Remembering Linda Today

Thinking of Linda, especially today on the third anniversary of her death. Many memories, both happy and sad.

Linda and I at University Golf Club

Linda with Mom and Dad - Graduation

from UBC Medical School 1976

Linda- high school graduation 1969

Panama Canal Cruise #3 - San Juan Del Sur, Nicaragua

Our third port of call was on Wednesday, March 22, 2017 to San Juan del Sur in Nicaragua.  Again, this port required tendering and because of rougher seas, it took a very long time and we were delayed over an hour meeting our tour bus on the dock.

Suzy and I chose to take a ship shore excursion called "Granada & Parque Central", which was  total of about 6.0 hours but four of those hours were spent driving two hours each way from the dock to Granada and back.  The drive was interesting - fairly lush landscapes, but Nicaragua is poorer than our other ports of call which was reflected in the buildings and roads.  The people are very nice and eager to please and are trying to encourage the tourist industry.

Our first stop was at Lake Nicaragua, a very large fresh water lake, and from its shores you can see the Mombacho volcano on the far shore.

Young boy playing

After that stop we headed to the city of Granada which has a rich colonial heritage, as can be seen in its architecture.

First stop was the San Francisco Covent in Granada which is now the City Museum.

San Francisco Convent - this is a façade only, the buildings behind do not match

Interior Museum behind the façade with paintings depicting the history of Nicaragua

Interior Courtyard of the Museum

Pre-Columbia stone statues part of the museum

Close up of one statue

Next we did a bit of a walk through the old city, looking at the old buildings, cathedrals,

Cathedral Granada - one of the most prominent buildings in the city

A worker is restoring the ceiling painting

Parque Central - town square with, the cultural hub, with local artisans

Part of Town Square Folkloric Dancing

"Old Lady Dance"

Panama Canal Cruise #2 - Cabo San Lucas, Mexico

Saturday, March 18, 2017, we arrived at Cabo San Lucas, Mexico, which required tendering to shore, a process which took some time. Suzy and I did not book a ship shore excursion but decided to hire an official taxi after much negotiation.  We particularly wanted to see San Jose del Cabo located about 20 miles south of Cabo and we were fortunate to have a very polite taxi driver who gave us a two hour tour.  We drove south through beautiful townhouse developments, hotels and homes, all richly landscaped and green.

The city of San Jose del Cabo has lots of 18th century colourful architecture, and was an artistic hub with many stores featuring good quality porcelain, jewellery, sculpture and paintings, as well as lots of cafes and restaurants.

Cabo's famous rock formations

Beaches enroute to San Jose del Cabo

San Jose del Cabo Church

Cabo San Lucas marina

Panama Canal Cruise March 2017 - #1

On March 15, 2017, my friend, Suzy, and I departed cold, wintery Vancouver for San Francisco to board the Island Princess for a 15 day Panama Canal Cruise on the Island Princess, ending in Fort Lauderdale.  We had a good time:  hot weather, relaxing on board, great food, interesting lectures on the history of the canal, and a series of 8 lectures on opera by the "Opera Lady" which were very informative.

Embarkation took longer than we hoped, but once on board we got our staterooms right away and had lunch.  Then enjoyed the embarkation party going under the Golden Gate Bridge.  Weather was cold and wet in San Francisco.

On board at last

San Francisco Skyline

Golden Gate Bridge

Touring Vero Radiation Facility at BC Cancer Agency

On March 7 my brother, Ken, and I had the honour to be invited to tour the new Vero radiation machine installation at the BC Cancer Agency.  The acquisition and installation of this cutting edge radiation machine to treat cancer was partially funded by the generous donation of funds from an estate through the St. Paul's Hospital Foundation.  The trustees of the estate made this donation in honour of the late  Dr. Linda Vickars, in her memory.  Linda was previously head of the Department of Hematology at St. Paul's Hospital and died of brain cancer in April 2014.

Dr. Raymond Ma, Radiation Oncologist

Trustee of the Estate and his daughter

Ken and I

We were amazed at the huge installation which you cannot see from these pictures: rooms filled with computer equipment in behind, plus concrete walls and floor around the room. The Vero also extends down below the floor level many feet. Developed in Japan, the BC Cancer Agency expects to start radiation treatment with the Vero in the spring of 2017.