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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday February 10, 2007 - 21 Gals pajama party package POLAR STAR EXPEDITIONS AROUND THE RUGGED ROCK Newfoundland and Labrador, the Far East of the Western world...where North America wakes up first. It is a land with a culture and heritage unlike anywhere else in the world. A modern, vibrant society that still retains its old world charm. There's a story to be told and a song to be heard in every bay. A haven for the creative and performing arts inspired by a passion for the landscape and fascinating history. Exclusive Tours and Polar Star Expeditions is offering an exciting 10 day cruise from St. John's to Halifax aboard the M/V Polar Star on September 28 to October 07, 2007. It's a wonderful itinerary following the trail of Canada's earliest explorers visiting historical and natural sites such as L'Anse Aux Meadows ­ a UNESCO world heritage site and the only authenticated Viking settlement in North America. Louisbourg ­ the largest historical reconstruction in Canada. Codroy River Valley ­ a Zodiac cruise up this beautiful river valley. Battle Harbour and Red Bay ­ historic Labrador fishing and whaling communities. Expedition cruising is a unique way to discover new places. Excursions by Zodiac add to the sense of adventure. Time ashore is more personal and your viewing of nature and the environment is up close and unspoiled. Life onboard the M/V Polar Star is safe and comfortable. She has been completely upgraded with comfortable cabins and excellent common areas. This is such a great trip and right now Exclusive Tours has a limited availability 2 for 1 pricing for this departure. The cruise only price for category K1-D twin is $2,785 USD per person instead of $5,570 USD! Other categories and prices are also available in this promotion. For more information, give us a call! I t's winter, it's finally cold, and neither of us wanted to tackle the two-hour drive on the 401 to have a gal pal jammie party. So we both took the GO from our respective homes, left the dogs, cats, and loved ones minding the furnaces and spent the night at the Fairmount Royal York. It was perfect. We just walked through Union Station and didn't even have to go outside. No we didn't book the Royal Suite where three generations of the British Royal Family have stayed, from the late Queen Mother and His Majesty George V1, the Duke of Windsor to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth, and all of her children, but we did have a Fairmount room, with two windows and a much too elegant décor for the likes of us. We could have brought the pooches, the hotel has a V.I.P. -- Very Important Pets Package, and McDuff has been there in the past and shed on all the staff, but this was just for us. We thought we were unique, but it turns out The Royal Pajama Party is a package simply designed for gal pals, like us who just want to celebrate together. The package includes: one night accommodation in a Fab Fairmont Deluxe Room, a welcome gift of Flare magazine, an in-room On Command movie, a self-indulgent feast of pizza, chicken wings, Haagen Daz ice cream bars, and soft drinks, and buffet breakfast for four in York's Kitchen. Package rates start from $389 CAD, plus taxes, and are based on four people. We didn't watch the movie. We were too busy catching up. During our marathon chat, we talked about all the other times We're putting life-saving AED's in more public places in your community. we've stayed at this famous landmark. We had a contest to see if we could remember how many famous people have stayed there over the years from Wayne Gretzky to Winston Churchill, and the list goes on. We took turns describing the facts we'd gathered over the years. We both knew that the hotel regularly hosts ghosts. There are two famous ghost stories floating around that involve sightings of a past guest wandering the corridor in a red satin smoking jacket, and an old steward in uniform, who appears from time to time in the silver room in the hotel's basement. Neither of us has seen the ghosts or been invited into the silver room. I knew the hotel had 72 kilometres of carpeting, enough to stretch from Toronto to Hamilton. My pal knew that the hotel was home to Arthur Hailey when he was researching his book and movie Hotel. It makes sense, Arthur Hailey lived in Canada and worked at CBC for years. Apparently he stayed at the hotel to study its operations