Are you ready for Vargas Island?

It is time to prepare for our big adventure! We will spend the weekend on the uninhabited Vargas Island. I am sure we will have a lot of fun with 11 great people at this amazing place. Here is some important information for you.

We will meet on Friday at 10.15am at Horseshoe Bay. Keep in mind that this ferry terminal is located in North Vancouver, so you need to plan in some time to get there. From there, we will take the ferry to Vancouver Island. After we arrive in Nanaimo, we will pick up our car and drive to the other side of the island. In Tofino, you have some time to get a snack, grab a coffee and say bye to proper toilets. A water taxi will get us to Vargas Island where we will build up our tents at the beach. A barbecue and campfire are on the program for the night, before we crawl in our sleeping bags.

Let’s hope that the sun will wake us up on Saturday morning, so we can enjoy our breakfast outside. Mission of the day: exploring the island and surviving. So, we can go for a hike and a swim, meet some wildlife on land and underwater, play fun games and just enjoy the beautiful nature. At night, we will warm up at the campfire and prepare ourselves some real Canadian s‘mores.

Sunday morning, we will already leave Vargas Island again. But before heading back to Vancouver, we will spend some time in Tofino. Known as the paradise for any water sport, we will try our luck on a board during a surfing lesson. In the afternoon, we are heading back to Nanaimo and from there we will go to Vancouver. We will be back around 10pm.

You might be wondering what to bring on this Robinson Crusoe trip. Make sure you do not carry too much stuff with you, since we have to change our way of transportation a few times. Here is what you should definitely pack:

• ID
• Water (bottles or containers, at least 2 liters)
• Flashlight
• Rain jacket
• Sun cream
• Good footwear (hiking shoes or similar)
• For those who go surfing: Bathing suit and towel
• Sleeping bag (if you took it home before)

I can’t wait to spend the nights at the campfire with you! See you tomorrow at our PuB NiGHT or Friday at Horseshoe Bay.

– Kerstin

INTERNeX International Exchange
International Village,
Suite 2077, 2079 – 88 West Pender Street
Vancouver, Canada -V6B 6N9-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

How was your weekend?

Mond… uh, Tuesday again. That means weekend is over and back to normal life. We could enjoy one extra day off because of thanksgiving. A day I spent well. If you are curious about what I did this weekend, keep reading and you will find out.

We celebrated Thanksgiving a little earlier than the rest of Canada. On Friday we went to White Spot to have diner together. For me a thanksgiving diner is not complete without turkey, so turkey it was. After we finished our meals, we took the bus to Granville to continue the night in the Yale Saloon. We learned how to line dance and we rode a bull. Yale saloon is a fun place where I will definitely go back again.

This weekend I also did the Grouse Grind. Man, what a lot of stairs! It took us 1 hour and 8 minutes to get to the top. We enjoyed some food with a nice view. When we finished our food we went to the bears and saw the Lumberjack show. Afterwards we ate something at the Warehouse and we closed the day in the Bourbon.

On thanksgiving we rented a boat on Granville Island. We drove past the Lighthouse Park and Bowen Island all the way to Anvil Island. We saw a lot of seals laying on the rocks. Despite driving a boat was harder than I thought, it was a very relaxing day. I hope you all had a weekend as fun as mine and I see you at PuB NiGHT tomorrow!

– Bart

INTERNeX International Exchange
International Village,
Suite 2077, 2079 – 88 West Pender Street
Vancouver, Canada -V6B 6N9-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

What to do on the weekend?

It’s already time for the weekend and there are many things to do in Vancouver. This weekend there are some really nice festivals. So, what does Vancouver offer this weekend?

 

Dragon Boat Festival

This weekend it is time for Vancouver’s Dragon Boat Festival around Falls Creek on Friday and Saturday. Beginning on Friday afternoon with the blessing ceremony at 5 pm, the start of the first race is on Saturday morning at 8 am. Besides the races you can also enjoy entertainment on the World Beat Stage, fabulous food, art installations, the Urban Tea Lounge and shopping. And the best – it’s for free!  (More infos)

 

Vancouver International Jazz Festival

The Vancouver International Jazz Festival is one of the largest festivals in British Columbia. It’s starts on Friday night at 12 pm on Granville Island and will be until July 1. If you like jazz music, you really should not miss that festival! Various concerts and jam sessions will be held across Downtown and a lot of them are for free! (More infos)

 

Scandinavian Midsummer Festival

This year it is the 19^th Scandinavian Midsummer Festival in Vancouver. Thousands of people celebrate the traditions and festivities of Scandinavian Midsummer at the Scandinavian Community Centre in Burnaby.  One of the highlights is definitely the Viking Village, where most of the activities will be.  Another highlight of the festival will be the Midsummer Festival Lottery with amazing prizes, the Paavo Nurmi Run and the Midsummer Night Bash with electronic dance music. The daily pass fee is $10. (More infos)

 

Soccer World Cup 2014

Of course there are still soccer world cup matches on this weekend. In most of the pubs you can see the matches on big screens. So there are many places in Vancouver where you can cheer for your team or just see some exciting matches with friends.  Please note, that you have to pay an entrance fee while the world cup matches at some pubs.

