Not only Canada

Photos: Vancouver Island

michelefacciotto — Fri, 25 Nov 2011 17:51:00 GMT

A 4 days trip in the Island..

Photos: From Sea to Sky trip -and back-

michelefacciotto — Mon, 3 Oct 2011 17:24:00 GMT

Wonderful weekend in Squamish: rock climbing, hiking, sailing..

Life in Canada from my Point of view

michelefacciotto — Sun, 4 Sep 2011 12:10:00 GMT

In this paragraph I want to write impressions, short thoughts, descriptions of real life after 4 months of living in this country.

In questo paragrafo scrivero' impressioni, brevi pensieri e descrizioni di vita reale dopo 4 mesi di vita in Canada.

Gli autobus quando non sono in servizio passano la scritta "sorry, not in service"; quando sono pieni invece "sorry, bus full".

Tra Cambie e Broadway, cosi' come nelle altre fermate principali, non sono installazioni artistiche quelle che si ripetono ogni 15 minuti ma persone che fanno la fila aspettando l'autobus.

Le multe per chi non paga il biglietto sono maledettamente salate: mi tocca sborsare 173CAD..

Photos: Whistler trip

michelefacciotto — Fri, 12 Aug 2011 14:00:00 GMT

3 days in Whistler, hiking, hiking, hiking...

Photos: Grouse Mountain

michelefacciotto — Wed, 3 Aug 2011 15:35:00 GMT

My first climb up to Grouse Mountain with some CS fellows!

Photos: Vancouver

michelefacciotto — Fri, 15 Jul 2011 14:17:00 GMT

This Gallery will be probably updated sometime, just because I'm living here, and every day there's more stuff to discover!

Via Rail: Toronto - Vancouver by train

michelefacciotto — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 15:44:00 GMT

Saturday 25 June 2011, begin the 2nd part of my adventure.

I have dinner with Soo, a kind and nice girl from Toronto I met on Couchsurfing.

At 22:00 I leave with the train, destination Vancouver. The train is pretty comfortable, I have two seat for me and the crew seems funny. My memories goes to the recent adventures spent up to now and to what will wait for me on the other side. No more tourist, it's time to find a job and settle somewhere. Yeah.

I sleep in my seats and the day after I spend 8 bucks for a very important thing: unlimited coffee for all the trip, actually a good deal. Out of the window is really like Liz and Kt told me: lakes, trees and rocks ;-).

On Monday we arrive in Manitoba, meanwhile I start to meet some buddies on the train. The seesight of Manitoba and Saskatchewan means endless fields and prairies. We stop for some hours in Winnipeg, where I take a walk around the city.

On Tuesday it's time for Alberta. With Linsday, Geoff and some others guys time pass by, the trip is funny and extremely relaxing. I have already finished a book that Raja kindly left to me, a thriller titled "Sail". In these days I have time to think about what I am doing, what is happening to me. I feel so thrilled about my Canada journey!

Next stop is Edmonton, in Alberta. We don't cross Calgary that is situated more south, but I hope to visit it. In the afternoon finally arrive the Rockies, and everybody comes up to the glass cab to take photos and admire the mountains. We stop in Jasper for 30min, just the time to eat something quickly.

Later we cross the boundary with British Columbia and along the rail I can see a couple of bears The weather is getting worse so we can't enjoy completely the landscape that surrounds us. We are almost there, so it's time to party: music played on the laptop, kazoo and beer let the buddies and me having a good time.

In the morning the weather is rainy while the train runs down the Fraser Valley: we made it! An incredible 4 days trip across Canada yeah! Finally at 9:30 the train stops at the Vancouver Central Station. Time for greetings! Everybody among the friends I met is waiting for a new step in his life, and so I am.

Here starts a new chapter of my story..

Photos: Via Rail: Toronto - Vancouver

michelefacciotto — Wed, 29 Jun 2011 12:47:00 GMT

Almost 4 days train trip across Canada. An unforgettable experience!

Photos: Niagara Falls

michelefacciotto — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 15:36:00 GMT

Last days in Ontario, visiting the famous waterfalls..

Time to leave the Atlantic Coast

michelefacciotto — Sat, 25 Jun 2011 13:33:00 GMT

Before leaving Toronto for the Pacific Coast I need to sort out a couple of things: go see the Niagara Falls and make my working visa start.

Right away on Tuesday 17 I'm on the Greyhound bus for Niagara Falls. The legendary place where Marilyn Monroe was the star of the homonymous movie is crowded of tourists, but to me it seems like a big circus. Apart from the falls, this place has been built without a planning: the city of Niagara Falls doesn't attract a lot of tourists and around these two big jumps of water there is nothing but hotels, gift shops, restaurants, the casino.. any kind of tourist attraction.

I cross the boundary with USA for a few minutes just to come back with a piece of paper that allows me to start officially my working experience in Canada. Big step!

I came back the same day and I decide to spend my last days couchsurfing to another place: Liz has been too kind to me and I can't no more take advantage of her courtesy. Just the time to meet his son from Vancouver and I move to Raja for a few days, actually close to Liz home. Raja take me into geocaching and we bike around Toronto looking for hidden objects.

