Trip Home

The trip home went smoothly despite the terrorist event that took place in Detroit on Christmas. We read that all carry-on would be subject to a hand search and that only one piece was allowed per person. Since we had 4 pieces this posed a problem. In the end, we filled our two big suitcases with all our carry-on items, clothes, and Christmas presents, taking only cameras and laptops with us as carry-on. We left 2 hours to clear security but were at the gate 30 minutes after saying goodbye to Melissa. I guess flying out of the States is easier than flying in.

I dozed while we waited to board as Miles had given me a cold and I was not really functioning. We boarded on time and with no problems. We were row 13, at the very back of the plane, but this suited me as the flight attendant gave me a whole can of ginger ale instead of a cup. Colds make me thirsty.

After landing in Calgary, we flew through customs and were home within a half hour. I could not make supper so we decided to go to Boston Pizza. However, everyone must have been sick of cooking and/or leftovers because there were line-ups at the two restaurants we tried. We ended up at Nottingham Pub, across the street from Meg's townhouse, where Glen enjoyed steak and kidney pie and I had shepherd's pie. We were in bed by 8:30.

We had a great holiday with Geoff's family and will miss the little ones and our early morning wake-up call. Elijah wished we could live next door and I must say that would be a perfect world.

Christmas in Aurora (there's a song in that)

We had a wonderful Christmas with Geoff, Melissa, Elijah and Miles. It began Christmas Eve with a lovely church service where Melissa sang in the choir and all the Armstrong men wore white shirts and Christmasy ties.

As tradition has it in our family, Christmas Eve is seafood night and the more the better. We indulged in mussels, oysters, Maryland crab cakes, shrimps, and oyster soup. Melissa had a steak cooked by Glen. We also enjoyed Bessie's cranberry salad, another traditional Christmas Eve dish which Elijah loved. Geoff has a small wine cellar and we tried one of his favourites.

The kids were excited about Santa coming although they told Grampy that all he would get was a lump of coal as he had distrupted the building of the gingerbread house the day before. Even Miles knows you are not supposed to eat the icing before it has hardened.

Christmas morning, Melissa was first up at 5:00 and by 6:30 all the adults were up. The kids kept to their room until 7:00 as is their routine but were thrilled to see Santa had come when they raced downstairs. They tore into their presents in an orderly manner thanking whoever gave them the gift whether they were present in the room or not.

Glen was surprised to see a lump of coal beside his stocking as it had not been there when he went to bed. It brought back memories of a time when we wrapped the same lump and gave it to his Dad as a Christmas present. It had come from our old apartment in Ottawa and was a reminder of a time when the furnace burned coal.

Santa brought the grandmonkeys nerf guns which were a big hit, in more ways than one. They used them as ground-t0-air missiles. Screams of laughter and wails of frustration that always happen at Christmas made the morning exciting. We finally finished opening presents at 10:00, having stopped to enjoy Geoff's homemade cinnamon buns partway through the present opening.

Christmas lunch was a variety of fancy cheeses (Melissa even found one she liked), leftover shrimp, olives, and an endive Caesar salad that Melissa created. The kids did not want to nap for fear of missing something. The adults played Wii Resort which was lots of fun.

Fro Christmas dinner, Geoff rotisseried the turkey after letting it sit in a savory brine overnight. It was delicious. He made a fancy dressing with apples, celery root and fennel as well as sweet potatoes while Melissa whipped up an awesome batch of mashed potatoes. We finished with the Christmas pudding I had made back in October and its accompanying sauce.

The kids went to bed exhausted and we followed a short time later.

The United States doesn't celebrate Boxing Day so there were no big sales or crowds at the shopping centers so Melissa and I ventured out to get groceries and my birthday present. She also wanted to use her new Tom-Tom. She gets lost a lot when driving so this GPS device should help her. We laughed because the Tom-Tom wanted her to take the freeway to the store but Melissa didn't want to so it kept telling her to make a U-turn. It was very funny.

One thing that makes Boxing Day special is leftovers. We indulged in another turkey feast and the boys broke up the gingerbread house for dessert.

The Children are Nestled all Snug in their Beds

Tonight Glen and I are babysitting. After cooking the grandmonkeys dinner, we read stories and played quiet games then both kidlets went to bed without a fuss. We haven't lost our touch. They are now sleeping while Geoff and Melissa enjoy a double date.

We arrived in Aurora late Sunday night after a horrendous airline experience. We got to the airport at 1:15, Meg and Mike driving us with 4 carry-on bags and 2 huge suitcase. We have never travelled so heavily laden. At the United counter, we discovered, after 20 minutes of keyboard tapping that Air Canada had booked us on a non-existent flight. The gate agent put us on standby for the flight we were supposed to take then booked us seats on a noon flight on Monday. We waited until 2:30 then learned we would not make the 3:30 flight.

United sent us to Air Canada saying they couldn't get us onto the 5:30 Denver flight. Air Canada said, no, that we had priority because we were mishandled passengers. They discovered that a flight from Frankfurt was late meaning 5 free seats on the United Denver flight. They sent us back to United who said, yes, they could get us on that flight but we'd have to be on standby until we reached the gate.

Thrilled, we went to enter customs only to be told we had to wait until 3:30 to be processed. It was 3:15 so we went to Harvey's because we hadn't had lunch yet. We inhaled a burger (Glen) and a chicken sandwich (me) and then went back to customs. All went well until we passed through security where one bag that Glen carried caused problems. Since I had wrapped all our gifts, the agent and I went through each one. Glen had to leave because most were for him and I had to tell the woman what each one was. No presents were opened but it did take time.

We reached the gate to learn the plane was delayed then they changed our gates. Finally, at 6:15, 6 hours after arriving at the airport, we boarded. After deicing, etc, we left Calgary at 6:45 and arrived in Denver at 8:45. Melissa whipped up some pasta and sauce for a light supper then we tumbled into bed.

Two bright and cheery faces woke us up at 6:30 Monday morning ready to play with Nana and Grampy. After breakfast, Geoff, Melissa and I headed to do Christmas grocery shopping at Sprouts, Sunflower, and Safeway with a stop at Geoff's favourite liquor store. Grampy played with the grandmonkeys.

We had lunch, played Wii Fit Plus, then the kidlets napped while Grampy did a conference call. Geoff made fudge. Melissa and I went to Five Guys for burgers and fries which we brought home then when the kids were in bed, the grown-ups watched Black Adder's Christmas Carol.

Today Glen, Melissa, and I went with the kids to Cherry Creek Mall. Our shopping was less than successful, although Melissa got a great bargain on a blouse. We then stopped at the pediatrician where both boys had their seasonal flu shots. It was not a happy experience although peppermint/chocolate milkshakes eased the pain. Geoff did a run but the weather had started to turn (it is now snowing).

After lunch, Grampy babysat while kids napped. Geoff took me to his favourite running store to buy some shoes so I could do zumba with Melissa tomorrow morning. The shoe selection process involved walking on a treadmill and having my pace videotaped. I love my shoes and they are Brooks which is Geoff's favourite brand.

Glen played the card game War with Elijah and when I got home, I taught him Solitaire. Both kids love colouring and playing with stickers. Geoff made brownies then I made supper with Melissa's help. Now we are relaxing. Tomorrow will see the beginning of Christmas food preparations and wrapping some last minute gifts.

Time to Go

Today is our final day in Victoria so it is filled with cleaning and packing but I have a moment to say that we had a great week here despite the construction and all its problems.

We chose the new paint colour for our rooms which was a plus but we also discovered that while removing the outside stucco, the workers had cut the power to our dishwasher. That meant removing the lovely new siding which had been installed. On the plus side, our new windows are fantastic. Not only do they keep the apartment warm, they also cut down the noise from Fort Street. However, we must get new window coverings since our old blinds no longer fit.

Yesterday, during one of the sunny breaks, we walked down to Oak Bay shopping area to have lunch at the Pennyfarthing, one of the first pubs we enjoyed in Victoria. I had a hankering for their steamed Salt Spring Island mussels. Glen enjoyed a couple of pints of Smithwick's while I had an award winning beer from the Vancouver Island Brewery called Spyhopper Honey Brown Ale. "Spyhopping is the playful activity in which the orca will vertically pop out of the water in order to check out their surroundings or to examine prey."

