this isn’t kermit

08 Sunday Jan 2012

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January being an ideal time to visit Costa Rica, I’ve decided to do a few posts about my trip there last winter, when I spent about a month wandering the jungles and beaches. I started out in Bahía Drake, on the Peninsula de Osa, in the south. The area is rather undeveloped, with no bridges for vehicles to cross the rivers – you just drive right through the water and hope you don’t get stuck (four-wheel drive is a must). In fact, there aren’t even any real bridges for pedestrians, who cross the rivers on makeshift bridges, like fallen logs. It really is a jungle out there, the only “bridges” being in the treetops so the monkeys don’t have to cross the gravel road!

I stayed at the remote Pirate Cove, a tiny rustic resort in the jungle, in my own private bungalow overlooking both the Pacific Ocean and the Rio Drake. And though I’m not one for creepy crawlies, I bucked it up and did a night tour around the grounds, with just myself and my guide, Gustavo, a lovely gentleman from the nearby village of Agujitas. It wasn’t like the regular tours you get in the more touristed areas of Costa Rica, where a slew of guides line up to poke sticks in a tarantula nest. We really were just exploring the resort grounds and walking along the road to Agujitas, with Gustavo’s hearing being so in tune with his surroundings that he could figure out what leaf an insect was under based on the sound the bug was making.

Mucking about the mangrove, I came face to face with a caiman, which is basically a small croc, but it didn’t seem so small when I was knee deep in water, staring into its glowing beady eyes in the dark! The frogs we discovered were much more to my liking, at least until the one pictured here jumped onto my arm and I screamed, making Gustavo shush me for fear that someone in the distance would think he was attacking me. It would have been funny if I hadn’t been so scared of all the animals! Waiting to be accosted by a boa constrictor is not my idea of fun…but it turned out to be pretty cool (you’ll have to wait for another post for the boa pics!). Here’s one of the frogs from the mangrove. I was switching between my DSLR and point-and-shoot and took pictures of a few frogs, but I’m 99% sure all of these pics are of the same one, the famous and colourful red-eyed tree frog. Gustavo had gently placed it on his shirt so I could take some pics (the colour contrast was stronger that way), then he let it step back onto a leaf, and eventually it changed colour to camouflage itself. You can also see that it inflated itself to appear bigger and its eyes darkened too.



the way of the lightweight backpacker

07 Saturday Jan 2012

Posted by in gear, outdoors, travel

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As the temperature fluctuates from freezing to balmy here in Toronto (today was 7°C, and just 5 days ago it was -27°C with the wind chill!), I’m relying more and more on my merino tops, both long- and short-sleeve. They’ve become a multi-seasonal staple. And if there’s one thing I regretted about the Camino, it’s that I didn’t have more merino wool clothes with me.

Not that I wish I’d packed more clothes. Gosh, no. The trick to walking the Camino is to bring as little as possible – one set of clothes to wear and one set to change into when you get to the hostel – and do laundry daily.

Witness what’s in the photo above – that’s all I packed! Literally, one set of clothes, my sleeping bag, a teeny quick-dry towel minimal toiletries, sandals and my water bottle!!! Lesson: The best gear will multitask, performing well in different weather conditions.

My merino wool staples: an Icebreaker Retreat tank and Meridian T-shirt, and a Smartwool long-sleeve zip T (which I bought in Ponferrada, Spain).

And that’s why I wish I’d bought more merino before going (instead of buying along the way). Merino wool would have kept me warm and cool. Since it’s odour repellant, it doesn’t need to be washed often; and when you do wash it, it air-dries in a couple of hours. That would have saved me the hassle of trying (unsuccessfully) to dry clothes overnight or on my pack while walking.

