Revisiting Childhood

More on our trip to Canada (it was pretty jam packed with adventures!) While we were staying at Granddad's house we visited a few of my childhood haunts, places I haven't been to in a very long time. It is pretty cool to experience these places again through the eyes of your children. And to have the interesting perspective of your parents and see why they took you there so much!

Our first few days in Ontario were unseasonably cool but it was perfect weather for a visit to Bronte Creek Provincial Park. This is a pretty awesome place, with everything from animals and a play barn, some history, hiking trails, and a man-made lake for swimming to skating, sledding and skiing in the winter. We spent many fun filled days there as kids: collecting frog spawn in the river and then raising our own tadpoles, trying to catch garter snakes in the forest, visiting the Belgian horses who used to like rubbing noses with our dog Chimo, taking Chimo for long walks on the Trillium Trail, swimming, skating and sledding in the winter, playing in the barn and petting the animals, having family get togethers and BBQs there. The place is a virtual buffet of happy childhood memories for me. So when Granddad mentioned taking the Littles there I jumped at the chance.

It was pretty cool to see the old red play barn had stood the test of time and looked exactly as I remembered it. That was, until we stepped inside. Gone were the piles of hay that Mike, Karen and I jumped into from the rafters and the ropes we used to fly around the barn on. Now it is carpeted with mats instead of hay and all the jumping places are safely fenced in with the exception of one or two designated areas, oh and they had wifi. Times have sure changed. But Kai and Teia didn't know how it used to be and they loved it as is.

They couldn't get enough of the suspended bridges and I think they would have stayed all day if we'd had the time. Too bad we didn't b/c we pretty much had the place to ourselves. It was so nice to have a break from the crowds we've grown used to the last few years. 

Granddad had fun too!

Pretty cool to get some photos on the old red tractor that we used to play on as kids. Granddad tells me there is a photo somewhere of us kids with one of our Nans on this tractor. I will have to scan and post it if we can find it. There is something really reassuring about some things not changing and still being there 30+ years later when you go home to visit. Even if it is just an old red tractor and an old red barn :-)

After our lovely day at Bronte Creek we went to Canada's Wonderland. Now that is a place that has changed since my last visit. Wonderland is a place I grew up with. First going with my family and riding the tamer rides and then getting the keys to the car and spending long days there with friends riding every crazy, adrenaline-rush ride we could wait in line for and then staying after dark for the concerts and fireworks too. Lots of great memories. The Wonderland of 2012 is the Wonderland of the early 90's (when I last visited) on some major steroids. I could not get over how many ginormous roller coasters they have now. The sound of them was almost deafening. "Wonder Mountain" as its called used to be a fairly impressive feature of the park. Now it is hardly noticeable for all the enormous structures surrounding it. 

Little Kai buddy was a little intimated as we made our way to KidVille, with the calmest rides for the littlest visitors. He told us several times "I don't want to ride that!" But once in KidVille, our kidlets had quite a good time. 

Kai may look terrified riding "Taxi-Jam" but in fact, he had the biggest grin when it was over and was handing out knuckles all round. And he rode it a second time. So don't let the photo deceive you! He also rode the Ghoster Coaster, one I remember riding as a kid. Granddad admitted to being scared himself and Kai was not so interested in a second time on that one. So I think we'll stick to the smaller thrills for now. 

The old cars were a major hit, especially b/c it was quiet enough for T and K to get their own cars and wave madly at each other whenever they passed by. Teia's favorite ride of the day was, by far, the carousel. She was able to indulge her horse-love and wave like the Queen.

Maybe next time Greg and I will leave the Littles with Granddad and try out some of the more psychotic looking rides ourselves...I'm sure I've still got it in me!