I had two recent experiences that I want to preserve on wmtc — a trip to Victoria, and this year’s National Truth and Reconciliation Day ceremony in Port Hardy. * * * * Victoria is a lovely small city that’s perfect for us for a relatively inexpensive urban fix. I
Continue readingTag: travels
wmtc: in which i finally visit the seattle central library and am completely blown away
I mentioned here that I had two great opportunities, back to back, one for work and one for my union. The work trip was a Reconciliation Retreat. For the BCGEU, I applied for and was selected to attend the Pacific Northwest Labor History Association’s annual conference. (I was one of
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit, part 6 and final (portland to port angeles to victoria)
On our way out of Portland, we stopped at the home of R, the well-known baseball writer who Allan had met at Powell’s. By sheer coincidence, he had some research materials that he was looking to re-home — on the exact topic Allan is currently working on! Amazing! This took
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit, part 5 (portland)
Our full day in Portland was almost entirely about books and food, with a little shopping-I-can’t-do-at-home thrown in. I thought I was going to do a bit of tourism — the Beverly Cleary Sculpture Garden was calling — but I ran out of time and energy. As my mother used
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit, part 4
We stopped briefly at my mom’s place in the morning. Allan was interested in some old family photos — from my mother’s childhood, and from family before I was born. (Allan does the genealogy thing. I do not.) We managed to identify everyone: my great-grandparents (who were still alive when
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit, part 3
On Saturday, we had a lazy day at the M&M homestead. The big outing of the day was to Harry & David, the specialty food store, where we all spent too much money and bought too much food. That night, our nephew and grand-niece, now 7 years old, joined us
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit 2023, part 2
The lovely little town of Phoenix, Oregon — down the road from M&M’s house — was completely destroyed in a wildfire in September 2020. One business that rebuilt is Puck’s Donuts. While I was getting a mani-pedi — something I always do when traveling now — Allan and Marty picked
Continue readingwmtc: oregon family visit 2023, part 1
Allan and I are in southern Oregon for a family visit. Last year I visited on my own, and Allan stayed home with the pups. Right now we have reliable dog care, but it’s a temporary situation, so I figured we should jump on the opportunity while we could. We
Continue readingwmtc: follow-up: response from pacific coastal airlines
This is a follow-up post to getting home: horrific customer service from pacific coastal airlines. Tl;dr: Those are the rules. Too bad for you. Next time buy travel insurance. Good afternoon, Laura I wanted to write today to let you know your letters to [company’s principals] were all received and forwarded
Continue readingwmtc: getting home: horrific customer service from pacific coastal airlines
On the way home, I flew from from San Francisco (SFO) to Vancouver (YVR) on United Airlines, then from Vancouver to Port Hardy on Pacific Coastal. Pacific Coastal flies out of a separate terminal, not connected to YVR proper. You need a shuttle or a taxi to get there. This
Continue readingwmtc: the day in oakland
[Written after being home for a week.] On the way out of Shelter Cove, I stopped at the general store, just to see it. It is tiny. And it is the only store in town. After that, back on the long and winding road, ending at Highway 101. From there,
Continue readingwmtc: the day in shelter cove
View from Wedding Point, Shelter Cove Yesterday was amazing and so special. My niece E took me on a tour of the little community and local topography. We went to lookout points and beaches; saw seals lazing in the sun, sea lions throwing back their heads and barking, and a
Continue readingwmtc: greetings from shelter cove, california (look it up!)
I am at the home of my niece E and her partner T, in a remote part of California known as the “Lost Coast”. It is so beautiful and peaceful and quiet here — not unlike where I live. The Lost Coast has much in common with the North Island, more
Continue readingwmtc: if you’re going to live in a small town, it’s good to find one with an airport
I’m grateful this tiny airport exists! Today begins my solo trip to visit family in Oregon and California. I’m super excited! Traveling from Port Hardy, here’s what it entails: Fly from Port Hardy to Vancouver. The plane is tiny and the view is spectacular. Stay overnight in an aiport hotel
Continue readingwmtc: what i’m reading: john steinbeck and me
I recently read Mad at the World: A Life of John Steinbeck by William Souder, part of my new-found interest in biographies over the past few years.* Instead of reviewing the book, I thought I would write about the presence of John Steinbeck’s writing in my life — its history, its
Continue readingwmtc: from the archives: all over the world, i tell people where to go
On our recent trip to Oregon and California, I made a note every time someone asked me for directions. That may seem like an odd thing to track — unless you’re well-established as a magnet for The Lost. Not the spiritually lost. The physically lost and uncertain. On this trip,
Continue readingwmtc: portland street art
Our pics of murals, other street art, and food carts in Portland’s Alberta Arts District are now online. The photos themselves are nothing special, but the murals are very cool: here on Flickr. I also added a link in the post about our day in Portland.
Continue readingwmtc: friends and family reuinion road trip: day fourteen: portland to delta, in which we miss a crucial step
Step one: you must use an app We left Portland and drove north uneventfully. As we approached the border, I remembered that we were supposed to use the “ArriveCAN” app to facilitate our return. We considered pulling over to use it, but didn’t. Then the fun began. The border agent
Continue readingwmtc: friends and family road trip reunion: day thirteen: portland: books, street art, food
Portland is as advertised: an interesting city with a lot going on. We both look forward to returning, perhaps before or after a family visit. We got only a taste of the town, but it left us wanting more. In the morning, we dropped off the dogs, along with their
Continue readingwmtc: friends and family road trip reunion: day twelve: ashland to portland
On our last day in Oregon, we met my mother and sister-in-law for breakfast in Ashland, finally getting to Brothers, a favourite of mine from our 2016 trip to the area. After breakfast, we brought my mother with us to the dog park, which I knew she would enjoy. Allan
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