A decade ago, my younger son returned from Vancouver after attending a conference in the University of British Columbia. He was all praise of this extremely beautiful province of Canada and told me that it was the ideal place in the world to settle down.
By that time, he had already traveled to various popular destinations around the world and also that he accompanied me to all the high altitude trekking routes in the Himalayas. We also have our native place in the beautiful valley of Dehradun located in the catchment area of river Ganges at the foot of the famous hill station Mussoorie in India. So, I wondered whether there could be a place on earth more beautiful than the number of places we had identified from time to time in the Himalayas. He told me that none of those places had the features of a warm seashore, a mighty river and mountains rising to the eternal snowy heights, all at one place! Vancouver is such a rare place in the world and is part of a province which is very truly described as the ‘Beautiful British Columbia’.
Keeping in view of the above both my sons moved to Vancouver. My grand children had grown up enough to go to pre-school and I thought this to be the right occasion to pay them a visit in Surrey, Metro Vancouver. At the Vancouver airport I came across a huge but most inspiring totem pole standing near a man-made water fall under the main canopy of the emigration section of the Airport. We had arrived in the beautiful land of totem poles!
A vast beautiful landscape that is as diverse as its people-from the rocky shoreline carved by the ocean… to the peaks of the highest mountains and the beautiful grasslands and arid deserts of the interior… this is British Columbia. I observed that the traditions and culture of first nations of this land remains strong, rich and diverse.
In locations throughout British Columbia, visitors can learn about their culture, traditions and legends and can enjoy their songs, dances and stories in cultural centers and longhouses, can watch native artists carve a totem pole, view nature and wildlife though the eyes of a local guide, enjoy thrilling adventures, sample traditional foods and relax in native-owned resorts and inns. Museum of Anthropology in University of British Columbia and Khat-la-Cha gallery, named after Chief Simon Baker’s Squamish name meaning ‘kind heart’, run by Chief Baker’s daughter, located near Lions Gate Bridge in North Vancouver offers, like many more such native galleries hand-carved cedar totem poles, plaques, unique bowls, rattles and hand tamed moccasins along with exquisite hand-carved sterling silver and 14K gold jewelry.
Home to the Vancouver International Airport and more than 20 brand name hotels, Richmond, island City by Nature is ideally located next door to Vancouver and offer excellent places to stay when planning day trips to Victoria, Seattle or the ski-resort town of Whistler. I discovered that it is an ideal place to hike or bike the extensive seaside trails or tempt one’s taste buds with some delicious dim sum.
And also was told that it is a place where Steveston Salmon Fish Festival, Richmond Night Market Summer Festival take place. More over, whale–watching and sea lion adventures, deep sea fishing charters, art exhibits, outdoor concert, agricultural pursuits and more – all are possible in Richmond island. Richmond will be part of the 2010 Olympic Games. The long track speed skating events of the Winter Games will be held at an oval, which is being built by the middle arm of the Fraser River. From the airport we drove straight to the home in Surrey, the second largest city in British Columbia.
Most striking aspect of the city of Surrey is its Parks. The city boasts of over 6000 acres of parks and green urban forests, serene rivers, beautiful gardens, pristine beaches and has a whole host of eco and agricultural opportunities. The outdoors is just around the corner with nature walks, bird watching, bike trails, fishing and much more. One third of the land in Surrey is agricultural. It is this vocation of agriculture that has made Surrey as the most popular destination for the Punjabi community. With Surrey’s diverse array of cultures, it has truly an international flavor. Yearly events such as the Greek Community Festival and the Indian Vaisakhi Parade bring the communities together and help make Surrey one of the most multicultural cities in Canada.
Closest access to the mighty ocean from Surrey is Crescent beach. As you approach the beach, you are struck by restaurants, cafes, coffee shops, galleries on this quite Beecher Street. It was indeed a very pleasant stroll of over a kilo meter across the wet sand towards the ocean. Further towards the US border are Peace Arch and White Rock Pier. White rock has got its name from the white rock lying at that place. The walk on the pier and along the railway track is a truly exhilarating experience.
A stroll through colorful tree shaded gardens takes you to the Capilano Canyon’s edge. Stepping onto swaying planks 230 feet above the floor quickens the pulse rate and the hands find the cool steel cable and one starts breathing briskly in the cedar scented rainforest air. The climb on the other side of the bridge takes you in to a forest of Cedar, Douglas Fir and Hemlock – the trees that began their climb towards the sky before Europeans set foot on Canadian shores. A similar kind of experience is offered at Lynn Canyon suspension bridge where the world famous Baden Powell Trail crosses. The Baden Powell Trail was built by the Boy Scouts and Girls Guides of Canada from the Lower Mainland to mark the 1971 British Columbia Centennial. This trail links Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay (high elevation trek) with approximately 48 km of National Trail on the North Shore Mountains.
