BC Blog

Hello everyone:

Re: ST'AT'IMC CULTURAL TOURS, LILLOOET BC

My name is Deanna Paul. I am currently working with Tourism BC in the Vancouver office. I am First Nations from the St'at'imc Nation - Tsal’álh community member (Seton Lake Band) . I am very proud and honoured to share the news of a brand new tour that will be available in Lillooet BC.

I would like to take this opportunity to invite you to participate in any/all of my Nation's Cultural Tours.

On the weekend of October 14th, several of my co-workers and I participated in a Special Tour in order to see what will be available in the Spring/Summer of 2007.

It was a wonderful weekend, the weather cooperated and allowed us to enjoy every minute of the tour. The community welcomed us every step of the way from our arrival the night before the tour and throughout our stay.

Retasket Lodge & RV Park is a brand new accommodation in Lillooet that we stayed overnight. Ike & Pat were wonderful. They were worried about us traveling the Duffy Lake Road at the late hour and waited for our safe arrival. Everything was brand new and oh so comfortable :) They have just signed on with our SuperNatural BC Accommodations Program and are bookable through our web site: www.hellobc.com and through our Toll Free #: 1-800-Hello BC. They would love to welcome you to the community.

Retasket Lodge & RV Park
retasket@cablelan.net
1264 Bouvette Road
Box 286 Lillooet, B.C.
Canada V0K1V0
Ph(250)256-2090
Fx(250)256-2091
toll free 1-866-456-2090

Our evenings were very busy and we had the pleasure of going to the Hotel Victoria for an evening of fun, laughter and dancing to the live band that was there. As I am from the area, I was able to meet up with some cousins that I had not seen in years, wonderful service, wonderful atmosphere and all round great fun.

The Reynold's Hotel also hosted a KARAOKE night which I hear is a must do while in town, normally on a Thursday night but check in and find out what the schedule is.

This is the itinerary we followed for the tour:

Sekw'el'was (Cayoose Creek) - interpretative walk around Lower Seton River Spawning Channel includes history of channel and talk about local plant use.

T'it'q'et (Lillooet) - Theatrical performance of Nk'olstem (St'at'imc Transformer Story) and lunch.

Lunch featured: traditional foods (Smoked Salmon Pate on Fresh Baked Bannock, Herb-Roasted Vension on Fresh Baked Bannock, Vegetarian Cheese Spread on Bannock, Venison - Barley Soup or Classic Minestrone, and for dessert - White Cake with Huckleberry Sauce. Beverages - xusum, local herbal tea, black tea, coffee, water.

T'it'q'et is currently constructing a replica s7istken (pit house): a tour of construction site.

Xwisten (Bridge River) - fishing tour (demonstration of making of wind-dried salmon), history of St'at'imc fishery, tour of s7istken archaeological site. Fishing will be done by this time but the whole area is of amazing interest and there is still a great deal to share about the fishing rocks, traditional fishing.

Please check the St'at'imc Language, Culture & Education Society web site for complete details:
http://tours.uslces.org/index.htm

I would like to also take this opportunity to thank Brenda Ireland:
Brenda Ireland, MA
Project Coordinator
St’át’imc Cultural Centre Project
Phone: 250-256-0673
Fax: 250-256-7119

Brenda has worked on this project for the past two years and I can say that her efforts are truly appreciated. It was such a nice feeling to be welcomed into the community and have the opportunity to see all the things that our Nation is bringing forth. I look forward to 2010. I am hoping that everyone has an opportunity to visit, take part and see what our Nation can do to welcome the world :)

If you would like additional information, please contact Brenda directly.

Thank you for allowing me this opportunity to present our Nation's tour.

Posted by: Deanna | November 26, 2006

I just received the winter issue of British Columbia Magazine and the front cover is spectacular – a fabulous shot of downtown Fernie all decked out in sparkles and wrapped in a perfect winter wonderland! The snow-sprinkled mountains in the background seem as though you can walk from Main Street to mountain top in less than five minutes. No wonder Fernie is getting praises from the likes of Rolling Stone, Outside, Conde Nast Traveler, and National Geographic Adventure. Read a portion of the British Columbia Magazine article on Fernie here.

Also in the winter issue: a photo essay on jellyfish; a feature on Rossland (another B.C. winter resort town); Vernon's Hot Air Balloon festival; and a kayaking journey in Haida Gwaii, where decaying Haida carvings compelled two famous artists, Emily Carr and later Bill Reid, to preserve the past for future generations.

Perfect reading for a day like today; the snow has been coming down since last night and I am sitting in front of my fireplace after shoveling the neighbour’s sidewalk, hot chocolate and magazine in hand.

Posted by: Susan | November 26, 2006

Congratulations, BC – the province was named the 2007 Best Golf Destination in North America by the International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO).

It may not feel like golf season at the moment, but it's never too early to start planning next year's trip. Find out more.

If you'd like to read the recent press release about IAGTO and the award, here it is. Way to go BC!

November 23, 2006, Vancouver, BC – The International Association of Golf Tour Operators (IAGTO) has selected British Columbia as the “2007 Golf Destination of the Year” for North America at the IAGTO Awards, held as a part of the 9th annual International Golf Travel Market in Marbella, Spain. This evening’s awards ceremony will be attended by major golf tour operators and golf travel media from around the world.

