IN THIS ISSUE SMALL CITIES Travel VACCINATIONS WAIT TIMES Health MILLIONAIRE’S MANIFESTO Finance OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION | SPRING 2024 | ISSUE 130 Publication mail agreement no: 40063603
Snowbirds have unique needs that we understand. Protect your Canadian home and auto with an insurance plan designed for your lifestyle. We’ll be with you all year long. Call us for a quote today 1-800-267-8000 Heading South this Winter? Endorsed by the Canadian Snowbird Association. Underwritten by INTACT insurance company.
Editor’s Message CSANews© is published four times a year and is Copyright Spring 2024 by Medipac International Communications Inc., 180 Lesmill Road, Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5. 416.441.7000. Subscription Price: $9.95 Canada; $20.00 U.S. and foreign. Single copy: $3.95. Prices include tax. Published by Medipac International Communications Inc. Opinions expressed are those of the writers and are not necessarily those of the CSA, Medipac International Communications Inc. or its affiliates, their Directors, Officers, or other employees or agents. Canadian Publications Mail Product Sales Agreement No: 40063603. ISSN No: 1195-2393 Barb & Ron Kroll Dr. Robert MacMillan Shari McIntyre David McPherson Rex Vogel Robert Wiersema Judith Adam Gabrielle Bauer Donna Carter Michael Coren Jennifer Cox James Dolan Milan Korcok Garry McDonald Johanne Blain James Carl Simpson Ted Popel Marjorie Heisler Karen Huestis Wendy Caban Ronald Brown Debra Ann MacLean Kimberley Tetzlaff Michael MacKenzie Wallace Weylie President First Vice-President Second Vice-President Treasurer Secretary Past-President Director Director Director Director Executive Director Legal Counsel CSA BOARD OF DIRECTORS Editor CSA Editor President Art Director Director of Operations Marketing Coordinator Marketing & Events Specialist J. Ross Quigley Karen Huestis Christopher Davidge Peter Prusa Paula McGovern Stefanye Zee Fran Castricone SPRING 2024 | ISSUE 130 CONTRIBUTING EDITORS We acknowledge the support of the Government of Canada. Merv Magus Cover photo: iStock.com/tunart Illustrator Four years later… Our Extravaganzas and Winter Information Meetings had been dormant for four years – trapped in the dreaded Covid purgatory. This year, we decided to see if we could resurrect their past successes. Would anyone come to the shows? Would they bring their friends? Did we have any friends left after the brutal lockdowns? We were on pins and needles with fingers and legs crossed and hoping for the best. No lineups around the block appeared and we were devastated. We should have known better. The first trickle of snowbirds arriving at each location became a steady flow and then evolved into a flood of humanity. We were almost swamped. Tens of thousands of you and your friends showed up across the U.S. South to celebrate our freedom and our lifestyle. It was a miracle! Your overwhelming support has made us believers in our show tours, once again, and we will continue them next year and beyond. Thank you, and we hope that you all have a wonderful spring and summer. We hope to see you again next year. P.S. Our shows in McAllen, Texas and Mesa, Arizona did have significant lineups. Thanks for attending. Sincerely, J. Ross Quigley Editor CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 3
Table of Contents SPRING 2024 | ISSUE 130 OFFICIAL NEWS MAGAZINE OF THE CANADIAN SNOWBIRD ASSOCIATION Good Cities Come In Small Packages Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to European cities. by Barb & Ron Kroll Features 14 20 Sixteen of the best road food stops Make food the destination, not an afterthought. by Rex Vogel Travel RV Lifestyle 4 | www.snowbirds.org
Table of Contents 40 Golf by David McPherson 42 CSA Online by Milan Korcok 44 Gardening by Judith Adam 46 Food & Drink by Shari McIntyre 48 Fun & Games 49 Grins & Giggles 50 CSA Application 51 CSA Benefits 52 Snowbird Events 53 CSA Events 54 Fast Facts 3 Editor’s Message 6 Snowbird Alert 8 Bird Talk 10 President’s Message 11 Government Relations Report 12 Insurance by J. Ross Quigley 13 Opinion by Michael Coren 34 Health by Milan Korcok 36 Health Pulse 37 Longevity by Jennifer Cox 38 Fitness by Jennifer Cox 39 Book Review by Robert Wiersema 32 Vaccination Update Current vaccination recommendations amidst a changing landscape. by Dr. Robert MacMillan Finance The millionaire’s manifesto Foundational beliefs of the world’s best investors (and how you can use them to your advantage). by James Dolan Health Departments CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 5
Snowbird Alert Source: www.newscanada.com Whether you’re doing a little spring cleaning or sorting through your “important paper” drawer, don’t just toss your personal information in the recycling bin or trash. Believe it or not, some scammers will check your recycling and trash for private information to use for identity theft. It can happen to anyone. Identity theft is a serious issue, and it happens more than you might realize. Depending on what you toss, fraudsters can gather personal and financial information, such as credit card numbers, old tax returns, user IDs, passwords, banking statements and even a handwritten signature. With this information, they might attempt to file a fake tax return or apply for government benefits in your name. To avoid becoming a victim of scams and fraud, protect yourself and your information. Although clearing out your paperwork can feel like a good accomplishment, it’s important to protect your personal information during the process. Find more tips regarding how to protect yourself from scams and fraud at canada.ca/be-scam-smart. Document the issue Write down what the issue is and outline the steps that you have taken to solve it with the provider. Include relevant dates. Keeping records of your communications with the service provider can help jog your memory and back up your claims. Decide what you hope to achieve From a simple apology from the provider, to getting a payment refunded, receiving additional compensation or something else entirely, think about what you would consider a reasonable resolution. Submit a complaint to the ombudsman The Commission for Complaints for Telecomtelevision Services, or CCTS, is the national, independent and impartial resolution service to which you can escalate your complaint if your phone, internet or TV provider hasn’t solved a problem. Their services are available in English or