Month: March 2018

I woke as early as Vera was fixing to go to UBC, even though I did not rise until she’d left. At that time I woke slowly with my book and as well googling what to do for the day since Fred had not really any decisive plan for it. I started by looking for things to do and well, I don’t really like to pay for entering parks, so those options went away. I looked at the science fair, but it was sort of the regular Riley’s world. I did find some art galleries around town that supposedly was good, but then again… I did finally decide on, that if we were going to do something during the day that did not only involve food, drinks and socialising, then the Vancouver Art Gallery might be a good idea. With this in mind I also found a couple of diners in Gastown (old name of Vancouver) and decided that we’d try the Catch 122 Café Bistro (122 W Hastings St, Vancouver) – all of course without having talked to Fred.

Fred sort of woke around 9 am and after some coffee we got talking about what to do for the day. He was not that fond of the idea of the Vancouver Art Gallery, but he let that slide after trying to google up something different. We did decide on going the Catch 122 for brunch though and headed there by bus. The diner is rustic in a fashioned way, a little bit loud but acceptable. The menu was not that comprehensive, which is good and both me and Fred chose the classic brunch (I also ordered some biscuits just because it sounded really nice). After a delightful brunch which was good and to recommend we headed out into down town. We didn’t have anyplace to be or time to be there and I could feel that Fred was not up for the Art Gallery. Thus we walked around a bit and Fred led me to a specific store that Otto & him had felt would suit me – it was a tourist trap/or souvenir store. So, Otto does not seem to know me that well and Fred was just being a bad boy. Walking the streets we got to experience the steam powered clock in Vancouver, supposedly one of the few left in the world.

We decided to walk east, which would take us through “China Town” that Fred told me was not really a correct term for it anymore since the Chinese population did not want to keep it that way. On the way there we went through some other type of neighbourhood where a lot of homeless were receiving the daily lunch. Not something special, I’m just not used to seeing so many homeless (and some were high on something) at the same place at the same time. Then again, maybe that’s because I’m just not regularly in those hoods. After having passed “China Town” we actually entered the quarters were the Chinese live and you could definitely see it on the stores and the people around us. Further on (we actually had somewhat of an idea on where we were heading) we came into neighbourhoods that were, let’s put it “a little bit poorer”. Since we were looking for brewery pubs (or tap rooms really) I shouted out when I saw the first one. It looked real seedy and Fred just straight out refused to enter, thus we continued our search. Later on we came to an intersection and Fred was a little confused on where we were going go – I was watching the Brewery on the other side of the road but didn’t want to mess up what planning he was having, so I said nothing. A few minutes later he looked up from his phone and looked over the street and saw the Strathcona Beer Company. Oh well, since we were a little cold, and thirsty, we headed over even if this bar looked a bit seedy as well from the outside. To our big surprise the inside was quite different and we had one of their brews – NE IPA.

We decided to just have that one beer at this brewery, not that it was a bad beer, it was really nice IPA, but just because we wanted to discover more breweries. So we headed out again, this time with the direction of Commercial street. A little bit later Fred had another check on his phone and we discovered that we could go one of two ways, back or forward. We chose back! A bit later after having crossed a somewhat busy street we entered the Strange Fellows Brewing tasting room. Here we both ordered a flight, I tried out the Bayard (Saison), Ernest (EBS), Nocturnum (Black IPA) and Third Eye (Triple IPA). We also had a spicy beer sausage and sat down to taste and just hang out. Unfortunately it was a little cold in the tasting room, but as the Scandinavians we are we just shut up about it. After the tasters and a short chat with Vera, we decided to do one more brewery, then pick up some food stuff and cook at the apartment for Vera. We continued our walk, this time passing the same busy street which had become even more busy and actually getting to Commercial street. Here we went to a place that Fred had seen from the outside when Otto was visiting, the St. Augustine’s Craft Brew House. This was not a brewery. This was sort of a sport bar with restaurant and a lot of beer on draft. Therefor we decide just to try one out and get going. I chose the Galaxior (Double IPA) and Fred the Trash Panda (IPA), both from Parallel 49 Brewing Company. After that we took the bus with two stops to shop for groceries before arriving at the apartment. We fixed up some tacos and tortillas for all of us before saying good night.

