The San Juan Islands - Where the Past and Present Meet

As visitors from British Columbia we were excited to visit the San Juan Islands, having heard much about them from other travelers. We took the ferry from Anacortes to Friday Harbor on the San Juan Island. This town was somewhat of a surprise to us as it was much larger than we had expected it to be.

We booked into a campground located on the water where the view was lovely but the wind was nearly gale-force at the time we arrived. Because of the increasing winds and the fear of being blown out of our lawn chairs, we decided to take the opportunity to explore the island rather than brave the elements in the camp site. We saw many beautiful areas as we drove around while we watched the huge, tumbling waves crash like thunder onto the beaches and the angry black clouds over our heads threatened to pummel us with rain. However, this did not dampen our enthusiasm in discovering what the island had to offer in the way of beauty. Bright yellow and orange flowers lined the roadside and occasionally a stunted tree, its branches reaching towards the water, drew our attention from the view of crashing waves.

We explored further the following day, arriving eventually at Roche Harbor. We were enchanted with this village's old buildings: the Hotel De Haro, a brick building where lime and cement had once been made; the old brick furnaces and brick walkways. Taking pictures, and reluctant to leave a place where we felt we'd been catapulted back into time, we explored trails through the old lime quarries. At one point we were able to enjoy a beautiful view of the outer islands and our own Canadian gulf islands. We also visited an alpaca farm, a scenic, idyllic home for the obviously well-loved alpacas and their friendly owners.

Having limited time for our trip and wanting to see as much of the Islands as possible, we hurried to catch the ferry to Orcas Island. Camping at Moran State Park, we visited Mount Constitution and climbed the stone observation tower which was built in 1936. At 2,409 feet above sea level, we had a 360 degree view of the region's islands and mountain ranges as well as some of those in Canadian waters. Within the park also are a couple of interesting moss-covered bridges built in memory of Robert Moran's brother. There are also hiking trails of varying lengths and on one of these trails we saw several small waterfalls surrounded by whispering green forests. In many of the areas we walked, the forest floors were carpeted with a variety of lush mosses.

Leaving early the following morning, we took the ferry to Lopez Island. On our arrival, we were surprised when we realized that with each car that passed us, there was a friendly wave from its occupant. In no time at all we were returning these friendly waves and wondering why this wasn't done everywhere. I particularly enjoyed the rolling farmlands and was interested in the numerous old barns and buildings, the structures often barely supporting the roofs. I found that the old buildings, suggesting many untold stories, and often situated beside the newer structures, were particularly picturesque in their contrast. At each antiquated building we stopped to view, I wondered what the history might have been of the previous families on these farms. We also found a quaint old church with a nearby cemetery; a tranquil scene rarely seen in our world of bustling cars, rumbling trucks, public transit and harried people.

Following various roads, we discovered an old unused pier and nearby ancient gas pumps; an interesting bridge built in 1915, spanning an empty pond; old buildings, and quaint mailboxes. But nicest of all was that everywhere we went, there were friendly, smiling people.

On our return home, we told several friends of our visit to the San Juan Islands and as a result several of them also visited the islands. And they returned as enthusiastic about their trip as we were.

Vancouver - Ocean, Mountains and Green Vistas

Vancouver has been considered by many visitors to be the most beautiful city in Canada. With its situation on the ocean and with the range of mountains as a glorious backdrop, comparisons to this city become very difficult. Worldwide it also has the reputation of being a very livable city.

Named after Captain George Vancouver who visited the area in 1792, Vancouver has an interesting history. Its beginnings were in the area of what is now called Gastown. Gastown's name has been derived from the name 'Gassy' Jack Deighton who established a tavern in that area in 1870. The tavern became the hub of the flourishing city. Gastown has kept the sense of being old with cobbled streets, Victorian architecture and the old steam clock. There are also boutiques, restaurants and night clubs in the area making it a popular place both day and evening.

