00:01

Train #2 from Vancouver arrived in Toronto this evening, eight hours late.  As a result, Train #1 to Vancouver is leaving two hours later than scheduled, just into tomorrow.  Way past our bedtime ....

Only 4,900 km to go

Here we are, sitting in the Business Class lounge in Central Station, waiting to board the train to Toronto, where we'll catch the Vancouver-bound Canadian tonight.

The last three days we've been having breakfast at the Deli Planet in the station, always sitting at the same table, always with the same waiter, a 40-something whirling dervish.  In true Quebec style, we speak to him in French and he speaks to us in English.  He remembers us, even in this short acquaintance.  Today he greeted us with, "Coffee later, orange juice now."

Later, as we rejected a second cup of coffee, he said to us, "You're going home today.  You'll miss this coffee; have some more!"  So we did.

Sometimes, only a beer will do

Today we walked from la Gauchetiere and Mansfield to Pine and Durocher.  We climbed hills, traversed cracked pavement, and walked through construction zones, throngs of people, and clouds (and I mean clouds!) of cigarette smoke.  Three hours later we had stripped down to t-shirts and were hungry and parched! 

Aaaaaahhhhhh  ........

Ding a ling ling

Had a call from Go Transit in Toronto yesterday morning to say that our Vancouver-bound suitcase was in their Left Luggage department.  Nobody is quite sure what happened, but everyone worked to fix it.  The Go Transit guy physically took the bag over to the VIA Rail baggage people.  I called VIA Rail Customer Service, and that man called the baggage people who confirmed that the bag was in their possession.  It should now be on its way to Vancouver  ...

The unionized staff at the Hotel Bonaventure are on strike, so 32 management staff are working 15 hour shifts to cover the work of the 200 striking workers.  The restaurant is closed, except for a breakfast buffet, the bar is open only from 5 -7 pm, and the housekeeping is not quite up to standard.   The good news is that Tom is enjoying breakfasts at the Deli Planet, a Rowley favourite in Central Station for many years.

We went up to the McGill bookstore Monday to replenish Tom's wardrobe.  He has been enjoying the conversations he's been having with total strangers, generated by the McGill logo on his winter jacket, and wanted to expand his seasonal reach.  Sad to say, the bookstore is in the process of relocating, so their meager offerings could only be found in a trailer on the lower campus.  Just bought a single golf shirt.  However, we did have a nice lunch!

Off to Mum's yesterday for a good visit.  Mum tested out Tom's walker, Tom tested out Mum's reading glasses, and I borrowed knitting needles. 

And we had dinner!  Putt, putt, putt ...

A senior selfie

So, we arrived in Montreal this afternoon.  Some slight issues ...

First, as I may have mentioned before, we may have overdone it a bit on the souvenirs.  Not that we bought too many, you understand, just that our suitcases are too small.  We were really lucky in Quebec City:  they booked our "souvenir " suitcase right the way through to Vancouver (yay!), so we only had to manage one suitcase, my red bag, Tom's CPAP, the Princess bag full of stuff that won't fit in the suitcase, and the walker.  Because we're staying at the Hotel Bonaventure, which is just across the street from Central Station, a taxi is out of the question.  So we loaded up the walker (the "truck", I call it), and dragged the suitcase to our destination.

Secondly, I booked the hotel at the travel agent rate, before I stopped being a travel agent, and was a little concerned about misrepresenting myself at check-in.  (My dad would understand.)  So when I got an envelope from the receptionist, and read the contents, my first reaction was "Oh, crap", they want to give me a tour so I can sell the hotel to my clients.

But then I felt a familiar tickle at the back of my brain. There is a 25-year old joke we have with the Griffiths about Mr Loof Lirpa, which, if you are slightly dislexic like I am, reads very clearly as "April Fool" spelled backwards.  Hah!  I get it!  We're to call Pat and Jim.  There was some discussion that they might meet us in Montreal, but nothing had come of it.

Had barely made it to the room, when there was a knock at the door.  "Room Service!"  Room service?  I opened the door and, low and behold, it was Mr Lirpa!

It turns out that Jim had been stalking us, Pink Panther style, from the time we got off the train.  He hid behind a newspaper, getting odd looks from other travellers, as he watched us come up the escalator, get our luggage, wait for the walker, then lost us as we walked to the hotel.  He watched me pick up up the note and puzzle over its contents.

Went out for dinner, a few drinks, and lots of laughs.  Proved that people over 60 should not try to take selfies.

What fun!  Too bad Pat couldn't make it, too.

Pot-bellied suitcases

Since I didn't expand the suitcases on the outward bound trip, thought we'd be able to get away adding some souvenirs on the way back.  Looks like we may have understimated the purchasing power of the Canadian dollar.   Think we may buy an extra suitcase in Montreal  ....

27 days

Arrived in Quebec City this morning, the last stop on our cruise.  

I think it's hard to take a bad picture of Quebec City.

After 27 days on the ship, we were beginning to get into a comfortable groove.   Disembarkation tomorrow,  then off to Montreal for a few days.