Sunsets never fail to evoke powerful emotions; not to mention they are always so beautiful.

Vancouverites and visitors alike flock to English Bay as the curtains of darkness begin to close.

Once I saw the stunning sunset show for myself, I discovered why it was so busy…

I also took some photographs shortly after dusk at Sunset Beach, which is a a short walk along from the main English Bay Beach…

Do you enjoy watching sunsets? What do you think of this one at English Bay?

Here is why…

Gorgeous views

The coastline along English Bay is breathtaking.

And it does not look too bad at night either…

This steel sculpture in Vanier Park, called the Gate to the Northwest Passage, frames a great view of Downtown Vancouver and the mountains in the background.

Delicious food

Granville Island Public Market is a culinary dream, with piles of fresh fruit and vegetables everywhere.

There is also plenty of naughty food such as cakes and these tempting caramel apples.

Vancouver has an abundance of Japanese restaurants and you do not have to go far to find delicious fresh sushi.

Wonderful weather

Most days since I arrived, there has been glorious sunshine and a clear blue sky. It is true that with this kind of weather, comes lots of smiles and a general positive feeling.

For a place that gets to much rain, it makes sense that sun and dry weather would have people beaming.

Daily hiking

I have been walking for miles everyday, taking in the different neighbourhoods of Vancouver.

Along the Seawall…

In the Capilano River Regional Park, North Vancouver…

Following the trails in Stanley Park…

Plenty of spaces for reflection and relaxation

In this city, there is no need to go to an expensive spa to find a peaceful spot. There are idyllic spaces scattered all over the place.

When the sun is shining, which it has done pretty much every day since I arrived, my favourite spot to relax and have an iced coffee are the sunbeds next to the conference centre on the waterfront – not far from the cruise ship terminal, Canada Place.

I could sit here for hours enjoying the mountain views. Some people use them to have a nap, catch up on some reading, or just have a quick rest.

Mini urban paradises, complete with greenery and water features, can be found everywhere.

This one is located along Burrard Street, outside the Sheraton Vancouver Wall Centre. If there is any such thing as Feng Shui, this has to be it.

Spotting colourful flowers always cheers me up and, at this time of the year, there are plenty of tulips.

In fact, Vancouver is blooming lovely generally.

A few more days in Vancouver and then I am off to visit British Columbia’s capital Victoria over on Vancouver Island.

Have you ever visited Vancouver, or would you like to visit?

The fourth and final part of the day trip might sound like an exciting experience when put into words, but, for me, the reality felt a bit like an anti-climax.

This could be because the first three sections of the trip had left such an impression on me.

I much preferred going hiking right into the forest where Twilight was filmed, learning about the salmon run along the Capilano River and seeing the stunning mountain views at Cleveland Watershed.

For the hefty admittance cost of around $30 for an adult, I was expecting much more.

Despite me not finding my walk across the suspension bridge too memorable, this is actually one of the most popular attractions in Vancouver, pulling hundreds of thousands of visitors every year.

Millions of people have crossed it since it opened in 1889.

While the sturdy bridge is today made from wire cable, it was originally constructed out of hemp rope and cedar planks attached to fir trees. Now that sounds a lot more like Indiana Jones!

It was created by Scottish civil engineer and land developer, George Grant Mackay, who had purchased 6,000 acres of land on eitherside of the Capilano River and lived in a cabin nearby.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge is not the only attraction.

There is a chance to walk high up in the forest with the Treetops Adventure. This comprises of seven suspension bridges that route their way around the area, along with a number of viewing platforms.

Again, after all of the amazing forest and river views I had already seen during the day, I was not blown away by this.

My favourite suspension bridge was the Cliffwalk.

Circling out from a granite cliff, the narrow walkway provided the best views and allowed you to fully appreciate the setting, and almost become a part of it.

This is actually the newest bridge that was only erected in June 2011.

After being amazed by Grandpa Capilano in part three of the tour, an 800-year-old Douglas Fir, Grandma Capilano is located here and is a staggering 1,300 years old – the oldest tree in the forest.

We only had an hour at the end of the tour to see the park – and this was enough time to make our way around all of the bridges at a steady pace.

There were some elements of that I missed, due to time constraints, such as viewing the largest private collection of totem poles in North America.

If you are planning on visiting the Capilano Suspension Bridge from Vancouver then I would highly recommend taking Erik Graff’s Hostelling International tour.

