Tofino
I unexpectedly found myself in Tofino for a few hours on the long weekend ― and was so very pleased to be there.
The first Monday of August ― celebrated as BC Day in British Columbia ― is a statutory holiday in most of Canada, making the first weekend of August a blessed three days long just when you want it most: at the height of summer.
I say I “unexpectedly” found myself in Tofino because I was fully expecting to spend the entire weekend in and around the provincial park in mid-Vancouver Island where I was camping with almost half of my family. But when someone in your group rolls out of his tent and says, “Hey, let’s go to Tofino!” before you’ve even had a chance to finish that all-important first cup of coffee, you say, “OK?!”
I mean, what’s a few hours’ drive when you’re this close to the surfing capital of Canada?
Located on the west coast of Vancouver Island (about a six-hour trip from Vancouver, including a 90-minute ferry ride), Tofino is one of the most spectacular places in Canada. The ocean temperature can vary from a low of 7°C in the winter to a high of 17°C in the summer, making it a popular year-round surfing destination.
If those temperatures are a bit too brisk for you (they are for me!), there’s always beachcombing, kayaking, whale watching, and, in the winter, storm watching to keep you occupied.
Whatever your interests, the drive to Tofino is worth the effort for the scenery alone. (And if you are short on time, you can always take the plane!)
Through My Lens: Burrard Inlet
There’s always lots going on in Burrard Inlet. Not surprising, since it’s the location of Canada’s largest and busiest sea port.
In this photo, you can see one of those freighters that keep the port hopping. Behind the freighter, to the left, you can just make out three cruise ships docked at Canada Place. And playing chicken with the freighter is the SeaBus ― a passenger-only ferry that plies back and forth across the inlet carrying commuters from the North Shore to downtown Vancouver.
Like I said, lots going on.
Through My Lens: Mayne Island Lighthouse
Although this is technically not a long weekend, many Canadians are taking Monday off work to bridge the gap between the weekend and Canada Day to make it a four-day weekend.
Like me.
I’m off to do some island hopping. And so, here is a photo I took a while back of the lighthouse on Mayne Island from the deck of a BC ferry. That’s Mount Baker in the hazy distance.
Through My Lens: Siwash Rock
Big news this week: Tripadvisor named Stanley Park the # 1 park in the world. The world! We beat out both New York’s Central Park and the Luxembourg Gardens of Paris. Not bad, eh?
To celebrate, here’s a photo of Siwash Rock, one of the park’s most photographed attractions. Its Squamish name is Slhx̱i7lsh.
Chinatown Mural
Since I’m on a roll, here’s another mural. This one is from Vancouver’s Chinatown and it’s chock full of history. Just imagine all the stories the people portrayed in this mural could tell.
Spotted Towhee
Since I now consider myself a quasi-birder, I thought I’d post a photo for World Migratory Bird Day, which this year is May 10 and 11. (Why it’s called a day when it’s actually a weekend is a puzzle to me, but there it is.)
This is a Spotted Towhee I photographed near Lost Lagoon in Stanley Park a couple of winters ago. Technically, it’s not a migratory bird for Vancouver as it lives here year round, but it is a seasonal bird in other parts of the continent.
Salt Spring Island Cheese
Last month, I told you all about the beginnings of my life-long love affair with cheese.
This month, I’m going to tell you about a stop I make whenever I visit Salt Spring Island — a place that’s perfect for cheese addicts (like me) looking for their next fix.
It’s the Salt Spring Island Cheese Company.
I’ve long been a fan of this cheesemaker’s dairy products ― they specialize in handmade goat and sheep cheeses that are available in grocery stores and at cheesemongers all across Greater Vancouver. What I did not know is how incredibly fresh the chèvres taste if you buy them straight from the source instead of waiting for them to be shipped to Vancouver. Who knew the difference a few days could make in the flavour and texture of fresh goat cheese?
Salt Spring Island Cheese Company offers a self-guided tour of the cheese-making process from start to finish ― beginning with a walk through the barn where the goats are kept all the way to the final wrapping and display of the many varieties of cheese for sale in the shop.
If you’re as addicted to cheese as I am (is that even possible?), be sure to check out the Salt Spring Island Cheese Company the next time you’re on Salt Spring Island.
Mozart in Prague
I was at the Vancouver Opera again last weekend, enjoying a superb performance of Mozart’s Don Giovanni. This opera premiered a couple of centuries ago at the Estates Theatre in Prague, a city that loved Mozart and that Mozart loved in return. He was treated like a rock star whenever he came to town. Don Giovanni was commissioned by an Italian living in Prague when he saw how popular Mozart was in that city.
The Estates Theatre also happens to be where I first saw Don Giovanni. In fact, seeing Don Giovanni at the Estates Theatre in Prague was my first ever live opera experience. My friend and I treated ourselves to box seats because they set us back a mere $20 ― it was quite the introduction to live opera. If you enjoy music and you happen to be in Prague, I highly recommend checking it out.
I don’t have any photos of the Estates Theatre, but if you were to walk down the street in the photo below, the theatre would come into view just as you round the corner. Can’t you picture this street on a clear, crisp October night in 1787, with gown and cape–clad Praguers arriving at the Estates Theatre in their horse-drawn carriages? Then, with a little imagination, picture them sweeping en masse into the newly built theatre to witness a grand spectacle: the newest (some say best) opera from Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart, directed by the Maestro himself.
Go on. Imagine.
Through My Lens: Vancouver Olympic Cauldron
Vancouver’s Olympic Cauldron was lit today to celebrate Canada’s gold medal in men’s hockey. Some claim it’s the only gold medal that matters to Canadians.
I think the athletes who won the other nine gold, ten silver, and five bronze medals for Canada would beg to differ, but, yes, we Canadians are a bit hockey mad and never more so than during the Winter Olympics.
Merry Christmas!
English Bay, Vancouver
There and Back Again 