The Vancouver Traveler

Yesterday was Nov 11th, the one day in our country when everyone stops and remembers our people who have paid the ultimate sacrifice for our country.  There were numerous ceremonies that were held throughout the lower mainland, and Canada.
Being a retired vet myself, I am always touched with this time of year.  Especially now, since so many of our trips are currently engaged in Afghanistan. Some of the ceremonies that took place were;

First ever 8 plane formation of WWII Navion aircraft
BC Lt-Gov presents the memorial address at New Westminster Regiment Armories.
A new statue atop the Surret First World War Cenotaph …read more

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Flickr – keepitsurreal
Vancouver’s former meat-packing and warehouse district, Yaletown has long been converted into an area of apartment lofts, nightclubs, restaurants, high-end furniture shops and fledgling multimedia biz.
It’s a relativley tiny area and the main streets of intrest are Mainland, Hamilton and Davie. For visitors, it features some interesting cafes and patios, some high-end shops, and a kind of gritty urban feel that you won’t find elsewhere in Vancouver.
This old time authenticity provides an essential anchor to the bevy of towers that have risen in the past 10 years on Pacific Boulevard along the north end of False Creek.
Officially called …read more

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T & T Supermarket – So you’ve seen supermarkets? Unless your hometown is Hong Kong or Singapore, you haven’t seen one like this. Just have a look at the seafood display inside the doors: king crab, scallops, three different kinds of oysters, lobster, and geoducks. Farther in is a host of other wondrous products, including strange Asian fruits like rambutan, lychee, and the pungent durian. Browse, maybe pick up something you don’t recognize!
Outside, walk 1 block east on Keefer Street to Taylor Street. Andy Livingstone Park is farther ahead to your right, but to continue the tour turn left on Taylor …read more

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Start – Canada Place
Finish   – Maple Tree Square
Time – 2 to 4 hours; not including shopping, eatting and sightseeing stops
Best time – Anytime during business hours, but Chinatown in particulary active in the morning. If you arrive between noon and 2pm you can enjoy some delicious dim sum at many of the restaurants.
Worst time – Chinatown is pretty much closed after 6pm. Except on weekends in the summer when a few streets are closed down to accomodate a night market from 6:30 to 11pm.
Chinatown and Gastown are two of Vancouver’s most facinating neighborhoods. Gastown has history and the kind of old-fashioned …read more

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Over the years, the legend of Ogopogo has gained credibility as more and more sightings are reported.
Long ago, the Indians spoke of “N’ha-a-itk” who they referred to as a fierce lake monster that resided in Squally Point which is just 20 km south of Kelowna, in Vancouver’s Fraser Valley.
Descriptions vary, but certain characteristics have been used to describe Ogopogo over the decades.
Ogopogo is green, with a snake-like body and is about 25 meters long. Some have said his head looks like a horse, while others have reported it being reptilian and even goat like.
Some have claimed to have photographed the lake …read more

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In 1994, when plans were developed to upgrade the Stanley Park Zoo, Vancouver voters decided in a referendum to phase out the zoo.
The zoo began much earlier with a bear kept on a chain, but grew into a collection of over 50 animals, including snakes, wolves, emus, buffalo, kangaroos, monkeys and the famous Humboldt penguins.
 
 The Stanley Park Zoo closed completely in December 1997, after the last remaining animal, a polar bear named Tuk, died at age 36.
He had remained after the other animals had left because of his old age.
The polar bear pit, which was often criticized by Animal Rights …read more

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Bet you didn’t know that more then 100 buildings in the downtown Vancouver core, including the central library, BC Place, GM Place and many of Vancouver’s major hotels are heated via a 10.5 km network of high pressure steam pipes flowing away from the Central Heat Distribution Ltd. boiler plant.
The famous steam clock in Gastown though is a bit of misnomer, although built in 1977 to 1875 specs, steam and gravity -driven operation proved unreliable for the Gastown landmark.
Electricity now controls the timed steam explostions every 15 minutes.
photo credit – flickr.com

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Looking up at the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
The suspension bridge is the longest in North America and is located in North Vancouver.
photo credit – sxc.hu

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The City of Vancouver was one of the first cities in Canada to enter into an international “twinning” or “sister city” arrangement.
This means special cultural, social and economic benefits have been arranged between the two cities.
Vancouver’s “sister” cities throught the world are:
Odessa, Ukraine – 1944
Yokohama, Japan – 1965
Edinburgh, Scotland – 1978
Guangzhou, People’s Republic of China – 1985
Los Angeles, California USA – 1986
Seoul, South Korea – 2007 
image credits:
Canada flag
World Globe

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Thought it would be interesting to list some of the personalities/celebrities who are originally from or have spent  considerable time residing in Vancouver. You can often spot some of your favorite celebrites in the up-scale restaurants and hotels around the downtown Vancouver area…so keep your eyes open!
Bryan Adams – Singer
Pamela Anderson – Actress
Richard dean Anderson – Actor
Bif Naked – Singer
Emily Blunt – Actress
Michael Buble – Singer
Hayden Christensen – Actor
Michael J Fox – Actor
Richard Gere – Actor
Matthew Good – Singer/Songwriter
Goldie Hawn – Actress
Joshua Jackson – Actor
KD Lang – Singer
Sarah McLachlan – Singer
Nickelback – Rock Band
Leslie Nielson – Actor
Daniel Powter – Singer
Jason Priestly …read more

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