Wonder Club Magazine - Issue 1 2020

CLUB MAGAZINE SCENIC ECLIPSE INAUGURAL ANTARCTIC SEASON TASTING YOUR WAY THROUGH PARIS WITH GABRIEL GATÉ ULURU AND THE FIELD OF LIGHT ISSUE 1 2020

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ISSUE 1 2020

CONTENTS

SPECIAL FEATURES

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TASTING YOUR WAY THROUGH PARIS

DISCOVERING ANTARCTICA

FOR THE LOVE OF WHISKEY

AN ODE TO THE OMNIPOTENT

A culinary journey with Gabriel Gaté

Inaugural season for Scenic Eclipse

Tracing the roots of the world's favourite spirit

Discovering Uluru’s Field of Light

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FEATURES

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8 MILTENBERG

Editor’s letter

Meet the Aristocrats

We hope that you and your family are safe and well.

12 FRENCH MARKETS

Welcome to the first issue of the 2020 Wonder Magazine. For the first time we are sharing our inspirational stories as an electronic magazine and hope to revert back to the printed version, once the COVID-19 situation passes.

With Gabriel Gaté 14 CHRISTMAS IN EUROPE Discover the markets 16 ANTARCTICA With David McGonigal 22 A CULINARY JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD Secret Recipes

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26 PARC OMEGA

In this issue, we look back at Scenic Eclipse’s first season in Antarctica and reflect on 20 years of handcrafted luxury land journeys through Canada.

Whilst we all sit back and take time with our loved ones, we hope you find some inspiration in our armchair travel ideas.

Taking the time to plan ahead, to dream bigger and look to the future.

Canada’s Anti—Zoo 28 ROCKY MOUNTAINEER Gourmet delights 30 WINE SECRETS Canada’s ice wine

The Scenic Team

32 HOW TO

Contributors

Guide to Instagram 36 MILFORD SOUND New Zealand’s secret

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REGULARS

Shweta Menon, Rebecca Andrews, Lauren Rafter, Gabriel Gaté, David McGonigal, Kerri McConnel, Lucy Cheek, Livinia Nixon.

Design

4 LATEST OFFERS

Emi Hollo, Matthew Yorke

6 TOP 10 UNESCO World Heritage Sites 38 AROUND THE WORLD - Unique Hotels 40 COMPETITION CORNER PAGE 3

YOUR RETURN TO WONDER…

OUR LATEST OFFERS 2021 Europe River Cruise Preview Collection Guaranteed Savings of

£250 PP •••••••••• Plus ••••••••••

FREE Private Door-to-Door Chauffeur Transfers^ •••••••••• Plus ••••••••••

Early Payment Discount of £125pp

2021 Scenic Eclipse - The World's First Discovery Yacht™ FREE Business Class Flight Upgrades# •••••••••• Plus ••••••••••

FREE Private Door-to-Door Chauffeur Transfers^ •••••••••• Plus ••••••••••

Early Payment Discount of £250pp

2021 Fully-Inclusive Australia & New Zealand Escorted Touring FREE Business Class Flight Upgrade† •••••••••• Plus ••••••••••

FREE Private Door-to-Door Chauffeur Transfers^ •••••••••• Plus ••••••••••

2-Night Stopover in Dubai≠ for £199pp Terms & conditions apply - see page 41 for details.

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Make sure your travel experiences in 2021 are the most inclusive, luxurious travel experiences possible.

Take advantage of our exclusive 2021 offers today.

PLUS

As a Scenic Club member you’ll also receive double loyalty discounts on selected itineraries featured throughout this magazine.

£200PP DOUBLE LOYALTY DISCOUNT

Book by 8 June 2020 Book by 8 June 2020 to enjoy your 2021 cruise at a 2020 price, plus a guaranteed saving of £250 per person and FREE Private Door-to-Door Chauffeur Transfers^.

What’s more, book and pay in full before 31 October 2020 for an additional Early Payment Discount of £125 per person on all 2021 itineraries.

Royal Owner's Suite

Book by 8 June 2020 Right now you can take advantage of FREE Business Class Flight Upgrades# on selected Antarctica itineraries across 2020/21, with an Early Payment Discount of £250 per person when you book and pay in full before 31 October 2020.

Scenic Eclipse Helicopter

Book by 8 June 2020 Secure your place on our Grand Australia or Very Best of Australia & New Zealand Escorted Tours and enjoy a FREE Business Class Flight Upgrade† plus a 2-Night stopover≠ in Dubai for £199 per person, in addition to FREE Private Door-to-Door Chauffeur Transfers^.

Milford Sound, New Zealand Terms & conditions apply - see page 41 for details.

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Europe’s Top 10

1. Palace and Gardens of Schönbrunn, Austria

UNESCO WORLD HERITAGE SITES

From the 18th century to 1918, Schönbrunn was the residence of the Habsburg emperors.

Together with its gardens, the site of the world’s first zoo in 1752, it is a remarkable Baroque ensemble.

See this on our Gems of the Danube river cruise

2. Historic Centre of Vienna, Austria Vienna developed from early Celtic and Roman settlements into a Medieval and Baroque city, with a historic centre, rich in architectural ensembles, as well as the 19th century Ringstrasse lined with grand buildings, monuments and parks.

Discover the top 10 UNESCO World Heritage listed sites Scenic visits in Europe, as handpicked by our European Journey Designer, Janelle Maher.

See this on our Tastes of Imperial Europe river cruise

3. Historic Centre of Brugge, Belgium Brugge is an outstanding example of a medieval historic settlement, which has maintained its historic fabric as it has evolved over the centuries.

See this on our Romantic Rhine & Moselle river cruise

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4. Monastery of the Hieronymites and Tower of Belém in Lisbon, Portugal Standing at the entrance to Lisbon, the Monastery of the Hieronymites exemplifies Portuguese art at its best. The nearby Tower of Belém is a reminder of the great maritime discoveries that laid the foundations of the modern world.

See this on our Delightful Douro with Lisbon river cruise

5. Archaeological Site of Troy, Greece One of the most famous archaeological sites in the world. The siege of Troy by Spartan and Achaean warriors immortalised by Homer in the Iliad has inspired great creative artists throughout the world.

See this on our Scenic Eclipse Aegean Adventure ocean cruise

6. Historic Site of Lyon, France Lyon, founded by the Romans in the 1st century B.C. has played a major role in Europe's political, cultural and economic development.

See this on our Tastes of Southern France river cruise

7. Jurisdiction of Saint-Émilion, France Viticulture was introduced to this fertile region of Aquitaine by the Romans. The region is now devoted entirely to winegrowing, with many fine historic monuments in its towns and villages.

See this on our Bordeaux Affair river cruise

10. Historic Centre of Sighişoara Founded by the Saxons of Transylvania, Sighişoara is a fine example of a small, fortified medieval town which played an important strategic and commercial role in central Europe for several centuries.

See this on our Black Sea Explorer with Transylvania river cruise

8. Danube Delta The waters of the Danube, which flow into the Black Sea, form the largest and best preserved of Europe's deltas. The Danube delta hosts over 300 species of birds as well as 45 freshwater fish species.

See this on our Black Sea Explorer river cruise

WATCH CELEBRITY COOK AND GETAWAY PRESENTER, ANNA GARE, VISIT VIENNA ON OUR JEWELS OF EUROPE CRUISE

9. Villages with Fortified Churches in Transylvania, Romania These villages with their fortified churches provide a vivid picture of the cultural landscape of southern Transylvania and are dominated by the churches.

