July 26 – We Survived!

Our night in the Tipi was quite comfortable.  Tanya’s boys believe there was some sort of animal, perhaps a badger or porcupine, which rambled near our tent in the night, but it is unconfirmed.  The kids slept well and had to be woken up at 8am to complete the rest of our adventure at Wanuskewin.

After a hardy breakfast of pancakes and sausages, our guide told everyone a story about dream catchers and taught them how to make them.  It was a fun ending to our visit in this other time and culture.

We stopped off at Paul’s sister’s home for lunch.  Afterwards we went to Cranberry Flats, where, although there were no cranberries in sight, the kids had a great time catching many frogs, a toad, snake and a fish.

Back at Tanya’s home, we had a delicious dinner, a quiet evening, and a return to modern sleeping arrangements.

July 25 – A Night in a Tipi

Today we went on a unique adventure.  But before we started, we picked up Tanya’s niece and nephew to take along on our trip.

Then we entered another time at the Wanuskewin Heritage Park.  This is a fabulous museum and surrounding land dedicated to the culture and history of Plains Indians.  When we first arrived we witnessed a Grass Dancer, from Manitoba, dance some of his traditional dances in his bright regalia.  One of the interpreters showed us how tipis were erected, explaining the significance of the different poles used to support the structure.  We also heard about the importance of the Bison and their co-existence with the people of the land.  And we viewed some of the unique and beautiful artwork on display.  

But our real adventure didn’t begin until we met our guide, George.  George recounted the tradition of a Buffalo Jump and took us on a Bison hunt.  Some of the hunters in our group were successful (including the youngest) at hitting the targets, so we were fortunate to have Bison burgers for dinner (although the kids opted for hamburgers…).

After dinner our guide led us on a hike on the nature trails, describing the native plants and their medicinal (or not-so-medicinal) attributes.

As the sun set over the prairies, we retired to our tipi, where we were to spend the night.

Before settling down for the night, we played games, listened to stories, and cooked bannock (a type of bread dough) over the camp fire.

We were all ready for a good night sleep in our Tipi!

July 24 – Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan

This morning Paul’s sister and children came over for breakfast.  The kids had fun playing together on the trampoline.

Afterwards Tanya dropped the kids and me off at an art gallery for a quick perusal before meeting them in the park next to it for Shakespeare on the Saskatchewan.

We sat under a tent and watched a great rendition of Love’s Lobour’s Lost.  The kids really enjoyed the antics of the comedy.

After dinner we attended an evening mass at Holy Spirit Church.

July 23 – River Bike Ride

Today was a relaxing day.

We hung around the house in the morning and went for a bike ride in the afternoon along the Saskatchewan River.

We stopped at the Biology building of the University of Saskatchewan to view the creatures and displays. Then we rode on to a field with many different types of sculptures.  The kids had fun honing their climbing skills.

We made periodic stops along the river to check out the views and even did some "Mountain" biking (I think they call it "trail riding" here).  It was a great day for a bike ride.

After dinner, Tanya, Paul, and I went to listen to a band that their neighbour is a member of.  It was really loud, but really fun.  The band was quite good.

July 22 – Back to Batoche

Today we went to a Métis festival.  On the way we stopped to pose on a wagon next to some giant sheaves of wheat.

The Métis are a Canadian Aboriginal people descended from a mix of European (French or Scottish) and First Nations parentage.

We viewed Métis art and crafts, watched some of a square dance competition, and chariot races. There were also some activities for the kids.

We took a horse drawn wagon to the Batoche historical site where we learned about the conflict between the Métis provincial government and the Canadian government in 1885.  The kids explored remnants of the battlements, inspected the graveyard, pumped water from a well and watered the garden at an old homestead, and learned to write with quill pens.

Despite the cool weather, the kids had fun walking the trails, catching frogs and grasshoppers, and picking wild Saskatoon berries.

For a finale we watched the chuck wagon races.

In the evening, Tanya and I went to a BBQ for her Women’s Hockey team.  It was fun to meet everyone.

July 21 – Phase 4: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan

This morning for our last breakfast in Ontario, we went out with Mark and Irene for delicious pancakes and French toast.  Afterwards, we said our good-byes to Mark and Irene and headed to the airport.

We had a very smooth flight to Saskatoon, Saskatchewan.  Our friends, Tanya and Viviana, met us at the airport to commence Phase 4 of our trip.

First stop, even before dropping off our suitcases, was for a “Taste of Saskatchewan”.  Nothing says Saskatchewan than Bison on a Bun and Saskatoon Berry Pie! Yum!

