Oh Canada

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First and foremost, Toronto seems very cool, aside from the aggressive homeless persons, and incredibly dangerous cab drivers.

But let me digress for a moment. I'm travelling here with a friend who you used to be a hoot to travel with. Up for anything, and what provincialism he had was acceptable. That was 20 years ago. He has turned into an 80 year old woman. Nothing but complaints about his health, which is poor. The nearly 300 hundred pounds he's carrying around (from the svelte 140 he weighed 20 years ago) is perhaps a contributing factor. The 2000+ calories in candy he's eaten today in addition to an over abundance of all food consumed may be suspect? Don't get me started about his driving. I'm sorry, fifteen minutes of bathroom breaks each and every hour he's driving? Oh well, I have 2 more days to rant about this, so I'll get back to it.

Where was I? Oh yes, Oh Canada!

Wandered around the downtown area of Toronto tonight. See paragraph one. I was looking for food, anywhere but a chain place. Travelled about 2 km (metric here, don't you know) up Yonge St. from the hotel. Interesting mix of cheap eats, low rent shops, adult bookstores, and massage parlors. About 1.5 km up I started to find some possibilities on the side streets. Finally picked one based on a single menu item. Bangers and mash. English for sausage and mashed potatoes. This particular version was made with sausage made with wild boar native to Ontario. Yum! Even better, the restaurant is Gay owned. Even, even better, the fabulous disco attached to the back. Only open Friday and Saturday nights, so I'm going to miss out this trip. Will be going back tomorrow night for dinner again, but this time with my friend. Wednesday is Mojito night!

Stopped at Niagra Falls on the way here. Since I was on the "Old Lady" schedule, starting 4 hours late, and it was pouring rain, I made the decision not to spend the time to do the full experience. I didn't want to lose a night in Toronto. If I can get "her" out of bed early Thursday, I'll try and do the full experience on the way back. I'm looking forward to better weather, no rain predicted, partly cloudy only. I also bought a rain jacket here in anticipation of the soaking experience "The Maid of the Mist" offers.

I'm going to sign off now. I'm in the bar at the Mariott Downtown, Toronto, nursing Jack Daniels (Lynchburg Tennessee's favorite son, but that's another story) and thinking about bed. As a good friend used to say, M2C (more to come).

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