Kelowna and Okanagan Holiday

 Again, going way away from what I was working on but had a minor holiday somewhere new. Or somewhere I haven't been in years, so I figured a travel lite blog might be in order. We went down to Kelowna for a few days; it was a good time in a beautiful area.

For me, it wasn't my first time in Kelowna. Years ago, like 30-plus years ago, I remember going with my mom and her boyfriend. If I am honest, I don't remember much of that. Of course, I vaguely recall Flintstone Park. People trying to race snowmobiles across water and camping. I don't think we stayed right in town that time. Then, it was a long time until I was back. I was in my mid-twenties, so 15 - 20 years later. This time, I was with a group of friends my age. We camped, I think, in West Kelowna. Honestly, most of that trip consisted of a couple of days of drinking on the beach. We did see the town, but not overly. I woke up one morning with Hells Angels at my picnic table because one buddy invited them to share our campsite after we went to bed. In reality, Kelowna is mostly new to me. My memories were fuzzy at best.

So we flew from Edmonton at 9 AM, after my regular breakfast at Brewhouse. EIA is improving, and I might try a new breakfast spot next time I fly somewhere. I always eat at the same booth in the same place, have the same meal, and usually do my emails. This was a fun trip, so no emails, just breakfast with the wife. The nice thing is the time change going there. You leave at 9 AM and arrive just after 9 AM there. Maybe I was crazy, but I noticed the air was fresher as soon as we walked off the plane. Our walk went down on the tarmac for a second, and yes, I inhaled deeply, and it was great, fresh, clean air. Which seems surprising in an airport. The next thing I noticed was this tiny little airport was busy, really busy, and international. I joke with my wife when we see tiny airports that they are international, but this one really is. We grabbed our bags and my wifes aunt and uncle were waiting for us. 

Our first stop was the Kangaroo Creek Farm. The name is real, it's a freaking Roo farm in Canada. On the rules sign, the very first one is no boxing with them; keep that in mind. The price isn't bad. We had my wife, myself, her aunt and uncle. Her cousin and his two children showed up, and the price was less than $100. So the first larger half is Roos. All kinds, all over, that are tame enough to pet and feed. They have Wallaroos, Wallabies, and even an albino. Their fur is interesting; it isn't super coarse like I thought it might be, but it also isn't soft. It is somewhere in between, and they are happy to eat from your hand. Then there is the goat pen, again super tame, with some giant pigs you can pet. They have rough, coarse fur. I don't know the exact breeds, but some have the devil horns. I was cooking as we were in this part. Still in jeans and a tee from Edmonton, and it was hot. The sun was beating down; high 20s for sure. The other side of the park is more shaded. You have your bird area over here. Along with rabbits and capybara. Oh, and a petable porcupine. Yes, you read that right, a porcupine that kids can line up and pet and not get stabbed. Plus, emus, fuck, those guys are ugly. It was a good time, and the park is worth stopping by if you are a tourist.

Then we headed out back to the "cabin" lake house. I don't know what you would call it, but we stopped at a couple of wineries on the way home. Ex Nihilo was the first. If you are in Kelowna for wines, give this place a try. It is not far from town at all, and it is excellent. We did a tasting, and all the wine was good. We had a charcuterie board, which was also actually really tasty. The place is beautiful, and the waiter was great. He wasn't the kind of guy you might picture working in a winery, but he knew his shit and the service was fantastic. My wife's uncle grabbed a couple bottles here; Night, I believe it was called. It was the signature wine, and damn was it good. Next, we hit Gray Monk. First, who builds a parking lot on a hill? My wife steps out of the car, twists on the hill, and tweaks her back. The fact was she had a prior injury which didn't help; for our holidays, now, her back was hurt, which sucks. We went in and had another tasting. We had a few tastings this week; tasting is a classy way of saying 5 - 1oz drinks. A lot like a wine, beer, or liquor flight if you go to a gastropub. It sounds classier to say tasting, oh, and tastings, get a spit bucket. It's not that I saw anyone do that, but people pour out the ones they don't like. So Gray Monk was decent, the wine was okay, and the guy behind the bar giving the samples was friendly and knew his shit as well, BUT standing isn't as fun; you don't really visit, so I didn't like it as much. Still a beautiful place, but we did head off to the house rather quickly. 

