Our Canadian adventure continued with a visit to Pembroke for a few days. We enjoyed spending some time with some of our very close friends. There is something special about visiting old friends. You don’t need an itinerary or a schedule just time together. We spent our time catching up, sharing memories and reconnecting.
But our time in Pembroke was only the beginning of a very special part of our Canadian visit. We headed to Ottawa for a very important family occasion, the graduation of our granddaughter, Shantaya.
We found our seats and waited as the graduates made their way into the ceremony. We watched with enormous pride as Shantaya walked across the stage and received her diploma.
There are some moments in life when you realize just how quickly time passes. It seems like only yesterday that she was a little girl.
Now here she was, proudly accepting her diploma and taking another big step into adulthood.
After the graduation, instead of heading home to Spain by ourselves, we had Shantaya come with us.
For Shantaya, this was the beginning of her own big Spanish adventure. We were excited to introduce her to our life in Spain. Show here the places we love, the food, the culture, the sunshine, and perhaps a few of the little things that make living here so different from Canada.
For us, having her come back with us made the journey home even more special. We had two weeks of showing her the culture, food and experiences of Spain. It was a chance to spend quality time and get to better know the adult she has become.
We travelled, had adventures, explored cities and enjoyed food and culture with her.
Shantaya in the Mediterranean Sea for the first time.Shantaya seeing the large old Ficus trees in Alicante
Walking and exploring the old quarter of Spanish cities
She was able to experience some of our life here in Spain first hand.
“Disfruta cada momento de la vida porque es más corto de lo que crees”
Our main reason for coming back to Canada was to visit with Family and friends. There are some people you can go months or even years without seeing, but when you finally get together, it feels like it was only yesterday when you saw them last.
We landed in Canada and our first stop was to visit our daughter Janice and son-in-law Scott in Fredericton, New Brunswick. Of course we also stopped along the way to enjoy a Timmy´s.
It was great spending time with them and enjoying their company. One day we decided to head out toward St. Andrews and visit Ministers Island and the home to the Van Horne Estate.
Now, visiting an island sounds pretty straightforward but this one was different. Ministers Island is known as a tidal island, which means the road to the island is actually exposed ocean floor. We had to time our visit with the tides because, unlike most roads, this one disappears with high tide. we arrived early in the morning and there was a heavy fog along the coast. We drove along the Ocean floor and eventually reached the island. This was a unique experience and interesting to say the least.
View of the Ocean floor along the route to Morrison Island
In 1891, Van Horne purchased land on Ministers Island and turned it into his summer retreat. The estate had the main house, gardens, farmland, a huge barn, dairy, carriage house, windmill, bathhouse and even a gardener’s cottage. At the island our first stop was at a very large Barn.
Scott, Shelley and Janice at the Van Horne barn
We explored the barn and it was interesting to note that this barn was considered the most modern style with a built in elevator and scale system. However the main attraction on the island is the Covenhoven.
The Covenhoven estate
The former summer home of Sir William Van Horne. If that name sounds familiar, there’s a good reason. Van Horne was one of the key figures behind the Canadian Pacific Railway and served as its president. He is in the historic photo of the last spike in the Canadian Pacific Railway.
Original photo of the “last spike” on Canadian Pacific RailwayOne of the salons inside the Covenhoven estateMassive game room in the Covenhoven EstateDinning room of the Covenhoven estate
We explored the Covenhoven and walked trough the many different rooms. It was like walking through a piece of Canadian history.
It was a perfect day to explore the grounds of the estate and so we walked throughout parts of the island. We came upon one of the locals who simply watched us walk by.
We went to see the stone bath house and decided to head to the base which leads to the shore overlooking the water.
Bathhouse along the shoreline
The views were beautiful and the air was crisp and fresh.
Our trip to Morrison Island and the Van Horne estate was a great way to spend a calm and relaxing day with family and some Canadian history.
This summer, we had the absolute joy of traveling to Canada to visit family and friends. It turned out to be one of the most heartwarming and refreshing trips we’ve had in a long time.
A Beautiful Cottage on the Ottawa River
We stayed at a charming cottage nestled along the Ottawa River. It was nothing short of perfect. The screened-in porch quickly became our favourite spot.
It was the ideal place for morning coffee, afternoon chats, and peaceful evenings listening to the gentle sounds of the river. Nature was all around and the calm of the water added a special kind of magic to our stay.
One of the memorable parts of our trip was kayaking along the river and exploring the nearby bay area. Gliding across the smooth water, we discovered hidden coves, peaceful inlets, and breathtaking views of the surrounding landscape.
Jonathan and Ray getting ready to go out Canoeing
It was a perfect way to connect with nature and enjoy the serenity of the river up close.
The main reason for our trip was to celebrate Tyreese’s graduation. Seeing him walk across that stage filled us with pride and gratitude.
Tyreese accepting his diplomaKeenan, Ray, Tyreese, Jen, Chataya and Shelley on Graduation Day
It’s hard to believe how fast the years have flown by. From the little boy with the big smile to the young man stepping into his future.
Tyreese and Ray
We couldn’t be more proud of him.
But above all, the most meaningful and memorable part of this trip was simply spending time with family and friends.
Ray and JonathanShelley and Bev
We feel so incredibly blessed to have shared these days together — laughing, reminiscing, catching up, and just enjoying each other’s company. We shared delicious meals, told stories, and laughed a lot, especially when doing magic tricks for the little ones. Watching their faces light up in amazement (and confusion!) as they searched high and low for the “missing coin” was a joy all its own. The giggles, gasps, and wide eyes were absolutely priceless.
Whether we were enjoying a sunset by the river, swapping jokes on the porch, exploring the bay in a kayak, or celebrating a proud milestone, the trip was full of moments that filled our hearts.
