Canada Travel Stories

Living History in Redcoat And Blackfoot Country

by Irene Butler

As if in a time-warp we walked the ‘downtown’ streets lined with historic buildings in Fort MacLeod. Some date back to the late 1800’s; many are sandstone structures of the 1920 era.

Locals greeted us, a few stopping to chat; traffic moved at a snail’s pace. My husband, Rick, and I were swept back into the past while experiencing today’s unhurried life in this small south-western Alberta town.

An arched walkway veered off Main Street, and led to The Fort Museum of the North West Mounted Police. Red-coated riders on sleek prancing steeds entered the grounds, their white pith helmets bobbing to the rhythm of “This land is your land, this land is my land….” My chest swelled with pride as we watched a musical ride performed by young equestrians, in replica uniforms of our Canadian icons.

The ‘Mounties’ trooped into this area in 1874 when Sir John A. MacDonald saw the need for law and order in the frontier.

Their newly constructed Fort and burgeoning town site was named after James F. MacLeod, their leader on the arduous trek west from Manitoba. MacLeod in turn was greatly aided by the legendary Métis guide and interpreter, Jerry Potts, who spoke many Native languages.

“After quashing the illegal whiskey trade that was destroying the lives of Blackfoot,” said Gordon, a local historian, “the NWMP had to deal with 4,000 men infiltrating the area to build the Canadian National Railway.”

Further challenges involved deterring horse thieves, minimizing strikes, and appeasing the First Nations Peoples’ fear of changes the “iron horse” would bring.

King Edward VII bestowed the appellation “Royal” on the NWMP for their part in the Boer War. They later joined the Dominion force to become the Royal Canadian Mounted Police.

Gordon then led us to the filming locations of “Brokeback Mountain” – Academy Award “Best Movie” in 2005. Being movie buffs, Rick and I gleefully recognized the backdrop of many scenes.

The gleaming hardwood floors of the Empress Theatre creaked as we made our way down the isle. This grand lady first swung open her doors in 1912, and has since played host to a continual flow of live theatre, concerts and films.

Sinking down into the red velvet seats, we looked up at a giant neon tulip adorning the ceiling. The only additions since the last renovation by Dan Boyle in the 1940’s are large wall paintings of old movie classics, the work of Dan’s son, Neil.

“This theatre has been haunted for many years,” said Jamie, our guide. “Recently we had a medium tell us it is a ghostly “Ed” who is to blame for what happens in balcony seat “FF1”, also known as Ed’s seat.” Ushers surreptitiously watch patrons sitting in FF1, as they almost always squirm uncomfortably and end up moving over a seat or two. I do hope Ed enjoyed the evening’s side-splitting live performance of “Johnny Chinook” as much as we did (from our main-floor seats).

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump is a short drive north and west of Fort MacLeod. We were greeted by resounding drum beats and the chanting of singers recounting 6,000 years of history. Nimble dancers dressed in beads, porcupine roaches and eagle feathers enacted ancient traditions to the delight of the audience.

The Interpretive Centre tells about the evolution of the Blackfoot culture. Our guide, Quinton Crowfoot, explained that the original name of their tribe was “Niitsapii” meaning “Keepers of the Prairies”.

The tribe’s method to lure the buffalo to a particular area was to burn the grass thereby promoting new lush growth. Europeans attributed the name Blackfoot because of their soot imbedded moccasins.

The Buffalo Jump itself is at the end of a path leading away from the Centre. As we stood near the edge of the cliff, I envisioned thundering hooves and clouds of dust as stampeding buffalo plunged to their death.

The ingenious strategy entailed mimicking a strayed calf or encroaching wolf and directing the buffalo into a funnel of stone cairns. Hunters, shouting and waving skins, then came from behind and drove the panicked herd over the then eighteen-metre precipice.

I’d initially thought the name “Head-Smashed-In” referred to a buffalo cranium, but its folklore origin is much more intriguing. The story goes that hundreds of years ago a young brave decided it would be awesome to watch the falling buffalo from under an overhang at the bottom of the cliff. The hunt was unusually good that day and regrettably the boy’s head was smashed in by the weight of the carcasses.

At the time of Europeans arrival, an estimated 60 million buffalo roamed the plains. With the aid of guns the species was nearly extinct by the late 1800’s. It meant the end of a way of life for the prairie tribes.

Like a time-capsule journey, our walk through the dramatic history of the early law enforcers, pioneers and Blackfoot was both enlightening and enriching.

In addition, the community’s friendly hospitality left us feeling warmer than the Chinook winds that turn the winter snows of Fort MacLeod into puddles.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes freelance travel writer Irene Butler, who lives in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver on Canada’s west coast.

If You Go:
Town of Fort MacLeod: www.fortmacleodd.com
The Fort – Museum of the North West Mounted Police: www.nwmpmuseum.com
May 20 – Aug.31 – Open 7 days/week Ph: 403 553-4703
July & Aug. – 4 Musical Rides Daily at 10 a.m., 11:30 a.m., 2 p.m., 3:30 p.m.

Head-Smashed-In Buffalo Jump:
UNESCO World Heritage Site -One of the oldest and best-preserved buffalo jumps in
North America. www.head-smashed-in.com
-Open all yr round – 16 km N & W of Fort Macleod: Ph: 403 553-2731-July & Aug – Drumming and Dancing Wed 11:00 a.m. & 1:30 p.m.-May 12 – Sept 7 – “Sleep in a Tepee” Reservations

Photos by Rick Butler:
1. Fort MacLeod Main Street.
2. NWMP in The Fort.
3. Blackfoot Dancers entertain visitors.

Okanagan Get-A-Way: Some of Kelowna’s Many Sides

by Chris Millikan

Electric bikes kick off our whirlwind Okanagan escapade in style. On the first glorious day, my hubby and I mount these steely chargers and blissfully explore along Kelowna’s scenic bench lands.

Up the street from our lakeside resort we turn onto meandering Mission Creek Greenway, joining joggers, dog-walkers and fellow cyclists along a peaceful wooded creek. Although these electric bikes can get up to 32 kilometers an hour on the flat, we start out pedaling exactly like other cyclists until eventually emerging onto paved roadways.

Snaking upward past luxuriant hillside vineyards, the E-bikes render grinding climbs painless. With a flick-of-my thumb, one of three power levels magically engages; wheeling smoothly into the lead with pert waves and triumphant “Waaa-hooos” becomes highly irresistible to me; keeping up the pace without strain simply sublime!

Ascending to Okanagan Lavender Farm, delicately scented breezes announce our first stop. Exercising the U-pick option there, we gather up handfuls of purple, pink and creamy-white stalks from a fragrant field overlooking lush vineyards.

Owner Andrea explains, “Our farm grows 60 lavender varieties over 3-and-a-half acres.”
And strolling over to her country store brimming with handcrafted products, she impishly whispers, “Roman men thought lavender head-wreaths made them smarter…” In case they’d been onto something, we poke the aromatic stems into our helmets!