After sampling some of the delicacies Saskatchewan has to offer, we headed to our friends’ home.  The kids were more than exuberant to find that their home comes complete with a mini synthetic ice rink in the basement.  They settled right in…

July 20 – Back to Toronto

This morning after packing up our things and double checking that we hadn’t forgotten anything...

 And making one last check on the chickens…

And gathering one last egg…

And giving the rabbit one last hug…

And making a triple check that we hadn’t forgotten anything… (but I’m sure we did…)

...We said good-bye to our Chelsea Cousins.

The drive back to Toronto was uneventful.  We made a quick stop at the Big Apple to pick up a pie to take for dessert at Dave’s brother’s home.

As a surprise bonus, Dave’s aunt, who lives close by, and cousin, visiting from Michigan, joined us for dinner.

July 19 – Ottawa, Canada

Today we went to the visit Canada’s Capital.  Probably our first real “educational” excursion on this trip…other than the Hockey Hall of Fame, of course.

A mere drive across the bridge over the Ottawa River from Gatineau, Quebec, and we were in Ottawa, Ontario.

We watched some boats move through the Rideau Canal.  A waterway constructed in 1832 as a precaution in case of war with the United States, is now used for recreational boats.  The locks are still operated by hand cranks.

Outside the Parliament buildings we conveyed secrets at the “whispering wall” – a curved pedestal under the monument of Baldwin and Lafontaine, two key architects of the Canadian Government.  We viewed and posed on many other statues representing Canadian Historical Greats (such as Queen Victoria and Sir Robert Borden (8^th Prime Minister)).

We also met a real life RCMP (actually mounted), made wishes at the Centennial Flame (ignited January 1, 1967) and paused for a quick lunch of “Street Meat” – sausages and hotdogs.

After lunch we had a tour of some of the rooms of the Centre Block building, including the House of Commons, where the Members of Parliament debate; the Library of Parliament (no photos allowed); and the Senate.

Before we headed home for the day, we indulged in a Canadian delicacy – Beavertails –of course. Yum!

We had another fabulous meal at my brother’s and the kids settled down for their last night here, while I stayed up with my brothers and sister-in-law to squeeze in one last moment of the visit.

July 18 – Power and Harry Potter

This morning we were still “roughing it” with no power.

Dave packed up and we said good bye to him as he headed to the airport, home and back to reality.

We had a low-key day and ventured out in search of the electrifying entertainment of Harry Potter in the afternoon.  We were successful.  Everyone was captivated by the finale to the Harry Potter series.

The power outage still continued into the evening and finally returned while my brother was cooking our dinner on the BBQ. 

July 17 – Return to Civilization, sort of…

We packed up our tents this morning and then went back to the beach for some more fun splashing and swimming in the lake.  The kids built a fabulous sand fortress. 

We had a late picnic lunch at the beach before heading back to my brother’s house.

Once home, we unpacked and cleaned up.

My brother had made late reservations for an Adult Dinner at a very nice restaurant.  However, just before we were about to leave a storm front came through and knocked out all the power in the area.  After making sure the kids were ok for us to go, we went to the restaurant, but unfortunately the restaurant was suffering from the same power outage and could not serve us dinner.  After making many phone calls to alternative restaurants, we headed to Hull to try our luck there.  We finally found a restaurant (with power) and enjoyed our much anticipated evening out.  When we returned home the power had still not come back on.  I guess our camping status will be extended…

July 16 – Caves and Canoeing

This morning after a hardy camp breakfast, we hiked 3km to the Lusk Caves.  The kids spelunked through two caves with a very cold stream running through it.

On the way back Dave spotted a deer in the woods that we watched as quietly as possible until she lumbered away.

After lunch we went to the beach to swim and play in Lac Philippe.  We were joined by friends of my brother whose brother lives in Woodland Hills – not too far from us.  

My brother brought his canoe and three life jackets, so we took turns heading out on the lake.  Jasmin became a Master Canoeist and went out on the lake with just her cousin, Jean Francois.

  

Dave, Alia and I came across a family of Wood Ducks perched on a log that stretched over the water…Mama Duck and her SEVENTEEN babies!  They were marvelous!

It was a great afternoon.  The kids really enjoyed the water.  Ben perceptively pointed out the fact that the water wasn’t salty.

When we were leaving the beach a deer ran across our path very close to Alex.  He was quite astounded by it.

We savoured another delicious meal cooked over the fire, followed by the roasting of marshmallows and the reading of “The Raven” by Dave.  As we were heading off to our tents, we heard a rustling in the woods close by, and assuming it was just the local raccoons making their rounds, we were thrilled to find yet another deer wandering through.

