Exploring and studying Canada in 2007/2008, I went to see Vancouver Island, which is an island at the west south side of Canada. In this island you can see Victoria, an amazing city, which is the capital of British Columbia, located at the Southside of the island.

Vancouver Island must have 500kms of length and 100kms of width. I was at Port Alberni, a city that is located almost in the center of the island. It still has a long river, which ends in the Pacific, if you want you can see the map in the city link down the page.

I was in the end of my strolling around the island with my Canadian friend, Aaron from Ontario. He was an official ski athlete of Canada and lived for five years in British Columbia, I met him in some jet ski events in Europe and Asia. We turned into great friends, like me and Kevin, another Canadian friend.

He woke up early and went to see the bears; we already had seen some around the city. I preferred to rest and when he came back he told me that didn’t see any bear, but found a place where we could see the salmons going up the river. We would see the salmons and then we would go to Nanaimo, and then take a Ferry to Vancouver.

In this day we had a surprise: as soon as we left the hotel I discovered a motorcyclists event, I loved it! Since a long time I wanted to see an event like that in Canada, but I never could, because the places were too far or I already had a compromise. We decided to go later on to see the salmons and we went to take photos of the motorcyclists. I went to the front of the hotel, there was already many people in there. 

I wasn’t expecting when the motorcycles started to come, they told me that would be 500, but I really thought that were more. A staff member told me that officially would be 1200 motorcycles in the last year, but actually almost 2000 motorcyclists went to the event.  

They were waving hello and even feeling pain in my shoulder I took lots of photos and filmed a little bit. I felt sad because I couldn’t take really good shots, my shoulder was destroyed. They were fast, but I didn’t want to lose any moment.  

I got impressed with all the toys that they put in the motorcycles, it were beautiful. I discovered this event was the PA Toy Run 2008, an annual event in Port Alberni, which every motorcyclist should bring a new toy to the event. Some days before I had some mechanical problems in my car, so I knew the place and took some good photos of the animals, like otter and black bear.

When the stroll went over, we discovered that the event was next to us and we went there (leaving the salmons for later on). I talked to many people; most of them were of the island. Everybody was cool, like most of the motorcyclists, happy, irreverent and interested in making new friends. Mainly enjoying the end of the Canadian summer.

When I talked that I were Brazilian, they thought that I was from New Zeeland or Europe, and that Brazil wasn’t interested in Canada. And as always, I explained how was Brazil, the problems, the beauty landscapes, the cool people and our government.

I quickly watched the different motorcycles; they explained to me many things about the transport of deficient people, in the special cars beside the motorcycles. I learned many things about these kind of people in Canada, the respect, the equality, their limits that can be easily surpassed with some help, like an electrical wheelchair.

I went to see the inverted Bombardier’s tricycle. My friend Kevin here in Canada made a TV program about this product, its already a success.

I even tried to understand the toys that everybody brings on the motorcycles. For my surprise, every toy is donated to the local people, something really cool. Beyond something funny to the event, it’s a gift to the poor people.

I asked to the local people what kind of toys they choose. They told me: “Imagine a gift to your son, or even your preferred old toy, that’s what you would buy at Toy Run.” I went to the store and bought lots of toys, Canadian people is really affectionate.

Inside the event I saw some clowns and other cool stuff for children. Comparing to Brazil, there’s a big difference in this events: in Canada the whole family enjoy the party. Outside they were roasting a pig, like they do in Rio Grande do Sul / Brazil. Then I also saw some plays really different of those I use to see in Brazil.

The night was of the bands and the dances.

As we were programmed to go to Vancouver and we had to catch Ayumi, that would come from Japan to make two expeditions with me in Canada, we had to left the event, where I made many friendships, changed cards and promised to keep in touch.

We went to watch the salmons, I learned a lot about it. There was a cascade and the fishes trying to go up, and me, trying to take a photo with the fishes in the air. I saw that somebody made a tunnel to help the salmons in the journey. In only one day around 1000 fishes go up to the spawning. If you are interested, take a look at the photos I took.

Later on we went to Nanaimo, where we would take the Ferry. On the way, we stopped to se some of the oldest trees in Canada, which one was 800 years old. It was something beautiful to see and I stayed there a lot of time. We met and talked to some people from England, and then I was waiting the motorcycles that would come from the event. I decided to take the last ferry and we stayed there, enjoying the wood and this amazing moment.

A thing that I noticed in Canada is that many people don’t respect the laws. We were at a natural preservation park and it’s forbidden to smoke, but the ground was full of cigarettes and I even saw a guy light up his cigarette.

We came back really happy because we made so many cool things in the island, where I thought that I would stay only for a weekend and I stayed for two weeks and saw almost anything. The weather was sunny everyday, a great summer!

On the way to the Ferry I made friendship with some girls that would go to Calgary, where they live. We talked about their work; one of them drives those big oil trucks, that was funny. I also made friendship with some Chinese people, that the parents live in Vancouver and their son in Toronto. Other guy, a journalist, lives in the island but works in Vancouver and makes commercial relations with Brazil. The time passed really quickly and we reached Vancouver.

Hugs for every motorcyclists!