I really don’t give a damn if you want to smoke pot. It’s your brain and your lungs. But could you please not do it in a nonsmoking room on a nonsmoking floor, so the rest of us don’t have to smell the nasty shit? Your clue for the night: Setting it on fire and inhaling it, no matter what the substance is, is pretty much the definition of “smoking.” It’s just as toxic and just as annoying whether it’s marijuana or tobacco.

So stop it.

Now.

Thank you.

Breakfast at the Skyway Diner in Burlington proved to be the cheapest and one of the bet of the trip so far. I got out relatively early and was in Toronto before noon. Fortunately, I was able (a) to park right in front of the hotel for check-in and (b) actually to check in three hours early. My room is huge, it has a view of sorts and the place is really nice and well-located. My only complaint is that it has the lowest toilet I’ve ever sat upon, in what is also a very small bathroom given the size of the room in general. Seriously, I keep tripping over the potty en route to the shower.

After checking in, I walked down to a shawarma joint on Yonge Street (OK but nothing special) and the Annex to buy books, see Honest Ed’s for maybe one of the last times, and generally commune with the spirit of Jane Jacobs on Bloor Street.

I walked down the street to Fran’s for dinner a bit later. Had a Monte Cristo sandwich, just because it sounded so old-fashioned–as if it might come with a carrot salad and a pack of cigarettes on the side or something. The waitress was amused.

Not sure if I will venture back out. There’s supposed to be rain and snow tonight.

As i was sitting in a nameless shawarma joint run by a Chinese lady and an Irishman in a strip mall in Waterloo tonight, I had this really strong sense of how much I like my life, how much I still love exploring, how middle aged i don’t feel, and how glad I am that I very much prefer to travel alone, since no sane person would really want to put up with my version of travel anyway.

Breakfast at a diner in Burlington, followed by a quick tour of Hamilton (both on and off the mountain), lunch in Dundas, and a brief return to the hotel. Afterward, I ventured northward to Guelph, Kitchener, and Waterloo. The latter two towns, I think, merit further exploration. I probably should have stayed up there (my original plan) rather than in Burlington/Hamilton. Next time I’ll follow my instincts.

Random thoughts:

• Why is Canadian Fresca (which I love) so different from American Fresca (which I hate)?
• I was pretty excited to find gas for $1.17/litre today. Things are relative.
• There is a shockingly good selection of used books at the Value Village thrift store on Dundas Street near Highway 6. I was very surprised.
• I usually get used to saying “washroom” rather than “restroom” just in time for my return to the US.
• it snowed today for about five minutes. There may be more.
• in addition to all the shiny new Targets that used to be Zeller’s, there are now Big Lots and Dollar Tree stores in Canada, the latter having upped its maximum price to $1.25 north of the border.
• Mmmm. Érable…

Toronto tomorrow. I’m looking forward to ditching the car for a couple of days.

Coming to you from Canada, which always adds an extra layer of contentment to my life.

It was really cold this morning, especially after a short sleeves kind of day on Monday. Breakfast in Pittsburgh was followed by a relatively uneventful drive to visit my friend Sarah outside Buffalo. I’ve known Sarah for more than sixteen years now. It’s kind of cool that I’ve been doing this long enough that new friends I mentioned meeting via the site way back when have now become old friends I’ve now known on both ends of the country. It was great seeing Sarah; we had hot dogs at an incredible joint and just sort of hung out, if not for long enough.

Then came Canada. I’m always mildly tense at the border due to my strange immigration status, but there were no big issues other that a friendly warning that my residency obligations will become an issue soon if I’m to retain that status.

I’m staying in Burlington tonight and tomorrow so I can explore Hamllton and some of the other surrounding cities and towns. Upon checking into the hotel, I found myself acting as translator between the desk clerk (who spoke no French) and the couple in front of me (who spoke no English). That was kind of surreal and not really something I expected to be doing. I hope I didn’t misunderstand and that they really did want a double room with prostitute and a large order of fries.

Gonna read my paper and go to bed now.