Vancouver Adventures... and Beyond

In a few days we head back to visit New Zealand, so we thought we had better have "done something" in case people ask us what Vancouver's like. Saying that everything seemed great within the 20-block radius of our house didn't seem like it would meet everyone's expectations!

Since our last blog we have had a busy social calendar that has included some sight-seeing. We probably waited until the right time because the rain has cleared in the last two weeks (at last!) and we have had some beautiful days of sunshine and spring flowers - great weather to explore two of the top tourist attractions in Vancouver: Capilano Suspension Bridge and Stanley Park, and also to venture "south of the border".

Capilano Bridge spans the Capilano Valley in North Vancouver. Once you cross the swaying bridge (from the east side, where there is a cafe and souvenir shop) you enter the fir and pine forest, where shady paths meander through the trees and you can find lookout points across the valley. We also enjoyed the Treetops walk, a pathway of (not-so-wobbly) suspension bridges between the trees about 15 metres above the ground. We took plenty of pictures so you can check them out by clicking the 'web album' link on the right-hand side of this page. You'll also spot our friends, Claire and April, in the photos because April was kind enough to drive us all out there. Thanks April!

A few days later April, Claire and Holly joined us to explore Stanley Park, a forested park right next to downtown Vancouver. We wandered around Lost Lagoon (spot the turtles, racoon and squirrels in our photos via the link), went through the rhododendron garden, past the playground (via the kiosk for refreshments) and then took one of the many trails through the forest, stopping at the rose garden, close to where we had started. It was a lovely afternoon... and we were very tired by the time we finished!

Last Monday, Fay ( a fellow Kiwi who goes to our church) invited us to the U.S. for the day, as she wanted some company when she drove down for a music lesson. It was great to go beyond the rolling plateaus of Vancouver, out past Delta (aptly named!) and, after a wait, cross the border to Bellingham, in the state of Washington. Here is a picture of the Peace Arch at the border crossing. Fay dropped us at a rather large mall while she went to her lesson. The weather was beautiful so we took some pictures of the mountains in both countries. We had lunch, spent a student-sized portion of money, and then made our way back to Canada. We crossed the border quickly (compared to the earlier crossing!) and joined the evening traffic back into Vancouver. Another busy day.

The next day we helped Holly to repaint her kitchen, living area and hallway (along with some other friends) in preparation for the arrival of her new housemates. We definitely earned all the cookies and yummy lunch Holly provided. We also discovered some muscles we'd forgotten we had! It was a fun day and the results looked pretty good (in our humble opinions!)

Since exams we've also had a bunch of smaller get-togethers with friends: watching the Cricket World Cup (abysmal!); a stamping workshop hosted by Bron's friend, Jodie; a fabric-hunting trek with Holly; dinner with Kev & Esther, and Fay, Bruce, Samuel & Andrew (with a visit to the gorgeous Queen Elizabeth Park); some coffee/hot chocolate drinking (with more in the next few days); and the rapid consumption of novels and magazines from the library (now that the textbooks have been put aside for a while).

On Wednesday we'll be winging our way back to New Zealand for 3 months of time with family, work, and catching up with a different set of friends! Now that the temperatures in Vancouver, Wellington and Palmerston North seem to be (on average) about the same now, the adjustment shouldn't be too bad: we don't come from blazing sun to snow drifts this time! And we think we have plenty to share about Vancouver, now that we've ventured beyond the twenty blocks!