Travel To The Breathtaking Shores Of The Dominican Republic's Macao Beach

This week on The Travel Detective, the U.S. State Department has issued advisories and warnings for Americans traveling to the Dominican Republic. In my book, that may be painting with too broad a brush. And to prove the point, I went down to the Dominican Republic, and I'll show you what I found. That's our cover story. Plus, many of us have explored destinations on two wheels. But how would you like to do it for a much longer distance and at your own pace? Welcome to the brave new world of electric bikes. And then, from Poland to Portugal, Florence to Melbourne. I'll give you a rundown of some of my favorite and surprising food markets around the world. I'm Peter Greenberg. That story and more on this edition of The Travel Detective. So what comes to mind when you think about the Dominican Republic, if you think about it at all? The sun, the beach, a pina colada or two. You know, the usual suspects. Or in more recent times, personal safety and crime. You know, the usual misleading stereotypes. I've been traveling safely to the Dominican Republic for the last 30 years. And I can tell you, the beach is great. But for me, the true experience happens when you go into the neighborhoods. You hang out with the locals, the people who actually live and work here, for a great and true experience. So let me share with you my hidden gems of the Dominican Republic. The Dominican Republic is located in the Caribbean, on the island of Hispaniola. And it shares the western third of that island with the Republic of Haiti. It's bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south, with about 800 miles of coastline. The island is geographically diverse, with over 200 beaches, along with rainforest, savanna and mountains. For thousands of years, it was peacefully inhabited by the Arawak-speaking Taino tribe, who arrived there about 10,000 B.C. But in 1492, Christopher Columbus arrived on the Santa Maria and claimed the island for Spain. And the arrival of the Europeans spelled the end for the Tainos, who were all but exterminated by war and then disease. The next several hundred years were marked by invasion, coups and uprisings, until the country finally achieved independence in 1865. And today, the Dominican Republic is consistently ranked as one of the most visited islands in the Caribbean. But there are still lots of places that most visitors never see, and other more well-known spots that you can visit, but without the crowds, if you know when and how to go. Like Montaña Redonda, in the northeastern part of the island, in the town of Miches. Just be forewarned that when you get there, it's a pretty adventurous ride up a narrow and bumpy dirt road to the top. But you'll be rewarded with 360-degree views when you get there. But here's a trick. Make sure you get there very early, if you want to avoid the crowds. And you'll be happy you did, because then you'll have the place almost all to yourself. About an hour south of Montaña Redonda, just outside Punta Cana, is Macau Beach. It's a totally laid-back place with a bohemian vibe. And it's also home to the Macau Surf Camp. So if learning to surf is on your bucket list, this is definitely the place to do it. The surfing here in Punta Cana is not well-known, but Macau Beach is one of the best beaches to learn to surf. Basically because we have six different breaks for different levels of experience, and it's also shallow for beginners. It's a sandy bottom, clear water, clear and warm water, all year. And even if you don't want to hit the waves, you can grab a great drink, order up some lunch from one of the beachside restaurants, and spend the afternoon here just hanging with the locals. But if you're looking for something just a little more exciting, then head back to Punta Cana, to the Bavaro Adventure Park. It's the only one of its kind in the Caribbean. This 33-acre eco-friendly park has all kinds of things to get your adrenaline pumping. They've got a climbing garden, a BMX track, and zip lines, among other thrill-seeking activities. But I like to come here for the ATVs. There are miles of trails in and around the park, but I gotta warn you, it's pretty bumpy, as you'd expect from a dirt trail. But if you ride about a half an hour from the park to the eastern end of the island, you'll reach the water. Be sure to hop off the ATV and take some time to see where the Atlantic meets the Caribbean. It's not exactly a secret that some of the best cigars in the world are made in the Dominican Republic. But they're also the largest producer in the world, making more than Cuba and Honduras combined. And in the resort town of Punta Cana, there's a small boutique operation that's worth a visit. The Don Lucas Cigar Factory has been in operation since 1992, producing 14 sizes of cigars in five different strengths. All in