tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-93445902024-03-07T09:45:01.513+00:00lunamoduleLet the good times roll...Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.comBlogger1787125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-7977200211069762342011-08-15T05:45:00.002+01:002011-08-15T05:48:40.327+01:00Oh yeah, that blog...Okay, so it turns out that I'm really pretty shit at blogging!<br />
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Current location - La Estancia hostel in <b>San Salvador</b>, El Salvador. San Salvador's the first capital city I've been stayed in since Mexico so I was quite excited about checking out some big city lights, some culture and the nightlife (apparently, San Salvador has the best nightlife in Central America). Just a bloody shame the only day I'm here is a Sunday and most things are shut! Well the museum (if you get the chance, check it out - it looks cool: <a href="http://www.artepopular.org/?cat=0">Museo de Arte Popular</a>) I wanted to go to was shut and so are the two bars I thought I'd check out. I'm on my own again so figured it best not to venture too far away... The hostel is in Boulevard de los Heroes which is a pretty chilled out (muy tranquil) neighbourhood with some good restaurants and bars nearby (just not on Sunday) and I could probably find some excitement in the town centre or Zona Rosa but San Salvador is also one of the most dangerous cities in Central America (erm... like every other major city in Central America. Actually, surprisingly, Mexico City is probably on the safer side of the spectrum!) plus I couldn't be asked to work out how to navigate around an unfamiliar city using the buses. I nearly went to the cinema to see a dubbed Harry Potter but decided to use the night in to upload photos and hell, now I'm writing a blog post so hurrah! <br />
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I did make it out for a wander earlier in the day to find the closed museum and closed pupuseria recommended in the guidebook. The streets were pretty quiet - but also just pretty. Lots of flowers and the couple of people I asked for help with directions were super helpful (so far, we week into El Salvador and I can happily say that El Salvadorians have been some of the smiliest and friendliest people I've met - they also just seem really pleased you're here!). I did end up finding an open pupuseria and managed to stuff myself with 3 pupusas - queso and jalapeno, queso and zapote, queso, chicharonnes & something else I can't remember (can you tell I love queso?). I think two is the optimum number of pupusas you should eat... especially if you're having a licuado con fresa y leche to wash them down. I'm still full! Aside from the food, the lady serving me was really lovely and gave me the card to the restaurant so I'd remember where it was.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/6044162451/" title="San Salvador by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="San Salvador" height="254" src="http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6085/6044162451_b50a259b83.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Flower spotting whilst wandering around Boulevard de los Heroes</div><br />
El Salvador has been a really pleasant surprise - I initially thought I might skip it altogether and now here I am a week into it and having been to Santa Ana, Juayua, El Tunco already.<br />
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Tomorrow, I'll be leaving early to make my way to Perquin...Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0San Salvador, El Salvador13.69 -89.1913.607583 -89.303418 13.772416999999999 -89.076582tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-839721442728666902011-07-11T04:44:00.002+01:002011-07-11T05:05:19.811+01:00Remembering Bruno<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpGxCJLrIdCPGmbq0WBFnYijTqojq3-h0ktTh1Qf6Uv0EAtUrXhciz4Z7MsCrfto3AfWP-ZOu7SQDlGImneJ8IFurVjvZtUi8wjvzMVUXJF0ay5tYfuhpdpvBvCe16S9hZ3oySw/s1600/Bruno.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjQpGxCJLrIdCPGmbq0WBFnYijTqojq3-h0ktTh1Qf6Uv0EAtUrXhciz4Z7MsCrfto3AfWP-ZOu7SQDlGImneJ8IFurVjvZtUi8wjvzMVUXJF0ay5tYfuhpdpvBvCe16S9hZ3oySw/s320/Bruno.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">Bruno died today. He lost his battle with cancer but I'm pretty sure he gave it hell and fought hard right up until he decided he'd had enough and was off. I'm sorry to have been so far away and not to have seen him for such a long time. Or even to have seen him give the staff at the hospital a hard time for not letting him smoke. Don't get me wrong. Bruno was a grumpy old git - actually, he would always sign off as The Old Git... but there was always a crafty smile behind it. I loved that smile. There was and is no-one quite like him. I'm glad I knew him and I'm glad he was my friend.</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">A big fan of a good knees up - cheers, you Old Git! </div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;">You had to bugger off before I could see you again but I am holding to your words (I always loved your words!):</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
</div><blockquote><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #2a2a2a;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS', sans-serif;">Please do me a favour, if worse come the worse you and your friends have a good party on my behalf no tears no sadness.</span></b></span></blockquote><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: left;"><br />
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</div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-61926667846099603962011-07-06T20:57:00.000+01:002011-07-06T20:57:09.826+01:00Blogging... like actually bloggingI am currently being hosted by the fabulous Zina on a small beautiful island called Isla Mujeres in Mexico. A blogger herself, she's given me some advice on improving my blogging - like, you know, regularly posting something even if it's a line or 2. As I have a fair bit to still catch up on in terms of blogging about places I've already been to (last blog puts me in Detroit - that was actually 2 months ago...oops), posts will (hopefully) start featuring ramblings on current travels. Woohoo!<br />
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So.... here goes!<br />
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aggghhh, getting ready to leave Isla Mujeres where I've been spoilt rotten for the last 5 days with Zina and move on to Belize. As exciting as seeing new places is, this is also mixed with a touch of anxiety about that new place as well as quite a bit more sadness about leaving the place I'm in... It's the traveller's life!<br />
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On another note, I <b>think</b> I've actually made a decision about which language school to go to in Guatemala (you'll note, however, that even when I make a decision there is still a touch of unsuredness - is that even a word?!)Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-45283880570886072242011-07-06T02:11:00.005+01:002011-07-06T08:56:22.545+01:00Detroit - so much more than an abandoned cityAnd the best way to see it all... couchsurf it! Who better to help Detroit surprise and inspire you than the people who didn't abandon ship. Or, like my hosts - Gary and Cathy - decided to make it their home all the way from LA.<br />
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When I told people I wanted to see Detroit, the main reaction I got was ‘why?!’. It certainly had a reputation and it wasn’t good. To most, and hell, maybe it is – Detroit is the poster child for recession. People left it and there remains less than half the population of its heyday. I'd heard enough about Detroit to be aware of the negativity that surrounded it - the crime, the abandoned and neglected buildings (and people!)... the nothing-ness. And well, that's all true but it's not the whole truth. I'm not entirely sure why I was so drawn to it, I just was. But the Detroit I'd heard about wasn't what I wanted to see. I wanted to see the life that was still in it - and thriving.<br />
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Gary and Cathy were the perfect hosts to help me do that. Artists and passionate about their environment, they knew just about everyone in the arts scene in the city. They took me to a local art opening and local art closing, to the Detroit Institute of Arts (which is an incredible and first class museum) to hear some music in the Rivera murals room before slipping in to see Le Quattre Volte (a quiet, unexpected, quite beautiful film with the funniest scene with a dog and some goats). I even got to help Gary out with his current project - a camera obscura film on the abandoned train station - Brother, Can You Spare a Station (see youtube vid below). By help, I mean I spent a sunny afternoon making sure his car didn't get stolen, chatting to other tourists (the majority of tourists who come to Detroit are photographers hoping to capture the beauty of the many abandoned buildings around - and I guess they must also be intrigued by the city like me) as well as a lovely conversation with one local on his bike who talked positively of Detroit's comeback and his plan to give people bike tours of the city. We also managed to bump into another of my hosts' artist friends - and one me and fellow couchsurfer, Gail, were particularly excited about as we had been admiring the beer bottle cap bathroom he had built in their home and was designed with the help of Cathy (Cathy's work around their house was also very impressive - sculptures made with colourful telephone wires, wool and pieces of driftwood, branches and all sorts of big seeds - I think they're not actually seeds but I forget the name of them...). I also got to visit the community garden that Cathy works on - as well as do a bit of pheasant spotting. After people left and buildings crumbled, there now is lots of space for new things to grow - perfect for a community garden :o)<br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><a href="http://72.29.73.163/~vox/ac/S11/s11.html">Exhibition opening at Alley Culture</a> - my favourite piece was from Bridget Knoche who did a series of drawings of a dog in slightly different positions. I got to talk to her too which was cool! It reminded me of an article I read about how Mark Rothko used to leave the room that he was paining in so that he could sneak up on the piece he was working on - and see if from a different perspective. I think it was her first exhibition to she was pretty excited about it all and fun to talk to. It was also just fun walking around the corner and finding this place as it really is local!</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673060952/" title="Detroit - Alley Culture by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Alley Culture" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5222/5673060952_6795a6230f_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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</div>Music in the Rivera murals room at the Detroit Institute of Arts (DIA)<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673065184/" title="DIA - Rivera & Music (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="DIA - Rivera & Music (6)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5265/5673065184_fbd9b5473b_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;">Closing of 'Turn' at the Edwin Gallery - I can't remember the name of the artist sadly but the installation and the way the exhibition closed was so bloody cool! The installation was made up of lots and lots of rubbery strips hanging from the ceiling to the floor. You could walk around it feeling your way through, stretching the strips as you did so. For the closing, some musicians and dancers improvised on a piece which basically stretched some of the strips to their limits. The audience got to have a go afterwards too! Loved it.</div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673064520/" title="Closing of 'Turn' at the Edwin Gallery by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Closing of 'Turn' at the Edwin Gallery" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5673064520_b54afa2d58_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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Making art and movie magic at the Imagination Station<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672501311/" title="Detroit - Imagination Station by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Imagination Station" height="240" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/5672501311_670c2c289c_m.jpg" width="160" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673069740/" title="Detroit - Imagination Station (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Imagination Station (2)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/5673069740_74ab32718b_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672515835/" title="Detroit - Imagination Station (18) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Imagination Station (18)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5066/5672515835_faf7de8ea3_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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Looking through the pin hole of Gary's massive Camera Obscura<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672502765/" title="Detroit's abandoned station (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit's abandoned station (8)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5672502765_8eaeab5e81_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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The abandoned train station<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673074988/" title="Detroit's abandoned station (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit's abandoned station (2)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5023/5673074988_c0865ce085_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673091066/" title="Detroit's abandoned station (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit's abandoned station (5)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5309/5673091066_203ea83964_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
Somebody had planted a line of tulips in the green space outside the station leading up to it... so cool - just gutted not to be sticking around to see them bloom!<br />
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Gary's film - <b>Brother, can you spare a station</b><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Il12Ch_4ZQA" width="425"></iframe><br />
You can see more of Gary's work on his <a href="http://www.youtube.com/user/ztrawhcsg">youtube</a> page.<br />
<div><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I was also very fortunate to meet Gail (see her blog <a href="http://gailatlarge.com/">here</a>), fellow couchsurfer at Gary and Cathy's and amazing storyteller, photographer and general wonder woman - and she's from the Philippines too! We spent a very sunshiney Saturday soaking up the positive vibes at the Eastern Market (every Sat, folks from the 'burbs roll on in so the place looks packed). We ate ribs, listened to people sing, did some fruit and veg shopping (as well as looked for something for a vegan dinner party Gary and Cathy were taking us to later) and I learnt to do the <a href="http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-GxidrT5GyU">Cupid Shuffle</a>. I love markets and the Eastern Market on a Saturday is one not to miss.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"></div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673062746/" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" title="Detroit - Eastern Market (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Eastern Market (5)" height="156" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5267/5673062746_3e207270b2_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></td></tr>
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Yep, he's doing Prince<br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673062318/" title="Detroit - Eastern Market (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Eastern Market (3)" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5022/5673062318_fb100fe239_m.jpg" width="212" /></a></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: small;"> </span></td></tr>
</tbody></table></div><div style="text-align: center;">Some folks do the Cupid Shuffle<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673067630/" title="Detroit - Eastern Market (13) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Eastern Market (13)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5147/5673067630_129b1283c7_m.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Serious about Ribs</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672498457/" title="Detroit - Eastern Market (10) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Eastern Market (10)" height="240" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5225/5672498457_d5e60d47a7_m.jpg" width="202" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Hells yeah!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672498793/" title="Detroit - Eastern Market (11) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit - Eastern Market (11)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5142/5672498793_935b82fc84_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><b><a href="http://www.heidelberg.org/">The Heidelberg Project</a></b><br />
In the afternoon, we met up with Sherlock the Shoe Doctor who she'd met the previous day. Together and armed with our cameras, Gail gave us tips and we captured the Heidelberg Project - a piece (well, it covers two blocks in East Detroit) of street art like no other! Started off by Tyree Guyton 25 years ago, it's an evolving work that is continued by other residents (as well as him). It's their comment piece on the world around them using everyday and discarded objects. See their <a href="http://www.heidelberg.org/">website</a> to learn more - it's too fabulous to ignore!</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673110620/" title="Heidelberg by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5673110620_0d41b21923_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Gail and Dr Sherlock</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672545975/" title="Gail's photography class by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Gail's photography class" height="240" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5672545975_7a6d24d065_m.jpg" width="160" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673122872/" title="Heidelberg Project - Green House (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - Green House (2)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5109/5673122872_457d9138ef_m.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674249401/" title="Heidelberg Project - On the box (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - On the box (3)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5064/5674249401_b92aaa0ac0_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674833454/" title="Heidelberg Project - Toys (12) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - Toys (12)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5304/5674833454_fb596988b7_m.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674252261/" title="Heidelberg Project - On trees (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - On trees (4)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5227/5674252261_1bc9a2e758_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674283791/" title="Heidelberg Project (52) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project (52)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5674283791_d73e6d553c_m.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674823218/" title="Heidelberg Project - Healthcare (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - Healthcare (2)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5026/5674823218_74ab215c73_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674852994/" title="Heidelberg Project (77) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project (77)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5674852994_d229d893c3_m.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674827132/" title="Heidelberg Project - Ode to the Hummer (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - Ode to the Hummer (4)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5674827132_7df6aa08b0_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674841940/" title="Heidelberg Project - Toys (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - Toys (2)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5262/5674841940_d9ce9a3caa_m.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674263957/" title="Heidelberg Project - Cars (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - Cars (6)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5028/5674263957_c54002484f_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673113312/" title="Heidelberg Project - Back that ass up by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project - Back that ass up" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5308/5673113312_55f11c8b2f_m.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5674295879/" title="Heidelberg Project (121) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heidelberg Project (121)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5266/5674295879_e2bd767ffb_m.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;"><b>Adding a Coney and some colour to your diet</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">I'd got a rideshare to Detroit with another Detroiter (tho' now living in Chicago but hoping to move back), Andy, who'd tipped me off about trying a Coney (it was a Detroit thing to do!) - a chili dog covered with mustard and onions - so I was excited when me, Gail and Sherlock ended up there. We were only going to have a coffee but how could we resist. It's certainly something to try and tasty too... can't say I'd put it on my 'food to die for' list if I had one though! The vegan party we went to later ended up being an Easter bonanza where everything (aside from our offerings!) was dyed in a garish (Easter) colour. Once you got over the colour, the food was pretty tasty. I also got to try deviled eggs for the first time which was cool!</div><div style="text-align: left;"><b><br />
