Golden, British Columbia

Our feet had not long been on Alberta snow when we left it for the interior of British Columbia. The license on our van (parked in Victoria, B.C.) was up for renewal and Golden, a small town near the Kicking Horse Pass, had the nearest autoplan offices. Two, in fact, across the street from each other.

Normally, when we drive the TransCanada highway on the way to Victoria, all we see are the restaurants and hotels that line the highway at Golden. The road by-passes the town leaving it to enjoy the quiet of the Columbia and Kicking Horse Rivers. But it is hardly a sleepy town. In the summer, it is a place for rafting, hiking, biking, paragliding, climbing, fishing, and golf. In the winter, skiing--both downhill and nordic, heli- and cat-skiing, snowboarding, snowshoeing, ice climbing, and snowmobiling bring visitors to the area. It boasts three mountain ranges (Purcells, Selkirks, and Rockies) with endless rivers, lakes and creeks.

We finished our business by 11:30 a.m. so headed down the street to find a restaurant that suited us. We stumbled upon a little bistro tucked between a tavern and retail outlet. It seemed busy and the menu looked intriguing so we entered. The Whitetooth Bistro was a small but cozy place decorated with striking art and black & white photography.

I had their delicious soup de jour which was a homemade bean and broccoli pureé topped with smoked salmon. I followed that with a Veggie Press sandwich which featured a portabello mushroom, pesto, and brie. Glen had a Beef Dip which looked like a sub stacked with meat. Coffee was almost as good as Mexican coffee and just as strong.

Although we didn't need to travel again so soon after our trip to Cancun, it was nice to do a road trip. I was able to knit but regretted forgetting my camera as the snow scenes were breathless and the frozen water falls incredible. Of course, our trip would have taken longer had I stopped to photograph these wonders.