Bernard Bear's Excellent Adventures

Pirates of the Baltic

2007-09-24T21:23:00.000-05:00

You probably aren't going to believe this. I hardly believe it myself, to be completely honest. But there I was in Latvia, minding my own business and enjoying the cold salty air. I suppose I should have seen it coming, with the salty air and all. To make matters worse, it was only two days before International Talk Like A Pirate day. But I was expecting people to - well - TALK like a Pirate, not to actually be one. So you can (almost) imagine my surprise when I was doing a bit of exploring near the harbor, and out jump a pair of Pirates. Before you could say Shiver me timbers, the air was filled with "aarrrrrrrr's" and "iiiiiiiii's" with a few "Avasts" and "maties" thrown in for good measure. My claws are pretty long and sharp, but not nearly as long or sharp as a Pirate's sword, so I knew it was time to set my pride aside, and throw myself on their mercy. I knew it was time to do that, but I decided to start telling them about my many adventures instead. Before long I had them captivated. I was almost ready to make my escape, when suddenly, without warning, they jumped up and ...

... kissed me. YUCK! Next time I'll take my chances with the swords.

I think I may have to protest - something, anything. But more about that later.

Yours,
BB...

New Friends

2007-09-19T22:49:00.000-05:00

I know this is going to sound a bit strange, but even though I've been fortunate enough to travel to many interesting places, I've never been on a real vacation before. My many adventures have all been business trips. But that all changed this summer when I went to Europe for a wonderful vacation. I met many interesting people, but the most interesting by far was a monkey called Chateau. He was kind enough to show me around Bruges. It is a most wonderful city, and I highly recommend it.

The one thing that is a bit bad about vacations is that they make you relax more than you really intend to. But now that I'm back at work, I'll be sure to post more pictures from my adventures.

BB...

When I Grow Up...

2007-04-17T21:58:00.000-05:00

All this talk about dreams has started me thinking about the future. Traveling the world in search of adventure is wonderful, but surely there must be something more to life. After all, how many different adventures could there possibly be? Okay, okay, I don’t suppose I’m in danger of running out anytime soon, but you know what I mean.

Writing seems to be a natural place to begin. After all, one of the things that I enjoy the most about my travels is telling people all about my adventures. But I need something more, something to attract a wider audience. I’ve been thinking a lot about my adventures at the Winter Olympics, and how I could build on that. I haven’t figured it out quite yet, but I have a few ideas I’m exploring. I’ll let you know more about them soon.

In the meantime, if any of you have ideas, please let me know. I need all the help I can get.

BB…

I Have A Dream Too...

2007-04-14T22:37:00.000-05:00

I dream of raw fish and fresh berries for all. I dream of people of all races, and bears too, standing together as equals, eating Sushi. I dream of a day when discrimination is a thing of the past, when bears will no longer look down on humans because they have such pathetic fur. This is my dream. Maybe it isn't as important as the dreams that some people have, but give me a break. I'm only a small bear.

BB...

Not For Bears...

2007-04-13T12:07:00.000-05:00

The Cherry Blossoms are definitely worth seeing, the Cherry Blossom Princesses make excellent ambassadors for their state, and the monuments are truly - well - monumental. At least that's what I was told. I'm hoping to check it out for myself when I finally get to the top of these stairs. They may be the perfect size for people, but it is clear they were not designed with bears in mind. Especially not small bears. Unfortunately I find that a lot. Oh well. If the monument is half as impressive as the stairs, it will have been well worth the effort.

Wish me luck!

BB...

I Thought It Would Be Bigger...

2007-04-11T22:39:00.000-05:00

I must say that the Cherry Blossom Princess from New Jersey was a great ambassador for her state. She was so enthusiastic about New Jersey that she convinced me it was someplace I really should see. I told my traveling companion to add it to my list of “must see” places.

