Book Description
INTRODUCTION
Montréal is by far Canada's most cosmopolitan city. Toronto may have the country's economic power and Vancouver its most majestic scenery, but the centuries-old marriage of English and French cultures that defines Montréal has given the city an allure and dynamic unique to North America - a captivating atmosphere that is admittedly hard to describe. Its ethnic make-up is in truth fairly diverse, what with plenty of Italians, Greeks, Eastern Europeans, Jews, Chinese and Portuguese putting down roots in various neighbourhoods over the last century. But ever since the French first flew the flag here back in the 1600s, the struggle for the city's soul has centred on - and largely set apart - its English and French factions.
As such Montréal has always been a pivotal player in the politics of Québec separatism, the tension between the two main linguistic groups having reached a searing low in the late 1960s, when the Front de Libération du Québec waged a terrorist campaign on the city as the province was undergoing a "francization" that would affect Montréal most of all. In the wake of legislation that enshrined French-language dominance in Québec, English-Quebecers fled in droves, tipping the nation's economic supremacy from Montréal to Toronto. After decades of linguistic dispute, though, a truce appears to have at last settled in, and nowadays it's hard to believe that only a few years ago a narrowly failed 1995 referendum on separation transformed the city into a pitched battlefield over linguistic and territorial rights. It seems virtually everyone can speak French, while the younger generation of Francophones also speak l'anglais - certainly a blessing for English-speaking visitors who should have no problem finding someone who speaks the language. The truce has also gone hand in hand with the city's economic resurgence, which sees Montréal at the fore of Canada's high-tech industry.
The duality of Montréal's social mix is also reflected in its urban make-up. Sandwiched between the banks of the St Lawrence River and the forested, trail-laced rise of Mont Royal, the heart of the city is an engaging melange of Old and New World aesthetics. Busy downtown, with its wide boulevards lined by sleek office towers and rambling shopping malls, is emblematic of a typical North American metropolis, while just to its south, Vieux-Montréal preserves the city's unmistakable French heritage in its layout of narrow, cobblestone streets and town squares anchored by the radiant Basilique Notre-Dame. Balancing these are traces of the city's greatest international moment, Expo '67, echoes of which remain on Parc Jean-Drapeau, the islands across from Vieux-Montréal that hosted the successful World Fair. A few kilometres east stands perhaps the city's greatest folly, the Stade Olympique built for the 1976 Olympics, its leaning tower overshadowing the expansive Jardin Botanique, second only to London's Kew Gardens.
Specific sights aside, it's the street-level vibe that makes Montréal such a great place to visit. Like the homegrown Cirque du Soleil, Montréal has a ceaseless - and contagious - energy that infuses its café and lounge culture, its exciting into-the-wee-hour nightlife, and the boisterous summer festivals that put everyone in a party mood. Nowhere captures this free-spirited ethos better than Plateau Mont-Royal, the trendiest neighbourhood in town and effective meeting point of Montréal's founding and immigrant cultures. Here, the best restaurants, bars and clubs hum and groove along boulevard St-Laurent, the symbolic divide between the city's French and English communities, under the watchful gaze of the city's most prominent landmark, the cross atop Mont Royal that recalls Montréal's initial founding as a Catholic colony.
In some contrast, Québec City, around 250km east, seems immune to outside forces, its walled old town steadfastly embodying the province's French fact. Perched atop a promontory with a commanding view of the St Lawrence and laced with winding, cobblestone streets flanked by seventeenth- and eighteenth-century stone houses, it ranks as Québec's most romantic and beautifully situated city. Closer to Montréal, two other enchanting regions - the Eastern Townships (Les Cantons-de-l'Est) and the Laurentian mountains (Les Laurentides) - provide excellent getaways, along with top-notch skiing, away from the teeming city centre.
Book Description
Thoroughly revised and updated, the fifth edition of the Rough Guide to Canada covers this vast and geographically diverse country in impressive detail. There are insightful accounts of every Canadian city, from vibrant Montréal to laid back Vancouver, and vivid descriptions of Canada''s varied landscapes, from the magnificent Rocky Mountains and the stormy coasts of the Maritimes to the northern Arctic reaches. Throughout there is practical advice on skiing, whale-watching, kayaking, hiking and a host of other outdoor pursuits. Thousands of listings recommend the best accommodation options, restaurants, bars and clubs in every price range.
