Contrary to my best predictions, Calgary was up to the challenge to put on one amazing stampede extravaganza despite the flood. "Come hell or high water, the stampede will go on" was the mantra. Part of the river bike route was still blocked, but for the most part, clean up was done and I was just so delighted there were no big hills (even though there were warnings to slow down on the hills). Although the headliners weren't able to perform in the Saddledome, KISS actually showed up at the Grandstand event. Quite exciting for those of us who knew KISS in our youth! There certainly was a sense that the very best had been brought out not just in the mayor but in all people in Calgary as they reached out to help those in need. Even the tradition of a free pancake breakfast continued all over the city. Good will abounds!
It felt like going to another country. Much like visiting Texas. Larkyn went to the stampede last year and gave us the heads up to choose the winner of the chuckwagon races ahead of time. Excitement and interest in the details about the drivers and horse goes up immeasuarably when there is a vested interest. I was amazed and horrified with how young some of the competitors were in the rodeo. I thought trials riding, downhill biking and cheer were frightening at times. The women beside me agreed we were quite happy NOT to be their mothers. I was proud of the barrel racers - the only female competitors. All those women patted their horse once they were over the finish line. Girls and horses!
The Grandstand show was spectacular and very reminiscent of the the Olympics. Pianos, mechanical horses and performers were suspended in the sky, performers who seemed to be right out of Cirque du Soleil and mass participation of so many talented, young performers. Add the fireworks and the positive vibe - very impressive!
We joined the Napoli-tymos (love this, Larkyn) at the Hughes House B&B in Calgary. Great host, lovely deck to relax on and yummy breakfasts. More family arrived and off we went to a boisterous dinner at Caesar's. Good fun eating Italian in Calgary. Buzzards was a great addition to our trip - stampede decor, cowboys hats all around, prairie oysters, loud music AND one of my students from days gone by working the bar. Such a gentleman he's become! A great way to celebrate my cousin, Don's, momentous birthday.
Sofia and Simone made sure that Uncle Brad and I did our fair share of scary, fast rides and drops. Darlene ensured that we all had ample opportunity to appreciate the slow and uneventful pace of the skyride. Giovanni brought an appreciation of the shopping opportunities. All of us avoided the deep fried butter but not much of anything else. And a good time was had by all.
My advice...you have got to go at least once. And don't forget the hat. It adds to the experience.
Tuesday, July 30, 2013
Road trip! Destination Penticton
Nothing like kicking off the summer with a road trip! I headed up to Penticton for the Canada Day long weekend. Tough leaving Kits and Vancouver sunshine but the drive was gorgeous and the space much appreciated. Morning golf. Soaking up the sun and reading by Okanagan Lake. Wine tasting in the afternoon with Allison. Fireworks from the railway tracks. Just what the doctor ordered:)
Alison and I started our wine tasting ventures together many years ago when I was presenting at a reading conference in Kelowna. I booked the B&B. She booked the wine tour and opened up a whole new world for us that didn't include our treasured children running around. We have fond memories of The Red Rooster winery because we were introduced before it was truly discovered and we LOVE the wine. Hillside, Wild Goose and Blasted Church (especially the sparkling) were fun as usual but the best time was certainly Tinhorn Creek. The gentleman pouring was delightful and provided a cooler, plates, napkins and a chilled rose to enjoy with our bread and cheese. We headed down to a table by the vineyard. The rows of different grape varieties reminded me of Napa. We were able to go unnoticed until long after closing and catch up on our latest and greatest thoughts, feelings, ponderings... "Practically perfect". Sometimes life is that good!
Alison and I started our wine tasting ventures together many years ago when I was presenting at a reading conference in Kelowna. I booked the B&B. She booked the wine tour and opened up a whole new world for us that didn't include our treasured children running around. We have fond memories of The Red Rooster winery because we were introduced before it was truly discovered and we LOVE the wine. Hillside, Wild Goose and Blasted Church (especially the sparkling) were fun as usual but the best time was certainly Tinhorn Creek. The gentleman pouring was delightful and provided a cooler, plates, napkins and a chilled rose to enjoy with our bread and cheese. We headed down to a table by the vineyard. The rows of different grape varieties reminded me of Napa. We were able to go unnoticed until long after closing and catch up on our latest and greatest thoughts, feelings, ponderings... "Practically perfect". Sometimes life is that good!
Wednesday, March 27, 2013
Home Sweet Home
Oh, there is nothing so sweet as coming home. So good to see Brad and catch him up on details of life that are not mentioned long distance. To hear of Tyler's life with all of the vivid description he supplies in the wee hours of the morn when he's most awake. And to track down Larkyn to listen for tone and discover what she is actually thinking. Then there is sleeping in my own, wonderfully cozy bed. When the kids were growing up, they always believed that our bed was the very best bed in the world. Brad and I figured it was the chatting, stories and snuggling. But, it actually is the bed :)
Just got back from yoga and all is right with the world. A lovely cup of Earl Grey from England. The sun is shining. The ocean is sparkling. The birds are chirping. The cherry blossoms and daffodils are in bloom. Gardeners are trimming hedges and moving lawns. New beginnings. new perspective. So nice to come back to Spring in Kits.
Just got back from yoga and all is right with the world. A lovely cup of Earl Grey from England. The sun is shining. The ocean is sparkling. The birds are chirping. The cherry blossoms and daffodils are in bloom. Gardeners are trimming hedges and moving lawns. New beginnings. new perspective. So nice to come back to Spring in Kits.
Accessible Museums in England
Museums in England
The range of choice to learn about human culture is vast. However one of the things that is most striking is the effort to make it accessible to everyone in England. The fact that you can walk into The National Gallery or The Tate Modern for free is a credit to the government itself. The fact that you pay to access visiting shows ties the costs directly to covering the costs of the exhibit. It is interesting that Canada and the United States are supposedly the great democratic unions that do not carry the same hierarchical structure that exists in England. And yet, our cultural learning is available only at a cost. The best that we can hope for are reduced student rates or family memberships. At best this creates a greater access but not an equitable access.
The last time I was in England, I was 17 years old and I had just graduated from Magee Secondary School. As you would expect, how I viewed "art" was from an entirely different perspective. Having always been of the journalist bent, I can remember or read my journal entries about my interpretations as I stood in front of "famous" paintings, sculptures, or architecture. The interpretation after having walked the path of ultimate joy and ultimate despair lends itself to an entirely different viewing. It certainly creates a good case for regular access throughout the formative years and beyond in the grant quest to create meaning in our lives.
I overheard one of the docents asking the group of young students in The National Gallery, which was their favourite painting so far. She made it very clear that they didn't have to have a reason. They needed to just respond as opposed to creating a rationale framed on "expert interpretations" for their choice. When our children were young, they regularly attended sessions at The Place Des Art in the COQ and Super Sunday Family Day at the Vancouver Art Gallery. By the time they were 6 and 8 years old and trekking through the galleries of Italy, they considered themselves artists and would seriously pour over their drawing books and provide their response to what they were seeing. As young adults, they are not as tied to the convention of a "right or wrong" or even a need to rationalise their thoughts or feelings or response. I think it is something that is quite freeing and has allowed them to express themselves without adherence to external expectation. Tyler it plays out directly in his studies. For Larkyn is plays out in her art as she expresses her feelings.
The range of choice to learn about human culture is vast. However one of the things that is most striking is the effort to make it accessible to everyone in England. The fact that you can walk into The National Gallery or The Tate Modern for free is a credit to the government itself. The fact that you pay to access visiting shows ties the costs directly to covering the costs of the exhibit. It is interesting that Canada and the United States are supposedly the great democratic unions that do not carry the same hierarchical structure that exists in England. And yet, our cultural learning is available only at a cost. The best that we can hope for are reduced student rates or family memberships. At best this creates a greater access but not an equitable access.
The last time I was in England, I was 17 years old and I had just graduated from Magee Secondary School. As you would expect, how I viewed "art" was from an entirely different perspective. Having always been of the journalist bent, I can remember or read my journal entries about my interpretations as I stood in front of "famous" paintings, sculptures, or architecture. The interpretation after having walked the path of ultimate joy and ultimate despair lends itself to an entirely different viewing. It certainly creates a good case for regular access throughout the formative years and beyond in the grant quest to create meaning in our lives.
I overheard one of the docents asking the group of young students in The National Gallery, which was their favourite painting so far. She made it very clear that they didn't have to have a reason. They needed to just respond as opposed to creating a rationale framed on "expert interpretations" for their choice. When our children were young, they regularly attended sessions at The Place Des Art in the COQ and Super Sunday Family Day at the Vancouver Art Gallery. By the time they were 6 and 8 years old and trekking through the galleries of Italy, they considered themselves artists and would seriously pour over their drawing books and provide their response to what they were seeing. As young adults, they are not as tied to the convention of a "right or wrong" or even a need to rationalise their thoughts or feelings or response. I think it is something that is quite freeing and has allowed them to express themselves without adherence to external expectation. Tyler it plays out directly in his studies. For Larkyn is plays out in her art as she expresses her feelings.
Tea Time in England
Tea Time
Darlene managed to book reservations (due to a last minute cancellation) for us to have tea at Claridge's months ago. This lavish affair is the site of important birthdays, meetings girlfriends and out of town guests, and a lovely place to take Mummy. Certainly a very civilised affair. A huge Murano glass chandelier adores the main room and photos of very young guests such as Audrey Hepburn, Yule Brenner, Princess Margaret et al.., adorn the walls.
We started out with champagne- brut or pink. This was followed by our selections of tea and a plate of finger sandwiches: smoked salmon, egg, chicken and cucumber. I believe because we ate ALL of the sandwiches, another plate was promptly delivered. Then came the hot cross buns, scones (raisin, apple, plain) with jam and clotted cream, and selection of cakes and tarts. Yes, the amount of food was excessive and there was no need for dinner.
