Canadian Adventure 2010
Saturday, May 29
We left London Gatwick after staying overnight at the Holiday Inn on the periphery of the Airport. The hotel would keep our car for 16 nights and overnight prior to the flight for two was quite convenient with the bus departing from the hotel every 15 minutes for the 15 minute drive to the terminal. We flew from London Gatwick departing on Sat 05/29 at 10:30AM to Calgary Canada arriving on Sat 05/29 at 12:45PM with Thomas Cook Airlines Flight No. TCX26K. We had upgraded to a Premium Cabin - Seat Nos. 05A and 05B as we felt that a journey of 4 hours or more is worth the extra money for comfort alone.
We arrived on time and were greeted by my second cousins whom we had never met before, Alana and Vernon Alvis. What a wonderful welcome to Canada and to meet my Aunt Nellie’s grandson and his wife. We escaped to a local hotel for lunch and a long animated family conversation with a promise they will visit us next year. We were given picnic presents and one of the best things I could receive a copy of my Aunt Nellie’s story as a young bride leaving Abbots Leigh for the open spaces of Canada with her brave new husband after the First World War.
At the Airport we picked up our Hire Car from Hertz, Hire Car – (Hertz Calgary Airport) cost £179 - included upgrade and to insure two drivers on a one way trip dropping car off in Vancouver) a Toyota Corolla – plenty of room for two with two large suitcases. Having got lost on a major perimeter road around Calgary and with the weather at 1 degree and snowing we eventually made our way to Banff arriving about 2 hours later. Settling in the Banff Caribou Lodge (2 nights £160). This was our first trip to Banff and the staff at Caribou Lodge helped to make sure it was a pleasant and enjoyable experience. From the moment we arrived, the staff on reception were very friendly and helpful. The main lobby of this hotel is really welcoming with everyone wanting the seats around a real log burning fireplace. Parking is underground with elevators to take you to the lobby then to your floor.
Our room was the perfect traditional sleeping spot for resting our weary selves after a tiring day sight seeing. The queen sized bed was comfortable, the TV, tea and coffee facilities and were very welcome. The bathroom was quite adequate and all in good order.
The lodge is located about a ten minute walk from the town centre, which we walked, but you can get free bus tickets for the ride on the Roam Bus into town or to the car park of the Gondola.
The Lodge offers a friendly welcome and comfortable accommodation. It has 195 rooms all with TV, telephone and traditional maple furniture. There seems so much to see and we wanted to get the best from our two days there. That evening we explored the town and found a restaurant to eat. Everywhere there were the most wonderful views and vistas. The town is right in the middle of the mountains which serve as a good base from which to explore Banff National Park. Bear in mind you have to pay an admission to the park and the toll may come as a surprise. You will need to display your ticket on the windscreen of your car. The cost was $19.60 per day so for our 4 days in the Park we coughed up $78.40. Not counting the tourists, Banff town site’s population is about 7,500. It is situated in a particularly scenic spot, ringed by mountains. It has lots of hotels and shops, a few museums, and over 200 restaurants! Because it's inside a national park, the federal government restricts the growth of the town and who is allowed to live in it. That said, Banff town site does have some of the amenities of a normal town - a hospital, schools, churches. With the Gondola and hot springs, it seemed too much to do in just 2 days bearing in mind there is a whole world of Banff National Park outside of the town to places like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake and Johnston Canyon but we would cover most of these on our travels to Jasper.
The Lodge offers a friendly welcome and comfortable accommodation. It has 195 rooms all with TV, telephone and traditional maple furniture. There seems so much to see and we wanted to get the best from our two days there. That evening we explored the town and found a restaurant to eat. Everywhere there were the most wonderful views and vistas. The town is right in the middle of the mountains which serve as a good base from which to explore Banff National Park. Bear in mind you have to pay an admission to the park and the toll may come as a surprise. You will need to display your ticket on the windscreen of your car. The cost was $19.60 per day so for our 4 days in the Park we coughed up $78.40. Not counting the tourists, Banff town site’s population is about 7,500. It is situated in a particularly scenic spot, ringed by mountains. It has lots of hotels and shops, a few museums, and over 200 restaurants! Because it's inside a national park, the federal government restricts the growth of the town and who is allowed to live in it. That said, Banff town site does have some of the amenities of a normal town - a hospital, schools, churches. With the Gondola and hot springs, it seemed too much to do in just 2 days bearing in mind there is a whole world of Banff National Park outside of the town to places like Lake Louise, Moraine Lake, Peyto Lake and Johnston Canyon but we would cover most of these on our travels to Jasper.
Sunday 30 May 2010
After a comfortable night at the Caribou Lodge and a huge buffet breakfast we set out to explore some more. We headed for The Banff Gondola which provided an easier alternative to the hike up the mountain which was being undertaken by some brave souls who were obviously a lot fitter than us. The cost of the Gondola may seem a little expensive approximately $28 USD. The ride itself took 8 minutes with breathtaking views of the surrounding mountains and downtown Banff including the Banff Springs Hotel looking like a fairy castle in the distance. The elevation gain is roughly 700m or 2300 ft between the car park and the top, with an overall elevation at the top of around 7500 ft above sea level. At the top there is the usual tourist shop and a choice of restaurant or cafeteria and the climb from the restaurant to the observation terrace makes for the most stunning views. One can also choose to hike along a boardwalk to the apex of Sulphur Mountain to the north of the gondola where you can see the old weather/cosmic ray station that used to function there. The views here are unbelievable, and from the top you can look northeast and see Mt Brewster - 2,859 m (9,380 ft); Cascade Mt - 2,998 m (9,836 ft); Mt Aylmer - 3,163 m (10,375 ft); Tunnel Mt - 1,692 m (5,550 ft). To the east you'll see Banff downtown, the brilliant glacial blue Bow River and even Bow River Falls. After lots of photographs and a trudge in the snow around the restaurant area you will feel exhilarated and the cost – well worth it.
Just 5 minutes walk across the car park is the Upper Hot Springs just so close to the Banff Gondola and is an excellent place to relax. We decided to give this a try and paying our entrance fee were given a fresh towel and changing into our swimming apparel ventured outside to the pool. The temperature in the pool a wonderful 39 degrees and the feeling became quite surreal looking at the mountains with snow falling on our heads. This is a ‘must not’ miss opportunity. Here you can soak in the wondrously hot waters surrounded by beautiful mountain vistas - a great way to relax. The Banff Upper Hot Springs really is a large, open-air pool supplied with water from the Banff hot springs. It isone of nine different naturally occurring hot springs in the area. The hot spring water flows naturally through the Sulphur Mountain Thrust Fault the flow rates fluctuate seasonally with snow melt, with highest flows in the spring and lowest during winter.
Having revived in the pool we dressed and headed down tothe Banff Springs Hotel. This is one of the most
famous & photographed hotels in Canada. It's built in an eclectic architectural style sometimes referred to as "Scottish baronial".The Fairmont Banff Springs or simply the Banff Springs Hotel is a former railway hotel. The original hotel, designed by American architect Price, was built between spring of 1887 and 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, at the instigation of its President, William Cornelius Van Horne. The hotel was publicly opened on June 1, 1888. Starting in 1911, a wholly new hotel was built in stages to replace the 1888 structure. The new hotel was designed by another American architect, Walter S. Painter. Compared with Price's Shingle style-influenced wooden structure, Painter's new hotel was built of concrete and faced with stone.Visitors like us who were non hotel guests were allowed to wander through the hotel and at the back on the terrace there is a superb view of Mount Rundle with the Bow River flowing below. Another ‘Kodak’ moment is the “Surprise Corner" view of Banff Springs Hotel: follow Buffalo Street in Banff up the hill to come to the parking lot for this roadside viewpoint. You have to walk back about 200 metres to a wooden platform once you've parked your car, but the amazing view of the Banff Springs, with the river below and the slopes of Sulphur Mountain above, is definitely worth it. Morning is the best time for photos.
famous & photographed hotels in Canada. It's built in an eclectic architectural style sometimes referred to as "Scottish baronial".The Fairmont Banff Springs or simply the Banff Springs Hotel is a former railway hotel. The original hotel, designed by American architect Price, was built between spring of 1887 and 1888 by the Canadian Pacific Railway, at the instigation of its President, William Cornelius Van Horne. The hotel was publicly opened on June 1, 1888. Starting in 1911, a wholly new hotel was built in stages to replace the 1888 structure. The new hotel was designed by another American architect, Walter S. Painter. Compared with Price's Shingle style-influenced wooden structure, Painter's new hotel was built of concrete and faced with stone.Visitors like us who were non hotel guests were allowed to wander through the hotel and at the back on the terrace there is a superb view of Mount Rundle with the Bow River flowing below. Another ‘Kodak’ moment is the “Surprise Corner" view of Banff Springs Hotel: follow Buffalo Street in Banff up the hill to come to the parking lot for this roadside viewpoint. You have to walk back about 200 metres to a wooden platform once you've parked your car, but the amazing view of the Banff Springs, with the river below and the slopes of Sulphur Mountain above, is definitely worth it. Morning is the best time for photos.
