#16 - flashbacks and bears in the rockie Mountains : part 1

HI Alpine Center Hostel, Banff
Thursday, the 21st May, 09

Day 28

Banff was my last stop. tomorrow morning I'm takingthe bus to Vancouver (...). I'm glad Banff was last because it was so good!

But, first, my dealings in Nelson, which I forgot to realte ( Jane Austen's Mansfield Park is affecting me).

THE RAVE

oh, that... It was called "Base Fest" and it was part of the May celebrations of Kaslo, another town along the Kootenay lake, 1h drive North of Nelson. Maia very much wanted to go with her friend Vida and offered to wanted to bring me along (... ) And so we wetn after some body painting (...). The drive to the place was gorgeous during sunset, along Kootenya lake. on the other side of the water there were mountaisn with snow on top - apretty sight on a relatively warm evening. i was excited. i had even put some make-up on. i loved to talk with them and get to know what it feels like to be an highschool kid over here, to know everyone and to live in such an artsy place as Nelson.

When we arrived it was way too early and so we went for a walk all the way to Kaslo ( the party was to be in the forest, a bit away). We talked some more and they introduced me to friends they kept on meeting (small town). Some had camped in the woods, near the party, in what they called a "shanty town" (is that how you spell it?). Later on the party got started. To get to the place in thwe woods you had to climb downa tricky and muddy slope. The coloured ligths around the improvised stage was all there was in the middle of complete darkness. (...)My two friedns who kept introducing me to other locals (all very welcoming and many very interested in the UWC's) were hoping many more pople would come. Their wish came true. Around 11:00 p.m. the place was packed (...) I danced for a hwile but then i got tired. The fact is: i do not know how to dance to that music. It was DJ's stuff, hip-hop, rap. I people kept noding and noding, shaking their arm in a very aggressive way, but that was it. There was no subtle shoulder, no hip movement or even space to move your feet. It was not techno, it was nto latin, nor... anything that wouldn't get me bored. But I didn't get bored. i stepped back and looked. Anthropologically fascinating. The kids kept on dancing to that monotonous rythm with an enthusiasm that seemed even childish. It looked funny. All the boys looked very much the same. They all had "New York ganagsta style", the baggy hip hop thing, popular in Portugal years ago. The girls more tank tops, and some looked like lolitas - slutty clothes and childish bodies. They danced in pairs in very weird wasy, off-beat, for there was harldy any in the music. They looked like monkeys, legs flexed and boys bended as if they were encaging their girls. They looked tiny enclosed by those XLLL-wearing males, while making out. (...) Drinking was widespread and drugs were even more. Dj's were smoking it, people were smoking it, everyone was smoking it. (...)Anyhow, I met a couple of random people. or guys, actually. The crowd not dancing was basically male. I was a girl alone. People gte friendly. This random swiss (known later) guy said hi 1(...) asked me to dance - sounded like "something about my pants" with the noise . Reply: I've got check on a friend [convinient in those hazardous teen parties]. They I met a guy who asked me where I was from. "Hey! You came from Portugal all the way to come to our Base Fest?!" ( had evidently smoked or drank something). "Yep", why not! Kinf of fun. Some poeple had heard I was coming. " You are the girl from Poland right?". I got asked how was South America. It's all good. one guy touched my back, porbably very high, and said he loved the tie-and-dye on my dress. Dude, it's a pattern and you are seeing it blend. You, no the dress. (...) Well, I was at least really glad i got to experience the party-life on and 18y old in Nelson, Kootenays. (...)

the next say was slow. I don't even remeber it very well (...). It was Victoria Day, a holiday to celebarte the Queen's (the Queen Victoria of England) birthday... reallly?9 We had barbecued meat that night and went for ice-cream at "Dairy Queen". I had ocmething called a "a Blizzard". It was huge! So mcuh ice-cream. and so good!

(...) The next morning I went for a walk in the middle of the forest on a trail that used to be a railroad. (...)Finally I went to Gyro park, see the look out over the town that Jesse had indicated. it was settled: nelson was different. It didn't look like other small towns. The residential parts reminded me of Portland and downtown was like Commercial Dr. in Vancouver. the shops were so incredible: so varied! Specialised in items hard to find in larger cities! i ended up pulled to a shop of used books and Cd's. And there it was: an used copy of Jim Morrison's "Lost Writings". I took it and decided to buy it. I always wanted a copy form 1988, looked just right. (...) Liloth took me to the bus and I said goobyes to the welcoming Nelson.