Pennyfarthing has great pizzas so I ordered their Aspargus and Olive pizza with feta cheese and Glen had a pub staple of Beefsteak and Guiness pot pie. Both were delicious. To end this great meal, Glen indulged in a dark chocolate brownie with ice cream and I had the Pennyfarthing Irish Coffee.

Tonight, as has become tradition, we'll have supper at the airport White Spot restaurant. Originally the airport had a cafeteria-style restaurant but after renovations, the White Spot opened a lovely place in which to eat and drink. The service is always good and food tasty. Their in-house beer, Nat Bailey lager or Nat Bailey pale ale is brewed by the Granville Island Brewing exclusively for the White Spot restaurants.

Leaving is always bittersweet as we love being 'on the island' but of course, home is still Calgary. More and more we discuss the time when Victoria will become home but that is still several years away.

Lunching with Friends

Victoria offers an opportunity which we lack in Calgary and that is socializing with friends over lunch.

Yesterday, we spent the afternoon with Diane and Tony Taylor at their home in Gordon Head. They are in the process of renovating their older house and it's fun seeing what changes have happened since our last visit. This time their cat, Coco, decided she loved us and so we were her best friends all afternoon. She is a beautiful Abyssinian with lots of energy.

Diane and Tony are off to India in February and to get in the mood, Diane served us an incredible Indian lunch of lamb, cauliflower, rice and vermicelli pudding. I realize I lack the Indian names for these dishes but suffice to say they were a burst of different curry flavours (except the dessert, of course).

Today we enjoyed lunch with our neighbours Cynthia, Ray, and Caroline Goff. They have babysat our condo during the building renos and have made sure the workmen have had access to our place to do what must be done. We really appreciate the time and effort they have made on our account so wanted to thank them with a lunch out. Chrisites is everyone's favourite so we walked over. A group of veterans from WWII and Korea were also enjoying lunch after the Remembrance Day ceremonies and one man had his medals proudly displayed.

Glen felt this was his last chance for fish and chips so ordered the halibut. Ray is also a fan of fish and they both sprinkled malt vinegar on their chips in true British pub spirit. Cynthia had a lovely alfredo pasta and Caroline enjoyed the teriyaki chicken burger. I had the reuben sandwich and could not resist ordering fries instead of a salad. I'll live to regret that decision and will probably have to spend an extra half hour on the treadmill next week.

Glen remarked he can see a retirement in Victoria spent chatting the hours away with good friends and it sounds like a great plan.

Sunday on the Island

Rain is predicted for most of the week so when we rose this morning and saw the sun, we decided to take advantage of the nice weather.

First we went to the driving range. It was good to work out the kinks by hitting a huge bucket of balls. I was pretty rusty but soon warmed up. The temps were chilly but after smacking 80 balls, I had generated some heat.

Our next stop was the hardware store because our dishwasher died while we were away. There are several theories as to why but it meant we had to buy a dish rack to do dishes by hand (perish the thought). We also got paint chips as the contractors are painting the outer walls this week. They will paint using colours of your choice, if we provide the paint. Turns out none of the chips we brought home matched the colour of our walls so we might have to change colours.

After lunch we headed to the beach. It is a 40 minute walk to Willows Beach but well worth the effort. In the winter, dogs are allowed to run freely along the sand and most of the people doing the beach walk were dog-owners. We stopped by our butcher and bought a leg of lamb for supper. Problem is I must cook it in the oven since we have no balcony on which to barbeque.

Busy Day

We began our trip to Victoria yesterday by having the alarm go off at 2:50 am. A rude awakening. Meg and Mike were off to Vegas and offered to take us to the airport. Meg's passport was due to expire at the end of November so she could not print out her boarding pass--she actually had to speak with someone and anyone who has ever flown to the States from Calgary, knows you have to allow plenty of time to clear customs. Hence the early morning rising.

We arrived at 5:00am for a 6:30 flight to Vancouver. All went well and we easily made our connection to Victoria. We landed in the pouring rain and our cab driver said it had been raining hard for 2 hours. I hauled out our raincoats but by the time we got to the apartment the rain had eased.

The apartment was a mess. We had left it arranged in such a way that those remediating our building could reach the windows, etc with ease. What we had forgotten was how much dust drywalling creates. After getting our groceries, we spent most of the day washing everything down. There are no window coverings up so we had to tack a bedsheet over our bedroom window. It felt like we were young, poor students again.

We decided to have a second breakfast when we realized that except for some crackers and a soda, we had not eaten anything in 9 hours. Our neighbour popped in and we got caught up on all the construction news so in the end, second breakfast became lunch.

As is tradition, we went to Christies for supper. We shared Spanikopita and then I had their Souvlaki chicken wrap with a garden salad and Glen had their special which was a roast beef dinner. We washed it down with Cypress Honey Lager. We went to bed at 8:00pm and slept soundly.

Going Back

"They" say there is no going back but I just spent a wonderful week going back to Ottawa and enjoying a great time with my Eastern family. It's been two years since I visited them and many things have changed but much has stayed the same.

My sister, Lynda, and her new-to-me boyfriend, Chris, met me at the airport. I hadn't seen the new Ottawa airport as in 2007, I arrived via ViaRail. Ottawa International is very modern with many unique architectural designs. Water features highlight Ottawa's ties with both the Rideau and Ottawa Rivers.

After retrieving my luggage, Chris drove us to Lynda's new townhouse. What a cozy and welcoming place it is! She's done a fantastic decorating it and her walls bear testiment to her unique photographic eye. I'd never tire of looking at her favourites (see the sidebar for a link to her Shutterfly site).

Monday we took a trip down my memory lane by walking along the canal between Landsdowne Park where the Ottawa Roughrider's (Canadian Football League) used to play and Dow's Lake where we lived on our boat upon our arrival in Ottawa in 1965. The canal gardens are famous for their tulips in the spring but every season sees the beds planted in a variety of flowers. Lynda thought we could find some subjects to photograph and she was right. We also saw an artist working on a huge canvas painting the flower beds.

Since I tend to amble when I walk, we had to scurry back to Landsdowne so we could reach the Canal Ritz restaurant for lunch before the office rush. Lynda thought she might see someone she knew and she did. We had a lovely meal of penne pasta for Lynda and an eggplant pizza for me. Both were delicious.

After lunch, we headed to my Aunt's place to have a brief visit. Mabel had been in hospital the week before so I was happy to see her and even though she looked tired, she was still her vivacious self. We enjoyed a glass of her son's homemade wine before returning to Lynda's.

If it's Tuesday; it must be Mom. We headed out to Carleton Place Manor for my viist after the Queensway traffic had died down. We had a great chat and watched the DVD Glen made of our trip to England/Italy in 1977. Unfortunately, the photos appeared over-exposed perhaps due to the old technology of Mom's DVD player. We had a lovely lunch in the manor restaurant of minestrone soup, tossed salad, grilled cheese sandwich (Glen's favourite) and a lemon custard for dessert. Cecil, Mom's beau, joined us and had us in stitches with his wry sense of humour. His daughter, Donna, popped in to remind him of a doctor's appointment so I got to meet a small part of his large family.

Wednesday, Lynda made us a decadent breakfast of mango crepes with Ontario maple syrup before we headed to the west-end to pick up Chris. The only building in this area that I recognized was Algonquin College even though Chris said his house was built in the fifties. Glen's cousin used to live close to Algonquin but I could not remember his address having only been there once.

Lynda promised me a great photo-op on our way to Almonte (the route she takes to visit my other sister, Nancy) and she did not disappoint. An old stone church called Auld Kirk stood beside the highway and we had a great time taking pictures. She and Chirs had been there before but didn't seem to mind photographing it again.

However, when I changed my lens to photograph some horses, I must have done something to my camera because it stopped working. I didn't realize this until we came upon some red sumac which I wanted to photograph. Thank heavens I was also travelling with a pocket camera and it worked to record the moment.