What I love about tea time in England, is the opportunity to just sit. It is the prompt to slow down and relax. Due to this pause, it is also a marvellous time to people watch. When I was in high school drama, my friend, Carla Smith, and I did the famous tea time scene from The Importance of Being Ernest". It felt like we had entered this microcosm of British class based society. One older mother was sitting kitty corner to us with her two grown daughters. The roles that each played in the family was abundantly clear and the disdain palpable. All around the room, you could observe a variety of mini series in play. Good fun.
I particularly enjoyed the daily ritual of Cream Tea. Choice of your favourite tea (Earl Grey for me), two scones with butter, jam and Devonshire (clotted cream). Not two much food but a nice little snack and still some time to walk it off. It certainly made me think of my daughter, who is the queen of the perfect scone. It was also a necessary way to warm up in the frosty weather of England this Spring. Hard to believe the flowers and trees were in full bloom last year.
Darlene managed to book reservations (due to a last minute cancellation) for us to have tea at Claridge's months ago. This lavish affair is the site of important birthdays, meetings girlfriends and out of town guests, and a lovely place to take Mummy. Certainly a very civilised affair. A huge Murano glass chandelier adores the main room and photos of very young guests such as Audrey Hepburn, Yule Brenner, Princess Margaret et al.., adorn the walls.
We started out with champagne- brut or pink. This was followed by our selections of tea and a plate of finger sandwiches: smoked salmon, egg, chicken and cucumber. I believe because we ate ALL of the sandwiches, another plate was promptly delivered. Then came the hot cross buns, scones (raisin, apple, plain) with jam and clotted cream, and selection of cakes and tarts. Yes, the amount of food was excessive and there was no need for dinner.
What I love about tea time in England, is the opportunity to just sit. It is the prompt to slow down and relax. Due to this pause, it is also a marvellous time to people watch. When I was in high school drama, my friend, Carla Smith, and I did the famous tea time scene from The Importance of Being Ernest". It felt like we had entered this microcosm of British class based society. One older mother was sitting kitty corner to us with her two grown daughters. The roles that each played in the family was abundantly clear and the disdain palpable. All around the room, you could observe a variety of mini series in play. Good fun.
I particularly enjoyed the daily ritual of Cream Tea. Choice of your favourite tea (Earl Grey for me), two scones with butter, jam and Devonshire (clotted cream). Not two much food but a nice little snack and still some time to walk it off. It certainly made me think of my daughter, who is the queen of the perfect scone. It was also a necessary way to warm up in the frosty weather of England this Spring. Hard to believe the flowers and trees were in full bloom last year.
Shopping in London
Shopping In London
There are so many varied opportunities to shop in London. We are staying very close to The High Street Kensington Station on the Circle Line. Nice main street just down from Kensington Palace for shopping and money to be saved. Lots of big name chains, including TK Max (TJ Max in US) and The Body Shop. Head over to Harrod's and window shopping is the do-able form of shopping unless you are in the market for tea, food and Harrod's wine label. My kind of shopping is at the Spitalfield Market. Having cut my teeth at $1.49 day at Woodward's as a child in Vancouver and at The Gap Warehouse store in L.A. in the 70's, I have a good eye for a bargain. In fact, if it isn't a good deal, it just doesn't feel like a huge coup.
The Sunday Market is good fun, particularly at the end of the day when they are closing up. Many young designers are peddling their very unique creations and trying to drum up business for their online ventures. Others are copying designs of other designers like Desigual, and selling them as their own. Shoes, jewelry, purses, coats, Lebanese baklava, baking, Turkish delight, vintage buttons, tea, hats - all there "for a very good price". I managed a sweater, coat, hat, dress, skirt and earrings for under £100.
Trek down to Brick Lane and the area gets seedier and the clientele gets younger. As well as tea and coffee, there is now also mulled wine and many Indian Food Restaurants. There are many Vintage Shops and spaces are darker and have a clandestine vibe. Authenticity of stones, silver, and "valuable" buttons are guaranteed but dubious. It's the kind of place that evokes Dicken's descriptions of The Artful Dodger. My kids would LOVE this place. Next time...
The pièce de résistance was shopping for shoes on the second floor of Selingers. There is a section for each designer to display and sell their latest collection. The store is packed with no one seeming to bat an eye at dropping a substantial chunk of change for the latest and greatest addition to their own personal collections. I'm fairly certain we could solve world hunger on this floor. Larkyn use to bemoan the day when I would come to buy shoes when she was working in the mall. Fortunately my girl in the Kurt Geiger Collection was very patient as I worked my way through ultra trendy and très chic shoes before settling on a stylish but practical and responsible choice.
By departure day, I felt fairly certain that I was safe and could escape prior to any new expenditures. It was busy when I arrived at Heathrow and the kiosk would not print my baggage tag so I waited quite awhile in line. I thought I would have just enough time to head for the gate and read. Interestingly enough, my gate was not posted on the display terminal until boarding time. Once again I fell victim to the shopping mecca of Heathrow. This time, one additional bonus was added. NO VAT, the 20% tax assigned to all merchandise. Fortunately, although Kurt Geiger and I were good friends, it was extremely difficult ( although not impossible) to get my very popular shoe size. Although at many airports, there have been an increased adherence to carry on luggage limits, not so at Heathrow. I arrived my my large purse, backpack, and array of bags and got nothing but smiles.
There are so many varied opportunities to shop in London. We are staying very close to The High Street Kensington Station on the Circle Line. Nice main street just down from Kensington Palace for shopping and money to be saved. Lots of big name chains, including TK Max (TJ Max in US) and The Body Shop. Head over to Harrod's and window shopping is the do-able form of shopping unless you are in the market for tea, food and Harrod's wine label. My kind of shopping is at the Spitalfield Market. Having cut my teeth at $1.49 day at Woodward's as a child in Vancouver and at The Gap Warehouse store in L.A. in the 70's, I have a good eye for a bargain. In fact, if it isn't a good deal, it just doesn't feel like a huge coup.
The Sunday Market is good fun, particularly at the end of the day when they are closing up. Many young designers are peddling their very unique creations and trying to drum up business for their online ventures. Others are copying designs of other designers like Desigual, and selling them as their own. Shoes, jewelry, purses, coats, Lebanese baklava, baking, Turkish delight, vintage buttons, tea, hats - all there "for a very good price". I managed a sweater, coat, hat, dress, skirt and earrings for under £100.
Trek down to Brick Lane and the area gets seedier and the clientele gets younger. As well as tea and coffee, there is now also mulled wine and many Indian Food Restaurants. There are many Vintage Shops and spaces are darker and have a clandestine vibe. Authenticity of stones, silver, and "valuable" buttons are guaranteed but dubious. It's the kind of place that evokes Dicken's descriptions of The Artful Dodger. My kids would LOVE this place. Next time...
The pièce de résistance was shopping for shoes on the second floor of Selingers. There is a section for each designer to display and sell their latest collection. The store is packed with no one seeming to bat an eye at dropping a substantial chunk of change for the latest and greatest addition to their own personal collections. I'm fairly certain we could solve world hunger on this floor. Larkyn use to bemoan the day when I would come to buy shoes when she was working in the mall. Fortunately my girl in the Kurt Geiger Collection was very patient as I worked my way through ultra trendy and très chic shoes before settling on a stylish but practical and responsible choice.
By departure day, I felt fairly certain that I was safe and could escape prior to any new expenditures. It was busy when I arrived at Heathrow and the kiosk would not print my baggage tag so I waited quite awhile in line. I thought I would have just enough time to head for the gate and read. Interestingly enough, my gate was not posted on the display terminal until boarding time. Once again I fell victim to the shopping mecca of Heathrow. This time, one additional bonus was added. NO VAT, the 20% tax assigned to all merchandise. Fortunately, although Kurt Geiger and I were good friends, it was extremely difficult ( although not impossible) to get my very popular shoe size. Although at many airports, there have been an increased adherence to carry on luggage limits, not so at Heathrow. I arrived my my large purse, backpack, and array of bags and got nothing but smiles.
Monday, March 25, 2013
Blessing of the Palms, Procession, and Sung Eucharist
Experiencing Worship in the Abbey
Today I got up and braved the cold to go line up at the Big West door of Westminster Abbey to attend the Palm Sunday service. Several groups of people were willing to do this, including the tourists who arrived on Sunday to discover that The Abbey was only open for worship on Sundays and it was this or nothing. The second group were tourists who realized they could get in for free if they were attending worship. The third group were the music enthusiasts who appreciate the quality of the organist, the pipe organ and the choir. Then there were the people who regularly attend services at home and felt like they should. The final group were those of us looking to experience the awe inspiring worship in community with other pilgrims.
As a tourist, the first impression is often of the opulence and political nature of organized religion. Evensong at The Abbey in Bath and Palm Sunday at Westminster Abbey were far more about the reflection on the presence of God. The pipe organs and the high ceilings create the same sense of smallness that I get being beside the ocean. The amazing quality of the choir, the beauty of the stained glass windows and the church are so conducive to quiet reflection of those things that matter most to me. Sharing the experience with people who have come from all over the world who are on the same journey to understand, is just so cool.
This morning, as we entered we were presented with our palm leaf crosses and we gathered in the nave. The line of people spiraled outside. Then the choirs of Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church (Westminster Abbey) led us singing All Glory Laud and Honour around the sanctuary, through the Quire Screen and to my seat in the Lantern facing the northern transept with Christ with welcoming hands in the centre of the rosary window. People continued to fill up the Transepts and the seating area in the nave. The Passion according to Luke (Victoria Missa Laetatus sum Lassus) was sung as was much of the service. As we lined up for communion down into the Quire, I was surrounded on either sound by the choir singing. Sometimes life is just that good and it evokes the same feeling as when the light is separated by the clouds and it feels like the hand of God.