You can imagine my surprise when later that afternoon I found myself in New Jersey. At least that is what the sign said, though I’m not completely convinced it is the same place that the Cherry Blossom Princess was talking about. She'd made it sound so much – well – bigger. But this New Jersey was still pretty impressive. I guess I’ll need to do some research to find out if there is another New Jersey that I really should see.

BB…

Cherry Blossom Time

2007-04-10T22:18:00.000-05:00

The idea of a "Bernard Bear Channel" has got me thinking, but I can't quite figure out what to do with it. While I was busy pondering the possibilities, my traveling companion was busy arranging a trip to Washington DC to see the Cherry Blossoms. It really is nice having a traveling companion!

It turns out that Cherry Blossoms are not at all like Bears. Bears love the cold, but one little frost, and the Cherry Blossoms are pretty well finished. I did see a few, but they were much better last week (or so I'm told). Fortunately the people were as friendly as ever. I even got some ideas for future adventures. West Virginia was mentioned, but the most highly recommended destination was New Jersey. I've never been to New Jersey before - I wonder what interesting things there are to see there. Perhaps I need to talk to my traveling companion about this.

BB...

The Bernard Bear Channel?

2007-04-06T22:22:00.000-05:00

When I finished thanking Google for helping with my Blog, I decided to see if there were any other interesting things at this show. My traveling companion always says his work is soooo borrrrinnnng - he says it exactly like that - but I'm beginning to think he isn't exactly telling the truth. Hong Kong was fantastic, with a cool laptop that was just my size. And then I found Google at this show, which didn't exactly convince me that all his work was boring.

Sure enough, the next booth I looked in had a web cam set up, and they showed me how I could send my picture over the internet. But wait, it gets better! They showed me how I could create my very own video channel, and send it to all my friends and fans. Suddenly visions of "millions of screaming fans" filled my head. Just when it was getting really good, I felt someone shaking my shoulder, bringing me back to reality. Ok, ok, "tens of quiet fans", but it's a start.

Susan - she is the lovely lady who showed me all of this - said that I might be able to get a copy of their program to try out. I sure hope she can arrange it, because I really do think the world needs "The Bernard Bear" channel. Don't you?

BB...

Google!

2007-03-28T14:33:00.000-05:00

After my day at the spa, I was refreshed and ready for some hard work. I headed over to the conference with my traveling companion to check out some of the latest technology trends. I was expecting to see "exciting" things like IMS, CDMA, FMC, and other strange and meaningless letter combinations. You can imagine how pleased I was when I saw Google! I stopped by to see all the exciting new things Google is doing, and of course I took a moment to tell them all about my latest adventures.

BB...

Heaven... I'm in Heaven...

2007-03-28T14:17:00.000-05:00

After my foot massage I thought I couldn't be any more relaxed. I was wrong. Next up was a back massage, where I discovered what total relaxation feels like. I like it. I like it a lot.

BB...

It Just Keeps Getting Better...

2007-03-27T23:07:00.000-05:00

I was feeling quite relaxed after my sauna, and also feeling rather sheepish about having complained earlier in the day. I really wasn't expecting more, but I was told to sit back and relax. I closed my eyes, and suddenly opened them wide in surprise. Martha was giving me a foot massage and pedicure. By the time it was done, I didn't think that I could possibly feel more relaxed. And the most amazing part was that she didn't scratch herself on my claws - not even once.

I am definitely one contented Bear.

BB...

At Last!

2007-03-24T17:08:00.000-05:00

I was beginning to think that I was never going to get to visit the spa. First I had to help put up curtains, and then I had to work on the checkout at the bookstore. What was it going to be next? I didn't have to wait long to find out. The good news is that we finally went to the spa. I began with a relaxing soak in the bath, and then spent some time in the sauna. I think I could get used to this.

I can hardly wait to see what comes next...

BB...

Not More Work!

2007-03-23T00:23:00.000-05:00

Once I finished hanging curtains, and the other odd jobs with my new toolbox, I was certain that the Spa part of the weekend was going to start. So you can imagine my surprise when I was put to work on cash!

