnorrvcom

Get ready for the adventure of a lifetime in a relax-ing RV getaway Yoursquoll enjoy all the comforts of your home away from home while being just steps away from some of the best scenery nature has to offer The thrill of adventure is what owning a recreational ve-hicle is all about Often the thrill of ldquoroughing itrdquo in a tent quickly evaporates after a day or two without a refrigerator a microwave a shower or a good mat-tress For those who want to take their creative com-forts with them recreational vehicles (RVs) provide an enticing and affordable solution

EXPLORING NATURES WONDERS

IN AN RV

2018 bull ISSUE 2 bull VOLUME 10 bull TABLE OF CONTENTS

talk travelMAGAZINE

Features 5 Exploring Natures Wonders in a RV

6 Canadarsquos First Ultra Low Carrier

8 Canada-China Year of Tourism 2018

14 Penticton Wine Beaches Bikes amp Beer

18 The Colours of Rajasthan

24 Top 10 Best Places to Live Overseas in 2018

26 Skagit County

30 Anacortes Your Island Getaway

34 The New Travel Loyalty Kid on The Block

35 Marana Az ldquoA Taste of the Wildrdquo

36 Whatrsquos Cooking in Itlay

38 Red or White Talk Wine

6

Wayne Hansen Senior Editor

letter from the publisher

talk travelMEDIA

Gina Hansen CTC ECCPublisher Executive Editorpublishertalktravelca

Wayne Hansen Publisher Senior Editoreditortalktravelca

Daryl Cooper Asst Editoreditortalktravelca

Jana SchweitzerGraphic Designjanaschweitzer00gmailcom

John KenchentenVideo EditingProductioneditortalktravelca

Will GoosmanIT Managerwgoosmangmailcom

Steve KleinAssociate EditorDirector Business Developmentstevetalktravelca

James CoreaBusiness Developmentjamestalktravelca

Suite 205 ndash 475 Main StreetVancouver BC V6Z 2T7Tel 604-629-0877 Fax 604-629-0878

Talk Travel Magazine is published monthly Canada Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No 4213851 Copyright 2013 ISSN 1925-7449

Talk Travel recently had the oppor-tunity to chat with Jim Scott President and CEO of Flair Air-lines Flair Airlines is current-ly Canadarsquos only operating Ultra Low Cost Carrier (ULCC) Flair has a long history as a charter airline Early last summer they purchased NewLeaf Travel Com-pany which had been operat-ing flights using Flairrsquos aircraft Significant expansion has taken place in the last 6 months

Scott brings to Flair an exten-sive airline background begin-ning as an airline pilot 30 years ago Most recently he founded and was CEO of Canada Jetlines another ULCC due to start flying later this year

Herersquos a small part of the con-versationTALK TRAVEL With three Ultra Low-Cost Carriers soon to be in the market how can you all survive

SCOTT There is room for a significant amount of capacity Last year an estimated 10 mil-lion flights were not taken due to price In some cases alternate modes of transportation were chosen but in most cases the trips just didnrsquot happen

TALK TRAVEL Price alone wonrsquot be enough to attract passengers How do you see Flair Airlines differing from all of the others

SCOTT We will have to have the best brand That will come from be-ing 1 in customer service

TALK TRAVEL The major airlines have deep pockets and a reputation for aggressively targeting new com-pletion Do you have a strategy to combat that

SCOTT Again it comes down to service We will price where prof-itable and provide the best service We will be reliable and provide un-parallelled customer experience

TALK TRAVEL Since taking over NewLeaf you have already added 2 new aircraft and yoursquove announced that you expect to start your first international route by late spring Where do you go from there

SCOTT We will continue to add new routes where we see de-mand and we expect to add 3 to 5 aircraft each year

TALK TRAVEL Are you planning on taking the company public in the future

SCOTT That is in the plans in the 3 to 5 year range

Flair Airlines currently flies from Vancouver Abbotsford Kelowna Edmonton Winnipeg Hamilton and Toronto The airline expects to carry

1 million passengers in 2018 and 15 million in 2019 with the majority be-ing millennials and families

The five original Boeing 737 air-craft are in the process of taking on a new look

CANADArsquoS FIRST ULTRA LOW CARRIER

CHINA - BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATIONCHINA - BEYOND YOUR IMAGINATION


Chinese destinations represented at the opening ceremony in-cluded Heilongjiang Jilin Shandong Hebei Beijing Henan Shaanxi Shanghai Zhejiang Chongqing Hubei Hunan Guang-dong and Hainan

You may wonder ndash Why China Why nowFrom the arresting Rocky Mountains tranquil long beach and striking Niagara Falls to the magnificent Himalayas majestic Forbidden City and delicate ancient water town Canada and China are both known for their astonishing landscape vibrant city life and welcoming people Canadarsquos tourism industry has always been a driven force for its economy with one in ten Canadians employed in the industry And China is currently Canadarsquos second-largest trading partner and third-largest tour-ism source market

With close to 5 of Canadians having Chinese origin and Man-darin and Cantonese being the third and fourth most-spoken languages in Canada building stronger and more stable ties

Canada-China Year of Tourism 2018Experience Canada and China like never before

Ever since the first Chinese landed on the west coast of Canada more

than 200 years ago the relationships between the two countries and

their people have been growing and thriving year on year While political understandings have been deepened

and economic collaborations developed there has never been a more exciting time to further strengthen the people-to-people

ties between the two sides with the inaugural Canada-China Year of

Tourism with an opening ceremony held in Toronto on March 21st

8

between the two countries opens the door to new op-portunities for economic and cultural exchanges

All Canadians have a standing invitation to visit China in 2018 The following is a brief introduction to the various provinces and cities represented at the opening ceremony in Toronto

Heilongjiang - Heilongjiang is Chinarsquos northernmost province It is bounded by Russia to the north and east by Jilin to the south and by the Inner Mongolia Au-tonomous Region to the west Its name comes from the Heilong Jiang ndash Black Dragon River- the Chinese name for the Amur The Amur River runs along the border be-tween China and Russia Heilongjiang contains Chinarsquos northernmost and easternmost points

Slightly larger than Sweden at an area of 463600 square km Heilongjiang covers 60 of what was formerly Manchuria

the historical name given to what are now the provinces of Heilongjiang Jilin and Liaoning This region was the tradi-tional home to the Buyeo Mohe Khitan Jurchen Manchu and other nomadic people who for millennia followed a largely unchanging life as fishers hunters and herders

Heilongjiang has a population of over 38 million people 95 of Heilongjiangrsquos residents are Han Other ethnicities include the Manchus Koreans Mongols Hui Daur Xibe Oroqin Hezhen and Russians The Manchu form the largest minority group and live primarily in southern Heilongjiang

For skiers Heilongjiangrsquos Yabuli Ski Resort ndash the training base for the Chinese ski team ndash offers a wide variety of ter-rain and a good four star lodge

The city of Mudanjiang in Heilongjiangrsquos northeast is close to the 5000 year old Jingpo Hu Lake which is known for its highly picturesque reflections of the surrounding forest


9

in its clear waters In summer it is good for kayaking and hiking Close by are the Diaoshuilou Waterfall-most spectacular during the spring runoff and the Underground For-est ndash forest growing in the middle of volcanic craters

The Wudalian Chi Nature Reserve located in Heilongjiangrsquos northwest is another opportunity to enjoy the provinces stunning landscapes Formed by volcanic eruptions the last of which occurred in 1720 the Reserve is filled with lava fields riv-ers of basalt and pristine lakes

Jilin - Situated in Chinarsquos north-east Jilin Province is bordered by North Korea to the east Its location gives Jilin an enjoyable climate The region has a lengthy winter with snow that can last for seven months a year causing people to flock to this area for the Ice Lantern Festival and winter sports

Jilin also has many natural and his-torical attractions including the fa-mous Mount Changbai and World Heritage site Koguryo Imperial CityThe terrain of Jilin Province is very complex The province is densely covered by chains of mountains nu-merous rivers and lakes and wide plains which gives the province plen-ty of beautiful natural scenery such as the towering Changbai Mountains famous for the hot springs waterfalls and Heavenly Lake on the moun-tains The lengthy snowy period in Ji-lin makes the province a good place to ski and view the magnificent scen-ery of rime which is frost frozen on cold objects

Shandong - Shandong is a coastal province located on the lower reach-es of the Yellow River facing the Bohai Sea to the North and the Yel-low Sea to the East Shandong Prov-ince also shares borders with the provinces of Jiangsu Hebei Henan and Anhui Jinan is the capital city and the port of Qingdao is one of Chinarsquos busiest Shandong Province

played an important role in ancient Chinese history as the birthplace of the Chinese sages Confucius and Mencius It is also a significant tourist attraction due to its natural landscape surrounded by sea and mountains including Mount Tais-han a historic scenic destination

As a beautiful seaside city with red tiles and green trees under a blue sky Qingdao boasts a pleasant cli-mate European-style urban scen-ery vast blue seas and undulating mountains With unique enchant-ing tourism resources Qingdao is a famous easide tourism and holiday resort It was the venue of the sail-boat competitions of the 29th Oly-mic Games in 2008

Qingdao is the origin of Shandong Cuisine Since it is by the sea local chefs are especially good at prepar-ing seafood

