New Web Site

ANNOUNCEMENT

I'm please to announce our new web site www.travelwithal.ca is now live and has a sample of some of the tours we'er doing in 2012. Scotland, Tuscany and some cruises.
If you have a small group or you would like to join one of our groups, let me know? Our tours are always at a relaxing pace and the tours are designed around what you would like to see and do. Your tour, your way and we take care of all the planning.

Don't just go on a holiday come on an adventure!!

On a specila note, many thanks to Susan Ward for all her assisatnce in putting the site together!

10 Day river cruise with Uniworld Cruises

We're heading off again. This this time we have a group of 10 and if you would like to join us then give me a call. We sail from Cologne on Sept 16th, 2012 and sail up the Rhine to Nuremberg where we will transfer by coach to the beautiful city of Prague for the last two night.. The cruise and the additional two nights in Pargue are included in the cruise price. All shore excursions, wine & beer with lunch and dinner and the use of the ships bicycles are included in the cruise price ($3849 to $4944) bepending on your cabin choice.
We will be arranging airfare later this week and will post that information.  

12 Day Cruise with Holland America

Well were are down to the last few days here and I am busy checking that all our contact in Europe know we are coming. Its always great to see old friend s and make the touring experiance an enjoyable one for the tour group.
I will be downloading photographs of the tour so you can see where we are share in this experiance so keep watching

Bon Voyage!

Tuscany 2011

This is another one of our favourtie destinations in Europe. We first went to Tuscany last May and thought it was so nice we went back there with a tour in Sept. It is every thing you may have thought Tuscany would be and better when you are there. the hill top towns, the vine yards & olive groves it was really a experiance that has to be experianced.

So this June we return again for another tour and we are looking forward to going to a few places we have not seen before and of course return to a few favourite places like Cortona & Florence to name just a few. Traveling around Tuscany is a relaxing experiance and its one of the few places we have been where time just passes by and you don't really care about when its time to go home. The food was great and the wine was not too bad either and when you are over looking the town court that is 5 hundred years old its hard not to feel very lucky to have the experiance.
We will post some photographs of our travels and inspire you to join us next spring as we have already been asked to run another tour! Arrivederci!! 

12 Day Cruise with Holland America

Well our departure day is quickly approaching as we get ready for our return trip to Venice. This has to be one of the most fascinating cities in Europe and I always enjoy going there. We are fortunate this year we will have 2 days using the ship as our hotel which is going to great. Great food on board the ship, great accommodations and great scenery over looking Venice.

Croatia, Greece, Turkey and the Greek Islands are just a few of the places we will be going to see I will be entering when I can some up date of where we have been and our thought on the cruise.

May 22nd to June 11th follow us around the Aegean Sea 

Surprise Yourself Come to see Scotland

Birth place of Pontious Pilate is in Scotland

From Aberfeldy, visit the stunning natural beauty of Loch Tay and the conservation village of Kenmore; the unique iron age Scottish Crannog Centre; Perthshire's highest mountain Ben Lawers at 1214 m (3984 feet); and Glen Lyon, 'the longest and loveliest glen in Scotland'. Glen Lyon stretches for 34 miles, with some of Perthshire's finest scenery.

The area also boasts the 16th century tower house Castle Menzies, and Fortingall, a village where, legend has it, Pontious Pilate, who ordered the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, was born. Fortingall is also home to the Fortingall Yew, a tree between 3000 and 5000 years old that is believed to be the oldest living thing in Europe.

In all my years of travelling around Scotland I was never aware of this information, so Pontious was a Scot!

VisitScotlands Expo

Leaving this evening for Scotland. Going to Scotland's travel show called Expo which is being held in Aberdeen April 12-14th. This is a large show which gathers vender's from all over Scotland. Will give me a chance to see what new and exciting for the coming year.

For the first few days I will be touring on the isle of Islay & Jura off the west coast. I have seen the islands from the main land and actually flew over Jura last Oct and I was very impressed with the unspoiled landscape. Very few people live on the island but I still think its worth going over for the day to see whats there. So watch out for the pictures and videos, you won't be disappointed.

Islay is also a great wee place to visit and I am looking forward to touring around and may even take in one of the eight distillery's on the island.   

Agency organizes Titanic commemoration cruises - Travel Weekly

Agency organizes Titanic commemoration cruises - Travel Weekly: "Both ships are scheduled to depart on April 8, 100 years to the day after the Titanic left Southampton on its doomed maiden voyage to New York. The Balmoral sailing went on sale last September, and the ship already is sold out, Morgan said, adding that he expects the Journey to fill up fast when tickets go on sale Monday, April 4."

