For information on Ontario meetings, please contact Svatka Hermanek: shermanek@schulich.yorku.ca or Bruce Weber: tel. 416-203-0911 or Paul Webb: tel. 416-694-8259.

Meetings are held on the third Friday of January, March, May, September and November. Usually at the Woodsworth Co-op, Penthouse, 133, Wilton Street in downtown Toronto at 8.00 p.m.

Against the backdrop of the Eastern Himalayas lies a grass and jungle habitat of unparalleled beauty. Tigers, Asian elephants, golden langurs, one-horned rhinoceros and Bengal Florican share this wilderness with other rare and endangered species. And, as it flows down from the Eastern Himalayas to the plains below, the silvery waters of the Manas river nurture this paradise and the myriad creatures that reside within. Manas was chosen by UNESCO to be a World Heritage site.

Manas is in Assam, and is a National Park included as part of the Project Tiger Reserve in 1973 at the time of launch of the Project Tiger in India. The Reserve area falls in six districts, Kokrajhar, Bongaigaon, Barpeta, Nalbari, Kamrup and Darrang. Barnadi Wildlife Sanctuary is located in the buffer of the Reserve. Manas is located at the confluence of Indian, Ethiopian and Indo-Chinese realms resulting in the magnificent biodiversity.

Home to the wild buffalo, elephant, tiger and rhino, Manas harbours the maximum number of endangered species from India as listed in the IUCN Red Book. Lying in the foothills of the outer Himalaya, the low-lying and flat Manas habitat is a linear belt that extends between the Sankosh river to the West and the Dhansiri river in the east. Manas landscape offers one of the most stunning sceneries among the wildlife areas in India. Additional excitement is to make time for a trip across the river to Bhutan for which you need permission from the authorities. Permits to visit can be obtained from the Field Director’s Office in Barpeta Road.

Key Species: Tiger, capped langur, wild buffalo, hoolock gibbon, golden langur, elephant, pygmy hog

The weather: climate is typically moist tropical. The temperatures in summer are at a tolerable 35�C with nights at 18.3�C. The winters are cool with a maximum temperature of 24�C and the minimum at a chilly 7.2�C. Rainfall between 3,332 mm. to 4,489 mm. is a regular feature. Heavy downpours that flood the park are not uncommon. The humidity is high, up to 76 per cent. November and February are deemed to be the best seasons.

Getting to Masnas: By Air: Guwahati airport is 176 km. away. By Rail: Barpeta Road (40 km.) is the closest railhead to Guwahati. From here, one can continue onto Manas by road. Barpeta Road also serves as the sanctuary headquarters. By Road: Manas is accessible from Guwahati (176 km.), Kaziranga (403 km.), Darjeeling (466 km.), Shillong (287 km.) and Siliguri (386 km.) . Vehicles can be taken up to Mothanguri. Jungle visits may be on elephant back, jeep or car. With special permission boat rides are possible.

MKS Pasha is a Wildlife Conservationist by profession. He has a Masters’ degree in wildlife and has carried out wildlife research for 6 years with the apex Institute of India: Wildlife Institute of India on Ecology of Indian Bison. He has travelled extensively through India and has worked for Wildlife NGOs coordinating species conservation projects. He currently heads up the wildlife division of Travel Inn India Pvt. Ltd, one of the leading companies in wildlife tours in India. He can be contacted by e-mail: khalidpasha@travelinnonline.com or visit his website: www.travelinnonline.com

On October 8th, an earthquake around 7.6 on the Richter scale hit close to Muzaffarabad in Pakistan-administered Kashmir. Over 80,000 people have died, at least 80,000 injured and 3.3 million people are homeless and trying to survive in icy conditions. Why is it that the world has been so slow to respond with aid?

The tsunami disaster of 26th December received not only much greater media attention but considerably more funds and aid from overseas donors.

If you want to try and remedy this in your own way, why not make a contribution, there are hundreds of organisations coordinating relief efforts.

Here is a small selection:

• Save the Children
• International Rescue Committee
• Concern

• Oxfam

• American Red Cross
• Grameen Foundation US

Bassano sits in a stunning location by the River Brenta with Monte Grappa in the background. It is about 35 kilometres north east of Vicenza. The town's symbols are said to be the Palladian bridge, white asparagus, ceramics and the Grappa liqueur. I visited the town for the day in February 2005. I really liked the location, the fresh air, the fast flowing river and the picturesque bridge. If you like to be slightly off the tourist track and would prefer a more rural setting for short break or as a base for a touring holiday, Bassano is ideal.

