The holiday fades but not the clang !

I have re-adjusted to the daily routine. Holiday mode, now a distant memory! Two weeks ago I was making my packing list. Today, I barely remember being away.

As an appetizer of what lies ahead for the remaining summer months and fall, I ended the weekend with a visit to the provincial jail, Headingly Correctional Centre (HCC).

The eerie sound of the prison door clanging is a sound I first heard many years ago when I started practicing law. Since my call to the Bar there have been many changes in law and in my practice but the "clang" has not changed. It is a sound you never forget!

The appetizer - a visit to an in-custody accused awaiting trial. A taste of the force of law. Most are unlikely to get a taste of criminal law. Most never hear the clang.

My hearing of the "clang”, being locked in and walking away freely after an hour is a privilege; a reminder of the opportunities afforded to me as a member of the legal profession and the responsibilities that come along with those opportunities and privileges.

HCC might not house the rich and famous like Dominique Strauss-Kahn (DSK) who spent a number of days at Riker's Island in New York after being hauled off an Air France flight following a complaint of sexual assault on a hotel maid. Nevertheless, the DSK matter is a good reminder that we should never pre-judge or judge any case based on argumentum ad hominem or by reason that an individual is in pre-trial detention before the evidence is complete.

There may never be a day in Winnipeg where a DSK-like individual is arrested and detained at HCC, but like DSK, those at HCC are presumed innocent until convicted, and my job is no different than if I were defending DSK.

A Picnic in the park - Manitoba style!

In my Sunday July 10 blog I described our Sunday stroll through the Jardin des Tuileries to and from the Louvre. The Jardin I observed was full of people enjoying picnics. Good company, good food and for many a good bottle of wine as well. A very civilized way to enjoy a day away from the the business of life in a public park.

On my return home the lawyer in me needed to confirm my recollection of the Manitoba Liquor Control Act prohibition against consumption of liquor in a public place. Well, my memory was correct, section 120 of the Act makes it an offence to consume liquor in a public place. What better way could there be to spoil a romantic afternoon in the park than a ticket for bringing along and uncorking your favorite wine with your edibles.

I am not sure why Manitobans are so less civilized than the Parisians that Manitobans need to be controlled by such paternalistic legislation with quasi-criminal consequences.

Those who know me, know that all too often I choose a can of Coke over a glass of red. Nevertheless, I would prefer not to be treated like a child and face punishment for enjoying a picnic Parisian style.

From the wind and rain of the Open to a Prairie Heat Wave

On Sunday morning with a full back pack of rain gear and newly purchased Hunter boots from Selfridge's we went to St. Pancras Int'l station for our last train ride to and from Sandwich. The plan, similar to Friday, was to find a seat at the 18th hole bleacher and park for the day. Mission accomplished.

Sunday's weather, mostly windy with downpours, are conditions most golfers tend to avoid, but for those playing the Open. Weather is a big part what makes the Open, the Open! The Open pits weather conditions and course terrain against the players.

We were seated amongst locals rooting for Darren Clarke. Steph and I were quietly hoping that Lefty could hold the challenge he offered up in the front nine. Sadly, Phil faltered and lost his chance to win the Open.

Only four players scored under par and and three were at level par. This group of seven included 5 Americans (Phil Mickelson, Dustin Johnson, Chad Campbell, Anthony Kim and Ricky Fowler). The other 2 were Thomas Bjorn and Darren Clarke.

A review of the leaderboard shows the Americans had a good final rounds but were ultimatley victims of the weather. Clarke, on the other hand, managed to hold on to the lead he captured Friday when weather conditons were best.

The Open results challenge US golf media commentary that young American golfers lag behind the Europeans.

Here is the link to the Open website for the complete Leaderboard - http://scoring.opengolf.com/scorecentreplus/ .

In 2009 we were at the PGA Championship (the tournament Tiger lost to Y.E. Yang). It is hard to say which of the two tournaments was the better. The Open, however, is a very special experience given the challenges of links golf and weather conditions.

Time to start saving for St. Andrews!

We departed London Monday morning and arrived safely in Winnipeg that evening with our baggage greeted to a heat wave (32 C). Air Canada did not disappoint and came through with the anticipated delays, conflicting information and poor customer service.

Tuesday was back to work.

I am always amazed by how quickly a vacation becomes a distant memory.

Cut Day for the Golfers (and me)

We took the train out to Sandwich early Friday morning to watch the "cut" round which reminded me, that much like those golfers ending their play at the Open 2011, my trip is ending on Sunday.

You, me - we all have been in a bunker or two in our lifetime. The 4th hole bunker at Royal St. George's is like no other I have seen. This bunker reminds us that no matter how deeply in trouble you maybe, on the golf course or in life, there is a way out and never give up.

