Friday, August 16, 2013

Travels in Canada.......




Greetings from Canada girls......how are you all?

Thought I would pop in and show a few pics of my trip so far.

When I arrived at Calgary airport hubby and son were waiting and Rich had drawn a sign and held it up for me....  

He'd drawn bunting, a ball of wool and knitting needles and a jar of vegemite on it along with my family nickname.
It was very sweet, he knows me well and I had a good laugh....
It was great to see them after a month apart.


Ok, the pics here we go, first weekend after I arrived we were at the Folk Festival in Canmore at the foot of the Rockies...WOW

It's GORGEOUS, jaw droppingly beautiful and when the storms roll in it's even more so.

And I have to say you Canadians are hard core.
 You don't let a bit of rain stop you from enjoying the outdoors in Summer.
Out come the umbrellas, coats and tarps and you just keep on enjoying yourselves









Monday morning there was a free pancake breakfast on the last day of the festival and it was lovely.
 Live music to entertain us, friendly locals to talk to and stunning scenery in the background.
We had a brilliant time at Canmore, thanks everyone for making us Aussies feel so welcome.....we certainly hope to be back.








Elk grazing along the roadside



Taken just out of Jasper on the way to Hinton




Some sweet birdy love going on.

A grey Jay we met at Lake Louise.

Very tame birds and they were happy to take bread from our hands.....




Had to stop and check out this lush vegie garden in Jasper.
Interesting to see what people grow in different places.





We took a River Safari over at Blue River on the way over to Vancouver. 

  We saw 4 black bears in their natural habitat.
It was a great trip and well worth it.








Wildflowers growing along the roadside.
They make me think of all the  lovely wild flower pics that Sue over at


takes on her weekly bike rides.






Last week we visited Granville Island Market in Vancouver and first thing I spied was some yarn bombing.

It's a great place to go to see artists and their wares.

 I'm sure I never even saw half of it, but time was limited.

When you have a couple of fellas in tow you're always watching the clock.

Anyway, if you ever visit Vancouver make sure you visit Granville Island Market and tell hubby you'll be at least 2 hours!!
I did duck into the Cloth Shop and bought 3 x 1/2 metres of fabric......there were toadstools, owls and birds....swoon!




Last weekend, we stayed in Victoria on Vancouver Island. 
We stayed with some people from church which was great.

 Hi Joan and Matt.....

We had a great time with them and when we left on Monday morning we headed to Butchart Gardens......WOW.

Put it on your list if you're visiting Canada.



Silly me forgot to charge my camera and half way round it went flat, doh!!
Thankfully, hubby had his camera and was happily snapping away.
Even Rich who's 22, enjoyed the gardens and had his phone out snapping madly. 
So it really is a place for all the family to visit.
Can't wait to get home and pull on the gardening gloves.......






One thing that has really struck me over here are the hanging baskets in towns. 
Whether they are outside businesses or hanging along the streets. 
They are just beautiful, obviously the climate suits them so well.
In this basket alone I counted 9 different varieties.
Also the gardens around town centres and outside of petrol stations are well tended and cared for. 
It's a real credit to whoever is in charge of them.
Some baskets have been at least a metre wide and full of blooms.






At Port Alberni down at the wharf we saw a shop which had the sign
'Vancouver Islands Best Donuts'

Now we've been sampling donuts from Tim Horton's while we've been here so I was up for this challenge.

I must say the sign was right.

I tried a maple and bacon donut......mmmm, lip smacking delish.

It's not too weird, just think of pancakes, bacon and maple syrup, it works.






And on the way back through Coombes we discovered a brilliant way to keep the weeds from growing in the roof gutters.
Keep a goat on your roof.......
Coombes is a very touristy little place, but it seems rather  quirky and interesting.



We've travelled a lot of kms and seen quite a bit of the countryside and it's been lovely.
But we're all missing home and looking forward to toast and vegemite and coffee just the way we like it. 

We're now on the countdown to home and Rich has one more festival to play the 
which is on this coming weekend.
Then it's back to Vancouver for our flight home.

Also have to say a big THANKYOU to my hubby Chris, who due to insurance reasons has been the chief driver whilst we're here.
It's tricky driving on the opposite side of the road and figuring out different road rules etc.
 He's done a brilliant job and all up the boys will have travelled over 10,000 kms.

Now if you've managed to stick with me till the end of this post......well done....

Thanks for visiting everyone, I'm off to bed now we've got a big day ahead of us tomorrow.