Nancy's house is a work-in-progress so it was like being in our home in Edmonton. Each time I visit, there is something new to see. This time it was the outside siding that had been added to give the house a new/old feel. Lynda, Nancy and I had a great chat while Chris worked on getting Nancy's new notebook computer up to speed. We also viewed the movie Lynda made of her trip to Newfoundland. If you know the Fothergill sisters, you also know we can multitask when it comes to chatting so much ground gets covered conversationally even while we studied Lynda's photos.

Thursday, Nancy and I became hobbits and had an early morning breakfast with her husband, Andy before he headed off to teach then had second breakfast at Wheeler's, a sugar bush pancake house. After stuffing ourselves with a huge pancake and three maple-flavoured sausages, we headed into Perth. We did a little shopping, had Chai tea at Coutt's and Company before wandering through Stewart Park.

Can you believe we were ready to eat again? We had hot and sour soup and spring rolls at the Skye Dragon Restaurant before heading back to Canadian Tire to pick up Nancy's car. We returned to Ottawa via Carleton Place to have a brief visit with Mom.

Friday came quickly upon me and I realized my visit was almost over. Lynda had to work so I slept in and spent the day catching up on emails and making a potato salad to take to my cousin, Victor's. He barbequed up some ribs and they were delicious. Lots of his wine was consumed and many laughs were had. His kids are growing like weeds, Colin being almost 10 and Valerie, almost five. It was so good seeing them again.

Saturday I packed up my suitcase then Lynda and I went for a walk before hitting Moxie's for lunch. I had an incredible Tuscan sandwich made with pesto and tapenade. This turned out to be a mistake as I could smell the garlic oozing from my pores. I felt so sorry for the woman who sat next to me on the plane.

My flight home went without incident and we arrived 20 minutes early. It was so nice seeing Glen there to meet me. I love my family but my home is in Alberta.

It Wasn't Pretty

Glen played hooky Friday afternoon so after lunch we drove out to Cochrane to play 9 holes of golf at the local course.  We have played this course before with Meg and Mike as well as with the Bacterial Pathogenesis Research Group but always playing to the best ball.  This day we were going to tackle it with each of us playing to our own ball.

As you can tell by the title, neither of us had a great game score-wise but both came to the conclusion that we had a wonderful afternoon together.  Mark Twain said that golf was a good walk spoiled but I believe it can be a good walk challenged. 

We had plenty of challenges on our walk around the golf course.  The afternoon was sunny but a stiff breeze made it a challenge when hitting the ball.  I got a mouthful of sand from one of my shots out of the bunker which was a challenge to get rid of--it's amazing how grains of sand get into the crevices of one's teeth. We were both challenged finding the ball of Glen's best drive.  We think a black squirrel skulking in the trees made off with it because even though it hit the fairway, we could not find it.  As always, the greens in Cochrane are a challenge.  

We felt we had good drives on 7 of the 9 holes but Glen struggled with his iron shots while I had trouble with my hybrids.  Glen missed par once because his ball lipped the cup and mine hit the pin on a nice little chip shot but it took me two more strokes to sink it.  

We had the course to ourselves and played as a twosome which was nice.  We feel all the avid golfers were in Priddis watching the LPGA.  

The 'Tenth" hole is a lovely restaurant called The Tin Cup where we enjoyed a beer, corn chips and black bean salsa while we tallied the score.  It was a great day spent together playing a fun game. 

Golf fore Free

Of course, it wasn't free but we had a fun day golfing at the Banff Springs golf course.  The 'Golf Fore Free' package included a night at the hotel and 18 holes of golf.  The website was confusing so we didn't realize we had to pre-book our tee time--I thought they would have tee times dedicated to those who booked with the hotel.  I had also made reservations at the Waldhaus restaurant and they never were recorded so I think the Fairmont has to re-think their booking system.  However, when we checked in on Friday, they quickly solved these problems.  We ate when we wanted to and golfed 2, 9 hole rounds.

We have stayed at the castle-like Banff Springs Hotel before and enjoy the elegance and pampering for which they are famous.  The spectacular Cascade and Sulphur mountains as well as the Rundle Group of peaks dominate the views from this massive stone hotel.  Our room overlooked the statue of William Van Horne who was instrumental in building the railway from Eastern Canada to British Columbia.

After we settled into our small but elegant room, we headed to the library (an euphemism for hotel bar).  We've never sat on the outside patio before and it was a delight.  A flower border of lilac, blue, and burgundy flowers was a lovely foreground to the mountains in the background.  We each had a Stella  although this Belgium beer wasn't listed on the menu.  The hotel's draught beer had frozen the night before along with most of their wine--not good since the day was warm and perfect for cold beer.

After getting ready for dinner, we walked to the Waldhaus, about a 15 minute walk.  Not great while wearing high heels but good for working up an appetite.  We enjoyed a few Warsteiner (German) beers on the Waldhaus pub patio.  It overlooks one of the tee boxes for the Stanley Thompson, the 18 hole Banff Springs Golf Course so we watched golfers hit across Spray River, a tributary of the Bow River.  The Waldhaus, we later learned, was the original club house and the tee box was the first tee of the course.

We had a lovely meal upstairs in the dining room.  Usually we sit close to the fire as it has always been October when we stayed at the Banff Springs hotel but Friday we were led into the round tower dining area.  The windows were open and we had a great view of Mt. Rundle.  Glen loves their lamb shank and I had arctic char.  I had the special Fairmont coffee for dessert while Glen had creme brulé.  It was a lovely 37th anniversary celebration.  We decided not to walk up the stairs to our room so took the shuttle. 

I had expected a very early tee time but the earliest we could get was 9:45.  This meant we could have a nice breakfast in the Grill Restaurant.  We were finished our continental breakfast by 8:00 and emerged to find a very long line-up.  There were several tours staying at the hotel and I guess breakfast for most was eight.  We checked out, had the valet put our bags into the car and retrieve our golf clubs.  We boarded the 8:30 shuttle (they run every half hour) and checked in at the golf club.  We had plenty of time to organize a golf cart and hit some balls on the driving range.  This proved to be a good warm-up for the course.

As it turns out, the golf cart was really not necessary as the 9 hole course is pretty compact but since I was battling a head cold, I found it a good way to rest between holes.  The Tunnel course is a good mix of par 3s, 4s, and 5s.  On our first round we were paired with two locals, Mark and Tom, who knew the course inside and out.  They were very helpful and encouraging.  Mark had Ottawa Senater's logos on his clubs so I asked him if he were from Ottawa.  Turns out he was from Altavista but had come to Banff 20 years ago and now only visited Ottawa once a year.

We had enough time after our first round to have a sandwich (me) and hot dog (Glen) at the clubhouse snack bar before we headed out again.  This time we were partnered with Lon, a long time member of the club.  He was 80 but didn't look a day over 65.  I guess mountain air is good for a man.  Another single joined us, Robert and his wife, Diane who acted as caddie.  They were originally from Texas but now split their time between places in Canmore and Florida.  It was nice having a woman with us as I do tend to always be the only girl playing.

Glen was thrilled with his score of 105 for both rounds.  I did 128 but decided I had such a good time that I wasn't going to focus on the score.  On the first round, Mark told me I must have a boring life since I could hit with my driver and send the ball straight and a good 125 yards on every hole.  Of course, he didn't see my second nine but it was nice to have the driver working for me.  I hit a few good putts, too and a couple of good fairway shots.  Glen did very well and kept up with the other guys who all had years of practice.  Robert told him not to give up the game as he had potential to be very good and Diane said he had a good feel for the ball.  

I was exhausted by the end of play and was having breathing problems due to my cold.  We were very glad to catch the shuttle back to the hotel, retrieve our car, and head home.  I had left some steaks in the fridge so we barbequed those up then went to bed early.  

Mommy, it's over!!

Today is our last full day in Victoria. It's been a great holiday and one in which Glen didn't have to write a grant. Oh, he did do scientific and department head duties but he didn't write a grant. I can't remember a summer holiday quite like this.

Glen did have two items on his holiday agenda--play golf and scan the slides of our European trips of 1977 and 1979. He accomplished both, even scanning in his mother's slides from trips made to Europe in 1962 and 1969. All these slides have deteriorated so will require work to restore them but he can do that in Calgary.

