Winter 2023 – OFFSHORE

Hiking Italy’s most heavenly route

November 27, 2023 No Comments

I’m sitting along a wooden table overlooking the dramatic cliffs of the Amalfi Coast, feasting on freshly-made goat cheese, deep-fried fritters, roasted tomatoes and eggplants, while sipping on homemade red wine with a group of fellow travellers from around the world, when an impromptu concert breaks out.

Nino Aversa, one of the guides leading my small hiking trip, has joined goatherd Antonio Milo, the owner of the charming stone-built farmhouse who prepared our meal, and the pair start singing and playing instruments, tapping their feet along to the rhythm.

Although Milo, who takes care of some 100 goats on site, only purchased the farmhouse several years ago, he comes from a long line of goatherds. Travelling daily to milk the goats and oversee the property, he was inspired to expand the venture to provide a true farm-to-table experience for guests. There’s no fixed price menu for hikers who stumble upon him, and he works with local hiking outfitters to feed their group tour bookings as a side business.

Although I don’t understand the words, as they’re serenading us to the tune of O Sarracino, an old Neapolitan folk song, I can’t help but think: I’m so glad I wound up here.

A mere few days earlier I was destined to be doing a day trip to the island of Capri instead, but due to rough waters, the journey was cancelled.

With a gap to fill in my agenda, I serendipitously found a guided tour with Sorrento Hiking to the famed Path of the Gods hiking route online and immediately locked it in. After a last minute pit-stop to a nearby mall to procure some appropriate hiking attire, I was on my way.

The Sentiero degli Dei, or Path of the Gods as it’s known in English, is a stunning trekking route along the Amalfi Coast that provides an amazing vantage point over the picturesque towns of Praiano and Positano.

Long before it became a popular hiking route, the trail was developed centuries ago as a mule-track to link the dairy farms with the towns along the coast. While there are several different options to hike along the Path of the Gods, their recommended route goes from Bomerano to Nocelle, which Aversa describes as “walking between heaven and earth.”

There are no guardrails along the route, just steep drops that almost induce vertigo if you stand too close to the edge.

In the car transfer over to the beginning of the trail from Sorrento that morning, my other passionate guide, Giovanni Gargiulo, inquired about what I’d heard about the difficulty of the path. Much to my dismay, when I shared that I’ve read it’s an easy-to-moderate hike, the German tourists in the backseat chimed in that everything they’ve read contradicted that.

“It’s definitely more of a challenging route,” Gargiulo confirmed, but then quickly reassured me that we could take it at our own pace.

For seven kilometres, the hike seemingly did a never-ending loop, complete with steep hills and descents. Gruelling at times, the frequent stops to admire the views from the top reminded me why I set out on this path in the first place.

By the time we reached the farmhouse, I was eager to enjoy a home-cooked spread and taste some well-deserved vino.

Driving back in the car Gargiulo asks how I enjoyed the hike. It wasn’t the path I’d originally set out on, but it’s one I’m glad I took.

This story first appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of OFFSHORE. To read the digital issue, click here.

A tourist’s guide to loving Vietnam

November 24, 2023 No Comments

I had some initial apprehension upon learning that I’d be checking into a ‘junk boat’ for the next two nights. But upon seeing my home on the water, I quickly discovered that unlike the sound of the name, it’s actually not a shabby way to spend the night.

In fact, these sleeper ships, which range from basic bare bones boats to luxurious yachts, are the perfect gateway to experiencing Vietnam’s postcard-worthy Halong Bay, where 1,969 unusually shaped tree-covered limestone islands and islets jet out from the water.

After we stashed our luggage in our onboard rooms, tour guide John Tran began leading our small group of travellers on the Classic Vietnam itinerary with Canada-based tour operator, G Adventures. He describes it as a more “off-the-grid kayak excursion” to explore several remarkable caves along the UNESCO World Heritage site. With the job title of CEO — that’s Chief Experience Officer — he says he’s “in charge of facilitating life-changing experiences.”

Topping the list on today’s adventure are a visit to Trong Cave, where the ceiling is covered in stalactites and gives way to impressive views of the area’s famous towering limestone islands, and Trinh Nu Cave, which can best be described as an outer-worldly natural attraction. Although there were many other junk boats around our boat, we have these fascinating spots to ourselves.

