Canadian Camping Newbie @32 Years

My first time camping in a tent on the ground was when I was 32 years old.  I just started to know my partner who had been on numerous camping trips himself. That seminal, first camping time was during a bike trip outside of Toronto.  It meant cycling with our gear, sleeping bag for  over…

Warming Up to Bison Art and Branding

A sign of an entrenched native prairie animal icon, is  a hulking, ugly bison stamped into Alberta handmade soap.  Not that I’ve seen a salmon icon on Pacific coast local soap  –yet.  Pacific coastal soapmakers might find dolphins and whales more romantic iconography for beauty soap products. Not Exactly Cuddly While the bison isn’t cuddly nor evokes…

Rothenburg ob der Tauber: Tracing German Medieval, Reformation Restraint and Northern Renaissance

We’re not purists when we travel overseas to see “perfectly”, preserved towns. Others may scoff  for being too touristy.  To me, it’s all part of the same culture –the well-kept heritage, the tourist-kitschy and ordinary messiness.  Rothenburg ob der Tauber was a charming, historic town of 11,000 that ostensibly relied on its tourist economy.  No problem. …

Rhubarb Mow Down, Chow Down

Rhubarb started off on the wrong foot with my family.  Not until I was 16 years old, it dawned upon our family, the monstrous red stalk and big leafy bushes in our backyard, were rhubarb. Alien Red Stalked Plant with Poisonous Leaves When I was 10 years old, we were excited to have our first…

A Candle for Canada’s 150th Birthday

This blog post is light and small like a cupcake. 2017 is Canada’s 150th year as a country. Sure, the country did exist centuries before, as a collection of different nations of native Indian and Inuit peoples.  That memory and consciousness is still with us today alongside with Canada – in their voices, in names of some…

Reject Not at First Glance : Stained Glass Church Art

Two decades ago, I tossed out my 30-lb. stained glass artwork into the garbage a few years after I finished two stained glass art courses.  I dubbed the art piece, “Spring Thaw”. “Spring Thaw” was hoisted out into the garbage room,  because I thought it was unworthy of transporting 4,000 km. in moving  to Vancouver from Toronto.  Yes, it was…

Sagrada Familia: Gaudi’s Church of Flowering Spirit, Exaltation, Chaotic Life and Sanctuary

I first saw from afar,  the shadow of Antonio Gaudi’s contemporary and wild cathedral.  We were gazing over the city rooftops of Barcelona,  Spain from the palatial hilltop at the National Museum for Catalonian Art. The church looked ghostly grey and foggy, with a tangle of towering construction cranes. Cathedral Masterpiece to Be Done After…

Small and Suave: Dijon Lures with Charm and Wonder

If North American urbanites could have cosy, yet sophisticated and relaxed cities like Dijon, France, we would all be happier and healthier. Timeless, Relaxed Elegance Dijon is like a timeless elegant lady, yet sitting relaxed in a polished, antique chair. She wears a silk blouse with a pair of worn jeans and stylish deep red…

Where Was I? During History in the Making

Women’s March –  Jan. 21, 2017 This  peaceful protest march caught like a firestorm with over 160 sister city marches across the world.  I didn’t join our local city march which attracted over 4,000 people.  Instead I was having a hair cut. The massive  march was galvanized first, by American women in protest of their newly sworn-in President Trump, known for his…

Gingerbread Dreamscapes and Christmas Hopes

Just before Christmas, I pedalled over to a Christmas gingerbread display at  Hyatt Hotel in downtown Vancouver.  The hotel hosts this public event,  an annual Christmas gingerbreadscape competition and showcase.  Fun cookie and icing sugar-candy festooned scenery, are lovingly shaped by groups ranging from schoolchildren to aspiring chef students at the Pacific Culinary Institute. The gingerbread…

