Australian Video Review!

Five weeks in Australia simply flew by. Luckily I had my camera at the ready - at least for much of it - and this is the fruit of those pictures, handily packaged up in this video. Watch simply for the darling penguins, koalas, glimpse of a dolphin and even a shark! I'm packing a lot into 8 minutes so don't blink.



Great Australian (and American) music to boot!
- Architecture in Helsinki (Aus)
- The Boat People (Aus)
- Wavves (USA)

Roboroom

Shhhhhhweep goes the door as the green button is pressed. Opening upon a fairly clean commode I find this 'heaps' nicer than the last public washroom I'd turned down. I enter and press the inner green button - Shhhhwoop, the door closes behind me. A friendly voice from everywhere begins instructing me on how to go to the bathroom. The nicest touch however is when I take a seat and a full-piano version of What the World Needs Now (is Love, Sweet Love) begins playing for my enjoyment (and perhaps to muffle sounds to the outside world?). The song does not make up for the automated TP dispenser whirring and whirring without producing anything but noise (luckily I'd realized this ahead of time and had come prepared - hopefully the next 'bloke' did too!). The lack of soap from the laser guided dispenser was disappointing, but would have been forgiven if on the way out the room had sighed "Ahh, What a relief!"

It's Oh-vah

Finished up my east coast tour today which was bittersweet. Saying goodbye to all my new 'mates' was pretty difficult with the reality of not seeing many of them again. The tour itself was much different and so much more than I'd really come to expect, in all the best ways. I think I pretended I was still 18 while taking a couple of months off my lifespan in the process, and am sure that it was worthwhile. Highlights were many and came quick but sailing in the Whitsunday's, scuba & snorkelling the reef and today's bungy jump were all up there. Back in Sydney now just for a day and a half before the day-long travels back home (where I leave and arrive at about the same time due to time change). Hopefully I remembered to take the odd picture or two, but Facebook is sure to turn up a couple in the weeks to come... I worry I won't be quick enough for all the untagging that will likely need to be done...

Tiki

I've been Contiki-ing for a week and it feels like a month for the amount that has been packed into that time. Hence the lack of free moment to write quirky and interesting blog posts to you all. I'm more alive than ever, embracing the "you can sleep on the bus" mentality and running with it. The weather hasn't quite been the dream I'd hoped for but that hasn't put much damper on the party. And now that it has turned - hot and sunny now - I'm going to spend the next two days in the ocean dragging along behind the sailboat I'm partying, er sleeping on. Beyond that it is GBReef diving and WWRafting then trying to say goodbye to all my new friends!

Will have photos and stories for you when I'm home December 13th!

Non-Stop

Why did I leave such little time for the world-renowned city of Sydney? (Simple answer is I was loving Melbourne so much.) Since arriving and realizing how much there is to see and how short a time I'd allotted to see it in it has been a non-stop whirlwind tour. Luckily for me the sun and warmth has continuously been on my side for the first multi-day stretch of the trip (and only supposed to heat up from here).

Arriving bright and early I trucked it around (and by trucked it I mean hiked it) all over this fair city getting a full memory card worth of photographs of the iconic Opera House from every imaginable angle. Being welcomed by my gracious hosts after a full day of sight-seeing with a hearty dinner was more than I could have asked for.

Joined by Yian Yian the next day we walked the Harbour Bridge, ate at the market, toured museums, science centers (gotta go back still!), the observatory and more - and without a break met for drinks, dinner and more drinks in some of Australia's oldest pubs. The rooftop patio wasn't too shabby either.

Bright and early today was a hearty breakfast with another friend, Peita, from my brief frat house days in Vancouver before some fun in the sun. You'd think a day at the beach would be relaxing, but Dan doesn't like to sit still (and frankly neither do I) so the beach included snorkeling, body surfing, frisbee, and dinner+drinks at the Australian equivalent to the legion (overlooking the large crashing waves of the beach).

Alas this has turned into a 'What I did on Summer Vacation' post which I swore I wouldn't resort to. But there's no time to be creative and rewrite it - so this will have to also serve as an 'I'm alive and doing fine!' post too since I meet my two-week adventure tour an hour away from here tomorrow at seven in the morning (7 am) (0700h). Guess I can't complain.. just hope the kookaburra doesn't ruin my rest!

Impressed/Impressions

I've been ushered directly into a party. A confluence of music, culture, fashion, and bright spirits that everyone seems to have heard about. And I've skipped the queue.

Despite my shoddy clothes and hiking boots I've been offered the insider's tour, complete with food and drink and personal meetings. It began by entering the en vogue Melbourne neighbourhood of Carlton North, steps from Brunswick Street where all social ventures seem to revolve around meals and drinks. In that vein I've drank the local brew in the corner pub for dollar tacos, feasted at the impossible-to-get-a-table Moroccan restaurant, lunched at the $4 pizza hot spot with fashionable people beyond my understanding.

Perhaps most exciting for me is my introduction to the absolutely surging and dynamic Melbourne music scene. This has allowed me to drink with a singer in the band (The Boat People) before watching their show and then chat with him about their upcoming opening slot for Crowded House. In addition to that I've been sleeping in the music room of the former Isle of Man who is working on a new project as we speak (keep an ear out for Wilding). Browsing the Beat, Melbourne's local music mag, is like looking at Lee's personal daytimer as it is full of friend's bands playing around town and around the country.

All of this and still the chance to check out the local football club (soccer), Melbourne Heart, a day oggling penguin babies, sea-dragons and sharks at the aquarium, a bike ride/river paddle. Most hilarious was the 90's throwdown at the Town Hall full of unbuttoned, curly-haired (and I don't just mean that on his chest) characters, plus the angry grinding red-head, and the overly enthusiastic Zac Galifinakis dancing like it was 1999 all night long!

With the plethora of quirky little shops, tasty independent restaurants, grungy corner bars, talent-filled music halls and plenty of oddly dressed but outgoing people to frequent these places, it seems that Melbourne's party is going to go strong into the night and I'm just happy that I've gotten this opportunity to stop in for a drink.

