15 posts tagged “vacation”

July's banner this year is a salute to Canada Day as well as the seven-year anniversary of my first visit to Vancouver (on July 29).  As previously mentioned, that trip was called Camp Vancouver 2001.  It also had several rhyming taglines - the official one being “more dedicated than Attila the Hun,” but another being “a long way to go, but a whole lot of fun.”  And my, was it ever an entertaining endeavor.

I will have much more to say about that fateful vacation in a future post.  So consider this a warning to those who have never engaged in obsessive behavior: something dorky this way comes.

EDITED TO ADD: Click on the pictures for descriptions!

This weekend, Shane, Jon, Shannon, Carrie, Joan (see picture) and I headed out to Green Bay, WI so the boys could run in a "Valentine’s Day" race.  It was a whirlwind trip out and back (we spent nearly as much time in the car as out of it), but worth it for the good food and great company. 

 

These are some pics from our excursion; more from this trip (and other recent events) can be found on my Facebook page.  Three cheers for digital cameras!

Here are the minimum number of days off (mandated! by law!) for various European countries.  Note that this must be in ADDITION to public holidays.

ANNUAL LEAVE

Denmark 39.5

Austria 38

Sweden 36

Slovakia 35

Luxembourg 35

France 35

Germany 34-39

Portugal 34

Czech Republic 33

Slovenia 33

Italy 32

Spain 32

Greece 32

Poland 31

Finland 31

Bulgaria 31

Belgium 30

Hungary 30

Romania 30

Ireland 29

Netherlands 28-29

UK 28

(Source: Incomes Data Services)

 

And, from the BBC article I found this in: “Despite being bottom of the EU holiday league, the UK is still well ahead of many other developed nations.  In Canada and Japan, workers are guaranteed only 10 days of paid leave per year while the USA does not have any legal minimum for paid leave.”

 

Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to go Google “Denmark immigration.“

Here’s the final installment!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I meant to write this piece the weekend we got back from Vancouver, but it (obviously) didn’t happen.  I need to tell this final story, though, before moving on to other topics.  Consider it a belated Mother’s Day post...

 

The morning of the half-marathon, I was a big, messy ball of emotion.  I felt disappointed by the events that led to me sitting in that hotel room, alone, and let down by people who backed out of being there with me.  It was the first time I can remember feeling lost in that city I know so well.

 

The one bright spot in my chilly, grey morning, however, was hearing from my mom.  She called me no less than three times – checking in before church, after church and on her drive home – to make sure I was coping okay.  Hearing her long-distance voice ask each time how I was doing lifted me out further and further out of the fog of self-pity, until I felt like my normal, happier self again.  With her encouragement, I found the motivation to get my ass out the door and start enjoying our first full day of vacation.

 

Supporting me from afar, while remarkable in my mind, is nothing out of the ordinary for my mom.  She and I may not always see eye-to-eye, we may have our moments of irritation with each other, but she is always there when I need her.  She never hesitates to hold my hand when I ask and be my compass during those moments when my life seems directionless. 

 

Simply put, she is REALLY GOOD at being a mother, and I'm lucky (and thankful) to have the privilege of calling her Mom.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I took approximately 120 photos on our trip, which I whittled down to 96 after some picking and choosing.  However, I’m only going to showcase about 30 here, as I don’t wish to bore anyone to tears (contrary to what my long-winded, rambling posts might lead you to believe).  Click on each picture to see a more detailed description!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

We really did have a fabulous time in Vancouver (pictures to come as soon as I get them developed).  Shane proudly met his goal of completing the half-marathon in under 1:50 (1:49:11 to be exact – way to go, sweetie!), and we had a blast touring the city with Shannon, Jon and Carrie.  Our friends were very kind to us during those three days together, tolerating our endless, random array of Vancouver facts as we showed them around town and back again (with minimal rest breaks) (because we’re the Drill Sergeants of Vacation Camp).  My fondest memories will undoubtedly be of the dinners we shared around small tables in one-of-a-kind cafes, drinking, eating and laughing over candlelight.  (Also: that one time we met up with some crazy, drunken locals.)

 

After everyone left on Wednesday, Shane and I spent the rest of the week walking through the neighborhoods we would potentially like to live in, jotting down apartment information and collecting brochures.  We learned a lot about what’s available and where, information we hope will be useful when the time comes to start looking more seriously.  We felt really good about all we accomplished as the trip wound down.

 

Then came Saturday, the day we were scheduled to leave.

 

We woke up early to another beautiful blue sky and laced up our shoes for a short run along the False Creek Seawall.  The sun was warm, the air sea-scented and crisp; it was an all-around perfect morning for running.  We got back and enjoyed a leisurely breakfast overlooking English Bay Beach, before checking out of the hotel around 10 a.m.  We left right on time, allowing ourselves a full, four hours for the two-and-a-half hour drive to Seattle’s airport.  (Can you guess where this is going?)

 

Here’s how our schedule broke down for the rest of the day:

10:05  Arrive at Cupcakes

10:08  Select a dozen, deliriously delicious “minis” for the road

10:13  Leave downtown Vancouver 

11:01  Approach Canada-U.S. border

11:02  Take exit to truck crossing; deny that line could really be 90 minutes out (as posted)

11:15  Merge into end of long-ass border jam

11:16  Exchange reassurances that wait “can’t possibly be that long”

11:29  Move approximately 6 feet ahead of initial spot in line

11:30  Panic

11:31  Swear

11:32  Make frantic phone calls to check on flight, lodging options

11:44  Move another 6 feet; accept that plane trip home NO WAY IN HELL happening tonight

11:45  Lengthier, more creative bout of cursing

11:46  Briefly consider trademarking “hot holy fucshiballs”

11:47  More phone-calling and harassing of an Internet-connected Jon

12:13  Alternate flight and overnight plans in place

12:14  Drown sorrows in melting frosting of mini cupcakes

12:20  Nap

12:57  Ice-cream cart arrives at car; reluctantly decide not to spend $3 on Bomb Pop

12:58  Thank god for (more) cupcakes

1:42  Finally next in line at crossing; feel excitement, slight hysteria

1:44  Answer four questions from border guard

1:45  Cross into the States

1:46  Express irritated disbelief over two-and-a-half hour wait for one-minute interrogation

1:50  Stop to re-fuel car, de-fuel passengers

1:54  Mmm, beef jerky

2:00  On the road to Seattle!

3:05  Stuck in pre-Seattle traffic

3:31  Stuck in Seattle traffic

4:07  Stuck in post-Seattle traffic

4:10  Hate Seattle

4:30  Arrive at Enterprise; enjoy rental late fees

4:43  Reach hotel; enjoy pricey airport hotel rate

4:55  Realize pricey airport hotel rate NOT paying for quality of room

5:02  Suffocate in complimentary ammonia fumes; escape room to dinner down the street

6:23  Malibu and Coke, round 1

6:44  Malibu and Coke, round 2

7:05  Order chicken strips; receive happy hour special!

7:12  Malibu and Coke, round 3

7:20  Declare chicken strips “teh best desssrt e4r”

7:21  Declare entire vacation “gratest days of alllll tyme"

 

And truly, despite the end of trip run-around, it was.