So, I won't get into them a ton, I don't like writing about people unaware, but we stayed with my wifes, aunt, and uncle in a gated community in the hills around the lake. This place was a beauty. These people are beauties. They did well in the 90s and 2000s in Alberta oil. They bought this place years ago, finally sold their other home, and retired here. They enjoy entertaining friends and family at the lake. You walk in on a walk-out basement. Nice big landing and a couple bedrooms on this floor. The bedrooms are like hotel rooms, big with full bathrooms on them. Great tubs and patios right out to the grounds. This floor, of course, has utilities and all that jazz as well. Now upstairs has only 3 rooms, well sort of 4. When you get up the stairs a turn puts you in a tiny hall with a shared bathroom for the floor and the master bedroom. I never went in, but I assume it is the same. The main area is an open kitchen/living room. On either side is a deck; one gets sun in the early hours, and the other gets sun in the evening. Both are fully furnished. One with a table, one with chairs, and a fire table. The main thing is the view. Holy fuck, it is incredible. A single floor up from the next cabin below and 4 or 5 floors above the lake, but it is a direct view of the lake and across. Canada has a lot of great views, and I have seen a fair chunk, at least on the west, from the ocean to the forest, mountains, and plains, and I gotta say this view is fucking phenomenal. So, the first night, we just sat and visited; it was a beautiful night. I really didn't know these people all that well, but this was a great night to break the ice. Her auntie was always friendly when we met, but I have never talked much to her uncle. He is that working guy if you understand. Never overly sociable, mostly quiet, when you own a company, always in work mode. Usually, you see it in successful people, and that is him. However, after a wine or two, we started talking. They have traveled worldwide, which is my wife's and my goal, so listening was great. Work was interesting to hear from someone who was in the oil business and wine. Turns out he loves wine and the local community. Of course, Auntie was a great host, made a great supper, and then went to bed.

We had talked a big game about how early we got up. This is true; usually 5ish, which is 4 in BC. We woke up but rolled over and could go back to sleep! It was a beauty. Around 530 ish, we heard someone moving around upstairs. We went for a short morning walk exploring the community we were staying in. When we got back, we went upstairs. No one was up, so I assume we just heard someone using the washroom. I couldn't find the coffee, so I sat on a couch and read. Shortly, our hosts got up.... Turns out uncle did get up, but because we weren't up, he said screw it and went back to bed, BUT he had made a pot of coffee for me. Instead of looking for grinds, I should have checked the damn pot!! I will be clear, I need coffee. Doesn't need to be fancy, but a warm cup is the second thing I do every morning after feeding my dogs, anyway. Today was wine country day, so after a cup of coffee or a few and a shower, we were on the road.

We started heading south and drove through Kelowna first. I probably should have had less coffee because I had to get uncle to stop at the tourist centre so I could pee. We grabbed a magnet and some other things as we started to collect stuff from any place we went. This is why I like driving, though; I can control stops and such. I feel bad asking someone to pull over so I can pee. Now, it was a couple hours' drive down to where we were headed, and of course, I made them pull over again so I could use another bathroom. Then pepto for my guts, so ya, I was kind of embarrassed. 

The drive is rather nice, down through Summerland, Peachland, Penticton, and a small town called Oliver. All while following the lake. The rolling hills were generally green, which I am told is uncommon. They start like this, and they are brown and dry by mid-summer. There was drizzle, which they were happy about. Me, not so much, but I guess I can put up with it if it is better for the land. Our first stop was Blackhills winery. Beauty little place. Decent patio and pool for tastings or lunch. We tried to sit outside, but it was too windy. If I am honest, the waiter or whatever he would be called wasn't as good as the first one we had the day before. The wine was great though. In the end, I bought the most expensive wine I had ever bought. It was by no means crazy money, but when I hit $30, I usually call it pricey wine. This really surpassed that. Next, we headed to Burrowing Owl. This place is terrific. Guess it has a nice little bed and breakfast. It also has a store and tasting area. There was much more in the store than just wines, and we picked up some books and a bottle of wine. Then we went for lunch here. It is fucking amazing! Read that sentence again because it was. The wine, of course, was excellent. My wife had salmon, and it was among the best I have ever had. It was cooked and seasoned to perfection. I am not sure what I had; it was the daily special, and I called it stuff on toast. Italian meats and cheese, with an egg and some sort of sauce that, blew my mind. It was that good! Then we ventured up their lookout tower. I recommend it, it has a great view, BUT it was windy and rainy, so our view wasn't amazing.