Suddenly I made my decision: I buy a train ticket for the next Saturday.

Photo album "NIAGARA FALLS"

Bicycle

michelefacciotto — Sat, 18 Jun 2011 06:55:00 GMT

As I think to my journey up to now I can say that I really need a bike. But I had one.

Here I have met A LOT of people really into cycling: I've appreciate this and I still do.

In Toronto I met Adam who works in a bike shop. I had a bike to ride around Toronto (thanks Liz). In a car dealer I met a man who was a professional cyclist years before. I went couchsurfing to Kt and Rich, they've got a bike shop. They also lend me a bike for the whole trip across the eastern provinces (thanks guys), so I placed the bike in the car that I had rent and I rode wherever and whenever. I met Leanne and Christian who are still traveling up to Newfoundland with a tandem. I met Mattias and Manuela who are still traveling the east with a tandem lend by Kt. I met some couchsurfers who wants to ride across Canada. I also think that Montreal has got LOTS of Bixi.

In Kt's shop I've read this:

TV SUCKS, RIDE YOUR BIKE!

Well, I totally agree.

Photos: Algonquin Provincial Park

michelefacciotto — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 16:52:00 GMT

The last adventure before dropping the car and return in Toronto

Back to Toronto

michelefacciotto — Wed, 15 Jun 2011 11:43:00 GMT

At first my plan is to hike in the Parc National du Mont Tremblau, not far away from Montreal. But looking at the forecast I decide to change destination and drive back on Monday because the weather is rainy: he last park will be the Algonquin Provincial Park in the Ontario Laurentian Hills.

I spend the night in the car in Whitney, a little town next to the entrance of the park. Here I have a funny experience with the local police: I'm awakened in the night by a policeman for a regular control and after explaining my situation the cop apologize to have awakened me up!

The following morning I awake up preatty soon, the weather is completely sunny and I'm ready for some hiking. I drive in the park to have breakfast in a parking lot but after a while I must come back and eat in Whitney: too many mosquitoes in the forest! With a map of the trails I start with a nice short Lookout trail, then I move to Booth's Rock Trail. This is an amazing trail that brings you from the forest (so full of mosquitoes!) up to the Booth Rock, a huge piece of rock from which you see the lake below and the forest all around. I take so many photos here, it's fantastic! Coming down the cliff the path along the lake return to the parking lot.

In the afternoon I stop along some docks and lakes in the park to relax and think about all my trip, then I drive south east on the 62rd to Join Kt and Rich in Bloomfield. Along the road I pick up a buddy who is hitch-hiking and I leave him in Belleville. It's almost dinner time when I arrive in Bloomfield to give the bicycle back to Kt. A couple of young German fellows is hosted in this amazing place that was the first stage of my eastern trip. Matthias and Manuela are going to take a trip of a week with a tandem kindly lent by Kt and Rick.

I spend my last night outside Toronto and after having greeted the couple of Bloomfield Bicycle Company I drive back to the rental office in Richmond Hill: at 11am I drop the car that marks on the odometer 9.400km!

Still excited about what I did I take the bus back to Liz house where a bed is waiting for me before my departure for British Columbia.

Photo album link: "ALGONQUIN PROVINCIAL PARK"

The last big: Montreal

michelefacciotto — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 03:38:00 GMT

On Thursday 9 June, my sister's birtdhay, I am going to visit the last big city of my east trip: Montreal. I have to give the car back in 6 days but many things must happen yet. I face the busy highway of Montreal at my arrival, and looking for parking is even more difficult. After a while I am able to find a place to leave my car and I meet Boris and the others flatmates. Immediatly Boris take me out to visit his neighbourhood,the Plateau. He talks me about Montreal and Montrealers. I can really feel the difference of this city from all the others I have visited up to now. Boris talks about Bohemien place but I would call an artistic and fully culturally active city. Young generations here plays an important role, and you can see it just walking around Saint Laurent, Rosemont, le Plateau.

I spend quiet days in Montreal, relaxing in the parks of Ville Marie right in front Saint Helen's Island and the Gilles Villeneuve Circuit -where the Grand Prix was running. There is also the White Night week-end along Rue Mont Royal, the city is full of interesting events.

Ride the bike here's easy, also Bixi Montreal is very well organized, with a station almost every 300mt!

Boris invites me everywhere: we watched some cartoon movies with the blue ray (amazing, my first experience) to some friends, we went to watch a play in a little place around Mont Royal where I met some other friends. Here in Montreal I discover the term Hipster, and it takes some time to me to understand what it means, but I clearly know what it is when they bring me in a couple of Hipster places.

My last day passes by while I walk through museums and galleries. In the afternoon I ride my bike in the Olimpic village in the east part of the city. Finally I collapse in bed, the last park in Ontario is waiting for me.

Photo album link: "MONTREAL"

Photos: Montreal

michelefacciotto — Mon, 13 Jun 2011 02:13:00 GMT

It's not a city to photograph, it's a city to live..

Photos: Definitely Quebec!

michelefacciotto — Thu, 9 Jun 2011 14:00:00 GMT

On the way back from PEI another adventure in Quebec: I love this place!

