I recently posted two blog entries (#1 here, and #2 here) about unusual postcards that I received from my friends. Those entries covered the 1988 to 1998 period. But there is more…a lot more! Today’s post includes postcards from 2004 to 2018.
Chairman Mao inspecting produce – sent from Beijing on May 24, 2008
This time, the Communist postcards focused on East Asian leaders of the 20th century. Here we have Mao Tse-Tung inspecting produce in China, and Ho Chi Minh sharing some stories in Vietnam.
Ho Chi Minh regaling his followers – sent from Ben Thanh on October 14, 2007
Speaking of inspecting food, there appear to be some fairly stringent registration requirements for today’s cover photo…which naturally features a tuna vendor at a souq in Oman. The neighbouring stall specializes in mutton, but this fellow is definitely offering tuna.
My friend only made it to Santa Fe, New Mexico, but sent this card anyway on September 14, 2016
I’ve never been to New Mexico, although I had planned a ski trip to Taos (the premier ski area in New Mexico) at one time. And Colorado has always held a fascination for me, given its mountains and the “rocky” history of the NHL’s Colorado Rockies in the late 1970s. So, I’m happy to share two postcards from New Mexico and Colorado that display some synchronicity.
Colorado Corporate Culture card – sent from Denver, Colorado, on April 23, 2018
The card from Roswell reflects that town’s association with unexplained space events…although the aliens depicted there are somewhat stereotypical. I suspect any alien life forms would look quite different. Perhaps they would have the head of a deer, the body of a human, and small roller skis on their feet?
??? – Sent from Ontario’s Georgian Bay region on July 3, 2017
Finally, here is yet another postcard featuring sheep. While the last one was from New Zealand, this one is from Cyprus. Cyprus is a small island just south of Turkiye in the far eastern part of the Mediterranean Sea. This is the first time I’ve mentioned Cyprus in this blog…but will it be the last?
Foreshadowing? This was sent from Cyprus in March 2018 (although the postcard was printed in Ireland!)
Next year is shaping up to be an exceptionally interesting one for travel. I’ll have some more details in upcoming posts!
I recently had to visit Toronto to renew a passport. It was supposed to be a quick, surgical strike, although I left enough time before and after my appointment just in case there were unexpected delays.
It’s amazing what you can find in a big city!
After my train arrived, I decided to check in early at the passport office. Happily, they were able to process me right away…and after maybe 5 minutes I found myself with more than 3 hours until my return train departed! Now what?
What to choose on Dundas West…HotHot Rice Noodle, BigBelly, or Mom’s Pan-fried Bun?
I decided to walk in the direction of a couple of record stores I used to frequent in the area around Queen Street West and Spadina Avenue. But, along the way, I noticed a lot of unusual restaurants. It started with “Unholy Donuts” (see photo at the very top of this post) and continued in the same strange vein.
The Village Idiot (or L’Idiot du Village) is bilingual!
I took this strangeness as a sign: I needed to have a uniquely Toronto food experience. How else could I interpret it? Rather than head south from Dundas Street, I continued west until I got to Kensington Market.
After all these years, “King of Kensington” still means something!
It was a grey and rainy day (a rarity this year). The closer I got to Kensington Market, the more I began to crave a comforting old favourite: the pastel de choclo (Chilean Corn Pie) from Jumbo Empanadas on Augusta Avenue. I’ve written about Jumbo Empanadas before. In fact, I’ve written about it a lot. Would it still taste the same? Would Jumbo Empanadas even still exist?
My latest photo of Jumbo Empanadas
Thankfully, the answers were “yes” and “yes”. I took the additional spicy salsa ($0.50 extra, but worthwhile) and enjoyed my beloved corn pie. It is apparently similar to Mexico‘s pastel de elote or England‘s corn pudding, but I cannot vouch for that. I just know that the various tastes (sweet, spicy, salty) and textures really work for me.
