It’s the last night before I reach an Italian city that is new to me, Bergamo.
I wish the rest of the world has the classy Christmas lights that we enjoyed on our street.
Saved the best till last, our last meal on the last day of 2012. Perfect.
Photos courtesy of @Timmy666
Just a day, well an afternoon in Milan as I’d spent so much time there last year. But i’s lovely, in short doses!
Photos courtesy of @Timmy666
Photos courtesy of @Timmy666
A repeat of the bus ride of last year to a very pretty Garda. 
Photos courtesy of @Timmy666
Verona looking it’s most gorgeous, despite the Christmas lights in Italy being so much more classier than elsewhere.
One of our favourite coffee shops, close to our gorgeous Hotel Siena
Photos courtesy of @Timmy666
This year, I decided to do Verona again but with two travel buddies. However, we chose Verona as the base rather than split my time as I did last year and my favourite city (thus far after three visits) is as pretty as ever.
Photos courtesy of @Timmy666
Day One
Day 2
Day 3
Day 4 – a handmade Christmas tree
For many years, I’ve had a different theme every Christmas and even though I’ve pretty much had every colour, the next step will be to have different shades and colour combinations. However this year’s theme is handmade.
I’m inspired firstly by Creative Open Workshops who taught me how to sew a tote bag in the summer and then by a birthday visit to Reykjavik where they appear to have a craft shop on every corner – possibly because it’s too cold to ever go outside. Having made the decision, I’m delighted to find when I come back that as well as Cow, Hannah Moreton is running several weekend Christmas decoration workshops.
Hannah’s workshops came along just at the right time as I was at the point of choosing which of the plethora of Martha Stewart Christmas books I was going to buy. It’s a shame we don’t seem to get the Martha Stewart programme over here which would pretty much sew Christmas up. However, here’s how my handmade theme has shaped up.
What I made with Hannah Week One
What I made at home part oneWhat I improvised at home
The start of the tree decoration
It’s still too early to see a Christmas film on November 18th but there’s nothing else on and at least the Christmas lights are switched on, far too early but on nonetheless.
This year’s Christmas cinema visit (I don’t know of any other films that I’d want desperately to see but I always try and see one festive offering) is for an animated tale of what happens in Santa’s North Pole in the 21st century. It is indeed a modern take as Santa now has a space ship and thousands of elves in the Christmas warehouse ensuring every child receives a gift.
Except this year, the system fails and one – just one – present falls of the conveyor and Arthur, Santa’s younger, hapless but caring son, takes it upon himself to get that present delivered. Fortunately, Granddad Santa is still around to steer him through the old fashioned way, using magic dust.
A no-nonsense Christmas film that is worth a watch to get you into the Christmas spirit, even if you’re past the age of seven.
7½/10
Smile factor 8½ /10
Apart from the day I take down my once beautiful Christmas tree, I don’t feel the January blues the way some people seem to.
I love Christmas; it’s a definite high point for me and by that I mean the whole of December rather than just the big day so by rights, I should feel a post-festivities come down. In addition, I have one of my holidays during Christmas week so I should be feeling post holiday blues too.
And yet, I only have positivity racing through me as I face the harsh January. New Year, show me what you got.
To me January is a fresh new start, a chance to wipe the slate clean. It’s an excuse to stay in; a month of reading, writing, researching, deciding, planning and plotting.
To this end, I am amazed at why so many people choose this bleak month to give up things they love to do the things they dislike. I’m talking about the G word and the D word*
Ways to make January work for you
Replace your Christmas decorations with something else. If you are looking to buy new furniture or refurbishing a room, this is great time to do so. At the very least fill your house with flowers or if flowers is not your bag change the curtains, cushions, bed linens, towels; whatever helps put a little extra spring in your step.
Book a holiday. If taking January off to go to sunny climes or skiing is a little extravagant, spend ages planning your big holiday for the year.
