June 2009 was a very special month for Sue and me, one which we had looked forward to with great anticipation. Much planning had gone into a trip which we made that year to Canada, the main purpose of which was to be part of a family reunion which was being held to celebrate the 50th wedding anniversary of our sister, Ria, and her husband, Bert. Ria and Bert had migrated to Canada at about the same time as I had left Holland to settle in Australia. The reunion had taken place at their home in Edmonton and had been combined with a family group visit to the Canadian Rocky Mountains.
This ambitious trip began by us travelling to the USA and stopping for a few days in Los Angeles (L.A.), which helped us to get over our jetlag before flying on to Edmonton. To assist us to picture the world when this trip took place, in the United States at that time, Obama had just been inaugurated as President and Joe Biden had been chosen as his Vice-President.
On our first day in L.A, we decided to take a bus to the seafront suburb of Venice, with Santa Monica located nearby. It was a warm summer day and once in Venice, we immediately realised that we had entered “hippy” California, as we strolled past street performers and some “unusual” looking people on the beach. This impression lasted until, to our great surprise, we suddenly came upon the “Venice Canal Walkway”, near a quiet and attractive canal. On both sides of the canal were walking paths with neat houses bordering them and beautiful gardens surrounding them. Even more surprising were the small, quaint bridges over the canal, which made the scene look very much like a European postcard picture. A few small boats were moored in the water and the whole peaceful atmosphere amazed us. It was something which we had not expected to find there. In fact, we were so intrigued that we took quite a few photos.
On the second day in L.A we joined a “sight-seeing” bus which drove us through Beverly Hills, past the impressive mansions, and the celebrity homes of famous people. We even walked into the foyer of the Beverly Hills Hotel, together with many other sightseers.
On the third day, we walked the “Sunset Strip” and the “Hollywood Walk of Fame”, where we stood on the pavement taking photos of famous names, which were written on tiles there. None of it looked very glamorous however, and we were, in fact, surprised and disappointed about the sleaziness of it all.
Admittedly, this was only a very short visit to L.A, and probably it was not long enough to form a view, but our impressions of Los Angeles were mixed and, to be honest, we were not sorry to leave this city, and move on to Canada, where we looked forward to reuniting with our family and to experiencing the mountain scenery which would be awaiting us.
Our flight from Los Angeles to Edmonton took about 3 ½ hour, and for part of the way we flew directly over the Rocky Mountains. It was a clear day, and we had the most spectacular view of part of this vast mountain range, which stretches from Canada all the way to the state of New Mexico in the U.S.
We landed in Edmonton, in the state of Alberta, on another sunny day. Bert picked us up from the airport and when we arrived at his and Ria’s house, six visitors from Holland were already there, waiting for us. Altogether, there were 10 of us, my brother Max and my sister-in-law, Nel, my sisters Liesbeth and Margriet, with their husbands, Dick and Frank, as well as Sue and I, and our hosts, Ria and Bert, whose 50th wedding anniversary we were there to celebrate together.
The Dutch, Australian and Canadian flags were proudly displayed in the garden, where easy chairs had been arranged for us to relax in. I remember the beautiful flowers which were displayed against the fence around their garden, and I remember especially the delicious Dutch treats we were offered as soon as we sat down.
I think it was later that same day that “the boys” retired to Bert’s magnificent workshop, where lots of his electrician’s tools were visible, on the benches as well as hanging against the walls. Easy chairs had been brought in and the five of us enjoyed a quiet chat and some Dutch jenever and Dutch cigars. Every time I look at the photo of this get-together, I smile and think back to that happy time. Sadly, the photo also reminds me, each time I look at it, that of the five in the picture, only Max and I are left.
The day after our arrival had been scheduled, (by Ria and Bert’s children and grandchildren) as the day of the big celebration and it started with “a morning of pampering”.
Friday, June18 @ 9.00 – Dad, Mom, Aunties and Uncles go to “THE GILDED PEAR”, for a morning of pampering
The “Gilded Pear” was the name of a beauty salon owned by Bonny, the happy couple’s daughter-in-law. In the salon, Sue had her nails manicured and I sat with my feet in a basin of warm water and had a pedicure. We had a lot of fun together while all of this was happening.
After the pampering we all gathered, in the afternoon, in the “Clovedale Hall”, dressed in our formal attire, to have photos taken, lots of them. This was followed by cocktails, dinner, and a program of singing and speeches, as well as a fancy-dress party, put on by the younger family members. It was a memorable day for us all!
In the week following the party, the 10 of us travelled, all together in a large van, to the town of Canmore, to begin our tour of the Rocky Mountains. We all stayed in a house in Canmore, which had been made available to us, probably by a friend or a relative. The area around the town is known as a “wildlife corridor”, allowing animals such as bears, cougars, wolves and elk, to move to places where they are able to find food.
The next day we set off further into the Rockies. When we entered the nearby Spray Valley National Park, we noticed a big sign:
“You are in Bear Country. For your own safety – Do not feed any wildlife.”
