What to do on the weekend? (Victoria!)

What? One more day?! Yes, just one more day till the Victoria trip. Have you already packed your stuff? Said goodbye to your roommates? To be even more prepared we have wrote this blog post with some practical information about the Victoria trip.

We will meet each other at 9:30 am at the Tsawwassen Terminal. Keep in mind the ride will be more than an hour by public transit from downtown. Be on time, otherwise the ferry will depart without you. After we arrived on Vancouver Island we take the bus to the hostel where we will drop our stuff. Afterwards we go to check out Victotria Downtown. A nice thing to do is going to Beacon Hill Park for a soft ice cream, walk to the beach,  go through Fan Tan alley and make a quick buzz through Chinatown and Market Square. Irish Times or Bard and Banker are also cool for daytime drinking. We will have diner all together in a really nice restaurant/pub where 18+ are allowed to go. Afterwards everybody is free to stay there, go back to the hostel or check out the other pubs/clubs in Victoria. Local recommendations are the Garriks head, Irish times or Bard & Banker.

The next day we have an amazing breakfast planned. A must do when you are in Victoria, the breakfasts are legendary famous here. Because of that, be prepared there will be a line in front of the restaurant, but in the end it will worth it. After breakfast there is enough time to do some optional activities. You can go to the Royal British Colombia Museum, Butchart Gardens or The Craigdarroch Castle. In the afternoon we will meet in the hostel again, where we are going back to Vancouver. We will be in Vancouver in the beginning of the evening.

For the people not joining Victoria, we have also listed some nice thing to do in Vancouver. This weekend the Fashion Week takes place. You can watch a runway show the whole weekend or look at the fashion camp at Vancouvers Community College’s Fashion Labs. Of you want to enjoy the last summer days, the End Of Summer Tropical Boat Cruise is something you may want to do. If you are not going to Victoria but still wants to see the gardens, you can go to the Darts Hill Garden Park this Sunday. If you din’t do the Grouse Grind yet, it is also a possibility to do that soon before the weather gets bad. For people who like sports, this weekend the BC Lions are playing on Friday. Vancouver Giants are going to play a game on Saturday. Also the Whitecaps play a match on this day. Hope you all have a wonderful weekend, and the ones who are joining Victoria, see you 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

Victoria Tour Guide: Place and Activities

On the 1st of July INTERNeX is going on an adventure to Victoria where we will celebrate Canada Day together with all of you!

Victoria is the capital of BC and is a must see when you are living in Vancouver. Even though Victoria is the capital of BC, it is not a very big city and therefore gives you the opportunity to escape the busy life in Vancouver. It is not strange that Victoria is known as the “City of Gardens” with the Butchart gardens that are able to bloom throughout the whole year because of its mild climate.

Canada Day is a national holiday in Canada, which is always on the 1st of July. There are a lot of events taking place on this day and there are most of the times fireworks at the end of the day. This is also the case in Victoria. In Victoria there is a big free festival with a lot of artists playing, which ends with a big fireworks show. So if you really would like to celebrate Canada Day the way you are supposed to do then you definitely need to join these activities.

If you would rather learn more about British Columbia, then you could go to the Royal BC museum. Royal BC museum is a pretty big museum with several First Nations’ collections. Besides that you could also visit the British Columbia Parliament buildings. Here you can either go on a self-guided tour or join a guided tour. The guided tours are free and take around 45 minutes. The buildings are also really beautiful and definitely worth checking out!

Victoria is home to quite some historic sites such as the Butchart gardens and the Craigdarroch Castle. The Butchart gardens is the place to be for people who love flowers and plants. You can wander around and take a look at the big variety of plants and flowers in this garden. Craigdarroch Castle is an old castle built by Robert Dunsmuir. While walking around in the castle, you will feel what it was like to have a privileged life in the 1890’s in Victoria.

Furthermore, Victoria is the perfect place for whale watching. It is home to 3 different kinds of whales and therefore makes it more likely that you will see one when you are going on a whale watching tour. While you are conquering the waters of Victoria, you may even see seals.

If you would like to know more about the trip, then check out our event page. I hope to see you all on next PuB NiGHT!

– Iris

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

Review of the Year: October, November, December

October

September ended and October started with one and the same thing. The last weekend of September, we went to Victoria with a group of 17. It was a trip full of good moments and some surprises during the trip that made it unforgettable. In Victoria, our first activity was the Royal BC museum. It was pretty amazing! You can find inside a very real reconstruction of a Wild West village! The next part of the program was supposed to be a walking tour around Victoria, but it was raining cat and dogs. We went to visit the Empress Hotel in Victoria, one of the most luxury places that I’ve seen in my life. After that, we tried to visit the Beacon Hill Park, but the weather was so bad, that we came back to the hostel. We slept in the Hi-Victoria in Downtown. After a shower and with dry clothes, we went to dinner in the Old Spaghetti Factory.

