What to do on the weekend?

INTERNeX is going to Sasquatch Mountain this weekend for a real Canadian nature adventure, away from the city, snuggled up in a cozy log cabin in the snow with a nice fireplace, a hot tub, games and more. Make sure to bring your survival kit. 😉 Joking, there’s a ski lodge and pub nearby that could come to our rescue which is another reason to go on this trip, the slopes are great I heard, plus the passes are very affordable. There’s the option for action on ski and snowboard, or relaxation in the cabin. This weekend can be whatever you want it to be. I know we’ll have a great time together. 🙂

Fun Fact: The word Sasquatch is believed to be an Anglicization of the Salish word Sasq’ets, meaning “wild man” or “hairy man”, you might know it better as Bigfoot. 😉

If you’re staying in Vancouver this weekend, I gotta tell you about the pop up latin dance class with Dance in Transit at the Annex. I know there’s a lot of dancers between you guys, so why not try something new? Or maybe you’re not a dancer but you always wanted to learn how to dance? This is a great chance to move your hips and socialize, no matter what level you’re at. This Friday you have the chance to learn about Argentine Tango. The doors open at 7 and it only costs $12 for an hour lesson plus social dancing afterwards. What a way to spend your Friday night! Just make sure to register in advance for this event.

Since the weather is slowly getting better in Vancouver, how about a little hike? I went to Deep Cove last weekend and it was beautiful. Not only can you stop by for coffee and doughnuts on your way, but you can finally access the trail up to Quarry Rock again which is a popular viewpoint in North Vancouver. The hike is easy to moderate with some ups and downs, lots of bridges and streams along the way. The lush green forest is a great one-day escape from the city and gives you the chance to explore a different area. I’m sure even if you’re a beginner you can master this hike together with a hiking buddy. 🙂 Remember to wear suitable shoes and bring a rain jacket (just in case).

I’m positive that you’ll find something great to do this weekend to get the most out of your time here. Tell me about it next Pub Night!

See you then,

Laura 🙂

How was the weekend?

I don’t know about your weekend, but mine was a blast!

On Friday we celebrated St. Patricks Day from early afternoon till late at night! Our first stop was an Irish bar on Granville Street where most of the action happened. We dressed up in green with lots of accessories like tattoos, stickers, head bands, hats and shiny necklaces, just like it’s supposed to be. 🙂 We enjoyed some drinks like a classic Guinness, Irish music and good pub food before we were eager to swing our legs. With every sip deeper into the cup, we wanted to dance more. What better place to let out that St. Patrick’s Day energy than at a club? With a mix of DJ and Live Music we celebrated till late at night, made new friends and some lost their voices over singing too loud. Overall I think it was a success. 🙂 Did you celebrate St. Patricks Day? What else did you do?

Saturday was definitely a day to recover for me since I’m not used to going out that much anymore. 😀 Sunday though we went on a little hike at Deep Cove which is in North Vancouver. I still felt the consequences of Friday night, so we took it slow and only went on an easy to moderate trail that led up to a nice viewpoint over the inlet and some lush areas around. The exercise was definitely worth it and we rewarded ourselves with some doughnuts after. They were still nice and warm when we ate them, and I gotta say it was one of the best doughnuts I’ve ever had (wanting one while I’m typing this). I highly recommend checking out the area with its cute local cafes and shops, and don’t worry you won’t miss the doughnut place, it’s the one with a long queue in front of it. 😀 In summer Deep Cove is also a great place to go kayaking or stand up paddling, can’t wait! 🙂

Sorry if you’re craving doughnuts now, but that’s another reason to go out and explore this week. 🙂 I hope you had an amazing weekend!

Let me know all about it next Pub Night!

See you then,

Laura 🙂

How was the weekend?

Was your weekend as busy as mine? I feel like I need another one just to relax. 😀 But all the action was totally worth it!

It started on Friday after work. INTERNeX met to watch the Opening Night of ‘We Will Rock You!’ at Theatre Under the Stars in Stanley Park. Yes, the show was outside at the Malkin Bowl, so we enjoyed a bit of sunlight and later the night sky above us while watching an amazing show. The Musical features songs of the famous band ‘Queen’ and invited people to sing, clap, and interact which was really fun. We made our stay extra special by bringing some blankets and snacks for a picnic on the little hill. When it got dark the scenery lit up for a great ending! If you missed out on that, don’t be sad, there’s a lot more shows going on, so you have time to enjoy it yourself! I would definitely recommend it. Maybe you like their other show better? Next to ‘We Will Rock You!’, TUTS is also showing ‘Something Rotten!’.

On Saturday we had several groups go out for kayaking and paddle boarding at Deep Cove in North Vancouver. The weather was perfect with a cloudy sky and some sunlight shining through. It was the first time for most of us and in the beginning we were a little nervous to fall into the water, but we ended up staying dry(ish). I really enjoyed the peacefulness of the ocean and mountains with trees around us. We kayaked around little Islands and even saw a seal very close to us! It was a fabulous start into the day. Two hours of kayaking flew by and before we headed back downtown we strengthened ourselves with some coffee and doughnuts. 😉

Of course the day wasn’t over after that. In the afternoon we met to go to the Khatsalano street festival. A whole road was filled with vendors, food trucks, beer gardens and live music. It was really busy, but super exciting to walk around and check out all the different booths. After a while, we needed to go somewhere less crowded though, so we went to Kitsilano Beach where we had some food and drinks while watching the sunset.

