New stories posted at travelife.ca

The Polar Star cruise offers great views of Newfoundland.

The editors at TraveLife have been busy finding stories for your enjoyment.

This week, four of our finest contributors sent us their recent travel experiences and we're now sharing them with our readers at http://www.travelife.ca/

One of the stories was contributed by Brian Brown and Laurel Rowbotham, two excellent Toronto-based writers who have become TraveLife's cruise experts. Brian and Laurel are renowned for finding great cruise deals at rock bottom prices and their latest story deals with their trip around Newfoundland and Labrador aboard the Polar Star, a fine Canadian vessel that offers discounted trips around Canada's youngest province in the shoulder season. Brian and Laurel write about the delightful people they met at stops along the voyage and the amazing scenery they saw from the deck of the Polar Star.

Another of our newest stories was contributed by TraveLife regular Cynthia Dial, a California-based writer and author of many travel books who recently attended a food festival on the South Pacific island of Guam. The American island, which saw its share of horror during World War II, is now an oasis of calm where people go to surf in the choppy waters and enjoy some great island delicacies.

Jane Holt, a Montreal-based writer, tells TraveLife readers about the House she happened upon while touring the Kowloon side of Hong Kong recently. However, as Jane points out in her entertaining story, Hullett House is no ordinary House. The charming colonial structure named after English scholar Richmond William Hullett that opened in 1881, was once the most important “house” in the former British colony because it was home to the famed Hong Kong Royal Marine Police. From its lofty perch on Canton Road atop Tsim Sha Tsui, the highest point on the Kowloon side – very near where the famed Star Ferry boats still dock - Hullett House afforded the Marine Police uninterrupted views of Hong Kong’s bustling harbour. It's now been brought back to life and its original brilliance.

Karen Asp, a writer based in Indianapolis, takes TraveLife readers on a joy ride around San Francisco on bikes and Go Carts she and her family rented during a recent visit to America's most beautiful city. The bikes and street legal Go Carts can be rented rather cheaply but offer up a lot of fun for travellers hoping to save a little money on a vacation in the City by the Bay.

So go to http://www.travelife.ca/ and read some great stories.

Alternate cherry blossom trips

A friend who booked passage to Japan to see the cherry blossom festival, sadly had to cancel because of events in that troubled nation.

Which is too bad because the cherry blossom spectacle I saw in Osaka (especially along the river which I snapped in this photo) was the most beautiful I’ve ever seen.

She still wants to see cherry blossoms somewhere, though.

So she asked me to pick some alternative cherry blossom destinations. So here goes:

Washington, D.C.: America’s capital is at its loveliest in the spring when cherry trees are flush with blossoms and every landmark seems to be framed by cherry trees. There’s even a festival held around cherry blossom time.

Hanzhou, China: This ancient silk city, where they also harvest some of the world’s finest teas, is about an hour’s drive outside Shanghai and in spring it becomes the blossom capital of China. Plum and cherry trees along the banks of the city’s beautiful West Lake are heavy with blossoms and the walk around West Lake is among my favourites in the world.

Macon, Georgia: This southern bell calls itself the “Cherry Blossom Capital of the World” and boasts 300,000 Yoshino cherry trees. The city even holds a yearly cherry blossom festival and everyone is welcome.

Seoul: Come April, the South Korean capital is carpeted with cherry blossoms. The best places in Seoul to see an abundance of cherry trees is Mount Namsan, the Children’s Grand Park and Seoul Forest.

San Francisco: The Northern California Cherry Blossom Festival held in San Francisco claims to be the biggest outside Washington, D.C. and more than 150,000 people turn up in mid April from all over the world to join in the festivities.

Brooklyn, N.Y.: Yes, a cherry tree grows in Brooklyn – in fact many of them do and the Brooklyn Botanic Garden has some very special ones which they showcase during its annual Sakura Matsuri festival held in early May.