For information on Ontario meetings, please contact: Svatka Hermanek:

shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.

Meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.

Mr Kishore Sinh Parmar of Milestone Holidays kindly wrote this piece as a general guide to India. It is a huge and diverse country so this quick guide is helpful to give the uninitiated a taster of where to visit.

Gujarat, situated on the western coast of India, in between Mumbai (Bombay) and Rajasthan, is a very interesting state. If you want to go beyond history than the temple of Somnath was there to witness the creation of the Universe and Lord Krishna too has many events in his life in the state. Amongst the Fairs and Festivals Gujarat has many in its Temple towns and small villages. They offer a chance to see religious festivals and celebrations and also provide an opportunity to see the finest examples of local handicrafts. For the pilgrims you have temples such as Somnath and Dwarka, amongst the most sacred for the Hindus, besides the Girnar and the architectural grandeur of Palitana. The navratri festival is the most colourful and eagerly awaited and girls & boys dance all through the night in colourful attires. The Tarnetar fair too is a very colourful fair usually celebrated in the first week of September. The Kite Festival on 14th January every year too is usually eagerly looked forward to. The State has a colourful heritage of Handicrafts. The finest handicrafts come of course from the Kutch region. The embroidery work is the most well known. The state is home to a large number of Rajput Royalties, with some of the most beautiful Palaces at Baroda, Jamnagar, Bhavnagar, Bhuj, Mandvi, Morvi, Dhangadra, Palitana,Chotta Udepur, Jambughoda, Bansda, Bala Sinor, Utelia, Poshina etc.

A large number of them have been converted to Heritage Hotels. It is also the home to India's largest wildlife sanctuary with an area of over 5,000 square metres of the Indian Wild Ass. The Sasan Gir Lion Sanctuary is the last habitat of the Asiatic lion-a species that had become almost extinct at the beginning of the century. The Rabari tribe here still pursue a pastoral lifestyle-much in the same way as they did eons ago. It is perhaps the most colourful sate in India

Rajasthan, is India's ambassador of Art, Craft, Culture and Heritage, Rajasthan sheds its topography of lean and dry sketches of sand dunes to the golden hues of ancient citadels and a taut landscape dotted by people dressed in blazing colours. Throughout Rajasthan the forts, palaces and temples have been abundant. Lacquered brassware holds pride of place in Rajasthan handicrafts. Rajasthan jewellery is almost synonymous with precious stones and Jaipur, the capital of the state is considered the largest lapidary centre in the world. Jaipur the capital was built in 1727 and popularly known as the Pink City in reference to the pink coloured walls and roofs on the main streets in the ancient city. Among its architectural feats are the City Palace and the Palace Museum. Jodhpur belonged to the largest princely state of Rajasthan and founded in 1459. It is a sightseer’s paradise with the Mehrangadh Fort. The Umaid Bhawan is one of the grandest palaces in the country. Udaipur is better known as the City of Lakes is studded with well preserved palaces, beautiful gardens and placed blue lakes. The State offers an ” enjoy-our-royal past” experience unmatched anywhere in the world. The State has amazing palaces, havelis and forts most of which have been converted into luxury hotels. The Palace On Wheels takes you on a splendid and enchanting royal journey through the state to a bygone era of the erstwhile Maharajas. The Seven Night-Eight Day journey cruises along in a Royal style. Rajasthan is one of India's prime tourist destination, offering the travellers a potpourri of visual, culinary, spiritual and cultural experiences

Kerala,the land of green magic, is a narrow fertile strip on the southwest coast of India, sandwiched between the Lakshadweep Sea and the Western Ghats. Rice fields, mango and cashew nut trees and especially coconut palms all dominate landscape. The ” National Geographic Traveller ” after two years of research chose it as one of the 50 places of a lifetime. Kerala was listed as one of the ten destinations in the ” Paradise Found ” category. Truly Kerala is the stuff that dreams are made of. Over 5 million tourists from all over the world visited the State last year. Thanks to the 600 km long coastline that extends its entire length, 11 of the 14 districts have a beach to flaunt. Serene beaches, Emerald backwaters. Lush hill stations and exotic wildlife, breathtaking waterfalls, Ayurvedic health holidays, enchanting Art Forms, Magical Festivals, Historical and Cultural monuments, an exotic cuisine all making Kerala a unique experience. An experience that lasts a lifetime. So pack your bags and head for “God’s Own Country”.

