Enjoyable visit!

Remember Doug's cousin Dale, and wife Sue, were here from Ottawa area, heading out on an Alaska cruise. Well, they had a great time and said they would go back on another one anytime.

Once they were here and settled, I took them over to my old stomping grounds, North Vancouver. More specifically, Lynn Valley and the amazing Lynn Canyon Park. This park was established in 1912 and started out as 12 acres and has now grown to 617 acres. We were fortunate enough to grow up with it on our back doorstep. Please check it out at: http://lynncanyon.ca

This swinging bridge is pretty high over the water.

We called this the "bum slide". It is never recommended for anyone to

slide down the waterfall. It churns and churns when the water goes over the falls and hits the pool, creating a whirlpool that is nearly impossible to get out of. 

  

There are miles of beautiful trails. They weave you through old growth forest.

Hard to believe that it is actually "second growth" forest as the first 

trees were logged in the 1920's..... 

 

 

Due to the now high traffic numbers, many of the trails have been beaten down quite a bit. The District of North Vancouver has built some boardwalks on some of the hilly sections to aid the visitors. We never had these, we just scampered up and down the trails......   

 

This area is the "swimming area" in what is called 30 Foot. Pretty safe for

swimming although extremely cold and clear water. 

At the top of this picture (where the water looks like it ends), there is a long

cavern that goes up quite a ways. You can swim up there or take the

easy route by going up there with an inner tube.  

 

I was trying to convince Sue that if she jumped in, I would follow her.

She didn't go for it!!

This is the fairly dry (at this time of year) river bed where the pools from 30 Foot empty into. The water flows down stream and crosses under the big swinging bridge we crossed.

The "photographer" getting that good shot on the rocks....

Banana slug - true North Vancouver wildlife (oh, that and bears!!)

 

After heading back up the trail from 30 Foot, we went right past the swinging bridge and kept heading south along the trail until we came to another bridge. We always called it the "wooden bridge". It actually crosses an area called Twin Falls.

 

 

 

 

"Follow the yellow brick road" or in this case, the wooden boardwalk....

 

 

 

Unfortunately, Doug was working but I loved showing off our city to our family. From Lynn Canyon, it was a quick stop at my Mom's for refreshment and then on to a great spot to view our city at Cypress Mountain look out (thanks to Bob and Danna for that idea!!). What a great vantage point. I love this city of ours!!

 

Thanks for the visit!!!

 

After a great dinner out at Crescent Beach in South Surrey at Pelagos Greek Restaurant, it was time (next day) to get them to the airport.

 

Yes, that was an adventure when you take a 2-1/2 year old. Started out playing with Dale at the house and then watching a dump truck dump a whole load of dirt in our lane.....

 

Putting the race car back together.....

 

Dumping that dirt in the lane.

This little guy likes to get right in the middle of things.

Can't have too many opinions on how to get those tickets out!!

Okay, I will just sit on the luggage and wait.....

Tags need to go on the bags.....

Sue and Gus pick out their plane of choice!!

Really, the only proper way to eat Miso soup is with no shirt.....

Time for just one more "touristy" picture

...and then home we went!

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the Day: Logic will get you from A to B. Imagination will take you everywhere. Albert Einstein

Symphony of Fire

We were extremely fortunate to have been invited to enjoy the famous Vancouver fire works tradition of Symphony of Fire this year on a boat!!

A business neighbour of Doug's brother's computer store invited a number of people to enjoy the fireworks from his boat. It is a 42 foot displacement cruiser named "Final Edition". What an evening it was! We met up at the marina in North Vancouver and we all boarded the boat about 7 pm.

We were told we did not have to bring anything to eat or drink as this was totally looked after. Boy, they weren't kidding either. Table chock a block full of appy's to start and later scallops, hamburgers, etc. Oh, and all the beer and wine you wanted. YIKES!! 

Lovely marina.....

Whoa....The Final Edition awaits us!!

This looks a bit serious...

These boat garages are quite something and this boat barely fits!

...and it has an automatic garage door closer too!!

Looking back at Canada Place. Dale & Sue's cruise ship left from here today!

The iconic Vancouver Wharves sulfur pile. My Mom worked here for 25 years in the office.They actually had tourists ask them to build a fence as they felt it wasn't a nice view to see a pile like this. Guess they don't quite understand a working harbour!.

Underneath the Lions Gate Bridge with Stanley Park rising high.

 

Don & Diana.....

Boats are already beginning to gather....

Then the "big guy" came to the party.

The Seaspan Osprey. A tugboat extraordinaire. Was later showing off up in the no-go zone by spraying the water cannons and turning in tight circles. It's huge in comparison

to all the other pleasure craft, even all 42 feet of us!!

 

 

Besides the dashingly good-looking couple, did you notice the moon??

My sis-in-law and me!

Big bro....little bro

Yup, that's how far we were away from the barge. The police boats create a

safety zone, this far away. If anyone goes into it they are there with

sirens blaring instantly to shoo them back.

 

 Here you can see that "zone" where you are not allowed to the left.

 

 

 

 

The fireworks began about 10:00 pm. Tonight's competitor was Brazil. There is music that accompanies the show and if you have a radio, you can simulcast it so it really makes it neat. So, without further commentary from me, here you go!! You can fill in the banging and exploding noises yourselves!

 

 

 

 

Oh, I have many more pictures but I thought I should hold the line on them!!

 

The show went on for quite a long time, maybe 30 minutes. Once the show is over, our host and captain likes to wait about 30 minutes before leaving to allow some of the boat traffic to dissipate. So, during this time, they serve up homemade meringue bowls with fresh whipping cream and berries (....and we have to go home why??) 

Absolutely delicious.....

 

 

Well, if that was the total end of the evening that would have been enough but we were in for a bit more of an adventure. When Sandy went to start his boat, one of the starters on one of the two motors was broken. He had the engine compartment open for at least 30 more minutes trying to fix it and it was not fixable. A job for another day I guess. Luckily, this skilled captain wasn't (.....seemingly) fazed by this development  We motored back to the marina quite a bit slower than we had come out on earlier. Didn't matter to any of us! He parked it right back on a dime (....is that a proper boating term?) in the boat house. I imagine that if the seas had been choppy, it might have been a different matter. 

 

Canada Place lit up and celebrating Vancouver's amazing Gay Pride Week!!

Celebrate!!

 

So that was an evening to remember, that's for sure. Our true and total thanks go out to Dr. Sandy and wife Tammy, for the generous invite to Don & Di. We just got to tag along!! Remember, it's not always what you know, it's WHO you know and luckily we know Don & Di!!

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the Day: Take every chance you get in life because some things only happen once.

A Birthay & Catch-up Time

First and most important is our Happy Birthday wishes to our beautiful daughter, Teagan. You are an amazing woman and we love you more than you could ever know!! Teagan & hubby Shawn are enjoying life in the Kootenay's, running their very successful business there.

Hope your day was amazing....Happy Birthday to you!!

 

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Next up:

 

Welcome to the beautiful West Coast to Doug's cousin Dale and his wife Sue.

 

You may remember them from my post on our trip last year. They live near Ottawa and took us into our nation's capital for a great tour on my birthday. What great memories those were!! Anyway, they are here for a few days on a stop over to their Alaska cruise. Had a couple of nice family dinners with everyone. Looking forward to more visiting and their Alaska stories on their return from the cruise. Love seeing family!!

 

 

 

Hope everyone is enjoying summer fun!

 

Peace....

 

Thought for the Day: The world is changed by your example, not your opinion…...Paulo Coelho