Don’t forget! We will meet us on Saturday at 11 am at The Pint to watch the soccer match Ghana against Germany. We will also have some brunch and drinks.  We hope to see you there!

We wish you all a nice and enjoyable weekend and and hope to see you on Saturday at The Pint!

 

INTERNeX International Exchange
International Village,
Suite 2077, 2079 – 88 West Pender Street
Vancouver, Canada -V6B 6N9-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

 

INTERNeX Canada: News/Fun facts – My top 3 in Vancouver!

So my last weekend in Canada has finally arrived.. Therefore I want to write and share my top 3 things to do in Vancouver!!

#1 – Rent/Ride a bike!
Really the coolest way to see this amazing city is by bike. The last 14 weeks I rode over 1000km through the city of Vancouver! The best way to rent bikes is around Stanley Park (Denman/Robson St.) There are lot’s of renting facilities around this street. Normal prices are between 30-40 dollar for one whole day and 20-30 for half a day. Below you can find some companies that I recommend:

• Bayshore Bike Rental $ (very cheap!)
• Bikes on Robson $$
• Spokes Bicycle Rentals $$

The best thing to do is make a tour in and around Stanley Park. You can take the easy seawall to make a round (12km). If you have more time bike the Lion’s Gate Bridge as well!

Last Friday, my very last day riding my bike to the office, I discovered a flat tire! How peculiar? 😉

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#2 – Go by ferry to Granville Island MAP
This spot is one of my favorites! The island is easy-going with lot’s of special food and other things to buy. They have an enormous market with more local products then you can imagine! The best way to get there is with the False Creek Ferries! These small boats are sailing all over False Creek. The oneway fee is between $3-5 dollar.. But for this price you get a great view of the harbor, boats and the Yaletown skyline!

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#3 – Visit Gastown and all his pubs!
A awesome place for me during my stay in Canada! Because the office is in the middle of Gastown, it was not that hard for me to discover this place.. I was really surprised by the Irish and British culture influence in this area. Most of the pubs and bars are built in this style. Maybe that’s the reason that I like this place so much!

The places I like and recommend in Gastown are: LampLighter Public House, The Black Frog, The Blarney Stone & The Steamclock.

So that’s it. Hope you like my small list. Enjoy the rest of your Sunday!

Cheers,

Jelle

INTERNeX International Exchange
International Village,
Suite 2077, 2079 – 88 West Pender Street
Vancouver, Canada -V6B 9N9-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

INTERNeX Explorer: Granville Island – Part 2

Last week we learnt a little bit about the history of Granville Island, but let’s be a little more practical and explore what you can actually do there if you visit today.

Granville Island is a must visit place if you are in Vancouver. It usually the place to be when it’s hot and summer, but I don’t see why we can’t go now! Let me tell you a list of reasons why…

• Granville Island Brewery Tour – We got this first “to do” planned for you. Join us this Saturday February 2nd to tour British Columbia’s first “cottage” brewery and learn how the famous Canadian beer that you drink at every pub night is made. How can you say no to beer?
• Public Market – Everything happens here. You will find the freshest fruits, breads, meat and seafood from our local farmers. A wide assortment of crafts to bring home as gifts. Or street performers who are always here to entertain you.
• Eat, eat and eat! – Granville Island is famous for its food; you can find everything from waterfront cafes, gourmet restaurants or a small snack from the market. I love every kind of seafood out there and this is definitely one of the best places for that.
• Ride a boat – My friends and I did this back in September and when you split the costs, it’s not so expensive. It’s the perfect way to see the beauty of False Creek and North Vancouver. You can also go kayaking or paddle boarding.
• Events & Festivals – There is always something going on, make sure you keep yourself updated with their events schedule. Chinese New Year is coming up and you don’t want to miss the annual Lions Dance!
• Arts and Crafts – It’s a haven for you art lovers. You will find local handmade jewelry, photography, pottery, stained glass, soaps, decorations and much more.

Basically, Granville Island is a great way to get out of the city when you need a break. Here’s a hint for the gentlemen: it’s the perfect place for a date! Sigh, if only I had a date…

Cheers,

Queenie

INTERNeX International Exchange
Suite 200 – 211 Columbia Street
Vancouver BC -V6A 2R5-
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Phone: +1 (604) 662 8149
Email: pr@internexcanada.com