Monday 31 May 2010.
We head off from Banff to eventually reach the town of Jasper but with lots of stops on the way on our journey along the Icefield Parkway. We have planned an itinerary and noted the major highlights of the Icefields Parkway, with a first stop at Lake Louise not so far from Banff. Lake Louise is a beautiful turquoise lake rimmed with mountains and has become a Canadian icon. Accessible year-round, but the lake may be frozen from late October to early June as it was when we viewed it albeit the classic turquoise colour was quite apparent. A paved pathway (wheelchair accessible) follows the lakeshore for a considerable distance and well worth the walk. Lake Louise, was was named after the Princess Louise Caroline Alberta (1848-1939), the fourth daughter of Queen Victoria, and the wife of Sir John Campbell, who was the Governor General of Canada from 1878 to 1883. The emerald colour of the water comes from rock flour carried into the lake by melt-water from the glaciers that overlook the lake. The lake has a surface of 0.8 km2 (0.3 sq mi) and is drained through the 3 km long Louise Creek into the Bow River.
The eastern shore of the lake is dominated by Chateau Lake Louise, one of Canada's grand railway hotels, a luxury resort hotel built in the early decades of the 20th century by the Canadian Pacific Railway. Again this hotel is owned by the Fairmont Group and I must say doesn’t do much for this beautiful place. It is certainly not sympathetic to the beautiful natural environment.
We next head for Lake Minnewanka, a glacial lake surrounded by mountains. Small herds of Bighorn Sheep are found in the Lake Minnewanka area. You can choose to take a cruise on the lake or walk along the lakeshore to Stewart Canyon (level paved trail, 1.4 km), or splash your toes in the freezing water on a hot day, do an overnight hike to Devil's Gap (25 km), have a picnic (picnic tables & picnic shelters provided), or check out the many stops on the Lake The Minnewanka driving loop, such as the site of the long-abandoned Bankhead mine and town, Johnson Lake, Two Jack Lake, and the Cascade Ponds (a favourite swimming area). Lake Minnewanka is a 10-minute drive from the town of Banff and is accessible year-round, but the lake itself is frozen from around mid-November to late May.
Our next stop is Johnston Canyon where Johnston Creek rushes over two waterfalls in this narrow stone canyon. The Lower Falls is accessed through a dramatic natural tunnel; the Upper Falls has a dramatic high viewpoint. The paved trail to the Lower Falls is wheelchair and stroller/pushchair accessible trail (1.1 km one way); the trail is unpaved for the additional 1.6 km from the Lower Falls to the Upper Falls. From the Upper Falls, it is 3 km further to the Ink Pots, several cold bubbling mineral springs. Here we saw elk grazing at the side of the road.
We next stop at Moraine Lake a magnificent glacial lake and its Valley of the Ten Peaks which graced Canada's $20 bill from 1969 to 1979.
We next stop at Moraine Lake a magnificent glacial lake and its Valley of the Ten Peaks which graced Canada's $20 bill from 1969 to 1979.
Now we near the highest point of the Icefield Parkway, Bow Summit, with its magnificent view of PeytoLake a glacier-fed lake It was named after Bill Peyto, an early trail guide and trapper in the Banff area.
The lake is formed in a valley of the Waputik Range, between Cauldron Peak, Peyto Peak and Mount Jimmy Simpson, at an elevation of 1,860 m (6,100 ft). During the summer, significant amounts of glacial rock flour flow into the lake, and these suspended rock particles give the lake a bright, turquoise colour. Because of its bright colour, photos of the lake often appear in illustrated books, and area around the lake is a popular sightseeing spot for tourists in the park. We saw the lake from Bow Summit, the highest point on the Icefield Parkway. The area was well covered in snow and made the trek from the car park to the view point quite difficult with a good 18” of snow. However the trek was well worth the view point.
The lake is fed by the Peyto Creek, which drains water from the Cauldron Lake and Peyto Glacier(part of the Wapta Icefield), and flows into the Mistaya River. Between here and Bridal Falls we spot a brown bear busily eating at the side of the road.
On we go to the Saskatchewan River Crossing is a junction between Icefields Parkway and David Thompson Highway. It was named "The Crossing", when travellers and fur traders used this spot to cross the North Saskatchewan River on their way to British Columbia in the 1800s.
It lies as the confluence of the North Saskatchewan River with Howse River and Mistaya River in the Canadian Rockies and The warden Station there is the starting point for tours on the Columbia Icefield and other scenic hiking trails. We needed to refuel the car here as it is the only place offering basic amenities between Lake Louiseand Jasper, including fuel, a restaurant, gift shop, and lodging.
We continue our journey and will see some more highlights on our return trip in a couple of days.
We now head for Medicine Lake located approximately 20 km (12 mi) southeast of the townsite of Jasper. Medicine Lake is approximately 7 km (4 mi) long and is a relatively shallow lake. The lake is part of the Maligne Valley watershed which is mainly glacial fed.The Lake is a geologic anomaly in the sense that it is not actually a lake but rather an area in which the Maligne River (flowing from Maligne Lake into the Athabasca River) backs up and suddenly disappears underground. During the summer months during intensified meltwater runoff the lake (which during the winter months is a meandering frozen river) fills to levels which fluctuate over time and with the runoff events. Much like a bathtub that is filled too fast for it to drain, it becomes laden with water (lake) until it can slowly drain as the tap flow (runoff) is reduced (river). The underground system is extensive and during the 1970s researchers used a biodegradable dye to determine the underground river's extent. The dye showed up in many of the lakes and rivers in the area to the point where it became clear that the underground system was one of the most extensive in the world. Again there is a lot of wildlife and we spot numerous elk around the lake.
We arrive at the town of Jasper through one of the most picturesque parts of the world. Jasper is located in the Athabasca River valley, at the confluence with Miette River. It lies between the Victoria Cross Ranges (northwest), Pyramid Mountain (north), Maligne Range (southeast) and Indian Ridge (southwest). Jasper is connected to the west via the Yellowhead Highway and the Yellowhead Pass to Prince George and to the east to Edmonton. We have just travelled about 180 miles from the south along the Icefield Parkwayfrom Banff through Banff National Park.Jasper townsite has a population of approximately 4,500 and is primarily a tourist resort town; it also serves as a maintenance depot for the Canadian National Railway Company. The CN employees inject into Jasper's population an element of authenticity that would not be there if it was purely a touristtown. Again some wonderful scenery and we see the Rocky Mountaineer train which departs from here.
We head for our accommodation the Château Jasper. Another friendly hotel. Our room was large and comfortable and the position of the hotel on the edge of this small town was ideal. We were able to walk up into the town easily. The restaurant was very pleasant and the breakfasts particularly were excellent. If you did want to eat in the town it is about a ten minute, fairly level, walk. We had a two night stay here and our room had obviously been recently refurbished. Everything worked and was clean. Service at breakfast was good with a good choice from continental to cooked breakfast.
Jasper National Park is a vast territory of mountain wilderness, with highways running through two of the major valleys: highway 16, the Yellowhead/Trans-Canada is the east/west route, and highway 93, the Icefield Parkway, runs south from the town of Jasper, to the Columbia Icefields and then on to Banff National Park and Lake Louise and Banff.
