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January 7, 2008 | Tips from Us > New Hazelton, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Hazelton has become my favourite small town in B.C. The town lives on the convergence of two rivers, the Skeena and the Bulkley. It is also a place where the First Nation and the Pioneer cultures converge, creating a beautiful little town with a lot of history. Here are my two tips from Hazelton.
1. The tour of the ‘Ksan Heritage Village is a must. You can not access the longhouses unless you are on a guided tour. Although you can wander the grounds on your own, you can only “experience the experience” with a guide. My guide was warm, inviting, and open to discussing her culture. She made me want to spend the rest of the summer with her and her family attending their traditional potlatches and ceremonies, learning their unique crafts, and lying on the vibrant green grass in front of the river.
2. In Old Hazelton, go to Mercedes Beans and Model Teas for an organic cup of goodness. It is located in Triangle Square, a colourful tea garden to hang out in. I sat beside a jug of sun-kissed tea and slurped my iced chai latte. Yum!
January 7, 2008 | Tips from Us > Wells, Historic & Heritage Sites
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I can’t even begin to describe the disappointment I felt when I realized just how much there was to see and do in Barkerville, and I only had 3 hours to do it in. I usually research my travel plans thoroughly, but this summer I was on a bit of a “yahoo, let’s hit the road, come what may” kind of trip, and I was unprepared for, well, almost everything about Barkerville.
I have been to many heritage sights around B.C., but none quite as engaging as Barkerville, and none requiring so much time. So I missed staying over in the King George Hotel, right there on the main street. (While other travelers leave the gold rush town, you can sleep in a restored hotel and explore the town in the quiet of the night, or dew-drop morning, virtually alone). I missed eating tempting dim sum at Lung Duck Tong’s. I missed the theatre show, the stagecoach ride, and the cemetery tour.
However, I did manage to squeeze in an educational lesson on panning for gold, as well as the comedic skit on how to operate a water wheel. I also managed to sneak into a few candy shops before they closed. Which reminds me, I have never met anyone more friendly than the candy shop clerks in Barkerville; when my son only had $1 to buy his mini-jawbreakers, the clerk “accidentally” slipped a bit and spilled too many tiny balls of sweetness into the handmade bag. Oops, he said with a wink. Another candy store clerk (yes – there are more than one!) re-opened the store for me after she had already closed for the night. She wouldn’t dream of letting me leave without seeing her shop, despite the fact I told her I wouldn’t be buying anything.
Next time, I will leave at least a day in my itinerary for Barkerville, and a night as well, if not two.
March 2, 2007 | Tips from Travellers > Cache Creek, Historic & Heritage Sites
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Last September, my family and I stopped at the Historic Hat Creek Ranch after a trip to 100 Mile House. We took a stagecoach ride on the Cariboo Waggon Road, which is the original road from the Cariboo gold rush. After speaking with our horse wrangler, we discovered he is a blood relation to Don McLean, who was the Hudson Bay Company Chief Trader for the area and the original founder of the Hat Creek Roadhouse.
It was fascinating to not only tour the heritage site, but to feel that a part of the history is still alive.
November 10, 2006 | Tips from Us > Cache Creek, Historic & Heritage Sites
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It was one of those crisp fall days when my family and I pulled into the
Historic Hat Creek Ranch in the Fraser Canyon, just north of
Cache Creek. The ranch is on one of the few remaining sections of the original Cariboo Waggon Road – the same road that miners, pack-train operators, stagecoaches, and wagon trains took to head north for the gold rush in the late 1800’s.
Here are the highlights we encountered: stepping down into the kekuli pit house at the Shuswap National Interpretive Centre and imagining 25-30 Stuctwesemc people living in it; riding atop an original stagecoach along the famous dusty road; spying on chickens in the sunflower garden; crossing a footbridge over Hat Creek; walking though the original Hat Creek House, complete with original wallpaper, antiques and well, everything; watching clouds pass over the sod-roofed chicken coop; and of course, finishing the visit off with ice cream cones from the Roadhouse Restaurant.
The kekuli can be rented out for overnight camping trips, which would be a great way to spend a night next summer. I’ll add it to my growing list.
February 2, 2006 | Tips from Us > Victoria, Historic & Heritage Sites
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I have lived near the British Columbia coast most of my life, and although I have seen them from near and far, I have never actually looked at a lighthouse lantern up close and personal – until I was in
Victoria earlier this week.
The cool thing about the Trial Island lantern house (as it is called) is that it is on the street - on the corner of Bastion Square and Langley Street to be exact. It kinda resembles a modern industrial street-art installation – picture a giant red robot helmet with a golf ball and weather vane on top.
The plaque on the lantern base states that it was first installed on Trial Island, 4 miles southeast of Victoria, in 1908. It was a beacon there until it was replaced by an acrylic lens in 1970.
The lenses themselves are enormous. I imagined that if I was an ant I wouldn’t want to get too close to this thing when it was working. Zzaaaap. Two flashes every ten seconds would fry me pretty quickly.
The Trial Island Light is on loan to the
Maritime Museum of British Columbia, just a few steps away.