Merry Christmas everybody!!!

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Hey,

Life has been pretty busy since our last update.
It was really strange to see Niagara Falls in Winter. They actually divert half of the water going over the falls to a hydro-electric power station so it looks completely different to summer. Everything was covered in a strange layer of ice because of the mist from the falls.

We travelled nearly 9 hours on a bus to Montreal in Quebec. They speak Quebecois (I think). Its French, Jim, but not as we know it... Actually I now realise that I don't know French AT ALL. So much for 5 years of learning it. Montreal is a great place. A lot of the houses have outside steps to their top floor because it was easier to heat the houses when it was really cold if they were built that way. (??????)

We than travelled back to Ottawa, the capital city, and had a look around parliment and a few other places. It was -17 oC but the wind chill took it to -25 oC. That is a wee bit too cold.
We stayed in a little village called Yorks Corner (I think) outside the city and managed to get snowed in the day we had to leave. There was about 30cm of snow in the area - so we just spent most of the day playing in it. what a shame :-)

We then to Kingston to stay with my Cousin and took a free ferry over to Wolfe Island in Lake Ontario. The rivers and canals are freezing over and the lake is beginning to as well. (see photo)

The next time we write we will hopefully be in the United States. Have a great Christmas everyone!!!! I suppose the presents can wait until August...

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Photos

Iced Tree anyone?
The road signs at the falls claimed "unusual ice conditions"

CN TOWER
This Glass floor is 1,122ft up in the CN tower, the tallest building in the world at Toronto. And those are Sam's feet...

Shovelling snow
Snow is great, until you have to move it off the driveway. Its so light you can't even make a snowman anyway.

The Falls
Niagara Falls in the snow

Ottawa
A very cold day at the Canadian parliament

Yorks Corner
Where we stayed with Sarah-Jane (right) and Matthew (Small speck further along the road)

Ice on Lake Ontario
The ferry follows a pipe on the lake bed which bubbles air to the surface, thus preventing the water from freezing to allow the ferry to run in winter. Clever....

Comments

[Rach]

Have a Great Christmas!
Hi Babe, and Sam of course! Soooooo jealous. Forget meeting in New Zealand, I'll come join you now...missing you loads... "It's going to be lonely this Christmas without you" (sung Elvis style)