Canada Travel Stories

Victoria, BC: Gardens that Love Built

by Chris Millikan

From lodgings at Oak Bay Guest House, my hubby Rick and I ramble daily through quiet Tudor-style neighborhoods and discover wondrous gardens.

Ada Beaven established Windsor Park Rose Garden in 1937 by donating over 500 roses.

Inside manicured hedges, we try telling time on the sundial and relax in scented serenity on a weathered stone bench. On at the next corner, we breathe herbal fragrances in a new scent garden. Looping through charming Oak Bay Village and along the picturesque shoreline we locate another garden featuring 1.4 acres of native plants, also endowed by Ada.

Just beyond Oak Bay, we travel to the garden that love built, finding enchantment and inspiration. In 1920’s Paris, Peggy Pemberton-Carter and exiled Georgian Prince Nicholas Abkhazi fell madly in love; they married in 1946 and over 40 years transformed this rugged hillside into the exquisite Abkhazi Gardens. From their original summerhouse, we gaze over the passionate results of loving dedication. Lush landscapes swirl around ornamental evergreens, lofty century-old rhododendrons and towering Garry oaks. Coppery Japanese maples and weeping conifers tumble down rock-faces toward reflection pools; alpine flowers blossom profusely in rocky niches.

World-famous, the Butchart Gardens provides a worthwhile day trip from Victoria or Vancouver. For us it was just a short bus ride from Oak Bay. Open since 1904, this remarkable labour of love began with ton-after-ton of topsoil delivered by horse-cart from a nearby farm. Jenny Butchart gradually transformed her husband’s unsightly limestone quarry into this wonderful garden… where she sometimes even dangled from a boson’s chair to tuck ivy into high rocky crevices. Jenny’s family continues her vision.

The original sunken gardens tantalize our senses. Pathways loop around stately trees, ponds and flowerbeds dizzy with color: feathery pink spirea, fleshy begonias, trumpeting petunias, vibrant impatiens and graceful purple, white and blue delphiniums. An antique fountain sprays silvery strands above the spring-fed pond.

Following a dahlia border sprouting gigantic flower heads, we wander toward extensive perfumed Rose Gardens flaunting 250 flamboyant varieties. Another pathway leads us through the vermillion Torii gate into the tranquil Japanese Garden. Above, classic Italian Gardens offer formal arrays, bronze sculptures… and refreshing gelatos. Lastly, the Mediterranean Gardens simply dazzle with showy succulents and other water-wise plants, including luxuriant portulacas and palms.

Day tripping around beautiful gardens near Victoria definitely motivates us to improve our less disciplined floral borders!

Victoria Garden Links:

About the Author:
Chris Millikan is a freelance writer/photographer living near Vancouver, BC. As a former teacher and elementary school principal, Chris now presents articles as an inviting ‘curriculum’ depicting the joys of travel. Many BC community newspapers, Open Road Driver Magazine and Senior Living Magazine regularly publish her articles; In-flight Magazines, the Vancouver Sun and Province have also featured her stories. As BC Association of Travel Writers Vice President, she supports colleagues’ aspirations. And traveling off the beaten track with writer/photographer partner and hubby Rick, their published tales reflect great adventures. Their 2009 Kalama Award acknowledged an array of their stories reflecting the rich culture of Maui, Molokai and Lanai.

5,000 Eagles Gather In Southern BC

by Julie H. Ferguson

Every November, between two and six thousand eagles congregate to gorge on spawned-out salmon within an easy day trip from Vancouver. I have yearned to experience this, the biggest convocation in North America, but was determined to see it on an unspoiled river.

The Harrison River, deep in the Fraser Valley, filled the bill and is less than two hours from home.

From time immemorial, huge numbers of eagles have followed Pacific salmon flooding up wild BC rivers to spawn, then die. Dwindling food supplies and freeze-up further north drive the hungry eagles to southern BC for the later salmon runs. They are lazy birds – scavengers first, hunters only when they must.

The eagles are everywhere: on the gravel bars, along the river’s bank, and atop pilings. They fill the bare trees, soar in the sky, and bicker over a single salmon even when there are thousands. I hear them mew, whistle, cluck, and shriek. I struggle with my camera bundled up in a shower cap and the dim light so close to the winter solstice.

At the confluence of the Harrison and Chehalis Rivers, named the first Salmon Stronghold in Canada, the annual Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival kicks off the spectacle in mid-November. Opening day at Pretty Estate resort, home of Rowena’s Inn and Sandpiper Golf Course, sees experts, eagle handlers, and photographers on hand to assist visitors in understanding the birds’ life cycle that is directly tied to salmon migrations. BC’s well-known eagle guru David Hancock of the Hancock Wildlife Foundation is a regular and approachable presence.

There are two ways to experience this natural phenomenon. Drive out to Harrison Mills along Highway 7 on the north side of the Fraser River:

1. On land: Turn left at the Sasquatch Inn and follow the signs to Sandpiper Golf Course (1km). Turn right through the gates of the Pretty Estate Resort. You will be directed to parking behind Rowena’s Inn and take a short walk to the “Flats.” You can’t miss the eagles! (Free)

2. On water: Drive a bit further on Hwy 7 and cross the Harrison River bridge, then turn right to Kilby and follow the signs. From here you can take a guided river cruise operated by Fraser River Safari. The birds are not spooked by the boat, so you get closer and keep drier than on foot. It’s wise to book the river safari online before leaving Vancouver. ($65-70/person)

The boat navigates through Harrison Bay and up-river. From the pilings, the adult eagles stare me down with the unwavering eyes of all raptors. Their yellow beaks, hooked and sharp, are perfect for eating flesh. I watch an adult haul a salmon carcass from between the logs and fend off thieving juveniles and gulls.

In late December, the eagles disperse—even partners go their separate ways.

“But I thought they mated for life,” I comment.

“Last year one tagged male flew to Haida Gwaii and his partner went to Montana,” my guide says. “They returned to their nest here on exactly the same March day to raise another eaglet.”

I will return too.

The author wishes to thank Pretty Estate Resort and Fraser River Safari for making this adventure possible.

If you go:

The bald eagles visit Harrison River from mid-November to late-December; the festival is held annually on the third weekend in November at the Pretty Estate Resort. (Nov 16-17 in 2013)

Pack hiking boots, rain-gear and warm clothing, a hat and gloves. Take binoculars and, if you want good photos of the eagles, a camera with a 200mm lens or longer (smartphone cameras will disappoint).

The Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival is accessible to visitors who can walk on uneven ground. Rowena’s Inn is wheelchair accessible, but the river safari is not. Both are kid-friendly. Visitors can find good meals at both Pretty Estate and at Kilby Historic Site.

