Niagara Wines — there’s an appellation that just doesn’t roll off your tongue. Some wine growing regions are instantly recognizable even to the most casual of wine drinkers…. places like Napa, Bordeaux, Montepulciano… but Niagara? Why not? Grapes are grown all over the world now… anywhere they can find the right microclimate and the proper ... read more

Bay of Fundy tides called us to Nova Scotia, but we also wanted to try Nova Scotia Wines. Would it come as a surprise to you that there are six distinct wine growing regions in Nova Scotia? We’re not talking Italy or California, though its longitude of 44 degrees north is about the same as ... read more

We’re not talking just any beer here… we’re talking Czech beer… lager to be specific. Lager was born here. It was in the town of Plenz (Pilsen) that the first light golden lager was produced. Pilsner has become a generic term for similar lagers wherever they are brewed. Pilsen is still brewed in its birth ... read more

If you like beer, then Belgian beers should draw you to visit this little country. The Visit Belgium website says there are over 450 different varieties of beer. Beer is more than just a drink here… this country cultivates beer connoisseurs. It’s true… Belgians take their beer seriously. Many of the beers have specific beer ... read more

If you don’t know it already, beer and Belgium go together. Trappist Monastery beers are a unique and terrific little sub-set of Belgian beers, and you could set up a great tour around Belgium to include sampling what the monks so lovingly produce. For centuries, the Trappist monks have been brewing these beers. Six of ... read more

Trying German beers is part of the fun of traveling in Germany. Germans and Belgians would probably argue about who has the best beer… and the Czechs, at least those from Pilsen, might join in the squabble. But we’re not going to argue with anyone, we’ll just enjoy it where ever we are. And if ... read more

Do you know the difference between Amsterdam coffee shops and brown cafes? They both sound like places where you could stop for a bite to eat, though you might not be sure why one is brown. This is one destination where you could be in for more of a surprise than you planned for if ... read more

Bed and Breakfast, “B+B”…  You’ll find them called by that name almost everywhere in the world, especially if you’re looking on the internet.  But if you’re driving or walking around in a non-English speaking country, what should you look for?  The trick with these is to find out what they are called in different languages. ... read more

Eating and drinking in grand style can stretch your travel budget in the wrong way.  You want to make your money go further.  There are lots of little ways you can save on food when you’re traveling. If your hotel doesn’t include breakfast in the price of the room, check to see what your options ... read more