Adventurers by day, slugs by night

That kind of sums up what we were like on that Saturday and Sunday on our wild weekend away.

Saturday we'd awakened to warm, but overcast weather. Not a bad start to the day we thought. We hiked down the hill and found DH a farmer's breakfast (ham, eggs, toast and tatters). Nothing to write home about. Not even worth a comment except that it set the tone of the day in food.

We decided to try our hand at shopping at what was self-identified as the largest shopping centre East of the West Edmonton Mall. DH was up for it and my knowledge of the bus routes held true, even 13 years later.

We crawled the mall for most of the day, dropping our meagre bucks on a fantabulous sale at Old Navy.

That night DH thought about going out for a really nice dinner some where. So we dressed up in our cleaner clothes and walked the brightly light strip of terraces that were loaded down with ice bars (walls of ice from which liquor was served on an open terrace) waiting for students and winter festival patrons to come by and drink their wares as they trucked up and down the street.

DH was on the prowl for some fresh seafood and was inticed by one restaurant's five-course meal.

We got a nice window seat next to two couples from the Carolina's (North and South were represented), and another couple who were from Montreal. (I know this because, instead of gazing into each others eyes romantically, as one would think a honeymooning couple would do, DH decided that he'd had enough conversation with me and that he'd strike one up with the neighbors!)

To summarize quickly, DH enjoyed his dinner. I found it discouraging. (It was like I had tapped an oil deralick :-(.

The regretably meal was topped off with a chat with the hostess stationed outside to encourage dinners to come in. She think she was surprised that I'd actually tell her of my disappointment instead of mumbling my thanks for a nice meal.

We wandered to the hotel, finding the famous imbedded canon ball along the way, and finished the night off with some jazz in the bar in our hotel and then some Overhaulin' and Myth Busters.

Sunday we felt a bit guilty for not seeing the sites so we moved around the historic part of the city looking at as much free stuff as we could, which meant a lot of restaurant menus. We also did a walk around the old city and ducked into the tourist traps looking and touching their wears (trying on some goofy hats, poking fun at what constitutes SWAG for this part of the world and compared it with our each other's other traveling experiences).

The wind was picking up, the weather was dropping so we quickly passed through the bits I thought we should see and returned to the hotel to change our socks and head out for our last supper. (Which WAS terrific. I recommend Le cote de frére!)

We returned to the hotel room. I to pack, deal with a plugged toilet, and then deal with an exploded luggage, DH to put his feet up and watch the sports channels.

Monday morning it was gross out. Gross isn't the word. Snowy, windy. Heavy heavy winds. So strong that it helped me stay upright on the steep hills. We ducked out for a last breakfast and a tour through a corner groccer (I have a fear of being stuck on the train without provisions) and for a hunt for duct tape with which to seal our exploded luggage (it was just a little mint, waffer thin).

With grocceries in hand, and, luckily some packing tape found completely by accident, we made our way back down the hill and onto the train to reverse our journey.

I think I've had enough of that type of vacation to last me a couple more years.