Fraser Valley Bald Eagle Festival: http://fraservalleybaldeaglefestival.ca/
Fraser River Safari: http://fraserriversafari.com/
Harrison River, Canada’s first Salmon Stronghold: www.wildsalmoncenter.org/programs/north_america/canada.php
Hancock Wildlife Foundation: www.hancockwildlife.org/

– Bald Eagle biology at www.hancockwildlife.org/index.php?topic=BaldEagleBiology

– Hancock’s eaglecam at Rowena’s broadcasts two live views at
http://www.hancockwildlife.org/index.php?topic=HarrMills#camera-north.

Pretty Estate Resort:

Rowena’s Inn on the River – www.sandpipergolfclub.com/rowenas_home/

River’s Edge Restaurant – http://www.sandpipergolfclub.com/riversedge_home/

Sandpiper Golf– www.sandpipergolfclub.com/

Tourism Harrison for accommodation, etc. – www.tourismharrison.com

About the author:

Julie H. Ferguson is an addicted travel writer and photographer who is intensely interested in the history and culture of foreign lands, as well as Canada, and her stories and images reflect this focus. She never leaves home without her cameras and voice recorder, always looking for the colour and sounds that captivate readers everywhere.

Julie is also the author of twenty-six books, including four about Canadian history and seventeen travel-photo portfolios. Her travel articles and images have appeared in global markets, both print and online.

She invites you to visit her travelog www.stampsinmypassport.blogspot.com, her website at www.beaconlit.com, and her portfolio at www.flickr.com/photos/beaconlit.

B.C.’s Land of the Smoking Water

by Glen Cowley

Smoking waters relentlessly wend their way to a distant sea; unfurling power and beauty in their passing.

The Columbia/Kootenay River valley, in mountainous majesty, disgorges its living waters under rolling mists over raging torrents and steaming cauldrons of the earth’s heated blood. From Golden to Cranbrook it calls, come here to awe, come here to play, come here to learn.

Since the days of the First Nations Fairmont Hot Springs has been known as the place of the smoking waters.

A place where earth’s steaming blood has sculpted the landscape and given man the luxury of its soothing waters. Here too, under the gaze of the weather worn and enigmatic Hoodoos carved by nature and hovering like quiet guardians, the Columbia River begins its 2400 kilometre journey to the Pacific.

The pools and, later, golf courses and skiing became the foundation for the resort community that is Fairmont Hot Springs.

Though discovered in the early 1880’s and known for their restorative powers and sweet smell the springs did not come into significant commercial being until 1957 when the resort was no more than a few tent cabins and one small pool. In 1965 Lloyd Wilder bought out his brother and began the serious development of what has become an international destination sporting its own air field.

The pool complex is adjacent to the Fairmont Hot Springs Resort and open to the public at $9.00 per adult for the day.

Not surprisingly the hot pool is most often lined with those of more experienced age lounging in its restorative comfort while families frolic in the attached cool pool or plunge into the waters of the diving pool.

A grassy knoll offers watered sunbathers an open air tanning salon. All is set against the majestic backdrop of the Purcells and the Rockies.

Above the resort, on a hill built from the ancient deposits of the springs, there sits a restored historic bath house with three rooms, each of which sports a bathtub size pool of spring waters. Behind the bath house the wandering hot springs support two man made outdoor hot pools where the weary can park themselves and soak their feet.

Toby Creek, at Panorama Ridge Mountain Village 40 kilometres from Fairmont, runs wild amid its cold steaming spray.

With the waters running low at the end of summer I caught one of the few remaining river rafting runs with Columbia Rafting Adventures. Even at low water the 12 kilometre run offered thrills as we dashed through foaming drops, swung around rocks and cavorted with 360 degree turns affording dramatic views of the looming mountains.

Our guide James captained us through the rapids spilling out instructions for us paddlers grinning through the unexpected. The journey left me hungering for more.

Nearby Radium Hot Springs are snuggled at the base of colourful Sinclair Canyon through which the waters dance to the growing Columbia. Housed in Kootenay National Park visitors to the pools are forgiven the $19.50 per car daily park fee provided they park only in the pool parking lot..

Reputedly used by none other than Hudson Bay Company governor George Simpson in 1824 on his tour of HBC posts in BC it was already well worn by the local First Nations people.

Today, enclosed and sporting a cool pool and jacuzzi, the hot springs are lined with bathers of all ages. In the winter the pool is a steaming ghost world and the pathway from change rooms to the pool is sheltered from the worst of winter weather. $6.50 per adult gets you in and a loonie gets you a locker. If you are lucky you may see mountain sheep gazing fearlessly upon you from the cliffs above.

Through the stretch of the valley there are other venues for white water rafting, lazy ecotours along the Columbia, vistas and hikes from the top of summer chair lifts, and innumerable hikes in the mountains and valley. The beauty of nature laid out before you.

To this you may add visits to historic Fort Steele and Bavarianized Kimberley, lake side beaches at Invermere and golfing.

Nor is this land but a seasonal destination. With winter comes skiing on a range of slopes from Golden to Cranbrook as well as heli-skiing, cross country skiing, snowmobiling and snow shoeing.

Whether it is the lure of summer and spring waters or winter snows this majestic valley holds a wealth of treasures.

And through the mists of the smoking waters we are afforded the panorama of nature in its glory. A glory and beauty to be recognized and protected even as we come enjoy its bounty; so that our children’s children may know it in its splendour.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes author and freelance travel writer Glen Cowley who lives in Chamainus, BC.

About the photos:

1: Columbia Lake, the source of the mighty Columbia River
2: Hoodoos, the artwork of nature, line a portion of the highway.
3: The acclaimed Grey Wolf golf couse at the base of Panorama’s ski runs.

If You Go:

The nearest airport is Cranbrook about an hour’s drive south of the resort.
Columbia River Rafting Adventures: – www.ColumbiaRafting.com
Kootenay River Runners: – www.raftingtherockies.com
Fairmont Hot Springs: – www.fairmonthotsprings.com
Panorama Village: – www.panoramaresort.com
Radium Hot Springs: – www.hotsprings.ca

Niagara’s River Road

by Guylaine Spencer

Picture yourself rollerblading through a gallery of Impressionist paintings. Now you’ve got some idea of what it’s like to cruise the river-hugging Niagara Parkway during the brief but brilliant fall-color season.

The route that Winston Churchill called “the prettiest Sunday afternoon drive in the world” puts on its best dress once a year, usually during the last week of September and the first couple of weeks in October.

As a native of the region, I can only say one thing to visitors who come to marvel at the famous Niagara Falls: “Don’t miss out on the other natural wonder of our world!”

The historic Niagara Parkway, which locals call simply “the river road,” follows the winding curves of the Niagara River that divides Canada and the United States as it journeys from Lake Erie to Lake Ontario.

