In part 1 of this interview, Jason talked about his background, his international travels as well as his restoration of the Sherk’s Hardware Building and …
Presenting: Jason Pizzicarola – Architect, Creative Entrepreneur and Community Builder in Fort Erie – Part 1
Travel is not just about beautiful landscapes and interesting sights and monuments; it’s also about the people that one meets along the way. Since I …
Medical Travel: Bimini Colt & the Healing Powers of the Wieliczka Salt Mine – Part 2
In Part 1 of this interview, Bimini Colt already shared with us her past travel experiences and a previous trip to Switzerland that helped save her …
Medical Travel: Bimini Colt & the Healing Powers of the Wieliczka Salt Mine – Part 1
Many times before, Facebook has put me in contact with really interesting people, and that is exactly how Bimini Colt and I connected. Early this …
Presenting: Ingrid Folkers and Her Inspiring Story of the Camino de Santiago – Part 2
In Part 1 of this interview Ingrid Folkers told us a bit about why she decided to embark on an 800 km pilgrimage on the …
Presenting: Ingrid Folkers and Her Inspiring Story of the Camino de Santiago – Part 1
Ingrid Folkers and I connected via Facebook some time ago and we realized we that we both share the same birth country – Austria – …
Presenting: Shirley and Ed from Abadin B&B in L’Orignal, Eastern Ontario
Eastern Ontario, particularly the Ottawa River Valley, is an area I have wanted to explore for quite some time now. Located between Ottawa and Montreal, …
A Story of Transformation & a Second Career: Ken Faulkner – From Banker in England to Holiday Rental Owner in Austria
I am always fascinating with stories of how people reorganize their lives and start a completely new second career later in life, particularly when this …
Presenting: Eva Schreiner – Camping & Female Solo Travel Expert – Part 2
Part 1 of this interview already introduced you to Eva Schreiner, a very interesting and adventurous woman from Constance, Germany. Eva and I met while …
Presenting: Eva Schreiner – Camping Expert & Female Solo Traveller – Part 1
One of the wonderful things about travel is the people you just coincidentally bump into and have a connection with. One such individual is Eva …
My Connection in Interlaken: Beat Kornfeind, International Tour Guide
One thing I love so much about travel is that it provides a chance to meet some really interesting and cool people. During my recent …
Dr. Jessie Voigts – Intercultural Expert and Passionate Traveller
Through the Internet, I often come in contact with interesting people, and Jessie Voigts’ postings on Facebook revealed that she is an expert and a kindred soul who is passionate about travel and intercultural connections.
Krista Scott: A Spunky Spirit, Snow Boarder, Surfer Girl, Australian Harvest Worker, Kayaking Intern and ESL Teacher in Vietnam
I always keep my eyes open for interesting people,and Krista Scott just absolutely grabbed my attention.I first met Krista 2 days ago on a whitewater …
Presenting: Teresa Roberts, International House Sitter Who Found The Gypsy In Herself
In so many ways, travel is a metaphor of the life journey that each of us find ourselves walking on. Many of us strive (and …
Iran Travel: An Interview with Mohammad Reza Gohari, Iran Tourism Expert
The Internet has afforded us all a great opportunity to explore and learn about the world without ever leaving our comfortable homes. Social media have …
Presenting: Karla Aguilar Perez – World Traveler, Philosopher and English Teacher in Korea
Today’s social media are a true double-edged sword: they can be a real time waster, an arena for cyber-bullying and online ostracizing and an efficient …
A Walking Tour of Rome’s Main Sights
The weather in Rome was absolutely perfect on my second day of explorations around the Eternal City. In the morning I decided to use up …
Presenting: Lash – Solo World Traveler since 1991
Social media has an interesting way of connecting people around the world.Looking through my news feed on Facebook one person’s updates caught my attention and …
Presenting: Lainie Liberti – from California Digital Media Executive to Globetrotting Mom on the Road
One of the gifts of working on this website is that it connects me to some very exceptional and often inspiring people.In this interview,meet Lainie …
Presenting: David Brown, the Urban Tour Host, a True Expert on Miami
One of my favourite things when I travel is to connect with local experts to get an insider’s view of the destination that I am …
Presenting: Danielle Weiss – Latin America Fan and Sustainable Travel Expert
I had a chance to meet Danielle through G Adventures, Canada’s largest adventure travel company. G Adventures sponsored our first Travel Story Contest a few …
