BY JANET STEINBERG
Everyone dreams of
his or her own special island. More often than not, it's in the South
Pacific. Man and nature have diligently worked together to create a very
special Pacific Island retreat. However, strange as it may seem, they've
plunked it down in the North Pacific.
Vancouver Island
stretches some 300-miles along Canada's rugged Pacific coastline. North
America's largest Pacific island is crowned by snowy mountains and surrounded
by a white-capped ocean dotted with smaller islands.
Warmed by the
Japanese current, the island suffers none of the severe seasonal changes of the
rest of Canada. The moderate climate has spawned a wide variety of
natural vegetation. Man, too, has found the island's climate
inviting.
No highway connects
this paradisiacal island to the mainland of British Columbia or the United
States, but air and sea connections are numerous.
Victoria, just off
the mainland city of Vancouver, is the capital city of the Province of British
Columbia. Known as "The Sunshine City of Gardens", Victoria has
the mildest climate in Canada. Little wonder that Victoria is always in
season.
During the summer
months, a blaze of blossoms in front of the magnificently domed Parliament
Building, spell out the words:"WELCOME TO VICTORIA". Roses
bloom at Christmas and, in early March, tulips and daffodils are shipped all
over Canada from this area.
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