Shakespeare, Calgary, Canada

MA_17 Posted Jan 25, 2013, 10:32 pm	Hey friends! Today I did my first walk through my hometown Berlin. It's the capital and biggest city of Germany! First I walked through the district Charlottenburg, but I think it's a bit boring. Nothing interesting around me. This is the Central Station. It is the main railway station in Berlin. 1,800 trains call at the station per day and the daily number of passengers is estimated to be at 350,000! From here you can do non-stop travels to Amsterdam (the Netherlands), Novosibirsk (Russia) or Astana (Kazakhstan). I found some water. As a turtle I love water! That one is called Spree. It is the main river of Berlin. It is approximately 400 kilometres (250 mi) in length. There's so many ice on it, I think I'm NOT going to swim there. Next to the river I met a tiny lovely guy. Can you see that little dark point in front of the tip of my nose? It's a wild rabbit. That little guy was watching me for a while. Then I saw another famous building: the German Bundestag, which is located in the Reichstag Building. The centrepiece of the building is the generously glazed chamber that is crowned by the dome. A funnel with panes of mirror glass reflects the daylight from above into the chamber. In Berlin you can visit a square with tonz of stones! It's the Memorial to the Murdered Jews of Europe, also known as the Holocaust Memorial. It is a memorial to the Jewish victims of the Holocaust. It consists of a 19,000 square metres site covered with 2,711 concrete slabs or "stelae", arranged in a grid pattern on a sloping field. The stelae are 2.38 m long, 0.95 m wide and vary in height from 0.2 to 4.8 m. I found the Victory Column. It is a major tourist attraction to the city of Berlin. Berliners, with their fondness for giving nicknames to buildings, call the statue Goldelse, meaning something like "Golden Lizzy". Ouh, Berlin has more than one river. This is another, smaller one. It's called Landwehrkanal. It seems to be cold, too! I went shopping to the KaDeWe! It is the most famous department store of Berlin and the largest department store on the European continent, famous above all for its gourmet food department on the sixth floor. The streets around the KaDeWe look nice, too. Shakespeare
MA_17 Posted Jan 26, 2013, 10:30 pm	Once again I did a walk through the city. It was colder than yesterday, but the sun was shining. This beautiful building is called Berlin Cathedral. It is the colloquial name for the Evangelical (i.e. Protestant) Supreme Parish and Collegiate Church. Its present building is located on Museum Island. The Berlin Cathedral has never been a cathedral in the actual sense of that term since it has never been the seat of a bishop. Museum Island is the name of the northern half of an island in the Spree river in the central Mitte district. It is so called for the complex of five internationally significant museums, all part of the Berlin State Museums. The Bode Museum at the northern end of the Museum Island. Look, there's more ice on the water than yesterday! I also saw the Brandenburg Gate. It is one of the most well-known landmarks of Berlin and Germany. I think I'm going to stay in this hotel tonight. It is the Hotel Adlon, a luxury hotel. It is located on the Pariser Platz directly opposite the Brandenburg Gate. The current hotel opened on August 23, 1997. The legendary original Hotel Adlon was one of the most famous hotels in Europe. It opened in 1907 and was largely destroyed in 1945 in the closing days of World War II, though a small wing continued operating until 1984. Shakespeare
MA_17 Posted Feb 1, 2013, 7:50 pm	Today Alex & Petunia said goodbye to Rudy and me. We both are leaving for our first journeys. And we both are traveling abroad.
Jasper Posted Feb 6, 2013, 1:27 pm	Hi mommy, I have arrived. I think I slept for most of my trip. When my envelope was opened, I was a bit nervous. What, or rather who would expect me. Cautiously I stuck out my nose. And likewise five TV's carefully put their noses into my envelope. I climbed out and we introduced ourselves. Then I showed them my gifts. They all love gummy bears, and I think they love me too. Mommy, may I introduce you my new friends: Dolivia, she is from Germany and has the same color as me. Crazy. Hase, also from Germany. She has the longest ears I have ever seen. I like these ears. Lola Rabitt, another bunny with beautiful eyes. Salmonella, a pink fish from Wales, UK. And last but not least Wolley, a really nice dog from Guinea. He sniffed me, that has tickled. Mommy, I think I like it here. See you soon. Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Feb 9, 2013, 11:37 am	Hi mommy, since I arrived here it's snowing. Greetings home Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Feb 9, 2013, 11:41 am	Hi mommy, another day with snow. icy greetings Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Feb 9, 2013, 11:45 am	Hi mom, next day, more snow. No way to go outside. see you Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Feb 10, 2013, 6:46 pm	Hello to all the loved ones at home, Finally, after many days of bad weather, the sun is shining today. Host mum immediately grabbed us and we went on a winter walk. First we drove a short distance by car. But then we enjoyed the sun, the fresh air and the beautiful view. We trudged through the snow (80 cm. High) over small bridges, through narrow gorges and tunnels with huge icicles. We rested on the bench, which could be seen in the deep snow barely. I wished we could have done together. Enjoy the pictures as I have enjoyed the walk. I think of you. Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Feb 14, 2013, 6:55 pm	Hi mommy, Yesterday we celebrated Lola's birthday. We sang happy birthday and wish her ​​all the best. Then there was chocolate and sweets. Today was beautiful weather. Sun much as you wanted. The best thing was, host mum did not have to work and we could take a winter walk. We walked up and down through the glistening snow. The sky was blue, the sun was shining, what more could you want? An adventure! On our way we saw the sign to the waterfall. The road, really just a path is a little dangerous. Narrow, steep and icy in the winter. We begged so much until host mum gave her ok. First she checked the phone connection. (In case we need the fire brigade or the helicopter to get us out.) Then it went off. From time to time our heart beat a little faster. And then we saw the waterfall is an icefall now. Everything around him was covered with ice. It looked great. That was our way back. Exhausting, but we did it. Love you mommy Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Feb 19, 2013, 7:21 pm	Hello mum, watch our latest guest. Such a sweet, little sheep. And so much candy. We love her. The sheep and the sweets. What did you think. Sweet dreams Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Feb 23, 2013, 10:47 am	Hi mum, It snows and snows and snows. No chance to go outside. So we had joy as a new envelope arrrived. But wow, when Jasper opened it a tiger jumped out with a loud roar. I was so frightened that I immediately retreated into my shell. Rico, the tiger said sorry and told us he roars for joy. He had a very long trip and is just happy to be out of the envelope. Then he showed us his gift and we have forgiven him and welcomed him kindly. In the hope for better weather hello from, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Mar 3, 2013, 3:18 pm	Hi mommy, what a boring week. Jasper had to work full time, the weather was bad (two weeks with no sun, no more snow, but fog and rain) and host dad was sick. But yesterday we had a lot of fun. We celebrated Lille's birthday. She got a huge cake, a big lollipop and a little sheep. All kissed and hugged her and wished her all the best. Then she blew out the candle and cut the cake. It was great fun. I hope that next week things will get better. Love you mommy, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Mar 9, 2013, 4:53 pm	A dear Hello back home, after felt like eternity we could go outside today. Jasper packed us into her big bag and we drove to St. Gallen, the capital of the canton. St.Gallen is not really big (74000 inhabitants) but is known for its embroidery. The university is one of the leading business schools in Europe and the Convent of the monastery is a UNESCO World Heritage Site. The first thing we saw was the red square. Yes, not only Moscow has a red square, and this place is really red, it is a gift from a reputable bank to the city. On our way to the old town we saw the synagogue of the Jewish community. Then we admired the cathedral and the many beautiful old houses. After a small break with marshmallows we went to the farmers market. There we were immediately hungry, with all these delicacies. We bought some fruit and mushrooms, and were on our way home. Best wishes and much love Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Mar 15, 2013, 3:35 pm	Hello mum, I hope you are well. Today we are preparing another farewell party. Dolivia will leave us and go to Greece. With our new Shopping Cart (Jasper brought it last week) we plundered all the cupboards and found much useful for a party. To reach the potato chips was a bit difficult but Wolley with his long nose made ​​it. We had almost everything together, just the popcorn was still missing. It was funny to look into the microwave and listen to the popping of the corn. Fresh, warm popcorn tastes wonderful. We made one last group photo, and hugged our friend. Bye bye Dolivia have a lot of fun, much more adventure and a safe journey. Bye, bye mum, i miss you. Shakespeare What we did not know at this point - Rico will leave us also. He travels to Greece, to the same host as Dolivia. We hugged him and wished him a good trip. Then they both slipped into the envelope and started their journey.
