What I'm doing right now?

What i'm doing right now? Check it out on http://www.europatreks.magix.net/

click on the album Dolomiten and check out the pics of my trip trough the Dolomiten in September together with Bernd.

see ya

Cliff jumping a kind of fun :)

Hey what are you doing if you feel hot???

Right: you jump in a cold lake in the middle of the mountains. :)

enjoy the summer!

Karsten

Mt Assiniboine: Like in a far dream

Tomer in action

Sunburst Lake and Mt. Assiniboine

Lunch time :)

hey,

yeah!!! The next hike which I did together with Tomer was just unbelievable. Just everything was perfect. It was realy like in an other world. I always thought it might be a dream. The landscape was gorgeous, the views breathtaking, the weather 5 days sun pur, the food like in paradise. All together there are just a few words which are suitable to discribe this unforgetable hike.
It started all with a try to hitchike to the Sunshine Village on a late afternoon. At this time we had bad luck and so we waited long untill sobody stoped for us. As we already gave up some boys stopped and took us to the road which goes in the Sunshine ski resort. Unfortunetly it was already to late to get to our suposed campsite. Because of that we camped illegal on a nice creek. There Tomer cooked a nice pasta with creme sauce for dinner.
At the next day we get up early. At this time somebody stoped for us very soon and took us up to the skiresort. The last meter we drove up with a shuttle bus. In this bus we met Martin. Martin is a friendly guy from Quebec and accompanied us for a long time during the trip because he picked the same route like we did. Together we had a lot of fun. On our first day we hiked from the skiresort to the Rock Isle Lake. From there we had a great view to the moutains. It was fantastic. We continued hiking over alpine meadows and last snowfields to the Howard Douglas Lake. After a nice Lunch break at the Lake we went up to Citadel Pass. From there we had an other great view on the up coming Mountains and a nice valley. from the pass we went down to our first camp. On the way down we have seen some bighorn sheeps at the hill. after we set up our tents we made a fire and cooked the famous smashed potatoes with salami.
The day two was very beautyful as well. The weather forecast saied it gets rainy in the afternoon but we had luck and enjoed the sun all the day :). We hike through the forest the valley up. After some kilometers we came in the valley of the rocks. There we saw a bizzare landscape formed by rocks laying around. Everything looked so strange and it seemed to be that we are on an other planet! It looked like on the moon. Tiered we arrived in the afternoon at the Og Lake. There we have been so lucky that we could enjoy a great view over the lake Og to the Mt. Assiniboine at the surounding glaciers. After the lunch break we went further to the Lodge at Lake Magog. From this point the trip was just unbelievable. I felt like I'm dreaming all the time. The view was amazing. The Lake Magog and the canadian Matterhorn the Mt. Assiniboine have been so beautyful. We hiked along the shore of the lake and everybody didn't trust his eyes because it was so great what we have seen. We set up our camp at the lake. Because we were scared that the weather changed we decided to climb the Nublet in the evening. On the way to the top of the hill we came along the Sunburst Lake where got an other nice panorama. On the way to the top we also passed a colourful meadow which was just inviting for Martin to relax. On the top of the hill the view was unbeatable. We really didn't know if we should trust our eyes. I stayed on the top for a while and just enjoyed the view. The way down i opened my jacket and run down all the way. The wind under the arms felt just like freedom. It was a great feeling. As I arrived the thought I run away from a bear :))). At the evening Tomer made another nice pasta and all the other camper got big eyes because it smelled so good :)
The night was cold. Very cold! Minus 9 degree. The small creek next to the camp started to freeze. But therefore the next day was sunny like the day before. I enjoyed the morning in the sun on a nice meadow with vie to the mountain. After the cereals in the morning and packing our stuff we hike to the Wounder Pass. We hiked again along the Lake shore and took thousands of pitures of us and the Lake :) Over snow and meadows we hiked up to the Pass. From the top we had a awesome view back from where we came. A clear sky gave us a great view on the surounding area. On the other side the view was just even better. It was great wath we have seen. Spectacular peaks, glaciers, alpine flowers,... That was the perfect spot for the best lunch break we ever did. We just enjoyed the view untill we get suburned :) And of cause no lunch break is perfect without nutella ;) We still didn't realized wath we have seen in the last days as we have seen already the next highlight. We thought this great panorama you can't top. But yes you can if you put a nice turkis lake in the middle of them. Lake Gloria was so impressive and unbelievable. I really couldn't believe what was in front of me! After the way down from the pass the trail took us along the shore of Marvel Lake. That was an other nice scenic hike with a great view. As we arrived in the forest we have seen our first wildlife too. Hunderts of mosquitos made us fire under the ass :) Rushed by them we arrived at our third camp at the Bryant Creek. This Valley is also very beatyful and so we set up our tents under a nice waterfall. There told our stories with other hikers. We relaxed and slept well.
At our next day we went down to the Spray Lakes. But instead to go out we decided to go up the Spray River Valley. Because of this really hot day wanted to go bathing in the river. The river was cold and it was great refreshment. The river is glacier feed. Tomer wanted to go in the water to but he just put his big toe in and cried it's cold :))). The day we finished at Leman Lake. There we made fire and had an other fantastic last lunch. The highlight of dinner was our desert. A nice bannasplit made us a sweet evening at the fire.
At the next day I got up early. I went to Leman Lake which was close to our camp. There i enjoyed the nice view on the lake and the sun which was going up over the mountains. except that I had the great chance to see two eagles starting next to me and circling over the lake. We packed our stuff and did our last big climb. We went up the Burstall Pass. At the top of the pass we still had a lot of snow fields. At one snow was still about 1,5 m high! We enjoyed the scenery at the pass before we went down. As we arrived at the road we have been lucky to finish the great trip successful.
At the end I also found my answer. O thought all the time i'm dreaming. The answer is I'm living a dream!
From the end of the trail we hitchiked back to Banff. On the way we have been also so lucky to see a grizzly cup. Just an other thing to make this trip unforgetable.

