Another train, toot toot, #Ottawa to #Montreal
TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 12
Easy exit from our downtown #Ottawa location with a #Capital taxi to drop us to the comfort of the #Business Lounge at #Gare d'Ottawa. Our heavily accented #Lebonese taxi driver told us to "expect rude" treatment in #Quebec and to remember we are 'entitled' to ask for English communication. "Just ask to see the manager," he advised.
Repositioning day
Train interior definitely a little older and worn, but none the less comfortable and the two hours literally flew by. @Mac traced our journey on #Google Maps, just in case the train driver didn't know where he was going and announced all our towns and river and road crossings. We munched our way through breakfast.- overall another great train journey though picturesque rural countryside. Row after row of crops - all rich and green - plenty of water and the occasional flash of red as the trees begin to change colour.
First impressions of #Montreal - yep, very #Francaise - makes it a bit trickier to read signage and make some decisions about directions (but we got there); lots of graffiti on the way in - over all the buildings and walkways, bridges and freight cars and way way way way way too many smokers.
Our first views - overcast skies and lots of graffiti
Welcome to Gare Centrale de Montreal
I am quite amazed that he wheels on our suitcases haven't fallen off given the number of railway stations we have trundled to and from over extremely uneven surfaces. Today was quite chaotic. We arrived in the lunch time rush on the streets and had to traverse a couple of blocks that are undergoing a conversion to a mall - so footpath space was a little tight and surfaces were a combination of uneven, broken and just rubble. @Mac had the map engaged - street names are now 15 characters long, everyone is in a hurry and jostling along against us, every other person is smoking and we are coughing and spluttering and in our keenness to find 137 - 1396 (who even knows what that means) we missed it and had to double back AND resort to a phone call so that @Liam could come onto Rue Saint Catherine West to rescue us and facilitate the handing over the of the cash security deposit. What a little series of mishaps this whole booking has been. Oh well, we don't have to sleep on a park bench tonight, so that is a positive.
A man with a map, an address (oops, missed it) and a code (oops, wrong keypad) - it's never easy. It was a comedy of errors
We were hopeful of an early check-in - but @Liam dashed that pretty quickly with his lament of how far behind they were today. We had to pull up a hard won outside seat in #Starbucks and make a frappe last 45 minutes until our code was delivered and we could access home for the next four nights. I was okay because I was entertained by one bee and its mate who took a fancy to @Mac. He was swatting and batting away, the bee was crawling on the brim of his hat and diving into his frappe. Strange that, @Mac didn't find it anywhere near as funny as I did. At one stage he consoled himself that he couldn't see a stinger in its bottom. He is a silver lining kind of guy.
Had to make this one last.... accommodation just across the road ... so close. No bees on me!
Very impressed with the setup of #Pierce Boutique - great space with the biggest king size bed, great lounge and kitchen, the desperately needed washer and drier and a shower with so many heads you get a full body massage.
Once settled and unpacked, had a little dabble outside just to get the lay of the land. We are diagonally opposite the entry to the metro, the bus stops at the corner and there are 200 choices for dinner in what is a university precinct. Of course - Asian is featured - and we popped into a #Pho restaurant just across the road and complemented that with a trip to the local grocery store to get some basics.
Score!
@Mac is currently in the lounge room grappling with the accounts and bills from home - seems every day there is some new drama around receiving a text message code to our Australian number. At least he can do that with his feet up - we both need to be ready for another "leg day" tomorrow.
Feet are up - I'm prepping for tomorrow's leg day
PS: Ha, ha. Just saying, "on reflection," so glad we didn't get that glass tile splashback in our kitchen refurb. There are two here in the kitchen. Think that view every day would freak me out - it is so clear!
Imagine that every time you fronted up in the kitchen!
Meanwhile in Europe 🇪🇺 with @M&I
Think they have fallen in love the blue and white of #Santorini and have made it their personal goal to be photographed in front of every blue door they can find. Their message this morning was that they had woken up before the sun and had completed the 10 km + walk from #Fira to #Oia. We did that trek on our recent trip but took the bus! In @Mindy's words, the sunrise and sunset is just getting "better and better."
Taking in the views in Santorini - iconic
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