Anne of Green Gables

Post By Cody with a ‘Y‘

Lucy Maud Montgomery’s Anne of Green Gables is the first in a series of nine novels following the enchanting Anne Shirley through her life. Anne has inspired generations of little girls across the country and throughout the world, myself included, to be whimsical dreamers who look at the world through technicolour glasses and approach even the most dire of situations with unbounded enthusiasm and positivity.

Anne arrives as an unexpected orphan to the home of brother and sister Matthew and Marilla Cuthbert in Avonlea, Prince Edward Island. The misadventures and follies that follow are those that only a young girl with a flowery imagination, flair for the dramatic and magnet for mischief can get herself into. Their gift of a safe, stable home and opportunity to be a carefree child allow Matthew and Marilla to instill the old fashioned Canadian values (you know, before Kellie Leitch got a hold of them) that turn Anne into not only a respected daughter of their family but of their entire community.  

Reading the melodic prose of a young girl brimming with energy and the rich descriptions of maritime landscapes transports me back to being the young girl who first read Anne of Green Gables swaying in her grandparent’s hammock on a carefree summer afternoon.  While most of my reading is now done on a train racing into the city to a very serious, very grown up job, a few minutes with Anne and I am in a world where even the smallest puddle could be a Lake of Shining Waters and a White Way of Delight awaits ‘round every bend in the road.

The Kindle Paperwhite has been a life saver for commuting.  Allowing me to take the entire Anne collection (99¢ on Kindle Shop!) on the train without lugging around all 9 books in my purse. To win a $150 Amazon.ca gift card, enough for a Kindle Paperwhite of your own, be sure to enter our contest here.



What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here

Read More

Margaret Atwood

Post By Sarah Evans

Canada is home to many accomplished authors, poets, and essayists whose volumes of work have achieved international acclaim. However, none come to mind as quickly as our very own Margaret Atwood. Still working at the age of seventy-eight, Atwood has penned over forty fictional novels, critical essays and poems. She is perhaps best known to us for A Handmaid’s Tale, her brilliant examination of the place of a female in a dystopian society. This novel is a reading staple in many high school English classes, and has recently been adapted into a Bravo television series.

Born in Ottawa in 1939, Atwood spent her younger years growing up in northern Quebec and Ontario. She attended high school in Toronto, and after graduating went on to receive a Bachelor of Arts in English from the University of Toronto. She then attended Radcliffe College, Harvard, where she earned her master’s degree. After finishing school she held many roles at various esteemed Canadian and American universities, including University of British Columbia, University of Toronto, York University, and New York University.

Over the course of her career, Atwood has received much global recognition for her work, earning her countless awards and honourary degrees. Through her distinct writing style, political commentary and follies into feminism, she has earned a spot for Canada on the international literary stage. She is a true Canadian icon, who shows no signs of slowing. She is truly one of 150 Canadian things to celebrate! 

Make sure you enter our contest to win a $150 Amazon.ca gift card 

What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here

Read More

Terry Fallis

Terry Fallis is a Canadian public relations professional-turned multi-award winning author.

His first novel, The Best Laid Plans, was not accepted by a publisher so was released by podcast and then self-published before going on to win CBC Canada Reads and the Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour. Talk about Canadian determination.

The Best Laid Plans is a wonderful piece of fiction that explores the inner workings of Canadian politics. The story has rich characters and its humour is remarkably simple, poignant and accessible. Fallis’ background with the Canadian Liberal Party gives depth and genuine character to the story. Character Angus McLintock is a modern day folk hero, a crotchety old academic who will do anything not to teach English to engineering students, even if it means running to become a Member of Parliament.  Angus’ diary entries to his departed wife give the story an amazing emotional arch which rounds out well against the humour.

Fallis followed The Best Laid Plans with sequel The High Road, along with four other books including No Relation, which netted him his second Stephen Leacock Memorial Medal for Humour.

Enter our contest to win a $150 Amazon.ca gift card and pick up Terry’s full collection.

What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here

Read More

Malcolm Gladwell

English-born Canadian author Malcolm Gladwell single-handedly reignited my interest in reading. His unique ability to blend the human element with quantitative data left me wanting more.

