Tomorrow we will be moving out from Camperland to Connaughtonland LOL!! Going to move the trailer onto their driveway for the weekend. Then Monday we will hookup again and go camping somewhere. Not sure where yet but hoping to find some sun :)
This past week Nikki had off so we did a few "touristy" things in the area. We first took Cruz to the Ecodairy in Abbotsford where we got to see how cows are milked by Robbie the robot. Cruz really liked trying to milk the "dummy" cow but wasn't to happy when I surprised him when I showed him how to milk and shot him with the "milk" which was actually just water. It was funny! After going thru the informative area we got to go back into the barn and see where the cows actually eat and sleep. Here the cows can do whatever they want, they can go to one area and have something to eat, then move to an area where they have a nice comfy air filled rubber bed where they can lie and digest their food. There is also a "spa" where the cow can stand next to a large rotating brush and get scratched where it itches :) When the cows feel that it's time to get milked they go into the automated milking area known as Robbie. Here the computer can read the tag on the cow to see when she was last milked and if she is coming back to soon looking for a treat, Robbie sprays her feet which makes her move out of the area - without a treat. Treats are only given when the cow is actually being milked. When a cow enters and it is time for her to get milked Robbie goes to work with laser lights to find the teats and then attaches a suction tube onto each of them. Once all 4 tubes are attached the milk is extracted from the cow and goes into a holding tank that is later emptied into a huge tanker and hauled away for processing. Once the milking is complete the tubes are removed and Robbie sprays the cow's rear hooves and she then leaves the area to go eat or do what she wants until the next milking time. All very interesting and amazing to see how a robot does this work for the dairy farmer. Then once we were finished in the barn there was a petting zoo to visit outside.
 |
| Saw this mama bear just down from out campsite. Later found out she also has 2 cubs! The campground has called the conservation people to find out if she and cubs need to be moved |
 |
| Cruz trying out how to milk - before I shot him with some "milk" LOL!! |
 |
| Feeding area in the barn - Cruz trying to get a lick :) |
 |
| This side of the barn has the sleeping/resting areas and also the spa brush to get that nice rub down! The cow controls the brush just be moving around and the brush just rolls around her |
 |
| A little hard to see because had to take picture thru the glass, but this is Robbie with the cow in the milking area |
 |
| Feeding out at the petting zoo |
 |
| Don't forget about meeeeee! |
 |
| The baby lambs have to be quick to get some food before mama comes and butts them away |
Later in the week we drove to Vancouver's Stanley Park and the Aquarium. It just reopened a week ago and now had a planned circuit for visitors to follow arrows thru different displays and eventually going outside to see the exhibits of the sea lions, penguins and a dolphin. I remember WAY BACK when the aquarium use to put on killer whale shows. Think back in the 70's and not sure when that was stopped. I think they still put on a show with the sea lions, but not at this time. Even though we had to get Cruz moving early in the morning, because we had to book a specific time to enter the aquarium, he enjoyed it once we got there.
 |
| Nice water feature outside of the aquarium |
 |
| Cool sculpture in the pond |
 |
| Upside down jellyfish |
 |
| Sea urchins that light up! |
 |
| The eating side of a stingray |
 |
| So many different jellyfish |
 |
| A couple of funny looking creatures sticking out of the sand |
 |
| This was a really industrious fish, he would swim to the bottom of the sand pile, pick up sand in his mouth then swim to the top here and spit it out - you can see the poof of sand in front of him as he spits out the sand. Then he swims back down and gets more and repeats this action over and over! |
 |
| Cruz with his cool mask his mom bought him at the front desk |
 |
| Turtle swimming overtop of Cruz |
 |
| More jellyfish but these are HUGE!!! |
 |
| Lots of pretty anemones in this tank |
 |
| Cool looking angelfish |
 |
| Very cool looking but dangerous jellyfish |
 |
| Lionfish which out in the wild are very detrimental to local fish - but they are suppose to be tasty to eat - so more restaurants for example in Honduras on Utila are serving it hoping to get the population reduced |
 |
| Puffer fish |
 |
| And of course the pretty Clown fish |
 |
| Swimming around the anemones |
 |
| SHARK!!! |
 |
| Female sea lions |
 |
| The very big male sea lion |
 |
| Waiting for feeding time |
 |
| It's been awhile since we've seen these little guys out in the wide |
Canada Day was spent with Nikki and Dan and also with my sister and brother in law who are also staying in this area while he is working. So had a nice BBQ even though it was raining most of the day. I was to go golfing in the morning with Nikki Dan and Cruz, but of course that was cancelled since it was to wet! Not spending that much money to golf in the rain!!
Now we are hoping the weather will improve so we can enjoy a few days of travelling around next week.
