It happened while eating popcorn today.
Wednesday, July 28, 2010
Weekend at the cottage
We spent the weekend at Kim and Pascal's chalet in Cottage Country. A long drive for sure, but so worth it with great friends, good food and awesome wine. Thanks for having us guys.
The kids always play so well together.
The rock
Pascal with his iPhone. Technology follows us everywhere.
What a view.
The kids always play so well together.
The rock
Pascal with his iPhone. Technology follows us everywhere.
What a view.
Saturday, July 17, 2010
Enjoying the rest of Suzanne's vacation
As a bonus, Mathieu finally conquers his fear of water. He had started at the pool at the Disney Animal Kingdom Lodge.
Wednesday, July 14, 2010
Florida Vacation: Last Days - St-Augustine
"St. Augustine is a city in the northeast section of Florida and the county seat of St. Johns County, Florida, United States.[1] Founded in 1565 by Spanish explorer and admiral, Pedro Menéndez de Avilés, it is the oldest continuously occupied European-established city and port in the United States.[2] St. Augustine lies in a region of Florida known as "The First Coast", which extends from Amelia Island in the north, and in the south to Jacksonville, St. Augustine and Palm Coast. According to the 2000 census, the city population was 11,592; in 2004, the U.S. Census Bureau estimated that its population had reached 12,157.[3] St. Augustine is the headquarters for the Florida National Guard." Wikipedia, today
This shop was a favorite for the men in our group. It had swords, armors and shields. We couldn't (or wouldn't) afford real swords for the kids, but they did add to their pirate items.
Suzanne loved the beautiful trees.
"The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the United States located in the city of St. Augustine, Florida. Construction was begun on the fort in 1672 by the Spanish when Florida was a Spanish possession. During the twenty year period of British occupation from 1763 until 1784, the fort was renamed Fort St. Mark , and after Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821 the fort was again renamed to Fort Marion, in honor of revolutionary war hero Francis Marion. In 1942 the original name of Castillo de San Marcos was restored by Congress." Wikipedia, today
We visited the Fort on the first day. There are rumors that it's haunted... ooohh :)
We had supper at "The Reef" in Vilano Beach, and Columbia, on the old street (below). Excellent dinners, highly recommended.
We also visited the alligator farm, a great place where both humans and reptiles look at each other and think: "hmmm, tastes like chicken."
"The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is one of Florida's oldest continuously running attractions, having opened on May 20, 1893.[2] Not only does it have over 20 species of crocodilians, but also a variety of other reptiles, mammals, and birds, as well as exhibits, animal performances and educational demonstrations. The address is 999 Anastasia Boulevard." Wikipedia, today
We stayed at the Hampton Inn, a star short of our taste. I called often to make sure we had a beautiful room with balcony and view on the Ocean (no problem sir). When we arrived, we could see the ocean alright, as a sliver on top of the public parking space where Harley Davidson bikers liked to compete for the loudest engine. I rarely complain, but that was a bit too much, and we were move to a slightly better room, with an okay view.
We were there for the beach. The four of us had wonderful moments in front of our hotel (The kids and papa in the water, maman on the sand). We even got to see wild dolphins on the second day! It was excellent!
We left on the last morning back to Orlando to take our flight around noon.
This shop was a favorite for the men in our group. It had swords, armors and shields. We couldn't (or wouldn't) afford real swords for the kids, but they did add to their pirate items.
Suzanne loved the beautiful trees.
"The Castillo de San Marcos is the oldest masonry fort in the United States located in the city of St. Augustine, Florida. Construction was begun on the fort in 1672 by the Spanish when Florida was a Spanish possession. During the twenty year period of British occupation from 1763 until 1784, the fort was renamed Fort St. Mark , and after Florida became a U.S. territory in 1821 the fort was again renamed to Fort Marion, in honor of revolutionary war hero Francis Marion. In 1942 the original name of Castillo de San Marcos was restored by Congress." Wikipedia, today
We visited the Fort on the first day. There are rumors that it's haunted... ooohh :)
We had supper at "The Reef" in Vilano Beach, and Columbia, on the old street (below). Excellent dinners, highly recommended.