Jasper Posted Mar 22, 2013, 3:20 pm	Hello mum, As Jasper came home from work today, she packed us into her bag and off we went. Not five minutes later, she opened the bag and sunshine streamed in. We saw a small path that looked pretty beat from all the snow. But on closer inspection we found things that make hope for spring. The weather was beautiful but the wind is still cold and the snow is still near. We saw a really old apple tree with mistletoe. Huge, felled trees and snowdrops. We saw bees that were battling for first flowers. (You can not see so well but look right under my nose.) And then we took a sunbath. It felt so good. In the hope of more sun I send you greetings Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Mar 27, 2013, 1:02 pm	Hello mum, we are all pretty frustrated. After last week, it looked a bit like spring, winter reigns again. Jasper will be crazy, slowly but surely. Yesterday we tried to bring some spring mood in the house. Jasper bought everything that looked like Easter and warm weather, and we built and decorated it into a indoor garden. I tried my best, but climbing trees is not my thing. I think we succeeded. Now we all look forward to Easter, no matter what the weather is. We can not change anyway. Love you mum Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Mar 31, 2013, 3:10 am	Hi mum, Today we helped Jasper at the Easter preparations. Bake a cake was my job. We let the kitchen machine knead the dough. While we waited for the dough to rise, we have prepared the filling. To grate the apple was hard work. Jasper has rolled out the dough and we have spread the filling on it. Then we rolled and rolled and rolled. Jasper put the cake in a baking pan and put it in the oven. About an hour later he looked like this. Finally, we have iced the cake. It smells wonderful. Tomorrow we will try it. Bye mum, see you. Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Mar 31, 2013, 1:35 pm	Happy Easter mum! although it looks more like Christmas. Due to bad weather (snow again) we must search the Easter Bunny in the apartment. We searched long and found plenty. Everywhere chocolate bunnies, eggs and other sweets were hidden. We needed our shopping cart to transport everything. Later, we had a delicious breakfast. I wish you a nice day, your Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 10, 2013, 5:39 pm	Hello mum, we can take pictures again. Right after Easter, the cat had thrown the camera from the table. She was broken. Not that you had missed something. The weather was as usual - bad. Jasper had bought us a small bench so that we can enjoy the sun on the balcony. What sun? We now sit in the dining room under the Easter tree. He gets small leaves. Feels like spring. Today we say goodbye to Lille. She will travel to Germany. We cuddled the little sheep and wished her a good trip - and better weather. For the weekend, the weather forecast is good. Jasper has promised us, we use it for a trip. We'll see. Bye mum Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 14, 2013, 5:05 pm	Hello, Today a new TV arrived. Jasper brought a heavy package and we were very excited to see what or who is in it. The first thing was a postcard, then came sweets and then a bunch of money. The last climbed out a small panda bear. We greeted her warmly and introduced ourselves. Her name is Lilo and she is from Germany. We will definitely have lots of fun together. Bye mum, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 14, 2013, 6:34 pm	Hi mum, Today we visited with Jasper a fair for holidays and leisure time. First we took the bus and then the train to St. Gallen. We visited a booth with basket weavers.   We could not take many photos because so many people were there. Outside, we saw horses dancing and playing soccer. It was a beautiful day but so many people. Back home I had to recover. I snuggled a bit with Runa. Her purr was very reassuring. miss you mum, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 15, 2013, 6:57 pm	Hi Mummy, Yesterday the weather was wonderful. Therefore Jasper decided we take a trip. After a short drive we arrived at the Walter Zoo in Gossau. It's not a big zoo but you can feed many animals and be close with them. First, I met a raccoon. He grabbed me. At first I was so scared, that's why you do not see much of me. But I liked his paws, so I asked host dad to hold me very near to the raccoon. Ok, many fingers in the picture but it was so funny when he touched me. Then I could feed the llamas. They do not spit on me. I met an ostrich and an alligator and then I saw turtles. Alligator snapping turtles can weigh up to 90 kg. Outside, I saw giant tortoises with spring fever. It was her first day in the fresh air. Suddenly, a zookeeper came with a wheelbarrow. Inside sat another turtle. We chatted a bit. Mummy, I had a happy day, I met a real turtle. your Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 20, 2013, 11:08 am	Hi mum, Two days ago I was sitting on the balcony in the sun. We had 23 degrees and enjoyed the spring to the fullest. When I woke up this morning and looked out the window, everything was white, I could not believe it. Overnight it had snowed again, 10 cm. It's so cold. Never ends this winter? Kind regards from a frustrated Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 23, 2013, 9:01 pm	Love mum, tomorrow I'll go into holidays to France. It's just a short break but we will visit the Alsace. Fine wines, delicious food and hopefully nice weather. The suitcase is packed, it can go off. I'll call you when I get back. See you soon your Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 28, 2013, 11:34 am	Hello mum, We are back from wonderful short holiday. With Jasper and her daughter we explored the "Route de Vin" (wine route) in Alsace. A paradise for wine lovers, gourmet and storks. We started with best weather and looked gorgeous little wine villages. In Ribeauvillé we made the first break and tried Riesling d'alsace. Excellent. We saw a stork's nest on an old tower. On a tour of the city we discovered many beautiful old houses, shops and fun artwork. And vineyards, where you look. Then we drove to our hotel in Rosheim. This small wine village near Strasbourg has four gates. One of them is called Zittglöckle (time bell) because it has a clock. The old well had originally three buckets to fetch water upward. This was our hotel. Jasper forgot to take a picture but we took a little postcard on which it is seen. This was the view from our balcony in the garden with the magnificent weeping willow. That was our first day. We were curious what would bring the other day. Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Apr 29, 2013, 10:26 pm	Hi, all at home, the second day of our holiday we spent in Strasburg. All were pretty tired when Jasper woke us up, but the nice weather lured us outside. Arrived in Strasburg we walked to the cathedral along the Ill River. We marveled at an old carousel. Then we saw the cathedral. It is really impressive. Strasbourg Cathedral or the Cathedral of Our Lady of Strasbourg (French: Cathédrale Notre-Dame de Strasbourg, German: Notre Dame Cathedral in Strasbourg), also known as Strasbourg Minster, is a Roman Catholic cathedral in Strasbourg, Alsace, France. At 142 meters (466 feet), it was the world's tallest building from 1647 to 1874, When it was surpassed by St. Nikolai's Church, Hamburg. Today it is the sixth-tallest church in the world and the highest still-standing structure Entirely built in the Middle Ages. The cathedral is visible far across the plains of Alsace and can be seen from as far off as the Vosges Mountains or the Black Forest on the other side of the Rhine. Sandstone from the Vosges used in construction gives the cathedral its characteristic pink hue. The Place de la Republique, it was not far. Colorful spring flowers and the War Memorial were there to see. The Palais du Rhin is also there. Then we saw the Church of Saint Paul. We walked on the Ill river to the Pont Couvert (covered bridge) and also saw there this towers. One of them is called hangman tower. We could imagine what happened there before. On our way home we saw this funny house. It is called "the worm hole"(Schneggeloch) Arrived at the hotel we were very exhausted. We slept a little but not too long because it was a full moon and we absolutely had to see. Bye for today Shakespeare
Jasper Posted May 1, 2013, 6:30 pm	Hi mum, after we had admired the full moon enough, we enjoyed another bottle of wine and then fell into a deep sleep. The next day was like our heads - cloudy. On the way to our next destination we stopped often and let the wind blow us around the nose. And again, as far as one could see vineyards. Then we reached Haut-Königsbourg, a 900-year old fortress. A truly impressive building. After a break and delicious food, we drove to our hotel to Riquewihr. Unfortunately it started to rain heavily. Jasper had to decide - Camera or umbrella. She opted for the umbrella. So we spent the rest of the day and the journey home into Jasper's bag. A little wet, tired but happy about the nice days. Love you mum. Shakespeare
Jasper Posted May 10, 2013, 8:11 pm	Hi mum Last weekend Jasper promised a special trip for Thursday, when the weather is good - really good. So we kept our fingers crossed for the whole week, but the weather forecast was not promising. Host dad decided: We try. Thursday: Get up 5 clock in the morning, Departure 1 hour later. Much too early for TV's. Therefore, we slept on during the car ride. As Jasper woke us the next time we were in Interlaken train station. The ticket showed us: We travel to the Jungfraujoch. To the highest train station in Europe. The first train took us to Grindelwald at the foot of the Eiger, Mönch and Jungfrau, the well-known mountains in the Bernese Oberland. There, we changed the train to Kleine Scheidegg, the starting point for the trekkers climbing the Eiger North Face. Here you see this notorious mountain wall, which has so many climbers lost their lives. Next, we boarded the red train to the Jungfraujoch. This train is required in addition to the normal rails a gear to overcome the steep climbs. As the train travels most of the time in tunnels, there are several breakpoints on the line with windows. From there you can admire famous places. Our first stop, and also the last outside of the tunnel, was Eigergletscher. From the once mighty glacier is not much left. The next stop was Eigerwand. The view from the middle of the Eiger North Wall was breathtaking. The last stop is called Eismeer. Here you can see the glacier crashes between Eiger and Mönch. Then we reached the highest station in Europe. 3454 meters above sea level. It was too dark to make pictures. We took the elevator to the Sphinx. 117 meters in 26 seconds. The Sphinx is a research station and an observatory. In 1996, the observation deck was opened. On clear days one has a fantastic view. This mountain is called Mönch and is 4107 meters (13475ft.) high. This is the Sphinx. It was very stormy. Through this wind changed fog, clouds and a clear view in seconds - unbelievable. Then we took a walk on the Aletsch Glacier. This glacier is the largest of the Alps in terms of area and almost 23 kilometers long. The ice flows at a speed of 180 meters per year towards the Rhone. On Konkordiaplatz the ice thickness is about 900 meters. We were not allowed to leave the path of the glacier under any circumstances. Right and left there are deep crevasses - life threatening. But the outlook was fantastic. This is the Jungfraujoch. If you look closely, you see at the top  the Sphinx - quite small they stuck to the rock. This is a big glacier demolition. Then we marveled at various exhibitions and the Ice Palace. Can you imagine that they need to cool down these halls, which consist only of ice at minus 3 degrees? Because of the body heat of the many tourists. Then it was time for the return journey. Everyone was tired and fell asleep on the train - we also. In Kleine Scheidegg we changed train, took one last look at the Eiger and Jungfraujochbahn and went on to Wengen. This place is famous because of the Lauberhorn downhill skiing. We were looking for the famous ski run - but without snow? We have not found. The rest of the way we slept in Jasper's pocket. We were all very tired - but what an adventure. think of you, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted May 12, 2013, 10:55 am	This is for you mum, you are the best ever happened to me. your Shakespeare
