Being an island nation you would expect Australia to have fabulous beaches, and it doesn’t disappoint. People enjoy swimming, surfing, sailing, fishing and a whole range of water sports off Australia’s shores. Many families spend their summer holidays at the beach, often returning to the same place year after year. Whether people stay in luxury hotels or camp on the foreshore, a beach holiday is an Australian way of life.

Cable Beach

In the far northwest of Australia is Cable Beach, located at Broome in Western Australia. With perfect white sand it stretches for twenty two kilometres along the edge of the Indian Ocean. A beautiful remote location, Broome is a popular tourist destination. A pearl fishing harbour, there are plenty of things to do, including horse riding along the beach, going site-seeing or shopping. See a movie at the Sun Picture Theatre, the oldest outdoor movie theatre in the world. Stay in the luxurious Cable Beach Resort or choose more budget accommodation.

Bells Beach

Torquay in Victoria is home to Bells Beach, the best surf beach in Australia. Every Easter it becomes the world’s focus during the Easter Classic, a championship surfing carnival. The Great Ocean Road begins here in Torquay, and follows the impressive coast line right through to Portland, near the border of Victoria and South Australia. Torquay itself is the surfing capital of Australia, with a museum and hall of fame dedicated to the sport. Camping is popular, and there are also motels, hotels and serviced apartments.

Four Mile Beach

In Queensland’s far north is Port Douglas and the beautiful Four Mile Beach. Once a port for a thriving gold industry, it is now a popular tourist destination. Port Douglas is a good central point to the Daintree Rainforest, as well as having the Great Barrier Reef just off the coast. The town has great shops and world class restaurants and the choice of fantastic accommodation. The beach is perfect for swimming, and some of the hotels back on to the beach.

Byron Bay

Byron Bay is situated on the northern New South Wales coast and is a classic Australian holiday destination. Once more of a location for those wanting an alternative lifestyle, it has now become a popular tourist spot, while still keeping the relaxed atmosphere. It is a great destination for families and the younger set, and there are plenty of things to do. Swimming, surfing, walking through the rainforest and visiting the most easterly point in Australia should all be on your list of things to do. There are great restaurants and markets, plenty of shops and to really relax, there is no shortage of day spas and massage therapists.

Fraser Island

The island is located off Queensland’s Sunshine Coast and is the world’s largest sand island. Take the trip to the island by ferry, but once there you will only be able to get around by four-wheel drive or on foot. Fraser Island is a beautiful nature based holiday, with sand dunes, fresh water creeks, lakes, coloured cliffs and incredible white sandy beaches. Stay in accommodation varying from five-star resorts through to camping in a tent.

Electronic music history pre-dates the rock and roll era by decades. Most of us were not even on this planet when it began its often obscure, under-appreciated and misunderstood development. Today, this ‘other worldly’ body of sound which began close to a century ago, may no longer appear strange and unique as new generations have accepted much of it as mainstream, but it’s had a bumpy road and, in finding mass audience acceptance, a slow one.

Many musicians – the modern proponents of electronic music – developed a passion for analogue synthesizers in the late 1970’s and early 1980’s with signature songs like Gary Numan’s breakthrough, ‘Are Friends Electric?’. It was in this era that these devices became smaller, more accessible, more user friendly and more affordable for many of us. In this article I will attempt to trace this history in easily digestible chapters and offer examples of today’s best modern proponents.

To my mind, this was the beginning of a new epoch. To create electronic music, it was no longer necessary to have access to a roomful of technology in a studio or live. Hitherto, this was solely the domain of artists the likes of Kraftwerk, whose arsenal of electronic instruments and custom built gadgetry the rest of us could only have dreamed of, even if we could understand the logistics of their functioning. Having said this, at the time I was growing up in the 60’s & 70’s, I nevertheless had little knowledge of the complexity of work that had set a standard in previous decades to arrive at this point.

The history of electronic music owes much to Karlheinz Stockhausen (1928-2007). Stockhausen was a German Avante Garde composer and a pioneering figurehead in electronic music from the 1950’s onwards, influencing a movement that would eventually have a powerful impact upon names such as Kraftwerk, Tangerine Dream, Brain Eno, Cabaret Voltaire, Depeche Mode, not to mention the experimental work of the Beatles’ and others in the 1960’s. His face is seen on the cover of “Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band”, the Beatles’ 1967 master Opus. Let’s start, however, by traveling a little further back in time.

The Turn of the 20th Century

Time stood still for this stargazer when I originally discovered that the first documented, exclusively electronic, concerts were not in the 1970’s or 1980’s but in the 1920’s!

The first purely electronic instrument, the Theremin, which is played without touch, was invented by Russian scientist and cellist, Lev Termen (1896-1993), circa 1919.

In 1924, the Theremin made its concert debut with the Leningrad Philharmonic. Interest generated by the theremin drew audiences to concerts staged across Europe and Britain. In 1930, the prestigious Carnegie Hall in New York, experienced a performance of classical music using nothing but a series of ten theremins. Watching a number of skilled musicians playing this eerie sounding instrument by waving their hands around its antennae must have been so exhilarating, surreal and alien for a pre-tech audience!

For those interested, check out the recordings of Theremin virtuoso Clara Rockmore (1911-1998). Lithuanian born Rockmore (Reisenberg) worked with its inventor in New York to perfect the instrument during its early years and became its most acclaimed, brilliant and recognized performer and representative throughout her life.

In retrospect Clara, was the first celebrated ‘star’ of genuine electronic music. You are unlikely to find more eerie, yet beautiful performances of classical music on the Theremin. She’s definitely a favorite of mine!

Electronic Music in Sci-Fi, Cinema and Television

Unfortunately, and due mainly to difficulty in skill mastering, the Theremin’s future as a musical instrument was short lived. Eventually, it found a niche in 1950’s Sci-Fi films. The 1951 cinema classic “The Day the Earth Stood Still”, with a soundtrack by influential American film music composer Bernard Hermann (known for Alfred Hitchcock’s “Psycho”, etc.), is rich with an ‘extraterrestrial’ score using two Theremins and other electronic devices melded with acoustic instrumentation.

Using the vacuum-tube oscillator technology of the Theremin, French cellist and radio telegraphist, Maurice Martenot (1898-1980), began developing the Ondes Martenot (in French, known as the Martenot Wave) in 1928.

Employing a standard and familiar keyboard which could be more easily mastered by a musician, Martenot’s instrument succeeded where the Theremin failed in being user-friendly. In fact, it became the first successful electronic instrument to be used by composers and orchestras of its period until the present day.

It is featured on the theme to the original 1960’s TV series “Star Trek”, and can be heard on contemporary recordings by the likes of Radiohead and Brian Ferry.

The expressive multi-timbral Ondes Martenot, although monophonic, is the closest instrument of its generation I have heard which approaches the sound of modern synthesis.

“Forbidden Planet”, released in 1956, was the first major commercial studio film to feature an exclusively electronic soundtrack… aside from introducing Robbie the Robot and the stunning Anne Francis! The ground-breaking score was produced by husband and wife team Louis and Bebe Barron who, in the late 1940’s, established the first privately owned recording studio in the USA recording electronic experimental artists such as the iconic John Cage (whose own Avante Garde work challenged the definition of music itself!).

The Barrons are generally credited for having widening the application of electronic music in cinema. A soldering iron in one hand, Louis built circuitry which he manipulated to create a plethora of bizarre, ‘unearthly’ effects and motifs for the movie. Once performed, these sounds could not be replicated as the circuit would purposely overload, smoke and burn out to produce the desired sound result.

Consequently, they were all recorded to tape and Bebe sifted through hours of reels edited what was deemed usable, then re-manipulated these with delay and reverberation and creatively dubbed the end product using multiple tape decks.

In addition to this laborious work method, I feel compelled to include that which is, arguably, the most enduring and influential electronic Television signature ever: the theme to the long running 1963 British Sci-Fi adventure series, “Dr. Who”. It was the first time a Television series featured a solely electronic theme. The theme to “Dr. Who” was created at the legendary BBC Radiophonic Workshop using tape loops and test oscillators to run through effects, record these to tape, then were re-manipulated and edited by another Electro pioneer, Delia Derbyshire, interpreting the composition of Ron Grainer.

As you can see, electronic music’s prevalent usage in vintage Sci-Fi was the principle source of the general public’s perception of this music as being ‘other worldly’ and ‘alien-bizarre sounding’. This remained the case till at least 1968 with the release of the hit album “Switched-On Bach” performed entirely on a Moog modular synthesizer by Walter Carlos (who, with a few surgical nips and tucks, subsequently became Wendy Carlos).

The 1970’s expanded electronic music’s profile with the break through of bands like Kraftwerk and Tangerine Dream, and especially the 1980’s when it found more mainstream acceptance.

The Mid 1900’s: Musique Concrete

In its development through the 1900’s, electronic music was not solely confined to electronic circuitry being manipulated to produce sound. Back in the 1940’s, a relatively new German invention – the reel-to-reel tape recorder developed in the 1930’s – became the subject of interest to a number of Avante Garde European composers, most notably the French radio broadcaster and composer Pierre Schaeffer (1910-1995) who developed a montage technique he called Musique Concrete.

Musique Concrete (meaning ‘real world’ existing sounds as opposed to artificial or acoustic ones produced by musical instruments) broadly involved the splicing together of recorded segments of tape containing ‘found’ sounds – natural, environmental, industrial and human – and manipulating these with effects such as delay, reverb, distortion, speeding up or slowing down of tape-speed (varispeed), reversing, etc.

Stockhausen actually held concerts utilizing his Musique Concrete works as backing tapes (by this stage electronic as well as ‘real world’ sounds were used on the recordings) on top of which live instruments would be performed by classical players responding to the mood and motifs they were hearing!

Musique Concrete had a wide impact not only on Avante Garde and effects libraries, but also on the contemporary music of the 1960’s and 1970’s. Important works to check are the Beatles’ use of this method in ground-breaking tracks like ‘Tomorrow Never Knows’, ‘Revolution No. 9’ and ‘Being for the Benefit of Mr. Kite’, as well as Pink Floyd albums “Umma Gumma”, “Dark Side of the Moon” and Frank Zappa’s “Lumpy Gravy”. All used tape cut-ups and home-made tape loops often fed live into the main mixdown.

Today this can be performed with simplicity using digital sampling, but yesterday’s heroes labored hours, days and even weeks to perhaps complete a four minute piece! For those of us who are contemporary musicians, understanding the history of electronic music helps in appreciating the quantum leap technology has taken in the recent period. But these early innovators, these pioneers – of which there are many more down the line – and the important figures they influenced that came before us, created the revolutionary groundwork that has become our electronic musical heritage today and for this I pay them homage!

