Hazy Day in Vancouver

The sun gave off an orange tint in the forest

Today the sun in Metro Vancouver gave off a warm burnt orange tint thanks to the smoke from the wildfires burning in Vernon, Boston Bar, and as far as Clinton, over 400km north east of Vancouver.

It's a reminder of the tragic situation residents in these areas are in, having to evacuate, sometimes at a moment's notice because of wildfires rapidly coming their way.

When that happens to you, what do you think of bringing with you? How fast can you pack? Where do you go and stay?

Not many walked outside today

It must be absolutely frightening and stressful to be in that kind of emergency situation.

In the meantime the Metro Vancouver Regional District issued an orange alert, indicating a "very high health risk", particularly for those living in the Fraser Valley, such as Agassiz, Chilliwack and Hope, warning residents in these areas to avoid outdoor activities. 

Here in Vancouver the air quality was deemed at low risk, but when I went out for a walk in Pacific Spirit Park after lunch, there weren't many people there, even though temperatures were comfortable.

Tomorrow the weather forecast is more haze and temperatures as high as 30 degrees Celsius. Hopefully after tomorrow night the skies will be clear again.

Picture of the Day: Spring is Here

Pastel pink cherry blossoms are out

Spring allergies didn't really hit me until today. After days of rain in Vancouver, which is now called "an atmospheric river", we were surprised to see the sun and blue skies!

When that happens you have to go out for a walk, and today was particularly significant as it's the first day of Spring.

Magnolias have begun to bloom

I saw magnolias blooming as well as cherry blossoms.

But after my walk I started having sneezing fits and my eyes watered.

Ten hours later my eyes are still itchy, my nose can't stop dripping.

When I was in Hong Kong I never had this problem!

Nevertheless, still thrilled to see that winter is behind us, even though we had no recorded snow this year. The last time that happened was 43 years ago! 

Picture of the Day: Plum Blossom

Some plum blossoms in their pink glory

Vancouver is in the middle of a deluge of rain this week, and today miraculously there was a bit of respite, so I went out for a walk.

The plum blossoms are out and I took a picture of some for all to enjoy.

That is all.

Picture of the Day: Magical Light

When the sun hits fog among the trees

Sometimes the forest inspires some amazing photographs and today was one of them.

This morning it was foggy, but with the forecast promising it would be sunny with a high of 10 degrees Celsius.

It was around noon when the sun hit the fog and created exciting lines of sunshine to dramatic effect.

Hong Kong Island Promenade is Complete

Visitors can wear shoe covers on the glass walkway

During the Covid-19 pandemic, after dinner during the week I walked along the Hong Kong waterfront from Kennedy Town to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre and back, a good 10K.

I enjoyed being among people, in the fresh air and getting exercise.

The last 1.1K section was unveiled to the public

Then on the weekends my friend and I would walk further to Sai Wan Ho, but when we got to Tin Hau and Fortress Hill, there were breaks in the path and we had to walk inland a few blocks before getting back on the harbourfront path.

But yesterday the last section, about 1.1K long was finally completed, from the North Point Promenade to Hoi Yu Street in Quarry Bay. Now people can literally go from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan in 13K.

Part of the North Point section features a glass walkway, where visitors need to wear shoe covers... seems a bit over the top for a path that's mainly for looking at the scenery above than below the water.

Nevertheless this project of designing and constructing a 13k promenade is 16 years in the making and it's great to see it's finally finished.

The path is a great way to see the city

It's a fantastic way not only for locals to enjoy their city, but also for visitors to see how accessible Hong Kong is and to appreciate the views from the waterfront. 

When I recently visited Hong Kong I was staying in North Point and walked along the waterfront towards Causeway Bay a few times. 

Can't wait to go back and walk the whole 13K!

Picture of the Day: A Big Catch

Giant eel on the pavement that tried to eat the fish (underneath)

During our trip to Hong Kong we stayed in a hotel in North Point, near the harbourfront.

We managed to get in a few walks along there, soak in some Vitamin D from the sun and burn off a few calories before lunch.

I really enjoy walking along here, as part of the path is underneath the overpass, making good use of the space while offering stunning views of Central and Kowloon. 

You can see the newest landmark, the Kai Tak Sports Park in its purple hue, and nearby the Kai Tai Cruise Terminal where there were one or two cruise ships docked there.

Along the harbourfront there are a few anglers trying their luck to catch some fish for the day. 

When I used to live in Hong Kong, most people caught tiny fish about the size of a man's hand or smaller. Probably enough food for a cat, but not a human!

But one day as we walked by on this visit, one man happened to catch a giant eel!