limited numbers. And the cool thing is, if you just call them before you come, they'll let you roll your own cigar. Team leader Kelman Nacor gave me a walkthrough of the Don Lucas facilities. And then, to where the real action was taking place. Now tell me what I'm doing. You're gonna wrap it. So I take this? Yeah, you take that. That's the tobacco leaf. Exactly. And I do that, right? You do that. Mr. Christopher, he will help you. Christopher, whose grandmother taught him to make cigars when he was just seven years old, showed me how to cut the leaf with a special knife called the chiveta. And what do I do? Cut this way. This way. Cut that way. Like that. You look, I think, like you've done this before. Look at that. In your other life, you were a cigar roller. And you grab the cigar which is already pressed. Just keep rolling. And then, no, no. Just one hand. One hand. And then this one, you're gonna use it to stretch the leaf. Ah, so stretch the leaf. Yeah. There's rolling. And stretching. And more rolling. And more stretching. And then it came time to glue the ends. You did it with the wrong hand. You were supposed to grab the glue with the right hand. And then just rub it. Where were you when I needed you? One hand here and... Alright. Not bad, huh? Not bad. Okay, so this one goes over there. It looks exactly the same as the one that he made. So they'll never know that I did it. They won't. Good, good. Quality control is my life, you know that. Alright, so now, you're smoking. You're smoking. Yes. Where's my cigar? What's going on? Not bad. Thanks, guys. You're welcome. If cigars aren't your thing, guess what? This place is still worth a visit, because this family company has decided to multitask and inside this room, seven different kinds of chocolate. But no chocolate cigars. In my book, the best way to see any destination, and that includes the Dominican Republic, is from a completely different perspective. And how do you do that? You just gotta know who to ask. And in my case, I ask the guys who actually know everything. And the guys who know everything? They're the firefighters. They know a city or town better than just about anyone, because they have to. It can literally be a matter of life or death. They've been in everybody's hotel, everybody's restaurant, everybody's house. And in the city of Igue, it's no exception. If you want to see the way that real Dominicans live, this is the place to come. Many of the people who work in the nearby Punta Cana resorts live here, so it's filled with mom-and-pop shops and restaurants, like this one, that happens to be a personal favorite of the fire chief. And there's the market, where you'll find local shopping for produce and fresh meat. But it's also a gathering place for a friendly game of dominoes. And because the DR has one of the largest Catholic populations in the Caribbean, Igue is also home to an iconic basilica, which Pope John Paul II visited on three separate occasions. And if you get lucky, you may catch a local dance troupe performing, with the church as an impressive backdrop. But there's another religion of sorts in the Dominican Republic. It's baseball. It's an absolute obsession, and the country's love and passion for the sport can never be underestimated. Nor can the sport's contribution. In 2019, the DR had the highest concentration of players from outside the United States in Major League Baseball. And in the history of the majors, there have been well over 700 Dominican players, including three Hall of Famers. Raymond DeBrave, the general manager of the Toros del Este, knows a thing or two about the country's love of the game. Baseball in the Dominican Republic is so much passion. I mean, people eat, drink, sleep baseball. When we hire guys from the United States, they come out here and they actually thank us for hiring them because they say they never had so much fun. Guys like American pitcher Tim Peterson, who's been playing in the Dominican Winter League for the past couple of years. You were in the Mets for a long time. Nope, eight years. Eight years. And then here you are in the Dominican Republic. Yep. You like it down here? Love it. Why? Beautiful country, nice people, and baseball. Great weather, the beach, everything. And then baseball. And then baseball, yeah. What about the Dominican Republic and baseball itself? That's what I think of when I think Dominican, is baseball, you know? Playing with a lot of the guys that are coming from here, just a lot of talent coming out of the Dominican. Not only can you come out here and see current and future major leaguers, but you can also do it for a fraction of what it costs back in the States. I think that's an interesting thing. This one piece will make 52 layers. Watch on mobile devices or the big screen. All for free. No subscription required. You can come out here and just watch nine innings of baseball