A Minor Setback

No VanAqua post just yet since there was an unexpected hindrance to plans (AKA, my friend stood me up...twice. :P) so look forward to the post about the Aquarium next week!


In the mean time, here's your promised challenge Ashley.


Last week, Lucas and I were looking through some of his books on his bookshelf and he showed me the first book that he had ever bought. It was a compilation of Western paintings from the Medieval to the Modern. So here's your challenge for this week.
Go to an art gallery. For every period or style that they are showcasing, you must choose one that epitomizes that period or style (of course, with yourself in the picture!) As a bonus, every time you encounter a statue, you must try to imitate the pose. What if the statue or display itself is not of a person?


Well that's the challenge isn't it?


Cheers
~Jordan

VanAqua

Dear Jordan:

I could not have put that introduction better, myself. I love you and miss our Scottish adventures. We were both very brave in the 'Burgh.

This week, I want you to visit the Vancouver Aquarium. And I want to see pictures of you with every marine mammal exhibit they have. Because if I'm going to live vicariously through you, I'm going to do it right.

Go ahead and challenge me to something in Amherst/Northampton. Look up the Pioneer Valley -- see what I can do for you.

Love,
Ashley

In the Beginning - An Intro

The story of Backyard Tourism goes quite far back.

Hah. No. I lied. This blog itself actually began a couple weeks ago out of sheer boredom on both our parts but Iskie and I first met each other a few years ago, all the way in historical Scotland in a wee town called Edinburgh. We were both there on exchange from our respective schools, hers in Boston, and mine in Vancouver. While the scenery and environment might have been romantic, our meeting was under much more stressful circumstances.

I first became aware of Ishkie's existence when we were enrolled into the same class: Literature and Politics in Early-Modern Scotland. It was an upper-level class with all the accompanying upper-level stress. Admittedly, I took the class because I was desperate for English Department credits back home and I figured, a History course with "Literature" in the title? Why the hell not? I could argue with the advisors that the course was largely based in literature to gain my credit. The class itself was interesting and entertaining enough. I learned lots but always felt I was not quite up to par with the others. 

But my academic insecurities are neither here nor there right now.

The first memory I have of Iskie was during one of the classes where it was her turn to do a presentation on that week's discussion topic. To the best of my ability to remember (which is not much), she was outside the classroom with her laptop when I came trumped down the narrow, possibly Victorian, stairs. She greeted me with what I thought was a sheepish smile (though admittedly, it could also have been tiredness) and told me she was nervous. A bit later, I found out that we had a mutual friend in the form of another Canadian girl by the name of Amandine. 

It was regrettable that it was nearing the end of the school year when we started hanging out. We would've gotten into so much more trouble (and by trouble I mean fun fun fun times) all over Scotland had we met each other. When I arrived, I was just coming out of my shell and though Edinburgh eventually did that for me, had I met Iskie earlier, the growing process would be exponentially faster. The time that we did spend together however, was something that would last a lifetime. From drinks, to stories and experiences involving chocolate, Scotsmen, Irishmen, sunrises, and mustaches... the next time we meet up will probably be an explosive melding of Scottish!Ishkie and Scottish!Jordan. 

From Iskie's camera

Through individually issued challenges, this blog will hopefully capture an essence of that curiousity (yes, I'm spelling it with a 'u' because that's how Canadians spell it. Damn you spellcheck) in our own respective cities to prove to ourselves, and possibly to anybody out there on the internets, that the places that we live in are equally as intense and insane as our own experiences half a world away.




Cheers
~Mycroft