Luxury Scotland - Unique Events

Luxury Scotland - Gateway to luxury hotels and activities in Scotland

Luxury Scotland - Gateway to luxury hotels and activities in Scotland: "From the northernmost tip to the border with England, the Scottish mainland reaches about 440 km (275 miles). However, Scotland's rugged, intricate coastline stretches over 20 times that distance at nearly 10,000 km (6,200 miles). Scotland has over 750 major islands, many of the located on its northern and western coasts."

Luxury Scotland - Gateway to luxury hotels and activities in Scotland

Luxury Scotland - Gateway to luxury hotels and activities in Scotland: "The Old Course Hotel, Golf Resort & Spa is Scotland’s Ultimate destination for that special celebration. This exquisite experience includes two nights of unashamedly divine decadence in an Old Course room – the ultimate pampering relaxation. Celebrate your special occasion over champagne and canapés, followed by dinner in the Road Hole Restaurant, one of Scotland’s finest dining destinations with uninterrupted views of the Old Course, the sea and the romantic town of St Andrews. Your special experience is capped with a romantic turndown back in your romantic hideaway with rose petals, chocolates or spa delights. The Choice is yours. · Two-night stay Full Scottish breakfast each morning· Champagne and canapés on arrival · Dinner in the Road Hole on one night · Romantic Turndown of your choice · Use of the Kohler Waters Spa facilities From £135.00 per person, per night Availability: 10/03/2010 - 31/12/2011"

Cameron House on Loch Lomond

Cameron House on Loch Lomond: "For dram lovers, our Whisky Bar boasts a selection of over 270 different whiskys, including 17 limited editions and one made by Auchentoshan specially for Cameron House. The Great Scots bar is an impressive space housing a beautiful pewter topped bar with gigantic windows using the Loch as a backdrop and decorated with images of inspiring Scottish legends."

@NEWS - Mexico violence continues as tourist numbers dwindle

@NEWS - Mexico violence continues as tourist numbers dwindle: "THREE people have been killed in a shoot-out between the security forces and gunmen in the popular Mexican resort town of Acapulco. Officials say police and soldiers surprised a gang as they were setting fire to a shopping centre. Acapulco has seen a marked increase in violence this year as a cinema, a supermarket and a number of shops have all been burned to the ground. Police said four people had been injured in the attack and seven alleged gang members arrested"

New Passport Re-newal

If travellers are eligible to use the Simplified Renewal Process, they need only provide a completed Simplified Renewal Passport Application (PPTC 054) accompanied by their most recent passport, the required fee (for 24-page passport: adults, C$87; children three to 15, C$37 and children under three, C$22; for 48 pages: adults, C$92; children three to 15, C$39 and children under three, C$24); and two recent photos*.

When using the Simplified Renewal Application Process, travellers do not have to resubmit proof of Canadian citizenship, supplementary identification or guarantor information.

To be eligible for Simplified Renewal they must:

• have been at least 16 years of age at the time they applied for their previous passport.
• be in possession of a Canadian passport that:

was issued in Canada, OR outside Canada after April 30, 2006 (as indicated under "Issuing Authority" on page 2 of the submitted passport);

was issued within the last six years;
is a regular (blue) passport, with a five-year validity period;
has not been damaged or reported lost or stolen; and
was issued in the same name as their current legal name.

With the Simplified Renewal Application Process, travellers can apply in person in Canada at any Passport Canada service location or by mail in Canada or from the United States.

Scottish Climate - The Scottish Seasons & When to Visit Scotland

Scottish Climate - The Scottish Seasons & When to Visit Scotland: "In summer, however, days are generally mild or warm and, most importantly, long, with daylight lingering until 9pm or later. August in Edinburgh is Festival-time, which dominates everything in the city and means accommodation is hard to come by. Elsewhere, events such as Highland Games, folk festivals or sporting events - most of which take place in the summer months - can tie up accommodation, though normally only in a fairly concentrated local area. If you're out and about in the Highlands in the summer"

Hill Climbing in Scotland

The MunrosScotland's highest mountains are known as Munros, named after Sir Hugh T. Munro who in 1891 surveyed all the country's mountains above 3000 feet (914.4 metres) and produced his Tables which catalogued 236 peaks that he deemed to be individual mountains. Over the years and with advances in surveying methods, there have been several revisions to Munro's original listing, the latest being in 1997. Currently, there are 284 Munros and a further 511 'Tops' (those peaks above 3000 feet which are part of a range or ridge but which are judged not to be a separate mountain). Climbing all the Munros, or Munro-bagging as it's usually called, is a very popular pursuit amongst the climbing and hillwalking fraternity