French and are provided free of charge. It takes about 15 minutes to file a complaint online: you input the details about the situation and the solution that you think is fair. If your issue is outside of their mandate, they’ll let you know and, if possible, refer you elsewhere. Most complaints filed with the organization are resolved within 30 days. Learn more about the organization and how to submit a complaint at ccts-cprst.ca. Here are a few tips: 1. Before tossing, shred all paper copies of tax-related documents, especially those with your social insurance number on them. 2. Don’t forget to be mindful of the clutter. Only keep paper records and documents related to your tax returns for six years. Don’t let them pile up. 3. To stay safe, regularly check and update your personal information online using your Canada Revenue Agency “My Account.” If you notice changes to your personal information that you didn’t make, contact the CRA immediately. Your trash can put you at risk for identity theft What to do about it! What to do if you have problems with your telecom service provider Many of us know how frustrating it is to wait on hold for your phone, TV or internet provider to solve issues such as connectivity problems, billing errors or other concerns. You make it through the various layers of customer service and the problem gets resolved. But what about when it doesn’t? What if you contact your service provider and they don’t – or won’t – fix the problem? Well, in Canada, we have ombudsman organizations to which you can take your complaint – they’re designed to help with issues between service providers and customers. Here’s how: 6 | www.snowbirds.org
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Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, We are snowbirds. One day at noon, my husband had a seizure out of the blue. He was taken to the hospital in Melbourne, Florida, where he remained for five days. He was then transferred to Toronto via air ambulance. All of this was organized and paid for by Medipac, which also included having our truck transported back home. Medipac staff were attentive and well organized. You just never know when you will need out-of-country insurance – it could be just a split second. Mary-Lou Gatward London, ON Ed.: We are glad to hear that this worked out well for you. Thanks for the compliments. Dear Bird Talk, I plan to enter the U.S. on November 1 for a six-month stay. I will return to Canada on April 30. I will take a two-week trip outside of the U.S. in January. Can I then use those two weeks for a trip to the U.S. in July? Paul Howard Wolfe Island, ON Ed.: We recommend that you include that short trip outside of the U.S. during your winter residency in your day count for the rolling 12-month period. You may have to shorten next year’s winter visit by two weeks in order to comply with the ‘sixmonths less a day’ rule going forward. Dear Bird Talk, Regarding question 28 [on Form 8840 - Closer Connection Exception Statement for Aliens] – “Did you have any income from U.S. sources?” Do we have to say yes if we have U.S. investments here in Canada with our Canadian financial investment firm with U.S. withholding tax? These amounts are already included in our Canadian tax returns. Would it be a good thing to put this note – “I have some U.S. investments with a Canadian financial investment firm with U.S. withholding tax.”? Gilles Gagnon Saguenay, QC Ed.: Since those investments are with a Canadian financial institution, they are not considered U.S. income. Dear Bird Talk, I believe I read that, if you were a Canadian who went to the U.S. and returned to Canada, you had to be out of the U.S. for 30 days or the clock keeps ticking as if you never left? Example: if you entered the U.S. and went back to Canada for a week at Christmas, it would be counted as if you never left. Keep up the good work and thank you. Jim Kerr Montreal, QC Ed.: You are correct, sir! However, keep in mind that the U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) officer processing your admission to the United States may include short trips back to Canada, which are fewer than 30 days in duration in your six-month allotment. This is a discretionary decision on the part of CBP and we recommend that snowbirds err on the side of caution and include these days. Dear Bird Talk, We live in Calgary, Alberta. We are snowbirding down in this part of Arizona. We are covered by Medipac and we are CSA members. Gas is very reasonable in this northwest area of Arizona. We just topped off our gas tank and thought that we’d send you the receipt. Happy New Year to all of you. Robert and Maria Bulmer Calgary, AB Ed.: A lot of things are cheaper in the states. It’s great that you can take advantage of it. Dear Bird Talk, I have been looking and looking for info on regulations or requirements for a home address in Canada while snowbirding in the U.S. Do we need a physical address? What are the rules around this. I saw one blog post, but it really didn’t answer my questions, so thought that I would reach out. Is this required? What happens if we sold our home, bought an RV to go to Florida, and stayed in it when back in Canada for the summer months. Trevor Dechurer Edmonton, AB Ed.: There is no rule, but your challenges could start at the border if the U.S. Customs and Border Protection Agent asks you to prove your ties to Canada and that you have a home to return to, rather than creating suspicion that you may stay in the United States indefinitely. You will also need an address to continue enjoying your provincial residency status and for basic items such as your driver’s licence, banking account and credit cards. “Rent” a room from a family member and use that as a home address if you must. 8 | www.snowbirds.org
