FRIDAY'S FOTO

Montreal, Canada's amazing Biodome,
Canada's largest Natural History Museum
and
The Montreal Tower Observatory
From the Observatory, view
the St. Lawrence River Valley
and
The Laurentian Mountains

FRIDAY'S FOTO

This simple statement says so much.
In so many of the cities we visit, bicycles are a popular mode of transportation.
This bike is in Victoria, British Columbia where bikes and bike racks abound.
Come visit New York City, and you will see the transformation has occurred there too.

FRIDAY'S FOTOS

Watching these kids playing on the rocks in Vancouver, BC, their childish figures silhouetted in the waning light made me think of Huck Finn on the Mississippi--only these gutsy young explorers were little girls.  Wonderful!

NIAGARA FALLS IN SPRINGTIME--BREATHTAKING!



Canada's Horseshoe Falls



Niagara Falls is a sight to behold in any season, but in Spring it is a display of Nature’s awesome power against a setting of gentle greens and vivid yellows as daffodils try to steal the show.  It’s a wonderful time of year to visit and to join the nearly 12 million people who marvel at Niagara Falls each year.

A trip to the Falls can successfully begin on either side of the border, but as we drive up through New York State, we’ll begin in New York’s Niagara Falls State Park.  It’s a wonderful entree to one of the Seven Wonders of the World.  (Occasionally self-appointed groups alter this list, but seeing is believing.)  There’s plenty of parking and activities aimed at introducing visitors to the mighty Niagara River and its turbulent, rushing power.  The negative on this side of the river is that you are behind the falls.  There are some wonderful side views past the American and Bridal Veil Falls to the Horseshoe Falls, but you will not face them.  Nevertheless, the opportunities here should not be missed.  The park is lovely, the views beautiful, and the activities are mind-blowing.



The American Falls



One adventure only available on the American side is the Cave of the Winds Tour where visitors descend 175 feet via elevator and then, clad in slicker and sandals, take a series of walkways to within 20 feet of the Bridal Veil Falls.  You’ll be thoroughly doused, but you’ll experience the Falls in a unique way.  There is no longer a cave to visit, but this is quite an experience.  As a note, there is a special area of viewing for people unable to do the walk.

In the Spring, this tour continues on the Gorge Trip where you’ll see workers rebuilding the Permanent Deck 75 feet from the base of the Falls.  That deck is dismantled each year to protect it from Winter weather and is used by visitors during the summer months.

The Cave of the Winds Tour will give you an entirely different vantage point from the one you’ll have from the Maid of the Mist.  It’s the tour no one should miss (t).  Once again, clad in a yellow slicker, your boat will take you right to the base of the thundering Horseshoe Falls where the water pounds so loudly as it crashes from the heights that conversation is almost impossible.  This is an unforgettable ride.  Beautiful.  Massively powerful. You can’t help but wonder why anyone would go over the Falls on purpose!  This tour departs from either the U.S. or Canada, but tickets are not interchangeable.

You might consider this option: There is a Niagara Falls USA Discovery Pass available that is reasonably priced and offers passes to five different venues including these two.  If you have time, this is a good way to go. 

Whether you begin or end there, the Canadian side of the Falls is a MUST. That’s where the majestic views are found.  Cross the Rainbow Bridge by car, foot, or bicycle and face the Falls head on.  Watch the water roil and plunge, throwing up huge misty plumes. Walk along the flower and tree-lined boulevard.  If you’re close to the railing, you’ll feel the mists yourself despite being across the river from the Falls.  Guard your camera lens from the mist to prevent spots on your photographs.  All the photographs here are taken from the Canadian side.

Fallsview Boulevard is along the River.  If you drive across from the U.S., you’ll park near the very beautiful Visitor Center, but even if you walk, make this a stop to learn more about the history and power of Niagara Falls as well as about some of the antics of daredevils going over the falls or tight-walking across the falls.  The Center is located somewhat up the hill, so you’ll see the Falls from an additional vantage point. 

Fallsview Boulevard offers spectacular views of all three falls, and I am always astounded by how close to the thundering cataract the Maid of the Mist boats venture. 

Canada offers similar attractions to the United States.  Canada, too, has its Niagara Falls Adventure Pass which includes The Maid of the Mist, Journey Behind the Falls which is 150 feet down and takes you for an up close and personal look to the Horseshoe Falls, and two other venues.

On Fridays, Sundays, and holidays—both Canadian and American—from May until September, there are fireworks displays from the Park.  Each night of the year, at dusk, the Falls are illuminated, a tradition dating back to the visit by the Prince of Wales to Canada in 1860. 

If you are staying overnight, stay on the Canadian side.  There you can book hotels on Fallsview Boulevard with fantastic views.  Depending on your hotel, you might be able to see the illumination and fireworks right from your room.  You might also like to go to the Observation Deck or restaurant in The Skylon Tower for a revolving view.

I’ve just touched on some of the activities here.  The real deal is to see the Falls and enjoy the "Whoa!" moments as your jaw drops in wonder.  Everything else is secondary. The area is rich in other sights as well, so if you have more time, there is plenty to see and do.  There are those who complain of the tourism here, but look beyond that and simply enjoy Nature’s Show.

OH WHAT A BEAUTIFUL DAY IN VICTORIA'S BUTCHART GARDENS

One million bedding plants of seven hundred varieties are used in Vancouver's Victoria Island's Butchart Gardens to insure continuous bloom from March until October. Therefore, that Rob and I are wonderfully overwhelmed by our visit to this 55 acre, family-owned floral extravaganza is not in the least bit surprising.