After that, we decided to go to a pub. The chosen place was the Sticky Wicket. We danced, we had some beers and cocktails, and we had a lot of fun. The next day we went to visit the Craigdarroch Castle. It’s like a Scottish castle but in the middle of Canada. After that we visited the Emily Carr House where the staff opened the house only for us! Emily Carr was a real women, one of the first feminists, environmentalists and one of the first persons who defended the people of the First Nation. Then we went back to the hostel to pick up our stuff and leave Victoria. It was sunny, very sunny for the first moment during the weekend. And suddenly, somebody said: there is a big storm in the north of the Island; all the ferries for this night are cancelled, you have to stay in Victoria another night. Can you imagine our faces? At the beginning we were a little bit worried, but finally we could sleep in the hostel and we could inform our home stay families and our colleagues at home. The people of the Hi-Victoria were super nice to us; they give us movies and pop corn. We spend the Sunday night with some beers, talking until very late. Finally we could take the ferry the next day, and we arrived at Vancouver super tired and dreaming of a hot shower. After all, I have to say that all the mess was at the end super funny.

After this adventure, all of us deserved a little break and something to relax. And the perfect opportunity for that was Thanksgiving. Canadian Thanksgiving, one of the most famous holidays and not to be confused with the U.S. American version is celebrated at the second Monday in October. It is similar to the English and European Harvest festival, symbolizing people’s gratitude for everything given by nature or God that sustains them. While the actual Thanksgiving holiday is on a Monday, Canadians may gather for their Thanksgiving feast on any day during the long weekend. Thanksgiving in Canada is also often a time for weekend getaways. The traditional dish for the Thanksgiving dinner is roasted turkey, cranberries, and pumpkin pie. Watching football on TV is also a part of the modern tradition for many Canadians. Becoming a statutory (public) holiday in 1957, Thanksgiving goes back much further than that. Besides being linked to the before mentioned European traditions, it is also a way to remember the English explorer Martin Frobisher and his search for the Northwest Passage in 1578. As it was common in those times, his journey was a difficult one; made hard and exhausting by severe weather and ice. So when Frobisher and his crew arrived in Frobisher’s Bay, they celebrated the first ceremonial Thanksgiving.

And after this rather contemplative time of the month, we launched into the Halloween season. Stanley Park Ghost Train, the Dunbar Haunted House and – our big Halloween Party in the Blarney Stone. “INTERNeX drops dead – So get your freak on” was a complete success! Crazy costumes, smiles, laughter, a scavenger hunt, drinking games and a costume contest! We danced, we had tons of fun and we enjoyed the whole night! Check out the crazy pictures…

November

And as fall left Vancouver, the PR team had to say good bye to one of its members again. Tobias left us in the beginning of November to continue his education in Germany and was very sad to go back. His 7 weeks have flown by faster than he ever expected.

Fitting to this somewhat sad event, Canada also had another holiday in November, but one of the sadder sort. Remembrance Day, Poppy Day, or Armistice Day – the celebrations have many names but the holiday’s essence is the same in all the Commonwealth countries. We remember soldiers fallen in the line of duty, especially those during World War I and World War II. Special meaning is held by the date and the time the festivities are taking place. Because the hostilities of World War I ended officially on the eleventh day of November 1918, in the eleventh minute of the eleventh hour. So, at that time, there are one or two minutes of silence to honor all those, we need to remember. Connected to this day is also the custom of wearing a red poppy the weeks leading up to the eleventh of November. This symbol evolved due to the popularity of a poem written by a Canadian writer and soldier John McCrae, In Flanders Fields. It is one of the most famous pieces of Canadian literature and represents the emotions connected to Remembrance Day.

However, as November went on, we turned to happier matters again and planned our monthly trip. This time it took us to Whistler for three days, to ski and board and sight-see all day… and party all night!!! Whistler is one of B.C.s famous tourist destinations all year long. And during the winter month you can ski and board where international athletes competed during the 2010 Olympic Winter games. Whether we were skiing and boarding or soaked in a hot tub; went out partying, or enjoyed a dinner cooked with friends, we had a great time. Take a look at Flickr and you’ll see why the world was upside down for some of us during this weekend 🙂

December

And after Whistler, it was suddenly December and the last month of the year had already begun. Everything in Vancouver was noticeably preparing for the merriest holiday of the year and we did our best to get in the mood as well. Whether we went ice skating at Robson Square, visited a fantastic Candy Town or paid a visit to the Vancouver Christmas Market; we were getting ready for Christmas! Christmas is celebrated by millions of people around the world and is one of the most popular modern customs of the holiday includes gift giving. Don’t we all enjoy the Christmassy atmosphere? Christmas trees, Christmas lights, and mistletoes? And after this holly jolly feast is over now, the only thing to look forward to in 2013 is New Year’s Eve. So stay tuned here, we will for sure give you some information on where to party into 2014!

