Around The World

Bathing in Music

American poet, physician, and professor Oliver Wendell Holmes Sr. didn’t make it to Amsterdam when he visited Europe in 1886. Still, one can’t help but wonder if he had the “Venice of the North” in mind when he said, “Take a music bath once or twice a week for a few seasons, and you will find that it is to the soul what the water bath is to the body.”

With more than 50 theaters and concert halls hosting some 16,000 performances annually, there is perhaps no place better to bathe in music than Amsterdam. And in August, when the annual Grachtenfestival (“Canal Festival” in English) takes place, the sounds of Bach, Beethoven, Brahms, and other classical masters flow through Amsterdam’s parks and public spaces, spilling into the city’s every corner.

The 2008 Grachtenfestival, August 16–24, features concerts, workshops, master classes, and children’s programs inspired by this year’s theme of “secretly.” Alma Netten, Grachtenfestival’s director, says the theme guides musicians’ selections, creating a truly one-of-a-kind lineup.

The festival’s crown jewel is the Prinsengrachtconcert on August 23, where the musicians perform atop a pontoon floating in front of the Hotel Pulitzer. This year’s concert features violinist Sarah Chang and Dutch vocal group Frommermann. The concert is free, though finding a canal-side view will cost you a long afternoon of waiting.

Travelers who visit Amsterdam during other times of the year needn’t miss out entirely. The Muziekgebouw, an oasis of glass and steel rising from the city’s once decaying Docklands neighborhood, hosts contemporary classical ensembles like the Metropole Orchestra. The spirit of rebirth this hall embodies is reflected in its programming, which includes music festivals and multimedia concerts. Monthly tours are available, and the Muziekgebouw even hosts free lunchtime concerts on various weekdays from September through May.

Of course, with an MP3 player, the music of Amsterdam is only a download away. Cue up the Metropole Orchestra’s “Symphony Under the Stars” while strolling along Amsterdam’s winding canals, and you can let the music wash over you whenever you want. — Amy Syracuse

Play It Again, Sven

Over its 100-plus years in existence, the Stockholm Music Museum has diligently acquired, catalogued, and displayed more than 11,500 objects, some of which are accessible for visitors to mess around with. Various instruments on display can be used for group or solo performances whenever visitors feel the need to rock out (or strike up the harp for an acoustic rendition of Ace of Base’s “The Sign”). Housed in a 17th-century bakery, the museum hosts regular interactive instrumental sessions, professional performances, and workshops where you can build your own instrument. It also houses permanent exhibits dedicated to music’s role in reflecting — and influencing — social change. musikmuseet.se — Andrew Eitelbach

Let ’Er Rip

As a child, Ben Franklin used to lie in a pond and let a soaring kite pull him slowly across. He probably never dreamed that a similar form of play would someday be a popular activity for adults. But kiteboarding, or kitesurfing as it’s sometimes called, is a fast-growing draw for adventure seekers of all ages. Cross-Shore, a school in Nassau in the Bahamas, offers lessons for everyone from beginners to experienced kiteboarders. The company supplies everything needed — kites, boards, safety vests — and leads patrons to uncrowded beaches where they can learn to navigate the wet stuff without worrying about dodging swimmers and body-boarders. Beginners will appreciate the flat water and picturesque scenery (young Ben used to like to watch the clouds go by), while the more experienced can learn to grab air off waves and attempt aerials and flips. Cross-Shore offers additional activities, such as an all-day pig roast and spear fishing, just in case the wind dies down or you work up a gnarly appetite shredding the whitecaps. cross-shore.com — Claire McGregor

Get Your Sea Legs

There’s good news for landlubbers and sea bums alike in Halifax, where you can satisfy a craving for the sea without leaving shore at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic. The museum celebrates Nova Scotia’s diverse and exciting naval history with a collection of more than 24,000 artifacts. Permanent exhibits include treasures salvaged from nearby shipwrecks, a life-size diorama of an archeologist at work underwater, and one of the few intact deck chairs from the Titanic. Ongoing restoration and replica projects showcasing the craftsmanship and techniques of traditional boatbuilding are a popular draw at the museum. And workshops and interactive displays help visitors learn how to tie knots and hoist signal flags. But be on guard. Roving press gangs scour the museum in search of new recruits, just as they did in the 18th century. museum.gov.ns.ca/mma — C.M.

Tomato, Tamahto

Although the tomato is botanically a fruit, it’s legally a vegetable; in 1893, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that, given common parlance, the tomato would be treated and taxed as a veggie. However, this classic debate hasn’t stopped the tomato from being one of the most popular foods in the United States. In honor of the “freggie,” gourmets and gardeners alike will gather September 14 in Carmel, 170 miles south of San Jose, Calif., for the 17th annual NatureSweet Carmel TomatoFest. With more than 350 varieties to taste, like the striped ‘Hazel Mae’ and the ‘Clint Eastwood’s Rowdy Red’ (named in honor of Carmel’s famous former mayor), the TomatoFest also features a Salsa Showcase spotlighting 100 commercially available tomato salsas, as well as tomato-centric cuisine like Thai gazpacho, cognac sturgeon with fried tomatoes, and tomato sorbet. Register early for Hot Tomato Night, September 13, and you’ll be treated to a meal prepared by a celebrity chef to be announced. Proceeds benefit various youth charities. tomatofest.com — Karen Peláez

Hot Chocolate

Chocolate and chili peppers? It’s not as bizarre a combo as you might think. With both chocolate and cayenne pepper traditionally regarded as aphrodisiacs, their marriage, which has roots in Aztec culinary tradition, is a favorite among gourmets with a palate for “sweet heat.” The hand-dipped truffles of Dean’s Sweets of Portland, Maine, come in a variety of sumptuous flavors, from cayenne pepper, stout, and Needham (inspired by a traditional Maine confection and made with potato-distilled vodka) to the more traditional ginger, coffee, and the classic plain, semisweet cocoa. Each treat is nut-free and enveloped in dark chocolate. Truffles are available in sets of eight or 16, in boxes arranged by flavor or in creative themes like the mouth-warming Boozy mix of brandy, dark rum, single-malt scotch, and tequila lime, or the tangy Fruity assortment of Maine blueberry, orange, raspberry, and plain (which has a hint of Mexican vanilla). deanssweets.com — K.P.

Simply Grand

“Bigger than life” takes on a new meaning at the MGM Grand at Foxwoods, about an hour southeast of Hartford, in Mashantucket, Conn. The largest gaming facility in the world, Foxwoods Resort and Casino has undergone some recent renovations and now features two restaurants by chef David Burke. The adjacent MGM Grand, which opened in May, offers 825 rooms of the finest accommodations — including sweeping views of the surrounding countryside and what might be the most comfortable bed you’ll ever enjoy. The contemporary design utilizes a water-based color scheme, and the gaming floor includes 1,400 slot machines and 53 table games. As if that weren’t enough, the MGM Grand’s four restaurants will surely fill you up; we recommend dinner at celebrity chef Tom Colicchio’s Craftsteak, followed by some cheesecake at Junior’s. The MGM Grand’s message is clear: go grand or go home. mgmatfoxwoods.com — Martin Lieberman

Getting There: All the destinations covered in “Go Explore” can be reached by flying Continental Airlines. To book your trip, visit covacations.com.