Canada

A 18-day adventure by Isaben Read more

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Trip start
August 9, 2016
Canada Traveler
Vancouver
August 9, 2016 in England ⋅ ☀️ 12 °C
Got up later today after waking at 1 decided to take sleeping tablets. Nice breakfast in hotel, a buttered bagel and jam. Organised the hop on and off bus which leaves outside the door, very handy. Vancouver is a very open city with lots of outside areas. I did the trip right round first then hopped off to get the free ferry to Grandville Island. I hope to do the island again when I come back. I had the bus to myself for the first trip around and had a ten minute stop for driver just in time ever for the gas work clock to steam the hour. Really special to see and perfect timing. We travelled through Stanley Park past lovely rose garden. The park was hit by a storm a few years back and lost 10,000 trees. You can now get harbour climpses where before the trees were thick..

The route covered through Stanley Park,along English Bay Beach, Sunset Beach, over the Burr and Bridge. I got off just before this and took the ferry to Grandville Island, then to Yale town, saw Science World building in distance and Bc Place Stadium, Vancouver Library, China a town, Gastown,shopping area, Canada Place and back to hotel. About 2 hours without getting off. I managed to fill in from 8.45 to 3,30pm.Read more
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Canada Traveler
Heading out of Vancouver to Victoria
August 10, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 15 °C
Had tour around Vancouver. Similar to Khop on and off bus. Catching ferry to Victoria then having lunch at Winery. Traffic jam on way so concerns that we might miss preferred ferry! Bonus!
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Canada Traveler
Walking in Victoria
August 11, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 19 °C
After a catch up nap headed out to see some of Victoria. The very different legislature buildings were designed by a 24 year old architect. The Empress hotel has $75C high tea, very posh. The fish are dolphins I think and views of the extras harbour on this lovely day are just that.Read more
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Canada Traveler
Butchart Gardens
August 12, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
What a beautiful place. We had a short bus trip out to this ex quarry site. Apparently the wife if the owner did not like the scar left on the landscape and decided to make it into the outstanding garden it is today. What a visionary! The gardens have a sunken area, Japanese area, open area, rose area. All so beautiful.Read more
Sandy ClarksonWow that looks beautiful such a good way to leave it
8/12/16Reply
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Canada Traveler
On the way to Whistler
August 12, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 15 °C
Morning tea stop at Chemainus , place of murals. Had a lovely coffee with Gloria, one fun lady. So nice. Catching ferry across to mainland then along Sea to Sky Highway. Doing Sea to Sky Gondola then into Whistler. Find out about zip lining ingredients for tonight.Read more
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Canada Traveler
Arrived Whistler
August 12, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 29 °C
Got bags and went to Concierge to sort out zip lining. Megan is going to do it with me tonight. Whistler is a very busy lots of people and quite commercial. Had dinner at the Spagetti Factory.
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Canada Traveler
Photos from 12 Aug at Whistler
August 12, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
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Whistler
August 13, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 12 °C
Some of theses photos have been taken on the way to Whistler. The waterfall was just before the Sea to Sky Gondola and the swing bridge was at the top. The photo of the lights was taken at The Old Spaghetti Factory.Read more
Kate Milburn Wow!
8/14/16Reply
Sandy Clarkson Double wow
8/15/16Reply
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Canada Traveler
What a full on day.
August 13, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 27 °C
Got up wheezing today. Think I definitely have asthma. Lots of pollen. That aside, breakfast over and off for a walk through the town. Then on to Sachsqacht and Lil Wat talk and seeing how these two people's lived and shared the land. We, being Megan and I then headed for the gondola for the Peak to Peak. Wonderful views, stretching to it finite it seemed. Got the chair lift down, so nice on a 31 degree day to have lovely cool fresh air. Back to hotel to have a mojita before heading off to zip line. Again an exhilarating experience. Very tired now, hot toddy and bed.Read more
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Canada Traveler
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On the way to Sun Peaks
August 14, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 12 °C
Not too early start at 0830. Off to meet the mounties! Today has been a day with lots of bus travelling. A lot of this area is covered in Ponderosa pine. We had a short stop at Pemberton for looking and McDonald's coffee. Very slow.Read more
Sandy Clarkson Breath taking
8/15/16Reply
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Sun Peaks
August 14, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 26 °C
This is a very small version of Whistler at even higher elevations. The village is almost Austrian in its appearance. In the evening everyone just wanders around, playing games, heading for drinks or just vegetating. Went for short trip around town then had drinks before a regional meal.Read more
Sandy Clarkson Love your friend
8/15/16Reply
Sandy Clarkson Look delicious
8/15/16Reply
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Canada Traveler
Sun Peak to Banff
August 15, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
No bears so far this morning. Banff is the highest town in Canada. It is about 4000m above sea level. Today is a run of stops for pictures and loo breaks until we arrive at the Lodge. Tonight we have a buffet dinner together. Apparently, the mountains I thought were the Rockies are the three ranges before. Well here now in Banff. And yes, the Rockies are just that. On the way here we stopped at some beautiful places along the way. Three Valley Gap was the lunch stop. Stopped at the place where the last nail was belted into the railway to link one side with the other.Read more
Sandy ClarksonYou can imagine it all covered in snow at winter time. Just beautiful.
8/15/16Reply
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Canada Traveler
More Photos
August 15, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 24 °C
These are more photos taken along the route to Bannf
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Bow Falls, area orientation of Banff
August 16, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 19 °C
3m wide, 9m high waterfall. Trying for surprise corner.
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Canada Traveler
Last day on bus
August 18, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌧 11 °C
Travelling toMaline Gorge. Very beautiful. Going past Medicine Lake. Rosemary's Rock from song in 1936 I belong to you. On to Maligned Lake Spirit Island. About 35min trip up. Around 2003 the area was burnt off. Will take about 100 years to regenerate.

