Sparkling Hill Resort Canada's best!

The impressive entrance at Sparkling Hill glitters at sunrise.

KELOWNA, B.C. - In the post below, I let you know what I dislike about this B.C. wine city that has sold out to strip malls and land developers.

Now let me tell you what I do like about Kelowna - Sparkling Hill Resort!

Canada's newest and now best resort is a property like none others. A creation of the famed Swarovski crystal family, Sparkling Hill Resort jumps to the top of my Canadian hotel and resort list with some unique features that must be seen to be believed.

Gernot Langes Swarovski, patriarch of the famed Austrian Crystal family, spent over $120 million creating a resort that literally sparkles - thanks to the 3.5 million crystals used in building this 149-room mega resort that sits between Kelowna and Vernon, B.C.

This one-of-a-kind resort has one of the biggest and best spas in North America - patterned after the great spas of Europe; unique rooms that look out on mountain and lake views that are breathless; and sits on a ridge overlooking Canada's best new golf course, Predator Ridge - the golf course does not belong to the resort but they work together to give guests the best golf experience in Canada.

The rooms at Sparkling Hill are European cozy and offer unique amenities like a "crystal" fireplace, mood crystals at the entrance, and a soaking tub that sits in front floor-to-ceiling windows that look out on the natural splendour surrounding this wonderful property.

Sparkling Hill's spa has already been recognized for its unique treatments and appearance, winning the prestigious 2011 Senses Magazine Wellness Award for Best Spa Resort.

Carved into the granite cliffs that dominate this part of B.C., wildlife abounds here and most mornings guests are greeted by the deer that dance around the property.

So, my advice to you is to fly to Kelowna - Air Canada and WestJet offer direct flights from Toronto - and turn right out of the airport - that way you'll avoid Kelowna's strip mall eye sore - and check into Sparkling Hill and never leave.

That way, you'll enjoy the best hotel in Canada and never have to see dingy downtown Kelowna.

Go to www.sparklinghill.com

B.C.'s Kelowna is disappointing



Giant homes are cropping up in the wine fields of B.C.



Few of the 100 countries I've visited in the past 20 years have ever disappointed me. That's not to say I've liked every destination. In fact, I hope one day the Tower of Pisa falls so tourists like me no longer get robbed by the greedy, annoying merchants who line the walkways leading to Italy's famous landmark. And I don't care if I ever again set eyes on Barcelona - the food almost killed me (food poisoning) and I discovered that the words "Gaudi" and "gaudy" are one in the same. But I never thought I'd be telling you that a Canadian location disappointed me. Especially one that has been described as being "one of the most beautiful places on Earth", by a Toronto Star travel writer.

But I saw very little beauty in Kelowna, the British Columbia wine-growing region that's often been called "Kelownafornia" because it's supposed to rival California's Napa Valley for beauty.

Sorry, I've been to the Napa Valley and Kelowna is no Napa Valley. In fact, Ontario's Niagara wine growing region is far more appealing than Kelowna's.

There's not much to like in a place where hundreds of Neon signs greet you as you enter from West Kelowna; strip malls dominate the main street running through town; and where vineyards are being overrun by giant homes that should be on the Bridal Path.

Wine growers in Kelowna are selling off their prized vineyards to developers, so fields that once swept down to lovely Lake Okanagan, now take a detour around giant homes and create an ugly view.

Okay, I must admit the lake and the mountains that surround it are beautiful; the golf courses, especially Predator Ridge, are spectacular; and recently-opened Sparkling Hills Resort - the best vacation property in Canada, it says here - are still pretty good reasons to take a direct flight from Toronto to Kelowna; but don't expect to see Tuscany-type views here.

Whistler recovers from Olympic blahs

Lots of skiers and snow have returned to Whistler.

WHISTLER, B.C. – This B.C. party town is finally getting over its Olympic hangover.

It’s been two years since Whistler co-hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics with Vancouver and the anticipated attention and extra business the town thought that world event would generate afterwards just never materialized.

“Last year (2011) was an absolutely dismal year for me,” a shopkeeper in Upper Whistler Village told me this week during my visit. “I almost went broke because people just stayed away. Thankfully, the drought appears to be over – we had our busiest March this year in two years.”

