Happy New Year!
My best wishes to all my readers, whether you have just celebrated New Year or do so at a different time. I hope you are blessed with happiness and health. Thank you for continuing to read my blog posts. It gives me great pleasure to write about my travel and local adventures. I love that I’ve “gotten to know” many of you and that you’ve inspired me with your passions. My list of places to go and hikes to do keeps growing thanks to you. I will keep my rambles short for once with a post featuring some of my favourite spots close to home—Vancouver’s North Shore and Sea to Sky corridor—with my favourite people.
My son Alex is home for the holidays from the University of Waterloo in Ontario. He and Mike accompanied me for a sunset hike up Hollyburn Peak at Cypress Provincial Park. I nabbed them with the promise of spiked hot chocolate. Doing this with my two guys was the best Christmas present.
We had a wind storm a few days before Christmas. Some of B.C.’s south coast was without power for almost a week. Thankfully we got away relatively unscathed. Mike took this photo of Howe Sound/Whyte Island from our patio. I love that the sun is out amidst all that wave fury.
Mike and Alex at Cypress Falls Park. It’s one of my favourite local parks and the waterfalls are at their best this time of year.
We went to the Squamish Sea to Sky Gondola on New Year’s Day. No matter how many times I go there I’m awed by the views of Howe Sound and the Coast Mountains.
This is my second favourite view from a neighbourhood street. The photo is taken from the exit I use when I come home from 90% of my car outings. There’s a highway below and the entrance to a busy ferry terminal but you’d never know it from this viewpoint. It calms me every time.
This is my favourite view from a neighbourhood street. The photo of Garrow and Bachelor bays is taken on a narrow curve on Marine Drive just before beautiful Whytecliff Park.
Every Wednesday, rain or shine, I run with a friend at Capilano River Regional Park. We often stop and watch the scary curtain of water plunge down the Cleveland Dam into the canyon below. I never tire of running in this stunning park so close to the city.
There’s rarely snow on the ground at our sea level home but just a few hundred meters up is a winter wonderland. I’ve always loved playing in the snow and nothing makes me happier than heading up for a winter hike/snowshoe on one of our local mountains.
If I just need to get out for a quick hike in the woods I walk from my house up through the forest to Whyte Lake. Over the holidays, I was happy to do this with Alex and his cousins Sara and Becca.
Alex is here for a few more days and then we’ll get back into our regular routine. I’ll miss his lovably goofy presence.
My next post will continue with our cycling trip in Germany and France.
Writes of Passage 
So many riches! Your son home AND some fun hikes – the perfect holiday and New Year’s combo!
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Nothing makes me happier (even though it takes some persuasion to get them to come hiking with me)!
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Love your first neighbourhood shot, wow!!!
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Thanks. Yes that view always makes me happy.
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What a place to call home! Have a Healthy, Prosperous and Happy New Year, Caroline. The best to you and your family in 2019!
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Thanks Mike! Same to you and yours!
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I loved seeing your local favorites; you live in such a beautiful place! And your view from the patio is pretty spectacular. I hope you enjoyed the rest of your visit with your son. Happy New Year to you!
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We saw Alex off at the airport yesterday. It was a lovely holiday. Best to you and Tom!
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What a sweet post. You clearly had wonderful holidays with family in your/our beautiful backyard. I love the PNW. Even here in Champlain Heights we are not far from a forest trail, and the river.
Wishing you and your family much joy and many excellent adventures in 2019.
Alison
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Yes, the PNW is very special. I suppose it is a little misleading that I posted all those nice sunny photos! Best to you and Don in the new year!
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Hi Caroline, a Healthy and Happy New Year to you and to your Family. Thank you for the most interesting articles you published in 2018 and I (and I am sure all your Followers) look forward to yet more riveting articles from you this year. P.S. you live in an incredibly beautiful part of the world.
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Thanks Tony for your kind words. I’m glad you are enjoying my posts. All the best in the new year to you and your family.
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Beautiful pictures Caroline! Wishing you and your family the best in 2019!!
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Thank you Tim! Best to you and yours too!
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Beautiful pictures Caroline! Wishing you and your family the best in 2019!!
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Thanks! Same to you!
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Oh my, what a wonderfully beautiful part of the world you live in. That is your view from your patio??WOW!! And the views from your neighborhood street. And then the fact that you can walk through a forest near your home, to a gorgeous lake. Must be wonderful to come home to every day and after trips Thanks for sharing the beauty.
Peta
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As you know Peta, we love to travel but absolutely, it is always nice coming home especially when I reach that special highway exit. Our house is on a hill about 75 meters from the ocean and we really enjoy our patio view (photo was taken with a telephoto lens). We can walk to that little island on low tide. Our bay is quite sheltered and it only gets wavy like this during winter wind storms. Cheers, Caroline
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Great photos! You’ve captured a few of my favourite spots too. Safe travels & best to you, Mike & Alex.xo
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Hi Alicia! We sure do have some great beauty spots here don’t we! Sorry I missed you on Boxing Day. Happy New Year to you guys and hope you have some fun travel plans!
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I love the west coast. We’re from Calgary and try to get out that way once a year (except for these traveling 1 1/2 years.) Happy New Year!
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There’s no lack of wonderful places close to Calgary either. I have family in Canmore and there is so much to explore around there. What a trip you guys are on! Enjoy and I look forward to your continued posts from all those exotic places.
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