Hebei - Hebei Province with its beautiful Capital Shijiazhuang is located to the north of the Yellow River and to the east of the Tai-hang Mountains The province is somewhat overshadowed by its neighbors Beijing and Tianjin whose vastness covers an area of 190000 square kilometers (about 73363 square miles) and its vi-brant population is estimated to be at 67440000 Its long and proud history can be traced back to the Spring and Autumn Period (770 BC - 476 BC) which dates from 770 BC to 476 BC At that time it was called lsquoThe Land of Yan and Zhaorsquo because its northern area was dominated by the Kingdom of Yan while its south-ern area was occupied by the King-dom of Zhao Today that same area is home to more than 50 minority ethnic groups such as Han Hui Manchu Mongolian and Korean

Visitors to the province have an un-equalled opportunity to view many relics that can be found in this beauti-ful province The very famous Moun-tain Resort of Chengde used to be

the largest royal summer resort of the Qing Dynasty (1644-1911) Out-side the surrounding wall of the Mountain Resort visitors will find a displays of several brilliant and glis-tening temples They are called lsquoEight Outer Templesrsquo and are the largest imperial temples in all of China The Mulan Paddock in Hebei Province was used as the hunting place for the emperors of the Qing Dynasty At the present time it is one of the few natural grassland resorts and a very popular destination for those visitors who are after a bit of fresh air and peaceful countryside

Shanhaiguan Pass also called lsquoThe First Pass Under Heavenrsquo is at the easternmost end of the Great Wall which winds its way through the north of the province All these beautiful highlights will make a visi-tor feel excited about the scenery history and natural beauty which is found in Hebei Province In sum-mer tourists can enjoy the sunshine beaches and all the fresh air that blows in from the Bohai Gulf in spring tourists can ride on the vast and magnificent grassland in au-tumn they can explore the fascinat-ing Yesanpo Scenic Area in Baoding City And in winter another spectac-

10

ular destination in Baoding City is the Baiyang Lake which offers very unique scenery

Beijing - Being the capital of the Peoplersquos Republic of China Beijing is the nationrsquos political economic and cultural centre Located in north China close to the port city of Tian-jin and partially surrounded by He-bei Province it also serves as the most important transportation hub and port of entry for China As one of the worldrsquos great ancient capitals and the modern era capital of China Beijing is a must-see because it is home to many of the finest icons of Chinarsquos imperial and recent past Standing side-by-side with old Bei-jingrsquos crimson palace complexes are the cityrsquos impressive skylines Bei-jing is a superb example of the great transformation China has under-gone as it burst into the 21st century Beijingrsquos travel industry has forged forward after Chinarsquos economic re-forms in 1978 and the city is now one of the most popular tourist des-tinations in the world

As one of the six ancient cities in China Beijing has been the heart and soul of politics throughout its long

history and consequently there is an unparalleled wealth of discovery to delight and intrigue visitors as they explore the cityrsquos ancient past and ex-citing modern developments Now it has become one of the most popular travel destinations in the world

Beijingrsquos invaluable cultural heritage of imperial relics draws millions of visitors every year but traveling around Beijing one is also struck by the cityrsquos modern buildings Some of the places of architectural and sce-nic beauty include The Forbidden City the largest and best preserved ancient architec-tural complex in the world Temple of Heaven where Ming and Qing emperors performed sol-emn rituals for bountiful harvests Summer Palace the emperorsrsquo magnificent garden retreat Ming Tombs the majestic mauso-leums of 13 Ming Dynasty emperors The Great Wall of China espe-cially the world-renowned Badal-ing section

Henan ndash The highlight of Henan Province Songshan Mountain lies southwest of Zhengzhou and it is one of the most famous mountains in China because of the rugged beauty of its peaks and the Bonsai-like appearance of its beautiful old trees Shaolin Temple the most fa-mous Buddhist temple in China and the largest of the Songshan range is located on Shaoshi Mountain Shaolin Temple and Shaolin Gongfu (martial arts) have long taken on a legendry colour and are famous both in and outside of ChinaThe name of the province Henan comes from its geographic loca-tion Henan means lsquothe south of the riverrsquo indicating that the province lies south of Chinarsquos Yellow River It covers an area of over 160000 square kilometres It is populated by Han Hui Manchu Mongolian and other ethnic groups

Henan province is considered the cradle of Chinese civilization due to

its location on the Yellow River This rich historic heritage has endowed it with numerous historic treasures from primitive dwellings to earliest wheel thrown pottery The remains of some of the earliest human settle-ments have been unearthed here including the over 7000-year-old Peiligang Culture Site the 6000-year-old Yangshao Culture Remains and the 5000-year-old Dahe Culture Re-mains All these cultural remains have profound significance in the history of Chinese civilization

Kaifeng one of the ancient capi-tals also boasts the following build-ings worthy of a visit Iron Pagoda (Tie Ta) of the Northern Song Dy-nasty (960-1127) Dragon Pavilion (Long Ting) - site of imperial pal-ace of the Song and Jin dynasties - and the 1400-year-old Xiangguo Temple which is one of the most famous Buddhist temples in China Also on view in Kaifeng are ruins of the Shang Dynasty an important part of human cultural and historic heritage The Shang Dynasty Ruins also known as the lsquoYin Ruinsrsquo are fa-mous because of the unique style of the large palace and its grand mau-soleums in which emperors of the Shang Dynasty are buried

Shaanxi - Shaanxi is where it began for China As the heartland of the Qin dynasty whose warrior emperor united much of China for the first time Shaanxi was the cra-dle of Chinese civilization and the fountainhead of Han culture Xirsquoan marked the beginning and end of the Silk Road and was a buzzing capital long before anyone knew of Beijing and its Forbidden City

Shaanxirsquos archaeological sites make it an essential destination to visit Around Xirsquoan therersquos an excavated Neolithic village and royal graves in-cluding the tomb of Qin Shi Huang and his Army of Terracotta Warriors one of the worldrsquos foremost heritage sites Shaanxi has contemporary his-tory too the caves where the Chi-

The Forbidden City

11

nese Communist Partyrsquos (CCP) base in the 1930s and lsquo40s and survived attacks during the war years

Xirsquoan is an emergent travellerrsquos hub with hotels restaurants museums ancient pagodas and a marvellous city wall and Muslim Quarter Ru-ral areas have fascinating villages barely touched by modernity and mountains that were once home to hermits and sages Shanghai ndash Shanghai is one of the four direct-controlled municipalities of China and the most populous city in the world with a population of more than 24 million as of 2017 It is a global financial centre and trans-port hub with the worldrsquos busiest container port

Shanghai is the cool confident face of modern China and its energy is infectious Go to the Bund to watch ships on the river and marvel at the huge variety of architectural styles on display or watch the crowds go by in Peoplersquos Square Shoppers should make a beeline for the Fabric Market where you can have a suit or dress tailor-made for you at bargain prices At night explore all manner of fash-ionable restaurants bars and night-clubs or just stroll through the city enjoying the spectacular neon lights

Shanghai is Chinarsquos financial and economic hub and a natural gate-way for international businesses entering and operating in China as well as a stepping stone for Chi-nese companies that are looking to go global Shanghai has always been the most fashion-conscious and outward-looking city in China its people the most highly skilled labour force in the country and renowned for their quick wit and entrepreneurial skills It has always been easier for visitors to commu-nicate with the locals here than anywhere else in the country be-cause of the excellent level of Eng-lish spoken and the familiarity with foreigners and foreignness

Zhejiang - Located on the coast of the East China Sea in the southeast of the country Zhejiang borders with Shanghai Jiangsu Anhui Ji-angxi and Fujian It is the province with the most islands in the country with 2000 islands off its coast Its southwest is high in altitude while the northeast is low And its vast wa-ters form the large offshore fishing ground of Zhejiang province Being a province with a lot of an-cient cities and towns Zhejiang is endowed with abundant cultural and historical heritages sites to visit It is a place that the traditional Chi-nese culture is well-preserved In Zhejiang there is a sacred Chi-nese calligraphy building Lan Pa-vilion and the most ancient pri-vate library in Asia Tianyi Pavilion Tourists can also pay a visit to the greatest water diversion project the Beijing-Hangzhou Grand Canal and the three ancient river towns Xi-tang Nanxun and Wuzhen

Chongqing - Chongqing is the largest municipality in southwest China It is a modern port city on the upper reaches of the Yang-tze River at the confluence of the Yangtze and Jialing Rivers With an area of 31 800 square miles (82400 square kilometers) it shares borders with provinces of Hubei Hunan Guizhou Sichuan and Shaanxi

As Chinarsquos fourth municipality af-ter Beijing Shanghai and Tianjin Chongqing has maintained rapid economic development while pre-serving a wonderful natural envi-ronment Known as the lsquoMountain Cityrsquo it has a wavy terrain and en-compasses a wealth of water re-serves mineral resources dense for-ests and abundant flora and fauna

The city attracts visitors both domes-tically and abroad for its natural won-ders and cultural heritage Chongq-ing is the launching point for scenic boat trips down the Yangtze River

through the Three Gorges Dam The Buddhist Dazu Rock Carvings are lo-cated three hours west of Chongqing City in the outlying Chongqing Mu-nicipality and is listed as an UNESCO World Heritage Site

Hubei - Hubei province is situated in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and to the north of Dongting Lake It is surrounded by Henan Province to the north Jiangxi and Hunan to the south Anhui to the east Sichuan to the west and Shaanxi to the northwest It covers an area of 180000 square kilometres Its capi-tal Wuhan is located in the south-eastern part of the province

Hubei has been said to be one of the originating places of the Chi-nese people Today many minor-ity ethnic groups live in this area including Miao Tujia Dong and some others Hubei also boasts impressive natural scenery The Three Gorges offers an unmatched painting of water and mountains The World Famous Yangtze Three Gorges Dame Project is just lo-cated in this province just outside of Yichang City It is not only the largest water conservation project

