(Temporary Backup) Hello Spring

Winter at home has been brutally cold and the snow just wants to stay. No a chinook in sight. Amy has been wanting us to come out and so we all planned on coming but between winter and animals, our plans got changed from all to me going. 

I jumped on a plane at Lethbridge (which was SO convienant !!) (and cheaper than leaving from Calgary). The flight to Calgary was uneventful and I was so glad Dusty convinced me to download a few shows on my phone!! Landed in Calagary for a wee layover. The waiting room was pretty sweet. Comfy chairs, good wifi, lots of room. After that I jumped on another plane to Nanaimo! And my best luck- no one sat beside me!!

Check out that view heading over the Rockies 👆🏻

And flying over the channel 😍

I love the ocean. Some people over open spaces and dancing wheat fields or hay or forests or mountains.... I will take the ocean!

I landed in good time. Walked through the longest outdoor walkway- and marveled at the warmth! Turned the corner into the building and bam 💥 there she was! It was so good to see her (and to not be busy bearding bodies that I could actually just enjoy that moment).

We took off for her house and it’s adorable and perfect. My room and is huge and comfy. We dropped my stuff and went out grocery shopping. Ate a Costco hotdog for lunch and then headed to go out for a walk.... and I got blisters. Dang boots and flat lander feet! But look at how amazing the walk was (not wonder why I just kept pushing  past the point of no return)

We headed home where Amy tried to torture me by taking off my boots - they finally came off 😬

We chilled out for a bit and then went hunting for quirkle and dinner. We went to the Firehouse and I had garlic butter prawns on Cesar salad and it was Delish!!! I could barely keep my eyes open when we got home and I passed out at 8pm!!

I was up at 5am and spent a lovely morning puttering around my room. I only changed 4 times before we left for Victoria. I really needed to take more pictures. The drive was beautiful, filled with rock walks and moss and running water. 

We got into Victoria and it was stunning with all the old buildings. We parked right by a harbour and took off walking! First few blocks were China town- and it was vibrant and colourful 

And the alleys were all decorated and most had these tiny stores in them! We headed for lunch but not before passing the most amazing smelling Italian bakery and so many colourful buildings. 

We finally found our lunch destination- Ferris’ Oyster Bar


I ordered 3 baked oysters and a bowl of Cioppino (filled to the brim with clams, oysters, prawns, salmon, and other delicious bits. Super good. Amy had the show set which she said was amazing and Kyle got something I can’t pernounce. 

All good!

We took off for more sights and found ourselves down by the water. The cherry trees and dafdosills are all out in full force! We walked by the Empress Hotel and meandered back up the street. We passed a few tiny 7-11’s and a McDonald’s that had full time security on it! A huge homeless population. We also stopped into the oldest church in Canada. It was a prespraterian church and the guy was a lovely chatty old Scottish fellow and he talked out ears off but the build fb was amazing. I love the smell of old churches. We escaped and headed back for the car, passing that tiny Italian bakery...... only this time we had to go in!

It was this little place called La Tana and it was amazing. They had sweet and savoury delights and the baker spoke Italian. Amy ordered a ton of things- a birocci (orange pastry filled with Nutella- it looked like an icing powder bun), and small cookies, and big flat cookies and then I got the most delicious super chewy almond flour cookie and it was amazing. We happily returned to the car and took a scenic drive around a park and the ocean route and checked out all the amazing houses!

We got home and I made Hawaiian haystacks and then had a little downtime. I came out and Amy and Kyle were ordering burritos and we watched some Father Brown and Called it a night!

Family

What a girl.

We have totally enjoyed our time at the beach

And

Getting to visit with family.

So many great memories here!!!!

So thankful I get to make some with these kids!

mexico finale

 

I saved the best for last

Well

I can't say it is the best

but

it was pretty incredible.

We spent a bit of time in this park.

It was attached to the resort so

it was super convenient and 

awesome.

Part of Xcaret was an aquarium...

 

Dolphins

Turtles.

They had so many turtles. It was crazy.

The Park also had an old Mayan village.

 This is a small corn field outside of the hut that made tortillas.

 

and they had a ton of little huts with artisans 

This happened to be Lucy's favourite lady.

She had beautiful woven blankets and bracelets.