#15 - Alberta : the land of eternal winter ( or so it seems)

Starbucks, downtown Calgary 9 AM
Wednesday (?) the 20th of May 09

Day 27

After leaving Nelson (...) I saw the Kootenays fade into the night. By the time we got to Creston it was too dark to see (...). So I tried to close my eyes and relax. It was a rought night 'till 3AM. (...) kept turning and waking up startled. Eventually I ripped off my eye-band (the one that makes everything dark) and lost it. too bad.

But, more surprising was waking up at 6 AM. Not only was it bright day, it was... really bright. And I was shivering. My feet were suddenly so cold! I looked outside and there it was ... SNOW! LOADS OF IT! It was all white, very very white! I was in what they call High RIver, 2 hours south of Calgary. I got very very alarmed. It was winter! i just landed on an alien planet called ALBERTA. The horses and cows on the snowey ranches were strange. And it was all there was: ranches! It was like Texas, but cold?

It wasn't as unlikeable as people said it was. I liked seeing the flat land, after being stuck in the mountains for so long. It must be nice here, in the summer. Ih, wait, do they have summer?

Thankfully the snow eventually disappeared and Calgary had just one flake falling here and there. The bus station was all indoors (here everything seems to be inside) and it took a bus to get to the city center. (...) But before I went into a bathroom and put on an extra pair of winter socks [ which I miraculously had on my bag], a shirt and a t-shirt over the tank top and under the flannel shirt I had on. Raincoat over [4 layers of summer clothes under] and ready to go.

But it was still cold! The bus driver was very nice and pointed out things for me as we went along and told me how to get back(...). Here is my firts impression of Calgary:
-nice ample streets
- old good-looking robust buildings
-general neatness (...)
- a bit stuck in the 90's (must be the skyscarppers)
- not much besides malls - commercial streets are the important beautiful and historical thing here.
- no homeless - they dies [because of the cold]
- not half as cosmopolitan as Vancouver
- full of offices and oil-connected buildings
-some people biking: too cold to walk?
- a lot of people underdressed - they seem to have lost all sensitivity to temperature
(...)

I need to buy some warm clothes. I do. I need it. God knows what Banff will be like! (...) That will be my next mission before 12:00 - find clothes (a warm sweater) and some food.

In Nelson I had told Lilith how I felt: a bit tired. Nelson was great! A blast really. But I felt tired of travelling. I felt like going home. And she said I sounded a bit homesick. And you know what? I agree. I have been travelling for a month. On my own. And it is less than 2 weeks 'till I go home. I am homesick, i am entitled to be. (...) Oh, great, now they are playing CSN [Crosby Stills and Nash]. I miss Portugal just because it is time for misssing, it is time to go back. And I am going, soon.

Filipa

[ P.S. The "cold" described in this post was later found to be somewhere around -4/5ºC]

#14 - When the trip became a full-blown blast

Lilith's house, Nelson
Monday, Victoria Day
the 18th of May

Day 25

Oh, joy. Life is sweet and nice once you get to Nelson. I knew it! It has been quite great and I love staying with Lilith and Maia, her 17 year old daughter (my couchsurfing hosts). (...)

Vernon was good. Very worth it. After that stupendous beach I decided to keep going . After all, it was only noon. I went through pretty residential neighbourhoods around the lake. Some looked like regular summer houses, some like wealthy-show-off summer houses. (...) I kept on going by the side of the road up the mountain, finding extensive orchards (...) and a little park with a hidden beach. The water wasn't too cold. If I wasn't alone I would have jumped in. I got as far as Kalamalka National Park [ I still think it is a great name - Kalamalka, once you manage to pronounce it] but I decided it wouldn't be too wise to go hiking as I still had a couple of hours walk back. So I turned around, got very tired and appreciated the big hotel bed. Well, I got sunburned. Yes, I admitt it. Very sunburned in my left arm. Jeans and t-shirt are still too little (???). (...) The next day I packed my stuff up and was gone. I went to the bus depot a bit earlier and bought myself a head-set Greyhound-style. Ah, ah. Whatever. I got to hear music, at least , now that my headset is broken.

