Last year at this time, I was here. So hard to believe! Most days, it seems unreal... like it was someone else's life experience. But no! T'was me... It really was my dream come true.
Pace e bene,
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Showing posts with label travel. Show all posts
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Wednesday, July 02, 2008
Pittsburgh Pics...
The rain has finally let up and we've had two wonderful days of sunshine... Here are a few photos from yesterday's explorations.
View of downtown from Mt. Washington (from atop Duquesne Incline)
Proof postive that we are indeed in Pittsburgh!
From this vantage point near the Convention Centre, I could count 9 bridges crossing the Allegheny River. How many do you see here? 
I was happy to see this nod to Canada Day at Shenley Plaza at The Pitt.
We spent several hours at the Phipps Conservatory & Botanical Gardens - and we still didn't have time to see it all. I was thrilled to discover several installations by glass artist Dale Chihuly, fully integrated to the space. I'll post more pics of these later!Pace e bene,
Tuesday, July 01, 2008
Celebrating from south of the border...
HAPPY CANADA DAY from... Pittsburgh?!
Yep, on this July 1st - Canada's 141st birthday - I'm celebrating from Pittsburgh... We're here on vacation and arrived safely yesterday. We encountered some major rainfall along the way! The worst one was on Sunday, just past Belleville along Lake Ontario. Cars that were speeding along at 120-130 kph suddenly faced white-out conditions and had to slow down to 40! For the first time, our little Mini Cooper got to use its four-way flashers. Cars were pulling off to the side to wait out the storm, but we moved steadily - and slowly - along. Then, almost as quick as it came, it was gone. We've encountered a lot more rain, but nothing quite as dramatic as that!
As for Pittsburgh? What a pleasant surprise so far! When hearing of our plans, many friends looked at us with a puzzled expression: Pittsburgh?! However, you'd be amazed at all there is to see and do in this city of 2.4 million. We're here for a specific gathering with friends, and will have some free time - like today for example. Museums with world-class collections... amazing architecture... shopping districts... eclectic neighbourhoods... Botanical gardens... trails for running... bridges, bridges and more bridges... LOTS! Who knew?!!
So today, as I walk around with my Canada hat on, I'll be taking in the local sights... but my heart will be celebrating CANADA!!
Pace e bene,
Yep, on this July 1st - Canada's 141st birthday - I'm celebrating from Pittsburgh... We're here on vacation and arrived safely yesterday. We encountered some major rainfall along the way! The worst one was on Sunday, just past Belleville along Lake Ontario. Cars that were speeding along at 120-130 kph suddenly faced white-out conditions and had to slow down to 40! For the first time, our little Mini Cooper got to use its four-way flashers. Cars were pulling off to the side to wait out the storm, but we moved steadily - and slowly - along. Then, almost as quick as it came, it was gone. We've encountered a lot more rain, but nothing quite as dramatic as that!
As for Pittsburgh? What a pleasant surprise so far! When hearing of our plans, many friends looked at us with a puzzled expression: Pittsburgh?! However, you'd be amazed at all there is to see and do in this city of 2.4 million. We're here for a specific gathering with friends, and will have some free time - like today for example. Museums with world-class collections... amazing architecture... shopping districts... eclectic neighbourhoods... Botanical gardens... trails for running... bridges, bridges and more bridges... LOTS! Who knew?!!
So today, as I walk around with my Canada hat on, I'll be taking in the local sights... but my heart will be celebrating CANADA!!
Pace e bene,
Monday, May 12, 2008
Scenes from Mississauga...
CONGRATS to Hubby who successfully completed his 12th marathon! What a great weekend; seems like all we did was run & eat... and eat... and eat. Accompanied by such a fun group of friends, I really couldn't have asked for more. Hope you enjoy these few pics from the Mississauga Marathon Weekend...
jag's post-10km salute
jag & shiny gold medal (in my mind, I came in first :-))
Mississauga marathoner friends (l-r: jim, heather, mark & Hubby)
more medallists (Hubby, John & Vanessa)
the Mississauga Gang (l-r: jim, lin, jag, ros, Hubby, john & vanessa)
Pace e bene,
Tuesday, May 06, 2008
Leaving Las Vegas...
After leaving Las Vegas, here are a few things I learned...