I was also pleased to discover that half of the collection was directed to a Jewish/ Palestinian peace project. Evidence of a working a church :). I'm so glad I went
Today I got up and braved the cold to go line up at the Big West door of Westminster Abbey to attend the Palm Sunday service. Several groups of people were willing to do this, including the tourists who arrived on Sunday to discover that The Abbey was only open for worship on Sundays and it was this or nothing. The second group were tourists who realized they could get in for free if they were attending worship. The third group were the music enthusiasts who appreciate the quality of the organist, the pipe organ and the choir. Then there were the people who regularly attend services at home and felt like they should. The final group were those of us looking to experience the awe inspiring worship in community with other pilgrims.
As a tourist, the first impression is often of the opulence and political nature of organized religion. Evensong at The Abbey in Bath and Palm Sunday at Westminster Abbey were far more about the reflection on the presence of God. The pipe organs and the high ceilings create the same sense of smallness that I get being beside the ocean. The amazing quality of the choir, the beauty of the stained glass windows and the church are so conducive to quiet reflection of those things that matter most to me. Sharing the experience with people who have come from all over the world who are on the same journey to understand, is just so cool.
This morning, as we entered we were presented with our palm leaf crosses and we gathered in the nave. The line of people spiraled outside. Then the choirs of Westminster Abbey and St. Margaret's Church (Westminster Abbey) led us singing All Glory Laud and Honour around the sanctuary, through the Quire Screen and to my seat in the Lantern facing the northern transept with Christ with welcoming hands in the centre of the rosary window. People continued to fill up the Transepts and the seating area in the nave. The Passion according to Luke (Victoria Missa Laetatus sum Lassus) was sung as was much of the service. As we lined up for communion down into the Quire, I was surrounded on either sound by the choir singing. Sometimes life is just that good and it evokes the same feeling as when the light is separated by the clouds and it feels like the hand of God.
I was also pleased to discover that half of the collection was directed to a Jewish/ Palestinian peace project. Evidence of a working a church :). I'm so glad I went
American Presence in London
I have been avoiding Starbucks as the inappropriate extension of American economic imperialism in Europe. Instead I've been heading to Caffe Nero, the Italian Coffee chain with free WiFi access first thing in the morning while I wait for the others to get ready. After all, Italy knows far more about coffee than the USA. Distinctly America feeling in the cafe because in fact it is American. The difference is it is serving Italian coffee. Just add that to the McDonalds, KFC, Nando's, the Gap, American Eagle, Banana Republic, and practically every other big American label. Yet at the end of the day, it does have free WiFi access and great coffee. Hohum...
Saturday, March 23, 2013
English Cuisine
I think perhaps English food gets a bad rep due the reference to "French Cuisine" and "The Art of Italian dining.". The weather has in every way brought to life, Jane Austen's frequent references to dark and stormy nights, complete with gale force winds and sheeting rain. In the midst of "the coldest March since the year of my birth," my aunt and I have enjoyed each and every breakfast, tea time, and dinner.
Having a grandmother with Scottish/ English roots and my fast friend/ mentor with English/ Scottish roots, tea time has been a constant in my life. After a hello kiss, the kettle was put on. It has taken me through ordinary visits, grand celebrations and the times of ultimate despair. With my current administrator, again with similar roots, tea guarantees my passage through each day at work. Drink tea and Carry On.
In England, they understand that the quality of the tea matters and that the perfect accompaniment is a fresh baked scone. Add butter, jam and clotted cream and you have a perfect break in a blustery day. Even little diners pour a lovely spot o'tea. And to boot, Earl Grey tea is a standard! What more could you want.
The English Breakfast makes good sense. You stuff yourself first thing in the morning and then have the entire day to wear it off. At Henrietta House in Bath, we have had our most amazing breakfasts. The juice is fresh squeezed or pressed. There is an option of salted or unsealed butter. The coffee is French pressed. You begin by visiting the buffet for a choice of fresh fruit salad or stewed fruit compote, yogurt, croissants, toast, or a lovely little piece of cake. This is followed up with a selection of 4 or 5 main courses of hot food. The first morning I stayed with the traditional meal of sausage, bacon, two eggs and mushrooms. There is something quite reassuring about knowing the farm where the meat comes from. The second day, I was adventurous and had the omelet with smoked salmon and a lovely sour cream based sauce.
The Traditional English Breakfast is an interesting thing. The tradition seems to be the two eggs, the sausage and the bacon. The potatoes, baked beans, mushrooms or ? seem to be defined by the family tradition of the owner of the establishment. And the prices are decided less than the same meal at Cafe Zen in Kits or anywhere else in Vancouver. Fortunately for me, I also need to choose between sausage or bacon at home. I'll be rolling off the plane at this rate.
I'm not a grand fan of fries at home. I eat them but I don't LOVE them. I do LOVE chips in England. They are always fresh and don't carry the taste of grease. The first order of fish and chips that we ordered caught us off guard. We have grown up eating fish and chips at the beach, but they have never actually looked like a fish in batter! Who knew?
Hmmm. Time to eat. Apparently Harrod's has a nice breakfast. I'll let you know.
Thursday, March 21, 2013
Off to England for Spring Break 2013
A wonderful adventure for Spring Break started only five days ago, but feels like far longer. Nothing like the pursuit of new discoveries to bring life into focus with far greater clarity.
My aunt and I arrived in Bath yesterday afternoon to relatively clear skies. This was fortunate because our directions to Henrietta House took us in a circuitous route that allowed us to see far more of the city than was necessary with our bags. We were pleased to discover our B&B was not just reasonable but delightfully quaint.
Bath has celebrated two great phases in it's history, the discovery of the hot springs and subsequent building by the Romans, then the building to entertains the wealthy and middle classes in the Georgian times. Our first stop was Cream Tea for two - complete with Earl Grey tea, two scones each, our choice of salted or unsalted butter, jam and devonshire cream. Then next stop was the thermal baths.
A new thermal spa has recently been built to provide the true experience of what the Romans and English in Georgian times flocked to the area to experience. You enter for 2 hours, 4 hours, or the entire day. I paid my £26 to enter for two hours and went to the roof top pool overlooking the city. Experience with Harrison Hot Springs and Fairmont Hot Springs had me expecting very hot water. The pools in both the rooftop and indoor pools are kept a little cooler than body temperature, apparently optimal temperature for bathing pools. My initial thought was that I wouldn't be staying the entire time to float in these pools. Then I discovered them.
The steam rooms were on the middle level. Four cylindrical shaped glass steam rooms were lit with four different colours of light in a dim room with a mineral water circular shower in the middle. The green room was scented with eucalyptus and mint. The purple room was lotus flower. The red room was sandalwood. My very favorite room was scented with lemongrass and ginger. The rest of the time floated in the process of heating up, cooling down in a pool, in the shower or on the outdoor terrace. This is what the baths were all about. The pursuit of complete relaxation. Something far too elusive in my life. The good German/ Scottish work ethic has not really allowed for this to fully unfold. Perhaps I need to live in Bath or take something of Bath home with me.
Today another massive and splendid English breakfast. The farm that my sausage and bacon came from was cited and the orange/ pear juice was a smoothie of real juice. We discovered today that Jane Austen was not exaggerating about the windy, cold rain that pelts down in the country. Our first decision was to buy tickets for the Hop On Hop Off bus rather than take a leisurely stroll through the rain. We hoped off at the Jane Austen Museum. Jane Austen is one of my "coping with life strategies". I have my own well watched dvd's and Netflix for backup to deal with the stressors of life. So I LOVED the museum and delighted in having Cream Tea once again in the tea room.
We Hopped on to finish our City Tour. Then it was off to The Roman Baths. It was like walking into another time. Yet the whole notion of a current day swimming pool was very much there. NI Loved this quote:
"The picture is not complete without some quarrelsome fellow, a thief caught in the act, or the man who loves the sound of his own voice in the bath- not to mention those who jump in with a tremendous splash."
Seneca
Epistulae Morales, 56
1st century AD
This could be Kits Pool in summer
When we Hopped On the bus again, we headed for the Abbey. Inadvertently we ended up in a very deserted St. John's Cathedral and were able to explore on our own until closing time. Very cool. Then the rector shepherded us out to see the steam train that only comes through town once a week. A significant event that we needed to witness.
When we did make it to the Abbey, it was in time for Evensong. Attending church for worship rather than to sightsee brings a difference in perspective. The voices, the music from the huge pipe organ as well as the beauty of the architecture and the stained glass made for a very moving experience. Quite perfect in fact.
Our next stop was the oldest
My aunt and I arrived in Bath yesterday afternoon to relatively clear skies. This was fortunate because our directions to Henrietta House took us in a circuitous route that allowed us to see far more of the city than was necessary with our bags. We were pleased to discover our B&B was not just reasonable but delightfully quaint.
Bath has celebrated two great phases in it's history, the discovery of the hot springs and subsequent building by the Romans, then the building to entertains the wealthy and middle classes in the Georgian times. Our first stop was Cream Tea for two - complete with Earl Grey tea, two scones each, our choice of salted or unsalted butter, jam and devonshire cream. Then next stop was the thermal baths.
A new thermal spa has recently been built to provide the true experience of what the Romans and English in Georgian times flocked to the area to experience. You enter for 2 hours, 4 hours, or the entire day. I paid my £26 to enter for two hours and went to the roof top pool overlooking the city. Experience with Harrison Hot Springs and Fairmont Hot Springs had me expecting very hot water. The pools in both the rooftop and indoor pools are kept a little cooler than body temperature, apparently optimal temperature for bathing pools. My initial thought was that I wouldn't be staying the entire time to float in these pools. Then I discovered them.
The steam rooms were on the middle level. Four cylindrical shaped glass steam rooms were lit with four different colours of light in a dim room with a mineral water circular shower in the middle. The green room was scented with eucalyptus and mint. The purple room was lotus flower. The red room was sandalwood. My very favorite room was scented with lemongrass and ginger. The rest of the time floated in the process of heating up, cooling down in a pool, in the shower or on the outdoor terrace. This is what the baths were all about. The pursuit of complete relaxation. Something far too elusive in my life. The good German/ Scottish work ethic has not really allowed for this to fully unfold. Perhaps I need to live in Bath or take something of Bath home with me.
