My first driving lesson

This post was waiting in my saved files for a long time, but today is the special day. Today is my late grandfather's birthday. He was not only a great scientist, director of a research institute, but also a person with the biggest heart ever. He was my mentor, my friend and the ideal model of how a real man should be. This post is for you, grandpa Volodya! I miss you a lot.

See how it was built

Do you know that many car manufacturing facilities offer tours?
For example, if you live in Southern Ontario, you may visit Honda and Toyota plants. If you are willing to drive a bit longer, you may visit Ford Rouge Plant west of Detroit, MI.
Here are some links:
1. Honda in Alliston, ON
http://www.hondacanadamfg.ca/our-tours/
2. Toyota in Cambridge, ON
https://www.tmmc.ca/en/plants/plant-tours
3. Ford Rouge in Dearborn, MI
https://www.thehenryford.org/visit/ford-rouge-factory-tour/
4. Canadian Automotive Museum in Oshawa, ON
http://www.canadianautomotivemuseum.com/tours


Please feel free to comment and add more interesting tours.

Car review: 2019 Toyota C-HR XLE

We reserved a compact sedan for our one week journey through the mountains. Originally the trip was planned for 4 people, with 2 drivers and 2 suitcases. By the time of the actual trip, however, our group shrunk to two drivers and one passenger, though still with two suitcases. When we got our car, I was glad that we had just three people. 

Our car for a week was the Toyota C-HR XLE. Actually, it was a lucky coincidence, because my partner was considering it for purchase. I was trying to say gently that it is not the car for her. During our trip she came to the same conclusion without my help.

Let's start!

Jeep Cherokee

I didn't take it on the road, just checked at the show. Have to admit, that I like the design of the dashboard and panels. Intuitive,  logical,  nothing is blocked.
Would be interesting to test drive 2020 Jeep Cherokee

Subjective opinion: cars' colour

When I was young and naive my dream car was a black Ford Mustang. I wanted to have my own black horse with a lot of power, something around 460 hp. However, with aging my attraction to black cars got ruined by a rather practical view.

The Grand V-mount Hotel. Part III, the final.

We found a spot in the corner of the parking lot, got our suitcases, and went back to the room. Our food supply was left in the car - we didn't mind attracting bears to our car, but absolutely declined the idea of collecting smaller forms of life in our food. Inside, we were debating if our suitcases may stay on the floor or if we should lift them on the table. I finally risked to check the bed and removed the covers.

The Grand V-mount Hotel. Part II

We took the key and went upstairs. The smell was pretty heavy, even in the stairwell. We got to our room, which was right next to the stairs and the only one on that side of the building.

Even though the reservation was stating that it was a non-smoking room, smokers were visiting the place before more than once. A 20 year old TV was standing on the shelf under the ceiling in the corner of the room. The carpet looked pretty old, so we remained in street shoes. Beds looked smaller than the requested queen size, and they were as aged as a bottle of good whiskey. 

I decided to inspect the bathroom, to which Natty reacted with the question: "Is it safe, or would it be better to use a washroom in the restaurant?"

The place was very suspicious. We had to decide what is safer - to leave the luggage in the car and get it stolen by morning or to bring it upstairs and get a company of bedbugs or other parasites with our clothes.