Yes I know, this blog is about my adventures in Spain, but as a side no
te, I can't resist putting up photos of wonderful Canada!!After lots of beachtime, festivals, food and drink in the Spanish style summer, we headed back to Vancouver for a 3 week visit with friends, family and the loveliness of Canadian outdoors.
We left Spain the beginning of September and after hitting Portugal and the US (with lots of hassle of course....), we made it into Seattle where my parents picked us up. At various points along the way, we thought we would miss the connection, since we had to rush around trying to figure out where to get boarding passes, and now when you arrive in the US, you have to transfer your own baggage to another belt that's about 75m away from the place you picked up your bags. Go figure. =P
The first few days were all about adjusting, relaxing and spending time with my family. We went to lots of different places to show Ruben the fantastic variety of eats there are in Vancouver, and he was blown away!! He was adventurous and by the end of it all, he had tried a large amount of strange and yummy things (including feet of various sorts--brave boy!). :)
A sampling of eats through the trip (you all knew I was going to put food photos on here, come on now!!):
Chinese~
Barbecued meats and jellyfish!!
Noodles and dumplings Shanghai style
Dim sum--baskets of yumminess
Hotpot, AKA Chinese fondue involves a variety of ingredients
Japanese~
Sushi isn't just about maki rolls!
The tiger eye is watching you....
Japanese tapas, AKA izakaya, is more popular than sushi these days!
Canadian??
This year's abundance of Sockeye salmon was met with applause from all!
Countries hit on this culinary whirlwind tour include: Japan, China, Thailand, Vietnam, Ethiopia, Switzerland and that's just skimming the surface of Vancouver's endless offerings! We just didn't have time to get to Malaysia, Greece, France, Italy, Ukraine, Singapore, India, Afghanistan, Korea, Mexico, Argentina, Brazil, Lebanon.............................. ;)
Besides eating, we of course did the usual sightseeing things (it had been a while since I had been to various places):
Grouse Mountain~
"The Peak of Vancouver"
We went up the hard way though--via the infamous "Grouse Grind"--a steep, 2km hike that takes you from the bottom to the top of the mountain, an elevation gain of about 870km. It looks like a walk in the park, but trust me, it's tougher than it looks!!
Average completion time 1.5 hours, and we made it in under that, despite various breaks! It is a cause for celebration for sure!!
Of course we had to pay a visit to the resident Grizzlies up top--they weren't super amused to see us all, and just went about their own business...
All he wanted to do was have a look in the mirror and a wash, but he was followed along every step....
The views from the top are amazing and worth the sweat and suffering... ;)
There are fun lumberjack shows on top as well.....
Downtown Vancouver~
One day, we took the Skytrain out into Vancouver (our metro is elevated, hence the "sky" part) and of course, we had to "drive" ourselves there, since there is no driver on board!! (Everything is automated from the control centre and the trains aren't wheeled on regular tracks, but light rail--in fact, it's the longest automated light rail system in the world, according to the authorities.)
Checked out the public art through town
Historic Hotel Vancouver reflected in the glass, near the Olympic clock in front of the Vancouver Art Gallery--site of protests and demonstrations of all sorts
The central library of Vancouver, built in the style of the Roman Coliseum
A walk along the water to check out the new convention centre (green roof and all) and just relax while enjoying a stroll along the seawall 
Watching the seaplanes take off and land
The Inukshuk at English Bay--a symbol of guidance of the Inuit people of Nunavut, in the north of Canada
English Bay beach is a bit bare today, despite the sunshine
A popular stop in Stanley Park, the third largest urban park in North America, and the "jewel of the city" :)
Totem poles are distinctive for each First Nations group--which animals, how they are grouped and the colours used (except here) tell a different story
It'd be cool to live in a little colourful house on the pier....maybe for a short while only
The Lions Gate bridge links downtown Vancouver and the North Shore, with the lovely local mountains in the backdrop
Kitsilano beach~
We also went for a nice stroll in Kitsilano (where health food and yoga rule) and relaxed beside the beach
Granville Island~
Granville Bridge, one of the three that connect downtown Vancouver to the rest of the city. Underneath is Granville Island, home to workshops and galleries of artisans of all sorts
People live in some cool little places along Granville Island--complete with private dock for their luxury watercraft...ooh la la....
