What Canada has to offer

Canada stands second to none when it comes to adventure travel! There is something for everyone and every season in this vast country of ours.

We have majestic mountains to scale, rich fossil fields to explore, swift rivers to raft, spectacular vistas to cycle, hike, or walk, quiet rivers and oceans to traverse by kayak and canoe, and deep seas or swollen streams where you can spin your tall tale about the one that got away! You don’t have to travel to Hawaii for picturesque helicopter tours or to Arizona for hot air balloon rides that take your breath away.

Does Vancouver’s wet winter get to you? No need to head for a beach destination in the south! Get a group together and head to one of our mountains to play in the sun and snow. No matter where you are in Canada you can find winter fun – alpine ski, cross country ski, snowshoe, skate on one of many outdoor rinks, try your hand at curling, explore by snowmobile, join the fun of a winter carnival.

As soon as we get the first thaw, take the kids to Ontario or Quebec to learn how to tap the red maple trees and make maple syrup! There is no lack of vacation ideas for the whole family that are fun and entertain while they educate at the same time. The gold rush history in Barkerville, BC, Anne of Green Gables in PEI, New Brunswick’s reversing falls caused by the highest tides in the world in the Bay of Fundy, Louisbourg on Cape Breton Island are just the tip of the iceberg.

In fact, did you know that Travel & Leisure Magazine’s list of the Top 10 Islands in the World puts Cape Breton Island as number 3? Breath taking scenery, welcoming people, quaint seaports, and history all await your visit. Newfoundland is another island rich in Canadian culture and history just waiting to be explored. You can take a cruise that circumnavigates the whole island.

Are you one of those people who has an African safari on your bucket list? I’ll bet you’ve never even thought about an Arctic safari! Staying in 5-Star tents you get close to walrus, caribou, muskoxen, whales, and the great white polar bear. You’ll encounter endless landscapes, massive ice, long days under the midnight sun, blooming tundra flowers, and areas of great cultural, historical, and natural significance.

If you haven’t explored your home turf, you don’t know what wonderful treasures you are missing! If you have, share your comments below about what are your favorite sites to visit in Canada.

We'd love to help you plan, mail@travelg.com or 604-681-6345

Canadian UNESCO sites

Lunenburg, Nova Scotia

Did you know that we have 15 UNESCO Heritage sites right here in Canada ?

Our UNESCO sites range from spectacular scenery like the Rocky Mountain Parks, to world renowned fossil sites, to historic old towns like Lunenburg and Quebec City, to wonders like the Rideau Canal in Ottawa.

In addition to the 15 UNESCO sites we have presently, there are another 9 on the tentative list waiting for the United Nations to declare them protected Heritage Sites. 

You can find the complete list at http://whc.unesco.org/en/statesparties/ca Have you seen them all? Comment and share with us which ones you’ve seen, which ones you like the best, and/or what sites you think should be put on the list that haven’t made it yet.
 

Flying Allegiant out of Bellingham

Like most Vancouverites, you’ve probably done a price comparison flying out of the USA compared to Vancouver. Also like most Vancouverites, you’ve stumbled upon Allegiant Airlines, a discount air carrier that flies out of Bellingham. Allegiant can be a great option for this looking to save some money and don’t mind the short travel time to the USA.

The drive to the Bellingham Airport is only about 20 minutes past the border making it quick and easy especially if you have a Nexus card. Finding the airport is easy from the highway, just follow the signs and parking is just as easy. Lots of parking right near the door and only $10 USD per day.

The Bellingham Airport is quite small with only 5 gates. However, they have done a lot to keep up with the amount of Canadian travellers choosing to fly down there. They’re in the middle of renovating the airport, and they’ve added in a Scotty Brown’s Social House – a casual dining restaurant serving breakfast, lunch, dinner, and drinks. They also have a few small gift shops where you can pick up waters, snacks, and books.

Back to actually flying Allegiant. Like other discount carriers, Allegiant makes a lot of its money from add-ons. You have to pay for bags, seats, and if you want early boarding. I strongly recommend having your travel agent pre-pay your bags at the time of booking. Checked bags can be prepaid for as cheap as $20 USD per direction and carry-on bags can be prepaid for as little as $15 USD per direction. Keep in mind that Allegiant has a 40lb weight limit for checked bags. If you choose to pay for you bags at the airport, Allegiant charges a steep $50 USD per checked bag per direction and $50 USD for a carry-on per direction! 

