After six-ish days of moving, cleaning, organizing and paying (literally) visits to Ikea, two exhausted people said goodbye to the walkability, the delicious food, the blooming flowers and the perfect April weather in Vancouver.
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| blooms |
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| and blooms! |
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| oh, the yummy food! |
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| soccer goes on, even in college |
Traffic out of the dense city added about an hour in all directions. Google took us waaaaaaay South, almost to the border and then East again. We stopped in White Rock to touch the salty Straight of Georgia one last time.
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| White Rock, British Columbia |
Why does it smell so bad? The drive inland enlightened us. The fertile Fraser River Valley smelled like fertilizer and the smell persisted through Bridal Veil Falls Park, through the valley, to Hope. Hope is the theme: Kenedy's new place, the smell, the season, the weather. Hope for a happy next year. Hope for a productive growing season. Hope for prosperity and change for the better. Hope!
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| Bridal Veil Falls |
In Hope we regrouped a bit and took a deep breath at the very clean and modest Park Motel. Then biked to Mountainview Brewing Company for beer and to watch the Avalanche game. The kitchen was closed by the time we arrived. No problem! We saved our appetites for delicious baked goods at The Blue Moose Coffee House the next morning.
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| beer and the Avs game at Mountainview |
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| Blue Moose scone |
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| Blue Moose waffle (and a cinnamon roll) |
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| Blue Moose latte |
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| Sasquatch throughout these parts |
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| and Rambo |
Books
We used the Moon British Columbia guidebook by Andrew Hempstead. This is now out of print and now he writes primarily about the Canadian Rockies (probably because he live in Banff). Moon
Vancouver & Canadian Rockies Road Trip is newer, probably a good update. We will check it out for our next trip or Lonely Planet's
British Columbia. British Columbia is so big! We decided that takes artistry and talent to find the nuggets within this vast, beautiful and fascinating place. Also, different people like different things. The recommendations in our old book lined with what we like.
In and near Hope, Moon recommends the Othello-Quintette Tunnels and the Coquihalla Highway which we so, so wanted to see. Alas East is the direction for us and so much to see that way, too!
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| Van City to Hope |
