Category: Overseas Travel

Take my advice, Paris is a great starting point for your European travels. Often referred to as the city of lights, it is a bustling, multi-cultural metropolitan city that is alive and vibrant with endless culture and history; you can’t help but feel a true sense of joie de vivre.

We didn’t plan anything beyond the first two days in order to maintain the most flexibility for our travels, but we had decided before hand that we would spend those first days at Disneyland Paris. When we arrived we caught the train from the airport to Marne la Vallee, and walked to our hotel in Val d’Europe. I won’t spend a lot of time talking about Disneyland. It was a good way to get our bearings, and to start planning the next leg of the trip, but I think because we had such a great time in Hong Kong Disney, that the Paris Disney paled in comparison. That’s not a bad thing, but I think it reinforces the simple truth that you can’t recreate experiences.

Once we got settled, we moved hotels downtown and got started on the real exploration we were craving. On the list was the Louvre, the Catacombs, the Arc de Triomphe, Notre Dame and last but not least, the Eiffel Tower.

Our first stop was the Catacombs. What are they you ask? Human bones, lot’s of human bones. Most of the great buildings and monuments in Paris are built from stone mined from under the city. By the eighteenth century, Paris had issues with overflowing cemeteries, and they decided to use the leftover mine tunnels as a way to store the remains. It is estimated that there are the remains of up to six million people stored in the catacombs. I’ll admit its a bit morbid, but it’s a really cool experience, and totally worth the visit. My only suggestion is to get the online quick pass to jump the line. The cue for admission without the fast pass is hours long, and you’ve got better things to do rather than hang out in a never ending line.

The next stop was an all day visit to the Louvre, and it got off to a rocky start. We took the twenty minute subway ride to the terminal underneath the Louvre, and headed to the entrance, only to realize we left our pre-booked tickets back at the hotel because we hadn’t discussed who would bring them. After a quick round of finger pointing we decided my wife would make the mad rush back to get them and hopefully make it back in time to enter within the specified timeframe. Suffice to way, it was a stressful start, but she made it back in the nick of time. This may have influenced the reason my wife’s favourite part of the museum was that they served wine in the cafeteria.

Full disclosure, I won’t be able to do the Louvre justice in my blog. You could spend a month inside and not see everything; nor have the time to fully appreciate what it means to be so close to the great works of art from around the world. The museum is an exhibit unto itself, the architecture, ornate design and painted ceilings leave your senses overwhelmed, and the exhibit sections combine to form a seemingly endless labyrinth of hallways and corridors adorned with statues, tapestries, paintings and antiquities. For a history buff like me and my son it was heaven; for my wife and daughter, a never ending day, but they were troopers.

I would be remiss if I didn’t mention the Mona Lisa, one of the world’s most famous works of art. I’ll admit, I don’t understand what makes it so esteemed, especially considering all of the other great works of art at the Louvre, but I’m also not an art major. I did enjoy elbowing my way through the scrum of people working their way to the front of the line to catch an unobstructed view of her portrait; the experience of getting through the mass of people is almost more memorable than seeing the painting itself. That aside, the Louvre is an incredible opportunity to look into the windows of history through the eyes and painted expression of the artists themselves. Truly awe inspiring!

After the Louvre we walked through the courtyard, past the reflecting ponds, and connected to Champs-Elysées. The historic walk along the boulevard is a straight line to the Arc de Triomphe; a 50 meter high monument dedicated to French military engagements and fallen soldiers. This iconic monument is worth the time when visiting Paris. On the way, we also took a ride on the Big Wheel at Place de la Concorde; from the top of the ferris wheel you get unobstructed views of the surrounding area.

While walking around, stop and have a Nutella crepe from one of the street vendors, this simple treat gets my vote for one of the best street foods ever!

The next day we made our way to Notre Dame Cathedral. Often referred to as the best example of French Gothic architecture, it’s most famous for its use of flying buttresses in the exterior design. When you enter the Cathedral you are immediately taken aback at the size of the interior and you can’t help but feel humbled by the experience. The outer walls are lined with ornate stained glass, sculptures and paintings; while the centre is reserved for mass, with rows of pews facing the sanctuary. We were fortunate to have visited on a Sunday, while mass was taking place. To be present and witness a service, with all of the somber pomp and ceremony that entails was a wonderful experience. It’s really great that the patrons of Notre Dame allow visitors during mass, what a fantastic way to gain a full appreciation of this historic institution.

