𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰 𝗬𝗲𝗮𝗿 𝗶𝗻 𝗥𝗲𝘃𝗶𝗲𝘄: 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗚𝗿𝗲𝗮𝘁 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 2024 𝒐𝒇𝒇𝒆𝒓𝒆𝒅 𝒍𝒐𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒇 𝒔𝒖𝒓𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒔𝒆𝒔. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒊𝒔 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒐𝒇 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒈𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒐𝒑𝒕𝒊𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒕𝒊𝒄 𝒍𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒍. 𝑻𝒉𝒊𝒔 𝒚𝒆𝒂𝒓, 𝑰 𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏𝒆𝒅 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒇𝒊𝒅𝒆𝒏𝒄𝒆 𝒕𝒐 𝒇𝒂𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒅𝒐𝒖𝒃𝒕𝒔 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒇𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔.

Reflecting on my year is a cherished ritual. It's a time to rewind, assess my life, and measure my personal growth and achievements. It's a journey of self-discovery, where I ponder my goals, dreams, and the changes I've made to become a better version of myself.

Year of the Dragon 

On the Chinese New Year, we joyfully welcomed the Year of the Dragon in Vancouver's Chinatown, filled with hope for the year ahead. Even the rain on the day of the Grand Parade couldn't dampen our spirits as we reveled in the colorful and joyful festivity. This celebration brings us closer to our cultural roots and fosters a sense of unity.

The 50th Annual Lunar New Year celebration was a significant milestone for the Chinese community. The Year of the Dragon, a symbol of power and luck in Chinese culture, was particularly special as it aligns with my Father's and eldest sister's animal sign. With its double dragon energy, our family shared the joy and prosperity of this auspicious year with our loved ones.

Historical Family Day

One of Canada's most significant holidays is the Family Day celebration. On February 19, 2024, we traveled to Fort Langley to visit and explore its historical site. This day is about relaxation and enjoyment, reinforcing our family values, and creating cherished memories we will always hold dear.

It's a time to relax and enjoy each other's company, reinforcing our family values and creating cherished memories we will always hold dear. 

We spent a day strolling around and going to shops to look for local products. In one of the shops we visited, I encountered a lady who was into helping people find the right gemstone for them. It's a store where you can find different stones. There are rough stones and polished ones ready to be cleansed by putting them in a singing bowl.

I wish my family the best and share my good life with them. I share my happiness, joy, and prosperity with them. That's what truly matters as I ponder on a Family Day, a time to cherish and be grateful for the love and support of our family, a bond that brings warmth and meaning to our lives.

Harrison Tulip Festival 

The Spring of 2024 was an opportunity to travel and see a vast field of colorful and beautiful tulips set against a snow-capped mountain as a backdrop. 

Our first tulip festival was in Chilliwack, but in 2024, they relocated to Harrison for a more considerable flower festival experience. It's about an hour's travel from home, and we get enchanted by nature's bloom.

The Harrison Tulip Festival in Aggasiz is breathtaking, among the largest in British Columbia and Canada. The millions of Tulips planted on 35-acre farmland create a romantic and awe-inspiring springtime destination, a testament to the beauty and wonder of nature that leaves us with a day worth reminiscing about. 

Lovely Canada Day

The start of summer 2024 was jubilant as we celebrated Canada Day on July 1. It's a day that fills every Canadian heart with pride, marking the anniversary of the establishment of the Dominion of Canada, which consisted of four original provinces. 

It was a happy moment to be with Canadians of different colors, celebrating with joy and pride the country's roots and diversity. We enjoyed listening to Indigenous music, musical presentations, and people's lively self-expression.

It's good to know the history of Canada, the land I've chosen to live in, and the country that welcomed me with a higher degree of freedom, peace, and quality of life. 

Birthday at Manning Park

Before summer 2024 ended, we drove about three hours to celebrate my birthday at Manning Park in the Cascade Mountains south of British Columbia. It's a vast park with more than 83 thousand hectares of wilderness. 

We stayed at the Cold Spring Campground, where we enjoyed the serenity of nature away from the noise and chaos of city life. Just a few steps from our tent, we bathed in the clear and cold waters of the Similkameen River, and it was refreshing. 

We climbed up the hill on Cascade Lookout, which overlooks the surrounding mountains and lake from its peak. Feeding the birds and squirrels was fun as they got close when the hand was extended with some nuts. 

Our visit to nearby Lightning Lake was enjoyable. We saw people having a good time on the waters as they enjoyed swimming and paddle-boarding. We set up a beach tent and sat on a chair while enjoying a snack and sightseeing. It is pure joy to be in the lake while watching the waves and enjoying the warm summer breeze.

I love celebrating my birthday in a natural environment as it gives me time to introspect and reminisce about life's happy moments. It's also a good time to be grateful for a meaningful life while looking forward to a better future.

Holidays in Whistler 

One of the best holidays of 2024 was a winter holiday in Whistler, a mountain village resort that's a world-renowned ski resort and holiday destination. 

