The first time I visited western Canada, I was blown away by the scale and beauty of the Rockies. Several visits later and I remain in awe of the spectacular mountains but have come to appreciate the exceptional diversity of British Columbia and Alberta.

Overnight stays by Europeans fell 8.8 percent with Germans posting a slump of 12 percent, the Swiss statistics office said on Monday. Among the Dutch the decline was 14 percent, among Italians 7.6 percent and French 3.7 percent.

Switzerland is grappling with the effects of the record-strong franc, which has gained some 20 percent against the euro in recent months and nearly touched parity with the common currency on August 9.

Companies’ profits are beginning to suffer, the tourism sector has complained of a lack of visitors, and some economists have warned the economy could slip into recession next year if the franc stays too strong for too long.

To help ease some of the ill effects of the strong currency, the Swiss government is proposing 870 million Swiss francs in aid to boost unemployment insurance and other steps, including support for the hotels sector.

In a sign of rising demand from emerging markets, hotel stays by Russians increased in July by 9.2 percent, among Indians 16 percent, and among Chinese they leapt by 61 percent.

It will be at least 10:30 pm before we can get a table. It is a Thursday night, no less. That was the word from the concierge when we asked him to book us into Montreal’s renowned eatery Au Pied de Cochon. Chef Martin Picard’s staunchly Quebecois diner is either still the city’s favorite place for comfort food or Montreal’s reputation as a late night party town is as true as ever. A weekend in Quebec’s energetic hub of play and pleasure was bound to include little sleep – bars open every night until 3 am – so eating a little late is no big deal. Canada’s second largest city, and the biggest French-speaking metropolis after Paris, has always lived by its free-spirited, hedonistic ways. Occasionally, there’s an economic price to pay (its 1976 Olympic debt was finally cleared in 2006) but it is a beautiful liberalism the denizens wear like an old tie-dyed shirt.

In winter, the winds blowing off the St. Lawrence River can rattle the bones, but this is summer so the city is spirited and lively.

Planning our trip, the first thing we noted was the crazy number of festivals happening on a July weekend. There’s the Just-For-Laughs comedy fest, a month-long fireworks competition, Fantasia Film Festival screenings, the acrobatic-themed Montral Compltement Cirque, the multi-genre performing arts Zoofest, dragon boat races in the water and a Pink Carnival in conjunction with a Jean Paul Gaultier couture retrospective at the Museum of Fine Arts.

One afternoon, I even saw a parade of undead zombies presumably heading to a Goth party.

Luckily, our downtown hotel Chez Swann is just off the main strip Rue Sainte-Catherine and within walking distance to almost everything.

Opened less than a year, the hip little inn only has 23 rooms. Designed more like an art gallery with eccentric furnishings by American Mary Moegenburg, tree trunks serve as bedside tables and room rugs resemble patches of grass.

Sometimes form overrides function but Chez Swann’s room rate is reasonable and the place is full of character.

Plus, the staff managed to score us a late reservation at one of the city’s most popular joints.

Au Pied de Cochon (or PDC to locals) means the pig’s foot and its unapologetic menu is laden with variety meats. Located in a section of Plateau Mont-Royal where old warehouses have been transformed into shops and restaurants, PDC is noisy and raucous at all hours, serving up tasty bison tongue, duck in a can and an entire pig’s head (for two).

The signature dish is the poutine foie gras. Traditionally a blue-collar ration, poutine consists of french fries and cheese curds slathered in rich gravy. Adding foie gras to it is as much a middle finger against posh nosh as calorie counting.

Even more sinful is the plogue champlain. A true Quebec creation, a mound of potato, cheese, foie gras and back bacon is covered with a maple syrup sauce. Even lumberjacks might not want to eat here everyday but it was one of my most memorable meals in years.

The next day, we get our city bearing walking down Rue Sainte-Catherine, past department stores and fast food shops down to Old Montreal. There’s apparently a huge network of underground malls along the way but since it’s summer, we would rather be outside.

Old Montreal is lined with historic buildings including the Gothic Notre-Dame Basilica. The acoustics inside are so good, Luciano Pavoratti performed there several times. The cobblestone roads are also rumored to be an inspiration for Hong Kong’s Lan Kwai Fong as developer Allan Zeman was once a Montreal native.

After scouting out heritage, we turn from something old to something new, jumping into the city’s Metro train system to the Parc Jean-Drapeau, the island park.

The lush greenery is a nice city respite, and you get to appreciate a couple of holdover sites from the 1967 world Expo. The Biosphere is a geodesic dome now used as an environment museum, while the beehive block of residences called Habitat 67 designed by famed architect Moshe Safdie is as futuristic today as 40 years ago.

Feeling peckish, we return downtown for an al fresco dinner at the popular Brasserie T! Opened by respected local chef Normand Laprise, it’s a glass box adjacent to the Museum of Contemporary Art. The outside tables are ideal for people-watching on the open public square called Place des Festivals. Foodwise, it’s another casual, meat-heavy menu with a contemporary French slant. Charcuterie, chicken liver mousse and steak frites is what you’ll want with a good glass of wine.