Dear Bird Talk, I know that an hour-long trip to the U.S. to shop is counted as a day in the U.S. for both visa and IRS purposes. I also know that a partial day spent travelling through the U.S. from one Canadian city to another is not counted for one of them, but it is for the other – I just cannot remember which is which. Can you provide the answer for me? David James Welland, ON Ed.: For immigration purposes, time spent “in transit” is generally not counted against your days spent in the United States. For tax purposes, and the 8840 Form more specifically, days you were in the United States for fewer than 24 hours when you were travelling between two places outside of the United States are not included in your substantial presence test calculation. Dear Bird Talk, We are planning either a two-week or a three-week trip to Alaska starting and ending in Vancouver. The trip will start with a cruise from Vancouver to Alaska with multiple port stops, then a land tour in Alaska, finishing with a second cruise returning to Vancouver. How do I count these days toward our U.S. day allocation? My gut says that to be safe, count everything as U.S., but my hope is that some of this doesn’t have to be counted. Kelly Miller Kitchener, ON Ed.: We always recommend erring on the side of caution. You are taking a cruise to the United States. Count all of the days of the trip both at sea and on land as days in the U.S. Dear Bird Talk, Am I wrong, or is it not the LAW that OHIP MUST pay to a member of OHIP the amount spent on a legal medical claim whatever it would pay to a Canadian hospital or doctor? Therefore, if it cost you $10,000.00 in the U.S. but OHIP pays a Canadian hospital $8,000.00 (Canadian), then OHIP must pay you the same amount as they pay the hospital?? Roger Bourdeau Tiny, ON Ed.: You are correct and this is exactly what the Canadian Snowbird Association has been fighting for since its inception in 1992. They were successful in their court challenge forcing the Ontario government to reinstate payments for out-of-country medical expenses; now we need to get the government to increase the amount which they pay! Bird Talk Featuring the letters & concerns of our members SEND YOUR LETTERS TO Bird Talk, c/o CSANews 180 Lesmill Road Toronto, Ontario M3B 2T5 Online at www.snowbirds.org/bird-talk or by e-mail: csawriteus@snowbirds.org Bird Talk Dear Bird Talk, We were told by a Canadian couple who own a home in Florida that your Canadian will does not apply to the U.S. In case of both of our deaths, the U.S. government would sell our house and we would have to pay all applicable U.S. taxes before our estate would receive the remainder. They told us about a “Ladybird Will,” which alleviates this. Can you shed some light on this. What happens in the case of both of us (the owners) dying, with our Canadian will leaving our assets to all three of our children. Latchman Sanker Oshawa, ON Ed.: Your Canadian will does apply in the U.S. Where real estate is owned in the U.S. by a couple, it is usually owned as joint tenancy with right of survivorship. In that event, upon the passing of one of the owners, the property goes to the survivor by succession outside of any provisions in a will. If the property ends up with one owner, that person’s will would determine the ownership. There is no “Ladybird Will,” but there is a “Ladybird Deed” in Florida. Other states have different names for this type of deed. This is a form of ownership of real estate whereby the persons added to the names on the deed do not acquire an ownership interest in the property, but do succeed to ownership interest upon the passing of the last joint owner, as described above. Dear Bird Talk, How long can we leave our Canadian 5th wheel down in the U.S.? If it is left for a few years, are there any issues to bring it back home to Canada across the U.S. border? Lori Nicholson Okotoks, AB Ed.: If your 5th wheel remains in the United States for longer than 12 months, it will be considered to have been imported and you would be expected to pay duties and taxes on that import. Also, you should check with your insurance company to determine how long you are permitted to have the vehicle in the United States before they stop providing insurance coverage. CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 9
President’s Message Garry McDonald CSA President It is an honour for me to accept the office of president of the Canadian Snowbird Association. For more than 32 years, the association has remained steadfast in its commitment to actively defending the rights and privileges of travelling Canadians. As your new president, I am committed to carrying on with that challenge on behalf of all of our members. We have accomplished many things together in our past and yet, many challenges remain. I am confident that our new board of directors, together with CSA staff and our benefit partners at Medipac, will meet those challenges as we continue to build on our achievements. My first stop as president was at the annual Snowbird Extravaganza in Lakeland, Florida. After a four-year absence, it was encouraging to see so many snowbirds gathered together again. From there, my wife Mary Ellen and I headed to Mesa, Arizona for the Arizona Snowbird Extravaganza and McAllen, Texas for the Winter Texans’ Snowbird Extravaganza. We welcomed enthusiastic crowds and we were again fortunate to sign up many new members. From there, we embarked on our 2024 Winter Information Meeting tour. This year, we made stops in Indio and Winterhaven, California, before travelling to Florida for shows in Bradenton, Port Charlotte and Clearwater. I would like to thank all of the volunteers and all those who attended any of these shows; there is simply no way that we could bring these events to you without your support. Thanks also to our partners at Medipac for all that they do to assist in the organization of these first-class events. After so many years of partnership, I am continually impressed by how Medipac International and Medipac Communications support CSA and our membership annually and provide positive reinforcement to all of our efforts. In April, I travelled to Washington, D.C. with CSA representatives in an effort to secure passage of our Canadian Retiree Visa legislation. Please see Johanne Blain’s Government Relations report elsewhere in this issue for a more comprehensive update regarding this initiative. Recently, your board of directors discussed four critical policy questions of importance to our members. We examined what we are most proud of… what we as an organization do better than anyone else. Replies included successful lobbying for a 10-year Canadian passport, director presentations, our legal victory against the Ontario government and our currency exchange program. We also took a hard look at things which we could have done better. Answers to that question revolved around our Retiree Visa initiative, increased political engagement with Quebec and a more robust internet and social media presence. Suggested goals for the next 12-18 months included passage of the Retiree Visa, increasing membership, increasing out-of-country emergency