Seat selection is also a charge that can be paid at the time of booking. Prices vary depending on where you want to sit on the plane, the closer you want, the more expensive it will be. You can wait and do free seats at the time of check-in or at the airport. Having flown them a few times, we’ve figured out a trick for this. Normally we encourage people to check-in as soon as they can 24 hours prior. However, with Allegiant, when you check-in, it automatically assigns you a seat starting from the back of the plane. Once you’re assigned this seat, you have to pay to change it. They can’t even help you at the airport. I’ve waited until the airport and gotten a seat as close as row 10 without a problem.  They also aren’t able to seat you with somebody you’re travelling with if you’re on a separate booking, their system doesn’t allow it so make sure you have everyone you want to sit with is on the same file as you.

Once you’re on the plane, they do not have any entertainment onboard so make sure you bring your own. They also offer paid drinks and some paid snacks so make sure to grab something before you board!

Overall, I am a big Allegiant fan. They bring great value to those looking to save some money. And as long as you know that you’re flying a discount carrier, you won’t have any big surprises coming your way.

Contact us at The Travel Group to help you fly out of Bellingham or any other city.

The Travel Group, Vancouver BC     .

604-681-6345     .

www.travelg.com    . 

How about Brugge ?

Let's tour some of the  lesser known cities of Belgium.  This week we go to Brugge, or in English - Bruges. 

During tourist season Bruges is wall to wall people, just like Prague. The tourists tend to gather in the two main squares Markt & Burg.  You can find peace and quiet by exploring the cobbled streets away from the squares.

Like Amsterdam, Bruges is a city of canals – known throughout the world as the Venice of the North.  It is also considered the Honeymoon Capital of Europe because of its charming, historic houses; picturesque parks; horse-drawn carriages; and quiet, intimate cobblestone streets.  It is a perfect city for strolling arm-in-arm as it is truly a pedestrian paradise.  

Bruges made the list of UNESCO World Heritage Sites in 2000 because as you walk through the historical city centre, it feels like you are strolling through a medieval city.

For a small city (population of just over 117,000) it has a wealth of history, architecture, museums, and art!  In a beautiful church on Burg Square, Basilica of the Holy Blood, you will find a lovely light Gothic chapel with another heavy Romanesque one beneath it.  You will also want to visit The Chuch of Our Lady (Onze Lieve Vrouwkerk in Dutch) to see “Madonna with Child”, one of the few Michelangelo sculptures outside of Italy.  But while you are there don’t miss the fine tombs of Charles the Bold and his daughter Mary of Burgundy.  There is no entrance fee to either of these churches.  If you love art you will also want to visit the Expo Picasso – a permanent exhibition of more than 120 original works of art by Pablo Picasso

The Groeninge Museum is known as the museum of fine arts because it houses paintings by artists like Reubens, Van Dyck & Ensor who lived in Bruges between the 14^th & 20^th centuries.  But you will also find fun museums in this city –  The Friet Museum (story of the potato and fries); Choco-Story Museum (turning cocoa into chocolate); Diamant Museum (from mining to polishing diamonds); Lace Museum (local women teaching girls this traditional craft); a beer museum in the Brewery de Halve Maan; and a Folk Lore Museum where you can visit a 17^th century cobbler’s, barrel maker’s, and hat maker’s workshops. And just a short distance from the city center you will find the amazingly preserved medieval Castle ten Berghe with a true moat.

You will find sights to see -- gift shops, churches, museums, parks, and gardens -- to keep you occupied for at least a 3-day visit. If you’ve never been to Bruges before, it is a definite “must see” and if you have been there, you will want to go back! 

Leuven is a "Must See"

Leuven delights those interested in architecture. The first town wall, churches, monasteries and abbeys were built in the 11^th-12^th century but the Gothic Town Hall, Market Square, Cloth Hall, and many churches flourished when the new golden age dawned in the 15^th century. Other architectural styles are not as well represented but they can still be found.

