July 13, 2021

Reduce Your Footprint: How to Travel Sustainably

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel, Travel Tips

Tourism produces a stagging amount of environmental waste and carbon emissions, in fact, according to the United Nations Environment Program, “tourism produces 5 percent of the world's carbon emissions… and contributes to the depletion of natural resources, the degradation of ecosystems, and the proliferation of the waste found from shorelines to trekking trails.” (source)

When faced with these facts, it is easy to feel traveler’s guilt, and even find yourself questioning if you should travel at all.

Which is a good thing.

The only way to make travel sustainable is to make sure that those of us that are doing it are aware of the impact that we are having, and do our best to counter, offset, and reduce our footprint as much as we can.

April 16, 2015

5 Reasons Why You Should Visit Hong Kong

by Lindsay Shapka in Destinations, Travel, Travel Adventures, Travel Tips

Hong Kong is a fascinating place to travel to. It is constantly changing, modern yet traditional, full of Western businesses and democratic ideals yet ruled by the more austere communist-China way of life. The people who live there love dim sum and pizza, and never seem to stop moving.

You may be surprised to learn that most of Hong Kong is green (other than the mass of high-rises that make up Hong Kong Island of course), with beautiful hills for hiking, and plenty of outdoor activities. Another surprising fact is that the four main areas — Hong Kong Island, Kowloon, the New Territories and the Outlying Islands — are made up of more than 200 islands!!

Because of more lax regulations regarding visas, it is also one of the few places in China that can be accessed by most of the world without one. This has led to it becoming an international hub for people who are waiting to receive visas to enter the rest of the country, or other countries nearby (aka an excellent place for serious people watching).

Here are some things to do, and reasons why I think Hong Kong is worth adding to your travel list:

1. Amazing, easy to navigate public transportation

There is a comprehensive system of trains (one that passes under the harbour area!), boats, and busses that can get you anywhere you want to go quickly and easily. They are modern, clean, and there is even a high-speed train that will take you directly to the airport!

One of the tenement buildings in Kowloon

2. Kowloon

Meaning "nine dragons" in English, this is where you will find a blend of locals, expats, and tourists from all over the world. It is where opulent hotels sit across from crumbling tenements, stores selling cheap knock-offs are wedged between high-end shops, and there is non-stop chaos day and night — it's wonderful! There are markets, shopping centres, great restaurants, street food, and an incredible view of the harbour and the buildings of Hong Kong Island.

3. English-speaking friendly

Unlike other parts of China, there is a lot of English signage and many people speak English here. This is a result of Hong Kong being an English colony for so long.

The view of Hong Kong Island from Kowloon

4. Hong Kong Island

One of the largest islands, there is SO much to see and do here. Ride the outdoor Mid-Levels Escalator, the longest in the world, that transports pedestrians 800m from Queen's Rd Central via SoHo all the way up to Conduit Rd in Mid-Levels in 20 minutes. It passes through areas with incredible nightlife, so is a lot of fun to explore at night.

You can also check out Li Yuen St East, Li Yuen St West and the Graham St market which are right out of a movie with narrow pedestrian alleyways crammed with shops selling everything from bags to shoes to frogs legs.

The spiral incense-filled Man Mo Temple built in 1847 is one of the oldest in Hong Kong, and is an absolute must-see.

5. Lantau

Twice the size of Hong kong Island, this uncrowded, forest filled island has a massive monastery and temple complex called Po Lin on one of its highest points.

The temple is beautiful, but the real draw is the Tian Tan Buddha Statue (pictured above) that is the world's largest outdoor seated bronze buddha and can be reached by a steep climb of 260 steps.

My favourite part of visiting Lantau was riding the Ngong Ping 360 cable car which has one of the most incredible views I have ever seen!

Must-Visit Destination: Exploring The City of Taormina, Italy

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel, Destinations, Adventure

THE STATS:

Location — Taormina is a small picturesque town located on the east coast of the island of Sicily, Italy. It perches high on the cliffs above the Ionian Sea, which is luxuriously warm and has an extremely high salt content (better for floating!).

Population — Approximately 11,000 permanent residents call this historical village home.

Claim To Fame — Considered to be the most beautiful town in Sicily, Taormina has been a hub of art and trade back to the time when Italy was ruled by the Greeks (around the 5th century BC). Now frequented by the European jet-set, it is the type of Italian town you see in the movies, and is packed with restaurants, cafes, parks, and boutiques. One of the most stunning sights is the Teatro Greco, an ancient Roman amphitheatre that overlooks the sea and — on a clear day — gives you a view of Mt Etna. Oh, and did I mention the AMAZING beaches!

