Tsawwassen

I think (hope) I am improving on the spelling of this particular place.

I took my parents and the kids to the Centennial Beach in Delta. It's by far, one of my favourite beaches to go. The low tide was at about 13:40, so we went there after a big dim sum lunch at Lougheed and North Road.

The water was really far gone into the ocean, and it was still pulling really strong that pools were shallow yet had strong current, and small flounder babies we saw last time couldn't hold on tight, it seemed. I saw a few, but they had hard time holding onto the sand, and tried to escape into the sea weed. I almost caught a sand borer by hand, but it escaped.

Anyhow, we had a good time. My parents will fly out tomorrow and are staying at an airport hotel.

Banana Raspberry Bread

Slow day today. Nice for a change. I baked a banana bread with the usual recipe, and threw in the raspberries from the garden. Turned out very nicely.

Mai is napping on the living room floor, she was trying really hard not to nap and conk! She's out. We will go to a nearby sushi restaurant to check out Canadian/North American style sushi (which is far from Japanese sushi).

Rain, Rain, Rain

Raining since yesterday. When we woke up in Powell River yesterday, it was raining. It rained very hard and the kids couldn't even enjoy a stroll. Then in Gibsons, it kept raining, and when the rain stopped for a short while in the evening, the beautiful garden of the B&B was wet and slugs and snails were happily grazing. Today, in the town of Gibsons, the girls, again, could not get out of the car to enjoy even a stroll, so we went straight on to the ferry lineup where we ate leftover lunch in the minivan. We came home one day early and went out for dinner at My Greek Taverna near IKEA, then had coffee (the kids had frozen yogurt) at IKEA. I'll go back to Sunshine Coast with the kids, definitely. There are lots to explore there! Hopefully it keeps the famous sunshine next time.

Feast at Ruby Lake Resort

Enjoyed it quite a lot. The food was good, and the scenery was superb, though it was raining really hard (after all, BC coast is rainforest). We ate in the patio.

So, today we left Powell River and now we are in Gibsons. This B&B is really nice. I want to come back. Too bad the weather was bad, otherwise the kids would have enjoyed the yard very much. Powell River was nice for the kids,I'd love to go back for lots of hiking. I guess it is too much of "sun and wilderness" for old city folks who don't enjoy hiking. We are cutting the trip short and go home after this. Because of the bad weather today, the kids could not play on the beach. Too bad.

Devouring Again

The tide was very low this morning. Went for beach combing, and found tons of huge oysters (both shells in Kaede's hands -- live oysters). Harvesting is prohibited, too bad. On the way back to the room, we heard squeaking birds, then saw a falcon carrying away a smaller, screeching bird. Since a falcon is a small bird itself, it was still trying to grab it right in the air, and on top of that, four swallows were in hot pursuit and screeching (so, I think the caught bird was a swallow). Holy cow. Devouring crabs yesterday, and screeching birds today. What's next?

The third photo is of Lund, the northern most town that you can go with Highway 101, that is connected to highways down to the US and South America. A quaint tiny place... no ads that fanfares "the end of the road."

Powell River

First time in Powell River. Packed everything and forgot to bring the bathing suits, had to buy them (only if I put the bag in the car last night, but the rented Caravan honks as it gets locked, and I didn't want to wake up the neighbours.) After two ferry rides later, we arrived at this beachside place. Between the rocks, crabs are everywhere and devouring the shell fish (photo). I always wondered how this kind could die apart from being eaten by other shell fish, now I know.

Bubble Tea at Chrystal Mall

I always think that the Papaya Pearl Milk at Chrystal Mall is unbeatable. Because Mai was not feeling well, I took my parents down there (my mother's favourite souvenir is dried scallops) with Kaede and had some bubble tea. Beard Papa cream puff shop recently joined the mall, and we bought half a dozen cream puffs. I am not sure how good it tastes compared to Japanese shops, but I enjoyed it. But Kaede proclaimed "mom's is better!" as licking away her fingers. That's my girl!

Searing Hot Whistler

It took longer to get there than I anticipated. The view from the peak-to-peak gondola was mesmerizing, literally, and made me dizzy (so high up there!) We also saw a bear enjoying the slope from the gondola. On the way home Mai became very whiny and as we pulled in front of the house she threw up. Then on my shoulder twice, as she was carried inside. After a bath, she became happy.

Fever, Dim Sum, Port Moody

Mai had fever.

Dim Sum for lunch.

Picnic supper at Port Moody Old Orchard Park. Mai could not come since she is a bit sick, and naturally, there were lots of tears, . Kaede and my mother made a discovery that if you jump or throw rocks on the sand/mud/pebble mixture right after the tide subsides, lots of clams spurt out water high up in the air. We went to Rocky Point Park and had ice cream (my father mango, my mother banana fudge, Kaede rocky road, I some leftover of Kaede's). My father took pictures of the sunset. There were 2-3 seals swimming in the inlet.

Happy Canada Day, everyone!

回転レストラン

View from the hotel room my parents were staying.
両親が「おのぼりさん遊び」をするのに泊まっていたEmpire Landmark Hotelの最上階にある回転レストランで、仕事に行く前に合流して朝食を食べた。景色はほとんど変わらず、でもみんなで「少しずつ変わっているよ、それに日の差し方も変わってきたし」などといいながら、私は何となく船酔い気味で今日の予定など話して、さて出ようかと思ってもう一度景色をしげしげと眺めたらやはり変わっていない。ウェイトレスに聞いたら、「回転するのは夜だけです」

船酔いは、気のせいで、日の差し方は、単に時間の経過によるものかーーー。

回転レストラン。
My parents stayed at Empire Landmark Hotel. I called them in a row so many times, as their phone was off and after a while the operator did not even bother to ask which room number. First three times involved that they went up to check, just to find "do not disturb" sign, which means they are by rule not allowed to knock. I assured them that it was fine to knock, as I was the one who put the sign out, so that the housekeeping would not bother them. Then I called back again. Anyhow, that was after the breakfast "with a view." I hooked up with them to have breakfast at the revolving restaurant (one of those touristy stuff that you never get to do if you live in town) and enjoyed the view. The restaurant was revolving very slowly but for sure, for the scenery changed little, but I was feeling a bit like sea-sick. As we left we were informed by the waitress that the restaurant only revolves at dinner time. Hmmmmmm.

My parents enjoyed the False Creek Ferry, from Science World to Vanier Park, Vancouver Museum, and went to the Mars in a simulator at the Space Museum. They sounded like they had a good "touristy" time.