Monday, 19 May 2025

Island Time

Off to Vancouver Island for four days.  First stop was to visit my long time friend Maureen and her significant other Rob.  Roughly a 30 minute drive from the ferry in Swartz Bay to their small acreage outside of Victoria.  Maureen and I head to downtown for lunch at the Legislature.  Always wanted to do this and it didn’t disappoint.  Beautiful building with a few separate small dining rooms.  Great food, service and atmosphere at a reasonable price.



After lunch we went upstairs to tour the building and who do I see but Keith Baldry, the journalist for the Legislature.  He offers to give us a tour and took us to some of the places that most people don’t get to see.  He also entertained us with some great stories of things that happened over his ten years at the legislature.  What a terrific man and a great opportunity for Maureen and I.





After our lunch downtown we headed back to Maureen’s where we chatted up a storm…paused to have lovely halibut and chips for dinner and then sipped wine and chatted until late.  Spent a very comfortable night in their fifth wheel and left the next day to travel up island to Cobble Hill to visit my niece Charlotte and her husband Jacob in their new home.  Charlotte is expecting and due in August.  



We went for lunch at a lovely restaurant close to their home.



Then on the road again as Jacob is busy renovating their home and anxious to get back at it.  I drive to Nanaimo where I am staying with my good friend Bev.  Staying two nights with Bev so the next day we drive up island to Qualicum Beach to have coffee and muffins with Jan and Harry.  Always lovely seeing them both.  We end up having a pot luck lunch courtesy of Bev’s cooking and spend most of the day there.  The next morning we have breakfast at Bev’s and I meet her significant other, Don.  He’s heading to the market to sell his leatherworks and Bev and I enjoy a stroll along the waterfront to downtown.  The weather is beautiful.  Ferry home in the afternoon.  Great way to spend Mother’s Day.

Saturday, 8 March 2025

Puerta Vallarta

A week in Puerta Vallarta was wonderful for a little warmth and sunshine.






View from our room on sixth floor.




Lovely clean sandy beach


Old town Puerta Vallarta


We walk down the Malecon which is the paved walkway along the water.


Interesting sculptures along the Malecon






Tile Square.  Lots of mosaic tile. Very pretty.


One day we take the bus to Bucerías.  They have a market there which we shopped and then had a nice lunch.  Traffic is unbelievable between Puerta Vallarta and Bucerias.


Our resort had special events happen every day.  This was Mardi Grass Days (not a mistake in spelling)


Lots of music and dancing.


Fireworks most nights.


One day we take a tour to Yelapa.  A boat ride up the coast where we see a couple of whales.  This was the best picture that I got but they were jumping around quite a bit.


Arriving at Yelapa.




We all climb in 4x4’s and off we go.  You can either walk, go by horseback or 4x4.  Glad we chose 4x4.


As we climb higher we look down on the beach.


Marlene and I


Our friends from Winnipeg, Evelyn, Hilda and Pauline.


Shopping along the trail.


Pauline and Hilda ahead of us.




We all share a lovely dinner at the Italian restaurant Il Mario.  So good!


Spanish coffees.


We are leaving tomorrow so they present us with a special dessert.






Wednesday, 1 January 2025

New Years

Hello 2025



2024 was full of travel.  A change of home as I moved into my forever home at my son and daughter in laws.  I’m still working and planning more travel.  Looking forward to what 2025 will bring.