Dear Chris Robinson and Sharman Yarnell,

My prize winning Cruise North trip July 22-31 2009 to the cold Arctic Nunavik aboard the Russian well-maintained ship Lyubov Orlova was a loving once-in-a-lifetime grateful and unforgettable adventure at my senior age. Chad my 15 year old grandson and companion on this trip was fortunate to make friends around his age – considering total passengers from around the world was under 80 people. Consequently we all were very friendly with each other.

Dressing up was rare on this trip – one night I wore a Victoria’s Secret blue sequined top with jeans and when I entered the Dining Room I received a standing ovation – wow – how I felt – wow, wow.

Outstanding during this trip – Chad, under supervision, jumping into the cold Arctic Ocean for 30 seconds; viewing a couple of polar bears and icebergs and walruses, and a dog farm; Chad saw much more going on longer land trips than I did!

Thank you again and forgive the lateness of my appreciation with good reason – upon returning from my trip I had one week to prepare for my eldest grandson’s wedding – most beautiful ever – two weeks later I fell and broke the fingers on my right hand – just got over therapy and in February had cataract eye surgery.

Love to CJAD always,

Greta and Chad from Cote-St-Luc

PS The eldest Inuit woman I met was 83; when I told her interpreter that I was eighty years of age she hugged me and didn’t want to let me go – very special!

Hello Chris:

We wanted to thank you once again for the wonderful trip we enjoyed to Germany in December 2009 for the Christmas markets. It was a totally new experience for us and absolutely delightful in every way!

We experienced the Christmas markets in Frankfurt, Rotenburg Ober de Tauber, Nurenburg, Regensburg, Garmisch-Partenkirchen, Stuttgart, & Esslingen---all marvellous and unique in their own way. The items included hand crafted ornaments, clothing, candles, and beautiful paper lanterns. We certainly enjoyed the delectable and abundant array of specialty foods available at this time of year, from the bratwurst and rouladen to the many incredible desserts including lebkuchen.

Each city offered its own selection of charms and points of interest. Rotenburg Ober de Tauber, its old city still encircled by the original stone wall constructed centuries ago is filled with old world charm, beckoning shops and a multitude of kondetorei (bakeries). Quaint Garmisch-Partenkirchen looked like a winter wonderland with its beautiful snow capped mountains and decoratively painted buildings. Regensburg, a UNESCO world heritage site, was great to explore with its marvellous lay out, vast Christmas market and expansive selection of shops. We most enjoyed our tour of the Turn und Taxis Castle in Regensburg with present day royalty still in residence. Our visit to Esslingen was like a step back into medieval times with the Christmas market vendors dressed in period costumes. Frankfurt and Stuttgart were great modern cities to explore and offered sizeable Christmas markets and unexpected charms at many turns.

Everyone we met during our trip was friendly, gracious and very hospitable to us. We made new friends and have been emailing one another since our return. We so enjoyed our trip that we are planning a return visit in the near future.

Once again our warmest thanks for providing us with this trip and wonderful memories.

Sincerely,

Vicki & Christina from Maple, ON

Hello Chris and Sharman,

I wanted thank you for giving me the opportunity to head off to the Heart of England! I won the trip on CJAD. My wife and I had an amazing time. We went during Spring Break of 2009. Couldn't have picked a better time! No crowds!

We stayed at top notch hotels (Barcelo Lygon Arms and New Hall Hotel - a 900 year old moated house). The service, the food and the comfort were outstanding. We enjoyed the hot tubs and pools.

We also loved to visit the Cotswolds, Shropshire, Staffordshire, Warwickshire, Worcestershire. I even played a golf game at the Belfry. We enjoy a medieval buffet at Warwick Castle (duly dressed up as King Richard and my wife as a Princess).

The first class train tickets were fantastic. We were served a hot breakfast, lots of room and a quiet and tranquil ride through the countryside.

As we love to walk and take photos it was a dream come true! The daffodils were coming up, the sweet smell of grass being cut was in the air and we sincerely wish to thank you both for such a great show and offering such terrific contests.

Brad from Laprairie, QC

Dear Chris,

I would like to thank you and everyone involved for the amazing five-day trip that I won in January to the beautiful Cayman Islands. Special thanks must be extended to Tammy and Paul from Cayman Islands Department of Tourism Canada Office for sharing helpful sightseeing tips, Archana from iTravel 2000 for booking seamless flights between Montreal and Cayman Islands, and of course, CJAD, Sharman and yourself for making holiday dreams come true.

My husband and I were lucky to arrive on November 12th, the start of the Cayman Islands legendary Pirate Week. What a treat to experience as we were able to enjoy fun evening festivities at George Town's scenic Harbor with pirates of all ages. The best part of our Cayman Islands adventure was vacationing on the Seven Mile Beach and swimming in the beautiful Caribbean Ocean. The beach and warm ocean waters were the best I've ever encountered, and I definitely had a hard time leaving for home on Monday!

We found everything connected with the Cayman Islands outstanding. From the moment we landed and being treated to Calypso music and rum punch cocktails, to the kindness and helpfulness from the Island's taxi drivers, the people, accommodations, dining and sightseeing experiences were all wonderful and we will be forever grateful for winning this unbelievable prize. Our holiday was indeed a trip of a lifetime and we cannot wait to return and enjoy more of the beautiful Cayman Islands. Thank you!

Wishing you all a wonderful Christmas and 2010,

Brigeen from Montreal

Dear Chris and Sharman:

Well I finally went on our trip to St. John’s, Newfoundland, won on your show July 11. I went with my husband and was able to make arrangements to include my daughter (18-years-old). The trip took place over the Labour Day weekend.

Everything was absolutely beautiful! We had a marvelous time! Our hotel (The Delta) was fantastic; the food at the different restaurants in town where we ate was so delicious, and the scenery was outstanding! All the pictures I have ever seen of Newfoundland didn’t do it justice. Seeing is believing!

The weather cooperated – it was sunny all weekend. On the first day, we went on the whale and bird watch (O’Brien’s) and we had a great time! We were able to see one whale and tons of puffins! What incredible little birds. We were fascinated by them. And the coastline could not have been more gorgeous! We went to the Rooms Museum that afternoon and spent quite a bit of time going through all the displays. What a very unique and modern museum. We thoroughly enjoyed all it had to offer. Part of the museum’s charm is that it looks out at the harbor which makes the scenery part of the attraction. That night, we ate royally at Bridie Molloy’s where we used the gift certificate included with this prize.

On our second day, we did the city tour with Legend Tours. We actually had a private tour as we were the only group on the mini bus with our tour guy, Brendan Quinlan. Many thanks to Brendan who went out of his way to take us to places with some absolutely stunning scenery: Cape Spear, Signal Hill and a little fishing village (Petty Harbour) where we actually saw fisherman, filleting cod fish they had just caught. Cape Spear has got to be one of the most breathtakingly beautiful places in the world! The land and the ocean just seem to stretch so wide open right in front of you and we were so captivated that we could have spent all day there. At Signal Hill, we really got to experience the winds which, although they were extremely strong for us, we were told that it is often much worse. Because of the winds, it was a bit (?) scary being at the top of the cliff looking around at the ocean and St. John’s. It was all quite exhilarating!

At the end of the tour, Brendan dropped us off at the GEO Centre where we spent about 3 hours looking at all the environmental and geologic displays. I was delighted to revisit my long-forgotten childhood love of rocks and rock formations while walking through the centre. That night, we took part in the Haunted Hike which was a tour that was added on for the 3 of us by Tourism St. John’s. We were part of a group of 100 people that were led on a hike by an orator whose story-telling abilities about hangings, duels and murders were enhanced by the nighttime surroundings. It was all quite enjoyable.

On our spare time, we walked quite often up and down George Street (a street closed off to traffic and famous for its pubs) and Water Street, both very quaint. We took a lot of pictures there.

Just a final word about Bernadette Walsh from Tourism St. John’s who arranged for our daughter to be included free-of-charge on all the tours, who met us at the airport when we arrived and then took us on a personal tour of some amazing sights on the way to our hotel and took us out for an incredible supper while “feeding” us with information about St. John’s and all the activities she had scheduled us for. She went above and beyond the call of duty and we were extremely grateful to her.

So, once again, thank you Chris Robinson, Sharman Yarnell, CJAD, Tourism St. John’s and Maxxim Tours for this marvelous prize which we turned into a family vacation that we will always remember in a place we might not have ever gotten to on our own.

I am attaching some pictures which you can use on your website if you wish.

Sandra from Dollard des Ormeaux

Hi Folks:

Well here we are back home after being pampered and spoiled. What a wonderful trip! The itinerary set up by Freedom Tours Inc, of St John New Brunswick was absolutely marvelous, we got to do all they scheduled for us except one... The New Brunswick portion was well beyond our expectations, (we are scheduling a trip to N.B. to visit the rest of the province)

The Fairmont Algonquin Resort....what can I tell you...where else do you get a Scottish Bag Piper playing in the front garden while enjoying a drink on the veranda prior to dinner? Meals and service rank among the best.

Loved the Algonquin Golf Course (St Andrews by the Sea) lovely views of the bay from the 14th.& 15th holes. Enjoyed St. Stephen - filled up on chocolate during the tour at the Gagnon`s Chocolate Co. Small disaster - purchased chocolates as gifts to bring back and left them in the car in direct sunlight at 26 C....needless to say more…..

Minister Island Tour (recommended to anyone visiting the area) interesting... more so the drive across the sand bar to the island at low tide - " WOW" - nerve racking for land lubbers like us, but safe and an experience on its own...Needless to say the N.B. part of the trip “Excellent Plus”.

America...America... The Historic Lighthouse Tour (excellent).- .according to the boat tour guide it was one of nicest days this summer, so the Captain decided to take advantage of the calm seas and sun and really took us on a tour, The tour guide called it a Designers Trip - 4 1/2 hrs. We learned a lot of history about the sea,whales,etc. (Then I made a donation to The Town Of Bar Harbor $ 15.00..over parking ticket - it was worth it!)

Acadian National Park Bus Tour (good) - another great day! The bus driver decided to go to the summit of Cadillac Mountain. They were unable to go that far in the past month because of the severe weather. (We stopped for a moment of prayer for the young girl who was swept of the rocks by a rogue wave a few weeks back)

The Blue Nose Inn & Spa Bar Harbor very nice. We recommend dinning at the Looking Glass Dining Room - it is detached from the hotel, sitting on a hill overlooking the harbor (very romantic at sun down - more so it was my husband’s birth day.)

Ogunquit Maine, and we stayed at the Milestone Inn, We had reserved tickets at the Algonquin Play House for the Stage Production of "Singing in the Rain" an excellent 2-1/2 hr .production . We had a shocking (wonderful) experience. Seated in the same seats, in the row in front of us, was a couple from our old home town who we had not seen for many years. That really concluded a beautiful vacation.

