*Seeing refreshing Canada - (9) Alaska Cruise*
Today is again cruising day, nothing to report. Now some info on the cruise and the ship. The Volendam is 237 m long, the passage way to the guest rooms look like no end, 2nd photo.
Food is available like 20 hours in a day, mostly buffets. Breakfast by the window is relaxing, 3rd photo. The desserts are particularly good.
While cruising, many classes are offered, like cooking, fitness, digital knowledge, etc. Or one could play chess or read in the library with comfortable sofa and leg-rest. Or find some thrills in the casino. For Catholics we can attend mass everyday, said by a retired priest, held in a theatre, with the temporary altar on a table under the bright spotlight of the theatre, 8th photo.
Now a bit of history: Russia controlled most of Alaska from the late 1700s until 1867, when it was purchased by U.S. Secretary of State William Seward for $7.2 million. Yes, just 7.2 million USD, not enough to buy a 5-star condo unit in New York City today. Not sure if the original purchase was "willing buyer, willing seller" or not, or with cannons waiting. Shown the statue of W. Seward outside the State Capital Building in Juneau.
On a brighter note, rhododendrons are blooming everywhere in Alaska. Colourful, conspicuous and photogenic.
Tomorrow morning we will disembark in Vancouver. The Alaska Cruise is essentially ended. May be we could enjoy the Johnny Horton hit "North to Alaska" to end the story. I do. The song
https://youtu.be/JSt0NEESrUA
Today is again cruising day, nothing to report. Now some info on the cruise and the ship. The Volendam is 237 m long, the passage way to the guest rooms look like no end, 2nd photo.
Food is available like 20 hours in a day, mostly buffets. Breakfast by the window is relaxing, 3rd photo. The desserts are particularly good.
While cruising, many classes are offered, like cooking, fitness, digital knowledge, etc. Or one could play chess or read in the library with comfortable sofa and leg-rest. Or find some thrills in the casino. For Catholics we can attend mass everyday, said by a retired priest, held in a theatre, with the temporary altar on a table under the bright spotlight of the theatre, 8th photo.
Now a bit of history: Russia controlled most of Alaska from the late 1700s until 1867, when it was purchased by U.S. Secretary of State William Seward for $7.2 million. Yes, just 7.2 million USD, not enough to buy a 5-star condo unit in New York City today. Not sure if the original purchase was "willing buyer, willing seller" or not, or with cannons waiting. Shown the statue of W. Seward outside the State Capital Building in Juneau.
On a brighter note, rhododendrons are blooming everywhere in Alaska. Colourful, conspicuous and photogenic.
Tomorrow morning we will disembark in Vancouver. The Alaska Cruise is essentially ended. May be we could enjoy the Johnny Horton hit "North to Alaska" to end the story. I do. The song
https://youtu.be/JSt0NEESrUA
*枫叶国风情录 -（9）阿拉斯加邮轮之旅*
今天又是巡航日，没有新景点。 倒想介绍这游轮之旅。Volendam船长237米，通往客房的通道好像没有尽头，如第二张照所示。
船上一天内大约有20个小时有提供食物，主要是自助餐。 靠着窗吃早餐是赏心乐事，第3张照片。 这里的甜品一流。
游轮巡航时，船上提供许多课程；烹饪，健身，数码知识等。或者你可在图书馆下棋或阅读，有舒适的沙发。 或者在赌场中找一些刺激。 对于天主教徒来说，我们每天都可以参加弥撒，由一位退休神父在剧院里主持，临时祭坛放在桌子上，在剧院的聚光灯下照得发亮，第8张照片。
现在讲一点历史：俄罗斯从1700年代后期到1867年控制了阿拉斯加的大部分地区，1867年美国国务卿W. Seward以720万美元买下阿拉斯加。 是的，只用了720万美元，现在还不够在纽约市购买一个五星级公寓的单位。 不能确定当时的交易是否是自愿性，或是有大炮在协助。在Juneau的州政府大厦外有W. Seward的雕像。
这个季节，阿拉斯加的杜鹃花盛开。 五颜六色，显眼又上镜。
明天早上我们将在温哥华下船。 这阿拉斯加邮轮之旅基本上已结束。后天我们将开始"落基山脉之旅”，再会。
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*Seeing refreshing Canada - (10) Vancouver*
By mid morning we have disembarked from the cruise ship and back to Vancouver. We went exploring Stanley Park, again. This time in rented bikes, covering a full circuit (around 10 km). Each bike cost C$ 17.50 (RM 55) for a 2＋hours rental.
