We were advised to go early – which was smart – we were there right at opening and found parking in the back lot just behind the museum. There were no lineups as we arrived, and we had the luxury of reading and looking at all the materials on display.

The boarding passes provided to each person with profiles of different passengers was very engaging. At the end you look at the memorial wall which lists all the survivors and missing – both my daughter and I lived, but alas my husband’s character did not – proving the maxim “women and children first” really was followed. It was very exciting for my daughter to see the IMAX film which featured commentary by a survivor named Eva Hart. My daughter saw her name, and said “hey, that’s me!” It was fascinating for her to identify with a 7 year old on the ship and then to see her as an elderly woman telling her stories.

The docents were very well informed, although my daughter got a bit bored by the teletype fellow who had such enthusiasm for his topic that he went on a bit long for his particular audience. Apparently they have child docents too, but they were not there during our visit.

The room with the iceberg was very eery as you heard sounds as they might have been - it was dark and everyone’s conversation took on hushed tones.

The folks at the museum advise seeing the IMAX film first then viewing the exhibit, however the first film is at 10 am and runs 45 minutes. By this time there were lineups to get into the exhibit. We did it the reverse, and went into the exhibit first – which opens at 9am, then caught the noon IMAX. I don’t think we missed much by doing it this way, and we really avoided crowds. The film is definitely worth adding on as it shows the submarine that went down to discover the ship – you actually see things 2 miles under water that are then on exhibit.

All in all, very worthwhile.

A few tips if traveling with kids (or even not)
-you cannot re-enter the exhibit once you leave, so make a trip to the washroom first
-get there early if you can (park behind the museum), see the exhibit then have an early lunch before the noon IMAX
-don’t forget your ticket also gets you into the RBCM displays – with in and out privileges – all day – during the summer there are days they are actually open evenings also. The woolly mammoth is a big hit with kids, as are parts of the ‘old town’.

Beyond meandering through town to view the 38 murals while enjoying my favourite ice cream, I can hit the Wednesday night market where a great selection of local crafts and produce can be found. Waterwheel Park is an excellent place to hang out at any time of day! And for those directionally challenged (that’d be me), it is comforting to know painted footprints help direct people through the self-guided mural tour plus you can pick up a map at the Visitor Centre.

The Chemainus Festival Theatre is running “Murder on the Nile" and “Anything Goes” as well as shows for kids such as Munschworx that premieres July 18. I love this theatre because while it continually produces quality performances, it is small and every seat seems like the best one in the house. A bonus this year is the free outdoor performances until early September called, “The Chemainus Revue” that depict the history of the town. There is always something going on in Chemainus this summer.

So dinner last night was followed by a nice slice of pool-side pie and a splash of "artic" sea water. Those blubbery beluga tails look small, but they can pack a punch! Fortunately I stood up fast enough to evade most of the over-the-fence wave.

And I didn't know this, but you can get into the pool with a trainer to feed, touch, and train one of the belugas. When you are that close to them, there is no way to move when they splash you - full soaking is included in the encounter. Fortunately, so is a wet suit.

Check out the live Beluga cam on the Aquarium website.

This year, the valley is hosting the 3rd Annual Cowichan International Aboriginal Film Festival, which celebrates aboriginal film, art, dance and culture. This year is the 3rd, and is being held in Duncan B.C. April 26th, 27th, and 28th.

While driving through Duncan last year, I tried to count the numerous totem poles, and gave up after about 30. It is a fitting location for an Aboriginal Film Festival and will also be the host city for the 2008 North American Indigenous Games from August 2 – 10.

However, for my last trip, I thought I would try a place a little closer to the office, and booked a room at the Traveller's Inn.

Another reason I wanted to stay at the Traveller's Inn was that it has been rated as having "The Best Hotel Value" by Victoria News for 7 years in a row. I didn't know this at the time, but the Traveller's Inn has 11 locations in Victoria, so I got a bit confused when I arrived as to which one I was staying at.

So, what do you get for $49.95 a night? The staff at the front desk were casually friendlier than most front desk hosts I have come across, which I liked, and and my room was clean, quiet, and comfortable. However, it had two king-sized beds, which felt a bit cramped, and my bathtub was "apartment-sized", which made it a bit awkward to soak, read, and relax for too long. But beside those two comments, I had a good night.

