Chittenden Locks, Seattle

The Hiram M. Chittenden Locks located in Ballard provide a link for boats between the saltwater of the Puget Sound and the fresh water of the Ship Canal connecting to Lake Union and Lake Washington.



The Locks are made up of 2 navigational locks, a dam and spillway, a fish ladder, a botanical garden, and a regional visitor center.

The locks serve three purposes:

- To maintain the water level of Lake Washington and Lake Union at 20.6 feet above Puget Sound's mean low tide.

- To prevent the mixing of sea water from Puget Sound with the fresh water of the lakes known as saltwater intrusion

- To move boats from the water level of the lakes to the water level of Puget Sound, and vice versa





The fish ladder was built to allow salmon passing between fresh and salt water.

Glass panels make it possible to view the fish as they navigate their way through the ladder, adjusting to different levels of salt each step of the way.

Sleepless in Seattle

Built in 1962, the Space Needle is the symbol of Seattle, and one of the most recognizable structures in the world.




Birdeye views from Space Needle

Stanley Park 悠閒一天自由行

今天Karen去了retreat，剩下我和娃兒相依為命，外邊風和日麗，好！就讓我當一天自由行的導遊到Stanley Park逛逛吧！我們沿着Howe Street向English Bay方向走，可能勤於運動的關係，不久，我們已到達 English Bay，很多遊艇泊在那裏，由於是週末，不少遊人在海旁的餐廳吃午餐，右圖對岸為Granville Island，隱若可見Granville Bridge。






是日陽光大減價，不論遊人或鵝兒也出來享受日光浴，我們作足準備，架起太陽鏡、戴上太陽帽，還塗上SPG50+ 太陽油，確保幼嫩的肌膚不被灼傷。

我們沿着Beach Avenue一直往前走，途經多個漂亮的沙灘，趣怪的大樹，由石頭砌成的小擺設，都成了我部傻瓜DC的獵物，基本上，陽光普照，傻瓜也能影得好相片。

為何在香港遇見藍天的日子越來越少？

行了個多小時，我們停下來在一間小食店午膳，叫了一客Salmon Burger和一客Veggie Dog ，據聞Vancouver Downtown街頭的熱狗(簡稱“『街狗』”)很好吃，怎料，Veggie Dog沒有Veggie，只有一條很鹹的香腸，很難吃！幸好晚餐時，吃了一頓美味的日本菜作補償。

再行了不知多久，總之很久，終於來到景點之一巨石Siwash Rock，據了解它是二次大戰時炮台的要點。作為一個責任心重的遊客，當然要拍多幾張照片向香港的觀眾交待啦！

再行了十多分鐘，終於望見Lions Gate Bridge了，很興奮，有點像金門橋，幻想到了San Francisco，DC其中一個好處，就是可以狂影亂影，不用擔心不夠膠卷兒(很文雅噢)！這次五小時Stanley Park之旅也能拍下百多二百張照片！厲害厲害！

已四時多，娃兒有點累，便打算乘觀光車到出口附近打道回府，在等車途中，竟被我發現有一秘密隧道可通到一個像森林的地方，决定入去看個究竟，娃兒有點擔心迷路，因Stanley Park實在太大了，我不管三七二十一，只管往前走，終於皇天不負有心人，到了一處像世外桃源的地方---Beaver Lake，很多遊人在餵鴨子，很寫意！
時候不早，今回真的要上觀光車了，等了約十五分鐘，熱情的司機架着觀光車來了，終於讓我倆可休息一會，觀光車途經多過景點: 如Hollow Tree, Rowing Club, Totem poles等；由於車上人太多，找不到有利位置拍照，但我們也算走運，因觀光車只運作多兩天便停止服務。那司機看來十分熱愛他的工作，一邊介紹沿途風景，一邊說笑，還停下車祝福兩對剛結婚的新人，過了若干景點，我們在Lost Lagoon下車。

很多天鵝、鴨子和鵝兒在Lost Lagoon內棲息，更被我成功拍攝到一隻黑色小松鼠的短片，最後我們隨着一排排的鴨子回家去也！

非常悠閒、愉快、充實兼省錢的一天啊！

Whistler 閃電一天遊

Shannon Fall



Lost Lake

Whistler Village



Gondola

Snow Mountain



The Peak

Statue

驚唔記得帶鎖匙？

學佢啦 ...

Chemainus - Little Town of Murals

Chemainus, on Vancouver Island's east shore, is a little town snuggled in between a mountain range and the ocean, isolated with a river cutting it off from the south and a major highway to the north.

UFO huh??

Double Rainbow in Downtown

Somewhere over the rainbow ...

Obsession with Victoria, Vancouver Island

Victoria is the largest city on Vancouver Island and is the capital of British Columbia.






Victoria Inner Harbour

The British Columbia Government Parliament Buildings looks out over the activity of the Inner Harbour in Victoria located on Vancouver Island.

BC Parliament Buildings

The unofficial start of the Trans Canada Trail is at present "Mile 0" of the Trans Canada Highway. This is located on the Victoria waterfront in Beacon Hill Park.

Handicraft

Fisherman's Wharf

Paragliding at Clover Point, Victoria

In Victoria, you can picnic overlooking the Pacific Ocean or soar over the coastline.

Can you find the rainblow in the picture?




Paragliding is fun. Anyone know where we can learn paragliding in Hong Kong?

花花世界

Photos taken at Butchart Gardens, Victoria, Canada

Afternoon Walk around Chinatown

Chinatown in Vancouver is one of the largest Chinatowns in North America. Its location is centred on Pender Street.





China Gate

Lion Statue

'The Sam Kee Building' - The Sam Kee Company, one of the wealthiest firms in turn-of-the-last-century Chinatown, bought this land as a standard-sized lot in 1903. However, in 1912 the City widened Pender Street, expropriating 24 feet off the front of the lot. In 1913 the architects Brown and Gillam designed this narrow, steel-framed building that is only 6 feet wide.

The basement, extending under the sidewalk, housed public baths; offices and shops were on the ground floor and living quarters above. Rehabilitation of the building for Jack Chow was designed by Soren Rasmussen Architect and completed in 1986.

The building is considered the thinnest commercial building in the world according to the Guinness Book of Records.