Yearly Archives: 2010

Around the world you will find many sacred sites. Ancient rock and mystical tales abound in places like Scotland, England and Ireland. Canada I have been told is a young country. Well the land we walk on is ancient, full of mystery and natural beauty. Tofino is a fishing and tourist town filled with First Nations culture, art and people, hippies living their dream and people who just love the rain forest way of life. For 13 years we travelled to Tofino each winter and for us it became a sacred place. A place to watch the ever changing cycles […]

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Valemount, “Valley in the Mountains” is truly one of the jewels in BC’s crown of outstanding scenic locations.  With so much to offer, no matter the season, Valemount is a destination for those who love the outdoors and endless outdoor activities.  Whether you are an avid snowmobiler, and ATV addict, like to fish or hike, Valemount offers every opportunity for you to pursue almost any outdoor sport and activity.  If you just want to relax, there is no better place, since the peace and tranquility of this mountain paradise will include soaking in its peaceful ambiance.  Valemount is surrounded by […]

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In order to save my wife’s sanity, I took the kids away for a couple of nights.  Sustained effort on any aspect of life, from cleaning to accounting, is next to impossible with a 2-year-old around. So on a truly autumnal late October we decided that Harrison Hot Springs was the ticket.  I convinced the kids that we were going to look for Sasquatches and to have some fun.  Harrison Hot Springs has the feel of being a long way from Vancouver, but if taking a risk like I was, a two hour drive has the kids back before any […]

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On a rainy night I and the family enjoyed the Halloween Train in Stanley Park.  This year it was an Alice In Wonderland theme and I thought taking some of the traditional images from the book and films and making them creepy was well done.  I particularly liked the Black Queen, who was on stilts and looking pretty nasty. As for the ride’s fear factor, my two-year-old was more mesmerized by the image of Alice’s huge leg sticking out of the White Rabbit’s house.  It is definitely PG rated and there’s no gore or anything jumping out at you. I […]

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Here are the Nanaimo, Duncan and Saltspring Island eateries I always go to and wouldn’t hesitate recommending: 1. Aladdin’s Caf

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Living in Vancouver for many years, my family and I have visited Victoria several times.  We do not own a vehicle so when family members come to visit we often rent a car to make the trip over to Vancouver Island.  But we’ve also gone as foot passengers, from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria.  It’s actually quite easy for those that prefer not to drive. Victoria, BC is the fittest city in the country, according to Statistics Canada.  Victorians make more than 120,000 trips a day by foot.  City planners are working to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and hope to […]

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I travel a lot around the Sunshine Coast, Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands for business.  Here’s a list of places I love to go to and, after 18 years on living on the Sunshine Coast, I can confirm that they are good eateries, reasonable prices and good service. The order is not meant to show favourtism, it’s just the order that came into my head. 1. Nagomi Sushi Bar 446 Marine DrGibsons, BC604 886-2562 Small little, mom & pop operation right by the Harbour in lower Gibsons. Vancouver quality but Sunshine Coast prices, meaning it’s a real deal. A […]

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The travelling family is always on the look-out for a good place to visit that the children will enjoy, but has some educational value and isn’t just wall-to-wall commercialism. The Butterfly World & Gardens in Coombs BC fits this bill.  We had an 8 and 2 year old with us and their interests were both piqued.  The eldest just wanted a butterfly to land on her and stay for a couple of moments.  The youngest wanted to just be able to see everything and had a good sense of discovery. Fortunately the facility wasn’t just a pile of butterflies flitting […]

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I never thought I’d visit Coombs, which is a small town near Parksville–Qualicum.  It’s a name on the map for me and until we chose to go to Butterfly World I didn’t think I’d have the pleasure of finding one of the most eclectic shopping areas in the world. The draw for this market is that they have grass on the rooftops of the market (I wonder if the new Convention Centre in Vancouver stole their idea) and they have goats trimming the grass.  Well, it’s been pretty darn hot and I suspect that the goats wouldn’t enjoy the dry […]

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If you want to see some animals in captivity, but are in captivity for a good reason — i.e. they’d be dead in a minute in the wild — the North Island Wildlife Recovery Centre in Errington BC is a good choice. To get there, you need to take the Alberni Highway (4A) which you can access via Highway 19.  It’s quite close to Parksville (about 4 km) and makes an excellent day trip for the family. The place is not a zoo as such and it has a wonderfully rustic feel about it.  It’s a place to try to […]

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