Othello Tunnels

After checking into the motel in Hope on 21 August 2017, we asked the Inn Keeper for places of interest where we could visit before the night fall. She suggested us to visit the Othello Tunnel. We drove straight to the site after locating the destination in the GPS. Though only 9.5Km away, getting there would have been difficult without a GPS.

Othello Tunnels also called Quintette Tunnels are series of man-made openings through mountains of hard rock for laying of railway tracks. After spending more than two hours walking through these tunnels, my conclusion was that the series of tunnels are indeed an engineering marvel. It is hard to comprehend that such a feat was attempted and successfully completed in the early 1900's considering the level of technology then.

These tunnels were part of Kelly Valley Railway's Coquihalla Line built from 1913 to 1916 and formed part of the Canadian Pacific Railway. Altogether, there are 43 bridges and 13 tunnels in this part of the rail line. The rail line climbs from near sea level at Hope to Coquihalla Summit at 3,646ft over a distance of 36 miles (58Km). Part of this runs alongside Coquihalla River.

This rail line proved to be extremely difficult to operate. Rocks, mud and snow slides caused major disruptions to its service. Yet for 48 years, the railway provided freight and passenger service between Kootenays and the coast. In November 1959, heavy rain dealt a crushing blow washing out sections of the Coquihalla Line. The damage was never repaired. Over time, with better road and air travel, Kelly Valley Railway's Coquihalla Line was officially closed in 1961.

Many of the tunnels and original stations were named after characters of Shakespear's Play. The most well known of course is the Othello Tunnel, Some of the route's stations were named as Lear, Portia, Iago, Romeo and Juliet. Many attributed these names to the Engineer, McCulloch (1864-1945), the builder of the railway line because he was known as an avid fan of William Shakespear. Not all agreed to this assertion. Some say that it was Kelly Valley Railway president, James Warren who came up with the names. Yet there is a third source which claims that it was James Warren's daughter who convinced the father to name the stations east of Hope after Shakespearean characters....".

In the end, I believe that such names would add more human flavour to this otherwise cold hard engineering monument!

Entrance to first of four tunnels.

Exiting 1st Tunnel to 2nd Tunnel.

To 2nd Tunnel.

Exiting 2nd Tunnel to 3rd Tunnel.

A favorite place for photo shoot for 
marrying couples.

To 3rd Tunnel.

End of 4th Tunnel.

*************************************************

Return Route

Glimpses of Vancouver

We spent a full day exploring some of the attractions in Vancouver on 19 August 2017. SkyTrain proved to be a convenient public transport system to move around in the city. We also crossed the Burrard Inlet Channel via the SeaBus from the Downtown Waterfront Station to Lonsdale Quay in North Vancouver.

Vancouver by Night.

*************************************************

Many come to Gastown to see and to listen to the Steam Clock. The clock is powered by steam engine and electric motors. At every quarter hours, a whistle chime plays the Westminster Quarters. The clock produces a puff of steam from its top on the hour.

As we strolled along the streets in Chinatown, it was obvious that its charm and vibrancy was ebbing away. Many outlets have stopped operating or relocated to other places. With the older generations slowly disappearing and the emergence of e-marketing or e-business, sustaining the traditional way of doing business is increasingly becoming a major challenge!

Chinatown.

*************************************************

We visited the Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese Garden in Chinatown along Carrall Street. This Garden is claimed to be the first Chinese or "classical" garden built outside of China. Designers are all Canadians but they did consult the Landscape company in Suzhou on the design. Still, it pales in grandeur and authenticity when compared with some of the similar gardens we saw in China. 

Front of Dr. Sun Yat-Sen Classical Chinese
Garden.

Basel Hakka Lutheran Church, Vancouver

My stay in Vancouver which coincided with a Sunday (20 August 2017) allowed me to spend a morning in the church named Basel Hakka Lutheran Church. As the name implies, it is connected to three major components - the Hakka, the Basel Christian Church of Malaysia and the Lutheran Church. The Basel Hakka Lutheran Church was set up by Hakka speaking migrants from Basel Christian Church of Malaysia. Because Basel Church of Malaysia is a member of Lutheran World Federation, I believe the founders had also conveniently added the word Lutheran to make it more inclusive with the Lutheran members.

