Back from vacation

I think I failed at Instagramming my vacation. I took lots of photos but didn't post them all. I didn't post them as they happened either. As the name would imply, Instagram should be instant, right? No excuses, it wasn't like i was out of the country and didn't have constant access to the internet. I just kinda suck at some of these social media platforms.

Oh well, I have Europe next month to get better at it. I'll have to hop around to Starbucks locations for free wifi though.

First part of my trip: Parksville (on Vancouver Island, west of Victoria/Nanaimo) and Will's sister's wedding.

the view from the Black Goose Inn (excellent English pub) // classic English bangers and mash // trying to, I’m on vacation! // getting dolled up for the wedding, lots of eyeshadow and false eyelashes I managed to put on without gluing my eylids together! // wearing the Subcontinent Dress // Stephanie before the wedding // the “altar” at the beach // congrats to the newlyweds // pink wedding footwear

Unfortunately Will was incredibly sick during the trip with some kind of stomach bug so it wasn’t a great trip for him. While he convalesced at his parents’ house, I got some beach time, and a solo pub lunch. I find Parksville pretty boring, but it certainly is pretty.

I’m pretty tan this summer, but I got even more tan at the beach. With my back to the sun most of the time, I managed to get really lovely racerback tank top tan lines. My friend tells me that my shoulders and shoulder blades are so well done, they look like two rump roasts. Shouldn’t they be blade steaks instead?

Island Farms chocolate chip cookie dough ice cream // really scary wall art at the Nanaimo hospital // inside the Black Goose Inn // proper English chips and gravy // Rathtrevor Provincial Park // doggie wants English chips // goats on the roof market at Coombs // Island Farms sea salt caramel ice cream (kiddie scoop!) // single scoop of mint chocolate chip ice cream

After most of the week in Parksville, we spent the last few days in Vancouver.

The views from the ferry between Nanaimo and Vancouver:

Will (recovered by then) went to the Abbotsford Air Show, while I had lunch with a colleague from the Vancouver office of my company and then spent some time walking around downtown.

this water bottle is judging me // I went to a bar method class in Vancouver and nearly died // Cupcake Girls apron // the steam-powered clock in Gastown // dinner at The Flying Pig in Gastown // inukshuk at Sunset Beach, English Bay // laughing life jackets // Ayoub's Dried Fruit & Nuts in the West End // Bella Gelateria salted caramel and chocolate with Malden sea salt gelato (good, but wayyy overpriced)

the view of Stanley Park from Canada Place, Coal Harbour.

It was a good vacation, great weather, nice to see Will’s family, great beach wedding. I’m also tired now and I wish I had another week’s vacation at home to recover from my vacation. I’m also happy to be back home in Toronto, despite hearing people say “why would anyone want to live in Ontario when you could live out here?” I live in Toronto quite happily, thank you very much.

No mountains or ocean, but it’s home and I love it.