Today another massive and splendid English breakfast. The farm that my sausage and bacon came from was cited and the orange/ pear juice was a smoothie of real juice. We discovered today that Jane Austen was not exaggerating about the windy, cold rain that pelts down in the country. Our first decision was to buy tickets for the Hop On Hop Off bus rather than take a leisurely stroll through the rain. We hoped off at the Jane Austen Museum. Jane Austen is one of my "coping with life strategies". I have my own well watched dvd's and Netflix for backup to deal with the stressors of life. So I LOVED the museum and delighted in having Cream Tea once again in the tea room.
We Hopped on to finish our City Tour. Then it was off to The Roman Baths. It was like walking into another time. Yet the whole notion of a current day swimming pool was very much there. NI Loved this quote:
"The picture is not complete without some quarrelsome fellow, a thief caught in the act, or the man who loves the sound of his own voice in the bath- not to mention those who jump in with a tremendous splash."
Seneca
Epistulae Morales, 56
1st century AD
This could be Kits Pool in summer
When we Hopped On the bus again, we headed for the Abbey. Inadvertently we ended up in a very deserted St. John's Cathedral and were able to explore on our own until closing time. Very cool. Then the rector shepherded us out to see the steam train that only comes through town once a week. A significant event that we needed to witness.
When we did make it to the Abbey, it was in time for Evensong. Attending church for worship rather than to sightsee brings a difference in perspective. The voices, the music from the huge pipe organ as well as the beauty of the architecture and the stained glass made for a very moving experience. Quite perfect in fact.
Our next stop was the oldest
Thursday, October 6, 2011
Summer 2011
We have finally moved back to Vancouver after raising our children in the suburbs. Coquitlam afforded lots of kids, parks, soccer fields, swimming pools, hot tubs, big back yards, and lots of rooms to accommodate the endless stream of friends and colleagues. Tough move for the kids to lose their reference point and rooms and grasp that their parents had lived another life that they REALLY liked.
Brad and I met when he was living in the West End and I was living at 2nd and Maple with my Mom. We decided this summer that we'd stay in town and do all of the things we missed or could do without driving. The sailing lessons at Jericho were fun until we were faced with actually taking out a sailboat while we were both still quite clueless! We've decided that we need to sail separately and then take turns with the skipper role. Fortunately our membership was put to good use in the restaurant. Great food right on theof edge of the ocean.
Although the weather wasn't overly cooperative, I spent LOTS of time on the deck overlooking the beach and at Kits Beach. Can never get enough! I read professional sources for my Professional Growth Plan. Books on the list of "books to read". Beach reads. Magazine - Macleans, Time, PDK, The Reading Teacher, Amnesty, Vanity Fair and of course, Oprah- the ultimate determinant of holidays. We took advantage of being able to walk everywhere. Shopping on Broadway. To Jericho Beach- the beach of my childhood. To Bard on the Beach. Granville Island and beyond to Monk McQueen's. To the movies. To St. Andrew's Wesley where my friend was a minister so long ago! Such a luxury. Larkyn regularly biked to work at Granville Island and Tyler could walk to the Wall Centre Hotel to work in the Wine Store or the Coffee Shop.
We still haven't broken the habit of eating out. Sophie's, Cafe Zen and the Epicurean are favorites for breakfast. The Smoking Dog is great for cloudy days. Nothing beats The Sandbar on the top floor or happy-appy hour at The Boathouse. And of course, Local for the ultimate burger.
Yes, life is good in Kits! And yes, you can go home! next challenge - renovations!
Brad and I met when he was living in the West End and I was living at 2nd and Maple with my Mom. We decided this summer that we'd stay in town and do all of the things we missed or could do without driving. The sailing lessons at Jericho were fun until we were faced with actually taking out a sailboat while we were both still quite clueless! We've decided that we need to sail separately and then take turns with the skipper role. Fortunately our membership was put to good use in the restaurant. Great food right on theof edge of the ocean.
Although the weather wasn't overly cooperative, I spent LOTS of time on the deck overlooking the beach and at Kits Beach. Can never get enough! I read professional sources for my Professional Growth Plan. Books on the list of "books to read". Beach reads. Magazine - Macleans, Time, PDK, The Reading Teacher, Amnesty, Vanity Fair and of course, Oprah- the ultimate determinant of holidays. We took advantage of being able to walk everywhere. Shopping on Broadway. To Jericho Beach- the beach of my childhood. To Bard on the Beach. Granville Island and beyond to Monk McQueen's. To the movies. To St. Andrew's Wesley where my friend was a minister so long ago! Such a luxury. Larkyn regularly biked to work at Granville Island and Tyler could walk to the Wall Centre Hotel to work in the Wine Store or the Coffee Shop.
We still haven't broken the habit of eating out. Sophie's, Cafe Zen and the Epicurean are favorites for breakfast. The Smoking Dog is great for cloudy days. Nothing beats The Sandbar on the top floor or happy-appy hour at The Boathouse. And of course, Local for the ultimate burger.
Yes, life is good in Kits! And yes, you can go home! next challenge - renovations!
Tuesday, March 23, 2010
In Search of Higher Learning at Harvard
Wonderful opportunity to attend "The New and Aspiring Leaders" Institute with other educators at Harvard University. Boston is a wonderful city. A "must return to" on my personnel travel list. I wish I had more time here. I took the milk run on the way here. Brad drove me to Bellingham, then I flew to Seattle, then Los Angeles. Good ole' LAX, I almost missed the flight because I had to wait for the shuttle to the next gate to avoid security. Arrived just on time to load on the flight to Boston. I arrived at the hotel at 6 in the morning. Although I requested early check in, I realized that it was insanely early. However the guy at the desk took pity on me and upgraded me to the available suite and let me get a few hours sleep before the institute started.
My suite is quite wonderful. 12th floor with a view of the Charles River. It reminds me of the Czech Republic when you stand on a bridge and can see a whole series of other bridges. I'm in walking distance of Harvard, but the shuttle makes it SO easy to just ride to Harvard Square (which is actually a triangle), have coffee and read about the implications of the newly adopted Health Care legislation that Obama FINALLY has been successful in passing! I love the old brick buildings and bridges and the history of the city. Everywhere you walk around Harvard, you're passing the 1st church, or the graveyard for civil war soldiers, or some other historic monument. One lecture hall has a flag with 46 stars that was flown prior to 1912. Very cool!
The actual institute is quite intense 8:30 am - 5:45 pm with pre-readings for each of the sessions. Interesting mix of people attending including principals, vice-principals, department heads, district personnel, mentors - whole range of leadership positions from international schools, charter schools, public schools from elementary to university level. Interestingly enough of the 90 people attending, the principal sitting beside me from the International School in Mozambique - actually from Toronto and currently living in New York with her family due to her husband's posting with Unicef. The assistant principal behind me- actually born and raised in Winnipeg, schooled in Ontario and recruited to teach in New York.
It is so interesting that our physical proximity to the US is so close and yet the differences in our school systems are so significant. Nice surprise was the first speaker, had done a lot of work in Calgary and Toronto and set up Canada as a strong example of how it should be done. Learning lots and having lots of great conversations around the topic of systemic change theory.
Yes, Tyler... I will talk about the food. Amazing. Lots of restaurants with lots of types of cuisine. Big shock looking at the menus for Indian food. High end and very expensive specialty food. We're so spoiled with such a lot of high quality Indian food in Vancouver. Lots of influence of the South...Louisianna gumbo which I forgot is more of a solid that a liquid - wonderful. My lunch with shrimp and crawfish quesidillas was supersized in the tradition of the great USA. WAY too much food for one person. SO good! Last night we went to a Mongolian grill which was actually called "Improvisational cuisine". We improvised like crazy and practically rolled home. Tonight, The OM Restaurant - salmon sashimi to die for, super spicy Thai coconut soup, filo wrapped trout and creme brulee! Doesn't get much better. Drinks are also amazingly creative. Lavendar cosmos, blueberry-lemon margs..,
Time to go get my reading done. One more night before the odyssey trek back.
My suite is quite wonderful. 12th floor with a view of the Charles River. It reminds me of the Czech Republic when you stand on a bridge and can see a whole series of other bridges. I'm in walking distance of Harvard, but the shuttle makes it SO easy to just ride to Harvard Square (which is actually a triangle), have coffee and read about the implications of the newly adopted Health Care legislation that Obama FINALLY has been successful in passing! I love the old brick buildings and bridges and the history of the city. Everywhere you walk around Harvard, you're passing the 1st church, or the graveyard for civil war soldiers, or some other historic monument. One lecture hall has a flag with 46 stars that was flown prior to 1912. Very cool!
The actual institute is quite intense 8:30 am - 5:45 pm with pre-readings for each of the sessions. Interesting mix of people attending including principals, vice-principals, department heads, district personnel, mentors - whole range of leadership positions from international schools, charter schools, public schools from elementary to university level. Interestingly enough of the 90 people attending, the principal sitting beside me from the International School in Mozambique - actually from Toronto and currently living in New York with her family due to her husband's posting with Unicef. The assistant principal behind me- actually born and raised in Winnipeg, schooled in Ontario and recruited to teach in New York.
It is so interesting that our physical proximity to the US is so close and yet the differences in our school systems are so significant. Nice surprise was the first speaker, had done a lot of work in Calgary and Toronto and set up Canada as a strong example of how it should be done. Learning lots and having lots of great conversations around the topic of systemic change theory.
