ONTARIO
allontario.ca Vol.3 September 2015
Ontario Parks Fall Colour Report Bruce Peninsula National Park The fairy-tale castle NEUSCHWANSTEIN
CAMPING Mediterranean-West Cruise on Norwegian Epic (February 2016)
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Take a trip to see FALL colours & FALL asleep in Ontario Parks Bruce Peninsula National Park
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The fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein
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Camping in an Ontario Provincial Park Mediterranean-West Cruise on Norwegian Epic – February 2016
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Ontario Parks Fall Colour Report www.ontarioparks.com/Fallcolour
Take a trip to see FALL colours & FALL asleep in Ontario Parks
Autumn in Ontario is a natural phenomenon and stunning time of the year when green canopy of forests transition into the gorgeous patches of red, orange and yellow that delight sightseers. Ontario provincial parks offer great opportunities for families and friends to see beautiful fall colours. The Ontario Parks Fall Colour Report shows you when colours are at their peak in provincial parks across Ontario. Colours peak at different times across the province, so check the report often. As fall approaches, cooler evenings mean better sleeping conditions, especially if you’re enjoying fresh air during the day and sleeping under a roof in an Ontario provincial park at night. Ontario Parks offers a variety of roofed accommodations, including cabins, yurts and cottages. Whether you’re looking for the simplicity of a soft-sided shelter, the convenience of trailer camping or the luxury of Maple Rest Heritage House at the Sandbanks Provincial Park, Ontario Parks offers it all. Maybe you’d prefer to bring your own accommodation. If you own a RV or rent one, many parks offer electrical hook-ups and other amenities, like trailer dumping and water-filling stations.
If you’re planning to stay overnight, campsites can be reserved online 24 hours a day or by calling the park reservation line at
1-888-ONT-PARK between 7 a.m. and 9 p.m. daily.
Some Facts about Ontario Parks • There are over 330 provincial parks in Ontario, covering over eight-million hectares — larger than Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island combined. • In 2013, Ontario’s provincial parks received more than 8.5-million visits from people around the world, bringing in $69 million in revenue and supporting jobs and businesses across the province. • Starting Labour Day weekend, park visitors can consult Ontario Parks’ Fall Colours Report to see the progress of leaf change across the province.
Did you know? • There are about 85 billion trees in Ontario and almost 40 per cent of those are deciduous. • About 66 per cent of Ontario is forested, making Ontario rich in fall colour. Some of the most brightly coloured fall foliage in the world occurs in southern Canada. • Tamaracks are the only conifer trees in Ontario to lose their needles, but before they fall the needles turn a brilliant gold. • Birch and poplar trees are among the first to lose their leaves in fall while oaks are among the last. Some oak and beech trees hang on to their leaves all winter. • Part of the reason leaves turn colour is because they're recycling nutrients. Trees whose leaves turn red are the best recyclers. • Who said carbs and sugar are bad for you? Chlorophyll, which makes the leaves green in the summer, gets turned into sugar, carbs and water to help the trees live through the winter. • Leaves don't actually turn yellow and orange. The yellow and orange pigments are always in the leaves but are not revealed until the green fades. • Carotenoids give leaves their yellow and orange colours and are also found in corn, canary feathers, daffodils and egg yolks. • Anthocyanins are sunscreen for trees and are what make their leaves turn red and purple. Anthocyanins are also found in cranberries, blueberries, strawberries and plums.
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ONTARIO PARKS
in an Ontario Provincial Park is more comfortable than you might think! If you think of camping as being totally off the grid and have visions of an outhouse, you need to see what Ontario's provincial parks have to offer now. You can stay fresh and clean at one of the over 300 comfort stations with hot showers, many of which offer laundry facilities. WiFi is available at park visitor centres in Algonquin, Pinery, Killbear and Presqu'ile so you can share your camp selfies with friends and family. With more than 19,000 car camping sites, many with 15/30 amp electrical service, RVing is a great way to enjoy Ontario Parks. If you don't own a recreational vehicle, it's easy to rent one.
• There are over 330 provincial parks in Ontario, covering over 8 million hectares - larger than Nova Scotia and Prince Edward Island combined. • In 2014, Ontario’s provincial parks received more than 8.5-million visits from people around the world and brought in over $70 million in revenue, which supported jobs and businesses across the province.