1950’s: The First Computer and Synth Play Music

Moving forward a few years to 1957 and enter the first computer into the electronic mix. As you can imagine, it wasn’t exactly a portable laptop device but consumed a whole room and user friendly wasn’t even a concept. Nonetheless creative people kept pushing the boundaries. One of these was Max Mathews (1926 -) from Bell Telephone Laboratories, New Jersey, who developed Music 1, the original music program for computers upon which all subsequent digital synthesis has its roots based. Mathews, dubbed the ‘Father of Computer Music’, using a digital IBM Mainframe, was the first to synthesize music on a computer.

In the climax of Stanley Kubrik’s 1968 movie ‘2001: A Space Odyssey’, use is made of a 1961 Mathews’ electronic rendition of the late 1800’s song ‘Daisy Bell’. Here the musical accompaniment is performed by his programmed mainframe together with a computer-synthesized human ‘singing’ voice technique pioneered in the early 60’s. In the movie, as HAL the computer regresses, ‘he’ reverts to this song, an homage to ‘his’ own origins.

1957 also witnessed the first advanced synth, the RCA Mk II Sound Synthesizer (an improvement on the 1955 original). It also featured an electronic sequencer to program music performance playback. This massive RCA Synth was installed, and still remains, at the Columbia-Princeton Electronic Music Center, New York, where the legendary Robert Moog worked for a while. Universities and Tech laboratories were the main home for synth and computer music experimentation in that early era.

1960’s: The Dawning of The Age of Moog

The logistics and complexity of composing and even having access to what were, until then, musician unfriendly synthesizers, led to a demand for more portable playable instruments. One of the first to respond, and definitely the most successful, was Robert Moog (1934-2005). His playable synth employed the familiar piano style keyboard.

Moog’s bulky telephone-operators’ cable plug-in type of modular synth was not one to be transported and set up with any amount of ease or speed! But it received an enormous boost in popularity with the success of Walter Carlos, as previously mentioned, in 1968. His LP (Long Player) best seller record “Switched-On Bach” was unprecedented because it was the first time an album appeared of fully synthesized music, as opposed to experimental sound pieces.

The album was a complex classical music performance with various multi-tracks and overdubs necessary, as the synthesizer was only monophonic! Carlos also created the electronic score for “A Clockwork Orange”, Stanley Kubrik’s disturbing 1972 futuristic film.

From this point, the Moog synth is prevalent on a number of late 1960’s contemporary albums. In 1967 the Monkees’ “Pisces, Aquarius, Capricorn & Jones Ltd” became the first commercial pop album release to feature the modular Moog. In fact, singer/drummer Mickey Dolenz purchased one of the very first units sold.

It wasn’t until the early 1970’s, however, when the first Minimoog appeared that interest seriously developed amongst musicians. This portable little unit with a fat sound had a significant impact becoming part of live music kit for many touring musicians for years to come. Other companies such as Sequential Circuits, Roland and Korg began producing their own synths, giving birth to a music subculture.

I cannot close the chapter on the 1960’s, however, without reference to the Mellotron. This electronic-mechanical instrument is often viewed as the primitive precursor to the modern digital sampler.

Developed in early 1960’s Britain and based on the Chamberlin (a cumbersome US-designed instrument from the previous decade), the Mellotron keyboard triggered pre-recorded tapes, each key corresponding to the equivalent note and pitch of the pre-loaded acoustic instrument.

The Mellotron is legendary for its use on the Beatles’ 1966 song ‘Strawberry Fields Forever’. A flute tape-bank is used on the haunting introduction played by Paul McCartney.

The instrument’s popularity burgeoned and was used on many recordings of the era such as the immensely successful Moody Blues epic ‘Nights in White Satin’. The 1970’s saw it adopted more and more by progressive rock bands. Electronic pioneers Tangerine Dream featured it on their early albums.

With time and further advances in microchip technology though, this charming instrument became a relic of its period.

1970’s: The Birth of Vintage Electronic Bands

The early fluid albums of Tangerine Dream such as “Phaedra” from 1974 and Brian Eno’s work with his self-coined ‘ambient music’ and on David Bowie’s “Heroes” album, further drew interest in the synthesizer from both musicians and audience.

Kraftwerk, whose 1974 seminal album “Autobahn” achieved international commercial success, took the medium even further adding precision, pulsating electronic beats and rhythms and sublime synth melodies. Their minimalism suggested a cold, industrial and computerized-urban world. They often utilized vocoders and speech synthesis devices such as the gorgeously robotic ‘Speak and Spell’ voice emulator, the latter being a children’s learning aid!

While inspired by the experimental electronic works of Stockhausen, as artists, Kraftwerk were the first to successfully combine all the elements of electronically generated music and noise and produce an easily recognizable song format. The addition of vocals in many of their songs, both in their native German tongue and English, helped earn them universal acclaim becoming one of the most influential contemporary music pioneers and performers of the past half-century.

Kraftwerk’s 1978 gem ‘Das Modell’ hit the UK number one spot with a reissued English language version, ‘The Model’, in February 1982, making it one of the earliest Electro chart toppers!

Ironically, though, it took a movement that had no association with EM (Electronic Music) to facilitate its broader mainstream acceptance. The mid 1970’s punk movement, primarily in Britain, brought with it a unique new attitude: one that gave priority to self-expression rather than performance dexterity and formal training, as embodied by contemporary progressive rock musicians. The initial aggression of metallic punk transformed into a less abrasive form during the late 1970’s: New Wave. This, mixed with the comparative affordability of many small, easy to use synthesizers, led to the commercial synth explosion of the early 1980’s.

A new generation of young people began to explore the potential of these instruments and began to create soundscapes challenging the prevailing perspective of contemporary music. This didn’t arrive without battle scars though. The music industry establishment, especially in its media, often derided this new form of expression and presentation and was anxious to consign it to the dustbin of history.

1980’s: The First Golden Era of Electronic Music for the Masses

Gary Numan became arguably the first commercial synth megastar with the 1979 “Tubeway Army” hit ‘Are Friends Electric?’. The Sci-Fi element is not too far away once again. Some of the imagery is drawn from the Science Fiction classic, “Do Androids Dream of Electric Sheep?”. The 1982 hit film “Blade Runner” was also based on the same book.

Although ‘Are Friends Electric?’ featured conventional drum and bass backing, its dominant use of Polymoogs gives the song its very distinctive sound. The recording was the first synth-based release to achieve number one chart status in the UK during the post-punk years and helped usher in a new genre. No longer was electronic and/or synthesizer music consigned to the mainstream sidelines. Exciting!

Further developments in affordable electronic technology placed electronic squarely in the hands of young creators and began to transform professional studios.

Designed in Australia in 1978, the Fairlight Sampler CMI became the first commercially available polyphonic digital sampling instrument but its prohibitive cost saw it solely in use by the likes of Trevor Horn, Stevie Wonder and Peter Gabriel. By mid-decade, however, smaller, cheaper instruments entered the market such as the ubiquitous Akai and Emulator Samplers often used by musicians live to replicate their studio-recorded sounds. The Sampler revolutionized the production of music from this point on.

In most major markets, with the qualified exception of the US, the early 1980’s was commercially drawn to electro-influenced artists. This was an exciting era for many of us, myself included. I know I wasn’t alone in closeting the distorted guitar and amps and immersing myself into a new universe of musical expression – a sound world of the abstract and non traditional.

At home, Australian synth based bands Real Life (‘Send Me An Angel’, “Heartland” album), Icehouse (‘Hey Little Girl’) and Pseudo Echo (‘Funky Town’) began to chart internationally, and more experimental electronic outfits like Severed Heads and SPK also developed cult followings overseas.

But by mid-decade the first global electronic wave lost its momentum amidst resistance fomented by an unrelenting old school music media. Most of the artists that began the decade as predominantly electro-based either disintegrated or heavily hybrid their sound with traditional rock instrumentation.

The USA, the largest world market in every sense, remained in the conservative music wings for much of the 1980’s. Although synth-based records did hit the American charts, the first being Human League’s 1982 US chart topper ‘Don’t You Want Me Baby?’, on the whole it was to be a few more years before the American mainstream embraced electronic music, at which point it consolidated itself as a dominant genre for musicians and audiences alike, worldwide.

1988 was somewhat of a watershed year for electronic music in the US. Often maligned in the press in their early years, it was Depeche Mode that unintentionally – and mostly unaware – spearheaded this new assault. From cult status in America for much of the decade, their new high-play rotation on what was now termed Modern Rock radio resulted in mega stadium performances. An Electro act playing sold out arenas was not common fare in the USA at that time!

In 1990, fan pandemonium in New York to greet the members at a central record shop made TV news, and their “Violator” album outselling Madonna and Prince in the same year made them a US household name. Electronic music was here to stay, without a doubt!

1990’s Onward: The Second Golden Era of Electronic Music for the Masses

Before our ‘star music’ secured its hold on the US mainstream, and while it was losing commercial ground elsewhere throughout much of the mid 1980’s, Detroit and Chicago became unassuming laboratories for an explosion of Electronic Music which would see out much of the 1990’s and onwards. Enter Techno and House.

Detroit in the 1980’s, a post-Fordism US industrial wasteland, produced the harder European influenced Techno. In the early to mid 80’s, Detroiter Juan Atkins, an obsessive Kraftwerk fan, together with Derrick May and Kevin Saunderson – using primitive, often borrowed equipment – formed the backbone of what would become, together with House, the predominant music club-culture throughout the world. Heavily referenced artists that informed early Techno development were European pioneers such as the aforementioned Kraftwerk, as well as Yello and British Electro acts the likes of Depeche Mode, Human League, Heaven 17, New Order and Cabaret Voltaire.

Chicago, a four-hour drive away, simultaneously saw the development of House. The name is generally considered to be derived from “The Warehouse” where various DJ-Producers featured this new music amalgam. House has its roots in 1970’s disco and, unlike Techno, usually has some form of vocal. I think Giorgio Moroder’s work in the mid 70’s with Donna Summer, especially the song ‘I Feel Love’, is pivotal in appreciating the 70’s disco influences upon burgeoning Chicago House.

A myriad of variants and sub genres have developed since – crossing the Atlantic, reworked and back again – but in many ways the popular success of these two core forms revitalized the entire Electronic landscape and its associated social culture. Techno and House helped to profoundly challenge mainstream and Alternative Rock as the preferred listening choice for a new generation: a generation who has grown up with electronic music and accepts it as a given. For them, it is music that has always been.

The history of electronic music continues to be written as technology advances and people’s expectations of where music can go continues to push it forward, increasing its vocabulary and lexicon.

The holiday resort of Sharm el Sheikh translates in to “The City of Peace” and is situated on the southern tip of the Sinai peninsular. Sharm el Sheikh is the biggest city on the Sinai peninsular. The near by towns of Nuweiba, Dahab and Taba offer tourist attractions and also have a growing number of hotels large and small.