See this on our Black Sea Explorer with Transylvania river cruise

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Lyon, France Monastery of the Hieronymites, Portugal Danube Delta, Romania Lyon, France Archaeological Site of Troy, Greece Schönbrunn, Austria Fortified Churches in Transylvania, Romania

Meet the Aristocrats in

MILTENBERG Enjoy a cuppa with the local royalty in Gamburg Castle

Miltenberg, Germany is a town nestled within a bend in the Main River. As you gaze upon the township, there is a sense of wonder to Miltenberg’s romantic lanes and squares.

Viniculture, wine trade, river traffic, fishery, wood and stone industries were the most important trades and crafts in Miltenberg’s past. Urban development did not make it to the fringes of the ancient kingdoms, and so the medieval townscape was preserved and remains today, evidenced by the many halftimbered houses, dating back to the 17th and 18th centuries.

Some of history’s most momentous figures have passed through Miltenberg, including two Holy Roman Emperors, Napoleon and even Elvis Presley.

Gamburg Castle is situated near Miltenberg on the Romantic Road. During the German Peasants' War, the imposing castle was one of the few to remain unscathed thanks to the intervention of the famous knight Gotz von Berlichingen (who is worth googling in his own right to learn about how he coined one of the world’s most famous phrases).

Gamburg Castle has been a private property, handed down through aristocratic families since 1546. Its oldest part, the keep, was transformed into a bunker to store the files on communist resistance groups during World War II. The castle is rumoured to be haunted by over 21 ghosts and is connected with ancient tales of a beautiful mermaid, Melusine.

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“Some of history’s most momentous figures have passed through Miltenberg, including two Holy Roman Emperors, Napoleon and even Elvis Presley. ” D

Today, Baron and Baroness von Mallinckrodt, the current owners of Gamburg Castle, preserve and maintain Gamburg Castle’s heritage and legacy.

The noble family, von Mallinckrodt descend from the Saxon knight Ludwig de Mesekenwerke. In 1346 the family took the name of their residence Mallinckrodt Castle, near the city of Dortmund. In the 15th century, members of the family held important positions within the crusader state of the Teutonic Order along the Baltic Sea. By the 16th century, a branch of the family had made its way into the ruling circles of Dortmund. In 1803, as Napoleon's troops entered Germany, Dortmund lost its free city status.

The Mallinckrodts became established industrialists and publishers and in the 1830s, some family members relocated to Missouri to become American pioneers.

In 1980, aged 75, Hans Georg von Mallinckrodt Sr., bought Gamburg Castle. During the very extensive and much needed restoration, his son, Hans Georg Jr., discovered the lavishly decorated Romanesque double arches and the oldest secular mural paintings north of the Alps. He also restored the baroque park, laid out on a terrace as an integral part of the castle and as such almost unique in Germany.

His wife Nicole, née Princess of Moukbirian Khorkhoruni, was born in Paris after her family fled the Armenian Genocide. Today, both of them, as well as their son Goswin, support the preservation, study and vital continuity of Gamburg Castle, which has been opened to the public since 2009.

Scenic guests have the chance to meet the Baron and Baroness as a Scenic Freechoice activity on selected river cruise itineraries.

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SEE MILTENBERG ON OUR JEWELS OF EUROPE 15-DAY RIVER CRUISE Amsterdam > Budapest Was from £4,195pp Now from £3,620pp ave up to £575pp S Free private door-to-door chauffeur transfers^ £125pp Early Payment Discount OFFER ENDS 8 JUNE 2020 Departing: March 2021 > November 2021 Price shown includes double loyalty discount and Early Payment Discount. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Quote 200WONDER at the time of booking to receive these offers.

Zaanse Schans

Amsterdam

Netherlands Bonn

Rhine Cologne

Germany

Marksburg

Main-Danube Canal

Bamberg

Rüdesheim Miltenberg

Würzburg

Nuremberg Danube Passau

Rothenburg

Regensburg

Dürnstein

Melk Burg Salzburg Aggstein Austria

A Miltenberg market square B Family von Mallinckrodt C Miltenberg D Gamburg Castle

Slovakia

Vienna

Bratislava

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Budapest

Hungary

TASTING YOUR WAY THROUGH PARIS As Virginia Woolf said, "One cannot think well, love well, sleep well, if one has not dined well." So, the next time you are in Paris, take the time to discover some very Parisian dining venues as recommended by chef, Gabriel Gaté.

Gabriel Gaté is a French chef, cookbook author and TV presenter. Originally from the Loire Valley, Gabriel learned from some of France's finest chefs - working in two, 3 Michelin-star restaurants - before moving to Melbourne, Australia where he became one of the country's leading food and cooking personalities.

Bofinger - A Very Parisian Brasserie I never cease to be thrilled by the great cultural richness of Paris with its amazing galleries and museums, great markets and excellent gastronomy.

At the end of a busy day experiencing the French joie de vivre I often dine in a brasserie to relax and enjoy typical French fare. In this type of restaurant you can order anything from a simple dish to a feast, comprising several dishes. There are always several set-price menus, as well as à la carte.

One of my favourite brasseries is Bofinger in the Bastille district. It is a local secret tucked away from the main streets a few hundred metres from Paris’ modern Bastille opera house.

When it was first opened in 1864 by Monsieur Frederic Bofinger, a native of Alsace, the tiny brasserie became popular as one of the first eating houses to serve draught beer. Today the stunning restaurant comprises several dining rooms spread over two floors.

The extensive menu offers many popular French dishes, such as onion soup, charcuterie, snails, pepper steak, French fries and pâtisseries, such as Paris brest, profiteroles with a Valrhona chocolate sauce and vanilla millefeuilles.

There is also a large seafood section and may comprise several varieties of freshly shucked oysters, prawns, scampi, crab, lobster and more.

In honour of the original owner, Alsatian food is well featured with many types of sauerkraut, including traditional duck and seafood.

The wine list features many superb Alsace wines, as well as other regional French wines and a good choice of wine and champagne by the glass.

Due to its wonderful Parisian atmosphere, a dinner at Bofinger is truly memorable.

Brasserie Bofinger, 5 to 7 rue de la Bastille, Paris 75004

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NORMANDY & GEMS OF THE SEINE 11-DAY RIVER CRUISE Paris > Paris Was from £3,880pp Now from £3,305pp ave up to £575pp S Free private door-to-door chauffeur transfers^ £125pp Early Payment Discount OFFER ENDS 8 JUNE 2020 Departing: April 2021 > October 2021 Price shown includes double loyalty discount and Early Payment Discount. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Quote 200WONDER at the time of booking to receive these offers.

English Channel

Fécamp Étretat

Somme battlefields Bolbec

Caudebec-en-Caux Honfleur

Seine

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Rouen Lyons la Fôret

Deauville Bayeux

Normandy Beaches

Auverssur-Oise

Les Andelys Vernon

France

Giverny

Château de La Roche-Guyon Chantilly

Conflans Château de Malmaison

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The Grand Véfour - An Exquisite Parisian Restaurant.

The Grand Véfour restaurant, housed on the edge of the beautiful Palais Royal gardens, is one of my favourite Parisian restaurants.

A lunch or dinner at this historic institution which first opened in 1794 is for me as memorable an occasion as a great concert or classic opera.

Guy Martin, a most loved and celebrated French chef, has been at the helm of the kitchen for almost thirty years and became the owner in 2011. Guy is an artist and his savoir faire and creativity are beautifully translated into stunning and delicious contemporary French dishes.

The dining room is one of the most beautiful in Paris. Entering the stylish restaurant, you are taken back two hundred years in time by the superb carved wood panelling, mirrors and fine frescos in the neo-classical style.

include duck ravioli with a truffle emulsion cream, roast pigeon, and gâteau de Savoie that he bakes in his grandmother’s cake mould.

