Beautiful Banff Alberta

I was lucky enough to be able to attend the recent Ensemble Conference at the Fairmont Banff Springs in beautiful Banff, Alberta. Now I may be biased but this country of ours is so incredibly diverse and so naturally stunning I find it hard to understand why I ever felt the need to leave. Don't get me wrong I know the world is a big place with much to offer obviously but I'm just trying to make a point.

My journey began as all of mine do, with a fantastic flight on the ever friendly Westjet Airlines. The flight was on time and uneventful, which is just the way I like them. It was a crystal clear day and the ride up to Banff was relaxing and educational. Brewsters provided the transfers from Calgary airport right to the hotel, about an hour and forty minute drive. The driver of the coach was so informative, funny and very hospitable and made the time pass quickly. Calgary is a wonderfully hilly city, but its about an hour in to the drive before you hit the mountains and your breathe is taken away by the majestic scenery you encounter. It really is awe inspiring and I don't believe words can appropriately describe its natural beauty. But it's grandness certainly does have a way of putting life in perspective.

We arrived at the Fairmont Banff Springs at dusk and so it wasn't until the following morning when you realized just how amazing the setting was for this real life castle. We were greeted by the friendliest and most helpful front desk agents I've come across and this continued for the duration of the stay. No matter where you went or who you spoke with you were always greeted with an incredible smile and helpful hand. The opulent decor and timeless beauty of "the castle in the Rockies" were more than I have experienced anywhere else in my travels. At times I felt like I was walking on the set of Beauty and the Beast, wondering if I'd run into Belle at any moment. There were plenty of dining options from a casual deli style in the Castle Pantry, where you can purchase a sandwich and latte to go, to the exquisite Italian cuisine at the Castello Ristorante, or the Bavarian Cottage-style dining room named the Waldhaus Restaurant. They boast one of the finest spas in the country, the Willow Stream Spa. "Willow Stream brings to life the unique healing powers of the alpine air, the sacred waters and mountain magic." Although they kept me too busy at Conference to pamper myself, I have made a promise to myself I will go back soon and that a day at this lovely spa is tops on my list. There are fifteen exciting shops awaiting you at The Fairmont Banff Springs. Its almost like you never have to leave the property if you so choose, everything you need or want is available to you right here in this fabulous hotel.

I walked into the quaint town of Banff on my second day there. The Hotel is located just up the hill from the town and it takes approximately 15 minutes to walk down. Its a beautiful stroll through a mainly residential area and then across the bridge into the downtown area. The town consists of two main streets and is only about 2 blocks in length. It reminded me of small Swiss Village. There are plenty of shops and dining options here as well. I spent my afternoon reading a good Dan Brown book at the local Starbucks sipping my warm pumpkin spice latte whilst looking out at the majestic mountain range. I couldn't have dreamed of a more relaxing way to spend an afternoon.

My handsome husband Chris was able to join me for the weekend and against his wishes we went up to the top of Sulphur Mountain via the 8 minute Gondola ride. He has a fear of heights I think, and these four seat Gondolas make even the most seasoned travellers a bit nervous. If you can get over the nervous feeling of dangling about 4 storeys up by a thin wire, the views are absolutely incredible as you travel from 698m to an elevation of 2,281m at the Summit Upper Terminal. You can see all six mountain ranges from the deck which wraps around the whole entire building. We chose not to walk the 1 km over to the Meteorological Station as it was beginning to snow and the signs "walk at your own risk" made Chris even more anxious than he was.

For our last night in this picturesque town, Brewsters and Banff Tourism hosted a fun filled evening at the Brewster's MountView Barbecue. Located just ten minutes from downtown Banff, Brewster's MountView Barbecue is a corporate event and reception facility that furnishes a truly western experience. They had two large "donut like" tents, a central bonfire which provided warmth and atmosphere to dance the night away in country and western style. The band was fantastic and had us all up learning to line dance before dessert was served. The traditional buffet style country meal was delicious, with beans, salad, baked potato and BBQ hip of Alberta Beef and finishing up with fresh baked apple pie.

Overall it was an amazing trip for me and I can't wait to go back with the family. I want to thank everyone at the Fairmont for an incredible experience and to everyone else who sponsored us it is a trip I won't forget.

Until next time, safe Journeys!

Paula Ellis-Hunt

Final Chapter Rome to London

Sunday Oct 4
Everyone is up early and together for breakfast in the hotel for our last good byes. The dot to dot shuttle is here and it is off to Heathrow Airport to depart for home.
As Craig Hill, our Trafalgar Tour Director stated when we first began our journey together, "we start as strangers but leave as friends"
It was a wonderful trip and an experience to remember. I will be hosting the Journey's Travel Show with CJOB Radio on Sunday Oct 11, at 12 noon. I will be talking with one of the couples on the tour with their comments as well Craig Hill our Tour Director is going to be joining me and it should be very informative for those of you thinking of Coach Touring! So listen in to hear more of our Journey!
Deb Peters
Travel Consultant
Journeys/Renaissance Travel

Ron's Cruise 2009

Cooking Alaturka
Saturday, October 3, 2009

We left Istanbul this morning on our way to our first port of call in mykonos.But what a great decision it was to take the cooking class with Eveline at her little cooking school.We shared the experience with eight other couples, each person cutting, chopping, and mixing the ingredients for 5 separate dishes.
Eveline is a trained chef who came to work in Turkey as a chef in a large hotel.Then she moved over to rent a hotel property which she ran for herself.When the property was not available she didn't know quite what she would do so went back to her roots with this idea...teach people on location how to cook Turkish style meals.

We had a lot of fun creating the meal and learned a lot in the process. One of the items was a stuffed eggplant dish.I am not a fan of eggplant but this was exceptional.After the food was cooked we all sat together over a couple of glasses of wine to consume what we had cooked.We have he recipes to recreate for guests, and we have new knowledge which can be applied to other recipes as well.I strongly recommend this as a good way to appreciate the tastes of Turkey.

Her website is www.cookingalaturka.com

Ron's Cruise 2009

No Floods but lots of people in Istanbul
Wednesday, September 30, 2009

We arrived back in Turkey earlier today and got partially ripped off by a cabbie.Actually, since I agreed to the price I guess it was not technically a rip off. However, I paid just about twice the price it should have been to get to our hotel. Why? Because it is the meeting place for the International Monetary Fund countries and their hangers on.Just about every hotel in the city is overbooked. I am glad I guaranteed our reservation. We are staying at the Polat Renaissance. It really is a gorgeous property even though it is a few miles from downtown. It is a business style hotel located about 3 miles from the airport. They have a shuttle but we were tired and didn't care what we paid.The view from the hotel is beautiful overlooking the sea with dozens of boats on the water.It doesn't get much better than this.We will spend a couple of more days in Istanbul and then board the Regent Voyageur of the Seas going from here to a number of Greek Islands and ending in Athens. It has been many years since I was in Greece and look forward to reporting on it soon.



