Wonders of Wonders

We had quite the thunderstorm here the other night.  On Saturday we packed up our things to head down to the fireworks just as it started to spit rain a little bit so we grabbed the ponchos and a tarp. Apparently it is shorter to stay on the Highway all the way into North Vancouver and take the Lions Gate Bridge across but I guess that only holds true if you know which exit to take and how to find the on ramp to the bridge.  No worries though we were able to ooh and ahh at the cruise ships making their way down the Burrard inlet, we traveled on some new streets we would have never venture to before, drove by the Caribbean market and wished we could buy some time there, and enjoyed the scenic route. Once we made it down into Vancouver,  we parked and decided that we didn't need the tarp because there wasn't anymore clouds in the sky.  We started our usual walk down Denman street soaking in the elclectim mix of smells, people, and sights, until we meet up with a bunch of friends from church and parked ourselves next to them. The sky started to get darker and darker but only on one side.  There other side was still blue with white puffy clouds.  We were pelted with the occasional rain drop here and there but decided we were tougher than the rain.  Then it started coming down faster and faster until we had to cover our sitting area with the ponchos.  Sheldon and Vanessa went back all  the way down Denman for the tarp while we monitored the rain seeping into our blankets.  By the time they made it back everyone was pretty soaked.  We used the tarp to keep our belongings dry and to lay over our laps.  We still had two hours to go before the fireworks. Many spectators started packing their things up and retreated to the shelter of the trees.  We are tough and a little okay maybe a lot, of rain doesn't scare us.  Then the thundershow started.  The lightning strikes stretched across the sky displaying a spectacular show.  The sky was a golden fiery yellow-orange that created this amazing glow.  The thunder show competed with the fireworks once they started.  It was amazing to watch.  I didn't take any pictures of the actually lightening or fireworks because I didn't want to sacrifice my camera to the rain.  We enjoyed the spectacle of light.  Later we heard on the radio that this type of thunderstorm, which wasn't forecasted, is rare and occurs only once in every fire years in BC.  I couldn't resist the lighting and did take a couple of pictures in the rain and boy was it worth it.