The first of July is Canada Day and this year they celebrated a big 150th birthday! We spent the day on the beach enjoying the beautiful sunshine and relaxing with the locals! Happy Birthday Canada – we think you are pretty amazing!
Year: 2017
Summer is in full swing here in beautiful Vancouver and the extreme change in daylight hours is not the only noticeable thing happening (mid winter we are lucky to have 8 hours with the sun up and currently we have 17 hours of daylight). I have been out retracing my steps so I could capture the summer version of my favourite winter shots! From white to green it is just stunning. Here they are summer -v- winter! Both equally beautiful in their own way!
The last two are taken in Whistler. Hard to believe that this first shot is the same place and was in fact the venue for the 2010 winter Olympic downhill ski events!
May 26, 2017
We have just had the annual May long weekend to commemorate Victoria Day here in British Colombia so we took the opportunity to take a four day weekend trip to Vancouver Island and the picturesque city of Victoria.
Victoria is really a beautiful small city with loads of character. Originally settled by the British, it has a really old world feel about it and as it is set on a harbour it is a little like Sydney. There are loads of old cobblestone streets and beautiful old pubs. Victoria is the capital of the province of British Colombia so it is where the provincial government buildings are. We did a wonderful tour of the Legislative building and learnt a little about the Canadian government which is very similar to ours in Australia.
How to Get There
There are a number of ways to get out to Vancouver Island but our mode of transport was car which with three kids always makes life easier. From our home in Vancouver we needed to get to the ferry terminal in Tssawassen which is a 45 minute drive south. We then boarded one of the BC Ferries that takes you direct to Swartz Bay on Vancouver Island. The trip is a 90 minute beautiful ferry ride that is for both cars and foot passengers – it really is a pretty and scenic trip through the gorgeous gulf islands. As we knew the long weekend would be busy we had pre-booked our ferry trip but on a regular day you can just rock up and get on board the next ferry out – make sure you do check the timetables though as I have head some nightmare stories about long delays! Once we arrived in Swatz Bay we were straight off the ferry and on the highway to Victoria. The drive is an easy 35 minute trip and you are in the centre of downtown Victoria.
What to do
The city of Victoria is relatively small so it is very easy to do so much on foot! We arrived around lunch time on Friday so we headed straight to Chinatown and the famous Fan Tan Alley. Victoria’s Chinatown is the oldest in Canada and Fan Tan Alley is the narrowest street in Canada. The area is full of history and great little shops.
On day two we headed off on foot once again through the centre of downtown via Trounce Alley and Bastion Square and along the harbour foreshore, passing the Fairmont Empress Hotel for a quick visit and on to the Parliament Building. After our short 40 minute tour of this beautiful building we continued our walk around the foreshore to Fishermans wharf where we enjoyed some lunch and watch the seals entertain the crowds.
After spending time at Fishermans wharf we then caught the local ferry back around to the main part of the harbour before wandering back to our hotel.
On day 3 we borrowed the bikes that the hotel provided and had a lovely morning out cycling on the Galloping Goose Trail. This trail goes for 55km but we just took a short ride which was the perfect morning activity before heading back for lunch. In the afternoon we jumped in the car and took a visit to Craigdarrock Castle – an amazing home that was built in the 1880’s by one of the wealthiest men in Victoria.
For our final stop we took a drive to Fisgard Lighthouse which is the oldest lighthouse on the west coast of Canada. This lighthouse still guides ships daily through the Straight of Georgia between the US and Canada – one of the busiest waterways in this part of the world.
On our final morning we had a leisurely breakfast and then watched some of the annual Victoria Day Parade that was taking part in Douglas Street. After checking out of our hotel at 11am we then jumped back in the car and took a drive along the coast from the Victoria Harbour all the way to Cordova Bay. The views back to the Olympic Mountains in the state of Washington were just stunning. For our final stop we headed in to the seaside town of Sidney for a quick visit and to grab some lunch before heading to back to catch our ferry home.
Such a beautiful weekend with plenty to do but also plenty of relaxing! The weather over the weekend was the best we have had during our 4 and a half months here in Canada so this made the ferry trip home just stunning as well!
Where to Stay
We stayed at the Best Western Plus Carlton Plaza Hotel. We had a family suite that was the perfect size for us as it had 2 double beds plus a pull out sofa. One of the beds was in a separate room and the other beds all in the main living area that also had a kitchen. Having stayed in some tiny rooms with our family of 5 this felt spacious and comfortable. The rooms were clean and well looked after and the staff were so helpful. The hotel was located in Johnson Street in downtown. The location was great and convenient for everything we wanted to do.
Where to Eat
We had some great meals while visiting Victoria including a delicious Tapas meal on Trounce Alley at Botega. We also ate lunch with the girls at Fan Tan Cafe in Pandora Street in the heart of Chinatown – yum! Another great dinner was at The Bard and Banker on Government St. Our lunch at Fisherman’s wharf was at The Fish Store. There was also a great cafe at the start of the Galloping Goose Trail that was perfect for a refuel stop!
After dinner each evening we took a walk along the harbour. There were loads of street performers that took their jobs seriously and drew big crowds! It was great fun and not only enteraining but also the best place to watch the sunset! Magic.
So as you can see we had a fabulous 4 days on Vancouver Island. If you are planning a trip to Canada definitely add it on to your itinerary!
May 24, 2017
Our next adventure while living here in Canada was to the Sundance Dude Ranch in the interior of British Columbia – about a 4 hour drive north east of Vancouver near a town call Ashcroft. this part of Canada is known as being the dessert so not too much rain out here!
I had never heard of a Dude Ranch until we moved here but let me tell you they are loads of fun – absolutely perfect for families! We headed to Sundance with 4 other families from Sienna’s school as well as my mum who arrived from Australia two days prior.
Sundance is a family owned ranch that has been handed down through the generations. They have 120 horses on the property so each day they host two 2 and a half hour rides over the wonderful countryside in and around their property. They carefully match you with a horse that suits your ability (in our case novice) and then your group of 7-10 riders each out with the wrangles for a magical few hours in the fresh air.
We were at Sundance for the 4 day easter break and as you will see in the photos the weather was sunny but still crisp as we needed to wear our jackets out while riding. All meals are included in your stay which means there is nothing to do but sit back and relax and enjoy! As we had 6 of us sharing for this trip we asked for two rooms that were adjoining and we also requested one of the larger rooms. If you do head to Sundance ask for the Rodeo King room and the attached Tack room – perfect size for a family.
May 23, 2017
Living in Canada certainly gives you a new perspective on the changing seasons! While we have had a very cold few months here in Vancouver with Spring being very late to arrive, the blossom trees have certainly brightened up the many many grey days! They are everywhere and they truly are just beautiful.