ONTARIO PARKS
To reserve your campsite Online: www.ontarioparks.com/reservations Reservations by Phone Hours of Operation:
Fees and Payment All Ontario Parks fees are listed at www.ontarioparks.com/fees. Discounts are offered to the following: • Ontario residents 65 and older. Please note, if there is anyone between the ages of 18 and 64 registered to the site they will become the registered owner and full rates will apply. • Ontario residents who have a CNIB identify card. • Ontario residents who have a Ministry of Transportation accessible parking permit. Discount fees do not apply to yurts, cabins or cottages. Internet reservations can be paid by Visa, MasterCard or Amex only. Telephone reservations can be paid by Visa, MasterCard, Amex, cheque or money orders in Canadian funds.
Open 363 Days a year Daily 7am to 9pm EST Call Toll Free: 1-888-ONT-PARK (1-888-668-7275) Outside North America 1-519-826-5290 Telephone Reservation Information Requirements When you make a reservation, please have the following information available: • Park name • Campground name • Arrival date • Length of stay (number of nights) • Email address (mandatory for internet reservations) • Number of people in your party • Size and type of camping equipment • Eligibility for discount camping rates (Ontario Seniors/Residents with disabilities) • Method of payment
ONTARIO PARKS
Roofed Accommodation
If you'd rather have a roof over your head, many of Ontario's provincial parks offer cabins, yurts and cottages. Imagine enjoying all the beauty and nature of an Ontario Park without having to bring much gear or sleep in a tent. Maybe you are new to camping and want to stay at a park without having to invest in equipment or perhaps you used to be a camper and no longer want to sleep on the ground. Dedicated summer campers who want to try visiting in the colder months might prefer the warmth of a yurt. Whatever your preference, Ontario Parks has many styles of roofed accommodation to suit every taste. • Only yurts can be reserved through the Internet Reservation Service. • All other roofed accommodation must be reserved by phoning the call centre 1-888-6687275 or 1-519-826-5290 (outside North America). • The maximum length of stay for rustic cabins and cottages is 14 consecutive nights. • In the peak season (3rd Friday in June to Labour Day), cabins and cottages are rented for oneweek minimum (Saturday to Saturday inclusive). • Yurts are rented for a two-night minimum (three nights on long weekends) year-round.
• Yurts have a two-night minimum (Victoria Day until Thanksgiving) applies during weekdays at Bronte Creek, Bon Echo, Killarney, Pancake Bay, Pinery, Silent Lake and during the winter at Killarney. • Yurts require full payment when the reservation is made. • Algonquin’s backcountry ranger cabins require full payment of the cabins fees at the time of booking plus the $50.00 backcountry fee deposit (except the Brent and Kiosk cabins) • For cancellations or to shorten your length of stay a penalty charge will be applied to your deposit • Upon arrival, a security deposit ($100 to $500) will be required. The security deposit is refundable at checkout subject to inspection. • Pets are not permitted in any roofed accommodation or on the campsite. • Smoking is prohibited in all facilities. • Cooking in yurts is not permitted. • For rustic cabins and cottages check in time will be after 3:00 pm and check out time will be before 11:00 am. For Algonquin’s backcountry cabins check in time is after 2:00pm, and check out time is before 12:00 noon. For yurts check in time is after 2:00 p.m. and check out time is before 12:00 noon.
ONTARIO PARKS
Protect yourself from ticks and mosquitos Take simple measures to avoid being bitten by blacklegged ticks that can carry Lyme disease. If not identified and treated early, infection can lead to recurring arthritis, neurological problems, numbness and paralysis. You can protect yourself and family by: • Wearing closed-toe shoes, long-sleeved shirts and pants • Pulling your socks over your pant legs to prevent ticks from crawling up your legs • Wearing light-coloured clothing to spot ticks more easily • Using insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin on clothing as well as on exposed skin, following the instructions carefully • Showering or bathing within two hours of being outdoors to remove ticks that can be on your skin but not yet attached • Doing a daily full body check for ticks. Young blacklegged ticks can be as small as a poppy seed, so look carefully. Check children and pets for ticks as well. Protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites to reduce their risk of getting infected with West Nile virus. Simple precautions to take include: • Using insect repellent containing DEET or Icaridin on clothing as well as on exposed skin, following instructions carefully. • Making sure screen doors and windows are in good repair to keep mosquitoes outside • Eliminating mosquito breeding sites around your home by emptying standing water in flowerpots and birdbaths on a regular basis. If you or a family member are experiencing serious symptoms and health effects, or have concerns about any symptoms, contact your health care provider right away. Most cases of Lyme disease can be treated successfully with a few weeks of antibiotics if diagnosed and treated early. Risk areas for Lyme disease in Ontario: Thousand Islands National Park area, Long Point Provincial Park, Rondeau Provincial Park, Point Pelee National Park, Prince Edward Point National Wildlife Area, Wainfleet Bog Conservation Area, Turkey Point Provincial Park, Pinery Provincial Park, Rouge Valley, and the Rainy River region of Northwestern Ontario. West Nile virus has been reported in different parts of Ontario. Contact your local public health unit to find out when and where you are most at risk to exposure to West Nile virus.