We also visited the alligator farm, a great place where both humans and reptiles look at each other and think: "hmmm, tastes like chicken."
"The St. Augustine Alligator Farm Zoological Park is one of Florida's oldest continuously running attractions, having opened on May 20, 1893.[2] Not only does it have over 20 species of crocodilians, but also a variety of other reptiles, mammals, and birds, as well as exhibits, animal performances and educational demonstrations. The address is 999 Anastasia Boulevard." Wikipedia, today
We stayed at the Hampton Inn, a star short of our taste. I called often to make sure we had a beautiful room with balcony and view on the Ocean (no problem sir). When we arrived, we could see the ocean alright, as a sliver on top of the public parking space where Harley Davidson bikers liked to compete for the loudest engine. I rarely complain, but that was a bit too much, and we were move to a slightly better room, with an okay view.
We were there for the beach. The four of us had wonderful moments in front of our hotel (The kids and papa in the water, maman on the sand). We even got to see wild dolphins on the second day! It was excellent!
We left on the last morning back to Orlando to take our flight around noon.
Sunday, July 11, 2010
Florida Vacation: Day 5 - Bye bye Disney
If you need a guide, this is the best. We're using it for our next trip:
Today was our last day at Disney World. Once again we wake up with the Savanah. We had a quick breakfast, packed our stuff and left our fantastic hotel.
We spent the morning at Magic Kingdom. We saw the opening of the park (a great show) then went directly to tomorrow land. Mathieu had a great time at the Buzz Lightyear ride (he wanted to go again and again) and Sabrina went to have a chat with Chip & Dale (I heard that Chip or Dale was cruising my wife...:).
We decided to do a little race before going back to the castle.
Mathieu and Suzanne went to ride the magic teacups, and the kids had a chat with Alice and the rabbit who's always late. Alice was definitely my favorite :)
Back near the castle we again went on a few rides, and it was time to leave the site.
As we were leaving, we came upon the fairy godmother. A big hug for Sabrina and a wish was made (by me, I'm waiting to see if it's going to work :)
We came back to our hotel right in time to jump on the Alamo bus with our luggage. We picked up our car at the Disney Car Centre, and drove to St-Augustine in a fierce thunderstorm, the first rain we saw in Florida.
With the help of the iPhone's GPS features, we easily got to our hotel on the beach. We did not have a big supper that night, we were all so exhausted.
Today was our last day at Disney World. Once again we wake up with the Savanah. We had a quick breakfast, packed our stuff and left our fantastic hotel.
We spent the morning at Magic Kingdom. We saw the opening of the park (a great show) then went directly to tomorrow land. Mathieu had a great time at the Buzz Lightyear ride (he wanted to go again and again) and Sabrina went to have a chat with Chip & Dale (I heard that Chip or Dale was cruising my wife...:).
We decided to do a little race before going back to the castle.
Mathieu and Suzanne went to ride the magic teacups, and the kids had a chat with Alice and the rabbit who's always late. Alice was definitely my favorite :)
Back near the castle we again went on a few rides, and it was time to leave the site.
As we were leaving, we came upon the fairy godmother. A big hug for Sabrina and a wish was made (by me, I'm waiting to see if it's going to work :)
We came back to our hotel right in time to jump on the Alamo bus with our luggage. We picked up our car at the Disney Car Centre, and drove to St-Augustine in a fierce thunderstorm, the first rain we saw in Florida.
With the help of the iPhone's GPS features, we easily got to our hotel on the beach. We did not have a big supper that night, we were all so exhausted.
