Forks, Washington - Twilight Obsession?

Did you know that Forks, Washington as seen through the eyes of Bella Swan and Edward Cullen is an actual place? Did you know that the series of books, that show Bella, Edward and Jacob's love triangle is based on reality, at least in the actual locations?

La Push beach is situated on the coast, about an hour away from Seattle. Forks is inland, and hidden amongst the large forests that Bella gets lost in. Port Angeles is a little seaside town that Seattle inhabitants flock to, in order to run away from the city life.

And of course, the little town of Forks, Washington must be loving all the attention given to them through the extreme popularity of the Twilight series of books. Who wouldn't? A little town that was probably going to be extinct as people start traveling to far away places rather than in their own backyard has now received a new lease on life as it becomes a tourist destination for people, not just from North America.

Which tours are the best? What destinations are the ones that shouldn't be missed? I will tell you all soon. So keep watching this space - the must sees and misses are coming next!

Book Announcement

GeminiTravels is proud to announce that we are currently putting together our first published book - "The Art of Traveling - How to get the best, without finding the worst".

In partnership with Wegotchaa Pty. Ltd., based out of Melbourne, Australia, our collection of tips and tricks discovered from our own experiences is set to be released in November 2010.

More information to follow shortly.

Pike's Place Market - Seattle, Washington

When you think of Seattle, very rarely do people think or say "I really want to go there." More often than not, they tend to think about the fact that they don't need to go to yet another city that has a tall building as their claim to fame - the Space Needle. And while this unique structure deserves some attention, it is not Seattle's claim to fame, or it shouldn't be.

Seattle is a very unique, though not pretty from all angles, seaside city that has more hidden treasures than it is given credit for. One has to enjoy the fact that on their drive in and out of the downtown core, they are transported on a double decker freeway (not highways like they are in Canada) that give spectacular views of the old buildings that surround the newer high rises downtown.

But the real gem of Seattle is a little (well really not so little all things considered) Pike Place Market. Besides the fact that this is where a little company called Starbucks opened their first shoppe - to which it is still outfitted as it was to begin and will have the longest Starbucks line ever - there are numerous landmarks that make this an amazing stop.

Foodies will find gourmet delicacies for purchase and to sample, besides the little shoppes like the Market Shop that serve the most amazing Clam Chowder, and their prawns with blackened spice are to die for, that will all entice and make your taste-buds water. The Marketspice shop will allow you the chance to buy unique spices that are hard to find in many other places, as well as their cinnamon-orange tea that is one of my favorites.

For those people after entertainment, if watching fresh cheese being made at Beechers, or fish being thrown at the Fish Market, there are buskers, jugglers and many others waiting just for you. Antique bookstores with owners that are flabbergasted that you haven't read some of the oddest titles you swear you have ever heard, shoe museums, bead stores and more are all waiting to be discovered.

What are you waiting for?

The Origins of Halloween

On this 'All Saint's Day' as the Catholic Church has dubbed November 1,09 (a day to celebrate all the Saint's that do not have a specific day of their own), I have thought that it is time to remember how All Hallow's Eve, or Halloween began, and why we celebrate the way we do.

While the United States and Canada use Halloween as a commercial excuse to spend money and make people dress in 'sexy' costumes, places like Ireland still celebrate Halloween in the true spirit of the day. Ireland is still considered the birthplace of Halloween, and it is still celebrated in the true feeling of the day. Instead of running around in skimpy costumes and asking everyone for candy, the Irish still light bonfires all throughout the countrysides, and celebrate the end of Summer and the beginning of Winter.

Halloween is typically linked to the Celtic festival of Samhain which is derived from old Irish to roughly mean "Summer's End". The Celts believed that the border between this world and the 'otherworld' became thin on Samhain which allowed both harmless and harmful spirits to pass through to the other side. Costumes and masks were worn to allow family spirits enter one's home, while warding off the harmful spirits.

Halloween is derived from All Hallows Even or e'en, which has evolved from old english. In the 800's when this was being celebrated and the tradition began, the Church measured the day as starting at Sunset, so in the past, All Hallows' Even and All Saint's Day were celebrated as one, not as two different and distinct days.

In traditional Celtic Halloween festivals, large turnips were hollowed out, carved with faces and placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. The carving of pumpkins began in North America was associated with harvest time for years, before it was finally associated with Halloween until the mid to late 1800's.

Keep reading and you will find out the main places to go to visit the best places to celebrate Halloween, All Hallows' Even and All Saint's Day.

