Sunday 30th of May 2010. Czech players won gold in hockey world championship. And I was leaving Canada. After incredible 5 months, having experienced a lot, met many great friends and discovered another part of the world.
The whole day I spent with packing, saying goodbye to my flatmates and to the city and in the evening with my 60kg of luggages I boarded onto LOT aircraft on the flight from Toronto through Warsaw to Vienna (unfortunately I can't recommend to use LOT), arriving to Vienna on Monday 31st later afternoon. Because there wasn't any connection to Prague, I'd planned to stay in Vienna one night (couchsurfing :). Tuesday afternoon I took Student Agency bus to Prague.
--- so that's the end of the story; see you Canada hopefully in not so distant future! ---
02 August 2010
New Brunswick
It was the last week of May and my very last week to be in Canada. I was enjoying my Cambridge new home, but yet I had a plan where to spend the last days: New Brunswick, a province in the east from Québec and with an access to Atlantic through Bay of Fundy and Gulf of Saint Lawrence. I made some research and found those facts:
To go through Quebec province to the north of NB, hitchhike along St. John river to Fredericton, spend 2 nights there and then continue to Saint John. There is a scenic old highway, going in the valley along the river. From St John I'd fly back to Toronto.
- A truly bilingual province, in the north prevail French, in the south English
- People are very friendly
- Capital is Fredericton, with 50ths ppl
- The whole NB has only 750ths people
- Air distance North-South is 320km
- The best place (together with Nova Scotia) for hitchhiking in Canada
To go through Quebec province to the north of NB, hitchhike along St. John river to Fredericton, spend 2 nights there and then continue to Saint John. There is a scenic old highway, going in the valley along the river. From St John I'd fly back to Toronto.
29 July 2010
Days in Cambridge
On 15th of May I returned to Canada to a new home - a house in Cambridge, a little town connected to K-W by iXpress bus. There is a Faculty of Architecture of UW, a nice surrounding, but generally the town is quite small, not providing much opportunities what to do. With my great housemates Monika (CZ), Peter (CA) and Nils (FR) we shared a lovely big house in Beverly street. I was very tired from our 3 weeks travelling and spend the following days in resting mode. There were amazing barbecue and czech dinner evenings which we managed to organize with my flatmates. I really enjoyed those days we spent together talking with beers :) All the time it was sunny warm summer weather. Now it seems to me it was more than just one short week...
I got an old bike to move around and even I went for a little trip to Chicopee, where I hadn't been before. I started also creating an idea for the last week; I had some spare days before my departure and I wanted to discover another place in CA or around. One day I found tickets to Saint John in New Brunswick for quite reasonable price. But before I decided, the ticket to go there got quite expensive, so my final plan looked like: To New Brunswick by bus through Quebec and to fly back. I read some articles about NB and about travelling there; it was said that hitch-hiking works there the best in whole Canada. I was about to prove it!
I got an old bike to move around and even I went for a little trip to Chicopee, where I hadn't been before. I started also creating an idea for the last week; I had some spare days before my departure and I wanted to discover another place in CA or around. One day I found tickets to Saint John in New Brunswick for quite reasonable price. But before I decided, the ticket to go there got quite expensive, so my final plan looked like: To New Brunswick by bus through Quebec and to fly back. I read some articles about NB and about travelling there; it was said that hitch-hiking works there the best in whole Canada. I was about to prove it!
 |
| CA16 Cambridge May 2010 |
Washington DC and Alexandria
Before Pivko and Franta left back home, I had been thinking what to do next. I had half of May free and I had no longer background in Park st Manor in Waterloo (remember, the house was sold). The first idea of going to Caribbean was abandoned. Not as I would't like, but there was no one left and I didn't want to travel there alone. Then I found a temporary home in Cambridge in a house where Monika was living during her summer term (Monika is also from CTU studying currently at UW) and that solved my housing situation. I was also considering to go from NYC directly north to New Brunswick or Nova Scotia, but I couldn't figure out any reasonable way how to get there through Main. Decision was made by finding cheap tickets to Boston or DC. I choose Washington and then I would go back "home" to Canada.