ONTARIO PARKS
• In 2014, 61.3% of forest fires in Ontario were caused by humans. • During the camping season, Ontario experiences an average of at least one wildfire every day caused by an unextinguished or unattended campfire. • On average, over 200 wildfires are started every year by people participating in recreational activities in forested areas.
Tips for Keeping Campfires Safe Sitting around a campfire with family and friends can be a great way to enjoy Ontario's beautiful outdoors. Here are some tips on how to keep your campfires safe. Choosing a site • Pick a site that is close to a water source and sheltered from the wind • Build your fire on a rock surface or bare dirt • Build the fire at least 3m away from logs, stumps, trees and overhanging branches • Make sure the fire is 15m away from buildings or tents. Preparing the site • Clear a space about 2m wide • Remove pine needles, grass, leaves and twigs • Ensure you have a pail of water and a shovel to control the fire. Building your campfire • Keep the fire smaller than 1m high and 1m wide • Small fires are safer, easier to control and easier to put out • A small fire will also keep cooking tools from blackening and let you get close enough to cook. Stay nearby • Never leave a campfire unattended • If you start a campfire, make sure you keep it under control and put it out before you leave. Putting the fire out • Use the following steps to put out your fire: • Pour lots of water on the campfire • Stir the ashes with a stick • Pour on more water. Repeat these three steps until: the ashes don't hiss; everything looks wet; no more smoke comes from the ashes. Fire safety tips for kids • Always have an adult around to supervise • Never play with matches or fireworks • If you see a fire burning with no people near it, tell an adult immediately.
Resources: • http://www.ontarioparks.com/roofedaccommodation • http://www.parkreports.com/fees/roofed/2015 • http://news.ontario.ca/mnr/en/2015/07/glamp-out-in-an-ontarioprovincial-park.html • http://news.ontario.ca/mnr/en/2015/07/tips-for-keepingcampfires-safe.html • http://news.ontario.ca/mohltc/en/2015/07/protect-yourself-fromticks-and-mosquitos-this-summer.html
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Bruce Peninsula National Park
Eastern White Cedar Photo credits: Peter Kelly
At the very tip of the Bruce Peninsula, close to the marvelous village of Tobermory, the core of the UNESCO Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve, there are two amazing national parks: the Fathom Five National Marine Park and the Bruce Peninsula National Park. Having an area of 156km2, Bruce Peninsula National Park is one of the largest protected areas in southern Ontario (and still growing), forming the core of UNESCO Niagara Escarpment World Biosphere Reserve. Scientists say that the dolomite limestone rock of the escarpment is very old: approximately 400 million years of age. On that unimaginable time long gone, this area was covered by a shallow tropical sea looking much like the present-day Great Barrier Reef of Australia. The park is famous for its orchids: 34 of Bruce Peninsula’s 44 orchid species are found in the park. More than 850 different kinds of plants grow there. There you can find the oldest trees in the Eastern America which, however, bear little relationship to their age. The eastern white cedar (Thuja occidentalis) is a small, hardy, slow-growing tree. A tree with the circumference of a few centimetres could be hundreds of years old! Eastern white cedar trees more than 1000 years old have been found in Ontario’s Niagara Escarpment! Fantastically, the 400 to 1000 year-old trees can be found growing right out of the rock of the Escarpment.