Thank a million for the beautiful trip. Thanks all at the station. Everywhere we went we had an excellent reception. (Was hoping to share some chocolates with you guys but "now you know the story"!” Respectfully yours Audrey & Bob from Stanstead, QC

Wayne and I thoroughly enjoyed our free trip to Daytona Beach with Denure Tours, and our stay at the Nautilus Inn was super. We would also like to thank CFRB 1010 (Chris Robinson Travel Show) for having chosen me for this wonderful trip.

Furthermore, we fully enjoyed the hospitality given to us, Canadians, by Mary and the Staff at the Nautilus Inn, especially the Happy Hour. As promised, here are some pictures of the beach in front of the Nautilus Inn, the Denure Tour bus at a shopping centre, the Daytona 500 Speedway and one of the great attractions of St Augustine (the fort), that we enjoyed visiting. (See Winners Photo Gallery)

Hope to experience another great tour next year!

Wayne & Ida from Barrie

I would like to thank Chris Robinson Travel Show and Heather from Canmore Tourism for our 5-night stay in beautiful scenic Canmore.

Upon arriving after a great flight from Hamilton to Calgary we picked up our rental car from Enterprise and were soon on our way to Canmore. We had one stop to make on our way. Since my niece and her family had moved to Southeast Calgary from Fort McMurray we had arranged to stop here for brunch and a visit.

I had never been out west before, so it was very exciting to see the mountains come into view. I could not get over their beauty and kept snapping pictures out the car window. Upon arriving we settled in and departed to check out the town and went to the legion. We saw my cousin (a local Canmore singer-songwriter) who was hosting open mike night with other local musicians.

We visited Banff and the Banff Gondola, where we took the boardwalk and steps to the top of Sulfur Mountain, went in the Banff Hot Springs Pool, visited Bow Falls, saw the famous Fairmont Banff Springs Hotel and went on a long drive exploring the area. We visited Lake Minnewanka and although the opening, and boat cruise, had been delayed because of a late spring we could imagine its beauty. We saw three elk eating vegetation on someone's lawn as we were leaving Banff.

We spent a day driving to Columbia Icefields, and saw a large black bear on the highway and visited Lake Louise (also still frozen).

Very good meals were enjoyed at Canmore's great restaurants, Murrieta's Bar and Grill, the Wood Restaurant and Lounge and the Railway Deli Restaurant. We spent some time exploring the unique shops such as Le Chocolatier and The Tin Box. We visited the Canmore Museum and Geoscience Centre, and did a little hiking

We also had another visit with my cousin Ric Proctor, who has made Canmore his home for over 30 years. He moved from Ontario and never moved back. It truly was an unforgettable trip, and Canmore is such a unique and most scenic town.

I enjoy listening Saturdays to the travel show and hearing about the many destinations. Many thanks again.

Donna from Lynden, Ont.

Dear Chris,

THANK YOU SO MUCH FOR THE AWESOME TRIP!

This year was the PERFECT year for me to go to Stratford. The best part about it was that I got to go with my mom and I got to see my all-time favourite actor Colm Feore in the flesh TWICE. We saw Macbeth, which was really well done, Cyrano the Bergerac, which was absolutely breath taking and the best play I have seen in my life, and A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which was cute!

The trip on the VIA 1 was so much fun and I grew fond of goat cheese on the way. The Bentley’s Inn was smack in the middle of downtown and extremely close to everything. You can’t ask for a better location and I actually remember seeing the Bentley’s from the previous years I have been with my school.

The costume warehouse tour was amazing and beautiful! I selected the nicest outfits to try on. (I even found my future wedding dress). Also, our tour guide there was our seating hostess at the Old Prune. The food was so good, but we looked like two misfits in a really posh and high-restaurant. She gave us inside information about where Mr. Feore lived so my mom and I went hunting unsuccessfully.

In the mean time, as an avid photographer, I took some gorgeous pictures of swans and duck bottoms along the Avon river. It was really a photographer’s dream because the weather was impeccable for the whole week.

I will cherish this week at Stratford forever. Thank you from the bottom of our hearts,

Valerie & Christine from Montreal

Hi Chris and Sharman:

Thank you for the wonderful fishing trip we had in Kuujjuaq this July.

Kuujjuaq is indeed the fishermen’s paradise. Even though we are neophytes, my husband and I have never caught so many sea trout’s and salmons, and they are big! The credit goes to our host and guide, Allen Gordon. He is so patient and he certainly knows where the big one’s are!

To get to the fishing spots, we went by boat north the mouth of the Koksoak River. Even though it was July, there were still some ice floating in the river and snow patches on land. The air temperature was around 17-18 C, but when the boat was moving, it got rather chilly. Fortunately, Allen was prepared for this and brought along winter coats for us.

The landscape was so different from southern Quebec. It was incredibly vast and hauntingly beautiful. The fishing was just unbelievable, even for us. We knew we were amateurs when we met a little girl about 9 and her slightly older brother. They were fishing near us and within minutes, they landed 3 sea trout’s while we got none!

We have a daily quota for trout and salmon and each salmon has to be tagged and brought to the local “Landholding Corporation” office for registration. The officer measured its length, weight and took note of its general health condition, the presence of any parasites etc. All this was duly recorded in a report. I had annual checkups that were less through!

Isabelle, Allen’s assistant took us on a very informative guided tour of the town. It was interesting to learn about the life in the north. We were impressed with the spirit of community as manifested by the many shared facilities in town such as the community freezer where hunter’s bring in their catch to share with everyone and the well equipped town’s wood work shop where anyone can use for their personal projects.

Allen and Isabelle took us to their homes to show us their Inuit puppies. They were so adorable! But most of all, we remember the many very friendly and helpful people that we met on this magical trip.

Thanks again for an incredible time. We won’t ever forget this magnificent fishing trip!

We’re attaching some of photo’s to share our experience with you. Hope you like them.

Nelly & John from Saint Laurent

Hi Chris

We won the Galveston trip and stayed at the Hawthorne right on the seawall on the Gulf of Mexico. The hotel had two pools and we needed them with the Humidity. The charcoal BBQS on site were just right for the 2 inch steaks that seem to be everywhere in the lone star state. Along with the lone star beer, we watched people fishing from the piers, beachcombed a bit and just relaxed. Lots of Palm trees about just a great time at the hotel with the pools and free breakfast. I forgot to mention the Space centre which really isn’t in Houston at all, but closer to Galveston.

We will return to Galveston again and perhaps board the cruise ships that sail past. We are planning to one day take that Carnival Cruise also out of Galveston since Air Canada flies right into Houston. They bus you right to the cruise ship and or you can overnight at the Marriott right at the airport and you take a little underground train from the airport to the Hotel - it is really cool.

Thank you all for this wonderful opportunity to go to Galveston Texas.

Wayne and Linda from Hamilton

PS The dolphins seem to be everywhere in the gulf frolicking, what a really neat place to be - Texas.

I just want to let you know that Harold and I had the most wonderful time at the Tulip Festival in Ottawa last weekend. We were so impressed with everything that was included in the package (the hotel accomodations, the Via Rail transportation, the Haunted Walk tickets, the Tulip Festival coupons, the steam train tickets and the gift cards for shopping at the Rideau Centre). Everything was so much appreciated.

The hotel staff couldn't have been nicer. The whole steam train experience was exceptional. We thoroughly enjoyed visiting the city and taking in everything we could. The Byward Market has something for everyone and the restaurants were the best. We found that people were so friendly and so willing to help you with directions. Taking the Via Rail Train is such a relaxing way to travel. We had never been on a haunted walk before and we both enjoyed it. We chose the "Ghosts and the Gallows Tour". It was creepy! I get "spooked out" quite easily. We did not spend everything on the gift card but we have already planned to visit Ottawa again in July (that is when Harold has one of the weeks of his holidays) so we will be sure to shop at Rideau Centre.

The hotel was so central to everything we wanted to do. I was most impressed seeing the Parliament Buildings and the Centennial Flame. Both of us really liked the International Pavilions at Lansdowne Park. We enjoyed the tasting of international cuisine and watching the dances and listening to the singing on the Friendship Stage. Commissioner's Park was by far the most impressive. We walked back and forth for several hours. There was music and entertainment there also to enjoy. We also participated in the Carnival at Major's Hill Park. We did not use up all the ride tickets but we kindly passed them on to a mom with very insistent kids. She was most grateful.

Again thank-you very much for the opportunity of visiting our beautiful capital city of Canada. We completely enjoyed our stay and we are already looking forward to visiting Ottawa again in the near future.

Patricia and Harold of Lasalle

Dear Chris Robinson,

On behalf of my entire family I would love to give you a big hug! We were the recent winners of a trip to Disney World in Florida and we had a fantastic time!

We stayed at the beautiful Animal Kingdom Lodge where Giraffes and Zebras greeted us every day on their savannah right at our balcony! We did everything imaginable from a Meet and greet with Mickey himself to the exhilarating Aerosmith themed Rockin’ Rollercoaster! Our family was even lucky enough to be featured in a special FX movie trailer at Hollywood Studios!

I can't tell you how much the trip brought our whole family together as we are 2 recently merged families beginning as one. It was an experience of a lifetime! With 4 kids in tow ages 15, 14, 13 and 10 we never had a dull moment! The kids really loved the new American Idol production at Hollywood studios and the Festival of the Lion King show at Animal Kingdom Park, as well as the Water park Blizzard Beach.

Disney is truly the Happiest Place on Earth! Even our dining experiences were exceptional- we went way back to the 50's at the Prime Time Cafe. We even had a little Arabian nights at a Moroccan restaurant called Marrakesh with belly dancers as entertainment at Epcot. Oh there was so much we did and saw and ate.... it was all wonderful thanks to you!

We would love to send along a few photos of our trip.

Yours truly,

Louise from Toronto

To: Chris Robinson and John Donabie

I wish to extend my sincere thanks and appreciation for the opportunity to visit the New Brunswick Acadian Coast with my husband. Our vacation package, compliments of New Brunswick Tourism, capably prepared by Christina Shortall of Maxxim Vacations, created many memorable experiences for us. Merci beaucoup!

New Brunswick Trip
July 8th to 15th, 2008

Tuesday July 8th
A.M.
Arrived in Moncton after a short two hour flight from Toronto. Drove a short distance to l’Hôtel Beauséjour to be welcomed by a friendly staff and shown to a large comfortable room.
P.M.
Drove to Hopewell Rocks on a scenic winding road with dramatic vistas of the Bay of Fundy. We arrived at the Centre as the tide was rising, so we were unable to “walk the ocean floor”. We were rewarded, however, with the spectacular view of the uniquely sculpted flowerpot formations. We took the trails to the lookout decks followed by a visit to the fascinating Interpretive Centre.

Wednesday July 9th
A.M.
We walked around “Old Moncton” for a close-up look at historical buildings – the Victoria Block, Capital Theatre, Transcript and Royal Bank buildings, to name a few. The architectural designs of the large churches deserve mention. We marveled at the craftsmanship of the early stone masons who worked arduously with limestone and sandstone to erect such places of worship in the 18th and 19th centuries.
P.M.
As is our custom in every university city we visit, we toured the University of Moncton, then proceeded to the renowned Magnetic Hill. The zoo, waterpark, boutiques and restaurant in the Wharf Village, as well as the unique experience of backing a car up a hill in neutral gear, made for an interesting afternoon.

