A tulip a day

April 9-12, 2019

One of the big reasons we chose Vancouver for this trip were the cherry blossoms, and then I found out about the tulip festival. The outskirts of Vancouver are more interesting than the little town itself. We drove for about an hour to get to a tulip farm. Strangely, there seems to be no clearly marked entrance. So, we took a side road and then a back road and somehow got close to the farm. Other cars follow us. We are now at the side of the farm, but are not sure if we can go in. We stop for pictures when an angry looking lady stomps towards us and accuses us of trespassing. We try to explain that we couldn’t find the entrance and she very rudely tells us it’s because they are not open yet. They will open for the festival tomorrow.

We drive a little further to Chilliwack Farms. This one is open and has fields of daffodils. There are no tulips to be seen. We take our time to stand and stare;to run around and smell the daffodils. We are ready to head back when we notice the hyacinths. A cycle with a little basket stands close. A perfect photo prop. It is then that we find out that the tulips are at the back and there is a tractor that will take us there. We hop on. Close to 20 acres of around 30 varieties of tulips await us. It certainly is gorgeous. Turns out that this is the Lower Mainland’s original tulip festival and Western Canada’s largest. The flowers have been planted in extra wide rows for easy viewing and convenient photo opportunities. The mountains in the background and strategically placed swings make it ideal for those insta-worthy shots. 

Bloedel Conservatory

April 9-12, 2019

This is Vancouver’s most affordable, value for money and semi-hidden gem of an attraction. It was cold and rainy outside, but inside we had the month of May – bright, warm and vaguely humid. Set inside a glass dome, this is indoor attraction is a lush green tropical paradise with free flying parrots of different kids and other small exotic birds. With all the birds flying around, it is remarkable how un-smelly the place is. The space inside is divided into three distinct biomes: tropical rainforest, subtropical rainforest, and desert. At the entrance the kids got scavenger hunt maps and spent the rest of their time excitedly filling them out. The LO insisted on grabbing one too, though she quickly lost interest in it.  The conservatory is incredibly small for the two happy hours we spent inside. Because it’s so small and enclosed, it is easier for parents to let kids run free like the birds. The place is well lit, and the dark greens and vibrant birds make a great backdrop for pictures.

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Without doubt, this was the best rainy afternoon in years. Not once did I hear – “I’m bored.” “I’m tired.” or “Can we get sushi for dinner?”.

Grouse Mountain

April 9-12, 2019

I had dropped Grouse Mountain from our itinerary as the hiking trails had not opened but somehow it found its way back in. The gondola ride is fun, but like most of British Columbia’s attractions, it is grossly overpriced. It is only early April and the snow at the peak has not melted away yet. Unprepared and not properly outfitted, we crunch our way over to the bears. Grinder and Coola came to the Grouse Mountain’s Refuge for Endangered Wildlife in 2001 after being orphaned during separate incidents. Now bears are not true hibernators. During winter they go into a deep sleep known as torpor. Hibernation is a voluntary state that an animal enters into in order to conserve energy, survive when food is scarce, and minimize their need to face the elements in the cold winter months. Torpor is another survival tactic used by animals to survive the winter months. It also involves a lower body temperature, breathing rate, heart rate, and metabolic rate, but to a lesser extent than hibernation.

After meeting Grinder and Coola, we had lunch and then the kids went out to play in the snow. After spending some quiet time admiring the views, the LO and I joined them. The kids were sledding and having a blast. Their happiness on the slope was even more precious than the panoramic views and it made the trip up completely worth it. Since the LO is too little to go by herself, we go together – me on the sled and she on my lap. After a few moments of astonished silence, her shrieks of laughter could be heard all the way up the slope. Her joy going down that slope, her first attempts to copy her cousins and throw snowballs – while she may never remember this day, the sound of her laughter will always echo in my heart.

The spot I dropped from our itinerary turned out to be one of the highlights of the trip. Goes to show that sometimes, even the best laid plans can be improvised and improved.

Victoria – Chinatown

April 7-9, 2019

Today we are going to a castle. It’s not a real castle, not one with knights and ladies. The girls, I think are excited; the boys are nonchalant, but mum – she’s very kicked. Despite her knees, she climbs all the way to the top, inspects every room, and reads every last plaque. She even wants to get a copy of a book chronicling the family’s history, till she finds out it costs $30 (CAD). “If they want us to read about them, they should be giving it out for free! They should be happy someone wants to know about them.” They obviously do not agree. A family picture is taken and it’s time for lunch.

Post-lunch, we head out to the Butchart Gardens. If there is one thing everyone recommends you do in Victoria, it is this. By the time we get there the rain has picked up and the LO has settled in for a nap. We leave the older kids and adults to enjoy the gardens in the mist and rain, and head back. If the gardens are beautiful in fair weather, the mist adds a magical quality to it. Running around with umbrellas is a joy only childhood knows. In the evening, the husband and I step out to buy the LO some dinner and take mum around Chinatown.

Victoria’s Chinatown is oldest Chinatown in Canada and the 2nd oldest in North America behind San Francisco’s Chinatown. The gold rush, draught, famine and war brought encouraged the Chinese to leave their homeland and sail across the Pacific Ocean all the way to Victoria, and not always in the safest or most sanitary conditions. Nor were they always treated well. They have been disenfranchised in British Columbia (BC). Canadian federal government has imposed heavy taxes per head on every Chinese person entering Canada. In 1923, the Canadian federal government passed the Chinese Exclusion Act, prohibiting the immigration of Chinese people to Canada. Today however, British Columbia recognizes the contributions of the Chinese Canadians and how the community has helped to build British Columbia’s rich and diverse heritage.

We’ve walked these streets before and have appreciated the color and kitsch. Today, I am eagerly looking forward to taking mum to a souvenir store I stumbled into yesterday. I know she will love it. But keeping with the theme of the vacation, the shops in Chinatown are closed.