Jasper Posted May 16, 2013, 9:14 pm	Hello mum, when I woke up this morning, I saw a small hippo sitting on our little bench and have breakfast. Jasper introduced us. Ismaya is the name of the hippo and he comes from Bali, Indonesia. It rattles with the teeth because it is so cold here. This morning it was 7 degrees. Then Ismaya showed us his gifts. Wonderful things from his home country. We hugged and greeted him warmly. Later we told a lot of our adventures and Ismaya marveled. He is on his first trip. We will have lots of fun with him when he stops teeth from chattering. See you soon Shakespeare
Jasper Posted May 28, 2013, 7:00 pm	Hi mom, Yesterday we had to say goodbye to Salmonella. She travels home. In parting, we celebrated a tea party with cucumber sandwiches and scones and cream and strawberry jam, and of course tea. We enjoyed the food and talked a lot of days gone by. Then Salmonella packed her things and it was time to say goodbye. We gave her a big group hug and wished her a safe journey. A little sad we watched her as she slipped into her jacket. Bye, bye good friend, maybe we'll meet again. Also, bye, bye dear mom, your little turtle Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 1, 2013, 8:23 pm	Hi mom, Today we took a small break in the rain and walked 10 minutes to the outside. We found  large tree mushrooms. A little change in this gloomy monotony. hugs from Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 1, 2013, 8:30 pm	Hi mom, Today I watch Hase knit. She knits until the sun shines again. Hopefully, the scarf is not any longer. Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 1, 2013, 8:50 pm	Hello mom, It's still raining and I feel so boring. I've tried it with newspaper reading, nothing new. I played with Runa.   Then I decided to write my memoirs. I have a writer's block. Now I try it with paint. I think before it stops raining I have my first exhibition. Love,   Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 8, 2013, 2:09 pm	Hi mom, The last few days were exciting and boring at the same time. We had heavy rains, floods and landslides and we could not go outside. As the weather improved, Jasper's dad had to go to the hospital. Again, no time for walks or excursions. But today the weather is wonderful and grumpy grandpa is healthy again. Early in the morning we started for a walk to the river Thur. It was lovely. Everything was very quiet, most people were still asleep. You could hear the birds chirping and rushing the river and the air smelled of hay. We went over a small bridge. The river looks so romantic. We sat in the moss and ran through between rocks. A narrow footpath led us to the waterfall. Then we walked along the shore and saw remnants of the flooding. On the grass in the trees you can see how high the water was. By beautiful forests and mysterious gorges, we were on our way home. In one of the houses that you see in the background I live. At the end of our walk we discovered these wonderful flowers. It was great. Hugs and kisses Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 15, 2013, 9:11 pm	Hello home Today I was a pilgrim on the Camino de Santiago. Honestly it was a coincidence. We wanted to visit the ruins Iberg. On our way we saw this sign. We felt very special. From the castle we had a great view over the Thur Valley. On our way home we sat on a funny looking tree. It stung a little on my butt. Hugs from Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 18, 2013, 6:45 pm	Hi mum, Sunday we made a trip to the Säntis. We boarded the cable car and drove to the summit. At 2,502.9 meters above sea level, Säntis is the highest mountain in the Alpstein massif of northeastern Switzerland. The mountain is a highly visible landmark thanks to its exposed northerly position within the Alpstein massif. The panorama from the summit is spectacular. Six countries can be seen if the weather allows: Switzerland, Germany, It is somewhat difficult to see, but the gray spot in the middle on the horizon is the Lake Constance. Austria, Liechtenstein, France, and Italy. The exposed position of Säntis results in weather conditions normally observed in the high Alps. For example in April 1999, just beneath the summit on the northern snowfield of the mountain, a snow height of 816 cm (321 in) was recorded. The daily mean temperature is −1.9 °C (28.6 °F) with a precipitation of 2,701 mm (106.3 in) per year.The International Meteorological Congress of Rome in 1879 declared it as a necessity to build weather stations on adequate and accessible summits. Therefore, the Swiss built a weather station on Säntis. The weather station was commissioned in autumn of 1882. Located at the peak of the Säntis is a 123.55 meter high transmission tower, which was commissioned in November 1997. I sat on rocks and admired rare alpine plants. I visited an exhibition of minerals. I had a great day Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 21, 2013, 1:40 pm	Hello mum, A small skateboard right now is the big hit. When I sit on the skateboard, you can not see it. I'm a turtle on wheels. Everyone wants to show the best feats. Which is unfortunately not without scarring. Good thing I have a turtle shell. your Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 21, 2013, 2:02 pm	Hello mum, Today a new TV arrived. I think it's a little leopard but I'm not sure. I'll ask her about it. She is a little shy but very nice. And that we are, Jasper's gang. Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jun 28, 2013, 4:53 pm	Hello mum, yesterday, when Jasper was at work, the bell rang at the door. Although it is not allowed to open the door in Jasper's absence, we could not resist. Hase opened the door a little bit and discovered a envelope with interesting stamps. A packet from Trinidad and Tobago, wow. Together we brought the envelope into the dining room and considered what we should do. We opened it. The result was a small giraffe, wrapped in pink paper. We introduced ourselves and gave GiGi (so the giraffe is called) a warm welcome. She is so cute, I like her. yours Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 2, 2013, 4:18 pm	Hi mum, Today I was king. King for a Day. I celebrated my 89th Birthday. All my friends sang me a song and let me cheer. I was sitting on black velvet, and received the congratulations. Was a great feeling. I got a cake and a fishing rod. Ha, ha, my friends waited on the cake and I for good weather so I can go fishing. Bye mum Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 2, 2013, 4:36 pm	Hello mum, I don't forget it. I wish you a wonderful day. I love and miss you!! Thousand hugs and kisses Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 4, 2013, 2:48 pm	Hi mom, Today we said goodbye to Hase. She travels home to visit her mom. Therefore, we had a big party yesterday. Sweets as much as we wanted. We could bathe in it and had so much fun. There was a lot of laughter and stories and adventures were told. But today we had heavy heart. As Hase grabbed her things a few tears flowed. We all wished her a safe journey. Bye mom Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 12, 2013, 7:22 pm	Hi mom, Today we had some work to do. We - TV's - got new furniture. A new couch and a new chair. This furniture we had to drag to the third floor. Very sweaty. But they are very comfortable. Luckily Jasper also bought a deck chair. After work, we were able to relax on it. And tomorrow we will travel to Lake Constance. But this is a new adventure. See you mom Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 15, 2013, 6:35 pm	Hi mom, Today we made a trip to Konstanz. Konstanz; English: Constance) is a university city with approximately 80,000 inhabitants Konstanz is situated on Lake Constance (the Bodensee in German). The Rhine river, which starts in the Swiss Alps, passes through Lake Constance and leaves it, considerably larger, by flowing under a bridge connecting the two parts of the city. North of the river lies the larger part of the city with residential areas, industrial estates, and the University of Konstanz; while south of the river is the old town which houses the administrative centre and shopping facilities in addition to the Hochschule or the University of Applied Sciences. Car ferries provide access across Lake Constance to Meersburg, and the Katamaran provides a shuttle service for pedestrians to Friedrichshafen. To the south, the old town borders onto the Swiss town of Kreuzlingen. This is the Munster. We saw beautiful old houses. The casino - we wanted to play roulette or blackjack, but Jasper said no. So we admired the view, and talked with a swan. Behind us you can see the Steigenberger, a luxury hotel. On the way to the old town. This is the Town Hall The courtyard of the town hall. An art object - the inscription on the red table means: unbounded thinking Exactly what make TV's. Still a lovely old house called Graf Zeppelin. Here we are at the harbor. At the harbor entrance stands the Imperia. The Imperia is a statue at the entrance of the harbour of Konstanz, Germany, commemorating the Council of Constance that took place there between 1414 and 1418. The concrete statue is 9 metres high, weighs 18 tonnes, and stands on a pedestal that rotates around its axis once every four minutes. The Imperia shows a woman holding two men on her hands. The two men represent Pope Martin V and Emperor Sigismund. Martin V was elected during the Council while Sigismund was the king who called the council. Both are naked except for the crown and papal tiara, respectively, that they wear as symbols of their power. Jasper suddenly saw a Zeppelin on the way home. Unfortunately, we were crossing a bridge and could not stop. And unfortunately he is not very good to see. The little dot next to the flag. Now I'm tired. Good night mum Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 16, 2013, 4:02 pm	Hi mom, Sunday we took a trip into the history of Switzerland and walked a little on William Tell's footsteps. We visited the Central Switzerland and Lake Lucerne. On our way we saw many beautiful landscapes and of course lakes. The first lake was the Aegerisee in Canton Zug. From high above we could look at him. We drove along Lake Lucerne to Sisikon and hiked on the "Swiss path" (The Swiss Path is the name given to a special national path in central Switzerland opened in 1991. It makes a loop around one arm of Lake Lucerne, starting in Rütli and passing through Bauen, Flüelen, Sisikon and Morschach, finishing at Brunnen. The total length is around 35 km (22 mi), taking 2 or 3 days to complete. The route recognises each of the cantons making up Switzerland, with markers announcing each canton along the route. The length of route for each canton is proportional to the population at the time of building, and the order is determined by the order in which the cantons joined the Swiss federation) to Tell chapel, the oldest chapel in Switzerland. It lies on the Tellsplatte, where according to legend, William Tell have jumped from the boat of the provincial governor Gessler. Already in 1388 a chapel was built. In 1503 as a chapel Holy Hüslin is mentioned. A new or remodeling was 1590th The present chapel was built in 1879 / in 1880. It is adorned with four frescoes by Basel artist Ernst Stückelberg shows the Rütlischwur the apple shot, the death of Gessler and Tell's Leap. Here you see Tell's Leap We drove on to Altdorf, the capital of the canton of Uri. Altdorf is best known as the place where, according to the legend, William Tell shot the apple from his son's head. This act by tradition happened on the market-place, where in 1895, at the foot of an old tower (with rude frescoes commemorating the feat), there was set up a fine bronze statue of Tell and his son. In 1899 a theatre was opened close to the town's center for the purpose of performing Schiller's play of Wilhelm