July 26, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Richmond, Farms & Markets
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Hey guys! It’s summertime in Richmond and you all know what that means- The Summer Night Market! I headed out with one of my best childhood friends, Kathryn, for a night of exotic foods, oddities, entertainment, and adventure!
What is the Summer Night Market? This is a giant outdoor market with lights, music, vendors, food, entertainment, and so much more… all with an Asian twist. Located on Vulcan Way in Richmond (Bridgeport and No. 5 Road area), this is a cool place to spend an evening exploring and eating your way through Richmond’s diverse culture… which is exactly what we did!
Kathryn and I went on a Sunday and it was PACKED! The atmosphere was electric, with shoulder-to-shoulder crowds admiring all the Asian trinkets and paraphernalia being sold. You can find almost anything here—and I mean ANYTHING! In the market for a new bejeweled cell phone case? Perhaps a pair of stylish shoes direct from the shores of Taiwan? Maybe you want a full blown samurai sword? No? Well, at least get some acupuncture while smoking your new hand crafted wooden pipe. The point is there is just a TON of interesting and unique things to check out there!
Though the trinkets and oddities are great, most people come for the FOOD! This is the main reason the Summer Night Market is famous. There is a stretch of shops in one section of the market with wall to wall vendors selling every variety of Asian cuisine you can think of, all for cheap affordable prices. It’s one of those situations where you get ‘a little bit here, and little bit there’, and sort of float around till you’re full. There’s no where else in the Lower Mainland you will find a more unique Asian food experience than this! It’s really a lot of fun!
Kathryn and I had all sorts of weird food including BBQ octopus, deep fried prawns, cheesy hurricane potato skewers (AMAZING; will blow your mind), classic chow mien, fresh coconut milk right out of the coconut, and even deep fried mango ice cream! It was fantastic!
There is also a main stage with constant performances AND karaoke (of course!), as well as street performers that entertain up and down the corridors.? Kathryn and I had an entertaining night full of exotic food, music, and entertainment! It’s definitely an experience and one you’re hard pressed to find anywhere else in Canada! Head down there next weekend and check it out for yourself! Oh, and make sure you try the ‘Hurricane Potato Skewers!’ They will shatter your beliefs to what is possible with a potato!
The Night Market is open Friday through Sunday from June till September every year.
July 23, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Hudson's Hope, Attractions
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Even though I’ve lived in the Peace Region for the past eleven years, the WAC Bennett Dam in Hudson’s Hope was a stop I somehow hadn’t made. As I had no previous experiences to pull from, I wasn’t sure what to expect, however I knew there was supposed to be a guided tour. We were quick to snap a few shots with our cameras before entering the Visitor Centre, which is situated on the edge of a hill overlooking the dam. The views of Williston Lake from this point are also quite expansive, and proved to provide us with many good picture opportunities, even though the day was a little less than sun filled.
The WAC Bennett Dam Visitor Centre reminds me more of a small scale Science World than it does a visitor centre. There were so many interactive displays to explore that not even the fifteen minutes before our tour was enough time to finish checking them all out! The staff were super friendly though, and ensured us that we would be able to return to the displays after our tour ended.
Upon boarding the bus, we both received bright orange vests to wear throughout the tour, while being introduced to our tour guide. I can’t say I was surprised by how knowledgeable our tour guide was, but I was definitely impressed. She provided us with lots of information , both historical and current, on the building and operating of the dam.
The WAC Bennett Dam is the one of the largest earth filled structures and behind it lies BC’s largest reservoir, Williston Lake. I thought that being driven toward an earth filled structure 600 ft high and 2 km across, meant to hold back a reservoir that covers nearly 410,000 acres, would be the highlight of the tour for me. However, once inside the powerhouse, the WAC Bennett Dam and its staff, continued to impress me.
After the tour ended and we had completed the last of the interactive displays, we were able to take a drive over the dam for even more photo opportunities. On either side of the road on the dam the road slopes steeply, which for me, was a rush in itself. Because I missed out on touring the dam in a school group, I’m happy I took the time to go explore it for myself. Though the dam is a little ways off the Alaska Highway, it is a worth while stop for anyone traveling or living in the Peace Region.