Beaches

The main industry of Sharm el-Sheikh is tourism, both domestic and international. Tourists are attracted to Sharm el-Sheikh’s natural beaches, spectacular landscape, and constant low humidity. Apart from Egypts ancient appeal, the country is a magnet for people taking package holidays than any other kind of visitor. This is due to warm Egyptian beaches, which are both low-cost and luxurious.

Water sports

Water sports, such as snorkeling, scuba diving, wind surfing, kite surfing, para sailing, boating, and canoeing, are popular here and considered to be amongst the best in the world, due to Sharm’s tranquil and transparent waters almost year-round. In close proximity to the Red Sea, Sharm offers some of the most eye-catching underwater scenery and warm water making this the perfect place to dive. Tourists have the unique opportunity to see a vast spectrum of Marine species. Sharm el-Sheikh is a habitat for two hundred and fifty of various coral reefs, and one thousand species of fish.

Excursions

Sharm offers a vast variety of excursions, for example Safari Tours, Sea Tours, Nile Cruises, and even Balloon Tours. Just imagine yourself taking a day trip to Luxor by plane from Sharm, visiting Valley of the Kings, Memnon statues, Hatshepsut temple, and Karnak temples. Alternatively, you might prefer to visit the desert mountains, which are the Sinai’s most remarkable facet, and which conceals the Colored Canyon, one of its most gorgeous highlights. Near the coastal village of Nuweiba, this outstandingly deep, narrow fracture is splashed with red, orange, yellow, and purple mineral sediments.

Transportation

You can get to Sharm by plane, boat, bus, or car. Sharm el-Sheikh International Airport offers regular flights to Alexandria, Cairo, Hurghada, and Luxor. Additionally, there are numerous cheap flights from London airports and charter flights to Ireland, Italy, Germany, Poland, Switzerland, United Kingdom, and other destinations. In Sharm’s marina, there are not only private sailboats and yachts, but also cruise ships and ferry that can take you to Aqaba and Hurghada. International Fast Ferries provides fast boats to Hurghada on the mainland Red Sea Coast four times weekly. The travel time is 1.5 hours for the price of 250 one-way and 450 LE round trip. Be aware, that the trip is infamously bumpy and subject to cancellations.

If you decide to drive to Sharm el-Sheikh, you can start from Eilat, Israel and drive down the eastern coast, via Nuweiba and Dahab. Another option is driving along the western coast from the capital city of Cairo. Daily buses are offered for both routes. From Cairo, if you take an East Delta bus, your travel time would be around eight hours (80 LE); in a luxury coach, it takes in the region of 6 hours. When traveling from Cairo by bus, keep your passport and ticket handy, because you will go through several checkpoints. The drive is pleasant with magnificent scenery, all the way through the route.

In Sharm, you can travel by taxi. The taxis are generally modern, either Chevrolet or Hyundai. Be ready to demand that the taxi uses its meter; it is the law in Sharm. You can also take a small bus, which is a fleet of blue and white tuk-tuk, which is less expensive way of transportation than taxis. To get on a tuk-tuk just wait on the side of the main street and raise your hand to stop one as it approaches. A single fare to anywhere in Sharm will be approximately 20 LE.

Hotels

Many hotels in Sharm el-Sheikh, especially in the Na’ama Bay area, accommodate package holiday tourists. There are from three to six star all-inclusive hotels, refined facilities, and some budget accommodations. Sharm is a well-developed area, and it looks more like a European resort, rather than an Egyptian one. While anyone can probably spend a lot here, Sharm el-Shakh remains, for many Europeans, a comparatively cheap holiday alternative to pricey beach resorts elsewhere in Europe.

Some hotels are rather far from Na’ama Bay, so you have to pay for taxi for every trip to Na’ama. However, taxi is not that expensive from most hotels. In Na’ama Bay, the hotels are often situated across a street for pedestrians; this can interfere a bit with privacy, especially when using a hotel’s pool.

If your seeking affordable luxury check the Renaissance hotel, Hilton waterfalls and Concorde el Salaam. If you prefer a luxurious stay, among your options are Hyatt Regency Sharm El Sheikh, Grand Rotana Resort & Spa, Maritim Royal Peninsula Hotel & Resort, Four Seasons, and Ritz Carlton.

Lighthouse Inns – United States

Popham Beach Bed and Breakfast

4 Riverview Avenue, Popham Beach – Phippsburg, ME 04562

Phone: (207) 389-2409 Fax: (207) 389-2379

While technically not a lighthouse, this former life saving station offers views of several lighthouses off the Kennebec River, Maine, including Seguin Island. And it especially qualifies as a romantic site, as you may have seen it featured in the movie Message in a Bottle. Right on the beach, there are four rooms to choose from, which come with a two or three course breakfast served in the former mess hall.

The Cove Bed and Breakfast

Lighthouse1 Loop Road – PO Box 1300, Ocracoke, North Carolina 27960

Phone: (252) 928-4192 Fax: (252) 928-4092

Six tastefully decorated rooms and a cottage comprise The Cove’s amenities. This isn’t a lighthouse, but is located on the Outer Banks of North Carolina, only a stone’s throw away from Ocracoke Lighthouse. A ferry ride takes you the island, where you can do nothing or everything, from walks on the beach to fine dining. No information on their breakfast, other than that it’s scrumptious. Hint: the sunset side offers views of the lighthouse.

Heceta Head Bed and Breakfast

92072 Hwy. 101 South, Yachats, OR 97498

Phone: Toll Free 1-(866)-547-3696

Imagine staying in one of the six rooms of the original lightkeeper’s house on the Oregon coast. And waking up to a seven course breakfast. And falling asleep to the First Order Fresnel lens flashing out its warning. It doesn’t get much better than that. Oh wait, did I mention the fireplaces to take the chill off the night? Or the two lighthouse cats available for cuddling? Hint: The Victoria’s Room may come with a guest…Rue, the famous ghost of the house.

Lighthouse Inn at Point Cabrillo

45300 Lighthouse Road, P.O. Box 641, Mendocino, California 95460

Phone: Toll Free: 866-937-6124

Four period furnished guest rooms and two cottages are available for rent in the Lightkeeper’s original home at Point Cabrillo Lighthouse. All the rooms have ocean views, and the Lightkeepers Room in the main house comes with blackout shades as it overlooks the Third Order Fresnel. A five course gourmet breakfast is provided, and all guests are treated to a nighttime tour of theworking lighthouse.

East Brother Lightstation

117 Park Place, Point Richmond, CA 94801

Phone: (510) 233-2385

Four of the rooms at this inn are located right in the lighthouse, and the fifth is in the original fog signal building. A stay at the lighthouse includes champagne hors d’oeuvres upon arrival, a multi-course dinner with wine and a full gourmet breakfast the next morning. Guests are also provided with a full tour of the island. Special discounts for January, February and March.

Sand Hills Lighthouse Inn

Five Mile Point Road P.O. Box 298 Ahmeek, MI 49901

Phone: (906) 337-1744

Eight lovely rooms, each with private bath and two with whirlpools and balconies are decorated in Victorian style. Breakfast is served at a fashionably late hour for lovers, at 9:30. The original lighthouse lens is in the house, in the lightkeeper’s office. Enjoy the views of Lake Superior’s majesty, or stay warm playing billiards in the recreation room. And enjoy the stars at night…no light pollution to get in the way (watch for the Northern Lights).

Big Bay Point Lighthouse Bed and Breakfast

#3 Lighthouse Road, Big Bay, Michigan 49808

Phone: (906) 345-9957

The special February 13- 17 Valentine’s package (filled for this year of course) includes two nights lodging with full breakfast each morning, two one hour relaxation massages, romance gift basket, flowers and dinner at the Thunder Bay Inn. The lighthouse also doubles as a spa, with full sauna facilities and massage therapy. You can try the hot stone and Dead Sea pack massage. Or perhaps the Relaxation (Swedish) massage and herbal body wrap. Whatever you choose, this would be a perfect winter getaway with your sweetie.

Lighthouse Inns – Caribbean Islands

Palmetto Point Lighthouse (Bahamas)

2309 Woodview Road, Kinston, NC 28504

Phone: 561-395-0483

Not a bed and breakfast, but a full size house at the only charted lighthouse vacation home in the Bahamas. It’s available as a weekly rental, with three bedrooms, two full baths, air conditioning and a pink sand beach at the doorstep. Yes, pink. What other color is suited for love?

Lighthouse Inn (Jamaica)

West End Road, Negril, Jamaica

Phone: (876) 957-4052

Located across from the Negril Lighthouse, these guest cottages are just made for a midwinter getaway. The cottages are in a “nearly untouched” natural garden setting, and the Inn restaurant advertises it as famous for catering fine romantic dinners. And of course, in Jamaica, you have all the normal things to do and see besides the lighthouse such as scuba diving, sailiing, swimming and more.

Lighthouse Inns – Australia and New Zealand

Cape Otway Lightstation (Australia)

Great Ocean Road, Cape Otway, Victoria, Australia

Phone: 03 5237 9240 (intl: +61 3 5237 9240)

Can it get any better than this? The lightstation is in the heart of the Great Ocean Walk, and is the oldest surviving mainland lighthouse in Australia. And you have your choice of three types of accommodations, ranging from the Head Keeper’s House (up to 16 people) or the two Beds and Breakfast buildings, the Head Lightkeeper’s Bed and Breakfast or the newer Manager’s House Bed and Breakfast. The food is homemade at the lightstation by Greek and French chefs.

The Lighthouse and The Keep (New Zealand)

326 The Esplanade, Island Bay, Wellington, NZ (Lighthouse)

116 The Esplanade, Houghton Bay, Wellington, NZ (The Keep)

P.O.Box 11275, Wellington, New Zealand

Phone/fax (04) 472-4177 Mobile phone: 027-442-5555

And for a completely different experience than Cape Otway, you can stay in a rustic lighthouse, or its companion, The Keep. At the lighthouse, the bottom floor is the kitchen and bathroom, the middle floor has the bedroom and the top floor (lantern room) has a sitting room. The site says you can sleep on the top floor if you like, as long as you’re prepared to be awakened by the sunrise. Plenty of breakfast items to choose from. The Keep is a stone building set into the mountainside, and has the lounge and kitchen on one level, and the bedroom and bath (with a spa) on the next. A hatch opens to the roof.

Lighthouse Inns – The Netherlands

Harlingen Lighthouse

NLDromen aan zee, Postbus 89, 8860 AB Harlingen

Phone: +31(0)517 414410

A one room hotel is how this decommissioned lighthouse calls itself. The lighthouse is available for two people only, and includes breakfast. Extra amenities can include champagne, red roses and a champagne breakfast. If the lighthouse is booked (2008 is full) you can always stay at the Harbour Crane or the Lifeboat.

