2010: Make it Vancouver! (part 1)

CEBU, Philippines - Mid-October, a group sponsored by Cathay Pacific left from Cebu to Vancouver, British Columbia, through Hong Kong, for a three day-four night tour of this Canadian gateway. Led by British CX Cebu Manager Camella Taylor and Connie Cimafranca, the travel trade/media visitors missed the mid-afternoon connection in Hong Kong due to the delayed arrival of the Hong Kong-Cebu plane. However, because of flight frequency, we still were able to take the last flight to Vancouver, plus some hours shopping in the City Gate Shopping Center at Lantau Island’s Tung Chung district.

Vancouver and Richmond, the most pleasant British Columbia suburbs of the otherwise frigid northern territories of Canada and Alaska, will host the much-awaited 2010 Winter Olympics and Winter Paralympics, along with the resort municipality of Whistler. In what is known as the Great Pacific Northwest (spanning from Northern California up to Alaska), most of the undulating lands are owned by the First Nations (the aboriginal Indian tribes). British Columbia alone has over 200 tribes, of various languages and cultures. As such, there is Four Host First Nations (FHFN) playing active part together with the Vancouver Organizing Committee (VANOC) for the 2010 Winter Games. These are the four nations of the Lil’Wat, the Musqueam, the Squamish and the Tsleil-Waututh. The Olympic mascots are aboriginal-inspired: Quatchi – the legendary forest sasquatch, Sumi - a chimera which is part orca whale, thunderbird and bear, Miga – a sea bear, and Mukmuk – a marmot (a rodent, like the woodchuck, found in Vancouver Island).

When in these parts of British Columbia, two destinations stand out: Stanley Park and Victoria Island’s world-renowned Butchart Gardens. Despite the rains that prevented us from enjoying what could have been idyllic strolls, meeting inquisitive squirrels in forest-like Stanley Park, we took an early ferry of the B.C. Ferry Services, Inc. to Victoria Island, with a lovely breakfast buffet onboard. Thanks to Mr. Eric Kalnins of the B.C. Ferries, our host.

I had been to Butchart Gardens twice before, in spring and in summer. Yet this haven, named a National Historic Site of Canada when it celebrated its Centennial Year in 2004, never fails to astound me. The multi-colored tulips are awesome in spring but the Rose Garden makes me lose sense of time – 6,600 rose plants in all variants imaginable, some as huge as saucers and so fragrant! Because of the mild weather of Victoria Island, we caught some blooms still intact in the chill of mid-October.

We had delicious high tea hosted by the management of the 1908 Fairmont Empress Hotel, with the hotel’s exclusive blend and a tantalizing array of thin sandwiches, slivers of cake and piping hot scones. The hotel’s Ms. Sally Chan brought us through labyrinthine halls to the various palatial rooms of the castle-like ivy-covered building.

Back in Vancouver, our Canadian land arranger Harvest Tours, through its gallant Managing Director Mr. David Siu and Operations Manager Ms. Winnie Lung treated us to a gourmet multi-course Chinese feast. A bustling Chinatown offers authentic ingredients, making Chinese cuisine delectable in these parts.

Truly a grand way of rounding up our first day in British Columbia! More of our Vancouver experience next week.