Votes for these awards were cast by IAGTO’s 260 golf tour operators from 40 different countries. Each operator was asked to nominate what they considered to be the best performing golf destinations this year according to their clients. A winner was named in five regional categories: North America; Latin America and Caribbean; Europe; Africa and Gulf States and Asia and Australasia. Criteria for the Award included: customer satisfaction, quality of golf courses and accommodation, value for money, professional conduct of suppliers, support from the local tourism industry and accessibility to tee times. Among the sixteen other destinations nominated for the North American award were Arizona, Florida, Hawaii, Palm Springs and South Carolina.

“Receiving the prestigious title of North America’s Golf Destination of the Year, is yet another example of why British Columbia truly is the Best Place on Earth,” said Stan Hagen, Minister of Tourism, Sport and the Arts. “British Columbia was fortunate to be awarded the recent IAGTO Super Familiarization tour, hosted by Tourism British Columbia in June. This was an important showcase of the many spectacular golf experiences available in British Columbia to 40 operators from 10 countries.”

Minister Hagen added, “By promoting golf travel, visitors can enjoy not only the many great golf courses and resorts around the province, but experience the many other world class activities British Columbia has to offer as well.”

British Columbia has long been considered an ideal golf destination with its offering of diverse, challenging terrain, and breathtaking ocean and mountain vistas. Indeed, golf enthusiasts can experience a myriad of championship courses crafted by master architects such as Arnold Palmer, Jack Nicklaus, Robert Trent Jones Jr., Robert Cupp, Bill Robinson and Les Furber. Beyond the links, guests can indulge in four-star accommodations as well as luxurious amenities that include first-class spas, delectable dining, superb shopping and many other outdoor adventure opportunities. Thanks to a temperate climate, golfing can be enjoyed year-round in some regions.

Tourism British Columbia is a Crown corporation that operates under an industry-led board of directors and is responsible for marketing Super, Natural British Columbia® to the world. For travel information please call 1-800-HelloBC® or visit www.HelloBC.com. For highlights on golf in British Columbia, please visit www.HelloBC.com/golf.

Posted by: Jose | November 23, 2006

This year for the first time I'm venturing off the groomed slopes and into a backcountry ski adventure. In preparation for my trip, I'm taking a Recreational Avalanche Course to help avoid bad decisions on the wrong slopes. If you're planning a backcountry trip yourself, you should definitely do the same. You can find information on courses at Canadian Avalanche Association. The course is a combination of classroom and field-work, and a really crucial part of preparing for backcountry conditions. The CAA is generally a really great resource for folks headed into the backcountry, as it also maintains avalanche weather reports and danger level bulletins.

I'm taking my course through Whistler Alpine Guides, which is held over a weekend in Whistler, a convenient way to take the course, and a great excuse to spend a weekend in Whistler. I also need all new ski gear, as my downhill equipment is not going to suit a ski touring expedition. But instead of shelling out many hundreds for a new setup, I'll start with renting at least some gear: Mountain Equipment Coop has a rentals as well as sales for both AT and Telemark gear, as well as beacons, probes, shovels and skins.

Posted by: Janice | November 21, 2006

2007 Winter Photo Contest

Getting Air at Whistler

Tourism BC is holding a Winter Photo Contest. Bragging rights are on the line as weekly winners will have their photos posted on this blog, and overall winners will have their photos published in upcoming issues of BC Discovered, Tourism BC's quarterly eNewsletter.

The contest is open to anyone, BC resident or out-of-town visitor, who would like to participate, so get out there and start snapping.

View all the submissions at Flickr.

Details on the contest and how to submit.

Looking forward to seeing your photos.

Posted by: Eric | November 20, 2006

Ever since The Fairmont opened at the Vancouver International Airport I have wanted to spend a night there, thinking that it would be fun to order room service and watch planes comes and go. Last week I got my chance and my expectations were blown away.

My 5-year-old son loved the coupon he was given for free milk and cookie delivery. The two-feet-deep kiddie-pool is right beside the hot tub, so I could soak and keep on eye on the kids at the same time. Our room had a luxurious tub and a scrumptious bed. A comfy chair was set up for sitting by the floor-to-ceiling soundproof windows and watching the action. Binoculars provided.

The room looked north into the International arrivals and departures areas. Ground crew moved about below like a real-life Little People Airport. Due to the stormy weather, the view of the North Shore Mountains was replaced by close-ups of airplane tails tattooed with markings from WestJet, Air Canada, Fiji, Alaska, and KLM.

We turned off all the lights and spent hours in the dark staring into the microcosm. Overall, a perfect mini-vacation 20 minutes from home.

p.s. While wading in your bathing suit at the pool, walk to the windows and wave to the passengers checking in for International flights below!

Posted by: Susan | November 20, 2006

US passports are not necessary at this time to visit British Columbia or other parts of Canada, or to return to the US. It is important to note that the Western Hemisphere Travel Initiative (WHTI) that will require all travellers to the US to show passports (including returning US citizens) will come into effect on the following dates:

Travel by air:  January 8, 2007
Travel by land or sea (including ferries):  As early as January 1, 2008

For more information on this new travel policy, including how to apply for a passport, click here or visit the US Department of State website.

Posted by: Jose | November 10, 2006

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 Native 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.

Posted by: Susan | November 10, 2006