LAS VEGAS

Kai and I left for Las Vegas on the 20 September and came back late on 26th. (and we are not marriaged!!!) ;-) Our colleagues were very keen to organize a wedding in one of those

"beautiful " chapels, entertained by Elvis and friends, but...sorry....)

It was a great experience even though we had a lot to do for work. Unfortunately we both got a cold because of the chance in temperature of the air con. From 40 to 20 and back to 40 dregrees (Celsius)...But the exhibition and the "Las Vegas expierience" was very good. Even if I feel not to go there again... How can people sit all day and night in one of the 1000 casinos and gamble...?!

On the last day in the afternoon we had a few hours and took the chance to leave for the desert...have a look at the pictures.

guitar hero...

Sorry, I was too busy to update our blogg because I (or we) had to play the guitar...sometime we are losers and sometimes winners...lets see how it looks like playing the guitar...bambambam, bambambabaaam.....you rock!!!

Saturday at Wasaga beach - Boules

What a great day! We spent our Saturday at Wasaga beach again.
Chrisi, Enna, Sascha, Kai and me .
A little bit of everything made our day (frisby, swimming, soccer, Americ. football, kiting and boules! In the meantime we had something to eat, no worries...)

Kai and Sascha, you are great boules player....Chrisi, we have to practice a little bit...;-)

And here are the rules, guys (!):

Bocce is traditionally played on an oyster shell court, but has also been played on decomposed granite, soil, or asphalt courts approximately 20 to 27 metres in length and 2.5 to 4 metres wide, sometimes with wooden boards of approximately 15 centimetres in height surrounding the court. Bocce balls can be made of metal[6], wood, stone, or various kinds of plastic. Unlike lawn bowls, bocce balls are spherical and have no inbuilt bias.

A game can be contested between two players, or two teams of two, three, or four. A court match is started by a randomly chosen side being given the opportunity to throw a smaller ball, the jack (called a pallino or a boccino in some areas), from one end of the court into a zone about 5 metres in length, ending 2 metres from the far end of the court. If they miss twice, the other team is awarded the opportunity to place the jack anywhere they choose within the prescribed zone. At this time the team that attempted to put the jack into play first gets to roll the first ball.
The side that places the jack is given the opportunity to bowl first. Once the first bowl has taken place, the other side has the opportunity to bowl. From then on, the side which does not have the ball closest to the jack has a chance to bowl, up until one side or the other has used their four balls. At that point, the other side bowls its remaining bocce balls. The team with the closest bocce ball to the jack is the only team that can score points in any frame. The scoring team receives one point for each of their balls that is closer to the jack than the closest ball of the other team. The length of a game varies by region, but is typically played to 11, 12, or 13 points.
Players are permitted to throw the ball in the air using an underarm action. This is generally used to knock either the jack or another ball away to attain a more favourable position. Tactics can get quite complex when players have sufficient control over the bocce ball to throw or roll it accurately.

Window washer - profession of your dreams?

During my work at home suddenly a window washer appeared ...no worries, its just the 33rd floor ;-) Unfortunately he was wearing a shirt and didn´t have a coke light in his hands...but...respect!!

Hair cut experience

Hi there,

yesterday I had a hair-do. It was - after 6 years at the same hairdresser in Germany (greetings to Maike) - my first experience with a hairdresser in Canada. I felt like a little kid, when she was cutting my hair....Ahhhhh......but in the end, I am ok with it and it was not the first time one told me that I have an "egghead", I am comfortable with it....;-)

Friday evening - enjoy our view ...

Weekend on the island!

P.S. I was the photographer, sorry ;-)

Summer is back!

Hi there!

since the weekend the summer in Toronto is back. (it wasn´t really gone but a lot of thunderstorms went through...)

Our "neighbor" (next condominum, approx. floor 25) enjoys every single sunny day IN HER APPARTMENT behind the window - nude!!!! (why nobody tell her that she doesn´t get a tan across glass ;-)) (we will see if we can make a shot....)

