Olympic National Park (7/7/11)

Today we left Victoria and headed via ferry to Port Angeles, Washington.  The ferry ride was a little choppy, but we did manage to get some awesome shots of Olympic National Park.  Once we got back stateside we headed to an Indian Buffet.  The buffet was really filling, but it also put me and my Dad into a food coma.  We headed to the Olympic National Park visitor center and watched a 27 minute film.  Dad and I promptly fell asleep.  After the 27 minute nap, we took a drive up to Hurricane Ridge.

View of Victoria from the Ferry

View of Olympic National Park from the ferry.

U.S Coast Guard Training on the Juan de Fuca Strait.

Waterfalls fed by melting mountain snows

Awwww.  The fawn was so cute!

Afterwards we ended up going to Bainbridge Island and taking the ferry back to Seattle.  Tomorrow is Dad’s last day in Seattle and we are planning on going to visit the Seattle Underground!

Seattle Skyline on a hazy day.

Little India, Gastown, Chinatown, Victoria, and Beacon Hill Park (7/6/11)

Today was a sight-seeing day.  Both Dad and I got an early start to the day by driving through Little India on the way to Gastown.  Little India was true to its name.  The part of town named Little India was a two block section that was anchored by Punjab Market.  It was so brief that I don’t have any pictures! 

Gastown was larger and consisted of multiple streets filled with shops, bars, and nightclubs.  The sidewalks were brick and lampposts were ornately decorated with hanging flowerpots.  Home to the one and only Steam Clock, Gastown features Victorian style buildings and a mountainous backdrop.  Gastown was also within a two block walk of Chinatown, which was our next destination.

Victorian Style Apartments

Brick sidewalks with picturesque streetlights.

Random Fish Fountain.

Gassy Jack!  A man integral to the first days of Gas town.

Steam Clock!  Every 15 minutes it chimes a melody and the hour.

Chinatown is similar to U.S Chinatowns, but was definitely cleaners and more well-kept.  The streets were filled with people purchasing a variety of goods at local shops and elderly Chinese on their daily walk.  Historic buildings are juxtaposed against modern high rises and commercial shops.  Some of the few buildings we visited were the Millennium Gate, the skinniest building, a Chinese garden, and the monument to Canadian-Chinese.  After viewing the sites we stopped for a dim sum lunch and bought some Chinese pastries at a local store.

The Millennium Gate!

The 6 foot wide building!

This certifies this building as the skinniest building!

Lotus flower.

The Chinese Garden

Monument to Canadian Chinese

Vancouver was a pretty place, but after visiting Chinatown we decided to head to Vancouver Island.  The only transportation to and from Vancouver Island is by ferry, which departs from North Vancouver or Tsawwassen.  After taking the ferry and viewing the majestic beauty of the San Juan Islands, we traveled to Victoria.

Me and the beautiful ocean.

I don't know what mountain this is, but it is very majestic.

Part of the San Juan Islands.

More pictures of the San Juan Islands.

A beautiful day for sailing!

Victoria is the capital city of the province of British Columbia.  It is a small city that has historic government buildings overlooking Juan de Fuca Strait and Olympic National Park.  Once we checked into the hotel, we walked to Chinatown, viewed the multiple government buildings, and visited Beacon Hill Park.

Chinese Public School

The entrance to Victoria Chinatown.

Victoria City Hall

James Cook

The seat of government for British Columbia, Canada.

Canada Entry (7/5/11)

Hello folks,

I am writing to you from the wonderful world of Canada.  Dad and I rented a car today and drove into Richmond, British Columbia.  Richmond is a town just south of Vancouver with a large Asian community and many seafood restaurants.  We rolled into the hotel around 5 pm and relaxed for a bit.  In the mean time, we were also planning our expedition for the next day.  At 6 pm, we slated our hunger at a highly recommended, albeit a pricy, seafood restaurant.  However, even after polishing off three courses I was still hungry.  What ensued was a Harold and Kumar type adventure to feed me.  This sums up the first night in Canada.

The Canadian Border!

An interesting bridge that we crossed on our way to Richmond.

A Lamborghini!

Proud to be an American!

Happy Independence Day! (I suppose it is a little late based on the time of this posting.)

Dad and I ventured to South Lake Union Park to determine if it would be a good vantage point to view the fireworks.
Decision: Not a great vantage point.
Brightside: Saw some amazing wooden boats at the Lake Union Wooden Boat Festival!

Dad at the Steering Wheel!

Virginia V is a beautiful steam powered boat.  It is by far my favorite.  Unfortunately, I didn't take a picture of her exterior.

This tugboat is the last one of its fleet.  Although it looks rickety, the boat is quite sturdy.

Mt. Rainier on a clear day!

An interesting sculpture in the park.

After the walk in the park, we decided South Lake Union Park would be packed for the fireworks.  We went exploring to find a better viewing spot and encountered McClean Park.  The park had a gorgeous view of Lake Union and was the perfect place to view the Fourth of July Fireworks!

The view from McClean Park

The Fireworks Finale!