The largest mammal in the park is the Black Bear. Common wildlife includes porcupine, chipmunk, red squirrel, raccoon, white-tailed deer, snowshoe hare, and frogs. Fox, fisher, martin and the rattlesnake (the only venomous snake in Ontario) are also present in fewer numbers. We took just one kilometer path from the dayparking area to the magnificent shoreline cliffs. The trail passed wetland and forest on the eastern side of Horse Lake. Actually, it is the easiest and quickest way to the shore. The stunning picture of Georgian Bay appeared, all of a sudden, we were facing the Natural Arch and Indian Head Cove. We can assure that nobody is prepared for such a great discovery, impressed and overwhelmed are words that came to our minds to describe that feeling forcing us to remain silent for a while. The shoreline faces north, and from Indian Head Cove you can look out across Georgian Bay, the first part of the Great lakes seen by Europeans. In 1615 Samuel de Champlain arrived at the mouth of the French River; about 80km across the Bay from Indian Head Cove. Astounded that such a big body of azure water was not salty, he named it La Mer Douce: The Sweetwater Sea. It was given its present name in 1822 to honour King George IV. The Bay is approximately 241km x 80km; almost as large as Lake Ontario.
Fog at Indian Head Cove
Another ―wow!‖ we whispered when we saw the Grotto, a huge cave formation with a deep pool of Georgian Bay water as its floor. To our surprise, there were a few people swimming in the Grotto but we didn’t know how they could manage to get down there. Suddenly a female voice said ―Finally‖ just beneath our feet, which made us almost jump aside, while a woman’s head popped up from the hole in the rock. There was the way to the bottom! Monkey see monkey do, we followed the example. The path was narrow and dark… By the way, SCUBA divers can enter the Grotto from Georgian Bay by an underwater passage. Over 30,000 people trek out to the Grotto each year. Bruce Peninsula National Park was established in 1987 by the federal and provincial governments and back then was not greeted with open arms by some of the residents in the Northern Bruce Peninsula. But the attitude has changed nowadays: both local population and visitors have increasingly embraced the park. Meanwhile, it is estimated that close to 10 million people now live within a four-hour drive of the park.
Trails The park offers opportunities for hiking, camping, bird watching and many other outdoor activities. There are many trails ranging in difficulty from easy to expert, some of them are: • Bruce Trail: 782km, difficulty varies • Georgian Bay – Marr Lake Trail: 3km, 2.5 hours, difficulty varies • Horse Lake Trail: 1.2km, 0.5 hours, difficulty varies • Cyprus Lake Trail: 5.2km, 2.5 hours, low difficulty
Visitor Centre in Tobermory
There is a year-round camping at Cyprus Lake, but in summer it is wise to make reservations far in advance. Permits are available for High Dump and Storm Haven. There is good fishing for bass, perch and yellow pickerel in Cyprus Lake. On the Lake Huron shore, the park encompasses Singing Sands Beach, a nice place for swimming. Wind, water and time formed the sculptured bluffs, cliffs, and caves and created the most beautiful scenery of Bruce Peninsula’s National Park. There are breath-taking views from Overhanging Point, Halfway Rock Point, Cave Point and Halfway Log Dump.
Campers enjoying the yurt at Cyprus Lake Photo Credits: Parks Canada
The Visitor Centre in Tobermory is one of the busiest on Bruce Peninsula, being a gateway to thousands of visitors from throughout the world. In 2006, it opened its doors to serve Fathom Five National Marine Park and the Bruce Peninsula National Park. Designed by Andrew Frontini, the $7.82 million centre, approached by a boardwalk, features an information centre; reception area; exhibit hall with everything from a full-size lighthouse, flowerpot and cliff to black bear, rattlesnake and shipwreck exhibits; the high-definition theatre, for a virtual adventure to the best spots in the park; and a gift shop. A 20m tower with 112 stairs was built for bird’s-eye panoramic views of the Bruce and Georgian Bay. You can get comprehensive information on activities in the area, hiking, diving, how to go to Flowerpot Island, Bruce Peninsula National Park, travel on the Chi-Cheemaun ferry and much more. You can register to dive in Fathom Five or to camp on Flowerpot Island and buy admission tickets there. In summer time the Centre opens daily from 8:00am to 8:00pm and until 9:00pm on Friday.