Because of the nice weather I went to the beaches again, this time I chose me blades, it was fantastic and I thought by myself, how wonderful life can be...(if one doesn´t have to work in the afternoon...) I enjoyed some time reading a book an took that picture while I put off my blades to lie down on the beach.....enjoy!

"I-Tanne"

There were times I was not interested in technical things...until I arrived in Canada (and to be honest - I am not really interested in them now, but...) Staying with Kai makes it necessary to study at least some of those little things...! I never thought that I wouldn´t be able to switch on the TV, or the DVD, or....but it´s not so easy...:-)

When I started working it became necessary to search for a new cellphone (it was more a doctorial theses...) In Canada you are not getting a contract and a cellphone...no. You have to pay for everything. And if you are not paying attention, you are unable to call people because "it´s not in the package"...but make a long story short...I bought an I-PHONE 3 G!!! Tataaaa!!!

I can tell you...it was the best decision (as a non-interested person in technical things) because it makes life easier!!! (you are welcome, apple!!!)

Since than I have a new nickname: I-Tanne! ;-)

Have a good one!

Changes???

Some of you might wonder how we arrange our relationship here in Toronto?

Maybe you get a better idea, now??? :-)

long weekend in Ontario

Hi there,

after a long weekend with nice entertainment progamme I will share my experiences with you...

On Saturday we planned to leave for Buffalo (US) to go shopping. Unfortuneatly some more Canadians had the same idea...on a long weekend, so we shortened the programme and visited the NIAGARA FALLS, I didn´t see before. After finishing our "touri-programme" on Saturday we enjoyed the sun as a usual Torontonian on Sunday.

We were riding our bicicles to the Thommy Thomson Park: it is located on a man-made peninsula that extends five kilometres into Lake Ontario. One of the most significant features of the park is the colonization and succession of various plant communities. These wetlands, meadows and forests now support many threatened and unusual species. Nature pure: and we saw our first beaver - the national animal of Canada (no, it´s not the bear).

On Sunday evening we were invited to a barbeque at Eike´s and Kathi´s place. It was very nice to enjoy such a wonderful evening with nice people (approx. 10 Germans and 3 Canadians)! So we have some new friends here in Toronto and that´s a good feeling!!! :-)

thunder storms in July

The wheather conditions ins Toronto are different in comparison to Hamburg.

We experience stronger changes and if a thunder storm comes up....wow....!!!!!!

Last week Kai took a great shot during a 3hour thunder storm at night....I would say I never saw long lasting flashes like this...

The picture on the left was taken by me...what can I say, it DIDN´T rain that evening. 10 minutes after this shot the sky was clear....

So, we can live with such conditions...:-)

The Beaches - International Jazz Festival

StreetFest is a Beaches International Jazz Festival original event showcasing the finest in Big Band, Swing, Dixieland, Smooth, Post-Bop, Afro-Cuban, Fusion, Funk, R&B and Soul sounds that Canada has to offer. Upwards of 50 bands entertain you along a closed 2 km stretch of Queen Street East! It's an annual 3-afternoon into evening pilgrammage for close to a million folks who come out to groove to the music and soak in the ambience.

And so Kai and me did...It´s not really comparable to events in Hamburg... we never attend in events like this ...with so many bands, who were playing directly on the street without a stage. (like the street musicians who are asking for money usually do it) The quality of the band was surprisingly good!!!

Strawberry Daiquiri

Friday evening, the guys are sitting and playing "play station III", I am not interested in and decided to publish some news.....

Oh, they stop playing...ahhhhh, Kai wants to make a strawberry daiquiri....but we just have fresh strawberries, ice (as usual in the fridge) and ....white bacardi rum.....

Our new bought baby "super crusher" will do its job!!!!

But you don´t want to know how loud it is...(especial in the early morning when Kai makes his Smoothie) Here you will see, how strawberry daiquiri without lime juice and sugar can be replaced... Cheers (20 Minutes later I was drunk!)