It’s not unusual for host cities to experience post-Olympic syndrome – it took Sydney, Australia almost four years to see tourism return to normal numbers after it hosted the 2000 Summer Olympics and Athens has yet to recover from its big Olympic show, which incidentally helped bankrupt the Greek capital. People seem to rush to Olympic cities prior to the event but are reluctant to return, mainly because hotel rates in host cities always seem to rise afterwards.

Ironically, one of the main reasons why overnight stays are still down in Whistler is because of the new Sea to Sky Highway, once one of the most dangerous roads in Canada which was made safer with a billion dollar remake just before the Games.

“The Sea to Sky once discouraged people from heading home after a day of skiing - especially I the dark. But now skiers can get back to Vancouver in about 90 minutes very safely,” an executive at the Fairmont Chateau Whistler told me.

One thing that has really helped Whistler recover is the abundance of snow it has received this winter, which should extend the season at North America’s best ski resort to well past Easter.

Golfers like me who will be denied getting on the town’s collection of world-class golf courses won’t be happy, though.

Fairmont will inject $100 million into Royal York reno to hold off challenges

The regal Fairmont Royal York to get a facelift.

The Grand Dame of Toronto hotels is about to get a face lift.

Fairmont Hotels and Resorts told a select group of travel industry insiders meeting in Whistler, B.C., this week that it will inject over $100 million into modernizing the iconic Fairmont Royal York Hotel.

Fairmont’s announcement couldn’t have come at a better time. With so many new 5-Star hotels opening in Toronto this year – the recently opened Trump Tower and Ritz-Carlton Toronto will soon be joined by Four Seasons’ brand new property and the much anticipated Shangri-La Hotel on University Ave. – Fairmont had to respond to the challenge to its premier Canadian property.

However, earlier rumours that the massive Royal York – over 1,000 rooms – would see half its rooms converted into luxury condos, was denied by Fairmont officials.

Most of the $100 million reno will be used to increase conference room space on the hotel’s mezzanine level, where the hotel’s corporate offices are currently located. Those offices will be relocated in the basement of the hotel. This is the second major reno of the chateau-style hotel - between 1988 and 1993, Fairmont spent another $100 million to modernize the room at the Royal York.

 
No one does hotel renos better than Fairmont – just look what they accomplished in London with the rebirth of the legendary Savoy and in Shanghai with its complete remake of the Peace Hotel.

New Titanic hall is sure to excite

New Titanic Exhibition Hall in Belfast is a grand structure.

Nothing excites me more than events and stories surrounding the Titanic. So these days I'm very excited about the opening of a new attraction in Belfast which will bring the mighty ship back to life - in our minds, at least.

In just a few days, a new visitor's attraction called "Titanic Belfast in Northern Ireland" will open in that charming city where the "unsinkable" ship was built and from where she set sail on her ill-fated maiden voyage on which she struck an iceberg in the North Atlantic and dropped to the bottom of the ocean, where her skeleton remains still lie.

Our friends over at Tourism Ireland sent word yesterday that the finishing touches are being put on a new six-storey Titanic exhibition hall which officially opens March 31 and will feature lots of Titanic memorabilia. The unique structure of the Titanic hall - 3,000 shards make up the building’s impressive exterior while its plaza includes the world’s largest outdoor map of the northern hemisphere, tracing Titanic’s route across the Atlantic - and the fact the story of the Titanic still evokes interest these many years after she sunk, will make this Belfast attraction a must see this summer.


In Belfast you can visit the dockyard where Titanic was built.

 The Titanic hall features nine interpretive and interactive galleries that explore the sights, sounds, smells and stories of Titanic, as well as the city and people that made her. Visitors will learn about the construction of RMS Titanic and the wider story of Northern Ireland’s industrial and maritime heritage.

Over 50,000 advance tickets have been sold to the new hall, which just proves that lots of people like me remain fascinated about the great ship. People from as far away as Canada and New Zealand have booked passage to this new museum. While in Belfast, you can also visit the old Thompson dry dock where the Titanic was built and the city has plenty of other reminders of the great ship's brief but romantic history.