Don’t hate me but I tend to lose weight at Christmas rather than put it on. How? For one, my stomach doesn’t get any larger so I can’t fit anymore in December than I can during the other eleven months. More likely it’s because I go on holiday and on my holidays, I tend to walk a lot. Everywhere. This Christmas, my mission to walk along undiscovered lanes in Verona did the trick. But that’s just me.
We all want to treat ourselves at Christmas so why not cut down during October and November? That way you have Christmas to look forward to and you can indulge in comfort food in January too.
Throw a party in the middle of the month or have a dinner party every weekend. All that time spent with your friends enjoying good food and wine will mean the month will whizz by without you noticing.
Wear bright colours or at least something other than black. In fact, see how long you can go without wearing black. The bonus here is that everyone is cheered up by having bright colours around. Or just invest in a coat or umbrella in a cheery pattern or colour.
Go away each weekend to see fun friends or beloved (obviously) relatives.
Ladies (and men) book into a spa, have a massage, get your hair cut or at very least have a pampering day at home.
Make January the month when you start to do all the things you want to do; painting, singing, learning a language, reading, start writing a book (that old chestnut), dance class, picking up PC skills or horse riding. If it’s something you want to do, now is the time.
Have a sparkling 2011!
*Gym & Diet
Lamp post on Verona bridge
More than the other two mornings, I’m more confident that I am going to feel much better today. For one, I can breathe more easily, still violently coughing but being able to breathe at will is an unbelievable relief. I get to ‘central station’ with relative ease and what I thought was (and heard was) a terrible run down area is commercial district and the station itself is a beautiful old building. How lovely! Unfortunately I have luggage in tow so unable to investigate further.
I’m still on the same Sunday Times magazine that I started four days ago, partly because I’ve not been able to focus on reading (or writing this) but also, I have come to realise they make much more interesting reading when I bring them on holiday with me. I read more of the articles and thoroughly enjoy them. Perhaps I should keep them all, even the ones’ I have scanned through, just for my trips.
I’ve devoured every word of articles about CCTV replacing actual parking wardens, the Chateau Marmont in LA, now the subject of movie (where said Belushi died), Somewhere, the new MBA business school in Moscow, home to more billionaires than any other city in the world and that’s before crying my eyes out in a Verona Café just reading the opening sentence about children who are victims of war and what help they are now receiving. Oh and there’s a day in the life of some bloke called Louis Walsh.
I look up and the view from the train is of multi coloured houses with a backdrop of snowy topped mountains. What do the house owners do, consult each other? ‘Ooh I was going to paint mine yellow too. No worries, I’ll use that peach colour and then it will compliment the mint green next door and pale blue behind’.
Said houses have washing on the balconies in DECEMBER. Maybe it’s just to air it but I’d have though 2 minutes would have done that.
Juliet
Juliet's balcony with Christmas tree
Monday; I walk to Juliet’s balcony without even wanting to as I was saving that for when I feel better tomorrow. I realise how close everything is and that are a series of bridges linking the city to the old town surrounding. It’s very easy to walk from one end to the other without even realising.
Tuesday; pleased to be out and about, asthma very much evident but under control. Juliet’s balcony is busy but not over run and it’s such a place of optimism that I can but smile. Disappointed though that the Fiorucci shop around the corner that really put a smile on my face ten years ago is no longer there. I had looked it up and I fear the designer’s resurgence was short lived. That makes the shopping bag I have framed in my bedroom from the last visit a collector’s item now?
I celebrate with first risotto in Italy, spinach and gorgonzola which the chef made in front of my eyes in Brek, a restaurant chain I first came across in Milan that offers loads of different types of foods, perfect for me.
Wednesday; a gorgeous sunny day in Verona, very bright indeed. I come across Bar Anastasia, 90 cents for a little coffee with KC & Sunshine Band’s ‘Please Don’t Go’ in background. A perfect moment.
I manage to find Cafe Veno, every day and love it more. Each day, my appetite and confidence with the menu grows as does my rapport with staff.
