G10 SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018 THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR l THESPEC.COM

Beyond the Boardwalk

An oasis of art and beauty in splashy Myrtle Beach

ANNE BOKMA

More than one million Canadians travel to Myrtle Beach every year in search of sunshine, surfs, shopping and the sweet feel of swinging a golf club on one of its celebrity-designed courses. Not too many come to look at gardens and art. That’s because most tourists aren’t aware the area boasts one of the top horti- cultural attractions in the U.S., a stunning 550-acre public garden with the world’s largest and most comprehensive collection of American figurative , set in a mythological landscape with hundreds of ancient south- ern live oaks dripping in Spanish moss. It’s the kind of place where you can wander dreamily for hours, suffused in sunlight and captivated by the natural beauty of native plant life, from magno- lias to palmettos, and the creative works of famous sculptors such Daniel Chester French, who created the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. is 30 kilo- metres from the tourist hustle of Myrtle Beach, with its manufac- COURTESY OF BROOKGREEN GARDEN tured attractions such as the Fountain of the Muses by Carl Miles. Hollywood Wax Museum and Ripley’s Believe It or Not!, as well as the mile-long Boardwalk lined with noisy arcades and kitschy souvenir shops. Spring break revellers and paunchy seniors flock to this vacation resort, known as the hub of the Grand Strand, a 100-kilometre string of beaches on the Atlantic Coast of . It’s not as hot as Florida — the average year- round temperature here is 24 C — but you’ll shave six hours off your driving time. COURTESY OF BROOKGREEN GARDENS And Myrtle Beach is keen to Portrait of New York sculptor keep Canadians coming its way . — its CanAm discounts, offered until the end of April, help make tuberculosis and needed a warm up for the low Canadian dollar climate away from harsh New with deals of up to 55 per cent off York City winters. And so they on many hotels and up to 30 per became the original snowbirds, cent off selected attractions and packing their Scottish deer- restaurants. hounds, monkeys and birds into On the drive to Brookgreen, a custom-designed stretch alumi- stop for lunch in the quaint fish- num trailer for the long drive ing village of Murrells Inlet, one COURTESY OF BROOKGREEN GARDENS every winter. of 14 distinct communities that Brookgreen Gardens is a stunning 550-acre public garden with the world’s largest and most comprehensive From the abandoned rice fields make up the Myrtle Beach area. collection of American figurative sculpture. Top photo: Fountain of the Muses by Carl Miles. once worked by enslaved people, Dine on crab cakes and fried they transformed their land into green tomatoes at the Dead Dog green is just up the road — you’ll for dear life. Milton Huntington, a philanthro- a renowned statuary garden and Saloon (named for the hundreds know you’re there when you see The Fighting Stallions is the pist and son of a railroad mag- animal habitat, as well as a site of photos of dearly departed ca- its signature image: a massive work of Anna Hyatt Huntington, nate, were a rich and unconven- for their expansive 30-room nines customers have pinned on sculpture cast in aluminum, of a woman ArtNews has called tional couple who came here in Moorish-style winter retreat, the walls), and watch pelicans two giant steeds rearing in com- “the most famous New York 1930 to purchase 9,000 acres of known as Atalaya Castle, which swoop into the nearby marsh for bat, manes flying and muscles sculptor you’ve never heard of.” former rice plantations for some lunch of their own. Brook- straining while a rider holds on She and her husband, Archer $225,000. Anna had contracted MYRTLE continues // G11

Awesome Aussie adventures

STEVE MACNAULL der that’s one of the biggest at- on the other. tractions in the state of Victoria, There are also ample stops at With the sun blazing and the of which Melbourne is the cap- beaches that inspired interna- temperature soaring to 37 C, it’s ital. The Apostles stand majes- tional surf brands such as Rip- time for a refreshing dip in the tically, the tougher remnants of curl, Billabong and Roxy; the Pacific. erosion of the nearby softer lime- Kennett River to hand feed neon- But, this is no ordinary ocean stone-and-sandstone cliffs. hued king parrots; and Cape swim. On a Bunyip Tours outing, the Otway to climb Australia’s oldest My plunge with my son, Alex, 500-kilometre round trip is no lighthouse and have lunch at the is framed by the Twelve Apostles, hardship for pleasure seekers. adjacent café. the magnificent limestone stacks Guide Fiona drives the van along But, the Apostles are the star of towering 70 metres above the the Great Ocean Road, a two-lane the show and excitement re- Pacific, 250 kilometres outside of ribbon of blacktop so spectacular verberates in the van as we near Melbourne, Australia. it has “great” built right into its them.

Despite the distance from the name. It’s considered Australia’s This is when Fiona informs us STEVE MACNAULL city, tourists and locals alike premier coastal drive for its con- there are only eight Apostles, not flock to the Apostles on day trips stant killer views of the Pacific to the 12 promised in the name. As a The 243-kilometre Great Ocean Road hugs the Pacific from Torquay to to be wowed by the natural won- one side and eucalyptus forests AUSSIE continues // G12 Allensford.

