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Travel in Canada
August 2009
Reliving the past at Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park
Alberta's Blackfoot Crossing Historical Park is a humbling place. Maybe it's the seemingly never-ending vistas, or maybe it's the sense of history: The Blackfoot signed a peace treaty here that irrevocably changed their way of life over a century ago. Today, at a new eco-friendly visitor center, you can immerse yourself in the rich culture and traditions of these First Nations people. Read [Pure Canada]
Bears, whales and Northern lights
The town of Churchill is known as the polar bear capital of the world. However, the northern town and surrounding areas have much more to offer: stunning beluga whales, dazzling northern lights, migratory birds, and the summer and fall colours of the tundra flora. Read [Travel Manitoba]
Newfoundland beer is cold as ice(berg)
It was the largest iceberg most Newfoundlanders had ever seen. It weighed 250 million tons, loomed 12 metres above the water and was twice as long as an aircraft carrier. And when it ran aground three weeks ago in Iceberg Alley off Twillingate, Nlfd., there were plenty of cheers in the draught room at the Blow Me Down pub. It means there'll be no shortage of Iceberg Beer this summer. Read [The Star]
Untamed Iqaluit: The Arctic frontier town where art and adventure meet
A young man steels himself, then steps backward. He kicks one leg straight up; the other follows swooshing upwards several feet into the air. The rules of the one-foot high kick say he must reach a small sealskin ball suspended above his head with one leg, then somehow land on the same foot, in what looks like a high-speed hip-hop dance move. The record height at which the ball has been reached is 9 feet, 5 inches. Inuit games are typical of the unique (and quirky) experiences Iqaluit offers, alongside Arctic art and exploration. Read [Pure Canada]
 Come to Prince Edward Island for the 2009 Canada Games
The pinnacle of success for amateur athletes is unquestionably the Olympic Games, but, for the majority of young athletes, the Canada Games is a great substitute. The Canada Games, first held in 1969 in Halifax, are - like the Olympics - held every two years, alternating between summer and winter events. The 2009 Canada Summer Games will be held on Prince Edward Island from August 15 to August 29, 2009. While Prince Edward Island may be Canada's smallest province, Islanders are no strangers to hosting sporting events and are famous for their warm hospitality. Read [Tourism PEI]
Following the long trail to freedom
In Mark Steven's most recent Ontario outing, he describes the Windsor sites he visits that recount the trials and triumphs of runaway slaves. He writes, "Scrambling through thick undergrowth, an errant branch slashes my face. I teeter on a plank on the ground then step into ankle-deep mud. I hear an ominous growl. A teenager behind me stops short. Wide-eyed he scans the bush." Read [The Star]
Museum crawling with creepy creatures
"That horse has a beard!" the pint-sized museum-goer hollered as he skidded to a stop in front of the life-sized model of a unicorn. Beside it, powerful Bigfoot looked ready to leap off his rock and go tearing through the gallery, while in another room, a menacing sea-monsterish Kraken rises up through the floor, its tentacles popping up beside it. The Canadian Museum of Civilization, just across the river from Ottawa in Gatineau, does a good job of catering to young visitors with the Canadian Children's Museum. But kids will be enthralled with the temporary exhibit now on, organized by New York's American Museum of Natural History. Read [The Star]
Take a summer swim with the salmon
At April Point Resort and Spa, and its sister property Painters Lodge at Campbell River, British Columbia, just across the channel, you can hire a boat to go fishing or swim with the salmon, or to go whale-watching. Read [National Post]
Gaspé beacons light up the past
Lighthouses still elicit powerful passions and plenty of fighting spirit, even though they've lost their jobs to new technologies. Obsolete, perhaps, but Quebec's lighthouses still bring enlightenment in their legends and lore. Read [The Star]
 Table for twenty?
Breaking bread with the locals gives a true sense of a place and its people - and it's a lot of fun. Read how communal dining turns strangers into friends here. [Pure Canada]
For more travel ideas, please visit the following sites:
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