Coming home for Christmas

Merry Christmas to you all!...well a Little late :D I admit, I was a Little lazy the last days^^

Half a year is almost over and its already Christmas. And I have a big suprise for you but I dont want to spoil you ;)

So were did I stopped?

Oh ja we were in lake Louise for two days after we left the lodge really spontaniously. We had nothing planned after that so we actually had no idea what we should do then......Also I got some bad News from home and the Situation at the lodge didn`t helped my already sad Feelings! So there we were, in the middle of nowhere, sitting in a Tim Hortons with no plan, it was cold and Christmas was coming! Of course you think of home and that it would be nice to spend Christmas with your family....So the idea was Born and we called Lufthansa:D

So we ended up going back to Vancouver to our friends, who were Kind enough to offer us a bed again. We were super relieved and we could finally relax in a warm place after  the last weeks ^^

And we could organisate our plan more! After 1 day we had a fully thought- out plan, which we could tell our parents :

 

-  the first stop would be Vancouver

- then the days before Christmas ( 18-22 december) on Vancouver Island

- Christmas we would spend in Vancouver again before we would head to the USA again

- backflight on the 6th of january

 

But actually we rebooked our flights so that we´re in Frankfurt on the 23rd.

We actually stayed in Vancouver till the 18th. Our last days in Canada, I had mixed Feelings. Our dog has cancer and I was so afraid that he`s going to die before I come back. The thought hunted me all the time but I tried to enjoy the last days as good as I can! Also our trip ended so apruptly that we didn`t really realized that These were our last days.

We met Jan and Timo again, had a funny day with them in Vancouver and went Souvenir Shopping ( I never, really never bought so many Souvenirs :D), visited the Museum of anthropology and we finally made it into China town and it wasn`t worth it at all ^^

And then there was the Christmas Spirit! I know that in America everything is bigger and actually I shoudn´t have been so suprised when I saw with how much wastefullness the canadians decorated their houses. The street we lived in looked like Santas Runway xD

Never ever go into a Lush cosmetics store with boys^^ they look like THIS after it :D

rainy day in Deep Cove

Museum of anthropology

Christmas garden.......you`ll never see such things in Germany^^

Santas Runway ;)

 Then the day came when we had to start to tell lies. Early in the morning of the 18th we took the bus to Seattle. We had the funniest bus Driver ever^^ I was so tired cause we had to get up at half past three in the morning, that I woke up when we were already at the boarder.

The entry into the USA was really easy this time, cause we aleady had our stamps in our passports and....we were in the USA! Bye Canada :(

But before I got sentimental we arrived at the Seattle Airport and flew to.....Phoenix!! Tadaaa Suprise :D No we had just a short stop there before we flew into San Francisco.( More airmiles!!!!!) Our last stop!

I was already in San Francisco 4 years ago and I really liked it there, so I had nothing against it to discover this beautiful City again. Also we saw some places I `haven´t seen at my first visit there.

But first of all we had a Little schock^^ We knew that our Hostel isn`t in the best area of SF but when we arrived at Union Square, there were so many homeless People, we were tired and exhausted and we just wanted to have a nice, cozy bed. But bad luck....

Fortunately a taxi was Standing around the Corner. We really wanted to walk to the Hostel, which wasn´t that far away but if you ever were in SF you know that it´s really hilly^^

Arrived at the Hostel and in our room, we wanted to Change our accomondation. Well, in the end we stayed and it wasn´t that bad but tiredness and Exhaustion made us feel really uncomfortable...the beds were like armybeds, the toilet didn´t flush well and we didn`t know our roommates! We just knew that we`re in a mixed doorm bedroom. So in our distress we called another Hostel and reserved beds. (Note: before we actually spoke with an emplyee of our Hostel and before knowing the cancelling policies) Jep, we were desperate^^ The end of the Story was that, after a discussion with an employee ( and after we found out we had to cancel 48 hours before, which ment that even we would Change Hostels , we still had to pay 3 of the 4 booked nights----> which ment, we would spent waaaay more money), we decided to try one night. In the middle of the night our roommates finally came. Two German students and they were really nice....not too bad :D

Next morning after the very delicicous variety of the homemade breakfast ( only pancakes^^ everyday...the last two days we didn´t eat breakfast in the Hostel xD) we walked out of the building and the sun and pleasent 17°C welcomed us :)

Damn...this post is already waaaay too Long so here is our touristic SF Exploration tour^^:

Day 1:

A walk through Chinatown then to the Coit Tower, from which you have an awesome view over the City.( again SF is very hilly^^ didn´t thought we would walk that much). Walking around Fishermen`s wharf + Pier 39...bought a MUNI pass and Tickets for Alcatraz. We were so lucky. We got one of the last tickets available cause it was Christmas time and lots of People bought their tickets in advance. So the next days all tours were sold out :)

