Make that PhotoS Friday, since I’m posting a photo essay! Here’s an overview of the weekend we spent in Whistler, British Columbia a few weeks ago.

Base of Blackcomb Mountain, the mountain right next to Whistler

The View Down

DH on Blackcomb with Whistler Mountain Behind

Top of Blackcomb

***

This is where we stayed:

The Aspens on Blackcomb – Ski In/Ski Out!

Heated Pool – But Forgot Our Swimsuits!

Condo Living Room

Condo Kitchen – Bedroom & Bathroom to the Left

View from the Balcony

This condo was bigger than our first apartment in Toronto and way more luxurious than our apartment in China – we want to move in!

DH gets ready to ski out – “Look C/J, I’m wearing the free t-shirt!”

***

Meanwhile, I head down to Whistler Village for coffee and aprés ski activities:

I stop at this creek to take a bunch of photos with my new camera…

It’s so sunny I contemplate joining these fellas for a while…

I stroll through Whistler Village…

I attempt to debut my new blog mascot, but Gumby is still a little camera-shy. Ducky is still around, but Gumby is more pocket friendly.

***

Later, Gumby & I meet up with the DH for some steak & brew.

It was so good I took photos:

Filet Mignon

Venison Medallions

***

Later, later…

We met up with our friend from TO here at Moe Joe’s. It’s a bar populated mostly by ski & snowboarding instructors and local staff. The DH & I felt like the oldest people in the world! But it was fun anyway.

The Verdict? Nice place, decent skiing. WAY too expensive!

This post is part of Photo Friday, which features travel photos. See more at Delicious Baby!

Blackcomb Mountain 2009
Whistler, British Columbia, Canada

(and no, that’s not the DH!)

More Wordless Wednesday here.

Damn this place with its inferior Internet access speeds! My plans for blogging and uploading photos has been foiled again and again. Looks like I will have to update this blog next from China. Seems crazy that I have better and faster Internet access in rural China, of all places, despite the censorship. While the US and Canada do so many things well, they really could improve their technology! Why is there not free, fast wi-fi available everywhere? 

I’m in a cafe people watching. It is snowing outside and the DH is on the slopes. I just saw a fat, short chocolate lab walk by with a tennis ball hanging out of his mouth and that made me smile, at least. It’s back to China tomorrow. I’d better enjoy the fresh air and lattes while I can. (But boy will I be relieved to be back to reasonable prices. The West, and especially Whistler, is just TOO expensive!)

You might hear from me next from Vancouver’s airport, from Shanghai or from Linyi!

This morning the DH is off to ski and I am here in our sweet little condo surfing the Internet. I am such a chicken. 

I went with DH to rent his boots, poles & skis and then watched liked an expectant mom as he skied off to the lift – conveniently located steps away from our hotel – not leaving until I saw him passing by on the chair. Of course, my camera was safely tucked away in the room, so I didn’t get a pic. I just don’t function well this early without coffee.

We are in Whistler, BC, the site of the 2010 Winter Olympics. We are staying in the Aspens at the base of Blackcomb Mountain, which is one of two mountains here for skiiing, the other is Whistler. The two are connected by a short walk OR you can ride from the peak of one to the peak of the other on the Peak 2 Peak gondola, which I think is pretty cool. 

Whistler Village is the hotel and shopping area located at the base of Whistler Mountain, and really just a hop, skip and a jump away from Blackcomb. I’ll be out exploring that area later as part of my aprés ski day. There are lots of coffee and free wifi hotspots. We’ll be here until Sunday, when we return to Vancouver for our Monday flight to Shanghai. 

I’m not skiing or snowboarding. I know I should, that I probably would have a blast, but I can’t help but feel a little overwhelmed and… scared. I nearly broke my wrist the last time I snowboarded and I wasn’t even all that confident that time anyway. I need a novice buddy who I can go with. Any takers? No idea when the next ski trip will be, but I’ll let you know.

For now, it is time to take advantage of the existence of a bathtub and unlimited hot water, then a quest for coffee… More soon from the Great White North!

Historic Steveston, British Columbia, January 2009

Steveston Village was once the busiest fishing port in the world! Fifteen salmon canneries stood here for years while Native Canadians, Japanese, Chinese, Europeans and sailors from all over the world mixed on its streets. Now it is a relaxed little escape from the “big city” of Vancouver while still functioning as a fishing town. We spent the morning wandering around Steveston, walking along a boardwalk, watching the seagulls and drinking coffee.

This photo is part of Photo Friday, featuring travel photos. See more here! I’m a little late posting today since I spent the whole day out. My evening was spent at Richmond Center Mall, where I felt as though I had not ever left China! Richmond has a major Chinese community here!

