Half Around The World In 80 Days

My next port of call was Canada where three Foley brothers have made their homes. I go from Boston to Ottawa by Greyhound bus; at 12 hours it is quite a trek and you do meet some interesting people when travelling this way. Ottawa is home to Gerard, Sandy and their children Kathleen and Michael. Ottawa is quite a pretty city and has lots of government money spent there by virtue of being the national capital. Some Ottawa scenes are shown below.

Sandy and Kathleen try to ignore the guy on the totem pole

Lock gates on Rideau canal Ottawa

Another one of my brothers, Michael and his wife Sylvianne live in Montreal in the French-speaking province of Quebec. This is a lovely city, but one which I have seen before. For variety this time, I venture 300km east to Quebec City which is arguably the oldest European settlement in North America. It is truly beautiful place and with its narrow streets, old buildings and French signs one could easily forget what continent you are on.

'A tight fit' as a giant iron ore carrier enters a lock on the St. Lawrence Seaway near Montreal en rote from Labrador to Hamilton

Lake fisherman at dusk near Montreal

Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City

Back in Ottawa, Gerard, Sandy treat me to a day of canoeing and portraging in Algonquin National Park. The latter word mystified me somewhat until I discovered that it means taking the canoe out of the water and carrying its bulk overland on your shoulders to bypass waterfalls and rapids. The photo below shows that it is possible to smile while doing this drudgery, but not for long ! Algonquian is a vast untamed wilderness with dark brooding pine woods and untamed rivers; it is a welcome change from city life.

What an agreeable spot for lunch. Gerard and Sandy relax in Algonquian National Park

See who does all the work; Pat plays wilderness man.

Placid Lake view makes the slog worthwhile.

The next Canadian sibling to be visited is Paul who lives in Kitchener, Ontario. I get there via Toronto (not the world's most exciting city) and Niagra Falls which are thrillingly spectacular despite the horribly commercial tourist traps that have sprung up around them. However, I am happy to be trapped along with the other tourists and I take the 'Journey Behind The Falls' where you take an elevator to the base of the falls and enter a tunnel cut behind the wall of water. The roar of the cascade is deafening and the torrent from above shakes the ground you stand on. The eternal mist means that you make full use of your complimentary yellow plastic raincoat.

To further assist the Niagra economy, I also ride on the Maid of The Mist boat which chugs upriver past the American falls to the base of the Canadian Falls where the water beneath you is a seething cauldron. If my memory serves me right, the fallen water plunges 300 feet beneath the surface of the river. On the Maid of The Mist you are issued with a blue plastic raincoat just so you don't get confused about which tour you are on.

I try to take a clever self-portrait in Toronto, but the CN tower in the background refuses to appear.

The Niagra Falls and falls and falls and falls

The Maids of the Mist all look the wrong way

The American Falls, Niagra

I eventually survive the menacing Canadian highway 401 and the rush hour streets of Kitchener to arrive safely at my brother Paul's house. This is a temple of motorcycles, old cars, machine parts, electronics and home brewing. This last category includes the 'Advanced Brewing System' of his own devising; I have yet to meet anyone else with two full kegs of home brewed beer in a temperature controlled freezer in the basement with taps mounted on the outside.

On a sunny September Saturday we go to visit Lake Erie where the sun is shining, the air is balmy and the water is warm and crystal clear. Despite these perfect conditions the beach is deserted since many Americans and Canadians consider Labour Day (September 6th) to be the official end of summer. If the sun shines after that date they really don't seem to know what to do with it.

Lake Erie; where will we find a space on this beach ?

Paul gets buried

The last leg of my Canadian travels brings me back to Ottawa where I must return the fine automobile which my sister-in-law Sandy has lent me for two weeks. Then I must depart on the next leg of my journey.

Belleville, Ontario, summer's end; (R to L) Gerard, Sandy and her parents Nancy and Ted