The trip was awesome. We went back to Kelwona and I stayed there waiting for 2 hours. Then !I! took the bus to Nelson. Not my luggage. That stayed behind. It had to happen, one of these days. Thankfully it arrived in Nelson the morning after, so it was no big deal. (...) We took highway 33 and got away from the Okanagan. Soon it was just dense forests of green pines with the occasional meadow and ranch around. After the mountains it became less picturesque, as we headed South. We passed thourgh Beaverdell. I thought I had seen the Faroeste [Portuguese word for Western North America cowboy-atmosphere ]. No, THIS was it. A couple of houses (plus the ranches around) along the highway. Quite literally in the middle of the forest. There was a "department store" with a 20'/30's sign on top. I saw a group of teenagers in a car. The "I will want to get drunk twice a day when I'm legal" type. I wonder: if someone pays me a lot of money, will I then even consider moving temporarily to a place like that? It was slightly surreal. We went further south. (...) We stopped in Rock Creek for a little while. That was also tiny. It had very weird looking people. Well, we stopped at the gas station, the biggest center in these places. They had in big letters an add saying they sold Fireworks. They had that in many of these small places. Interesting.

A couple more of these ghostly towns followed. Midway seemed the perfect setting for a Hitchcock murder case. Greenwood was the ultimate Western site. We stopped at the desolate Grand Forks, now well into highway 3. As many of these places, and a lot fo ranches along the way, it resembled an old car cemetry, with so many automibile junk parks on the side of the road. We had a "dinner stop" at A&W. Now I get why I've never been in those places. But I was hungry so I said: eat a "chubby chicken" burger (oh, originality...) and shut up. I went outside to get away from the "deep fried" smell. There I started talking with a guy named Shy/Sly/Sky, whathever it was. It started with my sandals, instead of my necklace. Good to have some variety in the way my attire gets interesting strangers to address me. He was amusician, played "wicked keyboards" and had been with his band accross Canada and Europe. he was particularly fond of Ireland.(...)

Next up: Christina lake. Very very pretty. I really loved it there, with the mountain landscape and the snow still lingering on the bottom of the trees. It was at about that time that I started talking to the guy in front of me. I think he had wanted to talk wih me for a while, but he got an excuse to ask me where I was going when I very obviously tried to figure out where I was on the map. He was going to Nelson, grew up over there. He worked in New West. and he was coming to visit his mother and brother. (...) He looked like Keanu Reeves but darker, skinnier and with the attire that I have noticed to be typical of boys of this region. Pseudo-gangster hip-hop inspired stuff. (...) He was nice and interesting (...) He told me about the logging business in the Kootenays how it was being reduced but it had still logged a lot of areas recently. He was quite emotional about it. After all, it was the forest he took for granted. While we talked we passed very beautiful lakes and breathtaking mountains around Castelgar. He also took it all for granted, having done the trip so many times. So I think he enjoyed my childish enthusiam (...).

After that ride we got to Nelson. Small but pretty (...) [Lilith and Maia and I] talked over a nice bowl of curry and then went to a place called "the cocoa-nut lounge". (...) I was half in love with this town of alternative people. The café had live music and an interesting group of 60's woodstock looking people.

The next day was a blast (...). We had breakfast on the local trendy place "Orso Negro": an amazing latte and muffin. We talked about Feminism and housework and I think I learned a lot from Lilith. Later, after lunch, Maia took me along to her friend's place, where she would be doing some henna tatoos on her back. (...) Her father was from Quebec ad her mother was from Czech Republic. I ended up getting a really lovely henna swan on my hand too! (...) i went downtown and then saw the lake, strolled around the beach and the park. Nelson is so much more interesting, even though it is smaller. With a car, I could stay here for a while. It was lovely.

At night we went to a local "rave party", but I will write about that later.

Filipa

#13 - "Perfection. Sucess. Mission Accomplished."

Kalamalka Lake beach, 1 hour walk from Vernon

Friday, the 15th May 09

Day 22

Perfection. Sucess. Mission Accomplished.

