Romance! Terror! Exotic Adventure! Marion's newsletter #2, September 15 to
October 26

Hello my friends. This is an account of my northwest passage through Canada and
my infiltration of the American border. Administrative note: I've added some email
addresses to this list, of people I've linked up with in the last month. If you'd rather
not get newsletters, let me know. If you want back issues, let me know.

Ontario:

First stop was Toronto, where I went to stay with Shawn and Katie and Shawn's
brother Blair. They are the guardians of my good guitar, so I had a joyful reunion
with it. I went to the radio station to see Rick, Heather, and Peter, and to ramble
about the Simpsons and SUVs on air. I went back to some of my old busking spots,
and we had a fun potluck with other friends Anita and Tom. It was with some
reluctance that I left Shawn and Katie's House of Good Conversation, Food, and
Guitar.

(I had a "Talking to Americans" moment; when arriving in Toronto, my seatmate from
Maine said, "And I thought New York City was big!" When I suggested that New York
is in fact bigger than Toronto, she said, "No, New York is two or three million people,
and I've heard that Toronto is, like, two billion." No wonder it's so hard to get a seat
on the subway.)

I also went to Simcoe in southern Ontario to see my old roommate Rebecca and her
dog Gypsy. We participated in a dog sport called agility, which is essentially an
obstacle course, and she fed me falafel with cilantro salsa, which is my new favourite
food. We went out for a sunset at Long Point beach, which we had all to ourselves
despite it being a provincial park. I also visited my cousin Carol and her kids.

Heading northwest, I spent a quiet Sunday wandering around Sault Ste. Marie. My
next planned stop was Thunder Bay, but Monday in Thunder Bay in the pouring rain is
not as appealing as you might think, so I went ahead to Winnipeg.

Manitoba:

In Winnipeg live my old roommate Mercy, and Will and the kids. We played Dutch
Blitz, which is the best card game I know of, and listened to U2. Also in Winnipeg live
my old roommate Dulcy, and Amgad and the kids. We caught up on nine years of
gossip, and I learned that a couple of people I worked with in Egypt were on a fact-
finding trip to Baghdad. I also made a couple of short trips from Winnipeg: to Lac Du
Bonet to see my mother's cousin, and to Brandon to see a friend of my old landlady's.

Saskatchewan:

I went to Saskatoon, which is a nice small city and the sun made it seem very likable.
Pretty good busking, too. I then went and spent an evening in North Battleford with
Crystal, another roommate from Egypt nine years back.

Alberta:

I went to Edmonton. Then I left.

British Columbia:

I had a wonderful day in Prince George. While I was busking, somebody invited me to
the Old-Time Fiddlers Association that evening. When I went to the community
centre in advance to get the details, there was a seniors' lunch club in progress and I
played for them awhile and they fed me too. That night I went to the Fiddlers thing
and took turns with the other fiddlers leading the band. I was reminded of how great
it is to have a good piano accompanist, and how good it feels to see people dancing
to your music.

Yukon:

The bus ride up the Alaska Highway was its own reward, great scenery and wildlife
spotting, and with a bus ride that long you start to feel bonded with the other
passengers, so I had some good chats and some music sessions on the bus breaks. I
was fortunate to hit Whitehorse during Indian summer, so I got some busking in. I
went to an open mike by the Whitehorse Folk Society, sang a few songs, and heard
some great gypsy fiddling, classical guitar, and cowboy poetry. It sure beats shooting
whiskeyjacks and trees.

I went to Burwash Landing with Will Jones and spent a couple of days. It's an isolated
but quiet and beautiful place.

British Columbia, again:   

I spent another evening in Prince George in passing, visiting
friend-of-a-friend Kirsten.

Alberta, again:

I went to Jasper, a very touristy mountain town. Now I often busk in places where it's
not really allowed, but usually nobody will stop me for an hour or two (if at all). In
Jasper the cops shut me down in ten minutes. The interesting thing is that I had been
chatting with a passerby when the cops approached, and he became quite indignant
on my behalf and started mouthing off to them. I strolled off as they were
demanding his ID.

So I got back on the bus and rode the Icefields Highway to Banff. It's another
legendary drive: through the Rockies, with glaciers just sitting there beside the road,
and mountain sheep fearlessly asserting their right of way.

British Columbia, yet again:

I spend four days altogether in the Vancouver area, where it never stops raining, and I
didn't busk a note. I don't know why everybody wants to move to Vancouver.
Fortunately the visiting there was good. I spent some time getting acquainted with
my favourite brother Harold, who I don't see very often. I was reunited with Sonya
who lived with me in Cape Breton, and met her new husband. And I stayed with Marg
Jones, had Thanksgiving dinner with her and learned about her massage practice
she's opening.

I also spent a few days in Victoria. I met up with Katie's sister Annie one evening. In
the hostel I met a Scottish girl travelling with a guitar and spent hours swapping
songs (we sang Caledonia three times). And I went on a hostel field trip to see the
salmon run. It was early in the season and I only saw a half dozen salmon, but it was
extremely interesting to learn about the salmon life cycle.

Washington:

Having obtained some advice about the delicate art of border crossings, and having
disposed of my subversive literature and baggie of corn starch, I crossed the border
without a search - they seemed mostly interested in whether I was carrying any beef.
(I had been a little paranoid about the border, as the last time I tried to cross by bus I
was turned back.)

First stop was in Everett with Bob and Judy, who are internet pen pals (from my
favourite site, www.mudcat.org). I had a wonderful weekend singing and talking
about music, and they invited their friends - including several people I've also met on
the internet - over for a jam.

Oregon:

I went to Portland to see Jeanene, another Mudcat pen pal and the person I got a lot
of advice and inspiration from when I was getting into the business of doing music at
nursing homes. We went to her song circle and I got to know her friend Lee and did
some good busking. I also went out one evening with Nathan from Mudcat. In fact
most of the Americans I'm acquainted with are from Mudcat, not real life.

Washington, again:

I went to Seattle with Jeanene and attended one of her retirement home gigs, and
played a little fiddle there. Seattle seems like a nice place to live - good busking, a
good folk scene (I'm planning on going to a bluegrass jam this afternoon, then a song
circle tonight). And I found a restaurant with a vegan Thai buffet (why would you ever
stop eating?).

Overview:

This has been a great month for wildlife spotting. I saw a bald eagle on the ground,
beaver swimming, flock of trumpeter swans, grouse, literally dozens of mountain
sheep, deer, elk, and "free-range" horses, as well as a salmon spawning run. My
other encounter with nature was helping to pull porcupine quills out of a dog's nose,
but I'm trying to repress that.

In other bad news, I lost my towel. This might not seem like a big deal, but those of
you who have read "The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy" will understand the
symbolic and emotional significance to travellers of keeping track of one's towel, and
know that this is a bad omen. But there've only been two days where I hated
everybody and everything and wanted to go home, and I figure that two days in two
months is an acceptable percentage.

And I'm very pleased that I've gotten into the rhythm of writing on the bus and have
written six and a half songs on the road so far. I continue to collect stories to write
about.

So take care all, write to me, have a good fall,

Marion