health-care reimbursement rates and an increased focus on alternative winter destinations in addition to the United States. We concluded our analysis with an examination of some of the things that might present obstacles to achieving these goals. Understandably, our success depends on government willingness to negotiate on both sides of the border and the increased competition that exists among third-party stakeholders all vying for government attention. I was encouraged to see such consensus and agreement emerge between board members in their responses during our discussion. Coming out of the Covid years, I feel that the CSA is entering a period of renewal. Our engagement with the aforementioned topics and goal-setting means an opportunity for a strong agenda of renewed advocacy. As your new president, I will form a President’s Renewal Council of board members, staff and advisors to engage and improve advocacy and membership. In closing, I would like to thank our outgoing president Karen Huestis. During the seven years for which she has served as our president, many significant improvements benefiting travelling Canadians have been made. Karen will continue to be an asset to the association and our incoming board in her capacity as immediate past-president during this new term. Thanks also to our outgoing and returning directors who have worked diligently with government officials at all levels. Without these efforts, changes would not have taken place. Of course, none of this would have been possible without you, our members, thank you. I look forward to working with our new board of directors and staff as we continue to pursue the goals of the Canadian Snowbird Association. Welcome home. 10 | www.snowbirds.org
Government Relations Report Johanne Blain First Vice-President In March, CSA representatives travelled to Washington, D.C. for meetings on Capitol Hill related to our Canadian Retiree Visa initiative. In the 118th session of Congress, we have two bills, one in the U.S. House of Representatives (H.R.4448) and one in the U.S. Senate (S.387) which, if passed, would increase the permitted length of stay for retired Canadians travelling to the United States to an eight-month period. Passage of the same bill in both the House and Senate is required in order for the bill to become law. If these bills are approved, it would mean a two-month increase from the current policy, which limits the amount of time Canadian visitors can stay in the United States to six months less a day within any 12-month period. While the House version of our legislation was referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary, the Senate companion bill was referred to the Senate Committee on Finance. CSA representatives are working on expanding the number of Congressional co-sponsors for both of these bills, focusing on obtaining the direct support of members who sit on these committees. At this time, the House bill has 23 bipartisan co-sponsors… and that number continues to grow. Both of these bills also contain a provision which ensures that eligible retirees are not faced with negative income tax ramifications by being treated as U.S. residents for tax purposes. This is a crucial provision which CSA representatives ensure is included in every iteration of this legislation that is introduced in Congress. Updates regarding this initiative will be provided to members through our email advisories as these bills make their way through the legislative process. In early April, Canada Border Services Agency (CBSA) and U.S. Customs and Border Protection (CBP) announced that the NEXUS program application fee would be increased from US$50 to US$120, effective October 1, 2024. Applicants who have submitted their application and paid the US$50 fee but have not completed their enrolment interviews by October 1, 2024 will not have to pay the proposed US$120 fee. The NEXUS program allows pre-screened travellers expedited processing when entering the United States and Canada. NEXUS cards allow members to: ▶ use self-serve NEXUS kiosks or eGates when entering Canada at nine major international airports ▶ use dedicated vehicle lanes at 20 designated land-border crossings ▶ use U.S. Global Entry kiosks for entry into the U.S. ▶ receive expedited clearance through CATSA security screening lines at major and select mid-sized airports in Canada ▶ receive expedited clearance through the U.S. Transportation Security Administration Pre-Check lines at more than 200 participating U.S. airports ▶ clear the border by boat using the Telephone Reporting Centre and preregister your arrival at 426 designated sites Applicants are encouraged to book their interview as soon as possible. Appointments are available on the Trusted Traveller Programs System, https://ttp.cbp.dhs.gov. Many enrolment centres offer next-day availability for scheduling interviews, allowing applicants to book their appointments quickly. Please be aware of certain third-party organizations that offer to help complete the NEXUS application on your behalf. A third-party representative is not necessary in order to complete your NEXUS application and will not speed up the process. In fact, using a third-party representative can often result in additional charges and delays in your membership being approved or issued. Always ensure that you are using the official Trusted Traveller Programs System when applying for a NEXUS card. As part of the CSA renewal package, we have included two copies of IRS Form 8840 – the Closer Connection Exception Statement for Aliens. In accordance with U.S. tax law, any foreign visitor to the United States who meets the substantial presence test can be treated as a U.S. resident for tax purposes. Information about the substantial presence test can be found in your CSA renewal package. As a Canadian visitor to the United States, if you generally spend four months or longer stateside annually, the Canadian Snowbird Association strongly recommends that you complete and file the 8840 Form in a timely manner each year. Please note that you will need to complete one form per person and ensure that it reaches the IRS by the June 15 deadline. You are eligible to file the 8840 Form as long as you do not exceed 182 days of physical presence in the United States in a single calendar year. Filing the 8840 Form is an easy way to protect yourself by ensuring that you are compliant with U.S. tax law. Make sure that you keep a copy of your 8840 Form for your files, prior to submitting it to the IRS. Gilles and I wish you a safe and relaxing summer. CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 11