Saturday, July 10, 2010
Florida Vacation: Day 4 - Disney Downtown
If you need a guide, this is the best. We're using it for our next trip:
You can say that we learned a few things on our 4th vacation day. One is that if you attend to attend more then one park on the same day, you need to have a park hopper (or something like that) pass, otherwise you need to pay the full fare for both parks. We had reservations to have breakfast with Donald at the Tusker house in the Animal Kingdom, and wanted to spend the afternoon at the Magic Kingdom. That didn't pan out, but we still had a great time. The second thing is that if you suffer peanut allergies, it's best to eat at a restaurant, in which case the cost is $100 for either lunch or dinner.
Well breakfast with Donald at the Tusker house was fun, especially since we got to meet Donald, Daisy and Goofy. The kids had a great time.
After breakfast we walked around the Animal Kingdom, did some trails around the Tree of Life and went to play at the Dinosaur Play Park.
It was hot!!!
Thinking we could get into the Magic Kingdom on our pass, we took a bus, and then the Monorail, to get to it. It's definitely part of the experience.
We weren't able to get in, so we came back to the hotel and spent the afternoon in the pool. The kids and I had a great time swimming. Suzanne enjoyed the long chairs and the bar :)
We were meeting Mike, Gen & kids as well as their friends in Downtown Disney. It's a great place to shop, has amazing restaurants and an incredible Lego store. This sea serpent is made in Lego.
It was pretty busy in there, but all kids were happy. The staff even found a lightsaber that Mathieu had lost and gave it to him for free. Amazing place.
We met our friends at T-Rex, a great restaurant full of dinosaurs and sounds. Not a place for a romantic supper, but a treat for the kids.
Another great day.
You can say that we learned a few things on our 4th vacation day. One is that if you attend to attend more then one park on the same day, you need to have a park hopper (or something like that) pass, otherwise you need to pay the full fare for both parks. We had reservations to have breakfast with Donald at the Tusker house in the Animal Kingdom, and wanted to spend the afternoon at the Magic Kingdom. That didn't pan out, but we still had a great time. The second thing is that if you suffer peanut allergies, it's best to eat at a restaurant, in which case the cost is $100 for either lunch or dinner.
Well breakfast with Donald at the Tusker house was fun, especially since we got to meet Donald, Daisy and Goofy. The kids had a great time.
After breakfast we walked around the Animal Kingdom, did some trails around the Tree of Life and went to play at the Dinosaur Play Park.
It was hot!!!
Thinking we could get into the Magic Kingdom on our pass, we took a bus, and then the Monorail, to get to it. It's definitely part of the experience.
We weren't able to get in, so we came back to the hotel and spent the afternoon in the pool. The kids and I had a great time swimming. Suzanne enjoyed the long chairs and the bar :)
We were meeting Mike, Gen & kids as well as their friends in Downtown Disney. It's a great place to shop, has amazing restaurants and an incredible Lego store. This sea serpent is made in Lego.
It was pretty busy in there, but all kids were happy. The staff even found a lightsaber that Mathieu had lost and gave it to him for free. Amazing place.
We met our friends at T-Rex, a great restaurant full of dinosaurs and sounds. Not a place for a romantic supper, but a treat for the kids.
Another great day.
Friday, July 09, 2010
Florida Vacation: Day 3 - Animal Kingdom
If you need a guide, this is the best. We're using it for our next trip:
We wake up to the most beautiful sight out of our window. We have an excellent breakfast at Boma "Dine under thatched roofs at this buffet-style restaurant and try African food inspired by the culinary culture of more than 50 countries." in our hotel.
Being a bit more savvy as to how things worked, we decided to spend the day at the Animal Kingdom park. The fun part about this park is that it's located a few minutes from our hotel, and the buses are more frequent. The park is beautiful, is divided in 5-6 sections such as Africa, Asia, Dinoland, Discovery Island and some smaller ones. Once we pass admission, we are greeted by the Tree of Life on Discovery Island, in the middle of the park.