The first pastor of the Church was Rev. Chong Yuk Kiong who at one time served as the pastor of BCCM KK during the period of 1964 - 1972. He later married Mdm Kong Nyet Yu who was my Primary One Class Teacher in 1958. He was the Chief Pastor of Basel Christian Church of Malaysia while simultaneously serving as the pastor of a Sabah local BCCM church. The post of Chief Pastor was later on changed to Bishop, a title the current head of Basel Christian Church of Malaysia still uses. Upon completing his Chief Pastor post in Basel Church of Malaysia, he and his family moved to Vancouver after being offered the job of full time pastor in Basel Hakka Lutheran Church, Vancouver.

Rev. Chong had passed away quite some time ago and the church has had many pastors since. The present pastor is Rev. Yee Kim Vun who at one time taught in Sabah Theological Seminary.

A family photo of Rev. Chong downloaded 
from the Church website.

Mdm Kong Nyet Yu though at 79 years of age is still very healthy and possessing sharp memory. She could still recall her diminutive student in Primary One back then in 1958. She still has kind words for this particular student when she looked at me in the eyes! But now, her diminutive student has grown and has even surpassed her height. She was just as happy as I was to see each other again after all these years. 

After the church service, she insisted to take us for lunch at a nearby Chinese restaurant. I have known her to be a kind and gentle school teacher. I found out after the lunch that there is another side of toughness that I am not aware of - her strong will and determination. This toughness was clearly evident after the meal when she was having a tussle with her in-law insisting to pay for the bill. In the end, she won. I smiled and acknowledged that she is one little tough lady after all.

I wish her good health in many many more years to come.

Met my Primary One (1958) Class Teacher 

With Rev. Chong's daughter Fui Yen and
SIL George Yong.

My Primary One Class Teacher was
insistent in taking us for lunch after
the church service.
From left: Me, Mdm Kong, Fui Lin, Vun Kai,
my wife, Kah Yen (wife of Rev. Yee),
daughter Ms. Yee,  Rev. Yee Kim Vun 
and Siau Vui Kiew.

Friends in Vancouver

The trip to Canada was meant to catch up with old friends just as much as sight seeing.

The Lo's moved to Vancouver more than twenty five years ago in 1992 when their third child, the only son was barely two years old. Now, that "boy" is a married man!

Taken on 17 August 2017 after the Lo 

family took us for a dinner before 

we left Vancouver for the Rockies.

Right to left: Elaine and Cheryl.

Taken on 11 November 1983 during 

Sam's 1st birthday attended also by the 

Los' and daughter Cheryl (behind Elaine) 

and Elaine (in blue dress)

************************************************

The Chee couple, Frankie and Teresa (husband and wife) were once my classmates in Lok Yuk Secondary School in the 1960's. They moved to Vancouver earlier than the Lo's. The last time we met was in February 2014 when  they went back to KK to spend their Chinese New Year in Sabah (Read here). I had hoped that some of our classmates would take up the suggestion of a reunion in Vancouver, but that had not happened. I did promise the Chee's in the February 2017 gathering that I would visit them one day, which I did!

The Chee's took us to an extraordinary sumptuous Dim Sum. I could never forget this culinary experience because I had never seen such huge size of Siew Mai, Meat Ball etc in all their servings!

The Chee's took us to an extraordinary
sumptuous Dim Sum!

In front of the Chee's residence.

*************************************************

I could not recall when I last saw the Voo's (Daniel and wife Carol). I believe it was in the early 1980's just before they moved to Canada. That's more than three decades ago! But surprisingly, they have not changed much.

Daniel Voo at 2nd from right and wife
Carol at right.

Daniel, Carol and my wife.

Colorized photo.

With Carol at 2nd left taken during the 
Basel Church Central Youth Convention in 

Sandakan probably in 1970

Friend in Vancouver: Leslie

If not because of Leslie Chong's brother in my Church who gave me his address, the meeting with this old friend would not have materialized.

I first got to know Leslie way back in 1971 when I was doing my Upper Six in Sabah College. I, Leslie and three other Upper Six students were selected by Shell Brunei for a scholarship interview in Seria, Brunei. At that time, there were only four schools which offered A Level in Sabah. They are Sabah College, La Salle, All Saints in KK and St Mary in Sandakan. 

For the scholarship, only two among the five would be selected to undergo a Bachelor Degree in Engineering in university in UK

At that time, it was a big thing to be given a chance to fly overseas. I remember I had to make my first passport for my first ever flying experience in an airplane. Seria at that time, was the oil town where Shell Head Office was based. When we landed in Seria, we were taken to their staff quarters, a very nice and well equipped building complex in today standard. The facility was complete with staff canteen and swimming pool, an enviable thing! We felt like being treated as VIP throughout our stay!

