AuntyTam

I especially want to see all of the Catholic shrines, and old churches, and historical places of significance to Catholic Canada. Basically, I want to go on pilgrimage here. We have so many Saints and Blesseds, and most of them are from Quebec.

I have been going to the Aquarium since the early ‘70’s. Their biggest attraction back then was Skana, who I think was the first killer whale (orca) in captivity. She put on a spectacular show. Apparently she was very temperamental (what whale wouldn’t be in a little tank, I guess). They don’t keep orcas anymore, but they still have belugas and dolphins. If I recall, the shows are also shorter than they used to be. The aquarium has gotten much more animal-friendly over the years, just like zoos and aquariums almost everywhere. It has also been recently updated and I think they’re adding a whole new wing.

One more note: their head veterinarian, Dr. David Huff, just went into semi-retirement…he is the BEST! He was also our veterinarian for over twenty years and I can’t say enough about how dedicated he is to these animals. The aquarium is in good hands.

I love Vancouver’s Chinatown. Just a tip: it borders on the downtown slum area, so get advice on which streets to stay away from before you go! (The locals should be able to tell you what the boundaries of the notorious “downtown eastside” are.)