12

in China but also the largest water conservation project in the world

Hunan - Located in the south cen-tral part of the Chinese mainland Hunan has long been known for its natural beauty It is surrounded by mountains on the east west and south and by the Yangtze River on the north Its mixture of mountains and water makes it among the most beautiful provinces in China For thousands of years the region has been a major centre of agriculture growing rice tea and oranges

Hunan is a fantastic part of China that counts many famous scenic spots Among these the best-known include Dongting Lake the Yuey-ang Padoga Fenhuang Ancient Town and the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area where the gorgeous Zhangjiajie National For-est Park is located

The natural landscapes of Wulingyu-an in Zhangjiajie are breathtaking and have won the area impressive ac-colades and made it a UNESCO World Heritage site and Global Geopark Shennong Emperor Yan the leg-endary primogenitor of all Chinese

people is buried in Yanling county in Zhuzhou Hunan also holds the tomb of Emperor Shun who ruled more than 4000 years ago and be-came one of the greatest influences on Chinese ethics He once lived in Hunan and is buried in Ningyuan county in Yongzhou Every year a large memorial ceremony is held to honour these important ancestors

Guangdong - Guangdong (for-merly Canton) a coastal province of southeast China borders Hong Kong and Macau Its capital Guang-zhou sits within its industrial Pearl River Delta region This sprawling port is home to the octagonal Sun Yat-sen Memorial Hall commemo-rating the founder of modern China The cityrsquos colonial history is evident in its garden-lined boulevards and the 19th-century European architec-ture of Shamian Island

Guangdong has for long served as a window of the country to the world Besides local people have spread to almost every corner of the world making the province the hometown of many overseas Chinese Transportation between it and other places is also very con-

venient especially between Hong Kong and Macau

As one of the earliest open trading ports to the outside world it was the starting-point of the Maritime Silk Road The relative ethnic ho-mogeneity prevailing in Guang-dong stands in contrast to the great diversity of dialects and languages By far the most important of these is Cantonese spoken in central and western Guangdong

Hainan - Chinarsquos largest tropical is-land boasts all the balmy weather coconut palms and gold-sand beach-es one could ask for Hainan Island has often been called the Hawaii of China and indeed it is the only tropi-cal beach destination in China With coasts on the South China Sea and the Gulf of Tonkin about a 90-minute flight southwest of Hong Kong this island is attracting hordes of visitors in the market for a little sun and fun

The warm sandy south coast around the port city of Sanya is experienc-ing a luxury hotel boom In the past Hainan had a romantic Wild West frontier air about it as the south-ernmost point in China it served for centuries as a place of banish-ment for criminals exiled poets and political undesirables Around Hainan the surf is up pretty much year round Between April and Sep-tember waves tend to come from the south while October to March brings a northeastern winter swell

Yanoda Rainforest Park has been dubbed ldquothe Disney World of rain-forestsrdquo It has ldquoChinarsquos Longest Zip Linerdquo that soars above the tree-tops and a water trek where you wade up a river in straw sandals conquer obstacles and eventu-ally free climb a 20-foot waterfall Just outside of Haikou the capital of Hainan is the Leiqiong Global Geopark The park was listed as a global geologic park by UNESCO in 2006 and is home to 40 dormant or extinct volcanoes

Fenghuang Ancient Town night

13

14

Penticton the city found between Skaha and Okanagan lakes provides an authentic getaway for explorers from all walks of life This welcoming community in British Columbia has boundless experiences to offer the eager traveller willing to try it all in-cluding outdoor excursions tranquil days spent at the beach or discov-ering wineries and craft breweries unique to British Columbia

One of the things that makes Pentic-ton alluring is its rich history and cul-ture which will never be considered lacklustre The word Penticton origi-nates from the Interior Salish word ldquoSnPinkrsquotnrdquo which translates to ldquoa place where people live year-roundrdquo or ldquoa place to stay foreverrdquo The Sy-ilx First Peoples have known Pentic-ton as their home for thousands of years and were the crucial link to the

beginning of the fur trade that went through the Okanagan

The FoodieWithin the city of Penticton there is a rural charm to both the restaurants and locals Wafting from the res-taurants is the remarkable scent of freshly prepared foods influenced by a myriad of cultures from across the globe The key to success A com-bination of experienced chefs and farmers working to cultivate and take advantage of fresh local produce

On Main Street is the famed Theorsquos Authentic Greek Restaurant first opened in the late seventies by Greek couple Theo and Mary Theo-dosakis Their passion is to make pure Greek food for their customers which they have done time and again for over forty years An example of

this commitment is the Krithari rusks that are bought from a family friend and baker currently living in Chania Crete Through teamwork with local farmers wineries and their own gar-den on the roof Theorsquos is an ultimate go-to when visiting Penticton

Spend a night out along the shore of Okanagan Beach with friends and family at Saltyrsquos Beach House Saltyrsquos offers a mouth watering variety of fresh seafood pasta dishes and an impressive selection of burgers This idyllic setting on Lakeshore Drive has earned the Certificate of Excel-lence on TripAdvisorcom with a list of positive reviews Join Saltyrsquos year-round for delicious food and the gor-geous view of Okanagan Lake beach On the patio a fire table and plenty of heaters keep you warm during the cooler days of the year

PENTICTONWine Beaches Bikes amp Beer

15

Wine Beaches Bikes amp BeerExplore Penticton and discover for yourself many more restaurants and cafeacutes that are just as impressive con-tributing to the unique image this city has created For more informa-tion go to httpswwwvisitpentictoncomlisting-categoryrestaurants

With over seventy different wineries within twenty minutes of Penticton you can pair great food with award winning wines Join Open Air Ad-ventures and experience the rustic beauty of the South Okanagan while exploring fine wines from the sub-regions of Summerland Naramata and Okanagan Falls Enjoy insight into wine making as your ldquoOpen Airrdquo Jeep Wrangler navigates through vineyards and country backroads leading you to some of the Okana-ganrsquos most phenomenal wineries

For more information about this and other tours go to httpswwwvisitpentictoncomlisting-categorytours

This Spring ENCORE vineyards will open Pentictonrsquos first ever downtown winery Notable labels from ENCORE include Evolve Cellars TIME Winery and the McWatters Collection EN-CORE is led by Harry McWatters a pioneer in the business who has been making wine in British Colum-bia for the last fifty years

As well as wine making Penticton has long been a leader in the craft brewing scene with five local brew-ersTin Whistle Brewing Bad Tattoo Brewing Highway 97 Brewery Can-nery Brewing and The Barley Mill can all be found along the Penticton Ale Trail Take a self-guided tour

on foot by bike or car Just keep in mind that there will be lots of tasting Alternatively join Grape Friends for their Beer Buddies Tour where you can experience each of the local craft breweries and choose to pre-order a personalized meat and cheese board to enjoy half way through the tour in front of Okanagan Lake Recom-mended itineraries will help you to get the most out of your experience For more details on the Ale Trail in Penticton go to httpsbcaletrailcaale-trailspenticton

The Athlete or AdventurerFrom August 17th ndash 19th Penticton will be hosting the Super League Tri-athlon This is the inaugural race in North America and a qualifier for Pro Athletes looking to grab a lucrative contract for the Championship series

16

Super League Triathlon features action-packed racing for-mats in dramatic locations and fan-friendly courses

On July 1st join the Okanagan Trestle Tour an 80km ride beginning at Myra Canyon in Kelowna and fin-ishing at Penticton Lakeside Resort There is also a 40km option starting at Chute Lake Resort and a 20 km option starting at Glenfir This fun oriented non-competitive event is meant for all individual cyclists to go at their own pace and admire the nature of Brit-ish Columbia through the twisting tunnels and trestles When cyclists arrive at their destination at Penticton Lakeside Resort they are encouraged to join in the cel-ebration of wine live music BBQ and more

Uniquely positioned between 2 lakes Penticton offers a wealth of water-based adventures including wake-

boarding kite surfing kayaking parasailing and stand up paddle boarding Take a night paddle board tour with GlowSUP Adventures Waterproof LED lighting makes for a glowing spectacle of awesomeness For more information on water sports and activities go tohttpswwwvisitpentictoncomlisting-categorywater-activities

The FamilyThe entire family can experience the fun of floating down the channel from Okanagan to Skaha Lake any-time between June and September Take a couple of hours to gently make your way down the serene seven-kilometre channel Floaties are available for rent and you can arrange a ride back to your starting point with Coyote Cruises for a charge of five dollars per person For more information go to httpswwwcanadianbucketlistcomexperiencestube

For the first time in their thirty-year history Cirque du Soleil is coming to Penticton with the performance of a lifetime This jaw-dropping collection of skilled per-formers is called CRYSTAL Cirque du Soleil on Ice Through many hours of practice this troupe has honed the skills required to perform the combined acts of skating with the traditional performances for which Cirque du Soleil is praised Performances will be held at the South Okanagan Events Centre from April 18th to the 22nd For more information on all of the events going on in Penticton go to httpswwwvisitpentictoncomevent

Irsquom Coming to Penticton ndash how do I get thereYou will find Penticton on Highway 97 at the south-ern end of Okanagan Lake Air service is available to Penticton Regional Airport from Vancouver and Cal-gary and Kelowna International Airport is a one-hour drive away Car rentals are available at both airports Within Penticton there is reliable public transit or you can easily catch a taxi With plenty of sunshine almost year-round anytime is the ideal time to visit Penticton For more information or to plan a personal itinerary go to httpswwwvisitpentictoncom

17

Penticton is a location like no other

Our region is home to more than 70 local wineries 5 craft breweries 3 distilleries and over 30 annual festivals all enveloped by 2 pristine lakes 5 beaches an extensive trail network and rugged mountain terrain

