June 29th - New Brunswick

I got a call from a weatherman stating he was tracking my progress to better predict rain.  I'm currently in New Brunswick.  No new pictures today - they would all be wet anyway.  It's been raining, raining and raining.  The clock has moved forward one hour.  I am now 4 hours ahead of California. 

Tomorrow I should be in the New Brunswick capital.  Then on to Dieppe to the BMW dealer.  A number of you have asked about the tires and why I need tires already.  I have almost 5,000 miles on this set.  Motorcycle tires last between 3,000 and 6,000 miles.  Motorcycle tires are softer than car tires to provide an additional "stickiness" for road grip.

I'm looking for sunshine.....

If It's Monday - It's Ottawa

I've been to a lot of cities around the world and I have to say that Ottawa is one of the most beautiful.  I've spent the last couple of hours walking around the city, the parliament buildings, the supreme court, the river, the Ottawa Locks, and every where I turn there is another stunning view.  My wife and daughter were here a little over a month ago and said that I should see this place but until you get here - you think - yea - just another city.  If you come to the east coast and you can get to Ottawa - it will be well worth the trip. 

It was such a nice day that later I decided to go for a jog.  This Canadian weather is doing wonders for me.  I feel like a million bucks....

Tomorrow it's Montreal and Quebec City but I will just be passing through the outskirts.  They are both fascinating Canadian Cities but I've seen them before and I'm pressing to get to New Brunswick and a BMW dealer for some new tires and then on to Nova Scotia and Newfoundland.

Later....

June 26th and 27th Last Two Days in Toronto

The weekend was a trip to one of the many lakes in this area to spend two nights at a cottage owned by the father of one of Amanda's co-workers.  Heather was off to Thailand for Right To Play but suggested we spend the weekend at their cottage on Skeleton Lake.  The lake is beautiful with many small inlets with a lot of varied "cottages."  The cottage of Heather's father Ken was a quaint 3800 square feet with a boat house, three power boats, and several canoes.  Ken, our host made sure we were well taken care of.  Part of the day it was raining so we had a good excuse to take in the US being beat by Ghana and England being beat by Germany in the Worlds Cup. 

Dinners, long conversations, Trivial Pursuit and good company filled the weekend.  Ken was a great host and it was a very nice way to spend a weekend away from the challenges of Toronto with the G20.

Unfortunately things were not so nice when we got back to Toronto.  Before dinner we decided to go for a walk and got caught up in a police action and were almost beat over the head and detained.  We did manage to get out of the action but two hundred or so of other folks on the street were not so lucky. 

I hate to leave but at some point I need to let Amanda and Ben get their lives back to normal.  It has been wonderful being here and I will miss them both. 

Tomorrow it's Ottawa.

June 24 - Wednesday in Toronto

Last night I attended an after work soccer game that Amanda and Ben played in - I won't mention the score - but it was very close....

Today - I met Amanda and two of her co-workers (Lauren and Marjike) for lunch - then tried to make my way through the demonstrators back to the apartment.

 

 Over the past week I've met many of Amanda's friends, seen interesting parts of Toronto and shared some great time with my daughter and Ben.  It's going to be hard to leave.  Monday I plan to hit the road heading east to Ottawa, Montreal, and New Brunswick.  New Brunswick for new tires and then on the Nova Scotia.  I really like Canadians.  Canadians are friendly, have a very strong since of pride in their country, seem to have a good handle on what's important.  Even with all of the police in town I have found the police to be a good group with smiles on their faces and open to their surrounding without the constant points of suspicion that US police seem to have become accustomed to.

I love the small neighborhoods and could see living in any number (of course not without my wife).  Any variety, from very upscale to laid-back like the one in the picture to the left have a draw.

Tonight we are going to the "Rex" - a jazz club a half block from Amanda and Ben's apartment - always entertaining and reasonably priced.

Yes - I like Canada and Toronto.

Somehow I seem to have a lot of sympathy for this non-violent protest.  It must be a harking back to days on the street - many years ago.