We did indeed see, and take photos of, black bears, which are common in the park, but we did not see any grizzly bears, which are also present there. The scenery was spectacular and on our drive through the mountains we saw plenty of wildlife, such as Rocky Mountain elk (which is a large deer species), as well as flocks of Rocky Mountain bighorn sheep, which are the largest wild sheep in North America. When we came to an attractive camping site near a lake, we were able to take photos of chipmunks and of birds, which were so tame that they perched on our shoulders. The chipmunks were everywhere. They looked like “small, striped ground-dwelling squirrels”.
Together, we walked part of the Johnston Canyon trail in Banff, on paths which clung to the side of the cliff, with water on the other side and breathtaking vistas. We also visited the enormous “Fairmont Chateau Lake Louise”, which must be one of the most photographed and written about buildings in the world. It is very special, both inside and outside, with the rooms and the balconies looking out over Lake Louise.
We had a wonderful time in the Rocky Mountains, an experience made all the more special by us all being able to enjoy it together, 5 siblings (2 brothers and 3 sisters) and 5 partners. Of the 10 who took part, only 5 remain, although the other five are still very much with us in spirit.
At the end of our trip away, we drove back to Henny’s (Ria and Bert’s daughter’s) house for “supper”, which turned out to be a magnificent, elaborate barbecue party.
Not long after our return from the mountains we all set off to “The Cabin”, which was Ria and Bert’s retreat, near a lake, about 2 hours from Edmonton. The cabin was in a beautiful waterfront location and was spacious, with several rooms, but was not large enough to accommodate all 10 of us, so a caravan had been placed on the property, which Sue and I were able to retire to each night. The cabin itself was very comfortable and the decks and garden between it and the lake offered sufficient space for tables and deckchairs, from which we could watch the activities on the lake.
The following day, the younger members of Bert and Ria’s large family arrived, and we all had fun in, on and around the lake. I think it was Bert and Ria’s son, John-Bert, who owned a powerful speedboat, which he had launched from a ramp onto the lake, allowing him to pull the water-skiers in the family behind him. Sue and I were also taken for a wild ride, sitting inside the boat, suitably equipped with life jackets. This was again a great opportunity to happily engage with our Canadian and Dutch relatives. One particular moment, which amazed me, and which I remember very clearly, was when two big boxes, filled with donuts, were delivered to the cabin and were greeted with delight by the younger generation. Not very healthy but great enjoyment all around.
After a couple of days near the lake, we all returned to Edmonton and, following another family celebration, our six Dutch members said their goodbyes and returned to Amsterdam.
Sue and I were able to spend a few more days in Edmonton, before leaving for Vancouver. One of the ways we used this time was to visit the West Edmonton shopping mall, one of the largest in the world, which has over 800 stores as well as a huge indoor swimming pool, an ice-skating rink, gardens and much more, all under cover. I’ve read that it employs more than 24,000 people and receives about 32 million visitors a year. It was quite incredible to see it.
We also had enough time for Bert to drive us to Elk Island National Park, which is close to Edmonton and is a reserve which plays an important role in the conservation of bisons, the numbers of which had been dwindling. We were lucky to see many of them. They were apparently once found all over the northern provinces of the U.S.A, as well as in Canada. The park is also home to many other mammal species, such as moose, deer, lynx, bears, wolves and coyotes, but we did not see any of these, as we stayed in our car for most of the time. Bisons are huge animals and, according to the advice given to us, they are dangerous and unpredictable, if disturbed.
We had truly enjoyed the family reunion, the celebrations and the holiday in the mountains, but, as the saying goes, ”all good things must come to an end”, and for Sue and me this meant a short flight over the Rocky Mountains to Vancouver, from where we made a cruise to Alaska. Upon our return from the cruise, we spent another 5 days in Vancouver, before flying back to Australia.
For both of us, Vancouver was, without a doubt, our favourite North American city. It has so much to offer. We stayed in a small hotel, close to Gastown, which is Vancouver’s oldest neighbourhood. Gastown has cobblestone streets, galleries and shops and old-world Victorian charm. We saw it in mid-summer and there were flowers displayed everywhere. The standout for us was the steam operated clock in the centre of Gastown, which steam-whistles every half hour.
We also very much enjoyed the food in Vancouver. Sue and I particularly liked “Halibut”, a very large “flatfish”, which is popular in Canada and Alaska. We also loved our walks around the waterfront, and, right around Stanley Park, which is one of Vancouver’s main tourist attractions.
Another pleasant day was spent at the Granville Island Public Market, an arts scene with galleries and studios, and places to enjoy seafood and lots of sweet treats. In a quieter part of Granville Island, I listened to a busker, playing and singing French chansons. I liked it so much that I bought a CD from him, which I have since played many times.
As I said in the introduction, this visit to Canada was very special for Sue and for me. Writing this blog post has brought back many of our precious memories of shared family time, in a beautiful environment and in happy circumstances. Although only my brother Max, my sister-in-law Nel, and my sister Margriet are still with us, the others are always in our thoughts, and the memories of our wonderful reunion will remain, for as long as we live.
O.P
P.S. The next post, “Cruises” will be published in three weeks’ time, on Sunday, 31 May.
Hey Opa Piet,
A lovely post as always. 🙂
Kind regards,
Your grandson Bjorn