YEG

Oct

2018

Feeling Nostalgic in the 90’s with Aqua

When Aqua announced their 90s Rewind tour my friend, C, and I immediately knew we wanted to go. We were unable to secure presale tickets so we online trying to buy tickets the second they came available. No luck. So we stalked the buy and sell pages and resale sites, desperately hoping to scoop up a pair. We checked all the surrounding area concerts as well.

With a mere two week left before the concert, out chances were looking meek. Then, while scrolling through my Facebook newsfeed one day I say SWOOP airlines was advertising flights to Abbotsford. We knew from our search for tickets that they also had an Abbotsford tour stop. After figuring out the logistics we booked the flights.

SWOOP

From Edmonton(YEG) to Abbotsford(YXX) the flights were approximately $48 CAD return. This price included all taxes. That being said, having only launched 6 months ago, SWOOP is a new discount airline. Included in the $48 is nothing. No snacks. No checked bag. No seat selection. And most importantly no carry-on. You are allowed a small personal item provided it fits under the seat in front of you. We opted to not bring any luggage with us and took our chances on the seat selection.

24 hours before our flight we checked in online and took the seats assigned to us. Total flight time was under 1 1/2 each way. This was the first time I had ever flown with a budget airline and I was impressed that low budget didn’t mean sub-par. The plane (I believe it was the same each way) was clean and in great condition. I have paid much more, for much much worse.

Abbotsford

We spent the afternoon exploring the city of Abbotsford. Mostly we drove around, it was raining, but the charm was evident. The craft breweries and wineries we around every corner. Downtown is full of historic buildings, – they were even filming a Hallmark Christmas movie while we were there – and the markets with fresh vegetables we plentiful. The surrounding mountains would provide an abundance of hiking, provided I was with different company.

AQUA

This was the entire reason for this trip. The Aqua 90s rewind concert. The opening acts were Whigfield and Prozzäk. I only knew one song for Whigfield she sang it like it was 1998 and it was incredible. Prozzäk, who I was almost as excited for as Aqua, was disappointing. Their microphones seemed almost too loud and it was hard to understand them. We actually stepped outside during the performance and you could hear them more clearly from outside the building.

Between each act, they had a Much Music Video Dance. Man did that bring back memories. The throwback music had the whole crowd dancing all night. There wasn’t a single song that we went singing along with.

Finally, the moment we were waiting for. Aqua. Their concert offered everything we were hoping for. A night back in the 90s. We sing and dance to all the hits. From Barbie girl to Candy Man. Towards the end of the show, they started to perform their remixes, which was not something usually I usually enjoy, but the energy of the band and the crowd was something you couldn’t help but enjoy.

Time to go home

Alas, it was time to go home. With only 24 hours in the town of Abbotsford, we didn’t get a lot of time to explore. I did, however, have time to compile a list of things I would like to do on my return. I am already looking at SWOOP for flights and planning the return trip.

Mar

2018

What You’ll Love at the West Edmonton Mall Water Park

When it comes to raising my children one of the most important things, to me, is to give them experiences. I know the boys will remember these types of things over the material objects. If those experiences include being active all the better. Visiting the West Edmonton Mall World Water Park allowed us to give Hunter both of those. We have visited the water park a few times in the past as a family but, during a recent trip to Edmonton, we were able to take advantage of a private rental and check it out without a baby in tow. Because of the private rental, there is the possibility that not every feature was available to us as would be during a regular day.

West Edmonton Mall

If you have never been to West Edmonton Mall (WEM) I highly suggest it. It is the largest mall in North America. Not only does it have the water park but also an indoor theme park, a sea lion show, an aquarium, a skating rink, an arcade, bowling alley, hotel and oh so much more. There is something there for literally everyone.

The Water Park

Anyone who has ever been to West Edmonton Mall can tell you that they have HUGE windows overlooking the water park so that people can get a glimpse of what is inside. Hunter stared at it in awe and asked: “how did they get the ocean inside the building?!”

The waterpark itself is the second largest indoor park in the world. It features the world’s largest wave pool – more on that later. This place has 17 indoor slides and a tonne more features. Some were new to me and I can’t wait to go back just the adults.

The change rooms are large and feature a number of private change areas for people to use. The lockers were available to rent for only $12 for an entire day – great if you’re there for more than just a few hours – and they used an awesome wristband instead of a lock and key, so no worry about losing a key in the water. You can also load your wristband with money to purchase snacks, drinks (adult or not), or even rentals.

The Pools

During past visits, the first stop we made was the Dolphin Kiddie Pool which has three little slides and some water toys. This is where both Hunter and HD were in the water for the first time. This is the area made for the smallest kids. Due to the large around of children using this area, it is not necessarily the best place for babies, however during a normal day, I could see this area being a tad quieter. The water is generally warmer in this area so sitting with the little ones is pretty enjoyable when you’re not getting splashed.

The wave pool is the biggest attraction to me. It has always been my favourite thing. The water is warm and the waves are fierce. The closer to the edge of the pool it is much calmer. We easily spend the majority of our time in this areas. Jumping and riding the waves is great, but if you can get your hands on a tube, then riding the waves is even more fun. Even when we have had babies with us we enjoyed the wave pool.

Kids Areas

Another exciting place for kids to spend their time is Carribean Cove, a Multi-level play structure to climb and crawl around on. The boys LOVE it there and squeal with delight every time the dump bucket dumps the water. There are a few slides, a tone of sprayers, and water cannons. The water is quite cold, but it doesn’t seem to bother the kids at all. There are tables and chairs next, so it is somewhere for parents to sit while the little ones run around.

Hot Tubs

The West Edmonton Mall Water Park offers a large double sided hot tub. It has powerful jets and plenty of sitting room. Soak your body, your legs or even just your feet.

The Slides

If you noticed, I haven’t even spoken about a single waterslide. That is because in the multiple trips we have made in the last 5 years we have gone down one water slide. That’s right, one. Why in a place that has so many waterslide options? Because we had so much fun and spent so much time playing and experiencing everything else the park has to offer. Even with that, there are things we didn’t get a chance to try, that we will have to save for a later trip.

It was a late night but it was a great one, still, the kids are asking when they can go back to the “ocean inside the building.” These are the activities we love doing as a family. Things that keep their bodies and their brains active. Things that they will remember for years to come. We can’t wait to go back.