Been a long week, but here's a fast five for you!
1. Ice Skating on the Rideau Canal, Ottawa, Canada. We talked about renting a LeBoat and cruising this canal previously, but as we all know, Canada gets cold in the winter. Does that bother the Canadians? God no.
In Canada, the folks love the cold for the most part and have festivals and activities all winter long. Ottawa, the capital, is no exception. This is a vibrant city worth visiting any time of year, but in the winter, you can ice skate all along the canal. Not only is the view of downtown great, but there are places to rent skates and all kinds of libations and snacks along the way. It's a great activity, and it's a great bragging point to tell all your friends that you went there and partook in the local festivities in winter.
https://www.cbc.ca/lite/story/1.7444941?feature=random
https://ncc-ccn.gc.ca/places/rideau-canal-skateway
https://ottawatourism.ca/en/see-and-do/rideau-canal-skateway
https://rideaucanalskateway.com/
2. The Golden Temple, Amristar, India. In Punjab, there are beautiful places. India has beautiful places. If you happen to be in Amristar, you need to take time to see this. It's the central religious site of the Sikhs and it's just gorgeous.
India is one of the most exotic places in the world and Punjab sits in the north on the Pakistan border. This is called the land of kings and it's a great part of India to visit. It's much less crowded than the cities south of there and the architecture is historic and beautiful. So, if you decide to see the less traveled roads of India, and you happen to be in the Punjab Province, check out the historic Golden Temple.
https://www.goldentempleamritsar.org/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Golden-Temple
https://sgpc.net/sri-harmandir-sahib/
https://thenwewalked.com/visiting-golden-temple-amritsar/
https://www.viator.com/Amritsar-attractions/Golden-Temple-Harmandir-Sahib/d22306-a21608
3. Mizen Head Peninsula, County Cork, Ireland. Sounds like a mouthful, but Ireland is a great place to experience the outdoors. The weather can be a bit drab, but County Cork and the shore around it have some amazing places to spend some time outside.
You'll probably walk around 1.5 miles while enjoying this area. It's a western shore peninsula, which is amazingly scenic with dramatic cliffs and endless views. There's a lighthouse and a visitor center, a museum and a super cool bridge. You'll learn a lot, see a lot and get a nice walk in the meantime. There is an entrance fee at the visitor center and it is a seasonal attraction, so be aware before you go.
If you want to see the rugged west coast of Ireland, don't miss this place.
https://www.theirishroadtrip.com/mizen-head/
https://www.discoverireland.ie/cork/mizen-head
https://www.discoveringireland.com/mizen-head-peninsula/
4. Booking with apps! This is something that I do regularly. As most of you know, I like to take public transit. I don't really care where I am, I like the train, subway, bus, ferry, tram, cable car, funicular and so on. The great thing is that everyone has an app.
In this day and age, a lot of people worry about booking ahead and which company to book with. You would have a heart attack if you saw me running around my local area. I go to the train and use my app as I'm boarding. I get off the train and head to the ferry and do the same thing. I book an Amtrak and don't think about it much ahead. When I'm in a city, I may get a subway and bus card, but I sometimes use an app. It's amazing to just use Token Transit and get a day pass of a city's local buses. Everything is so easy.
You may ask if I can do that in another country? Why yes. With lots of services offering their services in up to 120 countries around the world, you can easily look up and use the apps on your phone in whatever country you're visiting. There's less to lose and it's so easy. You scan or show it to the conductors, terminals or whatever and off you go. I love it and I use it all the time. The apps also help you with schedules, delays, track changes, connections and time of travel. All in one place.
So, don't hesitate. Use the app. I always do. I've never been hacked. I've never had a problem. It's the best thing I've done, especially in my local travels.
https://www.cttransit.com/fares/token-transit-app-download-ride
https://moovitapp.com/nycnj-121/poi/en
https://www.mta.info/guides/apps
5. Two cities for the price of one! I've been traveling a lot of years, and one of the things that I truly enjoy is when I visit a city and I get a twofer! Recently, I visited Porto, Portugal and found that it was a twofer! Villa Nova de Gaia is the city across the river that makes the area complete. Porto is completely historic and scenic and a great place to visit, but if you really want to check out the sunset, cable cars, Port Wine, and less expensive everything; cross the river to the city affectionately called Gaia. It's a great way to get two different cities in one spot, and I'm always on the lookout for this situation.
Years ago, I visited Budapest, Hungary. I had no idea it was Buda and Pest. There you go. I learned a lot on that trip and the two cities are very different. Buda is more traditional, but Pest has some great things to see and do. Most people who visit don't even know that they're two cities combined until, as happened with me, a tour guide lets us know.
But you don't only see this situation in Europe. I've enjoyed many a time in Cincinnati, Ohio, where sports reign supreme, while enjoying the arts across the river in Newport on the Levee in Kentucky. There's even a pedestrian bridge or two that cross the river allowing us all to enjoy it as one. Great place.
Another great city combo is Istanbul. This is all one city, but it has a European side and an Asian side. This is the only major metropolitan area in the world divided by a waterway and straddling two continents. It's considered one of the most beautiful cities in the world and who wouldn't want to visit that?
And finally, one of my all time favorites is Niagara Falls. Ontario or New York? Either. Most of the famous stuff is on the Canadian side, but there are some once in a lifetime activities and views on the New York side as well. My advice? Don't visit without a passport from either side. You should visit it all when you're there.
https://www.lonelyplanet.com/hungary/budapest
https://whc.unesco.org/en/list/400/
https://www.visitportugal.com/en/destinos/porto-e-norte/73735
https://www.meetnky.com/cities/newport/
https://www.niagarafallslive.com/
There you have it. A little advice, a little bit of ideas, and some great ways to get around. Take it all in. Spring is coming soon, so if you want to skate on the Rideau; get there soon. It's time to plan, so hopefully this will help. In the meantime, get some new luggage, book a great trip and enjoy!
