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corner-stories · 11 months ago

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when it's dark in a cold decembre (but i've got you to keep me warm)

Jean Kirschtein. Mikasa Ackerman. Kiyomi Azumabito. Holiday Visits. Awkward Family Dinners. Cuddles. Doggies. 4191 words. (ao3.)

Vancouver is a change of pace. Having grown so used to winters in Montreal — or even his hometown of Trois-Rivieres — arriving at YVR to rain instead of snow leaves him confused.

At least Mikasa seems to find amusement in the poor Quebecer getting soaked in the drizzle.

A rapid transit line takes them from the airport to downtown, then an Uber driver takes them the rest of the way. As the vehicle crosses the Lionsgate Bridge, Jean’s eyes are affixed to the window and towards the rainy city outside.

At this time of night, all he can see is artificial lights — buildings with glass exteriors standing amidst the ocean and coniferous trees. It’s just enough to let him see the outline of the mountains. Above it all are clouds in a dark sky.

The car drives deeper into West Vancouver. The houses lining the roads are built with an emphasis on style and aesthetic, most of them looking to have been designed very recently with walls made of stone and glass.

Mikasa had told him that her Auntie was wealthy, and as the car passes by a house with more driveways and outdoor entertaining space to do with, the sentiment rings true.

Soon enough, the car arrives at the destination.

The house Mikasa grew up in differs from the gray homes adorning the streets. When Jean sees it, his eyes go to the vinyl siding and the rugged roof tiles, attributes that make the craftsman home feel like an island in the ocean of stone and glass houses.

Jean hoists his bags over his shoulder as the Uber driver takes off down the street. Mikasa walks from the street to the curb, comfortably taking her boyfriend’s hand as he looks at the house.

“You like?”

Jean nods, unable to take his eyes off the bulbs adorning the eaves. “I like the lights.”

“Auntie likes them, too.” She then squeezes his hand and begins guiding him towards the house.

Jean follows, keeping his eyes on the ground and watching her boots step into the puddles on the pathway. The rain is lighter here than it is at the airport, but it’s still enough for water droplets to collect in his hair.

The two climb up the steps and Jean mentally goes over the backstory Mikasa had given him regarding her aunt. Kiyomi had grown up alongside Mikasa’s mother in Tokyo, and despite being cousins they acted a lot more like sisters. They even moved to Vancouver together to study. They had kept in touch even when Makoto married a local man while Kiyomi moved back to Japan.

It was no surprise that Kiyomi was the one who stepped up after Mikasa’s parents passed, gladly taking the nine-year-old in and giving her shelter in a time where she had none. She even decided to move back to Canada permanently to be near her niece.

Despite coming from wealth, Kiyomi kept herself busy as a tenured professor at a local university. Giving lectures on international relations seemed to be her second priority on top of providing for Mikasa. Academia appeared to run in the Azumabito-Ackerman household.

As Jean keeps reciting the lore in his head, he turns to Mikasa and asks a last-minute question.

“So… is there anything else I should know?” His voice is just slightly tinged with his signature wit. “You know, before the point of no return?”

“Just be yourself,” Mikasa insists as her boots touch the top of the porch. “Besides, you both like sassing me and old school Celine Dion, in her mind you can do no wrong.”

Jean makes a noise that’s in between an awkward laugh and a nervous chuckle. “That’s one way to look at things…”

When the doorbell rings, what immediately follows is the sound of several dogs barking their heads off — one even sounds like a howl. Through the pane of glass in the door Jean can see two fluffy creatures with legs rushing to the door. After they yelp at the door for a few seconds, a person descends the stairs and gestures for said creatures to quiet down.

Unsurprisingly, the act of wagging one’s finger at two rambunctious dogs does nothing to quell their screams.

Nonetheless, the door opens and the pair of tired traveling grad students are greeted to the sight of Mikasa’s Aunt Kiyomi.

As to be expected, the older lady is smiling from ear to ear and immediately steps forward to embrace her niece. Mikasa herself gives a gentle grin as she hugs her Aunt back.

“Mikasa!”

“Auntie.”

Jean gives them their space as they reunite. In the space between the doorframe and the door, he gets a better look into the house, taking note of the wooden floors, the warm lighting, the spotless walls. The whole place is impeccably clean, even with the two dogs running around.

Speaking of which, Jean also gets an eyeful of the canines standing behind Kiyomi — one is a samoyed with the doofiest grin he’s ever seen on a dog, and the other is husky with an abundance of fluffy fur. The husky in particular is letting out dramatic weeping noises as it looks at the visitors at the door.

When aunt and niece separate, Kiyomi sets her eyes on Jean.

“And is this the boyfriend I’ve heard so much about?” she asks. “Jean, right?”

Jean gives a nod and a polite smile. “That’s me.” He reaches out and shakes her hand. “Nice to meet you, Miss Azumabito.”

Kiyomi is a head shorter than both Jean and Mikasa. Like her niece, her hair is dark, but she keeps it neatly combed and tied into a proper bun.

The only woman looks him up and down, seemingly content with finally meeting him in the flesh. She even seems flattered by his formality. “Please, call me Kiyomi. And come in, you two must be soaked.”

Jean and Mikasa enter the home, bringing their luggage with them. He’s only been in Vancouver for an hour and he’s already relieved to get out of the downpour.

As Jean shakes the water out of his hair, Mikasa kneels down to the two dogs of the Azumabito household. She beams sweetly at both the husky and the samoyed, both of which are excited to see her return. The husky in particular is wagging its tail so hard that its rear end is shaking.

Back at McGill, Mikasa had spoken at length about her dogs back at home. Back at their apartment, there’s a photo of both the husky and samoyed as puppies pinned to their refrigerator.

Seeing the dogs in the fluff is significantly more enjoyable than seeing them in photo form. The sweet look of heartfelt joy on Mikasa’s face is also a bonus.

“Yes, yes, I missed you, too,” says Mikasa as the husky kisses her cheek.

Kiyomi immediately proves to be a cordial host. She takes Jean’s jacket without being prompted, hanging it up on a nearby coat rack. She then reaches for the luggage and grabs the first two bags she can find.

“It’s been raining all week,” the older lady says. She takes a pair of backpacks to a nearby closet.

“Has it?” asks Mikasa.

There is an irked, gravelly tone to Kiyomi’s voice as she replies. “Unfortunately.”

Mikasa lets out a hum, which is her way of laughing. “That’s a Vancouver Christmas for you.”

Jean chuckles as he rubs his freezing hands together. Now free from the constraints of his parka, he kneels down to get to Mikasa’s level and looks at the pair of dogs.

“Hey, I’ve heard a lot about you two,” he says, petting the head of the cheery samoyed. “So… which one’s which again?”

Mikasa gestures to the husky lovingly licking her cheek. “This one’s Mochi…” She then points to the white fluff ball. “...and this one’s Miso.”

Jean can’t help but chuckle, a throaty one that makes the corners of his mouth turn up.

Somehow, he’s getting the feeling that he’ll enjoy the holidays here.

…

Dinner is a simple affair, though Kiyomi uses it as an excuse to break out a bottle of red from the cellar. Christmas may be a few days away, but her beloved niece returning home is a good reason to celebrate. She serves dishes that Mikasa has had throughout her childhood, only occasionally having to scold the dogs for putting their paws on the table. Evidently, Mochi absolutely drools in the presence of Kiyomi’s katsudon.