My agenda was to eat in our favourite restaurants, see our three beaches at least once, golf, and get the beginnings of my sequel written. I've also accomplished everything I set out to do.

Today, we must ready the apartment for the remediation project that began May 1st. Most of the time we've been here, the construction workers have been digging out around the foundation to create a better drainage system. Mike Holmes would be proud of what they have done. They now have scaffolding up at the rear of the building and are draping it in green weatherproofing cloth.

We must remove all our window coverings and make sure the furniture is well away from the window areas. We've also taken down the pictures that might be knocked off their hooks by the vibrations. The noise of the workmen removing the stucco has me glad to be leaving. The dust they have created forced us to keep our windows closed and in the heatwave of the last week, this meant the condo got very hot. We made good use of our fans.

Now, we must sadly cry "Mommy, it's over!!"

Xavier's School for the Gifted

Several years ago, we visited Hatley Castle during the filming of the second X-men movie. We didn't see Hugh Jackman but he was in Victoria at the time. In the movie, the castle was called Xavier's School for the Gifted and we have referred to it as such ever since. Yesterday, we went to see its gardens.

Hatley Park Historic Site Gardens begin through wood gates to the right of the main entrance of the castle. We missed getting a map at the museum but the paths were well marked so that wasn't necessary. The Honourable James Dunsmuir, a successful coal baron and former Lieutenant Governor of British Columbia, bought the estate, some 650 acres, built the castle and worked on the extensive gardens. There are three formal gardens, the Italian, Rose, and Japanese gardens. The Bog Garden is a wild section of a salt marsh estuary and is an unique ecosystem in the area.

We spent two hours wandering through ancient trees, some over 250 years old, and enjoying the tranquility of the Japanese pond with its picture-perfect reflections. The Rose garden was behind stone walls reminiscent of the book by Frances Hodgson Burnett, The Secret Garden. The roses were past their peak but I was still able to snap a few pictures.

We watched a squabble between pea hens over their chicks--three or four brown ones and two or three white ones. A proud papa stood close by but didn't interfere. I guess they were all his children.

Next time we hope to do a tour of the castle's interior. Yesterday they were preparing for a wedding so some sections were not open to the public. We spoke to one of the gardeners and she said the bride's mother had been difficult. I guess the photos would be taken in the Italian garden as two gardeners were working to spruce it up.

Two pars!

Okay, I have never professed to be a good golfer but today, if you discount my horrid putting, I did quite well. I actually parred two holes and came in under 100 over 18 holes (on a par 3 course). The pars happen to occur on the same hole but still, I nailed them.

We were up early and hit The Ridges at nine o'clock with a group of the old gents ahead of us. There was a father and twin sons behind but they were all learning so it didn't affect us. Then a grandmother and her grandson started breathing down our necks (they skipped a hole) so we let them play through. They murdered the hole we let them play so it just goes to show you.

It took us 1.5 hours to play the first nine then we tackled the course again. Very few people were playing so we whipped through the course in an hour. I am slowly learning how far each club will take the ball should I hit it well. My pitching and sand wedge shots were right on so I was pretty happy with them. Now, I just have to get my putting down. I won't tell you the number of times I missed the hole by a whisper.

After golf, we decided to celebrate our first 18 holes as a couple by going to Rumrunner Pub in Sidney. It was a gorgeous day to sit on the sea wall and watch the boats coming and going from Sidney Harbour. At one point, an otter ran along the walkway which was a pretty neat sight.

There have been a few changes in Sidney since we were there last year, one being a new Ocean Discovery Centre. They had outside tidal pools so I decided to test out my Olympus camera. I had bought the camera because it could take photos underwater. I've been using it as a purse/golf bag camera so now was the time to test it. I hope to use it when we snorkel so this was the perfect test. I was thrilled with the results. Check out my Shutterfly site in the sidebar to the left to see the shots I took.

Grocery Shopping on Salt Spring Island

I guess you really know a place when the reason you visit it is to bring back the foods you enjoy. It is how we view our trips to Salt Spring Island. First, there is a 30 minute ferry ride from Swartz Bay on the tip of Saanich Peninsula to Fulford Harbour. Yesterday, we stood on deck to bask in the lovely ocean views and warm sunshine. A dolphin swam past and gulls followed us.

Then there is lunch. We've been going to tiny restaurant on the wharf for many years now. It has gone through several name changes but the food is always good. Their mussels and pizzas are excellent. So it was with great anticipation that we arrived in the town of Ganges at noon.

Much to our disappointment, the restaurant now serves Mexican fare and although we love Mexican food, it was not what we wanted. We ended up at the Shipstone's pub owned by the Oystercatcher Restaurant. We shared a bowl of fantastic Salt Spring Island mussels and then ordered their fish and chips after being told the crab and shrimp sandwich had not been prepped the night before. The fish was ho-hum and a bit overcooked so we regretted our choice. However, the beer was great--made especially for the pub by Granville Island Brewery.

Service was slow but it was a nice day to sit by the water and watch the boats and floatplanes come and go. After lunch, we stopped by Thrifty's and bought some kaiser rolls and potatoes for supper then drove up to Sunset Farm to pick up four packets of lamb sausage. Yes, they are that good. I bought some unspun wool for my weaving project as it is far cleaner than the wool I have. Now, I must find the time to spin it.

We headed back to Fulford Harbour where the ferry docks but made a stop along the road at Garry Oaks Winery. We love their Fetish red wine, enjoy their Zeta red wine, and usually buy a bottle of their white wine, Prism. We had no time for tasting but ended up sampling a lovely dry rose, Blanc de Noir, so bought a couple of bottles of that as well. We left with two cases of wine (one box not quite full) and a couple entering the winery was told they had sold everything to us. As it was, we had to ask for Zeta as they were only selling that to people who requested it. It must be cellared for three months and they didn't trust just anyone to do that.

As we were running late, we didn't have time to buy Glen's favourite cheese, Montana, at the Salt Spring Island Cheese company. We had bought their truffle goat cheese at Thrifty's last week so I guess we can say we enjoyed the company's products.

The day was hot, 26 degrees C, so we decided not to stand on the upper deck of the ferry on the way home. Instead we set the van seats back and I dozed while a cool sea breeze bathed my face. As we drove the highway between Victoria and Swartz Bay, the van's thermometer registered 31 degrees. I was glad the trip was short as the van no longer has a working air conditioning system.

The Ridge

We were out golfing again today with the weather perfect for it. Mists draped the ocean when we began playing but soon burned off. Mt. Baker was shrouded in cloud and barely visible. The Ridge is truly a lovely golf course. Besides, we qualify for a senior's discount so it is cheaper that Mt. Douglas.

We played as a twosome and had a couple of very funny men in front of us. They were just learning too so we didn't feel badly about taking a few shots to get onto the green. A retired couple followed us and she was very good. At the signature hole where you must hit across the water and down a hill, we got to talking with them. They were originally from Medicine Hat but had resided in Calgary near the Chinook Shopping Centre before moving to Vancouver Island. They now live near the Butchart Gardens.

Doug and Flo joined us as we played the last three holes and we had many laughs with them. She is a serious golfer and he was re-learning the game. They obviously had an easy fun-loving relationship so it was a joy to play with them.

We were going to do 18 holes but with shopping and laundry looming, decided to finish at 9. Glen shaved 3 strokes off his game and I was a stroke less than Tuesday. I also lost fewer balls to the water hazards. The ponds make the course beautiful but they also eat balls raw.

Swan Lake--the Nature Centre not the Ballet

Diane Taylor invited us out to the Nature area called Swan Lake to take a hike with her bird watching group. We aren't serious birders but I do have a 'life list' and love trying to photograph birds. There were about 13 women and 2 men, with Norma and Liz leading us on the paths around the lake. It was not named after swans but after Mr. Swan who farmed the area before the city took it over.

We saw many different birds including two varieties of swallows, towees, mallards, red-winged blackbirds, marsh wrens, robins, savannah sparrows, cedar waxwings, hummingbirds, blue heron, a bald eagle and a bullfrog. In all, our guides counted 28 different birds so you can see I have forgotten most of them but it was a lovely two hour walk.

