alternate tales

Dinosaur

2012-02-17T09:22:00.000-08:00

I've previously taken pictures of this eyecatching metal sculpture located beside the highway on the way to Port Alberni. The last time I saw him, he was looking pretty rusty but I see he's received a fresh coat of paint since then.

Jet

2012-02-12T16:47:00.000-08:00

In the small seaside town of Sidney, BC this jet on a pedestal forms part of a display honouring the military outside the local legion. (The jet's outside the local legion, not the military...)

Mars Attacks!!

2012-02-09T18:00:00.000-08:00

Like the similar photo I took a couple of years ago, this one reminds me of the various cinematic and literary versions of War of the Worlds with the Martian machines striding across the countryside spewing death rays.

In reality, these are the cranes overlooking the dockyards of Esquimalt seen from the far side of the harbour.

Warship

2012-02-07T08:26:00.000-08:00

Taken from the back of nearby Esquimalt Harbour where our local naval base is located. This ship is a Canadian Patrol Frigate, one of our newest classes of ships which are already about 15 years old. This particular one is the Ottawa, commissioned in 1996.

I was involved with the design of these for a couple of years during my final years in the navy.

This particular ship is in 'dress ship' mode. Those are the lines of flags from bow to stern. Dressing ship is done to mark special occasions.

Red Dragon's little brother...

2012-01-27T13:13:00.000-08:00

Red Dragon's little brother guards the poop bags along the Dallas Rd walkway of Victoria's waterfront.

It was reported last year in our local paper that some people steal these bags by the handful to use for their children's lunch bags at school. Yeah, that's classy and bound not to mark your kid as a loser.

Landlocked

2012-01-24T09:15:00.000-08:00

This was actually taken on our Gulf Islands bike/camping trip last summer. Leona and I tried to cycle to the park at the north end of Galiano Island. We didn't make it but came across this boat a long way from the nearest water.

Call it the SS Decrepit...

Towhee

2012-01-19T11:23:00.000-08:00

I had never seen a towhee before I came to BC from Ontario. They are pretty common around our place but they don't often come to the feeders. Mostly they root around on the ground under shrubs and such.

However, the recent snowfall has encouraged this one to take the easy out and root around in our feeder for the castoffs left by the other birds.

Motel

2012-01-16T18:21:00.000-08:00

The Surf Motel on Dallas Road is a quirky little landmark. It's a commercial property in an otherwise residential neighbourhood. It's offers magnificent views of the Victoria waterfront and based on its website the room rates are pretty cheap.

All right angles and clean lines, it is an example of the International style of architecture and was designed by R. W. Siddall in 1959.

It's no-nonsense exterior and simple to-the-point name evoke images of something you might find in the Florida Keys in the slightly run-down section of town. The sort of place frequented by rummy writers, people in the witness protection program or tanned aging lotharios with big gold chains and hairy chests who work as diving instructors during the day and frequent the tourist bars at night to hit on the waitresses or bored housewives.

Friends

2012-01-13T16:29:00.000-08:00

Walking Bruno along the beach at Dallas Road, I saw this group of friends sitting above the beach along the concrete stairs that lead from street level to the beach. They were totally enjoying the sun and surf and were all good with me taking their photo.

It wasn't til I got home to see the photos in detail that I thought: "Are you kidding me?!"

These kids look so photogenic, they could have stepped right out of one of those sitcoms... you know, the typical one where young, carefree adults live in these impossibly upscale apartments and can't possibly have incomes because they're too busy hanging around coffee shops (or beaches) to have actual jobs.

I thank the group here for being so cheerful and posing for a stranger. I hope you all find these photos. If you want copies of the originals, contact me via the email address in my profile here and I'll forward them.

Parrots

2012-01-05T10:18:00.000-08:00

The World Parrot Refuge in Coombs, BC rescues parrots and provides them a home for life. These highly intelligent and social animals are often purchased by people who become overwhelmed by their special needs. Or, they are purchased by people for status purposes but are then ignored or abused.

The illegal trapping and smuggling of wild parrots is second only to the drug trade in terms of the money involved. As a result of this and habitat loss about 1/3 of all parrot species are at risk of extinction.

My wife and I first visited the refuge in 2010 and I immediately became a big parrot lover. Of the four types of big parrots, cockatoos seem to be the most affectionate and will seek out the shoulders of visitors so they can be stroked. African Greys -- pictured above -- are curious about visitors but not enough to seek out their affection. Blue macaws are most interested in eating your buttons while the multi-coloured macaws are indifferent.