Behind the Cathedral is a park that leads you onto the walkway above the Seine River. From Notre Dame it’s about a five kilometre walk to the Eiffel Tower. You can easily catch a cab or a bus, but I highly recommend walking. The scenery along the river is beautiful, and there are lots of little shops and cafe’s along the way. Just beyond the Eiffel Tower is Île aux Cygnes. This small, artificial island on the Seine River is home to a quarter size replica of the Statue of Liberty that was unveiled in 1889, and for any movie buffs, featured in the second National Treasure movie.

The Eiffel Tower is amazing to see in person. It rises high on the Paris skyline, and is an absolute requirement to ascend. If you do nothing else while you’re in Paris, take the time to visit the tower. You can get off at different levels, but if you’re not afraid of heights, the top level is the place to go. The views of Paris are spectacular; you can see the city sprawl into the distance, and get a birds eye view of the many historic sites. At the top they also have a place to buy a glass of champagne, that somehow makes the view all that more enjoyable when shared with your travel buddy….my daughter may also have a first memory of sipping some bubbly, but I won’t confirm or deny.

Paris has a really cool vibe. The old cobble stone streets, narrow alleyways, and sidewalk cafes are everything I had envisioned. Although we took in the highlights, we barely scratched the surface of the things to do. You can get anywhere in the city by train, subway or bus, but walk as much as you can, there’s so much to see. Aside from a few meals at cafes, we mainly ate baguettes or bought groceries to make our own. Ending the day with fresh bread, cheese and wine was pure bliss. We loved our time here, but the next stop was Berlin by train.

During spring break we decided it was time to push ourselves a little further and do a backpacking trip across Europe. The kids are now at an age where they could self manage their own gear, and backpacking gave us the mobility and flexibility to be more adventurous in our travels.

We decided to use Paris as our starting point, and move through as many countries as possible before circling back to Paris to fly home. We managed to pack in six different countries over the three weeks we were there, and I’ll blog about each of them separately to give them the attention they each rightfully deserve.

Our plan, was not to plan. Aside from the first two nights, we didn’t book any other hotels or transportation, and beyond that we booked and planned as we went. Crazy you say? Perhaps, but boy did it work out well. In fairness, there is a real trade off travelling like this, you have maximum flexibility, but you run the risk of not having a place to stay, or getting stuck somewhere along the way. For us, the risk was worth the reward.

This is a great time to discuss the interpersonal dynamics of travelling with family. Trying to get four people, with our own distinct personalities, moving in the same direction can be a real challenge. Everyone has goods days, bad days, and everything in between. The real trick is trying to find a groove and tempo that works for everyone; knowing when to take a break, and when to capitalize on energy. Full disclosure, it’s not always rainbows and unicorns.

We’ve found that it’s important for everyone to have a role. First, I need to give full props to my wife. My ride or die travel buddy, who has the attention to detail and computer savvy to research and book our hotels and transport on the move. This was no small feat, but we didn’t have one bad stay throughout, and we never missed a connection. She’s Amazing Race good when it comes to those sorts of details, and if left to me, we would have likely been sleeping in bus stations. The kids took on the role of helping to navigate and figure out public transportation, signage and general directions. They did an amazing job, and I think really learned a lot as a result. What was my role? Thats a good question, and in truth I think I’m the one who fills the gaps. In the end, reaching a destination becomes a group accomplishment, and whether the kids fully realize it yet or not, they were contributors to our travelling success.

This was one of the best trips of my life, and I enjoyed every country we visited, and was pleasantly surprised by a few. In truth, my biggest learning lesson from this trip was that we have come a long way as explorers, and we have the ability to take on so much more. Our next trip, which is in the works, will push our boundaries a little bit further! I’m also growing more confident in the kids ability to take on their own adventures as they grow, and witnessing that growth is priceless; ultimately I hope it gives them the confidence to make the world their stage.

If you have ever ordered an Apple product, odds are that the place of origin on your devices shipping receipt is Shenzhen, China. It also happens that this is the closest city in China to get to from Hong Kong, so we decided to take a day trip and check it out. Shenzhen is a financial and manufacturing hub, strategically located across the border with Hong Kong in order to maximize economic and trade benefits. It has grown significantly over the last two decades, and as a result, the city is very modern and vibrant. To get there from Hong Kong, it’s a two hour ride on the subway (MTR) from Hung Hom Station right to the border.