for less than $20. Mom and dad can come out here, and today we have kids day, which they come in free and enjoy the game. And speaking of kids, this big kid jumped at the chance to get on the field for a little batting practice. All right. Did I do okay? Yeah, that's okay. Did I make the team? Yeah, you make the team for tonight. You are such a liar. And then a few throwing drills. And I also had a chance to meet with some legends, like the Toros pitching coach, former big leaguer Phil Reagan. What is it about baseball in the Dominican Republic? Because if you take a look at it, what, 25% of all the MLB players are from the Dominican Republic. Well, I think it's a quick way for the kids to be something and make something of themselves and provide for their family is through baseball. So do I get a chance to start tonight? Well, I told you I needed a left-hander, and I watched you throw, and I'm going to see you one more time before I give you the uniform. Well, I didn't get to start, but I did get an invitation to throw out the first pitch. So could I hit? Yeah. Nice, Peter. Wow. Could I throw? Sure. Could I pitch? Not so much. If you understand baseball, then you might find it more exciting to watch and listen in Spanish. And in case you're wondering, the Toros won the game. Five to nothing. Seeing any destination on two wheels is not exactly a news bulletin. There are scooters, there are segways, and, of course, there are bicycles. But there's been an explosion in e-bikes or electrically-assisted bikes. You get to spend a lot longer time on them, you get to go much farther, and guess what, you can go faster. A growing number of tour operators are offering the e-bikes. Compared to an organized bus tour, e-bikes allow people to go on an adventure at their own pace. In Toronto, a company called Amigo Bikes takes you on a five-hour tour with stops along the way at the CN Tower and the city's waterfront. In Europe, the e-bike has totally changed the way you experience some of their countries. The tour group Eurobike has amazing itineraries, such as in Italy for a week-long trek from Venice to Florence. Grasshopper Adventures is the first to offer e-bikes as a tour option in Asia. One of their most popular is a 10-day trip exploring Buddhist monasteries and statues on the Japanese island of Shikoku. And then, based in Southern California, home of the car culture, there's Pedego, which offers great half-day, full-day, or weekend e-bike experiences, domestically, even internationally. Don DeCostanzo is not only CEO, but also an avid biker. He claims design and even better battery technology have combined to create a durable, enjoyable travel opportunity. I think a confluence of factors came together. Lithium batteries were the real turning point. Until we had lithium batteries, the lead-acid batteries just couldn't cut it. And now they're compact, they're lightweight, and they'll take you 50 to 100 miles on a charge. And they'll take anybody. Exactly. Well, the baby boomers are the biggest customers of these, and they're getting electric bikes because they find out they can go out and have fun, and they don't have to worry about that hill and that headwind on the way home. Actually, they're also quite lazy. They don't want to pedal at all. We don't call them that. We call them that they're looking... It's exercise disguised as fun. So there's actually studies out there that show that you get more exercise riding an electric bike than you would a regular bike because you're going to ride it more often, and you're going to ride it further. And you ride longer. You ride longer. Exactly. In my case, DeCostanzo gave me an e-bike tour of Corona del Mar and Newport Beach. My tour lasted about three hours, but it could have easily extended to two days, which brings up the inevitable question about cost. The cost of an e-bike tour can range dramatically depending on the city you're in, the number of days, the type of e-bike, how many miles you're going, plus meals and hotels. A day tour of Toronto with Amigo Bikes is $99. A week-long Eurobike tour from Venice to Florence is just over $1,000. Then the 10-day Grasshopper Adventures tour in Shikoku? Nearly $5,500. While the Podago one-day tour of Corona del Mar and Newport Beach is a more comfortable $147. One last piece of advice. If you're like me, once you get on one of these things, tough to get off. So if you're going to take the long-distance route, do what I do. Bring some extra power. And after the experience, there's a good chance you may want to buy one of these for yourself. One piece of caution, they're not cheap. An e-bike can range anywhere between $1,900 and $5,500, not including the lock or locks you'll need when you park it. A number of U.S. states, including California, Washington and right here in Colorado, have legalized marijuana for recreational use. Now for some travelers, that could be a bonus if they're coming to those states. But it could also be a trap. Currently, 47 out of the 50 U.S. states and the District of Columbia allow marijuana for some form of medicinal purposes. 