Seoul Sky (Lotte World Tower, South Korea)

E. Ganzon, Inc. at Seoul Sky

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea Tour

On the morning of our last day in South Korea, after breakfast at Fait Maison at Sofitel Seoul Service Residences, the seven of us all proceeded, with Injun and Frank, towards the nearby Lotte World Tower, the nation’s tallest and world’s sixth tallest (surpassing the One World Trade Center in New York City) building standing 123 storeys and 555 m. (1,821 ft.) high, where we were to visit the extremely popular Seoul Sky Observatory, one of the world’s best observation decks, located on floors 117-123.

Lotte World Tower, the 6th tallest building in the world

As the tallest building in South Korea, it is the only place where we can take in a gorgeous 360-degree view of the entire capital city which is beautiful, both day and night, and roaring with brilliant history and dynamic modern culture.  The Observatory offers a diverse range of unique experiences that can only be had at a thrilling height of nearly 500 m. in the air, including various exhibitions based on the theme “The Pride of Korea.”

Ticket office entrance

Seoul Sky, opened last April 2017, is the world’s third highest observation deck.  It is comprised of an exhibition zone gallery, observation deck, sky deck, two sky cafes (119th and 122nd floor), sky terrace, lounge, and a gift shop offering exclusive tower-themed souvenirs.

Ticket office

Visitors can see all of the different facets of Seoul Sky, ever-changing with the four seasons and time of day. Here, you can view the Han River from one side (including some of the bridges that span it), Seokchon Lake Park, Jamsil Sports Complex, Olympic Park and endless rows of apartment complexes from the other.  On a clear day, you can see as far as Songdo, Incheon and the Yellow Sea.

Exhibition Zone Gallery

Once in the main lobby area inside the Lotte World Mall, we found the entrance to the Seoul Sky Observatory. and inside is the main ticket booth and entryway,   Just a little past the ticket booth outside the doors is the Seoul Sky Gift Shop and the group ticket booth. After Frank redeemed our ticket vouchers at the ticket booth for individuals, we proceed back to the entryway, walking through a digital corridor and a security checkpoint before we took the elevator down to the second basement floor (BF2).

Oca, Mamel, Kim, Grace and the author at the Digital Corridor

The digital corridor features a ceiling that reinterpreted the beauty of Korean traditional architecture through the modern lens of Bon-Chang Ku, a world-renowned Korean photographer.  The ten photos on the ceiling depict the close up images of roof tiles, symbols, patterns and colors Deoksugung Palace, Gyeongbokgung Palace, Changdeokgung Palace and Changgyeonggung Palace.

The ceiling of the Digital Corridor

We explored the Exhibition Zone Gallery where we saw some of the technology used during the construction of the tower such as the steel reinforcing bars and couplers, the outer covering glass and the GPS displacement gauge system as well as a sample of the excavated lithified rock.

Steel reinforcing bars and couplers

Outer covering glass

The exhibit also features several pieces of artwork displaying the history, culture, and pride of Korea’s foundation and success over the centuries, plus mesmerizing screens and light displays on your way to the Space Shuttle, the elevator that would take us to the Sky Deck at the 118th floor.

Scenery 2016 – Palace (Kim, Sang Gyun)

The Sky Shuttle is a double-deck (the world’s first and, at 496 m. tall, also the world’s tallest), extremely fast elevator that reaches a speed of 600 m. per minute (10 m. per second, the world’s fastest).

Sky Shuttle

During our quite short one-minute ride to the Sky Deck, we watched an amazing Korean-themed animated experience, playing on the ceiling and each of the three walls, showing a time-lapse construction of the tower. On our way up, our ears popped from the pressure change as we rapidly climbed the tower.

The Sky Theater

Before entering the Sky Deck, we first watched a short video (“Seoul Sky, the New World in the Sky”) at the small Sky Theater which includes important history clips of Seoul.

The view of the city unravels……

Once the video was finished, the screen receded and the first crescendo began as we were treated to sweeping views of the capital city.  On days when visibility is limited, visitors can still enjoy a clear sky through a pre-recorded video at Sky Theater.

The Sky Deck

The Sky Deck, located at 478 m., holds the Korea Record Institute and Guinness World Record as the highest glass-floored observatory in the world.  Standing or sitting above the 45 mm. thick glass floor, you can clearly see how high you are above ground.

View of whats below us from the glass floor

It’s an astounding perspective as we took pictures feeling suspended high in the sky but, if you stared too long, it can be quite disorienting, especially if you aren’t good with heights.  For an uninterrupted view, the observation deck has two storey-high glass windows.

The author on the glass floor

Going up a small escalator, to the 119th floor, we find the Sky Friends Dessert Café, a relaxing space where one can take a seat and try their one-of-a-kind menu which features some delicious ice cream (the Pasteur Milkbar) and sweets. This floor isn’t great to view around the tower but it’s still a wonderful spot to watch visitors taking selfies as well as watch their reaction to the glass floor.

The open-air Sky Terrace

The 120th floor holds the famous Sky Terrace, a stunning outdoor viewing platform which is open to the elements. Here, we had the opportunity to step outside the tower and feel the breeze 486 m. above the city. There are two open-air terraces, one facing northwest and the other facing southeast. If you are done exploring the tower, this floor is also the first floor that has access to the exit elevator.

Seoul Sky Cafe

The 121st floor, 500 m. above ground, also has access to the exit elevator and is where you can get on the elevator that takes you to the Sky Tower on the 123rd floor.  It has a gift shop (Seoul Sky Shop), where you can pick out the perfect souvenir (key chains, notebooks, photos, keepsakes, etc.) and, just above it, you can take some time to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea and relax for a while before taking more pictures.  At this floor, you can also take a moment to take a picture with the “I love Seoul Sky” sign.

The Seoul Sky Café, on the 122nd floor, is coined as the highest café under the sky.  This coffeehouse, a South Korean chain owned by the Lotte Group, serves coffee, tea and desserts.

The author and James goofing off……

The Sky Tower, a cozy and spacious, dimly lit premium lounge (the highest lounge in Seoul) on the 123rd floor, has a classy restaurant and bar overlooking the city. This is the perfect spot to grab a refreshing wine drink and let the sights of the city just sink in in a relaxing ambiance.

View of the Jamsil Sports Complex.  On the left is the Jamsil Baseball Station while on the right is the Olympic Stadium

Back at the basement floor (BF1), before leaving, I purchased Seoul Sky merchandise (key chains, ref magnets and postcards) from the gift shop (Seoul Sky Shop) for my son Jandy.

View of the Han Rivers and some of the bridges that span it.  At the center is the Olympic Bridge

One of the best times to go to Seoul Sky is before sunset when you get to see the entire city covered in sunlight transition to dusk. As the sun slowly goes down, watch as the colors change over the city. During this transition, the lights in the city will be turning on, and you get to see the bright lights of the city illuminate the night sky. When planning your trip to the tower, it is important to watch the weather forecast as rain, clouds, smog, and fog limits visibility from the top.

View of Olympic Park

The thrilling Sky Bridge Tour, a new attraction launched last July 24, 2020, allows visitors to walk, safely tethered, on top of the Seoul Sky Observatory, with the bridge connecting to Lotte World Tower’s two structures at the peak.  The 11 m. long outdoor bridge is 541 m. (1,775 ft.) above the ground.  Visitors start from the Sky Station at the 117th floor where they are briefed on the safety instructions and put on jumpsuit and gear before venturing out.

View of the nearby Lotte Hotel World

Seoul Sky: Lotte World Tower, 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea.  Tel:  +82 2-1661-2000. Website: www.seoulsky.lotteworld.com.  Open Sundays to Thursdays, 10:30 AM  – 10 PM, Fridays to Saturdays & public holidays, 10:30 AM – 11 PM. Last ticketing one hour before closing. Admission (limited to date and time printed): adult (₩27,000, ages 13 years old and above) and children (₩24,000, 3 – 13 years old). The Sky Bridge Tour, 1 to 6 PM, hourly, costs ₩100,000 (including two photos).  A single price (₩50,000) is applied to all Fast Pass tickets, regardless of age, and can only be purchased at an on-site ticket office on the day of visit.

How to Get There: Get off at Jamsil Station (Line 2 or 8) and walk toward Exit 1 and 2. As you walk in the direction of Exit 1 and 2, you will see a sign “Lotte World Mall.” Enter the mall through this underground entrance and you will get to Lotte World Mall B1F.  By bus, use the Green Bus (3217, 3313, 3314, 3315, 3317, 3411, 3414 and 4319), Red Bus (1007-1, 1100, 1700, 2000, 6900, 7007 and 8001) and Blue Bus (301, 341, 360 and 362).  You can also take the Airport Shuttle (6000, 6006, 6705 and 676A).

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.

Seoraksan Cable Car (Sokcho City, South Korea)

Seoraksan Cable Car

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

After our visit to Sinheungsa Temple, we proceeded to the Small Park in Seoraksan National Park (a UNESCO Biosphere Protection Site) where the Seorak Cable Car Boarding Station is located. The park has one of the best topographical landscapes in the country, with awesome autumn foliage.