How to get there

The nearest airports are Treviso, used by Ryanair as its airport for Venice and Venice Marco Polo. You could hire a car from the airport. It is possible to reach Bassano by train on the Vicenzia – Trento or Padova – Bassano lines.

History

It is often assumed that the city takes its name from the well known liqueur Grappa. This is not the case; it is named after Monte Grappa. The mountain's name is said to originate from crapp or greep, meaning crag in an ancient pre-Latin language. The liqueur Grappa's name stems from grappolo, meaning a cluster of grapes.

Grappa liqueur has been produced in Bassano since 1779 when Bortolo Nardini bought a Grapperia on the Brenta River bank. Grappa is made from the by-products of wine making, the seeds, stems and skins. The company is still run by members of the Nardini family, accounting for around one quarter of annual grappa production.

Ponte Vecchia has become synonymous with Bassano. The bridge is first mentioned in the 11th century. The bridge has been rebuilt several times due to flooding or destruction during wars. It is still the original design by Palladio from 1569. The bridge is built of wood, making it more resilient to the fast flowing River Brenta.

There is a record of the city on St Mary's Hill from the 10th century. From the 14th to 18th century the city was under Venetian rule. It became well known for the manufacture of ceramics, wool, silk, iron and copper. The Remondini family ran one of the most up to date printing houses in Europe from the17th to the 19th century.

The Town Hall was first constructed in1405. Bartolomeo Ferranci installed the present clock mechanism in 1743. The interior walls are adorned by frescoes of 120 coats of arms.

White asparagus was first produced in the 16th century after Bassano experienced a hailstorm which destroyed the asparagus crop. The farmers dug up the part of the plant below the earth and discovered that it was so tender and delicious that they started to grow it underground permanently.

Parolini, a local nobleman, designed the Giardini Parolini in the early 19th century. In 1829 Parolini catalogued 3000 plant species in the garden.

During the First World War the Italians took a last stand against the Austrians in Monte Grappa where they entrenched themselves in tunnels and bunkers to repel the Austrian attackers. Over 12,000 Italian and 10,000 Austrian soldiers lost their lives in the numerous battles.

During the Second World War Italian partisans hid in Monte Grappa, organising raids on the main supply route from Germany to the German troops stationed in Italy. In 1944 the Germans took revenge by marching up the mountain behind women, children and elderly local inhabitants. Any partisans discovered or civilians suspected of assisting partisans were killed. There were public hangings and shootings with families forced to watch.

In 1946 the Italian prime minister awarded Basssano the gold medal for military valour. Every year the city commemorates these events during September.

The Museo degli Alpini was established in 1948 in memory of the Italian Alpine Troops It is located on the eastern side of the Ponte Vecchio. You have to enter it through a cafe. I found this rather confusing but the museum is down stairs to the left when you enter the cafe. Originally the collection was very small but has grown as more war relics have been gathered together. There are many original photos, uniforms and armoury.

Museo della Cermica is near the eastern side of the Ponte Vecchio. The building was constructed as the residence of Ferrari family, owners of a local silk factory. The entrance hall is adorned with a fresco by Giorgio Anseli. There are pieces of engraved ceramics from medieval times, Mainardi majolica pieces from the 17th and 18th century, along with modern pieces.

The Civic Musuem is one of the oldest in the Veneto region. It was built in1828 on the site of the convent of St Francis. It houses a collection of paintings by the Da Ponti family, Guariento and Magnasco, a collection of prints by the Remondini family. There is also an archaeological section and pieces by Antonio Canova.

Bassano boasts several churches. San Donato was built in 1208. It is claimed that St Francis of Assisi and St Anthony of Padua both stayed here during the third decade of the 13th century. The church was a hospital, run by Benedictine nuns in the 14th century, then a Fransican monastery during the 15th century. The church was restored in 1900, including work being done on the cell which was used by the two saints.

The Church of San Francesco was started in the mid 12th century, after the return of Ezzelino 11, the Stutterer, from the Holy Land. The Church of St John the Baptist was originally built in 1308 but reconstructed in the 18th century by local architect Giovanni Miazzi. Giambattista Piazzetti made the altarpiece of John the Baptist and Orzio Marinali created the statues of angels and the bas-reliefs.

