Breakfast in Golden was quite a contrast from the eggs and toast we savored at the Hillcrest Hotel in Revelstoke. Somehow the view from the back of the gas station couldn’t quite compare with the panorama we took in the other day. Plus, we had to PAY dearly for this one:

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And you thought gas was expensive…

As I mentioned in previous tour blogs, I’m always struck by the juxtaposition of virgin landscapes and human progress throughout BC. 3 Valley Gap is a good example of what I mean. It’s one of the most beautiful and LOUDEST places on earth. Surrounded by the Monashee Mountains, it’s a unique vista, but the well-traveled #1 highway hugging the coast of the Lake of the Three Valleys contributes a soundtrack that is harsh and distracting.

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Gorgeous view at 3 Valley Gap

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Boisterous highway at 3 Valley Gap

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At first I thought, YAY, they built their building AROUND this treasure of a tree. Then Darren reminded me that there was most likely more just like this, and only one was spared as a gimmick…

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1126 A.D. – Western Red Cedar trees are the oldest living things in 3-Valley-Gap. Borings by a Forestry Technician indicate that this tree sprouted in 1126 A.D., sixty years after the Normans invaded England, and ninety years before King John was forced to sign the Magna Carta.

Players Lounge in Kamloops is an immense and classy venue. In only one way it reminds me of Oscar’s garbage can, and that is that it is deceptively large inside. Check out my trek from the summit to the foundation.


The Players Lounge Labyrinth
(click picture to watch the video)

I had a great time playing on the rooftop while the sun set and the wind threatened to blow me over the side. At one point some pens flew off my piano stand, nearly impaling me in the middle of a somber song. How fitting: a true testament to a dedication to my art!

Today I got to converse with the crowd in my native tongue and, for the most part, I think I was understod. Lori and Karen bolstered my confidence by clapping for my soundcheck. Tanya and Steve shared many useful travel tips collected over years of living in various parts of BC. I found a real kindred spirit in Tanya who validated my fear of getting people’s names wrong and my hotel heeby-jeebies…

We arrived in Kamloops without accommodations. Unfortuately for us, this city is BUSTLING! The participants of soccer tournaments, pow wows, and an assortment of other local events claimed the majority of hotel/motel/inn rooms. I should have been suspicious when one of the places I called declared their vacancy. It’s hard to appreciate a comfy mattress when you’re contemplating who, or what, was between the sheets before you. (Thank you Tanya for lending substantiation to my paranoia!)