This side trip is a good example of where tour companies can come in handy. Canadians require a visa to enter China, and you typically need to apply for one before hand, (which we didn’t) but if you book with a tour company they will get you a day visa for entry. Tours typically include your transportation, meals and entry to exhibits, but the down side is you’re stuck on the tour, and they typically squeeze in some sort of forced shopping event.

The subway ride from Hung Hom to the border provides some really cool views heading out of town and through the sprawling suburbs. When you arrive at the last stop, you disembark into the train station and walk across a narrow river bridge that separates Hong Kong and China. Once we cleared through Immigration we were loaded onto our bus and headed to the Shenzhen Museum.

The museum itself is a somewhat nondescript building, but located downtown on beautiful grounds. There were some interesting exhibits at the museum, and good information on local history, but it lacked a feeling of richness and depth. I was expecting more antiquities and history, but I think it reflects the fact that Shenzhen is so young and has grown so quickly as an economic hub that the real exhibit is the city itself.

Following the museum we made the mandatory stop at a local jewelry store. This isn’t uncommon on guided tours, and it’s my major turn off from using them. Once there we were funnelled in, listened to the pitch and then were left to shop; or in my case, pace the isles with an increasing sense of claustrophobia. My wife has more pleasant memories of this experience that include being served green tea and a horse statue from the Terracotta Warrior exhibit, but I think my memory is skewed from the feeling of being confined. I am clearly not a shopper, and inevitably, there is always someone in the group who wants to haggle for whatever trinket has caught their eye, with some misguided belief that they’re going to get a steal of a deal, while everyone else is held hostage to the insane back and forth negotiation playing out for all to hear. Just when you think it’s almost over, they say “can I see that one over there”, and it starts all over again, while I move one step closer to losing my mind. I can’t even remember leaving, but I sure remember every painful moment of being there.

By this point you’re thinking that sounds like a crappy trip, and I get that, but here’s where it gets good. From the obligatory shopping trip we went for lunch at a local hotel. We ate dim sum as a group, and it was one of the best meals I have ever had. The sampling of food was beautifully presented and sumptuous, I dare say, worth every minute trapped in the jewelry store.

Prior to finishing lunch my wife lovingly lectured the three of us to make sure we took advantage of the restrooms prior to heading out. This was due to a surprise earlier in the week when we discovered that public rest rooms are the traditional squat toilets, and not the western design we’re used to. Not the end of the world, but it’s one of those unexpected, learn in the moment type of experiences. As a quick travel tip, handicap stalls are typically western style if you want to avoid popping a squat.

After lunch, we had a choice of heading to the local shopping mall, or taking in one of three theme parks. We chose to go to the Splendid China Folk Village. This turned out to be a great choice as we were the only ones who elected to go there. It’s a 30 hectare property consisting of gardens, walking paths and exhibits. They have miniature models of some of Chinas best known sites, such as the Terracotta Warriors and the Forbidden City, and the kids had a blast walking around the grounds and seeing the tiny exhibits; it was also great not being confined to the tour group.

Driving from site to site turned out to be one of the most memorable experiences that day. It was fascinating to witness the dichotomy between the busy city streets, beautiful architecture and luxury cars, versus the sights of street vendors, labourers and workers pulling carts overloaded with lumber, cardboard or plastics weaving in and out of traffic. I was left with the real sense that Shenzhen is a city on the move; a hive of activity that is feeding the global economy.

If you are planning to take this side trip, make sure you exchange some money ahead of time. The Chinese currency is called the “Yuan”, or “Renminbi”. I found that there were a few times it would have been nice to have some cash on hand, and Hong Kong Dollars are not widely accepted in Shenzhen.

At the end of the day we regrouped at the Luohu Train Station and headed back through Customs to the Hong Kong side for the train ride back to Hung Hom Station. If you’ve read the rest of my posts, you’re probably thinking this wasn’t the best of trips, but for me, I left inspired to want to travel more in China. The city was beautiful, the people friendly, and the exhibits at Splendid China Folk Village made me realize how much there was to see and do in China, so I will definitely be back…..but not on a guided tour, and definitely no jewelry stores!

One of the advantages of travelling through smaller countries, is it often presents you with the opportunity to do side trips in neighbouring countries; and it’s a great way to maximize your time and ability to take in additional sites.

