The Britannia mine museum and a bakery that is worth a long drive

I can’t deny that most trips we go on as a family are triggered by a bakery, store or a coffee shop; it’s always some delightful little place I’ve seen and have to visit because time as I know it has threatened to stop until I figure out how to get myself there as soon as possible to see it for my own eyes. (Oh social media has been like the ultimate travel bait for me!) Our most recent trip to Whistler was motivated by two places:  we missed Purebread when we were last in town and I heard my great-grandpa had worked at Britannia mine and I wanted to see what it was like for him to work there so long ago and show my kids the Britannia Mine Museum.

So when I wrote this, Purebread moved from Whistler Village to a little spot near a bouncy trampoline place in Function Junction and it’s still adorable just smaller and a little off the beaten path and Function Junction is such a cool area to explore. (In 2018 it’s back in the village and there’s one in Downtown Vancouver too!)

There are so many pastries that I get overwhelmed but in the same way Audrey Hepburn might have felt in Tiffany’s (I want them all. I. WANT. THEM. ALL.)

I usually pick something banana and I tried something called ‘crack’ that I’m craving to go back and try again. You know how that goes.
So we were lucky enough to enjoy our pastries on the gorgeous drive between Whistler and the Britannia mine and it made for a scenic and delicious breakfast.

The Britannia Mine  Museum thankfully was in the Vancouver entertainment book so we saved a little bit of money.
And we arrived minutes before a tour so it was pretty perfect timing.  I think the tours are every 45 minutes between 10am and 4:30pm but this could change.  (Check the website.)

We put on our hard hats and listened to the safety tour and were almost ready to start our journey on the train when I realized we were going down a mine.
A deep mine into the center of the dark of the earth.
We might never escape.

‘I am not doing this anymore.’ I told our guide. I was done. I removed my hat. I did not want to be a miner.
‘Are you worried? It is very short and there are exits everywhere. Just tell me if you get anxious. You can do this!’
She seemed sweet and not-scary, so I sat back down and put on my mining cap.  I didn’t tell her that I had thought we were actually going deep into the mine, but I felt reassured enough to go on.
And it turned out this tour was not frightening after all. We went horizontally, not vertically and no one was lowered into a deep dark hole in a bucket like I imagined. (We recently watched Goonies and this must have triggered this idea.)

But it was amazing to think that many years ago, my great-grandpa came to Canada all the way from Japan and worked here for a little while.  He must have been pretty brave.  He may have even used this double-toilet that the guys got to peek into.  (Thank goodness it’s not usable any more but this also has the potential to be the ultimate twin-potty-training tool)

The guys didn’t really realize the significance of their great-great-grandfather working here but they had a fabulous time panning for gold and pretending they were miners too.

We could have spent a whole day trying to perfect our technique at the Britannia Mind Museum and the hubby and I got quite competitive trying to find the most ‘gold’.
It’s incredible to think that we still rely on mining for so many things that we take for granted.  And I hope that Purebread comes to Vancouver soon so I don’t have to trek so far for it next time.  We love Whistler but it’s a lot easier to get to Vancouver from Seattle.)

(PS. the Britannia Mine is a great stop for kids on the way to or from Whistler, BC)

Terumi

Terumi Pong is a Seattle-based family travel writer and mom of twin teenage boys.  She loves coffee and pastries, shopping local and looking for greener ways to live.  She is also known as Scout’s mom (Scout is a 5ish pound little black yorkie-poo)