July 05, 2011 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
As Canada grows a year older every July 1, hundreds of thousands of proud Canadians and delighted tourists turn out to celebrate the nation's birthday. A full day's festivities is always capped off with an excellent fireworks show over the colorful waters of Coal Harbour. The show can be watched from Canada Place, the Coal Harbour seawall, Stanley Park, or North Vancouver, and is a guaranteed crowd pleaser. Indeed, every explosive moment is all the more magical when the thousands of people around you woo and ahh in unison!
February 15, 2011 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
Travel with the 2010 Olympic Flame as it crosses Canada to the Winter Games host province of British Columbia!
The
Olympic Torch Relay travelled around Canada for 106 days, 45,000 kms,
through 1,100 communities, and the flame was carried by 12,000
Torchbearers. The flame ignited a spirit in all of us and brought this
country together.
See the full journey at:
http://www.youtube.com/2010torch
July 23, 2010 | Field Reports >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
The opening show of Kooza from Cirque du Soleil in Vancouver was
incredible! BC Field Reporter Chris Wheeler checks out backstage before
seeing the big show! Info at:
http://tiny.cc/KoozaKOOZA
- a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil - explores themes of
fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an
electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills,
chills, audacity and total involvement. Performances run from July 22 -
September 5, 2010 under the Grand Chapiteau Big Top Tent on the Concord
Pacific lands in Vancouver's False Creek area.
July 16, 2010 | Field Reports >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
KOOZA from Cirque du Soleil has arrived in Vancouver, BC! The Grand
Chapiteau Big Top Tent is now raised and BC Field Reporter Chris
Wheeler joined in to see the action! The yellow and blue Big Top is now
part of Vancouver's skyline!
http://tiny.cc/Kooza KOOZA
- a return to the origins of Cirque du Soleil - explores themes of
fear, identity, recognition and power. The show is set in an
electrifying and exotic visual world full of surprises, thrills,
chills, audacity and total involvement.
Performances run from
July 22 - August 22, 2010 under the Grand Chapiteau Big Top Tent on the
Concord Pacific lands in Vancouver's False Creek area.
April 30, 2010 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
View a larger image on flickr.com
Unsure where to vacation this year? Somewhere in Europe, Asia or North America? I'd say make it British Columbia. One of the great things about this corner of the world is the abundance of cultures among its residents. Like today: I was strolling through downtown looking for lunch and turned the corner to find a free performance by the Vancouver Police Pipe Band. They were joined by step dancers and surrounded by a crowd of pedestrians enjoying the seemingly spontaneous cultural fun. Next week it could be a group of Indian performers or races with Chinese dragon boats. These kinds of cultural treats regularly pop up here, especially in spring and summer. It's nice to get a taste of so many continents in one place.
March 22, 2010 | Field Reports >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
During its final day, The Paralympic Torch Relay travels from
Robson Square celebrations in downtown Vancouver to BC Place for the
Opening Ceremony! Torch Reporter Chris Wheeler follows the flame around
Vancouver, stops in for a coffee at Cafe Artigiano and visits the
Vancouver Art Gallery before viewing some sledge hockey at Robson
Square. He then follows the flame as it journeys on a Sea King
helicopter, two naval ships and a Zodiac boat to the Opening Ceremony!
The
10-day inspirational journey of the Vancouver 2010 Paralympic Torch
Relay began on March 3, 2010 in Ottawa and visited several Canadian
Celebration Sites along its route to Vancouver, BC.
More Torch Videos at: http://www.youtube.com/2010torch
February 27, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
View a larger image on flickr.com
Having never been to the beer-swilling, sausage-eating extravaganza that is Germany’s Oktoberfest, I was keen to try its replica - German FanFest in Gastown, Vancouver. Set up for the 2010 Winter Games, this 600-capacity tent features big screens, long tables and several barbeques serving up tasty Bratwurst and Thuringian sausages with sauerkraut. Perfect washed down with a pitcher (or ‘stein’) of beer!
