22 ~ Sunday, January 1, 1989 - North Shore News Baffin Island prepares for I GET some of the most ‘‘baffling’’ pieces of mail. The latest was in invitation to spend five days on Baffin Island, from April 19 to 23, celebrating spring. Pardon my ignorance but I grew up with the solid impression that spring and summer on Baffin Island were celebrated together — for two hours on the afternoon of July 21. Wrong again. Not only does Baffin Island have a spring festival but they have a tourism associa- tion. They must be doing a fine job because they have managed over the past years to lure people such as Prince Chesles, John Diefen- baker, Roland Michener and the président of Greenland to ‘preside over the festival. : The brochure informed me that the whole idea is based on Inuit legend about their predecessors, but it seems to me to be an excuse to throw a party. So, if you’d like to get involved with snowmobile races, igloo building contests and local -arts, crafts and entertainment, head for Baffin island. : Whe town is Iqaluit and has daily jet-service from Ottawa, Toronto and Montreal: They have, 7’m told, modern hotel and restaurant The festival is called ‘‘Toonik Tyme” and the person to call or write is Frank Pearce,. Manager, Baffin. Tourism Association, P.O. Box 820, Iqaluit, N.W.T., XOA OHO. Phone: 819-979-6551. tt? ‘Expect some ‘‘Sorry For The Inconvenience" signs at Vancouver International Airport — they're Tenovating. It’s about time. Airport statistics are generally boring tut when you bear that traffic is up 14 per cent over 1987 you can understand why it’s sucha zoo out there. Another stat that puzzled me is that we seem to be going everywhere but the U.S.A. in in- creased numbers. Domestic flights are up 19 per cent, overseas up 12 per cent while U.S. flights are down a fraction. Strange, considering that our dollar is getting stronger and we have better buying power this year than last when shopping in the States. eat I know so little about skiing that it’s a joke. I may get a rash of crit- travel wise Barbara McCreadie icism for this next observation, but I suspect that the real reason for skiing has less to do with the snow than it does with the rest of the package. The package: Clothes, gear and accessories. Ski resorts featuring great spas and lounges. And, more important, an informal scoring system by which skiers ‘‘count coup.” It’s not how they ski but where they ski. For example, if one boasts “‘Aspen,”’ another can top it with “ ‘Alps. i Well, skiers, here’s a major op- portunity to have the last word in any “‘coup-counting’’ contest — ski the entire site — up to 12 valleys —- of the :992 Olympics in France. The French Government is advertising week-long tours of the Valmorel to Val d'Isere area — by ’ the look of the map, that includes -a bit cf Italy —‘with the skiers go- ing mountain to mountain while their baggage trundles along by” bus. They are calling it ‘‘Ski Safari” and are offering two packages — nine valleys and 12 valleys (the big one is for strong skiers). Where necessary, the skiers are moved annual spring shindig from one mountain to the next by bus or helicopter. As a cynical non-skier, I liked this line from the brochure: ‘‘Your luggage will be carried by bus so you may change for an ‘apres-ski’ evening by an open fireplace.'’ See what I mean? Prices aren't bad — from $1,070 to $1,200 for the nine-valley package and $996 to $1,980 for the 12. The guides are professionals in off-trail skiing. Write: ‘‘Skiez 9 Vallees,'’ Chalet Bobech, 73320 Tignes, France, tel: 79 06 51 77 OR “‘Skiez 12 Vallees”’ at Immeuble le Zenith, 73440 Val Thorens, France, tel: 79 09 00 95. tne I’ve seen a lot of ridiculous travel marketing promotions but the latest one from Phoenix, Arizona takes the cow pie. Proclaiming: ‘‘Cowtown to WOWtown,” it features cows, dressed in bathing suits and aloha shirts lounging around a resort pool. Wearing sunglasses. Big, black and white cows with pink noses -—- one staring over what looks like a margarita. How about this line? “Cowtown? Udderly ridiculous.”’ I sure hope the North Shore doesn’t hire the same P.R. types — I can see it now. How about some forest creature decked out in ’ Vuarnets and ski jacket whistling down one of our mountains towards a can of Moosehead? May Tourism B.C. protect us. vow Perhaps you’ve been listening to the radio and have heard about the giveaway featuring two free tickets to Rio de Janeiro. Just to get your perspective Straight, the American Association of Travel Editors. classified Brazil as a ‘‘dangerous“destination” in 1988. I love Brazil] and have visited there several times — but not late- ly. The crime statistics are downright scary. A friend of mine — ancther North Shore wziter — visited Brazil fairly recently and managed to be mugged twice in one day, Happy holidays. kee The “I Finally Found !t’’ department: To the reader who See Rio Page 23 HASTINGS TRAVEL YOUR TRAVEL CENTRE WITH: “SWISS EFFICIENCY” TRAVEL ARRANGEMENTS - WORLDWIDE FOR BUSINESS OR PLEASURE * Prompt — Personalized — Multilingual Service cau: 689-0461 “EMA TUER VANCOUVER, B.C. V6C 1A5 North West Opera presents — GRAND CONCERT The Student Prince by Sigmund Romberg January 13, 15, 1989 8:60 P.M. Featuring BC's FINEST SOLOISTS with the LADIES’ CHORUS, NWO. and the WELSH MALE VOICE CHOR — Conducted by Bruce Pullan CENTENNIAL THEATRE 2300 Lonsdale, North Vancouver Tickets available at the Vancouver Ticket Centre 280-4444 THE CORPORATION OF = THE CITY OF 1989 DOG LICENCES It is an offence under the Dog Tax and Reguiation By-law to own a dog over the age of four (4) months that is not wearing - §f a licence tag issued by The City of North Vancouver for the ~ current year. : if you purchased a 1988 Dog Licence from the City of North a : Vancouver, you will receive a 1989 Dog Licence Statement early -- in January, 1989. If you did not purchase a 1988 Licence or, for “some other reason do not receive a statement by January 31st, 1989; please: contact the Treasury Department at the City Hall, . a A 141 West 14th Street, North Vancouver; phone: 985-7761 Loc. 314. Dog Licences may also be purchased at the Anima! 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