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

 

 

INTERNeX Canada: How were your holidays?

Happy 2013 everyone! It’s been awhile, hasn’t it?

It’s a new year, meaning new resolutions and new goals, but before we get to that, let me tell you about my trip to Hong Kong for the past two weeks.

It’s a completely different world with so many people everywhere all the time and skyscrapers everywhere! I love that I can simply walk downstairs from my apartment and have 50 different restaurants and 5 different malls at my fingertips. That’s pretty much all I did for two weeks was eat, eat and eat. I got to try different foods like dim sum, snails, different kinds of seafood and buffets!

I also got the chance to reconnect with my family and spend the holidays with them. My mom’s side of the family is huge so it was really great to catch up with them once again. I got to do things that I normally wouldn’t have such as celebrating my grandma’s 90^th birthday with a huge party for her and counting down New Years Eve at my cousin’s barbecue!

Though Hong Kong is my original home, I still got to become a tourist and visit some of the most popular attractions. My favourite places are The Peak or Victoria Harbour where the view of the skyline is just incredible. It’s something that everyone must see and kind of makes Vancouver look like a village.

I also got the chance to visit the big Buddha where you have to take a cable car to reach and a place that never fails to make me happy: Disneyland!

The last two weeks was a good getaway from all the stress and rain, but sometimes it was just too crazy and I did miss Vancouver a lot. If I could only merge the two cities together, it would be perfect!

How were your holidays? Did you go home to spend it with your family or stay in Vancouver?

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

 

 

 

 

INTERNeX Canada: News/Fun Facts

The most renowned hotel in all of Victoria is famous for more than one reason.  Did you know that there is an urban legend claiming that several ghosts haunt the Empress hotel?

The hotel was built in 1908 and it has been said that spirits from this era have been spotted on numerous occasions.  Several visitors and staff all claim that they have seen a thin man with a mustache who fits the description of the architect who designed the hotel as well as the Parliament buildings in Victoria.  However this male ghost is not haunting the halls of the Empress alone.  It has also been said that a female ghost haunts the 6th floor, she will knock on your door and you will open it to a perplexed woman in her pajamas.

I don’t know about you, but I think that is some pretty spooky stuff.  Maybe while you guys are visiting Victoria you can take a walk through the Empress and see if you are able to spot any of our phantom friends.

Cheers,

Kristina

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

Candidate Exposé

For the past month, I’ve had the pleasure of getting to know Simone. She flew in from the Netherlands and came to explore Canada on October 15, 2009. I’ve gotten the chance to hang out and party with Simone while living at the INTERNeX staff house, and she is so full of character! It’s evident in her laugh that she’s been having a blast in Vancouver, and she recently got to show her family around town too while they came for a visit!

Why did you decide to come to Canada?
Well, it was really hard to get a visa for the United States. Vancouver was the next closest thing and the Olympics were going to be held there so that’s what helped me make my decision.

How did you find out about INTERNeX?
I found out about INTERNeX through a dutch organization called Travel Active.

What program are you currently participating in?
I am in the Hospitality program doing a city placement at Blenz.

What do you enjoy about your job?
I love working with other international people, some of which are my roommates and housemates.

What skills do you use at work?
I have to multi-task and have great social skills.

What would you tell others about Canada as a country?
It is beautiful – a lot like Europe. People are really nice here… almost too nice!

Can you sum up your experience in Canada?
It is an awesome time to get to know life and more about myself.

What kind of activities have you done since living in Canada?
I’ve seen a lot of nature, been to the Rockies, and visited lots of areas within Vancouver such as Granville Island, Metrotown and many different beaches!

What are your plans for the future?
I plan to travel more all over the world, and maybe come back to Canada to work on a farm. Eventually though I would like to settle down back at home in the Netherlands.

Not sure which program is for you? Visit http://www.internexcanada.com for more information on how INTERNeX can make your trip to Canada happen!

Adventures on Vancouver Island

This past weekend I met up with my friend Teresa for a visit.  She’s been in the area for about a week on vacation, visiting her family in Comox – a nice little town on Vancouver Island. I got up early Saturday morning to catch the 8:30 a.m. ferry, and was super excited to see a friend from home!

When I arrived, Teresa was waiting with her cousin Claire, who is also visiting but lives in Ireland. We said our hello’s and from there we began our day! First, we drove about 40 minutes and stopped at a nice park. Everything was so fresh and so green! There were tall trees everywhere and the sun was shining. What a beautiful day! As we walked along the paths, we came to the largest tree in the park – a giant Douglas-fir. It is over 800 years old, 76 metres tall and nine metres around. It was over 300 years old when Christopher Columbus came to North America in 1492. The Douglas-fir is one of Canada’s oldest living tree species and can live to be over 1,000 years old! Here is a picture of me with the tree, so you can see for yourself how large it is!

We continued out walk through the park, seeing hollow trees, large roots and insects along the way. It was a nice walk. Once we decided to leave, we hopped in the car and were off to the next destination! We made a pit stop at a nice area by the beach, to take a few pictures. The mountains were tall and the water was clear, it was a truly beautiful sight! In the distance, railroad tracks could be seen in the mountains.

After walking around and taking many pictures, Teresa, Claire and I had worked up our appetites! We decided to head to the local shopping mall to get something to eat, and of course, shop. Within a few hours, our bellies were full and we each had a few shopping bags… so we headed to Comox where Teresa’s family lives. Later that evening, we walked to a nice restaurant where we enjoyed a nice dessert with a glass of wine. From our table, the harbour and mountains could be seen – it was the perfect end to the night!

Have you been to the Island yet? There is so much to do there, including surfing in Tofino, visiting one of their many parks, and even kayaking. The island itself is is 460 kilometres (290 miles) in length and 80 kilometres (50 miles) in width at its widest point. It is the largest island on the western side of North America at 32,134 km squared and the world’s 43rd largest island, Canada’s 11th largest island and Canada’s second most populous island.  Major cities on Vancouver Island include Victoria, Nanaimo, Port Alberni, Parksville, Courtenay and Campbell Rivier.

I hope you get to visit the Island this summer!

– Laura