Enjoy the video!

Greetings from Banff

Karsten

Ps: check also Tomers blog!!!! He has maps and a lot more pictures online

http://tomernegev.blogspot.com/

Hiking around Banff

Hey,

sorry again that the last posting is already so long time ago but sometimes we have the problem on a hike to find firewood. So you can imagine it's even more difficult to find internet ;)

After the hike of the incredibble three it was not easy to find other hiking buddies around the town. Because of that I decided to leave for an other very long hike alone. Unfortunetly the weather was very bad in these days. I tried to make my way but because there left still that much snow in the forests and at the mountain passes I decided to go back to Banff and gave up. I also realized that the most important thing on a hike are the people aaround you. I mean of course the weather and the food is important too :). But I learned that I don't like to be alone on the trail. I need the people around me. So I was very luck as I met Tomer from Israel in the hostel at the same evening I came back from from the trip I broke up.
Together we went out for a small trip together. There we had already a lot of fun. And something I learned on this trip is: if you have a Israeli on the trek you don't have to be worry about the food. Tomer is a great cook. He served me with fantastic dinners and lunches.
This trip together was the basic to our next hike to the Mt. Assiniboine. This hike was just amazing and there are no words for it. So stay exited for the next posting it will be unbelivable ;)

greetings from the Rockies and enjoy the video

Karsten

The incredible three on a hike

Hey,

already in the bus I realized the still very snowy tops of the mountains around me. Just two days before the last snow come down! And that in June!!! After I arrived in Banff I went to straight in the National Park Information Centre. The information they gave me there was not good. They told me that there is no backcountry hiking possible because of snow right now. But I didn't believe them and so I went up the Sulphur Mountain to get a better view. In my point of view it looked not that bad. Up from 2200 m it started to get snowy. 2500 m seemed to be the limit without special equipement. So I saw a chance for long trip. The problem was just one pass! The Badger pass with 2550m seemed to be the key point at the route.
In the hostel I met Kay from Berlin and Jooseph from Estonia. Together we decided to test what is possible right now. At the next day we went again in the park informattion centre. There we asked for the permits for our trip but we didn't got them because it's not recomended to cross this mountain passes right now. But we all wanted to try our limits and wanted to check out by ourself whats possible for us.
So we went to the grocery store to buy some food. This was my shoping list: 1kg cereals, 500g sugar, 1kg milk powder, 1kg butter, 1kg salami, 500g raisin, 1.5kg chocolat (mhmm!), 1 kg potato powder, 300g cheese, onions and garlic.

