June 20, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort St. John, Dining
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One scoop or two? Last night my family and I went to Peppermint Patty’s for a delicious hard ice cream dessert. The quaint 50’s diner style has slushies, ice cream and a unique candy store.
Peppermint Pattys’ candy bar is far from average, filled with endless choices of old favourites and hard to find sugary treats. After deliberating the various candies, the next decision is of the ice cream flavour. The flavours range from the traditional chocolate, mint chocolate chip and cookie dough to the original root beer float, wet paint and cinnamon roll.
I chose café latte in a waffle cone and was very impressed. They’re also very generous with their scoop size. One scoop is often more than enough.
Since this charming ice cream parlour is located on 101st Avenue, in downtown Fort St. John, amongst popular downtown shops, it is a great place to stop in for a cool treat on a hot day.
June 20, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Terrace, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Last week, my father’s school had an amazing opportunity to travel to Gingolx, British Columbia and partake in the culture of the Gingolx people. This video was put together to show highlights of the trip. It is a bit lengthy, but I encourage you to watch the first 4 minutes of the video and see the pictures of the community, listen to the sounds of the singers and their drums, and hear a speech from a Gingolx elder. It is an extraordinary experience of art and culture.
June 20, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Biking
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It was a hot sunny Sunday afternoon in Prince George BC. I woke up wondering how I should occupy my time on this beautiful day. Me and my girlfriend brainstormed for a few minutes and finally decided on Heritage River Trails. We are both avid bike riders and this would be and excellent way to get some exercise and enjoy some scenery. The 11 km trail which starts almost in my backyard is one of the most scenic trails I have ever been on.
We started our adventure just off of Queensway avenue and already we were enjoying a secluded bike ride. The greeness of the trees and the ducks in the slough made this part of our adventure well worth it already.
Once we passed through Hudson Bay slough we skipped across Queensway (being very careful of course because it is a busy street) and we were on on way through another secluded trail. This trail took us into beautiful Fort George Park. Living in Prince George I was familar with this park because it was the main park in town. Going on this day gave me a new perspective on how lucky we really are to live here.
As soon as we crossed the bridge we saw two beavers and more ducks. We stopped had a water break and admired the mighty Fraser River and then we were off. Through Fort George down and around we came to another amazingly scenic view. Cotton Wood Island Park. I have been to this park before but today it had a different effect on me. I could appreciate its value as my gratitude for my community grew stronger.
We stopped again for a water break and lunch. As we chatted about the view I looked up and quickly realized we weren't alone. Two Bald Eagles soared high above us. I wondered for a moment if the view up there was as spectacular as the view down here. I finished my water and sandwich and off we went again. We zipped through the well maintained trail smiling and waving to people as we passed them by. The people in Prince George are among the friendlest I have come across in my journeys.
We enjoyed the scenery as we pedaled our past the bridges that had been knocked down by the flood a couple years earlier. That flood was bad but our community was strong and we have bounced back. There are still reminders of the danger of the river in this section of the trail.
Our next stop was our last stop at the very end of the river trail. We enjoyed the view one last time and watched traffic go by on the cameron street bridge. I remembered how things can change. I had been on the old cameron street bridge and now I was able to enjoy the new one.
As the traffic whizzed by I was once again reminded of how lucky I am to live in Prince George. It is a hustling bustling city but it is very easy to get away and take a stroll through nature.
I would suggest this trail to anyone who is passing through or who lives here. It is a great way to enjoy some scenery for the first time or remind yourself of the scenery that we who live here sometimes take for granted.
June 20, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Farms & Markets
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Saturday mornings in the summer finds me headed out armed with my reusable bags early to stock up on the bounty at the Farmers Market.
There is no comparison between fresh, homemade goodies and produce bursting with flavor and nutrients and their store-bought counterparts. I especially love the bread and eggs and local honey for our tea.
And of course, there is always a new lily variety to add to my collection.
There is a festive atmosphere at the market, a sense of community where old friends and new friends meet and visit and shop and sell. There are a wide variety of vendors selling everything from wire jewelry to local beeswax candles and everything in between.