11 states plus Washington, D.C. allow it for recreational use. But under federal law, it's still illegal. So while you may think you're safe for smoking pot where it's legal, think again before you try to bring it home. If you're driving across state lines, then it becomes a federal case, or at the very least, under the jurisdiction of the state you enter. This means you could be pulled over and charged by local authorities, or even worse, you could be charged with federal drug trafficking by the Drug Enforcement Administration. As for boarding planes with weed, you'll have to keep up with the latest state rules. And if you're coming back to the U.S. from Canada, which has very relaxed marijuana rules, the Canadians have now posted these signs at the departure gates at the airport. In 2018, Los Angeles' airport police department began allowing passengers to travel through LAX with up to 28.5 grams of marijuana and 8 grams of concentrated marijuana. And while you may be flying high after getting through security at LAX, remember that once again, when your plane lands, you're subject to local laws, even if you carry a medical license. Now I want to be clear about something. I'm not endorsing pot smoking, but I am endorsing common sense. If you want to smoke pot in a state that's legalized marijuana, do it only in that state. Cross state lines with it, you could find yourself in jail. One of the best parts of traveling the world is trying the local food that most major cities are now bringing together in giant food halls. You might have heard about Markthal in Rotterdam in the Netherlands. Of course, there's Harrods in London and Mercado Central in Florence. But for me, I have some special country and city favorites I never miss every time I travel there. La Boqueria is one of Barcelona's top landmarks, with an entrance to the market from Las Ramblas. Its origins date back to the 1200s. The metal roof was only added last century. It has over 200 vendors, offering a staggering variety of local and international food. Once inside, I bypass all the food stalls. Why? I don't come here to buy food. I come here to eat. I come to this place, Par Central. I've been coming for like 20 years. Now you may notice there are only about 23 stools here, and there's the line. So be prepared to wait. You stand, you hover, you wait some more, and then you eat really well. In Lisbon, Time Out Portugal created the concept of bringing the best of the city under one roof, with Time Out Market Lisboa. You'll quickly notice the crowded tables, lobster and crab still in their tanks, and colorful pastries. If you're looking at it by the numbers, you'll find 24 restaurants, 8 bars, 4 shops, and get this, 3 Michelin star chefs. It's not only a place for foodies. Time Out Portugal also features live concerts for up to 900 people. My personal favorite, Pops Sorta. It's located above the food hall, and you don't just go there for the food, which is pretty good. You go there to order its signature dessert, chocolate mousse. And at Pops Sorta, be prepared to be overwhelmed by the mousse. The portions are ginormous. Hala Koziki is Warsaw's foodie market, and the only food market hall in Poland. Originally built at the turn of the last century, it was commonly known as the People's Bazaar. Koziki literally translates to basket, as this was the original site of a farm and a market. Today you'll see a well-lit, modern food market, with 18 different dining options that feature international cuisines, and a hot spot bar that's right in the middle of the hall. And if you're looking for a market to eat and shop in, there's the Queen Victoria Market in Melbourne. This is the largest open-air market in the Southern Hemisphere. In fact, it's been around since 1878. And before that, somewhat ironically, it was Melbourne's first official cemetery. And ever since then, people have been dying to get here. Ready? Okay, I'm sorry, I had to say it. But you can get anything you want here, from artwork to clothing to handicrafts to jewelry to wigs to food. And if you absolutely have to have one, you're on your own. You can find yourself a souvenir here, like leather belts, uggs or boomerangs. And you can also shop like the locals, for groceries. Indeed, you can find just about anything you want at the Victoria Market. Now, not that you're in the mood for eggs, but if you want some, have you come to the right place. Take a look. Free-range eggs, followed by more free-range eggs. Different free-range eggs. 50 different varieties of free-range eggs. And let's not forget, kangaroo island free-range eggs. After all, you're in Australia. Talk about one-stop shopping, all around the