Culture Days, or How My Feet Hurt
I realized this evening that I forgot to write something yesterday, partially because yesterday I did less than I meant to do.
The day started with a Montrealer breakfast (eggs, potatoes, and smoked meat) at Eggspectation, a restaurant chain I remembered fondly from 2009.
The return walking path took me past the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal. I must say that this city has some wonderful buildings. I have had my head on a swivel much of the time I've been out walking around, and I'm glad the weather has been good so I've not had to take to the maze of tunnels that runs through much of the city that often.
After walking off some of that breakfast, I went to the place where I should have gone on the first day of the trip, because it would have saved me money in the long run.
I rode the Montreal Metro the night that I got here, but yesterday in the light of day I figured out how to get between the hotel and the Bonaventure station (only a few hundred meters apart and connected through the underground tunnels, albeit not step-free) and how I managed to get lost coming in after changing from the 747 airport bus to the Metro on Wednesday night.
I rode the Metro three stops to Lionel-Groulx, checked to see where the 747 bus to the airport picks up (as opposed to where it dropped off coming the other way), then walked the relative short distance to the Marché Atwater, which is full of specialist food shops. Had I gone here first and filled the mini-fridge with cheese and various salamis, I would have had excellent lunches (and maybe a dinner or two) for the whole trip. As it was, I had to restrain myself because I only had a couple of days left. I got some excellent cheese, though, and bought some nice-looking blueberry jam that I hope survives the trip home in my luggage.
I had more ambitious plans for yesterday, but in order to make the right time for breakfast, I actually had to get started on the bits of Day Jobbe earlier than I do (in absolute terms) most days when I was at home. Also, I ended up needing to do a few reports, which were not difficult but did use up time. I'm glad my manager says I can take (most of) Thursday and Friday off as well. As a consequence of those distractions, I tried to make an early night of it.
Today was a "culture day." In the morning I went to the McCord Museum, which was offering free admission in recognition of its 100th anniversary. There I saw their exhibit on the Indigenous people of Quebec, which was sobering and moving. On the walk back to the hotel, I tried once again to find a new jacket, as the one I have is wearing out. Most of what's on offer in the shops here is too heavy for what I am looking for. I found one that was the right style and color, but wasn't big enough. I'm a 3XL, which can be challenging.
Returning to the hotel, I finished off the rest of the food from the Atwater and rested for a while. I tried to check in for my flight tomorrow, but there was no way to enter my vaccination information in their forms, so I'll have to do it at the airport showing the printed documentation. I redid my plans so I'll leave a bit earlier to allow time to deal with the paperwork.
In the late afternoon, I set off to see an exhibition of Salvador Dali's illustrations of Dante's Divine Comedy. This was intriguingly presented, and I'm glad I got to see it.
Twelve years ago, Lisa and I ate at Restaurant Bonaparte, and I had hoped to return to it during this trip; however, it's closed on Monday and Tuesday, and besides, Scott Edelman, known as a foodie with whom I've been fortunate to share a meal once before, did not come to WFC, which is a big reason why I did not arrange something during WFC proper.
Near the Dali exhibition at the Old Port of Montreal was Restaurant Porto Mar, which was quiet enough that I felt safe eating here. The schedule with Loscon/Westercon and Worldcon means I will not be able to attend SMOFCon in Lisboa in December, but at least I can have a Portuguese meal. I had one of their set meals, and I was very good.
This afternoon, I did as much packing as I could. A goodly part of my luggage is now full of Winnipeg Worldcon bid material. It's good that I had left sufficient weight in my 23 kg checked-luggage allowance, and that I can carry my CPAP machine as an extra carry-on.
My flight leaves from Montreal at mid-day on Wednesday, but thanks to having to fly first to ORD, then to SEA, and only then back to RNO, I won't get back to Reno until very late. I will stay in a hotel near the airport rather than drive the 50 km home after being up from what amounts to 2 AM in my destination time zone in order to do Day Jobbe work before completing the packing and heading for the airport. I'm in business class on the first and last legs of the trip (a side-effect of using my Alaska frequent flyer miles), so maybe I'll be able to relax a bit and sleep a little on the two shorter legs if not on the long middle one.
I walked 16,000 steps yesterday and 13,000 today. My legs and feet can feel it, but with me eating so much, I'm glad I'm also doing something work it off.