During World War I, the Germans came and levelled it with their bombs.  The city fathers put their heads together and made a decision that they would not rebuild the city but instead would restore it.  They built everything exactly as it was before the war!  Again in World War II the Germans came and levelled Leuven and again, the city fathers decided to build everything in its original style.  The building materials may not be original but the architectural styles are!

There are seven magnificent churches in Leuven, the oldest being St. Peter’s Church dating back to 986.  The interior is amazing but here you will also find two masterpieces from the 15^th century by the Flemish Primitive Dirk Bouts – The Last Supper and The Martyrdom of Saint Erasmus. If you remember the story of Father Damian who lived for years among the lepers on the island of Molokai, Hawaii, you will find his crypt in St. Anthony’s Chapel.  The Damian Centre, in the chapel, provides documentation and information about his life. 

The Town Hall is an absolute must see!  There are 236 statues completely covering the face of the building representing artists, scholars, eminent citizens of Leuven, and biblical figures all wearing the clothes of the period in which they lived. 

For your sightseeing pleasure, you will find museums, cemeteries (including a World War II British Military Cemetery), abbeys, beguinages, parks, and gardens.  Stop for at least one night in Leuven. 

 

 

Antwerp....Belgium, not to be mistaken for the colour blue!

 

Let's visit Antwerp.  You can see on this map that Antwerp is inland, yet it is the world’s fifth largest port thanks to the Scheldt tidal estuary.  It is also the centre of the diamond trade.

Don’t let that fool you into thinking it is all business and boring!  Antwerp is vibrant, lively, and one of Europe’s centres for art, architecture, cuisine, and haute couture. It is considered Belgium’s “capital of cool”!

Totally flat, it is a great city to view by bicycle but even with the help of wheels, you won’t be able to cover it’s thousands of restaurants, bars, boutiques, antique shops, art galleries, museums, or chocolate outlets in one visit!

The buildings are spectacular inside as well as out.  Check out this quick video to get you inspired.  

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Cross border shopping

Do you drive across the US border to do your holiday shopping?  Perhaps you have NEXUS and frequently zip across the border.   Have you considered what would happen if you had an accident or became ill and had to be hospitalized?  Would you be protected?

 

Many people purchase insurance when they go on vacation but don't give it a thought when making a quick trip south!  We don't stop to think that we are travelling to another country when it is just a trip of a few hours.

There is an insurance product designed for just this purpose – annual emergency medical coverage. You purchase it once a year and then don’t have to think about it again when making those quick jaunts across the line. When it comes up for renewal, we will remind you so you actually never have to think about it again once you’ve purchased it the first time.

It provides emergency medical coverage for an unlimited number of trips of 9, 16, 30, or 60 days (depending on the plan you select) within a 365 day period and plans start at only $62 per year – a pittance compared to the cost of medical treatment in the USA! 

If you make frequent trips across the border, especially this time of year for shopping, don’t let unexpected medical expenses spoil your fun!  Call us to arrange coverage today! 

 

The Travel Group

604-681-6345

Amsterdam

 

If you’ve never been to Amsterdam, it is a definite “must see”.  

Let this video start you dreaming . . . 

 

Photo Contest Rules & Regulations, 2014

2014 Photo Contest

 

 

 

 

        

Rules & Regulations
By entering the competition you hereby accept the Terms and Conditions of the Competition Rules listed below:

ELIGIBILITY
All entries must be photographs taken on vacation within the calendar year of 2014. The contest is open to all employees and clients of The Travel Group. The Travel Group reserves the right to cancel the contest or modify these rules at its discretion. Decisions of The Travel Group will be final. You may submit up to 5 photos per trip into the contest.

FORMAT
Entries are to be emailed to socialmedia@travelg.com  or uploaded to www.facebook.com/thetravelgroup  before midnight December 31, 2014. Ideal file size is 400 pixels, if photo is too large it will be resized. Cropping of photos is permitted, tonal or colour corrections are acceptable. However, please do not add borders, frames, text or other graphic treatments.

HOW TO WIN
All photos will be uploaded into an album on The Travel Group’s Facebook page. Final count will be done the end of January 2015.

PRIZES
A prize will be awarded to the photo with the most "like"
Keep those entries coming, and have some fun !

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700 - 1455 West Georgia Street, Vancouver, BC V6G 2T3   

Telephone 604-681-6345  Toll Free 1-800-665-6345 Fax 604-684-9704

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