Being Appreciative

 

The cool air was sharp and fresh. The rays of sunshine were sharp and direct. In other words, it was one of those mornings where being out in the Lower Mainland seemed like harnessed joy.  I accompanied Jay to Burnaby's Metrotown neighbourhood on his way to the Bonsor Recreation Centre.

I marvelled as we waited just several minutes on the platform for a SkyTrain headed toward downtown Vancouver.  We were probably only around 65 meters from my couch or bed in the building above.  Mass transit running so close to our residence is an enormous asset.  

As Jay continued through the mall to the municipal complex at its other end, I looked at merchandise in the many outlets and walked through both a Walmart and a huge Canadian Superstore.  As I stepped out of the Kingsway entrance, the ski slopes on North Shore Mountains peeked out from behind some clouds in the distance.

We live in a convenient, safe, and beautiful part of our world during summers.  I honestly cannot think of a place I'd rather have as a home base.

 

Another New Year, Today?

Breakfast today was milk rice. It is one of the traditions for Sinhalese New Year in Sri Lanka. The island's Hindus and Tamils also celebrate it. In fact, much of South Asia and Southeast Asia has it as a traditional New Year. The photo shows fried pappadam that we had with lunch. Jay seldom fries anything so it felt pretty special although not specifically a tradition.  It's just a thin, crispy cracker type wafer that can be eaten along with meal or cracked into pieces and spread over the food. 

   

I had my AI explain about the April New Year:

While the Gregorian calendar reset back in January, much of South and Southeast Asia is celebrating the Solar New Year right now. Unlike the Lunar New Year, which shifts dates annually, this festival is anchored to the Mesha Sankranti—the moment the sun enters Aries in the sidereal zodiac. It almost always falls on April 13th or 14th.

For agrarian societies, this marks the end of the harvest and the peak of the summer heat just before the monsoons arrive. It’s a time of purification, merit-making, and, in many places, a very necessary drenching in cold water.

Festival	Region	Traditions & Observations
Songkran	Thailand	Famous public water fights symbolizing the washing away of bad luck; cleaning of family shrines.
Aluth Avuruddu	Sri Lanka	Timing activities (cooking, eating, starting work) to precise auspicious moments; sharing milk rice (Kiribath).
Thingyan	Myanmar	A multi-day water festival where splashing passersby is a gesture of cleansing and blessing.
Vaisakhi	North India (Punjab)	A major harvest festival and the birth of the Khalsa; celebrated with vibrant parades and dancing.
Pohela Boishakh	Bangladesh / Bengal	Colorful street processions (Mangal Shobhajatra) and starting new financial ledgers for businesses.
Vishu	South India (Kerala)	The "Vishu Kani"—the first thing one sees upon waking is an arrangement of gold, fruits, and flowers.
Pi Mai	Laos	Reverent washing of Buddha statues with perfumed water and the tying of white threads around wrists for luck.

It is a fascinating time to be a traveller. Whether it’s the quiet, ritualistic hearth-lighting in a Sri Lankan village or the chaotic, joyous water battles on the streets of Bangkok, the April New Year reminds us that "renewal" is often best served with a bit of tradition and a lot of water.

Our Plans for Winter 2026-27

Leaving for an entire winter takes a great deal of planning.  Many 'Canadian snowbirds' head to the same spot year after year, but that is not how Jay and I roll.  We've made it our habit to continue exploring the world, one warm destination at a time.  We began right after retiring in the fall of 2014.  We are already a couple of years beyond our original "Ten-Year Plan".

In 2022-23, we shifted from Africa, Asia, and Mexico.  We focused on South America and spent three months in Buenos Aires, Argentina just after the World Cup win. We had the good fortune to discover MSC Cruises from that city.  We boarded a multi-day cruise which allowed us a full day in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.

The visually-stunning city of Rio seemed like a place we'd just 'have to' visit again, and now those plans are being laid out.  We usually do our preparation in dribbles, figuring out single piece at a time.  For next winter, we've had the good fortune to piece together an itinerary quite rapidly.  This is the very first season, I'm planning with the help of my AI. By entering flight data and itineraries as soon as we make decisions, the scope of the whole winter can come together seamlessly and with greater clarity.  Moreover, it is easy to print up a summary at any time to double-check for gaps or omissions.  

I asked Ajith to write up what we know about next winter so far, and I'll paste it under this photo taken near the 'Christ, the Redeemer' Statue.  It was shot on our all-day port excursion on March 1, 2023.

  

What About Next Winter?

Jay's and my 2026-27 winter begins with a quick eastbound flight across the Atlantic for a short stay in the United Kingdom. On November 1, 2026, we depart Vancouver for London Gatwick, followed by a restful five-night stay at the ibis Southampton Centre. This planned interval serves as a chance for local sightseeing near UK's Hampshire County, as well as a special mid-week train trip to ancient Stonehenge to see the Neolithic ruins before our cruise departs. 

The cruise segment of our journey involves a grand 24-night transatlantic voyage aboard the MSC Virtuosa starting on November 7. Our scenic route winds through a diverse Mediterranean and Macaronesian itinerary, featuring sun-drenched ports in Spain, France, and the Canary Islands. The trip concludes with six relaxing days at sea across the open ocean, bridging the gap between the Old World and our first Brazilian stop in Salvador on November 28. 

