Destination Kamloops, BC part II

Day Two: we woke to a gloomy and overcast sky on Monday. Fitting for the 'mission' we were setting out on. The room was sweltering from Sunday's sun and high temperature so we slept with our air conditioner on all night. Have you ever slept under a freight train engine? Neither have I but it would probably be quieter than our air conditioner.

Up, washed and dressed, we had the pleasure of collecting our 'continental breakfast' in a dim little cubbyhole behind reception. We were stared down by a hostile bunch of fellow guests all being very territorial about their inch of the arborite table tops they were hunched over. It was surreal and amusing how angry all the sleepy faces were. We brought our bagels, toast, coffee and juice back to our room and ate in comfort
and privacy.

We slid in the second of our three road trip cds and off we went knowing the site was on the north shore of Kamloops Lake, out past the airport. We weren't sure how far we'd have to drive before we found it - if we found it at all, but we hit the road excited to find Tranquille. After a quick reference to our map, we headed out to find our destination: Tranquille Santitorium (occasionally referred to as Serenity on the Lake).

Tranquille's 60+ buildings are spread out over 180 hectares of land on the Lake. It was originally a sanitorium for tuberculosis sufferers. In 1958 it was then converted to a mental health facility until provincial budget cuts dispersed its patients into group homes and surrounding communities. Its final closure came in 1984.

Tranquille has sat empty now for over 20 years.

Our audiophile, who'd painstakingly compiled our 'trip tunes' had selected the appropriate music and with uncanny timing each piece seemed to be perfectly fitting for each 'leg' of the trip. As we searcdhed for Tranquille, classical music filled the car, enhancing our experience and when we rolled to a stop at our first glimpse of the property, an eerie haunting bag pipe piece spilled from the car almost sounding like it was rolling across the moors to meet us.

[First Battalion Queen's Own Highlanders. The Road to the Isles -Glenaural Highlanders]

Teh property is fenced-in and covered in security notices making our access frustratingly limited to what we could see from the perimeter. Our first stop was on the lake side of the property with a view of only a handful of buildings in their various states of disrepair.

Hoping we might find an entrance or a closer view of the buildings, we got back in the car and continued along the road looking for a better view or if we were lucky, a way in . . .

Destination Kamloops, BC Part I

We hit the road nice and early Sunday morning under slightly overcast skies. Traffic was light and we motored along highway 1 at a steady speed heading for Hope and breakfast at Darrell's Dinner.

Our Darrell's breakfasts consumed and the 'road trip' CD spinning, we were back on the road. The sun broke through the clouds long before we even hit the Coquihalla. Traffic was still light and we made excellent time.

We made it to our next pit stop - Merritt - fairly early. There wasn't a whole heck of a lot to see there so we gassed up the car and stretched our legs briefly before we all piled back in the car and continued on our journey under clearing blue skies.

We're not sure if it was our estimations being way off or the road conditions and light traffic that got us there so fast, but we found ourselves in Kamloops before noon and way too early to check into our room.

So with time to kill we decided to check out Kamloop's BC Wildlife Park. The sun was intense and it was blistering HOT out there! The animals were laying low to stay out of the heat but we saw some beautiful species practically at arm's length. One irritating moment at the park was unfortunately encountering an idiot who thought it was the most entertaining thing ever to tormenting an already agitated badger for the sheer fun of it. Needless to say, we didn't stop to take any pictures of the poor little guy and piss him off more than he already was.

We were excited to find out that the park had lemurs, Astro and Zaboo - who ironically happened to be visiting from the Greater Vancouver Zoo for the summer - but their enclosure was soooooo fenced up that you could barely see them through the mesh of the (triple?) fencing. I guess they were making sure they didn't lose their exotic house guests. [Astro and Zaboo, we'll come out and see you when you're back home on "Lemur Island" at the Greater Vancouver Zoo.]

Despite "Mr. Stupid vs the Badger" and the heat, we were glad we walked through the park. We headed back into Kamloops, picked up some 'supplies' and checked in. We chilled for the rest of the evening anticipating our outing in the morning.

Tranquille Sanitorium . . . .

A little piece of heaven behind a neighbour's fence

I live in an apartment. An apartment that doesn't have a balcony or access to a roof deck common area like some buildings have. I have neighbours who live in heritage-like homes with backyards. These yards are protected behind six and seven foot high fences or hedges. And until you step through their gates, you really have no idea what's hidden behind those barriers.

These neighbours also have cottages on gulf islands they escape to on weekends or they travel out of town whenever they can. These exoduses leave homes and yards empty and quiet.

Enter me.

I get to house-sit on lengthy out-of-town trips and get free run of empty back yards while families are away for long weekends.

If I had a heritage-like home, with a backyard, I'm pretty sure I'd stay in town all the time. My yard would be my little corner of paradise. It would be my escape from everything. I would LOVE to have a house and garden.

Anyway, I got to spend this afternoon in yet another neighbour's yard. I have to share some of the beauty I found within their fences.