Drive to Banff Aug 29

We left Vernon, BC and drove to Banaff, where we are staying until tomorrow.  Another beautiful drive and surrounded by mountains.  The temp has fallen so feel much better.  We got in around 6ish last night and got a room and went for dinner.  Banff is cute, really set up for the skiers and as this is their low season got a great deal on a room.  It was still busy but Bill has been here during ski season and he said this is nothing compared to that.  Had a nice meal and walked the streets.  I think it snowed a little bit last night before it turned to rain.  Not that cold but it was blowing around like a blizzard and rain doesn't do that.  Then at some point during the night I woke to thunder, lightening and heavy rain.  Looks like its trying to clear.  The picture doesn't look great but this grey rock mountain was gigantic.  Off to see what there is to see.  Cheers, nrm & bam

Vernon, BC Aug 27 & 28

Wow is it hot in the Okanagan Valley.  On our way we stopped at Bridal Falls. It was a beautiful drive.  Very different landscaping, brown grass and green trees.  The lakes are a gorgeous aqua color and busy with lots of water sports.  On Sunday we went to the Grey Monk Winery and tasted a few wines. Then we went to another one ?? and they were very snooty there.  Didn't taste anything.  We also went to a bee farm and saw the colonies of bees and tasted delicious honeys and mead. That's wine made with honey.  We got a blueberry flavoured wine.  Then we had lunch on the waterfront, again busy with boats. We visited the garden dedicated to Vernon's twin city, Tome, Miyagi, Japan.  Off to Kalamalka Lake where there is a beach.  Didn't go in as the water didn't look too clean, had an  ice cream instead.

Grey Monk Winery

View from top of road, vineyard

Garden dedicated to twin city tome, Miyagi,  Japan

Same garden, see turtle posing on rock and a little one below

Kalamalka Lake

Bridal Falls, BC

Okanagan Lake

On to the next day. Cheers, nrm & bam

Stanley Park and Granville Island Aug 23 & Aug 25th

We took the sky train from Burnaby into Vancouver and hopped a bus that took us directly to Stanley Park.  It was a beautiful hot day.  We walked all around and saw amazing hugh trees, felt lost standing by them.  Didn't go to the aquarium as we have been to several before and wanted to save our money for stuff we haven't see in the states.  Yeah so much for that.  Got a bus to Granville Island, which has a lot of shops and restaurants.  We found a nice outside deck at a restaurant and had dinner there.  

The bus driver had road rage and a woman got on with a hugh side by side stroller and Bill and I were sitting at the front and she asked us to move so she could put her stroller where we were sitting, the sits flipped up.  We of course got up and the bus driver said old people take preference over the stroller, don't make them move.  He almost got a bop in the nose.  The lady started yelling at him and we went to the back of the bus and didn't get involved.  Might be time for a hair color :)

Got back shortly after 8 p.m. and had a great time.  Below are pictures.

Aug 24th we got the wind shield fixed and did laundry and made reservations in Seattle for when we arrived.  Of course that didn't happen and when I called to cancel I knew that we would have to pay for the Thursday as it was too late to cancel.  I told the hotel what happened and he said I won't charge you for either night.  He said most of us are nice and its just the Boarder Agents that aren't.  So that was good.  We came back to the place we were staying in and they couldn't believe what happened.  

Aug 24th you know about.

Today Aug 25th was a slow starting day.  Finally had dim sum and it was the best ever.  No supper for us as it was a late lunch.  Getting ready to head east tomorrow, so until the next update bye for now.

Cheers nrm & bam

PS.  Thanks for your comments and ideas.  We may try a smaller boarder crossing in Alberta.  I'm sure we are flagged.  We'll go in and talk to them before trying again.  I did phone the US Consulate and can't get to talk to a real person.

Geese in Stanley Park

Thewhite peaks are Canada Place from Olympics

totem poles, Stanley Park

More Totem Poles

Grosse Mountain

Vancouver

women in wet suit on rock (covered in bird poop)

Rose Garden, not many left

Beautiful trees, S. Park ( I love the lime colored tree)

View from Granville Island

View from Granville Island

Aliens - Aug 25

Hi, I still have to post a couple of days ago, but wanted you know our predicament.  We were heading to Seattle and when we got to customs they wouldn't let us in because we don't have a residence in Canada.  Trying to keep the snowbirds out.  They have never heard of selling your house and travelling.  What idiots.  Made us feel like criminals.  They searched the truck, finger printed us and took our pictures and after 3 hours escorted us back to the Canadian Customs.  They didn't give us our passports until we drove out of their lot.  Very upsetting.  I don't think there is anything we can do because you have to prove that you've had a residence for 6 months, so renting an apt today doesn't help.  If you have any ideas, let us know.

What about the millions of americans that live in their rv's all year, we met some on our travels.  Customs said it is the same coming into Canada, the americans have to have a residence.

We are in Burnaby until tomorrow and then heading east to To and decide where we can go from there.  They said we may  have trouble getting into Europe without a residence.

A few choice words were said after we left customs.

I'll get to the other posts soon.
Cheers, nrm & bam

Pictures missing from blogs

Leah, Mike, Barb(cousin)

Barb, Leah, Nancy, Bill

Mike, Barb, Nancy, Bill

Barb's & Mike's garden

Bonsia garden in middle

Barg dragging logs

Chemainus

Chemainus

 Tried a different way and finally got them to download.

