Not only having an awesome time in Canada but also meeting great people made my stay in Canada unforgettable. I am just happy!

Thank you!

PEI is one of the most beautiful provinces in Canada. Its fields, flowers and trees are picturesque and you won’t miss taking photos. Do not forget to bring a good camera. On the coastline all around PEI you’ll find many light houses, red sand cliffs and beaches.

The people are very friendly and laid-back. I’ve met so many great new friends and I was even invited for a beach party. Playing golf on the sea floor(!) while low tide, digging for clams and eating them and having great talks was surely a highlight during my visit of PEI.

If you have a car you should come by ferry and return over the Confederation bridge to the mainland, it’s less expensive. Public transportation is almost not existing on PEI, therefore a car or a bike is highly recommended.

Charlottetown

Staying in Charlottetown Backpackers Inn HI hostel allows you to meet people from all over the world. Since Levi, the owner, is living in the hostel itself, this hostel is very familiar, clean and well organized. And the staff of 2010 was just awesome!

Charlottetown Backpackers Inn
60 Hillsborough Street
Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4W1

There is a garage with a vinyl player, chess table and a pool table, and outside, you’ll find a BBQ. Ask your friends and other guests if they’ll join you for a great BBQ!

However, there are other great place to eat as well, it doesn’t matter for what kind of food you’re looking for. Do you wanna seafood? Lobster? Go to Water-Prince Corner Shop, it’s a small, unimposing restaurant but really worth to go. I was told that local people prefer to go there and so did I. Having had once fish&chips (with real fresh cut fries) and once lobster, I would return any time.

Water-Prince Corner Shop
141 Water Street
Charlottetown, PE, C1A 1A8

If you are more into pizza, there is a food court in the Confederation Court Mall. The restaurant is called Urban Eatery and is open between 11am and 2pm! Buy a box of Oregano in the dollar store in the basement of the mall in advanced and strew a little bit over your pizza. You’ll have (almost) an italian pizza which is hard to find in Canada.

Urban Eatery
134 Kent Street
Charlottetown, PE, C1A 9N4

Last but not least, you’ll get delicious sandwiches and desserts in Leonhard’s Café & Bakery. The German owners also make fresh breads every day, too bad that they are not using salt to bake their bread because the ingredients and consistence of the loaf are amazing!

Leonhard’s Café & Bakery
42 University Avenue
Charlottetown, PE, C1A 4K6

A very important meal of the day is of course an ice cream. Go to Cows ice cream at the waterfront. They say it’s the best ice cream in Canada and they are not lying… it is the best ice cream!

Having a good beer while having a great BBQ is very important. For this reason, there is a great brewery just three blocks from the hostel. The micro brewery is called Gahan.

Gahan House Pub Brewery
126 Sydney Street
Charlottetown, PE, C1A 1G4

Outside of Charlottetown

Go for a coastal drive between West Cap and North Cap and enjoy the sea coloured blood-red from the sand. (If you need a gas station, stop in Miminegash!) Both West Cap and North Cap are great places to visit.

There is a great fox museum in Summerside, explaining the history of fox breed on PEI.

Anne of Green Gables invites for visits in her farmhouse in Cavendish. I haven’t seen this place because I haven’t heard of this story before my stay on PEI. However, Cavendish has a really nice coastline as well with great beaches.

One of the best beach, however, is located behind the dunes of Greenwich Prince Edward National Park. It’s a 4 km trail to go there but it’s definitively worth. Once arrived, you’ll find a long white sand beach! Be warned, there is no washroom next to the beach!

You might enjoy a drive from St. Peters on the North coast to the East Cap. It’s probably the least populated area of PEI. Following the coast further south, you should stop at the Basin Head Provincial Park and go to the beach.

Don’t miss the Southern coastline between Confederation Bridge and Charlottetown as well as Wood Islands (ferry port) and Cape Bear.

You’ll be fascinated from the breathtaking countryside! It’s a promise!

It’s a long time since I wrote my last blog entry – more than 3 months to be exactly.

After dining a Raclette on New Years Eve, 2010 started with a decision I regret a bit. I would have had a job in Squamish for the olympics which I declined because all my friends are living in Vancouver. Moving to Squamish was not an option at this time. So I kept looking for a job in downtown and found one as a Kitchen Helper at Prospect Point Lookout in Stanley Park. It was a great experience and I had nice co-workers. I recognized that I love cooking but it won’t be my dream job.

