Hey guys! How are you all? It’s been a long time since I’ve posted on the blog! I let a whole year pass without posting anything. Guess 2015 flew faster than I expected. But.. I’m back! A few friends actually told me to revive my blog and I’ve been meaning to but somehow other things like work and other events fell in the way. Fortunately however, I am back with sharing some of the few things I did in 2015. And I’ll start off with my recent trip to Vancouver, Canada.
Vancouver was actually an unexpected trip. My parents just suddenly thought of taking a trip to Canada. It’s been quite a while since we had a family trip, after all. It was a very fast-paced period being that, we didn’t have Canadian Visas yet and we applied all in just a span of a month. Sooner or later, we were already boarding a plane and flying out to the other side.
So I’d like to give you five things about Canada, specifically about Vancouver that got me enjoying and wishing to come back:
- Eating in Vancouver
One of the things I really wanted to try out was eating at a legit diner in Vancouver. You know how in the movies, you see people being poured a cup of coffee in the morning while they sit at a cushioned couch, waiting for their order of breakfast. That’s what I really wanted to try. Luckily, on our first day out, we were looking for a place to eat for breakfast and were able to pass by a diner. Wee, I was so happy! 🙂
I ordered this meal
Next thing, I wanted to try was the famous donut shop in Vancouver, Tim Hortons! Mmmmmm. Western people really have this thing for coffee and donuts and they eat it for breakfast as well. Look at my sister smiling.
What should we get? Hmm, let’s see..
We also got to eat at this country restaurant for dinner. I noticed that steak or baby back ribs were really a hit. We also got to eat at A & W which I remembered had branches back in the day in the Philippines but weren’t able to last.
So we ate..
And ate..
Until we had too much to eat and had to go to the toilet hahahaha! Sorry little sis!!
2. Dressing in Vancouver
I had to take some getting used to with the weather in Vancouver. Summer was at its peak in the Philippines so experiencing a very cold climate was not that easy. We had layers upon layers of clothing and I didn’t know all those clothes could fit in my body.
Having these very thick jackets, sweaters made of wool, uggs (is that the correct spelling) were super heavy to carry while you were walking. It’s a bit hard especially if you want to bring your phone or other stuff with you but can’t seem to place it out of all the layers of clothing you’re wearing. Now I know how these Western people do it when they put their jackets on the rack and their shoes at the door.
3. Sightseeing in Vancouver
To say that Vancouver was beautiful would definitely be an understatement. If I could have a dollar for every profile photo / cover photo – worthy place that we went to, I would have a huge budget for shopping. There were just so many breathtaking places that got us oo-ing and aa-ing for the whole day. It really makes you wonder that there is such a big world out there and it’s a waste not to explore it.
This was at Stanley Park, British Columbia
At different skylines overlooking the city and the bridge
Going hiking
4. Experiencing AMAZING things in Vancouver
There’s something about travelling to a different country that makes you feel that every place has a story and that you’re visiting in a chapter where the story is taking place. You feel like an uninvited visitor passing through but that’s what makes it so surreal. You see. You experience. You breathe it in. And that’s one of the best feelings in the world. Vancouver wasn’t any different. The place will let you in and make you feel those things.
Capilano Suspension Bridge
I remember having a hard time parking since the parking machine was electronic and you had to slide your credit card to get the parking ticket. The weather was super chilly like the chilly type that you feel like you’re in a refridgerator 24/7. Maybe it was because of the river that was nearby, the river that was under this very long bridge, the Capilano Suspension Bridge.
Isn’t this amazing?!
You could imagine my face when I first saw this very long bridge.. Underneath there was a flowing river, creeped up by thick trees of different shades, enough to make you feel like you’re in one of those wildlife adventures.
Take a look at the video:
Stanley Park, British Columbia
It wasn’t exactly Stanley Park that got me so amazed, although the park was utterly beautiful as well. What got me so amazed was the phenomenon that happened while we were in the park. We were busy taking pictures of the green fields and the flowers all around when suddenly, there was a small rock that hit my head from the sky. I thought it was bird poop or an acorn that fell from a tree. One by one, they kept dropping and dropping. I picked a piece from my head and found out that it was actually a pebble of ice – so solid you can actually put it in a drink! Then, I realized that we were actually in the midst of a hailstorm! A hailstorm! Can you believe it? I remember back in grade school when we had to learn about the different types of rain and never thought of experiencing one other than the usual drizzle or downpour in Manila but a hailstorm? That’s actually one for the books. In just under 10 minutes, the pavement was full of pebbles of ice.
Watch!!
Steveston, British Columbia
We also went to the set of the TV Series “Once Upon A Time” which happened to be in Vancouver as well. It was definitely awesome to set foot on an actual town where “Once Upon A Time” was shot. My sisters and I are avid fans, especially my little sister, Ena who watched and downloaded the series from episode to episode. If you also watch OUAT, you’re in for a treat. Take a look at the photos.
The legendary lighthouse where they all convene whenever something apocalyptic is gonna happen
Look how happy my sister is. Two thumbs up! 😉
And we saw Granny’s Diner, Storybrooke Bakery and Mr. Gold’s Pawnshop where all trinkets like Belle’s teacup and treasure chests can be found! ❤
Whistler Blackcomb
And last but not the least, the most epic of all these experiences was Whistler Blackcomb. To set foot in Whistler Blackcomb and experience SNOW were among the best life experiences anyone could ever ask for. I’ve been dreaming to experience snow ever since our last trip to America and we were so happy to see mountains, not green, not brown but white! You can bet it was freezing out.
My sister and I holding the snowballs we made before we went into a snowball fight. Hahaha!
Not having gloves would instantly make your hands freeze. It will only take you a matter of seconds before your hands go numb and you won’t be able to move it. Always better to have gloves on.
Check out the video and see all the snow madness:
5. Finding myself in a different country
I must admit before coming to Canada, I wasn’t exactly myself or at least, I had a hard time finding myself. Recounting and backtracking, I might have not been myself for the year that passed before. A lot of things happened and I caught myself in a bit of constant confusion for finding out what I want and who I want to be. Sakto, 25 ako nun. I might have been going through that quarter-life crisis everyone’s mentioned. It’s true what they say, you never really know unless you’ve experienced it yourself. Definitely served as a reminder to me never to judge people and what they’ve gone through. So for that trip, I think it was a trip of reconnecting to who I was and who I wanted to be, at this point in time.
I’m thankful to this place for giving me back that sense of who I was.
Hopefully, this time around, I would have a better knack of keeping in tune to what makes me happy and what I believe would make my life fulfilling.
Going back to the basics resonated more than ever before and realizing that life is definitely what you make it.
Xoxo,
Lauren
LRN NCL 