Nejson-hosts _ BC: Festival of the Arts. . FROM May 26 to June 3. Neison, B. C will play host to’ “ “aunigue multidisciplinary fes- tival for emerging artists in the : er 90 public events are a schéduied during the week of | th f the Arts‘ 27 gala. - BC: [Festival . with ‘the Sat.” 7 “performance . featurin “ Uzume Taiko and a new wor indigenous arts showcase. ; Hight hundred festival del-- gates*and. dozens of profes- stonal artists will participate in OrksRops.. throughout the week includ- ing Sandra‘. Birdsell "and -. ‘and. : sessions. From page Uh visionary” Rita Ring reading out messages she'd received - from Mary. A member of the Ministries, Ring claims she has received messages” from Mary .and Jesus since 1991. Who needs Disney? BL never expected to see Kodiak bears in sultry Florida, ~ but a visit to Silver Springs, a two and a half-hour drive north of Tampa, was where I . found them. Except for the incongruity of. the - Alaskan bears, Silver. Springs, one of Florida’s original natural place.. ‘Known for its 99.9% pure "artesian spain ig waters, which is “protected by the state, Silver ‘Springs became famous as the “AGican” setting for the six “« original Tarsan movies star- fing . Johnny Weissmuller. . It was also where The: Creature “from the Black Lagoon and the: TV series Sea Hunt were shot. - Riding’ on ; glass - bottom boats: ‘alors the Silver River, it’s possible to see 30 to 40 feet deep ‘into water that. is‘ proba- bly the cleanest.in the world. i n that the -TRAVEL Go for the gators in the Everglades: clear waters that gush forth (550 million gallons each day from an unknown source) have changed litle over time. While? it: has: been turned. _into a theme park, Silver. Springs .is.neither. gaudy or over-commerciatized. It’s a/ “emmy pia eo an fauna, although there are. _ activities like -.the - panther here with an ¢ native. flora Michael Forrest: -.. invites his clients alternative outin: rowl, world of bears, ‘and the . lost river voyage. For parents who abhor the idea of Disney, Silver Springs, . which even a lot-of Floridians don’t: know about, : offers. an - that can be as fun as it is only drawback is the price. At $32.81 US, it’s over priced by. about $10: Visit for full details. to join him at . his new Idcation Call him at ‘Travel Masters... 904-8102. 205-221 West Esplanade | : rth Vancouver: : - “i BC reg #3235 October 24,2000: - iro, Abu Simbel, Aswan.and Luxor Take a ieisurely Nite ticational. Its .. Sunday, May 14, 2000 ~— North Shore News ~ 35 about: 10 feet, they're unlikely . to take a bite. No one will leave - home disappointed. One 10- foot gator felt the need to get a closer look at the tourists the ~ day I visited. He scrambled out ttractions, is fot a horrid -. pn ten-foot alligator scrambles out of the water to sun himself near a tourist stop... in the Florida Everglades. ; OF all the places to visit in Florida, the Everglades. ranks - ul the high above the rest, and ‘for -any one. who’s wanted to be™: “close enough to sniff an ailiga- tor’s breath, this i is the place to. do it. - You'll see hundreds of the toothy creatures roaming, free and as long as you y back. : ind cn : ” Znights i in. Costs Rica and of the water to sun himself— not 15 feet away from us. Contrary to popular assumption, the Everglades is. not a swamp or bog, but a river. ‘of .grass. Unfortunately, the’ “unique region, which once ‘covered about half of Florida, has-been diminished in size. Interstates and highways ‘criss- ezoss the Everglades ultimately ‘damming. the. river from its natural flow from the 730- square mile Lake Okeechobee to the sea. A visit to. Shark. Valley, Q * where two-hour guided . tours take you oe es a road through «. erpiades, is an ideal place. to; learn about. this unique” region and its inhabitants, like “why gators keep their. mouths : open. It’s not in anticipation | a'snack, but to coo! their puny: brains. If the brain gets. over- he it’s off to gator he leaving December 17, 2000° O days on the Wind Spirit fo liday sailing from Se: Thomas. $328405 -feoa $307 398: