| 2011 | |
| 2010 | |
| 2009 | |
| 2008 | |
| 2007 | |
| 2006 | january |
| february | |
| march | |
| april | |
| may | |
| june | |
| july | |
| august | |
| september | |
| october | |
| november | |
| december | |
| 2005 | |
| 2004 | |
| 2003 | |
|
|
|
| 2002 | |
|
|
|
| 2001 | |
|
|
|
| 2000 | |
|
|
|
| 1999 |
© 2006
diary : june 2006
We
indulge in yet another cruise... this time a short weekender to Vancouver.
Basically we were looking for anything leaving out of our home port of SF.
It is just TOO easy to travel when you can take public transportation to
your debarkation point.
Our first stop was Victoria, on Vancouver Island. This was How's first visit, and we made the most of our time, walking around the beautiful city, sipping formal tea at the grand Empress Hotel, and visiting the curious "sunken" Butchart Gardens (built to beautify an abandoned quarry!) We then sailed slowly through the coastal islands to Vancouver, capitol of British Columbia, with the mountains on the mainland providing a dramatic backdrop the whole way. This is another beautiful temperate city, this one hugging a breathtaking inlet. Again we walked; most memorable was old "Gastown" with a a quirky urban timepiece, the Steam Clock. It gives a steamy rendition of the Westminster Chimes every 15 minutes, drawing its power from the city's underground steam-heat system.
We
also boated; taking the water taxis to
Granville Island where we explored a very hip public marketplace.
We also walked across the
Capilano Suspension Bridge, and the attendant tree walks, swinging as
much as 100 feet over a deep, wooded gorge!
Ever the diligent uncle, How flew to Chicago to help niece Jordan study for the college admissions tests. A private tutor! If there's one thing How has down cold, it's taking tests. Doesn't matter what it's about, he knows the strategy. I bet he could pass the London cabby's exam if it was multiple choice.
We were lucky enough to see Springsteen on opening night at the Concord Pavilion, him and the 1800 additional musicians he was touring with! Other highlights: How's brother Dave visited briefly from Chicago, I met pal Matt from Seattle for dinner, we continue to see the Giants - though the excitement is diminished now that Barry Bonds has broken all reasonably breakable records, & I saw a cool opera - "The Maid of Orleans" - about Joan of Arc. Pal Andy & I took in a memorable performance of "The Long Christmas Ride Home" about a family's tragic Christmas & its repercussions through the lives of the 3 children. The actors portraying the children as adults also provide voices for themselves as children - but the performances are done with life-size puppets. The show included music & dance to tell the story. It was really cool; Andy went back the next day to see it again.