Vera got up quite early and it seems that I’ve now adapted to the time zone, at least for how many hours I need to sleep, which meant that I woke after approx. seven hours. After breakfast we all started to pack up the gear for the day. I was not really sure on what would happen more than that we would go to Squamish with winter clothes, skies and snow shoes. We packed up in the car and headed out, which meant going through Vancouver down town before exiting the greater Vancouver area. A little more than an hour after that, having traveled along the water and passing Furry Creek and Britannia Beach we arrived at the Sea to Sky Gondola base camp. We arranged all our equipment, for example I got to borrow a pair of skiing trousers from Fredrik which I switched into from my jeans (only pair of long trousers brought on the trip). I also got the information that Vera would not join me and Fredrik, instead she would go skiing while me and Fredrik would go trekking.

A short trip up the mountain in a gondola (or ski-lift), we arrived at the top camp and our paths diverted. Me and Fredrik started walking along the Al’s Habrich trail and he told me where he’d planned for us to go. Since I had no idea how long that would be or how difficult, I could just follow him in his foot steps. The weather was fairly clear at that point with a temperature of a few degrees above zero. It started out good, not difficult at all – but it did not take long until I started huffing and puffing, and we had just started. After a while we put on the snow shoes when it became difficult to climb the snowy path in our boots. We reached the Marker 18 and the Viewpoint and at that time I’ve already had to stop a few times to catch my breath but it was still a nice trek and the nature with the snow was beautiful. The viewpoint showed the community of Squamish along with their international airport (featuring one runway). We continued the path but soon after begun having difficulties since not many visitors had traveled the path further on since the latest snowfall. Fredrik had been there before and was confident where we would go, so he took once more lead and tread a new path in the deep snow. I had thought that the trek was difficult before this started, I had definitely been wrong, this was way worse. But I could not give up now, we were at marker 24 and had only 11 more to go to the next viewpoint. A number of turns later and many height meter up and we arrived to marker 35. Unfortunately the weather had become a little bad and all we could see was clouds and fog. Still we had arrived and we were both hungry, luckily Fredrik had fixed sandwiches and water for us to nibble on. At this time, the idea was to continue even further up the mountain, but seeing the weather and my condition at that point, we decided to go back down. Besides, we needed to be down before the last gondola left (at 5 pm) unless we wanted to walk down the last part of the mountain as well. In the beginning of the descent it was difficult since it was completely different to navigate the snow shoes, as well as we had to walk in our own freshly made path. Later on when we came down below marker 18 where a lot of other visitors had been the going went easier. We arrived to the top camp early and in luck the sun was showing between the clouds. At this time I was soaking wet of sweat and real tired and frozen as well. We grabbed ourselves something warm to drink (chocolate for Fred and coffee for me) to wait for Vera to arrive as well.

Vera arrived a bit later and got a hot chocolate as well before we headed down the mountain in the gondola and went for a short drive to Squamish for dinner and some beer the local brewery – Howe Sound Inn and Brewing. Here we all ordered hamburgers and beer and I finally got to taste an awesome IPA in Canada (sure it was a triple, but still). Ascension triple IPA was really good, then a small taste from the Devil’s Elbow IPA which was not really to my taste buds, but the Double IPA was really nice as well.

Heading home a few hours later I fell into a slumber in the backseat and did not really wake up until we closed in on Vancouver. All of us where tired from the activities this day and after taking care of the equipment and ourselves we were ready for bed.

So we decided that we would get up around 9-10 am, but I awake around 8 am and can not fall asleep again even though I’m still a bit tired. Not much to do about it though but to get up start the day. After a while when I believe my hosts need to get up I fix some coffee for us all and try to awaken them – without luck (I could of course barge in on them but I don’t know how they sleep and don’t want get too much of a surprise). Later on after we’re all up and have had some coffee we’re making plans and going on and on, back and forward. Finally we decide to go for a morning walk and then a brunch. It’s a lovely sunny day when we walk down to Spanish bay and the beach, it’s really so warm in the sun that I end up only in my t-shirt (on my upper body of course). In the end we end up on a place I found an google, The Oakwood Canadian Bistro (2741 W 4^th Ave, Vancouver). They have seating on outside and since it’s so warm and nice weather we sit down there for our brunch. The brunch menu is not that big but it’s difficult to decide anyways since everything sound so good – and it turns out that it actually is that good as well. Well recommended to try out if you are in the neighbourhood.

