Bleeding hearts in our backyard.
Our bi-annual tradition after finals is to have a GF-in-GF (Girlfriends in Grand Forks). But this semester we decided to switch it up a bit and go to Winnipeg, where Cathy is from. Cathy is spending the summer working for the United Nations in Tanzania. She will be sleeping with two night guards (one in her mouth and one whom she has hired to stand outside of her living quarters). But that trip/adventure is another story.
We stayed at the Fort Garry Hotel and partook in their spa and yoga weekend. Johanna and I drove up from Grand Forks. Just as I was leaving the house, I tucked a bottle of wine into my suitcase. When we arrived at the Canadian border, I did not see the sign that said "Stop Here" and proceeded to pull up behind the car in front of us. For future reference, the Border Control guards do not like those who don't follow directions. We were quickly informed to move back. So now I was a bit frazzled and when we finally were allowed to pull forward and answered 20 questions about our one night stay, I quickly answered "no" to the questions about carrying any alcohol or tobacco. As soon as I said no, I remembered the vino in my suitcase. But I knew how those guards acted when I broke the first rule, so I decided to plead "I forgot" if they opened our suitcases. Luckily, they did not.
Canada does not win the Best Roads in the World award. The 75 mph interstate we were on in the U.S. quickly became a 55 mph (90 kph) two lane highway in Canada that slows down to 25 mph when we go through little towns. As I was approaching one little town I slowed down to the requisite snail pace. I saw a red flashing light and figured it was just warning me to slow down. Nope. As I passed under the red flashing light, I saw a train coming at me 100 yards away. In America, we have a zillion different ways we know a train is coming. We have railroad signs, arms that won't let you go over the tracks, horns, etc. Not so in Canada. After a loud scream, we survived and kept trekking North.
Once at the hotel, to our surprise, we ran into some of my parents' friends, who live in Grand Forks. They had a friend from Texas visiting and they told their friend I had gone to Baylor. After checking in, we ran up stairs and changed into our yoga clothes. As we were heading to yoga, in the lobby we saw the Texas friend, who proceeded to sexually harass us by saying we looked so good and the only thing that would make us look better is if we were Baptist.
The first yoga session was a 2.5 hour power yoga class. It was great. Then we had the dinner, but were totally bummed that we were not allowed to drink prior to our spa session. The spa session was a hamam treatment. You strip down to a Turkish wrap (little plaid cloth), go in a steam shower, then sit in a steam room and have a salt rub, then you lay down in another room and have a shoulder and foot massage and cold water poured on you. Then you go to another room and have more water poured on you. Then you dry off and put on a robe and sit in a relaxation room and drink a yogurt salt drink to nourish you. Then you sit in another steam room, go through a mint mist shower and a tropical rainstorm shower. Then you bathe yourself in a shower. It was very interesting. I enjoyed it, but I think I still prefer facials and massages.
Me, Cathy, her mother Susan, and Johanna
Johanna and me
Dogs and babies- for me, it doesn't get much better than that. I love these pictures, from this blog.