Chilled lavender lemonade fuels us as we ‘fly’ joyfully downward, landing at one of BC’s oldest continuously producing vineyards.

Slightly off the beaten track, this fifty-acre winery originally named Pioneer Vineyards…and Tantalus since 2004…was planted with grapes in 1927.

“This winery targets wine lovers with small-batch specialty wines, handmade from 30-year-old vines,” Jane tells us. “And world-renowned Tlingit artist Dempsey Bob’s mask adorns our new labels…signifying elegance, like our wines.

” Visualizing numb but nimble fingers picking frozen grapes, we savor premium Riesling Ice Wine 2005, the first under new ownership. Motoring easily back up the corkscrew driveway, we charge swiftly downhill to one of Canada’s most visited wineries, generating reserve energy to replenish the bike’s batteries as we go…

Largest to be certified organic, Summerhill Pyramid Winery specializes in sparkling wines aged in a unique four-storey concrete Egyptian-style pyramid. Touring it, Casey reveals, “Facing true north, this fuse frame structure has no metals or electricity…but its spiritual energy positively affects liquids, proven in 14-year experiments and three years of taste-testing. Now, all our wines are pyramid-aged in this sacred geometry.”

Amid million dollar patio views, we sip fruity, food-friendly wines while munching gourmet pizzas topped with some of 66 heirloom tomato varieties from flourishing organic gardens below…and luscious local goat cheeses from Carmelis Alpine Goat Cheese Farm, the afternoon’s final and longest uphill chug.

After visiting with lady-goats gathered in milking barns there, we enter the visitor center displaying 20 handmade cheeses.

Although tempted by farm tours demonstrating traditional artisan cheese-making methods, we freewheel back downtown with several scrumptious samples for nibbling later…perhaps with robust local wines…on our balcony overlooking Okanagan Lake…while sunset reds, pinks and purples signal the first day’s end.

For a change of pace the next morning we join others sauntering…and cycling…along the restful lakeside walkway in Waterfront Park.

After strolling we past the pretty marina, feathery willows, trickling waterfalls in floral gardens, golden beaches and captivating artworks, an arching bridge leads us into a transformed six-block area, Kelowna’s award-winning cultural district.

Once the center of the Okanagan’s fruit packing industry, heritage warehouses now offer thirty intimate galleries, museums, theaters and artist studios to investigate.

A park-like common there hosts seasonal festivals and concerts; the vine-shaded Artwalk connects pedestrians with a revitalized downtown. One of eleven permanent sculptures, the monumental Fruit Stand stretches along this walkway, recapturing history with gigantic stylized peaches, pears and mosaics of early packing labels.

At the busy bus loop, the Running Man sculpture comments whimsically on our hectic lives; the Bennett Clock with merrily splashing fountain honors BC’s longtime Premier. Tucked behind, we wander the soothing Kasugai Gardens pathways, established in recognition of friendship with a Japanese sister city.

Cycling the Myra Canyon portion of the Kettle Valley Trail launches our last day.

The Kettle Valley Railway crisscrossed southwestern BC between 1916 and 1964, its eighteen abandoned trestles later providing spectacular hiking and cycling routes through rugged splendor. Glad that more destroyed trestles will be rebuilt in 2007 we tackle six newly reconstructed trestles amid stark, still-charred pines from the devastating wildfires of 2003.

Driving onward, we investigate a 150-acre orchard, operating since 1904. The Kelowna Land & Orchard Company provides regularly scheduled orchard tours, but we’re too late for this informative wagon ride. Instead, we explore the farm store overflowing with golden honey, jams, jellies, crisp red apples, succulent purple table grapes and fresh garden vegetables.

Inside, at the Raven Ridge Cidery taste-testing unique specialties made from premium apples harvested during the first big freeze, another keen sampler leans over with a toast, “Try this ice cider once…you’ll be back!” Our little dessert glasses clink affirmation.
Slim bottles of Granny Smith Ice Cider stowed, our final stop beckons ten-minutes away.

Carved from a lovely old apple orchard and tended organically, 4-acre Elysium Gardens has provided a tranquil place for locals and visitors since 1999.

Throughout this paradise for birds, butterflies and garden buffs like us, owner Jacquie points out native plants, hardy perennials, golden ornamental grasses, English roses and multitudes of variegated hostas.

She observes, “Some areas reflect the formality typical of ‘proper gardens’…others feel more natural, free flowing…” Backstopped by unobstructed mountain views, Lavender Lane leads to the threshold of a magnificent gazebo, a popular wedding spot.

In visiting a revitalized historic center, thriving family farms, famed wineries and beautiful gardens over three fun-filled days, we’d only just begun to discover Kelowna’s many sides.

About the author:

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

About the photos:
1: A productive lavender farm stretches above a Kelowna vineyard. Rick Millikan
photo.
2: A local vintner “empowers” his wine in this pyramid. Rick Millikan photo.
3: A multi-use pathway runs along Kelowna’s Waterfront Park. Rick Millikan
photo.

If you go:
Contact Kelowna Tourism www.tourismkelowna.com for all travel needs.
Manteo refresh@manteo.com features lakefront amenities and superb accommodation in spacious guestrooms, suites and villas.
Enjoy an al fresco gourmet lunch, unique tour and tasting at Summerhill Pyramid Winery www.summerhill.bc.ca
Elysium Gardens www.elysiumgardennursery.com offers peaceful strolls and panoramic views in a former apple orchard.

Galiano – The Gem of the Gulf Islands

by Lauren Kramer

Just a puddle-jump away from the Lower Mainland, Galiano is magnificently undeveloped and pristine, its island charm unblemished by the tarnish of tourism.

Don’t come for the shopping – though you may enjoy browsing through the island’s handful of art galleries and gift stores. Rather, come for serenity, desolate beaches with nary a footprint and vistas that inspire honest, eloquent confessions of love.

We arrived on a summer evening, stopping for dinner at the Galiano Inn & Spa’s Atrevida Restaurant. Here, with no frowns at our casual attire, we dined on exquisitely prepared and presented beet-cured salmon with pomegranate reduction, and halibut cheeks on a warm cedar plank. Classical music played in the background as the nearby gulf islands disappeared into the dusk.

I was back at the inn the next day, this time for a love of blackberries. The Galiano Spa makes a habit of emphasizing the sensuousness of food – and not just in the kitchen. “Would you prefer a blueberry smoothie, a blackberry vino or a chocolate butter crème?” I’m asked when I arrive at the spa.

Bored with the typical array of spa choices, I’m thrilled to find that inn owner Connie Nordin and her spa team have spiced it up a notch by taking local, island delicacies and creating from them an innovative selection of body wraps and massage lotions using ingredients that add a sensuous, sumptuous and uniquely Galianan touch to the spa experience.

I chose the Blackberry Vinotherapy, a massage in which the sweet, sticky fruit whose thorns leave my skin shredded and blush-red each summer, are reincarnated into blackberry wine and slathered over my body by deft, soothing hands. The experience is aromatic, deeply relaxing and utterly sublime.

