It was the beautiful Butchart Gardens that drew us to Victoria on Vancouver Island. Be sure to stop at Rainbow Bakery inside the Dragon City Mall to sample the divine Hongkong egg tarts and other Chinese pastries.
Pro Tip: We love to eat at Silver Dragon Restaurant, where a long line of people usually waits to get amazing dim sums. North of Centre Street, a “second” Chinatown has emerged out of Asian-inspired businesses. The beautiful Chinese Cultural Center, the biggest such facility in North America, is styled after the Temple of Heaven, which is a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Beijing. In 1883, many of the Chinese who worked on the Canadian Pacific Railway settled in Calgary after it was completed. My third and middle daughter chose to settle in Calgary, Alberta, so we have also explored the Calgary Chinatown on Centre Street. Calgary Chinatown along Centre StreetPhoto credit: Jeff Whyte / 7.
