By Lucy Culpepper
ITWPA Member

The ski town of Cauterets, in France’s Hautes-Pyrenees department, has a lot to offer a family with mixed interests or varying skiing abilities. This historic town first became a tourist destination back in the 16th century when Queen Marguerite of Navarre visited with her court to take, and bathe in, the mineral-rich waters -- said to be a cure for respiratory problems, throat and nose ailments and arthritic aches and pains. Tourism peaked during the Victorian era. Its legacy is the handsome buildings with balustrades and delicate metal balconies. Cauterets, the ski town, was developed in the 1960s but does not feel like a resort as it is lived in year round, giving it a charming, welcoming feeling.

The famous healing waters (even today French doctors prescribe three week-long stays for their patients!) make a great skiing partner. At the end of a day’s skiing you can soak in the thermal waters in an impressive new spa, the Bains du Rocher. Les Bains have an indoor and outdoor pool, gymnasiums, a yoga room, massage rooms, a solarium, and steam rooms -- in fact, everything to pamper a ski-worn body. A combination family ski/spa pass (called Aquaschuss) is available for 169 euros per person (based on 2 adults + 2 children). The pass gives you six full-day ski passes and five two-hour passes to the spa.

Why is Cauterets a great ski destination for families? It has a little of everything so the whole family can do what they like without being miles apart. The Cirque du Lys ski field -- an exciting 12-minute cable car ride up the mountain from the village -- lies at an elevation between 2,450 and 8,000 feet, making it one of the highest Pyrenean resorts, and the first and last to have snow. There are 22 miles of downhill runs with four categories to suit different abilities, a freeboard area, guided snow-shoeing and a huge cross-country (or Nordic) skiing zone at the forested Pont d’Espagne.

There are supervised crèches on the slopes, and the town has a number of vacation clubs where you can safely leave your children (from two months old) while you hit the black runs or take off for a day’s cross country through the forests of Pont d’Espagne. You and your children can sign up for lessons (in English) with the famous French Ski School (ESF) or chill out for a day or two exploring the town. Or go further afield to visit Lourdes castle and the famous Lourdes grotto (a 40-minute drive/taxi ride).

A fun in-town activity is to watch candy being made in one of the town’s Berlingots stores. Berlingots date back to the 1800s when an enterprising doctor prescribed sugar to get rid of the lingering sulphur taste of the thermal waters. This gave birth to the Berlingots candy industry. Today this hard bon bon comes in several flavors and colors. You can watch them being made in Cauterets by Eric Lestable, who hails from a long line of Berlingots makers.

Cauterets is also a family-friendly place for après-ski. There are lots of well-run restaurants that have menus catering to adults and children. If you stay in self-catering apartments there’s a cute market with all the typical fresh French foods, three small supermarkets, bakeries, delis and wine shops. Once you are in the town you can get to everything on foot (including picking up your ski equipment if you rented it).

And if you choose Cauterets for a Christmas vacation your children will see Santa coming down from his snowy domain on Christmas Eve in the Cauterets cable car!

How to get to Cauterets:

By Air
The two closest airports are Lourdes-Tarbes (30-minute drive) and Pau Pyrenees (75-minute drive)
Toulouse International airport is approximately a 2-hour drive.

Lourdes Airport
Ryanair: from London, Stanstead. See www.ryanair.com for timings and prices.
Air France: from Paris Orly
Bmi Baby: from Manchester, UK

Pau Airport
Ryanair: from London, Stanstead, Paris Beauvais, Bruxelles (Belgium)
Air France: Paris Orly, Paris Roisy, Lyon

Car Hire
The major car hire companies are at Toulouse, Lourdes and Pau airports.

Taxi to Cauterets
Taxis are available from all airports to Cauterets. You will need to book in advance.
Taxis can take up to six people with baggage. If you are staying at Mulcares (see below) they will be happy to organize your taxi for you.

By Train: www.eurostar.com
Paris to Lourdes (duration is about 6 hours). From Lourdes train station there is a regular bus direct to Cauterets (duration one hour) or you can take a taxi.

