Madrid is another of the great capitals of Europe to explore. It may lack the glitz of Barcelona or the popularity Seville, but it has plenty of romance of its own. It’s the home to Spanish Kings and Queens. It has a great medieval center to explore. Its museums are among the greatest in the world, and it has plenty of tapas bars and nightclubs.
Let’s start in the Puerto del Sol. This is one of Madrid’s most important squares. It’s a great central location to start from. In fact it’s the point in Spain from which all distances are measured. There are many hotels in the vicinity. You can catch the subway here or just walk to the main sights. It’s centrally located between the Plaza Mayor and the Royal Palace in one direction and the museums in the other direction.
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Popularity: 10%
As one of the most elusive predators in North America, the wolf is a creature worthy of fascination. And study. Winter in Gold Bridge, west of Lillooet, provides ample opportunity for up-close-and-personal views of these fearsome packs: each season Chilcotin Holidays, an adventure operator with over 19 years in the wild, showcases the landscape, along with its furry residents as part of their popular Wolf Viewing Safaris. Beginning in November, outings, on foot, four-wheel and even snowmobile, are mapped out by guides, each offering insight into the nature of resident wolf packs. (The vast wilderness between the Coast Mountains and the Chilcotin Plateau is a favoured wintering ground for moose and mule deer, common wolf prey.) A highlight? Call to the pack; a lone cry in return is sure to make the spine tingle. Celebrated for their focus on the great outdoors, Chilcotin Holidays also offers ice fishing, cross country skiing, snow shoeing and more – plus cosy accommodations, perfect for bunking down for the night. Time to heed the call of the wild.
Website: www.chilcotinholidays.com
Popularity: 5%
Plucking mushrooms from a fallen tree might seem like an odd afternoon in the wilds. Not in Northern British Columbia. Beginning the end of September until early November, forests are rife with golden buttons perfect for picking – a season set to showcase the local Nisga’a First Nations and their skill for harvesting the fruits of nature. With the Nisga’a Mushroom/Herb/Botanical Tours, operating daily, fellow foragers will learn first-hand which colourful gems are safe for consumption, which morsels provide a delicious and nutritious snack, and which herbs and botanicals were favoured by the elders when they had – interestingly enough – an upset stomach. Peeking through tangled moss that blankets the forest floor, seasonally-dependent species include pine, chanterelle and lobster mushrooms, while many edible herbs are also housed in abundance in BC’s north. Situated just north of Terrace, tours take place in the Nass Valley and include a lunch of traditional foods supplied by Nisga’a Elders, a recipe book to tantalize the tastebuds and your prized bounty plucked from its lush forest setting. For the Nisga’a, unearthing these rare botanical finds marks only one element of exploration: Lava Bed Cone Tours and investigation of intricate historic contraptions, Nisga’a Fish Wheels, are also available – all within a natural landscape boasting First Nations villages, cultural centres and traditional practices. www.ncgtourism.ca
Popularity: 4%
November marks the annual arrival of bald eagles to the region’s riverbanks – a yearly gathering in the Vancouver, Coast & Mountains region that shelters thousands of feathered wonders along the Fraser and Harrison rivers. While the sight is sure to draw the masses, it will also mark an opportunity to celebrate the winged phenomenon during the 2009 Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival, November 21 – 22. Set in a variety of locations between Mission and the District of Kent, spectators will congregate for views of some 1,200 eagles supping on salmon (figures have been tracked by local renowned biologist, lecturer and environmentalist, David Hancock). And while eagles can shift locations from early morning to late evening, an array of ideal viewing spots can be had: the Chehalis Estuary, just a single kilometre in width, is so concentrated with bald eagles it has the distinction as one of largest gathering places of a single predator anywhere in the world. A gentle glide with Fraser River Safari, complete with snacks and cosy comfort, affords awesome vantage points to spot birds of prey dotted along the trees; land lubbers can relax at Tapadera Estates, nestled within a tent, complete with a roaring fire, refreshments, and a bird’s eye view. Additional attractions include walking tours, environmental presentations featuring naturalists and interpreters, views of historic and ancient First Nations sites, display of works by local artists and plenty of hands-on activities and entertainment. Just make sure you pack your binoculars. www.fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca
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So where do Olympians – past, present and potential – hang out between Games? One popular spot is Sun Peaks Resort, just five hours from Vancouver in the province’s Thompson Okanagan region. It’s here that Nancy Greene, an Olympic Gold and Silver Medalist, Canada’s Female Athlete of the Century, Canadian Senator and the resort’s Director of Skiing, leads mountain tours most weekends during the ski season and even offers private lessons. Other Olympians regularly seen about the mountain village are Albertville Winter Games Olympic speed skiers Kenny Dale and Lark Frolek. Present-day Olympic hopefuls living or training in Sun Peaks and nearby Kamloops include alpine skier Elli Terwiel, who’s currently training with the national development team; top-ranked snowboarders Matthew Morison and Carly Thorp; and speed skater Jessica Hewitt. And it’s not just locals making the most of Sun Peaks’ great slopes. The Austrian Ski Team, for example, has trained at the resort since 2004, and will base at least part of the team here during the 2010 Winter Games. Members of BC’s First Nations Snowboard Team regularly train at Sun Peaks’ terrain park and, in March 2009, Paralympic hopefuls tested the resort’s slopes during the TELUS Para-alpine Canadian Championships. Of course you don’t have to be an Olympian to enjoy Sun Peaks. Come winter, there’s 122 runs of fluffy powder, 40 kilometres of groomed Nordic trails, one terrain park (complete with three sections suited for varying ability levels), a tube park, outdoor skating, sleigh rides, snowshoeing, dogsledding, snowmobile tours, and even Sun Peaks’ own brand of nine hole fun: snowshoe golf. www.sunpeaksresort.com
Popularity: 4%
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