Thursday July 10th
A.M.
We visited Bore Park at low tide. The focal point is an interesting monument depicting the hull of a ship with the three stylized sails and the figure of an early sailor on the bow, peering forward. The monument commemorates all the Mayors of Moncton from past to present.
P.M.
Wanting to see as much of New Brunswick as possible during our short stay, we drove north to Miramichi, formerly Chatham and Newcastle, and ate lunch near a high bridge which spans the mighty Miramichi River. This progressive town boasts an attractive waterfront and an interesting array of past and present day housing.
The drive from Bathurst to Caraquet along “la Baie des Chaleurs” gave us a glimpse of the magnificent coastal scenery we were to enjoy during our stay in Acadia. Our ideally located at Caraquet allowed us to walk to the harbour where many fishing boats were moored. Local canneries are kept busy processing the bountiful sea catches – some of which graced our fish platters that evening!

Friday July 11th – “Village Acadien Historique”
A.M.
Through the setting of original houses and shops brought to the site from throughout Acadia, the “Village Acadien” is truly exceptional in its portrayal of life in the 18th and 19th centuries.
Ancestral trades and traditions were explained and demonstrated to us by volunteers in pioneer clothing;  eg the cutting of lumber for shingles or furniture, the shaping of horseshoes or other metal objects for home or farm, the time consuming transformation of fleece or flax into garments, the hooking and quilting of articles from fabric or wool scraps, the expert operation of the grist mill etc
Note: everything was explained in either French or English!
P.M.
At “la maison Doucet”, the lady of the house invited us to sit awhile and share out-door oven-baked bread and a strong cup of tea with her, while her husband’s fish dinner was cooking in the hearth. Good Catholics did not eat meat on Fridays!
At “la maison Douglas”, we enjoyed a traditional Acadian meal; salted fish dinner for my husband and a bowl of beans and molasses for me. Food was served by ladies in colonial garb.
Too tired to walk any further, we availed ourselves of a ride in the horse-drawn Charette for another look at the village. My husband then laughed saying “A Charette in a Charette!” My maiden name is Charette.

Saturday July 12th
From Caraquet to Bouctouche we drove through many quaint villages on well-maintained Highway 11. Bouctouche was bustling with activity in anticipation of the evening start of a local Acadian celebration. We proceeded to the “Pays de la Sagouine”, a “village” reached by a long winding boardwalk set on stilts, extending onto a low-lying island, where a dozen or so buildings were also set on stilts to accommodate the tidal waters of the river.
Numerous skits depicting Acadian culture capped off by the toe-tapping music at the Bootlegger bar, kept us entertained. WE purchased a “Borlico” CD to remind us of our visit.
Due to our expected arrival at Eymet Inn by 5pm, we were unable to attend the evening dinner theatre performace of “La pélagie de la Charette”.  Situated near Cocagne, the Inn is characteristic or the Perigord region of France, with its wine-coloured wooden exterior and is French doors opening onto wooden balconies that entirely surround each of its three storeys. Neat well appointed bedrooms named after French Impressionist painters add to the Inn’s charm. Sleep came easily in such a quiet country setting.

Sunday July 13th
Breakfast on the screened first floor balcony consisted of juice, croissants, ham, fresh fruit and coffee served by our congenial hostess, Mme de Grandpré. A restful sleep and a tasty breakfast was a perfect send off.
While en route to Moncton airport, we stopped at the Shediac Fair where we ate a great lunch, watched stage performances and browsed through arts and crafts booths. The hand-quilted bedspreads interested me. Wisdom prevailed, our cases were full! What a delightful way to culminate our trip to New Brunswick Acadian Coast.

With thanks
Thérese (Terri) from Mississauga

Dear Travel Show

A great time was held at Tremblant Elysium on April 3& 4th - even though we had rain on both days and snow on Sunday. We found it very much enjoyable, a lot to see and do. We saw a lot of deer right in front of our patio!

We wish to thank you for the lovely weekend that we enjoyed with the family - on a rare occasion to get them all together at the same time. It will be treasured memories for us. The Elysium has all and more to add to the comfort of a great vacation. We and the family Kerr wish to thank you again to make this happen. Here are a few photos of the family - son and daughter in law, and grandson with his girlfriend, and granddaughter with her boyfriend.

Yours truly

Sophie from St-Jerome

Dear Chris

We have just returned from our wonderful trip to Aruba. We had seven fantastic days and the weather couldn't have been better. What a great place to escape from our long Canadian winter.

While in Aruba, we had the opportunity to go on the Altantis submarine, for an exciting voyage to the depth of 130 feet below the Caribbean sea. There we saw the spectacular coral reefs, beautiful fish and two shipwrecks. We also did the all-day jeep safari of the whole island which was fantastic as we saw all the famous sites of Aruba.

Thank you so very much for giving us the opportunity to have this memorable holiday.

Tilly and Fred from Cobourg

Dear Chris & Sharman:

Thanks to you and CJAD, my wife and I recently spent two wonderful days at the Fairmont Tremblant Hotel.

Upon arrival at the hotel on Friday afternoon, much to our surprise, we were upgraded to the Fairmont Gold - a beautiful room on the seventh floor, with all the complimentary services that are included in that category.

Among the delightful services we enjoyed were the deluxe continental breakfasts, served in the lounge every morning from 7AM to 10AM and the hors d'oeuvres every evening from 5PM to 7PM. The views were magnificent, the weather beautiful, the walks we took, invigorating and the people at the hotel went out of their way to make our stay memorable.

Once again our sincere thanks.

Patrick & Franca from Town of Mont-Royal

Chris, thank you so much for affording me the trip of a lifetime – a week in the Yukon. A dear childhood friend who also loves nature and hiking came along with me. Here are a few of the many things we experienced:

- purple fireweed fields and hills as far as the eye could see
- miles and miles of pure silence except for the wind
- the most spectacular, unspoilt mountains we’d ever seen (Kluane)
- shimmering blue lakes (Kruda Che boat tour in Kluane - Ron Chambers, guide)
- the hospitality and kindness of First Nations people wherever we went
- the stories of Ontarians, other Canadians and Europeans who visited the Yukon and somehow never left… (Did you know that there’s a direct charter flight from Frankfurt to Whitehorse every week, as Europeans are fascinated by these lands? Even Toronto doesn’t yet have a direct flight.)
- racing sled dogs being trained by having their ears bitten by their trainer (Frank Turner, Muktuk Kennels)
- hiking on glacial rubble, in the shadow of bears (PaddleWheel Adventures, Haines Junction)
- watching kids playing in broad daylight at 11 pm (Dawson City)
- gambling away our money for a great community cause (at Diamond Tooth Gertie’s, Dawson City)
- spending time at in great civic museum – and beautiful building (the Dawson City Museum)
- Michelin-star-calibre dining in the wilderness (Raven Hotel, Haines Junction).

When I tell people that I’ve been to the Yukon and share my enthusiasm with them, they think it’s more exotic than a trip to Bora Bora… and yet it’s an integral and beautiful part of Canada that we should all be fortunate enough to spend time in.

Thank you to Yukon Department of Tourism and Culture and their numerous tourism partners for their incredible hospitality and generosity, and to Air North for flying us to Whitehorse and back with exquisite views over the Coastal Mountains.

Warm regards,

Anne from Toronto

Thank you so much to Sharman Yarnell, Chris Robinson, Louis Fillion & Ambrose Morris for an Amazing Trip to Superclub Breezes in Nassau, Bahamas!!

My teenage daughter and I won the trip in March 2008 and we just got back Nov 30th; and we had a Blast!!!

We did it all, from rock climbing, kayaking, water-skiing and trapeze flying, and all we can say is “IT WAS UNBELIEVABLE!” There is always so much to do morning, noon & night!! The Bahamian people are Incredible, Warm & Always wanting to make you Happy!!! We want to say a special Thank you to the Entertainment & Activity Staff like, Akizi, Snake, Rico, Edwin, Jerry and all the others that made our stay Fantastic and of course the great singer “ Funky D”.

The food was fantastic from the Buffet to the Great Dining Restaurants “Garden of Eden & Pastafori”. The rooms have been renovated very tastefully and everyone was always trying to make our stay better!

My daughter has told me that this is the “ONLY PLACE SHE WILL ALWAYS GO BACK TO!”

Our Dolphin Encounter was a very Memorable Day – “WOW”, we got hugs, kisses even fed & danced with our dolphin Shawn (Who is famous from the Olsen twin’s movie Holiday in the Sun! lol) Thank you Ambrose!!!

This is a trip WE WILL ALWAYS REMEMBER, so from the Bottom of our Hearts… THANK YOU!!! IT REALLY IS “BETTER IN THE BAHAMAS!!!”

Very Grateful Prize Winners,

Toni (Antonia) & Tatiana from Pierrefond
PS Attached our some pictures to post on the travel show website

Hello Chris,

I sincerely Thank you for the wonderful trip we had to Glorious Greece. I cannot express in words how grateful we are to you for giving us that trip. Greece was spectacular and we sure spent some wonderful moments together. It was a great time to relax, rewind and rejuvenate ourselves. This was a trip we were planning for years and it sure was a "dream come true".

With heartfelt appreciation and gratitude we Thank you very much. Your show is great and we listen to it every Saturday mornings and learn a lot about the different places in the world.

Wishing you and your family a very Happy Holiday season and may you receive abundant wonderful surprises just as you surprise your listeners with some amazing trips.

Thank you once again,
Yours Truly

Hayley from Etobicoke

Thank you for our great trip to Pittsburgh - it is truly a grand city, easy to access from Toronto, and chock full of things to do and see.

We were very impressed with all the hospitality staff - extremely professional and very friendly. The accomodations at the Renaissance were splendid, the setting, lovely. We had a grand dinner at hotel restaurant, Opus, and two elegant, pleasant breakfasts.

We loved the Carnegie!! Five hours of walking everywhere! (They do need a bigger gift shop and more benches in the galleries for tired folks, but their cafeteria lunches were a pleasant surprise).Loved the gem and mineral display, the wonderful art collection, the dinosaurs, the hall of architecture...wow!

We plan to return in the spring - never did get to The Strip (cool area of shops) or The Mattress Factory (an active art studio), but there is so much to draw us back.

Finding our way into the city and to the Carnegie was easy...the route through was quick. And...oh, you must emphasize the Cultural District walk-about and the light show...Gee. One needs a full week to really absorb the city.

Carol from Whitby

PS - The drive to Pittsburgh from Toronto is easy - the best part being highway 1-79 in Pittsburgh - very pretty, with wooded areas along the wide medians and shoulder. The rest stops in Pennsylvania are clean and filled with helpful information. I'd recommend this trip to anyone looking for a short break. Oh...and the shopping is super.

