Alex and I first met in Israel in 1977. We roomed together on Kibbutz Shefayim for a few months. We did a lot of running and reading and listening to music. As it turns out, we are both quite competitive. A good example would be the race up Masada on a very hot day. Only stupid, competitive people even think of these things.
Over the years, we have kept in touch with him visiting Halifax on his trips from Holland to California, or me visiting California. The visit before this one however, was at least 25 years ago. Sure enough, we meet up and go for a run or a hke right away. This time in was Marin headlands just over the Golden Gate Bridge in San Francisco, followed up by Mt Tamalpais (home of MTB biking), where i was lucky enough to get stung by a bee on my lip. Off the Emergency while my lip and face puffed up like an over-pumped bicycle tube. It took a few days to settle.
On the second day of the visit, we did a long hike and swim, followed by a few beer and some horseshoes. We are old enough now not to be competing on hikes and runs, the parts don't like it anymore (of course, I'm just being nice to my host). As the horseshoe competition heated up, we ended up with the scenario you see above.
A ringer, on top of a leaner, on top of a ringer. Four great shots. Unfortunately, Alex had the upper hand on this finish.
Og course, for the day, I was the ultimate game to break all ties. With a ringer, of course...
Every year for my birthday, my Mom gives me enough $$ to buy something nice for myself. The past 4 years, it has been Opera tickets. This year I was lucky enough to get front row balcony for Verdi's Il Trovatore - The Troubadour. Just so happened, it was opening nite for the San Francisco Opera season. Red carpet, tuxedos, limos everywhere, valet parking, reception at City Hall after the event.
Of course, yours truly is backpacking and carrying all his clothes in a small gunny-sack. I looked high and low, but there was no tux to be found. I showed up in my current best finery: t-shirt, shorts and sandals. Likely the only person there with any parts of this combo, much less the entire outfit. People commenting on my dress code included the box office, ushers and patrons on either side of me. My saving grace was my NWZ schtick. Everyone loved that story.
The house was the biggest and fanciest in awhile. There were more people behind me in the balcony than in the Gaity Theatre Opera in Dublin (which of course, served Guinness at the break...still my opera house hi-lite).
The set design and lighting blew me away. Like being at a big Broadway play, I am always amazed at what people can do with limited space and unlimited imagination. The singing was the strongest I've ever seen. I even have some of the arias (sung by Kiri Te Kanawa- New Zealand). Opera at times makes me very happy. This was a great opera and a memorable evening.
I followed this up with a day at the Asian Museum for the Samurai Exhibit. I have read Shogun (James Mitchener) 4 times and Gai-Jin twice. To see signed Samurai swords from 300 years ago was intense. Today, I walked over to the annual free Opera in the Golden Gate Park. San Francisco is a great town, so many cool neighbourhoods.
Tomorrow, I will walk to and over the Golden Gate Bridge, then it's off to the Giants and Rockies baseball game to watch them fight for the wildcard in the playoffs. Tuesday, I get to hang out with Alex and Judy for 3 days before flying to NWZ. Alex and I were roomies on a kibbutz in Israel in the 70's and have visited each other numerous times. He is the big Dutchman I 'imported' into the US a few times.
While this type of big city travelling is poking big holes in my budget, it sure is a lot of fun.
Been a busy week, beating up my aging body. Comox Glacier, Mount Washington, walk Ucluelet to Tofino, surfing and some pretty serious partying. I couldn't afford to stay in Tofino anymore. Spending too much money, drinking too much beer and running out of time.
Went to Port Alberni last Tuesday. Great hostel (Fat Salmon), but did not like the town that much. Took the Frances Barkley ferry out to Ucluelet on the West Coast. Wonderful way to spend a morning. Mountains all around, salmon feeding everywhere, lots of sport fisherman boats and remote camps everywhere. Was lucky enough to see my first whales (humpbacks with the tail fin). Very exciting
Hostels were full in Ucluelet (I hate booking ahead, but really, it makes sense in small towns), so I ended up in a nice B&B. Tooled about town, but did not go on the Wild Pacific trail. Too beat up from Monday still. Dinner was on a ferry docked in the harbour. Gorgeous weather, nice chatting with non-backpacking tourists.
Left B&B at 6:00 AM in the dark and pouring rain for the 42 km walk to Tofino. Tough decision. Wanted to sleep in, have brekkie and take the bus. Weather improved all day. Did a few kms of walking on the beach between Wikkaninish and Long Breach, otherwise on the road. I can walk 30 kms quite easy, the last 10 seem to beat me up a lot. Mucho pain to spread around. New backpack performed well. Nice to have all that cushioning and weight adjustments.
Tofino was great. Love the hostel (Whalers). Great physical layout for socializing, right on the water so we got in a big bonfire on Thursday nite. Travellers from all over the globe hanging out, drinking beer and speaking English (thank goodness). Friday nite was a great songfest inside the hostel (mucho rain outside). Decent sized crowd off to the bars after midnight. My roomies partied till 5:00 AM. I stopped at 1:00. Don't remember ever having that kind of jam.
Went to see Barbara (from the Wwoofing farm Ironwood) on Saturday morning at the market, then off surfing for the afternoon. I am now a surfer. Got another injury (bruised ribs) and spent mucho time on top of my board. Yeah! The coaches were giving me suggestions about where to place my hands on the pop-up (not on the side rails) and what to do with my feet (point sideways, like on a snowboard). Surfing is a lot more fun on top of the board. I can see why people get addicted.
Saturday nite, my roomies again went till 5:00 AM (I peeled at 1:00 again). Derek had just moved to Tofino and his first shift on the new job was for 5:45 AM. These people are serious. Mucho hilarity for so early in the day.
Back In Courtenay now, preparing to blow this popsicle stand. Daughter Sophie and I talk on the phone, she has opted to skip Korea and will be working in Nelson, New Zealand later this week! Weird. Will have to go see her, as we will be in the same country. Maybe visit for Emily's birthday in November. That would be cool.
Alex and I first met in Israel in 1977. We roomed together on Kibbutz Shefayim for a few months. We did a lot of running and reading and listening to music. As it turns out, we are both quite competitive. A good example would be the race up Masada on a very hot day. Only stupid, competitive people even think of these things.
