A-Life BC Travel Blog

By Jessica Woollard

Humans have long been fascinated with observing our civilization in microcosm. As far back as ancient Egypt, populations constructed tall structures to climb and look out at the expanse before them, drawn to experiencing the world at a small scale and enjoying the sense of perspective such an experience brings. The tradition has continued in the modern world, with tourists ever drawn to climbing tall structures around the world, whether ascending to the top of the duomo of St. Peter’s Basilica or the top of the planet at Mount Everest’s summit.

Even children through the ages have shown an interest in the world in miniature, playing with dolls and toy soldiers, recreating life on a small scale, a life they can more easily understand.

By Michael McCarthy

There is something about riding a "toy train" that brings out the child in everyone. The expression refers to the smaller gauge railways built by the British Raj a century ago and still working industriously in some parts of India today. Take the Himalayan Queen, which descends down the Himalayan foothills from the old British hill station of Shimla in northern India. The Queen rides on a single track of 2-ft 6-in gauge, descending down from the clouds in Shimla.

On its five-hour, 96-kilometre descent, the train winds its way along at a sedate 22km/h pace through an astounding 102 tunnels – some up to 3,000 ft in length - and an equally amazing 864 bridges, making it one of the most picturesque train trips on the entire planet.

By Michael McCarthy

It’s known as one of the great wonders of the world, but chances are you have never heard of it, and certainly most people in North America have never visited the place. Buried deep in the jungles of northern Cambodia lie the remains of the fabulous 12th century temple complex of Angkor Wat, slowly emerging from the sleep of centuries as archeologists carefully dig through the remains of what was once the world’s largest city.

Located just outside the rapidly growing town of Siem Riep, Angkor can easily be reached these days via international flights that touch down briefly in the capital of Phnom Penh, itself an architectural delight well worth an extended visit. From Phnom Penh there are one-hour flights onward to Siem Riep.

"Wat" means temple, and Angkor actually refers to a vast complex of temples that stretches for more than 50 miles throughout the steamy jungles, many still in a state of disrepair. Touring all of the temples in one visit is literally impossible; the heat and humidity, crowds and touts are quite draining. While Angkor may not be well known to the west, certainly Chinese and Japanese tourists have discovered it by the busload. Temples can be crowded on any day of the year.

By Michael McCarthy

Those rare visitors to Gwaii Hanaas National Park (formerly known as the Queen Charlotte Islands) who want to paddle or sail all the way around the island chain face an arduous and often dangerous adventure through open waters. Luckily, there is an alternative. Moresby Island Explorers, based in the tiny town of Sandspit, offer adventurous travellers an exciting excursion: a four-day trip via zodiac boat. Whereas experienced kayakers who know how to read the tides, currents, winds and weather can take a few weeks to paddle the islands, those with less time or skill are best served by riding these high-speed crafts.

By Michael McCarthy

The low moan of a foghorn cuts through the deep mist like the call of a humpback whale. Here on Quirpon Island, off the far northern tip of Newfoundland, humpbacks are often found feeding right underneath your window at one of the world’s most unusual settings for a bed and breakfast. The whales may have an easier time getting here than you will.

The Quirpon Island Inn is a difficult b&b inn to access, but Newfoundland itself is pretty far off the beaten track anyway. At the far end of the Viking Trail, a highway built to attract tourists to the New World’s first settlement by Vikings (approx. 1000AD), eager travellers access Quirpon by climbing into a fishing boat and travelling through surging seas to the small island buffeted by high winds.

By Michael McCarthy

Big Sur is Spanish for “the big south.” This wild and remote region, a three-hour drive south of San Francisco, boasts one of the most dramatic coastlines in the world. Steep cliffs tower high above crashing surf, and atop the highest cliff on the entire coast you’ll find the Post Ranch Inn. Hailed by many surveys as the best small hotel in all of the Americas, the ranch is truly a special destination for life’s most romantic liaisons.

Perched like a bird’s nest on a cliff almost 500 metres above the Pacific Ocean, the Inn has views to die for. The overall feeling of floating above the clouds is so hypnotic even the most dedicated gourmand might forget about the exquisite meals that drift out of the Sierra del Mar kitchen like a dream. Whether sitting on a cliffside patio or lounging in a warm infinity pool watching a blazing sunset, relaxing high above the clouds feels like flying first class in an airplane.

By Neil Judson

The Royal BC Museum parted three black curtains to reveal the 2011 and 2012 exhibition schedule to an eagerly expecting crowd of museum supporters this week.

From the vivid beauty of wild animals in action, to the gaping jaws of a towering dinosaur, or the glitter and grace of a waving Queen Elizabeth II, the international lineup is designed to appeal to a wide demographic, including budding paleontologists, royalty aficionados and nature lovers.

The three touring international exhibitions will begin their display Dec. 16 with the North American premiere of Wildlife Photographer of the Year from London’s Natural History Museum. An ancient-looking tortoise slowly greeted the audience to help announce the exhibition which will showcase more than 100 award-winning photographs in 18 categories chosen from more than 40,000 entries from around the world.

Continue reading on Tourism Victoria's Going Local blog.  

By Michael McCarthy

There are many tourist districts in many cities around the world that do not live up to their hype. The so-called French Quarter of New Orleans is not one of them. While the Quarter most certainly is indeed an obvious tourist destination, the entire neighbourhood has so many good things going for it that no one on a quick visit to New Orleans should ever pass it by. If you are looking for a party, this is certainly the place.

The most famous name in the French Quarter is Bourbon Street. Here you will obviously find many bars and nightclubs, and many stores selling tourist souvenirs, but you will also find stores and bars all over the entire French Quarter catering mainly to tourists. It’s just that Bourbon Street is just a little more loud and blatant than most streets.

By Holly Rose

It's one of the summer's last truly hot days. I drive down the winding back roads of Duncan's heartland, filled with rolling green pastures, fruit trees and open sky. Music spills into my window with the passing of each car. I don't think anyone can bear to have their windows up on a day like today.

It's right about then that I pull up to Alderlea Estate Vineyard. In meeting owners Roger and Nancy Dosman, I find that there is much reason in their rhyme.

Prior to 1911, the town of Duncan was known to its residents as Alderlea. The name honours both the heritage of Duncan and the place where all the grapes are harvested.

I am always intrigued to find where a person's passion rests. Even in winemakers this varies greatly; some folks have a passion for interacting with their clients and talking about their wines, others have a genuine joy for the harvesting and growing of the grapes, while others still love the little intricacies of running a vineyard.

By Jacqueline Windh

This week marks the second annual Carving on the Edge Festival, a celebration of the west coast carver which takes place in numerous venues in Tofino and Ucluelet, as well as in between, in Pacific Rim National Park Reserve.

It only makes sense that the west coast of Vancouver Island, with its abundant oldgrowth forests, has spawned generations of wood-carvers. Some of the local woods available to carvers and woodworkers include red cedar, yellow cedar, alder, Sitka spruce, Douglas fir, big-leaf maple, and yew.

Carving here started millennia ago, with the Nuu-chah-nulth people, who carved items that served them in daily life such as canoes and bentwood boxes and bowls, to artistic pieces that also had educational and ceremonial uses, such as totem poles and masks.

Today, Nuu-chah-nulth carving lives on. But there are generations of other west coast carvers here, too, who carve in a range of styles. The Carving on the Edge Festival celebrates them all.