Dear Chris,

I'd like to say a big THANK YOU! I was the winner of the August 16th Travel Show to Kingston Ontario. This getaway was indeed a dream vacation for my husband and I, and our 8 year old son Brandon.

We had the privilege of traveling to Kingston on October 12 to 14. Our travel in VIA's first class accommodations was a huge highlight but once we checked into our accommodations at the Rosemount Inn & Spa, the experiences got even more grand - the establishment at the Inn was very exclusive and the entire experience will leave me telling this story for years to come.

Thank you for connecting with businesses that offer such high quality care and services to their guests. We had the opportunity to share on Thanksgiving with the wonderful people in Kingston, to tour the city and learn about the ghostly historical stories and cruise the waters on Thousand Islands while enjoying live entertainment in the beautiful weather we had.

Chris, I cannot tell you how blessed I felt to have had this wonderful experience and I wish you continued success on your show as you continue to share on The Travel Show.

Once again, thank you!
Busting with joy over the wonderful experience!

Michelle, Cedric and Brandon from Oakville

Greetings Everyone,
One cold Saturday morning last March when, compliments of the Chris Robinson Travel Show, CFRB Radio and Hanover Holidays, I won this incredible trip, my heart, literally, skipped a beat. Some nay-sayers, momentarily, dampened my enthusiasm with comments such as "what do you want to do UP THERE..."? WOW - were they wrong! You really do not KNOW this land - our beautiful Canada - unless you have experienced at least a small slice of its 'True North', strong and awe-inspiring.

Our starting point - Whitehorse - birthplace of famous Canadian Pierre Berton -, was sporting 23-hour sun-filled days early in July. Yes, people do cut their lawns in the middle of the "night" here, under brilliant blue skies. They soak up daylight while they can, before frost and winter set in (sometimes as early as August!), and they will be lucky if they see the sun for five hours in twenty-four for the next seven months.

A day later, the White Pass and Yukon Rail carried us via deep, dizzying canyons to Skagway, Alaska. Markers are still in place pointing out the route which would-be prospectors took to their gold panning destinations more than 100 years ago. By the way, we had a chance to learn how panning is done, even managed to bring home a few slivers of the yellow metal.

The motor coach rolled on to historic Dawson City, centre of the Klondike Goldrush in the late 19th Century. It feels as if this tiny village has barely changed since its glory days and Frantic Follies revues. No McDonald wrappers littering the dirt roads here! In fact, there is only one gas station ....

Next destination - Fairbanks, the northern end of the Alaska Highway, which we reached by travelling via the Top of the World Highway, 198 miles south of the Arctic Circle. The grandeur of this incredibly vast land, the majesty of the snow-capped mountains, deep and wide riverbeds, tiny settlements with names like Tok and Chicken (they could not pronounce the name of the national bird - Ptarmigan -, so they re-named it - Chicken!) - all this was so overwhelming, so magnificent, that we sometimes felt as if we were part of a 3D-movie. On our way to the largest city north of the 60th parallel - Anchorage - we travelled through Denali National Park, coming almost nose-to-nose with moose, caribou, grizzly and black bears. Regrettably, fog and low clouds did not allow us to see the highest mountain on the continent - Mt. McKinley - which is part of this mountain range.

Alaska Rail carried us to Whittier where we boarded a boat across famous (or should we say "infamous") Prince William Sound. Infamous because of the disastrous events surrounding the "Exxon Valdez", running aground in 1989 and spilling 11 million gallons of crude into this picturesque inlet, surrounded by rugged Alaskan mountains and calving glaciers and inhabited by whales, dolphins, sea lions and otters as well as birds specific to this area.

Our drive back to Whitehorse through the Chugach mountains ended this - for us - once in a lifetime journey. Words cannot describe the experience, you need to live it. Many more exciting moments would fill pages; the memories will be with us forever.

One last but certainly not least word and most sincere 'thank you' to the two people who made sure that no mishaps darkened this incredible vacation - our Tour Director Les Griffith and Paul - our one-of-a kind coach driver. Les' quiet determination kept his flock of some forty participants with minds of their own, under control at all times and made sure that no stragglers (!) were left behind. Paul - a former teacher - who had never driven these sometimes treacherous highways before, mastered steep inclines, sharp mountain curves and narrow potholed roads with a minimum of bumps, even though we sometimes were sure that one or more broken axles of this huge coach would leave us stranded in this pristine wilderness.

From the bottom of our hearts - to all who were involved - thank you for making this adventure the most memorable of our lives in Canada.

Renate and Saied from Oakville

We are just back from our fabulous Orlando / SeaWorld 5 day family vacation. Unfortunately our 5 days in Orlando overlapped with Tropical Storm Fay. But, no worries, we were still able to enjoy our stay. We visited SeaWorld, Busch Gardens, and Discovery Cove. Due to the weather conditions we were not able to visit Aquatica.

Discovery Cove was the highlight of the trip. Everyone was thrilled with the experience. We did everything possible, snorkeling with tropical fish, wading and feeding the sting rays, hand feeding the birds in the aviaries, floating down the lazy river, and of course, our encounter with the dolphins. It was definitely a once in a lifetime experience.

Thank you very much for providing us with such a memorable vacation. I don't know how you do it but please keep it up !!!

I have attached a couple of pictures of us enjoying our encounter with 'Rose' the dolphin.

Thanks again,
Best regards,

Julie from St. Basile de Grand

Dear all,

I would like to thank The Chris Robinson Travel Show with Sharman Yarnell, CJAD and Cruise North Expeditions for giving me the opportunity to win a fantastic arctic cruise. From July 12th to July 20th my friend Janet and I experienced the trip of a lifetime on Cruise North’s Arctic Odyssey.

The scenery throughout our trip was the most picturesque I’ve ever experienced. I still visualize the huge icebergs glowing in the sun flowing by the ship in Ungava Bay, the most beautiful sunsets that endlessly changed hues through the very late night into early morning and our sighting of walrus on the floating ice.

We experienced scenery that begged to be photographed. On Akpatok Island we saw the nesting grounds of a huge colony of thick-billed murres and some impressive polar bears.

On our excursions to Diana and Opingivik Islands we saw musk ox, with their long hair blowing in the wind. We also saw some of the Arctic’s most beautiful flowering plants and an interesting archaeological site of the people of the Thule culture, who were the ancestors of the Inuit.

We also visited Kangiqsujuaq and Ivujivik two charming Nunavik villages where the people openly welcomed us to experience the Inuit culture, customs, crafts and art.

Throughout our 9 day journey the excellent Cruise North staff continuously awed, enlightened and entertained us with their knowledge of the Arctic in their respective fields. Our appreciation goes to all of the ship’s crew and the young energetic Inuit trainees for always being friendly, professional and helpful. Our compliments to the chef and kitchen staff, for the superb selection and culinary presentation of delicious meals (featuring tasty local meat and fish) including a wonderful barbeque we had outdoors on deck on one of our many warm sunny days.

Our trip to the mystical historic Marble Island in Hudson Bay’s Nunavut was a special experience. It’s unusual and striking geology and its whaling history made for another memorable day excursion.

On the final leg of our expedition, on Hudson Bay at the mouth of Churchill River, we had a most magnificent encounter with Beluga whales playfully swimming around, under and next to our zodiacs in what seemed like only something experienced in a dream.

Words cannot express the appreciation I have for giving me the opportunity to travel to the Arctic and experience an important part of Canada’s distinct culture and breathtaking beauty.

Yours in appreciation,
Gisèle from Montreal

P.S. I have enclosed a selection of some photos of our trip

My husband and I just returned from our trip to Wales that I had won in April 2007. We loved Wales. We took 700 pics. We even had great weather! The Wales government did a wonderful job on our travel arrangements. We would like to thank CFRB and Zoom Airlines for their part in our trip.

Sincerely,
Francine and Bill from Mississauga

Dear Chris

I’ve recently returned from an exciting adventure to the Northwest Territories, which I won on your show. Originally, I was a little apprehensive about heading up near the Arctic Circle in March, but my experience was one I will remember fondly. My friend and I were lucky enough to experience dog sledding, snowmobiling, northern cuisine, and of course, the incredible northern lights. This trip made me realize that Canada’s north is truly a spectacular place to see. I look forward to returning there soon.

Thanks for the experience of a lifetime,

Reed from Toronto

Good morning Chris,

On behalf of my family, thank you ...We were the winners of a trip to Orlando via Jet Blue and staying one night at the Marriott in Burlington (great place). The next morning we flew to Orlando for our family vacation. It was wonderful - we arrived Saturday afternoon, walked around the resort and got to know it.

- Sunday... all day at Universal
- Monday...shopping at the outlets (Sharmans' favorite thing)
- Tuesday...Kennedy Space centre
- Wednesday…back to Universal all day. We love it there - the City Walk and Islands of Adventure (Spiderman’s my favorite ride and Duelling Dragons for my husband and son)
- Thursday was the last day we stayed at the resort and used the paddle boats, and just relaxed by the pool.

What a great time we had!

Thank you,

Donna and George from St. Paul de l'ile au Noir

Just a quick note to say that we just recently came back from spending the most wonderful holiday in Cuba which we won on your travel show.

The resort and gardens were absolutely beautiful, the people friendly and the turquoise ocean was out of this world. The food, drinks and services were excellent. The nightly entertainment was fabulous and very professionally done. It was a very relaxing stress free time that we had and we would go again.

Thanks for having such a great show where one can have a chance of winning one of your many wonderful trips that you give out. Keep it up and thank you once again. I will continue to listen.

Elizabeth and George from Austin

Dear Sharman & Chris,
I just wanted to let you know that I was the lucky winner of the Ottawa Get Away! My husband and I went down during Winter Fest... Had a blast - stayed at the beautiful hotel right downtown. There were fantastic Ice Sculptures, got to move along the Rideau Canal - did not skate - little afraid...

We had a wonderful time...the hotel was great - the train ride was fun!!!

I want to thank you very very much! It was so much fun!

Take care Debbie from Montreal

Hi Chris,

Last March I was the very lucky winner of a trip to Varadero, Cuba. My husband and I went this past January. We stayed at Melia Los Antilles. The trip was absolutely wonderful. The accommodations were perfect, as was the weather and the hospitality. We had never been to Cuba before, now we can't wait to get back. The question that registered me for the contest was basically about what other activities were available aside from lounging on the beach. Oh my, one week is not enough time to cover all the excursions and activities that are offered.

We did take a trip into Havana and thoroughly enjoyed it. Next time around we really want to go on an excursion to a tobacco plantation and a river excursion. So much to do, so little time! My husband is not an easily impressed sort and he had a wonderful experience. Many thanks again for the opportunity. I can't wait until I'm eligible again to enter the contests.

Keep on expanding horizons with your show.

Sincerely,

Peggy from St-Lazare

Dear Chris, Ladies, and the Cruise North team,
My husband and I were last year’s winner to wonderful Nunavik. I can't begin to tell you how amazing this trip was. We always choose to go south cruising, so we didn't quite know what to expect! I'd have to say my personal highlight was the first polar we spotted. I say first, because there were many. The 10,000 year old ice burgs, the Fjords, the Inuit people and all the crew aboard the ship made this the most memorable trip we had even taken.