Accommodation/Where to Stay
Family-friendly apartments (British owners): www.mulcares.com
Hotels: www.cauterets.com/cauterets2006/indexhtml.php?url=us/hiver/formuleshotelieres.php

Online Resources
Cauterets town and ski info: (English version) www.cauterets.com/cauterets2006/index.php?langue=us&saison=hiver
Bains du Rocher thermal baths: www.bains-rocher.fr/
Ski rental: http://www.intersport-rent.fr/
 

If you wish to purchase this article for your publication, click here to contact the author directly.

By Burt Deeter
ITWPA Member


Looking for a hill where the powder is plentiful and the lift lines are short? Look no further than Mount Baker Ski Area. Easily accessible from both Vancouver, British Columbia, and Seattle, WA, Mount Baker holds the current World Record Snowfall with 1,140 inches during the 1998/99 year. The yearly average snowfall is 647 inches and it's not uncommon to get 14 inches in a single day.

By comparison, Vail, CO, averages only 350 inches and Squaw Valley 450 inches.

Situated a reasonable eighty-minute drive from bustling Bellingham, in the northern Cascades, Mount Baker is truly a skier's and snowboarder's delight, and yes, they both coexist happily on this exceptional mountain.

The sport of snowboarding was pioneered at Mount Baker. It was one of the first areas to encourage snowboarding and is still home to many world-class boarders. Mount Baker currently hosts the longest-running snowboarding event in the world. This year will see the 26th annual Banked Slalom event, which attracts racers and spectators from around the globe.

Skiers are also welcome at Mount Baker and come for the stunning panoramic views, the well-groomed runs, the seemingly unlimited powder, and the challenges that the mountain presents...for all levels of proficiency.

In addition to all of that, it's one of the best value lift tickets anywhere! Daily lift tickets for adults on weekends are just $49.50. Youth, Senior, Super Senior and Weekday rates are also available. For this very reasonable sum you can explore 1,500 vertical feet serviced by eight up-to-date quad chairs.

The drive to Mount Baker is worth the trip whether you ski or not. The Mount Baker Scenic Highway follows the valley past manicured Christmas tree farms and beside the North Fork Nooksack River through ancient stands of towering cedars and hemlocks.

On the way up, be sure to stop at the Wake ’n Bakery in Glacier for a shot of caffeine. Across the street is the legendary Mount Baker Snowboard shop. Often, due to the temperate climate, the road along the valley is bare and wet. It’s only during the last ten miles that winter conditions exist as the ascent to the mountain begins. The panoramic views make it difficult to keep your eyes on the road!

After a day on the slopes, you’ll be feeling ravenous. Luckily, several excellent restaurants litter the way home. Choose between traditional pizza and beer or gourmet Italian. The first possibility is the newly opened Chair 9 restaurant, near Glacier, where oven-baked pizza awaits. In Glacier, you could stop in at Milano’s for gourmet Italian food. Be sure to scan the daily specials before ordering! Across the highway is Graham’s, a feature in the area for more than a century. In this restaurant, you can warm yourself beside a wood stove that’s been enjoyed by movie stars and locals alike.

If you’re looking for a funkier ambience, travel down the road to the North Fork Beer Shrine. This microbrewery is home to a fabulous collection of vintage beer cans and bottles, as well as legendary thin crust pizza.

There are no accommodations on the mountain as the ski area is located within the Mount Baker-Snoqualmie National Forest. However, lots of cabins are available for weekend or weekly rental in or near Glacier, a short twenty-five minutes from the hill. Those who prefer to stay in a city can scoot down the highway for another hour to Bellingham and find everything you'd expect in a vibrant, growing community.

If you go:
Take I-5 to exit #255 and follow highway #542 to the end.
Check out:
http://www.mtbaker.us/
http://www.mtbakerchamber.org/index.htm
http://www.bellingham.org/

If you wish to purchase this article for your publication, you can contact the author directly here.

By Llyn Wren

Your heart beats with anticipation as you enter the small terminal on the island of Roatan, Bay Islands, Honduras in the Caribbean. Your eyes scan the crowd, searching for the sign with your name on it. A huge smile crosses the face of the owner of One Fish Two Fish Charters & Island Oasis. Waving in excitement, you exchange greetings.