Never underestimate the amount of walking you will do in Las Vegas. The tour books will tell you... the web sites will tell you... people who have been there before will tell you... and yet you cannot hear it enough: BRING COMFORTABLE SHOES! I traipsed around Tuscany for three weeks last year, with nary a blister. Five days in Vegas and my tootsies were toast.
Everything is most certainly further than it appears. The Strip is one big optical illusion. You'd swear that the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino is "just over there". In fact, you can see the sign from where you're standing. Back home, a sign that size is about a block or so away. In Vegas, however, letters on the building are three stories high. The MGM Grand is in fact a mile (1.6km) away. That's a loooong block.
Don't go to the Wax Museum by yourself. It's not much fun. There are only so many pictures of waxy celebrities that you can take on your own. And it's a pain to ask a nearby tourist "S'cuse me... can you take a picture of me with George Clooney?" "S'cuse me... can you take a picture of me with Elvis? ... with Jon Bon Jovi? ...with Bette Midler? ...with fill-in-the-blank??"
DO go to Tix4Tonight for discounted tickets to a show... to an attraction... to restaurants. I saved 50% off my ticket to see Nathan Burton (magician), 10$ off my ticket to Madame Tussaud's as well as 25$ each off our tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's KÀ.
The two best freebies in town are the Big Elvis Show at Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon and the Fountains of Bellagio. I kept coming back for more of these two very different forms of entertainment. Hey, the price was right! :-)
Take the time to chat with your fellow tourists. You never know what might come of it! While standing in line at Tix4Tonight, I met Catherine & Éric from Paris, France. They gave me their email address and invited us to come and visit them sometime, perhaps for the Paris Marathon?! (Eric is a marathon runner, as is Hubby of course.) And my favourite acquaintance was no doubt Albert. He & I shared a table at the Nathan Burton Magic Show. He had a twinkle in his eye, a hearty laugh and a genuinely kind smile. He told me about when he used to come to Vegas in the late 40's - things were quite different back then! After the show - which featured a lot of illusions - he turned to me with a wide grin and said: "I suspect we've been duped, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how he did it!" :-)
And finally, Vegas (or the Strip, at least) is one gigantic, excessive illusion.
The Statue of Liberty? Fake.
The Eiffel Tower? Fake.
The Piazza San Marco? Fake.
The green lawn at the Wynn Las Vegas? Fake.
And yet... the fun experience I had exploring this "shadow's playground"? REAL!
It was a hoot and I'm grateful for this opportunity that came about, quite unexpectedly. Life is good!
Pace e bene,
Never underestimate the amount of walking you will do in Las Vegas. The tour books will tell you... the web sites will tell you... people who have been there before will tell you... and yet you cannot hear it enough: BRING COMFORTABLE SHOES! I traipsed around Tuscany for three weeks last year, with nary a blister. Five days in Vegas and my tootsies were toast.
Everything is most certainly further than it appears. The Strip is one big optical illusion. You'd swear that the MGM Grand Hotel & Casino is "just over there". In fact, you can see the sign from where you're standing. Back home, a sign that size is about a block or so away. In Vegas, however, letters on the building are three stories high. The MGM Grand is in fact a mile (1.6km) away. That's a loooong block.
Don't go to the Wax Museum by yourself. It's not much fun. There are only so many pictures of waxy celebrities that you can take on your own. And it's a pain to ask a nearby tourist "S'cuse me... can you take a picture of me with George Clooney?" "S'cuse me... can you take a picture of me with Elvis? ... with Jon Bon Jovi? ...with Bette Midler? ...with fill-in-the-blank??"
DO go to Tix4Tonight for discounted tickets to a show... to an attraction... to restaurants. I saved 50% off my ticket to see Nathan Burton (magician), 10$ off my ticket to Madame Tussaud's as well as 25$ each off our tickets to see Cirque du Soleil's KÀ.
The two best freebies in town are the Big Elvis Show at Bill's Gamblin' Hall & Saloon and the Fountains of Bellagio. I kept coming back for more of these two very different forms of entertainment. Hey, the price was right! :-)
Take the time to chat with your fellow tourists. You never know what might come of it! While standing in line at Tix4Tonight, I met Catherine & Éric from Paris, France. They gave me their email address and invited us to come and visit them sometime, perhaps for the Paris Marathon?! (Eric is a marathon runner, as is Hubby of course.) And my favourite acquaintance was no doubt Albert. He & I shared a table at the Nathan Burton Magic Show. He had a twinkle in his eye, a hearty laugh and a genuinely kind smile. He told me about when he used to come to Vegas in the late 40's - things were quite different back then! After the show - which featured a lot of illusions - he turned to me with a wide grin and said: "I suspect we've been duped, but for the life of me, I can't figure out how he did it!" :-)
And finally, Vegas (or the Strip, at least) is one gigantic, excessive illusion.