At the next day we started from the hostel in Banff. We went to the Skiresort Norquay. There we made our first stop the lift. The backpacks were so heavy and were not used to it. So we wished that the lift is runnig but it wasn't the case :(. Instead we went up the long way in the 40 mile valley. On the the way we always stoped from time to time to rest and put the heavy backpack away. Short before we arrived at the Mystic Lake campground we came in the rain. After this short shower we were lucky to arrive the camp after more than 24 km. But Jooseph and me wanted to see the Lake too which was about 2 more km away. The way to the lake was very snowy. For one way we need 1.5 hours!!! The snow was so deep that we were stucked in it to our knees! It was very hard to walk and the snow came in our shoes so that we got wet feets :(. The Lake was ofcourse stilll frozen. as we arrived back on the campground we were so tired! We made a warm campfire to dry our feets and cook a warm meal. After that we jumped in the sleeping bags.
At the nxt day the weather was very nice. After I enjoed my cereals and my tea to the breakfast we packed our stuff and continued our trek going up the valley. at this time we always had to walk around deep snowfields which covered the trail. At the afternoon we climbed the summit of th valley and came to nice alpine meadow with a beautyful view. After the lunch break with chocolat cheese and salami we went down along Sawback Creek. Very tired we arrived late at Flint's Park our next camp. We set up the tents and made a nice dinner over the camp fire. I ate mashed potatos with salami, onion and garlic. We tried to wash ourself in the river but it was to cold :))) Very tired we fall in sleep.
At our third day we planed to go to check out the Badger Pass. The way along the river and up to a pass was very mudy because of melting snow. It was hard to climb up. On our way we followed Grizzley bear traps in the snow. The bears cross the passes to get down to the valleys in the spring. It was very impressive to see what performance is necessary when so a big and heavy animal is crossing a high pass like that. We crossed a couple of big snowfields which was hard and wet :(. At one we even had to use my rope and some climbing tricks. But finaly we come to the Badger Pass which was covered with a big snowfield. After we crossed this field we were so lucky to made it safe to the top of the pass. We made what everybody told us is impossible. At the Pass we enjoyed the view before we went on a snowy way down. Because it was already late we decided to ste up the camp short behind the pass. We melt snow to cook our dinner and spent the night at 2400m.
At the next morning we went down in the Johnson Creek Valley. We went out to check out already the next pass. But this one was still snowy too. Everybody was tired from the last days. So we decided to make a break. We went to the next campground and enjoyed the sun to tan our tired bodys. We went to the very cold Johnson Creek were Jooseph and me took a bath in the cold water. Fuck was that cold :))) At the evening we cooked our dinner under trees because it was hailing!
At day five Jooseph and me were still hungry for adventure, landscape and hiking. Because of that we decided to cross the next pass. Kay had enough from the snow. This was the reason we went different ways. Kay went back to the hostel. Jooseph and me continued hiking. At an amazing day we croosed the Pulsatilla Pass. At the climb over the pass we had to cross some more snow but at the other side it looked better. We went down the Wild Flower Creek Valley. There we had to cross some streamings of the melting snow. The crossing were not always easy. The streaming was strom and the water deep. But we used all tricks and things like rope, trees, branches,... to come over the water. Unfortunelty Jooseph got wet feets :))). At the same day we went further to the Cotton Grass Pass were we have seen a fantastic sunset over meadows. At the evening we arrived at the still snowy and frozen Baker Lake where we camped this night.
At day six we went over the Cotton Grass Pass. As we arrived at the Red Deer Lackes it was rainy. But this was no problem we set up the fly of the tent as a roof and boiled a nice tea. After the rain stoped we contiuned walking. We went down the Little Pipestone Creek. After these many river crossing we aleady thought: Hopefully we don't have to cross this river because that's going to be impossible. Some Minutes later we got the problem the we came to the Pipestone River. We had to cross it but there was no bridge and so it was impossible. We had a diffcult situation because we could not go south because of the Little Pipestone Creek and could also cross the Pipestone River. So ther were just to ways out. The way back or bushwhacking along the Pipestone River untill this was going to be smaller and slower. I went out and found a very old trail which was not always clear. Anyways we decided to go up a long the River in the hope that these is going to get smaller. It was already late and so we camped illegal at a warden hut. We made a fire to dry josephs shoes and ate beans.
At the next day the weather was beautyful. Unfortunetly Jooseph felt bad because of the beans last evening. We started early and walked up the river on the old path. After a while we came to a meadow where we ate breakfast. As I looked at the other side of the river suddenly I saw a black bear about 75 meter a way from us. This was a fantastic moment to see the bear from safe distance and to watch them. :) Jooseph and me just enjoyed this moment before we continued walking again. Then we came to an other creek which was to cross. Actual not a big deal but we made it to a big one. We tryed to bring the backpacks dry over with my rope. But because they are so heavy my backpack fall in the creek :\. That meant my tent and clothes were wet. How I later realized at least the food stayed dry. I just thought ok at least you are still dry :) But then I dryed to throw Joosephs Backpack over. But because the backpack was also to heavy to throw it over I steped in the river and got wet shoes. Ok Backpack and me were wet. But anyways we had a lot to laugh. :))) The next crossings we managed in underware and barefoot :) Finaly we came to good spot to cross this stupid river and we could continue on the trail. We followed the trail up to the fish lake. There we dryed our things in the sun, set up the tent and cooked our dinner. The valley and the lake has been very nice. we enjoyed the full day with a lot of fun and our first bear.
At our last day we had to cross the North Molar Pass which was higher than the Badger Pass. I was worry because of that because I know that ther was no real other way out. As we came to the 2590m high pass it sart to rain and later even to snow!!! We crossed some more snowfields but as we came to the last one it was more ice than snow. That meant for us we could'nt walk on it because it was to slippery. Because of that we scrambled around at a very stepy wall which was not without risk too. Finaly we made over the snowy pass. The which left was easy. We went down from the North Molar Pass in the Mosquito Creek Valley. The way lead us over a alpine meadow in a forest along th creek.
Finaly we arrived after 8 days and 125 km at the Icefield Parkway. We were so lucky that we made it. After 8 days we have seen the firts human there. A crazy feeling. We hitchhiked back from there to Lake Louise and from there to Banff where we arrived at the hostel just looking forward to take a warm shower after these many days. In the Hostel we met Kay and told him the story.
At the next day I went to the park centre to tell them about the trail conditions but they didn't believe me :))))

