Canada

Me & B at Kildonan Park where he used to play when he was a kid

Enjoying autumn at Kildonan

Kildonan Park

First meal in Canada - at Sammy J's with Oscar, Shannon and Chris Rollo
Chris picked us up from Vancouver airport as we had 6 hours to kill before the flight to Winnipeg...I tell you, travelling 30 hours is no joke

Oscar & Shannon

Chris Rollo and B - as goofy as ever

We have been in Canada since 15th October. Spent first 2 weeks in Winnipeg.... Brrr...Cooooooold!!! It snowed on the first week while we were there. SNOW! In autumn!

Me - At The Forks, Winnipeg in the snow after dinner at The Old Spaghetti Factory with Barry, Alisa (B's sis) and Boycie (B's aunt).

Good thing weather warmed up from -6 deg C to about 10 deg C. So, had a not-too-bad last 3 days in Peg. So, am now in Vancouver with a slightly warmer temperature but oh! the rain! It can come as sudden as before you can say RAIN!

I am totally hamburger-ed out! Barry had this list of his comfort food places to go to in Winnipeg and Vancouver. And this is part of the list. I will add in when I remember more of them.

1. Salisbury House Nip (That's a burger - a yummy one with grilled onions)
2. Wendy's Triple Burger (We do not have Wendy's in Malaysia)
3. Junno's Burger (Junior's)
5. George's Burger - I had a Greek burger with a thick slice of feta
6. Homemade Burger
7. Slurpee (Apparently, Canadians swear by their Slurpee - and yes, it is different from those in Malaysia and the States)
8. Tim Horton's Boston Cream Doughnut (yummy)
9. Olive Garden's salads
10. All-you-can-eat sushi in Vancouver

So, it was big, bad food for me in Canada with exception of his stepmom's (Hilda) great roast chicken, roast pork, salad at Mona Lisa and my own cooking (yes, I cooked on 3 occasion for his family). Love Hilda's moist carrot cake made with carrots from his dad's garden and pineapple tidbits topped with cream cheese frosting.

I discovered that I prefer Quiznos to Subway - love their new Prime Rib Garlic subs! And the pickled peppers.... all you can eat peppers!

Canada is truly beautiful (we did miss the autumny colours of the leaves though by a week - trees, except those evergreens, are as bald as B when we arrived) - fresh, crisp air - am glad to be out of the haze in Malaysia. Took many pictures at Kildonan Park in Winnipeg. Should be heading out to Stanley Park in Vancouver soon.

Homes across Kildonan Park

The outdoors is lovely...Ahhh...fresh air! And sky is always blue and cloudless or near cloudless - ducks in the rivers too - Kildonan Park

Squirrel on the tree in Kildonan - they are everywhere! And, I saw rabbits at the backyard of Jerry's (B's dad) home

B & I at Kildonan

Homes here are awesome!! With nice, cosy, liveable basements. We stayed at Barry's dad's. Met up with the family - even went to an unveiling - visited Liam and Lana - they have a cool pad now with a plasma tv and leather couches - AWESOME! Liam got himself a snazzy new Honda Civic in black.

Me, Jerry, Barry at the kitchen area

Me, with Dylan, Shayna and Tyler (B's nephews and niece)

Arlene (B's sis; also Shayna's mom with their cat Tisha)

B and his friends from school and their wives at Earl's - Left to Right : Frank R, Frank C, Tracy, Darren, B, Dina, Eddy, Rina.

Me with Liam & Lana at Earl's - chicken wings here are the yummiest EVER! And so many flavours to choose from! And criteria to be a waitress at Earl's : waist must not be bigger than 25inches..LOL! Just kidding but you get what I mean.

Jerry's home.

B & I - At the front of Jerry's home

A street in Winnipeg - Quiet, laidback, relaxing....

We also went to this mansion owned by John, Boycie's friend - every room (including toilets) is covered wall-to-wall with paintings - John has like 4 Rolls Royces, 800 over violins, 2 grand pianos AND more toilet rolls, Kleenex and soaps than Safeway!

And.....I went to a Bombers' football game at CanadInns Stadium courtesy of Jerry. He has the best seats in the stadium. Winnipeg Bombers were playing against Calgary and won! Woohoo! Mind you, it was an open stadium. So, I had on lots of layers including thermals and a sweatshirt followed by parka with a hood - a red parka. Mittens on my hands. Hotshots in my shoes and the mittens. Seriously, I felt like a giant red ant. By the end of the 3-hour game, I could hardly speak as my face was frozen from the cold air from the North Pole.

The Blue Bombers...our seats were just behind them - check out those butts!

B & I - we were in Smoochie Cam too! Videod by TSN...Haha! Kinda funny thinking about it....

We also went to the casino but just for dinner with a couple who are close old friends of Jerry and Hilda before we head to Vancouver.

B's Vancouver budz - Mike, his wife Julie with baby Taylor (all the way from Salem, Washington to get B's Landcruiser across the border for restoration), B, Al, Mel and Daven.

Me and Taylor - a great baby - just 6 months - she was all smiley and laughing and cooing the 2 days I saw her - totally adorable with long curly lashes

Taylor and mom Julie

B and his Landcruiser and Mike

Landcruiser on the trailer finally all ready for the United States of America - I missed going to the outlets in States as we crossed the US border at 6pm - had some difficulties with getting the truck onto the trailer (couldn't find keys to the steering wheel)

Another bad but yummy dinner tonight at Milestones.... Food is great but best to ask them to reduce salt - super super salty

Warm Spinach and Artichoke Dip - simply out-of-this-world with crispy red tortilla chips (below)

"Thai-style" Drummets with sauce - interesting flavour - am more of a wing fan

My main - Lamb with Portobello Shrooms and Sundried tomatoes and Mashed Potatoes - I had to doggie bag one of the lamb pieces

The boys' burger and curly fries - you can ask for their signature watercress dip for the fries, add quatro formaggio, shrooms, bacon etc etc....makes me fat just looking at it....

Hope to post more soon on Canada....... especially the sights... food here is not really my style...