flying to california/ferrying to canada

Funny thing about travel. As nice as it is to go home, it's always fun to leave again. So you can imagine how excited I was when Sue told me she was boxing me up and sending me back to California so I could meet Ms. Ghiozzi's class of first graders at the Garin School in Brentwood.

Fortunately, the "no liquids" rule had not gone into effect so I had my little boxes of apple juice in my "cub condo" that I travel in when I'm not with Sue. Actually, it's a cute blue and white cardboard box shaped like a little house, with windows on two sides and even a door. OK, I can't quite fit through the door (I go in through the roof), but above it is the phrase, "I'm Going Home." That always makes me feel safe when I travel by myself.

The house was built by Build-A-Bear Workshop, where I also came from.

So yes, I finally met "my" students and they are sweet! For most of the time I read with the boys and girls. Since it was the first week of school, it was very busy. But the students had plenty of time to pay attention to me and it was great. They decided that yes, I was a boy, and that my name should remain Teddy. Yippee!

And like all darling first graders, they smothered me with hugs and kisses before I left. I'll miss them but I know they are learning a lot in school.

I arrived home safely and Sue was pleased to have me back in her office (she puts me in the chair behind her desk and computer so I can keep an eye on her).

Of course I was happy to hear that she was off on another trip, this time to Saturna Island, which is located in British Columbia, Canada. And I'd be going along with her, of course!

Sue and four of her friends were going to spend time bicycling, kayaking and soaking up the scenery. Although I didn't go kayaking or biking (I forgot my helmet and my life jacket, and Sue wouldn't let me go without them), I had a good time back at Saturna Lodge. That's where I found out that there are only a few hundred people who live here year-round; there is no bank or ATM; and most cell phones don't get reception.

But there are more than 180 bird species (from hummingbirds to bald eagles), deer, lots of sea life (Sue and her friends saw a seal while kayaking) and wonderful places to roam.

One of the highlights of the trip was taking a ferryboat to Saturna from Tsawwassen, British Columbia. That's me on top of Sue's 1980 Mercedes (I'm holding her single tall non-fat latte so she can take the picture). We had to get up at 5 AM so we could be in line at 6 AM for the 7 AM ferry. The girls and I were all very sleepy.

The ferry was so much fun (we got to have breaky on board) and when we got off in Sidney on Vancouver Island, we had to drive off the ferry and then do a huge u-turn and get back in line for a smaller ferry to Saturna Island. It was sort of complicated but Sue and her friends figured it out. But why do they have to talk and laugh so much?

It must be a girl thing.

All in all it was a beary, beary fun summer getaway. Next time, I'll bring my bike helmet and my life jacket.

Don't you think I'd look cute in a kayak?


Copyright 2006 Sue Frause. All rights reserved.

ridin' the rails in quebec

QUEBEC -- Whoa, I've been one busy bear!

I think when I last left you I was falling in love with Montréal. Well, as with many affairs of the heart, we finally had to part.

Fortunately for me, Sue was headed to Québec City. And best of all, we were traveling by train. I absolutely adore trains.

We took a cab from the Auberge Bonaparte to the VIA Rail Canada station in Montréal. And on the way, guess what? Sue spotted some celebrities outside the Hotel Le St-James (that's where the Rolling Stones and other big stars stay when they're in town). At first she couldn't figure out who they were, but then the hairdos rang a bell. It was Jon Bon Jovi and his band who had performed in Montréal the night before. Sue didn't quite have it together to take a picture, though, as her camera was buried at the bottom of her pack.

That explains why I'm at the top of this blog entry, and not Jon Bon Jovi. More about the photo in a bit.

We arrived at the train station and what a great place it is. Lots of interesting shops and restos featuring yummy looking food. I hinted to Sue that I was getting a little hungry, but she went straight to the Panorama Lounge of Via Rail Canada. That's one of the perks of going first-class; you get a nice little lounge to wait in, plus free beverages. Sue popped open a club soda (Canada Dry) and let me have a few sips. I was feeling pretty sporty with my sunglasses on. Sue thought I should take them off in the station but I wanted to look cool during the entire train trip.

We left right at 12:30, another hot summer day, but cool in our solo seat. As we pulled out of the station, the scenery began rolling by: cornfields, silos, hay rolls with small towns in between. And all those French signs! After the big city atmosphere of Montréal, it was a real contrast, and the pastoral pictures outside the window were perfect. Sue was listening to her iPod and sharing her tunes with me, which sound so much better with such a wonderful view.