The town is small enough to walk around, but many of the park's most popular scenic attractions are some distance away. We were glad we had a car but there were plenty of tour buses and Brewster Sightseeing Excursions who seem to have the monopoly offering motor coach tours around the Jasper area. The same company offers a Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience, where an Ice Explorer vehicle takes passengers for a tour of the Columbia Icefield which we would experience later.
We fall asleep exhausted this has been a long day but what an adventure.
Tuesday 1 June 2010
After a hearty breakfast at the Chateau Jasper we decide to give the Jasper Tramway a miss as we had already experienced the Gondola at Banff. Today is not very clear so the view may not be too good. The Jasper Tramway is possibly one of the most popular attractions in Jasper. The Tramway is basically just a cable car that goes part way up Whistler Mountain to a restaurant/souvenir shop. Apparently the ride can be spectacular, covering all the mountains near Jasper and the river valleys below, but at $28.00 each for a ticket, it's not much fun if you can't see anything. So we decide to travel to Maligne Lake and take the boat trip across it.
Maligne Lake is located 44 km (27 mi) south of Jasper town site, and is another beautiful drive. We have seen that boat trips run to Spirit Island, one of the most popular sights of Jasper National Park. Maligne Lake is approximately 22.5 km (14 mi) long and is 97 m (318 ft) at its deepest point. It averages 35 m (115 ft) in depth. It sits at approximately 1,670 m (5,479 ft). It boasts a resident self sustaining population of rainbow trout and brook troutwhich we spotted from the bridge at the end of the lake. There were lots of large fish there.
Maligne Lake is fed and drained by the Maligne River, which enters the lake on its south side, near Mount Unwinand takes its name from the French word for malignant or wicked. It is theorised that an early French voyageur created this name in reference to the current of the Maligne River near its confluence with the River. This was not to be our day as the boat trips had not started due to the Lake still being iced up. We saw folks out on boats trying to break it up. It seems the ice melt was late this year and so the tour business was suffering. HoweverMaligne Lake is an exceptional hiking area with a wide variety of trails. Everything from peaceful, short-walks-in-the-woods to steep, steady uphill grinds. All routes have one thing in common however... fabulous scenery. We took an easy walk to the side of the lake and it was magnificent with ducks and birdlife everywhere. We then stopped at Maligne Canyon and spent some time hiking from the parking lot and descending a fair way but coming back up is tough! If we were to start over, we would have gone up first - starting from the 6th bridge - and make our way up to the top. This is a beautiful place which makes you appreciate the force of nature. We then drove on down to the 5thBridge and parked there which is much quieter than the first (where bus tours drop off their passengers). We just walked around the bottom having already been to the top. The trail is steep in places but well maintained and with steps in the trickiest spots. This was an amazing deep and narrow gorge with two spectacular falls on the upper section. Walking over Bridge 5 is good fun as it is a suspension bridge with lots of bounce.
Having driven all the way to Jasper we felt we should visit Mt Robson,British Columbia's second-oldest provincial park and the site of Mount Robson (12972 ft), the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies. The provincial park starts at the west boundary of Jasper National Park, on the Yellowhead Highway. The Mount Robson viewpoint is about an hour's drive from Jasper,so we set off north.
Mount Robson is the most prominent mountain in North America's Rocky Mountainrangeand the highest point in the Canadian Rockies. The mountain is located entirely within Mount Robson Provincial Park of British Columbia, and is part of the Rainbow Range. Mount Robson was likely named after Colin Robertson, who worked for both the North West Company and the Hudson’s Bay Company at various times in the early 1800s. The Texqakallt, a Secwepemc people and the earliest inhabitants of the area, call itYuh-hai-has-kun or The Mountain of the Spiral Road. Other unofficial names include Cloud Cap Mountain and Snow Cap Mountain. Mount Robson Provincial Park, the second oldest park in British Columbia's park system, is truly one of the world's crown jewels. The mountain for which the park is named guards the park's western entrance. At 3,954 meters, Mount Robson, the highest peak in the Canadian Rockies, towers over the lesser surrounding peaks; winter or summer, this is one of the finest views in the Rocky Mountains. Just as the early trappers, hunters and explorers felt in awe at the mountain's magnificence, travellers today experience the same feelings.
With Alberta's Jasper National Park as its easterly neighbour, Mount Robson Provincial Park comprises a portion of one of the world's largest blocks of protected areas. Designated as a part of the Canadian Rocky Mountains World Heritage Site by UNESCO in 1990, Mount Robson provides everything from developed, vehicle-accessible camping to remote valleys that seldom see a human footprint. Mount Robson Provincial Park also protects the headwaters of the Fraser River. From its pristine alpine source, the Fraser River gains strength and size to match any of the world's major rivers. Future generations will surely appreciate the protection of this great river's source within Mount Robson Park. Here we look around the Visitor Centre with superb views of the Mountain. On our return we pass Lake Moose where we see Caribou on the roadside. We return to Jasper and wander around the town before a hearty meal at our hotel.
Wednesday 2 June 2010.
Travellers along the Icefield Parkway should note that, although you do not need a National Parks pass to drive the Trans-Canada Highway through the national parks without stopping, this is not the case for those driving the Icefields Parkway. Even if you don't stop at any point along the parkway, you will still be required to have a pass. There may be a substantial fine if you are caught without one.
We leave Chateau Jasper after a good breakfast and head back along the Icefield Parkway with much to see on our return leg. Today we are heading for Emerald Lake Lodge which has been recommended to us as ‘the most beautiful place on earth’. We shall see in due course. Our first stop will be the Athabasca Falls. Athabasca Falls atjust 23 metres high is not known for its height. Instead it is known for the force of the falling water due to the quantity of water flowing. A layer of hard quartzitehas allowed the falls to cut into the softer limestone below carving the short gorge and a number of potholes. White water rafting often starts below the falls to travel downstream on the Athabasca River to Jasper, Alberta.Athabasca Falls is quite possibly the most popular waterfall in the Canadian Rockies and in my opinion one of the most powerful and impressive in the Rockies. Even if it's not raining, you may still want to wear something waterproof when you visit the falls, or you'll get soaked head to toe from the ever-present spray. This is going to be a day of seeing lots of falls and the next on our agenda is Sunwapta Falls a waterfall of the Sunwapta River located via a short drive off the Icefields Parkway. These falls have a drop of about 18.5 metres. Sunwapta is a native word that means turbulent water. It is most spectacular. There are actually two falls, a lower and an upper one. The one most people see is the upper falls as access is easy. A short hike away is the lower falls which are also quite interesting. We now head for what could be the highlight of our trip along the Icefield parkway.
We drive to The Columbia Icefield Centre. The Icefield Parkway is one of the most awesome highways in the world. It winds its way south from Jasper to Lake Louise and provides incredible glimpses of the glacial Columbia Icefields along the way. The Columbia Icefield Visitors' Centre is a starting point for guided tours and offers a variety of services and amenities to travellers. The centre seems to have everything from lookout points, a restaurant, postal and banking services, public phones and restrooms, gift shop, parking and guided tours. There are interesting slide shows, and exhibit areas.
We have decided we want to go on the glacier and book up for a tour - $102 for both of us which we later thought good value. Although there are excellent views of the glacier from the visitor centre we feel the need to stand on the ice. Looking from the centre everything is microscopic as it must be well over 3 miles in the distance. We get our tickets and get on the bus out to the glacier with a humorous commentary from our driver as to what to expect and a bit of history thrown in. We feel this is a definite must do tour. The huge Brewster snowmobiles that take tourists onto the glacier were designed especially for their unique job. Carrying fifty passengers at a time, the Brewster’s make it possible for anyone to experience a glacier, no ice axe necessary!
We have decided we want to go on the glacier and book up for a tour - $102 for both of us which we later thought good value. Although there are excellent views of the glacier from the visitor centre we feel the need to stand on the ice. Looking from the centre everything is microscopic as it must be well over 3 miles in the distance. We get our tickets and get on the bus out to the glacier with a humorous commentary from our driver as to what to expect and a bit of history thrown in. We feel this is a definite must do tour. The huge Brewster snowmobiles that take tourists onto the glacier were designed especially for their unique job. Carrying fifty passengers at a time, the Brewster’s make it possible for anyone to experience a glacier, no ice axe necessary!
