In a world concerned with pollution, Canada’s...

In a world concerned with pollution, Canada’s Far Western corner (British Columbia) remains refreshingly unchanged. Covers more territory than Washington, Oregon, California combined. B.C. offers tours to small fishing villages, deserted beaches, shelter coves, wooded islands. Norwegian-like fiords flow from coastal mountains. Visitors explore B.C.’s famed Gulf Island near Vancouver. Beyond Vancouver, mountain peaks/ranges reach out for 700 miles. B.C. is an all-season land. Skiing in autumn, winter, spring. Valleys as green as Killarney. Gathered in the folds of mountains are ghost towns, lakes, rivers. With Vancouver as a starting point, one of B.C.’s popular circle tours ranges up the Fraser and Thompson rivers, down through the Okanagan Valley and back to Vancouver via the Hope-Princeton Highway. It can be done on a leisurely weekend--a 700-mile journey that recalls a more relaxed world, an innocent past.

Details from Tourism British Columbia, 2600 Michelson Drive, Suite 1050, Irvine 92715, (800) 663-6000 or (714) 852-1054.

Biking: More than 600 biking/walking vacations are listed in a new 92-page catalogue published by Backroads Bicycle Touring of Berkeley. Tours (two to 16 days) take in the United States, Europe, Asia, the Pacific. Riders are given a choice of mountain or touring bikes. Coming up are weekend and five-day walking specials in Northern California’s Pt. Reyes Peninsula and a 12-day bike tour for high school students to Bryce, Zion, Grand Canyon national parks. Other trips for seniors. Additional choices: camping/inn tours from Baja to Washington’s Puget Sound. One ride along California’s Big Sur coast is attracting other vacationers. Overseas, Backroads is scheduling tours of France, Ireland, Italy, England, Bali, Australia, New Zealand, China, Thailand. Year-round departures. Meals/accommodations included.

Copies of the 92-page catalogue are free from Backroads Bicycle Touring, 1516 5th St., Berkeley, Calif. 94710-1740, (800) 245-3874.

Hotel Discounts: A company in Boulder, Colo., specializes in hotel discounts for travelers visiting New York/Los Angeles. Express Hotel Reservations lists dozens of properties. Economy to deluxe. No charges for their service. Commissions are earned by EHR from the hotels themselves. Founder James Dick got the idea while checking into a hotel in New York five years ago. “I noticed the guest next to me got the same room for 20% less--just because he was from a big company,” says Dick. “I thought, this isn’t fair. I asked myself why individuals can’t get the same break.”

That’s when Dick launched Express Hotel Reservations to represent ordinary travelers. Currently, EHR books more than 100,000 room nights per year. Customers get corporate discount rates. In some cases, there’s an additional 10%-20% saving. New York hotels include the Waldorf-Astoria, the Hilton, the Embassy Suites, the Parker Meridien.

Call Express Hotel Reservations at (800) 356-1123.

A Slow Boat: Continental Waterways (the first company to offer barge cruises in France) is 24 years old this year. Service began aboard the Palinarus, a converted barge serving Burgundy. I booked passage several years ago. A slow boat to nowhere in particular. At one point, I disembarked and rode a bicycle (provided by Continental) to a pleasant little village where the barge tied up that night. It was springtime and the meadows were scarlet with poppies. A river flowed through town. Locals invited passengers to join them for wine. (Who said the French aren’t friendly?) After the Palinarus cruises got under way in 1964, other barges joined the fleet. In Paris, passengers are met by Continental representatives, transferred to their barges by minibuses. Cabins with private baths. American-style bars. An English-speaking crew. A couple of the barges feature air conditioning. Next summer, Continental intends to introduce a cruise boat on the Seine that will sail south from Paris to Joigny, the gateway to Burgundy. Excursions by bus to Giverny, Versailles, Vaux-le-Vicomte, Sens, Auxerre, Chablis.

Details from Abercrombie & Kent, 1520 Kensington Road, Oak Brook, Ill. 60521, (800) 323-7308.