The refuge is run by Wendy Huntbatch (below) on a shoestring budget because the provincial government pulled their funding a few years ago (along with a lot of other charities). One of their current fundraisers is paintings done by the parrots themselves. Here Wendy is holding up an example of the artwork which is proving to be popular with buyers.

Parrot trivia: Parrots are the only birds that can reach their beaks with their claws. Parrots' claws are also unique in that two toes point backward vice the usual one of other birds, hence, their ability to grip and climb.

Green and red

2011-12-26T15:24:00.001-08:00

Our local Legislature is one of the most prominent tourist attractions. Year round it is outlined with 3300 light bulbs but at Christmas some of the lights are changed out for more festive colours.

Snow-capped

2011-11-28T08:59:00.000-08:00

I recently saw The Wildest Dream: Conquest of Everest at our local IMAX. It tells the story of Englishman George Mallory's final attempt to scale Mount Everest in 1924. Mallory disappeared on the mountain and his body wasn't found until 1999, about 800 feet below the summit. Although the body and its details indicated that Mallory and his partner were descending when disaster struck, whether they had first reached the summit is a matter of dispute and speculation.

I was fascinated with the movie. It did an excellent job depicting the alien nature of the top of the world where life doesn't exist and climbers are mere specks in vast empty valleys of rock, ice and snow. Everest is almost a living character in this movie, mocking and challenging climbers with its fearsome and formidable presence and bulk. In fact, I enjoyed the movie so much, that I saw it twice.

We have nothing like Everest around here. We do, however, have Mt. Baker in the Olympic range of Washington State. This photo was taken last summer on top of Christmas Hill on a particularly clear day.

Cemetary

2011-11-05T10:57:00.000-07:00

I had meant to get these photos up during October in the run up to Halloween but got sidetracked with other stuff. Ross Bay Cemetery is a nice place to stroll in the fall when the leaves are falling from the trees and blowing about the place. It's very serene. The cemetery is a history book too -- here you'll find graves and plaques marking the resting places of many of the characters who were prominent in the building of Victoria and British Columbia.

Arrowsmith

2011-10-10T16:14:00.000-07:00

Mt Arrowsmith near Port Alberni on Vancouver Island is a little over a mile high. It's a popular destination for climbers and hardier hikers.

My wife and I recently climbed to the top by way of the easiest route known as the Judge's Route. It still took us three and a half hours to reach the summit. Along the way, we had to scramble over some loose rocks -- I took a baseball-size rock to the thigh that would have done serious damage had it hit me in the head. Separately, my wife sent down a small cascade of rocks the size of soccer balls. Fortunately, no one was below here.

Although we caught glimpses of the scenery far below us, the summit was completely fogged in.

Zombies 2011

2011-10-02T13:43:00.000-07:00

Zombie Walks are a popular event in cities across North America. Essentially crowds dress up as...well, you know... then lurch, shuffle and stumble through the city streets to the amusement of onlookers (and sometimes the annoyance of drivers).

Victoria's Zombie Walk was early this year which may have accounted for thinner crowds than usual.

As I followed the crowd this year, we came to a crosswalk along the route. The zombie crowd dutifully waited for the light to turn green before they ambled across the road. Kinda dispelled the illusion of apocalyptic chaotic zombie hordes beyond all caring for the rules of the living... :)

Cigarettes... those things will kill you... Oops, too late!

Gonzales

2011-10-01T18:23:00.000-07:00

What a funny word...Gonzales. I hear it and I immediately think of that super-fast little cartoon mouse that use to race around shouting "Ariba, Ariba, Andale" in those Warner cartoons.

Gonzales is also the name of a prominent weather station that overlooks nearby Gonzales Beach. It features magnificent views of the Straits of Juan de Fuca and downtown Victoria to the west.

It's commonly referred to as Gonzales Observatory because that was its original purpose when it was built in 1914. However, as nearby Victoria and Oak Bay grew, light 'spillage' rendered it useless for that purpose. It's now part of the School of Earth and Ocean Sciences (SEOS) Biogeochemistry Facility at the University of Victoria.

Saturna

2011-09-28T12:38:00.000-07:00

Saturna Island is the most isolated of the Gulf Islands in the sense that it's less accessible by ferries due to their schedules. It also has a unique micro-climate that makes it extremely dry.

The fog alarm building at the east end of the island is no longer in use, but with its bright white sides, deep red roof and grassy fields it always looks like a slice of New England to me.