I needed it, especially after venturing to the island with a bicycle. Within minutes of clambering onto my mountain bike, I discovered that the downhills did not compensate for the brutal uphill climbs around every turn. Still, in-between the huffing and puffing, I noted that you definitely experience the landscape differently when you travel by bike.

For one, the rustle of deer along the road was a pleasant surprise, as were the many hummingbirds that darted between the treetops. At an infinitely slower speed than vehicular travel, pedaling on a bike gives you more time to appreciate the island’s many vistas and its range of landscapes, from pastoral to ocean view.

But I was relieved to hop off the bike and explore the rest of Galiano by car. Journeying north, we stopped to explore Retreat Cove, where the elements and crashing waves have carved a cave from the smooth rock face.

We window-shopped in the pottery gallery of Sandra Dolf and marveled at the magnificent glass dishes created by Marcie deVicque, a talented island artist whose gallery was open but unmanned when we arrived.

It is clear, however, that trust is in the air at Galiano, and theft is virtually a non-issue. DeVicque’s gallery had a note to customers, instructing them that if they wanted to purchase an item, they could leave a cheque or use the credit card machine to process the amount. “I’ve returned home to some pretty sizable cheques,” one artist noted, adding that she had never experienced theft.

I saw it again at Galiano Boat & Moped Rentals, where Ralph Moyle, once a teacher in North Vancouver, rents out 15 mopeds and four boats to visitors. “Just leave the keys inside the moped when you return it, if I’m not here,” he said casually to couple on their way out the door of his rental hut.

He may not be worried about theft, but there are other concerns specific to island living that keep Moyle up at night since he became a full-time Galiano resident nine years ago. “A lot of island property is going to people with lots of money, who become absentee owners,” he said, pointing out a mansion as his boat puttered around Parker Island.

The population was 800-odd when he first purchased property on the island in 1978; now it sits at just over 1,000. “The people who want to live here year-round can’t afford to buy property anymore,” he says. With less than 50 kids in Galiano’s elementary school, Moyle worries that in future years, the island’s school and medical clinic may be forced to permanently close their doors.

There is some young blood on Galiano, though. Jesse Keefer is one example, an ex-professional cyclist from Vancouver who moved to the island in 2002 and purchased Bodega Ridge Lodge & Cabins. “I can be in Vancouver in an hour-and-a-half,” he says. “But I really love living here.”

Part of it is the interesting cast of characters that constitute Galiano’s population. I caught a smattering of it on a quick visit. There’s Jane Rule, the well-known novelist whose work deals with gay and lesbianism, and Steve Ocsko, a Hungarian-born stone carver who lives and works up a steep hill on Manastee road, chiseling rocks into a veritable canvas of shapes and figures.

In the heat of the afternoon, we retire to a beach of crushed shells at Montague Harbour Provincial Park, lounging beneath the shade of orange-hued arbutus trees, whose trunks lean like Hawaiian palms towards the ocean. It is low tide on this long stretch of beach, and I can hear squeals of excitement as my children fill their buckets with translucent jellyfish and bright, purple starfish.

Above the distant cliffs, bald eagles are soaring in the thermals and the deep baritone of the BC Ferries horn pierces the stillness briefly before disappearing like a phantom into the gulf.

About the author:

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

About the photos:
1: Kids explore the huge cave at Retreat Cove. Lauren Kramer photo.
2: The un-attended galleries of Sandra Rolf and Marcie de Vicque. Lauren Kramer photo.
3: A BC Ferry departs for the mainland. Photo submitted.

If You Go:
Galiano is a 55-minute ferry ride from Tsawwassen on BC Ferries (www.bcferries.com; 888-BCFERRY), and is also accessible via sea plane. For general island information, call the Galiano Island Chamber of Commerce at (866) 539-2233 or visit www.galianoisland.com.

Accommodation: for family travel, Bodega Ridge Lodge & Cabins offers seven fully-equipped cabins ranging from $150-$275 per night and open year-round. For more information call (604) 306-8160. For couples seeking romantic accommodation, the Galiano Inn & Spa rates range from $249 to $299 per night, including hot breakfast, fine linens, beautiful views and a hot tub. For more information call (877) 5303939.

For boat and kayak rentals visit call (250) 539-3443.

Planes, Trains and Automobiles: A stop in the Port Alberni area has all the bases covered

by Margo Malcolm

Rushing on your way to Long Beach or lazing on the beaches of Parksville/Qualicum Beach, you might easily miss a visit to the town of Port Alberni. But that would be a mistake. This town is shrugging off the economic highs and lows it’s had over the years due to the changing fortunes of the logging industry, and is looking to a bold tourism-related future by reclaiming its past.

The town is representative of Vancouver Island’s modern history. Situated close to the island’s sheltered east coast beaches, it is really a west coast deep sea port located on the Alberni Inlet that stretches 40 km east to the open waters at Ucluelet.

Surrounded by wilderness recreational area and spectacular natural scenery, Port Alberni also offers fascinating heritage and cultural attractions for visitors who take the time to stop. However the crowning jewel in their tourism offering can be relived at the McLean Mill National Historic Site, the only remaining steam-driven sawmill still operational in Canada. Train enthusiasts will be enthralled at the prospect of being able to hop aboard the Alberni Pacific Railway steam train for the 35 minute ride from Port Alberni to the mill.

Steam Train Thrills

The steam engine is a restored 1929 Baldwin ex-logging locomotive. This engine pulls three open coaches and two covered. The train coaches are rebuilt CN transfer cabooses fitted with seats.

Old train buffs will also be interested in the 2-Spot, a 1912 Shay logging locomotive and a 1928 Westminster Iron Works ‘Buda’ Lima 42 ton 2-truck Shay (a gas powered switching engine), currently being restored by the Western Vancouver Island Industrial Heritage Society.

Step into the Past

Troubadours roam the McLean Mill site bringing the Mill’s and Port Alberni’s long logging and sawmilling history to life. Close your eyes and the smell of freshly cut timber being hewn in a steam-driven mill will take you back to the early life-blood industry of Vancouver Island. The vibrant actors/musicians guide you through the mill as if you were just starting work there, touring the logging/sawmill camp buildings.

Designated a National Historic Site in 1989, the mill currently cuts wood for demonstrations and for sales. A restoration of the original lumber camp and sawmill which R.B. McLean and his three sons ran from 1926 to 1965, the site is typical of Vancouver Island sawmills in use during the 20th century.

Children will enjoy collecting stamps on the Stamp Tour, and being rewarded when completing the collection. Loggers and historic equipment enthusiasts will be fascinated by the restored logging equipment, which include a steam donkey, grader, A-frame (log dump), lumber carriers and logging trucks.

Wander the site visiting the logger’s bunkhouse, the cookhouse and the blacksmith shop, or see the mill’s troupe, the Tin Pants Theatre Company, performing stage shows in the Nikkei Theatre. If you get hungry or thirsty during your visit, an onsite café, Steam Pot Café, offers light lunches and snacks. Along with the usual souvenirs, the Mill Store gift shop also offers local art, classic and retro children’s toys, books, clothing, and the ever popular Alberni Pacific Railway’s engineer cap.