With worldwide best sellers such as Outliers,  Blink, The Tipping Point, and David & Goliath, we are proud to have Malcolm Gladwell sew a Canadian flag on his backpack when travelling (we don't know if this is actually something he does).

If you are looking for a page-turner to exercise the old gray matter, pick up a book by Malcolm Gladwell and be fascinated with interesting details about things we take for granted as mundane. Better yet enter our contest to win a $150 Amazon.ca gift card and buy the whole collection, or pick up a Kindle paperwhite and save space on the bookshelf for the macaroni sculptures the kids bring home from school!

What is 150 of our favourite Canadian things? Read about it here

Read More

CONTEST CLOSED: Amazon.ca and Real Man Travels Celebrate Canadian Literature

Hello all you loyal readers and those out there in gigabyte land who have been following our 150 Favourite Canadian Things!

Recently our friends at Amazon reached out to us about giving the gift of reading this Father's Day, and as a bunch of men, some of who are fathers, and all of whom have fathers, we were excited to join in.

Armed with our new Kindle Paperwhite we've been diving back into our favourite works from north of the 49th parallel. 

Over the next five days we will be highlighting some of our favourite Canadian authors and books as part of our 150 Favourite Canadian Things, while updating you on our experience with the Kindle Paperwhite. 

Thanks to its high resolution, glare-free screen and the long lasting battery life we have been cruising through some stories near and dear to our maple-glazed hearts.

Amazon wants to go even further, and is partnering with us to give away a $150 Amazon.ca gift card, that's enough for a Kindle Paperwhite of your own!

Do one or more of the following to be entered in for a chance to win:

1. On Instagram, share one of your favourite Canadian things tagging @realmantravels and #RMT150.
2. On Twitter, share this story, tag @realmantravels and #RMT150 and share one of you favourite Canadian things. 
3. On Facebook, share this story, tag @Real Man Travels and #RMT150 and share one of your favourite Canadian things. 

Contest Closes at 11:59 pm EST on Sunday June 18th, 2017.

The winner will be announced Canada Day (what were the odds of that)!

In the meantime, if you are looking for a last minute Father's Day gift, head on over to Amazon and give dad the gift of reading with the Amazon Kindle Paperwhite.

Read More

Bick's Contest - Win a Big Green Egg!

As Canadians, we are resigned to the reality that our winters are long and our summers short. As such, we find ways to seize summer and make the utmost of its brief glory. Long, hot, hazy days are embraced as we swap our snow pants for shorts and our toques for t-shirts - often ridiculously early at the first hint of warmth.

There are a few telltale signs that herald the arrival of summer in Canada: the firing of sputtering lawnmowers, the filling of long-dormant restaurant patios, and the inevitable invites from friends and family finally breaking their winter hibernation. But two signs stand out above all others: highway traffic swelling with eager cottage-goers on route to cottage country, and the amazing smell of adding burgers to a fiery grill!

Bick's, purveyor of the finest pickles and other garnishes and condiments, were kind enough to invite the good lads from Real Man Travels to experience both these stand-out summer signals (well, the cottage, not the traffic) a couple of weeks ago. We also helped prove that burgers and pickles are truly the perfect pair. More on that in a future post, but we wanted to share a really fun contest they have announced with the chance to win a Big Green Egg BBQ - the ultimate cooking experience! These awesome-looking grills will allow you to signal summer far and wide and become the envy of your griller-hood. To enter, you must Find Bick's a Burger! Click here to learn how you can be entered to win, all while checking out amazing burger recipes.

Read More

5 Father's Day Gift Ideas for the Man's Man

The first guy you call when something breaks wasn't born this handy. He was forged in the early years of your childhood as you ran room to room like a little tornado. A hammer and some nails, or maybe super glue to side step the wrath of your mother. Some duct tape and a pillow for child proofing. Now he has a tool box full of things that even Tim "the tool man" Taylor would drool over, and you can't even comprehend what they all do. No ordinary gift will properly say "thank you" to the man who raised you, but these ones might just be a start.

Digital Meat Thermometer ($35+) - He's been grilling steaks medium rare since he was in diapers, but occasionally a guest requests medium well. This handy gadget will have him reigning supreme over the grill for decades to come

Boto Swimwear ($65) - This dad isn't shopping for O'Neill board shorts and damn sure he isn't showing off his "dadbod" in a Speedo. Boto brings a simple style to mens swimwear that your dad will appreciate...unlike your hip hop music, or those neighbor kids who wont get off his lawn!

