• Valerie ( an Internet-contact with whom I have maintained a chat-history on a regular basis for the past 18 months),
  
• Eric (Valerie's friend who had joined in over the last three months),
  
• and Rudolf ( a long "lost" German friend who emigrated to Canada 38 years ago. Thanks to Eric's efforts I had been able to trace him via the Internet. And the beauty of it was, he appeared to be living in Missisauga, a suburb of Toronto).
  To recognize Valerie and Eric was easy, on account of the photographs we had send one another over the past months.
  

Day 2 Monday (July 13th): Toronto We were introduced to our guide Monica Bernoth and driver Ren Black.

And we also met the other travelling party members for the first time, they were mainly Germans (17), 5 Dutchmen, (Chris, Foeke Jos and the two of us), 4 Australians, and 3 Swiss.
My first idea was "My God what a bunch of so-and-so's"….. do we have to put up with that lot all these weeks? And my impression proved to be right (first impressions usually are): this group wás awful, except the Dutchmen (of course), and some Germans (Karin and Claudia).
Even before the journey was over Monica admitted she had never had such a difficult group before, and she was glad to see the back of them after 19 days. When the time came to say goodbye and we presented her with a tip and our gratitude, I said: "Monica, we won't twaddle like "Herr-Frau" Doktor Steinmetz" she burst into tears for a moment… because Herr-Frau Doktor Steinmetz had embittered her life right up to the very last minute.
Amongst the party was an elderly couple (over 70), of which the woman was more or less an invalid… and this also had a rather negative effect on every activity to be planned.
And there was Boris Jeltsin (this was our nickname for him on account of his striking resemblance with the Russian Leader)… a former East German, who hated us Dutch….He looked at us with flaming eyes right through the journey and raised his arms from time to time when he once more decided we didn't behave according to his standards, and his wife looked like a Russian hell-cat, a real dragoon! Their 17-year old daughter was the ugliest pimple-face I ever came across.
The Swiss spoke their "Schwitzerdütsch" - a horrible dialect - so we could hardly understand a word they said. It wasn't our fault as even the Germans couldn't understand them.
The Dutch were nice (!), Chris a professionally military man - major - , Foeke, a teacher from Andijk, and Jos, a lorry-driver from Veghel.
Chris had an unfortunate start, became quite ill the first evening and spend part of the night together with Monica in a Canadian hospital. After some tests they ended up giving him some paracetamol. Really past a joke was the bill of $ 500.-
Ank is a professional nurse, if you're in trouble again you better turn to her, she'll probably be able to help you out. The first week he constantly asked for our room-number, luckily there was no real need to come into action. Part of the trouble was probably his recent presence in Yugoslavia where he witnessed some very nasty business……obviously he was still frustrated by it….
Toronto (translation from the Indian language, meaning "spot of gathering")
Toronto (population 635.000, including its suburbs 3,9 million) is Ontario's Capital and the largest English-speaking town in Canada. From a Victorian village it developed into an extremely densely populated, cosmopolitan city, and is the financial, industrial, and cultural centre of Canada as well. The Toronto Stock Exchange is one of the largest in North America, second only to the New York Stock Exchange.
We enjoyed the city-tour. The centre consists of glass skyscrapers, towering from geometric squares. The Toronto-Dominium Centre, the Toronto City Hall and the Skydive are excellent examples of modern architecture. Furthermore there are many tall modern buildings - "skyscrapers" - and to me the most striking building was a shell in which the window-frames were made from pure gold (those frames alone represented a value of over a million dollar), the lustre of the gold reflected itself in all the window-panes.

Additionally:
Ontario-Place is a complex consisting of futuristic buildings on steel pillars connected to one-another. It extends itself over three small islands in front of the Exhibition Centre. In the buildings are located the IMAX theater and the Hockey Hall of Fame, with the history of Canada's national sport: ice-hockey.

In the Provincial Parliament Building, also known as Legislative Building, resides the provincial government. The building was run up between 1885 and 1892 from sandstone and granite.
The Casa Loma - which we merely admired from the outside - is a 98 rooms fairy-tale castle. It is the creation of Sir Henry Pellat, a soldier, industrial, and a financier. Long tunnels, secret staircases and tower-rooms conjure up mediaeval spheres. Since 1937, after the cost of maintenance became too much for the owner, it is a tourist attraction.
Toronto's Chinatown accommodates the greater part of the ± 85.000 Chinese people living in Toronto. The district extends - with numerous Chinese shops - from Bay Street to Spadina Avenue, along Dundas Street West.
CN Tower (De Canadian National Tower) The CN Tower is the observation- and transmission-tower used for radio, television and other communication-systems. We went up by fast lift to the top of this largest free-standing structure in the world which stands 553 m (1815 ft). A comparison: The Eiffeltower in Paris stands ± 300 m (100 ft). From here we enjoyed a splendid view across Toronto, Ank took many pictures here. The view extends to a 120 km (75 m); on a bright day the Niagara Falls may be seen.
Furthermore I noticed the city to be clean, no litter or dog-droppings and hardly any graffito. The phenomenon of dropouts however was evident…… during our entire trip we were confronted with that in all major cities. It was almost as bad as in the U.S.A….is this going to happen in Europe as well? Would we have answered all appeals for money, halfway the journey we wouldn't have left any for ourselves. And these were only the dropouts in the "better" quarters. When Chris and Sally accidentally walked into a less civilized part of town, they noticed the streets were swarmed with these people. They felt threatened to such an extend they hauled the first taxi coming along to get out of that neighbourhood. Is this the toll a highly industrialized capital has to pay???? Getting ill in these countries is a disaster, hardly any social benefits and the cost of hospitalization can reduce one to beggary.

