The Canoe Trip on the Magnetewan

       Yeah, I am kinda a procrastinator!!!!! But it is a new school year and I no longer have to rely on dial-up (the only internet available in the boonies where Jack and I currently reside). So I am back for good! People keep asking about updates...they say "WWHHEEENNNNNN?????" So here I am back in my old haunt, pining for the times spent on the open road and planning our next big trip!!! It won't be for a bit, but I am not going to settle for mediocrity! Period. 

   

     The camping trip went great and I finally got some photos uploaded. It was largely uneventful (many fish fry's, swimming, hikes etc...) with the exception of when our canoe tipped over when we tried to get over a beaver dam. Jack was in the back steering and I was hesitant to get my feet wet. Big Hmac (mom) was in the middle and had reassumed her roost in an orange lawn chair when it happened. Over went to boat. Luckily we had dropped off most of our supplies on shore but nonetheless I was waist high in beaver shit and not happy. Judging from the sound that came from my mouth , Jack was positive I had broken something. Thanks to my life jacket my head did not get wet, but Big Hmac went directly under and came up with a mouth full of beaver water.  

     My brother and his GF (Gypsy women as I will refer to her as due to her Hungarian gypsy heritage) could see us. We knew they were laughing. "Most likely to tip....TIPPED!" Gypsy women later sputtered as she laughed incredulously. She was merely jealous as we had dubbed our boat the 'party boat' and she was not privilaged to be part of it. 

    Anyways, I managed to navigate myself to the top of the dam and gain secure footing (after struggling to extract myself from the black sludge in which I was submerged). We got the water out of the canoe and Jack was so kind as to dive in to retrieve the orange lawn chair that had made itself comfortable at the base of the beaver home. 

    After we reunited with Daddy-O, Jake and my lil' Bro they expressed unrestrained mirth and mentioned how long it took us to get going again. Hmmmmm... I now have a personal vendetta against all beaver-kind. We then commenced the five hour canoe out to Big Bing Inle, soaking wet and quite cold. 

     I promise more stories will follow!!!!!

-Delilah

A few more things!!!

So we discovered that our jaunt from the Czech Republic to Poland was was about forty kilometers as the crow flies. We likely covered more ground, especially considering some of the detours we took! My muscles are finally recovering, and I think my six pack is intact (heh heh). Below is a painting our host did that we quite liked...a bit erotic? There was a bunch of other paintings in the apartment, not x-rated mind you, which were quite neat. Our hosts, whose names I cannot pronounce/ write unfortunately, helped us navigate the Polish bus system and the husband drove us at 7:00 this morning to the station which was very generous...
A crazy lizard we saw crossing the road after it rained...An old polish lady approaced the help it along and we saw it safely across the ashphalt. We attempted to communicate, mostly through hand gestures, and we discovered it is a fire Salamander. I believe they are quite common in Europe. The one we saw was quite big, about seven inches!!!!Anyways, tomorrow we are heading to the bus station to see where the wind carries us! Maybe back to Prague to retrieve the rest of our stuff that we stored at the Hostel...I am currently in possession of one shirt, that smells, I am using man deoderant to ward off the stink hee hee!

Salut, Delilah

P.S Another run in with the law! We decided to avoid the bar and indulge in some cheap Wroclaw beers from the local variety store... It seems public drinking is quite common. It was a lovely day and the boys suggested a park near the Hostel to enjoy the brew. We cracked open a few cans, were debating the Quebecois Seperatist movement having an excellent time soaking up the sun when I saw a police van pull up behind us. I motioned for the two boys to put their beers into the knapsack we had. In a matter of minutes we were surrounded by about six police. It was disconcerting to say the least. I attempted to wrangle our passports out of the bag without revealing the cans. They looked at our IDs and in broken English said no beer here please. We got off the hook, it was lucky I saw them and we hid the beers or we might of had to pay!!! Phewww....must be more careful...these were brutes...luckily they let us off....

Part II Pictures of Hike

The fire! Which the boys started with a Flint and tinder, they are very good I might add....

A view of our humble abode from the lookout peak where we took in the sunset!

Where we slept the second night...We cut a small pine tree down to block the door...turned out to be our warmest night...
A lovely birch grove on our way into town...Almost there!!!

**Enjoy, Delelelelelelilah!

Some pictures from the epic hike!

Trekking the mountains... exhausted!
A bunker we found!!! Likely residual from the time when Nazi's roamed this hills or perhaps the cold war era???
Sunset...