Yes, Tyler... I will talk about the food. Amazing. Lots of restaurants with lots of types of cuisine. Big shock looking at the menus for Indian food. High end and very expensive specialty food. We're so spoiled with such a lot of high quality Indian food in Vancouver. Lots of influence of the South...Louisianna gumbo which I forgot is more of a solid that a liquid - wonderful. My lunch with shrimp and crawfish quesidillas was supersized in the tradition of the great USA. WAY too much food for one person. SO good! Last night we went to a Mongolian grill which was actually called "Improvisational cuisine". We improvised like crazy and practically rolled home. Tonight, The OM Restaurant - salmon sashimi to die for, super spicy Thai coconut soup, filo wrapped trout and creme brulee! Doesn't get much better. Drinks are also amazingly creative. Lavendar cosmos, blueberry-lemon margs..,
Time to go get my reading done. One more night before the odyssey trek back.
Wednesday, August 12, 2009
Heading Home- Shanghai to Tokyo
Well I’m back in Tokyo waiting for the flight home. Another adventure returning home this year. However due to a Comedy of Errors that really wasn’t funny- Marion (another teacher) and I missed our flight home and Steve (our group coordinator) ended up picking up the tab for a rebooking fee in Economy Class and an upgrade to First Class. For this additional expense, it appears he had access to brown slippers and more alcohol (much needed by this point in time. I was worried but not frantic until I realized I didn’t have an exit form and thought I was headed back through security and guaranteed to miss the second flight of the day. Fortunately for me, it was not Mexico and you do not need to have a stamped document granted at arrival to be resubmitted when you leave. Another story for the collection.
This year in China, I was not able to get on my blog. Due to the number of sites and amount of times I tried, I can only guess that it is due to China’s increased control of the information flow on the internet. I managed to get my hands on The China Daily English Language Newspaper while I was in Shanghai. The weekend edition was a total of 12 pages and the bias of the articles was amazingly transparent. Millions were reported with the Swine Flu in the US and Chinese economic success emphasized.
The influence of the western world in cities is quite evident but other than Caucasian billboard models for advertising, it’s more limited in towns. On the Fuyang River each morning, even the younger people dance to Chinese music. They have just created a massive square where they eventually will put a tunnel under the Fuyang River. It is quite the gathering spot, very similar to Vienna square, close to the Rathaus Nightly from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, there is line dancing on giant screen which is very popular. One night, my Chinese buddy, Hongbo (alias Jane) and I stumbled on quite the production. A huge stage was set up with seating. The first person we saw on stage, I recognized immediately. He is a “famous” Fuyang comedian from local tv. He is on the television in restaurants and during foot massages. His sketch with another comedian involved confusion due to the use of their different dialects. The audience was in stitches. We also saw a scene from a Beijing opera and a Hangzhou opera. People all knew the stories and were obviously moved by the production. You don’t hear western music at all unless you go to the bar frequented by westerners. However we did see one group of belly dancers that Hongbo immediately asked if we danced like that in Canada.
Smoking is far more prevalent in China. I was very aware of trying to avoid smokers during the performances. My custodian, Mr. Wu, at the Education Bureau always had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, whether it was first thing in the morning or after classes. This is quite common for many people and when they put them in an ash tray or toss the cigarette on the ground, they rarely butt out. The smoke just continues to curl its way to your face! Aagh!!! It was most problematic for me when I was eating breakfast or dinner. It gave me a healthy appreciation of our no smoking initiatives!
Consumer culture is well entrenched in China. I always think of it as something plaguing the Western World, but I suppose China has had more to sell for thousands of years. Life is Shanghai is teaming with tourists from all over China and the rest of the world. There is always a throng of people moving in and out of shops. Unfortunately I was sick in Shanghai despite my preventative Dukoral before I left Vancouver. It was inconvenient but not disastrous. I was able to make it to the large mall with the “real” designer clones and fill my quota for pearls. Every shop has a back room and “the best deal”. I shopped until I dropped and then spent the rest of the evening in the hotel room while my traveling mates went dancing.
The Western World has had some impact on the beverage consumption of the Chinese. In our classes at the Education Bureau, we always had green tea and 6 large dispensers filled with boiling water. Green tea was on the go all day. However coffee consumption has become “progressive”. Interesting versions of Starbucks are appearing in China as coffee is gaining in popularity. The prices in Starbucks are about the same as in Canada but to spend that much on coffee is prohibitive for all but the most affluent Chinese.
The best place I went to with Hongbo was Crowne Café in the Old Town of Shanghai. You proceed through a wonderful bakery first and pick up your sweet or savory treats. Then you end up at the coffee counter. To go cups are made in the Italian design espresso machines and then they go into another machine that seals on a metal lid that goes under the plastic lid to ensure the coffee stays hot and doesn’t spill. Cool design. The cost for a latte was 12 RMB(Yuan), tea was 4 RMB and several treats for both of us was about 14 RMB. This is about $5.00, the same cost of one latte at Starbucks. We also sat on the second floor looking at the rain pour down on the narrow and extremely busy Old Town Routes…and far away from the stinky tofu vendors (as distinct from the non-stinky versions).
Hongbo also slipped down to get us “The famous Shanghai dumplings”. Many cities seem to have “famous” versions of pork dumplings. My favorite was definitely the Hangzhou version. But they were also the freshest. We were in a VERY busy restaurant where you push through the throng to order and they grab as it is passed over. Not sure I could have managed myself even with $1.49 training in my formative years.
Well, Marion is back from her chair massage. She reports it was pretty good, but I’ve been ruined by the Chinese massage. This year I expanded my horizons and also had the head massage. For a mere 30 RMB ($5.00 Cdn), you get a dry head massage, lathering massage, rinse massage, hand, arm, and shoulder massage and a blow dry. Although I chopped my hair off before the trip so I would be cooler, there still was a fascination with making my hair as big as possible. Ronnie McDonald and I were in the running for biggest hair first time of all time. My travel buddies were sure I needed to back away from flagging the cab because I was scaring the drivers. Yes that bad! My stylist certainly had fun though. Much to his chagrin, I curbed his enthusiasm next time around and taught him the skill of curly hair control.
Well, hopefully we’re boarding soon. I can’t wait to get home. Three weeks was too long to be away from my little family. Can’t wait to see everyone.
This year in China, I was not able to get on my blog. Due to the number of sites and amount of times I tried, I can only guess that it is due to China’s increased control of the information flow on the internet. I managed to get my hands on The China Daily English Language Newspaper while I was in Shanghai. The weekend edition was a total of 12 pages and the bias of the articles was amazingly transparent. Millions were reported with the Swine Flu in the US and Chinese economic success emphasized.
The influence of the western world in cities is quite evident but other than Caucasian billboard models for advertising, it’s more limited in towns. On the Fuyang River each morning, even the younger people dance to Chinese music. They have just created a massive square where they eventually will put a tunnel under the Fuyang River. It is quite the gathering spot, very similar to Vienna square, close to the Rathaus Nightly from 6:30 – 8:30 pm, there is line dancing on giant screen which is very popular. One night, my Chinese buddy, Hongbo (alias Jane) and I stumbled on quite the production. A huge stage was set up with seating. The first person we saw on stage, I recognized immediately. He is a “famous” Fuyang comedian from local tv. He is on the television in restaurants and during foot massages. His sketch with another comedian involved confusion due to the use of their different dialects. The audience was in stitches. We also saw a scene from a Beijing opera and a Hangzhou opera. People all knew the stories and were obviously moved by the production. You don’t hear western music at all unless you go to the bar frequented by westerners. However we did see one group of belly dancers that Hongbo immediately asked if we danced like that in Canada.
Smoking is far more prevalent in China. I was very aware of trying to avoid smokers during the performances. My custodian, Mr. Wu, at the Education Bureau always had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth, whether it was first thing in the morning or after classes. This is quite common for many people and when they put them in an ash tray or toss the cigarette on the ground, they rarely butt out. The smoke just continues to curl its way to your face! Aagh!!! It was most problematic for me when I was eating breakfast or dinner. It gave me a healthy appreciation of our no smoking initiatives!
Consumer culture is well entrenched in China. I always think of it as something plaguing the Western World, but I suppose China has had more to sell for thousands of years. Life is Shanghai is teaming with tourists from all over China and the rest of the world. There is always a throng of people moving in and out of shops. Unfortunately I was sick in Shanghai despite my preventative Dukoral before I left Vancouver. It was inconvenient but not disastrous. I was able to make it to the large mall with the “real” designer clones and fill my quota for pearls. Every shop has a back room and “the best deal”. I shopped until I dropped and then spent the rest of the evening in the hotel room while my traveling mates went dancing.
The Western World has had some impact on the beverage consumption of the Chinese. In our classes at the Education Bureau, we always had green tea and 6 large dispensers filled with boiling water. Green tea was on the go all day. However coffee consumption has become “progressive”. Interesting versions of Starbucks are appearing in China as coffee is gaining in popularity. The prices in Starbucks are about the same as in Canada but to spend that much on coffee is prohibitive for all but the most affluent Chinese.
The best place I went to with Hongbo was Crowne Café in the Old Town of Shanghai. You proceed through a wonderful bakery first and pick up your sweet or savory treats. Then you end up at the coffee counter. To go cups are made in the Italian design espresso machines and then they go into another machine that seals on a metal lid that goes under the plastic lid to ensure the coffee stays hot and doesn’t spill. Cool design. The cost for a latte was 12 RMB(Yuan), tea was 4 RMB and several treats for both of us was about 14 RMB. This is about $5.00, the same cost of one latte at Starbucks. We also sat on the second floor looking at the rain pour down on the narrow and extremely busy Old Town Routes…and far away from the stinky tofu vendors (as distinct from the non-stinky versions).
Hongbo also slipped down to get us “The famous Shanghai dumplings”. Many cities seem to have “famous” versions of pork dumplings. My favorite was definitely the Hangzhou version. But they were also the freshest. We were in a VERY busy restaurant where you push through the throng to order and they grab as it is passed over. Not sure I could have managed myself even with $1.49 training in my formative years.