Men and women usually both have 2 jobs, otherwise they can't cope. A pregnant woman has to work until the very day of her delivery.
Unless a teacher works all sorts of odd jobs during his holidays, he has no income over those months. The streets are straight as a ruler and always run from North to South, or from the East to the West. As we were free to do whatever we wanted that afternoon, and as we only possessed a limited amount of Canadian dollars we decided to exchange part of our money for Canadian traveller-cheques. This happened to be rather complicated as not many banks are prepared for this, one really has to go to special banks to be able to achieve this. It was extremely hot, (for the whole of our stay temperatures fluctuated between 28 and 42 degrees Celsius, 82-108° F) and it proved to be an exceptionally hot summer even for Canadian standards. Ank took a wise decision and went back to our hotelroom to rest, as the evening was going to be rather demanding with the dinner and a tour with Rudolf and Elisabeth. After an exhausting trip by tube I was finally able to locate a bank which was prepared to change Dutch money. Quite an ado, the clerk had to study a large book with pictured banknotes before he could make up his mind about the transaction.
I also bought a hairdryer for Ank because hers had given up. I also tried to find an adapter to convert 110 volts to 220 volts, but this appeared to be an impossible mission to accomplish. Paying a visit to Radio Shack later during the trip I found out they could have helped me out, but the cost would have been over $ 100.-, so we left it at that. Looking at my watch made me hurry back to the hotel.
We went by metro and walked the last two km to the CN-Tower, where we found Rudolf and Elisabeth waiting for us. It was here I sat down in a rotating restaurant for the first time in my life. It slowly went round 360°, providing new outlooks of Toronto all the time. We enjoyed a delicious meal along with a good wine, and I was happy I didn't have to foot the bill, it must have been substantial. Over dinner Rudolf and I tried to bridge a 38-year old separation, but we also discussed present and future. In answer to my question what he considered to be Canada's greatest problem, he explained an interesting train of thoughts. The greatest problem of Canada is the thin population. Of late, a large influx of Asian people (Japanese, Chinese, Indians) took place. These are peoples who still maintain large families… and although many of them are neither very prosperous nor educated, the future generations will produce as many - or more - intelligent, hardworking people according to certain statisticians, sociologists, planners, psychologists, politicians, etc. Rudolf did not rule out the possibility for a Chinese to become premier of Canada in the long run. After dinner another tour through Toronto, showing us once more the sights we admired earlier by bus. We savored a last cocktail in a chic café. Will we ever see them again? I think so… Rudolf is retired and did quite well in Canada…..actually I believe him to be rich, going on holidays to Europe 4 times every year.

Day 3 Tuesday (July 14th): Toronto-Niagara Falls (150 km/93 miles) The first trip brought us to Niagara-on-the-Lake, a village with a (quasi) 19th atmosphere. To European standards not bad, to American and Canadian standards probably fantastic. The place used to be known under the name of Newark, and was Ontario's capital from 1791 up to 1796. Flourishing commercially in the beginning, the tiny town lost its function after the completion of the Welland Canal when the Niagara River was no longer used as a trading route.
I expected my climax to be in enjoying the spectacle of seeing the Niagara Falls.
These falls had been on my wish-slip for ages. And now I was going to enjoy the full view of them with my own eyes. For a moment I was disappointed….is this all? But I soon realized at first I only saw part of it, but then the main Fall came into view - the Horse Shoe - which was overwhelming.
The Niagara Falls originated some ten-thousand years ago when receding glaciers revealed the Niagara escarpment. Niagara is an Indian word for "thundering water".
Erosion of the limey sandstone causes the Falls to shift approximately 1,2 m (4 ft) and they are now situated some 11 km (7 m) from their original location, which is presently occupied by Queenstown.
Niagara Falls has a Canadian and an American part. A bridge connects the two sister-townships; in between both falls an island is situated. The Falls are situated approximately in the middle of the 56 km (35 m) long river connecting Lake Erie with Lake Ontario. The Niagara river provides for an important part the drainage of the Upper Great Lakes to Lake Ontario. The Dutch missionary Louis Hennepin was the first European who saw and described the Niagara Falls in 1678. He overestimated the height with several hundreds meters: the Canadian side - the Horse Shoe Falls - is 54 m high (177 ft), the American side is 56 m (184 ft). Most impressive are their widths: respectively 657 m (722 yards) and 328 m (360 yards). The combined waterflow of both falls was 3,7 million liters 822.000 gallons); powerstations have reduced this to maximum 2,8 million liters (622.000 gallons). To prevent erosion of the soft stone the water is divided as much as possible over the whole of the cataract.
In a boat called "Maid of the Mist" we went right under the Horse Shoe… we all got raincoats… which proved really necessary: the closer the thundering water was approached, the more the boat was covered by large showers of water….the silly idea of taking pictures real close, one might as well forget. I wonder if the numerous rainbows caused by the water will be shown on our pictures taken later-on.
After dinner we made another walk around the falls which was very much worthwhile as the falling water was lit by floodlights in various colors, giving very special fairy-like effects. From time to time all sorts of birds flew into these beams of light thus even more contributing to this unearthly atmosphere. I remained watching and listening close to the falls, and Ank went all over the place shooting pictures.
During an extremely severe winter The Niagara Falls sometimes freeze, which must be a strange and awkward thing to happen for the people, especially to be confronted with the eerie silence of it all.

Day 4 Wednesday (July 15th): Niagara - Owen Sound (376 km/233 miles) We visited a kind of open-air museum, a settlement of the first Europeans in Canada. A good reconstruction correctly capturing that time in the past. Guides in costume informed us about all sorts of worthwhile data. Maize, pumpkin and beans - the three sisters - were always planted in combination: the pumpkin protected the roots and lower parts of the plants against the sun, the maize provided the pumpkin with the necessary shade, and the beans used the maize as a beanstalk. Here it became quite clear it has been a misconception to picture the Indians as a warlike nation, most of them were peaceful farmers. Yet I think the Canadians may learn something from our Open-air museum in Arnhem, for instance the running of live demonstrations as the tanning of leather, the making of pemmican, working the field, manual skills, music, dance, een longhouses ??? in gebruik shamfights, the rigging of a tent…. Here these activities were limited to showing a smithy and a hospital.
Owen Sound is a cozy (sleepy) little town with 20.000 residents. It is situated in the Sydenham River Valley south of Georgian Bay and seems to be a popular holiday resort with adequate recreational possibilities for aquatic sports. It also features the "County of Grey-Owen Sound Museum" where five restored dwellings can be seen. Unfortunately we weren't able to do this due to our short stay and the awkward time of arrival. A fast-food meal in a "Day Inn Restaurant" was followed by a walk during which we had a yarn to a lady who was washing her car. She complained about the fact they had to pay rates for the use of water this year for the first time ever.

