Made it phew!
Twenty hours on and off the Grehound service from Calgary and finally crossed the Fraser River with it’s thousands of logs floating downstream to the timber yards and mills.
At Chilliwac (as in a scouser telling his mate that it's cold), the snow suddenly disappeared like the artist had gone for his tea. The land was suddenly verdant and fertile again, and was being worked with the enthusiasmm that probably only comes with rare opportunity!
Arriving in Vancouver, some snow still lay on the ground, but in comparison to the prairies - very little other than garden patches and resiliently built snowmen.
I’ve got about a fortnight to visit the three major clubs in the area, Vancouver CSC in Port Moody (I’m staying in that town), Vancouver Shamrock CSC in Downtown Vancouver (watching Celtic vs them there), and Victoria CSC across the water on Vancouver Island.
Especially for SFTB.
The bears out here (big black grizzly specimens) have taken a liking to human food (that’s food that humans eat, not eating humans). This has altered their behaviour patterns and they tend not to go into any extended hibernation. (a bit like the Glasgow Town foxes coming out during the day)
The bearesses and their cubs are regular visitors to the bins put out for collection and they have even sussed out how to get round the sophisticated tamper-proof locking mechanisms.......they just smash the bin open on the ground. Bit like Manchester on UEFA cup final night.
My niece Carly, showed me the fence that they have put round their property to keep the bears out. Somehow I think a six-foot high mesh barrier isnae going to stop a hungry bear!
So guess who won’t be taking the garbage out!
Just before leaving Calgary I walked across the frozen River Bow.
You might normally expect a river to freeze smoothly.
But if you open the picture and zoom in a bit, have a gander at this.
The huge blocks and lumps are broken bits of mini-bergs from much further upstream that have floated down the gradually freezing downstream river, till in a slow version of ‘the day after tomorrow’, they finally ground to a halt and concertined the floating bits into the air!Meanwhile, it’s 09.04 here and time to grab a bite, intrigue the local curtain-twitchers and tease the bears with the sight of someone ‘Walking’; and especially for the bears - wearing a celtic top!!!!!
I may even spray green vegeatable dye hoops on the Snowmen!
Hail Hail for the moment
Matt
5 comments:
Get that garbage can out and get a picture of a genuine Canadian Bear, ya big feartie.
They've all turned vegetarian these days.
Enjoy the match on Sunday.
SFTB,
That would be a magnificent highlight.
Tonight after the Ice Hockey (big game between Vancouver and St Louis), pizzas and root beers, I will tie mayself to a stake (and possibly a steak), camera in hand.
Or perhaps I should hide in a bin, smelling of decomposing gunk. Which to be honest was the way I smelt after two days on the bus between Toronto and Winnipeg.
Believe me If I can get a picture I will.
Hail Hail
Matt (David Attenbourgh eat yer heart out)
Enjoying your posts, with the news back here, I'm sure the only papers you can buy in Billy's newsagents would be the Daily Record and the Sun!
Any chance you could post some more pictures of the great views you are seeing. cheers.
All the best
Hi Des
Been snowed under wae things to do, places to go, people to see, but will have a few hours a bit later on and then it's time to headinto town to get ready for Sunday.
Some of the vistas in this country are beyond 'spectacular' and in the next day or so, some crackers are coming up!
Hail Hail
Estadio
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