Right now I'm sitting in a Starbucks and there has been an endless line of police coming in for breaks - taking coffee back outside, sitting and chatting, smiling, and laughing - just like the rest of us.  I'll be very disappointed if anything happens during the G20 that might change this feeling I have right now.

 Well - right now I need to go help some of Amanda's neighbors look for the other half of their house.

June 23rd - Police Police Police - everywhere

The number of police officers in Toronto are ramping up for the G20 / G8.  Buses pull up with loads of cops.  Long rows of police on horse-back patrol the streets.  Trash cans are gone - replaced by clear plastic bags taped to light posts.  Streets are closed.  Torontonians and Canadians in general can be heard every where lamenting the high cost - over $1.2B for additional security. 

Amanda is so frustrated with the whole thing that she just stands around on her head for hours at a time (with her eyes closed) - friends have stopped coming over because it's too hard to make eye contact.... 

Yesterday was my "real" birthday.  I am now officially 67.  Amanda called and asked me to stop by Right To Play because her boss baked me a cake.  Very thoughtful and a very good cake.

Tonight, after Ben and Amanda get off work, they are getting together with other co-workers to play soccer - and oh-by-the-way ... the US beat Algeria in South Africa.  Yes - it's true - I have been watching Worlds Cup soccer (football).

More later....

June 21st - Monday Toronto and Right To Play

  
Monday - I walked about 10 minutes down the street from where Amanda and Ben live to visit Right To Play.  Right To Play is a Canadian based non-profit with headquarters in Toronto and projects in 23 countries.

From the Right To Play website: 

Right To Play is committed to every child’s right to play. We give children a chance to become constructive participants in society, regardless of gender, disability, ethnicity, social background or religion. Through games and sports, we help create social change in communities affected by war, poverty and disease. 


A team of top athletes from more than 40 countries support Right to Play. As role models, these athletes inspire children and raise awareness about Right To Play internationally. Our aim is to engage key decision-makers from the development, sport, business, media and government sectors and further ensure every child benefits from the positive power of sport and play.


Each week, more than 700,000 children take part in regular sport and play activities and a combined total of more than 1 million children attend regular programming and special sports events and festivals. This is made possible by more than 15,000 local Coaches, Teachers and Leaders. 

Right To Play is on the 19th floor next to the Sheraton Hotel in Toronto.  


I had the opportunity to meet with some of Amanda's co-workers, Brittany, Meghan, Victoria, Amanda, Heather, Brad, Marijke and Lauren.

In this picture are Lauren, Heather, Marijke, Amanda (She's the one with her eyes closed.  She always closes her eyes because she wants you to see the small pictures that she has on her eye lids.) Next to Amanda is Brad holding a picture of his brand new daughter - congratulations Brad.

Here Lauren explains the importance of CRMID (????)  - Okay - "thanks Lauren."

I would invite all of you that read this blog to check out Right To Play.  They are changing lives all over the world by taking guns out of the hands of young children and replacing them with "play."  I would think that more can be done with a ball to change the world than a bullet.  Of course I could be wrong .... looking at all of the success guns have had ......????????

http://www.righttoplay.com/International/Pages/Home.aspx

June 20th - Sunday - Toronto Sceans

Ben will be home from Europe this afternoon. It's another sunny day in Toronto. A city full of non-stop activity, events, and festivals.


























Below - Getting ready for the Canadian music awards on Sunday night.







































University of Toronto - One of Canada's most prestigious universities

June 19th sceans from Toronto Streets

It's been sunny! I've been to Toronto twice in the past but always on business. This time it's to see my daughter and Ben. Ben has been in Europe visiting family and playing soccer for TNT (his employer) so on Saturday Amanda and I walked the streets of Toronto. What a great city. Toronto is the largest city in Canada and has a population of around 3 million with many ethnic neighborhoods.

The photos below are primarily from Church Street and Queen Street. All were taken within walking distance of Amanda's apartment.

All over Toronto cars are flying flags of various countries. I said to Amanda, "with all these flags - people are sure into the G20." Response = "Dad, it's the World's Cup!" Response = "oh - yea - right - I knew that......"