(Very) Active Pass

2011-09-23T10:22:00.000-07:00

Our campsite on Mayne Island was the 'honeymoon site' -- so named because for its privacy. It overlooked Active Pass between Mayne and Galiano islands. Everyday we were treated to the site of ferries passing by on our doorstep.

Active Pass lives up to its name. At one point, three ferries and a float plane taking off from adjacent Miners Bay all converged in the middle of the passage.

Red, white and blue

2011-09-21T17:23:00.000-07:00

I first visited the lighthouse on Mayne Island last year during a biking/camping trip to the Gulf Islands. Leona and I revisited it this past summer on a cloudless warm day. Under the sun, the simple colour scheme of the keepers' house was stark and eye-catching.

You can easily see this site from the ferry if you are traveling between Vancouver Island and the mainland.

We noticed that the flags were at half-mast in honour of recently deceased Jack Layton.

SoCal?

2011-09-16T11:39:00.000-07:00

What I like about our little corner of Canada is how we can brag that it's mild enough to grow palm trees and bamboo here -- two plants normally associated with warmer latitudes.

Here a palm tree in Ganges Harbour contrasts with the fog and the evergreens growing on the far side of the harbour.

Montague Harbour (again)

2011-09-11T08:00:00.000-07:00

Another night, another fabulous sunset...

Montague Harbour

2011-09-09T10:00:00.000-07:00

The provincial park on Galiano Island is reknown for its sunsets. At night, campers and boaters gather on the shell beach with beach chairs and coffee / wine / beer to watch the sunset behind the islands to the west.

Rain

2011-09-07T08:54:00.000-07:00

Back to Victoria...

Recently, my wife and I were biking and camping the local Gulf Islands. You can only get to them by ferry. It was raining -- not a good start! However, I love those rainy West Coast days where the fog slips in and around the Douglas fir trees. In the mist they look like wraiths.

On those kind of melancholy days, it's great to sip a warm coffee on a ferry and watch the rain and the fog and the trees slide by...

Ivy

2011-09-05T18:40:00.000-07:00

Ivy slowly covers the side of a barn in western Ontario...

Maitland River

2011-09-02T12:07:00.000-07:00

The 150 kilometre Maitland River runs through the picturesque communities of Ben Miller and Goderich to empty into Lake Huron in south-western Ontario.

Breathtaking...

2011-08-31T07:56:00.000-07:00

Yet another of Goderich, Ontario's spectacular sunsets over Lake Huron. Goderich has actually won travel awards for its awesome sunset vistas. Except to re-size it, this photo is untouched. Those vivid colours are the real deal.

Tropical

2011-08-29T19:32:00.000-07:00

The waters of Lake Huron off sandy Meneset Beach near the little community of Goderich, Ontario are these amazing shades of turquoise and aquamarine. It's possible to imagine that you're on some fabulous Caribbean Island.

Salt

2011-08-20T19:22:00.000-07:00

According to Wikipedia:
" The Sifto Salt Mine in Goderich, Ontario, Canada is one of the largest salt mines in the world. It measures 1.5 miles (2.4 km) wide and 2 miles (3.2 km) long."

Seen here from nearby Meneset Beach at sunset, the mine is serviced by nearby port facilities in which a combination of trains, trucks and Great Lake ships move the salt to market.

Sunset...

2011-08-18T17:33:00.000-07:00

...over Lake Huron as seen from the pretty little town of Goderich ON. Taken on a recent trip to Ontario.

Slug (Black)

2011-08-01T12:10:00.000-07:00

For a few months, I've been on the lookout for our native black slugs to get a good photo. This past weekend there was apparently a black slug convention around Elk and Beaver Lake.

Skyline again

2011-07-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Expanding on my Christmas Hill panorama shot a couple of weeks ago, this one is an enlarged view of the downtown core. When the photo opens in a new tab or window, you may have to click it to see it full size.

You'll see many Victoria landmarks, including:
The Blue Bridge
Save-On-Foods Arena
Ogden Point
Mayfair clock tower
CIBC Bank
BC Legislature
Fairmont Empress Hotel
Bay St. Armoury
BC Provincial Museum
Shoal Pt. condo
Christ Church Cathedral
The para-glider over Dallas Rd.
Bay St. gravel works
The Target storage mascot. It's a dog, can you find it?

Mailboxes

2011-07-27T09:55:00.001-07:00

Leona and I cycled to Brentwood Bay recently and passed this trio of mailboxes barely visible in the grass growing at the side of Saanich road. They are still in use as one of them had a fresh newspaper in it.