Mountain sinking ridge hill. 1913. Eroded hill through glacial warming. Ridge collapsed and rocks fell . Locked water flow hence lake.Read more
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Canada Traveler
On train to Toronto
August 20, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☁️ 14 °C
We caught the train at Jasper, with later departure about 5.30pm. A lovely meal was served, a bit sad as this was the 17th and I was dining with strangers. That first night on board I didn't sleep well and dozed most of the next day. Last night I woke when the train stopped at Winnipeg and was able to get a climpses of it at 0130. Awoke again about 0430 to beautiful moon scape reflected in the water . Shower at 6.00. Again a new experience. Find the temp, find the water, push the button and hope. By the time you think it is right it turns off. Today they overbooked the non sleeping area and don't have enough seats for a couple of hours. Doesn't affect sleepers thank goodness.

Scenery today fills the song we had on the bus about trees and rocks ad rocks and trees and water. Continuous lakes as we cross into Ontario. Lots of trees and occasional rocks as we go through railway cut outs. The trains for freight are incredibly long. Travelling at speed it can take 5 minutes nearly for them to pass. Traffic is heavy and so we are running about 2 to 3 hours late. They hope to pick up some time ever along the way.

What interesting people you meet. This morning was talking to a kiwi who is biking around Canada. He has been away since June and done Alaska and across the country. This train trip is probably his only non biking part of his journey. His family live in Napier and Hahei. He also voiced what I was thinking. How blessed we are in New Zealand to have the wealth of scenery and quick access to it.

Well, today we arrive in Toronto. A three night journey across part of Canada. It has been a break and I am pleased the rate of travel was forcibly slowed down. The Canadian people are wonderful, friendly, helpful. This amazing country seems to produce an amazing people.Read more
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Canada Traveler
Niagara
August 22, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ⛅ 13 °C
This is place is so mind blowing it is hard to describe. We had a beautiful day to see them and the town. The morning started at 9.30 with tour pick up. Our first stop was the ice wine winery. This winery was the first to harvest and produce ice wine. The grapes are left in the vines until it gets to 10 degrees overnight then harvested in ice snow weather. We then headed out to Niagara Park. This iconic village is beautifully set up for the tourists. Buses park outside if the shop area and you either walk the five minutes in or catch the shuttle. Sue was able to do her horse and carriage rides and was over the moon.

I did a quick recon then walked back to see if I could get down to the river. From the Canada side you look across to USA. This will be as close as I will get. The driver kindly said he would stop along the way so I got a good view which was done.

Once at the falls we headed into lunch at the Sheraton. Wow, the views from the balcony were outstanding. Once lunch was over we headed down to the boat to go right up to the falls. The wind swirls around slashing the mist foment the falls like a heavy rain storm. Such fun!Read more
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Canada Traveler
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Photos Niagara Falls
August 22, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 17 °C
A....maz. ..ing!
Traveler Horse Shoe Falls Canadian Side
8/22/16Reply
Sandy Clarkson Amazing
8/25/16Reply
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Canada Traveler
Chinese Gardens
August 23, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 17 °C
This is an oasis of peace and harmony in the middle of China town. Took time in this area just breathing it in. Beautiful.
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Canada Traveler
Doing the hop on and off bus
August 23, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 20 °C
Hope to do this again. I have found it a great way to just sit back and relax. Photos of Stanley Park and dining at the Spaghetti Factory .
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Canada Traveler
Vancouver The Trolley Company Bus
August 24, 2016 in Canada ⋅ 🌙 16 °C
Today I hope to get the bus and stop off at places for the day. See how I go.
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Canada Traveler
Capilano Bridge
August 24, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 21 °C
Was a bit disappointed in that felt the Sea to Sky bridge was more scary. The view from the bridge to the river below is well worth it though. You can walk the tree tops, tracks around the river edge or cliff side on the start side of the river . All in all interesting but very busy with people.Read more
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Canada Traveler
Lumberjack show
August 24, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
This 40 minute show depicts the work of the lumberjack in past times in an entertaining and interactive way. After show I wandered over to see the two grizzly bears, Coho And Grinder. Unfortunately they had decided to stay in the shade and rest. Wise bears. The views of the city from Grouse Mountaon is panaramic.Read more
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Canada Traveler
Capalano Salmon Hatchery
August 24, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 25 °C
This hatcery has been set up by the government to try and preseve numbers of salmon heading up river for spawning. On the Fraser River the numbers are down to 1 million from over 10 only a few decades ago. The area is lovely here. Part of the problem was the building of a dam in the river which meant salmon could not get up stream to the spawning grounds.Read more
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Canada Traveler
Capolina Bridge
August 25, 2016 in Canada ⋅ ☀️ 16 °C
Well, I can say I have walked this now. Have to say I thought the swing bridge on the way to Jasper was more impressive. Mind here, being so close to Vancouver it is very busy. Guess it will be the same at Grouse Mountain. The area is certainly set up to entertain, with tree top walks and trails. The area is all marked out so is very safe. Too many people for this Kiwi.Read more
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