Pemberton to Vancouver

We left Pemberton, which is 20mins north of Whistler very early. Drove through Whistler, did not stop as we headed for the sea to summit hike we had planned for the morning, which was a further hour or so down the road.

We were in the carpark ready to go at 9am with the gondola that goes up to the summit just started. Bought our " going down only" tickets and set off on the hike. Sign said 3-5 hrs advanced.

Reminded us of our Japan hike at the start

 

 

Had really good signage throughout and diamond markers on trees that colour blind Jeff could see being pink not green.

We are in love with chipmunks. This wee guy had worked out that if he hung around a particularly challenging section, ie hauling oneself up with ropes/ chains over steep rock, the hikers might feed me. We had almonds with us and the chipmunk took one nut out of Jeff 's hand and delighted to receive a few other we scattered.

Not sure what the solitary bird was, Blue Jay perhaps ?

 Hauling oneself up using a chain, by this time it was drizzly so grateful not to have to negotiate smooth rock with no hand holds.

Did not put us off. Completed to the summit 7.5km from zero to 918m in 2hrs 40 so pretty could we felt.

Unfortunately rain effected view from the summit but gondola ride down whisper quiet

This was well worth doing and only 45 minutes north of Vancouver.

We then drove into Vancouver, Denman village, where we had booked accomodation due to the proximity to Stanley Park and the drop off for the hire car.  Vancouver covers 115 sq km population up to 2milion people. A fabulously treed green space city for residents. We really liked the feel of the area we are staying in. Very cosmopolitan but apartments and family residences, schools share the space with trees both sides of the narrow streets. Pedestrians seem to have dominance. Trees take priority. If you move into a residence/ apartment shaded or view blocked - tough. Just loved the canopies which make the city liveable, healthy. Councils in NZ sadly acquiesce to residents who want trees removed even though the trees were there before them. Motueka springs to mind now so ugly.

Plenty of sidewalk vegetable gardens

A bit more interesting than the standard apartment block

We are also close to English beach (ironic..) we had dinner at The Cactus Club by the beach. This is a franchise in Canada. We went to one in Calgary - seafood linguine to die for.  Here in Vancouver we queue jumped with a couple from the UK and had another good meal and convivial company. Restuarants more likely to give you a table if not just two people so the game is to " make friends" in any dinner queue.

Love the tree on the apartment block

Ships awaiting entrance to  port. Washed up logs line the beach and hundreds of park benches (not tagged) are throughout the area.

These sculptures represent joyfulness, fun and laughter.

Bike hire, dog walkers and Canadian geese all share space.

Stanley Park is a real pearl for the city. At 400 hectares one of the greatest urban parks in the world. Began in 1888 and the city fathers since have had the foresight to keep it without filling with housing, cafes or tatt shops. A sea wall was built around it from 1917 completed 1920 and at 8.8km you can walk on the left or cycle, roller blade, skateboard only anti clockwise on the right.  We did the walk this morning and it was so interesting.

This is the Lions Gate bridge that you enter to the city from north having driven down Highway 99 from Pemberton, Whistler etc. Float plane is the speck above

Sulphur being loaded at the port

The harbour has an abundance of kelp and tonnes of shellfish which indicates good health. We watched seagulls and crows picking up cockles or blue mussel and trying to break them open on the paving. This seagull had overdone it we thought with a starfish

One of the many park benches with plaques that are all standard style

This is Vancouvers convention centre and cruise ship port. Saw lots of cruise ship passengers wobbling along on hire bikes or on short  strolls.

Felt sorry for these Clydesdales.

See all sorts...this little guy looked delighted to be going for a ride.

Jeff researched Jazz Clubs in Vancouver and found a place called Frankies in  Downtown. Offered Italian fare so walked the 30 minutes. Was "booked" such was its popularity but we were accomodated at the bar. The band was very accomplished and played very good music- piano, bass, drums, guitar and saxophone.  The guitar player who was in his 70's was father to the sax player who was the band leader. Good patter. Food was very good so top choice all round.

Today we are backpacking to the ferry back over to Vancouver Island for the Contiki reunion being held at Nanimo a town north west of Victoria. 

To Salmond Arm and Premberton

Hit the road early leaving Calgary in rain and very low skies. Visibility also impacted by smoke. Wild fires are a natural annual feature of Canada. Everywhere you look or hike are the remnants of some previous decades fire. Trees are standing ghosts or on the ground in amongst regrowth of fir trees 30years+. Seemingly 1971 was a very bad year we were told. Gigatonnes of carbon goes into the atmosphere each year from the fires. Other than the smoke haze over the country we have only seen past fires.

