Stanley Park and the Science World

Whilst we were in Vancouver, we went to Stanley Park and did a 10k bike ride. It was great fun! And also the first time I had been on a bike in a while… One time when we were going along a particularly narrow part, some people were chatting RIGHT in the middle of the path, so I rang my bell, but unfortunately they didn’t move away in time!…. So I ended up going down onto the pedestrian path and nearly falling off!

On another day in Vancouver, we went to Science World, a slightly more science-y @Bristol (or whatever the name is now). It was really cool as there were loads of things to do there, including solving really hard puzzles and looking at mind-boggling illusions, doing lots of things to test your body, playing with water in the Eureka! section, or watching a variety of different films (a music one in our case) on a MASSIVE dome cinema screen the size of our house. It was AMAZING!

Barnaby😎😁👍

Do you like Trains? Do you like Bridges? Do you like hats?

You do? Well thats lucky as we’ll be having lots of train/bridge/hat news over the next few weeks.

Train number 1:

Seattle to Vancouver. This isn’t like jumping on the 07:02 from Oldfield Park…….we were allocated our seats by a man in a big hat, another man (small hat) checked our passports, yet another “checked” (yes really) our suitcases in and then got some of his burly friends to load them onto the train. We were loaded in groups, no pushing/shoving/running for a seat…..

On board “Carter” (another man with a big hat) told us the train was “over booked, as they liked passengers so much” and we should therefore expect it to be full. The Amercian definition of a packed train, slightly different to the UK version.  Everyone had a seat, and could also go and sit in the free space in the “Panorama viewing car”. That said Freight trains have priority over here so it takes ages to get anywhere! Our bags were waiting for us when we arrived at Vancouver (they must have gone in a car or on a bicycle) and then a nice lady (no hat) at customs told the kids they were very lucky to be on the trip and they should thank their parents.

Train number 2:

Once in Vancouver we were greeted by a lady with a shopping trolley/carrying a skate board (cycling helmet hat) shouting at a lady security guard. Another security guard (a man) was hiding around he corner. What a coward! Boo, hiss. Anyway we brushed past them and headed for the Sky Train (yes really, it’s a train in the sky! [they’ll be investing in a Monorail next]).

This train was driven by an invisible driver (invisible hat too), and delivered us to the suburb of Burnaby, which Barnaby rather likes….

Today (Monday) we visited the Capalino Suspension bridge. This is 140 metres across, 230 feet up. Wobbles a bit. Jude was very brave (she doesn’t like heights), but was wearing her “I am very brave” hat today. There were also various tree/cliff walkways and a gift shop where we tried on some natty hats.

Seattle….addendum….

Some other highlights of our time in Seattle….

“Gum Wall” – so called “Art” installation where members of the public simply stick gum on a wall down a dark alley. Every two years it gets cleaned off and the public start again…but because it’s been going on for a long time its now called “art”. (a bit like Coronation Street/Eastenders are now referred to as “continuing dramas” as opposed to “Soaps” at the TV Quick awards).

Pinball Museum – an excuse for Simon and Barnaby to spend an afternoon in a room with about 50 pinball tables. Pay an entry fee and stay all day….

Seattle!

The past few days we have been in Seattle! On the first day we went into the town centre and went to the Chihuly garden and glass. The Chihuly gallery is an ‘art’ gallery in which the art is made out of glass! There were beautiful glass flowers, ‘chandeliers’ and other art installations. We also saw some glass blowing!

We then walked to the first Starbucks! It was pretty busy but I am very glad I went there!! (I also bought a nice mug)

On the last day mum, dad and Barnaby went on a walk around the town we were staying in and I was a typical ‘lazy’ teenager and stayed at the air bnb, but I heard that Barnaby managed to drop a large amount of ice cream on himself 😂😂

…continuing on the west coast

We have been moving slowly up the West Coast……Garberville to Eureka to Crescent City to Bandon to Vancouver (Washington State)…

On route to Eureka we ‘had’ to stop off and see some more Redwoods (they grow like weeds here)….

On leaving Eureka we passed the “Old Town” including some spooky Victorian houses…(probably about the oldest thing we’ll see!)

Eureka to Crescent City to Bandon….beautiful coastline (bit like Cornwall)….although our latest “Best Western” left alot to be desired…

Bandon to Vancouver (Washington) via Springfield….which is apparently the “offical one”….

We soon head for Seattle and then on to Canada…..

You’ll be pleased to hear the weather has been quite English…..so all those tans are disappearing fast.

Leaving San Francisco and heading north….

Our final San Francisco treats included…..a sneaky return visit to Barnabys favourite Arcade…..a ride on a Cable Car and a stop off to view the Golden Gate Bridge…

We then made our way up the coast, using the slow road….and blimey wasn’t it slow and winding! We stopped overnight and visted a beach called “Glass Beach”, guess what, loads of Beach Glass….

Next we moved (slowly) on to Redwood country……finding time to drive through a tree and visit various other “very tall trees”…using one as a bridge….to visit a “Giant Tree”. No sightings of Big Foot, yet, although I still haven’t had my hair cut…..

Berkeley and the Really Cool Retro Arcade

We met up with some friends called James and Emma and one of them owns a recording studio, so we went there!

So, If you don’t know I play the drums, so when we got to the recording studio (containing about a million different instruments, including a double bass, and a smoke machine!), I was quite excited. Even Mum gave the double bass a try!!

Also, in San Franscisco I have found this amazing retro arcade and have spent nearly an hour in it already! There are classics like Pacman and Space Invaders, to new games that no-one has heard about but are actually decent like Space Chalis and Area 51 Combat. There were also a lot of REEEAAAALLLLYYY old things like a mechanical farm and the old shooting range things. And it was all that for about 50 cents each!

But no Diarrhoea Dan for you real Look Around You fans!

http://www.bbc.co.uk/comedy/lookaroundyou/programmes/computers/dd.shtml

(requires “retro” flash to play)

Barnaby

Alcatraz!

Yesterday, since we are in San Francisco, we thought it would be appropriate to visit ‘America’s most popular tourist attraction’ , Alcatraz Prison! We first got a boat across, which was quite chilly and then we did an audio tour around Alcatraz! On the tour we explored the prison and saw the cells and learnt some of the escape stories and criminals stories. It was very interesting, if a little cold!

From suncream to snow chains!!!

Our next adventure was to Yosemite, which I thought would be another “nice” National Park where the kids could bluff their way through another Junior Ranger badge but nothing prepared me for the sheer beauty, size and wonder of this place!!!!

The first glimpses of snow made us relieved that we had stopped off in Fresno to buy snow chains on the way and as the temperatures started to drop, we wondered what to expect when we arrived. This was the first view from our balcony………..

Over the next few days, I fell in love over & over again with this majestic place! With places that I had only ever heard of before, such as El Capitan and Half Dome and a whole Ansell Adams gallery, where I could have bought up the whole shop!

The endless photos we took don’t do justice to the awesome natural beauty of Yosemite! I have never been somewhere as incredible and uplifting (the kids got fed up of me saying “wow” all the time!!) and some of us could have easily stayed for longer (guess who?!)

We even got Alice & Barnaby to go on a hike, as well as doing the obligatory Junior Ranger badges!

Some of the roads were still closed for the season and thankfully we didn’t have to use the snow chains, but I will be forever grateful that I got the chance to visit this little piece of heaven!