A 15-tonne ‘Titanic’ sign – the same weight as Titanic’s main anchor – dominates the building as visitors approach. Laser-cut and made from eight, 30mm-thick solid steel plates, the 4.5m-tall, 15m-long sign is the same length as the private promenades that were available on RMS Titanic’s most expensive accommodation, the First Class Parlour Suites.

In conjunction with the opening of the new Titanic Belfast visitor attraction, the Titanic Belfast Festival will take place from March 31 until May 2012 and will include plays, tours, exhibitions and talks all themed around the Titanic. Commemorations for the lives lost on the anniversary of the ship’s sinking will take place from April 14 to 15.

So make time this year to get to Belfast and see this permanent Titanic exhibition.

For more information, go to http://www.discoverireland.com/

Chinese 'wasting' new-found wealth

SHANGHAI – While travelling through China, one can be forgiven for thinking the entire country has won a lottery.

Money is being spent by everyone faster than China’s central bank can print it and luxury European goods are flying off the shelves faster than Gucci and Prada can make them.

It’s all reflective of China’s runaway economy, of course, but one wonders if the Chinese really appreciate their new-found wealth and the treasures it can buy.

Case in point: A waiter at an upscale resort in the southern town of Sanya on Hainan Island told me during my visit last week about the Chinese millionaire who ordered a bottle of $2,000 French wine, poured himself half a glass and topped it up with 7-Up.

Another time the waiter said he witnessed a wealthy Chinese businessman buy a $1,500 bottle of French red and he left after finishing just half the bottle. What a waste!

Money can buy anything in China, except sophistication.

Burma is back in tourists' sights

Burma is now the hottest travel spot on the planet.

This just in: The hottest tourist destination for 2012 is Burma.

If you don't believe me, just ask all the travel agents around the world who are being inundated with requests to go to the Asian nation formerly known as Myanmar.

Canadian travel agents I speak to say since Burma's military regime surrendered power to a new president and with Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's recent visit indicating the U.S. wants to normalize relations with the country, more and more people now want to travel to Burma, the last Asian country to come out from behind the bamboo curtain which veiled the atrocities that once went on in that beautiful land.

Of course, the main reason the tourism spotlight has been turned on Burma is because of the courageous efforts of Aung San Suu Kyi to restore dignity to her homeland which offers tourists some of Asia's most treasured historic relics. Suu Kyi, who once told tourists to stay away from Burma,  now is encouraging travellers to come help her country get back on its economic feet through tourism.

Canadian tour companies like Tour East Holidays of Toronto, the largest organizer of Asian holidays for Canadians, says interest in Burma has doubled in recent months.

The London Telegraph reports about 300,000 foreign tourists visited Burma last year while 19 million arrived in neighbouring Thailand.

However, because Burma has been out of the tourism limelight for so long, don't expect much when you arrive. Hotels and resorts have a long way to go to equal what tourists are treated to in Thailand but with this new interest in Burma, you can bet major chains will soon be building new properties there.

Wi-Fi is a bad link for hotel guests

One thing that really irks me when I check out of a hotel - especially 5-star properties - is to be handed a bill with Wi-Fi charges added on.

In some cases, the charges can be as much as $20 a day - hell, I only pay $40 a month for my home Wi-Fi so $20 a day is a bit much.

According to a piece I read this morning in the London Telegraph, two thirds of hotels worldwide charge guests for Wi-Fi access and the paper says London's stuffy The Dorchester charges its guests about $30 a day to go online.

Ironically, most Interstate hotels I stay at in Canada and the U.S. offer FREE Wi-Fi and roadside fast food joints long ago went FREE Wi-Fi.

Not much you can do but vent but one wonders why when you're paying $500 a night for a 5-star hotel room, the chain can't throw in FREE Wi-Fi.

S.O.S. to the cruise ship industry: Weed out your bad apples

Credible cruise lines like Seadream are being hurt by
 other companies who place an emphasis on profits
 instead of passenger safety.

As yet another Costa Cruise ship limped into port - the Costa Allegra had to be towed to the Seychelle islands after losing power in the Indian Ocean this week - and the search for bodies continued on the partially sunken Costa Concordia off the coast of Italy - I was left to wonder why anyone would sail with a cruise line that obviously has issues with both its ships and crew?