I take detour on way back and find purple boots on sale! I always look for boots in different colours other than black or brown everywhere I travel but they are so hard to find.
Thursday my last full day in Italy and for less than £7 return, I pick up a bus to Lake Garda, about an hour away with lovely sightseeing along country lanes on route. I miss my stop so end up in Garda itself which is a good job as I find a coat after two years of searching!
Well two years of saying I’m going to buy a new long coat to replace my worn out cream one and four days of actually going in out of shops looking for it. I wanted camel when I decided to replace in 2008 but that’s this years in colour and I prefer a classic that I can wear for years so I changed to seeking a grey one. Its darker grey than I wanted but otherwise fits the bill and I’ll get a camel one next year, or the year after.
By now I go for my custom night cap of a hot chocolate in Brek, where despite the language barrier, the staff and I now manage to communicate like old friends.
Looking out to Verona old town
I highly recommend Hotel Siena in Verona as it’s the best service I have ever had from a little hotel. They even open up their kitchen to boil me up a cup of hot water to ease my throat on my first night and then ask me how it is next day. The local knowledge and attention to detail is astonishing and it really is a family run place where they simply cannot do enough for you.
It’s around the corner from all the attractions and 10 minutes from the central station where you can pick up a bus to Garda or a train to Venice both an hour away. I didn’t make it to Venice although have been before as it’s my second favourite place next to Verona. Maybe I’ll go there next time for a long weekend, perhaps when a certain British Royal wedding is happening.
The last 3 days were a joy to be under the blue skies of sunny Verona. Still only 2c, I now understand why they have so many sunglasses stores.
As I wait for trains, planes and automobiles all day on my way back, I read the whole of Rosa Guy, the Friends. This is the author that shaped my childhood, got me interested in writing, in reading and in New York. I’ve had it on my birthday list for a while and this year it was actually available. I don’t recall it from reading it some 30 years ago but very much enjoyed it today, finishing the last couple of chapters on the plain.
That’s the way to end a year, reading a whole in book in one day. It’s a first.
Rolling out the red carpet to Lake Garda
Lake Garda
Surprisingly for a religious country, shops and Christmas markets are open so late on Christmas Eve but then I realise why, they are not open on Boxing Day – not even the restaurants so I get by on McDonalds salad and fries. Although I was dying for soup as I actually had an appetite for it today, I’ve never in my life been so grateful for an open all hours McDonalds.
Lights
The festive lights are fantastic in Milan with all the neighbourhoods having their own colour.
My throat and cough however needed me to be indoors so each evening of the festive weekend I make my way wearily back to Watt Tredici Hotel and work my way through the MTV stations. It’s the first time I have seen Sky in a hotel and the first time I’ve heard English for which through my violent cough, I am very grateful for.
There was no room service for which the first time in my life I would have gladly paid extortionate prices to not leave the warmth for a day and recuperate. Four star status should be evident in the service too, not just the large white, modern art interior of the reception and the de rigger chocolate brown furniture and white linens in the bedrooms. (Jeez can we move on from this? I had that hotel look for my bedroom in c2000)
Believe me; thoughts of John Belushi dying along in a luxury hotel did cross my mind.
MTV Italy
I saw Depeche Mode live; I knew they were more guitar than synthesiser these days but they are actually pretty rock n roll.
Also, George Michael live in London in 2008; now that man puts on a show.
The Take That documentary about Robbie coming back was probably aired in the UK umpteen times but I wouldn’t have cared to watch it. Gary should never have let him back, make friends by all means but leave him out of the team, he doesn’t deserve their success.
I also catch a lot of the Italian ‘Who Wants to Be a Millionaire’, a show I have never watched in the UK but I was challenged by trying to figure out the question by looking at the answer options.
I notice that each day one show is shown on Italian TV that isn’t dubbed and I manage to catch Ugly Betty twice. Doesn’t seem like much of a treat but it was very welcome, I can tell you.
The sun comes out on Monday and I leave for Verona, feeling about 75% and much more in control of my symptoms.