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The fairy-tale castle Neuschwanstein
Neuschwanstein ("New Swan Stone Castle") is one of the most beautiful and famous castles in Germany. Originally ordered to be built by King Ludwig II, this fairy tale castle is the epitome of neo-romantic style. The famous German castle overlooks the picturesque Hohenschwangau valley and is located only a short distance from the popular tourist town, Fussen. Construction on the castle began in 1869, but given the exact tastes of King Ludwig II, progress was very slow going. It took 14 carpenters four and a half years just to complete the woodwork in Ludwig's bedroom. The King was an immense devotee of Richard Wagner, even going as far as naming the castle after a character in one of Wagner's operas--the Swan Knight. In none of the other castles in Germany will you find more instances of Ludwig's fondness for Wagner's work. Tapestries depicting scenes from Wagner's opera can be found inside.
Neuschwanstein ("New Swan Stone Castle") Across the ocean and above the lands Sits a legacy for all curious eyes. An ivory castle on a lonely peak Where even the clouds bow down Beneath its soaring majestic spires. It was the dream of one king not long ago That flustered the brow of every fair maiden. To build for beauty, hold art above war. Dismissing tradition and logic for lies And following a single dream to lands end. ………………………………………………. But now the king has been gone for years. And Bavaria has never quite been the same Since the death of Kind Ludwig the mad. His castles stand proud and greet the wanderers. Though all are rare in craft and dripping in style One of his lonely dreams stands above the rest. Reaching beyond the Alpine rolling skies Coloring heaven with a touch of human royalty. ……………………………………………………. Blessed be whoever may fall upon this place Tucked into the heart of the Bavarian Alps For this is the spot where I proudly left my heart, And left Neuschwanstein for widened eyes to behold. (By Robyn Schwartz (10/17/2001)
Construction was halted on the castle and King Ludwig II was removed from power due to intrigue within his own cabinet. The King himself was rarely concerned with matters of state and was sometimes thought to suffer from hallucinations. However, what frightened the cabinet were the rumors of their possible removal. Under Bavarian law, a King could be removed from power if he were found unfit to rule. The cabinet produced this report and deposed of the King. However, Ludwig's mysterious death – ruled a suicide at the time – suggests that the cabinet was not content to merely remove him from power. This bit of mystery makes the atmosphere of Neuschwanstein one of the most intriguing of the castles in Germany. Unfortunately, many of the rooms in the enchanting castle remained bare. Only 14 rooms were finished before Ludwig's death. Yet the beauty of this famous German castle cannot be denied. The sun reflects magnificently off the pearly walls of Neuschwanstein. Inside, the throne room is the picture of opulence. Intricate frescos of angels and other Christian depictions can be found. There is no throne, only a raised dais at the end of the room.
One of biggest ironies of this castle is that a structure built to be a private refuge, ―sacred and out of reach‖, should now be host to thousands of tourists each year. Another irony is that although the castle was built largely as a stage for Wagnerian productions, the composer never set foot in Neuschwanstein. Nor was the castle’s throne room was ever completed in time to contain a throne. To execute his dream project, the king commissioned a stage designer as architect. The castle that Christian Jank designed for Ludwig inspires awe and surprise in visitors to this day. But in part because the Disneyesque image of Neuschwanstein has become such a cliché, it is easy to dismiss it as an ostentatious example of poor taste, an anachronistic piece of foolishness. Nevertheless, ever since it was opened to the public, this great building has acted as a powerful magnet. The castle’s unique location combined with Ludwig’s ―fantasy in stone‖ creates a special magic. But like any work of art, the more one knows about Neuschwanstein, the more one can appreciate it.