The last day of the weekend was probably my favourite. INTERNeX went on a day trip to Victoria, BC’s capital on Vancouver Island. We were a small bus filled with 14 people and met very early in the morning to get as much time as possible in this beautiful city. On the ferry our tour guide Mike introduced us to a game called ‘man hunt’. One person is the hunter and has to count to 60 while the rest tries to hide. Then the hunter has to find everyone and catch them (no running though, only speed walking) to make them an ally and find more people together. We played this game on the ferry and it was super fun! Also a great way for waking up and killing time. 😀

Once we arrived in Victoria we did a small city tour on the bus, went to the colourful Fisherman’s wharf, then to a large pier where you have a wide view over the ocean and you don’t even feel like you’re in a city anymore. The highlight was on our walk back when we spotted an otter family walking around the logs on the sides of the pier. From here we went to grab lunch and enjoyed it at Beacon Hill Park which was beautiful. In our free time to walk around the city, Tim got a fun sketch of himself form a street artist. Camilo and I ran into a Mexican festival with traditional dancing on the street and then went on to see the little ally’s in Canadas oldest Chinatown. It was so pretty and very different from Vancouver’s Chinatown. In general Victoria seems more like a European city than a North American city. It has buildings in Victorian style, no high skyscrapers, lots of cute individual shops, pedestrian areas, etc.

If you haven’t been there yet, you should definitely go. The journey is long but it’s worth it. We were lucky to have Mike with us, to show us the nicest spots and drive us around. 🙂

How was your weekend?

Let’s chat about it next pub night!

Cheers,

Laura 🙂

What to Do in Vancouver?

New week new “What to Do in Vancouver” inspirations 🙂

What is Canada without hiking? Do not miss the chance to explore the beautiful hiking trails in the Vancouver area. In this blogpost I will give you some insight into the huge variety of hiking trails with amazing views and the most beautiful nature you have ever seen.

Grouse Grind, Grouse Mountain:

If you fancy a hiking trip right on your doorstep take the Seabus to North Vancouver or a bus ride over the famous Lions Gate bridge to start your adventure on Grouse Grind. It’s a 3-kilometre trail to the top of Grouse Mountain.

From my own experience I can say that this is very exhausting but definitely worthwhile. The view over the city on top of the mountain is unbelievable.
Additionally, have a look at how fast some people have climbed this mountain – there’s a list on top it’s kind of crazy.

Lynn Canyon Park & Suspension Bridge:

This Park features several hiking trails in addition to the main attraction, Lynn Canyon Suspension bridge. It’s smaller than the famous Suspension bridge but it’s free and a beautiful place which is definitely worth a visit. There are trails suitable for every hiking level so just find your perfect trail and enjoy. It’s also a nice opportunity to spend your day in the refreshing 30-foot pool; a nice spot for swimming, having a picnic and of course taking a lot of pictures. There’s a lot more to discover, but you’d better explore it yourself. 😉

Quarry Rock Hike in Deep Cove:

This trail starting in Deep Cove at the Baden Powell trailhead is a really popular hike in North Vancouver and definitely a place where you’ll meet a lot of tourists from all over the world. It’s around 4 kilometers long so it is possible for most hikers. Even if it’s a slightly shorter hike the view leaves nothing to be desired. On this all-season hike you’ll have an amazing view of Indian Arm (that’s why it’s sometimes called Indian Arm Lookout Trail).

St Mark’s Summit:

As a part of the Howe Sound Crest Trail this 11km round trip hiking trail gives you the opportunity to take a longer walk (around 5 hours) and experience Canada’s amazing nature while enjoying spectacular views of e.g. Howe Sound. So, if you’re ready for a more challenging hiking trail; this is certainly a good option.

Joffre Lakes Provincial Park:

Maybe you’re thinking about which trail you have seen on the countless pictures with the crystal-clear blue lakes on Instagram? That’s definitely Joffre Lakes Provincial Park.

For this hike you should plan more time, like a whole day, since it is a bit further away from Vancouver and you need a car. It’s one of British Columbia’s most beautiful hikes where you can pass and discover all three beautiful lakes in one trail.

Hope you will enjoy your hiking trips when you get to Canada. 🙂

– Tatjana

INTERNeX International Exchange
2005-689 Abbott St., Vancouver, BC, V6B 0J2
Web: http://www.internexcanada.com
Email: pr@internexcanada.com

How was your weekend?

The week has started again and even though most of us are probably not very happy about the fact that today is Monday, we can look back on a nice weekend.

For me personally it was a rather relaxed start into the weekend. We had some good weather on Saturday but somehow, I wasn’t so enthusiastic to get out of bed. We all have those days, don’t we? At some point I got up and did some chores and went shopping. I finally wanted to cook something again that I sometimes ate at home in Germany. So, I left and got all the ingredients, at least that’s what I thought, until halfway back home I noticed that I had forgotten an important ingredient. So now I had most of the ingredients in my fridge and was not able to cook, but I hope to get there this week 🙂

My Sunday was a bit more productive in comparison. I left quite early to meet the INTERNeX crew at the Waterfront Station. When the group was complete, we made our way to Deep Cove. The bus ride really takes a while, but we were really lucky with the weather and were rewarded with a sunny and warm day. When we arrived in Deep Cove, we had to hike to Quarry Rock, of course who wants to miss the view? It didn’t take us long to get to the top and admire the view. After that we spent some time in this little sweet town and not to forget we also tried the donuts of Honey Doughnuts and Goodies, one of the most famous donut shops in Deep Cove. Everyone told me before that I had to try these donuts and they were really delicious!

We still had a long way to go back to Vancouver, but we all came back fresh and happy.

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I hope you had a wonderful Weekend, a good start into the week and to see you at the PUB NiGHT on Wednesday at Moose’s Down Under!

 

-Lilly

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