Cheers, nrm & bam

New Westminster, BC Aug 20 & 21

We arrived at my cousin's Barb & Mike's home late afternoon and had a great evening.  They have a lovely garden and we sat out and chatted.  They have a fish pond with 3 hugh fish and lots of pretty flowers and a bonsai garden.  The racoons come by late at night but the fish have survived. Had linguini with clam sauce.  Mike had just gotten home from his annual fishing trip and the clams were fresh.
The next day we went for breakfast and their daughter Leah joined us.  A yummy breakfast then we walked and talked on the boardwalk.  Really pretty area, lots of flowers.  As Barb and Mike were getting ready for a trip to Quebec, Bill and I went out and did a couple of chores.  One being exchanging our GPS which died on the way to their house.  No problem they just exchanged it for a new one.  Back to their place and Mike bbqed fresh salmon which he had caught on his fishing trip.  It was delicious and I was able to eat it.  I think I may be turned off of the farmed raised salmon in NS.  Anyways a nice evening.  They snuck out at 6 a.m to get their flight to Quebec.  We left at 9 as we had an appt. for the truck to be serviced at 9:45 a.m.  It poured liked crazy so after picking up the truck we went to a mall and did a few more chores.  We stayed at the Best Western in Burnaby for 2 nights.
I'm very disappointed because I can't download the pictures.  Sorry about that, I'll try from a different location.
Cheers, nrm & bam

Drive to Vancouver Aug 19

We drove to Victoria to get the ferry to Vancouver.  We stopped in Chemainus for lunch and it was a very nice place, looks like lots of money there.  Pictures are taking way too  long to download, I'll again when I have more time.  We were at the ferry earlier so we got on the 4 p.m. instead of the 5 p.m. which got us to my cousin Barb's place earlier, which was nice.  More time to chat.  The ferry to Vancouver was 1.5 hrs and uneventful.
Cheers, nrm & bam

Mount Washington, BC

Hey I'm up to date, feels good.  Today we went to Mt. Washington.  They had a record fall of snow and instead on mountain bikes on July 1st they opened it to snow boarders.  Beautiful sites.  Another gorgeous day as you will see.  No wild animals, oh sorry I did see a squirrel up there.  We got a combo ticket ride and lunch and we thought lunch was on the mountain.  No it was down in the restaurant, that was a bit disappointing but great scenery.

Getting ready to hit the road tomorrow.  We are going to Victoria for a quick tour and then a ferry to Vancouver to visit my cousin.

Nancy in snow with snowball

snow topped mountain

view coming down in chair lift

Bill on chair ligt

Innuchuk (sp?) Gallery

Sorry I Know that's spelled wrong, but you get the drift.

Cheers, nrm & bam

Campbell River Aug 17 - 18

We arrived in Campbell and found this cute cabin.  Actually it's very nice, fully equipped with a jet bath.  Bill is loving that.  Got some groceries and have been cooking, tastes good.  

Yesterday the 18th we went kayaking.  Bill has done it once and me never.  It was ok, but not being a water person I'm not running out to do it again.  Bill was a bit disappointed because he thought we see more.  We saw some birds and a flounder, very exciting :)  The best part was a break and a hike where Jessie, the guide told some history and stories.  Feeling the muscles today.

It is great here the sun is out 28 degrees and loving it.  Sitting out side updating the blog with a beer.  What more could you want.

Heckel & Jeckel - guarding our cabin

Cabin in Campbell River, BC

Chill'n in the kayak

Jessie, tour guide

our group of kayakers

 One more day and I'm up to date.  Have to down load today's pictures and get it done.  Having local corn and cherries, the best.

Love hearing from you.

Cheers, nrm & bam

Port Hardy, BC 15 - 16

Thank goodness we booked our room from Prince Rupert because we had a hard time finding a place.  We finally got one.  It was busy there because of the fishing, salmon running and 2 ferries arrived that night.  We spent 2 days because we were exhausted from the ferry.  On the 16th we drove to Telegraph Cove, a neat place.  

Totem Pole, Port Hardy

Beaver crossing road & crack in window

Port Hardy sign

Telegraph Cove, BC

General store

Marine at Telegraph Cove

Deer beside road Telegraph Cove

That was our adventure in Port Hardy.

Cheers, nrm & bam

Prince Rupert to Port Hardy Aug 15

Our ferry left in the afternoon.  We are now on the BC Ferries.  What a difference between the Alaska Ferries and BC Ferries.  Enjoyed the Alaska Ferry way more.  Several complaints about the BC Ferry and they have my comments.  Anyways, we did see some neat things on this ferry.  The salmon are running here and we had one stop in Bella Bella for an hour.  Where we docked the salmon were jumping out of the water and slamming back down, it was really funny.  Also there were a bunch of bald eagles trying to catch the salmon but when we docked the eagles flew up to the trees.  We got some pics but because they were far away and action shots its hard to make out unless you know where the eagle is.  I'll post one and try to find it.  Something like Where's Waldo.

Salmon jumping

water fall from ferry

Eagle Soaring

sunset from ferry

Cheers, nrm & bam

Juneau to Prince Rupert Aug 12 -14

Our ferry left in the afternoon. It was very relaxing, met lots of nice people.  By the way Pollywog if you are reading this, we also enjoyed meeting you.  Your travels sound very exciting, sleeping in lava bed must have been awesome.  I don't have an email address for you and can't reply to your comment.  My email is nrmfun@gmail.com.  Drop be a line so I can reply to you.
We had a little cabin on the ferry so we were able to go to bed and the ride was very smooth.  Cabin had a shower and toilet, so we were all set.

sunset from ferry

Moon from ferry

We didn't take many pictures on this ferry.
Cheers nrm & bam