So Milan, or Christmas Day never happened in 2010.
I’m not bothered about Christmas; in my mind I do all my celebrating on 1st-24th December with friends and relatives before I leave the UK but the hard work that’s gone into being able to have a holiday – well that’s just wasted.
Still it worked out well in that I went all out on a lovely hotel for the Christmas which I barely leave except to get food and it’s miles from civilisation (about two) but I knew that when I booked it. I’ve only been in Milan 8 weeks ago so this was just a chill-out time to ease me into the holiday whilst enjoying my first Italian Christmas.
Hey ho
Part three follows. Part one here
One thing I’ll remember about this year’s Christmas holiday; being ill.
Christmas Eve Symptoms; Sore throat, runny nose, aches, rash (around nose from excessive tissue use) lethargic, headache, no appetite, nausea – at the airport, straight after most expensive cereal bowl in the world, asthma.
Christmas Day – Sore throat, aches, lethargic, no appetite, rash (around nose from excessive tissue use), headache (from not eating), asthma = bad cough.
Boxing Day – aches, lethargic, low appetite, rash inside mouth, asthma – bad, violent cough, breathing problems.
Monday – asthma, mostly controlled, bad cough, violent cough at night.
Tuesday – getting much better, just the asthma cough.
I’m not one being ill, or at least I don’t acknowledge it and shoo away a cold with extra vitamin supplements and staying in for a couple of days. I’ve never had a day of sick – ever – so this really did shake me up.
I had what I thought was a little cold on the Tuesday before, which got worse than a little better on Thursday. I thought I’d be fine by the time my holiday came round on Friday.
After a very rough night at the airport hotel, I had to wake at 4 am to go the two miles to Luton airport. Thankfully, I’d booking into the very comfortable Days Inn who provided a private taxi as part of the service.
Not one for breakfast until at least 10am, I’d been up a couple of hours and felt I should force something down me. I had the most expensive cereal and orange juice ever as it came straight back up not five minutes later.The Easy Jet flight (ooh I miss those transatlantic comfortable flights) was so warm that at least the runny nose stopped for a while.
Despite my lack of sleep, a cold and now asthma, I go straight out when I reach the hotel in Milan. It’s a new neighbourhood to me and as advertised, it’s an up and coming area with not much around. My room isn’t ready yet anyway but when I come back after a very light lunch that stays down, I’m really glad I pushed the boat out for a luxury Christmas treat. The only thing that’s lacking is food – other than breakfast and a kettle, which of course otherwise I would never need being a coffee drinker but I can’t face coffee and really just need two hourly dozes of hot water and honey.
Milanese Risotto; it's the real thing
Part two follows
Although there is still a week left, this week, everyone has truly got into the Christmas Spirit.
Wednesday
Urban Christmas party
The Urban Coffee Co Christmas Party was a fabulous evening with a great band.
It was surprising to see so many faces from around town. Actually, not that surprising as I’d pretty much invited everyone I met but it’s lovely to see everyone let their hair down in any case. Oh, that was just me letting my hair down? Well in my mind if you can’t add a bit of sparkle to your tree at Christmas when can you?!
It was unfortunate that the band finished before 9pm as a lot of people went then, as had the look-too-good-to-eat mini KissMe Cupcakes But somehow a few us managed to sink a few more beers listening to our Christmas favourites as ‘spun’ by the very accommodating DJ who stayed till the end.
Friday
Urban JQ
It took me all week to make my virgin voyage to new Urban and now I have fallen in love with it all over again. (See My Perfect Coffee Shop would be…)
Brum Notes / Speech Fewapy Christmas Party at The Victoria
A fantastic idea to have four (great, as it turns out) bands at what’s now become one of my favourite places in the city.
We meet at Cafe Blend around the corner mainly so I can get my first fix of eggnog of the season, which will probably turn out to be my only fix as no-one else appears to offer it.
I’m glad we got into the Vic soon after 8 as your favourite and mine, Tom Peel was already on and delivered his usual entertaining set; half tunes/half anecdotes and joshing the audience. I can’t wait to see him again.
