Canada 04: Vancouver island - Ucluelet

After a scrumptious breakfast and a nice conversation with host Colleen at our B&B 'The Torries' in Courtenay we continued our trip to our next stop at B&B Coast&Toast at Vancouver island 'Ucluelet' which is at the Pacific shore.

On the way there we visited MacMillan park (Cathedral grove) with a large, old Douglas fir tree and after arrival at our new home for 2 days we did a short walk AND met a bear... arghhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhhh. He was ignoring us, so we ignored him too pfffff

We composed a dinner at restaurant The Black Rock consisting of almost all the first courses of the menu ^^
And oysters for me as a starter (Peter had mussels).

Tomorrow we go whale spotting. We booked a 5 hrs tour on a private boat including lunch, advised by our lovely host Faye. She gave us loads of very useful info. 

Peter and B&B dog Rafiki

Courtenay town

there was a farmers market downtown

safety first in Canada ... 

MacMillan park or Cathedral grove

the first bear we met

our dinner this evening consisted of only first courses and was delicious

to be continued ^^
dikke kus
Carina

Canada 03: the tour starts - Vancouver island Courtenay

Stanley park again, but this time we toured by car

Today we start touring with our rented big Ford Edge. Peter fetched it from Vancouver airport while I was blogging in the hotel and checking out. 

When he returned I finished my blog post about our 2nd day in Vancouver.

Wow what a car, it floats and loves gasolina.

We had time for lunch so we toured Stanley park once more, this time by car and decided to go to the Teahouse, which we had visited the day before with Joanna and Allen. 

After lunch we took the ferry to Nanaimo on Vancouver island, a trip that lasted a little less than 2 hrs. 

We drove to our first B&B address in Courtenay; 'the Torries' where we occupied a lovely big room, with a super bed and bathroom AND most important kind and very helpfull owners. Lovely place I recommend!

We had sushi and sashimi for dinner and bought a good bottle of white wine at the local shopping centre. The liquor store has lots of great wines (even Peter his fav Aalto wine), Balvenie whiskey and Taylors port. We were impressed.

Afterwards we drove to the harbour of Comox nearby and admired the sunset and took loads of pictures.

After talking to Colleen and Lyle, our hosts and the other guests at the B&B we called it a day. I was too tired to blog. By now my jet lag more or less has disappeared. Phew about time.

dikke kus

Carina

lunch at Teahouse in Stanley park

boarding to sail to Nanaimo on Vancouver island 

Comox a lovely small port near our B&B at Courtenay

our rented car a Ford Edge 

B&B 'The Torrie's' at Courtenay

A Day at the Beach

To give our poor feet some rest after walking the city yesterday, we went to the beach at Jericho park. At first it was a bit windy and cold in the morning but later on it became really warm and sunny. Phew, so warm that we decided to swim in the ocean. Lovely, not  too cold and what a view - the skyline of Vancouver.
At first we took a coffee at the surf school and after walking to the bus station we had a beer at a Greek restaurant ^^

In the evening we met with JMB (Joanna) & her husband Allen. Joanna is a dear SL friend whom I know for a few years now. Joanna and Allen took us out for dinner in a lovely restaurant in Stanley park; the Teahouse, which has a superb view and great food.
We all had salmon as a main course accompanied by a lovely white BC whine.
It was great fun to meet RL Joanna! Thanks again you two for giving Peter and I a lovely evening. Hope to meet when we return after our round trip.

As I am writing this blog post in the lobby of the Century Plaza Hotel and Spa, where we stayed 3 days. I booked this hotel through HotWire. I accidently stumbled on this site on the internet. You don't know which hotel you get, untill the moment you book it. You choose the area and the number of stars  the hotel should have. The prices are really good. We will use HotWire again for sure. Adventure exists ^^

Peter is fetching our rental 4x4 at the airport. When he arrives at the hotel with the car our tour will begin. Starting of with a boat trip to Vancouver island, where we will drive around the coming 5 days.

Dikke kus
Carina

great houses/gardens when walking to the beach

Peter and Joanna

view from the restaurant

Allen and I

license plate of Joanna (posh girl she is)

Canada 01: Vancouver 7 July 2013

This morning we woke very early coz after half a day and a night, we aren't adjusted yet to Canadian time. However, it's great to be walking through a city that early in the morning. The weather was super; sunny with some clouds and not too warm. Not many people on the streets on an early Sunday morning; we saw the city wake up.

We walked through downtown Vancouver to the waterfront, hired a bike there  (refused the helmet), cycled through Stanley park, had a lovely late lunch at the harbour. 

Afterwards we walked all the way to Gastown and afterwards to Chinatown, visited the classical Chinese garden of dr. Sun Yat-Sen there. Had dinner at the famous Chinese kantine HON's. Walked all the way back to the hotel where we finished the day with an espresso. Our feet hurt.

no parking .....

the 'Zaandam' a Dutch cruise ship in Vancouver harbour

our rental bikes

Stanley park

a drink in Gastown

street sign in English and Chinese in Chinatown