Canada Coast To Coast

1. British Columbia
2. Alberta
3. Saskatchewan
4. Manitoba
5. Ontario
6. Quebec
7. New Brunswick
8. Prince Edward Island
9. Nova Scotia
10. Newfoundland

  This year Canada is celebrating its 150th year of Confederation.  We are lucky enough to have seen the country from coast to coast.  We have been to all ten provinces and even touched the tidal waters of Nunavut from Churchill, Manitoba.  The territories are on our travel wish list.  Below is a list of just one of our favourite things from each province.

1 ) British Columbia

BC has the animals, the Pacific Ocean and so much more. One of our favourite things was tea at The Empress Hotel in Victoria. Read More

2 ) Alberta

Alberta shares the Rocky Mountains with BC, but Alberta has Jasper, Banff and Lake Louise.  We fell in love with the snow capped mountains. Read More.

3 ) Saskatchewan

Yes it is flat, but the fields with rolls of hay and the blue skies have a feel all their own.  It also seemed to have a never ending sunset as we drove westward. Read More

4 ) Manitoba

This is the furthest north we have ever been in Canada.  Our favourite thing in Manitoba is the polar bears of Churchill. Read More.

5 ) Ontario

We spend most of our time in the province of Ontario.  Algonquin Park is our favourite place to really get away from it all. Read More.

6 ) Quebec

Hotel de Glace is built each winter just outside of Quebec City.  We spent a night inside this palace of ice. Read More.

7 ) New Brunswick

The Hopewell Rocks are formed by the high tidal fluctuations that occur in the area.  You can walk down beneath the unusual rocks and 6 hours later the water has returned and filled everything back in. Read More.

8 ) Prince Edward Island

Our brief two day visit to PEI was 48 hours of rain.  We did enjoy getting to and from the island.  First we drove across the marvel that is Confederation Bridge and then we saw the red soil when we left on a ferry.  We will return.  Read More.

9 ) Nova Scotia

Nova Scotia has Peggy's Cove and Cape Breton Island.  One of our best days in the province was spent at the Halifax Public Gardens. Read More.

10 ) Newfoundland

Iceberg Alley passes right around the top of Newfoundland.  We were lucky to see these gigantic 10,000 year old pieces of glacial ice as they floated in the Atlantic Ocean. Read More.

Ten provinces and ten wonderful memories.  

HAPPY 150th BIRTHDAY CANADA !!

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Map of Our World
Banff Gondola , Saskatchewan , Hopewell Rocks Park , Halifax Public Gardens , Witless Bay
Empress Hotel , Hotel De Glace , Confederation Bridge
Tundra Buggy Tour , Algonquin Park (Lake Opeongo)

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Post # 181

Vancouver International Airport Art

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Address:  3211 Grant McConachie Way
Date: Feb 2017
Website: www.yvr.ca/en/about-yvr/art

  Thanks to a 5 hour delay we missed our connecting flight to Maui.  This meant spending the night in Vancouver and more time in the Vancouver airport than we would have liked.  If you are going to be stuck in an airport, Vancouver's is rated one of the best.  It is especially known for its artwork.  As we wandered through the airport towards our hotel shuttle, we were sad that we would not fall asleep to the sound of Pacific Ocean waves hitting the Maui shore.  The airport tried to cheer us up as we came across three carved sculptures (above).  Left to right they are "The Blind Halibut Fisherman", "Raven Stealing The Beaver Lake" and "Raven With a Broken Beak".

  After spending the night near the airport, we took our hotel shuttle again and were dropped off near the departure gates.  The first thing we noticed was 3 totem poles towering over us.  We dropped off our luggage and checked in for our flight.

  As we headed towards our departure gate we encountered the Clayoquot Welcome Figures. These carved figures are often placed on the beach in front of a village to welcome guests.  Today they were welcoming us.

  "The Spirit of The Haida Gwaii: The Jade Canoe" is the most famous piece in the collection.  It has been on display at the Vancouver Airport since 1996 and used to be printed on the back of the Canadian twenty dollar bill from 2004 to 2012.  The canoe is overflowing with characters from Haida mythology. 

  Once we had made our way through customs and entered the gate area, all we had to do was wait.  A red lit sculpture caught our eye.  It was a transformation mask that would be worn by ceremonial dancers.  When it is closed it looks like the head of a raven. When it is pulled open it reveals the fearsome face inside.  It is kind of like us when we heard the news about our connecting flight yesterday.  "We are sorry there are no other flights headed to Maui this evening".  Bak! Mask open! Fearsome face revealed.

  While we waited for our flight, we could see other passengers arrive through the Pacific Passage.  A large bird called a Thunderbird hovered above them as they wandered underneath, disorientated and wondering if they would ever be reunited with their luggage.

  Other smaller exhibits could be found around the airport such as the figurines above.  The majority of them looked like trick-or-treaters wearing bed sheet ghost costumes.

  This final exhibit required you to place the palm of your hand against a special spot.  When you did, the little man started to peddle his bicycle and every so often a dog popped up out of the front basket.
  We did eventually make it to Maui only one day late.  It wasn't how we planned our vacation, but thanks in part to the Vancouver Airport it wasn't that bad.

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Map of Our World
Vancouver International Airport

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Post # 179

Girl in a Wetsuit

Location: Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada
Address:  Stanley Park
Date: June 2005
Website:  vancouver.ca

  Just off the edge of Stanley Park is a rock in Vancouver Harbour.  On top of that rock sits what at first appears to be a mermaid.  This is actually a bronze sculpture created by artist Elek Imredy.  Upon closer examination we determined that it is a woman wearing flippers and a wetsuit.  She has her scuba goggles up on her forehead so she can look out across the harbour. 

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Map of Our World
Girl in a Wetsuit

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Post # 114

Afternoon Tea At The Empress Hotel

Location: Victoria, BC, Canada
Address: 721 Government St.  
Date: June 2005
Website: www.teaattheempress.com

  While in Victoria, BC we enjoyed a very fancy tea at the Empress Hotel.  Actually, a few days prior we ate in the harbour at a nearby Milestones restaurant and got a little too much sun.  Then we went on a whale watching tour in a zodiac boat and took on even more sun and wind.  By the day we arrived for tea we were more than a little bit sunburnt.

  As we walked up towards the entrance of the hotel, two leaning sequoia trees reached out to greet us.

  We were seated at a wooden table in the middle of their elegant tea room.  Tall, white columns stretched from the ceiling to the tapestries on the floor below.  A pianist played softly during the tea service.  Across the room the windows looked out towards the harbour.  Some light came in through the windows, but at least for now we were shielded from the full force of the sun.

  Our experience began with fresh strawberries served with whipped cream.  We were also served a glass of port each.

  Next to arrive was a three-tier stand filled with treats.  There was a layer of sandwiches, a layer of desserts and of course a layer of scones and cream.  We do very much enjoy scones and clotted cream with our tea.  We each also received a pot of our chosen tea and an extra pot of hot water with which to refresh our tea.  The exclusive china pattern tea cups have been used since 1939 for the Royal visit of King George VI and Queen Elizabeth.

  Afternoon tea has been an Empress hotel tradition since 1908.  We have had tea all over the world, but this was one of our all time favourites.  We plan on making it a tradition every time we return to Victoria.

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Map of Our World
Empress Hotel , Milestones Grill & Bar (Victoria, BC)

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Post # 80