Aussie Eyes (Pics!)

I haven't quite been able to give you 1000 words on everything that I've seen so here are a few highlight pictures to satiate your appetite until I return to Canada with a full-out slideshow. Feast your eyes on these!

- Darling, curious, Koala kub

- Kermit's well-deserved star on Hollywood's Walk of Fame
- Buzzzz

- What Australian photo blog would be complete without Kangaroos?

- Or their little Wallaby counterparts?
- Remarkable climb up the Remarkable Rocks

- Fur Seal Nap Time
- Comments needed!

Mel B.

Melbourne greeted me quite pleasantly at 6:15am with the sun streaming in as my overnight bus ambled over the bridge toward the large and bustling city. A megatropolis compared to Adelaide, Melbourne seems to be teeming with life and culture, business and people. Even more pleasantly following a relaxing day of sightseeing I was greeted by my good friend Lee who lives here with her boyfriend. She's been a most gracious host and I've already been welcomed by more sunshine, beer and a massive Moroccan feast with a slew of her friends. More of the same, plus gigs and bike rides and all sorts of fun awaits!

Itemized Animals *Updated*

Being on a new continent there are many things to see that I've never encountered before. More specifically there's a plethora of wildlife that I have/am going to/want to check out and to track all the new fauna I've decided to keep a list.

Kangaroo - Getting the most obvious out of the way first. This large, often upright, animal is in fact as abundant as deer are in Ontario - if not more so. Unlike many visitors my first encounter was NOT with roadkill, but was still from a moving vehicle as a few stood in a field as I whizzed by on my way to Kangaroo Island. These were only slightly more exciting than the taxidermied ones in the museum.
However on Kangaroo Island within only a couple of hours we went for a walk and rounding the first bush came upon a mother and her joey (out of the pouch). They were neat and not at all afraid, allowing us within 5 meters or so. Fun to watch, especially when moving along with their tails or hopping. Video to prove it!
Voted: Hoppiest.

Update Also spotted approximately 720m above sea level grazing in a group of five, including a Joey, at the top of Mount Lofty. The clouds clearing to offer a panoramic view of Greater Adelaide as I completed the ascent made the two hour hike up well worth it!

Wallaby - These lil guys resemble kangaroos but are much smaller and have less thick tails. Spotted EVERYWHERE on Roo Island they also let me approach quite close.
Voted: Most abundant, especially at night, resulting in many carcasses in the morning.

Birds - I don't particularly like birds so I'll lump them into a category of their own as there were a few notables. Bright red and green ones flying around mountainside, while in the parks and rivers there are aggressive and loud birds all over. Pelicans were in the river and were seen gorging themselves such that their throats were bulging out as if there were triplets stuck in there (a stork reference, I know). A massive Wedge-tail Eagle was displayed at a show while a darling and fluffy, white Barn Owl sat on my lap. (Truly! Albeit a trained one.)
Voted: Most colourful.

Koala - Perhaps the cutest these lazy grey balls were spotted perched only a few meters up in the trees. Not overly enthralling as most were caught during their 22 hour nap (each day) but the awake mother with her curious and cute baby clutched to her lap were stand-outs!
Voted: Cutest by far.

New Zealand Fur Seal - Playful creatures seen unknowingly getting washed off rocks by large waves through Admiral's Arch.
Voted: Silliest.

Sea Lions - Small cubs squawking and running out of the way of massive feuding males. Indifferent females rebuffing the buffoon male's approaches. All of this was seen from mere meters away as all of this went on around me. A sea lion even emerged from the bush right behind to saunter by casually.
Voted: Strongest.

Dugg - A most intelligent, vegetarian creature, often spotted on Kangaroo Island. With a red fuzzy face and dread-locked hair he was quite knowledgeable of other animals and really knew how to have a good time! Prepares a decent meal too.
Voted: Best guide.

Pictures to come! (I promise..some time)

Quotes and Questions

- "ARE YOU READY, sir, for the second coming of Jesus Christ?"
I had to laugh at the formality of the man thrusting a pamphlet at me on Hollywood Boulevard.

- Do Not Enter Bus Through Window
Is it really necessary to put this sticker on the public buses in Adelaide? Wouldn't the driver object to you boarding his lap anyhow?

- This is more of a reflection, but is it wrong that I came halfway around the world to go out drinking with a couple of Canadians? And a Kiwi.. that makes it okay, right?

How much more Australian could I really get than going to a place called Kangaroo Island tomorrow? Going to see sea lions, enjoy the Fairy Penguins fairy much, and most likely see my first live Kangaroo on his eponymous island!

RAd-elaide

Knowing that I am safely arrived in Adelaide after what I calculated to be 36 hours from door-to-door traveling (whew), you can all now rest as easily as I did last night. That despite the five other people in the dorm room and the one that kept attempting to start his chainsaw over and over. Wait.. for clarification he was snoring before any of you have HOSTEL the movie thoughts. Uh-oh now I'm thinking about it.. no sleep tonight I guess. Especially after touring the Old Adelaide Gaol this morning, site of 45 executions and many of their graves, and some of their ghosts!
The city is compact, and friendly. Plenty of great restaurants and walking paths and free museums and the like. Going to have a grand time here I believe. Tell you all about my exploits soon.

Arrived Down Under

I've made it.. sort of. Two flights in, two still remaining, but at least the 14+ hour whopper of LA->Sydney is behind me (as of ten minutes ago). The flight was manageable, kind of like one really, really long, somewhat sleepless night that in actuality took two days (silly international dateline). Only quick hops now on to Melbourne and direct transfer to Adelaide, then I get to work my way back here over land during the next few weeks.

LA was seen in a haste. Leaving the she-male on the subway (no amount of cover-up can cover that up..) I ran around the Walk of Fame trouncing on everyone from Faye Wray to Chevy Chase to Rush! Saw the Kodak and Chinese Theatres and some shady parts of Sunset Boulevard. Also scorched through downtown on foot by the library, city hall and old Walt's Music Hall (Disney that is). Most importantly I kept track of the HOLLYWOOD sign at all times.

