Sunshine Village

Today I had the privilege to join a few friends on a one day ski trip to Sunshine Village Ski Resort in Banff National Park. While I have been longing for the snow ever since last weekend I was a bit anxious that most of it had melted away (yesterday we had 14 degrees Celsius here in Calgary). Lucky for me the snow was still there and Mother Nature decided to fill up on the storage during the afternoon.

Sunshine Village offered great slopes but to my disappointment they were all not groomed. Probably a dream for all snowboarders (which most of the people are here) but a hell for a skier – felt like I was going off-piste several times.  I even encounter a slope with a warning sign for avalanches (that’s who ungroomed the slopes are!!!).  At one point I was sliding down the slope rather than skiing and that does not happen often (or maybe it’s a sign I need to take a ski class or not go in the dubble diamond black slopes).

Relaxing the rest of the evening with a cup of green tea and my new favorite TV show (while my other favorites are on hold) – Ringer.

Good Morning Europe!

Friday

Okay, so the self pity is over. I first tried to solve it with some shopping at H&M and the new Marni Collection but with limited success (I bought a scarf but somehow the designer thought it would be neat to cut it in two pieces, so I returned my half scarf). Not too impressed by the collection, and I am still amazed how humans can behave like animals for fashion (well, I guess it is the new religion) and buy up many pieces and sell them on the second-hand market. It’s outrageous that H&M does not impose a quantity limit on each purchase.

I realized that what I need is not psychological attention through shopping but a physical challenge so tomorrow I am heading up to the mountains with my friends – this time for skiing. The mountains are the ultimate freedom and one of the reasons why I am here in Canada. Time to utilize them a bit better.

Ironic

Today I feel sorry for myself. I am already deep down in my cosy bed in my cosy pyjamas, with my Starbucks mug filled with green tea (vanilla and black currant). Maybe I will even take a taste of my Lindt Chocolate Sea Salt, which means I am most certain very sad.

Might have been that I have been listening too many times to Eva Cassidy, or because my earphones broke so I cannot listen to music anymore, or because my muscles are sour from the body pump program, or because I had to wake up 5.45 am, or maybe it is just the thing that life is so damn ironic.

Yes, that is probably it – Irony

Photograph: Playa Grande, Costa Rica

Inspirational

16 years after her death Eva Cassidy still moves me to tears

Time After Time

Black & White

 There is a lot going on right now… Take a deep breath and exhale.

But as they say; “Do not take life too seriously. You will never get out of it alive”

Photograph: Calgary, Alberta

To Ski Or Not To Ski

 

I had the opportunity to join a few newfound friends up in the mountains when they were going skiing. I heard that the snow quality has been bad this year so I was a bit reluctant to rent all the necessary gear and buy some equipment just to enjoy the snow for a day.

So I stayed in the cottage while the others were out plowing the new fallen snow powder, and I was green of envy (or maybe white?). Not even my great book (“Lost Dogs and Lonely Hearts" by Lucy Dillon) and my warm chocolate could substitute the skiing experience. But with one month left of the ski season and without a car it seems a bit distant for me to go skiing… I guess I just have to avoid the mountains and pray that the new fallen snow melts fast so we can do some proper hiking instead. Meanwhile I should probably focus on other more important things.

(Judging from the pictures you notice that the weather was not that great… and yes, the ski facilities in the Rockies can get crowded too).

Photographs: Lake Louise Ski Resort

Snow

Photograph: Lake Louise Ski Resort