Bilder USA

THIS IS MY JOURNEY ! Leaving home was easier than I thought. Leaving the people behind, you really care about, wasn’t easy. Especially when you develop feelings for one special human being, right before you leave. Thanks to my heart! For someone who loves flying, being aboard an airplane for seven hours, is just fun. Having an already planned list of movies to watch, makes it even better. At the customs they think our luggage looks suspicious, so the officer wants to have a touchy look inside. After explaining that those are not military and instead will be used for our camper, he is satisfied. Getting all the papers we need and the stamp of approval from the customs office, was no problem. The next day, we spent hours unpacking and rearranging our stuff, getting propane and going grocery shopping.

BIBI‘S DIARY

Impressum & Datenschutz

Leaving Halifax, our adventure officially begins and starts with a two nights stay at Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia. This small village seems to be popular, as several coach pour out a crowd of people. Thankfully we woke up early enough to enjoy the village and the lighthouse with only a few other people. The lighthouse looks like any other but the scenery made it ordinary. Big flat rocks, inviting you to take a walk, waves splashing against them, the ocean as far as you can see and a seal actually revealed itself for a moment. But personally, I think the old fisherman’s huts are more interesting. They carry the experience from the past to the future, for us to see, as long as they stand. Their facades speak history and that look suits them.

After a short stroll through Lunenburg (which is nice but nothing special) we made our way to the Kejimkujik National Park of Canada. The roads leading to the Campground look like they had just been made. As if they removed only enough trees for the road to be built an left the others untouched. This way it doesn’t feel like you’re invading the forest but like you’re peacefully coexisting. The Campground is located in the middle of the Park only connected by gravel tracks. The small plot of land that we temporarily called ours, was shared with squirrels and chipmunks. Ohh and they’re soo cute but smaller than the ones back in Germany. In Annapolis Royal we visited a small military fort, apparently known for kinda founding Canada. It wasn’t the thing to visit but somehow I was really interested and read all the explanatory signs. Getting to know about the Mi’kmaw culture for the first time and how the French and Englisch fought over this territory. This day was also the first time we had to stay on a Walmart parking lot for the night. Not my favorite but it had to do. On the way to the Minas Basin, (which is well-known for its extremely high tidal range of about 17 meters) we bought some vegetables and fruits from a local Farmers Market. The strawberries were the best! The place for the night was besides the ocean and at the edge of a wood. 15 km in total, that’s what took us to see the steep cliffs followed by two islands, rising from the sea right in front of them. The path through the wood was sometimes narrow and muddy and sometimes wide and paved with stones and roots. For dinner we had “Linsen & Spätzle“, self-made, from what we could find in the supermarkets. Not with the best result, as I think. You know, I’m not somebody who likes to walk around a city looking at one shop after another. So I was relatively bored when we decided to do exactly that in Wolfville. It’s a nice town, but again, nothing special. Until we got to meet a German/Canadian couple, and almost at the same time got invited to a local’s vineyard. The winegrower and his wife are the nicest people! He suggested that he’d come again later to share a glass of wine! He brought friends from Scotland and later his son joined in. He made a fire and served us excellent wine and it became an interesting and amusing conversation. For the goodbyes we all got a hug. That’s exactly how I imagined it, meeting new people and getting to know each other, before saying goodbye as friends. We decide on traveling to Cape Breton Island and find our first spot at the edge of a cliff. We had to drive on some very small gravel tracks to get there, but it was worth the way. In the middle of nowhere, right by the ocean, seeing a beautiful sunset and having all to ourselves.

Reaching the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, you can basically feel the almost untouched nature. As recommended we take an easy trail up to the top of a mountain right to the oceanfront, revealing a beautiful view of the sea! It’s hot, barely no shade but at least some wind. Although we got warned to beware of coyotes and bears and it’s said you could see moose, we only saw squirrels.

The day ends at a photogenic beach. The water is so clear you could count every stone on the ground. I had to take a look inside and went for a short swim. Brr that was cold but also refreshing.