It turns out that I'm pretty good at it, even though the scanner is bigger than I am. That is where a bear's strength helps. Still, I'm beginning to wonder if the spa experience is ever going to start.

BB

Are We There Yet?

2007-03-16T17:50:00.000-05:00

Once I got over the shock of being told that I had to work for my "free day" at the spa, I decided to give it my best. The management seemed to think that any bear who could climb the Eiffel Tower would not have any difficulty climbing to the top of a curtain rod. I have to admit there was some logic to this, but I didn't have to carry my tool box when I was climbing the Eiffel Tower. Still, I made it to the top without much difficulty, but then I opened the tool box. It was full of cookies! The good news was that they were delicious, and I had a pleasant snack atop the curtain rod. The bad news was that I had to climb down and get my tools. I was quite relieved when I was finally told that the "spa" part of the weekend was about to begin.

BB...

Too Good To Be True

2007-03-02T16:37:00.000-05:00

On my last trip to Washington, I was offered a chance to stay and visit for a week, until my traveling companion was back in town. At first I said no, but then I was told that I could have an all inclusive "day at the spa". I've always wanted to have a trip to a spa, so I jumped at the chance. It sounded too good to be true.

Unfortunately, it was too good to be true, and before I knew it, I found myself with a tool box in paw, being put to work. At least I got to keep the tool box, which helps a bit.

BB...

PS. I did get the spa visit eventually, but more about that later.

No More Mr. Short Guy...

2007-02-25T22:44:00.000-05:00

That's it. I've had enough of sitting on chairs, and missing half of what is going on. From now on I'm sitting on shoulders. The view is so much better, and I get to meet so many new friends.

B.B

New Friends

2007-02-25T22:27:00.000-05:00

I'm traveling again, and meeting new friends all the time. People are so nice to me - Chris noticed that I was having trouble seeing what was going on, because my chair was too low. He let me sit on his shoulder, and that worked much better. The world looks a lot different from up here. You really should try it sometime. I know that all you tall people already have tried it, but I'm talking to the short ones - both people and bears.

Maybe some day I'll be tall. Then again maybe not.

Sigh...

B.B.

On The Road Again

2007-01-26T14:27:00.000-05:00

I'm heading back to Hong Kong again to talk to Jackie about my future in acting. But first my traveling companion wants to stop in San Francisco. I don't mind at all.

I've always enjoyed flying, but lately it has been even better. On the flight to San Francisco I met a new friend, and we spent the flight playing and watching movies. He told me he was going to Sydney for a holiday, and asked me if I wanted to come with him. It was very tempting - I've always wanted to see Australia. But then I remembered Hong Kong, and my role as Bearzilla. I was sad, but I had to say no. Maybe next time.

BB...

Bearzilla?

2007-01-24T12:54:00.000-05:00

I wanted to be certain that it could work before I said anything, so I've been practicing over the holidays. I'm now convinced that it could work - it can work - it will work! I'm heading back to Hong Kong shortly, so I'm going to let Jackie know I'm interested in trying out for the role of "Bearzilla" in his new film. I think I look pretty realistic.

What do you think?

BB...

In Search of Fame

2006-12-11T09:38:00.000-05:00

While I was in Hong Kong, I just had to drop in to say hi to Jackie Chan. I asked him if he had any ideas that might help me become a big movie star, just like him. He did have one interesting idea, but it wasn't clear that I'd meet the requirements. I'll have to practice, and see what I can do. Wish me luck!

BB...

One Laptop Per Bear

2006-12-05T09:28:00.000-05:00

The motto is "no lap un-topped", so Bears must get one too. I can hardly wait for mine.

BB...