Lighthouse Inns – Sweden

Damman Lighthouse Waterhotel

Kalmar Sound, Baltic Sea

The “Queen of the Baltic,” the Damman Island Lighthouse in Sweden is a full service hotel created from an abandoned lighthouse. Upgrades are ongoing, and plans for this year include adding wind generators. The light is open year round, however, weather may play a part. The hotel includes sauna facilities, including one on a pontoon boat, the Misty Sauna, complete with bar, where one can float around Kalmar Sound and enjoy a true Swedish sauna and dip in the Baltic Sea afterwards. Menus are custom built for you.

Lighthouse Inns – United Kingdom

Corsewall Lighthouse Hotel

Corsewall Point Kirkcolm, Stranraer, Scotland DG9 0QG

Phone: 01776 853220

Although this luxury hotel is for sale (got $2.5 million to spare?), it’s still open. And the romantic, award winning restaurant’s sample menus are to die for. But if staying at the hotel is not private enough for you, there are two new suites about three minutes from the main hotel building, with spectacular sea views. Nearby golf (of course, this is Scotland after all) and museums can fill your spare time.

Trinity House Lighthouses

Managed by Rural Retreats

Thirty, yes thirty, lighthouse accommodations to choose from, from Cornwall to Devon, the Isle of Wight to Yorkshire. Trinity House, Great Britain’s lighthouse authority, has refurbished an amazing amount of lightkeepers homes and rents them out through Rural Retreats. You’re sure to find something for your romantic moments together. On the website, click on lighthouses at the left and you’ll be presented with the listing of accommodations. Alderney Lighthouse in the Channel Islands, is one of those available for rent.

Okay, so that was more than 15, since the last had 30. But even if you don’t get to a romantic lighthouse hideaway this Valentine’s Day, there’s always the next. Tell your sweetie to start saving (and booking now). For photos and links please visit Lighthouse News.

Malia is a town in Crete that has quite a reputation. If you are in for a party, then Malia is the place to go. Holidays in Malia are an experience in itself. Because let’s be honest, the beaches in Malia are the best of the island of Crete. Beautiful sand stretches that only disappear at the horizon. The beaches are all set up with sunbathing stretchers so you can get the sun tan you’ve been looking for. Or, if you had a rough party night, they are ideal to sleep off your party “fatigue.”

For those who survived the evenings of Malia, there is a lot of water activity available: you can rent a jet-ski or boat and sail the deep blue sea. The bottom line is: Holidays held in Malia are amongst the best summer breaks you can imagine.

When you leave the beach in the late afternoon, there is a whole bunch of bars and restaurants to choose from. And if you need to eat something while on the beach, there is plenty of snack bars that fulfill that need. But in the evenings, your possibilities are literally endless. You can eat Mexican, Dutch, Indian and Chinese food or simply order a burger menu.

After you’ve filled your stomach with some Malia food, it is now time to hit the nightlife. The city is packed with Greek bars, English and Irish pubs and discos that will keep you busy until the early morning hours (when it is time to hit the beach again).

However, Malia is not just a place to visit for its legendary and wild nightlife. Is is a historic place and you will definitely taste the flavor of ancient Greece on this part of the island. And if you rent a car in Malia, you’ll be able to visit all ancient locations on the island of Crete with your friends or family.

And let’s not forget an important fact about Malia: It is a very cheap location to go on a holiday. Whether you rent an apartment, book a hotel or choose a studio for your stay, the locations are all very affordable.

So, let’s go over some specifics:

Traveling to Malia, Crete

During the season a lot of airlines fly to the airport of Heraklion. There are also budget airlines organizing flights to other airports on the island. During wintertime, the only airline flying to Crete really is Olympic Airways. Flights in winter all go via Athens airport.

Crete can also be reached by ferry from Piraeus (near Athens) to Heraklion.

Your Flight time

A flight to Heraklion from London takes approximately 4 hours. From Heraklion it takes about 45 min. by bus to the center of Malia. If your agent is taking care of the transfer, the bus trip could take you longer due to the many stops at other accommodations.

Hotels and Apartments, What is Your Choice?

There are about 25 hotels in Malia and approximately 40 apartment buildings. Popular hotels in Malia are “Malia Park”, “Alexander Beach” and “Malia Beach”. These hotels are 4 and 5 stars. Popular apartment buildings are “Parthenis Beach” (3 stars) and “Acrogiali” (4 stars).

Transport in Malia

Malia isn’t that big and in the city center it is best to just walk. Some hotels however are based outside Malia. In this case it’s best to take a cab or perhaps a rental car. During lunch time it is best to avoid this form of transportation because of traffic.

Your Documents

You need a passport or valid travel documents to fly to Crete.

Season, Climate

During winter it is not that hot and a lot in Malia is also closed. For beach holidays in Crete it’s best to visit Malia from June to September. During those months it practically never rains and the temperature is comfortable. In July and August temperatures easily reach 40 degrees Celsius. Please note: during the high season in July and August it’s very busy in Malia and Crete.

What to Pay with

In Malia you can pay with Euros. Changing American Dollars and Pounds is not really a problem. Credit Cards are accepted everywhere and there are plenty of ATM’s in the city.

Gratuities

Giving a tip in Malia is normal. Here is a guideline of the amounts:

Catering Industry: you just leave your change

Taxi’s: round up the taxi fare

Hair Dressers: you round up the amount

Porters: 2 to 3 euros per bag is normal

Chambermaids: 2 to 3 euros per day is expected

Guides: 2 to 5 euros per person (also depending on how big the group is).

And just as a note: Tips below 50 cents are considered an insult. So keep that in mind.

Time zone

On Crete it is 2 hours later than in England and 1 hour later than the European mainland.

Language Spoken in Malia

The language spoken on Crete (and thus Malia) is Greek. In Malia English and German is not really a problem though. Everybody speaks English and quite a few people also German.

Telephone & Cell

The Country Code for Greece and Crete is +30. Using your mobile is not a problem if you are subscribed to one of the main cell phone providers.

Electricity

Men have to shave using 220 Volts AC, just like the hair dryers of the women work on 220 Volts!

Criminality

Malia and Crete are quite safe. There is not really a lot of criminality. Keep your things safe in your accommodation though. Besides that, the local police are ruthless with people that get in a fight after excessive alcohol usage. Going to jail for some time is no exception to the rule actually. So for the young amongst the readers: behave yourselves. Don’t spend your vacation in jail.

Important!

Possession of drugs (or dealing drugs) will get you in jail for a long, long time.

Things to See Close to Malia

Knossos, Agios Nikalaos, Heraklion, Stalis and the Minoan Palace, 2 miles (3 km) east of Malia.

So, if you are ready to go on a holiday, start checking out some flights to Malia. It’s time to get going!

For 6 whole months, I worked non-stop 50-60 hour weeks at two different jobs. Firstly, I worked numerous hours as a “checkout chick” asking people pointless questions about their weekend while I packed their cleaning products separate from their veggies or fixed their ‘unexpected item in the bagging area problem’ on the self-serve machines. My second job was found on gumtree at a call centre, where I spent all my afternoons on the phone to parents convincing them to book a consultation so our salesmen could give their kids a ‘free assessment’ and basically sell them an online tutoring software.

So yeah, it wasn’t very glamorous but I did what I had to do to save up enough money.

I am going to break this down into different categories on what I spent my money on. Over the six months I spent most of my time in Europe but also visited UK, Middle East, Asia and Africa.

TOURS:

Before I left, I booked 4 different tours. Tours are the best if you don’t want to organize anything yourself and still have the best time without hassle. I travelled with both Contiki and Topdeck and definitely preferred Contiki. The company seemed a lot more professional, although I still had the most amazing time on both my Topdeck tours as well.

Contiki European Contrasts: $4341 for a 29 day budget tour around Europe. This was the first thing I booked so therefore, got an early payment discount.

The next three I booked through a travel agent and got a discount again for booking multiple trips,

Contiki Turkish Sailing: 7 days on a sail boat around the Turkish Coast

Topdeck Turkey Explored: 12 days exploring different cities in Turkey staying in hotels.

Topdeck Egypt Express: 8 day budget tour

These three cost: $2576

I also booked Oktoberfest accommodation through a company called PPTravel as they book out really quickly! It cost $280 for 3 nights in a dorm room on a camping ground. This is a much cheaper alternative to hostels during this period and also a little bit nicer than camping in tents.

TOTAL TOUR COST: $7017 which was all paid before I left

Flights:

My return flights to London with a 3 day stopover in Dubai and 2 week stopover coming home in Bali cost $2232 on Royal Brunei. My tip is if possible, go to the travel expo which is on in February each year. I got the best deal as you could compare all different travel agents and companies at the same place.

Internal flights/buses/ferries/trains etc:

Most of the major transport was booked on the go using apps like ‘Sky Scanner’ or online booking companies. All ferries in Greece were booked at the ports and most buses and trains were booked at the station. To save money, book an overnight bus, ferry or train. This is normally the cheapest time to travel and even though it is not the comfiest sleep, it saves you also spending money on a night of accommodation.

Internal transport = $2,751

Accommodation:

The places I stayed at ranged depending on which country I was in. For example in UK, accommodation is so expensive so hostels (20-28 bed dorms) were the way to go for the cheapest (not the greatest) night sleep. Be prepared to be woken up by a rowdy English soccer team at 8am in the morning! In Greece it was usually cute bed and breakfasts or guest houses except for party island iOS where we fit three of us into a little “shack” as we called it. For 5 euros ($8) a night what do you expect!

In Egypt, as it is very cheap, myself and two friends stayed in the most luxurious 5 star hotel. This was probably the nicest accommodation we came across.

AirBnb is also a great alternative and a way to meet the nicest people and get a real taste for living in that country.

I was also fortunate to have relatives in Greece and friends in England so having those connections for free accommodation is a huge benefit when travelling overseas.

Total cost of accommodation (excluding tours) = $1973

OTHER STUFF:

And then there comes the most important costs food and alcohol. It is so easy to spend way too much money on these two factors especially when you’re drunk or hung-over. Try to limit how much you spend each day and opt for 2 meals rather than 3. Often hostels do free breakfast so make the most of them when you can. Also it is possible to live off $3 gyros each day in Greece for 2 months, trust me.

Shopping, souvenirs, public transport, tipping also all come into this category. If you know you want to buy a lot, bring more money or use your credit card like I did. By the end of the trip I had put an extra $2,300 on my credit card which was basically on presents, Victoria’s Secret lingerie and you guessed it… more food and alcohol.

Total: 12,900

TOTAL EXPENSES: $24,900

Now this may have scared you to death about wanting to travel now but don’t let it! If you don’t think you can save as much, go for shorter time. 3 months or even 2 months in Europe is still a lot of time. Also limit the places you go. I visited 21 countries and 5 continents so the more cities and towns you visit, the more it is going to cost you.