Just steps away is historic Gastown. Once the heart of Vancouver it’s named after a chatty Yorkshireman called ‘Gassy’ Jack Deighton who had a statue and even a pub named after him. You can stroll along cobbled streets that have undergone a recent revival, with local designer-owned boutiques, restaurants and bars.
My favourites include Spanish restaurant Cobre, sampling cheeses and meats at the eclectic Salt Tasting Room, unusual cocktails at the uber-hip Black Diamond – and a pint of Guinness at the Irish Heather pub.
Halfway along Water Street is the much-photographed steam clock, built in 1977 to look like London’s Big Ben. Every 15 minutes it belches steam and lets out a piercing whistle.
February 27, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
View a larger image on flickr.com
I’m sure I wasn’t the first person to have nearly wept in disappointment. The line to get into the Royal Canadian Mint pavilion on downtown Granville Street was six hours long! These patient people would get in to see, and even handle the 2010 Olympic medals. Weighing over 500g each, the exquisite medals are among the heaviest in Games history. Unique in other ways too – they’re the first medals whose shape is undulating, and their First Nations design was inspired by the Orca whale.
Thankfully, all was not lost. I discovered a second, far shorter line that brought me into the Mint pavilion to see its world-famous million-dollar gold coin, the Vancouver 2010 circulation coins (including the ‘Lucky Loonie), and commemorative gold coins to mark Canada’s first Olympic gold medal on home soil.
Peering into the glass cases, I was blown away by the intricate detail of the gold and sterling silver 2010 collection, one symbolizing the Four host First Nations, another featuring the Olympic torch and one showing Canada Place and Vancouver’s North Shore Mountains.
A photo booth to capture Mint memories had been set up for free and there were interactive games on computer screens, with kids activities taking place from 3-5pm.
A little retail therapy was then in order, to make up for missing out on the medals. I headed up the Street where there are two great department stores, the Bay and high-end Holt Renfrew, with the Pacific Centre shopping mall close by.
February 25, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
View a larger image on flickr.com
Since hockey legend Wayne Gretsky lit the Olympic cauldron after the 2010 Winter Games opening ceremony, it’s become a powerful symbol of hope for sports fans and athletes during this nail-biting fortnight.
Down in Coal Harbour, next to the new convention centre, I gazed up at the enormous green-glass structure with four brightly-burning flames. This Olympic flame has travelled such a long way to get here, starting in Greece before embarking on a 106-day torch relay across Canada, through over 1,000 communities.
So it was no surprise to see huge crowds paying homage to the cauldron. In line for the viewing platform I got chatting to Dave and Angela from Yorkshire, UK. Apart from all the Olympics action in Vancouver, they also visited Victoria in BC. “We loved pottering about in Victoria and even had tea at the Fairmont,” Angela told me. “But the ferry over there, through all the little islands was just beautiful. We even saw seals on the rocks sunbathing!”
Afterwards I decided to walk right through Coal Harbour to the Saxony House in Stanley Park. There’s always so much happening along this stretch, from floatplanes swooping down to land in the sea, to luxury yachts, charter boats and whale watching zodiacs plying the water. You can even rent bicycles from the Seawall Adventure Centre to tootle round a little quicker.
Restaurants also offer sea views, across to North Vancouver. Choose from Mills Marine Bistro (with its splash park for kids), great seafood at Cardero’s or the upscale Lift that sits on stilts over the water.
February 25, 2010 | 2010 Olympics >
Vancouver, Festivals & Events
On any trips to Vancouver a must see place to visit is Robson Street. There is great shopping, pubs, and people watching. During the Olympics you have to check out the great storefronts (complete with enough pizazz to make Simon Doonan smile). One one stroll down this street to pick up the iconic red mittens we crossed this impromptu sing-a-long to "Oh Canada."
Other notable things to do while visiting Robson Street during the Olympics:
1. Check out the live, CTV set
2. The nightly light and fireworks show
3. Skating and zipling
Ready. Set. Go!