January 31, 2011

The Blue Mountain


My husband and I have visited the Blue Mountain for the first time with our friends. It's a beautiful place for those who love all kinds of winter activities. I myself don't ski, but my husband had to give his new skiing shoes some test runs.

In this place, it's always a few degrees colder than in the city where we live. When we left Toronto, we realized that the white winter is still reigning. I wanted to stop by every snow-covered tree, but my husband had some objections to moving at that pace.




It took two and a half hours to reach the Blue Mountain from Toronto. As soon as we reached it, my husband went to ski with his friends, and I was free to explore the area. He went off with a reminder to me not to go looking for troubles.

Have you ever visited a familiar environment, and yet you have found yourself feeling uncomfortable? On the other hand, have you ever arrived at a new place that you have no experience with, a place where you don't know anybody and have never tried doing the things that they do, but you immediately feel like you belong? This is the feeling I had when I visited the Blue Mountain. There were only two people there with cameras - myself, and another photographer, whom I will describe later. Everybody else was there with a purpose, armed with skis, skates, or snowboards.





Although my husband advised me to stay out of trouble, I immediately went off to observe some snowboarding, and I sneaked into an area where I wasn't supposed to be. This gave me a unique vantage point, where I could capture the shots that I now present to you:


I would like to call this series "Takeoffs and Landings".






This is the photographer that I have mentioned. If you look closely at this photo, you will see what a perfect shot he ruined for me. (...)










It was fun to chat with some snowboarders. If I were their own age, I probably would have developed a crush on them. But since I am my own age, all I could think was that I'm glad not to be their mother. When you see them fall down, and the whole process of flying through the air, it makes you freeze a little on the spot.


These spectators agree with me.

After watching the snowboarding competition, I went to explore the village, which appears very idyllic:












If you don't want to ski or snowboard, you can just skate.





The village transportation.

Those who have read my posts in the past may know about my obsession with roofs:




The interesting thing about this picture is not just the roof. You can also see a little spaniel in the window, looking melancholy, and probably wishing he could play in the snow.


On one of the pictures, you can see the biggest icicle I have ever seen in my life.



I was taking my photos when I felt somebody's presence behind me. It was a couple of big dogs, with whom I have made friends.




This is the beginning of the sunset. It started to feel catastrophically cold. We took off home. The day had been so much fun, even though my husband's skiing shoes turned out to be too big. Overall, I spent about 4 hours in this cold fresh air and I loved it. I want to visit this place again, specifically in the winter. The atmosphere there puts you in high spirits.

55 comments:

  1. the pictures and the place are just gorgeous! thanks for sharing! i enjoyed visiting with you.

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  2. Beautiful scenery and excellent action photos. They all made me smile.

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  3. An amazing selection of photos but it looks sooooo cold. Love the village transport and of course the roofs. Diane

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  4. I loved the tour... The snowboard shots are tons of fun!!
    I feel like some warm apple cider, now... :)

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  5. Very beautiful pictures, I dare to say I have not been on the skiing resort and wear a ski in my life.. I think it should be fun.. thanks for the photos of your beautiful trip !

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  6. Wow! Un reportage molto molto bello! Le prime sono stupende, un paesaggio di montagna molto rilassante. Molto belle le foto in cui evidenzi i colori giallo e blu, molto grafici. Molto belle anche le foto dei cani! Complimenti e brava! Felice giornata! Ciao Cri :-)

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  7. Super piccies, Olga. It was good to explore along with you. Love the bacon and egg door handles!

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  8. Hieno kuvasarja talvisesta harrastuksesta.
    Kuusamon-Tyttö Enni Rukajärvi on 'Lumilautailussa Maailmanmestari'.
    Voitti äsken Yhdysvaltain Aspenissa käydyn X-Gamesin slopestyle-kilpailun...!
    Nuori-Nainen kovassa lajissa...!

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  9. Extensive and varied series of photos in snowy landscapes. There are many interesting, but in this case I will discuss the first, with a nice perspective and vivid colors and crisp, clean air Precious contrasts with the white snow.

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  10. Stunning photos. Is the place always that crowded on weekends? Luckily you managed to venture off on your own to give us the true spirit of the village. Martine
    P.S. I don't want to be forward, but how many languages to you speak/read? I'm asking because I've seen comments in Spanish, Italian, Finnish(?), and English -of course- on your blog. I'm impressed! Martine

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  11. Makes me feel cold just looking at these beautiful scenes.

    Phenomenal photos, Olga.
    The enigmatic, masked blogger

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  12. What a wonderful chronicle of events and images. Most enjoyable!