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Scotland: Travel Deals

Scotland: Travel Deals: "Fly Icelandair to Glasgow Stopover in Iceland en route to Glasgow at no additional airfare! Icelandair offers passengers state-of-the-art leather seats, increased comfort and legroom, along with personal interactive entertainment systems and three cabins of service from 8 North American gateways"

VisitScotlands Expo

This is the first time I have travelled over to Scotland to go to VisitScotlands Expo. This is Scotland's largest travel trade expo and I am impressed with the way the show has been organized. This year the Expo is being held in Aberdeen know as the Granite City. This will be my first time actually staying in the city although I have been there several times. My main reason for going to this show is to make contact with other vender's and connect with companies that I will be using in further tours that I will be running. There is no such thing as knowing it all and one always has to be looking for up and coming trends.

I was fascinated to learn that one of the up and coming trends for Scotland is food, yes food. I thought this was great as the menu in many places we travel now is not what you use to get when you went to Scotland. I am really pleased to say the sea food and other meat dishes are superb and now they are being matched with different types of single malts. What can I say this is something to experience.
So bon appetite

Six famous ‘Whisky Bars of Glasgow’ have joined together in a new collaboration to promote their high quality whisky experience.

The authentic Glasgow bars featured in the guide are accredited 'Scotch Whisky Embassies'. Each has a great Whisky range, including single malts, blends and rare bottlings; staff trained in Whisky appreciation; and a real passion for Scotch Whisky.

A case of Scotch whisky left buried in the Antarctic by the intrepid explorer Ernest Shackleton has been returned to Scotland after over a century in the ice.

The whisky is believed to have been bottled in Scotland in 1896 or 1897, making it among the oldest in the world.

Five cases of Scotch whisky were buried during Shackleton’s unsuccessful 1907 to 1909 expedition to reach the South Pole, and were uncovered last year before being painstakingly thawed by museum officials in New Zealand.

As one of these cases contained Mackinlay whisky, Whyte and Mackay, the distillery company who owns the McKinlay brand were eager to bring a bottle home.

Whyte and Mackay’s Master Blender Richard Paterson journeyed to New Zealand to accompany the historic bottle back to Scotland, with Vijay Mallya, the firm’s billionaire owner lending his own private jet to bring the bottle back safely.

Mr Paterson will spend up to six weeks in full laboratory conditions analysing the whisky, learning more about the distillation process of the time and how it compares to whisky made today, before reporting back to the Antarctic Heritage Trust. Visit Mr Paterson’s blog to keep up to date with his progress and find out more.

Mr Paterson added: "It is an absolute honour to be able to use my experience to analyse this amazing spirit for the benefit of the Trust and the whisky industry."

Shackleton's expedition to the South Pole, which set off from New Zealand in January 1908, was part of the heroic age of exploration.

To find out more about Scotland’s national drink and find out where to sample a dram, visit our dedicated

Scottish food is renowned for the quality of its natural, locally sourced ingredients. EatScotland, the official eating and drinking guide of VisitScotland, ensures you’ll have a great Scottish foodie experience on your holiday - from restaurants and cafes, to pubs and bistros, from cheese makers to distilleries.

Travel guide Lonely Planet recently voted Edinburgh as one of the top 10 cities in the world for artistic inspiration, with mention of such literary legends as Robert Louis Stevenson, Sir Walter Scott and Robert Burns, while Glasgow was named among the top 10 greatest "comeback cities", since the regeneration of River Clyde has made the area a cultural focal point brimming with museums.

Come and immerse yourself in the vibrant Scottish arts and culture scene. Discover well known painters like Vettriano, world-class orchestras, dance and opera companies, and designers and sculptors, at every turn.

Delve into the dramatic history and passionate culture at the plethora of museums, historical sites, galleries and visitor centre’s, and be enchanted by the historic castles and stately homes nestled amidst beautiful snow-topped landscapes.

Admire Scotland's artistic treasures, from the works of Renaissance masters and modern art heroes at the National Galleries of Scotland in Edinburgh to the stunning architectural designs of Charles Rennie Mackintosh in and around Glasgow.

Whatever your interest, Scotland is sure to provide a captivating break.

Ok; I think you get it now I love to travel especially in Scotland, but its more than that; I like to take people to places they normally would not go to when they tour with a larger group. I'm pleased to say things are really changing in Scotland. You normally would not think of "Winter Seafood in Scotland". You now can get information written by travel writers and further information of delicious recipes and suppliers.

More Information to follow soon

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   • A visit to the Vatican

Inside the Collisium

Our tour group with the Collisium in the background