BRUSSELS, BELGIUM – How did I not know this city was so fantastic? I was the Travel Editor at the Toronto Star for five years. I’ve been to Europe a dozen times. I’d read a lot of stories about Brussels , albeit many about moules frites and Belgian waffles and Belgian beer and Belgian chocolate and Belgian comic books, which seem to be everywhere. But somehow I didn’t realize the city was so beautiful, with so many spectacular buildings and cool streets and funky, lively neighborhoods and wonderful museums and so much more. I only had a short time here Read more
Europe
Jim Byers photo A memorial to fallen Canadian troops at the Brooding Soldier monument at Vancouver Corner in St. Julian, Belgium. YPRES, BELGIUM – I take a train through rolling fields of prosperous farms and frisky Holsteins and small, black sheep grazing on deep, green grass. I dive into perfectly cooked sole at a stunning restaurant. I wander adorable streets filled with attractive brick buildings and drink rich Belgian beers on lovely squares and stroll through romantic parks with tiny bridges over pretty marshes and silent fishermen trying their luck I have a lovely time in this small town and Read more
FIVE GREAT PLACES FOR FIFTY PLUS TRAVELERS I get asked a lot about the best places to travel for folks who are 50 and over. Of course, I’m almost eight years into that category myself so I guess it’s a fair question. A lot depends, like many things in life, on what you’re looking for. If you’re a foodie, I probably would suggest a weekend in New York or maybe Vancouver. If you’re into wine, the Niagara Region of Ontario or, naturally, northern California works. Not to mention the interior of British Columbia, almost anywhere in France and several great Read more
Jim Byers photo. Wave Hill Gardens, a magical area of The Bronx. THE BRONX, NEW YORK CITY – I was torn about what parts of New York to check out for the trip I took over the last few days. It seems there are a lot of stories around focussing on trendy new areas of Brooklyn. And talking about fun things to do in Manhattan and even Queens. But when the tourism board’s representative in Toronto sent me a note and pointed out some things to do in The Bronx, I was intrigued. Really? I used to cover the Blue Read more
JIM BYERS PHOTO Colaneri winery in Niagara-on-the-Lake looks like something out of Tuscany. Great wines, too. NIAGARA-ON-THE-LAKE – A wonderful B and B with a Florentine co-owner. An organic Italian gelato place run by the same woman and her husband. And a winery where they make their vino in the Italian style in a series of buildings that look like they were shipped from a sleepy hillside in Tuscany. Sure, you can go to this pretty southern Ontario town and indulge yourself in British (and faux British) hotels and plays and bars. There’s nothing wrong with that. But you also Read more