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  13. A wonderful photographic diary of a day out. You have taken us with you into the Blue Mountain!

    And those action shots are amazing, besides being amusing.

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  14. Beautiful photos - you're actually making me miss snow!

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  15. Stunning photos, I am very impressed. You really captured the whole Blue Mountain I feel like I was there. :-)

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  16. LOL…I assure you the falling does not hurt as much as you might think. You did get some great action shots!

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  17. Unbelievable photos, Olga! They are amazing!! You are so talented, and blue mountain looks so much fun!

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  18. People should go to the Blue Mountain where is alpine ski resort in Ontario, Canada, just northwest of Collingwood. It is situated on a section of the Niagara Escarpment. They are very nice photos! Congratulations!

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  19. Lovely photos you got there. Thanks for sharing. Your post reminded me of the movie I watched with my son about a month ago, Frozen.

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  20. Snow is always so idillic outside big cities:) I like the village very much, your pictures are so full of life!

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  21. these shots tell the most amazing story, they are fantastic and love the snowboarding shots, so much action so well captured. I really enjoyed looking at your blog too.

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  22. Wow these are beautiful pictures. Thanks for sharing. I could tell that you and your husband had a grand time!

    I should have been there, I would have had a field day taking pictures of the people skiing. My husband finds me annoying when I take multiple pictures of one subject. I have to explain to him that I take alot of pictures and choose the best ones etc. He is still learning - LOL.

    It is my wish to see snow one day even though I may have a hard time with the cold!

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  23. thank for these many and beautiful photos !
    I do s'aurai which to choose !
    ...but I particularly like the eggs and bacon on the door, original ! :))

    Bye**

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  24. Hi Angella,
    It was my pleasure to give you something to visit in your mind. I always enjoy visiting the places you blog about.

    Hi DeanO,
    I couldn't help taking so many pictures. The surroundings were so lively and wonderful.

    Hi Laura,
    I really wanted to take some interesting shots of the snowboarders, but I didn't expect that it would be so difficult to focus the camera. It was quite a challenge.

    Hi Diane,
    I thought you might enjoy the roofs :) It was indeed very cold. I know you're looking forward to returning to France, but we over here still have some weeks of snowstorms and freezing cold ahead.

    Hi Lena,
    In Canada, apple cider is quite essential for about half the year :)

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  25. Hi Martina Cardemyr,
    I don't have the courage to travel anywhere farther north. That must be where the REAL winter is :)

    Hi Wong,
    When I was younger, I loved all winter sports. These days, I prefer swimming and sunbathing :)

    Hi Cristina,
    Sono molto contento ti è piaciuto la foto. I cani erano molto cordiale e anche se il grande. Oggi abbiamo la neve, è come la primavera.

    Hi Sarah,
    I couldn't pass those door handles by :) They are really cute.

    Hi Eko,
    Tämä on erittäin suuri! Hän on hyvin erityinen henkilö. Tämä urheilu näyttää todella vaarallinen. Olet oikeassa. Se vaatii paljon kurinalaisuutta.

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  26. Hi Leovi,
    I'm always surprised at the different between the weather in the city and in the country. I'm planning to visit Niagara Falls soon, to witness some interesting weather conditions.

    Hi Martine,
    This place is really crowded. My photos don't really show that, but there were so many people around. I'm afraid to disappoint you, but I use online resources in order to translate my comments. I would like my readers to feel comfortable writing in any way they like.

    Hi The Blogger Formerly Known As,
    Thank you for your compliment. I try to make things interesting, even in the cold weather :)

    Hi Paul C,
    I'm glad you found it enjoyable :) I myself found it so enjoyable that I couldn't spare a minute to even visit a cafe.

    Hi aguja,
    I was surprised that I had this much fun. I'm generally not a fan of cold weather and constant action. I'm glad I could take you there :)

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  27. Hi Talli,
    I wish snow would be there only on the weekend :)

    Hi Happy Frog,
    It was really a successful trip. I was so overexcited that I hadn't noticed the time pass.

    Hi Charlene,
    You sound like an expert in this area. Do you have any experience in this sport? Thank you for following me.

    Hi Bth,
    Thank you for your compliments. I think you would have a different perspective knowing that it was -14 degrees at the time.

    Hi I.B.G.,
    Thank you very much for commenting. I've been trying to leave comments on your blog, but they keep returning to me in my e-mail. I'll keep trying.

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  28. Hi Ann,
    I really thought I would be frozen myself :) Luckily, things didn't get that far.

    Hi Ola,
    It really was idyllic and lively. It's not just the things you see, but the atmosphere. To make things more realistic, I actually saw some young people with minor injuries on their faces.