At first, I was skeptical doing a “difficult“ tour, but it was worth the time. At last, exciting tracks, an amazing view (at half the way) and after 400 m up, eating wild blueberries. Delicious and way better than the ones you can buy! The day ends with mixed weather and some indoor-time. Using the next day to do the laundry and some organizing. Outside the Park in Baddeck, we visited the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, learning everything there is to know about the inventor. For one lifetime, he had so many extraordinary ideas and inventions like his “Silver-Dart“ airplane and his “HD4“ hydrofoil, which were reconstructed and are exhibited in original size. He invented the telephone, developed a recorder, experimented with tetrahedrons, heard the sun laugh and built his own X-ray apparatus. „I catch glimpses of the harmonies of nature, of how one part fits into another like the wheel-work of a complicated machine.“ Alexander G. Bell From Telephone to Fortress, from 1876 to 1713. In Louisbourg is a Fortress, rebuilt, just as it looked back then. The people wear the original clothing, use the same guns and simulate the life as it was. You can imagine it perfectly! Even the baker bakes bread (holding a piece in my hand and biting into the still warm bread made me instantly happy!), the blacksmith forges iron and the maids cook chicken over the fire. Watching as a canon from the 18th century was fired made me shiver as I was startled and fascinated by the explosion. Spending a lot of time on the road, I managed to finish two books… that’s how bored I got.

Walking on the floor of the ocean, that’s something you can only do here, which is at the Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick. Water carved the stone and the whole beach looks like a work of art. Really impressive and is called “The Flowerpot Rocks“. The bizarre rocks invited us to take some funny pictures.

Noting that I do not have my mountainbike with me, I got quite jealous when we were hiking on a trail shared with mountain-bikers. Seeing them riding down that trail, especially because it only goes downwards, meaning you have three kilometers of almost effortless fun! Note two, it’s getting noticeably colder each day, fall is coming! And we’re officially off-season, so we have to deal with the repeating statement of Sorry, it’s closed. After a time of inactivity, I had to grab my camera and take some pictures… and I did, on the beach of the Kouchibouguac National Park. Walking over a footbridge, the vegetation beneath it let the ground look like a rainbow. The cold wind made me shiver but I ignored it to admire the view and the roar of the sea.

The next days feel like a road trip, spending almost the whole day driving. Staying at a municipal halt for the night, I took some surprisingly nice pictures as our stop is located at a mountain road right at the cliffs. Using a moment of absolute silence (means no cars are coming) to jump right into the middle of the road to take a pic of the always prominent yellow line. The town Percé, down the highway, has an attraction we had to see. Taking a short hike up the mountain, we pay a ticket to be allowed to walk on the Skywalk. A platform with its end made of glas. It’s not even high up, because trees stand beneath it, but nevertheless it was a real effort of will for me to walk over the glass without desperately clinging to the railing. But you have a pretty amazing view over the bay with its prominent rocher percé. Back in town, hungry, I order a chicken Club-Sandwich with French fries… holy cow that was good!

The next day we stay on a campground with a site titled seaside and that was no empty promise… three meters behind our home, the campsite ended with a thirty meters drop. Using a surreal looking wooden staircase to get down to the coast, my mom and I collect grey stones that all have a white line right through them and put them together so they show a heart. In the next national park, we take a trail up to a plateau and stopp at a viewing point for lunch. The baguette we bought at a local supermarket tasted so normal it was just delicious because the taste reminded me of the bread we have in Germany… I miss the German bread! The weather went crazy today, as strong winds blow along the coast of the Gaspésie,Québec. Planning on staying at the coast is nearly impossible. If you do not pay attention for one second you get blown away. Actually funny. Near by is a museum with a real submarine you can explore. Staying at a Walmart in the city to avoid the coastal winds, we decide on eating local pizza. As I’m used to something else, I think the pizza was just strange and tasted as if it was fake. The night was restless due to the still strong winds. We cross the St. Lawrence River by ferry with a rough sea, which caused the ferry to sway and the waves to clash against it. My parents go whale watching from the shore, but I think it’s too cold to stand outside for hours. And that was a good decision because on the next morning, I was greeted with Belugas and Minkwhales, still having my pyjamas on. After we crossed a fjord by ferry, we now all went whale watching from a special viewing point on the shore. Again we saw Belugas (far away) and some or maybe just one Minkwhale who felt like having his lunch right at the cliffs just ten meters away from us. Once, he even jumped out of the water a little, showing us his white belly.

For the night we stay at a lake, located miles from anywhere. As soon as the engine stops I grab my camera and take pictures of the stunning setting before the sun says goodbye.

On our way to Quebec City we stopp at a huge waterfall. We take the over 400 stairs up to the top where you can walk over the waterfall on a bridge. Pretty unique perspective! My parents visit the City, but, as you may know by now, I’m not the biggest fan of cities. So I stayed in our camper and had the day to myself. That felt great!

