Summer in Saskatchewan

Who goes to Saskatchewan you may ask?  Well, in this case, me.  My brother and sister-in-law moved to Regina last year and I was due to a trip over the Memorial Day long weekend.

After a layover in Minneapolis, the flight landed at the Regina airport Friday afternoon.  A ride around the city left me surprisingly impressed.  In my head, I assumed the middle of nowhere Canada meant a small town with nothing around.  Turns out, Regina is a city with lots of buildings, restaurants, shopping centers, etc.  It reminded me of a typical mid-west city in the US.  Sprawled out and absolutely mandatory that you have a car. 

Outside the Royal Saskatchewan Museum 

My top priority for this trip was visiting with my family, my second top priority was shopping at Roots.  After that, food and culture.  I ended up visiting Roots twice that weekend and definitely ate some poutine.  Saturday we visited the Royal Saskatchewan Museum.  The building was beautiful, but the inside did not blow me away.  At the time we were visiting, the special exhibit was called "Snakes Alive.  It featured several snakes of Saskatchewan and was an interesting, albeit small exhibit.  The rest of the building was mostly dioramas highlighting the landscape and animals in Canada.  To be honest, it was underwhelming.  

The next day we had brunch at Willow on the Wascana. It was delicious and the view over the lake was nice on the slightly-chilly day.  After brunch, we went to the RCMP Heritage Centre.  Shortly after we arrived, a driving tour was ready to leave, so we jumped on the trolly and went along for the ride.  We drove around the Depot and learned about the academy and steps involved in training.  We made a pit-stop at the chapel to admire the stained glass.  I definitely recommend the driving tour since it put everything into perspective and there were plenty of opportunities to ask questions.  After the tour, we spent some time in the museum going through each exhibit.  The virtual reality experience was pretty neat and I also really enjoyed the training movie.  The whole place was very nicely organized. 

The Chapel at the RCMP Heritage Centre

Our last night in Regina was spent getting food and drinks nearby and enjoying the good company of family.

All Aboard the Carnival Glory!

Carnival Glory Docked in Halifax

A last minute decision had me boarding the Carnival Glory last Thursday, July 4^th.  Because I did not know if I was going to have time off over the holiday, I did not spend too much time searching for an Independence Day getaway.  Only a few weeks before the sailing date, I got the boss’s OK and decided to book the cruise!  I have been on two cruises with Carnival in the past and have enjoyed myself immensely.  In fact, one of my first blog posts was from a quick cruise to the Bahamas.  The idea of going on a vacation without having to spend time in an airport flying somewhere was appealing because I only had a few days over the long weekend. 



I left my apartment around 3pm and made my way to the Black Falcon terminal in the Boston seaport district.  To my surprise, there was no line outside and barely anyone waiting around inside.  I tagged my bags and passed them to a porter before continuing up to the check-in desk.   If you have never cruised before, this is an important thing to note: fill out all of your information online, including your passport info and your credit card for room charges/billing.  Since I had everything ready to go, I spent less than 5 minutes at the desk getting my Sign and Sail card.  Some people (especially those traveling in large parties) took way more time than necessary getting checked in.  I made my way up the gangway and into the lobby on the 3^rd floor.

 

Reversing Falls in Saint John, NB

In my opinion, the Carnival Glory looked like every other Carnival ship I’ve been on.  Lobby on the 3^rd floor, photos on the 4^th, and casino/shops/bars on the 5^th.  The dining rooms and show rooms are always toward the ends, and rooms are everywhere else.  Pool and spa are up top.  This doesn’t mean I didn’t get lost.  I have a poor sense of direction and found myself turning one way when I was supposed to go the other.  Fortunately, you can only go so far before you realize you made a mistake.  Also, there are maps in every elevator bank.  I stayed in a balcony room on the 8^th floor.  It was quiet for the most part, and though the balcony was small, it was nice to sit out there and read.  The deck up on lido got a little loud at times with all the kids and music.  Even the serenity area wasn’t very relaxing.  I’m fine with noise when I want to drink and dance, but not when I want to read or nap.  One of the reasons I enjoy cruising is that all of the employees take careful consideration in learning your name.  From our wait staff at dinner to our room steward, I was called Tina all the time. It actually made me feel a little bad because I could barely pronounce some of their names.  The staff comes from all over the world and works for 6 month contracts. 

 

The best part of a cruise is (and should be!) the food!  I had delicious meals every day including mouthwatering tacos at Blue Iguana Cantina, fresh caught lobster tails, and a 14 oz cheesecake in the Emerald Steakhouse!   By the time I got home, I couldn’t even think of food.  As with most restaurants on land, the best deal for drinks is buying wine by the bottle.  They have a decent selection for people on a budget.  You can also bring two bottles with you when you board to drink outside the dining room.  If you want to drink your own wine with your dinner, you are charged a small corkage fee ($10 in the main dining room, $14 in the steakhouse), but they will hold the bottle for you in the dining room if you don’t finish it in one sitting.  