My pastel de choclo (Chilean Corn Pie) from Jumbo Empanadas
To complete the experience, I had an Inca Kola (a.k.a. “Golden Cola”). While I find it too sweet on its own (it’s not too far from cream soda), this Peruvian drink worked pretty well with the corn pie. Who knew?
My view of Augusta Avenue, from my table at Jumbo Empanadas
Kensington Market looked just as scruffy as it always has. While many old favourites were there, I saw some new and inspired places too …including “Rasta Pasta”, a restaurant tackling Jamaican/Italian fusion!
Rasta Pasta, on Kensington Avenue (Toronto, Ontario)
I might have to give Rasta Pasta a try next time I’m in the Market. Not all their dishes are fusion, but I think the fusion part of their menu would be really interesting. Their Rasta Pasta is gnocchi in an Alfredo or marinara sauce, with Jamaica’s national dish, ackee & saltfish. And their Reggae Lasagna is layers of ricotta, mozzarella and steamed callaloo (similar to kale or spinach) with a spicy tomato sauce.
A cheesy institution on Kensington Avenue (Toronto, Ontario)
After ambling around the Market for a bit, I headed back to the train station via the record shops. As it turned out, I didn’t see anything of interest for my collection…and I know better than to force the issue. Besides, I can always order things through my local record store in Kingston.
Magical cheese in Kensington Market (Toronto, Ontario)
Next up…more strange postcards? More local travel experiences? Or maybe…a sneak peak at my 2026 trips? It’s all coming soon to this blog!
My previous post featured a bunch of unusual postcards sent to me by friends between 1988 and 1998. As I had so many, this post also features cards sent to me in the late 20th century!
Four postcards for the price of one, from Northern Ontario
While there really isn’t a unifying theme for all of the postcards, there are at least a couple each in the categories of bones, communism. and the Netherlands. The 1998 postcard at the very top of this post shows an ossuary in Rome, Italy. Kind of creepy, yes. But not as creepy, I think, as the inclusion of such bones in the postcard at the very bottom of this post!
The card says New Zealand has more than 50 million sheep! (1999)
The (extensive) information on the back of this Soviet-era postcard is entirely in French
This postcard from “Kiev” is from the days of the U.S.S.R. But my friend did not get this card in Kyiv (a preferred Ukrainian transliteration)…or even Europe. Instead, he found a shop in Laos (!) that seemed to specialize in postcards from the Communist world. This seemed to be a theme in Southeast Asia, as the card below from Singapore was also concerned with communism.
“Communist-inspired riots” occurred on May 12, 1955 in Singapore (1992)
And then there’s this card from Bali, Indonesia. For a place that is often described as a paradise, it was unsettling to see the skulls and uncrossed bones adorning this otherwise peaceful card. There’s even a guy waving in a friendly way! Is it for real, or is it just an act to lull us into a false sense of security?
Bali, Indonesia – a tropical paradise? (1994)
Do I have more unusual postcards? Of course! I will share some of them in the weeks ahead. But first, watch for a fun Toronto adventure that I didn’t expect to have…
I’ve been doing some cleaning and sorting, after doing some home renovations. What struck me was how many interesting and…unusual postcards I have received from friends over the years. It’s partly my fault: I try to send interesting things to my friends too.
Agadir, Morocco – where you can find the biggest couscous in the world! (1998)
This post, and several more to come in the near future, will include some of the more unusual postcards I’ve received. The first two posts are entirely from the late 1980s and the 1990s. In a nod to Spinal Tap, the photo at the very top shows (of course) Druids at Stonehenge (1997).
Azrou, Morocco – where you can find a police station! (1997)
Another card from Morocco – but I can’t speculate on who these people are, as my friend taped a Moroccan highway toll receipt over the explanation on the back! (1998)
It is impossible to see everything in the world, but having friends send along some highlights and personal impressions is certainly a cost-effective and interesting way to cover places I’ve missed. And in some cases, I received postcards from places that I ended up visiting later.
