ONE WEEK IN CANADA – TORONTO TO QUEBEC CITY

I was collected by airport shuttle bus very early outside the apartment in Manhattan – probably too early, but the next shuttle bus would have meant cutting it fine. So I had three hours at La Guardia Airport and then took off on Air Canada for Toronto. I was fetched by Wendy and Mark Hartley – friends/relatives from South Africa who have been in Canada for nearly fifteen years already! Wendy is my sister-in-law’s (Lorna Rogers) sister-in-law and she was also my fourth Facebook friend so we are “related”. We tried to work out when we had last seen each-other – probably over twenty years ago! And – we got on as though it were the other day! That is what is so special when you have so much in common. Mark is an old Queenian and Wendy went to KHS in Kingwilliamstown. We’d probably only met a handful of times, but that was no problem. They also gave me a warm bed and they looked after me well!

Wendy and mark drove me through Toronto to have a look at the city and then we headed out to Hamilton where they live. I love the feel of Canada – it feels more relaxed and more open certainly than New York! There is a lot of space and a lot of water! The autumn leaves were as magnificent as the ones I had been seeing in the USA – and they got up my nose (literally!) just as much! I found myself sneezing a lot again and still taking anti-histamine tablets! We had a lovely afternoon and two of the Hartley children – the twins, Bronwyn and James, came over for supper and to spend the night. I had last seen them when they were tiny! Because it was further north, the weather was getting much colder and so I enjoyed a glass or two of wine that night. I took my strong (make me drowsy please) anti-histamine tablet for bed and then took Wendy’s sleeping tablet by mistake! Suffice to say that when I went to bed, I fell asleep in about seventeen seconds and woke up ten hours later!

On Monday, Wendy and I did some shopping – including buying weaker anti-histamine tablets – and I had a great and much-needed haircut and colour from Nellie, her Nicaraguan hairdresser! After being in Airbnb accommodation in both Washington and New York, it was really lovely to stay with friends again and to catch up on all the news. Lauren, the Hartleys’ older daughter, came for supper that night and we had a great time. It is wonderful to see how all the South Africans with whom I have stayed have adapted so well to their new homelands and how well they fit in.

The next day, Mark, Wendy and I stopped at the Welland Canal and were just in time to see the locks open and close to let one ship out and another one in. What a great engineering feat! Our next stop was Niagara on the Lake, a pretty little town where we went for a walk and had lunch. After that, we continued on to the Niagara Falls – a truly beautiful sight. There is a little waterfall on the American side and the main falls are on the Canadian side. There was a lot of water and a lot of mist – and the walk was wonderful! We went home to relax and have supper – and for me to sort out my packing yet again. It was a super visit and I really enjoyed catching up with the Hartley family who spoilt me and made me feel so welcome! It was time to move again!

Mark took me into Toronto the next day to catch my flight to Quebec City – it was pouring with rain and so traffic was a lot slower. When I got to the airport, only one check-in counter was open and also only one security check line – and lots of us had 10.00am flights! I ended up running to my gate and I was, quite literally, the last person to board the plane – but I made it! We were on a brand new plane, making its maiden flight! I had no-one seated next to me so I could relax and get my breath back.

Coming into Toronto

Wendy and I in front of the Boer War Monument

Nelson Mandela Boulevard - in Toronto

The CN Tower

James and Bronwyn Hartley - the cute twins!

With Nelly, my Nicaraguan hairdresser

In the Hartleys' huge garden under an apple tree - I'm still borrowing warm tops!

Mark outside their house

I was never sure if Scooter, the rescue dog, was smiling or growling at me!

Wendy and Mark with their married daughter, Lauren Graff

What a treat to get my tired feet into a warm footbath - at last!

View of the city of Hamilton

The start of our day out

Canada geese on the beach!

Such a magnificent tree - pity my pink anorak clashes!

Welland Canal as the lock starts to fill, the ship rises

And rises

And rises

And is almost ready to go

So the road/bridge lifts

And the ship goes through - another one is ready to come in

More gorgeous autumn colours - truly unbelievable!

Every place has the clippen-cloppen horses - these ones are at Niagara on the Lake

Just outside the town

Mark and Wendy pose for me!

Niagara Falls

The bridge with the little American Falls on the right

The falls were very full

Getting cold and wet - lots of spray

The little tourist boat goes right up to the Falls

Even the planted flowers mirror the autumn season

These were semi-bonsai trees - if you get such things!

In Quebec City, I was met by my newest friend, Louise Bédart, the lady Jackie and I had met on the cruise who had invited me to stay! We had only had supper together one night so I was hoping I’d recognize her easily and I did! We drove to her charming home and had a lovely lunch before heading out to do a tour of the Fortifications around the city. The temperature plummeted to probably 4 or 5 degrees Celsius! The tour was very interesting and informative. The fortifications are part of the military base and so we had to go with a guide. I liked that because it is always nice to know what you are looking at! After that, we came home for supper and a good chat.

