30 - Sunday, March 4, 1990 - North Shore News

TRAVEL za

ARIZONA HOLIDAY

Folk friendly in Bisbee

IF, IN the dim distant future, we get the chance to cancel
January and February by heading south, Arizona would
likely be our destination of choice.

It's not Arizona's big cities that
fascinate us, but the little places.
Bisbee is high on the list.

The little town describes itself as
“history on a hillside’? and it’s
quite true. However, this is history
that hasn’t been tampered with —
there might be new homes some-
where around but I didn't see any.

Bisbee has a great climate — its
high altitude (about a mile) keeps
the heat at bay even in July and
it's stili. pleasantly warm = in
January.

Bisbee has an ‘‘attitude.’’ It’s
small-town-U.S.A. and the people
talk to each other and to visitors. |
suspect that Bisbee lures the eccen-
trics of the country and I’m just
eccentric enough to want to join
them.

For example, we arrived in
Bisbee in time for breakfast and I
couldn’t wait to return to the
famous old Copper Queen Hotel
— more about that later. After a
big plate of scrambled eggs with
chorizo (hot Mexican sausage),
$4.50 and worth it, we went for a
walk.

travel
wise

Barbara McCreadie

Using a little street map we
started looking for some of the old
buildings. First on the list was the
St. Elmo’s bar — vintage 1902 and
practically unchanged. I opened
the door — just intending to look
at the decor and got a loud,
**Come on in and sit down!”’

If someone had told me I'd be
drinking beer at 11 o’clock in the
morning comparing meatloaf reci-
pes with a bartender, I'd have con-
sidered them nuts. Meanwhile,
Brian got into shuffleboard with a
shaggy bearded stranger and had
an excellent game.

Before we knew it, we were part
of the gang and having a fine time
— and picking up a lot of local
stories. For example, some of the
town’s most solid citizens arrived
in the early 1970s in a big black
hearse, complete with flowers and
beads. They stayed, and at least
one became a world famous photo
journalist.

The bartender, a petite, attrac-
tive young woman, is a former
guard at the nearby men’s prison.
She told me some good stories
about some of the regular patrons
— like the guy who shot up the
toilet with a big shotgun. Fortu-
nately, no one was using it at the
time.

I had a hard time prying us loose
for the rest of our walk!

We ambled down Main Street
(what else?) and found a lot of in-
teresting antique shops, galleries
and crafty places. In one, Main St.
Consignment, | bought a wonder-
ful — and huge — arrangement of
silk flowers.

if you think I didn’t look a bit
silly wandering around with that...
But it was such a bargain at $18!

I've priced comparable bouquets
all over the place, and the mini-
mum price is $70. The store is full
of them and I'd have bought six if
I could have figured out how to get
them home.

So, toting my bouquet, we took
a coffee break at the Convention
Centre, which boasted good service
and attractive food, reasonably
priced. Everyone came over to chat
and admire my flowers. See what I
mean about friendly?

Just as we were ready to leave, |
looked out the window and there
was a lady walking her monkey. |
went flying out, flowers and all, to
take a closer look, and had a nice
chat with *‘Rosie’s Mommy.”’

It seems that she got lonely when
her kids grew up so she decided she
needed a companion. The monkey
seemed ideal as, ‘‘She’s like a
three-year-old but she’ll never
grow up and leave home.’ [ see.

ten

{[ can tell you about the few
tourist attractions in Bisbee but the
best attraction of all has to be the
friendly people.

if we were to make an overnight
stop in Bisbee, the Copper Queen
would be our choice. The hotel
was built around 1900 by the Min-
ing Company and, although it has
been discreetly modernized, it’s
pretty much as it was.

When it was built, Bisbee was
the biggest copper mining town in
the world and needed an elegant
residence for visiting dignitaries.

One word of caution: if booking
a room at the Copper Queen, be
sure to request one at the opposite
end of the hotel from the bar. I’m
told that it’s just as busy — and
noisy — as it was in 1900.

Another possible choice for
lodging is the Mile High Court Bed
and Breakfast, P.O. Box 23,
Bisbee 85603. I didn't have a look
at it but I'm told it’s goad.

