This installment of Three Things About Niagara-on-the Lake is courtesy of Tony Chisholm of “THE CANADIAN CONNECTION,” Niagara-on-the Lake

1. Question: What are some of the “things” or activities that the people of Niagara-on-the-Lake do for fun?

Answer:

Niagara-on-the-Lake offers many fun events  all year long. The summer brings crowds to the local “fruit” festivals starting with the Strawberry Festival, the Cherry Festival and the big (like, take over the whole downtown, big) peach festival in August. The town is nestled in a wonderful agricultural area surrounded by fruit farms and vineyards galore. The biggest fun activity year round is to visit as many of the 20 vineyards in the township – as possible. Many feature fine dining as well. The little town is in the heart of the finest wine district in Canada. Oh, yea. There is also the wine festival.

2.  Question: What’s one thing the public probably does NOT know about Niagara-on-the-Lake?

Answer:

Most people are unaware of the magnificent Shaw Festival Theater. The Shaw’s three theaters in town provide a total of 12 professional plays from early April till Christmas. The Shaw started 55 years ago and brings a 1/4 million tourists to town annually. It is one of the top theater companies in North America and has a staff of over 700 people. See the plays this season at: www.shawfest.com

3. Question: What has Niagara-on-the-Lake has contributed to the world?

Answer:

Niagara-on-the-Lake is one of the most historic towns in all of Canada. It is the original parliament for Upper Canada (now called Ontario). Besides being the site of the first parliament (1792), it was the place for the first library in Canada, and the first law was passed to ban slavery in the British Commonwealth. The old town has been declared National Historic District and has seven National Historic Sites. These include the popular Fort George which was captured by the Americans in 1813 during the War of 1812. Retreating American forces burned the little town to the ground later that year and it was rebuilt after the war in the beautiful “Regency Style”. Most of those 200 year old stately homes still exist and many have been beautifully renovated with spectacular gardens. They say that as you walk the magnificent tree lined streets of old town that “history walks beside you”. Visitors love this historic town just minutes from Niagara Falls.

For further information, visit Niagara-on-the-Lake

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I found myself being equally surprised and delighted by all the little extra things we were seeing and doing – and yes, often eating – that were NOT on the itinerary, the L&D moments that reflect the culture and deepen the immersive experience already embodied within the OAT itinerary.  

While exploring the capital city of Palermo, we stopped at a tiny, nondescript storefront with antique-looking sewing machines and irons but okay, the owner is a tailor. How then to explain all the old instruments strewn everywhere? The tailor is also a musician. He sang along as he played a 50-year-old mandolin. Come for repairs; stay for the repertory… Such an OAT moment – which places a great deal of attention on offering off-beat examples of local culture that are nowhere on the itinerary.

As soon as we arrived in Castelbuono, a 14^th century medieval village whose history dates back to the Arab influence of the 800’s, it was time for another discovery: a variety of Sicilian pastries washed down with samples of liqueurs ranging from Lemon, cinnamon to tangerine and prickly pear. By this time, it was hard for me to work up an interest in the surrounding history, usually a passion of mine. Stopping for a “taste” can translate into a marathon multi-course mini-meal. So yes, often L&D has to do with food – which is understandable: aside from the Mafia, food is what Sicily is known for.

Because another OAT philosophy is its emphasis on controversial topics, a discussion of the Mafia was not unexpected.  Meeting with Angelo Provenzano, the son of one of the most notorious Mafia bosses in Sicilian history from 1993-2006, was. Kept in hiding for the first 16 years of his life, he recounted the difficulty of separating his feelings FOR his father from his feelings ABOUT his father – and the impossibility of leading a normal life despite his having no connection with the mafia himself. It should come as no surprise that the Cosa Nostra is still alive and well in Sicily but not to the level that a Godfather IV is anywhere in production. In response to a question as to the accuracy of those films, Angelo replied: “Except for certain Hollywood effects, the films are basically realistic.” Angelo’s birthplace? The city of Corleone, of course. A name everyone in the room knew well.