Customer Reviews:
A Very Good Guide to Canada.......1998-02-06
A very good guide to Canada - last year ('97) I drove through middle and western Canada and this was the best of the three books I bought. Generally on-target descriptions and commentary of what's worth seeing and what's worth avoiding. More geared towards low and mid budgets.
Book Description
The Rough Guide to Toronto tells you all there is to know about one of CanadaÂ's most diverse and vibrant cities. From the heights of the CN Tower to catching a baseball game at the SkyDome, the 16-page full-colour introduction pinpoints all of the cityÂ's highlights. In addition there are two, new full-colour, 4-page inserts on Â`Multicultural TorontoÂ' and Â`The ArtsÂ'. The guide includes a new Â`author pickÂ' section of the cityÂ's top hotels and restaurants, plus up-to-date listings of all the best bars, shops and clubs, to suit all budgets. From day-trips to Niagara Falls to walking the scenic landscapes of Algonquin Park, this guide has all the practical advice you will need. There is expanded coverage of TorontoÂ's colonial history, as well as expert features on its literary heritage and vibrant theatre scene. The guide comes complete with maps and plans for the entire city.
Customer Reviews:
Informative.......2006-01-17
I love using Rough Guides and this was no exception. However I would've liked more info on cheaper restaurants, but I guess in a city like Toronto you can just walk a few steps and find a gem among the rocks.
The information on places of interest was also quite good.
Convenient Guide to Toronto.......2000-06-20
This book is ideal for a short trip to Toronto or for those who don't care to carry large, bulky books with them on vacation. Most of the information is short, to the point, with a minimum of color commentary. There is a section devoted to the history of the city and references to other books for those who want more information. The book is small enough to fit in a backpack or even a coat pocket so it can be carried with you. Probably not ideal for an extended stay, but overall helpful.
Average customer rating:
- good for non-family travelers
- Boarding Bible!
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The Rough Guide to Skiing & Snowboarding in North America
Tam Leach ,
Stephen Timblin , and
Christian Williams
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
 General
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Similar Items:
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Ski North America: The Ultimate Travel Guide
ASIN: 1843530791
Release Date: 2003-10-23 |
Customer Reviews:
good for non-family travelers.......2004-02-02
the good thing about this guide is that it focuses more on travel and resorts for those of us who dont need "the carnival cruise line" of snowboarding trips, i.e. its it includes tons of info for those of us without kids to consider. you can do this travel by yourself, with friends, on a budget or in high style, this rough guide gives you the choice, and there is a lot to choose from.
Boarding Bible!.......2004-01-23
I mean, what can I say? Snowboarding is a Religion, and this book really is the Bible. I don't think there is a stone left unturned with this one. Anyone interested in Snowboarding who lives in the USA and doesn't own this book may as well give in now, and order it. The research and quality of information on hand here is perfect for anyone who boards. Great bedside reading too!
Book Description
From lush wilderness to urban adventure The Rough Guide to Canada is your definitive guide to this diverse country. The full- colour section introduces the best Canada has to offer, from cosmopolitan Toronto to the thundering Niagra and the country’s spectacular natural wonders. This revised 6
th edition contains insider tips and colour sections on national parks, art and architecture. The guide includes plenty of practical information on Canada’s amazing array of outdoor pursuits including sailing and fishing in the Maritime Provinces and snowboarding and skiing in Banff. There are comprehensive reviews of the best places to eat, drink and stay to suit all tastes and budgets. This guide also takes a detailed look at Canada’s extraordinary history, wildlife and aboriginal peoples, and comes complete with new maps and plans for every area.
The Rough Guide to Canada is like having a local friend plan your trip!
Book Description
The Rough Guide to Vancouver is your complete guidebook to this lively city. From taking a skyride to Grouse Mountain and the city’s vibrant Chinatown to the near-wilderness area of Stanley Park, the full-colour introduction highlights all the âthings-not-to-miss’. There are up-to-date reviews of all the best restaurants and accommodation for every price range, as well as the low-down on all the best bars, clubs, shops, galleries and music venues. There is extensive coverage of nearby Victoria, as well as the prime resort of Whistler. The guide also includes expert information on the history of Vancouver and the region’s aboriginal culture and comes complete with maps and plans for every neighbourhood.