And true to Mikasa’s words, Kiyomi is a fan of old-school Dion, as the singer’s Christmas album proceeds to play on the house stereo.

Jean sits at the table and listens to aunt and niece catching up, taking note of the way Mikasa’s eyes light up as she speaks. Sometimes they’ll slip into Japanese in the middle of the conversation, only exchanging a few brief sentences before returning to English. It happens so smoothly that Jean can tell it’s just one of those habits the two share.

And suddenly, he now knows how Mikasa feels when he switches into French with other francophones in front of her.

A part of him is hesitant to chime in, as the flow of the conversation feels so fast. He’s also worried that he might spoil the joy of the reunion.

So he spends the time petting Miso under the table while Mochi tries to steal some bites of okonomiyaki. At least the samoyed has begun taking a liking to him.

Mikasa recalls to her Aunt Kiyomi exactly how she and Jean met. The story involved a social gathering for McGill grad students, as well as alcohol and a karaoke machine. Sometimes Jean thinks about how different things would have been had Mikasa not spilled wine on his shirt at the start of the party — he would have probably spent the night drunk singing instead of watching her trying to fruitlessly clean his clothes in the bathroom.

Considering how many of his colleagues at the School of Architecture were attending the party, Mikasa had most likely saved his reputation before he even had one to destroy.

Mikasa is in the midst of explaining her thesis to Kiyomi, detailing how she made the choice to specialize in plant pathology. Recently, she’s been studying a virus that has only been affecting flowers that thrive in cold weather.

Jean loves it when she gets like this, so wrapped up in explaining her work that she’s talking more than she usually does. Truth be told, he can’t comprehend enough botanical science to truly understand what she’s talking about, but the fact that she can talk about trees and flowers like an artist talks about the Sistine Chapel is enough for him. Seeing the way she lights up as she talks about what she’s dedicating her life to is all he’ll ever need.

Plus, Mikasa always seems tuned in when he goes on and on about architecture mumbo jumbo, even the stuff that he knows for a fact will bore people to tears. (“No one cares about the history of the pillar,” Sasha’s voice echoes in his head.) The least he can do is be an attentive boyfriend.

“It’s nice to know that all those years away from home have done you good,” Kiyomi says, pouring herself a little more wine.

“It has,” Mikasa assures. She then looks down and sees Mochi resting his chin on her lap with a loving look in his eyes.“But I can never stay away for too long…”

Kiyomi looks amused. “Have you ever considered getting a dog?”

“We have,” Jean finally speaks up. It’s telling of him that the one topic he’s more comfortable chining in on is pets. “But it’d be a hassle while we’re both still in school.”

Nonetheless, Kiyomi looks interested and listens intently.

“We did dogsit for our friend Historia once — she’s got a terrier mix, we watched it for about a week,” Jean continues, then lets out a chuckle. “The poor guy would weep every time we crated him for the night, wouldn’t sleep unless he was in the bed with us.”

Mikasa lets out a polite hum, reliving the memories of the two stressed grad students trying to curb a terrier’s energy inside their apartment. At least the little one was calm once he was allowed to sleep in the realm of the humans.

“And our bedroom still has some of Donut’s dog hair in it,” Mikasa adds.

Kiyomi spends a moment politely laughing along.

“Oh, speaking of which,” the older lady starts, eyeing the man currently petting the samoyed under the table. “Jean, I prepared the guest bedroom for you.”

It does not take long for both Jean and Mikasa to understand the implications. Jean is suddenly plunged into a mix of embarrassment and confusion, a sensation that makes him pick up the fidgety mannerisms of a twelve-year-old boy.

“Ah… thank you?” is all he can muster. Awkwardly, he scratches the back of his neck.

Meanwhile, Mikasa’s sweet smile disappears from her pretty face and in its place is a glare directed at the hostess.

“Auntie, I was under the impression that my room would be available for us,” she asks in a tone that’s the slightest bit stilted, perhaps to cover up her clear agitation.

“Oh, certainly, Dear, it’s available for you,” Kiyomi explains simply. The way she says ‘dear’ is both motherly and condescending. “I’ve cleaned it and everything.”

Mikasa starts to look more and more frustrated with every passing second. “I meant for both of us.”

“Not in my house.” Kiyomi then reaches for the bottle in the middle of the table like nothing is wrong. “More wine, anyone?”

Then just like before, Mikasa and Kiyomi slip into a tongue that’s foreign to Jean's ears. This time, instead of speaking Japanese for a sentence or two, the two engage into what can respectfully be referred to as a “passive aggressive debate.”

Jean hasn’t learned enough Japanese to discern exactly what the two are saying, but the subject matter is enough to bring a blush to his cheeks. He didn’t anticipate that the concept of he and Mikasa sharing a room — despite sharing so much more back in their apartment in Montreal — would be such a hot topic in the Azumabito household. Apparently, Kiyomi had put a lot of thought into making sure that her niece and her niece’s boyfriend didn’t get too close.

Mikasa’s tone is composed, focused, the one she uses when she has to babysit freshmen undergrads all day. Yet it is laced with just enough persistence to prove that she’s not backing down without a fight. On the other hand, Kiyomi remains placid as she explains her point, continuing to act like there’s nothing wrong with her silly little rule.

Suddenly, Jean’s wondering why he passed up on his mother’s offer to spend the holidays with her in Montpellier.

To quell the uncomfortable knot forming in his stomach, Jean begins petting another dog — Mochi this time — and reaches for the bottle of red.

“Some wine sounds nice, actually.”

…

Once dinner and the debate is over, the two jet-lagged grad students decide to retire for the night. It’s only 9 o’clock but it feels so much later than that.

The outcome of the conversation has caused Jean to unpack his luggage in the basement guest room, whereas Mikasa is forced to do the same on the top floor.

The last time Mikasa had stayed in her childhood bedroom, she was taking a break before heading onto grad school. She can remember the months she spent preparing to move across the country for a second time — the tables she waited to earn extra cash, the lessons she spent with a tutor to get a better grasp on French. Montreal was going to be a whole new beast compared to Toronto — where she had completed her undergrad — and every reminder of that was a sign that she needed to prepare.

That era of her life was roughly two years ago, yet Mikasa feels like it’s a millenia away.

Despite Kiyomi’s rule regarding her niece and her niece’s significant other, at least the bedroom is clean and cozy. Although the pictures and art on the wall have been removed, the sheets are clean and the blankets are soft, more than enough to help Mikasa survive the night.

So alone in her room, Mikasa lies on a bed and reads a book, her usual habit whenever she needs to fall asleep. With the sound of rain hitting the roof and the two dogs napping at the foot of her bed, she almost feels like she’s in high school again, preferring to spend hours in her room just snuggling with Mochi and Miso.

As Mikasa turns the page, she hears a light knock. Mochi immediately lifts his head from the cushions and watches the door open. Jean peaks in with a playful, almost boyish look on his face, knowing well that what he’s doing is a little mischievous.

He steps into the room calmly, having changed from his traveling clothes to something a lot more comfortable. He’s wearing a pair of pyjama pants that Mikasa bought for him on a whim, as well as a flannel shirt that he’s buttoned sparingly. His hair is damp from a shower, ashy brown locks draping messily over his face. The stubble on his jawline and chin looks a bit thicker, more like a short beard.

