Nancy Pearl, the author of Book Lust and More Book Lust who inspired the librarian action figure, starts her newest book, Book Lust To Go, like this: "I am not an enthusiastic traveler. Let me lay my cards on the table, clear the air, call a spade a spade, and make something perfectly clear, I am barely a traveler at all." She goes on to say that she is a "virtual traveler, via books", and thus the perfect person to provide "recommended reading for travelers, vagabonds and dreamers". She goes on to work her way through the alphabet of places and topics, including travel narrative, biographies, memoirs and fiction.

Whether you are looking for an armchair adventure or some related reading before you go traveling, this book is a great resource.

For an out-of-the way read, try Radio Shangri-la: what I learned in Bhutan, the happiest kingdom on earth.

Napoli writes how, caught in the grip of a mid-life crisis, cynical about work, and depressed about her love life, a chance encounter with a handsome stranger leads to the adventure of a lifetime in Bhutan.

(Syndetics)

Another new book that has arrived recently is a starred selection in Bookmarks magazine.

In this dazzling Russian travelogue, Ian Frazier trains his eye for unforgettable detail on Siberia, that vast expanse of Asiatic Russia. He explores many aspects of this storied, often grim region, which takes up one-seventh of the land on earth. He writes about the geography, the resources, the native peoples, the history, the forty-below midwinter afternoons, the bugs. (Syndetics)

From the far-out geographically to the just plain far-out, Weird Hollywood: your travel guide to Hollywood's local legends and best kept secrets has just arrived.

With California resident and humorist Oesterle as the guide, meander through bizarre back alleys and darkened theaters, observe the kitschy Singing Chairs of Santa Monica, and all that makes Hollywood the fantastic spot it is. (Syndetics)

It’s hard to say who was most excited to see the new Wizarding World of Harry Potter in Orlando. Carol and I have been going to the movies on opening day for years, but Simon had some Christmas money saved for Honeydukes candy shop! It had been eight months since the park opened, but there were still crowds lined up at 9 am outside the gates. The Wizarding World is part of Islands of Adventure, one of two Universal Studios theme parks in Orlando, Florida.

We stayed at a Universal Studios hotel for ease and early access. Even in January, the slowest time of the year, the shops and attractions were packed by 10 am. Early in the morning is the most magical time. It’s easy to imagine you really are walking down the street of Hogsmeade Village, the snow covered shops which the Hogwarts students visit on special weekends.

It is the detail that makes it convincing. Universal hired staff from England so the clerks sound convincing. J. K. Rowling was rigorous in her demands. For example, she wouldn’t let pop be sold because it would detract from the illusion. Only pumpkin juice and sweet, frothy butterbeer can be found. The shops are full of great detail, such as chained brooms shaking with excitement, wand choosing ceremonies, and a marauder’s map with footsteps running around it.

But first to Honeydukes, the candy shop! There were Bertie Bots Every Flavour Beans, Cauldron Cakes, and Chocolate Frogs with wizard cards, all at exorbitant prices. This display shows how licorice is made.

After stuffing your face, a small family rollercoaster called Flight of the Hippogriff takes you past Hagrid’s hut and Buckbeak. Dragon Challenge is two intersecting, high speed roller coasters. The main attraction is in Hogwarts Castle itself. You walk through the boar statues at the gates into Harry Potter and the Forbidden Journey. The walkthrough as you wait in line is an attraction in itself. The ride is a motion simulator ride based on the robots used in automotive plants. Strapped into a seat, you fly through the castle grounds. There’s a combination of specially filmed scenes of the actors and three dimensional sets as you rotate and pivot along a track. It’s absolutely stunning, but can be hard on imaginative kids. They throw everything at you on this ride: spiders, dragons, dementors, and even the whomping willow takes a swipe at you.

Since there are so many references to the books and movies, you may wish to read and watch them again from the library before you visit. We have the DVDs on Blu-ray now. One of the treasures of our collection are the bookcds narrated by Jim Dale. An incredible voice actor, he does a great job reading all the characters. In the Deathly Hallows that is 146 different characters!

Another cool thing to check out of CPL is The unofficial Harry Potter cookbook: from cauldron cakes to knickerbocker glory--more than 150 magical recipes for wizards and non-wizards alike. It’s available as a regular or electronic book. Remember Magic Eye books? Now there’s Harry Potter Magic Eye® book: 3D magical creatures, beasts and beings. There are also many books of criticism, translations in different languages, and even The complete idiot's guide to the world of Harry Potter. Get them now, because Harry Potter mania will only increase as we near the release of the final movie July 15.

Next summer, watch for Harry Potter parties at a library near you.