If you want to go for a long period of time, give yourself more time to save enough cash and be strict on how you spend your money at home. Instead of spending $50 on a dress you’ll wear once, you could be white water rafting in Austria or drinking numerous litres of beer at Oktoberfest.

The way I see it is, it’s really a once in a lifetime opportunity so you might as well spend it up and make the most of it. You want to do, see and experience everything you can and really come back with no regrets!

Aborigines have lived in Australia for thousands of years and their life consisted of roaming the hot sands and windy coastlines of Australia, Tasmania and the hundreds of smaller islands that surround them. Today, there are only a small number of them remaining and most live in the areas around Queensland and New South Wales.

Although the Aboriginal community has dwindled dramatically, their beliefs, culture and traditions very much remain in evidence and they maintain their identity through music, art, dance and close-knit communities.

Art is an essential part of the Aborigine culture and each piece produced has a story to tell. Artists still use tools and techniques from thousands of years ago and these are the reasons as to why the international art world is so fascinated with it.

‘The Dreaming’ is the way Aboriginal people explain life and how their world came into being. It is fundamental to the existence of traditional Aboriginal people, their lifestyle and culture, as it is connected to their values and beliefs and their bond with every living creature and every aspect of the landscape.

Basically the Dreaming tells the stories of the voyages and exploits of the creator ancestors and how they formed the natural world including the trees, rocks, waterholes, rivers, mountains and stars, as well as living things such as the animals and plants, and their spirits inhabit these features of the natural world today. Dreaming stories also are ways of understanding how their ancestors lived thousands of years ago, what they hunted, their rituals, and how they defended themselves against enemies.

Art is one of the methods Aboriginal people use to find ways of communicating with and maintain a oneness with the Dreaming. They believe that when people take on the characteristics of the Dreaming ancestors through dance, song and art, and when they maintain sacred sites, the spirits of the creator ancestors are reborn.

Traditional art forms varied in different areas of Australia depending on the types of materials that were available, in the central desert area ground drawing was an essential style of art and rock art can be found all over the country. The sheer size of Australia has resulted in many kinds of Aboriginal art, including sculptures made up of rocks and wood, painting on leaves and designing ceremonial clothing, painting on bark and basket weaving.

Amongst the oldest forms of Aboriginal art is body painting, which involves painting traditional designs onto the body in a series of intricate patterns in preparation for an important ceremony or dance.

As the international art world started to pay attention to the Aboriginal artists they transferred much of their work to canvas to enable them to display it and sell it. As their art tells of ancestral secrets they started to use the familiar dots as a way to protect their traditions. Most people recognize this ‘dot art’ as an Aboriginal style and there are many important artists whose art is fashionable and respected all over the world, as well as in Australia.

If you are interested in Aboriginal art then a good place to start looking for unique pieces is Sydney with various artists displaying, and selling, their work in the cities art galleries. Sydney itself is a great place to explore, take the ferry from the harbour at Circular Quay to Manly and let your eyes feast on the spectacular Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge. Look for a gallery that works directly with Aboriginal community art centres and where much of the income goes to the artists themselves. If you do buy something you should also get a certificate of authenticity issued by the artist’s community art centre.

Hotels in Sydney can be booked online where you could be lucky and get a last minute deal or cheap package rather than booking direct with the hotel.

My Halifax City Tour, expertly narrated by Allen Mackenzie, a passionate Haligonian in a kilt, had provided me with a great overview of this city, and my visit to the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic had added to my knowledge of Halifax, particularly of its connection to the Titanic and the 1917 Explosion. Still mulling over the historic significance of this city, the largest population centre on Canada’s East Coast, I sat down close to the waterfront to finally have lunch and strengthen myself after an intense introduction to the city.

On this sunny, fairly warm day I had a seat on the outdoor patio of Stayner’s Wharf, one of the restaurants on the Waterfront, located right next to the Halifax – Dartmouth Ferry Terminal. I was finally able to catch a rest, relax in the autumn sun and get ready for my lunch. I ordered the “Captain’s Brunch”, a pan-seared brunch-size portion of Atlantic salmon with one lightly fried egg, creamy whipped potatoes topped with a bit of Hollandaise sauce, served with a slice of tomato and cucumber. It was a very satisfying lunch, looking out onto Halifax’ waterfront, with a view of the Theodore Too, Halifax’ famous TV-show inspired tugboat.

I took about half an hour before I got up and made my way southwards on the Harbourwalk, Halifax’s 3.8 km boardwalk that stretches all the way from Casino Nova Scotia in the north to the Pier 21 National Historic Site in the south. More than 2.5 million visitors walk the Harbourwalk annually. $31 million were invested in order to purchase and rejuvenate properties and to renew infrastructure. The Harbourwalk is composed of a series of public parks, wharves and plazas all connected by a boardwalk system that is primarily wooden to reflect the historic marine character of Halifax’s waterfront which is now easily accessible to the public. People were out in full force, enjoying the pleasant weather. Several street comedians were performing right next to the waterfront, drawing huge crowds of onlookers.

The Halifax Harbour actually is one of the world’s best natural harbours as it extends almost 20 km inland into the Bedford Basin. Several islands are located in the harbour. The closest to the harbour entrance is George’s Island which has been designated a National Historic Site although it is not currently accessible to the public. This island has long played an important role in the harbour’s defense system.

McNabs Island is located farther out in the harbour and is accessible via a ferry from the Eastern Passage or via a charter boat from Cable Wharf. This island was settled in the past although the homesteads are now abandoned. A lighthouse, ruined fortress and batteries as well as sand beaches can be found on McNabs Island. One more island, Lawlor’s Island, is located close to the mainland. It never had any military installations and today is a protected nature area.

The Halifax harbour also features a deportation cross, reminiscent of the famous deportation cross at the Grand Pré, the original deportation site of the Acadian Expulsion. And being Canada’s major seaport on the east coast, it has always had a strategic military role and even today features key military installations.

As I was walking along Harbourwalk, I saw various ships passing in and out of the narrow passage, but the most interesting one was a military submarine, with all the sailors standing on deck, often waving to the fascinated audience on land. I was wondering when the sailors would disappear below deck, but I lost sight of them as I walked southwards towards the pier buildings.

Halifax is a true centre of ocean transport due to being blessed with one of the world’s deepest and largest natural harbours. The harbour’s waters remain ice-free and experience minimal tides and the port generally is the first inbound and the last outbound port to North America from Europe, the Mediterranean and the Suez Canal. It is also a major cruise ship centre: in 2005 108 cruise vessels with over 188,000 visitors docked in Halifax, causing a major economic infusion for the city.

In line with the ocean transportation theme, a monument to a famous Halifax resident is located just south of the entrance gate to the Halifax Port area: Samuel Cunard (1787 to 1865) , a native son of Halifax, is forever commemorated in a bronze statue that prominently presides over the Port of Halifax. Cunard became a Nova Scotia shipping magnate, whose Cunard Steamship Line would run many of the famous transatlantic ocean liners in the 1800s. His primary competitor was the White Star Line, whose ill-fated ocean liner Titanic sank 750 km off the coast of Nova Scotia in 1912. After this disaster, Cunard dominated the transatlantic passenger shipping and his company became one of the most important companies in the world. The Cunard line’s fortune began to decline in the 1950s when air travel became popular, but over the last few years has experienced a major revival with the world renowned Queen Mary 2, the first ocean liner to be built in 30 years, and the largest passenger liner ever built. In 1998 Cunard was taken over by Carnival Corporation, but the Cunard name can still be seen on the side of the Queen Mary 2.

I was in luck, because as I strolled closer to the pier buildings in the Halifax Port area, I saw that the Queen Mary 2 was indeed in town. An impressive ship, it appears to be about 8 to 10 stories tall and towers over the port buildings. Right here, with the Queen Mary 2 as a backdrop, I had reached my next destination: Pier 21, Canada’s immigration museum.

Upon arrival I connected with Stefani Angelopoulos, Communications Manager for the museum who was so kind to give me a personalized tour through this unique facility. Pier 21 is the Canadian equivalent to Ellis Island: more than a million immigrants came through its doors between 1928 and 1971. Until its opening in the late 1990s, the building sat empty as a warehouse and was finally turned into a museum in 1999 and designated as a National Historic Site. It was also the embarkation point for about 500,000 soldiers who were transported from here to fight in the Second World War. Halifax’ strategic importance in linking Canada with Europe became evident once again.

Stefani informed me that between 1942 and 1948, more than 48,000 War Brides came to Canada from Britain and other countries in Europe and they brought 22,000 children with them. They had fallen in love with Canadian soldiers and were ready to start their new life in Canada. The vast majority arrived in 1946, 60 years ago, and made their first connection with their new homeland right here in Halifax, at Pier 21. Many then took a train from here to start their new lives in other parts of the country.

I learned that to commemorate the 60 year anniversary, Via Rail came up with a special event in celebration of this occasion: the 2006 War Bride Train which is scheduled to bring hundreds of Canadian War Brides back to Pier 21 where their lives in Canada began. On November 6 the train will depart in Montreal and arrive on November 7 in Halifax where there will be great opportunities for celebration and reminiscing for hundreds of War Brides. Stefani commented that Pier 21 is linked to so many moving human stories that sometimes it is hard to keep a dry eye.

We started our tour at the Research Centre downstairs which has a collection of photographs of over 90% of the ships that transported immigrants to Halifax from 1928 to 1971. Images and newspaper photographs tell the diverse stories of immigrants, mostly from Western Europe and the Mediterranean area. Many images also relate to the almost half a million Canadian troops that departed from Pier 21 in Halifax to join the war effort in Europe during the Second World War.

The Research Centre also provides public reference for all ocean

immigration records from 1925 to 1935 and many Canadians specifically

come to Pier 21 to research their parent’s or grandparent’s arrival

records in Canada. Four computer terminals provide access to the website, to the stories database, the ship database and other electronic resources related to immigration. Microfilm records contain the responses to 28 questions that a prospective immigrant would have to answer prior to being allowed to enter Canada. These microfilms are some of the most popular records in the Research Centre.

Although I have no personal connection to Pier 21, having arrived by myself in Toronto without family in 1986, Carrie-Ann Smith, Pier 21’s Manager of Research, provided me with a copy of the entire chapter on German and Austrian immigration, taken from the Encyclopedia of Canada’s People’s, edited by Paul R. Magocsi, and published in 1999 by University of Toronto Press. I found out that about 31,000 Austrian immigrants came through Pier 21 from 1928 to 1971, compared to 1,152,400 immigrants from the United Kingdom and 527,000 immigrants from the United States. In addition to 48,000 War Brides and their children, many refugees and displaced persons also came to Canada during these years, including about 69,700 Jewish immigrants, many of whom were victims of the Holocaust. In addition, Canada also welcomed about 3,000 Evacuee Children from the United Kingdom who were evacuated during WWII due to the heavy bombing raids and the perceived threat of invasion. More than 250,000 children were supposed to be evacuated, but one of the ships transporting children was sunk by enemy ships so the program was cut short.

