robodawno.com – Page 8 – Our Travel Blog

March 17, 2020June 22, 2024

It’s The End Of The World As We Know It

This trip was planned about 8 months ago when we decided to watch the Indian Wells Tennis Tournament. On the evening of March 8 we found out that the tournament was cancelled due to outbreak of Covid-19. We agonized over the decision of whether to go on the trip or not. Based on advice from our amazing doctor, info from our AirBnB host, and current travel advisories we decided to go. What could go wrong with plans to play daily tennis and sit by the pool?

When we arrived on March 11 we were feeling pretty good as we made our way to a local taqueria for dinner.

Still able to make a joke about Covid-19 at this point…

It was when we got back to our AirBnB that we realized that perhaps we had made a mistake with our travel plans. It was announced that Trump was shutting down all flights from Europe as of March 13.

The next day was torrentially rainy, which didn’t do much for our moods. Unfortunately we were inside most of the day, glued to updates about the virus. The Canadian government instituted a 14 day self isolation for those returning home from all international travel. We tried to change our flights to go home early, but jammed phone lines and chaos prevented this. Thankfully friends hooked us up with back up plans of people who were driving home from the area that we could connect with if flights were cancelled.

Buoyed with a back up plan to get home, we spent the next day exploring Joshua Tree National Park. It was a beautiful setting to help us to relax and clear our heads.

My favourite area: The Cholla Cactus garden

The next day was clear skies and beautiful sunshine. We enjoyed playing tennis and sitting by the pool, punctuated with making plans for our upcoming quarantine.

In the end our flights were smooth sailing. When we arrived to the nearly empty YYC we were never so happy to have landed on Canadian soil. One day, when the world has healed, we’d like to see Palm Springs again.

December 13, 2019December 20, 2019

Fate

We’ve spent the last few days with a home base of San Miguel de Allende. I had read in my guidebook that there is a large American ex-pat presence here and we saw it first thing when we had organic kombucha at a gringo cafe. Both of us were a bit turned off because we share the same travel philosophy: we like to eat, travel, and experience how the locals do.

Soon enough we found our groove and figured out why San Miguel is a popular spot. It’s colourful buildings and elaborate cathedral have a cozy feel. We had our cameras ready around every corner.

We found the local market and returned every day for chilequile breakfast. It’s basically nachos for breakfast. Yum!

The night views didn’t disappoint either.

One day we decided to take the local bus for a day trip to the UNESCO town of Guanajuato (pronounced “wanna-wuato”). For the first time this trip we didn’t have the magic timing of showing up at the exact time that the bus was about to depart. We were questioning our plan and trying to decide if we should change course, but in the end opted to wait a couple of hours for the bus. Our instincts were right.

We had no idea until we got there that there was a big festival going on for the day of the Virgin Guadalupe. It seemed that every family in town had their kids dressed up like little Juans or Guadalupes. There were photo ops, foods, and a large moving mass of people going to the Templo de Guadalupe. We were definitely glad we went.

When Rocky and I were planning this trip we had a shared notes page where we wrote in the things that we wanted to do. On a whim I put down Lucha Libre, which is Mexican professional wrestling. I tried to look it up for the cities that we were going to but didn’t find any events. I had almost given up when I searched in San Miguel de Allende. What are the chances that there was an event for our last night there? It was fate.

We took an Uber to a suburb of town where I was expecting a colosseum event. Even better, there was a ring set up on the local futbol pitch with cement bleachers and free admission. It started with children showing their skills at their extra-curricular Lucha Libre classes and then, with much anticipation, it was the main event. It brought me back to my childhood Stampede Wrestling events. Jeers from the crowd, terrible acting, and high flying stunts had us belly laughing. My favorite part was trying to translate the commentator and trash talk from the wrestlers and crowd.

What a perfect way to end another incredible Rock-Awn holiday. I’m so glad to have a travel friend who shares my desire for adventure, even if she sometimes books a hotel room without a bathroom door. Hasta la proxima (until next time)!

December 9, 2019December 20, 2019

Las Mariposas

Our sauna time in Tequisquiapan done, we moved on to the small town of Bernal. It’s in wine and cheese country and is best known for its blue corn tortillas and the ‘Peña’, which is a monolith that is the tallest freestanding rock in the world. We hiked up as far as we could without needing rock climbing gear and soaked in the energy that Mexicans believe eminates from it. Supposedly now we should live to be 100. We enjoyed a well earned Chilada after the climb. Taking the beer and salt into account, maybe we’ll only live until 99.

In the morning we got up before sunrise to see the pink hued Peña bathed in the morning light. As the sun rose a dense fog set in and within 10 minutes we couldn’t even see the rock anymore.