world. That does it for this week. I'll see you next time on another edition of The Travel Detective. This week on The Travel Detective. When it comes to travel, some might argue that the worst four-letter word that starts with F is fear. And that might explain why some people were reconsidering their trips to the Dominican Republic last year. A lot of bad headlines and some unexplained deaths to visitors. But it didn't stop me from going, and I'm going to share with you some of my hidden gems of the Dominican Republic. Plus, the next time you're headed for your favorite sushi restaurant at home, or trying a new one out when you travel, our correspondent Troy Johnson debunks some myths on the definition of fresh fish and what's really on the menu. And then, everyone's heard of LAX, but what about nearby Ontario International? Not long ago, it was an almost forgotten airport. The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney reveals the struggles and the rebirth of Ontario. I'm Peter Greenberg. All that and more on this edition of The Travel Detective. Every year, six million people visit the Dominican Republic, and about two million of those come from the United States. The reasons why they come? Pretty obvious. First, connectivity. Just about every U.S. airline flies here. And the second? Just as obvious. The sun, great beaches, and a large number of all-inclusives with a wide variety of price packages. But here's the problem. Most visitors never see the Dominican Republic. They never leave the hotels. So if you're looking for a truly great experience bathed in rich culture and amazing history, you've got to leave the resorts, even if it's only for a few hours a day. And if you're willing to do that, let me share with you some of my hidden gems of the Dominican Republic. Located in the Greater Antilles on the island of Hispaniola, the Dominican Republic is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the north and the Caribbean Sea to the south. The resort town of Punta Cana sits on the easternmost coast of the island, and with 35 miles of beach, it's easy to see why it's one of the most popular destinations in the country. One of the cool things about the Punta Cana Airport is if you're like me, it's nirvana, you get to be a plane spotter. You just come up here to the VIP lounge, it's not expensive, 50 bucks to get in, but there are other perks as well. And you better bring your bathing suit, because it's not just plane spotting, it's people spotting. Name one other airport in the world that's got an outdoor pool. If you've got some time to kill before your flight, why not grab a glass of champagne and hop in the water? Even if you don't want to swim, let's face it, when else are you going to ever have a chance to do this? And the folks here really want you to take advantage of the Dominican weather and hospitality. We provide the towel, we provide the shower, and we provide the drinks and the food. So all you need to remember is pack a swimsuit in your carry-on. With hundreds of resorts in Punta Cana, you'll find plenty of family-friendly hotels, smaller boutique places for romantic getaways, and of course, lots of golf courses. But there's one resort property here that's doing some pretty cool conservation work, and you can come check it out, even if you're staying elsewhere. The Punta Cana Resort and Club is home to the Center for Sustainability, a research and education facility that's the only place of its kind in the Caribbean. It's dedicated to finding solutions to ecological and social challenges related to tourism development. Jake Keel is the director of the center and works for the Grupo Punta Cana Foundation. The key here is to mitigate the damage from past tourism development, and in many cases, prevent it from happening again. So this is really cutting-edge work. This is coral restoration in land-based nurseries. This is a new technique developed in the last five years called micro-fragmentation. The whole idea is we collect corals that have fallen off the reef, we save them before they die, and we cut them into really tiny pieces. That motivates growth, as opposed to having them dedicate their energy to trying to reproduce sexually. Not only do they grow, but their rate of growth is actually much faster. In the wild, a brain coral might take 50 to 100 years to grow to full mature size. With this technique, we can accelerate that growth by 100 to 200 percent if we're able to do this well. This technique allows them to grow up to 26 types of coral to help restore the nearby reef. And they're working to educate the locals about the reef restoration as well as the dangers of overfishing. We've actually hired the fishermen. One of the best ways to not have to patrol and police fishermen is to hire them and find new types of jobs for them. So we've turned them into coral restorers, we've turned them