Home again, home again, jiggity-jig.
Thu 17 May 2007Getting close to home - Here’s the final couple of e-mails from Mrs Fitz…
Montreal
8 May 2007
Another blue sky day, and summer arrived. Twenty eight degrees! Andy and Karla toured the old city. Of course, Andy had been in a conference and had not seen it, and Karla is now an expert at Montreal. They went to Notre Dame, (second time for Karla), and did a 2 hr jet boat ride of the St Lawrence Rapids. Despite layers of protective clothing, they were drenched. Very exciting! Tonight they are at a dinner saying goodbye to some conference people.
Mike and I drove to the “Eastern Townships”, which are south east of Montreal. Very beautiful countryside. Played in the snow. Saw huge beautiful lakes and pretty villages. Went to another monastery. Fantastic setting. These French Canadians really rival the Irish for mega-Catholicism. We can’t get over the number of churches, crucifixes in the shops, and other signs of a very Catholic population. Today’s trip took about 9 hours round trip and was really a lovely drive. Very few people around, as the “in” season has not arrived.
Can’t get over the shocking drivers here. It seems it is nothing to cross double lanes, go through blatantly red lights, change lanes without indicating, speed etc. Mind you, the markings on the roads are so poor, that you are flat out making out the double lines. So many of the reasonably new cars are also rusted, probably from the salt put on the snowed up roads.
Tomorrow, we head up to Quebec City. Should be great.
Love, Maureen.
Sydney
17 May 2007
Dear Friends,
The harassing Emails have nearly ended! After a 34 hour trip home with no problems aside from very swollen ankles, we arrived back in Brissie on Sunday. Waded through a mountain of mail, in bed by Midnight, house call at 1am and on a plane to Sydney the next morning. Mike went to a computer conference. Did some damage at the Factory Outlets. Amazing that one can walk an average of 9 hours a day for over 3 weeks and still no difference in dress size!
On Wednesday, checked out of the apartment and did the walking tour from Bondii to Clovelly. Then went back to Circular Quay and took the ferry to Balmain and did that walking tour. A beautiful day… again!!. Slightly hot walking so much. Landed in Brissie at 9.30 last night, after a very, very turbulent flight. Wish the captain had not sounded so harassed when he ordered everyone seated and buckled “immediately”. Two ladies near us were panicky and not at all well. Have only ever had one rougher flight. This morning off to Fraser with Mum and Steve until Sunday. Work Monday!