After brunch Vera leaves us to go to work and me and Fredrik takes the bus, first downtown which seems to be vibrant with a lot of people compared to what I’ve experienced so far. Then after a bus change we end up in Stanley Park which is sort of a state park “in the middle” of Vancouver. The warmth described earlier is still in the air, but only when being in the sun and it soon becomes cold in the shade. Still it’s a nice walk and the park is probably packed with people on summer days. We walk to one of the sightseeing’s in the park, the totem poles, which are recently created totem poles for show in the park. I look in on the gift shop right there beside the poles, but I decide not to by anything, not even a shot glass to Vera as a present. We continue along the bay and soon end up on the downtown side which still is bustling with people. Then again we’re sort of in the middle of the tourist part of downtown. We pass the Steamworks brewery, but it’s been decided that we are you for the Yaletown Brewing Company, so we keep walking. Fredrik tells me that some parts of the town between Downtown and Yaletown that we are walking through is sort of “unfriendly” at least at night time. But it’s not night time and we end up at the brewery after some time – as always thanks for Google Maps.

At the brewery it’s not that many customers but it’s loud (I’m getting old I guess), the music is way to high turned up making people yell. Still, we’re here and we need a beer, so I go for a flight to test as many as possible as usual and try out the Roundhouse Wheat, Loading Bay IPA, Mosaicos IPA and Crown of Thornes Wee Heavy Ale. Finally an IPA worth the name! It ends up with a regular Loading Bay IPA as well before we head back home when the time has already become 7 pm.

We take the train down to Broadway City hall before changing to bus and after a short bus ride Fredrik leaves me since he needs to go to UBC to execute some work before Sunday. I continue on for a while to end up close to the apartment and to a Safeway to do some grocery shopping for the evening meal which will be meatballs and potatoes with lingonberries and quick pickled cucumber. When I get home Vera helps me with preparing the meal by socialising with me and having some Canadian wine. Unfortunately the time at the lab drags out too long for Fredrik and me and Vera have to eat without him. But he does get back before the food is too cold and we can at least plan for Sunday to go to Squamish.

Waking up after V & F have gone to work – or rather, deciding to get up then. I did wake a few times during the night, but decided each time to continue to sleep with earplugs and eyefold – trying to get into the time zone. At the same time I needed some sleep since the trip had been without much sleep. So I went to sleep around 3 am CET and awoke at local time 8:30 am. I started by fixing some admin stuff (like writing my blog into MS Word from my note pad) and just awakening. Really nice.

Then I went for a morning walk to Spanish bay/beach in a grey day with a light drizzle now and then. I immediately found a back alley (the area is crawling with them) to the houses. You know the streets, you’ve seen them in movies and tv-shows, specially in car chases. 🙂 The alleys that are not properly paved, behind the houses and yards with the trash bins and all. I happened to walk through villa areas and some of the houses are real nice here, differentiating themselves from the many classic American/Canadian houses. But as V & F pointed out yesterday when driving back home in the dark, in daylight you can see that many of the houses are neglected. I continued along the bay and the parks for a few clicks on my way to a café. Vera had recommended this café last night and I had no other place to be, since V & F would be working all day.

I arrived around 11 am to the café when not many customers where there, but lunch time did arrive soon. The café had a nice menu with a lot of different options, but most of them seemed to have one type of cheese or another. Fortunately the café specialised, not only in organic, but also in vegetarian and vegan, so they had some kind of dairy free vegan cheese that I could have with the burrito that I ordered. The food was really good (and the coffee as well!) and I can definitely recommend a breakfast / brunch / lunch here (they supposedly close at 3 pm even if google says 5 pm). Aphrodite’s Organic Café at 3605 W 4^th Ave, Vancouver.

So, what to do in Vancouver? How about visiting a local brewery? Yah! Looking up some places, unfortunately not close by and I had my new shoes on, for the first time. Oh well. Started walking down the bigger roads since the other once are really part of residential neighborhoods. I had one of two breweries in mind, both approx. 4 km away. When walking down the roads just being a tourist, checking out people, stores and restaurants, I find that a lot of the restaurants are Asian one way or another. There are of course a lot of Canadian “organic” or “local” restaurants and I find one that I could visit for another brunch if I need to go alone once more. I also find a chocolatery on the way and since V & F is missing real chocolate then I’ll need to tell them about it.

