2025 Canada
How did this trip come about…. ? In March Sylvia saw a request in the group House Sitting Europe on Facebook from Kristen of Nanaimo BC, where she was looking for a house exchange anywhere in Europe for a couple and their two daughters.
A few e-mails and video calls later both families decided “let's do it for three weeks in July”.
Here are Kristen and Brent (selfie on FB). The observant visitor will recognise the backdrop of Amsterdam. That's right, they went there for a few days after their stay in Hesel.
Because we had to be at the airport at 4:30 AM, we spent the first night of our journey in our motorhome near Bremen. Got up at 3 AM, left the car at Parkos in Stuhr and were on time for our first flight to Frankfurt which was scheduled at 6 AM. However, both this flight and the flight from Frankfurt to Vancouver turned out to be cancelled! This resulted in being rebooked and long waiting times at the airports. We arrived in Nanaimo at 11:15 PM instead of 2:15 PM. An extremely long trip!
The first hop (Bremen-Frankfurt) was carried out by CityJet from Ireland with a Bombardier CRJ1000, on behalf of Lufthansa.
Then a (rather old) Boeing 747 with sagging seats for almost 10 hours.
In Vancouver we adjusted our watches to reception of the North American time signal. Our cellphones adjusted themselves automatically.
"Our" house for the next three weeks. It is beautifully situated, on a fairly steep slope.
The first hop (Bremen-Frankfurt) was carried out by CityJet from Ireland with a Bombardier CRJ1000, on behalf of Lufthansa.
Then a (rather old) Boeing 747 with sagging seats for almost 10 hours.
In Vancouver we adjusted our watches to reception of the North American time signal. Our cellphones adjusted themselves automatically.
"Our" house for the next three weeks. It is beautifully situated, on a fairly steep slope.
The first day was spent meeting Shelby and Norman, the two cats we were pet-sitting, organising our stuff, setting up the radio, shopping and an early night.
Shelby is an enthusiastic little cat, sometimes outgoing and sometimes shy, with a hearty appetite.
Here she is very interested in my radio equipment.
Unfortunately, I was unable to make any connections as VE7/DL1EWS because there was a bad connection in an antenna cable. And the antenna analyser was the only thing I hadn't brought with me.
Norman is much more reserved. But after a few hours, he cautiously peeked around the corner.
Later, he turned out to be very cuddly.
Supermarkets are generally larger than in Europe and offer an incredibly wide selection. However, the quality of fresh vegetables can sometimes be disappointing.
The patriotism in the product range is also striking. Perhaps influenced by President Trump's annexation proposals...?
We had been warned: deer are regular visitors to the garden. That's always fun! It's hard to believe that you're in a residential neighbourhood of a city with a population of around 100,000.
A trip to the museum and the visitor centre in Nanaimo, followed by lunch near the harbour.
Short trip to Neck Point Park, alas without seals.
In the afternoon we visit the Old Quarter of Nanaimo. In Wesley street Sylvia buys a woolly souvenir, a skein died by a woman from Halifax, and gets some information about Cowichan knitting.
In the former railway station are now a few fancy restaurants. The walking tour includes also the former Bell’s telephone exchange (no picture).
It is 27℃ and we visit the Sunday morning Farmers’ Market in Cedar. We try out a
brownie from Michelle Boonstra whose husband’s family is Dutch, followed by some frozen yoghurt ice cream. We also buy two challot, to be frozen until Shabat.
Kohlrabi looks very different here. On the other hand, there are many types of squash.
On the way back we visit the Petroglyph park with replica castings and a few original First Nations rock carvings.
To our surprise Sylvia's brother Paul and his partner Annalies were also in Nanaimo for a few days. We met for lunch at Gabriel’s Café. When we came home, there was a stag at the front door waiting for us.
A trip to Qualicum beach was planned. First stop: Nanoose Bay to have a look at the beach and the adjoining RV site. Nice views but the gravel is not very cosy!
On a whim we decide to first have a look at Cameron Lake. We thought we could park at Chalet Road, as advised by Google, but no …
A little further on, there is a parking area with a path leading to the waterfront. There is even a public toilet.
The water is crystal clear!
Since we are so near, why not include Cathedral Grove? Unfortunately, no free spot at the parking and we are forced to drive on to Port Alberni, 20 km (12 mi) further., where we have lunch.
On the way back we do manage to park and visit the beautiful forest.
Sometimes even centuries-old trees fall down. They form a soil on which trees (and other organisms) flourish again.
Today we visit Qualicum Beach: the beach, the visitor centre, an ice cream on the board walk and the local museum.