For weeks afterwards our friends would chuckle at our daydreaming .......we were back on the Zodiac's searching for bears and walrus....if only in our minds! It made us especially proud to think that this diverse Province is part of our beautiful Canada.

Thank you so much Cruise North for making this the BEST trip we'd ever been on.

Joyce and Bryan from Magog

Dear Christina and Chris,

On June 2, I was very fortunate to win the trip to Branson Missouri & The Ozarks from Hanover Holidays on the Chris Robinson Travel Show.

To get through to the show is almost impossible and to win is an absolute thrill!

On November 10, my friend Carol and I were picked up by a Hanover Holidays van in Brantford and driven to London to meet the rest of the group. We were on our way!!

Our tour director was Larry Mercey of the Mercey Brothers, assisted by his wife June. Larry sang and played guitar on the bus and also pointed out interesting sights along the way.

When we first started, Larry did say that by the end of the trip, we would all know our fellow travellers quite well. He was so right.

We arrived in Branson on the evening of November 11. The next day we went to the Titanic Museum. I looked at the list of passengers – being of Polish descent, I looked at the names of Poles who had died. One of the names listed was Jakib Pasic (19). My husband’s name (Pasick) was changed in the 1920’s. It was an odd feeling, wondering if this young man might have been a relative of my late husband’s family.

In the afternoon, we were off to the Branson Belle for a cruise, lunch and an entertaining show, Todd Oliver and Irving. Todd is a ventriloquist and his live dogs are his “dummies”! He and Irving and Lucy were hilarious. The dogs were adorable.

In the evening, it was off to the Mickey Gillies show.

On November 13, our schedule was the Doug Gabriel Show, the Andy Williams Show, and in the evening the Hughes Brothers.

My favourite was Doug Gabriel. Andy Williams at 80 years or older still gives a great performance. The Christmas sets on his show were the very best.

On November 14, the schedule was the Dalena Ditto Show, a trip to Silver Dollar City and then the Shoji Tabuchi Show.

Silver Dollar City, decorated for the Christmas season, was spectacular. The shops were varied and interesting. Store vendors were dressed in period clothes, somewhat like the Mennonite dress, and the men had long beards. The theme park was very picturesque and loads of fun!

Finally we went to the Shoji Tabuchi Show. He is a wonderful violinist and showman!

How about the ladies’ washroom at the Shoji Tabuchi Theatre?!! It is beautifully decorated, with flowers and chandeliers – very opulent. I really can’t describe it.

On November 15, it was back on the bus for our trip home.

We stayed at the Radisson in Branson, the Hampton in Joliet, Illinois and the Comfort Suites in Indianapolis, Indiana. All accommodations were excellent.

On the way home we stopped at the Arch in St. Louis, Missouri – a very impressive structure!

We are all back home safe and sound. For our safe return, thank you to the bus driver – he was very good! Branson is very hilly!

After this trip, I am a bus trip convert. You can relax, take in the sights and sleep if you wish.

To CFRB, The Chris Robinson Travel Show and Hanover Holidays, thank you for this treasured trip! As I stated before my husband passed away 2 years ago and I appreciated this trip very much – Thanks!!

Yours truly,

Eileen from Mount Pleasant

Hi Chris & Christina
Just wanted to express our appreciation again for the awesome trip to Grenada that my son Josh and I took. It was very relaxing in Grenada in March. I attach a few photos of the gorgeous flowers, beautiful sunsets and lush palm trees that many tourists look for in a vacation.

Most grateful

Pete from Barrie

Dear Laurie and Olga,

Thanks to all at the Chris Robinson Travel Show for enabling us to visit the great city of Toronto last October. I'd have liked to include some photos of our trip, but I was digitally-challenged at the time.

Central to our stay was the Delta Chelsea Hotel (33 Gerrard Street), so let's begin here. The downtown location, location, location was perfect for us -- we enjoyed exploring nearby Yonge Street on Thursday and Friday night, and discovered a good Thai restaurant there. It was nice looking out on this beautiful city from the hotel's swimming pool/exercise room on the 27th floor.

The Delta's classically-furnished lobby is alive. You can feel the big-city hustle and bustle that is this magnificent city right here. The check-in desk was busy every time we passed by. The main-floor restaurants are active and well-situated. And the hotel staff? Young, courteous and professional people who, like the city, communicated a business sense that was alert, positive, in the moment and moving forward.

Our party of three unanimously agreed the Delta's pillowy mattresses are the best. It's hard to stay awake watching movies or reading in bed here! Our rooms also featured soft-white transparent curtains along with heavier, wrap-around ones that could effectively block unwanted light from entering. We slept so well that meeting Toronto's vitality the next day was easy.

Special thanks to the Delta Chelsea's Tracey Ford for her efforts in accommodating our late-forming travel plans, and for finding us two cozy and adjacent deluxe rooms.

There's so much to do in Toronto, and though one of us had visited before, we're glad we took the Toronto Tours sightseeing bus ride. It gave us a very good sense of what might so easily be missed otherwise. Most valuable was the running commentary that our driver, David, provided throughout the tour.

Obviously a history buff, he delighted us with an informative and descriptive narrative that was rich in anecdotes, insights and humorous asides. He also encouraged any and all questions from the passengers, and handled them adroitly. What a pleasant guy! I'd definitely take this tour again in future. We were sorry to see it end.

Toronto -- what a great city! Forgetting, for a moment, the more familiar platitudes it deserves, it was so much fun to bomb along Queen Street in a Toronto Transit Corporation streetcar -- "The Rocket," as their marketing guys call it. Do these things ever move! Clean, fast, efficient -- no wonder Montreal was thinking about copying this from Toronto, too. And like everyone we met in Toronto, the driver was friendly and courteous.

Getting around town was easy. The Toronto subway is also better than Montreal's. It may not have rubber wheels, but so what? Montreal doesn't have large brass-coloured street-name plaques embedded in its sidewalks as Yonge Street does. But again, so what?!

Toronto's subway cars are wider and ride much more smoothly, without the side-to-side rocking of Montreal's cars. Who needs rubber tires when ride-stability is what matters? True, the green-tile walls at some of the stations aren't as nice as Montreal's overall decor, but I was there to ride a subway quickly from point A to point B, not to view concrete art. Besides, Toronto has more than enough beauty above ground.

And what a delight to see such an array of thriving smaller shops and businesses in Toronto, proudly and freely displaying the English language, and many with such clever and amusing names and store displays.

Out of respect for Montreal's delicate sensitivities, I'll resist going further into a Montreal-versus-Toronto comparison. Montrealers hurt easily.

From the Delta Chelsea, we couldn't escape Toronto's great skyline even if we wanted to. This city even does bank towers well, with Bay Street's massive financial buildings reminding you that when it comes to the brain-power that allows every Canadian to enjoy their personal standard of living, this town is where it's at.

And though we've all seen it a million times in various media, it was such an unexpected thrill to look up and see the CN Tower. I didn't give it much thought as our Via Rail coach approached Union Station. The CN Tower was a nice structure, I thought, but only nice, and one of which we've all seen countless images.

But, damn, if the CN Tower doesn't grow on you! The more I walked around, the more I found myself looking up just to admire that unique spire, perhaps for the great city it has come to symbolize. I suppose I sound like a total hick from Herouxville, but the CN Tower awed me the more I looked at it. As symbols go, it is indeed Canada's Statue of Liberty.

And before I forget, baby! If you like Mike Myers's Austin Powers movies as I do, you can't help but get a similar kick passing the famed Second City. It was in this Mercer Street building that our beloved International Man of Mystery was inherently germinated, conceived and raised, placing Canada prominently on the world stage once again.

Heading to Montreal on a Saturday night, we just hated to leave Toronto. What a letdown. That's how much we loved T.O.

The only thing that lifted our spirits going home was Via Rail conductor Francois Belisle, a very pleasant and quietly engaging man who exuded professionalism, style, humour and pinache. He's the kind of guy who comes to mind when you read business writer Tom Peters' book, In Search of Excellence. Here's a front-line guy who couldn't represent Via any better.

We felt down leaving Toronto, and down saying adieu to Monsieur Belisle. What a great trip.

For Duke, Anna and myself, thanks again to all.

Peter from Montreal

Dear Chris & Christina,

We would just like to thank everyone involved for our amazing trip that we won to the Sandy Bay Beach Club in Barbados. Thank you to you Chris & Christina (& CFRB) for your fabulous travel show that we listen to every Saturday. Thanks to Rebecca Shepherd who took care of booking the trip and went out of her way to find dates that worked with our busy schedule. Thank you to the Barbados Tourism Board and the Sandy Bay Beach Club for providing us with what was a truly amazing holiday.

As soon as we landed, the Barbados Tourism Office was paging us to go to their office at the airport. They had a welcome package full of informative information about sightseeing, restaurants and just helpful information about Barbados. They had a driver waiting for us, to take us to our resort. The girl at the Tourism Office was so friendly as was our Driver (who incidentally had twice been voted "taxi driver of the year), and everybody at the Sandy Bay Beach Club. They really went out of their way to make our stay enjoyable. Our trip ended up being all-inclusive, which was totally unexpected. They gave us a beautiful 2 storey suite/apartment looking over the beach & ocean which was also such a treat! We totally loved Barbados & especially loved the beach at our resort. It was just amazing!

We spent a lot of time snorkeling along the coral reef at the resort and saw so many sea turtles and exotic fish that we had never seen before. One night at the resort, we even saw baby sea turtles that had just hatched and were scurrying up the beach. It was so amazing!

We made a point of trying out all of the delicious Barbados famous foods, like the flying fish, macaroni pie, fish cakes, cou cou & more, all of which we thought were just delicious. We ate fresh fish everyday & many fruits and vegetables that are not available in Canada.

We went to Oisten's Fish Market on Friday night and not only ate a lot of amazing fish, but thoroughly enjoyed watching the local boys battle it out with their dance moves. We found the people to be so friendly and felt safe on the island at all times. We met a wonderful local couple who took us sightseeing for a whole day around the entire island and even called later in the week to invite us to their home for lunch. Unfortunately, we were not able to connect again, but we will certainly be staying in touch with them.

We have told all of our friends and family that Barbados is where they should be going for their next vacation. We can't wait to return ourselves and we will be bringing our teenaged daughters with us for sure!

Thanks again to everybody involved. We truly had a wonderful vacation in Barbados!

Sincerely,

Linda & Andy from Brantford
loyal CFRB listeners

Hi Chris,

I was the lucky winner of the trip for 4 to New Brunswick. My husband and I went with our son and his girlfriend. We booked the trip to coincide with our 34th wedding anniversary.

The highlight of our trip was the whale watching in St. Andrews by the Sea. We went with Fundy Tide Runners and I would highly recommend them. We saw finbacks, humpbacks, seals and porpoises.

St. Andrews is a very picturesque town and reminded us of Niagara on the Lake. The Fairmont Algonquin is a gorgeous heritage resort. Tim and Steve golfed there and Roz and I enjoyed the spa while the guys were on the links.