What a food find in a restaurant
Thursday, October 1, 2009

We are staying at the Polat Renaissance. It is not downtown but adjacent to a very nice area of homes and apartments, so it is not at all like the commercial downtown. Just 3 blocks away we noticed a small shopping area with a few stores and restaurants.As we are walking we notice a very nice restaurant with a bunch of flowers in front...and I mean big bunches with ribbons etc. We walk by it and conclude it looks like the best place.We are seated and handed a menu with pictures of the items we can choose from which is very nice to get a sense of how they will come to us plated.The restaurant is called Rumeli kofte & Et at Sipahoglu Cad. No 13 Yesilyurt. It is a family type business full of local customers and managed by a young man by the name of Ugur Yilmaz, who is one of the partners.The meal was excellent and I recommend the restaurant for service and taste, not to mention a pleasing environment. We choose to dine on the outside as opposed to inside and it was an exceptional evening.It seems we dropped in on opening night...explaining the flowers.It was pretty much a family affair and after a half hour or so we had become one of the family. It is clear they are nice people and I wish them all the success in their new venture.This was truly an exceptional experience and if you are in that area make it a point to visit. You won't be disappointed.And tomorrow we’re trying an entirely different food experience at a place called www.cookingalaturka.com .In the morning for almost three hours we will learn how to make a five course Turkish meal by participating in creating the menu items. Then we will sit down over a couple of glasses of wine to consume our creations.Both of these are sides of Turkey we never got to experience on our first go round in this country.

Rome to London Chapter 5

Fri Oct 2
Paris to London
Packed and ready to head for Calais where we said Good Bye to Tomo our coach driver in Europe and board the P&O Ferry to Dover. A nice sunny day and a smooth sailing, about 1 1/2 hour ferry ride gives everyone time to look around and have lunch. As we come into shore there are lovely views of the White Cliffs of Dover. We board our coach and head on the motorway into London, where we check in to the Jury's Inn Hotel and then say farewell to Graig, our magnificient Trafalgar Tour Director.
This evening our group ventured out by underground to the first original Hard Rock Cafe at Hyde Park Corner and then walked about Piccadilly Circus seeing the lights at night and many Londoners out on the town on a friday night.
Sat Oct 3
Up this morning and our group of 13 ventured out taking the tub to Westminster where we prebooked the London Eye and had a pod to ourselves taking lots of great photos.
We then walked back across the bridge taking great photos of Big Ben, the parliament building, and Westminster Abbey.
On our way to Buckingham Palace we make a enjoyable stop at a local pub called the Albert where we have a time to sit for a lovely cup of coffee and chatted with some very interesting locals. We then arrive at Buckingham Palace and manage to catch an informal changing of the guards, then walked along the riverside through the Admirality Arch to Trafalgar Square a famous memorial square to Lord Nelson and the Battle of Waterloo.
A pub lunch with traditional English style food, steak and cottage pies. Off for some shopping to the different squares including Leister square, the theatre district.
Everyone eventually made their way back to the hotel as some had ventured off to see the Tower of London. Most of our group opted for a quiet early evening, eating at locally at the hotel. Michele and I decided to take the tub to Victoria Station and we got last minute tickets at the Apollo Theatre for a musical "Wicked" which was absolutely phenominal and well worth doing to end our London experience.

Rome to London Chapter 4

Wed Sept 30
We arrived in Paris late afternoon and tour the city first by coach. Gabriella our local tour guide joins us and tells us of some of the beautiful historical sites and the culture of Parisians. Of course the biggest highlight was the Eiffel Tower which we stopped and had a lovely picture taken of the whole group. We also drive about the Arc de Triomphe and the Notre Dame Cathedral. We then get to our Parisian Hotel to settle in and freshen up. This evening we boarded the scenic cruise line for an hour long cruise up the Seine River, taking in all the sites with audio commentary. The illumination of the city was spectacular, including the dancing light show that illuminates all of the Eiffel Tower and takes place on the hour. We actually have a chance to see it on our 8pm departure as well as our 9pm return to the dock. It was back to our hotel, via the Champs Elysees, for a good night sleep as the next day wass a full day of sightseeing.
Thurs Oct 1
We are all up early and eager to see the sights of Paris. The first stop was the Palace of Versailles. We take a stroll about the court yard offering spectacular views of formal gardens, the canal that King Louis had man made and the beautiful countryside. Then inside to view the beauty and elegance of the Palace where the kings and queens of France lived. We were lucky to be one of the first groups there, walking into the large rooms and taking photos without the crowds ahead of you. From the Palace we are taken to the next stop," the Eiffel Tower" where we ascend to the second level by elevator and once again Gabriella told the history of the tower and pointed out highlights of the city from above. We all had some time to purchase soveniers by bardering with the local merchants and then we are off again next stop "the Louvre"
Into the main lower level plaza where we see the inverted diamond of the Louvre, made famous from the movie the De Vinci Code. We first have time for a lovely lunch with a wide selection of food and beverages. Then we were ready to walk through the Louvre with Gabriella, once again doing a fabulous job as we all had audio sets on to hear clearly the historical stories of many of the famous paintings and sculptures including the Mona Lisa, Venus De Milo and Michelangelo statues.
Back to the hotel for some free time to rest and freshen up. This evening we ventured out to a Parisian Dinner and Caberete, an optional addition for our group and well worth doing. The food was delicious, the drinks including champagne and the show including Can-can girls, accrobats and comedians including our own Tom from Winnipeg, who was picked from the audience to assist with the show. We all had tears in our eyes from laughter and a good time was had by all.
Au Revoir to Paris and on to London in the morning.

Rome to London Chapter 3

From Venice which we left later in the afternoon and travelled north through Verona, Milan and on to the Italian Lakes where wer stayed at the Continental Hotel. A very nice dinner included this evening and some socializing and good laughs were had by all. We are the off for a good night sleep to start our journey in the morning.
Arrivederci to Italy as we head for Lucerne, Switzerland. Away early to get ahead of the conjested traffic which can easily happen in Europe. A quick stop for washrooms and snacks then on to the Swiss Alps with spectacular views of traditional Swiss farmhouses set on the mountainsides.
We arrive in the village of Stans where we board the open car, funnicular railway and then transfer onto the modern cable car that takes us up to the top of Mt. Stanzahorn at a height of 6300 feet. The panoramic views were amazing, the weather was sunny and clear. We took a little walk past Heidi's cottage, up the paths to see more panoramic views from all sides. There was time to sit and have lunch taking in the views from either the revolving restaurant or outdoors on the patio. On our descent, we passed quaint Swiss farms with Swiss Brown cows and calves eating right along the mountain side.
We are then shuttled 5 minutes away, to board the private cruise line where you could sit inside or up on the top deck where we all chose to sit on such a beautiful day to enjoy the warm, sunny weather, have a drink and enjoy the scenic views of the lake with aqua bluewaters and spectacular homes of the rich and famous. The captain was excellent, speaking of the points of interest along the way and keeping it light with a bit of humor. There was a large statue of Jesus with his arms extended over the shoreline and he explained it was to signify the blessing of the lake and the people of Lucerne, but also being an avid fisherman himself he said they also say it is to let us know the size of the fish caught in the lake which got a good chuckle for all of us.
We docked into the city of Lucerne and a short walk up to our hotel to the Hotel Weinoff, a centrally located hotel in town. After checking in and freshening up we take a stroll to view the points of interest, including the Lion Monument, the old Swiss architecture, the covered bridge and we all noticed how clean and neat the city is. We had time for shopping and looking at the Swiss made merchandise, the most popular being the Swiss watches, army knives and clocks. Our included dinner was wonderful, Beef Stroganauf and a night stroll through the town to walk off all the calories. Once again we say Auf Wiedersehen to Lucerne and Switzerland as we head to France and say Bonsoir to Paris.