Fishin'

2011-07-25T11:03:00.000-07:00

A pair of geese and a father and son out fishing cross paths on Saanich's Beaver Lake.

Macdonald

2011-07-20T16:00:00.000-07:00

This sculpture of our first Prime Minister, John A. Macdonald, outside the door of Victoria City Hall stands out for me for two reasons:

1. The billowing long coat and his forward leading stance suggestive of a strong wind. It provides a nice sense of animation.

2. His remarkably small head and equally large nose. Or maybe the nose is appears large because of the small head.

According to Wikipedia, Macdonald served 19 years as Prime Minister. They further describe him as a bribe-taking, hard-drinking lawyer. Not much has changed over the intervening decades it seems.

Eerie

2011-07-18T21:02:00.000-07:00

My wife and I took in SKAM theatre's Bike Ride on the weekend.

9 mini-performances lasting 10 minutes each, along the Galloping Goose bike trail. The audience cycled from one venue to another.

Most were funny, entertaining.

And then there were these girls. They all wore opaque blindfolds, did a lot of wordless screeching, wailing and flailing around. It was kinda scary/weird. I kept expecting Nicolas Cage to come by in a bear suit and punch one of them in the head.

Candy!

2011-07-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

Rose and her husband Matt are the owners of The Sweetest Things candy shop on Saanich West Road in Saanich. Once they became parents they decided to open their own business so their schedules could accommodate the needs of their new son.

I tried their saltwater taffy. I'd never had any before so I was surprised that it wasn't -- well, salty-tasting. In fact, it was very smooth, very soft and pretty good.

Information

2011-07-13T09:49:00.000-07:00

The Art Deco-inspired tourist information bureau is one of the most prominent landmarks of Victoria's inner harbour.

Squally Reach

2011-07-10T23:02:00.000-07:00

Squally Reach is a 50 minute hike deep into Gowland Tod Provincial Park on the Saanich Peninsula north of Victoria. The signs describe it as a 'vigourous' hike and they aren't kidding. However, the breathtaking views of Saanich Inlet are your reward -- that and the beer waiting for you when you get back home.

Swan Lake

2011-07-07T08:49:00.000-07:00

This is a big photo so give it time to load. The recent spate of good weather led me to the top of nearby Christmas Hill. I've taken photos of downtown Victoria before from up here, but I tried a different angle instead.

The small lake in the foreground is Swan Lake in Saanich. It's a nature sanctuary and a great place to go for a walk to rejuvenate your spirits. In the background you can see downtown Victoria and beyond that the mountains of Washington State.

Rooftop

2011-07-06T09:59:00.000-07:00

Going through some old photos from a few months ago, I re-discovered this one that I hadn't published at the time. It was taken from a penthouse suite in the Falls condo and overlooks the sand courts of the beach volleyball on top of the adjacent Strathcona Hotel.

If you go to the website of the Strathcona Hotel, you can click on a link (right-hand side in blue box) that will take you to an array of impressive 360 degree virtual tours of the hotel facilities, including the rooftop. There you can see the view 'in reverse' and look up to see the Falls, looming overhead. I took this photo from the penthouse that you can see on the right.

Roy

2011-07-04T19:23:00.000-07:00

'Roy' is a familiar site to anyone who cycles or jogs the Lochside trail in Saanich. Always smiling, he stands watch on the wooden trestle that crosses over Blenkinsop Lake. He was dedicated in 2001 and, as I recall, is actually modeled on a local character.

Pride Week

2011-07-03T16:55:00.000-07:00

Pride Week in Victoria which celebrates the GLBT community in Victoria once more started with the Drag Ball event at Vic West Park on July 1.

Some of these guys were pretty burly. I was impressed every time they raced around the bases in their high heels.

Balcony

2011-07-01T08:52:00.000-07:00

Small but colourful box of flowers on a Chinatown balcony.

Blur

2011-06-29T16:13:00.001-07:00

Tiny wings barely visible as it hovers at a feeder, this hummingbird appears to be just coming into its colours.

Serene

2011-06-27T08:40:00.000-07:00

One of the denizens of Ross Bay Cemetery stares down with a look of... serenity? Equanimity? Similar to the Mona Lisa, she seems to have a secret understanding of the way of things that you don't.

