PART 1

 

Saturday 5 June 2010

Rotterdam - Amsterdam - Newark (USA) - Toronto (Canada): 12 hours flight time, 17 hour journey

 

We are collected at 9am by a taxi. It takes us in 5 minutes to Rotterdam Central. Here we take 9.30 Fyra high speed train to Amsterdam Airport Schiphol. The ride takes only 23 minutes. On the way we can see how we overtake the cars on the A4 motorway. The train speed is only 160km/h. Next year it should be 250km/h. At Schiphol we swiftly check in for our flight to Newark (NJ). We are there in good time have ample time to have a coffee and read a newspaper. Boarding starts 90 minutes before scheduled departure. We are being interviewed abot our bags and our travel destination before we go through the full body scan. Departure is a bit delayed because one of the passengers has problems with decompression caused by a previous flight. We leave 15 minutes late. We make up for it during the flight. The Continental Airlines flight runs smoothly, the service is fine and the food reasonably eadible. We are supplied with drinks quite regularly and have our own entertainment console built in in the seat.

We land ten minutes early at Newark Liberty International Airport. We are seated at the front of the aircraft closest to the door and run off the plane towards the immigration service (US Border Patrol). In Newark we have only 90 minutes transfer time and is cutting it fine considering the very strict security measures imposed latelly. We practically first at the immigration counter and after leaving our finger prints, have our eyes photographed and answering some questions we can move on to the baggage belt. We have to take our own bags through customs and recheck them. Then we walk on to the Airtrain, connecting the three terminals. We landed at terminal B and our flight to Toronto leaves from Terminal C. Within one minute the (unmanned) Airtrain pulls into the station and brings us to Terminal C. In Terminal C we have to queue up for a security check. Finally we are an hour early for our flight at the gate. Our flight has a delay of 30 minutes. WE fly with a prop engine aircraft of  Continental. The flight takes little over one hour and goes through quite a number of turbulent patches. We lucky to get any drinks served as the beverage service stops after 10 minutes into the flight. At Toronto's airport the   immigration service (Canada Border Services Agency) is very efficient and after having picked up our bags we can head for the Hertz car rental office. We get a Toyota Camry (an upgrade from a Corolla with - oddly enough - Texan license plates!) and with help from our TomTom navigation device we drive into Toronto to our B&B 312 Seaton Street in the Cabbagetown district.

We are kindly greeted by Laurie, who is care taking while the owners are on a trip themselves. After crammed our bags into the tiny, but tastefully decorated room we go out to have some dinner nearby in the  Pear Tree on Parliament Street.

After that we are off to bed.

 

Sunday 6 June 2010

 

It is raining cats and dogs this morning. We go downstairs for a sumptious breakfast. When we leave for an exploration of the city we notice a parking tickets on our car's windscreen. Laurie had forgotten to mention that we needed to pay for parking in the street and that we could have avoided that by parking in the private lot of the B&B. She kindly the ticket from us and promisses to settle it for us. We move the car and start on our walk towards the nearest subway station. The rain has subsided. We buy a day ticket for $10 (on weekends valid for 2 persons) and take the subway to Union Station. From there we walk to the CN tower, still the highest tower in the world. It measures 553 metres (1815 ft) in height. We take the elevator to the viewing platform. The view is great. We are at around 300 metres now. We go even higher up to the  Skypod at 447 metres (1465 ft). The view is wider here, but not by much. We go down some stairs to the glass floor. It is a bit weird to be able to look 300 metres down throug the floor.

Back down again we take the subway to the city centre. We have some lunch in the Eaton Center, Canada's larges shopping mall. After lunch we go the the new City Hall to meet Audrey, a volunteer from theToronto Greeter Service. Ze takes us on a walk, through the center on to China Town via Queen Street West a nice route with lots of alternative scene shops. In Chinatownis een straatmarkt met vooral itself there are of course loads of Chinese food stores and restaurants. We carry on to Kensington Market. This is a street market with primarily fresh food and eateries. We take a break at a sidewalk cafe and sit in the sun that has come out.  We walk around for a bit more and then take a subway and a bus to quite suburb. There we say goodbuyu to Audrey and take a street car back into town. It is a longish ride of about 45 minutes taking us through all kinds of lively shopping streets and neighbourhoods. We get off the street car near our B&B in Cabbagetown.

At night we start with a drink in the Gay villlage around Church Street at Churchmouse & Firkin. We then move on for dinner at “Hair of the Dog” a nice restaurant with outside tables. We round things off with coffee at Starbucks and a drink at the  Village Rainbow Café. We have got tired by now and walk back to the B&B.

 

Weather: morning rain and 15°C (59°F), afternoon sunny and 19°C (66°F).

