Queen Elizabeth Park’s hiking trails

This was one of Vancouver’s best city locations for a hike. Not only were there plenty of trails away from traffic, but many were up hill.

Gems on the way to Katsura River

While hoards of sightseers flooded the main thoroughfare heading towards the Bamboo Forest, I wandered back streets heading in the opposite direction and discovered there was more to admire than just the forest.

Place of hundreds of islands

Moreton Bay is home to more than three hundred islands. I returned to one of those islands, Russell to walk the land where my father’s banana farm had once been.

Queen Elizabeth Park’s quarry gardens

Named after the Queen Mother, this Vancouver park was established back in the 1930s after the mountain had been quarried for rocks for road building. To cover the eye sore left from quarrying, sunken gardens were established.

The simple delights of nature

I was on my way to the Katsura River and Arashiyama Park in Kyoto’s Arashiyama district, but detoured to a pond laden with lily pads.

A ferry ride into the past

I crossed the sparkling waters of Moreton Bay from Redland Bay Pier to Russell Island. The journey was once a long haul in a slow wooden boat. Now the crossing took no time.

A park with a view

I reached the highest point of Queen Elizabeth Park, which happened to be the highest point in Vancouver at over 150 metres above sea level. Like everyone else, I was drawn to the stone wall with the view of the city spread out below.