We walked around the course on Friday and then settled in at the 18th hole green. We sat in the bleachers and there waited for each pair to arrive. Unless you are a diehard fan of a particular golfer and need to follow hole by hole, waiting for the golfers to come to you, is, in my opinion, a better plan. Eventually they all arive. At the 18th hole with good binoculars one can see the drive and with the naked eye the second shot and the green. I recommend that spot, especially if you are unfamiliar with the course.

We saw many of those who were to survive the day - Darren Clarke, Phil Mickelson, Y.E. Yang, Trevor Immelman, Tom Watson, Davis Love III, Bernhard Langer, Lee Westwood, Martin Kaymer, Louis Oosthuizen and many more.

It was a fabulous sunny warm day and the red skin was a small price to pay for a great day of golf.

Saturday (today) was out last day in the city proper.We roamed about Oxford Street, on a very rainy Saturday, and ended the day with the evening show of Jersey Boys at the Prince Edward Theatre. The production is one of, if not, the best musicals I have seen. A production that is about the music - no fanfare, costuming, elaborate sets - thoroughly entertaining and strongly recommended. In addition to the listening pleasure you learn of the many songs written by Bob Gauido, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bob_Gaudio .

Tomorrow we are back to the final round of the Open. We have our wellingtons and rainwwear ready as the forecast is much like today - rain and wind.

Here are the final pairings,

http://www.opengolf.com/en/TeeTimes/TeeTimes.aspx .

A day away from the Open

As the golfers started their weekend work we stayed in London to take in a few more sights. The golf plan was a practice round, cut day and the final round. It is a long day when travelling by train about 4 hours to and from Royal St. George's and watching a few hours of golf.

Today we took in Westminster Abbey

The Tower of London

London Bridge

And Harrod's

We ate dinner at a local bistro called Sandy's - the food was mediocre and not as good as the Bonfire Bistro.

Tomorrow we are back to Royal St. George's to watch the golf and take in some of the details described in an article at http://www.golf365.co.za/

"The course is not a traditional out and back layout. There is nothing artificial about Royal St George's; there is a natural look and feel to the course that blends beautifully into the surroundings, with wild flowers, dune grasses and the sweet song of the lark. Commanding views over Pegwell Bay and the white cliffs of Dover ensure an amazing experience.

All the holes are very different and memorable, a true sign of a great golf course.

Royal St George's also has some unique features; thatched roof shelters, the red cross of St George on their flags, and that astonishing bunker on the 4th hole that has been cut into a huge dune.

It's the UK's tallest and deepest bunker. If you can carry that famous bunker on this 470-yard par four, then you can enjoy the peace of the fairway beyond, called the 'Elysian Fields".

The par three 6 is called the 'Maiden'. Let Bernard Darwin explain why: "There stands the 'Maiden' steep, sandy and terrible, with her face scarred and seamed with black timbers, but alas! we no longer have to drive over her crown: we hardly do more than skirt the fringe of her garment.

'Suez Canal' is the 14th - so called, according to Darwin, because; "many a second shot have found a watery grave".

The 15 is considered architecturally to be one of the most impressive in golf because the fairway bunkers are virtually symmetrical."

This trip is winding down with only 3 days remaining - 2 for golf and one day to pick up some trinkets, treats and take in Jersey Boys.

Carnaby Street, Gordon Ramsay and Ian Poulter - there is a lot going on in this city!!

This evening is catching up time after a long day at Royal St. George’s in Sandwich, England.

The best way to see London is on foot, however navigating the summer crowds can be frustrating but easily remedied by taking the subway, if you must.

Tuesday we chose walking even after our morning run in Hyde Park. It was a good way to work up our appetite in anticipation of our dinner at Gordon Ramsay's Maze Grill - http://www.gordonramsay.com/mazegrill/ . Somewhat reminiscent of most steak houses they begin the dining experience with displaying the raw cuts at table side. Maze Grill did not disappoint when it came to service - the table hostess, the sommelier, the waiter and busboys all put on a good show.

We ordered from the al carte menu. I began with the soft shell crab appetizer. For the main both of us had a filet of Aberdeen Angus grass fed, aged 28 days. Sides are to be shared and we ordered thick cut fries, Portobello mushrooms and the tomato, basil, feta salad. For dessert Steph had the orange sorbet and I had the sundae.

In short all of Steph's choices were good and on my list only the soft shell crab stood out. The filet was ordered rare and arrived somewhere between blue and rare, under seasoned and much like the kind of meal that would disappoint Chef Ramsay on any one of his reality cooking shows. The sundae was pedestrian.

Steph rated the evening as a B / B+ and I could give it no more than a C / -C. I did not complain about my meal at the restaurant choosing to write off the experience as a bad night for the kitchen or being the lucky fellow to get a cut from the tapered end of the loin. Picture a triangle for the cut I received and it will then be easy to understand how grilling such a piece requires more care than a centre round.

This morning  (Wednesday) we were on the train early to watch the Wednesday practice round of the 140th Open Championship.