</b></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673068780/" title="Detroit Coney by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Detroit Coney" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5673068780_6558935f02_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672552973/" title="Easter food by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Easter food" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5029/5672552973_3b7aab6047_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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</b></div><div style="text-align: left;"><b>Seeing Family and Diego Rivera's Detroit</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">Being in Michigan also meant I got to see some family there (my second-cousin, Mayette, her two daughters and brother and sister in law and their son). It was especially nice as it was the first time I got to meet her daughters who I guess would be my third cousins...(?) Having family spread far and wide, it's always great to be able to see them when you just happen to be in town! We went to the DIA and I got to ogle Diego Rivera's work again and then we stuffed our faces at a great Mexican place... so much good food :o)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5673096110/" title="DIA - Rivera & Music (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="DIA - Rivera & Music (8)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/5673096110_2f0f0f3c7e_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5672529983/" title="DIA - Rivera & Music (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="DIA - Rivera & Music (2)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5223/5672529983_5061616af6_m.jpg" width="240" /></a><br />
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<div style="text-align: left;"><b>A City to Yourself by Nicole MacDonald</b></div><div style="text-align: left;">My last night in Detroit, I watched a short film with Gary and Cathy on Detroit. If you're interested in Detroit, then I absolutely recommend hunting this film down and seeing it. It does an amazing job of showing you just how much more than an abandoned city Detroit is and can be. It's also like a beautiful poem - anyway, here's a trailer...</div><br />
<iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/Z6y3p3b-t_4" width="425"></iframe></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0Detroit, MI, USA42.331427 -83.045753842.233908 -83.2345078 42.428945999999996 -82.8569998tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-27573507635227034072011-07-05T21:43:00.001+01:002011-07-06T02:43:47.810+01:00Chicago - a music and architecture fest in America's second city<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">ahhh, Chicago - it's a city I've wanted to see for a while and so glad I did :o) Getting off the train and walking into Union station, I knew I was in a big city and I loved it already. I think it's about getting lost in that big mass of people, feeling completely anonymous with a whole world to discover. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I arrived to see Chicago in light rain and heavy fog - which is really quite a sight when you see all these huge towers disappear into the sky (sadly, no pictures of that particular scene I'm afraid so you'll just have to trust me). I met my host, Sherry, at her work place and we made our way to her home in Andersonville nattering away on the bus. She meets lots of her couchsurfers at her workplace which amused me because the door people there (and where she lives) must wonder what the hell she does always meeting different people heavily laden with a backpack or suitcase. I guess couchsurfers who host a lot might end up with curious neighbours too! And Sherry really is the hostess with the most-ess - and this despite not having done much surfing herself. She'd already done her homework on what was going on in the city and had plans for a food trucks opening and/or comedy at a nearby club. We nearly made it too... but after getting thoroughly drenched just walking to the station in the crazy rain storm that was going on, we decided that being dry and drinking a bottle of vino tinto, whilst watching a movie (Black Swan - I'm giving it a thumbs up!) would do just nicely. We did actually manage to make it out on my second night - to the Underground Wonder Bar to catch a few live bands. First, a bluesy outfit led by France Jean-Baptiste who has one hell of a voice and then Taggart Transcontinental who had everybody on their feet dancing with their funky, hip-hop style - and with such a positive vibe, you didn't want to leave the dancefloor. We also got to meet Lonie, the bar's owner who was just super cool. I want to be her when I grow up! </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I made a last minute decision to stay an extra night and was very fortunate (with the help of Sherry) to find another host (as she was heading out of the city) in Mox. As Mox was from the Philippines too, he treated us to some filipino take out food - ahhh, it really was like a taste from the homeland :o) After that and some more vino tinto, we headed out to check out the legendary Green Mill. It was truly like stepping back in time to the 50s with a big band playing jazz, people dancing and drinking old school cocktails. I loved it! Also, as Mox had never tried Pimms before (and I spotted a bottle in the bar), we had a Pimms cocktail. Yum.</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">I spent the days wondering the streets, admiring the buildings, checking out a wee photography gallery, walking around the lake, going for a ride on the El, trying out the deep-dish pizza Chicago's famous for. I also got to try an architectural tour by boat - which came highly recommended (and I agree). From big shiny buildings, classic and intricate architecture to spotting trains weave through the city up in the air, it really is the best way to see Chicago in all its glory. Just a damn shame I was deceived by the sunshiney day and spent the last bit of the trip absolutely freezing because I felt like dressing spring-like in the 'windy' city in April. Still, I had a blast :o)</div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><b>Chicago from the streets</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671098613/" title="Chicago (12) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (12)" height="204" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/5671098613_4d9c9a0fe2.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671109805/" title="Chicago (22) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (22)" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5181/5671109805_0457005612.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671110469/" title="Chicago (25) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (25)" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5671110469_8c114be8db.jpg" width="209" /></a><span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u> </u></span></div><div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">Chicago's lakeside</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671098851/" title="Chicago (13) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (13)" height="211" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5671098851_cb440a836e.jpg" width="320" /></a></div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
Millenium Park</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671669218/" title="Chicago - Millenium Park (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago - Millenium Park (7)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5263/5671669218_f674a7378e.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671104273/" title="Chicago - Millenium Park (15) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago - Millenium Park (15)" height="133" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/5671104273_7d0506e49d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671675000/" title="Chicago - Millenium Park (26) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago - Millenium Park (26)" height="200" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5229/5671675000_5d530ff41d.jpg" width="131" /></a><br />
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</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b>France Jean-Baptiste and the Sexy Menz</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671110925/" title="Chicago - Underground Wonder Bar (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago - Underground Wonder Bar (2)" height="213" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5146/5671110925_70017b8098.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<b>Taggart Transcontinental</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671112073/" title="Chicago - Underground Wonder Bar (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago - Underground Wonder Bar (7)" height="212" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5103/5671112073_6d414918d4.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<b>Lonie (owner of the Wonder Bar), me and Sherry, my first host</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2HmKBFtClefSFSotMjlu2IXGQm9Pqg3nU_RPP4-d-7g7hZRpTifGJVWMPE9VUiVGCYYsczp9cgUEnHnJ-InUSa_4vvAJb1hPmk96Oi1Vvvx85wLJrZ07Rdvfg7rxRedFDqAYzA/s1600/Underground+Wonderbar.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgQ2HmKBFtClefSFSotMjlu2IXGQm9Pqg3nU_RPP4-d-7g7hZRpTifGJVWMPE9VUiVGCYYsczp9cgUEnHnJ-InUSa_4vvAJb1hPmk96Oi1Vvvx85wLJrZ07Rdvfg7rxRedFDqAYzA/s320/Underground+Wonderbar.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Catching some old school jazz at the Green Mill</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671692424/" title="Chicago - Green Mill (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago - Green Mill (3)" height="213" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5266/5671692424_6c056f8360.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<b>Chicago by boat</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671687862/" title="Chicago (56) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (56)" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5671687862_be980335c4.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671689560/" title="Chicago (62) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (62)" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5148/5671689560_f446559348.jpg" width="212" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671681608/" title="Chicago (34) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (34)" height="213" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5671681608_89cf562c26.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671689830/" title="Chicago (63) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Chicago (63)" height="213" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5066/5671689830_fd9da7d2d2.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0Chicago, IL, USA41.8781136 -87.62979819999998241.6887156 -87.838101199999983 42.067511599999996 -87.421495199999981tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-7070234639744117332011-05-17T18:12:00.004+01:002011-05-24T05:00:41.514+01:007 States in 3 Days on the California Zephyr<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">I made the most of my railpass and made the trip from West to the Mid-West (which really should be Mid-East...), Chicago to be more precise. If you've seen the post from my train ride from Toronto to Vancouver, you'll already know how much I like taking pictures from my seat. The ride was 3 days, 2 nights and we crossed 7 states, admired spectacular mountain ranges, canyons, rivers and plains. Out of all the train rides I could do, I wanted to do the California Zephyr the most. I wish I'd had the guts to ask the people I met and talked with on the train if I could take a photo... they were just as interesting as the scenery. I talked travel and politics with Mac from San Francisco who was heading all the way to Siberia by train (aside from the flight from New York to Copenhagen), had dinner in the dining car with John and Sharon who were farmers in Ohio, Pat, an 85 year old woman, who showed me how to use her <a href="http://www.barnesandnoble.com/nook/index.asp">nook</a> and countless others. I learnt a bit about the Pioneers who were some of the first people to make the trip West (other than the natives of course!) and shared my fellow passengers awe of their feat. The land is truly amazing - I enjoyed the ride but I SO wanted to jump off the train and explore (again and again and again!).</div><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671631422/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (2)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5307/5671631422_a65dca6924_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671064917/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (4)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5025/5671064917_20fa57d241_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671601928/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (33) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (33)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5069/5671601928_422c426dce_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671607834/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (53) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (53)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5186/5671607834_47b7bc3428_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671610558/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (65) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (65)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5671610558_0143b8bc40_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671046175/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (71) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (71)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5183/5671046175_c2051484fd_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671048829/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (82) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (82)" height="155" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5028/5671048829_46c5318e05_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671047347/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (74) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (74)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5182/5671047347_23a3b422af_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671048127/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (79) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (79)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5266/5671048127_0392e732a1_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671615112/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (80) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (80)" height="156" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5067/5671615112_b3aabaa460_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <span class="Apple-style-span" style="color: #0000ee;"><u></u></span> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671050167/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (88) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (88)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5149/5671050167_e51e0c9394_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671617672/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (91) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (91)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5671617672_d63bf354f8_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671585510/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (98) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (98)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5190/5671585510_d8642a44cd_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671587798/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (106) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (106)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5263/5671587798_25bfb1df0d_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671048829/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (82) by LunaModule, on Flickr"></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671591946/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (121) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (121)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5021/5671591946_e7e58518b0_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671592586/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (123) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (123)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5107/5671592586_fbb2625ba0_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671592920/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (124) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (124)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5021/5671592920_02c89e8bf6_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671572992/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (134) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (134)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5304/5671572992_ba9ebe9a40_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671573990/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (138) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (138)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5221/5671573990_e65a6b10af_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671008611/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (143) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (143)" height="158" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5070/5671008611_25443c3465_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671010123/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (148) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (148)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5065/5671010123_5db277f7a1_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671011283/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (152) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (152)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5024/5671011283_aabb40826a_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671579164/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (154) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (154)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5269/5671579164_d4b90d030d_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671012809/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (156) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (156)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5108/5671012809_4dd29cab9f_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671582442/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (163) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (163)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5671582442_60647a1517_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671002933/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (177) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (177)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5061/5671002933_6ef88a19eb_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> </div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671004881/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (187) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (187)" height="155" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5062/5671004881_fe97cf2404_m.jpg" width="240" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671566320/" title="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (20) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Emeryville-Chicago (20)" height="160" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5190/5671566320_ea9faf5980_m.jpg" width="240" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
<div style="text-align: left;">PS. For my friends who thought I was crazy to consider going to Nebraska (erm because it didn't hold that much appeal - well at least not compared to other states), I did make it through there... tho' sadly, I slept through it (not on purpose - Nebraska was during the night bit of the train trip - honest!). Any Nebraskans out there, I don't mean to do your state a disservice - I'm still intrigued by all the places that are less obvious destinations for tourists. Anyway, feel free to post your travel tips in case I ever make it there! </div></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-75238150418167680562011-05-17T17:38:00.002+01:002011-05-17T18:16:08.827+01:00The Amazing Fog of San Francisco<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: left;">"<b>The coldest winter I ever spent was a summer in San Francisco</b>" not actually said by Mark Twain - nobody knows who coined it but San Franciscans love it... and so do I! It's the fog. It could be beautiful, and sunny all day (like it was on my two days there) - you might enjoy drinking an iced coffee sat outside, sunshine on your face, watching the world go by and listening to someone's explanation of why the Republicans don't want to cut the defense budget because they need all the reasons they can muster to cut all the social programmes (which I did) and then be blown away by the freezing fog in the evening of that same day on top of Twin Peaks whilst overlooking the city (which I nearly was). It was bloody cold but it was a spectacular sight to see the fog creep in and move on - the twinkling lights of the city down below growing brighter or dimmer whilst it did so. It was beautiful. </div><div style="text-align: left;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: left;">Thanks very much to my friend, Birgit, in Vancouver who put me in touch with her friend, Morgan, and I had a place to stay in the city. I drank home-made wine (really good home-made wine!), enjoyed the panoramic views from the balcony, found some tasty burritos in Mission went for a lovely stroll along a fog-filled beach and also got to catch up with relatives who lived in Fremont. On the drive from Fremont back to the city, we went over San Mateo bridge where I got to appreciate the immensity of the clouds - they were so thick and heavy, I swear they were inches away from the water. Grey is a beautiful colour.</div><br />
Rainbow spotting on the Ferry from Oakland to San Fran</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671624458/" title="Ferry - Oakland-San Francisco (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Ferry - Oakland-San Francisco (4)" height="258" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5067/5671624458_3c14f0a16a.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Spencer</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671059059/" title="San Francisco - Noe Valley (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="San Francisco - Noe Valley (2)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5190/5671059059_67e910fb64.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">View from my host's balcony</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671633840/" title="San Francisco - Noe Valley (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="San Francisco - Noe Valley (5)" height="164" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5306/5671633840_0db71d5d3d.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"></div><div style="text-align: center;">A brave couple picnic on the beach (it was bloody cold!)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671628158/" title="San Francisco - North Beach (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="San Francisco - North Beach (2)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5671628158_f036265570.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671629060/" title="San Francisco - North Beach (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="San Francisco - North Beach (5)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5106/5671629060_40c2f8d518.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Fog and city lights watch at Twin Peaks</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671630700/" title="San Francisco - Twin Peaks (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="San Francisco - Twin Peaks (2)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5063/5671630700_bf07bec472.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-46069931631972771842011-05-17T05:47:00.001+01:002011-05-17T05:48:55.614+01:00Views to Frisco...<div style="text-align: left;">Amtrak trains are a lot like the Via Rail ones in Canada... reclining chairs with lots of leg space, dining car and lounge car with lots more windows - one plus though for the Amtrak ones is that the lounge cars have swivel chairs! Here are a few pics from the train going from Portland to Northern California...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671055525/" title="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (5)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5671055525_5680bcba7c.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;">Going through the Cascade mountains</div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671055677/" title="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (6)" height="252" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5226/5671055677_0278f35195.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671055923/" title="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (7)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5230/5671055923_d9720cfd31.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5671623160/" title="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (12) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Amtrak - Portland-Oakland (12)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5068/5671623160_f316d6ced8.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-84248990305671286972011-05-17T02:48:00.005+01:002011-05-17T18:19:40.077+01:00Portland's good lifeI'd heard and read enough about Portland for it to be on my radar - the great cafe culture, it's laidback-ness and the music (music friends of mine told me lots of good music has been coming from there recently). In fact, one of the pluses about moving to Vancouver was the possibility for weekend trips to Portland (in the end of course, I'd done so much travelling around Canada, by the time I was in Vancouver, it had to mostly be about working and saving - and it's still a good 5 hours away!). Anyway, I was looking forward to checking it out.<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5668198632/" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="110412 Portland (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="110412 Portland (3)" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5145/5668198632_4c7bd87dd3.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>I couchsurfed in the Alberta district. I arrived on a beautiful sunshiney day on Alberta Street, met Ted, my host, and went for lunch at La Bonita - he recommended their burritos (seems to me to be lots of amazing Mexican places for food in the US as I keep getting recommendations for them... not that I mind, they're usually right!). We talked about travel and life in Portland and London. I was only there for a couple of days and Ted and his lovely housemates gave me the best introduction to life in Portland. It has a very similar feel and look to Vancouver - you've got the chilled West Coast vibe and high regard for the great outdoors as well as for a healthy and sustainable lifestyle. I can totally see why this small city appeals to so many people (I'm sure I read somewhere how Portland was becoming a popular place for people to move to but I can't find it now). Portland worked out fabulously for them because they could live the life they wanted really easily - finding good local produce for instance (I was especially impressed with their beer selection - who knew Portland had so many great breweries)! Their neighbourhood is beautiful and there's plenty to keep them entertained with some great restaurants, bars, cafes (of course!) and shops. Lots of neighbourhoods have weekly or monthly street parties which sounded like fun (such a shame I wasn't there for one). You don't need to stray too far away to be in awe of nature and they had the opportunity and space to pursue things they cared about. I've always seen myself as a big city girl - I love how busy and full big city life can be. I'm also drawn more to cities that are messier/grimier (in all sorts of ways) but seeing a little of my host's world did make me appreciate how lovely it must be to thoroughly enjoy life when there is no messy. I wasn't able to catch any live music - tho' Ted and his housemates have an awesome record collection. However, I can confirm that there are some excellent cafes to sit and while away a few hours in. I also learnt about biodynamic raisins, sauna'd in the backyard and that Portland really is super laidback :o)<br />
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Favourite cafe - Townshends Tea House (I'm sure they have amazing tea but I tried and loved their Coconut Mate Latte). The cafe in Powell's bookshop (which is a must visit for any book lover anyway) is a close second purely because you could browse for books and then bring a few in to the cafe to read in case you might like to buy them. <br />
Favourite stroll - by the river to admire Portland's bridges.<br />
Favourite beer - Rogue's <a href="http://www.rogue.com/beers/hazelnut-brown.php">hazelnut brown nectar</a> (and Portland has some great beers)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Bridge and blossom spotting along the river</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5667729951/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="110413 Portland (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="110413 Portland (8)" height="211" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5269/5667729951_3c2ed9ea01.jpg" width="500" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">America's Bill of Rights</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5668306902/" title="110413 Portland (13) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="110413 Portland (13)" height="320" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5030/5668306902_92da6889e7_z.jpg" width="304" /></a></div><br />
<div style="text-align: center;">And back on the train again and for my first overnight on the Amtrak</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5667726149/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="110413 Portland by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="110413 Portland" height="212" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5305/5667726149_e7cb46e52d.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-26931274694354141912011-05-16T21:11:00.003+01:002011-05-24T05:22:39.883+01:00First stop - an unexpected stop<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Ahhh, Greyhound. I was a bit too last minute to get myself a cheap train ticket down to Portland and decided I wanted to just stick my headphones in and watch the world go by so didn't go for a rideshare. So Greyhound was it.</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><br />
</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">I first travelled on the Greyhound when I was 19 with a friend and going from LA all the way up to Seattle. I remember some interesting characters on the bus plus our cookies being stolen. </span><br />
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</span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">In terms of riding the bus the way I wanted (headphones in etc), all went smoothly - actually the bus was fairly empty to got a couple of seats to myself. Sadly, a long stint at the border* meant I missed my connection bus in Seattle to Portland. It was already 8pm, so rather than hang out in the bus station for the bus to Portland, I headed to the Green Tortoise, the hostel I stayed in when I was in Seattle the first time around. Also, taking the advice of the Green Tortoise person at reception, I bought myself a train ticket for to Portland and sent the second portion of my bus ticket off for a refund.</span><br />
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</span><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5667738781/" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="110411 Seattle (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="110411 Seattle (2)" height="266" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5144/5667738781_747d9a10be.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;">Actually, the unexpected stop worked out well - <span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">the Green Tortoise had moved location and was much nicer than I remembered. It was close to Pike Place Market and managed to stroll around Seattle for a bit (it looks more grown up than I remember it), was thinking about stopping off in a bar but thought I'd feel too much of a billie in the more buzzier joints. Anyway, after witnessing a couple of sketchy drug deals, found myself in a jazz bar where there was a 16-piece live band playing and had a beer. Both very good. My train was leaving first thing in the morning so didn't have time to check out the Space Needle or much else but I'm glad of the u</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">unexpected stop. In fact, made me want to go back and check out all grown up Seattle again one day.</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;"><br />
</span></span><br />
<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-family: inherit;"><span class="Apple-style-span" style="line-height: 14px;">* Just on crossing the border... I'm always a little anxious about crossing the border (and generally have 'please let me in' on repeat in my head) - and even more anxious when it's the American immigration officials I'm facing, they're just scarier! Anyway, I was a little worried when it was my turn and the immigration official I was speaking to was asking me how he could know for sure that I'd leave the US when I said I would as I didn't have proof with an onward ticket. Actually, I explained I was only planning to stay for 6-8 weeks (the visa waiver program gives you 90 days) and wasn't sure of where I would be leaving from yet so I guess his concern was fair enough really! I thought he had started to lighten up a bit when he asked me how much fun I had planned for my travels. I responded with an enthusiastic 'lots of fun!' and a big smile. He then frowned and said 'funds, how much funds have you got?'. Oops. Well, I reckon my mistake worked out in my favour as he must have figured I was clearly not there to find work and let me in :o) </span></span>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-71124545617516944862011-05-16T20:17:00.005+01:002011-05-17T17:09:02.520+01:00On the road again...My year in Canada was up. When I first started thinking about doing this whole Americas trip, I never really thought of Canada as being a real big part of my adventure, it was just a way for me to get to South America, to try living and working somewhere else and a good excuse to see the US too as I wanted to travel overland as much as possible from Canada to Latin America. I never even thought I'd spend a full year there... I think I was the last person to think I'd love it quite as much as I did (or do even!).<br />
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I reckon I must have travelled over 10,000 miles in that period, lived in two cities, stayed in 6 provinces and one territory, was enchanted by the ocean and the forests, walked up mountains, crash landed whilst skiing on mountains, gawped at the Northern Lights and absolutely adored the beauty, colour and randomness of its cities. Best of all, I made some amazing friends.<br />
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Again - more pictures and rambling from the rest of my time to come. Back to the point of this blog post tho'... I said farewell to dearest friends in Vancouver and hit the road again heading South.<br />
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A night at the Wise Lounge for beer and darts with friends got me to my first decision about the US bit of my journey. I would aim to get to New Orleans for Jazzfest which is on during the last weekend of April and first weekend of May. I wanted to see if it was worth me getting a railpass as well as work out how much time I had and places I could see before getting to New Orleans so I made myself a spreadsheet... not really quite what I had in mind for my 'winging it' adventure but I reckon it was necessary. I wanted to see bits of the US I hadn't seen before - more particularly, I wanted to go through the middle of it (despite being warned off the middle because "Americans there were crazier!" - That just made me want to go even more). Anyway, I did buy a railpass and even figured out a route and I would book one leg at a time to allow for flexibility and a bit of 'winging' it ;o)<br />
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<b>The route: </b>Vancouver - Portland - San Francisco - Chicago - Detroit - St Louis - Memphis - New Orleans - Atlanta - Savannah - and then back West towards Texas before heading to Mexico at the end of May/beginning of June.<br />
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Because I love being on the road so much, whilst writing this post, I started thinking about songs I love about travelling and being on the road (or on tracks as I would be on trains quite a bit too). Here's a few I've been listening to...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><div style="text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
</div></div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/xCK8V_MfQLY" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">and this one I just found looking for the one above...</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/6nuWS0ZKSCA" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/C5HTx758IpE" width="425"></iframe></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="349" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/bLkOE4XDBis" width="425"></iframe></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-67836359747944973172011-05-13T21:54:00.003+01:002011-05-14T06:21:12.949+01:00Making Vancouver my home...I've got so ridiculously behind in updating this, I am going to come back to the rest of my time in Canada (which was spent living & working in Vancouver as well as a short stint on Vancouver Island and way Up North in Yellowknife) at a later date so watch this space... (in the meantime, you can go to my <a href="http://lunamodule.blogspot.com/p/photos.html">Photos</a> page for links to photos on Flickr)Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-22178964166150089372010-09-13T21:41:00.001+01:002011-05-17T04:55:32.295+01:00East to West the second time aroundI caught a lift from Truro with Franck to Halifax and stayed in a hostel that still had no power from the storm (and a lot of snorers - thank god for my ipod!). My only plan of action was to work out where to go next. Should I hang around and see if I can catch a ride to Cape Breton? And hope to get the chance to get the ferry over to Newfoundland, drink some Screech and kiss a cod?? Or... as this was meant to be a 'working holiday' should I hotfoot it over to Vancouver, find a job and start enjoying having a home again??? And honestly, all those options appealed to me!<br />
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Two large coffees, several hours spent in Starbucks (the only place that had power and wifi up and running again) and a hell of a lot of dithering later, I would be heading to Montreal. Basically, flights had got pretty expensive to Vancouver direct from Halifax, there were no rides going to Cape Breton in the next few days and someone was offering a ride to Montreal leaving the next day. And well, I figured I was making my way to Vancouver... just a little more slowly and with a very much appreciated opportunity to stop in places I'd been and see friends.<br />
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The morning after Hurricane Earl had passed, the sun was shining again, all was calm and it looked like everyone in the city had decided to prune all the trees. I repacked my backpack and headed over to Bhima's place who was my rideshare to Montreal (and who actually thought I was another Luna he knew!). We were due to leave at 10am on Sunday morning for the 15 hour drive... right after Bhima had finished a couple of errands around the house. We left at 8pm. It's funny how when easy it is to just go with the flow when you know you already don't have any control and didn't actually need to be anywhere. I helped Bhima fix his garden gate and do a bit of roofing - and he made us some tofurky lunch (he sees himself as a respectatarian so tho' he does eat meat, only if it's organic/free-range/was treated well etc). <br />
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<b>Halifax to Somewhere-Just-Passed-Fredericton</b><br />
Finally on the road, we got the tunes on - Bhima's got a full ipod with some fantastic tooooons, chatted about anything and everything and I got to stare out of the windows to look at the stars. It was like the hurricane was just a blip because it was another ridiculously starry night. There were parts of the journey where the lamp posts were few and far-between and and other than the stars and the odd set of car lights all was black. Driving uphill, it was like we were driving all the way up to the stars :o)<br />
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Nearly 6 hours in, and somewhere just passed Fredericton in New Brunswick, we started looking for a good spot to camp off the highway (because we couldn't get in touch with a hostel and was free!). Knackered, we found a small road just off the highway that had a decent layby to stop. It should be a completely strange thing to find yourself in the middle of nowhere with a relative stranger and be planning to 'camp' off the highway together. And it really wasn't. Having spent the day before actually getting on the road with Bhima, it was the easiest thing to trust each other (I could be just as crazy as he could be!). Rideshares are a common way for people to journey from A to B in Canada and I'd already done a couple... it's like couchsurfing. It should feel strange and a bit wrong but really doesn't. And, well, if it didn't feel right, you change your plans. Travelling in this way isn't for everyone but having done so, it's only served to reaffirm how much people are mostly good, sometimes amazing in fact - and occasionally, just odd. I could probably ramble on about this some more but I've still got to ramble through the rest of the journey West.<br />
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</b><br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fS5LwK5fGfU8PSxMi5QZkCamedCNg8GyhAaztrrmCPfjYKwh6N0of_it098B7aYwgbe0CQMONPR1n2IQY2RQVSJeygOsNKokbrnyqz3HuErWt_NmfxZ0mWA-e7n0am44yhM1wQ/s1600/506762_com_peter_doig_milkyway+copy.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh7fS5LwK5fGfU8PSxMi5QZkCamedCNg8GyhAaztrrmCPfjYKwh6N0of_it098B7aYwgbe0CQMONPR1n2IQY2RQVSJeygOsNKokbrnyqz3HuErWt_NmfxZ0mWA-e7n0am44yhM1wQ/s400/506762_com_peter_doig_milkyway+copy.jpg" width="400" /></a></div><div style="text-align: left;"></div><div style="text-align: center;"><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Peter Doig's Milkyway</b></span><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">... for all those starry nights.</span></b></div><b><br />
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<b>Somewhere-Just-Passed-Fredericton to Montreal (via Grand Falls in a Tow Truck)</b><br />
