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Tag: Night Markets

Taipei, Taiwan – ‘Our Layover’

On November 2, 2018November 12, 2018 By David LowesIn TaiwanLeave a comment

There is no secret that our four day layover in Taiwan was motivated by Anthony Bourdain’s ‘The Layover - Taipei’. The cities, the night markets, even the food we tried was largely influenced by this iconic show. 'The Layover - Taipei’ was the first show I remember seeing of Bourdain’s— I watched it with my …

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Snuck away from the cold and snow in Canada for a Snuck away from the cold and snow in Canada for a Cave 1 diving course in Tulum, Quintana Roo - land of cenotes, caverns and caves. Here are some Tulum streetscape shots from in between dives. I was able to fit in 30+ dives, which is amazing. I was dreaming diving… :-) Until next time Tulum. Adios.

#tulum #tulummexico #quintanaroo #mexico #tulummexico🇲🇽
It’s been many many years since we’ve been to Stra It’s been many many years since we’ve been to Strathcona Park. A quick two night getaway with a hike today to Lupin Falls was nice. Nobody anywhere around - Kiko was pretty excited with all kinds of smells. I kept thinking about Dorothy and her troupe singing ‘Lions, Tigers and Bears, oh my’ lol. Pretty place - I wonder if you can rent the cabins out… I’d love to come back and canoe and kayak. #strathconaprovincialpark #lupinfalls #lupinfallstrail #vancouverisland #beautifulvancouverisland #goprounderwater roadtrip #waterfalls #waterfallsofinstagram #strathconaparklodgeoutdooreducationcentre #campbellriver
‘I drink coffee for your protection’ 🤣 Bwahahaha… ‘I drink coffee for your protection’ 🤣 Bwahahaha… Some truth here. Fun coffee shop stop on our way to Strathcona Park for a walk about. The campfire by the beach was a nice touch 💕 #foggduckerscoffee #butfirstcoffee #coffee #campbellriver #vancouverisland #roadtrip
Third dive with Sara this season - feeling gratefu Third dive with Sara this season - feeling grateful. Today was really wet (🥹) and windy kicking up a fair bit of silt. Still, any dive is a good dive. Sara is a wizard at finding the good stuff - a GPO hiding in its den… a good day.  #goprounderwater #scuba #scubadiving #scubavideo #goprohero #gue #ocean #underwater #photography #videography #family #adventure #oceanography #pacificnorthwest #marine #marinebiology #gpo #octopus #giantpacificoctopus #ogden #victoria #diving
Fun dive with Sara at Tyee Cove in Nanoose. Had a Fun dive with Sara at Tyee Cove in Nanoose. Had a sea lion fly-by, but no play date which was a shame. Nice clear dive; Sara has a knack for finding small, pretty nudibranches. 
#goprounderwater #scubadiving #scuba #scubaphoto #scubavideo #gopro #underwatervideo #scubadivers #scubagram #scubavideo #nudibranch #divebc
Excellent date night with Yasuko Lowes watching Jo Excellent date night with Yasuko Lowes watching John Mellencamp at the Orpheum Theatre!

Feel fortunate to hear his stories and sing along to his hits.

Not bad for 71 Mr. Mellencamp, not bad at all 💪

#johncougar #johnmellencamp #johncougarmellencamp #pinkhouses #orpheumtheatre #jackanddiane
After a few wonderful days with Yasuko in Merida, After a few wonderful days with Yasuko in Merida, I bussed over to Tulum to brush up on some diving skills.

One of my bucket list items is to cave dive - in order to cave dive you need a certain technical skill level to take the course (which makes good sense considering you can't just surface). 

While brushing up on these skills, I got to dive FOUR cenotes, two which had cavern systems which allowed a small taste of cave diving. 

Night dives used to be my favorite - but I'd say now it's a caves/caverns. It is unbelievably serene, peaceful and untouched. You literally float down the inclines into darkness, surrounded by really pretty rock formations.

In the second cenote we went to on day three there is apparently a resident crocodile called 'Pachito' who wasn't mentioned in the pamphlet 🤣

He was a no show which I am still a little conflicted about... 🐊

#scuba #scubadiving #tulum #cenote #cenote #cenotediving #carwash #mexico #divingtulum #cavediving #divingtulum #gue #guefundamentals #diver #underwater #dive #divinglife #travel #adventure #nature
The Mayan World Museum of Merida is excellent - am The Mayan World Museum of Merida is excellent - amazing exhibitions with plenty of artifacts, lots of English explanations and interactive activities.

I'm a sucker for a good museum. I want to get a better understanding of how a place became the way it is. This is a very good museum - at least on par with the Royal BC Museum and Museum of Anthropology at UBC.

The Mayan people sure had a lot of things figured out - their civilization was very advanced. 

The past on the Yucatan Peninsula is complicated - it's a sad story with a lot of suffering.

I am grateful to be experiencing what feels like a surge in regional pride in local customs, food and language.

*Note this in only an observation from a tourist with five days under his belt*

Just around the corner from the museum was a shopping mall 'Liverpool/Galerias Merida' - it was beautiful (picture a brand new Park Royal complete with an inside skating rink and young figure skaters practicing their routines. Reminded me of Sara skating when she was young. 

