Tag: Travel

Winter in Ontario

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Due to the recent weather conditions, I got a little extra time working on my stories. When exploring parts of Ontario, Canada, I basically had no expectations. What a beautiful province!

In total, there are 10 Canadian provinces, with three territories to the north. The provinces are, in alphabetical order: Alberta,British Columbia, Manitoba, New Brunswick, Newfoundland and Labrador, Nova Scotia, Ontario, Prince Edward Island, Quebec, and Saskatchewan. The three territories are Northwest Territories, Nunavut, and Yukon.

Winter in Ontario

Ontario is Canada’s most populous province, comprising 40 percent of the country’s total population. It is also home to the federal capital of Ottawa and the unofficial financial capital of Toronto. It is best known for Algonquin Park, the Niagara wine region, Bruce Trail (the oldest and longest continuous public footpath in Canada), and the many beautiful forests and lakes. And oh boy – I had no idea it can be so beautiful.

I admit there was a time when I missed the mountains. But do you know this feeling when someone says the right thing in the right moment? Amin reminded me that you can’t have everything all the time and within a split second I realized how stupid my thoughts were. I could have hugged him for this. If I could pick someone I would get lost in a snow blizzard with, it would be him. It would be fun and safe at the same time.

Seriously, who was I to complain? I was in Canada enjoying the great outdoors, making one of my dreams come true. So, after this stupid split second, I was very grateful that all my hard work paid off and was just living the moment.

The Great Outdoors in Ontario

Initially, my brother and I had totally different plans, but due to the weather, our itinerary changed on a daily basis. Snow blizzards, freezing rain, ice storms, you name it. But this is nature. You just have to go with the flow. That is actually something I love about the Great Outdoors. And I was prepared for any kind of weather out there, even for very cold temperatures.

Freezing rain

I had never experienced this kind of freezing rain before. Freezing rain is the name given to rain maintained at temperatures below freezing by the ambient air mass that causes freezing on contact with surfaces. Unlike a mixture of rain and snow, ice pellets, or hail, freezing rain is made entirely of liquid droplets.

This means: When the freezing rain hits your windshield, it freezes immediately and makes it very brittle. Pretty dangerous, actually. When the freezing rain gets in contact with your face, it feels like tiny little needles hitting you. If you then add this crazy wind chill, temperatures felt like -25 degrees Celsius or colder and you really needed to cover your face to avoid frost bites. But I loved it anyways. Even went running – not for long distances, though, but I did get out there.

Snow blizzards and ice storms were nothing new to me. Since I live pretty close to the mountains and have been to Finnish Lapland during one of their coldest winters, I am used to these kind of weather conditions. For me, it even can be somewhat romantic and adventurous at the same time. Love it. My brother: NOOOOOT so much.

Blue Mountains

A two-hour drive, north from Toronto, there is a little holiday resort called Blue Mountain. Some people call this area “Little Switzerland”, but I would not go this far. They just have one tiny hill up there. Elevation gain: 650 m. So, no offense, but you cannot call it “Little Switzerland”.

However, it is very picturesque and beautiful. Regarding the atmosphere it sort of reminded me of Whistler Village. And yes, pretty touristy, I admit. If you are into winter sports, you might be a little disappointed, but if you just wanna chill and relax with a little exercise, you will love it. I took skiing lessons, since I am currently not sure, if I should switch.

When I went snowboarding, I started to feel the pain from my severe hip injury last year. Not sure, if it’s my technique. But I think I will take more skiing lessons back in Munich so that I am more flexible when choosing my winter outdoor activities. This weekend I will probably go cross-country skiing, working on my general fitness.

Northern Ontario

Wow, just WOW. I had no idea that you could see Northern Lights in Ontario. With all the snow and ice storms, I did not expect any kind of magic. But then there it was. I just wanted to go for a walk, still had too much energy. LOL – I think sometimes my brother was annoyed of my inner adrenaline junkie.