Lobsters in Halifax

Slightly more disappointing was the entertainment.  The performers at the nightly show were sub-par.  I actually walked out at one point because my ears couldn’t take it anymore.  I spent more time entertaining myself at the casino playing roulette and craps than at the shows and comedy clubs.  I found the bands playing on deck 5 near the casino and in the lounges to be better than anyone in the choreographed shows.

 

The ship had two stops in Canada – one in Saint John, New Brunswick, and another in Halifax, Nova Scotia.  On past cruises, I have both opted in and opted out of excursions.  Based on my research online and from what I found browsing the Carnival site, I decided to opt out and walk the cities on my own.  I went in expecting Saint John to be a bit of a bore, and it was.  They have a wonderful greeting staff passing out roses to women and maps and flyers, but that’s where it stopped.  One of the pre-booked excursions was to go to the Reversing Falls.  I read online that you can walk there yourself along the harbor walk, and so I did.  The walkway was really run down and a little scary.  At times, I had to walk along the main highway! 

 

About 45 minutes later, I arrived at the falls.  I’m not sure if I didn’t time it right, but there was not too much to see.  I did not go on a boat ride, but it looked like the jet boats that were speeding around in the rapids would have been fun.  It was a hot day, so I wouldn’t have minded getting splashed!  The people working in the gift shop were not very welcoming or nice and gave me a hard time about getting change for the bus ride back, even though I purchased something.  After standing around for an hour staring blankly at the falls, I made my way back to the seaport on a bus and had some drinks and a lobster roll at Steamers Lobster Co.  The food was good, and the entertainment was better.  Out on the deck, a singer was performing lots of music (mostly from the 50’s and 60’s).  He was better than the performers on the boat and all he had was a small karaoke machine and a dancing lobster mascot. 

 

We made our way back to the Glory well before the ship left Saint John early that afternoon.

The next morning, we docked in Halifax.  Right away, I noticed a difference in the attitude of this city.  There were a lot of shops, restaurants, and things to do nearby.  I walked down the pier and then up towards The Citadel.  After lots of walking, a much needed pit stop at Starbucks for a coffee and souvenir mug, and even more walking, I stopped for lunch at Cora’s.  Cora’s was explained to me as the Canadian iHop, and there was a big all-day breakfast menu.  I decided to have an apple and cheddar crepe before continuing along to more shops. 

Score!

As I was strolling down the road, I began to notice people carrying bright red shopping bags.  Upon closer inspection, I realized they were Roots bags!  I love Roots!  I’ve had an unnatural fascination with the store since they sponsored the Olympics back in Salt Lake City.  I found the store a few minutes later and proceeded to try everything on.  I walked out with a lovely grey sweatshirt with a Canadian flag on it.  I can’t wait to wear it! Good thing I live somewhere with a long winter; I will get to wear it a lot!  We can back to the boat for a few hours before venturing out again for a few drinks.  Originally I wanted to get some poutine as a snack before dinner, but it was too hot to justify eating fries, so I never got them.

The weather finally broke the last day at sea as massive fog rolled over the ocean.  It was so thick the fog horn was going off every 10 minutes and I couldn’t even see the water from my balcony!  I managed to spend my last day shopping in the Fun Shops and attending an art auction.  I also got some good reading in before my 8 PM reservation at the Emerald Steakhouse, the fancy restaurant onboard.  There is a $35 fee per person to go to this restaurant, but I had a good time.  I cracked upon the bottle of champagne I brought with me and chugged it back with my surf and turf.  Dinner ended with a ginormous 14 oz cheesecake!  I made it about 1/5 of the way through before giving up.  It was yummy though!

Leaving Halifax

Tuesday morning started early for me as I was summoned to go through US Customs before getting off the ship.  Typically only Non-US Citizens have to do this, but there is a lottery of US Citizens who also get picked, and I won.  I sat in the auditorium for about an hour before they briefly looked at my customs form and waved me away.  After a quick breakfast on the Lido Deck, I grabbed my bags and walked off the ship.  It was all very painless and I was back at work by 8:30 AM.  Adios vacation… Until next time!

Québec City and A Night in the Hôtel de Glace

 I'm alive.

Yes, I still have all of my fingers and my toes.  The tip of my nose may never be warm again, but that is the price you pay for staying overnight in a hotel made completely out of ice and snow.  I thought growing up with lots of lake effect snow from Lake Erie and spending the last 6 years here in Boston would have prepared me for a long weekend in Québec... it did not.