This unique habitat oers a wealth of exciting experiences for people from all walks of life and our custom itineraries will help you make the absolute most of your stay

Come and discover the amazing experiences that Penticton has to oer and create your own ldquoChain of Eventsrdquo

WHATrsquoS YOUR CHAIN OF EVENTS

ADVENTURER ATHLETE FOODIE FAMILY

Penticton Visitor Centre | 250-276-2170 | visitpentictoncom | visitpenticton

18

The Pink City The Amber Fort The Red Fort The Blue City colourful names for colourful places A trip through Rajasthan will take you to these places and many more

For a first timer to India arriv-ing at New Delhirsquos Indira Gandhi International Airport (DEL) at the height of the season would be an assault on the senses but as India moves into summer the crowds have thinned and you could eas-ily be in any small city airport in North America The quiet and calm in the terminal built to han-dle many more passengers than the few arriving early on a May morning is deceptive Step out-side and itrsquos not long before you realize you are in a country of 12 billion people

Driving is on the left Traffic laws seem to be obeyed when itrsquos conve-nient Most major intersections are roundabouts and minor ones are uncontrolled There is an obvious pecking order loosely based on the number of wheels bicycles and mo-torbikes move out of the way of tuk-tuks which somewhat grudgingly give way to cars and cars in turn will wait for busses and trucks Everyone waits for cows Most vehicles carry a few small battle scars Add to this the relatively low cost of taxis and it makes little sense for North Ameri-cans to try to drive on their own

On a major city thoroughfare with 3 clearly marked lanes itrsquos not un-common to see 4 or 5 cars abreast jockeying for position There is the constant sound of horns beeping

but unlike much of the world where horns are honked in anger most of-ten in India it is merely a way to alert the driver ahead that you are over-taking Despite the apparent unruli-ness of traffic it works and seldom do you see an angry face

Thatrsquos a theme that seems to carry through to all aspects of Indian life Everywhere you go you are greeted by smiling faces People are eager to serve and not just for the anticipated tip There is a gen-uine friendliness and helpfulness that makes you feel welcome

Your tour of Rajasthan will of course include Delhi home to 3 UNESCO World Heritage sites A city state and the Indian capital Delhi could hold your attention for days QutbMinar

RAJASTHANThe Colours of

Story and photos by Steve Klein

19

Humayunrsquos Tomb the Red Fort In-dia Gate and Old Delhi are a few of the high points

The India Gate once known as the All India War Memorial was built in 1931 Modeled after the Arc de Triomphe in Paris it com-memorates the 90000 British Indian Army who died in World War I and the Afghan Wars

Nearly twice as tall and roughly 800 years older QutbMinar is the focal point of a UNESCO World Heritage site just south of Delhi Construc-tion of the 725 metre high tower was begun in 1202 with some of the surrounding mosques and monuments dating back to as early as 1060 Within the compound a 7 metre iron pillar has survived since

the late 4th century with almost no corrosion It was brought from else-where in India and is the largest known composite iron object from so early a period

Humayunrsquos Tomb also a UNESCO World Heritage site was finished in 1570 The tomb of the second Mu-ghal Emperor of India it was the first in this style of architecture and became the model for the TajMahal 100 years later

Delhirsquos Red Fort a third UNESCO World Heritage site dates to the 17th century It incorporates an old-er fort Salimgarh built several gen-erations earlier Its massive walls more than 30 metres high in places enclose in excess of 250 acres and form part of the walls of Old Delhi

The Spice Market the largest wholesale spice market in Asia has existed in Old Delhi since about 1650 A pedi-cab tour through the side streets and alleys will take you past the hardware market jewel-lersrsquo bazaar clothing gold textile silver and flower markets In Old Delhi you will also find Jama Jas-

jid the largest Mosque in India the Gandhi Memorial Museum and Raj Ghat Mahatma Gandhirsquos cremation site memorial

Leaving Delhi the tour heads west on a long drive through rural Rajast-han to the town of Alsisar The drive through the countryside is full of pleasant surprises A stubborn water buffalo in the middle of the road a flock of parrots a local festival Hin-du shrines community wells kids playing stick ball in an empty lot colourful saris and of course heav-ily laden carts pushed by hand and pulled by all manner of animals

As you pass through small towns the road is lined with one-room open front shops each a mere 2 to 3 meters wide One selling co-conuts or watermelons the next filled with bags of cement Next therersquos brassware leather goods fresh vegetables a barbershop a tailor then an auto mechanic In this part of the country summer temperatures often pass the 40 de-gree Celsius mark by 9 AM Those shopkeepers not with a customer are parked on a mat in the shady recess at the back of the room Similarly in the semi arid desert countryside the goatherds have

20

found a patch of shade under a lone acacia tree

The village of Alisiar and a short way down the road Mandawa both offer you the opportunity to see the wealth of a past era show-cased in the elaborately carved and painted havelis Mandawa was once a small trade centre on the ancient caravan routes Castle Mandawa was built in the late 1700rsquos to protect the outpost and like many other historic proper-ties in India it has been converted to a heritage hotel

To the southwest Bikaner the fifth largest city in Rajasthan was found-ed a little more than 600 years ago Though it is situated in the middle of the Thar Desert it has enough natural spring water to have been an oasis on the old trade routes to Central Asia 330 km southwest of Bikaner is the city of Jaisalmer also known as the Golden city The citiyrsquos main attraction is Jaisalmer Fort

About one quarter of the towns 60000 inhabitants still live within the fortrsquos walls The yellow sand-stone walls tower over the rest of the city giving off a rich golden glow in the sunset Jaisalmer Fort is a UNESCO World Heritage site

Several luxury hotels have been built in Jaisalmer in the architec-tural style of old forts and palaces a trend that seems to be moving across the country This creates the illusion of being in a heritage property with all the amenities of a luxury hotel Jaisalmer is the jump-ing off point for multi-day camel or jeep safaris into the desert A pop-ular alternative for those who have less time is a sunset camel ride in the sand dunes

285 km east is the major city of Jodhpur site of Mehrangarh Fort the largest fort in Rajasthan It holds the distinction of never hav-ing been taken by force Its massive walls rise straight up atop a hill giving defenders an unobstructed view for kilometers around From Mehrangarhrsquos ramparts you look out onto Jodhpur the Blue City so named for the predominantly blue buildings in the old city Jodhpur is situated at the edge of the Thar Desert and is also known as Sun City for its near endless sunshine

A popular side trip from Jodhpur is an afternoon jeep safari to a lo-cal Bishnoi village where you will be welcomed by the village elders and given an opportunity to visit in their homes On the cross-coun-try drive to and from the village yoursquoll likely see a herd of Black-buck antelope and with luck the Nilgai Indiarsquos largest antelope Nilgai are also called blue bull for the bluish colour of the males

The drive from Jodhpur to Udai-pur takes 6 hours but an over-night stop half way makes it an easy trip Rawla Narlai a heritage hotel in the small village of Narlai

offers a great opportunity to re-lax for an evening away from the big city hustle The next morning you are treated to a spectacular drive through a mountain gorge complete with hairpin turns wild monkeys and peacocks When you exit the canyon you soon come to Ranakpur site of a 15th century Jain temple which is supported by 1444 carved marble pillars each one unique Like all Jain temples shoes must be removed before you enter and any leather items must remain outside There are restric-

21

tions strictly enforced on what can be photographed A small fee is charged to allow you to bring your camera into the temple

Udaipur is also known as the White City and the Lake City Historically the capital of the Mewar kingdom the city is built around a series of lakes Pichola Lake is home to the Lake Palace Now a luxury hotel op-erated by Taj Hotels it was originally a summer palace known as Jag Ni-was Built in 1746 on a 4 acre natu-ral rock foundation in the centre of

the lake it has been the location for numerous films and TV shows in-cluding the James Bond movie Octo-pussy Jag Mandir also a former royal summer palace and temple was built 200 years earlier also on an island in Pichola Lake Like the Lake Palace it is only accessible by boat

Next to the lake is the City Palace an amalgamation of 11 smaller pal-aces begun in 1559 and built by many generations of Rajput rulers over 400 years It houses an exten-sive museum collection

The next stop is the holy city of Pushkar The town is built around Pushkar Lake and is one of the 5 sacred pilgrimage sites for devout Hindus According to Hindu the-ology the lake was formed from the tears of Lord Shiva which were shed following the death of his wife Sati The date of Push-karrsquos origin is unknown but it is one of the oldest cities in India Pushkar is also the starting point for many camel safaris into the Great Indian Desert and is home to the worldrsquos largest camel fair

3 hours north is Rajasthanrsquos capi-tal Jaipur nicknamed the Pink City The old city was built largely of red and pink sandstone and the pink colour was enhanced when the entire city was painted pink in 1875 in preparation for a visit from Edward VII then Prince of Wales

In the centre of the old city is Hawa Mahal ldquoPalace of Windsrdquo This unique faccedilade is part of the City Palace featuring close to 1000 windows fronted with intri-cate sandstone lattice The lattice allowed the royal ladies to watch everyday life passing by on the street below without being seen It also created a cool breeze through the palace

The Amber Fort a UNESCO World Heritage site perched atop a hill outside the city includes gardens

courtyards and palaces In the mornings before it gets too hot you can experience a bit of the royal treatment by riding an ele-phant up the hill into the fort

On leaving Jaipur the tour makes its one departure from Rajasthan into the neighbouring province of Uttar Pradesh No visit to the region would be complete without a stop in Agra home of the Taj Mahal

