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Location Date Africa 1495926000 Europe 1494111600 Asia 1489449600 North America 
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Location Date New York 1473462000 Ontario 1469487600 Florida 1446854400 Illinois 1411254000 Missouri 1411081200 California 1410562800 Washington 1410476400 British Columbia
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There were hours during our week-long stay with Jim and Mary just outside Tofino, when it didn't rain. Oftentimes, the sun even showed itself. Tofino is a beautifully rugged little spot on the western side of Vancouver Island where the road ends, about a three-hour drive from Nanaimo's ferry landing.
Each night in the house we rented, we dined on either wild Pacific salmon, oysters or prawns. Had we known the price though, we'd have brought our own seafood from Bill's Lobster on Gerrard Street, just a five minute walk from where we live in Toronto. As the story goes, the few fish markets that exist in Tofino are for tourists only. Locals buy their seafood right from the fishermen. So a word of caution: when entering a fish market bring your own vaseline. It's going to hurt.
For the hearty, Tofino is a great place to search for bears, whales and bald eagles. For Elenka and I though, it's a little too windy some of the time and a touch too cold and rainy most of the time. That, and you can't go into the sea without a wetsuit any of the time.
The tiny treasure of Victoria, British Columbia's capital, is a four hour drive from Tofino. Here there is a village of boat houses (called float homes), a magnificent old hotel called the Empress, and a majestic parliament building that sits not 30 metres from the hotel where we stayed. And it's all right on a harbour that isn't at all unsightly, like our own waterfront in Toronto.
Who'da thunk that Canada could be such a beautiful place.
- comments
Leta Yes, Canada is beautiful! Tofino sounds great, love the floating houses!
Mary Great pcs Eleka. Glad we were there. Still enjoying Sooke, As Jim would say too sunny.
Margo What a unique shot!
Margo You must be working out!
Margo I thought maybe a dinosaur was after you.
Margo You four look like you had an amazing vacation. This picture looks like a painting.
Lynn How can you bear to come home!!!! So beautiful....
Renate from Germany You are world traveller, but not far away from home it`s beautiful too, isn`t it?
betka beautiful :-)
Vickie My! How you've grown! Must be steroids in the fish (aha! THAT'S why it's so expensive....)
Vickie That's one big ferry (must be consuming seafood)
Vickie That looks just like the inside passage when we took our Alaskan cruise.
Vickie Perfect name: Serenity Pond
Vickie What in the world is keeping you on the East coast of Canada?
Vickie Again, that starfish looks like it's on 'roids - must be hanging out with A-Rod, Manny & Ryan Braun
Vickie shallow water, deep thoughts
Vickie I know they're pine trees, but the lushness reminds me of Costa Rica.
Vickie Well, Jack, looks like you've lost the love of your life to a conifer.
Vickie Steroids AND hormones!
Vickie ha ha - the question I was going to ask of the previous pic has been answered.
Vickie ...probably not as comfy as your hammocks.
Vickie Topiary gone mad!
Vickie He can always pinch-hit second half of the season...
Vickie She's turned into a hobbit and looking for her new digs.
Vickie Wow. Was it that cold?
Vickie See? Keep eating that seafood, Elenka.
Vickie ...so that's a whole team!
Vickie p.s. I guess that's what happens when siblings mate.
Vickie y'know, I THOUGHT I read somewhere that the giant blue-legged beetle wore spectacles...