Food

My sister is a spectacular cook. She can always make meals lickety split with such a variety. All that she cooked, I savoured and wondered how she cooked them. She told me how to cooke a few things, like poached eggs and mashed yams I figured out for myself. She cooked a delicious dish of rice without ing a rice cooker. She gave this away to her daughter. The rice was puffy and fresh. I still had my rice cooker so I knew that I could cook a fairly descent meal. We had red wine every night in Vancouver to accentuate the flavour of the food.
When I was back in Ontario, it came time to putting up the Christmas tree. I had everthing prepared but I had no wine. I went to mass with my friend and after mass I saw Father pouring wine back into the bottle. I asked if I could have some because I needed it while decorating my Christmas tree. Father laughed and said, "I've never heard that one before."
But my facination with cooking started on the plane ride out to Vancouver, having watched almost all of"Julie and Julia." The characters in the movie were devoted to coooking up a storm. I must admit though, I didn't care for boiling live lobsters since I'm an animal lover. At the aquuarium, my sister asked me when I first started loving animals. I guess it was when I was four, when my mother sang a song which was in "Marry Poppins; Feed the Bird's." I din't have much trouble with eating meat, except when I discovered how veal was made...so cruel and unfeeling man can be-separating calves from their babies. We must seem like monsters to the animal world.
We watched a cooking show that required coconut juice straight from the coconut. The girls in the show, had to do a test to cook a meal how a chef would cook. They had trouble breaking open the coconut though. They trieed everything from a hammer to their shoe but gradually got the thing open. They were panicking because the chef was going to be there any minute and evaluate them. I thought the chef was going to be strict with them but he miracoulsly gave the them an eight out of ten.
Cooking is like an art. You put ingredients together and voila!!!!You've created a masterpiece. I think after years of battling an eating disorder, I finally view food in a different light and am eager to get cooking. I even cooked fof my friend and she thought is was similar to a Thanksgiving meal. I wouldn't say I've gone that far but it is deffinately an improvement.

University of British Columbia

The university is just one bus ride from my sister's town house. I noticed there was a window in the ceiling of my sister's townhouse. She said that was to let in as much light as possible since most days are cloudy with drizzle. My sister gave me my own room which I thought was very nice because each night I was there, I had some down time and could read my Harry Potter book or do som praying that I would normally do at home as part of my routine.
My nephew is thinking of attending UBC for engineering. He will live at home and commute. My sister and I felt it would be neat to check out the university. There are enormous homes that surround the university and they are right near the ocean; probably doctors and lawyers live here. The lanscaping is truely amazing but we couldn't see the ocean from this view point.
We went to the main centre of the university and found a lot of restaurants and students were working on laptops. A student's art was on display which we thought was intriging because the artist took thousands of pictures of a city and arranged them in a way like a puzzled after he did all his photo's. One he completed one photo, he would cut the photo into little rectangulars peices and paste them together to be presentedd in a lanscape of the city. Lord knows how long this would take. It was such labourus work. But we found it interesting and my sister talked to the artist for a while. He was taking art history as well as taking photographs for his art. I always felt I had no fee time after my subjects in university but I find that the more you have to do, the more time you make for extrcurricular activities.
Another nephew attends the University of Geulph and he finds time to ride his bike to Guelph lake and run marathons. These young adults are just full of energy.
As we were taking the bus back, it became more and more packed as we got into the city. My sister had to stand all the way home which was a half an hour ride. Night was closing in on us and we saw inside retail stores and looked at the items that they were selling. My sister said her son shopped here and would come home with his friends on a visit. I think I was counting the Starbucks as we passed by. It is a coffee city.