So I present to you my list of clothes that I brought, what I could have done without, and what I wish I’d had instead (mainly, merino). It’s my go-to packing list, whether I’m on a weekend ski trip or backpacking through Europe. I switch things out based on the activity, but they’re my travel basics for a reason: they wear well and dry fast. And they’re perfect for the Camino.   Continue reading →

the mediatheque

04 Wednesday Jan 2012

Posted by in film, travel

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When I lived in Toulouse, I’d bike by the library every day on my ride along the Canal du Midi to French class at the Alliance Française. From my grade-school French classes, I’d learned that the word for “library” in French was bibliothèque (librarie means “bookstore”); however, in Toulouse I learned that bibliothèque in general referred to the university libraries, which Toulouse has plenty of, since it’s a university town (that’s one of the reasons why I quickly fell in love with Toulouse – it reminded me of my hometown hood, the Annex). The three-storey city library – I should call it the grand library – in Toulouse is known as the médiathèque, and a multimedia mecca it is.

Toulouse’s Médiathèque de José Cabanis dazzled me with such novelties as private viewing stations and music centres (where you could actually play the library’s own instruments!). I borrowed my friend’s library card and would go to the Médiathèque after school with some classmates. We’d check out a DVD, pile into our cosy club chairs, put on the provided headphones and watch a flick in French with French subtitles. It was scads of fun, and I was wholly impressed a public library was equipped with such entertainment. Toulouse even had a separate petit médiathèque devoted to CDs!

So when I returned to Toronto, I was excited to discover we had our own médiathèque, the NFB Mediatheque, in the heart of the Entertainment District. Opened in 2002, the NFB Mediatheque is run by the National Film Board of Canada (NFB). As the country’s public film producer and distributor, NFB produces docs as well as animated and dramatic films and shorts – all from a Canadian perspective. And sure, you can watch hundreds of NFB films for free online and in the comfort of your own home, but if you’ve access to the Toronto Mediatheque (or the Montreal CineRobotheque) and its digital viewing stations, I say pay a visit and watch some of the 6,000-plus films on-site.

The Mediatheque even presents free screenings, and the cost for special events is minimal at only $5. I’m heading to one tonight, Waking the Green Tiger. Winner of the 2011 Best Canadian Feature Film Award at Toronto’s Planet in Focus Environmental Film Festival, Waking the Green Tiger is a documentary about a campaign to stop a huge dam in southwestern China. After the screening, there’s a Q&A with director Gary Marcuse (via Skype) and WWF Canada communications specialist Weiwei Su. The discussion (or will that be socializing?) will then move north one building, to the Friar & Firkin
(160 John St.). C’mon, you know you want to join in on the discussion!

The Upper Yangtze River in southwestern China, from the documentary Waking the Green Tiger.

What: NFB Mediatheque
Where: 150 John St., Toronto, Ont.; 416-973-3012
When: Tuesday to Sunday
Cost: Digital viewing stations and some screenings, free; workshops and some screenings, $5


use your knog(gin): ride with a bright bike light

03 Tuesday Jan 2012

Posted by in bike, gear, outdoors

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It’s true! I can’t help prettifying my boyish ol’ hybrid. I even spoil her with baskets of strawberries picked fresh from the farm (!), but sometimes I skimp on the necessary accoutrements. It’s been a looong time coming, but I’ve finally committed. I used to cheap out on bike lights, but I got wise and now invest in the good gear. Hence, here are my 2 cents for buying bright lights.

1  mec turtle lights are cheap in cost and quality
Yes, I said it. The MEC Turbo Turtle light kinda sucks. Don’t get me wrong. Over the years, I’ve bought way too many Mountain Equipment Co-op (MEC) Turtle lights to count, ’cause, hey, they’re seriously cheap for a bike light ($4.75).

And there’s lots I LOVE about the cheap ‘n’ cheerful Turtle light:
• The three-volt lithium batteries are cheap (50 cents each at MEC; two required).
• They’ve two bright LEDs.
• They take up very little prime handlebar space.
• A wee one can conveniently double as a flashlight in a movie theatre. In fact, I keep one or two permanently attached to the zipper pulls on my daypack for those emergency searches in a dark cinema!
• They’re easy to attach and remove in seconds.