Toronto Skyline from "Polson Pier"

On Wednesday (15 July 08) Kai, Christian and I checked out the Ponson Pier - 5 Minutes by car from our flat. It was a sunny day, temperatures around 28 degrees, so we decided to have something to eat and drink at the Cavana Restaurant. It was a standard offer for dinner...chicken wings, salads...snacks....But the view....I can tell you....fantastic!!!! Have a look ! (later on the CN Tower was lighted as usual in different colors, what you don´t see on the picture!)

Kite-Surfing, 13 July, 2008

no comment...;-)

sunny weekend at the beach

Hi there!

It was really a fantastic weekend. On Saturday we left for "the beaches" 10 minutes far from here by car at around 12pm. But if you think there was any parking space left....no way!!! So we had to change plans and went to the "cherry beach" (as you can see on the left) which is only 5 minutes by car...usually thats the "Kitesurfing" beach, but there was no wind, so we enjoyed our "housestrand" for a few hours. Afterwards we passed an Asian food market by accident, we both love asian food, so we diceded to have sushi for dinner...on a day like this it was great, and I have to say...it was an asian paradise!

On Sunday we had plans to leave Toronto to the north up to WASAGA BEACH-the largest freshwater beach in the world. It was the best place one could be on a Sunday, air by 28 degrees, water by 23...! It´s a must!

Yes, we really enjoyed the weekend!!

Cu

CANADA DAY

Most communities across the country are hosting organized celebrations for Canada Day (celebrate the anniversary of the confederation), usually outdoor public events, such as parades, carnivals, festivals, barbecues, air and maritime shows, fireworks, and free musical concerts.

I prefered relaxing on our terasse and later that day I enjoyed a Reggae concert for free - 5 Minutes far from our home. Great! Kai is in Alabama... But...it s not as far as Germany ;-))


Cu

new "kids" on the blog" ;-)

Welcome back or...welcome on Kai´s and Tanja´s blog. Just arrived in Toronto together our plan is to update the blog more than once a year ;-). Because of my (Tanja) part time job I´ll try to keep you informed about our experiences in Canada. I´ll try in English, too. That gives me exercise. Hopefully, you will understand.


Okay, where should I start...?


After a stressful but very nice -last- week in Germany (thank you all for the gifts, wishes, time, trips etc. we enjoyed everything) it was pretty easy to immigrate to Canada, Toronto for me.


Even though I am dependend on Kai now (:-)) and especial his visa, I got one for 2 years and I am allowed to work!!! After 20 minutes we arrived at the conveyor belt before our 5 pieces of luggage were there!!! Grandiose!


When we opened the door to our flat in the 33rd floor, with the great view over the harbour and lake, we both felt comfortable again..to be at home! Tired but lucky we spend the rest of the evening with organizing things in the flat...having a pizza ...and went to bed early.


For Wednesday we had plans already!!!! SCHLAAAAND!!!!!! In the afternoon we went to the German chamber to watch the game against Turkeye. Because of transmission promblems we didn´t see 2 goals but I think we agree that that was an exciting game!!! I have to commend that it felt a little bit strange to watch a soccergame Germany against Turkeye in the German Chamber with an English speaking commentator among 20 german speaking people....?!?

But I can´t say that the Canadians are not interested in....on our way back to the flat Kai was asking by some people in the streets if Germany won...because of his German trikot - he is real FAN!!!! As you can see here: :-)


The next days Kai had to leave for a businesstrip. I joined him to meet some new canadian friends...it was fun for me and work for Kai. but we enjoyed St. Peterborough for dinner together with Matthew and his wife Dominique and little Sophia...she talked french to me the whole weekend...but no prolem for me...as you know...kids love me even if I don´t understand them ;-)


3 year old Sophia after weekend-entertainment of myself :-))))

Yesterday we watched the game in our flat....no commend!!!


Picture taken before the game was over!!!! :-)))))





So, now I will enjoy the sun outside - "have a good one" somebody said to me yesterday in the elevator....seems to be canadian!!

Online... again

Toronto is back online... and this is my new home...

Picture taken from the ferry to the ilands...