J. Ross Quigley CEO Medipac International Inc. Insurance This year has been a difficult insurance season. The U.S. hospitals are becoming much more difficult to deal with from a pricing perspective and we believe that it will cost Medipac from $2-3 million in extra claims costs. We are not alone, as other insurers will have the same issues, of course. Our clients, meaning you, have had a very healthy year and major claims have become rarer as a result. Still, there are lots of multi-hundred-thousand-dollar claims, but fewer than in past years, thankfully. We are trying our best to keep our rates down and I believe that we will succeed for next year. Many new clients do not really understand that our published rates very rarely apply and that the paid premiums can be, and are, substantially lower. Our discounts from the ‘book’ rates include Claim-Free discounts, Loyalty discounts, Early Bird discounts and some provincial discounts in certain provinces. When these are all applied to the rate calculation, prices can be more than 25% less than those we publish. Choosing a higher deductible can also save as much as another 25%. Fill out a Medipac application form and see for yourselves. As I mentioned before, post-Covid travel to the United States is back to normal and increasing. For instance, Florida’s official figures, just released, show that Canadians made 3.82 million visits to that state in 2023. That’s a 46% hike over the previous year and represents 35.7% of all Florida’s out-of-country visitors. In a distant second place are the British, with 1.14 million trips. That is more than Brazilians, Colombians and other South American countries combined. Snowbird travel is increasing…and rapidly. Our events this year were the first opportunity that we had to see our members and clients, face to face, in more than four years. The thousands of happy snowbirds were a joy to behold. Everyone was happy… everyone! I am not aware of even one complaint about our insurance programs, currency exchange programs or other benefits. Oh, there were lots of comments, especially about Medipac, and they were all glowing reports regarding our claim and assistance services. This is probably a good place to say thank you to all of our dedicated assistance and claim staff. They work long, long hours, weekends, holidays and nights, and it is obviously a high-stress, 24-hour-a-day job. Their coolness under pressure and decision-making excellence are a wonder to behold. Congratulations on thousands of jobs well done! 12 | www.snowbirds.org
Earlier this year, a Canadian journalist posted on X, formerly known as Twitter, that “You shouldn’t be allowed SSRIs until you’ve tried going to the gym twice a week.” The journalist in question is hardly a household name in mainstream circles, but does have more than 538,000 followers on X and her tweet has been read by almost a million people. It’s a quite extraordinarily irresponsible and cruel thing to say. While selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors may well be over-prescribed and shouldn’t be used unless acutely necessary, they have transformed the way in which psychiatry is practised as well as the lives of people dealing with depression, anxiety and stress. Around 10% of North Americans use them, and that number once included me. Twenty years ago, I’d never faced any major health issues and considered myself indestructible. Suddenly, something different happened. I began to feel constant nausea. Not for a few hours, but almost all of the time. I tried every remedy that was suggested, but nothing seemed to help. Then I felt occasional sensations down my arms. Not pain, but something I can best describe as a ripple. After this came a tightening of the throat. I had dizzy spells and couldn’t eat or sleep. One night, it was all so bad that I went to the local emergency department, which is something that I never thought I would do. They assumed that I was having a heart attack, but it seemed ridiculous that a fit young man with no family history of early heart disease would be having a coronary. The doctors were excellent; they examined me with machines which I’d not seen before, took lots of blood and reassured me that all was okay. But it wasn’t. I increased my life insurance and was certain that I was dying. I’d long been a regular in the gym several days a week but had to stop because the nausea and dizziness became even worse when I worked out. I’d never felt anything like it before. I had further tests on my stomach, an MRI and a scan. Nothing was found that was irregular. It was all I could do to go to work and to function. I was existing rather than living. Eventually, our GP – a man of great wisdom who knows me well – said, “Do you think it could be stress?” I was insulted. That’s for middle-class moaners. I’m a working-class hero, we don’t get stress, the Second World War, soccer violence, work for a living, are you kidding and similar BS. My wife was in the waiting room. The doctor called her in to speak to her privately. He then asked me to join them. “You’re doing three or four jobs, often getting just a few hours of sleep a night, sometimes hosting a morning radio show after an evening television gig, writing constantly, travelling all over Canada to give talks, returning on the red-eye so as to work first thing in the morning, and keeping an entire family together on your own efforts. Your mum and dad died, and you had to sell some of your possessions to be able to afford to take the time off and pay for flights, and you never have a day off. And you think stress can’t get to you!” Even then, I was reluctant to agree. He prescribed an SSRI and within two days I simply felt normal. Not high, not euphoric, just ordinary. It was, forgive the hyperbole, miraculous. The sensations had gone and have never returned. I came off of the drug a year later and did it very gradually. It wasn’t easy but I managed. In all honesty, I’ve no idea what would have happened if an experienced and caring doctor hadn’t come to my rescue with a medication that, while not perfect and not for everybody, repaired me and even saved me. It’s so easy to make crass generalizations and to shame people, but it’s so reckless and uncaring. People aren’t fools – they understand the need for diet and exercise, but mental health is far too important to be left to sound bites and sensationalism. Mental health challenges don’t discriminate. They hurt people irrespective of race, class, religion and background. Nor is age an issue, with people in their teens as much as in their 80s hit hard by depression and anxiety. All of these people should be treated with care and love, and compassion and kindness. God forgive those who think otherwise. Opinion with Michael Coren CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 13