We also toured the Hopewell Rocks and the Fundy Trail. Such amazing scenery!

Thank you for the opportunity to see a part of our country that we might not have otherwise been able to travel to.

Gail from Kitchener

I just wanted to share with you all our highlights from our trip to PEI (which I am finally sending out, even though I wrote it up a week ago late one evening while watching U-20 soccer). Thank you to those of you who gave us some wonderful tips on what to do when in PEI. My wife and I returned from our 4 day get-away to beautiful and peaceful PEI a few weeks ago. Wonderful landscapes, friendly hosts, varied weather (two sunny days and two not so sunny days), and a few incredible gastronomic stops on our tour. Below you will find a list of attractions and contacts that really helped make our trip a memorable one.

Of all the places we stayed at, the one place we stayed in that was truly worth recommending was the following inn:

My Mother’s Country Inn
www.mymotherscoutnryinn
Rte 13 in New Glasgow
Hunter River, PEI
1 (800) 278-2071
Tel: 902-964-2508

The incredible amount of work that has been done to this century old (actually circa 1850) home is worth the trip. This 4 ½ star inn is centrally located in an idyllic country setting near the North Coast of Central PEI. With its truly central location, there is no need to stay anywhere else on the island. The homemade breakfast was wonderful and the hosts were just so friendly and welcoming. Please be sure to give our regards to Nellie.

Finally, be sure to read the guestroom comment books in each of the wonderfully appointed rooms. The stories and characters that have passed through are so interesting to read about. What a really nice touch!

Naturally, we had our share of lobster and seafood, but the following few places truly stood out from the rest:

The Dunes Café
Route 15 (Brackley Beach)
Café: (902) 672-1883
Open: June to September (11:30am - 10:00pm)
www.dunesgallery.com

Say hi to the wonderful cook Emily Wells and to our super host Peter. They both helped make this place a special stop on our tour of the island. The tantalizing flavours and creativity of the food that Emily created was just exceptional. As well, the Dunes is much more than a café, it is also an eclectic 8,000 sq.ft. art gallery and gift shop, as well as some really beautiful gardens out back. The place is truly worth a visit and is not very far from Cavendish, Brackley Beach and Charlottetown.

The Landmark Café
Main Street (steps from the Victoria Playhouse)
Victoria by the Sea
Tel: (902) 658-2286
Open daily from 11:30am (May – end of October)

The quality and freshness of the ingredients in our dishes made this relaxed place a cozy and special stop on our tour. The small town of Victoria by the Sea is probably one of the most authentic and picturesque fishing villages on the island. The small shops, cafés and inns, all amidst this delightful little community make it a must stop. And what we truly felt was that the Landmark Café, with its super friendly and hospitable owner Eugene along with his kids Rachel and Oliver, was the epi-centre of this little town. You’ll understand when you visit. Make sure to say hi from Marco & Sophia from Montreal.

Windows on the Water Café
106 Sackville Street
Montague
Tel: (902) 838-2080
Open for lunch and dinner (May – October)

If you make it to the Eastern coast of the island, this is truly a must stop on your travels. This little café in this small town is really worth the visit. Not only was the seafood chowder the best on the island, but if you make the trip and forget to indulge in the utterly sublime and precious pecan pie, you’ve just wasted your entire trip to PEI. I’m not even a big fan of pecan pie and I couldn’t resist the magical flavours that burst upon my palate when eating this dessert. I had to fight away my wife since she couldn’t take her fork off of my treat.

While the island has some really pretty sites, some very nice scenic drives, beautiful vistas, numerous quaint lighthouses and dune-filled beaches, the highlight of our trip was walking out on the longest rock reef on the continent. Be sure to visit the North Cape at the Western most tip of the island and be sure to walk out almost a kilometre during low tide on this natural rock reef. The views and the feeling of being out in the ocean looking at the spectacular cape is just invigorating.

For those of you visiting PEI, these are a few of the interesting stops we highly recommend on your trip. Happy travels!

Ciao for now,

Marco & Sophia from Kirkland

Just a short note to say what a great trip we had to Gaspe's Gite Mont Albert.

We wish to thank everyone for being so courteous from start to finish.

If anyone wants to get away from it all and just enjoy Quebec’s beauty and nature this is the place to go! Our room was in their new pavilion and was very nice - the meals were extraordinary and the staff were exceptional ..

It rained every day but we managed to still enjoy ourselves and the last day we hiked a mountain 6.9 km. one way…for being in our 50's we did quite well....

Thank you so much.

Margaret from Austin

Dear Chris Robinson and CJAD,

I would like to take the time to thank you, Chris Robinson and CJAD, for our wonderful trip to Toronto. I won the trip in July but we were only able to organize our trip to Toronto this past Thanksgiving weekend. The weather was superb with a high of 30 degrees Celsius on Saturday. We had never been to Toronto so we were all excited to visit this new city.

Our trip began with a luxurious ride on VIA 1. We had travelled with VIA before but never with VIA 1. The service was excellent and my son says that one of the highlights of the trip for him were the meals which were served on VIA 1 as we travelled through Quebec and Ontario.

Another highlight of our trip was our hotel stay at The Fairmount Royal York. Besides being located in the heart of downtown and right across the train station, the Royal York, with its crystal chandeliers and marble floors, made anyone who stepped foot in its lobby feel like royalty.

With only three days in Toronto we wanted to get in as much as we could. My son insisted that we visit the Hockey Hall of Fame where the Stanley Cup looks as beautiful as ever. My daughter made sure we could navigate the Toronto subway system so that we could visit her highlight of the trip - the majestic Casa Loma. We also visited the Ontario Science Center with its captivating exhibit on the Titanic and the sky scraping CN tower. The Toronto Eaton Center was like no other shopping mall that we had ever seen and the whole family enjoyed walking through the antique sale at the St. Lawrence market on Sunday morning.

In conclusion, we could like to thank you and CJAD for making this trip possible and one which will remain with us forever.

Sincerely,

Rosie and family from Laval

P.S. I have attached some pictures of our amazing three days in Toronto.

Hello everyone. First of all, on behalf of my husband and myself, I would like to thank you for giving us the opportunity of exploring the spectacular Northwest Territories. To thank you just doesn't seem appropriate but there are no words to describe our trip. I will try to though.

First of all, our accommodations at the Explorer Hotel were superb. We felt like royalty in the beautiful large suite. Most mornings, we awoke (at 5 a.m. --too excited to sleep) to the most beautiful sunrise I have ever seen in my life. I felt like I was on top of the earth and was looking down on the world (our room was quite high up!). It was difficult to go to sleep in such a beautiful place as the sun didn't set till 11:00 p.m. ,P.We were given a 4 wheel drive Ford Explorer to travel around the most beautiful place on earth. We went to Cameron Falls and hiked to the waterfall. What beauty. The path was set out for us but the scenery and terrain was nothing like we have ever seen. We had just spent a week in Alberta (Banff, Jasper, Lake Louise, etc.) and that certainly was beautiful but no match for the hike to Cameron Falls. The paths were not so clearly set out as in Alberta and we felt like explorers climbing over rocks, following beautiful meadows and then discovering the waterfalls which were breathtaking.

The real icing on the cake for me was to see Cameron Falls from the air on our flight seeing tour. I love looking down at the world from the air and to see where we parked and the land that we walked through (it looked like we walked through a forest from the air) and seeing the waterfall was a highlight for me.

An even bigger highlight was seeing my first black bear on our way to the ferry to cross the Mackenzie River (the ferry was quite interesting for us too as we had never drove our car on a ferry to cross a highway). I have never seen a bear in the wild. We parked in front of him and were ready to drive off if he took one step closer to us. He didn't though--he just looked up at us and then retreated in the forest!

We saw so many bison on the road as well as sand cranes (what a thrill) and tons of ravens and many unusual birds. I would like to take up bird watching now!!

Going to Fort Providence was a great way to see some of the countryside away from the big city (Yellowknife) and we enjoyed every minute of our drive. We stopped at some small villages and found it unlike any other village I have ever seen.

In Yellowknife, we visited The Heritage Centre which is so high-tech, it puts our cultural centres to shame. The tour of the legislature was so interesting. The actual meeting room had glass windows around the ceiling for light and the heritage of the NWT was depicted on it. We saw gifts from every province which we displayed.

Another highlight was the dinner at Le Frolic Bistro. Again, we felt like royalty because that's how we were treated. We had the most delicious meal ever--MUSKOX and were so full we could hardly eat dessert (but we managed)!

The only sad part about the Northwest Territories is that there are not too many tourists. If the world only knew, they would swarm there. So many people that we met came on a vacation and never went home.

The arrangements were perfect and John at North West Territories Tourism, it was pleasure to meet you on the flightseeing tour. I was having some difficulty arranging the date for this trip due to different commitments and John, you were very patient with me. My husband and I are planning to go back when we retire and explore much further than we had time for this trip. We have beautiful pictures and wonderful memories.

Thank you all so much for everything!!

I have the real travel bug now. Tomorrow I am going to see my children in Thailand and we are taking a trip to China!! I am now staying up all night so I can get accustomed to the time change!

My husband and I have and will spread the word about spectacular NWT as everyone should have a chance to visit there if they can.

All the best to you and thanks again.

Bonnie and Jack from Thornhill

We are still in Vancouver and will be returning on Wednesday. I want to thank you again for such a wonderful package and I plan on emailing all the businesses who contributed to it. Ralph and I are so amazed at what these places did for us.

This trip has just been marvelous. We had a great stay at the Opus...wonderful staff and ambiance. We were feeling quite "trendy" down there! We went to Grouse Mountain, Capilano Suspension Bridge, Vancouver Aquarium where we saw all the shows and even went to the Celebration of Light the first night we were here.

We walked to English Bay from Earl's at Robson & Bute (I think), watched the show and then walked all the way down Davie St. to the Opus. We were pretty tired but what a great little adventure! The culinary tour of Granville Market was absolutely phenomenal. What a great guide Eric was, and so informative!

The trip to Whistler was just as wonderful and we did our ziptrekking and survived!! I will be emailing Louise at Tourism Whistler. I do want to say that our trip to Whistler was just as exciting as our stay in Vancouver. We went up to the peak of Whistler and words just can't describe the view.

Dinner at Ric's Grill in Crystal Lodge exceeded our expecations, but our 5 course dinner with wine pairing at the Bearfoot Bistro was absolutely out of this world! What an experience in fine dining!! My husband and I were absolutely amazed at what these businesses donated to the package.

We just love it here and we've had some great weather. This weekend we are off to Vancouver Island and Ucluelet. We are off to Commercial Drive today. We hear there are some interesting shops there. Ralph just loves shopping...NOT! but is willing to put up with it occasionally.

Again, thank you so much for the wonderful package.

Jane and Ralph from Scarborough

Hello, Chris. After having won a three night stay in San Diego on the Travel Show last July on CFRB, I finally had the chance to schedule it and go. What an incredible city. If there is a better city to visit in North America, could you please let me know what it is? The Catamaran resort was fabulous, the Zoo and Balboa Park amazing, and driving up and down the coast sensational.

