Harrison Hot Springs, March 2011

Harrison Hot Springs


We're here again. It's a favourite week end retreat. So close to Vancouver. Such friendly people. Yesterday we walked along the lake front twice then wandered through the township. I had the camera along and wanted to take pictures of birds. Got a nice shot of a buffalohead duck on the river,

The high winds though had Gilbert's ears flying. The swimming pond is frozen. Spring is late this year. The last two years I've come up the first March weekend on my motorcycle. No 7 highway is such a great bike ride.  There was snow in the shade then it snowed again last night. Just a sprinkling, though . We've had room service at the Executive Hotel from Rocamole's Restaurant next door. Great steaks and in the morning eggs benedict. Truly decadent. A fine pot of coffee brought to the room. I felt like a rock star. Forgot how much fun room service breakfast was. It's been that long.

Today we had breakfast at our favourite place, Lakeside Cafe, looking out on the boardwalk around Harrison Lake. Gilbert stayed in the car as his mobile kennel. Some old guy with a basset hound walked by. Both had bellies dragging. Gilbert loves the smoked salmon “Indian candy” I bought off the street vendor. Gilbert's just woofed at me, again, “more, sir”. Never saw a dog look more starved than when you put away the Indian candy.

I've been in the public hot springs. Not many out on Friday. Just a few in the pool. Think it's only been full with children and old people once when I've been there. All the years I've been coming it's been laid back and mellow with lots of room to sit and meditate in the warm hot mineral water. There's talk of fixing up the pool. It's such a fabulous building. High wood ceiliongs. Great wall of window view. I never noticed that it's showing a bit of age till someone said that they were thinking of renovating it.

Certainly the Harrison Hot Springs and Spa Resort we often go to is elegant. The public pool is more like a public pool but it's hot springs mineral water. I never hang around for as much as an hour. Soak for a half hour and sometimes get out and soak again. But some people laze away the day. It's so soothing. I've heard of so many people who come to live here to be near the waters. Several campgrounds and RV parks in the town alone. As well as all the houses and cabins.

There's fishing and boating and a freshwater marina. I've enjoyed canoeing on the lake in summer but my friends love sailing here. Others catch fish but I've not been that dedicated. There's grouse and deer in the hills around. I've 4x4'd into the back country and hunted in the fall using the town as a base camp for daily excursions. A lot younger I've tented in the snow hunting and sure enjoyed stopping at the public pool on the way home to get rid of the aches and pains of mountain hiking.

I think I'll read some and nap some. Laura says she's going to have a bath. That should go on for a while. Gilbert's pretty good at sleeping up beside me when I'm reading. Right now though he's come by and leaning out from the bed took a lick of my ear. That's his way of saying, “if you are thinking of having some more Indian candy, count me in !”