Where in the World are Steve and Carol

Day One - Finally - Oh, Canada!

Our last night in California for a couple of months and after dinner at Luis's (only the best Mexican food in Sacramento!) Erin and Vara dropped us off at the airport for an early morning flight.

Our vacation started out in style at O'Dark hundred.. What do you get when you mix

• Instructions to go to the wrong terminal for an international flight, verified by the airline
• A crashed computer system
• One 1/2 mile run carrying 75 pounds on your back
• One "I'm only a contractor, so it's not my problem" attitude
• One husband who wants to kick some butt "RIGHT NOW!"

Our two and half month vacation got off to this auspicious start this morning, but we made it onto our flight with plenty of time to spare (they were closing the door), we were both soaked in sweat, and unfortunately we aren't flying in first class, where the alcohol was free, so Steve settled for hot tea and I had a bloody mary without the vodka.

We made it to "Oh Canada!" with no more problems, dumped our bags at the Holiday Inn Express and told them, "We'll see you tonite" and hit the road.

As many of you know Steve and I are all about the experience of meeting the real culture of anyplace we go. So, we headed off to Tom and Jerry's Restaurant where we ended up talking with the waitress for almost 90 minutes on a range of subjects from what crazies Bushbaby and Dick are to where Steve could find some good dope. We finally left after she ran her fingers through Steve's hair to show us what her boyfriend looked like!

Finally, down to the important stuff, Carol found her first Starbucks and we were off to the races!

We bought an all day travel pass for local transit (this means in Vancouver, planes, trains and buses) and set out to explore the area with some very wonderful Canadian people. Our day took us all over the harbor, to some beautiful old buildings and churches, to the top of the tallest mountain in the area, via a tram, sharing "high tea" with a family of grizzly bears (no shit), an evening of snotty and high class art pukes (in which Carol engineered free dinner and drinks for two), and finally back to our hotel to check in at 9:30 p.m. All in all a very satisfactory first day in which we have kept your promise to you to include stupid people tricks (Steve was amazed that Carol could engineer getting a free dinner and drinks out of the "hoity, toity art people", close animal encounters of the third kind (see attached photos), and thoroughly enjoying the laidback and extremely friendly people here in Vancouver -- we intercepted a City Cop at the ferry terminal and got him to sit down with us and plan out our entire afternoon of sightseeing--and when we said "Thank you so much for your help" he just smiled and said "That's what we are here for."

The people here are so open and friendly and they actually will stop for you if you are in a cross walk (which amazed both of us).

If you would like to see more pictures, take a look at our Google album. Steve has taken some outstanding pictures (as always!)

Tomorrow we are off on the ferry to hit Victoria on Vancouver Island, and Steve is complaining to the high heavens because he has to wear a shirt with a collar and decent shoes to join me for "high tea at the Empress Hotel."

Friday we plan to walk across a suspension bridge that is 200 feet over the raging Frazer River. Then off to Winnipeg to meet Erin's future in-laws via the Canadian National Railroad through the Rocky Mountains.