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Sunday, April 23, 2000 Oakville Beaver Weekend 23 Travel & Entertainment An Oakville Beaver Feature To advertise in this section call 845-3824 Fax:337-5568 travel with . j Amsterdam marches to its own drum By Jane Stokes SPECIAL TO THE BEAVER Long esteem ed for its courage, humanity, and for its carte blanche on person al liberty, this city certainly has a record on the global stage o f which to be proud. Except, one could argue, for its attitude in traffic. The pedestrians, cyclists and m otorists here all believe they have the right of way. And they do. There are three parallel lanes defined precisely for each, but canal roadways are so narrow that pedestrians, especially tourists, can easi ly lose a shoulder if they cross the line where only bicycles are supposed to go. And cyclists pay the price on the other side, where if they cross that line, irreverent local motorists will surely knock them flat. Am sterdam m ers know the rules. Tourists learn them quickly. So mark your terri tory and watch how you go. There will be so much here to distract you. For example, at last count there were at least 15 million bicycles in Holland, with 600.000 o f them on the streets of Amsterdam. To really get a sense of this volume, just take a look at the front entrance of any train station. The sea of bicycles across the building are those of daily commuters. In fact, a good 85% of the Dutch pop ulation use a bicycle for both transportation and recre ation, which is why the country has no less than 10.000 kilometers of road side cycle paths. For those with nerves of steel, you can rent one (at around $20 per day) but be sure to lock it well. Each year, an average of 4.000 missing bicycles are dredged up off the bottom of Amsterdam canals. Perhaps this city's great est feat is the fact that it exists at all. No one forgets that & good portion of The Netherlands is reclaimed land from the sea, evidenced in a city like Amsterdam where each and every canal side home is mounted first onto water-resistant pilons. There are more than 5 million, 30-foot wooden pilons keeping Amsterdam's head above water today. This underground network -- plus a coastal system of terps and dikes, the legendary wind mills and wooden shoes -- are mere ly symbols of genius in their triumph over the sea. Ingenuity sparked Holland's golden age with untold riches for two centuries in exploration and trade. The 17th cen tury was also an epoch of scientific dis covery, of arts and architecture and the formidable schools of Rembrandt, Vermeer, Hals, Steen, and later, Van Gough. And because intolerance of any kind was "bad for business", Holland was able to rise above the short-sightedness of other nations at the time, and has £ CHOICE CRUISES/USA/CANADA CUNARD LINE OFFERS FOUR TRANSATLANTIC VOYAGES ON THE `QUEEN ELIZABETH V this year from Boston to Southampton. England. The `theme' cruises will depart on May 11 - "Gardens Of Great Britain"; June 6 - Floating Jazz Festival; Sept. 4 - "Views Of The New Century"; and Sept. 24 - "Beyond The Human Limit". Fares for the six-day sailing's start at US$995 per person, double, including one-way airfare between London and Bosto.,* or any of 117 gateways in the U.S. and Canada. One of these sailing's is a must-do for the cruise enthusiast! since been a model for religious, per sonal and social freedoms. How to get there: Visit the Netherlands Office of Tourism web site at www.goholland.com. The notewor thy onboard service of KLM-Royal Dutch Airlines, departing several gate ways across Canada, can a good slice of the credit for the The Netherlands popularity. --News Canada Special Easter Long Weekend 3 * Features! 5 DRIVE-IN TWIN THEATRES SKULLS P L U S On Ninth LtneU-571 North of Q.E.W. & CLSouth o< Highway 5. Phone 257-8272 BONUS (Fri, KSai |HURRICANE S CORRECTION For our 40 Page Sears Easter Pre-Print Sale Dates April 17-22, 2000 (C043F500) PAGE 35 - Bushnell binoculars #42852 are not a PLUS RULES OF ENGAGEMENT aa JEMUttlK E G CLIPPER CRUISE LINES INTRODUCES NEW SOUTHEAST ASIA VOYAGES with two sailing's in Southeast Asia and the Spice Islands this summer. The cruises, aboard the 128-passenger "Clipper Odyssey," feature THAILAND and INDONESIA, including BALI. Zodiac landing craft will be used at times and passengers will be able to see and explore Buddhist and Hindu temples, the "dragons" of Komodo Island, volcanic calderas, cities and villages. A nice size cruise ship to travel on to enjoy these unique destinations! available through shop by phone. For our Furn. A Furn/Appl. Pre-Print (Sale Dates: April 17-April 30, 2000.) PAGE 6 - Generations queen bed ensemble. Reg. price BONUS (Fri. &Sat only) SCREAM 3 Gates Open & 3 0 P M M O V IE S T A R T S A T D U S K THE 5 DRIVE-IN - your best in entertainment. 