travel

Busy in Barcelona

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To follow up our relaxing time in Tamariu we jam packed our adventure in Barcelona. To be quite honest though, we really did not start off on the right foot. The two of us took a taxi from our seaside oasis to the train station in Girona (super clean) and headed down to the big city. We had a bit of time to kill so we wandered around with our huge backpacks on. Ended up taking a seat in España Industrial Park. It had the sweetest metal dragon slide! It was massive! I truly regret not giving it a try.

So while were just chilling this odd guy comes up to us… he seemed friendly at first but got increasingly upset as he tried to communicate with us and I had no idea what he was saying. I could not tell weather he wanted my shoes or backpack, but he was pointing at them both? A few other people watching this go down. He sat across from us in a huff muttering to himself. It was quite uncomfortable and not a very good first impression. We just went back to the station to find out what train we needed to take. Trying to get to Terrassa, we ended up at the beach in Badalona. In case you might not be familiar with the area… this is in the complete opposite direction! Our mistake corrected, (even though I really was tempted to just stroll the sandy shoreline) we arrived on time to meet our neighbour’s cousin. She was graciously hosting us for two nights. In the hustle, I ended up losing my ticket to swipe out of the underground. While frantically searching my Fit Bit came off. Matt and I had both gone through the gates on his ticket before I realized. I looked back and could see it on the seat. I made eye contact with the only person seated there and started pointing like a crazy person. Thankfully the young guy noticed and brought it to me. My faith was restored!

So, enough of my whining! After a late evening of sight seeing suggestions, Matt and I got an early start the following day. My ever precious fitness tracker tells me we had over 30,000 steps by the end of it. We started of with Park Güell. It is one of the major displays of Antoni Gaudí’s work in Barcelona, boasting over 100 years of history. Although the architecture is very over the top, it was definitely something to see. The colourful mosaic work was stunning.

A funny little story about the park… and I apologize if it is one of those “had to be there” kind of things. There were a few musical groups and individuals selling souvenirs along the many pathways. The rows of salesmen had all of their trinkets placed out on blankets. A few on the ends had earrings on umbrellas. After walking a good deal of the park, we took a quick rest in a picnic area with a great view of the different tiers. Some upbeat tunes in the distance. It became apparent that the merchants were not supposed to be there. About twenty of them had snatched up their sheets by the four corners, tied them up and tossed them over their shoulder in a hurry. The whole scene resembled a fast paced Charlie Chaplin style film as they quickly scattered throughout the area in different directions. Two community police officers in quick pursuit, never quite catching any of them. Music still playing in the background! It was just one of those fantastic stand out moments. I don’t even know which side I was rooting for!?

From there we walked, what felt like, the entire city! We checked out the infamous construction zone that is the Sagrada Familia, cruised by the Cathedral of Barcelona, strolled the streets of Old Town and perused the Picasso Museum. Though I can’t say I was a huge fan of the mythological print collection, I really enjoyed some of the paintings from the Blue Period and  a lot of his earlier work. At some point we ate lunch, made our way to the harbour front and back up La Rambla. We viewed the city from the top of the Arenas shopping centre. It was converted from an old bull fighting ring. So cool! We ended our day watching the sunset from the Catalan National Art Museum with hopes to catch the beginning of the Magic Fountain of Montjuic. So did everyone else! Needless to say, were we happy to take our shoes off at the end of the day. A good nights sleep and off to the airport (it could honestly put all of our shopping malls to shame) in the morning.

Catalan National Art Museum
Cathedral of Barcelona
The Magic Fountain show is about to get started!
Magic Fountain of Montjuïc
Pillars at Park Güell

 

BONUS! Can you spot the owl?

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A view of Barcelona from the park.
Busy in Barcelona

Tranquil Tamariu

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So our next stop on the grand Euro-adventure was Spain. To ease the stress of our arrival Matt hired a driver to take us from Girona to Tamariu. Fantastic idea! Even though we miscalculated our arrival time by an hour due to a zone change our guy was there name sign in hand. Now… every time you get off a plane there’s a bunch of people with those signs waiting for their lucky passengers. I always look for mine just to pretend I am cool enough to have a driver. This time I WAS… except it was actually Matt’s name, same difference. The little things, right? He seemed a bit surprised when we approached him… our backpacker look and super casual clothing probably caught him off guard. He loaded our stuff, we hopped in the Mercedes and enjoyed the ride.

BEAUTIFUL! This little costal cove village was absolutely beautiful with it’s white buildings, rust coloured cliffs and turquoise waters. I am pretty sure we had the best balcony view in the house at Hotel Hostalillo. Check it out!

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We started our first of three nights off with a bang. And by bang, I mean, I drank too much and was nursing a wine fever well into the afternoon the next day. Blah… I hate wasting days! Unfortunately, I was unconscious while Matt was having beers on the balcony with his feet up. There was no one to remind him that sunscreen is a thing. By the time awoke he had a wicked short burn from the knee down.