Around my Sister's Domain

One of the good things about being on vacation is that you can sleep in and I am one for sleeping in. The average time I would wake up is 9AM. But we still had enogh time to make coffee. I am guilty of drinking the most in the mornings. I don't feel human if I don't. I was suprized my brother-in-law said that he had three cups of coffee per day while I had over five. However, he does drink espresso and bought me some at the cafe on Grouse mountain.
I found out where the Catholic Book Store was via internet and to my astonishment, it was practically around the corner. I would love to have the internet at home but I can't afford it. I seemed glued to the internet every free second I was visiting my sister. But first we headed towards my brother-in-law's work. He is the boss of Omni and City TV in Vancouver, so he has quite a demanding job and feels exhausted when he gets home frome work. He showed us around his office and I found it to be like an executive office; quite big. We said hello to his co-workers and saw a man giving a speil on the latest news which was the retirement of Oprah Winpray in 2010. I was never a big fan of hers. I thought she got too much fame to begin with but I guess she has helped a lot of people including Dr. Phil. I don't have cable, so i don't know much about television but having it on in my sister's house, I could see the fascination for it. There was so much you could learn by watching documentries.
We watched a documentry on the horse; Sea Buiscuit, which was outstanding to learn about. His rider was blind in his right eye but never told anybody about it in case he was disqualified. He lost one race due to his ailment by one horse coming up along his right hand side. Obviously he couldn't see the horse approaching and he thought he had the race covered but the other horse dashed to the finish line before him and Sea Biscuit's owner had to endure the criticism of losing the race. There was no way he would be disqualified.
I think my sister's favorite shows were about cooking and boy, was my sister ever a good cook. She experiments with ingredients and always tries something new. "We'll turn you into a foodie yet," she said. A foodie, is one who likes food.
At the Catholic Book Store I found many appealing things but could only afford so much. I liked the statues of the saints but were expensive. The store had books, rosaries, statues and vestments for the priests. I thought I could go there on my next visit which would likely be the spring as long as my sister doesn't object. Catholic Book Store are found only in cities. It was just a stroke of luck that the book store happened to be so close.
My sister took me to have some lunch at a backery called Terra Backery. It was situated among construction and some construction workers had lunch there. I thought it was nice that they had a break like this, because everything was so fresh. I had a vegetarian sandwich with a cookiie for dessert. My sister is finding her way around the city and is fascinated with all the informaton she is taking in about the city. To me, it feels like a home away from home because Vancouver is a Canadian city and my sister lives there now. I like it better than Toronto because it is cleaner. Vancouver has a welcoming feel to it. Everybody was so nice there throughout my stay.

Aquarium

From my sister's house, we drove to the Vancouver Aquarium. It was sea life at his best mainly because the aquarium was so close to the Pacific Ocean. The guides were informative being graduates in marine biology and could answer all our questons. The most attractive sight was watching the beluga whales swim with their babies. The babies stayed close to their mothers. One was the grandmother of a baby beluga, who it's mother had just given birth a couple of months ago. The baby didn't have a name but the aguarium gave us an opportunity to suggest names online. My sister and I came up with an inuit name and sent it to the aquariums website. We would be egible for a gift certificate to the gift shop. We were alble to see the beluga's outdoors and in. I liked the way they're shaped, swimming around their pool.
The dolphins put on a show for us and before you knew it, they were jumping ten feet in front of you; their reward was a lot of fish. One dolphin could play ball and shot it right to the trainer. The trainer's were asking the dolphin's question and they replied with a shake up their heads up and down. They would talk to their trainers, waiting for a pat on the head. Each had a name and when called, responded. The amazing move was their ability to travel upright by their tail. Once they would dive for the ball, they would remarkably appear at the opposite end of their pool; faster than the speed of light. These creatures felt at home in the water and were delighted with human contact.
My sister and I stood in front of the bat exhibit and talked about how ugly they were and how they scared us. My sister's worst nightmare would be being attacked by a bator rather a bear. But they eat insects that are a danger to plant species. That is the only good thing about them and we settled to look at the otters. They were so cute, eating with their paws and being friends side by side, (there were two in their pool). I took a picture of these creatures along with the belugas and the dolphins.
We viewed a number of frogs; very colourful and what a variety. A certain group of species reintroduce a dangerous variety of frogs that killed other frog. You think they would think befor introducin this species to the ecological habitat.
The aquarium presented us with a 4D experience. What is actually a 4D experienc is that you feel what is happening around the habitat of whale, dolphins ect. My sister, claimed that she got kicked in the back. Maybe a shark was coming up close to her. At one point bubbles floated across the theatres and we got splashed with waters when the dolphins dived into the ocean. I thought it was hillarious. I don't know how my sister felt a kick. I don't think there was anyone behind her. So now we know what a 4D experience feels like.
The different types of corals were beautiful and we saw plenty of starfish. The tiny seahorses were amazing. If I had a lot of money, i would give to the world wildlife fund but I don't, so I gave two dollars to the aquarium.