PROBLEM: They pretty much get ruined whenever it rains. Real pain, lemme tell ya. I’ve come to find the Turtle light so useless that I don’t bother to take it off my bike when I lock up outside, because I rationalize that no one will steal my ratty old light. Yet someone recently did.

2  Knog Gekko bike light

Now, I decided to invest in the Knog Gekko bike light after my ol’ Turtle lights were stolen (bike theft is rampant in Toronto!). Because if I’m going to pay more, I’d rather buy one quality bike light instead of quantities of cheap lights. I said pay more, not a lot. Instead of buying yet another tiny Turtle light, I splurged $30 on a hefty Knog Gekko front light, and, boy, am I glad I did.

The Knog Gekko has plenty of perks:
• It’s superbright with three LEDs.
• It has three modes (constant, fast flashing, slow flashing).
• It’s visible up to 600 metres.
• It lasts 220 hours (when flashing; 30 hours when constant).
• It uses two AAA batteries, which are included, though I’ve since switched to rechargeable batteries.
• It has a one-piece silicone casing, which is water resistant. Can you say awesome?
• It’s available as a front light (white LEDs) and rear light (red LEDs); both are shown above.

The Gekko is obviously more expensive than MEC’s humble Turtle light, but it’s well worth the expense because that awesome silicone casing protects the light in a downpour. That means no more buying a new light every time I get caught riding in a rainshower. Saving me a trip to the store is worth more than the additional dollars!

And did I mention how pretty the Gekko is in pink? It comes in four fun colours, plus the more staid black, white and translucent. Now, hurry up and grab both the front and rear lights and shed some light on the road ahead.

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good design is pretty + practical!
Now that Toronto finally has snow
and subzero temps, I can tackle
my B-icicle challenge well
equipped with girly gear:
my cute ‘n’ colourful Gekko,
my Public Federico bell…all I’m
missing is my Nutcase Dots helmet.
Soon, very soon.

enjoy the ride

30 Friday Dec 2011

Posted by in inspiration

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Accept and embrace change. However good or bad
a situation is now, it will change. That’s the one thing
you can count on. So embrace change and realize that
change happens for a reason. It won’t always be easy or
obvious at first, but in the end it will be worth it….
[And] above all, laugh when you can, apologize when
you should and let go of what you can’t change.
Life is short yet amazing. Enjoy the ride.

That’s from one of my favourite inspiring posts from Marc and Angel Hack Life: 18 Things I Wish Someone Told Me When I Was 18. It articulates exactly how I try to approach life. They’re words I live by. So should you. Love the ride.

margaret atwood

28 Wednesday Dec 2011

Posted by in eco, tech

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I’ll happily end 2011 with @MargaretAtwood RT’ing me! #literaryheaven

Published by Canopy, a Canadian nonprofit group dedicated to forest preservation, Toronto writer Margaret Atwood’s new book, In Other Worlds, had a soldout limited-edition straw-paper print run in both the U.S. and Canada. Called Second Harvest Paper, straw paper is made from materials produced by harvesting wheat and recycling paper. It’s a rare product, as there are currently no pulping facilities that can turn that straw waste into pulp. The paper used for the limited-edition books was made in a small batch by Montreal’s Cascades Fine Papers (which makes the Cascades brand recycled toilet paper and paper towels), using flax straw from Alberta and wheat straw imported from China. That means no trees were harvested in the production of the books. Straw paper is an innovative, sustainable product that garnered In Other Worlds the honour of TreeHugger’s top green gift of 2011.

winter solstice parade explodes with excitement

27 Tuesday Dec 2011

Posted by in art, crafts, inspiration

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Last week, I mentioned Red Pepper Spectacle Arts’ annual Kensington Winter Solstice parade, formerly called the Festival of Lights, in Kensington Market. Here’s a selection of pics I took in Alexandra Park, where parade participants – toting handmade paper lanterns – congregated around a gigantic papier-mâché hand and a colourful collection of talented musicians and dancers.