Story and photos © Barb & Ron Kroll Good Cities Come In Small Packages Europe’s capital cities undoubtedly offer incredible attractions, restaurants and entertainment. But don’t rule out smaller cities, which offer equally memorable cafés, architecture, history and culture. As a bonus, they are less crowded, easier to get around and usually less expensive. Examples? Here are five lesser-known European cities with a wealth of cultural, culinary and fun experiences. Bigger isn’t always better when it comes to European cities 14 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
Located 150 kilometres southwest of Vienna, Graz hugs both sides of the Mur River. Its picturesque architecture is a reminder that Graz is 900 years old. The well-preserved historic centre of this city of 340,000 people is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The best way to see many of its 1,000 buildings is on foot. Cafés, beisls – the Austrian equivalent of French bistros – and jazz clubs mingle with patrician buildings adorned with paintings, flowers and artistic scrolls. The doubleheaded golden eagle crest of the Habsburg dynasty still hangs over the carved wooden façade of a bakery. The splendid 16th-century Renaissance Landhaus is now home to the Styrian provincial parliament. Three tiers of arcades and flower-bedecked balconies surround the courtyard. Although the Landhaus is beautiful, nothing in Graz surpasses the Styrian Armoury. The five-storey building houses the oldest and largest historical collection of arms in the world – more than 32,000 pieces, dating from the 15th century. Guided tours of the arsenal take you back to the days of Sir Lancelot and King Arthur. Phalanxes of shining armour march across the wooden floors. Racks of flintlock rifles and menacing halberds line the walls. At one end of the first floor, several cannons stand ready to load with long-handled ramrods. Pumpkin-sized iron balls rest at their sides, with umbilical chains so that they can be dragged back up to the launch site and reused. The inventory includes sharp bayonets and pistols with handles of inlaid calf bone. One bayonet, attached to a firearm muzzle, converts to a hammer and a screwdriver. It’s a medieval version of a Swiss army knife. Some suits of armour have V-shaped breastplates, designed to deflect blows from swords. Others are fluted to mimic pleats in civilian clothing, or intricately engraved to attract attention during parades, tournaments and jousting matches. Shelves display spare parts – metallic elbows, articulated gauntlets and lobster-tailed helmets. Much of the equipment bears the scars of battle. Everything is stored exactly the way it was when the arsenal was in use. The armoury is an undeniable highlight of the beautifully preserved medieval city of Graz. www.graztourismus.at/en Graz, Austria CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 15 Travel
Another frozen-in-time medieval city is fortress-like Mdina, located 11 kilometres southwest of Valletta – Malta’s capital. Perched on top of a plateau, the city has been called different names since it was founded 4,000 years ago. During the Bronze Age, it was a fortified settlement. About 1000 BC, the Phoenicians built a wall around the city and named it Malet, which means “protected place.” Mdina received its current name from the Saracens, who took over the island in AD 870. For defence, they built a deep moat to separate Mdina, “the city surrounded by walls,” from Rabat, “the suburb.” Since then, Mdina has scarcely changed. Both its structure and street plan remain as they were more than 1,000 years ago. That’s despite the intervention of different rulers. The Normans brought Christianity, the Knights of St. John caused a mass exodus of citizens to their new city of Valletta and the British made Valletta the centre of activity, leaving Mdina as a refuge for Maltese noblemen. Mdina is now called the “Silent City” because only residents’ cars and emergency vehicles can pass through the entrance gates. Echoes from the past greet you at every nook and corner. Countless details cry out for attention as you journey back in time along its narrow, canyon-like streets. Many of the ornate palaces lining the streets are now private homes, maintained by families who inherited them from their noble ancestors. Life-sized statues of Madonnas and saints gaze down from niches carved into building corners. Antique lion, dolphin and gargoyle door knockers punctuate heavy red, green and brown wooden doors. The scent of a wood fire and the fragrant aroma of freshly baked bread are cues to stop at a café or restaurant to enjoy traditional Maltese food and drink. Enjoy the crusty bread with ġbejniet – small, round cheeses, rolled in crushed black peppercorns and marinated in olive oil and vinegar – and a glass of local red wine. Or, snack on pastizzi (savory Maltese cheesecakes), qassatat (round pastries stuffed with mashed peas) and Kinnie, a bittersweet orange soft drink. If the café that you patronize is on Piazza Mesquita, the beautiful square may look familiar. It and the Mdina Gate were two of the film locations for the fictional capital city of King’s Landing in Game of Thrones. www.visitmalta.com Mdina, Malta 16 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
