It’s no secret that Amsterdam has an over-tourism problem. Dam Square is thick with tourists and pickpockets, and the Red Light District (properly known as De Wallen) has become an adult Disneyland where stag parties run wild.
But all is not lost for visitors to Amsterdam. In the city's outlying neighborhoods, there's plenty to experience away from the central crowds…
Read the rest at Make Change
In my first piece for Ensemble Vacations magazine, I spill the dirt on all the best places to go in the neighbourhood I call home.
Read the piece in the digital issue of Ensemble Vacations.
It's 6 a.m. at Kyambura Gorge Lodge, just outside of Uganda's Queen Elizabeth National Park, and I can hear singing. Not being a morning person, I've declined a wake-up call, but I can just make out the melodic voice of Peace, the lodge's personal butler, as she delivers fresh, local coffee to my neighbour.
We're up early to head into the north section of the park for a lion safari…
Read the rest in the Vancouver Courier .
This foodie honeymoon story from the hills of Tuscany appears in the latest issue of Destination Vows.
My latest PAX Magazine story explores a week of wine-themed river cruising in France. Check out the digital edition at PAXMagazine.ca.
Europe’s rivers are the arteries of the continent, connecting great cities with charming small villages. Whether following ancient trade routes or sailing past stone castles with a glass of wine in hand, each river offers a unique perspective on European travel. Here’s everything you need to know about 10 of the most popular European rivers for cruising…
Read the rest on the Odyssea website, part of the syndication network for Ensemble Travel.
European river cruising offers something for all travelers, from wine lovers to history buffs to hiking fans. To get a river cruising experience customized to your personal interests, consider a themed itinerary. You’ll meet like-minded cruisers while traveling in your own personal style.
Each spring, Belgium and the Netherlands erupt in a sea of color as the tulips come into bloom. From the seven million flowers at the Keukenhof Gardens to the one million bulbs at Floralia Brussels to the vast swaths of blooms in the Dutch countryside, tulips can be found in abundance…
Read the rest on the Odyssea website, part of the syndication network for Ensemble Travel.
There’s no better way to understand a destination than to see how locals live. From exploring cozy houseboats to touring grand canal homes, here’s how to get an inside look at life in the Dutch capital.
Built in 1672, this grand canal house was the former home of the Van Loon family. The Van Loons were well connected in Dutch society: Willem van Loon was a co-founder of the Dutch East India Company, and later generations included Amsterdam mayors, bankers and ladies in the queen’s court…
Read the rest on the Odyssea website, part of the syndication network for Ensemble Travel.
When reading a menu in an unfamiliar language, Google Translate is usually your best friend. But in the Netherlands, the literal English translations of some Dutch staples will leave you scratching your head.
For these five Dutch foods, Google Translate is no help at all…
Read the rest on the G Adventures blog
Social media compliance: Three words that can strike fear into the heart of any marketer in the regulated industries. At its most basic, social media compliance simply means following the rules when using social media to engage with the public.
But the truth is that social media compliance is hardly ever that simple. The rules are a complicated mix of industry regulations and federal, state, and local laws. Marketers using social media for regulated industries need to understand their compliance obligations. They need to work within the rules to use social media as an effective and appropriate marketing tool…
Read the rest on the Hootsuite blog