Chromatic Outlook (Post#21) : Vancouver Downtown And Vancouver Harbour
During my short visit in Vancouver, one of the public transportation that I had a chance to experience was sea bus. After my half day tour in North Vancouver, I took sea bus so I can immediately cross the harbour to reach Vancouver Downtown straight to Vancouver International Airport located at Richmond. Photo captured last June 2008.
View At My Window (Post#4) : Lions Gate Bridge
The photo above is Lions Gate Bridge located in Greater Vancouver. The bridge connects Vancouver (South) to West Vancouver and North Vancouver. Under the bridge is Burrard Inlet and Vancouver Harbour. I captured this photo during my Whistler Tour last June 2008 in British Columbia, Canada while inside Whistler Mountaineer train.
You can also look at my post for my Whistler Tour stories:
Whistler – Warm Haven in Cold Paradise
Squamish – With The Chief, Canyon and Tantalus
Brackendale Forest and Shannon Falls
Metropolitan Vancouver From Cypress Mountain
The chance that I got to be able to visit some parts of British Columbia was not an ordinary chance. When I got a single entry visa to Canada, I knew that it was a one-time chance to see this huge country at North America. After grabbing all my opportunity to see Alberta, the province of Edmonton where I was assigned for few weeks of work and training, I tried my best to get the opportunity to see British Columbia as well.
I remembered that it was less than two weeks before I left Canada to go back to my country, I requested my boss if I can fly earlier to Vancouver since it was the same route when I fly back on the actual date of my return in Philippines. I told my boss, that my route will be Edmonton to Vancouver and then Vancouver to Manila. At first he never agreed because he thought at first that my route was Edmonton to Toronto and Toronto to Manila. After correcting his thoughts about my flight, he told me that he will think about it.
After few hours passed, my boss called me back and told me that he was going to make my travel a business official, because the team that I worked with has collaboration with the team in Vancouver, my visit becomes semi-business trip, because there were few days left and the only thing that I can do in Vancouver was to meet the team.
My last day in Edmonton was Thursday (June 12, 2008) and that was the same day my colleague celebrated the 10th year anniversary in the company and somewhat my farewell to the team as well.
When I came to Vancouver, I tried to plan ahead the five days that I spent in British Columbia.
The following places that I had been with were:
1. White Rock and Richmond
2. Whistler, Whistler Village and Blackcomb Mountain
3. Squamish – Stawamus Chief, Squamish Town, Cheakamus Canyon, Tantalus Mountain Ranges
4. Brackendale and Shannon Falls
5. Greater Vancouver – Cypress Mountain
6. Greater Vancouver – Stanley Park
7. Greater Vancouver – Grouse Mountain
8. Greater Vancouver – Cleveland Dam
9. Greater Vancouver – Capilano Fish Hatchery
10. Greater Vancouver – Capilano Suspension Bridge
11. Greater Vancouver – Burrard Inlet / Vancouver Harbour
12. Greater Vancouver – Vancouver Downtown
13. Greater Vancouver – Vancouver Airport
14. Vancouver Island – Victoria – Butchart Garden
15. Vancouver Island – Victoria – Strait of Juan De Fuca
16. Vancouver Island – Victoria – Race Rocks Light House
17. Vancouver Island – Victoria – Royal BC Museum
18. Vancouver Island – Victoria
19. Greater Vancouver, British Columbia’s Islands, and Vancouver Island
My North Vancouver tour was officially over after we left Grouse Mountain. Before I joined the tour that day, I did checkout in my hotel because after the tour, the bus will drop me off at the airport and because of that all my luggage were in the bus as well.
In my tour as I wished to experience more and see more because I had few hours left before flying back to Manila, I was happy that the tour includes a seabus ride to cross Vancouver Harbour from North Vancouver to Vancouver.
The trip started at Lonsdale Quay at North Vancouver and then the ferry crossed Burrard Inlet or Vancouver Harbour. Along the way I had time spent viewing the coastal side of Greater Vancouver. I enjoyed the whole trip. After exiting the seabus, the bus tour was waiting at the Waterfront station. The seabus experience was the first time while in Vancouver.