Presenting: Brandon Wilson – Author, Photographer and World Traveler Shares Tales of a Pilgrim – Part II
For several years now I have started to question life as we understand it. For some strange reason, as I get older, things such as …
Presenting: Brandon Wilson – Author, Photographer and World Traveller Shares Tales of a Pilgrim
As I have gotten older I have found myself getting increasingly disenchanted with my regular rat-race life, and I have actively searched out individuals who …
Presenting: 55 Division – A Lesson in Community Policing in the Beach
As always, Gene Domagala is the perfect person to make connections. With the date for my photo exhibition rapidly approaching and the need to finalize …
Presenting: St. Aidan’s Church and Father Stephen Kirkegaard – Charity Comes Full Circle in the Beach
It’s ironic, just as I decided to do my first neighbourhood portrait of Toronto, the Beach, my intended subject, was in the news a lot. …
Presenting: Another Neighbourhood Walk and Talk Along Queen Street with Maria Minna
Maria and I really hit it off so we planned to get together for another “neighbourhood walk and talk” to be able to check out …
Presenting: Hong Zhao – A personal evolution from Chinese Immigrant with Little English Skills to Becoming A Successful English-Language Publisher in the Beach
Like so many other good ideas for my Celebrate Toronto article series that starts with the Beach, the name of this interview candidate came from …
Presenting: Kingston Road – a Revitalizing Business Community and an Integral Part of the Beach
During a recent historic walk with Gene Domagala he took me into the local Scotia Bank office near Victoria Park Avenue and Kingston to show …
Presenting: Maria Minna – An Italian-Canadian Immigrant Story and a Life-Long Fight for Social Justice
Every Canadian neighbourhood is officially represented at three different levels: the municipal, provincial and federal levels. As far as the Beach neighbourhood is concerned I …
Presenting: Neil Macdonald and the Beach Business Improvement Association – A Community Overview
The article series about the Beach contains an entire kaleidoscope of personalities and organizations that make up this great community. The following interview with Neil …
Presenting: At Nevada’s Ristorante Hospitality is a Family Affair
You have probably realized by now that I spend the majority of my spare time in Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood. Over the years I have had …
Presenting: Andrew Howard and Rachael Smith from SNAP Beaches and the Yard Sale for the Cure – Creative Entrepreneurs and Dedicated Community Builders
Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood is a place where many creative and innovative people congregate. It is also a hotbed for enlightened entrepreneurs, people such as Alex …
A History Tour of the Beach and a Mission of Mercy with Gene Domagala
Gene Domagala is not only a key volunteer in the Beach, an individual who helps out with all sorts of charities and non-profit organizations – …
Presenting: The Beaches Library – A Centre of Learning and Community Interaction
Right in the heart of the Beach, just a few steps from the intersection of Queen Street and Lee Avenue is the Beaches Library, a …
Presenting: The Beaches Lions Club – Celebrating with the Community and Making a Difference
For many decades now the Beaches Lions Club has been an integral part of the Beach Community and the driving force behind one of the …
Presenting: The Beach Rotary Club – Service Above Self in the Beach
One of the areas I really set out to focus on in my Beach neighbourhood portrait was the local spirit of charity and community assistance. …
Tasty Caribbean Treats and a Neighbourhood Tour through the Beach with Sandra Bussin
In my neighbourhood portrait about the Beach, I definitely wanted to include Sandra Bussin, City Councillor for Beaches / East York, who has represented the …
Ralph Noble: Firefighter, Lifesaver and Creator of the Most Famous Mural in the Beach – A Noble Man Indeed
Michael Prue’s office has been a great source of interview contacts and connected me with some very unique people. On this cold February morning I …
Presenting: The Balmy Beach Club – Legend by the Lake
No neighbourhood portrait of Toronto’s Beach community could ever be complete without one of the true institutions in the area: the Balmy Beach Club, a …
Presenting: The Garden Gate Restaurant a.k.a. “The Goof” – Good Food in the Beach since 1952
It was time for lunch after my extensive interview at the Balmy Beach Club, and all I had to do was walk up the street …
