Day 5 - Cycling the Rideau Canal

The weather on Monday was great.  It was sunny and out of the breeze it was almost warm.  I think the temperature reached about 14 degrees. 

Ottawa unlike the San Francisco is just at the beginning of spring.  The grass is yet to change from brown to green although there are a few green shoots.  None of the deciduous trees have started coming into leaf.  Apparently there was snow lying around only two weeks ago.  It is a very late start to spring we are told.  It feels more like winter to me although the length of the days is more like summer.  The previous evening we had seen a lot of Canadian geese who were returning from their winter in the south and which is a Canadian sign of spring. 

Hedy took us into the centre of Ottawa where we promptly got lost, well sort of.  I keep getting disoriented by the sun and unlike San Francisco there are no high reference points to keep one oriented.  We wandered around the main shopping centre, the Rideau Centre, after again looking for shoes (with no success) and coincidentally found the bus stop for our return back to Orleans.  Our wander around the streets revealed the imposing fortress of the American Embassy across the road from Parliament (which dominates from Parliament Hill).  I was wanting to do a tour through it but we decided to do that the next day if we had time.  We wandered around for bit taking some photos of the beginning of the Rideau Canal and Parliament. 

The Canadian Parliament in the background

Rideau canal locks with the Ottawa River in the background

I had found a place on the internet  from where we could hire bikes and in our slightly focussed wander around Rideau Street and environs we found it.  Deciding by that time we needed lunch we found a nice boulangerie in the nearby Byward Market or Marché By where they had salads as I had a great need for vegetables.  The coffee was rubbish and if there is one thing I am missing in both Canada and US is a decent coffee.  Wellington does them so well!

Biking along the Rideau Canal

Hiring the bikes was a very easy affair and we soon on our way following a very nice bike trail alongside the Rideau Canal.  There were lots of people walking and riding the trail which is nicely sealed and very smooth to ride on.  Our bikes were almost brand new and although they did not have the comfort seat they were reasonably comfortable.  We went to the end of that section of canal to a place called Hogs Back where the canal joins the Rideau River.  The distance was about 8.5 kilometres.  There was a major fall at that point and the reason for the canal.  We returned via the other side of the canal.  In total I think we covered about 18 kilometres all of which was flat.  It was a nice ride and great to be in the fresh air.

Hogs Back Fall - Rideau River

We returned the bikes and then found a bookstore with French language books where I found several interesting ones.  Over the road was another very large bookstore for browsing.  It was very nice to do that as when one works there never seems to be time to do such things. 

Finally we took the bus home.  It was a very impressive system with about half of the 20 kilometre journey on dedicated busway.  The announcements were like on a train and so we easily found our stop.  The bus system is extensive and relatively cheap.  It was cheaper for instance to go to Gloucester where Hedy and Graham live than to the airport in Wellington. 

Local art and local teens who invited Bev to sit with them

The day ended after a very nice meal with Hedy and Graham in their home.

Day 4 – San Francisco to Ottawa

Today is all about travel. It was a very early start of 5am so we could get our taxi and head for the airport.  It had rained overnight but was only drizzling when we got into the taxi.  We were soon at the airport.  The flight left on time and we are now two and a half hours away from our first stop in Toronto where we will change aircraft.  There is not much to see out the windows as there lots of clouds obscuring the view.

So it is time for a bit of reflection about San Francisco.  Our accommodation was great.  It was good value and close to a bus route and town.  The area is apparently very safe as it is expensive, and I can see that with rental rates at around $1750 per week according to a real estate agents window.  This is because employees from Google and Twitter live in these areas.  We found that for the most part people were courteous and helpful.  As is my experience elsewhere they are generally not that interested in you and where you come from.  The food was good and where we ate the plates were not that full.  I was surprised to see many people walking and exercising.  I did not see much gross obesity and in fact people generally looked reasonably slender.  We did go into a supermarket where there were lots very sugary cereals but we did manage to find some reasonable stuff to eat.  The public transport system is very impressive and cheap.  There does seem to be some effort at getting people onto it rather than using cars.  The cars are of course as large as ever although there are a few hybrids and diesels around. I liked the place and there is so much to do and we did not have nearly enough time.  I would, for instance, have liked to go to some jazz that I had been recommended.









 Later.........

The flight took us over the great lakes.  The most westerly, Lake Superior I think, was still frozen over the next two or three still had ice on them but there was less the fruther east we went.  Lake Ontario was ice-free.  