Scenes portrayed include a mermaid statue, the Siwash Hill, Highway 99, tulips at the Ted and Mary Grieg Garden and a family of Canadian Geese.
In the evening we took up a 2-hour night city tour. 9th to 12th Photo: Convention Center, the Olympic Cauldon, the Telus World of Science and the gas clock in Gastown.
*枫叶国风情录 -（10）温哥华*
今早约九点，我们从游轮下船，再次回到温哥华。 我们又去了斯坦利公园。 这次是骑了租来的自行车，走了一圈（约10公里）。 租自行车的费用为17.50加元（55马币），两个多小时。
公园景点包括美人鱼雕像，一座孤山，高速公路，郁金香及一家鹅。
晚上，我们看了两小时的夜景。照片顺序：温哥华会议中心，奥林匹克运动会火焰碑，科学馆和盖斯镇的蒸气钟。
By mid morning we have disembarked from the cruise ship and back to Vancouver. We went exploring Stanley Park, again. This time in rented bikes, covering a full circuit (around 10 km). Each bike cost C$ 17.50 (RM 55) for a 2＋hours rental.
Scenes portrayed include a mermaid statue, the Siwash Hill, Highway 99, tulips at the Ted and Mary Grieg Garden and a family of Canadian Geese.
In the evening we took up a 2-hour night city tour. 9th to 12th Photo: Convention Center, the Olympic Cauldon, the Telus World of Science and the gas clock in Gastown.
*枫叶国风情录 -（10）温哥华*
今早约九点，我们从游轮下船，再次回到温哥华。 我们又去了斯坦利公园。 这次是骑了租来的自行车，走了一圈（约10公里）。 租自行车的费用为17.50加元（55马币），两个多小时。
公园景点包括美人鱼雕像，一座孤山，高速公路，郁金香及一家鹅。
晚上，我们看了两小时的夜景。照片顺序：温哥华会议中心，奥林匹克运动会火焰碑，科学馆和盖斯镇的蒸气钟。
* * * * * * * * *
*Seeing refreshing Canada - (11) Canadian Rockies*
Today (16/4/2019) we start our tour to the Canadian Rockies. The Canadian Rockies are the Canadian segment of the North American Rockies consisting of multiple parallel mountain ranges running mostly north-south between the costal plains and the priaries. The rocks are mostly limestones and sandstones. The peaks are very rugged and heavily graciated. There are 5 national parks within the Canadian Rockies and they combine to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The parks are great tourist attractions because of the beautiful scenery.
We started from Vancouver in bright sunshine for two to three hours after which it became cloudy. First 2 photos show typical roadside scenery in the early part of the journey and the pine cone found at the rest area.
The next 4 photos were taken at a winery at the town of Kelowna showing Lake Okanagan in the background. The town of Kelowna has some 200,000 people and about 390 km by road from Vancouver. Lake Okanagan is a very long lake, 125 km long and only 4 or 5 km wide.
The 7th and 8th photos show another lake along the journey: Lake Kalamalka near the town of Vernon.
The last 4 photos show the tourist town of Salmon Arm famous for its many beaches around Shuswap Lake. It has the longest timber wharf in North America. Saw some seniors practising for the upcoming dragon boat race.
*枫叶国风情录 -（11) 落基山脉之旅*
今天（16/4/2019），我们开始了加拿大落基山脉之旅。 加拿大落基山脉是北美落基山脉的一部分，由多个平行的山脉组成，位于沿海平原和内陆大草原之间。 岩石主要是石灰岩和砂岩。 加拿大落基山脉内有5个国家公园，组成一个联合国教科文组织世界遗产。 这些公园风景优美，是加拿大的重要旅游区。
我们在温哥华出发，前两三个小时阳光灿烂，之后就变得多云。 前两张照片显示了旅程早期的路边景观和休息站的松树锥。
接下来的4张照片是在Kelowna镇的一家酿酒厂拍摄的，远景是Okanagan湖。 Kelowna镇拥有20万人口，与温哥华的公路距离约390公里。 Okanagan湖长125公里，宽仅四五公里。
第7和第8张照片展示了沿途的另一个湖泊：Vernon镇附近的Kalamalka湖。
最后4张照片是在Salmon Arm镇拍摄的。这里的Shuswap湖有很多海滩，它也拥有北美最长的木材码头。 一群长者在湖中划船，为即将到来的龙舟赛练习。
Today (16/4/2019) we start our tour to the Canadian Rockies. The Canadian Rockies are the Canadian segment of the North American Rockies consisting of multiple parallel mountain ranges running mostly north-south between the costal plains and the priaries. The rocks are mostly limestones and sandstones. The peaks are very rugged and heavily graciated. There are 5 national parks within the Canadian Rockies and they combine to be declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The parks are great tourist attractions because of the beautiful scenery.