Another category of immigrant were the Home Children: more than 100,000 left Great Britain between the late 1860s and the mid 1930s due to the extreme poverty in their home country. These children would typically be employed either as domestic help or farm labourers, and the practice was already dwindling when Pier 21 opened in 1928. Stories representing the almost half a million WWII veterans who embarked for military service in Europe from Pier 21 during the Second World War, can also be found here. The human stories of so many different types of people provide fascinating insights into one of the most turbulent times of human history and Canada’s role in it.

Pier 21 is certainly one of Canada’s most unique museums, testimony to the key role that immigration has played and continues to play in this country. You enter the museum and arrive in a large exhibition hall, the Kenneth C. Rowe Heritage Hall, a multi-purpose area that can also be rented out for private functions which holds up to 600 guests. Up the elevators you arrive in the main exhibit area which features a wide variety of exhibits illustrating the immigration experience. The Rudolph Peter Batty Exhibition Hall allows you to retrace the steps of an immigrant who just arrived at the Halifax Harbour, complete with wooden waiting benches and an immigration officer’s desk. The Wall of Ships features images of many of the ocean liners that used to transport thousands of immigrants to their new home country. A replica of a Canadian National Railway car conjures up memories of the train journeys that so many immigrants took across Canada to their new homes in different parts of the country.

Six video booths provide access to video clips featuring the story of immigrants from different places. As a Canadian immigrant from Austria, I sat down in the first video booth where an Austrian video testimonial was being played and I saw the story of an Austrian immigrant , a man who had come to make his life in Canada in the 1950s. His emotion and gratefulness to his new country were clearly visible.

The Andrea and Charles Bronfman In-Transit Theatre at the far end of the exhibition space features a 24 minute virtual projection presentation that portrays the emotional stories of those who passed through these historic halls. Stefani pointed out that the volunteer guide who was supervising the presentation was a very special person: Robert Vandekieft is an 89 year old individual who volunteers at Pier 21 three days a week. But not only does Robert give his personal time to this unique museum, he actually came through the doors of Pier 21 as an immigrant himself in 1954 to start his new life in Canada.

Robert originally is from Haarlem, a town in northern Holland and decided to make his new life in Canada. Three months after his arrival in 1954 his wife and children followed. Robert fondly recalls a story of his family’s arrival: he had bought a teddy bear for his older son and upon arrival tossed it up to the top level of the ship where the boy successfully caught it. He had also bought some plastercene for his younger son as a present which he tossed up towards his younger child.

Unfortunately his throw was off and the plastercene fell into the water, but thanks to the kindness of the longshoremen of the Halifax Port, they fished it out of the water and brought it back to Robert so he would be able to give his younger son a proper welcome gift.

Robert had originally travelled to Winnipeg where he was hired as a fur dyer, his original occupation. But he did not like his job there very much, so after a few weeks he travelled back to Nova Scotia where he was offered a job on a farm. After his family’s arrival Robert found out that his wife was not at all keen on farming so he looked for another job. He started working for Canada Packers in the warehouse and would regularly lift sides of beef with a weight of up to 62 pounds.

After 8 months he applied for a job as a stagehand with the CBC (Canadian Broadcasting Corporation), then he moved up in the ranks to crew header and later to become the supervisor of the design department. As his career progressed, Robert Vandekieft became a producer and director at the CBC and his career ended with senior roles in educational television. One of Robert’s last shows before his retirement was a 5-part series on the Mi’kmaq First Nations People filmed in their native language. What a Canadian success story!

Obviously this man at almost 90 years of age is able to look back on a long and interesting life of which he has spent 52 years in Canada. I asked Robert what he thought about Canada and his face lit up with a huge smile: “I love this country!”

Robert has been honoured as the “Maritimer of the Week” and he smiles when he says that his granddaughter nominated him. He loves volunteering for Pier 21 and has been doing it for almost five years now.

Although my visit at Pier 21 was cut short because of my tight schedule (I still needed to see Dartmouth on my last afternoon in Nova Scotia), I was touched by all the human stories of Pier 21, represented first and foremost by the living testimonial of Robert Vandekieft, who, like thousands of others, turned his arrival at Pier 21 into the first step of a long and successful life in Canada.

Pat Williams stepped up to the podium to address the Orlando media. “I’ve got good news and I’ve got bad news,” said Williams. “We’re in the chase, but we’re way behind.” The idea of the Orlando Magic was born in the public’s heart that morning, but the journey had just begun.

Pat Williams met Jimmy Hewitt in 1984 when Hewitt heard him speaking at a function in Tulsa. By pure serendipity, their paths crossed at the First Presbyterian Church in Orlando a year later. Williams, in his 11th year with the Philadelphia 76ers, had heard rumblings of the potential for an NBA expansion. While mulling over the possibility of leaving his position as general manager in an effort to be a part of something new and exciting, Pat had begun considering locations in Florida, namely Tampa and Miami. When Jimmy heard that Pat was considering Tampa or Miami, he said, “The future of Florida is here, Bubba.” Pat was dubious, especially because Orlando’s arena was still only in its blue print stage. However, he was convinced by Jimmy and Mayor Bill Frederick that the Arena could be fast tracked if there was a possibility of getting a professions sports team in Orlando. Pat flew from the airport with the growing belief that Orlando might be ready for the NBA.

All that would have to wait as Pat Williams was still under contract to run the 76ers in the 1985-1986 season. With Coach Matt Guokas, a name every Magic fan is familiar with, and a star-studded lineup featuring Moses Malone, a young Charles Barkley, Julius “Dr. J” Erving, and Maurice Cheeks, Williams knew he had a good chance at another title run. Unfortunately, their shot a championship ended when Dr. J missed a last second shot against the Milwaukee Bucks in the game 7 of the Semi-Conference Finals. Despite the fact that the 76ers had the number one first round pick and a great group of players, Williams knew it was time to migrate south.

Pat Williams flew to Orlando and met with Jimmy Hewitt and Tip Lifvendahl, the editor of the Orlando Sentinel. The next morning the first story broke in the Orlando Sentinel that Pat Williams was becoming the pied piper for an NBA franchise in Orlando. A few days later, Pat called the pivotal press conference at the Expo Centre. He announced that Orlando was going to lobby to join the NBA through the rumored expansion. The other teams in the running at that point were Charlotte, Minneapolis, and Miami. Pat announced that they would begin taking $100-per-year season ticket deposits for up to three years. Tip Lifvendahl came up to Williams afterwards and said, “Put us down for 100 tickets and a skybox.” The next morning, Jimmy went down to the post office to check the P.O. Box and found it empty, except a small note that said to speak to a clerk. He approached the desk and was told to wait a moment. The clerk disappeared, and soon returned with over 400 letters full of pledges.

Subsequently, this press conference sparked the first bit of controversy in what would be a long and heated rivalry with Miami. Pat Williams was asked what he thought about Miami also chasing a franchise and the competition that might arise. Williams answered back, “I think we all know the problems Miami has.” The next morning, the Miami Herald ran the story with the headline, “Orlando Enters Chase, Williams Blasts Miami.” Just like that, the rivalry that Williams refers to as the “Grapefruit Wall” had begun.

One of the most integral steps in creating a sports franchise is devising a name that is representative of the city. The Orlando Sentinel ran a contest, urging members of the Central Florida community to send in their best suggestions. Almost 4,000 different names were submitted within a couple of days. Four finalist names were selected as finalists: Tropics, Juice, Heat and Magic. “Tropics” was eliminated because it isn’t geographically accurate for Orlando. “Juice” was discarded because the citrus industry was having a horrific year. “Heat” was dismissed because it was deemed to be one of these least embraceable facets of living in Florida. Williams approached Disney to make sure that there wouldn’t be any conflict over the name selection. Disney approved and the rest is history.

On July 2nd, 1986, Williams, Hewitt, state Sen. George Stuart, and Mayor Frederick traveled to New York City to meet with David Stern. As they presented their deposit check of $100,000 for the official application reporters were present to snap pictures. Williams reached behind his back and plopped a big pair of Mickey Mouse ears on David Stern’s head. Quick as a whip, Stern removed the hat before any pictures could be taken. Williams had a second pair waiting and seized the opportunity again, this time pictures were taken before David Stern had a chance to remove it. Within hours these shots were printed nationally.

The Orlando Magic had officially put their hat in the ring. The arena was being fast-tracked and the citizens of Central Florida were buzzing with excitement about the possibility of having their first local professional sports franchise. The next step was creating a logo and uniforms. Enter Doug Minear. Doug created the iconic logo with the words “Orlando Magic” sprawled across a black backdrop with a trail of stars behind a basketball. Initially the colors being used were black and yellow, but they showed up on the poorest on a basketball court and were deemed to be too similar to UCF’s black and gold. The end result was the Magic blue, quicksilver, and midnight black.

By this point, two more groups had entered the expansion race: Toronto and Anaheim. Representatives from the six cities were scheduled to meet in Phoenix on October 19th, 1986 to pitch their cases to the NBA front office and the owners of the existing teams. The morning after the meeting the board conferred and called all the representatives into a room for the meeting. It was announced that an expansion committee was being formed and that it had been decided that up to three teams would be included. One reporter, Bob Ryan, later referred to this as “the most important non-game events in the history of the NBA.” Among the hoopla, Lewis Schaffel, general manager of the Miami Heat called Orlando a “second-rate city” and questioned the integrity of the ticket count in Orlando. He later apologized, but the tension was already palpable and a rivalry was ballooning before the teams ever met at the center circle.

Two months later, on December 18th, all the teams were told to meet in New York at the NBA’s headquarters. David Stern announced that two teams had been eliminated from the race: Anaheim and Toronto. They were also told that the expansion fee had expanded from $20 million to an exorbitant $32.5 million. Up until that time, the Orlando Magic ownership structure had been based around a lot of smaller, minority investors and then a few general partners. People with behind the scenes information were telling Williams that the NBA owners didn’t like that structure and that it could be a killing point for their chances at being selected. Williams approached Disney CEO, Michael Eisner. Disney originally approved the ownership under a series of provisos:

Disney would retain 20% ownership, but would put no money up. Instead they would request that the NBA drop the $32.5 million dollar fee by 20%.

Disney would design all logos, uniforms, and merchandise.

Disney could use their characters for promotion at the arena.

A “sporty” version of Goofy would be the secondary permanent mascot.

Full rights as the Magic’s advertising agency.

Promotion of Magic/Disney ticket packages, complete with ground transportation from the resorts and to be promoted on the Disney Channel.

David Stern vetoed the idea because it was deemed unfair to drop the rate for one team, and not the others. That’s when William du Pont III stepped up to the plate.