And again we spend the following days mostly driving. Bad weather accompanied us but the leaves are finally changing their color. I think what we (in Germany) call Indian Summer is a name the locals don’t even know? The more maple trees, the more colorful it gets! Mont Tremblant looks like Disneyland but actually is a town mostly to go skiing in winter. But in summer and fall it doesn’t lack of activities. A luge, hiking and mountainbike trails, an adventure park in the woods and a zipline-trail. Five ziplines with a total length of 3.7 kilometers take you down the mountain. Awesome! To get to the next destination we agree on driving through the Réserve faunique de Papineau-Labelle. Bad Idea! It took us three and a half hours to get out, for only 48 kilometers. Gravel roads, branches hang in the way, wooden bridges with holes in them. The road so steep, bumpy, narrow, paved with huge stones and the look of a river bed, that I thought Merlin (our camper) wouldn’t make it through and we’d never get out. Later that day I was glad to be in civilization again and not surrounded by trees anymore.

A few days later we are in a National Park again, the Algonquin NP (and yes I wanna see trees again, as long as the road stays wide). As we were told, the leaves’ change in color hit its highest point as nature wears its most colorful dress! Beautiful! My parents go hiking and I later go on my own walk through the woods equipped with my Sony camera and my Polaroid camera. To meet new people is always nice, but when they’re so open-minded and have the same interests a conversation feels instantly natural. Talking about the universe and its wonders (in two languages) made it a fascinating night! The next Provincial Park is known for its red rocks belonging to the canadian shield. We use the good weather and the sun for a walk on the rocks right by the Lake Huron.

We actually saw a moose! I couldn’t believe what I saw, but it was real. I can take moose off my bucket list now… and you won’t believe me but one day later I saw a black bear! Now my list is complete… Eagle, check; moose, check; whale, check; bear, check. None of them were right in front of me but what I saw was enough to amaze me! Over time Walmart became my best friend. It provides me with food, wifi and shelter and I can wander through the hallways until it closes its doors. Every time I spend the last hours in the almost empty hallways it feels like the entire store is mine. Isn’t that what everybody dreams about? Having the entire store to themselves? I can say it feels great, no pressure just enjoying the wifi and exploring the different sections.

The biggest freshwater island, Manitoulin Island that’s were we headed. Sadly it greeted us with fog and rain. We stay beside the marina and took a look into a house filled with artists and their studios. One of them is a mid-aged woman who makes beautiful paintings in aquarelle and ink. Her studio looks amazing and so artsy!

Taking the ferry (a really colorful one) off the island, the next day. Since we reached land the rain hasn’t stopped. The Bruce Peninsula NP invites us to take a walk on the cliffs to see the stunning clear blue/ turquoise water! As swimming is allowed in summer I was tempted to jump right in and go diving, if the water wouldn’t be so cold.

The next few days are not really exciting, we took a walk in a winter-fun-area, visited some old first-settler villages and learned about the mennonites. In St. Catherines at the Welland Canal we take a look at lock three (of eight) that makes it possible to connect the Erie and the Ontario lake for the huge container ships. They fit just right in and it looks strange to see those big ships sink until they are beneath you. We arrive at the town of Niagara Falls. At night we take the first peek at the falls. Both get illuminated by huge lights which make them look magical. But at the same time it looks like the falls are just a projection, as it looks weird with the unnatural colors. As we fear that at noon the area around the falls is flooded with tourists, we wake up early and enjoy the view with the sunrise just above the horseshoe falls. The skylon tower just around the corner lures us in with a view from above. The 360º view is really nice but as soon as you take a step outside you get blown away. The waterfall we know as the niagara fall actually is named horseshoe falls (on the Canadian side) due to its shape and is accompanied by the american fall (on the American side).

We end the day in Niagara on the lake. A small town with really nice shops and galleries. My parents visit the Fort George and witness a musket showing. We take a turn north again and travel through the Kawartha Lakes region. An old lift lock draws our attention. In the past ships were lifted up 20 meters. Today it is only used for tourists to show them how it worked back then.

Toronto is huge but in my opinion it isn’t the prettiest city. It may have its nice spots but if they exist I didn’t see them. The scenery with its skyscrapers is nice at dusk. The one thing that really amazed me, was the Distillery District. The buildings look so vintage and the shops that made their home inside those beautiful old houses are just as good as the exterior. Antiques and vintage shops, exotic clothing brands, exquisite bakeries, unique chocolate manufacturers and of course the breweries and distilleries.

Big surprise, I’m at the airport. Canada is an absolutely amazing country and I enjoyed my trip to the fullest. But being together with your parents all the time in such a small space, isn’t what a nineteen year old wants. I’m limited in things I can do and I miss the people and possibilities at home. Under different circumstances I’d have stayed in this stunning country and I’m gonna miss it! You won’t hear from me in a while. If you still wanna see pictures of my own adventures, take a look at my instagram page.

