Week One!

Have been away a week now, so thought I should write and let you all know that I am still in one piece, and unusually for me, there have so far, been no major dramas.....

Edinburgh and the festival already feels like a lifetime ago, hope C venues lot are adjusting back to normal life away from the madness! Missing you all and the craziness, although the sun shines here and I don't have to sit on a stool for 12 hours a day....

So I got here in one piece, the flight was great (Sex and the City, Shrek, Pride and Prejudice, followed by a few episodes of Scrubs!). Has been so great seeing Lydia - can't believe it has been a year since she left the UK, but totally doesn't feel like it. Started catching up on the way from the airport, and haven't stopped chattering since! We spent the weekend just outside Toronto at her parents house, who looked after me very well. On Sat afternoon we went to Stratford (based on Stratford in the UK), they have a big Shakespeare / theatre festival there each summer - and saw a really great production of Cabaret. Sunday we went to Niagara falls, v.odd place! Massive natural phenomenon, massively impressive, then the town is like some kind of warped Butlins/Disneyland!! Went on a Maid of the Mist cruise along with the hundred of other tourists - but was really fun. Lyds and I looked especially fetching in our clear blue rain-macs they give you. The boat goes up really very close to the falls, was a lot of fun - if a very damp experience!

Monday we drove to Montreal, where Lydia lives. Was an 8 hour drive - although I'm told that's nothing by Canadian standards! Her apartment is awesome, and I can totally see why she loves it here so much. I didn't realise quite how French the city is - English is not even considered a national language - and year 8 French lessons with Mr Bongers on a Thursday afternoon seem like a very long time ago!! It's such a relaxed city, so un-North American, it feels like being in the South of France. Lydia has been back at work, so I've spent the days exploring and wondering on my own, which has been very chilled. Having a quiet morning today, and this afternoon think I might have a wonder around the Museum of Contemporary Art......

Am going to start exploring a bit further afield, and might head up north to Quebec City next week - although am having such a chilled out and relaxed time right now (much needed after the madness of the Summer) that I'm taking each day as it comes and seeing what I feel like doing! Lydia is running the Montreal half marathon at the weekend, which ends in the Olympic Stadium, so that should be a lot of fun. Not sure what we've got planned yet, but think we're going to have a posh night out at the Casino for my birthday on Monday!!

Heading down to the States at the end of next week, think I'll stop off in Boston for a day or two before meeting Rach in New York on Monday - so not sure when I might have a chance to write again.

Lots of love to all, hope you are well. Send me your news!!!!!

Rich
xxx