It was khaki green in colour with dark spots, about a metre long,  and writhed on the pavement with a hook stuck on its mouth.

Someone had a big feast that day!

Picture of the Day: Late Afternoon Light

It was still bright out at 4.15pm today

I go for walks almost daily, but today was sidetracked by other things and didn't head out until after 4pm.

It was relatively bright out after a whole morning of pouring buckets of rain, so it was nice to see blue skies and the sun.

But what a difference one hour makes!

Thanks to clocks being set back one hour a week ago, by around 5.30pm it was already getting dark!

Will remember not to set out so late anymore... winter is coming...

Picture of the Day: Feeding the Neighbourhood

Cucumber and zucchini from a neighbour

The other day I finished walking around Pacific Spirit Park and was on my way home on a street I don't usually walk on, and one of the homes has a vegetable patch in the front yard.

By the steps to the house is a cardboard box with a sign saying "Free veggies". Inside were four zucchinis!

Apparently with the warm weather we're having, many people with vegetable patches are harvesting their zucchinis.

I took the smallest one, which was already quite large and brought it home.

The next day I went back to the same street and inside were cucumbers! I took the smallest one when I got home I peeled the bumpy skin and sliced it up. It was so crisp and fresh!

Tonight I stir-fried the zucchinis with shallots, garlic, ginger and dried conpoy, and it was delicious!

I shall check for more veggies later!

Picture of the Day: Bizarre Bench Bump

A "bench bump" on the Granville Street Bridge

We like the new upgrades on the Granville Street Bridge, but what the heck is this?

On the the bridge is a protected biking and walking path, and there are periodic so-called "bench bumps", a kind of ramp made of asphalt outlined in bright yellow and a bench on there.

People have commented that they look like last-minute additions because they stick out and not clearly thought out. Others say when you sit on the bench, you see the railing, not the northwest view of the Burrard Street Bridge and English Bay.

One person said they have a friend who needs the opportunity to rest their legs periodically and this fits the bill despite the slap-dash appearance of the bench.

Apparently these bench bumps are temporary, but that could last between a few months to a few years.

After spending $54 million, they can't get bench bumps right? Why aren't they fully integrated with the sidewalk for pedestrians, and why so low that people's views are blocked by the railing?

Why can't our taxpayer dollars be spent in a more aesthetically-pleasing way?

Picture of the Day: Smiling Tree Stump

A welcoming sign in the forest!

Earlier this week I went to another part of Pacific Spirit Park, north of 16th Avenue, to walk around the forest.

Just so I didn't wander too far, I followed a route that was an elongated loop. As I walked by a tree stump I was surprised to see it was smiling!

The things you find in the forest...

 

Picture of the Day: Pedalling Smoothies

Want to pedal for your smoothie?

Around lunchtime today I finished my long 8K trek around Pacific Spirit Park and went to Memorial Park West to see if the Dunbar Little League was playing.

They were in the midst of a game against Kerrisdale and the snack shop was open. I could get a freshly made hamburger (with lettuce, tomato and pickles) for C$7.

As I waited for my hamburger, there was a drinks stand nearby and two stationary bikes with a curious contraption. They were selling strawberry and mango smoothies -- you could make yourself!

For the same price as a burger, you could get fresh whole strawberries or mango chunks with water in a blender, which was placed in front of the handlebars. When you push the pedals, the blender starts to move. Cute DIY gimmick, but don't know if they got any takers! 

Long Walk Along the Harbourfront

Gorgeous day for a walk and admire the Hong Kong skyline

This morning my friend and I did the 11.5km walk from North Point to Kennedy Town in just over two hours. It was a great way to walk off an accumulation of calories and see the city the way I used to see it when I lived in Hong Kong.

It was already sunny and hot at just after 8.30am when we set off, and luckily we had slathered on sunscreen and wore a hat. We walked past North Point, seeing people make use of seating areas to eat a snack, look at their phones or read the newspaper, and Fortress Hill before going to Tin Hau and Causeway Bay, walking around the Police Officers' Club.

Construction for the route in Sai Ying Pun

In Wan Chai there was a running race going on -- the My Boy 3K Family Run, based off of a comic strip character. We saw many people dressed in blue T-shirts with medals around their necks and then the actual race route along the Wan Chai waterfront. 

When we got to the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre it was great to see the familiar sight of Victoria Harbour and both Hong Kong Island and Kowloon. I was not able to spot any cats by the rocks though. 

Meanwhile there is construction extending from the Grand Hyatt Hong Kong so that people can walk from the hotel across an overpass to reach the walking path which will be fantastic once it's done; guests won't be confused as to how to get there and be able to enjoy the skyline by the harbourfront.