Knowing Jean, Mikasa wonders if he’s trying to entice her, as he knows exactly what she thinks when she sees him looking so disheveled.

“What are you reading?” he asks, stepping barefoot into her room. He sits on the edge of her bed and starts petting Miso, who predictably reacts with a doofy grin.

Mikasa looks away from her book. “One of Sasha’s romance novels — she lent it to me.”

Jean catches sight of the muscular man on the cover and raises an eyebrow. “Sasha reads romance?”

“When she can,” Mikasa answers. “Vet school’s been taking up a lot of her time.”

There is a beat — Mikasa continues reading and Jean continues petting the dog on the bed. He then notices something that brings a smile to his face.

“You’re wearing my shirt.”

Mikasa is nonplussed as she turns a page. “I know.”

Nowadays, Jean’s green button-front shirt finds itself in Mikasa’s care more often than his. He doesn’t seem to mind though.

Mikasa changes the subject with ease. She looks up and affixes her gaze to his. “How’s the guest room? Cozy?”

“It is.” He nods his head, then his voice goes warm. “Not as cozy as this though.”

Mikasa is quick to close her book and give him a knowing look. “Don’t get any ideas. I wouldn’t want Kiyomi to toss you onto the street.”

Jean puts his hands up in mock defeat. “Trust me, I wouldn’t want that either.”

Putting her novel away, she straightens her back and sits up. “I’m sorry you had to see the argument.”

“It’s fine,” Jean shrugs. At least he’s good at taking things in stride. “What’s the holidays without some family bickering, huh?”

Mikasa lets out a sigh and looks down. “Unfortunately.”

In hindsight, attempting to argue with Kiyomi in Japanese was somewhat pointless, as Jean most likely knew that they were talking about thanks to their mannerisms. Some things in the world are just made to transcend language barriers.

“But hey, I don’t wanna rock the boat.” He’s trying to keep a positive undertone to his voice. “I just wanted to say goodnight.”

He moves on the bed a bit to sit next to her, gently cupping her face with his hand and pressing a kiss to her forehead. Mikasa closes her eyes and lets the gesture send a warm sensation throughout her entire body. The unease she had dealt with at dinner starts to fade away.

With his palms still touching her cheeks, Jean presses a kiss to her lips. It’s gentle, sweet, and makes her want him to stay.

She puts her hands on his as they remain on her face, gently deepening their kiss as her forehead brushes against his. He’s warm, so warm.

Mikasa’s hands trail down to Jean’s shoulders, then to his chest — her thumbs start hooking into the hems of his shirt.

But before anything more can happen, Jean pulls away. She can see the flustered look on his face as his breathing goes unsteady.

“I should go,” he insists, quickly buttoning up his shirt.

Sensing the urgency Mikasa nods along. She then remembers that Kiyomi is still awake and currently relaxing one floor beneath them.

Also, if they are to engage in any intimacy during the stay, she would rather do it without the dogs in the room.

Jean takes her hand and kisses it, a last gesture before he leaves.

“See you in the morning, mon amour.”

And when everything said is done, he leaves. Standing from the bed, he gives the dogs some last pets before walking out of the bedroom. He makes sure to give Mikasa one last assuring look before he is truly gone.

Once the door is closed, Mikasa takes in a breath and rubs her face. Her palms are sweating. When she opens her eyes she is greeted to the sight of Mochi and Miso staring at her with their unblinking gazes.

Her first instinct is to glare back. “Don’t judge me, I’ve seen you two dig up a hornet’s nest.”

…

It’s 5AM when Mikasa wakes. The room is warm and so is the bed, yet when she reaches to the other side to only feel nothing it might as well be cold as ice.

After opening her eyes, she spends a few moments staring at the ceiling and thinking about how tired she is. She may be on vacation, but parts of her are still in grad student mode. Her body has yet to comprehend that she’s not going to spend the day TAing or going over research notes.

When Mikasa gets up, she notices that the dogs are no longer sleeping at the foot of her bed. With the bedroom door ajar, she surmises that Mochi and Miso have transitioned to sleeping in Kiyomi’s bed, as per usual.

Being jet-lagged, Mikasa feels awake, but the kind of awake where one can either function for the day or go for a few more hours of slumber. She contemplates going for an early morning run to ease her nerves, then looks to the window to find that last night’s downpour has intensified.

Vancouver is always rainy, but the kind of rain that makes it impossible to go outside feels truly constricting.

Then an idea pops into Mikasa’s head, one attached to consequences but possible enough to pull off. She has to be careful though, so as quietly as she can she slips out of bed and steps onto the floor.

The carpets dampen the noise of her footfalls as she makes her way through the hallway. When she sees Kiyomi’s bedroom door slightly ajar, she takes in the sight of her Auntie sleeping in between the world’s fluffiest dogs. Smartly, she makes sure to close the door.

Mikasa descends the stairs to the first floor, moving past the furniture and framed photographs before approaching the basement entrance. The lower portion of the house is as cozy as the rest and when she arrives at the bedroom at the end of the hall she slips in without any hesitation. She makes sure to lock the door behind her.

The guest room is warm, Jean’s belongings are scattered about. On a nearby chair is the shirt he had been wearing in her room and on the desk is one of his sketchbooks — he’s quite fond of traveling with at least one. The open page is filled with doodles of Mochi and Miso.

Jean is fast asleep on the bed, bare-chested and breathing gently. His eyes are closed and his hair is strewn in every direction.

Mikasa doesn’t waste any more time. She slips under the sheets, her body easily finding his, and begins peppering kisses against his shoulder.

With the sweetest touch, she trails her lips up his neck and onto his jaw. His stubble is soft and tickles her face. He lets out a hum, as he’s used to being woken up like this. His eyes are still closed as he shifts slightly, letting Mikasa easily pry herself under his arm. Soon she rests her head on his chest, where she always likes to be. He’s warm, warmer than her room upstairs.

With all his strength, Jean manages to open his eyes just enough to see his girlfriend snuggling against him. The room is dark, but she can still see the sleepy smile on his beautiful face.

“Couldn’t stay away?”

“Not a bit.”

Mikasa relaxes into him, letting his heartbeat become a gentle lullaby. In the sheets his hand finds hers and holds it tight, one of her legs hooking around his. She is content to drift off to sleep just like this.

She’ll deal with the consequences later.

#Jeankasa #Jeanmika #jean kirstein #mikasa ackerman #jean kirschtein #kiyomi azumabito #modern au #grad student au #snk #jkholidaysspecial2023 #jkholidaysspecial

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katblu42 · 1 year ago

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Day 10 - Vancouver

Officially today is the first day of an organised tour . . . so I had to change hotels (because this one is included in the package).

Checked out of the awesome place I spent the last 2 nights, lugged my suitcase down the street and was all checked into the new place by midday.

It wasn't far . . .

That building there is where I was staying. I can see it from the room I have for tonight!

I moved from being across the street from the Vancouver Public Library (Central Branch), to across the street from BC stadium.

I only did a little exploring today - the Vancouver Lookout observation tower being the first.

It has a glass-fronted elevator, so that as you ride up (and down) you can see out at the city. It's kind of trippy!

The tower gives good views of the city and surrounding mountains in all directions.