Day 5 Thursday (July 16th): Owen Sound - Sault Ste Marie (460 km /285 miles) Journeys are getting longer. We left very early as we had to catch the ferry to get from Tobermory to South Baymouth on Manitoulin Island. The car-ferry "Ci-Cheeman" (meaning 'Great canoe' in the Ojibwa-language) took us to the other side, a very pleasant crossing. Nothing much to report about Sault Saint Marie. It is situated on both banks of the St. Mary river. One half is part of the Canadian province of Ontario, and the other part belongs to the United States. The border is the St. Mary river, which is also the connection between Lake Superior and Lake Huron. Some fair was being run, but to our taste it didn't amount to very much. An address was given to us by Rudolf from a friend of his living there, but a telephone-call proved this particular day not to be convenient for a visit.

Day 6 Friday (July 17th): Sault Ste Marie -Thunder Bay (707 km /467 miles) Merely a day for just travelling. Thunderbay, the westerly port of the St. Lawrence Seaway, is situated at the north-westerly side of Lake Superior. The enormous granaries along the estuary of the Kaministiquia River prove this to be an important port for transshipment of corn.

Day 7 Saturday (July 18th): Thunder Bay - Winnipeg (692 km /429 miles) Another intensive day just travelling. The province of Manitoba owes it's name to - originally descending from the Cree - "Manito bau", meaning "Voice of the Great Spirit". Although dog-tired that night, we paid a visit to the town-centre where a Fringe Festival was being held. The entertainment however was rather poor. With 700.000 residents - half as much as Manitoba's population - Winnipeg is obviously entitled to the title of capital. Although it is notorious for the most windy and coldest junction in Canada (Portage Avenue and Main Street…we went down the Ave and it's really true) it's yet quite a livable city. The rectilinear street-design is broken up by the curvy Assinibone and Red River. Originally the residential quarters consisted of various municipalities each of which have a great variety in architecture, more so than usual in the West. The French explorer and merchant Pierre de la Vérendrye founded the fur-trade post Fort Rouge in 1783. He went for the position of the present Winnipeg on account of its strategic connection via the river. The two rivers were prominent trading routes towards the West as well as the South. Because of the frequent flooding of the area where both rivers meet, the Indians named it "Wini-nipi" (muddy water). Although "boomtown" Winnipeg's high hopes didn't quite become a reality, it remains an important place for connections in many respects. The continental climate results in extreme temperatures in Winnipeg. The severe wintry cold is compensated by a large amount of hours of sunshine, causing quite comfortable conditions on wintry days round midday.

Day 8 Sunday (July 19th): Winnipeg - Regina (370 km /229 miles) Prairies, prairies and more prairies. The change in the surroundings are almost imperceptible when we cross the border with Saskatchewan. This province with its immense vistas and cornfields as far as the eye can see is regarded as Canada's breadbasket: 60 % of the entire corn-harvest is produced here. Another source of income is large-scale cattle-breeding. Regina: Saskatchewan's capital Regina (18.000 residents) originates from the times where Indians processed their buffalo meat and hides. Large quantities of buffalo-bones were found along the banks of Wascana Creek, giving the settlement at first the name of 'Pile of Bones Creek'. It was here where in 1882 the Canadian Pacifi and the North West Mounted Police build a fort; the Pile of Bones Creek also became the seat of government of the Northwest Territories. The Territories of that time enclosed the present provinces of Alberta, Saskatchewan, a large part of Manitoba, and the whole of the Canadian polar territory. Some years later the town was named more edifyingly as a tribute from princess Louise – the wife of Canada’s governor-general – to her mother Queen Victoria. When Saskatchewan became part of the Dominion as a separate province in 1905, Regina officially received the status of capital. A lot of fuss was made about a character called Riel who conducted a rebellion of the Métis ( the descendants of Indian women and French furriers). In 1896 Riel formed a provisional government in Manitoba, but this attempt failed when the Canadian militia advanced to the West and terminated the rebellion. Riel fled to Montana, where he lived in retirement from 1878 until 1885 and became a teacher in 1883. In 1884 federal surveyors started charting the Saskatchewan River Valley – which traditionally belonged to the Métis – as a preparation for white colonism. The leaders of the Métis approached Riel once more, who decided to return to Canada and take charge of a hurriedly rustled up mob of so-called soldiers against the Canadian militia. The brief rebellion was struck down on May 15th 1885 at Batoche. In July Riel was put on trial in Regina and subsequently hung in November. Note: Chris’s girlfriend’s name is Regina as well….which is why he engaged in extra activities…. He faxed and phoned her.

Day 9 Monday (July 20th): Regina - Medicine Hat (467km /290 miles) We paid a visit to the Royal Canadian Mounted Police Museum. This proved to be an interesting excursion where many memorabilia were on display from times long gone. These days also female Mounties have joined. They wait for you in uniform at the entrance….as soon as you pose with them for a picture they immediately produce a frozen toothpaste-smile. We also watched exercise-drill, but apart from different uniforms it was a drill like anywhere else in the world. Alberta: We have now arrived in the province of Alberta – the homeland of Monica – who became completely lyric about it. Completely justified because Alberta is a beautiful province which can boast of the best what the West of Canada has to offer: fertile agricultural soil, an abundance of oil, gas, and coal, exciting cities like Calgary and Edmonton, and the unique Canadian Rockies. Monica took pride on Alberta being the only province without tax on all produce. The inhabitants of Alberta – and Monica was no exeption to that rule – like to keep the rest of the country informed about the good properties of their province. For some Canadians however this pride is a bit like the American bragging (between Ren and Monica existed a continuous rivalry concerning their provinces: Ren for Ontario….Monica for Alberta). Medicine Hat : Medicine Hat owes it’s name to the following Indian legend: A Cee Indian medicine-man – on the run for Blackfoot Indians – lost his head-dress when crossing the Saskatchewan River. His fellow tribesmen regarded this as a bad omen and lost all courage and consequently were mercilessly slaughtered by their persecutors. Since then the place is known as Medicine Hat.

