Friday, July 03, 2026

Published Friday, July 03, 2026 by with 0 comment

Montreal - Wednesday July 1st 2026

On Monday morning we got the tube to the airport. It was quite sad to see a few guys crashed out on the pavement on the way there. The result of spice M thought. Grabbed breakfast at the station. Very similar train to the one from Toronto but this time only 2 hours as opposed to 4. Got a cab to the Manoir Sherbrooke Hotel. Great place, quite old and the staff were very friendly and helpful. It even has a wine vending machine. We were told there was s jazz festival going on nearby do walked down there to check it out and get some lunch. Then found the Mary Queen Of The World Cathedral.There were some large paintings of scenes from early post european arrival Canadian history including this example of Nicolas Viel, a missionary drowned in 1625. We then wandered back to the hotel to chill and  freshen up. M had booked a table at a French restaurant called Modavie in the old town. It was very busy and very good. We shared a plate of excellent charcuterie to start with followed by mussels with far too many fries. Afterwards we walked to the river frontage which is the St Lawrence.
We then headed for the main Notre Dame Cathedral. It was getting a but dark so we sat in the square and watched some buskers. To get there we'd gone past the jazz festival, Chinatown and a mission for down and outs so we retraced our steps and stopped off to find some jazz. First we found some reggae buskers. Then Elena Pinderhughes, a flautist with her band. Tried the vendinf macine when we got back. On Tuesday we walked to Mount Royal Park and I climbed up to the look out point.We met up again and headed to the museum of fine art. Two buildings on either side of the road joined by an underpass that is just part of the museum so you don't notice. Some great stuff again, mainly paintings and my pictures won't do justice. There was a photography exhibition showing aging taken by Richard Avedon. The one of Ronnie and a farmer reminded me of the song Oval Room then there's Patti Smith and Chet Baker.This one freaked me out a bit as it was odd for me to look at because the blue looked blue with my left eye but dark grey with my right.Just liked this.
This looked over simplistic close up but great from a distance.This is how the view from Mont Real once looked.
Went back to chill but I popped to the nearby micro brewery for a swifty and to check if they were showing football. In the evening we went for an Italian near the jazz festival site. After the meal we watched Coco Rosa on the Cabaret Stage.
Then went to see the sound and lightship in Notre Dame Cathedral.Then back to the delights if the wine vending machine. 
On Wednesday we bought one day transit tickets so we could go a bit further out. Went on the tube to the Jean Malon Market first. Then back to the micro brewery to watch England v DR Congo only it wasn't open. Noticed they had it on in a bagel cafe nearby so watched it there. The only problem was the telly kept freezing. They scored first early on and we struggled. Harry then equalised but we didn't see his header go in as the telly froze. He then scored a second which we just about saw but it froze again for quite a while after and I knocked my beer over, broke the glass and spilt beer on my phone. All OK though and we won 2 1. We then went down to the river front again to pick up canal but it was getting a bit hot so we got a tube back to chill out and cool down.Saw a few instances iof this sign (sorry uts so blurred) but niot sure what it means. 
Got the bus to a pizza restaurant in the old town in the evening. It was incredibly busy. We had half an hour to kill so popped into a micro brewery for a swifty but 25 minutes later we still hadn't got our drinks so left. The restaurant was very good though. We shared an arancini as a starter and it was just one very big one but excellent. My pizza was pretty good too as was M's seafood risotto. Got the tube back and had more drinks from the wine vending machine. Montreal felt like a european city as opposed to a Canadian one. Probably because of the French influence and the heat.
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Tuesday, June 30, 2026

Published Tuesday, June 30, 2026 by with 0 comment

Ottawa - Sunday June 28th 2026

On Friday morning Warren drove us down to Union Station to get the train to Ottawa. Great train, very clean, new and comfortable. Quite a few staff on board and all very helpful. Fine views of Lake Ontario.Got a cab to the Fairmont Chateau Laurier hotel just in time to check in and get to The Senate bar to watch the England v Panama game.They decided to show baseball on the screen on the right but not to worry there was one on the other side.It wasn't a great first which ended 0 0 but we went on to win 2 0 and win our group.
M had booked us in at a restaurant called One Elgin in the National Arts Centre. I had had possibly my best ever burger made from beef short rib and M really enjoyed her seafood spaghetti. We had had to cross the canal to get there and walked down to the Ottawa River at sunset afterwards.


Had a nightcap in the hotel bar. 
The next day we went to the Little Victories coffee roasters for breakfast.
We then walked along the canal for a bit. At weekends they close some roads for exclusive cycling access.