The next morning, we set out bright and early after a hearty breakfast on a mission to climb the nearby Ti Top island. Although all the islands in Halong Bay are uninhabited, Ti Top features a pagoda at the top offering visitors a bird’s eye view of the surrounding area.

It’s a balmy 43°C out as we slowly conquer the 400 steps to reach the top, but the view surpassed my expectations. While I’d seen countless pictures taken from this exact spot, it didn’t prepare me for how vast the area is. Dripping in sweat and high on adrenaline for making it to the top, we take advantage of our own photo opportunities, before climbing down the steps for a refreshing reward: taking a swim at the sandy beach at the bottom of the island’s shore.

Coffee and culture collide in Hanoi

Earlier in the week, we headed to Hanoi Food Culture for a lesson in making a local specialty known as egg coffee. The restaurant is a G Values Fund project, an initiative where former G Adventures tour leaders can open their own businesses with low interest loans through the tour operator.

“These are funds that we set up for former CEOs. When they’re tired of guiding our tours but they still want to be involved with the company, they can apply for a low interest loan and start up a business of their own as local suppliers,” explains Jenna English, global purpose specialist for British Columbia & Northern Territories at G Adventures. After interacting with travellers day in and day out, she says CEOs often see the need for what kind of businesses are lacking in an area through their tour experiences.

While setting up the egg coffee demonstration, co-owner Lap Nguyen explains how he shifted gears to launch the restaurant. “I used to be a CEO, running tours on the road,” Nguyen says. “One day, my wife called me when I was in Siem Reap and said that she had cancer so I decided to quit the job and come back here.”

Through access to funding from the G Values Fund, Hanoi Food Culture was born. While we’re here for a coffee demonstration, the restaurant is open for lunch and dinner and hires students as its main staff. “The story of the egg coffee — it’s a Hanoi specialty. Hoi An and Saigon also have egg coffee, but they’re not the original, Hanoi is the place where the egg coffee came from. Egg in coffee, it seems very weird right?” he says, noting that the dish is indeed made with egg yolks. “It started over 100 years ago. If you go to any coffee shop and ask, ‘hey, what’s the recipe?’ They never want to share with you, but here we want to share it with you. It’s a million dollar business idea when you go home.”

This story first appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of OFFSHORE. To read the full version, click here.

Bahamas bound: life on the island beyond swimming with the pigs

November 20, 2023 No Comments

It’s my first day in Grand Bahama — the northernmost island of the Bahamas archipelago — and I’m already ignoring the age-old advice not to be lured into a complete stranger’s house.

Tempted by the promise of a home-cooked meal, I’m here to meet Colette Williams, a host with the Bahamas’ Ministry of Tourism’s People-to-People program, which is all about pairing travellers with a local ambassador for an authentic Bahamian experience.

“I think that’s what I was made to do — just to welcome people to our sun, sand and sea,” said Williams, who has been a host with the program for 19 years.

“I love people. I feel that if I can make one person have a memorable experience of the Bahamas, I would not have lived in vain, so my goal is to make sure everyone has a memorable experience of my home and to share the authentic experience of Grand Bahamian hospitality.”

Bringing authenticity back

In her backyard, Williams proceeds to set up an elaborate spread of stewed chicken, steamed fish, peas and rice, warm potato salad, baked macaroni and cheese and homemade iced tea. Today’s batch is infused with hibiscus. A yellow tablecloth spread across the dining table echoing the words Bahamas matches her blue dress, which also has the words Bahamas printed all over it.

Williams, who formerly worked in the hotel industry, said tourists rarely get a chance to see how Bahamians live.

“You can drive around the tourist route and never even see a house,” she said, noting that she enjoys sharing authentic Bahamian dishes with visitors. “When you get food in a hotel, it isn’t as authentic as home cooking. There’s no cooking like home cooking. You put a face to the food, there’s a story behind it.”

The immersive program pairs interested travellers with locally-vetted ambassadors who are matched based on various interests.

“It’s a program that’s been in place for more than 40 years,” Latia Duncombe, Director General of The Bahamas Ministry of Tourism, Investments & Aviation, told Offshore. “It’s a day in the life of a Bahamian. You’re moving away from the commercial, touristic components and you’re getting immersed into culture — whatever the local does is what the visitor does. It is true culture; it’s who we are as a people. It’s being prepared to share that authentic element of being a Bahamian, something you can’t find anywhere else in the world.”

