A day with the Huitemas

Vancouver Aquarium

 This morning I headed out for a city run over to Kitsilano (route). A fairly hilly run plagued with traffic lights I made my way over to Vanier Park just after the Burrard St bridge.  The park offered a decent vantage point over to the route I ran on Stanley Park as well as some early morning standard up paddler surfers (what?).  I've been wanting to try this since I had an opportunity in Dana Point, Cali -- but this wasn't the time.

The dark treed area is a portion of the seawall route I ran yesterday.

SUP'ers at Vanier Park

 While I was out, Julie and Owen were getting ready and watching some telly.

Once we were all showered up and dressed we headed down to Giovane for some breakfast before meeting Mike and Colleen en-route to Stanley Park and the Vancouver Aquarium.

Owen going back for a second espresso

After breakfast we headed over to Shoppers to pick up some baby supplies.  Apparently everything in Vancouver is organic and therefore twice as expensive.  Since Owen prefers preservatives we ended up buying a few tasters before committing to stocking up.  Yup, he hated 'em.  Mike and Colleen met up with us en-route as we walked over to the park to find the aquarium.

Aunt Colleen and Uncle Mike on baby-duty

The aquarium was a busy place on the Thursday before the long weekend.  Particularly with multi-children families.  This made maneuvering the stroller a bit challenging due to the limited space.  In hindsight we should have checked it at the door; provided that was an option.  The aquarium was nice but relatively small.  The new penguin exhibit opened on the day we visited so it was nice to check out those guys.  Everyone seemed pretty jazzed, including the penguins.

A few of the colourful things we saw at the aquarium.

 
 Owen's favourite part of the aquarium was the abundance of ladies to check out.

Owen's favourite part of the Aquarium -- girls.

After the aquarium we walked around Stanley Park a bit more.  Since it wasn't the warmest day we didn't spend a great amount of time in the park but we got the gist of it.  It's tough to beat any waterfront park.

We've exclusively used the 'Cat in the Hat' cartoon (starring Martin Short) to remedy scenarios where Owen just doesn't want to act appropriately.  Up until basically this moment he'd hear the song, get distracted from being a brat, and be merry.  His attention span for the show would be the 15s the theme song lasted and then he'd be on his way.  Apparently he realized the show continues and that he doesn't mind it -- as seen here watching an episode.

 After the park we walked along the seawall through coal harbour and stopped at Mill Marine Bistro for some lunch.  Keeping up with the seafood theme the salmon wasabi vote won Mike and my votes.

Lunch at Mill Marine Bistro

After lunch we went our separate ways until dinner.  Julie ran out trying to find other groceries stores that may stock more varieties of baby food (to no avail).  Owen and I had a no-pants party in the room while Mommy was gone.

Sarah, our babysitter, showed up at 730 and off we went with Mike and Colleen to East is East restaurant.  The food was amazing and the only thing that could top the flavours was when the lady next to Julie dropped a massive roti on the floor.  Half the innards of said roti landed in Julie's shoe and on her pants.  The offender didn't even look over to apologize or anything -- although she did scoop the rice off the floor back into the roti -- back into her plate -- and lastly back into her mouth.  What?!?  Highlight of the night, no doubt.

While walking and waiting to grab a cab we checked out Safeway and were able to find Owen's preferred Heinz, unorganic -- extra preservative baby food.  Everyone was happy.

Uncle Paul takes us to Whistler

Owen decided to remain on home time and woke up at 330am. After some finessing we were able to get him back to sleep, on me, until 7.  Crisis averted.  I decided to log my first of hopefully many runs this trip by jogging the seawall around Stanley Park (route).  The route from the hotel and around the park offer great views of the Vancouver skyline, Burrard Inlet, Vancouver harbour and English bay.  It was a quiet run seeing very few others on the outer edge of the park. As I didn't actually go in to Stanley Park it'll be nice to head back with the family.

Some pics I took during my run.

Lions Gate bridge

While I was out running Julie decided to let Owen try out the hotel tub.

After getting cleaned up we met up with my uncle Paul who drove in from Langley to spend some time with us.  As neither of us had eaten we grabbed some delicious breakfast at the hotel cafe Giovane.  Some great breakfast sandwiches guaranteed we'll be back.
 
Originally thinking he would take us through Stanley Park, my uncle decided to take us up to Cypress Mountain over in West Vancouver for some great city views.  The slopes were a mix of bare and snow covered but where snow still remained it was a few feet deep.

On the way down the mountain we took a brief trek down the Sea to Sky corridor (highway 99) to catch the stunning scenery.  After a few kilometers we decided to continue on all the way to Whistler.  The drive along was worth it alone as the views are amazing but visiting Whistler was originally on our list and got cut.  So we were thrilled to get a chance to include it on this trip.

Arriving in Whistler we meandered around the shops with the hordes of other tourists and seasonal workers.  The sun was shining and despite all areas of the mountains being closed we still saw many in full snow gear clearly coming down somewhere.  To contrast that sight, mountain bikers were flying down at an alarming pace. With the perfect weather we hit a patio for some drinks and lunch.