The Lower Cable Car Station

The Seorak Cable Car, which fits 50 people, is a quick and easy way to comfortably appreciate the magnificent landscape of Seoraksan Mountain.  We were all scheduled to board at 1 PM.

Check out  “Seoraksan National Park” and “Sinheungsa Temple

The author (left with Mamel, Kim, James and Oca

As it was a weekend and the autumn foliage season, many tourists visit the mountain so we scheduled our trip by considering the waiting time too.

Queuing for our 1 PM ride

Also called Kwon Jinseong Cable Car, it was built in 1971 by Lee Ki-sub, a mountaineering enthusiast.  The cable car, ascending at a relatively high speed, runs even when it is raining or snowing but its operation may be suspended under windy conditions.

Waiting for our cable car to arrive

Finally. It arrived ….

By cable car, it took us about 6 mins. to get to the Upper Cable Car Station constructed at the edge of the mountain which is located 700m. (2,297 ft.) above sea level.

All aboard…..

To get the best view, we all chose a spot closest to the door. From the glass window in the cable car, we enjoyed an open view of various famous attractions such as Ulsan Peak and Manmulsang Rocks.

View from our cable car

Rock formations

From the outdoor observation deck (with dining tables at the two-storey Upper Cable Car Station, we had a panoramic view of the valley, fascinating rock formations of the Gwongeumseong Fortress (also called Seoraksan Castle) Region and the Sogongwon Area, Seoraksan Mountain’s majestic scenery, downtown Sokcho to the northeast all the way to the East Sea.

View from the outdoor observation deck

Another view from the outdoor observation deck

The famous Ulsanbawi Rock, with its six granite peaks, is to the north.  Legend has it that two generals Gwon and Kim built the fortress in one day to protect their families and villages from a Mongol invasion during the Goryeo period in the 13th century. Today, the site of the fortress only remains.

L-R: James, Kim, Oca, Mamel, Engr. Loy Ganzon, Grace, the author and Imjun.

The Upper Cable Car Station has souvenir shops and a small café serving coffee, honey pancakes with peanuts and Japanese and Korean cuisine inside.  After getting off at the cable car, you can hike 300 m. to the higher part of Gwongeumseong (a 15-min. hike) where you can get a birds-eye view of Oe-Serok.  There are observation platforms such as Panshi, Lost Terrace, Bell Ringing Terrace, etc.

The Upper Cable Car Station

Despite its rough course, many hikers come up to the summit of the fortress to appreciate magnificent and mysterious scenery of strange rocks and bizarre stones at Seoraksan Mountain. When you are at the summit, you can see the landscape of not only the Outer Seorak but also the Inner Seorak. Below the Gwongeumseong Fortress are Allagam Hermitage (built during the Silla period and muhaksong (Korean red pine) existed for hundreds of years.

Cafe at the Upper Cable Car Station

Seorak Cable Car: 1085, Seoraksan-ro, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do. Tel: +82-33-636-4300. Open daily, 9 AM – 6 PM.  Admission: 10,000 won (adults, 14 years old and above) and 6,000 won (children, 3 to 13 years old).  Children under 3 years old are free of charge.  Buying tickets in advance online is not available. A one-way ticket is also not available, so visitors need to buy a round-trip ticket.

How to Get There: the cable car station is just a 3-min. walk from the Sogonwon entrance.

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.

 

Seoraksan National Park (Sokcho City, South Korea

Seoraksan National Park

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

After our Korean breakfast at Natural Soul Kitchen Restaurant at Lotte Resort Sokcho, we had a whole day to explore the 398.22 sq. km. (153.75 sq. mi.) Seoraksan National Park (seoraksan-gungnipgong-won), located 3 hours northeast of Seoul.  A national park in South Korea, it is listed by the South Korean government with UNESCO as a tentative World Heritage Site.

In 1965, the government designated the area as a 163.6 sq. km. (63.2 sq. mi.) nature reserve  and, in 1982, UNESCO designated it as a biosphere reserve, the first in the country. On March 24, 1970, it became the first Korean national park to be named under the National Park Law. On August 9–16, 1991, the 17th World Jamboree (the biggest event for boy/girl scouts and held every 4 years) was held in Mount Sorak.

It was a straightforward 12 km. drive from Sokcho to Seoraksan (translated as “Seorak Mountain”) National Park.  Highlights of our visit was our exploration of Sinheungsa Temple, one of two Buddhist temples and cultural landmarks within the bounds of the national park (the other is Baekdamsa), and a cable car ride, to the Upper Cable Car Station located 700 m. (2,297 ft.) above sea level, where we enjoyed an open view of various famous attractions such as Ulsan Peak (ranked as the most popular hikes at Seoraksan National Park due to the unique rock formation and the fabulous views from the Rock and Manmulsang Rocks. 

Check out “Singheungsa Temple” and “Seoraksan Cable Car

The long queue for a bus ride …..

Located on the east-central Korean peninsula, it is divided into the eastern section or outer section (Oeseorak), western section or inner section (Naeseorak) and the southern section (Namseorak).  Te reserve includes the Dinosaur RidgeInjegunYanyanggun, and Sokchosi and some 28 mountain peaks (all part of the Taebaek mountain range measuring over 1,200 m. above sea level, the tallest being the 1,708 m. (5,604 ft.) high Daecheongbong (also called Seorak meaning “snowy peak”), the third highest peak in South Korea.

The ranges are composed largely of dissected granite and gneiss. The annual precipitation is about 1,000 mm. (39 in.) in Inner Soraksan and 1,300 mm. (51 in.) in Outer Soraksan. Popular with tourists and nature enthusiasts, it is home to many rare taxa of flora (the park is valued for its floral diversity) and fauna (1,562 animal species have been classified so far).

Sogongwon

The park is home to about 1,013 species of known plants, with 822 vascular plant species. On the southern slope, pine trees such as the Siberian pine are abundant while the northern slopes of the mountain range are characterized by oaks and other deciduous trees. Thuja grow in the deep valleys while dwarf pines and yews grow on low and high slopes. Juniperhawthorn, and Manchurian fir can also be found.

Shops near Sogongwon

Other plants include forsythiassaw-worts and rare Hanabusaya asiatica.  Local fauna include ottersSiberian flying squirrelkestrelChinese sparrowhawklenokChinese minnow, spotted barbel and endangered Tristram’s woodpeckerKorean goral, and the increasingly rare Korean musk deer.

Statue of an Asian Black Bear

As our visit was during a weekend, the park was packed with local and foreign tourists.  Luckily, we were able to park the car just across the bus waiting station where Frank, James, Kim and I joined a long queue of visitors waiting for the bus (which leaves every ten minutes) bound for Seoraksan National Park.

L-R: James, Kim, the author and Frank

L-R: Mamel, Injun, Engr. Ganzon and Grace

Once on board, the bus ride took around 20 to 25 minutes and we were all dropped at the bust stop across Kensington Stars Hotel (the most convenient place to stay in the park.  We then had to walk, for about 10 mins., to get to Sogongwon (translated as “small park”), the entrance of the park with the most attractions and visitors.

The entrance of the park has gift shops, shops selling hiking gear, food and refreshment shops and small restaurants places (mostly Korean but very few Western). After we walked past the entrance, there is statue of an Asian Black Bear (the icon of the park’s residents) on top of a square structure bearing “Seoraksan National Park.”

The red, yellow and orange hues of autumn…..

Koreans love hiking and this is very evident in Seoraksan National Park. On a nearby huge board, you can find a number of amazing and different hiking and walking trails to the attractions in the park waiting to be explored, ranging from short 1-hour walks to full 2-day treks into the wilderness, each varying in length and difficulty.  In fact, past the entrance are signposts showing directions to two beautiful waterfalls – Towangseong Falls Observatory (2.9 kms.) and Biryongpokpo Falls (2.4 kms.).

Sinheungsa Temple

The 30-min., easy,1.5-km. Gwongeumseong Hike can be done after riding up the cable car. The 1.5 to 2-hour, easy Biseondae Hike features relatively flat out-and-back style trail walking alongside the water.  The 2 to 3-hour, moderate 3 Waterfalls Hike takes you past Yukdam Falls, Biryong Waterfall and to the aforementioned observatory of Towangseong Waterfall. The final section is tough as it is a series of steep stairs for 500 m.  The fairly difficult, 3 to 4-hour Ulsanbawi Rock Hike features lots of lots of stairs but the views at the top are absolutely incredible. The relatively short (3 to 4 hours) but difficult, 3.6-km. Geumganggul Cave Hike is quite the challenge, with a lot of elevation.

Seoraksan Cable Car

However, aside from the Sinheunsa Temple visit and Seorak Cable Car ride, we came to the national park for another reason. Every autumn, Seoraksan National Park, offering some of the most beautiful scenery in South Korea, is one of the first and most impressive places to see and enjoy the beautiful autumn foliage hues of red, yellow and orange which peaks in mid-October, the time of our arrival.