Greetings from the Rocky Mountains

Karsten

Ps: At this time I didn't post pictures because I had to many good ones to post :) Instead somebody teached me how to create a movie. So click play and enjoy! :)

A nice ride

A long way crossing the praries by bus

Hey,

from Toronto I took an other time the Greyhound Bus. My destination at this time Banff. That means I had to go all the way back where I was coming from. Why? Because I want to go hiking in the Rocky Mountains in the summer.
The bus ride took for ever. I spent 2 nights in the bus. Every two hours I woke up because th bus stopped. This nights were just terrible. The way back trough Ontario was endless. As I arrived in winnipeg I met me with Jens the guy who bought the camper. Together we went to his house where we had a great typical german dinner. But after that I sat in the bus again. We crossed Saskatchewan and Alberta. After 55 hours I arrived in Banff. I was so lucky as I arrived. It was a strange feeling to cross Canada again and to see all this places again too. I never trvelled so long in a bus.

Once is shure: the next time I take the plane :)

Greetings from Banff

Karsten

Toronto: At the top of the world

Audience from an other perspective

The view from the CN Tower down on the lights of Toronto

The city hall an architectural highlight

Younge Street

Royal Ontario Museum

Deep in Chinatown

In the finacial distrist lost between glass fasades

The skyline of Toronto from the Islands

A metroploe shining at night

Hey,

After i visited Niagara Falls I travelled to Toronto. Honestly I didn't expect much from the city. I was the opinion that's just an other city like Regina or Winnipeg. But after I left the bus depot to go to the hostel I was positiv surprised. The city is a real mix up of cultures and has an interesting and unique style.
The highlight of city is of course the visit of the huge world famous CN Tower. The second biggest building in the world. But if you stand at th bottom of the tower you don't realize how big it is. Just when you are far away you realize the size. You can see the tower from almost every spot in the city.
When you are in the elevator which goes up you feel like by a start of a rocket. The elevator goes up so fast and does't seem to stop anymore untill you arrive at the top. From the top you have a nice view over the lake Ontario. The lake is so big that it looks like the sea. You can see the Toronto Islands, all the suburbs, the skyscraper of the financial district and the clourful light of Young Street. You are so high over the ground that you can see the curve of the earth. If you are on the top you just stand on a thick glass plate. There is nothing else!!! So you can look vertical down. What you can see then is a baseball stadium and a lot more. A crazy feeling to be that high in a building.