Cycling the Grands Crus Wine Route: France’s Burgundy Red Wine Region

It’s surreal to cycle through the world’s most prestigious, centuries-old region for producing fine,  expensive red wines and not stop for a tasting.  To atone for this, nearly every evening we often had excellent local red wine for low prices every dinner in this corner of France. Enroute Through World’s Cradle, Centuries and Prestige of Red Winemaking…

My European Food Trip Shock: Meat, Poached Eggs, Wine and Pastries

During our latest fall trip to Europe this year, I became much more a carnivore and red wine sipper. I had meat and red wine nearly every dinner for over two weeks.   Oh yes, we didn’t forget the pastries, especially in France and Germany. Normally, I only eat meat 3-4 times per month at home….

Teenager Helps Father Sponsor Relatives to Immigrate to Canada

That Ontario teenager was myself.  I don’t have a photo like what you see in some recent newspapers: Smiling Canadians posing in photos with Syrian refugees as they arrive at our major city airports.  My experience is not about helping refugees. Humdrum Insider View:  Helping Others Immigrate Let me give you our family’s insider view. …

Creative Alchemy of Making Unfettered Art. Part 2 – Blogging, Writing

I’ve never participated in the annual global grassroots of NaNoWriMo promoted by wordpress.com and other online writing communities.  I don’t consider myself a serious writer.  Just a personal blogger who cringes slightly at the thought of pumping out over 50,000 words of sanity in 1 month. I’d rather turn my bike pedals 50,000 revolutions. My hearty…

Creative Alchemy of Making Unfettered Art. Part 1 – Visual Art

One of the glass barriers I want to shatter every time when creating art, is my own inhibitions. That blank canvas, tabula rasa, that snow-white endless blank computer screen or empty writing page either begs an artistic watermark or taunts me to sully its virginal purity. Making Art, Take a Risk of Falling Last year, a blogger-writer and…

Easy-Peasy or Daunting: Getting to Local Art and Attractions by Bike, Foot, Transit

A long while ago, I was  volunteer blogger for Tourism Vancouver’s blog, Inside Vancouver.  My special self-chosen niche, was flogging outdoor Vancouver attractions, reachable by bike, foot or transit. So I zoomed into fabulous outdoor art, parks and scenic vistas.  Metro Vancouver is abundant with an array of  jaw-dropping scenery, galleries and historic sites clustered…

This Traveller Loves to Come Home Too

That’s me –after several weeks abroad and enjoying every day, immersed in a foreign country and language environment,  I love to come home too. To my own bed, quiet at home and diverse choice of food. Not Get Too Lost I’m not exactly your tourist,  clutching tightly onto my pillow from home or I’m peering…

Living Best as City Mouse

Even though Cycle Write blog is peppered with wilderness photos and near poetic odes about Nature, at heart, I live best as a City Mouse.  An urban life person. Sure I’d love to claim that I revel in cabin or at least home living in the unlit forest.  There is an implicit suggestion, that liking…

Cycling Through Curtains of Fog, Twilight and Darkness

I don’t fancy myself much of a night rider. I don’t go night cycling just for fun.  Night riding for me is strictly utilitarian –commuting to and from work, occasional shopping or cycling to a restaurant/event not far from home or hotel.   I’m slower because I can’t help but think something might suddenly jump from behind inky black shadows…

Cycling Love in India: Profile of Mother, Physician Blogger

A few months ago, I stumbled across Preethi’s blog, IfeeIthinkIsay. I was delighted to discover  she also is a cyclist..in southern India.  In addition to bicycling for health and fun, she is also busy as a full-time physician (psychiatrist) there for last 9 years for children with disabilities and emotional problems, as well mother of 2 young children. She graciously…

Magnolia and Cherry Blossom Cascades

I’ve always look forward to the annual spring burst of cherry tree blossoms in Vancouver. A cascade of delicate pink, sometimes white blossoms, sweeps across the city, in waves, for a month. Usually during the latter part of March into April. While cherry trees are busting out, larger petals of magnolia flowering trees are breaking…