Honeymoon Blog #1
Hey somewhere,
you threw your fear in the Sea of No Cares
Paul is still asleep - rather unsurprisingly, as despite the fact that it’s nearly midday here, it’s only 8am in Saskatoon.
Our gift opening on Sunday afternoon was filled with joy - so many amazing gifts, things we asked for and things we really appreciate. These posts are for all of you who donated money to our Honeymoon fund (and Janta who gave us the luggage we used - I miss you already, dearest) and all of you who love us so much - thank you.
We received exactly enough money to cover our entire honeymoon budget, by the grace of God.
When you're in love, there's no time and no space
There's a permanent smile on your face
Your friends all complain that you're going insane
But the truth is they're just afraid
Sunday evening after a quick supper with Michael at Jerry’s, Paul’s friend Tony picked us up to go to the airport. Our flights went smoothly, the guy at the security counter was a photo buff and commented on my camera, and we even managed to sleep on the plane overnight.
At our layover in Calgary, Paul and I pulled out the computer, went onto Google Maps, and zoomed all the way out. We discussed all the places we wanted to go in the world, talked about how important travel was to us, and I made a suggestion. Every 1.5 years we’d save $5,000 to vacation with - if we backpack, get seat sales, and CouchSurf, that will be plenty. Paul hemmed and hawed a bit and I said I’d be willing to sacrifice other things for this, and he said he would as well. And so our plans were born.
And we had ideas to start. Paul and I sent emails to Ken and Helen asking about Greece, and to Drew asking about France, since those are their beloved places. We’ve received favourable emails back, though Ken and Helen would like us to go to Cyprus with them and we’d probably go to Greece afterwards. So we’re planning to go to those places in the next three years sometime - basically while and just after Paul is in school. (Janta, dearest, both of those places are near enough to you for you to manage a trip fairly easily, so you’re invited to tour with us as well! And we’re open to others joining us, too, touring with friends is the best.)
When we got in I was extremely pleased to find the Halifax airport still held good memories from the last time I came, and that for only $9 a day extra we could have a silver or gray Mustang for a rental car. Paul started calculating the cost and I forbade him - my mental figuring skills hit it on the nose - our wedding budget held $100 for a rental for our wedding day and we never got it - this was it!
We drove away and into Halifax. Paul was stressed, hungry, and tired and therefore a bit cranky, so seeing restaurant after restaurant with unlit open signs in the window became a nightmare quickly - but after we prayed a little all-day-breakfast place appeared with an open sign in the window, so we parked and entered, immediately noting the café diner style interior - a perfect little hole-in-the-wall - and the Syrian flag on the wall and the menus. Paul was wondering if they were Syrian Christians, and though we didn’t ask, we noted a photo of Mother Teresa on the wall in the kitchen and assumed so! I started laughing happily at that, and Paul nailed it: “Are you laughing because we prayed and God directed us to a cool little restaurant owned by Syrian Christians?”
I grabbed a menu because they had the most interesting one. Our waitress was a sweetheart.
Speaking of that - every single person we met there was amazing, right down to the courteous drivers! I’ll get to that in a minute.
We ordered breakfast food which was absolutely delectable - ham and sausages of fine quality and flavour and great food all around. So cool.
We then spread out our maps to get thoroughly unlost after having browsed Charlottetown without any aids. We asked our Waitress where we were and marked it on the map, then proceeded to trip plan. Paul is a great navigator and I’m a good driver and sign-spotter, so together we make a great road-trip team.
We then walked to the Shoppers down the street. Once inside, a friendly man on staff came up and asked if we needed help because we looked lost. I told him we were just trying to remember everything we needed and he said, “Well, now, that’s even worse!” So friendly and amazing.
Back to what I said about the people - Paul said that both the ladies he dealt with at the rental car agency were the friendliest and best he’d ever dealt with. Now I say two ladies because went back through there after Charlottetown because we had to drive past the airport anyway and we were dumb and couldn’t figure out the seat adjustment levers because our car is too cool for us hicks, and instead of laughing at us she asked if we wanted some pointers and showed us all the rest of the nifty things about the car, like the ability to change your personal light colors!
Even on the road, I was speeding a lot - partly from hunger, partly from horse-on-my-steering-wheel fever ;) and everyone ALWAYS moved into the parallel lane to let us pass. We didn’t have one issue on the road, everyone here actually knows how to use a four-way stop for goodness sake.
So far this is the best place for people we’ve ever been to.
Let your self go with the tide
There's an angel by your side
Tonight
Paul and I then proceeded to drive through Nova Scotia and into New Brunswick, then into Prince Edward Island proper over the ridiculously cool Confederation Bridge. We stopped at a tourist outlet where I asked Paul if I could throw up because everything was SO tacky, but there was one high point - we found out that since they printed the brochures, the season for Anne and Gilbert the play had changed, so now it started June 15th instead of in July! We were thrilled, because we’d been so disappointed we couldn’t go!