Landscaped during the Depression of the 1930s by the provincial Niagara Parks Commission, this well-loved route is used today as much for recreation as for transportation. You can drive the entire 35 miles (56 km) or get off at any point along the way and walk, bike or rollerblade the paved recreational trail that runs parallel to the water.

If you’ve visited the Canadian side of the Niagara Falls, you’ve driven part of this road already ? but only a part. There’s a lot more to see.

In autumn, the loveliest stretch is the section that runs between the small towns of Queenston and Niagara-on-the-Lake. Here, the maple trees lining the river create a shifting panorama of red, orange and gold from early to late October.

The grass is still green at this time, and the river, glimpsed between the dark tree trunks, is a pale, silvery blue ? the shade you see on antique Norwegian wardrobes or blue cameo brooches.

The blur of color is so dazzling that you’ll probably want to stop and stay still for a while to appreciate the full beauty of the area. There are several scenic lookout spots along the way with small parking areas.

From Queenston’s Heights Park, you’ll discover a commanding view of both the river and Lake Ontario. Find a bench where you can sit and contemplate your surroundings, or share a picnic lunch with a companion. The park pavilion offers two restaurants, one casual and one fine dining, both with great panoramic views of the river.

While you’re in Queenston, and still in the mood for appreciating beauty, you might want to stop and visit the Riverbrink Art Gallery.

Here you will discover a fine collection of historic Canadian art, including work by the “Group of Seven” (a group of Canadian landscape painters in the 1920s); Impressionist painter and sculptor Marc Aurèle de Foy Suzor-Côté (1869–1937); Dutch-Canadian landscape painter Cornelius Krieghoff (1812-1872); and Irish-born Paul Kane (1810-1871), who documented the Canadian West in his renowned pictures.

At the north end of the Parkway, where the river runs into Lake Ontario, you come to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a bustling resort town famous for its theater festival — the Shaw Festival — which celebrates the works of Irish playwright George Bernard Shaw. The town also boasts winery tours, heritage homes, a historic fort and a flower-filled main street.

While the chichi clothing, gift and home décor boutiques along Queen Street are alluring — if damaging to the pocketbook — take time to explore the side streets here, as well. You won’t be disappointed. Lined with early 19th century houses, this is the kind of leafy, picture-perfect neighborhood you usually see only in the movies.

Carved pumpkins, wicker rocking chairs and baskets full of red geraniums decorate white clapboard homes with wrap-around porches.

Down at the lakeshore park, you’ll find a Victorian-style gazebo facing the water. This gingerbread confection blends perfectly with the rest of the town, but — surprise! — it’s much younger than everything else. It was built for the movie The Dead Zone, an adaptation of the Stephen King novel starring Christopher Walken, when it was shot here in 1983.

When you have had enough exercise, stop for refreshments at one of the many restaurants in town. The century-old Oban Inn and the trendy Epicurean, with its leafy backyard patio, are popular favorites. You’ll find restaurants and cafés offering seafood, steaks, Italian and Chinese cuisine, and more along Queen Street.

If you’re planning to attend the 8 p.m. show at the Shaw Festival, make your reservations for 5:30 p.m. to give yourself plenty of time to enjoy your dinner.

On an autumn day, you can celebrate another natural, local treasure, the grape harvest, by indulging in a glass of Niagara wine.

What better way is there to celebrate a brief but bountiful season?

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes freelance travel writer Guylaine Spencer who lives in Hamilton, Ontario, Canada.

About the photos:

1: A variety of horse drawn carriages await your pleasure. Chris Beard Photography
2: A street view of Niagara-on-the-Lake. Chris Beard Photography
3: Overlooking Niagara Falls. Chris Beard Photography

Canada’s Jewel Still Sparkles: Quebec City Celebrates 400 Historic Years

Story by Chris Millikan

A huge excitement surrounds Quebec City’s momentous 400th-birthday this year. Launched by a spectacular New Year’s Eve party and concluded with Cirque du Soleil’s one-of-a-kind extravaganza.

Even Quebec’s native son, performing artist Robert LePage, is onboard with a new masterpiece; an added pizzazz will embellish beloved annual events. We check out just what this fuss is all about…

Monuments, 17th-century heritage houses, churches and museums introduce old Quebec’s alluring past at almost every turn.

Even romantic horse-drawn caleches clip-clop past the venerable stone buildings, quaint squares and old-style manicured gardens, just as they did then.

A European-flavored culture and a distinctively French lifestyle surround us…without jetlag and the expense of flying overseas.

Starting our leisurely stroll in Lower Town’s oldest neighborhoods, we find Vieux Port’s once busy warehouses have morphed into government offices, high tech centers and charming boutique hotels.

Replacing old docks bordering the mighty St. Lawrence River, an extensive boardwalk now hosts an old-world farmers market selling local meats, pungent cheeses, fresh produce and bright flowers.

And Rue Saint-Paul’s brothels and saloons have become antique shops, art galleries and bistros. Enticing alfresco cafes cluster around an open square where a stylized ship’s figurehead soars above a splashing fountain.

Here, we relish traditional Quebecois comfort foods: rich meat tortiere, hearty pea soup and tarte au sucre, luscious maple syrup pie…

Over at the Museum of Civilization, Quebec’s long history of exploration, commerce, conflict, cultural rebirth and controversy becomes clear.

Donning high tech earphones, the voices of New France’s founders recap their accomplishments; authentic artifacts provide compelling visuals of each era.

But it really all began in beautiful Place Royal, where in 1608 Samuel de Champlain established l’Habitation.

The Americas first permanent French settlement, wealthy merchants and fur traders later developed their mansions around this flourishing early marketplace.

Faithfully restored, these stone houses retain steep tin roofs, thick separating firewalls and roof ladders. Two such homes merged into Centre d’Interpretation de Place Royal, retelling past glories through local relics, photos and documented stories.

Dominating this celebrated plaza since 1688 and perhaps the continent’s oldest stone church of its kind, Notre-Dame-des-Victoires stands on the original trading post foundations.

And on the edge of Place Royale, a small park faces one of several murals interpreting neighborhood histories. The Mural of Quebecers brilliantly depicts 15 key historic figures including Cartier, Champlain and Lord Dufferin.

Along the maze of quaint cobbled streets in Quartier du Petit Champlain, the old commercial district to the north, we discover quality Quebec-made products.

Rue Petit Champlain still flourishes with flower baskets, artisan studios, specialty boutiques and sidewalk cafés, where many linger over croissants and café au lait and we come across another intriguing mural, this time illustrating the activities of early Irish shipbuilders and their families.

As others launch upward on Funicular cable cars from the former home of French explorer-mapmaker Louis Joliet, we climb Break Neck Stairs, over sixty wooden steps to Upper Town, ending up on Dufferin Terrace.