Roatan has become famous for its golden beaches, coral reefs with their exceptional diving spots, and deep-sea fishing. The island is approximately 37 miles long and 5 miles wide, and you can get around easily from anywhere on it. There are cars and scooters to rent. Buses and taxis travel most of the island, and in the West End you can take a water taxi.

This visit you are moving away from the hustle and bustle of the West End to the eastern part of the island.

One Fish Two Fish Charters & Island Oasis, owned by Canadians Wendy and Andrew Flood, is located in Punta Blanca, a small community of Hondurans and expats situated just past Oakridge.

As you travel over the rustic road the tropical sun beating through the window radiates through your body. The gentle breeze like the coolness of expensive silk caresses your body, calming you even more. The aroma of the emerald green foliage covering the banks fills your soul. You are at peace.

You venture out onto The Wahoo cabana’s eight-foot deck. Fingers of the crystal clear Caribbean Sea lap over the living coral reef. Your body tingles with the excitement of exploring this magnificent wonder, knowing that you can snorkel from right here. You can hardly wait for your scuba diving activity. The Tropical Island Divers will pick you up right at the Punta Blanca community dock.

You see the lustrous wavy pattern of the gentle water lapping in the Infinity pool directly to your right. As you step into the freely flowing liquid you are immediately held in the arms of this tranquil and peaceful womblike structure. You feel totally nurtured. All is right with the world.

La Paz (Spanish for peace) sits bobbing in the sea, waiting for your deep sea fishing expedition with Andrew. On board, your eyes close as you feel the gentle movement. Jiggling your fishing rod up and down you wait for that fish to bite. You are safe and with a skillful and accomplished guide.

Evenings find you relaxing on the pool deck as the aroma of your succulent lobster fills the air from the BBQ.

The week flies by and as you board your plane to fly back home you know that you will return, perhaps bringing friends. They could rent The Grouper as Wendy and Andrew have two cottages for rent.

The Grouper: Sleeps three to four, has one bedroom with a queen size bed and a fold down double bed in the living room. This cottage has a fully operational kitchen, hot and cold water and a full bathroom. $350/week

The Wahoo: Sleeps two, studio style with a queen size bed and a single day bed. It has a fully operational kitchen, living area, hot and cold water with a full bathroom, and a huge deck. $325/week

The cottages are for rent on a daily, weekly, or monthly basis.

For more information and to book your experience:
http://www.onefishtwofishcharters.com

If you wish to purchase this article for your publication, click here to contact the author directly.

By Erin Michelle Faverty


Carmel-by-the-Sea has a special appeal in the early hours before the main shops open on Ocean Avenue at 10:00 am. On most days a silent fog covers the village and muffles the morning sounds, creating the calm, peaceful impression of being held in a soft blanket by the town. In these hours it is easy to see how so many painters and craftspeople found inspiration in this former artist enclave on the edge of the Pacific Ocean between Los Angeles and San Francisco.

From the top of Ocean Avenue a gentle slope of art galleries, high-end retail shops and hidden eateries invites you down to Carmel’s elegant beach. Find a seat for brunch on the outdoor patio at Katy’s Place on Mission Street by 9:30 to avoid the crowds. Bring cash to cover The Katy Combo (approximately $20 per person) as this small local favorite doesn’t accept credit. The Katy Combo comes with eggs, bacon and a stack of Katy’s mysteriously tasty sand dollar pancakes, which satisfy with a sweet twist of flavor.

After breakfast, take advantage of the morning by picking up a café mocha to-go from The Carmel Coffee House located down a narrow alley past The Club Next Door, then head out to explore the shops as they open. If you traveled with a pet or are a dog lover, peer in the windows of Diggidy Dog Pet Boutique on the southwest corner of Mission Street and Ocean Avenue and admire the designer dog and cat attire and bakery of treats. These come at couture prices, but the staff generously greets canine visitors with free treats.

Just as the fog bank begins its daily journey out to sea the streets will fill with chatty pedestrians and helpless cars slowing to make way for tourists. Avoid getting overwhelmed by ducking into The Cheese Shop and enjoy samples of international cheeses and wines. On most days the owner can be seen attracting large groups of listeners as he details individual cheeses and the reasons each one is the best, as well as humorously correcting common mispronunciations.

