Saltair, BC, Canada – 8/8/2014
AUGUST 8, 2014 (Friday)
Got up and left Pt. McNeill around 9:00 AM. We drove down the road a little bit and decided (last minute) to try Telegraph Cove again. We had gone there last year but didn’t see why everyone said to go visit it. On the drive we got excited because there were signs for no bear hunting. Kept hoping to see a bear in a safe zone – nothing. Was a beautiful drive though. We did see two elk and a small deer. Telegraph Cove is lovely but I think mostly for fishermen and campers. The area I wanted to go to was blocked off and the views were best seen by boat.
We continued back to the main road and drove and drove down to Parksville.
We had heard it was beautiful, which it was. More touristy but still lovely. We had a light lunch at the local DQ. Really good. While we were eating a man came in with a large parrot on his shoulder. The parrot’s name was Nelson. He had him for 24 years (since Nelson was a baby). Parrots live to be 150 years old. Beautiful bird. While eating we asked the employee where a bakery was. We wanted to take something to Jan and Caron’s place for dinner. We were told about a little bakery approximately two miles away.
We drove to the bakery and got some cookies. They didn’t have a great selection of baked goodies (mostly breads), but the cookies were right out of their oven and looked wonderful. When we left the store and walked outside, we saw our biker friend, Kim, from Anchorage, going down the road. What fun to know she’s safe (no bears got her) and still traveling. Hope she has a great adventure.
(We had been told Pamela Anderson was Canadian and from Parksville. Jan and Caron told us she was a local girl from Ladysmith. Too fun.)
We headed towards Jan and Caron’s home. We didn’t have their address but I told Michael if he could get us to the Saltair Pub, we could find it. He wasn’t so sure about it and wanted me to call Jan. I was sure we could find it. I was right (again). No problem. Got to their home around 4:00 PM. What a beautiful home they have. Jan was busily doing everything.
The original plan was to have dinner with the “dinner crew” we had met in Myrtle Beach – Peggy, Skinner, Gary, Jan and Caron. Jan and Caron decided to host their regular dinner crew so we could meet them all. So fun. We got to meet Carl, Renata, Doty, Adam, Roxanne, and Clive (who joined us later after dinner). We laughed so hard and so often that Michael and my cheeks hurt. Adam was quite the joke teller.
Such good food (thank you Jan and Caron – excellent), good conversation, and good times. Jan and Caron made a Greek salad (yummy), bbq’d vegetables, hor d’oeuvre, and bbq lamb, chicken and pork. Doty and Adam brought some hor d’oeuvre, and someone else brought chips and dip. Everything was so good.
Everyone left by around midnight. Caron stayed up and cleaned. Michael and I went to bed in the most beautiful and comfortable bedroom (the green room) in Jan and Caron’s house. We slept really well.
That was our most wonderful day. Hope yours was great!