Connecting with locals

Thirteen kilometres off the shore of Grand Bahama, I’ve connected with another Bahamian resident who is just as passionate about the destination and sharing his knowledge.

Although the Bahamas is known around the world as the place where tourists can come to swim with pigs, I’m here for a different kind of wild encounter — to meet the man known as the pied piper of stingrays.

From the moment Keith Cooper of West End Ecology Tours steps off the boat at Sandy Cay, a dozen stingrays with names like Stubby, Hard Wire, Lunatic, Scratch, Big Momma and Little Momma, instinctively swarm him.

“They’re touching my leg with their sensors because they know who I am, they remember who I am and because of the special bond I have with them. They trust me as much as I trust them,” he said, adding that stingrays often get a bad rep for being dangerous. “More than 9,000 visitors have participated in the Stingray Experience Tour and no one has ever been stung by a stingray… when the protocols are followed, guests will have one of the most unique encounters with marine life they have ever experienced.”

Before launching West End Ecology Tours, Cooper stumbled upon the stingrays by accident during a fishing expedition in 2006. “During the stopover, I discarded unused fishing bait over the side of the boat and within minutes the boat was surrounded by 15 stingrays feeding off the bottom of the shallow water where the boat was anchored at the beach,” he explained.

Since then, he’s returned to the spot to study the stingrays. In 2009, Cooper turned it into a business that now offers multiple tours, including snorkelling trips to underwater boat wrecks and reef fishing experiences. The Stingray Experience Tour remains his best-selling excursion.

According to Cooper, stingrays can display sentient behaviour and will show off their unique personalities. “There are two alpha female stingrays that dominate the fever. Big Momma is the most dominant member of the group and often displays her displeasure when too many rays come near me during the introduction and demonstration phase of the tour,” he said, noting she’ll use a decoy tactic to draw the other stingrays away so that she can consume the fish provided during the demonstration phase.

Another stingray, Hugger, got its name from the “hugs” she gives Cooper upon approach. “Guests watching from the boat are awestruck when they observe Hugger sitting in my lap, waiting patiently to receive a fish,” he said.

It’s Junkanoo time

On Nassau, New Providence, where major resorts like Atlantis, Goldwynn Resort & Residences, Sandals Royal Bahamian and Baha Mar are located, Arlene Nash Ferguson has made it her life’s mission to showcase the longstanding Bahamian celebration known as Junkanoo.

Based in her childhood home, the Educulture Junkanoo Museum is lined with colourful displays and costumes displaying the evolution of the cultural affair. A former British colony from 1629 to 1973, in the Bahamas, Junkanoo began roughly 200 years ago, when members of the African diaspora, including enslaved Bahamians, were granted three days to observe Christmas.

“They said, ‘let’s use these precious three days to recreate our festivals from home. It’s time to renew the spirit and just in case anybody tries to stop us, we will wait until the night and off we go,’” said Nash Ferguson, who has been taking part in Junkanoo since she was four years old.

Although the residents of the time were mixed by culture, she said the festivals wound up sharing several things in common, including instruments like goatskin drums, bells and elaborate costumes. “When you covered your face, it symbolized the presence of our ancestors,” Nash Ferguson said. “In these isolated islands, leaves, feathers, shells, seaweed, anything Indigenous becomes your decoration.”

Nash Ferguson shared that costumes continue to be made from paper as an original sign of defiance because in the time of slavery on the islands “by law people were not permitted to learn to read and write.” More than just a tradition, she said Bahamians are passionate about Junkanoo and work on their costumes all year long in their spare time once the theme for the following year’s festival is announced. Typically, the costumes are made using a cardboard base that’s covered in layers of tissue paper and often include elaborate headpieces.

“Two hundred years ago in the dark of the night at Christmas time, Bahamians said ‘Man, we survived, let’s celebrate life’ and they told their children never to forget,” she explained. “And ladies and gentlemen, right up to Christmas gone, we who are their children, we continue to do it. Today, we call it the Junkanoo festival — at 10 o’clock Christmas night we shut down Bay Street, hit the road dancing, still to the music of drums and bells.”

After outfitting my small group of travel companions with cowbells, whistles and drums, Nash Ferguson led us into a practice run of a Junkanoo simulation.

