About Me

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Delta, British Columbia, Canada
I took very early retirement from teaching in '06 and did some traveling in Europe and the UK before settling down to do some private tutoring. As a voracious reader, I have many books waiting in line for me to read. Tell me I shouldn't read something, and I will. I'm a happy, optimistic person and I love to travel and through that believe that life can be a continuous learning experience. I'm looking forward to traveling more some day. I enjoy walking, cycling, water aerobics & and sports like tennis, volleyball, and fastpitch/baseball. I'm just getting into photography as a hobby and I'm enjoying learning all the bits and bobs of my digital camera. My family is everything to me and I'm delighted to be the mother of two girls and the Gramma of a boy and a girl. I may be a Gramma, but I'm at heart just a girl who wants to have fun.

Monday, July 04, 2011

Y is for YALE


Sorry I missed last week's letter X, but my computer was in the shop. Of course, I really didn't have a destination beginning with that letter (that I'd actually visited). Anyway, I'm back this week with YALE, no not the university town, but a historic place right here in British Columbia.

The town is located at the southern entrance to the spectacular Fraser Canyon and is one of BC's oldest communities, having been the steamship navigation capital during the Gold Rush. Before the Coquihalla Highway was completed in 1986, we always travelled this route to get to our cabin at Shuswap Lake. The famous explorer Simon Fraser camped here in 1808 after his horrendous trip down the river that now bears his name. Why was it a horrendous trip? The Fraser River is famous for its rapids. Hell's Gate is a narrowing of the river where the water roils in a tremedous maelstrom. It's a sight to see and a "hellish" experience for the more than 2 million spawning salmon who need to get through this part of the river every year. You can safely experience this area by hopping on the Hell's Gate Airtram in nearby Boston Bar OR you can experience it "hellishly" by riding the rapids yourself. Other things to see and do in YALE:

* step into the past when you visit the Church of St. John the Divine, the oldest church in BC, built in 1863 to serve those seeking their fortune during the Gold Rush.
* the Pioneer Cemetery has headstones dating back to 1862. * hike the Spirit Caves Trail with fabulous views of the Fraser River Canyon and the Cascade Mountains. The caves emit an eerie whistling sound when strong winds blow. The views are fabulous once you reach the summit of the Mount Lincoln Trail.
















* go on a guided walking tour of YALE, where you'll see the original Fort Yale, founded in 1847, on Front Street. Down on the waterfront, look for the old rings embedded in the rocks to moor the old sternwheelers at the riverboat landing that was here between 1858 and 1885.

For tourists, it's absolutely de rigeur to travel the Trans Canada Highway along the Fraser Canyon! The views are spectacular and you'll be travelling the same route as those men of old who went seeking their fortunes by panning for gold.

ABC Wednesday is the brainchild of Denise Nesbitt, from Yorkshire England! Some of her mighty assistants are Yankees, others might be Yodelers, some are Young while others may just be Youthful in spirit like Moi. Regardless, we all Yearn for a connection with others via this very popular meme. I enjoy it because it challenges me to come up with something original each week - I'm already thinking about what theme I'll use for the next Round. To join in the fun, click here. The more the merrier.

22 comments:

Roger Owen Green said...

Seems educational, in a different way. Glad the 'puter's workin' again.

ROG, ABC wednesday team

nancygrayce said...

Beautiful y's! The church is quaint and watching the salmon fighting to get upstream!! That I'd like to watch.

Welshcakes Limoncello said...

The church looks beautiful.

Meryl said...

Great post. Being an American Eastcoaster - I only thought of the locks or the univeristy. Thank you - I leave more educated and informed.

Francisca said...

Oooh... have long wanted to ride those rapids... And see the salmon spawning... Yale was a super Y word. Hope your PC woes belong to Yesterday.

photowannabe said...

Terrific travelogue Leslie. Makes me want to jump in the car and come visit.
Watching salmon spawn is just fascinating. Thanks for the photos.

Sylvia K said...

Wonderful post for the Y Day, Leslie! Marvelous captures! I love the rapids! Hope your computer woes are over -- they are the pits!! Have a great day!

Sylvia
ABC Team

EG CameraGirl said...

Cool! I MUST visit Yale next time I travel to B.C. :)

Wanda said...

Love those rides in the gondolas. We did that in Tahoe.

Very nice array of pictures.

Jingle said...

lovely church,
amazing highlight,

Hildred said...

A great post Leslie, - so much history associated with Yale and it is a wonderful spot.

Tumblewords: said...

Excellent! I'd like to have been there for the gold pannning. River rafting, not so much. Beautiful photos and wonderful narrative. Yahoo - glad the puter's up!

Paula Scott Molokai Girl Studio said...

Well....I never knew about THIS Yale! How beautiful! Just thinking about riding that gondola over the rapids gives me the eebie jeebies.

Ann, Chen Jie Xue 陈洁雪 said...

Thanks, before reading your post, I only knew yale University.

Reader Wil said...

Your Yale is far more real than mine! Thanks for sharing this beautiful part of the country! I wish I could see it myself!

Shooting Parrots said...

Two million salmon? Yum, yum!

Gigi Ann said...

What a great choice for Y day. I enjoyed my tour, and you made a wonderful tour guide today. Thanks.

Chubskulit Rose said...

Gorgeous place!

My ABC, please come and see.

Kay L. Davies said...

I lived in Ashcroft for seven years, and drove "the canyon" often — somewhere between several and many times a year, LOL — but I never stopped to explore Yale.
Thank you for the lesson, and I'm taking it as something of a reprimand for this gap in my knowledge of my own home province.
— K

Kay, Alberta, Canada
An Unfittie's Guide to Adventurous Travel

ChrisJ said...

I didn't know there was another Yale. Learned something new again!

Shrinky said...

What a beautiful place to visit, (I really must get to Canada one day) but I think I'd pass on the rapids! So glad you are back on-line, I would rather have my teeth drilled than to lose my internet connection.

Alice said...

i like breezy!!

just to say hi from my new space...

hope you know who 'Alice' is...

my nom de plume of here...

a little more freedom to be me...away from watchful eyes and ears...

luv Alice
xxx