25 July 2010
The Trip part IV - New York City
Big Apple was the last destination on our common travel list. We were staying for 3 days (9.-11.5.), living in the cheapest hostel in Brooklyn (Lafayette hostel). It wasn't that bad, the only problem there were only two showers which was very insufficient. Sunday afternoon we spent lost in Manhattan, walking down Broadway st, taking pictures in Wall st, and admiring night Times sq. I learned in LP guide there were almost no public toilets in NYC and that's absolutely truth! They recommend to use Starbucks, or any other coffee shop :P Although Manhattan creates only a part of NYC, it's so huge that walking around made us soon tired and we got back to our hostel.
 |
| Time sq. |
 |
| Brooklyn bridge |
20 July 2010
The Trip part III - Union College
The reason for visiting Union College was to see Czech friends studying there and to pick-up some ebay electronics :)
Crossing the border Canada/USA is a real procedure; the train was stopped for 2 hours and a dinning car was turned into a custom office. We were questioned why, where and how we were going to spend our time in the States, had to fill out a paper claiming we were not terrorists, another paper claiming we were not carrying any livestock and food, and finally pay six dollars of a stamp and a paper stitched in our passports. Moreover to say the train from Montréal to NY was extremely slow! Not as it was old, but the railway had probably stayed in the same condition since the time it was built by first colonists... It was just single-track with unsecured road crossings, so either we were waiting for a train in the opposite direction or going very slow across those crossings (plus these two hours in borders). In total 357km in 7.20 h, wow!
We arrived to Schenectady on Friday 7th of May, easily found Union College (looking like weirdoes as we were walking and with huge backpacks :), met with Martin, got a room in a dormitory, went for a great all-you-can-eat dinner (so good, especially when you are hungry), and later joined other exchange students at a party in Language house and after in Frat house. Frat house is a kind of weird clan accommodation system: in the house can permanently live only guys (!) belonging into a particular fraternity (or brotherhood). Getting into a fraternity is very sophisticated process consisting from 10 weeks of pledging (= serving) for older brothers (basically an applicant has to act like a "bitch", like in the army). In the evenings the house turns into huge alcohol bordel. There young students get very drunk from extremely disgusting Bud Light, or other cheap US beer and lose all their human manners :D Funny. Especially if you realize the campus is alcohol free, there is a campus police, campus safety, canteens, and everything needed for an easy-going student life. Of course for this comfort you (or your parents) have to pay hell a lot of money!
Crossing the border Canada/USA is a real procedure; the train was stopped for 2 hours and a dinning car was turned into a custom office. We were questioned why, where and how we were going to spend our time in the States, had to fill out a paper claiming we were not terrorists, another paper claiming we were not carrying any livestock and food, and finally pay six dollars of a stamp and a paper stitched in our passports. Moreover to say the train from Montréal to NY was extremely slow! Not as it was old, but the railway had probably stayed in the same condition since the time it was built by first colonists... It was just single-track with unsecured road crossings, so either we were waiting for a train in the opposite direction or going very slow across those crossings (plus these two hours in borders). In total 357km in 7.20 h, wow!
We arrived to Schenectady on Friday 7th of May, easily found Union College (looking like weirdoes as we were walking and with huge backpacks :), met with Martin, got a room in a dormitory, went for a great all-you-can-eat dinner (so good, especially when you are hungry), and later joined other exchange students at a party in Language house and after in Frat house. Frat house is a kind of weird clan accommodation system: in the house can permanently live only guys (!) belonging into a particular fraternity (or brotherhood). Getting into a fraternity is very sophisticated process consisting from 10 weeks of pledging (= serving) for older brothers (basically an applicant has to act like a "bitch", like in the army). In the evenings the house turns into huge alcohol bordel. There young students get very drunk from extremely disgusting Bud Light, or other cheap US beer and lose all their human manners :D Funny. Especially if you realize the campus is alcohol free, there is a campus police, campus safety, canteens, and everything needed for an easy-going student life. Of course for this comfort you (or your parents) have to pay hell a lot of money!
19 July 2010
The Trip part II - Ottawa & Montréal
When Nicolas left us on Tue 4th May, we went directly to Ottawa as planed, because we had our car for one more day. It takes about two hours of comfortable driving from Montréal. Ottawa is a very nice city lying on the southern banks of the Ottawa River, a major waterway forming the local boundary between the provinces of Ontario and Quebec. The city was chosen by Queen Victoria as a capital on December 31st 1857 as a compromise between Toronto and Montréal. It's a real bilingual city; about 80% of citizens under 25 are able to speak both languages.