 

Monday 7 June 2010

Toronto - Maynooth: 286km (179mi)

Breakfast is again prepared by Laurie, this time assisted by friend of hers. We  gemaakt. Ze wordt vandaag geassisteerd door een vriendin. We krijgen  vandaag pannekoekjes, worstjes, bacon en vers fruit. Na het ontbijt gaan we op weg naar get pancakes, sausages, bacon and fresh fruit. After breakfast we are on our way to Maynooth, near Algonquin Provincial Park. We follow the Transcanadian Highway for an hour and a half and continue on smaller roads leading us to Maynooth, where we check in at the  HI Hostel where we will stay two nights. We have a double room. Things are very worn here, but everything works and is spotlessly clean.  Maynooth has only one shop and a lunchroom and both are closed on mondays. For lunch we have to drive back for 23km to Bancroft and that is what we do. After lunch we drive to  Algonquin Provincial Park, over 50km North of Maynooth. Time is 3.30pm by the time we reach the ranger station. We nevertheless buy a day pass for $15 per car and drive to the trail head of the Beaver Pond walk. It starts at km-pole 45 and is about 2km long. There is one road leading throug the park and all walks and lookouts are indicated by ther km-pole number. The walk takes us around a lake in which a number of beavers have been very busy. There are a number of beaver lodges in the pond and the busy creatures have built a dam as well. The area around the lake is infested with mosquitoes and we were careless enough to have left the insect repellant at the hostel. The creatures launch an all out attack on me. We see a beaver swimming in the lake. The track goes up and down slopes, some of which have steps. After an hour and a bit we are back at the parking lot. We drive back to Maynooth. We fresh up and and a go for dinner in Bancroft. We have a simple bite at a local Chinese eatery, that serves halfway decent meals.

Weather: sunny, light clouds. 18°C  (64°F).

 

Tuesday 8 juni 2010

We have breakfast at Pam’s family restaurant across the street from Algonquin Backpackers. Breakfast options are sizeable and rich on calories. Saussages, bacon, chicken, baked potatoes not to mention the eggs any style. Breakfast lands like a brick in our stomach. We drive via hwy 127 to Algonquin Provincial Park. It is a little over hour's drive. We buy again a day pass at the ranger station (km 56) and head for the Two Rivers Lake (km 34), where we have coffee. After coffee we carry on and spot a moose twenty yards from the road grazing peacefully. It is an impressive animal and a collision should be avoided at any cost. The car will no doubt be a total write-off. We drive on to the Portage Store at km pole 14. Here we rent a canoe to take it on to the appropriately named Canoe Lake. We get a standard alumium canoe, paddles and a emergency set with a floating rope and a whistle.  We paddle against the wind following the the coast line. After an hour or so we want to break at a jetty. I get ashore, but then the canoe loses its balance and tips over and Erik goes into the water. With some effort he manages to get himself out, but he is soaked of course. The photo camera is dead. When we have recovered from the shock we lay out his clothes in the sun to dry. After a while we have face the journey back. That is no problem as it turns out. All our other plans for the park are soon forgotten as drive back to the hostel.  On our way to Maynooth, we see another moose. This time one is male with a big antler.

We have lunch at Pam's and take it easy for the rest of the afternoon. Around 4.30 we drive to Bancroft and have a drink outside the TO pub. After that we have dinner at Vito’s restaurant. Een pizzeria, serving all kinds of other dishes - not just Italian. It has the "charm" of a highway road side restaurant the servings are immensely huge.  

After dinner we have coffee at Tim Horton. Tim Horton is a Canadian and cheaper alternative to Starbucks. In Canada they are practically everywhere, while Starbucks and the other Canadian chain Second Cup concentrate on the cities only. Here no choice form dozens of coffee blends, machiatos and frappucinos, but a more limited and simpler range of coffees. Cappucino is called French Vanilla here and is very sweet. But the coffee is ok. After coffee we go back to Maynooth.

Weather: sunny, 21°C (70°F)

 