Next up is Greg Bird & Flamingo Flame who is electro and swaying synths. I hear electro is making (another) comeback. Not sure if that’s just the Pet Shop Boys saying it or if its because of the re-emergence of OMD, Heaven 17 and The Human League.
And then we had two bands Cajole Cajole and The Traps, the headliners being especially polished. All are worth seeing again so I will follow @BrumNotes with interest to see where they may pop up again.
Saturday
The week was meant end triumphantly with a load of us going to the Christmas Farmers Market, 24 Carrots at JQT.
And then the snow happened, un-forecast may I add.
I’ve been so looking forward to this as after our look round the regular stalls, for the first time we will have a coffee shop to go into rather than stand around and chat in the cold.
It didn’t stop me hiking up whilst snow is literally coming at me to at least buy some Christmas Kiss Me cupcakes I wanted for my best friend.
Thank heavens Urban did open in time so the stall holders had hot drinks and I had somewhere to dive for cover.
Bless the organisers for putting it together and for three stalls for braving inches of snow to set up. I was gutted not to have my now traditional hot chocolate but we’ll be back in the new year to patronage you all!
Merry Christmas everyone!
See you in 2011 for more Adventures in Birmingham.
When it comes to Christmas, I’m on the ‘love it’ side so it’s quite tricky to choose just five Christmas songs. I’ve gone with these as Christmas is not the same without them.
A bonus one, just because it makes me smile; Cliff Richard (a family fave I grew up with), ‘Mistletoe & Wine’. It’s the song my niece and I used to break into in the run up to the big day and then be in fits of giggles for no apparent reason. So, as I say, it just makes me smile remembering the family Christmases.
Go on, remind me of the ones I have missed.
Merry Christmas!
Here’s to a musical and fabulous 2011 for all of us x
• Seeing young children buying Christmas presents for their parents
• Shops and offices that KEEP CHRISTMAS IN DECEMBER (Still searching for that one)
• Twinkling lights on cranes and tall buildings
• Festive decorations on big trucks
• Christmas lights switch on nights
• Watching the delight on kids faces at lights switch on nights
• Hearing my favourite Christmas tunes on the radio for the first time this year
• Spending December seeing as many friends and family around the country as possible (this year from Chester to Devon and lots in between)
• Finding out about nice people giving to the less fortunate
• Finding out about the less fortunate giving to the less fortunate
• Hearing about people having good news in time for Christmas (new job, new house, new baby, new book deal)
• The sight of pure, virgin snow in the grounds of a quiet church
• Deciding on my Christmas theme (this year; silver representing a sparkling future)
• Turning on the lights on my Christmas tree after its newly decorated
• Tweaking the decorations on the tree for several days afterwards until it’s perfect
• Coming home and remembering the tree is up!
• Writing my Christmas cards, with the tree lights twinkling whilst watching an old Christmas film
• An excuse to look into people’s houses who have Christmas trees
• Hearing a choir singing carols in the distance
• Eggnog (or gingerbread) latte. The only time I drink that milky stuff all year.