We started from Vancouver in bright sunshine for two to three hours after which it became cloudy. First 2 photos show typical roadside scenery in the early part of the journey and the pine cone found at the rest area.
The next 4 photos were taken at a winery at the town of Kelowna showing Lake Okanagan in the background. The town of Kelowna has some 200,000 people and about 390 km by road from Vancouver. Lake Okanagan is a very long lake, 125 km long and only 4 or 5 km wide.
The 7th and 8th photos show another lake along the journey: Lake Kalamalka near the town of Vernon.
The last 4 photos show the tourist town of Salmon Arm famous for its many beaches around Shuswap Lake. It has the longest timber wharf in North America. Saw some seniors practising for the upcoming dragon boat race.
*枫叶国风情录 -（11) 落基山脉之旅*
今天（16/4/2019），我们开始了加拿大落基山脉之旅。 加拿大落基山脉是北美落基山脉的一部分，由多个平行的山脉组成，位于沿海平原和内陆大草原之间。 岩石主要是石灰岩和砂岩。 加拿大落基山脉内有5个国家公园，组成一个联合国教科文组织世界遗产。 这些公园风景优美，是加拿大的重要旅游区。
我们在温哥华出发，前两三个小时阳光灿烂，之后就变得多云。 前两张照片显示了旅程早期的路边景观和休息站的松树锥。
接下来的4张照片是在Kelowna镇的一家酿酒厂拍摄的，远景是Okanagan湖。 Kelowna镇拥有20万人口，与温哥华的公路距离约390公里。 Okanagan湖长125公里，宽仅四五公里。
第7和第8张照片展示了沿途的另一个湖泊：Vernon镇附近的Kalamalka湖。
最后4张照片是在Salmon Arm镇拍摄的。这里的Shuswap湖有很多海滩，它也拥有北美最长的木材码头。 一群长者在湖中划船，为即将到来的龙舟赛练习。
* * * * * * * * *
*Seeing refreshing Canada - (12) Canadian Rockies*
Today we are going from Salmon Arm to the Banff National Park. Not a good day for sight-seeing: cloudy all day with light drizzle in the afternoon.
First 4 shots from the bus, the 3rd showing an area recently had an avalanche. On display at the Rogers Pass are artilleries used to create controlled snow avalanches to release snow pressure on a slope.
We next took the Lake Louise gondola to go up to the mountain for a panoramic view. But due to the cloudy and hazy sky the views of the distant peaks are far from spectacular.
At Banff we had a stop at the Bow Falls, a small waterfall made famous by being featured in the movie "River of No Return" starring Marilyn Monroe.
The most common rock type in the Rockies are sedimentary rocks with the unique stratification.
*枫叶国风情录 -（12) 落基山脉之旅*
今天我们从Salmon Arm前往Banff国家公园。 今天不是观景拍照的好日子：整天都是阴天，下午还有细雨。
前4张照片是在巴士行驶中拍的。第3张显示一个山玻最近曾发生了雪崩。
在Rogers垭口的探索馆，展出两座大炮，用于炮轰危玻，制造人为雪崩，以释放斜坡上的雪压。
接下来我们乘坐Lousie湖缆车上山去欣赏Banff国家公园群峰全景。 但是由于朦胧阴天，群峰的景色远非壮观。
我们也在Bow Fall瀑布停留一阵子，玛丽莲梦露主演的一部电影“River of No Return”曾在此取景，这小瀑布就此一夜成名。
落基山脉最常见的岩石是沉积岩，示典型的分层结构。
Today we are going from Salmon Arm to the Banff National Park. Not a good day for sight-seeing: cloudy all day with light drizzle in the afternoon.