At the next day I did my sightseeing programm. I went through the finacial district with all the skyscraper with the galss fasades and the business people on the streets. I went along Young Street which is the main street of Toronto. There are all the shops. I went to the parliament building and watched a politic discussion of the parliament of Ontario. I saw the city hall and the Royal Museum of Ontario which are both architectural highlights in Toronto. I visited Chinatown and went a long the intersting streets with all the cafes and restaurants.
Toronto is like little New York. You can see a lot of cultures mixed up. You have also districts like in New York which are called chinatown, little chinatown and little portugal. All these districts are very diferent from each other and representive their cultures. They have charm and are just lovely.
At the late afternoon I went by ferry to the Toronto Islands. These islands are the getaway of Toronto. On the Islands is a big fun park, a zoo, a park to relax and a nice sand beach to bath and enjoy the sun. On the beach I met some nice germans who i already known from the hostel. Together we relaxed and had alot of fun. At the evening I enjoyed the sunset and the view on the skyline of Toronto. The sunset was just amazing as the lights start to shine it was an inpressive panorama you could see!
In the evening I went with the german group to a pub where we celebrated a birthday of one of the girls. We had a lot of fun playing pool and drinking beer.

The time which I spent in toronto was short but it was just great. I like the city, the atmosphere and the people.

At the next day I left the city by bus going west.

Greetings from Toronto!

Karsten

Niagara Falls : Take your shower;)

On the journey behind the falls

On the top of the falls

The horseshoefall with on of the boats

On board of the Maid of the Mist boat

Just impressive!

Do it like Moses divide the big water: Yeah !!!:)))

hey,

with the bus I went back to lovely Canada in the night. As soon we crossed the border we arrived at 4.00 am in Niagara Falls which is situated directly at the border to the US. 4 o'clock that's time to sleep! So I went to the HI hostel there to check in. But there I made the experience that not every HI hostel has a front desk which is open 24 hours. I stand before a closed hostel. Great!!! I was lucky looking forward to sleep in a bed. But shitt happens. Fortunetly i have my tent and so I set it up in the backyard of the hostel where I had a good night in my sleeping bag :))).

At the next morning I get up late. I packed all my stuff together and then I went to the falls. The Falls are just huge. One fall is called American Fall ( on the american side) and an other one is called Horseshoefall (canadian side). Both are fantastic. The Niagara Falls are the falls with the most volume of water rushing down in the world. If you walk to the falls the rushing water is so loud that you hear the falls before you see them! When the water hits the ground a lot of fog is coming up. That feels like rain and is called Mist :).
Ofcause there are a lot of tourists too. The falls are Canadas most popular atraction. The main tourist atraction are the Maid of the Mist Boat Tours. You get a rain cape and then the boat takes you to the foot of the horseshoefall. It stops in the middle of the mist for about 3 minutes. You can't see anything. After that you are so wet like after a shower. And that is Niagara Falls a big shower :)
Then I did a journey behind the falls too. There you can go in a tunnel behind the falls and you see like a wall of water. The falls are just great! If you stand at the top, be at the botton or behind it's just impressive to make the the experience of the falls.

For you at home a experiment:

Do you want to feel like me in one of the Maid of the Mist boats or do you just want to try how Niagara Falls feel like? If you take your next shower take it with cloths!!! Then you know how it is! :)))