Unification Stupa

Seoraksan National Park: Seoraksan-dong, Sokcho-si, Gangwon-do, South Korea.  Tel:  +82-33-801-0900.  Fax: +82-33-801-0969.  Open daily, 6 AM to 8 PM. The cable cars operate from 9 AM to 6 PM. Admission: ₩4500 (adult, age 20 to 65), ₩2000 (youth, age 14 to 19) and ₩1000 (children, age 8 to 13). Cable car tickets cost ₩ 11000 for adult (middle school students or older) and ₩7000 for children (37 months to elementary school).  Children under 36 months can ride the cable car for free.  Coordinates:  38°07′30″N 128°24′58″E.

How to Get There: In Sokcho, take bus 7-1 or 7, which run on 30-minute intervals, at the bus stop opposite the Sokcho Express Bus Terminal, to Outer Seorak (Oeseorak).  The whole bus journey takes about 30 minutes.

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.

Lotte World Tower Aquarium (Seoul, South Korea)

Lotte World Tower Aquarium

Part of Cebu Blue Ocean Academy-sponsored South Korea tour

The family-friendly Lotte World Aquarium, home to the world largest ocean ecology tank, is the longest public aquarium in South Korea.  Located at the bottom floor of the mega popular Lotte World Mall and on the way to Lotte World Amusement Park in the Jamsil neighborhood, it was opened in 2015 and contains thirteen diverse “theme zones” meant to represent different ecosystems, allowing visitors to experience the five oceans of the world. From river to coast and coast to ocean, you can follow the flow of the ecosystem and have a phenomenal experience with nature.

Check out  “Lotte World Tower” and “Lotte World Mall”

E. Ganzon, Inc. at Lotte World Tower Aquarium

The aquarium is home to over 55,000 marine animals from 650 different species, ranging from freshwater fish in the Hangang River to a lone, shy but playful beluga whale (a visitor favorite) from the Arctic, all living in harmony.

After passing through the entrance gates, you can explore the aquarium along a self-guided 840-m. (2,756-ft.) long route (designed so you can experience all 5 oceans zones of the world), starting in the Korean river zone, then continuing through tropical rivers, the Amazon, the Pacific Ocean, Indian Ocean, the Mediterranean Sea, Atlantic Ocean and, finally, ending in the Polar Region zone.

You’ll first enter the Nature Zone, which is inhabited by various freshwater fish (check out the color-changing chameleons).

Archerfish and Mono Angel Fish. The former is known for their unique predation technique of “shooting down” land-based insects and other small prey with jets of water spit from their specialized mouths

Black Caiman

Next are the Tropical and Amazon River Zones, where you can see crocodiles, piranhas, and tropical sea creatures, like the pirarucu (Arapaima gigas, the largest existing freshwater fish).

Here, you’ll find Korea’s longest underwater tunnel, stretching 85 m. (279 ft.) in length.  It allows visitors to gaze upon the mysteries of the ocean above their heads. There’s a fast lane and a slow lane for those that wish to take their time watching the sea animals gliding all around them.

The 85 m. long Underwater Tunnel

In the Sea Lion Zone, you can get up close and personal with adorable sea lions from California which can swim at speeds up to 40 kms. per hour and dive down to 247 m..

The Ocean Gallery

The Ocean Gallery, spanning 2 floors, houses the biggest main water tank in Korea, allowing visitors to get close up views of the diverse marine life.  With over 10,000 sea animals in the tank, including cownose rays, nurse sharks, sea turtles, and stingrays, it measures a whopping 7.3 m. high, 25 m. wide and 2,200 tons.  The total volume of tanks in the aquarium is 5,200,000 liters (1,374,000 US gals.).

The Coral Reef Garden

After exploring the colorful Coral Reef Garden, kids can get active in the Play Ocean. There’s an aquatic petting zoo, an interaction area here where, after paying a nominal fee, visitors can physically touch and play with the marine animals such as turtles, smaller fishes, starfish, conch, sea squirts and other water creatures. Bottle feeding the koi fish (paid activity) is also an option.

Play Ocean Area

In the Marine Gallery, look out for anemone, puffer fish, and shrimps.  The soothing Jellyfish Gallery, a perfect time-out from all the activity in the aquarium, is cleverly darkened.  Here, you can watch the neon jellyfish hypnotically bobbing gently in their tanks.

Sea Turtle (sometimes called marine turtles) are reptiles of the order Testudines and the suborder Cryptodina. There are 7 existing species

There’s a second Ocean Tunnel in the Aquarium.  Here, you can see Bella the Beluga, and the creatures of the Ocean Tank swimming above and around you. Belugas are undeniably appealing to look at, but they haven’t done that well at the Lotte World Aquarium. Despite the beluga tank being double the regulated size, 2 out of the 3 original belugas have died, making it clear that these sensitive animals are not meant to be in captivity.  The final beluga – Bella – is currently undergoing wildlife adaptation training, before she’s transported to a wildlife sanctuary next year.

Leopard Shark (Triakis semifasciata), a species of hound shark in the family Triakidae

In the Sardine Zone, you can observe the fascinating schooling behavior of a family of sardines, tightly grouped together and swimming in synchronicity.

Humboldt Penguins at the Polar Zone

The Polar Region, the last of the 13 zones, is full of adorable Humboldt penguins, frolicking in and out of the water. At the end of this zone is a slide that’s very popular with the kids. From here, you’ll pass through the gift shop and back out into Lotte World Mall.

The Gift Shop

Even though the interior of the aquarium is dark, the displays are well-lit and easily locatable. Information about the displays are displayed in Korean and English. The various aquariums are well-kept and information relating to the animals are clearly displayed on an electronic board. There is also a café in the centre of the aquarium.

Napoleon Wrasse (Cheilinius undulatus) is a large species of wrasse mainly found on coral reefs in the Indo-Pacific Region

During feeding time, you can see all the marine animals in the massive tank crowd around the diver to get at the food. You might have a hard time trying to locate the diver as sometimes there are just too many animals around him.  Be on the lookout for MIRO, a robot fish swimming innocently along a school of real fish.

Stingrays which are common in coastal tropical and subtropical marine waters around the world

Lotte World Aquarium: 300 Olympic-ro, Songpa-gu, Seoul, South Korea. Tel: +82 2-3213-5000 and +82-2-1661-2000. Open daily, 10 AM – 8 PM. Open Mondays – Thursdays, 10 AM – 8 PM, and  Fridays – Sundays, 10 AM to 10 PM.  Last ticketing and admission 1 hour before closing.  Admission: 35,000 won (adults) and 29,000 won (children and seniors).

How to Get There:  Take the subway to Jamsil Station on Line 2 or 8, head out from exit 10 and turn right where you will see the Lotte Mall. Enter the mall and take the nearest escalator down to basement level 1 where you should see the ticketing office of Lotte Aquarium. Directional signs are also prominently displayed to guide you to the aquarium.

Cebu Blue Ocean Academy: Building 5, EGI Hotel and Resort, M.L. Quezon National Highway, Looc, Maribago, Lapu-Lapu City, Cebu 6015, Philippines.  Tel: (032) 888-9868.  E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com.  Website: www.cebublueocean.com.  Baguio City (Benguet) Sister School: Pines International Academy, Romel Mansion, 3 Ignacio Villamor St., Brgy. Lualhati, Baguio City, Benguet, Philippines. Tel: 1 754-255-9818. E-mail: pinesbaguio@gmail.com. Website: www.pinesacademy.com.

16,000 Blue Roses Park (Casiguran, Sorsogon)

16,000 Blue Roses Park

The famed 16,000 Blue Roses Park at the Pier Site in Casiguran, Sorsogon province’s newest attraction, is an open area within Plaza Escudero “planted” with 16,000, 3-foot tall artificial blossoms made up of illuminated blue LED lights.  This gorgeous and breathtaking public art installation, a dazzling nebula of cool blue lights, is best viewed from dusk to nighttime when the lights magically transform the area.

The author

This newest ecotourist attraction was opened last September 11, 2023, the 64th birthday of Sorsogon Gov. Jose Edwin “Boboy” B. Hamor, a former Casiguran mayor.  Since its opening, it became a hit with photographers and visitors have frequented the place to have their pictures taken in a different kind of setting.

This garden is reminiscent of the 25,000 LED Roses (actually just 22,550) at the Dongdaemun History & Culture Park of the famous Dongdaemum Design Plaza, a cultural center in Seoul, South Korea.  Each “rose” houses a micro LED bulb, not much bigger than the size of a thumbnail.

The park is located within the 14-hectare Casiguran Settlement, home to a monumental, multi-arched portal and the equally monumental Statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, modeled after the image of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila.

Check out “Casiguran Settlement

The monumental image of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila in the background

16,000 Blue Roses Park: Plaza Escudero, Brgy. Central, Casiguran, Sorsogon.