The only good news about the Costa Allegra incident is that the vessel's captain wasn't the first to abandon ship as was the case in the Costa Concordia disaster.

There are ways for cruise passengers to check on a ship's sanitation record - the very credible Atlanta-based Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issues an annual ranking which provides an honest evaluation of almost every ship's sanitation issues and cruise lines react very quickly to the CDC's findings. You can view the latest rankings at http://wwwn.cdc.gov/InspectionQueryTool/InspectionSearch.aspx. Anything below an 86 score should be a warning to stay away from this product.

However, to my knowledge, there's no such rating system for a cruise ship's mechanical sea worthiness, or for that matter, how qualified the ship's crew is.

The Costa incidents showcase the need for a CDC-type regulatory body to check ships from stem to stern and rank their sea worthiness. There may be many ships on the high seas carrying thousands of people that have machanical issues and lives are being placed at risk. And, thanks to the Costa Concordia's captain, suspicion now hangs over every member of a ship's crew regarding how well prepared they are to handle an emergency.

Because no one government rules the high seas, maybe it's time the United Nations sets standards regarding the sea worthiness for cruise ships and their crew. The UN can work with national coast guards and give them the right to evaluate ships before they leave port.

Thanks to Costa, the cruise industry is in a free fall - business is down 40 per cent since the Concordia sinking and the Allegra power failure won't help matters.

The cruise industry must start policing itself and weed out the bad apples before any more damage is done.

London hotels gouging Games' goers

Let the gouging begin!

London newspapers are reporting that hotels in the 2012 Summer Olympic city are charging as much as 300 per cent more for rooms - that, despite the fact the London Organizing Committee returned more the 120,000 reservations to the hoteliers. (The organizing committee blocks off rooms for sponsors, media and International Olympic Committee members - but obviously fewer people are planning to attend the Games, which start July 27 and runs until August 12).

London's Telegraph newspaper cited examples of the gouging:

"Accommodation at the Premier Inn Victoria during the Games costs from £199 ($315 Cdn.), a rate that is non-refundable and must be paid in advance. For the rest of August, rooms start at £87 ($138 Cdn.). At the Premier Inn Old Street, August rates range from £75 to £132, but during the Games the cheapest rooms are also £199," the newspaper reported today.

Other examples of gouging reported by the Telegraph:
-  "At the Novotel London Paddington, room rates during the Olympics are more than double (from £299 per night) what they are during the rest of the summer (from £149). And at the Z Hotel in Soho, a two-night stay during the Olympics costs from £186 a night, compared to just £102 a night in the week after the closing ceremony. "

British politicians are reportedly "outraged" by the hotel "scandal" but what a bunch of hypocrites.

Laws to protect the public from such gouging could have been passed when London was awarded the Games but instead the members of Parliament sat on their hands until it was too late.

So, once again, the biggest losers at the 2012 London Summer Olympics won't be any athlete, but rather the public - those, at least, who are dumb enough to go to London during the Games' period.

Finding cheap eats in expensive Tokyo

The counters fill up past at the restaurants in Yakitori Alley,
a food street that's Tokyo's best value

 Every time I go to Tokyo, I always stumble upon something new and interesting.

When I was in Japan's capital last month, for instance, I went out looking for some cheap eats and was directed to Yakitori Alley, a small street on the edge of the Ginza that runs parallel to the city's main elevated rail line on which the super fast Shinkansen (bullet) train rides.

In the hollowed out crevasses under the elevated line, restaurateurs have set up shop and sell everything from sushi to horse for very reasonable prices.

The best restaurants in Yakitori Alley are the ones with the longest lineups - like

Midori Sushi, where people start lining up as early as 4 p.m. to eat some of the freshest fish I've ever tasted (bought daily at Tokyo’s legendary Tsukiji fish market). The prices at Midori are very reasonable - two can eat for as little as $30; a steal in expensive Tokyo.

When you enter Midori Sushi, the chefs behind the long counter frantically preparing dynamite and California rolls yell out a welcome - it's a tradition in a lot of Japan's neighourhood restaurants. A la Carte selections like shrimp, sea urchin (you can have medium or extra fatty - guess which one I chose?),  abalone, flatfish and something called striped jack fish (delicious!) cost between $3 and $7 each and sides of chawanmushi (an egg custard filled with fish that's topped with a crab claw and is now one of my all time favourite dishes) run about $10.