Until 1935, a diesel generator like this one supplied the region with electricity.
Another wool shop and a second hand bookshop, where we find a book we have been looking for. Qualicum Beach is a nice and friendly town.
Ernst’s glasses needed a small adjustment. In looking for an optician we discovered that the Woodgrove shopping centre also has a huge shopping mall. Lunch at the food court, very noisy!
On to the famous Goats on the Roof in Coombs to have a late lunch. On the way we visit the Dutch Store with an amazing assortment of goods.
Deer also eat maple leaves.
And of course a barbecue meal is a must during the vacation.
Together with the former and new Mensa VI locsecs Jeff (Nanaimo) and Nicole (Victoria) we visit the Sand Sculptutes exhibition in Parksville and the Parksville beach.
A Sunday afternoon visit to Ladysmith, another nice town with a mining and lumber history.
The local museum has an art gallery on the upper floor.
The historical walk brings us to High Street and an ice cream parlour. Then on to the beach where we just catch the end of the artisan sunday market.
On the way back a short stop at the airport to inform ourselves about the departure procedures.
Around sunset a doe and two fawns visit us.
Lazy day at home. Norman is there to get his cuddle. And then Sylvia walks down to Departure Beach. Ernst comes after her by car for some nearby supermarket shopping.
Snuneymuxw totems
Snuneymuxw totems
On Tuesday the military museum is open! One of the volunteers shows us around. There are a lot of wars Canada participated in of which we had no idea! The museum is very well done.
Not seen in person, but still in the museum: the famous Mountie.
And we already saw these at the visitor centre on Juno Beach two years ago.
Home by 4 PM where we are invited by New Zealand neighbours John and Leona to join them for a drink. First try of cheese with Jalapeño Jelly, which we will later buy to take home.
Since cannabis was legalised in Canada, countless shops have sprung up. A THC+CBD stick turns out to be at least as effective against my PHN as lidocaine ointment.
It goes without saying that a forest fire in such a densely wooded country is disastrous. Apparently, it is necessary to remind the public of this regularly. And yet forest fires still occur.
We take a brisk walk through Roberts Memorial Park to the coast, overlooking Stewart Channel. And back.
At 5 PM our friend Marna will arrive by ferry at Duke Point. We spend the day in Cedar, have lunch at Coco Cafe, visit a new to us Country Grocer supermarket.
Marna has visited Vancouver Island before but not Duncan, so here we go.
A guided walk along 40 (!) totem poles and a lunch in town.
A guided walk along 40 (!) totem poles and a lunch in town.
PouPou Tane Hiira, Pou Karanga (Maori)
An arts and crafts shop where they have the real Cowichan sweaters: very heavy and very high-priced (because a lot of time and material has been used to knit them by hand).
We are referred to the bookshop where they do have one of the two books on Cowichan knitting Sylvia has been looking for.
After a rest at home we go into the centre of Nanaimo for the evening market in Commercial Street and a tasty dinner at The Pantry.
We need to do some shopping for the shabbat meal that Marna will prepare. Nice evening in the garden.
When we want to open the bottle of kiddush wine, we realise that there is no corkscrew to be found. Marna goes to borrow one from the neighbours. She returns with the news that the neighbour has just celebrated four years of sobriety. Fortunately, he still had a corkscrew from before that time to lend us. The cork offered fierce resistance, but eventually gave way.
Day tour to Gabriola Island. By car on the ferry. We first drive around on South and North Road with some stops where possible. Around noon we are at the farmers' market, where we are surprised by a visit from the circus which will perform on the island that night. Sadly we have to go back by ferry before that.
Today are the famous bath tub races! But first a breakfast at Gabriel’s followed by a walk to Matteo Sutton Park. The start is at 11 AM and by 11:02 all boats have disappeared from sight! We take Marna to her ferry at Duke Point, do some last shopping and back home.
Preparing our trip, house cleaning, check-in on-line and a short walk at the Buttertubs Park.
No bear sighted
Last dinner at The Pantry. Choosing from all the delicious options requires some consideration.
Last laundry, saying goodbye to the cats and off to the airport.
But of course we couldn't fly away without tasting the famous Nanaimo bar. Fortunately, they serve it at the airport.
Indigenous woodcarving at Vancouver Airport.
And the last, uneventful, flight from Munich to Bremen, where our van was waiting for us.
Looking back on what impressed us most:
overwhelming nature, very friendly people with a relaxed attitude to life, the general acceptance of credit cards, the easy “keep your lane” driving which we already knew from the US and the ubiquitous recognition of First Nations as the first inhabitants of the area.