'cause we've got
Rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And waterrrrrrr
So Paul and I listened to that very, very awesome song and many more Arrogant Worms songs and worship as we drove through Nova Scotia, then we switched to Great Big Sea in New Brunswick as we drove through the amazing scenic area. We both decided that Sea of No Cares is our theme song for the honeymoon.
And then went into Charlottetown for supper and ate at Lobster on the Wharf with a wharf-view table, and our server was really cool. It was raining, but despite that I got a few nifty pictures. We got a few funny looks because I was wandering around downtown with my camera making me look very oddly pregnant under my jacket. Electronics don’t like the rain so much. Paul suggested I buy a camera coat (they exist!) and I think I shall. I sampled a number of different varieties of seafood because Paul got a mixed plate and I’ve decided that I like several, in particular, the little white circular kind called scallops. I’m told that lobster tastes similar but richer, so I might have to try some. This certainly expands my ability to eat here!
Paul and I got into an interesting discussion of Israel and Jewish feasts, which we’re planning to look up later.
We then found a Co-Op (by accident while looking for a Sobey’s) and shopped there, purchasing a wealth of incredible foods ranging from pizza and nachos to steak and scallops - $200 worth of ridiculously awesome food to feed us for an entire week.
Then we drove the last half hour to our cottage, and finally down a red gravel road lined with trees. When we drove up, Paul had a heart attack, because the first thing in the driveway was a tiny shed, and his very tired mind actually thought that it was everything here.
We exited the car, had a moment of pleasure as we glimpsed the cottage for the first time and then looked back at the Silver Mustang in the driveway, and then explored. Pictures do not do this place justice, let me tell you! It is classy, elegant, and simply a fantastic honeymoon destination. We highly recommend it!
Then as we threw a pizza in the oven and cuddled on the couch, the sun began to set in a glory of color. I ran about with my camera for some time and started to apologize, then changed my mind and told him to get used to it. =)
“Welcome to our honeymoon, my dear husband,” I said, with red rays on my face, red sand in between my toes, and a heart full of love.
Today we’re going to lounge around the house and relax. It’s very windy outside and the ocean is churning whitecapped and the trees are rattling around like loose teeth.
It’s a good day for an adventure.
you threw your fear in the Sea of No Cares
Paul is still asleep - rather unsurprisingly, as despite the fact that it’s nearly midday here, it’s only 8am in Saskatoon.
Our gift opening on Sunday afternoon was filled with joy - so many amazing gifts, things we asked for and things we really appreciate. These posts are for all of you who donated money to our Honeymoon fund (and Janta who gave us the luggage we used - I miss you already, dearest) and all of you who love us so much - thank you.
We received exactly enough money to cover our entire honeymoon budget, by the grace of God.
When you're in love, there's no time and no space
There's a permanent smile on your face
Your friends all complain that you're going insane
But the truth is they're just afraid
Sunday evening after a quick supper with Michael at Jerry’s, Paul’s friend Tony picked us up to go to the airport. Our flights went smoothly, the guy at the security counter was a photo buff and commented on my camera, and we even managed to sleep on the plane overnight.
At our layover in Calgary, Paul and I pulled out the computer, went onto Google Maps, and zoomed all the way out. We discussed all the places we wanted to go in the world, talked about how important travel was to us, and I made a suggestion. Every 1.5 years we’d save $5,000 to vacation with - if we backpack, get seat sales, and CouchSurf, that will be plenty. Paul hemmed and hawed a bit and I said I’d be willing to sacrifice other things for this, and he said he would as well. And so our plans were born.
And we had ideas to start. Paul and I sent emails to Ken and Helen asking about Greece, and to Drew asking about France, since those are their beloved places. We’ve received favourable emails back, though Ken and Helen would like us to go to Cyprus with them and we’d probably go to Greece afterwards. So we’re planning to go to those places in the next three years sometime - basically while and just after Paul is in school. (Janta, dearest, both of those places are near enough to you for you to manage a trip fairly easily, so you’re invited to tour with us as well! And we’re open to others joining us, too, touring with friends is the best.)
When we got in I was extremely pleased to find the Halifax airport still held good memories from the last time I came, and that for only $9 a day extra we could have a silver or gray Mustang for a rental car. Paul started calculating the cost and I forbade him - my mental figuring skills hit it on the nose - our wedding budget held $100 for a rental for our wedding day and we never got it - this was it!