So far so good. I haven't a clue what time it is anywhere despite what my three time-zone watch tells me, all I know is that it needs to be Shower-time, and soon!

Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi!

Ah the land down under. How many cliches can I cram in?

With the good fortune of a couple months free before settling in I'm taking full advantage and doing some globe trotting. The decision of where to go wasn't too difficult to make. Where is the furthest possible place that will warrant a hefty chunk of time? Additionally where do I have friends that I'd love to catch up with? And where will the weather be sunny and bright just as the cold sets in on Ontario?

So off I go! Short notice but time is short. The hellish flight there will be broken up by a lengthy layover in LA. Sayin' hello to Hollywood! (Trying to look at it with a positive spin.) Then crossing the Pacific and hopping my way to Adelaide in the south where I will begin my overland route back along the coastal cities all the way up to Cairnes in the northeast. (See itinerary-> on the side for VIA points.)

Don't fret - I'll try to keep you in the loop via this here blog, and before you know it, bam, I'll be back before Christmas with many stories to tell (and more than likely a tan!)

Vancouver Olympics: Day 17 (Final Day!) Highlights

- Ughh.. 8:30am after a late night was not pleasant after the luxury of sleeping in for the past week. A necessary evil though as we started what soon became a MASSIVE line at one of the MANY bars to watch the game. Yes, 9am for a 12:15 puck drop. But boy was it worth it...

- With our crew of 13 we kept the double-pitchers coming, made friends with our fellow Canadians, and got riled up as Canada took a 2-0 advantage. The equalizer from the US with seconds remaining put a hold on the celebration that had nearly begun already, but we didn't lose faith. We did lose it when Sid slid it home though! The place went off. I don't remember who I hugged - everyone in sight!

- Best. Street Party. Ever. Hands down, or more appropriately Hands UP, as mine are raw from the high fives from every single person who packed Granville Street. It was mayhem, I lost 11 of my 12 friends, but somehow found my way back to the apartment, as did Jon, so we could usher him quickly to the Skytrain with only minutes to spare for his flight (he made it).

- Winding back through the throngs of people it was such a joyous atmosphere. Canadian Pride.

- Over some much needed pizza nourishment, rejoined by friends at home, we called Nickelback, Lavigne, Hedley and Buble at the Closing Ceremony, but unfortunately no sign of Celine.

- Crash! Two weeks of non-stop concerts/games/party, a minor cold, a lot of beer and an early start culminated in zonking out mid-evening for a deep nap. Fortunately or unfortunately this resulted in being wide awake to check out the revelers still going (somewhat) strong 12 hours later. The Olympic flame now out, I stumbled upon a Closing Ceremony briefcase, complete with moose antlers, abandoned on the sidewalk which made the detour by the cauldron worthwhile.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 16 Highlights

- In time for the remnants of the tsunami to hit the BC coast, a wave of gold splashed over this city as well. Snowboard and speed skating medals came quick and so when we hit the streets immediately following it was with jubilation.

- Wanting to see whether the $1,000,000 Canada Tent was worth my taxes we slipped in only to be underwhelmed by a handful of photo ops, and a few multimedia screens designed for youngsters. While snapping a shot of Emanuel Sandhu a massive alarm went off - thankfully it was a victory alarm as the bobsleigh bronze slid in too. Manitoba was equally as un-enthralling, and the best part of the Ice Cube was the free headphones, and catching an end of the men's curling gold medal match.

- With that gold secured we booked it to catch Matt Mays (and the purple haze?) who put on a decent show, despite the only songs I knew being played while I was lined up to get through security.

- A glimpse of the future was provided by a 3D theatre.... basketball and hockey games are going to be revolutionized!

- Through the rain Blue Rodeo entertained old and young alike. Cuddy and Keelor are true showmen, encoring with Lost Together (giving band member Wayne Petti of Cuff the Duke a verse too!) .

- My third time watching the multimedia fireworks celebration show was easily the best as there was more firepower for the final night than previously. Plus that K'naan song is so darn catchy. Video to come!

- Mother Mother at Robson Square was a sea of 17 year olds trying to mosh (and crowd surf) for some odd reason. Our Olympics being bookended by MM, I was disappointed by the sound at both shows (2 venues) making me wonder if they've fallen off with the new female, or if the sound guy sucks. I'll hope for the latter.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 15 Highlights

- The morning was spent mulling and planning our attack with so much going on in the afternoon.

- In the first end of Can-Swe women's curling we had a Three Beavers Ale, split between the three of us, like the Three Musketeers. In the fourth we pulled out the Chocolate Porter from Granville Island Brewery and it lived up to its cocoa-billing. By the seventh we were worrying about getting a spot for the bigGER game and ripped ourselves away to run through town. Our plan hit an immediate roadblock when the bar, and then EVERY bar, was full (since three hours earlier!) Frantic running around in the spitting rain simply riled us up, and forced us to watch the loss from a sidewalk, peering through a restaurant window.

- An hour or so wasted, but restocked with beer, we arrived back home as the puck dropped on Canada vs Slovakia. We'd hoped for a four-goal cushion by the third, but had to settle for 2 with 15m left in the game so we made the call and ran back out into the night. Keeping up with the score from restaurant window to pub cheers we walked as the lead slipped. With 5 minutes left to play we had to call an audible and stand, again on a sidewalk, to be sure that we'd ensured a gold-medal birth.

- The time ticked off the clock and we turned and ran to Girl Talk. Slipping through security ahead of the massive line that was sure to form we were there in time. Mashed up! Gregg Gillis is a whirlwind who never stopped run/dancing, along with his throng of enlisted dancers from the crowd, and his laptop. It was the best DJ set/club mix/whatever party I've ever listened to live.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 14 Highlights

- Things got a little wild the night before leading to this:

- The confiscated weapons at the Vancouver Police Museum were again super gruesome, but the History Walking Tour of the Downtown Eastside that followed was even better. Led by a well-educated historian we toured through Chinatown and Gastown as well in an engaging two hour history lesson.

