Month: August 2013

The Honeymoon Part 3

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Here’s the final instalment to the quick recap of the honeymoon.  We woke up to a beautiful last morning in Banff.  The sun was out and we headed back to Lake Louise for lunch.

The view was stunning.  There’s something about water and mountains that humble you and makes the pasta you’re having extra tasty 🙂  Once we were done with lunch, we had a quick walk by the lake and then it was back on the road to Salmon Arm where we had great Mexican food for dinner.  We spent a night in an ok B&B but Owlhead Creek B&B was still my favourite.  The next time I’m in the area, that’s the only place I’ll be staying in.

The next morning after a quick breakfast and we were on our way back home to Vancouver.  We had quite a bit to cover so we didn’t want to waste too much time.  Even though I really wanted to try wake boarding on Shuswap Lake.  Next time 🙂  We stopped in Merritt for lunch where we found a lovely sandwich place that served a very yummy vegan chocolate cake!!  I love Canada 🙂

Needless to say I was a very happy camper on the way back to Vancouver 🙂  When the Port Mann bridge came into sight, I could feel the country way of life give way to the city.  It wasn’t a bad thing.  Not at all.  I’ve come to realise that nature feeds my soul and the city feeds my mind.  I need both to be a happy me 🙂

My father-in-law picked us up as we dropped off our rental and I got to visit his workshop.  For my husband, it was a little nostalgic and for me, very novel and educational.  Millwork is an art and I have a new found love for cabinets and things made of wood.  I’ve always liked them but I now have a greater appreciation for them.  How the wood is curved, made from one piece, put together with no screws 🙂

My favourite thing about my father-in-law’s workshop is his collection of antique planes.  Technology sure has made production easier but there’s something about the old way of doing things that warms my heart.  Then it was back for dinner with a view on the balcony.

Day 12 saw us hanging out in Vancouver and dropping by another vegetarian favourite of mine where I had great veggie burger.  Shopped a little in the grocery store and happy to report most of the things I need is available in Singapore.  They never use to be and I had to lug them back from Canada :p  I don’t anymore.  We even found time to catch up with a friend over tea.

I forgot my phone on Day 13 and so no pictures there.  We caught up with Aaron’s friends and their kids.  Of course, I had a whale of a time since there were cute kids around 🙂

Instead of wildlife sightings, on day 14, I chanced upon my father-in-law’s neighbour’s kitty cat.  He peeked around the corner as I was waiting for the lift and was friendly enough to let me pat him.

Then finally the honeymoon and the vacation came to an end and I found myself finishing Downton Abbey Season 3 on my plane ride home.  That needs another post altogether but in a nutshell, it made me cry and I felt sorry for the couple sitting next to me.  They probably think my boyfriend or husband has abandoned me.  The transit in Taipei was much quicker than the one heading to Vancouver.  There was even an interesting exhibition of an artist that worked with scrap metal.  It kept me busy till boarding.

After about four and a half hours, I was back in Singapore where my sister and Wags picked me up with yummy local veggie bee hoon.  Perfect wrap to a fantastic honeymoon 🙂  To which my husband reminded me, will not be a regular thing O_o

I say, we take what we get 😉  Happy Wednesday everyone!!

The Intern

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I don’t know if I was a good intern (all of the two time I was one) but Cloudpic’s first intern has been such a blast to work with.  So it is with a heavy heart that I write this post because after 3 months, it’s his last day today.

That’s him to my left and quite honestly, there is nothing I could complain about having an intern, especially one that came in the shape of him.  It’s rare to find initiative and curiosity in one person nowadays.  Our intern has both and he’s reliable too!!

So Illias, we’ll miss you.  Don’t be a stranger 🙂  Keep in touch.  You may not be sure what you want to do right now but keep doing your best and I’m pretty sure everything will work out as it should 😉 All the best!!

Part 2 of the Honeymoon

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Our first full day in Banff is day 6, we took it easy.  Enjoyed our egg free muffins for breakfast and I’m loving this B&B route we decided on.  Then we walked into the town, had lunch and went to the museum.

Found out how the town of Banff was founded and how the love for skiing and mountaineering in Canada started.  I particularly love the photo in the bottom left hand corner which are hand made goggles from the late 19th century to face the ice storms in winter.

Day 7 was another road trip in itself.  We were going to see the icefields that were a two and a half hour drive away from Banff.  It started with my favourite muffins of the week, Cherry Vanilla Crumble Muffins.  Then we saw an elk and a Mama bear and her two cubs on the way!!

Again the views were stunning.  There is something about water that immediately calms me and something about mountains that humble me.  I was often speechless, which is rare for me :p  When I finally got to the glacier, I was as excitable as a kid in a candy store.

Being on top of a glacier that feeds into three ocean was quite the thrill for me.  I even managed to have a sip of glacier water.  It was icy cold and extremely fresh.  It was a lovely summer day and in my mind, I couldn’t imagine what it would be like during winter O_o

By the time we came down from the glacier, it was dinner time.  The sun was still out but our tummies were ready for dinner and guess what we had.  Chinese food!!  Yep, in the middle of Canada by the Rockies, we had pretty good Chinese vegetarian food.  Can’t wait to bring my parents and my sister there now 🙂

Day 8 saw us being in total tourist mode and getting on the Banff gondola.  The queue going up was long but not as long as the line up coming down!!  You’d think it’s a ride at Disneyland.  All in all, it was worth it 🙂  You can see the whole town of Banff from Mount Sulphur, they did a good job with the board walks and making it friendly for all ages.  Again another spot to bring my parents and my sister!!

