Les Bois

OK, so you intrepid fans know that we made it to Ramouski. We would like to back up to a depanneur (variety store for our Toronto friends) in Quebec City. John was shopping for supplies and asked the lady in his fluent french what it was like down river to which she replied without hesitation "apres Quebec.......les bois" (again for our Toronto friends - after Quebec City.....the woods". This indicated to us that from here on in the area we were entering was a cultural, and topographical wasteland. We have found the complete opposite to be true. Ramouski is a metropolitain and cosompolitain city of great diversity.

Upon entering the harbour the young guy who manages the Marina, Phillippe, informed us that it was an exciting place to be, his girl friend was stabbed in the back in broad daylight recently which proved to him and us it's just like Montreal or New York.

As some as you know John injured his hand just before leaving on our adventure, he's been looking after his wounds religiously but his index finger was starting to look pretty gross. We decided that a visit to the hospital in Ramouski was probably a good idea 'cause down river from here there doesn't look like many medical facilities will present themselves. To that end end he jumped on a marina bicycle with trusty map in hand and took off for the nearest hospital. I'll let John take over from here as our cultural education is about to take a great leap forward.

It must first be noted that Rimouski is a very friendly place. While in the waiting room in the hospital, a large one, uncomfortable people were quick to make eye contact and spoke freely with one another and me while waiting. After my wait, five minutes confirmed that "no pus - no problem" should be the operative medical advice to follow, so on we will go with no prescription renewal. On my bike ride back to the boat I stopped for a sandwich at Tim Horton's. The friendliness was consistent, however this time, despite the wardrobe and high heels, it was from perhaps the most unappealing woman I have seen in a while. I had seen her with a friend standing near the drive thru lane in the front of the restaurant. When she ordered, the explanation for "her look" became apparent. It seems the the voice change surgery had not yet been conducted. Perhaps the other bits had been, I didn't ask. It seems that you can get more that coffee when you drive thru at Tim's in Rimouski.

We slept under howling winds and rain and pretty sure that today would be a day off. Morning VHF gale warnings confirmed it. Breakfast was served to us at a different Tim Horton's right near the marina and was uneventful. It seems though that if there are two things that bind the people Canada, they are the CBC and Tim Horton's. You could be anywhere in the country when you are in a Tim Horton's. They seem to be the cultural "solid ground" of this land, with only a few colourful variations presenting themselves from time to time.

We plan to lay low for the day, except to go for tea on a 40 ' boat sailing from Ottawa to Halifax captained by the new owner and crewed by the boat's ventors. Tea's ready, gotta go. We will try to do this again tomorrow.

donandjohn - over oand out