The card says this is a “Typical Moroccan Souk” – not sure I agree, as I never saw a single watermelon at any of the Moroccan souks I visited! (1997)
I’m not going to name my friends in these posts. But I know many of them read this blog, so it will be interesting to see if these postcards tweak any memories (actual or misremembered) about sending them! I say “misremembered” because sometimes more than one of my friends has been to a particular place. I’m looking at you, Rome and Berlin!
“Attention! You are now leaving West Berlin!” And the card quite rightly asks…”Well…how?” (1988)
As we advance further and further into the digital age, postcards are becoming more and more rare. But I still receive them regularly: a few of my friends share my affinity for postcards, and make a point of sending the odd and the incongruous whenever they travel. They even apologize when the only offerings are generic and conventional. (Or they don’t – see below).
No apology on this one (1988).
Due to this quest for quirks, I suspect that my postcard collection is getting progressively stranger even though postcards are harder to find these days!
Dhahran, Saudi Arabia – one of the few hotels that offers “Noble Lodging” (1998)
Finally…if postcards aren’t quite your thing and you would prefer some more conventional travel content, I will try to include links to previous posts that cover the same territory or theme as the postcards.
I recently spent nearly a week in Calgary. Ordinarily, that would provide me with at least a couple of blog posts. But that wasn’t the case this time. I was playing in the Canadian Bowler Open, probably the pre-eminent lawn bowling tournament in Canada at the moment. And I did so much bowling over the course of the tournament that I just didn’t have the time to properly experience Calgary.
The Calgary Lawn Bowling Club
The event was hosted by the Calgary Lawn Bowling Club, which must surely win the award for the coolest looking clubhouse in Canada. But, more importantly, they also have the best greens I’ve ever played on in Canada. It was an absolute pleasure to bowl there. Every rink was fast and true. I hope to return again soon – possibly for next year’s event.
This hare made several appearances on Calgary’s west green
Anyway, my observations of Calgary are basically limited to the area within a block of the club and within a block of my downtown hotel. I’ll talk about the club area first. It’s in Calgary’s Spruce Cliff neighbourhood.
Poplar Park in Calgary, Alberta
The club is a peaceful oasis, but so is the small nearby Poplar Park. But to get to Poplar Park, you have to pass a strip mall with a cool local business: Pie Junkie. They focus on pies, but also on savoury variants. No less than three times, I enjoyed the Peach Habanero BBQ (chicken) handheld stuffed pie. It had a great burn and replenished whatever nutrients I was losing in all those matches.
Pie Junkie: “Stress can not exist in the presence of pie” (Calgary, Alberta)
My hotel was not as peaceful, although that is to be expected given its downtown location. Two blocks north of the hotel was a Safeway supermarket, where I picked up snacks (and lunches, when I wasn’t stuffing myself at Pie Junkie).
My hotel in downtown Calgary
Calgary’s downtown is interesting: at one time, the Calgary Tower defined the city’s skyline. At 191 metres in height, it towered over Calgary just like the CN Tower did in Toronto. However, in recent years, the Calgary Tower was surpassed in height by other buildings. The Calgary Tower isn’t even visible in the photo below of downtown Calgary (taken from my hotel room).
Downtown Calgary, as seen from my hotel room
On my last night in Calgary, I *finally* decided to look around my downtown neighbourhood and grab a bite to eat. I found a great locally-run restaurant called Tre Vietnamese Kitchen. I had a coconut peanut satay chicken noodle soup (see photo below), and it was pretty spectacular. Just like the handheld pie at Pie Junkie, it was both spicy-hot and flavourful. I wouldn’t hesitate to have it again, especially after a hot day on the greens…or on a cold winter’s night. Anytime, really.
My coconut peanut satay chicken noodle soup, at Tre Vietnamese Kitchen
When I walked a few blocks the next morning to catch an airport bus, I stumbled across a National Historic Site called the Lougheed House. It resembled a grand old mansion that you might find in many small Ontario towns…except that it was in downtown Calgary, which is (relatively) a much younger city.
