Inside Butchart Gardens - A seasonal display

If you are looking for something special to do during the holiday season, please go to Butchart Gardens. If you get there about 3, you can take in their wonderful high tea. It starts with a signature candied ginger scone served with strawberry jam, whipped vanilla Devon-style cream and maple butter. Then come the hot traditional delicacies like Cornish pasty, roasted vegetable and cheese quiche, and chicken and mushroom vol-au-vent. Then sandwiches and savories and topped off with house made sweets and very delicious tea! It doesn't get any better than that. While there for some great fun go ice skating and ride the fantastic carousel. The lights are truly amazing and the colors are dazzling. Be sure to watch for the twelve days of Christmas starting with a partridge in a pear tree and ending with 12 drummers drumming. This is truly a captivating experience that everyone should try. Expect nothing less at this world class attraction, undoubtedly Victoria's best! Click here to see our photo pictorial on Butchart Gardens.
Click here to visit Butchart Gardens

IEOA Truck Light Parade Victoria BC

This spectacular event took place Saturday evening. It is one of the best food drives on the Island and is attended by thousands of people who line the streets from Dallas Road and all the way to Speedway Park in Langford. The rigs are really well decorated and thrill the throngs lining the roadways. Then at 7 pm one of the three lighted boat parades took place in the Inner Harbour. Quite an evening in Greater Victoria.

Record snow dump at Mount Washington

Mount Washington Hammered By Snow
Image: A snowcat's-eye view of work being done to prepare the resort for opening day.Photo Credit: Mount Washington Alpine Resort

Not only is Mount Washington opening a week earlier than originally scheduled this Friday, the mountain can also lay claim to Canada’s deepest snow pack before opening day.“We already had a substantial base of snow when we made the decision to open last week,” explains Business Operations Director Don Sharpe. “Since then, we’ve seen another metre of snow fall on the mountain. The conditions will be unbelievable this Friday.”Mount Washington’s current mid-mountain snow base measured 160 centimetres as of Tuesday afternoon, putting it at the top of the snow heap in Canada. The resort received a whopping 88 centimetres of new snow between Monday and Tuesday mornings.“We’re definitely seeing the positive effects of a La Nina influenced weather pattern so far this winter and we’re not even open yet,” remarks mountain spokesperson Brent Curtain.With cool temperatures and more snow in the forecast before opening day on Friday, the mountain is expecting ideal conditions for skier and boarders on December 3rd.“We’re opening the entire front side of the mountain on Friday,” says Curtain. “Plus we will have over 40 kilometres of trails open at our Nordic Centre which will include most of the trails in Strathcona Provincial Park. The Ozone Tubing Park will also begin regularly scheduled operations on December 3rd.” The mountain plans to open the Outback, the popular backside of the mountain, on Friday, December 10.Mount Washington Alpine Resort opens for winter operations on Friday, December 3, 2010. The resort is located 30 minutes above The Comox Valley on Vancouver Island. WestJet, Central Mountain Air, Pacific Coastal Airlines, and Island Express service the Comox Valley Airport (YQQ). To find out about accommodation and package information, call Mount Washington Alpine Resort at 1-888-231-1499 toll free or locally at 250-338-1386. Surf to www.mountwashington.ca for additional information including our live snow cam.