We noticed in Calgary and other towns houses are generally all of one colour in various areas. Bylaws have a range of olive, dull brown and grey palettes with the occasional splash of vanilla. Our scoria red house would never be allowed!! 

Made our way on the Trans Canadian highway to the town of  Golden for a coffee stop. Rather eclectic cafe and good coffee.

Now bears....we see people jiggling bells or carrying "bear spray". Theory being if you see a bear squirt them like they were a fly and the bear will take umbrage and amble off.  We just hike, they are more likely to be scared of you. Also not baby cub season.

Love the "not closed"

The town also has a roofed river bridge. Theory is that the bearers last longer if snow and ice are kept off them.

As is everywhere Canada is all about winter activities. Snow tires and chains 1st Oct to 31st March.

Clever display of used equipment

We noticed in Alberta, other than being one hour ahead, that cars are not required to have a rego plate on the front of cars? Brought in 20 odd years ago to "save money". Their fuel price is 30 cents less than British Columbia. Every province you must pay before you fill petrol by inserting a debit card and nominate an amount. Attendant not required other than store sales. British Columbia is known as BC - bring cash as one wag told us. Differences are federal taxes and provincial idiosyncrasies.

Salmon Arm was a utilitarian town as are many but did have some whimsical features we enjoyed.

Salmon Arm lake end. Water usually up to the trees but low by summers end.

Fabulous little theatre.

All along the Trans Canadian highway we are driving the Canadian Pacific railway is never far away. We see trains all day and took note. 207 heavy goods wagons being hauled by 3 engines with 2 engines at the back. Then 164 double stacked sea container wagons being hauled by 1 engine at the front, 1 in the middle and 1 at back. We are not trainspotters by any regard but epic amounts are hauled throughout steep mountain passes on spiral tracks.

Everywhere logging. Here they have been floated down the river to finish up beside the mill. Some the mills are a small town in themselves covering huge acreages. Plenty of employment to be had and support industries.

I felt underdressed at coffee this morning. Goth look still in. This is near yet another cannibis store. Shops are called names like High Mtn, Glorious Green. Whereas we have an epidemic of Vape shops in NZ everywhere here its weed shops.

Food in the south of British Columbia and Alberta has changed from the north in so far as

heat attack burger and fries has an alternative they call "glory bowls".  This is salad, nuts, seeds, say shredded carrot, beets and you can add tuna, prawn or chicken.  Really good. A God send really as we are Caesar Saladed out.  There is area in BC that is a wine tour area locals rave about.  We have tried a Canadian wine and it was ghastly, no other words would describe the thin sweet liquid.  On menus here there maybe one alternative to the said ghastly wine from say Argentina or Chile. Even at times the NZ bulk plonk from Kim Crawford or Oyster Bay. 

We have driven 5,000 kms thus far (yes Jeff's driver extraordinaire) and seen basically no road kill. Only in the last week we saw a wolf and skunk dead on the road. Given the traffic, road use astounding. So many big rigs/trucks there are lines of them. We notice they put on all indicators when going up any hills to show they are crawling to other traffic.

Birds....other than migratory we do not see or hear many. Small birds barely present in towns reflected by crabapple trees retaining all the fruit, in NZ they are stripped by passerines i.e finches, sparrows. Many crows here though.

We have been passing large RV (recreational vehicles) parks throughout our travels. During covid whereas in NZ we got a dog in Canada more RVs were purchased. Now many are not required so they park them in lots as bylaws in most places do not allow parking in the driveways or on the street hence RV storage. There are literally thousands of these beasts.

Kamloop Lake view point. Country side changed as we neared Kamloop from wall to wall fir trees to terrain not unlike Central Otago.

Still like each other so far!!

This is part of the Marble canyon past Cache Creek

State Highway 99.....very impressive rock faces. Good windy driving for Jeff. 

This is part of the Fraser River the longest in BC....1400km long.

Note the rail line. Seton Lake.

Now in Premberton, small town to the north of Whistler. Not so rapacious. Tomorrow we will drive to the Sea to Sky gondola (recommended by friend Peter Johnson) on the outskirts of Vancover, to hike the 7km up and take the gondola down. Contrary to what most others do but we like to be contrary.