Playing in the village.

Owen hanging out with uncle Paul

Owen loves Mommy's enthusiasm

We were glad to spend the day and catch up with uncle Paul as we don't get to see him often enough.  It was especially nice for Owen to meet him.

 Owen napped most of the way back to the hotel which was slightly concerning as we got back around 5pm.  Fortunately he still went back down for the night at 7. We hired a babysitter through a nanny service for the next 3 nights knowing that Owen is such a good sleeper.   Sarah showed up promptly for her tough gig of 'watching tv' until 11.

We caught up with Mike and Colleen and headed over to Gastown for dinner.  Without much research we walked until we found a place that looked busy enough to be a sure bet. Chill Winston was just that place.  We sampled a variety of brews and I stole the last kangaroo steak the place had to offer for the night -- sorry Mike.

Vancouver Travel Day

I love vacation and especially hotel beds!

Hanging in the Air Canada lounge pre-departure.

 
Ready, set, go. We're off to the wild West. Flying out of Toronto and back in to Hamilton posed one issue; we need our vehicle to move locations while we're gone.  Enter the problem-solver, Bruno, who was kind enough to drive us to the airport and drop our car back at YHM.  We quickly identified the second benefit to Bruno's participation -- we were actually on time arriving at the airport almost 2 hours before (domestic) flight departure.  Far better then any international flight we've taken.

With Owen's recent bout with croup and flare up of asthma coupled with his newfound love to almost be on his two feet (cruising) we weren't overly hopeful for a peaceful flight.  Due to some medical advice we actually considered canceling the trip until Owen seemed to be on the mend. Fortunately we gobbled up some Aeroplan points and decided to the ride at the front of the bus assuming the added space would be helpful. It certainly was.

We enjoyed a relatively uneventful flight with Owen spending a portion of the time reading with Julie, standing on the floor, or smiling at the ladies and children around us.

Keeping Owen occupied for 5 hours. Easy peasy.

A 5 hour flight does feel slightly like an 8 hour flight when you spend the entire time entertaining instead of relaxing.  Either way, we were grateful for the uneventful flight and all the smiling ladies, which Owen loves, surrounding us.

With our heaps of luggage we had pre-arranged transportation.  It was a safe bet that paid off as a taxi van would likely not have sufficed. The first thing we noted about downtown Vancouver properties is that the front yards have the world's tallest shrubs, regardless of stateliness of the property.  Fifteen foot shrubs generally reserved for small mansions lined the streets of commoners.

Decent view from hotel.

We checked in at the Fairmont Pacific Rim - not to be confused with the seemingly dozen other Fairmonts in Vancouver.  This hotel is the most modern of the fleet and a far cry from other Fairmont properties we've stayed at.  We're in a Harbour Mountainview Suite courtesy of a free suite upgrade from Fairmont's FPC program.  The room offers a great view, some high-tech and confusing in-room controls, a nice sized balcony, two full bathrooms -- one includes a tv in the mirror -- and most importantly, a living space separate from the bedroom -- aka Owen's bedroom. The hotel provided a bunch of baby amenities such as a crib, bathtub, bottle warmer ... and a bunch of other things.  Handy.

We didn't have any plans for the day of our arrival so we merely stumbled around aimlessly around the hotel.  Passing the Vancouver Art Gallery we decided to stop at their outdoor treed cafe for lunch.  It was a bit of a debacle to get to the second story as the exterior included a million steps. Going through the art gallery included a security escort to get to the elevator and a security escort waiting on the next floor followed by a path through an unmarked door and a hallway that doubled as a storage closet.

Back door "accessible" access to cafe

In the end it was worth it and we enjoyed some good food on the sunny patio, despite having to sit in the shade.  Owen decided to throw us a curve ball by staying awake until 7pm local time or 3 hours later then back home.  Fingers crossed that he doesn't wake up at 330am (630am back home; his usual wake up).

Vancouver Art Gallery Cafe

Once Owen was asleep we hooked up some Facetime action-a-la-video-baby-monitor and headed down to the lobby bar for a quick dinner and drink.  All in all a successful first day.

.. On the road again

After a brief travel hiatus between Nov and May we're back on the wagon with our trip to Western Canada.  Similar to our 'Europe before baby' trip, this one has been on the books since before Julie was pregnant.  The original idea was to drive an RV to BC and back but time constraints and sanity prevailed with the new plan taking us, by plane, into Vancouver and returning from Calgary.

The agenda has us arriving in Vancouver on the 16th where we'll spend 4 nights and meet up with Mike & Colleen, who are more or less doing the reverse route as us.

Picking up our rental vehicle we'll ferry across to Victoria for a brief one night visit and to possibly meet up with Tim.

Finally heading out to nature, we'll spend 4 days in Tofino hanging with surfers, taking in some coastal hikes and bear watching.

Then begins a marathon drive to get us from Tofino, ferried back to the mainland, and in to Kamloops to merely rest our heads.