As well as Gastown, there are many other wonderful places to visit when in Vancouver. Stanley Park is home to the Vancouver Aquarium, the popular Stanley Park train ride, children's petting zoo, a lake, the sea wall for walking and cycling, the lagoon, a water park, trails through woodlands and garden areas and its great beaches. It covers an area of one thousand acres and is considered to be one of the largest urban parks in North America.

Robson Street, popular with visitors and locals alike, with its exclusive boutiques, cafes, coffee shops, bookstores and restaurants is another great place to spend some time. The same is true of Yaletown with its elegant galleries, restaurants, clubs and pubs.

Other attractions are Science World, the Imax Theatre, the Vancouver Art Gallery, Chinatown, Van Duesen Gardens, Capilano Suspension Bridge in North Vancouver, the Salmon Hatchery, Lynn Canyon Park, Granville Island and the Grouse Mountain skyride to name some of the outstanding places to visit. Vancouver also has ballet, the Symphony and many restaurants and theatres. Within a short distance of Vancouver there is golfing, the Greater Vancouver Zoo, and Whistler, a world renowned ski resort.

Many of the buildings in Vancouver are very old dating from the late 1800's and early 1900's. These include Christ Church Cathedral, Holy Rosary Cathedral, St. Andrew's Wesley Church, the Hotel Vancouver, the Provincial Court House, the Marine Building, the Vancouver Art Gallery, the Vancouver Public Library and many buildings in Gastown and Chinatown as well as many others.

Vancouver is home to approximately two million people, myself included. Many visitors from around the world have visited and as a result, have decided to make Vancouver their home as well. Because of this, Vancouver, and British Columbia in general, has become very culturally diverse.

Because of all there is to see and do in our city, many who are locals will occasionally play tourist as well. On a recent visit to the Aquarium at Stanley Park, we were in awe as we watched the dolphins dance across the water on their tail fins and saw the progress of the life of a jellyfish.

And on a recent visit to Chinatown, we enjoyed the interesting shops and unique array of merchandise that deserved more time to explore than we had. To really enjoy Vancouver, a whirlwind visit does not do it justice.

Those who come back to visit Vancouver often do so because of all that this city has to offer in the way of entertainment, its moderate climate, and the fact that we have the ocean and mountains so close at hand. There is something here to interest everyone.

Penticton in Beautiful British Columbia

Penticton is British Columbia's city of events which include the Penticton Peach Festival, the Ironman Triathlon, Okanagan Wine Festival, the Elvis Festival and Children's Festival. It is also a city for outdoor adventure with its ideal weather conditions.

Nestled in a valley between mountains and two lakes, it offers boating and fishing on both Skaha and Okanagan Lakes, kayak rentals, parasailing, kite surfing and other water sports. There are eighty-eight wineries within an hour's drive of Penticton, golfing, hiking, cycling, rock climbing, horseback riding, parks, museums and galleries to visit and biking on the Kettle Valley Railway Trail.

But my all-time favourite, which I do every year that I go to Penticton, is a lazy float down the Channel on inner tubes with friends and a beverage of my choice. We lash our tubes together and drift lazily along, sipping our beverages. If you get too hot, you can slip into the water for a cool dip and then climb back onto your tube. It is approximately a one and a half hour float to about the half-way point where a bus will pick you and your tubes up and return you to your car. To go the entire way to the lake entrance will take over three hours of wonderful floating pleasure. If you decide to go the full distance, you will need to call a cab or have someone pick you up.

There is something for everyone in this Okanagan city - water slides, Apex Mountain recreation area or the boutiques and unique shops, some in original buildings dating back to the early 1900's. There is also the S.S. Sicamous paddle wheeler located on the south shore of the Okanagan Lake that you can tour.

Another great adventure is a trip on the Kettle Valley Railway steam train. This 1912 restored steam locomotive will take you on a ninety minute journey through orchards and vineyards with a view of the lake. Events such as the Great Train Robbery will be held where you'll meet the notorious Garnett Valley Gang. This trip will include a barbeque dinner with musical entertainment.

