Lake Cowichan, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Lake Cowichan, Vancouver Island, B.C.
Looking at Lake Cowichan, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Mary, Martin, and Weston down on the banks of Lake Cowichan.
Walking The Path, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
We stopped at Cowichan Lake and then walked the forest walk and floating walkway trail. Very cool and an absolutely gorgeous spot.
Malahat Lookout, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Monday we decided to once again head out to the wilderness. Our first stop, Malahat Lookout. From here you get a pretty great view to the east. Far off in the distance is San Juan Island, Washington, U.S.A.
Mountain Climber, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Weston, enjoying French Beach, Vancouver Island, Canada.
French Beach, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Sunday late afternoon and early evening we took a drive to the western side of Vancouver Island, not too far out of Victoria, to check out a beach. We landed at French Beach. This was Martin, enjoying the quiet and taking in the scene.
Parliament Building, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
The Parliament Building in Victoria, B.C. Quite stunning against the bright blue sky. One of the tour guides fell in love with Weston. She even offered to babysit while we were taking a tour. We didn’t take her up on it, but it was a nice of her… even if she just selfishly wanted to snuggle with our dog.
Culture, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
We wandered around the Victoria harbor on Sunday after getting to town and getting something to eat.
The Empress, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
After getting into Victoria and finding our downtown hotel we decided to walk down to the water (not far from where we were staying) to check out the sights. This is the famous Empress Hotel. We didn’t do the high tea thing (we had Weston with us and even though he’s cute and quite the little gentleman, we didn’t think he’d be allowed), but we did get some great shots of it, both day and night. Very cool place.
The Georgia Strait, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
On Sunday, June 22, we took the ferry from Vancouver, B.C. to Victoria, B.C across the Georgia Strait. It’s was a beautiful ride and the weather was amazing. We hung out on the deck throughout the journey, which lasted about an hour and a half. Just gorgeous.
The Bagpiper, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
At yet another stop in Stanley Park last Saturday, June 21, we encountered this man, in full regalia, who apparently just wanted to come hang out in the park and practice piping. Or, he might have been from a nearby very upscale restaurant where a wedding was obviously about to take place. Either way, he had a nice face and looked good in his outfit.
Siwash Rock, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
After we got down to beach level and walked briefly on the beach we then ventured around on the path around the edge of the water. This is a photo of Siwash Rock, a famous rock outcropping along the way.
Looking Out to Sea, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
We walked down to the beach from Prospect Point. This was taken as we walked along the path.
Prospect Point, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Another spot in Stanley Park called Prospect Point. We parked near where I took this one and then went on a mini walk about over the hills, through the woods, on the beach, around the bend, and back over the hill. It was gorgeous, every bit of it.
The Harbor, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Our next stop on Saturday was Stanley Park. It’s the third largest park in North America and it’s beautiful. Many places to walk, loads of artists set up and drawing/painting and selling their art, a great aquarium, and fantastic views. We stopped here first. Karen and I took a walk with Weston while Mary and Martin went into the aquarium to have a look around. I loved this shot. Reflection on the water, city on one side, forest on the other. To me this photo is very much about what Vancouver has to offer.
Lunch at the Market, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
This was lunch at the Granville Market. Chicken pot pie with salad. Actually, this was lunch for Mary and Karen. Martin and I had beef pot pies. All very tasty.
Music Man, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
We, meaning Karen, Mary, Martin, and I, just got back last night from a mini vacation in Vancouver, Victoria, and Vancouver Island, Canada. We had a splendid time. Our first stop last Saturday (after driving up to pick up M & M at Sea-Tac) was Vancouver, B.C. We really only had a day there so our mission was to do a couple of things in the city we thought might be good. The first of those was a stop at the Granville Market on Granville Island. We found a great coffee place to buy chai for Mary and Karen, a cappuccino for Martin, and an upside down dopio con pana for yours truly. Very tasty. So tasty in fact that I went back for another.
We totally enjoyed the market. Great street musicians, flower vendors, shops all around… very cool.
Perfection, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
The Peony are in full bloom. What an amazing flower. I love our house.
Smelling The Flowers, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Here’s Weston taking a little time to stop and smell the flowers.
On The Water, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
So here’s us enjoying a quiet moment gliding along. Doesn’t Weston look handsome in his orange life vest? This photo is courtesy of our friend, Stacia, who was in the boat behind us. Thanks Stacia!
Piglets Near Ullswater – The Lakes, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
My very late entry for the week’s hunt is this one I took last year near Ullswater, Great Britain. The theme this week is emotions so I’m going with playful/happy. These little dudes were having a blast playing with each other. It was the cutest thing.
If you’d like to get in on the hunt, click here for all the details and then start shooting!
Floating Clouds, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
We had a great weekend… again. A visit from Mom and Don (they brought dinner to us no less), Weston getting a clean bill of health at the vet on Saturday, visits to nurseries (Cistern, on Sauvie Island, and Joy Creek to pick up some more plants for our place (which were planted), kayaking (where this photo was taken by Karen… isn’t it spectacular?) with Stacia Sunday morning, a trip downtown including dinner at the Thirsty Lion with friends, some movie watching (check out The Other Boleyn Girl, we liked it very much), and just hanging around our lovely house. Our place looks like a park right now. So beautiful. It was a splendid weekend.
The Mississippi Pizza Pub, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
We actually started off the evening, last night, with a stop by Phil and Steph’s house. Ok, so what happened is we knew we could probably park by their house, which we found we could, and when we did we decided we should probably stop in and say hello since we were just right there and everything. And before you go and think we were being rude and all by just dropping by without a call, which I would normally never do to anyone, know this… they don’t mind it at all. In fact, they like it. People are always dropping by their house. It’s just their way. So, we stopped in and said hello. Phil was getting some dinner and some wine together on their deck for them and some friend’s of theirs who’d come over. Steph was hanging with their girls upstairs. We went in and chatted with Steph upstairs and then Phil offered us wine as we came back downstairs. We had to decline the wine as we had friends waiting at Mississippi Pizza, but it was great of him to ask. What a fantastic couple of people they are. I feel, we feel, very fortunate to have met them and very lucky that my mom married Steph’s dad. It’s terrific to really dig the people you get connected to through marriage. And… we dig them.
After the short visit with Steph and Phil we walked down to Mississippi Pizza for a pie and a root beer with friends. Yeah, no beer last night. Root beer. It was good. What can we say, we’re not big drinkers. At least there’s beer in the name… yeah, we’re very tough.
We were very full after dinner and a walk sounded splendid to all so a walk is what we had. We cruised up one side and down the other of Mississippi Avenue, wandering into some stores, looking at the Freemont Bridge, looking at construction on the street… me snapping pictures the whole time. It was a very relaxing, very lovely evening.
What follows this is a collection of some of the shots I took last night as we wandered. My camera is my friend… and it’s offspring ain’t that bad either. Yeah, I know that was a weird metaphor….
Wired Reflection, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
Walking along N. Mississippi Avenue you pass some businesses who are very serious about keeping out the less than desirable types, of which we very well could’ve been some… who knows for sure. Although a stark contrast to the warm and inviting shops and restaurants that line Mississippi, the barbed wire is kind of beautiful reflected in a puddle left by the recent rain.
The Freemont, originally uploaded by Tokenhippygirl.
As you move south on N. Mississippi the street slopes down giving you a pretty good view of the Freemont Bridge, known to locals as The Freemont, and also, looking left, if you could, from the left edge of this photo, of downtown Portland over across the river.
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