Last week, the #FriFotos theme was Canada. I shared several photos of a trip my family took to Whistler three years ago. What made the trip especially memorable was the unexpected arrival of my nephew Gael. My sister and her husband were enjoying a last vacation before returning home to southern California, moving into their new home and becoming parents. I guess Gael heard all the fun we were having with my parents, my other sister and her husband, and he decided to join the fun.

Since my sister was not due for another two months, it was a very scary situation when she went into labor. Luckily (to make a long story short), she and my nephew received excellent medical care, and we will be celebrating his third birthday tonight.

Here are some of the photos I took before our plans took an unexpected turn to the hospital in Vancouver.

I arrived early in Vancouver to explore the city before our family headed north for a week in Whistler. One of my favorite ways to explore a city is via a bike tour, and the tour I took with Cycle City Tours Vancouver did not disappoint.

We stopped in the Granville Island Public Market where fresh produce was on display everywhere, like these Rainier cherries.

Rainier cherries on display at Granville Island Public Market.

I was very excited to see the Olympic torch from the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics.

Walking around the city one night, I spotted this Maple Leaf on the McDonald’s sign. I have to say, I do like visiting McDonald’s wherever I travel. There are always a few items on their menu that are unique to the country where they are located.

After the weekend in Vancouver, we drove north to Whistler. We stayed in a rental home and explored the area by bike, foot, ski lift and sea plane. Our first night in Whistler, we saw a beautiful sunset over the mountains.

First sunset in Whistler.

On our first day, we took a lift up Whistler Mountain and saw this friendly sign on our way to the top.

One day, I hiked around this beautiful lake with my sister and her husband.

These Canadian flags looked beautiful in the sunlight atop Whistler mountain.

I have many more photos to share from this beautiful corner of the world, but these were the ones I shared for #FriFotos last week. Thank you Canada, for a beautiful family vacation that we will always cherish, not least because my nephew Gael was born there!

New to #FriFotos? Here’s a quick guide on the rules by Jeffrey Epstein.

#FriFotos was started on 15 October 2010 by Jonathan Epstein (@EpsteinTravels). Jonathan is the President and Owner of Celebrated Experiences, a company focusing on travel to the UK and Ireland. He is passionate about photography, his favorite hobby. Each week Jonathan cohosts #FriFotos with Stephanie Diehl (@TravelDesigned), Charles Yap (@CharlesYap), and Spencer Spellman (@SpencerSpellman). Jeffrey Epstein (@jeffreyinmotion), CEO of HBIM was a key advisor in the creation of #FriFotos and continues to assist in the Forum’s growth and success.