In Vancouver the sun is finally shining. I’ve spent my second day here, wandering around the downtown and trying to figure out the bus system. It reminds me a lot of Toronto, but I suspect that might just be because it is a big Canadian city, full of helpful Canadians who say ‘eh’ a lot. There are ridiculous amounts of coffee shops here, too. Vancouverites seem to drink a lot of coffee. 

So far my favorite place is a wonderful little market called Granville Public Market, located on Granville Island south of the downtown. The market is filled with gorgeous fruit and vegetable stands (literally – everything is perfect!), delis, butchers, entire stalls devoted to salmon products (salmon jerky!), bakeries, etc. Heaven, in other words. (At prices that are just about as high as heaven, too. $50 for a veal escalopine at the butcher!?) I am now dreaming about putting in a condo right in between the spice stall and the place where I bought the carrot cake. Oh, and the public bathroom (er, washroom) in the market – after being in China I was shocked and overwhelmed by the cleanliness and the free toilet paper. 

We’ll be here in Vancouver until sometime next week when we’ll head up to Whistler for some skiing, or aprés ski. It’s been a bit difficult to slow down and blog my experiences, but I’ll try to do better.

I arrived to Vancouver yesterday afternoon and so far my impression is that it is pretty darn foggy. I’m already on my way out, too, so more exploring will have to wait, all I did yesterday was sleep.

I think it is pretty telling of what kind of a country Canada is when you arrive to immigration and the visitor’s section is full of clearly Americans or Europeans (i.e. white people) and the resident’s section is full of people from all over the world, especially Asians, since a flight from Korea and China had just landed. It’s a beautiful thing.

Hello North America! I’m in your time zones again!

Did I mention I am leaving Linyi today for a month vacation? I realize it has only been a month since my last getaway, but you know, these are the perks of being an expat. 

The DH and I are headed to Shanghai tonight and from there, to Vancouver. I’ll be traveling on to visit my family in Tulsa, Oklahoma and Victoria, Texas before returning to Vancouver for a couple of weeks more. (The DH will be staying in Vancouver for training.)

This is my first trip to Vancouver and I am so excited to see a new Canadian city. I love Canada. Canada has always been the open door when we needed it. Back in 2001 when the US said no, Canada said yes. (And if you’re not sure what I’m talking about, I’m sorry, I can’t explain. I am still too bitter. I am one bitter American.) This year, Canada welcomed us once again. No need for visas. No need for silly security clearances. Nothing but love. 

I have a few posts scheduled for the next couple of days to occupy you until I arrive and feel like blogging again!

Hi Canadian friends! I miss you all! (American friends, I miss you too, but this post doesn’t apply to you since you can’t go to Cuba.)

Anyone planning a trip to Cuba? Would you like to legally deliver humanitarian aid to doctors and medical clinics?

Doctors and clinics in Cuba suffer from serious medicine and medical supply shortages, due in large part to the US economic embargo. However, according to Cuban and Canadian law, Canadians visiting Cuba may bring with them up to 10 kilos of humanitarian aid. The organization Not Just Tourists helps Canadian travelers wanting to help. Read their website and this article on MSN for details.

It’s a Tuesday morning. I’m at work, sipping coffee, trying to ignore the shockingly loud siren that is sounding all across the airport. No one seems to know why there is a loud siren, and I don’t see any sign of fire, so perhaps they are just testing it. The truth is, we will probably never know because it is not the Chinese way to ask about things that are not necessarily their business.

This weekend we spent an afternoon trying to fly a kite. Not just any kite, as you can see in the picture, but a huge kite meant for pulling people on skis, snowboard or a skateboard. When the DH is not flying airplanes, this is how he likes to spend his time.

The DH launching the kite into the air.
(sometimes you have to do that if there is very little wind.)

Flying the kite in a field at Linyi Normal University

The DH teaching friend D. how to fly the kite

There was not enough wind to properly fly the kite, so we will have to try again another day.

Back in Canada, the DH used to wake up early on Winter Saturday mornings, have coffee at the local coffee shop, and then drive up to a small frozen bay on Lake Simcoe. There he would meet up with a bunch of crazy Canadians to go kite-skiing – letting the kite pull you along the ice on skis or a snowboard.

Sometimes the whole lake was covered with kites

Solitude – The DH kite-skiing alone just before sunset

The ice was so thick you could just drive right onto the lake

Crazy, but fun. The DH wants to go to Vietnam to try this on the water – kite-surfing. (Interesting factoid – most of the people kite-skiing/boarding in Canada were in the age range of 30-60.)