Originally one of the minority owners, Pat Williams approached du Pont to ask him if he would be interested in stepping up from minority partner to general partner. Understanding the gravity of the situation, du Pont agreed. Later, it was revealed that the NBA didn’t want Williams to be involved as an owner and a general manager and that the board still wanted a majority operating manager. Pat Williams relinquished all of his shares, and Jimmy Hewitt, who can easily be accredited as the second most pivotal person in bring a franchise to the city, dropped the majority of his shares to become a minority owner. The Orlando Magic had their first Managing General Partner in William du Pont III.

On March 2nd, 1987 the NBA Expansion committee visited Orlando. It was made very clear that they didn’t want the media to catch wind of their arrival, because they didn’t want to see a staged reaction from Orlando. After touring the Arena construction site they were confronted outside by protesters. The committee members were hurried into cars, but they were followed by a pickup truck filled with angry protesters. The van driver gunned it across Colonial and down Edgewater Drive in College Park, eventually losing their pursuers. Despite the chaotic incident, the members seemed to be genuinely impressed with the progress Orlando was making with the construction of the Arena and with their advanced ticket sales.

One of the most pivotal moments during this expansion period came in April of 1987 in New York City. All of the teams were gathered and told that a decision had been made. Representatives from the teams awaited the news while David Stern, the owners, and all of the members of the Expansion Committee convened. During their meeting, a controversy about the placement of teams in specific divisions arose. The issue is that expansion teams begin with a lower caliber of talent and therefore generally maintain losing records for their first few seasons. This places their division rivals in a favorable situation, because they have a total of four games against a much weaker opponent. Therefore any team in a division with an Expansion team has a distinct advantage. Gary Bettman, the league counselor, came up with a plan that is simply referred to as “The Bettman Plan.” The idea behind this plan is that each Expansion team will rotate between different conferences and divisions in the first three years, and then the divisions can be shifted to make sense geographically. The preliminary agreement placed the Magic in the Central Division in their first year, the Midwest division in the 2nd year, and the Atlantic division for its third year. After their meeting they addressed all of the teams individually, notifying them that all four teams would be admitted, as long as they maintained certain criteria, the 10,000 ticket pre sale being tantamount. The only bad news that came from this meeting was that the Magic would start in 1989 with Minneapolis, while Miami and Charlotte would begin a year before.

That evening at Church Street Station, Bob Snow threw an enormous celebration with plenty of live TV and radio coverage. Pat Williams and Jimmy Hewitt wore T-shirts that said “WE BELIEVE IN MAGIC!” Orlando had officially claimed a professional sports team, as long as they could maintain interest and sell 10,000 tickets and complete construction of the Arena on time.

The Arena’s construction had been fast tracked and it was time to choose a name for the complex. Many names were considered and rejected. Eventually, it was decided that most of the names were too chichi. The name that stuck was the Orlando Arena. Taking a look back, there were some pretty interesting contenders for the title, including:

The Alpha

The Omega

The Ultra

Magic Palace

Magicore

The Cauldron

The Quest

The Centro

The Grove

The Podium

The Orlandome

The Orbit

The Centrum (the building’s working name when it was originally proposed in the 1960s)

Everything was finally coming together and it was time to staff up. Pat Williams approached Matt Guokas, with whom he had worked with for many years in Philadelphia. Guokas had been the head coach during the 76ers championship run in the 1982-1983 season. Matt visited Orlando and again the Magic representatives wanted to shield him from the over-aggressive media. He stayed at Danny Durso’s house. At one point, they visited the UCF arena and darted out of a back door when they saw that UCF assistant coach, Eric Dennis was on the court shooting baskets. Despite probably being a little uncomfortable with all of the cloak and dagger antics, Goukas eventually did accept the job to become the first Head Coach of the Orlando Magic franchise. Pat Williams set up a press conference to introduce him to the public in his new role for the first time, but unfortunately Williams forgot to check with Guokas to make sure he could make it. It turned out that Matt Guokas was supposed to attend his nephew’s graduation and wasn’t the time to miss an engagement that he had promised to attend. So Pat took a little beating from the press when he introduced a coach who was neither present, nor had prepared a written statement of acceptance. The next morning, at a subsequent press conference, Guokas showed and formally announced his new position to an appeased gathering of the local media. Ex-San Antonio Spurs Head Coach Bobby Weiss would be named as the Magic’s first ever assistant coach. Getting a coach of his caliber as an assistant was an incredible stroke of luck. He actually appeared to be the front-runner at the time for the Minneapolis Head Coaching position.

Throughout the course of all these events, an ominous deadline was looming. Reports were coming in that all of the other cities were struggling to meet their 10,000 ticket quota. With 8 weeks until their deadline, Miami was only at 7,500 tickets sold. The Magic were faring a little better, but were struggling to collect the rest of the money owed from those who had secured their seats with the initial deposits. The prices on seats were extremely competitive for the time. Regular seats ranged from $344 per season to $1,395 for the prime seats. Skyboxes were priced at $45,000 for the first three years, and $50,000 for the following two years. With time running out the Magic had reached a point where they needed to secure over 100 tickets a day for the last couple of months. A letter was sent out, essentially telling people that their tickets had been cancelled. This sent people into a frenzy of apologies and resulted in a flurry of checks flooding the Orlando Magic head office. With nine days to go, Greg Wallace of Bug Hut, an auto repair shop, came into the office and bought the last eight season tickets to become the 10,000th ticket buyer.

With the logo designed it was time to create a mascot. Quite a few ideas were tossed around. Here’s a few that never made it:

A magic bean with a big star on its torso

A rabbit with a cape and a magician’s top hat

A tourist-looking character with stars for eyes, a wizard’s cap, short shorts, and a star studded t-shirt.

A funny looking character that was a cross between a wizard and a ringmaster

A Muppet-like character that had palm tree leaves sticking out of the top of his head.

A cat dribbling a ball with star-studded shorts (looked a lot like Simba from the Lion King)

One of the designs in this batch was a rudimentary version of what would become Stuff. Originally, he was supposed to be purple. However, it became apparent that he closely resembled a Disney character named Figment that was used at Epcot. His design and color were eventually adjusted to create the loveable, green dragon that we all know today. He was first introduced on Halloween in 1988 at Church Street Station. Leading up to this momentous occasion, there was a big campaign including strange footprints leading from the arena to a giant, broken eggshell. Also, there were all kinds of reported “sightings” around town. The media really ran with the campaign and turned the unveiling into a huge events. Even USA Today, reported on it. Dave Raymond, the guy inside the Philly Phanatic, was hired to play Stuff for a one time appearance. Two local magicians, Giovanni and Tim, put on the entire show. Curly Neal began by performing tricks to get the crowd warmed up. Giovanni and Tim then put him into a giant box that was attached to a pole. The pole lifted up and as it reached its pinnacle, Stuff leaped out of the box and forever into the imagination of Orlando’s loyal fan base.

High octane sporting events all have a few things in common: screaming fans, jock jams, and cheerleaders. In order to create the necessary level of showmanship and excitement at the Orlando Arena, it was imperative that an incredible squad of local talent be assembled. Jodie Pennington was a choreographer for the FSU Golden Girls. She was eventually hired to become the head of the first ever Magic Girls. Tryouts were held in the fall of 1988 and received huge press coverage. Sixteen girls were selected to the first ever Magic Squad at an event at night club, J.J. Whispers, that fifteen hundred people attended. The Orlando Magic ran a huge, color photo of the girls two mornings later.

The pinstripe is one of the most recognizable symbols of the Magic’s history. Even years after the pinstripe had stopped being the primary design of the Orlando Magic’s uniform; one of the most renowned online Magic forums was titled “Orlando Pinstriped Post”. Every true Magic fan has bled Black and White pinstripes for over two decades. Originally the design was discarded because at the time it wasn’t possible to print the pinstripe on a material thin enough to be comfortable for an NBA player. However, an old material called Durene was found to be perfectly suited to the task, and over the course of a year, the uniforms were designed and created. They were unveiled to the public at the Omni hotel on October 21st, 1988 with the media present as the Dr. Phillips High School Band played as the newly assembled Magic Girls cheered on.

Unfortunately, the Magic do have to play half of their games on the road, so the next big step was to find a network that would carry all of Orlando’s games. The two major stations competing were the Sunshine Network and SportsChannel Florida. The Sunshine Network already reached 1.5 million homes, whereas SportsChannel Florida reached only 200,000. However, SportsChannel Florida already had exclusive rights to the Florida Gators and the Miami Heat. After tough negotiations, it was decided that the Orlando Magic wanted to have their own station, separate from their basketball rivals from southern Florida. Sunshine Network became the exclusive cable provider for the Orlando Magic local market.

“Have shoes, will travel!” This was the ad that legendary basketball star Darryl Dawkins placed in the Orlando Sentinel when he announced that he was going to come play in summer practice camps in 1988. He had actually ended a press conference the season before by saying, “Pat Williams get my contract ready! And make it big!” One of the most colorful characters in the history of the NBA, Darryl wasn’t exactly known at the time for being humble or magnanimous. However, he was a fantastic athlete and a definite crowd stopper, having shattered a few backboards in his time. Also, he had been drafted by none other than Pat Williams in 1975 (the first player ever to be drafted to the NBA straight out of high school), so a positive relationship existed. He showed up to the first rookie practice at the UCF arena and left thirty minutes later, saying he wouldn’t risk getting hurt without the assurance that he already had a roster spot. That presented a problem since they wanted to see him play to see if they wanted to add him to their roster. He no-showed for a second meeting, and the bizarre Daryl Dawkins saga ended as abruptly as it began.

Every piece was in place and every duck was in order. It was time for the expansion draft. June 15th 1989, representatives from Minneapolis and Orlando meet in New York in a closed session. An NBA representative, Gary Bettman, conducted the meeting through a conference call, and announced that each team would be provided five minutes for each pick. It turned out that both teams needed far less time than that, due to extensive scouting. Representing the Orlando Magic was owner Bill du Pont, General Manager Pat Williams, Attorney Robert Fraley, their assistant Rick Neal, and publicity guy, a young Alex Martins. Prior to this meeting the Orlando Magic had reached an agreement to sign Jeff Turner, who had played the previous two seasons in Italy. The rules of an Expansion Draft are relatively simple. Each existing team is allowed to protect eight players from their roster. Any exposed players are available for selection. Listed below are the results of the 1989 Expansion Draft:

Orlando

Sidney Green (Knicks)

Reggie Theus (Hawks)

Terry Catledge (Bullets)

Sam Vincent (Bulls)

Otis Smith (Warriors)

Scott Skiles (Pacers)

Jerry Reynolds (Sonics)

Mark Acres (Celtics)

Morlon Wiley (Mavericks)

Jim Farmer (Jazz)

Keith Lee (Nets)

Frank Jonson (Rockets)

Minneapolis

Rick Mahorn (Pistons)

Tyrone Corbin (Suns)

Steve Johnson (Blazers)

Brad Lohaus (Kings)

David Rivers (Lakers)

Mark Davis (Bucks)

Scott Roth (Spurs)

Shelton Jones (Sixers)

Eric White (Clippers)

Maurice Martin (Nuggets)

Gunther Behnke (Cavaliers)

The Orlando Magic’s first roster was assembled. Jeff Turner would join the team as well and that only left two spots left, to be filled in the Magic’s first ever NBA Draft.

