No more blank pages

Two weeks ago today Angela and I flew to Vancouver, Canada. Not my first trip to Canada, for sure, but something was special about this particular venture. Because we were flying, we got our passports stamped! I cannot tell you how exciting this is. Angela and I applied for our passports about eight years ago, around the time the U.S. and Canada decided a driver's license wouldn't be sufficient to cross the border. See we have family across the border and head over once or twice a year usually. But...they don't stamp your passports. They scan them, look at them, and send you on your way. Blank pages in tact.

The same goes for Mexico. Once Angela and I moved to Yuma, Arizona (aka basically Mexico) we spent many Saturdays or 195 degree summer days crossing the border into Algodones, Mexico or some other border town to have lunch, cheap margaritas, buy cigarettes for Marine friends stationed oversees, etc. Then we'd wait in line to walk back over (we drove once, only once) and flash our passports but still no stamps. Not even when we asked.

But two weeks ago that all changed, we got stamps after waiting in customs for about half an hour to exit the Vancouver airport! How exciting! And then Saturday morning? We woke up to the gorgeous view at the top of the page. The view from our cousin Doris' condo. Amazing.

We spent three full days in Vancouver, flying in Friday night and back out Tuesday morning. The flights were luxurious compared to what we're used to. Two seat rows, so no one was stuck in the middle, free movies (this year's Oscar nominees and movies still not out on Netflix!) and TV shows (um, yes, I did watch three episodes of The Mindy Project thank you very much), and very very pleasant people. So basically, I only want to fly Canada Air into Vancouver when I travel anymore.

Then Saturday we headed out for three full days of sightseeing. And I mean full. We hit the suspension bridge, the aquarium, parks, bays, harbors, museums, markets, shops, restaurants, taverns, pubs, and a few more restaurants. I had some amazing British Colombian wine, some locally made shortbread cookies that were amazing and some grape bread that I'm okay with not ever having again. Oh yeah, and I ate duck for what may be the first time ever. And loved it. And there was live music playing as I ate sitting in a giant leather chair. Very cool.

Basically, we had the best time ever in Vancouver. We played in the snow and picnicked outside. We wore mittens and went in our shirtsleeves. It never rained once (people don't believe me when I say this but it's true) and the skies were so blue I was sure we were in a movie. Oh yeah, we saw them filming something downtown Van. (Van is how the cool people refer to Vancouver I found out by eavesdropping. But I'll use it sparingly.) Also? We got to hang out with our cousin Doris for five days. How great is that? We all got to be tourists and take wine breaks in the afternoon and go to bed early and get up early and explore and talk and just enjoy each others' company. Pretty much what all vacations should be. I can't wait to do it again. Soon.