Wanderlust

                 

       WE ALL DREAM OF FAR AWAY

As I am sitting right now in my home office with a cup of tea and Keith Urban singing about wanting a little bit of everything, I smile as I look at those amazing pictures from our trip, not because they're studio worthy but because they have captured smiles, adventures and free spirits.

Our trip started out in Vancouver British Columbia. In my short years of a wanderlust I had never encountered  such friendly people. The wonders that a simple smile or a friendly "hello" can do to your spirit. We got lucky with warm spring weather.

We started off by going to the Capilano Suspension Bridge, it stretches 450 feet across and 230 feet above the Capilano River....I know scaaaaryyyy, but totally worth doing. They also have a cliffwalk that follows a labyrinth of narrow bridges, stairs and platforms.We got to see amazing totem poles from the First Nations people. We got to experience the sounds of nature that took us to the serenity of a west coast rainforest. José wasn't really into visiting when we were planning the trip but by the time we set foot and saw all the amazingness well he enjoyed it more than I did. And it's jut another reminder of how when we travel we need to open our minds and explore EVERYTHING.

 

We wanted to see everything but with so little time we decided to visit Victoria. Many friends raved about it, but it was an all day tour so we ended sacrificing other outtings. We took a 2 hr ferry to Victoria and once there we started by visiting The Empress Hotel for some AMAZING tea. Surrounded by rich chintz fabrics, antiqued tapestries and rugs, elegant wing back chairs, vintage furnishings and hand-carved tables, the picturesque backdrop of the Inner Harbor provides the quintessential Victoria experience to all of us who grace afternoon tea. They serve hand-made signature Empress scones, delectable pastries and tea sweets served in dainty William Edwards china and sterling silver service to the enchanting ambiance of the live piano. It's pricey but worth every penny.

We visited the B.C. Parliament Buildings. As a bit of a political geek, I always love visiting the legislature buildings of cities that I travel to and learning about their history and politics.

Lately, I've been so into flowers and gardens. I don't know if it's because I'm getting older but I'm now finding beauty in the simplest things. Things I didn't consider before, and since we decided to visit Vancouver I knew we had to visit The Butchart Gardens, and spring is the season of vibrant colors! We  witnessed thousands of flowering bulbs, shrubs and trees bursting forth and much more. The colors are so magnificent, so surreal and pictures will never do it justice.
 As soon as I walked in I thought I was in the scene of Finding Neverland, when Barrie takes Sylvia to this magical place, I was specting flying fairies. It's just an astonishing place.

These gardens are breathtaking, we were there for the daffodils, tulips, azaleas and rhodos; so beautiful. The gardens are meticulously tended and considering how many people go through there is amazing.

The morning of our cruise we went to Gastown, known for its shops and bars, cutting-edge artists and designers, chefs and mixologists but sadly it's also known for its rough  streets, but that’s part of what keeps things interesting.A Vancouver institution since 1977, the Gastown Steam Clock was actually more interesting than I had anticipated.  The clock itself is very attractive; a small replica of London's Big Ben.  

The chimes (on the hour) and whistles (on the quarter-hour) aren't particularly loud, but also aren't confused with ordinary urban noise.  The surrounding neighborhood is worthy of exploration, and the clock provides a nice focal point.

At last our trip ended in False Creek, The views were spectacular and the people so energetic.

I was excited about our cruise but I wanted to stay a while longer, explore a bit more places. Talk to more people. Did I like Vancouver? No, I loved it. Do I want to go back? Heck yes! I would even consider moving over there. I feel so grateful that I get to travel and experience all that God has created. I feel blessed that I get to experience it with my best friend. And at that point of our trip I didn't know the AMAZING experience that was coming. Our trip continued and it changed us forever.Next week I will be writting about our cruise to Alaska.


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