My favourite place was the wool shop

but

the lady didn't speak a lick of English

and

I don't speak any Spanish.

there was a lot of polite smiles.

 and surprise surprise

this is also where we found Amy.

As you can see

she also found the bracelet lady.

There was also these guys hidden through-out.

 

There was also a "graveyard"

there were tombs and tunnels.

I got lost

it was a good thing Dusty was able to save us.

 

And then there was the snorkeling....

 

Amy and Mom and I all got to swim with a wild sea turtle

it was pretty amazing.

 

There was this pathway that went along the coral

a sea walk

and the girls were walking and a HUGE

wave crashed into it and they thought they were going to be

swept out to sea

ha ha so 

instead of running to save or comfort them

we took a picture

Crab spotting

 

Supervising

And then the bird exhibit

They all wanted to look like they were holding the birds.

It was a fantastic holiday

one I wish I could do every year

but

probably won't

so 

instead

every February- April 

you will find me at my computer

living vicariously

through the pictures.

the big one

There was an epic day.

An epic day of water.

It was the water day.

The boys and Amy left bright and early to try their hands at ocean fishing.

The girls and Andy decided to try their hand at staying off a sunburn whilst swimming ALL day.

We met for breakfast at our favourite establishment.

(aka the Royal Club)

I am not sure why mom looks like she is in pain.

She was not.

It was a delightful experience.

Penny enjoying her fruit loops and fruit.

Lucy and her grub

My Grub.

mmmmmmm I really could be wealthy

and have a cook

and white table linens that someone else would wash when my children split on them

and did I mention a cook......

Brianna.

We ate outside.

with his stroller..

so handy.

especially because we got to enjoy the views.

One of the many dining views.

 

And after breakfast.....

The boys club was.....

Catching the big one.

Rhys caught a sail fish too.

And all the outlaws caught the barf bug.

Only the Vint's remained strong.

Apparently the ocean was rough.

And while they were barfing

We were swimming.

Penny at her waterfall.

Ellie snorkeling 

Lucy sleep/swimming

Andy getting sunburned on one half of his face.

Lucy diving. 

She was doing so awesome.

Ellie diving/ lunging across the pool.

When the boys (and Amy) returned

they were hungry

and so was Penny.

And one of the many wonderful things about this trip

WAS

the pool side dining.

(no etiquette required)

besides bringing back an appetite 

they also brought back some colour!

It was an epic day.

And this is an epic breakfast.

(like this post wasn't long enough... but now you get a recipe too)

Mexican Hash

Peppers ( I use about 1/3 cup diced)

Onions (1/4 cup diced)

3 eggs

bacon crumbles

 1/4 cup enchilada rice (rice cooked in cumin, chili powder, garlic powder, onion powder, and a can of tomatoes)

served with warm corn tortillas (international grocery store... $5 for a big stack of gluten free tortillas)

salt, pepper, and hot sauce to taste.

Mexican Spectacular

 So this is still Tuesday....

but the afternoon on Tuesday.

In Xcaret there is a big Colosseum

and they put on a "Mexican spectacular"

On the way to this spectacular we walked along the resorts river system.

As we were walking a man with a toucan stopped us.

We got a picture.

 

After a slight mishap with my folks.

(we had some issues with people getting lost this day)

we met at the place.

it was hot.

Like really hot

gut churning temperatures.

but 

it was so worth it.

(there is a few pictures of it but I seriously took hundreds)

 

At the beginning you light a candle and then

there is some dudes blowing into conch shells.

We then get taken back into Mayan time....

 

Fire hockey.

The greatest sport ever.

I thought Canada was pretty amazing

but

Aztecs

really knew how to play.

 

The Mayan culture meets the Spanish

 

And then comes Christianity

Then they showed a merge of cultures and ended the first half of the program.

 

The second half started with tons of music.

 

Everyone getting in to it

 

 

In the second half there was tons of music

and dancing and the above guys were 

CRAZY

good.

They did some form of stomp dancing.

They were dressed up like old guys

but then at the end

they removed their masks

and

they were actually 

really

really

old

CRAZY

 

Penny thought her dad needed

a suit like this for church.

haha

 

and then they paid tribute to the influence of the horse.

and then they ended with streamers and confetti.

like I said

totally worth the heat.