Winery Whistlestop

Wine lovers will be forgiven for hopping off the train along the way to or from the mill for a sip at the Chase and Warren Estate Winery. Just request the stop when you purchase your ticket at the 1912 CPR Station in Port Alberni. You can then proceed to the mill later by train, or the winery will provide transportation to the mill or back to town for a small fee if the train schedule doesn’t work out for you.

There is nothing quite like sipping wine at a local vineyard where the grapes are grown and the wine is made on site. While you take in the dramatic views of the surrounding mountains, sample the winery’s Pinot and German varietals.

Alberni Valley Adventure – trees, trails and fishing tales

Port Alberni’s unique location at the end of the Alberni Inlet, or the Alberni Canal as locals call it, makes it a world-renowned place for salmon and halibut fishing. Also out on the canal, the MV Lady Rose or MV Frances Barkley can take you on an unforgettable 40 kilometer journey to Bamfield or Ucluelet with some of the most incredible scenery and wildlife viewing in the world.

Sproat Lake is also a popular place for fishing, waterskiing, and windsurfing, but be careful you don’t get swallowed up by the huge Martin Mars water bombers, the largest in the world, that reside in the lake and can scoop up 27,276 litres (7,200 US gallons) of water to douse forest fires. These flying tankers have been fighting fires for over forty years in BC.

Outdoor adventurers can find enough in the Alberni Valley to keep them busy for days. The Log Train Trail is excellent for hikers and mountain bikers; Mount Arrowsmith offers hiking and rock climbing; Stamp River Provincial Park is a great for swimming or tubing; at Sproat Lake Provincial Park there are campgrounds and a boat launch; and Cathedral Grove is home to the ancient old-growth giant Douglas fir trees.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes Margo Malcolm, a professional freelance writer and communications consultant living in Victoria, B.C.

Photos courtesy of McLean “Steam” Sawmaill:
:1: All aboard! The train prepares to leave the station.
2: An operator demonstrates how lumber is cut from raw logs.
3: The troupe of the Tin Pants Theatre Company with a vintage Hayes logging truck.

If you go:

McLean Steam Sawmill
Phone Number: 250-723-1376
Alberni Valley Heritage Network (including Alberni Pacific Railway)
Website: www.alberniheritage.com
Alberni Valley Chamber of Commerce
Phone Number: 250-724-6535
Website: www.avcoc.com
The Hospitality Inn offers special packages with tickets to the McLean Mill and the Alberni Pacific Railway
Reservations: toll-free 1-877-723-8111
Phone: 250-723-8111
Website: www.hospitalityinnportalberni.com
McLean Mill Package: www.hospitalityinnportalberni.com/pkg_mcleans.htm
Batstar Adventure Tours offers guided bike tours in partnership with McLean Mill and Alberni Pacific Railway
Phone toll-free 1-877-449-1230
Website: www.batstar.com

The Heart of Halifax

by Margaret Deefholts

Nova Scotia smells of the Atlantic Ocean—there’s a tangy freshness to the air that is different from the pine-scented summer breezes off the Pacific coast. Even though I know that the open sea is quite a long way off, the feeling persists as I stroll the boardwalk overlooking the harbour in Halifax.

I’m heading over to what I’ve been told is the place to be on a Saturday morning: the Farmers’ Market at the historic Alexander Keith’s Brewery—reputedly the oldest farmers’ market in North America.

As I descend a flight of steps into the 19th century brick building, the central courtyard is seething with activity.

I squeeze past a little girl riding on her dad’s shoulders, and stand aside for an elderly matron striding purposefully towards the fruit and vegetable stalls. A young couple stroll hand in hand, she pausing to try out a beaded hand-crafted necklace, he stopping to take in a display of fresh fish.

Conversation rises and falls across the courtyard, while over to one side, a string quartet plays Vivaldi—the violin singing the melody of Summer from The Four Seasons perhaps a shade wistfully as this season now draws to a close.

The market is a warren of rooms, passages, nooks and crannies. Stalls display Nova Scotian crafts—miniature watercolours of Halifax, stained glass candleholders glowing with Maritime emblems and designs, appliquéd aprons and eye catching pottery.

I pause now and then to put my MasterCard to work, and chat with the friendliest of merchants. “From British Columbia eh?” they exclaim. “It rains a lot there, I hear.” Or “Vancouver! Ah…that’s a beautiful city!”

Out on the street again, I make my way along the waterfront to the Maritime Museum, walking past street musicians, and kids playing in an adjacent park. The waters of the harbour glitter in the sunlight and a mild breeze ruffles the Canadian flag on the masthead of a passing sailboat.

The Atlantic has been the life-blood of Nova Scotians over the centuries and, like the ebb and flow of its tides, it has brought both prosperity and adversity to its sons and daughters. There is nothing more fitting to Halifax’s lifestyle, culture and history than the exhibits in the Maritime Museum.

Berthed alongside the Museum is the “Acadia” a retired hydrographical survey vessel built in 1913, and a white-haired gentleman with two young boys in tow is examining with keen interest the various instruments on deck. The old man then leads the youngsters to another vessel on the quay.

This is the HMCS “Sackville”, Canada’s last surviving vessel from a fleet of 269 gallant little corvettes that saw action in the Battle of the Atlantic during World War II. The boys nod attentively as their grandfather points out some of the ship’s special characteristics.

More than just a round up of facts, this is also an affirmation of his life as a naval officer and his years at sea—a legacy he is now passing on to his grandsons.

Halifax has had its share of tragedy, and the Maritime Museum pays tribute to the memory of people who lost their lives in the worst explosion of the 20th century (other than the atomic blast that flattened Hiroshima and Nagasaki) which took place in the harbour in December 1917.

The French freighter, Mont Blanc, loaded with 200 tons of TNT and other explosives, collided with the Norwegian vessel, Imo and caught fire. Citizens, fascinated at the sight, stood agog on the foreshore or their balconies, not knowing that this would be their last conscious spectacle as the city blew up, engulfing them in a thunderous roar of flames.

Shaped by their sea-faring life-style, Maritimers are as rugged as their coastline. Fierce winter storms, knife-edged winds and cruel seas demand tremendous reserves of courage in the face of disasters that can strike without warning or mercy.

Canada’s eastern seaboard is littered with shipwrecks engulfed by the greedy waters of the Atlantic. None is more dramatic than the sinking of the Titanic.

Two Canadian vessels, the Minia and the Mackay Bennett, retrieved 209 bodies and brought them to Halifax where, whether identified or not, they were taken to three churches.

Shocked parishioners attended memorial services, unwilling to let these unknown souls be buried alone and without ceremony. The victims were then moved to their final resting places in three Halifax cemeteries.

The disaster of the Titanic happened almost a century ago, but emotions of loss and grief aren’t altered by the passage of time, or by divisions of race or creed. It is a universal mourning that we all know and understand.

