Spain hits Vancouver....

A momentous occasion; Sarah Spain (my best friend) visited Vancouver.

The first few days have been excellent. We went straight to Whistler and spent the Easter bank holiday weekend on the slopes.

Here are a few snaps of us:

And while we spent time on the bunny slopes, David tackled the jumps:

It was the first time I'd stayed the night in Whistler village & it was great fun. The Irish Bar - Dubh Linn Gate - was a good giggle, had live music & authentic 'Irish' men.

We were also persuaded to try 'Mojos' - a dodgy nightclub which resembled 'The Pig', a dodgy Austrian pub we frequented on a previous ski trip at school. The oldest person, other than us, can only have been 19 years old at the most. Yes - we felt like we were in an episode of 'Cougar Town' and didn't stay too long.

All in all it was an excellent weekend. Looking forward to the rest of the week.

CS

Got my dance shoes on...

I thought it was about time I got back into dancing. I bravely put on my gear & headed to Harbour Dance for a hip hop class:

Ignoring the fact I hadn't danced in four years, I thought I'd easily get back into the swing of things.

I walked into class & it was like a scene from 'Step Up to the Streets'. I used to go to Pineapple regularly and I never saw anything like it. People had their groove on before the class had even started & were performing for others.

Needless to say, I struggled to keep up with the choreography - and experienced my first bout of back pain afterwards.

Vicky Hatcher - if you are reading this - I may need some more dance lessons from you!

I'll definitely give it another go, however next time I'll be in the beginners class where I belong...

CS

Tofino magic - part four

I couldn't talk about our Tofino experience without mentioning the sea lions. It wouldn't be fair to exclude them.

On Vancouver Island there are hundreds of sea lions - most of which laze around in the sun whenever they get a chance. Here are our favourite moments captured on camera:

This sea lion is having a nice big yawn. I'm not surprised - it must be an exhausting life.

This is my favourite. The poor little mite can barely keep his body on the pipe.

CS

Tofino magic - part three

In Tofino - the land of wilderness - I also took my best photo of a bald eagle to date.

Thought it was worth sharing; I'm quite proud:

CS

Tofino magic - part two

A first for me - we went whale watching while in Tofino.

We found a local company that provided warm suits - a good idea given how cold it is on the water. We were looking hot:

And our mode of transport was an over-sized yellow rubber dingy. Check it out:

Our preparation paid off! We saw numerous of grey whales (around 17 if my memory serves me well). Here is my best snap:

We also saw sea otters - very cute. These pair clearly only have eyes for each other:

CS

Tofino magic - part one

This weekend we went to Tofino for the first time with Dee and Bob, David's parents.

It was a truly magical weekend. We stayed in a log cabin right next to the beach & cooked fish on the BBQ. The scenery was stunning:

David and I also had our first surf of the season. It was great to get in the water, bob along with the waves and try a new board.

David was having the time of his life - he's never happier than when he's in the water.

CS

Hummingbird glory

I cannot take credit for these photos, but while exploring the North Shore Mountains with his parents, David captured some great images of a hummingbird. Check them out:

Hummingbird posing...

Hummingbird spreading his wings...

Hummingbird turned away - so you can see his pink-coloured head.

Impressive photography skills Mr Gilmour.

CS