A large crow guards the entrance to Crows Nest Pass.
On the right, a picture of us standing outside the smallest chapel in the world(?). I had the camera on a flash with slow shutter since it was getting dark but we moved before it had finished capturing. Looks kind of spooky.
10 April 2007
9 April 2007
Tony (Anton) Moskal Ranch
Donna writes:
I brought Wes to this place on one of our last nights in Cranbrook. No trip to this area was complete without seeing the farm that my Dad built and which was the last place where he had lived. I felt it was a way that I could introduce Wes to my Father because it still bears witness to the perfectionist that he was as well as showing Wes a little of how I grew up on "the farm".
Unfortunately we didn't get to see the house that he built but we viewed it from a distance as we drove onto the property turning around at the lower barn area. We sat down at the old out buildings for a bit while I rattled on about the place and all the memories it held.
As we were leaving I asked Wes to stop and take a picture of me at the gates to the property. I was overcome with sadness standing there. The gates were still unfinished and looked exactly as they looked so many years ago. I felt they represented my father in a way. He too was taken from us far too young and left us... unfinished.
I don't know if the present owners ever intend to finish these gates but part of me doesn't want to know. For me they will always remain like this, waiting to be finished, wondering what they would've looked like if they had the chance... just like my Dad.
I brought Wes to this place on one of our last nights in Cranbrook. No trip to this area was complete without seeing the farm that my Dad built and which was the last place where he had lived. I felt it was a way that I could introduce Wes to my Father because it still bears witness to the perfectionist that he was as well as showing Wes a little of how I grew up on "the farm".
Unfortunately we didn't get to see the house that he built but we viewed it from a distance as we drove onto the property turning around at the lower barn area. We sat down at the old out buildings for a bit while I rattled on about the place and all the memories it held.
As we were leaving I asked Wes to stop and take a picture of me at the gates to the property. I was overcome with sadness standing there. The gates were still unfinished and looked exactly as they looked so many years ago. I felt they represented my father in a way. He too was taken from us far too young and left us... unfinished.
I don't know if the present owners ever intend to finish these gates but part of me doesn't want to know. For me they will always remain like this, waiting to be finished, wondering what they would've looked like if they had the chance... just like my Dad.
Gravity Hill
So we're back, after a long hiatus, back on the journey towards the the wedding on the beach. We know you've all been faithful and patient as we waited for our broadband to come on and to sort through things.
This image is of Gravity Hill. That's the unofficial name. It looks like we are standing at the top doesn't it? Well, Donna took me to the 'bottom' which is like, the third telegraph pole down and asked me to stop when I thought we had reached the lowest point. Then she put the car into neutral.
The car rolled back to where we are now and the photo was taken from. Weird huh?
So that's the story of Gravity Hill.
Stand by for more posts, I am now abandoning the back-dating system and simply posting with current dating.
This image is of Gravity Hill. That's the unofficial name. It looks like we are standing at the top doesn't it? Well, Donna took me to the 'bottom' which is like, the third telegraph pole down and asked me to stop when I thought we had reached the lowest point. Then she put the car into neutral.
The car rolled back to where we are now and the photo was taken from. Weird huh?
So that's the story of Gravity Hill.
Stand by for more posts, I am now abandoning the back-dating system and simply posting with current dating.
On The Road: Calgary to Cranbrook
Some random photo's on the road to various places.
Views of Highway 22X "The Shortcut" Cranbrook to Calgary. Canadians are a friendly people, it's almost as if they purposefully put all these landmarks and interesting things out for your enjoyment and amusement as you travel. Above is a fence with a baseball cap on every post, and one even had it's own bra.
This is possibly the most photographed tree in the world. It's located on a highway near Crows Nest and is regularly used for magazines and publications, recognise it?
Views of Highway 22X "The Shortcut" Cranbrook to Calgary. Canadians are a friendly people, it's almost as if they purposefully put all these landmarks and interesting things out for your enjoyment and amusement as you travel. Above is a fence with a baseball cap on every post, and one even had it's own bra.
This is possibly the most photographed tree in the world. It's located on a highway near Crows Nest and is regularly used for magazines and publications, recognise it?
Pizza Time!
Far left: from the left: Mike and wife Shannon, son Erik and me. Near left: Donna's mum Elsie, Mike and Erik.
MIA: Kyle & Ryan Moskal
There are 4(?) computers in their house (next door to Elsie). My brother-in-law, Mike has even built his own games arcade (below). Mike if you build a fruit machine we could be on to a winner.
