pink bushes


shaman totem pole


one eagle beside and one eagle in nest


watching the bird watcher


view to the islands

day 25 VANCOUVER
june 25

we spent a delightfully unMILEful day in Vancouver going almost nowhere.

this city has fabulous trees, old and leafy and spreading or tall and coniferous. the light that comes off the water makes for a radiance reminiscent of san francisco (yes, i begin to feel my first twinges of homesickness). and it was powerful to see the Pacific Ocean again after being landlocked for three plus weeks. of course, i'm not sure landlocked is the right expression given the absolute profusion of canadian LAKES and RIVERS and STREAMS and PONDS we've reveled in during this voyage.

we had in mind to go to the University of British Columbia Anthropology museum and the Vancouver Art Gallery downtown but only got to the Anthropology museum which was MORE than enough to feed our hungry souls.

the building itself was designed to house the enormous collection of northwest first people's TOTEM POLES. mindboggling carved towers of red cedar depicting stories and events the significance of which is known only to the carver and the people who commissioned the poles. lots of iconic images of bears and frogs and whales and beavers and fish in beautiful mysterious balance piled up on top of each other. some of the poles are house poles and some are memorial poles.

i wish it weren't true because i am liking Canada SO much, but the Canadian government, like dominant cultures everywhere, treated its indiginous people TERRIBLY. robbed them of their land, their language, their ceremonial and sacred objects, their children. a typical story of horror and degradation.
BUT
there are many contemporary carvers and printmakers who are following in the traditional ways creating some sense of continuity for the communities that have all but lost their ancient heritages.

we parked slightly illegally (Andrew's tall silver van could not fit in the parking structure we were supposed to use) so we were relieved to find our vehicle just where we'd left it, unticketed. driving around the campus, out by the beach, i saw what i thought was a raven and made the CAW-CAW sound Andrew and i often use to contact each other in stores or the woods. Andrew looked up and said: THAT'S AN EAGLE! before it circled away.

we parked as soon as we could and hiked back along the beach and HOW IS THIS POSSIBLE? Andrew located not just the bird but THE NEST within minutes.
the man has an uncanny ability to spot. i may have to rent him out.

just when we thought our wildlife sightings were over (we are, afterall, in a MAJOR METROPOLIS) - some fine urban birding.

a delightful dinner with new friends Georgina and Janie.
and tomorrow, the Sunshine Coast (please oh please do not rain).