lohki's VirtualTourist Home Page

I was totally obsessed with planning my 10-day adventure in Paris-- May 2005 and that is how I discovered Virtual Tourist. It had been 11 years since my last journey in Europe so I threw caution to the wind and invited only myself. Best idea ever.

Many thanks to this website and the helpful travelers found here, the information you share is priceless... and by building my own virtual passport, I relive each moment.

Sitting on the patio facing Place des Vosges devouring a warm goat cheese salad, with wine of course was a wonderful moment in time. Not only was the lunch great in taste, view and price.... when I went down to see the wine cellar I had a lovely American woman ask me, in halting french, if I knew where the washroom was.

She was quite shocked when I answered her in English. Apparently she had seen me enjoy the meal and wine at my tiny table, assumed I was Parisian and promptly decided that she too would lunch at Cafe Hugo!

It was the highlight of my day since I was indeed feeling VERY PARISIAN!

Located in Toronto's historic Distillery district the Mill Street Brewery is a great place to hang out for a pint. Or simply head into the retail shop for a taste of one of the four beers brewed here!
Check out my Toronto page and tips for more on the Distillery District.

*** Helpful Toronto Tip***
I learned this afternoon, the May long weekend, while all beer and liquor stores were closed on the holiday Monday, you can still buy a six pack or two of Mill Street beer here!

Wouldn't it be great to have a chair like this in a garden!
Some day.... this gallery was one of many featured throughout the tangled streets of historic San Juan.

I used to spend many hours wandering the streets of the old town while I was on the Nordic Empress. We would dock twice a week, which left ample time to explore.

San Juan, Puerto Rico is a wonderful, vibrant city, I only wish I could have seen it past 5 pm! My ship sailed at 6 pm, I hear the dance clubs and casinos are jumping.

Don't forget to head into El Yunque the rain forest, it is truly a magical place. One of the rainest forests, El Yungue (forest of clouds) is home to the Puerto Rican Parrot ( one ten most endangered bird species) and the Coqui ( little frog) who you will hear!

From the sublime to the ridiculous, Las Vegas can find the weakness in anyone and exploit it…, which is precisely why I ADORE VEGAS!

That being said, I should mention that I am recreational --read cheap-- gambler and while I love hitting the casinos, the only place I could loose my shirt is in the shops. Which generally means gaining shirts and shoes and pants and dresses….!

This city fascinates me, the locals are friendly and the one place on the planet where tacky and classy fuse.

Growing up in Calgary, Alberta gave me full access to Banff National Park, and the one thing (aside from family) I miss the most about home... the mountains!

The Rocky Mountains are wonderful, wild, and very desolate. Camping and hiking here is not for the faint of heart. Or the out of shape for that matter! There are many trails and walks that are easy and beautiful, but if you REALLY want to see the mountains you have to climb... or at least trek.
You do not need to be an expert climber (with ropes and harnesses) you just have to be able to walk up steep, narrow, and often rocky terrain.
But there is nothing... NOTHING like the view from the top of a mountain.

There are so many great vineyards to vist here in Southern Ontario the ones I have visited can be found in "Off the Beaten Path" tips on my Toronto page.

The LCBO (where you have to buy spirits in Ontario, government controlled) has now started to carry many of the Ontario wines, and it is about time. Obviously due to climate our whites are often better than our reds, but if you have the cash--- Stratus Merlot and Peninsula Ridge Shiraz!

Personally I avoid the Jackson Triggs, Sawmill Creek and anything else you can get at the smaller "Wine Rack" stores, but if the LCBO is closed, in a pinch I guess it'll do.

Most of my life has either been on stage, rehersing to go on stage, auditioning to go on stage and in the latter part of my career t.v. and film was included. Now... I am following another path. Currently in the journalism program at GBC in Toronto.

I have piles of wonderful photos from when I was performing on Royal Caribbean Cruise Lines, but that was before my first digital camera. One of these days I should get myself to a scanner and compose a few tips.

I also had oodles of wonderful photos from B.C., Banff, N.Y. and Vegas from my old digital camera, but then my old computer crashed. Curses..... Bye-bye photos!

Note to all. BACK UP your info!