Last Saturday I found a couple of amazing pottery mugs to take home for our morning coffee and all the fresh food we needed for our weekend at the lake. The family favorite is fresh bread sliced thick, roasted over a campfire with a dollop of homemade Saskatoon jam on top. Camping just doesn't get any better than that for us.
The market is open on Saturdays from 8:30 am to 12:30 pm from May to October. Look for the big white tent at the Co-op.
June 19, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Ucluelet, Whale Watching
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His dorsal fin broke through the water into the open air; standing as high as a grown man. It looked sharp, like a jet black dagger against the grey sky behind it. I heard the air spitting out his blow-hole, his exhale and then his inhale. These are sounds I’ve heard before... on Discovery Channel and at the Free Willy themed slumber party I went to in the seventh grade. This was my first encounter with Orca whales in the wild.
I was thrilled to go on this boat tour before I even knew the pod of Orcas had made their way outside the Ucluelet Harbour on the West Coast of Vancouver Island. We were aboard the Fancy Free, a 38 foot Bayliner operated by Aquamarine Adventures, a local sport fishing charter and whale watching guide in Ucluelet, BC.
I anticipated a tour harbour and the chance to set crab traps. Born and raised in the Alberta prairies, a boat ride in the ocean was more than enough excitement for a Thursday evening. Our guide baited a few crab traps with fish heads and threw them over board. We would be collecting them again at the end of the tour.
Then the whale watching zodiac, also ran by Aquamarine Adventures, zipped past our yacht with their passengers waving and pointing ahead. The radio cracked, “There’s a pod of orcas straight ahead.”
Orca whales don’t visit these waters as often as the Gray or Humpback whales do. Seeing Orcas, or Killer Whales, is a rare and special event in Ucluelet.
The Fancy Free followed the zodiac and further ahead we cut the engines. Then we waited. I leaned over the edge of the boat with the other eight guests and scanned the horizon. The water was cold grey, drawing a wavy line between itself and the wet and rugged rocks that make the Broken Group Islands, a section of the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve in Barkley Sound.
Then the sound. The spray on the water. The 6 foot dorsal fin. Then a smaller dorsal fin behind it, and an even smaller one behind that! “There’s a calf!” explained our guide. The whales swam along the island, taking turns coming out of the water, teasing us with their majesty. I could hear cameras going off all around me, but my eyes were glued to the sea not wanting to miss a second of these whales and their live performance.
A few minutes went by without seeing the Orcas, and then a few more. I heard engines start up and the zodiac went waving by us again. It was over.
I stood on the deck of the yacht with my hands buried in my pockets. The splotchy cloudy sky darkened and the damp air had driven everyone else inside the cabin. I was thinking about my whale friends. It was like I was sitting in the movie theatre long after the other patrons had filed out, watching the credits roll; brain still reeling from what I had just seen.
The boat slowed and the guide handed me a rope. “Pull.” He smiled. I pulled the slimy wet rope until I could feel and hear something run against the side of the boat. Our guide lifted the crab trap on to the deck and everyone gathered to watch at least a dozen crabs scurry and pinch their way around the cage.
I walked up the dock with a bag of crab and headed home. Crab for dinner, memories for dessert.
June 16, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Fort Nelson, Hot Springs
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If you are heading up Highway 37 or the Alaskan Highway be sure to make a stop at the beautiful Liard River Hot Springs.
My family and I had the pleasure of making the short detour there on our way up to Whitehorse and it was definitely worth the trip. We camped at the provincial campground located next to the river for a few days, which is a beautiful campground with campsites fully surrounded by trees.
It is a ten minute stroll down a boardwalk to get to the river, surrounded by native plants and wildlife. You'll know you reach the hotsprings when you smell the sulfur, but the chance to soak in the hot river makes it all worth it. It's a wonderful place to relax and rejuvenate.
Remember to wear lots of bug dope and keep your eyes open for bears and be sure to enjoy the beauty of this natural setting.
June 16, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Prince George, Parks
What better way to spend a sunny weekend afternoon than sitting by the beautiful Nechako River, enjoying good food and a good book?!