But every decision has its reason – because I declined the job offer in Squamish I found an awesome Canadian roommate to share an apartment in Fairview (South Granville) at 12th Ave and Granville St. It’s an amazing old apartment with charms. Last time I remember being in that kind of apartment was many years ago when my grandparents were still living in Seefeld in Zürich. For thus who have Facebook I posted a photo on Facebook.

The last two weeks of February – when the olympic games were in Vancouver – I was quite busy at work and with celebrating the games. I met new friends from all over the world… from New Zealand, Australia, Canada, the States, Japan and Europe. I went to the house of Switzerland several times, eating delicious Swiss food and watched an awesome hockey game between Canada and Switzerland. It was a nerve-wracking game but we played very well. Another highlight was the last weekend of the olympic games where I’ve attended to a street party and celebrated Canada’s victory over the States in the overcrowded streets of Vancouver.

And today? I’m back at Tamwood – my English school – since two weeks and learning hard for the CAE exam in June. I’ve great classmates and an awesome teacher Jennifer and she’s trying to motivate her students whenever she can. Our class consists almost only Swiss students. We are 6 Swiss-German, 1 Swiss-French, 1 from Liechtenstein and 1 from Germany.

This weekend I’ve been to Granville Island, skiing on Grouse Mountain and visiting the Chinese Garden where I bought Chop-stick. I love Sushi!! It’s so good and cheap.

Last but not least to mention I went skiing to Whistler in February. It was awesome! There is no ski region – which I know – to compare with Whistler-Blackcomb!

So here I am and try to keep you up-to-date.

I’d like to finish with a quote of Wilhelm Bush: «Man erwirbt keine Freunde – man erkennt sie.» (You can’t gain friends – you have to recognize them.).

Christmas Eve
On Thursday, I got a letter and a parcel. The content of the letter was a 2010 calendar from my nephew. He built and drew it by himself with a lovely photo where he’s masked as Zorro. My mother sent me the parcel with a book (Am Hang by Markus Werner – a Swiss writer), another book (Chuchichäschtli – a Swiss-German-English dictionary) which was Michaelas and my gift for Pili and Natalia, a deodorant (I tell you… it’s really hard to find a good deodorant in Canada) and of course some Swiss chocolate.

In the evening, I went downtown to celebrate Christmas Eve. The girls organized a potluck in their apartment. A potluck is a party where everyone bring some food. For example, Michaela made a Hackbraten, Kathrin made a tasty Hamburgischer potato salad, Anja made a sweet Rote Grütze (red grits) with vanilla ice cream for dessert, Natalia made a Brazilian dish with beans and I made a meat lasagna.

Christmas
They open the Christmas gifts in the morning of Christmas day and not like in Switzerland on Christmas Eve. Because I had a lie in, I missed that part of Christmas and opened my gifts a bit later. It was breathtaking, I got so many gifts from my host parents, a big map of Vancouver (I just don’t know how to transport it back to Switzerland), dress socks, handkerchiefs, a Canada T-Shirt and a electronic Sudoko «Gameboy». They get a tourist guide (Provence/France) and a mini dictionary (for all Western Europe countries) because they would like to travel to Europe next autumn. My Christmas gift for Misako wasn’t a success. She expected Swiss chocolate instead of a tourist guide (Vancouver) and was probably a bit disappointed?

My host mother, Islay, made a turkey for Christmas dinner and with a delicious stuffing. We celebrated Christmas traditionally with crackers. Crackers looks like big candies and you have to cross your arms and pull on your neighbours end. There are some small gifts inside. I had a tiny set of poker cards which I gave to the children.

Boxing Day (2nd Christmas day)
I went downtown and couldn’t believe what I’ve seen… People were standing line to go into shops. Shops decrease their prices massively. As you might know, I avoid crowds so I didn’t shop all day and went to the next Starbucks coffee shop in Yaletown to search for an apartment. (You’ll have free Internet access in Starbucks for 2 hours per day.) A bit disappointed in finding nothing (of course, the people are celebrating their boxing day and don’t publish posts in Craigslist) I went home.

In the evening, I went downtown again to meet friends, but they weren’t there and I hadn’t a phone number so I decided to try an Irish pub in Gastown called Heather. It’s a nice pub with amazing posters on the wand: «Guinness is good for you!» and how right they have! They had also an Irish whiskey named Red Breast. It was the first time I found this whiskey outside of Connemara (one of the most beautiful region in Ireland) – to be more exactly Westport, Ireland. Do you remember, Jonas, Sandra and Simeon?