The celebration was filled with dancing, music and loads of fabulous handmade lanterns, including this cute coon.

One of the cutest lanterns of the evening! Now, this is a raccoon I wouldn't mind meeting in the middle of the night. I couldn't take my eyes off him, all glowing blue (my fave hue – it's true!) and mischievous looking.

About half an hour into the festivities at Alexandra Park, along came the dancers carrying lit torches. They formed a ring around the giant papier-mâché hand. I should have known what they were gonna do next!

As the dancers were readying the torches, the crowd went wild, waving and dancing and hollering. Even more lanterns seemed to pop up!


Then the smoke started...

And suddenly the papier-mâché hand, which was holding a heart shape, was ablaze, and cheers spread across the crowd like wildfire. (Pfft. I had to!!)

Sparks were flying, the crowd got even more excited, and the celebration culminated in an awesome light show and drumming circle.

i heart my “tv sucks – ride your bike” bumper sticker

22 Thursday Dec 2011

Posted by in bike, gear, travel

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This TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike bumper sticker from the Bloomfield Bicycle Co. has been stuck to my bike since I bought the awesome sticky slogan back in 2009, when I cycled through Bloomfield, Ontario, on the Great Waterfront Trail Adventure, an exciting 8-day supported bike tour along Toronto’s Waterfront Trail, from Niagara, Ontario, to Rivière-Beaudette, Quebec.

I’ve never seen another TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike bumper sticker in Toronto, since Bloomfield is a good 4-hour drive away, though I’ve spotted tons of Bikes on Bloor “protest” bumper stickers plastered on everything from bikes to bikes stands to bike helmets.

So was I ever excited to find another TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike sticker when I went to lock up my bike yesterday! Made by the Bloomfield Bicycle Co., a bike shop in the wee village of Bloomfield, in the picturesque Prince Edward County, the sticker is a mere $1 for the 5-inch bike-size version (the 10-inch car size is $2). The County, as locals call it, is an eastern Ontario hot spot for road cycling and leisure riding alike, with low-traffic country roads overflowing with galleries, wineries, cheese shops, a cidery, a brewery and even a lavender farm. Hence, the popular bike slogan.

Whenever I tour Prince Edward County, I make sure to pop into the Bloomfield Bicycle Co. for their terrific lube (if you bring back your used bottles, they’ll refill them at a discount) and to soothe my soul by checking out their TV Sucks gear, such as the stickers and T-shirts and jerseys. Though I don’t really believe that TV sucks, I do think more people should turn off the boob tube (or computer) and get outside year-round, and I proudly display the slogan to all Torontonians when I lock up my bike in the city.

I’m going to keep my eyes peeled for another sighting!

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What: Bloomfield Bicycle Co.‘s TV Sucks – Ride Your Bike bumper sticker
Where: Bloomfield, Ontario, Canada 225 Main St., Bloomfield, Ontario, KOK 1GO; 613-393-1060. A picturesque little village in the lovely Prince Edward County, a cycling, foodie, art lover and wine aficionado’s haven.
When: Prince Edward comes alive with cyclists spring to fall. Many cyclists camp at Sandbanks Provincial Park, about a 12 km ride from Bloomfield.
Cost: Bike version $1 (5 inches); car version $2 (10 inches).
Why: Featuring a catchy slogan for cyclists, the sticker is a popular purchase! 

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Oh! Wouldn’t this helmet be perfect for Ms. Minnie Mouse?

Looking for other stylin’ bike gear? Check out…
Simi Mini Dots Nutcase Bike Helmet Fit for
Minnie Mouse
Girly Gear to Light Up Your Ride
Use Your Knog(gin): Ride with a Bright Bike Light
‘Cause I Love My Brain, I want a Nutcase Helmet
Ring My Bell: Ciao Bello to My Public Bike Bell, Federico!