THIS IS MY JOURNEY ! Leaving home was easier than I thought. Leaving the people behind, you really care about, wasn’t easy. Especially when you develop feelings for one special human being, right before you leave. Thanks to my heart! For someone who loves flying, being aboard an airplane for seven hours, is just fun. Having an already planned list of movies to watch, makes it even better. Getting all the papers we need and the stamp of approval from the customs office, was no problem. The next day, we spent hours unpacking and rearranging our stuff, getting propane and going grocery shopping.

BIBI‘S DIARY

Impressum & Datenschutz

Leaving Halifax, our adventure officially begins and starts with a two nights stay at Peggys Cove, Nova Scotia. The lighthouse looks like any other but the scenery made it ordinary. Big flat rocks, inviting you to take a walk, waves splashing against them, the ocean as far as you can see and a seal actually revealed itself for a moment. But personally, I think the old fisherman’s huts are more interesting. They carry the experience from the past to the future, for us to see, as long as they stand. Their facades speak history and that look suits them.

We made our way to the Kejimkujik National Park of Canada. The Campground is located in the middle of the Park only connected by gravel tracks. The small plot of land that we temporarily called ours, was shared with squirrels and chipmunks. Ohh and they’re soo cute but smaller than the ones back in Germany. In Annapolis Royal we visited a small military fort, apparently known for kinda founding Canada. It wasn’t the thing to visit but somehow I was really interested in it. Getting to know about the Mi’kmaw culture and how the French and Englisch fought over this territory. We had to stay on a Walmart parking lot for the night. Not my favorite but it had to do. On the way to the Minas Basin, which is well-known for its extremely high tidal range of about 17 meters. 15 km in total, that’s what took us to see the steep cliffs followed by two islands, rising from the sea right in front of them. You know, I’m not somebody who likes to walk around a city looking at one shop after another. So I was relatively bored when we decided to do exactly that in Wolfville. Until we got to meet a German/Canadian couple, and almost at the same time got invited to a local’s vineyard. The winegrower and his wife are the nicest people! He suggested that he’d come again later to share a glass of wine! He brought friends from Scotland and later his son joined in. He made a fire and served us excellent wine and it became an interesting and amusing conversation. For the goodbyes we all got a hug. That’s exactly how I imagined it, meeting new people and getting to know each other, before saying goodbye as friends. We decide on traveling to Cape Breton Island and find our first spot at the edge of a cliff. We had to drive on some very small gravel tracks to get there, but it was worth the way. In the middle of nowhere, right by the ocean, seeing a beautiful sunset and having all to ourselves.

Reaching the Cape Breton Highlands National Park, you can basically feel the almost untouched nature. As recommended we take an easy trail up to the top of a mountain right to the oceanfront, revealing a beautiful view of the sea! It’s hot, barely no shade but at least some wind. Although we got warned to beware of coyotes and bears and it’s said you could see moose, we only saw squirrels.

The day ends at a photogenic beach. The water is so clear you could count every stone on the ground. I had to take a look inside and went for a short swim. Brr that was cold but also refreshing.

At first, I was skeptical doing a “difficult“ tour, but it was worth the time. At last, exciting tracks, an amazing view (at half the way) and after 400 m up, eating wild blueberries. Delicious! Outside the Park in Baddeck, we visited the Alexander Graham Bell National Historic Site, learning everything there is to know about the inventor. For one lifetime, he had so many extraordinary ideas and inventions like his “Silver-Dart“ airplane and his “HD4“ hydrofoil, which were reconstructed and are exhibited in original size. He invented the telephone, developed a recorder, experimented with tetrahedrons, heard the sun laugh and built his own X-ray apparatus. „I catch glimpses of the harmonies of nature, of how one part fits into another like the wheel-work of a complicated machine.“ Alexander G. Bell From Telephone to Fortress, from 1876 to 1713. In Louisbourg is a Fortress, rebuilt, just as it looked back then. The people wear the original clothing, use the same guns and simulate the life as it was. You can imagine it perfectly! Even the baker bakes bread (holding a piece in my hand and biting into the still warm bread made me instantly happy!), the blacksmith forges iron and the maids cook chicken over the fire. Watching as a canon from the 18th century was fired made me shiver as I was startled and fascinated by the explosion. Spending a lot of time on the road, I managed to finish two books… that’s how bored I got.

Walking on the floor of the ocean, that’s something you can only do here, which is at the Hopewell Rocks, New Brunswick. Water carved the stone and the whole beach looks like a work of art. Really impressive and is called “The Flowerpot Rocks“. The bizarre rocks invited us to take some funny pictures.

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