I liked the Sun Tower building and the Dominion Building (the red one in front). The goldy coloured one between them also has a name, but I've forgotten it because it's info plaque was no where near this view! A lot of the info plaques, and their little maps were not placed in relation to the view! It confused me, and many others while we were there.

The Queen Elizabeth was in town, berthed beside Canada Place.

Across the tops of the buildings is the view of Stanley Park, and over the Lions Gate Bridge to West Vancouver and the mountains beyond.

Once I'd done my 360degrees, it was back down in the elevator with a view, and down the street a bit to the Gastown Steam Clock.

Can't upload more than one video! There is a second one - I'll try adding it to a reblog.

I wanted to get a video of the clock chiming the quarter hour so you could hear the wonderful sound of the steam whistle . . . but I missed it!

Anyway - I did head back to the hotel after that to try and get an early night because I have a super early start in the morning. We will not talk about the fact it's midnight and I have to be up at 5:30am!

#my big north america adventure #day 10 #vancouver lookout observation tower #vancouver #gastown steam clock

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dg-outlaw · 11 months ago

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All About River City

This post is for anyone interested in knowing more about River City and/or why I chose it as the setting for my latest and last story in my "A Few Sparks Before The Fire" JaySteph fanfic series. *Spoiler Free*

Why River City?

I wanted this story, and Jason and Steph’s case, to be outside of Gotham so I could isolate them and build on their romance away from the rest of the Batfam. I also wanted to find a city without a lot of canon content so I could play a bit with worldbuilding as I’d like to write a non-fanfic story someday. When looking up various cities in the DC universe I came across River City and noticed it fit my criteria for a somewhat blank canvas. Outside it being the home base for a minor character from back in the day, Odd Man, and a one-time random meeting spot for a Jimmy Olsen storyline, it seemed like a great sandbox to play in. It also has connections to Gotham as an older version of Odd Man and his daughter, Debbie Stoner, are involved in the Mother Panic comic.

Where is River City?

Based on the connections mentioned above I assumed it was close to Gotham, relatively speaking, but in the Jimmy Olsen comic he mentions it taking him all day to get there. In this regard I decided to go with headcanon and say it’s somewhere between Gotham and Metropolis (and if it took Jimmy all day, then maybe he took the bus and the bus broke down somewhere along the way or his flight had lots of connections and delays). Trenton, New Jersey is the approximate distance marker I’ve used in the story, since it’s near the Delaware River (a “river city”) and would be somewhere between Gotham and Metropolis if we’re saying Gotham is in southern New Jersey and Metropolis is near NYC (though I know it’s previously been in Delaware).

So is River City a fictional Trenton, NJ?

No. River City is not a substitute for Trenton as that’s just one reference I’ve used. I’ve also referenced bits and pieces of other nearby cities like Philadelphia and New Brunswick, NJ. Most of my references are for climate, architecture, and imagery for my own creative musing as well as the promo postcard image for the story along with a few other things. Basically, River City is its own fictional place and that’s why I picked it as it can be whatever I make it while still having a general base as a small city on the east coast.

Who are the characters in River City?

For the sake of the mystery I’ve created a bunch of OCs, though there are a few easter eggs for known DC characters connected to River City. Anyone else not from canon is completely made up. Maybe they’re suspects, friends, allies, enemies, all or none of the above. Again, this is me stretching my creative and worldbuilding legs. Also, any names, likenesses, etc. not associated with DC comics are completely made up and not in reference to anyone living or dead. So my apologies if a name pops up and it’s your name or someone you know. They’re random and I tried to come up with unique names and names that immediately don’t pop-up as someone famous or well-known in a Google search.

What’s River City like? Is it more like Gotham, Metropolis, or someplace else?

You’ll just have to read and see. What I will say is that I wanted it to feel a bit cozy. It’s not as big as Gotham or Metropolis, thus no real superheroes in town, but I wanted it to feel big enough to be spread out. One reference that is often in my brain is Central City from the CW series ‘The Flash’. Minus whatever opinions of the show one might have, I really liked the cozy feel of what was created on that show, especially Joe West’s house and later Barry and Iris’s apartment in the city. So yeah, that’s the vibe. Also, I know a lot of that show was filmed in Vancouver (on the other side of North America), but hey… vibes.

Will there be more fics set in River City?

At this point, I don’t know. I don’t have any real plans for revisiting River City, except for one, but that’s a bit of a spoiler for a future series. As mentioned above, River City is me having fun doing some worldbuilding and playing around with Jason and Steph in a new place for the holidays.

Any other questions I missed or that you have on your mind?

Just drop me an ‘Ask’ I’ll see what I can and can’t answer… either because it’s a spoiler or I really don’t know.

#jaysteph #my fanfiction #worldbuilding #river city

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kxantares · 2 years ago

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In which I SkyTrain-post about: the Dunsmuir Tunnel.

Or, actually, why the SkyTrain network as a whole feels like a goofy little toy train, while also being a really cool example of quirky '80s technology being pushed right to its absolute limits. But first, some context is useful — specifically, the urban freeway plan for Vancouver, which, unlike many cities in North America, was largely aborted.

↑↑↑ This is what they wanted to do to part of the City of Vancouver…

…and this is the overarching plan that was mostly defeated by an organised left in Vancouver. (The few areas that weren't saved, well, those deserve their own posts.) So, with a massive freeway plan being shot down for the city centre, what was the plan going to be for transit? Well, after some amount of messing around with express buses throughout the '70s on the part of the regional transit network, which was operated by BC Hydro before BC Transit took it over… …Vancouver got chosen to host Expo 86. Which was themed around transportation, being named "Transportation and Communication: World in Motion — World in Touch".

Which meant: well shit, maybe now's a good time to make up for having dodged the whole highway bullet. However, using a normal heavy rail network, on entirely new infrastructure, with human drivers, was untenable, because: I guess I need to introduce the Socreds.

I'm not going to get into the ideology of social credit, which the Socreds never actually ended up being able to give effect to, or the somewhat unusual conservatism of WAC Bennett's long administration, but effectively, by the early '80s, the Socreds had pivoted to plain old neoliberalism, which meant: cutting costs all over and also keeping unions out of whatever they could. (As an aside, if you've ever got the time, read about the Solidarity protests of 1983 in BC, because the sheer intensity of the Bill Bennett administration's fuckery on that front is a pretty clear demonstration of shock doctrine.) And yes, if you're keeping track, that's William Bennett for 20 years → 3 years of not William &c. → Bill Bennett for 11 years → Wilhelmus Vander Zalm for 5 years. Lots of William happening. And all of those assorted Williams were Socred Premiers. But how do you cut costs and also keep unions away from a brand new metro system? Well, Urban Transit Development Corporation, a Crown Corporation (basically a state-owned enterprise, but Canadian) in Ontario had an idea:

A tiny train. But it runs frequently. It's also automated, and uses a linear induction motor for propulsion. That's kinda critical to the fact that the SkyTrain works whatsoever, really, given other constraints I'm about to get into. And what else can one do to save costs on a rail system?

Reuse old alignments, like the Central Park Line of the British Columbia Electric Railway.

But what saves even more money?