Along its promenade fronting the famed Chateau Frontenac’s medieval French-style turrets, sweeping panoramas over the St. Lawrence and Lower Town unfold.

Even higher above stands the star-shaped Citadel, official residence of Canada’s Governor General since 1872. Constructed on earlier French defenses of British North America, regular troops still garrison the ‘Gibraltar of North America.’

After surviving six booming sieges of Quebec in Musee du Fort…including the pivotal battle on the Plains of Abraham…we cross the square to magnificent Notre-Dame du Quebec.

Though destroyed three times by fire since 1647, the basilica’s rich interior decoration renders us speechless. Governors of New France and Bishops of Quebec rest in the crypt below; first Bishop Francois de Laval lies inside.

And now housing Musee de l’Amerique Francaise Canada’s oldest museum, the nearby Seminary of Quebec directed Quebec’s early education systems, starting in 1663 and also shaped the foundation of Laval University in 1852.

Its chapel’s hushed atmosphere and subdued lighting still provide an example of exquisite religious heritage.

Uphill we discover the first Anglican Church built outside Britain. Modeled after London’s famous St. Martin-in-the-fields, Cathedral of the Holy Trinity was paid for by King George III.

And opposite city hall, Canada’s oldest English-speaking congregation of Scottish origin continues worshipping at St. Andrew’s Presbyterian, established in 1759 for General Wolfe’s Fraser Highlanders.

At Saint-Louis Gate, interpretive panels border sentry paths along the Fortifications of Quebec, a National Historic Site. Although the French began this protective wall, it was completed under the British.

Outside these ramparts and gates Rue Saint-Louis continues as Grand Allee, its popular boutiques, restaurants and nightclubs remind us of the Champs Elysees in Paris.

Southward, heritage homes border Joan of Arc Garden. Formal British-style flower borders and the French martyr’s statue honor those who died in battle on the Plains in 1759. And along the river nearby, Oh Canada rang out for the first time on St Jean Baptiste Day, 1880.

Adjacent, National Battlefield Park stretches over 108-hectares. In this a natural urban recreational area, Wolfe’s British army defeated Montcalm’s French-Canadians on the Plains of Abraham in 1759.

Students wearing French blue and British red regularly re-enact this history, flags proudly flying.

Close by, the National Museum des Beaux Arts showcases Quebec’s greatest art treasures, past and present. Marking where he died, Wolfe’s statue inspires my hubby to ask, “Wasn’t this General shipped home to Britain preserved in a barrel of rum?” Apparently, he was…

Now a World Heritage Site…and last fortified city north of Mexico…this little fur trading post has blossomed into one of the world’s most beautiful cities.

It has received accolades for livability, architecture, amenities and services.

Looking superb at 400, Quebec City has good reason to party all this year!

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes Chris Millikan, a freelance writer who lives in North Delta, near Vancouver B.C.

Photos by Rick Millikan:
1: The Chateau Frontenac towers above the Old Town.
2: Place Royale, where it all began..
3: Looking down the Rue Petit Cham

Quebec City Travel Information:

• At www.bonjourquebec.com the Ministere du Tourisme provides tips on travel needs.
• And www.quebecregion.com offers details on hotels, dining, entertainment & arts
• Quebec City’s 40 museum attractions are described at www.museocapitale.qc.ca plus www.museocapitale.qc.ca/cartema.htm presents information on the discounted museum passport, which includes a bus pass.
• Hotel des Coutellier www.hoteldescoutellier.com offers uniquely designed rooms with breakfast and a great location for strolling the Old City
• Old Port’s Cyclo Services www.cycloservices.net rents bicycles with route advice.
• Taxi Co-op www.taxi-quebec.com enables convenient tours without car rentals.
• Scenic train rides www.viarail.ca depart from Quebec City’s chateau-style station on the edge of Old Port. Montreal is less than two hours away.

The Romance of Rail Re-born

by Lauren Kramer

What could be more romantic than hurtling through the darkness in the bed of a luxury train car, the soothing rhythm of the train on the tracks lulling you to sleep?

Train travel brings with it the nostalgia of a yesteryear form of transportation. It has an old-world grandeur, a mystique and a formality you just can’t experience in a ’plane or on a cruise ship.

On most trips, the transportation is the dullest part of the journey, but travel by train and the journey becomes an integral part of the trip, sometimes overpowering the very destination. Though it will always carry a certain timelessness, train travel has changed a lot in recent years.

Just ask Eugene Restiaux, a service manager with VIA Rail. “I started at the age of 18, and realized, some 18 years later, I was a lifer,” he jokes from the bar of the park car. Restiaux and long-standing members of his team have seen the railway adopt a more modern façade, particularly over the last decade or so.

Five years ago, for example, smokers were welcomed on the railway, and the third seating at dinner was reserved exclusively for those who couldn’t resist the habit. Today, there is a zero tolerance policy for smoking on the railway, a rule that has resulted in a cleaner smelling environment on board, but one that annoys many a passenger who happens to be a smoker.

Restiaux well remembers the days when flushing the toilet on board meant its contents were splattered at high speeds on the tracks.

It wasn’t difficult to persuade passengers who insisted on sticking their heads out of the window to come back inside, back then. “I’d say to them, do you feel that water on your face? That means someone on board just flushed the toilet,” he says with a smile. “They’d retract their heads pretty quickly!”

The method of disposing of human waste on VIA’s trains changed five years ago, when vacuum toilets, not unlike those on an airplane, were installed. Today’s toilets store their contents in retention tanks, discharging them in a more hygienic manner every four days in Toronto or Vancouver’s terminals.

There have been other changes, too. In 1989, steam generators were exchanged for electric. In a 1999 cosmetic overhaul on VIA’s cars, hot showers were installed, as well as thicker mattresses and new upholstery on the seats.

Traveling by rail has not lost its romance, its mystique or its simple pleasure over the years.

Time becomes deliciously irrelevant when you’re on the train. Sealed into a fast-moving capsule, there is time enough for anything.

Time to lounge in bed over a decadent breakfast. Time to read a riveting book cover to cover. Time to mull over the ultimate word in a game of Scrabble, and time to have long, uninterrupted conversations with your traveling partner, or the people seated opposite you at dinner, or the service managers and staff, as they begin to relax at the end of a long day.

That’s when the stories come out. Like the one about the young guys hired by drug dealers to ship their narcotics east in December 2006. “There were red lights going off all over the place for us,” says Restiaux, whose team undergoes Jetway training to learn to recognize suspicious activity.

“They paid for their tickets minutes before boarding, in cash, but were suspiciously young to be carrying so much money around,” he recalls. “They checked in two large hockey bags that were disproportionately heavy, and they had no hockey sticks.