MIA: Kyle & Ryan Moskal
There are 4(?) computers in their house (next door to Elsie). My brother-in-law, Mike has even built his own games arcade (below). Mike if you build a fruit machine we could be on to a winner.
Jetlagged
We finally made it to Elsie's (Donna's Mum) house Cranbrook, so far I survived jetlag from a 9 hour flight, then a 4 hour car trip and it shows. No sooner had I arrived I got to meet new inlaws
as they came round tointerrogate welcome me.
as they came round to
Canadian Hedgehog
Canadians don't have hedgehogs (small animal with spikes, usually roadkill), so this is the next nearest thing. Except if your car runs into this guy you are in trouble.
He was meandering across the road oblivious the small amount of cars that were now queing up
on the road to get a look. I wound my window down and bravely stuck my camera out to get pictures. He got right up about 12 feet from the car, then stopped to sniff the air. I think he must have smelt the A&W wrappers, then he went into the forest behind a tree. Donna says they have poor eyesight and he didn't see us, but personally I think he was scared off by the high-pitch squeals coming from our car "Wes! It's a bear, it's a GRIZZLY, LOOK IT'S A GRIZZLY!"
He was meandering across the road oblivious the small amount of cars that were now queing up
on the road to get a look. I wound my window down and bravely stuck my camera out to get pictures. He got right up about 12 feet from the car, then stopped to sniff the air. I think he must have smelt the A&W wrappers, then he went into the forest behind a tree. Donna says they have poor eyesight and he didn't see us, but personally I think he was scared off by the high-pitch squeals coming from our car "Wes! It's a bear, it's a GRIZZLY, LOOK IT'S A GRIZZLY!"
A & W
My first A&W, and my first experience of the Mozzaburger and the beginning of a beautiful relationship. After this, going back to McDonald's was just never the same.
This photo was taken in Canmore, just outside of Banff. We had 4 more hours to go before Cranrook (6 hours with the tourist, aka Wes).
I didn't take any pictures of Banff, it looks like every ski resort/mountain village in Switzerland and I already have tons of pictures of Switzerland.
This photo was taken in Canmore, just outside of Banff. We had 4 more hours to go before Cranrook (6 hours with the tourist, aka Wes).
I didn't take any pictures of Banff, it looks like every ski resort/mountain village in Switzerland and I already have tons of pictures of Switzerland.
What I Learned About Calgary, Alberta
Calgary, where you only pay one set of taxes, thanks to the local conservative government.
Bacon, Scrambled Eggs, Pancakes and Ice-Cream
A good place to start, my first breakfast on my first morning in Canada. I flew into Calgary the night before to meet Donna before we head to her friends house. I'm told the Ice-cream is not Canadian, but just their own house speciality.
It's a strange combination to have for breakfast, but amazingly it works, and tastes delicious.
I find this is also ironically symbolic of our relationship. An Englishman who met a Canadian in Switzerland, who up till recently lived in Germany, and getting married in the US. Add our age-gap into the mix and pretty soon you have something like bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes and ice-cream. A combination you may not think would work, but it does. It's fun, it feels good, made with the ingredients we love and when you taste those combinations and flavours, you realise, it actually make sense.
Our Maui Wedding starts here, I've backdated the post to the date the photo was taken. The date now is 26th November, I am in the UK and Donna is in Germany in the process of applying for her marriage visa- don't ask. We have recently moved into a flat in Ealing and have no Internet connection, so this blog will not be updated regularly till nearer Christmas. Please check back for more posts and and wedding photo's (subject to approval by the Mrs). Since our married life is currently on hiatus pending said visa, the reception/celebration for UK friends and family is unfortunately suspended till the New Year. We'll keep you posted.
It's a strange combination to have for breakfast, but amazingly it works, and tastes delicious.
I find this is also ironically symbolic of our relationship. An Englishman who met a Canadian in Switzerland, who up till recently lived in Germany, and getting married in the US. Add our age-gap into the mix and pretty soon you have something like bacon, scrambled eggs, pancakes and ice-cream. A combination you may not think would work, but it does. It's fun, it feels good, made with the ingredients we love and when you taste those combinations and flavours, you realise, it actually make sense.
Our Maui Wedding starts here, I've backdated the post to the date the photo was taken. The date now is 26th November, I am in the UK and Donna is in Germany in the process of applying for her marriage visa- don't ask. We have recently moved into a flat in Ealing and have no Internet connection, so this blog will not be updated regularly till nearer Christmas. Please check back for more posts and and wedding photo's (subject to approval by the Mrs). Since our married life is currently on hiatus pending said visa, the reception/celebration for UK friends and family is unfortunately suspended till the New Year. We'll keep you posted.
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