into boat captains, we've even had them helping us maintain barriers to protect our beaches from sargassum seaweed. But this is not the only conservation work going on here. There's ornamental fish breeding and turtle conservation. Elsewhere on the property, they've instituted an aquaponics program as part of their sustainable agriculture initiative, growing both tilapia and vegetables. They've even got a beekeeping program. But this is one of the coolest things you'll find on the property. It's a real surprise to have this in the middle of a beach resort. There are 12 freshwater lagoons and that's why it's known as the indigenous eyes. The indigenous Taino Indians used to refer to the freshwater lagoons as eyes. Each of the lagoons has a Taino name. We stopped at one of the swimmable lagoons. And it was pretty hard to resist the temptation to get into the water, which was remarkably clear. It's actually free to come into the 1,500 acre park if you're staying at the resort. But even if you're not, for a small fee, the reserve is open to the public. And you can spend the day here, hiking in the rainforest and swimming in the lagoons. Just a short bike ride from the reserve, you'll find Punta Cana Village. You'll find the usual assortment of resort stores, bars and restaurants. But then, there's this place. A unique boutique where local women crochet handbags from recycled plastic shopping bags. It's another conservation project where you can track the money right back to the community. One of the great experiences in Punta Cana is actually outside of Punta Cana, about 60 miles outside of Punta Cana. And that's where you come to the small fishing village of Boca de Yuma. What do the locals do here? They fish. And here, everybody fishes. You know what that means? Even me. This sleepy little town sits at the mouth of the Yuma River, near the Caribbean Sea. With a blink-and-you'll-miss-it main street, with a few seafood restaurants and watering holes. And a small community park next to the remains of a small historic lighthouse, and a couple of old, rusty cannons. You can always catch some small fish in the river, or even right in the harbor. But I was looking for something a bit bigger. And for that, we needed to head out to sea. My guide, Jose Malta, grew up in Alaska. But these days, he spends his time out here, on the water, in the DR. So tell me about the village. The name of the village is Boca de Yuma. The population is about 3,000, 4,000 people. It's pretty small. Everybody know everybody. And everybody fishes? Yes, sir. Everybody fishes. You notice those kids fishing in the river? That's how they learn. That's what their dad told them. They're probably fishing in their dad's boat. And his dad told them, yeah, go in the river. They cannot come out here. To be able to come out here, you got to be at least 20, 15 years old. You know, you got to be old enough where you can be able to control your boat. Because of the current. The current will take you, and who knows where you will end up. Yeah. We're ready? Oh, yeah, we're going to throw it down. So we're trolling? Yeah. Oh, there we go. They don't care. Oh. No, no, no. No, he's got it. Oh, my gosh. Well, I didn't catch a fish, and I almost caught a bird and kind of messed it up, too. But Jose tells me we're going to get a fish, and we're going to get a fish. That is one nice looking fish. Yes, it is. Beautiful fish. Thank you. I'll pay you $10 if you tell everybody I caught this. Well, you could pay me $50 to fish my fishing rod. You serious? I'm joking. Let's just eat. Okay. Just about a mile west of the village, you'll find Cueva de Berna. As you'd expect, it's filled with stalactites and stalagmites. But the real reason to come here is for the Taino petroglyphs. There are more than 300 of these caritas, or little faces, on the walls, which is why this is considered one of the most important caves in the area. While you're here, it's just a short drive from Cueva de Berna to the former home of Spanish explorer Juan Ponce de Leon. The nearly 500-year-old estate, built by Taino slaves, was a working farm and a sugar plantation. The building has been restored to reflect the 16th century style and the way it may have looked before the conquistadors moved on to Puerto Rico, and later to Florida. One of the best ways to see Punta Cana is to wake up early and then get up early. How? In this balloon. It's the only one in the entire country. It's run by Luis Leonardo, the pilot, and it's the best way to see the region. Luis and his family started the company in 2002, and, very surprisingly, they're the only professional hot air ballooners in the Caribbean. It's kind of cool to watch the balloon being inflated, which is done with two enormous fans. Then, the air is heated, and before you know it... Well, the cool thing about this is how quiet it is. Yes, it is. In my experience with