Knowing that Sicily is known for marzipan, a favorite almond paste treat of mine, I asked our guide, Alessio where best to buy it. He sheepishly said: “We’ll find some.” Ten minutes later, at a small Benedictine cathedral built in 1092 where nuns had been preparing pastry for years, the following story unfolded: one year the Pope was coming to visit but being winter there were no fruits on the trees – so the nuns made little fruits out of marzipan and hung them on the trees.  Today, a group of cloistered Benedictine nuns still prepare such offerings which are only retrievable through a small mesh door that revolves to reveal its marzipan delicacies.  As responsive as I knew Alessio to be to  special requests, I thought, “Nah, he couldn’t possibly have had enough time to set that up…”

In a local museum in Mazara, we viewed the Dancing Satyr, a Greek bronze statue from the 3^rd century BC that was pulled from the sea in 1998 in the nets of some fishermen. As fascinating as the story was – an archaeological event that captured the attention of the world – it didn’t compare with the unexpected meeting with the boat captain who made the discovery. His personal story was even more enthralling.

Picnic lunches are not unusual on tours. But when they take place on an island settled by Phoenicians some 2700 years ago – one of the largest remains of Phoenician ruins in the world – and your picnic table is a stone from one of their former structures, the picnic takes on slightly greater significance.

Not to be outdone by the Phoenecians, the Romans and Greeks want equal time – so on to the Valley of Temples. 50,000 Greeks lived here 2600 years ago, and the remains of multiple temples constitute the second largest archaeological site in the world. One of the temples remains intact, while others have been reconstructed from original materials. It’s so hard to fathom that anything can survive that long. And then the Romans came in 600 AD and built their own structures on top of the Greek ones. And they, too, survived. Our local guide stopped to pick up what to me looked like a number of rocks which he then identified as a rooftop tile and a piece of pottery or a jug. Just lying there. Still. After 2600 years. Sometimes itinerary items are pretty cool, too….

By the end of the trip, after visiting sites representing Roman, Greek, Norman, Arabic, Carthaginian, Phoenician, Byzantine and Spanish occupation – and I’m sure I’ve left some out – we arrived in Syracusa, an ancient city that boasted remnants of all of them. There were ruins from everyone everywhere. And during the boat ride around the island of Ortigia, we sampled some Sicilian almond liqueur to get us through the 40-minute excursion. And why not? Just another L&D surprise. Who said alcohol can’t be part of a cultural experience? Again.

Admittedly, exploring the old Medieval city of Modica was fascinating, but it couldn’t compare with the unexpected joy rides in vintage iconic Fiat 500 sports cars over hilly, twisty, curvy, windy, narrow, cobblestone streets. First made popular in 1957 as a readily affordable automobile, these refurbished convertibles – smaller than a Smart car – still barely fit on alleyways that were unfathomably two-way. Warning: “Do not put your hand outside the car or you’ll end up losing it.” Sort of like a Disney ride threatening to go off the tracks. The fact that we were driving through a former 12^th century Norman city was just a bonus.

Another itinerary highlight worth mentioning? The Landing Museum, a moving testament to the end of Italy’s involvement in World War II. We – I – tend to forget that Italy, a Fascist nation, actually fought on the side of Germany and we invaded in 1943, effectively ending Mussolini’s rule. Upon entering a replica of a Catania street in the 1940’s, we suddenly heard an air raid siren – and were quickly ushered into the bomb shelter before the door closed. That was all the time we had if we wanted to live. What then ensued for a minute and a half – planes shrieking, bombs dropping, dogs barking, hysterical cries of anxious people – actually went on for hours. The shelter shook and as much as I knew this was only a simulation, I could still feel the terror of those who had to endure such trauma day after day for years. We emerged to find ourselves surrounded by rubble. The rest of the museum accurately relates the people and events who suffered through this sad part of Italy and Sicily’s history. And indeed it was nice to hear how welcome the Allied forces were once they arrived!

Because OAT thrives on controversy, we met with members of an organization that aids young immigrant girls who illegally land in Sicily, where a sign on the port declares “Welcome Refugees.” Oh how much we could learn from this small island, I thought. And it was harrowing to listen to 19-year-old Joyce’s story of being lured from her home and family in Nigeria with promises of an education in Europe only to find herself part of an agonizing nine-month ordeal spent in many refugee camps in Libya and Syria along the way under abusive, horrendous conditions as a part of a sex-and-drug trafficking operation. She was fortunately saved by the Casa di Maria organization upon her arrival in Sicily; most are not. No one exited that room without feeling emotionally drained. Again!

And then there’s Mt. Etna – at over 10,000 feet, the largest active volcano in Europe. Although the last eruption was in May 2017, we were repeatedly assured we were in no danger of a repeat. I’m a hiker. I’m used to climbing over rocks and roots. But this was my first experience with lava stones and fields – a topography I had never seen before.  As we climbed the almost two miles, we passed two centuries worth of vegetation from tiny tufts of green still recovering from earlier eruptions to huge, long-standing pine trees of old. I’m a travel writer and I’m supposed to be able to bring experiences to life but this was so surreal, other-worldly, so without comparison to anything I’ve seen before that I feel inadequate to capture it in mere words. A stop afterwards for a shot of Etna Fire – a 70-proof concoction – shook me out of my volcanic revelry.