Presenting: Lido Chilelli – Founder of the Toronto International Beaches Jazz Festival
Every year one entertainment event in Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood attracts huge worldwide attention: the Toronto International Beaches Jazz Festival. Lido Chilelli, a local entrepreneur, is …
Presenting: The Green Eggplant – Healthy, Creative and Plentiful Cuisine in the Beach
After two fascinating interviews, one with Lido Chilelli, the creator of the Toronto Beaches International Jazz Festival, and Bill Libbus, who had given me an …
Presenting: Fire Station 227 – History, Heroism and Community Connections in the Beach
Having just completed my interview with Lido Chilelli, the creator of the Toronto International Beaches Jazz Festival, I was planning to head east on Queen …
Neighbourhood Walks and Talks: Lucille Crighton – A Textile Arts Hall of Famer & Gifted Gardener in the Beach
Toronto’s Beach community is not only a beautiful waterfront neighbourhood with mature trees and historic houses, it is also one of the favourite places of …
Presenting: John Dowding – A Private Lesson in Photography from a True Master
John Dowding and I first met a few days ago at Spiaggia Trattoria where I was doing an interview with the owner, Mary Lee. Right …
Presenting: Steven and Paul from the Accommodating the Soul B& B – Spirituality and the Personal Touch
Sometimes the most interesting encounters happen spontaneously. I had just picked up the Beach Metro Community News and noticed an advertisement for a bed and …
Presenting: Bob Murdoch from Centre 55 Has My Vote for an Honorary Doctorate of Community Service
No neighbourhood portrait about Toronto’s Beach could be complete without one of the key pillars of the community: Since he started at Centre 55 (a …
Toronto Neighbourhood Walks & Talks: Authentic Austrian Cooking and a European Coffee House Atmosphere at Konditor
When you travel to Toronto, this multicultural metropolis, you’ll have a chance to sample delicacies from all over the world, but one of the national …
Presenting: Sheila Blinoff and Carole Stimmell from the Beach Metro News – A Nerve Centre of Information Gathering and Community Involvement in the Beach
One of the central organizations in the Beach is Beach Metro Community News, a non-profit, non-partisan community newspaper founded in 1972 that is distributed throughout …
Presenting: Marie Perrotta from the Pegasus Community Project – Reaching for the Stars
One person I had heard a lot about from different sources while searching for interview candidates about Toronto’s Beach neighbourhood is Marie Perrotta, the Founding …
Presenting: Mary Lee from Spiaggia Restaurant – A Hospitality Entrepreneur with a Heart for the Arts
One restaurant I have wanted to check out for a long time is Spiaggia Trattoria (“spiaggia” is Italian for “beach) at the eastern end of …
Presenting: Michael Prue, A Working Class Success Story: From Regent Park to Queens Park
One person who has been extremely supportive of my “Celebrate Toronto” project is Provincial Member of Parliament, Michael Prue. He and his staff have connected …
Presenting: Alex Winch & the Beaches Solar Laundromat – Unstoppable when it comes to Championing Renewable Energy & Innovative Entrepeneurship
Over the last couple of years I have had the opportunity to interview many interesting personalities: tourism experts, authors, philanthropists, and enlightened entrepreneurs. For my …
Presenting: Michelle Gebhart – a true Renaissance Woman: From Army Brat to Expert Renovator, Biker Lady, Successful Restaurateur & Dedicated Youth Volunteer
My Celebrate Toronto article series is starting with the Beach, one of Toronto’s coolest neighbourhoods. Not only does the Beach offer a resort like feel …
Presenting: Arie Nerman and the Beach Hebrew Institute – The People’s Synagogue
For my Celebrate Toronto articles series I am continuously searching for people who are making positive contributions in the neighbourhood and building the community in …
Glenn Cochrane – Media Personality, Author and Expert Fundraiser – A Champion of the Beach for almost 40 years
When I recently talked to several people about my Celebrate Toronto project, which starts with an article & interview series and a photo exhibition about …
Presenting: Gene Domagala – A Human Convenience Store of Charity and Community Involvement in Toronto’s Beach
One of the lessons travel has taught me is to not only get to know the beauty of the foreign places, but to appreciate the …
A Great New Resource for Travellers to Toronto: The Toronto Greeter Program – “TAP into TO”
I am a big proponent of Greeter Programs, i.e. programs that involve local volunteers who are coordinated by the city, then matched up with tourist …