We were staying in a great (little expensive, but yet the cheapest in the town) hostel Ottawa Backpackers. From the sights to be mention there is Parliament Hill, Major's Hill Park, Museum of Civilization and Rideau Canal (which when frozen creates officially the world's largest skating rink with its 7,8km length) and many governmental buildings and embassies. By an accident we also got inside the parliament and saw part of a political discussion :). In the evening we went to a karaoke bar with some really good singers!
Next morning we had to hurry up to be back in Montréal until noon to drop off our car in Thrifty office (but before to return GPS in Walmart :)). I think in total we made around 2500 km.
In Montréal we met Jean-Christophe, my friend who was studying in Prague 2 years ago. We were staying at his flat for 2 days. There is a great system of city bikes, which we were using very much! All you need to use Bixi is your credit card with a deposit of 250$, then is costs 5$ per 24hours and you have every 30mins of biking for free. First evening we also met some other ex-exchange Prague students in Bílý Kůň pub. The other day we were sightseeing around the well known places (Mont Royal hill, Olympic stadium, Port, etc.) That evening Canadians won over Penguins in a match in Bell Centre in the city, which was a huge holiday! :)
On Friday 7th in the morning we were leaving by Amtrack to Schenectady in New York.
We were staying in a great (little expensive, but yet the cheapest in the town) hostel Ottawa Backpackers. From the sights to be mention there is Parliament Hill, Major's Hill Park, Museum of Civilization and Rideau Canal (which when frozen creates officially the world's largest skating rink with its 7,8km length) and many governmental buildings and embassies. By an accident we also got inside the parliament and saw part of a political discussion :). In the evening we went to a karaoke bar with some really good singers!
 |
| CA11 Ottawa 4.5.2010 |
Next morning we had to hurry up to be back in Montréal until noon to drop off our car in Thrifty office (but before to return GPS in Walmart :)). I think in total we made around 2500 km.
In Montréal we met Jean-Christophe, my friend who was studying in Prague 2 years ago. We were staying at his flat for 2 days. There is a great system of city bikes, which we were using very much! All you need to use Bixi is your credit card with a deposit of 250$, then is costs 5$ per 24hours and you have every 30mins of biking for free. First evening we also met some other ex-exchange Prague students in Bílý Kůň pub. The other day we were sightseeing around the well known places (Mont Royal hill, Olympic stadium, Port, etc.) That evening Canadians won over Penguins in a match in Bell Centre in the city, which was a huge holiday! :)
On Friday 7th in the morning we were leaving by Amtrack to Schenectady in New York.
 |
| CA12 Montréal 5.-6.5.2010 |
The Trip part I - Québec
At the end of April our house in Waterloo was going to be sold; I packed everything needed for 3 weeks travel in my backpack and left my suitcase with the rest of my stuff at a friend's place until the half of May when I was going to return back.On Monday 26th we started the first part of a big travelling through Canada and USA. First we took a bus to Toronto for a quick tour.
This was my third Toronto visit, but it's always nice to walk its streets. It was a nice sunny day ideal for shooting nice pictures :) In the evening we met Nicolas and left together by night bus to Montéal.
 |
| CA09 Toronto 26.4.2010 |
Morning in Montréal, around 7am, snowing, cold! Finding a place for a breakfast was the first thing to do, then waiting till 8 when Thrifty opened. They let us left our bags in the office and we went to kill two hours in Old Port. At noon we came back to get our car (Toyota Camry with a hybrid engine this time! Not a bad one :)). Then we made a quick shopping in Walmart with a purpose to "rent" a tent and GPS for our trip (rent because we were about to return it a week after :D). 17 July 2010
Niagara Falls - Apr 23
The highlight of the whole semester was to come the last month. My school was over, all (two) exams successfully passed and more than a month to spend.
22.4. Franta and Ivan (aka Pivko) landed in Toronto, happily found a bus and in the evening they arrived to Waterloo. With my friends we prepared a little welcome ceremony in Park st Mansion.
Next morning (it was Friday) we picked up our car from DiscountCarRental (we got a white Corolla with a very nice total price $46/day) and left towards Niagara. The crew for this time: Franta, Pivko, Andy, Celine and me. Without a map and with just a little detour we reached the destination and successfully found a free-of-charge parking (we saved $14 at the edge of a forest :)). We couldn't have chosen the better day as the weather was just amazing! Lovely spring sunny day even allowed us to see a rainbow spreading over the water mass. The falls are definitely more majestic from Canadian side, and it's worth a trip. But I wouldn't spend a night there as the city is made in a very ugly disneyland style and everything is overpriced.
