To rewind some, Pete last posted while we were in Vermont. I freaking LOVE that state. I will live there one day. Vermont is goooorgeous and I want to frolic through the streets of its adorable towns after bathing in maple syrup. Camping there was a dream and a wonderful segue into My First Trip to Canada!
After Pete confused the border lady immensely by informing her that we were carrying a pack saw with us, we crossed into the giant lands of our friendly neighbors and drove some number of kilometers to Montreal. It's so European and beautiful and touristy. We just spent an afternoon wandering around the downtown area, checking out the Parque Olimpique (heavenly!) and stopping for a mini-goblet of Canadian beer. Then off we sped some other number of kilometers to the capital of the second-largest country in the world: Ottawa. A very groovy town and where one of Pete's cousins (Andy) lives. Ottawa is fantastic and I will share two very groovy parts of that visit:
1. Poutine is a staple dish in parts of Canada and it is AMAZING. French Fries, cheese curds, gravy and bacon bits. Goodness gracious I could have eaten five plates of it.
2. Ottawa is the home to the largest continuous ice skating rink in the world! The canal that runs through the beautiful town freezes over in the winter and lots of Ottawanians (I made that word up) actually ice skate to work or class. (!!!!).
Then we met up with Pete's other family members in Toronto/Oakville, which is a town right outside the city. Hilary, one of the cousins, works at the Canadian Broadcasting Channel and gave us a tour of the building downtown. As you can see, Pete was a natural in the weather broadcasting room and is probably going to change his career. And start wearing hair mousse because I think that's mandatory.
We departed from Oakville early in the AM to make it out of the country and back to the US and A to visit my beloved Jakki Kelley in Ann Arbor. Highlight of this trip:
A. Jakki is still a sweet angel and seeing her face makes me piddle with delight.
dos: The Law School at U of Michigan looks exactly like Hogwarts!
See: We drank beers at a local brew pub and got to taste brews of the strangest, most unpronounceable names (Ziebersteffenweizermiechliotchin and things of that nature).
We dipped out of Jakki's pretty town to see Chicago. And let me tell you, I am in LOVE. That city is so beautiful and groovy and the architecture is astounding and it's just so huge and full of life and activity. LOVED IT. To make things all the better first thing we did upon arriving was go have a delish dinner with my auntie Marilyn and my cousin, who had surprised me by flying in to visit while I was there! Oh em gee, I know, my family is awesome. So that night we stayed with Pete's college buddy Jenn Rice and pretty much took over Southport area. I won't share on the interwebs how Pete started dancing on one of the benches, got scolded by the DJ, then flanked by the two miserable bouncers who tried to immediately kick him out. I'm not certain, but I'm thinking it was when I turned to one of them and pleadingly said, "But he's a really GOOD guy! I promise!" that they decided he could stay and walked off.
Then next day Pete left for a friend's wedding and I got to hop on my bike and explore Chicago. I happened upon a Latin Music festival going on in Millennium Park and grooved to some tunes in that amazing amphitheater before I hopped on a train to Crystal Lake. My aunt (she lives in Crystal Lake), cousin and I spent all that night being girly and goofy and watching Vampire Diaries and it was sheer heaven. Maddy's brand new teacup Yorkie only made the situation more perfect.
The next day was RIDIKALOUS. Pete and Lacy scooped me (ah yes, meanwhile Lacy had flown into Chicago!) and we headed to Madison, WI where we met up with Dusan and Meg, scooped Willie--Pete's awesome brother--and proceeded to have the most incredible Wisconsonian lunch at a place called Old Fashioned. Sweet Jebus, the fried cheese curds we ate for an appetizer just about made me tinkle in my seat. Everything was from Wisconsin, the beers, the meat, the cheese, the deliciousness. Good heavens.
So then BACK TO THE CAR! because we had to scoot off to Roseville, Minnesota to get to Pete's parents' for dinner! We got there all in a frenzy after that four hour drive to a warm, sweet family greeting and it was heaven. We ate yet another delish meal and Mama Morrison blew all of our minds with her key lime pie. I'm fairly certain there was an addictive secret ingredient she put in there because I wanted to take a nap in that pie.
But no rest for the weary because we jumped back into the cars and drove another 3 or 4 hours to the family cabin on the lake! And so begins the tale of our Adventures into the Boundary Waters. But you'll have to wait for it. I need more coffee.
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