Reusing old infrastructure. Basically, until just a few years before the SkyTrain started operation, Canadian Pacific ran long-distance trains, all the way out to Toronto (and sometimes further), through the Dunsmuir Tunnel from Waterfront Station, which is now the "main" hub for TransLink, linking the SeaBus, Expo Line, West Coast Express. Canada Line, and many bus routes. But that got shut down, to make way for literally slicing the Tunnel in half height-wise — and thus letting two tracks use the same tunnel, which was built tall enough for old steam trains. Which means: you've got trains constrained to a fairly tiny loading gauge, which, sure, maybe you'd want to build longer platforms to compensate for that, but:

No. Hence automation. For example, try to find a precise timetable for the Expo Line anywhere on the Internet, without screwing around with APIs or whatever. You can't, last I checked. The design philosophy resulting from the "let's spend as little as goddamn possible while still having a grade separated rapid transit system" approach means that, well, we've got trains so tiny in loading gauge terms that you can fit two in a barely modified single-track rail tunnel, which are barely even 80m long, which still could carry 25,700 people per hour per direction, solely thanks to completely absurd frequencies. Like, TransLink deserves to be yelled at over the lack of redundancy in such a critical transportation backbone, and the provincial governments that they rely on for funding deserve it even more, but it's. Well. Kinda interesting how the most ridiculous possible political pressures resulted in, like, a fairly functional transit system, via the weirdest specifications possible. However, this is also why, not even 40 years after the Expo Line opened for regular service, it's already close to its limits. They were far too cautious and non-ambitious in their design for the system, chasing ideologies of Fiscal Responsibility™ instead of future-proofing, and now we've got transit infrastructure that's going to require redundancy to the tune of an entire extra metro line in the northwest/southeast direction eventually, even if other connections should be able to pick up the slack in the medium term.

#transit #transportation #public transit #numtot #Vancouver #Metro Vancouver #SkyTrain #Dunsmuir Tunnel #Social Credit Party (British Columbia)#socreds #Wacky Bennett #Downtown Vancouver #Expo 86 #urban planning #longpost

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sidewalkstamps · 1 year ago

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E. Schelling Contractor (Photo taken by Scott Fajack on March 27, 2023 at Valentine St. near Cerro Gordo St. in the Elysian Heights neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA)

In 1909, Schelling was awarded the contract for improving "Manzanita St," including grading and graveling, cement curb, and cement gutter, vitrified block gutter; at the same time he was also awarded the contract for a portion of Cerro Gordo St. so that may be this sighting. In the same year, he submitted a bed for constructing Section 3 of South Los Angeles Main Sewer (Southwest Contractor and Manufacturer, Volume 3, Engineers and Architects Association of Southern California, 1909)!

In 1916, Schelling "abandoned the contract before full performance thereof" for the construction of a street improvement in Vancouver (The Pacific Reporter, Volume 154, West Publishing Company, 1916). How scandalous!

In the same year, he was noted as being in Burbank, CA, where he was awarded the contract for improving Glendale avenue in Glendale, between First street and Verdugo road (Contractor, Volume 23, McGraw Publishing Company, 1916).

By the following year, E. Schelling was located at 4316 South Figueroa street in the South Figueroa Corridor neighborhood of Los Angeles, CA. Almost all the info I found was in 1917, so get ready for a lot from Southwest Builder and Contractor, Volume 50 (F. W. Dodge Company, 1917).

He submitted bids to the Los Angeles "board of public works for grading and oiling Burns avenue between Virgil and Vermont avenues" including "grading to finished surface," ...cultivating, tamping, and oiling, ... Class A cement curb, ... cement walk, ... (and) concrete gutter;" "for constructing cement curbs and sidewalks on Echo Park avenue between Vestal avenue and Donaldson street;" "for the improvement of Effie street between Micheltorena street and Maltman avenue" including "rough grading, … finish grade and oil, … curb, …side walk, …concrete gutter, … (and) storm drain;" "for improving Myra street from santa Monica boulevard to Hoover street" including bitulithic paving including grading, rough grading to grade, finishing grading, oiling and rolling, cement curb, cement sidewalk, concrete gutter, storm drain, and remodeling sanitary sewer manhole; for "improving Bates avenue from Effie street to Sunset boulevard," including asphalt paving, rough grading, finishing grade and oil, curb, sidewalk, concrete gutter, brick gutter, and storm drain; "for grading and oiling Eagle street between Ezra street and Concord street" including rough grading, finish grade and oil, curb, sidewalk, and concrete gutter; "for rough grading and grading to finish grade at Lemoyne and Baxter streets;" "for grading and oiling and constructing cement curbs, sidewalks and gutters on Grafton street between Lucretia avenue and Lemoyne street;" "for grading an oiling and constructing cement curb, sidewalk and gutter and storm drain in Preston avenue between Husted street and Avalon street;" "for grading and oiling and constructing concrete pavement, cement curb, sidewalk and gutter in Twenty-fifth street between Nevin and Compton avenues." He pretty much seems to have done most of Echo Park!

He submitted a bid "for constructing a concrete retaining wall 1185 ft. long on south side of Brooklyn avenue east of Evergreen avenue."

In 1918, Schelling was still on Figueroa and was awarded the "contract for grading and oiling Preston Ave." and "for the improvement of Myra St. between Santa Monica Blvd. and Hoover St.," which had been submitted in the year prior (Engineering and Contracting: Buildings, General Contracting, Structures and Civil Engineering, Volume 49, Myron C. Clark Publishing Company, 1918).

In October of 1920, Schelling had a $20k "paving and sidewalk contract in a new sub-division in the north part of Los Angeles near Eagle Rock." In November of 1920, Schelling was listed as being located in Venice and being "low bidder of improvements on the South Mountain Road near Santa Paula, Ventura County." Plus, Russel and Whitney noted that "Mr. Schelling has been very busy of late and is very anxious to start his new 30-B Bucyrus shovel which was recently shipped to him" (Russell, I.T. and C. W. Whitney. "Notes from the Pacific Coast," Excavating Contractor, Volumes 13-14, A.B. Morse Company, 1916). [Obviously Google Books is wrong here because the edition is from 1920, so the volume cannot be from 1916.]

The only E. Schelling I found in the Los Angeles area around this time who seems to have something to do with the contractor business is Eugene Schelling. According to the 1940 Census, Eugene was born in 1882 in Switzerland and lived at 920 S Fremont in Los Angeles, California. That is not currently an address. I am guessing it was taken out by the 110 freeway. He died in 1951 and is buried at Angelus Rosedale Cemetery in L.A. (Find a Grave). However, knowing all this, I was able to confirm that Eugene is our E. Schelling, as per the 1917 Los Angeles City Directory, Eugene Schilling or Schelling or Shilling was located at 4316 S. Figueroa and was a contractor (Los Angeles Directory Co., accessed via the Los Angeles Public Library's Historic City and Business & Phone Directories Collection).

This led me to find a bigger job that Eugene did with an Oscar Schelling. ("Road Construction with a Diesel Oil Dragline: California Contractor Handles a Fill Along the Pacific Coast with Remarkably Low Fuel Cost." Contractors and Engineers Monthly, Volume 6, pg. 73, Buttenheim-Dix Publishing Corporation, 1923). For a contract that H.H. Peterson had, Eugene and Oscar did the earth-moving work.

