June 23, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Squamish, Museums
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The West Coast Railway Heritage Park is situated in Squamish, between Vancouver and Whistler.
It is a great half day visit with activities for the whole family.
You can ride the 3km miniature railway, climb inside old trains or
enjoy one of the many historical displays (it has the only restored
Railway Post Office car in Canada).
June 23, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Campbell River, Hiking
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Located 15.5 km's from Campbell River the ripple rock trail was a perfect way to spend a sunny day. This 4km (1 1/2- 2 hours each way) hike will take you down to a beautiful beach before you start the climb up in to the forest for views that will stop you in your tracks time and time again. As you scale your way up and into the tree line you would never know Ripple Rock is the home of the largest non nuclear blast. Once in to the tree line you pass thu old growth forest and there are 2 great lookouts which we found perfect for some lunch. The last part of the trail was a little bit of a grind but was well worth it once you come out to the stunning view of Seymour Narrows and Quadra Island. I would recommend this hike to anyone in the area for even a day.
June 22, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
100 Mile House, Bird Watching
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Attention avid bird watchers!! I came across this bird watchers paradise while hiking in the South Cariboo. Located by the South Cariboo Visitor Center, the 100 Mile Marsh is home to many bird species. I saw a red winged and yellow headed black bird, Canadian geese, ruddy duck, pilealted woodpecker, and even a blue heron. Nice 20 minute walk around the trail circling the marsh offers plenty of opportunity to view the wildlife. Good ideas everyone…happy travelling!
June 22, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
100 Mile House, Historic & Heritage Sites
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We loved the 108 Heritage site! A cluster of old buildings curved around the edge of the 108 Lake, near a rancher’s field. We were greeted by costumed guides that looked like they stepped out of the late 1800s, when the gold rush brought thousands of gold seekers in quest for a fortune, ranchers, and road houses (hence the name 108 Mile) The heritage site boasts a general store, post house, barn, church, black smith shop, school house, ice house, trappers cabin, collection of sawmill machinery and a HUGE Clydesdale barn… we were so surprised at how much there was to do and see. We could’ve spent hours wandering the Victorian styled ranch house admiring the restored parlour, kitchen, bed rooms and much more. We went for a long walk around the well maintained 108 Lake and Sepa Lake and had a picnic on the sandy beach. We enjoyed chatting with the friendly locals who also were enjoying the nice weather and relaxed, small town atmosphere. Hope to return again soon!
June 21, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Taylor, Historic & Heritage Sites
One of the major events in the Peace Region for Aboriginal peoples is the Spirit of the Peace Powwow. This year the event was held from June 19th – 21st, 2009.
I had been looking forward to the event for sometime because it is a chance for me to get together with family and friends and celebrate my aboriginal heritage and history. Everyone is welcome to the event and it can be a very interesting and knowledge-gaining experience.
At this event there were four grand entrance times. At the grand entrance participating dancers, organizers, and elders entered the circle dancing to traditional and sacred drumming and singing. After the grand entrance there were different groups of dancers (dressed in traditional attire) dancing. I always enjoy the sounds of the bells jingling from the costumes as the dancer’s rock back and forth and jump to the drumming. It was very emotional for some people attending; even I began tearing up without an explanation.
Also at the event were people selling handmade jewellery, dream catchers, clothing and moccasins. I had my eye on a pair of handmade wrap around moccasins with beautiful beading on them, but someone was faster than I was. There were also food concessions. They had run out of bannock before I got there though.
If anyone should get a chance to attend a Powwow in the future, I would strongly recommend you take the chance, it can be a once in a lifetime experience. Many aboriginal people are happy to share their culture and traditions with everyone who is interested.
June 21, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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One of the true gems in the North Peace area is the Shepherd’s Inn restaurant. Located 40 kilometres north of Fort St. John along the Alaska Highway at mile 72, it is a bit out of the way for people not venturing north of Fort St. John but it is well worth the drive.
The Shepherd’s Inn is clean and simple, a classic diner style restaurant with cross-stitch pieces and local art on the walls. There are also some books and a few souvenirs and postcards for sale.
Upon arrival we seated ourselves by the window and were attended to immediately. My mother ordered coffee and I ordered the Iced Russian Tea. The beverage was a new experience for me. It was sweet with some spices in it (possibly cloves). It reminded me of a cold cider. I will have to go back just to have another glass and ask instruction on how to make it. After looking over the reasonably extensive and varietal menu I selected the barbeque beef (open faced beef sandwich with their special homemade BBQ sauce) with homemade fries (with REAL gravy!) and creamy coleslaw. The bread was homemade, thick and delicious.
After doing my best to finish the huge meal in front of me I decided that I just had to have a taste of the legendary homemade pie that people always seem to talk about after going to the Shepherd’s Inn. My mother and I decided to share a piece of strawberry-rhubarb pie and ice cream. The pie was warm and perfect with a packed brown sugar crumble as the top crust.
The entire experience was extremely enjoyable and I would certainly recommend this little Inn to anyone; whether to locals who haven’t been there, or visitors just passing through. It makes a perfect afternoon away from the kitchen especially at such a reasonable price. The bill for the two of us came to $32.00 (and that included drink refills and shared dessert!)
I will defiantly be back.
June 21, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Culinary Tours & Schools
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Sometimes the kitchen just needs a night off.