Bright and early the next morning, the sun was shining and after a big stretch, we got back on the road. We found an aborigine-owned petrol station with some good sandwiches and cheap petrol and filled up. Bhima was keen to have a full tank of petrol before we left New Brunswick as the price for fuel would go up as soon as you hit Quebec (Nova Scotia was also more expensive for petrol so we were nearly empty by the time we hit NB). The tunes were back on and we figured we were making good time and then of course, one of the tyre's blew out! Surely, everyone makes sure they have a spare wheel... especially if you're about to embark on a 15 hour road trip. No? Oh... And again, I can say it felt easy to just be at ease with it all - what else could I do? What I could do was pretend to be Bhima's ex-girlfriend because he still happened to have her breakdown service card. Unfortunately, she was only paid up for a basic service so he still had to pay a fair bit for the service. Still, it worked and several phone calls and chit-chatting with the tow truck guy later, we managed to find a garage opened on Labour Day (of course, we'd be stuck in the middle of nowhere looking for a tyre on a bank holiday!)... also unfortunately costing a fair bit. Anyway, after a mini diversion around Grand Falls, we were on our way again - and drama free all the way to Montreal - whoop! All in all, a pretty awesome and mildly amusing roadtrip - I even got to ride a tow truck ;o)<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;"><b>I heart fromage - Montreal</b></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982264303/" title="I heart fromage, Montreal by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="I heart fromage, Montreal" height="205" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4982264303_c9c73e23ed.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Back in Montreal for a night and day, had a lovely lunch with friends Jane and Mariam, a lovely walk along some of the beautiful streets and thought to myself, I already want to come back here.<br />
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<b>Montreal to Ottawa</b><br />
Drama free on this leg of the journey (well, other than the rideshare I'd sorted getting cancelled and deciding to get the greyhound instead), it felt good to be back in the capital. Not that I had a special affinity with it or anything. Being back in Montreal made me realise how much I do want to go back there, spend some quality time exploring and getting under the skin of it. Ottawa was all about feeling comfortable and all homey staying with friends Nadia, Shiraz and their cat Zeusy. They'd also moved into their new (and much bigger) home and I was their very first house guest :o) We had a BBQ on their porch - tho' ate in because of the rain, caught up on travel/moving house stories and even got to taste my first Kraft dinner. I also managed to visit my favourite place for a scone sandwich...<br />
<div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982865950/" title="The Scone Witch, Ottawa by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="The Scone Witch, Ottawa" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4982865950_ac2251d18c.jpg" width="211" /></a></div><br />
<b>Ottawa to Toronto</b><br />
And then it was back to my first home in Canada - Toronto :o) I think I might love finding that I'm back somewhere familiar (and fond of) as much as I do discovering shiny new places. I caught up with friends, soaked up the colour and randomness of Kensington Market as well as the Cabbage St Festival and enjoyed the beautiful calm of Toronto Island. Toronto doesn't get better than that.<br />
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<div style="text-align: center;">Chowing down on some Murtabak (SO yummy!) at the Cabbage Street Festival</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982870312/" title="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (4)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4982870312_9f7526b731.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982271151/" title="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (3)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4982271151_501557d56a.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Drums, dancing and witness to a Sri Lankan custom (I don't actually know what it was about but it was cool to watch)</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982876104/" title="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (8)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/4982876104_1b6309dbc7.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982283405/" title="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (13) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cabbagetown Festival, Toronto (13)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4982283405_87407d1fc5.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Hanging out with Amy on the Island</div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4999734574/" title="Toronto Island (94) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Toronto Island (94)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4999734574_20738f4006.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4999757628/" title="Toronto Island (114) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Toronto Island (114)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4999757628_1c16d4c731.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4999155503/" title="Toronto Island (116) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Toronto Island (116)" height="128" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/4999155503_94d4a1a93f.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4999133973/" title="Toronto Island (96) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Toronto Island (96)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4999133973_7165f81c7d.jpg" width="200" /></a></div><div style="text-align: center;"><br />
</div><div style="text-align: center;">Back at Augusta Avenue and its fabulous residents</div><div style="text-align: center;"> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4999169099/" title="Toronto - back at Augusta Avenue by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Toronto - back at Augusta Avenue" height="213" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4999169099_bb248159d9.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
<b>Toronto to Buffalo to Chicago to Seattle to Vancouver</b><br />
Last leg before making Vancouver my home. I travelled all day and took two flights and two buses. But I made it :o)Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-57570260145180637962010-09-10T00:00:00.001+01:002011-05-17T04:55:54.764+01:00A big walk, a heavy load and then there was the oceanLeaving Halifax, I got a minibus to Chebogue Point near Yarmouth to meet the two people I'd be camping and hiking with for the next week...<br />
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<b>Introducing Steph and Franck</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976376357/" title="Cape Chignecto (78) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (78)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/4976376357_7093937a5a.jpg" width="132" /></a> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976887228/" title="Cape Chignecto (65) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (65)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/4976887228_407e734db4.jpg" width="200" /></a></span></b><br />
<b>L:</b> <b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Steph, organiser and wilderness extraordinaire! Before we'd all even met, Steph had done loads of work researching where to go, how to do it and what we'd need (I'd have been completely hopeless without her list of necessary things to bring - clothes, equipment, camping stuff, cooking stuff, water pills and most importantly... food!)</span></b><br />
<b>R:<span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"> Franck waiting for dinner to cook by our giant pot. </span></b>Originally from France, Franck left the rat race, moved to Canada where he bought some land by the ocean and built his own home (like, really built his home! Check it out below...) and does his best to live a sustainable life. I love his life - he spends most of the year enjoying the wilderness of Canada or travelling. Okay, so he does enter the rat race for an intense few months to fund the rest of the year... but that doesn't seem like too bad an exchange! <br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"><b>Going off the grid - Franck's place</b></span> </b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977919834/" title="Nova Scotia - Franck's place (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Franck's place (5)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4977919834_9a707187ce.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Frack's home... the smaller building to the right is his shed / dry toilet. You can see the ocean in the background and his nearest neighbour is a couple of kilometres away.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977311449/" title="Nova Scotia - Franck's place (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Franck's place (6)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4977311449_0bd290dc88.jpg" width="131" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977922558/" style="clear: left; display: inline !important; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;" title="Nova Scotia - Franck's place (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Franck's place (7)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/4977922558_75b1fafda1.jpg" width="131" /></a><br />
L: Solar powered shower (seeing as it's outdoors, it's perhaps a good thing his closest neighbour is a fair bit away)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977314683/" title="Nova Scotia - Franck's place by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Franck's place" height="133" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4977314683_0e4cfd8130.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Watching the sunrise before setting off<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5262334763/" title="Heavy Load by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Heavy Load" height="118" src="http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5009/5262334763_be4585b822.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
When I left Toronto on the train, the ViaRail staff put this Heavy label on my backpack. I decided to keep it and thought it appropriate to bring it back for this trip.<br />
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<b>Doing the Cape</b><br />
After packing, unpacking and repacking our bags, we left Chebogue Point the next morning with bellies full of pancakes and homemade blueberry jam for the 8 hour drive to <a href="http://www.capechignecto.net/trails/index.htm">Cape Chignecto Provincial Park</a>. <br />
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5 nights of camping, 4 days of hiking, 3 strangers (not so by the end), 2 blisters (obtained on day 1) and 1 giant bear poo (but 0 actual bears seen). We hiked through magical woodland, with the sound of falling pine needles (all tinkly and stuff), admired spectacular views, sweated... a lot, stopped at creeks to top up our water bottles, picked and ate wild blackberries and then there was the ocean. After the sometimes really challenging hike, it was always the most amazing thing to finish up at a deserted beach (I think we only saw 5 people on the whole of our hike) - to make the most of the heatwave and soak up the sunshine and swim in the ocean (which was actually bloody cold but a very welcome way to refresh ourselves after an exhausting and sweaty walk). We would explore the area and find more deserted beaches, do a bit of seal spotting, soak up more sunshine, go for another swim and then have dinner, usually with a spectacular sunset to watch. It was the Canada I was waiting to see - all wild and exactly as it should be. And I saw a couple of hummingbirds which I loved - they hold the same kind of mysticism as unicorns to me (erm, except of course, they're real!).<br />
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<u>Red Rocks to Eatonville</u><br />
We spent the first night at Red Rocks. As we arrived with a few hours of daylight, we managed a bit of wander in the woods, set up camp and had make shift showers using the water barrels they had by the loos (well... pit privies).<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976208087/" title="Cape Chignecto (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (3)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4976208087_f4d93c80a1.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976207421/" title="Cape Chignecto (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (2)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4976207421_a24654fe55.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Setting up camp<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53980990@N02/4995558353/" title="Chignecto 08 by Team Chignecto, on Flickr"><img alt="Chignecto 08" height="150" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4995558353_e97e1ec443.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Dinner - yay. Day 1 was a chick pea and veg stew<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976820928/" title="Cape Chignecto (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (5)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4976820928_8b5ee92dcf.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
Everyday, once we'd sorted out dinner, we'd hike our food bags up a tree using a makeshift pulley so as to not attract any bears nearby.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976216333/" title="Cape Chignecto (13) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (13)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4976216333_cd33c88c53.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Red Rocks<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976230721/" title="Cape Chignecto (27) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (27)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4976230721_54807feca5.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRupjH1QP9VXv9BjLFt8lPRJtds4vzHmP2g2DAssR6GYgtQZfkPg5WLyIWBD4dni0DkgU3t2-pGmPs7gpWLe3VLeoLlF2XXqrhmuUg1Ei7dsq4aTOwrA4DGWstxr-h3VrnoEnnQ/s1600/me+in+the+woods.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="200" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEinRupjH1QP9VXv9BjLFt8lPRJtds4vzHmP2g2DAssR6GYgtQZfkPg5WLyIWBD4dni0DkgU3t2-pGmPs7gpWLe3VLeoLlF2XXqrhmuUg1Ei7dsq4aTOwrA4DGWstxr-h3VrnoEnnQ/s200/me+in+the+woods.jpg" width="150" /></a><br />
Into the wild... (photo c/o Steph)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976860832/" title="Cape Chignecto (42) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (42)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4976860832_52a7c87bbb.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976249533/" title="Cape Chignecto (43) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (43)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4976249533_fe3d654ef1.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
Along our walk, we stumbled upon this beautiful stream so we laid our bags down and went for a refreshing dip. And a very welcome break from my hiking boots.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976260039/" title="Cape Chignecto (53) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (53)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4976260039_37be061f9e.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Arrival at Eatonville Brook. The two box like things in the distance are the pit privies<br />
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<div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><u>Eatonville to Seal Cove</u></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><b><br />
</b></div><div style="margin-bottom: 0px; margin-left: 0px; margin-right: 0px; margin-top: 0px;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976876104/" title="Cape Chignecto (57) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (57)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4976876104_8045993f04.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976892946/" title="Cape Chignecto (68) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (68)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4976892946_19c8ec2727.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
Directions</div><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976368997/" title="Cape Chignecto (73) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (73)" height="161" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4976368997_7bc43f30ea.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Okay so it's hard to tell, but there's a bear paw print in there, really there is!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976362563/" title="Cape Chignecto (75) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (75)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4976362563_517b83d022.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976986762/" title="Cape Chignecto (77) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (77)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/4976986762_d9ca1d802e.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976367377/" title="Cape Chignecto (72) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (72)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4976367377_408e553381.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="132" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976990774/" title="Cape Chignecto (80) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (80)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4976990774_824be034ab.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Fallen pine needles<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976997082/" title="Cape Chignecto (85) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (85)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4976997082_0fde468d7b.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
The Three Sisters in the distance - we had hoped to hike up to them but were thwarted by the tide.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977080024/" title="Cape Chignecto (93) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (93)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/4977080024_6413767f67.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976870122/" title="Cape Chignecto (51) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (51)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4976870122_f16dc6c0ee.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976471485/" title="Cape Chignecto (100) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (100)" height="131" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4976471485_cc7950d7f4.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977093792/" title="Cape Chignecto (108) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (108)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4977093792_8d337eed3c.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
A perfect day<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976488245/" title="Cape Chignecto (114) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (114)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4976488245_fdd5fd95ce.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977111082/" title="Cape Chignecto (120) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (120)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/4977111082_0577791959.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976547775/" title="Cape Chignecto (97) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (97)" height="241" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/4976547775_bb82f6bf2a.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977114858/" title="Cape Chignecto (122) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (122)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4977114858_4ab3274f59.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Steph preparing dinner<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976509741/" title="Cape Chignecto (127) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (127)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/4976509741_e42d0d4d9e.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976516409/" title="Cape Chignecto (131) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (131)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4976516409_02d6c4907a.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
This super hammock is where Steph slept for the night - so cool!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976558489/" title="Cape Chignecto (111) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (111)" height="160" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/4976558489_34c5ef701c.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977140530/" title="Cape Chignecto (139) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (139)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4977140530_6cf7e14517.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977180148/" title="Cape Chignecto (142) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (142)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4977180148_0b6a29bcd6.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976576057/" title="Cape Chignecto (147) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (147)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4976576057_a786824927.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
Chicken curry with a view<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977189010/" title="Cape Chignecto (148) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (148)" height="145" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/4977189010_f472de7c75.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977186458/" title="Cape Chignecto (146) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (146)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/4977186458_ea208ae95b.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976837433/" title="Cape Chignecto (150) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (150)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4976837433_a9ed238887.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977193992/" title="Cape Chignecto (155) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (155)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4123/4977193992_990f126467.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976583497/" title="Cape Chignecto (156) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (156)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/4976583497_a81caa651c.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
