03 Jul Morocco–where to begin?

I was scared about visiting Morocco. As a blond, blue-eyed, solo girl, I heard stories and I naively believed them. In Portugal I met a woman from London, England who said a man wanted to trade her for a George Forman Grill! So far, no grills; no camels. I arrived in Casablanca late at night so I had a driver take me straight to my hotel ($40 if you prearrange). I saw two accidents on the way. Crowds of people standing and watching. One was a motorcycle accident with clothes strewn everywhere. I had to look away. Drivers are insane here. I took a train to Fez the following morning. In the taxi, I'm ready to go, and a guy pops his head into the cab and yells at me: "ou?" As in, where are you going? My cabbie and this dude started screaming at one another; eventually my driver high-tails it out of there. This is Casablanca. Fes--the city of Moroccan artists and gastronomy--was still busy and overwhelming, but charming. Shop keepers are a bit pesky, trying to get you to buy something, but they are harmless. I walked by one guy twice. "What, you don't like me? You don't like my store? Why?" He laughs. Start in the old medina (meaning old walled city); Fes' medina has 14 gates. It is 16 kms around and there are 187 neighbouhoods, each has its own bakery, mosque, hammam (bathhouse), fountain and Koranic school.

30 Jun Geres – Portugal’s only National Park

I meant to stay two days; stayed five. After a train to Braga (hour and half) then a bus (total about 10 euros), that weaved back and forth up and up the mountain--stopping at every...

24 Jun Sao Juan — a fresh start

The week I arrived in Porto, colourful flower arches straddled the streets in preparation for Sao Juan Day. Also the start of summer solstice, on June 23 everyone eats salted barbecued sardines and caldo verde (cabbage and potato soup) followed by pastries. Hammer-time! Then, everyone takes to the streets hopping from neighbourhood to neighbourhood, all night, in search of a dance, a drink or chance to bop passerby's on the head with a plastic hammer.

11 Jun Cod by another name

Born in Newfoundland, with a Newfie ma, then moving to Nova Scotia, I ate my share of cod fish as a child. Salted cod, cod tongues.... If you're Portuguese, who historically sailed over to our Grand Banks to fish, then the same applies. Since arriving here, I've heard more than one person say: "did you know we have 1001 ways to serve cod?" In Mark Kurlansky's book, Cod: A Biography of The Fish That Changed the World, he talks about this incorrigible fish that was prized for its nutrition, made of 80% protein, and fortitude: it hung on until it was fished to almost death. The Newfoundland moratorium over 20 years ago was done, hoping, it would bring the fish back.

10 Jun Porto: pastries and Port

Arrived on June 10. It's Portugal Day and the town of Porto is shut down--except for cafes serving port (fortified sweet brandy wine) and pastries like famous custard tarts (pasteis de Belem). Curse my luck!     Arriving on little sleep, luckily, getting to my apartment was easy--a short half hour metro trip. What a concept: a metro joining the airport to the city centre (psst, Toronto, that's a dig).

22 May Jonathan Goldstein: The Rusty Toque interview

Jonathan Goldstein's new book: I'll Seize the Day Tomorrow...

19 May Killarney — hike, paint, canoe and restore

After a few days in hot southern Ontario, riding through Hardwood Hills' Trails near Barrie, we drove almost four hours north to Killarney Provincial Park only to see snow outside the tent on day two (minus 6 with windchill!). We spent the day playing pool inside the deserted and eerie Killarney Bay Inn, which felt like the inn from The Shining. Population 500, this was the only place open in Killarney, besides the general store. Tourism season starts May 24 weekend. But, it was already summer in my heart. After a jog around the park, I ran into the water, then I ran out of the water. Earth shattering cold. After a few all natural hot dogs over the fire, I grabbed my Art Kit from the park office (the Friends of Killarney loan out watercolours, paper--all the tools for a Group of Seven wanna-be). In many ways, the park wouldn't exist if it wasn't for their efforts.

01 May Summer travel writing plans

Okay, after much debate, actually I made the decision in one night, I am heading to Porto, Portugal June 9 for three weeks then heading to Morocco for two weeks. Porto is one of Europe's...