Winter Wonderlands

When it comes time to celebrate the snow, a few of us run for cover, and scarcely can be found outside our homes, where we are usually tucked under layers of blankets, and are nursing a glass of red wine, or a hot cup of cocoa. But there are a few things that can entice even those of us that hibernate for extended periods of time to emerge from our hideaways. This is a collection of some of those things:

The Hotel de Glace - Quebec

This unique hotel is made completely of ice. Before you spend the night, they invite you to come for a walkthrough, where they will take you for a guided tour of the hotel. When you decide that you are up to the challenge, you will find that the bed frame is made of solid ice, although the box spring and mattress are normal so to speak! When you are ready for bed, an artic sleeping bag is delivered to your room, for you to snuggle into for the night. Definitely a unique experience not to be missed.

Banff Springs Hotel - Alberta

This castle of the Rockies has long been a favorite of mine, with amazing service and a roaring fireplace around every corner in the depths of winter. This castle gets transformed into something out of the pages of a fairytale around winter, with garland strung from every staircase, and mistletoe hanging in quite a few doorways! An outdoor pool and large open concept lounge with floor to roof windows will help you get through those long winter days and nights.

Four Seasons - Whistler, BC

This 5 star resort is not quite like any other in Whistler. With sweeping walks and the hotel itself hidden among the base of Blackcomb Mountain, this is a hotel made for those that want to hide from winter, and those who want to revel in it. With some of the best skiing right outside your doorstep, and some of the most comfortable lodge like lounges and sitting rooms overlooking the mountains, this is a home away from home that you will never want to leave.

There are many more getaways that will beckon sun lovers out of their homes, but these are my favorite. If you have some that you feel I have missed, please let me know!

Snow in the Rockies

After a fun filled, sun drenched holiday in Florida, I have returned to my 'home' of the moment in Calgary to find it covered in a thin layer of cold white frozen stuff. As much as I love the sun, I must say I do harbor a fair amount of the opposite emotion towards snow.

It makes things beautiful, but people forget how to drive in it, and it's just plain cold. If we could have the fun of snow, while enjoying the warmth of the sun and summer, I would enjoy it as much as any other person!

But sliding around in a car, avoiding icy patches that are staring you in the face, falling on my butt because it was plus 10 this morning, and icy rain is coating everything this evening type of days, do not actually do anything to win me any favor.

Seeing as winter is the option that we are stuck with on this part of the equator and world, I have decided to put together a list of the best places to go while it's snowing. Keep a look out, it will be posted soon, with some old favorites, and some new tidbits that might even have me smiling about the snow. Maybe.

Top 5 All Inclusive Destinations

Well, it seems that the craziness of All Inclusive season has begun, and people are looking for deals that should be accompanying the recession that we are supposedly still a part of. The strange thing is, we are still traveling. En Masse. That has not changed. Flights are not empty, and although hotels aren't near capacity, they are still making enough to charge a decent rate.

Where are the hot destinations this year? Well it's hard to say. Hurricane season is still if full swing when it comes to the Mayan Riveria, as well as Cabo San Lucas. The weather has finally turned nice in Canada, as well as the United States (minus the West Coast where fires are burning uncontrollably with no real end in sight.) and people are wondering if it's too early to head down to the beach.

5. Bahamas

- Over rated and over priced - especially if you are coming from the Western part of Canada. A 7 day all inclusive package easily gets reduced to 5 when you figure that you have to spend two full days traveling. The resorts are few and far in between, unless you have the pocketbook to stay at a place like Sandals or Atlantis. I would suggest another destination for you 1 week sun seekers.

Varadero

4., Cuba

- The food, not so great. The resorts, can leave some people wondering where their money went. But the real reason that this destination is so low on the list? The lack of American influence. While Mexico may be too American, a little salt and pepper would go a long way to making this a top tier destination to visit.

3. Punta Cana, Dominican Republic

- Beautiful beaches and beautiful resorts. This is a laid back version of my number 1 pick. Still a great place to go, I just feel that it is overrated at the moment. Too many people are going, and too many resorts are dropping their prices to get the masses in. Leave it for a good three years and the budget seeking travelers will have found a new destination.

2. Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

- While I'm not struck on Mexico as a whole, this little gem is well worth the time and money to visit. Not a tourist trap, and focusing on the high end resorts that cater to those that want to be pampered, this is a great place to go to sit on the beach, eat good food and recharge the batteries before heading back to Canada, the land of snow and work.

1. Negril, Jamacia

- The land of the party, this is a great destination for everyone! Lacking the American influence that is so standard in most of resort laden Mexico, Negril has it all. Amazing beaches that stretch as far as the eye can see, cliff jumping for the not so faint at heart. There is also zip lining, atv'ing, bartering with the locals, it has it all. But be warned, this place is not for the reserved. The Jamacians, although they are a fun loving people, are known to be loud and in your face and won't take no for an answer!