My Igloo

It's a common mistaken stereotype among many american's that canadians live in igloos, drive snow mobiles and polar bears roam the streets.

The rest of us know this is very far from the truth - in fact, we're lucky if we even get snow more than 3 - 4 times a year here! Two christmases ago we actually got snow that stuck around for 2 weeks, and that was pretty rare.

Here are some of my favourite items that live in my igloo:


We picked up these bottles at the craft market on Salt Spring Island. The couple that make them are originally from South Africa and the lady's sister does the same thing in a market in Christchurch!

The masks and shell are from Cancun where we had our holiday last year. The masks are from a carver at Chichen Itza, where we were careful to buy products where the person was actually hand carving the items, not just something mass produced in a guatemalan factory. The shell is from a mexican with a stall at the end of an out-of-the-way road alongside a beach on Isla Mujeres, off the coast of Cancun.

This is a photograph that I took of Lake Tekapo  when we went home last christmas. I had it blown up huge and put centre stage in the room. The lamp was a steal from Home Sense, and what would I do without my perfume collection. Out of all of them, the Vanilla Body Shop one is my absolute favourite.

I had to add in the wall plaque that I received so long ago that I don't even remember who from, but I do love the message. It hangs in the bathroom.

Just looking at this chair makes me want to snuggle in with a good book. I have spent many rainy sunday afternoon curled up here with my e-reader and a bag of potato chips :)

The Kiwi Vs. Kiwifruit Debate

I cringe everytime I hear someone saying that they're eating a kiwi.
-   'Did you just ask me if I want to eat a cute endangered furry bird!?!'

Canadians really need to learn the proper definition of the word, and help me avoid my moment of panic and confusion.

See to us, the world's largest producer of the fruit formally known as the chinese gooseberry, it is called a kiwifruit. It is native to southeastern china and began cultivation in New Zealand in the early 1900's.

New Zealand's national bird, the Kiwi, is a flightless, nocturnal bird with brown feathers and a long beak.

The fruit is named after the bird, they're both brown, furry and a little odd looking right?

See the difference!

Welcome to my blog!

I have been living in beautiful Vancouver for over 3 years now (!!) and have been thinking of making a blog for quite some time, but just never gotten round to it. I want to show the good things that go along with living in a new city on the other side of the world - the new experiences, people and places, and also the bad things - homesickness, missing my friends, family and pet dog Lucy.

I have visited many places here in BC, including Victoria, Sproat Lake and Tofino on Vancouver Island, Salt Spring Island, Whistler up the Sea-to-Sky Highway and Kelowna, Big White, Osoyoos and Oliver in the BC Interior. We have also driven down to Bellingham, Seattle, Forks and Port Angeles in Washington and Cannon Beach, Seaside and Portland in Oregon.

I have also taken advantage of Vancouver's location in North America to travel to Las Vegas twice, Cancun on the Yucatan Peninsula in Mexico, and also back to Brasil to visit friends and family.

I have also learnt some not so nice things about Vancouver. I'm not a fan of the rainy and cold winters, the horrendous traffic, the gangs, high price of car insurance, $60 per month 'free' medical and too many chain shops and restaurants.

I do have some exciting things coming up this year though! My boyfriend's parents have recently purchased a camping site up in Harrison Hot Springs, so I'm sure we will be spending lots of time there this summer. My sister is coming over to visit in August so I will be travelling to some places with her and then I get to go home again for christmas, my birthday and one of my best friend's wedding.

Well, I think that's a good summary of what my blog is going to be about. Please feel free to leave me a comment :)