Once you’ve had your fill of wine and cheese, venture over to Bruno’s Market & Deli on Junipero Street for a picnic you can take to the beach. A half pound of sliced tri-tip meat, a baguette and a selection of locally-made Lula’s Chocolates make for an affordable midday meal for two. Choose a bottle with a screw-off top from the selection of local wines and a couple of plastic cups; this will allow you to enjoy your time on the beach with ease. If you’re lucky enough to be in Carmel on a Wednesday night in the summer months, return here for Kona Jerry’s barbeque, which Bruno’s hosts just inside their doors. At the barbeque station you can get pork ribs and chicken roasted with Hawaiian flare and listen to Kona Jerry himself discuss his passion for delicious foods.

To fully enjoy Carmel Beach’s unique atmosphere, find a cozy spot past 12th Street in one of the many rolling coves and soak up the views of the world famous Pebble Beach Golf Course along with multitudes of happy surfers catching waves and pups roaming off their leashes.

Once the sun settles behind the horizon and the fog begins to roll over the town again, finish off your evening with a trip to Mundaka’s, a modern Spanish tapas bar with an intimate setting and cheap sangria. As you return to your bed, you can feel confident that you’ve experienced the best of local fare in Carmel-by-the-Sea without emptying your pocketbook.

If you wish to purchase this article for your publication, click here to contact the author directly.

By Richard Harris
ITWPA Member


7:00 a.m.   

From the 10th floor of your hotel, you look down on Chicago’s Michigan Avenue and the Magnificent Mile as the city comes to life. Anchored on the south by the Chicago River and on the north by the John Hancock Tower, “The Mile” is known for its posh, trendy stores and classy restaurants. Walking to the elevator, you wonder if it’s possible to find an inexpensive breakfast amidst such opulence. The grumble in your stomach reminds you to stay on task.

“Good and cheap?” the hotel bellhop asks. He points down Michigan Avenue. “You want Mary’s. Go to the corner, turn right, it’s a block away.”

Mary’s Café is a narrow, one-story brick structure, easily missed if you’re in a hurry. Located at 215 East Grand Avenue, Mary’s is open every day from 6:00 a.m. until 3:00 p.m.

“Sit anywhere you want,” a smiling waitress says, gesturing with a carafe of coffee. Mary’s specializes in “skillets:” Sausage or Bacon Skillet, Veggie, Italian, Chicken Fajita and Corned Beef Hash Skillet. There are also omelets and a variety of sides. Almost everything costs less than $12.

You order the Corned Beef Hash Skillet, covered with two eggs, toast and tea ($11). Served within minutes, it’s hot, delicious and filling. Sated, you spend the morning strolling The Mile.

12:00 p.m.

Like your lunch with a twist? Try Flat Top Grill, located at 1000 W. Washington Boulevard. A 10-minute taxi ride from The Mile, the Grill offers an impressive array of vegetables, meats and seafood. Moreover, the Grill lets you mix items according to your palate.

A waitress whose smile could melt a glacier guides you to a counter where you pile veggies and chicken into a bowl, then watch as the chef cooks it on a four-feet by four-feet grill. It’s served steamy hot, under a thick, grilled tortilla. Cost: $8.99. Other meals range from $4 to $15.

6:00 p.m.

Later, after touring Chicago’s Millennium Park and renowned River Walk, you’ve worked up an appetite. Fleming’s Restaurant is the place to go. Located at 25 East Ohio Street, Fleming’s is only two blocks from The Mile. 

Fleming’s is known for its fine dining. But, if you get there between 5:00 and 7:00 p.m., you can order from the “5 for 6 ’til 7” bar menu. You can choose from five cocktails, five wines and five appetizers, each for $6, until 7:00 p.m. Carnivores craving something simpler can order a burger with cheese and bacon for the same price.  Don’t care for cocktails or wine? You can grab two imported beers for only $6 each.

You decide on the shrimp cocktail: four grilled jumbo prawns, their tails intertwined, piled upon a mound of finely chopped onion, celery, cucumber, and cilantro, then drizzled with a balsamic vinaigrette. Five dollops of cocktail sauce and half a grilled lemon finish the presentation.