Last night was one of those nights.
My mother and I didn’t feel like firing up the stove so we wandered over to Fort St. John’s Irish restaurant and pub: Egan’s.
Upon arrival, we were seated in a comfortable booth in the attractively decorated restaurant side. Modern decorative light fixtures hang from the ceiling and cast a warm glow on the dark wood and warm yellow painted walls, the old fashioned decor pieces and the rich, darkly toned tables and seats. I will, however, own that, given the number of windows in the restaurant and the length of the daylight here in the North in the summer, a rather strange lighting effect was created; somehow it was both dim and bright.
Despite the strange condition of the lighting the food was prompt and delicious. In under 15 minutes (from the time we ordered) we were served steaming hot meals which were satisfying and tasty. I had the “Our Very Own Egan’s Burger” with a house salad. So it wasn’t Irish, but it was still to die for! The patty was big and thick and savoury (without being too much) and all of the vegetables on the burger and in the salad were crispy and fresh. I would even dare to suggest that the salad was NOT from a bag! Pretty rare for your average restaurant pub.
My mother got the steak sandwich which, she reported, was perfectly cooked and very pleasantly seasoned. She found the bread that it came on a bit too well buttered but then, she is quite picky about butter content in her food.
Overall it was a very tasty supper and, with a 2 for 1 coupon from a local fundraiser the meal (for both of us) cost under fifteen dollars. So next time you need some fresh hearty fare in Fort St. John, stop by Egan’s and enjoy fabulous (and fairly priced) food!
Photo shows the Pub side of Egan’s.
June 20, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Culinary Tours & Schools
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It may strike some as strange but Fort St. John has more sushi restaurants than Tim Horton’s-es. For the sushi lover in all of us, there are three great places to go: Masataro Sushi, Little Tokyo, or Sushi Heaven. They all serve surprisingly good sushi given how far the fish has to be shipped to reach our northerly (and inland) location, but there is one that holds a special place in my heart: Sushi Heaven.
I first stumbled across Sushi Heaven shortly after Fort St. John was inundated with the sushi craze when I decided that it was high time for small-town-girl-Brittney to try a taste of this strange Japanese meal replete with raw fish. I was mildly apprehensive but almost instantly fell in love with the fishy dish.
Sushi Heaven offers a delectable selection of inside-out rolls, maki rolls, dons, sashimi, and nigiri sushi. My personal favourite is the Dynamite combo (six pieces of dynamite roll and three pieces of nigiri sushi) which I found myself savouring a few nights ago with friends.
It tends to be quiet in the evenings (being more of a lunch venue) and so, we waited mere minutes for our meals to emerge. As expected the food was fantastic and the service was positively excellent. We chatted the evening away at a simple table beneath one of the many painted Japanese paper lanterns suspended from the ceiling, whilst periodically amusing ourselves with the Japanese quotes and wall hangings enrobing the walls around us. I probably consumed a good 3 cups of complimentary green tea before we trooped out of Sushi Heaven and slowly drifted back to earth.
If you happen to be in Fort St. John the next time you get a sushi craving or just need a taste of heaven manifested as a simple but charming Japanese restaurant, check out Sushi Heaven; it is a touch of paradise in seaweed and sticky rice.
June 20, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Festivals & Events
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I have never been fond of country music; in fact, I have been known to cry out in abject misery at the twanging strains of a country tune. All that changed at my first barn dance.
Towns with large rural populations like Fort St John are famous for their cowboy hat wearing and merry two-stepping but I had never fully appreciated the charm of folksy northern tradition until I was dragged (kicking and screaming) across the threshold of a local family’s barn for my first ever barn dance. That was almost two years ago and I have yet to regret it.
Fort St. John barn dances are a family affair, from toddlers in frilled dresses to stately two-stepping seniors, everyone is welcome. However, being as they are hosted in a homey, though unheated, barn, they only run once monthly from May to October. I periodically think that I would be willing to brave December’s -40 chill if only to get out dancing.
Just last night I attended a barn dance celebrating this year’s highschool graduates. All ages were present and dress ranged from ballgowns and tuxedos to jean shorts and cowboy hats. It was a marvellous night. We polka’d and two-stepped, even waltzed, and of course danced a few classic folk dances like the butterfly and the schottische.
Anyone who knows how to dance is always willing to teach others and newbies are warmly gathered into the fold. So, next time you are in Fort St. John, I encourage you to get out and meet the locals, if you’re lucky you might even be invited out to come barn dancing with one of the warmest, most charming groups of people that the world has to offer.
June 19, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Fernie Alpine Resort, Biking
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Everything you love about Summer is available in Fernie, British Columbia. Summer is short here in the land of Deep Snow (for those skiers) but it is sweet in the Elk Valley. We made a trip here specifically for the epic mountain biking...many go to Fernie for the cross country mountain biking trails but what really rocks here is some of the best downhill mountain biking at Fernie Alpine Resort. We found a great variety of trails from mild to scary...well some very technical riding for sure! What I liked is that my kids are just getting into the sport and there were fantastic intro trails that had nice berms and good-lines to make it easy to get used to the speed and excitement of downhill mountain biking. With over 37 trails we enjoyed a solid week of riding! we also mixed in some great hiking and did the Ridge traverse on the Lizard Headwall- don't miss this one if you like views and pure natural scenery!