The BC Experience

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With Whistler's ski season slowing down and coming to an end, Soph was out of work - there is only so much glass and cuttlery polishing one can do! Adam (Dan's 12 yr old) had finished his racing and as such the family no longer needed his help....

However, the snow was still epic for this time of year (so we were told) and we had our last few powder days during April. The skiing does actually keep going until June on Blackcomb and then up onto the Glacier for the 'Camp of Champions' freestyling this summer.

The Telus Ski and Snowboard festival hit Whistler and gave us a massive last party. There was live music each day and at the bottom of the hill, freestyle competitors and lots of free stuff (which kept Dan very happy!) An evening gig with the Toots & the Maytals (the godfathers of Reggae) was a definite highlight. Dan queued, for a couple of hours, with some friends, but due to the rules in Canada they couldn't just have a few tinnies whilst sitting in the queue (no drinking on the street allowed). So instead it was Vodka and Orange juice out of coffee cups - which somehow seemed to fool the police and was pretty classy!

By a stroke of luck Soph managed to get some tickets for Game 7 of the 1st round of Playoffs in the NHL Western Conference (Ice Hockey) - the Vancouver Cannucks played the Dallas Stars - if this doesn't mean much to you, basically it was a big deal in BC. Since it was Dan's birthday present Soph earned some serious brownie points! The atmosphere in the stadium was awesome and the Cannucks ended up winning 4 -1 (they since lost in the second round to the Annanhiem Ducks :-(...)

Tempted by stories of endless orchards, wineries and hot and dry weather, we hired a car (PT Cruiser - nice!) and drove to the Okanagan. We dropped in on a friend of Soph's (met 6yrs ago in South America), Tyler. He's recently settled in Vernon with his finacee Meghan. Brett (another of Soph's friends from the same time) also came over to stay and catch up with Soph. We drank lots of Beers, played a round of Golf and generally chilled out. We then continued south camping in our new tent, cooking lots of really good (but slightly burnt) food on open fires. We took it easy and only visited 4 wineries, though there must have been 100 to choose from. It was amazing to see the contrast in the landscape between this mountainous semi desert (less the 6 inches of rain per year) and the lush green and really wet west coast that we'd been on before.

Back to our Vancouver 'home' for a night and some laundry - thanks again Margie and Roy! Then it was straight off to Vancouver Island via the stunning ferry ride to Naniamo (see photos). After a night's stop we bussed it to Victoria (BC's capital city) where we did a spot of sightseeing from land & from a kayak. Dan realised just how bossy Soph can be in the kayak. We met up with more of Soph's distant rellies - Great Aunt Cash and her son Steven.

Ferry again, to Seattle. More sightseeing and lots of coffee-drinking. There really is a Starbucks on every block. Dan boshed out 'Smells like Teen Spirit' on the rythym guitar at the funky, modern, interactive, all-singing, all-dancing Experience Music Project.

So yes, we're having lots of fun, and are off to see a little more of the States and family life in Minneapolis with Dan's brother.

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Photos

melting in the valley
golf courses appeared in the valley bottom as the season draws to a close

Cannucks v All Stars
biggest fan out there

when we're 65
we will be golfing... Dan on par in Vernon with Brett (pro) & Tyler. Soph was probably still miles behind, a few metres from the tee.

this one's for me
dan at the mission hill winery, just outside kelowna, looking a bit possessive over that barrel..

Comments

[Henry the jailer]

your barred
Hello! 2 hours for toots is well worth it!! they are amazing. glad you guys are having fun...I had a chat with Mikey mike the other day as I thought, stupidly, that you may be back!! You are very lucky people...I just finished my diss...but still have 3 essays and an exam. I also got on to the masters course in Utrecht...yey...so you must come visit! Have a superwonderful time and keep me posted. News summary: Scotland voted the Nationalists in. A reporter got harrassed for investigating the church of scientology. Jesus is back...and he's only got one arm. Honey bees are dying because of mobile phones and a church group said it was the coming of the apocalypse (if bees are wiped out plants can't pollenate..except olives and grapes that are self polenating) they turn it into an apocolypse story citing revelations!! Victoria and Henry 3rd anniversary and Angus has a wart on his left foot. Love to you both Henryx