Tell. Here you see me before Tell's Memorial. Continue along the lake and through many tunnels we drove towards Brünnigpass. The pass is nothing special but on the way one has a view of the Lungerensee. And that is something special. Looks like a post card. Hiking and driving made ​​us very tired. The way home we slept. See you mom Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 22, 2013, 4:59 pm	Hi mum Today we were on the river Thur. We wanted to swim and fish. Jasper had much to bear: some beach towels, sun deck, fishing rod, hammock and a parasol and of course us. Once at the river we looked for a suitable place. We found a small sand bar that had washed up the flood and made ourselves comfortable. I immediately threw my fishing rod but nothing wanted to bite. But the mosquitoes bite, and that us. We tried to make a fire but everything was still damp from the storm last night. It took some effort but we managed it. We all had a fun day. Love, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 22, 2013, 6:45 pm	Hi mom, Today is Sunday and we enjoy the day and the sun on the balcony. Too many people and mosquitoes at the Thur. We lounged around all day. We drank a lot of water but not only. For dinner we had something special: prawns and focaccia. We celebrated Wolley's farewell. He travels to the French part of Switzerland and met his mother there. He is very happy. We laughed and talked until late into the night. Bye mum, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 22, 2013, 7:27 pm	Hi mom, when we woke up this morning, Wolley's bed was empty. We found a letter from him. I read it to all. Wolley do not like goodbyes and tears longer, so he has sneaked in the morning. Goodbye friend, have a safe trip. Bye mom, your somewhat wistful Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 25, 2013, 4:05 pm	Hi mom, today it was too hot to do anything. Therefore, I was sitting on our swing and enjoyed the quiet. Suddenly a seal climbed up on the rosemary pot and made ​​feats - crazy. The seal is called Sally and is a new TV from Jasper. Is it at home as well as warm? Phff I need a shower. Bye mom Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 27, 2013, 5:32 pm	Hi mom, Today I said goodbye to Sally. She started to her first trip. I hugged her and wished her a safe journey. Then for me there was only one thing: relax. At 35 ° in the shade you can not do much. Thank God we have a small pool to cool off. Hugs Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Jul 31, 2013, 10:56 am	Hi mom, Yesterday we started at 6 in the morning to Munich. Fairly early but we had to drive nearly 280 kilometers. The weather was nice but the time was long. Then finally - we saw our first destination. The Allianz Arena. Home of FC Bayern Munich. We marveled trophies, soccer stars and exhibits. Then we took a tour of the arena. Fan or not - it was very impressive. With the subway we went to the City. First stop: the famous Hofbräuhaus. The Hofbräuhaus am Platzl is a beer hall in the city center of Munich, Germany. The inn was originally built in 1598 by Bavarian Duke Maximilian I. It was built as an extension of the original Hofbräu brewery, but for Weissbier (wheat beer). The general public was admitted only in 1828 by then king Ludwig I. The building was completely remodeled in 1897 by Max Littmann, when the brewery moved to the suburbs. In the bombing of WW II, everything but the ground floor (Schwemme) was destroyed; it took until 1958 to be rebuilt. First we drank a beer - ooh so good - and ate a big pretzel. Then we tried a specialty: pork shank and dumplings. Yummy, yummy. Stuffed full, we needed some movement. We looked at the restaurant of a famous celebrity chef and tried his ice cream. Not bad. After looking at the beautiful old houses we went further to Viktualienmarkt. The Viktualienmarkt is a daily food market and a square in the center of Munich, Germany. The Viktualienmarkt developed from an original farmers' market to a popular market for gourmets. In an area covering 22,000 m2 (240,000 sq ft), 140 stalls and shops offer flowers, exotic fruit, game, poultry, spices, cheese, fish, juices and so on. The maypole at Viktualienmarkt. The tower of St. Peter church. The parish church of Saint Peter, whose tower is commonly known as "Alter Peter" - Old Peter - and which is emblematic of Munich, is the oldest recorded parish church in Munich and presumably the originating point for the whole city. Then was our interest in the Marienplatz with the "New Town Hall". It was built between 1867 and 1908 by Georg von Hauberrisser in a Gothic Revival architecture style. It covers an area of 9159 m² having 400 rooms. The 100 meters long main facade towards the Marienplatz is richly decorated. It shows the Guelph Duke Henry the Lion, and almost the entire line of the Wittelsbach dynasty in Bavaria and is the largest princely cycle in a German town hall. The central monument in the center of the main facade between the two phases at Marienplatz above the guard house, is an equestrian statue of Prince Regent Luitpold. The bay of the tower contains statues of the first four Bavarian kings. The main facade is placed toward the plaza, while the back side is adjacent to a small park (Marienhof). The basement is almost completely occupied by a large restaurant called Ratskeller. On the ground floor, some rooms are rented for small businesses. Also located in the ground floor is the major official tourist information. The first floor hosts a big balcony towards the Marienplatz which is used for large festivals such as football championships or for concerts during the Weihnachtsmarkt. Its main tower has a height of 85 m and is available for visitors with an elevator. On the top thrones the Münchner Kindl. The Rathaus-Glockenspiel, performed by an apparatus daily on 11am, 12pm and 5pm, is a tourist attraction Not only we want to see this place. It was just time for the chimes. Next to the town hall tower you can see the towers of the Frauenkirche (Church of our Lady), another famous church of Munich. By Kaufingerstrasse (shopping street and pedestrian zone) we walked to the Frauenkirche. The picture looks a little funny but the church is being renovated. That was the only part which is not blocked by scaffolding. Jasper did her best. Slowly, it was time to think on the way home. At Stachus (Karlsplatz), we took the subway to our car. Then drive for hours. We still enjoyed a beautiful sunset and then fell into bed tired but happy. Hugs and kisses, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Aug 3, 2013, 11:10 am	Hi mom, Thursday, 6 clock in the morning. We packed our suitcases once again. Our destination: Engelberg 9 am - We stopped at Lake Lucerne. Jasper showed us the Rütli on the other side of the lake. The Rütli, a meadow, is a historic site for the Swiss. 1291 here three brave men have made ​​a covenant by oath against the Habsburgs (the evil taskmasters). This Rütli Oath is considered the founding of Switzerland and is on 1 August celebrated as a national holiday. Awesome we looked at the small meadow. (The small round lakeside lawn - right above my nose) Then we drove to Engelberg. Engelberg is the leading mountain resort (Urner Alps) in central Switzerland. In the Middle Ages, Engelberg was known for the educational accomplishments of its Benedictine monastery, the Engelberg Abbey, whose school was well-known and regarded throughout the country. From the 19th Century, Engelberg became internationally known as a resort and spa, but is today visited as much for skiing as for its clean air. With its combination of modern sports facilities and alpine location, Engelberg is a magnet for both summer and winter tourism. The closest large cities are Lucerne and Zurich. This was our hotel. After checking in, we went immediately on the way to the cable car and drove to Härzlisee (little heart lake) The mountains here are a paradise for paragliders. Because mountain air makes you hungry, we strengthened ourselves with specialties of the region and a glass of wine. Then we enjoyed the great view and the beautiful weather. On our way back we saw the monastery. We also had a look at the magnificent monastery church. The monks just celebrated their evening prayers. Out of respect we did not take pictures. Due to the National Day there was a great feast in the village. There was so much to see. Jasper wanted to photograph everything, but the masses of people made ​​it impossible. Here are a few pictures of the parade. Mom, it's 9:30 pm and still as bright. On the way to the hotel we saw far away on the mountainside a cross of torches. Exhausted, we fell into bed. Miss you mom, Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Aug 3, 2013, 4:39 pm	Hello all my friends, Next day - next fun. We all awoke early in the morning. On the balcony we had a good view of Engelberg. The wonderful fresh air and the sun awakened the thirst for action within us. Quickly host dad thrown out of the bed and then for breakfast. Strengthened for the adventure of the day we were waiting in the lounge, while host dad paid the bill. The angel of the hotel. These angels sculptures standing throughout Engelberg (Engelberg - Angel Mountain) and are painted individually. And because our hotel was named "Edelweiss" , this angel is painted with Edelweiss. So, our destination today: Mount Titlis On this panel you can see what heights we will move today. The first look at the summit. The first view from the summit. Speechless, we admired the mountains. The transmission system. Cooling in the snow. And now the Cliff Walk! The test of courage. Not for us, for Jasper. Europe's highest suspension bridge. Only 140 meters long but 500 meter abyss below. It swayed and wobbled and it was absolutely great. Because Jasper thought she need to sit down, we decided to take the Ice Flyer - the glacier chairlift. Haha, we had to stay in Jasper's pocket. Minimum size of 1:20 meters. One after another was allowed to come out of pocket for a picture. Jasper was afraid we might fall and forever disappear into a crevasse. Perhaps we would show up after years or decades as a TV glacier mummy again. An interesting idea. After a short break at the glacier we took the cable car down to our next destination. Trübsee, a small mountain lake on a high plateau below the Titlis. We walked around the lake and marveled again and again the mountain scenery and the plants. Then it was finally time for the journey home. The cable car took us back to Engelberg. Here you can imagine how steep it is. We had much to talk about on the way home but at some point we fell asleep and dreamed of Cliff Walk. We had two great days. See you soon Shakespeare
Jasper Posted Aug 9, 2013, 5:40 pm	Hi mommy, yesterday we celebrated DottiScottis 1 Birthday. She got a big cake with a candle. We played music and sang Happy Birthday. Dotti blew out the candle and cut the cake. Then we all enjoyed a large piece. It tasted wonderful. She also got a gift. 3 wishes. Whatever she want - if Jasper can fulfill it, she will do it. Love you mommy Snakespeare
Jasper Posted Aug 10, 2013, 4:16 pm	Hi mum, do you remember the three wishes that Dotti got for her birthday? One of them she used for a farewell pizza party for GiGi and me. So last night we sat together one last time, talked a lot and enjoyed our pizza. Then we packed our stuff and said goodbye. My path leads me to Canada. ( Well stuffed with Pizza - no problem ) After a big hug and lots of good wishes, I crawled into my envelope. Goodbye my friends, bye bye Jasper and host dad, bye bye Switzerland. Until then, mum - next time from Canada. Shakespeare
smaug Posted Sep 1, 2013, 1:27 am	Hi Mum, Guess what, I’m in Canada ! Today, after spending quite a bit of time in a post box , I felt a lot of activity around my envelope as if many hands were trying hard to let me out... ...and when I successfully sneaked out, I found a crowd of TVs welcoming me in Calgary: I met Tatanka, ThomasHH, Mr. Blubber, Benno and sammino who will be my host here in Canada . They were very impressed with the sweets and card that I brought with me from Switzerland . O fcourse we spent the evening chatting...and eating .