The Cathedral of Holy Mary was a 10th century parish church in the original high part of the town. The present cathedral dates from the 17th century. The high altar piece and the painting of St Stephen are the work of Leandro di Ponte, and the sculptures are by Mainali. Di Giacomo Dacci made the organ and the three ceiling paintings are by Volpata.

Day trips

Marostica

Marostica is a 14th century medieval town where the original town wall stands intact. It is best known as the “town of chess”. Every second year a match, with people dressed in elaborate costumes to portray the pieces, is played on the giant chessboard below the castle. This takes place on the second Friday, Saturday and Sunday every second year, when the year ends in an even number. This commemorates the chess match played in 1454 when the victor was to win the hand in marriage of Lianora, the daughter of the Lord of the Castle of Marostica. Two suitors, Rinaldo d'Angarano and Vieti da Vallonara, had fallen in love with Lianora and were to fight a duel to see how would marry Lianora. The Lord forbade the duel and order decreed that the victor of the chess match would marry Lianora. However all was not lost for the defeated suitor, as he would marry Lianora's younger sister, Oldrata. The period costumes are permanently displayed in the Lower Castle.

Marostica holds a Cherry Festival every year during May and June. There are kiosks in the streets selling a variety of cherries including morello, roame, marostagne and sander. There is an annual exhibition of comic cartoons in the town. Every July and August local craftsmen display their work the exhibition hall of the Lower Caste. There are some lovely walks through the surrounding hills.

Asola

Asola is a charming hilltop town, with a castle, a cathedral with a altar piece by Lorenzo Lotto and the 15th century Palazzo della Ragione. It was called the “city of one thousand horizons” by Giosue Carducci, because of all the fantastic views. It was much favoured by the Venetian nobility. Caterina Corona, the former Queen of Cyprus, lived here in the late 15th century. Robert Browning, the English poet, bought a house ere in the mid 17th century. Eleanora Duse, credited with being the greatest actress of the Italian stage was also a resident. The travel writer Freya Stark was brought up in Asolo and spent a lot of time here between her various expeditions. There is an antiques market every second weekend of the month, except during July and August.

Karen Bryan is an independent travel consultant and writer, specialising in less well known destinations in Europe. Her websites are: www.europealacarte.co.uk, www.europe-culture-activity-tours

Scotland has been a favourite holiday destination for many years and now it has a growing reputation as a favourite destination for couples from around the world to tie the knot. Here are the eleven main reasons:-

1 There are no residency requirements. Couples from anywhere in the world can get married in Scotland. You don't have to live here. You don't need UK citizenship. All you have to do is complete the necessary legal formalities and you can marry within 24 hours of arriving here.

2 You can get married anywhere – absolutely anywhere – in the country. On a beach, in a castle, up a mountain, in a hotel, by a loch… your choices are limitless.

3 You can opt for a civil or a religious ceremony. The civil ceremony is more restrictive as regards your choice of venue because they have to be licensed by the local authority. But there are now so many venues licensed for civil ceremonies that, in practice, you will always find somewhere to match your dream.

4 A religious ceremony, conducted by a minister can be held anywhere. I have known them to be held on boats, in lighthouses and even on cliff-tops! Obliging and occasionally daring ministers can always be found.

5 Ceremonies can even be conducted by non-religious celebrants, including certain officers of the Humanist Society.

6 The choice of venues is staggering. From sophisticated Glasgow to traditional Edinburgh; from the rugged, breathtaking beauty of the Highlands to the Ayrshire coast; from imposing castle to pretty little village church, Scotland has it all.

7 You can fly into Glasgow, Prestwick, Edinburgh, Aberdeen or Inverness airports and be close to your wedding venue from the start.

8 So many people around the world have Scottish ancestry and love to search out their roots.

9 What better clothes to wear at your ceremony than the kilt, made especially for you in your own tartan.

10 And what better accompaniment as the bride enters the wedding venue than a Highland wedding tune played on bagpipes!

11 And after the ceremony, what better way to toast the health of the bride and groom than with a single malt whisky from a Scottish quaich in the country where it is made!

The truth is, there are lots of reasons for you to hold your wedding ceremony in Scotland. If you are in love, Scotland is the place for you. If you believe in romance, Scotland is the place for you. If you long for the mystery of the lochs, the glens, the castles and the mountains, Scotland is the place for you.