Thank you so much again for this incredible prize. It was much appreciated and won't soon be forgotten.

Sincerely,
Robert from Oakville

As the winners of your contest for a trip for four to Walt Disney World on January 27, 2007, we would like to thank you so much for making this trip possible for us. We returned this past Saturday, May 12, after a fantastic stay at the Boardwalk Inn. The initial planning of our trip was expertly handled by a very helpful Disney intern, Laura Haughley. Everything from our flights to the excellent service we received from EVERY Cast Member at Disney was just perfect. On behalf of my husband Darryl, and my daughters, Leigh and Meagan, thank you so very, very much!

Sandra from St. Jean sur Richelieu

I wanted to take this opportunity to thank you, Chris Robinson and CFRB for a trip of a lifetime. I was lucky to win the week long trip to Budapest Hungary. I decided to leave my kids at home with my husband and take my 80 year old mother who has never been to Europe.

From the wonderful city sights, breathtaking churches and the soothing waters of the Hungarian baths, we had a fabulous trip.

For my mother the flight was long but made much easier, travelling business class.

We both can't thank you enough for giving us a wonderful week together.

Cindy from North York

I just wanted to send you a quick note to thank you for the wonderful trip my husband and I took a few weeks ago to Huatulco Mexico.

My husband won this trip on October 28 2006, exactly 2 weeks before our wedding ! Due to major financial burdens that we had taken on in 2006 (purchase of a house, big wedding, new furniture, etc) a honeymoon was not in the works for us...until that fateful Saturday morning!

We waited until the dust settled a little around us before taking this trip. All we can say about Huatulco is that it is one of the most beautiful places we've visited. The Huatulco Bavaro Resort was very nice and the staff quite friendly. The weather was just AMAZING - there are really no words to describe it...not a cloud in the sky for 7 days !!! We even took a few day trips to the little cities nearby and bought quite a few souvenirs.

So once more, thank you very much for the honeymoon we won’t soon forget.

Best Regards,

Nancy & Souheil from St. Laurent

Thanks to you (Chris), Laurie, Olga, John Samms, and Heather we had a great flight from Montreal to Calgary. On arrival we had a choice of vehicle from Enterprise. We opted for a Jeep Liberty which was great. It was about an hour ride to Canmore to discover this unbelievable valley with exceptional views. We stayed at the Raddison Hotel and Conference Center. Our room was facing Three Sister Mountain Peaks The service and food were impeccable. We had excellent meals at great restaurants in Canmore like Murrieta's Bar and Grill, Zona's, Quarry"s and Vic's Steakhouse.

We toured and visited: Columbia Icefields, Kananaskis Lakes trail, Banff / Banff Gondola, Top Of Sulfur Mountain, Lake Minnewanka (cruise), Lake Louise and Moraine Lake.

We really enjoyed and appreciated everything we did.

Our return home was good, but sad, we loved Canmore and surroundings.

We enjoy your travel show very much.

Mary Ann from St Bruno

Our Colorado adventure was phenomenal! The voyage going and coming with United Airlines was very smooth. The hotels were fantastic including the service.

We really enjoyed Denver. So much to see and do. The highlight was visiting the Red Rocks Amphitheatre. It’s nested in a scenic park flanked by some 300 ft red sandstone rocks. Capacity is about 9,500 seats all cut from rock.

It’s a must see - Invesco Field, known as Mile High Stadium, home of the famous Broncos. We really enjoyed our city tour. The dining and shopping was superb.

Waving good bye to Denver we headed towards our next destination, Grand Junction. As the miles rolled by the landscape became flat mesas, with more yellow golden coloured aspens. This is the heart of orchards and vineyards of Grand Junction. More exploring was done. Our Doubletree Hotel had such a lovely setting by the golf course and tennis courts, which we made use of immediately. Sun was still not set by happy hour.

The following day we set out for the Rim Rock Drive which climbs the plateaus and skirts the rims of the steep sandstone canyons of Colorado’s National Monument. This is one spectacular drive! Fantastic scenery!

After another day of driving through wonderful country we arrived at Durango in the sunshine. A laid back town of some 15,000, it was founded on the railroad industry. The famous steam train from Durango to Silverton. It transports visitors up the Animas River Canyon in the San Juan National Park for a thrilling ride of jaw dropping scenery. Finally we arrive at Silverton, set beneath enormous mountains with a wild snow storm in progress. It’s time for a hot cup of soup with our new travel mates. We dined both nights at the Palace Restaurant, where the famous chef Paul, Chef to Oprah W, is now owner. He greeted us with much enthusiasm and good conversation. I think he really liked Canadians.

Onward to Colorado Springs. We journeyed through Wolf Creek Pass. The trees were all snow capped and looked so stately! Upon arriving and checking into the super Radisson we had shared another wonderful day.

Saturday was exciting, taking in the famous Pipes Peak Cog Railway Tour. It’s the world’s highest cog railway at 14,110 ft. Spectacular views with a 360 degree vista of America’s most famous mountain.

The Garden of the Gods offers one a truly wonderful drive through a park of unbelievable rock formations. The late afternoon sun reflects brilliant colours of red, rust and gold on the peaks. Another picture opportunity!

Manitou Springs is a delightful town nestled at the foot of Pikes Peak. We strolled the quaint streets, stopping off at some art galleries, antique stores and dined at the Stagecoach Restaurant. There are many wonderful inns, if one had the time to stay longer. Sunday was spent Mall shopping and taking in the Bronco game. Fun!

All in all it was just a wonderful trip. We wish we could have shared it with you! All the sponsors were wonderful and we thank you very much for making our holiday so enjoyable. We love CFRB’s Travel Show. Chris and Christina are the best!

Julia from Toronto

Hi guys!!!! I'm just back from the wonderful 5 day Carnival Cruise on the Elation that I won on the CJAD Travel Show last year on Aug. 19th. We had a fabulous time. I'll try to keep this short but I am know to ramble on about details (especially when it comes to travel : - ).

We flew into Orlando 2 days early to "de-stress" before the vacation. When we arrived to check in on the Elation we were quite surprised to find out that we had been UPGRADED (!!!!) to a suite with a balcony (there aren't very many on this ship since it is a bit older). We were checked in as "V.I.P.'s" and got to by-pass the waiting lines. What a way to start off the trip!!!!

Our first day was at sea. Our second day was at Grand Turk. The beaches and water are absolutely beautiful here. The port facilities that Carnival has built are great too. There are shops, bars, and a huge Margaritaville. They have a fabulous pool at Margaritaville. The beach right at the port is also very nice and there are plenty of beach chairs available. Unfortunately we had a cloudy/windy day at Grand Turk so we didn't spend much time on the beach. We grabbed a cab and went into the "town" and walked around. It is very easy and inexpensive to get around by cab.

The third day was at Carnival's private island in the Bahamas - Half Moon Cay. What a paradise!!!! I could have spent a week there it was so gorgeous. The beach is a 2 mile crescent of white, powdery sand. The sand is so fine it feels like you are walking in icing sugar!!! And the color of the water.....so blue and crystal clear and shallow. It was just wonderful for kids and adults alike.

Day 4 was in Nassau. Another fun day at the beach.

Thank you again for this wonderful trip. I had never won anything before (unless you count $10 on the Super 7!!!). We love the Travel Show. Even though we are still in our year of "black-out" period we still listen to it every week. I can't wait until our black-out year is over so we can try to call in and win again!! Persistence is everything!!!

I have included a few pictures for your "enjoyment".

Yours thankfully,

Julie from Legrands

Bill insisted I take and send a picture of our thousand dollar meal at one of the most expensive restaurants in the States, Karu and Y. It was fabulous and he was excellent company. Hear you'll be working with him again soon.

Thanks again for giving us the hopes and chance to win these wonderful trips.

Joyce from Montreal

I wanted to let you know what a great time my husband and I had at Sunset Cove Lodge. We went on September 15th and had beautiful weather, which always helps. The fishing was lots of fun and we really did catch 3 bass although they managed to get away on us. A true story really! We witnessed the most beautiful sunset there. Pia and Alfons were terrific hosts and the meals created by Pia were truly some of the best ever German food we ever had.

Many thanks to C.F.R.B. for a wonderful long weekend.

Lena from Innisfil

My family and I won the Nolitours contest to the Amalfi Coast on CJAD (Laurie and Olga). This trip was a memorable one for the whole family. We had dreamed of such a trip, but your gift enabled us to experience the kaleidoscope of Italy. It was pure delight from the cobblestones of Pompeii to the lofty heights of Capri. Thank you so much, we appreciate your wonderful gift.

Regards,

Leonard from Rosemere

I am writing to thank you for such a marvelous trip that I won on the Chris Robinson Travel Show.

My husband and I just returned from our trip to Club Med Columbus Isle. Rebecca arranged the trip with the help of Sears Travel in Markham and I would highly recommend them to all.

Club Med is a resort like no other. The staff there are just amazing and the resort was beautiful. The food fantastic and the beach was a paradise on its own. I would suggest that anyone who is looking for a 1st class resort to give Club Med a try.

We returned relaxed and tanned....and I have to mention that Ricky from the resort made this trip a very memorable one after rescuing my husband from a snorkeling incident. That goes to prove that Club Med only hires the best and Ricky deserves a standing ovation for his brave rescue!

Once again, we thank you for providing us with a trip we will never forget. The Chris Robinson Travel Show is unique and makes CFRB a station that I will forever listen to and remember.

Thank You,

Kerry from Richmond Hill

A couple of months ago I won the family trip for four to Toronto on your show. My family and I just wanted to thank you guys so much! We had a great time. The girls loved the pool at the Delta Chelsea hotel and we all had a tremendous time at Medieval Times. I have to say that my 4 year old twin daughters enjoyed The Spaghetti Factory the most. Well I'm pregnant and due any day now, so I thought I'd send you my thanks before it gets too hectic to write.

Sincerely,

Sabrina from Magog

P.S. The desserts in the buffet at the Bb33 restaurant in the Delta Chelsea Hotel were to die for!!!

Here is a taste of what Charlie and I felt about the cruise –

Every other time I have booked a cruise, the ship was going South to a warmer climate. Imagine my surprise when Steve told me that the cruise he won was going to Baffin Island. "Where is that?" I said. I am geographically challenged, but I know a cold climate when I hear about one!

I have to admit that all my trepidation disappeared. Cruise North gave us a list of everything to bring to stay warm and comfortable. The ship's interior was always comfortably warm and the crew took such good care of all of us, that I soon forgot about my own needs and was enthralled at every turn at each new vista. We saw vast expanses of blue water, icebergs as tall as apartment buildings, birds by the dozens, rocky outcrops and meadows. I now know what air is supposed to smell like; it really is springtime fresh! It was an adventure of a lifetime. I would willingly travel with Cruise North again and again, no matter in which direction the expedition was travelling.

