day 5 - finding new ways to self-torture
Jun. 3rd, 2011 02:07 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
cornerofmadnessbecause it's my first full day on my own. Having real issues with the net. It could just be LJ but my email is messing up too so it might be the hotel's router.
I decided to go on the whale watching tour today since it was overcast and cold and figure the gardens wouldn't go well with this. The tour was pretty pricey but I wanted to do it. It's my big planned excursion. Let's face it, whale watching is like playing slot machines. You might get a pay off for your 100$ or you're in for a short but fun ride.
Sadly this was the short but fun ride. I did run into several other people from my con. I didn't get up on top of the boat but there was a bench on the back. I get seasick. One thing I know is the back is stable so I plop down there. I'm not that cold in spite of the fact it's 50 degrees out, no sun and we're whipping at 20 knots. I did enjoy myself in spite of the fact that we saw no whales. I DID get to see sea lions, California seas and harbor seals. They are so cute, such a big smorgasbord for the whales who just weren't taking them up on it. My camera craps out before I get to see the dumb seals though. So for 3 hours I sit outside on that boat with one 15 min interlude inside to hear Kristi the naturalist talk about some of the local whale pods (and I started to get sick so back out I went).
When we got back, I found the Bay shopping mall which was like right up the street from me and got more batteries for the camera (which usually tells me that I'm running low but didn't). From there I went to Chinatown, which is okay a block. I got crispy ginger beef which was good. I found mangosteen (almost bought) and durian (did not). Lots of good stuff but I have no idea what food I can and cannot take over the border so I head back toward the hotel. Found a store selling hand crafted and signed First People's art and got mom a copper hummingbird. Also I saw a strip club right next door to a Christmas village shop. Whee.
I hit Munro's books for local ghost hunting books. Couldn't decide, bought them both, bought tea at Murthie's another of those 100+ years in business tea places, and got some more tea. I startled the clerk and myself by picking out a few of the tea types in the blend (okay the lapsang souchong is distinctive). I hiked down to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. My tour was quick since it was loaded with school kids and I was there mostly to see the architecture. I did get to see the stained glass done for Queen Elizabeth's golden jubilee and outside is the official Christmas tree for B.C.. On the same block as the Assembly is the smell of horse shit (appropriate perhaps if they're anything like our legislation and suspect politicians are all the same). That's where you can get the horse drawn carriage (painfully expensive). Wandered down to the Gatsby Mansion just to see it but didn't go inside to see the ghosts.
By the time I got back to my hotel it was 5 (so I spent 9 hours in the cold, go me). I sat down for a half hour then walked seven blocks up to The Mint, a 'hidden treasure' so the write up assures me. Tibetan/Indian food. Let's call it TWO Tibetan dishes. It was in the basement of an old building and lit entirely by candles and white Christmas lights so it's like a crypt. On one wall were scone lights behind Tibetan spirit masks were a bit creepy. I did get the two Tibetan dishes (since the waitress was honest and said they were appetizer size and priced) got vegetarian momos (think potstickers) and cholyea, a beef in lime and chilis. It was good. Wandered back home, got some souvenirs for people and right across from the hotel was Darth Vader playing violin (that was worth a loonie in his violin case) got home and started packing (just in case I do go on the ghost walk again and don't want to waste time tomorrow). Went for a swim/hot tub soak, found more con goers there, talked to them. So another good good day.
Dragon
santa sees strippers
I decided to go on the whale watching tour today since it was overcast and cold and figure the gardens wouldn't go well with this. The tour was pretty pricey but I wanted to do it. It's my big planned excursion. Let's face it, whale watching is like playing slot machines. You might get a pay off for your 100$ or you're in for a short but fun ride.
Sadly this was the short but fun ride. I did run into several other people from my con. I didn't get up on top of the boat but there was a bench on the back. I get seasick. One thing I know is the back is stable so I plop down there. I'm not that cold in spite of the fact it's 50 degrees out, no sun and we're whipping at 20 knots. I did enjoy myself in spite of the fact that we saw no whales. I DID get to see sea lions, California seas and harbor seals. They are so cute, such a big smorgasbord for the whales who just weren't taking them up on it. My camera craps out before I get to see the dumb seals though. So for 3 hours I sit outside on that boat with one 15 min interlude inside to hear Kristi the naturalist talk about some of the local whale pods (and I started to get sick so back out I went).