Charlie Taylor is one of the founders of Highland Country Weddings Ltd, a Scottish weddings agency with an international dimension. For more information, please visit

Trip duration: 56 days
Trip miles to date: 5,632
Miles since last update: 472

Having completed over 5,600 miles in the previous 5 weeks, these past two weeks have been frustratingly static as I've waited for the Beemer to complete its rest and recuperation courtesy of the BMW dealership in Santiago. Having sampled a lot of wine, I've visited probably every museum in Santiago and spent a long lazy weekend in Valparaìso I'm definitely ready to get moving again.

I'm also sad to report that shortly after I left the Torres del Paine national park an intense forest fire broke out which has now been burning for 3 weeks. Over 14,000 acres have been destroyed and wildlife has fled from the area and the entire park closed in what was peak season.

The fire was started by a Czech tourist who knocked over his stove whilst illegally camping outside the official boundaries, trails and designated camping areas – after a fine of US$200 he was allowed to leave the country. Significant attempts to teach visitors the perils of fire were plastered all around the park when I was there and the stupidity of the Czech made national news.

Ruta 5 up from Temuco was a 2 lane, blissfully smooth, tarmac road all the way to Santiago. In fact Ruta 5 is the major artery that runs the length of Chile from the tip of Chiloe in the south to Arica, on the border with Peru in the north – a distance of some 1,600 miles and is probably better known as the Panamerica highway.

Although this is not highway in the English sense of the word. Even for the stretch leading to Santiago, you should think less M25 and more like a medium size A-road. The speed limit is 120 kph (75mph) although most vehicles seem to interpret this as “as-fast-as-this-vehicle-will-allow” and speed differentials vary greatly.

Another notable feature is the volume and bravery of pedestrians. The entire length seems to harbour life like a coral reef as towns and villages straddle the road. Locals seem to appear from all directions and fearlessly cross the road in the face of onrushing traffic. Strangely I saw a woman, carrying 2 small children, struggle over the raised central reservation (rather than use the raised pedestrian walkway installed not more than 50 metres away).

My initial view of Santiago was breathtaking and surprising. Having spent many weeks in the wilderness of Tierra del Fuego and Pategonia the mere sight of a huge, sprawling city containing millions of citizens was surprising. My initial impressions of Santiago were of a warm, friendly and generally happy capital. In fact I felt more comfortable than Buenos Aires – I'm not sure if this is a reflection of the comparable characteristics of the 2 cities, or the fact that I'm more conditioned to South America after nearly 2 months.

One first task was to collect a package sent from Touratech – being a replacement lid to the pannier box and various other parts. Rather than deliver them to the hotel, DHL left me a note requesting I pick up the package from the airport (thanks!) as the goods exceeded the US$500 limit on imported packages. After I pointed out that the only reason it exceeded US$500 was because they had forgotten to omit the US$400 freight costs they conceded I could collect the package after I paid a further US$200 import taxes.

I struggled to keep my temper after I pointed out that US$200 taxes on goods worth no more than US$150 could not be right. It frustratingly took me 4 hours to persuade DHL and custom officers (including opening up the package) that taxes were not due and I could leave the airport with the parts. As a piece of luggage, the price is comparable to anything Louis Vitton ever put out but it has bought me piece of mind and will make life easier.

The ride up took me through the prime wine-growing real estate of Chile. After depositing the Beemer with the (only) BMW garage in Chile I rented a pick-up and headed back down the road to tour the area and sample some of the produce. The quality of the wine belies its price and the Carmenère grape (unique to Chile) has become a favourite.

After 3 of the 4 days had passed I quickly appreciated that they would need at least another week (waiting for parts) so I hired a car and drove to Valparaìso, the historic port town about 60 miles to the west.

Rather ungainfully tacked onto the side of Valparaìso is Vinà del Mar. Whilst Valparaìso is a busy commercial port full of historical buildings, busy market places and rickety old carriages that ascend the surrounding hills to the residential areas Vinà del Mar is full of bars, restaurants, modern shopping malls and beach side holiday apartments for wealthy Chileans.

After 4 days of wandering around the raised walkways and picturesque alleyways of Valparaìso and 1 day sitting on the beach in Vinà del Mar I returned to Santiago to check on progress of the Beemer. Good news and bad news awaited me.