greetings from the biggest shower of the world

Karsten

New York City: A crazy place

The view from the top of the rock on the city lights of New York

Stanely Park from the Rockefeller Centre

The famous Flat Iron

City life in front of the Empire State Building

At the Wall Street

The Satue of Liberty is still guarding the skyline of NY

The Brookly Bridge in front of the skyline of Lower Mahattan

Brooklyn Bridge

Chinatown

Big City life between the huge skyscrapers of Midtown

Sheep Meadow in Stanley Park

The Times Square

hey,

my next stop after Boston was NYC. After my two days in Boston I left the city and went forward to the mega metropole of the world. Already in Boston I saw signs heading to NY. But I just started to belive that I'm going to this place as I arrived in Manhattan.
Before the bus arrived there we crossed the Bronx. everything looked very familiar as we drove there trough the streets. Everywhere it looked like in a hollywood movie. A lot of black people dressed in the hip hop gangster style, old houses with the so typical fire exits, ...
Then we I arrived some minutes later in Mahattan. The traffic was terrible. We were always stocked between the traffic lights surrounded from hunderts of the typical yellow taxis. Slowly we moved drom one block to the next. After some more blocks we passed the Stanley Park. I never saw so many people in a park!!! We continued moving slowly through the gaps between the skyscraper of Midtown Mahattan.
As I arrived at the busdepot I tried to get to my hostel with the subway. The public transport system in New York is very old and not very tourist friendly. After some time I found finaly the hostel.
I checked in and went out in the evening to the Times Square. Times Square is one of these many crazy places in NY you have to see. If you stop on this place and watch long enough the many colourful TV screens you will feel like in a rush of drugs. There are so many people and so many more TV screens with advertising. It just unbelieveable.

At the next day I did a walk in the Stanely Park. Thats an other crazy place. The park is a big square where you can enjoy the nature in the middle of this huge city. At this day ther was a marathon, a joga group, pepole playing baseball or doing just a picnic in the park with their family. I went went between the skyscrapers of midtown and visited the famous Chrysler Building, the UN building, the Rockefeller Centre, the Public Libary,...
I took a subway to Chinatown. There you really don't feel like in New York. The districts there are a mirrows of the multicultural culture of world in one city. On the streets are markets where you can buy spices, vegetables,... There are 75 percent of the people chinese. I went to Little Italy where you can go eat pizza or Littel Portugal with an other own character.
I went also to Ground Zero. There you can see at the moment a big construction site and the first building of the new WTC. At evening I crossed the old historical Brooklyn Bridge. From the other side I enjoyed the fantastic sunset over skyline of lower Manhattan. The end of a beautyful day.

At the next day I decided to go to Liberty Island. With the ferry you can get to the Island where you can see the famous Statue of Liberty. Tou have also a great view on the skyline of Mahattan. It's just an amazing place to be. I also went to Ellis Island. That's the place where all the immigrants arrived in the 18th and 19th century to start a better life in the new world. On the Island I visited the Imigration Museum before I went back to Manhattan. I visited the famous Trinty Church and the
Wall Street in the finacial district the place where they deal with money of the world.
At I walked to ""The Top of The Rock" From the top of the Rockefeller Centre you have an amazing view on NYC. You see the Central Park, the Empire State Building, The Chrysler Building, .... just everything you can see from the top of this huge building. The panorama is amazing.

At my last day I went to Rucker Park. That's a legendary basketball court situated i nthe Harlem where legends were born. Together with some bro's from the neighbourhood I played basketball before I catched the bus to Niaga Falls.

All together NY is a fantastic city which is just crazy. Everybody should visit this place at least once in his life because you will never find a similar place like that on the world. It's just unbelievable. Believe it!

Greetings from the Statue of Liberty

Karsten

Boston

The contrast between old and new

An old train staion in the finacial district

The historic district

Hey,

from Halifax I took the bus south to Boston. It was a one day bus ride just to cross the border to the USA. To cross the border was easy. The problem was just another time the bad bus conection system. As I arrived in the USA it was 18.00 o'clock the next conecting bus left at the 6.00 o'clock in the morning!!! Because i had to spent the night in the town I searched for a place to sleep. Finaly I set up my tent in the back of an old house where was nobody living anymore. I spent the night there and continued my bus ride at the next day.

I arrived in Boston at the same day. Boston is a big american city. The people are very different compared with Canada. They speak in another way and are just different in their mind. There is a finacial district which gives the city the typical north american skyline.
But Boston is not just that! You can discover a lot of history too. Of course that's the city of the Boston Tea Party or The Boston massacre. So you can find an interesting historical district with small streets and old houses built with bricks. There are green trees beside the streets, old church's, restarants,... The park of the city is beautiful too. All that makes the city unique and a nice stop for me to spent a day.

Greetings from the States

Karsten

Coast to Coast

Freedom at the at finish line!