CONTEST: Win a $125 Travel Shave Kit from @KingsCrown and @RealManTravels by tweeting the URL of this post, with the hidden hashtag #RMTManlyDad and mention @KingsCrown1774 and @RealManTravels. You can also Like us on Facebook and post the hidden hashtag #RMTManlyDad to our page for a bonus entry! Winner to be announced June 19th, 2015. Contest is only open to Canadian residents. More details here: Contest Details

Stanley Fubar  ($32) - For the dad that has every tool, there's the Fubar. A tool that, when put in the right hands, can far surpass the 4-in-1 claims of its creator while earning its name's acronym.

Chillsner Gift Box Set ($37) - No man deserves a warm beer, but certainly not one that walked up hill both ways to work to put food on the table for you and your family. For the man who just wants an hour with the TV and an ice cold beer at the end of a day, I suggest the Chillsner gift box set.

Tassimo Coffee Maker ($100+) - Time is money, and your dad doesn't have time to waste waiting on a regular pot of coffee to brew. This device will have coffee brewed hot and fresh at the push of a button to start his day on time.

There you have it, five Father's Day gift ideas for the manly man in your life. If you are going to pick up one of these items for your dad, or have another suggestion, let us know in the comments below.

Cheers,

Sam

Read More

5 Gifts for the Dad who Thinks He’s Pretty Tech Savvy

Today’s list of Father’s Day gifts will focus on the dad who thinks he is pretty tech savvy, but you know he actually isn’t. These gifts are meant to be simple in use.

1. Smart Watch - $149+

Not too long ago the smart watch was just a fictional piece of equipment made for British spies, star fleet commanders and those deep into the military, AREA-51 style. Well, now your old man can join those ranks too!

Smart watches have come a long way from their original inception as they are no longer just big square screens with rubber wrist bands. Brands like Motorola and LG have embraced the classic timepiece style with round screens on the Moto X and LG Urbane. That’s not to say the square screen factor is gone. Sony, Samsung, Pebble and Apple all make solid smart watches as well.

Variety of Smart Watches - Image courtesy of Flickr

While these smart watches may not have a direct line to the president, be able to shoot mini rockets in a time of need, or even have a self-destruct mode, it is almost guaranteed that your dad will love feeling like he is a spy as he checks his messages discreetly on his wrist.

Want to spend a crazy amount to attach a strap to an existing watch with a screen on the bottom of the strap? Mont Blanc has you covered with their Urban Speed e-Strap. A monochromatic screen sits on the underside (bottom of your wrist) and will connect to most devices. Expect to drop an outrageous $3000+ on this strap.

2. Chromecast - $39 CAD

Watching videos, listening to music and sharing photos has been made simpler by the fine folks at Google with their handy streaming device, Chromecast.

How does it work? You simply plug the Chromecast dongle into an HDMI slot on your TV and then plug in the USB cord to either the TV or wall outlet for power. Download the Chromecast app and follow the easy instructions to get your Chromecast connected to your home’s WiFi network.

Chromecast Dongle

Once connected you can begin using apps that “cast” from your phone to your Chromecast connected TV. Currently apps like Netflix, Youtube, MLB TV, NBA Game Time, NFL Game Pass, Songza, Tune In and more are supported with more apps being added frequently. Full app list here.

We at Real Man Travels also recommend adding a gift card to Google Play or The App Store. This will allow your old man to get certain premium casting apps like All Cast which will allow other sources of streamed content. We’ll leave that gray area up to you to figure out though.

CONTEST: Win a $125 Travel Shave Kit from King's Crown and Real Man Travels by tweeting the URL of this post, with the hidden hashtag #RMTTechDad and mention @KingsCrown1774 and @RealManTravels. You can also Like us on Facebook and post the hidden hashtag #RMTTechDad to our page for a bonus entry! Winner to be announced June 19, 2015. Contest is only open to Canadian residents. More details here: Contest Details

3. Bluetooth Speaker - $50 +

Music anywhere; that's a beautiful thing for a dad who loves to rock out wherever he may be. Without breaking the bank your old man can bring his music to the garage, the backyard, the basement, camping, travelling and more. And you know he is going to feel pretty bad ass doing it all without wires.