smaug Posted Sep 2, 2013, 4:42 am	Hi Mum, Today smaug had a day off, so, despite another flimsy weather forecast , we went out for a hike . We started from Barrier Lake... ...from where we could see our destination at the top of that ridge. Once we got there we had a great view over the east side of Barrier Lake,... ...Mt Baldy... ...and Kananaskis Valley . We decided to go further up and reach the fire lookout. From there we could see the Bow Valley where heavy rain was heading straight for us . We took the hint, hastily retreated and managed to get back to the car without getting too drenched .
smaug Posted Sep 3, 2013, 12:57 am	Hi Mum, Today, for once, the weather was gorgeous, so we had all we needed for a good trip to the mountains. After some times in the trees the view opened up over the Elbow River valley . Further up we could see the prairies in the distance. On the way, we boosted our sugars with some chocolate . Eventually we reached our destination, a gorgeous ridge, with an even more gorgeous view over the Rockies in almost every direction .
smaug Posted Sep 7, 2013, 5:09 am	Hi Mum, Today we went exploring a trail in Yoho National Park . After a bit of walking in the trees we emerged on a ridge with a great view of Takakkaw falls ... ...and of the peaks on the east side of Yoho Valley. As we moved up we realized that we were surrounded by majestic peaks and glaciers . One of those glaciers was looming almost directly above our heads for most of the way . We kept going until the view opened up over the north side of the valley . We also noticed the clouds building up in the south, so we decided to head back and for once we made it to the car without getting drenched .
smaug Posted Sep 16, 2013, 4:57 am	Hi Mum, Today we said goodbye and wished a safe journey to ThomasHH who will take a plane to Japan tomorrow .
smaug Posted Sep 22, 2013, 6:21 am	Hi Mum, Today we went for another hike, this time in the area of Highwood Pass, where the road has been closed for more than two months after, guess what, all the floods in early summer. We walked a bit in this lovely meadow ... ...before the trail dived under the tress as usual . After a bit the view improved... ...and improved even further as we came out of the trees . Eventually we reached Grizzly Col, from where we had a lovely view of the valley heading south. From here we could also see Mt. Tyrwhitt, that would was our planned destination. Unfortunately a few gentlemen were already hiking up the mountain and clumsily dislodging tons of rocks in the process, and smaug decided that he didn’t fancy playing the target, so we just enjoyed a bit more the sun before heading back to the car.
smaug Posted Oct 7, 2013, 11:20 pm	Hi Mum, It’s very boring here this days . smaug is always out of town for work and comes back very occasionally just to make sure we have enough water and food . Today he actually came home with a surprise too, a nice little package. When we opened it a TV popped out of it: Krystal, one of smaug’s TVs who has come home to spend some time with us. And she brought some delicious sweets with her . At least we’ll have some new story to hear to help us killing time .
smaug Posted Oct 28, 2013, 1:56 am	Hi Mum, Yesterday smaug made one of his rare apparitions and today we went to the mountains . One thing that has change since the last time we were out and about is the main colour of the landscape as we could see from the parking lot that there is way more white around these days . After walking along a frigid and shadowy trail for some time we eventually had a nice view of the top of the valley with the Rockwall glittering in the morning sun . The Rockwall is an almost completely uninterrupted 35 km long and 900 m high rock face and it is, needless to say ,  spectacularly impressive. As we approached Floe Lake we could see a bit more of it . Floe Lake is nested under the rock and does not see much sun at this time of the year... ...but the reflection in the still water was almost as nice as the mountains around it . On the way back we had a chance to take a better look at Floe Creek valley... ...and at some of the other snow-covered peaks around it .
smaug Posted Nov 3, 2013, 1:44 am	Hi Mum, Today we were up to the mountains again . As usual it was some time before we enjoyed a bit of a view, but as soon as we were out of the trees we could see the mountains around the Little Elbow river... ...and Nihahi Ridge. From a bit further up we could see the Elbow river valley disappearing in the mountains too . As it happens, we were already high enough for our trail to be covered in snow . But, with a little extra effort, we eventually reached a lovely (and incredibly windy ) viewpoint from where we could see mountains in one direction,... ...foothills in the other,... ...and even the prairies in the east .
smaug Posted Nov 4, 2013, 4:40 am	Hi Mum, Today we gathered to say goodbye to Benno who is travelling to his next host tomorrow .
smaug Posted Nov 24, 2013, 5:44 am	Hi Mum, Once again we are all alone at home. Not that it makes much difference as the weather is very wintery most of the time . The fact that sammino insists in leaving the window open because Landroval could be home any time does not really help . We tried to no avail to convince him that Landroval sure was not going to have any problem in using the door bell, so the window is still open. So, in a freezing house, and with food supplies running out, today we decided to decide who was going to have the last piece of the last chocolate bar with a card game. With so much at stake, emotions were running high and arguments about alleged cheating were endless. We were so busy yelling at each other, that we almost didn’t notice that someone had entered the house and was eating out all the chocolate left . As it happens it was Landroval and he brought back lot of presents, including tons of chocolate with him . It seems we are not going to starve for a few more days .
smaug Posted Nov 24, 2013, 5:35 pm	Hi Mum, Today we gathered to say goodbye and wish a safe journey to Mr. Blubber who is ready to travel back home .
smaug Posted Dec 1, 2013, 11:34 pm	Hi Mum, Today we had a good excuse to have some cake , Tatanka’s birthday! Of course, we sang happy birthday to him and then quickly moved to the more pressing matter of the cake .
smaug Posted Dec 2, 2013, 12:04 am	Hi Mum, Today the weather wasn’t very good, but we were tired to be home and smaug was tired of working, so it was quite easy to convince him to go for a short hike near Calgary . Despite the dark clouds it was kind of warm (Canadian warm , of course) and we had a nice view of the mountains .
smaug Posted Dec 26, 2013, 3:50 pm	Hi Mum, Today smaug showed up with a parcel and said it was likely to be of interest to us . Of course, we started working to open it and when we succeeded, a TV popped out, Pepita one of smaug’s TV coming home for the holidays !  And she brought some delicious sweets and a beautiful card with her. Of course we wanted to know everything about her recent trips and spent the night up chatting .
smaug Posted Dec 26, 2013, 4:19 pm	Hi, We are on holiday ! Yesterday sammino told us to jump in the luggage... ...and today, very late at night, after an horrendously long and boring trip, we found ourselves in Italy ! It was a bit late for exploring around, so we got a delicious midnight snack and went straight to bed .
