More adventuring

Six has become four but before K&B left we spent the last few days doing more adventuring and perfecting the art of navigation! Headed off to Vancouver Island to see the Butchart Gardens in Victoria. They really are spectacular. The gardeners can check it out on www.butchartgardens.com. The day was fantastically sunny and we had a fantabulous seafood dinner down by the water front before heading back on the ferry - no detours and no loop roads.
The Vancouver Aquarium also proved a highlight as we saw baluga whales who are happily playing and breeding. For those who are less attached to the idea of aquariums it was nice to hear that they had let the killer whales go free a while back as they didn't appear happy and weren't breeding very well. Beavers were also a big highlight as they are way bigger than expected and very playful.
I also got a little fixated on checking out "The girl in a swim suit" statue, which featured on the map, so took everyone on a little side journey, but, as you can see it turned out to be worth the visit - well I thought so. K of J&K has her segway with her and managed to do some quite elegant off roading (although no photographic evidence is available) which somewhat detracted from the totem pole display we had been walking to..........
Went out for a very fine dinner to actually celebrate mums birthday, enjoying serveral courses of the very finest seafood dishes British Columbia has to offer. Including much wine and the singing of happy birthday as mum was presented with her dessert, complete with candle. All very noice.
As a side entertainment we have been tracking down bears........well in an artistic sense. All over Vancouver and on Vancouver Island we have been stumbling across various versions of these fellows and felluses. Similar to the "Cow Parade" this is part of the "Spirit Bears in the City" fundraiser. You can check them out at the Bear Gallery www.spiritbearsinthecity.com/index.php/content/gallery-vancouver.html. It's been a fun distraction!
On a different note and for the more socially minded who are concerned I have completely lost my mind and turned into the tourist from hell I have taken some notice of the cities goings on. Vancouver appears very laid back - you seldom see anyone on a cellphone and I don't think they have heard of texting. It's very "white" as compared to San Fran (or NZ for that matter). While I am sure there must be quite an ethnic mix of people living here it's not much in evidence when strolling around (and we have strolled alot, mostly choosing to walk everywhere). We did get to see the very ugly side of the homeless scene out driving one night but generally during the day, while people are begging, in the main they don't appear to be either drugged out or drunk - and are very polite , makes you wander how they have found themselves where they are. Anyone that has been to San Fran and hasn't been back in a while will be quite shocked at the number of homeless and clearly unwell people in evidence 24/7 - it has become much like New York prior to Guiliani deciding to clean up the streets and get the homeless into shelters and/or out of town - Vancouver is in sharp contrast! It's certainly a nice city to holiday in and probably a great city to retire in but I'm not sure its quite the city I would choose for me right now as I can't see the politics of it or much evidence of big business (oh and the minor detail that I don't have a greencard to work here anyway). That said I am not sure San Fran is quite the city for me either (although not a terrible choice if that's where the job is). Anyway this a long read and it's almost time for (more) vino. Probably won't be back on line for the next week as we trip into San Fran and I arrive in New Mexico but will try and get some other photos on-line (through a different site) so you can see more of the adventures.