Garry Point Park (Richmond, British Columbia, Canada)

Garry Point Park

This 30-hectare (75-acre) Garry Point Park, a public open-air coastal park situated on the Sturgeon Banks of  the Fraser River, was opened in 1989. This popular picnic destination, at the southwestern side of Richmond, near Steveston, is fringed by a sandy, log-strewn shimmering and expansive waterfront, the park’s main appeal. Located next to the Salish Sea, it offers gorgeous and relaxing panoramic views of the Fraser River’s South Arm; the low-rise silhouettes of Vancouver Island and the Gulf Islands and the sunset from across the water.

The park’s southern edge has a string of small, log-strewn sandy beaches backed by tangles of driftwood logs where you can sit and watch the fishing boats, tugs and pleasure vessels coming in and out through the fast-moving waters of the Steveston Harbor.

It features a modern sculpture (Steveston Fishermen’s Memorial), a Japanese garden (Kuno Garden), beach access, good washrooms, a picnic area and plenty of benches. The area was used as a location for filming of the Netflix series Midnight Mass.

The gently rolling grassy areas of Garry Point’s are also ideal for spreading out an impromptu picnic blanket. At the eastern edge of the park are two seasonal concession stand counters -Timothy’s Frozen Yogurt (for sweet treats) and local legend  Pajo’s (serves delicious fish and chips).

The park’s understated flora includes colorful bluebells, vibrant azaleas and, every April, the park’s Cherry Tree Garden, undertaken in 2000 during the 35th anniversary of the friendship of the cities of Wakayama, Japan and Richmond, British Columbia.  It features more than 250 carefully cultivated cherry trees that form a canopy over a walkway, making this a magnet for cherry blossom fans. During Garry Point’s annual Pacific Rim Kite Festival, in June, you can watch and kite flying, typically flown from a buggy or a board, taking full advantage of the unobstructed breezes.

Dogs are allowed in the park, but they must be leashed; and feeding wildlife and picking plants is not permitted. Dotted around the park are several well-written plaques, some with excellent black and white photos that transport you right back to the Richmond of yesteryear.

Kuno Japanese Garden

Near the entrance of the park is Kuno Garden, a Japanese garden established in 1989 by the local Japanese community in celebration of the centenary of Gihei Kuno, the first Japanese immigrant from Wakayama, Japan who arrived here in 1888, one of many thousands who fuelled Steveston’s fishing industry.

Donated to the city as a part of the centennial project, it is filled with Japanese horticultural features, symbolic stone structures, lantern and rock carefully placed to achieve the ultimate state of Zen.

Steveston Fishermen’s Memorial

The striking, 25-ft. high, aluminum, bronze and stone Steveston Fishermen’s Memorial, towering over the waterfront, recalls the importance of fishing. Shaped like a giant fishing net needle, it’s a stirring public art reminder of those who have been injured or lost their lives to the industry over the years. Its base is engraved with the names of hundreds of fishermen who lost their lives for their communities. Created by artists George Juhasz and Georg Schmerholz, it was unveiled to the public in 1996.

Along the park’s circuit trail is Scotch Pond, a historic moorage site on the north end of the park that is an evocative reminder of the past.  Home of the Scottish Canadian Cannery, it is one of more than a dozen similar operations that once dotted the Steveston shoreline. Built in 1899, there are still remnants of the raised wooden walkway that once led across the water to this cannery as well as a large, barn-like structure, on piles, that  once housed a busy, family-run boatworks that was constructed here in 1905

Garry Point Park: 12011 Seventh Ave., Richmond, British Columbia V7E 4X2. Open 2 hours.  Tel: (604) 244-1208.

How to Get There: Garry Point Park is a short stroll from the centre of Steveston Village; reach it on foot via a wide walkway that runs alongside the Gulf of Georgia Cannery National Historic Site. Steveston is easily reached by public transit.

Casiguran Settlement (Sorsogon)

Casiguran Settlement

Part of Sorsogon Countryside Tour

After breakfast and checking out at Villa Isabel Hotel in Sorsogon City, we again boarded our coaster for the short 22.5 km. (30 min.) drive to Casiguran town.  Accompanying us was Mr. Angel Ayala, the former Information and Tourism Officer of Casiguran.  Our destination was to be the Casiguran Settlement, a housing project of Gov. Jose Edwin “Boboy” B. Hamor when he was still mayor (2016-2022) of Casiguran.  The sight of a monumental, multi-arched portal along the road signaled our arrival at our destination.

A row of brightly painted, pastel colored housing units

Sitting on 14 hectares of land reclaimed from the sea, this settlement houses 500 plus units for informal settlers whose income mainly relies on fishing and farming.  Built in 2017, the LGU awarded one 35 sq. m. (5 by 7 m.), one-storey unit per family, giving them a more decent and spacious home within this well-regulated community. All the families need to do is pay 10 pesos per day for five years after which their units will be fully awarded to them.  They are not allowed to sell or rent out their units.

The monumental, multi-arched portal and Plaza Escudero

At the center of Casiguran Settlement is Plaza Escudero, a vast,, grassy open space for recreational activities such as biking, jogging and other exercise activities.  Here, we had a stunning view of the Sorsogon Range.  Opposite the monumental portal is the equally monumental Statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary, modeled after the image of Our Lady of La Naval de Manila, it serves as the community’s main attraction..  The statue sits atop a terraced mound and can be reached by a flight of steps.

Statue of Our Lady of the Most Holy Rosary

Flanking these monumental structures are the housing units painted in bright, eye-catching pastel colors.  The Church of Our Lady of the Holy Rosary is a few streets away from the Casiguran Settlement,

AUTHOR’S COMMENT:

With its monumental structures, vast open spaces and majestic and pleasant views of the mountains and the sea, the Casiguran Settlement has the potential to be a major tourist attraction and pilgrimage site of the town as well as the province.

Casiguran Settlement: Brgy. Central, Casiguran, Sorsogon.

How to Get There: Casiguran is located 537.9 kms. (a 12.5–hr. drive) from Manila and 23.2 kms. (a 30 min. drive) from Sorsogon City,  all via the Pan-Philippine Highway/AH26. 

Sorsogon Provincial Tourism Culture and Arts Office: Ground Floor, Capitol Building, 4700 Sorsogon City. Mobile number: (0968) 624-6279. E-mail: tourism@sorsogon.gov.ph.  Facebook: www.facebook.com/sorsogonprovincialtourismoffice.

Casiguran Tourism Officewww.facebook.com/LGU Casiguran Sorsogon. 

Ur Place Travel & Tours: OLV Pangpang, Sorsogon City, Sorsogon.  Mobile number (Viber): (0927) 950-3927 (Ms. Annie Gueb).  Facebook: www.facebook.com/urplacetravel

Vancouver Chinatown (British Columbia, Canada)

Vancouver Chinatown, Canada’s largest

On our 35th day in Vancouver, Jandy and I returned (the first was in August 10 when we visited the Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden and Park) to Vancouver Chinatown, Canada‘s largest Chinatown, which is home to important cultural heritage assets and many community organizations with deep historical roots in Vancouver and Canada.

Check out “Dr. Sun Yat Sen Classical Chinese Garden and Park

Across 130 years of change, the district, one of the most significant urban heritage sites in Canada, has experienced recent decline as newer members of Vancouver’s Chinese community dispersed to other parts of the metropolitan area.  However, it still maintains a strong community and cultural identity.

Jandy, Kyle and Grace at Vancouver Chinatown

Centered around Pender Street, this popular tourist attraction is one of the largest historic Chinatowns in North America.  Its approximate borders, as designated by the City of Vancouver, are the alley between Pender and Hastings Streets, Georgia Street, Gore Avenue and Taylor Street.  Unofficially, the area extends well into the rest of the Downtown Eastside.

East Pender Street

The principal areas of commercial activity are Main, Pender and Keefer Streets. Chinatown is surrounded by Gastown to the north, the Downtown financial and central business districts to the west, the Georgia Viaduct and the False Creek inlet to the south, the Downtown Eastside and the remnant of old Japantown to the northeast, and the residential neighborhood of Strathcona to the southeast.

Due to the large ethnic Chinese presence in Vancouver (especially represented by mostly Cantonese-speaking multi-generation Chinese Canadians and first-generation immigrants from Hong Kong), the city has been referred to as “Hongcouver.”  In recent years, however, most immigration has been Mandarin-speaking residents from Mainland China.

In 2011, the neighborhood was designated a National Historic Site of Canada.  Many of the substantial buildings here were built in a distinct “Chinatown architectural style,” with vertical proportions, four storeys (with one or more of the upper floors featuring recessed balconies and others fully glazed) and with a classical metal cornice.

Vancouver Chinatown Millennium Gate

Our tour of Chinatown began when we entered the Chinatown Millennium Gate which straddles Pender Street, near the intersection with Taylor Street.  It marks the western boundary of Chinatown.  Designed by local architect Joe Y. Wai (1940–2017), whose work and contribution can be seen throughout Chinatown.

One of two guardian lions at the gate

The gate was approved on September 20, 2001 and erected in 2002 at the same site as a temporary wooden arch built to celebrate the 1901 royal tour by the Duke and Duchess of Cornwall and York. The Millennium Gate recalls gates you may find at the entrances to villages in southern China. On the eastern face are Chinese characters which read “Remember the past and look forward to the future.”

