General Archives ⋆ Page 4 of 45 ⋆ The Passenger

July 3, 2024July 31, 2024

Sailing

Well, the ferry boats between Vancouver and Vancouver Island are powered by natural gas and not by the winds – but nevertheless they speak of sailing between mainland and island. There are different routes but the most important ones seem to be the one going from Tsawwassen south of Vancouver to Swartz Bay (for visiting Victoria) and the one from Departure Bay (a well chosen name) near Nanaimo to Horseshoe Bay; the perfect arrival point for a trip through the Sea-to-Sky community via Squamish up to Whistler.

July 1, 2024August 3, 2024

CAD

Currency of Canada is of course the Canadian Dollar (CAD, $ or C$). It is divided into 100 Cents and exists since 1871 when it became the first uniform currency for all Canadian provinces. There are coins for one and two dollars, as well as cent coins mostly showing wildlife of Canada. The banknotes from five to 100 $ currently show Canadian innovations from elements of the ISS and trains to insulin. The issue is that you’ll probably won’t get to see them as Canada has gone cashless nearly everywhere.

July 1, 2024January 30, 2025

Canada Day

Canada Day is celebrated every year on July 1st to commemorate the founding of the Dominion of Canada in 1867, when the British North America Act (now known as the Constitution Act, 1867) united the colonies of Ontario, Quebec, New Brunswick, and Nova Scotia into one country. Initially called Dominion Day, the holiday marked the birth of Canada as a self-governing nation within the British Empire. The name was officially changed to Canada Day in 1982, following the patriation of the Canadian Constitution. Today, Canada Day is a national holiday that reflects the country’s pride in its history, culture, and diversity.

May 31, 2024June 23, 2024

Pit Stop

Every year the eyes of the world turn to Monaco for the Formula 1 Grand Prix when the fast cars race through the narrow streets of the city and pass along the Casino as well as the Port Hercule. But Monaco as one of those microstates in Europe, fully surrounded by France, is always worth a visit. It is reigned by prince Albert II, became independent from France in 1489, has 40,000 inhabitants (thereof 8,000 citizens) and can be considered one of the safest places in the world with one policeman and -woman per inhabitant.

May 31, 2024June 4, 2024

Respectueux du climat

When I had given myself the mission to visit my hitherto unseen European microstates (Liechtenstein, Monaco, San Marino and Andorra) I immediately thought that this should be possible in an eco-friendly manner. Reaching Liechtenstein with Deutsche Bahn and SNCF was hassle-free, but the trip to Monaco was a very long one with many things that could go wrong. I tried it anyway.

May 16, 2024June 25, 2024

Cruising

Millenium bridge seen from ferry boat, London

Visiting London also means visiting the river Thames. I’ve spent many hours at its riverbank, crossed it endless times via bridges and using the Greenwich foot tunnel. So far I hadn’t taken the opportunity to go by boat on the lifeline of the city which is an easy pleasure: you don’t need to find a commercial tour operator, there are ferry boats that you can use just like any other means of transport. You can just tap in and out with your credit card and it doesn’t cost a fortune.

April 30, 2024January 31, 2025

Rainbow Nation

South Africa is often called the Rainbow Nation to symbolize its diverse cultures, ethnic groups, and religions. The term was popularized by Archbishop Desmond Tutu after the end of apartheid in 1994, reflecting the country’s transition to a multiracial democracy under Nelson Mandela. The ‘rainbow‘ represents the many different people and traditions coexisting in the country, including Black, White, Colored, Indian, and various indigenous groups such as the Zulu, Xhosa, and Sotho. It also highlights South Africa’s eleven official languages and rich cultural heritage.

April 27, 2024January 30, 2025

Freedom Day

Celebrated on April 27th each year, Freedom Day marks the historic day in 1994 when South Africa held its first democratic elections, which were open to all citizens, regardless of race. This day symbolizes the end of decades of Apartheid rule, a system of institutionalized racial segregation and discrimination that had deeply divided the nation. The elections on Freedom Day were a turning point in South Africa’s history, leading to the election of Nelson Mandela as the country’s first Black president.

April 20, 2024January 31, 2025

Mother city

Cape Town, one of South Africa’s most iconic cities, has a rich history shaped by its strategic location at the southern tip of the African continent. The area was originally inhabited by indigenous groups, including the Khoisan people, before the arrival of Europeans. In 1652, the Dutch East India Company established a refreshment station at the Cape of Good Hope, led by Jan van Riebeeck. This marked the beginning of European colonization in South Africa. As Cape Town is the place of the first European settlements, it is also called the ‘Mother city‘.

April 17, 2024May 20, 2024

Rand

Traveling the touristy areas of South Africa means that you can pay everywhere by credit card and you don’t need cash (except for tipping and car park guardians) – that’s nice, but you would miss out the beautiful South African banknotes decorated with different animals and having Nelson Mandela on every single one of them. It is in use since 1961 when South Africa changed its status from being a British Dominion to a fully independent republic.