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Dating back over 150 years, we look at the history and the story behind the place known locally as Tranquille. It is a journey of discovery for us as well as a look back for the thousands of people that have lived and worked there over the past century. Come along with us as we unearth its past and look to its future. Continue reading Tranquille – A History In The Making 
We stopped by Tranquille Farm Fresh in Kamloops, BC on a sunny fall day to sample their fresh produce, run through the corn maze and learn a little about history. We found what we came for, and much more. Tranquille Farm Fresh has a fascinating history, with roots in the gold rush, days as a former tuberculosis sanatorium, and even an incarnation as a mental institution… Continue reading Farmers Market, Food and Fun at Tranquille Farm Fresh 
Those not familiar with the show Diners, Drive-Ins and Dives need to realize one thing about this Food Network staple: You’re missing out. There, I said it and I’m not taking it back. If you have a mad love for greasy spoon restaurants and funky down home style cooking then I think this American style food show is a great place to start. There was a stretch of time when it seemed that late at night, when nothing was on TV and we weren’t quite ready for bed, the always fun Guy Fieri with his spiky, bleached blond hair and trademark sunglasses perched backwards on his head greeted us from the comfort of his convertible. We knew there was going to be some footage of good home style eating on its way. It’s because of Triple D’s recommendation that we stopped to eat at Joe’s Farm Grill just outside of Phoenix, Arizona and let me tell you, the place was… Continue reading Joe’s Farm Grill in Arizona and The Always Fun Guy Fieri 
What does a young boy from the middle of the Canadian prairies know about an American city deep in the heart of Texas? Well, the first thing he learns is that the 30+ hour drive from his home in Manitoba is a long time to spend in the backseat of a car with his two siblings. The second thing he learns is that, surprisingly, San Antonio has two places he’s heard a bit about. The Alamo, famed for Davy Crockett, James Bowie and William Travis’ last stand during the Texas Revolution is firmly planted in the center of San Antonio. To those of you not from the States, this might not mean much to you. For me, at the time it was history come alive. Of course, my history related more to the Davy Crockett miniseries that I had watched less than a month before on the Sunday night Disney hour than what really happened. Regardless, it was a place I knew and was excited to see. The other place that I had heard of was… Continue reading Checking out the River Walk and The Alamo in San Antonio, Texas 
I imagine this is what the moon looks like; a landscape bleached and barren, rocks twisted and torn by an alien wind. The four of us stand motionless in the hot sun, sweat running down our backs, trying to make sense of the bizarre vista in front of us. We’re in the badlands of Dinosaur Provincial Park, nestled firmly in the grasslands of Canada’s lonely prairies. Cretaceous shale and sandstone are exposed in eerie, lunar formations wherever a rare stream slashes a deep cut into the parched soil. Each turn of our walk reveals more … Continue reading Unique World Heritage Site You’ve Never Heard Of: Dinosaur Provincial Park 
A few months back, we had the pleasure of spending time in the Hawaiian Islands with some friends. It was a hectic and fun vacation that ended much sooner than we would have liked. The day after our epic road trip around the island of Oahu, we finally got the chance to don our masks and snorkels and check out Oahu’s premiere snorkelling destination, gorgeous Hanauma Bay. With the wind in our hair and the sun overhead, we buckled the kids in tight and drove our convertible Jeep the short trip from busy Waikiki to the Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve. At the suggestion of our hotel’s tour desk, we arrived at the park around 8:30 a.m. Hanauma Bay Nature Preserve only… Continue reading Snorkeling and the Beach at Hanauma Bay in Oahu 
To say summer in Canada is a big thing is definitely an understatement. After months and months of cold weather, the average Canadian emerges in late Spring with a vigor unlike anything they’ve felt in the past eight months. There’s a strange electricity in the air as everyone gets ready for a few great months of weather before the inevitable cold returns. As such, the majority of us tend to cram as many fair weather activities into our summers as humanly possible. With that in mind we head to the prairies and cottage lake country where I find not only a healthy dose of back to nature enjoyment but also a reminder of the way I spent my youth… Continue reading Canadian Cottage Life – A Simple Vacation or Something More? 
Eating out in Playa del Carmen can be expensive. Many of Playa’s restaurants, especially those on Quinta Avenida (Fifth Avenue) cater to the tourist crowd. While some are fantastic, they cater almost exclusively to tourists, and the prices reflect it. Since we were in town for a couple of months, we spent some time finding out where the locals go for a taste of the real and affordable Playa del Carmen. This is in no way a complete list of Playa’s restaurants, but they are some of our favorites. Feel free to check any of them the next time you’re down there. Best Breakfast: La Cueva Del Chango With it’s unique garden style patio, and turtle and poi pond under a concrete canopy fitted with glass bottles to let in the sun, La Cueva Del Chango was by far our favorite breakfast place. The decor definitely makes the place stand out, however the food was delicious and a decent price as well. The kids loved walking around and watching the turtles. Their french toast was Charles’ favorite, but Micki and kids loved their granola concoction. Calle 38 North between 5th and 10th Best Pizza: Pizza Bella Vita When we first arrived and asked people for suggestions on restaurants this place came up more than once. Seems that it was on everyone’s favorite list. After trying it for ourselves it quickly became a regular staple. Only a block from Mamitas Beach, we either stopped here before heading to the beach or on our way back. The pizza melted in your mouth and the calzones were incredibly light and crunchy. The place is run by a young Italian owner and is fairly new. They have some odd topping selections, but after trying most of them out you can’t go… Continue reading Best of Playa Del Carmen Restaurants 
Every once in a while I get it into my head that I’m an adventure sports person. This is kind of the equivalent of Elmo entering a mixed martial arts cage match. Possible? Maybe. Wise? Probably not. I love all the so-called adventure sports: kayaking, snowboarding, rappelling, windsurfing, scuba, and so on. It’s a one-sided relationship. I love them, they kick my a**. In the last few years, we’ve seen paddle boarders of all shapes and sizes on almost any body of water we visit. It looks fun, serene, and above all, fairly easy. Charles and I decided to lose our stand up paddle boarding (SUP) virginity in Hawaii. Given that stand up paddling (Hoe he’e nalu in the Hawaiian language) originated in Hawaii, Oahu seemed like a great place to start. The theory is simple: You stand upright on a specially designed paddle board (a very stable, modified surfboard) and use your paddle to… Continue reading Micki vs Stand Up Paddle Boarding on Kailua Beach, Hawaii 
Not really having a plan except knowing we wanted to spend some time in the southern states, we booked a cheap flight from San Jose, Costa Rica to Miami, Florida. The weather was gorgeous and we were looking forward to North American style dining, shopping and ease of travel. It also didn’t hurt that the local language was English again. At a minimum, the kids were definitely excited to be able to watch cartoons in English now. After a few quiet days laying low and acclimatizing ourselves to the US, our wanderlust finally kicked back in. I hadn’t been to Florida since I was in my mid teens and really didn’t remember that much about it. One thing I do remember is that we didn’t go any farther south than St. Petersburg. This trip I was adamant about seeing the Florida Keys and going for a hike in the Everglades. We managed to rent a car and headed south for a few days of exploration. The kids and Micki were excited to see… Continue reading Tickling The Florida Keys |
       
About Charles & Micki We first left home on a year long trip back in 2003, and have been hooked on travel ever since. Today, we're sharing the joy of travel with our two little adventurers. Read More...
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