Tre Vietnamese Kitchen on 8th St SW in Calgary
I didn’t get a chance to visit Lougheed House this time around, as I was toting a very heavy suitcase and was racing against the clock to get to the airport on time. I learned the hard way that Calgary’s public transportation has some very good aspects…and some frustrating ones. Transferring from the frequent LRT trains to buses in the downtown core would be one of the frustrating ones!
Lougheed House (Calgary, Alberta)
The next time I visit Calgary, I will do some more advance planning and seek out some more special attractions. Maybe I’ll stay longer too. On this visit, I got the feeling that there was much more to be seen…but I just didn’t have the time to do it.
Yes, I’ve done a few posts featuring food in Ottawa. But I often find myself there, and the food offerings are just about as diverse as you would expect in the nation’s capital.
My dinner at The Greek Souvlaki Shack
Sometimes it’s best to take recommendations from others. I don’t often choose Greek food, partly due to my aversion to heavy doses of garlic. But one of my work colleagues suggested trying The Greek Souvlaki Shack on Bank Street, and I was happy with my large salad-laden plate. And a ton of cheese don’t hurt!
East Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa
So…about that garlic aversion. I really don’t enjoy how garlic overwhelms other flavours. I can’t avoid it completely, but I try to keep it to a minimum. I would much rather be immersed in incendiary peppers, because at least the burn disappears before long. Garlic just…hangs around. Sometimes for days. I don’t want to taste the same meal over and over again once I’ve finished it!
Centre Block (Peace Tower), Parliament Hill, Ottawa (under renovation)
But I do make some exceptions to my anti-garlic doctrine. And one of them is for Ethiopian food. I just have so much fun with the flavours, diversity, colours, and rituals of Ethiopian food that I can overlook the often garlic-heavy dishes.
The Hareg Cafe, on Bank Street in Ottawa
In Ottawa, I’ve enjoyed my meals at the Hareg Cafe, at the northern edge of the trendy Glebe neighbourhood. On this occasion, I went for the vegetarian platter. And I enjoyed the flavours, diversity, colours, and rituals just as much as ever.
Vegetarian Platter, at Hareg Cafe in Ottawa
I never make or buy injera “bread” at home, and Kingston has no Ethiopian restaurants, but that makes injera even more special every time I have it. The sourdough flavour is one of my favourites, and of course I still love eating with my hands. I’m not so good with chopsticks, so it is nice to have some skill in scooping food with injera!
The Supreme Court of Canada, Ottawa
Speaking of chopsticks, I had to use them at the Maht Korean restaurant on Kent Street. I’ve eaten there before, but this time I decided to try something new…Korean Fried Chicken!
Spicy Boneless Korean Fried Chicken at Maht in Ottawa
As you can see from the photo above, this is not a light meal. And this is the boneless version, so it’s even heavier that it first appears. The coating is not too different from Kentucky Fried Chicken (although I haven’t had it in ages). But the sauce is entirely different. I opted for the spicy version…and I got what I asked for. You can see the rich, deep red sauce on the far right.
West Block, Parliament Hill, Ottawa
Like most authentic Korean restaurants, complimentary kimchi and pickles are provided too. With kimchi delivering the usual spicy umami taste experience, my tastebuds had a full-on assault. But be careful – if the chicken comes right from the fryer, it can burn your mouth if you’re not careful!
Coming up: more Canadian content…including a trip out west!
For the last two-and-a-half months, I have been criss-crossing Ontario…mostly to play in tournaments. As a result, I haven’t had as much pure “travel” time. Special experiences, sites, and food have been squeezed in when and where possible. Here’s a sampling of what I’ve been up to.
My dinner at “My Place”, in Smiths Falls, Ontario
I like to play early season tournaments on the artificial grass surface in Nepean (Ottawa). At that time of year, most other Ontario clubs (which have natural grass) suffer from damp and very slow greens. As it is a two-hour drive, we often stop in Smiths Falls for dinner on the way home. And our favourite restaurant there is called “My Place.”
