Last stop. The Finish Line. Finito, Finis, Done like Dinner.

Well, back in Canada now, after one of the longest days of my life, my bags were well over weight and I have had to scream, blush the baby blues and look forlorn to get everything here with little fanfare, at least I got things as far as Montréal... Such a drag flying, especially so when the staff are trying to enforce their rules - how unfair is that? I really did prefer this when you could take two bags - it would cost me over 400 dollars to get an extra suitcase home now. I was actually doing not bad collecting stuff till I picked a large heavy 800cc absinthe bottle and 500cc pear schnaps in Zürich, and several kilos of prepared potatoes. The weight, together with several pounds of cheese from Albert Heijn supermarket was the crowning glory to the bulk of pre inspected flower bulbs.... They seal them in rather oversized packaging with the health certificate, and so that made two GIANT carry bags for drag on as cabin baggage as well as large backback... I talked my way into carrying the three large carry on pieces to get to the US, but I am wondering if Air Canada will be as easy to slide by....we will see I guess.
Going through immigration and customs in philadelphia they wanted to xray the tulip bulbs, as a special agricultural inspection before allowing me to proceed (and get another xray to board the next plane), I have a very large round butter cheese that has been xrayed many times and caused consternation, the sheer volume of rosti potato in slab like foil packs also has colour xrays scanning the stack of slabs, as if it was explosive, no that's dinner! X-raying the tulips many times causes me to laugh, as for soil or disease inspection shouldn't they be doing that by eye only?
I have left a tiny hotel room in Amsterdam (where the staff were great) for one of the largest in Montréal, as is always, it's a shame I could not keep going on and on... We could have done Italy next, or Germany.
But my employer wouldn't be happy, and neither would my bank balance...
Claudia Schiffer was coming out of a duty free shop in Schiphol, around the time I could not find my Canadian passport..people were taking pics, I wish I could have reacted to that sooner.
At Philadelphia, after all the xrays and body scanners, I was waiting sitting opposite a little old lady, with one small suitcase, she looked really, really tired, kept on putting her head in her hands. Every now and again I would see her weep. After a little while I went over to her, crouched on my knees and asked her if she was OK. She said her son had passed away that morning and that is why she was going to Montréal. She grabbed my hand and I squeezed it tight, but I never know what to say.... So after a few words I said I would help her with her luggage or get someone to - the latter is what I did, they took her off the plane in Montréal in a wheelchair. How sad a blow to get when so old, she must have been in her eighties. She looked crushed, despite many thinking I have no heart, I feel Ibad can do nothing for her :(
That said, Montréal on Monday night was warm and lovely as I strolled to Saint Hubert for my chicken dinner, a branch incidentally away from where they steal your food if you look away, and that night the heavens opened and it never stopped until I left. So no sightseeing in Montreal AGAIN, but plenty opportunity to go shopping for jazz cd's at my favourite music shop here, of which there are a few, and yes, they are in the chicken stealing area.
After taking a 17kg box to the post office, as I could no longer handle dragging around the excess weight, I was soaked, but it was time for one last Saint Hubert plate of dinner before a cab to the airport and now I am in Ottawa finishing this off as the trip is effectively over.... I decided to take a cab after days of running for buses and trains, dragging everything through the wind and rain...
I could have told you some extra stories that were not fit for a wide audience blog, ask me about the hooker in Barcelona - the worst attitude, most unappealling and lousiest saleswoman of the year... Or maybe I will volumteer it all later on... Today's meet was a young woman on the flight from Montréal going to Ottawa then London for an MBA program interview, a really chatty Californian. She is going to be a good bread winner one day....
With that I suppose it is bonne chance to all my friends, if you followed along thanks, if you asked me to get you anything I think I succeeded in most of your wants... As for me I cannot wait to go somewhere again so Las Vegas Nevada, and the scorching desert is my my next trip, end of June and July long holiday weekend. I doubt I will win any cash, but exploring the endless roads might be fun - I am thinking of going to Area 21, since Switzerland didn't claim me, perhaps a spaceship will.
I know how you all love for me to get out of town, and I love to too, so I can't wait.
Auf wiedersehn from Schweizer Dave! As the tale of the little old woman at the airport reminds me, use up your lives as best you can!
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- BlogPressed from my iPad. Click on pictures for larger version and gallery. Copyright 2012 TinyFrontalLobeWerke AG., Zurich.

Location:Montréal, Canada.