Outside it is 32 degrees/feeling like 34... Quite a contrast. 

We finished the day with a LATE 10pm dinner (I'm usually in bed 🤣) for New Years.

#mexico #merida #yacutan #vacation #timeaway #newyearsinmexico #instatrip #instavacation #instamexico #maya #mayan #mayamuseum #newyears #mexicotravel #travelphotography #travelgram
The Uxmal Ruins are majestic coming out of the jun The Uxmal Ruins are majestic coming out of the jungle – right out of an Indiana Jones movie or one of the Mummy movies. The details in the stonework, and how the buildings are situated in relation to each other is amazing. There was a gentle breeze which took away some of the punishing heat of the mid day sun - but still hot enough you feel it in your lungs when you breath. Iguanas scampered in between the stones and up the walls. It is pretty amazing to think of the time and care it took to shape these stones and construct these pyramids – I have trouble sitting still long enough to finish a crossword. There are many clear inscriptions on the stones – snakes, owls, the god Chaac, and humans doing a variety of activities. 

The first structure, the Sorcerer’s Temple was my favorite, but I also loved the view from the platform of the Governor’s Place over the Ball Court and the Sorcerer’s Temple stretching itself out of the jungle.

They say 20,000 people lived here at the city’s peak; and was a dominant city in the region from 200AD to 1200AD which, for some unknown reason it was then abandoned. I think about 60% of the archeological site was open – I assume they are working on restoring the other structures. Well worth the trip – the lines were manageable, not too many tourists and prices seemed fair.

#mexico #merida #yacutan #vacation #timeaway #newyearsinmexico #instatrip #instavacation #instamexico #uxmal #uxmalruins #backroads #mexicotravel #travelphotography #travelgram
First post CoVid trip with Yasuko to beautiful Mex First post CoVid trip with Yasuko to beautiful Mexico (missed our 25th anniversary trip last year :-) - Merida on the Yucatan Peninsula.

We are staying in a great hotel in the Historical Center of the city - close to restaurants, many colonial style buildings, beautiful parks, hustling and bustling markets, and historical landmark sites.

Merida is very pretty, clean and friendly... and warm. Ok, it's hot - try 30+ in the middle of the afternoon - sweat running down the back of your shirt hot... but the evenings are a more manageable 20 degrees or so - perfect to explore and enjoy festivities.

The food is very good - We have enjoyed everything from tortas and panuchos from the market, to Yucatan inspired western dishes at the restaurant across the street from our hotel.

This seems like the perfect time to visit - lots of foreigners and people from other areas in Mexico - creating a wonderful blend of languages and cultures. 

The shopkeepers, baristas and locals have been especially kind with me as I continually mess up in Spanish. 

Nothing ventured nothing gained...

#mexico #merida #yacutan #vacation #timeaway #newyearsinmexico #instatrip #instavacation #instamexico #travel #mexicotravel #travelphotography #travelgram
Watching Handel's Messiah by Vancouver Bach Choir Watching Handel's Messiah by Vancouver Bach Choir with Sara Lowes at the iconic Orpheum Theatre - they are very good and the accompanying musicians from Vancouver Opera Orchestra are terrific as well.

Lots going on today - went for tasty breakfast croissants, watched Sara play a field hockey game and went to the Vancouver Christmas Market.

Taking full advantage of Sara feathering in a 'day with dad' . 😁

#vancouverbachchoir #orpheumtheatre #messiah #handel #handelmessiah #handelsmessiah #vancouverchristmasmarket
Wonderful surprise Father's Day Weekend - Sara and Wonderful surprise Father's Day Weekend - Sara and Graem came over from Vancouver and we all went to visit Kei and Madi in Tofino!

Amazing fishing with Brody @northwestoceanadventures - tasty food @heytokidoki with flights of beer @tofinobrewco.

Very special weekend with very special people ❤️

#tofino #heytokidoki #japanesefood #tofinobc #salmon #salmonfishing #chinook #chinooksalmon #northwestoceanadventures #tofinobrewingcompany
#vancouverisland #beautifulbc #beautifulvancouverisland
Nozzle Forward with Aaron Fields @qbfirerescue wi Nozzle Forward  with Aaron Fields @qbfirerescue with other excellent North Cowichan Officers!

Instructor Fields - 'Chief, do you want the good news first, or bad news first'?

Me - 'Always bad news first 😜'

Instructor Fields - 'Chief, the bad news is being on the nozzle isn't your job bwahahaha 😜😁'

Looking forward to bringing new skills and ideas back to Maple Bay and North Cowichan! 

#firefighter #firefighters #firerescue #fireengine #firetruck #training #maplebay #maplebayfire #maplebayfirerescue #trainingday #northcowichanfire #northcowichanfiredepartment #nozzleforward #fireattack
Kei and Madi are knocking it out of the park in To Kei and Madi are knocking it out of the park in Tofino @heytokidoki ❤️ located at the Tofino Brewery.