Rome to London Chapter 2

Sunday Sept 27
Into Venice after driving from Rome, we arrive to our quaint cozy Hotel El Burchito. Everyone loved this hotel because of its homey feel, filled with comfortable antique furnishings and excellent service as the manager was a five golden key member.
Had time to freshen up and we are off to Venice to experience a Gondola ride with the authentic drivers in their striped shirts and straw hats. We are serenated down the canals with music and champagne.
We then have time for an evening cruise lookin at the rich and famous homes along the canal. Back to our hotel for an enjoyable dinner included with the hotel.
A good night sleep is had by all and we are up for an early start on Monday to see more of Venice by day. We board the water taxi and cruise by some large ships and ferries. They come from the mediterrain and and Adriatic Sea, a four hour ferry to Greece.
Once we land in Venice, we meet our local guide, Guiddo who takes us round the streets of Venice and tells of the most interesting stories of the history of Venice. We cross the famous Rialto Bridge, squares and the residence of where Marco Polo Family lived.
We then come to the famous St. Marks square in time to hear the bells chime that have been ringing for 400 years.
We say goodbye to Guiddo and walk down the lanes and across the bridge into the Murano Glass Company where we see a demostration of glass blowing by master craftsmen. The Venician Glass is magnificent and worth seeing.
Once we leave the Murano Glass shop, everyon has time to shop and have lunch in the square. The ladies were quite pleased as some serious shopping was done. we board the water taxi back to the main land and then hop on our air conditioned coach and head north to the Italian Lakes.
The weather so far on our trip has been magnificent to say the least. The days in Rome and Venice have been 25 to 28 degrees celsius and looks like it should stay like this as we continue on our Journey from Rome to London with Trafalgar Tours, our group of 10 with Deb Peters and other travelling friends that we have met on this tour, a total of 38 passengers.
Our Tour Director, Craig Hill has also been magnificent and we look forward to more exciting days ahead, so stay tuned for the next chapter.

Rome to London

Deb Peters escorted group with Trafalgar Tours

We arrived safely in Rome on Friday, September 25th after a over night flight with Air Canada. Eventhough everyone was tired it was wonderful to be in Europe and for some of us the 1st time. The weather was close to 30 and sunny.

Trafalgar picked us up at the airport and took us through the Ancient Gates of Rome and through downtown to our hotel, The Rouge et Noir.

After meeting our tour director, Craig Hill, we settled into our rooms for a little rest and then it was off to a Welcome Dinner and Rome at Night Highlights.

Everyone slept well that night and we were ready to go after a continental breakfast at the hotel and we were off to see the Collesium. It was amazing. The history with our tour guide Danielle was detailed and very interesting and humorous. After lunch at a Cafe overlooking the Collesium we headed to the Vatican and the Sistine Chapel. The great thing about our tour was we did not have to wait in any line ups. Michelangols masterpiece was magnificient.

The back to our room for a quick change and then to Dinner and the Trevi Fountain. There were many people throwing their coins into the fountain. One coin to return to Rome, Two to fall in love in Rome and three coins to marry in Rome.

Watch for the next chaper as we are off to Venice.

Denise to Los Angeles

People in LA are so nice, and so helpful, I can't wait to get there; even if it is just for 1 day.

We've booked a Mexican Riviera cruise for January and we're quite excited. Now that the big part is done (cruise and air) it's all about the details. We are going to overnight at an LAX hotel and then go to the port in Long Beach the next morning .

Our first step was figuring out how to travel the 1 hour from LAX to the pier. I always like to know my options, so obviously, the first one is to book transfers from the cruise line. But there was a little hitch in the return so I needed to know about cabs also. I found a cab company online and sent a message. I'm not sure I really expected to get an answer back - I was emailing from a country away, asking how much a trip would cost in January... pretty easy to dismiss a message like that. But, later that day, I heard from the manager of the cab company who not only gave me the estimated cost, but all sorts of helpful details for both parts of the trip, there and back. It was a long and detailed message and I was so grateful I wrote back to thank her for writing quickly and just generally being so great.

Then, we decided that for the afternoon/evening we are in LA we would spend it at the Santa Monica Pier. I searched their site to find out what there is to do. Turns out they have an aquarium but the winter hours are shorter and I was worried how much time it takes to get through. It's possible that after we land, check in, and catch the city bus to the pier we might not have time to enjoy all the fish exhibits. So, I found a contact and emailed them with my concerns. Again, I got a quick reply from the director of the aquarium who explained how long an average visit could take as well as giving me some information on their exhibits, the best days and times to visit, when feedings take place, and all sorts of other good information. So, once again, I was pleasantly surprised at the help I was getting.

Then, I noticed there's a Mexican restaurant at the end of the pier, and we NEVER turn down a Mexican restaurant (we've been known to take a trip to Grand Forks just to get a good burrito for dinner!) Once again, I sent an email from the website, asking if they recommend reservations on Saturdays, or if they even accept reservations. I explained we weren't coming for another 4 months, but I just wanted to work on "my plan". I was worried we would get all the way there and not be able to get in and have to find somewhere else to eat (and it wouldn't be Mexican). Within a couple hours I heard back from the restaurant manager saying that they don't normally take reservations, but for us they would, I could just send him an email the week before we get there. Amazing.

Three for three. You get so used to sending emails to companies that are never returned, and here I had three different responses within hours. And not just generic responses, but honest-to-goodness help. Especially the restaurant manager who's breaking the rules to help us out.

Makes me feel pretty darn good about getting there and meeting these awesome people!
For anyone who's going to the area, here are my recommendations - without even having been there yet.

For cabs, there's Long Beach Yellow Cab.
At the Santa Monica Pier you can visit the Aquarium for only a $2 entrance fee.
For dinner, hit the Mariasol Mexican Restaurant right at the end of the pier.

Oh, an email just popped up on my computer. Now I'm 4 for 4. I emailed LAX because I needed some information that I couldn't find on their site.

This is shaping up to be a pretty darn good trip!

Get to know MB - Lower Fort Garry

Hmm, the things you didn't know you didn't know....