July 23, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Chetwynd, Sightseeing Tours
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I spent my day yesterday doing what I always loved as a kid: exploring the Peace region's finest scenery!
After a late lunch a friend and I decided to take an adventure and travel for the day to Fort St John, through the amazingly scenic route along Highway 29 through Hudson's Hope. To me there is nothing more iconic in this regions summer season than descending a hill to mass fields of green and yellow canola sparkling in the sun and stretching for miles. In my opinion it really is one of the wonders of BC and everyone should experience it in their life; the fields just glow and really make you believe summer has arrived, no matter how much rain has been falling from the sky!
But of course that ended as we had to keep moving along the Highway, so we spent the afternoon driving around the city of Fort St John, saw a great movie in the amazingly large theatre (large for being in a mall!). We eventually made our way back home to Chetwynd, and seemed to time our return just perfectly as we caught one of the iconic Peace region summer sunsets on our trip through Highway 97 (Dawson Creek)!
It was the perfect day trip to remind me that whether it seems like the rain never stops, there are still those golden fields and sparkling sun sets which really do complete the summer scene of the BC peace!
July 21, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Burns Lake, Arts, Culture & History Tours
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The wildlife on the Southside is beautiful. On my tour I saw about ten bears two of which had 2-3 cubs with them. They were so cute. Then as we continued along the back roads we saw four moose one of witch was swimming in a small swamp. There where also lost of deer and very nice scenery of mountains and fields.
July 21, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Vanderhoof, Dining
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We went to lunch at a local tea shop, Knight Creek Furniture & Tea House. It was a fantastic meal, and an even better dessert. We took a look around the furniture gallery, which has locally made furniture and it was a great experience. They had all kinds of furniture for every room in your house, they will even let you request what you want and build it for you.
July 20, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Attractions
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Located on Cranbrook Hill in Prince George is Noah's Ark Adventureland. This is the only petting zoo in town and is home to several animals including goats, horses, a variety of bird life, as well as many other animal species.
At first glance, Noah's Ark may seem like a children's attraction, but after a visit, you may be itching to go back! Several local families and children head up the petting zoo each year. They have a great onsite facility for birthday parties and lunches in one of the barns, that are available at affordable prices.
I made a trip to Noah's Ark this morning and upon my arrival, one of the staff members told me about the arrival of 2 baby goats, born within the week. You can see one of the goats (a week old) in the photo attached with this entry.
July 20, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Art Galleries & Artists
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Located in the Prince George city center is one of two art galleries in town, known as the Two Rivers Art Gallery. The gallery has constantly changing displays, focusing on the contemporary style of art, rather than classical. When I went to the gallery most recently, there was a new exhibit called Cold War Artefacts: Logroad: The Baldy Hughes Project. The exhibit looks into the history of Baldy Hughes as a part of the Pinetreeline radar Defense complex in the mid-1900s. Many of the resources that are used in the exhibit are those that have hunted down by the artist in town.
The gallery is also exhibiting Frozen, a display created by Donald Lawrence, Mario Villeneuve and Matthew Wheeler. The display is array of photographs that represent moments in time. The three artists provoke the art of digital media in a room of displays in the gallery.
The last main display that I noticed while touring the gallery was the exhibit by Cat Sivertsen. Her art is hanging out of the main two gallery rooms and is definitely worth looking at when you are in the gallery.
The most artistic part of all is the architecture of the building and the totem poles that are standing outside the gallery. It would be worth the visit for any art lover, or anyone interested in seeing current art displays and creations!
July 19, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Chetwynd, Outdoor Activity Tours
In my time spent in Kamloops over the last few years I had slowly learned about geocaching; for those of you who haven't been introduced to this adventure, well you are sure in for a super fun time, let me tell you!!!
Geocaching is this super cool thing all over the world where GPS coordinates are given for locations of trinkets, coins and capsules of sorts. These are all hidden away from the public eye in varying locations! It is your job as a geocacher to find these items, but don't let ANYONE see you finding them, or else you don't get to log your find on the website under your account.