Things seem to be a lot more relaxed here. It really jives with my inner clock. I enjoy starting my (non-hangover) days at 8-10 as opposed to 6-8 in the morning. And dinner at 8:00 PM is status quo! Though we quickly accepted this new mentality, it did throw us for a loop when we never received our dinner bill. After our dessert and coffee and over an hour of waiting… we ended up just paying at the till. We kept trying to flag a waitress or make eye contact to no avail. We didn’t want to be rude, and maybe there was a language barrier. Maybe this is normal? Anyways, it seemed to be the case at a few different destinations in the coming weeks, so whatever.

Our perfect beach day happened on day two. The coolest thing about the shoreline was the sand. It wasn’t really sand at all! It was tiny rocks. If any stuck to you, they could easily be brushed off. It was awesome! Strolls along a cliff side trail, walks along the beach, relaxing with a book, swimming in the sea and a topless lady partaking in a game of badminton. We were sad to say goodbye to the little town of Tamariu.

Tranquil Tamariu

Shipped to Shropshire!

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Over a month ago we began our busy and exciting Eurotrip. Sadly, our precious pup Harley could not come. Though he was missed, we made sure to have an excellent time with lots of stories to share with him upon our return.

Note: The Air Transat plane was a comfortable upgrade from some we have flown on in the past. I was pleasantly surprised. Definitely the best one of the trip.

Our first stop took us back to England for Matt’s second and my third time. Cask ales, castles, charming British accents, history and of course, long lost family… what’s not to love? Something always feels like home here. I am not sure if it is the always warm welcome, the comforting level of Stirk crazy, the thankfully familiar language or the delicious dinners but I am glad we chose Shropshire as our first destination.

We managed to squeeze in a rest day before heading out to see the sights! Enjoy!

 

LUDLOW CASTLE

Ludlow is an 11th century castle ruins with a rich history. It was built by Walter de Lacy, William the Conqueror’s second in command, to secure his newly aquired lands along the border of England and Wales. It was also the principal seat of Richard Mortimer, Duke of York in the 1400s. He went on to lead the Yorkists in the War of the Roses. His son, Edward IV as well as his grandsons, the Princes in the Tower, were all brought up within the walls of Ludlow Castle. Prince Arthur, Henry VIII’s elder brother died here during his honeymoon with future queen, Catharine of Aragon. His heart was buried at Ludlow.

So, yeah… there is your quick history lesson. Today the castle ruins are a wonderful example of man vs. nature. Walking through, I couldn’t help but notice all the beautiful ways in which the plants here are taking back their land. Along with the vegetation, Ludlow Castle also hosts many festivals and educational programs throughout the year. Most notably the Ludlow Food Spring Festival with food, classic cars and lots of CRAFT BEER! How could we have missed it?! Next time…

 

 

POWIS CASTLE AND GARDEN

Beginning its life as a medieval fortress in the 1200s, Powis Castle eventually became the home of the Herbert family. Each generation added to the collection creating a very unique accumilation of art and historical items.

There were literally sooooo many things! It reminded me of an episode of hoarders with really interesting, historical and expensive stuff… in a CASTLE! Among my favourite things on our tour was the pietre sure table (#2). Legend be told, a gift from the pope! Because these marble and semi-precious stone tables are so heavy, it is very rare to have the top as well as the stand together like the one at Powis. Though I did not take any photos inside, I did manage to snap some of the gardens and the exterior of the castle.

 

 

WIGHTWICK MANOR

Wightwick is an Old English style Victorian Era manor built under the influence of the Art and Crafts Movement in 1887. Though not nearly as old as the first two places, there was still a significant amount of historical architecture, art and artifacts.

A couple of things that stood out to me were the William De Morgan ceramic fireplaces, the woodwork in the grand parlour, and the secret stair from the drawing room to the bedroom. I had to ask to see it! If Lady Mander saw there was company coming she could sneak off to fix herself up and greet them by coming down the grand stairway. So cool!

 

 

FAMILY!

Shipped to Shropshire!

West Coast Hospitality!

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There is so much to love about the West Coast of Canada and as wonderful as the sights (and beer) have been, the best part for me is the people. Friends, family and family of friends, it didn’t matter. Whether it was planned or, like most of the trip, spur of the moment, we were welcomed with open arms to each place we visited. Everyone knew we were coming out but not exactly when. A day or two before arriving I would message to let them know we were going to be in their area soon.


YAHK

Our first stop was, Yahk (pronounced Yack), a tiny town close to the US border. Coming from the states it was a natural initial destination. Here we stayed at my long lost cousin and her husband’s place. Though their handsome German shepherd-husky, Remi, and Harley did not hit it off as well as hoped we had an absolutely great time.