We went to Lower Fort Garry on Saturday morning (beautiful weather, crowds hadn't arrived yet - absolutely perfect) and learned a lot that we had somehow avoided learning over the years! I've probably been to LFG a half-dozen times and thoroughly enjoyed each one, but it's always been on our own time, no tours. What a mistake.

We got there shortly before 11 on Saturday and they told us there was a tour starting in about 10 minutes so we decided to wait and take the tour. Great decision!

This was the last weekend of the year with the costumed interpreters. --For those of you who have not been there before, in the summer they have volunteers in period clothing acting as various members of the fort explaining different aspects of their position or fort history.

Our guide ?Steve? Greyeyes, maybe? (My memory's a bit fuzzy, but his name definitely started with an "S"); my lack of recollection doesn't reflect on his presentation at all. It was an interesting, amusing and informative tour and I can't believe I haven't taken it before. He was absolutely excellent.

Mr. Greyeyes, who is a full time employee of Parks Canada, lead the tour as Governor Eden Colvile who resided at the fort in the early 1850's.

Did you know that the fort served as a penitentiary and an insane asylum?? Or that a blacksmith earned BIG bucks and not just anyone could become one? How about the fact that the walls, in some places are only 6 feet high, but originally were supposed to be built to a height of 14 feet?

All these years we just wandered around the site, enjoyed the accents and stories of the volunteers and never really got deeply into the whole history of the fort.

The usual tour (which is free, you just pay the regular entrance to the fort whether you take the tour or not) is 45 minutes, but because we had kids in the group it was whittled down to 25 - and we still got a great amount of information. Then, at the end of the tour, which takes you around, but not in any of the buildings, you're free to wander through the rest on your own time.

For the oldest intact stone fort in North America it's in amazing shape! Nothing is run-down or shabby looking, and many buildings are filled with artifacts. The store is fun, to see all the goods that were used and consumed back then. The warehouse is another great building, with many different furs to try to identify.

There's even a bakery, where you used to be able to buy bread to take home. And the blacksmith shows you how to make a nail the hard way - and then lets you keep it as a souvenir. And in the Big House (Governor's House) they explain why they have the fire going outside during the summer. At the Men's House, it's divided into 2 sections: one side is where they sleep most of the men (on the tiniest beds you've ever seen), and the other half of the building was for men who had gotten married, but not built their house yet, so they could share some private space with their new wife. I also remember on previous visits, watching the girls at the Guest House or Farm Manager's House making tallow candles.

This season has wrapped up, but you really should put it on your family's To Do list for next summer. It's a great way to spend a few hours, getting a great history lesson right here at home! And a family of up to 7 people (2 adults) can get in for just under $20.

But when you go, don't make the mistake we did. We missed a small sign on the front door of the interpretive centre that said no food or drink. So when we took a midday break to eat some apple slices we were definitely "corrected" by an angry volunteer. :)

From 10 years old to 56, the whole group had a great time. You will too!

Get to know MB - Assiniboine Park Zoo

What a great day Saturday! Warm but not hot, slight wind but not gusting. A perfect day to spend 3 hours at the zoo!

We hadn't been in several years and decided it was time to take a visit again. We live in St. James so we walked over the zoo to begin our adventure.

You may have heard the announcement a while back that the zoo was FINALLY going to be getting much needed upgrades after all these years of decline.

Our first peek at the changes was when we were at the ticket booth and there was a sign that the bear enclosures were closed for renovations. Sad to miss out, but there are so many other wonderful things to see and do.

Turns out there were several things under construction or being prepared for construction, but you should still get out there and enjoy.

First, even with several animals removed and cages empty, there was still enough to fill 3 hours. Plus you can let the kids spend time at the playground or grab a bite at the Carousel Restaurant to extend your day. Second, this is your last chance to see the "old" zoo before the changes really start to take shape.

For instance, the old Panda exhibit is being remodelled and portions torn down to make a brand new Lion home.

And, as luck would have it there were actually a couple bears out, including the white black bear. But, that was offset by the Bison herd that had been moved so we didn't get to see the white bison.

The prairie dog exhibit and Discovery Centre (with those CUTE little meerkats) are always a hit, but improvements are needed and welcome.

I highly recommend a stroll through the zoo during our expected good weather this weekend. Take in a piece of history (the zoo was built in 1904) and watch a new history rise up.

And for anyone who isn't convinced about the good zoos do, with educating the public, breeding endangered species, and such; just look at the animals that they give a home to who otherwise would not make it in the wild. Like the pelican blind in one eye, crocodile blind in one eye, or the birds with broken wings. Each of these likely wouldn't stand a great chance on their own, but here they have a long and healthy life ahead of them. And they are planning on building a bear enclosure for orphaned cubs who have little chance of survival.

All of these exciting changes are expected to take 10 years to complete. You could probably go every year and see a new zoo each time.

And I think I just might!

Pictures:

1 of 2 cougars

Pelican blind in one eye who catches food in his mouth if you drop it on his good side!

White black bear

Prairie Dog

Mother and Baby peafowl

Get to know MB - Mini Golf!!

I know Manitobans are all about the golf, but what about the shorter version - mini-golf? We took a family day this past Saturday and decided to tour the south end of the city and hit all the mini-golf courses. Checked the Yellow Pages and we had 4 to enjoy; and then we were going to cruise into Lorette to have lunch at the Drive In.

First stop, Golfland. It's on Niakwa, just by the Mint. We've been going here for years and years, and it used to be $1.50 to golf. Now it's $4 but they've updated so it's okay. And $4 still isn't going to break the bank. Their theme is The World, and each hole is a different country. They used to have a Mt. Fuji at Japan but it was nearly impossible to get the ball in. It took so many tries you'd finally give up, so they pulled that out. Now Japan is just two little ornaments/statues sitting beside the hole - pretty funny. A good, simple course, nothing really challenging and just great fun for the family. We even had a family tournament here years ago and everybody really had a great time.

They also have a driving range and baseball practice area, but for us it's all about the mini-golf.

Next, we hop on the #1 towards Tinkertown, Fun Mountain and Grand Prix, all close together. But first, we decide we're going to grab lunch. So, into Lorette we go and enjoy burgers and perogies at Brian's Drive In. It was a cool day, but still lots of families out for ice cream.

After lunch, we hit Grand Prix Amusements. Even though they have about a dozen different games/rides, (the biggest and best known being their go kart track) we're just there for the Pirate Golf (you may have seen the Jolly Roger flying high on the ship at the front of the park). But, once I'm standing in line, I can't help but buy tickets for the Balloon Bomb. For $1 you get 3 water balloons. There's three of us, so my step-son and I decide to take 5 balloons against hubby's 4 balloons. You stand under a partial roof and slingshot your balloon to the other side, trying to burst it right in front of them, or else get it through an opening in the roof and drop it right on their head! We did terrible. We either over or under shot and never got him once. Unfortunately, after his first shot landed in the parking lot, he figured it out and we paid the price!

After getting soaked, now it's time to dry off while we mini-golf. This is a really fun course, well laid out and lots of variety in the holes. None of them are so challenging that they're not fun, but none are completely easy either. And we even had a hole in one!

