We have been in Canada for most of last week, with my two sons, having a great time, first in Montreal, then, as of yesterday, in Quebec City.
We experienced with purchasing insulin and have plenty to share. We have been walking around all day every day, sometimes in a blizzard, but always having fun. Thanks to Lilian, @lh378, for all the info she gave us that is so helpful! We have also been eating in some GREAT places, some of which I will share because they are just too good!
Yesterday we left the bulk of my son’s insulin in Montreal accidentally when leaving for Quebec. I had to go back to Montreal to pick it up, then back to Quebec City, I arrived at our apartment just before midnight. Hmm.
No computer with me and spotty coverage, btw. We’ll keep in touch as much as we can.
I’ve enjoyed reading about your adventures (while awake with EH coughing his head off or dealing with BG issues). Glad you’re getting out!
I’m sorry about forgetting the insulin and having to double back. I was JUST thinking about how we’ve grown so comfortable at our friend’s three story house that I’m liable to forget something. The cautionary tale is appreciated and I’ll redouble my efforts to find all the things before we check out and head to Budapest. Remembering all of things is so hard to do!
So far on this trip we’ve had sickness, a dead meter light on the primary, a dead meter battery on the secondary, a major skin irritation from shaving a spot for the Dex, and a pump adhesion issue which didn’t affect delivery. And we’ve been gone for a week. I think @Eric diagnosed the sickness by ruling out pump failure via text while we were in the cab on the way to the airport!
We’ve still had a great time! The food in Austria is excellent! We also had duck. And the Christmas tree is amazing!
Our friend took us and their Pooli dog to the snow! (This is my first attempt at iPhone to YouTube to a link…hope it works!)
I haven’t been on the internet for a few days - @Michel glad that you had a great time in Montreal. I recall the first time we drove to Le Massif, it felt like a blizzard, snow was swirling everywhere. The snowbanks on the side of the road was easily 12 feet tall. I remarked that this was uncivilized. It was all worth it as we reached our destination, the mountain Summit.
@TravelingOn the video is lovely! My son loves Austrian food, Austrian cakes, pastries, WeinerSchneitzel, all desserts and drinks mit schlag (with whipped cream)
Austria has so many desserts! I’ll think of you when I have the next one! Our host is an amazing cook and we’ve been spoiled while we have been here. I’m generally GF but am consuming gluten with an appointment to actually get tested for celiac when I return home, and while there are some serious negatives, getting to eat Austrian desserts isn’t one of them.
The gluten free desserts are the almond flour based ones, marzipan containing, or flourless. For the most part, I only taste the strudels - too much carb and insufficient fat for the combination.
I am gluten sensitive; I was tested negatively for celiac. The doctors told me that I do not have celiac, yet I can feel the difference between certain types of wheat flour. A friend of mine whose mother has similar experiences said that depending on the type of wheat/flour, new world vs old world, she can experience distress.
Thanks for sharing about the marzipan treats. I love them! I’ll keep my eye open. As it’s my partner Eric who’s the T1D in this family, I’m doing most of the dessert eating these days. We agree with you: fat/carbs too much to bolus correctly for.
Although I’ve never yet been tested for celiac disease, I’ve had IBS symptoms that resolved with elimination of gluten. I have tried twice in the last five years to eat European gluten containing breads and items, for about a month at a time, and both times I had a pretty major relapse of symptoms both times. I had been told that the wheat was different, but in practice, it makes no difference.
Funnily enough I was reading the following article today (while looking up the difference between types of yeast available in EU vs. USA). While it’s not terribly scientific it’s an interesting read and the hypothesis seemed plausible, although for me it doesn’t make a difference what kind of bread it is.
We have had quite cold weather in CA, with daily Maxima between -7 and +7F since we have been here, often with fierce winds. Yet we have never been cold. Our gear has been quite sufficient for the task:
wool socks
longjohns
zip base layer turtleneck
T-shirt or button down
sometimes fleece midlayer
good parkas
mid to high end gloves
facemasks and wool hats or parka hoods
large cheap waterproof boots or, in very cold days with snow falls, Baffin Bay boots (we did not need them, really, but they were comfy).
We were a bit worried about the cold but it really was no problem at all.
The Baffin Bay boots are great! I recall the Blizzard of 1996 and NYC buses were shut down and subway service was limited or shutdown. My Baffin Bay boots enabled me to get around town! I wanted to support the small local businesses that were negatively impacted by the snowstorm. These were my priorities: must buy rainbow cookies, biscottis and savory treats from the Italian pastry shop, and eat breakfast with Kielbasa at the Polish diner
I love my Baffin Bays! I bought a pair in 1993 that I still use every winter!!! They are my snow shoveling boots. Although I will say that my 2016 Baffin Bay pair is cushier
Because your feet look like Mickey Mouse’s when you wear them, and despite feelings to the contrary the military has a sense of humor from time to time. I did a couple of winter survival courses and slept in a depression in the ground at -52F (-46C) and my feet were warm, really amazing boots, but only useful for really cold weather.
It was cold, but the Army never said anything about making people comfortable. The cool part of temps like that, is that you can throw a cup of hot water in the air and it turns into a water vapor cloud. There isn’t anything else that is really cool about those temps.
Yes! Have you been to what used to be Neptune Diner (closed), an alternative is Little Poland-still open, and Veniero’s Italian pastry/cafe. There is also Little Japan a few blocks away where within several hundred feet are Japanese grocery store, hair salon, sushi restaurants, BBQ, bakery, sake bar, ramen shop, another bakery around the corner.
I think 
that would be amazing from a scientific nerdy perspective. I think I will pass on that amazing experience.
Have you been to what used to be Neptune Diner (closed), an alternative is Little Poland-still open, and Veniero’s Italian pastry/cafe. There is also Little Japan a few blocks away where within several hundred feet are Japanese grocery store, hair salon, sushi restaurants, BBQ, bakery, sake bar, ramen shop, another bakery around the corner.