Reflections of Quebec

Last month I played a concert tour of Quebec in Canada. I must say that it was probably the coldest place I've been to so far! Before the first concert, my host Dave, took me into Quebec City via the ferry. I think it hit about -35C with the wind chill. My "All Blacks" bini, just didn't cut it. But in direct contrast to the weather I found the people to be really lovely and warm, even when Dave lost a game of Cyber Ice-Hockey on the X-Box 5-2!!! (HA) I arrived in Montreal, and caught the first available bus up to Quebec. We did a little sight-seeing around the area for a couple of days, and I must say the snow is really cool (you don't get a lot of it in Australia). The first concert was great. There were many people and they were a very responsive audience, even though my french was a little rusty! A couple of days later we drove into the rural area of Quebec and played a concert in St-Georges. What a lovely place, where the concert near sold out. It was a little chapel that played in with nice acoustics, and one of the local artists in the audience drew a protrait of me as a gift. That was really unexpected but totally cool! The following day Dave and I drove to Montreal, where I was dropped off to my host Isabelle's place. Once again the concert there near sold-out and the people were so warm and friendly. I fooled them to think I could speak french...but I only said "Good Evening, I am sorry but I don't speak french". I was looked after by Christian, who took my all around Montreal, and gave me some idea of the history of the place. Thank you Christian - that was a great day. Now I'm back in Australia. It is about an 70C rise, from -35C to about 35C. I didn't like it when the captain said over the pacific "Ladies and Gentlemen, we have to go back to Vancouver as one of the Engines isn't working..."...!?!?!? But I'm now back into the practise mode, getting ready for the Concerto (Tedesco) in April and a concert tour of New Zealand later this year. John