Day 2: Dorval – Québec

Took the morning train from Dorval to Québec: a four-hour ride, with free wi-fi, for only $33 Cdn! (Booked an Escape Fare ticket early on). The trip was uneventful – not having been anywhere in Canada except British Columbia for the past twenty-five years or so, I had forgotten just how much of Canada is flat! And why Canadians elect to fly over it. The scenery reminded me more of Pennsylvania than of British Columbia: fields, barns and farmhouses, spindly trees. But to make up for that, ViaRail has free wifi onboard with an entertainment system offering movies and more. On this trip I didn’t use it much, preferring to look out the window and just enjoy the rail experience.

At the very beginning of the trip we rolled into Montréal’s central station and then out again – backwards! After which we switched tracks and proceed on toward Québec (forwards again). Interesting way of doing things!

Rolling into Montréal

We pulled into the Gare du Palais ahead of schedule, just before mid-day. Michel, the organiser of the Terra Icognita festival, picked me up and took me to my hotel, with a couple of stops along the way. He needed to drop by the festival venue and then at the printers’ to pick up festival posters and T-shirts.

La Chapelle - The Terra Incognita festival venue in a former church converted into a theatre

 Another swanky hotel – could get used to this way of travelling! Nice cushy beds and not one, not two, but FOUR pillows each – I’m sharing a room with Marcella, the guitarist, who was due to arrive later in the evening.

On the downside, this hotel is also located out in suburbia, in a semi-industrial area. There are some shops and restaurants around, separated by vast expanses of concrete. I ventured out to purchase a North American charger for my phone and get some lunch, then retired to my swanky hotel room and cushy bed for an afternoon nap. Michel woke me up calling to say he would be back around 7 pm to drop off the members of Glasshammer, a band from Chatanooga, Tennessee that will be playing at the festival Saturday night, and pick me up to go to the first night of the festival, featuring Yes cover band Yessongs. 

Press coverage in one of the local papers

The La Chapelle programme

Glasshammer and I got seats in the back row next to the sound technicians’ booth, because the venue was packed solid with a very lively audience that clapped, cheered and called out after every single song! Some of them had come from as far away as Michigan and even Vancouver. I can’t wait to play for these people on Sunday!

After the concert Michel, Francine and I drove out to the airport to pick up (most of) the rest of the band. We are all here now except for Daniele, the bassist, who arrives tomorrow night!