This photo was taken just before 1am on a calm night with a full moon. The cooling air temperature and nearby river created a foggy, moody atmosphere. The bridge and fog you see here were only lit by the bright glow from a full moon during a long exposure of about 6.5 minutes. Taken at Samuel de Champlain Provincial Park in Ontario, Canada.
Every so often you have one of those travel moments that leaves you stunned and speechless. For me these moments have almost always been of the good variety, such as watching the sunrise from the top of Adam’s Peak in Sri Lanka or coming eye-to-eye with penguins in Antarctica. This story is about a time when I was accidentally Anti-American.
I was in the Galapagos Islands, and had been simply awed by the approachability of the wildlife on these islands. The sun had been getting the best of my Canadian winter skin too, so on this particular day I headed out on a island hike with my trusty sun hat to shield myself from those pesky UV rays. With the rest of my tour group wandering ahead I stopped to take some pictures of the playful sea lions and scenery on Sombrero Chino (Chinese Hat) Island.
After a few minutes I hustled along to catch up with the others, when I crossed paths with two other people coming down the trail in the opposite direction. I said a quick ‘hello’ to the woman who passed first and was about to say ‘hi’ to the guy behind her, when he quipped ‘That’s really Anti-American!’.
Did I hear him right? Had I looked at his girlfriend / wife whoever she was, in a wrong way? All I did was say ‘hello’. I stopped and didn’t know what to say. As he passed by I turned around and he looked back – obviously seeing the stunned look on my face. He asked where I was from, I said near Toronto, Canada. That’s when he told me that my hat was anti-American, then he continued down the trail.
My hat? What? Ahh, then it all sunk in. My sun hat was a freebie I had picked up one summer in a case of beer. A case of Molson Canadian beer. That was during the heydey of their ‘I AM CANADIAN’ beer slogan and TV commercials. So, naturally, on the front of my hat was emblazoned the ‘I AM CANADIAN’ logo. Apparently my pro-Canadianism was seen as anti-American to this fellow I had just met on the trail.
I kind of laughed afterwards, but wished I had been able to explain it to him, and even showed him some of the classic commercials associated with the beer campaign. When I caught up to the other travellers from my boat group I asked the Americans what they thought of my hat, and they thought it was great. Funny, I thought, how my hat had caused such concern to someone. It was a strange twist on the ongoing travel debate of Canadians vs. Americans. I have met many Americans on the road who at first meeting claim to be Canadian, but this scenario was a definite first.
Time for a little tequila lesson! Does the best Tequila come with a worm? Are quality Tequilas usually golden in colour? Does Tequila come from a cactus?
If you answered yes to any of those questions, then you are definitely not a Tequila connoisseur. Of all the famous liquors around the world, perhaps Tequila is the most under appreciated of them all. Forget about your Tequila worm myths and that guy named Jose something because the next time you have tequila, you want to go for the good stuff! From Tequila blanco and oro to the higher-end and oak-aged reposado, añejo, extra añejo and reserva varieties there is a lot more to this special type of mezcal than licking some salt and sucking some lime.
Tequila has been an integral part of Mexican culture since the 16th century, with strictly controlled and regulated production requirements in place today. The Tequila Regulatory Council (El Consejo Regulador del Tequila) enforces the quality control in the industry and all members must adhere to a recognized labelling standard known as the Norma Oficial Mexicana.
In terms of production, to be called Tequila it must be made from the blue agave plant in specified states of Mexico (mainly Jalisco). One of more than 136 agave plant species in Mexico, the blue agave plant is what distinguishes Tequila from any other ‘agave’ liquors known as mezcal. Think of it the same way real Port can only be produced in Portugal, and Cognac must come from a certain region of France.
Once the blue agave plant matures from 8 years it can be harvested by cutting out the heart, or piña – which can weigh more than 100 pounds – and sending it off to the distillery to begin the fermentation process. it takes less than 60 days for Tequila blanco, but the distilling, fermenting and ageing process can take many, many years for an añejo.
Tequila blanco or plata
All tequila is clear when the distillation process is completed. The blanco is bottled immediately after distillation and keeps most of the blue agave flavour and aroma. This unaged type of Tequila is the drink of choice for many locals in Mexico who consider it the only ‘real’ Tequila because of the natural, yet harsh flavour. Tequila blanco is the most common type in Mexico and is traditionally enjoyed in a special 2oz glass called a caballito (horse) or tequilito (pony). These special glasses are said to be shaped a bit like a bull’s horn, from which Tequila was consumed centuries ago.
Tequila oro or suave
Essentially blanco with added flavours and colours such as caramel to give it a golden colour, this type of Tequila still has a harsh ‘bite’ to it. Dubbed mixto Tequila when not 100% pure, this type of Tequila is mostly exported to the US, Canada and other tequila-loving countries. It is popular for using in Margaritas and known as the party Tequila thanks to some robust marketing efforts from certain brands. They may look the same as some higher-quality reposado Tequilas, but the taste is anything but. Plus, all those additives and colourants are what makes for nasty hangovers!
Tequila reposado
Usually with a slight golden or light brown colour, this isblanco that has been rested and aged in oak barrels for anywhere from 2 months to 1 year. The longer the aging, the darker the Tequila becomes. This type of Tequila has become more common in the past few years as people appreciate the mellow, smooth taste. Sometimes peppery or spicy and noticeably more complex than blanco Tequila. Again, a caballito is the most common and preferred method of consumption in Mexico.