Finally I find my way to Granville Brewery tap room and the place is packed with a queue to get a table. Now it’s good to be alone and I quickly get a seat at the bar and directly order a flight. I try out Sunshine Coast Hefeweizen (light, Weise, 3.0), Infamous IPA (hoppy, light, 2.5 – what’s up with Canadian IPA’s really?), Lions Winter Ale (Cocoa, Vanilla, 3.75), Winter WIT (citrusy, 3.75). There are young people around me and I’ve noticed that it’s not that easy getting a conversation going with younger people, specially if they are there two-and-two’s. A while later the pair to my right leaves and a older couple get the seats and also to my left another couple sits down. Of course, I’ll have to help them and recommending what to choose! 🙂 That’s one good way to start up a conversation and I start talking to Bonnie and Steve who’s in Vancouver for the night. We chat away and my flight’s over so I order the West Coast Pale Ale (hoppy, 4.0), I still have some time before Vera is heading home. I’m getting a lot of information on their ancestry, even more when I tell them I’m from the old countries. Then I get some information about Canada as well and about the wine country along the lakes Skaha and Okanagan and the cities Oliver, Penticton, Kelowna. This is also a very nice area to go hiking and camping.

Later on we say goodbye and before heading back to the apartment I buy a couple 1L cans with beer. I catch bus back and are so astound about the Canadians – they are loudly saying “Thank you” when leaving the bus… but, but, why?!

Even though I’m running a half an hour late, I’m still back to the apartment before Vera who should have gotten off work at 4 pm. Thus I’m at home when she comes rushing into the place like she always does. She immediately starts on the lasagna that we’ll bring to the evenings event bit when I quietly mentions about all the butter, milk and cheese she’s going to put into the meal – she get’s a little quite. But we solve it by giving me a portion of the filling together with some pasta before we leave for the event. We are almost finished with the meal when also Fredrik arrives from work and after some socialising we notice that we are a little late and step up our pace to leave. Having carried the big – and it was big – lasagna on two fairly full buses we arrive to V & F’s friends place and I get to know, Alexander (the man of the evening who has finished his work and is going back to Germany), Timo’s Anna, Austrian Anna, Olympian Anna, French Kevin, Maya, Canadian Amanda, Amanda’s Greg, Daniela from Chile, Scotty (from Canada I think), Chinese Su (who arrived a little later), the guy from Nepal (who also arrived later). Most of the group is a tight group of people who all work in one or the other lab on level 4 (that’s really all they say even though I don’t ask much more about it) on UBC. It’s eating, it’s drinking (Daniela is getting out not only a very nice Pisco but also a really nice Tequila), socialising, dancing, and then there’s the “Mafia game” which we are all part of playing.

Vera leaves a little earlier and so me and Fred are with the guy from Nepal the last to leave Alex (who is sleeping at Daniela & Scotty’s place, where we have been having the party) and fortunately we don’t miss the two connecting buses – which would have left us pretty no choice in either wait for an hour or taking a taxi.

Last night I was over at Grönbergs for some nice socialising with Per, Angelina, Sebastian and Stella. I arrived early after work with my beloved Van Damme that was going to snooze at their place for my vacation. Van Damme had lost his resting place at the garage due to some new construction that MKB is performing in my neighbourhood and having him alone on the street for three weeks was not something I relished. This was a good thing too, I was fed an awesome dinner at Grönbergs along with some nice French wines I had found on the temporary assortment rack at Systembolaget.

Thursday morning went sort of like I figured it since I had laid out my stuff earlier in the week and I figured I had thought about everything. Clothes for Vancouver (including some small things in case we would go skiing) which meant clothes like the ones we use in Malmö right now. Clothes for Isla Mujeres which meant beach clothes, pretty much. Then some small things for Las Vegas – but I’m going to have to go shopping for my conference week there, I really don’t have enough clothes for this part of the trip. Then of course, I could not live without my books but I’m only bringing three. Since I’ll be living with Vera & Fredrik in Vancouver I had to bring something for them and well, I know what to bring Vera and after questioning Fredrik – well, then nothing for him So I packed the last parts of my bag with Kexchoklad which is a craving that Vera caught when living in Sweden.

Sitting at home fixing the last things I figured I’d check the IslandAir homepage just in case. Well I go to the check in (I had already checked in last night on my mobile) to make sure nothing is wrong with the flights and all. Noticing that the boarding is 12:25 and the luggage drop ends at 11:15. So there I am sitting comfortably in my sofa thinking I’ve got time to leisure around. Then I’m getting stressed, what if there are problems with the trains, long queues at the baggage drop or security check-in? I water my plants, turn down the radiators, make sure my passport is packed (that is really all you need) and with my bag on my back and the waste in my hand I head out from my apartment.

