Vancouver/Victoria BC 2011

Monday-Waterfront and Seaplane Tour

Canada Place and the Pan Pacific Fairmount Hotel
The building with the sails holds various restaurants and shops. This is the main departure/arrival point for all cruise ships that leave to Alaska. The hotel is part of Canada Place and extremely pricey.


Downtown Vancouver at the Waterfront
Walking along the waterfront between Canada Place and the Vancouver Convention Center.


Olympic Torches from the 2010 Games. It now resides beside the Vancouver Convention Center.


Harbor Sea Plane Tour-45 minute Panoramic flight around Downtown Vancouver and Stanley Park.
Stanley Park with Downtown in the distance.

Stanley Park

Aeriel view of Downtown Vancouver


Lion's Gate Bridge that connects Vancouver to Northern Vancouver

Islands north of Vancouver


The little seaplane that took us up.


Tuesday-Museum of Anthropology and the Botanical Gardens (apologize upfront for the lack of pictures). These attractions resided on the campus of the University of British Columbia which was in the western part of Vancouver.



Botanical Gardens-some plants and flowers but mostly wooded areas.


Wednesday-Stanley Park. The park is over 1000 acres and 10% larger than New York's central park. Besides a few attractions inside the park, it also has a seawall that surrounds the entire park with a walking and biking path. It would take 4 hours to walk around the entire park.

Vancouver Aquarium (which is located inside the park)

Sea Otters
This guy was l-a-z-y. He was just floating around looking at everyone.



Beluga Whales
Dolphins
Klahowya Village-an Aboriginal attraction that included music, dancing and native crafts.
The performer is dressed as a bear and growls and moves around like one to the timing of the music.



Totem Poles



Lions Gate Bridge-view from Stanley Park




Thursday-Ferry to Victoria

Parliament Building

Parliament Building's Grounds facing out towards the Empress Hotel


Legislative Assembly


One of many stained glass windows in the building


One of our tour guides-the young Queen Victoria


Views of Inner Harbour from our hotel room balcony



View of the Parliament Building from other side of Inner Harbour


The Empress Hotel-a historic landmark in Victoria


Friday-Butchart Gardens-55 acres of beautiful gardens that used to be a limestone quarry.


Entrance into the Sunken Garden


The Sunken Garden








The Italian Garden


The Rose Garden



Random pictures I took of the flowers






Saturday-Left for Home

Downtown Vancouver was a bustling city with towering glass buildings and a large mix of people with various backgrounds. The weather was perfect at a high of 70-75 degrees each day with clouds in the morning but sunny by the afternoon. The seafood tasted wonderful and we had Sablefish for the first time. Yum.

Victoria was beautifully sunny each day we were there. Unlike Vancouver, Victoria was more touristy with lots of tour buses, vendors along the harbour and souvenir shops. The garden was the highlight during our stay.

Happy Travels!