We arrived in Toronto to fine weather.  It took us a while to get through Immigration.  I thought we were doing fine until I looked at my watch and said to Bev that I thoiught  we needed to move.  Our bags finally appeared and then we headed out exit from immigration to find our connecting flight to Ottawa which we eventually did but entailed get to a choke point at which time I asked an airline representative if we were ok for the Ottawa flight.  He said it would be tight and directed us through another door.  I spoke to another representative who then rang the gate about bags and who said yes they would take the flights.  We were told to rush for the gate which we did where we encountered a substantial queue.  Finally we got through security just as they were calling our names.  We almost ran and then found orselves almost running for the gate.  

Our welcome to the Burtons

We were definitely the last on the plane after which they shut the doors. It was a little too tight for comfort even for me.  We reached Ottawa with no more delays and then waited for an age for our luggage to arrive.  The photo shows the welcome received on arrival at Graham and Hedy's home.   

Day 3 – Farmers Market and the Golden Gate Bridge

We had intended to head off early for the Farmers Market but our hosts were very chatty so we ended up talking to them for much longer than intended.  We got shown this piece of satire about this guy Bundy which was on Comedy Central and was seriously funny.  You didn’t even have to know the circumstances.  I will find the link and post it when I am on-line again

The market with the Bay bridge in the background

It was very cool when we went out to catch our bus to the Market.  The public transport system in the city is very good.  On our route there were trolley buses (and to think that Wellington is planning to get rid of them when they can use our plentiful power which does not come from fossil fuel plants) which  went by all the routes.  Using the bus costs $2 a trip and we bought ourselves a Clipper Card which is a stored value card where you can use it to tag on.  Not only that cost of a trip lasts for about an hour and a half.  Brilliant.  Not only that on the routes we were on people were using the system.  Compared to New Zealand the cost obviously encourages people to use he system. 

The Market was great lots of very nice found grown or made by local farmers.  The only thing I did not see were eggs.  It was all seasonal food so cherries were just arriving as were some stonefruit.  Definitely much earlier than our fruit reflecting the warmer climate although given that the sun was out but the temperature was not much above 14 degrees you had to wonder where it was warmer.  We got some very nice dried fruit, tasted lots of things including some interesting cheese (the Americans can actually make cheese that is not a funny colour!).  There were lots of strawberries and we got some organic ones that actually tasted the best I have tasted in a long time. 

Artwork, the bridge and Bev

We then walked along the Embarcardo to the Fishermans Wharf area where we found a place to hire bikes so that we could bike across the Golden Gate Bridge.  It was the one place where the service was not great but the bikes were good with the right number of gears and seemed to have been maintained.  It is eight years since I was in San Francisco and around this area and it seemed to have  changed a lot.  The one thing I noticed was that cycling had taken off.  There were bikes everywhere.  It could have been because it was the weekend but  given the number of hire bikes I suspect not. 

Ready to bike across the bridge

The route to the Bridge has changed a bit and it is easier in parts due to being paved.  There are a couple climbs that really tested my fitness and willpower but I was able to do them without dismounting.  Bev just zoomed up them!

The ride to the bridge was into a strong headwind so it was hard work but very satisfying after getting to the top and other younger people were pushing their bikes. 
The wind on the bridge was very strong.  One side of the bridge is for cyclists and the other side for pedestrians.  The biking side had a huge number of bikes.  There were the people like ourselves who were recreational then there were those who were clearly very fit with bikes that were sleek top line bikes and who were coming at us with speed.  In fact I think they should have had a bike speed limit.  Despite that there were no

On the bridge

collisions and people were well behaved. After the bridge we went into Sausalito where the intention was to take the ferry back to the City.  This meant riding on the road with cars.  However, car drivers, unlike in New Zealand, seemed to be very mindful of cyclists and we felt quite safe. 

We did not get to Sausalito to get our ferry of choice so had to take a later one.  We wandered around a pretty little town, a bit like Queenstown but it seemed to be on a slightly smaller scale.  We were going to have a coffee but decided to take our bikes to be closer to the ferry.  We were very pleased to do so as they had started loading us on about half an hour before we were due to leave.  The line snaked for hundred or so metres.  They had begun loading the cyclists prior to our arrival so that by the time we got on board it already had a large number of bikes on board.  Like on a car ferry we were called prior to docking at the wharf.  Since we had loaded our bikes there were what seemed like hundreds more and it needed the people who got there last to take there bikes off first.  What seemed like chaos at first turned out to be remarkably orderly. I wished I had got a photo of it all.

Sausalito

We had been disembarked at the Ferry Building so we rode back to where we hired the bikes and then found a bus to return us to our accommodation. 