• Having an evening devoted just to wrap presents
• Christmas loo rolls
• Watching someone open a present I know they’ll love
• The best excuse to light candles (other than a power cut)
• A genuine looking Santa
• A black Father Christmas (only in New York)
• Christmas coffee although no idea what makes it festive
• The Christmas spirit; people being extra nice to each other and strangers exchanging smiles
• Indulging in having Christmas films on the idiot lantern despite having seen them dozens of times already – this year
• Birmingham Handmade markets
• Birmingham German Markets
• Going past the best decorated house in the street
• Breaking into song when I’m with my (20 something) niece when we hear ‘Mistletoe & Wine’ as per our years-old tradition
• Christmas Top of the Pops
• Watching repeats of vintage Christmas TV specials
• Every time I hear the Waitresses ‘Christmas Wrapping’, my all time favourite Christmas tune
• Receiving cards and emails from people I had long forgotten
• Watching men buying Christmas presents in the 36 hours before the big day because 52 weeks’ notice wasn’t quite enough
• A log fire
• A log cabin
• Taxis with a miniature Christmas tree on the dashboard
• Buying a ‘for a baby’s first Christmas’ card
• Buying random cards just for fun, mainly in America i.e. ‘to my hairdresser’ (yes really)
• Stocking up on M&S festive goodies to take to all the welcoming homes I visit over the season
• Any excuse to eat more food (via @ellastella )
• Not working as hard as I do for the other eleven months of the year
• Starting afresh in cold, harsh, January, in gorgeous anticipation of what the next year will bring
• The smell of Christmas
• The Urban Christmas party (although that’s not until Dec 17th) (Note to Simon: you’re not 49 on the list, it’s random)
• Hearing that my flight is ready to depart to somewhere cold on Christmas Eve for a well earned break
Now it’s your turn; what’s guaranteed to make you smile at Christmas? I’d love to add your ideas to the list so please add to the comments below.
Additions:
From Paul Hanna:
From Mary:
Christmas Eve
It’s positively warmer today so I finally get the BF to the mountain and its well worth it. Even more gorgeous than my last trip as the snow makes it postcard perfect complete with chocolate box houses in the background. I get a rare photo taken.
As is the tradition in many parts of the world, the BF gives me one of my presents this evening.
Christmas Day
Completely traditional: We watch the NY Knicks in a bar with Chicken Wings for him and Spaghetti Bolognese for me (they’d stopped serving breakfast!), a walk in the snow followed by the newly released Sherlock Holmes followed by an lovely Indian meal on the way home.
OK, up to now not traditional although for the last 4 years in NY, I have gone to either the cinema or theatre on Christmas evening. The glimmer of hope I hold out for a turkey meal in one of the ‘pubs’ does not pan out but I do have another present waiting for me under the tree. I love this tree.
Boxing Day/Anniversary
Canada recognises Boxing day which is a surprise as Americans call it ‘the day after
Christmas’. More importantly, one year today marks the anniversary of our first date and a present follows in the evening.
Before that we have our second breakfast at our favourite, Eggspectation and we manage to find a pleasant turkey dinner, much better than I’ve had in New York although we did have to eat in the diner of a shopping mall.
Sunday
After a blissfully happy 8 days, that’s it for now. I take BF to the bus station having grabbed a taxi in the Sunday morning rain with over an hour to spare. After the week we have had, this parting is a 1000% happier than last time, tinted with just a little sadness but with increased confidence, appreciation and awareness of what we have together. For the first time since having to return from NYC in April, I feel my old optimism coming back and I can’t wait to kick 2009’s butt and welcome 2010. Roll on Spring time.
Happy New Year!
Follow my updates on Twitter in 2010
The Journals of Alexander Mackenzie: Voyages from Montreal, on the River St. Laurence, Through the Continent of North America, to the Frozen and Pacif
Thankfully it’s over and I’ve survived.
Yes there were some good bits in 2009, three of the months were spent in New York after all. I attended writing school, wrote almost daily, made some New Yorker friends and got to know the BF. Other than that, I never want to relive any of it.
Not one normally for wishing my life away as I treasure every minute, this month I’m mostly grateful that the year is over and 2010 has started. The only way now is most certainly up and I can’t wait to get going.
However, albeit very different this year and hardly recognisable, Christmas is still my favourite time of the year. Christmas day is just part of the festive period; the days leading up to it are much more special to me and always have been. For the last four years, I have celebrated the big event 3300 miles away in New York after all.
This Christmas, I spent 8 gorgeous days with the BF in snowy and festive Montreal so I’m most grateful for that.
Finally, I’m extremely grateful to all of you who have read and especially those that have commented on this blog over the last few months. And those of you that will in 2010!