After a vision experience we made our way to Niagara-on-the-Lake town few km further down the river. We took a sandwich dinner on a pier watching a sunset and then drove back home. Both driver and a navigator were changed, which led in loosing the way again and ending up almost in Toronto :D Soon after midnight our expedition successfully reached home.
22.4. Franta and Ivan (aka Pivko) landed in Toronto, happily found a bus and in the evening they arrived to Waterloo. With my friends we prepared a little welcome ceremony in Park st Mansion.
Next morning (it was Friday) we picked up our car from DiscountCarRental (we got a white Corolla with a very nice total price $46/day) and left towards Niagara. The crew for this time: Franta, Pivko, Andy, Celine and me. Without a map and with just a little detour we reached the destination and successfully found a free-of-charge parking (we saved $14 at the edge of a forest :)). We couldn't have chosen the better day as the weather was just amazing! Lovely spring sunny day even allowed us to see a rainbow spreading over the water mass. The falls are definitely more majestic from Canadian side, and it's worth a trip. But I wouldn't spend a night there as the city is made in a very ugly disneyland style and everything is overpriced.
After a vision experience we made our way to Niagara-on-the-Lake town few km further down the river. We took a sandwich dinner on a pier watching a sunset and then drove back home. Both driver and a navigator were changed, which led in loosing the way again and ending up almost in Toronto :D Soon after midnight our expedition successfully reached home.
 |
| CA08 Niagara Falls 23.4.2010 |
15 July 2010
April in Waterloo
I've promised a continuation of my canadian story, and here it comes!
The time how it's passing
It just so happened that I met one amazing person and we were spending quite a lot of time together since then :)
Spring arrived very quickly to Waterloo and unlike in Europe it became quite warm and pleasant. While Europe was buried under snow, we were enjoying lovely spring sun rays and I could have biked almost everyday. Since some time ago I was visiting gym at Columbia IceField arena (CIF). It was much better than the old gym at Physical Activity Complex. Not only there were actually many girls going, but also it was modern with much more machines. Only sauna was missing, so PAC remained just for sauna and sometimes swimming.
There were many pubs and many farewell parties. I organised several times common dinners or apéros at our house. This is another great advantage against campus housing: you can do whatever you like and there is no security coming to kick you out! :) At the end we got much more together with other exchange students then before. Was it the condition of off-campus living in the beginning I was not so much in the contact? Or did I experience the arrival cultural shock? I would say I did which surprised me. At the end I was finally feeling like at home, despite the expensive beer, tasteless food and other little things which are insignificant. I enjoyed the last months to the max and it happened so much in a very short period of time. All the tripping, partying and stuff that made me busy, but most importantly my friends, created the time I'll never forget...
24 June 2010
Updates soon (hopefully)
Deer readers (if there are still any),
It's been a while since my last post. It happened so much during April and May in Canada, that I didn't manage to find my time for writing.
I'm back in Europe already for almost a month, currently in France in beautiful Province enjoying holiday with my friend.
I'll update my canadian diary as soon as get back to Prague.
Thanks for your patience and have a great summer!
Michal
It's been a while since my last post. It happened so much during April and May in Canada, that I didn't manage to find my time for writing.
I'm back in Europe already for almost a month, currently in France in beautiful Province enjoying holiday with my friend.
I'll update my canadian diary as soon as get back to Prague.
Thanks for your patience and have a great summer!
Michal
31 March 2010
Elmira Maple Syrup festival 27.3.2010
"As winter slips away into springtime and the daytime temperature begins to rise above freezing, many families in Ontario return to their sugar bush to make maple syrup. The boiling of sap to make maple syrup and maple sugar is one of the oldest traditions in North America and is part of Canada’s heritage. Canada is famous around the world for its pure Maple Syrup."
(http://www.elmiramaplesyrup.com)
Tell me, could I have missed it? :) Of course not! The biggest maple syrup festival in the world just round the corner - in Elmira! It was an amazing experience. There was many kinds local farmers products, mainly food and crafts. Remarkable was Big Ass Garlic, pieorgy, and of course pancakes! Also we saw how maple sap is gained from trees and how maple syrup is extracted of it.
Important part of the festival was waiting in a queue: for tickets to buy pancakes, for pancakes, for a bus to go to the forest, ... simply for anything. Queueing is a part of daily life in Canada :)
Pictures are traditionally on Picasa or Facebook!