Past the gate, at the right, is the Sam Kee Building (8 West Pender Street) credited, by the Guiness Book of World Records, as “The world’s shallowest (not the narrowest) freestanding building in the world.” The building’s namesake, the Sam Kee Company, was run by successful business leader Chang Toy, one of the wealthier merchants in turn-of-the-20th-century Chinatown.

Sam Kee Building

One of the largest Chinese merchant firms in Vancouver, the company, established in 1888, manufactured charcoal, operated a herring saltery in Nanaimo and contracted Chinese labor to various industries. It also imported and exported food products to and from China, served as agents for the Blue Funnel Steamship Line and possessed sizable real estate holdings throughout Greater Vancouver.

The narrow 1.8 m.(6 ft.) side of the building

In 1903, Chang Toy bought the standard-sized lot for the building. The lot was the previous home to Shanghai Alley, an early Vancouver red light district which collaboratively hosted 105 brothels with Canton Alley. However, in 1912 the city widened Pender Street, expropriating (which Toy’s lawyers negotiated a fair market price) all but 6 ft. of the Pender Street side of the lot. In 1913, he hired architects Bryan and Gillam to design this narrow steel-framed free-standing building for offices, business and bath houses on the remaining narrow 6-ft. strip, costing just $8,000 to erect.

View of the room at the narrow side of the building

To maximize use of the property, the building basement (such basements in Vancouver were once common and zoned as “areaways”), much wider than the rest of the building, extended under the sidewalk and housed public baths. On the ground floor were shops while offices were located above. In the 1980s, the building was rehabilitated for Jack Chow and completed in 1986. Designed by Soren Rasmussen Architect, the glass prisms that were set in a tight grid across the sidewalk to light the basement, were replaced with modern glass.

Chinatown Heritage Alley (Shanghai Alley)

At the end of Shanghai Alley (or Chinatown Heritage Alley), near West Pender Street, is the Allan Yap Circle.  Here, hangs a replica Western Han Dynasty bell, a gift to Vancouver from sister city Guangzhou and a symbol of the historic connection between the two cities and their urban settlements, which was dedicated on June 26, 2001.

Allan Yap Circle

Also on this corner is S.U.C.C.E.S.S., created in Vancouver in 1973 to assist new Canadians of Chinese descent to overcome language and cultural barriers. The organization is now one of BC’s largest social services organizations with locations also in Taiwan and Korea.

Across the Sam Kee Building is the Chinese Freemasons Building (3-9 West Pender Street).  Originally the site of a Methodist church (in 1888, the first to minister to the Chinese community in Vancouver) from 1889 until 1907 when the Chee Kung Tong (a traditional Chinese fraternal organization which provided welfare assistance to the earliest Chinese immigrants during the Fraser Canyon Gold Rush of 1858) constructed the current building. In 1920, the organization adopted the English name the Chinese Freemasons in order to forge links with European Freemasonry.

Chinese Freemasons Building

Like many overseas organizations, it was deeply involved in Chinese politics. The building was even mortgaged to help fund Dr. Sun Yat-Sen’s (whose efforts the Freemasons supported to bring democracy to China) 1911 rebellion. The building also served as the original home of the successful business, Modernize Tailors, one of many tailors (a profession available to Chinese Canadians in an era of employment restrictions in the area). After a fire in 1975, the building was repaired and, in the early 2000s, a careful restoration was completed by Joe Wai for the Wong family.

Facing the Freemason Building is the two-storey, brick Chinese Times Building (1 East Pender Street).  Commissioned by successful businessman and community leader Yip Sang, it was designed in 1901 by architect W.T. Whiteway. From the 1930s to 1990s, the building was home to The Chinese Times, an important source for local and Chinese political news, managed by the Chinese Freemasons.

Chinese Times Building

When the newspaper moved in, a mezzanine floor was added to accommodate the typesetters who used the 5,000 different Chinese characters to create each edition. Since the typesetters sat all day, the ceiling is only 6 ft. high.  Through the ground floor windows, the printing presses could be viewed and men gathered to read the paper pasted to the Carrall Street wall.

Around the corner, from Sam Kee Building, is the Lim Sai Hor (Kow Mok) Benevolent Association Building (525-531 Carrall Street).  The earliest surviving association building, it was constructed in 1903 for the Chinese Empire Reform Association (focusing to bring about political reform in China, its members included Chang Toy, Yip Sang and Alexander Won Cumyow, the first person of Chinese descent born in Canada), the most influential association in Chinatown at the time. At its height (it faded with the fall of the Qing Empire and the emergence of the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen-led republic in 1911), the building housed a school and published a newspaper.

Lim Sai Hor Kow Mock Benevolent Association Building

In 1926, the newly formed Lim Sai Hor (Kow Mok) Association rented the space and, in 1945, bought the building to serve as headquarters for its members (defined by the common surname Lim or Lam). In 2017, a rehabilitation project restored the exterior balcony details, lighting and other distinctive features that reflect the exchange between China and Canada, influencing the traditional village house style and blending it with modern western design trends. The use of green as an accent color in the interior and exterior is a nod to the members’ surname which means “forest.” The building also houses an ancestral altar, built in 1993 and used by society members.

The four-storey, brick Ming Wo Building, at 23 East Pender Street, was designed by W.H. Chow, the only identified Chinese-Canadian architect practicing at the time, and built in 1913 for Wong Soon King, a real estate developer and co-founder of the Chinese Board of Trade

In 1917, opened as Ming Wo Hardware store, making it the oldest retail outlet in Chinatown and one of the oldest in the city. The company was founded by Wong Chew Lip, who moved to Canada from Kwong Chow (Canton) in southern China about 1908.  The Wong Chew Lip family descendants lived above the store. The company supplied Chinatown’s businesses and evolved into a restaurant supply business that has numerous cookware stores in Metro Vancouver.

Ming Wo Building

The use of space within the building conforms to the representative pattern in Chinatown.  On the ground floor are the retail space while on the upper floors are offices, meeting rooms and small residential rooms designed to accommodate “married bachelors.” In the first third of the twentieth century, organizational tenants included the Kong Chow Benevolent Association and the Hong Kong Club.

Yue Shan Society Building

Further along East Pender Street is the three-storey, brick Yue Shan Society Building (33-39 East Pender Street).  Designed in 1920 by architect W.H. Chow (who also designed many others for the community from 1908 to 1922), it became home, in 1943, to the Yue Shan Society, an organization formed in 1894 for people from Poon Yue County near Guangzhou. The Society also owns the two-storey brick Hon Hsing Athletic Association Building to the right (dating to 1889) and the three-storey residential building at the rear of the property facing Market Alley.

Wong’s Benevolent Association/Hon Hsing Athletic Club Building

The Wong’s Benevolent Association/Hon Hsing Athletic Club Building, at 29 East Pender Street, was designed by architect R.J. MacDonald and built 1910 for the Wong’s Benevolent Association.  It is home to the Hon Hsing Athletic Club, a Chinese martial arts (a crucial element of intangible cultural heritage in Chinatown and a fundamental part of the performance of the lion dances that anchor the annual Chinese New Year Parade) school established in 1938.

Wing Sang Company Building

The two-storey, brick Wing Sang Building, at 51 East Pender Street, part of the Yip family complex, is the oldest (built in 1889) standing building in Chinatown.  It served as the office and ticket agency of Vancouver businessman Yip Sang (instrumental in a number of social endeavors, including bringing the CBA to Vancouver and establishing a Chinese hospital, and he was a lifetime governor of the Vancouver General Hospital).

Founded in 1888, the Wing Sang Company was engaged in a variety of enterprises including labor contracting and a trans-Pacific import and export business, and was the Canadian Pacific steamship ticket agency for travel to China. The door, on the second floor, opened to the upstairs warehouse (goods were hoisted in and out through that door). In 1901, the complex grew to accommodate a growing family and business with an expansion on top and besides the original building. The family residence was located at the upper floors while the ground floor was home to a variety of businesses, including a saloon and a cigar store. In 1912 a six-storey building, facing Market Alley, was added to the complex to accommodate the growing extended family. Today, this building houses offices and the Rennie Museum.

The Chinese Benevolent Association of Vancouver (CBA) Building, at 104 -108 East Pender Street, was built in 1909 by Vancouver’s branch of the CBA (formed in 1895). Its architectural style, a good example of the influences from southern China, features recessed balconies, ornate ironwork and decorative tiles. .

Wah Chong Family (1884)

Snapshots of History, a three-panel mural that decorates the side of a building at 490 Columbia Street (northwest corner of Pender & Columbia), was installed in 2010 by Shu Ren Cheng. One panel depicts the 1884 Goon family.

Silk Merchant (1905)

Men in Barbershop (1936)

The other two panels of the mural feature a reproduction of a 1905 photo of a silk merchant in Chinatown and a rendering of a 1936 photo of men sitting outside a barber shop at Carrall and Pender.

