“The-true-north-”from-Toronto-to-Montreal

“Thetruenorth”fromTorontotoMontrealThenextmorningthebushesandmapletreesoutsidetheirwindowswerered,goldandorange,andtherewasfrostontheground,confirmingthatfallhadarrivedinCanada.AroundnoontheyarrivedinToronto,thebiggestandmostwealthycityinCanada.TheywerenotleavingforMontrealuntillater,sotheywentonatourofthecity.TheywentupthetallCNTowerandlookedacrossthelake.Inthedistance,theycouldseethemistycloudthatrosefromthegreatNiagaraFalls,whichisonthesouthsideofthelake.ThewaterflowsintotheNiagaraRiverandoverthefallsonitswaytothesea.Theysawthecoveredstadium,homeofseveralfamousbasketballteams.Astheywalkednorthfromtheharborarea,LiDaiyusaid,LinFei,oneofmymother'soldschoolmates,liveshere.Ishouldphoneherfromatelephonebooth.TheymetLinFeiaroundduskindowntownChinatown,oneofthethreeinToronto.OverdinneratarestaurantcalledThePinkPearl,thecousinschattedwithLinFei,whohadmovedtoCanadamanyyearsearlier.WecangetgoodCantonesefoodhere,LinFeitoldthem,becausemostoftheChinesepeopleherecomefromSouthChina,especiallyHongKong.It'stoobadyoucan'tgoasfarasOttawa,Canada'scapital.It'sapproximatelyfourhundredkilometersnortheastofToronto,soitwouldtaketoolong.ThetrainleftlatethatnightandarrivedinMontrealatdawnthenextmorning.Atthestation,peopleeverywherewerespeakingFrench.ThereweresignsandadsinFrench,butsomeofthemhadEnglishwordsinsmallerletters.Wedon'tleaveuntilthisevening,saidLiuQian.Let'sgodowntown.OldMontrealisclosetothewater.Theyspenttheafternooninlovelyshopsandvisitingartistsintheirworkplacesbesidethewater.AstheysatinabuffetrestaurantlookingoverthebroadStLawrenceRiver,ayoungmansatdownwiththem.Hello,mynameisHenri.I'mastudentattheuniversitynearby,hesaid,andIwaswonderingwhereyouarefrom.ThegirlstoldhimtheywereonatraintripacrossCanadaandthattheyhadonlyonedayinMontreal.That'stoobad,hesaid.Montrealisacitywithwonderfulrestaurantsandclubs.MostofusspeakbothEnglishandFrench,butthecityhasFrenchcultureandtraditions.Welovegoodcoffee,goodbreadandgoodmusic.ThatnightasthetrainwasspeedingalongtheStLawrenceRivertowardtheGulfofStLawrenceanddowntothedistanteastcoast,thecousinsdreamedofFrenchrestaurantsandredmapleleaves.