We found a ready made camping area on the beach so lit a fire, looked for star constellations, admired the milkyway and listened to the waves. It was so bloody beautiful (and warm by the fire), me and Steph decided to forgo our respective tent and hammock and sleep out on the beach. Only slight hitch of course, is that we had to keep waking up to add more wood to the fire... as well as make sure we didn't burn! Oh, and the bloody mozzies weren't all that helpful either. Still, I wouldn't have done it any other way.<br />
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<b>Seal Cove to Key Hole Brook</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976589811/" title="Cape Chignecto (161) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (161)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4976589811_ebf3d4b7d4.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976594221/" title="Cape Chignecto (164) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (164)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4976594221_c6b3865e98.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976596299/" title="Cape Chignecto (166) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (166)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4976596299_09585fabd2.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Big bear poo - this is what your poo would look like if you ate berries all day too!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977210568/" title="Cape Chignecto (168) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (168)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4977210568_b4df83d530.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
I have no idea what this used to be.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977215430/" title="Cape Chignecto (170) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (170)" height="133" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4977215430_4e6ef4a790.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976609615/" title="Cape Chignecto (173) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (173)" height="133" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4976609615_fc7aeaf7ba.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976612567/" title="Cape Chignecto (174) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (174)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4976612567_5ed86a22c8.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976634289/" title="Cape Chignecto (185) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (185)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4976634289_115178ed82.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976639241/" title="Cape Chignecto (187) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (187)" height="180" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4976639241_ae165551d8.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Hello<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977259320/" title="Cape Chignecto (191) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (191)" height="211" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4977259320_8673a6d026.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976840241/" title="Cape Chignecto (192) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (192)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4976840241_5ba1547312.jpg" width="133" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976655397/" title="Cape Chignecto (195) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (195)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4976655397_b29e765045.jpg" width="133" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53980990@N02/4995554895/" title="Chignecto 75 by Team Chignecto, on Flickr"><img alt="Chignecto 75" height="240" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4995554895_4259ab2425.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
(photo c/o Franck)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976665637/" title="Cape Chignecto (204) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (204)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4154/4976665637_56cbe0a365.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976670267/" title="Cape Chignecto (207) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (207)" height="131" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4087/4976670267_3b58c34d0c.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<b>Key Hole Brook to Big Bald Rock</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977469664/" title="Cape Chignecto (206) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (206)" height="152" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4977469664_179792943d.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
ahhh, endless ocean (and such a nice change from the ocean views in Vancouver that feature freight ships heavily)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53980990@N02/4996162116/" title="Chignecto 79 by Team Chignecto, on Flickr"><img alt="Chignecto 79" height="150" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4996162116_343d0a6cae.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Doing a spot of washing (photo c/o Franck)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977478020/" title="Cape Chignecto (212) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (212)" height="169" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4977478020_097d9cac34.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977480272/" title="Cape Chignecto (213) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (213)" height="276" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4977480272_ab03e7acd5.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977293362/" title="Cape Chignecto (221) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (221)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4977293362_83eaae5993.jpg" width="132" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977294350/" title="Cape Chignecto (223) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (223)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4977294350_3bbfa2be3b.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976685073/" title="Cape Chignecto (224) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (224)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4976685073_6c80eee066.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Awaiting another starry night<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976872445/" title="Cape Chignecto (217) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (217)" height="235" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4976872445_bc3f836927.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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Big Bald Rock to Refugee Cove<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977314550/" title="Cape Chignecto (236) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (236)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4977314550_c068947794.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977315322/" title="Cape Chignecto (237) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (237)" height="127" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4977315322_0f2c9cb8ed.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Quick snack of trailmix<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976714523/" title="Cape Chignecto (246) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (246)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4976714523_fff0b7f381.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976719003/" title="Cape Chignecto (252) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (252)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4976719003_9a5f4dfe65.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976720879/" title="Cape Chignecto (253) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (253)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4108/4976720879_5e295d9160.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
Sitting on Cape Chignecto<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977331954/" title="Cape Chignecto (254) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (254)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4977331954_5d50a92f8f.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977332798/" title="Cape Chignecto (255) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (255)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4977332798_0f32a7cec1.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Lunch of peanut butter, dried cranberries and banana chips in a tortilla (we alternated between tuna and cucumber wrapped in a tortilla for lunches)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977334990/" title="Cape Chignecto (256) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (256)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4977334990_008ae575f0.jpg" width="151" /></a><br />
Snacking on blackberries<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977497774/" title="Cape Chignecto (242) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (242)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4977497774_1f9ae83f27.jpg" width="182" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977344964/" title="Cape Chignecto (262) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (262)" height="131" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4977344964_93201e2cdc.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977351964/" title="Cape Chignecto (267) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (267)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4977351964_9485f5ee6e.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977354044/" title="Cape Chignecto (269) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (269)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4977354044_3bfaf321f6.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
When we arrived at Refugee Cove, we headed to the beach at low tide. When we headed back later, this was filled with water.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977358718/" title="Cape Chignecto (272) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (272)" height="130" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/4977358718_c770945d21.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
The sea at Refugee Cove was looking pretty rough and I could see there was room for exploration. So I went off, turned a corner and was ridiculously happy to find another deserted beach with beautifully calm waters so I ran in for a float in the sunshine ;o) Sadly the tide was coming in fast so rather than get stuck there for the night, I made it back to the main beach.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977362682/" title="Cape Chignecto (275) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (275)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4977362682_4f304faedd.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
This is the corner I turned to find the other beach.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977372776/" title="Cape Chignecto (280) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (280)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/4977372776_eeeea6f805.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977503724/" title="Cape Chignecto (266) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (266)" height="276" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4977503724_38de4dc240.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976773037/" title="Cape Chignecto (286) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (286)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4976773037_ece4295c63.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
A result of attempting to pack lightly meant I just had the one dish for eating and drinking hot drinks (like this hot chocolate)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977394196/" title="Cape Chignecto (294) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (294)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/4977394196_44a331ae09.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Up early to watch the sunrise. Did also see the cutest seal in the sea but he disappeared before I could get my camera out.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977399550/" title="Cape Chignecto (297) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (297)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4977399550_62882790c7.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977400502/" title="Cape Chignecto (298) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (298)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4107/4977400502_c9bd049005.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
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<b>Refugee Cove to Red Rocks</b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976793177/" title="Cape Chignecto (299) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (299)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4976793177_73cb8758cc.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977409070/" title="Cape Chignecto (302) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (302)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4977409070_d9f427c5af.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
4th day of hiking and I still couldn't get enough of the beautiful trees<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976908227/" title="Cape Chignecto (313) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (313)" height="251" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4976908227_559caa4718.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
Or the beautiful ocean :o) Every day I thought, how's the next day going to top this and then it would.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976822897/" title="Cape Chignecto (318) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (318)" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/4976822897_63e72aa06e.jpg" width="132" /></a><br />
We decided to clamber up this waterfall. A couple of other hikers also found the spot but didn't stick around. I'm sure it had nothing to do with finding Franck nude (despite grabbing a nearby flannel to hide his modesty). We laughed so hard - it was a great Franck moment.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976825695/" title="Cape Chignecto (321) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (321)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4976825695_216045213f.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Bandaged up blisters. I used several blister plasters, a knee thing, medical tape and duct tape and it seemed to do the trick. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976833285/" title="Cape Chignecto (325) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto (325)" height="132" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4153/4976833285_0f9f014878.jpg" width="200" /></a><br />
Nearly there!<br />
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<b>Good timing</b><br />
Feeling relieved to have completed the hike but sad to be done, we went to check where our last camp spot would be at the trail centre before planning to jump in the ocean. Except, of course, the park stuff told us a hurricane was coming that night and that they were closing all the national parks in Nova Scotia. Having been in a heatwave with beautiful sunny clear skies and starry nights, it was a bit of a shock! After some quick thinking, we managed to get in touch with a friend of Steph's mum who lived in Truro and very kindly let us stay the night. <br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PuM5Xu8qqHkePq6-XXvlQNunwQj1q6R_X_BpM95VnOCLswL0EmNrkRlswfEoxB4vlsJ90Z6Ob-fSt7t7dXyZjHFv-sxy-UoE0uRmbZvr3xv3NlHDlh6RwFyAu7EgtWyTbu_nlg/s1600/Team+Chignecto.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="225" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi2PuM5Xu8qqHkePq6-XXvlQNunwQj1q6R_X_BpM95VnOCLswL0EmNrkRlswfEoxB4vlsJ90Z6Ob-fSt7t7dXyZjHFv-sxy-UoE0uRmbZvr3xv3NlHDlh6RwFyAu7EgtWyTbu_nlg/s320/Team+Chignecto.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><br />
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A quick photo before hot footing it out of the park - Truro was a 4 hour drive away.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/53980990@N02/4996164174/" title="Chignecto 99 by Team Chignecto, on Flickr"><img alt="Chignecto 99" height="150" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4996164174_f27a2acd31.jpg" width="200" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976530765/" title="Cape Chignecto by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Cape Chignecto" height="131" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4976530765_d74394828e.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="200" /></a><br />
But we did manage a quick stop off on the highway for a bit of camping cooking. Spag bol - yay!<br />
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<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977319085/" title="Hurricane Earl in Truro by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hurricane Earl in Truro" height="200" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/4977319085_6cb22b4ae0.jpg" width="133" /></a></div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;">Our Hurricane Earl hideout in Truro. Our hosts were amazing. They gave us warm beds, fed us gouda cheese and we drank red wine and swapped travel and plant stories (we were on flower and plant farm).</div><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: -webkit-auto;"><br />
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</div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-63466396355022385362010-09-07T03:14:00.000+01:002011-05-14T06:24:09.016+01:00Super Nova Scotia<b>Adventure interlude done - welcome to Canada's Ocean Playground</b><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976161026/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (3)" height="219" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/4976161026_bacf2d4a0c_z.jpg" width="640" /></a><br />
<div><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I've come to realise that this trip is so much more about winging it and seeing what happens than having any kind of real plan. So on leaving The Smoke, I had a flight to Halifax (way out East) so I could see the maritimes (finally!) and just knew that at some point soonish, I needed to be in Vancouver (way out West). Vancouver because that's where I figured I'd settle and do that whole working thing again... </span></b><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Because trying to work out when or how to get back to Vancouver was giving me a headache, I decided to delay it a little.</span></b><br />
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</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">I had three top to-dos on my maritimes list. This included seeing Cape Breton, eating cheap and tasty lobster and seeing Newfoundland. I didn't manage to do any of those... Part of winging it means seeing what opportunities come up and well - making the most of them! It can also (for me anyway) involve a hell of a lot of dithering. What if I go with something and something else comes along that I'd rather do. Or what if I don't organise anything and end up with nowt to do but stroll around the city as a billy?! </span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<b>Roadtripping along the South Shore</b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Okay, so I did manage to get something organised before I left London. I found myself two couchsurfers who were up for a multi-day hiking trip around Cape Chignecto. I did also nearly dive straight into a roadtrip to Cape Breton with a potential couch host in Halifax but decided against as there was the possibility of being late for the start of Cape Chignecto. Having not met the two couchsurfers yet and knowing I'd be spending 5 days hiking and camping with them, I thought it not a good idea to piss them off before I met them. After all that dithering, I managed to get myself a last minute couch host in Halifax where I'd spend a couple of nights. You know I love couchsurfing - primarily for all the wonderful and sometimes weirdly wonderful people you meet. You can however click with some folk more quickly than others. My couch host in Halifax was perhaps someone that I'd need a little more time for the clicking to happen but it was still all good. He had the cutest dog and I actually got a bed to sleep on (my own). And because it was a little awkward with him, I was very relieved he'd also offered to put another couch surfer up last minute... who I clicked with straightaway.</span></b><br />
<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-size: xx-small; font-weight: normal;"><br />
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<b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;"></span></b><b><span class="Apple-style-span" style="font-weight: normal;">Doreen is from Texas and had driven all the way to Halifax from there. Not only that, she was planning to carry on roadtripping all the way to Newfoundland before driving back home. Now that's a roadtrip! And a hell of a lot of mileage under her belt! (Tho' I realise now that it's fairly normal for north americans to drive for hours and hours - no wonder they love automatic cars). If I hadn't already organised anything, I'd have been seriously tempted to join her for the whole trip (apart from the Texas bit of course - that might have been a detour from Vancouver too far). I did, however, join Doreen on a roadtrip along the South Shore. Stop offs included Peggy's Cove (NS is full of lighthouses but the one here is the one to see - plus there are the spectacular waves), Mahone Bay and Lunenberg (both very cute fishing towns). Anyway, here's some of what we saw along the way...</span></b><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974473922/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (5)" height="211" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/4974473922_602dff356b.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Lobster traps (sadly, nobody selling any cheap lobster out of their minivan)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drae0804/5076968880/" title="IMG1611 by drae0804, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG1611" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/5076968880_ce5a5659e9.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Chilling out in the sunshine - we saw lots of these fabulously colourful deck chairs.<br />