Before booking, check the amenities at all locations. For example, I thought I had free internet access in my room, but at the location I was at, the internet access is only in the lobby. I did get free parking though. Other properties have pools, waterslides, karaoke, fireplaces, and/or a pub. Their website currently gives guests $20 off for online bookings.

You may have heard that Stanley Park has recently been hit by violent winter storms, with over 3,000 trees being toppled and parts of the world-famous seawall getting shut down (I saw this morning that news reports have hit France media even!).

As devastating as the storms have been, there is still so much beauty within the park, and many reasons to visit. Much of the seawall is still open, as it many of the park's attractions, including the incomparable Vancouver Aquarium, and great restaurants like the Sequoia Grill. You should still set aside an afternoon to visit the park while in Vancouver.

British Columbia Magazine is launching a special issue of the magazine, Stanley Park - After the Storm, to celebrate the park's timeless beauty and capture this point in the park's history.

Stanley Park - After the Storm makes a great memento of a visit to B.C. and helps contribute to the park's restoration.

One thing that struck me, during the approximately 30 hours of instruction I received over the course of the weekend, was that I was being taught by the best of the best. All three of my instructors had well over 10 years experience in their field of expertise, mostly approaching more like 20 years, and this experience gave me the absolute best instruction I could possibly use. In addition, they were all active and longtime Whistler residents who were intimately familiar with the mountains and were able to share thier knowledge with me.

The experience reminded me that Whistler is one of the world's biggest and best resorts, and as such attracts many very highly qualified people to be a part of the experience. So for visitors, this means not only skiing incredible runs, but also being able to take advantage of some of the world-class instructors and professionals who call Whistler home.

Parks Canada has many National Parks and National Historic Sites in remote areas and has contingency funding available for events such as this. Parks Canada is making every effort to ensure that visitors can have a west coast trail experience this summer. Although this had a major impact on the forest, it was a natural phenomenon. The landscape along the West Coast Trail has changed considerably. Parks Canada will continue to keep the public informed of progress.

For more information please visit the Pacific Rim website.

We took my 6 year old and a buddy (things are always more fun if you bring a friend). To complement the current B.C. Binning exhibit, kids were provided a sheet with clues to find different paintings, and then provided space and materials to do sketches and watercolors inspired by the exhibit. Other stations are set up throughout the gallery, featuring different media and themes.

We were not the only ones with this idea, so it was fairly busy, but everyone seems to go with the flow. Make sure you use the coatcheck, and get your hand stamped for re-entry as no snacks are allowed in the gallery. It is a good idea to take a break and crash on the couches in the foyer between projects.

Kids are free with an adult admission; donation encouraged to cover the cost of materials.

The best part? They clean up the mess left behind!

Overall, I have to admit I prefer Goldstream. The stream, for which I assume the park takes its name, is smaller than the Squamish River in Brackendale so I was able to count eagle feathers without a telescope. But then, I could smell the pungent spawned-out salmon in a bit more detail as well.

Also, the eagles perch in an old-growth temperate rain forest, which creates an ambiance that mentally takes you to the middle of nowhere - just you and eagles (if you are able to ignore the traffic on the highway behind you).

Which leads me to the final reason why I like Goldstream better - fewer people. Instead of standing in an exposed bird watching lineup, I sat like a mist enshrouded stump, naturally enclosed with the shrieks of eagles and sounds of the living forest.

Goldstream Provincial Park is a short 20 minute drive north from Victoria.

There were four in particular worth watching, as they bantered at the river shoreline, looking for food and doing what eagles do. A younger one flew across the river, right over my head, and down the path where the other eagle viewers were watching. It was perfect, except for the cold, but I already mentioned that, and as long as I stood in the sun it wasn't too bad. Almost.

My camera didn't even begin to have the strength to zoom across the water and capture the eagles antics, but that didn't really matter as there were telescopes for everyone to share.

Margaret's weekly radio segment from January 5 also gives you more information on the Annual Eagle Festival & Count, see below.