Home to hockey, Canada is a country with beautiful cities and wide open spaces. If you are considering taking a trip to the country, here is a list of some things you might want to know.
The official name of the country is simply Canada. It covers an area of land mass of 3.8 million square miles in size and is the second largest country in square mileage in the world. The capital is Ottawa with a population of over 1.1 million people. Other major cities include Toronto with 4.8 million inhabitants, Montreal with just fewer than 3.5 million people, and the beautiful city of Vancouver with a population of about 2 million people. With its far northern location, Canada is a country with a cool climate. The farther north one goes, the colder it gets, until artic conditions.
Citizens of Canada are known as Canadians. The latest survey put the total population of over 32.4 million Canadians. Ethnicity of which breaks down in a wide variety of groups without any group which forms a majority. Specifically, Canadians made up of 28 percent British-Irish heritage, is 23 percent French, 15 percent general European and a whopping 26 percent classified as mixed. After the transfer of Hong Kong from British rule to Chinese, immigrated many people in Hong Kong to Canada, particularly the Vancouver area.
Religious preference shares crash found in ethnicity. 44 percent of Canadians claim the Roman Catholic faith as their own, while 29 percent are Protestants. Other Christian and Muslim faiths is allegedly about 8 percent of the population.
Canada is the second largest country in the world. It is broken down into ten provinces plus the Yukon Territory and the Northwest Territories. The total population is approximately 25 million. Each Canadian province and territory has its own tourism information office.
WEATHER: The area along the border with the United States is most pleasant during May, June, September, October. The summer months are also comfortable in the Rockies. British Columbia is delightful year round.
CURRENCY: The Canadian Dollar…lO0 cents to the dollar. The bills and coins are in the same denominations as in the U.S. In many places US currency is accepted as easily as Canadian currency.
BANK HOURS: 10-3 Mon-Fri Banks are not always prepared to exchange foreign currency. (Hotels, stores and restaurants do not give good exchange rates). Credit cards can spare you the nuisance of trying to exchange money and you get a better rate.
CUSTOMS REGULATIONS: …among the most liberal in the world…usually a simple matter of presenting some valid form of identification…such as birth certificate, passport, Social Security card, Driver’s License.
TIPPING: The unwritten laws of custom make tipping necessary more often than not. Standards of service in Canada may be a little uneven, and when you receive genuinely good service, reward it. Generally, tips are about the same as in the U.S. Restaurants…15%…Bellboys 50¢ per bag…Chambermaid…$1 per day, doorman, 50¢ – $1 for getting taxi or handling luggage…room service $1.
SHOPPING HOURS: 9-6 Mon – Fri. Blue Laws are in effect in much of Canada.
LIQUOR LAWS: Rules and regulations governing what kinds of alcoholic beverages may be sold, and the hours, vary from province to province. Liquor is expensive in Canada.
FREE MAPS AND INFORMATION: For BRITISH COLUMBIA, write British Columbian Ministry of Tourism, 3400 Wilshire Blvd. Ambassador Hotel Arcade #34, Los Angeles, Ca. 90010. For ALBERTA, write TRAVEL ALBERTA, Box 2500, Edmonton, Alberta T5J 2Z4. For general CANADA, write CANADIAN CONSULATE GENERAL, 300 S. Grand Avenue, Los Angeles, Ca. 90071.
Top Attractions
LAKE LOUISE
Lake Louise may be the most famous lake in Canada, and certainly is the most photographed. The name used to be more fittingly, EMERALD LAKE, but was renamed in honor of Queen Victoria’s daughter. Framing the emerald lake are the Beehive Mountain to the right, Fairview Mountain to the left, and the majestic Victoria glacier in the center. The always calm, blue-green water reflects a perfect mirror image of the scene. Chateau Lake Louise sits like a castle on a hill, overlooking all this splendor. Walk up Victoria Glacier. Lake Louis is one very beautiful spot!