In the end, unfortunately or rather fortunately, both I and Leslie Chong were not selected. I said fortunately because had I gone to UK, I would have led a totally different life and would not have met my wife in University of Malaya! 

Leslie eventually went on his own to do a degree in Electrical Engineering. In my case, due to financial difficulty, I had to work for over a year in 1972 before I was offered a scholarship in early 1973 by Borneo Development Corporation to undergo a degree in Civil Engineering in University Malaya. BDC as it is known is a Government-Linked-Company (GLC) jointly owned by the Sabah and Sarawak State Government. In that year, BDC only offered two scholarships for UM degree courses. The other recipient, Vincent Gadalon, a Kadazan was offered to do a degree course in Economics.

For George Chin, a classmate of mine in Sabah College, he was offered the Shell scholarship to do a Civil Engineering degree course in Strathclyde University UK. He eventually returned to work in PWD. He is now living in Adelaide, Australia. Damain Lee, a student from La Salle moved on to become a successful businessman securing a PhD in Business Management later on.

Leslie is still working full time with the Canadian Government. Unfortunately, I did not manage to meet up with his wife during my visit to Vancouver. His wife, a medical doctor by profession attended Sunday worship service in my Church before they moved to Canada. As Leslie told us, his wife had stopped working in her medical profession after moving to Canada.  She is now more occupied by the grand kid.

Leslie took us for Japanese food with the 

Lo's in Kawawa Japanese Restaurant in 

Metropolis Metrotown,Vancouver on 20.08.2017. 

From left: George Chin, Damian Lee,
Leslie Chong & me in Seria, Brunei
- 1971.

Colourized photo.

From left: Me, Another student from La Salle 

whose name I can't remember, George Chin, 

Damain Lee and Leslie Chong taken next 

to the swimming pool of Shell Staff Quarters, 

Seria, Brunei - 1971.

Vancouver Island: Duncan & Chemainus

Duncan, a small town in Vancouver Island is best remembered as a town of  totem poles. One can find totem poles of all shapes and sizes planted in every corner of this town. For a small town with practically nothing to offer, this is a clever way to create something unique to market to tourists.

Totem poles are monumental carvings consisting of poles, posts of pillars carved with symbols or figures. Each pole is carved from a tree and every pole has a story to tell. Totem poles are part of the culture of the indigenous people of Canada. These days, the proper term to address these people is the "First Peoples" or the "First Nations".

*************************************************

Duncan also boasts of having the world's largest hockey stick and puck. It weighs 28.118 tonnes and is 205 feet long. Quite a massive structure!

*************************************************

The story of Chemainus is fairly similar to Duncan. The place first started as a logging town in mid-1800's. Then in 1980's, timber industry experienced a major slump. Chemainus, being a small community was having a tough time to face this recession.

Karl Schutz, originally from Germany came up with the idea of painting murals to re-vitalize the economy of Chemainus. Ten years after he floated the idea, Mayor Graham Bruce finally hired Schutz to carry out his arts economic stimulus project. The first mural was painted in 1981, two years before the sawmill closed. His plan proved successful. Today, Chemainus is painted with more than 40 murals, the vast majority of which depict scenes from the town's history.

Chemainus is a success story. Sometimes, no matter how good an idea one may have, it would remain an idea until someone sees its potential and is ready to finance and help to market it! The Chinese has a phrase for it: Your fortune might change for the better if you meet a noble (貴人)! Karl Schultz found Mayor Graham Bruce!

This painting by Paul Ygartua with images 

of the First Nations faces is considered 

the mural to see first by visitors.

Water Wheel.

*************************************************

In this small town, we found two tiny churches within walking distance to each other. I spent quite a while appreciating the architecture of these tinny buildings.

The Chemainus United Church.

St. Michael & All Angels Anglican Church.

Canadian Salmon

We were taken to Gold Stream Provincial Park soon after visiting Hatley Castle in Vancouver Island. This is one location where visitors would be able to see first hand the annual return run of spawning salmon.

Salmon born in the river head off to the ocean for four years to grow. They then return to the home river to reproduce. Three species of salmon namely Chum, Coho and Chinook return to the Goldstream River to lay eggs on the gravel in the river bed. This phenomenon normally begins in mid October and lasts about nine weeks. We were one month too early and therefore did not manage to see any salmon. 

The only consolation is to walk in the mossy forest and admire the huge trees in this Park. In the end, we have a fair bit of idea of the kind of environment salmon are accustomed to in their return run.

Chum

Coho

Chinook