(photo c/o Doreen - check out her fabulous photos of Nova Scotia and New Foundland <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drae0804/">here</a>)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drae0804/5076377541/" title="IMG1704 by drae0804, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG1704" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4072/5076377541_0f270a4fec.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Side trip to the pet cemetary (photo c/o Doreen)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/drae0804/5076991138/" title="IMG1590 by drae0804, on Flickr"><img alt="IMG1590" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4011/5076991138_beab951ed0.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
photo c/o Doreen<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974554234/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (16) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (16)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4974554234_0206c38057.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974580086/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (20) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (20)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4974580086_465fced4c1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974014663/" title="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (4)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4974014663_92deff6cae.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
My roadtrip buddy, Doreen<br />
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<u>Peggy's Cove</u><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974610120/" title="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (2)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4130/4974610120_a2c0ff2f76.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974712310/" title="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (17) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (17)" height="210" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4974712310_c3355c469f.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Wave watching<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974757852/" title="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (21) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Peggy's Cove (21)" height="232" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4124/4974757852_bec5de9a53.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Word of advice<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974225229/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (27) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (27)" height="248" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/4974225229_e5971651f9.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<u>Mahone Bay</u><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974852296/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (29) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (29)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4974852296_f426b806f1.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4974892622/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (33) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (33)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4145/4974892622_083b89713c.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4975543603/" title="Nova Scotia - South Shore (37) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - South Shore (37)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4090/4975543603_2c7665c028.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<u>Lunenberg</u><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976161768/" title="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (3)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4976161768_ab3ac6f115.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976194722/" title="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (5)" height="130" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4128/4976194722_b1f7d6f92f.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4975492761/" title="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (8)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4127/4975492761_38105b1bdd.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
We got chatting to this guy and his wife (both from Newfoundland) had come to re-visit the church above. He's a new painter and very kindly showed us some of his work.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976109750/" title="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (11) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (11)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4151/4976109750_f8c10bbc07.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976113276/" title="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (14) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Lunenburg (14)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4976113276_ec29b6e858.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
One of the locations where TV programme, Haven, is set. We got talking to the guy who owned the boat and he played it all down but you can tell he loved regaling people with filming stories :o)<br />
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Doreen, thank you for letting me join you for part of your roadtrip - already looking forward to seeing some of your Texas!<br />
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<b>Halifax</b><br />
As well as the roadtrip above, I did also get the chance to explore some of Halifax with my couch host and his lovely dog.<br />
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<u>The Citadel</u><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4975555375/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (7)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4975555375_0cbdcea0d7.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976169908/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (9)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4976169908_afd5e34fb9.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4975557953/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (10) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (10)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4148/4975557953_5703a70058.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
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<u>The Old Farmer's Market</u><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976172948/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (12) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (12)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4150/4976172948_b26b5db3af.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976174278/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (14) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (14)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4976174278_84434b9831.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
NS is also the birthplace of Alexander Keith's - Canada actually has quite a few great beers and this is one.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4975577403/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (6)" height="278" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4975577403_2af6d09c62.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
I don't know what this building is but I just liked it. <br />
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<u>The Public Gardens</u><br />
Whilst I waited for my ride to meet my fellow hikers, I wandered around this beautiful park.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976191114/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (15) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (15)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/4976191114_5ca1eb276e.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4976178276/" title="Nova Scotia - Halifax (20) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Nova Scotia - Halifax (20)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4976178276_bd0950e190.jpg" width="212" /></a></div>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-85567229075172456652010-08-29T06:32:00.000+01:002011-05-14T06:24:35.002+01:00Some of my favourite people...(Just some, because some of you are lucky enough not to be around when I have my camera out)<br />
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<strong>Big sis gets hitched</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4915659148/" title="Crisy & Dan wed (200) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Crisy & Dan wed (200)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4915659148_75af655ac3.jpg" width="206" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4915001391/" title="Crisy & Dan wed (169) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Crisy & Dan wed (169)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4915001391_208030ea9d.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br />
Introducing the Bride and Groom - Crisy and Dan<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4912831352/" title="Crisy & Dan wed (145) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Crisy & Dan wed (145)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4912831352_836e92a469.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4912835644/" title="Crisy & Dan wed (147) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Crisy & Dan wed (147)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4082/4912835644_804142b85e.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br />
L: Dad and Uncle Raf, capturing it all (much to aunty Let's dismay who really knows how to throw some shapes on the dancefloor!)<br />
R: Aunty Let and cousin Elvie<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4915016595/" title="Crisy & Dan wed (178) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Crisy & Dan wed (178)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4915016595_50d7898977.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
The ladies, including my mum<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4915673922/" title="Crisy & Dan wed (212) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Crisy & Dan wed (212)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4096/4915673922_063eab8d2d.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DkNLA9lHkGkxX84-IwphJSNxbxrYpWwd8jcQcZ5AV4pkh2Llbszu8mpWnw7__2mZR2ih7mzEuYSkFzdwP1Ex6wZrbQy92SBpzgu2AKflk-WPIDClYlyC5mxkTs6FwidhRosLmA/s1600/me+mils+and+golds.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="320" nx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg6DkNLA9lHkGkxX84-IwphJSNxbxrYpWwd8jcQcZ5AV4pkh2Llbszu8mpWnw7__2mZR2ih7mzEuYSkFzdwP1Ex6wZrbQy92SBpzgu2AKflk-WPIDClYlyC5mxkTs6FwidhRosLmA/s320/me+mils+and+golds.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br />
L: Dad and mum on the dancefloor :o)<br />
R: And one of me, Millie and Goldene (one of many taken in the funky photobooth)<br />
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<strong>A night out with the Mu Crew</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977523327/" title="Mu Crew (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Mu Crew (4)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4083/4977523327_3147ebf9a6.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Posey, Hels and Livvy<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977521339/" title="Mu Crew (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Mu Crew (3)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4977521339_ed036eed47.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Joyous and Stav<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977522373/" title="Mu Crew (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Mu Crew (5)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4133/4977522373_5462bf1e94.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Dawne, Tash and Bex<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4978133818/" title="Mu Crew (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Mu Crew (6)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4144/4978133818_53606d83dc.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Bex, me and Joyous<br />
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<strong>Meeting a new favourite person... Reuben, the big wee man</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4978156174/" title="Reuben by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Reuben" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4978156174_f7bf26e3da.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Mum Els and Reuben<br />
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<strong>Being treated to dinner at Steve and Sunny's - oh, hell yeah!</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977540365/" title="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4977540365_19719cb7d4.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
This was the starter<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977541923/" title="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's (2)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4085/4977541923_07f150cd10.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Shiv, Steve and Carly (Sunny and P in the kitchen)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4978150366/" title="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's (3)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4978150366_6be552dca5.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Sunny serving the lasagne<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977542667/" title="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Dinner at Steve & Sunny's (4)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4132/4977542667_99843f7508.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
And Sunny serving the puddings (yep, two!)<br />
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Well... all I can say is that it's a very good thing I've decided to mostly be vegan (only from Oct to Dec! I'll explain later..) NOT anywhere near where Sunny and Steve live.<br />
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<strong>Franny's 30th Rock n' Rollers and Pop Tarts night</strong><br />
Franny, all's I can say is - you know how to throw a party!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923005205/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (6)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4923005205_e928777a31.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923034179/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (15) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (15)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4134/4923034179_34f4cf7a5d.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br />
L: Pre-party prep... Suki and Sunny (aka MC Hammer and Rihanna)<br />
R: Candy Pops (aka Paloma Faith)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923630254/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (16) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (16)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4923630254_afe2fe531d.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Sam and Els<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923043799/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (18) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (18)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4923043799_8a4666f7e2.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923050767/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (20) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (20)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4923050767_70d6cafd2d.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br />
L: Carly and Sunny<br />
R: Aidy, the alternative Rock n' Roller and Sam<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923646686/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (21) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (21)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4923646686_36c1bcd17d.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923659932/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (25) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (25)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4099/4923659932_d0267c92f6.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br />
L: The birthday girl<br />
R: Thanh and Shaun<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923056953/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (22) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (22)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4923056953_120291834d.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Sahra, P and Shiv<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923073381/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (27) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (27)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4923073381_eac7d53d3e.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
I reckon I need a top up!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923090815/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (32) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (32)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4923090815_8e1d0ec156.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Me and Carly<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923086941/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (31) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (31)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4923086941_b8980e0a6b.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Shiv and Els<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923125563/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (42) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (42)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4077/4923125563_4570833920.jpg" width="212" /></a> <a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923136423/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (45) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (45)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4923136423_afae3b5d71.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="212" /></a><br />
L: Ewan<br />
R: Prince<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4924417575/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (69) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (69)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4924417575_5c9de76c2b.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
hmmm... photos taken mid-dance = never good<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4924517409/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (95) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (95)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4924517409_4f6855e961.jpg" width="320" /></a><br />
Dancing People<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923097329/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (34) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (34)" height="212" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4923097329_3c5978bea8.jpg" style="cursor: move;" width="320" /></a><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4923097329/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts (34) by LunaModule, on Flickr"></a>Franny and Chris<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4924557633/" title="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Franny's 30th - rock & rollers and pop tarts" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4924557633_db391a7df3.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
Rock on<br />
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<strong>To all my Favourite People</strong><br />
It was the LOVELIEST thing seeing you ;o)Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-15660579724691380882010-08-26T05:17:00.001+01:002011-05-14T06:27:06.868+01:00I heart London, I do, I do, I doI love travelling - I love exploring new places, getting to know new people and well, just the adventure of it all. I am, however, also really madly in love with my hometown and all the people and places in it (well - most of them!). Having travelled most of the length of Canada (did I mention how bloody vast this country was?!) to hit Vancouver (which would be my new hometown for a bit), I was heading back to the Smoke. My big sister was getting married in August - which other than me not missing this for the world, was an amazing reason to go back home and fall in love all over again with London.<br />
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<strong>Being a Tourist with the Maniagos</strong><br />