ballooning, the only sounds you hear are the sounds of dogs, because they hear us, but they can't figure out where we are. That's true. Am I right? That's true. And what are we flying over right now? This is Verón. This is the community. It didn't exist a few decades before, because this has been growing and growing with the hotels. Not surprisingly, tourism is a huge part of the economy here. But there's another export that's easy to see from up above. The main important thing here is the sugarcane in this area. And sugarcane was brought by Christopher Columbus in 1492. He came on the first trip, and the second trip he brought sugarcane. And by 1505, we already had our first industry. By the year 1970, it was the main income. But you get a completely different perspective here of the entire country. Yes, it's different. It's beautiful. I love it. I never get tired of it. And the wind is perfect today. So beautiful, this area. And the north is the Atlantic Ocean. You can see there. That's the Atlantic over there. Mona Canal between Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. If you look closer, you can see a rock formation there at the end. I see it. That's Puerto Rico. Come on. That's Puerto Rico. And there you can see the Caribbean Sea. But what goes up must come down. So we headed towards what else? A sugarcane field. And they don't mind when you land in their field? No, they don't. Because I don't damage. Not too much. Sometimes a few. And when they see the balloons coming to their place, they say, Land here! Land here! Because they see it every day in the air, and it's a privilege for them to see it in their face. Sugarcane. Wow. Awesome. Wow. Children of the corn. Wow. That was great. And that's how you do it. That was cool. And as they say, any landing is a good landing. And a pretty good way to start the day. You can now find sushi restaurants in virtually any city on the planet. But what makes great sushi? Or even more important, what defines fresh fish? Our correspondent Troy Johnson slices fact from fiction. A big part of traveling is eating on the road. And in today's food-driven world, the options are endless. But along with the great restaurants and the great food choices, come a lot of enduring and misleading myths. In this report, everything you need to know, but probably didn't, about sushi. The first myth, frozen sushi is bad, straight out of the water is good. Truth is, almost all sushi's been frozen. It's not only a good and preferred thing, in some states, it's law. For safety, the FDA recommends fish be frozen at negative 4 degrees Fahrenheit for a minimum of 7 days. That's plenty of time to get top quality sushi from the coast to the middle of the country. So your salmon roll can be just as good in Kansas as it is in New York. That's why top chefs across the U.S. are able to get sushi from the world's most famous market, Tsukiji in Tokyo. Almost every fish is flown over frozen. Truth is, if you caught a fish and made sushi right there on the boat, you'd probably be disappointed. It would be watery, a little crunchy. That's because, like wine or steak, sushi gets better with a little age. After a few days, enzymes break down the muscles into proteins, fats and amino acids, including glutamate, which is one of the natural flavor enhancers in MSG. Aging the fish also reduces the water content. Less water, more flavor. And finally, and maybe most importantly, aging makes the muscles softer, gives it that silky sushi texture we all know and love. That's why in multiple studies, people have chosen the flavor and texture of frozen over fresh. The other myth we need to address is this guy. Bright pink tuna that looks almost like watermelon. That means it's impeccably fresh and clean, right? Wrong. Bright pink tuna means it's been treated with carbon monoxide. Tuna in its natural state is maroon, dark red, almost chocolatey. Bright pink tuna isn't necessarily a bad thing. The practice started because tuna browns quickly, and Americans thought that meant it was bad. So the government let fishermen hit it with gas. A practice the FDA deems as generally safe to eat. Once treated with carbon monoxide, tuna will stay bright pink long after it's past its prime. Point is, when you see bright pink tuna, you shouldn't think, ooh, fresh. You should think, ooh, science. So time to let that old myth go that sushi right off the boat is somehow superior. It's not. Think of it like a good bottle of wine or a good steak. The fact is that a lot of sushi actually gets much better with a little age. And as for frozen, no longer a dirty word. In fact, a lot of times it improves the quality. So it doesn't matter if you're enjoying a $400 meal in Malibu, landlocked in Indianapolis, or right here in Fort Lauderdale. Now you know. It's the fastest growing airport in America. But like a number of secondary airports, it was either