The engineering architect was Eduard Riedel (after 1874, Georg Dollmann; from 1886 to 1892 Julius Hofmann), and Neuschwanstein is an engineering marvel. The castle’s construction lasted 23 years, until long after Ludwig’s death. Although built in the Germanic late Romanesque style of the 13th century, the castle was equipped with the best technology available in the late 1860s. Quite unlike any real medieval castle, Neuschwanstein has a forced-air central heating system. Its rarely-used kitchen was of the most advanced design. The winter garden features a large sliding glass door. Out of all of Ludwig’s amazing ―fantasies in stone,‖ Neuschwanstein seems to be the most fantastic. With some of the structure still not totally complete, Ludwig moved into Neuschwanstein’s finished rooms for the first time in 1884. The king spent eleven nights in his dream castle from 27 May to 8 June. Contrary to popular legend, Ludwig’s building projects did not bankrupt the Bavarian treasury. Neuschwanstein, like Ludwig’s other castles, was financed entirely from the king’s own funds. To understand the story, you’ll need to know a bit about Ludwig. As a child, he loved swans. This is not surprising, considering the castle he lived in was called Hohenschwangau (or ―high region of the swan‖) and contained artwork depicting the story of Lohengrin, a medieval knight of the Holy Grail who rescues a princess with the aid of a swan. Ludwig liked to feed swans and draw pictures of them, and when at age thirteen he heard of Richard Wagner’s opera ―Lohengrin,‖ he was very excited. He memorized the entire libretto, and this led him to an interest in Wagner’s other music and writings. Within a few years, this interest turned into an obsession. In 1863, Ludwig got a copy of Wagner’s ―The Ring Cycle.‖ In the preface, Wagner talks about ―the miserable state of the German theater,‖ and that ―a German Prince would need to be found to provide the required funds‖ to produce the opera. Ludwig took this as his personal mission. The very next year, at age eighteen, Ludwig became king when his father died. His first official duty was to send for Wagner and have him brought to Munich. Wagner, who at that time was in his fifties, was a gifted musician but not, apparently, a very nice guy. History records Wagner as arrogant and self-centered, prone to excess, indiscretion, and intolerance. It so happened that at the very time Ludwig summoned him to Munich; Wagner was trying to evade his creditors and was very much in need of a patron. So Ludwig and Wagner struck up an almost symbiotic relationship. Ludwig funded Wagner’s work and put him up in a handsome villa, and Wagner played the part of mentor and idol. Not long thereafter, though, amid reports of yet another affair and worries that Wagner might be exerting too much influence over the young king, he was forced to leave Bavaria and move to Switzerland. Although Ludwig was upset, he continued to support Wagner, and the two kept up a steady correspondence.
Around the time construction began, estimates were that Ludwig would be able to move into the castle within about three years. But the work proceeded at a painfully slow pace and more than a decade later, the castle was still not complete. In 1883 Wagner died, causing Ludwig tremendous grief. So the composer never actually set foot inside the castle that had been built in his honor. A year later, Ludwig decided to move in, even though the structure was still unfinished and the throne room was not yet ready to hold a throne. But the king resided there for a grand total of only eleven nights. After Ludwig died under suspicious circumstances in 1886 at the age of 41, construction on Neuschwanstein continued for another eight years. When the builders finally stopped, only a third of the rooms had been finished and decorated. Without Ludwig, Wagner may never have achieved the successes he did, and without Wagner, Neuschwanstein would never have been built. But there is much more to the story of the life and death of King Ludwig II than Neuschwanstein. The ―swan king,‖ as he is sometimes called, built other equally interesting castles and led a fascinating, if deeply troubled life. His story, like his castles, is a reminder that there is more to Bavaria than meets the eye.
Meanwhile, Ludwig was not having a very good time as king. He lost an important war against Prussia, was forced to submit his army to Austrian control, and then ended an unhappy engagement. Depressed and bitter, he withdrew from the public eye as much as possible and consoled himself by planning the construction of several great castles. In 1869, work began on his most ambitious castle, Neuschwanstein. Ludwig had always wanted a medieval castle. That is to say, Neuschwanstein was made to look a lot older than it really was. But the most distinctive feature of the castle was that it was designed to be a stage for Wagner’s operas, both literally and figuratively. Some rooms were designed explicitly as places where an opera might be performed, but in every room and corridor of the castle the architecture and artwork reflected the German mythology that formed the basis of Wagner’s operas. All but a very few of Wagner’s operas are depicted in one way or another in the castle. One of the most unusual rooms—if you can call it that—is called the Grotto. It’s actually an incredibly convincing artificial cave, complete with stalactites and a waterfall. The Grotto was intended to represent a cave from Wagner’s opera ―Tannhäuser.‖ Ludwig II with Richard Wagner, the composer of Lohengrin and many other romantic operas, at the piano
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Norwegian Epic cruise ship is the fourth largest cruise ship in the world. It was built in 2010 by STX Europe Chantiers de l'Atlantique shipyard in SaintNazaire, France. It is a cruise ship of the "megaclass" that represents the "third generation" of Freestyle cruising vessels with 60% more passenger space than other largest ships of this type. After completion and acceptance, Norwegian Epic sailed on Thursday 24 June 2010 from Southampton to New York. When you are on Norwegian Epic, you'll understand why this Freestyle Cruising is of a truly grand scale: • Norwegian Epic has 4100 passenger berths, with all outside cabins having balconies. • Only on the Epic you can find 100 square foot interior studio cabins for solo passengers - the private Haven - with a shared "living room" for socializing. • Its Aqua Park' has the only tube and bowl water slide at sea: you’ll feel the exhilaration as you slide down 200 feet on The Epic Plunge. • You can try your skills on a rappelling wall and two three-lane bowling alleys.