We returned via local bus to Queretaro, where we checked into a new guesthouse. I think I have to point out that Rocky booked this one. Turns out there isn’t a door on the bathroom. I guess you can say that our travel buddy commitment has reached a new level. Here’s the view from my bed:

Today was a day that puts a check mark on a bucket list item and makes my life highlight reel. We travelled about 2.5 hours to El Rosario, which is a sanctuary for the migration of Monarch butterflies. The typical lifespan of a Monarch is 24 days, but they have evolved so that the ones that hatch in Canada in July of each year actually live 8 months! Each September they start their journey south and arrive in the Mexican forests about mid November. They breed and the 2nd to 5th generations are the ones who migrate back, relay style, arriving to Canada in the spring.

As we started the trek into the forest Rocky and I were so excited to take pics of groupings of 5 or so butterflies. The further we climbed the more dense the butterflies got until we were surrounded by millions of them. We actually took a wrong turn and had the surreal experience of just the 2 of us enveloped in a sea of fluttering orange. After our ‘rescue’ by the Mexican guides we were led to the spot where the butterflies are hanging from the trees in huge clumps. It was like nothing I could have imagined.

Is it good luck if one lands on your head? Has to be!

We have a few days and more adventures planned, so stay tuned.

December 6, 2019December 20, 2019

Rock-Awn 4.0

I know it’s surprising that I have any vacation time left, but I actually have more than I need right now. What better way to spend a few days than heading to Central Mexico with RockyB. We landed in the city of Queretaro and hit the ground running. We wandered the colonial city in the daytime and under the glow of their Christmas decorations in the evening.

Kind of looks like dog??

We really liked the aqueduct, until an Uber driver showed us a video of someone committing suicide off of it. It was awful.

We were surprised to see an ice rink. I don’t know how they keep it cool when it was still 15 degrees in the evening.

On the morning of day 2 we took a tour to a nearby pyramid called El Cerrito. It was interesting to hear the history from a local and then see how it ties in with a Virgin Mary statue in a nearby church.

We followed a great local tip and visited a craft brewery, then worked off the cervezas with a rousing ping pong match. On the walk home we happened upon a colourful local parade.

This morning we took a series of local buses to a neighbouring town of Tequisquiapan, which has a monument in the geographical centre of the country.

Our reason for coming here was a Temezcal that I found online. Basically this is an Aztec sauna that uses more than 50 herbs and spices for purification. I know it sounds pretty sketchy to take a local bus to a Mexican backyard, but it was worth it.

It started with us sitting inside the sauna (wearing swimsuits) with herbs all over the ground and a clay jug filled with water, cinnamon, and lemon leaves. They added red hot rocks until the water was boiling, then added a natural Mexican sugar. We drank this throughout the rest of the process. Then they added hot rocks to the sauna. We had water with a variety of herbs that we would splash onto the rocks to intensify the heat. We had fresh aloe Vera leaves to rub all over our bodies and hair. Every 15 minutes we would climb out and they would pour cold water over us (the first time was a pretty rude shock). After a couple of rounds we were given different herbs to smell. At one point when I was feeling a little woozy I got an extra surprise douse of cold water and he was pressing on a spot on my wrist. Maybe the hope was that the pain would distract me?! When we were finished we changed and were served fresh fruits, yogurt, and granola. I felt pretty relaxed and cleansed.

Otherwise we’ve been getting our fill of Mexican food and I’m killing it with my Spanish in this relatively tourist free area.

So far it’s been another fab chapter in the Rock-Awn travels. Can’t wait for some of the stuff we have planned in the next few days.

September 2, 2019January 14, 2026

We came from away

For the September long weekend, DawnO surprised me with a trip to Ottawa! She picked a nice little AirBnB in the heart of downtown Ottawa which was only a few blocks away from the Parliament buildings. Naturally we took to the streets and found DawnO some food truck poutine before heading to Parliament Hill.

We discovered that they had set up a state-of-the-art show that was projected on to the buildings every night during the summer. It was called the “Northern Lights” and was running the final show that evening. We returned to watch and were blown away by the show all about Canada’s history and diverse culture. At the end they played the national anthem while everyone stood sang along.

The next day we explored more of the city, checked out the market, and prepared for the main event, Come From Away!

Both of us were blown away by this musical! It expertly told the many true stories of when thousands of stranded passengers spent time in a small town in Newfoundland during 9/11. It got us both in the feels and perfectly captured what it means to be Canadian.

Afterwards we met up with Jason, a friend from Medicine Hat who just happens to be the regional manager in charge of ticketing for Broadway Across Canada and now lives in Ottawa.

On our last day we were picked up early in the morning by one of my cousins and were taken an hour north into Quebec to the family cabin on a lake. We spent the day visiting with family and enjoying their company before our flight home.