(http://www.elmiramaplesyrup.com)
Tell me, could I have missed it? :) Of course not! The biggest maple syrup festival in the world just round the corner - in Elmira! It was an amazing experience. There was many kinds local farmers products, mainly food and crafts. Remarkable was Big Ass Garlic, pieorgy, and of course pancakes! Also we saw how maple sap is gained from trees and how maple syrup is extracted of it.
Important part of the festival was waiting in a queue: for tickets to buy pancakes, for pancakes, for a bus to go to the forest, ... simply for anything. Queueing is a part of daily life in Canada :)
Pictures are traditionally on Picasa or Facebook!
 |
| CA04 Elmira Maple Syrup Festival 27.3.2010 |
St. Patrick's Day
With a little delay, but ...
I didn't know that St. Patrick's Day, the Irish holiday celebrated on 17th of March, is so popular here. The city was literally covered with people wearing green, Irish pubs were full since morning (but not only Irish ones). It was still a bit chilly but sunny Wednesday. I decided to skip my afternoon organization-design class and enjoy the day.
We had a special guest on a visit in Waterloo: Marilyn from Montréal. We started the evening with few pitchers in Grad House (Graduate house in the campus) and then wanted to continue in Bomber (a pub also in the campus), which turned to be unrealistic as the queue for the entrance was longer than usually and didn't seem to be moving at all. So we changed our intention and headed to Molly's Irish bar. Of course there was a queue too, but much shorter. For the first time I had a green beer! Weird to see, but the taste was the same like normal. I still wonder what they put inside :)
Cheers!
I didn't know that St. Patrick's Day, the Irish holiday celebrated on 17th of March, is so popular here. The city was literally covered with people wearing green, Irish pubs were full since morning (but not only Irish ones). It was still a bit chilly but sunny Wednesday. I decided to skip my afternoon organization-design class and enjoy the day.
We had a special guest on a visit in Waterloo: Marilyn from Montréal. We started the evening with few pitchers in Grad House (Graduate house in the campus) and then wanted to continue in Bomber (a pub also in the campus), which turned to be unrealistic as the queue for the entrance was longer than usually and didn't seem to be moving at all. So we changed our intention and headed to Molly's Irish bar. Of course there was a queue too, but much shorter. For the first time I had a green beer! Weird to see, but the taste was the same like normal. I still wonder what they put inside :)
Cheers!
13 March 2010
Management Consulting Case Competition
During past night I was busy with preparation for a Management consulting competition witch I'd signed up some time ago. In a team of 4 people we got a case about Symbian and today we were defending our recommendation where should Symbian focus itself in the future. In the jury were siting consultants from Deloitte, McKinsey, AZ Associates and BCG. It was a very great experience and a chance to use my knowledge from last ISC Parťák weekend! :) I think we have synthesized quite interesting and innovative approach to the problem, of course fully in correspondence with MECE principle. Despite the fact we didn't win I'm proud about our solution and that we managed to put it together during just one night (after changing the previous strategy on Friday evening :).What else is happening these days?
The spring has arrived to Canada! It's been warm for more then a week, with temperature climbing over 10°C and all the snow is melted. This winter was unlike in Europe very moderate.
I'm already thinking about another trip adventure having found very reasonable tickets to some interesting sunny destinations ...
06 March 2010
Québec trip!
During our Reading week in mid February we made a long awaited trip to Québec province. The Reading week is a study break for midterms. For us exchange students it means of course a week-long holiday :)On Saturday 13. early morning Andy and me caught Greyhound bus to Toronto, where we changed to Megabus to Montréal. The journey takes 7 hours, fortunately there is a break in the middle to release legs and the bus is spacious enough.
Andy'd managed free accommodation through couchsurfing, so from the bus station we set out directly to Marilyn's place. On the way we passed by a Czech bar Bílý Kůň, which was also visited later that day (and the day after) :) It was my first time staying via couchsurfing and I got more than nicely excited, having already set up my own profile. That weekend we were staying at Marilyn's even in 4 people - together with Katariina and Akari, 2 girls doing their exchange in Windsor, the very south Canadian city just next to Detroit. In the evening we all went to a Portuguese restaurant. So amazing food! There was a couchsurfing meeting in one bar, which couldn't be missed and later already mentioned Bílý Kůň. It was such a great evening! I love Montréal!12 February 2010
Photos finaly online!