The Columbia Icefield is one of the largest accumulations of ice and snow south of the Arctic Circle; it covers an area of nearly 150 square miles. The Athabasca Glacier is one of eight major glaciers fed by the Columbia Icefield, whose runoff also feeds streams and rivers emptying into the Arctic, Atlantic, and Pacific oceans. Our snowmobile driver Ron has a good sense of fun and humour and gave a good commentary interspersed with a few old jokes especially as we wound down an almost vertical gradient with passengers gasping at the steep descent.
The Athabasca Glacier is a wedge of ice about four miles long and half a mile wide, and the Brewster "Ice Age Adventure" tour takes visitors nearly two miles up the slope in a "Snocoach." Ron our driver makes light of the journey and explains how glaciers are formed and points out interesting geological features. When on the ice field we decant the bus and walk about on ice formed some 400 years ago. It is bitterly cold and the sleet and snow is blowing in at us horizontally. You get a completely different perspective on the glacier. The driver has explained that it is extremely dangerous to walk on the ice field and glacier; every few years a tourist is killed here and we are to keep to the marked out areas. These tragic accidents are often due to following an unofficial "trail" up the glacier made by previous tourists who are ignorant to the dangers of hidden icy crevasses. These are cracks in the glacier, snow covered, which can swallow the unprepared. We thoroughly enjoyed The Columbia Icefield Glacier Experience in the massive Brewster Ice Explorers and the remarkable excursion onto the surface of the Athabasca Glacier. We felt quite safe with our experienced driver-guide, who shared a wealth of fascinating information about glaciers, ice fields and their impact on our environment. The snocoach in itself is a feat of engineering.
Driving further along the Icefield Parkway we spot yet another bear. We do seem fortunate in seeing lots of wildlife. We head for Bow lake one of the many worthwhile viewpoints along the Icefields Parkway. The lake lies south of the Bow Summit, east of theWaputik Range (views include Wapta Icefield, Bow Glacier, Bow Peak, Mount Thompson, Crowfoot Glacierand Crowfoot Mountain) and west of the Dolomite Pass, Dolomite Peak and Cirque Peak. The water, like all Alberta lakes seemingly, is an amazing blue colour. The crowfoot mountain in the far ground gives the lake a nice backdrop.Being herein early June there was still some ice on the water and the water really reflected the snowy peaks. At the southeast end of the lake is a day-use area with waterfront picnic tables and a trail to a swampy area at the lake’s outlet. At the upper end of the lake is the historic Num-ti-jah Lodge. You also get great views of the Bow Glacier from the walkways along the edge of the water.
We now head to Emerald Lake Lodge which has been ‘bigged up’ to us and we are expecting something really special and we were not disappointed. Once you arrive there is nothing left to worry about? You leave your car at a short distance to the hotel in what must have been an old gravel pit and get in the minibus up to the site - so you have no traffic to worry about once you are there. ‘Wow’ - The setting is beautiful and exquisite each chalet has a view of trees and snow and mountains. The blue lake surrounded by trees and mountains is so peaceful. In each room there is a fire ready to be lit with plenty of logs and kindling. Lovely comfy beds are made up, seats by the fire and a perfect little bathroom.
There is a restaurant on site, again plenty of local food good service, not super speedy but again you are not rushed in this place. We were only staying the one night and were already wishing we could stay for longer. What a perfect place to get away from the rat race, calm down, avoid phone calls, televisions and the internet, traffic and remind yourself about what is beautiful and valuable. This is a truly amazing and peaceful place. We ate at the Lodge as there was really no where else without getting the minibus to get the car so we had an evening meal in the lounge bar. The food was simply delicious but a bit pricey.
There is a restaurant on site, again plenty of local food good service, not super speedy but again you are not rushed in this place. We were only staying the one night and were already wishing we could stay for longer. What a perfect place to get away from the rat race, calm down, avoid phone calls, televisions and the internet, traffic and remind yourself about what is beautiful and valuable. This is a truly amazing and peaceful place. We ate at the Lodge as there was really no where else without getting the minibus to get the car so we had an evening meal in the lounge bar. The food was simply delicious but a bit pricey.
The history of the Lodge says that Yesterday's travellers were adventurers in search of the extraordinary. They came by rail and horse-drawn coach to a summer retreat on the shores of exquisite Emerald Lake. Legendary guide Tom Wilson first discovered Emerald Lake in 1882 during the construction of the Canadian Pacific Railway. The CPR built the original guest lodge in 1902. By the mid-1920s the lodge had been expanded and road improvements made it possible to reach the resort by car.
Since then, the Canadian Government has permitted no additional development. Now the area remains one of Canada's most outstanding year-round accessible wilderness settings. Following extensive renovations in 1986, Emerald Lake Lodge re-opened as an exclusive year-round vacation and business destination. The historic Lodge remains the heart of the resort, which is located in Yoho National Park, just 25 miles west of Lake Louise.
Pat and Connie O’Connor opened this beautiful resort in 1986 developing their vision of peace, tranquillity and nature. They have so got it right. Built of hand-hewn timber and featuring massive stone fireplaces, the Lodge includes a formal dining room, quiet reading and sitting rooms, conference facilities and a games room. The lounge is enhanced by an oak bar salvaged from an 1890's Yukon saloon. From upper or lower large verandas, the visions nature presents are as fresh and breath-taking as ever. The historical lodge offers a true escape from the hectic pace of modern life. There are no televisions and no internet access in any of the rooms, and no mobile phone reception in the entire area of Yoho National Park. There is a television, as well as internet access, in the Games Room in the main lodge but who needs that with so much nature outside.
Wednesday, 2 June 2010
We eat breakfast in the Lodge not quite what we expected it was all very posh and lots to choose from the menu. I had a Ham Chop and it was exactly that, a thick, juicy chop, cooked to perfection with two eggs - easy over and the most delicious fried potato with a side of fresh fruit of melon and pineapple. To follow was the best multigrain toast I have ever tasted – what a breakfast! All complimented with a cup of tea served from a heavy art deco cast iron tea pot. Today is not the best of weather so leaving the peaceful haven of Emerald Lake after a walk and some early morning photos was not so much of a wrench as it could have been. We head to a small village nearby of Field. Field has developed into a tight-knit family community of fewer than 200 people from all corners of Canada, many of whom arrived in the area with skis in tow and couldn't bring themselves to leave.
The village artisans, whether their medium is sound, clay, food, or film, have found Field to be the perfect place to hone their craft. Established in the 1880s as a settlement of tents and shacks to house construction workers for the Canadian Pacific Railway, Field soon became a hotbed of activity in the Rocky Mountains. The townsite received its name in honour of Cyrus Field, an American being wooed by the CPR for investment capital; he never did invest. The CPR greatly influenced development in the area by building many of the hiking trails surrounding Field and erecting a variety of mountain hotels, chalets, and guide houses to attract the wealthy tourists who helped fund construction of the railway, which was completed in 1885. In order to stimulate tourism, experienced Swiss guides were hired to escort amateur mountaineers drawn to the thrill of ascending peaks that had previously been inaccessible.
The village artisans, whether their medium is sound, clay, food, or film, have found Field to be the perfect place to hone their craft. Established in the 1880s as a settlement of tents and shacks to house construction workers for the Canadian Pacific Railway, Field soon became a hotbed of activity in the Rocky Mountains. The townsite received its name in honour of Cyrus Field, an American being wooed by the CPR for investment capital; he never did invest. The CPR greatly influenced development in the area by building many of the hiking trails surrounding Field and erecting a variety of mountain hotels, chalets, and guide houses to attract the wealthy tourists who helped fund construction of the railway, which was completed in 1885. In order to stimulate tourism, experienced Swiss guides were hired to escort amateur mountaineers drawn to the thrill of ascending peaks that had previously been inaccessible.