Pretty soon we arrived in Central, and spotted a military ship docked; I was surprised there were no People's Liberation Army soldiers out in front of the gates guarding the ship...

Military ship docked in Central

At the Ferry Piers there were the usual crowds hanging around waiting for friends or family before boarding together to go to the outlying islands and it wasn't as packed as it used to be pre-pandemic.

Shun Tak in Sheung Wan was basically the same, though with more pollution from the Turbocat ferries. I don't miss the noise pollution and the gasoline smell.

Soon after we arrived in Sai Ying Pun, and at Dr Sun Yat-Sen Memorial Park there were people exercising, children playing, and walking like us. But after passing the sports centre the route was diverted with lots of construction along what used to be the boardwalk.

My friend noted that not much seemed to have been completed since the last time he walked by this area. Alas will have to see how it looks the next time.

Finally we reached Shek Tong Tsui where we saw the former Instagram Pier that has been blocked off for years from public access, and soon enough we arrived at Kennedy Town.

The coffee shop Arabica is still very popular with mainland tourists thanks to Xiaohongshu, and across the street, many were trying to get a shot of themselves with Victoria Harbour in the background. There were more people taking pictures with the line of Banyan trees on Forbes Street. It is quite the miracle how the seeds for these trees landed in between the rocks of the stone wall and managed to cling on and grow into trees. 

Banyan trees are a tourist attraction in K-Town

It was heartening to see most of the restaurants and shops are still around.

An Enjoyable Walking Route at North Point

Under the highway overpass is a place for people to exercise

In the last few years I lived in Hong Kong, particularly during the Covid-19 pandemic, my friend and I did a lot of walking along the harbour. It was a way of decompressing and also feeling like we accomplished something, counting the number of kilometres with some sweat. I also wore down a few pairs of runners.

Towards the end we could walk from Kennedy Town to Sai Wan Ho on a path hugging the shoreline, though there were some sections where we had no choice but to walk inland before the path continued again along the harbour front.

A colourful path directing cyclists and pedestrians

Recently another section opened up -- right by my hotel in North Point. Called the East Coast Park Precinct, the path going west is under the highway overpass which is interesting. It's jazzed up with bright colours, some exercise machines, motorbike hills for kids and a really tame climbing hill.

There are two paths that periodically converge or separate; one of which juts out periodically so people can take pictures of the harbour or stand or walk and enjoy the view.

This morning I checked out the path and saw a number of seniors taking advantage of the path, some young professionals using the route to walk to work in the car-free zone, some squeezing in a run before work, or walking their dogs.

I walked to Fortress Hill, the next district west of North Point and did a loop around the giant vent shaft which is part of the Central-Wan Chai Bypass, before turning back.

In the end I walked about 4km and broke in a bit of a sweat even though it was a chilly 15 degrees.

A mini hill to climb on the left for kids

What a great way to start off the day, seeing this development continue to piece together the shoreline so that people will eventually be able to walk all the way around Hong Kong Island -- if they so wish!

Picture of the Day: Perilous Walks on Ice

The walking path inside the forest is slippery!

Vancouver has been very chilly, with sub-zero temperatures overnight and into the early morning. Since the heavy snow over a week ago, side roads are still covered in packed snow and ice, and only today has the white stuff finally partially melted on street in front of our house to reveal patches of asphalt.

While most of the sidewalks are cleared, it's walking in Pacific Spirit Park that's become treacherous. After it had snowed, the paths were fine to walk on with some grip on your boot soles, but after the snow melting and then freezing several days in a row, the routes are very slippery -- and that's when it's flat.

That was my experience yesterday when I attempted to walk into the park and made a quick exit to get back onto stable cement. 

The other day a neighbour near the entrance of the park saw an ambulance and fire truck parked there. The paramedics and firemen had come to extricate a young woman who had fallen less than 1km into the park on a slope. It is unclear if she was trying to go up the hill or down.

Nevertheless, these rescuers had to make sure they themselves didn't fall, get the woman onto the stretcher and then carry her back (without slipping) to the ambulance.

Today the yellow metal bar at the entrance of the park is open, but today it was closed, though that didn't stop others from entering at their own risk.

Rain is expected on Saturday and temperatures finally rising above 2 degrees to 5 degrees! Maybe it will finally wash away all the snow and ice for good. It was nice when it first came down, but we're all over it already!

Photo of the Day: Snow in the Forest

Walking in a winter wonderland today

It has been snowing for the past two days and needless to say I've been shovelling each day, struggling to keep up with the deluge of the white stuff!

Students were thrilled to have no school today and stayed at home, making snow angels, or sliding down hills on toboggans, and making snowmen.