smaug Posted Dec 26, 2013, 5:15 pm	Hi Mum, Today we went for our first trip on a small mountain next to the town . Some sections of the trail were a bit craggy, but you could get glimpses of the valley below. Later we found a summit log . That was a bit strange as we were not even remotely close to the summit, but, of course, we signed it anyway . A bit further up the trail offered some nice views over Trento . Then things took quite a steep turn . Eventually, we reached the summit. There was no summit log here , but we had stunning views over Trento and the Val d’Adige . The place was so nice that we decided to enjoy the sun a bit and rest on this bench . On the way back we crossed a ridge to take a look at the valley on the opposite side of the mountain ... ...before ducking back under the trees on the way home, where, hopefully, a nice hot chocolate was waiting for us .
smaug Posted Dec 27, 2013, 9:25 pm	Hi Mum, Today we went for a ski trip on the dolomites . We went over 4 passes around a big mountain group. Over the first pass smaug was a bit distracted so we have no photographic evidence of being there, but once we crossed Passo Pordoi we could see the Tofane Group in the distance . Later we crossed Passo di Campolongo and entered Alta Badia. The last pass we crossed is called Passo Gardena. From there we could see the Saslong... ...and more mountains in the west . We also noticed the sky was getting cloudy and sammino recommended that we made the most of every single ray of sun still visible as, according to the weather forecast, we were not likely to see any more of it for a good week .
smaug Posted Dec 28, 2013, 2:14 pm	Hi Mum, As the weather forecast predicted, it turned rainy and we are spending most of the time chit-chatting. Today I was "turtle chatting" with Pepita when we realised that, just by meeting her, I had completed one of my missions, how cool is that ?! We also noticed that we both want to go to the Galapagos Islands, so we agreed that we should go visit them together in the future . Later sammino abandoned us for a few hours and when he came back he was with two new friends who came home for Christmas:  Orpheus and Sigfrido . I guess there will be even more chatting and storytelling in the next few days .
smaug Posted Dec 28, 2013, 2:51 pm	Hi Mum, Merry Christmas ! Here in Trento we celebrate Christmas on Christmas Eve, so this evening there was a lot of fumbling with presents under the tree. Taking advantage of the fatc that everybody was distracted, we decided to help ourselves with the Pandoro ahead of everybody else . Getting it out was hard work. But eventually we managed to access it and ... ...cut a delicious slice just for us !
smaug Posted Jan 12, 2014, 7:48 pm	Hi Mum, After a few very relaxing days, mostly due to endless rain , it is time for us to get ready to leave, so today we said goodbye to all the locals who kept us company over the last couple of weeks . We also said good bye to Sigfrido, Pepita and Orpheus who will hang around a bit longer .
smaug Posted Jan 12, 2014, 8:19 pm	Hi Mum, This morning, a bit too early morning as far as I am concerned , we went to the airport, where we explored a bit around . Since Sigfrido, Orpheus and Pepita had decided to accompany us, we had a final round of farewells . Before I went through the security checks, Pepita gave me a final hug and reminded me that we have a big trip to do together .
smaug Posted Jan 12, 2014, 8:39 pm	Hi Mum, Guess what, I spent a few hours on home German soil ! On the way back to Canada we had a bit of a long layover in Frankfurt, so we took the chance to have a look at some of the planes... ...and, most important, to find something yummy to fill our bellies .
smaug Posted Jan 12, 2014, 8:55 pm	Hi Mum, We are back in Canada ! After some disappointing delays, we eventually arrived in Calgary in wee hours of the morning. As we were a bit too tired to do anything else, we quickly munched on some of the delicious things that we collected on way and headed straight to bed .
smaug Posted Jan 20, 2014, 1:44 am	Hi Mum, Happy new Year ! Today we were still a bit jet lagged and inevitably we were up very early in the morning , so we convinced smaug to go for a morning hike. After leaving the car we quickly got to a nice view spot over the Elbow River. As we gained elevation the sky got brighter and we started seeing the Rockies in the west . Eventually we reached the summit where the wind was freezing cold, but the view was great . We could almost even see Calgary. Before leaving for (hopefully) some warmer location , we took a final customary photo with the summit cairn.
smaug Posted Jan 20, 2014, 1:58 am	Hi Mum, Today we decided that we wanted to go outdoor , but, after a quick check of the weather... ...we decided that I nice day indoor was probably a better idea . Hopefully it’s going to get warmer sometime soon .
smaug Posted Feb 2, 2014, 6:51 pm	Hi Mum, Today smaug was being lazy, as usual , but even if the weather wasn’t that great we convinced him to go for a hike near Calgary. Most of the way we were on a nice snow covered trail in the trees . At one point the view opened up a bit, but the clouds didn’t allow to take in much of the landscape. As we moved on and gained elevation, we noticed snowflakes falling around us and quickly they turned almost into a blizzard . Eventually we reached the top of the trail where usually there is a wonderful view of the Rockies . Apparently today we were not going to enjoy it as all we could see were clouds and snow , so we quickly turned around and hastily made it back to the warmth of the car .
smaug Posted Mar 3, 2014, 3:29 am	Hi Mum, This weekend, again, temperatures were low enough to discourage smaug from engaging in any significant outdoor activity , but at least we managed to convince him to take us out for a walk along the river . Lesser beings would have quailed at the sight of what was waiting for us, but not, of course, a seasoned toyvoyager . So we headed out and reached a point where the river is moving too fast to freeze even with this cold . As a result, the open water is creating a bit of a fog. Further downstream the river slows down and it was frozen solid. Even, under the Peace Bridge there was no visible sign of open water. At this point we decided that, rather than visiting downtown, it was wise to head straight home and deal with the first few signs of frostbite .
smaug Posted Mar 24, 2014, 3:10 am	Hi Mum, Today smaug came home with a parcel for us TVs, which got us very excited . As we managed to open it a new guest popped out, Lotta, a nice sheep who travelled all the way from Australia . And she brought some lovely Aussie sweets with her . Of course, a late night of travel chatting followed .
smaug Posted Mar 31, 2014, 3:18 am	Hi Mum, We are in spring ! Not that we really noticed, as it has been relentlessly snowing over the last few days . But today it was sunny enough to try going for a quick trip to the mountains . The trees were covered with nice fresh snow... ...so we decided to stop playing into one of them . Sometimes a nice viewed opened up along the trail. Eventually we reached the highest point of our hike. We were thinking to reach the top of that ridge,... ...but looking west we noticed the it was probably snowing heavy over the mountains and it looked like the storm was coming towards us . With temperatures deep in the minus teens, we were not really keen on having to deal with a blizzard too , so we urged smaug to turn around and walk fast back to the car.
smaug Posted Apr 21, 2014, 2:19 am	Hi Mum, Not sure if we will ever see something resembling spring here . It’s getting warmer, but it’s also snowing more often. Today, for instance, it wasn’t very nice, but we went for a short hike anyway. As soon as we reached the parking lot, it was clear that lack of fresh snow was not going to be an issue . The trail was actually very nice with the trees all covered in snow ... ...but the view left a bit to be desired as the snowfall was clouding everything around us. So we decided to hide in the backpack and helped ourselves with smaug’s supplies until it was time to go back home.
smaug Posted Apr 22, 2014, 4:24 am	Hi Mum, After more snow yesterday, this morning the weather was gorgeous , so we went for a walk close to Banff...and we walked in the sunshine . After a short time we started having lovey views over Lake Minnewanka . Later we reached a nice viewpoint where we could enjoy more views of the lake... ...and of the mountains surrounding it. As we started gaining elevation the trail was getting very snowbound, to the point that we worried we were going to have to turn back soon . But, for once, smaug was prepared , so we put on the snowshoes he carried up here and we were soon back on the move . Eventually the snow became too soft and deep to keep going even with snowshoes , so we took a final couple of photos of the lake before heading back to the car.
smaug Posted May 4, 2014, 7:37 pm	Hi Mum, Happy Easter ! Today we were hoping to get a gigantic chocolate egg each , but we had to settle for something more TV-size . Luckily, there was enough for everybody .
smaug Posted May 4, 2014, 7:52 pm	Hi Mum, Today it was sammino’s birthday . We were planning to sing Happy Birthday for him and party all day , but we all agreed that, at his age ,  the best way to party was to cut to the chase and going straight after the cake .
smaug Posted May 19, 2014, 10:51 pm	Hi Mum, Look a that! This is getting ridiculous ! We are in May and still are getting another fresh dump of snow . I guess this is going to be another boring weekend .
smaug Posted May 20, 2014, 12:48 am	Hi Mum, Today we managed to go for a short walk near Calgary. After a bit we started having a nice view over the River Elbow . We were hoping to reach the top of that ridge,... ...but going through the trees the snow was getting deeper and deeper, to the point that even smaug was sinking up to his waist , so we eventually opted to follow a more exposed and less snowy path up to a nice viewpoint. We could see Moose Mountain in the north... ...prairies and foothills to the east... ...and again the mountains around the Elbow Valley to the south and west .
smaug Posted Jun 2, 2014, 4:44 am	Hi Mum, Today we went for another short trip to the mountains . The first part of the trip was fairly boring in the middle of the trees, but after some time we reached a nice viewpoint from where we had a lovely view over Barrier Lake ,... ...the Prairies... ...and Kananaskis Valley. As we move further up we could see the Bow Valley heading deep into the mountains... ...and the front face of the Rockies in the north. The view of the Prairies got better too, but the sky was also getting a bit darker , so we quickly got on our way down .