Once we were in Hong Kong we decided to take a day trip to Macau. It’s only a 55 minutes journey by Turbo Jet Ferry over to Macau, and if you grab a window seat, you can get some really nice views. Macau itself is most famous as a luxurious gambling hub, and I can assure you there is no shortage of casinos. As you can guess, this was a family day trip, so we didn’t stick around to experience the nightlife, but I can imagine it must be quite something to see…..I’ve added it to my future “empty nester” trip list for us!

So if not gambling, what is there to do? Actually, Macau has quite a history. It’s now a special administrative zone of China, but up until the late-nineties it was a Portuguese colony that was established in the late sixteenth century.

Our first stop was the A-Ma taoist temple. The shrine was built in the late fourteen hundreds, and is now considered a UNESCO World Heritage site. The temple is built into the side of hill, so there’s a lot of up-hill walking to see the entire site. It’s also a very busy location, so you need to be patient as you work your way up the narrow steps to the top; and although it’s a large tourist draw, it’s still a religious site, so you need to be respectful of the fact that people are praying and making offerings at the censers around the property. It’s also believed that this was the first place that Portuguese explorers came ashore when they first arrived in Macau.

After exploring the temple we made our way over to the Ruins of St. Paul’s Catholic Church. This is also a world heritage site, but the only part still standing is the church facade, perimeter walls and the original footprint. The original structure was destroyed by fire in the later part of the eighteenth century, but this is still a fantastic site to explore. The steps leading from the courtyard up to the church give you a wonderful view of the surrounding area, and the inner yard has some see-through flooring around the perimeter to see the grounds underneath the main yard. Definitely worth the time, and an interesting glimpse into Macau’s past.

Right next door to the Ruins of St. Paul’s is the Fortaleza do Monte (Fortress of Our Lady of the Mount of St. Paul). This fortress was originally built by the Jesuit priests in the early sixteen hundreds to protect their new colony from invasions; specifically from pirates and later Dutch explorers. Today it is home to the Museum of Macau, and you are able to explore the grounds, and roof top fortifications, which provides some unbelievable views.

We then made a quick stop at the Macau Tower, which provides a birds eye view of the city and the surrounding area, but by this time the kids were starting to loose steam, so we toured some of the shops in the mall and made our way back to the ferry terminal. This turned out to be a long day of exploring, but totally worth the time to see the country and explore some historic sites around the city. The ferry ride back gave us some much needed time to recharge and rest up. Overall, I recommend Macau as a nice day trip, unless you want to do some gambling or check out the nightlife; otherwise the city is small enough you don’t need too much more time to see the high points and take in the city.

Check out more photos of this trip and others in the photo gallery!

The challenge with airline points programs is that people get frustrated because they can’t always book where they want to go. To me, that’s the wrong approach, they should be asking themselves where can I go on points. If not for that question, we may never have ended up in Hong Kong!

It actually started with one goal. The kids had reached the age where we wanted to take them to Disneyland. The problem was that we couldn’t get to California on points and we needed to use them; so we started looking around the world at places that fit the bill, and voilà, Hong Kong became a possibility. We had always wanted to explore Asia, and this gave us the perfect opportunity to combine some exploration with a day trip to see Mickey and Minnie.

What makes Hong Kong such a great destination if you’ve never travelled in Asia before is its ease of navigation. As a former British Colony, English is spoken everywhere, and signage is almost always in both languages. The subway system is amazingly integrated, and can get you almost anywhere in the city; as well, there are lots of app’s you can download ahead of time on city maps, transportation, and tourist sites. When you arrive you can also purchase and load an “Octopus” card that is accepted on all transit systems, as well as many businesses. It will make getting on and off public transit really convenient.

Although we do a lot of research prior to our trips, we don’t often commit to anything before arriving. This approach works for us, but I realize it might cause others a lot of stress. We’ve found that hitting the ground with a clean slate gives us maximum flexibility to explore on our schedule, and change things up depending on what opportunities arise.

On this trip, we chose to stay downtown so we were on the transit lines and had a central starting point. As luck would have it the hotel was adjacent to a mall that had a wonderful bakery in it, which made eating on-the-go a breeze. At the end of the day we would stock up, and be ready to head out the door bright and early.

Our first priority was to check out the city. We hopped a bus and hit some of the tourist sites. First stop was Victoria Peak and a ride up the Peak Tram. It’s a very busy spot, and you’re going to wait in line for a bit, but it’s worth the wait to experience the ride. The incline up the hill is quite steep, so you have the illusion that the buildings you pass by are actually tilted. At the top you can climb the lookout which provides unbelievable views of the city and harbour.

