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Vancouver is the prime West Coast entry point to Canada. To get there, visitors can drive up from Seattle, fly in, or take a bus or train. Vancouver is an intriguing modern city, but the attraction everyone goes on about is the Capiliano Suspension bridge. Take the Seabus, the cross- harbor ferry, to the north shore to visit it, or drive via Lion's Gate.

This pedestrian bridge is scary, but in a good way. It sways slightly as you cross it, above a river canyon that sinks more than 230 feet below you. Reassuringly, the sturdy railing is shoulder high. Around you are the tall Douglas Firs and fragrant Cedars of a temperate Rain Forest. The air is soft and moist. All of this is minutes from town. When you get to the other side of the 450 foot long bridge, you are rewarded with a network of walkways among the crowns of trees. You get a true birds-eye-view of the forest. The attraction also features totem poles and other artifacts, and performances by descendants of the first inhabitants of British Columbia.

If you take the Seabus back to town, you'll arrive at the base of the Harbour Lookout Tower, where you can take a fast elevator up to watch the sun go down over a sparkling city set among mountains, forests, the Fraser River, the harbor, and the sea.

If you have the time, you can take the train to Montreal, passing through the splendors of the Rockies, and the abundance of the plains.

Montreal might be in another country. By city charter, the official language here is French. Of course, French is one of the official languages of Canada, but you almost never hear it in Vancouver. Montreal is one of the largest French-speaking communities in the world. Set on a hilly island, it's laced with stunning architecture ranging from historical gems like Notre Dame de Montreal to ultra-modern wonders like Habitat 67, and filled with charming parks and quaint streets. An urban park covers most of Mount Royal, right above downtown. Montreal is a gorgeous place to visit in fall, when the leaves change.

Another Canadian city you can visit by train is Churchill, and it is also possible to fly there. No road goes to Churchill Manitoba yet.

Churchill is where polar bears gather on the shore. The best months to see the bears are October and November, while they wait on Churchill's peninsula for thick ice to form on Hudson Bay so that they can hunt. In summer, there is whale-watching in Churchill's estuary, and in early spring through summer tourists come for bird watching. Winter brings the Aurora Borealis if nights are clear. Several established companies help eco-tourists enjoy the wildlife in comfort and safety. Churchill is also a working port, exporting Canada's grain to Europe through its only major arctic port. The world is changing fast, and anyone who wants to visit Churchill should plan to visit fairly soon.

http://vancouver.com/
http ://www.canada.com/cityguides/m ontreal/index.html
http://www.c hurchill.ca/

Learn more about this author, Janet Grischy.
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