Later, as part of a city tour of Halifax, I visit the Fairview Lawn Cemetery. The headstones of the Titanic plot cast long afternoon shadows across the grassy knoll.

I am deeply moved by a small tablet which reads: “Erected to the memory of an unknown child whose remains were recovered after the disaster to the Titanic.” A miniature Raggedy Ann doll, a spray of wildflowers and a small teddy bear lie in front of the headstone—touching evidence of the sadness that continues to pervade the minds and hearts of Haligonians even to this day.

The coroner’s records subsequently revealed that the “unknown” child was actually a 2-year old toddler, Gösta Leonard who, with his Swedish mother, Alma Pålsson and three older siblings, boarded the ill-fated ship in Southampton.

The tablet is now a symbolic memorial to all those Unknown Children who perished in the waters off our Atlantic seaboard almost a century ago.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes author and freelance travel writer Margaret Deefholts who lives in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver B.C.

If You Go:

Ambassatours (Gray Line) offer an entertaining and informative 3-hour tour of Halifax which includes a visit to the imposing Citadel and a walk through the city’s Victorian Public Gardens in the wake of a skirling bagpiper. Follow the links from their website at http://www.ambassatours.com/INDEX/tabid/729/Default.aspx

For more information and upcoming events at the Maritime Museum of the Atlantic go to http://museum.gov.ns.ca/mma/events/events.html

The “Titanic: The Artifact Exhibition” is on display at the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria until October 14th 2007. It provides visitors with fascinating insights into the stories and lives of people (some of whom were British Columbians) who perished, or survived the disaster. For more details visit: http://www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/titanic/default.aspx

About the photos:
1: Street view of Halifax Harbour.
2: A little girl enjoys the Halifax Saturday Market.
3: HMCS “Sackville” berthed near the Maritime Museum of The Atlantic.

The Titanic: Forever Lost, Forever Remembered!

by Margaret Deefholts

When tense I’m inclined to clench my teeth, and right now I’m grinding my molars big time. The reason? I’m travelling on MIR I, a submersible that is searching through the debris of the sunken wreck of the Titanic.

Should the razor sharp edges of the ship’s rusty skeleton pierce the MIR I’s steel shell, it would be game over. At a depth of 12,500 feet the pressure of water shooting through the puncture could slice through the human body as if it was butter.

Garlands of barnacle-covered cables drift by the window, we skim past a ghostly orange hull, and float above the ribbed railings of the foredeck.

I’m safely seated in the IMAX theatre of the Royal B.C. Museum in Victoria, with no danger of being sent to a watery grave, but the movie Titanica is eerily realistic, and the underwater images loom up close.

The lens probes the debris around the hulk of the Titanic, picking out a set of china plates embossed with the White Star shipping company’s emblem. A fish goggles at the camera as it flits by a large leather trunk. Half buried in the sand is a cluster of corked wine and champagne bottles. The labels have melted away but their contents are intact.

The film intersperses the undersea exploration with old photographs of the Titanic and its passengers.

It also features a vignette of one of the survivors, Eva Hart. Now an old lady, she sits in her English garden and shares her memories as a seven-year-old on board the Titanic along with her parents, their beloved dog and her favourite teddy bear. Told with restraint and gentle irony, her story brings a lump to the throat.

Without wanting to give too much away, the Titanica is a powerful and deeply moving film and is worth seeing before visiting the exhibit galleries.

The artifacts recovered from the debris on the ocean floor range from perfume vials (visitors can sniff the scent) to one of the 3 million (possibly defective) rivets that held together the steel plates of the hull.

A massive reproduction of the rust-encrusted hull dominates the entire wall of one room, while several exhibits, in true Royal Museum style, are interactive—replicas of toys that the children on board once played with, Edwardian-era ship-board games and specially designed life-jackets. All of which visitors are invited to touch, don or handle.

The sheer size of the Titanic lived up to its name. It was, at the time, the largest moving object built by man—nearly four city blocks long and eleven stories high.

Each of the first four compartments of the hull was watertight, so that if the ship had hit the iceberg head on, it probably would have survived. In a frantic last minute effort to avoid the towering wall of ice, the first officer ordered the ship to be swung “hard a-starboard.”

The iceberg ripped through the fifth and sixth non-watertight compartments of the hull, and from then on it was only two hours and forty minutes before the doomed Titanic sank to the depths of the Atlantic Ocean with an estimated 1,500 people still on board. As a Titanica commentator remarks, “The ‘unsinkable’ had become the ‘unthinkable’.”

A combination of unusual circumstances and human error contributed to the tragedy. The decision to scrap the usual Sunday morning safety drill, and the lack of sufficient lifeboats might have been dismissed as trivial details. The Titanic was, after all, “practically unsinkable”.

The newly invented Marconi wireless radio system had technical problems and although several warnings about icebergs floating further south than usual went out to the Titanic, only one was delivered to the Captain on the bridge.

It was a still, but very dark night, and visibility was poor. As bitter fate would have it, the binoculars, which should have been available in the crow’s nest lookout, had gone missing.

Finally, even after the alarm was sounded, many passengers didn’t believe that the Titanic was actually going down, so only 19 people boarded the first lifeboat although it could have accommodated 65.

RMS Titanic Inc. is authorized to recover the artifacts of the Titanic on display at the Royal B.C. Museum, while John Zaller, of Premier Exhibitions (the parent company of RMS Titanic) heads up the design team of this unique and ambitious exhibition.

“There’s the excitement of constructing each of the artifact galleries, the ship’s grandeur, and the incredible drama of those final hours,” says Zaller, “but it’s the stories behind these one-of-a-kind irreplaceable objects that truly fire the imagination.”

As I move through the galleries, those stories unfold. This is the human face of the Titanic disaster—in narrative, memoir and photographs.

And as personified by actors dressed in period costumes, all of whom, like ghosts from the doomed ship, share with visitors the thoughts, the hopes and dreams of those long lost passengers and crew.

Through their descriptions and recollections I, too, am awed at the size and beauty of the ship, and am caught up in the excitement of boarding her. I’m also witness to the terror and grief of women and children who, in taking the lifeboats, embraced fathers, brothers, husbands, and lovers in what would be for many of them, a final farewell.

It is those men, women and children of the Titanic that continue to haunt us, their voices echoing down the corridors of time.

The Royal B.C. Museum’s exhibition opens April 14th exactly 95 years after the Titanic plummeted to the ocean floor. It recognizes the fragility of mankind’s overweening ambition, and is a moving tribute to the memory of those who perished as a result of it.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes Margaret Deefholts, Canadian author and freelance travel writer who lives near Vancouver on Canada’s West Coast.

About the photos:
1: These dishes on the ocean floor were probably in a crate which rotted away leaving this display. Photo: Courtesy RMS Titanic Inc.
2: A first class luxury suite like this one would have cost $4,350 or $85,000 today. Margaret Deefholts photo.
3: This historic photograph demonstrates the size of the Titanic. Photo: Courtesy RMS Titanic Inc.

