After our trip to the east, we spent some time in Western Canada before getting back to LA. Our original plan was to go to Europe from Boston, since we were already half way there from California. However, considering that Europe tends to get very hot in summer, hotter every year thanks to the climate change, and that there are many hotels without air-conditioning, we decided to scuttle that plan. Also, the crowds in Europe are getting bigger every year, with summer representing the peak tourist season. So, we created Plan B, that of exploring Yukon, something I always wanted to do.
One of the ways one can to get to Whitehorse, the capital city of Yukon, is to fly out of Vancouver. So, we decided to spend a week in Vancouver before heading north to Yukon.
I have one IIT classmate in a suburb of Vancouver called Coquitlam. Another classmate lives in Victoria, the capital of British Columbia, which is a ferry ride from Vancouver. I contacted both and got warm invitations to stay with them. So, off we went.
In Vancouver, we stayed in a hotel near the airport, the night we arrived, then one day with my friend and his wife. The remaining three nights were spent in an Airbnb in the East Village part of the city. The two nights we spent in Victoria were spent with my friend and his wife.
Both are delightful places. Besides the stunning locations they both enjoy, we really liked the diversity of the population. Indian Sikhs arrived in Vancouver many decades ago. They used to call the city Bun Kuvar, roughly translated as “became a groom”. Now, there are thriving communities of Sikhs in Vancouver and surrounding towns. In addition, there are other Asians, Chinese, Japanese, and Koreans, in particular.
One advantage of staying with friends is that you can experience the place form a local perspective, not just form that of a tourist. Our Vancouver host (and his wife) showed us a beautiful lake, not on tourist map, and took us to a couple of lovely hiking paths. In addition, they took us to Whistler on the Canada day.
There too, we could walk along trails and had lunch in a place they were familiar with. Along the way to Whistler, we saw a couple of beautiful waterfalls.
We really loved Victoria as most people who visit the place do. Our hosts picked us up from the ferry terminal and took us around the island before we reached their condominium in a community near Victoria. The island, called Vancouver Island, is enormous in size. Victoria occupies a small spot at the bottom. The US Canada border is quite complex, so that there are parts of Vancouver Island below US. Right across from where our friends live is the Olympic Peninsula of Washington State. On a clear day one can see Mt. Baker, a high peak in US near the Canadian border. Interestingly, one of my nieces and her boyfriend had climbed it a few days earlier.
One major attraction for anyone going to Victoria is the Butchart Gardens. Initially created out of an abandoned quarry, the gardens have grown to become a national attraction. The landscaping, the variety of trees/flowers, the immaculate way they are kept, and the location all contribute to make this an amazing place to visit. We stayed there to listen to a music program and have light supper. Our initial plan was to enjoy fireworks before heading back but it was going to be at 10:15 at night. Remember, at this time and latitude, it does not get dark until 10 pm. So we gave up.
We visited several other places on the Vancouver Island, such as Duncan, a town that has a major exhibit of totem poles made by different artists, and a peak with good views of Victoria and surroundings.
On our final day in Vancouver, we went to Stanley Park, an enormous urban area with lots of greenery, scenic vistas, hiking and biking trails.
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