Well, Marion is back from her chair massage. She reports it was pretty good, but I’ve been ruined by the Chinese massage. This year I expanded my horizons and also had the head massage. For a mere 30 RMB ($5.00 Cdn), you get a dry head massage, lathering massage, rinse massage, hand, arm, and shoulder massage and a blow dry. Although I chopped my hair off before the trip so I would be cooler, there still was a fascination with making my hair as big as possible. Ronnie McDonald and I were in the running for biggest hair first time of all time. My travel buddies were sure I needed to back away from flagging the cab because I was scaring the drivers. Yes that bad! My stylist certainly had fun though. Much to his chagrin, I curbed his enthusiasm next time around and taught him the skill of curly hair control.
Well, hopefully we’re boarding soon. I can’t wait to get home. Three weeks was too long to be away from my little family. Can’t wait to see everyone.
Hangzhou Fuyang Hotel
This year is a little different in that I am staying at the Hangzhou Fuyang Hotel. It has a grand entrance way, antiques, a lovely fishpond, a VIP room for dinners and very popular restaurant that the town frequents for dinner. Although the grandeur of the place has faded over the years with neglected upkeep, it has air conditioning, clean rooms, and sit toilets. Certainly a bonus in China!
I still have a room with a view that I very much enjoy. I look out onto lush green trees that positively radiate with the amazingly loud sounds of the cicadas, especially right around dawn and dusk. I can still see the Fuchun River, the distinctive curve of Chinese rooves, and the new bridge with its steady flow of traffic.
I’m still in walking distance to the river and enjoy my morning ritual walk. It gives you insight into the city, not otherwise visible. The homeless are still asleep as the town wakes up and goes out to exercise before the heat of the day. I’ve missed the Chinese kung fu this year and haven’t joined in on the Tai Chi or dance lessons yet. I am a regular at the exercise park and compete with the old men for access to the equipment with bolts.
The only this that slows down the morning crowd is the torrential rain, of which we have had more of this summer. It starts to rain and people run for cover. One morning a woman tried to give me her umbrella, she was so distressed to see me unprotected in the rain. Even my trusty, somewhat soggy pocket dictionary couldn’t help me explain that Vancouverites are like ducks and do fine in the rain, especially when it’s still warm. The rain has slowed me down in the morning. I manage to sleep later and miss my walk.
Hotel life has familiarized me with the Chinese breakfast buffet. It includes squash, bok choi type vegetables, soups, boiled eggs, thousand year old eggs, banana bread, steamed buns, corn of the cob, rice, egg fried rice, watermelon and more. I did try ordering “flat eggs” a couple of mornings but have come to the conclusion that it’s best to let them stick to what they know best. It’s amazing what you can get used to.
I certainly do appreciate having someone else do my ironing. I’m quite pleased that the room is not equipped for me to accomplish this task on my own. I’m also not missing cooking, doing dishes, taking out the garbage or taking care of anyone but myself! Although I’m technically working, it makes for quite the holiday!
I still have a room with a view that I very much enjoy. I look out onto lush green trees that positively radiate with the amazingly loud sounds of the cicadas, especially right around dawn and dusk. I can still see the Fuchun River, the distinctive curve of Chinese rooves, and the new bridge with its steady flow of traffic.
I’m still in walking distance to the river and enjoy my morning ritual walk. It gives you insight into the city, not otherwise visible. The homeless are still asleep as the town wakes up and goes out to exercise before the heat of the day. I’ve missed the Chinese kung fu this year and haven’t joined in on the Tai Chi or dance lessons yet. I am a regular at the exercise park and compete with the old men for access to the equipment with bolts.
The only this that slows down the morning crowd is the torrential rain, of which we have had more of this summer. It starts to rain and people run for cover. One morning a woman tried to give me her umbrella, she was so distressed to see me unprotected in the rain. Even my trusty, somewhat soggy pocket dictionary couldn’t help me explain that Vancouverites are like ducks and do fine in the rain, especially when it’s still warm. The rain has slowed me down in the morning. I manage to sleep later and miss my walk.
Hotel life has familiarized me with the Chinese breakfast buffet. It includes squash, bok choi type vegetables, soups, boiled eggs, thousand year old eggs, banana bread, steamed buns, corn of the cob, rice, egg fried rice, watermelon and more. I did try ordering “flat eggs” a couple of mornings but have come to the conclusion that it’s best to let them stick to what they know best. It’s amazing what you can get used to.
I certainly do appreciate having someone else do my ironing. I’m quite pleased that the room is not equipped for me to accomplish this task on my own. I’m also not missing cooking, doing dishes, taking out the garbage or taking care of anyone but myself! Although I’m technically working, it makes for quite the holiday!
Narita Airport in Tokyo, Japan
Japan en route to ChinaSteve, our trip mastermind, booked me on JAL to China this year. That means that at this moment I’m at the Computer Desk at my gate (hopefully) passing time and drinking green tea and munching on peanut M&M’s. They have a quarantine area when you arrive at the Narita airport in Tokyo and have security wearing masks and waiting to escort “suspicious” people showing signs of the flu. They are definitely on high alert. However security was higher in YVR. My metal buttons on my dress warranted a full pat down in Vancouver but only my shoe buckles were a concern at Tokyo security. And I was kindly offered slippers while they checked them out.The hostesses on JAL are the most gracious and hospitable that I have even seen. They smile and have excessively good manners with passengers and each other. Brad got me a mini laptop (so Tyler has the other one to take to Milan) and I got a lot of work done on the flight, although I did manage to watch two movies. They had 12 movies that repeated continuously through the flight. I must admit I did like the menu selection of the flights last year. The Narita Airport is a shopping mecca. I didn’t think of checking out the exchange for the currency but I’m catching on. –especially since I caught myself before spending $150.00 on REAL designer sunglasses. Lots of designer stores but even great deals are too rich for my pocketbook! Great prices on Sony walkmans, cameras, watches, and everything else electronic in the airport. Image what the prices would be outside the airport! Well, only two more hours before boarding…
Fun in Fernie - Part 2
Fun in Fernie – Part 2
Well this small dot on the map has turned out to be quite a discovery. Tumultuous weather patterns have allowed Brad and I times to languish on sunny decks and sleep when the thunderstorms roll in from the Rockies. A deer greeted us on the first day out on the gorgeous Fernie Golf and Country Club, and gophers the next day. Good fun and we used every club in our bag and several balls to deal with sand traps, streams, ponds and just plain long drives. Good fun!
Of course, Brad’s choice was the action adventure of Whitewater rafting and cliff jumping into the Elk River. Blair and his partner started the business in 1985 and gave us our money’s worth. He was a Neil Young look alike and a funny guy! Certainly an adrenalin rush but one heck of a lot of fun! I preferred being in the front of the raft where I could see what was coming and “spear the dragon”. Amazing how those flatwater canoe certification classes came in handy when paddling!
Along the path, we saw a huge herd of mountain goats that literally disappeared off the edge of a cliff. Fishing osprey and their nest, and an enormous eagle nest added to the adventure. And of course, I was delighted to discover more hoodoos! Fortunately a photographer accompanied us in a kayak to document our trip.
The big excitement on the trip home was the caribou that just wouldn’t get off the road in front of us. By this point in time, we were use to the very plentiful deer population. Although I was relieved that the bear didn’t come back down the mountain to check out Kelsey’s or request a beer while we were there.
Well this small dot on the map has turned out to be quite a discovery. Tumultuous weather patterns have allowed Brad and I times to languish on sunny decks and sleep when the thunderstorms roll in from the Rockies. A deer greeted us on the first day out on the gorgeous Fernie Golf and Country Club, and gophers the next day. Good fun and we used every club in our bag and several balls to deal with sand traps, streams, ponds and just plain long drives. Good fun!
Of course, Brad’s choice was the action adventure of Whitewater rafting and cliff jumping into the Elk River. Blair and his partner started the business in 1985 and gave us our money’s worth. He was a Neil Young look alike and a funny guy! Certainly an adrenalin rush but one heck of a lot of fun! I preferred being in the front of the raft where I could see what was coming and “spear the dragon”. Amazing how those flatwater canoe certification classes came in handy when paddling!
Along the path, we saw a huge herd of mountain goats that literally disappeared off the edge of a cliff. Fishing osprey and their nest, and an enormous eagle nest added to the adventure. And of course, I was delighted to discover more hoodoos! Fortunately a photographer accompanied us in a kayak to document our trip.
The big excitement on the trip home was the caribou that just wouldn’t get off the road in front of us. By this point in time, we were use to the very plentiful deer population. Although I was relieved that the bear didn’t come back down the mountain to check out Kelsey’s or request a beer while we were there.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Fun in Fernie, B.C.
Summer has arrived and it's time for R&R. Larkyn is doing a French Immersion Program and staying on campus at Laval University in Quebec. Tyler is working construction in the effort to raise enough money to defray the costs of studying fashion design in Milan this fall. His Italian class starts at the beginning of September and his full program starts in October. His flight has been booked and the first installment of his tuition paid - he must really be going!
Brad and I made the 12 hour trek to Fernie, B.C. to enjoy a mountain retreat. Although I was reticent about this small dot destination on the map, it has turned out to be quite fascinating. Brad's maternal grandfather took refuge in the coke mines outside of Fernie with his family to esape the Fernie fire of 1908. Apparently the coke ovens had been newly built by the Crow's Nest Coal Company and not yet used for processing the coal from the mines. Five hundred Fernie residents survived the fire by taking refuge in the City Hall. It begs the question, who decided who could seek the safety of City Hall? Who's idea was it to take refuge in the coke ovens 6 km outside of town. Brad's maternal grandmother described her mother in law in less than favourable terms. Could the cantankerous aspects of this woman's character also have been responsible for the quest for survival. It came from somewhere and that split second decision in the time of crisis was responsible for perpetuating many generations to come, including Brad's and our childrens. Quite wild.
