Ciub Med, in fact,

IS very civilized

YEARS AGO, in the distant
age of steam-driven type-
writers, my chief reporter
once rapped me cn the
knuckles for joining in the
applause at an assignment.
“The press never claps. You
are neutral. Don’t forget
it.”’

Some specialties, however, re-
quire the reporter to show his
hand, and it’s usually noi too hard
to tell if a restaurant writer or
drama critic has enjoyed what has
been served up.

Travel is in the same boat, which
leads me to confess I like Club
Med. The current slogan. antidote
to civilization, | don’t agree with,
because nothing could be further
from the truth.

Club Med is very civilized in that
the vacationer only has to make
one decision, write one cheque,
and once at Club Med everything
is offered on a plate at no extra
charge (other than for drinks and
excursions),

At Cancun, on the Yucatan
peninsula of Mexico, anyone can
learn scuba diving and windsurf-
ing, go sailing and play tennis. If
that’s not enough for one holiday
there’s water-skiing and volleyball,
plus a big swimming poo! and the
deep blue sea stretching to Africa
and back.

It is, as sports director Alain
says, the biggest sports resort in
the world. (Everyone at Club Med
is on first name terms.)

Take windsurfing, coached by
Roberto from Brazil and Linda
from Vancouver. There are 50
boards, which proved to be more
than enough for the club when it
was almost full.

Kiss a camel in Yuma

From page 30
sional bus tour — cali them at
602-782-2567. If you are sincerely
in the market for a Polish pedi-
greed Arabian, 627-2553 will get
you an appointment. Or, if you’ve
a driving need to buy a camel or a
musk ox, this is the place.

kak

If you’ve a sweet tooth, visit the
Peanut Patch. It’s outside of town
and a working peanut farm. They
specialize in local products such as
peanut butter, peanut brittle (Brian
ate every bit of the bag I bought),
fudge, olives, dates, honey and cit-

* PRESENTS °

A Cruise Night

Wed., March 28 7-9 pm
$4.00 admission

West Vancouver Rec. Centre
The Dogwood Room
780 22nd St.

West Vancouver

RSVP.
985-7447 (SHIP)
1823 Capilano Rd.

travel
talk

David Wishart
SE

Compare this with the average
beach hotel which might have half
a dozen boards, and where you
have to pay for rental and instruc-
tion.

Not long ago, at a hotel resort in
Florida, | noted a Hobie-cat rental
station which advertised boats for
$26 U.S. an hour, a $15 capsizing
charge, and $15 per half-hour for
rescue,

Several of the boards are
moored just offshore so guests
(GMs in Club Med lingo) can have
instruction or practise on their
own. GOs (the staff) give lessons
twice a day and stand by with a
Boston Whaler to rescue neophytes
before they drift into oblivion.

The village also has 1° sailboats,
including Lasers.

Scuba is the big draw at Cancun.
Chief scuba instructor Dan, from
Ottawa, says every week 100 to 125
guests (out of 820 max.) pitch up

tus fruits. Don’t go near the place
if you’re dieting.

kak

Finally, if you’re dying for an
old-fashioned hamburger or hot
dog and chips, visit the Lutes Ca-
sino, 221 Main St., probably the
west’s oldest pool hall. About as
big as a warehouse, it’s one of

at the scuba shack, and of those 50
are already certified.

There is no extra charge to earn
the Club Med ticket, which te-
quires four lessons and a deep dive
(35 to 100 ft.). A doctor examines
everyone and he is present on the
dive boat at all times.

Some come to Cancun especially
to get their ticket, and before they
leave they take a diving excursion
to Cozumel, one of the world's
great dive spots.

Many take day trips to Mavan
tuins at Tulum and Chicken Itza.
Don't miss Chicken Itza; this
would be like going to Cairo and
not driving out to Giza to see the
pyramids,

Meal arrangements are very civi-
lized. Breakfast starts at dawn for
tennis players and goes on till
almost noon for late-rising night
owls.

Lunch starts then in the main
restaurant and picks up again at
the Palapa beach restaurant. Wine
with meals is included.

The Palapa, as the name sug-
gests, is a thatch building hanging
over the water, whose main role is
to deliver delicious seafood every
night. It is a place to watch the tide
cover up the day’s footprints in the
sand, a pelican soaring in the
breeze and the sun sink into the
sea.

There is always entertainment
afterwards, although the nightclub
was sadly sold short by a young DJ
who played only old disco or rap
music.

Having said that, there’s no
place easier in the world to meet
people. Just turn up at the tennis
courts for the morning lesson and
you’ve got a dozen acquaintances.

A week’s stay at Club Med
tanges from $950 to $1,250.

THE places to go. A burger and
beer will set you back about $3.50.

“ee

I'm going to take a break from
Arizona for a week or so. Laughlin
can be reached by bus for $3 from
Yuma. We drove — up through
Lake Havasu. More about that
later.

Howto save

50% at

the Roofin

JOIN US FOR DINNER 6 ON TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY
OR THURSDAY NIGHT BEFORE 7?m, AND WE'LL TAKE
50% OFF YOUR FOOD BILL.
Then dance the night away with our band, which plays your
favourite music from contemporary to big band, starting at 8p.m.

OR COME FOR AN EARLY SUPPER ON FRIDAY
AND SATURDAY NIGHTS AND WE'LL ALSO TAKE 50% OFF.
All you have to do is finish your meal and head out for a night
on the town by 7:30p.m. For reservations, call 684-3131.

COCKTAILS, ANYONE?
Our lounge features live music for the cocktail hour,
Tuesday to Friday, starting at 4:30p.m. :..4-.3:4

ith] ) 7

4 Goi

Canadian Ficific 8E4¢ Hotels & Resorts

Hotel Vancouver

ROSEWAY TRAVEL
& ROYAL CRUISE LINE
invite you to a GALA
CRUISE NIGHT featuring
the Caribbean and the
Panama Canal on the
friendly, yacht like
“GOLDEN ODYSSEY”
Special sailing. Carib-
bean on Jan. 10 & 17,
Panama Canal on Jan. 24,
reduced rates for individual

& combined cruises.

Join us on THURSDAY, MARCH 29, 7:30
in the lower activity room of St. David's
Church, Upper Levels & Taylor Way.
West Vancouver.

Door Prizes
Refreshments RSVP
Admission $3.00 926-4344

(refundable on booking)

MGS! 7/MS 2/(// (7/1 MUAVI77
SIG CFO Sf!

LUNCHEON