Summer Madness 2011 - Part 2: July + Bulgaria

So many things on tap for July!! 

We start that second part with a weekend in Estavayer-le-Lac, Switzerland

Moe and I went with each our own spyders to camp near the beach where the Free4Style event, a motocross and Watercraft event sponsored in part by BRP, took place

We found a spot at the second camp ground, laid my brand new tent

The Race, in the afternoon
BRP's RXT X RS 260hp Sea Doo is clear ahead of competition! 

(And driven by a 12 year old kid!)

Down a sketchy ladder to the beach, enjoying some sun next to the lac de Neuchâtel

With a boat

In the evening, the Final Motocross event, followed by some awesome DJ show on the main stage

Going back to Lausanne, we stopped to enjoy the view...

Moe in the Field...

..Dan on the bike

The following week, I went with Dave from the pub "Les Gosses du Québec" to test out my new climbing gear

Going up rope leader on my first outdoors tryouts

Dave covering my back and giving advices

Good Job!

Followed by a BBQ at the beach in Lausanne with Moe, Marco & Fabrizia

The following week I make my way down on my own to southwest France in Biarritz to meet up with my mother and her partner Pierre for some good surfin time!

The first evening, the Ocean is in fury!

The first weekend we make our way down to San Sebastian for a one day visit

Pierre and the city of San Sebastian

Back on the beach in Anglet (near Biarritz) I got some surfin going

Managed to get up a few times...

Looking at potential waves..

Overlooking Biarritz with my mother and Pierre

Biarritz coast line

I get back in Switzerland, and the first weekend is dedicated to the wedding of one of my good friend: Sam!!

On site, ruins from a castle are used for the dance floor, pretty cool!

View from the ruins, down on the site

The Man, Sam!

The Following week, BULGARIA!!

I meet up with Alex Dobrev in Sofia on July 23rd, after having talked about this famous trip since summer 2009!!

Here posing with an old communist car 

(it is actually made of thick cardboard!)

I meet his grandparents

..and get some good ol' Bulgarian Levs (approx 2:1 vs Euro)

Downtown Sofia

After 3 days in Sofia, we pack the car and get on our way to the Black Sea!! 

(400km east of Sofia)

You can see the electric wires wrapped strangely around street lights (some were tied up to trees with tie raps)...remnants of the communist era...

Alex father's place on the beach  in Gradina

(we had a tent behind the caravan, had only one entrance that could not close, excellent for rainy conditions)

Directly on the beach!

180 degrees view!

In Sozopol, a nearby town

Also had a beach, a bit more touristy

Alex's uncle had a boat, so we could say "I'm on a boat! Don't you ever forget!!"

Tough life, really

Assen and Kamen (Alex's uncle and cousin)

O Alex..

With a giant surfboard...

...and Wakeboard!

Assen

Alex

Hi Mom!

Me, with Sozopol in the back

in video!

Assen!

We got out of Gradina for 2 days to enjoy some sun in tourist-trap-town Sunny Beach!

There, we met with Lyubo

On the beach, endless umbrellas for rent

On our way back to Gradina, we stopped in the mythical town Nessebar

Old temple, built in the 13th century

Back in Gradina, enjoying some BBQ!

Alex, his father Kamen and I

The last pictures my camera ever took...

You can see me here looking at my camera case to see if it is waterproof

It was not

We took Ocean Kayaks across to the island you can see out there in the middle.

9km round trip, 1h40 to go there, 43 minutes to get back!!
(Alex father swam there and back, amazing!)

Ouf! What a month of July!

August recap coming soon...

Summer Madness 2011 - Part 1: June

So... after a long break to enjoy the summer time, here is the first part of this amazing (but not yet over) 2011 Summer!

We start directly at the beginning of June with my visit back to Canada for my father's wedding

At the back of the house, the ceremony goes on...

After the celebration, 

My father, sister Marianne, Mathieu, myself and Christine! 

Only 6 days in Quebec but still enough time to visit the global headquarters of my company, situated in the heart of the eastern townships: Valcourt!

Here is the Design and Innovation center next to the Siège Social

I got a VIP visit of the plant, which was producing Sea Doo GTI Rental series for the International division (my division) at the time

Six days was not much, but enough to meet someone very special.

Someone for whom I've grew very fond of over the summer, and moreover someone who will, in a very short time, join me here in Switzerland! It will all come true very soon!

Audy and I, an hour before my flight back to Europe...

Back in Europe, after 8 hours delay in Quebec then in Montreal airports, I turn around and fly to Barcelona to visit Paolo, a good friend of mine from my university in Lausanne. He had just finished his first year Master degree there.

Hanging around downtown

 ..and at the beach!

A friend of Paolo, Paolo and Myself

Went to a church on top of a mountain, and up on the tower at the base of Jesus...

...The view of Barcelona was amazing!

Last day, we finished the visit with a tour at the famous Segrada familia church, an unfinished church (its been on construction for hundreds of years!)

Coming back to Switzerland, we conclude this great month with a golf tournament, the Montreux Canada cup!

Never mind the score, I've had such a good time with my Uncle Bernie and colleagues from work, Daniel and Blaise!

My uncle at work...so narrow alleys!

For Posterity...

The Foursome

Daniel at work on the par 3

Flying elbow, want to kill that ball right there..!

Bernie and Andrea by the lake in front of the Montreux Palace where we stayed that night

Right after, one of our dealers for Bex comes pick me up in front of the hotel to drop me off next to my apartment in Morges...with a 500 horsepower Sea-Doo Challenger 230 (Michael Schumacher's got the same one...)

More to come for July...!