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www.oakvillebeaver.com The Oakville Beaver Weekend, Saturday May 10, 2008 - 15 Roaming with Rover in pooch-friendly Victoria M cDuff the golden likes travel, and he is looking forward to visiting his dog pal Bobbie in Victoria, British Columbia so she can take him on a tour of her territory. The people who hold the end of the leash like this lovely city. After all what is not to like? Our furry thug will stay at the Delta Victoria Ocean Pointe Resort. He'll get a welcome gift personally delivered when he checks in, a water/food dish to borrow during his stay, a gourmet dog bone, a cloth for wiping dirty paws and plastic bags to use when he's out sightseeing. The hotel charges him a reasonable $35 for five days in this beautiful, waterfront hotel located at the Inner Harbour. Victoria is so dog friendly, its tourist website has a list of dogfriendly hotels in every price range. McDuff won't need a pet sitter; very often Bobbie will give us her favourite tours. She lives close to everything and is just a 10-minute walk from the Empress Hotel. Of course, she'll have to remind McDuff that he isn't supposed to bark at the tourists in front of the Empress all dressed up to go whale watching, even though locals needing a laugh head on over, to see them waddling in wet suits and life jackets. My pal and I will have someone walk Bobbie and McDuff on the scenic route home while we have tea at the Empress. Dogs and men that think $52 is ridiculous aren't welcome. This is a must do while in the city. I also hope she'll remind him not to lift his leg on the totem poles outside the Royal British Columbia Museum in Thunderbird Park Museum on his way home. Bobbie's neighbourhood has a glorious park on one side, and walking paths along the ocean on the other. She'll introduce McDuff to her pals who take their morning constitutional along the ocean-front paths. Bobbie will have to explain just how fun it is to bark at the sea lions, particularly when they bark back. Hopefully, Bobbie will also explain to McDuff that he is not to put his paws into the wonderful gardens on which homeowners pride themselves. Bobby's street is so pretty the tourist carriages come down it. Even though Victoria's animal rescue centres are cleaned out by noon daily, making way for other pooches needing homes, dogs are still not welcome to dig up the flowers. They are, however, welcome on leashes at Butchart Gardens. There are 50 acres of spectacular gardens and as always all kinds of special events. Festivals are ongoing in Bobbie's hometown, so she and McDuff will share a blankie while their humans listen and watch the fun. We'll walk the dogs through Olde Town too. It's a fun place to poke around; the new mixes with the old, and many of the stores put out water bowls for passing pooches. We'll also take the dogs to Fan Tan Alley, the narrowest street in North America. They'll have to heel in Canada's oldest Chinatown, established in 1858. Like many other tourists they'll get to pose for pictures at the Gate of Harmonious Interest and growl at the handcarved stone lions from Szouchou, China. We'll stop for lunch at the new kid on the wharf -- Red Fish, Blue Fish. It is a real experience, ordering from a shipping container. The menu is amazing, too. Wild Pacific fish and chips lets you select halibut, salmon or cod, a bowl of pacific rim chowder, barbecued oysters, and the interesting menu goes on. The dogs can doze under the picnic table while we savour the food. They can also snooze in the yard, while their people play golf, that is after we finish arguing over which course to play. There's the Olympic View Golf Course, an 18-hole, 6530yard public course, which plays around two waterfalls and 12 lakes, and offers a VIP express service to get us there. Cordova Bay, with its view of Mt. Baker, is another possibility, as is Cedar Hill Municipal Golf course just 10 minutes from downtown. We'll be doing a lot of walking, which will be fine with the dogs. We'll wander Victoria's waterfront and along the Songhees shore, take lots of pictures of the views of downtown across the Inner Harbour. The James Bay waterfront, beyond the Parliament Buildings, will another good walk for the dogs and give us an opportunity to take pictures of the rustic bustling commercial docks of Fisherman's Wharf. McDuff, will love Victoria as much as I do. Sam Ion can be reached at sion10@cogeco.ca. BEAVER TRAILS TO TURKEY: Long-time friends Garth and Jo-Ann Gisel, Doug and Susan Magnusson, Ed and Judy Nickerson, Nancy Watson, Jeanette and Dave Whatmore and John and Barb Williams took The Oakville Beaver on a recent eventful 16-day bus tour through Turkey. They are pictured here at Ephesus.Take along a copy of The Oakville Beaver on your next vacation and send it in for publication to Beaver Trails, Oakville Beaver, 467 Speers Rd., Oakville, ON, L6K 3S4 or e-mail to editor@oakvillebeaver.com. PLATINUM SERVICE ABOARD THE GHAN Goway Travel is now offering a new level of service aboard The Ghan rail service between Adelaide and Darwin for travel from 10SEP08. Platinum Service introduces "a new spacious deluxe cabin with a level of appointment that matches the best train cabins in the world. This is complemented by a new standard of service that reflects a deluxe hotel." Platinum Service will be very exclusive, with a total of 25 cabins in five carriages that accommodate up to 50 guests. This service will be available once a week on The Ghan from Adelaide to Darwin (departing Wednesday) and once a week on The Ghan from Darwin to Adelaide (departing Saturday). Almost twice the size of the Gold Service cabins, the new Platinum cabin has been designed with all modern comforts in classic style with a distinctly Australian character. Platinum Service has been designed to meet the needs of the discerning traveller looking for the ultimate level of comfort and sophistication as they take one of the world's great train journeys through the heart of Australia. Platinum service may be booked as an upgrade to any of Goway's packages. Find information on The Ghan at Australia's Great Train Journeys website www.gsr.com.au or browse through Goway's online brochure at www.goway.com/brochure.html FREE WEDDINGS WITH RIU, SUNQUEST Couples will be able to enjoy free weddings at the new RIU Montego Bay when it opens later this summer. Featured in the recently released Sunquest RIU brochure, the RIU Montego Bay (another Sunquest exclusive) is the chain's first resort in Montego Bay and fourth in Jamaica. As well, clients booking by 31OCT08 for travel between 24DEC08 and 30APR09, can save up to $480 per couple. In addition to the RIU Montego Bay, clients can also enjoy free weddings (when a minimum five rooms are booked) at the RIU Paradise Island in Nassau, RIU Ocho Rios, RIU Palace Tropical Bay in Negril, RIU Bachata in Puerto Plata, and RIU Palace Macao in Punta Cana. RIU's free wedding packages offer everything from the services of an on-site wedding co-ordinator and flowers for the bride and groom, to wedding cake, decoration for ceremony location and more. For details, pickup the new Sunquest RIU brochure at our office. www.riu.com Visit McTavish At: www.mctavishtravel.com Relax... you're with us 221 Lakeshore Road E. Voted Best Travel Agency Best Cruise Company Best Travel Agent Thanks Oakville! Hopedale Shopping Centre 1515 Rebecca Street, Oakville 905-337-2228 www.hookedoncruising.com To advertise in this section call 905-845-3824 (905) 827-1100 fax: (905) 827-4982 e-mail: travel@mctavish.com