Little did we realize this weekend would take on such a decidedly gastronomic focus. You can’t go to Montreal without indulging in bagels and smoked meats. Hunting these delicacies offered an excuse to troll along the artsy, urbane neighborhood along Saint Laurent Boulevard.

The Fairmount Bagel Bakery is open 24 hours cranking out chewy, slightly sweet bread and loyal patrons are here at all times to receive the offerings. Housed in the same modest red-brick two-story house since 1949, the bagels are boiled, then baked in a wood-fired oven. The family that runs it has been making bagels since 1919.

Further along Saint Laurent, there’s Schwartz’s, an institution for Montreal smoked meats since 1928. Expect a line waiting to get into the deli at all hours.

If you can’t spare the time, a recently opened take-out counter next door lets you take away a sandwich, or some vacuumed sealed brisket. It is so beloved that a local librettist has written a musical about them.

A detour over to the Latin Quarter on lower Saint-Denis Street, in the Ville-Marie district, reveals Montreal’s real appeal.

Sidewalk cafes designed for lingering, quaint boutiques without hard sell staffers, and working-class Francophones share the sidewalk with artsy university types. No one seems in a hurry to go anywhere (except at night to a club or bar).

You don’t generally find such a relaxed attitude in such a big city. Maybe that’s why Montreal lost ground economically to Toronto. However, it’s no contest in terms of which Canadian city has the most joie de vivre.

Q Tell me a bit about the elimination challenge.
A I couldn’t have possibly pulled a worse ingredient than foie gras. Like I said on the show, we all have some background in French cooking, but since my expertise is mostly Asian, any other ingredient would’ve been better. So I did a torchon, which, yeah, usually you’d need more time to do properly. But the thing is, at the judges’ table, all they complained about was it being a bit bland. Or at least that’s all I heard.

Q So did you have a feeling you were about to be eliminated?
A I didn’t, especially having heard the things that were said about Patrick and Darryl’s dishes.

Q As you mentioned, your strength lies in Asian cuisine, which helped you in a few challenges (like the blind taste-test), but maybe held you back in a few others. Did you find the French cuisine-centric elimination challenge to be the most difficult one you encountered?
A No, [the hardest challenge] for me was definitely the Russian challenge, and not just because of the challenge itself — there was some difficulty working with Dale, who wanted me to do the dessert because I had immunity. But I’m not really one for being told what to do, so if I don’t want to do dessert, I’m not going to do dessert.

Q What was the atmosphere like at the hotel for you?
A If you watch my audition tape, I come across as a bit cocky — it’s TV, right? But I’m not a drinker or anything, so when we were at the hotel, I would just go to my room and read. I think [my fellow competitors] expected me to be a bit more outgoing.

Q Is there anything you learned on Top Chef that you’ll take back to your restaurant?
A Not exactly, but I did learn that it’s important to follow your dream. I thought I had a serious chance at the top spot on the show, so much so that I gave up some time with my daughter. I hope she’ll see it someday, though, and learn how important it is to pursue a dream, no matter what. I think she’ll understand.  

Three of the most beautiful national parks in Canada are Jasper, Yoho and Banff, and the best sights of all of these can be experienced on escorted Canada tours with a knowledgeable local guide.

Canada adventure tours take visitors through stunning areas of the Canadian Rockies, passing the kinds of vistas that people dream about when considering a holiday to this part of the world.

In Jasper National Park, visitors can enjoy hikes to places such as Maligne Canyon, Opal Mountain and the Valley of Five Lakes – a beautiful area of small and hidden lakes ideal for relaxing by following a morning of walking – while on Canada walking holidays.

If visitors head to the park for Canada holidays at the right time of year, they could also enjoy a hike around the base of Edith Cavell Mountain.

The mountain is easily recognisable from its distinctive shark fin shape and is at its most beautiful when covered in crisp white snow. It also has a number of hanging glaciers and, while hiking along its base, walkers will be able to hear the loud crashes of falling ice.

After exploring the best of Jasper on foot, visitors can continue their Canada walking holiday with a trip to Banff National Park. The road between the two sites – the Icefields Parkway – is stunning in itself and takes visitors past areas of outstanding natural beauty such as Athabasca Falls and Peyto Lake.

There is much to do within Banff National Park. Those keen to continue with days of hiking can find many fantastic walks here, but those with relaxation in mind after trekking around Jasper can also find much to amuse.

Lake Agnes and the Plain of Six Glaciers are both worth a visit, with the hike to the glaciers worth it for the views alone. Those who complete the challenging trek here will be rewarded with some of the most awe-inspiring mountain views in Canada, as well as the chance to kick back in one of the many teahouses hidden within the peaks.

After visiting the glaciers, why not enjoy a dip in one of Banff’s naturally heated hot springs, which are great for reviving achy muscles and surely offer the best bathing views in the world?

Both Jasper and Banff national parks also boast windy rivers and lakes, as well as mountains, which are perfect for canoeing and offer the chance to get a different perspective on the peaks. Seeing them from the bottom up while sailing down a flowing river really gives visitors a sense of the enormous height of the mountains here.

