Canada, eh?
Posted by Isabel on November 27th, 2006. Filed under: My Sweet Babboo, The King, Vacations.I love going to Canada. Once you cross the border, everything changes. Your cell phone automatically changes to Canadian service, the road signs are in meters and things are written in both English and French.
Things are just different and I love it.
Unfortunately we picked a bad weekend to go. Vancouver had been having abnormal amounts of rain, thus causing their water to cloudy and contaminated. Which means you couldn’t drink the water!!
Did you hear me? You could not drink the water.
This is not a good thing when you are staying in a hotel without the option to boil your water. Fortunately our hotel provided us with bottles and bottles of free water. Our room was so full of empty bottles it looked like the morning after a huge frat party. You know, only sober.
Then on Friday the bank machine went down. All of them. In the entire city. Also not good for foreign travelers with no Canadian currency. Oh well, the exchange rate wasn’t that hot, so we weren’t doing a lot of shopping anyway. But it would have been nice to be able to buy food to eat.
Eventually the system wide bank failure was corrected and we were able to buy food again. Babboo has recently become addicted to Cheerios was jonesing for a fix. We gladly paid $7.00 (Canadian) for a box. I think the extra money was for the translation of the box into both English and French. It was well worth the money.
Babboo was super into the Cheerios. The poor hotel maids are going to be cleaning up Cheerios in that room for months to come. They were all over the place. You’d think the kid could be a little better about actually making it into his mouth. He also enjoyed some jarred pois. Which are just peas. But pois sounds so much better, don’t you think?
The hotel had an awesome spa area. The King and Babboo swam and swam and swam some more. Me on the other hand, well I just put my feet in. Damn that contaiminated pool water was cold. (I guess that bikini wax I just had to get the night before we left was sort of wasted on the fact that I didn’t spend that much time in my bathing suit. Oh well.)
We spent a lot of time at our hotel just being a family. Something that we’ve never really had the chance to do. There we two beds, so The King and I both had our own bed. We took turns sleeping with Babboo and sleeping with each other. It was an odd set up, but it worked.
(Note to The King: I would love one of those hotel pillows for Christmas. Just a thought.)
Our Thanksgiving dinner was enjoyed at our favorite Vancouver restaurant The Sandbar , and consisted of their glorious Dragon Boat Platter and their daily pizza special. I’m sure the pilgrims ate seafood at the first Thanksgiving, right? Babboo had a jar of mashed turkey, so at least one of us had some turkey.
The snow started Saturday night. We decided to brave it and wait to head home on Sunday as planned. Sunday morning it didn’t seem too bad. We were on the road by 10:00 am. We even decided to try out a new border crossing to save some time (the border crossing wait is usually the worst part about trips to Canada).
Dude, we should have just stayed inside our hotel for another day. It was a freakin’ blizzard out there. The normal three hour drive to Seattle took no less than five hours. The King didn’t go over 20 miles an hour for most of the drive. We saw too many cars off in the ditches to even count. Thankfully it didn’t look like anybody was hurt, just a little shaken up while they waited for somebody, anybody to come and pull them out. We figured the odds were against us and we’d be next.
We never were. We made it home safely. All thanks to The King and his ability to stay calm. One more item to add to his list of Hero Traits. The man can drive confidently and safely protecting our precious cargo.
Contaminated water, broken bank machines and blizzards aside, we had a great trip. One we’ll probably never forget. And like I said, things in Canada are always different. And I like the change.
So tell me, what all did you do this Holiday weekend? I’d love to hear about all the sales I missed.
November 27th, 2006 at 6:29 pm
I cooked dinner for 8 (everything turned out wonderfully so I was pleased), and then headed north for a macaroni and cheese bake-off and wine tasting. I also slept whenever I wasn’t doing those things. That was a lot of sleeping. Oh, and I read a book (the latest James Patterson in the Alex Cross series). It was a pretty good weekend.
November 27th, 2006 at 6:32 pm
I am jealous…a vacation..a hotel…no cooking or cleaning.
November 27th, 2006 at 6:43 pm
I went to NY, a little too close to Canada. And then drove home in traffic and stopped to go outlet shopping where I bought a cashmere sweater from J.Crew for $50. Which made my day.
Glad you had a lovely Thanksgiving.
November 27th, 2006 at 7:30 pm
I’m glad the King was able to keep the car on the road and get all of you home in one piece. Phew!
Contaminated Canadian water?!? That sounds exciting.
November 27th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
How come none of those pic links are working for me? Is it just me?
And my holiday sucked. Ass. Christmas will be better though.
November 27th, 2006 at 7:50 pm
Welcome back, glad you got home safely!
Contaminated water! Oh man.. that sounds awful. At least they had free bottles because you don’t realise how much you love/need/drink/scull water until it’s gone..
That could totally be a song.
We didn’t have a holiday here, so boring old work and weekend for me.
November 27th, 2006 at 7:51 pm
Oh, and I couldn’t see the pics either. It said I was forbidden. Wahh!
November 27th, 2006 at 8:47 pm
Oh my heavens I did not know you were going to Canada. I heard the drive was HORRIBLE. I am glad you made it back okay. I went up to Whidbey Island for the weekend and had as similar trip home. Snow used to be so magical and fun when I was a kid, and while it is magical, having to drive in it makes it scary.
We might get more snow here in the city today. You can walk home, right? I’ve got to make it up Capitol Hill. Wish me well!
Glad to hear you guys had a good holiday and made it back safely.
November 27th, 2006 at 11:15 pm
First of all, as always, Babboo is so so cute!
