Tuesday 6 December 2011

Day 1: Leaving Victoria to BC-Vancouver, Yayayyyy!

July 1, 2011

First Station: Vancouver!



OMG, can't believe that I am going to BC with Tamsyn, Hannah and Laurelie. We decide to travel to Vancouver first. To get there, we could take either ferry or plane. But we chose taking ferry instead, because it is a lot cheaper($14.25), by plane ($100).

We get in the ferry, and 
start walking around. The ferry is huge, there are also souvenir shop, game room, restaurant and a food court. After around one and a half hour, we arrive Vancouver. We take a bus to Bridgeport and take subway to our hotel, Radisson, which is in Richmond, Aberdeen.

The hotel is awesome, big room, big bathroom, and two King size bed!
OMG! It's gonna be a crazy girls night.
 Afterwords,we go to a food court near our hotel,which called Aberdeen Center.
After a great meal, we go back to hotel and have an awesome sleep.

British Columbiaaaaa!!!  

British Columbia's Provincial Flag
Pacific Dogwood - Provincial Flower

Latitude: 49.25
             Longitude: -123.133333
       Population: 611,900
Major industry: logging



In the 1870s, Vancouver was founded as a settlement called Granville. Then in 1886, it became a city and renamed Vancouver after a naval captain.





Day 2: Start visiting!!

July 2, 2011



Flag of Vancouver

Vancouver is located near the mouth of the Fraser River and on the waterways of the Strait of Georgia, Howe Sound, Burrard Inlet, and their tributaries. Vancouver has, for thousands of years, been a place of meeting, trade, and settlement.






Today is Steveston Salmon Festival, which is hold in Richmond. It is very close to our hotel, therefore, we decide to attend this event.

Info:
The day begins at 10:00 am with a parade through historic Steveston village. After the official opening, the stage bursts with great entertainment all afternoon. Festival highlights include attractions such as the Japanese Cultural Show, Craft Fair, Trade Show, an awesome Children's Festival, Funtastic Inflatables & Mini Midway, Martial Arts Demonstrations, Youth Rock Fest, Food Fair plus an Art Show & Exhibit. The main attraction is our famous salmon barbecue where over 1200 pounds of wild salmon filets are grilled over open fire pits. (http://www.hellobc.com/en-CA/SearchResultsListings/ListingsDetails/BritishColumbia.htm?CATID=150&LOCID=646&KWDS=&NBY=True&FLID=646&PN=4&PID=4551317)




 There is super crowded and everyone looks very excited and happy. Kids are running around, and there are also dogs and cats. I can smell the salmon from far away, and I cant wait to eat them! This is such a cool event!



For me, as a Chinese, I must visit Chinatown, which is one of the largest and oldest Chinese communities on the West Coast. We take skytrain from Aberdeen to there, which takes us around 30 mins. Glad that Tammy, Hannah and Laurelie love Chinese food too.And my Dad told me that the best Chinese restaurant is not in China but in Vancouver!:D


Next, we go to Stanley Park by skytrain, which takes us around 10 mins. Stanley Park is recognized around the globe as one of the great parks of the world! It is Vancouver's first park and one of the city's main tourist attractions. Stanley Park is an evergreen oasis of 400 hectares, and it is only very close to downtown.



 Afterwards, we take a cab to Granville Island Public Market, which is really close to downtown. Granville Island has many things for sale, mostly fruit and food. There is also lots of small store for tourist to shop. But they are too expensive for us, so we just have a "window shopping" :(











We are super happy after visiting 2 famous and historical parks today :)

And.......................SUSHI FOR DINNER!!!!



Day 3: A day with Tammy's father! :D

July 3, 2011


Gonna spend a day with Tammy's dad, Kelvin :)
He was a politician, and I'm really interested about politic, so he explains a lots to me! :)

These are the famous Politician in BC!