Day 9 was a long day for us.  It started with a pretty hike by Johnston Creek.  Again it was friendly for all ages so it was crowded because it was a lovely summer day to be out and about.  We took out time and enjoyed the sights and little chipmunks aka pikas along the way.  They were chubby little things because everyone was feeding them.

Then it was off to Lake Moraine.  A beautiful turquoise lake nestled in the Rockies.

We took a lovely hike along the lake and stumbled on a trail that needed 4 or more people to do.  Yes, apparently bears and cougars are less likely to attack if you’re part of a bigger group and noisy.  After Lake Moraine, we moved on to Lake Louise.

Less turquoise than Lake Moraine because of the rock flour.  So Lake Louise is more green.  Then we headed back to Banff.  In time for jaunt to the place where we met some 12 years ago 🙂

It was 2001 and during the Banff TV Festival, we met in one of the rooms of the convention center.  So it was nostalgic for the both of us to walk through the hallways and the bus stop where we had a brief conversation that is clear in both our memories.  A wonderful wrap to a beautiful day 🙂 and part 2 of the post.

Rachael Turns 4

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I got back from my honeymoon just in time for my goddaughter’s birthday.  It’s her first year in school and so we decided to surprise her with a small celebration in school.  Her face when I arrived was too cute for words.  I wish I had a camera but it’s one of those moments to savour and best remembered as a memory 🙂

Boy oh boy, do I love little kids gathered in a spot together.  I’m not sure what it is but it does warm my heart when there are children around 🙂  These were very well behaved children at that, most were engaging and talking to me.  Some were as shy as my goddaughter but most were telling me their names and who’s birthday it is.  Rach, like her sister and brother, is totally shy in school and her teacher even said she does not speak unless she really HAS to but it was lovely to see how happy she was basking in the attention.  As one should on your 4th birthday 🙂

The celebration continued at dinner time and she was still enjoying her day.

Happy birthday my little darling!!  Love you HEAPS and can’t wait to watch you turn from 4 to 5 now 🙂

6 Year Wait

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Some things are truly worth the wait and my honeymoon is one of them.  We got married in 2007 and knew that we wanted to do our honeymoon in Banff, Canada where we first met.  Time and money usually got in the way of making it happen but finally the stars aligned and we made it happen this year.  Here’s part 1 of 3 to a quick recap of being away for 2 weeks.

It takes a little more than 24hours for us to get to Vancouver.  The transit in Taipei was quite a while and of course, I filled up on yummy veggie dumplings 🙂  We landed in Vancouver at 8pm and the sun was’t even down yet.  I love summers in Canada!!  Actually I love summers everywhere.

Day 1 saw us going into the States where my Father-in-law recently bought a cabin on Mount Baker.  It was a lovely getaway and just what we needed to get into the time zone.  There’s something your body gets from nature.

Day 2 was my husband’s 39th birthday and he was so happy to be back home celebrating it with family.  Birthday celebrations were at my sister-in-law’s new place where we chanced on a couple of deers who didn’t seem to mind us at all.

For the birthday celebrations, my sister-in-law cooked up a dinner and made an awesome vegan carrot cake.  Needless to say by the end of the night, we were all satiably in need of a bed.

My husband and I stayed over at my sister-in-law’s and got in some work on day 3.  Picked up our rental car for the road trip and went to the Naam for dinner.  It is my favourite vegetarian restaurant in Vancouver!!  I could eat there EVERYDAY 🙂  Had an apple blueberry pie BEFORE dinner and was again very happy by the end of the night.  I’ve come to realise vegan desserts make me very happy.

Day 4 was the official start of the honeymoon and after lunch, we drove out of Vancouver towards Banff.  It would take about 8 over hours so we broke the trip up and planned to stop in Sicamous.  I’m so very glad we did.  We ended up at Owlhead Creek B&B and I would go back again for sure.

If nothing else, Deb the owner, makes AMAZING breakfast.  The best we had the whole honeymoon.  I would consider moving back to Vancouver just so I can take long weekend breaks at the Owlhead Creek B&B :p  The surrounding trails were beautiful.

After a quick hike where I saw the biggest pine cone ever and a wooden branch that looks like an iguana, we were back on the road towards to Banff.

The views on the road were stunning and we stopped at the rest stops just to take them in.  My favourite stop was the Northern Light Wildlife Wolf Centre.

Everyone knows I’m not crazy about zoos and aquariums.  I understand the necessity for them but I’m not crazy about them.  Same with this center, I totally understand the need and appreciate the fact that I could be looking straight at wolves.  Yet a little part of me was sad.  I would never like to be enclosed and I guess that empathy for wild animals is why I’m not crazy about zoos and aquariums.  That said, if you are in the area, it is worth checking them out.  While I’m not crazy about enclosures, I’m all for helping 🙂  We bade farewell to the pack, went back on the road and arrived in Banff ready for dinner.

Once we settled in our cozy cabin, we took a quick walk to the only vegan restaurant in Banff, Nourish Bistro.  It was a little expensive for what they were serving but not bad at all 🙂

Part 2 and 3 coming up.