Puerto Varas Big Band

I wasn't too surprised when  my mom told me that she was hosting a youth big band from Chile on Tuesday afternoon.  Puerto Varas Big Band.

Triathlon Summer

Beginning in June of this year, I started training with my good friend Mary Beth for:
1) one 5 km race in Waterloo - June 15, 2008
2) one 10 km race in Toronto - July 27, 2008
3) two sprint triathlons in August (in Owen Sound and Guelph) - August 3 and August 31, 2008

Now that it's September 1st, I'm proud to say we accomplished all of our race (and training) goals for the summer.

On June 15th, we ran the Waterloo Classic. It was my first time participating in a race like this. The Waterloo Classic day also marked the beginning of our triathlon training - just about 7 weeks until Sprint Triathlon # 1!

Training started with early morning swimming, biking, and running... not to mention researching the best triathlon/running gear and accessories.

On July 27th, just a week until our first sprint triathlon, we ran the Beaches Jazz Festival 10 km in Toronto. It was a really great run along the water, and my first time running the 10 km distance.

After two months of training, the August long weekend approached and it was time to compete in our first sprint-distance triathlon. The race was in Owen Sound and we were lucky to have friends and family there to support us. The distances were: 750 m swim, 20 km bike, 5 km run. It was an incredible day!

Four weeks of less-intense training went by, and we competed in our second and final triathlon for the summer. It was still a sprint race, but with longer distances: 750 m swim, 30 km bike, and 7 km run. These events have helped define what turned out to be a fabulous summer.


Some Pictures

Pre-race in Sauble Beach and race location in Owen Sound


Swim course and swim exit at Owen Sound


Bike and finish in Owen Sound

Post-finish with Mary Beth

Nicole and Mary Beth happy to be done



Triathlon-ing at Guelph Lake


More at Guelph Lake

First day of our trip to Paris

This spring Jesse and I took a trip to Paris, France. It was a combo family-visit and tourist-trip. We stayed with my dad, Juliette, Johnny, Jeff, and Douglas (...our French family!) and spent lots of time in Paris.

Here's a little of Day 1...

Notre Dame



The River Seine


Raining while we waited to get to the top of the tower


Flying buttress

Looking at Paris from the top of Notre Dame

Gargoyle!


Jesse and Nicky and the tower

2 nights 3 days

For part of our trip, we stayed in a small boutique hotel in Paris.

Paris at night

We did most of our evening exploring over the 2 nights we stayed in a hotel in the city. One night we spent walking around and heading up the Eiffel Tower, and the next we hung out in the Bastille neighbourhood.


Up to the top of the Eiffel Tower


From Level 2 of the Eiffel Tower



Going up to Level 3


From Level 3 of the Eiffel Tower


Leaving


After dinner in La Bastille


The metro

Daytime Paris

Paris


Near the Eiffel Tower


Le jardin des Tuileries



Outside the Pantheon


The Pantheon


The Pantheon


Sacré-Cœur Basilica




Montmarte



Moulin Rouge


Arc de Triomphe


Île Saint-Louis


President of France Nicolas Sarkozy