When we got back, I found the Bay shopping mall which was like right up the street from me and got more batteries for the camera (which usually tells me that I'm running low but didn't). From there I went to Chinatown, which is okay a block. I got crispy ginger beef which was good. I found mangosteen (almost bought) and durian (did not). Lots of good stuff but I have no idea what food I can and cannot take over the border so I head back toward the hotel. Found a store selling hand crafted and signed First People's art and got mom a copper hummingbird. Also I saw a strip club right next door to a Christmas village shop. Whee.
I hit Munro's books for local ghost hunting books. Couldn't decide, bought them both, bought tea at Murthie's another of those 100+ years in business tea places, and got some more tea. I startled the clerk and myself by picking out a few of the tea types in the blend (okay the lapsang souchong is distinctive). I hiked down to the Legislative Assembly of British Columbia. My tour was quick since it was loaded with school kids and I was there mostly to see the architecture. I did get to see the stained glass done for Queen Elizabeth's golden jubilee and outside is the official Christmas tree for B.C.. On the same block as the Assembly is the smell of horse shit (appropriate perhaps if they're anything like our legislation and suspect politicians are all the same). That's where you can get the horse drawn carriage (painfully expensive). Wandered down to the Gatsby Mansion just to see it but didn't go inside to see the ghosts.
By the time I got back to my hotel it was 5 (so I spent 9 hours in the cold, go me). I sat down for a half hour then walked seven blocks up to The Mint, a 'hidden treasure' so the write up assures me. Tibetan/Indian food. Let's call it TWO Tibetan dishes. It was in the basement of an old building and lit entirely by candles and white Christmas lights so it's like a crypt. On one wall were scone lights behind Tibetan spirit masks were a bit creepy. I did get the two Tibetan dishes (since the waitress was honest and said they were appetizer size and priced) got vegetarian momos (think potstickers) and cholyea, a beef in lime and chilis. It was good. Wandered back home, got some souvenirs for people and right across from the hotel was Darth Vader playing violin (that was worth a loonie in his violin case) got home and started packing (just in case I do go on the ghost walk again and don't want to waste time tomorrow). Went for a swim/hot tub soak, found more con goers there, talked to them. So another good good day.
Dragon
santa sees strippers
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no subject
Date: 2011-06-03 06:55 am (UTC)Darth Vader playing the violin? Very nice, haha.
LOL over The Christmas Village next to the strip club. Oh gawds, this reminds me of the naughty version of "Santa Is Coming To Town." I had it saved on Youtube before, but the song is gone and I can't seem to find it again. XD
no subject
Date: 2011-06-03 12:18 pm (UTC)Mom and I laughed a lot at your descriptions of this. :D
no subject
Date: 2011-06-03 12:36 pm (UTC)Well, he DOES know where all the bad little girls are. :S
Dragon is f'ing fantastic!
I would have been in the back of the whale excursion boat with you.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-03 01:25 pm (UTC)I'm big on architecture too. When I went to DC that was the coolest thing, the history and the architecture of capital hill.
omg, I showed Wyatt that picture just now before he went to work (the one of christmas store and strip club) and he laughed. That's too funny.
no subject
Date: 2011-06-03 10:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-03 11:37 pm (UTC)I have pictures of Darth Vadar Lord of the Violin so you will see him too
hahaha naughty santa
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Date: 2011-06-03 11:38 pm (UTC)he needs to be in a story it's true
glad you're enjoying it
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Date: 2011-06-03 11:42 pm (UTC)I had to wait a bit to get that dragon. First a panhandler was in front of it then some weird group
yeah I'm not motion friendly
no subject
Date: 2011-06-03 11:45 pm (UTC)most of my trips/pictures end up being of buildings or flowers.
isn't that club/santa juxtaposition great?
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Date: 2011-06-03 11:47 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-04 12:20 am (UTC)And Yaaaaay for pictures of Darth.
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Date: 2011-06-04 01:57 am (UTC)He was back tonight. He now has all the change I had and didn't want to piddle with exchanging
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Date: 2011-06-04 03:46 am (UTC)Never had Tibetan food. I'd love to try it.
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Date: 2011-06-04 06:17 am (UTC)Tibetan food is very tasty
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Date: 2011-06-04 01:30 pm (UTC)Yeah, hotel bills. *shudder* I'm afraid to even imagine.
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Date: 2011-06-05 05:13 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 06:01 am (UTC)yep let's just say there are four digits left of the decimal
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Date: 2011-06-05 12:23 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 03:22 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 04:32 pm (UTC)no subject
Date: 2011-06-05 07:24 pm (UTC)