CHINESE GARDEN

             A FABULOUS CHINESE GARDEN

Having visited several oriental gardens, I highly recommend  people to make arrangements for a docent. There is so much symbolism that one will miss if touring a garden on your own.

It is good to remember that you can never see all of a Chinese garden from any one place. There is always something in bloom. The doorsteps on the buildings indicate how low one must bow. The higher the step the more important the person, and the lower the bow should be.

The Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Chinese Garden, in Vancouver, British Columbia,  built in 1986,was the first classical Chinese garden in the world built outside of China. It is, without a doubt, one of the finest I’ve ever visited. The brochure told us that the governments of Canada and People’s Republic of China collaborated to create the Ming Dynasty-style garden (1368-1644). Local designers and consultants worked with 52 artisans from Suzhou, the Garden City of China. Four of the 52 workers were cooks.

The docent we met in the formal/reception area  told us, “This garden covers only 1/3 acre here in the busy city, on the edge of Chinatown. All the materials—rocks, wood, lanterns--were shipped from China in 1000 crates. There are no nails or screws used anywhere in the garden. Since this is the first Chinese garden built in a 100 years, it was a training process for the workers. Vegetation could not be brought into Canada so were bought locally..

The scholar’s garden would be a private garden. Scholars were civil servants who were required to take and pass an exam. Scholars worked for the Imperial family and often were sent to distant areas. They would retire after a few years, return home to their family and create gardens to bring nature close to them. Gardens were small, condensed areas, but various methods give the illusion of being much larger.

There are Imperial gardens, such as those at the Summer Palace in China, and public gardens that are near temples.Chinese gardens encompass the use of vegetation, rock, water, and architecture. A surrounding wall is intended to keep the outside out. Rock and water are the center of all gardens.

Our docent told us, “The formal area is always first with buildings on a north-south axis. Water runs on an east-west axis. All gardens involve the five senses---sight, sound, smell, touch, and taste (in the form of tea).”

The formal area of this garden used camphor wood in the ceiling and beams. Even with 15 layers of lacquer  the aroma of the aromatic wood was present.

Perhaps the Chinese were the first recyclers, as they used roof tiles as edging, in stepping stones and broken pieces of rice bowls as the white in rock floor designs.

The docent explained, “These leak windows allow the outside to leak through. Each one has a different geometric design. Plants are not clustered, as we do in many of our gardens, but separated to be fully appreciated and enjoyed.  Camellias,  the symbol of spring, are the first flowers to bloom. Banana represents learning and is found in all gardens. Bamboo represents strength, able to bend without breaking.  Pine represents strength. The flowering plum represents rebirth and purity. Bats mean good fortune.

Standing in one of the rock ‘patios’, pointing out the floor design, she concluded, “Square represents the earth and circles represent heaven. Notice how the rather feminine designs have slowly changed to more masculine designs in these rock patios as we’ve walked through the garden”

The visit to this fabulous garden was one of the highlights of our stay in Vancouver.  

GALAPAGOS ISLANDS

                A FEW WORDS ABOUT THE GALAPAGOS

Once upon a time anyone could sail into the Galapagos, drop anchor, and wander at will. Fortunately for the ecosystem, no one can do that any more. Ecuador has very tight control over the islands. Everyone wishing to visit the islands must check in at Santa Cruz Island, register, pay his fees, and hire a guide for the duration of his stay. The guide sails on the boat and informs the visitor where he may and may not go

Only so many people and so many boats are allowed in the island waters at any one time. All boats have a guide for every fifteen passengers.  Most of the boats are small accommodating between 8-20 passengers.

There only are three large boats with a limit of 60 passengers. All the guides are trained at the Darwin Research Center on the island of Santa Cruz. All life is protected and habitats and nesting areas are off limits.

We are familiar with the word dinghy or zodiac, but in much of the world such a small boat is known as a panga.  With the boat often moving with the wave action, loading the pangas was often a challenge, but the crew was always there to lend a firm helping hand.

It is a 600-mile flight from Quito, Ecuador to Baltra Island in the Galapagos Islands. Baltra has the only runway and the airport is small, open air and as quaint as the Honolulu airport was in the 1950s. At the time of our visit the park fee was $80 that could be paid in either US dollars or Ecuadorian sucre. One dollar equaled 1800 sucre so you can imagine the fist full of sucre I had to pay our $160 fee. I just handed it to the officer and with a smile said, “You can count it.” He did and we were on our way outside.

Once outside, an old school bus transported us to the harbor where all the boats waited new visitors. We loaded a panga and ferried out to our luxury yacht, Reina Sylvia.

There is much to tell about this awesome vacation, its animals and people, but another day.