Another interesting feature of a visit to Penticton is the possibility of seeing Ogopogo of Lake Okanagan. It is suspected of being twenty to fifty feet long with an undulating serpent-like body. Local Aboriginal people reported sightings many years prior to the first Caucasian sighting in 1870 and reports of sightings continue to this day. Ogopogo has been reported to have been seen from as close as fifty to one hundred feet away. It is said that this lake creature can move with astounding speed.

Is it real or a myth? Of the numerous people who swear to have seen it, they say it is real. But on a visit to Penticton, you will probably arrive with a healthy dose of skepticism but with your eyes wide open - just in case you have a story of a life-time to tell on your return home. We never have seen Ogopogo on any of our numerous visits but I haven't completely relegated the story to that of being a myth. Life is too full of surprises.

Penticton, because of its wonderful weather conditions, is great for growing luscious fruit, particularly peaches. We always load up our trunk with some of the bounty. Penticton, with all it has to offer, is not a place to miss.

Palm Springs in the Coachella Valley

Palm Springs, a desert city within the Coachella Valley, is a great destination for golfers with its 125 golf courses. But there is more to this lovely area than just golfing. For those who like the desert air there are many other attractions as well.

I have visited the area five times, and no one would ever call me a golfer even though I do own golf clubs. I have arrived by plane and by car and either way, my first impression of Palm Springs is always welcoming. Each time we've gone, we have rented a home in a quiet residential area with a pool and hot tub. We have visted in the summer where the temperature is approximately 104 degrees although one time it reached as high as 115 degrees. During our fall visits, the temperatures are a little more moderate and very enjoyable.

One of the particularly interesting places to visit is Joshua Tree National Park with its abundance of birds and animals such as bobcats, cougars, coyotes, quails, jackrabbits, big horn sheep and desert toroises. Flowering cacti especially are the jewels of the park as well as the many other wild flowers that flourish in this desert area. There are many various rock formations that are unique for visitors to see also. Of interest, the park is crisscrossed with hundreds of fault lines. The famous San Andreas Fault can be observed on the south side of the park as well as other fault lines throughout the area.

Joshua Tree National Park has 501 archeological sites and 88 historic structures as well as a large museum collection. Included is the Pinto culture colection dated at 4,000 to 8,000 years ago. An estimated three hundred mines were developed in the area after the California gold rush of 1849 ended.

Soak City is another attraction with many different kinds of water slides available for children or the young at heart. While we were in Palm Springs recently, we took advantage of the opportunity to go. I decided the water slides weren't for me but I particularly enjoyed the wave pool and the large lazy river where you don't have to do anything but relax and float along on a big tube. Tubes were available for use while we were in the wave pool too, at no charge.

There is also the Palm Springs Aerial Tram that will take you up Chino Canyon where it is about thirty degrees cooler with an elevation of 8,516 feet and into Mt. San Jacinto State Park. It is a popular hiking area with sub-alpine forests, ferny mountain meadows and granite peaks. The Mt. San Jacinto State Park has been likened to hiking in Switzerland. It overlooks the Coachella Valley.

Shopping is easy in Palm Springs with many stores and everything is handy and clean. It's a good place to go to relax even if you don't wish to do any sightseeing, hiking, waterslides or golfing.

The Magic World of Disneyland

Disneyland is the place of make believe and imagination and my heart, as much as any child's, pounds with excitement on a visit to this magical wonderland. Walt Disney's dream came true when he opened Disneyland Park in California. In his own words, the secret of making dreams come true is curiosity, confidence, courage and constancy. And Disneyland is all about dreams. And for this reason, Disneyland should be no less an exciting pace for adults as it is for children.

Disneyland was started by a mouse debuting as Steamboat Willie. Mickey Mouse didn't appear until 1928. In 1937, Walt Disney produced Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs and later went on to produce Pinocchio, Fantasia, Dumbo and Bambi. Walt Disney's name is synonymous with imagination and creation. In his own words, 'nothing is impossible'.

On one of our recent visits to this fairyland amusement park, with grandchildren in tow, although Bambi wasn't in evidence, Dumbo flew around Fantasyland carrying happy, laughing children and their parents and/or grandparents. On a ride through the forest we visited the home of the seven dwarfs and witnessed the 'happily ever after' story of Snow White. And in Toontown Mickey Mouse, Walt Disney's first loveable cartoon character meets and greets visitors to the park along with Goofy and Donald Duck.