7:00 p.m.

After a hard day’s frugal eating and Olympic sightseeing, a warm smile and a chilled glass of wine would hit the spot. Get both at the 676 Lounge. Located on the 4th floor of the award-winning Omni Hotel, the Lounge is a secluded piece of tranquility belying the fact that it overlooks the hustle and bustle, just 40 feet below, on The Mile. You can sit at the bar or take an intimate table with a view. Wines range from $10-$11 by the glass, but after all the money you’ve saved today, you can afford it.

If you wish to purchase this article for your publication, click here to contact the author directly.

By Martyn Clarke-Smith
ITWPA Member

 
“Thank goodness for travel insurance,” I told myself, as we weaved through the traffic. “One day I might be able to ride pillion with my eyes open!”

The opportunity to become a motorcycle pillion-passenger in Hanoi offers itself at every street corner. Surprisingly, riding pillion is safe, and the cheapest way to get anywhere within two miles for 30,000 dong (about US$1.90). Families in Hanoi don’t own a car -- they own a motorbike. Dropping off a child at day-care, collecting a 12-foot ladder for home renovating, and other errands seem to be accomplished with ease by Mom or Dad on the family motorcycle.

Apprehensively I watch motorcycles, 12-abreast, waiting at a red light at a very ordinary crossroads. The clock above the lights ticks down from 20 seconds. At three seconds to go, the riders start to surge forward despite the vehicles still crossing from left and right ahead of them. Then follows the skillful slowing, weaving and horn-blowing so typical of Hanoi traffic. But the traffic clears the junction -- chaos works!

A five-year-old boy steps off the pavement beside you, straight into heavy traffic. Your first impulse is to scream “NO!” and pull him back to safety. But you see that across the road his mother is beckoning to him and smiling. With his eyes fixed on her face he walks slowly and steadily across the road, motorbikes and cars weaving around him. As he reaches his mother he is given a real “proud of you” hug. You then realize that he was simply having one of his final lessons in road safety.  

A little later you see two girls, ages three and five, holding hands and crossing the road in the same way -- confident in their own safety. Yes, there are pedestrian crossings, but they are contemptuously ignored by pedestrians and motorists alike. Indeed, typical of the Vietnamese sense of humor, they are, in many cases, only painted to halfway across the street.

As I stood on the pavement in one street, I counted 47 motorcycles pass by me in just one minute.

This love affair with mobility starts at about age three, standing up between dad’s (or mom’s) knees and helping to steer the bike through the contortions of the traffic. Incidentally, these motorbikes are ridden with consummate skill by both sexes and in about equal proportion. One motorcyclist told me, “Driving is an art -- and we motorcyclists are artists.” Many of these ‘artists’ have little to do but park on busy street-corners -- sitting, lying and even sleeping on their bikes while the horn-blowing vehicles move around them.    

Rickshaw drivers are a different species altogether: they are licensed, unlicensed or pirates. If you really want to become intimate with the radiators of cars and cabs, or check the type of tread on the front wheel of an oncoming motorbike, then the rickshaw is for you. Despite your rising blood pressure, it’s a great way to see some of the sights, especially in the old part of Hanoi. But initially, you must become aware of the way the rickshaw driver works.

The sound of a singularly pleasant gong attracts your attention to the rickshaw. This is followed by an “Allo” shouted across the street. Then comes the invitation “One hour?” indicating the usual time for which a rickshaw is hired. If you’ve been shopping and are carrying souvenirs, it is an easy way to get back to your hotel.

But before you so much as set a foot on the rickshaw footplate, make sure you’ve agreed on what this one hour will cost. Use a scrap of paper -- or your hand or anything else -- to write it down, in dong, and get agreement to it before you start. (70,000 dong per hour, US$4.50, is the going rate). Without that tangible agreement 70,000 dong can quickly be said to have been much more. You may find yourself paying whatever they charge if you have not taken this precaution.   

However, you’ll find that in Hanoi most problems with traffic and rickshaws can be solved, if not entirely avoided, with a big smile, good humor and lots of determination.

If you wish to purchase this article for your publication, click here to contact the author directly.