Our favourite places to stay and books about them!

There’s a great new series of books by Lonely Planet publishers. The City Series books include tidbits of information, displayed collage style, and interspersed with pictures. The difference from a Dorling Kindersley type book is the humorous tone and the inclusion of cartoons. Simon and I read Rome: Everything You Ever Wanted to Know by Klay Lamprell. Other cities covered are Paris, London, and New York. There is also a large almanac volume called The Travel Book: Cool Stuff to Know About Every Country in the World, which Simon devoured over a weekend.

Like most kids, Simon loves looking at old photos of himself, and repeating favourite family travel stories. We were reminiscing about the coolest places that we’ve slept. Number one on my list is a retired caboose outside of Kamloops. When Simon was 5 and train crazy, we drove out for a railroad vacation. We visited the spiral tunnels, the driving of the last spike near Cragellachie, the Revelstoke Railway Museum, and Beardale Miniatureland near Revelstoke. Hostelling International Shuswap Lake has 3 cabooses, so I rented all 6 berths in one so we could have the run of the place (and being a hostel, it was still cheaper than a hotel) There were llamas, a firepit, some canoes, and a tasty communal pancake breakfast.

In Italy, some religious orders offer rooms for hire. We met a lovely Benedictine nun in San Gimignano. She rented rooms to support the other nuns who were cloistered. It’s called Monastero di San Girolamo. She was a helpful hostess, and we felt we were friends after a week. When we left, she said, “I’ll see you again.” When we questioned her about that, she said she meant in heaven of course.

There’s a Zen Buddhist centre in an apartment building in Paris called Maison Zen, and if they don’t have students, you can rent an apartment. There are steep stairs, goldfish in a garden pond, and lovely watercolours by the owner on the walls. The key appeal of this memory is the time my friend Gail took Simon out to find breakfast. They brought back Pain au Chocolat pastries from three nearby bakeries in the name of comparison tasting.

Renting an apartment in an historic part of town allows you to live like the locals and really get a sense of a place. I love waking up early and walking around before the other tourists arrive en masse. Favourite neighbourhoods in which I pretended to be a local were Greenwich Village in New York, Mont St. Michel in northern France, and quiet Cannaregio in Venice. In Venice there was a fruit and vegetable market just outside the door so we could buy fresh basil to make brushetta. There was also a fresh seafood market, and Simon was relieved when a couple of live snails escaped back into the water.

Closer to home, we stayed in a sod house at Hummingbird Haven by Cochrane. The Great Canadian Barn Dance near Pincher Creek is also an interesting place to go for a weekend if you ever had a hankering to play the washboard.

Staying in campgrounds is always memorable because you are right there in a beautiful location, and it’s so wonderful to have a walk just before you go to sleep. One of our favourite places was Joshua Tree National Monument in California. I loved the black shapes of the boulders in the dusk. The National Park Service in the U.S. has many great campgrounds. Phantom Ranch at the bottom of the Grand Canyon was built in the 1920s. Everything that goes into the ranch must come down the river, or be carried by mules. They had a very calm and steady mule who always carried the eggs. Other great national parks we recommend are the little cabins in the Okefenokee swamp in Stephen C. Foster State Park in Georgia, USA and the Cinnamon Bay Campground in St. Johns, US Virgin Islands.

My favourite place NOT to stay? The ice hotel near Quebec City! It was great to visit during the day, but looking at the great blocks of ice that made up the beds convinced me that a room at the Quebec City hostel was a better choice! We do like staying in hostels, partly for the expense, but also because it’s easy to meet people and chat with other travelers. Simon often found other kids to play with, and we sometimes hooked up for joint sight seeing.

Rounding out our favourites list is the Nickelodeon Hotel and the Sheraton Vistana condos, both in Orlando, Florida. The former has water slides, game shows in which guests are slimed, and the lifeguards throw cream pies at the kids who run on the pool deck as a joke. The latter are quiet timeshares that rent out when they aren’t full. Because we’re often in hostels, Simon liked the luxury of a jetted tub and multiple pools to choose from. There were also feral cats to feed the leftover bits of those monstrous huge turkey legs they sell in DisneyWorld.

I grew up reading about kids having all kinds of adventures. I personally blame my travel bug on The Bobbsey Twins and National Geographic’s World magazine. It’s Tintin, Asterix, and The Good Times Travel Agency who captured Simon’s imagination. We recommend The Good Times Travel Agency graphix series by Linda Bailey and Bill Slavin. Three siblings travel to ancient China, Greece, the Ice Age and Middle Ages in a fun comic format. Now those kids have slept in some wild places!

