Victoria Day

We went to Ottawa to visit. It was rainy, cool, and overcast.

We visited the Hershey Chocolate Factory in Smith Falls.

Later we went for a walk in the woods with Hogan (German Shorthair Pointer) and we all were mosquito bitten. No West Nile concerns in the Ottawa area, must be an Oakville thing.

Drove around and saw many many log cabins and buildings.

Stopped in Lindsay for dinner on the way home and a rest. The traffic was good both directions (surprising) and we suspect many people went home early as the weather was so cool and wet.

Our Holiday Map

Sarnia - Swimming - Albert's Rolling Lunch

And with this adventure it makes three great lakes that we swam in this summer: Huron; Erie; and Ontario. I would have dipped my toe in Lake Michigan when I was in Chicago in the spring if I had thought about it. It makes four great lake viewed :)

Rock Glen Conservation Area

http://www.abca.on.ca/ca-rockglen.php

Fossils just laying around on the ground. Beautiful waterfall. No one there. Peace. Quiet.

Camping -- Parkhill Conservation Area

August 28-30 was camping at Parkhill Conservation area at a campground called "The Great Canadian Hideaway". Very nice park-like setting. Mostly trailers, but we were tenting and the facilities were good.

Using the campsite as a base we went to Rock Glen, Sarnia, and Forest.

Lake Erie and Long Point

This weekend we went for one day to the beach at Long Point. So far this summer we have been swimming in two Great Lakes. There had been tornados a couple of days before, so the waves were quite high. It was a longish drive, however, so we will look for Lake Erie beaches closer to home next time.

Sandbanks -- camping -- swimming

three days in Prince Edward County.

Bowmanville Zoo

The last time I was at the Bowmanville Zoo I was probably Emma's age (12). That was 34 years ago !!! It has changed some, but the rides are probably exactly the same ones :0

Lions, tigers (no bears) and elephants. Camels, a five legged cow (not a bull, really, it had five real legs), parrots, deer, reindeer, etc.

http://www.bowmanvillezoo.com

Blue Man Group

WOW

Ste Marie Among the Hurons

It was REALLY hot this day. We enjoyed the reconstruction and the Museum was excellent.

Swimming in Georgian Bay at Awenda Provincial Park

The air was about 38 and the water about 28, but it was nice.

Another shoe tree

We saw shoe trees last fall near Lindsay. This year near Midland.

June 11-13 2005 -- Ste Marie among the Hurons

Summer 2005

This summer we don't plan one large vacation, but a series of small short ones.

Stay tuned!

Plans for Summer of 2005

Science North

Rock Glen

St. Marie among the Hurons

Pt. Pelee

Ottawa

Upper Canada Village

Sandbanks Provincial Park

New Year's in Edmonton

We depart from Hamilton Airport on December 29, 2004 and return on January 4, 2005. We will be staying near West Edmonton Mall this time and may actually visit!

28.8 dial up sucks

sitting in Days Inn in Kelowna where everything is taking 10 times longer than necessary.

Our "favourite" hotel

So we survived Jetsgo. And we survived Mother Nature. But will we survive the hotel. Probably, but may never return.

1. Restaurant is mostly closed and under renovations. No one told me that when I made the reservation.

2. Desk clerk from H-E-double hockey sticks. Here is the conversation:
DC-The elevators are not working because of the storm.
C-When will they be working again?
DC-Couple of hours
C-We have a lot of luggage I really don't want to carry up the stairs, what can we do about that?
DC-You can cancel your reservation. (in that tone that make you want to slap someone)
C-Well, that is certainly an uncalled for remark.
DC-You are the third person who has asked that and there is nothing I can do. Do you you want the room or not?

3. Water park is shut down because of the storm as well.

This morning the regular staff got an earful and the manager has been informed.

Also, the only reason we stay at this hotel (Ramada Hotel and Water Park) is because of the water park. Seems the flooding has done something there as well and the water slides are not working.

So why, I ask myself, are we even there? Travellodge has room for us on the return stay and we will most likely not be at the Ramada again.

And then the weather

Photos to post later when we find somewhere to do that (at the cousin's house tonight) as I am at the Edmonton Library at the moment and cannot find the USB port as the CPU is locked up tight.

So the plane lands in Edmonton. We get the van, and it is better than I thought it would be. We get the tonnes of luggage loaded. Fine.

Driving into the city it starts to rain. Did you know Edmonton had some flooding lately. No. Well check this out: http://www.cbc.ca/stories/2004/07/12/canada/edmonton_storm_new040712


We were in that flood. Water rushing over the highway. Water up to the undercarriage of the van. And Albert drove right through it. Photos we have are great.

Went to East Side Mario's for dinner and had to park way out back where there was high ground. The parking lot was under water.
Went to Grandma and Grandpa's after dinner and had to detour halfway around town as roads were close (under water) all over the place.

We made it -- barely

What a fun day yesterday was. Left the house in a limo for the airport at 10:30 am for a 12:45 flight. Seems like it should be enough time, however, when we were checking in we could not find the health cards for the children and they would not allow them on the plane. Eventually they said Emma could go because she had a library card (really secure ID that is) but since Andrew had nothing he could not go. Our options, stay home, two people go, leave Andrew at home alone, or someone had to go home to get the cards. By this time the lineup behind us was huge and people were being rude and saying things to us.

That is the option we took. I raced out, bargained with a limo driver for a quick round trip, and we were off. I had only 1 hour to do this. He went fast. Could not find the health cards, so took the birth certificates. He went fast again and I was back at the airport, $90 poorer, but with ID in hand.

Went back to the check in line, cut to the front, got dirty looks, and were checked in. Raced through security, raced down the halls to the last gate (who gets to fly in the first ones I wonder) and walked straight onto the plane -- second last people to board.