I've started to put photos on line to my Picasa gallery. The first album is from Toronto, others will follow later!
 |
| CA01 Toronto 1.1.2010 |
10 February 2010
Buzz your friends! (in Québec!)
Here we have another social-sharing tool!
Google quietly launched his Google Buzz today. The thing is implemented in Gmail so far and there is a mobile version too. It takes automatically posts from your blog, Picasa, Twitter, Flicker, and Google Reader and post them as new "buzz-feeds" on which your selected friends can comment, add photos, etc. I've been linked with friends I write often with and who I follow in Reader.
Watch a video about Buzz and happy buzzing! :)
< And now about something completely different... >
Next week is so called Reading week, the time dedicated for midterms and studying, so no lectures at all! Does a bell ring? Sure - the ideal time for traveling! ;)
On Saturday I'm leaving through Toronto to Montreal, where (together with other guys) we will stay till Monday, then we'll rent a car and move to Quebec City for another two days. Return day to Waterloo is next Thursday.
I can't wait! So far I haven't been anywhere but Toronto and I'm already desperately missing some action! Also I'm looking forward to hear and experience Quebec's French roots :)
Google quietly launched his Google Buzz today. The thing is implemented in Gmail so far and there is a mobile version too. It takes automatically posts from your blog, Picasa, Twitter, Flicker, and Google Reader and post them as new "buzz-feeds" on which your selected friends can comment, add photos, etc. I've been linked with friends I write often with and who I follow in Reader. Watch a video about Buzz and happy buzzing! :)
< And now about something completely different... >
Next week is so called Reading week, the time dedicated for midterms and studying, so no lectures at all! Does a bell ring? Sure - the ideal time for traveling! ;)
On Saturday I'm leaving through Toronto to Montreal, where (together with other guys) we will stay till Monday, then we'll rent a car and move to Quebec City for another two days. Return day to Waterloo is next Thursday.
I can't wait! So far I haven't been anywhere but Toronto and I'm already desperately missing some action! Also I'm looking forward to hear and experience Quebec's French roots :)
08 February 2010
New notebook!
Today, finally after long waiting, my new ThinkPad T410 arrived! My first impressions are only positive. Also new Win 7 seems to be better then ever before. Evidently Redmond guys took some ideas from fruit-oriented company, which is not bad at all :) New touchpad is multitouch and supports similar actions like the one in OSX (plus there is TrackPoint). Main parameters follow:
- 14.1" WXGA+ matt screen (the main reason I decided for this model)
- Intel i5 CPU
- 320 GB HDD
- 4GB RAM
- 6 cell battery
- 2.27 kg
- Win 7 pro
- eSata, FireWire, Dislay Port, Card reader.
26 January 2010
Books from US and UK
Today I got my ordered books which made my day even better!From UK arrived hilarious world-bestseller "A year in the Merde" from Stephen Clarke, a British journalists living in Paris. In his novel he describes his everyday troubles with french culture and (especially) french women. After reading the second part "Merde Actually" some months ago, I knew I had to get the first one too!
The second book is my school reading material "Organization theory and design". Very nice written book about the org. theory, although I think it could be quarter in size and still contain more then enough info. But this is written for American students :).We are supposed to use the Canadian edition (slightly different in case studies), but I just refused to pay $130 for a single book! Instead I found a used one (ok, older and an american edition) for $1 plus few bucks for shipping from Dallas. That's the rational behavior, isn't it? :)
And that all for some $14 :)
I hope my notebook will arrive soon too, which will made me even more happier than those books :)
First weeks in a short-cut
The first week I spent trying to organize my school issues: schedule of my lectures, getting uni card (Watcard), insurance, getting to know campus, attending orientation sessions, meeting my shadow (buddy, tutor) Christos, and so on. We didn't have proper orientation week, like our exchange students back home, because the school starts at 4th of January. Pretty early indeed! So I managed to miss couple of first lectures not expecting so fast start :-).