Paris

Château Vaux-le-Vicomte

Château de Malmaison

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As a native of the alpine region of Savoie, the chef celebrates his origins with a large cheese board featuring the most delicious fromages of the Alps.

His desserts, using fresh fruits and exquisite chocolate, are out of this world and some of the best I have enjoyed in my many gastronomic journeys.

The wine list is lavish and comprises many of the finest French wines and, naturellement, champagne.

The pleasure of a lunch or dinner at the Grand Véfour is sure to linger forever in your memory.

Restaurant Le Grand Véfour 17 Rue De Beaujolais Paris 75001 (Palais Royal district)

Throughout the year Guy’s menu evolves using the finest seasonal European ingredients. His vegetables and fish dishes are outstanding and his most popular dishes

A Brasserie Bofinger B Baked scallops, with creamed mushroom and summer truffle risotto C Paris D The Grand Véfour

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The glorious

FRENCH MARKETS

by Gabriel Gaté

For French home cooks, visiting a fresh food market at least once a week is a way of life.

French markets are a feast for the senses, and as a chef, cookery writer and family cook, I feel stimulated and inspired by the great beauty of the colourful displays of fruits, vegetables and other stunning ingredients.

I often mentally plan a menu or create dishes while strolling through the atmospheric food aisles. I am inspired by the seasonal smells of fruits and fine herbs, such as basil, tarragon, strawberries and melons.

I like to visit a market between 8 and 10am when it looks its best and is not yet too crowded. I first walk through the aisles to feel the atmosphere and discover the best

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stalls. Then, I reward myself with café and a croissant or some other irresistible goodies before returning to the most tempting stalls. I must confess I have a weakness for fromage.

My native country has over 10,000 food markets, so when on a French Scenic river cruise, you are never far from one.

Paris alone has about eighty weekly markets, most of which are situated in an attractive or historic street and open two or three days a week.

The French capital has also twelve covered markets open five or six days a week. The oldest, le marché des enfants rouges, was established in 1615.

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The French word for market is marché, and a covered market is called a marché couvert, while larger, long-established covered markets are called les halles if there are several covered sections. You’ll find a stunning example of les halles in Versailles where the market is within walking distance of the extraordinary royal château. The best market days are usually Saturday and Sunday when family cooks have more time to plan their weekend feast.

A visit to a rural farmers’ market is a memorable cultural experience.

When discovering a gorgeous hilltop village, charming provincial town or famous gourmet city, such as Lyon, Avignon, Bordeaux or Paris, visiting a market is a most agreeable way of absorbing the richness of France's gastronomic treasures.

Most rural markets were established centuries ago, in old historic centres where you may also discover ancient châteaux, churches and medieval architecture.

Local farmers set up their stalls early in the central square of the village to sell their homemade cheeses, the freshest seasonal vegetables and herbs, and fruits ripened to perfection.

Most markets have a rôtisserie stall with the irresistible smell of roast chicken and other succulent, ready-to-eat meats and roast potatoes wafting through the air.

Other artisans like butchers and fishmongers, smallgoods makers and cheese masters sell their goods from a specially equipped refrigerated truck, travelling during the week to a different village every day. These artisans are proud of their products and are usually happy to give you a taste before you buy.

Around a market square you are sure to find a good boulangerie (bakery) and pâtisserie selling their regional specialities. And last but not least, you’ll find a wine shop to transform your picnic feast into a celebration.

Country markets offer amazing food ideas for a picnic. The charcutier is the shop to buy freshly prepared salads, delicious smallgoods like patés, hams, terrines and salami.

LET’S GO...

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INCLUDES AN EXCLUSIVE

£200PP

DOUBLE LOYALTY DISCOUNT

FLAVOURS OF BORDEAUX 11-DAY RIVER CRUISE Bordeaux > Bordeaux Was from £3,995pp Now from £3,420pp ave up to £575pp S Free private door-to-door chauffeur transfers^ £125pp Early Payment Discount

Vive la France

OFFER ENDS 8 JUNE 2020 Departing: April 2021 > August 2021 Price shown includes double loyalty discount and Early Payment Discount. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Quote 200WONDER at the time of booking to receive these offers.

Enjoy French markets on our selection of France river cruises

Cognac

Blaye

Pauillac

Bourg

Médoc

Gironde

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Bordeaux Bassin d’Arcachon

Arcachon

France Dordogne

Libourne Pomerol

Bergerac

Garonne Saint-Émilion Entre Deux Mers

Cadillac Sauternes

VIEW GABRIEL GATÉ EXPERIENCING SCENIC CULINAIRE

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Marché du Capucins, Bordeaux Gabriel Gaté Deauville Weekly Market Cheese, Avignon Markets

DISCOVER THE MAGIC OF

CHRISTMAS IN EUROPE …the smell of roasting chestnuts and spiced gluhwein, there is nothing like a European Christmas When country music star Faith Hill penned the tune ‘Where are you Christmas?’ She should have tried searching in Europe because if you can’t find the holiday spirit at Europe’s Christmas markets, then you might just be festively challenged.

Is it possible we have forgotten how magical Christmas can truly be in between Black Friday and Boxing Day sales? Capture the nostalgia, romance and merriment of a traditional European Christmas.

Leave behind the holiday gift guides and commercialism and head to a place where the Christmas spirit is alive in its purest form – all it takes is a trip to Europe’s Christmas markets.

EXPERIENCE A SENSE OF COMMUNITY AND CONNECTION Europe’s Christmas markets deliver timeless traditions against a backdrop of dramatic cathedrals and skylines. Dating back to the Middle Ages, Christmas markets gave townsfolk an opportunity to stock up on goods to see them through the holiday season and winter months. The idea spread along trading routes and survives today for locals and travellers from across the globe.

In European cultures, the warmth and sense of community in the Christmas markets carries a great deal of sincerity.

What makes it so special is that the approach to Christmas is much more heartfelt. There are no over-the-top light displays set to top 40 music, commercialism is not the driving force, and there are no photo-ops on Santa’s lap to be found. The sincere nature strikes to the very heart of the holiday, and it can be found wherever you go.

LET’S GO...

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DOUBLE LOYALTY DISCOUNT

EXPERIENCE THE MAGIC OF CHRISTMAS ON OUR DANUBE CHRISTMAS MARKETS 8-DAY RIVER CRUISE Budapest > Munich Was from £2,545pp Now from £1,970pp ave up to £575pp S Free private door-to-door chauffeur transfers^ £125pp Early Payment Discount OFFER ENDS 8 JUNE 2020 Departing: November 2021 > December 2021 Price shown includes double loyalty discount and Early Payment Discount. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Quote 200WONDER at the time of booking to receive these offers.

Germany Czech Republic

Nuremberg Regensburg

Passau

Dürnstein Linz

Munich

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Cesky Krumlov

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Salzburg

Melk Austria

Danube

Vienna

Szentendre

Hungary

Budapest

STEP INSIDE A TRADITIONAL WINTER WONDERLAND The postcard-perfect scenes of Christmas markets in Europe are truly magical. Towns are draped in baubles, wreaths, and garlands, all cloaked in glowing lights and you are enveloped by traditional carols and classical music. The Christmas markets are a place of warmth and welcome.

ONE-STOP CHRISTMAS SHOP The Christmas markets provide an epic shopping experience. Emphasising local artisanship, old-fashioned wooden toys and traditional delicacies, the stalls you can wander through are high on old-fashioned Christmas charm. Local artists, growers, bakers, and makers fill stalls that will leave your heart swelling with Christmas spirit.

Stock up on everything from decorations, baubles, winter clothing, handmade soaps, hand-knitted creations, and so much more.