Butchart Gardens is a National Historic Site of Canada. It was once offered to the government but it unwisely refused. Today, more than a century after their inception, a million people a year pay to visit the gardens, enjoying not only its floral beauty, but the sculpture, the exquisite lighting designs, and the weekly fireworks displays.

Our visit to Butchart Gardens is a continuation of the tour to Victoria Island our Vancouver hotel's concierge arranged for us. As we enter the Gardens, we are greeted to a breath-taking panoramic view of rolling terrain and serpentine paths lined with vibrantly colored flowers: begonias, bleeding hearts, snapdragons to name but a few. These Gardens grew in stages, the conception of Jennie Butchart whose husband became rich making cement at the turn of the century. Around 1908 when he exhausted a limestone quarry near their house, Jennie turned that into the first of the Gardens, the magnificent Sunken Gardens.

By 1908, they added the Japanese Gardens and then the Italian Garden. Meanwhile, Mr. Butchart, who collected exotic birds from all over the world, had elaborate birdhouses set up among the gardens. He kept ducks in the Star Pond. He trained pigeons in what is now the Begonia Bower.

By the 1920s, word of the beautiful Gardens spread. Fifty thousand people visited annually, and the Butcharts named the avenue leading to the Gardens "Benvenuto Ave." meaning "Welcome" in Italian. They lined the path with flowering cherry trees purchased from the Yokohama Nursery in Japan. The walk to the entrance is so beautiful that we are blown away when we realize we haven't even begun to experience Butchart Gardens.

You will love visiting their website where they detail the events, let visitors know which flowers will be blooming when they visit, and offer a wealth of other information.I can offer you some background, but photos cannot adequately capture the lush, vibrant colors or the serene atmosphere visitors experience as they wander through the Gardens and drink in the charm and beauty. If we thought this visit would be anti-climactic after the amazing natural sights we had experienced on this trip, we were mistaken. This is one more place on this earth that is too good to be missed.

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VICTORIA, BC--DON'T MISS A CHANCE TO SPEND TIME HERE

On our last “outing” of this journey, we board our concierge-booked tour bus that travels along Rt. 99—The Pan American Highway which goes all the way to South America—and head for the BC Ferry Terminal and our trip to Victoria Island. The terminal is a destination in itself with shopping, cafes so used to international visitors that the computerized cash registers adapt to the country of the money of the moment.

In Victoria we have time to explore before our biggest destination. We get off in Chinatown, once the largest Chinatown in North America. We walk through Fan Tan Alley, once a hotbed of gambling and opium dens and now a place of pleasant shops. The alley was named after the gambling game, and it once led to a labyrinthian maze that was then Chinatown. Today only 3,000 Chinese residents live here


When we see a tour bus drop some Chinese tourists in front of a restaurant, we know that is the place to be, and we have an incredibly delectable bowl of soup filled with roast duck and wontons.


After lunch we stroll back down the hill toward the water, looking at the shops and sights, buying some chocolate, and being amazed at the number of bikes until we learn the cost of parking in the city--$2.50 an hour with no repeats.



Artists have contributed eagles to auction for charity, and they decorate the city. There is also a totem pole dedicated to the First People. This is a beautiful city on the water with marinas, varied architecture, good hotels, a zillion flowers and plenty to see—more than we can cover in this short time because we are off to the famous Butchart Gardens.

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At Long Last Vancouver

When we disembark in Vancouver, we’ve got a lovely afternoon in a beautiful, young, vibrant city geared toward outdoor activities. The temperate climate allows for palm trees! That’s not something we usually think of when we think of Canada. Our suite hotel is just two short blocks to English Beach and Vancouver’s seawall that stretches along the water and gives outdoor enthusiasts delightful opportunities.

The high rise buildings create neighborhoods. Ours is an international one, and we might never leave it for the diversity of restaurants!


The densely populated neighborhoods leave plenty of green areas and spaces for flowers, marinas, and paths for biking and walking. We saw people engaged in every kind of sport imaginable, right down to jugglers. We watched roller hockey where one of the team members was a woman. Never forget we are in Canada.


English Bay is full of boats, sailboats, kayaks, and big tankers and steamers. We even watched an amphibious vehicle. You can see it behind the photo of some young Canadian Huck Finns playing on the rocks.




On a promontory overlooking the Bay is a stone statue of Inukshuk, the Inuit symbol of friendship and hospitality. Lovely. Inukshuk is the symbol chosen for the Winter Olympics held here in 2010. We visited in the fall of 2009.


We also took the Aquaboat to Granville Island and its rightfully famous Farmers’ Market. My photos will give you a taste of the magnificence here.

There’s entertainment as well, and this young man’s act outshines anything we’ve seen on a cruise ship! He was a juggler, an acrobat, a skateboarder, and an entertainer who involved his audience. Truly entertaining and truly professional!

I must add a WONDERFUL MEMORY MOMENT:
Enjoying a coffee outside the market, I spot a woman reading The Guernsey Literary & Potato Pie Society. I see her pause, look up in thought, and smile or laugh aloud. I can’t resist. I go over and we book-talk. She is visiting from England. Her reactions to The Guernsey….mirror mine, but when she mentions similarities with 84 Charing Cross Road, it blows me away. My dear friend, Mike, sent that to me as a present many years ago, and I cherish that book. Here I am sitting with this woman, and I have found a kindred spirit.






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