Where were we...

Ah yes, we were just getting over the incredible trip to Sicily and Rome, working that 10 lbs. back off, making it through an incredibly hot but unusually dry Atlanta summer, when we found out The Machine was heading to Canada for a month. He was to do an exchange thing for his work BUT he had a couple of weeks to kill before ending up in Ottawa. The lovely Marla was going to help him pass the time and they were going to Montreal and Quebec City. We had no choice but to meet them there...

Montreal. Loved it.

We spent a fantastic day at the fantastic farmer's market at the height of harvest season - along with a walk through Petite Italie. Lupo loved that, and I could see why. It really was a little Italy and he felt at home with his "brothers".

We wandered all over the city, we ate St. Viateur bagels, we drank beer at Else's while playing "Pass the Pigs", we had some amazing cappucino and pastries.

We visited the Olympic stadium, then wandered through the Botanical Gardens, collapsing on the grass and acting like a bunch of teenage girls when we got too hot (they were having a heat spell) and exhausted to carry on.

Marissa nad I didn't have as much time as our two compatriots, so we returned to Atlanta after the long weekend and they soldiered on to Quebec City. They, of course, loved it.

For us, Montreal sealed the deal. We had to go to Paris.

Stay tuned for Paris, in part three...