Our long journey begins after leaving Golden when we head for the Kicking Horse Pass (el. 1627 m, 5339 ft) the high mountain pass across the Continental Divide of the Americas of the Canadian Rockies on the Alberta/British Columbia border, and lying within Yoho and Banff National Parks. The pass is of historical significance because the main line of the Canadian Pacific Railway was constructed between Lake Louise, Alberta and Field, British Columbiausing this route in 1880s, in preference to the originally planned route through the more northerly Yellowhead Pass. I guess even those who are unfamiliar with the twists and turns of the Kicking Horse River have probably heard of Kicking Horse Pass, the world-famous road and rail route through the Canadian Rockies. This was a place of scenic splendour and grandeur, marking the Continental Divide between the slopes and watersheds of the East and West, the Kicking Horse Pass has an equally celebrated history. Its chance discovery by the esteemed geologist James Hector, and its subsequent role in the construction of the Spiral Tunnels, one of the world's greatest engineering marvels, have both contributed to its legendary reputation.
Golden’s original town site was used by Major A. B. Rogers as a base camp for his crew surveying what is today Rogers Pass. In attempt to outdo a camp to the east which called itself Silver City, the name Golden City was chosen, to be changed later to Golden.
As it did with the rest of the nation, the Canadian Pacific Railway brought commerce, trade and population to the region. Colourful and rowdy in the beginning, with tales of rum running, gun play and stolen loot (not yet found), this period came to an end as the transient railroad workers moved on to other sites. Those that remained soon settled down to the business of establishing a family community.
Tourism became popular in the early 1900s with the hiring of Swiss guides by the CPR. The lure of fresh, unconquered peaks and the prospect of viewing and experiencing untouched wilderness enticed Europeans and eastern Canadians to fill CPR passenger cars and local hotel rooms. The original homes built were of Swiss chalet design, many of which still overlook Golden. We loved this little village with its pretty church and chalet houses. We parked up and could walk all around in 20 minutes. An interesting name for a bistro – the Truffle Pigs!
Our journey continues towards Rogers Pass this is very different scenery to that we had seen in the Rockies but still so beautiful. Rogers Pass (elevation 1,330 m) is a high mountain pass through the Selkirk Mountains of British Columbia used by the Canadian Pacific Railway and the Trans-Canada Highway. The pass is a shortcut across the "Big Bend" of the Columbia River from Donald, near Golden, on the eastto Revelstoke in the west. . The pass was discovered on May 29, 1881, by Major Albert Bowman Rogers, a surveyor working for the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Heading through the Glacier National Park we arrive in Revelstoke and time for a light lunch. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River.Revelstoke was born when Lord Revelstoke saved the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR’s) transcontinental railway across Canada with last minute financing in the late 1800’s. The 'Last Spike' ceremony to complete the railway took place about a half-an-hour drive East of Revelstoke at Craigellachie in 1885. The town of Revelstoke is perched almost 1,500 feet above sea-level between the Selkirk and Monashee mountain ranges and two national parks.
Heading through the Glacier National Park we arrive in Revelstoke and time for a light lunch. The city is situated on the banks of the Columbia River just south of the Revelstoke Dam and near its confluence with the Illecillewaet River.Revelstoke was born when Lord Revelstoke saved the Canadian Pacific Railway's (CPR’s) transcontinental railway across Canada with last minute financing in the late 1800’s. The 'Last Spike' ceremony to complete the railway took place about a half-an-hour drive East of Revelstoke at Craigellachie in 1885. The town of Revelstoke is perched almost 1,500 feet above sea-level between the Selkirk and Monashee mountain ranges and two national parks.
We look around for lunch and as usual look for somewhere busy – always a good sign. We find the Modern Bakery and Cafe at 212 McKenzie Street with sandwiches of every description and quick meals. This place has such friendly staff and it becomes quite obvious having sat down for a few minutes that folks from the offices and shops nearby stop here for lunch or to pick up a sandwich and coffee. Feeling refreshed we have a look around the town. There is a really quaint cinema/theatre The Roxy (takes you back to your youth!)Built in 1905 as Lawrence Hardware at a cost of $20,000. The original high Victorian facade was altered to the current art deco look in 1937 when it became the Avolie Theatre. It has continued as a theatre building to the present. Painted ads from the original hardware store can still be seen on the top northeast side of the building.
We are now heading for our next overnight stay at Kamloops through Sicamous which in the 1800s was an area inhabited by a semi-nomadic Indigenous nation called the Secwepemc or Shuswaps. They crossed the Rocky Mountains to hunt buffalo on the plains. In this area they were called the "Schickamoos". In 1871, a Provincial Map shows Schickamoos Narrows which in early history was known as a "meeting place of Indians",but again plenty to stop and see on the way especially the pretty Shuswaps Lake with lots of wildlife, birds and squirrels but we do not see any bears here. . We head on through Salmon Arm the so called Heart of the Shuswap! It nestles on the shore of the Salmon Arm Bay of Shuswaps Lake and surrounded by rolling hillsides, Salmon Arm offers shops, service and facilities to meet every need. On we go through Sorrento and Chase to our destination at Kamloops.
Today has been a long journey from Emerald Lake across to Kamloops. Staff at the hotel told us to expect 6 to 7 hours of driving and didn’t seem to think much of that. Well this is Canada with wide open spaces and good roads. Having reflected on this, perhaps, I planned the journey the wrong way and should have left Jasper heading for Mt Robson on Highway 97 then via 100 Mile House to Whistler. Missing out Kamloops would have been no bad thing and we felt no real need to hang about there. However that was not to be. I make a mistake with the address of the Sandman Inn and drive through Kamloops to Sunpeaks obviously a ski resort but many miles out of way. Never mind we have seen a bit more of Canada – perhaps I should have rented a GPS system but Hertz at Calgary said they did not have one. We arrive tired and hungry, keen to book in the Sandman Inn but what is this – It looks rather drab - should we stay here or not. We are too tired to bother so unload our case then head into town to look for a decent restaurant and a hearty meal. We investigate the town and head back to the hotel for an early night. We felt the Sandman was little better than a Travelodge but the rooms were all clean and tidy.
Thursday 3 June 2010
Up the next morning and from the previous night’s recce of the town have spotted what might be a good place to get breakfast – yes as you can read breakfast is important to us as we need to start the day well. We enter a small cafe called ‘Hello Toast’ at 428 Victoria Street, Kamloops. It advertises an innovative lunch menu the world’s best soup, speciality coffees and of course breakfast all day. The atmosphere of this place can't be beaten, with original art for sale on the walls and what really makes it homely are the so happy photos of the owners and their children on the walls and the big plus the food is great – try the multigrain toast. A nice touch was the shopkeeper next door coming in and helping himself to coffee and leaving the money – what a friendly place.
Time to drive on we need to get to Whistler today. Leaving Kamloops we stop at the Visitor Information Centre at the top of the hill near the main Highway 1. I guess most folks would do this when arriving – not us we do things backwards. It was an interesting view point and well worth the visit as they had a free route marked with the places of interest for the whole of the next leg of our journey – ‘who needs a satnav!’. A little further on we stop at the Kamloops Lake Lookout a gorgeous view and you can see the famous balancing rock of Coyote Rock which levitates on spirals of sand. We head through Steelhead Provincial Park, then Deadman River Valley Road to Cache Creek on the Gold Rush Trail. Here we find the intersection of Highway 1 and Highway 99, the beginning of the wonderfully named ‘Sea to Sky Highway. We head for Lillooet – what a strange name but this town certainly looks the part of a Gold Rush town and is known as BC’s Little Nugget. The community and area is known for fishing, gold panning, horse riding and hiking. Founded as Mile 0 on the wagon road leading to the Caribou and Barkerville gold fields, Lillooet was a child of the Gold Rush, like so many Cariboo towns. Serving as a terminus for boat routes across Harrison and Anderson Lakes, at the start of the first Cariboo Road, the town had swelled to almost 15,000 residents within twenty years of its founding. How peculiar to see a golf course here - Lillooet must win First Prize for the most unusual golf course in B.C. (maybe the world?) An enterprising local sheep farmer here has converted the pastures of his scenic farm into an 18-hole golf course. Watch where you step!, as the woolly residents are likely to have added their own unique addition to the list of hazards and obstacles.
