Namesake

A few years ago, I watched a British TV-series hosted by a British actress who travelled the world to visit different places named after the same person as she herself got her name after.

We’re not embarking on a Grand Tour of the world, only heading to the ferry that will take us to Victoria, BC. for the New Years celebrations. I can’t however think of a better place to spend the last night of this year!

Happy New Year to you, and we’ll be back in 2009 – a year which I hope will not offer quite as many surprises as what this last year has.

To Photo shop or Not…

Some of my favourite Northern bloggers have discussed photoshop the last few days, starting here. Mongoose, Jen and Tina have all given their opinions on the matter (and some others as well, but I work on a laptop and have problems enough with adding links to pages I follow regularily… Technically challenged or what!) Now, let me put in my 5 cents worth into the discussion.

Bagheera and Mowgli happened to lie down together last night – long enough that we could take some pictures of them. I cropped it a bit to get rid of the top of a metal leg at the bottom of the picture – and I would also like to colour in the eyes on Mowgli so he doesn’t look like something out of “Pet Cematary”. I can probably do that in a program already on the PC, I just haven’t figured it out yet.

Aside from that I would like to add a watermark to my pictures…. Not that they are of such immeasurable value, just because I want people to know who took them. I’m sure there are ways to steal images, watermark or not – but I can at least make it somewhat harder for the one so inclined!

Finally – when I see pictures like the ones Clare produces, I would also like to be able to “play around” like he does with some images. 

Jen and someone else pointed out that there was an awful lot of editing going before digital photography as well, which stands to reason.  I guess my point is that the main thing is to be honest about it…

Whistler

One day early on in the fall I got the idea to start looking for some old friends on Facebook. I had a general idea in what area they had been/were living and it didn’t even take me 10 minutes to find them. I spent a few days thinking about it, then I sent off an e-mail. The answer came back just a few days later and we could sort of catch up on events during the last 12-14 years or so. Some time later, we talked on the phone and I mentioned that I was thinking about visiting my son over his birthday and Christmas. When Donna said they would be in Whistler, BC. during the same time to visit THEIR sons, it gave me the final nudge to book my own tickets. 

A lot of the Winter Olympics in 2010 will take place in the Whistler area, so they are busy widening the road going there. The scenery is fantastic, and I even saw two bald eagles in the midst of a territorial fight.

Whistler and the surrounding area looks like any other ski resort – loads of people in stylish clothing, lots of bars and restaurants – and the slopes of course!

Teriyaki Salmon was a real hit – but have a look at the amount of cole slaw! 

We couldn’t determine if these birds were grackles or blackbirds… Any guesses out there?

BTW. Should the name of birds be capitalized?

Where Else…

…but in Calgary woud a luggage carousel be this interesting to look at?

Then compare that to the sight that met us in Vancouver when we returned yesterday.

I do feel sorry for everyone who has had to spend Christmas in the same clothing as they travelled in and !whose presents are somewhere in this mess

How Dumb Is This?

In Calgary visiting with various parts of the family of my son’s girlfriend. (Sentence structure be darned…) I got the camera with me but not the cord I need to get the pictures onto a PC…

Having a wonderful time though, getting stuffed with food at regular intervals, laughing and sharing jokes with some wonderful people. Pictures and some more profound postings to follow once we return to Vancouver

Merry Christmas

I know it has become customary to use “Happy Holidays” instead of the old, time-honoured way of greeting each other this time of year.

Call me stubborn, backwards or politically incorrect, but I will conveniently forget this edict. In my mind it’s nothing but a sort of window dressing. Trying to make out that we – the western civilisation- are willing to defer to all others out of the goodness of our hearts.  Baah. Humbug! Changing phrases of greeting comes cheap – it’s all the rest that is costly. Like not exploiting countries and people for the sake of ourown winning. Like accepting other customs and traditions, other ideas of what a family is…

Now, go and kiss someone you love and wish them a Merry Christmas, God Jul, Gladelig Jul, Joueaux Noel or whatever floats your boat!

Palms in Snow and Oysters on Ice

Anyone seen a better illustration of the word ‘oxymoron’ lately?

Didn’t think so!

This is however two thing that go together very well. Add a glass of white wine and it’s perfect!

BTW – is there anyone out there doubting that I’m enjoying myself?

Inuit Carvings

I own a few smaller pieces of Inuit Art, but none as big (or expensive) as these. They were displayed at a gallery in Gastown, not too far from the place of Samiches-fame…

 The top one is made from soapstone, wood and I suspect bone (the spear) and the bottom one is one piece of soapstone

More snow

This is what the patio looked like yesterday afternoon…

… and a tree outside the Mall today.

The streets were treacherous today since there is no such thing as snowclearing taking place here. That’s a job the authorities leave for nature to deal with as in “Ah well, it’ll all melt – eventually.”

Finally a picture of three little helpers….

Please meet Mowgli, Lucky and Bagheera.

Contrasts

I’m not sure how many city blocks we’re talking about, but Danny’s Inn must be but a stone’s throw away from some of the finest hotels in Vancouver….

This “greasy spoon”  can almost be smelled from restaurants where the soup alone will set you back a goodly amount…

Notice the SUV:s in the street… The trendy window treatments above the restaurant … And the high-end dwellings being erected in the background. How long before the AfroCanadian Restaurant will have to make room for another behemoth of the same kind?

This establishment is already doomed – less than 5 minutes away from Hudson’s Bay Company and Sears.

 All this with a view like this one just around the corner!