Mess

2011-06-22T13:48:00.000-07:00

The Officers' Mess just outside the gates of CFB Esquimalt almost looks like a hotel with its eye-catching entrance and its view of the waterfront. Indeed, it does function as something of a hotel. It features dining and entertainment facilities as well as accommodations for visiting officers.

Sadly, this wasn't completed until after my naval career so I never got to enjoy its pleasures...

Erhu

2011-06-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

This is busker Ming Jun (John) Gao who plays at the corner of Fisgard and Government St. He was born in Shanghai and has been in Victoria for two years, arriving by way of Toronto.

He plays the erhu, a Chinese violin. It only has two strings. The different notes are produced by varying the tension on the bow string.

In 2000, John was voted runner up by the readers of NOW magazine as 'best busker' in Toronto when he was busking at Spadina subway station.

Scaffolding

2011-06-18T17:43:00.000-07:00

This is how you re-paint a 127 foot high totem pole.

This totem pole is a familiar landmark to anyone who walks along Dallas Road. It peers out from Victoria's Beacon Hill park and overlooks the Strait of Juan de Fuca. It's currently undergoing maintenance and is crisscrossed by a maze of scaffolding.

Must be an awesome view from up there...

Flipped

2011-06-16T11:05:00.000-07:00

Meant to post this last weekend. These girls with the weird hair thing going on?... actually upside down on one of the rides that were part of the Midway of Esquimalt's Buccaneer Days.

Dreads

2011-06-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

I follow a photo-blog called Photos from Haninge. It belongs to Stefan Jansson. I like that that he often features profiles and portraits of the interesting people he encounters in his native Sweden.

Inspired by this, I've decided to start featuring more personalities in this blog too. So today's entry is about Skyla (hope I spelled that right!).

I saw her recently skateboarding through the parking lot of a local mall. Her dreads caught my eye and she was awesome enough to let me take her portrait for this blog. Plus she gave me a crash course in felt-woven dreadlocks. In fact, she was the one who also alerted me to the Jumpship event featured in this blog earlier this week.

Skyla came to Victoria from Ontario by way of a brief stay in Tofino. Victoria is a more colourful place because of her...

Jumpship

2011-06-12T17:00:00.000-07:00

Local radio station The Zone hosted this weekend's Jumpship event that saw cyclists from as far away as California to participate in dirt jumping on a specially fitted barge in the inner harbour.

They also set up a separate airbag for daredevils in training. It was hard to pick just one photo for this entry, so I'm going to break my 'one photo, 100 words' rule for this one.

Lilac

2011-06-10T09:43:00.000-07:00

Our lilac bushes were in bloom a couple of weeks ago producing these pale shades of pink and purple...

Lighthouse

2011-06-08T10:16:00.000-07:00

This is the lighthouse near Deep Bay of Vancouver Island. Reminds me of Alcatraz -- a few buildings on a piece of rock in the middle of the water. I consider myself an introvert, but even I would be challenged not to get a little crazy living living so cut off from my neighbours and friends.

However, I bet they get to experience some awesome storm weather in the winter...

Blossoms

2011-06-06T10:12:00.000-07:00

This was actually taken about six weeks ago. Generally, when the rest of Canada is just getting over the last effects of winter, we are enjoying the delights of apple and cherry blossoms. This year though May was unusually cool and wet, possibly a lingering effect of La Niña in the Pacific Ocean.

Roxy

2011-06-01T18:55:00.000-07:00

The Roxy Theatre on Quadra St. is a Victoria landmark that started life as the Fox Theatre decades ago. It has an interesting history -- rather than tell you about it myself, I'd suggest that you head over to their very eye-catching website and read about it for yourself. (Make sure you have your speakers turned on for the burlesque-style soundtrack...)

My wife and I periodically take advantage of their cheap prices and unique ambiance. It's always a good time. If you're lucky, the management will let you roam the upper floor where you can discover some old movie memorabilia.

Fishing

2011-06-01T08:00:00.000-07:00

On the shores of Swan Lake, a heron stands perfectly still, poised to strike at something in the water.

Riding

2011-05-30T11:12:00.000-07:00

A horse and rider kick up dust at the Elk and Beaver Lake riding ring. (Is that the right word for it?)

(Yellow) Submarine

2011-05-26T13:34:00.000-07:00

Outside of special exhibits such as the Titanic exhibit and the Leonardo da Vinci exhibit, no other museum artifact gets more local press than this Rolls-Royce that sits in the front lobby.

It was once owned by Beatle John Lennon and is painted in suitable 60s-era psychedelic colours and patterns.

