Parental Visit

The parents came to visit us earlier this month (actually it was from late July through the first week of August). They brought the hot Texas weather with them. During their first few days, the temperatures reached 105. We attempted to buy another fan, but of course, every store in Seattle had sold out of them. The four of us decided to all sleep on the main floor of our rental townhouse together in front of one fan. We spent our evenings going shopping to places with AC, and we watched Harry Potter and the Half Blood Prince at the local IMAX theater. The first 15 minutes are in 3D.

By Friday, the temperatures dropped a little bit, and it was even better for us as we were leaving for Vancouver over the weekend. Border patrol at Peace Arch is getting out of control. We suspect the Olympic construction is a contributing factor, and it's only going to get worse. Getting in to Canada is not a problem, but coming back is a nightmare. If you haven't done so already, it might not be a bad idea to pay $50 to get a NEXUS card as we have.

We stayed at the hotel on UBC's campus; you can get a nice suite for about $250 a night. It is perfect for four people, and it comes with a little kitchenette. On Friday, we walked around UBC's campus, toured the Anthropology Museum, sat in the rose garden, and then attended a Baroque musical recital.

On Saturday, we went to the Aquarium where they have an adorable baby beluga. Additionally, the Aquarium has a new 4D theater. The 4D is all in your chair. The chair vibrates and makes you feel like you are in the wild experiencing whales spraying at you and rats running by your feet. We ate lunch in Stanley Park and admired the gardens. We had delicious dimsum for dinner in Chinatown and collapsed back at the hotel.

Sunday, we saw the Rembrandt Exhibit at the local Art Gallery. We then drove back to Seattle. It took us nearly two hours to re-enter the US. Though we have NEXUS cards, the parents do not, and in order to use them, each passenger must possess one.

On Monday we went wine tasting in Yakima. Mom bought four bottles of very sweet wine. So that week, we had a Late Harvest Riesling with dinner every night. If you go to a Yakima winery, we recommend spending an $10 extra dollars to purchase a "Wine Passport" as you get more perks with your tastings (more for free) and purchases (discounts on bottles). Also, make sure you stop to pick some peaches or apples. We don't know the name of the orchard, but our favorite is a U-Pick one right by the Sagelands winery.