For those interested in mining,
tours narrated by former miners

See History
Page 31

WHALE WATCHING

IN TOFINO

TWICE THE ADVENTURE WITH

OCEAN PACIFIC WHALE CHARTERS
53‘ FULLY LICENSED ‘LADY SELKIRK’

or 19’ RIGID HULL ZODIAC

TWICE THE LUXURY TO

CHOOSE FROM

OCEAN VILLAGE BEACH RESORT
Ocean Front Cottages, indoor Pool

725-3755

DRIVE-UP
PACKAGE FROM

| WEIGH WEST MARINE RESORT ]
Harbour Front, Pub, Restaurant i $59°°,, DBL.
725-3277 J STARTS MARCH 1

INCLUDES ONE NIGHT ACCOMMODATION
OF YOUR CHOICE AND WHALE CRUISE

Now you can plan your
shopping ahead, and
# save more in the

bargain

[north shore

if you mise any of these flyers. .
call] the North Shore News
Distribution Department.

FIRST IN FLYERS ON THE NORTH SHORE

CALL
TODAY!

* Delivered to selected
areas only

986-1337

Conco

os
Uris:

rde—April

Spey.

20th

Aonce-in-a- lifetime opportunity, Concorde will depart Vancouver
for Hawaii and Tahiti.
Flying at twice the speed of sound across the Pacific, you will arrive
both early and fresh having enjoyed the Legendary Concorde.

Your week's holiday includes Concorde trom Vancouver to Hawaii
or Tahiti plus a week's deluxe accommodation and an economy

return flight.

1 -409 Granville
- Royal Centre.
, Arbutus | Shopping -
"4439 West 10ih
* 5700 University
North Sho
:  . Park Ro

¢ Information displays from major Airlines & Tour Companies
¢ Travel Films ¢ Fashion Show © Entertainment ¢ Door Prizes
* Imagination Market for the Kids ¢ Food Fair & Bar available for purchase

GRAND PRIZES INCLUDE:

* Trip for two to London, England compliments of Canadian Airlines
* Two BritRail Passes compliments of British Rait

¢ Four-day "Taste of Britain" tour for two courtesy Trafalgar Tours
° Trip for two to Puerto Vallarta compliments of Canadian Holidays
* Trip for two to New Orleans compliments of Continental Airlines

* Trip for two to Reno courtesy Maverick Coach Tours

* Free Travel Insurance compliments Voyageur Insurance

Only 50 places left.

$2595.00

Hawail

$2995.00 Tahiti.
CALL US FOR DETAILS AND RESERVATIONS

682-4272-
68825661

New Weitminster:
640. oth Street’.

- “Part Coquitlam ;

+ The Coquitlam Cenjre... ..
“Surrey, Guildford: Town Centre. 58

Abbotsford, Sevenoaks, - ¢
“Shopping Centre.

Kelowna,

~ 108-59? Bernard Ava

Waxy Marlin
Wy Travel

presents

TRAVELSCOPE '90

Sunday, March 11, 1990
Noon -5 p.m.
at the
HYATT REGENCY HOTEL,
Vancouver, B.C.

- TICKETS -$5.00'»

“$1.00 from vach ticket will be donaged’to the Vancduyer Buri Centre*.

featuring

* Free Parking compliments Park & Fly

The whole world in

VANCOUVER BURNABY
Champlain Matt 438-3356 Brentwood 294-5224
City Square 877-0666 Eaton Cente 439-1126
Kersisdate 263-1841 Lougheed Mall 420-3032
Oakridge 266-1712 Metrotown Centre 332-6161
Pacilc Centra 684-3291
1654 Robson 689-3333 RICHMOND

Richmond Centre 273 8844
NORTH SHORE
Lynn Valley Cenite 984-4545 LANGLEY
Park Roya? 922-9301 19533 Fraser Hwy. 530-8838
Pack & Tiltord 980 9766

ALDERGROVE

27271 Fraser Hwy. 9856-7741

A

@)United Way

People helping people.

available ata
Marliit Trave
Py UT AN

yoirr hands

BSS-UTT +

783-5123
CANADA

fice.

SURREY/DELTA/LADNER

Scott 72 Centre §90-1521
Surrey Place 588-6300
Trenant Park Square 940-0600

COQUITLAM / MAPLE RIOGE

Haney Place Mall 463-5171
PoCo Piace Mall 464.0840
WHITE ROCK

1544 Johnston Rd. 538-2499
ABBOTSFORD

West Oaks Mall 853-0066