September 23, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Powell River, Accommodation
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Just experienced a lovely stay at Desolation Resort in Powell River. It was wonderful to stay on the water and be able to enjoy a glass of wine on our deck and enjoy the view of Okeover Arm. The furnishings inside our 2-bdrm wood cabin were very tasteful. The night sky was incredible! Just a 5 minute walk from the amazing Laughing Oyster restaurant made this stay even more relaxing. This beautiful restaurant served delicious seafood, wonderful mushroom soup all overlooking the ocean and a setting sun.
Bring a flashlight if you walk home after sunset. It was dark, but luckily we had the full moon to guide us!
June 23, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Enderby, Museums
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Traveling through BC I have seen communities proudly display a large (okay, make that HUGE) hockey stick, mining truck, tree crusher and cross-country skis. But, have you ever seen the world's largest lawnmower? I didn't think so.
Well, if you are in the neighbourhood, stop by the Deep Creek Tool Museum in Enderby and meet Herb and Linda - the proud owners and collectors of hundreds of neat, old tools and gadgets. The garage, spare room and yard are jammed with stuff and Herb can tell you whatever you wish to know about all the items - including the ones you can't even begin to guess what they might have been used for! In our fast-paced world of hand-held mobile devices, it was a pleasure to slow down for awhile and look back in time.
June 23, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Armstrong, Arts, Culture & History Tours
During a recent whirlwind trip through Armstrong I was fortunate enough to have two great food experiences thanks to a chocolatier and a grain mill.
The Chocoliro shop on the aptly-named Pleasant Valley Boulevard was not only a retreat from the mid-morning summer sun, but also a chocolate-lover's delight. The owners create tons of great designs out of chocolate making gift shopping easy whether you are buying for kids or adults. Try out the orange pepper chocolate at the tasting table!
Then it was off to Rogers Foods - BC's only flour and cereal mill. Nestled beside the large factory and semi-trailers delivering Canadian wheat, sits the original home of the company's founders. There are tours of the modern facility available but I preferred to hear about the history of the company from its early beginnings in the 1950s as a family-run operation to how it has grown today - all the while maintaining their commitment to Canadian wheat products. The retail store on-site offers all the Rogers products including the opportunity to learn more about using the variety of grain products available. I enjoy learning more about the sources of my food products and having the chance to visit the facility allowed me to connect to a commonly used local food source. Check it out if you are in Armstrong or Vernon - it is not far from either spot.
August 09, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Whistler, Ziplining & Bungee Jumping
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When my friend told me we were going to Wild Play in Whistler, I honestly had no idea what she was talking about. As I pressed her for details she told me it was Monkido, an aerial adventure course. Hmmm, sounds intriguing.
We drove the short distance from the village to Cougar Mountain and checked in at the reception. We were suited up in a safety harness and introduced to the group we would be with and our guide, Jono. "Who has ever ziplined before?" he asks. I am one of a few who raises a hand. "Who is afraid of heights?" I am the only one to raise my hand. Uh oh.
We receive our 30 minute lesson that outlines how we will have not one, but two, safety clips and we demonstrate our ability to climb the ladder, not fall off the tree platforms and how to zip across a taut wire between two trees. Seems easy enough.
The adventure course begins easily enough (and low enough) but steadily gets harder and higher until I am giddy with adrenalin and literally hugging the trees on each platform. A friend recently told me that it is important to occasionally remind yourself how good it is to be alive. Check! This adventure is certainly accomplishing that. Each time I think it can't be harder, the next "element" as they call it gets trickier, and higher, although I am not looking down!
I pride myself on completing the entire course while only taking the "chicken route" a few times as recommended by Jono. He has the ability to read our body language and know when to joke with us, when to encourage us and when to zip over and give us a helping hand.
We are thrilled to reach the end and feel an immense sense of accomplishment and a heaviness in every upper body muscle we have (and didn't realize we had). Being up in the trees, overlooking the streams and forests of Cougar Mountain while challenging yourself and having a ton of fun. Jono, I will be back.
Editor's note: Learn more about Wildplay Whistler here.
August 09, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Whistler, Spas & Wellness
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So perhaps being decadent in Whistler is nothing new. But I just experienced one of the newest ways - Scandinave Spa.
For $61 my best friend and I spent over 3 hours lounging in hammocks, soaking in hot tubs, breathing deeply in the eucalyptus steam room and baking in the sauna. The idea of the Scandinave spa is to first warm your body in one of the hot spots (sauna, steam room or hot tub), then cool yourself down quickly in the cool pool or glacier-fed waterfall, then relax for a minimum of 10-15 minutes. Then repeat. And repeat and repeat.
I must admit that I am not one to fully immerse myself in cold water, so other than a foot dip, I skipped that but more than made up for it with the hammocks, magazines and warm solariums with comfy chairs. The sun was shining and the sound of the running water was very peaceful on a glorious August afternoon, but I could also really imagine myself here in the winter recovering from a ski day. Gee, just I am just going to have to come back...
August 09, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Chilliwack, River Rafting
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"Remember, this is a voluntary activity with inherent risk". As the guide tells me this I start wondering what I have signed myself up for. This is supposed to be an afternoon activity to celebrate a birthday - inject a little adventure into our lives. Well, it worked.
We joined Chilliwack River Rafting for an afternoon on the water. We donned our wet suits and our helmets and jumped aboard the school bus for a short drive to the riverside. After a safety talk we joined our amazing guide Andrea and began floating down the river. She taught us some commands which we took a while to perfect (some of us really struggling knowing our left from our right!). Once we hit our stride however, we were careening through the rapids celebrating each successful run with a round of high-fives. The smiles on the face of the 12-year old boy in the back of our boat made it all worth it!
It was another reminder about why I love living in BC: with just a short ride from my in-laws home in Chilliwack (about 90 minutes from Vancouver) I find myself on a beautiful river surrounded by mountains - holding on for dear life.
Who could ask for anything more?
Editor's note: Learn more about river rafting in Chilliwack here.