Afterwards we had lunch at Diane's house, joining her husband, Tony, who had been supervising the building of their fence while we were doing the hike. They had refurbished their deck so we sat out and had a lovely lunch of salads, hearty bread, and cold chicken. While we dined an Anna's hummingbird kept visiting their hummingbird feeder. Pine siskins and chickadees ate at Diane's seed feeder so we could watch birds while we ate. The day was perfect for sitting outside and enjoying the company of friends.

Par 3--an exercise in frustration

The old adage that golf is won in its short game is so very true. We tackled The Ridge today and while it was a beautiful par 3 course, the holes were challenging. Glen's power worked against him and I have to learn more accuracy with my shots. It was a fun course, though, and the views were spectacular since it overlooks Cordova Bay.

The 6th hole is a killer as the green is a peninsula and the tee box up above it. I used my 3 wood because I did not want to lose a ball to the water. It arced out beautifully but landed in the drop zone beyond the hole. Glen had issues with his irons and despite taking a mulligan had to use the drop zone. In the end, I did lose a ball to the water as my wedge shot was too forceful. I have to learn finesse.

We hope to head back on Thursday to tackle The Ridge again now we know the lay of the land. The best thing was being able to play as a twosome and the women definitely outnumbered the men. Glen didn't mind as he says we must conquer our short game since the driving range really only works the long drives.

Golf--Never the Same Twice

We were up early today hoping to make an 8:30am tee time. Half the seniors of Victoria were at the course with us. Being a Thursday morning, I guess we shouldn't have expected anyone but retirees and vacationers. A group of five women arrived after us and were split so two joined us, Judy and Joan. They were good golfers but were there to have fun and not keep score. I was definitely not on my game but I didn't six-putt any holes so that was nice. I'm still getting used to playing on wet grass. The greens were very fast today due to yesterday's rain and several of my chips sped across the green and onto the other side. It was most frustrating. Glen was the only one who got par.

Judy and Joan suggested we try a 9 hole Par 3 course up the penninsula so after we finished golfing we headed up there to check it out. The Ridge is across from the Cordova Bay Golf Course and seems to be a part of a larger complex which includes luxury condos and Mattick Farm with its tea house, shops, and mini golf course.

Yummy, yummy

Anyone who has joined us for dim sum at Don Mee's, knows the yummy-yummy lady. She always declares with her sweet smile that her dim sum dishes are yummy, yummy. Today she told me which was her favourite. I have no clue as to its name but it was tasty.

We had sticky rice, two kinds of egg rolls, three kinds of shrimp dumplings, one vegetarian one made with walnuts, an eggplant-shrimp dish, cooked shrimp wrapped in seaweed sushi-style, a slimy noodle beef dish and ginger pork. We also indulged in sweet fish buns, sesame buns and egg tarts. It was a feast that filled the table and needless-to-say, about half came home with us to eat for supper.

We had actually planned on golfing today but it was threatening rain and Glen had a teleconference call which ran for almost 2 hours. By that time, I was 4 pages into writing my new book so didn't want to leave it. We had some banking to do downtown so I suggested we leave here around 11 and hit the BMO on Douglas Street then go to Don Mee's.

After lunch, we stopped at the Triple Spiral in Fan Tan Alley to buy incense although we didn't get the kind Glen has recently adopted as his favourite. We tried several stores with no success so headed home. By then, it was raining hard enough for Glen to put up his umbrella.

Dinner with Friends

Glen and I had a wonderful dinner last night with our friends, Diane and Tony Taylor. We met at the Marina Restaurant in Oak Bay for dinner at 7:00. Mt Baker was a little hazy but the view of the boats in the harbour was crystal clear. It always brings back memories of days spent at the Armdale Yacht Club in Halifax. I guess my boating roots run deep and I often long to be part of the boating scene again. Maybe sea kayaking will satisfy this urge or a nice cruise somewhere.

We started our meal with appetizers and I had a mountain of Salt Spring Island mussels. These were delicious and have ousted P.E.I. mussels from my favourites list. Glen had liver pate while Tony and Diane had chowder. There were several specials offered and Tony, Glen and I went with the halibut while Diane ordered the dungess crab. I guess because the halibut dish was popular, the waitress returned saying only one of us could be served the dish. I changed my order to the crab and Glen decided to have ling cod. Later he said he would be hard pressed to tell the difference between halibut and ling cod. The crabs were huge with legs a good 6 inches long and very meaty. I devoured mine. It was excellent and cooked to perfection.

Glen had creme brulee for dessert with coffee while Diane and Tony shared vanilla ice cream with mango and blackberry sorbet.

An interesting couple arrived while we dined. She was dressed like Marilyn Monroe and he looked like a 1920's gangster. We wondered if the new Johnny Depp movie inspired their choice of clothing.

We plan to see Diane and Tony this Wednesday when we join Diane on a birding adventure then see the renos on their house. Can't wait.

Par for the Course

Well, I didn't get 'par for the course' but I did get par on one hole--my first par ever. I also took 9 strokes off my game so I guess practice does make perfect. It was a beautiful day for golf. We arrived at Mt. Douglas (a 9 hole course in the shadow of Mt. Doug) around 9:00am as we wanted to golf when it was cooler. The course opened at 7:00 so some were finishing off their game as we arrived.

We got paired up with a father and son team who played about the same level as we do. I nailed my first drive -- it went straight and far. Of course, the hole was downhill from the tee box so the ball rolled further than I hit it but I'll take what I can get.

The 6th hole has a swampy water hazard which I was determined to miss. I had dreamt about this hole and how to play it. I hit with my 3 wood and it went straight between the swamp and a row of aspens to land within 10 feet of the green. However, I had issues putting that hole so my great shot was wasted. Glen's ball ended up in the water.

The hole I parred was the final one, a short par 3 with a bunker behind it so if you use too much club, you're out of luck. My 8 iron was good to me today so I used that and plunked it on the green.

Glen hopes to golf twice a week and perhaps toward the end of July, we'll tackle an 18 hole course. I came in under 50 today so I was happy.

Busy Day

We slept in today until 7:00am Calgary time which meant we were early birds here in Victoria. We had much to. First on the agenda was to go to City Hall and get a parking pass for our car so we can park on the street. The second thing was to buy a washer and dryer. Oh, and finish unpacking and buy groceries.

The people at City Hall were very helpful but essentially, our trip was a waste of time since we did not need a parking pass to park on the street. They only issue tickets if someone complains. You must then prove you live on that block. We knew there was plenty of parking once people left for work so moved our van to the street and parked the Ion in our garage stall. On Monday and Tuesday, they must do some work on the pipes in the garage so everyone must park on the street. Should be fun trying to get a spot.

We headed to the downtown Bay to buy our washer and dryer since we had gift cards for that store. We had got these using our Visa points. No one was shopping because it was before 10:00 so the salesman was happy to help us. We ended up with a mid-range Beaumark set which should do the trick. It has a bigger capacity than what we have now so that will help with washing towels and bedding. I'm sure the dryer will not sound like a screamng banshee when drying our clothes. That was annoying.

We were all done by the time the mall opened and since we had paid for 4 hours of parking, I suggested we find a place for coffee. We found a delightful spot on Bastion Square called Paradiso Di Stelle. It also sold gelato but it was too early for that. Next time, perhaps. And yes, there will be a next time as the Chai Latte was the best I've had this side of Steamboat Springs. Spill the Beans set the bar as far as I'm concerned. It's nice to know I now have a place in Canada that has the same style of Chai. It is the pepper that gets me--an acquired taste, no doubt.

We walked along Wharf Street enjoying the smells of the sea mixed with the food smells emmanating from the surrounding restaurants as everyone geared up for the day.

The afternoon was spent catching up on emails and of course, blogging.

There is no Highway like the Coquihalla

Yesterday we drove the Coquihalla and of course sang the Splendourbog song. Imagine our horror when we realized it had ceased being a toll road. An era has passed.

We began our trip at 6:00am. It was a lovely morning for a drive and fog misted above most of the creeks winding through the pastures. Cattle and horses were munching on the new green grass as were deer. We made several sightings in both the prairies and the mountains before the day heated up and the wildlife vanished.