smaug Posted Jan 5, 2015, 2:59 am	Hi Mum, Today was a beautiful day, so we went for a bike ride in the Elbow valley and took a few pictures .
smaug Posted Jan 6, 2015, 2:59 am	Hi Mum, Today smaug came home with a very interesting parcel, so we all gathered to open it . And guess what? A new friend came out of it, GustavHH ! Of course, we wanted to hear everything about his adventures, so we spent the whole night up chatting .
smaug Posted Jan 11, 2015, 9:46 pm	Hi Mum, today we went for a nice hike within Banff National Park . First we walked a bit along Lake Minnewanka... ...before making our way up to the site of a former fire lookout, where the view was great . It was also cold and windy, so we chose to quickly move down and walk a bit on the lake shore. Down there it was actually so nice that we decided to cap the day with a few hours of relax and sunbathing .
smaug Posted Jan 12, 2015, 12:07 am	Hi Mum, today we went for another nice hike . It must have been fairly early since the parking lot was empty when we left the car. After a bit of walking we started having some nice view over the Rockies in the west . Eventually we reached the summit, where the view was great, but the clouds looked quite bad, and the wind was blasting cold too (so much for the first day of summer ),  so we took some photos and headed back.
smaug Posted Jan 12, 2015, 12:33 am	Hi Mum, a new friend arrived today . smaug brought home a little parcel... ...and when we opened it Stoker came out ! Of course, we wanted to hear all about his travels, so he didn't have a chance to rest for a while .
smaug Posted Jan 19, 2015, 2:47 am	Hi Mum, It seems it’s time to go on holiday ! Today, we closed our bags and got ready to drive to the airport .
smaug Posted Jan 19, 2015, 3:19 am	Hi Mum, Guess what, I was in Germany today . We had a stopover in Frankfurt where one of smaug’s TV came over to say hello for a few hours. Of course there was lot of chatting involved .
smaug Posted Jan 26, 2015, 3:15 am	Hi Mum, I am in Italy ! Today we were a bit tired and jet lagged, so we got a lovely breakfast, where we met one of smaug's TV, Pepita , who is staying here for a bit... ...and then went back to sleep .
smaug Posted Jan 26, 2015, 3:47 am	Hi Mum, today we went for a bike ride just out of town . After a long climb we reached the top of the road to Monte Bondone, one of the hardest and more prestigious mountain of race when the Giro d'Italia comes around here, so we were very proud with our effort . As we moved on the other side of the mountain we could see the Brenta dolomites... ...and the Adige Valley in the distance . Further on we could see another nice valley. At that point we launched ourselves downhill , so we decided that it was better for smaug to put away the camera and focus on the handlebar .
smaug Posted Jan 29, 2015, 4:11 am	Hi Mum, today we went for a nice hike in the Dolomites . After a bit of walking in the trees we started having a nice view... ...although it looked like we had still quite a way to go to reach the top of this valley . Eventually we reached the highest point of the day, where the view was very "rocky" , but unfortunately the weather seemed to be ready for turning wet. As it happens we managed to cross all this plateau without getting drenched... ...and later we headed into this nicely U-shaped valley that took us back to the car .
smaug Posted Feb 2, 2015, 3:44 am	Hi Mum, today the weather was not great, but it was warm , so smaug took us for a little hike close to town. After a bit of walking we started having a nice view... ...and we had a glimpse of our destination: apparently we were aiming first for the peak on the right, and then we were going to follow the ridge heading left . From the summit the view was great in every direction . After following a bit of the ridge, we could even see a bit of Trento in the distance. To give a bit of cultural tone to the trip and in true commemoration spirit of the centenary of the start of WWI, sammino explained to us that those abandoned barracks next to my head were actually built when this corner of Italy was still part of the Austro-Hungarian empire .
smaug Posted Feb 2, 2015, 4:09 am	Hi Mum, We are soon heading back to Canada, so today it was time to say goodbye to Pepita and to all the other friends we met here in Italy .
smaug Posted Feb 3, 2015, 4:05 am	Hi Mum, On the way back to Canada we had another long stopover in Frankfurt, so Orpheus and Sigfrido came to spend some time with us at the airport . Luckily it was a lovely day, so we could stay outside chatting in the sun .
smaug Posted Feb 8, 2015, 9:48 pm	Hi Mum, today it was World Cup final day and with Germany in the final , we got very excited in our little Deutsch expats colony . Luckily yesterday in Frankfurt we had managed to put our hands on smaug's wallet and acquire something appropriate for the occasion . As the game was about to start the excitement grew even further... ...and it burst when Germany scored ... ...and lifted the cup . We decided to celebrate with whatever we could find ...and, of course, our hosts were more than happy to join in .
smaug Posted Feb 8, 2015, 10:22 pm	Hi Mum, today we went out for our first short hike since coming back to Canada . After the usual walking under the cover of the trees, we come out at Baldy Pass where we had a nice view over the foothills . Pressing on, we reached the summit of Midnight Peak, where the view was great in all directions . Interesting enough, sammino explained to us that it appears to be a tradition (a rather unpleasant one ) to get drenched, or nearly so, whenever smaug comes up here . Since those dark clouds seemed to herald the upcoming rain, we hastily moved down the mountain and luckily only got a bit wet .
smaug Posted Feb 15, 2015, 6:30 pm	Hi Mum, today we went over to the Rockies for a nice hike . After the usual time spent in the trees, we started having a nice view over the Bow Valley... ...and some of the peaks surrounding us. We also were able to look for the first time at our destination, which looked a bit more snowy than we expected for this time of the year . A bit later we reached a ridge just over this little lake... ...where the view opened up even more. From here the peak did not seem that far away . So, with a final effort we reached the top, where the view was great in all directions . It was also bitter cold , so we quickly moved down. On the way we noticed, with a bit of disappointment, that the sun had eventually decided to properly come out, warming the air and melting the snow on the top in the process . At least we managed to take a final nice photo before heading back home .
smaug Posted Feb 23, 2015, 1:29 am	Hi Mum, today we went again out to the mountains . After a bit of walking we started having a nice view of Mt Glasgow, and the weather looked great too . Later we headed up the narrow Nihahi Creek Valley... ...that soon became just a large gravel creek bed . Pushing on, we climbed halfway on the ridge heading to Mt Fullerton... ...where we noticed some very concerning clouds speeding toward us . So, instead of trying to reach the summit, we hastily performed an about turn and reached the safety of the valley bottom just before lightning started brightening up the afternoon .
smaug Posted Feb 23, 2015, 2:26 am	Hi Mum, This weekend the weather was again gorgeous, so as usual we headed to the mountains . sammino explained us that we were going to take a different route to reach a destination where he goes at least once a year . The first part of the day was the usual tedious slog through the forest, but soon we started having a nice view of the Bow Valley. On the way we always had in sight the typical ridge used to reach Mt Allan, with the rock walls of Mt Lougheed behind it ... ...and of the summit of Mt Allan. Still, before getting there we had to tackle the summit of Mt Collembola... ...and the false summit too . On the way we passed just over the Nakiska ski area, that hosted the alpine skiing competitions during the 1988 winter Olympics. Eventually we reached the summit of Mt Allan , from where we could look back at the last bit of the trail that we just followed... ...and where we took a final shot of the Bow Valley before starting to head back home.
smaug Posted Mar 1, 2015, 11:55 pm	Hi Mum, Today the weather in town was quite nice , although it turned out that in the mountains it was slightly different, and after walking a bit on the trail things did not look very promising. By the time we reached our destination visibility was kind of limited . We decided to wait a bit hoping for the fog to clear up and helped us with some of the provisions in the backpack . As it happens things got even worse... ...so all we could do was pack up and go home .
smaug Posted Mar 2, 2015, 1:26 am	Hi Mum, today we headed again to the mountains for a short walk. After a bit, we had nice views along the Elbow River valley ... ...and of Powderface Ridge, where we were engulfed by fog a week ago . Later we just spent the morning walking along this lovely ridge... ...all the time having a great view over the Rockies .
smaug Posted Mar 8, 2015, 2:39 am	Hi Mum, guess what, today was another gorgeous day, and of course we went over to the mountains . After a bit we emerged from the trees and started having a nice view. It took a bit longer to eventually see our destination. From the summit of Wind Ridge, which wasn't really that windy , we could see Canmore in the distance... ...and rocky peaks all around us . We could also see the snow covered peak of Mt Allan, where we were just a few weeks ago. Before leaving the summit and heading back home we took a final look at the valley that we followed in the morning .
smaug Posted Mar 8, 2015, 3:06 am	Hi Mum, look at that! You know what it is? Snow ! A full foot of heavy wet snow . How cool is that ?! Well, smaug seemed very much unimpressed to say the least , so we have to keep our enthusiasm in check when he's around .
smaug Posted Mar 16, 2015, 12:11 am	Hi Mum, it has been only a few days since the snow storm, so today we decided to check the conditions of the trails around Calgary. Not surprisingly everything looked very white from the very start of the day . As we approached the summit of Cox Hill smaug decided that he had enough of plodding through waist deep snow and just let us take a few photos of the mountains before turning back. It looked like full winter . Even the prairies in the distance where completely white .
