Now for something completely different

[lyndarra]

We saw a moose this morning near the Denali Visitors centre. It was crossing the railway tracks and was following a popular walking track. We were in a bus at the time but couldn't stop for photos as it, the bus, would have been on the tracks.

Edited June 14, 2023 by lyndarra

[MMDown Under]

6 minutes ago, lyndarra said:

We saw a moose this morning near the Denali Visitors centre. It was crossing the railway tracks and was following a popular walking track. We were in a bus at the time but couldn't stop for photos as it, the bus, would have been on the tracks.

We came across a big Moose on the way back to Jasper.  We got a ride to the start of the walk, so couldn't turn back.  So we continued on, with our hearts in our mouths.  We just hoped it didn't have a baby on the other side of the track.  It didn't move!

[MMDown Under]

9 hours ago, MMDown Under said:

I don't think she died from a bear.  No suspicious circumstances.  

I have seen people out of their vehicles taking photos of animals in Canada.  I was tempted by a moose, but we drove off when he came towards our vehicle.  I later saw photos of damage done to vehicles by moose.

Julia-Mary Lane's body was found. She appears to have slipped and fell on steep terrain.

Sadly, she had sought walking companions for the walk on line. 

[Blackduck59]

I just got off the phone with Lyndon, we're going to pick him up at his hotel and spend the day with him. The interesting thing will be that we will all be tourists. I rarely go to the mainland and even less often into downtown Vancouver. Lynn grew up in Vancouver but has been here in Victoria for 23 years. Hopefully we don't get too lost and can get him to the airport without any aggravation. After we drop him off it's an easy route to the ferry and we will be on the 1900 hrs. sailing.

We will be sure to get a photo.

[MMDown Under]

6 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I just got off the phone with Lyndon, we're going to pick him up at his hotel and spend the day with him. The interesting thing will be that we will all be tourists. I rarely go to the mainland and even less often into downtown Vancouver. Lynn grew up in Vancouver but has been here in Victoria for 23 years. Hopefully we don't get too lost and can get him to the airport without any aggravation. After we drop him off it's an easy route to the ferry and we will be on the 1900 hrs. sailing.

We will be sure to get a photo.

Hope you all have a wonderful day together, being tourists.  It is a walkers paradise with lots to see and do.  Hope you have good weather. 

[NSWP]

9 minutes ago, Blackduck59 said:

I just got off the phone with Lyndon, we're going to pick him up at his hotel and spend the day with him. The interesting thing will be that we will all be tourists. I rarely go to the mainland and even less often into downtown Vancouver. Lynn grew up in Vancouver but has been here in Victoria for 23 years. Hopefully we don't get too lost and can get him to the airport without any aggravation. After we drop him off it's an easy route to the ferry and we will be on the 1900 hrs. sailing.

We will be sure to get a photo.

Great work Lyle, the police museum in Gastown is worth a visit, I enjoyed it. Granville Island perhaps? That is good too.

Have a great day.

[MMDown Under]

1 minute ago, NSWP said:

Great work Lyle, the police museum in Gastown is worth a visit, I enjoyed it. Granville Island perhaps? That is good too.

Have a great day.

Things you remember.  I remember the steam clock and the lights in Gastown.  I can imagine you would enjoy a police museum.  I didn't know there was one.  You'll have to have poutine.

[Blackduck59]

Lyndon was at Granville Island today. We have reservations for lunch at the Stanley Park Brewpub. After lunch we can continue the drive around the park. Unfortunately the sea wall was severely damaged in a storm almost 2 years ago. Repairs will take some time so that popular walk is not available. We're going to take him over the Lions Gate Bridge to the north shore for a quick look. After that it will be back over the bridge and hopefully we can find parking at English Bay. 

I had poutine with my take away burger for supper today. It was okay but it was a fast food place.

There are a couple of places here that are owned by Quebecois that make outstanding poutine. We will be trying poutine when we are in Quebec in September.

[Aussieflyer]

3 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I just got off the phone with Lyndon, we're going to pick him up at his hotel and spend the day with him. The interesting thing will be that we will all be tourists. I rarely go to the mainland and even less often into downtown Vancouver. Lynn grew up in Vancouver but has been here in Victoria for 23 years. Hopefully we don't get too lost and can get him to the airport without any aggravation. After we drop him off it's an easy route to the ferry and we will be on the 1900 hrs. sailing.

We will be sure to get a photo.

Have a wonderful day - look forward to hearing (reading) about it. 

[possum52]

1 hour ago, Blackduck59 said:

Lyndon was at Granville Island today. We have reservations for lunch at the Stanley Park Brewpub. After lunch we can continue the drive around the park. Unfortunately the sea wall was severely damaged in a storm almost 2 years ago. Repairs will take some time so that popular walk is not available. We're going to take him over the Lions Gate Bridge to the north shore for a quick look. After that it will be back over the bridge and hopefully we can find parking at English Bay. 

I had poutine with my take away burger for supper today. It was okay but it was a fast food place.

There are a couple of places here that are owned by Quebecois that make outstanding poutine. We will be trying poutine when we are in Quebec in September.

I hope you all enjoy your day together.