Money Belts: Barbara Mars of California Map Center in Santa Monica writes: “In your Nov. 17 column you told about the necessity of money belts in Spain and other destinations. Please tell your readers we carry a complete line of money belts for the shoulder, bra, sock, leg. We have two different waist styles. We also carry a complete line of travel accessories--adapters, converters, electrical appliances, inflatable pillows for the neck and back, water purifiers. These and other items. We take phone orders and love browsers.”

California Map Center, 3211 Pico Blvd., Santa Monica 90405, (310) 829-6277.

A brochure describing security wallets is available from Ralph Slocum, c/o Warren of California, 416 W. San Ysidro Blvd., Suite K-23, San Diego 92073, (619) 575-0523.

Breakfast With Mozart: Here’s a new twist to the B&B; scene: On selected Sundays, concerts are offered at Bill Florian’s Spring Oaks B&B; at Running Springs. This is high up in the San Bernardino Mountains. Selections from Mozart, Bach. Harpists, flutes. On other occasions, Florian features blue grass, blues concerts, folk music, story-tellers. Florian entertains as well. His Spring Oaks B&B; is surrounded by oaks/pines. Three rooms with country appeal. Breakfast, afternoon wine/cheese. Live folk music by the fireplace. Guests do side trips to Lake Arrowhead, Big Bear. Winter sports at Snow Valley Ski Resort. Both cross-country/downhill skiing. Says Florian: “Sometimes you can even see the ocean from our house.”

Spring Oaks B&B;, P.O. Box 2918, Running Springs, Calif. 92382, (714) 867-9636. Rates: $95/$130.

Potpourri: For only $15 a night, travelers can book a room for two, including a buffet breakfast, at Don Laughlin’s Riverside Resort Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, Nev. The offer is for this month and next (Sundays through Thursdays). Call (800) 227-3849 . . . Republic Day in New Delhi (Jan. 26), including grandstand seating for the big Independence Day parade, will be featured in a 13-day tour of India by World Travel Consultant: (818) 507-7813 . . . An updated foreign currency guide is available by sending a stamped, self-addressed No. 10 envelope to Reusch International, 1925 Century Park East, Suite 240, Los Angeles 90067 . . . Rocky Mountaineer Rail Tours is scheduling 60 train departures between Vancouver/Jasper, Vancouver/Banff and Calgary during 1992. Brochures available by calling (800) 665-7245 . . . Guests spending five nights at the Acapulco Princess Hotel in Mexico between Jan. 1 and April 18 will receive two extra nights on the house (breakfast/dinner included) by calling (800) 223-1818.

Reader Recommendations

California--Ray and Betty Hickman, Santa Maria: “Lost Whale B&B;, 3452 Patrick’s Point Drive, Trinidad, Calif. 95570, is absolutely superb. Rates: $85/$120.”

Vermont--Cyrell and Harry Schwartzbaum, Los Angeles: “Thomas Mott Homestead, Blue Rock Road, RFD2, Box 149B, Alburg, Vt. 05440, is on Lake Champlain. A beautifully decorated B&B.; Rates: $50/$65.”

Colorado--Doris Larson, Arroyo Grande: “Enjoyed Franklin House, 1620 Franklin St., Denver 80218. Our room for two cost $40 per night.”

Italy--William and Gene Kaula: “The best of a dozen places on this summer’s trip to Italy was Castel San Gregorio, a rebuilt medieval castle between Assisi and Perugia. Address: Castel San Gregorio, 06081 Assisi, Italy. Rates: $143 for two, including room, dinner, breakfast.”

Ireland--Sheila Adams, Pasadena: Millwater House B&B;, Bandon Road, Ballinacurra, Kinsale, Ireland. A new farmhouse with private baths. Full English breakfast. Rates: about $23 per person.”

England--Dr. June Cocheau, Westchester: “Kumba Guesthouse, Chudleigh Road, East The Water, Bideford, Devon EX39 4AR. Rates for one: $30.”

We regret that only a select few recommendations can be used. They must be brief (typewritten or printed). Only one recommendation per reader, please. Note: Recommendations will not be used unless prices and addresses are included.