Canada geese, also known as cobra chickens, are much less threatening when they are young.
Despite the fairly anonymous name, “My Place” is clearly rooted in the cuisine of Czechia (Czech Republic) and nearby countries. Schnitzel and goulash are very well represented. I’ve never been disappointed with their food. And while dessert would have been too much, their desserts looked home-made and delicious.
The Cobourg Lawn Bowling Club has a beautiful location near Lake Ontario
In June, I went to a provincial championship tournament in Hanover, Ontario. It’s nowhere near Smiths Falls. But we had stopped in Hanover 10 years ago, on our way home from Goderich, so we looked forward to seeing what changes the intervening decade had brought. Sadly, the Dutch store on the main street was no longer there. But the Schultz Home Bakery *was* still there, and I managed to get a photograph this time!
Schultz Home Bakery, in Hanover, Ontario
But we didn’t stay in Hanover. Instead, we went to the nearby town of Flesherton. We found a freshly renovated hotel (Leela’s Villa Inn) offering large rooms and an included breakfast at the adjoining restaurant. The price was right and it was nice to stay in a quiet, small town that we had only passed through before. And apparently Flesherton is the home of former NHL player Chris Neil (for proof – see the photo at the very top of this post!).
The main intersection in downtown Flesherton, Ontario
Once again, the randomness of it all was very appealing. Stay tuned for more Ontario adventures, including a culinary tour of the nation’s capital!
For today’s post, I’ve collected some unused photos from Lyon, France…and some closing thoughts on that trip.
Le palais de justice historique de Lyon, France
A couple of months ago, I explained the reason for my trip to southern France. In a nutshell, I was hoping to qualify as Switzerland’s representative in a couple of international lawn bowling competitions. I’m happy to report that the trip was very successful in that regard. And it has some exciting travel implications too!
Street scene in Vieux-Lyon
I’ll be playing in the European Championships in Llandrindod Wells, Wales, in September 2026. And I will also be playing in the Champion of Champions Singles event in Barham, Australia, in later 2026. I can’t wait to go!
As much as I have pursued “bucket lists” in the past, I am becoming more convinced that random destinations are equally satisfying. I first tried this approach in 2014 when I decided to take my next trip to the place with the best seat sale. That ended up being Ireland, and it was a wonderful trip. I had a lot of fun preparing a detailed itinerary in a very short period of time.
One of many “streets” , on the way up to Fourvière (Lyon, France)
So, if you have any suggestions about great things to see and do in Southern Wales, or near Barham, Australia (a few hundred kilometres north of Melbourne), drop me a line. I’ll be visiting those places next year and I’m sure each one has something truly special to offer.
Rue de la République, Lyon, France
This is the last post relating to my 2025 trip to France. I’ve really enjoyed sharing all of those stories on this blog. But I’ve been travelling around Ontario (and, briefly, Quebec) for the past couple of months, so I will have some more local content coming soon!
I’ve written before about a vacation’s last day – it can often be tinged with a bit of sadness. But because of what happened in Largentière (more details to follow in my trip debrief), the paradigm had shifted on this trip. Everything I did on the last day was really just a bonus.
The FNAC music shop on rue de la République in downtown Lyon
I spent most of the last afternoon in Lyon’s grand 19th century downtown. A significant part of it is pedestrianized, so it is really a great place to be when the weather is nice (unlike my visit here in the winter of 2024!). I even revisited some familiar haunts, like the FNAC music store on rue de la République
Rue de la République, Lyon, France
Walking along the Rhône (see photo at the very top of this post) under sunny skies was a pleasure too. Topping it off with some delicious gelato (cassis, of course, this being southern France) was undoubtedly the right thing to do. I took care of some business at my hotel, before heading out for a dining adventure.
Imposing buildings like this can be found throughout downtown Lyon.
