Way behind on Blog
Hello everyone,
Well, I think its a good thing that I’m a photographer and not a writer because I am woefully behind on keeping the blog up to date. I’ll be back-filling the entries, so check back. I am currently in Prince George, BC heading down to Kelowna, BC today. I have updated the images on my website, so please take a look. There are now images in the “More Canada Images” section.
Some random facts:
* a Looney is a $1 coin
* there is a 55 yard line in Canadian Football
* a new Governor-General of Canada has been announced – Michaëlle Jean
* Curling season does not start until the fall
* 30 degrees celsius is 86 degrees fahrenheit
* Gas is about $1CAD/litre
Tags: On the Road, Travel
Administrator
August 16th, 2005 at 10:54 pm
Jason failed to mention he spent the better part of Monday Aug. 8th hanging out with me and my wife on Vancouver Island. We (Oakland residents) happened to be vacationing on the British Columbia mainland – probably about 60 miles across the channel from Jason (Mr. San Francisco). So what if it took us the better part of 4 hours to actually get to Jason (two ferry rides and a 40-minute drive between) … the chance to hook up couldn’t be passed up.
We had an enjoyable six hours together. After he picked us up from the ferry, we drove through Campbell River, one of several hundred cities in Canada proclaimming itself to be the “Salmon Capital of the World.” However, as Jason’s tour book verified, this city actually comes close to living up to such a billing. We stopped and bought some smoked salmon. Yummm.
The highlight of our day was a hike into Strathcona Provincial Park in the middle part of Vancouver Island. While we didn’t get into the wild interiors of the park, we did make it to Elk Falls, an amazingly powerfull waterfall that tumbled about 150 feet into huge gorge. The gorge was almost completely surrounded by massive rock walls 200-250 feet high, so it was quite a sight to behold. In fact, there was another small waterfall (a trickle by comparison to the powerful Elk) spilling into the gorge on the southern side.
We had time to check out two small cities, Courtenay and then Comox. Courtenay was kind of a tourist town, with a main street strip of boutiques, galleries and restaurants. There was even a candy shop with fudge, but with one marked difference over a U.S. shoppe. When I asked for the smallest amount of maple fudge she would cut for me, she gladly cut me a sliver (and then a sliver for my wife). And The two pieces weighed out to 98 cents. You know damn well that at any similar shop in the U.S. they’re going to make you buy a minimum of a quarter pound, the bastards.
We ended our get-together with dinner in an old hotel-turned-pub in Comox. In fact, it was the oldest licensed hotel in B.C., established in 1867. I’d like to report that Jason got stinking drunk on Canadian rye whiskey and danced on the table with the barmaid, but sadly that wasn’t the case. It was a long day and he was already getting weary from his travels. He did have a beer, though.
He dropped us off at the ferry just north of Comox at 7 p.m., and we began our long journey back to our house rental on the other side of the Georgia Straight.
August 17th, 2005 at 8:28 am
I didn’t forget to mention…..I am just behind on my entire log, which I am going to attempt to catch up on, but I must say that this was an excellent recount of the day.
August 17th, 2005 at 8:41 am
Hey J,
Brilliant pictures!! Where are all the moose? We are really enjoying seeing your progression through Canada. Get to work on these blogs though. You weren’t the ace newspaper columnest in High School for nothing you know! Good luck with the rest of the trip. We’ll be watching!
August 22nd, 2005 at 3:36 am
I loved Andy’s recount of your day together! Great descriptions and funny! You must have had a lot of laughs. Nice that you could be together.
August 23rd, 2005 at 5:01 am
Dear Jason,
You were the so darling as a young student, and smart, so smart! You had your eye on everything, never missing a trick. It’s exciting to not only see your beautiful, talented work, but to know you are doing something that brings you happiness!
Your photographs are outstanding. Your photos capture the essence of the poetry that is all around, be it in different forms and places. You capture the meaning behind the obvious, gifted person that you are.
I remember you when you were 6 years old, standing in front of your locker in those darling brown corduroy pants (which are now back in fashion, I might add). Your cuffs were turned up and they had an orange criss-cross plaid design on them. With ardent eyes, even then, you were scanning your locker for something. When you found it, you broke into the sweetest smile, which you carry with you to this day.
I can still see those shining, bright eyes….they were the first thing I noticed about you. (Well, ok, the first thing I noticed about you was that you were very tall and you barely filled up those corduroy pants, but it’s your eyes that have always told the most about you!)
Oh, to be able to go back and photograph that moment. As you know, I was able to capture some other photos of you and your classmates, but that moment would have been particularly precious.
I am particularly interested in your Canadian tour because my paternal grandmother, Jean S. Decker (also listed as Jeanne Suzanne (nee) Tucker Decker and well as Suzanne Jean (nee) Tucker Decker) was born in Arthur, Ontario. Should you go there, in a cemetery you will find her gravestone as well as the gravestones of my great uncles, the Tuckers, who were cattle farmers in the area.
There is a very charming historical society there with detailed archives. I wish to return there to learn more. for I have so little information about my family history.
My paternal grandmother (Jean/Suzanne Tucker and her brothers homesteaded in Alberta, Canada, around 1909. I have photographs of some of their activities. My paternal grandmother also attended Alberta college, majoring in psychology and music.
How she loved opera, in particular, and playing the piano!
Almost all of my grandmother’s siblings were killed in the war, including her sister, Katherine, who was a nurse.
My grandmother married Frederick Coates Decker. They settled in Washington, Pennsylvania. Fred ran off when my father was under the age of 2, and we have no further history on him. My strong, amazing, capable grandmother raised 4 boys (Howard, Frederick, Stuart, and my father, James) by herself during the depression. I have often wondered about my grandfather. I don’t know when he died or where. Now that I’m retired, this is one of the things that most captures my heart will be to do a geneological search!
I have second cousins in Burlington, Ontario. I know Carol (nee) Miller Schrubsall the best. She is my maternal grandfather’s nephew’s daughter! She has 2 siblings.
I am so excited to read more about your journey! I hope it brings you great pleasure and lasting memories.
Thank you for sharing it with all of us!
You are a very gifted, kind, talented person AND photographer!
Love,
Mary Decker (born Decker, also formerly known as Ulman and Costaras!)
August 24th, 2005 at 11:05 am
I am loving seeing your progression! I have thought of you so often and wondered how the trip is going. I hear you will be hooking up with my Cat friends in Edmonton and hope it goes well there. The photos are unbelievable! I am forwarding to some friends who used to live in Vancouver – maybe you’ll get a BIG SALE!!! I picture you on these wonderful adventures, meeting some really great people, and making friends in every city you stop. I can’t wait to see more pics and hope that you get to meet up with several of the Cat folks who I recommended. You are an inspiration – I admire you so much for what you are doing and for having the gumption to get up and go! Safe travels! Cheers, Jen
August 26th, 2005 at 3:41 pm
DEAR JASON,
WOWWWWWWWWWWWWWW!
SPECTACULAR…………………….
REMINDS ME OF “TRAVELS WITH CHARLIE ” ONLY YOU ARE DRIVING A TOYOTA AND YOUR CAMERA IS NAMED CANNON , NO DOG AS FAR AS I KNOW!!!!!!!
ENJOY YOUR ADVENTURE,
LOVE,
DAD
P.S. GOD BLESS MARY DECKER, SHE HIT THE NAIL RIGHT ON THE HEAD…