La versión en español está después de la versión en inglés.
Here are a couple morephotos from my father’s slide collection. These are from 1965 or 1966. I’m a bit confused because I didn’t think we went to Quebec and Niagara Falls during the same trip. But the plaid jackets don’t lie. The first image is on the cruise ship, Louis Jolliet (built in 1938 and still in use). We had driven up to Montreal to visit my great-uncle Herman, great-aunt May and first-cousin-once-removed Rhonnie. They were truly great (Rhonnie still is).
Rhonnie is my mother’s first cousin, but she’s less than 4 years older than me. Being Canadian, she was very exotic. At my mother’s kid sister’s wedding, Dale told me how exciting it was that we would see Cousin-Rhonnie-from-Canada. I was at most 5 years old. Rhonnie turned out to be cute and had long dark braids. That wasn’t what I thought a Canadian would look like. Wasn’t she supposed to be an alien?
A few years later, at my cousin Evie’s wedding, Rhonnie was back, and Dale and I were just as excited as before. She had cut off her braids. I assumed Canadian children always had braids. Rhonnie confused me. Dale and I always felt a special bond with Rhonnie and stuck close at family gatherings. Maybe we felt foreign ourselves.
Anyway, I loved Quebec City and Montreal and even got to take the dog for a walk by myself in Mount Royal Park. I was in heaven. The other photo is from Niagara Falls. I have no idea why I was wearing sunglasses. Maybe I thought they would make me look famous.
Thursday night, when I was taking my multiple after-surgery medications, I discovered I had missed the middle-of-the-day doses of Paracetamol and anti-inflammatory. No wonder I was hurting. Yesterday was much better.
Aquí hay un par de fotos antiguas más de la colección de diapositivas de mi padre. Estos son de 1965 o 1966. Estoy un poco confundido porque no pensé que fuéramos a Quebec y a las Cataratas del Niágara durante el mismo viaje. Pero las chaquetas a cuadros no mienten. La primera imagen es del crucero Louis Jolliet (construido en 1938 y todavía en uso). Habíamos conducido hasta Montreal para visitar a mi tío abuelo Herman, a mi tía abuela May y a mi prima hermana Rhonnie. Fueron realmente geniales (Rhonnie todavía lo es).
Rhonnie es una prima hermana de mi madre, pero solo es menos de 4años mayor que yo. Al ser canadiense, era muy exótica. En la boda de la hermana pequeña de mi madre, Dale me dijo lo emocionante que era ver a la prima Rhonnie de Canadá. Tenía como máximo 5 años. Rhonnie resultó ser linda y tenía largas trenzas oscuras. No era así como pensé que sería un canadiense. ¿No se suponía que ella era una extraterrestre (extranjera)?
Unos años más tarde, en la boda de mi prima Evie, Rhonnie regresó y Dale y yo estábamos tan emocionados como antes. Se había cortado las trenzas. Supuse que los niños canadienses siempre llevaban trenzas. Rhonnie me confundió. Dale y yo siempre sentimos un vínculo especial con Rhonnie y estábamos muy unidos en las reuniones familiares. Quizás nosotros mismos nos sentimos extraños.
De todos modos, me encantaron la ciudad de Quebec y Montreal e incluso pude llevar al perro a pasear solo en Mount Royal Park. Estaba en el cielo. La otra foto es de las Cataratas del Niágara. No tengo idea de por qué llevaba gafas de sol. Quizás pensé que me harían parecer famoso.
El jueves por la noche, cuando estaba tomando mis múltiples medicamentos posquirúrgicos, descubrí que me había saltado las dosis de paracetamol y antiinflamatorio del medio día. No es de extrañar que estuviera sufriendo. Ayer fue mucho mejor.
• Cataratas del Niágara, Canadá. Creo que el edificio del fondo es la central eléctrica de Niagara Parks.
• Más de 40 años después, el Louis Jolliet encalló. No tuvimos nada que ver con eso.
Click the thumbnails to enlarge.
Haz clic en las miniaturas para ampliar.
Great photos, great memories. I can remember as a kid, going to Canada for lunch and my grandmother shopping for china tea cups. A little known fact, I was born north of Canada. There is a corner of Ontario that tucks under Michigan going toward Toledo, I was born north of there.
David:
What a fun tale to tell… being born north of Canada which is where everyone shops for China tea cups.