August 9, 2019August 19, 2019

A Visby Surprise

When we booked this cruise the itinerary initially had 2 days in Stockholm, but later the itinerary changed to 1 day in Stockholm and 1 day in a place called Visby, Sweden. It is located on an island called Gotland, which was an important trading post in the Baltic Sea. There are 92 historic stone churches around the island, with 7 of them within the medieval walls of Visby itself. This has led to UNESCO declaring the town a world heritage site.

For 1 week each year Visby hosts a festival which transforms it into an old fashioned medieval village. Luckily our visit corresponded with this intriguing event.

There is a marketplace where it is possible to purchase a multitude of medieval items including:

There are also many different events including ‘learning to braid like a viking’, jousting, and stage performances.

All in all, Visby was a great spot to spend a day.

I’ll finish with a note about our whole cruise experience. Other than the obvious challenges with sharing a space with 4,000 other guests, we were happy with the cruise overall. Surprisingly there were lots of young families, so we felt like we were about the median age range on the ship. We played ping pong every day, used the games room and library, went to a variety of shows, dances, and musical performances, and RobO dropped from the free fall water slide. We fought through crowds to eat more calories than ever before, then fought for space on the cardio machines at the gym. I don’t think that we’re cruise converts, but I would recommend this itinerary to get a taste of Scandinavia and Russia.

That’s it for this 6 month leave from work. We’ll both be back to work on Monday. Other than a weekend getaway at the end of August we don’t have the next vacation planned but stay tuned, there are lots more items on the bucket list!

August 7, 2019August 19, 2019

Stockholm walk

Today marked the last country we visited on our Baltic Sea cruise, but more impressively, it also marks the 50th country that DawnO has visited. I have only been to a measly 39. Technically we have both been to more, but we don’t count it if it’s only an airport stop. So number 50 for DawnO was Sweden. We docked at Stockholm and, as we do, we left the other tourists to board their packed buses while we used the local city transit system. We decided to begin our day in a neighbourhood called Södermalm, just south of the city centre.

This trendy spot offers cool coffee shops, a hipster vibe and breathtaking views of Gamla Stan (city centre), which can be seen after you climb to the top of the Södermalm heights.

We made our way across the bay on foot into the city centre and were greeted by this sign at the halfway point:

Once we reached Gamla Stan we did our usual walkabout of local churches and statues via winding cobblestone streets.

We didn’t have much of an itinerary but there was one place we made sure we visited, the Nobel Prize Museum.

The prizes themselves are actually awarded in Oslo, Norway, the museum is located in the heart of Stockholm. It details the history and accomplishments of all prize winners and features a collection of prize winning memorabilia. Currently they are featuring a Martin Luther King exhibit.

The 1923 Nobel Prize winner was Canadian, Frederick Banting, who discovered insulin. My failed pancreas thanks you, sir!

When we entered the building, DawnO immediately went over to the café area and started flipping the chairs over. I had no idea what the hell she thought she was doing, but apparently prize winners are asked to sign the bottoms of the chairs they sit on in the museum cafe. Once she explained that I became her mother flipping accomplice. And look who we found…

2009 Nobel Peace Prize recipient, Barack Obama

Probably one of my favourite Nobel Prize winning POTUSes, even though his Peace prize was controversial at the time. My grandma from rural Saskatchewan went to the grave believing his name was Baracko Bama. Suffice it to say, Grandma never received a Nobel Prize.

August 6, 2019August 19, 2019

One Day Wonder

Tallinn, Estonia was the perfect city to visit with a 1 day itinerary. Its old town is easily walkable and has some major bang for its buck. Pretty much every direction you look there’s another beautiful spire poking out from charming buildings with colourful doors.

The medieval old town is still surrounded by a photogenic stone wall.

There are four different impressive cathedrals within the centre. In St Mary’s, built in 1233, we climbed a claustrophobic bell tower with rooftop views of the city.

The Russian Orthodox Alexander Nevsky Cathedral is magnificent inside and out. I was going crazy with taking pictures of the inside, then RobO asked for the camera. He took one photo before he was stopped by security. No photos allowed, I guess. Oops.

We were happy that we got to see the town hall square (called Raekoja Plats) in the morning light before the crowds set in. They say that in the centre of the square is where the first ever Christmas tree was set up.

We laughed when we visited ‘Kiek in de Kök’, which was once a cannon tower. The name sounds pretty dirty and legitimately means ‘Peep into the Kitchen’ because people could look into the houses below.

In the gardens outside there was an archery area set up. RobO’s eyes lit up immediately as he has a natural talent for the sport. He shot a round and posted a score high enough to make the monthly leader board. A real Rob-O-Hood.

