Swine Flu - Level 5 epidemic?

Do we really think that this is causing the same level of mayhem that was afforded to the SARS epidemic?  The facts of this flu are as follows.

As of April 30,09:

• 150 Confirmed deaths - all in Mexico except for one 23 year old Mexican boy who died in Texas after coming to visit family
• No one outside of Mexico has been sick enough to be hospitalized (except the mexican boy listed above)
• The UK, Canada and (hopefully the USA) have more than enough TamiFlu to vaccinate - and this has been shown to work against this strain of Swine Flu

There have been no mass deaths like there was with SARS.

The swine flu was reported and action has been taken - unlike with SARS.

The borders to Mexico are effectively getting closed down with many major tour operators, cruise lines and airlines canceling all flights, tours and ports of call effective immediately.

We are aware that this can become a global pandemic, but why make people paranoid?

One travel agent remarked that "I am getting calls from clients that haven't left yet, stating that they think they have this flu.  They haven't been out of the country in over a year."  **At this point in time, there were no confirmed cases in Canada.**

We can rest assured that this over-reaction to the swine flu (with travel to many destinations, not just Mexico being cancelled) our global recession is only going to worsen over the next couple of months - a situation that no one will be happy to see.

Viva Las Vegas!

Well it's that time.  Time for my trek down to the wonderful land that is known as Vegas!  The city that never sleeps, and doesn't apologize for it. 

While the last time I was here, I stayed at a shabby little place that had seen better days (whatever you do, DO NOT stay at Circus Circus) this time my luck has turned.  After booking a regular luxury suite at the brand new Palazzo, I was lucky enough to get an upgrade (always remember to ask) to a Fortuna Concierge Suite.

The rooms are amazing, spacious and tastefully decorated, the beds rival those at the Whistler Four Seasons, and the choice of restaurants is obscene.  Oh, and the concierge's work 24-7, and never once seem annoyed at my many calls, testing the fact.

After dinner at Wolfgang Puck's newest creation "CUT" a steakhouse in Palazzo, I'm off to go exploring.  A viewing of O from the splash zone tonight, then off to the Playboy club to see if it's really all it's cracked up to be.  (I think it might be from the boy's perspective, but I'm not so sure what it will be like for the ladies.)

Oh, and a must at the restaurant is the Maryland Blue Crab and Maine Lobster cocktail.  Absolutely amazing, although $12 USD for a side of herbed fries was a little outrageous, even for this restaurant.

Hockeytown

I have just spent the past week chilling out in Calgary, and enjoying the craziness that is known as playoff fever.  There is no other city in Canada that embraces Playoff Fever like Calgary.  With no other major teams to concentrate on, Calgary takes the Flames as their own, and will not let anything get in their way.  

Unfortunately, the team almost let game 4 slip out of their grasp last night, but if you ever find yourself in Calgary, I would highly suggest a trip the Saddledome (a tribute to their cowboy roots that bring you the Calgary Stampede) for a game.  And don't dispair if you can only get a nosebleed seat...(because you are so far up) as these seats are filled with the crazy and the fun, while down below is the rigid corporate types, and lots of empty seats.  They don't know what they are missing!

For more information on the Flames, and how to get tickets, click here!

Next stop?  Las Vegas!

My love/hate relationship

While the snow continues to fall, I am reminded of my last two homes, in New Zealand and Australia, where the snow didn't find me.  I had to go find it.  And when I did see snow, it was a completely joyful reunion where I frolicked and played like a small child again!  But the difference was that I didn't see it every day.  It didn't plague me on my days off, taunting me with nice days when I am stuck inside working, and then snowing every chance it gets when I'm allowed to join the outside world.

Here we are, sitting at the half way point of April and we are still getting snow.  A winter day in Melbourne means rain and wind.  Same as a lot of the UK, save Scotland who gets their fair share of snow.  A winter day in the Bay of Plenty in New Zealand, means rain and cold winds.  I can take the wind.  I can stand the rain.  What I'm a little sick of is this white stuff that is a cross between ice and rain, and brings with it freezing cold temperatures, and misery.

Why am I here?  Why do I call Calgary home?  I don't.  That probably explains everything.

Ottawa, a city best viewed with the ugly lights off!

As the title sounds, Ottawa is a city that is best viewed after twilight. The bright sunshine (when there is any) just brings to light the cruel harsh fact that ottawa is a boring and visually unattractive city (besides a select few buildings that once instilled the hope that this could be a great city) that houses a select few travelers, army personnel, Politicians and University students. What could be a better mix?

The shopping complex in the centre of town - the Rideau Centre - was once a stately and large shopping area. Now hooligans (students with nothing better to do) parade around after hours so that a large number of security guards have to guard the shops and the premises, in a not so behind the scenes fashion.

The streets are filthy (they should take a hint from Australia and start employing some of the unemployed in jobs meant to tidy their own filth, but hell, why would we want to create jobs?), the public spaces are devoid of any color other than dull browns, beiges and blacks, and even the Fairmont Chateau Laurier looks out of place. It actually looks more like a misplaced Disneyland castle, than something that should be sitting across the canal from our parliament buildings.

The parliament is great, although it sits on top of the hill as if too high and mighty to have real buildings surround it as they do in London, but the buildings themselves are quite a feature. They were rebuilt, and while stunning inside, still quite devoid of any real character.

Overall? Ottawa is not really worth the money it takes to get there. More on some of the better points of Ottawa to come soon.