 

And actually now you should have the privilege to look at some amazing pics cause I thought I have the pics. But.. I don`t have them :D

 

Day 2:

made the said Alcatraz tour. One of the Hilights. it was so interessting and weird at the same time. Just imagined that in this building, were you`re Standing in, hundreds of murderers were kept. I think we stayed almost 4 hours on the Island. After that seafood at Pier 39. Drove with the cable car. The evening we spent with our roommates, Linus and Lasse, in our room. They were kind enough to buy us alcohol. USA... 21 etc. ;D

 

Day 3:

We took the bus to the famous Hippie area to walk to the Goldengate Park, which took a Little while. There were many nice, Little Shops and boutiques ;) The Park per se wasn´t that worth seeing.  We smelled the,, now familiar scent of weed :D

After that we drove to the Golden Gate Bridge! And the famous Lombat Street was on our Tour too.

 

  found some pics :D

 

Day 4:

Our flight was around 9 PM so we had some time to do....Shopping!!! :D We stored our luggage in the Hostel and came back with "a few" things :D *cough* But I had some space left in my backpack! *proud* :DD Lets just say Victoria`s secret got a lot of Money from me^^

 

Then our last trip began. ( Imagine now sad Music in the background^^). Luckily we flew with Lufthansa :D Best Service so far.

But yeah. At the time I had so many different thoughts in my head. I was excited, worrried, sad, tired, happy...all at the same time! The last days, I don`t wanna say I was homesick but I did miss home a lot. Mainly because of our dog. So I really looked Forward to see him and my Family. Also I was so excited about the faces of my Family, when they would see me Standing in the door :) Nobody really noboday had a clue and I`m so proud that the whole plan worked out so well!

I think this suprise made the farewell of These 5 month easier. I think when I sat at the Airport, I didn´t realize our time here was now over and that in a few hours I would have native land under my feet^^

After a 10,5 hours flight we landed in Munich and after another 40  min flight in Frankfurt. It was weird that everybody could understand us^^ Now we had to be careful what we say :D

The husband of Valeries Sister picked us up and we spent our first night in Germany at their place.

 

 

Christmas Eve:

Christmas day we spent at their place aswell. Wraping gifts and killing time. I knew that my Family would celebrate at my grandparents and around half past five Valerie and me began our last way with our backpacks^^

Now it was over. We won`t see each other 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.lol. Kind of weird...I didn´t thought that I would get so used to a Person other than my mom and brother. And we didn´t have a single fight in the past 5 month! I think not everybody can say that :)

At 18.30 I stood in front of my grandparents house. I still had some doubts that my mom may knew I`m coming. But as soon as I rang, the door opened and my brother saw me...all of the thoughts went away. My brother jumped over the gate and huged me. He said nobody was expecting me :)

I came in and first I saw my uncle and Cousin. All the man came to the door cause my grandma thought it was a thief who rang :D And than chaos broke out. My mom looked like a car when she saw me and everybody was so suprised!! One of the best moments this year!!

I wasn`t even 5 minutes there and my grandma had already phoned my aunt^^

 

Jep, that was almost a week ago. I still fight with my Jetlag and the waether here is s***.

But its nice to sleep in your own bad, having my pets around and a working shower :P

Now I realized I`m not in Canada anymore and... I miss it! Time flew by so fast ( as always) and I still can`t believe that I`ve travelled all over the Northmerican continent in the last 5 month. Experienced nice and bad situations, met beautiful People, saw places I`ve only dreamed of, learned alot about things I know and new things in fields, I thought I would never experience and somewhere in the Canadian wilderness I found what I want to do.

 

 

 

P.S. Our heater just broke down...thankfully I know now how to make a big fire :D

Short trip to the Rocky Mountains

Wow. Where should I start xD
Well, We`re in Lake Louise at the Moment, not in Golden like how we planed!
But lets talk from the beginning.
After our week in Vancouver we took the bus on the 29th to Golden! 13 hours! Im still afraid to drive on the highway jn the bus. even its the trans canada highway, it only has two lines and no streetlights....in the mountains. we saw 3 trucks laying in the ditch, which was pretty scary.

When we finally arrived Jan, another german wwoofer and Zack, the nephew of Raph the Manager of the Beaverfoot Lodge, our last Wwoofing stay, picked us up and we drove 45  mins through the darkness! We were pretty excited, cause they told us there are more wwoofers ( all Germans :D) and we thought yeah! People in our age^^ So we met Nicola, Lukas and Tim. When we arrived we expected to get a Little introduction into the lodgelife and the workingdays but pppff....Raph came like 30 min after we arrived and showed us our room and went away. We only knew that we should work 5 days a week and 5 hours a day starting at 11! Cool Cool we thought :D and for extrahours we would get 10 Dollars. But we got our own room and the most comfy beds ever!!
The first Thing we did in the morning was to learn how to make bread. And it looked like we`re doing all the cooking and housekeeping. They had no guests at the Moment so the wwoofers had the lodge all for themselves! the Lodge consists of the main lodge, 4 Cabins, campground and the house , where Raph and his Family live. The lodge is operated on a septic system and provides its own power. The poperty is nestled in a beautiful valley in the Rocky Mountains!! The View was awesome!!!!

