The city name of "Vancouver" has an interesting history. It was named by William Van Horne to in hornor of George Vancouver - a British naval officer and explorer who sailed through the area in 1792. In fact, In the nearby US state of Washington, there is also a city of Vancourver which was name after the same person.
Who was William Van Horne then? William Horne was an American and the president of CPR ( Canadian Pacific Railway) which were responsible for constructing the first candadian transcontinental railway in the eighteen century.
As part of the conditions of the Brithish North American's province BC( British Columbia) to join Confederation, railways were built from east Canada to BC.
The City of Vancouver was incorporated on April 6, 1886, the same year that the first transcontinental train arrived.
Not long after Vancouver was created, two incidents of fires aimed for land-clearing were out of control on June 13, 1886. The whole city was ashed. The first City Council meeting was held in a tent. The Vancouver Fire Department was established that year and the city was quickly rebuilt.
I heard that Vancouver in April might still expect some rainny days. We brought a water proof jacket and water-resistant shoes with us, ready for enjoying Vancouver rain or shine.
It turned out during the days we were in the city, most of the days are sunny day. Since we stayed in downtown area, we could explor many part of the city on feet. The weather was not too cold , not too hot. On the streets or bridges, there are seperated lanes for pedestrians, cyclists and drivers of vehicles. It was very comfortable and relaxing to walk around the city. We walked to parks, walked to beaches, walked to Costco and T&T.
Vancouver have many protected view locations from where people can appreciate the uninterrupted views of the mountains far away , the Downtown skyline, and the surrounding water, feel more connected to the nature.
P1: Downtown Vancouver skyline viewed from False Creek
P2: Burrard Street Bridge built from 1930 to 1932 crossing False Creek to connect downtown with Kitsilano
P3: West end of Vancouver viewed from Burrard bridge ( Stanley park, Sunset beach and English Bay beach on the right side of False Creek)
P4: Cranes in Vancouver's container terminals
P5: Five sails at Canada Place
P6: FlyOver Canada
P7: A high_rise in construction
P8 : Gastown Steam Clock
P9: Blossom Umbrellas on a street plaza of Yaletown
P10: Seaforth Armoury on Burrard street--Home of the Seafourch Highlanders of Canada
P11: One of two tanks outside the Beatty Street Armoury and Drill Hall. The walls white building beside are three and a half feet thick, and the building rests on huge granite blocks
P12: A cute gazebo in a garden of street cornor.
P13: Ceiling at the van dusen botanical garden visitors centre
P14: Photo Session Statues in Queen Elizabeth Park
P15: A-maze-ing Laughter bronze sculptures in Morton Park along the English Bay in West End, Vancouver.
May you laugh more and laugh harder!
