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Colorado’s High-Elevation Vineyards Invite You to Visit
 What’s the first thing that comes to mind when you think of Colorado? Your first response was probably not ‘wine’.
The state’s tourism promoters want to change that, because there is a significant wine industry in Colorado, one that started more than a century ago, was derailed by prohibition and now flourishes. The wine growing conditions are unusual: most Colorado vineyards are at elevations of 4000 to 7000 feet, among the highest in the world, and the growing season is short. But Colorado wine proponents say the long, warm daylight hours of intense high altitude sunlight mature the fruit and build natural sugars, while cool evenings help the grapes retain acids vital to premium winemaking.
Chardonnays, Rieslings and Merlots are the most common final results from Colorado vineyards, with many medals won in international competitions. The state’s vintners also make fruit wines from cherries, peaches, plums and honey.
The federal government has designated the Grand Junction and West Elks areas of Colorado as American Viticultural Areas (AVAs). But over 80 wineries are located around the state so you can plan a trip to almost every part of Colorado and find a wine trail to follow. Just look for the blue information signs with the “Colorado Wine Trails” logo.
Colorado wine is also celebrated through a series of festivals in the summer months. This year, the Castle Rock Wine Festival is set for July 24, the Mesa Verde Country Wine & Art Festival goes August 27-28 and the Colorado Mountain Winefest in Palisade runs September 16-19.
Green Gadgets Use Sunlight to Power Electronic Devices
It’s a struggle these days to keep all your modern-day devices charged and ready when you’re on the road. Even if you’re well-prepared with portable chargers, sometimes there’s just not an electrical source handy. A new crop of solar-powered chargers offers a smart solution that’s eco-friendly too.
 A website called CableOrganizer.com offers a range of eco-friendly electronics, including a selection of solar-powered chargers and even solar-powered battery chargers. Choices include:
The JuiceBar Solar Charger includes a dozen of the most commonly used adapters for cell phones, PDAs and portable gaming devices. It’s priced around US$40.
The Powermonkey-explorer AC/Solar Charger offers three charging options: it includes a solar cell that can completely charge a cell phone with only 6 hours of sunlight; it comes with four AC adapter tips so it can be plugged into the wall in any of 150 countries; it can also be charged from your computer with the included USB adapter. This versatile device retails for around US$150.
The Universal Solar Battery Charger, priced around US$22, helps make already green-friendly rechargeable batteries even better by recharging your batteries using the sun. A needle meter displays the strength of the sunlight hitting the solar cell and gives you an estimate of the charging time for different battery types.
Photo Credits: coloradowine.org, images2.cableorganizer.com
Banish The Blahs With A Dutch Flower Show
For some avid gardeners, the Canadian spring flower shows just aren’t enough to tide them over until their own gardens spring back to life. If that sounds like you, perhaps it’s time to join thousands of visitors from all over the world in welcoming spring at Holland’s Keukenhof Gardens. The gates will open on these renowned spring gardens on March 18th. The 80-acre park with 15 kilometres of footpaths is located an hour from Amsterdam and will once again be resplendent with millions of tulips, narcissus, hyacinths and other bulb flowers.
 For 2010, the Keukenhof and Russia have joined forces to create the garden theme “From Russia with Love.” The centrepiece of the exhibit is an enormous mosaic of Moscow’s famous Saint Basil’s Cathedral, created from 65,000 flower bulbs. Other Russian content will include an exhibition of landscape paintings, a Russian-inspired garden and Russian wildlife in the children’s play area.
As well, the Juliana pavilion at the gardens will feature an exhibition titled Gone WithThe Wind, focusing on the highlights of Dutch fashion.
Keukenhof is open this year from March 18th through May 16th. Tickets are about $20 for adults, $10 for children. You can purchase them online.
Your Private Bahamian Island Awaits
Most people have dreamed of spending time on a private, sun-kissed island surrounded by warm waters and bordered by white sands. It’s not an impossible dream, but for most it’s not an affordable one. But if you can get 11 other friends and family together, a private island holiday in the Bahamas just might be possible this spring.
 Little Whale Cay is a 93-acre island described as a ‘family paradise.’ An easy flight from Nassau, Ft. Lauderdale or Miami, the island offers accommodations for up to 12 guests in three luxury villas, amenities including an expansive main beach, marina, spa facilities, gym, sea-view infinity pool, tennis court and a selection of boats for skiing, sailing, fishing or cruising to small neighbouring islands. There’s even a chapel on the island.
Little Whale was developed in the 1930’s by an early pioneer in the Bahamas. The three houses are air conditioned and feature 21st century amenities including WiFi broadband satellite internet, telephone facilities, satellite television and Bose iPod docking systems. All meals are prepared by a private chef.
The island is owned by a family, and family activities are part of the fun, including a scavenger hunt for the kids. Young people are also thrilled by Little Whale’s population of flamingos and peacocks. Parents can enjoy down-time on boat and fishing excursions, taking spa treatments and having meals served poolside. The proprietors promise no hotel rules or unforeseen extras.
