A SHORELINE SYMPHONY

A nippy surfer's paradise

We felt a little overdressed as we arrived for our beach hike – most people were in wetsuits.

Colourful rock pool

It was low tide and the rock pools were alive with barnacles and anemones.  

On the sand dunes, the Kinnikinnick bearberry plant was a colourful backdrop, its trailing branches, dark green leaves and bright red berries providing food for birds and bears.

The lowly beach hopper

Driftwood lay in lazy formations on the beach making an ideal home for a variety of the ecosystem’s residents.  

Bear scat

Tell tale piles of bear scat, rich in undigested salal berries, lay in a bed of muscle shells near one jumbled heap of driftwood.  

That, together with some evidence of digging, indicated that a bear had recently been in search of beach hoppers.

The original Wick

The headlands we were exploring on Wickaninnish Beach lie in the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve. The original Wickaninnish Inn serves as the Park's visitors centre and has a striking resemblance to the current hostelry on Chesterman Beach further down the coast. 

Meares Island on the horizon

The outgoing tide had left uniform patterns in the sand. Looking out to the horizon coastal fog was moving in, creating a surreal landscape. In the distance, the old growth forests of Meares Island looked positively blue in the haze.

Bull kelp littered the beach. 

Carbon monoxide expelled from
the bull kelp's hollow float

Almost with a science fiction quality, the kelp has a hollow float that contains carbon monoxide – enough to kill a chicken so we were told.  Its finger-like projections can grow as long as sixty feet and part of the kelp’s life cycle has it breaking loose from its moorings at sea and washing ashore.

Doug is tutored on the musical secrets of the bull kelp

Crab moult

Interestingly, the bull kelp has a musical adaptation.  When approached correctly, the kelp does a mighty fine impression of a Vuvuzela, the plastic trumpet sported by fans at the soccer World Cup in South Africa.  

It does take a little practice to get the perfect pitch and produce the loud nasal whine the Vuvuzela is infamous for. The resulting drone could be heard above the waves.  We noticed that the beach now seemed absent of surfers - we suspect they had heard it all before and decided it was time to leave.

The ecosystem of the Pacific Rim is truly wondrous.

WICKS FROM THE WICK

Wickaninnish Inn at low tide

Tofino’s Wickaninnish Inn describes itself as “rustic elegance on nature’s edge”. We couldn’t wait to experience it for ourselves.  Crashing surf and all - it was storm watching season.

The three hour drive between Nanaimo and Tofino has its heart stopping moments, particularly in November when there is black ice aplenty and the occasional dusting of snow.  

The drive is scenic but its snow tires on the car and a firm hand on the wheel as the summit on the mountainous road approaches. Cell phone coverage drops off about 20 kilometres past Port Alberni and one is all alone for about an hour until it returns. The road narrows as it twists and turns its way back to sea level and the real west coast  - the Pacific Rim.  

The next land mass across that enormous expanse of water - Japan!

A little cheese and wine welcomes

The drive through the Pacific Rim National Park presents all manner of beach access and the views and sounds are glorious.  



Along the side of the road Tsunami warning signs and evacuation routes are posted providing some grounding as to the vulnerability of this beautiful place.

Sunset on Chesterman Beach

And then “The Wick“ as it its affectionately known and its beautiful location on Chesterman Beach.  

The welcome we received from the moment we checked in was warm and friendly, the accommodation comfortable and the food offerings imaginative and delicious.  But all this was trumped by the view.  

The crashing surf is simply mesmerising and we have to confess to sleeping with our patio door wide open.

Doug examining "the rock"

As for “wicks from the Wick” well there is an enterprising artist who has taken pieces of rock and stone from the beach and crafted them into tea candle holders and vases.  They are lovely but I did find myself wondering if I had gone completely mad by actually purchasing a rock that holds a candle. 

The jury is out on that one. 

Perhaps fortunately, there were no vases to be had.

One last glimpse from our balcony

The locals call the road link between Tofino and Port Alberni “the road” and the summit “the pass”.  When they have to make the drive its known as “heading out”.  

When we “headed out” for our homeward journey the weather had reverted from unseasonably cold to predictable.  A Pacific storm had reached landfall and the rain lashed down in torrents.  Waterfalls tumbled noisily down the rock face and with nowhere to go swept across the road surface.  At times it seemed as though we were floating. 

Before long cell phone coverage had been restored and the roads had widened.  Back in more familiar territory and on our way home after a few days of pure magic, along of course with a couple of essential rocks.

SKYSCRAPERS ON A TRAMPOLINE

As we hiked the Wild Pacific Trail just south of Ucluelet on Vancouver Island we were introduced to a wonderful metaphor by our guide - Skyscrapers on a trampoline.  

It described the ecosystem brilliantly.  