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“Local artists, growers, bakers, and makers fill stalls that will leave your heart swelling with Christmas spirit. ”

There’s no hard sell and the vendors are more than happy for you to take your time browsing. Once back home with all your purchases, your home will be a yearly reminder of the adventure you had in the European Christmas markets.

SAVOUR DELICIOUS DELIGHTS It is difficult to accurately describe the wonderful aromas to be found in the Christmas markets, with a variety of sausages cooking on wood-fuelled fires, Kartoffelpuffer (potatoes), mulled wine (Glühwein), waffles, gingerbread snacks and sweets galore.

So what are you doing next Christmas?

Celebrate in a magic world of time-honoured festivities, filled with nostalgia and happiness. Treat yourself to a Christmas you will always remember.

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WATCH AUSTRALIAN TV PRESENTER LIVINIA NIXON EXPERIENCE EUROPE'S CHRISTMAS MARKETS PART ONE

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PART TWO

A Christmas markets, Vienna B Glühwein C Wurst sausages, Germany D Glass Decorations, Germany

The Wonders of

ANTARCTICA David McGonigal Antarctic veteran

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Antarctica is a very intense destination. For most of us, travelling into a part of the world that we know so little about means that being prepared is important.

the Drake Passage. Scenic Eclipse with its 50% larger stabilisers is designed specifically to ensure greater comfort and smoother passage through heavy seas.

There’s the Drake Passage with all its mythology. “The roughest stretch of water in the world”, “the Drake Shake”, “the Drake Lake” you’ll have heard them all before you experience it. As a veteran of well over 100 voyages south – that’s close to two years on the Drake Passage – I can say it’s rarely as bad as you fear, and you can always take something to ease the two day journey south.

Antarctic waters are themselves quite calm.

Another tip is to ensure you travel on a vessel that is designed to handle the conditions of

Since the days of Shackleton, the first iceberg sighting has been a very special moment.

Hundreds of thousands of tonnes of gleaming white ice is a sight never to be forgotten.

When there are penguins on the ice as if to welcome you, it’s even more special.

Taking your first step onto the 7th continent is unforgettable. It may be on a rocky beach surrounded by penguins and possibly a few seals, however, its hard not to appreciate the true significance of that moment.

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Personal moments are just that – personal.

Moments I recall with great clarity include cutting the Zodiac engine and listening to humpback whale blows all around us in the ice and watching insanely cute penguin chicks rushing around trying to catch snowflakes with their tongues. Of course, there are majestic bays lined by glaciers and Zodiac cruises through a maze of icebergs like a surreal sculpture garden.

Of course, it will be different for everyone.

It may be coming onto the ship’s bridge on the first sea day to find wandering albatross, the world’s largest flying bird, flying circuits around the ship. Or it might be looking into the seawater at the shore and seeing both

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the grace of a penguin flying underwater and krill, the biological building blocks of Antarctica, swimming in the shallows.

for more than five months, and visiting one of the bases set up by early British scientific expeditions along the Antarctic Peninsula.

Your first sunrise over the icescape that is Antarctica is special. So is hearing a crack in a glacial face and watching as it’s followed by hundreds of thousands of tonnes of ice cascading into the water in a calving.

Different people have different reactions to Antarctica. For one it may be the excitement of spotting a leopard seal basking on an ice floe, for another it is a sighting of an Arctic tern that provides that moment of joy. Nearly all of us are excited to see a pure white snow petrel (with only black legs and eyes) that are regarded by some as the most beautiful bird in the world.

I have a friend and for her, Antarctica is about walking in the footsteps of the polar explorers, particularly those of the heroic age. For her the big moments are toasting that most revered and flawed explorer, Sir Ernest Shackleton by his graveside at Gytviken, South Georgia, seeing Elephant Island where his crew of the Endurance awaited rescue

Most of us hope that a significant holiday will see you return with at least one memory of a lifetime. Antarctica is likely to have several of those crowded into every day, resulting in the most memorable holiday of your life.

A Black-browed Albatross B King penguins, Falkland Islands C Scenic Eclipse, Antarctica D Zodiac excursions E Skua F Whale

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DISCOVERING ANTARCTICA A continent of remote grandeur

Lands of pristine beauty, breathtaking wildlife and inestimable importance in an environmental and historical sense, travelling to the base of the globe on our Antarctica cruises is a long-held dream for most people.

On the inaugural journey to South Georgia and the Falkland Islands, the passengers and crew of Scenic Eclipse have been sharing some incredible images of the voyage, showcasing the stunning wonders of these destinations.

“Waking up early on the first day anchored in Antarctica is a feeling you may only feel once in your life, but is sure to stay with you forever.

This is the reason why so many people that visit return and again, seeking to recreate some of their most special memories�

Adriaan Oliver, Discovery Team on board Scenic Eclipse

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Helicopter, Antarctica Drygalski Fjord Zodiac excursions Scenic Neptune South Georgia Elephant Seal Scenic Eclipse Elephant Island

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ANTARCTICA, SOUTH GEORGIA & FALKLAND ISLANDS 23-DAY OCEAN CRUISE Buenos Aires > Buenos Aires Was from £19,755pp Now from £17,685pp

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ave up to £2,070pp S Free Business Class Flight Upgrade on selected itineraries# Free private door-to-door chauffeur transfers^ £250pp Early Payment Discount OFFER ENDS 8 JUNE 2020 Departing: November 2020 > January 2021 Price shown includes Earlybird Fare, double loyalty discount and Early Payment Discount. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Quote 200WONDER at the time of booking to receive these offers.

Buenos Aires 1

Argentina

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Falkland Islands (Islas Malvinas)

Elephant Island Drake Passage

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South Georgia

Ushuaia 18

South Shetland Islands

Antarctic Peninsula

WATCH SCENIC ECLIPSE’S FIRST ANTARCTICA SEASON AND MEET THE DISCOVERY TEAM

For the love of

WHISKEY

Tracing the roots of the world’s favourite spirit

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It was Mark Twain who said “Too much of anything is bad, but too much of whiskey is barely enough.” Had Twain been around to cruise on Scenic Eclipse, his refined palate would’ve appreciated the 110 varieties of whiskey at the all-inclusive on board Whiskey Bar. The premium selection includes single malts such as a 25-year-old Glendullan, a 30-year-old Jura The Loch and a 16-year-old Lagavulin, super-premium blends such as Johnny Walker Blue, Ireland’s Jameson Select Reserve Black Barrel and many more from around the world, Twain would have been delightfully spoilt for choice.

Whiskey has a fabulous and intriguing history, with both the Scottish and the Irish claiming to be inventers of the cherished beverage. The truth is, no one really knows for sure. The source of the process of distillation can be traced to Mesopotamia in 800 AD where Babylonians were believed to distil solutions such as perfumes.

Around 1000 AD, travelling Christian monks took the formula of distillation into Ireland and Scotland, where, due to the unavailability of wine, the monks were compelled to distil barley beer into a liquor.

Whiskey evolved, along with the unending debate between the Scottish and the Irish.

Given the hazy, intertwined beginnings, how different are Scottish and Irish whiskeys?

For starters, Scotch whisky is spelled without the ‘e’ and Irish whiskey is spelled with the ‘e’. Scotch is made with malted barley, distilled twice and aged in oak barrels for a minimum of three years. For whiskey to be known as Scotch, it has to be have been made in Scotland from start to end. Single malt Scotch is malt whiskey from a single distillery.

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“For whiskey to be known as Scotch, it has to be made in Scotland from start to end. Single malt Scotch is malt whiskey from a single distillery.”

Irish whiskey is made with unmalted barley, is usually distilled three times and aged in oak barrels. The extra distillation of Irish whiskey brings about a marked difference in taste. Scotch has a fuller, heavier taste, while Irish whiskey, by contrast, and has a lighter, and smoother taste.