Back to the train again, this time we took the Southeastern high speed service to and from the course. The non-stop direct service does not start until Thursday. Like our experience on the Eurostar the train was seemless and on time.

This is our second attendance at major golf tournament and The Open did not disappoint. The venue is well organized and staffed. Many grandstands for seating and the weekend weather forecast offers a full menu of challenges.

We did get a caught up in the autograph frenzy and both of us managed to get a few. I am now the proud owner of a hat autographed by Ernie Els, Jim Furyk, Bo Van Pelt, J. B. Holmes, Davis Love, Steve Marino, Mark O'Meara, Justin Leonard Jason Dufner and Ryo Ishikawa and others.

Throughout the day we were abe to get a few good pics on the practice putting green and here in no particular order are some player pics

Ross Fisher

Luke Donald

Nick Watney

Lee Westwood

Ernie Els

Rory M

And of course the stimpmeter crew,

We are returning to the course on Friday - cut day! I do hope this guy survives, for all of what he may be faulted he is nevertheless a colourful guy

"Land of Hope and Glory", but.... what happened to my copy of the News of the World!

We left for London by Eurostar yesterday. The train ride was very smooth, fast and comfortable.

We departed on time and arrived on time - Air Canada should set set a small goal for itself by trying to do the same. Perhaps with hourly, daily and weekly repetition working toward a habit Air Canada might get there.

We started out Monday morning with a walk around our neighbourhood to acquaint ourselves with the surroundings and landmarks to get our sense of direction. Steph had run earlier in Hyde Park so we headed there to show me how close we are to the park. En route we met these fellows out for a morning trot.

Now, can you imagine stop lights at intersections for this mode of travel!

From the park we walked back to Oxford Street and started our stroll up the street with walk through

The day was busy - Marble Arch, Oxford Street, Bond Street, Grosvenor Square, Green Park and many more! We ended our daytime walkabout with a visit to the Buckingham Palace.

Yes, we did see the palace guards



The kitsch for the day was our evening roll on the London Eye

For the faint of heart the roll is verrrrry slow and the pods are enclosed and secure 

For the view of Big Ben and Parliament the ride is well worth the expense

Tired and hungry we slogged our way back to our room stopping at Rotten Ronnie's for a snack.

When I bit into my burger I thought what a contrast this is to our upcoming dinner at Gordon Ramsay's Maze Grill.

P.S. for all you "Royals" out there, the Palace one more time

Paris to London



When I woke up I asked myself, would watching the Paris Triathlon be any better than watching a triathlon at home? Moreover, when a famous woman "calls" suggesting that you come for a visit before leaving town the triathlon quickly moves off the agenda.

So there you have it - The Louvre or The Triathlon? As you can see there was no contest.

We were somewhat concerned that we had not purchased an entry ticket in advance. On arrival we encountered a short line up and were inside, much to our surprise, within 25 minutes and able to spend our final day in Paris with da Vinci, Rembrandt and many other good people.

We strolled through the Jardin des Tuileries to and from the Louvre.

The "Jardin" was alive with energy - tourists from around the globe, Parisians, trinket and water hawkers (whose voices and accents I have not heard since my last visit to India), joggers, lovers, dreamers and philosophers.

And so it ended, Summer in Paris!

Au revoir Paris, nous retournerons un jour bientot!

 

Paris in the Summer

I have spent the last 2 days, with Stephanie, roaming the streets of Paris, a city that has been off my travel radar form more than 30 years. I am, admittedly, not much for historical buildings and museums but there is, I confess, an atmosphere and energy created by the surroundings that makes Paris addictive.

On Saturday afternoon Steph and I had lunch in the Jewish Quarter at Chez Hanna. Timeout Paris writes,

Chez Hanna
FAMOUS FALAFELS
‘Often imitated, never equalled’ is the motto of the world-famous L’As du Fallafel down the street, but Chez Hanna proves otherwise with its falafel sandwiches bursting with crunchy chickpea-and-herb balls, vegetables and tahini sauce. You can order them to take away or grab a seat at one of the wooden tables.
Chez Hanna, 54 rue des Rosiers, 4th (+33 1 42 74 74 99) Métro St-Paul. Meal for two with wine and service: around €50.

While there I bumped into an old friend from Winnipeg now living in Vancouver. As cheesy as the it may sound the "world is a small place".

 

Due to Air Canada delays we arrived late and missed one full day of the trip. I am more than annoyed but little can be done to recover the day other than to return.

We have eaten at two very good restaurants, Le Bistronomes at 34 rue de Richelieu - http://www.lesbistronomes.fr/ and Le Cheche Midi at 22 rue de Cherche Midi - http://www.lecherchemidi.fr/ - and recommend both.

Unfortunately tomorrow is our last day here and we have a few things left on the agenda but the discovery of the Paris Triathlon might cause a diversion from the plan.