I saw a postcard that said:

Top 3 Things I Did in Tallinn

Have a coffee in old town
Smile a lot
Take thousands of pictures

That pretty much sums up our awesome day.

August 5, 2019August 19, 2019

Far from Finnished

We are in the thick of it now! We are currently in the middle of touring 4 countries via 5 cities in 5 days. Today was the second stop on our Baltic Sea cruise. We arrived in Helsinki, Finland sometime in the night and ventured out, on our own, at about 8am. We were one of the few that didn’t book a tour. Instead we planned ahead with some destinations that we wanted to see, and even signed up to use the city bikes that could be found all around the city centre. DawnO even found a sauna that was going to be open on a Sunday that she really wanted to go to in the afternoon.

We found our bikes at a nearby station, and with a bit of guesswork (the electronics were in Finnish), we were off.

Our first stops took us to the Kauppatori (Market Square), the nearby church, and then a local coffee shop for a special cinnamon bun with cardamom flavour called a ‘pulla’ for DawnO. If you are familiar with the Redcliff bakery cinnamon buns, they pale in comparison to a pulla according to DawnO. Shots fired.

Next up was the cathedral around the corner from the coffee shop. Since it was Sunday, they were holding a service so they weren’t allowing annoying tourists inside. Fair enough.

Then it was back on the bikes to our sauna appointment, with a few stops to take in some more sites along the way.

When we arrived at our sauna we realized that it opened an hour later than they originally told us. Unfortunately that timing made it tight to make our return to the cruise boat so we had to abandon the dream.

We decided to slowly make our way back to the cruise boat and we came upon another market. There was a food stall making some delicious looking pancake-type things that cheered DawnO right up!

We found a spot where we could take in the views of Helsinki, including a Ferris wheel. If you look closely, you can see the compartment that is actually a sauna.

All-in-all we enjoyed our short stay in the Finnish capital. We will definitely return one day and find our way to a sauna. Next up, Estonia!

August 4, 2019August 19, 2019

See You Again St. Pete

RobO and I typically belong in the ‘independent travellers’ category, but we decided to do a Baltic Sea cruise specifically because tourists can access St. Petersburg without having to go through the arduous Russian visa process. Needless to say, we were very excited to arrive at this first port.

On Friday night we started our explorations with a quick city tour followed by a nighttime boat cruise. It was a great way to get the lay of the land before our full day in the city.

The next morning we had a full day of interesting history and art lessons, starting with a trip on the St. Petersburg metro system. It is the deepest metro in the world, with the immaculately clean and decorated stations being used as bomb shelters during war times. It was difficult to capture the depth, but the escalator was going down at literally a 45 degree angle!

RobO looking like a Secret Service guy with his tour headset.

Does this mess with your mind? The camera is tilted to show the angle we were going down at!

Our next stop was the Hermitage which started as a palace but is now the largest art gallery in the world. It is a maze of opulent rooms, each remarkably different. I think I took a picture of the ceiling in every room that we visited. We saw works from 3 different ninja turtles (missing Donatello) and other notable artists. Wow.

The Church of the Saviour on Spilled Blood was our next stop. It was built as a memorial for Czar Alexander II. Interestingly there were numerous serious attempts to assassinate the Czar before someone was eventually successful. The cobblestones with his ‘spilled blood’ were kept and serve as an altar in the church. The church, almost as a mirror of the Czar, has also survived numerous demolition attempts (from the Bolsheviks, the outlawing of religion during the Soviet era, and even a bomb that was found undetonated!).

The outside was spectacular (even with scaffolding), but the inside was equally impressive. I was especially amazed at how the light shines brighter on the gold gilded mosaic tiles making the halos and heavenly rays look remarkably real.

Our final destination was Peterhof, a summer palace a hydrofoil boat ride away from the city. Peter the Great built this palace to feel like the palace of Versailles and was especially into the gardens and fountains.

A symbol of Peter’s victory over the Swedish.

The entire day had spurts of rain and cold wind but it always seemed to be at the worst when we were indoors. The best part was the sun coming out at the end of the day for glorious shots at Peterhof.

This was a perfect way to spend my 41st birthday. I’m planning to keep this 7 year streak of birthday travels alive! At the restaurant last night there was a Happy Birthday song and cake delivery to a gentleman at the table next to us. I couldn’t believe the coincidence that we shared a birthday. It was only after the servers had left and he was eating his cake when he leaned over, laughing, and said, “I don’t know who this was for because it’s not actually my birthday”. It turns out the waitress had mixed up our table numbers. I’m sure the whole restaurant was surprised when yet another birthday song and cake was delivered to me.

We’ve decided that St. Petersburg is going back onto the bucket list as is deserves more exploration. We’ll be back!