Chinese Cultural Centre Museum and Archives

The Chinese Cultural Centre Museum & Archives, at 555 Columbia Street, provides a home for Chinese heritage and culture. A competition-winning design by James K.M. Cheng Architects and Romses Kwan & Associates, the concrete building, built in 1986, incorporates the elements of traditional Chinese post and beam architecture. The Museum and Archives building, built in 1998 as the home to the Chinese Canadian Military Museum, was designed by Joe Wai in a style inspired by the Ming Dynasty, with its flared eaves, screened windows and tile roof.

The Chinese Railroad Workers and Chinese Veterans Memorial, at the Chinatown Memorial Plaza, at the northeast corner of Keefer Street and Columbia Street, recognizes those who built the Rocky Mountain and Fraser Canyon portions of the Canadian Pacific Railway (1881-1885) and those who fought in World War II (1939-1945). On Remembrance Day, a ceremony for Chinese Canadian veterans takes place at the site.

China Gate

The China Gate, next to the Chinese Cultural Centre, facing Pender Street, near the intersection with Carrall Street, was donated to the City of Vancouver by the Government of the People’s Republic of China and was originally on display during the Expo 86 world’s fair. After being displayed at its current location for almost 20 years, the gate was rebuilt and received a major renovation of its façade employing stone and steel. Funding for the renovation came from government and private sources.  On October 2005, during the visit of Guangdong governor Huang Huahua, the renovated gate was unveiled.

Wong’s Benevolent Association (Mon Keang School)

Back at East Pender Street is the Wong’s Benevolent Association (Mon Keang School) Building, at 121 East Pender Street.  Originally a two-storey building developed in 1908 by Loo Gee Wing, in 1921, it became the headquarters for Wong’s Benevolent Association, a newly amalgamated association that was formed out of three existing organizations, who had the top floor removed and replaced with two new storeys designed by architects G.L. Southwell and J.A. Radford.

In 1925, the Mon Keang School, teaching the Chinese language and customs to the tousang (children born in Canada to Chinese parents) was established on the second floor. In 1947, after the repeal of the Chinese Immigration Act and the reunification of many families, the school began offering the first high-school level Chinese classes in Canada. Today, Saturday morning Cantonese classes are again offered in the school room.

Mah Society of Canada Building

The Mah Society of Canada Building, at 137-139 East Pender Street, was constructed in 1913 with ground floor retail and three floors of rental rooms. In 1921, the Mah Society purchased this building for the purpose of mutual assistance for people with the family name Mah or Ma (to this day, people with this surname are invited to stay here if they don’t have a place to live or if they need introductions for where to find work), providing the society with a steady revenue stream.

An extra floor was added for an assembly hall as well as lounge and socializing space for residents. In 2017, the society undertook an extensive restoration and upgrade.  New windows were added to match the originals and the elaborate cornice, with its lanterns, and the restaurant’s storefront were reinstated. The Mah Society of North America’s building continues to provide much needed affordable housing in the neighborhood.

The Chin Wing Chun Tong Society of Canada Building, at 158-160 East Pender Street, was designed by R.A. McKenzie for the society (popularly known as the Chan Society) in 1925.  Its impressive assembly room follows the Arts and Crafts style. Today, a faithful recreation of the original 1950s neon sign for the Sai Woo Chop Suey restaurant (which operated here from 1925 to 1959) advertises the modern reincarnation of the restaurant.

May Wah Hotel

The May Wah Hotel, at 254-262 East Pender Street, with its impressive classical pilasters designed by W.F. Gardiner, was started in 1913 and opened in 1915 as the Loyal Hotel. After four name changes, it was renamed the May Wah in 1980. More than 100 low-income seniors, mostly women, as well as a few businesses call the single-room occupancy (SRO) hotel home. Today, the Vancouver Chinatown Foundation operates the building as affordable and seniors housing for the neighborhood.

Kuomintang Building

Seemingly orphaned on the corner but the other side of Gore Avenue (529 Gore Avenue) is the Kuomintang Building, once the site of society buildings and wholesale grocers and built in 1920 by W.E. Sproat for the Kuomintang (Chinese Nationalist League of Canada). The design once featured an open balcony on the Gore Avenue façade, and a corner pagoda on the roof. During a restoration in the 1980s, the balconies were closed. The fictional American Steam Cleaners was located in the Kuomintang Building.

The Royal Bank of Canada Building, at 400 Main Street (Westminster Avenue until 1910) cor. Hastings Street, was built around 1907 as the East End Branch of the Royal Bank of Canada. In 1947, the building was extended east along Hastings Street to the lane to designs by the Royal Bank’s Montreal-based former chief architect, S.G. Davenport. In 1975, an addition was built to the south along Main Street (on the site of the former Merchants Bank).

Royal Bank Building

An early use of reinforced concrete for the structural frame, it was faced with cut ashlar stone on both principal elevations. A good example of Beaux-Arts Classicism, its façade features Classical Ionic columns along Main Street, pilasters along Hastings Street, a continuous entablature above the columns (including a frieze and cornice), arched ground-floor windows and rectangular second-floor windows.

Carnegie Public Library

Across is the Romanesque Revival-style Carnegie Public Library (410 Main Street cor. Hastings Street). One of the many Carnegie Free Libraries built with money donated by philanthropist Andrew Carnegie, it was Vancouver’s main library from its official opening in 1903 until 1957, when a new library was built on Burrard St. The building also operated as the Vancouver Museum. The building has a curved staircase within the portico and stained-glass windows with panels commemorating William Shakespeare, John Milton, Robert Burns, Sir Walter Scott, and Sir Thomas Moore

Bank of Montreal Building

The Bank of Montreal Building, at 601 Main Street cor. Broadway Street, was built in 1929 and was designed by architects J. J. Honeyman and George Curtis – partners who had ties to the bank and who were responsible for designing many of its branches in Vancouver during the 1920s and 30s. Built with stone and yellow or brownish bricks from the Clayburn Brick Plant in Abbotsford, British Columbia, its small size and single-storey stature would be emblematic of the bank’s attempt to create an image.

Chinatown: VancouverBritish Columbia.

Granville Island (Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada)

Granville Island

The 14 hectare (35-acre) Granville Island, a peninsula (originally used by the Musqueam First Nations as a fishing area)and shopping district in the Fairview neighborhood, across False Creek from Downtown Vancouver, is under the south end of the Granville Street Bridge.

Granville Island Ferry Dock

Granville Island Marina

In the 20th century, the peninsula was an industrial manufacturing area named after Granville Leveson-Gower, 2nd Earl Granville. Technically a sandspit and not an island, the neighborhood sits just south of the downtown peninsula, right under the Granville Bridge.

Artsclub Theater Company

Waterfront Theatre

The Improv Centre

It includes a public market, an marina, a hotel, the False Creek Community Centre, as well as various performing arts theatres including the Arts Club Theatre CompanyCarousel Theatre, Arts Umbrella, Axis Theatre Company, Boca Del Lupo, Carousel Theatre for Young People, Ruby Slippers Production Company, and the Vancouver Theatre Sports League.

Cheska and Grace strolling along Duranleau Street

Jandy, Grace and Cheska at Tap & Barrel – Bridges Restaurant

Granville Island was used as the finale of the film Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol (2011). The Vancouver International Children’s Festival, the Vancouver Fringe Festival and the Vancouver Writers Fest are all held here.

Festival House

Gallery

One of the best ways to get to Granville Island is one of the adorable mini-tugboat ferries that crisscross False Creek. False Creek Ferries and Aquabus, favorites among young and old, provide ferry service from Granville Island to Downtown VancouverYaletownFalse Creek, the West End, and Vanier Park.

Boat Rentals

Waterbike Rental

Other water transportation options include a water taxi service to Bowen Island provided by English Bay Launch. WESTCOAST Sightseeing and Vancouver Trolley Hop-On, Hop-Off services both have stops located at Granville Island.

Artisan District

Artisan District

Between 1998 and 2011, the Vancouver Downtown Historic Railway operated between Granville Island and Science World. The streetcar is now permanently shut down.

The old streetcar tracks. The railway between Granville Island and Olympic Village Station was discontinued in 2012 after the City of Vancouver decided to end its $100,000 annual subsidy for the volunteer-related service. For 15 years, it ran on weekends and holidays, from May to October, carrying 133,000 passengers over its lifespan.

Once you’re there, the biggest attraction on Granville Island is the year-round Granville Island Public Market.  For the food-focused, a walking tour of the market can be a great way to get an insider’s insight.

Granville Island Public Market

Established in 1979 as a location where farmers and other food vendors could sell to consumers, it operates in an enclosed facility where customers can purchase, in endless rows of stalls, fresh produce, meat, smoked salmon, exclusive teas, gourmet foods, baked goods, seafood, cheeses and other products, many locally sourced.

Granville Island Public Market

Attracting both local residents and tourists, the market generally has 50 vendors including retail food vendors that sell a range of items from Mexican, Asian, Greek and deli food to candy and snacks. The market includes a “kids market” designed for children.

