It’s rare that I post a link to a promotional video here, but this new one from Visit Holland so perfectly encapsulates all the reasons why I love the Netherlands that I had to share. It has it all: cycling, funky shops, great food, great art–even a cool soundtrack. Enjoy! Tweet

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Since the Canadian Tulip Festival is currently in full swing, it seems like the perfect time for a post about my adopted hometown of Ottawa. As Canada’s capital, Ottawa gets a lot of visitors. Most do the usual circuit: Parliament Hill, the National Gallery of Canada, the Rideau Canal, the Byward Market. And I’d be [...]

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I rarely write political rants on this blog, but two news stories this morning combined with a weekend trip have me fuming, so please forgive me. I just got back from a fantastic family getaway to New York City, when we introduced our daughter to one of our favourite cities on the planet for the [...]

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Ever dreamed of a Mexican villa vacation for four? Now’s your chance to win one! Paradise Hunter, a TV show that showcases the vacation home life around the world, is giving away a week in a villa in Akumal on the Mayan Riviera. To enter the contest, you just have to sign up for the [...]

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Want a great glimpse into today’s China? Check out The Globe and Mail‘s current China Diaries series. The Globe’s China correspondent, Mark MacKinnon, and staff photojournalist John Lehmann are travelling the route of the Long March, mainly by train. (The photo above is not Lehmann’s due to copyright restrictions.) Today’s installment looks at an enterprising [...]

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For all you Bond fans who have already seen Skyfall 10 times and dream of having Q refit your house, there’s an exhibition in Toronto you won’t want to miss…and it closes this weekend. I had a chance to see Designing 007: 50 Years of Bond Style at the TIFF Lightbox shortly after it opened. TIFF–short [...]

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Say the words “Jamaica vacation” and most people will immediately picture an all-inclusive beachfront resort. But this Caribbean island has more to offer the adventurous traveller. Here are three tips. Rent a house. Huffington Post writer Dr. Irene Levine recently profiled three rental villas in Jamaica, including Goldeneye, the scenic estate where Ian Fleming wrote [...]

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A book that combines two of my favourite things: travel and recipes! How could I resist? I’ve been eager to read Female Nomad and Friends: Tales of Breaking Free and Breaking Bread Around the World since it came out in 2010. But, with one thing and another, I just got around to it now. And I’m [...]

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This morning I heard about a contest I couldn’t resist. A British website called TravelSupermarket is challenging bloggers to post five photos from their travels highlighting five colours: blue, green, yellow, white and red. Prizes include travel spending money and iPads. And I love any excuse to troll through my photo files and relive the times [...]

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Are you intrigued by the idea of home swapping–where you stay in someone’s digs in Singapore or Sydney, while they stay in yours–but a bit concerned that your fellow swappers’ sense of style might be somewhat, um, lacking? In other words, are you reluctant to give up your carefully decorated pad to spend two weeks [...]

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