Disney worked endlessly in the early years to perfect the art of animation. Technicolor was first introduced to his animations in his production of Silly Symphonies. On Paradise Pier, the Silly Symphony swings now take guests for a spin over the boardwalk. Also in this area of California park, the World of Color display of colored dancing lights over the water, with animated characters, are no doubt in memory of Disney's Wonderful World of Color production of 1961.

A visit to Disneyland is, as Disney planned, an exciting adventure for both adults and children alike. Among my favorite rides are Pirates of the Caribbean, the haunted mansion and It's a Small World which are older adventures and the more recent addition of Soaring Over California. This adventure takes riders on a hang glider flight over the Golden Gate Bridge, Yosemite National Park, Lake Tahoe and the San Diego harbor to name some of the sights you will see, realistic in that you can feel the breeze caressing your face and the wind blowing in your hair as you glide over the scenes far below you. Other favorites are Grizzly River Run, the Jungle Cruise and Peter Pan's Flight. The Tower of Terror, however, you could not pay me enough to venture onto.

Disneyland and California Adventure Parks are a combination of adventure, magic and dreams. The results of Walt Disney's dreams are where every adult can be a child again and every child can believe in the impossible.

San Felipe and the Baha Peninsula

The Baha Peninsula extends approximately 1,200 km from the U.S. border to its southern tip. It is separated from Mexico by the beautiful azure blue Sea of Cortez and is mainly desert and mountains.

On our first trip to San Felipe, we crossed the border and drove along desolate roads, winding through mountain/hills that looked as if trucks had been dumping loads of gravel. We had been warned that you do not stop along this stretch of road but if your car breaks down, you stay with it until the Green Angels arrive. Along the roadside were the burned and rusted remains of the cars that people had left. This stark reminder was a good reason to keep going with no sauntering along the way.

This route to San Felipe was like a zipper on an article of clothing. While not attractive, it has little to do with the rest of the garment. It is a requirement and nothing else. So too was the road to San Felipe because the town and surroundings itself were breathtakingly beautiful.

The Peninsula is made up of four deserts: the San Felipe Desert, Central Coast Desert, Vizcaino Desert and the Magdalena Plain /desert. The Peninsula was discovered by a sea captain, Hernan Cortes in 1535. He made the first detailed map of the area and gave the town of San Felipe its original name of Santa Catalina. In 1766 Wenceslaus Linck was the first person to reach this area by land. San Felipe, with its fantastic fall, winter and spring weather (some North American gringos may think it too hot in the summer months and many do leave during this time), is only a two and a half hour drive from the U.S. border. A unique town, it is the shrimping capital of the Baha.

On our visit to San Felipe, we watched the shrimp boats speed up onto the sand as they came ashore to unload their daily catch of fresh caught shrimp. And fresh it was! In a restaurant across the street from the beach, we had shrimp tacos with a large array of condiments and sauces. I can honestly say there is nothing that can surpass the taste of those tacos. Combined with a cold glass of the local beer with fresh squeezed lime juice and you have a lunch fit for a king.

While there we also visited the Valley of the Giants. It is a natural reserve of one thousand plus year old cardones cacti. They are native to the area and during their span of life will have witnessed many changes. Their roots can spread up to thirty meters to trap water after one of the area's infrequent rainfalls. Sometimes they trap enough water to allow them to survive for years. Occasionally you will see one that didn't survive and over time the outer part of the plant has fallen away leaving its inner part exposed to the sun looking like carved wood. When standing beside any of these amazing giants, some as high as fifteen meters, any man will be dwarfed by their size.

There are interesting shops in the town of San Felipe, Mexican-style Mardi Gras festivals, fishing, night life and friendly people. It has the reputation of being the second sunniest place on the planet. Beachcombing is an adventure too as the tide goes out a long way. And dozens of camping spots can be found almost anywhere you look.