Tap & Barrel – Bridges Restaurant

My Island Cafe

Often described as a “food lover’s paradise,” an impromptu picnic is easily picked up between vendors offering cheese, charcuterie, bread and fresh produce. The popular food court, at the end of the market building, is where you’ll find something casual but already put together. If you prefer restaurants, there are some great restaurants offering seafood down there and there’s nothing like dining by the waterfront.

Dalbergia Wood and Fine Objects

Amy Stewart Art and Shira Gold Photography

The area is home to an artisan sake maker (the first in Canada), a spirits distillery, and two breweries.  Granville Island Brewing Co. is the name of a beer company which originated on Granville Island in 1984, but whose main base of operations was moved to KelownaBritish Columbia, some time later.

Granville Island Brewing

JN Glass

In 2009 it was purchased by Molson’s Brewery and continues to brew small batches of its varieties at the Granville Island brewing original site, and offers beer tasting and tours of their brewing facilities.

Pressure Group 6 (1982) by Barry Cogswell. A Corrosion-resistant weathering steel sculpture along path S.E. of Community Center

Ocean Concrete is the longest-established tenant on the island, having set up shop there in 1917. In 2014, OSGEMEOS (Portuguese for THE TWINS), consisting of brother duo Gustavo and Otavio Pandolfo, revamped the concrete silos with their ongoing mural project, ‘Giants’.

Materna Ceramics Studio

The Liberty Distillery

Canada’s only hammock shop, the Hamuhk Hangout Place, has been operating on Granville Island since 1995.In the early 1900s, Granville Island was home to factories, plants and sawmills. Things are a little different today—Granville Island is both a locals’ favorite and a huge draw for visitors. The Granville Island Public Market acts as a hub of activity, but it’s also one of the city’s most important cultural districts with theatres, artisan workshops and craft studios.

Railspur Park Playground

Granville Island, with a mix of unique crafts, skilled artisans, outdoor outfitters and deluxe gourmet stores, is one of the best places in the city to purchase souvenirs for back home. At the Net Loft Building, check out the stores for First Nations artworks, B.C. wines, and other unique gifts.

S&R Apron Co.

Performance Works

Along Railspur Alley and the far end of the island, you can peek into artisan studios where glassblowers, potters, jewellers and even a broom maker ply their crafts.  Outside of the market, catch a show at one of the many theatres on the island, browse an art gallery show, or appeal to your outdoorsy side with a kayaking or paddleboarding tour.

Kids Market

Craft Council of British Columbia

Granville Island: VancouverBritish Columbia, Canada.Website: www.granvilleisland.com. Coordinates: 49°16′15″N 123°08′03″W.

Space Needle (Seattle, Washington, U.S.A.)

Seattle’s Space Needle

From Pike Place, Val drove Danny and I to the Seattle Center, home to Chihuly Garden and Glass, Museum of Pop Culture (MoPOP) and the Space Needle in the Lower Queen Anne neighborhood.  It had already stopped raining when we arrived and the sun was again shining.  We didn’t have time to explore the first two but Danny and I were excited to go up the open-air observation deck of the Space Needle 160 m.(520 ft.) above ground, our first time to do so.  Val had done this a couple of times, so he just offered to wait for us till we returned.

Check out “Pike Place”

The author (right) with friend Val Salgado with the Space Needle in the background

This observation tower, a designated a Seattle landmark, is considered to be an icon of the city.  Unlike many other similar structures (such as the CN Tower in Toronto), the Space Needle is not used for broadcasting purposes.The Space Needle was, upon completion by Howard S. Wright Construction Co., the tallest structure west of the Mississippi River, replacing the Smith Tower in downtown Seattle as the tallest building west of the Mississippi since 1914.Today, it is dwarfed by other structures along the Seattle skyline, among them the 295 m. (967 ft.) high Columbia Center.

The author and Danny Macaventa

The Space Needle is 184 m.(605 ft.) high, 42 m.(138 ft.) wide and weighs 8,660 metric tons (9,550 short tons).  It was built to withstand wind speeds of up to 320 kms./hr. (200 mph), double the requirements in the building code of 1962. As the Space Needle sways only 25 mm.(1 in.) per 16 kms./hr.(10 mph) of wind speed, it can also be made to withstand Category 5 hurricane-force winds.

The architecture of the Space Needle is the result of a compromise between the designs of local architect John Graham‘s concept of a flying saucer (the halo that houses the restaurant and observation deck)and the sketch (on a napkin) of Edward E. Carlson (president of a hotel company and chairman of the 1962 World’s Fair in Seattle)which depicted a giant balloon tethered to the ground (the gently sloping base). The hourglass profile of the tower was introduced by Victor Steinbrueck.

Carlson,inspired by a recent visit to the Stuttgart Tower of Germany, also had an idea for erecting a tower with a restaurant at the World’s Fair. As a result of his success in designing Northgate Mall, architect John Graham soon became involved, altering the restaurant’s original design to a revolving restaurant, similar to his previous design of the La Ronde tower restaurant at the Ala Moana Shopping Center in Hawaii.From April 1, 1962, to April 1, 1982, the revolving restaurant was operated by Western International Hotels, of which Carlson was President, under a 20-year contract.

Built for the 1962 World’s Fair(which drew over 2.3 million visitors, with 20,000 people a day riding the elevators to the Observation Deck during the course of the Fair), the construction of the Space Needle was privately financed and built by the Pentagram Corporation (consisting of Bagley Wright, contractor Howard S. Wright, architect John GrahamNed Skinner, and Norton Clapp).

With time an issue, the construction team worked around the clockand the Space Needle was finished in less than one year. The Space Needle had to withstand earthquakes of up to 9.0 magnitude (as strong as the 1700 Cascadia earthquake) so its earthquake stability was ensured when a hole was dug 9.1 m.(30 ft.) deep and 37 m.(120 ft.) across, and 467 concrete trucks took one full day to fill it. The foundation weighs 5,310 metric tons (5,850 short tons), including 230 metric tons (250 short tons) or of reinforcing steel, the same as the above-ground structure. The structure is bolted to the foundation with 72 bolts, each one 9.1 m.(30 ft.) long.

A scaled model of the Space Needle at the Building the Marvel” Exhibit

The domed top, housing the top five levels (including the restaurants and observation deck), was perfectly balanced so that the restaurant could rotate with the help of one tiny electric motor, originally 0.8 KW (1.1 HP), later replaced with a 1.1 KW (1.5 HP) motor. A grand spiral entryway(shown in a 1962 Seattle World’s Fair poster), with 848 steps from the basement to the top of the observation deck leading to the elevator, was ultimately omitted from final building plans. For paint colors, Orbital Olive was used for the body, Astronaut White for the legs, Re-entry Red for the saucer and Galaxy Gold for the roof.

During the World’s Fair, an imitation carillon (using recordings of bells, rather than live bells),built by the Schulmerich Bells Company of Hatfield, Pennsylvania under the name “Carillon Americana,” was installed in the Space Needle and played several times a day. The instrument, recreating the sounds of 538 bells, was the largest in the world until it was eclipsed by a 732 bell instrument at the 1964 New York World’s Fair.

Another scaled model of the Space Needle at the ground floor Gift Shop

The operator’s console, located in the base of the Space Needle, was completely enclosed in glass to allow observation of the musician playing the instrument. Also capable of being played from a roll, like a player piano, the 44 stentors (speakers) of the carillon were located underneath the Needle’s disc at the 61 m.(200-ft.) level, and were audible over the entire fairgrounds and up to 16 kms. (10 mi.) away. After the fair’s close, the carillon was disassembled.  The “Carillon Americana,” featured on a 12-track LP record (called “Bells On High-Fi,” catalog number AR-8, produced by Americana Records, of Sellersville, Pennsylvania), was recorded in a studio and performed by noted carillonneur John Klein (1915-1981).

