Denver Travel Examiner: Mexico vacationers safe, smiling and planning to return, despite the U.S. Department’s travel alert

Posted using ShareThis

Denver Travel Examiner: Weekly room report: Hotel Riu Palace Pacifico, Puerto Vallarta, Mexico

Posted using ShareThis

Check out my travelinginheels blog for more details about Quebec City’s Winter Carnival. I’ve also added more pictures!

Quebec City Winter Carnaval & Ice Hotel (Hotel de Glace)

Pack your snow boats and layers of warm clothing, we’re on a winter adventure!

I’m not normally a winter person, but my recent visit to Quebec City’s Winter Carnaval, the biggest Carnaval (carnival) in the World, is an experience worth repeating. You’ll be enjoying the fun with nearly 750,000 Carnival-goers during this 17 day annual festival, beginning the end of January each year.
Pictured right is the icon of the Winter Carnaval, Bonhomme, and to the left me with Bonhomme.
Bonhomme is a loveable, 7-foot mascot, a popular, jovial snowman who represents the essence of the carnival — the love of the snow and festivities. Children chant, “I love you, Bonhomme” during the night parades that wind through the streets of Charlesbourg and Quebec City.

Click here for the rest of the story.

Have fun, Diana

Brief morning visit to Hotel de Glace (Ice Hotel) in Duchesnay, about 1 1/2 hours outside of Quebec City.  I’m not a winter person, but I found myself wowed by the architecture, yes, architecture and design of this building made of ice. 

Ice Hotel is only open about 85 days per year, opening mid-January to end of March. But it is a magical world, tranforming snow and ice into fabulous decors. Its 36 rooms and themed suites invite overnight guests who dare brave the cold for one cold night, with the hotel providing all the sub zero sleeping comfort possible, such as cocconing in your own personal sleeping bag.  The IceHotel also includes an Ice Cafe, ice chapel, art gallery and the Ice Bar where I enjoyed a cocktail in the famous ice glasses (see picture and yes, it’s really made of ice!)

Last night our opening dinner was at Loews Le Concorde Hotel in its rooftop rotating restaurant, L’Astral.

Tonight a brisk walk in old Quebec City, within the walls, lunch at restaurant L’Entrecote Saint-Jean. Now I’m hurrying to meet everyone for dinner at restaurant Boudoir Lounge Resto Jeux.

Tomorrow we will be celebrating Quebec City Winter Carnival. Check out my other TravelingInHeels blog for more details on that winter celebration: 

Sunday, February 22, 2009

Quebec City Winter Carnaval & Ice Hotel (Hotel de Glace)

Pack your snow boats and layers of warm clothing, we’re on a winter adventure!

I’m not normally a winter person, but my recent visit to Quebec City’s Winter Carnaval, the biggest Carnaval (carnival) in the World, is an experience worth repeating. You’ll be enjoying the fun with nearly 750,000 Carnival-goers during this 17 day annual festival, beginning the end of January each year.
Pictured right is the icon of the Winter Carnaval, Bonhomme, and to the left me with Bonhomme.
Bonhomme is a loveable, 7-foot mascot, a popular, jovial snowman who represents the essence of the carnival — the love of the snow and festivities. Children chant, “I love you, Bonhomme” during the night parades that wind through the streets of Charlesbourg and Quebec City.

Diana, leaving her host hotel: Hilton Quebec

I know it’s so not me to head north to the brrrr cold of Canada, but that’s exactly what I’m doing on Thursday. Bonjour and welcome to Quebec City where I’ll be bundled up and enjoying the Quebec Winter Carnaval and the Bonhomme Carnaval ambassador.

 

The Quebec Winter Carnival (or Carnaval de Québec) is an annual winter carnival that takes place in Quebec City, Quebec, Canada. The 17-day festival begins on the last Friday of January/first day of February.  With close to one million participants, it has grown to become the largest winter celebration in the world.

 I will post blogs from the road, including my stay at the Hotel de Glace (Ice Hotel), where snow and ice are transformed into decors. Made completely of ice (do you hear brrrr, Diana!), the 36-room hotel is only open 1st of January to the end of March.  (Click here for picture slideshow.

I’ll be blogging from the road beginning Thursday night through Monday. Stay tuned here and make sure you check out my column at Denver Travel Examiner, an online publication covering Denver and my travels.

Stay warm, Diana

Warm up with my latest Mexico visit to Mazatlan, click here for article.