h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Montreal, Quebec – October 1, 2006

On the way out of Canada we see a pick-up truck loaded with dead bodies waiting to clear American customs. I wonder how the driver expects to get the macabre load though the new American red tape. Apparently dead bodies are not a problem. They bring out a dog to sniff around and then waive the driver through to the American side.

Earlier we had driven into Montreal in the Canadian Province of Quebec. Mrs. Phred and Judy want to see the old city first. I sit in the backseat with the laptop and GPS and navigate them precisely to where I deduce it must be: near the river in an area of twisted narrow streets.

The parking meter instructions are in French. I go and search for change and return to find a $37 (Canadian) French parking ticket on the Toyota. We wander the old city and have lunch in the open air in an outdoor café with a live jazz band. I eat a veal crepe with a glass of Sauvignon Blanc.

While we are eating, a highway overpass near the city collapses burying several cars and their occupants. Survivors are taken to local hospitals. The dead are still under the rubble. No official body count has been released.

Judy and Carol also want to see the underground city. I navigate to the center of the huge city, find a parking space and pay for parking with a credit card. We go down into the underground shopping caverns that extend down several levels under the streets. I lead them around for an hour and pop up next to the car.

It rained all day today. We stay inside and watch two rented DVDs. One was the “The World’s Fastest Indian” with Anthony Hopkins. The other was a funny English low-budget zombie release called “Shaun of the Dead”. Tomorrow we move near the White Mountains in New Hampshire. Mount Washington is the tallest point in the northeastern US. We hope to reach the top.

The image of four large dead buck deer with their feet up in the pick-up remains very vivid. It’s the last shot.
http://good-times.webshots.com/slideshow?ID=554506217

My wife forgot her papers when we went to Montréal for the weekend. When we were coming back we were pulled aside and as soon as we got into the office. she launched into this high-speed explanation as to why she had forgotten to bring along her immigration documents. The customs officer eventually started to laugh, and then let her through.

Montréal is a beautiful city. We were there the day Brazil beat Italy in the 2004 World Cup Final. In seconds the main street was packed with Brazilian revellers.

I have fond memories of Montréal - the park outside of the city is beautiful - went there about this time of the year eight years ago and the colours of the trees were superb. The modern art museum is great as well.

I also remember the underground city - having made a repeat visit in February 98, just after they had the ice storm, I understood why they did it that way...

sprout

I usually insist that Mrs. Phred only respond to direct questions (in as few words as possible) when we are clearing customs. I carry her passport in my own pocket due to her unfortunate habit of leaving purse, sunglasses and credit cards laying on shop counters and restaurant tables...it is a lovely ciry, larger than I hadexpected...I stumbled upon an old mystery book last nonth titled "The Main" about a Montreal police lieutenant...wonderfully dark and mysterious...enjoyed it immensely...by an author with the pen name Trevanian...He wrote, as Trevanian:

The Eiger Sanction (1972)
The Loo Sanction (1973)
The Main (1976)
Shibumi (published May 14, 1979)
The Summer of Katya (published March 25, 1983)
Incident at Twenty-Mile (published September 21, 1998)
Hot Night in the City (published May 10, 2000)
Crazyladies of Pearl Street (June, 2005)

Hi Sprout,

Mrs. Phred thought that the vast underground shopping area reminded her of another place we had once been...I thought that she might be remembering a shopping mall under a park in Edinburgh, Scotland...

The trees in the park by the river were just turning color...orange, red, yellow...we hope to see more this week...

Reminds me of the De Niro film, "The Score" - set in Montréal. Very enjoyable.

I've certainly seen nothing like the underground city in the UK - but I don't know Edinburgh.

Talking of films, the film of the Eiger Sanction (mentioned in Phred's book list) has a bit of a cult following amongst climbers.

Clint Eastwood climbs the North face of the Eiger knowing that at least one person in the team is trying to kill him. They all plunge to their deaths by various means. It's quite tense...

Does this sound like your author?

sprout

Yes...Trevanian also wrote the "Eiger Sanction" which was made into a movie starring Clint Eastwood...There was speculation that Trevanian was actually Robert Ludlum, but the author's true identity was revealed before his death in 2005...I'll be looking for more of his books...

I remember reading Eiger and Shibumi, years back. I like the style...

The building in #31 looks like the one from The Devil and the White City, the one built by the serial killer.