In the 1940 Census, Oscar Schelling, also born in Switzerland around 1877, lived at 427 Orange Grove in Glendale, CA with the Groshong family. He was a graduate of the "scientific course" at Los Angeles High School (Annual Report, Board of Education of the City of Los Angeles, 1897). In 1910, Oscar had a patent for a grapple (?) with A. A. Phillips ("Gas-Appliance Patents," The Natural Gas Journal, Volume 4, Periodicals Publishing Company, 1910). I don't yet know his relationship to Eugene but perhaps they were brothers?

Oscar was also in the construction business. He had a contract for a highway in Seal Beach, California, in which he used a 30-B Bucyrus dragline excavator driving with a Diesel oil engine as pictured here (pg. 122, April 1923, "Pacific Coast News," Excavating Engineer, Volumes 16-17, A.B. Morse Company, 1922). The day shift included Harvey Kramer as engineer and Arthur Schelling (also of unknown relation) as oiler; the night shift had Frank Mayes as engineer and Sam Viluda as oiler (Birkhead P.H., "Pacific Coast News," Excavating Engineer, Volumes 16-17, A.B. Morse Company, 1922).

#contractor stamp #sidewalk #los angeles #sidewalk stamp

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sentinelmania · 2 years ago

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I did some snapshots of the building of google earth of the fictional city of Cascade aka Vancouver. :-)

As Mab pointed out, the Pizza joint existed back then and Colettes Frocks. At the corner is a cafe-bakery.

A lot of trees grew since then. And I have to look out for it, but I think the other side of the street was a open green area, a meadow. But not it has residential buildings. The street west side is full of nice residential buildings now.

What I didn’t remember, how close the docks and pier of Vancouver harbour are, just the next block down.

Google allows streetview, so you can have a drive by in that street.

109 W 1st St, North Vancouver, BC V7M 1B1, Kanada

#the sentinel tv show #the sentinel #Jim/Blair #JimBlair #Jim and Blair's home in Cascade

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rikaklassen · 2 years ago

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Meet Zarya!

Content Warnings: dogs, climate grief, COVID mismanagements

Was on the fence about taking in another animal due to climate catastrophe and COVID travel restrictions, then pondered about adopting a heeler.

Originally was going to adopt a red heeler named Lady thirteen years ago. At the time Vancouver transit only allowed dogs which could fit into crates under seats. (Rule now has changed so the crate must sit on the person's lap, sadly!) Revisited the abandoned plan (from 6 - 7 years ago) of thru-hiking the Great Divide Trail (and Norge på Langs!). Maybe a bit of packrafting [video] and bikepacking [video]. Then decided having a partner for the GDT would be awesome. A friend offered a Norrbottenspets pup, but then someone close to me, who is a Golden Retriever aficionado, said something one night. Paused.

Asked a few friends of a mutual about waiting lists for working-line Golden Retrievers. Their dogs tend to have a lighter frame. A month or two later, found a year-old blue heeler named Bit in need of a new home. Friendly with horses and cats. Perfect. Waited for permission from bestie.

Found out a lot of working dogs are not built for putting on mileage. Meandered around on trying to find distance-bred strains: kelpies, Alaskan sled-dogs, racing Siberian sled-dogs, hunting laikas etc. One of my favourite scene [video] from Happy People: A Year in the Taiga, where Anatoly's dog ran alongside the snowmobile for 150 kilometres. Fell down a YouTube rabbit-hole [video].

Missed my old pal Pavel, the West Siberian Laika, terribly. Even though Pavel was fiercely independent and would never be a trainer's dog, he always knew what to do in every situation and could be trusted to make his own choices. That dog had rock-solid judgement calls. He taught me a lot about building trust and developing deep mutual friendship. But then the same friend who offered the Norrbottenspets found a WSL litter! Now there is a new pup named Zarya. Her name was previously Bella. Check out Zarya's Tumblr! She is also present on Instagram, TikTok and YouTube!

If you wish to help out with Zarya, please feel free to contribute to the puppy fund on PayPal!

#West Siberian Laika #WSL #new puppy #new dog #crag dog #hiking dog #dogpacking #bikepacking #packrafting #long distance backpacking #long distance hiking #thru hiking

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stanstanchev · 4 months ago

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Vancouver Builders Developers Tear Down Properties

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allthecanadianpolitics · 3 months ago

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The province has given the District of West Vancouver an ultimatum over housing densification. The B.C. government says the community must pass bylaws within a month to allow multi-unit buildings on single-family and duplex lots. If the district doesn't comply, the province says it will make the change itself. "We're dealing with a housing crisis, and far too many people are struggling to find available housing in our communities," said Ravi Kahlon, B.C.'s housing minister. Introduced in November, Bill 44 requires B.C. municipalities to rezone in order to increase small-scale, multi-unit housing. The province set a June 30 deadline for communities with at least 5,000 residents to change zoning rules to allow for up to four units to be built on single-family or duplex lots and up to six units on those near transit hubs.

Tagging: @newsfromstolenland

#housing crisis #infrastructure #housing #vancouver bc #british columbia #cdnpoli #canadian politics #canadian news #canada

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kalihaze604 · 10 months ago

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reincarnation

I always believed in reincarnation before I even really knew what it meant. At age 7, as a form of punishment from a babysitter sick of dealing with a bunch of nasty kids, she sent us all to “Vacation Bible Camp” which was literally like Bible School at the local Church and church related activities all week as some sort of an attempt to teach us to stop being so mean to each other. My sister was getting bullied by other kids there, and it was the Christian Missionary babysitter’s way of staging an intervention of sorts in the only way she knew how. I was raised without religion other than my grandparents giving me a kids version of the bible, my parents attempting to drag me to church on Christmas once so I could see how other folks celebrated, and then this vacation bible camp. At the end of the week we were told to “go into the chapel and pray to god” and silly little me—— I was like “hey God, when I die, I wanna be reincarnated as a cat in my next lifetime!” Because I LOVED cats and one of my favourite things to do was going over to my friend’s family farm and spending time with the countless barn cats and their kittens. even before I even knew what would entail, like the fact that I would have to karmically fuck up perhaps to have a lower birth order in my soul’s next lifetime? Or would that mean that cats are the gods the Egytians worshipped them as? And that they should be treated as such by society? Hmm interesting way of looking at it two ways? I tell my cat that he is my Angel all the time?