The day started with a Montrealer breakfast (eggs, potatoes, and smoked meat) at Eggspectation, a restaurant chain I remembered fondly from 2009.
The return walking path took me past the Notre-Dame Basilica of Montréal. I must say that this city has some wonderful buildings. I have had my head on a swivel much of the time I've been out walking around, and I'm glad the weather has been good so I've not had to take to the maze of tunnels that runs through much of the city that often.
After walking off some of that breakfast, I went to the place where I should have gone on the first day of the trip, because it would have saved me money in the long run.
I rode the Montreal Metro the night that I got here, but yesterday in the light of day I figured out how to get between the hotel and the Bonaventure station (only a few hundred meters apart and connected through the underground tunnels, albeit not step-free) and how I managed to get lost coming in after changing from the 747 airport bus to the Metro on Wednesday night.
I rode the Metro three stops to Lionel-Groulx, checked to see where the 747 bus to the airport picks up (as opposed to where it dropped off coming the other way), then walked the relative short distance to the Marché Atwater, which is full of specialist food shops. Had I gone here first and filled the mini-fridge with cheese and various salamis, I would have had excellent lunches (and maybe a dinner or two) for the whole trip. As it was, I had to restrain myself because I only had a couple of days left. I got some excellent cheese, though, and bought some nice-looking blueberry jam that I hope survives the trip home in my luggage.
I had more ambitious plans for yesterday, but in order to make the right time for breakfast, I actually had to get started on the bits of Day Jobbe earlier than I do (in absolute terms) most days when I was at home. Also, I ended up needing to do a few reports, which were not difficult but did use up time. I'm glad my manager says I can take (most of) Thursday and Friday off as well. As a consequence of those distractions, I tried to make an early night of it.
Today was a "culture day." In the morning I went to the McCord Museum, which was offering free admission in recognition of its 100th anniversary. There I saw their exhibit on the Indigenous people of Quebec, which was sobering and moving. On the walk back to the hotel, I tried once again to find a new jacket, as the one I have is wearing out. Most of what's on offer in the shops here is too heavy for what I am looking for. I found one that was the right style and color, but wasn't big enough. I'm a 3XL, which can be challenging.
Returning to the hotel, I finished off the rest of the food from the Atwater and rested for a while. I tried to check in for my flight tomorrow, but there was no way to enter my vaccination information in their forms, so I'll have to do it at the airport showing the printed documentation. I redid my plans so I'll leave a bit earlier to allow time to deal with the paperwork.
In the late afternoon, I set off to see an exhibition of Salvador Dali's illustrations of Dante's Divine Comedy. This was intriguingly presented, and I'm glad I got to see it.
Twelve years ago, Lisa and I ate at Restaurant Bonaparte, and I had hoped to return to it during this trip; however, it's closed on Monday and Tuesday, and besides, Scott Edelman, known as a foodie with whom I've been fortunate to share a meal once before, did not come to WFC, which is a big reason why I did not arrange something during WFC proper.
Near the Dali exhibition at the Old Port of Montreal was Restaurant Porto Mar, which was quiet enough that I felt safe eating here. The schedule with Loscon/Westercon and Worldcon means I will not be able to attend SMOFCon in Lisboa in December, but at least I can have a Portuguese meal. I had one of their set meals, and I was very good.
This afternoon, I did as much packing as I could. A goodly part of my luggage is now full of Winnipeg Worldcon bid material. It's good that I had left sufficient weight in my 23 kg checked-luggage allowance, and that I can carry my CPAP machine as an extra carry-on.
My flight leaves from Montreal at mid-day on Wednesday, but thanks to having to fly first to ORD, then to SEA, and only then back to RNO, I won't get back to Reno until very late. I will stay in a hotel near the airport rather than drive the 50 km home after being up from what amounts to 2 AM in my destination time zone in order to do Day Jobbe work before completing the packing and heading for the airport. I'm in business class on the first and last legs of the trip (a side-effect of using my Alaska frequent flyer miles), so maybe I'll be able to relax a bit and sleep a little on the two shorter legs if not on the long middle one.
I walked 16,000 steps yesterday and 13,000 today. My legs and feet can feel it, but with me eating so much, I'm glad I'm also doing something work it off.