Another short bus ride away and we caught a ride on a “junk” boat for a harbour tour. This was a great experience. You always get a different perspective when you see the city from the water, and are part of the hustle and bustle of a working waterfront. From the dock we headed out past the “Jumbo Floating Restaurant” which is quite an impressive structure to see it up close; we didn’t have time to make it back for dinner, but the boat tour was worth the time, and really enjoyable.

We then headed over to the Stanley Market which is essentially a series of small vendor stalls, in a maze of tiny alleyways where you can barter over souvenirs and knick-knacks. Shopping is not a huge draw for me, but that’s no reason not to go. The market is right on the water, and we got a great view of the sunset from the boardwalk, before jumping on a bus and heading back to the hotel for the night.

On one of the nights we caught a ride on the famous Star Ferries over to Kowloon Bay to catch a dinner cruise. The Star Ferry has been in operation since 1888, and is an icon on the Hong Kong waterfront. I have seen them in many movies over the years, and it was neat to actually ride on it. As for the dinner cruise, my advice is to skip this one. Although you end up in a prime location to watch the famous harbour laser light show, it was something I could have passed on. It was way too busy, the food was dodgy, and at some point you just feel trapped when the band starts playing and the dancing begins. However, once we disembarked, experiencing the night life on the street while getting back to the hotel was wonderful.

Then there was Disneyland. It was the original objective of this trip, and it turned out to be a magical day, pun intended. We took the subway to the park, and arrived right when it opened. After finding a site map, we huddled as a family inside the main gates trying to plot out our strategy for the day. We were approached by a park worker who started asking us where we were from, and how we liked Hong Kong, and so on. After a few minutes, he said he would like to give us a gift and asked us to follow him to the administration building. When we arrived, we found out that he wanted us to be the grand marshals of the mid-day parade. With an agreement to return later, we headed out to enjoy the park. When we returned at the prescribed time we were ushered into a room and waited until they were ready. They presented us with Mickey Mouse ears with our names embroidered on them and given oversized mouse hands to wear. We were then escorted to the back of the park and loaded onto an open air antique auto where the parade began. Our job, to wave and look happy; no problem! What a great experience, and it made it a day none of us will ever forget. I had never been to a Disneyland before, and I’m really glad we chose to visit one overseas; it really enhanced the whole trip, making it all the more memorable.

The next day we decided to check out Ocean Park, which is another big theme park in Hong Kong. This made our list because they have a Panda Bear exhibit, and if we’re coming all this way, Pandas are definitely on the to-do list. The park itself is on a very large site, build on the side of a mountain, so each of the parks sections are separated from each other in distance and elevation. We had a really good time walking around, enjoying the rides and exhibits, but this may be a good time to disclose another one of my vices. I’ve already shared my love of trains, but I also love roller coasters; the bigger the better, and Ocean Park does not disappoint. Within the park is a roller coaster called the “hair raiser”. It is essentially a suspended coaster with several loopy-loops, one of which extends out over the cliff with a view straight down to the water below. Not for the faint of heart, but what an adrenaline rush!

On one of our last days my wife and son weren’t feel well and needed a break, so me and my daughter decided to head out to Lantau Island to see the Tian Tan Buddha. The subway gets you within walking distance to the Ngong Ping 360 cable car, and I’m not sure if it’s the longest one in the world, but it must be close. The ride is about 30 minutes, and you disembark in a small village with lots of little shops and restaurants. We headed straight for the buddha, and ascended the 268 steps to the top. This is a religious site and is adjacent to the Po Lin Monastery. The experience was serene and awe inspiring. To climb the stairs up to the statue, and then explore the monastery below was simply amazing. To be present and see the large censers where people were burning incense, and to smell the sweet clouds of smoke fill the air, you’re left with a feeling of peace and wonderment. I wish my wife and son could have been there with us, but I will forever cherish having this shared memory with my daughter. It certainly left an impression on the both of us.

I wish I could talk about all of the great meals we enjoyed, but this trip was so packed with site seeing, that we never really stopped for a family meal. However, we did manage two side trips from Hong Kong that I will write about in separate posts; Macau and Shenzhen; it was in the later that we had the best dim sum I’ve ever tasted. Until then, think about adding Hong Kong to your travel bucket list, you won’t be disappointed.