Other varieties of whiskey include bourbon, rye and blended. Bourbon is made from at least 51% corn mash, aged in new oak barrels, and is only produced in the United States.

Rye is also made in America and is composed of 51% rye. Blended whiskey is usually made from a blend of various aged whiskies.

Today, whiskey is produced in many countries around the world. The most popular varieties come from Scotland, Ireland, Canada and United States, with New Zealand and Japan quickly joining the ranks. Scenic Eclipse guests have the chance to sample whiskies from nearly all the major whiskey producing regions, and some more limited edition vintages. With an incredible display case, backed by a wall of translucent quartz crystal, putting the 110 varieties of whiskey on display, resistance is futile. And, of course, it's all included on Scenic Eclipse.

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WILD SCOTLAND & THE HEBRIDES 12-DAY OCEAN CRUISE Bergen > Dublin Was from £9,225pp Now from £8,775pp INAL SUITES REMAINING F Free private door-to-door chauffeur transfers^ £250pp Early Payment Discount OFFER ENDS 8 JUNE 2020 Departing: 29 August 2021 Price shown includes double loyalty discount and Early Payment Discount. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Quote 200WONDER at the time of booking to receive these offers.

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A CULINARY JOURNEY AROUND THE WORLD Scenic Eclipse Executive Chef Tom Goetter shares the secret recipes of his guest favourites

From watching the maestros at work in the open galleys, to sitting down in the thoughtfully designed, tastefully decorated dining venues, dining on board Scenic Eclipse is a multi-sensory journey right up to the very first bite of your meal. And then it is pure bliss.

Meet Chef Tom Goetter The explosion of flavours in each delicious recipe reflect the imagination of Executive Chef Tom Goetter. The clockwork precision of Chef Tom’s German heritage is evident in the meticulous attention to detail he invests into designing each dish and the daily restaurant menus. From soy sauce for sushi flown in especially from Japan, to the 24-hour brining and air-drying of the traditional roast chicken, no meal is taken for granted.

Goetter is all about reinventing time-tested recipes and giving them his own unique spin.

From foie gras lollipops to smoked blue candy floss on caviar, Goetter knows how to keep things enchanting, especially at Chef’s Table, the exclusive, ‘by invitation only’, degustation dining experience. In his own words, “We want to make something you know already but make you feel, ‘Oh, that’s special. Why does that taste so different?’”

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LISTEN TO TOM GOETTER EXPLAIN WHY DINING ON BOARD SCENIC ECLIPSE IS SO SPECIAL

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Naan Bread INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6) • 250 gms flour • 1tsp sugar • ½ tsp salt • 1 tbsp oil • 1 tsp baking powder • 75gms yoghurt • 125ml milk C

METHOD

• Mix all Ingredients in a bowl and work into a soft dough • Cut the dough into 6 pieces and roll each out into a flat dough • Place a flat pan on your oven and wait till pan smokes.

• Grill both sides for approximately 2 minutes without adding any fat till golden in colour.

Koko’s Asian Fusion restaurant & Sake bar With regularly evolving dining options, guests on board Scenic Eclipse have the chance to savour new dishes daily at up to ten dining experiences and bars.

Koko’s, the Asian Fusion restaurant and Sake bar has four chefs from four different nations who craft unique but authentic cuisine, including deliciously assorted lunch bento boxes.

A popular serving amongst Koko’s many delicious meals is the Korean Pulled Beef, served with… wait for it…

Naan Bread and Avocado Raita, an unusual but winning combination.

If you’re fondly reminiscing about this wonderful combination of meals that you enjoyed on your Scenic Eclipse voyage or would like to try to create this cuisine at home, now is the time.

Chef Tom has shared the secret recipe of his all-time favourite. “The best thing about Galbi Jjim (Korean Short Ribs) is the super tender meat that is coated with sticky, salty, sweet, and nutty sauce. It’s hugely addictive. And to serve it, we use Naan Bread and Avocado Raita to give it a different kick. It’s easy to do back home and a fun flavour combination”, he says.

Avocado Raita INGREDIENTS

(serves 4 to 6) • 2 ripe avocados • 1 medium-sized onion (finely chopped) • 2 medium-sized tomatoes (very finely chopped) • 1 green chilli (finely chopped) • ½tsp red chilli powder • 1 tsp cumin powder • ½ cup chopped fresh coriander leaves • 1 tbsp lemon juice • 1 cup yogurt (fresh, unsweetened, whisked till smooth) • Salt to taste

METHOD

• Remove the flesh and seed from the avocados and put them into a mixing bowl. Mash the avocados until they are nearly smooth.

• Add the chopped onion, tomato, green chilli, all the spices, the lemon juice, and chopped coriander. Mix it up until all the ingredients are blended.

• Add the yogurt, salt to taste, and blend it in with the avocado mixture.

• Refrigerate and serve cold with the pulled beef as a dip on the bread.

Korean Braised Short Ribs “Korean Pulled Beef” MAIN INGREDIENTS (serves 4 to 6) • 1.5 kg to 1.8 kg bone-in beef short ribs (pork ribs suitable alternative) • 1 ½ cup water • 2 carrots (275g), cut into medium size pieces • 10 chestnuts, peeled (canned chestnuts can be used too)

SAUCE INGREDIENTS

• 170g red apple (or nashi/Asian pear), cored and chopped • 60g onion, peeled and chopped • 6 tbsp regular soy sauce • 2 tbsp brown sugar • 2 tbsp honey • 2 tbsp rice wine (mirin) • 1 tbsp minced garlic • 1 tsp sesame oil • 5 whole black peppers

METHOD • Soak the beef ribs in cold water for 10 to 20 minutes. This is to draw out the red liquid (which looks like blood) from the meat.

Change the water a few times.

• Blend the sauce ingredients in a mixer or food processor. Set it aside.

• In a large pot, in rolling boiling water, boil the ribs for 6 to 8 minutes over medium high heat. Drain the water and rinse the ribs in cold running water. Cut off any obvious excess fat from the ribs.

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• Place the ribs in an oven and add the 1 ½ cup water. Add 2/3rd of the sauce. Boil over medium heat for about 30 minutes, covered.

Stir gently and change the position of the ribs. Reduce the heat to medium low and continue to simmer for about 10 minutes, covered.

• Add the remaining ingredients (carrots, jujube, gingko nuts, chestnuts and the remaining sauce) and continue to simmer it over medium low heat for about 20 minutes, covered.

• By now the ribs should be fully cooked, but they may not be tender. Continue to simmer until your desired tenderness is achieved (usually up to an additional 1 hour, covered). Depending on how long you simmered it, you may still have a reasonable amount of sauce/liquid left in the pot.

• To boil it off, you can heat up the stove to medium high heat and boil it for 10 to 12 minutes, covered. This should thicken the sauce and leave just the right amount of

it at the bottom of the pot. Alternatively, you can continue to boil off the sauce over medium low heat until the sauce nearly disappears. This can take another 1 hour or so. And this will make the meat fall off the bone. Many Korean moms would say that the bones shouldn’t fall off as it’s visually less appealing when you serve it. However, this is exactly what we want till we pick the meat after for our Korean pulled Beef.

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• To reheat, add 1/3rd cup of water in a pot and boil it for 5 to 7 minutes over medium high heat, covered, till sticky again.

Canada’s

ANTI-ZOO Home to some of the world’s apex predators

Parc Omega is far from a zoo. On the contrary, it is not the animals that are in cages here, it’s the humans – a comfy metal cage with reclining leather upholstery and woodfinished interiors, that is, your car. Visitors drive around a 15 km track inside the lush 2,200 acre park while viewing the various animals lounging in the vast open spaces, curiously watching the species in the moving cages.

