'Vancouver Vancouver, This Is It....'

It was good that Chris had a substantial lie in yesterday as he was in for a shock this morning as we had an early start!! A 6.50am wake up for a 7.30am depature on our egerly anticipated Mt St Helens tour. Having spoken to the company yesterday to confirm the tour we were infromed we may be in a car rather than a van....bummer it highly entertaining to look down on people.


However our arrival downstairs reveled a large van outside of the hotel and very jolly and well informed tour guide awaiting our arrival, Joe was his name!!


As we settled in to our big van we began to egerly anticipate what was ahead. COnversation led to where we were from and subsequently led to us finding out Joe's family were actually from the Brecon area so he actually knew where we were talking about!! Anyway, having finally woken up by the time we reached Olympia (Washington's State Capitol), we were greated by starbucks. Joe had pulled over to get out a DVD we would watch on the eruption etc (it did run through our minds...how many times we have watch mt st helens films but Kate still facinated by the mountain could watch it over and over again); but as we pulled into a parking space to our left was the big green giant and i'm not talking about the tinned sweetorn company nope the home of ........


Suitably induced with caffine Chris went for the 1st McDonald of the day but was unpleasently surprized to be faced with the Breckfast menu. Kate did not venture into a fast food resturant at 8.40am and thus did not face the true horror he suffered. Returning with a sausage mcmuffin (bofff) and a hash brown he was suitably glum all dreams of his 6Mcnugget breakfast banished! The McMuffin was not a hit and The Boy will not be seen venturing inside of a McD's before 10.30am again!!!


So back on the road, time seemed to fly by as we watch our DVD, it was a different one to that national geographic or the dicovery channel reports, covering 3 stories we had not heard before. Before we knew it the Mountain was upon us.

Peaking out from behin hillsides you began to grasp the scale of the mountain;television does it no favours she seems petite. Infact Mt st Helens is still a giant dispite lossing some 3'000 feet in the fateful eruption 30 years ago( see clip below).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fmsxmbVYMHo

As we continued along the freeway we stoped breifly at the forestry information centre, run by the logging company that helped plant thousands of trees to stimulate the regrowth in the blast zone, however they don't let you forget that it was they that planted the trees!!! Signs everywhere! Anyway the information centre was also a vewing are for elk down on the plains below, we caught sight of 4 wondering off for a drink and a bath in the river.

Folling nature watch and our new found love of little rocks (Chocolate rocks that is....a delicate candy of sugar coated chocalate coloured as though it were mineral rocks) we contiuned into the blast zone enroute to the Johnston ridge observatory.

The Blast Zone was, pure and simple, the area that was completely devastated by the blast of St Helens' eruption on 18th May 1980.

We reached Johnston Ridge Observatory, the best place to view into the crater, which (so we were told) could fit most of downtown Seattle into it. Johnston Ridge is a U.S Geoligical Survey (USGS) Station and education centre, named in memory of David. A .Johnston the USGS scientist and unfortunate first victim of the Volcano. Early on Sunday 18th May 1980, whilst covering the shift for a colleague, Johnston witnessed the landslide on Mt St Helens slope that set off the catostrophic eruption seen in the video, his final moments were captured on audio as he tried to contact his colleagues at the USGS Headquarters as he yelled 'Vancouver Vancouver, this is it...' when listening carefully we were told that Johnston never said the 't' of 'it' as within that time the surge of super-heated ash dust and rock had traveled the 5 miles from the volcano to his position, where we now stood, and engulfed him. his body was never recovered, if anything even remained. but it is estimated that anything that did remain it would be on the next range of hills over.

Even with the super-zoom (as she has come to be known) lens, it was difficult to quite show the sheer size of the mountain

Although evidence of the sheer power of the eruption is all to clear, in the blast zone mountain forests were stripped bare, the top 3,000ft of the mountain was hurled (some pieces the sizeof houses) over the nearby hills devastating the landscape. At the Johnston Observatory, a tree trunk rescued from the blast zone demonstrated just how mother nature can destroy what she likes...

From Johnston Ridge, the mountain, 8km away with the collapsed north side facing us, the small volcanic dome at the centre is still constantly active growing, little by little every year until in many many years time she will be a complete mountain again like, Mt Rainier. The grey depositis either side of the small river in the valley below, are remnants of the ash that was thrown out of the volcano in 1980, in certain areas it reached depths of 600ft deep.

Sports scientist... who's a sports scientist? I'm a Vulcanologist...

After the eruption the area was declared a National Volcanic Monument by the National Parks Authority and Federal Government, now a clean slate for scientists to examine how nature recovers after such and eruption. Areas such as this one have been left untouched for 30 years the trees lying where the Volcano flattened them like blases of grass. This phot was taken looking North from Johnston Ridge, with the Volcano behind us giving some idea of the reach of the blast (super-zoom lens used)

A little photo-op for us to get our van with the Mountain behind us...

The eruption created a whole new landscape, new hills and mountains were formed, from the debris thrown out. this tree trunk stuck fast here when the liquid cement-like ash and water mixture, resulting from the landslides, solidified...

On my Gap Yah I went to Umurica and I went to this like, Volcano... Got some good pics before I just chundered everywhere!...

Met a Vulcanologist too...

More layers of ash mountains in the valley below Mt St Helens sculpted by the weather...

Joe took us for a 2 1/2 mile walk in the river valley where we walked around the hummocks, huge pieces of debris thrown out of the Volcano or dumped by the flood-waters in the aftermath... ever cheerful and cracking jokes, Joe said that he was glad we were happy to do the walk as it was very beautiful down here and most people decline to make the stretch to walk that far... wimps!
Along the walk we discovered a pond which had been expertly dammed, not by men but by beavers...

and a really weird looking froggy-toad thing... Don't lick it Mongo!

As we made our way down from the mountain Kate couldn't help but keep looking back towards her new baby, something tells me she'll come back here. I'd have to agree it was truly was an awesome and humbling place, where about 53 people lost their lives; thanks to people like David Johnston who knew the danger signs, the majority of people had been evacuated from the immediate vicinity of the Volcano, unfortunately nobody, not even the experts could have predicted just how violently the eruption would be. The fact, too, that the eruption took place on a Sunday was a big factor as well, a small number of tree loggers were caught in the blast, but had it happened 24 hours later on Monday morning, as many as 1000 workers would have been in the immediate blast zone.

We stopped for a meal, including some of the most delicious 'beer-batter' French fries ever. From the balcony of the restaurant we surveyed the valley through which we'd walked and the Mountain which had captured our hearts. The grey ash deposits a constant reminder of her violent past. The Explosion was heard 700 miles away in Vancouver, yet the few survivors from the blast zone reported that they didn't hear a thing; the sound of the explosion went right over their heads. The ash too completely encircled the globe within 14days leaving a light dusting of her own ash on the slopes of Mt St Helens.

On our way out of the park Joe stopped us at a restaurant which had, in its car park, a logging truck rescued from the blast zone after the eruption in 1980. The tree trunk hurled onto the cab was perhaps revenge from Mother Nature...

Whilst driving back on the highway and trying to kill some time to avoid the Sherriff who was stalking us on the highway we pulled in at a rest stop where the two sisters, St Helens and Rainier could be seen. Unfortunately St Helens had all but disappeared into the haze but Rainier was still visible, before 18th May 1980, Mt St Helens looked just like this and one day she will look like it again...

We arrived back into Seattle and took the opportunity to go and see some of the sights. At the City Park in the wealthy part of town the views were unmatched, with the Space Needle to the left and Mt Rainier to the right and the harbour just off shot at bottom right, the city looked pretty as a picture...

It turned out to be not so much once we descended into its busy streets; it wasn't unpleasant there was just nothing there!!! We did however discover THE STARBUCKS COFFEE, the original store outside the Pike Place Market. We also came to discover, however, that the people of Seattle, including those in its Police Department (don't ask) hate Starbucks, every person we asked, including an armed police officer, for directions to a Starbucks reacted with distain. Perhaps it is because all other coffee companies in Seattle (and there are a lot of them) have remained local whereas Starbucks has become the global infection that it is, who knows???

Nevertheless we retreated to our beds ready for the early start tomorrow, setting off for San Francisco...


The adventures of Mongo and The Boy, written and experienced by
Kate 'I won't go to Rome but I'll gladly look at two identical pieces of ash all day' Davies
and
Chris 'If McDonalds offers me breakfast again I'll chunder in their face' Davies

British Columbia... That's right 'British' Columbia

Having arrived into Vancouver, home of the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and largest city in the Canadian Province of British Columbia... we realised that there was not a lot to do, so we set off on the ferry bound for that little paradise of Vancouver Island. Destination, Victoria, the largest city on the Island and Capital of the Province. as the Island came into view it became clear that there was a reason that this place was called British Columbia... because it was almost as beautiful as the 'Old Country' itself.







We arrived in Victoria and immediately Chris became teary-eyed and trembly-lipped. 'Just cut the provincial flag in two and throw the bottom half away' were his thoughts...

So British was this place, that there was little or no need to claim any territory in the name of Her Majesty, as Canada, unlike her rowdy and less behaved neighbour to the south, has had the good sense to remain under the sweeping reign and power of the British Monarchy...(guess who's writing). The Empress Hotel was testament to this city, hardly changed by the decades (apart from the influx of the deadly virus, Caffinus Starbucksium) remaining as a memorial to the glory of past Imperial days (there was a Union Flag on the hotel, the right hand flag I think).

Outside the Provincial Parliament Building was the most enormous tree. at over 30m (100ft) tall it was planted in the late 1800's to honour Queen Victoria, and now serves as the city's official Christmas tree, decorated every December for the festive season.

The very impressive Parliament Building was a close match, in beauty rather than style, to her mother, the mother of all Parliaments in London, nevertheless an imposing and beautiful structure right on Victoria harbour.

Ever on the search for ways of proving where he'd actually been should Customs, the Police or a suspicious girlfriend ever accuse him of falsifying his travel plans, just to avoid them, Chris gladly took the opportunity to photograph the City of Victoria's crest, even if it was printed in the pavement...

Several infections of Starbucksium later we were picked up by Lorna Ross, Sheila Fairclough's sister and taken to her home for dinner, a real bed and a desperately needed shave for Chris... Chicken kebabs were eaten for supper and Chris took full advantage of the fact that none of the Ross family present, knew any of the material currently used by British comedians... the only way he could get a word in, between the reminiscing going on between Kate and the Ross household about their last encounters 4 years ago when they were one of Kate's surrogate families during her Canadian Gap Yah.

In the morning Dean, Lorna's husband took us to the Mill Bay Ferry where we would make our journey up to Shawnigan Lake, on the Island's interior, to meet with Sharon, surrogate Mummy no.2. We met with Sharon on the other side and the reminiscing began again, Chris biding his time until he knew a little more about his audience before pouncing with quips about Captain Rhod, Gap Yah's, WW2 pilots or some shit like that etc.

Sharon took us up to her home, up a private 2km lane inhabited only by her, her sisters and their families. the land owned by them was inhabited by moo-cows (sorry Hannah) and doggies (more on them later). We were taken to the Lake man made by Sharon's brother-in-law Raymond. Good job Ray!!!

Really Good Job!!!

So to doggies, At this point we were both really missing the Big G and the BIIIG F (George and Frank) it came as a welcome release to be brought into the company of the cuddly Oreo and the absolutely beautiful Shamu (seen below) who took instant affection to Chris sleeping out on Sharon's balcony every night whilst we were there. We came to learn that Shamu too was pining for loved ones as her owners, Sharon's sister and brother-in-law were away and Chris reminded Shamu of her papa. The Grim reality is that (really sorry Hannah) Chris spent the next 6 days hugging and kissing another beautiful red-headed girl... sorry but can you blame me... look at her.

Seriously look at her...

Oreo too was equally cuddly and cute though more inclined to hang with Kate than Chris as she was older and wiser than Shamu

After managing to earn herself a 4 day weekend, 'Auntie Sharon', as she became known, set about taking us to see the sights of Shawnigan Lake... Kinsel Trestle but that was closed so that it could be rebuilt... bugger! So we went off back to Victoria to go and see some of the sights we'd missed on our previous visit. And to sponge off of Starbuck's free Wi-Fi.

Sharon took us to the other side of the Harbour where we visited the docked houseboats, beautiful little buildings in the most gorgeous of settings.

We then ate lunch at Barb's Fish and Chips, a lunch of the most delicious halibut and chips and chicken strips on God's green Earth. Even Chris ate some of the halibut it was that good!

As we waited for our meals to settle before setting off again, a seal appeared in the harbour and entertained the crows for a good ten minutes gladly accepting the fish offered him by passers by...

We walked off our fish and chips with a walk along the breakwater at the entrance to Victoria Harbour, it was our (certainly Chris's) first time exposed to the power of the Pacific Ocean, the calm waters of the harbour on the right protected by the wall from the forces of nature out at sea. We witnessed an old man loose his hat in the swell but couldn't help but think 'If you are stupid enough to wear a hat out onto an exposed coastal front like that, and even if you do to not hold onto it, then you deserve to be publicly humiliated.'