from 4 a.m. until late at night. The Royal York has been in my life since the '70s, when I used to help with a telethon, and always helped the Public Relations Director make sandwiches in the kitchen in the middle of the night. When my daughter had a jammie party at our house, my husband and I booked a suite and had our own party. The Library Bar, rated "Number 1 martini in the city" has always been a favourite. It's the kind of bar where you wish the bartenders weren't so discreet, and that the walls recorded conversations. Or maybe not --thinking back on some of my own experiences. York Station, the smallest bar in Toronto, has memories, too. We didn't try the Elizabeth Milan Spa, or the Health Club, but we thought about it, as we dove into our comfort food. We thought about hopping on the subway and visiting the Gardiner Museum as neither of us had seen the new ceramic museum, we toyed with the idea of exploring the Royal Ontario Museum again, it's on the subway too, we could have walked underground, rented skates and fallen down at Nathan Phillips Square or gone shopping without hitting the cold outside air. The wonder of Toronto is just how much choice you do have, without wearing boots and a hat. Our choice though was just to lie around in luxury and talk and talk and talk, not to mention all the laughing we did about our experiences in the hotel, that aren't for publication. A perfect getaway. Now we need to come back and do all the things we didn't do. -- Sam Ion can be reached at sion10@cogeco.ca Visit McTavish At: www.mctavishtravel.com HAPPY NEW YEAR PIGGIES Chinese New Year is the longest and most important celebration in the Chinese calendar. The Chinese year 4705 begins on Feb. 18, 2007. New Year festivities traditionally start on the first day of the month and continue until the fifteenth, when the moon is brightest. A Piggy Year Legend has it that in ancient times, Buddha asked all the animals to meet him on Chinese New Year. Twelve came, and Buddha named a year after each one. He announced that Gina Cheng the people born in each animal's year would have some of that animal's personality. Those born in pig years tend to have excellent manners, make and keep friends, work very hard, and appreciate luxury. They are very loving and make loyal partners. Fireworks and Family Feasts At Chinese New Year celebrations people wear red clothes, decorate with poems on red paper, and give children "lucky money" in red envelopes. Red symbolizes fire, which according to legend can drive away bad luck. The fireworks that shower the festivities are rooted in a similar ancient custom. Long ago, people in China lit bamboo stalks, believing that the crackling flames would frighten evil spirits. In China, the New Year is a time of family reunion. Family members gather at each other's homes for visits and shared meals, most significantly a feast on New Year's Eve. In the Canada, however, many early Chinese immigrants arrived without their families, and found a sense of community through neighborhood associations instead. Today, many Chinese-Canadian neighborhood associations host banquets and other New Year events. The Lantern Festival Chinese New Year ends with the lantern festival on the fifteenth day of the month. Some of the lanterns may be works of art, painted with birds, animals, flowers, zodiac signs, and scenes from legend and history. In many areas the highlight of the lantern festival is the dragon dance. The dragon--which might stretch a hundred feet long--is typically made of silk, paper, and bamboo. Traditionally the dragon is held aloft by young men who dance as they guide the colorful beast through the streets. Oakville Town Centre I 300 North Service Road, W. Oakville 905.849.0333 www.totaltravel-oakville.com MAYAN RIVIERA Sandos Caracol 7 Nights $ All Inclusive 103700 (plus applicable taxes) $277.00 per person departures from Toronto February 23 & 25 THIS IS WHAT HAPPENS WHEN YOU PUT YOUR HEART INTO IT.TM 146 Lakeshore Rd. E. 905-842-4999 lakeshore@travelchoice.ca Ont Reg No 2766538 www.heartandstroke.ca Relax... you're with us 221 Lakeshore Road E. Oakville Location: 905-337-2228 wwwhookedoncruising.com 146 Lakeshore Rd. E. 905-842-4999 lakeshore@travelchoice.ca Voted Best Travel Agency Best Cruise Company Best Travel Agent Thanks Oakville! Hopedale Shopping Centre 1515 Rebecca Street, Oakville (905) 827-1100 fax: (905) 827-4982 e-mail: travel@mctavish.com To advertise in this travel feature call 905-845-3824