The Imperceptible Immigrant

Lake Louise

July 25, 2025 in Flotsam and Jetsam, Photos | Permalink

Canada is a huge country which contains, arguably, more than its fair share of natural beauty. The Girl and I frequently find ourselves overwhelmed by its ravishing gorgeousness – and that is just here on Vancouver Island. Should one explore further afield within in the province – or, indeed, venture into the great expanse of the nation beyond – one finds one’s breath taken away on a regular basis.

There are some parts of the country, however, that go beyond any glories that I have thus far experienced. Lake Louise – in the Banff National Park – is one such area of staggeringly dramatic beauty! So epic is it that I should at once stop trying to capture its perfection in words – and just let the gentle reader goggle at the images.

Without further ado…

The colour of the waters of the lake seem almost unreal. All of the glacier-fed lakes in the area have similar distinctive hues – a result of the particles trapped in the ice which remains in suspension once the ice has melted.

Tags: Holiday, nature, Photo, Rocky Mountains, Travel

Johnston Canyon

July 20, 2025 in Flotsam and Jetsam, Photos | Permalink

There is much to see in the Banff and Jasper National Parks. Aside from Banff itself one would probably wish to devote some time at least to the following: Johnston Canyon, the Lake Louise Gondola, Lake Louise itself, Moraine Lake, the Icefields Parkway, the Athabasca Falls and Jasper.

On our recent trip to the Rockies The Girl and I had three days in Banff and one in Jasper and we aimed to cover as much of this as was feasible. Naturally The Girl came up with the smart solution. ‘Hop On Banff‘ operate a clever schedule with a couple of old yellow school buses which enables one to choose which sights one wishes to see and in which sequence. As you might expect – given The Girl’s involvement – this all went very well.

This first batch of images takes as its subject the Johnston Canyon.

I was most taken with the elevated walkways which extend more than a kilometre and a half up to the lower falls. As can be seen from the photos the engineering feat that enables one to walk through the heart of the canyon – above the raging torrent – is most impressive. Construction must have been a spectacularly difficult task, but now results in an easy stroll practically through the heart of the rapids.

Being out in the heart of nature we were – naturally – seeking wildlife. Armed with bear-spray and a little learning (dangerous!) we were on the lookout for eagles, ravens, moose and bears!

Not a one! Plenty of these cheeky little chaps, though.

No – not a chipmunk (though quite similar in appearance). This chap is a ground squirrel – and there are gazillions of them in the mountains.

Bold as brass, too!

Tags: Holiday, nature, Rocky Mountains, Travel, wildlife

Banff

July 13, 2025 in Flotsam and Jetsam, Photos | Permalink

As trailed in my last post The Girl and I recently returned from our splendid adventure in the Rocky Mountains, the which also featured (as part of the full supporting program) exploration of some much loved parts of Vancouver Island. As promised in that post am now in a position to offer the gentle reader, over these next few weeks, a selection of images from that trip.

Having flown to Calgary and transferred by bus, we kicked off our tour in Banff – whence came these initial images:

As expected, Banff was dramatic and striking. What I had not anticipated was that it would also be as crowded as it was.The fact that the G7 summit was to take place in the environs the week after our visit went some way to explaining the crowds – as did the huge media conference in progress at the iconic Banff Springs Hotel.

The town’s restaurants and bars thronged each night with media executives frantically hawking their wares to each other. Leaving such matters to the gentle reader’s imagination I will head rapidly for the tranquility of the surrounding national parks.

Before I move on, however, a quick shout out to the exquisite Beaujolais Boutique B&B at Thea’s House.

This was one of The Girl’s finds – naturally – and she will certainly be doing a full review of it later which I may well feature on this forum. We cannot praise them enough for the lengths to which they went to ensure that our trip started well.

Tags: Friends, Holiday, Rocky Mountains, Travel

Time and space

July 3, 2025 in Flotsam and Jetsam | Permalink

“Many a trip continues long after movement in time and space have ceased”.

John Steinbeck

Back at the top of the year, in my customary “What are we planning for the new year?” posting, I wrote – amongst other things:

“We are hoping to host some friends this year – which is always fun when it also turns into a holiday for us”

I am delighted to report that – following a considerable period of discussion and an even more extended phase of planning – the visit has duly taken place and did – as posited above – turn into a holiday for the Girl and I just as much as it did for our guests. I think it is safe to say that we all had a great time.