The counter is the hottest seat in Midori Sushi and the local atmosphere is truly wonderful.
Yakitoti, by the way, means "meat on a skewer, and as you can imagine, there's plenty of barbecue places in the Alley toasting morsels of meat (beef and lamb) as well as fish and chicken on small habachis.

The Izakaya restaurant around the corner from Midori Sushi - across from the International Arcade - was another of my favorite Yakitori Alley hangouts - lots of Tokyo businessmen come here after a hard day at the office to eat and sip beer and sake while the bullet trains rumble overhead.

There's a great "local" atmosphere in Izakaya but beware of what you order - the dish being consumed at the next table that looks so good could be horse. Not to worry, this eclectic eatery also dishes up chicken, pork, beef and fish - all at very reasonable prices.


The Yakitori Bar Tonton restaurant, tucked away in one of the arches off Yakitori Alley, is another of my favourite places to eat. I consumed lots of skewers of pork and beef but shied away from the smorgasbord of organ meats served in this restaurant, like heart, gizzard, liver, tongue and intestines.

There's also plenty of Western-style restaurants in the Alley.

Finding Yakitori Alley can be a bit of a challenge - the closest subway station is Hibiya (take exit A2)

Turn right at the top of the stairs and walk along the elevated rail line until you see the passage way with the glowing lights and the grill smoke rising from it.

Exit C1 from the Ginza station offers more subway line connections and isn’t too much farther away. From here you’re closer to the "uncovered" yakitori stalls rather than the original ones under the tracks.

The freshest fish is always on the menu in this Alley.

Scotland offers great golf deals



If you've never palyed gold in
Scotland, then you've never played golf!

 Scotland, the home of golf, is showcasing its legendary courses with a program called "Drive it Home" that offers some fabulous stay and play deals, especially in the off season.

Example: You can play Gleneagles, site of the 2014 Ryder Cup, in March and stay one night at its cozy B&B for just $275 Cdn - that's about half off the regular price.

If you've never played golf in Scotland, then you've never played golf.

Gleneagles is one of the premier places to play the game - its three courses, Centenary, King's Course or The Queen's, are rated among the best in the world.That old Scot Jack Nicklaus designed the PGA Centenary course, where the Ryder Cup will be played.

Other examples of what's being offered by Scotland's great tourism agency, VisitScotland, in this "Drive it Home" promotion include:

Fairmont St Andrews, Fife: Situated on the Fife coastline, Fairmont St Andrews offers panoramic views across the Tay and the surrounding golf courses. The spa facilities and regular shuttle bus to the centre of town make this an ideal golf break. Two championship courses are available, the Sam Torrance designed Torrance Course and the Kittocks. During March, April, October, November and December enjoy 1 night B&B and 1 round of golf for two for $315 Cdn.

Mar Hall, Glasgow: Located just 10 minutes from Glasgow airport, Mar Hall is a five star hotel offering fine dining, spa treatments and the par 70 Earl of Mar golf course. Spectacular views over the River Clyde and a host of strategically placed bunkers make this a great course for all levels of golfer. From March until end of May stay and play Mar Hall for $190.

Macdonald Marine Hotel, Scottish Borders: The Macdonald Marine Hotel & Spa in North Berwick is renowned for its beautiful coastal location and glorious 19th century Victorian architecture. Located at the heart of East Lothian's golfing coast, the hotel features 83 rooms, superb dining and a state of the art spa. On offer for $350 is one night's B&B and 2 rounds of golf on the West Links (North Berwick) and Gullane No. 1.

Meldrum House Hotel, Aberdeenshire: Set amidst beautiful countryside only a few miles from Aberdeen, the 4 Star Meldrum House Country Hotel and Golf Course offers unrivalled quality and is one of the finest luxury hotels Scotland has to offer. Meldrum boasts a world-class golf academy and teaching centre and the course is one of only a few in Scotland measuring over 7,000 yards. Throughout the year, based on two people sharing a twin or double room, 2 nights in an Executive Room, including dinner and breakfast, a round of golf at Cruden Bay, Murcar Links and Meldrum House will cost $465 per person.