Banff and the Kananaskis are wonderful places to visit on a beautiful long weekend. However, if you are staying in town this weekend, there are lots of intriguing options to keep the kids occupied.

Calgary Public Library has some great programs for families on Saturday, May 19.

Fish Creek Library is offering an exciting program at 2:00 p.m., Elephone and Telephee: A herd of elephant stories, jokes, songs, and poems are presented with puppets and lots of audience help. This program is presented by WP Puppet Theatre.

Join our Drop-in Storytime at Crowfoot Library at 10:30 a.m. Bring the little ones for a half hour of stories, songs, and fingerplays the whole family can enjoy. Ages 2 to 5 with a parent/caregiver. No registration required.

Don't forget to drop by your local branch on Friday or Saturday for books and movies to entertain the kids. The library will start our summer Sunday closures on May 20 and will be closed on Monday, May 21 for Victoria Day.

Calaway Park Grand Opening is on Saturday, May 19 with all the usual fun rides and tempting treats.

Heritage Park will start opening daily on Saturday, May 19. The park is celebrating Victoria Day on Monday, May 21 with a free pancake breakfast for the first 500 customers. On Monday you can also enjoy a traditional Afternoon Tea in the upstairs Tea Room of the Wainwright Hotel (Check in advance for ticket availability.)

Celebrate Mountie Day on Monday May 21^st from 11-4 at Fort Calgary. “You are invited to join Fort Calgary on Victoria Day to commemorate the formation of the North West Mounted Police (NWMP) by Sir John A. Macdonald in 1873...”

The Royal Tyrrell Museum begins its spring programs on Saturday, May 19th. Check out their website for times and details. One of our staff members visited with her family recently and was very enthusiastic about the whole experience. She shares her impressions in a blog entry, "Walking with the Dinosaurs".

Curious about the history behind Victoria Day? Place your hold on this new book: Victoria Day by Lynn Peppas.

"Victoria Day is celebrated across Canada on the third Monday of May. It is a federal statutory holiday in honor of the birthday of England's Queen Victoria. It is informally considered the beginning of the summer season in Canada. Readers will learn about the importance of the first sovereign of confederated Canada, as well as Empire Day, celebrated in Britain."

Explore the roads less travelled as Joan Donaldson-Yarmey talks about the roadside attractions of Southern Alberta.

Joan has written several books on exploring Alberta, Backroads of Southern Alberta and Backroads of Northern Alberta, as well as Backroads of Central and Northern British Columbia.

Monday, May 14, 2012

12:00 - 12:45 p.m.

Main floor South - New and Notable area

Register In Person, By Phone at 403-260-2620 or Online.

On Monday evening, Joan will be reading from her newest mystery, Whistler's Murder. This book, third in the Travelling Detective series, features travel writer, Elizabeth Oliver, who becomes involved in murder and mayhem when visiting Whistler, B.C. (This title will soon be available to borrow from Calgary Public Library.

Monday, May 14, 2012

6:00 - 7:30 pm

Main floor South - New and Notable area

Register In Person, By Phone at 403-260-2620 or Online.

Are you planning to spend some time travellling around Alberta this summer? Do you have company coming in who you will be taking up to the mountains? Make the most out of your trip by finding out about the history behind the scenery.

Join us as Kathryn shares the facts, stories and pictures of Highway #1 between Calgary and Banff.

Monday, May 7, 2012

12:00 - 12:45 pm

Central Library, Main Floor New & Notable area

616 Macleod Trail SE

Register in person, by phone at 403-260-2620 or On Line.

On a recent trip to British Columbia, we decided to stop at Fort Steele which is located on Highway 93/95, 10 miles (16 km) northeast of Cranbrook east of Kimberley.

There were family events for the Easter holiday and the kids enjoyed the Easter Egg hunt, wagon ride and watching the animal farm on a beautiful sunny day.

The highlight of our visit was watching a live show based on the stories of Robert Munsch at the Wild Horse Theatre. It was a very funny show and the actors did an awesome job.

The library has several books on the history of Fort Steele - Fort Steele: Gold Rush to Boom Town and Fort Steele: Here History Lives.

We also have some great guidebooks for visiting British Columbia. Just search "British Columbia Guidebooks" in our catalogue.

I was very impressed with this historic park. This would be a great place to visit in the summer!

