Once upon a time, long ago, there were no machines to record sound and moving pictures.  In order to gain an audience, singers, dancers and other entertainers would perform on street corners for gratuities from passersby.  That’s how the tradition of buskers was born. 

Not surprisingly, since the advent of personal electronics means we can now carry an entire orchestra or theater troupe in our pocket, street performers have become a rarity.  But that will change July 15-24, 2011 as the first Victoria International Buskers Festival comes to downtown Victoria, British Columbia.  Look for event stages along the downtown Inner Harbour, and in Bastion Square. Additional daily lunch time stage performances will also be presented at the Bay Centre.

SEEN ANY GOOD CONTORTIONISTS LATELY?

Entertainment on vancouver island will come in the form of comedy juggling, mime, audience participation, eccentric dance and magic.  Award-winning performers from Australia, the US, Europe, and from across Canada include a blues singer, a Frisbee expert, a team who dances with fire, a woman who contorts herself into a tiny 16” box and another who does bewildering things with multiple Hula Hoops.  It’s all free and appropriate for the whole family.  And in keeping with tradition, tips will be appreciated!                                                                                               

LINKS FOR MORE INFORMATION

To learn more about the Victoria International Buskers Festival, visit their website or email them for more information.

VICTORIA ACCOMMODATIONS

There are a number of hotels, motels and bed & breakfasts to pick from including our sponsors, Best Western:

The BEST WESTERN PLUS Carlton Plaza Hotel is proud to offer the finest in accommodations and friendly customer service at an affordable rate! The convenient downtown location of this Victoria hotel is ideal for guests visiting the Royal British Columbia Museum, Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria’s IMAX® Theater.  Butchart Gardens is just a short drive away.

Guests looking for things to do in Victoria will enjoy being close to local attractions, theaters, golf courses, and whale watching expeditions. Favorite attractions also include Antique Row, the Royal London Wax Museum and the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.

Contact info:  BEST WESTERN Plus Carlton Plaza Hotel, 642 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC Canada, V8W 1M6, CA.  Toll Free: (800) 663-7241; Local: (250) 388-5513; Fax: (250) 388-5343.email: mailto:reservations@bestwesterncarltonplazahotel.com 

Enjoy all that Victoria has to offer and please tell your friends.

Re-published from www.amazingvancouverisland.com under creative commons license.

It’s hard to beat the selection of world-class spectacular golfing at Vancouver Island’s southern tip.  There are four major courses in or near Victoria, BC, and it’s easy to see why each is ranked as a major golf destination in its own right.

Victoria Golfing With City Views

With the practice range designated by Golf Range Magazine as one of the Top 100 Ranges in North America – only one of two so designated in British Columbia – for three years running, it’s no mystery why Highland Pacific Golf is a dream-come-true for so many enthusiasts of the game.

And with its spectacular views and accessible location close to the island’s family vacation destination of Victoria, Highland Pacific is ideal for a morning or afternoon getaway round when visiting the city on business, for conventions or with the family.

The lush bent grass fairways weave through forest and natural water features and yield nonstop panoramas of Victoria, the Olympic Mountains and the Strait of Juan de Fuca, prompting Island Golfer Magazine to rave that these are “some of the best looking holes on Vancouver Island.”

An award-winning practice facility featuring covered and heated stalls, CPGA instruction, lighted evening practice and real terrain targets – including a water hazard – rounds out the range’s allure.

The club includes a clubhouse serving Vancouver Island microbrews, and the facility even has spaces for meetings and banquets on-site, as well as Victoria’s largest golf shop.

Spectacular Mountain or Valley Golf Courses

Not only does Bear Mountain Resort boast meeting and banquet facilities as well; but it also includes their pro shop, clubhouse and five different restaurants – even a swimming pool for relaxing after your relaxation!

Host to the 2010 Telus World Skins Game, their Mountain Course is Vancouver Island’s first Jack and Steve Nicklaus co-designed course: a full 18 hole, 7,212-yard, 72-par range meandering over jutting rocks, winding rivers and valleys featuring dramatic changes in elevation and views of nearby Victoria.  This is another don’t-miss for serious and amateur golfers alike.

As if that weren’t enough, Bear Mountain offers yet another course: their newly 2009-opened Valley Course, a gorgeous 18 holes sprawled across forest, lakes, creeks and rivers.  Elevated tee boxes, generous fairway widths with fewer bunkers and larger greens add to the enjoyment of this beautiful range.

Collectively, Bear Mountain represents the only 36 holes of Nicklaus Design golf in Canada.

Magnificent Waterfalls, Mountain Splendor, Roaming Deer, And Soaring Eagles

To say this course is special is an understatement.  Just a short drive from Victoria, Olympic View Golf Course showcases its 17th hole with a natural waterfall.  Olympic View consistently rates among the top courses on Vancouver Island, garnering a four star rating from Golf Digest as Best Places to Play in 2009.  Its GBC Golf Academy instructional team has been distinguished by PGA and BC awards, and even offers corporate clinics.

Their restaurant offers fresh, mouth-watering cuisine served on a wraparound patio with views of the first, tenth and eighteenth holes.  Nature’s beauty is a hallmark of this facility, and one of the premiere attractions for the visitor; any visiting golfer can expect an unrivalled experience of tranquility.