Towering trees - cedar, hemlock, spruce, fir and red alder flourishing in a sort of chaotic harmony while anchored to a spongy forest floor by intertwining roots.

Thick mossy branches

The undergrowth of ferns and salal bushes appeared to draw the lush green layers of moss downward, testament to the twelve feet of annual rainfall experienced on the Pacific Rim of Vancouver Island.

Sitka Spruce on a rocky outcrop

The Sitka spruce seems to have been born to tolerate the harsh assault from the ocean - beautiful specimens stood bolt upright against wind, salt and spray. 

Cedar leans lazily into the wind

In stark contrast, cedar varieties bore the badge of the ocean's rough treatment, their limbs forced into twisted, gnarled positions as they endured nature's assault.  

Amphitrite Point Lighthouse

Continuing our hike we reached Amphitrite Point lighthouse which overlooks “the graveyard of the Pacific” where barges, war ships, freighters and ferries have met their fate over the years. 

Markers in the water bellowed out their warnings to shipping, one a poignant bell, another with a bovine call akin to a cow mooing.  

There are no words for this!

Nature in full force

The haunting sounds of the beacons added an eerie quality as surf exploded on the rocks below us on the incoming tide.

Beyond the rugged shoreline, the Broken Islands Group and Barkley Sound were visible to the east and the open Pacific Ocean to the south and west.  

It was quite the sight.

FAIRY TALE COPENHAGEN

The Little Mermaid

Denmark’s capital Copenhagen certainly lives up to its fairy tale reputation.  The city just seems to have a vibe about it which strikes you immediately.

There’s no better way to explore Copenhagen than to put on a good pair of walking shoes and get going.  From the polar bear statue on the waterfront scarred by bullet holes from the Nazi’s World War Two invasion, the polar bear represents Denmark’s trade history with Greenland and Iceland.

Further along the harbour there she is, Copenhagen’s most famous symbol.  The Little Mermaid sits poignantly atop a series of well placed boulders unmoved by the throngs of tourists who have come to pay their respects.

One after another, there are so many historic buildings in Copenhagen, each with their own story to tell.  For instance, Christianborg Palace, seat of the Danish Parliament and the venue where new monarchs are proclaimed.  The Church of Our Savior with its unusual tower and outside spiral staircase.  The Borsen, the world’s oldest active stock exchange and its three green dragons with tails twisted forming a thin, graceful spire.

Changing of the guard outside Amalienborg Palace

The official royal residence, the Amalienborg Palace, is particularly striking.  The residence surrounds a square and is made up of four perfectly proportioned Rococo buildings with a statue of King Frederik V in the middle.  The ceremonial changing of the guards was taking place as we arrived.  Soldiers in bearskin hats and blue and white uniforms marched in unison across the cobbled square.

The monarchy is popular in Denmark and when the heir to the throne Crown Prince Frederik married his Australian girlfriend, Mary, the Danes fell in love with her too.  The lady from Hobart made it her business to learn Danish and apparently speaks it flawlessly.

Nyhavn waterfront

During his lifetime Hans Christian Andersen lived in several buildings in Nyhavn, the old harbour area of Copenhagen.  A colourful area with brightly painted 500 year old gabled buildings, the area is lined with open air cafes and restaurants and positively bursts with activity.  Tucked away at one end of the harbour is a building that once housed the White Star Line’s offices. It was from this building that ten tickets were sold for the ill fated Titanic crossing. 

A ride along the city’s waterways provides an excellent vantage point to admire residences on land and water.  Old warehouses have been transformed into elegant apartments and together with more modest accommodations and houseboats, the view from the water makes for an eclectic atmosphere.

Main gate into Tivoli Gardens

And speaking of fantasy, Tivoli Gardens which had its beginnings in 1843 has a sort of faded old charm about it.  The 100-year old roller coaster positively roars around the park.  The heart stopping Star Flier has heads craned upward in awe to watch riders quickly spiral downward from a particularly tall tower.  

The park bursts with colour, whether its from the gardens themselves or the bright lights that come into their own as darkness falls.

After all, a little Danish fantasy time never hurt anyone.  
  

AMBER, AMBER EVERYWHERE

Antique bottles in Svyturys Brewery

Klaipeda, Lithuania’s oldest city, is an attractive Baltic seaport which dates back to the 13^th Century.

We began our Klaipeda exploration in the remains of the Castle.  Now a museum, the various displays do a good job of chronicling local history dating back to the Castle’s construction by the Livonian Order of Teutonic Knights in 1252. 

More recently the Castle’s deep tunnels were used as air raid shelters from Allied bombing during World War Two and German occupation. Then came Soviet occupation until Lithuania finally declared independence in 1990.