From Grand Prix we head down the highway to Tinkertown and Fun Mountain. They're on the same road so this makes it easy. BUT, while we're driving by we can't see any mini-golf in Tinkertown. And I don't remember seeing it when I was there a couple years ago. So we stop at Fun Mountain first.

They were listed in the Yellow Pages for mini-golf and we're excited to try this course that's new to us. We had no idea they had a mini-course. Up to the ticket window we go and there's no price for mini-golf listed. When I ask the girl behind the counter, it turns out they have a "private" course, for swimmers only!!! You have to pay the $10 (or whatever) entrance fee to the park, and then still pay the $5 for the golf game. Oh no! While I'm trying to reason with the girl to let us in because we're obviously not there to swim and they DID list it in the phone book without any notation about it not being for the general public, but only for park visitors, a security guard comes by and decides to let us in! Yay!!! I didn't get her name, but she showed us the way to the mini-golf course. Thank you! I really wish they could open it up to everyone because it was a super course. It was so much fun, it was the best of the day! After our game, as we're leaving, we stopped by the front to let her know we're on our way out and thank her again for helping us out.
After we leave, we drive by Tinkertown again and still can't see a golf course, and parking is pretty bad, so we decide to call it a day without trying Tinkertown.

Outside of the south, there's only a couple other options that we're aware of - Golf Dome and Tuxedo. Plus I've heard a rumour there may be one in Lockport so we're looking into that. We'll save those for another day!

Get to know MB - St. Norbert Farmer's Market

Mmm, mmm, mmm. 9:30 in the morning and still those deep-fried perogies and Bison burgers are pretty hard to resist. Went to the St. Norbert Farmer's Market (one of several options these days around Winnipeg) on Saturday morning and even in the rain it's still a hoppin' place.

If you've never been, you have to go at least once. If getting your food fresh, local and direct from the grower isn't enough to convince you to check out a farmer's market, then think of the savings. In the store you can pay $3/lb for green peppers and $4-5/lb for coloured peppers; at the market they're all the same price and it's about a buck and a half. They may not be as big, or as pretty, but they're just as delicious!

And it's not just about the food either (got a GIANT handful of dill for $1.50; peas were picked just that morning; fresh smokies from the farm, vacuum-packed; fudge; baked goods; honey products; and on, and on.) There's also plants, with different vendors offering cut flowers, annuals, perennials and Manitoba native plants. And inside the tents are where you can find crafts and other handmade items. I've picked up tea towels with the button to attach to the appliance handle, and there's paintings, baby clothes, jewellery, bird houses, homemade organic dog treats - so much to check out.

If you've never been, it's just down Pembina Hwy, outside the perimeter in St. Norbert. Trust me, you won't miss it. The street is lined with cars and people are dashing across with their bags of goodies. And too, remember to take your reusable bags to throw all your veggies and great finds into.
Open until Halloween this year.
Saturdays 8:00 am to 3:00 pm
Wednesdays 1:00 pm - 7:00 pm, July, August, & September.

Paula's Ontario Vacations

I thought we had seen it all but apparently there was more to Sarnia than we thought. We had missed the whole downtown area which turns out is quite nice. We found out in time and went down this morning and just wandered along Front Street browsing in the little boutiques, looking at the local wares. We stopped for a cup of java and a yummy snack at the local Coffee Store, Coffee Culture. They made an excellent Vanilla Latte and homemade raspberry white chocolate scone in a comfy atmosphere with great service. We also picked up some great souvenirs from a quaint used book store that also sold hand made glass jewellery, ornaments and nicknack's which they created right there in the back studio.

After a picnic in the park down on the waterfront we head back home for a nap. The temperature was 28 degrees Celsius today but the humidity is over whelming at times. It's like you have just stepped into a sauna, nothing stays dry. But we are not complaining as we know winter is just around the corner.

Tonight we are heading back to Cantara Park Beach to have one last swim in the lake before we head back to the Peg. And hopefully we'll make it to Ice Cream Galore for a special treat, supposedly a must while here in town.

Until next time, Safe Journeys.

Paula's Ontario Vacation

I can't believe the vacation is coming to an end. Our 10 days have pasted by quicker than I would like but such is life... time flies when you are having fun :)

We have fallen in love with the city of Sarnia. You have everything you need in this quaint little port, Tim Hortons and Starbucks, a play park on every corner, a modern mall with all your major shops and you are never more than 5 minutes from a beach. We spent a few days at Mike Weir Beach Park, turns out Mike Weir grew up in this town. But thats only one choice out of many to catch some rays and play in the waves.

After another amazing home cooked meal last night we headed down to the Bridge to watch the incredible sunset over Michigan. The Bridge is a very popular park here in Point Edwards. A beautiful boardwalk lines the shore with periodic small beaches you can climb down to if you feel adventurous. There are two towering bridges over the St Claire River that connect Sarnia to Michigan. You could swim across if not for the strong current that runs from Lake Huron into the river. Many young local folk jump into the river to see how far it takes them before they can make it back to shore. Point Edwards is also home to a very modern Casino.

Today we spent a fanastic afternoon at the local waterpark where we tried out the bumper boats, a round of mini golf and of course some very scary water slides. Althouhg the humidity in this region is quite high the weather has been absolutely perfect.

We plan on visiting the African Safari Park in Branford on the way back to Toronto. I will post some pics when we get home.

Day 4 Paula's Ontario Vacation

After spending the morning exploring downtown Paisley, including visits to the local soap making shop, bakery and of course organic coffee store, we headed out on the road. The drive to Sarnia was a very scenic one, we took the number 21 south all the way here which hugs the lake the whole way.

We stopped in Goderich on the way for a snack and stretch of the legs. They claim to be the most beautiful city in Canada. I'm not sure I would go that far but it was a lovely break for us as we sat down on the shore line watching the seagulls circle and the waters of Huron lap against the shore.

After the short break we were off again heading south. It's not stop cottage country almost the whol way and traffic was fairly steady. We passed Grand Bend which is a very popular and trendy beach town as you could see from all the young bikini clad folk coming and going.

As we closed in on Sarnia the homes along the shoreline seemed to get bigger. Talk about life styles of the rich and famous! We made it the the in-law's house in time for a delisious home made dinner which was fantastic. Today we went down to the "Bridge", walked the beach, played in the park and tried the famous "Chips". It seems that everyone loves their french fries from the "Chip Trucks". I have to agree they were tasty.

Tomorrow we are planning a trip to the beach with the kids. I will keep you updated on what other fun and exciting things we do!

Paula's Ontario Vacation

Well we made it here and are having a great time. We flew out on Monday night with the fabulous WestJet Airlines. We arrived at the airport early thank goodness as it turns out our 7 p.m. flight had been cancelled and we had been protected on the 6 p.m. flight. Just a reminder to everyone to reconfirm your flight times 12-24 hours prior to departure. Had I heeded my own advise we would have known this prior to arrival at the airport. They ended up holding the 6 p.m. flight in order not to leave with out those who had not been notified of the change. The flight was uneventful and we still managed to arrive early.