That sinking feeling! The 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic fell on April 15th. Calgary Public Library has just received some wonderful new books to add to our collection of titles about this storied and fateful voyage.

"Late in the night of April 14, 1912, the mighty Titanic , a passenger liner traveling from Southampton, England, to New York City, struck an iceberg four hundred miles south of Newfoundland. Its sinking over the next two and a half hours brought the ship'mythological in name and size'one hundred years of infamy. Of the 2,240 people aboard the ship, 1,517 perished either by drowning or by freezing to death in the frigid North Atlantic waters. What followed the disaster was tantamount to a worldwide outpouring of grief: In New York, Paris, London, and other major cities, people lined the streets and crowded around the offices of the White Star Line, the Titanic 's shipping company, to inquire for news of their loved ones and for details about the lives of some of the famous people of their time. While many accounts of the Titanic 's voyage focus on the technical or mechanical aspects of why the ship sank, Voyagers of the Titanic follows the stories of the men, women, and children whose lives intersected on the vessel's fateful last day, covering the full range of first, second, and third class­?from plutocrats and captains of industry to cobblers and tailors looking for a better life in America. Richard Davenport-Hines delves into the fascinating lives of those who ate, drank, reveled, dreamed, and died aboard the mythic ship: from John Jacob Astor IV, the wealthiest person on board, whose comportment that night was subject to speculation and gossip for years after the event, to Archibald Butt, the much-beloved military aide to Theodore Roosevelt and William Taft, who died helping others into the Titanic 's few lifeboats. With magnificent prose, Voyagers of the Titanic also brings to life the untold stories of the ship's middle and third classes'clergymen, teachers, hoteliers, engineers, shopkeepers, counterjumpers, and clerks'each of whom had a story that not only illuminates the fascinating ship but also the times in which it sailed. In addition, Davenport-Hines explores the fascinating politics behind the Titanic 's creation, which involved larger-than-life figures such as J. P. Morgan, the ship's owner, and Lord Pirrie, the ship's builder. The memory of this tragedy still remains a part of the American psyche and Voyagers of the Titanic brings that clear night back to us with all of its drama and pathos." (Catalogue summary)

"Fascinating firsthand accounts of the Titanic --in a deluxe package with gorgeous graphic cover art. Historic firsthand accounts and testimonies by survivors and eye- witnesses including Lawrence Beesley, Margaret Brown, Archibald Gracie, Carlos F. Hurd and many more." (Catalogue summary)

"This is a book unlike any other. Rather than offering simply a detailed retelling of the Titanic sinking on her maiden voyage, John Maxtone-Graham devotes his considerable knowledge and impeccable prose to a discussion of salient, provocative, and rarely investigated components of the story, including dramatic survivors' accounts of the events of the fateful night, the role of newly in-vented wireless telecommunication in the disaster, the construction and its ramifications at the famous Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, and the dawn rendezvous with the rescue ship Carpathia. Richly written and vividly detailed, this is the book Titanic buffs have been waiting for." (Catalogue summary)

"On the 100th anniversary of the Titanic′s sinking, a prominent Titanic researcher offers a final chance to see the ship before it disappears forever.

The Titanic was the biggest, most luxurious passenger ship the world had ever seen; the ads proclaimed it to be unsinkable. When it sank in April 1912 after hitting an iceberg, killing more than 1,500 people, the world was forever changed and the public has been spellbound ever since. Now, a century later, the Titanic is about to disappear again: its infrastructure is set to collapse in the next few years. In this book, scientist Charles Pellegrino offers what may be the last opportunity to see the ship before it is lost to the seas for eternity. The last book to be written while survivors were still alive and able to contribute details, Farewell, Titanic includes many untold stories about the sinking and exploration of the unsinkable ship." (Catalogue summary)

"April 14, 2012, marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic. The 'unsinkable' subject, the story of the giant ship that sank on its maiden voyage, has become one of our most potent modern parables and enduring metaphors. The image of the ship's plunging stern is an icon, and expressions like 'rearranging the deck chairs' and 'hitting the iceberg' need no explanation. Yet on a cold, clear April night the disaster happened to real people - stokers, millionaires, society ladies, parsons, parlourmaids - people who displayed a full range of all-too-human reactions as the events of the night unfolded. With new research,R.M.S. Titanicweaves the dramatic story of that fateful crossing with compelling portraits of the people on board -those who survived, and those who tragically lost their lives - allowing us to place ourselves on that sloping deck and ask, 'What would we do?"(Catalogue summary)

To find more great reads on the Titanic, just enter "Titanic" in the search box of our catalogue.

