I know this must seem a bit grim, but Vancouver’s Mountain View Cemetery is hosting an open house Saturday July 11th and they would like you to come and spend an afternoon with them on the scenic grounds.
I’m certain Mountain View is the final resting place of many loved ones in Vancouver as it has been around since 1887. What makes this story interesting to me as well is some of the people of note who have been laid to rest there. This includes…
Former mayor W.H. Malkin (as in the Malkin Bowl etc.)
Joe Fortes (lifeguard, hero, the Citizen of the Century)
Harry Winston Jerome (track and field star and one time 100-meter record holder)
Herbert Oliver Lee (builder of the Lee Building on Broadway)
You won’t find John “Gassy Jack” Deighton there though as he’s over in New Westminster’s Fraser Cemetery along with the likes of Raymond Burr, and Arthur McBride.
Mountain View is Vancouver’s only cemetery and they would like this open house to serve as a new introduction to this meaningful place. The event will feature tours including visits to their new water features, joss paper demonstrations, and visitors are encouraged to have a picnic near the fountain. Organizers are hoping that a visit to Mountain View with the family could become a new summer tradition for many.
I’ve only passed through during a Haunted Vancouver trolley tour but I’d be really curious to pay a visit during the day to check out all of Mountain View’s history. It may seem like an odd place to spend a Saturday afternoon but it sure is a unique way to connect with your city’s past. Mountain View also hosts “A Night for All Souls” in the fall.
During our visit we were lucky enough to sample some menu items, which were absolutely divine — I must have heard John say “Wow” at least a dozen times throughout the meal.
We had been to Spinnakers before but I think we just ordered pizza (which in itself is great) however we’re much happier to have explored the rest of the offerings.
Our flight of beer included a Hefeweizen, Stout, and Porter paired with lavender white chocolate truffles, dark chocolate raspberry, and another chocolate truffle topped with barley. Our final drink was a Brandenburg 3 paired with Saltspring Island cheese.
We also discovered that adjacent to the brewpub, just across the grassy courtyard, there is a selection of guest houses with lovely rooms. They include a continental breakfast, local paper and an assortment of baked goods supplied each morning. In the off season the guest rooms go for about $149 a night (and up) and in the peak summer months you can rent the entire Mary Street Cottage for $279.
Spinnakers offers local ingredients, fresh seafood, chocolate truffles made in-house, wines, vinegars (made on-site), and of course the hand-crafted beer. On top of that, they even create their own special mineral water. It’s a culinary delight in a comfortable atmosphere (darts and pool tables upstairs) with a glorious view of the harbour. Spinnakers is the epitome of eating local and is a highly recommended stop during your next trip to our Province’s capital.
Our stop at Spinnakers was during our Coast Hotels ‘New Victoria for New Media’ tour – view my Flickr set for more images.
The other day I had the chance to go ziplining on Grouse Mountain with their Air Grouse ziplining tour. Essentially you can purchase your zipline pass at the base of the mountain and it will include your skyride (gondola) fare as well at the 2-hour zipline circuit.
There are three ziplines at the lodge level and then you’ll take the Peak Chair up to the final two which will have you ripping above the treetops at up to 80km/h.
It’s a great way to explore Grouse Mountain beyond the gondola and believe me, it’s a serious rush. There is a little bit of hiking involved, especially to get up to the two top towers but once you’re strapped in and ready to go just sit back and let the line carry you away.
Unfortunately I had my camera strapped around my neck so when I went into “landing position” all you could see on my video is the sky. However, I’ve mixed up all my clips into this single video (with music by Silversun Pickups).
The total cost of the zipline tour is about $105 and as Jenn Thomson noted (as she did the media tour with me) it’s about the cost of taking your kid to a hockey game or going out for a big fancy dinner.
You can also book in groups (it’s fun to ride with someone else on the twin line beside you) and they’ll take a group photo for you as a keepsake before you set out on your tour. I’m looking forward to trying this with John and I promise next time, I’ll scream a little less.
One of the highlights of any Victoria trip for me is always the Royal BC Museum. They have seasonal exhibits combined with traditional displays and the IMAX which make it enjoyable for all ages, any time of year.
We were on a mission to explore “Treasures: The World’s Cultures of the British Museum” that is in Victoria until September of this year and spent the better part of an hour perusing all of the dazzling ancient artifacts.
