Okay, not my idea of starting in the New Year.

New Year’s Eve we celebrated bringing in the new year at a party in the Empress Hotel. The next morning I came down with the flu!

Man, not good. But I managed to still get up and enjoy the first sunrise of the year.

Later in the day we needed to be at the Royal Theatre for a concert. It’ sonly a short walk past Chinatown, and there are some great shops along the way – like an outdoor adventure shop that has a bunch of kayaks! Hmmmm…. I must admit Kayaking is my favorite sport and I enjoy seeing a kayak here or there, even if it’s in January!

Anyway, we made it to the theater for the classical concert with our e collapsing. But once we were inside, I had to try hard so as to not to let people think I was sick in the fear that they would not enjoy the concert. I must admit, it was difficult.

Don’t get me wrong, I did enjoy the concert. Just not the walk up and back to the theatre (with the exception the a kayaks, that is)! After we got back to the room, I was instantly in bed as I needed to get better for our event the next day – Afternoon Tea at the Empress. It is one of those highlights that you just have to do in Canada.

Well, it ‘was’ a memorable moment. Ayano can attest to that!

The next day we needed to head off to the airpot and take our flight back the the States. Our flight left at 2:45 in the afternoon (thank God) as the next few days were a little sketchy for me… but I do remember having a shower that morning at the Empress and just sitting on the shower floor letting the water hit my head in hopes I was getting clean as I was too weak to stand.

Somehow I made it home and I spent the rest of the month in bed. First from the flu then phenomena. Oh boy!

But even in bed, I still got to see some beautiful sunsets over the ocean from our bedroom window and took a few pictures of the lunar eclipse.

When I did go out, it was only to find my way to a Vietnamese restaurant for some pho (my version of chicken soup!) or a slow walk in Yorba Linda park to get some fresh air.

Wow. January was brutal!