Assessing the Amber Nectar

The narrow streets of Klaipeda’s old town are mostly cobbled, although the cobbles are enormous and it is critical to keep one eye on the ground and the other on what is ahead.

Theatre Square is the heart of the old town and is surrounded by attractive buildings housing shops, cafes and restaurants.  Svyturys, the local beer seemed to be available on practically every street corner.

One of Klaipeda's timber buildings

The Svyturys brewery is Lithuania’s oldest brewery and boasts an impressive showcase of awards. 

Housed in a depressing Soviet-style building with winding stairwells and long, poorly lit corridors the reward for the long walk to observe the brewing process was the tasting.  

The amber nectar turned out to be extremely good.

Unusual statue near the wooden swing bridge

Walking along the waterway, small sailing craft moored in tidy rows glistened in the sunlight.  

We noticed an interesting wooden swing bridge operated every thirty minutes or so by two fellows who simply used their manpower to turn a crank in the middle of the bridge thereby providing access for boating to and from the harbour.

There is a plentiful supply of colourful amber in the Baltic - not the beer - the fossilized tree resin some with inclusions of insects and plant fragments.  Known as “Baltic Gold”,  Doug felt compelled to buy me a small piece provided we returned to a little more tasting of the other amber. 

A fair swap!

BLACK CATS, BEER AND BLACKHAWKS

Stylish buildings are everywhere in Riga

According to Edward, a bartender at Kafejnica Amplua in Riga’s main square, Latvia’s best beer is Tervete. 

A rich honey lager we had to agree with his recommendation.

As the tasting continued, he picked up on our Canadian roots and the conversation turned to ice hockey. 

A walking tour is the best way to take in the atmosphere
and study the varied architectural styles

Edward, who spoke English, Russian and Latvian,  knew all about the National Hockey League telling us about his favourite players as well as the team he supported - the Chicago Blackhawks. We explained why this was misplaced loyalty but parted on good terms.

Active waterway in a pleasant city park   

Riga, capital of Latvia, is a city full of surprises.  Just as old as Tallinn in neighbouring Estonia, Riga was founded by the same people but doesn’t have Tallinn's medieval atmosphere. 

That said, Riga is fascinating - full of beautiful art nouveau and art deco buildings, it also has its share of medieval treasures.

The cobbled streets wind awkwardly around the old town’s churches, cathedrals and medieval towers. It was a pleasant place to walk.

The House of Cats is the much photographed building in Riga's main square.  Its origins derive from a story of a wealthy tradesman who commissioned the building and was then refused membership in Riga's Tradesman Guild. 

By way of payback, the offended tradesman commissioned two copper statues of angry looking cats with arched backs and raised tails. Installed on his building's roof, the cats' rear ends were positioned towards the Guild.  Not too sure of the dividing line between fact and fantasy on this one! 

The House of Cats!

Latvia has had a troubled past with a laundry list of occupiers over the centuries.  But walking through Riga and talking to some of the locals, it was hard not to be impressed by the peoples' optimism and their sense of pride and hope for the future. 

But really, the Chicago Blackhawks? 

Trevor has a lot of work to do.

HELSINKI'S ROCK STARS

Helsinki's old market hall comes to life -
the aromas tantalizing!

It was a grey Monday morning when we arrived in Finland’s capital city.  What the weather lacked in welcome was more than made up for by the merchants in the local market at the quay. 

The old market hall was slowly coming to life and we admired an extensive array of fruits and vegetables, fish, hams and sausage.  

It was hard to pass by the delectable open-faced sandwiches, pastries and breads.  

Porvoo cobbles and timbers

The coffee shop already had patrons inside and early shoppers walked between the stalls that were housed behind an attractive carved wooden frontage.

Around the main square we studied the street names that were printed in Finnish, Swedish and Russian.  The Finnish language has its roots in Hungarian, Turkish and Estonian and bears absolutely no resemblance to other Scandinavian languages and yet everyone speaks excellent English. 

An hour’s drive from Helsinki we arrived in Porvoo, an old historic town with cobbled streets and ancient timber buildings.  

Porvoo's main street offers lots of shopping options

Established in 1346 the town is situated in a pastoral setting, its medieval church on the hillside overlooking the river.  

The church hosted the wedding of one of Finland’s famous sons - Formula One champion, Mika Hakkinen.

Returning to Helsinki we drove through the suburbs, passing neat and flourishing allotments. Some had simple wooden cottages which are a popular refuge in the summer months.
  

More opportunities for Christmas decorations!

However the City cuts off the water supply as winter approaches and Finland enters its deep freeze - most of the waterways around the mainland and islands freeze and icebreakers are pressed into service to keep the shipping lanes open for the ferry service to St. Petersburg, Tallinn and Stockholm. 