Day 10 Tuesday (July 21st): Medicine Hat - Calgary (295km /183 miles) The Badlands at Drumhaller, about 140 km (87 m) North East of Calgary are not going to be missed by us. We visited the Badlands and also saw once more some Hoodoos. Compared to what we had seen in Bryce Canyon and Zion these examples didn’t amount to very much, but it was an interesting intermezzo. The photogenic Hoodoos are to be found 17 km (11 m) to the South East of Drumheller. These are like very high ”mushrooms” (an erosion-condition in the shape of an earth-pyramid) with a hard-stone hat and a soft, vulnerable stem. Here the smoothly sloping field-landscape is somewhat abruptly interrupted by a peculiar type of canyon, eroded by the Red Deer River. Although in looking down the Badlands make a lugubrious impression, a closer view of the bare masses of rock is frankly fascinating. Various layers can be observed in the face of the canyon, and fossils of up to now unknown plants and animals are discovered almost every day. They are the proof of the many climatological changes the land went through: from inland see, marsh, and glacier to desert. The most spectacular findings indicate the former presence of various dinosaurs. Over thirty skeletons of dinosaurs and many fossils are on display in the beautiful Tyrell Museum. The destination we really look forward to is the Royal Tyrell Museum of Paleontology. A museum aimed at the history of prehistorics, setup in a grand way, in which most of the Sauriërs are on display. Extremely well equipped and a solid source of income for this region, which existence used to be laborious in former days. In the Tyrell Museum a clear summary is given about the evolution of the earth and its inhabitants. We are tempted to engage in informative computer-games (I didn’t stand a chance and was swallowed by a T-Rex in no time at all….children held out much longer than I did). We then went on to a religious, agrarian commune of the Hutherreights. Personally I wasn’t very eager, a perfect archaic commune, still living according to a set of rules drawn up at some time in the past. They speak and write a language which is very much like the ancient German. But they know quite well how to make money, admission $ 5.- a person, and on top of that they tried to fob off all sorts of embroidery on us. Their agricultural methods however were quite up to date, and so were their turkey and pig breeding-methods. They are completely self-supporting and run their own slaughterhouses. The unbelievable level of hygiene which was exercised everywhere we went, really drew much attention. If you’re born and raised in a society like that, it’s almost impossible to get in touch with the outside world ever again. Needless to say women in this community merely have a submissive and subservient role, and the word ’feminism’ is absolutely unknown to them. Calgary ( 710.000 inhabitants): The city owns its name to a Mounty, Colonel James McLeod. He named the Fort – which was built in 1875 at the Bow River – Calgary, a name meaning ”horse-farm” in his native country Scotland. The suburbs are expanding in all directions. The swift grow of this city has caused traffic-jams in the centre. Luckily the Council created a pedestrian-zone along Stephen Avenue. Almost half the city-centre is mutually connected by raised promenades, the so-called Plus 15’s, which connect new tower-flats, shopping-centres, and hotels 15 feet high (5 m) above the other traffic. Naturally we also made a stop at the Olympic Stadion Saddledome, where Yvonne van Gennip celebrated her great triumphs in 1988. The jumping-ramps were disappointing, I myself had a greater and richer setup in mind.

Day 11 Wednesday (July 22nd): Calgary - Banff Nat’l Park (130 km /81 miles) The Banff National Park: This really was one of the highlights we made the trip to Canada for. This is the oldest and most frequently visited National Park of Canada. The Crown Jewel of the Rockies, the Banff National Park, is situated on the easterly side of the Continental Divide (water-parting). Here we enjoy the most beautiful mountain landscapes of Northern America. The Park is the first Canadian Nature Reserve and was founded more than a century ago to protect the hot springs outside the present location of Banff. It was splendid, the accompanying photographs will tell their tale in a far better way than words can do. As Banff as well as Lake Louise do have the neccesary tourist facilities, they both attract the bulk of the visitors. The beginning of the impressive Rocky Mountains dates back some 175 million years. Tectonic powers forced the bottom of the then inland sea – which was covered at the time with sedimentary rock – upwards. At least four consecutive ice-ages covered the young mountain ranges with glaciers. The withdrawal of those glaciers left behind deep valleys. Until this very day these glaciers are still moving backwards, which is clearly visible at the Columbia Icefields on the border with the Jasper National Park. Banff is the tourist headquarter of the park. Lake Louise is the second, much smaller touristcentre of the Banff National Park. In the past century this picturesque mountain-lake has grown from a remote spot in the mountains to one of the leading attractions inn the region. The present Chateau Lake Louise – still Canadian Pacific property – is one of the most famous hotels in Canada. Although the ”beauty” of the exterior is debatable, the surroundings are fabulous. The emerald-green water is encircled by mountains 3000 m high (10.000 ft) with the mighty Victoria Glacier as the culminating point.