Rain

I don't have the slightest idea of what we saw next, so I will choose to talk about rain in Vancouver. Firstly, it seems like it never stops. But the good old umbrella, seems to be an extra gadget that is cumbersome when you are carrying something else. So, I ditched the umbrella and headed out doors with my hood of my winter jacket protecting me from the rain. One get's so used to the rain here there are stores especially designed for umbrellas. We went into one such store on Grandville Island, and could choose from a variety of designs. It reminded me of a kite store. We didn't buy anything but we got an idea what kinds of umbrellas were ideal for the climate of British Columbia.The store clerk showed us a clear plastic umbrella. Not only could you see where you were going but you were pretty much covered from the rain. Needless to say, we didn't end up buying an umbrella but we had a good idea of gift buying for Christmas.
We had one day that it didn't rain but we chose to go to the art gallery; a place for viewing the paintings of French Canadian scenery. It felt out of place, since we were on the west coast and looking at art from the east. Kreigoff, was a painter that my dad is familiar with. He has a whole book about him at his home.
I did see works from the group of seven, which utterly amazes me. I enjoy taking in the icebergs and the landscapes surrounded by trees. They were probably painted in Algonquin Park, an extraordinary place for camping in Ontario. Now I am talking of Ontario when I should be talking about the sights and sounds of Vancouver. Overall, I soon got tired of the art gallery, so me and my sister met up with my brother-in-law, grabbed something to eat and I ventured on to the bookstore while my sister looked for more art at the art gallery. I was filled to the brim of information regarding the types of art and had to get some diversion.
I went into a huge Chapters situated in downtown Vancouver and I surrounded myself with thousands of books. I can never get tired in a bookstore. Chapters had three floors. I found that it was bigger than the world's biggest bookstore.

Voyage to Queen Elizabeth Park

It's another rainy day in Vancouver but that doesn't stop us from making the most out of the day. Our destination is Queen Elizabeth Park. One disadvantage is that it is all uphill. although I finished a hearty breakfast, I felt hungrier and hungrier as we ascended up the hill to the park. Maybe it's because the park has the highest lookout point in all of Vancouver. Luckily, I brought granola bars with me and with each breath I munched on them, regaining my energy for what I thought was a bit of a challenge. My sister was patient and stopped while I devoured my granola bars. I offered her some but she didn't seem as hungry.
As we got higher and higher, we saw more greenery. It is lush in Vancouver because of all the rain. The trees are over forty feet tall and they seemed to take in the dampness of the air as if it were for fuel for growth. What kind of people would want to cut these magnificent trees in this province? I am a tree person despite the fact that I took forestry in college. Cutting down trees didn't appeal to me. As on teacher pointed out, it was rape and pillaging the earth and I soon got tired of using the trees instead of conserving the trees.
Queen Elizabeth Park is actually an extinct volcano which is 153 metres above sea level. No wonder why I was tired. We wandered into the Bloedel Floral Conservatory growing 500 varieties of trees and plants; very well cared for. It was funny that my sister found little critters running throughout the conservatory while it was news for the floral guide. I just saw the plants move while these animals raced along the ground. When she reported that there were rats running around, the tour guide was astonished and felt it was nasty business since it was the first time she heard such a thing. I think we shocked her and perhaps she though it was another reason to shut down the conservatory. I didn't sign the comment book because of my hand tremor but I really was fascinated with the variety of plants and birds. It is a pity that they were going to close it down because it is such a nice environment. It was hard to keep it up I guess; to maintain it lush tropical feel. Birds flew every which way but the ones which stood out were the parrots. These big birds never cease to amaze me having a friendly feel to them. Their vocalization told us that they were content to live there and did not want the city to destroy their habitat.
As we went outdoors, it was still rainy but I could get a good view of the mountains from the lookout and so took some pictures. The clouds were lower than the normal. I wanted to get a clear view of the mountains but the weather wouldn't cooperated and I noticed that my sister was just about fed up with the rain. I've never been in a wetter climate. But I am reassured that there will be brighter days ahead.

