Day 43 - Blue Mountain

[Lisa Blundell]

Day 43 - Friday 22 January, 2010

Look where we are!

This is Blue Mountain, Ontario's largest ski resort. We have been very excited about this weekend. It's the first time Ian has ever skied out of Victoria and it's our first ski trip since we've been in Canada.

It's wild, it's only 90 minutes from Toronto (unless you leave on a Friday after school like we did then it's 90 minutes just to clear the GTA.)

We drove North on the 400 through flat old Ontario until we reached Collingwood which is backed by some hills, about the height of the Mt Buller summit. It's now dark and what a sight it was. 25 of the runs are lit up for night skiing. Just magnificent. And the village, as you can see is as cute as a storybook picture. It's like Disney designed it. There's even a mega brazier in the centre square with large Muskoka chairs placed around it.

We are in a 'slope-side condo' which just squeezes the six of us in. The condos, as the name suggests, flanks the northern end of the ski hill. The owners of the condo are very excited about dried flowers, 70's copper art and Anne Gedes prints, but at least the view rocks.

And this, being a recce trip, has helped us identify exactly the right hotel we want next time and I shall book it tomorrow.

It was quite something to see all these boarders and skiers flooding in from the car-park to start an evening of skiing. It's just so beautiful all lit up against the backdrop of these very Canadian style buildings with white capped eaves and timber shutters, bay windows and french doors. It's too sweet, really.
We floated around the village after we arrived - Dinner at Copper Blue, Dessert from the Chocolate Factory, dolly clothes from Jim and Maddy toy shop (and a present for my Sammy) and breaky supplies from the Village Market. There's even a tremendous Canadian gift shop that sells giant stuffed Mooses in mountie uniforms.

The children were over-excited and over-exhausted. We completely wore them out and had Elliot nearly in fits with fatigue. Serves him right for waking everyone up every morning at 6am.

Francesca's koala presentation went very well and the children asked lots of questions which she knew all the answers to.

I have just found out that there is a Scandanavian hot springs spa. Hmmm. Wonder if I'll have time to do much skiing with all this day spa and shopping action?