On the way back...

michelefacciotto — Thu, 9 Jun 2011 03:38:00 GMT

From P.E.I. I drive to Miramichi where I had planned to stop for the night. I meet a young boy with the passion for rock and we go to drink a beer in a pub. After a while I understand that there is not much to see here, and it is only noon so I decide not to stop here but continue in my way back. I return to Quebec across a bridge in Cambellton and I decide to drive along the south coast of Gaspe. The weather is sunny and I still love Quebec: fantastic landscapes and a many service areas along the street.

In the late afternoon I arrive in Carleton, a so beautiful town! There's a path on the bay where people go biking and running, there's an hill in the backside of the town with a panoramic view, the centre is nice and I wish to stop here for some days. Unfortunately my schedule is strict, so I spend the night in the car after seeing a beautiful sunset.

Wednesay 8, 6:30 am: I wake up early because the sun is already shining. To trip all around Gaspe Peninsula is too much driving, so I drive across the land on the 299 Route. I return to Parc National de la Gaspesie, where I take a 3-4 hours walk. The weather is good and the landscape is fantastic! I really enjoy the walk, between woods, lakes and creeks. I eat my lunch in a winter refuge and come back still excited. In the afternoon I drive along the 132 Road for some hours: the next couch is waiting for me!

Serge is a man who lives with his partner in Caucoma near Riviere du Loup. Is a funny and kind person, he loves wine. We talk about Italy, wine, our experiences in Canada. I sleep in a comfortable couch and the morning after I'm ready for the last big meeting: Montreal!

Photo album link: "DEFINITELY QUEBEC"

Photos: Prince Edward Island

michelefacciotto — Tue, 7 Jun 2011 12:26:00 GMT

Few days in the island coloured of red, green and blue couchsurfing to an awsome family.

Prince Edward Island

michelefacciotto — Tue, 7 Jun 2011 03:38:00 GMT

It's almost midnight when I arrive to my new couchsurfing place. The next morning I have breakfast with Jeff, Maureen, his daughters and Rana, a boy from New Zealand. I leave this beautiful huse with Rana to Greenwich, in the north east of the island. Here we walk for a couple of hours into a fantastic landscape: wooden walkways in the middle of the swamp surrounded by sand dunes brings us to the beach on the ocean, wow! Back to our cars we say goodbye because Rana is leaving for Halifax.

In the afternoon I drive to the East Point where there is a wooden white and red lighthouse. The rift is very particular because is composed of a colourful red soil, and it is the same in all the island. Here in PEI there are three main colours: he red of ground, the green of grass and the blue of the sky, gorgeous! I take dinner in Charlottetown, the capital of the island and then I come back home.

The day after I drive on the opposite side of the island, passing by Summerside and up to Seacow Pond. Here there is the longest riff on North America and there are some wind turbines. In the afternoon I take a ride with the bike along the coast in the Prince Edward Island National Park, situated centre north. During the evening I have an amazing dinner with Maureen, Jeff and another couchserfer; I can see my first Blue Jays! After a shower in the fields a big and pretty rainbow is visible all the way long, fantastic!

On Tuesday I leave that beautiful place and my kind host; I drive out from PEI along the amazing Confederation Bridge.

My return trip starts definitly here!

Photo album link: "PRINCE EDWARD ISLAND"

Nova Scotia

michelefacciotto — Sat, 4 Jun 2011 04:49:00 GMT

Halifax doesn't really welcome me: the weather is rainy and I discover -too late- that in Nova Scotia I can't ride my bike without a helmet (thanks pretty policewoman). Things starts to go for the best after lunch, when clouds disappear and I meet my new host Ariane. We take a walk up to the Citadel and then in downtown-pretty nice, even if my expectations of Halifax were too high. After some frisbee with others guys and a Mexican dinner all together I go to sleep, waiting for next adventure.

On Friday I drive north on the other side of the province, the Cabot Trail is waiting for me! Driving to Cape Breton Island takes me less time then I had expect, so I decide to visit around the Cabot Trail from the east to the west: Ingonish, Cape North, Pleasant Bay. Unfortunately the weather is bad, but along the road I stop to take some photos of the pink rocks on the coast.. so beautiful here! On the west side is even better: the road has been built really close to the coast, the landscape is absolutly amazing! I drive up to Cheticamp.

I sleep in the car and the next morning I take a walk along the river near the entrance of the Park. I walk with a fellow that I met the night before in a pub: he teach me something about trees and the water of the river, that is sorrounded by big red rocks and became golden thanks to some plants growing underwater.

Late in the morning I'm ready for the famous Skyline Trail! I see my first moose! Here a system of wooden stairs has been built on a hill directly on the ocean and IT'S FANTASTIC even if there is a lot of fog, the ocean is not visible.

Joyful for my trip, I return to the car because today I have to join Maureen and Jeff in Prince Edward Island. I drive all the afternoon up to Caribou, where at 6:30pm I take the ferry for Wood Islands.

other Province, other adventures!

Photo album link: "NOVA SCOTIA"