Thank you Colin for getting me to the airport for 6:25AM. There was a line up at security and then I forgot that all my liquids had to be in clear plastic bags. That was easy as they had a bunch of bags right there. Next was my body search, because my titanium hips set off all the alarms. Thankfully today was the easiest I have ever encountered. Good thing also because by the time I had put my jewellery back on and my FitBit, bought some water and did my final bathroom stop, they were already boarding the flight. It was crowded and we were all loaded and settled and buckled in a good 15 minutes before our scheduled take off yet we just sat there till the appointed time. Lots of hurry to just sit and wait 🙁
I took an airport shuttle which is $18.00 but because I purchased round trip it was only $30.00.
Lots of construction in Edmonton but when isn’t there. I am staying at the Varscona Hotel right on the corner of Whyte Avenue and 106 St. It is a lovely hotel and I was allowed to check in at 10:40AM. I can’t remember the last time I stayed in a hotel, honestly I can’t. Maybe Colin will remember, all I know is that it has been years and years. Last time the key was a card that you put into a slot and had to turn the door handle fast or you would have to do it all over again. Today the key card just required a tap to the handle, a green light flashed and the door could be opened. You also had to use the key card to operate the elevator, a great way to keep anyone but a guest going up to the rooms.
The view from my 1st ( yes my first ) room. Not a great view but it was what it was.
When I checked out the bathroom, I was not happy. The hotel offers lovely bathing salts and fluffy white robes and I had a stand up shower.
My view out of room #2. Lovely. It was on the 4th floor as opposed to room # 1 on the 5th floor. But it also had only a walk in shower. I called the desk yet again. After all if I’m paying over $200.00 per night for a room, I want a tub to soak in.
View from my third and final room. I’m now on the top floor, the sixth, with a view of Whyte Avenue and I have a tub.
The rooms are lovely. Whatever will I do in a king bed without the other C’s?
Across from the bed is a large flat screen TV that is set to a channel playing soothing music while scrolling though relaxing scenes.
All this schlepping about checking out all the rooms didn’t give much time to relax. I quickly checked emails, yes I brought my new MacBook and I so love having it with me. Yosemite is so much faster than my desktop. My sweetie had already sent me an email. Once I came back from Edmonton last November we cancelled our company 1 800 number with which we burned up the phone lines while I was in Edmonton. I also had my cell last year which I only used for three months but it is no longer activated. Simply don’t need it. So we decided that email was how we would communicate this trip. I’ll likely do a quick collect call before bedtime.
Off to see my magnificent Chiropractor who gave a very through going over and knew exactly what my problem was and how to fix it. He has a wonderful way of diagnosing the body and then it is a quick fix as he zeros in on what is causing your symptoms. Most chiropractors have you go back over and over again, not necessary with him. That is unless you are having the type of year I have and let the stress wear me down. I asked him if he could please move to Kelowna. He said that he would one day, but it was way down the road. I certainly hope he does. Meanwhile I have to keep myself healthy.
My task for the afternoon was to do lots of walking to help my body settle. Where better to do that than on Whyte Avneue, a trendy main street full of different restaurants, bistros, bars and a multitude of cafes. Lots of unique shops including a lot of vintage clothing.
So many of these small restaurants are geared towards vegetarians and a gluten free diet.
On almost every block there is one establishment that has pushed it’s patio quite far out and the sidewalk has been built to go around it but that sidewalk is on the street where cars usually park. I wonder if the restaurant has to pay a certain amount of money to City Hall? This by the way is a Mexican restaurant. Love all the color.
Lots of old buildings along here and much history.
I did have a destination in mind. I was enroute to the Under the High Wheel bistro to meet some of my high school friends, class of ’71. Since I have started going to Edmonton over the last few years I have called my one friend and she reached out to the others via email and whoever is free comes for lunch or dinner. When I was here this past June I had no intention of returning to Edmonton for a while and yet here I am. There were eleven of us last time and five today but I only gave them a few days notice.
It was an inspiring two hours of chit chat catching up on who has retired, who is getting a knee replaced Friday, who is flying to Belgium on Saturday and so on. Note I am the only one with a glass of vino. Yummy food for all of us.
My eight block walk back to the hotel was just what I needed to wear off my lunch. Lots of interesting characters cruising the street and sitting in front of the cafes. But why do so many Edmontonians smoke 😯 It was most unpleasant smelling smoke as I strolled along so I would speed up and yet another showed up. There was even an elderly woman in her scooter racing down the sidewalk, lit cigarette held high up as she passed.
All in all, a pleasant day.
More to share but this is enough for this post. By the way I am feeling great.
He is home now as I type this and sitting in the tub warming up. It was cold up there and he had on three jackets. Usually he does these aerials in early summer. He even used his seat heater in the car all the way home, 4 hours of driving.