If you go:

For more information on ticket prices, IMAX show timings etc., go to www.royalbcmuseum.bc.ca/titanic/default.aspx

Several hotels are offering Titanic themed packages, culinary delights and tours.
For more information go to:

Abigail’s Hotel at www.abigailshotel.com/specials.html
Hotel Grand Pacific at www.hotelgrandpacific.com/index.html Click on their ‘promotions and packages’ link
The Fairmont Empress at www.fairmont.com/Empress/
The Irish Times Pub at www.irishtimespub.ca /
Magnolia Hotel & Spa at www.magnoliahotel.com/packages.html
Spinnakers Gastro Brew Pub & Guesthouses at www.spinnakers.com/specials/default.aspx#1

Just for Couples: Deluxe-Style Camping

by Lauren Kramer

Long known as a sleepy strip of land where many an older couple has aired out the kids’ empty rooms and hung a “Bed & Breakfast” shingle out front, British Columbia’s Sunshine Coast is finally coming into its own and delivering new or upgraded accommodations that offer luxury, serenity and proximity to the elements.

Mistakenly considered an island by many, the Sunshine Coast is in fact connected to Vancouver’s Lower Mainland – only problem is, there are no roads that lead to it.

As a result, the only way to get there is by boarding a 40-minute ferry from Vancouver, a trip that lends this strip of land an isle-like sense of blissful isolation.

The Coast’s activities are many – from terrific hikes to kayaking, fishing, wildlife viewing, or visiting the galleries and eclectic mom-and-pop stores that pepper its major centres.

There’s lots to do on the Sunshine Coast, – the only question is this: when it comes to bedtime, how close to the elements do you want to get?

The evening my husband and I arrived on the Sunshine Coast, the rain was pounding down and the surf was thrashing against Ole’s Cove, a quiet inlet 45 minutes from the ferry terminal in Langdale.

It couldn’t have been more perfect.

Surrounded by the majesty and power of the elements, we were to spend the night sequestered in a tenthouse suite at Rockwater Secret Cove Resort. Sure, sunshine and blue skies are pleasant. But to really appreciate how close you are to nature, there’s nothing like a good storm.

Kevin Toth and Peter Rubin purchased the resort previously known as Lord Jim’s in 2004, knowing all too well that with its tired seaside cabins, it needed a new lease of life if it was to survive far into this century.

One of its best vantage points was the peninsula, a rocky outcropping where old growth trees, their roots covered with reindeer lichen, cling defiantly to the hillside, offering an extraordinary view of the cove.

Worried about the destructive environmental impact of building hillside cottages, they came up with a better solution: tenthouse suites. The creative pair designed and patented aluminum-framed tents, complete with fire-retardant canvas, luxurious interiors, plumbing, hot water and electricity, and set up 13 of them overlooking the water, at $87,000 a pop.

Deluxe-style camping, the 13 suites offer a tent-like experience, but without the penalties of having to ‘rough it,’ even for a second.

Inside the canvas walls of a 320-square-foot enclosure, expect slate floors with radiant heat, a Jacuzzi bathtub for two, flush toilets, a comfy king-size bed with down comforter and pumped up pillows and securely locked doors.

There’s a coffee maker and kettle for a hot drink in the morning, a propane fireplace to warm the cozy room, hot water in the slate-tiled shower and every luxury – thankfully with the exception of a television – you’d anticipate from a five-star hotel, even down to the room service.

Only thing is, you’re in a tent – sort-of. That means, when the rain comes down, as it did the night we slept in the cove, you hear every last drop.

Between the downpour, the wind and the pounding surf, there was an orchestra of sound that night, which adds dollops of romance to an extraordinarily cozy, intimate accommodation.

“This past winter, the weather could not have been worse,” Toth confided over dinner. “It sounded like the world was coming apart, it was blowing so hard. I took a walk late at night to check on the tenthouse suites, and though I could hear tree branches snapping nearby, there was no damage to the tents.”

That could be thanks to the arborist who inspected the trees before the tenthouses were constructed, advising which were in danger of falling in upcoming storms, and should be removed.

The tenthouses are accessed by a treetop boardwalk, surrounded on both sides by forest. The wet bark of Arbutus trees gleams in the early evening, and the branches of old Douglas Firs are heavy with moisture, releasing a fresh, invigorating scent into the air.

The boardwalk is your passage to and from the real world. Back at the resort, the white tablecloth restaurant hums with activity as Chef Steven Ewing prepares such delicacies as sesame crusted Pacific albacore tuna with wasabi kewpie aioli, followed by caramelized lemon sabayon tart.

There’s no urgency to go anywhere once you arrive at Rockwater. A game of Scrabble, a good book and a pair of binoculars are all you need to pass the time.

But if you feel the need to get up and go, the resort can arrange a variety of activities, from Scuba lessons in the swimming pool, and later a dive in the cove, to spa treatments. On calm days, you can rent a kayak and paddle around the perimeter of the rocky island, or hop in the car to explore some of the neat galleries and stores that pepper the coast.

But it’s hard to resist the temptation of curling up with your partner beneath the comforter, especially when you find yourself in the midst of a winter storm.

The fireplace crackles, the wind whips the canvas, and though you’re ensconced in the lap of luxury, you can’t help but feel like in the tenthouse suite, you’re on an exciting adventure, a grand gesture of defiance against the elements.

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes freelance travel writer Lauren Kramer who lives in Richmond, a suburb of Vancouver, on Canada’s West Coast.

Photos courtesy of Rockwater Resort:
1: The view from a deck high up in the trees.
2: The luxurious interior of one of the tenthouses.
3: A couple takes a stroll on the rocky shore.

If You Go:

For more information call (877) 296-4593 or visit www.rockwatersecretcoveresort.com. The tenthouses are perfect for couples, but if you’re keen to venture out with the family, the old seaside cabins are still available this summer.

BC Ferries offers regular service between Horseshoe Bay and the Langdale ferry terminal on the Sunshine Coast. Visit www.bcferries.com or call (888) BCFERRY. Reservations are highly recommended, particularly on weekends and in summer months.

Ontario’s Niagara Falls Still Exudes Romance

by Lauren Kramer

Niagara Falls has inspired generations with romance, Valentine’s Day, or no.

There was a time when this city was cheesy beyond belief, replete with motels advertising red, heart-shaped hot tubs and tacky attractions. A few of those attractions remain, but Niagara Falls has witnessed a renaissance of sorts since the Fallsview Casino Resort opened four years ago.

That’s meant the introduction of new spas at hotels and a general up-scaling of the offerings, according to Betsy Foster, media and marketing coordinator for Tourism Niagara.

One thing that hasn’t changed over time is the sense of wonder that overwhelms you as you gaze at 600,000 gallons of water spilling 167 feet over the falls with every passing minute.

It’s the kind of sight that makes you reach for your partner’s hand and cherish the feeling of vulnerability and awe with someone close by your side. And it’s a spectacle that has the power of perspective, for in witnessing the mesmerizing falls, other worries fade to the background.