The other morning, Brad and I headed to the much recommended Blue Toque Cafe. It is located in the town Art's Centre that was previously the site of the Railroad Station in town. The coal industry is alive and well in Fernie. Trains regularly travel through the historic town centre loaded with coal and blasting their whistles. Our new friend, Nick Guiliani, assured us that nowadays it is very clean coal and expounds the virtues of the Shell Corp. In the 1902 explosion in the Coal Creek Mine, apparently an entire shift of 128 men and boys died. True enough, the modern open pit mine has a vested interest in ensuring that is not repeated.
We met Nick in the town museum, always a guaranteed place to meet interesting people with interesting stories. He came from Italy in the 50's to work in the sawmills. The recession of 1981, resulted in his being laid off from the Shell Corp lumber division. Although he lost his benefits, the Shell Corp did rehire him in their mining division to drive trucks and maintain equipment. He is very impressed with the generosity of the Shell Corp donating so much of the land to wildlife preserves and the historic buildings to the community. His wife, Mary, also popped in and we had a good discussion about Italy. Interesting enough, he brought up the whole issue of language. When he left Italy in the 50's the internet explosion hadn't occurred. Him and his wife do not know thousands of words that didn't exist in Italian in the 50's. His wife was speaking Italian to a tourist in town and she complimented his wife her attempts to speak Italian-her native tongue. Too funny.
Brad and I made the 12 hour trek to Fernie, B.C. to enjoy a mountain retreat. Although I was reticent about this small dot destination on the map, it has turned out to be quite fascinating. Brad's maternal grandfather took refuge in the coke mines outside of Fernie with his family to esape the Fernie fire of 1908. Apparently the coke ovens had been newly built by the Crow's Nest Coal Company and not yet used for processing the coal from the mines. Five hundred Fernie residents survived the fire by taking refuge in the City Hall. It begs the question, who decided who could seek the safety of City Hall? Who's idea was it to take refuge in the coke ovens 6 km outside of town. Brad's maternal grandmother described her mother in law in less than favourable terms. Could the cantankerous aspects of this woman's character also have been responsible for the quest for survival. It came from somewhere and that split second decision in the time of crisis was responsible for perpetuating many generations to come, including Brad's and our childrens. Quite wild.
The other morning, Brad and I headed to the much recommended Blue Toque Cafe. It is located in the town Art's Centre that was previously the site of the Railroad Station in town. The coal industry is alive and well in Fernie. Trains regularly travel through the historic town centre loaded with coal and blasting their whistles. Our new friend, Nick Guiliani, assured us that nowadays it is very clean coal and expounds the virtues of the Shell Corp. In the 1902 explosion in the Coal Creek Mine, apparently an entire shift of 128 men and boys died. True enough, the modern open pit mine has a vested interest in ensuring that is not repeated.
We met Nick in the town museum, always a guaranteed place to meet interesting people with interesting stories. He came from Italy in the 50's to work in the sawmills. The recession of 1981, resulted in his being laid off from the Shell Corp lumber division. Although he lost his benefits, the Shell Corp did rehire him in their mining division to drive trucks and maintain equipment. He is very impressed with the generosity of the Shell Corp donating so much of the land to wildlife preserves and the historic buildings to the community. His wife, Mary, also popped in and we had a good discussion about Italy. Interesting enough, he brought up the whole issue of language. When he left Italy in the 50's the internet explosion hadn't occurred. Him and his wife do not know thousands of words that didn't exist in Italian in the 50's. His wife was speaking Italian to a tourist in town and she complimented his wife her attempts to speak Italian-her native tongue. Too funny.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Mayan Riviera
Brad felt like he really missed out when the kids and I went to the Mayan Riviera for Spring Break. I really wanted to NOT try and pretend it was business as usual for Christmas. So Brad decided to celebrate his 50th birthday in Mexico. This year has been my first experiences with all inclusive holidays. They have never really appealed to me because they didn't seem like a good way to experience a different culture. However, I get it now. It is far more about REST and RELAXATION than a cultural experience and I've been totally in need of that!
All I needed were the palm leaves wafting in the gentle breeze, a few good books, the sun, the ocean, and dinner reservations as the only pressing demand on my schedule. Brad felt pressed to extend his life with regular exercise and actually saw the inside of the fitness facilities and jogged. I read articles on how to reduce the amount of belly fat without exercise but was not at all compelled otherwise. Hhmmm room service or working out? Not such a tough choice.
For Brad's birthday, I agreed to an action adventure tour as long as it complied with Canadian Health and Safety Standards (NOT) as promised by Transat Holidays. It being Mexico, they never did pick us up and we spent the rest of the morning rebooking. Although we had to forgo snorkeling, we did make it on the Alltournative Coba Mayan Village Encounter on Friday- quite an interesting concept. The Mayan people open up their village to tourists and are employed by the company rather than having to leave their land to clean toilets in large hotels. In exchange they agree to no longer hunt (jaguar, turtles, other protected species), log hardwoods, pollute the land, and practice some of the traditional cultural practices (ie. building homes with wooden posts on the concrete blocks, some traditional dress and cooking..).
Coba and the Mayan Village were quite a ways from the Riviera Princess Hotel. The trip was extended significantly by the Military Roadblocks. The Military has its work cut out for it in terms of trying to deal with the drug cartels. The drug cartels make 5 times the amount of money as the entire Mexican Military budget. The police make minimum wage which is $4.50 per day and are threatened with death of themselves or their families if they don't cooperate with the drug cartels. Bar owners must either pay to be left alone or allow the dealers in their bars. High ranking government officials and police officers deal with death threats and attempts on their lives for trying to deal with corruption at any level. Of course, the American solution of targeting end users offers no more promise in Mexico than it does in the U.S. Generally the average population is happy that the roadblocks represent an attempt to deal with the problem. The average Mexican is the target of the many types of kidnapping (ransomed, virtual, express/ the bank machine one...) that are related to the drug trade. Although the checkpoints don't target tourists, the machine guns, Military attire, and tanks with guns levelled at the traffic are quite disconcerting.
We had an abbreviated canoe trip due to the wind and therefore did not see any wildlife around the lagoon. Our next task was to trek through the jungle (being wary of snakes and acid burning resin on trees) to the station that suited us up for the zip lining. Our guides were kind enough to point out the crocodile in the open sink hole we were about to travel over. I took a running jump to avoid hitting my head on the cliff. I zipped along so quickly that they didn't manage a picture and my little hooked stick threw off a lot of sawdust but didn't slow me down enough. I bounced off the end post and managed to skin my knee on the metal cable over my head. Brad managed to twist his wrist more and negotiated a much more dignified finish and looked like a pro. Nobody was sacrificed to the crocodile below.
We left on our harness and trekked through the jungle to the closed sink hole and rappeled down 15 metres to the inner tubes waiting for us in the water below. I was quite worried about supporting my weight initially but was amazed at how much control you maintain. The water was so clear that in spots with enough light, you could see down to the bottom of the 45 m hole. There are two openings into the sink hole and they reflect the light off the water to shine two eyes on the roof - hence the name Jaguar Eyes Sink hole. There were two exits - one being pulled up by the rope you rappeled down on or climbing up the very slimy wooden and rope ladder. You guessed, Brad opted for the ladder for his birthday. Much to my delight I didn't slip and managed to negotiate the surprisingly challenging climb. Our guide tells me she dropped two sizes when she quite her job as a the manager/technician of a food safety lab to be a guide.
At this point, we had earned our lunch back in the village. The women in the village served a soup that tasted very much like Grandma Derksen's borscht, black beans and rice that reminded me of Armando and Iza, and tamales with hot sauces that would even have tested Tyler's taste for spicy!
After lunch we were off to Coba. An archeological tour that revealed that the Mayans did not participate in human sacrifices until much later, after they had experienced the civilizing impact of the Aztecs? Rental bikes to travel t0 the three pyramids. Our final stop was the tallest of the pyramids in the Yucatan Valley. Going up wasn't so bad and it was fun to meet one of my Colleagues from Coquitlam and his wife on the top. Coming down was heart rending. Very steep. Loose rocks. People with kids threatening to take flight. The rope down the centre wasn't overly reassuring. I felt like I was in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo.
Once we biked back to our meeting point, Brad and I sat down and I actually ENJOYED a beer. Never have acquired a taste for it. However the heat, the fatigue, and need for a celebratory moment have been the missing ingredients. When the rest of the group caught up with us, we embarked on the biggest traffic jam ever. Too many cars. Too much construction. Too many Military roadblocks.
The only other time we ventured away from the hotel was to go to Playa del Carmen for the day. It's only claim to fame use to be as the jumping off point to Cozumel, home of some of the best scuba diving in the world. This town has experienced significant growth but managed to maintain it's Mexican village charm. 5th Avenue is packed with jewellry shops, tourist stops, and restaurants. In Spring, Larkyn emerged as the bargainer extraordinaire but I held my own. China certainly helped me in that department - bargaining with very good manners as opposed the more Middle eastern variety. The most fun was the fellow who we bargained our final prices and then he suggested I flip a coin to see which price we'd settle on.
We arrived home to a more snow than I have seen in Vancouver in my entire life! Fortunately the weather cleared enough for our flight to arrive in Vancouver and for the roads to be good enough for the cab to drive us home and conquer the unplowed cul de sac!
All I needed were the palm leaves wafting in the gentle breeze, a few good books, the sun, the ocean, and dinner reservations as the only pressing demand on my schedule. Brad felt pressed to extend his life with regular exercise and actually saw the inside of the fitness facilities and jogged. I read articles on how to reduce the amount of belly fat without exercise but was not at all compelled otherwise. Hhmmm room service or working out? Not such a tough choice.
