Tag Archives: Nanaimo

Mystical and Enchanting Cathedral Grove

13 Wednesday Nov 2019

Posted by in Cathedral Grove, Vancouver Island

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Located in MacMillan Provincial Park, Cathedral Grove is one of the most easily accessible stands of old growth forest on Vancouver Island. The park is home to a famous, 157-hectare stand of ancient Douglas fir, known as Cathedral Grove

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Our friends from Parksville told us it was a “must” to visit and experience the tall trees at Cathedral Grove, and they were absolutely right. What a wonderful visit. Cathedral Grove is located on Highway No.4 in Vancouver Island, very near to the town of Port Alberni. It was about 25 mins drive from Parksville and would take less than an hour from Nanaimo. It straddles both sides of the highway with limited parking space outside the Park area. It is also known as MacMillan Provincial Park.

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The wonders of this park are the giant Douglas Fir trees which inhabit this forest like silent sentinels from the past. The leader among them is an 800-year-old tree, 76 meters tall and 9 meters in circumference. It was over 300 years old when Christopher Columbus first came to North America. Other species of trees in this forest include the Western Hemlock, the Western Red Cedar, and the Big leaf Maples.

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The walk around the park can take between half an hour to over two hours, depending on how much time and interest you have. It was raining on the day that we went, we were not in a hurry so we spent time really enjoying and breathing in this natural magical forest with its well maintained trails and lots of information signs which helped to make the experience even richer.

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It was an easy walk on a wide path. The trees were so impressive. We loved the way the light came through the branches and were astounded at how tall, how straight and how large these trees are. The mosses on the branches were so picturesque.

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Walking through Cathedral Grove was a Magical experience.

Put Goats on the Roof and They Will Come

11 Friday Oct 2019

Posted by in Country Markets, Coombs, Vancouver Island

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But wait, there is more.

 

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Only about an hour from Nanaimo is the small community of Coombs where you will find the Old Country Markets. Coombs is synonymously known as “Goats on the Roof”.

On my recent trip to Nanaimo, we stopped in to the country markets and I couldn’t believe how cool it was. Not only are the goats pretty neat, this quirky shopping and eating experience, is nothing like anything I had ever seen before. It sure made me smile. But, it is not just quirky; it is seriously good quality with very unusual merchandise, displayed with a buzzing imagination.

The Old Country Market started as a roadside fruit stand in 1973, providing fresh produce to travellers heading to the west coast of Vancouver Island. Over the years it has evolved into a landmark of Coombs, with a mixture of shops and eateries for locals and visitors alike.

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The original market was created by a family who emigrated to Vancouver Island from Norway in the 1950’s. Inspired by the many Norwegian homes and farm structures that are built directly into the hillside, they decided to design the market with a sod roof. When the grass grew too tall they put goats on the roof to “mow” the grass which then became an attraction.  And so, this market with goats on the roof is now a popular draw card for the area.

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As if having goats on the roof isn’t enough, this incredible market has lots to offer inside.  A butcher, deli, fruit and vegetables, pastries and a coffee shop;  we saw fancy chopsticks and beautiful rice bowls, masks, garden statues, a wide assortment of twinkly lights, home wares, toys, a wonderful offering of gifts, fancy condiments from almost every continent and, of course, souvenir t-shirts, magnets and mugs.  “Off the Wall” neat stuff to browse through all the way to the check out which could take hours if you have the time to spend looking at the incredible range of products available.

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The deli has a huge offering as well as the varieties in the meat and fish sections.  There are cheeses galore with a vast variety and lots of different food items from around the world.

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It has a general store feel to it that is welcoming and cozy with a very hippy vibe about the entire complex and of course….goats on the roof .

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Afterwards, we made our way over to the ice cream shop for a delicious gelato.

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This place is a must stop if you are in the area. There is something for everyone.

 

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Ferry from Horseshoe Bay to Vancouver Island

12 Thursday Sep 2019

Posted by in Horseshoe Bay to Vancouver Island

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Horseshoe Bay looks like a picture on a postcard with its park, the bay, the beautiful mountains, and the ferry boat waiting to leave. It is a small community at the western end of the North shore of Vancouver, a favourite place to spend time for both locals and visitors and is home to the BC ferries terminal.

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My friend Cristina drove me to Horseshoe Bay, in West Vancouver where we enjoyed a great lunch and a glass of the local wine at one of the restaurants overlooking this picturesque port before I left on the afternoon ferry to Nanaimo, Vancouver Island.

Cristina is a fellow blogger who lives in Vancouver. I have been following Cristina’s blog Un po’ di pepe for a few years and finally we met when she was in Brisbane a couple of years ago.

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When I told her that I would be visiting Vancouver she invited me to visit with her. After a terrific time with Cristina in her city, I was then meeting up with my 5W friend Linda on Vancouver Island.

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What a way to travel. I loved my ferry trip across to Vancouver Island. There were some truly spectacular scenes along the way.

The speed they loaded and unloaded two levels at a time made the ease of getting on and off so fast, the comforts of the ferry and amount of seating was amazing and the service was fabulous.

There is so much on offer to do on the ferry. I started off with a short explore to get my bearings and then I stopped for afternoon tea. They have great food with affordable snacks. There was a kid’s play area and there was a gift shop with pretty good value and I thought a great selection of gifts and clothing.  I purchased a really nice hand bag.

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Less than 2 hours after departing Horseshoe Bay I arrived in Nanaimo where my friend Linda was waiting at the pier for me.

The city of Nanaimo is a classic West Coast community, offering natural beauty at every turn. Nanaimo has one of the longest shorelines in Canada, and a forested mountain backdrop just outside downtown. I was soon to learn that Nanaimo is the place to find natural wonders, festivals, culinary joys, and so much more.