Perhaps that’s the reason honeymooners have flocked to Niagara Falls for decades, enchanted and inspired by its beauty and fearsomeness, and its ability to quell the mind of doubts and distractions.

Amid the deafening roar of vast quantities of water plummeting over a precipice, they obtain a focus of sorts, one that hints at the incredible power and timelessness of nature, the comparative smallness of humanity and the urgent need to seize the moment and live the day to its fullest.

Among the 11 million annual visitors to Niagara Falls, 50,000 are honeymooners, who are rewarded with discounts aplenty from local businesses and honeymoon certificates from the tourism bureau.

Romantic celebration is intrinsic to Niagara Falls, an almost tangible quality that’s evident in the dreamy gaze of fall-watchers, the abundance of couples utterly absorbed in their togetherness and the plethora of romantic opportunities.

In summer, you can feel the water soak your hair on the Maid of the Mist, a cruise that takes you past the American Falls and into the mist of the Horseshoe Falls, where you emerge damp and yet strangely invigorated.

There are aerial cable cars, walks along the Gorge rapids and journeys behind the falls, where you descend into their base by elevator, following a series of tunnels behind and under the Horseshoe Falls for a unique glimpse.

The tacky side of Niagara is good for a breezy, laughter-filled afternoon, and can be found in an area known as Clifton Hill. Here, the Movieland Wax Museum of Stars rubs shoulders with the Criminal Hall of Fame, Ripley’s Moving Theatre, the Funhouse and the Haunted House.

The Great Canadian Midway is a complex containing rides, restaurants, sports simulators and more, but for a more flighty experience, visit the Bird Kingdom, a massive aviary home to over 500 birds from all over the world.

One way to experience the view is from a heated gondola on the Niagara SkyWheel, a 53-meter-high Ferris wheel that sweeps visitors to the summit for breathtaking views of the falls.

Another is to visit the Imax theatre on Fallsview boulevard, where you get an historical overview of the Falls, a seasonal perspective and a sense of the power of the water, as helicopter footage takes you virtually over the edge.

A few people a year discover what this actually feels like, – some in acts of suicide, while others attempt to ride the precipice of the falls for a thrill, hoping to live. Since 1901, more than two dozen people have challenged the falls, a handful of whom survived.

One daredevil to live accomplish this feat twice was Dave Munday, an Ontario man who first made it over the falls in a barrel and later in a diving bell. Though sustaining cuts, bruises and unconsciousness at the time, he is still alive and kicking.

Another recent attempt was made by Jessie Sharp, who went over the falls in a kayak in 1990. His body was never found and it is presumed he drowned. For those that survive, though, the price of fame comes with a hefty fine – as much as $500. “It’s against the law and we don’t encourage it,” says Foster.

For most people, it suffices to imagine briefly what such a ride might feel like. The euphoria from visiting the falls comes from viewing their power and majesty, and not in taking a leap over the edge.

The good news is that a quick Valentines jaunt into Niagara Falls doesn’t have to cost a fortune.

Romance packages are standard year-round in this neck of the woods, and the Sheraton Fallsview Hotel & Conference Centre (www.fallsview.com; (800) 618-9059), one of the city’s high-end hotels that overlooks the falls, offers a romance package for $259, which includes a night’s accommodation for two, a bottle of wine, a $75 voucher towards dinner for two and breakfast.

About the author:

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

If You Go:
For more information, visit www.discoverniagara.com or call (800) 563-2557

Tickets to the Imax cost between $20 and $14, with discounts available for online bookings at www.imaxniagara.com (866) 405-IMAX

Maid of the Mist ( www.maidofthemist.com) costs $14 for adults and $8.60 for kids age 6-12. There are no advance reservations and the sailings occur daily April through November.

Photos courtesy of Niagara Tourism:
1: Romance is in the air at The Falls.
2: Families enjoy one of the many beautiful parks..
3: Visitors are thrilled with dramatic close-ups.

Sister Sojourn To Salt Spring Island

by Jane Cassie

“Pinch on a monkey tree,” I chant, while gently tweaking my sister’s arm. This kid-like prank immediately conjures up warm and fuzzy memories. It also reminds me of the saying, ‘when you have a sister, you have a piece of your childhood.’

We see the prickly puzzle tree when we’re parked in the ferry line-up at Crofton, a quaint community nestled in Osborne Bay on Vancouver Island. And over the next two days, while on Salt Spring, we escape our citified pace, and rejuvenate our ‘inner child.’

The Pajama Party at Hastings House provides us with the perfect opportunity. Eiderdown duvets, soaker tubs, and private fireside dining -what more could two ladies on the loose ask for? Top it off with a massage, infused with the essence of lemon-grass and you’ll find two silky-smooth sisters who smell better than Mom’s meringue-topped pie.

The twenty-two acre property overlooks scenic Ganges Harbour, and taking centre stage is a Sussex-style manor, built in 1939 by the founder, Warren Hastings. “It was fashioned after his family’s 11th century home in England,” the resident manager, Hazel, explains.

“The hinges for the doors and windows were made by a local blacksmith,” she informs, “the fireplace stone was quarried from the surrounding land, and planks that line the floors were secured together with black boat nails.” We enter the living room, where burnished fir gleams beneath scattered Persian carpets. Just beyond, is an upscale dining room that has magnetic powers every meal time.

Although we both qualify as true blue foodies, the last thing we need are extra Rubenesque pounds on our aging rumps. You’d think with so many activities at our fingertips, there’d be no need to worry.

We could cycle sun-dappled roads that bisect pastoral meadows, paddle rugged shorelines to check out teary-eyed seals, or dive beneath the deep. As well as being BC’s most southern Gulf Island, Salt Spring is a sprawling twenty-nine kilometers in length, and is chock full of adventurous options.

Hordes of hikers and picnickers are lured every year to the summit of Mount Maxwell, also known as Baynes Peak. While en route they’re canopied by old growth Douglas Fir and often share the trail with black tailed deer and feral sheep.

Once they reach the island’s pinnacle the rewards are panoramic – with a vista that encompasses everything from Vancouver Island to the mainland. But instead of putting our well-padded duffs into action, we rev up our comfy sedan.

Even though the walk from Hastings House to Ganges town centre is a breeze, we don’t want to miss a moment. It’s market day, and the heart of Centennial Park is pulsating!

Every Saturday morning from April to October over a hundred artisans and farmers congregate to sell their goods. Tables, shaded by colourful umbrellas, border the parkway and host everything from bead work to bokchoy.

We sample sensuously sweet fudge, savor locally made goat cheese, and get personally pampered with a lavender scrub.

“All you have to do is rub and rinse,” we’re told, by the Soap Works owner, as he massages the heady granules onto one of my sister’s hands. “And voila – a new you.”

The instant transformation is quite miraculous as her dry scaly limb turns satin. My sister quickly purchases a packet of the product -I’m sure, with the intention of scrubbing more than just her other hand.