- Underway already, the women had a lead in the hockey game against the US and wouldn't give it up, as we popped into a dive bar to watch them win the Gold.

- Apparently to accommodate that game, the Ill Scarlett concert was moved ahead meaning we only saw the final handful of songs. The crowd was small but onstage the energy was still high - I could have used a full set.

- More beers down on The Corner (name of the bar) to watch a figure skating medal, grabbed a veggie poutine and streamed the Colbert Report we'd seen at the live taping.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 13 Highlights

- It may not have been a highlight but it took up a quarter of my day, yes six full hours, waiting in line for the Royal Canadian Mint Pavilion. A crossword, a sudoku and a couple friends made, helped to pass the time. Finally we donned our white gloves (a la the Stanley Cup handler) and were allowed in the private room where we picked up the bronze, silver and gold Olympic medals. It was quite an amazing feeling to hold the heavyweight awards in our own hands (both the square Paralympic and round Olympic ones).

- With the unexpected length of the line for the medals we were released only a short time before puck drop on the Summit Series rematch, Canada vs. Russia. Luckily we'd sent a runner to reserve us a table in a packed bar where we leapt, cheered and cheers-ed microbrew seven times in a joyous atmosphere.

- Unobstructed views of the Olympic torch followed, before hooting along the strip with other revelers, as well as cops who were all smiles and high fives.

- An attempt at Wintersleep was quashed by a massive line 3 hours early, and the Francophone entertainment was awful so we cut our losses, watched the end of the fireball show at Robson Square and called it a day.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 12 Highlights

- HOCKEY! We decided to hold onto our Switzerland vs Belarus tickets when we heard the Canadian game tickets were selling for $700/piece on the street. My first trip to the lifeless GM Place was alright as we scored front row upper deck. The first few periods were a bit of a yawn, but in the third Belarus finally got some fire and tied it all up. Ten minutes of overtime solved nothing, but we were all cheering for 'Game-winning Shots' ("Shootouts" to anyone but the Olympics) and got them. Unfortunately Belarus, my beloved underdogs for the day, lost on the final shot but entertaining nonetheless.

- Bursting out into the rain, with the delay of the shootouts, it was closing in on the real game time, so we ran up Granville popping into bars until deciding on the Moose for Canada vs. Germany. The precipitation, early hour and increased police presence (at least tripled) kept the revelers in line and so we only high-fived around for a little while.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 11 Highlights

- Window shopping throughout Kits on yet another beautiful sunny day

- Los Margaritas' namesake drinks were the best I've had - so we had another pitcher, Raspberry and Peach! The guac and homemade chips were a perfect accompaniment too!

- The mercury wasn't really high enough but we dipped our bare feet in the Pacific anyway with a great view of Vancouver, Stanley Park and the overhanging mountains.

- Aided Jon in his bid for vegetarian status by introducing him the Naam restaurant (established 1968) and gorged on a cheese dog, potato wedges and miso gravy.

- Stuffed, we retired home for a somewhat quiet night, capped by more food - gelato!

Vancouver Olympics: Day 10 Highlights

- The highlight of this day was kicking around the house during the day in preparation for the big match: Canada vs USA

- Lowlight, the result of the Canada vs US game, though the beer tasted good

- Against their will I dragged my friends to the Saskatchewan Pavilion for the Library Voices show. Hipster dancing abounds and new music was played, all of which written on the set list we had autographed

- You think the night is over there? Nope! A narrow escape from a boarder's touchy pick-up on the Skytrain brought us back to Robson. This was, not surprisingly, the quietest we'd seen the street since before the Opening Ceremonies, likely due to the disappointment of the hockey loss.

- The lack of crowds made it easier to pick Quatchi out of the crowd. Behind Quatchi was Elvis Stojko's nose and eyes, so we naturally creeped along behind him until gaining the courage to ask for a picture.

- Following our photo op, a few other girls were waiting around for their chance. However when Elvis tried to step in the girls pulled Quatchi from his hands and turned their backs on him, as his girlfriend ribbed him "I don't think they want you in the shot, honey." He was the ultimate gentleman though, and we were happy to have tracked him down.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 9 Highlights

- A present of tickets to the women's curling matches for the day allowed us to watch three excellent games (and one blowout) and gave me an appreciation for curling I hadn't had before. It also reinforced my disdain for overly loud American fans, especially at an historically reserved sport.
- These tickets also brought me within hugging distance of the most beloved furry yeti on the radar right now. Not travel-bearded Stefan, but Quatchi. As well as his pal, Miga!
- A more appreciative crowd, and more room to boogie, made the second Arkells show of the week a tonne of fun.
- Coeur de Pirate entertained with her piano and lovely voice. An odd choice to be sandwiched between two rocking Canadian bands, but I didn't mind (and solid exposure for Beatrice).
- A collaboration between Kardinal Offishal, Jay Malinowski (of Bedouin Soundclash) and Coeur de Pirate was a slight letdown as it turned out to be a Coke sponsored corporate love-in that only lasted for one song. The glowing bottles obscuring my view were more annoying than massive red beach balls littering the crowd-tops.
- The leader of the next gen of Canadiana rock, Sam Roberts, lived up to his billing and played a singalong friendly hour (plus indulgent prog rock encore) for the masses.
- Unexpectedly the highlight of the night immediately followed this. Set to a sweet medley of Canadian music the night sky exploded over and over directly above our heads in a fireworks display that bested any I've ever seen. It was an experience that even Jon's amateur video/pics couldn't fully capture.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 8 Highlights

- Set the track record at the BC Hydro energy saving obstacle course

- Sampled many of the 43 beers available at Six Acres in Gastown, over a nice family meal

- Was taken from lows to highs with the epic song structure of Hey Rosetta! and nearly screamed myself hoarse in a vain attempt for an encore from the opening band in a 90 year-old theatre with ushers that appear to have been working there since day one

- Enjoyed a typical romantic pop set from Stars at the aforementioned theatre

- Once again yucked it up with the ongoing party on Granville Island. High fives/free hugs for Canada!