The Rough Guide to Vancouver is like having a local friend plan your trip!
Average customer rating:
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The Rough Guide to The Pacific Northwest 3 (Rough Guide Travel Guides)
Tim Jepson , and
Phil Lee
Manufacturer: Rough Guides
ProductGroup: Book
Binding: Paperback
Guidebooks
| Reference & Tips
| Travel
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| Guidebook Series
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Pacific
| West
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General
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| States
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ASIN: 1858286867
Release Date: 2001-04-19 |
Book Description
INTRODUCTION
Few areas of North America owe so little to national and provincial boundaries as the Pacific Northwest. A loosely defined region cutting across the western redoubts of both the United States and Canada, it's geographically isolated from the rest of the continent and looks out across the Pacific almost as much as it refers back east to the older, federal centres of power in Ottawa and Washington DC. Extending from Oregon and Washington in the south, then hopscotching through British Columbia and the Canadian Rockies to the Yukon in the north, it encompasses - most impressively of all - richly varied and awe-inspiring landscapes. Mountains, lakes and pristine wilderness are the finest features, with abundant wildlife offering the chance to see creatures - from whales to wolves - in their natural habitats. But it is also a region of high historical adventure, the stuff of a thousand cowboy movies, and home to intriguing Native-American and Inuit cultures, superb cuisine (seafood in particular), state-of-the-art museums and some of the most urbane and civilized cities in North America.
Leading the way in this last respect are Vancouver and Seattle, both dynamic, cosmopolitan and instantly likeable - and destined to be pivotal points of any trip. Vancouver is preceded by a well-deserved reputation as one of the world's most beautiful cities, cradled in a mountain and seafront setting that provides its laid-back citizens with all manner of hedonistic possibilities from hiking, skiing and sailing to world-class theatre and the more simple West Coast pleasures of bar-hopping and beach-bumming. Seattle, though somewhat grittier, also benefits from a dramatic setting: its hilly suburbs bump around the deep blue of the Pacific Ocean, while its busy, bristling centre is alive with great restaurants and some of the finest live-music nightspots around.
Of the smaller cities, genteel Portland is perhaps the most agreeable, its downtown peopled by latte-drinking urbanites and graced with whimsical street sculptures. But not far behind comes Victoria, on Vancouver Island, which offers an ersatz taste of old England as well as one of the continent's finest museums. Calgary comes alive during its famous Stampede, and also boasts a glittering oil-funded downtown, an appealing base for trips to the Rockies and the fine sights of southern Alberta. Similarly well-placed is Oregon's Bend, a relaxed and energetic resort just a few minutes' drive from the mountains and a medley of fascinating volcanic remains.
Indeed, many visitors regard the cities of the Pacific Northwest as little more than a preamble to the region's land and seascapes, and it's certainly true that these attract inordinate amounts of purple prose - with every justification. Put baldly, this is one of the world's most beautiful places, embracing majestic peaks, icy glaciers, thundering rivers, swaths of Arctic tundra, smoking volcanoes, dramatic sea cliffs, long driftwood-covered beaches and endless forests. There are some scenic surprises too amongst the less familiar terrain of the Pacific Northwest, ranging from the sun-scorched, sagebrush plateau of eastern Oregon and to wetlands, house-sized sand dunes, brightly coloured fossil beds, temperate rainforests and benignly rippling grasslands. Much of this remains as wilderness, wild and empty and barely touched by the twentieth century, yet at the same time rendered accessible by a network of superbly run national, state and provincial parks.
Almost any part of this giant-sized wilderness will provide enough jaw-dropping scenery, hiking trails and outdoor pursuits to last a long vacation. There are, however, several obvious highlights beginning in the south with the magnificent sand- and rock-strewn Oregon coastline and, just inland, the southern reaches of the Cascade Mountains, which shelter elegiac Crater Lake and the geological oddities - cinder cones and lava caves and forests - of the Newberry National Volcanic Monument. In Washington you can choose from the lush landscape of the Olympic Peninsula, with its glacial peaks, temperate rainforests, and storm-tossed seashore, and the northern continuation of the Cascades, including Mount St Helens, whose dramatic eruption captured world headlines in 1980. Across the Canadian border, the Rockies continue in a huge northward sweep towards the Yukon, displaying some of their grandest scenery within Alberta's Banff and Jasper national parks. West of here, offshore enclaves like Vancouver Island, the Haida Gwaii and the San Juan archipelago offer a unique and beguiling blend of mountain and maritime scenery. Further north, the Yukon is a foretaste both of Alaska's dramatic landscapes - vast glaciers nestling between ferociously cold mountains, and caribou roaming across the tundra - and of the often individual-cum-eccentric outlook of the people who choose to live on one of the world's last frontiers.
