Vancouver

Vancouver is a great place to start outdoor activities from. There is a ski resort just outside the tow, the ski resort of Whistler-Blackcomb is not far away either, the Cost Mountains are great for hiking trips, there are climbing rocks in the bays of the pacific ocean, the island protect see kayakers on their trips. And of course Vancouver Island offers lots of possibilities for hiking, fishing, canoeing, etc.

Although it rains almost every second day, the mood in Vancouver is impressive also which is due to the music scene and the pubs to go out in the evening. Asian immigrants make the streets more colourful.

We just had three days to enjoy and explore Vancouver. In the Aquarium we saw fishes that live at the shore of the pacific ocean near to Vancouver. They swim in water that is refilled constantly with fresh water. We have been to a Dolphin Show in the Aquarium and watch the baluga whales swimming.

The area around Vancouver is tightly connected to the history of Indians. There are some museums that inform about the history and the culture of the Indians. The interest in Indians has increased a lot in the recent years which is a good development in the context of the history of the North American Indians. In particular the Museum of Anthropology is worth a visit.

Vancouver Island

We spent 3 days on Vancouver Island. For our day trips we chose the Pacific Rim Park, which is on the side of the pacific ocean, as the starting point. The pacific rim park is known for the Pacific Rim Trail, which goes through the rain forest at the shore side. The trail is a
challenging even for experienced hikers. We stayed on a campground in the Pacific Rim Park which was near to the beach in the rain forest. One morning we had gorgeous sunshine with banks of fog coming from the ocean. The atmosphere on Long Beach was eerie. We also jumped into cool water of the ocean for a short swim.

We did some educational hikes through the rain forest of the Pacific Rim Park. The plants growing in the park were absolutely impressive, especially the huge trees. In the rain forest are so many plants that grow on trees that just have died. The massiveness of growing seems to be unbreakable. However, the educational hikes also informed us about problem in recultivation the rain forest.

In Victoria, the capital of British Columbia the signs of Indian history are more obvious than in Vancouver. We passed many totem poles that remind you of the Indian Culture. Victoria is the town of the flowers and gardens. The Butchard Gardens just outside of Vancouver are the most famous of the gardens. You can find roses from all over the world there or a chinese garden.

Glacier National Park

On our way from the Rockies to Vancouver we visited Glacier National Park. The name of the park suggests that exceptionally large glaciers can be found in the park. But compared to the glaciers around the Columbia Icefield the glaciers in Glacier National Park are rather small.

But the park was the first time we ht the rain forest - and I was heavily impressed! While walking through the rain forest you are informed about the ecologic System of the rain forest. This is a great idea since such information help understanding what you see around you when walking through the forest. I loved the huge cedars - as you can see on the pictures!