C M Y THE HAMILTON SPECTATOR l THESPEC.COM SATURDAY, MARCH 10, 2018 G11 Travel Yoga takes off at the airport

CAMILLE HOHEB personal space all contribute to feeling anxious. Delayed flights and long layovers can lead Yoga is a physical, mental and spiritual to frustration over wasted hours sitting practice that includes meditation, breath and waiting. Flying can also pose a health control and body postures that stretches challenge. and strengthens muscles. Prolonged sit- That’s where yoga comes in, helping to ting, especially in tight airplane seats and relieve mental and physical stress. Stress seating areas decrease circulation and reduction is the top reason for taking a tightens leg, hip and back muscles. vacation, so flying should be as easy and Knowing there is a designated place to pleasant as possible. stretch, move, meditate or be silent can Along with healthier eating options, help passengers be more comfortable and spas and private napping quarters, yoga help them feel better while waiting for a rooms offer travelers another healthy flight. Travelers can proactively make amenity at the airport. According to the their airport experience better by mitigat- American Osteopathic Association, there ing these accumulated stressors. are many physical benefits of yoga in- With yoga thriving, it’s refreshing to see cluding enhanced flexibility, muscle that airports are addressing passengers’ strength, improved respiration and circu- emotional and physical needs. Now found latory health as well as improved energy in regional and international airports and vitality. worldwide, you can meditate, downward Yoga is on the rise with 36.7 million prac- dog or just find a quiet place to clear your titioners in the United States. What’s espe- head before you fly. cially interesting is that those who prac- Other airports are experimenting with tise yoga are also involved in other forms temporary yoga space and teacher-led of fitness such as running, cycling and classes. For example, JetBlue at JFK weightlifting. There’s a young, new gener- launched free yoga for a week in 2016. ANNE BOKMA ation of yoginis too: 37 per cent of yoga It’s worth reviewing the airport website Alligator Bender by Nathaniel Choate. practitioners have children under 18 years for available yoga rooms or other well- old who also practise. ness-related amenities such as prayer and While flying has become more afford- meditation rooms, healthy food options, MYRTLE able and accessible, heightened security, spas, walking paths and gardens. continued from // G10 crowding, delays and the feeling of a lack of control over your own schedule and TravelPulse is open for guided tours. The property also includes Huntington State Park, a sweep- ing, wide-open beach area which offers some of the best bird watching on the east coast. And there’s not a condo in sight. Brookgreen is the impressive legacy of this couple who married late in life (she was 47, he was 53) and who never had chil- dren, although they cared for a vast me- nagerie of animals, including horses, snakes, bears, an alligator, and a monkey named Henrique who sat on Anna’s shoul- der. The daughter of a Harvard professor of paleontology, Anna showed an early interest in animals and their anatomy and first became prominent as an animal sculptor. She was listed in the 1910 census as one of only 12 women in the U.S. who earned more than $50,000 a year. Anna would go on to create great figurative works, including a 1915 monument of Joan of Arc outside ’s Central Park, the first public monument made by a woman and the first dedicated to a female COURTESY OF BROOKGREEN GARDENS historical figure. Wind on Water, by Richard McDermott Almost 2,000 by more than Miller. Almost 2,000 sculptures by more 400 artists are on display at Brookgreen, than 400 artists are on display at including many of Anna’s creations. One Brookgreen. of her most beautiful pieces is Diana of the Chase, a life-size bronze of the Roman found a Bachelor’s Button in Black-eyed goddess caught in the act of shooting her Susan’s bed.”). Its biggest draw of the year bow with a leaping whippet at her feet. It’s is Night of A Thousand Candles (weekends situated in a tranquil reflecting pool and in December) when the gardens come to shaded by the thick outstretched limbs of a life amid the glow of thousands of hand-lit mighty oak. Another showstopper is Carl candles and sparkling lights. Milles’ Fountain of the Muses, commis- This sculpture mecca and botanical sioned in 1929 by the Metropolitan Muse- marvel serves as spiritual retreat, an oasis um of Art, a delightful fountain sculpture of art and landscape architecture a world with several figures, including a poet, away from the carny vibe of the Board- architect, musician, painter and sculptor, walk. representing the arts. As my four-hour visit comes to an end, I A $16 ticket to Brookgreen lasts seven bend my head to check a text on my phone. days and that’s a good thing since there’s I should have known better — I slam right so much to see and do here, including the into the heavy branch of an oak tree. Na- Atalaya Castle, the butterfly house, a na- ture has a lot to teach us, and sometimes it tive wildlife zoo, children’s garden, indoor does it the old-school way, by hitting you art galleries, a labyrinth, walkways, gar- smack-dab in the face. den paths and a poetry garden with verse inscribed on cement plaques (“I used to Anne Bokma is an award-winning love my garden, but now my love is dead: I journalist and travel writer in Hamilton.

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