Issue link: https://digital.copcomm.com/i/61584
thrashed about on the receiving docks and where Japanese women and other ethnic groups, gutted and scaled a variety of salmon. At the nearby Brittania Shipyard, also a National Historic Site, one can tour the oldest shipyard buildings in British Columbia and observe ongoing restora- tion of historic wooden vessels.The ship- yard also showcases residences and stores from a time when boatbuilding was a flourishing industry on the Fraser River. If visiting, be sure to tour the Chinese Bunkhouse, which can be rented out for events and learn the bittersweet story of Asayo Murakami, a Japanese woman who was sent to the U.S. by her prominent first husband's family when she did not pro- duce a male heir. The independent "picture bride" would refuse to marry a new husband found for her in Richmond, working off her purchase price by working in a salmon cannery. She would later find hap- piness with a fellow cannery worker and have eight children before being forced to leave Richmond after the Japanese bombing of Pearl Harbor. Lunch that day would be at the Terra Nova Sharing Farm, a delightful local farm operated by the city and managed by Chef Ian Lai, who connects Richmond school students with the Earth, the community around them and agriculture, in general. Students learn to grow, harvest and eat nutritiously under his guidance, and some of Richmond's most acclaimed restaurants maintain gardens at Terra Nova. On my visit, I got to make flatbread under Lan's tutelage, using a variety of wholesome ingredi- ents, including quinoa, pumpkin seeds, teft and red fife wheat grown on the land. Charismatic and passionate about sustainable living, Lan creates everything from dandelion wine to honey, which can be purchased by the public. My next stop was the iconic Richmond Olympic Oval, home to Hotel, located on the banks of the Fraser River , and featuring a 138-slip marina. The Delta Vancouver boasts 22 fully equipped function rooms and is home to Cessna, the resident Lab, who can be taken out for walks, and who "tweets" and gives updates to friends on Facebook. My Richmond stay included a drag- onboating lesson on Friday at the John MS Lecky UBC Boat- house, a unique and memorable setting on the Frazer River that hosts receptions, corpo- rate meetings, recep- tions and team build- ing. If visiting, you may be lucky and snag coach Michael Kava- ngh, a delightful Irish- man, who'll turn you into a competent drag- onboater in the twin- kling of an eye, whether your goal is fun or com- petition. Richmond offers op- portunities to explore a variety of faiths, and its "Highway to Heaven" No. 5 Road, includes a variety of worship places, including the Thrangu Monastery, widely regarded as the most exquisite example of traditional Tibetan architecture in Canada. Richmond also of- fers a variety of excel- lent accommodations, ranging from the Hilton and Radisson hotels to the Best Western long track speed skating events dur- ing the 2010 Olympic Winter games, Designed for legacy, the Oval wel- comes 40,000 visitors a month and is the recipient of numerous architec- tural and sustainability awards. Programs range from in-group fitness classes and yoga to pilates and bas- ketball. I ended my day with dinner at Pier 7 at the Delta Vancouver Airport Abercom Inn and the Fairmont Vancouver Airport Hotel. The Fairmont is a distinctive, state-of-the-art hotel designed with the luxury traveler in mind. Featuring 398 guest rooms, the Fairmont is the only soundproofed, luxu- ry hotel and spa within Vancouver's International Airport. For more information on Rich- mond's destination highlights, visit www.tourismrichmond.com. Black Meetings & Tourism March/April 2012: www.blackmeetingsandtourism.com 29