posted
...For our honeymoon this summer (August). Vancouver, with a particular eye on Victoria island. We're planning ~2 weeks, 1 week at a fairly posh (by our standards) resort, followed by a bit of exploring the rest of the time.
Do any Great White Jatraqueros have pointers or suggestions about this particular area? We enjoyed PEI last summer (a week to avoid the DNC here ), so we're hoping more of the same. One question we have is whether it will actually get warm enough to actually spend the day at the beach? Everything we've read seems to suggest highs of ~72F, which is superb, except if there is a sea breeze or the like, it will make a day at the beach, doing nothing, more uncomfortable than a day at the beach, doing nothing, ought to be.
-Bok
(*) I realize the asterisk by the word "So" has something to do with the fact that it's used often as a topic title starter, but is that all there is to it?
Posts: 7021 | Registered: Nov 1999
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posted
About the asterisk--yeah, that's pretty much it. Some time ago someone--pooka, I think--was half commenting and half complaining about the fact that many of the threads on the first page started with the word "so". I started my next couple of threads with the word "so", followed by an asterisk. At the bottom of my first post I'd explain that the word "so" was in the subject special for pooka. For some reason it's stuck.
Hmmm...is there a name for the little blurb that provides the detail to which an asterisk alludes?
posted
Hey, Noemon- (if you're still about) - is your sakeriver email address still the best way to reach you?
Posts: 8504 | Registered: Aug 1999
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* thingy at the bottom of the page so it don' look like folks are putting little stars, crosses, and other superscripted whatchamacallits all over the place jes cuz they just like decorations.
posted
Thanks aspectre. Of course I feel like an idiot now for having blanked on that, but I appreciate the information. Posts: 16059 | Registered: Aug 2000
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Okay, I can give suggestions, but really, I need more information from you - like what kinds of things the two of you like doing. I can tell you about flower gardens, museums, art galleries, shopping, et cetera, but I need more to go on. And I need to know what kind of food you like so I know which restaurants to recommend. You know. (I lived there for five years.) This'll get you started, though.
And when's the honeymoon?
Vancouver - Stanley Park. Walk around the seawall, you'll love it.
Granville Island - cute kitschy shops, basically an artsy fartsy kinda place. Also 4th Avenue in the Dunbar area. I think. I'll have to look on a map to verify.
Pho Van - excellent Vietnamese food, really really unbelievably cheap. 220-633 Main St, Vancouver Phone: (604)682-7844
Oh, if you're taking the ferry between Vancouver and Victoria, unless you're a walk-on, you'll want to check it out online - see how backed up it is. 2 sailing wait, that sort of thing. Plus, if you're on a tight schedule, you can make a reservation for an extra $15 CDN (last time I checked.) www.bcferries.com I believe.
You can also get a lot of touristy information here.
Let me know what else you're looking for. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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quote:Originally posted by Bokonon: ...For our honeymoon this summer (August). Vancouver, with a particular eye on Victoria island.
Just a curiosity, by Victoria Island, do you mean Vancouver Island and going to see Victoria? Or going to Vancouver and possibly visiting the Island?
Aside from that, I can't emphasise enough how amazing Stanley Park is. If you're going to be in the area in August and you like Shakespeare, there will be Bard on the Beach that you could go to. Also, if you happen to be in Victoria, I'm told the wax museum there is amazing. There is also Butchart Gardens, which is in Victoria, I believe, or not far from it. Or if you're willing to go inland a little, towards Chilliwack and about an hour or so out of Vancouver, there's Minter Gardens, which I know to be amazing. And, of course, there's our most popular remnant of Expo '86, Science World.
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Yeah, I saw the "August" bit after I asked when. So, feel free to ignore that portion of my comment.
Ooooh, Reiko gives great comments on Bard on the Beach. Been, seen them, was very impressed. If you have the opportunity, see them.
And I also remembered the fireworks competition. What's it called again? I'm not even positive if it's still going on there, but when I lived in Vancouver and went to it, I was amazed. Three countries compete on a Wednesday, Saturday, Wednesday with the finale on the next Saturday, or something like that. Again, if have chance, it's a must see. Reiko, do you remember what it's called and if it's still happening?
I'll add things as I think of them. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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posted
It used to be called Symphony of Fire, but they changed the name when they changed sponsers, so now it's called Celebration of Light. (I like the first name better). I actually got to see it last year and it really was spectacular, as is anything done by Bard. My sisters and I are totally going to see Hamlet.
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2004
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Heh, here I am. You just pick bad times First time I had a Hatrack APB put out on me though
First, it's vancouver Island, not Victoria Island. Victoria is a town, silly Bok!
We were worried when looking lately, because it appeared all the cultural stuff was shut down, but then we found out it's Festival Vancouver the two weeks we are there, so tons of stuff. Sadly, the fireworks competition is before we get there.