Tequila añejo
Higher quality at higher prices! This is ‘aged’ Tequila, which has been oak-aged anywhere from 1 to 3 years. Darker in colour this Tequila is known to have a smooth taste with woody, spicy or even smoky characteristics. The taste and colour of such Tequila depends on how long it has been aged, and what type of barrels have been used. White oak, French oak, Bourbon, Sherry and Redwood are most commonly used to age both reposado and añejo Tequilas.
Tequila extra añejo
This classification was only introduced in 2006. Prior to that añejo Tequila was aged for up to 5 years. Starting in 2006 though, Tequila aged for more than 3 years is labelled as extra añejo, which means extra aged. When you reach these heights of Tequila quality and aging, many people prefer to enjoy sipping their Tequila in brandy or cognac glasses to fully enjoy the aroma and complex tastes. To down such a Tequila as shots would not only be offensive to the Tequila producer, but damaging to your wallet too!
Tequila reserva
Not an official type of Tequila, but like a fine wine, these are the private reserves and the best of the best as chosen by the producer. Perhaps they’ve been aged in special barrels or come from only selected plants – whatever the criteria used, these are sometimes only available locally or in very limited quantities. They may be aged as long as 10 years, usually falling into the extra añejo Tequila category. No matter what type, they are normally the most expensive Tequila you can find and always 100% agave.
To sum it up – the best Tequila is unflavoured and 100% pure, called 100% agave – without any mixers, additives or colourants added. To be labelled as 100% agave, the Tequila must be distilled in Mexico and adhere to the regulations of the Tequila Regulatory Council of Mexico.
Cheaper types of Tequila that are not indicated as 100% agave are only required to be 51% Tequila, with the other 49% as cane sugars and additives. These are sometimes called mixto Tequilas. While most Tequila is bottled in Mexico, the 2006 Tequila Trade Agreement with the US allows for approved bottlers in the USA to bottle Tequila as well. If you want to really taste Tequila, skip the cheap stuff and grab a bottle of 100% agave añejo!
This is the third, and final, post in my Everglades National Park series. The first post was about Shark Valley and the second post was on the Anhinga Trail.
I always knew that the Everglades was huge, but never really had a full understanding of what it ‘was’ or how unique it was. So here are some surprises I uncovered and learned from park authorities, while visiting this World Heritage Site.
1 – The Everglades is dry for part of the year
Most people have visions of a swampy, wet mosquito-filled landscape when they think of the Everglades. While the Everglades is not a swamp, that wet, mosquito-laced vision is true
for part of the year. The Everglades are actually a cracked earth, dry grassland for a few months of the year. Visiting from about December to April gives you the best chance to experience the Everglades in a drier state. The benefits of this are that the Alligators congregate in smaller water holes and can be seen easier, plus there will be NO mosquitoes!
2 – Borrow Pits
Virtually everything in Everglades National Park is nautral. They don’t interfere with the course of nature. One of the biggest threats to the Everglades ecosystem is introduced species. Not just animals such as burmese pythons, but plants as well. Introduced plant species choke out the natural vegetation and are a constant battle for park officials. Which brings me to borrow pits.
When building the roadways and paved paths in the park, officials were weary of bringing materials from outside of the park because of the likely introduction of seeds and spores from foreign plants. To avoid that risk, they excavated a number of deep pits from within the park and used the rocks and materials from these ‘borrow pits’ to create the pathways. This is most evident at Shark Valley. Here, the borrow pits are about 20 feet deep and are the only feature of the area that does not dry up in the dry season. These few sources of year-round water are a haven for wildlife.
3 – Only place in the world to see Alligators and American Crocodiles
The endangered american crocodile can be found here in small numbers. It prefers areas with sandy beaches for laying eggs, so the over development of coastal areas in south Florida have caused it’s numbers to steadily decline. If you’re really lucky you may catch a glimpse of a crocodile while venturing into the Everglades by boat, kayak or canoe. The crocodiles are salt-water animals so they stick along the coast, whereas the alligators are freshwater animals and are more common inland.
4 – Oil is here
The Shark Valley area of the Everglades was originally land surveyed for drilling oil by the Humble Oil Company. Back in 1946 they did find oil here, but thankfully the quality of the oil and technological capabilities at the time didn’t make extraction a viable option. Giving up on the rough landscape and low quality oil, Humble Oil Company (now called Exxon) gave the land to the government, and this area became part of Everglades National Park.
Who knows what could have happened here if the oil was found today?
5 – The Everglades is a River
Huh? What? At more than 1.5 million acres in size, this is a huge river – 50 miles wide!
It may not look like it, but the Everglades is in constant motion. Water from further north in Florida at Lake Okeechobee trickles south at a very gradual rate as it goes through the Everglades. Nicknamed a ‘river of grass’ Everglades National Park only represents about 25% of what the entire Everglades once was. Water diversion and urban development have altered the natural course of flow to the Everglades, destroying parts of it in recent decades. Thankfully construction efforts are underway along parts of the Tamiani Highway and other areas of south Florida to ensure water flow to the park, and it’s plants and animals, will continue in the future.
Do you have any other interesting Everglades facts? Were you surprised that there are virtually no mosquitoes here for parts of the year? Share your Everglades tips by posting a comment below.
If you take a Bosphorus Cruise in Turkey, this is a popular stop. Also called Yoros Castle, if you take a hike to the top of the hill you are rewarded with some great views.