Hong Kong

2006-12-04T11:25:00.000-05:00

One of the things I love about traveling the world in search of adventure, is the chance to meet other travelers in search of adventure. I met Franz in Hong Kong, and he told me all about the wonderful steamboats that he has seen. He loves the sound, the smell, and the feel of a steamboat. After talking to Franz, I absolutely had to ride on the Star Ferry. It isn't steam powered anymore, but it still has some of the same feel. It also provides the best views of Hong Kong. If you are interested, you can check it out at www.steamboats.org

BB...

It Can't Be New York!

2006-11-20T11:24:00.000-05:00

The wiew from the top of the Eiffel Tower was amazing.

I could see for miles - I'm sure I could see all of Paris. Then I spotted something that confused me. The view was fantastic, but there was no way that I could have possibly seen all the way to New York. Yet there it was, as clear as could be, the Statue of Liberty.

As soon as I climbed back down to the ground, I went to have a closer look. Sure enough, there it was in the middle of Paris - the Statue of Liberty. I haven't heard anything about someone having stolen it, and I'm pretty certain something like that would have made the news. The only other explanation I could come up with is the "Ghost Busters", but I'm pretty sure that was just a movie.

Anyone else have any ideas?

BB...

I think I can ... I know I can!

2006-11-08T08:41:00.000-05:00

It looked a bit frightening at first, but then I started thinking about the fantastic view I'd have from the top. That was all it took - I was off on the climb of my life.

B...

It Is Taller...

2006-11-07T12:07:00.000-05:00

Whoa! It actually is as tall as I thought it would be - maybe even taller. That is a long, long way up. Kind of makes me wonder...

B...

I Thought It Would Be Taller

2006-11-06T10:20:00.000-05:00

My first sight of the Eiffel Tower, from a bridge over the Seine. It is definitely impressive, but to be completely honest, it really doesn't look as tall as I thought it would. I think I'll have to go have a closer look.

B...

Larger Than Life

2006-11-02T16:20:00.000-05:00

Here is the finished picture. What do you think? I love it. The artist said that I look just like my dad - which amazed me, since my dad wasn't there. But of course, he was right. Maybe he's psychic...

B...

Montmartre

2006-11-01T10:57:00.000-05:00

The highlight of a wonderful trip to Paris was having my Caricature drawn in Montmartre. The artist seemed a bit surprised when I asked him to draw my picture, but after a moments hesitation, he gave it a go. Do you think it looks like me?

B...

The Adventure That Wasn't

2006-09-29T22:08:00.000-05:00

I can’t believe it! He forgot me at home. Me! Bernard, his faithful traveling companion. I know that I slept in, and wasn’t waiting in the car like I was supposed to be, but that is hardly an excuse. I know that we have both had a long summer relaxing without travel, but that isn’t an excuse either. I was so looking forward to my first trip since Montreal in July. We were going to go to Washington, and then take the train to Philadelphia. I hear the liberty bell is in Philadelphia, and I really wanted to see it – even if it is cracked. But instead I had to stay home alone. I think maybe I’ll go on a trip without him next time. We’ll see what he thinks of that!

Bernard, The Tour Guide

2006-09-20T21:42:00.000-05:00

It was a very, very, very slow summer. I was hanging out in Duncan’s room, playing video games, and generally getting into the Zen of not traveling. I know that sounds strange, given how much I enjoy my adventures, but it is true. Traveling is wonderful, but taking a break from traveling can be equally pleasant. I’ve also had the unusual experience of showing other people around. It probably isn’t clear what I mean by that, so I’ll explain. On most of my adventures, other people show me interesting things in their city. It is an adventure for me, but for them it is just a normal day. I tell people about my adventures, but I never get to show them anything about where I live. This summer that began to change. First we had the Birthday Party, and then Meghan came to visit for the weekend. Later in the summer, Sarah and Adam dropped in to see me, and I gave them a tour of the gardens. It was great fun, to see travel from the other side, by being the “tour guide” rather than the “tourist”. But I still think I like being a tourist better, and pretty soon I’ll be starting to travel again. Taking a break is fun, but I’m quite looking forward to beginning my adventures again.

