Lori Henry’s Travel Newsletter- Summer 2009

What you have in front of you is the inaugural edition of the LoriHenry.ca newsletter. I’m excited to be providing a quarterly email update about where in the world I’ve been, where my latest articles have appeared (they’re linked to throughout), and what my plans are for the near future. 
 
I rang in the New Year in Pittsburgh, hanging at the Mellon Arena with the Pittsburgh Penguins. I was interviewing Marc-André Fleury, now a 24-year old Stanley Cup champion, before the team hoisted the Cup in June. I’d like to think my being there helped bring them out of their slump so they could go on to finally win it all Here’s the article I wrote about him in VIA destinations magazine (opens in a PDF).
 
Spring and summer have been an entirely Canadian affair for me. I spent quite a bit of time in Alberta (Kalyna Country; Kananaskis; Calgary; Banff; Jasper; Lake Louise). From there I moved west and explored the mighty Fraser River of British Columbia, hearing gold rush tales and then staying in a luxury tenthouse in Halfmoon Bay on the Sunshine Coast.
 
Ah, and then it was onto Nova Scotia, where I completely fell in love. From hanging with monks at Gampo Abbey to having one of the best meals of my life in Amherst, I don’t think I stopped smiling while I was there. The outcome of that trip will be in Fodor’s Nova Scotia & Atlantic Canada guidebook, coming out in March 2010. 

Lori Henry "smoking" the sour toe in Dawson City, Yukon (Canada). Photo by Michelle Mayne.

And then there was the Yukon trip. The Yukon is trouble. I had the pleasure of kissing a dead toe in Dawson City (photo to the right), catching my first fish in Mud Lake, and seeing Mount Logan, the largest mountain in Canada, up close and personal on a helicopter tour. A much tamer trip to New Brunswick ensued as I explored the Acadian Peninsula and got to practice my French. 

A lot of the trips this summer have been research for a book I’m working on: I’m dancing across the country and learning about all the different kinds of cultural dances that have been transported here from around the world.
 
I began in Saskatoon, with the Vesna Festival, an annual Ukrainian dance and food event. Then it was off to New Brunswick to hang out at the Highland Games in Fredericton. I saw my first ever heavy events and learned some Highland dancing. I went straight from there to Manitoulin Island in Ontario (near Sudbury). Here I took part in a First Nations pow wow and learned about aboriginal dance.

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To end off the summer, I took a few Métis jigging workshops is Saskatchewan during the John Arcand Fiddle Festival and ended up being coerced into competing and came away with 4th place! But nothing compared to my trip back to Cape Breton. I was studying the dance culture on the island and spent almost a week step dancing and square dancing all day and night. Cape Breton is a special place and my plan is to get back there next summer: there are many more dances that I didn’t get to this time around!
 
It’s impossible to cover a whole year in one newsletter, which is why I’ll be sending them quarterly. Next up on the horizon is an interview with Pittsburgh Penguin Sidney Crosby later this month and my first trip to Manitoba for a First Nations festival. Who knows where else I’ll end up this Fall, so keep checking back with me on my travel blog (www.lorihenry.ca) or on Twitter (www.twitter.com/lorihenry).
 
I also have a brand new column, Canada Travel on Examiner.com, so if you’re interested in Canada, bookmark the site and return often. I’ll be giving travel tips, exploring interesting destinations and revealing insider’s tips all over the country. My other travel column covers Western Canada Travel.
  
Ciao for now!
Lori Henry
 
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Lori Henry
Email: Lori@lorihenry.ca
Web: www.lorihenry.ca
Twitter: www.twitter.com/lorihenry

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