June 27th, 1989. The Magic were ready for the NBA Draft, but there was a problem. They didn’t feel like they had a serviceable starting center on their roster. They were scrambling to try to find one, but there wasn’t any good options available at their number eleven pick in the first round. The GM of the Chicago Bulls, Jerry Krause, had offered Dave Corzine for two future 2nd round draft picks. Unfortunately, there was a contingency attached. The Bulls would only do the trade if they were able to receive J.R. Reid, Danny Ferry, Pervis Ellison, or Stacey King with their number six pick in the first round. The draft began and the first two picks were Pervis Ellisson and Danny Ferry, which lead to an unbearable tension among the Magic front office. As the minutes dragged by, it was beginning to look like the trade might disappear as quickly as it had begun. San Antonio and Miami owned the next two selections and in a stroke of luck for the Orlando Magic they chose Sean Elliot and Glen Rice, respectively. The Bulls chose Stacey King, and the trade was secured. Now it was time for the Magic to focus on their first ever draft pick. Their scouting had them extremely excited about one particular player out of Illinois. This was a huge moment. This selection was their first shot at getting a young player that could really make a long term impact on the team. With the number eleven overall pick in the 1989 NBA Draft, the Orlando Magic choose…

Excerpt from The Magic Word blog at http://foxdashman.sportsblognet.com

Can’t resist the call of the wild? Does summer seem too far away to wait to hit the great outdoors? Many people only think of camping as a summertime activity, but for many of us we simply can’t wait around half the year before getting back out in open. Luckily California has many amazing places where you can camp during the winter months. Winter camping is usually cheaper and less crowded than camping in the summer and you will also get to experience California in a whole different way.

California has blessed us outdoor lovers with a variety of different landscapes and climates to experience. And while the high sierras are covered in snow, the Mojave Desert and Pacific Coast beckon campers to come and experience their winter beauty. The beach is usually the best place to go to escape the cold inland winters thanks to the moderate temperatures experienced year round. Of course for true adventure seekers there are also opportunities for snow camping in the higher elevations, so why not pair a ski trip with a camping trip? Regardless of where you choose, these places are downright beautiful, yet few people have experienced this beauty in the wintertime. They are calling for you to come visit!

Angel Island – Northern California / San Francisco Bay Area

As a Bay Area resident I am very fond of Angel Island… when it isn’t overflowing with people. It is a quick trip to anyone in the Bay Area of Sacramento regions, and it has absolutely spectacular views of the San Francisco Bay, including the San Francisco Skyline, the Golden Gate Bridge, the Bay Bridge and views of Tiburon and Sausalito. Rain and thick fog are common for Bay Area winters but relative to the rest of Northern California the temperatures are pleasantly moderate. The past five years have seen very dry winters in the Bay thanks to the terrible drought we’ve experience, but this year’s El Nino has already poured rain across the state, so be expecting wet weather if you choose to visit Angel Island this winter. From December through March daytime high temperatures average 56-61 degrees fahrenheit and nighttime lows average 41-45 degrees fahrenheit, so there really isn’t too much difference between night and day. The eastern side of the island is better sheltered from the ocean breezes but the western side gives a front row view of amazing sunsets under the Golden Gate Bridge. East Bay Sites and Sunrise Sites are located on the eastern side of the island near Fort McDowell. Ridge Sites and Kayak Camp are located on the western side of the island near Camp Reynolds. For more information on the campsites check out the brochure and park map from the park’s website. Note that some of the information is outdated but most is still relevant.

Getting to Angel Island is half the fun of the trip. Public ferries run from Tiburon via the Angel Island Ferry and from Pier 41 and the Ferry Building in San Francisco via the Blue and Gold Fleet. Adult tickets cost $15 from Tiburon and $9 from San Francisco. These fares include the park entrance fee as well. Note that during the winter months these ferries only run on weekends, so the earliest you can get to the island is Saturday morning and the latest you can stay is Sunday late afternoon unless you plan to stay the whole week. But there are other options! You can use your own private boat or borrow a friends. Or if you’re like me and don’t own a boat you can charter a private boat or take Tideline Water Taxi. Tideline is a great option, it is pretty expensive but it is still cheaper than chartering a boat and provides the most personalized schedule and service, so you won’t be limited by the ferry schedules.

Big Sur – Central Coast

Big Sur on the California Central Coast is an absolute gem. It epitomizes all the beauty California’s rugged Pacific Coast has to offer. From hundred foot redwoods, backwoods trails and miles of beaches, Big Sur has it all. And thanks to its proximity to the ocean it stays relatively moderate in the winter time, with average high temperatures from December through March ranging from 60-63 degrees fahrenheit and average low temperatures around 43 degrees fahrenheit. As always, in the winter you must be prepared for rain, heavy fog and ocean winds. Big Sur is very busy during the summer months, but during the winter the crowds have dispersed, leaving you with miles of empty trails and beaches to explore.

Perhaps the most amazing part about winter camping in Big Sur is the chance to watch the majestic Gray Whales migrate between Alaska and Baja California. December through early February you can see the whales migrating south, and beginning in February you can see them migrate north with their newborn calves. It is truly a once in a lifetime opportunity to see these beautiful creatures in their natural habitat.

Big Sur has many campgrounds which can be found here. For those of you looking for a little more warmth and comfort I would suggest one of the campgrounds with cabins, such as Big Sur Campgrounds and Cabins or Riverside Campground. Both of these campgrounds also offer many tent and RV sites in addition to their cabin accommodations. Another recommendation for tent and RV camping is Kirk Creek Campground. Kirk Creek is a beautiful campground located on a huge bluff overlooking the ocean. Due to its open location it is susceptible to strong winds and moisture so prepare yourself for that if you choose to stay there.

Lake Tahoe – Northern California / Sierra Nevada Mountains

For those wanting to truly experience the winter, then snow camping on the shores of Lake Tahoe is right for you. During the summer months Lake Tahoe is one of the most popular camping destinations in the world. During the winter months it is one of the most popular skiing destinations in the world. Basically Lake Tahoe is awesome and everyone wants to go there regardless of what month it is.

Sugar Pine Point State Park on the western shore of Lake Tahoe offers the best of both worlds. The camp is one of the only campgrounds in the region open during the winter months for snow camping, and it conveniently located only minutes from some of the world’s greatest alpine ski resorts. Homewood Resort (8 mins), Squaw Valley Resort and Alpine Meadows (32 mins), Heavenly Mountain Resort (45 mins) and Northstar California Resort (50 mins) are all located within an hour drive of the campground. Sugar Pine campground is also a great choice for any first time snow campers since it isn’t far off the beaten path, so any services are accessible nearby.

Sugar Pine Point State Park also offers some of the best cross country skiing and snowshoeing trails the Lake Tahoe region has to offer, all with easy access from the campground. In fact it was these trails which were used for the biathlon and cross-country skiing events in the 1960 Squaw Valley Olympic Winter Games.

And if you still aren’t up to tent camping in the snow you always have the option to find some amazing local cabins to stay in. Airbnb is your best bet for booking one of these.

Mt. San Jacinto State Park – Southern California / San Jacinto Mountains

Snow camping is also readily accessible in Southern California in the beautiful Mt. San Jacinto State Park. Idyllwild Park offers year round camping. Tent camping and RVs are welcome on a first-come/first-serve basis November through March. The campground is located less than three hours from both Los Angeles and San Diego, making it a great option for those looking for a weekend escape from the city life. Snowshoeing and sledding are very popular activities at the park during the winter months.

There is plenty to do in and around the State Park. Including visiting different parts of the Santa Rosa and San Jacinto Mountains National Monument or hiking a portion of the Pacific Crest Trail. You can even spend an afternoon riding the world famous Palm Springs Aerial Tramway, which takes you from Chino Canyon near Palm springs up nearly 6,000 feet to the Mountain Station.

Death Valley National Park – Southern California / Mojave Desert

Death Valley is quite amazing. On July 12, 2012 Furnace Creek in Death Valley National Park broke a heat record when the low temperature was 103 degrees fahrenheit, tying the world record for highest low temperature in a day. Then on July 10, 2013 Furnace Creek broke another heat record with a high temperature of 134 degrees fahrenheit (!!!), breaking the US record previously set in 1913. Needless to say you won’t be dealing with these hellish temperatures during the winter months, in fact Death Valley is downright pleasant during the winter. Average high temps from December through March range from 67 to 81 degrees fahrenheit with average lows ranging from 38 to 53 degrees fahrenheit.

Since Death Valley is in the middle of the desert it is susceptible to big swings in temperatures, with nighttime lows dropping below freezing. This is where winter desert camping mostly differs from winter beach camping. In the desert the temperatures can swing dramatically from day to night while near the ocean the temperatures remain relatively stable.

Tent and RV camping is available at Furnace Creek RV Park and Fiddler’s Campground for $18/night or at Mesquite Spring for $12 a night. Both campgrounds have RV dump stations and flush toilets. For tent campers you can stay at Emigrant or Wildrose Campgrounds. (note: Wildrose accepts any vehicles under 25 feet, Emigrant is tent camping only)

Joshua Tree National Park – Southern California / Mojave Desert

Another great desert camping destination in Southern California is Joshua Tree National Park. The park is easy to access, located only about 2.5 to 3.5 hrs from Los Angeles (depending on traffic of course). Like Death Valley, Joshua Tree is located in the middle of the desert, so while it can be blistering hot during the summer months, it is very pleasant during the winter. With average high temperatures from January through March ranging from 60-70 degrees fahrenheit and average low temperatures ranging from 35 to 42 degrees fahrenheit. For a list of all the campgrounds in Joshua Tree National Park check out here. For a campground in the northern portion of the park I suggest Jumbo Rocks Campground, which costs $15/night and is first-come/first-serve. There is no water and only pit toilets at Jumbo Rocks Campground so be sure you come prepared. For those looking for a campground in the southern portion of the park I suggest Cottonwood Campground for $20/night, which has a dump station, water and flush toilets.

By now you understand that camping in California is both a summertime and wintertime activity. There are many amazing places to escape to in the winter, even if there is snow on the ground. Take advantage of the cheaper fees, shorter reservation times, and uncrowded campgrounds while you can before winter ends. Camping in California never takes a break for the seasons!

Now it’s time to get out there and experience what winter camping in California has to offer! Stay warm, stay safe and stay camping in California!