Falling water and waterfalls. Context is everything!

Water wasn't falling from the sky last Sunday so some friends and I decided to checkout another kind of falling water at Nairn Falls Provincial Park. The park is 32 km north of Whistler, B.C. and 3 km south of Pemberton, B.C. In addition to its namesake, Nairn Falls, the park consists of campsites, short term parking for hikers, outhouses (pit toilets), water, and a few picnic tables.

According to information sites the park has three commonly used trails as well as access to the Pemberton Valley. We were there to see the falls, a 1.5 km walk from the parking lot.

The walk is an easy one with very little elevation change and no long steep climbs. The trail is dirt with a lot of uneven ground, which may add a degree of difficulty for some people. It follows the Green River, which is quite cold. On a hot day you'll pass through tantalizing wisps of cool air coming off the river. Oh to have a magic spell that could bottle that up! For most of the trail's length there is a steep drop down to the river on one side, something to think about if you have young children, and a mountainside on the other. I found the walk visually appealing. It's almost entirely shrouded in trees, giving it the feel of a forest tunnel.

Continue reading Nairn Falls Provincial Park

These pictures were taken last month at English Bay. A group of us were enjoying the evening when the "god rays" appeared. I got my friend Seth to take a couple of pictures with my camera (my hand isn't steady in low light conditions). The far-too-cold for June evening was somewhat offset by the sunset.

English Bay Sunset - God Rays
Photo by Seth Rutledge

Continue reading English Bay Sunset

This week North Vancouver was face-to-face with Te Taua Moana o Aotearoa. Well, one of her frigates and a supply ship. The Royal New Zealand Navy (RNZN) ships Te Kaha and Endeavour stopped over in North Vancouver after participating in the Royal Canadian Navy International Fleet Review held in Victoria, it was part of the Canadian Navy's centennial celebration. By the time I heard about the North Vancouver visit Endeavour had left, but I hadn't missed the one day Te Kaha would be open to the public. I managed to carve out some time to drop by and quickly take it in.

Continue reading A Tour of the RNZNS Te Kaha

I love cheese, and I know I'm not alone. My favourite is a really strong cheddar, with some of the Italian cheeses like asiago and parmigiano reggiano a close second. When I heard about a restaurant that served grilled cheese sandwiches, and only grilled cheese sandwiches, I knew I'd have to try it one day. Today was that day!

Grilled Fromage in Squamish bills itself as the cheesiest place on earth. If their menu of 59 different grilled cheese sandwiches with punny titles like Fromage a Trois, Cheese and Chong, and Long John Stilton (and one grilled peanut butter and banana sandwich called the Elvis) doesn't synch the title, the decor will. On the wall along with their menu you'll find record covers from 70's classics like Saturday Night Fever, Air Supply, Pat Benatar, and The Captain & Tennille. In the back they have their cheesy VIP TV room, and there's even some vintage video games. But enough about the "cheese", let's talk about the cheese.

Continue reading Grilled Fromage