It was a beautiful reminder that no matter where life takes us, home is always where the people you love are.
“One’s destination is never a place, but a new way of seeing things”
It has been a busy summer but a very rewarding and fun time. We went to Canada for a visit with friends and family. Ray was able to finally visit with his uncle, (first time since covid). They played some games and enjoyed quality time together.
Uncle Adrien and Ray playing shuffleboard.Uncle Adrien and Ray enjoying the day
We were able to rent a beautiful cottage on the Ottawa River.
Ray enjoying the view and a Timmy´s coffee
We spent a fabulous week there and enjoyed some relaxing time by the water.
Shelley enjoying the view and calm of the Ottawa River
One of the highlights of the cottage was that we were able to entertain and reconnect with close friends. Overall it was a great week at the cottage and the weather was quite nice during the week.
Shelley at the waterfront of the Ottawa River
We went to Ottawa on July 1st and we celebrated Canada Day with family. It was raining but we had a Barbecue anyways.
Keenan in the rain doing the Bar-B-que
Our grandson Keenan was a sport and did the barbecue cooking. The rain stopped later in the day and the sky was clear for the fireworks. We headed to the park and watched the fireworks celebrating Canada day.
Canada Day celebration fireworks in park in Ottawa
It was a great last day in Canada before we headed back to Spain with our Grandson. The next day we drove to the Montreal airport and flew back to Spain with our Grandson Tyreese.
The next few weeks in Spain were very busy. Tyreese was able to experience Spain for the first time. It was such a joy to show him around and try out new adventures with him. Each day we tried new things and had many adventures, below are only some of the activities we did during out time in Spain. We hiked up to the Castle of Santa Barbara and explored the 11th century castle.
Tyreese at the turret on the castle of Santa Barbara
There are some amazing views from the castle and we would stop to take in the vistas and beauty of the area.
Shelley and Tyreese at the Castle of santa BarbaraTyreese and Ray at the castle of Santa BarbaraTyreese at the Castle of Santa Barbara
One day we explored and walked some of the beaches in Alicante.
Shelley and Tyrsse overlooking the Postuget Beach in Alicante
Along the way we would stop and enjoy a cool drink at one of the many chiringitos along the beach.
Tyreese enjoying a refreshing drink
Each day we tried new things including Go Cart racing and we had a great time.
Ray had the best time but Tyreese was disputing the winner outcome. All and all Karting Alicante was a lot of fun.
Tyreese at Karting AlicanteRay and Tyreese of the race podium
We went parasailing and we had a great time. We enjoyed the best views and flew along the coast at 150 meters high. The views of the city of Alicante from the Mediterranean Sea were amazing.
Shelley, Tyreese and Ray getting ready to start our parasailing.Shelley Tyreese and Ray 150 meters parasailing along the coastline of Alicante
Each morning Shelley and Tyreese were out for an early bicycle ride.
Tyreese and Shelley heading out for daily bike ride
We took Tyreese for some surfing lessons and he loved it. Both Shelley and him spent the day surfing the waves.
Shelley and Tyreese getting first lesson for surfing.
After spending two action packed weeks in Alicante and area we went to Madrid to visit this amazing city before he went back to Canada.
Tyreese and Shelley in front of the Almudana Cathedral in MadridTyreese in front of the Royal Palace of Madrid
In Madrid we met up with a friend of Tyreese’s. Monica who was a Spanish student that lived in Ottawa as an international student for a year. She took the train to Madrid to meet with us and spend the day.
Tyreese and Shelley at the Madrid Train station waiting for Monica to arrive.Monica and Tyreese in front of the iconic bear and strawberry tree statue in the Puerta Del Sol in Madrid.
We explored the city of Madrid with Monica and enjoyed the day.
Monica and Tyreese in El Retiro Parque in Madrid.
The Next day we took Tyreese to the airport and said our goodbyes. It was time for him to go home.
Shelley, Tyreese and Ray saying goodbye at the Madrid Airport.
It was a very busy and enjoyable few months with lots of adventures and memories being made. These are only some of the activities we enjoyed during our busy summer.
“El mundo es un libro y los que no viajan leen solo una página.”- St. Augustine
I (Ray) went back to Canada for a few weeks in the cold of January. I was there to help a family relative with some medical issues. While I was there I was able to enjoy some outdoor activities with some friends.
Ray enjoying some time with friends and playing in the snow.
Dan and I went snowmobiling along some beautiful pristine trails.
Dan on his snowmobile on the trail
There was a fair amount of snow so it made the trails very fun to ride on. We even had a great cabin to stop and warm up if we got to cold.
Dan and Ray on the snowmobiles in front of the cabin
It was a long time since I was on a snowmobile and it was quite enjoyable. At first, it took me a while to get accustomed to the snow and riding on the trails. At one point I even ended up getting stuck and Dan had to help me get out of the snow.
We stopped and took a nice break at the cabin and enjoyed the fresh cold crisp fresh air.
Afterwards we continued enjoying some snowmobiling and we separated along the trails in order to explore more of the area.
We left the cabin and explored the trails I stoped along the way to admire the sheer beauty of nature and peace of being in the bush.
It was so quiet and peaceful. It was quite cold and you could here the snow cruch when you walked.
It was truly so much fun and relaxing at the same time. Along the way Dan even managed to get a video of me on the snowmobile.
Normally we are not in Canada during the winter months for obvious reasons, however this was a fun time and reminds me of the fun winter brings in Canada.
¨The simple things in life can be the most enjoyable, like playing in the snow.¨
The main reason for our trip was to celebrate Tyreese’s graduation. Seeing him walk across that stage filled us with pride and gratitude.
You must be logged in to post a comment.