Hope you are all well,

Take care,

Claire X








22 comments:

  1. You're a long way from Home, Claire! but it looks like an amazing trip. Lovely pics, especially that mountain backdrop. Hanging baskets are very popular here too. They really brighten a place up. Hope you have a great time at the Festival and safe journey home to all of you. x

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  2. Oh, WOW! Fabulous scenery Claire! If we didn't have such hot, dry summers I'm sure we'd see hanging baskets everywhere in Oz, too. I loved seeing them throughout our travels in Europe in Spring one year.
    So envious of your wonderful holiday with the family. Weather fine and sunny here in the N.E. for 2 days now, but rain on the way again, and showers all next week so you have chosen a good time to be somewhere else!
    x

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    1. Hey Susan, thanks for the greetings from home.....lovely to hear from you.
      I'd love to have hanging baskets like these, but I do forget to water things in pots and the Summer heat really doesn't help either.....
      Oh I do hope there's still some rain around when I get home......I look forward to a day cosyin up inside and enjoying the last of the cold weather. But yes, I do love Spring too. Hope all is well with you.

      CLaire x

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  3. Looks like you're having a great time and are finding lots of interesting places to visit. Enjoy what's left of your trip.

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  4. It what beautiful surroundings you've found yourself in Claire, glad you're having fun.....just mind out for falling goats! :) x

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  5. I am so glad you got to Granville island, will you b there for the "wooded boat festival" this next week, that is a good show. Look out for "Plunger cove " if you get there. Tricia P.S what about the flowers in the toilets at Butchart gardens.

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  6. I am green with envy. We have always wanted to make that trip. So glad you enjoyed it (and that yummy donut!!!!).
    Linda at Wetcreek Blog (www.wetcreek.blogspot.com)

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  7. Claire, it looks like you are having a really wonderful time. Isn't it BEAUTIFUL?!?!?!?!?!!!!!!! Your pictures make me miss it. Have a wonderful time in Salmon Arm... it has been a very long time since I was there. And I know there have been some big forest fires there in the last few years, so it probably looks different.

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  8. Hi Claire, my brother lives in Vancouver but I've never been. Mum loves to visit Granville island when she goes to see him.
    Love the Zinnias at the gardens you visited :0)
    Sounds like you have had an amazing time....hopefully I will get there one day.
    Jacquie x

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  9. Claire it sounds like you are having a fabulous time, so many beautiful things to see and wonderful music tohear.
    Have fun,
    Meredith

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  10. Claire, it all looks wonderful. Have a great trip.

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  11. Ooh you're at my new neck of the woods, glad to hear you're having an amazing time. Did you visit Maiwa on Granville Island, that's my fave place there!
    Have a great trip home.x

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  12. It's a great country ... we have family there who I never get to visit so it's lovely to peek at their world through folk's blogs :)

    Safe journey home x

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  13. Sounds like you are having an amazing time x

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  14. What a beautiful place and a great trip for the three of you...you are probably home now enjoying that Vegemite and toast. xxxx

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  15. Simply beautiful. I love all the flowers. Even though I live in the US, I've never been to Canada. It seems a lovely, beautiful and interesting place.

    Hugs,
    Sharon

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  16. I'm so glad you're enjoying your visit to the west coast! I'm a bit late in getting round to blogs lately, and I think you're home now! My brother lives in Victoria, and he was just here in Ontario visiting for our dad's 90th birthday. We've been out to see him there numerous times, and we also stopped in at Coombs and saw the goats on that same rooftop! How nice that you saw all that spectacular wildlife too :) Thanks for sharing all of the beautiful photos with us. Wendy x

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  17. You've found some lovely places to visit, Butchart gardens looks amazing!

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  18. Great shots of the elk and bear!!! I have rarely seen bears in the wild, so I'm jealous. Glad you had such a nice trip. :)

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  19. I hopped over to grab your address for a link in a post I was writing, then stayed to read your very lovely post (and what a surprise to find halfway down that you had linked to me!). :)

    Oh my word, those mountains are spectacular. (I wonder if people who live under them ever get used to the sight - I hope not.) So majestic and awe-inspiring and permanent-looking - they seem to put everything into perspective.

    Your post has made me hungry for mountains and for food - particularly sausage. And I'd love to try a maple bacon donut. :) Those gardens are beyond beautiful, and the hanging baskets sound delightful.

    So glad you had a pleasant visit up North. I hope your trip home was pleasant and smooth. Enjoy your Spring - we are feeling the first hints of Autumn here and I am not ready for it!

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  20. THat was a delightful trip along !!! THanks. Your photos are gorgeous. I saw your Little bird needle holder on Mrs M's site and came over

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  21. Fantastic photos..................just new Canada would look like that !!! Elk and wildflowers beside the road.... beautiful !! Mmmm must mention to Bob that a goat on the roof has advantages. Ha Ha !!!

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