Grouse Mountain Sky ride of 10.1 km takes you to the refuge for endangered wildlife, birds in motion demonstration and an array of mountain trails. It offers 25 ski and snowboard runs, 10 km of snowshoe trails, sleigh rides and what an unmatched views of one of the world’s most spectacular cities.A walk through the Botanical Garden in the University of British Columbia was a feast for the senses – an ever-changing palette of color and design.
Founded in 1916 by John Davidson, Curator of the Botany Museum at the University of Aberdeen, Scotland, it is the result of the initiation of a survey of the BC flora in 1911. He established a botanical garden and herbarium at Essondale. The collections, some 25000 plants, were transported to the UBC campus from 1914-1917. I discovered it to be indeed a fascinating world of more than 10,000 different plants on display scattered through 44 hectares of alpine and Asian treasures, medicinal and culinary plants and the towering trees of a coastal native forest.A straight drive through Aldergrove takes you to the beautiful town of Abbotsford. It was the first place where Punjabis set foot and started working in its lumber mills. They brought on their shoulders donated logs to this place and built a Sikh Temple in 1911.
Built on traditional Sikh architectural planning principles, using local building engineering techniques, this temple has ‘Diwan Hall’ on the upper storey and a ‘Langar Hall’ on the ground floor. A commemorative plaque fixed by the ‘Historic Sites and Monuments Board of Canada’ declares the place a national heritage site of Canada. Abbotsford has yet another recently-built Gurdwara with most modern amenities.
The highlight here is the magnificent oil paintings of Sikh Gurus and of the historical events displayed on its walls. Although a three hour journey in the ‘Whistler Mountaineer’ Train offers a unique experience of breathtaking scenery between North Vancouver and Whistler, we preferred to take the road and travel on the ‘Sea to Sky Highway’ to this Winter Olympic destination. Along this route there is so much to see. The drive begins at Horseshoe Bay. Right from the beginning of the drive an ocean-to-alpine panorama is revealed to the north, a startling contrast to the views of Vancouver seen a just a few minutes before.
The ‘Squamish Chief’ regarded as the second largest hunk of rock on earth, the Chief is known worldwide for its extraordinary and difficult rock climbing routes. Some 2200 feet high and as high as a sky scrapper, the Grand Wall, in full view, is a multi-day climb for expert climbers and is one of the finest rock climbs in the world. The Sea to Sky Highway travels further between Garibaldi Park on the right and the mountainous spine of the Squamish/Cheakamus divide to the left. Soon Whistler Mountain comes into view as the Highway nears the southern outskirts of Whistler village.
The village is full of interesting architecture influenced by European Ski resorts. The Ski area rated Number one in North America has the biggest vertical drop of any Ski area, over 5000 feet, and plentiful snow. It was a delightful experience to drive to Tsawwassen Ferry Terminal which passes through the spectacular environment of the city of Delta. It was from this terminal that we took a ferry to the capital city of Victoria, British Columbia. B C Ferry reaches Swartz Bay Ferry Terminal at Victoria cruising through Gulf islands, Saltsping, Satirna, Pender and Galiomo, known for killer whales and sea lions. From Swartz Bay, Patricia Bay Highway takes you to Victoria, the seat of the government of British Columbia. It passes through the First Nation settlement of Saanich and Beaver Lake on the way.
The view of the Parliament and novel ambience created by horse driven coaches and seaside museums and a series of hotels on the coast makes the place captivating. The architecture of the government buildings is unique and the big totem pole standing there further adds to its ethnicity. You don’t feel like coming away from its surroundings but one has to draw a line somewhere and plan a return to your place of origin. Dream what you want to dream; go where you want to go; be what you want to be, because one has only one life and one chance to do everything one wants to do.
Vancouver and Vancouver Island offer much more than can be described here in an article. You may begin by visiting some of the places as it just might be that one area left unexplored. The decision of my children to settle in Vancouver is a rewarding opportunity. I remember reading it somewhere that life is not measured by the number of breaths we take, but by the moments that take our breath away. Metro Vancouver is indeed a place which takes one’s breath every moment, every time. So, this year 2008 ‘have fun’ in Beautiful British Columbia, the Best Place on Earth, like I did!