Things we are planning on doing: Stanley Park w/ Seawall Butchart Gardens (w/ fireworks) Bard on the Beach Various Festival Vancouver things Orca Watching The something-something suspension bridge (maybe) Food/Shops/Touristy stuff Rodan (sp) exhibit (probably) Casino (maybe) --
Are there hotels any of you could recommend? We'd like to avoid renting a car for the time we are in Vancouver proper, so something central would be ideal. I'm lookking to do something posh in either Victoria or Vancouver, but realistically I can convince my wife-to-be to spend at most $200CDN/night, for at least part of the trip, but not all.
I noticed there are 2 space centers, one in Vancouver, the other near Victoria. I'll be bringing my 20x80 binocs + tripod so when we are on V.I. I can do some viewing, but also of note is the Perseid Meteor Shower on August 12th. THe Victoria planetarium has a program on it, while the Vancouver place seems your standard big city planetarium. Would I get better (darker) viewing out in Victoria? This is important, because it will help decide where we spend our first week (Victoria or Vancouver).
posted
Vancouver is a very big, sprawling, all over the place kind of city. Lots of lights. Victoria is much smaller. You'll have less light pollution in Victoria than in Vancouver. If you want to do some meteor watching, you're better off either on the island, or up the coast if you want dark. Although the Capilano dam in North Vancouver is pretty good, relatively speaking.
Capilano Suspension bridge - oh yeah! If you're scared of heights, it'll freak you out. It freaked me out. I did it anyway, making it all the way across and back, and yeah, it was worth it. It's cool!
Hotels - you mention you want something central. For what you have in mind, most of your stuff will keep you in the downtown area, or fairly close by, so you'll want to stay in that area. Unfortunately, it can also get pricey. Expect at least $100 CDN a night. There may be cheaper places, but I'm out of the loop on that. I've never stayed at any hotels in that area, so I don't know off-hand. If you like, I can hook you up with my travel-agent cousin (who works on Vancouver Island but also used to work in Vancouver) and she may be able to give you some good recommendations. Or you can do a search on the internet for them. But no, I have no concrete recommendations.
Sushi is available in nearly every neighborhood and tends to be cheap, so if you're looking for cheap and fast food without the greasy hamburger taste, go for that. It's generally fresh and very good. Actually, I've never had bad sushi anywhere in the Lower Mainland (as the locals call Vancouver and area.)
Traffic can be horrendous, but if where you're going is either on major bus lines or the skytrain, go with that. It'll be cheaper and just as fast. I would try to avoid driving in Vancouver, especially the downtown area, if at all possible. Then factor in the whole I'm-a-tourist-and-I-have-no-idea-where-I'm-going bit, and yeah, avoid driving.
On the island - if you have a vehicle, drive around the coast on the west side of the island. If you're into camping, I'd suggest you stay overnight in Long Beach, between Tofino and Ucluelet. My cousin tells me it's incredible and so worth it. Gabriola Island, if I recall correctly, is an artsy-fartsy island with all sorts of artsy-fartsy shops and the like. It's fun to wander around and explore. Check out http://www.islands.bc.ca/ - lots of useful information there.
Oh! This is a ways away. If you're going to be near Hope or Chilliwack at all - east along the TransCanada Highway - go to Harrison Hot Springs and soak in the hot springs or go to the beach at the lake there.
Seriously, you could spend a year sightseeing and all that in that area and not get bored. You're making me miss it!
Oh! Posh! Um, what about the Empress Hotel in Victoria? Posh is it's middle name. They have High Tea every afternoon. It's way out of my price range, so if it's out of yours, you could always stay elsewhere and go there just for the High Tea, which is what I would do. Regardless of where you stay, you would want to take a look at the hotel. It's old, steeped in history, and beautiful. Granted, it's been two decades since I've seen it, but . . .
If I think of anything else, I'll post it, but this is it for now. Posts: 8355 | Registered: Apr 2003
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I haven't exactly read this carefully in a while, but the Wax Museum in Victoria is supposed to be spectacular. And I can tell you first-hand that the Harrison Hot Springs Hotel is amazing...I absolutely love it there and it's worth the drive if you choose to make it. I'm not much for the beach area, but the hotel and the springs there...oi...wow...
And according to what I've heard about the Empress Hotel, it is everything that quid says it is and then some
Posts: 1158 | Registered: Feb 2004
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), so we're hoping more of the same. One question we have is whether it will actually get warm enough to actually spend the day at the beach? Everything we've read seems to suggest highs of ~72F, which is superb, except if there is a sea breeze or the like, it will make a day at the beach, doing nothing, more uncomfortable than a day at the beach, doing nothing, ought to be.
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