September 25, 2007 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Cruises & Boat Tours
Find more information about Vancouver - Cruises & Boat Tours
View a larger image on flickr.com
Granville Island, beautiful fall skies and a wedding to remember. Start with a small group of family and friends (18 to be exact), invite them to join you aboard your chartered power yacht for an intimate wedding and see what happens.
My daughter-in-law informed me that she wanted to walk down the dock instead of the aisle. Who knew what a great choice that would prove to be!
Everyone arrived Friday and checked into the Granville Hotel. The bridal party went to the market and spent the evening laughing and making bouquets, flower arrangements and a ring bearers pillow that had been forgotten (it's amazing what you can do with tights, beads, ribbbon and a needle and thread).
The morning started with hair and makeup in the room. Then once everyone was at their best, a walk through the alleys of Granville to Cooper Boating's docks.
The Alabaster Star, a 46 foot power yacht, made an impressive and beautiful location for the ceremony. The guests (11) were on the bow and watched as each of the groomsmen escorted the bridesmaids aboard the Star. Once the wedding party (6 including the JP) was aboard the bow of the ship the ceremony proceeded against the backdrop of the Burrard Bridge and a sea of masts and ships.
Once the ceremony was finished we blew bubbles (no clean up) to wish the newly married couple well and they fed us the best tasting and most beautiful wedding cake I've tasted! What a break being able to get the cake and snacks at the culinary school just off the island.
The photographers, who had been with the wedding party since early morning, now took the whole group on a tour of Granville Island for formal and candid shots of the family and friends (and a few strangers!).
After the photo shoot and a bit of a rest and snack all went aboard the Alabaster Star for a relaxed tour of Coal Harbour via English Bay.
A late supper finished up the day but not the weekend.
Next morning (noon to be exact) all met and went to the aquarium. Some to have an upclose and personal experiance with the Beluga Whales and the others to meander the exhibits at will. The afternoon finished up with most of the group getting portraits or caracatures done by the artists set up outside of the aquarium (an awsome souveneir of the weekend).
A quick call to Tony's Fish and Chip place on Granville to reserve the whole place after hours and the weekend finished up with a fantastic meal of seafood. The staff of Tony's was more than accommodating to us and provided a great finish to an outstanding weekend.
Everyone hated to leave the next morning and still talk about wishing that we could all do it again.
By the way, the bride and groom stayed aboard the Alabaster Star for the week for their honeymoon, but that's another story.
September 25, 2007 | Tips from Travellers >
Vancouver, Cruises & Boat Tours
Find more information about Vancouver - Cruises & Boat Tours
View a larger image on flickr.com
When my daughter-in-law said that she wanted to walk down the dock instead of the aisle we didn't know how beautiful a wedding it would be.
September 22, 2007 | Tips from Travellers >
Sechelt, Cross-Country Skiing
View a larger image on flickr.com
The mountains of the Lower Sunshine coast are loaded with trails in summer and winter. There is over 10 feet of snow and it is easy to get lost in the beauty. From the top of Dakota Ridge you can see as far as Mt Baker, and back side of Cypress and Howe sound. Minutes later you can see as far as gulf islands and across to Nanaimo and up to Texeda island and Comox.
There are ski trails and snow shoe trails to remote areas in the 4500 ft range or more. The Dakota Ridge winter Rec site will be a big bonus to the area. A short 15 minute drive up the logging road from Wilson creek and you are in a winter wonder land. From Nov till may there is plenty of snow.
Sites to look at www.dakotaridge.ca and www.tetoutdoor.ca You can ski and play in the snow and 30 minutes later be Kayaking the many miles of Scenic coastline.
September 20, 2007 | Tips from Travellers >
Bowen Island, Sightseeing Tours
View a larger image on flickr.com
Bowen Island was an unexpected treasure of memories. Our friend who lives and works there invited us to stay over one night when we were visiting North Vancouver from Monteal in July.
The sunset was magnificent!!!!!!!!!! Moments later I almost "touched" the wildlife first hand as a deer was inches from my fender. Good thing the speed limit is a relaxing 40Kmh and I was going much less around the twisty roads.
Then there was the greatest view of Vacouver lit up with a full moon rising over the tall buildings. Unfortunately, my digital camera could not capture this incredible scene which will be etched in my memory for life. Dinner was great in one of the pubs. Breakfast was good, too, in one of the smaller places while we waited for the short ferry ride back to Horseshoe Bay.
September 20, 2007 | Tips from Travellers >
West Vancouver, Beaches & Swimming
Find more information about West Vancouver - Beaches & Swimming
View a larger image on flickr.com
Recently my wife and I drove the Alaska highways and did some exploring in the Northwest part of BC. We found an incredible white sand beach near Bella Coola that was just out of this world. Not a mosquito to be seen and the water was warm enough for swimming.
I highly recommend a trip out this way
September 20, 2007 | Tips from Travellers >
Bowen Island, Sightseeing Tours
View a larger image on flickr.com
What natural beauty - a hidden secret is the little island of Bowen. A quaint town and just beautiful. I would recomment a visit with or without kids. We have 2 little ones and they had a great time.
September 05, 2007 | Tips from Travellers >
Golden, Sightseeing Tours
Find more information about Golden - Sightseeing Tours
Located just East of
Golden, the new Kicking Horse Canyon Park Bridge section of the Trans Canada Highway is open an it is amazing. For anyone who has been stuck behind a big rig inching it's way down that spiralling canyon before, you are in for a treat. The new section of highway reminds me of the Coquihalla, nice a wide with lots of room for trucks, RV's and slowpoke's alike.
One note: The view of the new bridge is only good from the rest area at the bottom of the hill on the West side, don't expect scenic photo op's from the bride deck while driving.