I was always complimented on my eating habits: “How do you eat so healthy? I see a bag of chips and have to eat them all!” “You’re so good” and “You’re like the master of eating well.” My preoccupation...

In some countries I’ve travelled to, I’ve found it difficult to connect with women. They are sometimes less visible and less free to be in public spaces mingling with tourists. This frustrates me. In countries where the genders are quite...

In the 1920s, there were 80,000 geisha in Japan. Today, there are approximately 1,000, and under 200 live in the city of Kyoto (where they are called geiko).* Although they are still quite inaccessible, the best way for a foreigner to step into the...

The image of whirling dervishes spinning endlessly with their arms outstretched and their heads tilted down – dressed in conical felt hats and long white robes, their eyes half closed in trance – has an allure even for those who know...

It’s gambling that doesn’t involve Las Vegas or showgirls, slot machines or flashing lights. The Haida, a First Nation traditionally populating Haida Gwaii in British Columbia and parts of southern Alaska, are serious about evening...

I spent over two weeks in the culinary potpourri of Toronto recently and collected some great dining experiences. Although I didn’t find the perfect smoothie (no one makes them like I do), I did end up eating and drinking in some places worth...

In the year 1921, Warren G. Harding moved into the White House, Albert Einstein took home the Nobel Prize in physics and 45 Kwakwa̱ka̱ʼwakw people were arrested (and 20 went to jail) for “crimes” like dancing, giving speeches, and...

It’s almost always a privilege to travel – when it is by choice and not initiated by something like political turmoil. For those of us who can financially afford to, or have found career-related ways to travel, we are truly fortunate. But...

I am very proud to announce that I have become an Ambassador for Lunapads, a Vancouver-based “social mission driven business.” I have been using Lunapads products for about 10 years and over that time have seen my relationship to my...

It’s almost Halloween and that means it’s time for some scary stories. I was in Wales a few years ago and travelled all over the country searching for ghost stories. With many alleged haunted places – castles, mansions, pubs and inns...