We had a snowshoeing experience at Callaghan Valley. It snowed heavily for about an hour and a half while we trekked a 1.9 km trail. It was a great forest bathing experience that healed the body, mind, and Spirit.

Spending a white Christmas while on holiday was a magical experience. The village became a Christmas village, where people enjoyed playing in the snow. We had fun and hope to return in a different season for another level of experience.

That sums up how great 2024 is and how adventurous we have become. When we push ourselves beyond our limits, we become unstoppable in making things happen, one adventure at a time.

©️ 2024 Del Cusay

𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗶𝗻 𝗢𝘂𝗿 𝗛𝗲𝗮𝗿𝘁𝘀 𝟮𝟬𝟮𝟰: 𝗔 𝗪𝗵𝗶𝘁𝗲 𝗖𝗵𝗿𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗺𝗮𝘀 𝗔𝗱𝘃𝗲𝗻𝘁𝘂𝗿𝗲

The Christmas season brings wonderful experiences and is always in our hearts. The past two years of Christmas in Canada were memorable as they gave the season a different meaning and perspective.

We're not having a white Christmas in Metro Vancouver for this year since we didn't have a snowfall except in the Mountain resorts of North Vancouver. We had a great time in Mt. Seymour on my first Christmas here in Canada, so this time, we traveled a bit farther to experience a white Christmas in 

a mountain resort and village. This time we spent a holiday in Whistler!

I've always been fascinated and dreaming about celebrating a white Christmas, so we'll be experiencing the village of Whistler as it turns into a wonderful Christmas winter wonderland.

In addition to Vancouver, Whistler hosted the 2010 Winter Olympics, so we spent time in the Olympic Village and took photos with the Olympic logo. Just behind the Olympic logo is an ice skating rink where everyone has fun.

Whistler is a world-renowned destination for snow adventures and is known as the top ski destination in North America and the world. We had to experience the fun, so we took a gondola ride to reach the first jump-off station, where we enjoyed watching the ski adventure. Skiing is fun to watch. I wish to take a lesson next time to join the ski adventure.

One of the most unforgettable experiences was joining a medicine trail snowshoe adventure on Christmas day. It was a great way to recharge and reconnect with nature as we traveled to old-growth forests with our tour guide, Melanie, a French Canadian Botanist. Mel is knowledgeable and passionate about the Whistler wilderness. I connected with her as she shared about forest bathing and its benefits. I told her I had blogged about 'forest bathing,' shinrin Roku in Japanese. It was a unique experience, feeling the snow crunch under my snowshoes and the crisp air filling my lungs. I was indeed 'bathing in the forest.'

 

"This is my first real forest bathing, as we truly bathe in the forest," I told her.

The snowshoe adventure starts with a 20-minute bus ride to Callaghan Valley, where Mel was our driver and guide. We share the bus trip with other adventurers who are into snowmobiling and dog sledding, and they have their guides.

It was about an hour and a half of snowshoeing in the wilderness, with several stops for Mel to share fantastic real-life stories about the trees and plants. Just before we got close to our starting point, Mel shared that the totem pole is believed to be a portal, and we have to set out a wish before we pass through it.

Mel emphasized that the power of manifestation lies in genuinely believing it will happen. She always reminds us of our intentions so we get the best results.

As we ended the snowshoe adventure, Mel offered tea to warm up before we got back to the bus for another trip back to the town center.  That was an enjoyable experience, and I learned some information from Mel about the temperate rainforest that we live in.

The Whistler village is alive, and the shimmering Christmas lights on the trees add a magical experience as we pass through the cobblestone streets. The local shops and restaurants were all decked out for the holidays, and we even learned some of the local Christmas traditions, like the lighting of the village Christmas tree and the carolers singing in the streets.

As we returned to our cozy Airbnb room, we established a heartwarming tradition of sharing our travel stories and discussing our future goals over cups of cafe mocha and hot chocolate. These moments of reflection and inspiration, fueled by our travel experiences, have become a source of joy and motivation for us. They help us visualize our future goals and dreams, filling us with a sense of purpose and excitement.

On the third day of our stay, we were greeted with a fresh snowfall early in the morning. We anticipated that, and we're glad it happened before returning home. Before breakfast, we spent an hour walking around the Olympic Park, where everyone enjoyed the fresh snowfall. Families with little kids played in the snow, building snowmen, and others played ice skating. It was fun to see happy faces full of excitement and joy.

Our holidays in Whistler were truly magical. The vibrant town transformed into a Christmas village in wintertime, and it was a sight to behold. The energy and festive spirit were infectious. We left with a desire to return in another season, eager for a different experience and a higher level of adventure. The thought of experiencing Whistler in the summer, with its lush greenery and outdoor activities, or in the fall, with its vibrant foliage, fills us with anticipation and excitement. 

We'll always have a Merry Christmas, and the joyous holiday season brings warmth and joy for an extraordinary Whistler experience that's truly a Christmas in our hearts. 

©️ 2024 Del Cusay