What lies before me is so perfect it almost seems unreal. The waters are perfectly blue, jeans' blue, and so calm, I could fall asleep by just listening to the waves. The sun is so bright it almost blinds me and there are perfectly set clouds around the edges of the sky, just like I like it. It is warm, but not too warm. Good for jeans and T-shirt. (...) And the mountains, so perfectly designed, crossed only by small roads here and there. And there are so little people around. [ an ink sketch of the scene follows]

A little bird just passed by. This was the beauty I was looking for, what people talked about. That's the thing with Vernon. As it is smaller than Kelowna, it is easier to get out. Also, in the hotel, the nice couple in the reception was extremely helpful expalining me how to get here.

I must say, yesterday I was very disappointed with Vernon. (...) Things were getting better in the last day in Kelowna. I discovered the beach and despite the loneliness, the wind, and even some rain, I enjoyed seeing the Okanagan and those dramatic hills. There was still some snow on one. When I came back to the hostel I soon found myself with 3 roomates, which was exactly what I needed. One was Australian and planned to travel in Canada for a year or so. She would stay in Kelowna for a week. Good luck with that! The other was a child-like German she had met on the bus from Vancouver. Played guitar, lent me her laptop to check my email, had a weird book that seemed to have Fátima's Virgin on the cover and had thaught kids in Mexico for a year before coming to Canada (not supposed to make sense here). The third was called Mélanie and was from Montreal. And so the french conversation started. I was surprised with myself because of the fluent (although with many grammar mistakes) conversation I was able to have with her. She had been doing some volunteer work with horses (her passion) in the South of the Okanagan and she was now supposed to meet someone.

The next morning she decided to head down to Vancouver, unable to reach her contact. We shared a taxi to the bus station, exchanged contacts. It was kind of great. And the bus trip was absolutley amazing. It was much greener than the arid hills around Penticton, and the lakes seemed to keep on going. Orchards around the road were in full bloom and even though it was rainy it all looked gloriously springuish. I absolutely loved it and got very uplifted. (...) I had learned my little lesson. (...) Vernon would be better.

When I got to the bus station, one thing at least was good: the hotel was only 2 blocks away. (...) The internet was free, the coffee was free in my room (and tea too!), it was right next to the city center and had cable TV!! If I'm gonna pay, I might as well enjoy it to the fullest. (...) [follows half a page of calculatiosn estimating how much I would save with all these complimentary stuff and a result making me feel a little better about the sudden slicing of my bank account] So I got myself all settled down (...) and headed for downtown Vernon.

If Kelowna looked like a Western, this felt like one. Vernon is not only tiny, but also ugly and uninteresting. They have a lot of murals, all about pioneers and stuff of that sort (ah! This is why it feels like being in a Western - this was what Wsterns were all about!!). The main street could be walked in just 5 min. To my surprise, Vernon had quite some homeless. (...) It seemed that, most likely out of boreddom, the young people of Vernon spent hours in front of the mirror putting on "ganster" or "skatter" clothes and practicing their walking style. It looked odd. And so did the many "piercing & tatoo" shops. (...)

And so I walked around and didn't find nothing of interest. Even the local cinema had nothing too good on. (...) I was thinking: why I am stuck in this god forsaken place? So I called home from the least damaged phone I could find - they like to kick them here - (...) I felt better after I talked to them.

Then I went into a very disorganised antique bookstore. They had records from the 60's/70's. So I looked around and wish I could buy them and carry them back. 10$ a Door's original: not bad at all. I would need a record player first though.

I walked back to the motel [which was actually what it was]. I noticed it was a very American motel. Like the ones people go to in the movies to have affairs or hide from the police. It had the balcony and stairs, just like those. As my mom said: an experience. (...)

Well, I watched a lot of TV last night and I headed out today with a smile on my face. I am starting to like Vernon. Well, I am leaving tomorrow. But as theysday in the song. "today is a good day".

Filipa

# 12 - The BIG Mistake

Starbucks, Kelowna
Wednesday, the 13th of May, 09

Day 20

This was defintely a bad idea. I mena the Penticton-Kelowna-Vernon thing. This is my last day in small boring horrible Kelowna. (...)

