standing in a water fall

So after the dog sledding was finished

We stayed a while, petted the dogs, returned them to their homes, took more photos then came back to find out our car was stuck

There were not much snow there- later we figured that ice forming between the wheels and the car was causing this.

We got out and drove to our lodge- which was the home of the mushers (dog sled peoples)

It was 3 and something – so we were looking for something to do and Vicky the musher’s mom, told us where to go and drew a nice map

Bob (vickie’s husband) and the mushers dad, drew a map of his own since the shobinist assumed her map was wrong- both maps were the same.

So we followed both maps and reached an ice field

We dressed up in all the layers again and walked in the deep snow, entered the woods and walked more in the deep snow- not a long hike, but hard because of the layers, and we were tired after the sledding.

This hike led us to a frozen water fall, we stood on the frozen river below, and the ice was formed above us, and the ice created ice caves for us to walk in to the water fall itself. Quite extraordinary.

So we came back and it started getting dark, lucky we took flash lights, since even when we steered a few meters of road, we sank to our tights in the deep snow.

We got back, for a home cooked meal, by Vicky (chicken, potatoes, garlic bread, and buttered corn)- for me, the problematic one- this was 4 for 4.

So we ate and Vicky was telling us about life in Michigan- the septic tank, the hunters, mud mobiling, the gigantic flies in the spring who bite you hard, but also on the amassing view she sees every day, on the diamond shaped ice, the quiet and dog sledding life.

She also told us about smoked white fish and pastee

Pastee is kind of a meat pie- which we tried and was very good- Yoopers take pride in the way they say pastee- I can’t write the right pronunciation-  but when (not if) you get it wrong, they will correct you.

I don’t care very much for fish, for me it’s all in the sauce- and cold fish- never liked it much.

So we bought fish for Alla’s family who love this stuff and started driving back.

We had one more night- so we found a cute little German town (alla likes German food) – Frankenmuth , MI aka little Bavaria

The town is full of lights and cute shops (luckily all closed) – so we went to an expensive German buffet – most of it was ok+, nothing great, till the deserts- brownies, banana cakes, and they actually found a way to make strawberries better- I don’t know how- they added something to it.

So with stomach so full , I think it was 7 pounds- that was the movie we saw right after- yeh, I know we should have found some better movie to see, but I didn’t know this before the movie.

So with less then 30 minutes away till midnight on new years eve , we rushed to a booze store to get champagne- and managed to uncork it on the actual last seconds on the year- the bottle didn’t pop- can’t even trust sparkling white wine any more

 

So next morning on our way back we stopped for our last adventure

I told Alla about this place, I warned her, she assumed I was kidding (don’t know why, I am always serious)- but I warned her, so I am in the clear.

Yes I am talking about Ikea.

You would think an experienced shopper would be able to resist the Swedish charms- but no- with each room more charming then the last there is no one powerful enough to resist- so I finally got my little dining table and chairs ( I only had 1 chair in the apartment till now!)

And some other little things like hangers, and other things to hang stuff on.

Somehow we got out and drove home- to seal the vacation with an official proof of vacation greatness (see photos for details)

 

I am a bit sick these last few days starting from the snowmobile and a bit worse after the frozen falls hike- nothing serious- but this is the only logical explanation for what came next

We went to Alla’s parents for dinner

And I was enjoying the smoked fish (yes, I couldn’t believe it myself) , sipped champagne (although I switched glasses with alla whenever her glass had less than mine, I still sipped more and more), ate a baked apple (and I don’t like strudel), and ate loacker waffles tiramisu flavored (which is the coffee’s next of kin)- this is one of the mysteries of life- so, sick?, malfunctioning taste buds? I don’t know- but I enjoyed them all

 

With vacation over it was time to clean….