Monday, 13th. September, '99.
Chateau Versailles,
Montreal.

Tuesday, 14th. September, '99.

Awake around 6am to an overcast sky, so straight back to sleep. Waking around 10am, it's still humid, with a light rain falling.

Kirkdale rang to say "Bonjour" and as I have no energy, around 1pm I walk across the street to 'Champs Elysees' for something to eat.

What a treat ! The decor is stylish - olive/gold, flecked carpet, white ceiling, art deco style light fittings, Roman blinds matched with cafe curtains at all the windows. Perhaps this is more a mustard colour, self-patterned in stripe which complements the upholstered chairs. Attentive service, even if I am addressed in French. I choose the yellow pollock with mustard, rather apprehensive it will be a miniscule portion so artistically presented I forget it's food. Waiters buzzing around darting back and forth, serving with flair that certainly Looks French, and I discover Florian actually IS French, and has only been here a few months.

My meal arrives - very attractively presented on a large, hot plate with tiny (French ?) beans, a small mound of saffron rice, and interesting shredded vegetables - carrots, zucchini, and perhaps onion - and a good portion of fish with the creamy mustard sauce. Thoroughly enjoyable, and I feel more awake. Fresh bread rolls, and a glass of Chardonney without even bothering to read the label. Very nice.

I'm even tempted to try the desert, a maple ice creation served in a souffle dish with a little well of maple syrup in the top. Dusted with chocolate, garnished with mint. Maple syrup icecream ? Wonderful - rich and creamy, not at all sweet and cloying as I remember maple syrup. No coffee for me, yet a pale yellow liquore (grappa ?) arrives in an oddly shaped glass - strong, pungent, unusual. A wonderful meal and I'm sure indicative of the entire menu.

Leave to wander down the street in the rain to a small convenience store for postcards and stamps.

Back at the hotel I still have no energy even for writing postcards, laying down and sleeping another 4 hours ! Awake when it's dark, not cold, and still a light rain falling. Go through the phone book and chat to a few Graingers - one whose husband stopped here from Sydney after the war on a world trip, and never did complete the journey. A nice story.

BillD calls to make sure I remember him (!?) and after reading the tourist guides and travel stuff, I watch TV and read for a bit, falling asleep again around 10pm. Not a very productive day.

Wednesday, 15th. September, '99.

Thursday, 16th. September, '99.

Friday, 17th. September, '99.

McKibbon's

Saturday, 18th. September, '99.

Brunch with Stormsend, tour with Prudence, Sherlocks

Sunday, 19th. September, '99.

Brunch

Monday, 20th. September, '99.

Tuesday, 21st. September, '99.

Have been too busy playing tourist to update, sorry ! And the times I've had a net-connection, I've wasted time chatting on ICQ, and dealing with email.

Anyway - have just discovered how close Montreal is to France ! Well, close in comparison from Australia. So - with prodding from Siarad and assistance from Thai Airlines and Air Canada, I'll try and juggle my itinery to allow me to attend the 400th anniversary of the Marseille-Provence Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Wednesday, 22nd. September, '99.

Thursday, 23rd. September, '99

Contacting the Chamber of Commerce and Industry here in Montreal is easier said than done. Connected through the Boards of Trade Montreal is the Industry and Commerce sector of the Canadian Technology Network (CTN). The ICC shows Montreal being represented, so it would be nice to say hello here, first.

Have almost finalised details enabling me to fly direct on a weekly charter flight, thanks to Regis at Voyages En Direct, Lorna from Thai Airways and various people at Air Canada. The hotel here is fully booked for Saturday night - so maybe between now and Monday I can go exploring ? In the meantime I'll hunt around to see if I can organise a net connection I can use from my room.

Walking back to the hotel later it's warm and pleasant, and still plenty of people and traffic around at 11.45pm.

Cleo returned my call, and I had the chance to say goodbye to Adare who returns to Ireland tomorrow.

Have spent all morning in my room on the phone, and the rest of the day between the travel agent and the cyber-cafe, so a late supper of Canadian pizza is in order.

"La Pizzella" is a few doors up from the convenience store, and the aromas would drift in while I was there, so walking up the stairs at 11pm I expected a few tables and a casual atmosphere.

Totally wrong - this original Montreal house is 165 years old and the three levels have been lovingly redecorated. Rich mahogany, a spectacular staircase, nicely framed artworks, a green stipple-finished ceiling. Elegant chairs to seat 38 or so on the entrance level, linen napery in a pale green jacquard check pattern with the name in the centre. White china edged with green and red, and again the name. A small bar, and at the end the wood-fired ovens.

