Riviera Hotel Vancouver

... for them to ever return- the Taliban apparently have them on their 'hit-list' - and so they've had to leave their home, all their possessions, friends, hopes and dreams behind, never to return. Yet despite all this, Bridget is still thankful and dependent on God. She was honest enough to share her struggles, questions and outright depression she's experienced over the last few years. AND as an added bonus, she came with child! Amalia, 4 months old, was one ...

And so, we arrived in Vancouver. We fell asleep as soon as we arrived due to the time difference. This meant we spent a lot of our time there suffering from jet lag. We did like Vancouver, especially Stanley Park and Granville Island but it does seem to have a big problem with homelessness. After coming from the safe streets of Korea, it did feel a little dangerous at night time in some areas ...

Started with coffee at Caffe Artigiano, then returned to a full day of packing. We left around 12:30 to have a bite at "Go Fish" on Granville Island, then picked up a few items in Kitsilano that I had scoped out earlier in the week--cute gifty things for my friends Alison, Chole and Suzanne. Returned to ...

... before I thought to check the Air Transat website! Silly me! There was the direct flight at the cheaper cost. Phew, all was not lost. Why I did not book the flight the day I found it? Who can say, but I waited once again. Guess I just never learn! Well the flight was still available but the price went up just a little bit. I finally booked my flight a week before my departure and all was set.

I contacted a friend in Rome ...

... another 4 months.

Skipped lunch (trying to make up for the cost of the salon) and wandered the design shops in Gastown. Found a new one called "Obakki" that I thought was fantastic. Apparently they sell to all the Neiman Marcus stores. The clothes are all made here in Vancouver from Italian fabrics. Fell in love with a top that the salesgirl promised she would notify via email when it went to 75% off. I hope it will ...

... Mostly jeans and t-shirts – few dressed to the nines sort of places. One club had gold drapers on the outside and three or four doormen with headsets … but no line. Another ("Lobby") looked like the deserted lobby of an old movie theatre – including an empty food/candy display case. It was dark and empty … presumably the club was in the back and more interesting. One club ...

... a jacket for my my macbook. Some protection won't hurt the thing. After that it was streight to the Canadian border. We took the I5. Since we took the wrong lane (only for card holders) we could pass the border in only 3 minutes. Lucky for us they believed us that it was a mistake. By 3pm we arrived at Martha's place in ...

... we were all keen to go up the mountain in the Gondola, but the weather was still rainy and the visability bad, so it wasn't a goer. But Malcolm and I were glad it was cold enough to wear our ski jackets, gloves and scarf seeing as we'd lugged them all the way with us!! We left Whistler and took the scenic back route back to Vancouver through the Cascade Mountains and Hell's Gate, following the ...

... Today, Sunday February 3, 2008, we found ourselves at the Hilton Hotel in Burnaby. We had awakened to a promising day as we were faced with a Vancouver rarity, at least at this time of year - a day without rain crowned by sunshine. It is tough to keep me inside when it is beautiful outside under the best of circumstances and since Barbara was working tomorrow, this was our day to go for a classical Vancouver walk. This is where Commercial Drive became ...

... But still besides all this we had a good trip, and we are ready to go back to the Rockies to try to see those wolves and bears and bighorn sheep and all other creatures! But that is going to be another story! We are back in Amsterdam and looking back at the pictures from the trip, it all seems far away now. Thank you for your patience in reading our time in the Rockies. I wish you happy traveling, however you decide to do it via the Internet or going for it experiencing it all!