BC Blog

I have never been so thankful to have been bumped off a ride. I was at the Hills Health & Guest Ranch with my family last weekend, and the late-night hay ride was full, so the six of us got bumped to the second run. The 30 minute wait gave us time to snoop in the barn, slow dance in the horse stall, and mosey around the grazing meadow. We heard horses neigh in the distance, but couldn’t make them out in the din of the night.

When it was our turn to catch the ride to the campfire, we were able to pick whatever spot we wanted on the large wagon. My five-year-old son and I just fell back into the hay and looked straight up into the stars - all 1,000,000,000,000,000,000,000 of them. OK – not quite that many, but it was a lot! My husband and dad hung up front with Carl, who drove the two blonde Belgians (horses, not cowgirls). My son flipped his legs over the back and happily bounced his way down the road while my mom just tried to stay warm, scenery aside.

The campfire, blazing inside a wigwam, was good, the hot chocolate was better, and the singing cowboy would have been great if he remembered more than the first verse of each song. Definitely the best part of the night was the slow bumpedy-bump of the wagon and the twinkle of the Cariboo-country stars.

Posted by: Susan | September 25, 2006

While at the onboard visitor information centre on the ferry to Langdale this last weekend, I came across an incredibly detailed, but easy-to-read map of the Sunshine Coast. The Sunshine Coast Super Map it is called. Well, I thought I knew the area pretty well, but this map revealed many new-to-me parks, beaches, hiking trails, beach access points, dive sites, and camping spots I didn’t know about before. Tip of the day: check with the local Visitor Centre, as sometimes their maps lead to more treasures than the maps available elsewhere.

Posted by: Susan | September 9, 2006

I know the celebration is still two months away, but now would be the time to book your wine tasting at Cornucopia in Whistler as tickets typically sell out prior to the four-day event starting November 9th. I love Whistler in the pre-ski season, so I just might see you there! The festival is jam-packed with B.C. wine and food, but it's the Pre-parties, Parties and After Parties that go from 5 pm and end at 4 am that I want to go for - unlike a good B.C. Pinot Gris, I just can't seem to find these extreme parties at other fine dining establishments.

Here’s a direct quote from the event schedule describing the After Party at Bearfoot Bistro: “Part urban myth and part reality, the After Party has taken on a life of its own over the years with live entertainment, painted human artwork, wine, bubbly, caviar, chocolate and other mouth-watering delights from some of Canada's best restaurants including Lumiere, Vij's, Chippino's, Bin 941 and Tojo's.”

If you are interested in some visuals, British Columbia Magazine currently has an article on Cornucopia, complete with pictures of painted bodies, fresh-shucked oysters, and bottles of bubbly. As writer Daniel Wood puts it, it’s a delicious and quick descent to the decadent. I'm in!

Posted by: Susan | September 9, 2006

As part of our "BC from A to Z" Escapes campaign this year, we asked travelers to tell us what words they associate with BC for each letter of the alphabet. Almost 1,000 people gave us some great entries. Here are the top words you relate with BC, by letter.

Turns out you know BC as well as us. I like 'Zzzz' the best, after an eXcellent Hike through the Mountains!

Posted by: wbakker | September 1, 2006