The next morning we're off to Lake Louise for an outdoor family photo shoot and to explore Banff, Jasper, Glacier National Park (etc) over the next 5 days. Hoping to meet up with Matt & Amy if possible.

Lastly we're in to Calgary for 2 days before our evening flight out on the 30th.

Should be a good one. For the hotel junkies like Owen and I, we've got a mix of old world and modern lined up. 

• Vancouver: Fairmont Pacific Rim
• Victoria: Fairmont Empress
• Tofino: Pacific Sands Beach Resort
• Kamloops: Sheraton
• Lake Louise: Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise
•  Calgary: Le Germain Calgary

Next trip is already planned.  Along with Curt & Renee we've booked the Eckhart house near Sandbanks Provincial Park up in Prince Edward County.  Looking for a summer version of our Blue Mountain stay earlier this year.

Family day weekend; a couple weeks late and during the week. Close enough.

 

Many years ago, two young boys spent every waking minute together. By most measures they could have been brothers. But like most friendships, time re-shapes lives and paths diverge.  Our divergence began somewhere between when girls become interesting and wearing jogging pants to school is less than hip. Sure, my decision to bail on French education may have played a part but whatever the causes we remained close through common friends, trips and family gatherings -- with geography also playing a major part as we still lived in the same city. Once free of the shackles of home town education we saw less of each other as our lives took us beyond the boundaries of Niagara.  

Fast forward a few years and we're standing up for one another on our wedding days, a mere month apart, and a testament to our deep friendship. A couple more years later and our families are growing - typically the death blow to remaining in contact.  Toss in 100km of gridlock traffic between us for good measure. During one of our (unfortunately) rare visits to the Rousseau household we began to hatch a plan to pack up the families and head up to Blue Mountain.  The conversation was not very different from the countless "hey we should.." ideas that never transpire to more than wasted breathes. The guys would ski one day, the girls would hit the spa the other and we'd likely spend more time bouncing kids on our knees and tripping over toys then out of the room. The latter aspects were expected and even welcomed as our new place in life as parents redefine vacation and we work to maintain the strong family values instilled by our parents  

Scheduling time to get away, typically the failing point of group travel, was simplified since Julie and Renée are on maternity leave. A few messages back and forth and off we go to spend 3 days at the Westin Blue Mountain. 

After check-in we quickly appreciated the extra space the room offered.  We chose a room with a very large common space -- to let the kids, or at least those that could, roam free -- book-ended by rooms with en-suites; which proved very handy.Video tour here.

The room also overlooked Mill Pond, which is a skating rink during the winter months, and the village. To the left are the hills of Blue Mountain and heated outdoor pools of the Westin and Plunge Aqua centre. All in all, probably one of the best views at the resort.

 After unloading the overloaded luggage cart, which later became Ethan's favourite hangout spot, toys were unpacked and the kids wasted little time enjoying themselves.

We decided in advance that dinner on the first night would simply require calling down to room service -- promptly supplied by the on-site O&B Cafe Grill. Once we got the kids all settled in to their resting areas, which in some cases meant moving cribs in to one of the three bathrooms, Curt and I ran to pick up some groceries and all were able to kick back and enjoy a few beverages.

A few cries here and there and we all survived the first night with 3 kids and a dog .. all in one space. Success. Morning arrived and the boys were quick to task.  Curt offered to walk over to Starbucks while I wrangled up some omelettes and sausages ..

.. while the girls tended to the children.

 Ethan said he didn't need any help.

 After getting everyone fed, Curt and I grabbed our gear and set out for the slopes.  Weather conditions were great with clear skies and mild temperatures.  Skiing on a Tuesday is practically the only way to visit Blue as the non-existent queues make the short runs of Ontario semi bearable. Working our way from the South base to the North base and back a few times we decided to take a break and see if the girls were out and about in the village.

It was fairly easy to figure out which store the girls were in when we spotted  Sadie standing guard.

We had a reunion outside the candy shop in the near empty village.

The girls had a good time introducing the kids to the area under the perfect blue sky.  Next year, we'll have Ethan on skis!

Curt and I hit the slopes again as the girls brought the kids back for some naps.  After a couple more hours we called it quits and returned back to the room from some eats.  Curt and Renee went to the park with Ethan; resulting in a pretty awesome video of Ethan going down the slide and everyone forgetting to catch him.

Back at the room the kids were making best of friends.

Let me give you a boost!

The next morning the girls headed over to Scandinave Spa and the boys were left together.  We had a good time although things probably got a bit wackier then with the girls at the helm.

By the end of the three days Ethan seemed to have mostly overcome his fear of Sadie. Even teasing her and laughing (at her expense).

Sadie had her own way of dealing with all the kids by taking naps under furniture.

Pushing check-out to 1:30 we were packed up and ready to hit the roads just as a snow storm was passing through.

Overall a great few days away that we hope to repeat in the years to come.  Heck we even stopped into the village realty office.  Who knows.