He is a Vancouverite with a wealth of knowledge, that he willingly shares with the group.

It is also cheaper and more interesting.

For $34, you get your return transport, a trek through the forest and other features such as the salmon hatchery and Cleveland Dam, along with the presence of an experienced, award-winning local guide.

As I explained earlier, the admittance cost to get into the Capilano Suspension Bridge alone is around $30 – not including transport costs or any of the extras included in this trip.

Free shuttle buses run to Capilano Suspension Bridge from Vancouver centre, but you have to make your own way back. So the tour is definitely the best value.

This is the fourth and final installment of my series on Erik’s Famous Capilano Tour.

Have you ever visited the Capilano Suspension Bridge? Did you enjoy it?

This huge Douglas Fir is one of many old trees in the Capilano River Regional Park in North Vancouver – the location where major films such as Twilight were shot, along with popular television series like The X-Files.

Grandpa Capilano

As a fan of both the Twilight films and The X-Files, my face lit up when I discovered this was the place that they were made. Prior to the trip, I had no idea.

All of my senses were activated. My eyes were transfixed by the numerous tones of green – from emerald to lime – and the different shapes and textures of the ancient trees and mossy undergrowth.

A Canadian science fiction show called Primeval was being filmed whilst we were there. There were a few signs attached to trees warning that shooting was taking place in the vicinity.

Then all of a sudden we were wandering through the area where they have the catering section for the cast.

None of the cast members were around. In fact, it seemed to be a ghost set. A quick glimpse into the catering tent revealed a few plates of sandwiches and cake that looked like it had already been dug into.

Then we spotted this cheery guy who, it turned out, was the ‘smoke machine man’. And there was also somebody with a stop sign, making sure no vehicles accessed the site. He must be so bored, I thought.

Aside from this brush with the world of showbiz (well, sort of) the main duration of the trek felt like we were in the wilderness.

Tour guide Erik told us how the area was inhabited by animals such as black bears, coyotes and cougars.

He assured the group that the bears would not come anywhere near us, explaining how they avoid humans and an attack usually only occurs when a bear is unable to detect a scent due to strong winds, and there is an unexpected encounter.

“There has never been a bear attack on a group of more than six,” explained Erik, saying he was glad there were 27 members in the group.

“But if we ran into a cougar, then we would have a problem,” he added.

Cougars are strong and powerful big cats, native to the Americas. Attacks on humans are extremely rare and, like the bears, they tend to avoid humans.

But, still, they were out there…

After walking for what felt like hours, we were finally approaching a road that would take us in the direction of the final stop on the tour – the Capilano Suspension Bridge.

Emerging from the forest, there was a unique house ahead of us, high up in the trees. I thought it looked like a tree house at first, but a closer inspection revealed it was on top of pillars. The home itself was made of glass.

This amazing house is occupied. I can only imagine the spectacular views from up there…

Would you like to live in a house like this? Have you ever visited this forest?

]]> http://www.seemytravels.com/2012/05/17/eriks-famous-capilano-tour-part-three-trekking-through-the-twilight-forest/feed/ 7 http://www.seemytravels.com/2012/05/15/eriks-popular-capilano-tour-part-two-the-salmon-run/ http://www.seemytravels.com/2012/05/15/eriks-popular-capilano-tour-part-two-the-salmon-run/#comments Tue, 15 May 2012 18:50:40 +0000 Alison http://www.seemytravels.com/?p=4617 Using every ounce of energy remaining, thousands of determined Coho salmon fight their way back up from the ocean to the clear mountain waters of the Capilano River, North Vancouver, to lay their eggs where they were born.

Once this task has been completed, they die, unable to adapt to the change in water conditions.

This is one of nature’s great occurrences – the salmon run.

When the Cleveland Dam was built in 1954, this blocked the route and around 95 per cent of the spawning habitat was destroyed.

For the next couple of decades, many of the fish were manually moved past the dam, but a better solution came in 1971 with the founding of the Capilano Salmon Hatchery.

This was one of the stops on the day tour to Capilano Suspension Bridge and was both an attractive and interesting environment to be in.

As I explained in the first chapter about this trip, the bridge turned out to be a small element of the day compared to the other sights.

Millions of salmon hatch here and are reared and released into the wild.

After spending a few years at sea, they will instinctively find their way back to the river so that the cycle of life and death can begin all over again.

