Two weeks ago, worlds collided and I found myself standing in an ice cream shop in Vancouver with my brother, who I hadn't seen since Christmas 2012, my friend Kelly, who I hadn't seen since August 2010, and Kelly's soon-to-be-husband (standing just outside this picture).
What better place for worlds to collide than in an ice cream shop that boasts 218 flavours? As though things weren't surreal enough, there was a man handing me free samples of peanut butter and jelly (delicious), maple bacon (not as good as it sounds), and curry-flavoured ice cream (tasted like curry) .
The next day, Geoffrey and I borrowed a pair of bikes and cycled around Stanley Park. I've never touristed with my brother before, just the two of us. We stopped to take pictures of the seaplanes, the skyline, the bridge, the totem poles, and the cottage with a big colourful garden that Geoff declared to be Mom's House. I tossed sisterly abuse at him when he trailed behind me and my Vienna biking muscles on the uphills, and he made faces for my camera. We had a fantastic time. Even though She Who Gets Lost Even When All the Signs Are in English accidentally led us up two extra hills.
The next day, Geoffrey and I borrowed a pair of bikes and cycled around Stanley Park. I've never touristed with my brother before, just the two of us. We stopped to take pictures of the seaplanes, the skyline, the bridge, the totem poles, and the cottage with a big colourful garden that Geoff declared to be Mom's House. I tossed sisterly abuse at him when he trailed behind me and my Vienna biking muscles on the uphills, and he made faces for my camera. We had a fantastic time. Even though She Who Gets Lost Even When All the Signs Are in English accidentally led us up two extra hills.
We enjoyed blueberry pancake breakfasts, card games with Kelly and company, and a visit to the Night Market to sample the fishballs and spicy bacon-wrapped sausages. But the fates weren't done with us yet. Would you believe what Air Canada dredged up a couple days later?
Bishops 1, 2, 4, and 5 enjoyed a beautiful, sunny day at Granville Island and Lynn Canyon, followed by a Chinese food feast with Kelly and her family. The food was delicious and the entertainment value in watching those members of my family who do not have much prior experience with proper Chinese food was high. Ahem. Dad.
The heightened state of energy that occurs when worlds collide cannot last forever. Eventually, things have to settle down. Monday morning, Geoff flew home and the Parentals headed east for a few days' visit to the interior of the province. I stayed put in preparation for the next major event on the calendar, the reason I'd travelled all that way in the first place - Kelly and Craig's wedding!
The next week flew by in a flurry of activity. I've never watched a wedding come together before. Holy hey does it require a lot of work. Finally, Saturday morning arrived, and with none of the promised rain. At about half past six, Kelly ran squealing down the hall to the room where I was staying and flung herself on my bed. So much excitement! It was going to be a magnificent day.
The bride was princessified.
The next week flew by in a flurry of activity. I've never watched a wedding come together before. Holy hey does it require a lot of work. Finally, Saturday morning arrived, and with none of the promised rain. At about half past six, Kelly ran squealing down the hall to the room where I was staying and flung herself on my bed. So much excitement! It was going to be a magnificent day.
The bride was princessified.
The deed was done.
My camera came along for the post-ceremony picture session and was used by me and whoever else felt like grabbing it until the hired photographer told us to cease and desist; dSLRs are verboten at her photo shoots. Kelly's mom stood in front of me. "Go ahead," she stage-whispered. "I'll cover you."
Mom and Dad Bishop made it back to town for the wedding, and the next day, the three of us enjoyed a visit to the aquarium before we departed for our respective homes. After two weeks in a high-energy state, my worlds settled back into their usual positions.
After I arrived back in Vienna Tuesday night, an odd thing happened. I went to sleep - or tried to - as you do when you've just crossed a continent and a half plus an ocean. When I woke up a couple hours later, I had no idea where I was. Honestly, no idea. I was looking around the room and I knew it was familiar, but I couldn't figure out what country I was in or what city, whether I was home or away, whether I was dreaming of somewhere I'd previously lived. There was a feeling of panic and a feeling of guilt, like I should care enough about this place to recognise it right away, but man alive. I had no idea. Not sure whether I figured it out before falling back to sleep. I guess it's just something that happens when worlds collide.
After I arrived back in Vienna Tuesday night, an odd thing happened. I went to sleep - or tried to - as you do when you've just crossed a continent and a half plus an ocean. When I woke up a couple hours later, I had no idea where I was. Honestly, no idea. I was looking around the room and I knew it was familiar, but I couldn't figure out what country I was in or what city, whether I was home or away, whether I was dreaming of somewhere I'd previously lived. There was a feeling of panic and a feeling of guilt, like I should care enough about this place to recognise it right away, but man alive. I had no idea. Not sure whether I figured it out before falling back to sleep. I guess it's just something that happens when worlds collide.