 

 

 

 

 

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 Canada: INTERNeX goes Victoria – Review Vol. 2

Day One

Last weekend we went to Victoria with a group of 17. It was a trip full of good moments and some surprises during the trip that made it unforgettable.

We met very early in the morning, at 7am, in Waterfront Station. Going to Victoria takes a little while, because you first have to take the Canada Line, then a bus, then the ferry to get to Vancouver Island and then another bus to get to Downtown Victoria.

We had to take the Canada Line Skytrain at 7:30 am. It was 7:20am and everybody weas there… except Tobias! Our lovely new German intern was waiting forthe bus since 5:40 am in North Vancouver, but the bus never showed up. We couldn’t reach him, so we had to leave the station without any notice of him.

The tour with the ferry takes about 1.5 hours. It’s a beautiful way, and you can see the entire coast of Vancouver Island. It was raining a lot but even like that, the landscape was very beautiful.  We had the opportunity to eat breakfast inside, but we had to hurry up, because within two minutes there was a very very long line.

In Victoria, our first activity was the Royal BC museum. It was pretty amazing! You can find inside a very real reconstruction of a Wild West village! I really enjoyed that part because it isn’t the typical museum where you can watch paintings. It’s very interactive, and they have several exhibitions, like Race to the End of the Earth (about the Antarctic) the First People Gallery, and the Natural History Gallery (with a real size mammoth!). I felt like a child nosing around and touching everything!

Meanwhile, Tobias found the way to Victoria by himself. The next part of the program was supposed to be a walking tour around Victoria, but it was raining cat and dogs. We went to visit the Empress Hotel in Victoria, one of the most luxury places that I’ve seen in my life. After that, we tried to visit the Beacon Hill Park, but the weather was so bad, that we came back to the hostel. We slept in the Hi-Victoria in Downtown. After a shower and with dry clothes, we went to dinner in the Old Spaghetti Factory.

After that, we decided to go to a pub. The chosen place was the Sticky Wicket. We danced, we had some beers and cocktails, and we had a lot of fun.

Day two

The next day we went to visit the Craigdarroch Castle. It’s like a Scottish castle but in the middle of Canada. Mercedes discovered a piano and started to play one song made by her! It’s was so beautiful and all of us came around her to hear the music. Suddenly she spun around and realized about all the people who were looking at her and in that moment her face turned very red. It was so funny.

After that we visited the Emily Carr House where the staff opened the house only for us! Really guys, we are VIP everywhere. It was one of the best things of the trip! Jan, the woman who makes the tours, told us amazing things about Emily Carr. She was a real women, one of the first feminists, environmentalists and one of the first persons who defended the people of the First Nation. We could walk around the house, ask many questions, touch everything and she gave us cookies and coffee. With that rain outside, in this super cozy house, with Jan talking, showing us the Emily Carr’s paintings, we felt very good.

Then we went back to the hostel to pick up our stuff and leave Victoria. It was sunny, very sunny for the first moment during the weekend. And suddenly, somebody said: there is a big storm in the north of the Island; all the ferries for this night are cancelled, you have to stay in Victoria another night.

(Unexpected) Day 3

Can you imagine our faces? At the beginning we were a little bit worried, but finally we could sleep in the hostel and we could inform our homestay families and our colleagues at home. The people of the Hi-Victoria were super nice to us; they give us movies and pop corn. We spend the Sunday night with some beers, talking until very late.

Finally we could take the ferry the next day, and we arrived at Vancouver super tired and dreaming of a hot shower. After all, I have to say that all the mess was at the end super funny, I’m sure that I won’t forget that trip ever.

I really have to say thank you to the wonderful group that came with us, for being so understanding. You are the best travel partner!

Conclusions after the trip:

–      Tobias never will trust the Vancouver’s transport system again.

–      Emily Carr is more interesting that you can imagine at the beginning.

–      A Ferry is a very big ship where you can put cars, buses and trucks inside. A storm between Vancouver Island and Vancouver can sink a Ferry… Canada is really wild sometimes.

Clara.

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

INTERNeX Canada: INTERNeX goes Victoria – Review Vol. 1

Hi everyone!

Last weekend we went from Vancouver to Victoria to have our monthly trip (September). It was a trip with many special moments and experiences. Everything was fine, but then something unexpected happened….And the trip turned into a little (but funny) mess.

And here are the most important headlines:

……Someone missed the start of the trip! But WHO? And WHY?!……

……Two nights in a 40-men-dormitory!……

……The beautiful British Columbia Museum……

……Craigdarroch Castle……

……It’s raining men, Hallelujah!……

……Cast Away 2: ”All ferries are cancelled. You can’t leave Victoria today” – OH NO?!……

If you want to read more about this crazy trip to Victoria, please read the upcoming extended Version of “INTERNeX goes Victoria – Review Vol. 2”

See you,
Tobias

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