“The costumes are magnificent; we have worked months on them and we can’t wait to get out there to show them off. We’re going to out music and out dance every other group because we are going to win,” she said, before blowing her whistle loudly. “Line up, everybody ready? Who we is? Junkanoo! Bark like a dog. Woof, woof.”

The end result is a far cry from the organized rhythm of an actual parade, but we give it our all, joining in with off-beat drumming and what could only be described as tone deaf whistling. What we lack in musical ability, we make up in spirit and effort.

This story first appeared in the Winter 2023 issue of OFFSHORE. To read the full version, click here.

These are our best 7 gifts for travellers this year

November 13, 2023 No Comments

From stocking stuffers to thoughtful statement pieces, here are our top picks for gift giving this holiday season.

Life of the party

Throw the perfect holiday party with a little help from Eataly. Stuffed with high-quality ingredients like balsamic vinegar of Modena, essentials for cooking a restaurant-worthy risotto, decadent chocolate truffles and of course, a traditional panettone, the Entertaining All’Italiana gift box is the perfect present for the hostess with the mostest. — $189.90, shoptoronto.eataly.ca/

Messenger muse

For travellers on the go, Espe’s River messenger bag is a stylish solution. Female-owned and designed in Canada, all of Espe’s vegan leather pieces retail for under $100. The River messenger bag is available in black or tan and is outfitted with antique bronze hardware. Decked out with plenty of pockets and zipper closures, plus an adjustable shoulder strap, this unisex bag provides plenty of storage for securing your valuables while adding a smart and practical look to any outfit.

— $98, espe.ca

Winter wedge

Cougar’s Villa boot is a super lightweight, easy-to-wear wedge. The boot is available in four beautiful shades in sizes six through 11: cream, almond, cognac and black. Always waterproof, the boots will keep your feet snug up to -24 C, making them an ideal choice for both fall and winter. The polar plush lining ensures your feet stay dry and warm, while an anti-slip rubber outsole provides protection against wet or icy conditions.

— $200, cougarshoes.ca

Believe in Miracle

Sick of compromising on your skincare routine while on vacation because of size restrictions? This customized collection contains a four-week supply of five essential skincare products (cleanser, serum, toner, day cream and night cream) in 15 and 30mL containers. All of Miracle 10’s products are fragrance-free, paraben-free, not tested on animals and are made in Canada. Perfect for frequent jetsetters or for those simply looking to try out a new line, these collections conform to airline carry-on regulations and fit neatly into your purse or luggage.

— $145, miracle10.com

Suit up

Look smart season to season. Perfect to pair with pants or layered on top of a dress, the Veronica Beard Dickey Jacket is a versatile wardrobe staple for any occasion. Available in sizes 00 to 24, the jacket comes in black or navy with gold or silver statement buttons. Made of a cotton and polyester blend, the relaxed fit allows for comfort and flexibility, while the shoulder pads add a touch of drama.

—$780, veronicabeard.com

Sweet dreams

After a long day of travel, there’s nothing like a good night’s sleep. Henrie is a new, Vancouver-based, female-founded luxury pillow brand. Their signature adjustable pillow is filled with a blend of chopped memory foam and premium kapok, a natural fluffy fibre. Suitable for all bodies and sleeping positions, the Henrie pillow also features a removable, organic 450 thread count cotton outer cover that’s machine washable and each pillow comes with a storage bag to keep any excess pillow filling.

— $199, henrie.com

Set the table

Come home to a good meal — and dine in style! Meticulously crafted in Portugal, the charcoal grey dinnerware set by Canadian cookware company, Kilne, is a beautiful, 16-piece addition to your kitchen. Handmade of recycled clay, each piece is slightly imperfect, giving off a rustic chic feel. Dishwasher safe, each plate and bowl is also oven-safe up to 250°C and freezer safe down to -20°C.

— $326, kilne.com

Jetsetter java

Pilot Coffee Roasters’ holiday gift set is the perfect stocking stuffer for coffee-loving travellers—and let’s face it, most of us are! The set includes a 300 gram bag of their signature holiday blend roast (cranberry, cinnamon and chocolate notes) as well as a one-of-a-kind ceramic cup in collaboration with Paule Vezina, who runs a local artisanal ceramics studio, Poterie Vez, in Quebec.

— $60, pilotcoffeeroasters.com