We went out last night. We went all the way to Boston to see Bill Bailey. He was brilliant but I'm not sure what percentage of the audience understood some of what he was talking about. It was probably quite high though as it seemed to be a convention of English people. I haven't ever seen so many English people gathered together in one place in America before.
* - If you have never heard this before then click here, its bloody hilarious. Even funnier is this version of it by Billy Bragg and Bill Bailey.
Wednesday 21 September 2011
Wednesday 14 September 2011
There is a town in north Ontario*
Due to a) being knackered on Sunday and b) the wireless in Twin Peaks being shit, there is a lot to catch up on.
Saturday night we went out in Vieux Montreal for the most French meal that I think that I have ever had. We went to a restaurant called Steak Frites. Three guesses what they served? Yes thats right tacos. I had the best onion soup I think I have ever had followed by a superbly cooked steak that just melted in the mouth.
Montreal to Ottawa is a lovely drive. We went the scenic route which involved going on this
The Ottawa River is crossed by a number of these. There is nothing better than using these obscure pieces of transportation. For eight and a half bucks you can get back to that slower time of travel. Whilst waiting in teh queue to get on, some woman can and asked us (in French) whether you paid before or on the boat. In my best French I replied "Je ne sais pas" which is the first time in my life that I have had recourse to use possibly the only French phrase that I am certain of (its on the boat of you care). We stopped for lunch at Bistro that could have possibly been in France. And who knew that vivande fume meant bacon (a rousing chorus of "We did" ensues).
We stayed in a very non desrcript hotel in Gitenau which whilst in Quebec is really a suburb of Ottawa (which is in Ontario). All very dull and businessy. Yesterday morning, G went to see a customer so I went off to the Canadian War Museum. Exactly what you would expect from such a place - lots of tanks and teh such like. But things that I learnt - until 1947 Canadians had British passports and that Quebec doesn't really want to be part of Canada.
We then drove to Twin Peaks. Its obviously not called that (but I bet there is somewhere called that in North America), its called Petawawa. We arrived at the hotel (with its shit wireless) in teh middle of a thunderstorm. I have seen some fairly spectacular thunderstorms and this rates up there with them. Not for its ferocity or its length but for its proximity. We were right in the middle of it, which makes for loud thunder more than anything else.
On our way to Petawawa we stopped at Renfrew for lunch. And as its name suggests its all very Scottish. Lots of Glasgow and McAllister and Paisley and Campbell Roads. I would imagine that there is a good Highland games around there and that Burns Night is a bit of a hooley. Renfrew's claim to fame is its swinging bridge
which is a wooden suspension bridge built in the late 19th century by the Kearney family. Only problem wit it is that it wobbles when you are on it. Well played the Kearneys. I can see why the Scots came here - they must just have walked round going (to be read in your best comedy Scots accent) "Ooooh, doesnae just look like hame" because it does. My favourite road name so far is Jocko Beach which was just outside Renfrew.
This morning Giselle went to another appointment (shes not come all this way for the fun off it y'know) and whilst she went to there I went off and had breakfast in a diner. A diner that doubled as the local Greyhound bus stop. There are times when I really feel as though I have walked into the set of a David Lynch film.
* - As a point of information, Petawawa is in south eastern Ontario but the opportunity to use this was too good and who knows if I will ever go to the north of the province.
Saturday night we went out in Vieux Montreal for the most French meal that I think that I have ever had. We went to a restaurant called Steak Frites. Three guesses what they served? Yes thats right tacos. I had the best onion soup I think I have ever had followed by a superbly cooked steak that just melted in the mouth.
Montreal to Ottawa is a lovely drive. We went the scenic route which involved going on this
The Ottawa River is crossed by a number of these. There is nothing better than using these obscure pieces of transportation. For eight and a half bucks you can get back to that slower time of travel. Whilst waiting in teh queue to get on, some woman can and asked us (in French) whether you paid before or on the boat. In my best French I replied "Je ne sais pas" which is the first time in my life that I have had recourse to use possibly the only French phrase that I am certain of (its on the boat of you care). We stopped for lunch at Bistro that could have possibly been in France. And who knew that vivande fume meant bacon (a rousing chorus of "We did" ensues).
We stayed in a very non desrcript hotel in Gitenau which whilst in Quebec is really a suburb of Ottawa (which is in Ontario). All very dull and businessy. Yesterday morning, G went to see a customer so I went off to the Canadian War Museum. Exactly what you would expect from such a place - lots of tanks and teh such like. But things that I learnt - until 1947 Canadians had British passports and that Quebec doesn't really want to be part of Canada.
We then drove to Twin Peaks. Its obviously not called that (but I bet there is somewhere called that in North America), its called Petawawa. We arrived at the hotel (with its shit wireless) in teh middle of a thunderstorm. I have seen some fairly spectacular thunderstorms and this rates up there with them. Not for its ferocity or its length but for its proximity. We were right in the middle of it, which makes for loud thunder more than anything else.