Last weekend my husband and myself decided to take advantage of the great weather Prince George has been having lately and check out a local site we weren't too familiar with, Wilkins Regional Park. Located north-west of the city, just 13 km down Otway Rd (which turns into Miworth Rd), this park is a short drive from Prince George down a nice scenic road. Sidenote: this is also a really fun road for a bike ride, as there aren't any big hills! Many locals use this park as a launch site to float down the Nechako River, but there is also a great river-side picnic site.
There were a few other groups out enjoying the park as well, but we found ourselves a picnic table near a nicely treed area and settled in for the afternoon. Being a self-proclaimed "bird nerd", I was excited to see a Rufous Hummingbird zipping back and forth over our heads and a couple of Downy Woodpeckers exploring trees just a few metres away. The river here is really shallow, so it's great for anyone looking to take a safe dip in one of BC's rivers - there was one guy half way across the river and the water was hardly up to his waist!
There are fire pits beside each picnic table (bring your own wood, I believe), but we had brought out a little campstove, so we enjoyed some good ol' hot dogs before stretching out in the sun with our books.
Whether you're looking for a lazy afternoon in a scenic park or a place to swim and play frisbee or soccer with friends, there's lots of room for everyone at Wilkins Park! This is a great park, and we'll definitely be spending more time there this summer!
June 16, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Hudson's Hope, Parks
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We were looking for a short walk to take while in Hudson’s Hope and it was suggested that we take in the scenery at Alwin Holland Memorial Park.
The park is located on the Peace River, 3km south on Highway 29 from Hudson’s Hope. Alwin Holland was a graduate of McGill University and was the first teacher in Hudson’s Hope in the 1940’s. He was devoted to Hudson’s Hope, bought land at the glen and willed it to be used as a public park. By way of his generosity we can all access this spot on the river.
From the parking area there is a trail to the left that leads to the river. On the way to the river are the most fantastic rock formations, looking like the ancient river has smoothly carved out cubby holes in the cliffs that tower thirty feet above as you wind your way through this maze of mini canyons.
From the river’s edge it looks like great fishing and I wasn’t surprised to see two eagles perched on a huge spruce tree on one of the river’s many islands. And not 100 feet away a huge rock looms in the middle of the river. I guess the rock to be forty feet high and that much again in diameter.
The rock walls are striated and beckons us climbers, the top of the rock has a cap of shrubs and grass. At times the river is low enough to walk to the rock and scale it, but I understand it is not advisable as the water can come up so fast (from the dam upstream) that rock climbers have been stranded on their perch making rescue very difficult.
Upstream there are huge expanses of flat rock that carry on into the river and create a healthy set of rapids. I wish I had brought my fishing gear as the river just past the rapids is reputed to be great fishing. We instead set ourselves onto the rock that was warm from the noon day sun.
Although this is not a well know destination, we met some friendly locals that brought their sun hats, tackle box, picnic basket and dogs. How lucky they are to have this spot not five minutes away from their homes in the town of Hudson’s Hope.
June 16, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Tofino, Surfing & Watersports
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Headed up to Tofino, BC on Vancouver Island to escape life's
worries and enjoy the surf. The Ocean is a healer, and there is nowhere
better in Canada then Tofino to relax on the beaches and lose yourself
in the surf.
June 16, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Dawson Creek, Dining
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I learned a long time ago that the best Cinnamon Buns, Carrot Cake and Nanaimo Bars in town are at the Hug-A-Mug cafe.
Good timing means getting a table for lunch. It's right downtown on 102nd Ave and a big favorite with the local crowds for lunch and informal get-togethers and meetings.
They make everything right in the kitchen so you can order a home made soup, pick your own ingredients for a sandwich, choose a salad and top it all off with your choice of the many delectable deserts laid out in front of you.
First thing in the morning, there is a steady stream of downtown business people coming to get their coffee, favorite breakfast food and the latest local news.
This cafe is known for its friendliness, wonderful food and big underwater mural. The only problem is choosing what you want from the menu. Everything is as good as Mom made it.
I love to go in early, order my favorite coffee, sit for a while and have mini-visits with the people that come in.
Less than a block from the Mile O Post, and right across the street from Alaska Highway House Interpretive Center this is definitely a great place to stop for lunch when you are walking around and exploring town.