smaug Posted Mar 16, 2015, 1:19 am	Hi Mum, today we went for another hike, and just one week and less that 100 km away from where we went last week, conditions where a bit different . After a bit we passed by this gully, but sammino explained that we were not going up there. Later we found this lovely sofa and decided to rest and enjoy the sun chitchatting for a while . As we kept going we started seeing the southern part of the Rockwall . Further on we reached the gorgeous Floe Lake with its crown of rocky walls . A final effort took us up to Numa Pass.  From there we could see the trail we had just followed,... ..., Floe Lake and Floe Peak,... ...and on the opposite side Numa Creek Valley... ...and the Rockwall heading north . What a day !
smaug Posted Mar 22, 2015, 12:54 am	Hi Mum, although the weather wasn't exactly great, today we headed again to the mountains and spent the day passing by lakes . The first one we found was Vista Lake...where, despite the encouraging name, the view was just OK . Things improved once we reached Arnica Lake... ...and Upper Twin Lake, tucked under Storm Mountain . Finally we reached Lower Twin Lake, possibly the nicest of all the lakes with reached, although the weather did not really help in appreciating that. Later on, we reached our destination, Gibbon Pass. Obviously that plaque is quite old, since Canada has been a metric country for a few decades . We took a quick look around the pass before jumping back in smaug's backpack just in time before the snow started to fall .
smaug Posted Mar 22, 2015, 2:13 am	Hi Mum, There's been some more snow falling on the mountains, so today we checked out how deep it is . It was soon obvious that white was going to be the main colour of the day . At some point we passed by this lovely creek which is not fully frozen yet . Once we reached Healy Pass we had confirmation that winter is indeed here . Time to get the snow shoes out .
smaug Posted Mar 28, 2015, 10:32 pm	Hi Mum, the weather is quite strange here: most of the snow seems to be gone , so today we went to check how things are in the mountains. It looked like that around both Elbow and Little Elbow Valleys there was snow left only at the higher elevations. On the other side, there was no trace of white whatsoever. Maybe winter is not ready to come after all .
smaug Posted Mar 28, 2015, 10:54 pm	Hi Mum, the snow is back ! Lot of it. Today we decided to go downstairs and play a bit . On second thought, looking at the temperature, we decided that it was probably a good day to stay nice and comfortable at home .
smaug Posted Apr 5, 2015, 9:31 pm	Hi Mum, it' been snowing again this week, but this morning the weather seemed inclined to improve , so we went for a short hike. The atmosphere was great . But by the time we reached the nicest viewpoint the day had turned really dark , so we decided not to linger, took some photos and headed back.
smaug Posted Apr 5, 2015, 10:00 pm	Hi Mum, guess what? We are back in Italy . smaug was so busy and so late in packing up that he even forgot to report our departure from Calgary yesterday . But today the gang of locals was as always ready to welcome us .
smaug Posted Apr 5, 2015, 10:37 pm	Hi Mum, after a few days of rest, today we went up to a nice view point on the side of the valley. The sun was warm, the sky was blue and the view was great . There was even a nice bench where we could sit and chat while enjoying the sun .
smaug Posted Apr 6, 2015, 12:40 am	Hi Mum, the weather is quite spectacular, it's almost like summer . So today we took advantage of the sun and went for another short hike near town. The view over the valley was great . And so was the ridge that we followed... ...and the valley on the other side of the mountain . There was even a big metal map showing the direction of all the peaks that you can see from up here .
smaug Posted Apr 11, 2015, 10:20 pm	Hi Mum, today some new guests arrived home. Orpheus, Pepita and Sigfrido came home to celebrate Christmas . Of, course, with so many TVs in one room, lot of chatting followed .
smaug Posted Apr 11, 2015, 10:39 pm	Merry Christmas Mum ! Tonight, as usual we celebrated Christmas eve . Of course, as soon as the big people moved away from the table to deal with presents, we took control of proceedings in the dessert area .
smaug Posted Apr 11, 2015, 11:13 pm	Hi Mum, today we spent the day travelling around the German motorways . It's not exactly exciting to just look out of the windshield for over 10 hours, but it was nice to be on home soil for a bit . And tomorrow it sounds like it's going to be the same on the way back .
smaug Posted Apr 11, 2015, 11:41 pm	Hi Mum, it's time to go back to Canada , so today, before heading to the airport, we said goodbye to our friends who will stay in Italy a bit longer .
smaug Posted Apr 25, 2015, 11:58 pm	Hi Mum, today the weather was great . It was so warm that it felt almost like summer...almost , so we decided to pay a visit to the mountains. After the usual long bit of walking under trees we started having a nice view . Going further up, the view opened on the Prairies in the distance,... ...and became great over the Rockies . At that point the wind was picking up and it didn't really feel like summer anymore , so we hastily moved back under the protection of the trees.
smaug Posted Apr 26, 2015, 12:15 am	Hi Mum, today we gathered to say goodbye and wish a safe journey to Lotta who is travelling back home to Germany .
smaug Posted Apr 26, 2015, 12:32 am	Hi Mum, today we welcomed to Calgary two old friends, Orpheus and Sigfrido, who will stay a few days with us . And they brought some delicious gifts with them .
smaug Posted Apr 26, 2015, 1:25 am	Hi Mum, the weather is not that good these days, so it's been a bit boring recently . So today we decided that we were going spice up things by checking out Calgary's nightlife . For whatever reason smaug was not inclined to let us go out by ourselves , so we ended up organizing a little chess tournament. It was a real battle of minds...and, of course, I was the best . After the tournament, instead of giving out prizes, sammino used a box to give us a lesson about Canadian wildlife . As it turned out, it was a box full of chocolate, so the day definitely finished on a high .
smaug Posted Apr 26, 2015, 1:49 am	Hi Mum, today we took a short walk in Calgary . Well, we just passed through a nice glass-covered mall ... ...and spent some time relaxing in these lovely indoor gardens . Later this evening it was time to say goodbye and wish a safe journey to Orpheus and Sigfrido who are moving on to another destination in North America .
smaug Posted May 7, 2015, 4:31 am	Hi Mum, after a few quiet days today we headed out again to the mountains . The temperature when we reached the parking lot was far from ideal ... ...but the weather looked great so we marched on anyway. It had snowed recently, so everything looked very white . Moving on we reached a nice view spot where we enjoyed the view of a fairly frozen landscape. As it happens we were getting frozen too , so we encouraged smaug to hastily go back to the car.
smaug Posted May 11, 2015, 3:24 am	Hi Mum, today it was another gorgeous day so we headed west to the mountains again . As usual, early in the day we only had the occasional nice view. But, as we gained elevation, things improved . When we reached the highest point of the day the wind started really picking up, so we enjoyed the view which was spectacular in pretty much every direction and then quickly dived for cover .
smaug Posted May 18, 2015, 3:24 am	Hi Mum, today it was really foggy , be we tried our luck and went over to the mountains anyway. When we reached Barrier Lake things did not look great . But, later on, the fog started to clear and we had some lovely view of the lake... ...and Kananaskis Valley . On the other side, the prairies were still covered by a thick fog. Moving further up we reached a fire lookout, which at this time of the year is closed. From there the view opened up over the Rockies to the west .
smaug Posted May 18, 2015, 3:41 am	Hi Mum, today we said goodbye and wished a safe journey to Krystal and GustavHH that are travelling to Europe .
smaug Posted May 18, 2015, 4:07 am	Hi Mum, today smaug came home saying that there was a parcel for us , so we quickly set to work to open it . And, guess what, a TV came out: Batyr, a nice mouse from Russia . And he brought some lovely gifts . Of course, a long night of storytelling followed .
smaug Posted May 18, 2015, 4:21 am	Happy Easter! Today we celebrated with some lovely TV-sized chocolate eggs . Not the gigantic chocolate egg  that sammino has been lobbying for over the whole week , but they were delicious .
smaug Posted May 18, 2015, 4:29 am	Hi Mum, today we said goodbye and wished a safe journey to Landroval and Stoker that are travelling to Europe .
smaug Posted May 18, 2015, 11:41 pm	Hi Mum, today smaug came back home with a very interesting envelope . And when we opened it a new TV came out, Aura a nice ladybird from Finland . And she brought some lovely gifts with her . Of course, the chatting that folllowed went on and on and on....
smaug Posted May 19, 2015, 12:18 am	Hi Mum, it looks like spring is reluctant to show up . Today we went for a short hike, but from the start we had to deal with fresh snow . Nevertheless, after a bit we had nice views of Kananaskis Valley ... ...and of the mountains around us. The ridge we were following seemed to go on a long way,... ...but, after a bit, smaug decided that he had enough of breaking the trail and we headed back .
smaug Posted May 19, 2015, 3:06 am	Hi Mum, today a new TV arrived. My friend Pepita has come home for a few days .
smaug Posted May 26, 2015, 5:12 am	Hi Mum, today it was sammino's birthday, so we made him a surprise and had a cake ready for him . We even managed to sing happy birthday before wolfing down the cake .
smaug Posted May 30, 2015, 4:45 am	Hi Mum, today we did a quick visit to Banff , where we were mostly kept wet by a series of showers all day . We don't mind the rain much , but smaug insisted that the camera does not like water at all, so we just managed to get a lonely photo of the mountains during one of the few dry moments of the day .
smaug Posted May 30, 2015, 5:10 am	Hi Mum, today I said goodbye to all my friends here in Calgary and got ready to travel home . The great news is that I will be travelling all the way with Pepita so it's going to be a super fun journey . Before I jumped in my travelling quarters sammino gave me a big hug and wished me a safe and swift journey .

Back