Megan

2006-07-24T16:44:00.000-05:00

Summer vacation in Duncan’s room is pretty hard to take. I am, of course, joking. When I tire of Nintendo and computer games, I can always pick something to watch from his movie collection. And, if all else fails, there is the swimming pool. My traveling companion keeps saying that I really should spend more time outside – he keeps calling it “natural light”. As I’ve mentioned before, I think he needs to lighten up. But this weekend was different. Megan paid me a visit, and when she asked if I wanted to go for a swim, I immediately said yes. Megan was the one who showed me how to use goggles when I swim, and now I use them all the time. (See: The Birthday Party.) This time she said she would teach me how to dive into the pool from the diving board.

I’ve always loved watching the kids jump into the pool from the diving board, but whenever I’ve tried to do the same, it always looked too scary. That diving board may not look very tall to you, but to me it looks humongous. But Megan said that she could teach me how to do it. After showing me how to use goggles, Megan is now my hero for anything to do with water, so I said I would give it a try.

As always, she was right, and before long I was diving head first into the pool.

We had a great time, and I can hardly wait for her to visit again. Thank you Megan.

B

The Bear

2006-07-23T21:47:00.000-05:00

I’ve seen quite a few bears on my travels. I met several interesting bears on the streets of Berlin, and Vancouver almost seemed to have one on every other street corner. Of course, I’ve also met many, many, people in the cities that I’ve been to. But I have never met a person, who was also a bear. Until now, that is.

I do know it has happened before. The person who founded the city of Berlin was also called “The Bear”, but he lived a very long time ago. I thought maybe there was something special about things long ago, and that this sort of thing just didn’t happen anymore. I was wrong.

On my latest trip to Montreal I met "The Bear". He was a person, but everyone kept calling him “The Bear”. My traveling companion often invites me to join him for dinner when we are traveling. Sometimes I agree, but usually I’d rather explore the city on my own. But this time, when he asked me to join him for dinner, I asked if “The Bear” would be there. When he said yes, I instantly accepted. We went to a lovely little restaurant, with a very brave waitress. She agreed to have her picture taken with Bernard Bear, and Martin “The Bear”. Not many people are that brave.

I wonder if I’ll meet “The Bear” again on another trip.

B

Worth Considering

2006-07-10T09:26:00.000-05:00

When I began my adventures, I didn’t want to let people see me. It isn’t that I was afraid of people. After all, I am a bear, so I can take care of myself. But I was shy, so I would usually ask my traveling companion to let me hide in his computer bag. If he left the zipper open just a little, I could peek out and watch the people, but they couldn’t see me. It seemed like the perfect arrangement. However, over time I found I was becoming less and less concerned about being seen, and on the last few trips I’ve started sitting out in plain view. I’ve been surprised at the reaction of my fellow travelers. After they recover from their initial shock at meeting a story-telling bear, they are very interested in my adventures. I’ve also been amazed to find they give me great ideas for how to tell more people about my adventures.

That is exactly what happened yesterday on my first train ride. (That is right – even though I’ve been on many plane trips, this was my first ever trip on a train.) I met a very nice woman who was interested in my adventures, and we had a lovely chat. As the train was coming into Montreal, she suddenly looked very thoughtful, and then asked if I had a Fan Club. I laughed when she asked, but later I began to think about it. I only have a small group of “fans” today, but I do have some. Hopefully I will have more in the future, so I suppose I have the most important thing you need for a Fan Club. But other than that, I don’t have any idea how you’d go about starting one. But I have to admit I quite like the idea of a Bernard Bear Fan Club! If anyone has any ideas on how to proceed, I’d love to hear from you.

