Canada Week 1 — Mika's Photos

At long last, and after much anticipation, we’re off to Canada! This album is from our first week there (Sunday - Saturday).

After a rather long journey over, we hit the ground running! Two playgrounds, Centre Island, and a visit to the cottage in Bracebridge! Everything is as fun and novel as we’d hoped it would be!

⚠️ A technical note: after 250 images, the photos loop back to the start; but there are more than 250 photos! So when you hit the end of the first 250 and loop back, please press ‘escape’ and scroll down to the 2nd set of images. ⚠️

And here we go, Toronto-bound! We've made it to the airport, wedding gift and all!

Just passed Immigration: a small feat.

Lucy's enjoying her first visit to the EVA Lounge.

And Arlo's enjoying the ice cream we'd been hyping up all week.

"There's our EVA!" as Arlo would say.

I guess this is it: it's game time.

Lucy is in position!

At cruising altitude, and enjoying her dessert (which was, oddly, brought at the same time as the appetizer... which pretty much wiped out all hope of her eating anything else!)

Lucy has found a comfortable place to sit. Interestingly, the cabin crew were fine with this.

Why did we pay for 3 seats? We didn't need 3 seats...

Oh my! Made it to Taipei.

Someone entertained herself during the layover with the automatic sink in the lounge changing room.

Here we go again: this time for real!

Playing with the magnetic airport scene; have to give EVA credit for still giving out toys to the kids on board.

Someone didn't need his own headphones after all.

Discovering Angry Birds (i.e. his first video game)... he improved quite a bit during the flight.

Dinner and a movie. (More like, a movie.)

Lucy's lookout: where she could high-five everyone who walked by.

Time to try and catch some Zzz's.

Really starting to think we didn't need to buy all those tickets!

My last-ditch effort to entertain: Q-tips and a spice shaker.

OMG, we made it! Hi Granny, hi Grandpa!

It's a cozy ride back to Euclid, but nothing we can't handle now!

Just hanging around; nevermind it's pushing 1 AM.

Time to see if we can get some sleep.

Our first breakfast!

Lucy's trying one of the cream-filled wheels that we brought from Taipei.

Everything's a toy; nothing's off limits!

Inspecting his first pine cone.

The first of many playgrounds.

A ladybug! A real live ladybug!

Hiding among the maple leaves.

Grandpa's infamous Benz!

Arlo can't wait to sit inside.

A special trip to the library with Granny. Can we stay awake?

Enjoying a tasty, but really rather messy ice cream sandwich.

Arlo takes flight.

She's done well. But asleep just after 6pm. Wish us luck in the morning.

Up before dawn, and enjoying a fresh strawberry. (How novel.)

And now cherries.

And blueberries, too!?!

Blueberry teeth!

Heading down to Christie Pitts -- for playground #2.

Lucy's first time on a swing. She loved it!

So many new things for Arlo to climb.

Interesting! A 3-way see saw.

Brave Granny is putting her lunch on the line to keep her Granddaughter safe.

The toy that shaped this visit -- the helicopters!

Another of the novel fascinations -- dandelions!

Lucy can easily wash her hands at Granny's fancy sink.

Arlo found an actual-scale version of exactly the Mazda CX-5 he was given on the airplane.

Someone brought a snail home, and put it proudly on Granny's plant.

Look at the wheel on this bucket truck! It's taller than Arlo!

Lucy's first time on a ferry; this one, to Centre Island!

Great day; great view!

Hmm. What's this giant tulip about?

It's a chair?

Diverting briefly to see the unbeatable views.

What a skyline!

And now, on to business. Arlo's got his stamp.

Jumping into the Centreville Fire Department's most important engine.

A perfect ride for Arlo! How many times did he ride it?

These two are equally entertained.

Arlo's first log flume.

Lucy had a little splash around in the water area... too bad we didn't bring bathing suits!

And Grandpa took Arlo for a spin on the antique cars... I think this is the same model that Grandpa learned to drive on.

Next, taking a spin on the Ford touring cars.

Underwhelmed by the boats, but a good sport.

Arlo was initially hesitant to go on this frog hopper, but eventually loved it!

After waiting for 20 min, it's our turn on the roller coaster!

We got the full last-row experience!

Let's not forget about the Centreville farm!

Sitting on this tractor is as fun as the other cars.

Lunch break.

Finally riding the cable car.

Is Arlo falling asleep back there?

One last spin on the cars before it's time to head back.

High five!

Oh no, too tired to walk!

Pooped again!

Another pre-dawn breakfast; this time, the freshly-baked muffins from Marsha.

Lucy hasn't learned yet that, if you're going to go rummaging through other people's things, you really shouldn't leave a trail.

Arlo convinced Granny to watch the 1988 Madeline video with him.

And then we discovered a great thing about Thursday mornings...

The garbage pick-up!

We're off to the cottage!

Arlo's asleep before we've even turned off Bathurst!

We made it!

This guy likes nature.

It's a beautiful first day at the cottage. Cool, but blue.

Quick Grandpa, catch!

Arlo's enlisted Grandpa in building an elaborate tree fork for Chompy.

Driving with the window open -- novel!

Auntie Julie popped over, and now Arlo's enlisted her in the stick-gathering as well.

Rainy morning, hoping it'll stop.

There's a break in the storm; and a scramble to get the canoe ready!

Lucy, you're a natural.

Arlo's first canoe ride!

It ended in rain! But not before we did one loop around the island.

Lucky Arlo! Granny brought a sticker activity book just for rainy days like these.

Lucy's soaking up the rays.

Whoo! Taking a spin in the Benz!

And riding in the much-anticipated speedboat!

Beading with Auntie Julia, at her cottage.

Lucys' new BFF, Macky!

Having a very serious negotiation over a chocolate chip cookie.

What's this!? Another ride in the speedboat?

Going down early the next day to check out the still morning water.

"Fishing."

Just in time to see the mist.

Great game of tag. Arlo, in particular, is really enjoying the outdoors.

TECHNICAL NOTE! There are more photos. Please press escape, and then scroll down!

Brave Grandpa is taking Arlo out for a canoe ride all by himself! Will we see these two generations of men ever again?

Cousin Macky, we meet again!

Lucy's having a chat with Great Aunt Chris.

Frozen juice - the best invention!

Giant hugs for the fierce Golden Bear!

And we close this first fun-filled week with ice cream in an edible bowl. To be continued!