We enjoyed a show by the Northern Lights (sorry, no pictures) while sitting around the fire on a Saturday night. We went, unsuccessfully, panning for gold and learned a great deal about the BC claims. We also took a hike out to Perry Creek. It swung by an old mining shaft, rich with history. The real sight, however, was the waterfall at the end of the trail. My cousin and I, always adventurers, wanted a view from the top. The incline was steep, the branches were dead, the rocks were loose and the rope was worn. After reaching the top, (as far as we decided to go) with absolutely no view whatsoever, we quickly realized that getting up was the easy part. The decline ended in a mini-rock slide, initiated by a poor footing choice on my part, resulting in a boulder launching itself towards Matt. His lightning fast reflexes allowed him to lift up his foot with precision as the rock rolled under and into the river. I will add this to my list of poor life decisions.

 

SQUAMISH

Next stop… Squamish! For a couple of nights we lived the dream! One of my best friend’s Aunt and Uncle have the most beautiful home and property on a hill overlooking the mountains. There were spectacular walking trails, literally, in their backyard. We were absolutely grateful for our stay with them and even hit up some suggested day trips while we were there. We checked out the Wonderland Hiking/Mountain Biking Trail and Anderson Beach on the Squamish River. Just a small sample of what the area has to offer. Their sweetheart of a dog, Maggie, kept the cougars and bears away while we all had a campfire. Harley pretended that he was being useful by following her lead. We were able to make it out to our first puppy free dinner and even dropped $10 at the casino. I know… I know… big spenders! The star lit hot tub topped it of. Life goals! Definitely could have just spent the rest of our trip here but, alas, we needed to move on. Our trailer stayed in the driveway and we headed over to Vancouver Island where we were greeted with more outstanding hospitality.

 

COWICHAN BAY

Our next host was the daughter of a good family friend. Her paintings graced the walls of a B&B that is very close to my heart. Having seen many photos and hearing warming stories of her personality it was as if we had already met. I was excited for the chance to finally do so. We visited her and her husband at their organic farm on Vancouver Island. As an artist and activist she and her partner have been creating an environment and gallery display to encourage native bee conservation. Their acreage was a habitat blooming with flowers, herbs, and trees with a greater purpose to bring the bees back to the island. They are truly talking the talk and walking the walk. It was absolutely inspiring. Not to mention the amazing woodworking projects on the go! Dinner out at Craig Street Brewing Co. in Duncan had the best burger. Red Hot and Blue for the win! (Matt’s meal… but I had a bite, and it really was fantastic.) We spent the night in a two-bedroom trailer with pull-outs! – A nice upgrade from our bachelor. Spoiled with a patio-top pancake breakfast, garden grown strawberries included, we were sad to leave so soon and have promised to be back again!

 

COMOX VALLEY

Our last stop before heading out to Tofino was in the Comox Valley. And old friend from Sea Cadets has found himself in Courtney. We were grateful to have someone share all the local places with us on our short visit. It’s hard to say what the best was. We strolled through Stotan Falls and had delicious pizza at a local brew-pub. Enjoyed the Ripple Rock trail in Campbell River and desperately found lunch at the only place open on a Sunday. With great food and drinks, the White Whale did not disappoint. The patio weather was spot on and I even found a pearl in my raw oyster. Three cheers to a tasty, thirst-quenching, wheat beer, Forest Fog, by Cumberland Brewing Co. On our way back through (from Tofino) he met us for a stroll though Cathedral Grove and a visit to Goats on Roof, market in Coombs. There was a goat… however… he was not on the roof.

 

A huge, heartfelt, thank you to those who helped make our trip amazing!

West Coast Hospitality!

Yellowstone, Yellowstone, Yellowstone…

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So, funny story… I thought “Old Faithful” was a dog… Apparently I was thinking of “Old Yeller” and somehow got things super mixed up. Honest mistake. Turns out there are no dogs here at all and Old Faithful is actually a hole in the ground that frequently erupts boiling water. An old geyser you might say.

We decided that we would set up our home base in West Yellowstone, Montana at the Rustic Wagon RV Campground. It had everything we could ever dream of… hot showers and electricity! Turns out the West Gate was an excellent, uneducated decision on our part. Many of the roads from other access points were still closed for the winter. It seems as though we came out a bit too soon. PRO: There weren’t as many people as there are in the summer. CON: Some of the trails were not open for us to enjoy because it was still early in the season.

A fun fact… everything in West Yellowstone is at the same intersection according to Google Maps (the RV Park, the pet store, the Veterinarian’s office etc.). Eventually we were able to find most places. The vet is only open on Monday and Wednesday from 8 – 12 but we fit the window and were able to get the much needed tick medication for our pup.