The white marble mausoleum finished in 1648 took 17 years to complete The surrounding build-ings and gardens required another 5 years The Taj Mahal is a UNES-CO World Heritage site The monu-ment to Mumtaz Mahal third wife of Mughal emperor Shah Jahan was built perfectly symmetrical Even the mosque built to one side of the mausoleum is matched by an identical building on the other side nicknamed the ldquoanswerrdquo

Shortly after completion of the TajMahal Shah Jahan was struck with an illness and was not ex-pected to survive On rumors of his death his 4 sons each of whom was governor of part of the em-pire fought numerous battles until

22

Aurangzeb prevailed having his broth-ers executed Shah Jahan recovered from his illness however by that time his only remaining son had seized power imprisoning his father in Agra Fort His view from the small part of the palace to which he was confined was of the TajMahal Upon his death years later his tomb was placed next to that of his favorite wife Ironically for a man obsessed with symmetry Shah Jahanrsquos own tomb is the only thing out of place Mumtazrsquos tomb is placed in the centre of the mausoleum his to one side

Agra Fort was originally a brick fort first mentioned in historical accounts in 1080 AD Over the centuries the fort and the tremendous treasure it contained changed hands many times A part of that treasure Kuh-e nur (mountain of lights) once the largest known diamond in the world at 186 carats is now part of the crown of Queen Elizabeth

The trip north to Delhi is along the Yamuna Expressway Indiarsquos longest 6 lane expressway opened in 2012 Tolls are significantly higher than on regular highways making traffic light It includes a stop at another UNESCO site Fatehpur Sikri Built by Akbar to serve as his capital from 1571-1579 it was abandoned shortly after it was completed because the water source had dried up

The 165 km passes by quickly In the distance you can see the huge chim-neys from the brick kilns rock quarries carving off chunks of small mountains and wind farms with their towers and transmission lines Gone are the veg-etable markets and storefronts Gone are the colourfully dressed women carrying water jugs on their heads Gone are the cows and goats on the road Soon itrsquos back to the reality of the big city Dehli

India Tourism Canada can be reached at 416-962-3787 or infoindiatourismcanadaca

Allow me to take you on a journey to ex-plore my home coun-try and the land of my ancestors India When I proudly say that I am from India know that I truly am Indian in all that I am and through

more than the mere five senses India flows through the veins lead-ing to my heart and beyond to my very soul The passion of India is in my DNA inherit-ed from my father his father and his fatherrsquos father passed on through the generations and spanning two centuries

My great grandfather first forayed into show-casing India specifically Kashmir to the world in 1925 at the age of 17 With a two bedroom houseboat named Eagle reflect-ing the abundance of the beautiful bird high above the boatrsquos location on Lake Dal in Srinagar he laid the humble foundation for my familyrsquos travel and tourism business that continues today Houseboats came to be in an interesting manner the Maharaja or King of Kashmir at the time decreed that foreign-ers were not permitted to own land in the region The British circumvented this regula-tion by creating the first houseboats on Dal Lake and Nageen Lake Houseboats in Kash-mir are made of wood stationary moored to the land and used as homes or hotel al-ternatives Many tourists were and still are attracted to Srinagar by the charm of staying on a houseboat which provides the unique experience of living on the water in a beauti-fully carved cedar-paneled bedroom with all the conveniences of a luxury hotel At the time the boats catered primarily to English tourists and high ranking officers who pre-ferred summer stay in Kashmir due to its temperate weather In 1927 he married my great-grandmother in full traditional Kash-miri style with extended family and friends The big fat Indian wedding costs a whop-ping $12 Canadian Two years later in 1929 my grandfather was born and raised on a small family houseboat next to the Eagle As he got older he helped his father with tour-ists staying on the houseboat I still remem-ber the colorful stories he would tell me of life on the boats With telephone calls beings very expensive if available at all in the area tourists would send simple telegrams to my

great grandfather such asSIR JOHN SMITH ARRIVING ON FEB TWO -(STOP)- PICK UP AT BORDER -(STOP)- 30 DAY STAY ON EAGLE HOUSEBOAT -(STOP)-

In addition to attending school it was my grandfatherrsquos job to read the telegrams and pick up the tourists when he was old enough He joined the family business on a full-time basis when his father told him that he did not have the money to continue paying for his school fees at the time approximately 20 cents Canadian To give you an idea of why this was considered expensive the rent of the houseboat per night including all meals and butler service was 75 Interestingly we still have in our possession the guest books from this time period

Subsequently my father was born in 1948 and continued in the same houseboat lifestyle as those before him It gives me great pride that he expanded the family business in 1966 by purchasing another houseboat which he named Maharaja Garden for 8000 rupees (about CAD $180 today) I too in turn grew up on the houseboat exposed to people of different cultures from around the world I could not have asked for a better childhood nor a better informal education on how best to meet the needs of travelers The philoso-phy that my father imparted to me was that each tourist is not a tourist but rather is a guest of the family This comes from the In-dian saying ldquoAtithi Devo Bhavaldquo or a guest is like God Over the years we have expanded manifold with houseboats hotels and traveltour companies Recently we were the proud recipients of the National Tourism Award for inbound tourism in India This prestigious award was presented to us by the President of India and is a moment in my career I cherish While we have grown and many things have changed my fatherrsquos philosophy of guests as God has and will always remain constant

A chance meeting on a road in Delhi several years ago led me to my wife and quite literal-ly changed my life and the place I call home is now Vancouver Today living in Canada with my own son I may be far from India physically but she runs through the veins leading to my heart She is my passion and I canrsquot wait for you to see and explore India

Nazir Karnai President ndash Explore India

EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA

wwwexploreindiaca8779002797

24

diamsdiamsdiams

In a continuation of a feature in the January issue of Talk

Travel we highlight the top places for expats to

live Author Retirement and Real Estate Expert Kathleen

Peddicord says

lsquoThese are simply the best places to be regardless

of your age or any other circumstancesrsquo

Five Saint-Chinian Francendash The south of France is not very big but it is in two parts Provence is very known and very expensive Alongside it is the other south of France Languedoc not known and not expensive

And in Languedoc is little Saint-Chinian the quintessential French country village where everyday life is like something out of Disneyrsquos ldquoBeauty and the Beastrdquo

This town is notable for two things in particularhellip First its property prices which are half those of Provence and the Cocircte drsquoAzur The second reason for the growing popularity of this region is its wine

Indeed wine is the village economy Saint-Chinian is home to 1900 inhabitants and 200 wine makers

Thanks to the excellent train and bus service you can live in Saint-Chinian without a car If you find you do need a lift somewhere ask a neighbor The people of Saint-Chinian are very friendly and always ready to help out

Four San Pedro AmbergrisCaye Belize ndash My first visit to the little village of San Pedro on the island of Ambergris Caye Belize I climbed down the stairs of the eight-seater airplane grabbed my duffel from nearby on the runway where itrsquod been placed by the pilot who doubled as landing crew and baggage handler and carried it with me across the dirt road to the hotel where I had a reservation

The hotel where I stayed years ago is still there but today it shows four stars in its materials (probably deserved) These days the coast is also dotted with five-star hotels and resorts along with high-end condo communities restaurants art galleries supermarkets delis wine shops and golf cart rental agenciesAmbergris Caye has grown up yes but shersquos managed to keep much of the charm of her youth This unassuming Caribbean outpost has evolved into a cozy and welcoming community This is neither tacky Cancun nor prim proper Bermuda This is a small town of expats from all

over the world working together to create the life they all came in search of Theyrsquore opening businesses indulging artistic interests planning community events inviting each other over for beach bar-b-ques

You wouldnrsquot describe property prices today as a steal but they can be a bargain compared with elsewhere in the Caribbean

Three Santo Domingo Dominican Republic ndash Irsquove been hanging out in New World cities that Spain built for a long time Over the past 35 years Irsquove gotten to know old towns from Granada and Leoacuten Nicaragua and Cuenca Ecuador to Old San Juan Puerto Rico Antigua Guatemala and Casco Viejo Panama

Established in 1496 Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic predates them all Itrsquos the oldest European city in the Americas and the capital of Spainrsquos first colony in this part of the world Founded by Christopher Columbusrsquo brother Bartholomew colonial Santo Domingo might best be described as dignified Today Santo Domingo capital of the country with one of the fastest-growing economies in Latin America is chasing a new prosperity The streets are lively the harbor busy and the city is the epicenter for

Top 10 Best Places to Live Overseas in 2018

25

diamsdiams

tourism investment in this country Recently opened are a JW Marriott and an Embassy Suites by Hilton Under way are an Intercontinental and a Hard Rock Hotel and Carnival is bringing a ship a day to Santo Domingorsquos cruise dock

All of this tourist growth is trans-lating into impressive infrastruc-ture improvements in and around the capital as well as the con-tinual development of new and better services amenities and conveniences As a result Santo Domingo is the most impressive Spanish-colonial city in the Ameri-cas now supported by all modern conveniences (everything from a new 911 service to new shopping malls movie theaters and five-star restaurants) making it a better place to think about spending time all the time

Two Cali Colombia ndash Cali in the Valle del Cauca south of Medelliacuten Colombiarsquos third largest city with around 25 million inhabitants is not the city you imagine

First itrsquos safe Second itrsquos a bargainhellip largely because for so long the world has been too afraid to spend time or money here This is beginning to change as tourists and investors are realizing that Cali is not what theyrsquove been led to believe it is

Ignore the cautions and the historically negative press and come discover this pretty city where rents and much else can be 25 to 30 percent cheaper than in Medelliacuten

