"Therefore what God has joined together, let not man separate." (Matthew 19:6)

A few thoughts on my mind...

Yesterday, 13.08.11 my good friend's younger brother got married in Latvia. I am happy for Joe and Anna. A lot went on these past few months. My good friend Joe got married to Emma on 10.06.11. A wonderful wedding held in San Clemente, CA. My sister Claribelle tied the knot with Roy this past June. She was the first of the Cendaña siblings who got married and it was a beautiful thing! My best friend Dave and his wife Esther celebrated their 2-year anniversary this past July. My good friend Nick and his wife Mindy celebrated their 5-year anniversary this past July as well. My sister-in-law Jessi had set her wedding for this October.

Marriage cannot be taken lightly, for it is a life long commitment. A commitment that will test the very foundation of any union through thick and thin. A foundation hopefully based on God. Much like anything else, marriage takes work. I have come across many couples, some old, some young and when asked what makes their marriage work, they pretty much have said the same thing. They have said that it takes work, sacrifice, compromise, patience, and the greatest was love. During my road trip, I walked outside a restaurant and saw an older couple who walked down the street holding hands as they swung it like teenagers. At Mount Rainier, I met an older couple who was fun to be around with as I observed how they uniquely interacted with each other. At church, I noticed how my brother-in-law held my sister's hand and arm gently. As I observed these behaviors, I am reminded of the different manifestations of love. 

Love manifests happiness. Everyone needs love. Even though marriage takes work, it is the life long journey that one takes with their partner that makes it worth while. A journey of learning, discovery, and trial. Marriage is simply beautiful.     

A day in the park, Harmony Arts Festival, Vancouver Lookout & Birch Bay

Day 10, August 1

We had a wonderful time at West Vancouver, British Columbia. Our hosts were very hospitable and welcoming to two people they had never met. Much thanks and appreciation to Tom and Eppie. 

We departed their residence at around 10:30am and checked out a few more places. We checked out a local park and walked around the beach coast. My brother and I enjoyed some good ole ultimate Frisbee until I got tired. We then checked out the Harmony Arts Festival which hosted a variety of local artistic talents. As we made our way back to the car, we passed by two local kids shooting some hoops. I asked if we could shoot around with them, but instead the two kids challenged us to a pick-up game. We obliged. We won the first game, lost the second, and took the third for the win. My brother did good for the most part.

 
Our next stop was Downtown Vancouver and we checked out the Vancouver Lookout. Up in the lookout, we saw the whole downtown area, the Pacific Ocean, North and West Vancouver, Mount Hood in Oregon from a distance, and other surrounding cities. Afterwards, we visited a train and seabus station and had some lunch next door. After lunch, we left for Washington and stopped at Birch Bay. At Birch Bay, we enjoyed the view and challenged each other of who could skip rocks better. 

Grouse Mountain, West Vancouver, BC, Canada

Day 9

We attempted to climb Grouse Mountain on a Sunday afternoon. Metro Vancouver had a variety of hiking trails that are suited for anyone's liking. My brother and I chose the most difficult and most-visited natural attraction situated only 15 minutes from the City's downtown core. Approximate completion time to climb the steep-inclined Grouse Grind was 1.5-2 hours with a distance of 2.9 km (1.8 miles). 

Our gear was set with the basic essentials of water, snacks, first-aid, and lights. We embarked on an adventure not knowing what lied ahead. The trail was daunting from its slippery rocks, soggy terrain, and the steep incline. I looked to my left and right, front and back, and noticed people resting, heard heavy breathing as people pushed on. Unfortunately, I stopped 7 times before we reached the halfway point only to have pulled my left calf muscle. I was in excruciating pain for a few minutes and was left with a tough decision. A decision whether to finish the last 1.45 km (0.9 miles) of the climb and ride the gondola back down, or to climb back down 1.45 km (0.9 miles). The decision was made to climb back down. I felt disappointed and also to let my brother down since he wanted to finish the trail. I was unprepared and out of shape to have attempted such a venture. I overexerted my muscles and bit more than I could chew. Grouse Grind OWNED me for that day, but ONLY for that day!

Stanley Park, Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada

Day 8

We arrived at our destination on Friday night to Tom and Eppie's home in West Vancouver, British Columbia. It was late and all I wanted to do was relax because of the long drive. We woke up late in the morning and had breakfast. My brother and I had no agenda for the day, but we checked out Stanley Park in North Vancouver, which was recommended by my brother-in-law Roy.

Vancouver is the the 3rd largest metropolis in Canada falling behind from Toronto, Ontario and Montreal, Quebec. One of the many things that appealed to me was their public transportation system. Since downtown gets really busy, my brother and I decided to try out their public transportation. Our host, Tita Eppie dropped us off at Park Royal, one of the biggest malls in Vancouver so we could wait at the bus stop. Vancouver is an eco-friendly city and you could tell right off the bat. Our stop was at the West End of Downtown Vancouver where Stanley Park was. My brother and I decided to just walk the entire circumference of the park's vicinity, but we noticed that there were a lot of people that rode their bikes and skates. So, we wanted to find out if there were any rental places around. A fellow kababayan (countryman) told us that there were rental places up the street and he took us there. My brother and I rented two mountain bikes and the rest was history. A plethora of things were going on in downtown Vancouver as demonstrations were held, tourist attractions that were visited (i.e., Stanley Park, sea plane rides, carriage rides), people that enjoyed fine dining, people that congregated around the sandy coast, and etc. 

The ride around the park took my brother and I close to 2 hours since we dismounted our bikes at specific areas. We caught a glimpse and watched two cruise ships that left Burrard Inlet and passed under the Lions Gate Bridge. We rode the bus back to our accommodation and prepared for dinner.  

A family of raccoons in Stanley Park

Round two @ Forks, Washington; La Push, 1st & 2nd beach; Vancouver, BC Canada

Day 7

My brother and I just trekked the Cape Flattery trail and contemplated whether to do the Ozette Lake trail. I hoped that my brother would put some more of his input into the decision making and not just follow my lead. It was nearly dusk, so we decided to head back. There were a lot of things to do in so little time. I really wanted to do the 9-mile trail, but due to time constraints, I was not able to do so. The problem that faced us now was whether we would head back to Olympic National Park to check out Hurricane Ridge or head back into Forks, WA and check out La Push, 1st and 2nd beach the following morning. We decided to revisit Forks contingent on a motel reservation. The first night in Washington on day 4, we found no accommodations at a motel for less than $60. Luckily, at the end of day 6, I found a reservation @ Bagsby's Motel in Forks under $70.

Our day 7 started like this... 

We departed Bagsby's Motel, but before that, we checked out its aromatic and beautiful flower garden.

We were off to our next adventure, but decided to check out the places seen in the Twilight movie. 

The Swan's home

The Cullen's home

Who's that looking out the window?

After some sight seeing, we went off and got some breakfast @ a Forks local coffee shop. After breakfast, we went off to La Push, 1st and 2nd beach.

The trail down to 2nd beach was spectacular. Although, once you have reached the beach, you would have to traverse through these washed out logs. Just be careful with your step!

2nd beach

The drive to West Vancouver, BC Canada...

Mount Rainier

Seattle, WA

Canada's customs check point

The drive from Port Angeles to Vancouver, BC Canada took us about 8 hours. One could have taken a ferry through the many ports in Washington to Seattle. The closest one would be at Port Townsend, but it was late and the price was steep. Once we entered Canada, one had to remember that they use the metric system. It proved difficult to gauge the vehicle's speed. Nevertheless, the view, freeways, bridges, and transportation system that Canada had was top tier.