[In Penticton] I took a bus to Kelowna. This lovely little girl started to cry like apig being slaughtered! And the mother seemed to pretty much ignore it as a way to cope. My ears didn't cope so well. At that point I just myself - what is wrong with Canadian children? [ this was motivated by previous yelling sessions of children in public transport] Then, aftre a quite picturesque 1 and a half hour ride along the okanagan lake, we entered Kelowna. Malls, shops and a bus station ridiculously far away from the city center. Only way back: taxi (or 2 very dubious buses). Goobye 15 dollars! But at least I was at the hostel I was supposed to be at. i checked in, got indications about how to get downtown ( basically, accross the street) and I went to check it out.

It just seemed like a Western-movie village industrialized, it did. Kelowna is small as hell. I want to punch the person (who the hell was it???) tha told me it was a big city with loads to do. It isn't. There is a lot to do but not within walking distance!!! i have never felt this frustrated in my life because of not knowing how to drive. Oh, if I could drive: I would be out of this place!!

Kelowna is fullof sketchy looking characters and it doesn't feel half as pleasant as Penticton. The walk by the lake is pretty but not extraordinary. The Orchards and Wine museums are small room, empty of people, with closed doors, hard to even notice [yes I went there, to look at DDT packs from the 20's ]. The buildings all look and are from the 50's/60's, with veyr little charm, straight lines and dark bricks. Teenargers here all look like they get high 10 times a day or something and try to be cool very desperatly. It is small-town-syndrome. (...)

Yesterday was a really really bad day. I panicked at the fact that I was alone, bored and didn't know where I'd be staying in Vernon. i sent some 576 desperate couchsurfing requests. I don't think they will work. So I booked a hotel which will cost me a lot of money. On the bright side, I will have a TV. Vernon will probably be like Kelowna. surrounded by beautiful parks only acessible by car. Oh, supreme frustration! I called home like 2 times, missed everyone, missed people in Vancouver. Oh, dreadful. I stayed in my empty room (no one else checked in) and read most of the day. It kept me distracted. But, hey , cheer up!! After today is only 2 more days to Nelson, which seems very promising. And Banff is only one day. I don't think it can go very wrong. (...) I don't mind the long hours travelling. It is my favourite part. i love the landscape and it feels like I am actually seeing something. (...) It was quite arrogant of me, the 18 year old girl who can't drive, to think I could do this and it would all go smoothly. At least I got my books to entertain me.

But hey, Filipa! You're seeing Canada! The good and the bad! And, okay, you made some planning mistakes, but you couldn't have known the extent to which Canada is ****** up! (Yeah, swearing always makes it better, doesn't it?)

And hey, at leats I slept a lot! Great not having to think about school. And in about 2 weeks I'll be home! And is nothing to bad to read and take my time. Yesterday was just a bad day. Fair enough. It happens. (...) It will be just fine.
(...)

Filipa

P.S. When I booked the hostel in Vernon (by phone) I had to insit with the operator that I did not want the 20$ in gas or car rent 'cause I DIDN?T DRIVE. Apparently that is an alien concept to her.

#11 - Penticton, the quiet oasis

Sunday, the 10th of May
Penticton

Day 17

After wondering through the city (town/village) for 1 and 1/2 days I am in a fair position to make a shortish description. (...)
Penticton is a very small place (...). It has a large retired population, as can be deduced by the numerous facilites for veterans, for instance. The beach is quite incredible and it really looks like an oasis with the brownish mountains around. I quite like it, except for the lack of actual things to visit or see. In addition, people turn their heads and recognize you as an out-of-towner (...).
I keep going to strabucks and more Strabucks. It is an issue.

Filipa

#10 - Looking at the island from accross the mountains...

Saturday, the 9th of May
Penticton, sitting by the lake Okanagan
warm, sunny and perfect

Day 16

I arrived to Penticton about 1:00 h ago. And welcome to small town Canada. Quite small, not many people. But, standing by the lake with warm sun (finally!) I think I get "the charm" of the region. Like the two old ladies on the bus said "it's so quiet". And when you live in Vancouver you value that. The water looks really good. Tomorrow I should dip my feet into it. (...)