2 first-run features! FM stereo sound! Children Under 13 admitted FREE! No babysitting costs. should read $2499.97. Save story should read $800.00 We sincerely apologize lor any inconvenience this may have caused Sears customers.______ LOW EST PRICE IN TH E AREA! TUES., $4.25: THURS. FW,, SAT, SUN. MON. Sa50 I OPEN THURS. FRI. SAT. SUN- MOW. & TUESJ Marcello' s Banquet & Conference Centre Mr. Potato Head keeps popping up in Rhode Island Gather up your "small fries," visit Rhode Island and keep your eyes peeled: you just may find one of dozens of Mr. Potato Head statues that have cropped up around the state to welcome you here! Mr. Potato Head is an internationally beloved icon of fun, and as he was bom in Rhode Island, they've made him their Family Travel Ambassador to the "Birthplace of Fun!" This is no "half-baked" idea. A bumper crop of sixfoot-tall fiber glass Mr. - and Mrs. - Potato Head statues are popping up throughout Rhode Island at top visitor attractions, restaurants, recreational sites and busi nesses. The statues, sponsored by Ocean State organiza tions and companies, are canvasses for the work of local artists. Each Potato Head represents a theme, with artistic decor reflecting many tastes -- from the eccentric to the eerie to the erudite. Whether taking the shape of a mosaic bikini-clad beach beauty, a bejeweled spud, a whimsically crafted lighthouse or an Edgar Allan "Poe-tato," these stylized statues are a hot draw for visitors seeking fun in Rhode Island. The promotion, herald ing Rhode Island as the "Birthplace of Fun!" in fullcolor magazine advertise ments, encourages potential visitors to call 1-800-5076700 for a free Family Fun Vacation Kit, including a magazine-style Rhode Island Travel Guide. Each kit contains a cluefilled "Potato Heads of State" brochure so visitors can participate in a contest to locate the Potato Head ambassadors and win prizes! Travelers who come and visit at least three statues are eligible to win through a random drawing. So book your Ocean State visit and start your search for Mr. Potato Head statues - get them while they're hot! For more information, internet users can log onto www.VisitRhodeIsland.com - News Canada Burlington's N ewest B anquet F acility THE `NATIONAL COWBOY HALL OF FAME' AND WESTERN HERITAGE CENTRE IN OKLAHOMA CITY is really something to see. We toured it recently and while looking forward to the visit, were amazed at just how wonderful a presentation it is. A 220,000 sq. ft. facility which includes a full-sized old west town setting including a blacksmith shop, grocery store, saloon, newspaper office, etc. and each has all the noises relative to the environment. The beginning of rodeos after the trail rides and its stars are there. Also very impressive are the paintings of the heroes of the movies we all enjoyed - many life-like of such as JOHN WAYNE, GENE AUTRY, ROY ROGERS, DALE EVANS, HOPALONG CASSIDY. Great memories return with each picture, and all the different settings. People travel there from all over the world to see it. While there a visit for a juicy steak at historic CATTLEMEN'S STEAKHOUSE at the continent's largest stockyards is a must! Planning That Special Event... Foryour Retirement Party, League Banquet, orju st a Dinner Dance. Let Carmens Catering Burlington/Oakville cater that a ll occasion event Introducing family style service with a fabulous 4 course dinner for only ? ? ? '2295 per person * W *Based on a minimum of 75 people. Taxes & gratuities additional. Valid any Saturday from April to July 2000, oi January, February & March 2001. DID YOU KNOW: SIGNATURE VACATIONS HAS LAUNCHED A"ROOTS PROMOTION" as an incentive to travellers in booking one of their offerings in their -- summer Canadian program at their local travel professional office. Travellers booking a total of $500 in Canadian vacation with Signature by June 15 will receive a $50 ROOTS GIFT CERTIFICATE. Their Canada program features stays in MAJOR CENTRES across the country, plus RESORT STAYS at Whistler, Mt. Tremblant, Cape Breton and St.Andrews-by-the-Sea, as well as SPA VISITS and MOTORHOME RENTALS. We did the latter out of Calgary last year, and enjoyed a memorable trip into the Rockies. Also inquire about our host bar & cash barpricing. *HaIlrentals may apply. irave In s id e th e H o lid a y I n n Oakville Facilities B u rlington 257-8747 o r 825-5555 2387 Trafalgar Road Oakville Also in M ilton and Halton Hills www.brucehood.com 339-1261 532-0163, Am ple fre e parkin g a n d located j u s t o ff the Q E W 905-332-0163 1160 Blair Rd., Burlington, Ontario · Fax 905-332-4878 (Between Guelph Line & Walkers Line)