The next day was rainy and cold and so we headed for the Museum of Civilisation where Louise works as a part-time volunteer. What a different museum! There was a very well laid out exhibition on Australian Aboriginal art and artifacts, an excellent one on magic in the times of the Egyptians, another one about the Inuits and a very modern one on contemporary dance! Louise and I donned raincoats, felt hats and clumpy boots to take part in a dance choreography “workshop” – it was not difficult and when we sat down at the end, we found that some of our moves had been taped! We also did a guided tour on the history of Quebec City – very informative! Quebec is the only French-speaking part of Canada and it is fascinating to see how it has developed and been affected by different rulers. Quebec French sounds different to the French I have heard in France – one of the reasons is because Quebec was isolated for so long.

On my last day in Quebec, I went on a fabulous walking tour of the old city with an excellent guide, Marie, who used to be a French teacher! There were only seven of us and so we could hear everything and ask lots of questions. The others were all from the USA and they were so friendly – especially two ladies from Baton Rouge, near New Orleans – Elizabeth and her daughter, Lee-Anne. Walking tours are such good ways to get some history and to find out how a city has developed while you walk and see various sights. Having been to the Museum of Civilisation the day before, I felt quite smart as there were some facts I already knew!

When the tour ended, I stopped for a sandwich and then Louise fetched me and took me for a lovely drive onto the Island of Orléans which is in the St Lawrence Estuary. With the yellow autumn leaves and the beautiful autumn sky, it was so pretty – and many of the houses are still as they were over three hundred years ago. Louise is very knowledgeable and she told me so much about the area. She was a translator to and from French to English for most of her life so we also shared our common bond – our love of words! We came home so I could re-pack and finish my blog and I showed Louise how to find “Endeavour” on YouTube – the excellent prequel to ‘”Inspector Morse”. It was lovely staying with a new friend with whom I felt so comfortable.

Brand new wheels of a brand new plane come down as we approach Quebec City airport

The motto of Quebec - I remember - they don't say what though!

Inside the fortifications, the Citadel of Quebec, - Georges Vanier, a major-general of the 22nd Regiment
and a Governor General of Canada - the first Francophone one!

View of the old city with the Chateau Fontenac (a hotel) in the background

One of the canons - pointed towards the St Lawrence River

My friend, Louise

Batisse, the mascot of the 22nd Regiment - a Persian goat descended from the first one
given to Canada by Queen Elizabeth 11. This is number 10 - taxidermised! number 11 is alive and well.

Louise and I with a toy beaver - another symbol often seen in Canada

View over the St Lawrence River - also charted by none other than... Captain Cook!
He certainly got around!

Louise's bungalow

View of the neighbourhood

One of the Australian Aboriginal Artworks

This is supposed to be Captain Cook - drawn wearing a balaclava as he was seen to be dispossessing
the Aborigines of their land by claiming it for Great Britain

An Aborigine mask

The Egyptian goddess, Sakhmet

Another mummy and tomb

One of the beautiful carriages on display

Painting of an Inuit lady

All dressed up and ready to learn our choreography

These boots were jolly heavy!

Samuel Champlain - there are no pictures of him and so a statue of a handsome Frenchman was made!
He founded Quebec in City in 1608

Cruise ship in the harbour - it must be the last one of the year!

The Chateau Fontenac

One of the oldest buildings around - very charming and in Canadian colours!

The Ursuline Convent

Children all dressed for Hallowe'en and looking scary!

Maple leaves of Canada

Statue of Mary with a French and an Indian girl

More Hallowe'en!

Even the City Hall is wildly decorated

The Baldacino in the Cathedral-Basilica of Notre Dame

One of only seven Holy Doors in the world - and the only one outside of Europe. It was authorised by the Pope for the 350th anniversary of this Basilica.

Monseigneur Laval, the first Bishop of Quebec is buried in the Basilica

Some modern art - something about crazy transport?

The Royal Square - so French!

Louis 14th - he sent many young French orphaned girls - known as the King's "daughters" to marry the men in Quebec,
who outnumbered the women 7 to 1 before that!

The Rue Champlain - again very French

23 and a half?

With the guide, Marie

Lee-Ann from Boston and her mom, Elizabeth, from Baton Rouge

This statue represents, quite literally, losing your head!

Mural representing an overview of all the history of Quebec

The Jumping Rabbit - a lovely restaurant

An original home on the Island of Orleans

Yet another neat graveyard

Autumn colours

And a beautiful autumn sky.....

I leave Quebec City tomorrow - Saturday morning (31 October) for Montreal and then Toronto and then my big trans-Atlantic flight to London Heathrow. AND when I arrive in London at 2.30 am Canada time and 6.30 am UK time – I shall have completed my circumnavigation of the world! I can still remember standing in Terminal 2 at Heathrow Airport and staring at the board when a lovely American lady asked me where I was going…. and I blithely told her that I was going around the world! 

Well…..very soon, I am going to be able to say, “I MADE IT!” It is very hard to believe as I have had so many experiences, met so many people and I think, and hope, have learned a lot! I am grateful for God’s protection always, for my health and stamina, for my sense of adventure and trust – sometimes probably quite naive – and especially for the support and encouragement of my family (Natalie and Louise have always told me to “go for it!”) and of all my friends - old and new!

I still have the World Travel Fair in London, Reykjavik and Egypt with Janice Schultz and then a recuperating week in London to look forward to! And then it will be back to reality for me!