    Hi Justine,
    Thank you for your comment. Now I know that I didn't sneak into that area for nothing :)

    Hi Nativa,
    If you would like to see some intense snow, you should definitely visit Canada. It's lovely that you can fit so many photos on a digital camera without the frustration of not making all perfect shots.

    Hi Mahon,
    Yes, the eggs have a way of drawing your attention; they make it difficult to pass the place by :)

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  29. Wow, I really love the first picture! (and many others :)

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  30. Bellisima fotografías y precioso blog!
    Saludos desde la patagonia argentina.

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  31. Preciosas y fresquitas fotografias, me gusta mucho la nieve.

    Saludos.

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  32. Hi Max,
    Thank you very much for popping over to my blog and for leaving such an encouraging comment. Your compliment means a lot.

    Hi Olga Ricci,
    Gracias por visitar mi blog. Me encanta hacer una secuencia de fotos. Me alegro que os haya gustado.

    Hi Juan Antonio Torron Castro,
    Gracias por el cumplido.
    Es mucho frío ahora Toronto. Espero para la primavera :)

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  33. Olga, you took some great action shots! I love the blue and yellow colors with a snow background. Also the vivid red of the horse drawn carriage but I will have to say my absolute favorite it the bacon and egg door handles!

    I think I want some.

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  34. Beautiful photos. But I also love the bacon and eggs door handles!

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  35. I love how incredibly blue the sky is against the snowy ground. Lovely photos, thanks Olga!

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  36. Hi lifeshighway,
    It seems like the bacon and egg door handles are real stars today :)
    Thank you so much for all your feedback! Thank you for being my follower.

    Hi Cindy,
    Thank you very much for popping over to my blog. It is very nice to have your comment!

    Hi Lydia,
    Thank you. I am looking forward to doing some "really" snowy photos this weekend.

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  37. Olga – no not an expert just an amateur who falls a lot. ;)

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  38. Hi Charlene,
    I still think that you are really brave:)

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  39. I failed to see the ruined perfect shot - must be missing something

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  40. Photo #14. The photographer blocked the
    snowboarder who was in the perfect upside down position.

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  41. this may be late but i need to comment. the photos are just soooo lovely. i live in the tropics but i've always dreamed of snow, still do. my friend who lives in the US now says it's not as nice as we thought it when we were little, she's actually annoyed with it. but i really don't care. looking at this photos... ahhh i want to go skiing too!:D

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  42. Awesome shots!
    I like all that snow :)))

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  43. Oh dear now I have somewhere else I dream of visiting! As for you not being there with a purpose, I disagree you were there to take all these wonderful photos to share with us.

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  44. What a wonderful place. Take me with you next time ;-)

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  45. Lovely pictures, they make me miss the snow!
    Thank you so much the comment on my blog and for your kind words, Olga. I feel a little better now:)
    I'm glad you like my blog and the pictures I take, I'm happy to share them.
    Have a good weekend :)

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  46. What an amazing day you had. Two comments made me chuckle: that your husband asked you to stay out of trouble. And that, if you were younger, you would have had a crush on the young snowboarders. I am with you there girl! The photos themselves are breathtaking, as always your eye for the tiniest detail shows and that is what I enjoy most about your photos. Favourites are the lad in the red trousers (2 frames below your photographer "friend"), the icicles hanging from the roof :-) of the bright yellow building, and the bacon and eggs!

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  47. Hi Maria,
    It is never too late for commenting in my blog :)
    I have already mentioned that I wish snow would be there only on the weekend.

    Hi Andras,
    Thank you for the compliment! This snow is going to be here in Canada at least two month:(

    Hi Mariann,
    It will be my pleasure!

    Hi M@risa,
    Nice to hear from you :)
    I love to know that you feel better. You have fantastic blog!

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  48. Hi Dolly,
    It really was a great day. It's nice to hear from you because I miss you :(

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  49. Wooooow
    Stunnning, amazing reportaj! Best that on tv!
    Mamma mia!
    Wonderful images of a great day!
    My best regards!

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  50. Hi wind,
    You are so kind. I like that my photos connect with you :)
    Your own posts are a visual treat for everyone.

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  51. Hi Olga - when we were kids, we went up there in the summer and rode 'The Slide Ride'. It was great fun. Your pictures are beautiful, especially the shot overlooking the farm.

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  52. Hi Liz,
    When I saw that farm (passing by in the car), I had to tell my husband to turn around and stop so I could take the photos.

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  53. Hi eziozerziani ,
    Thank you for your compliment!

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