The island has a variety of wildlife including deer and raccoon.

Salt Spring Island is located approximately thirty-five miles southwest of Vancouver. You may take the Vancouver ferry (outbound) to the Island; however, first making stops to Galiano, Mayne, and Pender Islands.

The south end of the island brings out the creative side of people, as there are a great number of artists in the area.

The island's visitors spend time hiking, bicycling, beachcombing, bird watching, picnicking, swimming, kayaking, or browsing the boutiques and antique shops found in Ganges and Fulford Harbor, the island's southern port.

April through October finds weekenders visiting the Saturday Market: A farmer's market and craft bazaar located in Ganges' waterfront Centennial Park.

The island is 75 square miles. Its former name was Admiral Island in memorial to Rear Admiral Robert Lampert Baynes.

The following places are suggested as "must sees" when visiting the "artsy," peaceful and natural island of Salt Springs.

As mentioned previously, the Saturday Market is held in Centennial Park, Ganges, from October through April so if visiting during those months, place the Saturday Market on your travel itinerary. You may find out more about the Saturday Market and all it has to offer by visiting their website.

The next suggestion is to take a Studio Tour, on your own, exploring various locales on the island (with no commitment to buy). A map may be attained for such purpose by visiting the Ganges tourist office. Additionally, more information may be devised (regarding the Studio Tour) by visiting their web address.

An artistic place to visit is Mosaic Tile Works located at 185 Arnell Way.

If you enjoy dried flowers then you will want to stop into Everlasting Summer located at 194 McLennan Drive.

The Tufted Puffin Gallery is the perfect place to purchase beautiful and collectible quality birds made out of bronze, stone and clay (materials). Find the establishment at: 340 Scott Point Drive, Ganges.

The island is full of outdoor activities so you will want to take advantage of the opportunity. The best place for hiking (walking) can be found at the Island's Ruckle Provincial Park (located at the end of Beaver Point Road.) The park is a truly unique experience: There are old pear and apple trees and turkeys roaming about the area.

The Heritage of Salt Spring Island, a Map of Treasures is a suggested bookstore purchase. Herein you may be able to rundown numerous ‘unmarked' beaches, trails and cycling routes.

You may receive guided paddling by way of kayaking to the outlying islands: three kayak operators offer such services.

Island Escapades located at 161 Fulford-Ganges Road will be pleased to take you to "hidden" beaches. Find them on the "web" at: www.islandescapades.com. Sea Otter kayaking is another operator located at 149 Lower Ganges Road; and, on the internet, at www.seaotterkayaking.com and third is Salt Spring Kayaking. Their physical address is www.saltspring.com/sskayak.

An interesting kayaking is Chocolate Beach known for the Chocolate Lilies that "show up" there each spring.

Shopping is an "art form" in Salt Spring Island. The artisans work together through Artcraft, a craft fair that lasts all summer at historic Mahon Hall. The address is 114 Rainbow Road, Ganges. Visit them on the "web" at: www.artcraftgallery.ca. Here you will find ceramics, jewelry and more.

The Thunderbird Gallery located at Grace Point Square Ganges (Internet address: www.thunderbirdgallery.com) provides works of world-class artists and in unusually high number.

During your stay, you will want to find some great accommodations along with some interesting cuisine. Following are some recommended establishments:

Hastings House located at 160 Upper Ganges Road, (on-line: www.hastingshouse.com) offers five course menus in a beautiful English country house style setting. The suggested dinner item is the lamb. Accommodations include suites in a turn of the century farmhouse and what formerly was a Hudson's Bay Trading Post. There are seventeen rooms on the property and one cottage. The stay includes breakfast and tea.

Another place to stay is Old Farmhouse Bed and Breakfast located at 1077 North End Road. Their web address is: www.bbcanada.com/oldfarmhouse.) The establishment provides a choice of four rooms and one cottage. The stay includes breakfast.

Restaurants in the area, worth a visit include the following:

Calvin's Bistro is located at 133 Lower Ganges Road. Check them out on the "web" at: www.calvinsbistro.com. Another eatery is Restaurant House Piccolo. The physical address is 108 Hereford Avenue, Ganges. Get a better idea of what this restaurant offers by visiting them on-line at www.housepiccolo.com. Lastly, The House Café may be to your liking. Find them at 106 Purvis Lane, Ganges.

For more information, in general, about Salt Spring Island you may wish to write or visit the Salt Spring Island Visitor Center located at 121 Lower Ganges Road. Their web address is: www.saltspringtoday.com.

Salt Spring Island is not the only Gulf Island: there are four other "popular" islands you may wish to visit:

Galiano Island provides forty miles of road for biking. Montague Harbor Provincial Park is great for camping making the island an appropriate family destination. Hikers may wish to trek up 1,000 foot high Mount Galiano.

