Summer in Vancouver, BC, 2016, was filled with family, old friends, sightseeing, celebrations and biking. Arriving on July 15, staying at Eagle Wind RV Park, until Sept 15. We spent some time with Bob’s brother Ted and his wife Marg along with Bob’s sister Linda. We re-acquainted with Bob’s old girlfriend from high school, Marg and Don Sheperd, We had a great dinner together at the Granville Island Hotel and went to the Comedy Club near by. Enjoyed a mini Prince of Wales High School Reunion, organized by Ralph White, and what an amazing group of friends to come in such short notice. We had several wonderful biking trips with Ralph White and friends throughout the lower Mainland, and across the border. Culminating in the Tour de Whatcom, a 60 km bike ride around Bellingham, WA. Enjoyed a few beers with my brother, John, Lisa and Toby before leaving Vancouver. Click on thumbnail to view images
Our stay in BC
August 14, 2016, is a very special day for Bob, as he turns 70 years young. I made reservations at the Wickaninnish Inn, in Tofino, for his celebration. We drove over to Parksville on Vancouver Island and stayed at my brothers place, Limoncello, for the night. The next day we went to French Creek to visit the church where we were married, 45 years ago on August 21, 1971. St Anne’s Church has quite a history, completed on July 26th, 1894, it is the oldest Anglican church in western Canada with an active parish. Nowadays it is in use from spring to late fall and closed in the winter, because of costs to heat the old structure. We were fortunate to visit on a Sunday just before the service started and we took a sneak peek inside the church. What wonderful memories!!!! Then on to Tofino, on the west coast of Vancouver Island, stopping at Coombs Old Country Market, established in 1973, where the goats still hang out on the sod-roof, and has become the most famous sod-roof building in the world. We had lunch at the new Cuckoo Restaurant in Coombs, fabulous food and drinks. Then on to Ucluelet, where we stopped in a small coffee shop, and continued on to the Wickaninnish Inn, located on beautiful Chesterman Beach. We were too early to check into our room so we took a walk along the beach, where we watched surfers riding the waves, and walked the length of the beach and back. We celebrated Bob’s 70th birthday at the Pointe Restaurant with a 240 degree view of the Pacific Ocean, and amazing food and service. We highly recommend coming here for a special experience.
The next day we went to Hot Springs Cove located in Maquinna Provincial Park by boat from Jamie’s Whaling Station. It is only accessible by boat or float plane. We saw plenty of wildlife on the trip there including bald eagles, sea lions and sea otters. When we arrived at Hot Springs Cove, we walked along the very long boardwalk, that winds through some incredible forest for just under 1.2 miles. The boards of the boardwalk are carved with the names of ships that have visited the park, interesting names. We clambered over the rocks to get to several pools, that decrease in temperature the closer you get to the ocean. From the waterfall splashing into the pools, to the trees towering on the cliffs all around, to the view of the ocean and wide, open sky above….it is truly a magical hot spring! We were sad to leave but our trip back by float plane was worth leaving this place. It’s an hour by boat or 20-minute flight by float plane back to Tofino, and we opted for the plane, best decision ever. The views from the plane, we were the only passengers, through the islands of Clayoquot Sound and the mountainous coastline were out-of-this-world spectacular. What a great day, and we get to enjoy one more night at the Inn. Click on thumbnail to view images
Birthday and Anniversary trip to Tofino
Salt Spring and Gulf Islands
Our stay in Vancouver is not complete without a visit to Salt Spring Island to see my sister, Sue and Denis. It’s such a fun island and there is so much to do, we played pickle ball with the locals, we played golf, we paddle boarded in the bay, and did a day bike trip to Mayne Island and Pender Island by ferry. Sue and Denis are great hosts, and make us feel at home in their place. Click on thumbnail to view images
Dinner at Joe and Lynn’s
We had a wonderful reunion with Alex and Karen Currie, and Joe and Lynn Gray at their fabulous home looking out over False Creek and the city of Vancouver. Lynn cooked an amazing dinner that we enjoyed eating out on their huge deck. As we watched the beautiful sun set over the mountains, the lights of the city shone brightly. Love your home and your wonderful hospitality. Click on thumbnail to view images
Trip to Squamish with Pat and Harry
Our friends Pat and Harry Koehler, from Calgary, came to Vancouver and we went on a day trip to Squamish. We left Vancouver early, and drove up the beautiful Sea-to-Sky Highway on Howe Sound, for the hour drive to Squamish in order to be ahead of the crowds at the Sea to Sky Gondola. “A Journey Like No Other”, we started our adventure with a 10 minute gondola ride to 885m (2,903 ft) above sea level to the summit with sweeping views of Howe Sound, the majestic coastal forest and surrounding mountains, and the famous Squamish Chief climbing area. At the top we took the spectacular Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge, and walked the trails with cantilevered viewing platforms. The sun was shining brightly all day and we stopped for a drink on the deck marveling at the scenery surrounding us. After coming down the gondola we drove into Squamish for a delicious lunch at the Howe Sound Brewery. Harry and Bob, both Engineers, wanted to tour the Britannia Mine and Museum in Britannia Beach on our way back to Vancouver. We took the whole tour which was really interesting even if you aren’t engineers. The 20 storey building, a gravity fed concentrator for ore processing, was designated as a National Historic Site of Canada in 1987. In the 1920’s and 1930’s it constituted one of the largest mining operations in Canada. We took a train ride through an historic haulage tunnel, driven in 1914 to transport ore from the original mill buildings to the shore. It was the site for many feature films and TV shows, most notably Scooby-Doo 2 and The X-Files. Click on thumbnail to view images
Trip up Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain, an iconic mountain on the north shore of Vancouver, located 15 minutes from downtown Vancouver, where we went skiing as kids, and took the chairlift up in the summer to eat at the restaurant. It was time to revisit this mountain, but now you can either hike up the Grouse Grind or take the Grouse Mountain Super Skyride. We choose the Skyride this time so we could enjoy all the amenities and shows on the summit. We saw the World Famous Lumberjack Show, Birds in Motion Demonstration, and the Grizzly Bear Habitat. We had dinner in the Altitudes Bistro, where we watched the sun set over the city and the lights of Vancouver sparkle in the distance. Great way to complete our trip to Vancouver. Click on thumbnail to view images