First 4 shots from the bus, the 3rd showing an area recently had an avalanche. On display at the Rogers Pass are artilleries used to create controlled snow avalanches to release snow pressure on a slope.
We next took the Lake Louise gondola to go up to the mountain for a panoramic view. But due to the cloudy and hazy sky the views of the distant peaks are far from spectacular.
At Banff we had a stop at the Bow Falls, a small waterfall made famous by being featured in the movie "River of No Return" starring Marilyn Monroe.
The most common rock type in the Rockies are sedimentary rocks with the unique stratification.
*枫叶国风情录 -（12) 落基山脉之旅*
今天我们从Salmon Arm前往Banff国家公园。 今天不是观景拍照的好日子：整天都是阴天，下午还有细雨。
前4张照片是在巴士行驶中拍的。第3张显示一个山玻最近曾发生了雪崩。
在Rogers垭口的探索馆，展出两座大炮，用于炮轰危玻，制造人为雪崩，以释放斜坡上的雪压。
接下来我们乘坐Lousie湖缆车上山去欣赏Banff国家公园群峰全景。 但是由于朦胧阴天，群峰的景色远非壮观。
我们也在Bow Fall瀑布停留一阵子，玛丽莲梦露主演的一部电影“River of No Return”曾在此取景，这小瀑布就此一夜成名。
落基山脉最常见的岩石是沉积岩，示典型的分层结构。
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * *
* * * * * * * * *
*Seeing refreshing Canada - (13) Canadian Rockies*
Today is also a cloudy day. And it snowed lightly in the morning when we were at Lake Louise.
Lake Louise is a small lake named after a daughter of Queen Victoria, famous for its turquoise water. However the lake was still frozen on our visit, so no water to see. The 2nd photo was taken in sepia.
On shore is the top resort hotel, Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise, built in the early 1900s. The hotel rate is over RM 3,500 a night in peak season.
The Columbia Icefield is the largest icefield in the Canadian Rockies, lying between the Banff and Jasper National Parks. The Columbia Ice Explorer is a special snow-coach with huge wheels and climbing ability to carry tourists right to the glaciers.
The Jesper Glacier Skywalk is a clear glass horseshoe-shaped walkway jutting out 35 m from a cliff face and 280 m above the Sunwapta Canyon. Opened in 2014.
*枫叶国风情录 -（13) 落基山脉之旅*
今天又是一个没有太阳的阴天，早上我们在Lousie湖时还下着雪，毛毛雪。
Lousie湖是一个以英国维多利亚女王的女儿名字命名的小湖。 以其绿色湖水聞名，不过今天湖还是结着冰，没有水可看。岸边的高级度假酒店是Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise酒店，建于20世纪初。 在旺季，每晚租金可达3,500马币。
哥伦比亚冰原是加拿大落基山脉中最大的冰原，连接Banff和Jasper国家公园，面积约325平方公里。 Columbia Explorer是一辆特殊的雪地大巴，轮子有人这么高，将游客带到冰川中。
Jasper Glacier Skywalk是一个透明的玻璃马蹄形走道，离悬崖面35米，离Sunwapta峡谷280米。 建于2014年。
*Seeing refreshing Canada - (14) Canadian Rockies*
Today is travelling day, from Golden to Vancouver, about 720 km. The roadside scenery changed from jugged snow peaks to mountains with lust vegetation. The main tree types in the Rockies are lodgepole pine and engalmann spruce, both in the pine family (4th and 5th photo).
On the way visited the memorial of "The Last Spike” to commemorate the completion of the Canadian Pacific Railway from ocean to ocean on Nov 7, 1885. And at the town of Kamloops visited an American ginseng processing factory. Most of fellow tourists bought some something here.
Our Rockies tour was thus duly completed. It was conducted by Super Vacations. We have 30+ tourists in a big bus, all orientals, mostly Chinese from various countries.
In the evening visited a night market in the suburb of Richmond. Crowded like "people mountain, people sea" with long queues to buy tickets and to go in. Ordinary people pay near to 15 RM each to enter. We seniors go in free. Many kinds of Asian street food. Queue to pay money to patronise a pasar malam? Only in Canada. The sticks are potato chips.
