Sunday, 16 September 2007

Summer Hols West - Vancouver

Summer Hols West - Vancouver

Time to say goodbye to Victoria and the rest of Vancouver Island, and jump back on the ferry for the mainland.



Ooh look! Another lighthouse.



So into Vancouver we go.
Time for a quick bite to eat before we send Anne, Jacki and Sean back to Australia.



Great views.



The Last Supper...
(Delle obviously didn't get the memo that it was Red Shirt Day.)



Signs work so much better when they have been customised.
Spillage!



The nearby secret Alien base.



And so we bid farewell to Anne, Jacki and Sean.
(We didn't want to spoil the moment with anything so crass as a photograph... Ok, so we didn't take any photos in the airport.)

Anyway, after ditching that lot back to Australia, it was party time! Into Vancouver we go!



Some people put pot plants on their window sills.
This dude keeps his shoes there.



We get to our hotel to be greeted by an Aussie valet, ready to unload our bags and park our car.
I tell you what, Aussies are everywhere here in Canada.

Anyway, the hotel (the Listel) is chock full of art.
These funky sculptures were waiting to greet us in the lobby.



And this lady was standing next to the check in desk.



A quick wander of the surrounds - red punchbuggy!

Saturday, 15 September 2007

Summer Hols West - Sooke

Sooke - Vancouver Island
07-Aug-07
(Shut up - I know I'm really behind, ok?)

So you've all heard the joke about how many surrealists it takes to change a light bulb, right?
The answer, of course, is two - one to set fire to the giraffe and the other to fill the bathtub with brightly coloured farm machinery.

Look what we found in Sooke - the brightly coloured farm machinery!



This eagle sitting on my head is giving me a splitting headache.



Meow!



Hallucinogenic drugs + peroxide bleach = spirit bear.



World's shortest lighthouse.



I don't know how they get the mower up there, but this roof has an immaculate lawn.



Up the creek we go - notice the distinct lack of paddles.
Picnic time.



Skipping rocks.



Anne checks the water.



That is some deep water.



Look at how mirror smooth the water is (just before we skipped rocks across it :-)



Heading back to civilisation...



Of course, we had to take Kangaroo Rd.



Next stop - the Luthor Mansion in Smallville.
Or perhaps Professor Xavier's School for Gifted Youngsters...
(Or, more boringly, historic Hatley Castle, built by the son of the dude that built Craigdarroch Castle.)



Seems that they don't really want visitors (not that it stopped us :-)



"I'm so bored, just sitting here looking at the tourists."



"Ah, stop your complaining!"



Gardens!



Peacock having just left a small deposit...



More gardens!



It seems that being in close proximity to so many mutants and/or kryptonite has mutated some of the surrounding plant life...



A very useful instruction for those that may think their sundial faulty.
"I count only the sunny hours."



AAAARRRRGGGHHHH!

Giant mutant slug!!!!



Run away!!!!



Next stop - Fort Rodd Hill.
We had to sneak in because there was a movie crew here setting up to do some filming.



If they ever need to fire this canon, those trees are so dead.



Fisgard lighthouse.
Not only is it a useful height, but it is actually next to the water, unlike the short one we saw earlier in the day that was surrounded by forest.



Cool - they converted this old building into a glass sided Orca aquarium.



"Please Sean, can I take him home?"

Saturday, 8 September 2007

Summer Hols West - Victoria

Walking down by the harbour in Victoria who did we see but Captain Cook.

Turns out that after his Australian cruise he spent a bit of time navigating and cartographying the western coast of Canada and Alaska.



Cayde and Addie on the tail of the Painted Porpoise.



Princess Ariel fallen on hard times, reduced to busking...



I call this one "Highland Fling with Totem Pole".



Mmm - Bakers Delight (Oops - Cobbs Bread)



She's a lump.



Next stop, the BC Museum of really old stuff.

Beer...



Old school MP3 player?



I wonder how many megapixels this beasty has?



Off we go to find some lunch.

Ooh look - there's another Fairmont :-)
(Complete with alien gravity field affected trees out the front.)





And three wise monkeys?



At least they had beer.



More touring around Victoria.

Emily Carr's house.

According to the sign, it's worth a closer look.




OK then.