On Friday we gathered ourselves close to Canada Place and departed on 7.15am. Oh no stop, there was a Brazilian girl missing. Next stop Hope. It’s a town on the way to Kamloops. According to a friend – because I can’t remember what our tour guide said – Rambo 1 was filmed in this town. After we bought some food for breakfast, a toast loaf and some Swiss (Lindt) chocolate. We departed late because a Saudi was missing. From now on, each timetable which our tour guide scheduled was in Swiss time. However, Latin America holds the trophy of being late. Next stop Kamloops. But unfortunately not in the city center, we stopped in a shopping mall nearby. Next stop Last Spike which is the location of the final track during building the Canadian Pacific Railway. Next stop Kicking Horse Mountain Resort where we went Snow Tubing. It was so fun especially if you are going together. Some of the people created a chain of 5 but this might have been dangerous. Next stop Golden where we slept the first night and had our first room party.

On Saturday, we got up early at 7am and departed already at 8.30am. But as you might guess, we weren’t on time. Next stop Lake Louise. This amazing lake was frozen so we were walking on his surface. Some of the people went skating but I preferred having a stroll. Oh and I shouldn’t forget to mention our snowball battle; Switzerland (2 people) against Spain (>5 people). However, the Spanish were weak, Michaela and I defeat them without problems. We continued our drive through the Banff National Park and arrived in Banff where some people did sightseeing. However, the most of us went to the top of the Sulphur Mountain by gondola made in Switzerland. In the evening we went to an Irish pub (but it wasn’t a good real one) to eat and to a local nightclub.

On Sunday, everyone was soooo tired. We headed to Panorama Mountain Village which is a ski resort located in the Purcell Mountains close to Invermere where Fernando, Michaela, Laura and I did our first attempt on a Snowboard. We did it very well, our teacher said that we were fast learners but she didn’t showed us how to make turns. So we decided to teach it ourselves and watched other snowboarders. I’m thinking about replacing my skis with a snowboard but I might give my skis another chance since I went last time for skiing 7 ago.

On Monday, everyone was more tired than the day before. The departure time was already at 7am. We just drove back to Vancouver and made a stop on Rogers Pass. We arrived in Vancouver in the evening at 9pm.

What did I yesterday and today? Well, I was organizing Christmas gifts and looking for an apartment.

Because of my friends in the CAE class, we had to celebrate the speaking test (as well as writing test) twice on Wednesday in Michaela’s apartment with an Absolut Vancouver Vodka and on Friday in Doolins, which is an Irish pub in Vancouver. Of course, I had my must-have Guinness.

On Saturday, Philipp, his host family and I went to Lynn Valley Suspension Bridge. One day later, on Sunday, Andrea (my roommate and former classmate), Mara and I were watching the Christmas Parade downtown and freezing. It was so coooold. We’ve expected that we will see Santa and his reindeer Rudolph but there were mostly commercials such as a masqueraded Blackberry. So we left the parade disappointed short before the end of the parade (we didn’t know it) to have a coffee in a warm café (it was not really warm…) in Londsdale Quai where Misako (my other roommate) is working. (The café is called «Beans around the World» and as I’ve already written in a previously post they make the best cinnamon buns in town.) However, in the evening, we found out that Santa was there but he was on the last waggon. But wait, we saw Rudolph on the parade, but he was motorized. There is a bus downtown which has a red nose, a horns and a tail. You might see a photo of him on Facebook.

Let’s move on to this week… On Monday I went to apply for a job at the Olympics Games in a recruitment office but they are searching (at the moment) people who want to work in Whistler. This would mean that I would have to commute 3 hours per day with a 12 hours shift. So, I told them I will think about it but I would prefer a job downtown.

Well, on Tuesday, it was our big day because we had our writing papers which we celebrated in the evening with Mexican food and beer. There are two Mexican beer I can recommend: Dos Equis Amber XX and Pacifico. There are worlds between Corona and these beers! I prefer Dos Equis Amber XX because it has more taste and character.

Tamwood’s CAE class had its writing papers on Wednesday. I joined them to celebrate with my friends. First, we went to Cambies which is a nice Canadian pub and I met some older Canadian guys from Quebec. After Cambies, we moved to a disco which I didn’t like so much.