This area is more than one lake along. Only eight miles farther is another arguably, just as beautiful scene…MORAINE LAKE AND THE VALLEY OF 10 PEAKS, which is depicted on the back of the Canadian $20 bill. Near Lake Louise, Highway lA branches west toward the Continental watershed. From here all waters flow either west to the Pacific or east to the Atlantic. You can see this principle demonstrated at a creek at the picnic area.
THE ICEFIELD PARKWAY
A short distance outside Lake Louise is the beginning of the Ice field Parkway, 143 miles through Canada’s most spectacular scenery to the town site of Jasper. There are over 100 glaciers visible along the way. Wildlife abounds along its entire length, and the physical beauty of the mountain scenery defies description.
BOW PASS is the highest point along the parkway. The glacial waters of beautifully tranquil BOW LAKE reflect the surrounding snow-capped peaks.
Across the lake can be seen part of the WAPUTIK ICEFIELD, straddling the Great Divide. A magnificent view of a classic Rocky Mountain Lake can be had by following a short secondary road to PEYTO LAKE VIEWPOINT.
Farther along the Parkway at Saskatchewan River Crossing is the Park Warden station and interpretive center. Here too, is one of the few places along the Parkway where you can get refreshments. Just south of the lodge, a viewpoint offers a great vista of the Mistaya, Howse, and Saskatchewan River Valleys.
To the west can be seen the highest peak in the park, Mr. Forbes (11,811 feet). Just when you might become weary of so much magnificence, the road bends slightly to the west, and before you looms the grandeur of the COLUMBIA ICEFIELD, 150 square miles of ice and snow, and the largest body of ice in the Rockies.
Visible from the highway are the Mount Athabasca and the Dome and Athabasca Glaciers. The Athabasca Glacier is advancing and retreating…the rate of melt at its toe is greater than its downward flow.
As it retreats it leaves behind a glacial deposit, which is essentially, rock debris. Along the Parkway at GOAT LOOKOUT, pause to look at the panorama view of the Valley. The scenery will continue all the way to Jasper.
JASPER
Located at the confluence of the Athabasca and Miette Rivers, Jasper is in a broad valley. It’s a pretty place, with shops along its main street, selling a full range of souvenirs and native crafts. It chief attraction, however, is the number of beauty spots that are close at hand. A gondola ride up the WHISTLERS MOUNTAIN offers fine views of the Athabasca Valley. PYRAMID AND PATRICIA LAKES are 4 1/2 miles away. Another of Canada’s top beauty spots is MALIGNE CANYON…a spectacular limestone gorge, with turquoise pools, underground rivers, and cascading waterfalls. It’s 1.8 miles from Jasper. Follow the Yellowhead Highway for another spectacular view of Mount Robson… descent into Cariboo Country to your resort on the historic Carlboo Wagon Road.
NOVA SCOTIA: Early settlers called this area Nova Scotia, Latin for “New Scotland”, and it bears more than a passing resemblance to its namesake across the sea. Not only does it woo visitors with the sound of bagpipes and the swirl of a kilt, but you’ll see similarities in dramatic highlands, winding blue rivers, flower-filled valleys, and sea-swept villages. The whole province, the second smallest in Canada, is only 350 miles long with no part more than 35 miles from the sea. Fishing is a major industry, as are forestry, agriculture, and tourism. This province abounds in historic homes, building sites that have been maintained or restored by the federal government. Each season here brings its own pleasures. In summer (June,July, August), there’s fun in the sun. But even the hottest summer day is cooled in the evenings by soft ocean breezes.
YARMOUTH: The Scotia Prince arrives in Yarmouth. It’s a busy Nova Scotia port and where we’ll go through the simple Canadian customs.
SHORELAND DRIVE: Depart Yarmouth on the scenic Shoreland Drive. Along the way, stop to visit ST. MARY’S CHURCH, the largest wooden church in North America. Also visit FORT ANNE, where a ranger will give a fascinating account of the French-English struggle for North America. And then another stop at PORT ROYAL HABITATION which was founded in 1605 and is the earliest permanent settlement north of the state of Florida.