The Statue of Liberty? Fake.
The Eiffel Tower? Fake.
The Piazza San Marco? Fake.
The green lawn at the Wynn Las Vegas? Fake.
And yet... the fun experience I had exploring this "shadow's playground"? REAL!
It was a hoot and I'm grateful for this opportunity that came about, quite unexpectedly. Life is good!
Pace e bene,
Monday, April 28, 2008
Greetings from Las Vegas...
...and so began my Las Vegas adventure. :-) Luckily, it seemed to be an easy case of "luggage-left-behind" rather than "luggage-gone-on-solo-journey-to-places-unknown". By the time I woke up this morning, my suitcase had been delivered to our hotel. No major inconvenience...We've had a very full day! It's our only day fully together, as Hubby's conference starts Monday. I'll be pretty much on my own after that. So, we decided to sign up for a bus tour to the Red Rock Canyon Conservation Area. What a great decision! The dramatic landscape of the desert took my breath away. The few pics below provide a glimpse, but fail to convey the sheer vastness of the space.
The rest of the afternoon was spent on The Strip - a stark contrast to the first part of our day! More about The Strip later, as I will certainly be returning there on my own.
All for now! Signing out from Vegas...
Pace e bene,
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
Extremes...
I have returned from Silence... only to learn that I will soon be taking flight for the other extreme: Vegas!
Pace e bene,
Two days after returning from my retreat, Hubby learned that he was being sent to a work-related conference in Las Vegas. Dutiful wife that I am (ahem), I have decided to accompany him. :-) We had to flip our upcoming holiday plans around, but it all works out in the end, non?
We leave on Saturday, so needless to say, it's been pretty hectic making plans... changing plans... confirming plans... My retreat already seems so far away, and yet, it's only been a week or so. Luckily I took photos - many, many photos. Here are just a few that best convey the beauty and peacefulness that was mine for the taking:
Pace e bene,Thursday, January 10, 2008
Disney on the run...
"I'm sorry, all of our cast members are busy making magical memories, please hold."
I just got off the phone with Hubby in Florida. As it turns out, their first two nights are at a different Disney property than expected, a couple of hours from Orlando. Poor guy, he's forced to stay at Disney's Vero Beach Resort located right on the ocean. Apparently he got a bit too much sun by the pool today. Ask me if I feel sorry for him. :-)
Tomorrow, they head to Orlando - staying at another Disney property not too far from the race location. Then early on Saturday, he runs the Disney Half-Marathon, from Epcot Center to the Magical Kingdom and back again. How cool is that?! I've never been to Disney World, but I remember the music and the images from all those Wonderful World of Disney episodes on TV. You remember, don't you? Can you hear it...? Maybe this will help!
Although certainly less exotic, I had a great run on the treadmill today. I think I've found the perfect running companion: Stuart McLean at the Vinyl Café. I now subscribe to the podcasts and found it was the perfect distraction from the tediousness of running on the treadmill. Who knew?!
Pace e bene,
I just got off the phone with Hubby in Florida. As it turns out, their first two nights are at a different Disney property than expected, a couple of hours from Orlando. Poor guy, he's forced to stay at Disney's Vero Beach Resort located right on the ocean. Apparently he got a bit too much sun by the pool today. Ask me if I feel sorry for him. :-)
Tomorrow, they head to Orlando - staying at another Disney property not too far from the race location. Then early on Saturday, he runs the Disney Half-Marathon, from Epcot Center to the Magical Kingdom and back again. How cool is that?! I've never been to Disney World, but I remember the music and the images from all those Wonderful World of Disney episodes on TV. You remember, don't you? Can you hear it...? Maybe this will help!
Although certainly less exotic, I had a great run on the treadmill today. I think I've found the perfect running companion: Stuart McLean at the Vinyl Café. I now subscribe to the podcasts and found it was the perfect distraction from the tediousness of running on the treadmill. Who knew?!
Pace e bene,
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