Toronto airport is so busy and it took all my energy trying to keep the kids rounded up and close by. Surprising how much energy they had for 11 p.m. at night! We picked up our rental car from Hertz, again the service was great, and after changing cars because of a flat (which we found before departing the lot) we were on our way. I am glad my husband was driving because Toronto traffic is insane. It took two attempts getting onto the correct highway as the entrance was closed and we missed the detour route the first time. But we managed to find our way and made it to the in-law's house in no time. What a fantastic place they have. A gorgeous old brownstone in a very Portuguese neighborhood. The neighbor had grapes growing in their backyard.

I love visiting the big city, it makes me grateful to live in Winnipeg though. I think that the busyness and crazy traffic would drive me batty if I had to put up with it on daily basis. We visited downtown Toronto and I will be posting pics in the next couple days. It is a beautiful city, an abundance of old mixed with a whole lot of new. Great shopping! The boys ended up visiting the Hockey Hall of Fame while us girls spent some time in Eaton's Center and just strolling around admiring the architecture of the city.

We headed out of town after 2 days to visit my niece in Paisley. The drive up was interesting, the kids kept busy counting cows, horses, sheep, goats and even a Peacock! Mainly farm land but beautiful rolling hills and lots of pretty tree lines. We even drove through Amish country so it was common to see the horse drawn carriages along the side of the highway. What I love about the country is the quaintness of the small towns. We passed through many and they all have such character and charm. Paisley has a population of 700 so very quiet. We sat outside last night around a campfire roasting marshmallows and watching the bats swoop around the yard. There is the most beautiful B & B next door called the Garham Inn. I'm a huge fan of B & B's ever since our stay at the Prior House Inn in Victoria on our honeymoon last year. There were so many stars out in the sky we had trouble choosing one to make a wish on. I haven't had the chance to explore yet but will be leaving shortly for a morning hike into the town. I told my niece that I definitely want to visit the local bakery, another one of my favorite things about small towns. Paisley is only about 20 minutes from the water though, Lake Huron I believe. We also plan on stopping by the Port Elgin later on our way out of town. I also hope to visit the small boutique stores in town, some of which sell my nieces wares. She has a small business called Krafty Creations, www.kraftycreations.etsy.com, where she designs and creates all sorts of cool and unique gift ideas. Check it out.

I hope to write more and post pictures once we hit our next stop on our whirlwind tour. Heading to Sarnia this afternoon. Stay tuned.

Denise's San Fran Vacation - Final Update

Saturday, July 18

Well, flew home today. United leg of trip definitely not as smooth as Air Canada portion, but we made it home in one piece so that’s the most important thing. Got to the airport at an ungodly hour (ha! Why do I always pick itineraries I end up regretting?!) and decided to have breaky there. Found a good restaurant and ordered the full breakfast. We asked for dry scrambled eggs but when they got to the table they were running all over the plate – ick. Skipped that part.

There are lots of shops to keep you busy, especially with typical San Fran stuff to take home like Ghirardelli and See’s candies, salt water taffy and everything you can possibly imagine putting a bridge on – shirts, bags, mugs, hats, jackets, chocolates, pictures, postcards and on, and on, and on. Naturally I now have a reusable shopping bag with SAN FRANCISCO blazened all across it in varying colours!

Snoozed the whole way to Denver, pretty typical for me on a plane; sometimes I don’t even make it to the end of the runway. Once we got to Denver I was so excited. I’ve been trying to route trips through Denver for a few years now after seeing a show about the fabric roof they were installing over the terminal. At one point (and it probably still is) it was the largest fabric roof in North America (or was it the Northern Hemisphere?....) Anyway, we step off the plane, look up… and it’s a solid roof. So we start moving (away from the gate we need for our connecting flight) thinking each new area is going to be “the one”. Then I spotted it outside a window – and it’s about a mile away. Denver is the 3rd largest airport by land area in the world. Hubby reluctantly agrees to check it out after I tell him he has no choice. We start truckin’ over there because it’s FAAAAR and we only have an hour. Manage to find a train to the other terminals, so we hop on and get off at the next stop…. and the roof is solid here too. So, we’re going to get back on the train to try another terminal but we just happen to catch sight of an information booth where the guy proceeds to tell us that it’s actually outside of security and if we’re going to see it we need at least a 2 hour stopover. All these years, so close and yet so far. Darn.

No TV or movies on the return since it was a little Canadair Regional jet, but such a great look at the mountains. I can't imagine being stuck in an aisle seat, there's always something amazing to see outside!

All in all, a really great trip. Something we had never considered before, and yet had an amazing time.

Some final tips:

You’ll be pretty sore the first day as your legs get used to climbing hills. But you do get used to it very quickly; at least the regular stuff. The CRAZY steep hills still take a lot of energy.

There is a flock of wild parrots at the Filbert Street Steps, which lead to the Coit tower and offer really great views. Although we never made it to the tower, we were lucky enough to see them across from the Ferry Building, in the park at Embarcadero Plaza. Heard a great big birdy racket and there they were, swooping overhead. Pretty fast little guys!

San Francisco isn’t afraid of its history. They’ll talk about the dirty days of the gold rush. They don’t hide the ugly truth about what happened to Chinese immigrants in the 1800s and the Japanese in the 1900s. They embrace Alcatraz’s past including military prison, federal penitentiary, and native occupation.

Depending where you’re going to be staying and where you’ll be visiting, you might seriously consider a MUNI pass. They’re good for buses, trams and cable cars. Individual rides can be a couple dollars each, but an unlimited pass is only $18 for 3 days or $24 for a week. They also have one day passes available. The passes were a lifesaver for us. Because we were visiting quite a few different locations and we weren’t staying at the water it really helped us get around easily and cheaply.

If you want to catch a cable car, early morning is best and the turnaround near The Cannery at the wharf is the busiest. We were there one afternoon and even though there were three cars to be loaded, the lineup was still going to take an hour for us to get our turn. Instead we ended up catching the California Line at Market and riding all the way to Van Ness which is only a few blocks from our hotel. But, if you don’t want to just ride, if you also want to see the turnaround (where the conductor gets out, grabs hold and gives a heave to physically turn it around on the track) try the other Powell-Hyde turnaround at Taylor and Bay or the Powell-Mason at Powell and Ellis.

Because our trip to the zoo took longer than we planned we never made it to Golden Gate Park, but I feel pretty confident in saying that it would be a worthwhile trip. There’s a lot to see and do, so check it out before you go and decide which section of the park suits you best.

We were there Tuesday to Friday and the crowds were great. But Friday starts to pick up and we heard that Saturday is absolutely crazy at the piers. Keep that in mind if you don’t like waiting or being jostled. But, there’s a lot more going on those days too with street performers out in full swing including a tightrope juggler, dancers and airbrush painters.