The city and UW
The city and UW
Waterloo is a small city, together with Kitchener (the sister city, K-W) having about 300ths inhabitants. It's about hundred km west of Toronto, and while looking to a map one can get little confused from finding Cambridge, London, Woodstock and Paris around ... Because the first immigrants who settled up here were from Germany, you can visit local Octoberfest during autumn and today I bought octoberfest barbecue sausages :D
19 January 2010
První dny - Toronto
Přiletěli jsme v pátek, do neděle jsme měli v plánu zůstat v Torontu a pak se přesunout do Waterloo. Náš Travelers hostel, který jsem zabookoval, se nacházel v China Town u ulice Spadina, jedné z hlavních tříd v DownTownu. Že jde o Čínskou čtvrť, jsem poznal už z mapy při pohledu na Street View (V Kanadě je vyfocené snad každé město). V okolí jsou jen čínské obchody, ulice nesou vedle svých anglických jmen i ty čínské a bělocha musí člověk hledat opravdu pečlivě.
Večer jsme podnikli krátkou procházku, obhlídli noční CN Tower a pro strašlivou zimu se chtěli uchýlit do baru na pivo. To by ovšem nesměl být nový rok :) Podařilo se nám akorát najít otevřený obchod, kde jsme tedy uskutečnili nákup večeře a snídaně.
Večer jsme podnikli krátkou procházku, obhlídli noční CN Tower a pro strašlivou zimu se chtěli uchýlit do baru na pivo. To by ovšem nesměl být nový rok :) Podařilo se nám akorát najít otevřený obchod, kde jsme tedy uskutečnili nákup večeře a snídaně.
17 January 2010
Intro
Jsem již v Kanadě přes dva týdny a je tedy nejvyšší čas začít postupně zapisovat svoje poznatky, myšlenky a zaznamenání-hodné události, které tu prožívám.
Jak to začalo?
Po vydařeném Erasmu ve Finsku před dlouhými 3mi roky, jsem se rozhodl, že je na čase opět zvednout kotvy, uchopit nabízenou příležitost od ČVUT a jet studijně poznávat krásy dalekých zemí. Po zvážení nabízených možností (Brazílie, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Čína, Korea a Kanada), jsem se rozhodl jet do Kanady. Lehce jsem prošel přijímacím řízením na Rektorátu a vyřídil téměř všechny potřebné formality (děkuji našim snědým spoluobčanům za nutnost víz!).
Den odjezdu se nezadržitelně blížil. Nutno říct, že loučení nebylo snadné. Na jedné straně očekávání budoucích zážitků, na straně druhé opouštění mnoha skvělých lidí z milovaného ISC a spřáteleného BS. Ale pět měsíců zase není tak dlouhá doba :)
31. prosince jsem tedy obtěžkán zavazadly (ale méně než když jsem jel do Finska) nasedl na pravidelnou autobusovou linku do Bratislavy, kde jsem se střetl s Andym, se kterým letíme společně. Po krátké Silvestrovké noci u jeho kamarádů na venkově, jsme následujícího rána ve Vídni nastoupili na Boeing 767 Austrian Airlines na let do Toronta.
O 9 hodin a 6913 km později jsme dosedli na mezinárodním letišti Pearson. Po překonání imigračních úředníků a vyzvednutí bagáže, jsme tedy stanuli na kanadské půdě!
Jak to začalo?
Po vydařeném Erasmu ve Finsku před dlouhými 3mi roky, jsem se rozhodl, že je na čase opět zvednout kotvy, uchopit nabízenou příležitost od ČVUT a jet studijně poznávat krásy dalekých zemí. Po zvážení nabízených možností (Brazílie, Costa Rica, Taiwan, Čína, Korea a Kanada), jsem se rozhodl jet do Kanady. Lehce jsem prošel přijímacím řízením na Rektorátu a vyřídil téměř všechny potřebné formality (děkuji našim snědým spoluobčanům za nutnost víz!).
Den odjezdu se nezadržitelně blížil. Nutno říct, že loučení nebylo snadné. Na jedné straně očekávání budoucích zážitků, na straně druhé opouštění mnoha skvělých lidí z milovaného ISC a spřáteleného BS. Ale pět měsíců zase není tak dlouhá doba :)
31. prosince jsem tedy obtěžkán zavazadly (ale méně než když jsem jel do Finska) nasedl na pravidelnou autobusovou linku do Bratislavy, kde jsem se střetl s Andym, se kterým letíme společně. Po krátké Silvestrovké noci u jeho kamarádů na venkově, jsme následujícího rána ve Vídni nastoupili na Boeing 767 Austrian Airlines na let do Toronta.
O 9 hodin a 6913 km později jsme dosedli na mezinárodním letišti Pearson. Po překonání imigračních úředníků a vyzvednutí bagáže, jsme tedy stanuli na kanadské půdě!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)