The drive into the park was quite spectacular! Buffalo everywhere! Just walking along-side the car, stopping traffic. No big deal! Headed south toward Old Faithful on the first day, we quickly discovered that dogs are not very welcome. A sad day for our four-legged travelling companion. Luckily for every trail Harley wasn’t allowed on, there was a group of foreign travelers that wanted a photo op with him. Paparazzi! Tons of attention! Matt and Har will be gracing the pages of many photos albums that I tried desperately to stay out of.

After finding out that dogs are actually seen as predators in the US National Parks and can disturb migration patterns of elk and other animals we took turns on the short trails. I did a couple longer ones with the camera so Matt could see what he missed. Not an ideal way to see explore but ah well. It was pretty scenic either way. We saw tons of Buffalo, the geothermal areas, Old Faithful’s eruption, Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon and a massive swarm of photographers with camouflage zoom lenses. It turns out there was a mama grizzly bear with THREE cubs. Very rare indeed! (Also not many kilometres away from an earlier solo hiking spot of mine… Eeee! Terrifying!)

As cool as the wildlife traffic jams were the best drive was between the Norris and Mammoth Hot Springs junctions. The variety of terrain and views were golden. Anyways… instead of telling you, I might as well just show you the colours of Yellowstone. Three categories… The Classics, The Critters and The Colours. In closing before the photo show begins, and in case anyone was wondering, we found Harley a place to stretch his legs in the form of an old grassy airfield around the corner from our temporary home. All in all, I would consider this stop a success. Enjoy!

The Classics!

Buffalo Roaming!
Harley with the Old Faithful Sign.
Old Faithful Erupting!
Yellowstone’s Grand Canyon
Mammoth Hot Springs

 

The Critters!

Harley’s Nemesis

 

The Colours!

 

Bonus! An alternate take on “HAM” Adventures!

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Yellowstone, Yellowstone, Yellowstone…

Our Last Adventure In Lego – NZ

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Facebook Memories is a truly wonderful thing. For the last couple of weeks I have been reminded of that time we took a trip to New Zealand two years ago. Generally I take photos (almost exclusively) of landscapes but on this particular trip our Lego avatars were the stars of the journey. (This took the place of having to actually be in the photos!)

We started in Queenstown and worked our way up to the North Island via camper van. The first thing we did while in the South Island, before picking up our smelly camper, was one of New Zealand’s Great Walks, Routeburn Track. In this case, we most certainly did not save the best for last. When people ask me what our favourite part was, this is it. Wow, just wow! It was three and a half days of hiking and the trifecta of terrible sleeps, but I will forever remember it as the most amazing experience (until the next one if course). Fantastic scenery galore! Never again will I complain of walking in the rain as it always brings back memories of our breathtaking trek through the Mount Aspiring and Fiordland National Parks. To top it off we hit up Milford Sound on the loop to Q-Town.

Of course while were back in the “Adventure Capital of the World” we had to do something extraordinarily adventurous. (Sorry, no skydiving for this gal.) Our wonderful hosts at Pounamu Apartments suggested we try the Skipper’s Canyon Jet boat. It was a little out of the way (there is one closer to town) but when they say “GETTING TO THE BOAT IS HALF THE ADVENTURE” they mean it! Tons of fun! A truly terrifying bus ride and so worth it.

From there we went gold digging in Arrowtown, saw what I am pretty sure will be the most amazing sunset of my life from the Otago Peninsula in Dunedin, checked out NZ’s only castle, drove through Arthur’s Pass, hit up the West Coast and the pancake rocks (Punakaiki)!, caught the sunrise in Abel Tasman National Park and missed the ferry in Picton.

After being put on the waiting list for the following day we just squeaked on the boat to Wellington. If we did get a do over for the whole trip, we would have book this ahead of time. We would have also looked into dropping the van off and getting a new one on the other side. It is a lot cheaper to just take the ferry without a vehicle.

Though we did not have quite as much time for the North Island, we did make some great stops. We stayed in Taupo (Lake Taupo) on the first night, and hit up a small hot spring in a local park early in the morning. From there we stopped at Wai-O-Tapu. Arriving just before they set of the geyser, we decided to skip out and head straight into the park. (We had already seen a natural one in Iceland.) What a great idea! We literally had the place to ourselves. So cool! And the colours were amazing! The mud pools are a must! Thoroughly entatained.

We ended our stay in Auckland after stopping by Redoubt – Bar and Eatery in Te Awamutu. (A favourite spot of a friend of ours.) New Zealand’s largest city brought walks on the waterfront, fresh oysters, souvenirs and, of course, our very first rugby game! It also brought the end of our trip that we were so very sad to say goodbye to.

However, our Lego characters live on in Facebook Memories and a Canadian Living blog post by Jamie Anderson.

Cheers to enjoying life in the moment and creating memories that will last a lifetime!

Everything is Awesome!

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