A three-month extended stay in Rio de Janeiro forms the heart of our winter getaway from December to the final day of February. Upon disembarking on December 1, 2026, we move into an Airbnb condo apartment on Rua Riachuelo for our 90-day visit, maintaining our commitment to a continuous summer lifestyle. The stay is perfectly timed for us to enjoy the essential highlights of the Brazilian summer calendar: the massive Réveillon (New Year's Eve) fireworks on Copacabana and the unparalleled excitement of Carnaval, which dominates the city in mid-February 2027. 

The final chapter of our winter trip remains flexible, allowing for further exploration before our eventual return to Metro-Vancouver. After leaving the Rio apartment on March 1, 2027, we have earmarked a few weeks for spontaneous travel to new destinations. Our exact return flights and transit points for mid-March remain unconfirmed, allowing for an open-ended adventure that prioritizes personal discovery over a rigid schedule.

Colombo Store for Sri Lankan Products

It was a nice Sunday for a little drive as it was a little too cool to walk around and there was not enough sunshine for many outdoor activities.  We crossed the Fraser River on the stal̕əw̓asəm Bridge and proceeded to the Newton area of Surrey.  The Colombo Store is a small market about a half hour from our apartment.  It sells items and foodstuff primarily from Sri Lanka.

Just this morning, I used up the last from a jar of jam on my toast.  Luckily, woodapple jam is a favourite in Sri Lanka and the store carries plenty of MD products.  I've tried to explain the slightly strong, musty flavour to others, but always end up saying that it tastes ... well ... like a woodapple!  

Jay had in mind to buy some horse gram, a tropical southern Asia legume, but we always find a number  of products to pick up that are not on our list.  On Sundays, we can also buy small bakery items that are sold freshly made.  

Going to the Colombo Store was a fine way to finish up a Sunday morning. 

Less Than a Year's Use After Seven!

When we came out of the Superstore with the cart of grocery bags today, I liked how the sun was hiding behind the clouds. I snapped a picture of my EV as its colour called, Lake Silver, matched the scene.

 

I love driving the Hyundai Kona Electric.  As we're gone for at least five months a year, the experience seems fresh when we return from winters away. Electric motors have instant torque. Yes, I can spin the tires at the stoplight if I press the 'sports mode' button.

We got it during the first spring of COVID and for that summer and the next, travel was discouraged.  As well, we never go to the US anymore, so I'm pretty sure it only went into Washington state once. 

The adaptive cruise control makes highway driving a joy.  It's not like we do much of it, though.  The majority of the kilometers were added going uptown and to the Coquitlam Superstore.  Last summer, for my birthday week, we took a road trip to Jasper, Alberta and down the beautiful Icefields Parkway to Lake Louise!  That was the farthest it has ever been from home.  

I was surprised when I realized the car is nowhere near being new.  One cannot argue with simple arithmetic:  2026 - 2019 = 7.    Although Kimchi is now seven years old, she has just a bit over 15,000 km on the odometer.  That is around 9320 miles.  So it is still a pretty new old vehicle.

Things I Noticed When Walking

Jay and I live in an active earthquake zone. We reside right on a 40,000 km horseshoe-shaped belt around the Pacific Ocean where over 90% of the earth's active volcanos and quakes originate. The 'big one' is not a matter of if but rather when.  I am sure the earth's crust moved a great deal even over the past winter.  

Let me explain why.  I used to walk to uptown New Westminster, BC last summer.  I did the walks because I love the neighbourhood and for exercise as uptown is quite a hike in elevation.  My Fitbit app says I had 52 meters in elevation gain walking to the Walmart at the Royal City Centre this morning.  That might have been what was reported last summer, but the hike surely felt like more of a workout than previously. I am pretty sure the hill is much bigger this year!  LOL

 

I like walking up residential Forth Street and seeing all the historic, cute bungalows and houses.  It is stunning to realize that many are worth millions of dollars nowadays.  The gardens and lawns are well  manicured and folks are out walking their dogs overjoyed by the owners' attention.  

The 'redone' uptown space is more inviting than in the past.  As I walked down Sixth Street, I noticed that petrol cost $CA 2.079 per litre.   That'd convert to around $US 5.79 per gallon at today's rates.  I'm glad I haven't purchased gasoline since 2018.  I'd never give up driving an electric vehicle.

LFM

Doing errands is hardly seldom a chore for us. However, when the weather is so pleasant, it was almost a treat today.  On Thursdays, we generally visit this market on Kingsway just across the border of our city in Burnaby.  They have a great selection of fruit and vegetables year-round.  When the local produce is available, it's always fresh and cheaper than supermarkets.

 

We've been going to this shop for years.  The first reference I could find in this eJournal was in 2010.  It is on a major street and gets a lot of business.  In fact, the only thing that I don't like about shopping there is the limited parking with tiny spaces.  I'm afraid others are going to thrown open their door and dent my car.

Blue Sky, Brown Shirt

A whole skyfull of great blue colour has arrived!  Mark the calendar.  It's still cool but so worth it to walk in bright sunshine.  I walked to the other end of the New West downtown.  Things are so different than when we first walked these streets.

However, one building that has been open in its present location for decades is the Thrift Shop.  It was once part of an old structure that was incorporated into the New Westminster SkyTrain Station after we moved nearby in 1996.   For decades now the Thrift Shop has been in the historic BC Electric Railway building built in 1910-11.

It is a favourite place of mine.  I like going in often seeing what is currently in the racks and on the shelves.  I didn't get a robo-dog but bought an unused shirt with a Malaysian design.  The label reads, Singapore Exclusive Collection.  I paid about US $5 for it.