July 20, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Professional & Spectator Sports
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What's a great way to spend a sunny Sunday afternoon? Watching wiener dog races at the Hastings Race Course Track, of course! Having never been to the track before, I was compelled to go this Sunday to watch cute wiener dogs battle it out in a 20m dash. There were 3 heats, which took place in between the horse races. The dogs were hilarious to watch, even though not all crossed the finish line: some ended up going backwards, others circled each other and one just plain decided he didn't want to race anymore. But the two that did cross the finish line got loud cheers from the crowd for their photo finish race.
Although the wiener dogs were fun to watch (note: they only happen once a year), the horse races were definitely my favourite. It was great getting beers, hot dogs and placing cheap bets on the horses (you can bet as low as $2.00), and then cheering on your horse as they whipped by you! Word of advice: betting solely on the cool-factor of a horse's name is not a good strategy, and may lose you a few bucks. Overall it didn't matter that I lost money, because there was nothing better than spending a day in the sun, having some drinks and food and watching horses race by!
July 14, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince Rupert, Camping
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Prince Rupert may get its share of rainy, overcast weather but this is not always the case! I just returned from a week-long visit where it was sunny and hot, and the skies, blue and cloudless - perfect camping weather!
A few friends and I headed out to Kasiks Wilderness Resort, located between Prince Rupert and Terrace along the Skeena River. The drive along the Skeena is incredibly scenic, and you can often spot bears, eagles, moose, waterfalls and idle fishermen standing by their lines in the river.
Kasiks Resort was great. The camping spots are set back from the property and surrounded by dense wood, so it was quiet and private - true wilderness camping. But after a night of roughing it, we were very excited to find that the main lodge had a lounge/TV room (with satellite) and a kitchen which served up delicious - and cheap - breakfast...just in time to watch the Netherlands/Spain World Cup final match! Awesome. Not exactly "camping," but we were pretty happy for modern amenities that day.
Here are a few other things to do in Rupert when the sun is shining: stroll along the waterfront rocky beach and hunt for sea creatures or look for glimpses of seals and sea otters, kayak next to huge anchored ships in the harbour, and hike to views of rapids from Butze Rapids trail. Or my favourite: sit out on a patio and eat fresh seafood - there's nothing better!