Farsighted Fly Girl

2018 was really some kind of year! It was filled with unexpected situations as well as familiar scenes and there was a clear pattern to the year's travel. I embarked on new, unforgettable journeys to countries that start with "G": Greece, Guadeloupe and Ghana.  And I returned to beloved, familiar destinations; St. Lucia, St. John, Tobago and Montreal, for a whole new perspective. "The Year of Return" is also the theme for Ghana's year-long commemoration of 400 years since the first enslaved African arrived in the U.S.. A celebration of the resilience of the African spirit, the 2019 Year of Return welcomes all the Diaspora to return home and re-connect. That's exactly what I did during my life-changing trip to Ghana. From the time I stepped onto the streets of Accra, I was welcomed like a daughter returned from a long trip. I cried during most of my time at Cape Coast Castle , shown above, the site where thousands were imprisoned and then shipped...

Montreal is a foodie paradise. Whatever cuisine or dining experience you desire, you will find an excellent version in Montreal. The restaurant scene bubbles with cafes, chic dining spots and casual eateries on every other corner. But there are a few culinary requirements for every visitor. You must try an authentic Montreal bagel and you must sample poutine. Bagels are a very serious thing in Montreal. They were brought by Eastern European Jews in the early 20th century and they quickly grew into an essential Montreal food. Now I'm not a huge bagel fan but Montreal bagels differ from the more familiar New York bagel. Montreal bagels are smaller, sweeter and less doughy. They are cooked in a honey water solution and then baked in a wood fire oven. They are not meant to be sliced but are munched warm from the oven and dunked in flavored creme cheese if you like. There's a contentious rivalry between Fairmount and St, Viateur Bagel Shops and locals pledge their alleg...

Besides the bohemian spirit and international vibe, what I love about Montreal is the zany street art. Yes, there are historic murals and lovely statues but what really excites me are the unexpected art scenes that pop up on walls and in alleys. I  last chronicled the city's  street art in 2014  and four years later, I discovered fresh pieces all around the city with Danny from Spade &  Palacio , which supplies non-touristy tours. Check it out: This rather creepy paintings stared back from a side street. I was thrilled to spot this Jackie Robinson tribute for when he played with the Montreal Royals baseball team. I learned that he played with the Royals in 1946, before starting with the U.S. National Leagues and that it was a mutual love affair between Jackie and Montreal. His wife Rachel described his year of playing in Montreal after dealing with the racial hatred in the U.S. as "like coming out of a nightmare, the atmosphere in Montreal wa...

I love Montreal. And the proof of that love is reflected in the fact that I am visiting this exciting city in the middle of the winter. I love Montreal in the summer, when the port of Old Montreal is filled with activity and outdoor fests energize every other weekend. I love Montreal in the fall when the ice wineries feature non-stop tastings and restaurants host pop ups and tours. I love Montreal in the spring when locals dance in the parks and Jean Talon market  smells like fresh cannolis. But I don't know Montreal in winter. I've never been brave enough to subject myself to a winter more frigid than Chicago but when I was invited by Tourism Montreal to snow shoe in Mount Royal Park   (shown above) and to try fat biking and kick sledding in the Eastern township of Magog, I couldn't resist. I love snow shoeing , biking and sledding. So stay tuned for my inaugural winter adventures in Montreal. I'll also visit the  Lumiere winter festival of performing arts, gastr...

It's been a wild and wonderful year and I can sincerely say that I'm sad to leave all of the year's experiences behind. I've made some great connections and created unforgettable memories. Here are just some of my favorites: Exploring the rich and enchanting culture of Andalusia,Spain. The photo above shows a lovely courtyard building in Granada. Beauty was everywhere I turned in Southern Spain. The intoxicating charm of Martinque will always remain with me. The image above reveals just a glimpse of the island's magic, from the top of the famous town of St. Pierre. I was thrilled to visit Asia for the first time and Macau was a fascinating introduction. The people, the culture, the history and food supplied me with nonstop excitement. I think I'm still calming down from that trip. Montreal will always be a favorite city and I was as enchanted to visit this year as I am every time I go. I was lucky enough to catch the city's Caribbean pa...

I love the excitement and action of big city travel but I also love the relaxation and natural beauty of beaches. So you can imagine how thrilled I was to discover a beach just five minutes from the bustling streets of downtown Montreal. I caught wind of it as a guide was explaining the city's many parks and he casually mentioned the beach in Parc Jean-Drapeau.  My ears perked up. What's this? A beach nearby? As a certified beach baby, I grabbed my sunscreen and dashed over. A short Metro ride landed me at Parc Jean-Drapeau, which is actually two islands sprawled along the St. Lawrence River. Islands? You know I was excited. And the adventure was just starting because the park boasts tons of other attractions before you can even get to the beach. This pretty strip of tranquility beckoned me to sink my toes into the sand and lounge for hours. It was quiet, with just a few families enjoying the water. Before I located it, I found myself at La Ronde, the amusement park tha...