DIGBY: One of the Atlantic Provinces’ most popular summer resorts located on the Bay of Fundy.
DIGBY HOTEL: PINES RESORT…First Class. 144 units. Traditional summer resort set on 300 wooded acres overlooking Annapolis Basin. Rooms in Norman style. Licensed dinning room…Pool…tennis…golf. Renovations 1987.
LIGHTHOUSE ROUTE: We cut across the peninsula to Nova Scotia’s rugged Atlantic Coast and pick up the famous Lighthouse Route between Yarmouth and Halifax. See intriguing fishing villages and small towns nestled in a rugged coastline and loaded with seafaring tradition.
LUNENBURG: This town was founded by 18th century German and Swiss immigrants and is pretty much the Canadian capital of the fishing tradition. It is a major fishing port and home to the excellent FISHERIES MUSEUM.
PEGGY’S COVE: This is Nova Scotia’s charming showpiece fishing village, which hugs the craggy and winding shoreline. Perched on a massive granite ledge at the coast, is a famous lighthouse.
HALIFAX: Halifax is the capital of Nova Scotia and the largest city in the Atlantic Provinces. It’s one of the oldest cities in Canada and was originally a military and naval base designed to defend the British colonies. The city enjoys one of the finest harbors in the world. It is joined to the city of Dartmouth to the northeast by two suspension bridges. The combination of old and new in Halifax is nowhere more apparent than in and around the area known as HISTORIC PROPERTIES. Between June and October, you can hear the town crier in this area and there are the cannon firings each day at noon.. Most visitors to Halifax take one of the excellent water tours. The best view of the city is from the ring road around the top of the Citadel. This is a city to explore. Visit the CITADEL, a star-shaped fort and military museum. There’s a commanding view of the city. In addition to the Citadel, you can explore numerous parks such as POINT PLEASANT PARK and FLEMING PARK, as well as the beautiful HALIFAX PUBLIC GARDENS. These gardens are among the oldest on the continent. There’s also the WALES MARTELO TOWER, which was used throughout the 19th century as part of the harbor defense. Plus, PROVINCE HOUSE, on Hollis Street, a gem of Georgian architecture. This building is still used as the legislature. And most visitors today want to see FAIRLAWN CEMETERY, the final resting place for more than 100 people who perished on the voyage of The Titanic. If time permits: MARINE MUSEUM OF THE ATLANTIC, MARITIME COMMAND MUSEUM, DARTMOUTH HERITAGE MUSEUM AND ART GALLERY.
MARINE DRIVE: A scenic drive north along the Atlantic shoreline traveling by picturesque fishing villages.
SHERBROOKE VILLAGE: This was once a thriving gold-mining town. Today the whole center of the village has been restored as a living museum.
CAPE BRETON ISLAND: This island is reached by the CANSO CAUSEWAY. It’s one of the first footholds of European settlement in the New World. With dramatic seascapes, rugged highlands, and lovely, old fishing villages, Cape Breton is the provinces most popular tourist area.
BADDECK: Located on the Bras d-Or Lakes, which are a large inland salt lake. Here the Scottish tradition is very strong. Many people still speak Gaelic and practice piping and highland dancing.
ALEXANDER GRAHAM BELL MUSEUM: The great inventor spent the last years of his life on Cape Breton. Visit his home-museum.
CABOT TRAIL: Some 172 miles of mountain and sea around the GULF OF ST. LAWRENCE . This circular loop is one of the most spectacular day-drives in North America.
NORTH EAST MARGAREE: A stop to see local fishermen prepare their lobster traps.
CHETICAMP: Stop at the Acadian village to see the famous hand-hooked rugs.