Flagpole

2011-05-24T09:11:00.000-07:00

The flagpole on top of the Fairmont Empress Hotel flutters in the breeze from a unique perspective -- between the legs of the statue of Captain Cook across the street. It's funny because if you had asked me before I took this photo, I would have said that the statue of Cook stands with its feet together, not astride as seen here.

Park

2011-05-21T12:00:00.000-07:00

Another view of the fabulous fields and trees of Kinsmen Park in Esquimalt.

Japanese Garden

2011-05-20T08:00:00.000-07:00

Kinsmen Park on the Saanich-Esquimalt park is something of a hidden gem. It's a large park with grassy fields, a nice beach (although often fouled by the geese droppings), a children's park, and some nice views of the Gorge along its walkways.

On the way in, visitors pass this Japanese Garden erected in 1995.

Whether by design or chance, looking at this structure from the other side, you can see the Gorge Tillicum waterway and bridge through the doorway.

Coho

2011-05-17T21:27:00.000-07:00

The Coho ferry arrives in the inner harbour, as seen from 190 feet up at the top of the Falls condo in downtown Victoria. Other visible landmarks include the Laurel Point Inn in the background and the clock tower marking the Visitors Centre, bottom centre.

The Coho runs between Victoria and the Washington state town of Port Angeles on the far side of the Strait of Juan de Fuca.

Window

2011-05-16T10:22:00.000-07:00

We return from Costa Rica to Victoria...

Yesterday, we checked out a penthouse suite in the Falls, a 19-story condo building in downtown Victoria. It's on sale right now. $2.1 million will get you 2400 square feet (that's $875 a square foot) and fabulous views of the city in all directions.

Yesterday's showing was a charity fundraiser for the Victoria Hospice.

Through the main living room window here, you can catch glimpses of the Royal BC Museum (red banner on the left), the Parliament building (green-domed roofs), the Fairmont Empress Hotel and a bit of the inner harbour to the right.

Crocodile

2011-05-14T11:41:00.000-07:00

Costa Rica is home to both crocodiles and caimans. If you are in the water and you see a pair of barely visible sinister eyes coming at you -- and you are on the Pacific side of Costa Rice -- you are being hunted by a crocodile. If you are on the Atlantic side of Costa Rica, you are about to be devoured by a caiman.

This fellow, about seven or eight feet long, watched us carefully from the river bank as we went past him on a boat tour through Palo Verde National Park.

Volcano

2011-05-13T10:40:00.001-07:00

Mt. Arenal is located in the north-west interior of Costa Rica. It last erupted in 1968, but since then has continually bubbled forth a steady stream of lava. However, it has recently gone quiet again leading to some concerns that the pressure is building for another big blow.

This side of the volcano is scarred from the lava rivers but the other side is green to very nearly the top.

Strange

2011-05-10T08:26:00.001-07:00

Costa Rica has some weird and wonderful plant life. I can't remember the name of these unique looking plants but they had an even stranger texture. They were rubbery.

As our guide explained to us, many of the local plants can either kill you or cure you depending on what part of the plant you eat. The general rule is -- don't eat the bright parts, stick to the roots and stems.

Sails

2011-05-08T08:21:00.000-07:00

During our two week stay in Tamarindo, we signed up for the obligatory 'booze cruise'. A catamaran took us to a nearby bay where we did some snorkeling. On the way back they hoisted the sails and later we enjoyed a magnificent sunset at sea.

Bug

2011-05-07T10:15:00.000-07:00

On one our excursions to the Mt Arenal district in the interior, one member of our group discovered this big fellow crawling up his leg. Bugs don't freak me out so I took a chance that it didn't bite and manhandled it. No idea what it is though.

Sunset

2011-05-05T13:46:00.000-07:00

Our resort was the Barcelo Langosta about a mile outside the Pacific surf town of Tamarindo. Night after night we witnessed these fantastic sunsets...

Pura Vida

2011-05-03T09:15:00.000-07:00

(I've created a new label for this blog called 'abroad' to describe photos from our travels off Vancouver Island. I've been too busy for local photos so I'm filling in with our vacation photos temporarily.)

This colourful beer truck on a street in Tamarindo, Costa Rica displays an image of Imperial beer. It's the national beer of Costa Rica.

The expression 'pura vida' -- seen printed on the truck as well -- translates as 'pure life'. They use it in a manner similar to aloha in Hawaii. To say hi, to say bye, to say 'you're welcome', 'have a nice day', etc.