Our first "ride" is the Safari in the African section
We embark on this real old truck that takes us through the Savanah where we are a breath away from the most beautiful animals. It's a good fifteen minutes and is about the time we have to wait to get on it.
The ride is fantastic. We then go to Dinoland to try to get on the Dinosaur ride. Sabrina has been studying dinosaurs at school and she's in her element, explaining this and that, and teaching us things I didn't even know. We learn how to use the fastpass system at the Dinosaur ride (which is terrifying, btw).
We go to the Asia part to go in the "Kali River Rapid" ride, a super Pitoune, where Sabrina and I get completely wet. We all loved that ride. A few pictures on the other side of the lake separating Dinoland from Asia:
I'm not mentioning the "It's tough to be a bug" ride, where every kid cries in fear. In Dinoland there's this amazing kids park disguised as a bone dig site. Mathieu and Sabrina spend a good half hour in there, running. It's the warmest day of the week, but they're having fun
We're about to leave when we see that a parade is just about to start, so we find a great spot and watch it. It's great.
Finally we go back to the hotel to enjoy the pool. It's great for the kids as there is a beach side where the water goes down gradually. This gives Mathieu the confidence he needs to learn how to swim. The pool is big, very big, but it is never deeper then about 4 feet, so it's great.
When we come back to our room, we have a beautiful giraffe outside our window.
We have dinner at the hotel's cafeteria, a favorite for the kids as it's non-formal and it has a TV showing old Disney cartoons, to which they laugh out loud. Since it's on our meal plan, we like it too, even if the food is not up to par to the other restaurants. But since it cost $100 everytime we sit down for either breakfast, lunch or dinner, it feels good to not spend. A great day.
We wake up to the most beautiful sight out of our window. We have an excellent breakfast at Boma "Dine under thatched roofs at this buffet-style restaurant and try African food inspired by the culinary culture of more than 50 countries." in our hotel.
Being a bit more savvy as to how things worked, we decided to spend the day at the Animal Kingdom park. The fun part about this park is that it's located a few minutes from our hotel, and the buses are more frequent. The park is beautiful, is divided in 5-6 sections such as Africa, Asia, Dinoland, Discovery Island and some smaller ones. Once we pass admission, we are greeted by the Tree of Life on Discovery Island, in the middle of the park.
Our first "ride" is the Safari in the African section
We embark on this real old truck that takes us through the Savanah where we are a breath away from the most beautiful animals. It's a good fifteen minutes and is about the time we have to wait to get on it.
The ride is fantastic. We then go to Dinoland to try to get on the Dinosaur ride. Sabrina has been studying dinosaurs at school and she's in her element, explaining this and that, and teaching us things I didn't even know. We learn how to use the fastpass system at the Dinosaur ride (which is terrifying, btw).
We go to the Asia part to go in the "Kali River Rapid" ride, a super Pitoune, where Sabrina and I get completely wet. We all loved that ride. A few pictures on the other side of the lake separating Dinoland from Asia:
I'm not mentioning the "It's tough to be a bug" ride, where every kid cries in fear. In Dinoland there's this amazing kids park disguised as a bone dig site. Mathieu and Sabrina spend a good half hour in there, running. It's the warmest day of the week, but they're having fun
We're about to leave when we see that a parade is just about to start, so we find a great spot and watch it. It's great.
Finally we go back to the hotel to enjoy the pool. It's great for the kids as there is a beach side where the water goes down gradually. This gives Mathieu the confidence he needs to learn how to swim. The pool is big, very big, but it is never deeper then about 4 feet, so it's great.
When we come back to our room, we have a beautiful giraffe outside our window.
We have dinner at the hotel's cafeteria, a favorite for the kids as it's non-formal and it has a TV showing old Disney cartoons, to which they laugh out loud. Since it's on our meal plan, we like it too, even if the food is not up to par to the other restaurants. But since it cost $100 everytime we sit down for either breakfast, lunch or dinner, it feels good to not spend. A great day.
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