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Canada is world renowned for its extraordinary wildlife. From some of the world’s apex predators like polar bears to humble creatures such as the skittish arctic hare, the native species span the full spectrum. Vast spaces of untouched wilderness help them thrive and offer a chance for us to view them in their natural habitat. Parc Omega, or Omega Park as it is known in English, located inside Quebec’s Montebello region is one such place.

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“Parc Omega is far from a zoo. On the contrary, it is not the animals that are in cages here, it’s the humans – a comfy metal cage with reclining leather upholstery and wood-finished interiors, that is, your car. ”

There are also black bears, foxes, coyotes, beavers, rocky mountain goats, and a whole heap of fascinating wild animals for you to admire.

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If you decide to visit the wonderful park, here are a few things to remember. Ensure your car has plenty of fuel, and snacks and hydration for everyone. But most importantly, make sure you have carrots, a tonne of carrots. The lounging exhibits like to be fed. So don’t be terrified if a massive 350 kg elk decides to walk up to your half-open car window and tries to stick his head in. He’s just come to collect the tasty toll. He’ll be polite and maybe even pose for selfies, as long as you hand over those juicy carrots.

The park is also home to wolves and offers opportunities to view and learn about them in their natural habitat. You can even stay at a cosy ‘wolf cabin’ located right within the stamping ground of a pack of greys, affording you unrestricted viewing into the lives of these intriguing creatures through panoramic bay windows. Don’t worry, your ‘cage’ is reinforced with triple-glazed glass.

Whether you find being woken up at 3 am by the eerie sound of wolves howling soul-stirring or downright creepy, remains to be seen. But it will definitely be an experience you’ll never forget.

Winter transforms the park into a white wonderland and also gives you the chance to make yummy maple taffy on fresh snow. All the animals are still out and about, looking fluffier in their winter coats, doing their usual things, enjoying carrots and howling at the moon.

Except the bears, they like to sleep in during the cold. Then again, don’t we all?

And if you don’t, these carrot thugs may even block your path. It’s their way or no way.

You’ll have the opportunity to feed elk, deer, moose, caribou and even friendly boar that approach your car along the way. But not bison, they’ll just glower moodily from a distance. Frankly, you don’t want to get into the personal space of these 1,000 kg temperamental behemoths. They might look shaggy and large, but they can run as fast as a racehorse and jump up to 6 feet vertically. Bison selfies are not recommended.

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WATCH AUSTRALIAN TV PRESENTER AND PERSONALITY, DAVID WHITEHILL, INTRODUCE SCENIC'S AMAZING CANADA PROGRAM A Grey wolf B Fox C Red dear D Black bear

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Creating gourmet delights in Canada from a kitchen on the rails

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Behind the scenes with Rocky Mountaineer’s mobile galley

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Towering above the world, covered in pristine snow and fringed with lush alpine forests, the tantalising beauty of Canada’s lofty Rocky Mountains seems picture postcard perfect.

With the launch of Rocky Mountaineer three decades ago, the grandeur of the majestic ranges has been made accessible to guests on board the luxurious railway. While the railroad is no doubt an engineering marvel, every minute that the train is in motion, even more marvellous forces are at work inside it.

Throughout the awe-inspiring train journey, guests are treated to high quality food made with the finest local ingredients. From gourmet snacks, to three-course lunches, each elegantly plated meal is carefully planned by a full culinary team, overseen by award-winning chefs working out of a tiny moving kitchen… less than eight metres by three metres in size. Equipped with everything you’d expect to find in a normal-sized commercial kitchen – steam ovens, stoves, grills, fridges, and dishwashers – the on board kitchen is one of the smallest commercial kitchens in the world.

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Working out of this tiny kitchen is no mean feat. The culinary team of around 105 people undergo an extensive training program to make sure they are comfortable and, most importantly, safe in the environment. Needless to say, safety is paramount in a moving kitchen flawlessly serving 700,000 plates of exquisite fare every year. The on board culinary team has strict regulations – pots can only be filled half-way for boiling, all the shelves have safety rails, fridges and oven doors have safety catches, and deep frying and open flames are a strict no-no.

So how does the team manage to do such a top-notch job, day after day? With clockwork precision.

Rocky Mountaineer has a commissary kitchen in Kamloops, a mid-point on its two-day routes, where the team loads up two days’ worth of food. Getting the correct quantities of ingredients is of vital importance, as popping out to a shop to pick up provisions is not an option. Being mindful of the on board inventory is also important, given fruit and vegetables ripen quicker on the train due to the vibrations.

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Knife work on board the moving kitchen can be a challenge, but Executive Chef Dan Stierhof has it covered, “The trick is to use the counter as ballast, leaning your body against it to absorb the movements of the train and not let it affect your cutting.” Baking, however, is a bit of a wager as the movements of the train can toss the product around in the oven and affect the process.

Meal prepping on board starts at 5.30 am with breakfast and does not stop until the last plate of the three-course lunch has left the gallery.

Every year the menu is refreshed and tasty variations are added throughout the season.

The team puts in many hours of practice to ensure the menu is delicious, as well as feasible to make in the tiny kitchen in large quantities.

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Given all the challenges of working in the mobile matchbox kitchen, what are some of the perks? “You never get bored” says Chef Dan. “The scenery outside the window is quite literally constantly changing. During service, you don’t have time to appreciate the view, but when you get a moment to take it all in, it never fails to amaze me.”

Discover more about our Canada & Alaska 5-star Fully-Inclusive Escorted Tours here

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Salmon, GoldLeaf Service Guests in GoldLeaf dining room Lunch Service Granola Parfait, GoldLeaf Service Pacific Prawns Rocky Mountaineer

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Revealing Canada’s

WINE SECRETS The phenomenon of ice wine in the Canadian winters O Canada, the land of poutine, polar bears, northern lights and of course, wine. Wait, did we say wine? We meant delicious wine. It might come as a surprise to many, but under that thick blanket of snow and heavy foliage of maple leaves, Canada has been hiding some of the most delightful wines and wineries.

The wine that is most commonly associated with Canada is, unsurprisingly, icewine.

Legend has it icewine originated in Germany

in the 18th century when a winemaker’s vineyard froze before it could be harvested for winter, and he decided to make wine anyway. Today, Canada is the largest producer of the variety in the world. To make icewine, grapes are allowed to freeze on the vines at temperatures under -8°C, and then the frozen grapes, hard as marbles, are put through a crusher to squeeze tiny amounts of sweet wine out of the grapes. And we mean seriously sweet wine.

When grapes freeze on vines, only the water content in the grapes freezes while the sugars stay intact.

This means, a good squeeze releases nothing but the most concentrated, naturally sugary, wonderfully flavoured wine. Fermentation takes several months and sometimes years due to the high sugar content, but the result is precious (quite literally) dessert wine that is bursting with flavours of tropical fruits, citrus,

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winemaking province, followed by British Columbia. Ontario’s Niagara Peninsula, with its wonderfully fertile soil facilitated by a unique micro-climate, is the largest wine producing region in the country.

toffee, caramel, and crème brûlée. Like the forming of diamonds under intense pressure, icewines are a delicious gift of the harsh Canadian winters.

While Canadian wines have only started becoming popular in the last few decades, winemaking in Canada goes back 400 years.

European settlers made several unsuccessful attempts to grow European varieties of grapes in Canada, but ultimately, only the native varieties flourished in the extreme weather.

There is an internationally recognised sweet spot of wine growing regions between the 30° to 50° North latitude. This is where all the famous wine growing regions of the world lie, from France’s Bordeaux, to USA’s Napa Valley.

Canada’s major wine growing regions also lie within this spectrum and its wines give the finest Burgundy stiff competition.