Calirsquos charms extend to its people Most Calentildeos are polite and friendly Spending time here yoursquore reminded how nice life can be when itrsquos built on these kinds of basic values This city is also the acknowledged world capital of salsa

One Lisbon Portugal ndash This city on the Tagus one of the oldest in Western Europe was originally settled as a Phoenician trading post It was in the 15th and 16th centuries though that Lisbon flourished

Imagine what it must have been like to be here standing on this waterfront spot 500 years ago Imagine the activity the trade the moneyFrom this spot 500 years ago Lisbon carried its culture to the four corners of the globe colonizing Asia South America Africa and the Atlantic islandsAnd then it carried back from these far-flung territories great wealth much of which was invested in the betterment of what became one of the most glorious cities of its age

Lisbon is a noble and elegant city whose centuries-old pastel-colored

stone structures are bordered by jacaranda trees and set off by formal gardens and parks with elaborate fountains Roads walkways and pavements are laid with small cobblestones in contrasting colors to create elaborate patterns and sea scenes that are like works of art almost mosaics

In other words this is a very pleasant place to be and our top pick for city living in the Old World in 2018

Based in Paris France and Panama City Panama Live and Invest Overseas is the leading resource for people who want to live retire and invest overseas Headed by Kathleen Peddicord and Lief Simon ndash who collectively have more than 40 yearsrsquo experience visiting living and investing in foreign countries ndash LIOS and its free e-letter service the Overseas Opportunity Letter have more than 400000 regular readers


More info available at

wwwliveandinvestoverseascom

Any time is a good time to visit Skagit County Washington Stretching from Rosario Strait in the

west to Tower Mountain in the East it follows the Skagit River valley through Mount Vernon Burlington

Sedro-Woolley Concrete Rockport and many other picturesque small towns At its western edge Anacortes

and La Conner are popular with tourists

Skagit County

26

The town of La Conner is found along the Skagit River and histori-cal Swinomish Channel La Conner is considered one of the best week-end getaway destinations near Van-couver and has some of Washing-ton Statersquos most romantic hotels and Bed and Breakfast Inns La Conner is a historic city acknowledged on the National Register of Historic Places The downtown streets are lined with antique shops art gal-leries local handicraft stores and a variety of eateries including fast food pubs and fine dining

Mount Vernon a city steeped in his-tory was voted ldquoBest Small City in

Americardquo Located on Interstate 5 about 10 kilometres south of high-way 20 Mount Vernon is the County Seat Enjoy the scenic views of Skagit Valley while playing a round of golf at the twenty-seven hole Avalon Golf Links If shopping is your favourite past time go to the Cascade Mall or visit boutiques specialty stores and restaurants scattered throughout the downtown area Each spring hundreds of acres between La Conner and Mount Vernon take on every color of the rainbow as fields of daffodils and tulips bloom The La Conner Daffodil Festival in March is followed by the annual Skagit Valley

Tulip Festival throughout the month of April The regionrsquos major growers RoozenGaarde and Tulip Town culti-vate the fields that produce this co-lourful show Both companies plant demonstration gardens to showcase different varieties RoozenGaardersquos garden features half a million bulbs planted by hand RoozenGaarde is a family business laying claim to the largest collection of irises tulips and daffodils in the world Both Roozen-Gaarde and Tulip Town presentation gardens include gift shops Freshly cut flowers can be delivered to greater Vancouver overnight and bulb orders can be placed for delivery in time for planting in the fall

Skagit County

27

28

More than forty different festival events are organized in Mount Ver-non and the surrounding towns each year Sign up for the Skagit Farm to Pint Passport Tour This tour supplies you with a ldquopass-portrdquo and a list of eleven brewer-ies available for visiting Collect ten stamps to earn a free pint at the last brewery The route you choose is up to you but which-ever way you go you will be sure to see much of Skagit County

Enjoy a meal of freshly barbecued wild salmon and sides of coleslaw garlic bread baked potato dessert and a beverage of your choice The Kiwanis Salmon Barbecue holds this event with all proceeds going to lo-cal organizations aiming to help youth A few clubs supported by this barbecue include the Boys and Girls Clubs of Skagit County Adopt a Child and Prayer Breakfast

Woodfest was initially held to cel-ebrate the woodworking accom-plishments of students in Skagit Valley and Mount Vernon Today the show also encourages indi-viduals outside of high schools to sign up for a booth to showcase their pieces Yoursquoll see a range of work from skilled traditional carvers to woodwork done by stu-dents still in school

Sign up for the Tulip Run held at the Skagit Regional Airport Par-ticipants can choose the two or five-mile course with a limit of

two hours to finish The Chucka-nut Brewery and Kitchen is one of the sponsors of the race this year The brewery is the ideal location for before and after fun and re-laxation All runners who are of a legal drinking age receive a dollar off their purchase of a pint of beer at The Chuckanut Brewery For more information on the Tulip Fes-tival go to httptulipfestivalorg

The town of Burlington is known for its shopping restaurant scene and the Berry Dairy Day Festival Berry Dairy Day celebrates the farming history of the area Every-one is welcome to experience the fireworks the Berry Cool Car Show a variety of outdoor movies ven-dors and the legendary strawberry shortcake made for this event

A quaint town known as the Gate-way to the North Cascades the

community-orientated town of Sedro-Woolley hosts Loggerodeo a tradition since the nineteen-thirties Events include a fourth of July pa-rade a log drive rodeo and chain-saw carving Winning pieces will be placed downtown for all to see

Rockport is a town praised for their conservation of nature and the activities built around it The Rockport State Park is an amaz-ing experience for the nature-buff This pristine forest is composed of trees which are thousands of years old grown so lush that sunlight can barely pass through A popular spot for birdwatchers Rockport is home to the Skagit Eagle Festival every December and January Con-crete and Marblemount also par-ticipate in the festival The town of Concrete holds free activities and tours each weekend to learn about the Bald Eagle Study the migration of Bald Eagles as well as the spots along Skagit River where they return every year At the Con-crete Theatre learn how to cap-ture perfect photos of eagles The workshop is free

For more places to go and things to do in Skagit County visit httpwwwvisitskagitvalleycom

ANACORTES WA - Relax and enjoy a weekend on Fidalgo Island With mild temperatures lush forest lands to explore and water

that surrounds staying here is a great way to spend your vacation Visit by car ferry plane or boat Experience amazing restaurants shopping in historic downtown nature viewing and relaxing spasThe island is centrally located between Seattle WA amp Vancouver BC

anacortesorg 360-293-3832

Great experiences come in small islands

30

Anacortes is located on Fidalgo Is-land with easy access via bridge to the mainland It is also the destina-tion point for ferries from the San Juan Islands and Victoria (Sidney) Whether you are planning a day trip or a vacation Anacortes has something for everyone Whale watching tours kayaking excur-sions sailing boating birding fishing crabbing hiking or biking to name a few

Padilla Bay Reserve just east of Anacortes is a birdwatchers para-dise The reserve covers more than 11000 acres of tidal mudflats Itrsquos easy to get to and is one of the premier winter birding spots in North America Low tide expos-es miles of mudflats providing a ready food source for many spe-cies of birds Yoursquoll most likely see swans geese blue herons bald eagles and a variety of shore birds The eelgrass beds in Padilla Bay Reserve are also home to many marine species including crabs salmon and herring

A great way to see the beds up-close is in a kayak Anacortes has long been the prefered launch point for sea kayaking adven-tures Some of the most beautiful

and least developed islands in the San Juans are located a short dis-tance away and wildlife is abun-dant there The waters between Burrows Island and Deception Pass are actually the best place in the world to encounter Harbour porpoise The rain shadow of the Olympic Mountains provides the area with sunny skies and calm waters throughout the year Tours are available

The beaches in the Pacific North-west have their own special kind of charm rocks pebbles and shells mixed with darker rougher sand Many spots are dog friendly and of-fer an opportunity to witness amaz-ing sunsets while relaxing on sun-bleached driftwood Sunset Beach on the north shore of Washington Park has a boat launch rest rooms reservable picnic shelter playground equipment and open play area

Anacortes provides a wide variety of entertainment options ranging from community theater to live music from a monthly art walk to a self-guided mural tour The award-winning Anacortes Com-munity Theatre (ACT) has been in existence for over forty years pro-viding top-flight stage plays over

many genres Main stage produc-tions begin in February each year and run every other month ACT is a non-profit organization that celebrates community in every performance Antique hunters with a passion for hidden treasures will find in just one afternoon some of the best and longest established vin-tage and antique shops available in Skagit County and the San Juan Islands Shoppers can browse gal-leries featuring both well-known and newly emerging artists en-compassing a variety of media in-cluding paintings sculpture jew-elry glass-work photography and mixed media Indulge yourself and brighten your home with an artis-tic unique piece of decor

Dining spots abound in Anacortes From casual fish and chips to can-dlelight dinner Anacortes restau-rants offer mouth-watering menus Locally raised bonded organic meats appear on many menus The Skagit Valley is a major source of fresh fruits and vegetables and the waters around Fidalgo Island are a significant fishery This locally sourced bounty ensures the fresh-est farm to table meals

ANACORTES Your Island Getaway

31

bull Fresh Baked Cookies Every Nightbull Expanded Continental Breakfastbull Jacuzzi Tub Roomsbull QueenKing Bedsbull Free WiFi bull Computer amp Fitness Roomsbull Discounts Military Seniors AARP AAAbull Smoke Free and Pet Free

800-231-51983300 Commercial Ave bull Anacortes WA 98221

Phone 3602931100 bull Fax 3605881311themarinainncomcastnet bull wwwmarinainnwacomthemarinainncomcastnet bull wwwmarinainnwacom

