We are just off to Halifax now so this is a great opportunity to mention some special people in dispatches - Will, Jean, Marion, Jon,Steve & Lisa who have been the most thoughtful and terrific hosts and enabled so many special activities previously mentioned (& below)......Mark

So, what have we been up to. After the lovely island on lake Tomagami we headed south to Toronto arriving at around 11pm. After spending a little time attempting to force an entry into some unsuspecting folk's backyard we moved into the neighbouring house very kindly lent by friends of Steve and Lisa and proceeded to spend a few days enjoying the city. A definate boy girl split the first day with Mark being offered the choice of watching the Bluejays (baseball) or shopping, thankfully he chose the game so Lisa Emma and Beth set of to take full advantage of a few undisturbed shopping hours and NO I did not purchase any shoes being very sadly near my, maximum luggage allowance (shoes would have meant taking up permanent residence in Canada). So I contented myself with assisting my comrades to spend their money, thoroughly enjoyable.

Mark had great fun getting his head around Baseball with Steve and Ben and then checking out the Jazz festival. Huge steaks were comsumed that evening in a lovely courtyard and the next day we were booked in to have lunch in the CN tower restaurant, this was really fab. The tower claims as the world's highest building and the whole restaurant slowly rotates 360 whilst you consume a gorgeous 3 course lunch, linen napkins and the works.

We spent Canada day, july 1st, at my cousin Jon's home meeting his lovely family and being throughly spoilt with a feast of yummy food and drink. We finished the day at the fireworks and then poor old Steve drove us all back to Stratford to spend a couple of days. We were treated to The Music Man last night, a great show, really fun. Stratford has many theaters and a big tradition of shows and musicals.

We are off to the airport in a while and on to meet out friends in Halifax. We have had a really lovely time here, catching up with some very special people and are a little sad to be moving on, but on we go and we will write again soon, bye for now.

Beth and Mark.