Olympic Peninsula: Savour the Moment (South Coast Hike)
This trip was long overdue. During our first summer in Canada back in 2007 we crossed the border to the US on Canada Day long weekend. Inexperienced and naive, we didn’t know what it means to cross the border on long weekends. We were stuck at the border for over three hours and by the time we were on the…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Outdoor Recreation, Sea to Sky, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Brew Hut: Neil’s First Overnighter
This trip was an adventure. Yes, we have been to Brew Hut a few times over the years. But this trip was different. Being Neil’s first backcountry overnighter, we really didn’t know how it would go and even whether we would make it to the hut, and in fact we almost didn’t. On the morning of the trip, before leaving,…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Chilliwack and Nearby, Hiking & Scrambling, Outdoor Recreation, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Harrison Grind: Not That Kind of Grind
The Grouse Grind in Vancouver has become a popular tourist attraction, but for no apparent reason. After all, it’s a steep stair-master like trail, crawling with lycra clad racers with fanny packs busy trying to improve their “Grind time” while overtaking you without missing a heartbeat. It’s the kind of place where you can scan a card at the start…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Black Mountain: Tummy Time on Top
If you are looking for a hike close to Vancouver, relatively easy and short but still rewarding with good views, then Black Mountain just up from the Cypress ski area is a good option. As you can see it’s also a great place for babies to take naps while doing their tummy time… We started not early on Saturday afternoon,…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Outdoor Recreation, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Diez Vistas: Even the Baby Did It
Diez Vistas (“ten views”) is a bit of a weird hike. For starters, it’s not really clear why this hike is named in Spanish. Then there’s the issue of the number of viewpoints on the hike: it is not even nearly close to ten, although we did forget to count them. The last time we did this hike was several…
Vancouver Island: The Quiet After the ‘Storm’
On Easter long weekend we headed to Vancouver Island again. The last time we headed in that direction was on New Year’s and it was our last getaway before our son Neil was born in late February. Incidentally (or not) this was also our first getaway with him five weeks after he was born. Our dear friends Jan & Warrick…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Hiking & Scrambling, Metro Vancouver & North Shore, Trip Reports, Trips with Kids
Dog Mountain: Back to Hiking in Baby Steps
When our new baby boy Neil was just over a month old, we decided that it was time to get back into outdoor activities. We heard about Dog Mountain a while ago, and it was always on our list when a short and not too strenuous hike was in order, but we never got around to going there. This seemed…
- British Columbia (and nearby), Cycling & Cycle Touring, Outdoor Recreation, Trip Reports, Western USA
Point Roberts Loop: Cycling a Forgotten Piece of the USA
Point Roberts is a weird forgotten piece of the USA. It is landlocked by Canada, but lies south of the 49th parallel, the arbitrary border line. By any reasonable account it should have been part of British Columbia, and not Washington State. As ridiculous as it sounds, the school buses, garbage trucks and US postal service vehicles all travel from…
Dark Beer Onion Soup: Heaven on Earth
Frying onions is the start of so many good recipes. I feel like the smell triggers something in us – any human noses in the area will perk up and come searching for the source of the heavenly smell. Onion soup is a simple way to concentrate the flavor and smell and allows us to keep enjoying them for days.…
How to Make Bourekas at Home: the Wonders of Phyllo Pastry
Growing up in Israel, trips to the supermarket were often rewarded by some Bourekas: crispy and often still warm flaky pastry triangles, filled with salty cheese and decorated with sesame seeds. At the time, it seemed like the best thing ever. It was only later that I realized that it was a low quality product – most Bourekas in Israel…
