Vancouver, Breanne, Gerry and baby Soraya.

Vancouver CBD - you can see Whistler skifields in the background

Arriving back in Vancouver after 2 days in Seattle we knew we only had 2.5 days to explore that area of British  Columbia..come on Gerald no time to waste!



Granville Island Public Markets


Granville Island was our first destination. It was pouring but considering we had not a drop for the previous 2 weeks me thinks we will not complain.

We caught a ferry from Yale Town across False Creek and alighted at Granville Island.
Sorry Luke - Victoria Markets in Melbourne have been pipped at the post by these fantastic local produce and maritme (seafood) markets, bakers stalls, delicatessans, brewery and arts and craft delights as now the best we have ever seen.

Granville Island Bridge view from the Keg.





Half the lake was frozen - some ducks are swimming the others standing on ice.


We bought treasures from the delicatessan as we couldn't really take fruit and vege home...but we could consume some local produce back at our digs at Bre (Bev & Danny's daughter) & Gerry's in Surrey.

The treasures were blue cheese (Ciel de Charlevoix ), a tub of fresh crab meat from The Lobster Man which had over 25,000 gallons of salt water in big blue tanks full of Nova Scotia Lobster, Queen Charlotte Dungeness Crab , Alaskan King Crab, Manila Clams, P.E.I. and Pacific Golden Mussels, Swimming Pink Scallops, and Oysters from around the world! (I will die happy after this crabmeat alone), Hungarian sausage, PHEASANT turine, Okra chips et une baguette avec un bouteille de vin rouge...oh lala.

We were also able to source the maple Syrop Luke requested along with a surprise for him from these markets..let's see if he reads this blog :-).

We pretty much just went back to Bre & Gerry's after Granville as I was exhausted having travelled back from Seattle that morning and going straight to Vancouver CBD.



L & G with Breanne, Soraya & Gerry

Arriving at Breanne & Gerry's on Wednesday night 5/01/2011 we were greeted by a truly picturesque suburb called Surrey within Vancouver, still alit by Christmas lights and decorations. Their house is a beautiful large home with a basement just like most houses in Canada. This doubles your opportunities (Mancave, extra bedrooms, guest room etc.) We were so lucky again to be welcomed into this family's home. They have a 9 month old, Soraya. The MOST happy, placid, smiley baby we have seen in a LONG time. We will miss them all very much.

Soraya all rugged up for the trip into town.

Thursday they drove us to Stanley Park on the edge of town overlooking the river and out to the ocean( it is bigger than Central Park in NY), Gastown - a funky trendy part of town - for more details please go to http://www.gastown.org/history/index.html, The Art Museum (it was closed - doh) and back home for some pesto pasta later that night. Once again the rain had set in so we did a lot of running between shops etc.

Vancouver CBD from Stanley Park

Totem Poles on Stanley park ackowledging the Native Indian heritage

View from Stanley Park

Stanley Park



The Steam Clock in Gas Town that puffs smoke, bellows & tolls every 15 minutes



Gas Town Square



Yum Smoked Buffalo Rib (one) - tough but tasty!

Downtown Vancouver

Central Railway Station



Looking from CBD across to the Bay with skifields above



Skifields lit up at night

Friday was our last day in Vancouver. Gerry had to work (they are both Pharmacists) but we were to meet them near the airport at 6pm for dinner and they would bring all our luggage so we could could traipse around town on our own that day.
We were spoilt again by their generousity with this guesture alone (thank you guys we appreciate it very much).

We headed back to Gastown on Friday to take more pictures as it is very intersting.

Gas Town at Dusk





Gas Town at Night

Steam Clock Square at night when the lights on the building behind change colour

We also headed to the body works display. For details please go to http://www.scienceworld.ca/bodyworlds. It will be worth your trouble - it was awesome! WOW it was so intersting to see the cadavers up close when I had only seen it on TV before.

Bre & Gerry dropped us off at the airport for our flight to Taipei. Goodbye Vancouver - Goodbye Cananda. I was ill informed before the trip - I am now much wiser about this beautiful, safe, hospitable, intelligent place. It will always hold a special place in ours hearts.

We did not get to see Vancouver Island and Victoria so we definitely have unfinished business in BC!

Todd the War Veteran, Seattle and the vibrating suitcase.

Canada / US Border

The 1.5 hour line up at the border

Our hire car is the Black VOLVO S40 with heated seats noice!

  
After arriving in Vancouver airport on Monday 3/12/11 from Ponoka I went to collect the luggage and G went to sort out the hire car. As the first suitcase dropped off the conveyer belt I noticed it was vibrating ever so softly. If anyone else noticed this it could be embarrassing. I was alone and I had to wait till all 4 bags dropped till I could go to a quiet place to turn the darn thing off. 
Thank you Danny for my leopard skin, vibrating traveling head & neck rest :-) 
We then collected our hire car & drove straight to Seattle via the  Canada / USA Border...we thought we had correct visas- I mean our travel agent in Sydney sent us the link..we filled in the forms..paid the $30 and printed out our visas to the US..wrong! After waiting at the Canada / US border in the car line for 1.5 hours we were told our visas were only for incoming via air or sea,,,we were in a car. DOH - off to the border security to fill in our forms, paid the US$12 and took off. The visas are good for 3 months but we wont be back to use them.Arriving in Seattle we checked into the Remada Hotel - it has a good name in Australia -but it is mediocre in USA! It didn't matter as we dropped off our bags and went downtown as quick as a wink - woo hoo Seattle what do you have to offer???Our tummies were rumbling so we checked out a sidewalk menu at a pub...a guy came up behind us and asked us where our accents were from..I asked him to guess and he got it in one. He was so excited he said he wanted to buy us a drink as he was considering moving to Melbourne and wanted our opinions on living in Oz.
As it turned out he didn't want our opinions. 4 hours later he just wanted to listen to his own voice and he wanted us to agree with his anti American, anti Canadian, anti War, anti taxes, anti everything ideas. If you are to believe Todd the War Veteran - he has 2 degrees and wanted to complete a masters then set off for either Melbourne or Buenos Aires. (We were steering him in the direction of BA by this stage). It was rather amusing for us and I quite enjoyed taking the mickey out of him at every opportunity. That is why we put up with up him for that length of time.

