Winter in Toronto

Winter seems to be over way too fast! We got 'spring' like temperatures these days; and all the snow is melting or turning into ice when the temperature is dropping again over the weekend...

Yes I do LIKE the cold - sunshine, -15C, snow - can't get much better in winter! And I would like a month more of it....

We got a lot of xc-skiing done this season (and hopefully it's not over yet!) - went out almost every week. The snow has been good so far. There has been a constant snow cover in Toronto since the holidays. Unfortunatly, none of us took a single picture while skiing - too busy moving and not wanting to stop to take off the gloves and get cold. I also spend an awesome weekend in Tremblant in Quebec with the 'chemists' at the end of January. We stayed in nice chalets with ski-in possibility, when you didn't have to get rentals or miss-read the map on the way home...It was a chilly weekend and the trails were very icy in the afternoons. So, we got out for the first lift, before 8am in the morning...Those first runs were the best of the day! Even did some mogul pistes, though I got to admit I am not very fond of them, especially in combination with branches, ice and dirt.

Here are some pictures from the ravine at my house and a walk through High Park.

my balcony

got my xc-skis later for the first run of the year!

at the subway entrance

in High Park

A walk in the snow - Christmas Day

Luckily public transport was operating again on Christmas Day, so my mom and I went to Essen (the neighbouring city to Bottrop). First, we went to an exhibit in the Folkwang Museum with pictures and first photographs of Paris from the late 19th century. At night I watched a documentary on Arte about artists in Paris in the beginning of the 20th century - everything very interesting, and makes me want to see Paris in live soon.

the weather was beautiful, sunshine, lots of snow on the ground. We went to walk through the Grugapark - I think I have never been there before - and enjoyed a walk under the late afternoon sun. I was surprised to see a 'Hundertwasser' Haus - one of my favourite architects, in Essen. And I'd never known it so close...Makes me wonder that I should spend more time on learning about the cultural aspects of my home area. Under the snow cover it also looks a lot nicer there.

Hundertwasser Haus

Hedgehog?

My mom had made our typical dinner for christmas time 'Rouladen' - I can just dig into the sauce and be happy!

I'm dreaming of a white christmas...

...wait, I just need to open my eyes and look out of the window:

I arrived well in Germany two days ago, no delay with the plane, the trains went ok, too. Yesterday, I went with my mum to Dortmund to the 'Weihnachtsmarkt', we had light snowfall all day, enjoyed a 1/2m sausage and Gluehwein. Today, I took a little walk through the park. Should have brought the Sorels, snow shoes, and skiis, crazy, it never snows here! I love it, it's so quiet, and looks so nice, there are almost no cars (they stopped clearing the roads, out of salt it seems). Now, it's time to wrap the last gifts, while my mum is in church, and start preparing dinner!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

Holland in November

Only five days in to my next trip to Europe, I kept thinking of my last trip in November to Groningen. It seems like so far away, but has just been a month. Work has kept me quite busy the last month, so I haven't come along to post anything.

It was wonderful to meet my friends again in live! Great to hang out, see Maggie and Guis defend, climb again at Bjoeks, have a LaChouffe, saucijzenbroodje and (affordable) gouda, cook and eat Moussaka, walk over the market, lunch at V&D....As always time was flying, and I was a little busy travelling around to Eindhoven, Maastricht and Utrecht as well.

I took my camera and made lots of pictures, but the grey sky doesn't give the best contrast. I had almost forgotten about the weather over there, rainy, windy, grey, and 8C over there feel so much colder than -10C in Canada wearing the same layers! One thing that I don't miss. But I missed cycling, it's so good to get everywhere by bike (if the wind does not blow you off) getting at least a little workout every day, sobering up a little, and not having to wait for streetcars. Of course, I miss climbing at Bjoeks, nice and long walls and great company! The list of things I missed will get long, but mostly it's my friends I miss the most! I wonder, when my next visit will be and who will still be in Groningen then?

Miri and Lubi on the market

saturdays on the market

lonely pears in the Prinsentuin

Martini-tower

perfect sunshine for a little while

Rattlesnake

Hah - no climbing for most of the season, but now I am back! I went with some motivated folks to Rattlesnake again in mid-october. A great and sunny day, we started up setting two top ropes on supposedly 'easy' climbs. Our first route was 'cobwebs' - a popular 5.6ish climb in a corner - popular=very polished. At least it was not overhanging, as the rest of the climbs for the day.

Cobwebs

Clem's first outdoor climb!

James on the 5.8

Next route was a 5.8, with some pumpy overhanging moves high up. Outside climbing feels so much harder. I seem to forget simply me technique and use my arms too much...And overhangs are so pumpy, hanging on one hand, looking for the next hold for feet and hands. Where's the coloured tape ;)

Perfect rest position :)

An awesome day outside - thanks guys!

Algonquin Thanksgiving weekend

And there I was back again to Algonquin, one week later...This time, I went on a trip with Clemence, Charline and James. Skipping work on friday, we left eastwards, had lunch at Bancroft and stocked up on booze and food before heading to the Algonquin Backpacker's Hostel - the 'wrong' place, but it was still nice, situated in a one cross-road village with one store, gas station, breakfast-lunch-restaurant and LCBO at the south side of the park. We went for a short hike that afternoon, to a small waterfall in the south of the park. There was no one except us, we didn't even notice when the trail ended and went a little further along the river. Driving back to the hostel, the colours of the setting sun and the surrounding forest were great. Charline cooked great oven baked mushrooms with bacon and blue cheese, and pasta with lots of veggies and meat for us. We also had pumpkin pie, and lots of wine and beer to celebrate the night.

The next morning, I woke up early (as usual), and went for a coffee at the breakfast place. It was so American: mostly farmers, everyone knew everybody, free-refill coffee, and folks driving from the place to the grocer, which was two houses away with their pick-up truck... The hostel had no space for us the next night, so we had to pack up, and drove to highway 60 into Algonquin park, where we did Charline's favourite hike 'Centennial Ridges' - 10km long with great look-outs from rocky ridges over a wide part of the park (no Moose, though). The hike was beautiful, the weather awesome, blue sky, the forest was golden-yellow coloured. I had a good time walking, chatting and taking lots of pictures. We still had to find a place to stay over night, which turned out to be harder than expected as any motel even in Huntsville was booked. We finally found a spot in Bracebridge, got some Thai food for dinner, and had a lazy night.

The next day, we drove north-west to Massasauga Park at Georgian Bay, hoping to find some good hiking spots there. It turned out to be more of a marine park, where you could reach hikes by boat or canoe. We started bush waking along a lake, and ended up at the other end of the parking lot...We then took the easier way along the road to the end of the bay, where we spend some good time sunbathing and drinking wine.

And, yes: Moose do exists! we saw two right at the roadside driving out of Algonquin.

Blue Jays vs Yankees

You can't be in Canada without having seen a baseball game, so there we went. Thanks to Max, who explained the rules to Clemence and me on our last visit, we were able to follow it sort of - and able to explain to the guys what was happening :) We even recognized some of the players, like Bautista, who had the record of home runs so far in the season (52 or so).

It started off quite well for the Jays, lots of points, home runs, and action in the first four innings, but then nothing happened anymore. The Yankees made a few points so that it got tight in the end, but the Jays still won. Apparently the next day, the Jays would put up their better team...There are a lot of breaks in this game - somehow they have to fit in commercials every five minutes on TV! In the stadium, there's then lots of lotteries, and animations, funny at first but it gets quite annoying after a while.

Homerun!

My verdict on baseball - it would be a great game in 4-5 innings, but nine is a bit long and boring...