Xmas in 'Murica!

It's Christmas time and that means that pretty much the day after Thanksgiving the townfolk started covering their houses and yards in Christmas lights. It is an annual tradition which I have been looking forward to from the moment I knew I was going to be here for this time of the year. The annual competition of who shines the brightest is something the US is famous for - we keep it much more low-key in Germany, either because we don't want to put in the effort or we dread the resulting electricity bill. (It must be noted at this point that electricity is much cheaper in the US, especially if you have access to a time-of-use rate with lower nighttime prices. Please refer to the respective literature for further reading...)

Be that as it may, I decided to take my camera and my bike for a ride one night and document what the people of South Davis had brought to the table in 2017. It's truly impressive and really made the occasional late-night return from work much more enjoyable. Hope you agree! :)

The Minimalist:

This speciman wants to pretty up a specific part of his house or yard - just enough to avoid sceptical looks by the more ambitious neighbours. These pictures are already some of the more elaborate designs, usually its just some lights on a bush near the garage. This level is usually the highest reached in Germany...

 

The Third Dimension:

Some people have more artistic depth and build up multiple layers in their designs. Entrance ways are illuminated all the way to the backyard, garages finally have a purpose other than stereotypical "workshops", or weird landing strips are put on the front lawn with a crash-landed sleigh. At least that's how I interpret the last picture.

Double Rainbow all the Way:

Who says green and red are the only Christmassy colors? Exactly! Give me your blues and purples. And pinks! Don't forget a bunch of super cold white LEDs. The more the merrier! What else did we bring these f****** bushes through the drought for??

The Blow-Up-Doll:

If your bushes didn't make it through the drought, you can still inflate some festive monstrosity and illuminate it from within. There is no snow - ever - so how else are you going to build a snow man to greet your visitors? Global warming and stuff. Also, Snoopy is a legend and even fits the color scheme. Let's just hope no "young adult males" readjust their testosterone level by testing his structural resiliance...

The (almost) Silicon Valley:

Are you an early adopter of every new technology, always looking to test humanity's newest device? This should also be reflected in your Christmas decoration. It does not matter if you projector Santa and his elves building toys for the children on the windows of your living room (didn't get a great shot here, sorry - it was cold) or beam a Christmas tree laser-rave on your garage door. You have a Facebook-/ Twitter-/ Snapchat-/ Instagram-account to maintain and time is Bitcoins!

 

The Classic:

If you're tired of all the colors, spinning lasers and just want to focus on the eggnogg, why not tune it down to a nice yellow, candle-like colour and plaster the edge of the roof with it. Every edge you can find, actually. Add a few deer-shapes in the yard and get ready for the festivities.

 

 

The Sky is the Limit - literally:

This guy has got it all: Roof rims, hedges, sleigh AND star on the roof, herd of reindeer in the yard, the tree has a light-snake as far as the cord reaches, and even the roof itself is puking rainbows. Go big or go home! The neighbors have been complaining about sleep deprivation and migratory birds have started nesting in the illuminated redwood - but NASA started useing this natural landmark as a navigation point for the western seaboard so it is now a matter of national security. So sorry, neighbour!

 

A Christmas Wonderland:

It might not be quite as bright as the one above, but this one is a lot more fun: Not only is the color scheme slightly less erratic and the lights lead all the way around the side (incorporating the 3D-specimen from above), but also Christmas carols are playing in the background! If you zoom in really far, you can see a moving train choo-chooing by in the upper window and I swear some of these elves are waving back at the camera. All evening families stop over to enjoy this gem of Christmas spirit - my personal favourite!

Congratulations to all (unvoluntary) participants. Keep it going, it's a fun tradition!

Frohe Weihnachten! Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

The wonderous adventures of Jessi-the-Trailblazer and Chris-Coldknuckle

A week ago, my housemate Jess had finally managed to not have to work on Sunday - and of course we capitalized on that opportunity. It was a beautiful day and we wanted to go hiking near Lake Tahoe, some 2h east of Davis. It's a famous holiday destination, with great ski resorts in the winter, hiking, water sports in the summer and a few casinos on the east bank in Nevada. Protected nature reserves are scattered all around the lake.

Lake Tahoe was formed in the ice ages and is the second deepest lake in the US at 501m. At around 1900m above sea level, nestled in the Sierra Nevada, it contains so much water, that it could flood the entire state of California to a depth of 35cm (or so they say). Also - it's really pretty!

We decided to climb Maggies Peak (2600m), mostly because it was convenient. There is a trail head at a parking place and a summer camp ground near a great lookout over Emerald Bay. There were a lot of people there, most of them enjoying the view or playing around in the thin snow cover. Yeah, snow. We did expect some snow, but when the hiking group next to us put on gaiters (= Gamaschen) over their shoes and pants we started to get a bit worried. I was basically wearing all the warm clothing I had brought, but I did not have my proper hiking boots that went over the ancle. Jess, of course, was fully equipped, ready for any weather or terrain, and probably already spotting for mountain lions to neuter - you know, since she was already here. (She's a vet and epidemiologist. They do such things, apparently.)

So we set out with a song on our lips and the need for burning calories in our legs (for mere warmth). The snow was only a light dusting in the forest and it was pretty easy to follow the path. But the trail was steep and as we gained altitude, the snow gained depth. It was fairly chilly in the dense pine forest, but the exercise kept us nice and warm. The trees grew more sparse the higher we got and we were able to catch a few rays of sun. We came past a small frozen lake before we were led up another steep slope looking north. So far the path had been well-used and we did not have to work too hard. When the snow got to a depth of around 30cm around the turn-off for the peak, Jess took over as trailblazer utilizing her superior footwear and badassery. We were able to use some old tracks of previous hikers but noticed how much harder we had to work now. It was not far though, and we soon reached the Maggies. Rocky outcrops pierced the pines and rewarded us with a beautiful vista of the southern shores of Lake Tahoe and the surrounding mountains. After trying (and failing) to cope with the awe-inspiring size of the valley and taking a few pictures on the drafty rocks, we went to the south side of the hill and found a sheltered spot for the traditional Vesper (= mountain picnic). The sun warmed our noses and we could enjoy the westward view, comfortably warm.

Nevertheless, the fact remains that it is December and the sun would not stay up forever. We went back the way we came, meeting more people on the trail now than on the way up. Some "young adult males", as Jess noted disparagingly, had gotten off the track near the frozen lake and sped up their steps when they heard about how much further they had to climb. We didn't have to hurry though, and arrived back at the car soon after. With a warm coffee and some free candy for the road, we headed back. My socks were dry by the time we arrived in Davis. 

 

 

Walking among Giants

Another weekend - another excuse to flee Davis and experience some more of California's Wonders of Nature:

After an exciting (and tasty) Cantonese brunch and a stroll over a farmers market, my friends Karen, Sara and Irving took me to Muir Woods, a small "National Monument" just north of San Francisco. Named after famous naturalist John Muir, it is home to the last giant Redwoods in the Bay area around San Francisco. The Redwoods are the tallest trees on Earth and can grow up to a hight of 110m - although the ones in Muir Woods usually don't go beyond 80m. The giants are nestled in a cute little valley in the Coastal Ranges and thrive on the waters of a small creek.

It is a popular tourist spot. The park asks visitors to be quiet in certain areas to protect local animals and preserve the serinty of the place (the UN charter drafting commission commemorated Franklin D. Roosevelts efforts in one of the groves in the 40s). We were having a bit of a hard time with this specific request out of pure joy over the scenery and nature in general. I'll let the pictures do the rest of the talking.

 

Amazing trip, thanks for taking me out, guys!