Charles Cecil Ingersoll Merritt
David Barrett
Dawn Black
10 November 1908 - 12 July 2000
Born October 2, 1930 in Vancouver, BC
Born April 1, 1943
A Canadian recipient of the Victoria Cross  and Member of Parliament
A retired politician and social worker in BC
A politician in BC, became an assistant to New Democratic Party Member of Parliament Pauline Jewett
He was commissioned into the Seaforth Highlanders of Canada (a Militia regiment) in 1929 but read for the Bar and practiced law in Vancouver until mobilized at the outbreak of World War II.
He was the26th Premier of British Columbia for three years between 1972 and 1975, the only Jewish premier in the province’s history.
Proposed a private members bill that made December 6, the anniversary of the Montreal Massacre, a permanent day of remembrance and action against violence against women.

 
Also, he cares a lots of Canada's problems, he tells me that, Canada's health care has an "economics" problem.

The current health system does not have a “management” problem; it has an “economics” problem. The looming crisis in the Canadian health system has three identifiable causes: the government’s monopoly over funding for medical care, the politically planned allocation of medical goods and services, and the lack of consumer exposure to the cost of using health care.



He also tells me about a gambling problem in BC, "Increasing Rate of Underage Gambling in BC".

A recent report in Toronto Suns indicates that last year, some retailers sold lottery tickets to minors declaring that underage gambling in British Columbia had boost. The report also says that the BC's Government is not taking some step to stop this gambling problem on their province. That's why a Canadian news provider known as QMI took the first step.



 Kelvin also tells me about the push and pull factors experienced in BC.

The Pull Factors: 

Gold!

Gold was discovered along the Fraser River in British Columbia in 1858. Thousands of miners, including many Chinese who had been working in California, rushed into the region. Great Britain quickly created the colony of British Columbia on the mainland, with its capital city at New Westminster, to prevent American miners from claiming that the land belonged to the United States.
The need for labour in British Columbia led to many Chinese being hired to build roads, clear land and construct railways. They also worked in coal mines and fish canneries and on farms.

From China: The "Push" Factors 

Farmland Scarce

Most Chinese immigrants to Canada in the last half of the 19th century came from one small area near the southern port of Guangzhou, in China's Guangdong province. Of eight rural districts in that region, four had rich soil. In the other four districts, only 10 percent of the land was usable for growing food crops.
All eight districts were densely populated. Between 1780 and 1850, the population had jumped from 16 to 28 million people. Meanwhile, no new ways had been found to increase harvests in the region, so the land could not feed everyone.

(http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/canadiens-chinois/021022-1100-e.html)


Day 4: To Whistlerrrr!

July 4, 2011




 Travel from Vancouver to Whistler by TRAIN!

We take the 6:45am - 7:15am train in Downtown Vancouver, which we've been to Downtown before already.

Latitude: 50.11617
Longitude: -122.95942
Population: 9600
Major industry/job: about skiing (ski resort)
50 years ago, Whistler was founded on the outlandish claim, and it hosts the Winter Olypic Games.



After we get there, we check in in the hotel, then we start our adventure!

the hotel has many activities that we can sign up for.
Firstly, we go for "Coca-Cola Summer Tube Park".





It's soooo much funnn!!!!
It's not very cold and the view is amazing!

After this, is already around 6pm, we have a great dinner at in hotel.






Day 5: Continue-Whistler Adventure!

July 5, 2011



Hiking Trails and Sightseeing!!

It's located at the top of Whistler and Blackcomb Mountains.







WHISTLER SUMMIT INTERPRETIVE WALK

Two loops of single track trail at the top of the Peak Express wind their way around the summit of Whistler Mountain. See fantastic views along with alpine ecosystem and local history story boards.

Length: 1.6km (1mi); 60 minutes (loop)

Elevation: 30m (98ft)

 

 OMG! I'm super duper tired after this!

So.....it's time for us to pack again, and going to the next stop------->

 Galiano Island!

We take the train back to Vancouver and take the BC Ferries to there.