Lizard

2011-05-01T08:57:00.000-07:00

My wife and I got all excited when we saw our first iguana in Costa Rica on our first full day there. By day four, we realized these things are as common as housecats down there. Locals barely give them a glance.

In fact, they were everywhere at our resort -- in the trees, sunning on the steps, running across the driveway, swimming in the pool... (Okay I made that last one up.)

We saw this big male on one of our excursions and I fed him banana peels by hand.

Palm tree

2011-04-28T12:01:00.000-07:00

Okay, this palm tree isn't found anywhere near Victoria BUT it could be. We are the envy of the rest of Canada because our mild climate allows us to grow palm trees here.

THIS palm tree though overlooked our resort, the Barcelo Langosta near the small town of Tamarindo in Costa Rica.

Red-eye

2011-04-26T12:52:00.000-07:00

My wife and I recently took a long overdue vacation to Costa Rica. To avoid the security hassles of going through the US, we opted to first fly overnight to Toronto, then to Liberia.

This is sunrise over the city of Toronto. The 'banding' in the photo is the result of taking the photo through the terminal window.

Suess-ical

2011-04-22T08:00:00.000-07:00

When I first arrived in Victoria over 30 years ago, I was gobsmacked not just by the size of the trees out here (I'm an Ontario boy), but also by some of their exotic looks. These trees - no idea what they are called - are common throughout Victoria. With their droopy appearance, they always remind me of those floppy trees you see in Dr. Seuss books.

Lizard

2011-04-19T08:00:00.000-07:00

A colourful ornament peers through a hole in the fence...

Swimming

2011-04-16T09:38:00.000-07:00

This was taken several years ago on a camping trip to the north end of Vancouver Island on Woss Lake. For me it summarizes everything beautiful about living here. Where else can you swim in a lake on a warm summer day while admiring the snow-capped peaks in the distance?

Leaves

2011-04-14T08:00:00.000-07:00

Taken last November at Qualicum, these bright red maple leaves are long gone by now...

Main street

2011-04-12T08:20:00.000-07:00

I'm away for a couple of weeks in Costa Rica. While I'm gone I've arranged for some older photos to be published... photos which didn't 'make the cut' the first time around.

Taken last November, this is the main street of Qualicum on a Sunday afternoon. Pretty quiet, isn't it? My wife and I are thinking of retiring to this area eventually, but scenes like this make us wonder if there will be enough to keep us entertained. The locals, however, love their town this way...

Crane

2011-04-09T08:00:00.000-07:00

The second stage of the Uptown mall -- Greater Victoria's most ambitious shopping complex in history -- is underway. Three large cranes loom over the site. The views from the operating cabin of these things must be awesome!

Slug

2011-04-07T08:00:00.000-07:00

Slugs are so ubiquitous here on our forest floors that they could be our provincial animal. I know that gardeners hate them, but I have an affinity for them. I guess it's their laid-back lifestyle I admire.

This was the first of the season that I've seen. We also have a variety of black slug and I'm on the hunt for a photo of one of them.

Dragon (Yellow)

2011-04-05T08:00:00.000-07:00

A dragon painted on a Chinatown wall peers out from behind a roof. You might think the roof in the foreground is a building itself but it's the roof an Asian-themed telephone booth. It's one of the few remaining single telephone booths left standing these days.

Playground

2011-04-03T12:44:00.000-07:00

In the early morning the Parksville community park playground is deserted. These colourful slides await the arrival of children later in the day.

Gulls

2011-03-31T11:16:00.000-07:00

Each year in March and April, the return of herring to the local ocean waters attracts huge numbers of birds including gulls who settle in by the thousands on the beach to feed on the herring roe attached to marine grass.

As you can imagine, for a few weeks the beach becomes a minefield of gullsh*t. Below is a video of the gulls in flight. If the video isn't working (Blogger seems to be having problems lately) try this link instead.

Shrooms

2011-03-29T10:59:00.000-07:00

Fungi growing out of a downed tree near Deep Bay on Vancouver Island.

More Alternate Tales from the West Coast Cafe.

Buddha

2011-03-27T11:01:00.000-07:00

Our backyard Buddha is looking forward to a new spring...

Philosophy

2011-03-25T09:44:00.000-07:00

Seen in passing on a car parked behind Saanich city hall. The nice weather and the laid back lifestyle pretty much confirm the truth behind this sticker...

Woodpecker

2011-03-23T08:41:00.000-07:00

This bird was a first for our feeder a few days ago. It's a Northern Flicker, a medium woodpecker. Very skittish though, couldn't get a full body shot.

