With an around the world air ticket, we flew out of Melbourne on the 10th of May to Vancouver in Western Canada.
Next flight was to Calgary then we flew over the North Pole to Frankfurt
in Germany where we went on a Trafalgar Highlights of New Europe tour.
(Frankfurt to Berlin, Poland, Slovakia, Hungary, Austria, The Czech Republic and Rothenburg before returning to Frankfurt.)
After this tour we flew to Istanbul in Turkey and went on a Trafalgar tour of Turkey.
Then to Singapore via Dubai and back to Melbourne after 54 days.
We
flew from Melbourne with Air Canada to Vancouver with a 2
hour stopover in Honolulu, 18 hours in total.
It was
springtime in Vancouver and it awash with the colourful flowering
blooms.
The Steam Clock in Gastown, Vancouver.
A steam clock is a clock which is fully or partially powered by a steam engine.
Only a few functioning steam clocks exist, most designed and built by Canadian horologist Raymond Saunders for display in urban public spaces.
Steam clocks built by Saunders are located in Otaru, Japan; Indianapolis, United States;
and the Canadian cities of Vancouver, Whistler and Port Coquitlam, all in British Columbia.
Steam clocks by other makers are installed in St Helier, Jersey and at the Chelsea Farmers' Market in London, England.
Although they are often styled to appear as 19th-century antiques,
steam clocks are a more recent phenomenon inspired by the Gastown steam clock built by Saunders in 1977.
A residental warehouse in Vancouver.
Capliano Suspension Bridge and park
The bridge was originally built in 1889. It was originally made of hemp ropes with a deck of cedar planks, and was replaced with a wire cable bridge in 1903.
In 1935 local natives were invited to place their totem poles in the park, adding a native theme.The bridge was completely rebuilt in 1956.
With Lucia, a guide at the park.
Liz Gardens There were great views over the city from this park.
It was abloom in the Canadian Spring.
There
were olourful displays of tulips, rhododendrons, azaleas, stocks and
others.
Museum
of
Anthropology at the University of British Columbia
They had an excellent collection of totem poles, masks,boxes, canoes,
jewellery, fishing hooks and other native artifacts.
Instead
of having them in storage, they were on display in their research
collection.
University of British Columbia Botanical Gardens
There were lots of espaliered plants.
Vancouver Aquarium
There were excellent underwater observation areas at the aquarium and all the displays were very well presented.
Sea Otters
A beluga (white whale). They are native to the far north west Pacific Ocean area.
Next to Drumheller in Alberta.