Wine country does look like Tuscan hills at this point, not mountains but big ass green hills. Many have vineyards on them, and maybe that is why they remind me of that. So, a couple years back, there was an early frost. This is a massive deal; every place we stopped this week discussed it. That it ruined a growing season. Bigger places were okay. They had a stockpile built up, but some places had to recall their wines from stores just so they had some to sell and survive. I am not getting into weather and such. This is a holiday blog, but it is mind-blowing. A whole industry can be hurt like that by a change. Also, it is crazy how many wineries there are in BC. How many pop up, and what are the stories behind some. A lot of people want to get into the wine game. I don't know how to tell if they are successful or not. I would love to have a winery or distillery, but I have no idea how to do that. Maybe if I won $60 million, invest in one, but that would be it. 

We went to a place called Stoneboat. It was a smaller place, and I don't know if they do tastings. We did not. We did pick up some artisan chocolate, though. I love chocolate with my wine after dinner. Uncle wanted to stop here for some bottles he knew, so he grabbed them, and we hurried out. The day was actually already getting on. We went to Township 7 next; it is listed as the Naramata location, though it is a few km away from the town. Aunt likes their wines, so they grabbed a couple of bottles. We did a tasting of this one, but nothing caught my eye. The place looked nice, but everyone was inside because of the weather; it was small and crowded, and maybe not the best place on a day like this. I noticed a lot of wineries have a big knife on display. Almost like a sword, I should have asked why because I am not sure, and now it is bugging me that I don't know! Then we drove to Naramata.

The highway to Naramata is a nice drive, and damn, it is covered in wineries! Look left or right, and there are wineries. This whole area is called the Naramata bench. Whether it is true or not, I was told BC has roughly 300 wineries, and over 50 are on this drive. It is literally 15 Km from Penticton but has 50 wineries in that span. That is how littered this drive is with them. The town is beautiful or terrifying, depending on how you look at it. In reality, it is a picturesque small town. My brain went to Crystal Lake. I can almost see crazy Ralph coming over and saying there is a death curse on the town; I don't know why I am like this. For real, though, it is what you expect for a small village on the shores of a fantastic lake. Green trees, fresh air, old-looking houses. They have a small hotel that looks like a converted mansion. I would stay there and hope it isn't haunted. From there, we headed to Serendipity Wines.

Serendipity is a winery you picture in your head. Great little tasting room off a stone patio that overlooks the crop. Round tables where you could sit, drink wine, and live Dolce Far Niete. Our visit didn't quite go that way. We did a tasting; my wife wanted a bottle, so I said ya, let me have my credit card back. I had given it to her at the last place to buy something. The panic sets in. She doesn't have it. It's like not having your cell phone. Not having a wallet or a phone now will set anyone off. Hell, even at home, most people start to freak out when you can't find one or the other. We were far from home and had been all over the countryside! The nice thing about credit card apps is you can lock your card. Which I did, no big deal. We found it in the car, so we were fine in the end. I have to compliment the lady working at Serendipity; as soon as we were worried, she was getting ready to call the other vineyards. It is a small community, and she figured we could get it right back. I gotta say exceptional customer service. From there, we went to 3 Sisters.