In the course of our pre-visit discussions – the aim of which was to establish what might be seen, done and otherwise experienced in order that we all feel that the visit had been a success – we settled on the fact that – The Girl apart (who, naturally, has history of her own in such matters) – none of us had visited the awesome Rocky mountains and their surroundings from the Albertan perspective. We might have approached them from British Columbia – flown over them on our way to the coast and even gazed at then from afar from the environs of Calgary or Edmonton. We had not, however, traversed them – and in particular we had not done so by train!

These – and other omissions – we set out to rectify on this excursion. The results of our endeavours may be measured by viewing subsequent posts in which I will share the photographic evidence of our meanderings.

Tags: Canada, Friends, Holiday, Travel

Mexican miscellany – 2

March 8, 2025 in Flotsam and Jetsam, Photos | Permalink

A final batch of photos from our recent trip to Puerto Vallarta.

We admired this Gaudi-esque public space which puts one in mind of the Parc Guell in Barcelona – though, naturally, on a somewhat smaller scale.

Our all-inclusive resort was – unlike many others in PV – not directly on the sea front. It did, however, own a beach resort a mere five minutes away by car, the which included a very decent restaurant to which we repaired several times for our evening repast. As you might expect the sunset vied with the fare to provide the greater attraction.

When we returned to Victoria from Puerto Vallarte The Girl and I were accompanied by a new member of our entourage. Gentle reader – meet Coyote:

Coyote is an Alebrije from Oaxaca. The Mexican art site – Viva Mexico – has the following:

Alebrijes are creatures carved out of wood and painted with Zapotec patterns and fantastic designs from the artists own imagination. These colorful one-of-a-kind carvings are handmade using wood of the copal tree which is grown in the surrounding fields of the towns and is considered a sacred tree which only grows in the region of Oaxaca. This wood is sustainably sourced from the branches of the tree in order to preserve the life of the tree and ensure a continued source of wood for the future. Alebrijes are traditionally made in Oaxaca in the towns of San Martin Tilcajete as well as San Antonio Arrazola. These beautiful works of art have become very popular over the years among art collectors worldwide and are highly sought after. Add a splash of color to your home with one of our unique wood carvings by Oaxacas best artists!

He is – of course – a trickster, but he is also gorgeous… so he gets away with it!

Tags: Coyote, Holiday, Mexico, Photo, Puerto Vallarta, Travel

Mexican miscellany – 1

March 5, 2025 in Flotsam and Jetsam, Photos | Permalink

Here on Vancouver Island it is raining. No surprise there of course, though it is also true that temperatures are beginning to creep into double figures and Mother Nature is clearly signaling her intention of getting cracking on spring without further delay.

Why do I mention this? Well – The Girl and I are still in that state of travel denial that causes us to check over-frequently the current temperatures in Puerto Vallarte (as much or more than we do those in Victoria). Sadly we are just missing the warm sun on our shoulders!

Anyway – here are some more random photos from our recent trip to the land of our fellow recipients of the tangerine one’s tariffs (bah!)…

These pictures were taken around our resort:

This chap was pretty impressive too – and, as far as one could ascertain – harmless!

None too shabby – I hope you will agree. Not our usual sort of establishment, in many ways. We (by which I mean The Girl, of course) normally prefer to find places to stay that enable us to cater for ourselves should we so prefer. This resort was all inclusive – which on this occasion suited us fine.

This was one of a number of plaster masks that were mounted above the bed-head in our room. Spooky – some might think – but actually rather lovely.

Tags: Holiday, Mexico, Photo, Puerto Vallarta, Travel

Some Mexican flora and fauna

February 18, 2025 in Flotsam and Jetsam, Photos | Permalink

Guess where we are!

Yes! As trailed but a few short weeks ago in an earlier post we are taking a brief restorative break in Mexico; in Puerto Vallarta to be precise.

There will be more time for the writing of words shortly, but I thought you might care to peruse some images of what it is like to be here in the warmth of the Mexican spring.

Jolly lovely it is!

Tags: Holiday, Mexico, Photo, Puerto Vallarta, Travel

What just happened?

January 8, 2025 in Life as we know it | Permalink

By ‘just‘, of course, I mean ‘over the last year‘ – this being my customary catch-up-at-year’s-end posting…

My post of last January 26th – entitled “Getting started” – contained the following good intentions for 2024: (progress reports in red!)

The pursuance of an extended visit to Scotland during April/May – including a stay in Edinburgh – a visit to the central highlands (whence originated my clan) – a sojourn on Orkney and another on Skye – and visits to Fort William and Oban on the west coast

…a glance back at the posts to this forum of April, May and June will furnish the gentle reader with all that he or she might wish to know about our splendid visit to the land of my forefathers

Continuance for my of teaching at the College – starting with a new course that I was busy preparing at the time of writing

…on this very day I have started teaching the new course again for the third time – now as a blended course. It would be good if the Chair of my department were to acknowledge the fact by arranging for me to be sent a contract!