Montreal overwhelms me. In a good way. For art lovers like me who live for connections with artistic and cultural expressions, Montreal is truly a dreamland. There is absolutely no place you can go in this stylish city where you will not be surrounded by art in some form. Metro stations, sidewalks, buildings, cafes, schools, markets, everywhere you turn, you'll be greeted with visual, musical or performance art. Montreal actually enforces a law that at least 1% of  a building's budget must go to public art. I thought it was just me honing in on every art form but no, Montreal really is covered in art. I find that it's an uplifting feeling to always have art close by. I think that's one of the reason's that Montrealers always seem so good-natured and vibrant. The mural above, was created during Montreal's Mural Fest (There is a fest for everything art-related in Montreal) and drew me in with the vivid colors and trippy designs. This painting lines a w...

It's been three years since I've dipped my feet into the European charm of Montreal. I love the city's dynamic energy and elegant architecture. Of course, I also love the legendary Montreal Jazz Fest, the world's biggest jazz festival. Thanks to Tourisme Que'bec , I'll experience more of the city's gifts, from the also legendary circus arts festival, Montreal Completement Cirque, pictured above, to the museums and bustling neighborhoods. Montreal nightlife is the focus for this trip so I'll be documenting the exciting foodie scene as well as the nightclubs and non-stop festivals. I'm especially excited about pedaling through a night bike tour of the Mount Royal neighborhood and a visit to Bota Bota, the floating spa fashioned from an old ferryboat and boasting sublime views of the St. Lawrence River. So stay tuned for culinary, music and arts posts soon.

I blame it on Montreal. Roaming through  the streets of La Belle Ville means encountering all manner of circus arts, from stilt walkers in front of stores to aerialists on the streets. It's not the home of Cirque Du Soleil for nothing. I think such close encounters with high flying performers lodged a lot of curiosity in my mind. So when the notion of doing something unusual for Leap Year arrived what did I do? I signed up for flying trapeze class. I don't think this sort of learning environment would have seemed fun to me before Montreal.  I have not thought fully about all the details, I've just decided to do it.  After all, Chicago Trapeze School' s  motto is "Forget fear. Worry about the addiction."  Right. So have your travels inspired you to do anything you wouldn't ordinarily do?

One of the most memorable experiences that I had in Montreal wasn't the Jazz Fest (sorry Cubano) or the impressive art and foodie scenes. I was actually blown away by "The Fashion World of Jean Paul Gaultier: From The Sidewalk to the Catwalk" at the Montreal Museum of Fine Art.  I expected to spend a few hours browsing through this traveling exhibit but I ended up devoting six straight hours to this exhaustive, multimedia, display of  the art of fashion.  Walking up the black carpeted steps with Jean Paul Gaultier's name in lights, I didn't  quite know what to expect. This didn't look like any museum exhibit I had ever witnessed. How right I was. This was clearly unlike any museum show, fashion or otherwise. I was greeted by a talking mannequin of Jean Paul himself, shown above. He spoke in his own voice, in French, English and Spanish. The mannequin's face flashed with expressions and movements. It was eerie but fascinating all the same...

Montreal is an art-loving city. That's part of the European flavor of this town. Museums, art galleries and public art fill every block. But Montreal also hosts lots of theater, fashion, concerts and fashion so you almost need a separate visit just to view the art. Rushing about from place to place, I was amazed at how much art I encountered.  My first art encounter was the painting above,which was actually in the press offices for the Montreal Jazz Fest. I was immediately struck by its energy and 80s vibe. I stopped to snap this sculpture on my way to the Montreal Museum of Fine Arts.  The carvings remind me of Native American art. I know this just looks like two twirly pipes but it is an art installation, I checked. It sits near the Montreal Harbor and I pondered the pipe and water connection. Monuments and statues are popular in Montreal. They litter the streets and parks like shiny ornaments. This piece decorates the entrance of a hotel in Old Montreal...

Montreal is a true foodie destination, you won't be able to take more than a few steps without spotting a chic cafe, gourmet restaurant or specialty food shop. This vibrant city entices with lots of flavors and dishes but my most memorable sensory experience was at the legendary Jean Talon Market. Located in the center of Montreal  in the landmark Little Italy neighborhood, this colorful and lively market is the biggest outdoor market in North America and the most charming.  Opened in 1933, Jean Talon mixes old world character with contemporary style for a shopping experience like no other. Tackling Jean Talon requires fortification  so I headed to a nearby Italian bakery beforehand. The dreamy, creamy, cannoli above stopped me in my tracks. Mind you, I don't even like cannoli but I felt compelled to buy some and after one fluffy, crispy, nibble, I can say that I do like cannoli. As long as they are fresh and from Montreal's Little Italy. Although you can skim t...