10' Tulip Festival at Dows Lake (May 1st)

The annual tulip festival brings hundreds of thousands of tulips to Dows Lake and several other areas for viewing by tourists and makes the city come live again. This year we went visit those adorable tulips again and felt the intense spring atmosphere out there.

You will find a big "dog show" at Dows Lake. Dog lovers and owners are more than welcome to join this party.

These tiny yellow wild flowers grow widely over the city, and are in blossom everywhere in this season. They are pretty beautiful, aren't they?

32nd Winterlude Ice Carving 2 (Feb 12)

At Winterlude festival, what you can find are not just beatiful ice sculptures but also local food and snacks. I'm introducing to you two good things that worth trying - they are very Canadian~

1. maple syrup candy made on snow
Taffy on Snow is quite a creative lollipop for me. It is made of maple syrup that poured on snow and tastes very sweet and sticky. As you know, maple syrup is one of the most famous special local products in Canada. So, if you are new to here, don't forget grab one and try it!
- $2.5 each :)

2. Beaver Tail

Well, it is not the real tail of beaver's, but a kind of fried cake pasted with spice of your choice such as cheese, chocolate hazelnut etc. The price is about $4 to $5 each. I tried the Beaver Tail with chocolate hazelnut paste for $5 that day. I feel it tastes quite like Chinese deep fried cake - "You Bing(油饼)". I guess the reason this food is called Beaver Tail is because of its shape and look. Very interesting indeed.

32nd Winterlude Ice Carving 1 (Feb 12)

One Day of the Year to Celebrate (Jan 18th)

It is the fifth time that I have my birthday celebrated in Canada, and my gift of this year is quite different in terms of its meaning.
I used to receive birthday gifts from my parents, friends, classmates and boyfriend (now my husband), I always feel grateful and happy for getting gifts and wishes from my loved ones. This year, however, I got a gift from myself, which made me feel even more satisfied and cheerful.

As you know, I am a photography enthusiast and have been longing for a Canon digital SLR (single lens reflex) camera for years. Before, it is just a bit expensive for me to afford it without a job. But now, considering that I had made some money in the previous months, I finally decided to get one as my birthday gift. I would say that nothing can bring me more happiness than the fact that my dream finally comes true. I am a prouded owner of a Canon T1i (EOS500D) camera now. My dad loves taking pictures as well, so I really want to give him a better SLR camera in the future. I will go for it for sure!

my new buddy

my old buddy

Andrew Haydon Park (Sep 13th)