Before long it was time for lunch and oooh it was quite yummy. First we had appetizers of cheese, melon, figs, nuts and bread. And Sue had a glass of French red wine in honor of Bastille Day (since I'm so young, I just drank water). Then salad and dessert and time for a much-needed nap!

Three hours later we arrived in Québec City, a beautifully preserved walled city that is like stepping into a fairytale. Sue had told me about it, as she has been here three or four times before, but this was my debut. I had seen pictures of the city's famous landmark, the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac, and although we weren't going to stay there (no room at the inn!) we had a fantastic view of it from our room at the Hilton Québec.

So yes, that's me in the photo. Teddy in a beary fine room with a beary big view of a beary beautiful city on the St. Lawrence River in "La Belle Province" of Québec.

Ooh la la!

Click here to e-mail Teddy.


Copyright © 2006 Sue Frause. All rights reserved.

j'aime montréal!

MONTREAL, QUEBEC -- As a non-French speaking bear, I was a wee bit nervous about being in Montreal. But not to worry, this is a totally enchanting city where no matter what language you speak, you will fall in love with it! People from Quebec are like no other North Americans...they have that certain "joie dans la vie" that is found everywhere: in its food, in its festivals and in its contagious Quebecois way of life.

Although it wasn't yet noon, it was already quite hot riding in the cab with Sue from the airport to the Auberge Bonaparte, our cozy hotel in Vieux Montreal (which Sue told me translates to "Old Montreal"). We have a nice, airy room with hardwood floors and a dandy little window where I'm sure I'll spend most of my time. In fact I can see a bit of the Notre-Dame de Montreal Basilica from my special perch.

Sue told me that's where Celine Dion and her hubby were married in 1994 (only 250 people were invited but millions watched around the world).

I was so tuckered out from our adventure of spending the night in the New Jersey airport, I declined Sue's offer to tag along with her and a friend to lunch. She raved about the restaurant when she returned, saying that Lemeac was lovely. Located in the Outremont area of Montreal, they dined on the patio where Sue enjoyed Asian Shrimp Salad and Champagne. Ooh la la!

My meal was not so exotic, just some cheese and nuts that I found in the bottom of Sue's backpack. But that's all I needed, after all I'm quite small. With a nicely full tummy, I took my usual afternoon nap. I'd see the city later.

Sue finally returned at 4:30 PM, too tired to do any more sightseeing. Sleeping on the airport floor the night before in Newark finally caught up with her; soon she was snoozing away on the bed. In fact, she didn't awaken until 9:30 PM, and was confused as she thought it was morning. "Why is it so dark in here?" she asked.

I laughed and told her it was still night time and she groaned. Too tired to go out for dinner, she went back to sleep, only to awaken at 3 AM. This girl is tired!

Sue promised me we'd go out at the first sign of daylight, and she stuck to her word. Secure in her pack, I had a perfect view of Montreal in the early morning dawn. It was Bastille Day, July 14, and at 5:30 AM there was nobody around. I could smell the aroma of the clip-clops (horse-driven carriages); spotted a homeless man going through the garbage; watched as joggers stepped carefully on the cobblestones; and helped Sue take photos as the sun cast its golden glow on the historic buildings of Old Montreal.

There were a few other four-legged creatures roaming about: stray cats poking in and out of doorways and a dog or two checking out the Friday scene.

But not one other teddy bear.

I wonder if the animals here speak French?



Copyright © 2006 Sue Frause. All rights reserved.

a night in new jersey...oh my!

NEWARK, NEW JERSEY -- I was "beary, beary" nervous about my first international trip. Although I was only flying to Montreal, the largest city in "La Belle Province" of Quebec, it seemed like a long ways away. But tucked safely into Sue's green Jansport backpack, I felt pretty secure.

The worst part was getting up so early to catch the 5:10 AM Whidbey-SeaTac Shuttle. Sue's husband Bob dropped us off at Naomi's Self Serve and as we boarded the van I heard somebody say, "Is that Sue Frause?"

Of course! This is Whidbey Island, where lots of people know your name. It was Kim Kelzer, an accomplished artist, on her way to some art happening in Saskatchewan. OK, Saskatchewan "art" sounds somewhat like an oxymoron, but I don't want to get my Canadian teddy bear buddies up in paws over that statement. I'm sure there's plenty of fine art in that province and maybe Sue will take me there someday.