Acts by Concordia's cowardly captain may sink the entire cruise industry

 

Cowardly act by Costa Concordia's captain
threatens to sink the entire cruise industry.

Shock and awe and a horrible sick feeling in the pit of my stomach is what I feel as I watch events unfold in the sinking of the Costa Concordia.

Has there ever been a more cowardly act than the one committed by the Concordia's captain, Francesco Schettino?

Hanging is too good for this bastard!

Just a few weeks ago, I was on a cruise ship in the Caribbean and now I wonder: What would my captain have done had his ship run aground and capsized?

The Concordia's cowardly captain has now cast doubt on all his colleagues.

And the immediate aftermath is not good for the cruise industry.

According to a poll conducted by SodaHead.com in the days right after the Concordia sinking, 26 per cent of the 1,000 people polled say they are now "less likely" to take a cruise in light of the Costa incident.

To put that in perspective, SodaHead.com says the 26 per cent negative response (based on the 18.8 million people who took a cruise in 2011) represents 4.9 million of last year's cruisers who may not take a cruise this year.

This kind of negative publicity and doubt now cast over the competence of captains and crew could sink the cruise industry, which contributes $18 billion (U.S.) and accounts for 176,000 jobs annually in south Florida alone.

Carnival, which owns the Costa cruise line, has watched helplessly this week as its stock dropped to record lows. And the free fall is not over - estimates of legal damage alone is nearing the $1 billion mark and confidence in Carnival's product line will be suspect for a long time to come.

The cruise industry, because of its emphasis on safety and security, was able to ride out the fallout of 9/11 and other terrorist events. But the Concordia sinking may change all that. The industry, as a whole, must weed out cowards like Captain Schettino - forever known as Captain Coward - and persuade people that when accidents happen - as they always will - that competent, trustworthy people are looking after their best interests.

How the cruise industry rides this storm out depends on how well Carnival handles the Concordia incident.

Tokyo subway is a cheap thrill ride

Tokyo's Metro makes it easy to get around this amazing city.

TOKYO – Like most Asian subway systems, Tokyo’s Metro is clean, safe, inexpensive to use and very efficient.

Known here as the “Wonderground”, Tokyo’s underground network whisks you to the city’s iconic landmarks and tourist attractions in just a few minutes.

Getting a ticket to ride the Metro is easy enough – the ticket machine switches to English at the push of a button and the step-by-step instructions are the easiest this long-time traveller has ever seen. Once on the subway, station calls are given in both Japanese and English.

The distance you travel determines the fare – the major lines within the city centre cost about $2 Cdn. for a one-way ride and the most I paid during my visit this week was about $4 to go from one end of this sprawling city to another.

When exiting the stations, it’s important to take note of where you want to go – sign posts at every station indicate the exit that’s closest to the tourist attraction, hotel or neighbourhood you want to visit.

One car on every subway train is for “women only” – Japanese men are notorious gropers and city authorities decided to give females a place where they can feel safe and secure.

On a recent visit to Taiwan, I was amazed at how courteous Taipei subway passengers are to each other – waiting passengers form a line to the left of the door and wait for every passenger to exit the subway car before entering. Tokyo commuters are not so polite and it takes a few days to get the hang of their routine. However, trains pause for a long time at each station, so there’s no need to rush the entrance.

Overall;, considering the cost of taxis and the traffic congestion in Tokyo, taking the subway is the only way to get around this amazing, fast-paced city.

Japan's population is shrinking

Japanese are having fewer children
and with the population aging, the
country's population is dropping rapidly.

TOKYO - One interesting trend I'm hearing and reading about while travelling through Japan this week is that the country's population is dropping drastically because of the its rapidly aging population and decreasing birthrate.

Japan's current population of 120 million is expected to drop to 100 million in the next few years because of the higher death rates due to aging - Japan has one of the oldest populations on Earth - and a birthrate that now stands at 0.8 per cent - one of the lowest in the world.

According to the people I've been speaking to, women are waiting longer before having children thanks to new opportunities being offered in the workplace to females in this still male-dominated society, and when couples do have families, most limit it to one child due to the rising cost of education and housing here.

