Anniversary | Jim & Kathleen Travel

Six Years…Thank You for Reading

by Jim Bellomo | Dec 16, 2024 | Uncategorized

I just had to mention (before I finish our visit to Southern California) that today is the sixth anniversary of my starting this blog. And, of course, I started it with a complaint (I guess I might really be Victor Mildrew–my Brit friends know what I am talking about)about how much I hate the word “blog.” Here’s that first post.

I want to thank both my loyal readers who comment on just about everything. You are the best, and just know that many times, as I am writing, I think of one of you and say something like (in my head), “Bob will appreciate this,” or “I bet Susan comments on this one.” I wanted you to know it is you who has kept me doing this for six years, and it’s you who I hope will let me do it for six more.

I also want to tell new and old readers who only read this when I am traveling that it’s OK to do that. The rest of my life can be kind of boring. It’s even OK if you only read when we are traveling somewhere amazing, as opposed to my family trips. But keep coming back and checking in, as our travels will continue (I hope). You, too, are appreciated.

Thanks to all for putting up with my “luxury motor coach” and my “Don’t forget; if you click the first shot, you can scroll through with your arrow keys or by swiping. And PLEASE…don’t look at my photography on a phone. Please….,” and all my other repeated warnings and comments. I know I sound like a broken record sometimes but I really hate it when people look at my photos on a phone or cruise lines call a bus a “luxury motor coach.”

Lastly, a huge thanks to those of you who have commented on my photography. That’s the main reason I post here—my photos. Photography is my hobby, my passion and the best outlet for my creativity.

Watch this space in the future. More of all of it is still on the way.

OMG! I almost forgot this (shame on me). Thanks to my proofreader, my travel companion and the absolute love of my life. I write this blog for a lot of reasons but one of the biggest is to chronicle our life together. I love you, Kathleen. Thanks for putting up with all the time I have spent writing this.

Creativity is piercing the mundane to find the marvelous. —Bill Moyers

A Quick Trip North…for our 25th Wedding Anniversary

by Jim Bellomo | Aug 29, 2024 | Uncategorized

20 Years—we can’t believe it

by Jim Bellomo | Aug 28, 2019 | Uncategorized

Can’t believe it. Today Kathleen and I are celebrating 20 years of marriage by taking a two day trip to Vancouver, BC. We have visited here many times in those 20 years as it is one of our favorite cities. We were here last in 2017 with our British buddies Paul and Gail. Before that my brother Steve, his wonderful wife Jamie and our niece Cassie were here in 2015. We used to come here a lot more often before 2006 when we switched out British Columbia focus from Vancouver to Chilliwack because we always had so much more fun with Bob and Judy.

We drove up yesterday (Tuesday) and had a wonderful dinner at Edible Canada on Granville Island and then saw an improv show at Vancouver TheatreSports League (VTSL). We have been going to VTSL for almost as long as we have been married. It’s an awesome improv spot that has in its founding members Colin Mochrie and Ryan Stiles of Whose Line Is It Anyway? The show was outstanding. We laughed our asses off.

This morning I went out for one of my early morning photo walks. I have done a bunch in Vancouver and it never disappoints. Saw a couple of cruise ships (one Princess and one Holland America’s Volendam) and thousands of teenage girls line up at 5:45 am for a huge warehouse sale. Just crazy.

After breakfast at our hotel (the Wedgewood—where we have never stayed but we LOVE it) we went to see the Vancouver Aquarium. We can’t believe we have come to YVR so many times and never seen it. It is truly amazing. Then it was a nice drive around the Stanley Park, stopped at Prospect Point to take pictures of the Lions Gate Bridge and have lunch at a superb little bar and grille place there.

Back to our room so I could process photos and take a short nap (we are kind of old, you know) and then dinner at one of our favorite restaurants in the world, CinCin. We have had so many great dinners there since we first went with some of our Martini Mates back in 2005. Tonight was no exception. Truly wonderful Italian food and wine.

More tomorrow when I plan to walk the sea wall all the way around Stanley Park as my early morning photo walk, but in the meantime, here’s some pics I really like from today’s walk and our visit to the Aquarium.