Unfortunately, things got off to a bad start at SeaTac. Our flight on Continental Airlines (which Sue quickly renamed "Confidential Airlines," since you never know when you'll depart or arrive) was delayed an hour due to bad weather back east. But finally we boarded the sold-out flight, and I got the overhead bin right above Sue, a nice guy named Adam and a chatty woman from Jersey who was hooked up to oxygen.

We finally landed in Newark, an hour behind schedule. Of course we missed our 440 PM flight to Montreal, but that was delayed also. In fact, this was just the beginning of what was to become a most memorable night at Newark's Liberty International Airport.

When they announced that our flight was leaving at 6:30 PM for Montreal, I suggested to Sue we get something to eat. I was learning quickly that airplane food was not usually an option unless you fly business, and unfortunately, that was not the case on this trip.

Not wanting obvious fast food, we ended up at Nathan's Famous, where we dined on real burgers and real fries. We sat at a table with a nice gentleman who used to live in Capetown, South Africa. Sue told him she and her family (and me!) would be going there in September, and he said we would love it.

Before long our departure time was moved back to 6:30, then 8:30 and finally 9:30 PM. The airport was in fact closed, on red alert due to storms. And we weary tavelers were getting testy --- the annoying announcements over the public address system were becoming more irritating by the minute.

"Elsa Skunk-eee, paging Elsa Skunk-eee!"

Sue chatted with two women on their way to Moncton, New Brunswick and also Howard and Roger from Montreal. The dentist and lawyer were just back from a week in Costa Rica, and anxious to get home. But the news got worse. Our flight was now leaving at 11 PM, then 11:20 PM and finally the dreaded verb: CANCELLED!

We made our way upstairs to the so-called "Continental Service Center" (another oxymoron). Here we were exposed to some of the unhappiest employees on the planet. They were rude and surly, and after being told that there were no complimentary hotel rooms left, I begged Sue to ask for blankets and pillows so we could bunk down for the night. She also had to beg for food vouchers, and the generous agent gave her two ($8 each). One for Sue and one for moi!

Soon, Howard and Roger and Sue were putting together their makeshift sleeping quarters. Around midnight, we all dined on stale carbs from Dunkin' Donuts along with steamed milk. Sue said that would help me sleep. Fortunately, I was pretty comfy in her backpack, propped up on a chair with my very own airplane pillow. Although I could have done without the fluorescent lights and CNN Breaking News about the California wildfires. Why weren't they covering this chaos in Newark, anyway?

Poor Sue. She wasn't doing well at all. First she put the thin blue airplane blanket and two fake pillows on the floor, but it was too hard. Then it was too cold. Finally she moved back up into the chairs that she and the two Montreal chaps had pulled together. That didn't work either. She returned once again to the hard floor, dozing in and out of sleep between 2-5 AM. She finally awoke around 5:30 AM and used the last of our vouchers to buy Egg McMuffins, hash browns, OJ and coffee from McDonald's.

Fortunately, we were booked on the 7:30 AM flight to Montreal. We said our good-byes to Howard and Roger and at last we were up, up and away for the quick flight to O Canada!

I don't care if I ever see Jersey again.



Copyright © 2006 Sue Frause. All rights reserved.

bear with me!

LANGLEY, WHIDBEY ISLAND, WASHINGTON -- Hi! I'm Teddy, and for the next year I'll be traveling with my friend Sue Frause. If you don't know Sue, she writes that travel blog that's so fun to read, and out of the kindness of her non-bear heart, she's letting me write my very own bear blog!

Sue and I met in Philadelphia. That's where she adopted me while at the SATW (Society of American Travel Writers) Western Chapter conference. You see, every year SATW has a Traveling Teddy program, and when nobody else in the room volunteered to travel with me (what's with that...bear discrimination?), Sue raised her hand.

But Sue is really just a surrogate "mom" as my real "owners" are the first grade students of Gail Ghiozzi at the Garin School in Brentwood, California. Now don't confuse this with the Brentwood near LA that was made famous by some guy whose name sounds like a morning breakfast drink (OK, that's OJ for you folks who aren't trial junkies). This city of 30,000 people is located 40 miles east of San Francisco in East Contra Costa County.

These kids are pretty awesome. For the next school year they will be visiting all seven continents through their social studies and science curriculum. They'll learn mapping skills along with identifying continents and oceans as well as study people and their cultures. And of course they're curious about the plants and animals of each continent. And that includes bears, I'm sure!

Each student will have a suitcase of "artifacts" that they collect as they "travel" around the world. The collection will include art projects, writings and other information. They will even have their passport stamped as if they were truly on the road. Hmmm...I wonder if Sue has arranged for a passport for moi? I mean if I go to Fran