While the Japanese remain the healthiest population on the planet, many elderly are now well into their 80s and the natural dying process is occurring at a faster rate among that group.

Population growth has always been a concern in land challenged Japan and while the decrease in population may relieve overcrowding in cities like Tokyo, the concern is that Japan, because of its tight immigration laws, won't have enough skilled labourers in the future to keep up the country's economic engine running smoothly.

The things you learn when you talk to people in a sushi restaurant!

Turning 20 in Japan is kids play

Young women celebrate their advancement into
adulthood by dressing in traditional kimonos.

KYOTO, JAPAN – I was looking to snap a picture of someone wearing a traditional Japanese kimono when I turned a corner and spotted literally thousands of kimono-clad girls walking towards me.

I’ve hit pay dirt, I thought, as the army of kimono girls eagerly posed for the stranger; some pushing others out of the way to get their chance to be photographed.

It was one of the most unusual sights I’ve ever seen but it’s an annual event every January in Japan – all part of Adult Day ceremonies when the country’s 20 year olds celebrate their passing into adulthood and become of legal voting and drinking age.

Adult Day actually kicks off a five-day festival throughout the country and this ancient city’s neighbourhoods hold street parties, highlighted by food fairs, to help celebrate the event.

For their part, the 20 year olds dress up in colourful kimonos and parade around the streets; creating traffic jams when people stop and wish them well or ask them to pose for pictures.

No expense is spared on Adult Day – parents fork over large sums of yen to buy or rent the traditional kimonos and beauty salons fill up early as the young men and women get their hair arranged for the big day; which usually stretches well into the night with the “legal drinkers’ stumbling out of the bars in the city’s renowned Gion (Geisha) District in the wee hours of the morning.

Turning 20 in Japan looks like child’s play to me.

Kids get kicks at karate ceremony

Boys and girls stand in bone-chilling Kyoto river as part of Karate training.

KYOTO, JAPAN – You see the strangest things while walking around the streets of this imperial city with the 1,400 year history.

Kids very young take part in event.

For instance, while strolling around Kyoto’s Arashiyama District – a tourist area located 25 minutes by cab from the city centre which once served as cottage country for royal courts when Kyoto was Japan’s national capital – I was distracted by the sight of dozens of youngsters clad only in white pajamas standing in the frigid waters of the Oigawa River.

Intrigued, I ventured over and discovered the pajamas were actually karate uniforms and the kids were being baptized, so to speak, as part of their training regime.

The “baptismal” ceremony is carried out every January and those who can last one hour in the ice-cold river, which is fed by the snow capped mountains which ring this beautiful area, you get a passing grade.

While standing in the water, the kids carry out exercises like kicking and punching and most of them seemed to be having a good time.

Kids as young as 4 years old were being persuaded by their parents and coaches to enter the frigid water but some were having reservations and expressed their displeasure with some loud cries.

Smiles greet visitors coming to Japan

The Japanese finally have reason to smile again.

KYOTO, JAPAN – Smiles - lots of smiles.

That’s what I’m seeing on the faces of the lovely people as I tour this resilient country that is finally recovering from the 1-2 punch Mother Nature delivered last year - first an earthquake and then a devastating tsunami.

After a year of staggering from the physical and mental scars left from those overwhelming events, the Japanese are beginning to smile again.

They smile at the tourists like me who are finally returning to this sacred land of temples and traditions – foreigners are actually coming back much faster than anyone expected, according to data released by world tourism bodies.

They smile because their officials are again providing the necessities of life after a year of rationing electricity.

They smile at the outpouring of concern and love nations like Canada provided after so many lives were swept away in an instant.

“No pay – I thank you,” says the server in a Kyoto restaurant who refuses to take payment for the coffee I order – she spots the Canadian Maple Leaf on my jacket and wants to repay Canada’s kindness it showed this country last March when the tragic events took place.

It’s never easy to get tourists to return to countries where political upheaval or natural disasters occur. But Japan appears to bucking that trend because foreign tourists are eager to show their support to this nation, which has suffered so much in the last 100 years.

I know I haven’t stopped smiling at the wonders I’ve seen since arriving here.