Mayne Island is home to mostly artists and sheep. Historically, gold rushers inhabited the Isle in the nineteenth century. There is no camping on the isle so it is suggested you book reservations with a local hotel or bed and breakfast prior to your trip.

Pender Island, during prohibition, was an escape for gangsters like Machine Gun Kelly. Nowadays, you will find writers and artists inhabiting the island. There are isolated roads for biking and camping at Prior Centennial Park. Beaumont Provincial park may be reached by sea. You must reach Saturna Island by way of ferry transfer. Hikers may enjoy venturing up Mount Warburton Pike and sandy beaches are found at Winter Cove Marine Park. You will need to make bed and breakfast reservations since camping is not available.

In conclusion, a visit to Salt Spring Island will prove peaceful, relaxing, artistic and very rewarding.

Quesadillas

Quesadillas is the first Mexican food I have ever tasted. It is also the top of my favourite Mexican food. The ingredients of Quesadillas are chicken, potatoes, refried beans, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, black pepper, salt, butter and mushroom. In some part of the Mexico, cheese is also added. Quesadillas is also a part of Mexican culture and tradition. If you live in Mexico or go to Mexico, you can easily find Quesadillas in every restaurants, stadiums and theaters.

Tortilla

Tortilla is made from finely ground maize or wheat flour. It is one of the symbols of Mexican kitchen. Tortilla is a kind of omelette which is made with layers of eggs and sliced potatoes. Tortilla is made not only in Mexico but also in Panama, USA, South America and Central America. Eggs and potatoes are main ingredients of Tortilla.

Gaspatcho

Gaspatcho is one of the popular Mexican soup. Unlike Quesadillas and Tortilla, Gaspatcho is served cold. The ingredients of Gaspatcho soup are tomatoes, green pepper, red pepper, cucumber, olive oil, bread, salt and vinegar.

Tacos

Tacos is one of the traditional Mexican food. Tacos is made from corn flour, meat, chicken and mince. All these ingredients are mixed in a special pot called Taco. Most of the time, Tacos is mixed with spice.

This frantic seasonal rush is naturally the economic mainstay of the Pitiuses (Ibiza and its tiny sister island Formentera). But tourism couldn't do it alone. Las Salinas (the salt pans), next to the airport on the southern tip of the island, have been in use for at least 2500 years.

The first people to discover Ibiza were the Carthaginians in the 7 th century BC. They realised that the Mediterranean island was the perfect trading post for their empire, and must have been rubbing their hands with glee when they discovered its precious natural resource.

Salt had always been much prized. The "white gold" was used as a currency in some cultures, and was still being heavily taxed in the Middle Ages.

The Carthaginians constructed salt pans to extract the mineral from sea water through natural evaporation during the hot summer months.

Ibiza was also perfect for the merchants for other reasons. The city was well-fortified (the old town still has an impressive wall, although this dates from much later), and had a large, deep harbour (the giant cruise-liners still dock comfortably).

In the 9 th century AD it was the turn of the Arabs, who stayed for nearly 500 years. Apart from fishing and agriculture, it was again salt that kept the local economy growing.

By the Middle Ages, the lucrative salt trade was still going strong. Scandinavian fishermen would stop here to stock up enough supplies to preserve their catch during the long journey home. Northern Europe is still the main importer of Ibiza salt.

So how does the process work? Local climatic conditions mean that the amount of evaporation is always higher than the amount of rainfall. The sea water sits in the pans until enough has evaporated to leave a concentrated brine. This goes through a series of crystallizing stages which leaves the salt deposited on the sides of the pans. It's then raked up and piled into a soggy mountain which drips back into the pool at its foot. When as much water as possible has run out of the bottom of the mountain, the salt, now beginning to look much whiter and shinier, is moved to a drier site. Anyone who's flown into Ibiza airport may have wondered why there's an iceberg by the beach. And here it waits for the boats to arrive.

Las Salinas doesn't only justify itself on economic grounds. The surrounding area has been designated a Nature Reserve because of its unique eco-system. The shrubbery and pine forests are home to over a hundred species of birds. Its protected status should, at least, shield the area from the constant construction that is still blighting the rest of the island.

The adjacent beach of Las Salinas is one of the best and most popular on Ibiza, with crystal clear sea that is the trademark of the Pitiuses. The Nature Reserve status has also prevented this strip of white sand and rocky inlets from being colonized by the rows of hotels that have taken over nearby Figueretas and Playa d'en Bossa.

Nowadays how much salt we eat is, of course, a matter of personal taste or medical advice. But Ibiza wouldn't have thrived without it. The salt pans of Las Salinas are one of the many fascinating features of this varied and enduring island.