For Brad's birthday, I agreed to an action adventure tour as long as it complied with Canadian Health and Safety Standards (NOT) as promised by Transat Holidays. It being Mexico, they never did pick us up and we spent the rest of the morning rebooking. Although we had to forgo snorkeling, we did make it on the Alltournative Coba Mayan Village Encounter on Friday- quite an interesting concept. The Mayan people open up their village to tourists and are employed by the company rather than having to leave their land to clean toilets in large hotels. In exchange they agree to no longer hunt (jaguar, turtles, other protected species), log hardwoods, pollute the land, and practice some of the traditional cultural practices (ie. building homes with wooden posts on the concrete blocks, some traditional dress and cooking..).
Coba and the Mayan Village were quite a ways from the Riviera Princess Hotel. The trip was extended significantly by the Military Roadblocks. The Military has its work cut out for it in terms of trying to deal with the drug cartels. The drug cartels make 5 times the amount of money as the entire Mexican Military budget. The police make minimum wage which is $4.50 per day and are threatened with death of themselves or their families if they don't cooperate with the drug cartels. Bar owners must either pay to be left alone or allow the dealers in their bars. High ranking government officials and police officers deal with death threats and attempts on their lives for trying to deal with corruption at any level. Of course, the American solution of targeting end users offers no more promise in Mexico than it does in the U.S. Generally the average population is happy that the roadblocks represent an attempt to deal with the problem. The average Mexican is the target of the many types of kidnapping (ransomed, virtual, express/ the bank machine one...) that are related to the drug trade. Although the checkpoints don't target tourists, the machine guns, Military attire, and tanks with guns levelled at the traffic are quite disconcerting.
We had an abbreviated canoe trip due to the wind and therefore did not see any wildlife around the lagoon. Our next task was to trek through the jungle (being wary of snakes and acid burning resin on trees) to the station that suited us up for the zip lining. Our guides were kind enough to point out the crocodile in the open sink hole we were about to travel over. I took a running jump to avoid hitting my head on the cliff. I zipped along so quickly that they didn't manage a picture and my little hooked stick threw off a lot of sawdust but didn't slow me down enough. I bounced off the end post and managed to skin my knee on the metal cable over my head. Brad managed to twist his wrist more and negotiated a much more dignified finish and looked like a pro. Nobody was sacrificed to the crocodile below.
We left on our harness and trekked through the jungle to the closed sink hole and rappeled down 15 metres to the inner tubes waiting for us in the water below. I was quite worried about supporting my weight initially but was amazed at how much control you maintain. The water was so clear that in spots with enough light, you could see down to the bottom of the 45 m hole. There are two openings into the sink hole and they reflect the light off the water to shine two eyes on the roof - hence the name Jaguar Eyes Sink hole. There were two exits - one being pulled up by the rope you rappeled down on or climbing up the very slimy wooden and rope ladder. You guessed, Brad opted for the ladder for his birthday. Much to my delight I didn't slip and managed to negotiate the surprisingly challenging climb. Our guide tells me she dropped two sizes when she quite her job as a the manager/technician of a food safety lab to be a guide.
At this point, we had earned our lunch back in the village. The women in the village served a soup that tasted very much like Grandma Derksen's borscht, black beans and rice that reminded me of Armando and Iza, and tamales with hot sauces that would even have tested Tyler's taste for spicy!
After lunch we were off to Coba. An archeological tour that revealed that the Mayans did not participate in human sacrifices until much later, after they had experienced the civilizing impact of the Aztecs? Rental bikes to travel t0 the three pyramids. Our final stop was the tallest of the pyramids in the Yucatan Valley. Going up wasn't so bad and it was fun to meet one of my Colleagues from Coquitlam and his wife on the top. Coming down was heart rending. Very steep. Loose rocks. People with kids threatening to take flight. The rope down the centre wasn't overly reassuring. I felt like I was in Alfred Hitchcock's Vertigo.
Once we biked back to our meeting point, Brad and I sat down and I actually ENJOYED a beer. Never have acquired a taste for it. However the heat, the fatigue, and need for a celebratory moment have been the missing ingredients. When the rest of the group caught up with us, we embarked on the biggest traffic jam ever. Too many cars. Too much construction. Too many Military roadblocks.
The only other time we ventured away from the hotel was to go to Playa del Carmen for the day. It's only claim to fame use to be as the jumping off point to Cozumel, home of some of the best scuba diving in the world. This town has experienced significant growth but managed to maintain it's Mexican village charm. 5th Avenue is packed with jewellry shops, tourist stops, and restaurants. In Spring, Larkyn emerged as the bargainer extraordinaire but I held my own. China certainly helped me in that department - bargaining with very good manners as opposed the more Middle eastern variety. The most fun was the fellow who we bargained our final prices and then he suggested I flip a coin to see which price we'd settle on.
We arrived home to a more snow than I have seen in Vancouver in my entire life! Fortunately the weather cleared enough for our flight to arrive in Vancouver and for the roads to be good enough for the cab to drive us home and conquer the unplowed cul de sac!
Whistler, B.C.
Whistler has been one of our favorite destination spots since both Brad and I started skiing in high school. We've been very fortunate to have many happy memories of Whistler. We've stayed in many B&B's and rented places with friends before kids. I really learned to ski when I had to push to keep up with Brad and his buddies. We've also be very lucky to be the happy recipients of our friends, Joe and Yvonne's generosity. We have had many amazing ski trips and biking trips at their condominium. I still clearly remember the quad burn when Larkyn got scared on the big hills and it had to be Mommy to ski down with her between my legs.
The trips have changed over the past couple of years. The Vancouver Administrators have the fall conference at The Chateau Whistler. Brad and the kids came with me last year to live like the rich and famous. This fall, everyone was going in different directions. Brad stayed home to pick up Larkyn from her Encounters Canada trip in Ottawa. However not a bad working weekend. My principal and I discussed our families, future directions and everything else on our fall walk. That will teach him to trust my sense of direction!
The trips have changed over the past couple of years. The Vancouver Administrators have the fall conference at The Chateau Whistler. Brad and the kids came with me last year to live like the rich and famous. This fall, everyone was going in different directions. Brad stayed home to pick up Larkyn from her Encounters Canada trip in Ottawa. However not a bad working weekend. My principal and I discussed our families, future directions and everything else on our fall walk. That will teach him to trust my sense of direction!
California, Here I Come
I returned from China to an empty house at the end of July. Brad and the kids had already driven down to Ventura for the time that my step-mother had set aside for us. The beach house in Ventura has always been a favorite destination for our kids and I wanted them to have the opportunity to visit with their grandparents and my youngest sister's family.
It is usually overcast first thing in the morning, which has always made it great for jogging along the beach to the pier. We didn't spot any dolphins swimming along the route this year but there were WAY more dead seals washed up on the beach. Not sure what that was all about.
The beach is great for kite flying. There is usually a good breeze and it lifted the string of kites I had brought my little nephews from China. Nice to see my sister, Michelle, in her role as mother. It's funny to her in that role, when I changed HER diapers. I must be getting old!
This year for my birthday, Brad booked a trip to Catalina. I've always wanted to do it and it was even better than anticipated. The dolphins followed the ferry on the way over and gave us a full performance. We rented a golf cart when we arrived and got an overview of the island first. The huge "casino" is beautiful and was for dancing as opposed to gambling. We were practically stacked on top of each other on the small, private beach but the snorkeling was very cool. Nothing like eating fresh seafood beside the ocean.
Glad to have honoured the kids beach house desire this year. This fall, Dad and Carole sold the beach house. The end of an era! No more hours of just soaking up the sun and then heading to Joe's Crab Shack (where Dad introduced Tyler to lobster) or out for Mexican food at Yolandas! I can't eat a fish taco without thinking of Michelle and Dan. Having grown up by Jericho Beach has made me a definite beach person. I love to read and ponder life by the ocean.
Usually on the way home from my father's, I head up to visit Santa Cruz to visit Judy, John, Dan, and Nate's and to Palo Alto to visit her parents. They use to live across Mundy Park. It's always a fun reunion. However this year was a little different because our schedules didn't jib. Instead we spent time gorging on seafood in San Francisco and pursuing Brad's dream of dune buggying on the Oregon Coast. Larkyn rolled her ATV just to make things a little more memorable. Can't lie - glad to hand in those WAY TOO POWERFUL machines! Fortunately no one was hurt! AND it was terrifying but exciting!
It is usually overcast first thing in the morning, which has always made it great for jogging along the beach to the pier. We didn't spot any dolphins swimming along the route this year but there were WAY more dead seals washed up on the beach. Not sure what that was all about.
The beach is great for kite flying. There is usually a good breeze and it lifted the string of kites I had brought my little nephews from China. Nice to see my sister, Michelle, in her role as mother. It's funny to her in that role, when I changed HER diapers. I must be getting old!
This year for my birthday, Brad booked a trip to Catalina. I've always wanted to do it and it was even better than anticipated. The dolphins followed the ferry on the way over and gave us a full performance. We rented a golf cart when we arrived and got an overview of the island first. The huge "casino" is beautiful and was for dancing as opposed to gambling. We were practically stacked on top of each other on the small, private beach but the snorkeling was very cool. Nothing like eating fresh seafood beside the ocean.
Glad to have honoured the kids beach house desire this year. This fall, Dad and Carole sold the beach house. The end of an era! No more hours of just soaking up the sun and then heading to Joe's Crab Shack (where Dad introduced Tyler to lobster) or out for Mexican food at Yolandas! I can't eat a fish taco without thinking of Michelle and Dan. Having grown up by Jericho Beach has made me a definite beach person. I love to read and ponder life by the ocean.
Usually on the way home from my father's, I head up to visit Santa Cruz to visit Judy, John, Dan, and Nate's and to Palo Alto to visit her parents. They use to live across Mundy Park. It's always a fun reunion. However this year was a little different because our schedules didn't jib. Instead we spent time gorging on seafood in San Francisco and pursuing Brad's dream of dune buggying on the Oregon Coast. Larkyn rolled her ATV just to make things a little more memorable. Can't lie - glad to hand in those WAY TOO POWERFUL machines! Fortunately no one was hurt! AND it was terrifying but exciting!
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