On our way to Petawawa we stopped at Renfrew for lunch. And as its name suggests its all very Scottish. Lots of Glasgow and McAllister and Paisley and Campbell Roads. I would imagine that there is a good Highland games around there and that Burns Night is a bit of a hooley. Renfrew's claim to fame is its swinging bridge
which is a wooden suspension bridge built in the late 19th century by the Kearney family. Only problem wit it is that it wobbles when you are on it. Well played the Kearneys. I can see why the Scots came here - they must just have walked round going (to be read in your best comedy Scots accent) "Ooooh, doesnae just look like hame" because it does. My favourite road name so far is Jocko Beach which was just outside Renfrew.
This morning Giselle went to another appointment (shes not come all this way for the fun off it y'know) and whilst she went to there I went off and had breakfast in a diner. A diner that doubled as the local Greyhound bus stop. There are times when I really feel as though I have walked into the set of a David Lynch film.
* - As a point of information, Petawawa is in south eastern Ontario but the opportunity to use this was too good and who knows if I will ever go to the north of the province.
Sunday 11 September 2011
Colonel Montmerency who was in Calcutta in '92
What a lovely place Montreal is. Sometimes you really have to remind yourself that you are not in Europe, its so, well European. The buildings, the food, (trainspotter alert) they even seem to have purchased their metro system from Paris. What is bizarre is being in a French speak place and spending money with Liz Windsor on it. Off to Ottawa now.....
Friday 9 September 2011
From the land of the Midnight Sunglasses to the mountains of the moon
Well, I am on holiday again Giselle is visiting more customers and we are in another country. Et lambinez-moi, vraiment parlent français ici. Don't ask me why I had never really considered that they really do speak French in Canada. I knew they did but I didn't think that they didn't speak anything else in Quebec but no, everything is in French. All the road signs, all the people speak it. Its French (Giselle thinks that its France as she just told me that we paid for the room in Euros) Now I am hoping that this means that the food is better than it in America. Other than that I can't tell you much about Canada other than it looks just like America from a motorway But tonight we take Montreal.....
Sunday 28 August 2011
Arthur Dexter Bradley said "I'm really not sure"
10.00 Well Armageddon approaches. We have just got up and its got a bit windy outside. The rain started about 4 o'clock yesterday afternoon and it doesn't appear to have stopped since. Interesting factiod No 1 about a hurricane - if you are to the left of the eye you get more rain and to the right of it more wind. We are to the right of it.
15.00 Was that it? I have seen worse weather in north London. As that is the third hurricane I have experienced (although one was technically a typhoon. Factoid no 2 for some reason a hurricane is called a typhoon in Asia, dunno why), it comes a very distant last in terms of excitement. Although the Nashua River (outside our window) is due to flood later although it will be going some to get to our window (being five floors up).
18.45 OK, so its not been bad here but not so north of here. The second video here is the bridge that goes into Loon Mountain, just off the Kangamagus Highway - you know where I mean (well at least three of you and one persons dad, reading this do). Just to see how much extra water is flowing down it, here is a photo of it in the same place that I took about this time last year
15.00 Was that it? I have seen worse weather in north London. As that is the third hurricane I have experienced (although one was technically a typhoon. Factoid no 2 for some reason a hurricane is called a typhoon in Asia, dunno why), it comes a very distant last in terms of excitement. Although the Nashua River (outside our window) is due to flood later although it will be going some to get to our window (being five floors up).
18.45 OK, so its not been bad here but not so north of here. The second video here is the bridge that goes into Loon Mountain, just off the Kangamagus Highway - you know where I mean (well at least three of you and one persons dad, reading this do). Just to see how much extra water is flowing down it, here is a photo of it in the same place that I took about this time last year
Saturday 27 August 2011
They jumped into a white car with out of state plates
As you are probably aware, theres a storm a-comin'. We have our torch, food and our water (and a load of beer) ready. I sort of understand why but the east coast of America does seem to be in a Hollywood-like state of panic at the moment. The last time I experienced a real hurricane I was in Havana. The only thing I knew about it was some said to me the day before that there was going to be a thunderstorm. None of this run away stuff. I think that the thing that tells you most about America is that in the list of precautions you need to take is make sure you have a months worth of your prescription drugs....
And if you hear that the state of New Hampshire has declared a state of emergency, don't panic. Apparently all it means is that the state can get federal money to clear up; they won't have declared martial law (I hope).
Oh and who knew there was a place in North Carolina called Nags Head?
And if you hear that the state of New Hampshire has declared a state of emergency, don't panic. Apparently all it means is that the state can get federal money to clear up; they won't have declared martial law (I hope).
Oh and who knew there was a place in North Carolina called Nags Head?
Tuesday 23 August 2011
I feel the earth move under my feet
The weirdest thing has just happened. We were lounging on the sofa after lunch when all of a sudden my arm started wobbling. It lasted for about 5 seconds. Giselle said to me did the sofa just shake? I thought it was just me having some strange flashback. Turns out it was a 5.9 scale earthquake in Virginia. Very odd.
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