vancouver | part one

Blood, sweat, and tears have been put into this vacation picture process {fictional blood, real sweat, and {surprisingly} fictional tears.} And I'm not so sure even yet how I feel about what I've compiled. As I scroll through my "finals" I don't feel as if I have nearly done justice to the trip, another time, I don't even know what to do differently. This part is kind of stressing me out right now - I guess that happens sometimes with a blog - so I'm trying to remember how much fun I had taking these pictures, and the mental snapshots I have rather than the {needless} stress over having a perfectly-put-together post. Really quite meaningless in the scope of the vacation. 

But enough of all this... here is the beginning... a wonderful vacation filled with my dear extended family, an amazingly intriguing city, breathtaking scenery... and this is only a glimpse. God was so real to me through these things and seeing His creation. I am beyond grateful for the chance to travel and see places and landscapes that are foreign to me. 

This first round of pictures all came from one full day. {No worries, they won't all be this way} There is a suspension bridge in Vancouver that is - simply awesome - if you ever make it out there. I was white-knuckling the side rail just a little bit on the way over... ;) We hiked all around Capilano, and also over to Grouse Mountain, where the gondola and ski lift pictures are from. So it begins... prepare. :)

Aside from the actual bridge, there was some neat history around the bridge to take in, places to just be a tourist, a gut-dropping cliff wall, and simply beautiful flowers. One of the things I loved so much about the Pacific Northwest. Everything is just so... lush. This area we were in happened to be part of their rainforest so it was especially dense and muggy.

You made it to the other side, Gramps! You're such a trooper!!

And the cliff walk - this part might have freaked me out even more than the bridge, actually! But it was so cool. So, so cool.

Adios from Capilano! On to Grouse Mountain. It was a beautiful day to start off our trip, so thankful for the weather we had the whole time! A bit chilly, but that's the Pacific Northwest.

Yep, that's snow... thought we just left that?!

This above picture was from the top of a wind turbine, after the gondola ride and up another ski lift...

Gorgeous, eh? {we may or may not have perfected our "eh" imitations throughout the duration of this trip.}

So there's an initial taste. I just need to leave it at that. Raw, no proofing, because it almost hurts over how awesome the experiences and sights were and not feeling like I can possibly do it justice. I'd go back to these places in a heartbeat. Oh yah... and the food wasn't half bad either...

oh, the food. We had amazing food. ALL. WEEK. LONG. Bring me back to the sea for my seafood, please.

Round 2... Coming soon...