It was then off to one of the city parks, close to where Sharon grew up, in the park was a petting Zoo. Swarming with feral children and ineffective parents the most popular display, the baby goats, were under full attack. Kate immediately took control of the situation rescuing several of the more distressed kids (the baby goats), some of which were being sat on by some of the fatter human offspring, from their cholesterol peril. Posing with a rescued Kid, Kate was greeted and thanked by a tearful and grateful nanny goat, a heartwarming scene captured by an unknown photographer who should be working for National Geographic...

Some of the other exhibits were less populated by the awful youth and were more peaceful, the bird enclosures for one and Chris's camera once again proved to be worth its weight in gold...

A late afternoon stroll through the park brought an unexpected and amusing example of a young nation desperate for some heritage, the plaque on this bridge said 'This bridge, built in the medieval style was constructed in 1899'... nice try Canada.

The next day we ventured north from Shawnigan Lake to Parksville, a seaside town with stunning beaches...

And an internationally popular sand-sculpting festival. The skill of the artists was truly immense...both sculpting and wordplay, notice the caveman playing golf and the title 'Missing Links'...

Then it was on to the town of Coombs with its famous market-place entitled 'Goats on the Roof' simply because instead of tiles the entire market roof is covered and has always been covered in turf and populated by a herd of goats... honestly (Google it!)...

The sign says it all...

We left Coombs via Montan's restaurant and the video store, a rental of Sherlock Holmes ended the evening well, that and another freaking sunset!

Confusing times followed, were we going to Lucy's further up the Island, or weren't we??? It turned out we weren't instead she would come to us, as a result we were free to hang around at the lake, whilst Sharon attended her nephew's (by marriage) wedding. a few hours later Emma, the groom's cousin and one of Kate's cohorts from her Gap Yah came down with an invitation from the newlyweds to join them at the reception, a true honour to be welcomed like one of the family. Held up in the top field the relatively small scale occasion was nonetheless full of warmth, good humour and more than enough alcohol to hospitalise Sharon for a month (but it was a Saturday night).

The next morning some of us were nursing the wounds of the night before; Ray, a Hangover, Sharon, a bruise or two, Chris, a severely exhausted joke reserve (all British) and Emma, a severely fractured Ab (no real fracture only pulled muscle, DAD!). Emma had nevertheless learned the lesson, not to engage in a competitive game of badminton with an British man on home ground, it may have been her back garden but Canada = Britain = a British mans home ground.

We took the opportunity to sunbathe the day away beside the Lake, before retiring in the evening for BBQ and Chris's first taste of ice-cream cake YUMMY! that and the arrival of Lucy who would take us down to Victoria the next morning.

Oh B.T.W this is 'Petty Cat' Sharon's enormous kitty, though thin because it is summer; he's normally twice the size in winter, really we saw pictures! aptly nick-named 'Kung-Fu Kitty' because of his tendency to sit under the steps up to Sharon's front door and swipe at any feet that passed.

Morning came and so to did the times for the emotional goodbyes, Chris's couldn't be shown as the tears were too great...

Lucy drove us to Victoria where we once again caught Starbucksium and a deadly sister-strain of the virus, McDonaldatis Nuggetimus; North America is being laid waste by these diseases, they really must be stopped.

We boarded our ferry 'The Victoria Clipper' adourned with the Union Flag and prepared to make a strike with our British vessel at the Land of the Free. Home of the Brave and 80% of the world's internet pornography industry (I made this fact up but its probably pretty close to the truth). As we raced at 30 Knots, which is pretty freaking fast for a passenger ferry, towards the United States, the sun began to set on our Canadian adventures metaphorically and phisically...

Told you it was fast...

As we approached the American coast in the distance we spotted Mt Rainier, an active Volcano and sister of the much more famous Mt St Helens, our destination for tomorrow.

In days gone by, the sun never set on the British Empire, which is perhaps why it set just as soon as we'd left...

We arrived back into the USA with fond memories of friends made and reunited...

The adventures of Mongo and the Boy written and experienced by

Kate 'It's not Deja-Vu, you have actually been here before' Davies

And

Chris 'British comedy is 99% stolen material, we do it because we can' Davies