We enter the The Lillooet Museum which is absolutely full of displays detailing the communities colourful and fascinating past. Lillooet retains vestiges of its past in the old Anglican Church on Main Street, and its pioneer cemetery. Main Street was built wide enough for the old traders to turn their 20-oxen carts, is said to point exactly due north. Lillooet seems steeped in the memories of yesteryear. All around this area are ghost towns, railways, and old mines.
Yes it is time for a snack and we find opposite the museum the Lillooet Bakery, a German Master bakery owned by Axel and Elke Sterrman at 719 Main Street. It says “I bake from my own original recipes, not from commercial mixes, because I like to stand behind what I make, and I would not know what is put in mixes.”
We head out of town across Bridge of 23 Camels where an innovative Lillooet resident John Callbreath experimented with camels as pack animals, hoping to make an improvement over the oft-stubborn mule. In 1862 he bought 23 camels in San Francisco for $300, and shipped them to Lillooet to work in the Gold Rush. While efficient they might be their tender feet, bad tempers and foul odour led to the scheme's demise. While the camels were a dismal failure, they nonetheless left a strong impression on townsfolk, as evidenced by their memorial, Lillooet's Bridge of 23 Camels.
Since the construction of the Bridge of the 23 Camels, the bridge built by Royal Engineers in 1913 has been known by local residents as The Old Bridge. The span is a suspension bridge of steel cables and wood, with 'dead men' embedded in the rock banks of the Fraser River. This bridge replaced a truss bridge, which in turn had replaced a winch ferry built in 1860 that was powered by the river current.
Next through really beautiful scenery we head for Mount Currie named after prospector turned rancher John Currie. We soon get to Pemberton named after the surveyor-general John Despard Pemberton who worked for the Hudson Bay Company. Pemberton is just north of Whistler and until the 1960s the village could be accessed only by train but that changed when Highway 99 was built through Whistler (then named Alta Lake) and Pemberton. Only another 20 miles to Whistler which has just hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics? This resort town in the southern Pacific Ranges of the Coast Mountains isapproximately 125 kilometres (78 mi) north of Vancouverand has a rotating "transient" population of workers, typically younger people from be Australia and Europewho work casually in the resort to pay for their sport and travel experiences.
yond BC, notably from
We met two Australian girls at breakfast and they had been travelling for 4 years but spent the last 18 months in Whistler. I commented that it was time for them to return home and get ‘proper’ jobs to which they laughed and said I sounded like their Dads. One told me she paid $900 per month as a third share of accommodation and in order to keep herself she worked as a waitress in a restaurant on about $12 per hour and supplemented this with a cleaning job paying about $8 per hour. She told me that they had a discount on the Whistler Winter Pass and got that for $1500. She was a snowboarder. She seemed to work hard and said it was no good thinking you could travel and just do a few hours work that you really needed to put in the hours. Still she had done the right thing – she had qualified as a teacher before setting off on the travels.
Apparently over two million people visit Whistler annually, primarily for alpine skiing and mountain biking at Whistler-Blackcomb. Its pedestrian village has won numerous design awards and Whistler has been voted among the top destinations in North America by major ski magazines since the mid-1990s. It was certainly a wonderful place to experience and just see the architecture and layout of the resort. In full swing in the winter it must be fabulous. During the 2010 Winter Olympics, Whistler hosted most of the alpine, Nordic, luge, skeleton, and bobsled events, though freestyle skiing and all snowboarding events were hosted at Cypress Mountain near Vancouver. They had built an Olympic Village half way between Whistler and Vancouver with excellent transport links. The village had been purchased during construction by a developer for private housing.
We were staying at the Westin Hotels and Suites – what luxury and arriving at reception we were upgraded to a Queen Suite. Well what a suite – lounge with the largest TV I have ever seen, a kitchenette with every gadget, dishwasher, microwave, full size cooker etc. Do we need to go out the suite is magnificent we just need to relax & unwind. All of the419 residentially-designed suites emphasize comfort and convenience with features that includeda welcoming fireplace, flat panel television, inviting soaker tub, quality-appointed kitchen – and windows that open to fresh mountain air. The hotel is located in Whistler Village just steps from the gondolas of Whistler and Blackcomb mountains.
Now the games are over it seems Mountain Biking is in.
Friday 4 June 2010
We thought the Westin at Whistler was a very special hotel. Entering our suite after dark the most beautiful view from our 9th floor window awaited us. The suite faced the Hilton Hotel, but other chalet type buildings could be seen beyond it. Outside there were views of the mountains and the street which is all pedestrian, just a short walk to the gondola. The Westin seemed to have the grandest lobby in the entire village. The shops within the hotel are open fairly late and managed by some friendly people. Food within the village was excellent.
We now head on for our final destination before the cruise, Vancouver. We drive to Brackendale where I spot a sign about The Squamish River Valley an important wintering area for Bald eagles. This is a residential community just north of Squamish, Brackendale centres around the local arts community. The Brackendale Art Gallery includes a theatre, teahouse and impressive shows and exhibits. On its cedar walls are works from local and visiting artists, and fine Salish carvings. This community also boasts the largest gathering of bald eagles in North America. The art gallery sponsors the annual eagle count each January, drawing international crowds. Nearly 4000 eagles were counted in 1994. Eagles can be viewed from the Tenderfoot Creek Fish hatchery in the Cheakamus Valley down to the Squamish Estuary near downtown Squamish. The eagles start arriving in mid November and stay until mid February, with the largest concentration in late December to January. The most popular view point is the Eagle Viewing Dyke across from the Easter Seal Camp between Squamish and Brackendale.
The bald eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus), is the only eagle unique to North America. The bald eagle's scientific name signifies a sea (halo) eagle (aeetos) with a white (leukos) head. At one time, the word "bald" meant "white," not hairless. The bald eagle is found over most of North America, They flourish here in part because the salmon. Dead or dying fish are an important food source for all bald eagles. Still no eagles for us to see but we acquired information about them and took in the picturesque Squamish River.
Our next stop was Squamish itself a real estate agents dream with beautiful houses in chocolate box settings. There are many good reasons why Squamish is known as the "Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada." A huge variety of outdoor activities are possible at the front door of the community. Squamish is renowned as a world-class location for several of these activities, some of which include windsurfing, rock climbing, and mountain biking. There is a story that the real estate promoters decided on a more ’civilised name’ too attract more investors and renamed the town Newport. The residents did not like this and some years later the PGE railway held a contest inviting school children to select a new name – guess what they chose Squamish!
On through Britannia Beach the historic copper mining community has preserved some of its heritage by the restoration of some of its old buildings. The community first developed between 1900 and 1904 as the residential area for the staff of the Britannia Mining and Smelting Company. The residential areas and the mining operation were physically interrelated, resulting in coincidental mining and community disasters through its history. Today, the town is host to the British Columbia Museum of Mining, on the grounds of the old Britannia Mines. The mine's old concentrator facilities, used to separate copper ore from its containing rock, are a National Historic Site of Canada.
Now we are into Horseshoe Bay marking the gateway to Vancouver from the North Shore. We soon get lost yet once again and find ourselves passing Vancouver. However you can always rely on the arm of the law. I spot two police officers just getting in a patrol car outside of a police station. Once they recognise a brother officer I am taken inside while they print a map and directions from their computer. We are soon on our way to find the Pan Pacific Hotel at Canada Place – you can’t miss it or can you?The Pan Pacific Hotel - This luxury property is Canada's most famous landmark, atop Canada Place affording spectacular unobstructed views. Facilities include 3 fabulous ocean view restaurants and lounges, shops and a luxurious health club & spa including outdoor pool and whirlpool. We were staying just the one night at this hotel which adjoins the World Trade Centre. We had paid for a harbour view and it was very clean and comfortable. There were two king size beds so snugly. Soft large bath robes it was a treat to shower and wear these. It is great to see the sea planes taking off, you can hear the planes taxiing to take off. We have to drop the car off at Hertz in Granville Street and are given directions by the Hotel Porter. Things are quite easy in Vancouver as the roads are built on a grid system but the roads are long – Granville Street must stretch for miles. We find Hertz and then walk back through the busy Granville Street and back to Canada Place. The whole place seems to buzz. Checking the mileage we have driven some 1500 kilometres in the past week.