“We had nothing to do with it.”
Hahahaha! Thank you. You made me smile on a morning where I’m not so apt to do that.
Look at you, wearing sunglasses and holding on to your little brother, making sure he didn’t fall in to the roiling abyss.
Glad you figured out your pain situation.
Ms. Moon
MsMaryMoon:
When I go through these old photos I usually find myself holding tightly to The Kid Brother. He doesn’t like physical contact anymore or I’d probably still be doing it.
Yes, EXOTIC is just how I feel being Canadian!! lol Quebec City and Montreal are exotic/unique compared to the rest of Canada……..the French culture is truly rich with culture. As French President Charles de Gaulle said back in 1967 “Viva Le Quebec Libre”…..much to the chagrin of the present federal government.
Great photos! You all look so keen and energetic.
Jim:
About 20 years ago, I told my cousin Rhonnie about how exotic and alien I had thought she was. She found it hilarious. She left Montreal a long time ago, but she still says “eh.”
I have never seen Niagara in person.
I should put that on a bucket list!
But I’ll leave my plaids at home!
Bob:
I have to say it did not disappoint. There are places that don’t live up to their hype. Niagara Falls did, for me. I’ve been back a couple of times since then.
So glad you’ve got that exotic Canadian connection, lol! I’m sure you know Oscar Wilde’s famous comment — “Niagara Falls is every bride’s second biggest disappointment.”
Debra:
I forgot that Oscar Wilde quote! He also said “… The wonder would be if the water did not fall.”
I’ve been to Niagra Falls. Saw the Falls from several different angles. From a railing as in the picture you have here, from a boat named Maid of the Mist that gets very close to the Falls, and, most interestingly, from caves BEHIND the Falls. Did you also do the boat and the caves?
Kirk:
That first time, we did Maid of the Mist and all the walks under the Falls. Incredible. I liked the views better from the Canadian side. Went back a couple of time when I was at university which was less than 70 miles away, and passed through with San Geraldo in the ’80s.
Again great photos, you should return to Quebec City it is much improved in terms of sights to see and full of history, the Montmorency Waterfall is higher than Niagara and at the top there is a foot path to cross over the falls as it plunges down into the creek below. So happy to hear you have family in my hometown Montreal. I wonder if they lived in Snowdon.
Laurent:
I would love another visit. Haven’t been back since then. I don’t know the name of the neighborhood (I should ask Rhonnie). I just remember arriving quickly in the park with the dog.
It must be a magnificent sight! I have never been, despite having cousins in Canada, but my mother and sister both have. Both inadvertently crossed the US border and were unceremoniously turned back as I recall…
My family, the illegal immigrants.
Jx
Jon:
Probably a good thing they were turned back. Nothing to see there! I wasn’t disappointed with the Falls. Like the Grand Canyon, it lives up to the hype.
Ahhhhh, fun to read 🙂
(And I’m glad your pain is more managed today!)
Judy C:
I remember being surprised when we arrived in the old Quebec City that everyone we met first spoke French.
I have to see the Falls one day
Adam:
I do recommend it. We did all the tourist things that first time and we all loved it.
This brings back memories of many trips to Canada and the Falls in general. Been many times.
Mistress Borghese:
That was my first time and the best for experiencing the Falls.
I’ve never been to Canada and never seen Niagara Falls from either side. I love how attentive you are to your little brother. He’s a cutie.
Kelly:
The Kid Brother was mostly mine whenever we traveled (and when we didn’t travel). He could be a handful, but he WAS cute.
Expo ’67 drew me to Montreal. I spent 2 weeks at my brother’s apartment which I was so thankful. I used the “Metro” subway system with no problems. It was my 1st trip to Montreal while my 2nd was with Jim in the mid-70’s ~ we went dancing at the Limelight Gay bar ~ so much fun! We visited Niagara Falls at one point in the 70’s or 80’s. Thanks for jogging my memory!
Ron:
I so wanted to go to Expo 67 but, as my mother said at the time, “We were just there.” Besides, they had a bar mitzvah to pay for in ’67.
I’m so jealous of that plaid jacket. You must have had a lot of responsibility for KB. The pain must not be too bad if you forget to take your meds so I’ll take that as a positive sign.
Love,
Janie
janiejunebug:
I did like that plaid jacket. The foot just gets a bit achy at times if I don’t rest it enough. No pain at all.