Omers

A job at last.

Started here on a four month assignment to perform an hardware upgrade. Great views of the CN tower from my office window on the 9th floor.

It is tempting, but expensive to go down to the food courts at lunch time. There is so much choice, but I am happy with my sandwiches :)

Italian Restaurant

Started work as a food runner at a family run, Italian Restaurant on Tuesday evening! Never worked in an Italian restaurant environment before, and is rather exciting.

Discussion on the 29th Floor

Tomorrow, Monday 12 July, at 4pm, I have a meeting with someone about a job working with TD Canada Trust Bank.

Canadian Kayak Trip

This very warm sunday, I joined a group of 11 Irish girls and 1 other German couple on a Kayak trip across lake Ontario, to one of the small islands.

If you can imagine 14 people in a long boat (.. oh plus the chap at the back to help steer it in the right direction), all rowing for dear life, for about 45 minutes, that what it was.

The boat looked like one of the ones American Indians row, in old films.

England vs USA

1-1

Tom back to UK

Tom goes back to the UK

TD Bank Contact

Went to see a man about a job.

Montréal to Toronto

5 hour train journey from Montreal to Toronto, on Canada's "VIA Rail" train service. A day in transit.

Yankees v Blue Jays Baseball!

In the morning, Went to Kensington Market. A very kitch, roadside market in Uptown Toronto, ideal for fruit and veg etc.

Early Afternoon went on the Steam Whistle Brewery tour. The production line at this brewery, reminded me of a rather good tea company I used to work for.

7pm - Went to see the New York Yankees and the Toronto Blue Jays played Baseball in the Rogers Centre (Stadium).

picture: View of the Rogers Centre baseball Stadium from the CN tower at night

Niagara Falls Coach trip

Niagara Falls coach trip. Wow! Went to see the falls in all its glory, from many different angles including the Maid Of The Mist boat trip out into as far as they dare go. The spray from the falls is like a very heavy rain.

The main waterfall is called Horse Shoe Falls and is that shape.

The last stop the coach made was a vineyward where we tried some Iced Wine! The grapes for this sweet desert wine, are picked in January instead of September the previous year. They are picked from the vine at -10 deg C ! The grapes, by this time have had a parasite growing on them, which actually adds to the sweet, flavour of the wine.

picture: everyone gets a stylish blue cape to keep the spray off while on the boat

Notre Dame Basillica

Visited this amazing Basilica in the morning.

The word Basilica used to describe a Roman public building

Montréal

Arrived in the Montreal greyhound station at 12:30 this afternoon. We dropped our bags off at the hostel and after a snack at a deli in the next street, we navigated the Metro (underground rail system) to the Olympic Stadium that hosted the 1976 Olypmics!

Back in hostel now after finding an IGA supermarché. Speaking French here is not compulsory, but it shows willing. Asking questions en francais is no so much of a problem. It is deciphering the other persons answer that is the tricky part. "When in Rome..." eh?

Not Montreal, but Quebec City is more of a die hard French area, hence not visited... yet!

Heat wave

The temperature in Ottawa reached 42 degrees today!

Went to check greyhound coach prices to Montreal, as will be heading there this Friday.

Looked round a large store called Sears.

More about the jail hostel we are in at the moment. It has a walk in fridge for us guests to keep food in, lockable cupboards and a very tidy kitchen. There is free wifi and a reasonably priced prison tour every evening.

Ottawa

Our current hostel here is an old jail! Apart from being adapted to meet hostel standards, all prison features remain intact.

Went to look at the Parliament buildings and felt the 27 degree heat.

Royal Ontario Museum

Spent most of the morning here.

We are off to Ottawa on the 7AM train tomorrow. The hostel we have booked into for one night, was an old prison.. yes... with real metal doors apparently. Hope meals don't get pushed through a slot in the door!!!!

Toronto is a tad pricey - but then you would expect that from a busy city where food miles are moderate to high.

Weak pound at present seems to keep tech prices down - mobile phones are very reasonably priced.

Been on the BBC website: Hope Bono from U2 is ok?

More later.

Casa Loma

Hopped on the transit system and went to visit a castle today.

First sign of rain, but eased off and stopped in the afternoon.

CN Tower

Yes... took the lift (as you might expect) to the top of the tower and looked down on creation!

view from top of the CN tower

The revolving restaurant at the top, does so very slowly - you can only just sense it.

Arrival in Toronto.

Plane got in at 3pm Toronto local time.

Met up with the rest of the BUNAC group and used a PAYPHONE!! to ring for a taxi.

Got to the hostel and were glad to drop off all our bags, found a very local convenience store that has everything in the line of groceries.

This picture is taken on Yonge Street, near the Queen Street West interchange.

Departure Lounge...

Just waiting in the departures lounge at Heathrow, terminal 3 at the mo.... 1 hour til take off.