alilou's Adventures in Wonderland 2 - all over the map

[Alilou]

I've just published a new blog post. In 2018 I went to China. It was an epic journey lasting four weeks and covering nearly five thousand kilometres from Beijing to Hong Kong. This photo essay is a collection of photos I’ve been saving to eventually share them. At last I’ve gotten around to it.

A Portrait of China – a photo essay
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[millyskate]

Thanks for sharing!

 

[Alilou]

Thanks for sharing!

My pleasure! Even after 10 years it's still a labour of love for me, both the writing and photography. I'm glad you enjoyed it. China was amazing!

 

[kedrin]

My pleasure! Even after 10 years it's still a labour of love for me, both the writing and photography. I'm glad you enjoyed it. China was amazing!

I will get there one day!

 

[Alilou]

I will get there one day!

I hope you do. It's really extraordinary.

 

[Alilou]

A new blog post is ready. So thrilled to have been interviewed by Gil and Gene for their podcast Retire There.
They are New Yorkers headed towards retirement. They know they want to retire elsewhere but don’t know where, so they started a podcast interviewing people who had moved away for retirement.
Fun conversation! About travel, life, retirement, and the fabulousness of Vancouver.

Why Vancouver After Years of Travelling? – a new interview
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[Alilou]

I just published a new blog post. It's about trying to get home from Japan. It's a story of one of the most common travel stresses. And yeah, we were definitely stressed

Doin’ the Shanghai Shuffle – a really tight connecting flight
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[Alilou]

I have a new blog post ready. Vancouver has a really vibrant Japanese community, and the post is about their two annual festivals - Nikkei Matsuri and the Powell Street Festival. Both are a great reminder of Canada's multiculturalism, and are an authentic introduction to Japanese culture. Plus Taiko drums!

Of course they were cancelled last year, and maybe again this year, but next year hopefully for sure!

Matsuri Magic! Vancouver’s Japanese Festivals
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[Alilou]

I've just published a new blog post. Yeah, I was um . . . "escorted" . . . off the Skytrain by the police having been (falsely) accused of "waving my sticks around and making racist remarks".

The Consequences of Righteous Outrage: false accusation and police interrogation
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[Alilou]

I have a new bog post ready. It's the promised second post about remarkable buildings around the world: from the pyramids to a small Buddhist monastery in China to Notre Dame de Paris. And my personal favourite - Antoni Gaudi!

Frozen Music – remarkable buildings around the world
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[Alilou]

I've just published a new blog post. This one is about a food truck festival. Over 100 food trucks!
It's the biggest festival of its kind in North America. Fun!

A Humdinger of a Shindig! The Columbia StrEAT Festival
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[Alilou]

There's a new blog post ready. It's part 2 of Vancouver urban wildlife 🐿 - coyotes, wood ducks, beavers, squirrels and more. It's a zoo here - without walls.

Everything In Nature Has Beauty. Vancouver’s urban wildlife, part 2
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[Alilou]

Summer got in the way. This is not a bad thing . With river tubing, and kayaking, and visiting friends, and a sister visiting I got a bit behind my usual (self-imposed ) schedule.
I finally have a new blog post ready. Travelling solo to Steveston. I wish I could say travelling solo to Turkmenistan, or Greece, or even to eastern Canada. But hey, it is what it is and Steveston will have to do. It's a quaint fishing village about an hour out of Vancouver. Not Turkmenistan, but still worth a visit. A day that felt like a warm hug, until the end when the cops took me off the train (The Consequences of Righteous Outrage: false accusation and police interrogation).

Catch Of The Day: Steveston fishing village, and the Richmond dykes
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[jadingirl]

I think Steveston is where they filmed the Once Upon a Time tv show - I use to love that show!

 

[Alilou]

I think Steveston is where they filmed the Once Upon a Time tv show - I use to love that show!

I don't know that show (must go look it up) but I did read that a lot of filming happens there because of all the restored buildings and quaint setting.

 

[Alilou]

Behind again with blog posts - this time we both got colds and are still recovering. Tested and no it's not cov1d, just a cold. We have no idea how we could have possibly caught a cold since we wear masks in indoor public paces, and only go indoors for grocery shopping. Anyway this too shall pass.

So I finally put together a small post - a photo essay of a couple of kids playing wild and free on a west coast beach, just because I love the photos (though apparently not many others) and wanted to share them.

Girls At The Beach – a photo essay
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[Alilou]

I have just published a new blog post. This one is about a solo day trip to beautiful Bowen Island 🏝, just off the coast from Vancouver.

Within Reach. Beyond Comparison. Bowen Island, BC
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[Alilou]

I've just published a new blog post. This one is the first in a series covering the highlights of all our travels - places, festivals, experiences. This post is about covering vast distances in South America by bus ( - yes, by bus - luxury bus!), a 4x4 trip across the Bolivian Altiplano, and island 🏝 hopping across the Pacific.

Going The Distance: the best way to get from A to B
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[Alilou]

I have a new blog post ready. I did something that scared the crap out of me. Well kinda rattled me anyway. Scary and Fun. It's about going solo. And the need to practice doing it.

Out Of My Comfort Zone
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[Alilou]

I've just published a new blog post. This one is about one of Vancouver's best beaches 🏖 - at low tide there's this enormous sandbank so you can walk forever.

Seas The Day – Vancouver’s Spanish Banks at low tide
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[Alilou]

A new blog post is ready This one is about three totally amazing festivals we went to - one in Mexico, one in Peru, and one in India. All three knocked our socks off

Fantastic Fiestas: three of the world’s great festivals
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[Alilou]

I've just published a new blog post: this time it's about a kayaking trip and tubing down a river. Fun! (mostly )

Water Sports! Kayaking and tubing on the Cowichan River
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[kedrin]

I enjoyed the kayak story. I took up kayaking a few years ago when I started volunteering with a free kayaking organization here in New York City. We have to deal with winds and tides- and ferries! It can be a learning curve.

 

[Alilou]

I enjoyed the kayak story. I took up kayaking a few years ago when I started volunteering with a free kayaking organization here in New York City. We have to deal with winds and tides- and ferries! It can be a learning curve.

A learning curve - no kidding but fun, I'm glad we did it. Your kayaking experience sounds amazing, and challenging. Winds and tides is a lot, let alone ferries too.

 

[kedrin]

A learning curve - no kidding but fun, I'm glad we did it. Your kayaking experience sounds amazing, and challenging. Winds and tides is a lot, let alone ferries too.

You will have to try it if you ever get to NYC! We'll keep you in the safe area. No ferries allowed!

 

[Alilou]

You will have to try it if you ever get to NYC! We'll keep you in the safe area. No ferries allowed!

OK! Would love to! I've wanted to get back to NYC for so long. I spent a total of 5 days there in about '97 and totally fell in love with it.

 

[kedrin]

I love living here. Let me know any time you want to visit!

 

[Alilou]

I love living here. Let me know any time you want to visit!

Oh I will! Thank you!

 

[Alilou]

I have a new blog post ready. It's the third offering in the Travel Highlights series. This one is about is the best of the road trips we've done. My usual schedule was interrupted by, ahem, actually attending a skating competition! So good to see live skating again (except the ladiezzzzz. Not you Mai! You were sublime.)

The Long White Cloud and the Top End: road-tripping in New Zealand and northern Australia
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[Alilou]

A new blog post! It's about a small street art festival a few years back in my Aussie home town.

Street Art For The Win! A pARTy in Canberra.
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