THIS TIME NEXT WEEK WE WILL BE HOME!!!!

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Yes, folks, although it just seems like yesterday that we were saying our goodbyes, we will be arriving back in good old Blighty next Sunday, The more astute among you will have worked out that our 'year' away will have lasted only 51 weeks. The shortage due to wishing to help Linda's sister Gillian celebrate her birthday on November 1

We are now in the centre of Toronto and it must be said that it is one terrific city. OK, the weather might leave a bit to be desired but the place itself is terrific. It boasts a great transport system (although we have tended to walk everywhere) it has a hugely cosmopolitan air about the place; there are separate Italian, Greek, Chinese, Indian and other districts. Unlike the UK, these districts attract and welcome people from all other districts. You will guess then that the variety of restaurants is huge. Luckily, the choice of bars is equally huge, albeit the price of alcohol is a wee bit on the high side, due mainly to the addition of local and government taxes on every drink you buy.

Toronto also boasts the highest man built structure in the world - the CN Tower. We know this to be true as, we not only went up the tower on Monday, but we were two of thirteen people who got stuck for 45 minutes in one of their elevators between two obsevation platforms some 500 metres up the tower!! Our compensation? A free drink (non-alcoholic!) and the cost of the flight between platforms -$4.31. There is some correspondence to be entered into!!

The downtown area of the city also enjoys a maze of interlinked underground shopping precincts and food courts, with approcimately 27 miles of walkways: absolutely amazing.

After our lift experience we obviously required something to calm us down! We managed to find two or three great bars - OK, make that five or six - ending up in a place near to our hotel where we heard the last set from an really great 10 piece group - and no we weren't seeing double!

Linda, especially, is enjoying our penultimate living quarters as it has a little kitchen. This means that she can go and shop in one of the many local markets and lose herself in the kitchen (with a little help from Ken.)

We managed another session on Friday. This time starting in an Irish bar where we met a local actor who is presently playing George Bernard Shaw. He had a wealth of stories including (this for our older Scottish readers) working alongside Duncan McRae and Jimmy Logan) as well as working with Richard Burton. We also got talking to a local chap (Tom) who was tuned into many of Ken's favourite bands. Much conversation and drinking ensued before the three of us went on a pub tour (not a crawl you'll understand - a tour) of bars with live music. A terrific night, if not a great Saturday!

It is now Sunday afternoon. The weather is pretty 'pisreable.' Our last week will include a visit to Niagara Falls, a meal or two and no doubt an end of year (OK 51 weeks) drink celebration)

It just leaves us to remind everybody about our 'welcome back home' do in The Six Bells, Bicester on Saturday 4 November. Disappontment will reign if we don't see loads of you there. That includes supporters of Dunfermline, Aston Villa, Sunderland, Liverpool. - You know who you are!

You will guess from the dearth of photos that Toronto is not as photogenic as other places we have visited.

Love to all of you

Ken & Linda

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Photos

TORONTO
View from the now infamous CN Tower

TORONTO
View of the now infamous CN Tower

TORONTO
This car was stopped on suspicion of carrying weed!