Todd the War Vet & G

Seattle by night.

He bought us dinner and our drinks and insisted on taking us on a tour of Seattle at 10 pm. Off we set. He took us to a well known market place, an alley with walls plastered with chewing gum and a fab pub. At the pub the waitress said to me on the quiet that he was getting a bit familiar with us...I started to worry and tried to figure out how to pry Gerald away from this twat without insulting him. I feigned sleep deprivation, told G I needed to go back to the hotel and tried to end the night. Todd said he wanted to walk us to the hotel (DOH!). 

Chewing gum wall in Post alley

Chewing gum up close.

When we approached a carpark near the hotel I bade him goodnight and he actually took the hint. As we walked off (it was 11:30 pm) I said to G that I dare not look back incase he is behind us. As it turned out Todd was harmless and was nowhere to be seen again. PHEW!We did appreciate how he showed us Seattle the night before though and we went back to the same places in daylight the next day. We went to Pikes Place Market, Post Alley and many other fabulous trendy, bohemian and interesting sites that Seattle has to offer.

Seattle Art Museum

24 stinky cheeses to choose from - what a dilemma! 

After checking out of the Ramada the next day and into the WARWICK for our 2nd night we went to or room, opened the curtains and HOLY CRAP - the Space Needle Tower (Sleepless in Seattle tower) was there right in front of the hotel. COOL!

A room with a view!

Space Needle.

Leaving Seattle we drove back to Canada via the same border but this time it very easy.
Bye Bye USA...Vancouver here we come.

Ice Fishing, Gull Lake, Ice Hockey & The Last Supper.

The road to Gull Lake

Sadly today was our last with Danny & Bev. Danny made sure that we would not forget it though...please read on as our adventure in Alberta continues.

It all began with a bowl of muesli & yogurt - no big deal...by 10am we were in the car heading of to Gull Lake. The only thing left on Gerald's "to do" list was Ice Fishing & Danny was on a mission. Danny had not been to Gull lake for a while so we kinda found our way and got there eventually. And boy was the road to Gull Lake beautiful with the fresh snow.

As we drove ONTO the lake I said a quiet prayer (not really). I had skated on lakes before. I had been in a boat on a lake before but NEVER on a frozen lake in a CAR before! I really hoped Danny knew what he was doing. As I looked around I saw in the distance a lot of large utes on the lake and began to relax as they were much heavier than us.

Lots of large utes on Gull Lake Ice Fishing

We stopped and Danny got out and started waving his hands at Skidoo's far in the distance..okay Danny what are you doing? He got back in the car and 2 minutes later 2 skidoos stopped in front of our (bogged in the snow) car. Danny gets out again and chats to them. He soon returns back to us in the car and asks us if we would like a spin on the skidoos - Hell Yeah!

Gerald & Lindy riding pillion behind  Barb & Mike from Calgary.

We are advised to hold on tight.

Holding on tight!

Are you ready Lindy?

Well I thought I was appropriately dressed for this but where was a scarf when I needed it - OMG I thought my cheeks were going to snap off!

We went quiet a distance in quite a short time!

Heading back.

I think G liked it!

I loved it :-)

Danny did not know these people - he just knew a cool trick of scabbing a free ride. Good one Danny.
We then drove on in search of some Ice Fishermen. We soon saw this cute little hut being positioned on the ice by a young couple.

Ice hut

 Danny didn't want to disturb them as they were just setting up so we drove on in search of someone we could ask for a look at their Ice Fishing hut. Danny spots an old hut and goes to ask if we can come in. Blow me down he knows them. Ponoka is a small town :-)

Elton gets out of his hut and let's Gerald & me go in. His Son Rory stays in the hut and tells all about Ice Fishing. 30 minutes pass and no fish..Danny calls out that Elton is getting cold and wants to get back into his warm hut. We bid Rory farewell and thank him for his time. The batteries die on the camera and I don't get a photo of the holes they have cut into the 45cm thick ice where they have thrown their lines into but I got a short video of our approach to the hut.


The car is bogged so G & I push it back onto the old used snow trail...we set off home as Danny has to umpire an Ice Hockey Game in Ponoka from 1pm - 3pm.

G watching Ice Hockey

G & Bev

Danny umpiring a local game. Red Deer V Ponoka. Ponoka won 2-1

 Tea tonight is a bbq- a bbq in the snow. These people are mad I mean tuff!

A Rum always warms one up.

Cheers boys!

Our last supper with the Barons.

The evening is capped of with T- Bone Steak, red wine (or Rum & Coke if your name is Danny Baron & Gerald Torno) and great company.
WOW what else could we have packed into today - I don't want to know because I have to pack :-), we are off to Seattle tomorrow via Vancouver.
Thank you both for a truly fantastic 12 days. There is blog just on the Barons to follow stay tuned!