37/52 38/52 39/52 (the catch up edition)

"A portrait of my child, once a week, every week, in 2013."

We've been travelling so much over the last 2 and a half weeks that I haven't been able to post my weekly portrait. So here are three weeks worth, the catch up edition, if you will:

37/52 (top left): Hanging out in Toronto with her great grandmother. Clementine's wearing handmade pants and a bonnet (made by her grandma) and lying on the blanket I knit for her. Yay for handmade.

38/52 (bottom): Girlfriend loves her hammocks. Especially Colombian hammocks.

39/52 (top right): Sucking on her toes. All. The. Time.

Joining in on Jodi's 52 project.

in transit

After a fortnight of traveling around Colombia, we arrived back in Vancouver this morning at 2 am. We're here for 3 days before heading back to Sydney, and although we are getting tired of traveling, I really don't feel ready to leave here. I just love this city, and my family in it.

As I sort through and edit my hundreds of photos, I'll be posting more about our South American trip. I've also had a few people ask me about traveling with a baby, so you can expect a post on that sometime soon. Finally, you may have noticed that I gave the blog a little face lift. I've been wanting to post bigger photos for a while now, so I was delighted to find out that blog milk's templates now come in 3 widths. I've always found that the only problem with re-designing your blog is that inevitably all of your old posts will look terrible as the formatting gets screwed up. Oh well, it's nice to have a fresh start. 

whistler getaway

For our last hurrah in BC, we went to Whistler for 2 nights. Just the three of us. We stayed at a cozy hotel in the village, and got outside as much as we could. My husband spent a day mountain biking while Clementine and I walked through the village, followed by sunny deck time. We also strolled around Lost Lake while Clementine napped in the Ergo, and on our last day we took the gondola to the top of Whistler mountain. Clementine woke up as soon as we reached the top, so I nursed her in the most amazing spot overlooking the snowy peaks. Afterward we wandered some more and enjoyed a mountaintop lunch before coming back down.

It was so beautiful at this time of year that we couldn't help but dream of moving there. Even in summer, or late summer as it were, the air is so crisp and clean feeling. The lakes are stunning (and cold!) and the mountains just take your breath away. Oh yes, I can definitely see as living there for a season.

p.s. sorry for the photo overload, I couldn't cull.

 

 

 

 

the pacific northwest

Last week we escaped to the Gulf Islands for one night. Between the ferries, endless hours of waiting and the bad weather, it didn't feel like much of an escape. When we got there the sky was dark and the rain was bucketing down. I was reminded though, that there is beauty in grey, green and dark blue. The colours of the pacific northwest.

It got me wondering if I can picture myself living in this part of the world again. I've gotten used to the saturated colours of Australia, and to seeing the sun for most of the year. It will be hard to give up, but the answer is yes. Someday, we want to move back here.

oh canada

This time next week we'll be on a flight to Canada. Clementine will be reunited with her grandmother, she will meet her grandpa and her uncle for the first time, I will see my childhood friends and we will experience the joy of a Canadian summer. The last time I was in Vancouver for the summer months was way back in 2007, way too long considering it's absolutely my favourite time of year (summer in Sydney, not so much).

In the lead up we busily tie up loose ends and make endless to do lists. It's stressful and sometimes I wonder how I will get everything done while taking care of C all day, but I'm trying not to worry. My husband has a few days off before we fly so between the two of us we should be able to get it all done.
So instead of worrying, I'm going to sit here this morning, drinking my big cup of tea and trawling the Anthropologie and Madewell websites. Oh I am so excited for some North American shopping!

Before I sign off for the weekend, pretty please, hit me with your best travelling-with-baby tips!

photos of my mom, Clementine in sling and I by my friend Sonja

an escape (and some blue bottles)

Last week we spent a couple of days around Bateman's Bay with our friends. We took full advantage of the south coast's famous beaches, which reminded me, yet again, of just how funny life in Australia can be. On our first beach trip we were at a beautiful, deserted white sand beach. The ocean was the clearest blue, like in the tropics, and not too choppy. Have a look...

We all waded in, and were enjoying our cold swim when Ben spotted something floating at the top of the water. Then he spotted another one, and another one. One cry of "blue bottles" was all it took to send Alicia and I racing out of the water. The funny thing is that I didn't even know what a blue bottle was, but I knew if Alicia was running away, I sure as hell should be too. Want to see a blue bottle?

I quickly learned that a blue bottle is a jellyfish (I had guessed that much), that isn't deadly, but hurts like crazy if you get stung. That blue balloon shape is what floats at the top of the water, and beneath that its tentacles spread out and cause extreme pain if they happen to touch you. Husband remembers being stung as a kid and vomiting from the pain. None of us got stung, but I was certainly more careful next time we went for a swim! Here are the rest of our photos from our short trip...

my colombia travel tips

Whenever I meet people who have travelled throughout South America, they very often tell me that Colombia was their favourite place. It's mine as well. There's something completely captivating about the land and the people, despite the country's tumultuous past. I'm happy to say that it really is quite safe to travel there now - my only safety tips would be not to flag cabs on the street (call them instead), and make sure you're in a safe place when taking money out from an atm. 

Now, on to my three favourite places and my must see's in each one:

photo via

• The Musea del Oro (the Gold Museum) is a breathtaking museum displaying Colombia's archaeological history, with a focus on gold. 
• The Museo Botero has an impressive collection of one of Colombia's most celebrated artists, Fernando Botero. Gotta love someone who only paints and sculpts fat people.
• The Zona Rosa is a happening neighbourhood filled with trendy restaurants and great shopping.
• La Candelaria is another wonderful area in the city. Perfect for whiling away an afternoon and visiting the above mentioned museums.
• Usaquén is home to a famous flea market on Sundays, definitely worth checking out.
• Expoartesanias - this is my number one favourite thing to do in Colombia, but it only happens once a year in December. It's South America's biggest art market and each time I go, I spend hours walking through the stalls and emptying my wallet. 

• Villa de Leyva is a little town about 3 hours away from Bogota by car. It's beautifully old fashioned, with colonial architecture and the cutest little shops and restaurants. My advice would just be to go to the plaza and start walking. 
• If you want something touristy, my mom suggests leaving the town to explore the Convento del Santo Ecce Homo.
• If you do go, let me know and I can help with accommodation. There are lots of nice houses to let.

• Cartagena is a touristy hot spot, so accommodation ranges from cheap and cheerful to VERY expensive and luxurious. On the cheap and cheerful end, the Hotel Tres Banderas is a great find. If you're rolling in it, the Santa Clara is a magnificent old monastery turned 5 star hotel.
• La Vitrola - one of my favourite restaurants in the old city serving up traditional Colombian fare in a beautiful room.
• La Manga is an area quite different from the walled city, but beautiful nevertheless.
• Even though Cartagena is a coastal city, I have to say that the beaches are disappointing. If you're a tourist, you will be harassed nonstop by hawkers and it's just not worth it. Stick with pools. 
• Cartagena is really all about the ambience. So get out, explore, eat the street food and take photos. A post lunch siesta doesn't hurt either.

One last note on food - I just love Colombian food! Make sure to try: arepas, empanadas, bandeja paisa, ajiaco, and as much juice as you can get your hands on (curuba and guanabana are good starts). Well, that's that! Feel free to ask me any other questions; I'm happy to help. And thanks to my mom for helping me put this post together.