Presenting: Colleen O’Brien – The Grand Prize Winner of Our First International Story Contest
Our recently concluded Travel Story Contest was a resounding success. We received over 300 stories from people all over the world about their experiences in …
Presenting: Ben Viccari – A Lifetime Dedicated to Multicultural Communications
Interesting people are everywhere. I met Ben Viccari a few weeks ago at the initial screening of a documentary called “Small Places – Small Homes”. …
Presenting: Toronto’s Distillery District – A Unique Vision and 13 Acres of Historic Victorian Industrial Architecture Create One of North America’s Hottest Entertainment Districts
As a European immigrant, historical districts always hold a great fascination to me. Over the last few years, Toronto has been enriched by the revitalization …
Presenting: Lenny Lombardi from CHIN Radio – Pioneering Canada’s Multicultural Vision
As you know by now, www.travelandtransitions.com has dedicated itself to building bridges between people of different places and different backgrounds. There are many organizations and …
Presenting: Paul A. Teolis – World Traveller, Successful Hollywood Animator and Travel Photographer
Paul’s story is an interesting one since it combines extensive world travel and an interesting life journey – a deliberate switch from a successful career …
Presenting: Hermilo Brito from the Ideal Language School in Cuernavaca – Making Spanish Learning Fun
One of the reasons I chose to travel to Cuernavaca this past April was that it is one of the world’s centers for Spanish teaching. …
Ignite the Night
As a person who has been privileged to have travelled to many beautiful places across the world and to have made life-long memories, I often …
Presenting: Pablo Buitron from Fundacion Comunidad – Helping Women Help Themselves in the Mexican State of Morelos
During my stay in Cuernavaca I had the opportunity to meet several people from different community organizations that are involved in helping local disadvantaged people. …
Presenting: Jorge Torres from the CETLALIC Alternative Language School – Learning Spanish with Social, Political and Cultural Awareness
My stay in Cuernavaca this past April was filled with many experiences: travel experiences; historic, cultural and culinary explorations; new friendships and , most notably, …
Presenting: Ruben Cortes of Morelos Trails: Adventure Travel and Cultural Explorations in the Heart of Mexico
I met Rubén Cortés a couple of weeks ago during my stay in Cuernavaca when he filled me in on a variety cultural and adventure …
Presenting: Skills for Change – An Organization Dedicated to Helping New Immigrants Integrate Successfully into the Canadian Workplace
Along the continuum of cross-cultural experiences, becoming an immigrant and deciding to live full-time in another culture provides the most intense cross-cultural experience. Issues commonly …
Presenting Legacy International: An NGO Dedicated to Conflict Resolution, Peace-Building and Intercultural Exchanges for a Better Tomorrow
Heaven knows that in these times full of cultural misunderstandings and conflict, we need people and organizations that build bridges between people of different cultures …
Presenting: Richard Belliveau – World Traveller, Adventurer and Charity Mountain Climber: One Person CAN Make A Difference!
My search for outstanding people who do unusual and positive things is an ongoing thing. Danielle Weiss from G.A.P Adventures recently put me on to …
Presenting: Canada’s Largest and Most Popular Museum – The Canadian Museum of Civilization
My recent trip to Ottawa last weekend gave me a chance to explore Canada’s capital first-hand. One place I did not have time to visit …
Presenting: Elderhostel – Adventure and Learning for People 55+
Learning and exploring is one of the big mottos of this website and learning vacations are one of the best ways of expanding one’s mind. …
A Follow-Up Interview with Sue Kenney and Her Documentary on the Camino de Santiago: A Pilgrim Continues Her Journey
My good friend Sue Kenney left the corporate world a few years ago and went on a pilgrimage on the famous Camino de Santiago, a …
Presenting: Farzana Hassan – A Progressive Voice in Canadian Islam
The current controversy over the Danish cartoons depicting the Prophet Mohammed has ignited my interest to educate myself more about Islam as I realized that …
Presenting: The Scadding Court Community Centre Uses International Travel and Cross-Cultural Learning to Help At-Risk Youth
Sometimes you come across individuals or organizations who quietly do phenomenal work in the community right here under our noses, without any big fanfare. Through …
Expatriation Coaching – What Does That Mean?