Goa, has long been renowned for its natural beauty, palm-fringed beaches, paddy fields and dense coconut groves that form the basis of a landscape rich in variety and colour. Here you will find a State unlike any in India, where four centuries of Portuguese rule have left their mark in the form of imposing coastal forts, grand houses and whitewashed baroque churches. It is basically divided into North Goa and South Goa. Goa is a shopper’s paradise. Goa is your gastronomic oyster: Goa has enjoyed a prominent place in the travellers' lexicon for many many years

Contact : Mr Kishore Sinh Parmar, Milestone Holidays, 216 Centre Point, 2nd Floor, R C Dutt Road, Alkapuri, Baroda 390005 ( Gujarat-India ) Tel–91–265-2333366-2355383 Fax –91–265–2355383 milestoneholidays@yahoo.co.in or kishoresinhparmar@yahoo.co.in

The first meeting of 2003 for the Texas branch of the Globetrotters Club had 8 new people in attendance. What a way to start the new year off! It was especially exciting as it was a cold and rainy day, not what Texans are accustomed to.

The scheduled presenter was unable to attend, which meant lots of time for travel talk and networking. The time was very well spent. The 10 “regulars” and the 8 “newbies” all had a swell time sharing stories and getting to know each other.

Saturday February 8th, 2003, 2pm-4pm

PLEASE NOTE DIFFERENT LOCATION

We will meet at the VFW Hall on Peace Street instead of the library on Common St.

The hall is across from the entrance to Cypress Bend Park where the April 2002 picnic was held.

Peace Street is between the library and the river off Common St. Turn on Peace Street – the Fairgrounds are across the street so you can only turn one way. There is a sign for the VFW hall on the corner. Go to the dead end (cemeteries on both sides) and turn right into the parking lot for the VFW hall. Any Questions please feel free to call: 830-620-5482

We are excited to welcome this month’s speaker, Norman Ford. The founder of the Globetrotters Club and an avid cyclist and will present slides from one of his bike trips. Plans for the Copper Canyon trip will also be discussed.

Enjoy Handouts, free stuff, informative speakers, useful demonstrations, travel talk time, slide shows of exotic locales, and door prizes!

As always, the meeting will begin promptly at 2:00 p.m.

Mark your calendars – Dates of future meetings: March 8th, April 12th,

The VFW folks will open their bar so we will not go to the Hoity Toit after the meeting. If you like, bring some nibbles to share for conversation time following the meeting – since we will miss the peanuts from the Toit.

See you Sat. Feb. 8 at 2 p.m.

For more information about the Texas Branch: please Contact texas@globetrotters.co.uk or register for email updates at our website (click here) or call Christina at 830-620-5482

PLEASE NOTE DIFFERENT LOCATION

If anybody would like to enquire about meetings or help Christina, please contact her on: texas@globetrotters.co.uk

UK low-cost airline Ryanair announced recently that it has put in an offer to buy smaller rival Buzz for £15.6m; $25.7m. Buzz is currently owned by KLM Royal Dutch Airlines, flying to 21 destinations in France, Germany, Holland and Spain, and, like Ryanair, who currently operate a network of 100 routes across 15 European countries is based at Stansted airport, north of London.

It looks like the UK low cost carriers are beginning to consolidate. Last year, we saw Easyjet buy Go, the British Airways owned low cost airline. So now it seems that there will only be two main low cost carriers in the UK, as opposed to the four we had last year.

The deal is expected to be completed by April 1. Details of new timetables, fares and new routes and frequencies will be announced before the end of February. If the deal is successful, Ryanair said that it would cut a number of Buzz's unprofitable routes, while increasing the frequency on 11 of its existing services from Stansted, including Frankfurt, Milan and Barcelona and reducing the cost of other routes.

Ryanair is on a bit of a high recently, as it recently announced it was to open its ninth European base at Stockholm's Skavsta airport. They also announced five new routes from London, starting at the end of April that are to include Reims and Pau in France, Maastricht in Holland, Haugesund in Norway and Dusseldorf in Germany. In addition, Ryanair are about to buy 22 Boeing 737 planes and had taken out options on a further 78 in order to meet its expansion plans.

The Beetle liked Buzz. They were the last low cost airline that had not sunk to the usual low cost “standard” of pile ‘em in, give ‘em no service. Anyone interested in starting a Save Buzz protest?

As its name suggests, Brick Lane gets its name from the local manufacture of bricks. By the early 18th Century it was a long well-paved street frequented by carts fetching bricks into Whitechapel from brick kilns. The other industry in the area was beer, which was brewed in the Truman Black Eagle Brewery, founded in 1669. The brewery building still remains today, now converted to designers/artists' studios, workshops and bars. Brick Lane Market developed in the 18th century when farmers sold livestock and produce outside the City boundary.