Arriving In Vancouver

At the luggage carousel, my sister was waiting with open arms. I was so happy that I managed to go the right way in this new land. I introduced her to Naomi, explained about the cracker snack and then we headed to the sky train, especially designed for the Olympics. It felt like riding the monorail at the Metro Toronto zoo since removed because of accidents. I thought the zoo went downhill from the accident. The city cannot afford to feed the animals and when I visited there, the poor animals looked depressed. I really felt for them, me being an animal lover and I vowed never to go back to the zoo again. I would rather them close the zoon, than let the animals go downhill.
Once we got to my sister's town house, I was amazed at the architecture and wanted to take a picture but I was encouraged to take it when it was not raining. When was it not raining? I saw a glimpse of the sun once and right now it is Saturday. A slow drizzle to keep the trees green and the Vancouverites mumbling to themselves as to why this weather is happening. There are tonnes of umbrellas here, which makes me want to call it umbrella land. I've never been in a climate like this. It is supposed to be moderately warm throughout the year which means having a green Christmas.
The upside to this, is there is always a coffee shop around the corner. Starbucks is everywhere and the Vancouverites gravitate to them. Me on the other hand, seeks out a Blends where the price is descent and the coffee is extraordinary. So you are dealing with a coffee and holding an umbrella, which my sister seems to think is more dangerous then possessing a weapon. The reason is clear...if you slip and fall the person holding the coffee burns another person while poking his eye out with an the points of the umbrella. So, the moral is take time to savor the flavor of the coffee in the shop around the corner. As my brother-in-law would put it, a living room outside of your house.

A Helping Hand

It was my first time at an airport alone. Tim, a friend romantically from the past offered to drive me from Guelph to the airport but I felt isolated when he dropped me off at the airport. I needed help and guidance. So, I asked and asked tonnes of questions. I admit, I was a little bit nervous at the security. I took my coat off and they commented on how big the coat was as it was viewed in the machine. What the heck did that mean? Did they think I was smuggling something? I quickly remembered the scene in "French Kiss," when Kevin Klein said to Meg Ryan: "you would declare a stick of chewing gum." I laughed at the thought as I made it through security. It wasn't as bad as I thought.
I was reading the numbers off my ticket and wounded in the wrong section. Thankfully, a lady helped me and guided me to my flight 101 and I chose a seat and relaxed with my Harry Potter book which is a good conversation piece by the way. Everybody and his mother are indulging in the
books. How famous is J.K Rowling?
An hour went by, and I found myself boarding the plane. There didn't seem to be a lot of people waiting but when I got seated on the plane, I found it crowded. Every seat was taken up. My seat was in between a gentlemen and Naomi. She had introduced herself and helped me with any questions because I admitted to her that I hardly leave Guelph. As the plane took off, I was left with an exhilarating feeling of profound freedom. I was a tourist in a foreign land.
It was difficult to get a hold of my books and my headphones because I was crammed between two people. One man on the window seat didn't say boo but at least Naomi was friendly. I had to step on her seat in order to get my knapsack which contained my granola bars, headphones and of course my books which are so valuable to me as was the case in "Inkheart," where the lady guarded her books as if they were worth more than gold.
I finally found my headset and indulge in watching "Julie and Julia." It was a good movie that inspired to get a blog up and writing. I am a writer and I thought I should have some avenue to get my work out there. Having free coffee and free water was heaven for me. I just had to make sure my tremor was under control because of the amount of turbulence we had experienced. I didn't finish "Julie and Julia," because the plane was coming to a landing and the gentlemen, graciously opened his window so I could see the mountains and the ocean. We were coming in for a landing. Vancouver here I come.

The Idea

Vancouver
Living in Ontario and being a Canadian, you would think I would take this great opportunity without the worry of having a passport, to explore my "home and native land." But I have seen more of the United States than Canada. Since I am in the middle of getting my passport; a bit of an ordeal, since every detail on your application has to be perfect; I searched for other opportunities to travel. My sister just happen to move recently to Vancouver. Waking up one day, I was faced with an explosion or a eureka moment in my head. "Why don't I go to Vancouver?" I rushed to the telephone without further delay and made the phone call my sister. I presented her with my ingenious idea and without realizing that she was on the other side of the country; a country that is vast; she indicated that it was 6:30 in the moment. I was jolted into reality and apologized profusely. Nevertheless, within two weeks I was on my way to the east coast and I could make it happen flying solo.

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