Now, onto MY adventure!!!! So after having spent quite a bit of time not working on my geocaching skills I decided that since I am home working for the summer in Chetwynd, BC, I needed something that was going to keep me busy and out of the house... so I thought to myself why not re-open my account and start exploring my home town!!!
There are SO many geocaches here in Chetwynd, and they are all in spots where you can explore the surrounding area in the mean time!! Everything from scenic hikes, lakes, and birds eye views of the town are incorporated in the preserved locations of the geocaches. My most favorite of all was on over looking the town from one of the main roads which winds down a hill (I wont spoil the hunts for everyone by telling you where exactly I was). This location I decided to search for at night as I would be less likely to be spotted by muggles (the geocache term for the public who may cancel your search)!
I have lived here in Chetwynd for most of my life, minus the first 3 years, and yet before I started some of the searches for the geocaches here I had not seen some of these locations from the angles in which I saw them on my adventures!
Geocaching is not just for in your local town/city, or for just going out for it specifically! It gives you something extra to help explore the terrain AS you are traveling around, and I definitely recommend that people come here for it... the locations I have found so far are AMAZING, with gorgeous views of the town and area!!!
July 17, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Mount Robson, Hiking
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Located approximately 275 kilometers from Prince George lies the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies! Commonly known to locals and tourists as Mount Robson, the summit of this mountain reaches 5410 feet in height and is approximately 23 kilometers one way from the base of the Berg Lake Trailhead.
Throughout the entire hike to the peak, there are several places to stop and enjoy the remarkable scenery and breathe in the fresh mountain air, but there are only 7 places to camp overnight and three locations for shelter. You are able to ride your bike into the trail until the edge of Kinney Lake (7 kilometers from the Berg Lake Trailhead) where there are bike racks located for you to lock your bike, as you continue on your trek up the mountain.
The hike to Kinney Lake is the easiest on the route and one that I would suggest for the whole family. The water, as a part of a glacier run off is absolutely stunning. On a sunny day, you can see the reflection of the mountains in the still water of the lake.
After Kinney Lake, the hike will slowly incline and is a bit more difficult. You will come to a point where you come to a complete flat surface and it resembles walking across the Arizona deserts. Do not be fooled! After this easy walk, the steeper and longer inclines begin. The next main stop is Whitehorn. There are a few camping pads and a ranger station and I would suggest stopping there if you are getting tired. My family turned around and headed back home at this point, as we were on a time constraint. However, if you decide to move on, there is a great section of waterfalls above.
It is a steep incline from Whitehorn to Emperor Falls, a waterfall that is located approximately 16 kilometers from the Berg Lake Trailhead. This climb is steep and it is tough, especially if you are packing overnight backpacks. When you come to the falls, you can step in fairly close and expect to get wet! If you decide to move on and find a new camping location, your next stop would be Berg Lake, located 21 kilometers from the trailhead. This stop comes by its name honestly. If you choose to stay at the location for a while, you can hear chunks of the glacier break off and fall into the lake below. If you set up camp at Berg Lake, there are several options for small day trips in the area, including Toboggan Falls and the Hargreaves Glacier.
If you are interested in being outdoors and are wanting to put yourself up to a new challenge, Mount Robson is a great location to check out!!
July 17, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Mount Robson, Accommodation
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Located 5 km west from the Mount Robson Visitors Information Center is the Mount Robson Lodge cabins and campground. At this location, there are cozy cabins to share with family or friends. Each cabin is outfitted with electricity, small kitchenettes, bathroom linens, a bathroom and a small patio. My family and I just returned from a vacation and we stayed at one of the smaller cabins and had a clear view of the peak of Mount Robson! At many times in the year, clouds will cover the top of the mountain, but we were lucky enough to stay at a location where we could clearly see the peak! While staying at the cabins, we also had a chance to go Whitewater Rafting with Mount Robson Whitewater Rafting at the same venue! Staying at this location was sure a treat and I suggest it to all that are interested in staying out of the city and closer to the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies!