Fai Quan
formerly known as "Prosaic Traveller"
New Westminster BC – Blooms Along The Waterfront Esplanade and Park
After our visit to Port Moody, we stopped in New Westminster for a coffee & gelato with a stroll along the Waterfront Esplanade. This post mostly emphasizes the beautiful flowers we admired during this relaxing walk.
Start of our walk outside the Galli Gelato Caffe
A wonderful walk is highlighted by the gorgeous flowers
Port Moody BC – Rocky Point Park & Shoreline Trail
During a short 4 day trip to Vancouver, we spent one of those days exploring the outskirts of Metro Vancouver. The Millenium Line took us to Port Moody where we spent a few hours walking through Rocky Point Park and the Shoreline Trail.
Across the Burrard Inlet is the Pleasantside neighborhood
The boat launch
Rocky Point Park Playground
The start of our Shoreline Trail walk around the Burrard Inlet. The end of the long pier located to the left of this picture is where I took the the shot of Pleasantside and the boat launch.
Boston MA – New England Aquarium
A visit to the New England Aquarium in Boston proved worthwhile. Four levels that runs circular to a 9,000 gallon tank that includes a man-made coral reef. Starting at the bottom with the Penguins we wind our way to the top. Before our departure, we make sure to visit the Stingrays where my 9-year old grandson gets the opportunity to touch the stingrays.
Unfortunately the large crowds eliminated the ability to take a lot of photos. Here’s enough to give you a taste of what to expect.
Atlantic Harbour Seal
The Penguin Exhibit is the first animal to greet you when you enter the Aquarium. The different coloured bands indicates where in the world they existed. They come from all over the world and can co-exist. Humans can certainly learn something from this.
Sea Lions performing a back float
This one of 5 shorebirds are rescues that received rehab care and cannot survive in the wild. Â
The bottom of a 9,000 gallon floor-to-ceiling, four story giant ocean tank
Such beautiful colours
Green Moray Eel
Top of the tank on Level 4
Boston MA – Fenway Park
Fenway Park is the oldest ballpark in Major League Baseball.  Located near Kenmore Square, it is home of the Boston Red Sox. Because our hotel was located around the corner of the park, we passed this place on a number of occasions as we head out for supper or just going for a walk.
We visited the stadium twice during our week stay in Boston. First visit was a “Samuel Adams Brewery” hosted post marathon party and the second visit was a game between the Red Sox and Twins.
First series of photos depicts our evening walk around the park after dinner at a nearby restaurant
Lansdowne Street. A number of individuals wait around this area hoping for a home run hit that may go over the Green Monster (to the right)
The MGM Music Hall is located right next door on Lansdowne. The Prudential Tower looms in the distance
House of Blues is located across the street of the Music Hall
Second series of photos were taken at the Samuel Adams Brewery Post-Marathon Party
From the Green Monster. The long line-up was quick to Field Level, behind home plate. On the right edge of the photo, four World Series Cups were displayed. A staff member would take a photo of you with the cups with your phone.
Our seating area for next day’s game was a few rows behind the visitor dugout beside third base.
The World Series Cups
The line-up to home base. It was fast moving but once you got down, there was plenty of space and we got to take our time hanging out
Field Level. It was so cool!
The third series of photos are from Game Day with the Twins
Our entrance to the park
This section is located behind Right Field. You can see one red painted seat about nine rows down. This is the location of the farthest hit ball (502 feet) ever made in Fenway. It was done by Ted Williams on June 10, 1946. No one has broken that record.
I’m always in awe of how far the pitcher throws the ball and with accuracy.
Alberta, Canada – Frank Slide
It was always a somber moment during the few times I passed through Frank Slide The knowledge that there were human lives buried under approximately 150 feet of rock was always a time of serious thought.
On Highway 3, the town of Frank is located in the southwest edge of Alberta right beside Turtle Mountain. On April 29, 1903 at 4:20 AM, approximately 119 million metric tonnes of rock slid down and covered 1 kilometre wide space filling it 425 metres high and 150 metres thick. and all within 90 seconds.
It wasn’t until 2022 that we made the point of stopping to take a closer look. The photos (except the first one) are taken from the .9-mile trail that starts and ends at the parking lot.
A view of Frank Slide from Lee Lake
From the Frank Slide Trail
3 square kilometres at the valley bottom
An average of 14 metres deep with some spots as deep as 45 metres
Horizontal layers of sedimentary rock folds during the mountain building process and becomes vertical to create instabillity
Greenery that didn’t get destroyed
Part of the Frank Slide trail gets shaded
White Birch
Natural made steps helps with the uphill climb
Saskatchewan Canada (10) – Prince Albert National Park – Boundary Bog Trail
A day trip to Prince Albert National Park included the final moments with a 2 km loop walk at Boundary Bog. A soft carpet of greenery under a boreal forest. The gorgeous surroundings was enhanced by the perfect weather.
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Reaching the lake at the end of the loop
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A closer look at the natural beauty
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Homeward Bound
Edinburgh Scotland (1) – The Forth Bridges
On a clear day and soaring around 35,000 feet above ground, you can capture some wonderful land patterns. All my years of air travel, this part of the journey has always captivated me. It was the fall of 2015, when we caught the redeye to Amsterdam from Toronto via Reykjavik.  This was always a favourite route of mine with the stopover in Iceland. It allowed us to stretch our legs and grab some expensive Icelandic snacks before we catch our connecting flight. Most cases it’s a 60 minute layover, give or take 15/20 minutes. However, with a mandatory visit at the EU border security, we’re not given much time to be selective at the snack bar. It’s a bit of an adrenalin rush mixed with anxiety as we make our choices. However, we have never missed a good snack and our flight.
With only three hours remaining to our destination, I decided to get some shut eye while we crossed the Atlantic. Â A couple of hours later, I awoke to see bits of landscape through a heavy clouded sky.
I decided to take the time and get some photos if the opportunity presented itself with a cloudless moment. With the knowledge that we were over Scotland, I had no clue to the actual location. I just snapped away with hopes of capturing some beautiful terrain.
I don’t normally view my photos until I return home where I can sort and label everything. Even then, my focus is zeroed in on the various cities and their local attractions.
It wasn’t until COVID struck that I was able to spend more time deleting any photos that I didn’t want. I came across these and was very surprised at what I had captured. After some research,I discovered that I had taken a photo of a historic structure in Edinburgh, Scotland. Three bridges crossing over the Firth of Forth. Each bridge was built in a different century. The Forth Bridge opened in 1890 and is now considered as a World Heritage site in Scotland. It holds the record as the world’s longest cantilever bridge. The Forth Road Bridge, aka Guid Passage was completed in 1964. The suspension bridge spans over 2.5 km in length. Queensbury Crossing opened traffic in 2017 (still incomplete in the photo). 2.7 km in length, it is the longest three-tower cable bridge in the world.
It was a surprising aerial photo. Just too bad it took me about 5 years to discover it.
l to r Forth Bridge, Forth Road Bridge and Queensbury Crossing
These photos were taken in 2015 and the Queensbury Bridge was not completed until 2017.
Saskatchewan Canada (9) – Shekinah Retreat Centre
Shekinah Retreat Centre is located about 45 minutes north of Saskatoon along the North Saskatchewan River.
A gorgeous day, we spent a couple of hours wandering to the edge of the river and then climbing up Quill Hill. There are 14 trails with different physical levels for hiking, biking and skiing. I’m hoping to return later autumn to capture the color changes in the foliage. So peaceful, it was a true experience in the beauty of nature.
The following photos captures only a small portion of this wonderful area.
The Playing Field with Quill Hill, in the background
Thick foliage walk towards the river. This really wasn’t a true trail. We kind of went off course for a few meters.
So many different shades of greenery
From the tower, we get a panoramic view
North Saskatchewan River is split by Redekopp Island (on the left)
Redekopp Island
A closer look at some summer foliage
On their map they called this a swimming/skating lake. I’m not sure about the swimming part.
My grandson, Beckett sits on the seating available around the Amphitheatre. Timber Lodge on the background.
From Quill Hill looking back towards Timber Lodge (green rooftop on the right)
The creek runs through the valley. You can hike along either side on Ravine Trail.
From Quill Hill, you can see the North Saskatchewan River. My daughter Amber is ahead of me. You should be able to see Beckett and my husband, Rod, on the trail in the distance.
Saskatoon SK, Canada (13) – Boffins Garden
Located within the University grounds, this garden setting is peaceful and beautiful. We had always known its’ existence but never visited it until last week. Tranquil ponds with numerous gold fish, both large and small. We even came across a solitary frog basking in the 30+ heat. A number of tables and chairs surrounds the pond, giving people an opportunity to enjoy their lunch in splendour.
All but the last three photos were taken on August 19, 2000
The following three photos were taken on May 23, 2021
Photobombed by a bee
Saskatoon, SK Canada (12) – Views from my Window
My current home is a 17th floor apartment beside the South Saskatchewan River. Over the last 14 years (except 2016, when we lived elsewhere), we have witnessed spectacular natural sights. The sun, clouds, rain and snow, each participate separately and together to bring me beauties that I can never imagine. Each photo tells a story. Harsh winters that bring out the steam from the river, different cloud formations that can bring beauty or danger, rainy weather that creates an artistic vision, and sunsets that can be haunting and profound. The colours of these photos have not been altered, what you see is what I saw. I have also put them in a chronological order starting in 2006 to present 2020.
The last photo depicts the stark reality of COVID-19. All the years living here, I have never witnessed such emptiness on the streets.
Fai Quan 