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Samstag, 29. September 2007

Visiting Walmart - The real America

My roommates moved out on wednesday and so there was not much left in the apartment (and especially in the kitchen) when they were gone. I was off on thursday so I took the opportunity to go to Walmart in Eagle-Vail. To get there you have to take a bus which only runs every hour and costs $3. But at least there IS a bus, which I hear isn't very common in most parts of the USA ;)

Anyway, I bought pans, cooking stuff, a spice rack, stuff for the bathroom, a cellphone.... And when I got out of there my bank account was a mere $150 poorer. Only when I was trying to pack all the stuff up I realized that I couldn't fit everything into my backpack. So out I went to the bus stop carrying a heavy backpack and 5 plastic bags. When I got to the bus stop I realized that I had just missed the bus so I had to wait almost an hour for the next one. And since I got bored just sitting there, I took a little picture of the parking lot at Walmart:
Isn't it beautiful? ;) Anyway, hopefully next time I will have some more exciting things to tell. Thanks for reading my babbling ;)

Donnerstag, 20. September 2007

Glenwood Springs

Michelle took Max and me to Glenwood Springs today to apply for our Social Security Card. The drive there was really beautiful and I cursed myself repeatedly for not having taken my camera along. On the I-70 section from Vail to Gypsum we passed lots and lots of golf courses, every little village around here seems to have one! It amazes me how many rich people live in these parts...



The last 18 miles from Gypsum to Glenwood Springs lead directly through Glenwood Canyon. The highway mostly goes along the north side of the Colorado River and through a couple of tunnels (in the Hanging Lake area). The views are spectacular as you are directly in the canyon. I could have driven on like this forever :)


Glenwood Springs is exactly how I imagined a typical Colorado town to be. It isn't very big and the buildings for the most part aren't very tall, but the city is pretty spread out and there are fast food restaurants everywhere you look! It was definitely a lot livelier than Vail ;)

Mittwoch, 19. September 2007

Booth Creek Falls

Yesterday Logan and I went hiking to Booth Falls. From what I heard it is one of the most popular hiking trails in the surroundings of Vail and I can definitely see why! From East Vail it is about a 4 mile round-trip hike to the falls. Most of the trail leads through Aspen forests, meadows and stands of blue spruce and it is really beautiful right now because the trees are starting to turn all red and yellow!

On the way to the falls you also get to pass a few avalanches and after crossing a few creeks and climbing up the last steep bit, you suddenly reach the falls. It is such a relief to stand on top of the rocks and watch the water cascade down about 80 feet! Here are a couple of pictures from the hike (i didnt get to take one of the falls themselves, i was so stunned i didn't even think about getting my camera out).


Sonntag, 9. September 2007

Quesadillas, Dirndls & Golf

I had thursday and friday off and so my original plan was to go up the mountains and hike a little. However, I ended up not doing it. Instead Verena and I had two very relaxing days which we spent mostly wandering through Vail, drinking Starbucks coffee and going shopping. Well, not really shopping, because I don't have any money yet, but rather looking at stuff i'd love to have... So if anyone has a spare pair of skis or a snowboard - send it my way! ;)

On friday night Verena, Max and I went to a restaurant in Edwards, where I had the best Quesadillas of my life! (It probably helped that all the kitchen staff were Mexican).

Right now there is the Oktoberfest in Lionshead (the village right next to Vail). However, we decided to wait until next week when it's in Vail and we'll show up in Dirndls (my roommate has some). I will keep you updated on this because for now I really can't imagine myself wearing a Dirndl. But we'll see....

On monday I will be having the morning shift so I will be able to take advantage of some free golf lessons at the Sonnenalp Golf Club in Edwards in the afternoon. I am really excited, I've never played golf before! 

Donnerstag, 6. September 2007

Vail, Colorado - Week 1

So...
I've been in Vail for just over a week now and so far I'm loving it, although things have been pretty hectic.

I arrived at Denver Intl. Airport on tuesday night and took a shuttle bus to Vail, which Michelle (the HR Assistant Manager at the Sonnenalp) had booked for me. The plane got into Denver early and I got my baggage pretty quickly too so I was able to take an earlier shuttle bus. The scenery on the way from Denver to Vail is amazing. It starts off being very flat and one really wouldn't believe that the Rockies are so close. But then after about 30 mins you drive directly through the mountains and it's such a great sight! I wish I would have taken pictures on the way in. But I'm sure I'll be taking that way a few more times, so the opportunity will most likely present itself at some point...For a start, here's a Vail picture I took from the terrace of our apartment complex.