The light on Cascade Mountain in Banff made the massive chunk of rock look even larger than it normally does. It seemed to punch the sky with its crags and snowy ledges. Castle Mountain, near Lake Louise, stood majestic against the bluest sky ever. Our first stop was the Castle Mountain lookout and would be the last bit of construction-free highway for many miles.

The road to Golden will be closed on Sunday so they can blast away more of the Canadian Rockies to improve the highway. We were lucky we didn't have to make the detour around that but we did pass huge earth movers and various other highway improvement machinery. Our next stop was Revelstoke where broke open the cooler and got out some drinks. It was around 10 but I was starving so I thought a drink might tide me over until lunch time. Note to self: Don't eat a normal breakfast if lunch is delayed by a couple of hours--eat more food.

Outside Revelstoke we passed the site of where the east and west legs of the railway binding Canada came together in 1885 --Craigellachie and the Three Valley Lake hotel. One day we hope to take Elijah and Miles to this hotel as it has a roundhouse, ghost town, and is very close to the Enchanted Forest.

We stopped for lunch and gas in Salmon Arm. This town sits on the edge of the famous Shuswap Lakes. The scenery is always spectacular but on a perfect day as was yesterday, the lakes were awash with boats, seadoos, and fishermen.

After you pass through Kamloops, you hit the famous Coquihalla road which links Merritt to Hope. Merritt, nestled in the Nicola Valley, hosts the Canadian Country Music Hall of Fame although Calgary has won the right to house the memorablia. Merritt won't give up its Hall of Honour plaques so it will be interesting to see how this feud resolves itself.

We made excellent time until we hit Hope where a major accident had us stalled. We aren't sure what caused the accident but it involved a trailer and there were only police at the scene when we came upon it so that gives one cause to worry.

This delayed us about 20 minutes so our hope to get on the 5:00pm ferry to the island was dashed. However, when we reached Tsawwassen a sign said the ferry to Victoria was only 82% full so we sat in line praying we'd get on. By the time we got to the front of the line, only one car stood between us and the ferry. Then the pylons were tossed down and we stayed where we were.

The terminal's food court offers a wide variety of food but we both felt like pizza so had a couple of slices before they announced they were ready for boarding. We drove to the front of the ferry and knew we'd be the first ones off. The Coastal Celebration, a new ferry (2008) had a lovely cafeteria with front-seat views of the Strait of Georgia. Glen had to have 'ferry' ice cream so we could enjoy the crossing from these premier seats. Later, we went on the outside (top) deck and watched the navigation of the Gulf Islands. Funny thing was the front 6 seats were occupied by 5 people and each was reading a book rather than enjoying the scenery. Why choose the front seats if you aren't going to watch the passing scene?

We arrived at the condo and there was no visitor parking stall available so we parked on the street and had to haul our stuff up the elevator in about 4 loads. Taking the stairs down burned off some of that ice cream. The condo was very hot so I threw open the windows and started the fans blowing. The company working on fixing the building's envelop has created quite a mess of the apartment's grounds and I think we have lost some of our lovely rhododendron bushes.

We had a couple of beers, enjoying the cool of our balcony then went to bed. 10:30pm Calgary time. It had been a very long day.

A Weekend in the Mountains

Friday morning, June 26th, at 8:45, Glen and I left for a weekend camping in the mountains.  Meg and Mike would later meet up with us at Johnston Canyon campground.  This is our favourite place to stay in the Canadian Rockies as it is half way between Banff and Lake Louise. 

Our tents were erected and the fly hung over the picnic table by lunch

time so after eating, we decided to do the short hike (1.5 miles) to the Upper Falls of Johnston Canyon.  There are numerous waterfalls along the path which are very scenic.  The hike itself is built so strollers can reach the Lower Falls.  Much of the paths are anchored to the cliff walls so tourists can enjoy the experience without wearing special hiking gear.  

The water plunges 10 meters to create the Lower Falls.  A catwalk allows one to take great pictures but to get up close and personal, you must hunch over and scuttle through a small cave.  The spray from the falls is very cooling but the rocks are slippery so be careful of where you step.

We did the hike up in jig time as Meg set the pace and it was as quick as the crowds would allow.  Most do not walk to the Upper Falls as the path is steeper but it is well worth the effort.  The water cascades 30 meters to a pool below and Parks Canada has built a platform so you can see the falls much better than when we first viewed them 25 years ago.

We debated continuing to the Ink Pots, a hike we did when Geoff was 5 years old, but decided it was too close to suppertime for that.  I had planned on burgers cooked over the fire which meant creating a fire of hot embers.  This takes time.

There is nothing like the taste of smoky burgers in the crisp air of a mountain evening.  Meg added a gourmet touch to our dinner by marinating asparagus and grilling them over the fire.  Tasty!  Roasted marshmallows were dessert and then we tumbled into our sleeping bags.

We bought a percolator from Canadian Tire so had great coffee the next morning.  After I made lunches, we jumped in the car and headed for Lake Louise.  Our plans were to do the hike (3.5 km) to the Lake Agnes Tea House via Mirror Lake and have lunch there.  Most take 2 hours to climb to the lake but Meg set a mean pace and we did it in just over an hour.  We chose a private spot on the rocks to eat and a Golden Mantled Ground Squirrel came begging.  He was very bold and took cashews from our fingers.  He loved cherries!

Glen convinced everyone that the hike would not be complete without a trek up to the Big Beehive.  This was about 1.6 km from the tea house but the last kilometer was up a series of steep switchbacks that took us up 135 meters to the summit.  The Beehive's elevation is 2270 meters so we saw a wonderful view of Lake Louise from its ramshackle gazebo.  

Coming down proved to be just as difficult as the climb.  The path was good but a huge tree had fallen across it and so we had to do some bushwhacking.  We lost sight of the path and the Glen fell, cutting his hand pretty badly.  Meg spotted someone's hat so we veered back on ourselves and reconnected with the path.  It was an eerie experience.

We then skirted around the Beehive to return to Mirror Lake and back down to Lake Louise.  The last kilometer was very hard.  We were all tired and hot and at one point, I figured I just would not make it.  Of course I did but we were all a little grumpy about the hike except Glen who was elated.  On the plus side, I haven't been able to do this kind of hike for years.  It's amazing what having a healthy blood supply can do.  Meg, who has been exercising on a treadmill and stationary bike, also felt she had accomplished something to be proud of.  It cleansed the memories of her hike to Plain of the Six Glaciers three years ago.

Back at the campsite, we relaxed until it was time to build a fire and cook our steaks.  I had planned boiled potatoes served with sliced zucchini done with basil and garlic.  Meg suggested cooking the potatoes in bacon fat and adding curry to them.  She created a delicious dish.  We had banana bread for dessert, a couple of marshmallows then went to bed.

During the night it rained (it always rains when Armstrongs camp) which woke us so we all slept in until 8:30.  I can't remember the last time I did that. 

Sunday was our trip to Banff for some shopping and lunch at our favourite restaurant, St. James Gate.  I bought Christmas presents in the Spirit of Christmas store and Meg bought a cute watch.  For lunch we had Stuffed Yorkies (yorkshire puddings stuffed with beef and horseradish), Meg had the Dublin Club (her favourite) with Crab and Asparagus soup.  Mike had Fish and Chips but had the same soup instead of chips.  Glen had the lamb shank special which he said was delicious--the meat falling off the bone.  I had the halibut and asparagus salad as well as the soup.  We all had beer, of course.

Meg and Mike then headed back to Calgary while we stayed on for another night.  I had been blowing a fever all day and couldn't figure out why since I didn't feel sick.  Turns out my prickly heat was acting up and caused me to shiver most of the day.  I was the only one in Banff wearing a polar fleece in the hot sun.

This morning we were out of the tent by 8:00 am and out of the campground by 10:00 am.  We got home and were unpacked by noon.  I did the first of a least 3 loads while airing out our sleeping bags.   Now we must gear up for our trip to Victoria on Thursday.