During this short stay we catch glimpses of Vancouver by walking from our hotel at Canada Place along the sea front to Stanley Park. Canada Place is the home of the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre,the Pan Pacific Hotel, Vancouver's World Trade Centre, and the world's first permanent IMAX 3D theatre (which like the one at home in Bristol ceased operation on October 1st 2009). It is also the main cruise ship terminal for the region, where most of Vancouver's famous cruises to Alaskaoriginate. Construction on it began in 1983, finished in late 1985, and was open for Expo 86 as the pavilion for Canada and was the only venue for the fair that was not at the main site on the north shore of False Creek. The building was designed by architect Eberhard Zeidler.
We meander along the sea front with wide pavements and another for cyclists and rollerblades.
We walk through Crab Park with skyscrapers looking down at us and lush green lawns and a view across the sea of yachts, ships and seaplanes landing and taking off.
Vancouver wouldn't be half the city it is without its extensive Stanley Park, one of the largest parks (1,000 acres/405 hectares) in any urban centre in North America. For many residents, the park is the heart that beats in the core of urbanity, the ecological holdout amid glass and concrete. Situated on a peninsula and surrounded on three sides by water, its popularity is a blessing. We just enter the park now and will return here after our cruise to explore more. We retrace our steps back to Canada Place but we are now a little late for dinner in the hotel but find a good restaurant close by then back to the Pan Pacific for a good night’s sleep before the next exciting part of our journey.
The following morning our luggage is seamlessly taken from our room direct to the Cruise Port under the hotel whilst we take a leisurely stroll back along the seafront before it is time to join our ship.
Sunday, June 06
Today we celebrate our 40thWedding Anniversary and of course Lucy and John’s 1stWedding Anniversary. This is almost the end of our Rocky Mountain Adventure as we will later depart Vancouver to join the Celebrity Cruise aboard the Mercury. This is the newest of the Century-class of ships; Celebrity Mercury is equally as impressive, and not just in terms of visual appeal, but also in the vast array of world-class amenities and services that she offers. Our destination will be the Hubbard Glacier and will be calling at Icy Straight Point, Ketchikan and Juneau returning to Vancouver on 13 July 2010. At the end of the cruise we have a couple of days to further explore Vancouver. I will cover the cruise element of my travelogue in another section. We wander around the seafront before returning to our room just before midday to collect our bits and pieces. What good fortune as the phone rings and it is greetings from Lucy in Zimbabwe – what wonderful invention the telephone! This really made our day to be able to congratulate each other. I remember our wedding day 40 years ago at Abbots Leigh Church and of course Lucy and John’s wedding last year. But I also had the wonderful story of another wedding at Abbots Leigh of my Aunt Nellie and her husband John Alvis on 19 February 1919 – what strong ties we Livings have to the village. We join the cruise ship this afternoon and set sail at 5.00pm
Sunday, June 13
We have tried to plan our stay in Vancouver as we will have little time and need to see as much as possible. We are saying at the Westin Bayshore so are a little closer to Stanley Park. Not as posh as the Westin in Whistler and not such a good view only a building opposite. Because of Vancouver's geographical layout -- with Burrard Inlet separating the downtown core from the "North Shore" communities of North Vancouver and West Vancouver on the one hand and English Bay and False Creek separating the downtown core from communities like Kitsilano, Point Grey, and the University of British Columbia to the south on the other hand -- it made sense to plan the sightseeing activities with Vancouver's physical layout in mind. So we revert to thing we always do get on a Hop ON and Hop Off bus tour. We then find we orientate ourselves quickly and can make effective use of our time.
The Vancouver Trolley (Hop on & Off) could have been a bit pricy. We paid for one day ($38) and were given a voucher at the Hotel Concierge. We then exchanged for a ticket outside the Canada Place stop where I got chatting to a young lad from Wales working for the trolley company whilst on his travels. I later realised he had given me a 2-day ticket. We really enjoyed the trolley tour, it was a great way to see the City and a great way to find out which places to head back to later on - (The Totem Poles at Stanley Park was the "go back" must for me) the trolleys are a fun activity, a bit pricey but informative and enjoyable. You need to make an early start if you want to do both loops – bearing in mind the last bus leaves Canada Place at 4.00pm. The two tours in one day may seem good in theory but there is not really enough time. One down side of the tour would be the poor sign posting of pick up points (we could never find them and struggled to remember where we were dropped off) and the trollies often took longer than the 20 minutes to arrive. Well we had a great time on the Vancouver Trolley Tour! and as we only had two days to spend in Vancouver we wanted to see as much as possible and there is no better way to see the city if you have only a short time to be there.
We found the majority of the driver/ tour guides were humourous, friendly and informative. We learned a lot about the city in a short space of time – the history and points of interest. You are able to get off the trolley at any of the stops and catch the next one but we tend to do a whole circuit then return to what we really want to see. Stanley Park is a must but you need the time to look around the park and take in the views.
If the weather is bad the trolley is enclosed but the windows opened so if you sit in the right seats you can take some good photos from the bus. Vancouver is a beautiful city and we loved the idea of getting off and on. We decided we wanted see more of Stanley Park, Granville Island, and Robson Street area as well as taking a short ferry ride.
Stanley Park is a 1,000 acre park adjacent to a high-to-medium density residential neighbourhood called the West End and within walking distance of downtown Vancouver. Admission to Stanley Park itself is free. There is the Vancouver Aquarium but we gave this a miss as time was limited. Stanley Park easily could hold your interest easily for a couple of days perhaps longer. Cycling, rollerblading and walking along Stanley Park's seawall are very popular activities. There are places to rent bikes near the perimeter of the park. The problem is if like us you have only a short time in Vancouver, you will not be able to linger in Stanley Park and take advantage of all the amenities it has to offer. In that case you will want to get a relatively quick overview of Stanley Park and move on to other attractions. From the trolley you to get a sense of Stanley Park's magnificent trees and of popular stops along the bus's circuit -- the Totem Poles , Brockton Point, Prospect Point, Third Beach and Lost Lagoon.
Granville Island was another very popular destination in downtown for us. You can pick up one of the many little pedestrian ferries (either Aquabus or False Creek Ferries) for very little money from several docks around the False Creek area and ride them to several popular destinations: Science World, Yaletown, Granville Island and the Maritime Museum at Vanier Park. Being Sunday Granville Island was packed with families in the little park where a tea dance was taking place and families picnicking. The Farmer’s Market was in full swing and in the triangle adjacent to it there was whole array of street entertainers from pan pipes to Jugglers and more traditional folk singers.
Granville Island is a peninsula now a shopping district and is located in False Creek. It
was once an industrial manufacturing area, but is now a major tourist destination, providing amenities such as the Farmer’s Market, a large marina and False Creek Community Centre where the tea dance was taking place, various theatres and variety of shopping areas. There are two industrial areas remaining from the Island's heyday: a machine shop and cement plant. The island is very popular with tourists and locals alike. It seemed the whole of Vancouver was in the park enjoying the sunshine – lots of families enjoying a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Granville Island has a lot to see and I could have spent longer here as there are craft studios, , various Jewellers, and lots of galleries. It also has its own brewery, Granville Island Brewing Co.
Another destination possibility is Chinatown. A lot of work has been done lately to improve Chinatown. Visitors should be aware that Chinatown sits only a couple of blocks south of Vancouver's famed "east end", the poorest community in Canada. Visitors should avoid drifting north when visiting Chinatown although Chinatown itself is charming, with a lot of Chinese character and the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden as its centrepiece. This lovely garden is a surprise in the middle of this very urban landscape.
We did not have time to visit the North Shore. We could have done with a full week in Vancouver alone and would still have only seen a small part of it. There are some popular attractions on Vancouver's "North Shore" such as the Capilano Canyon Suspension Bridge or the free Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. There is the Skyride up Grouse Mountain and the possibility of a visit to Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver. What a shame we just did not have the time.
I would have also liked to have visited Victoria. But it seems unless you are willing to make a long day of it you can do so on a day trip basis. One day I would like to visit Butchart Gardens and then stroll around the Inner Harbour, where Jack and Winnie Hargreaves have retired. This would be too much to do in our limited time as If you use the car / ferry combination or the bus / ferry combination, it will take you between 3.5 hours and 4 hours to get from downtown Vancouver to downtown Victoria. Using the same method for the return journey means that between 7 hours and 8 hours of your day will be taken up by travel alone. The other method would be if you can afford the air fare, you can speed up your travel by taking the 35-minute floatplane flight from Vancouver Harbour to Victoria Harbour.