The bike was still 3 days away from being finished but they had discovered a holed radiator (explaining an overheating issue on the road into Santiago) and a burnt-out wiring loom where the heated grips had shorted following the crash in Argentina. The fork seals had arrived and were being fitted as I visited and as I write this I expect to pick up the bike this afternoon – after depositing an unfeasibly huge amount of money with the garage.

These past 2 weeks have moved incredibly slowly, the bike (and I) are back in good shape to tackle the demands of the Atacama desert and onwards to Bolivia and the Salar de Uluni.

If you want to know more about Greg's travels, visit his website at: http://www.unbeatentrack.com/

We are sorry to say that Mac is not very well, but he is still e-mailing strong and recently sent the Beetle a collection of travel reminiscences.

Scotland. Inch is Gallic for island. Firth is a mouth of a river. Brae is a hill. Haggis is in a shape of a ball but you don't kick it you eat it. It is sheep's intestines and oatmeal wrapped in a sheep's bladder. After you eat it you wish you had kicked it. It was so clear when I was in Edinburgh that I could see to Fife from the Firth of Forth or maybe it was Forth I saw from the Fife of Firth. A Firth is like a fjord only not as far. Anyway it was a clear day.

Many years ago I gave a Scottish lady some tea bags I was carrying in my backpack. The lady had been used to brewing tea in bulk and said Oh how clever they have measured out a spoonful in a container. She then ripped open tea bag and dropped the contents into the pot. (I am sure they probably have tea bags now!)

And let's move on to Irish toasts. An Irish guide toasted us with, “Here's to the best years of my life, spent in the arms of another man's wife, my Mother”. The guide in Dublin Castle told us of a hanging judge. The judge would fall asleep while hearing a case and then all of a sudden wake up, bang his gravel and shout, “Hang the Dog.” A priest at mass in Dublin one morning told this story. He said he was giving a sermon on death and remarked that everyone in the Parish would die some day. One guy had a big smile on his face and when asked why he was smiling replied, “I am not from this parish!”

One of the residents here in the Soldier's home is going to Scotland and England for a month this Fall and another friend of mine here at the home (Saigon) is interested in things Scottish so I am copying stuff down from an interesting article I found in the Travel Section Washington Times. The title of the article is The Enchanting Highlands by Corina Lothar. “Mr Owens arrives in 18th century attire and explains the history of the Scottish Kilt which dates back about 1,000 years and is related to the Roman toga and Indian Sari. He demonstrates how to pleat the eight yards of fabric and tells us that the white cockade in the cap is the symbol of Bonnie Prince Charlie and the Jacobites in the 18th century Battle of Calddean. The sporran, the curious pouch hanging in the front of the kilt originally was used to carry oatmeal (I never knew that) still a staple of Scottish kitchens.

Women too wore long kilts. The warring clansmen carried a targe (shield) with spikes and a dagger in the left hand and a basket-hilted broadsword in the right. Expressions such as “going off half-cocked” and “a flash in the pan” and “sideburns” all come from clan warfare, reflecting the dangers of incorrectly cocked musket and the facial hair worn to protect the cheek from powder burns (so that is where term sideburns comes from. I never knew that. There is so much I don't know!

Kilt pins are a Victorian addition. Queen Victoria who was never easily amused, reviewed one of her Highland regiments on a windy day. Pins were soon ordered to keep the slits in the kilts closed. All of which brings us to this very old joke. A soldier wearing a kilt is asked by a young lass what is worn under the kilt. The soldier replies. “Nothing is worn. Everything is in fine shape.”

There is a Victorian mansion in Scotland built by Jardine Matheson of Hong Kong. Owner of “go-downs” as the Chinese workers first called the warehouses in that formerly British Colony (as in “Go down to collect a bale of hemp.) This is me talking now. When I was in Hong Kong I was told that the expression cumshaw (meaning asking for a tip) came from the Chinese who used to go out and meet the U.S. military ships with small boats to take the sailors ashore in their small boats away from the huge ships that could not get in any closer. They learned to say Come Shore and they would get tips for hauling them ashore. It finally got to sounding like Comshaw or whatever the expression is asking for money.

Ten percent of the whisky lost (in processing) through evaporation is called “the angels share”. Distilleries are open to the public from April through October. “The Royal Scotsman (tourist train) speeds through the wild Scottish countryside on iron, not brine through deep green forests of pine moors that turn purple in August and September when the heather is in bloom.

If you would like to contact Mac, he can be e-mailed on: macsan400@yahoo.com