10 T H E O A K V IL L E BEAVER Sunday, August 6, 2000 TRA V EL&EN T ER T A IN M EN T V a c a tio n in g in C a n a d a is b e c o m in g a tr e n d Landscape and savings: two good reasons to see Canada By Carol Baldwin M Photo by Carol Baldwin Since Victoria claims to have flowers in bloom year round, Government House is worth a visit if only to stroll through the lush gardens - including this pond and its resident ducks - that surround the mansion. T S & R C 'S Q u a £ it y ore and more Canadians seem to be spending their holidays in Canada enjoying the attrac tions and the dollar value that are bringing tourists to our country from all over the world. For those of us who live in Ontario, the east and west coast are often appealing destinations. This year, I chose to visit Vancouver Island, home to the best climate in Canada as well as to some of the most spectacular natural sights and interesting historical sites. Admiring the snow-peaked mountains and the sun glistening across the water as I left the mainland on the B. C. ferry, reminded me of the province's natural beauty. Victoria, the province's capital city, is situated on the southern tip of Vancouver Island and is home to over 75,000 people. And to allay the fears of those of you who have heard stories of never-ending rain on the west coast: while Vancouver may receive about 140 inches annually, Victoria only gets about 20 inches. This article, the first in a series on Victoria and the sur rounding area, will focus on activities and sights that would appeal to the nature lover in you. Horticulturists, for exam ple, would not want to miss Victoria's Butchart Gardens, which boasts botanical beauty that is arguably unequaled in Canada. It's 50 acres of immaculately groomed grounds sit on a 1904 country estate, and those who visit can see and (See `Tropical' on page 16) FIREWOOD · · · · *TOPSOIL A ugust 2 5 ,2 6 ,2 7 P re sen ien n y O u k v iilc Ln tciiu ir % (fs&fu CcfilfuflTi QftOl rOf<1 03 O rC ifiQQm · · · · Econo Mulch Sheep Manure Sand Screened Topsoil ALL NATURAL · BAGGED OR BULK TOP QUALITY « PICK-UP OR DELIVERY Triple Mix Black Loam (Peat) Cattle Manure (No Bedding) Compost/Manure Mix "A business who $ reputation has been b uilt on quality and service" W ifi& icnG hu iC itiii ci-zd . of ir»eG < tv v 351 Dundas S t . E. at Trafalgar Rd,, Oakville Open Monday thru Saturday 2 5 7 -S O IL (7 6 4 5 ) KERRY W. S E r Lose w n a i J m j r yo or r a lg ou u n ne e d f to * A n | | P K D V J V /n S B IteP S IS.r 'S s LlH /Jk A *"* M * L 0S T : 33 |b s - 4 6 " "T h e encouraging. It seems too g 00(j to be true. Thanks Herbal M agic!" i · Full service program s · G uaranteed w eight loss s ta fw a s lts o m a g ic Cf*nfnim Gold Pass S c -T ' A BUCK Aj ; a S ft Based on full Excludes pr oduct. K fp r n hS * Lose U Pto 7 lbs./w k. p n O l UI N N TV^ D ^ gI · ; No prepackaged foods JP Tpl yp w ' [m T * n · Safe, easy & effective! n o w M V LET TH E w o r k l9ioo. FOR YO U! E N R O LL TODAY! « £ » ***« * *.« » «-*.-»*.«.* i *..** M .d A .1 JF Cr I F R P A T IM ^O U R GRAND*0 w - * '- ........ .....- .............. ............;*<· JC ""' r o riinp $05 WWW Oak . * 2022 |lJTW CKrt ( <<m 175 Plains Rd. E. (next to Im Femintque) 1395 Abbeywood Rd. ^ 4 6 9 -4 5 3 2 opening a (In the Bruno's Fine Foodsplaza) ^ I N OAKVILLE Ad try ioC Pykerrpar · Courtesy c/ S trr/ M c s : C anada end F-ecfVghi 8*5 Band 6 3 7 -6 0 1 9 *> » (W vlixBfeiVtfi .^ 0 9 . M O ts O h ® aJu D * : thin