| Aug 23, 2011 |
| Five Ways to Experience Thessaloniki: insider tips from a local guide |
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| Today our guest blogger is Kevin, an American expat and local guide in Thessaloniki. Kevin has lived in this Northern Greek city for the past six years and loves the simple pleasures the city affords: good food and drink, atmospheric neighbourhoods, and a wealth of history. Here are Kevin’s five favourite recommendations for visitors to Thessaloniki. |
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• Enjoy a coffee, soda, beer, ouzo or tziporo with a plate of "meze" (Greek hors d'oeuvres) at one of the cafeterias in the city's public parks. I like the one by the quay the best (near Makedonia Palace hotel).
• Wander around the city's main fresh markets in the center - the old Modiano and Kapani markets. You'll find anything you want from fresh rabbit to candied chestnuts. Eat at some of the tavernas, ouzeries and ovelesteria (grills that serve meat) where workers usually lunch. (Near Ermou St. & Aristotelos Square).
• Go to the Jewish Museum in the center, at Ag. Mina and Venizelou St. Here you will learn about one of the most important aspects of Saloniki history that is largely ignored within Greece - the 2,300-year presence of Jews in the area. From 1492 to 1912 they were the largest ethnic group in the city and helped transform it into a major European trade center.
• Walk around the "Ano Poli" (Upper City) above Kassandra St. where the old Turkish streets and houses still stand. There are small cafes and restaurants, old churches and mosques and the atmosphere of Ottoman Saloniki. Urban redevelopment was stopped before it could obliterate the area. (There are steep lanes, cobblestones and many steps here, so I only recommend it for those without mobility issues.)
• Wander around the old quarters in the center known as "Ladadika" (area for olive oil sellers) and Frangon St. Here you will see the old merchants' and foreigners’ quarters from late Ottoman times. This area was spared by the great 1917 fire that destroyed most of old Saloniki. There are cafes, restaurants and thousands of wholesalers' shops selling everything from lace to copper liquor distillers.
If you’re interested in learning more about the history and culture of Thessaloniki, or perhaps going for a bike ride through the city streets, consider starting a conversation with Kevin! |
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| Aug 19, 2011 |
| Iceland: A Paradise for Outdoor Lovers |
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| Today we welcome Guðrún, on outdoors enthusiast and passionate Icelandic guide based out of Reykjavik. She’s here to share with us the best spots to get outside and enjoy Iceland’s unique natural beauty. |
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The Icelandic nature is magnificent: glaciers, huge waterfalls, big rivers and mountains everywhere. Iceland is made for activity and outdoor tourism. You can go river rafting, horseback riding, dog-sledding, whale watching, swimming in the wonderful hot springs and lagoons, enjoy adventurous hiking, or simply walking and driving in the mountains in and around Reykjavik, the capital of Iceland.
Icelanders are outdoor enthusiasts. Mountain hiking is a national hobby and is one of the ways we Icelanders use to keep fit. Many Icelanders go to the mountains after work and during the weekdays. Every summer a substantial part of the Icelandic population goes on mountain hikes, a one day hike or several days' hike on one of our country’s fantastic trails. The options are many, so why not? Mountain running is popular too. Icelanders organize marathons, super-marathons and 3, 5 or 7 mountain runs besides traditional marathons. The climate is fantastic for running and jogging, the temperature is usually not warmer than 15-20°C (around 59-68°F) with nice cool wind and sometimes - of course - rain.
My favourite activity is hiking. I love spending my time in the peaceful atmosphere of the mountains in and around Reykjavik. My favourite hiking destinations are Mt Esja, the city mountain of the Icelandic capital Reykjavik, sacred Mt Helgafell (both mountains are among the most popular hiking mountains in Iceland) and hiking to Fimmvörduhals, a trail between glaciers Eyjafjallajokull and Myrdalsjokull on the south coast of Iceland.
While hiking you get connected to the land. On mountains you can both look AND touch the land. You get firsthand knowledge of the land you are traveling in. You can see and feel what kind of a nature the country has, get to know the herbs and plants and see what they look like, meet the people, listen to interesting information and folk tales and get to know how the Icelandic people has survived in this country. In earlier days they had to use their imagination to spin stories and of course those stories were staged in the Icelandic nature.
Besides the mountains, four parts of Iceland are my favourites: the South Coast, Reykjanes Peninsula, the Snaefellsnes Peninsula (one day drive) and the North-Eastern part of Iceland. Here are my reasons:
On the South Coast there are some of the biggest glaciers in Iceland, some of the world's best known and most active volcanoes, Iceland's most wonderful waterfalls and even a possibility to sail among icebergs on a glacial lagoon. Nothing can top this.
The Atlantic Ridge comes out of the ocean in Reykjanes Peninsula. There are geothermal areas, volcanoes and craters, lava fields, the Blue Lagoon, the former US base, Keflavik - the rock and roll town in Iceland and the bridge between the two continents - Europe and America.
Snaefellsnes Peninsula has the fantastic National Park with the glacier Snaefellsjokull (with its entrance to the centre of the earth), sand beaches, lava fields, interesting fishing towns and different rock formations.
The northeast of Iceland is famous for its fantastic beauty with Lake Myvatn and geothermal area, glacial river Jokulsa a Fjollum, Asbyrgi park and the black dessert on the way from the northern part to the eastern part of Iceland. The North-eastern part of Iceland is a favourite of mine - not only because it is so beautiful and famous but for sentimental reasons. My mother's family is from this part of the country and I spent my childhood summers on their farm.