But I should make sure to have a record of the last couple of days. (...) Our second ride [from Nanaimo to Ucluelet] (hard to get) was a mother that liked listening to the Beatles and had a very messy car, and her teenage son. Very insightful trip to the road to Port Alberni. The guy was a typical American highschool student [even though he was Canadian]. "Surfer" looking hair and "cool" style. Plus he loved to say he was failing his classes , he picked up hookers and other very inappropriate comments in a deliberate defiant tone. (...)

Our third and almost instantaneous ride was Noah. (...) He worked with fishing boats. Not much to talk about since he din't enjoy travelling. The island had nice people, snowboarding and surf - why go anywhere else?? but Christian kept asking nice questions. He took us to port Alberni and, at that point, I strated realising the beauty of Vancouver Island. The lakes, the majestic trees. It looks like a fantasy movie! this was even more true of our ride from Port Alberni to Ucluelet. The lakes were amazing, even though it was pouring down. We decided to take this ride even though it didin't get us to Tofino. It was getting fairly late and raining a lot. (...) He was a retired logger who told us quite a bit about the industry, the environmental issues and the potential of the island. I liked it a lot and when he dropped us off at the hostel in Ucluelet I told Christian this was my best day in BC. (...) I discovered the joys of hitchhiking.

(...) On our dorm there was only this girl. An Irish ex-Dundee drop out (...) who was looking for a job to stay there for a while, currently travelling the world. Curious young woman. She told us about her crazy "European trip" on the back of a van with 3 very messy guys.
(...) The next morning we made the acquaintance of Peter, a retired veterinary professor, an Englishman bird-watching around. A German speaker and father of a Pearson UWC graduate, we soon bonded and got offered a ride to Victoria at noon. And so we forgot tofino and drove south. (...)

I am going to have to move. It's getting coldish .... continuing the entry in a Starbucks 15 min later (yes, it saves my homeless, tired and wondering self yet another time)
+ 2 teenagers are talking aboutboyfriends and highschool intrigues just behind me. Can this get any more small townish?

So, back to the Island. We ended up taking a trail that morning in Ucluelet, along the beach. (...). IT WAS GORGEOUS. My knee and legs hurted but I absolutely loved it! It had little beaches all over it, so hidden yet easy to walk into: a perfect trail. We even saw an eagle on the rocks (we had seen 2 bears the day before!) And the waves were loike an impressionistic painting. Thye seemed rough and windy. My style.

(...) Peter came to pick us up and started driving to Victoria. (...) He was quite interesting, had lived in a bunch of English-speaking countries and thaught for a year in Somalia. He had loads of interests including bird-watching and European History.in fact, he was an open book: dates, facts, cultures. He knew it all. He even spoke some Norwegian from a turbulent visit to Bergen when he was 18! He spoke many languages and could read another lot. At the moment he is an organic farmer here in the okanagan valley.
(...)
We stopped at a lake beofre Port Alberni to eat lunch. We also stopped at a little river shortly after. Then Grove Cathedral, a place with very veyr very tall trees. Finally at a place with First Nations engravings on rock next to a lake. Well the rock was in the lake. It didn't seem very looked after. We talked about so many things. he identified the paradox of female power in mediterranean societies. he told me about Native History and the USA invasions of Canada. He was pro-legalisation of all drugs, including opium. It was indeed a very cool drive.

We finally arrived in Victoria.(...) christian and I walked and asked for directions (or were offered rather...) to the nearby hostel (...) the we went ou to see Victoria (...) It was quite lovely, with the sunset and all. The buildings in the old town were charming and the Parliment is quite something. i liekd it, as we strolled around the harbour. (...) The problem was finidng somewhere to eat, at night. Things started to close and we eneded up in MacDonalds....yes, I did. (...) Once again, you need to adapt to the culture, so whathver. It wasn't pleasant. (...)

In the morning we had some breakfast at a "John's Palce", a very aweosme music-themed decorated restaurant. It also had the largets pancakes in the world!!! Very nice place but sure to cause obesity in the long run. (...) We caught a bus and a ferry back to Vanocuver. Such a beautiful trip with clear skies and it all looked so much like Norway that it automatically triggered some sentimental nostalgia. (....)

And so this morning I got to Penticton, about which I will write alter (...) i need to be patted on the head from time to time.

Filipa