New York, New York

New York is a direct flight away in the warm months, so we went on a family trip with Grandma and Grandpa. To ease Simon through all the museums the adults wanted to visit, I put red dots on our New York City map with the location of all the toy stores. The carrot for this trip would be little boxes of single Playmobil soldiers!

Our first stop was the Metropolitan Museum of Art. We did our homework, focusing on finding artifacts that would appeal to a 7 year old boy. A chariot, William the Egyptian hippo, paintings of martyred saints, a temporary exhibition of Jeff Koons balloon animal sculptures, and a visit to the restaurant eased us through two visits. Simon’s favourite part was the rooftop sculpture garden with its views over Central Park. He took art photos of the pigeons while we drank lemonade.

Girls might want to read From the mixed-up files of Mrs. Basil E. Frankweiler by E. L. Konigsburg before they visit. Claudia and her younger brother run away from home and live in the Met Museum while they solve a mystery. Simon read many picture books before we visited. Can you find it?by Judith Cressy and Can you hear it? : listen and look, more than 40 details in 26 works of art & musicby William Lach are both full of Metropolitan art that will help prepare for the visit.

Central Park Serenadeby Laura Godwin is a lovely picture book about visiting the popular park. The paintings are full of light and colour, and got us excited about visiting. Wow! City! by Robert Neubecker is a large picture book with exuberant illustrations. A little girl travels to New York with her dad and is amazed by all the people. 0786809515

The hilarious Penguins of Madagascar cartoon DVD stars four madcap penguins that live in the Central Park Zoo.

Simon’s favourite activities:

· The American Museum of Natural History with rooms for every possible interest. Watch the DVD Night at the Museum first!

· Taking the Staten Island ferry past the Statue of Liberty

· Street vendors- hot dogs, pretzels, even classic shaved ice

· Toys stores, of course. FAO Schwartz at the bottom of Central Park, and the Toys R Us in Times Square.

Kari

OK, I’ll admit it: I’m a snob. Why would I want to visit a replica of the Eiffel tower when I’ve been to the real one?

Vegas is full of replicas! Everything is fake – from the Sphinx to the Coliseum, to the Elvis(es) that troll the strip. But, having accepted this tacky truth, I was ready to go and have fun. And I sure did!

Is Vegas my favourite travel destination? Alas, no. But it’s hot, uninhibited, and only 2 and a half hours from Calgary. Best of all: Vegas has something for all ages and preferences. There’s so much more than Blackjack!

Here are some of my “crib” notes. Enjoy!

Accommodations:

I stayed at the Luxor. Although it’s not quite as far north on Las Vegas Blvd as I would have liked, it was still easy to walk to the other hotels and spots of interest on the famed “strip”. With restaurants, night clubs, a casino, pools and a spa all under one (giant, black, pyramid-shaped) roof, there was hardly any reason for me to leave the hotel. I stayed from Sunday to Friday, and was able to get a stellar rate - $39 per night! However, if I had stayed on a Friday or Saturday night, the rate would have increased at least three-fold.

Entertainment:

Rollercoaster! I rode the rollercoaster at New York New York, and I have to say that it’s really not as scary as it looks. In fact, my sister, an avid rollercoaster rider, used the term “lame” to describe it. While I wouldn’t go that far, I would say that with only one upside-down loop, its fear factor is somewhere between the "Mindbender" at West Edmonton Mall, and an actual cab ride in NYC.

Zumanity! I’d never seen a Cirque Du Soleil show before, and now I’m a huge, huge fan. Zumanity is marketed as the “sensual side of Cirque”, but it was that and much more. I whole-heartedly recommend it for both singles and couples. Guaranteed to spice up your trip! There’s no need to buy tickets in advance. Save money by buying them (sale priced!) on the strip. I bought my ticket a few hours before the show and was able to get a fabulous seat.

Shopping! Skip the Miracle Mile. I checked it out, and found that most of the stores there are also at my local mall, here in Calgary. Instead, head to the outlets. There are great brands, and really great prices. However, if you’re not planning on leaving the strip, then check out Ross. Imagine a Winners store, but with better brands and lower prices. 5 new pairs of shoes is my testament to the fact that the sales are tremendous (ask me about my teal Ralph Lauren loafers)!

Stripper 101! The upside: an authentic Vegas stripper – er, uh, “entertainer” – told me that I had a great swagger. The downside: I spent the remainder of my vacation with bruises lining my knees, inner thighs, and forearms. The verdict: yes, spend the $40 for an hour of instruction, but go easy! Pole dancing (as I’ve discovered) actually is hard work.

Vegas truly does have something for everyone. If you’d like to know more about Vegas or any other travel destination, visit your local library branch. We’ve got guidebooks, maps, DVDs and more!

Katherine