Departure
I've been trying hard to figure out what to write on the verge of my six week adventure in South America, but I haven't yet had much luck. Then I remembered the piece of advice that many of us have likely received from our English teachers in the past: write about what you know. And what I know is that I'll be happy to be leaving behind the following things, if only for a while.
1. Politics on Parliament Hill. The Conservative government (or, as some like to call it, the Harper Party) has been trying its best to convince Canadians that opposed to its previous incarnations, it is now a crusader for the environment, and that it has things under control in Afghanistan. Unfortunately for them, no matter how loud Mr. Baird bellows in the House professing the earth-saving effects of banning incandescent light bulbs or the originality of their recycled Liberal climate change programming, their arguments lack serious wattage.
Same goes for Afghanistan. As Andrew Coyne pointed out so well this morning (something I'm only aware of because a certain corporation has been sending me a free copy of the Post for the past couple weeks, I swear...), the Conservatives don't know which way is up on the Afghani detainees file. The fact that 5 separate ministers offer conflicting stories on what is happening over there only goes to show the extent to which Mr. Harper has little trust in any of his Cabinet handling the actual truth, if he's aware of it at all himself.
It all leaves you with a bitter taste in your mouth, and I look forward to washing it all out on my overnight flight to Santiago tomorrow.
2. Restlessness. I've spent the past two years reminiscing about my travels in South and Southeast Asia, itching to leave the continent once more to explore places unknown. At long last, the time has finally come to pick up and go. 'Nuff said.
3. Ottawa. As attractive as it can be when the winter's ice and snow is replaced by lush green leaves, free-flowing rivers and lakes and people no longer hidden underneath their parkas and willing to spend time outdoors, it still has its sore points. Crack addicts hovering around tourists in the Byward Market and in the bus shelters outside the Rideau Centre; infrastructure in constant need of repair; and a downtown core evacuated every night as the city's professionals withdraw to the suburbs. When placed up against Santiago, Buenos Aires, Rio and Sao Paulo - despite the fact that they all, of course, have serious faults of their own - there's not much this sleepy government town of under 1 million inhabitants can do to defend itself.
All this will be here when I return, but by that point I hope to be able to face it all with an outlook refreshed by a heavy dose of Andes air, Argentine rhythm and Brazilian carnival spirit.
Cuando sale el primer autobus al aeropuerto?
1. Politics on Parliament Hill. The Conservative government (or, as some like to call it, the Harper Party) has been trying its best to convince Canadians that opposed to its previous incarnations, it is now a crusader for the environment, and that it has things under control in Afghanistan. Unfortunately for them, no matter how loud Mr. Baird bellows in the House professing the earth-saving effects of banning incandescent light bulbs or the originality of their recycled Liberal climate change programming, their arguments lack serious wattage.
Same goes for Afghanistan. As Andrew Coyne pointed out so well this morning (something I'm only aware of because a certain corporation has been sending me a free copy of the Post for the past couple weeks, I swear...), the Conservatives don't know which way is up on the Afghani detainees file. The fact that 5 separate ministers offer conflicting stories on what is happening over there only goes to show the extent to which Mr. Harper has little trust in any of his Cabinet handling the actual truth, if he's aware of it at all himself.
It all leaves you with a bitter taste in your mouth, and I look forward to washing it all out on my overnight flight to Santiago tomorrow.
2. Restlessness. I've spent the past two years reminiscing about my travels in South and Southeast Asia, itching to leave the continent once more to explore places unknown. At long last, the time has finally come to pick up and go. 'Nuff said.
3. Ottawa. As attractive as it can be when the winter's ice and snow is replaced by lush green leaves, free-flowing rivers and lakes and people no longer hidden underneath their parkas and willing to spend time outdoors, it still has its sore points. Crack addicts hovering around tourists in the Byward Market and in the bus shelters outside the Rideau Centre; infrastructure in constant need of repair; and a downtown core evacuated every night as the city's professionals withdraw to the suburbs. When placed up against Santiago, Buenos Aires, Rio and Sao Paulo - despite the fact that they all, of course, have serious faults of their own - there's not much this sleepy government town of under 1 million inhabitants can do to defend itself.
All this will be here when I return, but by that point I hope to be able to face it all with an outlook refreshed by a heavy dose of Andes air, Argentine rhythm and Brazilian carnival spirit.
Cuando sale el primer autobus al aeropuerto?
posted by Per at 10:18 a.m.
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