Toronto 06/9 22h06

Forgot that the filmfestival is on this weekend. I have managed to get a bed for today and tomorrow, but friday is a questionmark.
I m staying at the former Spadina Hotel (lonely planet-trivia; Jack Nickolson, The Rolling Stones, Leonard Cohen and the Tragically Hip stayed here'- my footnote here: probably when they where all underage, unknown and backpacking thru Canada... or otherwise...surely not in my room, which is pretty basic- 'It s in an optimal location and even has its own bar, hence the party atmosphere'.
I would soon find out what that means.

That night, I eat alone in a restaurant.The look of the woman when she says:'Table for 1' makes me happy with the decision to go see my friends in LA.
Afterwards I go straight to bed, ready for an early start to Niagara Falls tomorrow... the party has just started outside my bedroom-window.

The next morning we make ourselves free pancakes and coffee, then I head out to Niagara Falls to meet Mike - for the ones who are not following the soapopera: Mike is the one that is the best friend of Steve. He is the one that told me I could probably stay at Steve's, I only knew Mike via email until now.-

I count the canadian flags along the busdrive there...Apparently, the Canadians like their flags as much as the Americans do -48 on 1h30 drive-.

He picks me up and shows me around the are in his car, then we go for lunch and say goodbye as he has to had back to work, back to the vineyard.
It s funny how you go to the essence of things with strangers. I love those conversations, it makes life interesting.
He offers to help out when I am in Vancouver. I of course tell him that when he is ever in transit in Brussels, I will do the same for him. I mean it.

My impressions on Niagara as I walk on the promenade with thousands of other tourists: -random thoughts-
the promenade ends at the bridge, the bridge leads to the US. The US cant see the falls from their side, so they have constructed this ugly monstracity look-out-point to be able to see a glimpse of the real falls from their side.
The Canadians must have been chuckling in amusement knowing they had the good side...
Although what they did is nothing to be proud of either.
At their side, they have build this town looking like one giant themepark-arcade-casino, ressemling City Walk at Universal Studios.
It s amazing how Hollywood can kill the magic.

I ask several people to take a picture of me and the falls... all of them suck. Easy to digitally delete thank God.
One thing is sure: This place can be scratched of my list of places-to-go-on-a-honeymoon.
As an old couple holds hands and I take their picture, I cant help but think... maybe for a second honeymoon? Viagra Falls?

Oh well, the ideallic picture I had of Niagara . Shattered to pieces.
I snap back to reality, realizing my bus leaves in 10 minutes. so I hail my first cab in Canada. The Southafrican driver starts to talk to me in Afrikanie. He tells me his lifestory in 7 minutes: wanting to move to the US, pursuing the American dream, stranded in Canada, because here there was no problem for their 19year old daughter to come along.
He still loves America though, the land of opportunity and discipline -his words- wants to live in the desert: Nevada or Arizona... well yeah, then Niagara might not be the right place for him...

As he complaints a little bit more about his artritis from the humidity, I see my bus pass by, which means I have to wait 2 hours for the next one.
Three tibetian monks have just left the busstation, heading for Niagara.
I smile at them, they politely smile back...
They are in for a treat.

Headset goes on. Seven Nation Army by the White Stripes.