Wishing you a fantastic new year with 365 wonderful days to come x
Saturday
As expected after the fiasco last time, the BF and I communicate brilliantly and he keeps me posted on his journey up from NYC. He even arrives an hour or so early leaving me just enough time to find lights for the mini Christmas tree I have taken with me, get glammed-up in my meeting-the-BF-from-the-bus outfit and get to the station. Once the taxi had dropped us back at 1 Rene Lévesque Apartment hotel, BF unpacks, carefully tucking my Christmas presents under the tree and we go across the street to get some food before having a couple of beers in the bar we had gone to in October.
Sunday
As we are on the corner of Rue St Laurent, the road that leads all the way up to Little Italy, we start walking. It’s freezing. I’m wearing leather gloves rather than woollen today and my hands are dropping off, finger by finger. My hair is frozen. If it had not been -16, the walk would have been very pleasant but it’s a long long way and no amount of stopping to duck into a shop at every opportunity gives us a long-term solution. We make it, and have a scrumptious, hearty Italian lunch served by a Toronto Italian. We stroll a little more before succumbing to our first Canadian subway ride and the end the day watching Avatar. Interesting.
Monday
Moved to our more luxurious Christmas hotel in the neighbourhood I discovered on my last day on the birthday trip. Maritime hotel doesn’t have the microwave and fridge we had got used to in the apartment hotel but it is definitely 4 star luxury as far as comfort goes and the area is as good as I had remembered. More importantly, BF loved it. I chose it as you could request the microwave and fridge but when I did, they said I’d have to upgrade the room for it. If I’d known, I would have stayed a couple more nights in the other place but never mind, it all worked.
Tuesday
Still freezing today as we discover picturesque Westmount, as the name suggests to the west of the mountain and the furthest West we go to the ‘English’ side of the city.
Wednesday
Our second subway – actually metro – ride to discover the huge Plateau neighbourhood to the east and foot of the mountain. Not as much there as the guide books stated so perhaps the area comes into it’s own in the café culture of the summer. It’s still freezing so the trip to the base of the mountain is postponed.
Later we go to our new ‘local’ cinema in the famous (to ice hockey fans) Forum, previous home to the uber-successful Montreal Canadiens and see BF’s choice of Up in the Air. The film is OK but the company is lovely.
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The Journals of Alexander Mackenzie: Voyages from Montreal, on the River St. Laurence, Through the Continent of North America, to the Frozen and Pacif
Up, up and away
The trip is seamless. I go by coach from the new-look glamour-filled Birmingham coach station, officially opened by Fabio Capello on this very day. Unfortunately some time after my prompt departure.
Unfortunate too that the depot, designed successfully to look more like an airport has a dreaded Star – bucks. I make do without coffee and amuse myself with the view of what is now being termed the ‘Irish Quarter’ (more Americanisms); you can take the coach station out of Digbeth but you can’t take the sex shops out of the Irish Quarter.
I arrive effortlessly at Heathrow T5, BA’s exclusive terminal. Not being a fan of BA but not wanting to pay over £200+ more for Air Canada, especially as this trip is sooo expensive anyway, I’m still fairly impressed by T5 although get the distinct impression they are trying to be upmarket with the lack of McDonalds, Burger King etc.
What’s not particularly impressive is the service on board. We the passengers are mightily pleased to be taking off, given the snow and threat of strike but the staff, I feel are saddened not to have 12 days off over Christmas once the strike is called off.
Sure they provide the usual friendly service but there’s absolutely no going the extra mile. The Montrealean next to me asks three times for extra food and not only is he refused even a packet of nuts point blank, he’s not offered an alternative such as being able to buy some duty free snacks. Quite frankly a cold drink once airborne and one meal followed by coffee is not really enough even for my small palate. You get ice cream with Virgin which makes up for pretty much anything. What happened to 2 bite sized snacks AND a meal when flying transatlantic?
At the other end, immigrations and luggage collection were as painless as two months ago and I was on the hotel shuttle within about thirty minutes of walking off the plane.
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Canada (Lonely Planet Country Guide)