Vancouver Downtown and Vancouver Harbor (captured while at seabus) on the way to Waterfront Station
After returning to the bus, a realisation came to my mind that I had few hours left to see more of Vancouver, that’s why on the way to the airport I enjoyed Vancouver Downtown inside the bus.
I still wish I can come back in Canada in the future.
It was Monday, June 16, 2008. I went to the office at Burnaby for a day of work and training. Then I met new people whom a friend of my colleague in my team. Without any careful plan that night I went out together with new friends that I met after inviting me to a walk in Stanley Park. I can’t be in a tour on that day because I’m still officially in business trip. These new friends invited us in a walk as they were aware that I just arrived few days ago and they knew that myself and my colleague were flying back to Manila the next day.
I remembered that our walk in Stanley Park took us few hours as the park is huge. Most of stroll that we did was walking around the edges of the park.
At the entrance of Stanley Park Aquarium
There were many things and scenic views that we saw while walking in the park. We started our journey from Stanley Park Aquarium which is the largest aquarium in Canada. We never went inside as we planned was to walk around the park and not inside the aquarium. We just took photos at the entrance of the aquarium as a memories in the place. Then we moved forward towards the walking trail facing Coal Harbour where Vancouver Downtown was visible. When I saw the area, I loved it. I got excited in the walk with a thought that the walk we were doing that time leads to some more discovery in the park.
After enjoying sometime of panoramic views of Vancouver Downtown with Coal Harbor, we passed the 9 O’clock Gun and approach it shortly to had a glimpse of it since it was housed with rocks and metals which transparent to be visible outside for people who wanted to see what it looks like. We also stopped at Brockton Point Lighthouse where we spent some time to appreciate the place and played around the area.
Next, we found the Totem-pole display in the park. Staying for a while in Canada made me learn that even though most population in Canada come from Europe countries, in their history, they respect the local people before European discoverer came along. They call these first local people as First Nation and totem pole is one of the symbol of showing allegiance of the whole country to their culture.
The walk continues and we had a beautiful sceneries of Vancouver Harbour and North Vancouver area. At this side of the park, I got a chance to see from a far one of the historic bridge in Vancouver which is the Lions Gate Bridge.
At the walking trail at the Seawall in Stanley Park, we found Water Playground, which is a great place for fun not just for kids but for adults as well.
We kept on walking at the edges or seawall of the park until we reached the bottom of Lions Gate Bridge. In this walk I had a chance to have up close and personal to the bridge. And I can say that the bridge is one of the magnificent bridge existing in the world today. The stroll continues until we witness the sunset at Burrard Inlet. After passing the bridge, we were facing West Vancouver and Vancouver Downtown.
With Lions Gate Bridge Sceneries
After passing the Lions Gate Bridge, we got a chance to witness the sunset while walking the park. Along the way, we saw Siwash Rock and then we reached the Third Beach where we found many displays of stacked rocks nearby.
Sunset from Stanley Park, looking towards West Vancouver
After Shannon Falls, we had an almost an hour in the road enjoying the sceneries along Sea To Sky Highway on our way back to Vancouver.
Scenic Views along Sea To Sky Highway after coming from Shannon Falls
I thought that Shannon Falls was the last stop for my Whistler tour on that day. And yet we had another stop which was the last stop for the tour. We ended at Cypress Mountain Provincial Park. At first I did not know what to expect until I saw beautiful sceneries in the area. I can call the place a great lookout for the main reason that it has amazing location to appreciate the skyline and surrounding area of Metropolitan of Vancouver. The area we stopped in the park has a picnic area to enjoy time and great views. The provincial park is part of Cypress Mountain itself and located in West Vancouver near at Howe Sound.
My Saturday ends so great for me. I had an amazing time for all the places that I had been to. I was satisfied that I had seen so much for one day. And I was really thankful for the wonderful chance that I had because I know I may not be able to do the same tour again in the future as I’m allowed to enter Canada once. I wish I will be to come back in the future in this beautiful nature country such as Canada.
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