• You can have a drink in the −8°C Ice Bar where the drinks are served in ice glasses and patrons wear parkas. • The ship’s entertainment programs (especially two new Broadway shows: Ballroom Blitz and Priscilla, Queen of the Desert) are Awarded Best Cruise Ship Entertainment by Frommer’s. • There are over 20 different dining options on board where you can have your meal at any time without any restrictions or reservations. • From top to bottom and from bow to stern, Norwegian Epic has enough onboard activities to fill every minute of your cruise. Norwegian Cruise Line Norwegian Cruise Line is an American company operating cruise ships, headquartered in Miami-Dade County, Florida, which controls approximately 8% of the total worldwide share of the cruise market. The company started operating in 1966. Norwegian Cruise Line is best known for its Freestyle Cruising concept, which means that there are no set times or seating arrangements for meals, nor is formal attire required.
Your Mediterranean-West Cruise starts and ends in Barcelona.
Barcelona This beautiful city is the largest metropolis on the Mediterranean Sea and is the capital of Catalonia in Spain. Barcelona is a leading economic and cultural center, and its influence in commerce, education, science, arts and fashion, all contribute to its status as one of the world's major global cities. The Port of Barcelona is one of Europe's principal seaports and busiest European passenger port. Its international airport, Barcelona–El Prat Airport, handles over 35 million passengers per year. The city has so much to offer, that it has become one of the most popular tourist destination in the world. In the Middle Ages, Barcelona was founded as a Roman city. It has a very rich cultural heritage and history and has been designated UNESCO World Heritage Sites. The city is particularly renowned due to the architectural works of Antoni Gaudí and Lluís Domènech i Montaner. Barcelona is full of what European cities are known for: architectural treasures, museums, churches, historic buildings, outdoor markets, restaurants and shops. The "Old City" is fantastic for walking and can provide days of enjoyment. Barcelona is great off-season and is a lovely city even in winter months of January and February. Although there will still be plenty of tourists, these months is the best time to visit the city. It is not too cold: 10-15°C is considered comfortable weather
Tangier Your next port of call is Tangier, a Moroccan port city located on the North African coast at the western entrance to the Strait of Gibraltar where the Mediterranean Sea meets the Atlantic Ocean. For ages it has been a strategic gateway between Africa and Europe. The history of Tangier is very rich, due to the historical presence of many civilizations and cultures starting from before the 5th century BCE. The city is home to the Dar el Makhzen, a palace of the sultans turned museum of Moroccan artifacts. Tangier is a vibrant mix of North Africa, Spain, Portugal and France, and a fascinating Moroccan city to visit: interesting history, beautiful vistas, unspoiled beaches and much more. There is something exotic and mysterious in its atmosphere. You will also meet some guys trying to sell you hashish.
Santa Cruz de Tenerife Santa Cruz de Tenerife is a city and capital of the Canary Islands, the capital of Province of Santa Cruz de Tenerife, and of the island of Tenerife – three capitals in one city. A hall for concerts and opera, Auditorio de Tenerife is an emblem of the city and is one of the most photographed buildings. The building was designed by Santiago Calatrava, ingenious Spanish architect, and was constructed in 2003. Twin residential towers, Torres de Santa Cruz are the tallest twin towers in Spain. Plaza de España is the heart of the city and its largest square with the great artificial lake. Baroque style Iglesia de la Concepción, a Catholic Church, was built by the Spanish conquistadors after landing on the coast. The bell tower is the most identifiable part of the church. Every February, Santa Cruz de Tenerife hosts the Carnival of Santa Cruz de Tenerife - one of the biggest and most spectacular events of its kind in the World. This historical event attracts about a million people from everywhere. In 2012, the British newspaper The Guardian included Santa Cruz de Tenerife in the list of the five best places in the world to live.
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