I struggle to find directions using a map within a two-mile radius and these fish are capable of making such a huge journey back to where their lives began years earlier.

The idea of this amazed me.

Along with discovering the incredible story of the salmon run, this was also the perfect peaceful spot to sit down on some rocks near the river and enjoy some lunch.

The mountain water is so clear and oxygen-rich – the perfect conditions for the salmon.

The best time of year to view the Coho adults on the salmon run is from June until November.

This was a beautiful and relaxing scene that allowed us to refuel before heading into the forest for a long trek…

It turned out that the bridge itself was merely a small part of the experience.

The mammoth tour was organised through the HI Downtown Hostel where I was staying and was run by a famous 71-year-old guide named Erik Graff.

Erik has built up a solid reputation in his 16 years as a stalwart volunteer for Hostelling International. He is pictured here with the group (I am the pasty looking one in the back with the striped top).

Credit: KT Au-Yang

His Capilano tour is well known for being brilliant and he has even recently won a prestigious Canadian tourism award for his efforts.

Before I had even arrived in Vancouver, somebody had advised me to “go on Erik’s tour”.

And my room mates in the hostel had already booked themselves on it – so with everybody seemingly assured that this was something not to miss I jumped right on the bandwagon.

I am so glad that I did. The day was absolutely amazing and was just what the I needed in order to kick-start my trip and inspire me.

After a long but interesting walk down to the sea terminal to catch a ferry over to North Vancouver, followed by a short bus ride, the first stop was jaw-dropping views over Capilano Watershed in Cleveland Park.

How gorgeous is this view? The scene reminded me of pictures I had seen of the Norwegian Fjords. This is one of three places where Vancouver gets its water supply from.

The mountains in the centre are known as The Lions.

Grouse Mountain – where you can complete a trek known as the Grouse Grind -  is to the right. Because of the heavy snowfall this year, the path has not yet re-opened. It usually opens in April.

I am planning on completing the Grouse Ground in July when my boyfriend Andy visits. Hopefully all of the walking I have been doing will prepare me for this climb.

Once everybody had spent a decent amout of time admiring the scenery and taking lots of photographs, we all took a short walk over to Cleveland Dam where a mighty mass of water could be seen and heard crashing down to the clear waters of the Capilano River.

I thought it looked like a really big water slide. As we crossed over it, there was a refreshing spray of water.

This is the first post in a four-part series about the trip. The next installment will be about the salmon run in Capilano River. The other two will cover the forest of Capilano Park, where productions such as The X-Files and Twilight were filmed, and the Capilano Suspension Bridge and tree-top walks.

Do you like the look of this location? Have you ever been on Erik’s Capilano trip?

You only have to have a picturesque wander around the Seawall to see just how healthy people are out here.

There are cyclists and rollerbladers on one side and people jogging and walking on the other.

I even spotted somebody casually doing yoga on the grass.

I have never seen anything quite like it, other than the Botanical Gardens in Sydney.

Vancouver reminds me a lot of Sydney. The stunning waterfront, the towering  buildings, the numerous joggers.

But instead of the Sydney Opera House and Sydney Harbour Bridge dominating the view, there is the breathtaking backdrop of mountains that are so beautiful they do not look real.

My first view of the mountains came unexpectedly on my first day walking around the city. I wandered down Burrard Street towards Canada Place and before I knew it, boom they were there.

Photographs do not do this view justice. The picture was so perfect, it looked like somebody had painted on the scenery.

Talk about a room with a view. It is no wonder people are always outdoors. And, to top it off, the weather has been fantastic ever since I arrived.

It is like summer and, surprisingly, there has been no rain – no rain YET.

Of course, Vancouver is located on the west coast of Canada, which is often referred to as the wet coast due to the heavy rainfall.

This city is extremely attractive. There are water features and pieces of contemporary art all over the place and plenty of lovely spots to take a seat and watch the world go by.

One of the largest urban parks in North America, Stanley Park, is located in Vancouver. At around 1000 acres, it is massive and features forested areas and lots of recreational facilities.

It seems like there is every excuse to get in shape and be healthy.

Being beside the Pacific Ocean, the beach culture is definitely there. As soon as the sun shows its face and the near-distant heat of summer can be felt, hoards of locals and visitors alike crowd the city’s many beaches.