We wander back to our hotel passing an unusually named Restaurant – The Crime Lab Restaurant and Late Night Haunt at Coal Harbour., Alcoholic drinks can be chosen from the Toxicology Report; Starters from the Parking Tickets; Main courses from Misdemeanours and other major dishes from Capital Crimes with deserts from Sweet Revenge. The Crime Lab has an amazing view of Coal Harbour and proximity to its marine culture. It advertises as the ‘first and last restaurant you see on your way out of and into Stanley Park. Crime Lab is a place to discuss past crimes and future indiscretions while creating a few memorable moments’. It seems the reviews are not so favourable so we give it a miss.
Back at the hotel we give the pool and the spa a try. Nothing exceptional but we are the only people in the pool. This is quite refreshing so back to our room to change and a walk to look to somewhere suitable for dinner. A walk along Robson Street which is quite vibrant in the evenings.
Monday, June 14
Today we need to see a lot. We want to return to Stanley Park on the trolley and hop off and on at places we saw yesterday that we would like a close look. Stanley Park was named after Lord Stanley, Governor General of Canada in 1888 when the park was officially opened and covers some 1,000 acres. Three windstorms - one in the 1930s, one in 1960s and the last one in 2006 have resulted in large swathes of the park being deforested. On December 15, 2006, after two short hours of gale-force winds reaching 70 miles per hour, over 60% of the western side of the park around Prospect Point was damaged with an estimated 3,000 trees lost. As a result, Prospect Point has been redesigned with viewing decks that provide picturesque views of the North Shore. We felt this was well worth a short stop to check out the Prospect Point Lookout. A memorial has been erected in honour of the trees lost and to recognize the contributors to the park's restoration.
We stop by The Hollow Tree; a well photographed landmark has been restored after nearly being destroyed. In addition to a wide range of plants, trees and shrubs, the Stanley Park Rose Garden, established in 1920, has over 3500 plants on display from the causeway up to the Stanley Park Pavilion, built in 1911. The roses are magnificent and must take a lot of pruning and general care. The display of roses make Beach Avenue entrance one of the most colourful.
The Totem Pole Park at the Brockton Point Visitor's Centre is not only one of the most visited tourist attractions, it has an interesting history. In the early 1920s, Vancouver leaders wanted to construct an Indian Village near Lumbermen's Arch since it was the location of a massive midden, or cultural mound, resulting from years of habitation by the native aboriginal peoples from the Squamish and Musqueam Nations. After four poles from the Alert Bay region on Vancouver Island were purchased, more Totem poles from the Queen Charlotte Islands and Rivers Inlet on the central coast of British Columbia were acquired in celebration of Vancouver's Golden Jubilee in 1936. In the 1960s, the Totem Poles were moved to their current site. Since several of the original poles were carved in the late 1880s, time and the elements took their toll so they were sent to various museums for preservation and display, such as the Museum of Anthropology at The University of British Columbia. Over time, the original poles have been replaced with replicas and new ones have been commissioned.
We gave Vancouver Aquarium a miss as we had visited many such aquariums in the past but you can apparently see over 300 species of fish, and Pacific White-Sided Dolphins, Belugas, Sea Lions, Harbour Seals, and Sea Otters.
The Stanley Park Seawall is quite spectacular and a popular destination for locals and visitors to walk, jog, or bike around. As we made our way along the seawall, we discovered boat marinas, city, water and mountain views, and a small island off Stanley Park. Now the site of the naval reserve unit, HMCS Discovery, called Deadman's Island which was formerly a burial site up to the 1880s and a "pest house" for quarantined victims during a small pox outbreak. Other landmark on our route was the 9 o'clock gun installed in 1894 so that mariners could set their chronometers and fishers could be warned of closings; the Brockton Point Lighthouse; the North Shore and its mountains; and the Lions Gate Bridge.
The Lions Gate Bridge, aka the First Narrows Bridge, is a National Historic Site and iconic Vancouver landmark. The Lions Gate Suspension Bridge was completed in 1938 by the Guinness family of Irish beer fame to connect Vancouver to the North Shore. Named after the Lions, a pair of mountain peaks on the North Shore that overlooks Burrard Inlet, over 60,000 vehicles cross the suspension bridge per day. Walking or biking over the bridge is not for the faint of heart. We took the opportunity of viewing the bridge from the Stanley Park overpass and Prospect Point Lookout for some spectacular sights of Burrard Inlet, the North Shore Mountains and its communities. We head for the trolley and want to get back to Canada Place in time to travel the other ‘blue loop’ and see some more of this wonderful city.
The blue loop follows a route more in the City. It's a 2+ hour tour around the city stopping at the Art Museum to see the Olympic Clock. We got off at English Bay Beach and walked the length of the beach then getting on the little False Creek ferry across to Granville Island and had lunch. We had a very pleasant 2 day experience on the trolley. I guess it was not that busy and in season could be difficult getting back on. There seems to be a system in place where a "floater" bus is called which then reduced the wait as they pick up the overflow. The driver guides are fantastic providing a running commentary and lots of good info and all very pleasant although they are really busy. There are so many fabulous stops at points of interest and this bus tour is the best option to get around Vancouver because it drives through Stanley Park with a number of stops. Stanley Park is REALLY magnificent and a "must see". We visited Chinatown a vibrant neighbourhood running, roughly, east from Columbia Street to Gore Street, and East Hastings and East Pender Streets to the north and south. There were traditional Chinese shops and restaurants. At Gastown, Water Street runs between Richards and Columbia Streets and bounded by Burrard Inlet to the north. This is where Vancouver began. Lots of Shops, clubs, cafés, and galleries specializing in northwest native art.
Here we see Saunders' first steam clock which was built in 1977 as a tourist attraction for the renovated Gastown district of Vancouver. Although the clock is now owned by the City of Vancouver, funding for the project was provided by contributions from local merchants, property owners, and private donors. Incorporating a steam engine and electric motors, the clock displays the time on four faces and announces the quarter hours with a whistle chime that plays the Westminster Quarters. Close by in 767 West Cordova Street is the Mountie Shop selling gifts and memorabilia of the Royal Canadian Mounted Police which seems to be as large a Canadian icon as the maple leaf. The array of badges and patches from across the world especially the UK was incredible.
Back to Canada Place the centre of the Universe and that beautiful walk along the sea wall through Coal harbour to our hotel. We are going to a special restaurant this evening our last meal in Canada. In our earlier travels we spotted an Italian restaurant – the Italian Kitchen 1037 Alberni Street, which was full with people queuing to get in. We booked in advance and were taken to a table by the window on the first floor. The place was buzzing with conversation, laughter and vibrancy. What terrific service then on top really good food I had a Chicken Garganelli and Lyn had one of their super pizzas both of which we can thoroughly recommend. The service that we received was absolutely amazing. We do not drink alcohol; and were not embarrassed as we sometimes are by staff who feel you should be buying wine. Tap water was brought to the table and constantly replenished. It is the sort of gesture that ensures that we would return. Wine and water was topped up continuously during our meal. There were lots of groups being served and the service was slow but we did not mind. After we finished out entrees our waitress brought us the dessert menu. Because we had waited a decent interval sheoffered desert at no charge. We ordered the desert which was a sample of all they had but in small portions on one plate – absolutely delicious. We had absolutely exceptional service.
Tuesday, 15 June 2010
This morning we feel a little sad as this is the end of this great adventure so we wander through Coal harbour to spend some time in the beautiful rose garden in Stanley Park then it’s time to collect our luggage and a taxi to the Airport for our return flight o London stopping at Edmonton enroute. We recommend Thomas Cook Airlines as they are efficient and friendly and the price – not too bad! Our flight is from Vancouver Airport departing on at 01:35PM to London Gatwick arriving on Wed 06/16 at 09:35AMFlight No. TCX7L Premium Cabin Seats Nos. 03H and 03J.