Helsinki’s Temppeliaukio Rock Church is a one of a kind.  Carved into the bedrock, a copper cupola crowns the curved rock walls making the space acoustically perfect. 

Temppeliaukio Rock Church is a one of a kind

Heavenly voices enhanced by
perfect accoustics

A choir was performing when we visited the Church.

Their perfect English refrain a testament to the Finnish educational system we thought. Until we were advised the group was a visiting choir from Canada.

True Rock Stars, yes!

SAINT SOFIA, VALENTINA’S POINTER AND ANTON’S LEAD FOOT

Peterhof in all its glory

One thing was very clear when we arrived in St Petersburg for a two-day stay - the decision to secure the services of our own driver and guide had been the right one. 

Touring Yusupov Palace, Peterhof, Catherine Palace, Church on the Spilled Blood, Saint Isaac Cathedral, St Peter and Paul Fortress, and of course, the famous Hermitage Museum would require stamina, concentration and flexibility. 

First class on the Hydrofoil

Our redemption came in the form of Sofia, an English speaking guide, and Anton, who didn’t say much at all.  However, he appeared in a brand new Infinity Sedan and drove with great skill and speed. 

It was nice to be dropped off and picked up from the various venues as we watched larger groups trudging to their buses, the trudging becoming visible slower by the end of the second day.

Travels on the St. Petersburg
subway system

Sofia proved her worth early. Not only very knowledgeable, she was adept at avoiding the crowds as far as possible and knowing when to offer a break. 

One excursion took us for a ride on St. Petersburg's subway, famous for its decorative stations and probably some of the steepest and deepest escalators anywhere. Anton met us at a station down the line.

It was still early when we visited a local market where stall owners were setting up their wares for the day. The stalls were colourful and varied but the aroma from the pickled garlic bulbs struck us as being a little strong for that time of day. However the selection of caviar truly was a feast for the eyes.

The Aurora moored across from the old Intourist hotel

Another short drive and we came to the moorage of the Aurora, the ship that fired its gun to mark the beginning of the 1917 Revolution. A building across the river looked a little familiar.

Sofia was amused by the fact I had been to what had been Leningrad in 1973 and while my experiences had been quite different back then, recognizing the Intourist Hotel I had stayed at was fun. No longer a hotel, it looked grey and foreboding and certainly didn’t measure up to the newer spots in town like the Four Seasons, or the Astoria Hotel across from Saint Isaac Cathedral.

Luminaries who have stayed at
the Astoria Hotel

The Astoria’s Winter Garden had been selected by Hitler as the venue for his grand celebration on the breaking of the siege of Leningrad in World War Two - the invitations had even been printed.  But Hitler hadn’t counted on the resolve of the people who suffered terribly through the siege.

Spectacular Yusupov Palace and the family's
connections to Rasputin's demise

The hydrofoil ride out to Peterhof made us realize the vessel could probably have been the very one I had travelled on all those years ago. The hydrofoil fleet looked dated in the extreme but got us to our destination promptly.  

The gardens and fountains of Peterhof are stunning and despite the crowds we enjoyed our visit, particularly the trick fountains which children ran through with loud squeals as the water jets were activated, soaking them in an instant.

Inner courtyard of Catherine Palace

Sophia was engaging and told us lots of interesting stories but the best show of all was when we entered the Diamond Room at the Hermitage and were introduced to Valentina, a Hermitage specialist guide who did not speak a word of English.  

We spent the next hour viewing the most incredible collection of gold, diamonds and a multitude of precious stones set in unusual pieces of jewellery, snuff boxes and regalia. 

St Peter and Paul Fortress, its spires reflecting in the Neva

Valentina wielded a wooden pointer and indicated aspects of the piece we were studying with great flourish, and without cracking a smile.  

Sophia then had to translate and we suspect some aspects were lost in translation but it was entertaining to watch the interaction between the two women. 

On pointing out a pendant that had once belonged to Sir Frances Drake, Valentina tried to explain the origins of the Order of the Garter. Doug stepped in to clarify a few points and then a three way discussion ensued which ended in laughter.

The colourful domes of the Church on the Spilled Blood

By this time Valentina had ceased wielding her pointer.  She held up a pendant she was wearing - a Viking ship.  Now sporting a warm smile she gesticulated that it looked like a leaf when turned upside down. No translation needed here.

Cruising the Neva River and adjoining canals.  The
massive Hermitage complex on the shoreline.

The treasures and history of St Petersburg are mind boggling and it had been an absolute thrill to visit again - including dodging the participants in the annual White Nights Marathon. 

Roads and bridges had been closed for part of the day and this was where Anton had excelled - we sped down roads no visitor to St. Petersburg would ever travel.

The last couple of days had proven a few times that it pays to know the right people!