Hi Everyone!

We hope that you have had a nice start to the year.

Our time in Canada started when we caught the train from NYC to Montreal on Dec 29th so to be in Montreal for New Years Eve. This seemed like a great idea until we arrived and it was -40c! We stayed in a great hostel called the Alexandrie which was a bank and a monastery in a past life. 'H' who was the manager, had lived in Montreal for most of his life. He would take a group of us backpackers out every now and then when he felt it was 'safe' enough to venture outside. We found out later that it is physically colder in the eastern side of the country as it is a humid environment. We had also managed to arrive at the time of the freak polar vortex! The cold was ridiculous! Montreal was nice but we didnt really see too much as we didnt fancy getting frost bite (this is NOT an exaggeration). We did see a fair bit of the underground city which is fascinating. New Year's Eve was spent with many other NYE orphans in the hostel followed by a crazy local pub that started off well. We left when they all started running into each other trying to hit each other down to the floor. We walked home via a local pizza shop and McDonald's and watched footage of Sydney bringing in the New Year. It made us happy and sad :-)

We climbed the local mountain on New Year's Day. It was covered in snow and had a chalet mansion at the top We both stacked it on the way down as we slipped on the ice. We were hurting for a couple of days afterwards!

From there we went to Ottawa to see our friend Petra, her husband John, and her family. They spoiled us at their place. We felt like an instant family and wished that we lived a little closer. Seeing her children was lovely.

We did two traditional Canadian things in Ottawa:Ate a beavertail (its a doughnut like dessert, not a real beaver) and we had Poutine :-) We also saw the frozen canal which is the longest ice skating area in the world. Really cool thing to have in the middle of the city.

Unfortunately at this point, I, Claire, got swine flu and was sick for the next 10 days. Luckily Petra was there to give me some tasty stew and some home remedies.

We then left for Toronto. It is a huge city. We couldn't see a lot as the fog was in but it definitely seemed to be a vibrant place.

We did a day trip to Niagara Falls and visited the town called Niagara on the Lake. It was VERY foggy but luckily we were taken back a few days later by our Croatian family and got to see the frozen falls on a clear day. It was really beautiful.

Our Croatian family, Irene and Spud's family and friends, Mary, Joe, Christina and her parents spoilt us! Mary and Joe were such generous hosts and fed us so well. We loved seeing all of the home made sausages and meats (prosciutto and bacon) and tasting the home made wine and liqueur. We were even lucky enough to get free tickets to an ice hockey game (Buffalo v Philidelphia). We were very sad to leave.

When you have been travelling for a long time, its hard to leave your new families that look after you. Thank you to everyone that looked after us during this time and to those who helped to organise it x x

From here we venture West to the snow and ski resorts. Fingers crossed that these two desert dwellers have some skill!