The string of bargains and vendor stalls carry on after we leave the market place. Roadside stands dot the hillsides on our island drive and brim over with everything from bright floral bouquets to the garden’s daily pick. Most are unmanned, and operate by a trustworthy honor system -a refreshing change from our commercialized big box stores!

While cruising along the country roads that are fringed by farmlands, we giggle and gab and discuss everything from people to politics. We stop to check out schooners that bob in Burgoyne Bay and retrace the steps of time while peering into St. Paul’s Church. This place of worship was constructed out of salvaged material, shipped from Vancouver by Aboriginal war canoes, back in 1885.

The 1906 Ruckle farmhouse is another heritage site that we happen upon, and just beyond is a park bench that overlooks Swanson Channel. From this ringside seat, we enjoy an awesome Salt Spring show. It’s not a film that’s staged or rehearsed, nor a play that uses any props. But it features a cast of first-rate performers.

Long legged herons and sun-basking cormorants poise stoically on the craggy shore. Excited gulls squawk overhead, then bomb-dive towards their bounty of prey. And two curious seals pop up from the deep to take a big bow.

But the height of excitement comes when the first signature dorsal fin slices through the sun-glinted waves. It’s followed by another, and then another. And directly within our view, the Orcas arch above the water’s surface, then dip beneath, and all with divine synchronicity. The splendor activates my digital camera.

It creates a sense of awe. And as we relax in silence side by side, another familiar saying comes to mind. ‘Although we were born sisters, we grew up to be friends.’

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes author and freelance travel writer Jane Cassie, who makes her home in Surrey, a suburb of Vancouver on Canada’s West Coast.

Photos by Jane Cassie:
1: Ringside seat in Ruckle Provincial Park.
2: Choices galore at the Salt Spring Ganges Market.
3: Roadside stands brim with the gardens daily pick.

Hastings House
160 Upper Ganges Road,
Salt Spring Island. B.C.
Tel: (250) 537-2362
Toll Free: 1-800-661-9255 (Canada and U.S.A.)

info@hastingshouse.com
http://www.hastingshouse.com

BC Ferries
1-888-BC FERRY (1-888-223-3779) from anywhere in North America
http://www.bcferries.com/res
http://www.bcferries.com

Christkindling Joy and Goodwill

by Susan Deefholts

As my husband and I hurry through Kitchener’s Victoria Park, I breathe in the crisp smell of winter. The bare branches of the trees and bushes are festooned with cheery lights that glow against the new-fallen snow.

We cross the footbridge with its string of festive lights that glimmer in the fast-flowing stream below. On the little island—which in the summer is host to picnics and musical afternoons—small stalls sell brightly-patterned paper lanterns, and candles in special plastic cups that will shield their flames from the winter winds.

The place is already thronged with people. There are children of all ages, parents, grandparents, and couples—all smiling and chattering as they hold their glowing candles in gloved hands and wait for the magic to begin.

Kitchener—which was once named Berlin—is steeped in German culture. The Christmas Market provides locals and visitors alike with a delightful alternative to the packed, sterile malls, with their piped in music and harried shoppers.

In Germany, this joyous custom dates back to the Middle Ages. Though there are different regional names for them—Weinachtsmarkt in the north, and Kristkindlmarkt in the south—they remain a beloved tradition in cities and towns across the country.

As we join the crowd today, bearing flickering candles of our own, I am glad of the layers I have worn—long johns, undershirt, sweater and down-filled jacket, my hands encased in cosy mittens. The cold is penetrating, but easily forgotten when I see the wide-eyed excitement of the children and the welcoming smiles and camaraderie of those around me.

And then the walk begins—a shimmering, candle-lit trek. We are led by Mary, Joseph and their stalwart donkey, through the snowy canopy of Victoria Park, and along the city streets, which have been closed off for the occasion. Music sheets are handed out and the singing begins, our breaths puffing in front of us with each note. Those who are particularly daring sing the German verses as well.

As we approach Kitchener City Hall, we can see that they have been waiting for us: a large stage dominates one end of the space, while all around, forming a convivial square, are stalls offering warm treats like potato pancakes and apple fritters. The smells waft towards us as we draw near.

The summertime fountain is now an ice rink where young children linger near the edges, watching their older siblings show off in the centre.

As the crowd files into the square, the opening ceremonies begin: songs, speeches and performances. And then the Christmas lights decorating the building, the Christmas tree and the square are turned on to cheers and exclamations of delight. The Christkindl Market has officially opened!

My husband and I love coming to the market—it’s a personal tradition that helps us get into the festive spirit each year. It’s no surprise to me that it has garnered such diverse awards as “Best New Festival 1999” by Festivals and Events Ontario and “Top 10 Events in Ontario,” in the course of its decade-long history.

Nor is the opening night the only time when visitors can sample the wares. There is Early Bird shopping on Wednesday. Thursday is the Candlelight Procession and opening ceremonies. The festivities continue all the way through the weekend, with a packed lineup of singers, dancers, and even bellringers.

And yet, the Thursday night is special—and so, while my husband lines up for wurst and sauerkraut, I make the most of my time, browsing through the fascinating stalls inside the vast foyer of the city hall, and defrosting a little in the process!

It’s a great way to buy truly unique gifts for everyone on my list. I select a hand-crafted necklace from one stall, while a nearby toddler watches in fascination as a toymaker demonstrates the intricate mechanisms of his wares—carved wooden figurines that evoke days long past. A few moments later, I know exactly how the toddler feels, as I find a table of Fabergé-style eggs, each gilt-encrusted orb concealing its own little wonder.

People linger to examine German CDs and DVDs, beeswax candles and hand-made soaps. The stall that sells Dirndls and Lederhosen draws the attention of those who really want to get into the spirit of things by donning the traditional Bavarian garments for special occasions.

Between the brisk winter walk and my ever-growing array of purchases, I soon find that I’ve built up quite an appetite.

With a regretful glance at the stairs leading to a second floor of stalls, I pull on my mittens and slip outside to join my husband as he lines up for some fresh, hot apple fritters and mulled, spiced glühwein—a special treat to warm even the most chilled of hearts with that special Christmas feeling.

An elderly woman and her grandson stand nearby, watching the festivities. As the line moves forward, I overhear her exclaiming in her strong accent, “I can’t believe it! It’s like I’m back in the town where I was a little girl—just around your age!”

Her expression is lively as she speaks, her smile wide. The little boy grins up at her, and for a moment they are perfectly alike in their bright-eyed wonder.

Above us, the Christmas tree sparkles with lights. Oh Tannenbaum indeed!

About the author:

This week Traveling Tales welcomes Susan Deefholts, a freelance travel writer who lives in Ontario, Canada..

Photos courtesy of Jan Pisarczyk:
1: One of the many entertainers during the Christkindl Market.
2: Storyteller Knecht Ruprecht captures the attention of his audience.
3: A youthful visitor points out a feature of the model railway village.

If You Go:
The Christkindl Market runs from Wednesday December 6th to Sunday December 10th, 2006. The Candlelight Procession and opening ceremonies are on Thursday night.
For more information, visit their website, at http://www.christkindlcanada.com