Last week Gene, Jessica(our granddaughter) and I went to Nashville. Jessica and I were attending the Lifework 2.0 Seminar on Thursday. Gene was able to find an old high school friend that everyone said they couldn’t find in Franklin. Thursday night we went to downtown Nashville for dinner and a little karaoke. Now we didn’t know anything about any of the bars in downtown. Jessica got on her iphone and read the reviews and chose Lonnie’s Western Room.

There was a really slow start to Friday morning.  The day on Grouse Mountain had taken its toll on my body.  But there are still things to see and do and they include lunch and shopping on Granville Island.  Granville Island was once an industrial manufacturing area, but is now a major tourist destination, providing amenities such as a public market, a large marina, a hotel, the Emily Carr University of Art and Design (named in honor of the artist), various theaters including the Arts Club Theatre Company and Carousel Theatre, and various shopping areas clustered around the one industrial outpost remaining, a cement plant.

I do not like suspension bridges.  Never have, don’t think I ever will.  However, this is part of the deal if you are going to “do” Grouse Mountain.  Sometimes you just have to “suck it up” so you don’t miss life.  We decided to do a 6 hour tour for Grouse Mountain which included a Capilano Salmon  Hatchery, The Skyride, other entertainment and a ride back to Vancouver on the SeaBus.

While browsing through the tourist sites for Vancouver I happened upon the Deeley Motorcycle Exhibition.  Now motorcycles are not my thing but I am not the only person on this vacation.  My husband Gene has been riding motorcycles since he was 14 years old.  He loves the history of motorcycles.  The current exhibition is focused on the rise and fall of the British motorcycle industry.

While in Victoria we watched the Seaplanes coming and going.  We had taken a tour in one several years ago in Coeur d’Alene, Idaho. This just seemed like the smart way to get back to Vancouver. Let’s see, 35 minutes by air, 3-4 hours by bus and ferry.  A no brainer.

This day was all about Butchart Gardens.  Gene and I rented a car for the day and drove out the the gardens.  It was a beautiful, clear day with temps in the mid 60s to low 70s.  We spent several hours taking in the sights, sounds and fragrances of the gardens.  The best description I can offer is in the pictures.

On our way back into town we stopped at Craigdarroch Castle.  There are a few pictures at the end of our photos.  The Castle is undergoing renovation so it was difficult to get really good photos.

It was a perfect day for “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy our photos

This day was all about Butchart Gardens.  Gene and I rented a car for the day and drove out the the gardens.  It was a beautiful, clear day with temps in the mid 60s to low 70s.  We spent several hours taking in the sights, sounds and fragrances of the gardens.  The best description I can offer is in the pictures.

On our way back into town we stopped at Craigdarroch Castle.  There are a few pictures at the end of our photos.  The Castle is undergoing renovation so it was difficult to get really good photos.

It was a perfect day for “The Glamour of the Road”.

Enjoy our photos

Yesterday was a really long travel day.  Once we arrived in Vancouver, we took a bus to the ferry for an 1 1/2 hour ride and then the bus continued on into Victoria.  The ferry ride was great.  This entire area of the northwest is just incredible.  It was late afternoon, clear and sunny and just wonderful.

Each year, Gene and I trek to wherever the I-CAN meeting of amazing kids is being held.  This year it was in St. Petersburg, FL.  It was hot and muggy during the day, but the bay breezes in the evening made eating on the patio of the restaurants along the bay very enjoyable.  St. Pete as the locals call it is what I consider the right-size city.  The locals know each other, there are neat and interesting things to do and it is close enough to the big city if you need an airport or something you can’t get locally.  St. Pete is rich in the arts.  Among other things It is home to the Salvador Dali Museum, which we have previously visited and it is amazing.