The handcrafted spirits of Decep-tion Distilling pack a distillery loverrsquos punch Stop by their classy tasting room Monday through Fri-day from 1000 am to 430 pm for a free sample of their smooth and mellow vodka gin and moon-shine Kids and pets are welcome and there is plenty of seating with a view of the distillery and their German-built Arnold Holstein still Bottles can be purchased on site including the new travel pint size of the Skagit Moon Apple Pie Be sure to grab one of their handy cocktail recipe cards with drinks like Cucumber Fresh Lavender and Lace and Grapefruit Geyser to impress your friends back home

No matter when you visit Anacortes there will always be something happening Events are scheduled throughout the year The Skagit Valley Tulip Festival and Anacortes Arts festivals are enjoyed by all ages Brewgrass Bier on the Pier the Spring Wine Festival the Wa-terfront Festival and the Anacortes Boat and Yacht Show are all great ways to spend a weekend

Brewgrass offers the opportunity to sample more than 50 microbrews while listening to live bluegrass mu-sic Bier on the Pier is a two-day ex-travaganza of beer ciders food and music The annual Waterfront Festi-val includes an open-air car show food vendors arts and craft booths childrenrsquos activities giant slides wa-ter balls dinners and dances live music and entertainment wine and beer garden and more

The Marina Inn in Anacortes is a great place for a vacation or weekend getaway

The Marina Inn features 52 rooms with Keurig coffee makers luxu-rious Gilchrist amp Soames lotions soaps and shampoos a micro-wave refrigerator and wireless internet Rooms range from stan-dard two queen beds to deluxe

king bed Reserve the King room with a jacuzzi for the ultimate re-laxation then slip into one of the plush bathrobes Rooms feature views of the Bay and Mt Baker in the distance

The front desk staff is avail-able 24 hours a day Continental breakfast is included as is use of the fitness room guest laundry and computer room

The Marina Inn is ideally locat-ed for visitors taking in any of the Anacortes events Itrsquos close to restaurants the marina and shopping

The Marina Inn noted for top-quality customer service and af-fordable accommodations has received a Certificate of Excel-lence from TripAdvisor

One entry per person New members only from Mar1 2018 to Dec 31 2018 No purchase necessary Full terms and conditions at SunClubRewardscomcontest

JOIN SUNCLUB TODAYYour FREE Membership at wwwSunClubRewardscom instantly qualifies you to WIN 1000000 SunClub points or 1 of 25 weekly giveaways of 500-10000 points

WIN 1000000D O N rsquo T M I S S T H I S I N C R E D I B L E V A L U E O N

T H E ldquo B E S T N E W C R U I S E S H I P rdquo

7-NIGHT CRUISES FROM MIAMI - CARIBBEAN ON THE REVOLUTIONARY NEW MSC SEASIDE

MARCH 31 bull APRIL 7 14 28 2018

Rates are cruise only per person based on double occupancy and quoted in USD Offer valid for new bookings only for US amp Canadian residents The lead rate of $429 is for Category I1 and applicable for the following dates March 31 April 7 14 28 2018 Government fees and taxes (GFT) of $10800ndash$11807 are additional per person KIDS SAIL FREE Children 11 and under at the time of sailing traveling in a stateroom with two full fare-paying adults do not pay the cruise fare they must still pay taxes and port duties insurance flights and transfers (where applicable) This offer is subject to limited availability which varies according to the departure date and must be reconfirmed at the time of booking COMBINABLE DISCOUNTS One (1) of the following discounts may be applied as applicable per stateroom MSC Voyagers Club Discount Military Discount Interline Discount Applicable to active and retired US and Canadian military civil service and interline personnel and their spouses dependent children parents and parents-in-law Qualifying guests must present an ID badge from their respective organization at time of booking Offer is capacity-controlled subject to availability cannot be combined with any other discount or promotion and may be withdrawn without notice MSC Cruises reserves the right to pass on any fuel surcharge without prior notice to all guests MSC Cruises reserves the right to refuse to honor any pricessailings that are erroneously printed or quoted Other restrictions may apply Ask for ldquoSave and Sailrdquo promotion when booking Offer Expires May 31 2018 Subject to change Shiprsquos registry Malta

$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858

Contact Your Travel Agent amp Start Cruising Now

Call SunClub Vacations1-855-578-6258sunclubvacationscom BCReg 69480Earn SunClub Reward Points on all bookings

COMMITMENT TO TRANSPARENCY

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POINTS NEVER EXPIRE amp EARN INTERESTUSE TOWARDS FREE TRAVEL OR CASH OUT

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WIN 1000000SunClub Reward Points

34

Aeroplan Air Miles and recent new-comer SunClub Rewards are three of the most popular frequent travel loyalty programs in Canada Let us take a look at the new kid on the block ndash wwwSunClubRewardscom and see how its program stacks up against other popular programs

Earning MilesPointsAll 3 of Canadarsquos top travel re-wards programs - Aeroplan Air Miles and SunClubRewards- offer their customers a number of ways to earn points

With SunClub Rewards points can be earned through the purchase of flights other travel services such as cruises and hotel bookings or through member specific reward sponsored websites such as wwwSunClubMallcom and popular on-lineoffline retailers such as local-ized stores shops and services

SunClub Rewards also offer the op-tion to purchase extra points to top up any vacation experience This basically offers members the op-portunity to lsquodouble-diprsquo if the mem-ber should choose to use another rewards based credit card for this purchase It is easier to earn points through SunClub Rewards as the number of online and ever increas-ing bricks and mortar retailers is growing at a faster rate than other travel rewards programs ndash who are actually losing coalition partners

Members of SunClub Rewards can make day-to-day purchases at sites such as Amazonca Walmartca Indigoca and at over 200 other retailers online ndash for literally mil-lions of everyday products - and earn SunClub Reward points on every purchase through the mem-berrsquos only shopping portal

wwwSunClubMallcom

Redeeming MilesPointsSunClub Rewards is by far the easiest program to redeem points The most common complaint with other programs is that is it extremely difficult to redeem points for flights

With other programs flights have to be booked months in advance in some cases Sometimes a seat is available for the outbound leg of a round trip journey but there is no seat available on the inbound flight How is this a re-warding experience

Customers have found themselves in business class on one flight and economy on the next - despite the fact that they paid for business class the entire way

With SunClub Rewards their Trav-el Advisors make certain that what you request is what you get There are no restrictions or last second changes A SunClub Travel Advi-sor is always a phone call away to solve any travel related issue dur-ing a memberrsquos tripvacation

One major complaint about travel reward programs is that companies tend to change their program with little or hidden notice At SunClub Rewards what you are told is what you get The Travel Advisors spend countless hours either searching for the best travel options or pro-viding 1-to-1 member support It is this commitment to the member-ship community of SunClub Re-wards that really stands out

General Customer ServiceConsumers have often complained (and very publically) that it is diffi-cult to see all the details of their flight booking on other websites ndash right down to mandatory check-in times

Consumers have also suggested that web booking programs are not reliable However over the phone booking with some pro-grams can cost $30 or more ndash just to speak to a live agent

And many times the customer support is out-sourced Various online consumer forums are full of stories of various travel reward programs keeping customers waiting up to seven weeks for a response or charging exorbitant fees to change a flight date

SunClub Rewards is unique as each customer deals with their own individual Travel Advisor who is available at any point to change modify or adapt the memberrsquos itinerary SunClub Re-wards also offers both over the phone or customer direct book-ing ndash but ensures that follow up communication happens to guarantee the best travel expe-rience possible

SunClub Rewards ndash amongst other travel programs ndash is fairly equal when it comes to earning points Some programs require more points to earn travel rewards while others make finding flights extremely difficult SunClub Re-wards shines as its members are treated as VIPrsquos by their Travel Advisors and their commitment to point and program transparency is an industry first

If you are looking for a change to your travel rewards membership program of choice or you really want to up your travel experience then look a little more closely at wwwsunClubRewardscom You just might find much more than you have come to expect from other travel reward programs

The New Travel Loyalty Kid on The Block and What You Need To Know To Get The Most From SUNCLUB REWARDS

35

Discover Marana the tourism and marketing program of the Town of Marana has announced the launch of its second gastronomy tour ldquoA Taste of the Wild The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tourrdquo This tour explores foraging and wild food fla-vors with experts Dr Suzanne Fish University of Arizona Emerita Pro-fessor and Arizona State Museum Curator and John Slattery master bioregional herbalist author and gourmet forager Tour dates are March 9 March 29 and April 27

The four hour tour stops at an ar-chaeological site includes a for-aging walkabout and tastings of wild foods prepared by John Slat-tery Bean Tree Farm gourmet wild foods and Catalina Brewing Com-pany craft beer made with wild foods Offered through April the tours are limited to 13 people Res-ervations through Gray Line Arizo-na are $99 per person

ldquoThe Sonora Desert has more deli-cious wildfoods than anywhere else I know of in this countryrdquo said Lau-ra Cortelyou Tourism and Market-ing Manager for the Town of Mara-na ldquoYet until now there hasnrsquot been an easy way to taste a wide variety of wild plant-based foods prepared by some of the best foragers in the US who happen to be in Marana and Tucsonrdquo

Marana is home to wild foods edu-cators chefs and craft brewers that responsibly harvest from the 450 edible plants in the Sonoran Desert as well as farm-to-table restaurant suppliers BKW Farms that grows White Sonora wheat used in local craft beer and artisanal baking by

ldquoA Taste of the Wildrdquo Marana Gastronomy Tour Launched as Part of Tucson City of Gastronomy-Approved Tour ProgramBarrio Bread and half a dozen bee-keepers that produce mesquite and wildflower honey