The weekend after this weekend I’m going to the Rockies with some friends organized by Club ESL. I’m looking forward but before I can go I should go shopping because I do not have enough warm clothes and it’s really cold in the Rockies… -20°C and less!

You might ask yourself, did he find already an apartment downtown. Unfortunately I’ve to answer it with no. I’m still searching.

So, that’s it for today.
I wish you a nice Friday — I’d like to say T.G.I.F. but then you have to reply S.H.I.T.
Take care
Thomas

T.G.I.F. = Thank god it’s Friday (Friday, 8:15am MET)
S.H.I.T. = Sorry honey it’s Thursday (Thursday, 11:15pm, PST)

I might start to write more often in my blog? My FCE exam starts in less than 1 week. The speaking part is already on 2nd Dec and the writing part on 8th Dec. Uff, time flies.

Great News

However, I don’t think this is the interesting part I should write you about. I have some great news! After I wrote in my last blog that I thought about extending my stay in Vancouver I went ahead with it and I met a work coordinator at my school.

Few days later, on last Sunday, I went down to Seattle to apply for a Study and Work Permit on the Canadian embassy. It was risky but I had to try it. Here I am, I got both permits and crossed the border without problems but I can tell you; it was nerve-wracking…!

I’ll stay for another 4-5 months in Vancouver.

Seattle - Sunday

You might want to ask me how was Seattle. Actually it’s a nice city but I like Vancouver more because there is more atmosphere around. However, there were some highlights in Seattle I would like to tell you about.

I went to the Pike Market Place at the waterfront. It’s a daily market where stall owners sell vegetables, flowers, crafts, fishes and other products. It is definitively worth to go there! Next to this place and at the same street, I enjoyed a hot chocolate in the first Starbucks Coffee Shop on the world.

If you walk one more block eastwards you’ll find a store who sells just maps. The store is called Metsker Maps. I wish I find a store like that one in Switzerland.

Seattle - Monday

On Monday I went to the Canadian embassy very early. I have arrived at 7 am, even though the embassy does not open before 8 am but it was worth to wait because I was number 17 in line. There were more than 120 people! Imagine I spent 2 hours in the embassy and was number 17. How long had number 120 to wait?

Advertisment
I just listen to Blue Memories. It’s a collection of songs which my step-father (Heinz-Günther) has published on his homepage. They were his own songs. You might listen to them. (It’s free.) His style varies between Blues, Boogie and Country. If you like them, please leave him a comment on his blog.

In the late morning, I went to the Seattle Needle. It’s a tower with a public platform which was built for the world fair in the 60s and looks like an UFO. The builders were inspired from a tower in Stuttgart/Germany.

In the afternoon, I decided to rebook my ticket for US$ 15 back to Vancouver because I just wanted to cross the border and get my permits.

School and other things

School is as usual. I had in the last 2 weeks 2 mock exams, which I passed with 75% and more but I’m looking forward to have my real exam.

What else? Oh yes, my Mexican friends are busy learning Swiss-German. And the best party in November was definitively last Saturday in the new apartment of Michaela, Anja, Kathrin and Natalia. They have a really nice flat with a stunning sight! Unfortunately, I had to go home early because of my next day’s trip to Seattle. I boarded the Greyhound bus at 7.45am in the morning with a nice hangover. Thanks to Lourdes’ Tequila (imported from Mexico).

I’ll stay this December with my host family. Between January and May, I’d like to move to an apartment downtown. I started to search a flat or a bedroom. (the Olympics increases the prices of flats…) And of course, I started to look for a job. However, I will write you again and tell you more about my progress in finding an apartment and job.

So, thats it for today.
Have a nice day if you are living in Europe or sleep well in Vancouver!

Take care,
Thomas

Photos:
http://picasaweb.google.com/thomas.zuberbuehler/SeattleNov2009 (Seattle)
http://picasaweb.google.com/thomas.zuberbuehler (all albums)

More paintings:

http://picasaweb.google.ca/sussdorf/HeidisUHGSBilder

Well, you might not believe that you’re reading a post of me but you’re not dreaming. Yes I should have written earlier and more but the problem is as always: “Time flies”. I’ve just arrived in Vancouver but it’s already 2.5 month since I’m living and studying here. However, those of you who have a Facebook account will be informed more often what I’m doing in Van. – It’s just a gentle hint for Bettina and Tino to join Facebook.

