Visiting Quesnel, British Columbia
A few days in the Cariboo
15.04.2015 - 18.04.2015
10 °C
I thought it would be nice to visit Quesnel for my daughter Melinda's birthday so arranged to fly up to the Cariboo. She and her husband Wayne live in this northern community as do my granddaughter Andrea and her daughters Kenzie and Erika. So I knew it would be both fun and tiring.
The Cariboo is not on the coast like Vancouver so the flight is amazing crossing the Coast Mountains and then the rolling ranch country. And Quesnel is at the confluence of the mighty Fraser River and its tributary the Quesnel River. Both go right through the town. So the birthday celebrations went well and relatively quietly except for visiting Erika's class Poetry Café. Her teacher had the classroom set up with a stage and parents and visitors(grandparents and me)sat at tables of six with their kids. Then each child got up on the stage and recited a poem. This was repeated three times with some children reciting one poem they had written themselves. Of course they were terrific and at intermission we all had hot chocolate and cupcakes the mothers had brought.
The next day Melinda, Andrea and the kids and I drove to Williams Lake for the annual indoor rodeo. Oh my gosh it is wild.....Cowboys and cowgirls, music, hijinx and lots of what you go to a rodeo for....horses and cattle. There is the usual roping, bull riding, wild horse roping and steer riding for young cowboys and girls. And sloppy food galore! Before we went to the rodeo I swam with the little girls in the hotel swimming pool so that was exciting too.
Early the next morning we tried to find a really nice restaurant for a big breakfast before heading back to Quesnel and for me to catch my plane for Vancouver. We ended up in the closest place I have ever seen to a fifties drive-in. I think it's called the Dog 'n' Suds, but kids were welcome and we joined a bunch of cowboys and had a great breakfast before hitting the road. When I got home, tired but very happy, I went for a walk in my neighbourhood, snapped a few pictures and ate at one of my favourite and regular restaurants Stepho's on Davie Street. 