And as soon as they came on board they starting flashing more money and demanding an upgrade.” Restiaux quickly alerted the RCMP, who apprehended the drug dealers in Winnipeg.

In 31 years on the job, he has seen relatively little passenger misbehaviour on board, as those who choose to travel by rail do so to appreciate a relaxing journey, many of them traveling in VIA’s Silver & Blue service, launched in 1992.

Unlike Comfort class passengers, those in Silver & Blue enjoy fine dining meals in the dining car, hot beverages and snacks in the Bullet Lounge and at night, a turn-down service where their roomette reveals a comfy bed with clean linens and chocolates on the pillows.

The first class experience on VIA is called Romance By Rail, where two roomettes are joined together to permit a queen-size bed to dominate the space. By day the beds are folded away to accommodate four padded chairs and a small table. The suite comes with fresh flowers, his and hers washrooms, snowy white towels and a bottle of welcoming champagne.

A Romance by Rail trip between Vancouver and Jasper return can cost up to $3,767 per couple, but it’s about the experience, not the money, insists Reg Muir, a service manager with VIA who has worked for the railways for 30 years.

“You don’t take the train just to get where you’re going. Rather, it’s a land cruise, an experience in itself,” he says. Restiaux agrees. “Airlines sell a transportation service. We sell a transportation experience.”

I can’t help but agree with him as I look out the window at the blur of verdant forests, expansive lakes and mountains. Anywhere else, there’s a myriad of distractions competing for your attention. On the train, though, it’s just you, your traveling companion, and the scenery.

This makes it a great cocoon of privacy for personal celebrations, a journey that is wonderfully relaxing, as soothing as a long massage, and insufficiently appreciated.

Next time you hear “All Aboard,” don’t think twice.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes freelance travel writer Lauren Kramer who lives in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver, B.C.

Photos by Cathy Lukovich:
1: Enjoying the view as well as relaxing and visiting. Cathy Lukovich photo..
2: Passengers prepare a toast to the trip. Cathy Lukovich photo.
3: Lots of space and comfort aboard. Cathy Lukovich photo.

Now, Isn’t That A Party: The Royal BC Museum celebrates B.C.’s 150th Birthday

by Margaret Deefholts

The crowd at the entrance hall grabs my attention. Some faces are familiar, others not. One or two look me directly in the eye, but many gaze into the distance over my head. Clustered on the dais are glamorous gals, gutsy grannies, solemn dignitaries, artists, writers, hockey stars, movie idols and politicians.

I’m at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria, gazing at a huge three-dimensional diorama aptly titled The Party. The folks in attendance are not merely the rich and famous, but also ordinary people—many of whom have lived extraordinary lives.

They have one thing in common: they are all British Columbians and whether they wear Victorian gowns, or the robes of our Salish people, it is their energy, their visions, and their dreams that have shaped our Province and its rich and varied history.

Like the best of party hosts, they invite us to come on in and enjoy the Museum’s exhibit, Free Spirit: Stories of You, Me and B.C., a show specially designed to celebrate the Province’s 150th Birthday.

Some, but certainly not all the folks in The Party collage are solemn: Mr. Peanut rubs shoulders with Grace McCarthy—remember Vincent Trasov’s cheeky dig at political pretensions when he ran for Mayor of Vancouver in 1974, rigged out as Mr. Peanut? Not to be outdone by other larger than life personalities in attendance, Lake Okanagan’s very own Ogopogo—towers above the rest.

The glass showcases circling The Party, reveal some surprising facts. How many of us can recognize our B.C. tartan, or have actually worn the rather hit-me-in-the-eye jacket on display? You’ll never guess who sported this back in the early ‘70s. And do you know that the rare white Kermode bear is our provincial mammal?

An entire section of the museum’s Free Spirit exhibit features that most sociable of all human activities—the joy of eating and drinking together. At a long banquet table, in the ‘50s kitchen area, glass domed “memory boxes” showcase food and customs from all over the world.

Peering at a traditional Chinese wedding feast, a woman excitedly recalls her own marriage ceremony in Hong Kong, and further down the table, a dark eyed little girl with beribboned braids grins at a familiar sight – a “thali” table setting which many East Indian families still use today.

Whether served up ceremoniously in Japan, or sipped from Royal Albert porcelain, or drunk as East Indian “masala chai”, tea remains the universal choice of beverage the world over, and at a shop counter displaying a host of canned and packaged (fake) food several people watch intently as a pot of (real) green tea is brewed and offered around for us to try.

The exhibition showcases about 400 artifacts, many of which have never been previously seen by the public. Some are quaint, others odd. But whatever they are—paintings, carvings, photographs or objects—all of them tell a story.

Like the heart warming tale of “Theodore”—possibly the oldest teddy bear in B.C.—gifted to Eleanor Goddard in 1908 when she was bed-bound with tuberculosis. Eleanor recovered and lived to celebrate her 100th birthday at the Empress Hotel in 2002 with Theodore by her side. She then gave her beloved teddy to the Museum for safe keeping.

In another section, a perm machine looks more like an instrument of medieval torture rather than an aid to beauty, evoking disbelieving chuckles from viewers. And how about the wine glasses that once belonged to Francis Rattenbury, the architect who designed Victoria’s Empress Hotel? He came to a violent end (guess why) and some say his ghost still haunts the Museum.

How many of you remember the old drive-in movie theatres? There are only three left in the Province today – plus the replica at the Free Spirit exhibition. The Mighty 90 movie projector rattles away, and the flickering image accompanied by commentator’s voice-over narrative is pure ‘40s. In one of the reels, an old Ford convertible takes the audience on a journey through the Similkameen Valley and West Kootnays—and just wait till you see the size of the Zucca melons they harvested back then!

I meet up with a roving musician singing ballads about fame, fortune, love and loss and spend a while listening to actors on stage recounting tales of courage and misadventure: stories about people like you and me.

Because that’s what Free Spirit is really all about—it’s about you and me and all of us in B.C., so everyone is invited to contribute stories to the Museum’s “People’s History” exhibit.

You can read some of them even now at the imaginatively designed RBCM virtual gallery on the Internet. Click on www.freespiritbc.ca/ and you’ll find it hard to tear yourself away.

Yet, for all that, nothing beats actually being there. It’s worth it just to hear a little girl exclaim excitedly, “Mom, look, look…there’s Gran and Grandpa’s picture up on the wall!”

And then you, too, have to stop and look. For oh…what stories they have to tell!

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes Margaret Deefholts, an author and freelance travel writer who lives in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver B.C. Learn more about Margaret at her website www.margaretdeefholts-journeys.com

Photos by Margaret Deefholts:

1: Mr Peanut, Grace McCarthy, David Suzuki and friends at The Party.
2: Blonde Kermode bear (BC’s Provincial mammal), the Flag That Never Was, and a BC Tartan Jacket are among many memorabilia displays.
3: At practice before going live on the Free Spirit show.