Vancouver Olympics: Day 7 Highlights

- Visited the beautiful Richmond Olympic Oval, winner of many building awards, though we couldn't get all too close.

- Gave up on the Heineken House for fear of missing Canada vs. Switzerland men's hockey, and were rewarded for this decision by finding a massive bar tucked behind a Chinese market with not one, or two but three massive TVs in sightline, and $10 pitchers to boot.

- Rode the fastest ferris wheel of my life, whipping around above 13 Million cranberries making up the Olympic rings and a half-soccer-field sized Maple Leaf.

- Caught the beginning of the Arkells set from the portapotty I'd lined up to get into, but the remainder from right out front.

- Went on a trip down memory lane back to the 90's, chaperoned by Raine Maida the singer of Our Lady Peace. Engrained in the Canadian collective consciousness due to massive radio play (thanks CanCon!) OLP didn't disappoint. A string of hits made this a nostalgic 'Greatest Hits' show from start to finish.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 6 Highlights

- Woke up to Stephen Colbert live-taping out in the gorgeous sun (no joke!) Including a rendition of Oh Canada sung to the tune of The Star-Spangled Banner by Michael Buble

- Rode the free shuttle train to Vancouver's most-visited tourist attraction, Granville Island, for some delicious taco bowls and even better Granville Island Brewery beer after a tour of the facilities

- Returned to Granville Island later for P.E.I. night at the Atlantic House. The nearly two-hours lineup for Two-Hours Traffic (the band) was well worth it. Not only did we make friends with everyone (maritimers are friendly folk aren't they?) but we were treated to a tie and suspendered authentic set of music including the tune 'Turkey and the Straw'. Sounds awful? It wasn't - it was incredible. The yummy beer helped too and we partied, dancing to Two Hours Traffic (and scoring an autographed setlist) til some ungodly hour before a mid-night poutine.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 5 Highlights

- Beautiful, chauffeured drive to Whistler, minus the rain. (Okay it was a decent coach bus)

- Toured Whistler village in a hurry, rode the gondola halfway up, breezed through security despite an accusation of having a cigar cutter in our bag (??)

- Took 70 pictures of ice, sometimes including the odd female luger. Blown away by the speed of these athletes from next to the track.

- Impressed by Dan Mangan, who exceeded my lofty expectations and earned his standing ovation in the intimate theatre - no question about it. A hearty handshake and autographed sealed the night with my new favourite singer. (Thankfully skipped out on the Alexisonfire disaster!)

- Marveled at the extent of the party at Granville and Robson considering the hockey team had only beaten Norway.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 4 Highlights

- Pancakes!!!

- Revisited the Olympic torch, as up-close and personal as possible

- Wandered the city with the thousands of other tourists on the pedestrian streets

- Listened to the Rural Alberta Advantage sing about their former province, before chatting with the drummer, Paul Banwatt, about his dual life with Woodhands

- Laughed mightily as Dallas Green, under the guise of 'City & Colour' made fun of ridiculous hollering girls in the crowd. Oh, and played some tunes too.

Vancouver Olympics: Day 3 Highlights

- Attended the Chinese New Year parade, which was disappointing considering the highlight float was Michael Ignatieff strolling with his wife.

- Checking out the Saskatchewan Pavilion, complete with Ukrainian perogies!

- Skipping the crappy Quebec pavilion, and watching the 4D video in Ontario House which was rather great. Followed up by cheering on the bronze speed skating medal by the Ontarian female, with the crowd in the house.

- Took in the Mother Mother show in the mild outdoors, before moving over to the indoor tent for a raucous party/concert with Elliott Brood.

- Swarmed the English weather lady on the street corner and got on the midnight local CBC forecast

Vancouver Olympics: Day 2 Highlights

- Slept in!

- Began an oversized calendar board

- Cheered on Canada's first medal!

- Finished the oversized calendar board

- Left the house for the first time at 8pm to celebrate the silver, and pick up Jon after his arrival from Toronto

- Partied with a flash mob of 90's clad Canadians, decked out with shouldered boomboxes at Robson Square.

- Ate the Templeton treat, deep-fried Wunderbar, and hit the completely mobbed streets!

Vancouver Olympics: Day 1 Highlights

- Dashing out to Robson Street (a block away) to snap some pics of the torch relay, since the previous night's photos hadn't turned out in the dark... and rain.

- Checking out the 3D-BC theatre on the fourth floor after having toured the Vancouver Art Gallery free.

- Not being overly impressed with the opening ceremonies, until I realized 3 hours had passed and I hadn't noticed.

- Frantically tossing on boots, and no socks, after seeing Gretzky was headed our way. Stomping down the street at high speed with hundreds of other jubilant Canadians to reach the waterfront in time to take in the freshly lit torch, before the sky exploded!

- Revisiting the beloved Vancouver Railway Club (established 1931) for a couple homegrown talents from Saskatchewan, including Rah Rah!

All About Me!

You know all those really cool one-a-day videos that people take while they're traveling? With the sweet backgrounds and ever-changing, ever-tanning, ever-growing differences to their faces that you can track over the duration of the trip. Well I wasn't disciplined enough to stick to just one a day, or to take at least one a day, or even to center my shots, so here is a pathetic attempt at doing something similar.

Hong Konged

After the spot of trouble at the airport on day one, we worked through and eventually Larissa and I boarded the flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong together. Now I could start in on my description of China's former British colony but it would come out sounding like a Tourism Hong Kong advertisement.

"Cutting through the jutting mountains with patches of green on a wildly entertaining double decker bus ride we moved steadily toward the metropolis. From the expanse of the Tsing Ma suspension bridge the port's cranes could be seen sticking out at odd angles, like a dart board littered by an inept player. Beyond these, apartments shoot up from the water's edge, tall as they are perched atop hills of their own..."