“While Canadian wines have only started becoming popular in the last few decades, winemaking in Canada goes back 400 years.”

Canada produces a range of premium wines, including red, white, rosé, sparkling, dessert and fortified, and Ontario is the largest

In British Columbia, the stunning Okanagan wine country is a hidden gem known largely only to the locals. The Okanagan Valley is home to 84% of the province’s vineyard acreage, breathtaking scenery, and a turquoisehued glacial lake with the legend of a Loch Ness-like monster known as Ogopogo.

The delicious, undiscovered wines of the valley are made from various grape varieties and rarely ever manage to leave the province.

Over 95% of the wine is consumed locally, which means your best bet to taste the treasure is to visit a British Columbian vineyard.

A Vines, Okanagan Valley B Icewine, Okanagan Valley

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Tips on how to use

INSTAGRAM…

Join our instagram community for travel inspiration around the world Scenic guests are some of the world’s great explorers, embarking on adventures around the world and enjoying life changing enriching experiences.

Guests are also our greatest advocates and users of social media in all its formats. Posts from our members around the world are inspiring and educating other travellers, to the wonders of their unique journeys.

Experience the joy of sharing your special Scenic moments with your family and friends (and us) – all in an instant.

Scenic is growing its Instagram account and we’d love you to become part of our community. Instagram is a great way to share your beautiful holiday snaps and to be inspired for your next adventure.

Here are our tips to learn about and make the most of Instagram:

A BEGINNER'S GUIDE TO INSTAGRAM STEP 1. Get the App Simply download the Instagram app via the App Store (iPhone) or Google Play Store (Android).

STEP 2. Create account Choose to sign up using your phone number, email address or Facebook account.

STEP 3. Follow your favourite accounts Click the search icon in the top left to find your friends, family or favourite brands.

Search “scenic_uk" to follow our UK account and scenic.eclipse for all things Scenic Eclipse.

STEP 4. Create your post Instagram is an entirely visual platform, its purpose is to enable users to share images or videos. On Facebook, you may choose to post 100 photos in an album. On Instagram, you need to be more selective about which photos you post – narrow it down to just your favourite photos from your holiday to post.

Open the App. Click the “+” icon in the bottom centre of your screen to open the photo library on your phone. Select your chosen photo or video and click “Next” in the top right.

This will take you to the edit screen, where you can choose to add a “Filter” or “Edit” your photo. Alternatively, click “Next” again to skip.

Now add a caption, tag people and add a location. Don’t forget to tag @scenic_uk and @scenic.eclipse and use the hashtag #scenicwonder in your caption!

When you are ready to publish, click “Share” in the top right.

And you have posted.

Follow us on Instagram @scenic_uk and @scenic.eclipse for the latest travel inspiration, and share your own Scenic travel experiences with #scenicwonder and #sceniceclipse

We always love hearing from our guests, seeing what you have experienced and sharing your favourite moments. Here’s some images that may inspire you to use Instagram and be part of the global sharing community.

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An ode to the omnipotent The beating heart of Australia shines bright

“I saw in my mind a landscape of illuminated stems that, like dormant seeds in a dry desert, quietly wait until darkness falls, under a blazing blanket of southern stars, to bloom with gentle rhythms of light.”

- Bruce Munro

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Deep inside Australia’s Red Centre lies its beating heart. The vital organ is not small, or soft, and certainly not fragile. Instead, it is enormous, resolute, and beats to the rhythm of a sacred, ancient beat, 600 million years old. Nearly three decades ago, Bruce Munro, a British artist, camped outside Uluru and recalls feeling this pulsation, one he described as “a charge in the air”, an incredible energy that seemed to radiate from the red desert.

Uluru, to the untrained eye, is a gigantic monolith. The scientists call it an inselberg, meaning an isolated hill or mountain rising abruptly from a plain. To the Anangu people, the traditional owners of the land, it is a living being, a keeper of their traditions, carrying tales of the ancestry of the world etched in

stone, without which they’d be lost. To take even a fragment of the holy rock is to invite a lifetime of bad luck – the curse of Uluru.

Rising 348 metres above the burnished red desertscape and running 3.5 kilometres long, Uluru astounds with its immensity. But what is visible to the naked eye is, quite literally, just the tip of the iceberg. Two-thirds of the rock is said to lie beneath the earth.

A monument like that deserves to be worshiped and respected with the Field of Light Uluru exhibition a fitting tribute. Like the veins of the life-giving organ, 50,000 swaying spindles topped with frosted glass globes, harness the sun’s energy to illuminate an area the size of four football fields.

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Designed by Bruce Munro, the spectacular light exhibition is known as 'Tili Wiru Tjuta Nyakutjaku' by the locals, meaning ‘looking at lots of beautiful lights’. Indeed it is a lot of beautiful lights. The solar-powered stems and bulbs were specially brought in from the United Kingdom, and it took 40 people six weeks to install them.

During the day, the sun transforms the ancient rock with its every move, from umber brown in the afternoon to flaming red in the evening. When dusk begins to drape the Red Centre in her cloak of velvety darkness, so thick you couldn’t see your hand if you held it before your face, you can still feel its palpable, spiritual aura.

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As night sets in, several million stars in the clear skies proudly shine down upon Uluru, revealing an imposing silhouette of the great guardian of the land. While closer to the ground, the iridescent otherworldly exhibition pays a silent homage, pleasantly glimmering like fairy wings from a scene straight out of A Mid-Summer Night’s Dream.

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PIOPIOTAHI (Milford Sound)

A sound, a fiord, an ethereal wonder That Rudyard Kipling called Milford Sound the ‘eighth wonder of the world’ is a well-known fact. But here’s something you probably didn’t know. The incredibly beautiful Milford Sound is not a sound at all! It is in fact a fjord (or fiord as the Kiwis prefer it). Milford Sound was formed during the ice age by melting glacial ice carving the dramatic, craggy landscape over millions of years. By definition, this process of glaciation makes Milford Sound a fiord.

A sound, on the other hand, is formed when sea water floods a river valley.

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But, as the Bard famously said, "a rose by any other name would smell as sweet" and Milford Sound is breathtaking no matter what you choose to call it. Distant snow-capped peaks, lush green cliffs, dark waters several hundred metres in depth, and gushing waterfalls that create wondrous two tier rainbows.

Incidentally, Milford Sound has served as the backdrop for Peter Jackson’s Lord of the Rings, and its famous Stirling Falls were made even more famous by Wolverine, Hugh Jackman, leaping off it in X-Men Origins.

Māori tribes discovered the ancient wonder a thousand years before Europeans, when they began frequenting the waters to fish and scour for precious pounamu, a greenstone revered by Māori tribes. They believe Milford Sound was carved by the powerful toki (an axe-like tool) of the atua (godly figure) Tu-te-raki-whanoa, empowered by a powerful prayer.

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SEE MILFORD SOUND ON OUR ROYAL NEW ZEALAND 19-DAY ESCORTED TOUR Christchurch > Aukland Was from £5,645pp Now from £4,695pp ave up to £950pp S Free private door-to-door chauffeur transfers^ OFFER ENDS 8 JUNE 2020 Departing: September 2020 > May 2021 Price shown includes double loyalty discount. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020. Terms and conditions apply. Quote 200WONDER at the time of booking to receive these offers.

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As per another legend, Māori hero, Māui came from his homeland in Hawaiki to challenge the goddess of death, Hine-nui-te-pō, to a duel and win eternal life for humankind. He brought with him a companion in the form of a piopio, a now extinct native bird. Tragically, Māui failed in his quest and was crushed between the thighs of the goddess. His heartbroken friend flew into Milford Sound in mourning, giving it the Māori name, Piopiotahi, meaning a single piopio.