Day 12 Thursday (July 23rd): Jasper National Park (290 km /180 miles) We had to get up very early in the morning, because if we wanted to use the Snowcoaches we had to be there ahead of the Japanese invasion. It was glorious, and to appreciate the beauty of it, look at the photographs which again will tell you more than words could do. It’s difficult to believe we actually walked on snow and ice of which the snow fell down some 400 years ago…. This National Park is the immediate northerly neighbour of the Banff N.P… A gigantic range of mountain-summits, deep canyons and wide valleys characterize this Rocky Mountainpark as well, but the number of large and small (cold) lakes in this area is remarkable. Pine-forests dominate in the low-lying parts, succeeded by birches and poplars, which – I presume – must produce a handsome color-pallet during the fall. Mountain goats and thickhorned sheep graze within our range of vision and the lower slopes and mountain meadows accommodate deer, roe, elk, and bear. The first culmination on the border of the Banff and Jasper N.P. right along the fantastic Icefield Parkway is Columbia Icefield. The melt-water of this enormous ice-cap drains towards the Arctic Ocean, the Pacific Ocean, and the Atlantic Ocean. From the road this mass of Ice is quite well visible. Going for the summit by Snowcoaches the enormity and majestic impact really dawned on us. Jasper: Jasper didn’t stirr me at all. In travellerguides it is mentioned as a tourist centre of the park, and – compared to Banff – it is far more rustic and on a small-scale basis.

Day 13 Friday (July 24th): Banff Natal Park - Revelstoke (280 km /174 miles) At height 1647 (5400 ft) we cross the border between Alberta and British Columbia between Banff and the Yoho National Park. (In the Cree Indian language Yoho means ”delightful”). We are heading for the Kicking Horse River. Along the road – a couple of miles before the Parks easterly border – Giant Cedars Trail is situated, a pleasant short walk through a rainforest of towering high cedar-trees. A wood-constructed footpath restricted our walk to that trail. Revelstroke is also known as the former dwelling-place in times gone by of Judge Bean, ”The Hanging Judge”. The only feature worthwhile mentioning is the hotel. The only hotel without airco or fans. From the outside it gave a good enough impression… but apart from that….

Day 14 Saturday (July 25th): Revelstoke –Penticton (260 km /161 miles) On the way to Penticon we also visited the Emerald Lake and the Natural Bridge, a bridge formed by erosion. Back on the Trans Canadian Highway a spectacular view of a good example of railway-architecture presents itself. The Pass’s largest difference in height had to be encountered here, and for the railway-traffic the choice was made for spiraling tunnels. First we went to the regular viewpoint, but Ren tipped us the phenomenon was far better to be admired at he top of the road. And indeed: we looked out on a very long train, being hauled by several locomotives. The photograph shows the train at three levels simultaneously, one might think to see three trains at the same time, in reality it was but the one train! Along the Okanagan Lake, which stretches for 145 km (90 m). Probably for tourists, a legend was created by the name of ’Ogo-Pogo’ a somewhat childish counterpart to the Scottish Loch Ness legend. According to the exaggerated story, this prehistoric monster will surface once or twice a year…can you top this nonsense? We made a stop at Kelowna…. It was that hot we didn’t feel like going downtown…we decided to make a short walk in the park and along the lake. Here we observed Chris’s feverish behavior, courting Sylvia from the other bus….at night during dinner in Pentincton this observation proved to be right…. On the hotel’s outer-terrace we enjoyed a delicious meal, a buffet which was catered for quite well. Our dinner was enlivened by a Jamaican band, ”No woman – no cry” was one of their best songs. Chris prematurely excused himself for wanting to pursue his German conquest. Penticton was a pleasant place to be. Together with Foeke and Jos we made a long walk that night.

Day 15 Sunday (July 26th): Penticton - Victoria (430 km /267 miles) This proved to be the most exhausting day as we had to get up at 5 am to be able to catch the early ferry . For those who had booked for whale-watching as well, it was extra strenuous as the boat only came back at 22.30…. and then dinner was yet to come. At first I was interested, but 1) the price was ’not altogether inviting’, 2) the day had been a tiring one, 3) a touch of seasickness was there to overcome (later-on I was told many people had been ”green and yellow” on account of a rather heavy sea), so….quite sensibly we decided to skip it. In Hope we watched great sculptures cut out of wood. We also paid a visit to the starting-point of the one-legged cancer-patient who managed to complete 4000 km (± 2500 m)….unfortunately his illness struck him down before he could manage to complete the remainder of his intended Canada-tour. Victoria is a beautiful town, struck me with an English atmosphere.

Day 16 Monday (July 27th): Victoria – Vancouver (70 km /43 miles) A visit to Butcharts Garden was comparable to our ”Keukenhof”… but looking close…it couldn’t hold a candle to our Keukenhof. It all looked quite well, and the garden was taken care of immaculately, but we didn’t see any plants we never saw before. Ank became quite lyric and went through a considearbly large quantity of film-rolls.

Day 17 Tuesday (July 28th): Vancouver In the morning we went for a citytour and visited Stanley Park, English Bay Gastown, Chinatown and a lot more. We had the rest of the day to ourselves to explore Vancouver a bit further. Ank even climbed the belvedere, really, the woman is indefatigable!

Day 18 Wednesday (July 29th): Vancouver – Amsterdam The morning we passed the time in a mall. On the one hand to escape from the stifling heat, and on the other to squander our remaining Canadian currency. We enjoyed quite a hefty meal there as well. Said our good-byes to Ren and Monica and the accidental German we ran into. Herr und Frau Doktor Steinmetz and some more krauts stuck to Monica to the very last moment to nag and complain about the transport to the airfield. On saying goodbye to her and simultaneously slipping her $ 70.- I said: ”Dear Monica, we will not nag like the others, simply thank you for the wonderful time you have given us”. She then burst into tears and said she never had to cope with such an arduous travelling party before, but the Dutch had been wonderful…. One had to transfer to Vancouver International Airport for the returnflight to Amsterdam on one’s own. We, Chris and Foeke had made arrangements for a limousine. Gosh, what a whopper, it featured a bar as well as a TV, and all together it cost us $ 45.- without the tip, and after that adventure, the long long wait was there to overcome.

