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2016 Goals: TRAVEL

Setting new year’s resolutions has always been easy for me. It’s never been about getting in shape (although that would be nice) or striving for a better paying job (I happen to love the one I have) or even looking for love (although I now have this, those who know me know this isn’t something I was looking for!)

Each year, as I count down the hours until the new year begins my only goal for the upcoming year is to travel more than I did the year before.  See more of the world, experience different cultures, set off on new adventures and never settle for simply staying in one place.

I hope 2016 brings you all health, happiness and lot’s of travel!

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Another reason to Travel

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With everything that’s been going on in the world these days, I believe travel is as important as ever.  When you immerse yourself in a new country with different customs and often other languages and cultures, you realize pretty quickly that while we may all have some differences, at the heart of it, where it counts the most, you realize we are all the same.  ❤

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Hocus Pocus Tour of Salem

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My favourite time of year is upon us. Time for spooky decorations, pumpkin beer, carving pumpkins, gorging on candy and dressing up in fabulous costumes! The time of year when ghost stories come to life and witches take over the silver screen.

Over twenty years have gone by since one of the greatest Halloween movies, and my personal favourite, premiered. My yearly Halloween celebrations aren’t complete without watching Hocus Pocus at least once.  This year, I decided to take this celebration one step further and set out for Salem, where the film is set.

If you haven’t seen this movie starring Bette Midler, Sarah Jessica Parker and Kathy Nijimy, you should stop what you are doing and go watch it….immediately.

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Hocus Pocus tells the story of the Sanderson sisters, three witches who are hanged during the Salem witch trials. After 300 years, the spell the witches cast the night they were hung resurrects them when Max decides Halloween is all a bunch of hocus pocus, and lights the black flame candle on Halloween night.

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Now it’s up to Max, his sister Dani and his crush Allison, along with an immortal cat named Binx to put an end to the Sanderson sisters once and for all.

While most of the filming took place in Los Angeles, some sites in Salem and neighbouring towns made an appearance.

Being such a huge fan of both Halloween and this movie, there was no way I was leaving Salem without tracking down as many of the film sites as I could.

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1.  Max & Dani Dennison’s House– 8 Ocean Ave.  In the film, the Dennisons recently moved to Salem from L.A. into  this amazing house at the end of Ocean Ave overlooking the water.  Today, it’s a private residence, but still looks exactly as it did in the movie when the witches burst out of the amazing rooftop tower.

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2. Old Town Hall– 32 Derby Square- This is the spot where the Sanderson Sisters ‘put a spell on you’ as the adults spent the night dancing away at the town Halloween party. Today, the Salem Museum is located on the first floor of the building. It also hosts the plays Cry Innocent and History Alive.

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3.  Allison’s Mansion – 318 Essex St – The gorgeous house where Max’s crush, Allison, lives is the historic Ropes Mansion, which was built in the 1720s. Today, the mansion is operated by the Peabody Essex Museum and is open to the public. (The film only used the exterior of the house.)

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4.  Sanderson Sister’s Cottage/ Thackery Binx’s home – Salem Pioneer Village/ Salem Forest River Park- The pioneer village is the first living history museum. The “1630 Pioneer Village’ is open to the public from from mid-April to  September 30th – just watch out for black flame candles!

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5. Jacob Bailey High School – Salem Commons- The school Max Dennison attends with Allison.  The exterior of the former Phillips Elementary School made an appearance in the movie when Max, Dani and Allison trick the witches into the furnace to burn them.

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6.  Park outside the school – Salem Common- the scene where Max tries to trick Allison into taking his phone number after school takes place here. Like most New England settlements, Salem had a plot of land where residents could graze their livestock. In 1850, the city enclosed the Common with the wrought iron fence and renovated its structures.

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7. The Graveyard-Old Burial Hill, Marblehead– The daytime shots of the graveyard, where Max is bullied by Jay and Ernie and where Max, Dani, Allison and Binx, hide from the Sanderson Sisters, is located in neighbouring Marblehead. The Old Burial Hill cemetery was established in 1638 and is one of the oldest cemeteries in New England. (Night filming took place in Los Angeles.)  Sadly, we didn’t make it out to this one…guess I’ll just have to make another trip!

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So next Halloween season, if you’re looking to chase down some fun and celebrate one of the greatest Halloween films ever, sail into the Sanderson Sisters’ witching ground and take your own walking tour of these Hocus Pocus filming locations!

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Scootering around Cozumel

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Beautiful Cozumel is the largest island in Mexico and a major cruise port. While it’s easy to explore the only town on the island, San Miguel de Cozumel on foot, to get around the rest of the island, measuring 53km by 14km, you’re going to require some wheels.

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Taxis here can be expensive, but jeeps, cars, golf carts and scooters are available to rent all over the island for reasonable daily rates.

For larger groups, you’re going to need a car, but for one or two people a scooter is the easiest (and most fun!) way to get around. Here, scooters cost around 250 Mexican pesos to rent for the day.

The western shoreline, where most of the rental places are located, has the ferry dock and the cruise ship ports as well as most of the island’s hotels and dive sites. This side of the island is a bustling port town, filled with souvenir and duty-free shops, traffic and tourists everywhere you look. To escape the crowds and constant  requests to visit each shop, drive your scooter across the island to the eastern shoreline.

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Here, you’ll find beautiful seascapes and nature reserves, broken up periodically by a beach bar.