But I digress. We hit the most popular tourist spots during our shortened stay of 5 full days. A highlight was the Ocean Amusement Park, which in addition to seals, sharks and salt water fish, had cliffside coasters, a gorgeous ride on the peak to peak gondola, a nervous-giggle-inducing "drop zone"esque tower and a totally pathetic "snow" tubing slide (minus the snow, or any of the thrill of real tubing). Another enjoyable day was tramming up at a ridiculous angle to view the vertical city face to face, before hiking through the forested mountainside around to the south. Finally, the museums were so engaging that the History, and Science, took up an entire day (which after 4 months of museums is saying something). To sum Hong Kong up - it's like a very user-friendly (with awesome public transit) and interesting, clean (obvious efforts are made to distance themselves from the worst of mainland China's dirty habits), friendly, big city and yet it still has an authentic Asian feel so it is FUN to explore.

The regular sightseeing was great and all, but the best part of the trip was the hospitality we were shown. My good friend Alvin pulled some strings and generously set us up with much more than a place to stay. From the airport we were shown an authentic, Hong Kong-ese apartment that we stayed in for the entire stay. Although it was small, as most accommodation in HK is, it suited us just fine and had some superb views. These were only outmatched by the skyline from his grandparent's HUGE balcony off their exquisite apartment. Larissa and I were lucky enough to visit for not only one, but two absolutely delicious authentic Chinese meals - vegetarian no less, which is a feat in China. Hard to pick my favourite foods, not only because they are hard to describe but because there were so many. The "fresh pickles" - essentially fresh cucumbers with vinegar and plenty of garlic would top Larissa's list, while I really enjoyed the splendidly done tofu dish and fried corn and veg patty. Tasted better than I can put into mere words. Language differences made communication next to impossible but I feel we were able to communicate our gratefulness, and their generosity definitely shone through!

Return of the Yeti

Warning! A dangerous creature thought to have been scourged from Canada has been spotted again recently along the Pacific coast - specifically in the Vancouver area of British Columbia.

If you see this thing you may approach, but be warned that he is armed with four months of rambling stories!

Reinstated! (A Sequel to Suspended)

Technical glitch. That is the stated cause of the major headache today at the airport. After 11 hours waiting for Ontario to wake up, some quick-fingered emails, and a (free) 1-800 Skype call to the travel agent got things rolling. The airline in question tried to say I was a no-show, but we had printouts and customer reps name to prove otherwise. Therefore we will take another crack at it again tomorrow - 24 hours later than the original attempt. Hopefully this will be smoother and we can finally reach Hong Kong, the final Asian destination. Alls well that ends well?

Suspended

Packed, showered, fed. Bidding goodbye to Katherine and Raoul, thanking them for the hospitality, we trek out into the cool city, loaded down with twenty kilos on our backs. Zipping underground, and then whisking through the air over the magnetic field we arrive at the airport. Sliding up the hallway we finally reach the terminal and join the snaking line. Then things go awry.
A confused look flashes across the attendant's face. Rushed words in Mandarin are hissed to her coworkers. With them peering over her shoulder a discussion ensues, at which point Larissa and I exchange a worried glance. I'm informed that there is an issue with my ticket. Unable to get a further explanation I follow their advice and drag my pack directly to Customer Service. However the answers I receive here are unsatisfactory. "Your ticket has been suspended" is all they can tell me before I'm advised to contact my sleeping travel agent (midnight in Ontario). Fighting through the this-can't-be-happening feeling Larissa and I struggle to figure out what to do. Luckily Larissa has yet to check her luggage, so I refuse to purchase a ticket at full fare, push Larissa's flight back 24 hours and return to Katherine's, grateful to at least have a base to return to.

Now the long wait until business hours, eastern standard time, in hopes of resolving this.

... the saga continues.

Chinese Food!

Chinese food.. and not the kind I'm accustomed to. Without much of a background in Chinese cuisine I can't describe it very well  beyond my personal experience. This is because most Chinese food is wholly composed of, or at least contains, meat, and being a vegetarian this makes me rather wary. Seeing hunks of meat, or fish for that matter, hanging from trees is a wretched reality for me. Many of these meats end up skewered on a stick, roasted over embers, and consumed by anyone on the sidewalk - tentacles and all. There is one delicious treat-on-a-stick that I can rave about though. Candied haw. Think candy-apple. Shrink the fruit and make it a bit mushier. Replace the core with largish seeds. Pop five or six 'haws', a winter-time fruit, on each stick and voila. A damn sweet snack, anytime of day, coming in at 17 cents a stick. Seeds are often mistaken for candy so chew carefully! (That problem is avoided by opting for the equally delicious candied strawberry, or augmented by the candied haw rolled in sunflower seeds.)

Dumplings, be they steamed or boiled, are omnipresent too. Walking down the street you'll pass streetside stalls specializing in serving up these bite-sized snacks. Problem is that I was warned that basically every dumpling contains dead animal flesh and I can't read the Chinese characters on the menu to verify this. Luckily I did stumble across 'Lily's Dumplings' where Lily herself not only handed me an English menu, but also addressed me with a "Hello". Dousing my veggie dumplings in a mixture of dark vinegar and spice I enjoyed each sloppy wet bite, reminiscent of boiled perogies, with much more than a hint of garlic. Washing them down with a couple Red Fang beers only added to the experience. Including a tomato soup that could feed a small Chinese family we plopped down only 50 kuai (under $9) for the whole meal.

The abundance of street food always entices me, but for aforementioned reasons I usually can't partake. There are a few things I've spotted that looked reasonably safe. One I ate yesterday was essentially an omelette prepared on one side of a pancake. Served piping hot, fresh off the griddle, it was well worth $0.40. 

Similarly I sampled another doughy concoction I'd spotted. Indicating that I'd like one the lady pulled a wad of raw dough, smacked it on the flat, hot, metal surface and it began cooking (frying?). Next she pointed to a menu, completely in Chinese except for numbers beside the symbol I could now recognize as meaning yuan (Chinese dollars). Shrugging I point to the most expensive option since it was under 50 cents anyway, but immediately wave her off as she produces a wiener from her magical cart. Putting it away she indicates toward the menu again. I respond with a blank look and decide to have a peek for myself. I go around to see what she's got in the stall and spotting cucumbers first I decide on them. The dough finishes on the first side and gets flipped, smeared with mayo, ketchup and a melange of powdered spices. In goes the cucumber before being wrapped up and presented to a very skeptical me. Maybe it was hunger, perhaps it was simply fried dough and mayo, but it was surprisingly tasty.

