2003 in Brief Review

This year the life of Norval and Dan is told mostly in pictures because we traveled a lot starting with Costa Rica in April with Mike and Phil. In May I went to Washington DC and was told about an international conference in Morocco I should attend. In response, I ended up having the government cover my expensees to attend the conference.

In July, Dan and I headed to Moose Jaw for Drews wedding, which then turned into Dans trip across Canada. In September, my dad died and I headed back to Regina for the funeral. But then, in later October, Dan and I headed to Europe for a 2 week vacation really a 40th birthday present for Dan and a 20th anniversary present for both of us.

Since Europe, weve been enjoying staying close to home with our friends. Non-travel events of the year include Dan losing his dream job at Dalhousie University in February for over a year he had complained about his new boss and how they didnt get along. And Mike moved in with us for 6 months while he found a job in the city and an apartment.


This spring I got to impersonate Ali Baba at an environmental conference in Morocco it was rough staying at a 5 star resort in Marrakech.

My dad died in September. The photo below is my favorite recent memory of him from July this year, happy as a lark playing cards (hands and feet canasta) at Queen Victoria Estates.

Dans Trip Across Canada
July 19-August 25
On his 40th birthday, Dan reached the Connecticut River and visited our buddies Mike and Phil in Vermont. By the time he got to Regina he needed a trim from Elaine -- the photo is a set-up, of course. Dans trip was instigated by wanting to attend cousin Drew's wedding to Julia -- aunt Liz and cousin Brent dressed for the ocassion and were looking great, as always.

While we were in Moose Jaw, cousin Tara helped us take some great photos. After the wedding, Dan decided he wanted to redo a trip he had taken with his brother Gary 25 years earlier -- here's the comparison photo from Morraine Lake definitely worth it, right? Dan also got to see his brother, Michael, and nephew, Adam, as well as friends Jim and Pam, who used to live in Nova Scotia. And he tried to ride Jims bike.
He had to have a photo with his bikes tires in the Pacific - note this is taken after he got the bike back upright.

Marraketch, Morocco
June

The hotel resembled a 500 year-old palace (left). The fresh roses in the lobby fountain (centre) were a nice touch. And the bar (right) was definitely elegant.
The centre of town was a centuries-old walled city with narrow streets replete with donkeys. The conference had a banquet at a huge La Vegas-styled Ali Baba hall that served thousands with traditional food and dance.
I won first prize for a poster on climate change, played my first ever game of golf, and visited Marresh Garden, which was restored by Yves Saint Laurent.

Europe -- October 21st to November 4th



Dan and I competed for who looked better in front of the Grand Trianon at Versailles! Did you know Louis XIV named it after the village that he demolished to build the palace? Napolean chose to live at the Trianon rather than Versaille, with its Hall of Mirrors.
We went to Paris first for five days, then took the train to Poland for 3 days, then Frankfurt Germany for 2 days, and back to Paris for another 3 days. We enjoyed the food, wine, people, architecture, art, history and just being on holiday. We saw so much art and so many churches that we started to get numb after the first few days. Go to Dans web page at www.bonmot.ca/~daniel/europe0310 for all the photos of the trip.

(left to right) In Poland we saw the 2nd oldest university in the world; amazing castles (the river valley is far below); the old capital of Krakov, and the incredible assembly hall at the Leopoldina University in Wroclaw.
In Germany we visited the big E in Frankfurt.

Some interesting sights in Paris included the castle-like home of a 16th century bishop who apparently wished hed been a soldier and the Catacombs where they put the 6 million bones from the 18th century grave yards.

For our last night we had a romantic dinner in the Jules Verne-esque restaurant in the Eiffel Tower.