Second, I didn’t do any shopping on Black Friday but Target still had some great sales on Saturday. The Notebook was only four dollars! I have never seen this movie, but my sisters love it, so I imagine that’s a pretty big deal.
November 28th, 2006 at 12:26 am
Oh my goodness. I was just able to see the pics and, can I say, what an adorable little boy!!! I love the look on his face. And my son has the same bathing suit!
November 28th, 2006 at 12:37 am
Wow! That is crazy all that happened! At least you have a story to tell now because in the end you had a great time. he looks so cute in his bathing suit! Just want to eat him up! Glad your back- we missed you! Can’t wait to see my present from the King!
November 28th, 2006 at 1:15 am
It sounds like you had a great time…sometimes the unexpected makes for really memorable outings. I stayed in Richmond and Edgar’s family came into town. Everyone stayed at his mom’s house so it was easy for us! I baked and just hung out. Did a little shopping too. Pretty low key!
November 28th, 2006 at 3:16 am
Oh my goodness. Babboo is getting so adorable, and so grown looking. Is it about time for him and Amelia to be set up? It seems like it!!
I love your pics with the helpful notations. I feel like you just gave me the coolest lecture ever! (I still have school brain for some reason)
November 28th, 2006 at 3:22 am
First of all, Babboo? So cute!
Second of all, I didn’t step foot in a store on Black Friday, but Luke and I did do some serious charging on Saturday night and were happy to find that the advertised Target sales ran until that evening. The Notebook was only four dollars! I’ve never seen that movie, but my sisters start sobbing at the mention of its name, so I’m assuming that sale was pretty good.
(I totally remember commenting on this post before I left work. Where is my comment?)
November 28th, 2006 at 4:23 am
We didn’t miss a beat this weekend from the food to the shopping to the tree. It’s nice when we manage to hit our expectations, even if it is more work than it once was.
More than anything I just had to pop in and say Babboo looks so adorable and like such a BIG BOY in that picture! He’s growing so quickly.
And to Frema above – you will SOB through The Notebook. Good luck on that one. Have you seen it Isabel?
November 28th, 2006 at 4:48 am
I didn’t think it possible but your little boy gets even MORE good looking as he’s getting older! He’s SO Beautiful and precious! Awww!
November 28th, 2006 at 4:59 am
Ok, I so don’t get the whole boiling water thing! You were in Canada… not a 3rd world country. Hmmmmm! In any caes, yeah for free bottled water, pois and cheerios in two languages. Looks so fun!!! Glad you had a nice vacation.
November 28th, 2006 at 8:03 am
Hoorah! I see pictures, now. Thanks chook!
Mmm. Babboo cuteness!
November 28th, 2006 at 10:50 am
I loved, loved, loved Canada when I went there. Bugger, I just realised that was FOUR years ago. Now I feel OLD.
Anyway, everything looked so shiny and happy and sunny in Canada. Even in the Winter!
Glad you enjoyed your trip, even with all the trials and tribulations!
November 28th, 2006 at 3:08 pm
DUDE, what’s with Canada and the issues? Geeez. But it sounds like you had a great time despite the problems. Babboo is tooo darn cute for his own good. I’m sure if the maids SAW Babboo, they’d be fine with the mess he left in his wake!
Thanksgiving here was awesome, but I missed talking to you! Glad you made it home safely!
November 28th, 2006 at 3:51 pm
We did some shopping, but it was later in the day. We slept in and enjoyed morning home. Maybe when Abbie is bigger, but I dtill don;t know.
PS… Tag you your it! Come on over and read about it…
November 28th, 2006 at 4:17 pm
So, you came home from Canada and, clearly, brought the snow and ice with you, eh. Glad you had a good trip.
November 28th, 2006 at 7:05 pm
Aren’t Cheerios about the best thing ever?
So far, there are two foods that elicit frantic joyful handwavings in Noah. Shredded cheese and Cheerios.
PS I’m still working on the fridge pic.
November 28th, 2006 at 10:50 pm
First, I have never been to Canada.
Second, the rogue cheerio along with your sweet boy is the cutest/funniest picture in the world.
Third, I stayed in town and went to dinner with my boyfriend and his mom.
Lastly, I’m e-mailing you about my favorite TAL episode ever, which I just listened to. If you haven’t, you must. It’s called “Remember Me.”
November 29th, 2006 at 10:23 pm
Babboo looks absolutely adorable! He’s such a cute little baby!
November 30th, 2006 at 2:37 am
Ah, man, that photo is too adorable. But, tell me, just WHEN did you trade in the sweet LITTLE Babboo for the big boy in that photo? Huh?
I sooo envy your seafood Thanksgiving dinner. Even with all the “bumps,” your trip sounds like a good time.
December 1st, 2006 at 2:21 pm
I totally LOVE that pic of babboo..
OMGoooshhhh how adorable!
awww…
June 5th, 2007 at 10:42 pm
[...] Every time I look at my own MySpace profile I wonder if he’s found me. What does he think about my life now? Does he wonder what I’m doing married to a brunette and living in Seattle? What does he think about my baby? Does he think I look different? Does he think I’m prettier now that I’ve gotten my teeth fixed? Does he wonder why I’ve posted so many pictures of trips I’ve taken around the world? Does he even know that I always dreamed of traveling? Does he think of me and miss me? [...]
November 26th, 2007 at 6:12 am
[...] Okay, so we’ve spent Thanksgiving in America. There was the one time we went to Vegas. Mostly we go to Canada. That’s what we did last year. Although sometimes we go to Europe. That’s what we did the year before. But yeah, mostly we just go to Canada. [...]
April 27th, 2009 at 4:25 pm
[...] We love Canada and try to go there as often as possible! [...]