I hope this has given you some idea of Iceland, why to visit this remote island in the middle of the North-Atlantic and what to do up there. See you soon!
Thank you Guðrún; your insight to this remote and beautiful nation is invaluable! If you are a traveler planning a trip to Iceland, or even just thinking of planning a trip to Iceland, consider starting a conversation with Guðrún. You can find her here: Guðrún's Guide Page. |
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| Aug 18, 2011 |
| Getting to Know the Office Team at ToursByLocals |
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| ToursByLocals has been extremely busy this summer, and recently brought on board a new Customer Service Specialist to help out in the Vancouver office. Matthew Cooke has worked in the tourism industry for several years, and been a veteran traveler since his first visit to Africa at 10 years old. He is gifted at making new friends wherever he goes, and his travels are always enriched with local experiences. |
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We thought we’d interview Matthew today, so if you ever find yourself speaking to him on the phone or by email, you’ll know exactly who you’re talking to.
Where was the last place you traveled, Matthew?
Colombia and Venezuela are the last places I visited, in April of this year. I flew into Cartagena, found my way to Medellin and bought a used road bike to cycle-tour through the Colombian Andes.
If you could return to one place you’ve already been, where would it be?
I would go back to Ha Long, Vietnam, although definitely in the springtime. And Mumbai - the most intriguing city I've ever visited is endlessly fascinating and always exciting.
Where do you think you’ll go next?
While I've done more than my fair share of traveling this year, I'm probably going to Crater Lake, Oregon at the end of the summer. As far as overseas, I want to go to Japan, very badly.
Can you tell us your Top 3 “bucket list” destinations?
This is a hard one to answer! Talking to travelers about tours all day, I'm always finding someplace new I have to visit. I’m going to give you two sets: my “wild” places list and my “urban” list:
Wild/remote places: Mt Roraima, Venezuela; Haida Gwaii (a.k.a. Queen Charlotte Islands, Canada); Diving the Red Sea
I like teeming cities just as much as wild places. My top 3 must-see cities right now are Rome, Rio and Jersalem.
What’s your best tip for meeting locals when you travel?
Try to make at least one local contact before you go. If you belong to an organization, contact the local chapter. It's important to find common ground with locals. Get out of your hotel, and away from the cathedrals and monuments, and find an event like a concert, carnival, sporting event, or street fair. It should be somewhere people go to have fun; you can try to make conversation at the supermarket, but you'll do better at the beach.
Thanks Matthew! And happy travels! |
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| Aug 15, 2011 |
| An Insider's Guide to Visiting Montreal, Canada |
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| Edgy, cosmopolitan and with a dash of European flair, Montreal is a vibrant and eclectic Canadian city. The streets come alive in summer as sidewalk cafes and restaurant patios jostle for space with street performers and market stalls. Our local guide and long term Montreal resident, René, is here today to offer us some tips on how best to spend your time in this historic part of Canada. |
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In Montreal itself we have three distinct cities. There is the downtown with its golden square mile of shops and restaurants; the Old Town with its fabulous 17th-19th century architecture, Notre-Dame Basilica; and (on a cold or rainy day) the indoor city where you can walk for 20 miles without walking past the same place. Also on our island we have Little Italy and a neighbourhood call “Mile End” where you will find multi-ethnic groups from India, Pakistan, Iran and many more cultures.
What should you see when you are here? If you’re traveling with kids, be sure to visit "La Ronde" a large amusement park reachable by the subway. From the end of June through July, the city sky explodes with international fireworks every Saturday night. If you enjoy gardens, don’t miss the city’s Botanical Garden with its Chinese and Japanese gardens, Bonsai collection and Insectarium. Many visitors enjoy a trip to the 1976 Olympic Stadium and BioDome, and if you’re fit, a climb through McGill University Campus up the city’s Mountain, Mont-Royal, which affords you splendid views of Montreal.
We have more than 22 museums in Montreal. In my opinion, the most interesting ones are the Museum of Fine Art (Beaux Arts); the Montreal Museum of Archaeology and History, Pointe a Calliere; McCord Museum of Canadian History; and the Centre of History of Montreal.
Montreal’s dining scene is both legendary and affordable. Our city has 80 different ethnic groups and they all have at least one restaurant. "Le Toqué" is the best for French cuisine. "Khyber Pass" is owned by an Afghan chef and they do the best lamb possible – and (because this is Quebec, and we are different from the rest of Canada!) you may bring your own wine to the restaurant. "Le Piton de la Fournaise" from Ile Maurice prepares TENDER octopus, and here you can also bring your wine. Argentineans have their own way of preparing steaks and you can experience that at "Casa Gaucho". "La Banquise" offers high end fast food including the famous Quebec poutine, considered by some to be Canada’s national dish.
Montreal is renowned for its summer festivals – but we actually have outdoors festivals year round! For an up-to-date calendar where you can view the festivals month by month, please look at: montreal.com/tourism/festivals/index.html.
Finally I want to make sure that everybody is aware that even if we speak a lot of French in Montreal, you do NOT need to speak it as 80% of us are bilingual and speak fluent English.
If you’re planning a trip to Montreal anytime soon, consider starting a conversation with René! You can find him here: René’s Guide Profile Page. |
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