Last October, I purchased a Groupon for a night in the Hôtel de Glace.  I did not go for the exclusive package (extra night, dinner, etc etc), I just had the bare bones package including Saturday night in the ice hotel, a welcome drink, and breakfast the next morning.  The following evening I was booked a room at the Four Points Sheraton down the road from the Ice Hotel.  I thought being nearby would be a good idea and thought it was fairly close if I wanted to explore centre-ville. Up until a few days before the trip, I did not even consider having a spare room for Saturday night.  My traveling companion did not appreciate this plan and booked the additional night at the Sheraton (just in case). 

Centre-ville, Québec City

Around 6:30 AM on Saturday morning, I left Boston to drive up to Québec City.  My GPS said I should get there in about 6 hours.  Unfortunately, my GPS did not account for driving through several minor snow storms and miles of unpaved roads.  The 6 hour trip turned in to 7.5 excruciatingly long hours.  Having the backup room was actually a wonderful idea as I was able to drop off my bags somewhere secure during the day and not keep it locked in the car.  Since I had some time and it was still snowing, I took a cab into Québec City from the Sheraton.  Their website is a bit deceiving.  I did not realize the hotel was so far from the old part of the city.  It was a $30 cab ride one way, yikes! Keep this is mind if you want to see more than just the ice hotel.

I arrived within the walled city with just enough time for my 2:30 walking food tour with Tours Voir Québec.  Though a bit pricey at nearly $43 a person, the tour was very informative and a lot of fun.  Coincidentally, there were no other people booked on the tour either, so it ended up being a private tour.  We stopped at several locations as our guide gave us some history of Québec City.  Some of our stops included small wine and food tastings at three different restaurants, an introduction to maple liquor at the SAQ, and stops for cheese, chocolate, and maple product tastings at Maple Delights.

Part of the wall surrounding the city

The tour ran for 2.5 hours and I was back on a cab headed to the hotel at 5pm to prepare for my very cold night ahead.  I would recommend this tour, or at least this tour company, if you are trying to get a quick history of the city and don't have a lot of time.  We spent a lot of time outside, so be prepared with lots of layers and some good boots.

When I got to the Sheraton I warmed up a little and started packing for the night.  The following items went in my overnight bag:  Two extra pairs of socks, a pair of synthetic leggings to sleep in, a moisture wicking long sleeve shirt to sleep in, a swim suit, camera, cell phone, extra gloves, and an extra hat.  The following items did not go into my overnight bag, but should have: a pair of flip flops, more socks, feet warmers, even more socks.  Can you figure out which part of my body was the coldest?

The chapel

I arrived at the Hôtel de Glace at 7pm.  In hindsight, I would have arrived early so that I could have taken the last English speaking tour at 5pm, but I have watched the special on the Discovery Channel, so I wasn't too sad.  The night before was the grand opening, so pretty much the entire hotel was finished.  It is incredible!  There are both rooms and suites for overnight guests to stay in.  The rooms are cheaper than the suites, but they all have the same "amenities".  That is a bed frame carved from ice with a wooden frame and mattress on top.  The suites have wonderful carvings and fake fireplaces that warm your heart and soul, but not your body.  As you can imagine, fire and ice do not mix well.

The deluxe suite

At 8:15, I gathered with several other people in the orientation room.  For an hour we listened to a woman try to convince us that we would not be cold.  She listed out detailed instructions on how to get into the sleeping bag and how it is good for even colder weather than what we were sleeping in.  When we exited the orientation, I'm not sure anyone was 100% convinced.  Since I did not really think ahead for dinner, I ended up eating dinner at the little cafe in the "warm building" next to the hotel.  The warm building is where the bathrooms, food, locker rooms, and concierge all are.  This building is open 24 hours a day, so if you need to potty in the middle of the night, you don't have to make yellow snow.

After my sub-par dinner of a cold ham and cheese panini (I do not recommend eating here), I made my way back into the hotel for some drinks at the bar.  My package came with one free drink in a souvenir ice glass.  If you keep your glass, any additional drinks are discounted by $2.  The drinks run from about $8 to $15 depending on the liquor.  In reality, the ice glass only holds about as much liquid as a shooter.  A $15 shooter is pretty expensive.

Another beautiful suite

If I were to go back, I would pack a flask and pour my own alcohol into the ice glass after I got my first free drink.  After a few drinks, I decided to take our orientation leader's advice and try to increase my body temperate in the jacuzzi before turning in for the night.  I used the locker rooms to change into my swimsuit and picked up my terry cloth robe from the concierge.  Our orientation leader said that it would be okay to just walk out to the jacuzzis in your boots, but this is where I really wish I would have brought flip flops like some of the other overnight guests.  My boots got soaked after running in and out of the jacuzzi as fast as I could.  I can honestly say, the water was no where near warm enough!  In addition, the snow blowing into my face from the top of the hotel was not a comfortable feeling.  I'm pretty sure I could have gotten my temperate up with a hot shower instead. 

