A stroll in the Public Gardens
Turns out there is a herbal remedy for when you feel too hot. Even when the thermometer is at record levels. Unfortunately, it doesn’t work for everybody (meaning men). One of the factoids I learned this morning after we tracked down a health food store using the accumulated knowledge of mankind served up by my friend Google.
Record heat means finding new ways to remain calm and collected. We opted for an afternoon in the shade of the Public Gardens, listening to jazz from the nearby bandstand. The concession serves up delicious ice cream, with a very specific presentation.
Take two scoops of your base flavour (strawberry, chocolate or vanilla) and smush them on a refrigerated marble counter. Blend in some interesting flavour “add-ins”, in my case a scoop of tart cranberries and serve it up in a waffle cone. Just thinking about it makes me want to return.
The supper hour was on variable time, due to other visitors who were MIA, so it wasn’t until a dance program where everybody seemed to get through to the finals had ended that we took a leisurely drive out to Bedford. About 10 km north of the city proper.
For scenery, the container port and a great rail marshalling area gave way to an avenue of older motels. As well, a royal structure dating back to the days before responsible government can be seen along the shoreline: the Rotunda, from Prince Edward’s Lodge. All of this dates back to before the divided highway craze, when most inbound traffic followed the rail route. Now, the narrow road with hundreds of small businesses serves as a magnet for slow-moving rush hour commutes.
Our destination: Chickenburger. When authentic often means ersatz, it’s a pleasure to get a good takeout meal done the “real” way. Small pieces of chicken served up on a bun, along with a good soup, fries with gravy and a cold beverage. The furnishing are Diner Classic, under the yet another rotunda, with a jukebox and the call of order numbers. Let’s face it; when a place is still boasting a full parking lot, long after the end of hostilities in Europe, you’ve got a winning combination.
