Alouette Lake in Golden Ears Park

Robert and I visited his brother, Antoon, in Maple Ridge yesterday afternoon.

The sun was shining in Vancouver, but not here. It was overcast and quite cold.

Anyhow, the beauty was spectacular. We drove about 1/2 hour further to this park.

I haven't been here in years.

This is Alouette Lake.

Canada Geese.

Isn't it gorgeous?

I didn't take a picture of the many Oriental people picniking behind me.

They were BBQing and it smelled just awful. I think it was fish. Ugh.

Another view. It was a nice afternoon out and about.

Nicola Valley, Part 2: Quilchena hotel

After an hour spent on the bumpy gravel road, we came back to civilization and a lovely hotel, the Quilchena, built in 1908. It's been a hotel for most of the time since then. It was pouring so hard when we got out of our car, we had to huddle in a corner of the front porch in order to get a picture.

Here is a view of the hotel's mahagony bar, with bullet holes.

The 100 year old general store.

Inside the general store. All I bought was a bag of chips to tide me over until supper!

It was a very interesting Saturday!

Kamloops and the Nicola Valley

Visiting with Wim, Dad and Margaret in Kamloops last Saturday.

There isn't too much to do in Merritt, so we drove 40 minutes to Kamloops, shopped a bit, and met the family for lunch. It was such a nice visit, and I completely forgot to get a picture at the lunch table, but this one turned out really nice.

Wim helping Dad to their "new" car, a white Buick. It must be interesting having something white in this part of the country! Tee hee...Wim has to help Dad along as Dad is losing his balance a lot these days.

Montanas where we had lunch.

After driving back to Merritt, we spent some time in the hotel pool and hot tub.

We then spent the rest of the day with Gary and Sylvia.

Here are Gary's iris gardens.

Sylvia on her porch.

Mysteriously, there is a castle and a space shuttle in the Nicola Valley.

They both belong to one of Sylvia's bosses. You just never know what you will see when you take the back roads! Gary drove us in his jeep for over an hour, over a very bumpy unpaved road. It was a lot of fun.

A log church in the Nicola Valley.

The bell for the log church.

The garden at the front of the log church.

These are Indian horses. I just love them!

The Nicola Valley is simply beautiful.

The rest of my birthday

I neglected to add this to the Othello Tunnels post.

It was pitch black in the tunnels. My camera flash lights it up nicely.

The first tunnel was the longest; there are four in total.

Proof that the sun lasted all day! This was around 4 pm.

Travelling along the Coquihalla Hwy.

There was a lot of snow on the ground. It was 8 C here.

We stopped at the only rest area along the way and had tea and coffee.

Snow was on the ground behind this little concession stand.

Having my free birthday dinner at Boston Pizza in Merritt.

We stayed at the Best Western on Walters St in room 109.

It was very nice and spotlessly clean!

It was a terrific day. The clouds swept in that evening and the rest of the time was overcast with showers. That night we watched Nik Wallenda tightrope walk across Niagra Falls, an event which cancels out the riots in Vancouver on my birthday last year! Yay!!!!

My 52nd birthday at Othello Tunnels Part Three

We first heard about the Othello Tunnels just past Hope BC from Sylvia, who had visited them with Antoon. I had also heard about them from a writer friend. They are simply spectacular. I have never seen anything so awe inspiring or such majestic scenery. Remember that I haven't yet been through the Rocky Mountains! I just loved this place and was quite enthralled with it all.

Here I am before entering the first tunnel, which was completed in 1915 for the railway line.

The train ran through here until the 1960s when it was closed because of the Trans Canada Highway being built.

Look at the rock face.

If you click on all these pictures they will enlarge.

I urge you to click on this one and notice the crazy man on the right hand side.

The Coquihalla River rages past this area, and flows through a narrow gorge under the bridge. The first bridge shakes and shudders from the force of the water.

It's a most amazing place!

My 52nd birthday at Bridal Veil Falls Part Two.

After lunch at Minter Gardens, which was eaten outside and very delicious, we headed up the TransCanada Highway on our way to Merritt BC.

We stopped at Bridal Veil Falls.

This is a gorgeous spot. I had only been there once before. My parents enjoyed coming here often whenever they visited Harrison Hot Springs. I need to come back soon. This is my country! I am a west coast person, and I love the forests, moss, ferns and tall cedar trees.

This is part of the falls at the lower end. It's a fairly steep climb but not bad at all.

Isn't this just stunningly beautiful?

It does look like a bride's veil.

And this beauty is only 1 1/2 hours from our home!

Robert beside the falls. I couldn't tweak the picture in my program; the light was off in the forest!

Devil's club with spikes underneath the leaves, one of the dangers in the forest.

According to this Website the stems and roots are medicinal, and Native Americans used them and believed the thorns were there to protect the medicine inside. If you have time, please read the link I've provided. It's very interesting!

Showing just how big the leaves can grow, and the stems grow to 10 feet high.

Robert and I love to roam the forests, and I'm so glad we stopped here to see the falls!