WEEK ELEVEN

Well a milestone has passed this week. I got more emails and texts from Canada and Nth America than I got from Australia. Fun to begin to be making my own friends and aqaintances. Most notably the new friend from Chicago, Kristin, who I mentioned last week. A photo here of us having lunch on her last day in Toronto at Canoe, a restaurant up 30 or so floors, looking out across Lake Ontario. We were looked after by Joanne, the general manager of the restaurant, friend by way of Peter's partner, JP. The week before I had helped Joanne set up her first blog... so we were well looked after. Not sure how I got such a red shiney face... bring on my Photoshop classes!

A more important event though was having Peter's son Luke home to Toronto from Singapore for a couple of weeks. Luke is 23 and enjoying living in Asia... much to Liz' disappointment to have her only son living so far away. Here they are goofing off over dinner one night. (and yes we ate very strange pink Korean icecreams after dinner!)

The weekend was full with my trip to Montreal... last blog I mentioned meeting Jennifer from West End, Brisbane, on the train there. Mostly though I was spending time with long term friend Eva who lives in London now. Coincidentally Eva and I met in West End about 14 years ago! Here's a lovely photo of Eva below.

Two nights we ate dinner out... both times lighting was so low we could hardly see. The second night I ate my entire dinner by spiking my fork into the bowl and eating whatever was on it when it came out! Everything yummy, but a strange trend nonetheless. I say a trend because there is a famous restaurant in Montreal, O Noir, that is totally dark (apparently there are others in NYC, London and somewhere in Australia?) You have to be led into the dining room and feel for your knife and fork. The staff and musicians (but not the chefs!) are all visually impaired so it is great for them to get work they might not otherwise get. I had read a review of this restaurant so if you're interested to know more have a look here!

I am loving my basic course, 101 Photography. I had to submit four photos (composition rules) from what we learnt in week one and now I have another four for next Wednedsay. This week it is on using shutter speeds, aperture and ISO controls... it hasn't sunk in but hopefully will all get there by some small miracle. The photos are on my new flickr account and will be added to each week.

I nearly forgot the Toronto Film Festival! They showed 334 films from 64 countries in 10 days... I have seen six just to put it in perspective! I really enjoyed a film set and shot in Toronto Chloe (a remake of a French film, Nathalie). The Director, Atom Egoyan, was there and also the script writer and it seemed most of Toronto as they are very proud of this local talent. I also was impressed but sadly reminded of hard times in Aboriginal Australia by seeing Samson and Delilah (though it needs no intro in Australia) and amazed today to see a Mexican film about fishing, To the Sea, that enchanted me! Just two more to finish tomorrow and hopefully Peter will join me for one... Soul Kitchen from Germany.

Missing my family, many of whom are getting together this week on North Stradbroke Island. Love you all, miss you dearly. xx