Finished! Peggy's Cove at the Atlantic Coast

Lobster cages in Peggy's Cove

Wooh the Transcanada Trip is done. After 9.5 months I arrived in Peggy's Cove. There is a famous lighthouse which was ever my finishline on my trip. I never thought that I make to this point! At the beginning i thought i'm stucked in BC. Now I traveled more than 6000 km to this point. From Victoria in BC to Hallifax in Nova Scotia. From West to East. A lot of unpredictable things happened in this time. It was always exiting to don't know whats coming next. I saw more from Canada like the most canadians :). Here in Halifax Europe is closer than Vancouver!
I reached everything I wanted to do. But the trip is fortunetly not over now. I have still 2.5 exiting months before I come back at home. But whats now comming up is just plus which I could never imagine myself! Now there will come Highlights like New York, Niagara Falls, Toronto and finally the Rocky Mountains. So be exited to see what is still coming. The journey is not over now. Keep reading!

Thanks to everybody who helped me like hitchiking, gave me a place to stay, gave me a meal, gave me new hope in difficult situations, ...

Thank you to everybody I met on this long journey!

Greetings from Halifax Nova Scotia

Karsten

Le parc du nationale Hautes Georges et le fjord du sagunay

The view on the St. Lorence and the village Tadoussac

The Fjord du Sagunay from the ferry

On the road along the St. Lorence

The boat I did the cruise with in the Hautes Georges NP

The view from the top down at the river

The Mountains of Laurantide

On the way up!

Hey ya!

From Quebec I took the bus north. I travelled on the west side of the St. Lorence. The bus stopped an other time in the middle of no where. I got off and hitchhiked successfull and easy going to the Parc du national Hautes Georges.
That's an other great national park in the Mountains of Laurantide. The park is crossed by a river. I took the park shuttle to the start of a trail. The day was sunny and so i used the chance to make test. I hiked the 10 km with my heavy backpack. The trail was fantastic but it was not easy to go! I went up 800 m horizontal in just 5 km. So the trail looked like stairs going up in the blue sky! On the way there was still snow in just 1000m altitude. It was hard but I made it safe! On the way everybody asked me if I want to camp on the top or how heavy it is! Other one made coments like with this Backpack to go up is the dead! But actually I reached the top safe and successfull. From the top you got an amazing view on the river in the valley and the surrounding mountains. Far away you could see the St. Lorance. The view was so beautyful! Not to far away I could even spot some Caribou.
After the way down I spent the night on a campground.
At the next day I did a boat cruise on the river. A very interesting cruise with a park ranger who gave me a lot of information.
I hitchiked back to the highway. There I just waited 5 minutes after an other one stopped to pick me up. It's was like waiting for a taxi :) Together we drove to Tadoussac. We crossed the fjord du Sagunay with a ferry. The weather was great and view of the ferry on the fjord also. As I arrived in Tadoussac my digital camera was brocken! One year Canada was just to much for it! :(((
I camped on the campground of the hostel. Tadoussac is a nice and smove village. It's very quite but so beautyfull. Here you have everything you need and the people are nice too. It's also one of the best destinations to do wahle watching. I walked around the village and some kilometers of the trail du fjord du Sagunay. There I got an other breath taking view on the village of Tadoussac and the St. Lorence. At the next day the weather was bad! Too bad to do a wahle watching trip which I planed to do. I decided to go back to Quebec by bus instead. The wahle watching I will do later.

Enjoy the pics

Karsten

Quebec un peu europa in north america!

Rue du petit Champlain

It looks like 300 years ago!

The waterfall Montmorency

The terasse Duferin and the Chateu du Frontanac

The parliament building

Quebec was once a bastion of high strategy importance

It's Europe? It's paris? No it's quebec in America!

One the thousands restaurants

Hey,

sorry it's already again a long time ago since my last posting. But at this time it was not easy to get internet access in the USA.

After the canoe trip I continued travelling alone :( With the bus I went to Quebec City where I spent 2 days.
Quebec is an 400 year old city and it's the only one in north america surrounded with a wall. It has a historric city centre with a lot of sights to see. There is an old military cathedral, the parliament building of the province of Quebec, the historic centre of the city, the Rue du petit Champlain,... But the main attraction is the Chateau du Frontanac. It's a big luxury hotel.

The culture is so different. Everybody speaks french here! For me it was very interesting to see something else instead of skysrcaper and fast food culture. It was a great experience to see the european style back. Sometimes you forget that you are in america and not in France! It really looks like Paris!!! Restaurants and history everwhere that was that wath I missed the last months ago.

Vivre Quebec!

Karsten