Harrison Hot springs

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Monday November 12 was a public holiday in Canada (remembrance day), so we went for a drive to Harrison Hot springs for something to do. It is a town based around a natural hot spring, about an hour and a half inland from Vancouver.

The hot springs were revered as a "healing place" by the indigenous Salish and were apparently "discovered" by a trio of gold miners returning from the Gold Rush of 1858. At some point in their history they were ‘exploited’ by a resort that now owns access to the natural resource and offers it back to the public at a price. You can stay in their resort and pay about $100 for access to three different pools and a bed, or you can be a lowly member of the public and pay about $7 for a soak in the ‘public pool’. Needless to say, we chose the cheaper option. The pool itself, though far from in its natural state, was nice and relaxing, and had big windows where you could see the storm swept ‘beach’ (Lake). In summer people dip in the cool water of the lake and then come and soak in the hot pool, and keep going back and forth till their circulation is pumping happily.

It was worth the drive. Good company (Cass and Jo). Good food. Cass, it seems, is even more food focussed than I, would you believe, and goes nowhere without a picnic of feasts. She made a scrumptious eggplant curry and a macaroni and cheese dish (from a secret Canadian recipe.) The pool attendees let us feast at the pool’s side as it was a little too chilly for a picnic outside, so that was nice of them. Quite a surreal place for a picnic, on the side of a public swimming pool, chowing down sumptuous curry to the aroma of sulphur and chlorine.

It was great to check out a bit more of the interiors BC landscape and drive through the farming country that sustains the city that we live in. It was very pretty, and we witnessed the best sunset yet.

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Photos

Cass and I
Getting in touch with our outlaw heritage. (I assume we both have outlaws in our genetic background somewhere)

Harrison Lake
At 60km long, it is BC\'s largest body of fresh water. Too cold for swimming in right now though.

Cass and Jono
In front of Harrison Lake

Cass
defining relaxation

So Canadian
It is through the car window, so sorry for the blur - but selling corn on the side of the road was just so quaint and perfectly Canadian, I had to take this picture.