So, I went outside and started to see little shadows on the sky. First, I thought it was just wafts of mist, but then, after a while, they turned green. – I still have this Northern Lights App on my cell-phone from my visit to Finnish Lapland. Hence, I turned it on and then: holy cannoli. It was going crazy. So I went back, put on my warmest clothes and went hunting the lights. And there they were. There I stood. Me alone at the lake in Canada. And this magical moment. Goosebumps and tears in my eyes.

I closed my eyes, took a deep breath and was just happy and grateful. Priceless, beautiful. The most magical gift!

So, this was my time in Ontario. I will definitely come back checking out more places during different seasons. I don’t know what and when, yet, but I surely will. Canada, you are pretty awesome!

But for now, I am looking forward to go back home and honestly cannot wait to be back in Davos. I miss it and also cannot wait to see my dearest friends again…

xoxo

photo credits: Munich Mountain Rebel

Accomodation Grischa – DAS Hotel Davos

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ADVERT

(click here for English summary)

Für mein Mountainbike und Trailrunning-Training übernachte ich jeweils im Sporthotel Grischa und muss ehrlich sagen, dass ich das Hotel auch privat großartig finde. Generell brauche ich keinen übertriebenen Luxus, sondern möchte mich einfach nur Zuhause fühlen. Da ich meistens alleine reise, bevorzuge ich gemütliche Einzelzimmer zu einem fairen Preis; sauber und komfortabel. In der Regel ist man allerdings gezwungen, ein Doppelzimmer zur Einzelnutzung zu buchen oder man erhält ein Einzelzimmer, was gerade mal so groß und komfortabel ist wie eine Abstellkammer. Sehr, sehr uncool. Nicht so im Grischa. Da ist wirklich für jeden etwas dabei: für Singles und Alleinreisende, Pärchen und Familien.

Die Zimmer im Grischa

Ich selbst habe jeweils in der Suite Bocktenhorn übernachtet und war rundum zufrieden: extrem geräumig, ein großes Badezimmer mit Dusche und Badewanne, zwei Balkone, ein großer Wohn- und Essbereich und ein schöner Ankleidebereich im Flur. Für eine Person fast schon zu groß, wenn man bedenkt, dass ich die meiste Zeit eh draußen in der Natur verbringe. Von der ersten Minute an habe ich mich wie zu Hause gefühlt.

Vor allem das Bett war großartig. Dadurch, dass ich extrem viel unterwegs bin, ist das für mich ehrlich gesagt mit am wichtigsten. Es gibt nichts Schlimmeres, als verspannt aufzuwachen. Schließlich liebe ich den Outdoor-Sport, um mich eben komplett zu entspannen und abzuschalten. Auch die Kosmetikserie von Rituals war eine Punktlandung. Ich versuche immer mit so wenig Gepäck wie möglich zu reisen, was auch Kosmetik- und Hygieneartikel betrifft. Wenn ich weiß, dass ich im Hotel eine gute Bodylotion habe, mit der ich mich vor dem Schlafengehen einreiben kann, bin ich happy.

Trotzdem habe ich mir während einer Hotelführung auch die anderen Zimmer angeschaut und muss sagen, dass ich wirklich ganz besonders von den Einzelzimmern begeistert bin. Der gleiche Standard und Komfort wie bei den anderen Zimmern und auch nicht zu klein.

Was mir zudem gut gefällt ist, dass jedes Zimmer einen eigenen Touch hat. Im gesamten Hotel findet man außerdem sehr schöne Naturaufnahmen, die der Inhaber selbst fotografiert hat. Das gibt dem Ganzen eine persönliche Note und passt auch richtig gut zu einem Sporthotel.

Kulinarisches

Auch hier erfüllt das Hotel wieder nahezu jeden Wunsch. Ob chinesisch, ausgefallene Showküche, gute Hausmannskost oder ein erstklassiges Käsefondue, das Grischa verfügt über fünf unterschiedliche Restaurants, so dass kaum ein Wunsch offen bleibt. Auch das Frühstück kann sich sehen lassen.

Ganz egal, wonach einem ist, ob man es lieber süß oder herzhaft mag, die Küche ist ausgezeichnet. Ich persönlich hab genau zwei Schwächen: Burger und Schokoladenkuchen. Beides auch im Grischa eine exzellente Wahl.

