Back out on the road.

Montreal and Ottawa were sort of a hiatus from our road trip. We know people in both places, and got to stay in the apartments of friends, or friends of friends. The plus side of all this is obvious – we get to see our friends, we save money, we chill out. The negative side is minor – we aren’t really ‘travellers’ in the same way. We see the cities more like the locals do. In Montreal we ate well, drank good beer, went to a fundraiser for Mustafah’s trip to the Philippines where I got to chat with Bita, Cristoff and Freda. Sidney and I did sneak off to go to the Jazz Festival for a couple of hours. We saw a French acappella group 1234 that did versions of Ramones songs in a strong French accent. “Beat the brat, with a base-a-ball bat, Oh yeah! Oh yeah! Oh yeah!” But the highlight was really the street performers. Trapeze artists, hoop spinners, acrobats. We were both quite enthralled.

And then there is Toys R Us. Sidney has somehow negotiated with Mac that he will get a toy every two weeks. Given that  currently, he is obsessed (and I mean obsessed) with Lego Star Wars, that toy is definitely going to fall within that stream. We read about Lego Star Wars every day as he plots his next purchase. Lucky for him, that purchase was due to take place in Montreal, rather than Kapuskasing, where the selection might be slimmer. So J and J drove us out to the box mall (they’re everywhere, these damn box malls) and purchased a new 321 piece set of Lego Star Wars. He carries his Lego himself its true. But we’re going to have to start sending some home. It's getting to be a mighty heavy bag. 

On to Ottawa, and a bit of blessed relief from our lousy French. But not much - we'll get more opportunities to speak it in northern Ontario.  In Ottawa, we were welcomed by the stellar Karen C. and Leslie R. Karen is currently packing to move to Toronto. Speaking of which, so are Jared and Jordan. I have to state for the record, that the  fact that we’re visiting people who are all planning to move to Toronto is just a coincidence.  Of course we’ll be delighted to be able to see them when we’ll share a city on a longer term basis. But I do worry about the magnet effect of large cities on political movements in the country. To say nothing of the dispersed hospitality. If the left all moves to a few neighbourhoods, its kind of doomed to become more irrelevant, no?  

Ottawa was hot and pretty. Hott and pretty? Perhaps. We wandered around the Parliament buildings and observed how easy it would be to hang a banner. We saw the walls being built and security being increased. We saw the cats that live in a wee cathouse (!) there. Watched the locks operate. Saw the Algonquin teepee that reminds us of whose territory this actually is. 

Mac and Sid visited the Mint while I bought some underwear – having lost most of mine somewhere along the way. I went to the library and printed off a Masters thesis I have yet to read. We ate burgers at an amazing place called the Works. My burger had onion rings on it. And chipotle mayo. And brie. Yumm. We also ate a lot of chocolate croissants or chocolatines. Yum. Seriously the quality of such things far surpasses the offerings in Toronto. Mac got to hang out with his childhood friend John. They wandered the leafy streets of the Glebe. All was well.

And now we wont know anyone for a week or so. We’re on the bus to North Bay for a couple of days, then to Kapuskasing, and then to Thunder Bay.

Apparently the Shad flies are in North Bay. I’ll report back!

Xo