Charlie from Toronto

As for myself, Chris, I concur with Charlie this was the cruise of a lifetime. Everything about this adventure was magnificent - it was for me like nothing you could ever imagine. I found it hard to leave the deck when we where at sea I did not want to miss a thing, then on the shore trips I wanted to keep on investigating.

As for the folks with Cruise North not only was every aspect of the service impeccable they would shift schedules hikes etc to ensure that every one was happy. Each and every one of them made me feel like the whole trip was planned for me.

And I still get hungry when I think of the food. And to think that was the first year of operation! The other thing is I am certain they have improved on everything because that’s the way they are.

I truly feel blessed to have had a glimpse of one of the most unspoiled and beautiful places on the planet, and I am looking forward to the day not to far in the future that I can be on board a Cruise north Ship again only this time on the trip further North to Resolute.

For Cruise North I wish them unbridled success. They are a wonderful company supporting a great culture that every one should visit at least once.

Steve from Toronto

Thanks you so much for the fabulous trip to Walt Disney World. We had a MAGICAL time! The weather was perfect and the accommodations were great. It was such a treat to walk around the Polynesian resort and enjoy the lush gardens and friendly hospitality.

My intent was to enjoy Walt Disney World at a leisurely pace with my husband, and let my daughter and niece, both just graduated from university, to go off and enjoy the parks on their own fast and parent-fee pace. It was with pleasure that we discovered that the girls actually wanted to spend this time with us and we had a wonderful week of getting reacquainted with them.

The theme parks were exciting and the Disney characters were a pleasure to meet, but our favourite were the fireworks. The lightshow at Epcot and the Fantasmic show at MGM were great, but nothing was better than sitting on the Polynesian Resort beach overlooking the Seven Seas Lagoon watching the spectacular fireworks over the Magic Kingdom with Cinderella’s castle in the background, the light parade in the lagoon and music playing in tandem. What a moving experience!

We will be keeping the memories forever!

Krys from Whitby

My daughter Iris and I would love to tell you about the trip to Hualtulco I won on your show in late Oct., and took the third week of March. It was a wonderful time in one of the most beautiful places, surely, in the world.

The Barcelo Hualtulco is a very elegant hotel on one of the very unspoilt beaches of Tangolunda Bay in Oaxaca, far south on the Pacific side of Mexico. Everything about the hotel was excellent, which is indicated by the high percentage of Spanish guests- probably 75%+, many vacationing from Mexico City.

The food was very good at the buffet and excellent both in the very formal Spanish, and festive Mexican a la carte restaurants. Although there was a great variety of buffet dishes, we felt privileged to sample authentic Oaxacan cuisine, such as cactus cooked as a vegetable and delicious green enchiladas. Service everywhere in the Barcelo was perfect and always welcoming. The rooms were immaculate, and we were supplied all the bottled water we needed, there and on the day trips we booked through the hotel. The entertainment included authentic, professional dancers from the region and beyond, and was fascinating.

The Signature people were always available and very helpful for advice on the area, gave a fabulous farewell dinner outdoors, and arranged our day trips. Iris' favourite was our 3 hour horseback ride through the jungle - dry right now with enormous tree-sized cactus-with a rest at a remote palapa on one of the almost totally uninhabited beaches. We were accompanied by the rancher, a gentle elderly man who owned 35 horses, offered riding to suit any level of experience, and was lovely company.

My favourite tour was the "Real taste of Mexico", where two guides took only four of us to a small but busy tortilla factory in the nearby town of Crucecita, then up towards the Sierras where we visited a dear lady in her 70's who taught us hands-on to make soft tortillas the time-honoured way, which were then steamed in corn husks with hotsauce for tamales. We drank a hot masa [corn mash] tea, which they use for upset stomach, and I can attest to its effectiveness. Then we went to a cactus farm where we learnt that cactus is being used as a new cure for diabetes - we heard this elsewhere, too, and have asked Lily [our guide from the tourist bureau, whom my daughter is now emailing so she can improve her English ] what type it is - the Nopale cactus.

It was a welcome surprise to see the purity of the foods of the region.There were no additives in any of the packaged foods, and no oil is used in cooking tortillas, the staple there. Of course the tour ended with a liberal sampling of the many kinds of Oaxacan Mezcal, so having always enjoyed Tequila, it was a great end to a very interesting day.

Everything we had read about the region as yet-to-be-developed was True - pristeen expanses of white sand beaches, the small, colourful towns of Crucecita and Santa Cruz surrounded by huge spans of conservation areas, the stunning rocky landscapes and nearby Sierra Madres. But most surprising was the warmth of the local people. We were constantly greeted by genuine smiles from the children to the elderly, and even with the language barrier we made some friends, among them a girl also 14 who has traded email addresses with Iris.

Before the trip, I had wondered about exploring in this area alone with my daughter. The inner beauty and happiness of these people shone throughout, and there was not one moment that we didn't feel completely Safe - beach-walking at night, shopping at night in the town, any part of Crucecita we ended up in by day. I was in Puerto Vallarta in the mid-eighties and it was fine, but in this part of Oaxaca we felt that we were getting a very special and rare glimpse into the real Mexico.

It's obvious that the area won't stay like this for long, and we don't have enough words to thank you all - Chris, Christina, CFRB, Signature, and the 'bonita' Barcelo people, for giving us this amazing opportunity. Also thank you to Rebecca at Chris Robinson's Agency for handling our arrangements so well. We intend to learn more about Oaxaca, I plan to take Spanish lessons, and will start to save today because we have every intention of going back.

Muchas gracias!

Charlene from Gilford

My husband Doug and I would like to thank everyone at CFRB and the Chris Robinson Travel Show for our wonderful trip and the entire Butchart Gardens prize package. We enjoyed ourselves very much and appreciate all your efforts in making our experience so memorable.

We departed from Toronto on August 3rd and returned on August 7th, 2006. Butchart Gardens are truly spectacular and the Saturday fireworks were magnificent! Daphne Gardener, group sales manager, gave us a very private and personal tour of the gardens as well as a lovely book. We also enjoyed a wonderful picnic dinner provided by Butchart Gardens prior to the evening of fireworks.

On Sunday we went whale watching and saw a great number of whales. We also listened to the Victoria Symphony Splash concert on Sunday evening in the Victoria Harbour. All the restaurants that we visited with our meal vouchers were outstanding and the Budget car rental was perfect. The sea plane ride from Vancouver to Victoria was delightful. Harmony Airways provided on time transportation to and from Vancouver. Both the Coast Plaza hotel in Vancouver and the Chateau Victoria hotel in Victoria were most enjoyable.

Thank you again for our trip and all the memories we will treasure forever. I look forward to planting all the seeds I purchased while at Butchart Gardens and seeing the blooms next summer.

Best regards,

Georgia and Doug from Fonthill

At the outset I wish to thank you and your sponsors Rocky Mountaineer Vacations and Sears Travel for providing my husband and I the opportunity to experience what can only be described as the trip of a lifetime. Everything about the trip was absolutely first class from the time we left Toronto Airport until we arrived back home one week later. We were two of the happiest people you would ever meet.

We traveled to Calgary via WestJet which set the pattern for the entire trip, friendly professional service. Upon our arrival we made our way to the Hotel Calgary Marriott and settled in to our luxurious accommodation. Not for long though, we had things to see within walking distance of the hotel and took full advantage of the opportunity. The following morning we were picked up by coach and treated to a guided tour of the area ending at Lake Louise where we were installed in the Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise. We have all seen postcards of that famous view from the hotel across the lake to the mountains and the glaciers, our window view was that postcard and we were awed. We spent the rest of the day and the following morning walking the trails enjoying the area’s natural beauty. After lunch it was back onto a coach for a further trip through the mountains ending at Banff where we drank in the view from our hotel room in the luxurious Rimrock Resort Hotel. A gondola ride to the top of Sulphur Mountain where an unbelievable vista awaited us capped the day. We were surrounded by snow- capped mountains and deep green valleys and like everyone else, drinking in the same view we were speechless. The majesty of these mountains was beyond description and they seemed to go on for ever.

The next morning, bright and early, we were on the Rocky Mountaineer train. In those first few moments we knew we were in for something special. Our “Gold Leaf” car had a full length dome which ensured that every passenger had an unobstructed view of everything around us, sumptuous seats with unbelievable leg room, and a design which encouraged freedom of movement and invited the passengers to socialize. The passenger list included people from around the world and even a few Canadians! It was an education speaking with Brits, Aussies, Americans, and many others knowing that we all had something in common, a desire to enjoy the natural beauty of the Canadian West. We were not to be disappointed. We marveled at impressive snow covered sharp peaked mountains, smaller rounded mountains much older and tree-covered, verdant valleys, rivers and deserts. Sometimes it rained, sometimes it was foggy, sometimes bright and sunny, each condition added to the natural beauty.

“Gold Leaf” Service is a synonym for luxury travel and the staff never let us forget it. Professional, friendly, efficient young people who acceded to our every whim and at the same time provided us with commentaries, background information and lots of humour as we traveled along. The food service was impeccable. Our private dining room on the first level was akin to a luxury restaurant and the menus contained a selection of mouth watering Canadian cuisine and fine Canadian wine served by knowledgeable, professional young staff. The general complaint against the kitchen staff was that they provided us with too much food and it was too good. Once the meal was finished you felt as if you should hide because you knew they would soon be around serving snacks at your seat and you just couldn’t pass them up! Two days of this lifestyle interrupted only by a night’s stay in Kamloops (with a trip to the local theatre) unfortunately came to an end in Vancouver,

With the usual “Rocky Mountaineer” efficiency, over 800 passengers were disembarked and shipped off to their hotels aboard their own fleet of coaches, every one of us hoping for another opportunity to return to the Rocky Mountaineer train lifestyle.

After two nights in our hotel in Vancouver (the Sutton Place) where we continued to enjoy the life of luxury and take in the local sights it was back onto WestJet for the flight home. Again we were not disappointed, friendly, helpful staff and a lightly loaded plane made for a truly comfortable end to our “trip of a lifetime”. The trip was made even better with a cabin attendant who has such a comedic delivery she should be on the stage.

What will I remember most about this holiday? Everything! It was truly unforgettable and we haven’t stopped telling people about it since we arrived home.

Sandra from Toronto

Well it’s been a while nice we took our trip to Whistler, but I wanted to let you know how our trip went. We had a wonderful time and the scenery was amazing to say the least, although it was not my first time in British Columbia is was my first time to Whistler.

We traveled in late summer and well it was breath taking, the train ride was fabulous as was the mountain scenery. We did get off the beaten path a little by traveling to Port Hardy, which is on the Island past Nanaimo and it’s as far as you can travel by car before you hit the Ocean.

If anyone is thinking about traveling out to Whistler and they are not into winter sports, travel in the summer it is great and you will not be disappointed.

My husband hates to travel but enjoyed this trip, it was relaxing and fun and if you have kids what a great place to take them. Lots to do and see all day long, and the food was great and I loved the desserts!

Thanks for a wonderful trip,

Michelle and Terry from Janetville