Let’s start with my impression of Van. I’m still fascinated because this city is incredible amazing. I often compare Van with Zürich because of its location close to the mountains and the water (even it’s just a lake in Zürich). Moreover it’s a busy city with many green and peaceful places such as the Stanley Park, which is the second biggest park (after Central Park in New York). Did you know that the squirrels, which are all over the city, are not domestic before they were given as a gift of New York when the Stanley Park had his great opening? However, there are so many similarities between Switzerland and Canada that I just sum up with a quote of a friend: “Die Schweiz ist wie Kanada, nur viel kleiner!”.

It was a long journey to Van last August. After almost 18 hours on airports and in air planes I’ve finally arrived my hotel downtown. I stayed for the first two days in the Best Western Downtown which was one of the most reasonable hotels during the peak season. On the following Saturday I went to my host family in North Vancouver. I like staying in this family because they are very kind and I have a nice room with a big bed. In addition, my host mother (Islay) is a good cook. Last but not least I should mention that my host father (Tom) makes the best steaks I’ve ever had! But there is Wall-E (actually his name is Walter but everyone calls him Wall-E, or as I do simply: dog). He is cute but I’m now 100% sure that I won’t have a dog in future. I guess most of you saw his picture on Picasa Web already where he was still a poppy?

I had 2 weeks General English before I would join the FCE class. So I’ve already started school 4 days after I arrived. The first day in school was exciting because (as every Monday when new students are arriving…) I met a lot of new people. I was assigned to the level-5 class but two weeks later I’ve changed to the FCE class. This class is packed with grammar, vocabulary and so on, it’s not comparable with a General English class which is more easy going. We’ve got every day homework which I try to do (more or less) serious. I will have my exam in 3 weeks (speaking test) and 4 weeks (writing tests)…

I was a bit disappointed about the mix of nationality in the FCE class: 2 Swiss (including me) and 7 Korean. But 4 weeks later, a Japanese girl, another Swiss girl and a French guy joined the class. I’ve got two roommates, a Swiss and a Japanese woman. Andrea visit the FCE class as well and Misako is working in a café called Bean around the World. It’s located in North Van. This café is probably the best in Van because of their cinnamon balls and their hot chocolate.

I haven’t been to Vancouver Island and Whistler yet. But I visited many nice places in and around Van. The most challenging trip was when we hiked the Grouse Mountain. It was a difficult and steep trail but with traffic jam. There were so many people hiking this trail…! You won’t find so many hikers hiking the Uetliberg or the Rigi. Another amazing place in Van is the English Bay which is famous for his sunsets. The most beautiful place I’ve visited was the VanDusen Park with his flowers and trees. I still haven’t rent a bicycle to cycle around Stanley Park, but I met some raccoons there when I walked near to the Lost Lagoon (which is a very small lake within the park).

What’s more? Food? Well, there is a large selection of food from all around the world because of the multicultural influence. Thank you Bettina for your tip: Fatburger. It’s a fast food chain but 1′000 times better than McDonalds. But the best burger in downtown is probably that one you get in Roxy’s Burger at Granville St. However, there is not just fast food. You would find for example Sushi (very cheap compared with Zürich!! all you can eat for $12 excl. taxes), Swiss (very expensive, same prices as in Switzerland itself but it was such a delicious Fondue we had), Canadian (mmh Poutine, but sooooo unhealthy) and Mexican kitchen.

Shoes! I’ve found a new hobby. I really enjoy shopping shoes here in Van. It’s so easy to find my size, but still not as easy as if I would have <45. However, I’ve never had the chance to go for a real shopping tour. Metrotown for example is sooo big (not as big as that one in Edmonton) that you would get lost in this mall if there aren’t maps everywhere.

Future? Well, I haven’t decided yet. There are 3 options:
1. travelling in the States and in Canada
2. or book an around the world ticket (Vancouver-Chile-Argentina-Namibia-Australia-New Zealand-Japan-Vancouver)
3. or/and apply for a work and study visa
Actually I’d like to stay a little bit longer in Van so I’ll talk to my school and ask them if it’s still possible to apply for such a visa because I’ve been already 3 months here. Time will tell and I will tell you another time how my journey will continue.

So, that’s it for today. You’ll find all my pictures on Picasa Web:
http://picasaweb.google.ca/thomas.zuberbuehler

Take care,
Thomas

PS. I’m looking forward to visiting the SPA after my exams and the rubber duck has an honour place in my room.