January 25, 2010 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Gardens
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I’d been to Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Garden in Vancouver's Chinatown before, but this time was different. By chance, I entered the garden just as a guided tour was starting. Since I love factoids – especially factoids that are free with admission – I joined the group.
The tour guide was a pleasant volunteer that knew his stuff. He pointed out some neat aspects of the garden, most of which I’d never noticed on my previous visits:
- The hallways and walkways were put together without using any nails, screws or glue – just preciseness.
- Some of the pebble mosaics on the ground have pieces of the craftsmen’s rice bowls embedded in the pattern.
- The oddly-shaped rocks come from a special lake in China called Lake Tai. One of the rocks looks like a dragon, and another looks like the profile of George Washington!
- Traditional beliefs say that evil spirits can only travel in straight lines, so the large double corridor is zigzagged to prevent any nasty spirits from travelling along it.
- One part of the garden acts as a natural air conditioner.
If you’ve never taken a tour of the garden, I strongly encourage it. While the garden is pretty when you wander around on your own, it’s a whole different experience having an expert point out interesting features.
(Tourism BC/JF Bergeron photo)
August 09, 2009 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Gardens
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If you are the type of person who likes to tour the streets at Halloween or Christmas to view what creative ways people have decorated their gardens, then you’ll love this house.
Located in Burnaby, this garden is a real delight. I first noticed it as I took a different route biking to work. There was street after street of regular looking housing and then I saw this house coming up in the distance. At first I wasn’t sure what it was, it looked like an explosion of colour had erupted all over someone's the garden. In essence this is what has happened. Every square foot has some kind of decoration or fun toy.
Whether a rainy Vancouver day or a perfect sunny afternoon this garden is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
October 24, 2008 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Gardens
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We visited Vancouver in October. On one day of our trip, we saw the fall flowers and leaves at VanDusen. It was originally a golf course, but now it's a 50+ acre garden with plants from around the world...and more, as you'll see in the video.
January 29, 2007 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Gardens
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Stanley Park is a spectacular 40 hectare park in downtown Vancouver. It is Canada's largest park and one of British Columbia's top attractions. It is to us Vancouverites what Central Park is to New Yorkers. You may have heard that Stanley Park has recently been hit by violent winter storms, with over 3,000 trees being toppled and parts of the world-famous seawall getting shut down (I saw this morning that news reports have hit France media even!). As devastating as the storms have been, there is still so much beauty within the park, and many reasons to visit. Much of the seawall is still open, as it many of the park's attractions, including the incomparable
Vancouver Aquarium, and great restaurants like the
Sequoia Grill. You should still set aside an afternoon to visit the park while in Vancouver.
British Columbia Magazine is launching a special issue of the magazine,
Stanley Park - After the Storm, to celebrate the park's timeless beauty and capture this point in the park's history.
Stanley Park - After the Storm makes a great memento of a visit to B.C. and helps contribute to the park's restoration.
February 07, 2006 | Tips from Us >
Vancouver, Gardens
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What a beautiful day! The sun is out, the air is crisp and I walked outside at lunch, along with all the other Vancouverites excited about spring coming. A perfect day to head to the park, I thought. Which reminded me that I wanted to tell you about a great park to visit if you happen to be in
Vancouver on a day not like today, but more like a blustery day in Hundred Acre Woods.
Queen Elizabeth Park is a 52 hectare (130 acre) park at the highest point in the city at 67m (505 ft) above sea level. If you stand above the garden you have a 360 degree view. On bad weather days, when my thoughts head to the Bahamas, I head to the
Bloedel Conservatory at the top of the park. It is a geodesic dome filled with tropical plants, free-flying birds and fish. In fact, I just read on their website that they are the second largest single-structure plant conservatory in North American. A little bit of warmth, rainforest and tranquility; I take off my jacket and stay awhile â?? in fact, I once hung out for a few hours playing cards inside. For less than $5 (depending on age) itâ??s a cool place to get, well, warm!