Whirlwind Visit

We have just returned from a whirlwind visit of Edmonton.  We arrived Thursday evening and left Saturday morning.  Between those times we packed in a lot of visiting with old friends and new.

Glen made this trip because he was the external examiner on a PhD exam.  That meant he had to give a seminar, talk to people interested in his work, listen to the student's seminar and then examine her.  It made for a long day but the party to celebrate was lots of fun.

Thursday night we met our good friends, Wendy Russell and Gordon Sustrik for supper at the Sawmill, a restaurant we had passed many times but never dined in.  Turns out this particular restaurant was the first Sawmill in Edmonton and it opened in November of 1976, a month after we arrived in Alberta's capital city for the first time.  Gordon knew the owner, Tom Goodchild, so could give us some background on the restaurant.  I had made the reservations using Open Table and was thrilled it worked although if you dine after 7:00pm, you can't have rare roast beef.  Who knew?

The next morning, Wendy picked me up to take me out to see the renovations on her house but we took a detour past her son's house and our old one.  All of the trees in our backyard are now gone!  The garden is a parking space for 3 cars and there were two trucks and a boat on the back pad.  I spoke to our neighbour, Mme. Hebert, and she said young men had always lived there even though we sold the house to a teacher with two young daughters.  Not sure what happened there.  The only trees still standing were the ones the kids planted when they were in grade one.

At Wendy's, I was amazed by what they had done to remodel the entire house.  After gutting it, they built it back up with movement granite, cherry cabinetry and very modern sinks and toilets.  After my tour of the work, Wendy and I watched the DVDs that Glen had made of our last three trips then we ate lunch at Vicky's Greek Restaurant in Sherwood Park.  I had a great chicken souvlaki with a greek salad. 

Glen's day ended at 5:00 and I was to meet him at Mark Peppler and Ronnene Anderson's new house.  Three years ago, they leveled their old bungalow and built a lovely farm-style house.  We had seen the house before but a new fence and wonderful garden has added to its charm.  

Mark drove us to the party which was in the deep south of Edmonton.  We passed many familiar sites but the new LRT lines have changed much of what we saw.  New buildings are also going up.  The one on the old Northern Jubilee Auditorium parking lot was the most shocking.

At the party, we reconnected with Bill Page and his wife, Carol who are now retired and living in a house on the Sunshine Coast.  You can only access their place via a ferry and have a wonderful view of the ocean with Vancouver Island as a back drop.  A newly hired couple from California were also among the guests and it turned out they were both born and raised in Colorado.  Tracy Ravio and Jon Dennis hosted the party since it was Tracy's student who graduated.  They are native Calgarians so we felt right at home.

Saturday morning we had a fantastic breakfast with Mark and Ronnene enjoying their Transcend coffee with scrambled eggs and Manitoba sausage before heading back to Calgary.

La Recoleta

After much thought, I've finally decided which moment of our visit to Buenos Aires I would write about in detail.  I guess because I am a graveyard person, it isn't surprising I would focus on the time we spent in La Recoleta. 

I spent most of yesterday searching the Internet for the stories behind some of my pictures and was thrilled to discover the 'translate' button on Goggle.  This helped me augment my article and it was fascinating to learn some of the histories behind the people buried there.

See the side bar to read what I wrote.  Warning:  this pdf has many photos so it takes a few minutes to download.

 

Home

Well, Glen and I are home and enjoying a holiday Monday.  We sure needed the extra day to get caught up on sleep.  Right now I am working my way through three large loads of laundry.

Our last day in Buenos Aires was spent packing and doing last minute shopping.  I had seen some lovely jewelry made with Argentina's pink stone called Inca Rose, also known as Rodochrosite, a rare mineral of Manganese Carbonate.  George knew of some shops where they sold pieces at reasonable prices but they were closed Friday morning so we ploughed through the throngs of people shopping on Florida Street, a pedestrian-only street.  We hit every jewelry store for 3 blocks until we found one tucked away in a small shopping mall branching off the main street.  There Glen found the necklace I wanted. We had seen pendant necklaces with earrings and beaded ones but this necklace was different with beads and silver bars.  It definitely was what I had been looking for.  

We headed to the airport at 12:45 despite the fact our plane didn't leave until 5pm.  We arrived about 15 minutes before Air Canada opened their wickets and were through in jig time as they thought the old Elite tag Glen has on one of his bags meant we deserved better service.  George even got his airport tax paid because they thought he was the one who had the Elite status.  Security was done quickly and unlike Mexico, they didn't search our checked bags.  We'd go through security two more times before the trip home ended.

The plane took off on time but landed in Chile 2.5 hours later.  We had to disembark, go through security and wait to get back on what I think was the same plane.  We had seats in an exit row so they did not recline which meant we slept sitting straight up.  Again we were glad we had our neck pillows although Glen used the seat's neck cushions.  They fed us well and since booze was free, I had an extra beer to put me to sleep.

We arrived in Toronto, went through customs and security.  We arrived at the gate for our Calgary flight just as they began boarding.  The poster tube which George had checked did not appear with his bags so we wrote it off as lost in transit.  The flight home seemed short when compared to the 11 hours we spent on the plane from Chile to Toronto.

In true Calgary fashion, it took forever to get our luggage and while we waited, George's name was called.  They had the poster tube in Toronto and would deliver it to the lab on Tuesday.  We piled into the car and headed home.  Unfortunately, we hit a road block so had to double back and take a different route home.  In the end, it took us 26 hours to go from our hotel in Buenos Aires to home.

After a quick lunch, I unpacked then had a two hour nap.  I was craving vegetables since meat is the focus of most Argentinian meals so made a stir-fry for supper.  We think we went to bed at 8:30 but were so tired, it could have been anytime.

In reading over my last blog, I noticed I made a mistake in the name of the cemetery which was really a necropolis.  It is called La Recoleta.  I also made some spelling mistakes--cemetery is not spelled with an 'a'.  I was exhausted when I wrote the post so that is my excuse.  I hope to get my photographs mounted over the next few days so watch for them.

Buenos Aires - day 4

Today was our last full day in Buenos Aires. The meeting is over so Glen was able to join me on the tour of the Tigre River. We thought it was 3 hours long but ended up being 5. George and Tom had not booked the tour but the bus had room for them. The Rio de la Plata is the widest river in the world being over 200 kms wide. A delta feeds it and it is through this delta that the Tigre river flows. We took the bus to a quaint train station near the Presidential Palace. We rode that to a tiny village celebrating its 300th anniversary (I can't remember its name right now). We had an hour to explore the area and we took in the local church and park. There were parrots nesting in the palm trees which was neat.

The bus then took us to Tigre where we boarded a boat and took a circle route around an island. The houses were fascinating as they were up on stilts because of the river flooding. The river was very high and the boat's wake washed over many of the docks. The rivers in this area are brown because of the silt in the water but the Tigre is also polluted.

On the way back to the city, our guide asked if we wanted to be left off at the Rigoletta cemetary. We had planned on doing the cemetary this afternoon so said yes. After lunch in a brew pub, we were walking toward the cemetary when I saw and hugged my Peruvian friend. Glen said I was pulling the same trick his Dad used to by meeting someone I knew in a foreign country.

Eva Peron's grave was the reason for the cemetary visit but the place was fascinating and creepy at the same time. I became enamoured with the statuary so have hundreds of pictures. The cats are also a famous aspect of the cemetary. They are well fed and love posing for pictures. Unfortunately, Glen's laptop can't upload any more of my pictures so I wasn't able to include one in this post.

George, Glen and I walked back to the hotel and Glen is now asleep. It was an exhausting day.

Buenos Aires - day 3

Yesterday was an incredible day spent in the countryside. The province is called Pampas and so is the landscape. Here the gauchos heard cattle and farmers work the land. I (Glen had meetings) went to the San Susana ranch to experience an Argentinian barbeque.

Due to the rain, my tour bus was late. Apparently those who usually walk or take the subway to work drive on wet days so traffic was snarled. So I waited in the lobby for an hour not knowing when they would show up. There were two English-speaking people, a couple from Columbia and one from Peru on the tour. The Peruvian worked in Miami so we chatted with her. Elke was from Germany so we were quite an international group.