There are coupons available, in print and online, for food and attractions.
Print: Bay City Guide and the Rental Guide are both free on the street. There are also maps all over the place – handed out at hotels, restaurants and attractions, and they usually have coupons all over them.
Online: http://www.sfguide.com/ and http://www.baycityguide.com/.

Denise's San Fran Vacation- Day 4

Friday, July 17
Spent the whole day at Pier 39 today. It wasn’t actually our plan, but that’s the way it ended up and it worked out great.

First we needed to change hotels; we have to be at the airport for 6am so I want to save the 40 minute travel time. We caught the bus to the Financial District so we could catch the BART (Bay Area Rapid Transit) train at Embarcadero to the Airport. Then from the airport we caught the Sheraton shuttle to check in. Except the room wasn’t ready so early in the morning so we just dropped off our bags with the bellman and caught the shuttle back to the airport where we did everything in reverse. At the end of the day we did it all over again. Sounds like a lot of work, but it’s really simple, it’s almost the same time for the trip, and I saved us at least $85 over cab rides. Sounds like a good plan to me!!

We had originally arranged with a door-to-door shuttle company to take us to the airport at the end of the day to get to our new hotel. We told them to meet us at the Holiday Inn on Beach. But after we ate lunch we noticed that the Radisson was much closer to where we were going to be so we called and changed it. Right after we hung up we realized that it was almost the exact same trip, but $10 cheaper and on our own timetable if we caught the train.

We went back to the Beach Street Grill for lunch and sadly it wasn’t as good the second time. The food was still good, it was just server snags.

After lunch we were going to catch a bus to the Golden Gate Bridge to get the great and amazing pics we were hoping to frame and put up. I had looked the trip up online and knew where to catch the bus, where to get off, and the 25 minute walk to the bottom of the bridge. All laid out, nice and neat.

We found the bus shelter okay, but when the first bus pulled up the other guy at the stop asked the driver something about the Golden Gate. She said that not only does the Golden Gate not stop at this stop, but it doesn’t run very often. Hmmm. We decided that since it said Golden Gate Transit right on the glass that she was likely wrong, so we were going to ask the next bus driver. He said that yeah, it stops there, but not very often. We checked the signs and found a note that said to call 311 if you have questions. We called and they couldn’t help us because GGT isn’t run by MUNI (which is who you reach when you call 311). They suggested that we take a MUNI bus, but it stopped much further away than the GGT did, so it could be a 45 minute walk each way. But, they also gave us another number to call for GGT. They didn’t have any better news. 1) The bus wouldn’t be at our stop for 40 minutes. 2) They don’t run very often so we could be stuck at the bridge for a loooong time before we get a ride back. 3) she said the good pictures aren’t even from the San Francisco side. Every picture you see of the bridge is from the North side looking back to San Fran. So we’d have to catch the bridge all the way across to Sausalito then hike from wherever we landed over there. Suddenly it didn’t seem that important to get that “awesome” shot.

So, we moved up our plan to go to the Aquarium of the Bay and headed over to buy tickets. BUT, while we’re in line there’s a sign for a combined tour – buy Aquarium tickets and a cruise around the Bay for only $33 – so we’re going to see the bridge after all! The Aquarium was fun, they have a lot of hands on stuff which is great for everyone, not just kids. They have a pool with rays, skates and a leopard shark that you can pet – awesome. The also have a tide pool where you can pet sea cucumbers, and hard and soft starfish. Totally cool. And that whole floor of the aquarium is run off solar power.

That’s one thing I haven’t mentioned. San Francisco is VERY environmentally conscious. Lots of recycling, biking, and just generally healthy planet ideas. There are recycling bins around the whole city, all over the airport, and every hotel recycles. Blows Winnipeg away. At the airport there was even a card on each table about which seafood you should and shouldn’t eat based on stocks, vishing method, environmental impact and health (mercury, etc.).

Anyway, back to the aquarium. One level has two tunnels, they call them “dives”, one for shallow water, one representing deeper ocean. There’s a stationary sidewalk and a moving sidewalk (which wasn’t working when we were there). The tanks were loaded with fish of all sizes and several different sharks. There were also 2 schools of anchovies – man those guys have a crappy life. One school of smaller ones just tucked themselves into the tiniest corner and writhed around and around. If a “stream” of some started away from the group, they immediately doubled back through themselves and into the main group again. The tunnel tank is a couple hundred thousand gallons of water and you could have tucked those crazy fish into a 100gal tank without them even noticing!

They also have two kinds of jellyfish in one room and they are amazing. Everyone just stares, mouth gaping open at these amazing creatures. One type was completely see-through. And there was nothing to it. It’s just a bag with some strings and it’s an ANIMAL. Really cool.

The aquarium only takes about an hour to visit, so then we got in line for our boat tour. While in line, we stopped at the Ben & Jerry’s booth right behind us for a snack… don’t bother. Filthy and gross. The staff are all filthy, the counters, windows, floor, everything is disgusting. The staff took out the garbage and then went back to making people’s food without washing. And don’t expect quick service – it’s like they were having slow races with each other. Who could take the longest to serve a person.

Boat tour was interesting. They kinda oversell so unless you get to the rail quickly when you’re loading, or else you’re taller, you may not get the shots you wanted. Luckily a good portion of the other tourists were of short stature so Darrin and I got to sit and he stood up whenever he wanted to take a picture; neither one of us was interested in standing for a whole hour.

San Francisco was bright, clear, sunny and hot but as we moved out into the bay the fog settled in and got thicker and thicker. I was getting a little worried about what our pictures might look like, but even if there was fog drifting in and around the cables, it would look pretty cool. But, nature had other plans. As we toured the bay, getting history about various buildings along the water, and the city itself, it was getting pretty clear we weren’t going to get the shots we wanted. By the time we got to the bridge the fog was so thick it was like there were bridge supports to nowhere – the deck was completely invisible in the fog, We sailed right under it and could see some, but certainly not those cool shots you see on posters. We couldn’t even tell it was orange! But it was fun anyway, and we could say that we at least tried to see the bridge. After the bridge we cruised around Alcatraz and got a better look at some of the places you couldn’t go on the tour. They used some audio from the tour and then filled in with some new stuff too, so even though we’d already been we still learned something new. Then we passed the Bay Bridge, which has an interesting history and I actually like it better than the Golden Gate. The last thing was going past the sea lions sleeping on the docks. That’s it, they just sleep. And occasionally one barks. But even though they don’t do much, it was great to see them so close.

After the cruise (which again, wasn’t rough enough to make anyone even slightly ill) we did a quick bit of shopping (some Ghirardelli chocolates of course!) and grabbed a quick bite before catching the tram to Embarcadero station to get to the airport to catch the hotel shuttle.

