Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/375613
Several years ago, we visited the charming village of Lynden in Washington State with friends. You indicate that the touch of Holland comes from the Pennsylvania Dutch ["Weekender," Summer 2014] who settled there in the 1800s. Sorry, but that is incorrect. The Pennsylvania Dutch are a cultural group formed by early German-speaking immi- grants to Pennsyl vania and their descen dants. The majority of these immigrants origin ated from what is today south- western Germany, i.e., Rhineland-Palatinate and Baden-Württemberg. The German dialects spoken by these immigrants fused into a unique dialect known as Pennsylvania German or Pennsylvania Dutch (Penn- sil faanisch Deitsch). "Deitsch" is itself a local variant of the modern German word "Deutsch," meaning "German." In this context, Pennsylvania Dutch does not refer to people from Holland or their descendants. Regardless, a trip to Lynden is worth- while. We can highly recommend it and hope to do it again soon. K. & B. Hoenisch, Vernon Editor's reply: Our thanks to all of the sharp- eyed readers who kindly pointed out our incorrect reference to the Pennsylvania Dutch in our recent article on Lynden, Washington. As many readers have noted, Lynden's early townspeople included a number of settlers of Dutch descent, whose influence can still be felt in the town's enduring Dutch character. Some hailed from Holland and others from elsewhere in the U.S., but these settlers nonetheless had no connection to the "Pennsylvania Dutch" of German origin. Steam Power I was reading your Summer 2014 issue of Westworld when I came across an article called "Old West Outlaws" ["Fresh Trax"]. It claims that the only one place in B.C. where you can "hear the sound of thun- dering hooves and the chuffa-chuffa- chuffa of an authentic steam locomotive" is in Summerland. In Port Alberni on Vancouver Island, there is a 1929 Baldwin steam locomotive train that travels on a regular basis to McLean Mill, a National Historic Site where you can ride the rails, complete with a train robbery from the "Beaufort Gang" on horses and in costumes. It is a beautiful 35-minute ride through Port Alberni and surrounding country areas, as well as going by a winery. Once you get to the mill, there are tours, a demonstration of a working sawmill and a dramatic presentation of the history of McLean Mill. This is a very popular tourist attrac- tion and all of our company has been on the train. More information may be obtained at the Alberni Valley Heri tage Network. A. Baumgartner, Port Alberni Editor's reply: Our "Fresh Trax" article had incorrectly indicated that the Kettle Valley Steam Railway provides the only opportunity in B.C. to ride an old-time steam locomotive alongside costumed train robbers. But we've since learned otherwise, thanks to all the readers who were quick to alert us to the Alberni Pacific Railway. The steam train operates year-round, with appearances by the Beaufort Gang train robbers on select dates in the spring and summer. You can find the schedule and more details online at alberni heritage.com To comment: Email us at westworld@bcaa.com or kmah@canadawide.com. Or write us at Westworld Letters, BCAA, 4567 Canada Way, Burnaby, B.C. V5G 4T1 (fax: 604-268-5565). Letters may be edited for length and clarity. Want the inside scoop? Wh e n i t comes to travel, there's no better guide than some- one who's actually experienced your chosen destination first-hand. So, in this issue, we explore the Big Apple in the company of Chris Taylor, a former Vancouverite who has lived in New York City since 2000. In "The New New York" (page 18), Taylor uncovers the best ways to enjoy the iconic city like a true local, from a remarkable museum few tourists have encountered, to a secret way to tour the waters around Manhattan without spending a dime. Closer to home, we check out the Adams River's legendary salmon run with writer Darryl Leniuk, who wit- nessed the record-breaking sockeye run in 2010 and shares his insights into this natural phenomenon in our cover story, "The River Runs Red" (page 24). We also follow along as frequent Westworld contributor John Lee gives in to his wanderlust on two separate jaunts. First, he pops down to San Francisco ("Weekender," page 8) for a quick weekend getaway in the city's colourful Mission District, checking out everything from authentic taquerias and vibrant street art to an unusual new restaurant that doubles as a mini- golf course. Back on this side of the bor- der, Lee heads to the Okanagan for a stroll along Vernon's lively 30th Avenue ("The Street," page 16) in search of downtown's most interesting indie eat- eries and shops. And for a taste of something differ- ent, we sent local adventurer Masa Takei off to the mountain town of Golden for a walk on the wild side – accompanied by wolves, no less. Takei shares his eye- opening wildlife experience with us in his "Fresh Trax" piece on page 10. We hope you enjoy the reading and, as always, look forward to hearing your thoughts. Kim Mah, Editor editor's note mailbag Dutch, Not Deutsch 6 W e s t W o r l d >> fa l l 2 0 1 4