The self-guided tour leads you through displays starting with Africa, moving on to the Middle East, Europe, Asia, Oceania, America and the Modern World. You’ll see everything from a mummy, to the Rosetta Stone, busts of Marcus Aurelius, a Rembrandt sketch, ancient carved Buddha statues, and gold masks from Columbia.
Photo credit: (c) The Trustees of the British Museum – Deir elBahri, Thebes, Egypt , Early 22nd Dynasty, ca 930 BC, Papyrus
Photo credit: (c) The Trustees of the British Museum – Found at Olympia, Greece ca 460 BC, Bronze
The features at the Royal BC Museum always draw a crowd and they saw the highest attendance of almost a half a million visitors during their 2007 Titanic exhibit.
On any given day you can explore the National History Gallery (home of that famous Wolly Mammoth), and the Human History Gallery that features everything from First Nations history to a Modern History Gallery. John said thanks to these exhibits he’s been able to learn more about the province and our nation – they’re personal favourites of mine as well. They’ve also included a permanent Climate Change feature that features everything from the Pine Beetle to exploring weather patterns at interactive computer stations.
You are welcome to take photographs (without flash) throughout the museum, except in the special exhibit halls or where otherwise noted. If you regularly frequent the museum (more than once a year) it would be worth looking into an annual pass, which is only $45 for adults. Many other attractions over in the Vancouver area offer annual or family passes for locals and I think they’re tremendous deals e.g. the Vancouver Aquarium.
Outside the Royal BC Museum you’ll spot the Netherlands Carillon bell tower, thunderbird park, the BC archives, a native plant garden, sculptures, and monuments. Of course the museum is also across the street from the legendary Empress Hotel as well as the BC Legislature building.
I’ve visited the museum every time I’ve ever been to Victoria and when you combine the traditional galleries with the traveling exhibits it just adds that much more value to your trip.
This stop was during our Coast Hotels ‘New Victoria for New Media’ tour – view my Flickr set for more images.
Nestled up on a hill overlooking the peninsula, Sea Cider in Saanichton is an orchard oasis.
Producing almost a dozen varieties of cider this 3-acre orchard, and 7-acre forest, creates delicious and refreshing organic spirits year-round. For Kristen Jordan, who founded Sea Cider with her husband five years ago it was a natural move when they took over the farm, both of them having a connection to cider-making and orchards in their past.
Sea Cider grows various varieties of apples on their 1,000 trees, while also using their wooded acreage to grow complimentary products such as stinging nettles for tea, lavender, honey, and mint. It seems that every bit of land is used to grow and cultivate the fruit and the Sea Cider products, even the spent apples are composted and Kristen mentioned some local chefs are interested in working them into some menu items.
The operation is modest but they have a great group of helpers including volunteers that come to them from the WWOOF program. World Wide Opportunities on Organic Farms connects people who would like to work the land or learn how to run organic operations with those currently in business.
The cider house is perched at the top of the land with a fabulous patio that looks out over the land and water. Once inside, surrounded by lovely woodwork, towering ceilings, and local artwork, you’re able to enjoy tasting flights and local pairings prepared on-site.
During our visit we sampled the following ciders that were poured by Kristen while she provided history and background for each of the drinks:
Flagship (certified organic in 08)
Wild English (that John compared to a Hefeweizen ale)
Kings & Spies (that is supported by a local non-profit called Lifecycles)
Pippins (my personal favourite, ‘prohibition style’)
Perry (made with fermented Perry Pears from North Saanich)
Rumrunner (fermented in Kentucky Bourbon and screech barrels)
From the ‘sweet tooth’ series:
Pommeau (Normandy-style made with snow apples)
Cyser (fermented honey blended with organic cider)
Pomona (made with very dry apples, giving it an ice wine texture)
The alcohol in the ciders ranges from 8% to 16.2% in the Pomona.
Our samplers were paired with Saltspring Cheese Company cheese, smoked bison, North Island tuna, two kinds of chutney, sea asparagus, and sponge toffee.
The ciders are crisp and refreshing, crossing the spectrum from very light apple tastes and nuances to deep, dark, and lusciously sweet. The entire experience at Sea Cider is an education in eating local and discovering just how many foods are created by Island farmers and artisans. “It’s a humble drink,” said Kristen. “There’s a cider tradition that’s been lost and we want to help bring it back.”
Flanked by lush forests, farms and orchards, Sea Cider’s location is tranquil and picturesque. Whether you’re heading to Victoria, up Island, or to catch a ferry back to the mainland, Sea Cider is definitely on my list of recommended stops.