Following the shortest ever retirement (minus two days!) The Girl was about to commence a new employ, the details of which I was not at that point at liberty to reveal

…as I write The Girl is a few weeks short of completing a year’s contract working for her First Nation, helping to set up a new family preservation service. The year has been both rewarding and difficult, not least because of the extensive amount of travel that she has been obliged to undertake (visiting previously un-experienced corners of British Columbia and beyond). She was offered a full-time post and promotion but has decided – for now – to revisit the world of retirement. For how long remains to be seen…

Planned further musical exploration on the part of Anam Danu – with a view to expanding our number and preparing – at some point – to play live. We also anticipated the release of a new album at some point during 2024.

…now a three-piece (though presently looking to add a guitarist!) Anam Danu released their fourth album – “Euphoria” to considerable acclaim at the end of November. More on these exciting times as the year progresses

I also included this, slightly nervous, prediction:

“As ever at this time of the year there are many other exciting prospects bubbling under and – though there are also many very good reasons to feel nervous about 2024 – I like to approach the year under an umbrella of optimism.”

…one thing that I had not anticipated was being asked to take on the musical direction for a local theatre company’s pantomime – either side of Christmas – at the Mary Winspear in Sidney. I do not like to say ‘no’ to such proposals – so I didn’t! As I believe that all concerned consider the run to have been a considerable success, I am glad that I did not.

So much for 2024.

Keep your eyes open for the companion posting to this one in which I will hazard wild guesses as to what the new year could bring – and indeed to those things that we will do our damnedest to bring about.

Tags: Holiday, Music, plans, Scotland, Theatre, Travel, work

Little Qualicum Falls

September 9, 2024 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

For the second day’s excursion on our recent trip to Nanaimo and its environs, The Girl, her mother and I paid a visit to an attraction to which I had not previously been – Little Qualicum Falls.

Our various previous journeys up island – to Tofino, Courtney and other points north and west – have taken us to within a short distance of Little Qualicum Falls Provincial Park, but there are just so many places worth a visit on the island that it comes as no surprise that the ‘still to do’ list is as long as it is. Grateful thanks to The Girl for suggesting on this occasion that we tick this one off the list.

No need of a lengthy screed on my part in this instance. I will let the camera do the work instead:

Tags: Family, Holiday, Little Qualicum Falls, Photo, Travel, Vancouver Island

Good travellers

August 29, 2024 in Life in BC, Photos | Permalink

“A good traveller has no fixed plans and is not intent on arriving”.

Lao Tzu

Earlier this summer – some short while after The Girl and I returned from our momentous trip to Scotland – we were sitting in the sun outside the Stone House pub in Canoe Cove, chewing the fat and contemplating the remainder of the season.

We were minded to seek out some culture – in the form of theatre, music… maybe even fireworks… or indeed any combination of the above. We toyed with a visit to Vancouver for ‘Bard on the Beach‘ – particularly for it’s coincidence with the ‘Celebration of Light‘ – though that looked like turning into a somewhat expensive trip…

We also looked at the offerings here in Victoria – but nothing really caught the eye…

Finally The Girl came up with a smart notion. Come mid-August we could head up the island to Nanaimo, just in time for the Nanaimo Fringe Festival – the which fortuitously happened to coincide with the Nanaimo Blues Festival. We could make it a long weekend and avail ourselves of some theatre and some music – as well as paying a visit to The Girl’s mother in the process.

So – we had a fixed plan… the possession of which – according to Lao Tzu – is a ‘no-no’!

…as indeed it turned out to be!

This has been a busy old year – particularly for The Girl. When it came down to it we didn’t spot anything in the Nanaimo Fringe programme that looked unmissable – and she really didn’t fancy getting caught up in the the sort of crowds that the Blues Festival would attract.

We decided that we would make the trip anyway – but that we would modify the itinerary.

For the first of our days around Nanaimo we settled on an excursion to Gabriola island, where once The Girl’s parents had lived (well before I knew her) and the which we had visited with them on an early trip from the UK.

It was good to explore the island again. Here are some photos:

These last images are of the Malaspina Galleries on Gabriola. When I was first taken to this extraordinary geological feature – back in 2006 – The Girl’s mother took a photograph of the two of us which is still pretty much my favourite image of us together. It was lovely to be able to go back and stand in the same spot getting on for two decades later.