Nanaimo, British Columbia, Canada

They love tourists in Nanaimo, especially as there are only a handful of cruise ships that stop here each year.  2013 is no exception with only 7 ships.  We will be the only ship in port on September 15^th!  The new cruise terminal was completed in 2011; before this, ships had to tender passengers to shore.

I contacted the downtown management board of Nanaimo and got a nice response.  Tourism Nanaimo will be at the cruise ship terminal to welcome passengers and advise them of the things the city has to offer. They will give you a come ashore package with lots of information, maps, coupons and so on in it.  There is a free shuttle that navigates the downtown and has four different stops in Downtown Nanaimo.   The first stop is on Front Street, steps away from the scenic Harbor Walkway. The second is just off Commercial Street voted the best street in Canada. The third takes you into the Old City Quarter where there is an array of little shops and cafes. Finally the bus stops on Victoria Crescent, home to the China Steps. Then it is back off to the cruise ship terminal.  Passengers are welcome to hop on and off the buses as they please.  There are two information booths in the Downtown, one on Front Street and the other in the Old City Quarter, to help guide passengers and advise them on what to do and see. 

Nanaimo (pronounced na-NYE-mo), is located on Vancouver Island in a protected harbor setting. It's the gateway to some wonderful scenic and cultural opportunities such as the thriving Cowichan Valley wine country, First Nations compounds, world class dive sites and salmon fishing opportunities, to name a few.

The downtown area is very walkable. From the cruise ship terminal to the old city quarter is probably about 15-20 minutes. 

Victoria’s “pickle boats” will be in operation and provide a fun way to see the island from the water.  

The Dinghy Dock Pub, Canada’s only floating pub, is a great spot for a brew & a bite. It's located on Protection Island, a ferry hop away from Nanaimo. By the way, I just love pubs called Dinghy Dock - there's one in St. Martin that's a favorite of mine!

And last, but not least, while in Nanaimo, you MUST have a Nanaimo Bar, the pride of Nanaimo!  It’s a bar dessert that supposedly originated in here.  It requires no baking and consists of 3 layers: a cracker crumb and chocolate base, a custard flavored icing and topped with a chocolate coating.
Download the self-guided Nanaimo Bar Trail Guide and try some of the many varied concoctions built of the this tasty treat!  Hint: it may be difficult not to overindulge!

Recipe for Nanaimo bars that I found online; I'll be making this soon!

Bottom Layer
½ cup unsalted butter (European style cultured)
¼ cup sugar
5 tbsp. cocoa
1 egg beaten
1 ¼ cups graham wafer crumbs
½ c. finely chopped almonds
1 cup coconut
Melt first 3 ingredients in top of double boiler. Add egg and stir to cook and thicken. Remove from heat. Stir in crumbs, coconut, and nuts. Press firmly into an ungreased 8" x 8" pan.
Second Layer
½ cup unsalted butter
2 Tbsp. and 2 Tsp. cream
2 Tbsp. vanilla custard powder
2 cups icing sugar
Cream butter, cream, custard powder, and icing sugar together well. Beat until light. Spread over bottom layer.
4 squares semi-sweet chocolate (1 oz. each)
2 Tbsp. unsalted butter
Third Layer
Melt chocolate and butter over low heat. Cool. Once cool, but still liquid, pour over second layer and chill in refrigerator.

If we were to be in Nanaimo in July, we could perhaps attend the world famous bath tub races!  You can learn more about the bath tub races at the Great Race website.

For more information on what to see & do, visit these websites
www.dnbia.ca  and www.tourismnanaimo.com