A beautiful sight in Pacific Spirit Park

This afternoon I walked to Pacific Spirit Park, expecting to have to tromp through fresh snow, but found that it was somewhat "paved", making it relatively easy to walk. 

I saw people walking their dogs, a cross-country skier, two women jogging(!) and a guy who wore shorts as he ran. His legs looked painfully red. Why try to act so macho when it's zero degrees and snow everywhere?

In any event, it was a magical sight walking along the route and seeing the trees covered in snow -- it almost felt like being on a movie set for Narnia in The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe. 

What's funny about walking in the snow is seeing yellow spots next to tree trunks or posts because dogs have left their marks! 

Picture of the Day: Dogs and their Sticks

A golden retriever carrying a large stick

Just before the rain came down this afternoon I took a walk in Pacific Spirit Park and I have a habit of counting how many dogs I encounter.

Today I managed to time my walk just as many canines and their masters were in the forest too.

He proudly sauntered ahead 

And a handful of these dogs were very proud to carry their sticks -- not twigs, but actual large branches like this golden retriever.

He had no problems carrying it in his mouth and he would saunter ahead of his master and me and then stop and turn around to make sure his owner was walking up before continuing his way ahead of the pack, so to speak.

On the way back I encountered a black shaggy dog that was lying down and resting. In front of him was a massive chunk of wood that looked very heavy and he needed a break from carrying his trophy for his master.

His owner meanwhile, praised him for his hard work and let him rest before continuing on...

Happy New Year!

Can't believe it's 2025!

For me, 2024 was a challenging year, but came out with some positives: I did a lot more walking than the year before and a bit more swimming. Pilates class is something I am enjoying a lot, where once a week for an hour I get to challenge my muscles and core in a fun way and entertained with dad jokes from our instructor.

I finally got a family doctor and was given a clean bill of health which is a relief, after not having had any comprehensive check-up in years.

This year was great professionally, writing more stories and being able to interview people from around the world.

On the travel front, I was able to fly to Hong Kong and Singapore to catch up with friends and family and had such a memorable trip. I also went on an Alaska cruise for the first time and seeing icebergs and glaciers, and even black bears! I also went to San Francisco to see extended family, and an annual trip to Palm Springs.

I hope to be able to travel again in the new year.

Wishing good health and happiness to everyone in 2025! 

Making Hong Kong more Pedestrian-Friendly

This elevated walkway in North Point will open next month

When I used to live in Hong Kong, my friend and I would walk from Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan -- but with a few detours along the way because the footpaths weren't all connected.

But it's good to hear another section is completed, a 1.1km strip in North Point will be ready for the public by Chinese New Year, or late January.

The harbourfront boardwalk is an elevated road in the Eastern Corridor that cost HK$6.5 billion (US$837.3 million) that is helping to connect Kennedy Town to Shau Kei Wan in a 13km pedestrian-friendly promenade.

According to Harbourfront Commission chairman Ivan Ho Man-yiu, the boardwalk project is the "last piece of the puzzle" that will complete the promenade connecting from Shek Tong Tsui in Western district to Aldrich Bay in Shau Kei Wan.

Looking forward to trying out this boardwalk the next time I'm in Hong Kong.

Surprising Facts about Slugs

Came across this giant specimen yesterday

On my walks in Pacific Spirit Park I've been coming across a lot of slugs lately.

Probably because there's a lot of precipitation these days, but there are some interesting facts about them!

* They like to live underground or under damp vegetation

* Slugs have both male and female genitalia, so if they don't find any suitable mates, they can impregnate themselves! If two slugs mate, they impregnate each other with sperm. The result is each slug can lay up to 100 eggs several times a year, so a slug could have some 90,000 descendants during its lifetime!

* They have 27,000 teeth, which they use to basically grate their food to eat it. Slugs also regularly lose and replace teeth.

* Slugs can eat 40 times their weight in one day! 

Mushroom Spotting in the Forest

Spotted more of these mushrooms today

With fall in full swing in Vancouver, meaning lots of precipitation, mushrooms are popping up on lawns and especially in Pacific Spirit Park.

Each time I walk along the trails I see more mushrooms particularly growing on nurse logs, trees that have fallen and still have nutrients.

A vertical growth of fungi

Today I saw some people proudly showing off some big fungi they had picked, but no one should be harvesting any mushrooms from any provincial parks; while some might be edible, some may be poisonous!

Foragers don't like to disclose where they find their mushrooms, but I heard from a Vancouver chef that he finds matsutake mushrooms, as well as porcinis near Penticton and Hope. 

And if you see those big bright red mushrooms that look like they belong in a Super Mario game, don't pick them or eat them! They're definitely toxic!