Because of the delay, we missed riding the horses which was something I had decided not to do anyway so it was no great loss. I was able to photograph others doing the ride. I also got pictures of all the meat cooking. We had lunch in a big restaurant-like room with a stage. The gauchos served us from platters of meat after we ate a light salad. We had sausage, blood sausage, beef, ribs, and chicken. It was served with wine but Elke saw someone drinking beer so asked for a bottle. It was 2 litres so I shared with her.

The show featured the tango but not as polished or modern as the show we had seen the night before. We also saw several folk dances. Afterwards we watched the horse demonstration. I have never seen men control so many horses with just a whistle or a word. It was like watching the RCMP musical ride without riders. The gauchos then raced toward hanging rings and caught them on pencil-like pieces of wood. They gave these rings to the women in the crowd and I was lucky enough to get one. Of course, they expected a kiss on each cheek in return. Some of the younger girls then rode around the compound behind the gauchos.

Buenos Aires-day 2

My feet are starting to complain about all the walking I've been doing so I am taking this afternoon off. The banquet tonight promises to go to midnight so I want to nap after I post this. Glen's sessions don't finish until 7 so I'll have plenty of time to snooze without interruption.

This morning I headed back to the Office of the President so I could get a better photo of the famous balcony. The lighting yesterday was difficult but good this morning. I then walked up to the wide boulevard where the obelisk stands to get a better picture. I took my life into my hands crossing the roads for as you can see from the picture, no car obeys the rules. No one obeys the pedestrian crossing signs either so it is best to cross with a buddy. He who hesitates is lost.

I passed the Colon Opera House which is the largest in South America (I think). It looked like the Phantom would have been right at home there. I then headed down Santa Fe street, a name I remembered from our taxi drive. I knew it would take me to a statue I wanted to photograph. I also walked along Florida Street which has all the shops. It was a bit overwhelming so I'll return with Glen. So far I haven't been inspired to buy souvenirs although I almost bought a leather purse yesterday.

I met Glen for lunch but ended up talking to George as a woman wanted to talk to Glen about his research. By the time she finished, the sessions had begun so I went downstairs to the mall part of the conference complex. I guess if you are into high-end shopping like Hugo Boss, Versace, Dior etc, it was the place to be. I laughed when I saw that part of the food court had tables with white tableclothes. This was definitely too much for my pocketbook although I did find one store that had stuff that interested me.

Glen said the talks today were good and he was pretty excited about the science being done in the field. Apparently yesterday's stuff was 5 years old so people were a little peeved with the presentations.

So far I've taken over 200 pictures so you can see I've been busy. Tomorrow I must be out the door by 9:00 and will spend the day on a bus tour. Time will tell whether I have the energy to blog or not.

Buenos Aires

Since we missed a whole day in Buenos Aires (which means Fair Winds or Good Air), we checked into the hotel then went to the opening reception at the VTECH 2009 conference. We were treated to an evening of music. A famous Argentinian guitarist entertained us with everything from tango and flamenco to popular folk music. A violinist and tenor joined him on various pieces. We dined at 9:00 which is early for most in this city. It was nice to spend the night sleeping on a bed.

Yesterday morning we tried to get a refund on the city tour we missed with no luck but could book a spot on the accompanying person's city tour. Who knew I could have had these tours for nothing?

While Glen attended the presentations, I headed down to the canals that join the Rio de la Plata to the sea. Buenos Aires was first called City of Our Lady Saint Mary of the Fair Winds and was founded by Pedro de Mendoza in 1536. Although these days the air of the city is pretty polluted, one can feel respite by walking along the newly refurbished canal walkway. It is clean and has a big security presence. I enjoyed seeing the city from afar and getting an idea of what it was like. The mix of old European-style architecture and modern steel and glass buildings is unique.

I had lunch with Glen at the conference and it was neat eating flat sandwiches (it was like the bread had been flattened with a rolling pin) made much like British 'tea' sandwiches. As we learned later on our tour, the Argentinian people love the British and regret that their government started the Falklands War. Many young men died needlessly.

Glen and George took the afternoon off to join me on a tour of the city (Tom had to man his poster). It took 3 hours and we viewed the most popular sites. We saw the famous Eva Peron balcony and stood in the square as many did during her speeches. We also saw where she is buried but the cemetary was closed so we couldn't see her actual mausolem. Glen wants to go return to the cemetary on Friday so we can go inside.

We stopped at a very colourful street designed for tourists and saw a couple dancing flamenco. It was neat to see. When we tried to return to the bus, we took a turn that got us out of our comfort zone. Turns out we only had to walk a few more feet and we would have been back where we were to meet our bus. However, our guide had been careful to tell us not to wander away from the area as we were in a poor section of town so it was a wise move to turn around.

Our guide did not try and gloss over Argentina's less than stellar past. She mentioned the Lost Children and the many people who have gone missing. It reminded me of my friend, Alida, who escaped Argentina in the late 70's to make a new life for herself in Canada. Her son had escaped with her but got homesick so returned. She never saw him again.

The poverty we saw as we drove through the poor districts was heart-wrenching but our guide was pragmatic about it. Apparently the government pays these people a wage until they get work and some just never find work. She said many Argentinians are lazy and that immigrants work harder than the native population.

Glen had to man his poster for an hour after the tour but no one came to see it (they had it on a back wall so perhaps no one couldn't find him). He ended up talking to a gentleman who was visiting Argentina to take tango lessons. Apparently this was his incentive to travel. There is a tango school in the complex that houses the conference. It also has a high-end shopping mall complete with food court so I guess you can't avoid places like this, even in Argentina. The interesting thing about this place is the original architecture has been preserved with additions of modern glass and steel which I think typifies the new Buenos Aires.

The weather has changed so I am thinking I should have brought warmer clothes. It rained yesterday and it looks like this pattern will continue.

We had dinner with one of Glen's old friends at a local pub. When we asked for the bill, we got another round of drinks so I'll have to dig out my Spanish for Dummies book. Thanks, Melissa, for providing us with communication tools. We'll have to take Spanish lessons in the fall if we are to continue travelling in Latin America.

Niagara Falls

Thanks to Air Canada, Glen and I visited Niagara Falls 35 years after the first visit we did so as a couple to the falls. This time we had two of Glen's labbies with us.

How did this happen? Well, I blame Glen because he said as the plane taxied to the runway that it was great that we were leaving on time. Mintues later, one of the crew said the toilets weren't flushing so they'd have to fix them. It would take 10 minutes. The maintenance men came on board and sure enough 10 minutes later, the toilets flushed. Then for reasons known only to the man himself, one worker opened the rear emergency door. There was a whoosh then a loud hissing noise. The evacuation shute had deployed.

We returned to the terminal and deplaned. Three hours later, we took off from Calgary knowing we would miss our connection to Buenos Aires. We arrived 20 minutes after the flight to Argentina had left.

Air Canada put us up at the airport Hilton (2 nights) and gave us meal vouchers for the day (but who can get a breakfast for $10 when a glass of orange juice is $5?). It was 2:00am when we finally tumbled into bed. After sleeping in, we got a rental car and headed for Niagara Falls. It has changed over the intervening years but the falls are still the same. We ate in the restaurant overlooking them because it was 3 pm and the restaurant was empty. Just as we paid our bill, the power in the district died. Glen felt it was ironic considering the falls are a major source of power. He gave Tom and George his Tesla vs Edison lecture then we headed toward Queenston Heights.

We saw the huge dams that generate some of the power as well as Brock's Monument. We had to tell the tale of the War of 1812 and who Issac Brock was and what he did on Queenston Heights (died fighting the Americans). Then we passed through Niagara wine country and saw the Inniskillin and Jackson-Tiggs wineries. Niagara-on-the-Lake is still quaint and we saw Laura Secord's house (but not her cow--and no, her original claim-to-fame was not chocolates).

We got back to Toronto and headed to the airport about 10pm. Good thing we did as planes to Tel Aviv, London, and Frankfurt were leaving at the same time. Our plane was not full so we had a seat between us to spread out. Just as well as Glen's TV wasn't working. After a second supper at 12:30am, they dimmed the lights and we used the neck pillows I had bought and fell asleep.