Chinatown~
One of the entrances to Chinatown
World's most-narrow building with its glass sidewalk
Steveston~
Fisherman's wharf at Steveston, an area in southwest Richmond
People were snatching up the cheap and delicious sockeye salmon
Fresh, big and great however you want to cook it!
Ice-hockey time~
Traffic in front of the hockey arena (see my explanation of the Skytrain above)
Partied with the super fans at an NHL game--nothing like the atmosphere of it all to get your adrenaline flowing!
It was a pre-season game that night between the Calgary Flames and our Vancouver Canucks (Canuck=Canadian). Not many big names were out playing, since they were resting up and giving a chance to the young guys to show what they got.
Unfortunately, they didn't have much to show and we lost to the Flames..... (we're in blue)
During TV time-outs, a group of superskaters (sponsored by Mike's Hard Lemonade....not sure why...) came out to clean the ice quickly and efficiently.
Of course, with a truly-in-the-know-local leading the way, we also did some not-so-typical sightseeing things:
Buddhist temple~
Visiting the Buddhist temple in Richmond
Offering some incense to the gods
Quite a lot of visitors, despite the renovations in the main building
Additional zone of tranquility in the already peaceful temple
Harvest time~
Mmmm....sweet and cheap corn!!
Impressive array of colours
It's meditative and rewarding to pick your own blueberries! We managed to get only a small amount since it was the end of the season, and so the nice man gave it to us for free. No point charging us a few cents for them--they were small but super sweet!
The Tri-Cities~
Rocky Point is a popular area to visit in Port Moody, but for the locals mostly. We stood admiring the calmness and soaking in the silence of the early morning, as some sailboats were coming in...
Asian customs~
Asian supermarkets, malls, restaurants, shops etc are everywhere in Richmond. Here we stood amazed at the speed that this guy was "dancing"....Watch this video so you can see the sweat and intensity for yourselves....
Besides eating and sightseeing, we also made discoveries, learned a few things.....
International relations
Salmon isn't just salmon--you have to specify which species you are referring to! And we all know Pacific ones are better than Atlantic... ;)
Shall I say that this was a discovery or something we learned? We didn't discover or learn anything besides that this exists downtown
...and caught up with some friends along the way....
Semi-complete group reunion, after a few years now! Guess how many countries are represented here??
Grandma is really happy with her fish dinner! :)
Well, when the resources are limited, you gotta improvise...
We missed the first party, but the boys are still eager to celebrate with good eats and balloons!
Some friends are of the non-homo sapiens variety....
It's hard to eat seafood without getting your fingers into it....
This little guy was working furiously--shoving cones into his mouth, racing into the forest (probably hiding his stash somewhere) and then scrambling back out to repeat this several times. It was like he was in a race or something...and the fact that he climbed out onto the limb of one tree, swaying madly in the wind, to break off branches (which came hurtling down towards us) first, made us appreciate his diligence even more. He knew exactly what to do to release the cones for gathering in the next step of harvest. Smart!!
Aha, another Spanish connection!
We took one week to hit the Canadian Rockies, which span across the border of British Columbia and the next province to the east, Alberta. Here we explored thoroughly two of the National Parks, Banff and Jasper, and all that they had to offer (it was a lot!).
First though, we went through the Okanagan, an area in BC known for its fruit and wines:
The famous Okanagan Lake is huge, and stretches 135km from Vernon down to Penticton, with many more important cities along the way, such as Kelowna, Westbank, Summerland, and Peachland, which is where we were in this photo.