After our Farewell Dinner, it was hard to believe there would be another L&D moment. After all, it was late – and we all had early planes the next day. But indeed we headed into town to a small, stand-alone outdoor shack where the vendor more replicated a bartender – even more a mixologist, a creator of drinkable art. Tamarind syrup, fresh squeezed lemon, soda water and then the piece de resistance…Baking Soda. All shaken up with gusto. The whole point? To make you burp. A lot. A Sicilian tradition. A very successful Sicilian tradition. Who wouldn’t want to go on such a tour?

For more information, visit 2018 Sicily’s Ancient Landscapes & Timeless Traditions.

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Ibiza, once the playground of Europe’s indulged youth, has matured into a destination with more sobering pursuits. Certainly, the party reputation lends some cache to the older folks looking for some cred with their offspring, and the clubs are still there, but visitors are finally noticing the historic sites and archaeological digs as they take in the charm and beauty of the island.

Ibiza’s old town, Dalt Vila, is surrounded by the best preserved ancient walls in the Mediterranean. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site that contains a castle, cathedral, museum, and many private homes – all of which make up the original city of Eivissa. There are restaurants and bars, and tons of funky shops (a remnant of Ibiza’s hippie era) for distractions from the history – if you need them. I enjoyed the architecture and the views from the walls. I love being surrounded by the parapets and ramparts of ancient times; they give an often crazy world some perspective.

But the history is not all contained within the walls. Spreading out below one gate is the Cuban barrio, created when those Ibizans who emigrated to Cuba returned and recreated their old neighborhoods below the walls. The distinctive architecture would be familiar to anyone who has visited Cuba.

A short drive from there will take you to the Necropolis of Puig des Molins, another UNESCO World Heritage Site, where the Phoenicians, who settled here before Christ was born, buried their dead. Subsequent conquering civilizations followed suit, so Carthaginian, Roman, Moor and Christian graves can be found here as well. While most of the graves were looted centuries ago, archaeologists still found ceramics and some jewelry in the stone coffins. I was surprised to see glass and metal that were found in some of the earliest ones. The onsite museum has a large display of them and exhibits that explain the different eras expertly.

Another UNESCO World Heritage Site (Spain has more than any other country) is the ruins of the Phoenician settlement in Sa Caleta, atop the red cliffs surrounding the secluded crescent beach and clear blue waters of Ses Salines. Dating from 654 BCE, it is one of the earliest settlements on the island. All that is left to see are the reconstructed foundations of the shelters built here eons ago.

Sharing the same vantage, and for the same reasons, are the remnants of concrete bunkers constructed in the 1930s to protect the island from enemy invasion. Below them, at the water’s edge, the rustic fisherman’s shacks line the shore providing easy access to the sea. Each element is picturesque in its own way, but together, especially at sunset, the sum is greater than its parts, and the beauty in the slanted sunlight is almost surreal.

You could almost say that about the whole island. Everywhere you look you’ll find stunning architecture and scenery – even underwater. In Playa de Figueretas is another UNESCO World Heritage site, the underwater Posidonia Meadows. Billed as the largest living organism in the world, the sea bed is covered with a posidonia plant that stretches for miles. Posidonia is like sea grass and integral to the livelihood of Ibiza. Its presence keeps the water of Ibiza’s famous beaches clear, while providing food and protection to various sea creatures. Because it is a deciduous plant, its leaves are washed ashore where they pile up and protect the beaches from storm erosion. They can be harvested and used for animal bedding, fertilizer on the fields, and in the early days were layered on roofs between clay as insulation.  No wonder it is so protected!

While in Ibiza I strolled the cobblestone streets, explored the red cliffs and blue sea-caressed beaches, snorkeled the Posidonia Meadows, visited the museums, and dined in some of the finest restaurants. Oh – and I also went to Pacha, the club, to see what all the fuss was about and dance off the many calories I consumed with all that fine dining. It wasn’t hedonistic, it wasn’t drug-crazed, and it wasn’t a drunken party. It was just another side of the complexity that is Ibiza – the jewel of the Mediterranean.

To learn more about Ibiza check out http://tourism.eivissa.es

You can follow Richard on his Facebook page and Instagram account where he posts more content.

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