Dinsdag 9 juni 2010

Maynooth - Ottawa: 280km / 175mi

We have breakfast again at Pam’s family restaurant. This time we go for the pancakes. After that we drive via lesser and sometimes narrow roads in an Easterly direction until we reach the village of Renfrew komen. We have coffee among the famers and loggers and continue towards Ottawa, the federal capital of Canada. The last 50km we follow the Transcanadian highway. We reach Avalon B&B around 11.45e laatste 50 km gaan over brede snelwegen. Rond 11.45 zijn we bij het Avalon B&B aangekomen. We can settle into our spacious room almost immediately kunnen vrijwel direct op de ruime kamer. After a short break we walk towards the centre of town. We eat at the   Byward market, a former market hall. In the café of the same name they serve delicious sandwiches, rolls and salades. Although Ottawa is just inside the Ontario borders you hear a lot of French being spoken in the streets.  It has become a sunny day as we go to  Black’s photography at the Rideau centre. Here we buy a new camera for Erik, as his last one has not survived its dip in Canoe Lake two days ago. After the purchase of a new Canon Powershot we walk to the parliament buildings. In a large tent next to it we get free tickets for a tour of the building.  The next available tour is at 3.50pm. We have 2 hours to spend. We walk via Sparks Mall (pedestrianised) and the Constitution Square - with the national War Memorial - along the Rideau canal. Here we the former railway station. Across from the station is the enormous, monumental and luxurious Chateau Laurier hotel, built in the early 20th century by the Canadian Railways. Next to the hotel are the series of locks connection the canal and the Ottawa river. The river seperates Ontario and the french speaking province of Québec. On the other side we see the city of Gatineau. We walk on via Sussex Drive with the oldest buildings in town towards the Notre Dame basilica, the Roman Catholic basilica of Otawa. Across from it is the modern National Gallery. Via the park we walk back to the bridge over the canal. We pass a photo exhibition about 65 years of Dutch-Canadian relations. It refers of course to the Canadian role in the liberation of the Netherelands in 1945 and the birth of the dutch Princess Margriet in Ottawa in 1943, when her mother, the then Crown Princess Juliana, was living here, escaping the dangers of war in Europe.

Back at the parliament building our tour starts. We walk from the reception tent to the main building. It was built in 1916 replacing an earlier version that burnt down some year before. The new building turned out twice as big as its original. The tour cannot, unfortunately cover the assembly rooms of the House of Commons and the Senate as both houses are in session. In stead of that our guide shows us large pictures as he explains about them. We walk along high corridors towards the parliamentary library that has survived the big fire. It holds half million books for the benefit of the researchers assisting the members of parliament. The reading room is impressive, topped by a grand cuppola, the first of its kind in Canada. During a renovation it was lifted of the building and temporarily placed in the garden. After the tour we can go up the Peace Tower - with 93metres the highest structure in Ottawa. Nothing is allowed to outdo the Peace Tower. The tower commenmorates the casualties of the first world war. The views are great. Under the tower is a memorial chamber - with commemorative plaques for the Canadians who lost their lives during world war I. In the floor the names of the various battles are engraved. On a table we see a book with names of soldier killed in action. Each day a page is turned. We leave and take the bus back to the B&B.

After a short break we go out again looking for a restaurant. We eat in the  Kinki bistro on York Street. An Asian fusion restaurant. The food is good, but the service is slow until we get our starters and the goes in top gear serving are main course only minutes later. The bill is on the high side. After dinner we have coffee at Starbucks, based in the large book store of Chapters. After coffee we head for the Lookout bar, venue for a Karaoke tonight. Things still have to get started by the time we leave for the B&B.

Weather: sunny, 20°C/68°F. drizzle in the evening

Thursday 10 June 2010

Ottawa - Montreal: 201km (131mi)

After a superb breakfast we are off to Montréal. Shortly we cross the province border with Quebec into french speaking Canada. The route motorway all the way to the big city. It takes us ± 2 hours. We find our B&B, La Conciergerie, on the edge of Montréal's Gay Village. Montréal is Canada's second largest city (but not Québec's provincial capital) and it shows. The city has worldly, metropolitan feel to it, that Ottawa is lacking. After we have checked in and parked the car in garage further down the street, we go for lunch nearby at Resto du Village. Lots of (club)sandwiches and burgers are featured. Many of them accompanied by poutine a Quebecs specialty made up of french fries, covered by unripe cheese, drowned in gravy and other stuff. 

It is rainy day, so we decide to go to the Musee des Beaux Arts. For $14 we buy a 3-day pass for unlimited travel on bus and subway run by city transport STM. The museum has a nice collection of modern and not so old Canadian paintings in addition to a general collection of paintings, sculptures and applied art from out the western world. Apart from the old building there is a new annex across the street. Both buildings are connected via tunnel. The permanent collection is free of charge. A special exhibition on Miles Davis costs extra. There is also an nice exhibition on Bonaparte, consisting of a private collection left behind by Napoleon buff. Painting of the small emperror are accompanied by documents from himself and personal effects like a hat, a boot, field cutlery and a writing kit. After we are done at the museum we take the subway to visit the Notre-Dame de Montréal. This cathedral from 1829 is quite abundant and impressive on the inside with its blue lit altar. Behind the altar is a chapel that burnt out in 1978 and is rebuilt in a modern style. Entry fee for the cathedral is $5 pp. After the visit we retun to the B&B.

After a short break we go into the gay village for dinner at Bato Thai, a Thai restaurant. The food is good and not too pricey. After dinner we venture into the nightlife of the Village. We land in  Le Drugstore, a large three story complex. On a Thursday evening it is not so busy and in big place like this, that is a huge drawback. After that we have peek at Sky, but that is too noisy to our taste, so that we end up at La Normandie, where they have a karaoke night on. Some of the enthusiast contestants are an endearing sight. The MC is an elder big mama who knows how to keep spirits up. 

Weather: rain, max 17°C/63°F

 

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