*枫叶国风情录 （14）加拿大落基山脉*
今天从Golden回到温哥华，距离约720公里。 路边的景色从崎岖的雪峰变成了森林遮盖的山坡。落基山脉最常见的树是lodgepole pine和engalmann spruce，都是松树 (第四和第五张照片)。
途中参观了“最后一支钉(the Last Spike)”纪念碑，纪念1885年11月7日，加拿大太平洋铁路的完工，从大西洋连接到太平洋。在Lamloops镇也参观了一家花旗参加工工厂。多数同车游伴都有购买一些花旗参产品 。
回到温哥华后，我们的落基山脉之旅已经完成。 它由Super Vacations策划。 同车游伴30多名，都是东方人，大多数是中国人，来自不同的国家。
晚上参观了Richmond郊区的夜市。 人多到“人山，人海”一样拥挤，排长队买票进去。普通人入问票约15马币。 我们乐龄人士免费。 最受欢迎的是亚洲街头美食。 光顾pasar mlam还要付钱买票？只在加拿大！所示的棒是薯片。
*Seeing refreshing Canada - (15) Victoria*
Today is a rainy one, drizzling all day. We took the BC Ferry to make a day trip to Victoria, the state capital.
We first spent 2 hours at the Butchart Gardens, in operation for over 100 years. There are several sections. Shown scenes at the Sunken Gardens, the 5th photo shows the Himalayan blue poppy. More photos of the other sections tomorrow.
In the afternoon had a photo stop at the 0-Mile marker of the 8,000 km Trans Canadian Highway and behind it the statue of the inspiritional Terry Fox, a cancer patient with an artificial leg who ran about 5,373 km on the same highway before he died to raise awareness and fund for cancer research.
Next at the city center: the State Parliament building with the statue of Queen Victoria; the huge Knowledge Totem carved for the 1994 Commonwealth Games; a giant Sequoia tree 30 m tall and over 120 years old; and nearby the Fairmont Empress, a 5-star hotel dated to 1908.
**枫叶国风情录 -（15）维多利亚 *
今天整天都下着毛毛雨。 我们坐渡轮前往温哥华岛的维多利亚市作一日游。 它是州首府。
首先在Butchart花园呆了两小时，这私人花园有超过100年的历史。 它有几个景区。 这里所贴五张照片都是谷地景区的场景，那蓝色的花是喜马拉雅蓝罂粟。 明天再贴其他景区的照片。
加拿大横贯公路长达8,000公里，我们在它的“0英里起点”标记处停留了一阵。在其后面是Terry Fox的雕像，Fox是一名癌症患者，只有一条腿，未死前他为了癌症研究基金筹款，在这条公路上跑了5,373公里，未刻跑完全程已身亡。
市中心的几张照片：州议会大厦与维多利亚女王的雕像; 为1994年英联邦运动会雕的巨型图腾柱; 一棵大红杉树，高30米，超过120岁; 五星级的Fairmont Empress，建于1908年。
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*Seeing refreshing Canada - (16) conclusion*
Today (21 May) is our last day in Vancouver. We had a dim sum brunch hosted by Ted, a long time friend and classmate (high school + university) who has settled down here for years.
He later took us to the Queen Elizabeth Park for a short visit. This is a public park, free entry. 2nd to 4th photos. The red flowers are allium or ornamental onion.
We later boarded a bus to Seattle in the US. That is another travel story.
Our travel story in refreshing Canada is thus ended. Thank you for following us.
And more photos on the Butchart Gardens we visited yesterday. 3 photos from the Japanese Garden and the rest from the Italian and Europe Gardens. The pink flowers are Zonal Geranium.
**枫叶国风情录 -（16）完结篇*
今天（5月21日）是我们在温哥华的最后一天。 早上品尝港式点心，由一位定居这里多年的朋友/同学(中学和大学)的杨兄招待。
杨兄也带我们去伊丽莎白二世公园停留一阵子，公园不需入门票。第二至第四张照片。红花是ornamental onion 观赏葱。
之后坐巴士前往美国的西雅图。 那是另一个旅游故事。
我们的枫叶国风情录就此结束。 感谢您的陪伴。
再贴几张昨天Butchart花园拍的照片。 前三张取自日本花园，其余的来自意大利和欧洲花园。粉红色的花是带状天竺葵/洋绣球。
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