Vancouver Jazz Festival (oh - and meet our friends!)

Meet Megan!! (Hopefully by now, you know the person to her right)
Megan works with Dan and is from the mid-west of America but now lives with her husband Cliff, in Vancouver.















Again, you know the person to the right, but this is John. John, Dave and Dan became friends whilst learning to dance!!





















This is Ben (crazy Englishmen who can't play soccer or hold a baby). Ben and Dulcie are from England and Dulc also works with Dan. Can't play soccer (or hold babies) but we will admit, they can handle their beers!
















This is Cliff, looking serious considering we'd spent all day drinking and listening to Jazz!

What's a "Pip"?

Well, for those Canadian friends of ours, who have never heard of the female name "Philippa" (aka "Pip") before, this story is for you...

One week in June, Dave's sister "Pip", came to stay with us!

Now locals (!), DnD showed her around Vancouver and surrounds...

The beautiful Victoria harbour























We showed her how Canadians make friends with their pets



















... and despite the fact that it was summer, we took her to the top of Whistler, to let her know how we suffered back in those cold, February days!!











We fed her (and her friend Katie) at "The Mill" (a great bar on the Vancouver harbour),











and made sure she had a ride on a mini ferry!
It was a wonderful week. Our weekends away and frequent sushi picnics on Kits Beach (and lots of BC wine!), will certainly fill those memories of ours for years to come.

The camping begins - At Harrison

Harrison is 1 1/2 hrs from Vancouver and is the most beautiful place to spend a weekend camping.
We spent "BC Day" long weekend doing just that!










There was plenty of water to go around... waterfalls, lakes - and oh yeah - a constant pouring of rain!





















The rain didn't dampen Dave's spirits - although the endless close ups didn't make him jump for joy. (Can't you just read "Dan - why another photo?" on his face?)
















The view of the top from an old logging road (which our rental car really didn't thank us for!)...




















and a sunnier view from the bottom















Luke, Dad and all those fisherman out there - this one's for you















Harrison Lake




















Our camping site















and our camping site again (on the cold chilly Spring(!) morning)

At play in the city...

A beautiful view for a picnic on the seawall (about 10minutes from our home)

















Sundays at White Rock (just on the American border)












Dave must be laughing at the fact that Canadians consider this beach to be the best in Vancouver. They really do describe this sand as ... yep, white. Little to they know eh?!
















Dave showing them all how the Aussies do it!















Uh huh! This really is cricket... in Vancouver! Although it was a local Pakistani team, we were tempted to cheer... "Aussie Aussie Aussie" (you know the rest!)















The ice cream shop-filled street of Bondi (oops - we mean, White Rock)















The wonderful world of Deep Cove is Dan's favourite place - well, one of them! - in the city




















But we can't really go past our street -















Or even Lighthouse Park (the last point on the Vancouver peninsula)














Which one would you choose?