O, Canada! (Via Washington, D.C.)

I like sunshine and warm sand as much as the next person, but I readily admit that I am not a summer person.  What's more, as a proud Cheesehead, I prefer my summers to be warm during the day, cool at night, and pretty much lasting only for July and August, and even then, not too hot.  All that is to say, when we are living in the South, I have a very long spring during which I can plan my escape to a more temperate climate the minute school lets out for the summer. 

Once he began in an American school, Hans promptly forgot most of his Korean, but was in a Mandarin Chinese immersion school.  While looking around the internet in search of some moderately-priced way for him to keep up his language skills over the summer, I happened across a day-camp in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  A temperate climate in which to spend a month of the summer?  Sold!

 

I rented a downtown apartment via VRBO and began working on our itinerary -- a perfect chance to take the kids to Washington, D.C., and Niagara Falls along the way.  A family of bookworms (if we're not running/biking/swimming/ice skating or otherwise doing something athletic, we are probably reading something), the Library of Congress was very much a highlight of our stay in Washington.  Besides the exhibits, Gutenberg Bible, etc, it turns out they have a fantastic children's department.  The National Air & Space Museum and it's Udvar-Hazy Center was also a favorite, as was the National Zoo. 

Niagara Falls is always awe-inspiring, and we spent a wonderful two days there.  We were especially pleased to discover that we can offer to take pictures of tourists in seven languages, and were given the opportunity to do so!

As for Toronto, it was love at first sight.  It quickly became our favorite city in the world, and is one we would move to in a heart-beat.  Living there for a full month allowed us to feel like we got to know it well enough to call it true love and not a mere infatuation.  The views, the parks, the sports, the shops, the international vibe, the food!  O, Canada, our hearts are definitely glowing for you!

We wound our way home through the many, many miles and stops necessary to get from Toronto to central Wisconsin, and down to North Carolina.  Where school began again, but we still had another few months of summer.  Sigh.