We recovered for an hour before going out to a restaurant called Bistro Aix which was nearby.  It too was humming and we had a half hour wait.  So we went next door to a wine bar where we tried a French Chablis and a local Chardonnay.  In terms of taste Bev and I both preferred the Chablis. 
Our meal was lovely, not great but well cooked and not too large.  I had a steak  with frites and salad.  The steak was cooked to perfection but while Bev’s pork chop was nice she enjoyed her risotto more.  We had local cabernet and a syrah to accompany the meal.  They were both nice but thought both had a slightly almond or medicinal taste to them.  I wondered whether it was the area in which the grapes were grown. 

As were flying out early the next morning we tried to go to bed early but ended up talking with our hosts for a bit longer before packing.  It was a very full and interesting day and I was both ready to sleep and also still somewhat stimulated by what we had done.

Day 2 - The Marina, Public Transport and Weather

Platform - Bart SFO

We were assured that when we  arrived it would be fine although only 14 degrees.  Actually it turned out to be rather showery.

Our accommodation

Getting through border control took an age because they want your finger prints and photo.  There was also the inevitable queue but they were friendly enough.  By the time we got to the baggage carousel my bag was not on it.  Bev's arrived nearly last and still mine had not appeared.  We spoke with a marginally friendly person who finally looked up my name and said that it was on the manifest.  Finally she went for a long walk and found it.  It had been taken off and that was done around the other side of the carousel from where we standing.  I had seen them standing up the cases so assumed, wrongly, that they did not take them off.  Finally we got through the queues got a public transport pass and found the train.  According to the public transport website we had to get off at Daly City and take a No 28 bus.  Remarkably the bus stop right at exit from the train station.  The bus took us on a very direct route to our AirBnB.  By the time we reached our destination it was raining  and our host Sandor welcomed us into their house which was on a busy road.

After dropping our luggage we found a bus and headed for the CBD. 

Lost or just trying to find his way!

It was a very easy ride and by sheer luck I managed to get us off at the right stop so I could go and look for my Ecco shoes.  That proved to be a rather frustrating activity as they had the shoe I wanted but not in my size.  Apparently I have a foot size that everyone has.  Why they don't order more of those in is beyond me.  I shall try again in Canada.  I have to say shoes are significantly cheaper in the US. 


That night we found a cheap Mexican restaurant close to where we were staying.  It was very busy but the food was nice.  One of the servers described himself as a New Zealander after he heard where we came from.  It turned out that his mother was a New Zealander whose family were all in Auckland and he went back to New Zealand on an annual basis.  Not only that he had been to the sevens last year.  The restaurant was full of young people and we were almost the only ones there over 40. 
 

Day one: Getting there

Finally I have an opportunity to sit down and write a few words.  It was great being ANZAC day as I had a lot of time to get packed.  Of course I used every minute.

It was an early start as I wanted to start getting myself into the new time zone.  I managed to go to the gym, clean the house, do the washing and generally get ready.  By the time Andrew and Morwen appeared I was almost ready.  Ten minutes later I was out of the door and on the way to the airport.  I am now in the lounge having created the blog.  I am looking forward to actually sitting down in Business class and relaxing given that it is a long flight.

To be continued..........

We are only about an hour away from San Francisco and arriving about fifty minutes early. 

The following is about the food and those who are not interested should stop now. 

I had a nice dinner: We started with champagne Mumm Cordon Rouge with some nuts.  The starter was prosciutto with preserved figs, bocconcini and green olive salsa.  It was very nice. The main was a beef short rib with swede and parsnip mash (almost a puree), roasted shallots in balsamic and beetroot horseradish salsa.  The main was wonderful, the beef very tender.  I had a Trinity Hills Syrah with it and it was a great match.  Finally I had white chocolate and passionfruit tart with coconut cream and raspberry crumbs.  This was Ok but I did not finish it off.  Finally I had some nice cheese with a lovely Konrad botrytis riesling.  It might seem a lot but they were small helpings. 

Breakfast was rather disappointing except for the continental part of it.  The hot dish I had was corn fritters with bacon.  The proved to be more batter than corn.  I think I prefer to have my porridge!!

I watched the movie The Wolf of Wall Street.  It was very long and the main character was seriously unsympathetic.  While he was a shyster you can see that greed and risk taking was what all these stockbrokers in the US was all about.  It was very disturbing and really does show the ugly side  of the US.  At least he got prosecuted and spent some time in Prison but then he was out selling even in Auckland. 

Despite having a lie down bed sleep did not come easy.  I am not sure whether it is the foreign environment, sleeping in ones clothes, noise or some other reason but it is still difficult.  I got some sleep finally but definitely not enough.  

That's it from me and effectively the end of Day 1, the start of the next day will be getting through immigration and trying the public transport system.