anyways back on topic to the two photos. The first photo on the left is Al Hubbard, and the second photo on the right is Lahiri Mahasaya. Al, who was one of the first people using and distributing acid in this neighborhood, with the headquarters of his operations running out of an old brothel on Alexander Street. I was learning about the history of the first red light district in Vancouver, the first brothels, and how sex workers were pushed from block to block by the city and the cops. So first, back in the original township of granville aka gastown there’s already like 3ish brothels or “houses of ill repute” known. Then DuPont Street aka East Pender between columbia and carrall and later expanded up to main and down to abbott in general area. A bunch of brothels were built but mostly were single rooms with one worker occupying them. Then the workers got pushed up to Shore Street aka east Georgia street west of Main Street towards false creek, then they got pushed to Alexander street where many of the privileged and prosperous madams had lavish brothel buildings built rather quickly and luxuriously by the standards of the time. There were a LOT of brothels in the area as well as a LOT of workers and this was the original red light district of Vancouver. Chinatown literally used to have red lights? Anyways back to Al- he was referred to as Captain Trips and was known to carry a bunch of acid that he would hand out “to the right people” in hopes that it would help them wake up and perhaps experience a glimpse of what a religious experience or what enlightenment could possibly be like. He just handed out acid like money didn’t matter and died broke because it was all about the spirituality and the potential for positive change that LSD held. He ended up moving his business into one of these old brothels at Jackson and Alexander. I actually hung out there once about ten years ago. But when I saw his photo for the first time, I was shocked when I noticed the similarities between his face and Lahiri Mahasaya, one of my beloved teachers from a different time period, who as a yogaavatar, has transcended time and space to come visit me. If y’all have read Autobiography of a Yogi - you know I’m not joking about this being possible. Their eyes. Their eyes convey an eerie similar blissed expression. I would not be surprised if Al Hubbard was a reincarnation of Lahiri Mahasaya, I mean that would likely explain a lot of similarities between the two from what I’ve learned. Super trippy. Pretty sure different past life versions of my soul have spent time with both of them. anyone that knows me knows I talk about past lives a lot but I just learned my name from a recent past life and I’m fucking thrilled with how much I have discovered about that lifetime, it’s like the greatest, most compelling mystery of my ancestral trauma that I am so relentlessly seeking answers to and now they just flow to me 💕 it’s the greatest healing gift to my soul.

#Past lives #ancestral trauma #ancestral healing #intergenerational trauma #History #Reincarnation #Lahiri Mahasaya #Al Hubbard #Acid Al #LSD #Vancouver’s first red light districts #sex work history #sex work in Vancouver #brothels #Alexander street #DuPont Street

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papa-j · 1 year ago

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Ontario and back

Week 5

We left Harriston under heavy rain on our way up to Tobermory to take the ferry across to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Islands, a two hour ferry ride. On our way north on Hwy 3 we drove through large farms and flat land. The landscape turned more hilly as we got closer to Georgian Bay. There was more bush and the farms were replaced by cattle ranches, cleared bushland being prepared for farming.

We got into Tobermory to cloudy skies and setup camp at the Tobermory Village Campground. It’s getting colder now and that takes some of the fun out of camping…

We got to the ferry a little late but in time to get on it. The crossing was in blustery conditions and driving rain. We passed by many islands on the first part of the crossing, but no houses on them, probably because these islands are very rocky and no beaches to be seen. The ferry ride was a bit rocky but I have experienced worse on the crossings to Vancouver Island.

We drove straight north on Hwy 6 in the rain to Sheguandah then west on 540 to Gore Bay where we drove out to the lighthouse to take some pictures. The weather got lighter as we drove west with blue skies to the west.

We then continued our drive around the island. Along the way we saw some big flocks of Sandhill Cranes and geese feasting on leftover grains in the fields. The landscape on the island is mostly flat and scrubby, grazing land good for cattle and sheep and a few farms.

We made our way to Batman’s Cottages and Campground on the east side of Bass Lake to setup for the night. Due to the blue skies on the western horizon we enjoyed an amazing sunset here. It was windy and stormy all night, so we hunkered down in the van and played cards, she won :/ The sound of the wind gusts in the trees was similar to the sound of waves crashing onto the rocks at the Oregon coast. Still managed a good nights sleep.

In the morning we drove to Sudbury in the driving rain and snow. After turning off the main highway, we turned onto the road that took us to the Science Center, a great place to escape from the miserable weather. I love science and here is a place that offers a big variety of sciences with an interactive element. This can be a playground for as long as you want.

The architecture of the building is grand and the integration of the rocks of the Laurentian shield is clever and informative. One exhibit is about the geological formation of the area. We ended the visit with an IMAX presentation by Jane Goodall about Hope, inspiring …

We visited my friend Jaylene in the afternoon and evening to share stories about life and our kids. We went for a neighbourhood walk in the misty fall weather. All the sidewalks are shaded by maple trees and they were in full colours, beautiful.

We left Sudbury the next morning in the rain and drove north on Hwy 144 to Geneva Lake where we were met met by Kate, Lindas’ school buddy. Kate and Oscar live on the lake, water access only in the summer and over the ice in winter. This brings along some challenges but I can see the rewards. They live on a bluff overlooking the lake and have all the amenities, great place to be retired with a lot of family nearby. Life is good!

We arrived in the rain, so much of the activity was indoors playing cards and reminiscing, we learned several new Rummy games, a long walk on the mainland & enjoyed a wood fired sauna at 100c and a dip in the lake at 14c :))

We left Geneva Lake under grey skies and drove south on 144 to 17 west to ‘The Sault’. We stopped at Onaping Falls to take some pictures. A.Y. Jackson, the famous Canadian painter, one of the Group of Seven was inspired by this location, beautiful fall colours and the whitewater rushing over the rocks and the falls.

The weather improved as we drove west on 17 and the fall colours still looked awesome in the sunshine. We drove past countless small lakes and small towns along the shores of Lake Huron North Channel. Through Sault Ste Marie and then north along the shores of Lake Superior to Wawa where we camped overnight.

The next morning we left for Thunder Bay. From Wawa to Nipigon there is a whole lot of nothing but bush and rocks, some of it a bit unusual, but it looks all the same after a while. West of Nipigon we came upon the major roadwork projects we saw two weeks ago.

A ways past Thunder Bay we turned onto Hwy 11 west to Fort Frances. There are mostly native communities, with long distances between them along the way on this stretch of the trip. Some of these towns are neat and tidy and some have a lot of ‘yard art’ ;) It was a long day driving, we got into Fort Frances as it was getting dark. We entered the address for the campground into the GPS and it took us to the industrial section of town next to a truckers terminal, not what we were looking for :/ we found an empty lot and parked for the night. In the morning we drove north on Hwy 71 to Kenora.

There are many rest areas and lookouts to take a break. One of the nicest was Sioux Narrows on the Lake of the Woods, absolutely a stunning setting in the middle of nowhere… From Kenora west to Winnipeg we saw the landscape from the other direction. The fall colours are fading fast now, but it’s still very pretty through here.

We arrived in Winnipeg at noon and went to the Museum of Human Rights. This is another amazing and beautiful structure inside and out. The exhibits although disturbing, are very profound and very well done. Walking through these exhibits, it occurred to me how the human race does not learn from history. We seem to allow the politicians and leaders to perpetuate human created tragedies and misery over and over again. Currently it’s in Russia/Ukraine and the middle east. Tomorrow it could be north America.

The exhibits describe how fascists and dictators manage the narrative and the media to take control of a country.

It makes me realize that the Swiss had it right in 1291 when they decided that they would no longer be ruled by anybody and took control with Direct Democracy. This has not changed to this day, even in Switzerland the politicians don’t like it but they can’t change it because the people would have to agree to the change. No Fascist can rise in that system of governing.

On Sunday we had a nice family gathering with Lindas’ oldest brother and his kids and grand kids. They are all living busy lives and the grand kids are all involved in sports and activities, such as hockey, gymnastics and dance. There were no cell phones in sight, nice to see.

We left Winnipeg in the afternoon and drove to Barndon to get a head start the next day. The 100km radius area around Winnipeg is super flat, farm land as far as the eye can see with the occasional cluster of grain silos and the odd clump of trees and bush.

We stayed in the Meadowlark Campground, went for a walk, had dinner and played cards until bedtime. It was a cold night and made us realize that fall is here and winter is coming, the camping days are coming to an end… and we’re looking forward to coming home!

