Twenty One - Along Came A Butterfly

After almost three hours of travel from where we had a picnic we decided to stop by at the nearest gasoline station to fill up the Van and the Winnebago's gas tank. What can I say? The price of gasoline is tremendously expensive. Unbelievable! I almost faint in disbelief. Although I cannot show my facial expression to the rest of the crews. I don't like disappointing their vacation. Their holiday vacation! For some of them this long driving experience is one of a kind and it just happened to them just now. I mean it's their first experience of being in a long journey in the main interior of BC as in being away from the island.

As our tour convoy progressed to the next highway up along two tunnels passing the Fraser valley and the canyon trails even down to the Hells Gate where there is a very narrow steep road ahead. We had our sight-seeing for a while then moved on to the next lane. On the next intersection a middle aged woman stopped us with a small billboard sign asking for help. Their car had a flat tire and they don't have an extra tire to replace it. Good that we have a "Fix It Kit" and let them borrow so that they can fix it or hand them the extra tire we had in the compartment. The couple extended their heartfelt gratitude for the extra tire that we had. The lady said she was having a headache too because they were there stranded for sometime and nobody's helping her. So I offered if she wants tylenol or advil capsule? The lady smiled and took the pain reliever medication.

On the road again and up to the place called Butterfly World. As usual more souvenir photos followed. Tee shirts with beautiful stunning designs adorned the souvenir shop. Lots of postcards and framed pictures of butterfly and other bugs on the wall.

We had a visit to their garden full of flora, shrubs and trees. The garden is covered with a huge net so that the fluterring, dancing creatures in multitude species of butterfly can't get away from outside the net.

All the girls bought t-shirts which are made of 100 % cotton. Some of them bought post cards. I bought a butterfly placed inside the globe shaped glass. It was absolutely beautiful! Athena, Mara, Katy and Claire bought set of stationary (pads and envelope with dainty embossed designs of butterflies). Imee and Amber bought mugs and pens with logo.

We're all inside the Butterfly shop unknowingly about the time. We left the shop before it closed down for the night as we're all fascinated with the creatures flying around us. Hundred thousands of them. Caterpillars crawling on the stem unto the leaves. The pupa and the chrysalis. The stages of the butterfly from being an egg to a blossoming butterfly as it emerges from its cocoon....

Suddenly the girls noticed Mattelda's face turning awfully glittery in discoloration..

Seventeen - At The Historic Site

Second day of our stay at Barkerville. Browsing at the many amazing historic sites they had. Remember they have 125 buildings inside the village. From the giant Wooden Wheel to the Royal Mail Carrier Wagon. Lots of picture-taking. Great that I brought at least 10 GB of SD memory card for my digital camera. Athena brought her Sony video camera. Actually each one of us brought digital camera. That's the in thing. Without it how you can share the memories without evidence. Seeing is believing! Good to have souvenirs!

"Oh yeah souvenirs!" exclaimed Katy. The girls screamed in a bit of excitement and asked a favor to one of the ladies at the porch wearing 18th century clothing. The PR ladies obliged and have their pictures taken with the girls. Then one more snapshots at the Giant Wheel.

Too many tourists. Mostly from Japan, Germany and other European countries. Few tourists from United States of America.

We had our pan for gold moment holding on to the steel pan (bowl). At first the girls have a hard time "winnowing" the bowl with sand and water in it. Robert showed us how to. We're all fortunate to get at least grams of gold nuggets. The shop clerk took the gold that looked like dark yellow shiny grain and put the gram on a tiny transparent capsule-tube. Yes it's GOLD! Real GOLD Virginia!

Oh that was lots of fun! Justin and Trekky tried one more time and continued panning for gold. We moved on to the next building.

We entered the Chinese-Mandarin shop. I bought two elephant ceramic with cute designs on its body. Inside the elephants are exotic tea bags from Ceylon and the other one from China. There are silk fabric too. Garments made from 100% silk fabric. How wonderful. Colorful fabric, slippers and purses. Katy, Athena, Mateelda, Imee and I bought pairs of slippers, purse and silk fabric. I love the velveteen, shiny smooth texture of the silk fabric.

On another site is a souvenir shop filled with plush toy animals. Lots of them. Hundreds of tee shirts, silver wares, sterling silver and post cards. Jonathan and Amber bought some plush toys for their kids. Their kids are being cared of by the grandparents while they were away from home.

More picture taking. Then lunch time at one of the restaurants there. Our group ordered a special meal. We're all hungry.

Appetizer: Spring rolls and Vegetable salad topped with Greek feta and oregano dressing
Main Course: Special egg and shrimp foo yung, Special Seafood Hotpot (Seafood: mix of scallops, prawns and mussels) , Ginger Beef, 2 Big Snapper, One Big Grilled Salmon with Mayonnaise and half of it with butter and lemons. Then Sweet Scented Jasmine Rice in bowls. Drinks: Coca Cola

No dessert. No thank you. Our tummy is filled up.