Übrigens ist es ganz angenehm, abends nach einer Biketour draußen auf der Terrasse oder in der Bar zu chillen. Die Atmosphäre hat mir gut gefallen und das Publikum ist wirklich sehr lässig.

Zusammenfassend kann ich sagen, dass es ein sehr gutes Hotel ist. Vom tollen Extra-Service für MTB-Fans hatte ich ja bereits berichtet. Der Wäscheservice, die persönlichen Tourentipps und der Transport-Voucher sind top. Das Einzige, was ich eventuell manchmal vermissen würde, wäre ein hausinternes Schwimmbad, da ich nach einem harten und anstrengenden Lauf gerne etwas Schwimmen gehe, um zu entspannen.

Für zwei Nächte habe ich 360 CHF bezahlt.

xoxo

photo credits: Grischa – Das Hotel Davos

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English Summary: Accomodation Grischa – DAS Hotel Davos

For my mountain biking and trail running training in Switzerland I stayed at hotel Grischa – a very accommodating sports hotel. Since I mostly travel by myself, I always need to book a double room for single occupancy, which is actually quite annoying. But at the Grischa they also offer spacious, comfortable single rooms for active outdoor enthusiasts like me.

Generally, they have different rooms for almost anybody: families, friends, singles, couples, business travelers. I was very surprised by the variety and the unique features of each category. My personal highlight: the sleeping place. Since I travel a lot, I really need a comfortable bed in order to relax and have a good night’s sleep. Let me tell ya: I slept like a baby – no tension in my back, neck or shoulders, extremely cozy. Almost as great as my boxspring bed at home.

Also, I loved the bathrom amenities. Most of the time I love to travel light, leaving loads of stuff at home, including toiletries. Hence, I highly appreciate it when a hotel offers high quality body lotion so that I can have my evening beauty routine. At the Grischa they collaborate with Rituals, which is excellent. Going to bed with smooth, soft skin, smelling good – what else do you need?

Cuisine

You can really spoil yoursel at the Grischa, choosing from five different restaurants. Whether you prefer Italian cuisine in an stylish ambiance, specialties from the grill, seasonal delicacies or authentic Chinese cuisine, they have it all, always offering the best quality. My personal favorite: burger and chocolate cake.  Sorry, but after a long run, I ALWAYS crave either a burger or chocolate cake; cannot help it. – My personal tip: enjoy a sundowner on their terrace after a nice bike ride. You will love it.

All in all, it is an excellent hotel, which I would always book myself, especiall when I take my bike with me to Davos. Thumbs up!

Norway Travel Tips

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3,000 miles in one week. Insane? Totally! Worth it? Well, it depends. Together with my mom & dad I traveled from Sweden to Norway, exploring the beautiful fjords and mountains. Our route: Malmö – Helsingborg – Halmstadt – Göteborg – Fredrikstad – Oslo – Lillehammer – Mjøsasee -Vinstra – Geiranger Fjord – Skei/Stryn – Flåmbahn – Bergen.

Bergen vs. Oslo

I gotta admit that I wasn’t fond of doing any city trip. As an outdoor girl I was more into exploring the beautiful landscape and doing some outdoor activites: biking, running and hiking. Hence, my expectations were pretty low when visiting Oslo and Bergen.

If you ask for my opinion, which city is definitely worth a trip, I would clearly recommend Bergen. Of course, as the capital of Norway, Oslo has more of that big city feel and a long and rich history. And if you are interested in art, vikings and history, Oslo surely is YOUR city.

BUT for me, Bergen has it all. Surrounded by the hills – sorry, living in Munich I cannot really call them mountains – Bergen is more scenic and picturesque. The crowd seems to be cooler and more relaxed as well, more trendy. I really loved these picturesque wooden houses along the seafront as well as the little alleys – all very charming. Just one little downer: it rains A LOT in Bergen. But as you probably know: there is no such thing as bad weather. Only wrong clothing.

