Finally back home. It feels good to be home. Ok, so for all of you Watertown/Ft Drum residents in upstate NY – if you want to get down to LI or in the NY/NJ I-95 area and don’t want to deal with a lot of traffic, the best time to leave it 1:45 pm from US-11. I left Cinn’s place at that time and I got home around 7:30p. That’s 5 hours and 45 mins. I made EXCELLENT time. Mapquest.com has it at 6.5 hours at the least. I killed that. As long as you go between 65 mph – 85 mps then you will not have a problem with getting to your LI destination in that allotted time. Kick ass in my opinion.

So, Ottawa, as in my previous entire was a lot of fun in my opinion. I think that we saw what was pretty much all to really be seen, maybe I could go up there at least one more time to try to see some more but that’s about it. If I never go back up to Ottawa again then I’m happy with my experience. I do want to see more of Canada though, but for the most part keep it only at the major cities (mostly on the eastern side on Canada).

Yesterday (Tuesday Sept 11) we headed over to the Canadian Museum of Nature, which was located 1 block from our hotel (awesome!!). For only $5 (CAN) we got to see 4.5 levels of Canadian natural history. It was actually pretty interesting and I got to take a picture of a moose!!! That excites me greatly (only Cinn apparently understands my weird obsessions with the moose… don’t ask). I actually do recommend this if you are in the Ottawa area and looking for something to do. After this we check out of the hotel and headed over to the Parliament and we did their tour. We did the English version, however, we were asked (in French and English) by the security staff which tour we were attending – I aid “English” after he asked me in French. Since I knew what he has said (round about without realizing it) the security officer said to me (in English) that maybe I should attend the French tour and see how I do. I stuck with English but I was happy that he made that suggestion. It made me feel good about my comprehension of the French language.

After we finished with the Parliament tour we headed over to the Notre-Dame Cathedral. We got there too late for the 1:30p tour but we did take a look around ourselves and it was an extremely impressive Cathedral. So much integrate architecture. It was extremely impressive to me. Cinn, I’m not so sure, she is Episcopalian after all.

Then we headed over to the Mall (I forget the name). It was a real mall, Sears an all, but a mall non-the-less. We had a nice lunch in one of the mall restaurants (not in the food court but a real restaurant attached to the mall Thank You very much) and then we headed back to the car… that’s when I got “it”. I’m so mad right now. I got a parking ticket. Right now I HATE Provincial Officer FORTIER (office # 4915). That bastard gave me an $80 parking ticket. Jerk. I hate you Officer Fortier. I got a ticket for stopping in a no stopping are. The reality is that I was parked at a metered spot and my meter ran out. I didn’t run out fast enough to add more Canadian money. For 20 mins late I got a $80 (CAN) parking ticket, I’m sorry but that seems a bit fucked up to me. I hate you Officer Fortier, I really hate you. I don’t have the money for this and since I am not a Canadian citizen nor do I have plans to go back up to Ottawa ever, let alone soon, I am in no position to dispute your fucked-up ticket. So I must deal, and be out of $80 (CAN) – around $75 (USA) – but I still hate you non-the-less. GGggggrrrrrr.

After that we headed back home. Again, at the border no stamp in my passport (stupid border control). But I was surprised at how easy it was to cross back into the USA on 9/11. I mean seriously, on that day 6 years ago we were under attack and 6 years later it was a breeze to get into the country from Canada? Ok, granted I have a NY state license, driving a car with NY state plates and after speaking with me for a grand total of a second you can tell I’m American (if not definitely from NY), but still I think that some added precaution should have been taken on that day above all other days. Then again, that’s just my opinion as a New Yorker and a US citizen. But who am I? No one.

Anywho, we got back to Cinn’s place. Popped in a movie and ordered some Chinese food. It as decent – not fabulous – but that’s ok, it’s upstate NY, I wasn’t expecting much.

Today after I finally got up we headed over to Cracker Barrel and got some bunch. Then we walked it off in the nearby mall. Afterwards I dropped Cinn off at her house, packed up rather quickly and headed home. You know I did in time in my first paragraph. Damn, I’m proud of myself over that time!

Now, I finished some of my wine (I got 3 bottles while up in Ottawa at that mall – 2 from France and 1 from Canada). The wine of choice for the evening is the bottle from Canada itself, Sonora Ranch by Mission Hill Merlot, and it is good. A bit fruity and bitter at the same time. Good combo; my thinking is it would make a phenomenal table wine (if it isn’t already in restaurants).

For me, it’s time for bed. Back to work tomorrow (I’m so not looking forward to it). Later….