If you are travelling to Halifax in Nova Scotia, be sure to visit the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic to see their permanent exhibit on the Titanic. While you are there you can also view the exhibit on the Halifax Explosion of 1917, a horrendous wartime collision between a Norwegian vessel and an ammunition ship that devastated the city. This is a very interesting museum and well worth the visit.

When I saw The Lego Ideas Book: Unlock Your Imagination by Daniel Lipkowitz arrive at Calgary Public Library, it brought back memories of when Lego ruled our world. I’m nostalgic for the days when a Lego magazine’s arrival in the mail was a major event. All activity would halt as the magazine was devoured cover to cover. The required money was tallied, the piggy bank counted, and all upcoming birthdays and holidays taken into account. Then quick to the phone to sweet talk Grandma! All hands were on deck as 1000 pieces of Lego were spilled on the dining room table; parents in charge of sorting Lego by colour, while the chief builder did the assembly without a break until it was done.

Legoland Florida opened in October on the site of the old Cypress Gardens in Winter Haven. We haven’t visited this one, but looking at the map shows they’re using some of the popular features from other Legolands. Our first visit was to Legoland California in San Diego. My strong memories are not the rides, but the clever Lego statues that dotted the park. In the medieval section there was a little pink grunting pig. Down a darkened tunnel was a menacing polar bear. For a photo op, you could stick your head in the jaws of a roaring lion.

We also visited the Legoland in Windsor, England. You can take a train from London for a day trip. Getting off the train, you grab a bus or taxi, skirting around the Queen’s Windsor Castle. There are two huge colourful dragons on the Viking’s River Splash. Trolls dump water on you at the end of this water ride. We all enjoyed the Kid Power Tower in which two people pull their seat up in the air with a rope to get a good view. As in all Legolands, there’s a model miniland in the middle of the park with some architectural highlights of the surrounding country. Miniland is my favourite part of Legoland. It’s fun to look back at places you’ve been, and to look forward to the next destination.

The library’s Lego books are very popular, and sometimes you need to place holds to get the latest titles. We scoured the books on the history of Lego. The little yellow headed people are important; a friend’s child dressed up as one for Halloween. Standing Small: A History of Thirty Years of the Lego Minifigure chronicles their story. There are lots of X books too- easy readers with limited vocabulary for those learning to read.

Books devoted to specific Lego collections are also popular. Right now, Harry Potter is flying off the shelves. Harry Potter: Building the Magical World has colour photos of the sets no longer available. The Star Wars book is also great, and a lot easier to flip through than poking through E-bay!

Lastly, we recommend the DVD Lego: the Adventures of Clutch Powers. Clutch is an action hero minifigure in this animated movie suitable for young kids. There are five Legolands to visit: in Florida, California, England, Germany, and Denmark, the original. Block on!

How to see the great cities of Europe and not spend a lot of money? Try walking the streets.

Calgary Public Library has many books on walking and walking tours. Just recently received are these great guides from National Geographic.

Walking London and Walking Paris are "part of a brand-new series from National Geographic that showcase the world's great cities, These guides are divided into the following sections. The Whirlwind Tours section shows you how to see the entire city in a day or a weekend; what sights will interest kids most; plus, a hedonist's tour that's pure pleasure from dawn to midnight and beyond. The Neighborhoods section of the book presents each city broken down into itineraries that lead you on a step-by-step tour to the best sights in each of the cities' greatest neighborhoods...Travel Essentials provides information on how to get to the city and how to get around, as well as hand-picked hotels and restaurants."

Check out our other guidebooks, such as:

Think about using local transit to get around various cities. Check out the options for purchasing a transit pass for multiple days or stops.

You can also save money in many European cities, by purchasing a European City Card. Thirty-six of Europe’s most popular cities now offer ‘city cards’. Most City Cards offer free public transport, free entrances and discounts in restaurants, shops and entertainment.

Sandeman's New Europe Tours offer free tours of 14 European cities. Their guides operate on a 'tips only' basis.

Are you staying in Calgary with the family for Spring Break? There are many opportunities in the city for fun family activities, starting with Calgary Public Library.

Our libraries are always great places to spend a few hours, browsing for books, CDs, and DVDs. As well, many of our branches are offering special programs during the week, starting on March 23rd.

PD Day Movie at Central in the John Dutton Theatre.

Come watch a feature film on your day off! Call branch for movie title.