My favorite things to do in Bergen

Hiking Mt Ulriken & Mt Fløyen: Known as the gateway to the fjords, Bergen offers endless hiking opportunities on the seven mountain tops around the city. One of the most popular self-guided treks is the panoramic hike from Mount Ulriken to Mount Fløyen across Vidden (around five hours).

If you want a shorter hike, Mount Fløyen is a good option. You can either start the hike from the bottom of the mountain or take the Fløibanen funicular up and start the hike from the top station.

Restaurant tips: I checked out the tips from Marina O’Loughlin and recommend to do the same. Down at the waterfront, at the Bryggen, a complex of tiny alleyways and pavements made from wood, is where you can get to grips with old Bergen (so much so that the area has been given Unesco World Heritage status). It’s worth fighting your way through the tour groups and seeking out the likes of local restaurants. – Also, make sure to check out Fish Me at the fish market. I LOVED it.

Fjord Cruise: I can recommend a day trip to the nearby Sognefjorden, the longest of the fjords in Norway and breathtakingly beautiful. For people interested in a more extensive voyage, check out the Hurtigruten. This cruise sets off from Bergen on a daily basis and travels all the way along the Norwegian coast to its northernmost point.

The Fjords of Norway

Well, I am honest: I did not really fall in love with Norway. Somehow I missed the magic from the Bavarian / Austrian / Swiss Alps. Don’t get me wrong, the landscape is very beautiful and, depending on the light and setting, you surely have some magical moments. But I was not as excited as I thought I would be.

Geiranger Fjord: Geiranger itself is VERY touristy and way too crowded for me. We went there via the “Trollstigen mountain road”, which is an absolute must-see attraction. We did not go to Trollstigen directly, but drove part of the 100km mountain pass. The road opened in 1936 and is a testimony to superb engineering and construction skills using the simplest of tools from the hard thirties. Definitely worth a photo stop.

I don’t think I would go on another ferry ride, though. It was just a one-hour trip from Geiranger to Hellesylt and too touristy for my taste. Me personally, I would simply stay in Stryn at a friend’s house, go biking & hiking to Geiranger and then do a kayak tour on the fjord. But, I do admit: the Geiranger fjord is one of the most gorgeous fjords in the world – that is for sure.

Sognefjord: This one I REALLY liked. The Sognefjord, situated in the middle of Fjord Norway, extends all of 204 km inland and contains some of the wildest and most beautiful scenery in Norway. National Geographic Traveler magazine has called this area “the world’s most iconic destination”. I would not go so far, but it was one of my highlights in Norway.

Gålå

This was probably my favorite area: staying in a mountain hut, drinking hot chocolate, waking up to a magical sunrise, surrounded by nothing but a pretty lake and great nature. Gålå is a Norwegian resort in the district of Gudbrandsdalen, catering for both winter and summer leisure activities. However, it is definitely more popular during winter season, especially for cross-country skiing.

Hence, you can really enjoy some quiet and peaceful moments during late summer season. My personal recommendation: rent a nice cabin for a week and simply live the Norwegian kind of lifestyle.

Flåm Railway

The Flåm Line is a 20.2-kilometer long railway line between Myrdal and Flåm in Aurland and has been described as one of the most beautiful train journeys in the world. Again, for me personally, the glacier express in Switzerland is far more magical, but you do get to see some picturesque houses and waterfalls during this little train ride, stopping at Kjosfossen waterfall. At this tourist stop you get to see the Huldra, an elusive forest spirit from Norse mythology, singing her song to the tourists. According to local folklore, she lures men into the woods to seduce them.

Is the train ride worth it? If you plan on traveling from Flam to Bergen, then this little stop is definitely worth it.

Make sure to take along some delicious Norwegian pastry. Darn, I almost got addicted to these sweet, little things.

All in all, yes, I was a little disappointed. It probably was insane to travel that far within such a short period of time. Make sure to schedule in at least three weeks when exploring this country so that you can actually enjoy it.

However, some day I will definitely go back visiting my friend Tobi, going on some awesome MTB tours over there. But I would also love to explore the north, the Lofoten and Norwegian Alps, trying to uncover some real mountain magic – hopefully.

xoxo

photo credits: Munich Mountain Rebel