We had booked a tour of the house of commons which due to a mix up was in French. As a result I wasn't sure if I could take photos but did take one. It's actually built in an old courtyard.
For lunch we  found a little bistro in the same street we had watched the football.
After that we headed for the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was quite busy at first as it looked like a multiple baptism had just finished.
Next stop was the art gallery across the road  Some amazing stuff in there including a few audio visual installations. My photos don't really capture it very well but here's a few examples.
They give you a sticker when you go in and lots had been stuck to thus notice board outside and elsewhere.
We took a scenic walk back to the hotel.
On the way we heard a cheer and figured it must be world cup related. I checked my phone and Canada had just scored in the 92nd minute against South Africa so we went into a bar to see the last few minutes of them qualifying for the last 16.  
In the evening we shared a pinza on the hotel terasse then headed off in search of some decent beer and ended up in the Lowertown Brewery. There was quite a lit of music going on in the downtown area. In the afternoon we'd passed a place called the Rainbow where there was a blues jam going on. In the evening we passed The Dominion where a very loud band was playing. On the way back we passed Ottawa's oldest pub which had a band playing. There was also a jazz festival just finishing and the Escapade Festival.


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Sunday, June 28, 2026

Published Sunday, June 28, 2026 by with 0 comment

Toronto and Niagara - Friday June 26th 2026

James took us to Heathrow on Saturday. You check your own bags in these days. Plane left on time, no problems.
Warren was tracking us on Flight Aware and saw we were flying over Reading so contacted Amy and she took a photo.
I'd booked extra roomy seats.They had no seats in front so I started to think maybe that was a mistake as no table or screen...but they fold out from your seat.
They asked us to put the blinds down for most of the flight so people could sleep. This was our first view of Canada. Just coming up for sunset.
We landed a bit early but had to wait ages for our bags. It was probably about 9:45 local time and dark when we finally got out and were met by Warren and Mary Ellen. They had a world cup photo machine at the airport.
It was incredibly busy on the drive back to their place down the 8 lane (on each side) 401. 
Woke to a lovely morning.
Did a walk with Mary Ellen on Sunday morning around where they live, Warren was playing pickle ball. Took in Amy's primary school and high school her and Warren attended. Went to an area called Bayview with a great selection of shops and restaurants. Love the traffic lights.You get a green man when its time to cross followed by a flashing hand and a count down. Warren cooked corn on the cob and beef kebabs on the bbq for lunch. In the afternoon we did most of Warren and Mary Ellen's regular walk through a park. Saw black, grey and red squirrels running along the telephone cable across the end on their garden. Then male and female cardinal birds and a rabbit. Had hot dogs for tea. Had an early night as feeling a bit jet lagged. 
On Monday we all went into downtown Toronto on the subway. We started off in Kensington Market which us not actually a market but an eclectic selection if shops and restaurants...including cannabis shops.

Then we headed down to the CN Tower for lunch.
Great views, that's the football stadium on the right. Great food too, had mussels and puckered which is pike. Found the fan zone in Nathan Phillips Square and saw Messi score.Sat out in the garden for cheese and biscuits when we got back and saw a possum and  family of raccoons. This was the last of the young ones.At some point we also went to the local LCBO for supplies.
On Tuesday we headed into town by ourselves. Spent ages in the museum. They had great early nations and dinosaur sections.Had lunch there that featured an impressive corned beef sandwich.
Then found a pub called the Duke of York to watch a dull England draw with Ghana. 0 0. Large sections were reserved so we assumed that was for the came but nobody seemed interested so it all made for a bit of a flat atmosphere.We then headed for The Horseshoe Tavern to see some music. Once we found the venue we looked around for somewhere to eat and found an Iraqi place. When we came out we heard music playing from a bar opposite so went in there instead. It was free, cash only and we only caught the last couple of numbers but it still counts as a gig.On Wednesday we set off at 5 45 am to beat the rush hour and drive to Kat and Ross's who live near Niagara. They live in great detached house backing onto woodland.Although there's a fence their extends much further back. Emma and Poppy were pleased to see us.
There are lots of vineyards in the area and we drive out to one called Gallery 13 for a bit of a tasting. There was also some interesting art work there and a bakery selling butter tarts. After that we drove to a brewery called Bench for lunch. Warren and Mary Ellen then drove us Niagara On The Lake for look round then on to our hotel in Niagara. We paid for an upgrade and got a room with a balcony over looking the falls and the Rainbow Bridge over to the USA.We went in search of an LCBO and found ourselves on tge incredibly tacky Clifton Hill but picture doesn't capture it.As we had a great view we decided to chill for the evening and watched Scotland lose 3 0 to Brazil. There were lights.....
....and fireworks at 10.
Had a swim and a hearty breakfast on Thursday. It was raining so we got the WEGO bus to the Butterfly Conservatory.
Warren and Mary Ellen then picked us up from the hotel to drive us back. I'm the evening we went to the Little Sisters Indonesian restaurant in Midtown which was my birthday present from James and Amy. Great food. On Friday me, M and Warren went to see Senegal v Iraq.
Great atmosphere. Unsegregated crowd all getting on. The Iraqis were very noisy. Unfortunately they conceded quire early on and then had a man sent off so list 5 0. Things to note, they watered the pitch during the hydration break
and there's a countdown
for whe. It ends. As it was the last group game the other game was being played at the same time so they gave the score and showed the goals.
The stand we were in was temporary and had a great view. The music was very loud. It was very well organised. As it was 5 0 we left on 90 mins to beat the crowd. On the way back we met Mary Ellen for chicken wings at Duffs, one of Amy's favourites.

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