Even though I had Ethiopian food the night before, I was ready for more African food. It is much more readily available in France than in Canada, particularly West African food. Remembering my 2018 trip to northern France, when I had eaten at a Senegalese restaurant, I decided to try some Senegalese street food at a place called La Cuisine Moudery.
My “combo” at La Cuisine Moudery, Villeurbanne, France
I went for the Tiep Rouge au Poulet: basically grilled chicken with a red tomato and onion sauce. I went for the full experience – a large helping of the main course along with a typical beverage (Bissap rouge) and dessert (Beignets sénégalais). I don’t know if the photo captures the enormity of the meal, but it was too much for me. The bowl was very deep; it could have fed two people easily! The deep-fried “donuts” with a chocolate sauce were delicious but probably unnecessary.
The street was being torn up in front of La Cuisine Moudery (Villeurbanne, France)
My trip back had to Canada had an interesting twist. My Lyon hotel was right beside the train station…a location I chose deliberately. My first “flight” was actually a TGV train from Lyon to the De Gaulle International Airport in Paris. I was there in exactly 2 hours, and I didn’t have to arrive 3 hours before the train left! There was a security checkpoint at the Lyon station but it was over very quickly. The train segment was on my airline ticket.
This former railway station in Lyon has been impressively renovated and repurposed.
I had a direct flight from Paris to Montreal. Once again, I was reminded of how the glory days of economy air travel are over. I had an exit row seat, so at least I had extra legroom. But the seats are now so narrow that the legroom is no longer the only pressure point. Anticipating this, I had already treated myself to a business class seat on the train from Montreal to Kingston.
After a restorative ramble among the Roman ruins, I wanted to finally see the much-vaunted old city of Lyon (Vieux-Lyon). But first I had to descend from the mighty heights of Fourvière.
View of Lyon, halfway down from Fourvière
It took quite a long time, via a combination of winding roads and steep narrow staircases (disguised as streets). But I eventually made it, and found myself in an ancient, well-kept, warren of restaurants and souvenir shops. I don’t think I’ve ever seen as many shades of gold as I did in this part of Lyon.
There are many “streets” like this, on the way up to Fourvière
As noted during my trip to Lyon last year, Lyon is really the cradle of what we call “French cuisine.” So, it is no wonder that Vieux-Lyon is full of restaurants serving that kind of food. Many of them are called bouchons, which typically feature hyper-local Lyonnaise cuisine using local ingredients. The idea of a bouchon is very appealing to me, and I had hoped to try one for an authentic local experience.
The theme of this bouchon seems to be “small onions”
There was only one problem: Lyonnaise cuisine just wasn’t calling me today. Generally, I have enjoyed the local food in other French regions. I really enjoyed the food in Normandy and Brittany, with its emphasis on apples and cheese. And I like the Savoyard cuisine of the French Alps, which is not much different from the Alpine cuisine I enjoy so much in Switzerland. Earlier on this trip, I tried some interesting food in the Ardèche region.
An important but very narrow street in Vieux-Lyon
But I really couldn’t find a bouchon menu that appealed to me. Maybe I can attribute this to a certain level of personal pickiness when it comes to meat. Meat is definitely front-and-centre in Lyonnaise cuisine.
In Vieux-Lyon, I saw many signs for spécialités Lyonnaises
Another factor was that I had eaten a substantial breakfast at my hotel and hoped to have a special dinner later for my last evening in Europe. A light meal was all I needed. I decided to grab my lunch from a street vendor or a bakery (boulangerie). Still French, just not a bouchon.
It didn’t take long. Just across the river from Vieux-Lyon, I found a very humble looking bakery. I suspected that its customers were local. I ordered a freshly-made mushroom quiche and, with a bottle of local sparkling water, had a very simple but satisfying meal on the sidewalk outside the bakery. I must have done a very good job of fitting in: within two minutes, somebody asked me for directions.
Boulangerie Saint-Vincent (Lyon, France) – I ate at the small blue table just to the right of the front door
My trip was almost done. My flight home would leave Paris in 24 hours. But there’s still more to come from France!