This place is hard to find, depending on where you are coming from. Naramata's direction isn't right by the sign, and you may end up walking on some farm. Clearly, it happens often because the guy comes out and points you in the right direction. Coming from Penticton, it is easy to see. This place I have mixed feelings on. The wine and service are average. We did a tasting that reminded me of wine when a person started drinking it. Barefoot wine or some other $10 bottle. If you like that, no biggie. I really did when I started drinking wine. Also, the pricing on the tasting was the cheapest of the day; I think they are aiming for that crowd. There was also an actual wine tour there. I cant fault the waitress for paying attention to them more than us. A group full of half-drunk people is likely going to buy more. So this isn't an insult, but it is lower-end wine at a reasonable price. I don't mind it, but it isn't for me. It might be a great house wine for some bar. Our last place was Poplar Grove. They kind of annoyed me. They are open until, I don't know, say 4, and we got there at 330. I guess tastings stop at 330, why? Another group walked in and got a bottle out on the patio, and that was fine, but we can't do a tasting?? I am kicking myself in the ass, but I bought a bottle here. I should have said fuck it, but I wanted to bring back a couple bottles, so without tasting, I grabbed a bottle, and then we had the long drive back to the cabin. The night was actually chill, with leftovers and relaxation.

The next day started the same. My wife and I went for a stroll before the others were out of bed. That's not 100% true. I returned to a brewed coffee pot, so someone was up, which was awesome. We checked out the other side of the community. Not long after we got back, they got up. The regular morning coffee and visit before they said, let's go for their daily walk. Sure, why not? They are retired. How rough can it be? I should not have thought like that. They talked about their outdoor lifestyle, hikes, biking, and such. We went up some hills through the woods and all over. I could feel it in my legs, like a good hockey game or, honestly, probably worse! For a week after, I felt muscles I didn't even know I had!! The fresh air and the views were great but damn!!! Then we killed a couple hours. Aunt said we could borrow her car and go into Kelowna for the afternoon; I didn't want to drive her car. It is an expensive one, and I sure as hell don't wanna ding it or something. So she came with us, and we went to Kelowna. This city has grown so much. I don't remember towers in the skyline; they almost seem out of place. We walked what might be called the boardwalk or, more appropriately, the beach. I had to put my feet in, and damn, the lake felt cold! It was midweek, so there weren't many people out, but some people were on the beach or walking. Even in the sun, and it had to be pushing 30, that damn lake was cold. They do the downtown right; while we didn't see much of it, they close some roads to let foot traffic in. By tourist season, it is packed, and this is a great idea. We went to a botanical garden close to the city hall. While it is small, it is very well done. I think a couple people enjoying it were on break or lunch from city hall. A tour guide was telling a group facts about the many Koi fish in the pond that runs through the park. It really doesn't take long to see; it isn't like Bouchart or anything. I mean, it is a free park. Then, I needed a washroom, so we headed to the Cactus Club just down the road. I won't go too much into this as a cactus club is, well, a cactus club, though this one has a lot of potential being right on the waterfront. I would guess it is a big tourist draw. It was good, good food, drink and service. Then we returned home. It was a beautiful day, so we did what you do on a day like that. We headed down to the pool. 

The pool area or one of the community pools is on the lake shore. There is a deck; the pool is almost an infinity pool. It isn't, but it looks like that was the attempt made when it was built. There are two hot tubs and tables scattered all over. Aunt jumped in a kayak and took off out of the marina and into the bay. We watched her go from the hot tub. This is probably why she is in better shape than me, even though she is decades older. I was amazed at how fast she took off. After a bit, I jumped in the pool; it did feel cold but warmer than the lake. I am unsure why I always have to jump in pools, but I have to everywhere I go. I went back and forth between the hot tub and pool for about half an hour, maybe a bit more. A family came down; at first, I thought they were French, but my wife thought maybe German. Aunt showed up out of nowhere; this is what I mean. She must be moving in that kayak, and she thought they sounded Slavic. After a bit, we all headed back to the cabin. Now, here is an actual warning to hot tub users. My wife doesn't use them all that much, and after half an hour, she did get lightheaded. Those are real warnings! I am sure some people who can spend all night in them might not react that way, but it is kind of scary, so if you are not used to them, maybe don't do that!! We spent the evening with a charcuterie board and watched the Oilers win another playoff game. I am jealous of Tony Bourdain and Josh Gates. They have these amazing jobs where they get to see so much. That night, we saw Still Standing, a CBC program. The host travels to small towns and basically spotlights them. Mostly, it caught our eyes because he was in wine country, and we had just seen some of the places he went by yesterday. The comedy is pretty bad, but the concept is neat. It is something I daydreamed about and didn't realize existed already. I read the episode list and laughed. Places I have been to and enjoy include Lac La Biche and Slave Lake, Hope BC, and places I would like to go, like Dawson City. Damn, you already have my show, and me not in it! 