The calm waters and mountains in the backdrop make for a peaceful setting
We rented a condo to stay in Penticton, and it was beautiful and a great deal! The place had big beds, well-equipped kitchen, great bathrooms, a bbq and lots of CDs, books etc. Highly recommended if anyone is interested in a getaway out that way.
Of course we had to go see the estate of Mission Hill, but we didn't go on a tour there. Just a look around at the land was enough....
...because we went further along and enjoyed the views and ambience at the smaller, cuter, and cozier (personal opinion here) Quail's Gate Winery. They've expanded since I was last there a few years back, but the views are still spectacular and peaceful!
After an informative tour (I learned lots about the winemaking process since I knew very little before!), our guide led us through a tasting of various wines, including tips and tricks to really pick up the smells and flavours.
Reflection of the tour group in my glass
One night, we bought lots of fruits and vegetables and cooked up a feast. We ended the night with a lovely, juicy blueberry pie--much to everyone's delight! :)
From there, we drove eastward and after quite a few hours, crossed over into the next province of Canada, Alberta, where we started off in Banff National Park. We explored it thoroughly and then split off from Tanja and Janine, who rented a car to spend more time in the wilderness and take in a canoe trip up in northern BC, in Prince George. Ruben and I continued northbound to Lake Louise, then Jasper National Park and breathed in the cool mountain air (quite cold at times, actually!), smelled the trees (and animals), gasped at the views and relaxed in some of the most breathtaking places Mother Nature has to offer in Canada. The Rockies are by far one of the most incredible things that Canadians have to be proud of!!
Main themes in the Rockies:
Lakes~
Moraine Lake, Ruben's choice from all that we saw, in various shapes and sizes. Here is the typical shot with the brightly-coloured canoes. Unfortunately it was all hazy and the views weren't as spectacular, and the water wasn't as picture-perfect as in the brochures. :)
The famous Lake Louise
We went back the next morning and it was clearer, hence the "crowd" compared to yesterday...still not the best day for the perfect photo, but hey, nature does what it wants, when it wants! :)
My favourite lake, Peyto Lake, a glacier-fed gem hidden away, just a short trek up from the parking area. The colour is actually that brilliant turquoise colour!! It was amazing! Thanks to Janine for the tip, or we may not have stopped...though lots of tourists knew about it....
Near the town of Jasper, we went to see the Valley of the Five Lakes, a short hike around to see five lakes that supposedly were all different in colour. This one is quite a darker green...
...and this one is more turquoise, but distinguishing amongst all five was difficult...
Maligne Lake in Jasper National Park was large and lovely as well. Our last attempt at renting a canoe to explore a lake was foiled, as we arrived in the afternoon and they had closed up, since it wasn't high season for tourism anymore. We tried unsuccessfully at Moraine Lake in Banff as well! :(
We did enjoy the tranquility of the lake though, and it was quite deserted since the boat tours were finished for the day. Here you see two of the ones that take you down the other end of the lake on a cruise (1.5hrs) to Spirit Island. We thought $55 was a bit much for a cruise to see an island, despite how cute it looks....
Mountains~
Within the town of Banff
A picturesque lookout point
Yes there was snow!! I said it was cold, even though it was September!!
Pyramid Mountain--obvious why, right?
Making new friends~
Surprise! Nibbling lunch right beside us on the sidewalk in Banff
People have been pulling too hard...
A Spanish koala in Canada?!?!
Can you see someone in there?
Just going for a leisurely walk near Maligne Lake
This easy-going Mountie was all too happy to pose for photos
Driving along in Jasper, we came across a "traffic jam"--people had stopped to run down to the middle of the river to watch the wildlife....
Shhhh...the family is resting!
At first, we weren't sure if they were elk or caribou or whatever, but we did some research and found out how to distinguish them. They are elk (unless someone says I'm horribly mistaken....) lounging and enjoying the peace and quiet.
One of the young ones went wandering around, trekked out towards the water, and starting doing its business.....now that's nature un-edited!