Kids - with a parent/caregiver, 1:30 - 3:30 on Friday, March 23rd. No registration required.

Chess in the Library at Forest Lawn Library

Join members of the Calgary Chess Club and Calgary Junior Chess Club for the opportunity to play chess, supported by coaching. Children under 12 must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver.

Kids & Teens - Ages 6 to 20, Sunday March 25^th, 1:00 - 4:00 p.m. Registration Not Required

Spring Break Movies at Signal Hill Library

Join us on your school break for a selection of short, funny films from the Library's collection.
Ages 5 to 12, Tuesday, Mar 27, 1:30 - 3:00 p.m. No registration required

ESL Teen Talk at Fish Creek, Nose Hill & Saddletown Library

ESL teens and tweens can practice English language skills and enjoy a variety of fun activities at the Library.

Ages 10 to 14, Monday, Mar 26, Tuesday, Mar 27, Wednesday, Mar 28, Thursday, Mar 29, Friday, Mar 30, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Gaming For all ages at Nose Hill Library

Bring your friends and enjoy video games with the Nintendo Wii, such as Beatles Rock Band, Wii Sports, and selected Mario games. Wednesday March 28^th, 4:00 - 5:30 p.m.

Kids & Teens - Ages 7 and up Registration not required

LEGO Club at Fish Creek & Shawnessy Library

Join us to build, create, and explore! Legos provided.

Kids & Teens, Registration not required

Create Fantastic Creatures! at Alexander Calhoun

Create creatures a la Parrototter or Rhinostrich inspired by "Mixed Beasts" by Wallace Edwards, learn pencil crayon shading, and read, write, and share rhymes. Presented by Pinkmittens2.

Kids - Ages 9 to 12, Saturday, Mar 31, 2:00 - 3:30 p.m.

Other Venues

Heritage Park's Gasoline Alley Museum is offering Spring Rally in the Alley from March 23 - April 1, 9:30am-4:00pm.

The Calgary Zoo offers daily programs and special programs and has to be a great place to be with all this great spring weather. What a great chance to see the new penguin exhibit. (Of course, it is snowing as I write this! Spring in Calgary!?!)

Spring is an excellent time of year to visit the Inglewood Bird Sanctuary. My bird-watching friends tell me that you have a better opportunity to see the birds before the leaves are on the trees.

Star Night - And speaking of viewing, why not take advantage of a great opportunity to view the stars. Clear or cloudy skies, The Royal Astronomical Society of Canada and Fish Creek Provincial Park are offering viewing of the night sky with telescopes, astronomy presentations, interactive games and displays. Everyone welcome, no charge!

Telus Spark, the new science centre, is offering special programs for spring break.

Fort Calgary is open every day through the spring break, offering a chance to see where Calgary first started at the confluence of the Bow and Elbow Rivers.

Mom, Tot and Kids' Show website describes itself as a fun and interactive tradeshow for Alberta Families. More than 100 exhibitors will be present showcasing the latest in technology, apparel, furniture, products and toys. they invite you to come and play with your kids, be entertained, explore and just have fun!

When we travel to far distant shores, many of us are looking for a deeper meaning to our travels and our lives, searching out places that are sacred and mystical. The following book will help you move beyond the mainstream tourist destinations.

Sacred Britain: a Guide to Places that Stir the Soul by Martin Symington

"Britain is packed with places to visit that can be called ‘sacred’. Many are mainstream tourist sites, such as Iona, Lindisfarne and Stonehenge. Many more are out-of-the-way pilgrimage destinations, druidic circles, holy wells or obscure islands that few people would find without this book. Some are only recognised as ‘sacred’ by people with a special interest: Karl Marx's tomb in Highgate cemetery, the island on Althorp where Princess Diana is buried, or Twickenham rugby stadium. This is a travel guidebook to places in England, Scotland and Wales associated with a sense of the sacred. The book journeys from pilgrimage sites with tombs of martyrs and scenes of medieval miracles to the remote islands of Iona, Bardsey and Lindisfarne, as well as to modern Buddhist, Hindu and Islamic shrines. It visits pre-historic stone circles and ancient chalk hill carvings such as the phallic Cerne Abbas giant. As well as sites of myth, legend, and apparition it covers shrines to philosophers and locations revered for their connections with art, music, literature, sport, and crime." (Syndetics)

You can find more books about spiritual travel in a past blog. And if you are looking for appropriate accommodation for your spiritual journey, take a look at our blog on monasteries.