The View

The Lodge

 Raph and his wife Catherine have two children, Alisha and Alec, who we saw maybe 3 times in the whole 1 1/2 week we stayed there! Raph is a filmmaker aswell. He shot a few scence for his new movie( a reality film about the lodge) and valerie and me had to play two unsadisfied guests. In the scence, raph threw us out of the lodge! His plan was to show him as the evil manager to entertain thpeople so that they eventually get more guests cause I think the lodge wasn't running that well!

Also on the property living was Dan, a worker and where should I start :D Dan is a personality for himself xD He obviously had an alcohol Problem but he was always in a good mood and tried to Keep the harmony in the lodge when it got stressful and negative. He introduced himself and told us he lives with is 7 children in a small Cabin on the beaverfootproperty. We thought : " shiit 7 children!!" But then he pulled is Cell phone out and showed us Pictures of his Dogs and cats, who we should meet later that day :D In his Cabin he had no running water, some Windows had no glas and only a oven to heat the whole cabin. But he had the biggest Weed bag I ever saw in my life!!! Like holy cow was the bag big :D. Lukas told us he deals and Raph is his best costumer xD 

Like seriously, I have the Feeling canada has the highest weed consumption in the whole world ^^ everywhere from the city to the forest you can smell it :D 

After a few days we recognized that there was no plan or structure in the working days. We usually got up, ate, made bread, did dishes and cleaning , than pause and than cooked for the evening. After a few days it got really cold. -20 and colder in the night. The lodge and all the cabins were heated by fire ovens. Usually Tim did the fires but the boys had a lot other maintain work to do so Ralph told us to make fire in every cabin. So we did, without any tips or instructions how to do it. After the first cabin Tim got to us and said Raph is totally pissed off cause we made too small fires. When we met Raph we got to know his other side. He yelled at us and threaten us that he kiks us out when we not help him with the work. That was only the beginning of our relationship with Raph! In the next couple of days this happened every day! A day before we left he actually called Valerie disabled! Raph is like a volcano. You never know when he explode.

We spend the most days chopping wood, running from one cabin to the next and cooking. The evenings we usually spend together with the other woofers and Dan and watched movies. Dan was totally in Christmas spirit! Everything was Christmassy and he wanted everybody to be happy and full of love :) and I think the thing he loves the most ,besides his kids, are Christmas movies !! Every night we had to watch one. Than he had his 3 glases of wodka and Khalua and fell asleep in the middle of the movie^^  or he told us stories out if his life! He has 4 actual kids from 2 different women, was 6 years in jail, a drug dealer and a stripper! It never got boring when he was around. Or he told us stories about wwoofers and Raph. that much woofers left cause they think Raph is a psychopath and he actually kikes some wwoofers out. Including zacks girlfriend. Whereupon Zack and her stole Raphs car and drove all the way to Manitoba. Over 30 hours and zack is 17 and has no driving license. But they couldn't call the police cause Zack had a gun in the car!! 

Yep crazy place with crazy people! Even bowser the cat was crazy!! 

After a few days jan left and valentine and her boyfriend Benoit choined the team. 

Also the ovens didn't heat properly! We were freezing the whole time. No room was warm enough and we sat with our skijackets inside. In the morning I even could see my breath inside! And it didn't get better. After a few days the pipes were frozen and the toilets downstairs weren't working anymore. The shower had no power anymore, the Internet wasn't working and we had some powerproblems so that every night the lights were flickering! Even the location was so super beautiful, the desisson to leave was really easy. So we drove Into golden to get wifi and booked the next bus to lake Louise :D  

best place :)

Valentine, Valerie, Nicola and me

Presents exchange^^

Dan while sleeping :D

Aphapha :D

 

We booked two nights in a hostel to go skiing and to have a working shower and a warm bed. Canadians don't know what a real sky pass is^^ you only get a paper sticker to put on your jacket and on every lift is a man standing with a scanner! No Card-Reader-maschines xD  jan , the one guy from the lodge, staid here too with his friend timo. We went skiing together and today we hiked to the lake Louise and enjoyed a coffee in the expensive chateau lake Louise. Now I hang around on my phone waiting to catch the bus. Cause we're driving back to Vancouver :D

Lake Louise