We thought “when in San Francisco” and decided to eat at Boudin’s, the sourdough company. They have a restaurant right at Pier 39. I love sourdough bread, and you get your fill in San Fran. Restaurants serve it as croutons, toast, side of bread, for sandwiches, and even burgers come with sourdough sometimes instead of a bun. But I have to say, I didn’t like Boudin’s. The bread wasn’t very sour, and it was so tough and chewy, it never broke down. I chewed on it forever and it was still just a piece of bread in my mouth. Not enjoyable. And hubby didn’t really like his sandwich either, it was a low quality, and strange, BLT. The biggest problem was the T. They cut a medium sized tomato in half and put that in the sandwich. Half a tomato! C’mon, that’s just silly. The sandwich was so big you had to take it apart to eat it, I mean, there was and inch and a half of tomato! Plus the ham and bread weren’t great. It was actually kind of disappointing that our last meal was a letdown, especially at something so “San Francisco”.

We caught the tram, the train and the shuttle back to the Sheraton. It’s a nice night, no wind, nice a cool. A great night to leave the window open and sleep in the fresh air. And this expensive bedding doesn’t hurt either.

Denise's San Fran Vacation- Day 3

Today was ZOO DAY!

Getting there was fairly easy. San Francisco Municipal Transit (MUNI) has a real-time website for trip planning. The site locks up occasionally but it’s still pretty good with lots of options. You can decide that you want to travel at 8:41am in 3 days, using only buses, with no more than a ½ mile walk between stops and voila you get a step by step set of instructions for 3-5 options varying in departure time, travel time and walking distance between stops. Our only snag was when we got off at the NW corner of Geary & 33rd and we were catching our next bus at the NW corner of Geary @ 33rd… but it turns out it wasn’t the same stop. There was another just around the corner where we couldn’t see it and we missed our connection and had to wait for 20 minutes. But once we got there it was smooth sailing!

Most of their buildings were being renovated (Lion House, Tropical House, Pachyderm building) but all the exterior exhibits were open. They have a good selection of primates, a family of giraffes, babies all over the place (including a baby gorilla) and a great kids‘ section. In the Children’s Zoo they have a discovery center, insect building, and all sorts of interactive stuff. In the main part of the zoo, Penguin Island reminds me so much of the movie Madagascar that I was waiting for a threesome to try a jailbreak.

All around the zoo they have employees with different creatures to show off like a 44 year old turtle, or a couple of small reptiles, and even a spot to pet rabbits. And another thing that was really neat was that when you get to the zoo, before you even go inside, you got to enjoy one of the biggest exhibits. Their African Savanna houses several different animals together, including the giraffes, zebra, ostrich (did you know there were brown ostrich? I thought they were all black and white!), kudus and oryx.

We thought we’d be at the zoo for a couple hours and then go to our next attraction, but we ended up there all day and we were sooo tired we just wanted to head “home”. Grabbed some pizza on the way (Village Pizzeria – yum!) and walked the last few blocks, downhill thankfully.

We are now officially half-way to becoming experts in the SF transportation system. In the past 3 days we’ve taken a cab, a bus, a slinky bus, an electric bus, an electric slinky bus, a tram, a cable car, an underground train and an above-ground train. At $2-$5 per ride cash, the $18 unlimited pass has been a lifesaver.

And while we’re talking transport, I should mention something about yesterday’s Alcatraz visit. The ferry ride out to the island was so easy I couldn’t believe it. I took my Gravol, but I’m sure I didn’t need it… and this is a girl who gets ill THINKING of riding a boat.

Well, fog’s been rolling in all evening and now we’re almost completely enveloped… time to call it a night.

Denise's San Fran Vacation - Day 2

Day 2
Well. I’ve never been to Chicago so San Francisco will officially be my “windy city”. There are some pretty good gusts through here and it got really cool in the evening. We had our jackets with us all day because I heeded the warnings about layering, but unfortunately you can’t plan against the wind and Darrin lost his favourite hat… last seen drifting between cars at the intersection of Hyde and California!

Started the day at *ugh* 5:55am with a *gulp* $18 breakfast buffet. Even the Continental was $14. Unfortunately none of the five hot items -were great so tomorrow we’re going to try to find food when we go out. But just because the meal wasn’t great doesn’t mean this isn’t a great place. The free wireless internet means I can write this blog; and we are sooooo looking forward to a rest in the Japanese soaker tub tonight. The HILLS!

You just have no idea how out of shape you really are until you try to climb one steep hill and have to stop twice. We didn’t want to wait the hour to catch the cable car that runs by the Lombard switchback (the “crookedest street”) so we decided to walk over. After all, it was only a few blocks on the map. Never again. We went up this one block with a German couple; they didn’t speak English or us German but the laughs, and puffing and panting said everything - we were all suffering! But it really was kinda fun to watch the cars come single file down the street, with the tourists outnumbering them about 20 to 1.

Went to Alcatraz on the 9am tour and there was about 300 people in line! But once you’re on the island the crowds aren’t bad at all, and the audio tour through the cell block was excellent. They’re also in the process of restoring some of the outbuildings so it’ll just continue to get even better. The fog was interesting though. San Fran was clear, sunny and hot and The Rock was shrouded in fog the whole morning. And they weren’t kidding when they named it the Island of the Birds – wow what a lot of gulls!

Also checked out Pier 45 today with the USS Pampanito submarine and SS Jeremiah O’Brien Liberty class merchant ship. I suppose not for everyone, but come on, who wouldn’t think it’s cool to get inside a real submarine?! We also checked out the Musee Mechanique. To be honest I wasn’t expecting much but it turned out to be a lot of fun. It’s free to enter, but all machines are $0.25 or $0.50 to play. It’s basically a big antique arcade with a new selection in the back. There was Ms. Pacman, arm strength tests, psychic swamis, mechanical pianos, old “peep show” machines with the provocative lady in the bathing suit, and classic photo booths. The “British Execution” boxes and "Opium Den" give you an idea of what a different era some of these came from. It was a blast to plug in your own quarters or watch what happens on someone else’s game. Our favourite was a car race for a quarter where you each had to crank a wheel to make your car go. Darrin “let” me win (yeah right)!

Another fun thing is Boudin’s, “The” San Francisco sourdough bakers. They have a large window on the street beside the café and museum gift shop where you can watch, and even talk to, the bakers. They turn out some really neat breads, but the biggest hit was the 3 1/2 foot alligator. The baker was telling us that when they make the 6 footer it takes FORTY ponds of sourdough!!! Pick up a loaf, or even some small turtles and you’ve got breakfast for the next morning.

We found the BEST place for lunch. Just a block up from Jefferson (that runs along some of the piers) was a place called Beach Street Grill at Beach and Taylor. Wow. Big meals, great prices, lots of tables and not loud and ridiculously overcrowded like the places right along the wharf. All day breakfast, burgers, sandwiches, salads, seafood… so many choices. Service was great too. And the number of things they make right there in their kitchen is crazy; even their own mayo!

Took our cable car ride today too. We didn’t hang on the outside (way too nervous to try), but we still sat in the exposed seats in the back and had a few local monkeys in front of us. Conductor had to remind one guy not to hang out so far or an oncoming cable car might take him out! Yikes!

Hopefully we didn’t climb too many San Francisco mountains because we have the zoo tomorrow. Maybe they have trams and they can just drive us around and point out all the animals. :)