[NOTE. During this time, not many pictures of wildlife were done, because I was always on the road.]
During the many years living in the foothills of the Rocky Mountains in Alberta, Canada, I learned how to live with wildlife. From 1978 on, when moving from Calgary, a rather large City in Alberta to the Kananaskis Country, South West of Calgary, I had horses and land. Many different properties. First near Bragg Creek, a tiny little hamlet. [ https://visitbraggcreek.com/ ]. Then, you could afford an acreage, not now anymore. Actually, the Kananaskis Country all the way past Banff is one of the most beautiful, wild, and natural areas in Alberta. [ https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kananaskis_Country ]. Living and working from there is a bit different than just visiting as a tourist. I needed to go to work in Calgary for years, in winter sometimes minus 30C, slow going on the roads. There were times that I had to stay in the city after work, because of snow storms. Wildlife abundant. Bears – Grizzly bears, many attacks reported then and still are around this wilderness area. For many years, being a horse person, we also went riding many times in the mountains, I once witnessed the victim of such a Grizzly bear attack. The poor horse – who threw its rider, luckily – had been seriously injured while running away from the bear.
Later on my 80 acres ranch, in the north west of Cochrane – that is west of Calgary – I learned to live with wild life. Each winter of course moose and other. On my property I had black bears, the occasional wolf, the great grey owl (who took my kitten, never seen again), coyotes and cougars in summer. Coyotes are also predators, they will also go for your cats. On my other land further north west, Jamieson Road, 160 acres, I temporary had my horses grazing during summer. Always went riding alone. Good to remember, make yourself heard. Animals are rarely seen, but they sure know you are there. When I saw bear scat – fresh – I quietly and slowly turn some other way.
Grizzly bear. A different story. From Water Valley I had to drive through the bush on my 4 wheel drive truck- no roads – to the saw mill, to pick up lumber. On my way, I see two guys in a truck coming from that direction, white in their face. Must be something there. They were soon gone. I drive on, then see some yellow safety tape around an area – apparently a Grizzly bear had taken down a cow. The wildlife service had put out warnings. I arrive at the saw mill, nobody there. What an eerie feeling that was ! |Wildlife has its space and needs its space and should be respected. Here on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, besides, we have many cougars – mountain lions. They are fantastic, prolific cats who normally mind their own business, until they get annoyed for example by dogs barking, or else surprised by humans. There have been attacks on humans. Myself, in many years, I have had no attack. And I always went alone. Grizzly bears are not to trifle with, don’t even think of ‘standing up’ to them.
What I do not like is to read about “some other young cougars needed to be put down.” Because some person, who normally enjoys to live outside the city, spots one of those cats. Well, then leave them alone ! And take your barking dog inside.
Coffee – Cafe – Kaffee
COFFEE – CAFE – KAFFEE
2020 the best year of my life, with a world wide pandemic, virus here, there and everywhere. What’s a person to do to have at least a feeling of a social life, especially if you are alone. Often I go out (in fact daily) for a walk, or take my bicycle, to the park, sit down, have a coffee. Better, yet, sit somewhere in one of the newly created outdoor cafes. Even sitting alone at a table feels better than sitting alone at home. YUK !
Coffee for many years has become an important part of my traveling life. In Europe, and on the continent. Victoria, BC, Vancouver Island: Although I have not tested all cafes, some are good, some not so, some are too expensive for the quality of coffee.
A decent cup for C$2.00 is pretty good. Murchies, 100 year old pattissery and eating place downtown. Not bad. Crust Bakery on Fort C$ around 2.00, also, but must sit outside, lots of street traffic. Other places (being that Starbucks closed down a lot) can go anywhere from C$2.50 to even over C$up to 4.00. Too expensive. My Italian shop in Victoria, on Blanchard, has the best Italian imports, everything (dozens of different panettones during Xmas season), and also a little corner cafe to sit. Regular coffee not so strong, espresso, Americano good. Prices good. [Reminds me of my Panettoni story: During Xmas 2015 went to Italy, from Cannes, bought a big Italian Panettoni, took it home to Canada in my suitcase.]. Yet, nothing beats a good Weihnachtsstollen.
While traveling in France, spending three months in Cannes, Mediterranean, ordering a coffee/cafe would always mean tiny cute little Espresso, good, but one shot. Netherlands, where I worked and lived for eight years is different again: You want to find a Cafe to sit down for a coffee ? Unless you intend to smoke pot or get some cannabis, those places are the ones. Real cafes bakeries for a coffee and dessert are bakeries (bakkerij patisserie). Germany, Berlin: There is a tiny historically old section, the Nikolaiviertel, one can sit down outside, have wonderful coffee, mostly coffee implies a little can, and have a cake. [Founded about 1200, the Nikolaiviertel of Alt-Berlin, together with the neighbouring settlement of Cölln, is the reconstructed historical heart of the German capital Berlin.]
St. Petersburg, Russia, is huge, a wonderful city. Near the Neva strolling along the Nevsky Prospect down to the landing dock for ships going to Finland, found a nice little restaurant, have a coffee. Good.
[Every morning I make my own cappuccino in my old-fashioned Italian Espresso machine.]. Continue enjoy, as long as you look at each other from the distance.