Home James

Well after five weeks away we're home...

Amazing. I'd recommend it to anyone - write to me for info aboot (Canuck gag there) the trip - the Rail Pass we got or whatever. Check out the Amtrak and VIA websites too.

Britain is hot, everything's grown too much and there's a bunch of washing to do but hey. I rode my bike to the UK Apple store today as the Airport card had stopped working. Nice to ride again - I was worried after all the pancakes and Pastrami I'd have a little trouble but it was fine which pleased me greatly. And then the terrific guy at the Apple genius bar basically gave me a brand new wireless card for free. I was like "where do I pay" and he was like "well test yours and if it's still ok we'll use as our test one - so no charge." THAT is service... I heart Apple - even if iPods scratch easily and so have to have horrid third party covers - a design flaw if you ask me. If an Audi came with the most amazing paint that sadly was ruined once a few flies splatted on it do you think they'd continue to make them that way? I want a brushed stainless steel iPod please.

Anyway. Here is the last bunch of photos from Quebec City, Montreal (missed out before) Vancouver, Seattle, San Francisco, The California Zephyr train and Brooklyn on our trip east. Sorry about the download but you have to see this JPG goodness.

Two bridges on the way to Quebec City



Blurry wagons speed by...

Beware of the Mooses Kids!
Another grain elevator

Quebec station

Taken to take attention away from The Writer as she stumbles for some free open-air WiFi

Our hotel - yards from the castle

View from hotel onto Japanese cruise ship. JTourists were forced to wear numbered badges and follow their flag-holding tour leader like children. How sad!

This Grain elevator is said to have had Le Corbusier in raptures and helped inspire the modernist movement

Big 'ole tanker in Montreal docks

Toronto on our second visit

Vancouver pavements have leaves

I'm so sorry for this one

Jo's 'Twenty minute' haircut

Quick bike ride round Vancouver's Stanley Park on our last day

Tanker passes Lions Gate Bridge

Sulphur piles at the docks. Douglas Coupland claims to have broken in and skied on these in his youth

Stump of original trees



New growth is 200 years old but nothing on what the originals must have been like

Bit of concrete goodness from the SkyTrain overpass as we leave town

Train screeches deafeningly on the tight bends to get onto these bridges

Seattle 'Underground City' tour. Glass is purple with age

Seattle's infamous Monorail

Ferry sets off across the bay

On the ferry to Bremerton

Seagull lives on the docking fenders







Strange Frank Gehry building houses Seattles "Music Experience" and "Sci-Fi" museums

Seattle from the hill

Space Needle at night















Images at sunset on the 'Coastal Starlight' Amtrak train to San Fransisco









On the Double Decker Train at dawn near San Francisco





On the ferry to Alcatraz



Water Tower










Alcatraz interiors

Derelict guardhouse

Sentry box

Taken rom the exercise yard

Cormorants kissing. Or feeding.

Seagull chicks flap their wings on The Rock

The City™ on the return journey







Aquatic captives at the SF Aquarium

Cablecar. These are so much fun!

I love this sign

Transamerica Pyramid

Top of the highest hill

Coit Tower

Cars tiptoe down famous Lombard Street

Remember to park in first gear

Nice apartment, Nice licence-plate. Tarbuck?

Cool breeze at sunset

From Pier 39



WW2 Sub on the piers

Muni Bus logotype

Trolleybus cables

Fresh paint


Many thanks to The Trivia Girl for remembering all the names of things in this post.