Day 19 Thursday (July 30th): Amsterdam Oh boy, the returnflight was far from the usual relaxation one would expect. Just as well we managed to catch a connecting train at Schiphol. To Naarden, to my mother. Once comfy on the couch I promptly fell asleep….around ten pm, back home by car. That was it. Ank suffered from a gigantic jetlag in combination with a summer-flu, was three days under the weather with a temperature running up to sometimes 39.2° (88° F).

Some items related to Canada or connected with it: Formalities Dutch as well as Belgian tourists in possession of a valid passport may stay in Canada for up to six months, provided they are in possession of a return-ticket and sufficient means of support. Jetlag: The different times in Europe and Canada may upset one’s biological clock quite severely. In Toronto the time is six hours behind us, in Vancouver even nine hours. The first couple of days after arrival one usually feels less fit and sleepy, or one suffers from insomnia. This is known as ”jetlag”. To get in step with one’s biorhythm again, it’s advisable to adapt as soon as possible to the newly entered timezone. Preferably adjust your watch to the new time before departure, ”forget” about the ”old” time, and fight sleepiness off with sufficient fresh air. The use of spirits is inadvisable and the use of caffeine should be moderate. As most homebound flights leave at night and travel ”with the time”, you actually skip one night. Try to doze on board as much as possible. Besides sleepiness or insomnia, jetlag may be coupled with nausea and headache. This should pass away. Money: For one Canadian dollar you receive ƒ 1,68.- Mostly used are $ 20.- bills. Recommended are traveller-cheques, which are handy. If you don’t mind the fuss of finding the right bank, the best way to go about this, is in Canada as they pay a friendlier rate of exchange. Our Giro is unknown in Canada, best of all over-there is to use a credit-card. Pests and insects: Many stable-flies (”no see ums”) followed by hornets (black flies) and mosquitoes. Our guide advised us not to use European remedies. It has been established in everyday life these means actually attract the insects. The use of ”OFF” was advised. Food and drink: Much fast-food. Also available a range of foreign food. We have eaten Italian, Indian, Japanese, Chinese, and Vietnamese food. It is advisable to frequent the bar, this way you can make your own choice and take as much and as often as you like for a fixed price. Shopping: Shopping can be done in the countless shopping malls which are often found below street-level. Air-conditioned and in most cases completely non-smoking. Apart from some obligate tourist souvenirs we did not see anything we really wanted. Besides, prices are higher than we’re used to. Tips: Although on your bill the so-called ”Goods and Service Tax” is stated, this charge does not include a service charge. Waitresses and waiters, but taxi-drivers and hairdressers as well, expect tips and bank on those! Generally one tips 15–20 % of the total amount, unless one wants to express one’s displeasure. (Used to us only once when eating Vietnamese, a long wait, small portions, having to cook oneself, and too expensive). Electricity: The voltage in Canada is 110 Volts. Due to the fact that the frequency differs as well (60 Herz instead of our 50 Herz in Holland), sensitive equipment will not perform well, or not at all. Poweroutlets in Canada differ from ours, causing the need for a special adapter.