As such, Olympic View is a dedicated member of the Audubon Society, taking a serious interest in environmental preservation.  This and a caring, top-notch staff distinguish Olympic View as an exceptional destination for any golfer.

Vancouver Island Golf Trail

For the truly dedicated golf enthusiast, Vancouver Island has much,

much more to offer.  Victoria is situated at the southern tip of the

Vancouver Island Golf Trail, a tour of eleven amazing courses

situated along the island’s eastern coast from Victoria to Campbell

River, 264 km (158 mi.) to the north.

Voted #1 island destination in North America and #3 in the world by Travel and Leisure Magazine, and #2 island destination in the world by Conde Nast Travler Magazine, Vancouver Island is a vacation paradise by all standards.  From the spectacular golfing near Victoria, to the serenity and near-perfect golfing of Cowichan, to the massive opulence of Crown Isle in the north, Vancouver Island is a golfer’s paradise.

Accommodation Vancouver Island

A message from our sponsor

The BEST WESTERN PLUS, Carlton Plaza Hotel

642 Johnson Street, Victoria, BC Canada, V8W 1M6, CA

Toll Free: (800) 663-7241

Local: (250) 388-5513   Fax: (250) 388-5343

Email:

The BEST WESTERN PLUS Carlton Plaza Hotel is proud to offer the finest in accommodations and friendly customer service at an affordable rate! The convenient downtown location of this Victoria hotel is ideal for guests visiting the Royal British Columbia Museum, Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria’s IMAX® Theater and is a short drive to the Butchart Gardens.

Guests looking for things to do in Victoria will enjoy being close to local attractions, theaters, golf courses, and whale watching expeditions. Favorite attractions also include Antique Row, the Royal London Wax Museum and the Maritime Museum of British Columbia.

Additional amenities include a fitness center, guest laundry, business center, meeting facilities and pet-friendly rooms.

Enjoy your golf and let us know about your favorites.

Re-published from www.amazingvancouverisland.com under creative commons license.

Whether shopping or sightseeing is on your mind, it’s hard to beat what you’ll find in historic Market Square, Victoria’s premiere shopping district.  Nestled in buildings dating from the 1880’s and 1890’s, the height of The Garden City’s 19^th century prosperity when Victoria served as a clearing house for the Vancouver Island’s natural wealth in seal skins, lumber, coal and salmon, you’ll find charming shops catering to everything from trendy boutiques to salons and spas to sushi.  There’s even a nightclub for those seeking evening excitement.

A Lurid History

Market Square is the former site of “the other face of Victoria.”  In the late 1800’s, Victoria was becoming a popular vacation destination, even hosting royalty on occasion.  However, this renown was presaged by the earlier Gold Rush years, and the present site of Market Square was not a place to get caught if one weren’t street-wise enough!  Johnson Street was a rough-and-tumble collection of saloons, shops and bawdy houses, with an eclectic population from around the world; while Cormorant Street – renamed Pandora Street – was the gateway to Chinatown, home to gambling and opium dens.

In fact, in 1887 when the U.S. banned the production of opium, Chinatown in Victoria, B.C. became the main supplier of North America.  Today, the gambling houses, opium dens and tawdry barrooms are gone, but as you wander the shops and nearby streets you can imagine what it must have been like to tread the seamier avenues of this frontier mecca which attracted so many prospectors looking for a good time!

Central to The Garden City’s Sites

Bordered by the trendy “LoJo” fashion and home decor Design Districts, Market Square boasts a location central to multitudes of shopping, sightseeing and strolling opportunities.  And China Town’s only a block away, opening up even more shopping and dining vistas; a short walk will even bring you to the Inner Harbor.  If you’re in the mood for some adventure and a change of scene, take a stroll and catch the Victoria Clipper or Coho ferries.

History in Abundance

Within easy walking distance one will find a surprising abundance of sights.  The Parliament Buildings and grounds, seat of British Columbia’s legislative assembly shouldn’t be missed, and are considered an architectural gem.

And if you’re in the mood for museums, be sure and catch the Royal British Columbia Museum – featuring the cultural and natural history of the province, and their Ice Age Sounds exhibit – and the Maritime Museum of British Columbia, with exhibits tailored to appeal to both curious adults and children.
One could go on and on.  Just pick a compass point from Market Square and start walking – you’re bound to hit a museum or historic building to explore, from the Royal British Columbia Wax Museum, to the Undersea Gardens, to the three diamond-rated Carlton Hotel or the Empress Hotel.  And while you’re at it, don’t forget the National Geographic IMAX Theater!

Full Circle

All roads – or walks – lead back to Market Square, where you’re as likely to stumble on one of the city’s many festivals and events, a fashion show, or an outdoor concert.

But what makes Market Square some of the most relaxing shopping around are the beautiful surroundings.  Dining in the open-air courtyard which dominates the center of the Square, surrounded by Victoria’s historic brick buildings and colorful hanging flower baskets, you’ll feel unaffected by the rush of modern Victoria as you simply take in the scenery and breathe the heritage.

Re-published from www.amazingvancouverisland.com under creative commons license.