San Felipe, like much of the Baja Peninsula is a veritable paradise, a vacationer's dream spot with its ideal weather conditions, unique beauty and the allure of the crystal blue waters of the Sea of Cortez.

The Majestic Grand Canyon

Seeing the Grand Canyon for the first time is like getting kicked in the stomach but without the accompanying pain. When first encountering the sheer beauty of this marvel of nature, one is at a loss for words or even unable to comprehend the unbelievable wonder of its creation. It is such a spectacular sight that no picture can possibly do it justice. The feelings that this wondrous expanse of beauty arouses could not possibly ever be captured. Wherever your eyes fall, there is beauty to behold.

Few people have not seen pictures of the Grand Canyon and still when first seen, we could not be anything else but impressed and in awe of this majestic sight. What must have it been like for the first people who happened on this unbelievable vision of nature at its best?

The oldest human artifacts discovered date to the Paleo-Indian period nearly 12,000 years ago. For thousands of years the Puebloans, Cohoninas, the Paiutes, Cerbats and the Navajoes lived as semi-nomadic hunter-gatherers and canyon dwellers in the area of the canyon.

There are approximately 2,000 known archaeological sites within the park boundaries giving evidence of their existence and their way of life. The most accessible site is Tusayan Pueblo believed to be constructed sometime around 1185 and possibly housing about thirty people. There is further evidence that in the late 1200's these nomadic people seemed to have left the area of the canyon. It is thought that the mass exodus may have been due to a climate change since a lot of their existence depended upon agriculture.

Following this for a period of about one hundred years the canyon remained deserted by humans until the Paiutes, Cerbats and later the Navajoes returned to reestablish their settlements. The Dines, relatives of the Apache, later became inhabitants of the canyon as well until in 1882 when all Native Americans were forced onto reservations.

In 1540, Captain Garcia Lopez de Cardenas lead a party of Spanish soldiers into the Grand Canyon on an expedition but left believing that it was impossible to get through many of the areas. It was another two hundred years before a second expedition arrived in the form of two Spanish priests. They were searching for a route from Santa Fe, New Mexico to Monterey, California. In 1826, James Ohio Pattie and a group of trappers reached the canyon but little more is known about them. And in the mid 1800's Lieutenant Joseph Ines attempted to explore the area as well but eventually gave up his quest.

John Wesley Powell (1834 - 1902) was the first geologist to navigate the often treacherous Colorado River through the Grand Canyon studying the geology of the canyon. He later founded the U.S. Geological Society and wrote several books on the subject. His first trip was in 1869 and his second, more successful trip, was between 1871 and 1872. Others later followed him discovering and recording additional information about this fabulous creation as they went.

In 1901, the Grand Canyon Railway was established and ran between Arizona and the South Rim opening the canyon up to tourists who had previously only been able to visit by stagecoach. In 1905 a luxury hotel, the El Tovar, was opened on the South Rim and the Phantom Ranch in the Inner Gorge opened in 1922.

In May, 1933 the Watchtower at Desert View Point opened allowing visitors to see for over one hundred miles on a clear day and be able to watch the Colorado River as it snakes through the canyon. The Watchtower was designed by Mary Elizabeth Colter using rock from the canyon. Paintings and artwork decorate the inside walls. Standing seventy feet tall, there is an unbelievable view from the top level.

Besides viewing the canyon from various look-out points, there are many tours that can be taken which include flying over it by airplane or helicopter or by taking rafting trips down the river. You can also take a jeep down the Diamond Creek Road to the bottom of the canyon to explore caverns and take pictures of the towering rock formations. We took a shuttle bus from one view point to another, getting off where we wanted and back on the next one that came along.

When you look down into the canyon below and see the different layers of history that nature has preserved for us, it puts life into perspective.The formation of the Grand Canyon took many, many thousands of years to create and almost as many years for those who lived their lives struggling within its walls.

On a visit to many places you feel you are glad you came, enjoyed what you saw, but may not come back again. But on a visit to the Grand Canyon, you know you definitely want to return to view its beauty again.