Several locations in Almería also appeared in Game of Thrones, including the Alcazaba Fortress, which acted as the capital of Dorne. The city’s desert-like landscapes and the Alcazaba have made Almería a popular film location for dozens of movies and TV serials, including Lawrence of Arabia, Cleopatra, A Fistful of Dollars, Never Say Never Again with Sean Connery as James Bond, Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade and How I Won the War starring John Lennon. Located on the Andalusian coast, 400 kilometres southeast of Seville, Almería is known for its warm winters and 320 sunny days each year. Dominating Almería from a hill and covering more than nine acres, the Alcazaba is one of the largest fortresses in Europe. A long series of steps climbs to the 13th-century entrance of the Moorish citadel. From its crenellated parapet walls, you can enjoy panoramic views of the flat-roofed buildings of Almería (population 200,000). Towers, walls and gates punctuate the three restored Muslim- and Christian-era enclosures. Purple-flowering jacaranda trees, agaves, prickly pear cacti, date palms, pomegranate and carob trees grow inside the fortress. In the early 17th century, the Spanish no longer needed a military fort, so they created gardens inside the Alcazaba. In the city below, don’t be surprised if you encounter one of Almería’s numerous festivals. They provide delightful glimpses of Andalusian culture. Religious festivals feature processions with flower-covered silver shrines on carts, drawn by oxen decorated with red velvet headpieces. Many women and girls wear flamenco dresses and carry castanets and fans, while men and boys don bolero hats. With its buttressed towers, Almería’s 16th-century Gothic and Renaissance cathedral resembles a fortress more than a church. Look for the bas-relief of angels feasting. The decoration advised early Christians that they would celebrate in paradise if they lived good lives. If the image makes you hungry, walk to the air-conditioned Central Market. Clean, well-stocked counters display Iberian hams, sausages, fresh fish, cheese, wine and colourful fruits and vegetables. Market café cooks will prepare the food that you buy to eat at tables in the market. Try the fresh red shrimp sautéed in garlic butter. www.spain.info/en/ Almería, Spain CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 17 Travel
Heraklion, on the island of Crete – a 50-minute flight south of Athens – also has a city-centre market. The pedestrian market is a lively place with several outdoor cafés and shops selling traditional Cretan food and drink, including local cheeses, spicy green olives, thyme honey, olive oil, baklava and herbal mountain teas. Wear off the calories on a two-hour to halfday walking tour. The old Venetian port is a short walk from the market. The 16th-century Koules Fortress is at the northern end of the old port’s jetty, where fishing boats dock. A blue-and-white Greek flag flies above the fortress. The stone building withstood a Turkish siege for 22 years, the longest in European history. It ended when the Turks gave gold to the Venetians to surrender, thereby preserving the Venetian fort and walls. Reliefs of the Lion of St. Mark decorate the exterior. The 26 rooms inside are restored. Lower-level rooms now house art galleries. The fascinating Heraklion Archaeological Museum is a short walk east of the market. To truly appreciate its collections, before your visit, take a 19-minute taxi ride south of Heraklion to the archaeological site of Knossos, which housed the Minoans – the first-known sophisticated civilization in Europe. Knossos was a town that developed around the palace of King Minos. The complex included homes for royalty, officials, priests and ordinary people, as well as treasuries, workshops, shrines and storerooms. Some of the rooms contain decorated pottery jars that once held wine, olive oil, grain and honey. As you view remnants of buildings with stairways, wall paintings, running water and under-floor heating, it’s hard to believe that the Palace of Knossos was first built about 4,000 years ago. (The Athens Acropolis was built 1,000 years after the end of the Minoan civilization.) The Minoans were ancient people, but they were an advanced civilization. Even with today’s modern tools, jewellers are unable to duplicate the fine spherical decorations on a 1700 BC gold honeybee pendant. In the central court, guides explain that Knossos residents came here for sports, including watching athletes somersault over the backs of charging bulls, as depicted in the legendary bull-leaping fresco. A small stone throne in the Throne Room was used 3,500 years ago. The queen’s apartment displays a copy of the famous dolphin fresco. You can admire the original dolphin fresco in Heraklion’s Archaeological Museum. Minoan artifacts in the museum’s 27 galleries include decorated clay sarcophagi, modern-looking gold necklaces and beautiful Kamares pottery. A highlight is the Phaistos Disc, a 16-centimetre-diameter round clay tablet inscribed with hieroglyph-like symbols. The Minoans used two still-undeciphered ideogram scripts – one for religion and one for common people. Marvelling at the museum’s Minoan treasures is a rewarding way to conclude your walking tour of Heraklion. www.incrediblecrete.gr/en Heraklion, Crete 18 | www.snowbirds.org Travel
Barb & Ron Kroll publish the trip-planning website www.KrollTravel.com Walking is also the best way to explore the 2,000-year-old Roman city of Maastricht, three hours southeast of Amsterdam. (The city of 277,700 people is just one hour from Brussels, Belgium’s cosmopolitan capital.) Following cobblestone streets through medieval city gates, you encounter numerous fortifications, ranging from 13th- and 14th-century walls and towers to well-preserved bastions. They surround historic streets, lined with budget-conscious shops and upscale designer boutiques. Stop for a quick snack at a waffle stand or rest your feet during lunch at one of the city’s diverse restaurants. Café Sjiek – Maastricht’s first licensed diner (since 1982) – for example, serves delicious regional cuisine, ranging from local pâtés and cheeses to asparagus croquettes and sauerbraten. In addition to reasonably priced European wines, the restaurant serves Apostelhoeve wine, made from grapes grown in vineyards south of the city. The most atmospheric place to sample these wines is in the Marl Caves of Château Neercanne, four kilometres south of Maastricht. The château’s wine cellar is part of a network of ancient passageways running through the Marl Caves. Chiselled out of limestone left after mining blocks to build fortifications, the cellar offers ideal wine storage conditions. Visitors can sample wines and view historic carved signatures and inscriptions on the walls. Just eight kilometres northeast of Maastricht, Château St. Gerlach is surrounded by Baroque gardens and a nature reserve. The estate’s historic buildings – including the red brick farmhouse (dating from 1759), the convent and grain lofts – have been magnificently converted into 114 guest rooms, two restaurants and a spa. It’s a memorable place to stay when you visit Maastricht. www.visitmaastricht.com Maastricht, the Netherlands We hope that these examples motivate you to add some less-popular small cities to your next European travel agenda. You’ll be happy that you did. CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 19 Travel