The road west to to Regina is in good shape (and flat). Between Whitewood and Broadview it showed a ski hill on the map just to the north of us and I’m thinking it can only be for x-country skiing, but apparently not ;)

We arrived in Regina in time for lunch and walk in the waterfront park at Wascana Lake in the centre of the city. We took some pictures of the parliament building across the river and had lunch. Then we went for a visit at the Regina Floral Conservatory. This is an indoor tropical garden setting and the display of plants is changed 4 times, this theme was Halloween, well done. I was told that the favourite is Christmas with a focus on the poinsettias, I can imagine :) The place is run by volunteers, is beautifully maintained, and there was nothing ‘out of place’, with a nice water works and orchids, well done!

After this we moved on to Moose Jaw only an hour away. We arrived in the late afternoon just in time to take in the Chicago Connection walking tour of the underground tunnels used during prohibition 100 years ago and the Al Capone connection of that era. This was a fun interactive tour :)

We took in the mineral pools at the Temple Garden Spa. Nice very large indoor/outdoor pool and Jacuzzis with a nice steam room for a couple of hours. We set up camp at The Prairie Oasis campground, nice and clean and it was a milder afternoon and evening. Nice evening but grey skies morning.

#On #oct 2023 #wk 5

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canadasouvenirgifts · 1 year ago

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Wandering Canada For Souvenirs: Where's Your Dream Destination?

Canada is an enormous country with heaps of cool places to check out. From amazing natural landscapes to buzzing cities, Canada has it all. If you had a chance to explore any part of Canada, where would you choose to go? We are going to take you on a virtual tour across the country and give you hints about some awesome Canadian gifts online related to each place.

Banff National Park, Alberta

Banff National Park is like a paradise for people who love nature. Think huge mountains, crystal-clear lakes, and lots of animals. You might not be able to pack up those mountains, but you can get some pretty mountain-themed stuff, like cool art and accessories, to remind you of this fantastic place.

Old Quebec City, Quebec

Old Quebec City is like a slice of Europe right here in Canada. With its fancy old buildings, cobblestone streets, and French vibes, it's a unique spot. To remind you of this place, you can order some delicious chocolates and French books to take home.

Vancouver, British Columbia

Vancouver is a city on the west coast that's got it all. There are fantastic parks, cool neighbourhoods, and lots of yummy food. Don't forget to check jewelry and artwork to remember your visit. There are online stores where you can order local and the best Canadian souvenirs.

The Northern Lights in Yellowknife, Northwest Territories

Yellowknife is a top spot for seeing the Northern Lights, those colourful lights in the sky. You might not be able to takae the Northern Lights with you, but you can get artwork and things inspired by these dazzling lights.

Toronto, Ontario

Toronto is a huge city where people from all over the world live. There are cool neighbourhoods, famous places, and delicious food. Make sure to look for fun gifts that remind you of your visit.

Newfoundland and Labrador

Newfoundland and Labrador is a place with wild coastlines and friendly fishing towns. You can order cool home decor or cute Newfoundland dog souvenirs to remind you of this lovely region.

About Canada Souvenir Gifts:

Canada Souvenir Gifts is your one-stop shop for buying the best souvenirs from Canada. They offer a diverse range of high-quality products inspired by the beauty and culture of Canada's most iconic destinations. From exquisite artwork to unique accessories, this store helps you bring home a piece of Canada's charm and natural wonders.

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dsandrvk · 1 year ago

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Tuesday, June 20 - Vancouver

We came under the bridge into Vancouver harbor about 6 and slowly inched our way to the cruise terminal, which is topped by fabric "peaks", somewhat resembling the Denver airport. Backing in on the other side of the pier was the Queen Elizabeth which we had followed over from Japan, but which had had different ports, so we never saw them again until arriving here. Because we had passed immigration in Port Rupert, we were able to simply walk off the ship, once the ship itself was cleared. We had a nice final breakfast, grabbed our bags and wheeled off. Usually we have to leave our larger bags out early in the morning, and then pick them up in the terminal, but they gave us the option to handle them ourselves, and be able to get off a bit earlier. We only had the one day here, so we opted to spend as much time in Vancouver as we could.

Our hotel was only a couple of blocks from the terminal, and we were able to drop our bags and head out, rain gear at the ready. They had taken the rain out of the forecast, but we not that trusting, and in fact there were a few sprinkles. We headed first along the waterfront - they have a lovely walkway with lots of informative panels, not just about Vancouver, but about all of B.C. The din from the seaplanes was fairly constant - they seem to do a brisk business as the traffic was almost non-stop. In fact, it kept up for the entire time we were in Stanley Park, where the planes are very close overhead.

The walkway wove in and out around different marinas and finally led to the park, which is actually bigger than Central Park in New York. We walked along the seawall to the east, finding the famous totem pole exhibit (quite different styles than the ones further north, as these were originally carved by tribes more local to this area). There were lots of busses, cars, horse drawn wagons etc., so we moved on fairly quickly. We eventually dove into the interior of the park, but found a lot of areas closed for construction, as they are building a new water pipeline. We did eventually make it to "Beaver Pond", which was a lovely, mostly natural environment where we saw lots of birds and ran into one of the expedition team from the ship (the most ardent birder of the group), since he didn't need to be back on board until 4. Other than herons, gulls and the occasional robin, we hadn't seen many birds until we got to this little oasis, and here there were at least 15 different species including warblers and Steller's Jay's.

We also walked around the rose garden, which was in full bloom, and another lake before making it to the west shore and a swimming "pond", built of concrete and located near the natural beach. Most people inside were doing laps, and several crows were using the shallow side as a birdbath.

Vancouver's architecture ranges from well cared for older buildings to some rather "out there" structures. This one with the "bite" out of it probably drove the structural engineer a bit mad when he saw the architect's sketch. And although I've seen my share of roof gardens, the giant tree on top of the one building gives me a pause, too. We finally decided to start to head back to downtown and took some side streets through a residential neighborhood filled with vintage mid-rise apartments (condos?) with beautiful street side gardens - everything seems to grow well in this climate. By the time we got back to our hotel, we had walked about 10 miles, so decided to complete our check in and get some dinner.

We found a brewpub a few blocks away, and also scoped out the subway that we will take to the airport tomorrow. It's actually faster than taking a cab, and considerably cheaper, and the entrance is only a block from our hotel. When we got seated at the brewpub in a booth overlooking the harbor, we were just in time to see the Star Breeze back up a little into our view and then head out. Their itinerary going north is quite different from what we just did, and doesn't seem to have as many narrow inside routes. They seem to vary it, so people can do back to back trips and visit different ports.

We had a wonderful "coconut" inspired porter with our dinners - it sounded strange, but was really mellow, and we waddled the short distance back to our place, passing by this fancy lobby with an interesting ceiling. It's actually an older building, but the downstairs is new and "ready for leasing". We didn't see a lot of vacant space in much of downtown Vancouver when we walked around, and it doesn't seem to be a place that completely closes down in the evening, either, to judge by the crowds at the restaurant, and the number of people out walking.

It has been an interesting almost two months of travel - sometimes it seems like we just left and other times, like we've been traveling forever. Tomorrow will be spent getting to Salt Lake City, with two fairly short flights and a lot of airport time. And then Thursday we should be home.

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