Supplement: Letter to Janet CC to Valerie Hi Janet, Hi Janet, You are so sweet , willing to send me some inside information about Canada. Therefore I do thank you in advance. As you see on my schedule below I have got a tight program, but inquisitive as I am I need any scrap of information. Concerning Sten , do not worry, cause he is descending of the sturdy tribe of Vikings. And besides that, he is still wanted (as his homepage says) and this will raise perhaps his bounty. Here I have several questions of Canada can u answer them ? 1
What are the temperatures in Canada in the period we are in Canada ?(suggestions for clothing to be taken ?)
2
What kind of food there is in your country ?Are there typical Canadian menu’s ? Prices in general ?
3
Which restaurants to be visited, which to avoid ? what food can you recommend ?
4
What products are cheap in Canada ?
5
What does the computer program Corel Draw 8 cost ?
6
Do you know the quality of restaurants in Canada ?
7
Do you know Toronto ? If so can u send some stuff about this town?
8
Where do they speak French, where English ?
9
Metric values or inches feet etc.?
10
How is the organization of your currency ( Not yours for I know that is lousy LOL)
11
What is in your opinion the character of your nation... friendly, closed...etc
12
Is Canada just such a meltingpot as the USA ?
13
Was the (near) extinction of the original inhabitants (the Indians) so successful as in the USA ? Do they play a role nowadays ?
14
What are the favorite sports in Canada ?
15
Are there special events in the period we are in Canada ?
16
What do Canadians in their time of leisure ? (what do you except sitting behind your computer and being in cyberspace LOL)
17
Is Canada a religious country ? If so I keep my big mouth shut.
18
Are there many blacks in Canada ? If so is there a racial problem ?
19
Can you say male ad female have equal rights ... in theory and put into practice?
20
What is your political system ?
21
Is there much pollution, unemployment ?
22
Are you proud of your country?
Well that’s enough for the time being I will ask you still more. And as you know one looney can ask more questions then 1000 sages can answer
Brief aan Valerie Dear Valerie, Answering my questions evokes new questions. If my questioning is too probing please excuse me, it is the character of this inquisitive fellow... Q1. What are the temperatures for the period you are here? So that is no much difference with the temperatures in Holland ...what the heck is thee use to Canada then ? I lost your itinery with my hard drive format, Do you like to have it again, maybe it is very handy if the day comes at hand we finally meet each other person to person. In Vancouver, you can pretty much count on rain. And also that brings little news under the sun got to take my fishing dress with me. By the way did you know the name Vancouver roots from a Dutch colonist Mr. Van Coevorden ? Q2 & 3. What kind of food, and restaurants? Canadian food is mostly beef, poultry, seafood., when in Vancouver I would suggest seafood, in Alberta the beef. So this is very like where ever you are in the world .... the whole globe becomes one gigantic hamburger Seafood and Beef are quite expensive, a full course steak dinner will be about $12 a plate....lobster in Ontario is about $20 a plate, while in BC it will be about half that price. All prices mentioned are not shaking... we pay for that more or less the same. Restaurants? I don’t know if you like Chinese food, but it is a Canadian version of Chinese food, except for some places in Toronto (Chinatown) Being in the East approx. 12 years I am quiet familiar with that food, an as a matter of fact I cook it myself. Going with me to such a restaurant can get a disaster for if the waiter ask me if everything is o.k. 7 out of ten I lecture him for all the things the cook has done wrong. Q4. What products are cheap? I would like to know the answer to that one too. Lol, you are of much help..... please give it an other try do mention prices of several common products... I do not want to know gold silver or emerald prices... nor the stockbroker messages... just all day life. lot of Canadians travel to the US because their products are much cheaper....although our Canadian dollar isn’t measuring up too well with the American dollar (it’s at about .72 cents, now). Wow, now you are telling me something new... the US cheap ? ... excuse me , my ass... for a poor Dutchman all nearly all prices in the US were twice or thrice as high as in my own country. So what keeps you not to go to Holland, bring with you an empty suitcase... Q5. Corel Draw 8? I’ll get back to you on this one. This is really not a matter of life and death... in Holland we pay for the full version 500 US $,the upgrade 300 $ but I was just curious cause Corel is a Canadian product... and me I can get a full version for 2.50 US$... Q6. Quality of restaurants. Hope I’ve already answered this one. Tell me, do you have the same custom as in the US. When I met that I was flabbergasted , we had to wait till some (waiter)monkey told us to be seated... this we do not know at all in Holland . And ordering salad , they did not served the rest of the meal till the salad was eaten... in Holland you get all and nobody cares what you eat first... and I was astonished of the dashing speed they took away the empty dishes. How much you must tip waiters/waitresses or is all included? What I think very good in the USA was, the gratis refills on each soda’s, is that also in Canada ? Q7. What do I know of Toronto. I’ll send you some info on this...I know a fair bit, there is a lot to do in Toronto, theatre, exhibits, attractions, sports.....depends on your interest. I would say you should take a trip up the CN Tower, it is the tallest free standing tower in the world....it is quite an experience. Ah thanks, for this useful information and I am anxiously looking forward to more... maybe it is useful you know my regular mail address ? See above. Q8. Where do they speak French/English Quebec is totally French, New Brunswick is also very French...but you aren’t going that far east. You will find some French in North Eastern Ontario (Ottawa area). English is spoken primarily everywhere else. You will notice a lot of Chinese in the western provinces. O.K. Q9. Metric Conversion. Check out these websites: http://foodnet.fic.ca/recipes/metric.html http://www.modjeski.com/met_conv.html Thanks for this information, however in the meantime I found a program “Convert it”... if you are interested I beep it over to you while being online. Q10. This one is difficult to answer. Perhaps you can tell me more of what you are looking for...what do you mean by organization of Canadian Currency. Well, if you asked me the same question ‘bout Dutch money I explained to you that the guilder is basic. A guilder consists 100 cents, and 10 ten dimes pieces called dubbeltjes, 4 quarterdimes called kwartjes, 2o five cent pieces, called stuivers, then the silver coins of 1 guilder, 2.50 and gold 5 guilder piece, biljets of 10 / 25 / 50 / 100 /250 and 1000. The last one I see seldom and this green color attracts me so much..sob! Q11. What is the character of the nation? I think we are a passive nation. The attitude of the nation now is directed mostly at Quebec as they are complaining about the number of Canadian flags we fly and how insulting it is to the people of Quebec. Anyway, I think that we generally wait for things to happen and complain about them later...we are not very proactive...but more reactive. I do think though that generally the people of Canada are proud of their country....they always come to the aid of those who need it. It’s the politicians that breed the hostility. And do you fit yourself to the description given above ? Passive ? I do not think so being a (Canadian) computerfreak you have to be an active industrious wench! And we Dutch , first complain and then we make the best out of it to our own benefits, most Dutch are very creative in that ! the Dutch are a nation of merchants... So enough fuel given back to contemplate. Antwoord van Janet: Hi there I am finally getting around to answering some of your questions Duif. But before I forget, could you please e-mail me your mailing address in Holland so that I can get some information sent to you by snail mail from the different provinces that you are going to be visiting. 1. The month of July is usually a beautiful month. It can be very hot. But Canada being so big it is hard to give you the complete picture. Here it can range from 22 C to 32 C. So you can bring summer clothing, the same as your would wear in your country. Of course blue jeans are a necessity for a cooler day...haha and perhaps a tight jacket or sweater. 