B

Swifter, Higher, Stronger

2006-07-06T20:50:00.000-05:00

I know exactly what you’re thinking. You aren’t convinced that I have what it takes to be Batbear’s sidekick. You don’t think I can leap tall buildings with a single bound. Of course you’re absolutely right, but fortunately I don’t have to. Wrong superhero, and besides, I’m only applying to be the sidekick. No doubt you are still dubious, but I’m pretty tough for a small bear. I was even on the team for this year’s winter Olympics. If you don’t believe me, check it out for yourself at Swifter, Higher, Stronger

Have you ever been in the Olympics? I thought not, so let’s not hear any more about that. I’m applying to be Batbear’s sidekick, Bluejay, and that’s that.

B

Batbear and Bluejay?

2006-07-05T20:05:00.000-05:00

The taxi ride to the airport took us past still more Vancouver bears. If we hadn’t been running late, I would have insisted my traveling companion stop the taxi so I could introduce myself to Batbear. I’ve always been a huge fan, so the chance to meet him in person would have been fantastic. Unfortunately it was not to be, but it did start me thinking. Batman has Robin as a sidekick, but what about Batbear? And what would his sidekick be called? I suppose you could call his sidekick Robin as well, but that could lead to all sorts of confusion. Another name would be best, probably another bird. Some of my favorites, like Eagle or Hawk, really don’t sound right. They just aren’t “sidekicky” enough. On the other hand, Chickadee is way too cute, and Buzzard has the exact opposite image problem. But something like Bluejay might work. It kind of has a ring to it – Batbear and Bluejay save the day. Okay, the finish was a bit over the top, but the basic idea could work. Near as I can tell, the position is still open, and I’m thinking of applying. I’d have to take a break from my adventures, but it would be worth it. Next time I’m in Vancouver I’m going to find Batbear and see what he thinks. Wish me luck!

B

Millions of Screaming Fans

2006-07-01T12:35:00.000-05:00

Remember “7:32 PM”? Well now I can tell you the significance. That was the exact moment when I was “discovered” by Julianne, and she agreed to be my agent. Julianne works for something she calls the MSF. She wouldn’t tell me what it stands for, but in the end I figured it out. It means “Millions of Screaming Fans”, which is exactly what she has promised me. We signed the contract yesterday, and now I’m waiting for the screaming fans. Since I’m going to be a star, I think I may have to get a pair of sunglasses like Julianne. What do you think?

B

Bare Bear

2006-06-30T21:16:00.000-05:00

Whoa! Bare Bear doesn’t have any clothes on at all. Oh – wait – neither do I. Oops. Turn away. Stop looking at me. Close this web page now. RIGHT NOW! I MEAN IT! NOW!

B

Bears, Bears, and More Bears.

2006-06-29T19:25:00.000-05:00

It seems there is a bear on every other street corner in this city. I like it. I like it a lot. But then I’m a bear, so I suppose that shouldn’t be too surprising. The first thing you notice, after the obvious fact that there are bears wandering around the streets, is their clothing, which seem truly strange. My favourite is probably “psychedelic bear”, but “Harley bear” and “Darth bear” are equally unusual in their own way.

I always enjoy finding people – or bears - who have even less of a fashion sense than I do. There are many things I do rather well, but fashion is most certainly not one of them. So anything that makes me feel “fashion adequate” is something to treasure.

While it is unusual to find bears on city streets, it’s even more unusual to find people who are comfortable with bears on their streets. But that seems to be the case here, and it makes me feel very much at home. The only other place I’ve seen something similar is Berlin. One of the bears in Berlin was wearing a map of Berlin, and the map showed the bears on the streets of Berlin. I tried to see if I could find the bear wearing the map somewhere on the map, but it made my head hurt just thinking about it.

B

Nowhere To Go But Up

2006-06-28T18:04:00.000-05:00

Tuesday. 7:32 PM. Vancouver. The significance of all this will become clear in time, but not just yet. For now, let’s just say that I’ve always wanted to start a story that way, and what better place to do it than an opening post to a newly created blog. No screaming fans to disappoint. No high expectations to dash. No face to save. And with an opening like that, there is nowhere to go but up. With expectations properly managed, let’s see if I can exceed them.

Yours,
B

2006-06-28T17:58:00.000-05:00