With a day to use your scooter, a drive around the entire island is possible. It also gives you the freedom to check out some tourist spots along the way, like the Mayan Ruins of San Gervasio. You can park your scooter and hop in for a refreshing swim along the rocky western shore with the locals, or stop for lunch on the Eastern side at one of the funky beach bars – like “Coconuts.”

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Just keep in mind that while scooters are a great way to get around the island, they can also be dangerous. With lots of traffic, tourists and huge speed bumps to dodge, be sure to don a helmet for your adventure. Make sure the scooter is in good condition before setting out, and obey all traffic signs and keep your eyes open while on the road.

Next time you’re in Cozumel, grab a scooter, put your helmet on, and head out to explore all the island has to offer.

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Flirting with Life

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Kissing In Kenya

I recently entered a writing piece about a time I felt immersed in a place. This was a tough choice, as on most trips I try to learn as much about the place I’m in and the local culture as I can.  There was one time though, standing high on a platform, kissing giraffes in Kenya that I felt completely at home.

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Here’s that story (If you like it, please click the “Thumbs Up” and help me win a trip!)

http://realtravelstories.com/kissing-in-kenya/

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The Wizarding World of Harry Potter

Take a trip to the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando. Travel between Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley on the magical Hogwarts Express. Step inside Gringotts bank and take the thrilling new ride “Harry Pottter and the Escape from Gringotts.”  Watch the wand choose the wizard at Ollivanders and take a flight on a Hippogriff by Hagrid’s Hut. Then, head into Hogwarts Castle and jump on a broom with Harry for a “Forbidden Journey” before strolling through the shops of Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, sipping a delicious Butterbeer!

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Montreal Craft Brewery Tour

Montreal is a gorgeous city.  Head down to Old Montreal and you almost feel like you’ve touched down in Europe with the old buildings and cobblestone streets. Here, street performers are abundant and the Basilica at night is a sight not to be missed.

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Apart from the beautiful setting, Montreal is a foodie’s playground, with just about every type of food you can imagine found within her streets. Treats from around the world, as well as local classics like Montreal smoked meat, steamies and poutine.

While the food is good, the craft beer scene here is great and constantly growing.

Here’s just a sampling of what Montreal has to offer the beer lover.

Brutopia

1219 Crescent Street, Montreal

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Frosty Morning brew    

The unique layout of this place, with three bars spread across three floors, Brutopia is a great spot for the craft beer lover. They brew a bunch of their standard beers directly on site, including an IPA, Honey, Brown Ale, Blonde and a fruity Raspberry Blonde (which is my fave!).  Throughout the year, they also offer selections like a Chocolate Stout, Scotch and Cream Ales like Frosty Morning, plus many more. Brutopia imports other craft and micro-brewed beer, so their stock is always changing.  Aside from the beer, the neat thing about Brutopia is they have a viewing deck overlooking the stage, where they routinely host live music, open mic and trivia nights.

Dieu du Ciel

29 Laurier Avenue West, Montreal

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Dieu du Ciel is the perfect place to end your Montreal Brewery tour as they are open seven days a week until 3am. With a beer menu that is updated constantly (They rotate up to 17 different styles on tap), visiting beer drinkers often head straight here to see what’s new. Always packed with both locals and those just visiting, Dieu du Ciel is known as a contender for top beer spot in the city.  Whether you’re looking to warm up in the winter or cool down in the summer, this is the spot. Favourites, like the creamy Aphrodisiaque and the coffee-infused Péché Morte make a stop here worth it. Add their more experimental brews and a visit here is an essential and worthy one.

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 Chai Ale at Dieu du Ciel

L’amère À Boire

2049 Saint Denis Street, Montreal

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Trying a flight or two at L’amere a boire

L’amère À Boire specializes in classic English, German and Czech ales and lagers, from Hefeweizen to Czech-style pilsner.  They also have a great selection of tapas and seasonal menus to pair with their 22 house beers, including the German-inspired Montreal Hell Lager.  The bar itself has a sleek, café vibe to it, with a loft, backyard terrace and a small patio out front for the summer if you’re looking for a quick beer (or flight) along St. Denis.

Benelux Brewpub

245 Sherbrooke Street West, Montreal

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 A perfect summer drink- Pamplemousse 

Benelux Brewpub has two locations offering a menu of a dozen or more craft beer at each spot. They switch up the selection available, moving between old favourites and new contenders. The focus is on Belgian and American styles, with interesting one-offs like Amalgame, a sour brown with cherries aged on oak for one year, or the refreshing summer Pamplemousse. There are plenty of options ranging between blondes, ales and stouts. When hunger hits, Benelux offers the $7 Eurodog and praise is unanimous that it’s a must-try.

Les 3 Brasseurs

1356 Saint Catherine Street West, Montreal

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            Blanche brew at 3 Brasseurs

Started in France and now with four locations in Montreal, Les 3 Brasseurs is more than just a restaurant and pub chain. They maintain a steady menu of beer crafted on site, including a White, Blonde, IPA, Amber and Brown. In addition, they offer a monthly brew and a seasonal brew, always keeping a new beer inspiration part of their brewing routine. There’s plenty to choose from in the way of food and they specially design menu options to be paired with certain beer.

Next time you’re in Montreal, be sure to cross at least a few of these breweries off your list!DSC_0031

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Disney ‘Wishes’

Clips from Walt Disney World’s magical ‘Wishes’ Fireworks display.  Always an impressive show!

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Collecting stamps

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I’d choose a passport full of stamps any day! 

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