According to Jonathan Mabry PhD President of the Tucson City of Gas-tronomy nonprofit organization ldquoThe Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tour highlights what makes this region unique and one of the reasons for its UNESCO Creative City designation Wild flavors of the Sonoran Desert have drawn and sustained people here for more than 10000 yearsrdquo

Gray Line Tours Tucson is the tour provider and a third-generation fami-ly-owned business that has provided premier tours in and from Tucson for more than 100 years

ldquoA Taste of the Wild The Marana Wild Foods Gastronomy Tourrdquo is approved by UNESCO Creative Cities Network member Tucson City of Gastronomy

the first City of Gastronomy in the US

For tour reservations visit wwwGray-LineArizonacom For tour information visit wwwTownOfGastronomyorg

Marana has the Forbes Five Star-rated Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountain resort Tucson Premium Outlets at Marana Center and Topgolf Marana Once home to the Accenture Match Play Marana has nationally-renowned golf courses including Dove Moun-tain Golf Club The Gallery and The Highlands Marana hosts a start in El Tour de Tucson Marana has the old-est agricultural irrigation canal system found in North America and numer-ous archeology sites Hiking biking bird watching and horseback riding are popular activities For more infor-mation please visit wwwDiscoverMa-ranaorg

4000 YEARS OF AGRICULTURE

Discover MaranaTown of GastronomyGET CLOSE ENOUGH TO THE SONORAN DESERT TO TASTE IT

THE MARANA GASTRONOMY TOUR A TASTE OF THE WILD THE MARANA WILD FOODS GASTRONOMY TOUR

Thursday 930 am ndash 130 pm | March 29

Fridays 930 am ndash 130 pm | April 27

Fridays 1230 pm - 600 pmMarch 23 April 6 April 20 and May 4

Exclusive tastings including gourmet wildcrafted foods from Bean Tree Farm Catalina Brewing Company and Button Brew House

Exclusive tastings including a multi-course small plate tasting at The Ritz-Carlton Dove Mountainin Marana

reservations TownOfGastronomyorg

36

whatrsquos cookingin ITALYAn Introduction to Italian Cuisine Italian food is more than just pizza and spaghetti Therersquos a wide range of ingredients flavors and dishes to experiment with in your own home

ldquoItalian food is bold and satisfying without being heavy Itrsquos rich and textural and uses a whole palette of flavorsrdquo says Michael Chiarello the chef and owner of Bottega in Cali-forniarsquos Napa Valley and author of the cookbook Bottega ($40 ama-zoncom) ldquoEnjoying Italian cuisine is more experiential not intellectu-al It comes from a more emotional place thatrsquos very evocativerdquo

And it evokes so much more than big plates of meatballs and chicken

parmigiana When Italian immi-grants first arrived on American shores they couldnrsquot find their trusty olive oil dried porcinis prosciutto and balsamico so they adapted to the ingredients that surrounded them which resulted in far more meats and sausages in dishes along with a healthy helping of garlic

ldquoItalian food is really a celebration of produce and protein is a sec-ondary thoughtrdquo says Chiarello A typical Italian meal will start with a big plate of antipasti which are predominantly vegetables (like pepperoncini mushrooms and artichoke hearts) and a selection of cured meats (like prosciutto and capicola) Then it moves on to a small pasta dish which is fol-

lowed by a light proteinmdashper-haps a leg of lamb simply but deliciously prepared ldquoAs the meal progresses it gets more simplerdquo says Chiarello ldquoItal-ian meals tend to have a re-verse crescendordquo

From that initial crescendo to the last savored bite ev-ery authentic Italian dish is built upon the most basic

yet most flavorful ingredi-ents ldquoTraditional products are

very important in the flavors of Italy which at their best are

based on seasonality and localityrdquo says Lidia Bastianich the chef and

owner of Felidia Becco Esca Del Posto and Eataly in New York City and the author of Lidiarsquos Italy in America ($35 amazoncom) Ol-ive oil is the cornerstone of most Italian cooking (to braise fry and drizzle) then come the vegetables Garlic and onion are the familiar go-torsquos but intense green vegeta-bles are often stars on the plate Balsamic vinegar always claims a prime spot in an Italian kitchen

Some might be surprised to learn how much of a staple fish is in the Italian diet whether itrsquos fresh from the sea or canned in oil like sardines Cured meats are also plentiful The Italians are big fans of preservation turning pork into sausage and salami olives into extra-virgin olive oil grapes into wine and vegetables into pickled vegetables

Finally remember that good Ital-ian food starts with the shopping Make quality ingredients a pri-ority when yoursquore bringing Ital-ian cuisine to your kitchen And when you find a dish that you love stick with it ldquoPractice until you can do it with your heart and hands onlymdashjust like the Italians dordquo says Chiarello Once that dish is perfected move on to a new one or a new technique and soon yoursquoll have a slew of delicious meals at your disposal

37BC Reg 69460

Travel amp RewardsSUNCLUB

wwwsunclubvacationscom

REDWHITEtalk wine

Naramata Bench Wine Country is situated along a 15 km country road that starts in Pentic-ton and travels along the east side of Okanagan Lake in British Columbia

A country road with the glistening Okanagan Lake reflecting on adjacent vineyards and or-chards beckons you to tour British Columbiarsquos Naramata Bench One of Canadarsquos premiere wine regions and a top destination for wine enthusi-asts the Naramata Bench is a world where you can truly experience wine country hospitality and exceptional wines and events

Visitors will find spectacular scenery along with the renowned world class recognized wines and wineries as they tour this stunning setting Think of patios poised along rolling hillsides-nestled within verdant vineyards with the shimmering lake and mountain views The favourable climat-ic and geological conditions that are good for the grapes here are also good for people and serve to create an idyllic location to vacation

Such is the magic of the region and the dynamic members of the Naramata Bench Wineries Asso-ciation (NBWA) that serve as catalyst for their motto of A Story in Every Bottle The Associa-tion is comprised of distinct and distinguished winery members who have an enthusiasm to share their knowledge of the area and its unique wine culture collaborating effectively to shine light on the region

Naramata Bench wineries are always proud to welcome visitors so any time is a great time to visit this extraordinary wine region If you want

to build a visit around special Naramata wine events consider early May during the Okana-gan Wine Festivals Spring Festival when winery members will present their complimentary event ldquoRoll Out the Barrelsrdquo at multiple wineries on May 12 or in early September when they host their annual and perennially sold-out Tailgate Party which is on Saturday September 8 this year with tickets going on sale in May Purchase tickets early to avoid disappointment

Details can be found on all wineries activities by fre-quently checking httpnaramatabenchcom as well as by clicking links to the wineriesrsquo individual websites

NARAMATA BENCH WINERIES ASSOCIATIONEXCEPTIONAL WINES EVENTS amp EXPERIENCES

REDWHITEREDWHITEREDREDWHITEREDWHITEREDREDWHITEREDWHITEREDor

38

39

REDWHITE

38379SIAT_Awd Strategic_Product_85x11_Local Mag_Jan_pindd 1 10117 228 pm



CHINABeyond Your Imagination

INDIA COLOURFUL RAJASTHAN

PENTICTON BIKES BEACHES WINE amp BEER

SKAGIT COUNTY TULIP FESTIVAL

TOP 10BEST PLACES TO RETIRE





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




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BUYING anRV



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6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





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StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909










StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT




LUXURY 5TH WHEELS



StkRV3926

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7 DAYS A WEEK

DL8217




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BUYING anRV


95 success rate in

selling consignment




6047922747 bull 18779123909



6047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926

StkRV3836


DL8217





RVBUYING an

RV



6047922747 bull 18779123909



6047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT






IN AN RV


talk travelMAGAZINE







26 Skagit County






6



talk travelMEDIA







































8










9













10












The Forbidden City

11












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16








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22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE






StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909










StkRV3926StkRV3836



DL8217




anRV

BUYING anRV



6047922747 bull 18779123909


6047922747 bull 187791239096047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT




LUXURY 5TH WHEELS



StkRV3926

StkRV3836




7 DAYS A WEEK

DL8217




SELLINGanRV

BUYING anRV


95 success rate in

selling consignment




6047922747 bull 18779123909



6047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT





StkRV3926

StkRV3836


DL8217





RVBUYING an

RV



6047922747 bull 18779123909



6047922747 bull 18779123909





FALCON LIGHT WEIGHT






IN AN RV


talk travelMAGAZINE







26 Skagit County






6



talk travelMEDIA







































8










9













10












The Forbidden City

11












12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE




IN AN RV


talk travelMAGAZINE







26 Skagit County






6



talk travelMEDIA







































8










9













10












The Forbidden City

11












12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


6



talk travelMEDIA







































8










9













10












The Forbidden City

11












12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE














8










9













10












The Forbidden City

11












12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE











9













10












The Forbidden City

11












12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE














10












The Forbidden City

11












12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE













The Forbidden City

11












12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE













12














13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE















13

14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


14









15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


15








16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


16








17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


17








18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


18










19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


19











20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


20










21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


21













22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


22














EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE










EXPL

OR

E IN

DIA


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


24

diamsdiamsdiams




Peddicord says















25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


25

diamsdiams




















Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE






Skagit County

26





Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE






Skagit County

27

28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


28















30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE






30










31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


31




















$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE









$429FROM PER

PERSON

Two People for $858





Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE




Become a

Millionaire



Join




Become a


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


34






wwwSunClubMallcom













35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


35





















36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


36














37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


37BC Reg 69460



REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


REDWHITEtalk wine










38

39

REDWHITE


39

REDWHITE


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