Day 6: Galiano Island :)

July 6, 2011


Longitude: 123°25'00"W
Latitude: 48.917
Population: 1035

“When the tide goes out, the table is laid for breakfast”, was Galiano pioneer Edward Winstnaley’s frequent comment. Settlers in these early days found the soil unfriendly and water scarce, turning instead to fishing, hunting, sheep and fruit growing to make ends meet.
(http://www.gulfislandsguide.com/history/galiano-island-history/)

I'm pretty sure many of your have never heard of Galiano Island. This island is as rich in history as it is in beauty. Long before Dionisio Galiano came here from Spain in 1792, aboriginal people made their homes here and gathered a rich variety of foods from its forests and shores.

Montague Harbour is now a provincial park but for thousands of years it was a major centre of aboriginal life.

People of the Coast Salish nation watched eagles ride updrafts from Active Pass, saw otters swimming off the shores, shared their fishing grounds with great blue herons and watched sea lions and killer whales play in Trincomali Channel.

(http://www.galianoisland.com/)


We stay in a treehouse which is super beautiful and have great view.
It costs only $200 per night. 

After settling down, we start our journey!

The owner of the treehouse, Zoe, is very nice, and she says she would love to bring us to an adventure!
We have an adverture on a lake!

WOW look at the photo....how excited and happy we are! :P

Then, we back to our treehouse. Zoe cooks us dinner! She is the best person in the world :)
We are just staying here for one night, so we have to pack againnnn! :(






Day 7: back to Victoriaaa!

July 7, 2011


We take an early ferry back to Vancouver. Then we take skytrain to the YVR Airport, and back to Victoria.



But.............it is not the end of our trip! :)
We are going to travel in Victoria!
There are lots of places in Victoria we have neven been to, so....we decide to have fun here for 1 more day!:)

Victoria Climate Graph

Victoria has higher percipiation and lower temperature during November - Feburary, lower percipitation and higher temperature during April - September.

Latitude: 48.433333
Longitude: -123.35
population: 79,000
min industry: mining

The first settlers to the Victorian region were Lieutenant David Collins and a group of officers, convicts and free settlers who, in 1803, first landed where Sorrento now stands. The colony was not a success, and within a few months Collins had transferred the entire settlement across Bass Strait to Van Diemen's Land, and established Hobart on the Derwent River. (http://wiki.answers.com/Q/In_what_year_was_Victoria_founded )

flag of Victoria



Goldstream Provincial Park, Victoria BC

 


Location Located 16 km northwest of Victoria on southern Vancouver Island on the Trans Canada Hwy (Hwy #1). Access to the campground is via Sooke Lake Road from Hwy 1 at the southern boundary of the park. The entrance to the day-use area is near the junction of Hwy 1 and Finlayson Arm Road.
Size
388 hectares
History
The area of the park was given to the people of British Columbia by the Greater Victoria Water Board in 1958. Additional lands were designated in 1994 and 1996 through the Commonwealth Nature Legacy and Crown Land additions.
Conservation
The flora and fauna diversity within the area makes Goldstream Provincial Park a marvel of nature. With two distinct vegetation zones, the park offers views of 600-year-old Douglas-fir and western red cedar as well the arbutus tree, found exclusively on Vancouver Island and the southwest coast of BC. Goldstream River, site of an annual Chum salmon spawning run, also adds to the park’s natural values. Flowers, trees and shrubs are part of the park's natural heritage, please don't damage or remove them.
Wildlife
From late October through December of each year, the Goldstream River is the scene of one of nature's spectacles as chum, coho and chinook salmon enter the river via Finlayson Arm from the Pacific Ocean. Three to four years previously, these same salmon were born here before traveling to the sea to grow and mature. Their return to spawn and die in their ancestral spawning beds is fascinating and the Freeman King Visitor Centre features special programs to help visitors appreciate this miraculous event. The Goldstream River estuary is closed to the public (including all boaters). This closure has resulted in a resurgence of wildlife using the estuary throughout the year. Due to the closure, once rarely seen bald eagles now abound during the salmon run and nest during the summer. Park users should always be aware of bears and other wildlife in our park environment. Never feed or approach bears or other wildlife.
Cultural Heritage
Goldstream is located on traditional fishing grounds of local First Nations. Old mining shafts and tunnels are all that remains of the gold rush that Goldstream River experienced during the mid-19th century.
(http://www.goldstreampark.com/park.htm)