Not much to say really. The plan was to fly out to Vancouver Island, check into a cheap motel in Courtenay and then spend three days at the festival, one of my Bucket List items. Afterwards I would take the new fast ferry to downtown Vancouver, do a couple of labour and other history walking tours of Vancouver, head to dinner at Vij's (favourite Indian restaurant in all the world) with my sister, who would also be hosting me in Vancouver, and some cousins.
What happened was a bit of a deviation from the plan.
I got in an afternoon of wandering the town's 'White cemetery', got photos of Goodwin's grave and some others, including one Mac-Pap vet. Then went shopping and had a good night's sleep.
Next day I made the ceremonies at the 'White' cemetery and the Chinese and Japanese cemeteries. Much fun for me and a couple of hundred fellow travellers.
A community lunch at the FABULOUS Cumberland Museum and Archives followed and I connected with Joey Hartman (now BC Labour Heritage Centre board Chair, ex-Vancouver Labour Council President), had a lovely time with her and her friends.
But a dry cough started before lunch was done.
I got lost in the Museum and missed the history walking tour. Pissed myself off.
Drove around the village randomly in an effort to find the walking tour and when I couldn't I retired to a nice brew pub for a sample of the local fare. By then the cough had picked-up and I called it an early day.
Picked-up a COVID test kit on the way to my hotel and tested postive. Masked-up I bought a few days worth of food and drink and retired to my motel bed. A boring few days followed.
I shifted, masked-up, to Vancouver on the new ferry service to downtown and transferred to my sister's spare bed for another few days of coughing and eating toast with Cheese Whiz (whatever makes you feel better is my motto), then flew home. Where I went straight to the spare bedroom until I tested negative.
No dinner with family at Vij's, no labour history walking tours, no nothing.
Sigh.
Debating whether to make the effort to do it all over again or just cross it off my list.
Photos HERE.