What else have I had?

Hot pot - a make-your-own hearty soup meal similar to the meal that took me by surprise in Thailand, with at least 20 possible dipping sauces which kept me busy trying a smörgåsbord of combinations of those. There was a similar station on the street which we stopped at out of desperation. In a bowl we placed mushrooms, greens and sticks of tofu we picked off a wall of produce and handed them to the lady standing at the steaming vat out front. Seating ourselves at a table a very large bowl of oily, spicy 'soup', filled with all our choices was soon served. Rather tasty we thought it was worth at least 20 yuan but had no way of asking so I handed her a hundred yuan bill, and was amazed, and slightly embarrassed when she gave me 94 in change. Deal!

Faux meat. There have been a couple places that make "are you SURE this isn't meat?" dishes that we've come across. The first, in Beijing, with pork riblets, complete with mushy edible 'bones', was rather gross. The next was a surprisingly tasty peanut 'chicken' dish - and I mastered using chopsticks to pick up individual nuts too!

China has proven to be the most difficult place to nourish ourselves (outside of Western friendly Shanghai), with it not being uncommon for Larissa and I to wander the streets in search of a warm dish for a full hour before settling. This is one reason why our breakfast for two weeks straight consisted of only buttery baked goods - the other reason being that danishes and croissants are yummy.

In one particulary wretched incident we figured there'd be plenty near Tiananmen Square only to find ourselves still searching, incredibly hungry, after nearly two hours. With 'give up' not being an option (there wasn't even a McDonalds or pizza joint to fill the void) we eventually found a noodle shop with an English menu. The bowl of noodles and tofu, hidden in a soupy liquid broth, was surprisingly tasty, but that may have been the hunger talking. We left when the drunk (we think) Chinese lady descended on me having finished making a scene (in English) with the other white guy in the restaurant.

Despite this long list of foods, it has been compiled after a full month in the country. Suffice it to say, I'm pretty sick of the two dishes that were quite often the only ones available to me: pizza and pasta.

The Appropriately Titled 'Great Wall' (Part 2 of 2)

As the bus meandered further into the countryside, it became less busy and granted us a prime seat to watch the transition from urban to rural to mountainous. These roughly shaped, rugged mountains rose and fell as we drove past - seeing their coniferous tree-covered southern side on our approach, and the staggered shadowed backside under crisp blue skies while moving along. Perhaps an hour passed until there were only a few stragglers remaining on the bus, including a friendly Chinese man who was teaching me how to say 'Great Wall' just as it came into view rising up one of the aforementioned mountainsides in the distance. It was a sight even from this distance and my anticipation only grew as we drove nearer. Eventually stopping, at the end of the route, the driver motioned which direction we were to go and we waved our appreciation as we hurried off this way up the road (back into the chilly cold after the warmth of the bus).

From the get-go we were in awe of it and were practically running in order to reach it; across the top of a tall dam with thick, black ice on the one side and open, frigid but liquid water far below. On the other side a faded sign read 'This section of the wall is closed due to restoration. Entry is Forbidden' courtesy of the Chinese government, but we breezed past it to get within reach of the wall. That seemed as far as we could get though, as there was no obvious way to mount it. At the end of the snowy path that had led us to the wall was a window, barred with rusty wire-wrapped logs wedged into it, while the lip of the wall loomed a good 6m overhead. 

Not about to give up I bashed the lowest log out of the way and squirmed inside the hollow before Larissa had a chance to protest. She followed me into this room housed inside the wall, not wanting to be left behind. However exiting via an empty doorway on the other side there was only a slight glimmer of hope (but no shining stairway by any means). Standing at the base I drew my eyes up a rather steep, wet (and hence slippery) rocky cliff to the wall's top. In my head it looked feasible, so I attacked it. Only a couple steps up, the going was tougher than anticipated, and the wail of a siren in the nearby village, matched by those of dogs, startled me and I turned to exit quickly, having my jacket ripped by the long, prickly thorn bushes littering the hillside.

Back to the side we'd begun on, with the siren having stopped, I regained composure and decided to try once again. Following the base of the wall, I dug in, grasping at roots and branches along the way to keep from slipping back down to where Larissa had decided to wait for me to explore first. Quite the struggle ensued for me to traverse only 30m, which allowed me to round the corner, but again I was crestfallen as the wall streamed away from me - still no way up! Actually in the distance I could see the remains of a metal ladder that had previously allowed access, but it was rusted out, broken in half and pushed over in the snow. Drat!

I would have returned hanging my head, except I was too busy trying to stay upright as the loose gravel gave way under the snow beneath my feet and I slid on my bum all the way back to an expectant Larissa. Explaining the situation we were bordering on despair. The situation was this: we'd spent all day just getting to this point so neither of us wanted to leave without getting on the wall, but we'd tried all the obvious options and had been unsuccessful. It was a tough decision but in the end we resigned ourselves to trying the even less promising wall on the other side of the dam.

We turned to go and were ten steps in when Larissa suggested "Wait - why don't we try following the trail that was on the other side, through the window?" Anxious to get her back through the window once more (as I figured with more resolve I could climb that cliff) we crossed back over once again. Looking at the path it seemed to lead away from the wall, down the hill and toward the barking dogs. More confidence in my original plan I began with hardened determination to climb the prickly cliffs once more. It was tough going but after a few minutes I'd managed to get to the midway point and figured I could get the rest of the way - though wasn't sure Larissa would be willing to go through what I had to get there. Turning toward her to attempt to coax her up after me I found an empty spot where I'd left her. I called out but could hear no response. "Larissa?! Where are you?" Silence.

