C'est la gastronomie qui inspecte les hommes et les choses, pour transporter d'un pays à l'autre tout ce qui mérite d'être connu, et qui fait qu'un festin savamment ordonné est comme un abrégé du monde, où chaque partie figure par ses représentants.
Anthelme Brillat-SAVARIN


Day 9

am

pm (cool)

Rides = 8
Arrival = Toronto
km travelled = 399
$ spent = $6.00 (Youth Hostel book, food)
Time passed on the road = 11 am - 7 pm
km walked = 5+





I left around 11 am and took a bus toward the Highway 7. It's raining. This is the first time that I am hitchhiking in the rain. I am soaked but totally happy. I am getting rides and before I know it, I am in the middle of Peterborough. It is a strange place. People are staring at me intensely while driving by. They slow down, almost stop and turn their rubber necks like periscopes searching for anything unusual or suspect. It's like they never saw a hitchhiker. I was happy to get a lift for Toronto.

From now on, everything is new. It was my first time in Peterborough and it is my first time in Toronto. I am going directly to Billy's place. Billy is another friend from Canada World Youth. I did not get to know him much because, after a month, he was actually kicked out of CWY. Billy is from a wealthy family and he was living a life of luxury apart from the group. Because we all had to cook the meals and that many of us were, 'clumsy with food', Billy ended up dining out a lot. After a while they told him that it would be better if he was doing his own thing, back home... Billy was not there, but I was welcomed by the three maids from the Philippines. We sat at the table and they served me the most delicious series of dishes. The more I ate, the more they brought. Chicken, eggplant, fancy meats, exquisite sauces, sea salt, the most juicy tomatoes in the country. This was a great feast and an amazing welcoming by those three women.

Billy arrived with his father. Right away he said: "Let's smoke a joint to celebrate the reunion." I felt kind of funny, his father was right there. The old man looked at me laughing and said: "Don't worry I smoke more than my son!" So we did. Billy told me that he is flying to Vancouver in two weeks. We made plans to meet over there and to hitchhike together to California.


-Daniel





mister
dugas

www.dandatadugas.com