Sasquatch Festival!!!

I arrived home from South America to the best homecoming imaginable! My sister Janine flew to meet my cousin Angela and I in Naniamo! We had such a blast touring around, seeing old growth forests, goats on the roof, kayaking (yes you can kayak at 7 months pregnant, ask Janine!), eating great food, going to Victoria for the day and just sharing a lot of laughs. It was such a wonderful girls weekend. It reminded me of all the fun we had as kids and I love that we continue to have so much fun together and bond as adults!

The next week I headed on the ferry to Vancouver to see my other cousins Cheryl, Ross and Ann. We had some great suppers together and I was able to spend a day in Vancouver soaking up the scene and getting a much needed haircut! I always love visiting with this crew and it was great to catch up.

Next up I took the greyhound bus to Seattle. It worked out perfect as the bus terminal was only a few blocks from my hotel where Heather had just arrived as well! We planned for one day of fun in Seattle and then to rent a car and head to Sasquatch festival together! I love Seattle and we had a hoot checking out Pikes Place Market (with the amazing fish and flower shops), the first Starbucks shop, the music museum, the Space Needle and enjoying an amazing meal at a great restaurant.

The next day we got our sweet car rental and took to the busy freeway three hours east to the site of the famous Sasquatch music festival. We arrived and soon realized how big this festival is. I had heard that between 7000-10000 people attended the festival this year and things definitely got a little crazy! The camping leaves something to be desired with thousands of people in a field, no shade, porta potties and very long line ups (hours) for the showers (assuming the hot water was working!). But hey, we weren't here for the camping, we were here for the music and that could not be beat!

Our neighbors (in the field of camping) worked at a Calgary music station and my little brother and friends also met us down there. We had a riot with them all. Heather and I had a lot of fun with Roger who could tell a bed time story like no one else! To say the weather cooperated would be an understatement as it was plus 40-45 degrees Celsius the entire time! We survived with lots of sunscreen and $8 cans of beer!

There were three stages at the festival and the main stage was unbelievably beautiful. The stage is located in a natural amplitheater with cliff faces and the Columbia river. I had never seen a setting like that before. Besides it being gorgeous, no matter where you sat you had a great view and also had great sound quality (no ringing in your ears the next day!!). You combine that with unbelivable acts like: Kings of Leon, Santigold, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, Blitzen Trapper, Fleet Floxes, the Submarines, Girl Talk, NIN and Janes Addiction and you have yourselves an unbeatable music festival! My favorites were definately Sanitogold, the Yeah Yeah Yeahs and Girl Talk. See a band live makes or breaks my love for them. Some bands brought it and others like the Kings of Leon did not. Thats the beauty of a music festival is that you are able to really see what these bands are made of and if they are worthy of all the money and fame. To me being a great musician also means being a great performer and offering the crowd something special, not just standing on stage singing identically (or worse!) to how it sounds on your cd.

Heather and I had a blast besides one unfortunate event involving me accidently leaving poor Heather with a 20 pound bad of melting ice on her! She says that she's forgiven me but I'm not entirely sure :). I'm so glad that Aaron and his friends were able to chill with us, let us in on the insider music knowledge and show us some new great bands. After three long days the festival was over and I got a ride back to Vancouver with my friend Paul. It was great to see him, catch up and to rediscover the Naam restaurant in Kitsalano! One more night to visit with Ross and Ann and the amazing journey was completed with a delayed flight home to Edmonton. I ran straight into my mom's arms and was glad to be home after being away for two months.

The highlights of this journey: meeting Seb, David and Monica, hiking in Patagonia, drinking delicious Mabecs in Mendoza, hiking/biking/canopying in Bariloche (and eating all that ice cream and chocolate!!), the Bolivian Jeep Trip, time in Naniamo and of course the Sasquatch festival!

What a journey. I feel blessed to have been fortunate enough to travel in this time of economic recession and to return safely home. Back to reality in Edmonton!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frd0CPYuZgU
http://www.sasquatchfestival.com/