[NSWP]

4 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

Lyndon was at Granville Island today. We have reservations for lunch at the Stanley Park Brewpub. After lunch we can continue the drive around the park. Unfortunately the sea wall was severely damaged in a storm almost 2 years ago. Repairs will take some time so that popular walk is not available. We're going to take him over the Lions Gate Bridge to the north shore for a quick look. After that it will be back over the bridge and hopefully we can find parking at English Bay. 

I had poutine with my take away burger for supper today. It was okay but it was a fast food place.

There are a couple of places here that are owned by Quebecois that make outstanding poutine. We will be trying poutine when we are in Quebec in September.

Brewpub sounds good Lyle. Stanley Park is great, totem poles and all. Really good of you to host our Aussies. Perhaps one day it will be reciprocal. Cheers.

[Blackduck59]

We spent a nice day with Lyndon. We had a nice lunch at the brew house then went on a scenic drive. Of course there were several times we didn't know exactly where we were, but that was all part of the fun.

[MMDown Under]

4 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

We spent a nice day with Lyndon. We had a nice lunch at the brew house then went on a scenic drive. Of course there were several times we didn't know exactly where we were, but that was all part of the fun.

Pleased to hear you had a nice day with Lyndon, and had fun finding your way around.

[Blackduck59]

I had a look at the few photos we took and they aren't very good so I won't post them.

It was so nice to meet a person with someone who we have met through CC and we had a nice visit.

[MMDown Under]

French firefighters say Quebec fires are unbeatable. 

Times

[MMDown Under]

6 hours ago, Blackduck59 said:

I had a look at the few photos we took and they aren't very good so I won't post them.

It was so nice to meet a person with someone who we have met through CC and we had a nice visit.

Yes it is nice to meet someone who you "know" from Cruise Critic.

[lyndarra]

G'day all. I got back this morning. I spent a very pleasant day touring Vancouver with Lyle and his delightful wife Lynne. Lyle is as nice a bloke in the flesh as he is on CC.

As Lyle mentioned we had a nice lunch. Mine was washed down with, IIRC, a peach IPA. We had a coffee stop (hot chocolate for Lyle) in the afternoon at a popular but nice waterside coffee shop before they dropped me at the airport. Wonderful to experience of XCanadian hospitality (sorry, I have trouble remembering names of places).

 

[Blackduck59]

We did take the opportunity to show Lyndon a plethora of bridges. The original plan had us taking the Lions Gate north and coming back via the same bridge. Unfortunately the Lions Gate was packed south bound. So adapting to that we went to The Iron Worker's Memorial Bridge. Then we had to get across the Fraser River to get to the airport, each successive bridge was packed so finally we ran out of bridges and had to take the last option. Safely on the same side of the river as the airport we took the opportunity to go to a small village at the sea side called Steveston, spot prawns were in season but we passed on that and had some hot beverages and enjoyed some good conversation before we had to get Lyndon to the Airport and us to the ferry terminal.

Cheers Lyndon

Lyle & Lynn

[NSWP]

Come on Lyle give us a pic, no matter how ugly, lol.

[OzKiwiJJ]

Great to hear you had an enjoyable get-together Lyndon and Lyle. 

 

We're going to have to arrange a huge get-together (or two or three) when Lyle and Lynn finally make it to Australia.

Edited June 19, 2023 by OzKiwiJJ

[Mareblu]

4 minutes ago, OzKiwiJJ said:

Great to hear you had an enjoyable get-together Lyndon and Lyle. 

 

We're going to have to arrange a huge get-together (or two or three) when Lyle and Lynn finally make it to Australia.

We’re in😀

[NSWP]

On 6/19/2023 at 9:17 PM, Mareblu said:

We’re in😀

Good idea. FYI, old Donegans, Zero Bar and Grill, closed up yesterday. Went bust, too much debt I am told.

[Aussieflyer]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Good idea. FYI, old Donegans, Zero Bar and Grill, closed up yesterday. Went bust, too much debt I am told.

Sad to hear - not good when a business is forced to close

[Mareblu]

1 hour ago, NSWP said:

Good idea. FYI, old Donegans, Zero Bar and Grill, closed up yesterday. Went bust, too much debt I am told.

Sorry to hear that Les, but no surprise.  Our Irish boys thrived all those many years because they set a brilliant standard, and maintained it.  We truly miss Donegans😔 

[Mareblu]

Newfoundland, on beautiful Canada’s opposite edge to Lisle’s Vancouver Island, has been in my thoughts and prayers all week.  We all waited and hoped in vain, as it came to pass, for a miracle happy ending for the occupants of the missing Titanic submersible.  During those days, one of our granddaughters was flying from LA to London.  Her flight was diverted over a higher polar route, as searching military occupied the skies over Newfoundland.  Then, for a truly enjoyable and uplifting experience, my daughter and I joined a packed Canberra Theatre for a performance of Come From Away, the acclaimed musical set in Newfoundland’s Gander, a town of amazing people who hosted countless passengers of the planes diverted from American skies during the Twin Towers tragic emergency.  Beautiful voices, wonderful music, and poignant moments of deep reflection.  We absolutely loved it.  One reviewer suggested travel agents should be ready for heavy bookings for Newfoundland.  Catch it if you can, although I fear the Australian season may be closing soon.