Book Description
The Rough Guide to Montréal is your definitive guide to this delightful city. From the churches and cobblestone streets of Vieux-Montréal to the parks and gardens sprinkled throughout the city, the full-colour introduction highlights all the âthings-not-to-miss’. There are insider reviews of all the best places to stay, eat and drink, whatever your budget, with the new âAuthor’s Pick’ feature highlighting the very best options. There is extensive coverage of Québec City, as well as the Laurentian Mountains and Eastern Townships. The guide also takes and insightful look at Montréal’s history and background and comes complete with maps and plans for every neighbourhood.
The Rough Guide to Montréal is like having a local friend plan your trip!
Book Description
INTRODUCTION
Forming the backbone of the American West, the Rocky Mountains own the most spectacular mountain landscapes in the so-called lower 48. They assert themselves most strongly in Colorado, Wyoming, Montana, Idaho and the northern chunk of Utah, areas filled with breathtaking alpine forest, dramatic mountain passes, thrilling wildlife, some charming urban centers and enough one-horse towns to make those looking to get away from it all long for some company. It may not be the final frontier, like Alaska, but if you're looking to head to the great outdoors, and still have civilization right on the doorstep, you can't do much better.
Unlike many of the world's classic mountain ranges, such as the Alps and the Himalayas, which are characterized by steep peaks and spires shooting from valley floors towards the sky, the Rockies are bulky and broad-shouldered, building steadily from the high-altitude basins and grassy plains east and west of the Continental Divide to the highest reaches of around 14,000 feet. But the scenery is nevertheless striking, particularly on the mountainsides - cloaked in forests of aspen, pine, spruce and fir, and capped by wildflower-flecked alpine tundra.
Much of this is best played out in the series of national parks running from north to south: Glacier, Yellowstone, Grand Teton, Rocky Mountain, and Mesa Verde. You could spend entire vacations hiking round their boundaries and exploring the geological - and in the case of Mesa Verde, the archeological - wonders within. Even then, of course, you'd be missing out on huge swathes of untrammeled wilderness - trail-laced Idaho, the most rugged Rocky Mountain state, doesn't even have a national park. Certainly most who come to the region do so for outdoor activities. Warm, dry summers open up thousands of miles of spectacular, lonely trails, offering perfect conditions for hiking and mountain biking. Spring run-offs keep the myriad rivers and lakes busy with fly-fishermen and whitewater rafters, while climbers, campers and other assorted adventurers all get their day in the sun as well. And in winter, huge piles of powdery snow are dumped onto some of the most incredible ski terrain on the planet - with no shortage of world-class resorts from which to take advantage of it.
Beyond the obvious appeal of the outdoors is the somewhat intangible, but undeniable, Wild West feel that permeates much of the range. The endearingly gritty, old mining towns hearken back to the era when the Rockies were home to resilient nomadic Indians, hardy mountain men, grizzled miners and maverick outlaws like Butch Cassidy and the Sundance Kid. And the thinly spread population, especially in Wyoming, the least populous US state, coupled with plenty of ranchland and wildlife to roam around it - everything from grizzly bears, wolves and mountain lions, herds of bison and bighorn sheep, to elk, moose, mule deer and pronghorn antelope - ensure that the cowboy way still prevails.
Customer Reviews:
Great book!.......2003-03-04
I've lived in Denver for 5 years and still learnt a lot from this book. Great info for Front-Range dwellers. I've also used it for trips over to Utah and Yellowstone. I've used Rough Guides since 1989 for trips through Europe and the Middle East. They are the best and I was very happy to find that they'd produced a guide to my own back yard. Enjoy!
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- Three Cups of Tea: One Man's Mission to Promote Peace . . . One School at a Time
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- Top 10 Seattle (Eyewitness Travel Guides)
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- Tops & Bottoms (Caldecott Honor Book)
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Books Index
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