Well, that was a bit of a shock - just went to log on to my blog on Vox, and there it wasn't. I was just getting excited about starting up a travel blog again - quel dommage! Gone - all of those postings from the USA, Quebec, France and Spain. Gone - all those tales of travel so carefully thought out. Gone - all of those moments which were so magical to me. Gone, all gone, .....unless someone knows different.
So why was I getting excited about blogging again? Well, on 10th November, that's about 3 weeks from now, I am setting off on an adventure - well to me travelling alone is a bit of an adventure. The destination? Canada, or to be more specific, the province of Québec; to be more specific, Montréal and Québec City, with a couple of trips to other places (Jonquière, Lavalltrie and St.André-Avelin).
For example, whe the lady/gentleman at Canadian immigration asks why I am visiting, I can reply "for cultural reasons." I have been more specific in the past e.g. "I am here to see Luce Dufault in concert at Ste.Hyacinthe", a statement which elicited the response: "Gee, sh'es a good singer, but it's a hell of a way to come for a concert!" My last visit, in November 2009, could have followed a similar pattern:
Me: "I have come to see Luce Dufault, at the launch of her new album, entitled "Luce"
Immigration Official: "Gee, she's a good singer, but it's a hell of a long way to come for an album launch, and anyway, didn't you know it has been postponed until January?"Me: "Doh!"
Actually, it didn't follow that pattern, but I did go last November for the launch of the album, or at least I booked my flights before the launch was postponed and then decided to go anyway! It was a great cultural experience - 14 nights in Montréal, 16 concerts and a hockey match. For those struggling with the figures there, I should explain that there were two nights when I did not partake of a cultural offering other than television quebecoix style, but there were other days when I achieved a multiple cultural experience, so to speak. Three shows in one day was my record - lunchtime, evening time and 'what are you doing out so late' time. In thinking about it, the third cultural experience actually spread into the next day, in fact several did, really clouds the issue somewhat.
And then of course there was the abortive/aborted trip in April 2010, when the Icelandic volcano Eyjafjallajökull decided to erupt and cause chaos for the travel plans of thousands, me included.
Immigration Officer: So why have you come to Canada sir?
Me: I haven't - I'm not here, I'm stuck on a train on my way back home, having received a email message telling me that my flight to Montréal was cancelled when I was just ten minutes away from London Heathrow, which in turn is some 260 miles from my home in the north-east of England. But, if I was here, I would have come to see Luce Dufault in two shows at Club Soda, and Mari-Chantal Toupin in Québec City, and Corinne Bailey-Rae at Club Soda.
So, at 18.15 or shortly afterwards (local time in Montréal) on November 10th 2010, I will not reply to the Immigration Official:
"Well, I have come to see Les Surveillantes, Damien Robitaille, Elisapie Isaac, Luce Dufault, les Montréal Canadiens, Monkeyjunk, Steve Hill, Luce Dufault (yes, twice), any one who might be on at Bistro à Jojo, and anyone who the good ladies at La Vitrine can find me tickets for on my free nights.I am here to meet good friends, and perhaps meet new good friends. Oh, and yes, I would also like to visit some of the renowned brew-pubs in Québec and Montréal, to sample the ales - purely for cultural purposes, so that I will feel equipped to write an article for the newsletter of my local branch of the Campaign for Real Ale."
No, I will simply reply : " For cultural reasons."
If you would like to follow my progress, for cultural reasons, or any other reason, for that matter, please do!
