Vancouver, its residents
are fond of saying, is one of the few
cities in the world where you can go
skiing and sailing on the same day.
How remarkable, then, that it should
also be one of the few where, sitting
outside a Neapolitan cafe, you can eavesdrop
on an impassioned argument in Hungarian
and see graffiti in Khmer. Most major
cities have a mixed heritage, yet few
can claim to have attracted a more diverse
cross section of humanity than Vancouver.
The city seems living proof that a benign
environment will produce an easygoing
disposition.
In the summer months,
Whistler offers a bounty of activities
- the varied terrain of the Vancouver,
Coast and Mountains region accommodates
every outdoor recreation known to man,
including alpine sightseeing, mountain
biking, hiking, horseback riding, backcountry
tours and world-class golfing, too.
Whistler
The resort
destination of Whistler is nestled
below the Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains
in the Whistler Valley, north of Vancouver,
British Columbia. In recognition of
its world-class status as a ski resort,
the cosmopolitan Village of Whistler
will co-host the 2010 Winter Olympic
Games with Vancouver. Enchanting Whistler
continues to be the fastest-growing
municipality in BC, and has been recognized
as the Top Ski Resort in North America
for the past decade.
Victoria
There is a rich diversity
of landscapes within the cool Mediterranean
climate of the region, ranging from
the Douglas fir forests along the coast
to the drier, exposed conditions of
the higher, rockier elevations, which
support arbutus (madrona) and Garry
oak forests. Victorians display their
love for the natural world by cultivating
flower gardens at every turn.
As you'd imagine in
a region where a large urban population
interacts with such a delightful natural
tableau, a vast network of walking,
hiking, and biking routes leads through
the many parks with which the city
is blessed.
