Stuff we've done:
Nanna Dziubinski would be proud. These Eastern Europeans really have this stuff down pat. I simultaneously felt my arteries hardening and the drool splashing on the floor. I'm probably going to die a few years sooner than I normally would due to this stuff. We picked up some sausage and some beef prosciutto.
It wasn't quite the Sydney Gay and Lesbian Mardi Gras, but there were certainly lots of comfortable shoes on display.
It's been ridden twice. It looks really good sitting on the balcony* though.
* I should say patio. No one knows what a balcony is here.
Like, whoah, man, totally.
Matching his and hers Raleighs!
De La Soul were headlining, but other than them and one or two less interesting acts, we had no idea who was on the bill. That, and it was a bit of a logistical headache to get to the gig. Craigslist to the rescue, we sold 'em to some other guy who presumably loved it and killed a zillion brain cells in the process.
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To quote an e-mail I sent to my old Lyneham High School mate Adam Stafford:
"So, I met Vince Neil today. Briefly. He came to my place of work and did some signings and photos. There was a signed guitar on offer too but I didn't win that.
I had two of these cardboard flyers for him to sign. I says to him "if you could make this one 'To Dale'", then I hesitated, thinking on the fly, and, knowing you're a fan, said "and this one 'To Staff' - S,T,A,F,F", spelling it out for him. He scrawled it out, caring not for what I said it seems - or he's deaf - and it ends up saying: "To Stauph" (or "Stavph").
I dunno if it was my accent or his years of rock and roll living. Clearly I should've gone with "Adam"."
Anyway, ol' Vince looked the same in every single photo taken that day. He had his "photo with the people" face on. He was a lot shorter than I expected him to be. I wonder if drinking 72,000 litres of booze stunted his growth? Nah, seriously, nice enough guy.
..French food will kill you, eventually, but it'll be worth it.
..I didn't get a chance to try the goat wine. I wonder which part of the goat they make it from?
..Seattle had a serious case of crabs.
..Katie tried to justify the means (sugar extravaganza) to the end (apple), but I wasn't falling for it.
We mostly shopped, unsuccessfully, and ate, successfully. Seattle was cool. We'll go back at some stage for sure -- we only got a sniff of what it has to offer. Lots of stereotypically overweight Americans there.
(bonus points for spotting the Coopers Sparkling Ale, making everyone go a bit silly.)
What more could you ask for? Perhaps minus the junkies. Blood Alley is in Gastown. You don't hang out at Gastown at night if you can avoid it -- it's not far from the infamous Main St and East Hastings St intersection in the Downtown Eastside area.
..here's me thinking riding 40km a day on a heavy mountain bike would reasonably prepare me for a hike like this. Nope! Could barely walk.
(that's Captain James T. Kirk, er, I mean, Captain James Cook, of the Starship Enterprise, er, I mean, of the Ship Endeavour!)
..afternoon tea!
..a squirrel (we're still fascinated by these things) -- not part of afternoon tea.
..the ferry to/from Victoria is quite pleasant.
It's been a busy time!
Over and out.