Sara and I had the Karaage, okonomiyaki, gyouza, and pork belly rice bowl - very very tasty ❤️

#tofino #heytokidoki #tokidoki #japanesestreetfood #japanesefood #streetfood #cheatday #okonomiyaki #zangi #karaage #karage #gyouza #gyoza #dumplings #chicken #friedchicken #日本料理 #お好み焼き #餃子 #からあげ #ギョウザ #vancouverisland #beautifulbc
Road Trip to Tofino with the best daughter ever! Road Trip to Tofino with the best daughter ever!

Visiting Kei and Madi- my first time to their food truck @heytokidoki

Going for lunch and dinner 😝 I can go to the gym tomorrow 🤣

#roadtrip #daytrip #tofino #sundaydrive #heytokidoki #tokidoki #japanesestreetfood #cheatday #bmwclassic #classicbmw #bmw #1998bmw #1998bmwz3m #mseries #bmw #roadster #bmwz3M #bmwz3 #bmwmseries #vancouverisland #beautifulbc
Trail run challenge with Princess Leyla - My goal Trail run challenge with Princess Leyla - My goal is to be able to run the entire Stoney Hill loop without stopping. Maybe not a big deal for a good runner, but it's a place to start 🏃

Yesterday with two light jogs, I did it in 31 minutes - today was 26 minutes. A couple walking sections along the way, but more running than yesterday 👍

Any ideas on a good time to strive for?

If anybody is wondering, Leyla wasn't even breathing hard 🤣

#trailrun #running #trails #dogwalk #dogrun #doberman #dobie #dogsofinstagram #dobermansofinstagram #dobermans #dobermanlove #dobielove
With Yasuko visiting her dad - I get free rein on With Yasuko visiting her dad - I get free rein on the TV and I'm a fan of older sci-fi (hint - she isn't). 

Is there anything better than the original Blade Runner (Final Cut)?

Harrison Ford, Sean Young (who I might have had a bit of a crush on 😳) and Rutger Hauer were terrific.

They were so young 😢🤔😭🤣

I even have the LP 😊 Vangelis can sure create amazing soundtracks ❤️

The 'Love Theme' is excellent 👍

#bladerunner #bladerunneroriginal #scifi #dystopian #harrisonford #seanyoung #rutgerhauer #vangelis #movies #classics #scifi #soundtrack
Hello Stoney Hill - it's been a while 😊❤️💕 #maple Hello Stoney Hill - it's been a while 😊❤️💕

#maplebay #cowichanvalley #hike #hiking #dogwalk #vancouverisland #britishcolumbia #sunday #sundayfunday #justmove
Spa day for SLICK - a long overdue haul out and ne Spa day for SLICK - a long overdue haul out and new VC offshore paint for her bottom...

Clean bottom = fast boat 😍

#sailing #sailinglife #sailingadventure #hotfoot #hotfoot27 #maplebay #maplebayyachtclub #sailboat #vancouverislandsailing #bcsailing #gulfislands
Today is the last day of R&R before we start our r Today is the last day of R&R before we start our race training sessions for the RORC Carribean 600 starting Monday the 21st 🇦🇬

I'm staying at 'The Lodge' which is located at the National Sailing Academy - with somewhat modest, yet very reasonably priced rooms - only a few minutes to the shops at English Harbour / Falmouth Harbour - with a restaurant and dive shop on site AND you can rent lasers and Venture RS's (which look like 420's to me). Proceeds help fund school sailing and swim programs - a win - win.

Now, life is about learning, right? I took out a Venture RS and it was pretty gusty with LOTS of large boats to tack around - heeling and hiking - it was glorious ⛵☺️

Until it wasn't 😁

Well... There are a lot of reefs here... Let's just say that a very nice young man from the sailing academy came to pull me off one of those wee reefs and didn't even make fun of me while doing it.

When I asked if this happened often, he gently replied 'not so much' 🤣🤣🤣

The alternative was for me to get out of the boat and push it off the reef and get back in... Thankfully he recognized I'm not nimble or flexible enough for that! 🤣

It was so much fun ⛵

I've been to a lot of restaurants so far in Antigua - and I think my favorite one is this modest restaurant on the way into town. Homestyle meals - bbq chicken and pork with rice, actual vegetables and a killer hot sauce and passion fruit drink (which she says is locally made - no label 🤷🏻‍♂️ - but if it tastes that fresh - that's ok with me 😋). 

@divecarib - is the dive company 🐟🐠🐡 on site - Louis and Niko took me out for four dives over two days - very good visibility yesterday - the highlight being FIVE spotted eagle rays and a few monster puffer fish (the size of chinook salmon) and lots of Nemo's friends. Very friendly and accommodating - the guys - not the fish so much... 🤣

I'm here all week 😉

I can't say enough good things about 'The Lodge' and this facility - everybody is kind and respectful.

I'll come back.

Tomorrow - game face back on as we get put through our paces on Panacea X 💪
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About David

Currently residing in the beautiful Cowichan Valley on Vancouver Island on the West coast of Canada, David’s love of travel and Japan started with a book from his mother called, “The Book of the Samurai” when he was 12.

This blog contains stories and pictures from his travels, an exploration of culture and his life that started with a book…

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