The bar area

In the bar drinking from an ice glass

After about 15 minutes in the outdoor spa, I returned to the warm building to change and dry my hair.  Once I changed into my PJs,I enjoyed a complimentary hot cocoa and tried to delay the inevitable for as long as possible.  When I could no longer keep my eyes open, I bundled back up and made my way to room 22.  It did look very cosy with a small candle burning, but I quickly realized walking through the snow in wet boots was not the way I wanted to start the night.

I uncurled my sleeping bag, quickly took off my jacket and snow pants, and changed into my sleeping socks.  After zipping myself into the mummy style sleeping bag, I spent the next several hours thinking about how cold my feet and nose were and trying to will myself to sleep.  The people who say they had the best sleep of their life here are either A) lying or B) sleep in very uncomfortable beds at home. Fortunately, I did not have to get up to use the restroom in the middle of the night, but I do feel bad for anyone who does.  I doubt I would not be able to go back into that sleeping bag after warming up in the heated building during the night.

I got up very early the next morning and made my way back to the heated suite at the Sheraton and napped for a while.  Around 12PM, I had to grudgingly put my snow clothes back for a 1pm dog sledding ride in Stoneham with Aventures Nord-Bec.  The Hôtel de Glace has a package that includes this option, but I booked my experience separately.  It just made better sense to me to plan my activities on my own.  The drive took about 30 minutes from the hotel (again, in the snow) to the chalet in the middle of the woods.

My room for the night

There ended up being about 20 people in our party with 2 people per sled.  We were ushered to an area for a quick lesson on how to drive a sled before being directed to our team of dogs.  I was in the last sled with Mazuka and Powdee as my dog team leaders.  The ride through the woods was a lot of fun.  I crashed into a snow bank once and made my partner face plant in the snow, but it was still pretty entertaining.  The 40 minutes through a winter wonderful were serene and very beautiful.  I was told not to bring my camera on the sled, but I wish I did.  There were people in the woods with cameras, meaning you could buy photos at the end.  $50 for a photo package seemed really expensive, but since I had no other options, I conceded.

Sledding through the snow

After the ride, everyone warmed up in the chalet with hot cocoa and some cookies.  This was a lot of fun and an experience I recommend if you are in the area.  Be prepared for a long drive from the city if it is snowing and be on the lookout for icy roads.  That night I was exhausted and ended up eating dinner in the hotel.  It was surprisingly delicious and not horribly priced.  A 3 course meal was about $40 without beverages.  The next morning, I made a few quick stops in the city for some souvenir shopping before driving back to Boston.  The weather wasn't nearly as bad coming home. 

All in all, I have the following recommendations if you are planning a trip to Québec City and the Hôtel de Glace...

1.  Make sure your car has 4 wheel drive and other appropriate snow gear...check the weather in advance!
2. If you are even the slightest bit hesitant about staying the night in the Hôtel de Glace due to claustrophobia, cold feet (literally), or are prone to crankiness with a lack of sleep, don't do it.  Be sure to visit as it is incredible to see, but enjoy a warm night in the comfortable of a real bed.
3. If you do stay the night, pack lots of socks, flip flops, and a hair dryer.
4. If you want to explore the walled part of Québec City, book a hotel closer to centre-ville, not the Sheraton.
5. Lastly... make sure you have some serious winter gear (coat, gloves, boots, etc). 

I'm glad I went, but I won't be returning in the winter. I bet it is beautiful in the summer though.  :)

A thing worth noting:  Québec City is a french city, so if you don't understand French, you may find it a bit frustrating.  Most people can speak English to a certain degree, but many other people (especially outside of the tourist zones) do not.  Be prepared.

Prep for a weekend in Québec City

Well, the last few days have certainly thrown a wrench in my mental preparation for staying overnight in a hotel made of ice and snow as it is currently 60 degrees and sunny here in Boston.  Nevertheless, I am ready to make my journey 6 hours north into Canada and the only walled city in North America north of Mexico, Québec City! 

I plan to start the drive early Saturday morning so that I reached the city around 1pm.  From there, I hope to get some time in to explore my surroundings before spending a few hours on a food tour of Saint Jean-Baptiste.  After stuffing myself with crepes and other delicacies, I will drive just outside the city to the Hôtel de Glace for a night on a bed of ice.

If I am not a frozen Popsicle by the next morning, I hope to find my way to Aventures Nord-Bec Stoneham for a dog sledding lesson and an hour trekking through the snow.  That afternoon, I hope to explore the old town of Québec City and eventually find my way to a wonderful Québecois dining establishment. 

I will most likely end my weekend with a breakfast crepe before driving back down to Boston.  Hopefully all goes according to plan and stay posted for the post-trip details!

2/26/2013 Update:  A link was sent to me recently with more helpful information on how to prepare for a stay in the ice hotel.  I want to pass it along to all of you in hopes that you are better prepared than I was!  Check it out here.