As the kitchen was closing, a quick perusal of the entire menu left me simply opting for 'Pizza La Bega' (reminding me of Bega cheese from Bega N.S.W.) and I was presented with a rather wet-looking pizza covered in thin, long strips of something pale - and yes - I recognised anchovies and tomato paste.

Delicious ! Light, thin and crispy pasty, and the waiter tells me it is endive ! Maybe I'll return for another one, as the setting was really lovely with real hanging baskets in the bay window, too.

So in next door for more postcards, and chat there for a while. I like Montreal more the longer I'm here. It feels safe, very 'livable' and all the people I've spoken to from diverse backgrounds have been pleasant, friendly and helpful, and rather proud of their home.

Apartment blocks scattered throughout, and the ever present stream of young people connected to the universities here give it the 'energised' feel, I expect, and I'm glad I'm here. Grateful for Paddynet, and especially appreciative of Kirkdale for the chance to experience it.

Friday, 24th. September, '99.

Saturday, 25th. September, '99.

Sunday, 26th. September, '99.

Woken by my stupid travel alarm at 19:36, whatever time wherever that is, and it's such a beautiful, clear day - great for the six hour tour of the Olympic stadium, Biodome, botanical gardens and the insectarium. I haven't even used my video camera on this trip so the battery is charged and I have a spare tape.

Loggin and instantly delete 28 emails offering me untold wealth, trips to Florida, information I've never requested. My system crashes and anyway it's time to catch the bus !

Monday 27th. September, '99.

This flight leaves from Mirabel, so I take a taxi downtown to the main bus station for the shuttle bus. Purchase a return ticket and change $25.00 pleased to find everything in one place. A Starbucks slurpy - and off we go. Past business parks, industrial estates, apartment buildings and pockets of woodland, waterways and pretty little inlets. One part of the freeway - powerlines with underground cabelling on one side, telephone poles with ceramic isolators on the other.

A spectacular sunset - blood red sun with a purple, violet and pink sky.

Cramped seating, we really are packed in. Need to pay for headphones, too, or miss out on sound or movie. I've had to pay for excess luggage as well - so I'm glad I've left my bottle of Southern Comfort behind to collect with account next week.

Next stop - Marseille

How far is it ? - 3748 miles (6031 km)

Wednesday, 6th. October, '99.
Le Riche Bourg,
Montreal, Canada.

Connection rather slow, and my laptop refuses to co-operate. So unable to upload all my notes, which I will do as soon as possible. Stay tuned !

Thurday, 7th. October, '99.

Friday, 8th. October, '99.

Next stop - Vancouver.

How far is it ? - 2295 miles (3694 km)

Saturday, 9th. October, '99.
Quality Downtown,
Vancouver, Canada.

Seeing Nanaimo on one of the tourist brochures in the room, I ring downstairs to check how far it is, wondering when Maharet will call.

This is a lovely hotel with such nice colours, wall finishes and all those little details that give a well cared-for appearence. Staff are all friendly and more than happy to help answer any enquiry. Nice.

The 'Creekside Cafe' faces the road heading over the bridge, is light and welcoming. Linen-covered walls in a milky coffee colour with little flecks of aqua, brick and taupe. Slimline venetians and salmon cafe curtains on the windows. Salmon for breakfast, and fresh fruit. I overhear others giving their breakfast orders and wonder at the complexity of ordering eggs for breakfast.

I don't seem to be able to locate that 'Globetrotter' dial-in number from my room, despite help from the front desk staff. Instead I check out Uniserve, and don't have any problems !

Off to Paddynet - where I catch Maharet. She laughs at the fact I have booked in here as 'Jenny G.' and doesn't really believe all the staff know me as 'that woman without an accent' until she actually rings me.

The chance to ring Harrow, too, and rather than nag him for his 'no-show' at the Montreal Bash, I hear all about his plans and perhaps will meet up with him some other time, maybe even at a future Melbourne Comedy Festival ?

I've organised for my damaged suitcase to be collected, repaired and returned - and am very impressed with the service. Not impressed to have to empty it, though - and have stuff strewn all over the floor in my room.

Have spent more time updating my address book than anything else, and despite it being Saturday there is a fair amount of traffic around and I'm simply content to sit and look out of my window.

Architecture is slightly different here to Montreal, and the thing that really stands out is the number of frame-covered awnings. 'Blockbuster Video' is easily recognisable in the blue and yellow and the same as at home - yet here, there is lighting inside, making these far more attractive once it's dark.

Sunday, 10th. October, '99.

Next stop - Hawaii.

How far is it ? - 2707 miles (4356 km)