Supermoon

2011-03-21T09:15:00.000-07:00

Leona and I emerged from a movie on Saturday night to see this enormously bright full moon in the sky. According to US Naval Observatory, the moon was at its closest point to earth in 20 years.

This photo was taken at our neighbourhood park a little later that night. A tripod and a weak flash was used to illuminate the tree in the foreground.

Hands up!

2011-03-20T09:08:00.000-07:00

Two Victoria cops in uniform on patrol in the Quadra/ Pandora neighbourhood pass by graffiti on the exterior of the Wild Fire Organic Bakery and Cafe. Check out the graffiti on the wall behind them.

The cafe encourages street art on its exterior walls. Several months ago, the art caused controversy with its depiction of police as literally pigs in uniform. This neighbourhood is ground zero for the local homeless population.

Duck?

2011-03-18T06:00:00.000-07:00

I tend to overlook ducks and related birds when I walk about but this bird bobbing about off the beach at Dallas Road yesterday caught my eye with it's rusty coloured head and crest. Thanks to fellow photo-blogger Benjamin Madison who frequently documents birds on his site, I've since learned that this is a Common Merganser.

Homeless

2011-03-16T09:46:00.000-07:00

This (I'm assuming) homeless girl and her three dogs were unaware of my presence high above them in a parkade. Victoria has a homeless population that hovers about 1500. Many of these homeless people have dogs and I have mixed feelings about the practice.

I understand that dogs provide needed body warmth on cold nights outside, but, on the other hand, these poor animals get no exercise, no treatment for medical conditions, and probably go hungry a lot. On the other hand, their cuteness factor probably increases the probability of donations so maybe they carry their own weight, I don't know.

Pearl (Covered)

2011-03-14T09:30:00.000-07:00

A few weeks ago, passing through Centennial Square, I saw that the Bright Pearl -- previously featured in this blog -- had been covered for the winter. The cover made it look like the world's largest juggling ball.

There was an inscription printed on the cover. (See below).

Pucker up!

2011-03-11T18:00:00.000-08:00

One of the totem figures in Victoria's Thunderbird Park appears to be blowing a kiss...

Wings

2011-03-08T14:37:00.000-08:00

A closeup of the top of one of the totem poles in Thunderbird Park (see previous blog entry). Haida art is very popular for its bright, bold colours and large expressive details.

Tall

2011-03-06T12:25:00.000-08:00

The distinctive totem poles of Thunderbird Park outside of the Royal BC Museum in Victoria stare off into the distance. I'm not sure if there is an significance to the fact that they are all staring off to the east.However, they feature some of the more interesting characters I've seen on totem poles. I'll post more photos this upcoming week.

Parrot

2011-03-04T15:08:00.000-08:00

Leona and I re-visited the World Parrot Refuge near Coombs last week. The refuge is suffering from Liberal government funding cuts right now.

I'm fascinated by parrots. Aside from their colour, they have personality and exude affection when they want to. This colourful guy wasn't particularly friendly -- s/he distinctly 'waved' us back with a wide-open-ready-to-nip beak when we tried to approach but s/he was good about posing for a photo.

The effect above was achieved via Corel Photo-paint, and assorted Topaz effects filters. The original photo appears below.

Falls (Re-visited)

2011-03-02T09:47:00.000-08:00

I posted a photo of Qualicum Falls last year. Recently Leona and I re-visited them. The sides of the upper cauldron were decorated in icy stalagmites (or stalactites... which are which?) following the recent snowfalls and icy cold weather.

Sentinels

2011-02-27T11:49:00.000-08:00

In the mid-Island community of Coombs, these snow covered sentinels watch over the main square.

Secret

2011-02-24T09:53:00.000-08:00

This passage -- with its private cafe -- runs in behind the Maritime Museum of Victoria to connect lower Bastion with the Yates St. parkade where I took the photo of Victoria's inner harbour recently.

Infiniti

2011-02-22T12:17:00.000-08:00

I remember reading sci-fi comics about time travellers as a kid in the 60s. Typically, they travelled decades into the future where everything looked very "futuristic" in a retro-Jetsons sort of way.

Infiniti is Nissan's luxury car division. I think time travellers from the 60s would be suitably awed by this sign on Oak St.. The very name Infiniti with its unique spelling has a forward-sounding ring to it. The simple, crisp logo underscores that sense of the "future is now". Sadly, we still don't have the flying cars that were predicted to be here by now.