Butchart Gardens

We stopped in Victoria and visited a garden.

They were beautiful.


They were built on land that was mined for limestone. The 'Sunken Garden' lies in what was the former quarry.


Japanese Garden.

Ziplining

We also ziplined. This is possibly the most fun I have ever had. We highly recommend it.

Can you see me?


How about now?


We were about 130 feet up, zipping along the tops of the trees. So fun. We did about 8 zips total, and we walked across 3 suspension bridges.


All smiles.

Cruising Alaska

We are returned from our cruise. It was way fun.

We laughed.


We hiked.



We were told many a tale of salmon spawning in streams such as this:


We wore fancy clothes (note presence of handknits in photo.)


We (I) knitted.


We saw glaciers.


Alaska is beautiful.

Vegas Baby

Where can you see the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower and the Roman Colosseum all in one stop? Vegas, baby!



The dog and the cat liked it, too.


Chillin' in front of the Bellagio.


Does anyone make a cat carrier with a pillow-top mattress and high thread count linens?


Hilary won big at the slot machines and drove home in style!!!

Roadtripping

Post graduation, the cat, the dog, the Raul, the Shannon and the Hilary climbed into our car and set out west. We had a grand adventure. The first two days consisted of a combined total of 24 hours in the car. It was brutal. And then we arrived in Arizona.


Here are pictures of the fam on the rim of the Grand Canyon.

We went for a hike on the South Kaibib trail.

Hello. I have like nine million switchbacks.

The hike down was easy, and the scenery was phenomenal. We also crossed paths with many a mule train. When we stopped for lunch it began to hail. I quickly became completely soaked. The hike out was not leisurely (I think we made it out in less time than it took to go down), and I was cold.

Raul's view as he greeted us at the trailhead. Note snow on ground. In May.

All in all it was an excellent time, but the best was yet to come. A karaoke contest at the Museum Club - you really have to visit any establishment described by your guide book as a "taxidermy museum transmogrified into a country bar filled with hordes of dancing cowboys." Really. Does it get any better? I don't think so.