The male watches over the group
Driving along further, we encountered another mini-traffic jam. In the mountains, this is usually an indicator of wildlife. We smelled them before we saw them--stinky mountain goats!!
Which way do we go?
Showing us their white bottoms
The story of the silly squirrels:
We saw many of them along the way and of course they are such a common sight that I didn't think anything of it. But that wasn't the case with Ruben--"Look, a squirrel!!" They are cute, though they are everywhere, but they made it onto the new friends list because we saw some of the funniest, most-hardworking bunch ever! This one for example, was sitting on a rail furiously scarfing down bits of this cone. You can see the progress from full cone to partially-bare. A lady walked by and it freaked out a bit and scurried onto the tree behind, but then came right back to the same spot and kept munching away as soon as she was a metre away.
The before picture
Almost there!!
The after picture--remnants of the cone and various bits--see how clean the stalk is! (Or maybe it's called a stem or something completely different....)
Later on in Whistler we saw another one racing in and out from the walking path, gathering seeds to store somewhere. When there were none left on the ground, it scurried up a tree, out on a precariously swaying branch, and starting breaking off bits of it and dropping them to the ground. Then it raced back down, stuffed a cone in between its teeth (still with needles attached to the branch) and ran to put it away. It was unbelievably methodical and hilarious to watch!
Other impressive water-related sights~
Athabasca Glacier
Lots of warning signs to be careful of fragile areas and not go out-of-bounds!
We're not sure what this crazy was doing on the other side of the fence....
The water isn't THAT cold in Canada!
On the return from the Rockies, we looped around and powered through Kamloops and arrived in Whistler late the same night...lots of driving but we figured it was better to spend a night closer to there than wander around with nothing to do in Kamloops all night. The curves and darkness of the section between Lillooet and Pemberton had me worried, especially with the wildlife running around, and the rain.... Such is the story of this trip--rain during the most treacherous drives and the hazards of animals surprising you on the road!
It was a beautiful day the next day and we walked around to explore how things had changed since the Olympics. Whistler was pretty much the same, though with some construction and bits of Olympic remains such as the 5 rings:
The self-timer only gave us 10 seconds to get ready....
A quiet time in the centre of the village
Throughout the Rockies trip, we saw lots of people from various places. Of course many US tourists, and others from out-of-country, but we also spotted many Canadians from around the country. So many, in fact, that we started taking photos of the different licence plates. We didn't manage to find one from every province and territory, but we got close--only 5 remaining and they are far away! Here is the selection, in order from west to east (starting north with the Yukon):
After a week in the Okanagan, Rockies and Whistler, we spent the last week of the trip catching up with family and friends, and did more exploring in Vancouver. The last day of the trip before flying back to Europe, we took the bus down to Seattle. (Word of advice: the Amtrak bus is much cheaper and faster than the Quick Shuttle. The trains were sold out and I don't know how much they were, but the Amtrak bus left the same bus station as the Quick Shuttle and made fewer stops.) The border crossing was amazingly fast--20 mins for a bus full of people and we didn't get asked anything! We arrived to relatively good weather, wandered around the city, saw the port, the football stadium (there seemed to be good ambience in there with a game going on), Pike Place Market, the downtown and the old town.
Seattle Seahawks stadium
Going crazy for giant ice cream!!
The first ever Starbucks coffee shop
Famous Pike Place Market--no fish-throwing today because we got there late and they were closing down already...
Then we grabbed our bags, took the light rail train towards the airport and called the hotel for pickup. They have a good system there, with phones connecting you to the hotels and bays for waiting for shuttle service outside the airport. We stayed at the Days Inn near the airport and it was great--a big comfy room, jacuzzi (!), free breakfast buffet (with lots of variety and make-your-own waffles too!) and free 24hrs airport shuttle.
In total, we were away for just over 3 weeks and it flew by....but it was lovely and fun, even for the local, who hadn't seen certain places for a long time! :)
No comments:
Post a Comment