This makes it look quite good, by the way. And it's not even a wide angle lens.
We've spent the weekend in Prince Edward County, a part of Ontario that's doing its level best to out-twee New England, where we'll be later this week. During out brief tour, we've visited 2 wineries and a cidery. Yes, there is such a word, and the cider was very pleasant, though not as nice as the wine from Deviil's Wishbone which I tasted last night. The wines here do taste different to their European cousins - and it's no wonder because in order for the vines to survive the winter, they're buried in soil and then unburied once the sun comes out. With all that effort, I think Canadian wine deserves a bit more exposure but of course they can't produce enough of the stuff to export it. Nice Pinot Gris, Noir and Rose.
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| Vines at Norman Hardie Winery |
We did a bit of shopping here and there, natch, and went for a lovely lakeside walk around Sandbanks, having declined to cram ourselves on to the beach with the hoi polloi who had descended for the weekend.
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| Nice view, shame about the legs |
We have of course indulged in ice cream, but food has been a little samey and our hurried first meal in Montreal tonight didn't promise too much better.
And naturally on that walk, and during our stay in the middle of nowhere (also known as Carrying Place) at the Owl's Nest B&B, every local biting insect decided it wanted a piece of me and I'm now covered in itchy scratchy red bumps smothered in any available lotion and potion known to man to reduce the swelling and stop the anti-social scratching. The Owl's Nest was run by a couple of hippies (service wasn't their main forte, I don't think - as in they ignored us once we'd arrived until we left and were due to settle up), but they'd done their best to make the place homely, including the handmade pots, crockery, mugs and tiles made by host Jenna. The house itself was made out of straw and it had most mod cons though enhanced by a slightly whiffy septic tank. It's a lovely idea that didn't quite work in the execution, but at least we had room to swing a cat had one turned up wanting swinging. In this room, it really would bounce off all walls .
En route for Montreal, we visited a lavender farm, had lunch at the cidery (still can't believe that's a real word),
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| County Cidery |
and then headed to Kingston, so that Toni could take a look at where daughter Izzy would be studying this autumn - at the school of Kinaeseology (which is probably not spelled right either). It's partly lovely and partly seedy in equal measure - just what a university town should be!
On to Montreal and found the hotel easily, but we were running quite late. It's just like a UK Travelodge but with inferior tea and coffee making facilities. (And a very inferior breakfast, but I've moved on a day and will post again tomorrow.) We found a dodgy pub nearby and had a dodgy meal including chilled Pinot Noir (purlease....) but it was late and we were desperate. There's a comedy festival going on (Just for Laughs, you've probably seen in on TV), but unfortunately at the moment it's entirely in French and my schoolgirl level just isn't up to it. Already I'm embarrassing myself by beginning a conversation with a waiter/shop assistant/hotel receptionist in French, only to founder at the first hurdle of their response, or at best the reply I should be giving. I will keep trying....
The internet connection here in the hotel is poor, so will post photos later or I will never get any sleep.
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