July 15 – Lac Philippe

The morning was spent exploring around my brother’s house.  The kids slid down a rainspout into rain barrels and visited with the chickens.

Mid-afternoon we left for our campsites at Lac Philippe.  Once the tents were set up, the kids set to work getting the fire started. 

They explored the woods all around our sites and constructed a teeter-totter from their spoils.

After a delicious meal cooked over the fire and a reading of “The Tell Tale Heart” by Dave, everyone retired to their tents for a night's sleep in the great outdoors.

July 14 – Phase 3: Chelsea, Quebec

During breakfast, we watched the wild turkeys grazing in my parents’ backyard.

After gathering up all our belongings, we said our good-byes to my parents and our Texas friends. 

My nephews, the kids and I headed out for Phase 3 of our vacation. 

Mid-way on our drive from Niagara Falls to Chelsea, Quebec, we stopped at the Big Apple in Colborne, Ontario.  We snacked on some fresh apple pie slices and bought a Maple Apple pie to bring for the evening’s dessert.  The kids climbed to the top of the Big Apple to check out the view before we jumped back in the car for the rest of our drive.

Once we arrived at my brother’s home, the kids were quick to acquaint themselves with the chickens and bunny rabbit.  They ran through the trails by the house and played hockey on the deck.

At bedtime, Lukas was happy to snuggle into his new sleeping arrangements with all of his cousin’s stuffed animals.

July 13 – Boating, Biking and Hiking

First thing this morning Lukas and Prince “fetched” the paper.  I think Lukas did most of the work.

Before lunch, the gang headed up river on another cruise.  We drifted for a while and my dad had the kids perform a “Man Over Board” drill.  As each one voluntarily jumped off the boat, the others tossed them the life ring and pulled them back to “safety”.

Everyone made it back safely and in good spirits.

For lunch, the kids had fun making a wiener roast in the back yard.

After lunch, my dad took most of the kids on a hike in the woods behind the house.

In between boating and hiking, the kids spent the extra time biking in the neighbourhood.

It was so nice to be able to share the day’s adventures with our friends from Texas.

After dinner, I met my girlfriend, Amy, for our traditional Catch-up date at DQ.  It was nice to spend some time together, but once again an all-too-short, but sweet visit.

July 12 – Rest and Relaxation

Today was a day with no plan.

As usual the younger half of the kids were up early and out riding their bikes.  The older ones were much  slower to get moving.

The kids went swimming in the river, jumped off the boat, attempted to catch minnows (or, I should say:  caught one less-than-lively minnow), and skipped stones.  Jasmin learned how to drive the dingy.

We had a leisurely boat ride in the big boat around Navy Island.  It is a small uninhabited island located just down river from my parent’s home and a few miles above the falls.

In the next photo, you can see the mist of the falls ahead of the boat.  It was taken at the tip of the island, just before we turned to head back home.  Don’t worry, no emergency rescues were necessary.

A few of the crew members were lulled by the ride in the warm summer sun.

After such a stressful day, the kids lined up to form a “Massage Train” to help relax each other.

At bedtime, my girlfriend from University and her daughters, now living in Texas, came to stay with us for a few days.  Ours was their first stop on their Ontario Summer Vacation.

July 11 – Everyone Loves Marineland

I’m not quite sure what possessed someone living in Niagara Falls; a city certainly located on water, being that the Niagara River connects two Great Lakes, but it’s fresh water, not salt; to open an amusement park featuring whales, seals and dolphins, clearly not indigenous to the local waters.  But they did, and, for some reason, it works.

My cousin’s children had seen the commercials for Marineland at home on TV, and when they heard they would be in Niagara Falls, that was first on their list of places to visit.  My gang, consisting of our kids, my two nephews and myself, met them in the parking lot at 10:30am to begin our ocean adventure.

We saw the sea lions, seals, belugas, orcas, dolphins and walruses. Plus an exciting aquatic acrobatic performance with seals, dolphins, and a walrus.

The creator(s) of Marineland felt it necessary to round out the marine experience with deer, buffalo, elk, and bears.  The kids were able to feed the deer and bears (the deer up close; the bears not so close…)

Apart from Jean Francois’ intermittent queasy stomach, everyone had a great time seeing both the marine and land animals and riding the rides.

In the evening, my girlfriend, from way-before-elementary-school, came with her children for a short visit and a dip in the river.  We were so glad they could squeeze in a brief visit with us.