For two days in May, some of the CAFA family from the East Coast had a weekender in Montreal, Canada. The three pairs of Sarah & Charlie Calley, Nore & Didi Lim and Oni & Bili Mayo had a mini-reunion in that wonderful French-speaking city. The group stayed in Marriot Courtyard, a convenient 3 star hotel along Sherbrooke Street. Recommended by Sarah, it had a 2-day incentive package (plus a $50 promotional discount certificate in a French restaurant) that suited the purpose.
For the Mayo tourists in the USA, the Canadian adventure started on May 14, Thursday when the Lims picked them up in Manhattan in their trusty Montero. It was a scenic 6 hour drive up chilly upstate NY that gave the foursome enough time to exchange news. The conversation was spiced with Nore's continuous appeals for the daredevil Didi to watch the speed limit. The overcast sky, light drizzle and gusts of wind that tend to nudge the Montero out of lane added to Nore's concern. But Didi the adventurer was unperturbed and up to the task. Did you know that Didi had participated in squabbles with border guards of Latin American countries for being too adventurous? In the middle of the trip, the phone rang and it was good to exchange greetings anew with guess who . . .the now Texan, Romy Ballesteros. Ever the considerate CAFA fellow, Romy just wanted to say hello and I'm glad to hear that everything's fine at his end.
The Calleys came to Montreal direct from nearby Vermont. Over dinner the three couples had a fun time trying out the different fares in the menus and exchanging news and views. Did you guys know that the Calleys produce their own meat? Charlie is now quite a rancher that he can actually command his herd of sheep and cows to behave themselves while he and Sarah go on vacation. (the electric fence keeps them in place and their food is, well, on the ground). In addition, the enterprising couple also produce commercial maple syrup (so tedious to extract and expensive to buy) from the many maple trees in their estate.
It was like old times. For two days, the CAFA group traded stories; sampled the fine Montreal streetscape, sights, weather and cuisine; and discussed future plans that included the next CAFA reunion. The group had fun conjuring the scenario for the next reunion. It could be a laid-back kind of get together or something else (that gets the juices flowing). If the reunion will be a stress-free simple get-together there would still be the need for a champion to research the sites, places to see and overall guide us to the interesting and affordable (cheap?) places.
The original plan to hold it in the US remains a popular option. The options for other places like Canada and even Shanghai however look interesting. Our Canada experience was great and wish that the gang can enjoy it too. Meanwhile, Nore will participate in a food fest in Shanghai next year and we can take that opportunity. For the adventurous, Mexico and Afghanistan are out of the question, I think.If the reunion will ultimately be in the USA, places like LA, Santa Barbara, and Las Vegas were mentioned. And if the reunion were to be anytime soon, it would be necessary for the group to come to a consensus on the date, the place and the activities. And of course, the point man will be necessary. Any volunteers?
The floor is now open for suggestions and comments.
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