For more information:

Free Spirit: Stories of You, Me and B.C. runs till January 11th 2009. As part of the CP Spirit of 150 Rail Tour in June, a special car with a selection of the exhibit’s artifacts will visit 43 communities from Cranbrook to Vancouver along a southern route through the Province. In addition a smaller version of Free Spirit will be exhibited in ten B.C. communities in the fall.

You are invited to share your story as part of the exhibition’s People’s History project. Click on www.freespiritbc.ca/peopleshistory/storySubmit1.aspx and then follow a series of simple directions and voila! your story could be part of their on-line exhibition.

For those who aren’t computer savvy—you’re invited to mail in your memoirs along with copies of old photographs to add depth to your tales. After the show is over next year, the essays, photos and video footage will be kept in the Museum’s archives, as part of our Province’s history: a wonderful heritage for your kids, grandkids and future generations to enjoy.

Fields of Dreams in the Fraser Valley

by Jane Cassie

If you grow them they will come. Well, they did and we have. I’m returning home from Harrison Hot Springs Resort and Spa after a much needed retreat with two women friends when we stop, and literally take time to smell the flowers.

Over thirty types of tulips that were planted last autumn are now rising on Seabird Island Farms. Vibrant reds, sunshine yellows, and virgin whites hug up to blooms of fuchsia, tangerine, and magenta. The rainbow of colour carpets the Fraser Valley floor and is a dazzling contrast to the distant wintry peaks.

Mother Nature determines when flowers are going to flourish, and during this unusually chilly spring, the tulips have had a tough time raising their pretty heads. Kate Onos-Gilbert would know. As owner of Tulips of the Valley Festival she definitely understands how her garden grows.

Onos Greenhouses is a family run business that Kate married into. In addition to operating greenhouses in Rosedale they have leased land from the local Seabird First Nation Band for the past three years.

When starting out in 1991, they planted around five acres of bulbs in their Rosedale fields. Thanks to the prolific reproduction of these shoots, their planting stock has grown to fill 45 acres of land.

“My goal is two-fold,” Kate explains, as we tiptoe around her tulips. “I want to share our fields with visitors and provide them with Canadian grown bulbs that they can enjoy in their own garden.”

Instead of having to order all of their stock from Holland, these blooming beauties are now home grown in this rich plot, just east of Agassiz.

The bulbs are initially used in their Rosedale greenhouses for cut tulips. They are then planted in the fields and reach full size after three years. They can be purchased at the festival that runs until May 4th (weather / bloom permitting) or by mail order, and are sent out in September, well before the first frost.

Although Kate combats today’s breeze in her wooly sweater, she gleams beneath the brim of her cap when revealing next week’s forecast. “Higher temperatures mean more blooms and more people.”

During this month-long event, she’s hoping to attract ten thousand, a personal quest that will also help others in need. Part of the proceeds during the show will be donated to the local Child Development Centre, a facility where Kate was previously employed as an Occupational Therapist.

“Find nature…just up the road” is the well-known catchphrase for the nearby community of Harrison Hot Springs. After leaving Kate and her fields of dreams behind, ironically that’s what we continue to discover.

When Brian and Faye Minter purchased their property at the base of Mt Cheam, they had a vision. If they built a world class garden on this site, they hoped people would come. And they did. Ever since May, 1980, when Minter Gardens came to life, so did their dream.

The glorious displays, just off Highway #1 at exit 135, sprawl over thirty-two undulating acres. The unique topography, resulting from a massive mudslide centuries ago, left behind a number of hilly knolls, life-size boulders and old growth timbers.

Asphalt walkways lace the manicured terrain like silver ribbons and lead us around twelve uniquely-themed plots. The Fragrance Garden heightens all senses while hosting hyacinths, heliotrope and other heady species.

The Lake Garden’s sculptured pineapples will soon fill in with a vibrant display of marigolds, and by mid June everything will be coming up roses when over seventy-five varieties share their perfume.

Although spring has been delayed this year, our knowledgeable guide, Pamela Garrity, provides us with a Coles Notes version of what’s to come.

“In another month our peacock will have new feathers,” she explains, while we saunter along the Cherry Walk. The bird graces a neighboring hillside and beneath his cocked head is a bed where purple ageratum will become his new plumes.

Two southern belles are also ready for floral finery. These flower girls, donning ivy skirts and lacy forget-me-knots, will welcome visitors to the Alpine and Stream Gardens.

There’s water, water everywhere –gurgling streams, tranquil ponds, bubbling fountains. “As well as muffling the nearby traffic,” Garrity shares, “this natural resource beautifies and relaxes.” After reveling in the aquatic wonderland at our Harrison Resort, where healing mineral pools and spa treatments calmed my crazy biorhythms, I can totally relate.

Our trail leads to the property’s loftiest bluff where a wedding pavilion hosts over a hundred love-struck couples every year. Petals cascade from moss baskets in the foreground and a chapel façade nestles beneath distant conifers.

When the weather warms, the landscape will transform into a kaleidoscope of colour and, while backed by the majestic peak of Mt Cheam, it will be an awesome photo spot for anyone tying the knot.

“We’re the most popular wedding venue in the valley,” Garrity proudly reports. “In our two facilities we can host up to four hundred guests and our Hospitality Manager, Sara Riemersma, can make any wish come true.”

The light-drenched reception conservatories also dub as dining venues and on any given Sunday, live performances entertain satisfied foodies. After all the gourmet grazing we’ve done at Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa this past weekend, we’re feeling like pros.

And with plates piled high we take time out to smell more than just the flowers.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes freelance travel writer Jane Cassie who lives in South Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver, B.C..

Photos by Jane Cassie:
1: Blooms are on the rise at the Tulips of the Valley Festival.
2: Kate Onos-Gilbert poses in front of her pretty pots.
3: Mintner Gardens peacock will soon boast a new set of feathers.

Where to go:

Tulip Festival:
Chowat Rd: is just off Lougheed Hwy east of Agassiz, B.C.
There’s no road address but it’s close to 3579 Chowat Rd.
604-796-3496
kate@tulipsofthevalley.com
http://www.tulipsofthevalley.com/

Minter Gardens
Exit # 135 off Highway #1
Only 90 minutes east of downtown Vancouver, BC
52892 Bunker Road Rosedale, British Columbia Canada
restaurants: (604) 794-7044
office: (604) 794-7191
toll free: 1-888-MINTERS
www.mintergardens.com/

You’ll “Find nature…just up the road” at
Harrison Hot Springs Visitor information
499 Hot Springs Road, Harrison Hot Springs,
604-796-5581
www.tourismharrison.com

Where to Stay:
Harrison Hot Springs Resort & Spa
100 Esplanade Avenue, Harrison Hot Springs,
British Columbia, VOM 1KO, Canada,
Reservations 866-638-5075 or 800-663-2266.
Tel: 604-796-2244.
www.harrisonresort.com/

Exploring Victoria’s Eccentric Past

by Chris Millikan

The historic Galloping Goose rail-line once linked Swartz Bay to Victoria; passengers paid 3-cents-a-mile to chug into BC’s capital.

