July 10th - July 14th; Canada

Vancouver; at harbor
I had been to Vancouver a few years ago so I didn't take a lot of new
photos.  This is a shot from the harbor and you can see the city off at
a distance.  Of all the cities I've been to, Vancouver ranks as one of
my favorites.  Unfortunately, the city is now absolutely crawling with
young, able-bodied beggars in certain areas.


New Westminster; Russian Sub - Foxtrot U-521
You know the Cold War is really over when you are
able to take a tour on an action decommissioned
Russian submarine!  For just a few bucks, a small
group of people got to go through the whole sub
and see pretty much everything.  The amount of
space in the sub was incredible sparse as you could
imagine and it is hard to imagine being on it for
weeks at a time.

Victoria; at harbor
Although it was a warm and fairly sunny day, it was necessary to
dress up in these all-weather suits before going out whale watching.
The little zodiac could really zoom and as soon as the cold wind hit
you, it was obvious that you would be a popsicle without the heavy
clothing.


Victoria; whale watching
There be whales here!  These were Orcas and it was exciting to see
them up close.  Several of the larger males were as big as the little
zodiac but they pretty much kept their distance.

Victoria; downtown
The island was named after England's Queen Victoria because of her
visits and the building in the distance is the Parliament.


Victoria; Butchart Gardens
A fancy fountain with multiple patterns.  I thought this was pretty
cool until I saw the extremely elaborate fountains at the new Bellagio
casino in Las Vegas.

Victoria; Butchart Gardens
I'm sure this very pretty view would have been
even better on a sunny day but even so, it is
quite a site.

[Return to the Fiend's Summer Vacation Page]
[Return to the Fiend's SuperBear Page]