Third Beach seems to be a popular one and it was brimming with sunbathers, swimmers and friends and families playing football and frisbee.

This beach, Second Beach, might look empty now, but on Saturday it was bustling with people unwinding from the busy working week.

Just a few minutes down the road from where I am staying is English Bay. This view of the attractive coastline is from the Burrard Bridge, which can be navigated by pedestrians and cyclists.

So far, Vancouver has really impressed me and I cannot wait to see more in the coming weeks.

Have you ever visited Vancouver?

Arriving at terminal five on the shuttle bus from a nearby hotel was surreal. People were whizzing around with luggage trolleys in all directions, flight calls rang out from the intercom constantly and immaculately dressed airport staff were getting moaned at by a disgruntled customer who wanted to change his seat number.

While all of this was going on, my heart was fluttering with nerves and my stomach was in knots. I did not want to leave my lovely boyfriend and was having the last minute doubts.

When they said there were still tickets left on the plane, I even suggested Andy come with me. The thought of leaving him for two months (he’s coming to visit in July for two weeks) and even more time after that made me feel panicky.

He is not just my boyfriend, he is also my best friend. We have a laugh, have similar interests (a part from watching football, ha ha) and we look after each other.

He even helped me adjust my backpack. I may be smiling in this picture, but this was one heavy and uncomfortable bag and I was thinking a wheeled suitcase might have been a better idea.

After my emotional episode in the middle of the airport, the nine hour plane journey was actually quite pleasant. The music offerings helped smooth the hours away and the ‘well being’ choices aided me in having a few power naps.

There were spectacular views over Greenland en route to Canada…

As we drew closer to the final destination (ah, not a film you want to be thinking about when flying), I was hoping to catch a glimpse of the magnificent Canadian Rockies.

Unfortunately they were completely clouded over. But as the plane approached Vancouver, the fluffy white sheet dispersed revealing an alpine paradise with snow capped mountains and lush forest.

Wow, I thought.

This was the Canada I had been counting on. Before I knew it, the plane had landed and I was traipsing across the city centre in search of my hostel, after conveniently catching a SkyTrain direct from the airport.

Instead of the calm and collected version of myself I was hoping would arrive at the hostel, there was a sweaty, exhausted mess.

After checking in, I found my room and met one of my room mates – a student from Toronto who was friendly and chatty.

She was also quite a bit younger than me, as were the other two room mates, a couple of German girls (also students). I felt a bit old to be honest and this added to my insecurities, but I quickly snapped out of this when I realised there was plenty to talk about and just because I was six or seven years older, this was not an issue.

At breakfast the next day, I realised there was a mixture of ages – with some elderly and middle-aged people as well.

Despite some mixed emotions and home sickness, I am happy to finally be here and intend on making the most of my time in this beautiful country…

There are several striking monuments located here, in proximity to each other, but The National Monument definitely stands out.

It was built in the 19th century as a memorial to the soldiers and sailors that lost their lives during the Napoleonic Wars.

Work began in 1826, amidst great celebration and positivity, but the funds ran out and it was left in an unfinished state a few years later.

The complete structure was supposed to have extensive catacombs incorporated into it, where prominent people could be buried.

The design was influenced by the Parthenon in Athens – an ancient temple dedicated to the Greek god Athena.

After so much anticipation and public attention surrounding the building of this monument, the fact that there was no money left to finish it was seen as a major embarassment for Edinburgh.

Instead of the prestige and icon of strength it was supposed to represent, it ended up receiving the derogatory nickname of ‘Scotland’s Disgrace‘.

Still, it looks pretty good to me. Here are some more pictures…

Have you ever visited Edinburgh? Do you like the look of this monument?

The sights, sounds and smells really help to revive the spirit and the sea air does wonders for clearing your lungs.

It is even better when there are crashing waves and rugged cliffs in the picture.

Here are some of my favourite photographs of sea views captured on my travels…

Kahuna Beach, Newquay, Cornwall

A more relaxed sea view near Protaras, Cyprus

Kite surfing at Castletown Beach, Isle of Man

Waves crashing against the shore in Langness, Isle of Man

A peaceful sunset setting at Port Erin, Isle of Man

Another gorgeous sea view of the coastline in Newquay, Cornwall

Niarbyl Bay, Isle of Man

Somebody reflecting near Protaras, Cyprus

Do you like being beside the sea?