Celtic Colours - Day 8

JAMES: This is it. Today we head for home. Our flight didn’t leave until about noon so after breakfast, J, C and I took a walk from our hotel. We are very close to the airport and away from the downtown area, so most of the roads around our hotel are highways. There aren’t a lot of cars but the cars that drive around here drive fast. There are no sidewalks out where we are staying so we ended up walking in the street. You always have to be on the lookout for cars whipping around a corner. We managed to walk about three miles and get some fresh air before our flight.

SUSAN: We took the shuttle to the airport at 10 am. When we checked in our bags we were instructed to put them on the conveyor belt and the tags were scanned through the machine automatically. Security was easy for me but Jim was patted down extensively. The person in front was of him was frisked just as much. So it wasn't just Jim. I think the person was being trained so it took extraordinarilly long and the person was being very thorough.

JAMES: During our layover in Toronto we had lunch in a burger place which was showing a football game on their big screen TV’s. I got the bartender to change the channel to the Indiana-Ohio State game, the biggest game in the B1G conference this week. The game was played at Indiana between two ranked teams but Ohio State had led for most of the second half. But Indiana’s MO has been to rally at the end of the game and through some miracle play, win the game. They were down ten deep in the fourth quarter and drove in for touchdown. They then held Ohio State and started what was to be their final drive. They were deep in Ohio State territory and on a fourth down last ditch play threw a pass to an open receiver in the end zone who just missed getting his foot inbounds. Game over.

We ended up waiting awhile for our plane and all crowded on. The plane was cramped and full but I got into my Rick Steve’s book and the time went by quickly.

SUSAN: On the plane we always tend to track our flights progress and we couldn't help but notice that the Canadians are still labeling Lake Ontario appropriately.  Plus we were able to watch the beautiful sunset from the plane

We arrived in Mpls early. Nicci picked us up and drove us home. It was good to be back.

JAMES: Some things that stick out, or are reoccuring themes during the trip if you will:

• Fricot - recommended to us by our guides at the Louisbourg Fortress, not a stew, not a soup, something in between and highly recommended. 

• John voicing the mantra: “We’ve got to find some wine for Christine”. It was Sunday and the following day was Canadian Thanksgiving when all the liquor stores are closed. 

• CBC Radio music program - They were doing special recording of performances of festival musicians in Baddeck throughout the week. 

• Nova Scotia Gaelic flag - very cool!

• Cognitive surrender - from a Washington Post article about how AI is causing false memories in people they describe it as cognitive surrender.