One of the many fabulous things about Crisy and Dan's wedding included getting to hang out with family from LA - as well as being a tourist with them!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977458207/" title="Southbank Exhibition (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Southbank Exhibition (4)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4092/4977458207_923ef83337.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977466255/" title="St Paul's Cathedral (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="St Paul's Cathedral (2)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4110/4977466255_f2b71b5148.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977490893/" title="London Eye (19) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="London Eye (19)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4977490893_23989d876f.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977475857/" title="London Eye (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="London Eye (7)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4977475857_b630430ecc.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977495031/" title="London Eye (23) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="London Eye (23)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4977495031_df769b2069.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
My cousin, Elvie, taking a photo of Uncle Raf and Auntie Let on the Eye<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4978058860/" title="By the Thames (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="By the Thames (3)" height="264" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4978058860_1f0a012be6.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982772199/" title="London (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="London (4)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4982772199_755ed3db25.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
First time I've actually managed to make the Portrait awards at the National Portrait Gallery - amazing exhibition! How is it possible for people to be this good? Such over achievers!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4982781875/" title="London (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="London (9)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4982781875_92009f3e84.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4983386022/" title="London (89) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="London (89)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4152/4983386022_c3733447e9.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Ah... London rain!<br />
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<strong>Out Eastside with friends</strong><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977443573/" title="Eastside (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Eastside (8)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4149/4977443573_846bd10a13.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Yay, al fresco drinking (a big no no in Canada)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4978051186/" title="Eastside (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Eastside (6)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4125/4978051186_d5a889ff5a.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Sunday on Brick Lane<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4978052266/" title="Eastside (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Eastside (7)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/4978052266_342fdfac59.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Sunny and Carly<br />
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<strong>And because I do LOVE East London best of all...</strong><br />
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Walking through London Fields, swimming in the lido, ALL the markets, the bars and foodie places. Despite having lived there most of my life, as well as your favourites, there's always something new to check out and either old or new, I'm inspired.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4978165728/" title="Dalston Mural by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Dalston Mural" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4978165728_fbc3306fe0.jpg" width="333" /></a><br />
Dalston Mural<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4977528301/" title="Mile End Park (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Mile End Park (4)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4977528301_61cda0c01d.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Candy Pops checks out the orange fish at Vicky Park<br />
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Although gutted to be missing out on the Notting Hill Carnival (okay, so West London can be cool too), Hackney put on a pretty good show itself :o)<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5107854919/" title="Hackney Carnival 2010 by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hackney Carnival 2010" height="300" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1123/5107854919_0c8939164b.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Hackney Carnival<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5107856909/" title="Hackney Carnival 2010 (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hackney Carnival 2010 (5)" height="300" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4131/5107856909_8b3fe48e16.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5107861227/" title="Hackney Carnival 2010 (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hackney Carnival 2010 (7)" height="300" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1207/5107861227_4cf0982c9a.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5108455410/" title="Hackney Carnival 2010 (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hackney Carnival 2010 (9)" height="300" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1223/5108455410_482e49fdbd.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5108460956/" title="Hackney Carnival 2010 (15) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hackney Carnival 2010 (15)" height="300" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1380/5108460956_80295952c7.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5107866597/" title="Hackney Carnival 2010 (16) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hackney Carnival 2010 (16)" height="500" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4091/5107866597_51b30f1e75.jpg" width="375" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/5108470234/" title="Hackney Carnival 2010 (18) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Hackney Carnival 2010 (18)" height="400" src="http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1262/5108470234_2ebf56ca9a.jpg" width="300" /></a>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-3414358232211881392010-08-12T17:01:00.000+01:002010-09-12T17:10:50.643+01:00Vancouver's Festival of LightsFireworks - 4 nights of them. What's not to love? ;o)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848259093/" title="Vancouver - Fireworks night #2 (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Fireworks night #2 (2)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4848259093_6ce5378b65_m.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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All along Vancity's coastline, up on hills and from bridges, from rooftops, balconies and boats - people came to see them... and they were beautiful. Well done to Spain - deserved winners!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821895342/" title="Vancouver - Fireworks night #1 by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Fireworks night #1" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4821895342_d25fa177d8.jpg" width="290" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848895590/" title="Vancouver - Fireworks night #2 (18) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Fireworks night #2 (18)" height="275" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4848895590_1168234565_m.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4859015835/" title="Vancouver - Fireworks night #4 (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Fireworks night #4 (2)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4859015835_0d57031cf7_m.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4859036765/" title="Vancouver - Fireworks night #4 (28) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Fireworks night #4 (28)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4859036765_cd101c6093_m.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4859639720/" title="Vancouver - Fireworks night #4 (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Fireworks night #4 (7)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4859639720_ec82aae4f7_m.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-59663434994738854032010-08-08T11:38:00.001+01:002010-08-08T11:39:06.732+01:00Lessons from Karate KidAfter a hard day berry picking and soaking up the sunshine, we decided to enjoy our hard work with chocolate fondue at Stanley Park and watching Karate Kid (no, not the new one). It was another starry night and even got to see a couple of bats flying!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848349581/" title="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (2)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4848349581_6e977e599f.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Elahi, Karim and Zahir<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848352273/" title="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4848352273_fc760d6206.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
mmm... fondue (turns out it's quite tricky eating fondue in the dark without making a mess!)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848350251/" title="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (3)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4848350251_dcd9b37322.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
James, Lydia and Emma<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848974164/" title="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (5)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4848974164_af7367cd2a.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Emma showing us how it's done.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848973512/" title="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Stanley Park movie (4)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4848973512_8602fa49c2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Olivier and James. Olivier cycled from Toronto to Vancouver! You can read about his amazing trip here - <br />
<a href="http://www.befreetochange.wordpress.com/">www.befreetochange.wordpress.com/</a><br />
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<strong>And - an important lesson on balance from Mr Miyagi...</strong><br />
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Miyagi: [Daniel has just gotten his driver's license and Miyagi has given him a car for his birthday] Just remember, license never replace eye, ear, and brain. <br />
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[notices Daniel has suddenly gotten quiet] <br />
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Miyagi: What matter? <br />
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Daniel: I'm just scared. The tournament and everything. <br />
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Miyagi: You remember lesson about balance? <br />
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Daniel: Yeah. <br />
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Miyagi: Lesson not just karate only. Lesson for whole life. Whole life have a balance. Everything be better. Understand? <br />
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[Taken from - <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087538/quotes?qt0449956">http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0087538/quotes?qt0449956</a>]Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-83155302202152873332010-08-08T11:20:00.000+01:002010-08-08T11:20:30.640+01:00Ladies wot do lunch, berry picking and lounging by the lakeAfter a hostel in Gastown, couchsurfing in Commercial Drive, couchsurfing in Kitsilano... it was really very lovely to have a friend to stay with in English Bay - thanks Emma & Karim!! They let me crash at their fab place on the 22nd floor not quite overlooking the bay but still pretty spectacular views.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840356448/" title="Vancouver - English Bay by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - English Bay" height="114" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4126/4840356448_1bb2327a88.jpg" width="500" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848326957/" title="Vancouver - Seagull on the 22nd floor (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Seagull on the 22nd floor (3)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4101/4848326957_ee78eb9ca9.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
One of a few of Karim's feathered friends - they would come and visit hoping to get fed (Karim liked to feed them social tea biscuits as well as cans of tuna... they weren't so lucky with me or Emma)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848336753/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park (10) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park (10)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4848336753_1d2712ac95.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
What to do with your day when you don't have to work? Go to the lake! I went with Lydia, Emma and Anna to White Pine Beach Lake. On the drive up, I saw another black bear!! Actually, at first I thought 'ooh, that's a random place to put a life like bear statue' as it was by a bus stop...and then it moved! After the excitement of bear stories and our arrival at the lake, we had the loveliest picnic, sunbathed for a bit, then floated and swam in the lake before a walk through the woods :o)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848338265/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park (11) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park (11)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4848338265_ae9797e8b2.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848962926/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park (12) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park (12)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4848962926_fccaf7cd74.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848338995/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park (14) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park (14)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4136/4848338995_accf221de8.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848343071/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park" height="283" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4848343071_a067f2985e.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848335311/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park (8)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4848335311_536bd8e762.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848333721/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park (6)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4848333721_cbae5cde84.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848953502/" title="BC - White Pine Beach Park (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="BC - White Pine Beach Park (3)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4848953502_a3b455203d.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<strong>Berry picking in Westham Island, Ladner</strong><br />
Another day of not working, the girls went to Ladner for a bit of berry picking in the sunshine. On entry to Westham Island, we saw this sign... I reckon I'd rather be confronted by a bear!<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kX64KLlm5s3Btebdj9-4MkjYJnA3wieIihRg1QOHTtMXwLkPP6LZYFphSk-DmVAeOMjaYdJjfENnAkeDgAng_sK8GrJTJ5tnElWFrc3POrJKhyDeAAkU1pn8WT0F2FZpttQ0Tg/s1600/westham+island+gunclub.bmp" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; cssfloat: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" bx="true" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj4kX64KLlm5s3Btebdj9-4MkjYJnA3wieIihRg1QOHTtMXwLkPP6LZYFphSk-DmVAeOMjaYdJjfENnAkeDgAng_sK8GrJTJ5tnElWFrc3POrJKhyDeAAkU1pn8WT0F2FZpttQ0Tg/s320/westham+island+gunclub.bmp" /></a></div>photo from <a href="http://www.lemontart.ca/">www.lemontart.ca/</a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848348229/" title="Ladner - Fruit picking by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Ladner - Fruit picking" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4848348229_832d961452.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Emma Lea Farms - for strawberries, raspberries and blueberries<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848348923/" title="Ladner - Fruit picking (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Ladner - Fruit picking (3)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4095/4848348923_5650954d9a.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Lydia, Emma and Anna packing up the fruit of our labourLunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-90341664202884458572010-08-08T10:39:00.000+01:002010-08-08T10:39:01.956+01:00Chance encounter with the beluga whales at the Vancouver AquariumSo I nearly joined the circus but actually not at all. I knew it was a long shot but thought what the hell, I like taking pictures and love the circus so I applied for a job taking photos of people at the Cirque du Soleil show. It started in late July and finished in September. And I got an interview!! Tho' erm, funnily enough, after confirming I wouldn't be around for August, I didn't get the job. Oh well, I shall have to wait another day to run off with the circus... Still, on the plus side - the interviews took place in the aquarium so after mine was done I decided to stick around ;o)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821213303/" title="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (2)" height="280" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4821213303_5c470f5f72.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821841980/" title="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (6)" height="304" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4078/4821841980_89227c02f1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821849106/" title="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (9)" height="272" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4821849106_dbe021ed43.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821851760/" title="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (10) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (10)" height="292" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4821851760_41a833365a.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821860060/" title="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (13) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver Aquarium - Beluga Whales (13)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4821860060_2911e579f6.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-4240390170554327302010-08-08T10:25:00.000+01:002010-08-08T10:25:01.382+01:00I want to be a beach bumahhh... so many sunshiney days and so many beaches ;o) (I have to make the most of it, I've heard lots about Vancouver's rain!)<br />
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<strong>Jericho Beach</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840317718/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (2)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4840317718_f136f96495.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840318158/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (3)" height="259" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4840318158_405598f2e7.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840318672/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (5)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4147/4840318672_66388399a1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4839708325/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (7)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4839708325_325eaff076.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840321072/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (9)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4084/4840321072_c55bf9e16d.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4839710061/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (10) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (10)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4103/4839710061_7110ee5333.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840324146/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (14) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (14)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4086/4840324146_05b14dac7e.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4839728941/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (4)" height="117" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4112/4839728941_44d6079a81.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840349994/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (17) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (17)" height="356" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4109/4840349994_13669cd879.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840352854/" title="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (18) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Jericho Beach Park (18)" height="154" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4105/4840352854_643eb21fee.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<strong>Locarno Beach and BBQ</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840337364/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4129/4840337364_a892bef7b4.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