These days it’s a scenic greenway, and we cycle the thirty-five kilometer trail and eventually cross the Johnson Street Bridge into the heart of old town. During several car-free days, we probe some of Victoria’s beguiling eccentricities.

Many visitors to Victoria head straight for the renowned Royal Provincial Museum to stroll through BC’s past. Across the way, a costumed Queen Victoria and Sir James Douglas guide still other folks through the revered Parliament Buildings…but we venture into the chateau-styled Empress Hotel for a tour and some memorable cups of English tea…

From stemmed goblets, we spoon sliced strawberries topped with Chantilly cream. Server Sean pours steaming signature-blend tea from silver pots into exclusive Royal Doulton cups, explaining, “In the 19th-century Queen Victoria’s lady-in-waiting, Lady Bedford, began this custom, serving thin-buttered bread and little cakes.” With that, a laden three-tiered plate arrives…

Nibbling tiny sandwiches filled with smoked BC salmon, curry-mango-chicken and shrimp mousse with papaya trimmings, we eye raisin scones, strawberry preserves, thick clotted cream and buttery shortbreads on the next tier. Miniature truffles and glazed tarts nestle on top.

As classical piano music floats unobtrusively across the opulent lobby, we visualize Kings, Queens and Hollywood celebrities taking Afternoon Tea at the Empress, exemplifying subdued elegance since 1908.

Greeting us at our table in authentic Edwardian traveling suit with hobble skirt, Mandy regales us with intriguing accounts of the hotel’s eventful past.

She points out where ‘official lobby-sitter’ John Roland sat daily for years, never spending a dime. In the magnificent ballroom below, she beams, “The famous David Foster played here as a teenager…just imagine…”

Dowager-era tales follow, “Some interesting wealthy widows resided here for $300-a-month, including meals: while Lady Swettenham supported charities by contributing baskets of the embossed soaps provided for hotel-guests.

Leah Rogers gave away her entire chocolate fortune, dying penniless. A staff collection buried her like the lady she was.”

When converting dowager accommodations into Romantic Attics during the 1980’s, last dowager Sybil Martin left in a huff…and took a handsome bellman with her to Florida!

Pointing to the receiving balcony high above, Mandy twinkled impishly, “Seagulls often stole the ladies’ bloomers from up there, right where Queen Elizabeth II later greeted adoring crowds and Goldie Hawn sunbathed nude.”

Aboard a foot-ferry next morning, we cruise the Gorge Waterway to Point Ellice House, owned and maintained by the O’Reillys for over a century. Today, an audio taped rendition of their staff leads visitors through their originally furnished, authentically restored upper- middle-class home.

The Chinese houseboy lists our duties as if we’re newly employed servants, carefully explaining ‘modern’ contrivances. The Irish maid chitchats about prominent guests as she conducts us to the ornate dining room; parlor, bedrooms and study prompt family gossip. Entering a daughter’s bedroom, the maid praises Cathleen’s artistic talents…and tells details of her romance.

The Scottish gardener points out heritage gardens and reflects on local politics and goings on. Showing off hollyhock glades ‘fit for an emperor,’ the houseboy concludes the tour by exalting a stately sequoia, flourishing since 1877. As afternoon tea-drinkers and croquet-players gather on rolling green lawns, we re-board the ferry.

Docking below North America’s oldest Chinatown, we stroll to Swans Brewpub for lunch. Surrounded by oak, brick and extraordinary artwork, we sip traditional British-style ales. Buckerfield’s once sold animal-feeds and grain here; today the on-site brewery ferments grains into eight hearty beers.

Beginning an art tour, Char introduces the Swans Hotel’s past owner. “Michael Williams restored this derelict warehouse and preserved numerous other heritage properties in old-town. You’ll also recognize his support for young artists.”

Walking through spacious loft-suites, we spot early works of Tony Onley, Jack Shadboldt and Roy Henry Vickers. She later points out Pierre Trudeau’s portrait by Myfanwy Spencer Pavelic, which also hangs in Ottawa’s House of Commons.

Over 1600 artworks reside at The Swan; Maltwood Gallery exhibits others. Williams died in 2000 and left his entire legacy to the University of Victoria.

On our last day, the Galloping Goose trail leads us up to James Dunsmuir’s astounding castle on Hatley Park Estate. Like his coal-baron father, he built an Edwardian castle outside downtown Victoria, declaring, “Money doesn’t matter, just build me what I want.”

This turn-of-the-century Premier and Lieutenant Governor contracted Samuel MacLure to create Hatley Castle, completed in 1908. Sixty masons built imposing granite and sandstone walls, battlements, towers, carriage gateway and baronial fireplaces.

Twenty-five English carpenters laid teak floors and paneled lavish interiors with golden oak and rosewood. The prestigious, specially designed electric light fixtures remain intact.

Including the Rose Arbor, croquet lawns and formal Italian garden off the spacious terrace where his wife Laura enjoyed tea, this luxurious 565-acre estate employed 100 gardeners. Soon-to-be-restored, the greenhouse once displayed exotic flowers year-round, including Laura’s favorite white orchids from India.

In the masterfully planned Japanese Gardens, original stone lanterns and bowls rest at shaded bends. Guide Joan reveals some sensory secrets, inviting us to touch satiny-red paper bark maples or listen to ‘dark and light sounds’ in the trickling streamlet and to peek under “splendid foliage-skirts to discover venerable gnarled trunks.”

We learn that James often sneaked off to ‘the island of ten thousand years,’ spending shady afternoons catching plump trout from the peaceful pavilion.

Nowadays a national historic park and administrative centre for Royal Roads University, the original outbuildings house various programs. This magnificent campus boasts a wildlife sanctuary in the saltwater lagoon and an urban forest with over 15 kilometers of nature trails.

Taking intimate tours into bygone days in BC’s capital adds intriguing new dimensions to visiting Victoria.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes freelance travel writer Chris Millikan who lives in North Delta, a suburb of Vancouver B.C.

Photos by Rick Millikan:
1: Mandy regales us with her stories over High Tea at the Empress Hotel
2: The renowned Swans Holel.
3: Overview of Hatley Castle.

More information:

See www.tourismvictoria.com

In the historic heart of the capital sprawls Laurel Point Inn www.laurelpoint.com. Nearby Victoria Carriage Tours www.victoriacarriage.com offer epic rides through historic Beacon Hill Park.

