2006 - Who needs a Vacation? (Part 2 of the 'Magers in Canada' Miniseries)

We endured our first winter in Alberta. All in all it wasn't too bad since the Chinook would break up the cold every once in a while. On the plus side we got a lot of light. Alberta winters usually come with lots of sun and clear blue skies, which definitely helped keeping the spirits up.

We felt well integrated in our work lives and social lives, but we didn't like much the faceless suburbs we were living in, and decided to buy a condo on the outskirts of southwest Calgary, out on Highway 8, and much closer to the mountains.

Meanwhile we learned how to barbecue in the snow, we picked up cross-country skiing, participated in a dogsled tour, lined up for coffee and donuts at Tim Horton's like everybody else, and also got caught in a whiteout. Not once did we leave the country for vacation because scenery and wildlife at our doorstep had seduced us with their beauty.

Also, we got to appreciate the almost 24/7 availability of services in North America. Saturdays we went banking, we went shopping on Sundays, and doctors and dentists were available at night. Compared to German tax laws the Canadian tax declaration turned out to be a piece of cake. And procurement of vehicles and property was so much less bureaucratic than in our home country.

Kananaskis had quickly become our backyard, and we paid it regular visits. We also visited Waterton National Park, and drove through the Kootenays. Meanwhile Alberta had dropped the GST, and tax rate, and gas was cheap. Life became pretty affordable if not comfortable. We felt rich (by nature)! Back in summer 2006 we had Sonja's mom visiting, and had the pleasure of showing her the stunning beauty that is Alberta.

Somewhere close to Drumheller, AB

After we had moved into our new apartment, we welcomed Günter, an ex-colleague from Germany as our first visitor in our new home. We attended a Pow Wow together, and drove up the Icefields Parkway again in September to explore the Jasper area. The last quarter saw our friend Cliff, as well as many other immigrants pouring into Alberta for work. The rush was on!

Columbia Icefields and Mount Robson

Again, life had been good, with only minor downfalls. Sonja had suffered from some dental issues and Roland mourned over a crashed hard drive. Unfortunately we lost many photo memories of that year, because out of coincidence the backup drive had decided to fail us as well. But never mind, 2006 had been a very good year for us.