With spring discounts, the island is on sale for $9,025 per day for up to 12 with a minimum 5-night stay in March and April. That works out to $3760 per person for a five-night vacation on a private island including accommodations, food, drinks and the use of all island facilities, boats, telephone calls and Internet connection. Reservation information can be found here.
Photo Credits: keukenhof.nl, littlewhalecay.com
Great Canadian War Memorial Tour Honours Our Veterans
Escorted tour operator Globus is offering a 10-day tour of England and France titled The Great Canadian War Memorial Tour. As the name suggests, the focus of the tour is on museums, memorials and special sites where Canadian soldiers made a contribution in the First and Second World Wars.
 Globus managing director Stéphanie Bishop says the tour was designed in response to client requests to help them experience firsthand some of the sites where so many Canadians gave so much. “We’ve incorporated areas of interest from both world wars which we hope are of interest not only to history buffs but also to Canadians who grew up hearing tales of war from their parents and grandparents."
The tour visits sites including the Canadian National Vimy Memorial at Vimy Ridge, the Canadian Cemeteries in Reviers and Dieppe and the Newfoundland Memorial Park at Beaumont Hamel. Other stops include the Landing Beaches of Normandy, the Juno Beach Memorial Centre, Amiens and Ypres. As well as sites relating to the wars, tour participants will also see the major highlights of Paris, where the tour begins, and London, where it ends.
The tour includes first class accommodation and transportation in an air conditioned coach, daily breakfast and five dinners as well as ferry transportation across the English Channel. The land-only price is $3,230 per person, double occupancy, with a single supplement of $815 for those travelling on their own.
Photo Credits: globusjourneys.ca
Travel Companies Fund Sustainable Tourism & Humanitarian Initiatives
Tourism is an important contributor to many developing economies, providing much-needed jobs and revenue, as well as spin-off benefits for farmers and other local suppliers of goods and services. However, like most for-profit industries operating in poor countries, the industry gets its share of criticism over wages paid to workers and taxes paid to destination governments.
The pros and cons of mass tourism is a vociferous and ongoing debate, however, there have been a number of press announcements landing in the TakeOffeh e-mail inbox lately that reveal the efforts of some travel companies to give back to the destinations they serve. Here’s a quick look at a few of them:
Cancun’s City Of Joy
 Founded 10 years ago, the City of Joy Foundation supports individuals and families who live in Cancun and the state of Quintana Roo, many of whom work in the hospitality industry. Housed in a 12-acre compound located just outside Cancun, the City of Joy provides education, healthcare, legal support and a wide range of other services for needy families in collaboration with a network of charitable organizations. Many travel industry companies are supporters of the foundation, including TUI Travel (a partner in the Signature Vacations and Sunwing Vacations Canadian operations) and Real Resorts, which operates popular all-inclusive resorts in the area. TUI has supported the City of Joy for five years and donated $23,000 in 2009.
Transat Supports Sustainable Tourism
For the 4th consecutive year, Canada’s Transat A.T. has put out a call for proposals for sustainable tourism projects, open to non-profit organizations in any of its 60 destination countries. In the first three years of the program Transat has given close to half a million dollars to a dozen different projects. In 2009 the company funded initiatives in Mexico, Peru, Morocco and Turkey.
Help For Haiti
Neither WestJet nor Air Transat normally fly to Haiti, but both have been active there following the January earthquake. Air Transat made its fourth humanitarian flight on February 16, carrying tonnes of medical supplies and materials, along with 150 volunteers travelling to Haiti to support relief efforts. WestJet has also pitched in with cash donations, humanitarian flights and free tickets on its Dominican Republic flights for volunteers heading to Haiti. Airline staff members, known as ‘WestJetters,’ have donated over $75,000.
TripAdvisor Users Have Good Things To Say Too
TripAdvisor earned lots of press and no shortage of criticism recently for its regional lists of ‘The World’s Dirtiest Hotels.’ But the highly popular travel review site bestows laurels as well as darts through its Traveler’s Choice Awards, where site users vote for their favourite hotel properties.
 A big winner for 2009 is Club Med Ixtapa Pacific, located on Mexico’s southern Pacific coast. The resort was revitalized a couple of years ago with a $25-million makeover that transformed it into an upscale all-inclusive family resort. TripAdvisor users honoured Club Med Ixtapa in three different Traveler’s Choice categories: Best All Inclusive World; Best Family Accommodation World; and Best Family Accommodation Caribbean & Mexico.
The resort is ranked by TripAdvisor reviewers as #1 of 29 properties in the Ixtapa/Zihuatenejo resort area. There are close to 500 reviews of Club Med Ixtapa, with 90% recommending the property.
Reviewers comments particularly praise the children’s programs, which cater to everyone from babes-in-arms to teens. Family accommodations that provide separation between children and adults are also singled out for praise, as is the resort’s cuisine, a noted Club Med strong point.
Photo Credits: cityofjoyfoundation.org, westjet.com, clubmed.ca
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