Iconic Empress Hotel www.fairmont.com/empress captures the grandeur of a bygone era. Here you can take a Walkabout Historical Tour with Mandy Kray www.walkabouts.ca

Overlooking the scenic Gorge Waterway, Point Ellice House www.pointellicehouse.ca intrigues visitors with its extraordinary past.

Swans Suite Hotel www.swanshotel.com offers a treasure trove of B.C. art, history and unique accommodations.

Join John Adams www.discoverthepast.com/discvr/gwalks and his team of guides on ghost tours to Victoria’s spooky places.

Hatley Castle Victoria www.hatleycastle.com offers a unique look at B.C. history, gorgeous gardens and more… Joan Looy conducts Garden Tours all over Victoria www.victoriangardentours.com

A Day at Chemainus

by Glen Cowley

People most often visit Chemainus for its murals or live theatre, perhaps browsing the stores and taking a carriage ride. Unfortunate, for they are missing so much more in the “Little Town that Did.”.

For families, singles or couples there is an easy day here; one accommodating any pocket book.

Begin your day early at the downtown parking lot beside Waterwheel Park on Willow (eight hour limit). Stretch, study the map near the churning waterwheel and set off for a full day’s activities, all within easy walking distance.

Five minutes north along Willow and left on Oak brings you to the small wilderness enclave of Askew Creek Wilderness Park.

A tended trail weaves through looming stands of Douglas Fir, Hemlock and Cedar following the sweeping curves of Askew Creek, trickling or rushing as the weather dictates. Within these cool green halls, chittering with song birds and echoing the gurgle of the creek, it is easy to imagine yourself far away from the world of man just a stones throw distant.

Down Oak towards the ferry and left on Maple brings you to Kin Park Beach where at low tide you can walk out to Bird Rock which shelters multi-hued starfish and anemones huddled under rocks and in crevasses.

Entertainment may be provided by synchronized water jets from burrowing Horse Clams, complaining Herring Gulls, flotillas of Buffleheads, nattering yellow-eyed Oyster Catchers, Black-headed Kingfishers, Mallards and the odd Harlequin duck or Loon tarrying along the shoreline.

Occasionally a curious harbour seal pokes its head above water to survey the surroundings. If you are willing to scramble a bit along the rocky shoreline the other side of the boat launch you can spy Cormorants, regal and still, dotted atop old pilings. Or, you can sit back and drink in the long outline of the Coast Mountain Range and the shades of blue-green overlapping islands in between.

The Visitor Information Centre, close by the parking lot, affords all sorts of information, including an official mural map for a dollar. This self-guided walking tour of the famed murals is aided by the painted yellow feet you can follow around town.

The pamphlet provides a short note about each of the murals, now officially numbering 39; the latest being a rare outdoor hockey game hockey at Fuller Lake. Poignant stories lie behind these artistic impressions drawn from the dynamic and ancient heritage of this idyllic haven by the sea.

Statues and fountains, with stories implied or recounted, enhance the atmosphere. The intricately recreated creek, at Heritage Square, with its forlorn statues and the tale of elusive Snipes is worth a special visit.

A leisurely 45 minute stroll can easily double once you allow time to view, ponder and photograph. Nor is it likely your gaze and interest can avoid the attraction of the numerous quaint and colourful buildings and shops arrayed along Willow and Maple Streets.

Keep an eye on the time and the ferry schedule for Thetis Island. It is a short and scenic walk from the parking lot to the “Old Town” running down to the ferry dock at the foot of Oak Street. The pathway through Waterwheel Park offers a long and stunning view down Maple Street to the ocean.

Waiting for the ferry you can stroll the docks at the Marina or tuck back at the Book Nook bookstore and coffee house, browse for used books, fritter away time on the internet or listen to local gossip. An easy going local hangout oozing the charm of “Island Time”.

It’s a refreshing twenty five minute ferry ride from Chemainus across Stuart Channel to Thetis Island, well worth the time and $7.55 per person. A new perspective sweeps into view as you chug out of the harbour past Cormorants lined up along log booms airing their feathers like fishermen telling tall tales of the one that got away.

The idyllic, manicured grounds of Capernwray Bible School, crowding the shoreline, welcome you to Thetis.

A sedate ten minute walk brings you to the long, sheltered finger of Telegraph Harbour lying between Thetis and Kuper Islands. Overlooking the bay and marina is the Thetis Island Restaurant and Pub with its unassuming and relaxed atmosphere. A place to enjoy a coffee or sip a brew at any time but a special place if you get there for the Bald Eagles.

I’ve been told up to forty at a time have been spied circling overhead, hopping along the rocky shoreline, dotting the forest cover on the opposite shore and even staging the occasional courtship dance in dramatic, taloned-embraced spirals over the bay. Every year from mid-May to mid-June they come. Bring your binoculars.

Returning to Chemainus the hour of the day may be gnawing at your stomach or whispering “treat, treat”. Coffee shops and ice cream outlets compliment the numerous restaurants and you can always picnic at Kin Park.

Either way you can keep your day alive lazing back afterwards at the Dancing Bean Café, where musical entertainment adds to the ambience on Fridays and Saturdays, or at the Twisted Sisters Tea House on Maple Street, where you can enjoy whatever is playing on their big screen and an assortment of over sixty teas.

There is more – the famous live Chemainus Theatre, the Hermit Trails, galleries, street musicians, local museum, the mural tour by carriage, and a never ending series of community events – but that requires another day. This is not a place to hurry.

The eagles would say you are missing the show if you do.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes freelance travel writer and author Glen Cowley, who lives in Chemainus, on Vancouver Island, British Columbia.

Photos by Glen Cowley:

1: The waterwheel at Waterwheel Park.
2: A “muraled” downtown store.
3: The Chemainus live theatre.

Contacts

– Thetis Island Restaurant and Pub marina@thetisisland.com or 250-246-3464 – to check the eagles and get information on their marina.

www.chemainus.com – provides a calendar of activities and events including what’s on at Twisted Sisters and The Dancing Bean

www.lau.chs-shc.dfo-mpo.gc.ca/english/TidesAndCurrents.shtml – to check the tides – Crofton is the nearest reading

The Visitor Information Centre (250-246-3944) is open from 10 am to 5 pm everyday except Sunday.

Public restrooms are located at Kin Park, Waterwheel Park and the train station on Chemainus Road.

If you would like to walk the grounds of Capernwray Bible School they request that you drop into their main building to let them know.

A 30 minute drive south of Nanaimo on the Island Highway Chemainus can be reached by bus, train and boat as well as car. Some boaters like to moor at one of the two marinas in Telegraph Harbour on Thetis Island and take the ferry to Chemainus. Telegraph Harbour Marina can be reached at 250-246-9511.