Today, Brick Lane is now the centre of London's Bangladeshi community and best known for a whole line of fantastic Bengali restaurants. Of interest is the London Jamme Masjid, a mosque on the corner of Fournier Street and Brick Lane. It was built in 1744 as a Huguenot church, purchased by Wesleyans, sold to a Jewish immigrant society in 1897, after which it became a synagogue.

The market is open on Sundays only, from early morning until about 14.00 – allow plenty of time to see it all as the market stretches into Cheshire Street and Sclater Street. Expect to find anything from furniture to fruits, kitchenware to kitsch and odd boots to bangles.

To get there, take the District (green) line to Aldgate East, turn left out of the station and left again into Brick Lane. Or alternatively, it is less than a 10 minute walk from Liverpool Street tube or train station.

Madeira, Garden of the Atlantic: this is an island of incredible natural beauty. Everywhere you go roads and paths are lined with plants: bird of paradise, agapanthus, orchid, and hyacinths. The mountainous interior rises steeply from the coast, broken up by ravines and gorges with the sides covered in trees or terraces for agriculture.

There is a reason for this epithet, this verdancy; parts of the island get up to 2m of rain a year. So now you know the downside. For those scared of dissolving, the south side is drier especially through the summer months. However, what an island! I am no longer allowed to say awesome! So the scenery is amazing, the plants are amazing and the levadas (water channels) are truly amazing – human achievement at its best. Who needs to land on the moon? Some of the levadas cling to cliff faces, pass through tunnels (don’t forget torches), some twine through eucalyptus or tree heather or the Madeiran laurel forest, most have a fascination of ferns and mosses and agapanthus along the walls, sides and edges.

Our main reason for visiting Madeira was walking generally, but more specifically, walking the levadas. A system of watercourses channelling water for hydroelectricity and for agriculture, not an idea original to Madeira, but it is the accessibility of these levadas makes for some Awesome walking. Through some of the most amazing scenery while often in the shade and with the coolness of water flowing alongside. And they are flat(ish) but not for those who have a problem with heights or even a slight issue with heights. At some points paths may only be a foot to 18” wide and barriers, when present, are a single strand of flimsy fence wire. The other side of the path can be a drop of several hundred feet; this can be especially interesting when the path is rough and patchy or worn. However some levadas had a wide track adjacent, enabling two or more to walk abreast. The real disadvantage is that most of the levadas go somewhere, this means that without planning the walks can be “there and back” rather than circular, and those walks which are circular often involve a steep scramble up or down to levadas on different levels.

As a change from levadas walking, the interior of the island can be roughly divided into two sections, to the west is the Paul da Serra, the flattest section of the island at 1400m! This upland plain is reminiscent of Scotland and gives a wonderful sense of solitude and space. Eastwards are the jagged peaks of Pico Ruivo (the highest mountain on the island). The café at Pico do Arieiro (1800m and a good starting place for walking Pico Ruivo) served the best cup of tea of the holiday.

Although there are no beaches on the island, there are some rather fine lidos. Those at Porto Moniz at the north west of the island utilise some of the natural rock formations and are especially fine.

Other tourist attractions include the famed toboggan ride from Monte down to Funchal, the capital. There are also the botanical gardens in Funchal and the cable car ride from Monte to Funchal is recommended. Camacha village is famous for it willow work. Other souvenirs include the famous Madeira cake (nothing like the British sort!), Madeira wine, textiles and ceramics. The embroidery work is fantastic, but also available are woollens and throws. It is also possible to buy flowers (including the bird of paradise) to ship home in hand luggage.

We did a fly drive with Style holidays, with 3 pre-booked hotels (the Eira do Serrado in Nuns valley was wonderful, a hotel with vertigo!). Driving on the wrong side of the road was interesting enough without the hairpins and drops to the side. (It isn’t just the levadas, which cling to the side of hills!). We visited in December (the quiet season) and had one gorgeous day; one awful day and the rest were merely overcast with showers or sunny spells.

We used the Sunflower Landscapes book as a guide (www.sunflowerbooks.co.uk) and found it excellent (they also suggest driving tours). The “Danger of Vertigo” points were spot on. The directions, timings and parking were also good. We did walks 23 (totally awesome, but I did discover a fear of heights), one of the alternatives on walk 25, 29, 37 (brilliant and interesting), 36, and 39. Although these were mainly levada walks, all the levadas were different and provided a wonderful variety of scenery. We did meet a couple that said walk 12 should be dropped.

It was a great holiday and the final recommendation; Yes! I would definitely go back.

What have you seen on your travels? Drop a line to the Beetle! Beetle@globetrotters.co.uk