I will not go too much into our last full day there. We did start with a mysteriously brewed pot of coffee again and another hike in the woods, then after that this was more a relax day than any other. Our hosts had some appointments in town, so they just left us to chill for most of the day. Typically it is my wife who is go, go, go. She wanted some downtime, so she read a book on the deck in the sun. I spent some time down at the pool again. The family from the day before was back, and when they got in the hot tub, I had to ask. They are from Vancouver... but were originally from Paris. Strange accent, though; it did sound rough, like  German or Eastern European. This day was honestly too hot to be in the hot tub, and floating in the pool by yourself when there are a bunch of others around is boring and maybe a bit creepy. So I headed back to the cabin. I read a little as well when my wife's aunt called and said get ready, let's go out. We went for a late lunch or early supper in Vernon. We went to a golf course called the Rise Resort and ate at the Edge. Oh, my fuck! It is on the top of the hills by the lake. Just do a quick Google search of this place; it is incredible. Likely the nicest course I have ever been at; we didn't golf. When I say high-end, there is a helipad for people to fly in and play a round. The view from the patio at the Edge is breathtaking. You can see some of the course, the lake, and the town of Vernon. The wine and drink list is fantastic, and the food is so damn good. I had lamb, always hit and miss. This was a hit. People had the halibut, and they also said to die for. It looked like it. Bring your freaking wallet, though! Such a great meal. Then we went to a place called Davidson Orchards. This place is cheesy but nice. Every tourist city with a farming community has a place like it. It looks like a farm, and you go inside and buy fresh fruit and vegetables. Pies, crafts, seasonings, meats. It's comfortable and pleasant to see, a bit of Canadian and rural lifestyle for people to see. I admit we bought gifts for family here and uncle bought a pie. He informed me pie is fine for breakfast. I agreed, I see it at truck stops all the time. I bought the hot salsa and tried it when I got home. Unlike many "hot" salsa that are actually mild, jebus this is hot!! The last place we hit was 1516 pub. My kind of place. It feels like a local pub and looks like it is inside. If the Edge was high-end, this was a dive bar, but in a good way. Not the kind where you feel like you might get stabbed but where everyone might know your name when you walk in. ALSO, the super cool feature is the mini marina. It is set up to bring your boat in, take a break from the lake, and have a meal and a beer. I love this feature, but I don't know why all the big tourist lakes don't have something like it. I am looking at you, Slave Lake.... That wrapped up the day, and we again headed back, watched some TV, and went to bed.

So, I will wrap it up pretty quick here. On the last day, we had to be at the airport at noon. We got up and tried to go for our typical morning "hike / walk" It was miserable and started pouring on us. So, back to the house. I don't want to use the word awkward but I will. We all just sat around for a few hours, news on in the background, trying to think of things to talk about. After a few days, people mostly exhausted the new lines of conversation. That's not a slight at anyone; I couldn't think of anything to talk about either, so people gravitate to cell phones. Then they drove us to the airport. In general, I am terrible at goodbyes. I spend hours saying goodbye when I see my family. It has become a running joke, but in the airport loading zone, it is a quick hug and on the way. Not that they will ever read this likely but I was very grateful they had us down. It was a decent holiday, I actually got to know them a lot better, and they are super hosts. Kelowna airport is international and too small for that. It is busy, and security is unfriendly. I get they have a serious job but damn! We did hit the liquor store and buy a wine we missed on our wine country day. White Spot is the only real sit-down place to eat. It was overpriced and not impressive, though my wife said it wasn't bad. So I guess that is a matter of opinion. Not long after lunch, we were in the air and back to Edmonton.