being forgotten or ignored. The Wall Street Journal's Scott McCartney has a report on the surprising success story and why you might even want to fly to the Ontario, California International Airport. Let me ask you a question. How many airports does a city really need? Big cities need more than one. Look at how much growth there's been and how much congestion at the big airports. But airlines often fight efforts to expand at secondary airports. It's happened in Dallas and Atlanta and Chicago and other places. So what happens to the existing secondary airports? How do they survive? Take a look at Ontario International Airport in California. Built in the 1920s, its initial use was primarily as a military training facility. In the late 1960s, the airport shifted to more commercial flights. It also served the purpose of relieving congestion from LAX, its massive neighbor to the west. But Ontario Airport CEO Mark Thorpe says the airport played another role. The city of Los Angeles actually took over ownership and control of the airport here largely because they needed a diversion airport for LAX when fog restricted activity at that airport. This means that Ontario is the only airport in the region that can support the same size aircraft as LAX. One might have thought that with shared ownership under Los Angeles World Airports and similar aircraft capabilities as LAX, that Ontario would thrive. And for a while, it did. By the early 2000s, it had actually reached record levels of about 7.2 million passengers. Two new terminals were built here, opened in 1998. But by 2008-2009 with the financial crisis, traffic actually dropped off by about 40% here. As other airports were growing, Ontario was not. Why? Because as more money was poured into development at LAX, Ontario was essentially left to flounder. How bad did things get? Look around. No planes, no people, no annoying announcements. Things got so slow at Ontario that much of the airport was like this. In fact, LAX took the extraordinary step of closing off a wing of the airport. And it remained closed for a decade. The siphoning of resources into LAX continued for years until the people of the Inland Empire demanded a change. There was actually an interest on the part of the City of Ontario, the 130 local communities out here in the area, in the greater Los Angeles area, that wanted to get the airport back, bring back local ownership and control. That process began in 2009. And by 2016, the airport transferred back to local control and ownership. And the plan worked. In only a few years, Ontario International Airport has already seen the benefits of this localized, independent leadership. Even the airlines were on board. Once Ontario took over, you started seeing major changes. JetBlue came in, and Frontier came in, China Airlines, and American upped their flights, and Southwest is starting to get back on track. As passenger counts increased, that meant increased demand for shopping and dining at the airport itself. However, those revenue streams haven't made officials lose sight of their main focus, bringing in more airlines. The first thing we did was start to get the carriers that were here to grow more, particularly the Deltas, Uniteds, Americans, to their hubs. We tried to get in some new low-cost carriers. So Frontier came right after the transfer, followed shortly after by China Airlines coming in, which was an incredible achievement in Southern California because it's the first time there's been a flight across an ocean from an airport other than LAX in the history of our region. As Ontario continues to gain airlift from the major carriers, some of their routes are now traveling to and from international destinations. Thanks to this increase in airlift, they're building a new customs processing center for all of the inbound international flights. And even with airlift back on the rise, it remains an easy airport for passengers to navigate. Bank of America executive and mega-frequent flyer Al Arguello says he does almost all of his flying out of Ontario. They're adding additional airlines, which makes it more accessible to travel cross-country without encountering any additional stops on the way. And the expansion, this airport will continue to grow. It's not constrained by space as is other smaller airports like Burbank, Long Beach, John Wayne. This will continue to grow and accommodate the growth that's happening in this region. Another part of Ontario's growth is that it's become one of the largest cargo hubs in the country. There's Amazon and UPS. FedEx is actually expanding. In the process, Ontario is now a role model of sorts for the other secondary airports in the country, like Oakland, Milwaukee, Providence, proving that secondary airports don't always have to come in second. That does it for this week. I'll see you next time on another edition of The Travel Detective.