by Vancouver’s 125th
Happy 125th Birthday, Vancouver! Still young and beautiful. Check out the cool video of Vancouver streets in 1907 on the bottom of the linked page. I was surprised to see that the traffic moved on the left back in the day.
Much closer to the present are these photos taken two weeks ago when we drove out to the Beaty Biodiversity Museum.
Lots of snow on the Lions (the two peaks on the North Shore mountains)
A glimpse of the working port of Vancouver with the downtown highrises in the distance
A stop for a wee picnic lunch on Spanish Banks – too cold to linger long!
This view always surprises when driving north along Burrard Street in the downtown
P.S. The Vancouver Sun, in print as well as online, has a whole section dedicated to Vancouver’s birthday. I’ve only just started to read the paper but wanted to capture the link before I forget. I hope they keep it in the archives for a few years at least.
April 6, 2011 in Canada and BC, History by Marja-Leena
What a wall of mountains! We in Portland only had two peaks, Mt. Hood and Mt. st. Helens (which doesn’t have no more the peak as it exploded in 1980 or was it 81?).
It was also a very lively 1907. A big place for that time! I noticed that could not see no cars, although they were around already then. Also I thought that how good that you had trams.
Do you still have trams? So no wonder you’re celebrating. We had a 400th anniversary in Vaasa couple of yrs ago.
If I had to pick a city, Vancouver would definitely be on my short list. Lovely pictures.
Ripsa, yes, we have a lot of mountains around us. I, too, noticed the lack of cars in that video though I would think there were some around. No, there are no more trams here, just buses, some trolleys, skytrain, seabus and tube – not enough public transportation really. Vaasa and all European cities are indeed old compared to Vancouver!
Marly, yes, it’s a beautiful city because of its location by mountains and sea and with a milder climate. We feel fortunate to have found our way here and to have lived here since 1973. It’s changed a lot even in that time, not always for the best.
Wow. What a beautiful city! Hope I get out there some day! That top photo is stunning.
Happy 125th to the city cared for by such beautiful mountains.
It looks more like a painting.
I wonder what the mountains look like when they’re not so iced up. Like a change of clothing with a change in season.
Leslee – you must come visit – welcome!
Anil, it does look fantastic on a sunny day and with so much extra snow this year, and even more these last few days, it’s been that cold. Some of the highest peaks such as the Lions will hold the snow right into summer. The mountains in the far distance in the third photo are near Whistler and glacier-topped, hence white all year. Otherwise they are all green with trees.
I love the look of Vancouver that you have captured here. It’s one of my favorite cities, with its own special atmosphere.
Hattie, you’ve been here a number of times, having some family here, haven’t you? Our visitors from many places do seem to like this area very much, especially in the summer. Look forward to seeing you here again…
I know I keep saying this, but I really am coming. It’s a thrilling city. Those biodiversity pictures make me yearn to make prints and images again.
BB, ah, you certainly are full of questions, half teasing as always, and some of which I’m not even sure I understand! I don’t know when and why the change to driving on the right (!) side was made, maybe just to be like most of the rest of the world. (Sure makes it easier to know how to drive and cross the street, I remember almost getting killed in London.)
Check out the facts about the Port of Vancouver – those ships out there are waiting farther out from the port to come in to unload/load on their trips back and forth across the Pacific as well as south. Too busy in my opinion, a symptom of our consumerist culture. And soon it will be the cruise ship season too.
Anne, that’s great, just let me know when so I’ll be around!
Traffic driving on the left – you couldn’t maintain that link, could you? Too much a symbol of the colonial yoke. But I’m sorry to learn you had to ape Big Brother to the south. Why not true individuality? – driving in the centre? After all there’s another national strand to your country’s history and they drive in the centre where that comes from.
The third pic down (I think) suggests a marine traffic jam with all those merchant ships nose to tail. Does this portend a crisis of supply in the west, or is it a tribute to BC’s record as an exporter? If I looked at it again I could probably work out whether they’re coming or going. But the Canadian quirkiness of your site has bitten back in the past and I’ve lost some of my most beautiful and life-enhancing comments. The question must stand.
I absolutely love the picture you took of the city with the mountains in the background. Spanish Banks are also as lovely as ever. I didn’t watch the video but did look through their archival photos. The ‘city hall’ sign on the tent was amusing only until I noticed that was all they had after the 1886 fire.
One of these days I may write a post about the Halifax Explosion. Quite by accident we walked to the monument bell tower one afternoon this past winter. Perhaps next time we’ll go to listen to the carillon on the December anniversary.
Susan, I can see your special interest having lived in Vancouver a few years. I’d love to read more about Halifax, including the Explosion. I think I’ve told you that my family arrived in Halifax by boat from Finland? The immigration hall is now a museum which I’d like to visit whenever we get out to the Maritimes, hopefully within the next few years. The east is so much older than the west.
Marja-Leena, nice pictures of a charming, lively city! We have visited Vancouver in 1996 and I love the city!
Leena, how interesting to learn that you’ve visited Vancouver. And like it too!