1. Rise’n Roll Bakery, Middlebury, Indiana Rise’n Roll Bakery & Deli is an Amish-style bakery in Middlebury, Indiana. They’re known for their preservative-free wholesome treats such as doughnuts, cookies, pies, cinnamon rolls, breads and cheeses. But they’re probably best known for their famous Cinnamon Caramel Donut, an addicting little creation like no other doughnut I have ever tasted. They use real ingredients and bake everything fresh daily, the old-fashioned way. Rise’n Roll’s history began in 2001. A young Amish couple began baking recipes handed down in the woman’s family for generations. They sold baked goods from their front porch. Over the years, they worked on perfecting the recipes until, in 2004, they opened the first Rise’n Roll Bakery in Middlebury. The original bakery did not use any electricity, refrigeration or modern technology. All of the mixing, sheeting and prepping was done entirely by hand. In 2009, the Amish owner sold the company to a non-Amish family. The new owners moved the bakery into a much-larger facility. RV Lifestyle Story and photos by Rex Vogel Half of the fun of a road trip is in the food On the road, you can always find food at a gas station. But if you want to make food the destination and not an afterthought, you’ll need to plan ahead. Most of the best restaurants are off the beaten path. Now let us first say that I am NOT a restaurant critic or reviewer. I’m a customer who enjoys the unique taste of regional food. And I share the places which you’ll find below because I liked what we found there. Are there better places? Sure. Other places we should have visited in the area? Absolutely! A word about these road food stops One thing that these restaurants all share is that they are NOT on major thoroughfares. We found them in several ways, such as from fellow travellers we talked with in visitor centres and while shopping. But most of the road food eateries here were discovered by serendipity. Serendipity travel is the BEST way to find the best road food! At least that’s how it often feels. Sometimes, we saw a highway sign on a two-lane somewhere. Maybe it was a bunch of cars parked in the lot outside that signalled “Great Road Food Here!” Or the place had lots of neon and atmosphere. Have we made the wrong decision and found ourselves in not-so-good places eating very forgettable food? Absolutely! But this one is about the Best Road Food we’ve had, so come on along. Here’s my list, in no particular order. SIXTEEN of the BEST FOOD Road STOPS 20 | www.snowbirds.org
RV Lifestyle 2. Stingaree Restaurant & Marina, Crystal Beach, Texas Known for its incredible views almost as much as for its fabulous food, Stingaree Restaurant & Marina is not just a unique place to eat, it’s a travel destination. The main dining room of Stingaree Restaurant & Marina is upstairs overlooking the Intercoastal Waterway. Enjoy their unique atmosphere, down-home service and full restaurant menu. Choose a seat at the bar or grab a table and watch as barges, boats and birds pass by while you sip an ice-cold drink and enjoy their famously fresh, delicious food. You won’t taste fresher seafood unless you catch it yourself. Enjoy a variety of seafood platters, shrimp, snapper, seafood gumbo, fresh oysters cooked five ways, their famous Boscos barbequed crabs and much, much more. And, of course, they also have classic American favourites such as chicken-fried steak, ribeye steaks and grilled chicken, as well as desserts and a full-service bar. 3. Lambert’s Cafe, Foley, Alabama Lambert’s is famous for southern cooking. The waiters throw you your roll. The ‘Home of Throwed Rolls’ has been in existence since 1942. They call this the home of throwed rolls because all during your time at the table, wait staff roam up and down the aisles throwing soft, buttery, warm dinner rolls at the guests. So popular has the idea of throwed rolls become, that there are now three Lambert restaurants – two in Missouri (Sikeston and Ozark) and one in Alabama. We visited the Lambert’s in Foley, Alabama a while back. And we bought a dozen hot, fluffy, grapefruit-sized rolls to go. You don’t leave here hungry. We’re talking comfort food – chicken-fried steak, meatloaf and gravy, hog jowl, barbecued ribs. The sides are endless. Wait staff wander from table to table ladling out seconds and thirds – fried okra, macaroni and tomatoes, black-eyed peas. Southern style all the way! If you’re concerned about parking, the lots at Lambert’s are sized as generously as its meals, with dedicated bus and RV parking. Just watch out. When you hear a wait person yell “Hot Fresh Rolls,” you’d better be ready to duck. Cuz they’re a-throwin’ them. 4. Truth BBQ, Brenham, Texas Leonard Botello IV is the owner and pitmaster behind critically acclaimed Truth BBQ in Brenham, Texas. Botello opened Truth BBQ in a small shack off of a rural highway that runs between Austin and Houston in the summer of 2015. Armed with a used Klose pit – as a complete unknown in the BBQ world – Leonard surprised the industry in 2017 when Truth BBQ was awarded #10 on Texas Monthly’s Top 50 Texas BBQ Joints list in 2017; and it was ranked in the top three on the 2021 Texas Monthly’s Top 50 BBQ List. An expert in the art of live-fire cooking, Leonard is known for his authentic Central Texas-style BBQ. In January of 2019, Botello opened his second location, Truth BBQ Houston, in the historic neighbourhood of Houston Heights. Here, you can find Leonard pushing the boundaries of traditional BBQ with dishes such as Carolina-Style Whole Hog, Boudin Smoked Sausage and Pastrami Brisket. A defining factor that has always set Truth BBQ apart from the crowd is their commitment to making everything from scratch, daily, in house. Through the universal love of Texas BBQ, Leonard has had the honour of hosting dinners for esteemed organizations such as No Kid Hungry and The James Beard House; he’s been featured at the New York City Wine & Food Fest multiple times, as well as appearing on Food Network’s Chopped (winning his episode). He has become a mainstay on a variety of Best BBQ lists from Thrillist to Buzzfeed to Texas Monthly. CSANews | SPRING 2024 | 21
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