The Loosey-only vacation has been booked!

I took into consideration the polling, so thank you to my 11 readers who voted. :-)

The people's choice was Halifax. It's an alluring trip. I'd get to see my friend Healyium, if he wasn't planning a long, long trip to his beloved Estonia. Plus, there'd be nachos at the Shoe Shop, beach time and a trip to the scary bar... with me being 25 lbs heavier than I was the last time was there. Mmm, maybe the extra weight would stop the vultures, though. 

Apparently being single in Halifax is kind of a crime... when you go out to a bar and everyone is over the age of 25 and divorced. The problem with the trip is that there was no availability on American Airlines that didn't have at least two connections. And yes, I like free, but I hate flying long distances with lots of connections. One connection, no problem. Flying Champaign to Chicago, Chicago to Boston, Boston to Halifax and having it take 10 hours sounded like hell. 

So I went with my safety. My beloved Montreal. Where I learned that Mitra and JF will be home the entire summer except for that weekend. And André's been promising me my first motorcycle ride on his bike for over 4 years, but something has always come up (damn rain), so we'll see about that lively bit of entertainment. 

But there was another huge appeal to going. Not only is the flight "free" with my miles (small fees for all that 9/11 safety crap). But I got 3 nights at the W in Vieux Montreal for "free". And if there's one thing Looseyfur likes -- it's staying in ultra modern boutique hotels and not having to pay for them. 

Seriously. It's like taking me into a stationery store and watching me drool over the vellum. It's addictive. These suckers weren't made for traveling, old white men. The last time I stayed in a W (also on MacTroll's super points) there was a sweet, same-sex couple next door with their tiny dog, "Prince Albert." But I think what I love most is that while I'm there for free, other people are paying like $200-$600 a night. And that's another reason why it's a little rock star for me. Well, that and the bathroom was clearly made for voyeurism. :-)

Without the magic of MacTroll's super points... such a weekend in Montreal adventure would have cost $730 (Geezus! This is coach people!) for the flight and $600 for the hotel room (U.S. $). I don't know about the rest of you, but that's like gas for a year for my VW.

But since MacTroll gifted the trip to me for being a single parent 1/2 of the year thanks to his employer Apple, the trip is a personal cost to us of $67.50. I'd beat me over the head with a stick for not taking that deal. I could pack power bars to eat the whole weekend, but um... why skip out on my chance to eat Pho (I don't care that it's July! Hey, Champaign Taste, gotta any Pho recipes up your sleeves?) or a smoked meat sandwich medium fat with extra mustard? And what about going to Souris Mini? Or people watching from the window of the Chapters on Catherine Street while sipping on my Frappucino? And even though I might get sneered at... I'm so raiding the area for the raisin butter tarts of my youth!

And really, I do love that after a weekend, I can at least get my french up to snuff long enough to eavesdrop on street corners, order food and give the time to people on the metro. 

Now, one day before I'm dead, I want to see if I can go here with MacTroll... Too bad corporate points don't work at island villas!