CAPE BRETON HIGHLANDS NATIONAL PARK: Continue the Cabot Trail drive into Cape Breton Highlands National Park at the northern tip of the island
CARIBOU: Take a ferry from here across the NORTHUMBERLAND STRAIT to Prince Edward Island.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND has enchanted people for nearly 2000 years. The island is naturally beautiful. The red sandstone cliffs of the southern coastline, topped by rich green fields and trees, give summer visitors arriving by ferry their first impressions of the lasting beauty of the province. The north shore, with its white, silky sand that makes up much of the Island’s 500 miles of beaches along with the immaculate communities among the gently rolling landscape offer a contrasting beauty. Many activities here will relate to the water. Although this area is very much a part of the modern world, it has retained the relaxed pace and human qualities of an earlier age. The lobster feast is an island tradition and a unique dining experience and should not be missed.
CHARLOTTETOWN: This is the provincial capital and Prince Edward Island’s only city. It’s a small city and its main activities center around government and tourism. The city has been beautifully restored. The facades of the old red brick buildings and the gingerbread architecture of the wood houses are pleasant reminders of the past. Historic PROVENCE HOUSE now houses the legislature. BEACONSFIELD is the headquarters for The Prince Edward Island Museum and Heritage Foundation and is a fine example of Victorian architecture. OLD CHARLOTTETOWN houses a wide variety of old shops, museums, stores, craft centers, and restaurants. And the old-style double-decker busses travel throughout the city. VICTORIA PARK, overlooking the expanse of water in Charlottetown Harbor, is the setting for several notable buildings, among them the OLD GOVERNMENT HOUSE, a mansion built in 1835 as the official residence of the Lt. Governor. Also in Victoria Park overlooking the harbor is FORT EDWARD, built in 1805. It is one a series of fortifications constructed along the harbor entrance.
NORTH RUSTICO HARBOR: The premiere fishing port of Prince Edward Island.
PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND NATIONAL PARK: A spectacular drive takes you through farmlands and fishing villages to the National Park. It’s noted for the lovely sand dunes and beautiful beaches.
GREEN GABLES: Located along route 6 is CAVENDISH, the farm famous as the setting for Lucy Maud Montgomery’s best-loved noel “Anne of Green Gables”.
CONFEDERATION BRIDGE: Cross this 8-mile long bridge into New Brunswick.
NEW BRUNSWICK: For years this scenic province was ignored by tourists. It’s 1,400 miles of unspoiled seacoast, pure inland streams, pretty towns, and historical cities. It’s more “innocent” that the other areas and almost free of tourist hype. This is the area where the great Canadian forest, sliced by sweeping river valleys and modern highways, meets the sea. More than 1/2 of the province is surrounded by coastline. The dramatic BAY OF FUNDY, which has the highest tides in the world, sweeps up the coast from Maine.
JOHN RIVER VALLEY: This is a scenic delight…rolling hills and lush agricultural land and the blue sweep of the winding Saint John make this drive excellent viewing. Expect to see some of the surviving old covered bridges.
MONCTON: This is the unofficial capital of Acadia. It was settled by Dutch and German families from Pennsylvania. It used to be famous for shipbuilding but gradually gave way to the railroad. Most of the present city was built by railroad men. Not much architectural interest here.
SAINT JOHN ON THE BAY OF FUNDY: At the mouth of the river lives ST JOHN, which is the largest city in New Brunswick. It is also the oldest incorporated city in Canada. Today it’s a thriving industrial and port city. A recent face-lift and a new harbor front have improved its appearance.
REVERSING FALLS: This phenomenon is well worth a look. It’s actually a series of rapids and whirlpools at which, twice a day, the Fundy Tides attempt to push the river water back upstream. When the tide flow weakens and ebbs, the river once again pours out over the rock ledges and the rapids appear to reverse themselves.
ST ANDREWS BY THE SEA: On Passamaquoddy Bay, St. Andrews has long been a summer resort. It’s also a fisherman’s town. Little has changed in the last two centuries. Of the town’s 550 buildings, 280 were erected before 1880. It’s a town where one should walk. Pick up a map at the Information Center, and follow it to some of the town’s most interesting buildings.
CAMPOBELLO ISLAND: It was here that the Roosevelt family spent their summers. This former home of F.D. Roosevelt is now maintained as a lovely museum in his honor. It’s located in the center of Roosevelt International Park, a joint project of the Canadian and American Governments