April 14 - Monday 
we leave just 15min after planned departure - not bad eh? After stopping for a bushel of $$
we head out in slightly foggy damp weather ....

Enjoyed cross country - but really liked Tweed, stopped for coffee at a very comfy
coffee shop - and after he enjoyed the first (half) of a bagel with cream cheese Mohamed
decided to have another one all to himself!!

Reason for stopping in Tweed - has Medicine Hat connections-- because Clyde Gilmour who was on CBC (record show) for YEARS was raised in MH....and went on to great fame-something in
the water!

Stopped at Whitby for lunch - and totally confused the host at the local Kelsey's by asking
for the 'toilet' and then 'washroom' - he was lost - never mind we found it!! Raining lightly and
grew heavier as we tried to find 407 - guess what, it's not that easy -- after going N for much
longer than anticipated and just about ready to turn back - we see a sign!! -- problem is - it tells
us to go straight ahead and at the intersection says no, turn left!! We made it and yes, much
less traffic ....which was appreciated because now it was pouring!!

Turn N onto highway 400 and miss the turn to highway 7 - so make the grand circle tour
- after getting directions 'just go down majormac' -- ok -- that would be major mackenzie drive
for those of you who are not 'local'..once again we made it-- but the tension in the car was 
'palpable' --- 

The hotel is a short walk to Ikea - so did that - just waiting for a bowl of soup, bed and off
to Klienburg in the morning - Niagara Falls by lunch, hopefully.


April 15 - what's this? lots of white stuff on the ground! -- and cold, a good breakfast sets
us off to the McMichael Gallery - a beautiful setting (could use a few more direction signs)
and I get to remember my high school fondness for the work of Tom Thompson -- also
showing Mary Pratt - what 'light' she is able to produce! and the paintings of fire(s) are quite exceptional - looks like you could get warm just standing nearby!!

OK that's it - off to Niagara - down highway 400 to 407 and then QEW - no missed directions
- we arrive about 2 - look for lunch - stop at a Persian Kabob place - the owner/cook is friendly
I feel sorry for him when we prepare to leave as the (U .S) customer ahead of us gives him a long
diatribe on being sure that he is facing the true East when he prays and that you have
to consider this and that and the other thing - Mohamed tells him his stove needs to be cleaned
-- good Canadian that I am I quietly pay our bill and leave feeling like the guy will close shop as soon as we leave!

We find our hotel - then walk to the falls which are impressive with the extra bits of snow and ice..
the town is quiet!