So we have now been in Vancouver for 3 months and we are still loving it as much now as when we arrived. We have gotten into a good routine between work, sport and social activities and the time has gone by very quickly.
We have just had the pleaure of Marty's parents, Tony and Jenny, coming to visit for two weeks so we got to play tourist again for a while and take them places that we had already visited. We did a 12km hike from Lynn Canyon to Deep Cove, visited Granville Island, did Grouse Grind, went to the Summer Night Market and went to Vancouver Island for two days. While Marty and Erin were working Tony and Jenny went to Banff and Kamloops for a few days and otherwise explored Vancouver.
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| Erin, Marty, Jenny and Tony at Quarry Rock overlooking Deep Cove |
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| Grizzlies playing on Grouse Mountain |
Our two days on Vancouver Island took us to Victoria where we spent the first day looking around the wharf, at the Parliament building and The Empress Hotel and visiting Craigdarroch Castle, an old castle (being restored) that displayed the family life of coal magnate Robert Dunsmuir. The second day on Vancouver Island we hired a car and drove from Victoria west along the coast to Port Renfrew. We stopped at Port Renfrew and walked out to Botanical Beach to have a look around. After this we drove north to Lake Cowichan where we stopped for lunch. We then continued east back to Victoria and dropped off the car.
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| The Empress Hotel, Victoria |
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| Craigdarroch Castle, Victoria |
In the weeks before Tony and Jenny's arrival we have done a few hikes, a bike ride, trail runs and fun runs. The first hike we did was to Norvan Falls which ended up being a 21km round trip from Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge. It was not much in the way of elevation but it was long, although the waterfalls were a nice place to sit and have lunch. The other hike we did was the Brothers Creek Loop in West Vancouver, on the side of Cypress Mountain. It was a 10km hike but about 5km in we came across some snow and had to try and walk through it, it was very difficult and the trail was very muddy at most areas. There are some amazing views (and houses) at British Properties which were near the start of our hike.
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| Norvan Falls |
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| Erin walking on Snow on the Brothers Creek Loop |
We decided to mix up our monday hike up a bit one monday and go for a bike ride instead. We rode from home to Marty's work, to pick up a bike map, and then headed on the seawall around to UBC (University of British Columbia, an entire suberb on it's own). We stopped and had lunch on campus at UBC and then rode onto Queen Elizabeth Park which is the highest point in Vancouver (not greater Vancouver) where there were some good views. From Queen Elizabeth Park we came home to give an overall distance of 43km, an easy days ride for Marty but the longest Erin has ridden in one go.
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| Our bikes having a break at Queen Elizabeth Park |
In the running department, Marty ran in a fun run at UBC called the longest day run, which was 10km and Marty finished it in 38:38, a personal best, finishing 16th overall. Erin also did a fun run a couple of days later on Father's Day (17th June) at Burnaby Lake which was 10.8km. Other trail runs we have done have been around Jericho Pacific Park near UBC and on the North Shore. Marty is still part of his running group and Erin is still enjoying Softball (now that I'm actually hitting the ball).
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| Pool in Lynn River where we stopped after a trail run. |
On the more social/touristy aspects of the last 6 weeks we have gone to street parties, celebrated Canada Day, went to the Baseball and Erin went to a Beer Festival. Two weeks in a row Commercial Drive was completely shut to traffic and a street party was held which we wandered through. The first week was for Italian Day (they call the area Little Italy) and they had stages set-up along Commercial with acts and there were food vendors, activities and market stalls all up and down Commerical Drive. The next week they did this all over again for Vancouver Car Free Day and this time Main St in Vancouver also closed for the day and did the same.
Canada Day was July 1st, so Jenny, Tony and Erin (Marty had to work) headed to Granville Island for more activities with buskers and magic acts playing all around the island as well as market stalls and a sea of Red and White. Marty met up with us on Granville Island after he finished work.
Last monday we went to see the Baseball game Vancouver Canadians versus Everett Aquasox at Nat Bailey Stadium. Vancouver lost but it was a good game and Erin was teaching Marty all the rules as we were watching. Saturday saw Erin heading to Canada Cup of Beer, Beer Festival at Swangard Stadium in Vancouver with friends from work. It was a beer tasting day with about 25-30 Craft Brewers who all had a couple of their wares available for tasting.
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| Vancouver Canadians vs Everett Aquasox |
We hope all is well back home,
Keep in touch,
Erin and Marty
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