"I thought I saw a chicken ....

"I thought  I saw a chicken, ...

... but it was really a small white dog wearing a yellow sweater." 

Yesterday the same dog was wearing a smart red plush coat with black trim.       

Magdelena and Mr. Jiang at the Vasa Nordicways Orienteering event at Jingyeun Park last weekend.

Liz with new friends Isabelle and Mr. Jiang after the race. Go Rideau!

We were put in the "Beginer [sic] /VIP" category  so it was really a jog around the lake following about 100 people, mostly foreign students, to the same control points.  However, I met some new folks and some potential run/ski training partners.

This is a fairly typical traffic situation on the multi lane road we, and hundreds of others, cross to get to Wal-Mart or the northbound #13 bus. (No collision. In two months thousands of crazy lane changes, merges and traffic circles, I have only seen one fender bender.  The drivers view the traffic as a graceful, if somewhat fast and noisy, dance.  Lanes are a suggestion at best.) Our friend E refers to these adventures as a game of Frogger.  Think of crossing the Queensway in Ottawa or the Gardiner Expressway in TO or Woodward Blvd in Detroit, with taxis randomly changing direction and vendors selling purses or corn cobs or fruit right on the road. There are lights about 300 metres down the road, but that's no better. You just get a false sense of security crossing on the green light.  However, drivers always honk.  Important rule: never pause or hesitate.  Just keep going. I may already have mentioned the preferred strategy. Wait for some Chinese people to cross and go with them, preferably on the down-traffic side.

And looking to the left ...

Have you ever driven over all those complicated over-passes in Montreal going to the Bassin olympique and wondered what it was like when the were being built? Wonder no more. The almost completed ramp on the far left is in fact on Gui Gu Da Jie, the road on which the main or north gate of the college is located about 600 metres up.  When we arrived it was a bumpy ride up a dirt road. Will it be ready before winter?

These guys hope so!