I have to hurry to Triangeln, since I only have about 12 minutes to walk there to catch the 9:56 train, thus getting a little too warm than I wanted to. But no worries, I’m there in time. Fortunately IslandAir is a Star Alliance partner and the baggage drop is at Terminal 3 without any queue! Everything is going like a clock even though the security queues are long, but then at that point I don’t really have any stress since I’m pretty much finished. Either I’m just used to it or most people travelling at this time have actually been to a security check before. Most people know what to do, at least in my queue and we move forward fairly quick and easy.

There are a few things that I did realise on the train to CPH airport, a few things I have really forgotten. One – the power adapter! Oh well, one can not have too many of those right! Two – a note book and pen for my travel blog. The adapter has been purchased along with some sun screen and an extra shower cream (not really needed but eh, why not it is nice to smell good at after getting out of the shower).

I use the borrowed Priority Pass to gain access to the Aviators lounge between A and B concords and have my morning coffee and then some red wine – one of the best sleeping pills for travelling. At this point I feel really good. I’ve not yet been able to switch from my work phone to my private but after my transfer in Reykjavik that’ll happen real quick.

The Aviators Lounge was not really big but had quite a few seats and most were occupied. I got a seat at a table with another fellow. A few glasses of red wine later for both of us and we got to talking. Funny thing, we never presented our names to each other, but we did talk about our jobs and why we were travelling. He was a captain for a fishing ship (he did correct me when I said boat) in the northern seas, working for a company on both Danish and Islandic waters. He’d been in Denmark for mandatory education, both legal and medical, and was now heading home. It was a nice chat to pass the time before boarding the flight – which later was shown to be 30 minutes late from CPH Airport.

IcelandAir have comfortable seats even for coach, that is good legroom, let’s see how it’ll be for the longer flight to Vancouver. I had a very lovely couple next to me, meaning they snuggled all the way to Reykjavik. So I enjoyed my book and some music, but also a brought apple and some nuts, along side some water and a Black Label of course.

Off the plane in Reykjavik we find a very Nordic or Scandinavian airport, real pretty with a a lot of light wood. I easily find my way to the correct terminal and find a bar close to my gate where I try out the Islandic beer Snorri. It’s OK, some kind of lager, I think, but I’m uncertain. According to Untapped it’s a spiced beer, whatever that’s supposed to mean. The time between leaving the first flight until boarding the next is only about 50 minutes, which is nice, but it does not give me much time exploring the terminal or airport.

Oh My God! What luxurious toilets! Big, clean, just really awesome, for being airport toilets, or for any public toilets.

The flight to Vancouver is actually quite nice as well. I’ve booked the aisle seat as usual and a lady from Holland (yes, she says Holland and not the Netherlands) has the window seat – which means that no-one has booked the middle seat which is awesome! We got to talking a bit as well and she’s going to Vancouver to house & pet-sit. It sounds a little bit weird but, hey, whatever rocks your boat right? It’s nice to have someone to chat with a bit, but I do read my book, watch the movie “Sunshine” (and I’m pretty sure I’ve seen it before, but I’ll give it a 6 on IMDB) and try to sleep for a while – which does not really pan out.

Arriving to Canada I’m thinking that it’ll be difficult with both migration and customs, but no, all those “Border control” shows is not showing the true story and I’m through both real quick.

Outside security I’m happily welcomed by Vera & Fredrik who’s had a problem coming down to fetch me – or rather, they had a problem with parking the rental car. We’re chatting away to the car where they let me know that we are going to a local brewery called Dogwood. The drive there goes on bigger roads but also through industrial areas with a lot of four-way stops in the intersections but also three-way stops in four-way intersections. At Dogwood I try out the flight with all their current beers; Honey (light, sweet, 3.0), Fest (flowery, hops, 3.4), IPA (light, high bitterness, 2.1), Stout (watery, coffee, 2.1), Lemon ginger sour (lemony, 2.9) and the London Fog (bubble gum, earl grey, 1.5). Here we also try out their organic pizza, I’m ordering the pineapple and pepperoni as well as an additional Fest since that’s the one I liked the most.

Heading home to Vera and Fredrik we stop by a local grocery and liquor store since we are supposedly going to a small gathering on Friday.