Nanaimo

Nanaimo is a small city on the eastern side of Vancouver Island. I don't know what attracted Axel to this city in particular other than there is fishing nearby, it is a short ferry ride to Vancouver, and it has some of the mildest weather in all of Canada. It was a good pick, and not just for their delicious desert bars (my jean size in high school can attest to the number Nanaimo bars I consumed as a teenager).

Parts of Nanaimo are beautiful and quaint. The shopping was also a huge selling point for me. We took an entire morning and afternoon boutique shopping. I could easily hold back on my spending knowing that it was likely I was coming back. I do believe I have an entire home furnished in my mind. I could also accessorize all of the new clothing I will buy to fill my new walk-in closets. Imaginary shopping is great for your budget and marriage.

A couple of times Sedona was mistaken for a mannequin in the window. Two women jumped when Sedona moved from her position. I was hoping that her contribution to drawing attention to the merchandise would have given us a slight discount on all items in the store. The only thing we got was a free balloon. What a let down.

We were also very interested in seeing what the church was like in Nanaimo. Just as we talked about our shared interest, we just so happen to pass a chapel. My dad stopped the car, drove in the parking lot just in time for us to join the Pioneer Day celebration. We got a lovely pork meal with green jello and homemade root beer. Those Mormons have the same kind of food no matter where you go in the world. They also open the doors to anyone. It was almost as awesome as crashing a wedding.

What also must be noted is that Nanaimo appears to have all the necessary stores to attract me to come back to the western world. I have even been told that Zellers has been bought out by Target. As soon as I heard that, I was convinced I could live on Vancouver Island. I am like a magnet to that red dot. Damn that red dot.

The only thing that was necessary to convince Sedona was a beautifully iced, jellied, pink doughnut. If Nanaimo has a Tim Hortons every 5th block, she is in.

Port Alberni

Again, this is Axel. A few more pictures of Port Alberni I didn't get on the last post.
Really, it was that beautiful. Port Alberni started as a logging town. It was perfectly situated on this straight that leads out to the Pacific Ocean. It is still used today to drive boats out but from what we understand now, most people drive their boats down to the bay and launch from either Ucelet or Trofino. We'll have to do that next trip.
Actually I was in a bad mood right here. I was tired and overstimulated. Funny how having a great wife can turn that around by sitting and talking to me. The kiss didn't hurt either. Sometimes a guy just has to hear that everything is going to be OK and that his wife thinks he is great and loves him. And then the world is back in order and I can turn the page.

Dona found some friends of course and played on a play ground there. Dona makes friends soo easily. No matter where we are.
I could lie and say this picture is also in Port Alberni, but if you have ever been to Victoria and taken the ferry from Seattle you would know this is just a B&B as soon as you get off. Still, pretty cool picture!

Qualicum Falls and Cathedral Hall

This is Axel. I say that so you don't expect a hugely awesome post. When Terah posts, she always does so by doing her homework on the place and giving bits of info I didn't know even when I was there. I usually just say "this is a picture of a tree I saw" And I like ending my sentences with '...' That means I don't want to write anymore and leave the rest to your able imagination...
Vancouver island really is a paradise of beauty. There is life simply everywhere. We met Danny and Linda to primarily find out if the four of us would want to live there, and I think at the end of the trip we all came back with the same answer; yes! One of the days we were there we chose to drive to Port Alberni instead of looking for houses. On the way there I had seen a few sights on Google Earth I thought were worth seeing in person. Qaulicum falls was one. It was just off the main highway and only a little walk to see both falls. The above is one of them.
Linda is a child of the forest like me too. She and I share a special bond with nature and we were both in heaven talking about how wonderful this place was. Even Dona caught a baby garter snake and named her Alice and carried her all around there.

That is the look of pure bliss on my face.

After the falls, if you keep driving towards Port Alberni you come to a 'Cathedral' of Douglas firs. They are some of the oldest and biggest in North America. It was amazing to be standing next to these trees that were old when Colombus was landing. The oldest tree there was over 800 years old. That is right, they were alive when William the Conqueror was doing his thing in Europe (which BTW, Vancouver Island is as large as Britian). You got a real sense of peace in that place. Like it was holy or hallowed ground.

This tree was the biggest and oldest one. It was just amazing to look up on it and see how high it went. 75 meters or about 250 feet straight up of living tissue.

The moss was everywhere and gave the whole place a very 'Middle Earth' feeling. I was looking for gnomes or wood elves everywhere. I saw only one pixie and she was related to me.

Here is a better picture of the pixie...

Honestly this picture is a travesty it is so underwhelming compared to seeing this in real life. Terah and I have this thing we call the 'mental camera'. We 'take mental pictures' of a place so that when we get to heaven and have our house up there we can put these pictures on our wall and actually give a better representation of the feeling and grandeur of God's creations. This place had lots taken by both of us.

Yep, lots of neck straining.
To get to Port Alberni you come over the mountian range and you are there. It is amazing there too. The weather was perfect, and looking at this water knowing it leads right out to the Pacific Ocean was pretty cool too.

The first sights of Port Alberni

The top two pictures are actually from Parksville on the beach. We stopped there to visit and see how cold the water was. It was both beautiful and cold.

Again, Parksville just before we started this trek. Honestly I love this place. I am so hoping we get a house there and can show all the other kids and extended family and friends how really amazing this beautiful place is! You're invited!

Vancouver Island Fun

Our trip to Vancouver Island was a blast. The main purpose for our trip was to feel the vibe of the island and scope out houses. We successfully did both.

I loved the quaint shopping in both Nanaimo and Victoria. The boutiques were to die for.

Sedona got 100% grandparent attention. What is not to love about that?

Our hotel was killer with an awesome view of the Victoria harbor.

The wildlife was just amazing. We were excited about the first deer we saw until we noticed they are like wild cats in Doha. My goodness, there were Bambis everywhere we turned.

The houses were trickier to find. It is hard to decipher what is more important, view, land, or square footage. We came home with a few ideas but no offers made.

The verdict: Vancouver has a sweet laid back Northwestern feel and all the beauty and tailoring of a British garden. It is gorgeous and charming. It just might be a place we decide to buy our summer home so we can escape the heat and sit back and smell the roses!

Butchart Gardens

Butchart Gardens was a highlight for me while we were visiting British Columbia. Not only did I get to see amazing floral and fauna, I got to do it with my awesome parents. It was a dreamy day to frolic in the Queen of Heart's garden. I was just waiting for the cards to come out with their spears. No luck, but we fortunately had Alice as our companion.

My mom in her element

My favorite sassy photo of Sedona not looking very Alice-like.

Even tiny birds perched on little girls' fingers. It was just that enchanted!

Japanese Garden, Axel's favorite

Romance at the sunken garden

It is a must-see garden, and arguably the most beautiful one in the world. If you visit, you must bring an Alice of your own. I enjoyed this one so much I brought her home with me.