Vancouver - condominium balconies in a courtyard

I wasn't very happy with the previous sketch at the baseball game. It was done very quickly while standing in a crowd of people.  For this one, I had more time.

This courtyard is similar to many others that you find in those areas that are close to downtown Vancouver, not quite in the core of the city.  Many condos in Kitsilano and Fairview, for example, are not very high, just two to four storeys. They maintain a close-knit feel that is similar to some European designs.

Little League Championship Game

My son and I joined a big crowd to watch a team from British Columbia take on Quebec in the Canadian Little League Championship baseball game at Chris Zuehlke Memorial Park in North Vancouver.  It was a beautiful day and many people turned out. The field was completely surrounded by spectators, who not only filled the stands but also lined the outfield fence, where we were standing.  I wonder how the players (11-13 years) felt about all this attention. (The game was also televised.)

British Columbia was represented by a team from Langley and won handily, 11-0. Langley is the seventh straight team from BC to represent Canada at the Little League World Series.

Big leaf in Hawaii

I don't know what kind of tropical plant this is, but I was fascinated with the size of the leaves. This one was about five feet long and intricately undulated, with little oval holes here and there.

Trees at the entrance to Fort DeRussy, Hawaii

Big trees of all kinds mark one of the entrances to the Fort DeRussy Military Reservation in the Waikiki area of Hawaii. The fort now consists mainly of the Hawaii Army Museum, open green space and access to the beach.  The fort was built during the Civil War era. While it housed a shore battery for defensive purposes, it was later used mainly as a site for R&R (rest and recreation) for service personnel during the Second World War and the Vietnam War.

For more info, see Fort DeRussy Military Reservation or Fort DeRussy on Hawaii web

City plants in the tropics

We recently spent a few days on holiday in Honolulu.  Like all cities in warm climates, broad leafy plants are everywhere.

Another skyline view

Looking out the bedroom window, this is part of the Vancouver skyline I see. Mainly apartment buildings, condos and the downtown office towers.