Christine from the Internet » Canada

Evening Snow

Christine Davis — Sun, 21 Dec 2008 22:21:06 +0000

This is about what it looks like when it snows at night. So pretty! So very pretty!

On the other hand, this is the current depth-of-balcony-snow status

So far, winter is being much easier to deal with than summer was. It should be noted that I’ve experienced 50°C of temperature variation so far this year…

Pigeon and Snow, and No Pigeon and Snow

Christine Davis — Sun, 07 Dec 2008 21:00:23 +0000

Snow day!

The pigeons here are pretty stoic when it comes to snow.

Snow Way!

Christine Davis — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 02:47:18 +0000

So it turns out that it snows in Canada.

There is snow sitting on my skylight (:

Happy Six Month Anniversary To Me!

Christine Davis — Sat, 11 Oct 2008 23:00:56 +0000

It’s a little strange to realise that I have been in Canada for six months so far. It seems both longer and shorter than that.

To celebrate this momentous occasion, I have gone through the photos I took while I was ostensibly on holiday and being a tourist (along with my recent re-trip to Toronto), and uploaded a collection of photos.

So, there’s…

Vancouver

Toronto

MontrÃ©al

Between Places (Including the train from Edmonton to Vancouver)

Return to Toronto

Oh. Oh My.

Christine Davis — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 00:50:53 +0000

I am going to be computer-less for the next month or so.

Eep!

In the interests of informativeness, this is where I will be for the next month or so:

April 25th -> I Fly to Toronto, until..
May 9th -> I catch a Train to Montreal, until..
May 23rd -> I Fly to Edmonton, until..
May 26th/27th -> I catch a Train to Vancouver

Squirrels. So Cute. Heeee!

Christine Davis — Tue, 22 Apr 2008 22:25:50 +0000

Icy Stuff. Falling From The Sky

Christine Davis — Sun, 20 Apr 2008 05:51:11 +0000

I’m told this is sleet. It was, however, made of ice and falling from the sky. And not that bad to walk in. Until it starts to melt.

One Week in Vancouver

Christine Davis — Sat, 19 Apr 2008 02:00:48 +0000

Here, have some postcardy pictures of Vancouver, from around about where I am staying.

And this is a squirrel in Stanley Park. You may be familiar with squirrels. I, however, am not familiar with squirrels; so they fill me with an unreasonable and insidious amount of glee and delight. I imagine that when they aren’t being cute, they do something bad to irritate everyone; but I’m not sure what that is just yet.

Jellyfish! I used to think I really liked aquariums, but it turns out that really I like looking at jellyfish. One day, I will have a tank of jellyfish of my own to look at. Except not for a very long time. Because jellyfish tanks are crazy expensive, jellyfish need special feeding, and I’m not going to be here forever and it seems like a pain of a thing to get rid of. Also: much easier to hug a cat than a jellyfish.

Nom. Nom nom nom. These cupcakes are awesome and delicious. There’s a cupcake store which is dangerously close to where I’m staying. They have all sorts of cupcakes. And also trays of all sorts of cute little tiny cupcakes.

More noms! This time, deliciousness from Ganache Patisserie. It was boxed up all pretty like, so it seemed like it was worthwhile to make a series of unboxing photos (:

In what can only be described as a total lack of planning; I have nothing resembling a spoon to eat such a delightful thing with. So I ended up barbarically eating it using a coffee stirrer. A coffee stirrer really is a lot better at stirring coffee.

The description of it from the website is…

milk chocolate caramel mousse with hazelnut croquant, raspberry gelÃ©e, 75% Tanzanie dark chocolate mousse, praline crunch, chocolate biscuit

I would describe it as being extremely delicious. I forsee returning at some point to try more things.

Have also been along to Roller Derby, and to see Fleet Foxes and Blitzen Trapper perform. There’s a lot of shows on; but also a lot which sold out ages a long time ago. Other shows manage to be on in the wrong city (Nina Nastasia plays in Vancouver two days after I leave; and Colin Meloy is playing tomorrow night in Toronto (and not even sold out. Oh the humanity))

[I collect photos of stamps I acquire when I go to things.]

So yes. That has been what has happened since the last huge update with photos. Pixies have hid the cable for my camera somewhere in my luggage (presumably), but now that I’ve bought a card reader, no doubt it will reappear.

p.s. Flying to Toronto on April 25th.

Obligatory Update

Christine Davis — Sat, 12 Apr 2008 00:33:04 +0000

Flight from Wellington to Auckland involved a window seat.

And a sunset.

The flight from Auckland to Vancouver, however, did not involve a window seat.

In any case, I arrived in Canada. My baggage arrived in Canada. My baggage and I were reunited in Canada.

Marvelous.

Then I had to go leave my baggage while I stood in a queue for, uh.. an hour and a half.

But it’s okay! After queueing for an hour and a half I have a work permit which is valid until April 10, 2009. And when I finished with that, my baggage was where I left it.

Nice.

I found a taxi. The taxi person took me where I wanted to go. No drama ensued. It cost me $30. That kicks the ass of trying to deal with the weirdness of foreign country buses.

I find it distressing at a deep level that people here drive on the wrong side of the road; but, I think, I notice more that they are sitting on the wrong side of the car. I’m also not sure if it’s a quirk of this hotel, but on/off switches also seem to be opposite.

Turns out the hotel also has free wireless. Awesome.

And I can see stuff from the balcony.

Also: I am able to carry all of my possessions unaided. Clumsily, but unaided. I feel like perhaps I still dragged far too much stuff with me (I think I had ~38kg of checked luggage).