2. Now this is a hard question to give a simple answer to. As you know Canada is really made up of people from all over the world. And therefore you can find foods of many varieties here. Chinese, Italian, Mexican and Middle East menus are common. Typical Canadian food would be much like potatoes, vegetables, meat... but depending on the area, different regions have their specialties. This is why it would be good for me to get some information mailed to you.. So don't forget to send your address. Take-outs or fast food restaurants are common like Macdonald’s, Burger King, Wendy's and of course you have to try our special coffee shop "Tim Horton's". You haven't been to Canada unless you have a Tim Horton's. They are only found in Canada. So I guess they are truly Canadian. 3. I recommend all foods. I love to try different things. Experiment... 4. Cheap products in Canada. Well I think you will find clothing in general less expensive but especially blue jeans. You can get a very nice pair of blue jeans for $45.00. That seems to be a lot cheaper than in Sweden anyway. 5. My son would know the price of Corel Draw 8. He is out working right now but when he gets home I will ask him and forward this information on to you. He has been hired on by a small company to fix computers for them so he does house calls after school. 6. Quality of restaurants in Canada...well I have traveled a fair amount and I find they are very good. But then again, it depends on the area. You can find very expensive, eloquent restaurants and also very cheap and plain restaurants. But they have high standards of cleanliness and restrictions here. The government inspects them often. 7. No unfortunately I really do not know that much about Toronto. I have been there before but many years ago. One thing I hope you can see is the CN Tower and go to the top of it. You will really get a view of the city from there. I will make a phone call to get some information sent to you on the city if you remember to send me your address. 8. Well the province I live in, New Brunswick, is the only official bilingual province in Canada, French and English are both spoken here almost everywhere. Quebec is very, very French but you will not be visiting either of these provinces. Ontario and to the west everyone speaks English. In the big cities you find a large population of oriental, Italian and East Indians in Ontario. As you go farther west, you still find many oriental but also you get more Scandinavian and Ukrainians. There are many Germans in Canada as there are everywhere it seems. Also you will find many First Nations People, or North American Indians. They are mainly on reservations however. Some have moved to the cities, especially out west, but many stay on the reservations still. 9. Here we use the metric system but most people know both systems as it only changed to metric I believe in the 70's. When you buy gas it is always metric.. And food also. 10. Yes the organization of my money is terrible... I never have enough...haha! But our currency is the Canadian Dollar of course. We have loonies, toonies, quarters, dimes, nickels and pennies. We have in bills of course the very large ones which I never see but $l00, $50, $20, $10 and $5. Now a loony coin is $l, toonie is $2, quarters are 25 cents or a quarter of a dollar, dimes are 10 cents or a tenth of a dollar, nickels are 5 cents and of course then there is the penny which is l cent or 100th of a dollar. 11. Character of our nation, well it is very well known that the people from the Maritimes are very, very friendly. That is where I am from. The people in Quebec tend to be very prejudice against English speaking people, in general against all but French people.. Not everyone of course. But I think you will find you are accepted and people are friendly and helpful except in the very large cities like Toronto. And then you might find them nice there too, but as a general rule they are more closed there. I found the people in Manitoba very friendly and also I have been to British Columbia and found them very friendly. 12. Canada is very much a melting pot like the USA but many people find us more open and friendly and less crime here. 13. Well the extinction of the original inhabitants, they are not extinct at all. But of course they are grouped in areas.. Like I said many are still on reserves. Where I live in New Brunswick, I live right between two Indian reserves so you see many Indians. And out west in the prairies there are many also. You won't see many I believe in Ontario. And as you go north in Canada you see more and then you get into the area of the Eskimos also. The Indians very much play a role in life down east, the rest of Canada I am not so sure. And of course in the northern areas. 14. Favorite sports in Canada... well that is of course HOCKEY!! Haha. Really baseball is very popular, golf, hockey, car racing, volleyball, tennis, lawn bowling, badminton and of course swimming. Many people are getting into the marital arts now also. 15. Special events.. Well Canada Day is July 1st so you miss that. I am not sure when the Calgary Stampede is but perhaps it is the time you are out west. It is in Alberta. Other than that, be careful of the full moon on July 9th (haha).. 16. Yes many Canadians I think do sit behind their computers and are out in cyberspace. But also there are a lot who go camping in the summer. And beaches are very popular out in my area. There are a lot of movie theatres also. And of course like over in your area, a lot of video rental shops. I myself I love to be outdoors. A lot of people love to "hang out" at coffee shops also. 17. I would say yes and no to the question "Is Canada a religious country". There are many Catholics and many Protestants here. But I think you will find most people enjoy a good joke and fun, and if they don't then they are the ones missing out. I myself enjoy going to church and I do believe in God, but I also believe God never intended us to run around with long faces and not have fun, as long as it is not at other people's expense. So don't be scared to "tear up the sidewalk"...haha... enjoy and don't keep your mouth shut. 18. There are a lot of black people in Canada, not as many as in the States perhaps but yes a lot. And no you will not find the racial problems here that you find in the States. They tend to be very well accepted, in fact all nationalities tend to be very well accepted. 19. I would myself say yes, men and women have equal rights and they are put into practice. We enjoy a lot of freedom that way in this country I believe. Perhaps our wages, men and women, are not as they should be in equality but that has improved also. 20. We are a democratic society here. We have a Prime Minister of Canada and each Province has a Premier. We are still a part of the Commonwealth, but really that is mostly in title only. I don't believe England has a lot of influence here. The government in Ottawa, our Capital, right now is Liberal. Our Prime Minister is from Quebec. 21. Unemployment is very high. Here in my area it runs at about 12% but Ontario is not as bad off and out west I believe is better also. Pollution, well I think you have that everywhere nowadays but you don't hear a lot of it. Toronto has a lot of smog in the summer. And the Great Lakes have had problems with pollution too. 22. I am very proud to be a Canadian. I have lived in France before and I have traveled a lot and I am very proud to say I am Canadian. I am moving to Sweden and find it very nice also but I will always be proud to have be born and raised in Canada. Hope I gave you some good information. I am leaving myself to go to Sweden on April l4th. I am so happy about this. My Residence Permit and Working Visa came through last week. I am so excited that I can finally be with my Sten. He is the most wonderful man I have ever met (besides my father of course, haha). I hope to be able to take good care of him for many years to come. And hopefully he and I will get a chance to travel and perhaps get down your way. That would be fun. So if you have any more questions, don't be afraid to ask. I apologize this took me so long. And please e-mail your address. Thanks.. Janet ______________________________________________________ Get Your Private, Free Email at http://www.hotmail.com Hi Duif, sorry I have not got back to you on the information on Canada before this. I tried to add you to my ICQ list but couldn't seem to manage.. anyway my ICQ number is 6660471, maybe you can add me to yours and send a request to be added to mine. What I would like to have from you is your mailing address so I can have some information sent to you. What part of Canada exactly will you visiting? That would be a tremendous help also. This country is so big, I really don't know which provinces to get information from for you. Please let me know this. Also if you use the URL http://www.gov.nb.ca I believe you can get some information through this. There should be a section on Tourism. That is the New Brunswick Government Site and it is New Brunswick, on the Eastern Coast, that I live in. So how have you been lately. Sten has been home sick this week. Hope he starts to feel better soon. I worry so much about him being so far from him also. Anyway, hopefully that will change soon. Well I have to get moving here... Sten is on line now and I want to chat with him before I leave for work. Hope to hear from you soon Janet

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