BBQ fun with Robert and fellow hikers, Su and a few more couch surfers!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4839714287/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (2)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4106/4839714287_4b46ff38b0.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840327366/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (3)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4104/4840327366_1d94d98ec7.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Dominique, Greg, Sylvain and Su<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4839717641/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (4)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4113/4839717641_4f8c71b5a0.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840328022/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (5)" height="320" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4840328022_68ed68bb92.jpg" width="212" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840330580/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (6)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4146/4840330580_640b970a70.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4839722213/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (9)" height="336" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4088/4839722213_9468135cb9.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4840335342/" title="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (10) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Locarno Beach (10)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4089/4840335342_28983e30ec.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<strong>Second beach pool</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848322683/" title="Vancouver - Seawall Views (31) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Seawall Views (31)" height="262" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4120/4848322683_5f693feea3.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<strong>English Bay</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848322217/" title="Vancouver - Seawall Views by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Seawall Views" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4848322217_f05248ac53.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
English guy doing a performance on English Bay<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4848354563/" title="Vancouver - English Bay sunset by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - English Bay sunset" height="259" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4848354563_7ae155d7c2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
After picking up Ruth from the airport and shimmying through the pre-Pride street party on Davie, we got some pizza and sat on the beach... here's our view!<br />
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<strong>Sunset beach</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4859067533/" title="Vancouver - Sunset Beach (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Sunset Beach (3)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4859067533_0d259fc29b.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Thanks to Kay who's bike I have! Cycled from Commercial Drive heading for English Bay but couldn't resist a stop off here :o)<br />
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<strong>Third beach</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4859058069/" title="Vancouver - Stanley Park, Seawall (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Stanley Park, Seawall (4)" height="259" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4859058069_e143dbaca1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<strong>And then of course... there's Wreck Beach...</strong><br />
where clothing is optional, the smell of weed unmistakeable, someone'll mix up a cocktail for you out of their backpack and hawkers sell mushroom maccaroons!<br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812470089/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (5)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4812470089_91a43d8550.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Down trail 6 (it's much worse going up trail 6!) to get to Wreck Beach 200ft below.<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813092906/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (4)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4813092906_8633a06dd8.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813113070/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach" height="148" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4813113070_cb37c95f12.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821248047/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (9)" height="268" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4821248047_66db9321b2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
me and Jonathan (my couch host in Kitsilano) decided to be beach bums for the day so of course we went to Wreck Beach. In between swims in the sea, watched police checking for booze, ignoring the smokers, hearing hawkers selling maccaroons, brownies and beer, had a hawaiian cocktail and got chatting to Kiwi lawyer who also decided to be a beach bum for the day. The day's excitement also included a hovercraft coming to the rescue of some poor guy who'd erm...had a little bit too much to drink or the maccaroon didn't go down so well!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821250233/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (11) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (11)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4116/4821250233_13e71cbe61.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821878800/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (18) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (18)" height="264" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4821878800_547dfc6ee6.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821271413/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (24) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (24)" height="250" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4118/4821271413_56a44e3491.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4821273121/" title="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Wreck Beach (6)" height="284" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4137/4821273121_83b86a7ce3.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-58992547938227871962010-08-07T23:14:00.001+01:002010-08-08T11:53:00.548+01:00Hiking Cypress MountainI LOVE walking up mountains, I do! I might not be saying that whilst going up any particularly steep (or even slightly steep, ha!) bits but the views along the way, views from the top and sense of achievement once done is brilliant. I also got to meet some more great people (mostly through couchsurfing, god I love that site).<br />
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By the way - for you winter olympic fans, Cypress Mountain (still have to remind myself not to call it Cypress Hill!) is the one where they had freestyle skiing and snowboarding)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813178178/" title="Vancouver - view from above (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - view from above (2)" height="160" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4813178178_e6bddeffbd.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
On the way to the mountain, we stopped off for a look at Vancouver from above<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812491299/" title="Vancouver - view from above by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - view from above" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4812491299_a99f332980.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Me and Nao<br />
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<strong>Cypress Mountain</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812492555/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (2)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4812492555_5453f6dc17.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812494967/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (4)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4812494967_8cdfcc61de.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812498747/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (7)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4812498747_2de7e25fb2.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Going up!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812501199/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (9)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4812501199_7dd2ce8d5c.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812502535/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (10) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (10)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4094/4812502535_5c5d83a512.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812505007/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (12) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (12)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4812505007_dd3c994f93.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Playing with snow<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812506853/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (14) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (14)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4115/4812506853_58fa520e50.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812510983/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (18) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (18)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4812510983_ac262ecb5c.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
getting a sweat on... nice!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812517353/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (24) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (24)" height="295" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4812517353_fffc39459a.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
I'd like to say I meant for this to happen but really, my camera lens just got a little foggy - cool tho'!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812518379/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (25) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (25)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4812518379_3282142133.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812520693/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (27) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (27)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4138/4812520693_43501bace6.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813145944/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (28) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (28)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4813145944_db7c0bc3f2.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813147104/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (29) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (29)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4100/4813147104_afed6c0508.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812523797/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (31) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (31)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4812523797_cfd2e7a291.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Eagle Bluffs view - beautiful! <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813149036/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (33) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (33)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4140/4813149036_fb6ea76b74.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Lunch with a view. My fellow hiking companions - Nao, Waida, Linda, Marcel, Jonathan and Robert<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813149532/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (34) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (34)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4135/4813149532_8c2d52c477.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812531559/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (37) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (37)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4117/4812531559_b4aaa49cff.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812533779/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (39) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (39)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4074/4812533779_b8c13091e1.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Going down!<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813158952/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (40) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (40)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4076/4813158952_24542c68e9.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813163670/" title="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (44) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cypress Mountain, Eagle Bluffs Hike (44)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4143/4813163670_8ba3227a7d.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-32560763462451381162010-08-07T22:52:00.000+01:002010-08-07T22:52:27.237+01:00Good food, a movie, gelato and sunset from a rooftopAfter enjoying the downtown area, I got to stay further East with my couch host, Su (who is thoroughly awesome) in Commercial Drive. I'm an East End girl at heart and a few friends who already knew the area had told me it was a cool area to live - down to earth, a bit hip and lots of cool bars and restaurants to enjoy. All true! I felt really at home there... plus it's generally cheaper to live as it's not downtown and doesn't have a beach (which, by the way is the downside - still, getting to a beach from there isn't that big a trek!)<br />
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Su took me to her friend Alec's for dinner - cooked by his couchsurfer (note to self, must get good at cooking!). It was great fun - Su and her friends are really easy to talk to and laugh with. After dinner, we went onto the rooftop to check out the sunset, then had gelato which we took to the park, had a swing and then watched The Good, The Bad and The Ugly (on original film) at midnight at The Rio. <br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812458197/" title="Vancouver - Food and music by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Food and music" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4812458197_5d86c30b7a.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Natalia, Chris, Su and Alec<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812481105/" title="Vancouver - sunset on the rooftop by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - sunset on the rooftop" height="161" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4079/4812481105_7a41934169.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813080714/" title="Vancouver - sunset on the rooftop (3) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - sunset on the rooftop (3)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4813080714_2b8d9e805a.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813086698/" title="Vancouver - swinging at Grandview park by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - swinging at Grandview park" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4121/4813086698_b4bce42387.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
On the swings at Grandview Park<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813088114/" title="Vancouver - The Good The Bad & The Ugly at the Rio by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - The Good The Bad & The Ugly at the Rio" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4813088114_f443e9228c.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Before the movie started a guy dressed as Clint Eastwood in the movie did a little dance, had a shoot out with a girl on stage, gave out raffle prizes before announcing the winner of the fancy dress competition (The Rio shows a midnight movie every Friday and those turning up in fancy dress get in for half price!)Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-9344590.post-47515675160494525742010-08-07T22:33:00.001+01:002010-08-07T22:34:40.549+01:00Exploring VancouverMy pre-trip planning (or thinking would be a more suiable term - any plans I made were ridiculously vague) comprised of - long weekend in NYC, catch the train to Montreal, head to Toronto and explore for a bit and head to Vancouver around mid-May to settle (meaning find a home and find some work). <br />
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I like to think of myself as not being all that bad at being punctual - and, actually, I did still make it to Vancouver... just in mid-July instead! What can I say, it was a lot of fun getting there ;o) I think partly because I'd basically had holiday after holiday, partly because I'd grown so fond of Toronto and partly because I knew the plan was to stay in Vancouver ('til my year was up), I was quite anxious about how I'd like it. Well... it's safe to say I love it.<br />
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Okay, so the city itself doesn't compare to those I count as favourites - London, NYC, Paris, Berlin, even Toronto and Montreal (they have more grit, colour and glamour) - but man, they have nothing on Vancouver in terms of sights beyond the architecture of the city. Yep, I'm talking about the mountains and even better, it's by the sea - and I do LOVE the sea :o) It's really very cool walking through the city and very frequently getting a glimpse of a mountain - or the sea or even both! <br />
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I wanted my 3 week introduction to Vancouver (before properly settling there for 7 months from September) to explore and work out which area I might like to live as well as what life might be like as a Vancouverite... I reckon I did pretty well! <br />
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<strong>First night - picnic and free movie in Stanley Park</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813019380/" title="Vancouver - The Goonies, Stanley Park by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - The Goonies, Stanley Park" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4073/4813019380_077de30ab3.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
I started Vancouver staying in the Cambie hostel in Gastown which turned out to be a really pleasant surprise as hostels go and befriended lovely Christine who invited me out to the movie with her friends. After the sunset and the movie had started, I kept getting distracted by the ridiculously starry night. It was so beautiful. I even saw a falling star :o)<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813036870/" title="Vancouver - Cambie Hostel by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver - Cambie Hostel" height="89" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4813036870_cae6f8db93.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
Cheap beer in the common room at Cambie Hostel<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813038096/" title="Vancouver (5) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (5)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4114/4813038096_d49c5694c5.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Steam clock in Gastown and a peak at some mountains<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812397887/" title="Vancouver (4) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (4)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4142/4812397887_2077139156.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Looking out at the Vancouver Lookout tower<br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813020388/" title="Vancouver (2) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (2)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4081/4813020388_ef247d27b3.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
Lots of alleyways like this... I really rather like them!<br />
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<strong>Vancouver Harbour area</strong><br />
<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812399055/" title="Vancouver (7) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (7)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4139/4812399055_f101f92d5e.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812400195/" title="Vancouver (8) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (8)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4093/4812400195_f7173ed61c.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813025694/" title="Vancouver (9) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (9)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4097/4813025694_ac671ca9b5.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812403619/" title="Vancouver (11) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (11)" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4098/4812403619_5a0658e142.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4813042380/" title="Vancouver (6) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (6)" height="110" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4119/4813042380_d3ec70cebb.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812556013/" title="Vancouver (13) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (13)" height="174" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4102/4812556013_d3406e09a7.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812419417/" title="Vancouver (12) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (12)" height="395" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4075/4812419417_38fdbc2249.jpg" width="400" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812420315/" title="Vancouver (21) by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver (21)" height="400" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4141/4812420315_dcf6e6173e.jpg" width="266" /></a><br />
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<a href="http://www.flickr.com/photos/lunamodule/4812421479/" title="Vancouver by LunaModule, on Flickr"><img alt="Vancouver" height="266" src="http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4122/4812421479_78ba6c65d0.jpg" width="400" /></a>Lunahttp://www.blogger.com/profile/14786337286637327792noreply@blogger.com0