Hard as you like...

Here is Ashwins Bono impersonation (ok just the glasses - minus one lens), well he is kind of looking like a rock star?!? The hair looking good & minus a shirt even better but the smile has to be replaced with more of a serious look :)

Glorious Monarchs

A friend had told me about the annual butterfly migration to Natural Bridge in Santa Cruz, so we thought it would be a great opportunity for a day trip. After a rainy morning the day later turned out fine & the sun shone beautifully. The butterflies were a bit disturbed by the rain but that didn't stop them from flying out in bursts from their nests. In amongst the gum trees the butterflies cluster together for warmth. There's the four of us together in the centre with natural arch in the background - so reminded me of the monolithic rock formations of the twelve apostles on the Great Ocean Road in Victoria. And as Mr Ashwin loves butterflies he was in his element seeing the monarchs in real life & nearly had an opportunity to hold one - maybe next time.

Presidio on a chilly day...

Here we are on a mission to the Presidio to find the warming hut (top pic) for a hot chocolate & some yummy food. Afterward we had to walk off all the warmth & feel the chill of SF city. Lucky for us Fort Point was open & we went for a wander around there - some excellent views of the Golden Gate there, unfortunately with a white sky... Maybe we could 'shop it one day if I feel the urge. I especially like the tunnel shot in the centre as the rooms seem to go on forever & they did as you walked through to the end. There were some great vantage points at the Fort after climbing the steep staircases, I had to take it extra slow due to my extra 'baby pounds' at the moment. Still it was a fab day out & a farewell to SF for a month...

Portobello West market

Continuing the shopping expedition in Vancouver we were lucky enough to be in the city for this fantastic fashion & art market full of local designers. My sister & I really enjoyed the shopping, maybe a bit too much!

A knittorama

I tracked this knitting store down while in Vancouver - it is on a very cool street - main street, with lots of interesting stores to check out. I scored a hat pattern & of course, some beautiful yarn - my new favourite scarf is knit from malabrigo, oh it is so soft!

Hello Charlie!

This was my new mate Charlie the salmon crested cockatoo who lived at the Bloedel Floral Conservatory with other birds that reside in this warm, spacious dome. It was strange to feel the tropical feel of a rainforest in Vancouver and we had a fun time checking out the plants too.

Who are these people?

These were cool sculptures that were on one of the best vantage points in Vancouver, well before the trees from the botanic gardens grew huge. Ashwin has some balloons we bought from some dude in the street & they brightened up the cold, grey day.

Peanut Butter Ash

Breakfast was fun for Ashwin too - his favourite was the little peanut butter packets that he scooped out & got into his mouth & all over his face. This day he had a milk moustache as well, as he had a drink of remaining milk from the milk jug.

Poached Eggs & Canadian Bacon

For a slacko vegetarian like me I couldn't resist the temptation of Canadian bacon on the menu with eggs and yummy little hash browns. At our hotel there were about 4 different treats to choose from every day & this prepared us for our touristy activities!

In amongst the totems

Having finished our walk on the Treetops Adventure & experiencing the thrill of Capilano Bridge - we were starving. So a hot chocolate & chips was enjoyed & then some last minute tourist pics before we left to catch the bus to the ferry.

Capilano Suspension Bridge

There's my sister taking a picture on the hairy scary suspension bridge! It was a freaky feeling once you walked on as it felt you had 'sea legs' & once you made it to the centre of the bridge it felt much more stable. Then you have to look down & it certainly is a long way down to the river below - including a stunning view of the valley as well. What a great experience, if ever in Vancouver - check this out!

All rugged up & ready to hike

Here we are at Capilano Bridge in amongst the tree walk which was just amazing! I loved being up on the platforms with the tall trees & little lakes below. If this is a taste of the forest in Canada I certainly will be up to see some more.

Just for Ashwin

A great sign for our own little 'Nudie' Ashwin who loves to wander around after a bath in the nude no matter what the temperature! I am sure he wouldn't be so keen in Canada - this was near a waterslide on Granville Island, which has the best market for food & crafts.

Cheap macs anyone...

Here they are for only 99 cents - what a bargain! Yep only a Macintosh fan would love a picture of the Macintosh Apple itself - anyway there is my confession and my love of the Mac here online!

Hi there!

Another highlight at the Vancouver Aquarium was the beluga whales who look so ethereal swimming through the waters. We enjoyed watching them so much, they hypnotise you with their presence.

My favourite cuties - sea otters!

Here is the posse of sea otters hanging out at the aquarium in Vancouver. Later on that day we experienced a couple holding hands and going for a swim together - I have it on video to upload sometime! The blonde otter was rescued from the Exxon Valdez oil spill in 1989 - what a lucky & beautiful otter she is!

Stanley Park, Vancouver

Here is my sister all rugged up on a freezing cold morning in Vancouver. We had planned to go for a wander around the park but instead opted to go to the aquarium for some inside time till it warmed up in the arvo.

Oh Canada!

Here we are leaving the USA for our first holiday in ages - a few days in Vancouver, Canada with my sister. We stayed in this great hotel on the 27th floor & had free breakfast every day - yum! Needed the food to deal with the cold weather of Vancouver every morning, it was refreshing to feel such cold :)

Flower boy...

Here is a favourite pic of Ashwin in the flowers hanging out with some dandelions in the grass at Shoreline. Our camera is excellent for capturing quick moments unlike the ol' Olympus compact which has a delay & you miss the moment!

Auntie visits from Queensland

Next in our line of visitors was my sister visiting from sunny Queensland. We had a fantastic couple of weeks together before heading back to Australia for the Xmas holidays. Here we are chilling out at Shoreline park on a sunny afternoon.

Sailing in Sunnyvale

As Xmas was around the corner James had a brilliant idea of buying us a digital camera for our combined prezzo. That was a wonderful gift and we both love our Canon Rebel XTi - I had lenses from my previous SLR so we settled with a Canon body & it is just fantastic! Here's Ashwin on one of our first photo shoots in downtown Sunnyvale.

Melbourne Cup celebration!

Thanks to our Aussie mates Kath & Andy for organising a fun party in celebration of Melbourne Cup day - held on the first Tuesday in November. Here are the ladies at the party looking lovely - it is always a great excuse to dress up & of course wear a hat & some feathers!

Our visitor from Melbourne...

Here is Ange - a good friend from Melbourne who came to stay with us for a couple of days before she went over to New York for a holiday! It was so good to hang out, this is pic from when we went for a wander through the Mission in SF - there's some great shopping to be had but alas we were there way too early to get any done - could have seen a sexy film though! Still we had a fun time & visited my favourite yarn store artfibers in downtown SF.