To truly experience the spirit of Milford Sound, in all its geological and mystical glory, take a cruise. An extraordinary experience, a cruise through the fiord will reveal to you herds of sunning fur seal, pods of leaping dolphins, flocks of cheeky kea and rookeries of Fiordland crested penguin or ‘tawaki’. On a sunny day, the mirror-like waters reflect every detail of the sky and the mountains around. When it rains, the fiord is filled with magnificent waterfalls everywhere you look.

Milford Sound’s intriguing aura extends beyond the mythical world, and the unique composition of its waters makes it well worthy of the eighth wonder title. The fiord is one of the wettest places on the planet. Frequent rainfall washes down tannins from the surrounding cliffs into the waters, giving it the dark, opaque appearance. Below this layer of tannins is a layer of fresh rainwater, and below this freshwater lie the saline waters of the Tasman Sea. This unique composition has helped the growth of rare black coral (that are, ironically, not black at all), just 10 metres below the surface, otherwise only found deep in the ocean.

If you choose to take an overnight cruise, you will have the chance to witness Milford Sound in all its moods. Relax on the deck as the anchor is lowered and watch the sun disappear behind the mountains, drenching the fiord in a divine alpenglow, and wake up at first light to watch the mist eerily shroud the water’s surface.

A Milford Sound, New Zealand B Fiordland crested penguin

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The Retreat Hotel - Blue Lagoon, Iceland

The Retreat Hotel - Blue Lagoon, Iceland

UNIQUE HOTELS

around the world Discover some of the world’s most unique hotels in stunning locations with Scenic

The Retreat Hotel - Blue Lagoon, Iceland

The Retreat Hotel - Blue Lagoon, Iceland

Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, Denali State Park, Alaska

A stay at The Retreat invites guests to unwind the clock of modern life and unlock the door to a wonder of the world. It sits within a geothermic area, and is surrounded by thermal pools built on an 800-year-old lava flow.

With clear views of Denali and the wilds of Alaska, this true wilderness retreat is an extraordinary getaway. Located 40 miles from Denali in Denali State Park, the mountain’s presence is always near — its dramatic peaks on display from The Great Room as you sip on a locally brewed beer or making s’mores over firepits on the patio.

Discover our Scenic Eclipse Iceland - The Land of Fire & Ice and Arctic Islands itinerary

Discover our Canada & Alaska Escorted Tours

Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga, South Africa

explora Patagonia, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile

Odakyu Hotel de Yama, Kanagawa, Japan

Oyster Box Hotel, Umhlanga, South Africa

Anchored like a ship by Lake Pehoé, at the heart of Torres del Paine National Park, explora Patagonia has a privileged location from where guests can venture out and explore the park. Walking in lenga tree woods, getting to the base of Paine Towers, riding a horse through the Park’s prairies and rivers with horses specifically trained for Patagonia’s geography or cruising along the turquoise waters of Lake Pehoé are some of the experiences available.

Hotel de Yama boasts the best location on Lake Ashinoko. The grand gardens of the hotel boast an amazing 130,000m² floral display comprising more than 3,500 rhododendron plants.

Standing majestically on Umhlanga’s beachfront just 15 minutes from the airport, overlooking the Indian Ocean and the iconic lighthouse, this is South Africa’s most cherished hotel and a national treasure, complete with resident cat, Skabenga, who wandered in years ago and has never left.

Discover our Essential Japan, Allure of Japan and Japan in Focus Escorted Tours

Discover our South Africa and Victoria Falls Escorted Tour

Discover our Peru & Chile Explorer with Patagonian Adventure itinerary

explora Patagonia, Torres del Paine, Patagonia, Chile Mt. McKinley Princess Wilderness Lodge, Denali State Park, Alaska

WIN WIN AN E-BIKE WITH SCENIC

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COMPETITION CORNER TERMS & CONDITIONS

If you have previously travelled on a Europe river cruise with Scenic, you may have enjoyed a cycling tour on one of our e-bikes^.

And now we’re giving you the opportunity to enjoy the freedom of your own e-bike at home, with the chance to win this ASSIST Hybrid Electric Bike.

Prices based on per person twin share in GBP and are strictly limited and subject to availability. From prices include current offers, double loyalty discounts and Early Payment Discount and indicate the lowest suite category (river and ocean cruising) or tour date (escorted touring) available. Prices are correct at time of going to print (May 2020). Offers valid for new bookings only and are not combinable with any other offer. ^Private door-to-door transfers are complimentary within 75 miles and are subject to availability on 2021 departures only.

For guests who live outside 75 miles, an additional supplement of £2.00 per mile will be charged thereafter, UK mainland only. All drinks are included on-board except for a very small number of rare, fine and vintage wines, champagnes and spirits. We reserve the right to remove offers and promotions at any time.

2021 EUROPE RIVER COLLECTION PREVIEW OFFERS: 2021 Preview offers valid for new bookings only made by 8 June 2020. The 2021 cruises at 2020 prices offer based on the full release 2021 brochure price before any promotional discounts were applied. Prices shown include double loyalty discount.

ESCORTED TOURING: Offers valid for new bookings only made up to 8 June 2020. † Free Business Class Flight Upgrade is limited and is valid one way only on selected 2020/21 Australia & New Zealand itineraries. Offer is available on qualifying flights and upgrades are subject to availability. Supplements may apply if travelling on non-specified routes and from regional departure points. Upgrades are non-transferable and no cash or credit alternative will be offered. ≠2-night stopover in DXB depends on airline availability and routing.

Hills and headwinds will hardly exist as you use the 115wh battery to breeze around town and country. The ASSIST has a range of up to 20 miles and can recharge in just 2-3 hours.

For your chance to win, please answer the question below in 30 words or less.

Question: Where would be your favourite place to go on an e-bike excursion with Scenic and why?

HOW TO ENTER

SCENIC ECLIPSE: Offers are valid for new bookings only on our 2020-2022 collection. Pre-departure night included on all season departures – hotel stay will be allocated and booked by Scenic, includes bed and breakfast. #Free Business Class Flight Upgrade is subject to availability on qualifying flights, valid one way only on selected Antarctica cruises departing in 2020/21 for new bookings made by 8 June 2020. Supplements may apply if travelling on non-specified routes and from regional departure points. Upgrades are non-transferable and no cash or credit alternative will be offered. The promotion has no cash value and can be removed at any time. Helicopter and submarine activities are weather permitting, subject to availability and regulatory approvals, and incur additional costs.

EARLY PAYMENT DISCOUNT: Early payment discount of £125pp (Scenic European River Cruising) and £250pp (Scenic Eclipse) is available on 2021 departures onwards and based on two persons sharing.

Discount will be reduced for single occupancy. Full balance payment must be made on or before 31 October 2020 to receive this discount. Discount amount will be deducted from balance payment. Offers can be withdrawn at any time.

E-BIKE COMPETITION

Email you answer with your name, address and contact number to competitions@scenic.co.uk, with Wonder Competition in the subject line, by 30 June 2020.

^e-bikes not available on all ships. Where available, e-bikes will differ from the brand and model provided as the prize.

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Prize draw is operated by Scenic UK. Registered address is 4 Piccadilly Place, Manchester M1 3BN. Winner will be chosen at random from a list of participants who answered the question and sent in their answer by email to competitions@ scenic.co.uk. Entry is free of charge. Only one entry per person is permitted. Competition closes Tuesday 30 June 2020 at midnight. The winner will be notified by email or phone on or before Friday 31 July 2020. Prize of an ASSIST e-bike will be posted once the winner has been notified. There is no alternative or cash equivalent offered. To enter please send full name, address, telephone number and email address via email.

Call 0808 231 7960 scenic.co.uk Visit your local travel agent