One of the topics that I am fascinated with is the cross-cultural adjustment process. As an Austrian immigrant in Canada I know that even a …
Presenting: The National Gallery of Canada – One of Ottawa’s Treasures
Canada’s capital has many sights to see and the National Gallery of Canada is one of its treasures. I will have the opportunity to visit …
Presenting: Esther and Li, Two Toronto-based women, Create a Documentary during a Holocaust Education Trip
My dentist, Dr. Rajiv Arya, and I have the most amazing conversations while he examines the precarious state of my molars. During my dental appointments …
Presenting: Christina Zeidler: Hotelier, Social Entrepreneur, Artist and Urban Visionary
For me a city becomes vibrant and exciting when its institutions and facilities become accessible to a diverse audience that cuts across ethnic groups and …
Presenting: Danielle Weiss Talks about Sustainable Tourism
Danielle Weiss is the Sustainable Travel Coordinator for G.A.P Adventures, Canada’s largest adventure travel company and winner of many distinguished entrepreneurial and travel industry awards. …
Presenting: Vivetha Bistro – A Popular Spot Serving Ecclectic Food
My interview at the Beach Hebrew Institute and being around the Wednesday lunch drop-in program had made me hungry, so I decided to continue my …
Presenting: Susanne Schleyer – A Young German Photographer Confronts German History
History can be a fascinating topic. Personal family history, particularly in the case of German families, bearing the historical legacy and burden of the Second …
A Conversation with Clare Wang: China – The Mysterious Giant
Cross-cultural connections and understanding foreign cultures has been a fascination and ambition for me for a long time. In my full-time business, Textronics Communications, a …
Presenting: Bruce Bell – Comedian, Actor, Playwright, Renowned Historian and Lover of Toronto
The work on this website continues to allow me to connect with all sorts of interesting people. Some time in September my brother called me …
A Conversation with Bruce Poon Tip: Global Travel Entrepreneur with a Conscience
Every once in a while you meet a personality that totally defies standard categorization, an individual who strikes you with their uniqueness and leaves an …
Presenting: Scott Rains – World Traveller, Disabled Travel Advocate & Expert on Universal Design
Scott contacted me about a week ago after having come across this website. We realized that we shared a lot of common philosophies and emails …
Presenting: Pablo Chufeni – Servas Traveller and a Champion of Cross-Border Youth Exchanges
I met Pablo at the Canada-US Servas Conference that was held at the beginning of August in Vancouver where I had a chance to spend …
Living, Working and Volunteering Abroad: Danielle Lafond Remortgages Her Condo to set up a Non-profit Community Development Project in Peru
Some time in July I was watching our local TV station, CityTV, and I caught a part of a report about a Toronto couple that …
Presenting: Robert & Bette Allekotte – Servas Members, Family Travellers, Volunteers for Peace and the Environment
Robert and Bette were among the people I had a chance to get to know at the Canada-US Servas conference which was held in Vancouver …
Presenting: Mary Jane Mikuriya – Servas Traveller and Committed Local Volunteer in San Francisco
When I first met Mary Jane at the recent Canadian-US Servas Conference in Vancouver, her youthful radiance struck me. I thought she might be in …
Mony Dojeiji and her 5000 km Walk for Peace – Part II
Here is part 2 of Mony’s story who went from being a Microsoft sales executive to completing a pilgrimage on the world-famous Camino de Santiago, …
Presenting: Valma Brenton – Owner of “Sailing for Women” – International Entrepreneur, Professional Sailor, Empowerer of Women
In my search for interesting people I recently decided that I needed to focus on finding more women that have done interesting and unusual things. …
An Interview with Helga Smith: Servas Traveller, Marathon Runner and Conqueror of Mount Kilimanjaro
I had a chance to meet Helga recently at the Servas Conference that I covered in Vancouver. Once you read Helga’s story you’ll realize why …
Mony Dojeiji and her 5000 km Walk for Peace from Rome to Jerusalem
One of the absolute pleasures of working on this website is that I am able to connect with some phenomenal people. Individuals who have done …
Doctors Without Borders – A Global Volunteer Organization Helping People In Crisis Regions
One of the subjects I am going to research in the near future is combining travel with volunteer opportunities all over the world. Volunteering is …
Living and Working Abroad: British Family Moves to Spain and Opens an Adventure Travel Company
I connected with Mel and Marie just recently, from one webmaster to another, through working on our mutual websites. I found out that the couple …
Presenting: Pier 21: Canada’s “Front Door” to Millions of Immigrants
I am fascinated by human stories and by intercultural connections. The immigrant experience combines both these elements. On the continuum of intercultural experiences from tourist …
My Buddy Mario – A True World Traveller and Conoisseur of Intercultural Experiences
In the 16 years that I have known my friend Mario I have heard many different tales of his world travels and he is one …
Martina and Jennifer’s Mother-Daughter Bonding Trip – Cycling 1400 km from the Southern Tip of to the Northern End of Germany
Martina and I play tennis in the same league and funny enough she even looks a little like the other Martina (Navratilova), just prettier. Needless …