After rejuvenating in Banff’s wonderful natural pools, it is worth visiting Yoho National Park, home to the Kicking Horse River and one of the best day-long walks to be found in Canada. Depending on weather conditions, the Iceline Trail can be completed in one day and takes hikers to the stunning Emerald Lake.

This walk can be quite strenuous and hikers who may prefer the idea of an easier hiking day while taking in some natural beauty could attempt the walk to the base of the Takkakaw Falls, which are the highest waterfalls in Canada at 1,000 feet.

Here, you will find a number of spots perfect for relaxing and taking in the sights and sounds of rural Canada and all it has to offer.

Canada walking holidays can also offer something to those who like to combine active outdoor breaks with nightlife and fast-paced fun, as the exciting cities of Seattle and Vancouver are ideal starting and finishing spots for tours of the national parks.

The two cities are less than 150 miles apart and each offers everything you would expect from a modern metropolis. For those who found the beautiful views in the national parks the best part of their trip, visits to the Vancouver Lookout and the world-famous Space Needle in Seattle are ideal.

Both boast observation decks offering vistas of the cities below and for a truly amazing view – and a chance to spot one of the many peaks scaled during a walking tour in the region’s parks – visitors should make sure they head up the towers during the day.

A recent survey found that hotels in the northern and central Adirondacks are experiencing an increase in Canadian tourists, although Warren County hotels aren’t reporting the same influx of visitors from north of the border.

According to a survey released late last week by the Plattsburgh-based North Country Chamber of Commerce, 88 percent of the 250 tourist-reliant businesses surveyed said their Canadian clientele grew in 2010. And more than half of respondents said Canadians represented 20 percent or more of their overall customer base.

“These numbers reinforce our belief that the opportunity is ripe to attract even more visitors from north of the border this year,” said Garry Douglas, president of the North Country Chamber of Commerce.

The chamber represents members in Clinton, Essex, Franklin, Hamilton and northern Warren counties.

In the Lake George area, however, officials say the number of Canadians visitors arriving locally has been flat given the one-to-one exchange rate between the U.S. and Canadian dollars.

“We haven’t seen a substantial change in the numbers of Canadians over the last few years,” said Patty Silipigno, owner of the Boathouse Bed and Breakfast in Bolton. “It’s about the same as it always has been, and the ones that do stay here are usually stopping because it’s a good midway point between New York City and Montreal.”

Sam Luciano, vice president at the Forth William Henry Hotel and Conference Center, agreed.

“We recently did a little radio advertising in Montreal, and had a little success,” Luciano said. “Our gaze will remain on the 60-mile radius surrounding New York City.”

Historic data compiled by the Lake George Regional Chamber of Commerce suggests that between 2 and 7 percent of Lake George tourists annually hail from Canada.

From Nov. 1, 2010, through April 17, the Warren County Tourism Department has received 12,656 total inquiries, with the vast majority stemming from potential tourists from New York City or its surroundings. Only about 600 of the inquires were made by Canadian tourists.

The North Country Chamber said its survey provides a snapshot on the importance of Canadian tourism for the Adirondacks as it refines its Montreal marketing plans for the summer. The survey echoed 2010 findings from the Regional Office of Sustainable Tourism, Essex County’s tourism agency, which reported that more than 18 percent of Essex County tourists hailed from Canada, up from just 12 percent in 2006. As a result, increasing amounts of bed tax moneys from Essex and Clinton counties are being funneled to marketing efforts in Montreal.

ROOST expects more than 20 percent of the summer 2011 tourists in the Lake Placid region will hail from the Montreal metropolitan area.

Retail, office and even apartment landlords all fared better than hoteliers when the downturn hit, with longer-term leases helping cushion the impact on revenues and profits.

Yet this liability in a recession is actually an advantage in a recovery, say analysts, who predict the hotel sector will outperform other real estate investment options as the recovery takes hold.

The Toronto Stock Exchange is no longer host to grand hoteliers such as Fairmont and the Four Seasons. But it still lists a few hotel operators, typically structured as tax-advantaged real estate investment trusts (REITs).

“At this point, a lot of the other REITs have gained what they lost. Hotels have not yet. Within the REIT space, I think hotels are fairly compelling,” said Jenny Ma, an associate research analyst at Canaccord Genuity.

“You’ve seen the bottom behind you and you’ve seen a little bit of a recovery to show that fundamentals in the hotel space have firmed up.”

Canada’s lodging stocks, such as InnVest Real Estate Investment Trust (INN_u.TO: Quote), Royal Host RYL.TO, Holloway Lodging REIT HLR_u.TO, Lakeview Hotel REIT LHR_u.V and Temple REIT TR_u.V, offered investors little shelter when the global financial crisis hit.

Each took a steep dive at the end of 2008. Investors were spooked by a freefall in occupancy and average room rates — two of the industry’s performance yardsticks — across the country as business and leisure travelers reined in costs.