Straining to hear her a minute passed and then another. Calling again I had no response and filled with worry started climbing down once more. At this point I hear an exclaim from above me. Above me?! I twirl around and see a patch of pink through the bushes way higher up and hear Larissa call to me. Finally reaching her through the scraggly bush I find her smiling on a perfectly clear path. As she explained, she'd followed the path down the hill for a minute, given when she saw it did indeed lead down to the village, and turned to return, only to come face to face with an arrow inscribed on a rock. Up the trail she'd gone and that's when I'd heard her.

Taking the nice path up it was only a minute more and we climbed over the rail and onto the crumbling old bricks of China's 2000+ year old wall, made of combined city walls. It was a triumphant moment finally stepping foot onto it and we both broke out wide smiles while taking in the glorious views around us. We walked over a kilometer in one direction, nearly straight uphill, passing through many old watchtowers and peering out at the relay towers dotting the mountains in the distance. We didn't want to stop, even though the going was tough, as many times we were forced to climb on all fours, nervous that the old bricks would give way under our feet, and went downhill on our behinds since the inclines were intense. Only able to spend a few hours, breathing deeply for the first time in China, we agreed that we both could easily spend a day up there, despite the cold wind. A true highlight of our trip to China, it surpassed our expectations and was absolutely worth the bus hassles, wet pants and thorn scratches. The view was indescribable - breathtaking - so I'll allow these pictures to tackle that job

The Appropriately Titled "Great Wall" (Part 1)

Starting out early it wasn't until our now ritual breakfast stop for high-calorie bakery goods that we nailed down which of the few options we would take for our day in Beijing. Larissa suggested we get on that Great Wall before the temperature took a further nosedive (and she would be right) so I naturally chose the most obscure place to mount the wall possible and directed us there. The subway in Beijing is extensive, cheap, crowded but not insanely so and basically pretty awesome so the first leg of the trip was a breeze. At the long-distance bus station we ignored the advice of a Chinese lady to go to another more 'restored' section of the wall and walked up to the express bus we wanted just as it was pulling up. Pleased with the way things were going we grabbed some comfy seats and stripped down as the driver was blasting the heat to combat the freezing temperatures outside (the direct sunlight beaming through the window added a few degrees to our mobile oven too). Despite Chinglish announcements about the upcoming stop I was nervous that I wouldn't recognize the Chinese name for the stop where we needed to transfer to a minibus, and that we'd miss it entirely. That anxiousness coupled with the heat temporarily skewed my judgement so when a man came up to us and hurriedly told us we were at the transfer stop for the Great Wall I believed him and followed him off the bus.
 
Instant regret.
 
As our bus pulled away this man was more than ready to offer us an expensive taxi ride to the Great Wall - different 'tourist' sections that we weren't particularly interested in. However he also informed us that our desired spot was under construction and inaccessible to tourists, which worried us some more as it was backed up by a few more individuals nearby (also cab drivers). Indecision between Larissa and I as we stood roadside. Not wanting to waste our time but also not wanting to get ripped off I attempted negotiations which went no where so my sister and I boldly charged off in the direction of town, hoping to rectify the situation. It was a decent hike, during which we turned down a handful more expensive rides and soldiered on to the center of town. Still wondering how to get there I went to a busy bus stop and attempted to find a connection that would take us to a town that I quickly learned the Chinese pronunciation for (as I had to repeat it 168 times).
 
The first few Chinese bus stoppers I approached would hardly look at me, but just before despair set in a local man said something to us in Mandarin - an offer to help? - so I showed him the Chinese characters for our desired town and he nodded. I took this nod as an indication that he could assist us by pointing out the bus, though after 10 minutes I was losing fate. At least it was sunny on this side of the street keeping us warm. Nearly twenty buses and even more vans and minibuses had passed us by before the man waved us alongside him to an approaching auto. As we boarded I double checked with the ticket attendant but she viciously shook her head and directed us back to the sidewalk completely deflated as our last hope boarded the bus and drove away.
 
Exhausted with the process I was on the verge of giving up (and Larissa was probably well past that point but had realized its sometimes best to give me my space at times like these), however as I stood by the bus contemplating our next move a friendly older lady shot me a smile and a curious look at my Lonely Planet tucked under my arm. Worth a shot. I opened to the page and pointed at "Huang Hua." Her reaction was enthusiastic and gave me hope. So much hope that I would wait, and wait and wait some more while she continued to look up the street at buses that never seemed to be the right ones. Over half an hour passed and no bus for us - when I approached buses to check with the driver where they were going this lady would get angry with me for not believing her that it wasn't the one for us.
 
Perhaps 40 minutes later a taxi driver approached us offering a ride. Glancing at my watch I knew that we had to get a move on so I began friendly negotiations with him. These didn't please the lady one bit and according to Larissa this lady kept making sour faces towards her regarding the taxi driver. His price continued to be ridiculous so I prayed that this lady was gonna come through. And then I thought she did as she stepped towards a bus, but when I followed she indicated it wasn't for us!
 
Exasperated I cried out (in English) "We've waited all this time and have no idea which bus is coming for us!" She must have caught my understanding despite the words and let her bus leave the platform as she returned to our side. Turning back to the taxi a few minutes later I tried again, but by now we were a spectacle as all the people at the bus stop (and there were a bunch of them) were onlooking on our plight, and the back and forth with the taxi driver. Nearly succombing to his inordinate demands I looked up and saw a smile on our lady's face. Our bus was coming!
 
She didn't need to tell me since the entire crowd started waving and motioning to the bus, many saying "Huang Hua" and smiling at us. Verifying with the driver, we were relieved that it was indeed going our way, and so we crammed into the aisle (as the seats were all full) and snuck a smile to the disappointed taxi driver standing on the sidewalk as we pulled away.
 
It had been nearly 2 hours since we'd been hauled off the bus early but we were finally on our way. Only two stops later I noticed our helpful old Chinese lady disembarking, and told Larissa. We truly hoped that we hadn't disrupted her whole plan and tried to express our deepest thanks while the bus pulled away with sincere smiles and waves of thanks through the window. Managing to catch her eye, her return smile showed us that she was more than happy to have helped.
 
For the not so dramatic, but much more beautiful ending to this saga please stay tuned. When we return to Shanghai on the 19th I plan on completing the story. Until then...