Orientation — The town centre is located on the top of a hill (you must take a bus or a looonnnggg walk to get up to it). The main road, Corso Umberto I, runs through the whole town.

Getting Around — Walk, walk, and walk! This is a tiny little town so the easiest way to get around, and take in the gorgeous views, is to use your own two feet. In order to get down to the beach you will need to take a cable car OR go on a nice long steep hike (trust me, take the cable car).

Getting There and Away — If you are coming from the mainland, the easiest thing to do is to take the train. How do you get to an island on a train you ask? On a boat of course! The Italians have ferry boats that line up with the tracks and allow the trains to drive right on, meeting up with the tracks again on the island. You will need to catch an Interbus from the train station into town. If travelling around the island the best way to go is by bus.

Where To Stay — Because Taormina tends to attract a wealthier crowd, there are many expensive hotels, pensiones, villas, and rooms for rent. But, the budget conscious need not dismay, there are also a few cheap hostels and even a campground for you! Try and call ahead if you are travelling in the high season however, as you can imagine, these less-expensive options fill up fast!

What To Do — Relax at a cafe, ride the cable car down to the beach, suntan, take in the majestic view of Mt Etna at the Teatro Greco, hike up the cacti speckled cliffs overlooking the sea, wander through the historic city centre as the sun sets, indulge in a delicious meal at a local restaurant... REPEAT!

How I Found It — While travelling through Italy, my travel buddies and I ended up in Taormina largely because it was the lest expensive ticket to buy at the train station. Our ultimate goal was getting to Mt Etna (a town over), but we decided to stop here in order to save some money.

Intending to only stay for one night, we ended up adding a few more because of the chilled out atmosphere, a great hostel, and the gorgeous beach!

*The Teatro Greco was once solely used for gladiator combat and was where Woody Allen filmed the Greek chorus scene for his film Mighty Aphrodite.*

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May 20, 2012

Unconventional Tourist Attraction: Exploring European Cemeteries

by Lindsay Shapka in Travel, Travel Adventures, Adventure

I have never been one to visit the dead.

It has nothing to do with religion or anything, I have just always felt that my memories of a lost loved one are stronger than anything that I could find standing in front of a grave.

Despite this, on a recent trip, I found myself drawn to a small cemetery in Paris where the French poet, art critic, and essayist Charles Baudelaire was buried. I had studied, quoted and written about him throughout my university career and even after, could feel the influence of his words in how I observed certain aspects of the world.

Like we make pilgrimages to famous museums to see the great works of art that the likes of Michelangelo, Monet, and Andy Warhol have left behind, I felt a need to make a pilgrimage to Baudelaire’s grave.

Just outside the walls of the cemetery I purchased a single, long stem red rose from a lady with a flower cart. I felt a little silly as I walked through the arched entrance in the cemetery wall and onto a deserted cobblestone street. I had never visited a grave before, especially not one marking someone I hadn’t even known.

“I found myself drawn to a small cemetery in Paris where the French poet, art critic, and essayist Charles Baudelaire was buried”

It took me about 20 minutes to find the tomb in the confusing maze of headstones. It was the only one, out of all that surrounded it, covered in flowers. I didn’t feel so silly once I realized that I was not the only recent visitor.

Setting my single rose next to a bouquet of lilies and running my fingers over his name, I turned and walked back to the wall and out into the noise of Parisian traffic.

Taking a stroll through a cemetery might sound morbid, but in Europe, 19th century cemeteries are big attractions. Yes, there are ‘quirkier’ visitors that are there to hold vigil for hours in front of the graves of famous figures (Jim Morrison’s grave in Paris attracts some interesting people), but the majority of visitors are your plain old average tourist.

Surrounded by thick stone walls that create a peaceful sanctuary, these cemeteries are laid out like cities with street names and green spaces.

The opulent mausoleums are a study in architecture of the different time periods they were built in, and elaborate grave markers, representing the life of the deceased, turn these burial places into verdant sculpture gardens. In the light of day, these places are like beautiful, outdoor museums.

Death is the ultimate neutralizer, and in these beautiful spaces, you can find dictators buried next to revolutionaries, musicians next to business men and the rich next to the poor.

If you are going to be in Europe this summer, I suggest dropping by the Kerepesi Cemetery in Budapest or Cimetiere du Pere Lachaise in Paris. They are massive, full of beautiful sculpture and — if it is something that interests you — a bunch of famous historical figures.