Sue Frause is an American journalist. She's had a major crush on Canada ever since she visited British Columbia as a young girl. Even if your heart doesn't pitter patter over all things Canadian, read on. You'll find photos, travel tips, road notes and the latest news and thoughts about our friends north of the 49th parallel. Cool idea, eh?
I remember as a school kid coloring in the St. Lawrence River on maps of North America. I thought it was a really huge river. And really far away. So when I made my first visit to the province of Quebec a number of years ago, I finally was able to meet "my" river.
Whether I was gazing out at the frozen ice floes from Le Fairmont Chateau Frontenac during winter's Carnival de Quebec or smelling its saltiness further east on the Gaspe Peninsula, I've always had a special bond with this river.
I'm not a river town girl. In fact, I live on Puget Sound. But the St. Lawrence River even has whales! That's impressive. Most recently, she has been in the news for trapping a number of vessels in her frozen waters. You can read more about it in a piece I wrote for examiner.com. Quebec's Gaspe Peninsula and the St. Lawrence River Photo by Sue Frause
After the wacky weather prevented guests from getting to Long Beach Lodge Resort over the holidays, GM Perry Schumnk wanted to woo them back with a No Snow Guarantee. The special winter promotion worked this way: If there was snow on the beach during a guest's stay, the second night would be on the house. While there had been snow a few times on the beach so far this winter, the white stuff is pretty rare in Tofino on Vancouver Island.
When Schumnk started at the resort last season, he was told it had barely snowed there in 20 years. He felt so confident that they had seen the last of this winter's wintry weather that he launched the No Snow Guarantee a few weeks ago.
There were a few conditions to the guarantee: The snowfall must happen during the guest's stay, the snow must fall on the beach (in an act of nature) and stay on the beach, and it must fall from the sky above the beach.
Well, Mother Nature was on the side of the guests. On Jan. 26, 2009 the flakes started flying at the resort. Guests rushed to the Great Room, with its floor to ceiling window views of the beach, to watch and wait. The staff at the front desk waited, too.
For two hours the snow continued to fall. It stuck in the parking lot. And eventually it stuck on the beach, where the sand was transformed into a carpet of white that spread from the tide line to the frosty water. The guests cheered and free nights were handed out.
GM Perry is happy for the 13 guests who were awarded a free night. But he's now watching the weather forecast much more carefully.
On the road to Tofino in October of 2005 Photo by Sue Frause
The Imponderables are Canada's multi-award winning, history-making sketch comedy foursome with an absurdist sense of humour backed by nearly a decade of finely honed comedy.
That's straight from their bio page on their website. Click on to read more about these Ontario guys.
Then watch this very cool video that's been making the rounds.
What a treat to have a courtesy car at a hotel. And when you stay at the lovely new Loden Vancouver, a luxury boutique hotel that opened in October 2008, you'll be toolin' around town in this oh-so Londonesque cab.
The hotel has a fleet of two to whisk you shopping, off to dinner or deposit you at the Amtrak station at the end of your stay. It's a real hoot to ride around in it, and if you're short enough, you don't even have to hunch down to get in! Fun for all ages.
A traditional and non-traditional taxi in front of Loden Vancouver Photo by Sue Frause
A friend of mine who grew up on Whidbey Island, Christy Grant, is back in Washington D.C. for the 56th Presidential Inauguration. Not as a visitor, but on the job. You can read more about Christy's assignment in my Seattle P-I blog.
Christy took a number of pictures, including this one of the Canadian Embassy, located on Pennsylvania Avenue. What a nice, warm welcome for the 44th President of the United States.
Vancouver armed with borrowing power to complete Athletes village - The Vancouver Sun:"After a marathon 18 hours of debate in a rare weekend sitting, the B.C. legislature Sunday morning unanimously passed an amendment to the Vancouver Charter allowing the city to borrow unlimited funds to finance the Olympic village." Click on the headline to read the rest of the story.
B.C. teen first to be named Olympic torchbearer - The Vancouver Sun: "A British Columbia teenager has been chosen as Coca Cola’s first pick to carry the torch for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Patricia Moreno, 18, of Vancouver is the first person to be named among some 12,000 torchbearers to carry the flame along the 45,000-kilometre route, which begins in Victoria on Oct. 30." Click on the headline to read the rest of the story. Snowmobiler becomes 16th avalanche victim - The Province: "Another snowmobiler is dead after being caught in a B.C. avalanche. The man was highmarking -- running his machine as high as he could up a slope -- when the snow broke free, crashing him to his death Saturday afternoon. The 30-year old man from Hythe, Alta., was with a group of five others in the area of Back Meadows on Babcock Mountain outside Tumbler Ridge." Click on the headline to read the rest of the story.
I've always kicked myself for not going to the 1994 Winter Olympics in Lillehammer, Norway. Being of Norwegian descent, I figured I could probably dig up some bunad-wearing relative and catch some of the XVII Olympic Winter Games in the old country. It didn't happen. In fact I haven't been to any Olympic Games, although I've seen the venues' remains in Calgary, Munich, Barcelona and Montreal. So when Vancouver, B.C. won the bid for the 2010 Olympic Winter Games, I assumed I'd buy a few tickets and head up to Vancouver and Whistler to watch a couple of events. I'd worry about where to stay later.
Click here to read the rest of my blog post in Crosscut.
I caught the tail end of a movie the other night on TV called Desolation Sound. Of course I'd heard of Desolation Sound in British Columbia, and actually traveled the waters, but within seconds I recognized the area in the 2005 movie as the Sunshine Coast. Turns out it was.
Last year I was fortunate to spend time at a very special spot on the Sunshine Coast: Rockwater Secret Cove Resort & Spa. Book your tentalow now! Nearby neighbors include none other than legendary Canadian singer/songwriter Joni Mitchell.
The other movie that was filmed on the Sunshine Coast was The Last Mimzy (2007). Ironically, the plot summary on IMDB begins: "The siblings Noah and Emma travel with their mother Jo from Seattle to the family cottage in Whidbey Island to spend a couple of days while their workaholic father David Wilder is working."
When I saw the movie, I knew it wasn't Whidbey Island, since I've lived here since 1975. And I suspected it was B.C. Now I know it's the Sunshine Coast --that must explain why I'm drawn to this beautiful part of Canada. Summers on the Sunshine Coast are spectacular Photo by Sue Frause
BC Ferries continues its Winter Super Sale, with a 33% reduction on all fares through the end of January. The discount applies to all passengers, vehicles, sailings and routes.
Example: Two passengers in one vehicle sailing from Vancouver to Victoria on Vancouver Island pay only $100. That's $45 off the normal round-trip fare. Reserve online at www.bcferries.com.
If Washington State Ferries ever has anything but a rate increase or broken down ferry to announce, I'll shout it to the mountaintops! All the more reason why I appreciate BC Ferries so much more than our local boat company. BC Ferries leaves Salt Spring Island on a sunny day Photo by Sue Frause
I met Malcolm Gladwell about ten years ago in the pages of the The New Yorker. I liked his words a lot, and would always read anything written by this English born fellow. Although he now lives in New York City, he grew up in rural Ontario, and still speaks like a Canadian.
I've read two of his books, The Tipping Point: How Little Things Make a Big Difference and Blink. My husband gave our son Outliers for Christmas, and it's on my list to read in the new year.
Check out his website, linked above. He also has blog on his website.