The two speakers we recommend are:

Bose Soundlink Mini - $219,99 CAD

Plain and simple, this is the best sounding Bluetooth speaker I've experienced by far.

Bose Soundlink - Image courtesy of PC Mag

EcoxGear Ecorox Waterproof Wireless Speaker - $125 CAD

EcoXGear EcoRox - Image Courtesy of MEC

This is a great speaker for being outside with, whether camping or chilling on a hammock in the yard. It's waterproof and will last 10 hours.

4. Nest Thermostat - $249 CAD

How many times growing up did you hear something along the lines “Who turned up/down the thermostat!? Do you think this place heats and cools itself for free?” Then magically a piece of tape appears blocking the little switch…as if that tape is permanent.

Nest Thermostat

Get your old man the Nest thermostat and let him reap the benefit of energy savings all year around. The Nest system learns from your use, lowers/raises temperature when you’re away and is controllable by most phones and tablets. Bonus: Pair it up with the Nest Smoke and C02 detector if you really love your dad! $109

Put the energy saving power your dad craves into his hands this Father’s Day with the Nest Thermostat.

5. Wireless Wallet/Key Finder -$30+

Okay, maybe this is more of a necessity than a gift. What man hasn't lost his wallet or keys and wished there was an easier way to find them then rummaging through every pair of pants, jacket and drawers. That easy solution is a cheap and thin wallet/key finder. Simply pair the app on your phone to the key finder and never worry again. Unless of course you left them behind on a trip, then your S.O.L.

We at Real Man Travels like the look of the TrackR the most of the wallet/key finders.

The TrackR - Image Courtesy of NiftyReads

There you have it, five gift ideas to make your dad feel like he is a champion of technology, a spy, a hero amongst men...or, well, just like he has some cool toys to play with. If you were thinking of, or got your dad any of the above items let us know in the comments below!

Read More

CONTEST [CLOSED]: Real Man Travels Father's Day Gift Guide

Father's day is nearing and if you're anything like us at Real Man Travels you know your dad will never say what he wants or needs, so you will resort to calling your mom and asking.

Well this year skip the doubt (but still call your mom to say hello) and join Real Man Travels through our week-long Father's Day gift guide. Throughout the week we will be showcasing gift ideas for the many different types of dads that are out there. From the "Wannabe Techy Dad," the "Manly Man Dad," the "Outdoors-man Dad," the "Nerdy Dad" and all dad's in between.

Gear up and get ready for this manly gift guide collection that will run from June 9 - 12, 2015. Make sure you keep up with all the guides posted because we want to spoil a lucky reader's dad (Canadian only - sorry friends of the globe) with a beautiful double edge butterfly razor, bamboo towel and travel size shaving cream set from our friends at King's Crown. Valued at $125

Here's how to enter!

Entry Method One:

1. Read our Father's Day Gift Guide articles and look for the hidden hashtag in each one.
2. Tweet the URL of the article with the hidden hashtag and mention @KingsCrown1774 and @RealManTravels on Twitter.

Entry Method Two:

1. Read our daily Father's Day Gift Guide articles and look for the hidden hashtag.
2. Like us on Facebook and post the hidden hashtag to our page!

You can also complete both methods to gain two entries into the contest!

The winner will be drawn at random and announced on June 19, 2015 and said person will have one week to claim their prize. If it is not claimed we will then re-draw for a new winner. The contest is only open to Canadian residents. The prize is valued at $125 and sponsored by King's Crown.

Oh and in case you didn't know or forgot, Father's Day is Sunday, June 21. No excuses, go get your dad some gear he will love!

Read More

Contest Update: The Gentlemen's Expo

We gave away two weekend passes to the Gentlemen’s Expo on our Facebook page, and the winner is: Sari Colt! Congrats Sari!

The Gentlemen’s Expo runs November 14-16 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. Real Man Travels readers receive 10% off admissions by using the code: REALTGE. Go to http://www.gentlemensexpo.com/ to get your tickets.

See you there!

Read More