Vancouver Vacation

I'm back from vacation, and am just getting around to the Blog, nearly a week later.  My husband was home with the kids while I took off for a four-day weekend in Vancouver (first weekend away on my own since the kids were born), both for a Gaelic Football tournament and for fun.  I had a great time with some of the best teammates ever, and was thoroughly happy for the entire visit.

It was great walking around Vancouver, and I also loved getting up early to watch the World Cup matches (Yay Holland!) in the hotel lounge.  It's getting so as I need my Vuvuzela fix in the morning.  Not that I precisely enjoy the sound, but I seem to be missing the drone today as there are no matches.  I can't quite believe just how tall the flowers are in Vancouver, and how many are in bloom that won't be for another month or so here.  I really didn't know that cornflowers got that tall.  

We had a grand time both on and off the pitch, with the Edmonton Wolfe Tones women's team playing three games on Saturday and one on Sunday.  As you can see by the photo of my friend Kim and I, we managed to catch Vancouver on one of its relatively rare sunny days, and ended up with some sunburn (Kim more so than me).  I don't have the match scores yet (I find it hard to keep accurate track while on the pitch), but we did beat Calgary, and that's what counts, right?  I managed to score a point against Calgary, and also one of our goals against Vancouver during our mixed game (Seattle, Edmonton and Calgary against the Vancouver Harps), and I'm feeling more at home on the pitch than I ever have, so I think training is really starting to pay off.  Our team played really well together, and I was totally impressed and inspired by all our ladies who made excellent blocks, saves, points, goals, passes, kicks and all.  The men's team did well as well; I also don't have their scores, but they made it to the finals, even if they didn't win the last match.  If you're wondering what on earth Gaelic Football is, rather than explaining it here, I'll just provide my team's website for reference: http://www.edmontongaa.com/

On Sunday, after the tournament ended, we went out to The Boathouse on English Bay for dinner.  We had a great time, drank wine and sangria, enjoyed the view, and ate delicious food, in my case, a grilled veggie sandwich with goat cheese (below).  It was delicious.  Our waiter was pleasant and entertaining, and he did bring the requested four straws for the pitcher of sangria, as seen being enjoyed below by my teammates Madison and Kim.

It was so nice just to walk around the city without worrying about whether I had everything I needed with me, though it did feel odd to have just a purse and not a purse, diaper bag, snacks, etc. with me.

Kim and I stayed for a couple of extra days to walk around, shop, and otherwise enjoy Vancouver.  I stopped in at Three Bags Full to buy some Sweet Georgia Yarns' sock yarn in Ginger, scored 30% off Malabrigo Lace in Olive, and found some lovely purple-heathered Cascade Eco Wool for a Christmas project.

Granville Island is always fun to shop, and we stopped by the market, popped in to Edie Hats to pick up a new hat for my husband, Roger's chocolates for, well, chocolates, and many other stops, including Maiwa supply to marvel at fibrey goodness (must stop in at my next visit), and to stare at the case of Qiviuk (a very expensive yarn habit that would be) in the corner.  I had to take a picture of the octopus terrine, if for no other reason than to watch my husband recoil in horror on seeing the photo.  I just don't get terrine.

Other than that, we enjoyed a visit to Stanley Park, and a safe if somewhat turbulent (due to thunderstorms) flight back home, where I could present my daughters with their gifts (including chocolate that was gobbled up before breakfast).  I also managed to knit up (on the plane and in the mornings) a set of legwarmers for my eldest, and Canada Day this year really was chilly enough to warrant wearing them for a bit.  It was a great vacation, and I think I might just have to do it all again next year.