Here is the historical timeline of the Space Needle:

  • In 1961, investors discovered and bought (for $75,000) a suitable lot, measuring 37 by 37 m. (120 by 120 ft.), containing switching equipment for the fire and police alarm systems, for the proposed Space Needle site (it had no pre-selected site since it was not financed by the city and land had to be purchased within the fairgrounds).
  • In April 1962, the Space Needle was completed at a cost of $4.5 million.
  • On April 21, 1962, the last elevator car was installed the day before the Fair opened.
  • In 1963, a radio broadcast studio was built, used for morning broadcasts by Radio KING and its sister TV station KING-TV from July 1963 to May 1966, and KIRO Radio from 1966 to 1974, on the observation level of the Space Needle.
  • On March 27, 1964, as a result of the 9.2 earthquake in Alaska, the restaurant atop the Space Needle stopped rotating.
  • For six months in 1974, disc jockey Bobby Wooten of country music station KAYO-AM lived in an apartment built adjacent to the Space Needle’s broadcast studio, requiring a permit variance from the city government.
  • On March 4, 1974, Paul D. Baker committed suicide by jumping from the Space Needle, the first person to do so.
  • On May 25, 1974, Mary Lucille Wolf also jumped from the tower.
  • In 1977,Bagley Wright, Ned Skinner and Norton Clapp sold their interest to Howard S. Wright who now controls it under the name of Space Needle Corporation.
  • On July 5, 1978, in spite of the installation netting beneath and improved fencing around the observation deck, Dixie Reeder was able to commit suicide.
  • In 1982, the SkyLine level was added at the height of 30 m.(100 ft.).
  • In 1992, the University of Washington (UW) Huskies football team logo was painted at the tower after the team won the 1992 Rose Bowl.
  • In 1993, the elevators were replaced with new computerized versions that descend at a rate of 16 kms./hr. (10 mph).
  • In 1995, when the game show Wheel of Fortune taped episodes in Seattle, it was painted to resemble the titular wheel as part of an intro sequence with Vanna White.
  • On April 19, 1999, the city’s Landmarks Preservation Board designated the tower a historic landmark.
  • On December 31, 1999, the Legacy Light or Skybeam, a powerful beam of light, was unveiled for the first time.
  • Between 1999 and 2000, renovations included the SkyCity restaurant, SpaceBase retail store, Skybeam installation, Observation Deck overhaul, lighting additions and repainting.
  • In 2000, renovations were completed at a cost ($21 million) approximately the same in inflated dollars as the original construction price.
  • In 2000, the Space Needle Restaurant (originally named Eye of the Needle) and the Emerald Suite, the two restaurants 150 m.(500 ft.) above the ground at the hovering disk of the Space Needle, were closed to make way for SkyCity, a larger restaurant that features Pacific Northwest cuisine.
  • In 2000, because of perceived terror threats against the structure after investigations into the foiled millennium bombing plots, public celebrations were canceled but the fireworks show was still performed.
  • In 2001, the 6.8 Mw Nisqually earthquake jolted the Space Needle enough for water to slosh out of the toilets in the restrooms.
  • From September 11, 2001, to September 22, 2001, in response to the September 11, 2001, attacks, the Legacy Light (or Skybeam) remain lit for eleven days in a row.
  • In 2002, to promote tourism, a real estate consultant in Bellevue proposed the construction of five smaller replicas of the Space Needle around the city though official plans to build the proposed structures have not yet materialized.
  • On May 19, 2007, the Space Needle welcomed its 45 millionth visitor, Greg Novoa from California, who received a free trip for two to Paris.
  • In May 2008, since the opening of the 1962 World’s Fair, the Space Needle received its first professional deep cleaning by being pressure washed by Kärcher with water at a pressure of almost 2,611 psi (18,000 kPa) and a temperature of approximately 194 °F (90 °C). In consideration of the Seattle Center and the nearby Experience Music Project, no detergents were used and the cleaning was only done at night so that the Space Needle could stay open to the public.
  • In April 2012, as part of the celebration of its 50th anniversary, the Needle was painted “Galaxy Gold”, which is more of an orangish color in practice. This is the same color used when the needle was originally constructed for the 1962 World’s Fair. This temporary makeover was only intended to last through the summer.
  • In the summer of 2017, a renovation of the top of the Space Needle, called the Century Project,began. An all-glass floor was added to the restaurant, the observation platform windows were replaced with floor-to-ceiling glass panels (to more closely match the 1962 original concept sketches) and the internal systems were upgraded and updated. The work, tocost $100 million in private funds provided by the Wright family (owners of the Space Needle),was scheduled to finish by June 2018. The designer is Olson Kundig Architects and the general contractor is Hoffman Construction Company. The rotating restaurant’s motor was replaced, the elevator capacity was increased by adding elevators or double-stacking them and,with the aim of achieving LEED Gold Certification, the energy efficiency of the building was improved. The temporary scaffold’s 13,000 kg.(28,000 lbs.), 4,148 sq. m. (4,650-sq. ft.) platform under the top structure, made by Safway Services (a company specializing in unique construction scaffolding),was assembled on the ground, and then lifted by cables 150 m.(500 ft.) from the ground to the underside of the structure, controlled by 12 operators standing on the platform as it was raised. So that the Space Needle was never completely shut down to the public, only one-sixth of the observation deck was closed at a time.
  • In August 2018, the Space Needle reopened as the Loupe, an indoor observation deck with a revolving glass floor that takes 45 mins. to do a full rotation. Two sets of stairs called the Oculus Stairs,named after the glass oculus at the base of the stairs where the Space Needle elevators can be seen ascending and descending,were added to connect the two new additional levels. A café, wine bar, more restrooms, and an additional accessibility elevator to the top observation deck were also added.
  • In 2020, the fireworks display was canceled because of high winds, with a laser light show being used at midnight instead.
  • In 2021, the fireworks show was cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic and replaced by a broadcast-only augmented realitypresentation on KING-TV.

 

The queue at the Mezzanine Level

The Space Needle, a visual symbol of Seattle and of the Pacific Northwest, has made numerous appearances in films (It Happened at the World’s Fair in 1962, The Parallax View in 1974, Sleepless in Seattle in 1993,Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me in 1999,  Chronicle in 2012), TV shows (FrasierGrey’s AnatomyDark AngelBill Nye the Science Guy, etc.), and other works of fiction, often being used in establishing shots as an economical means to tell the audience the setting is Seattle, and has been incorporated into the logos of NBAWNBAMLS, and NHL professional sports teams.

Queuing past the “Building the Marvel” Exhibit

After paying the admission fee, we joined the queue of visitors at the mezzanine level (overlooking the gift shop below) waiting for the three elevators (two of them high speed), which can each accommodate 25 people, to take us up the inside observation area.  As it was the summer month, there was a bit of a line as the number of visitors usually climbs to well over a thousand a day. While waiting for our turn, along the line was the “Building the Marvel Exhibit,” a custom exhibit installed in April 2016, of compelling images, interactive experiences, and fun and historical memorabilia that tells the story of how the Space Needle’s conception and construction.  There are also miniature replicas of the Needle, showing the construction’s progress, plus cool vintage advertisements, posters of the Words fair and clippings from magazine articles praising this architectural marvel.

Inside the 25-pax elevator

Once inside the elevator, it took us 42 seconds to reach the top, travelling at a rate of 10 mph (or 880 ft. per min.). Stepping out of the elevator into the inside observation area, we had awe-inspiring and dramatic views of the downtown Seattle skyline, front and center, with buildings shimmering in the sun.

The Inside Observation Area

Seamless floor-to-ceiling  glass walls gave us unobstructed, 360-degree sights of the region –  Lake Union, the Olympic and Cascade MountainsMount RainierMount Baker, the inky waters of Elliott Bay, the ever-popular Great Wheel along the waterfront, and various islands in glittering Puget Sound, with ferries floating around  On a clear day, the flat top of snow-capped Mt. St. Helens can be seen in the distance.

The Inside Observation Area

From the inside observation area, Danny and I stepped out of the door (one of 12) into the open observation deck which was already filled with tourists taking photos and selfies.  Here, we had a more unparalleled experience with a unique, uninhibited bird’s-eye view of the abovementioned landmarks, protected by a series of 11 ft. tall and 7 ft. wide glass panels (which replaced the old wire cages) starting at the floor and tilting outwards.  Lining the edge of the panels are new glass benches, following the angle of the transparent walls, designed at a slant, a perfect, jaw-dropping selfie spot that makes you feel like you are hanging in the air, floating above Seattle.

Danny and the author at the Open Observation Deck

On our way back down, an elevator attendant took the time to point out locations of interest to us, sharing some historical landmark facts and answering questions. Our elevator had windows where we could watch our rapid descent.  Soon the doors opened and we disembarked into the gigantic gift shop at the ground floor before exiting the building.  Every year on New Year’s Eve, the Space Needle celebrates with a fireworks show at midnight that is synchronized to music. Alberto Navarro, a fireworks artist from Bellevue, is the lead architect of the show, which is viewed by thousands from the Seattle Center grounds.

View of the city skyline

To honor national holidays and special occasions in Seattle, the Legacy Light (or Skybeam), derived from the official 1962 World’s Fair poster (which depicted such a light source although none was incorporated into the original design), is lit. Powered by lamps that total 85 million candela shining skyward from the top of the Space Needle, it was originally planned to be turned on 75 nights per year but it has generally been used fewer than a dozen times per year as it is somewhat controversial because of the light pollution it creates.

View of Puget Sound

Since its opening, six (four of them part of an authorized promotion in 1996, withone of them got injured and broke a bone in her back while attempting the stunt) parachutists have leaped from the tower in a sport known as BASE jumping which is legal only with prior authorization (the other two jumped illegally and were arrested).

The Gift Shop

Seattle Needle: 400 Broad Street, SeattleWashington 98109. Tel: (20) 905-2100. E-mail: guestservice@spaceneedle.com. Website:  www.spaceneedle.com. General admission:: US435 – 39 (regular, ages 13 -64), US$30  -33 (senior, aged 65+) and US$26 – 29 (youth, ages 5 – 12).  Open daily, 10 AM to 9 PM (Sundays to Fridays) and 9 AM to 9 PM (Saturdays).  Coordinates: 47.6204°N 122.3491°W