We drove away and into Halifax. Paul was stressed, hungry, and tired and therefore a bit cranky, so seeing restaurant after restaurant with unlit open signs in the window became a nightmare quickly - but after we prayed a little all-day-breakfast place appeared with an open sign in the window, so we parked and entered, immediately noting the café diner style interior - a perfect little hole-in-the-wall - and the Syrian flag on the wall and the menus. Paul was wondering if they were Syrian Christians, and though we didn’t ask, we noted a photo of Mother Teresa on the wall in the kitchen and assumed so! I started laughing happily at that, and Paul nailed it: “Are you laughing because we prayed and God directed us to a cool little restaurant owned by Syrian Christians?”
I grabbed a menu because they had the most interesting one. Our waitress was a sweetheart.
Speaking of that - every single person we met there was amazing, right down to the courteous drivers! I’ll get to that in a minute.
We ordered breakfast food which was absolutely delectable - ham and sausages of fine quality and flavour and great food all around. So cool.
We then spread out our maps to get thoroughly unlost after having browsed Charlottetown without any aids. We asked our Waitress where we were and marked it on the map, then proceeded to trip plan. Paul is a great navigator and I’m a good driver and sign-spotter, so together we make a great road-trip team.
We then walked to the Shoppers down the street. Once inside, a friendly man on staff came up and asked if we needed help because we looked lost. I told him we were just trying to remember everything we needed and he said, “Well, now, that’s even worse!” So friendly and amazing.
Back to what I said about the people - Paul said that both the ladies he dealt with at the rental car agency were the friendliest and best he’d ever dealt with. Now I say two ladies because went back through there after Charlottetown because we had to drive past the airport anyway and we were dumb and couldn’t figure out the seat adjustment levers because our car is too cool for us hicks, and instead of laughing at us she asked if we wanted some pointers and showed us all the rest of the nifty things about the car, like the ability to change your personal light colors!
Even on the road, I was speeding a lot - partly from hunger, partly from horse-on-my-steering-wheel fever ;) and everyone ALWAYS moved into the parallel lane to let us pass. We didn’t have one issue on the road, everyone here actually knows how to use a four-way stop for goodness sake.
So far this is the best place for people we’ve ever been to.
Let your self go with the tide
There's an angel by your side
Tonight
Paul and I then proceeded to drive through Nova Scotia and into New Brunswick, then into Prince Edward Island proper over the ridiculously cool Confederation Bridge. We stopped at a tourist outlet where I asked Paul if I could throw up because everything was SO tacky, but there was one high point - we found out that since they printed the brochures, the season for Anne and Gilbert the play had changed, so now it started June 15th instead of in July! We were thrilled, because we’d been so disappointed we couldn’t go!
'cause we've got
Rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And rocks and trees
And trees and rocks
And waterrrrrrr
So Paul and I listened to that very, very awesome song and many more Arrogant Worms songs and worship as we drove through Nova Scotia, then we switched to Great Big Sea in New Brunswick as we drove through the amazing scenic area. We both decided that Sea of No Cares is our theme song for the honeymoon.
And then went into Charlottetown for supper and ate at Lobster on the Wharf with a wharf-view table, and our server was really cool. It was raining, but despite that I got a few nifty pictures. We got a few funny looks because I was wandering around downtown with my camera making me look very oddly pregnant under my jacket. Electronics don’t like the rain so much. Paul suggested I buy a camera coat (they exist!) and I think I shall. I sampled a number of different varieties of seafood because Paul got a mixed plate and I’ve decided that I like several, in particular, the little white circular kind called scallops. I’m told that lobster tastes similar but richer, so I might have to try some. This certainly expands my ability to eat here!
Paul and I got into an interesting discussion of Israel and Jewish feasts, which we’re planning to look up later.
We then found a Co-Op (by accident while looking for a Sobey’s) and shopped there, purchasing a wealth of incredible foods ranging from pizza and nachos to steak and scallops - $200 worth of ridiculously awesome food to feed us for an entire week.
Then we drove the last half hour to our cottage, and finally down a red gravel road lined with trees. When we drove up, Paul had a heart attack, because the first thing in the driveway was a tiny shed, and his very tired mind actually thought that it was everything here.
We exited the car, had a moment of pleasure as we glimpsed the cottage for the first time and then looked back at the Silver Mustang in the driveway, and then explored. Pictures do not do this place justice, let me tell you! It is classy, elegant, and simply a fantastic honeymoon destination. We highly recommend it!
Then as we threw a pizza in the oven and cuddled on the couch, the sun began to set in a glory of color. I ran about with my camera for some time and started to apologize, then changed my mind and told him to get used to it. =)
“Welcome to our honeymoon, my dear husband,” I said, with red rays on my face, red sand in between my toes, and a heart full of love.
Today we’re going to lounge around the house and relax. It’s very windy outside and the ocean is churning whitecapped and the trees are rattling around like loose teeth.
It’s a good day for an adventure.