For Better or For Worse by Lynn Johnston for December 20, 2021

What? The teacher is just letting them pick and wander to wherever they want? Back in my day, when you were on school trips, the teacher and the chaperones generally wanted to know where the students were, so they would have arranged a schedule of things to do as a group.

The students’ Christmas shopping hadn’t begun or something? Thus the mall. (What is/was the big-time shopping centre in Canada’s capital city anyway?)

I remember a really huge mall in Toronto, but I also enjoyed the Museum. I was surprised to find there was a pizza chain called “Topo Gigio” after the eponymous mouse puppet on Ed Sullivan.

Are you kidding me?? A trip like this is very carefully planned advance.

I feel sorry for today’s kids. They missed out on the “golden age of the mall” which was the 1980’s/1990’s.

They want to go show the local kids how much cooler they are.

Check the room sir. Muesums are others peoples old stuff. Kids are way more interested in available new stuff they can make history with. Bell bottoms and beads were a thing.

Used to be Sparks Street Mall was quite enjoyable. Is it still a pedestrian street? YES IT IS! https://www.sparkslive.com

National Art Gallery or the New Museum. I do not see either of these places in Ottawa. Did they use to exist back in 1992?

I’d rather visit the Art Museum—unless it’s modern art (I hate that!).

Lynn’s Comments:

The first panel was taken from a photograph. I traced it from a photo because I wanted the parliament building to be easily identifiable.

“Right. National Mall it is…”

While the buildings in the background do bear a slight resemblance to much of the architecture that can be found in Hamilton, Ontario, they likewise are reminiscent of the Parliamentary buildings in Victoria on Vancouver Island. All of which makes the case for four hours until it’s time to catch a bus a bit incomplete, since Victoria is on an island, which also involves a two hour car ferry boat ride to the mainland before they could get to the size airport that they need. Sometimes I try not to overthink these things. But better here than at one other strip that comes to mind, where saying something as controversial and out there as “I breathe air” or “It’s a nice day today” will inevitably kick off a firestorm in which dozens of people you don’t know will call you on the carpet for such obviously incorrect thinking. Now go catch that car ferry, choir…..

Likely inadvertently, this particular strip has different meanings in Canada than in the United States.

On my one trip to Toronto I opted for the Hockey Hall of Fame.

He should known leave to the teens they want the mall. Kids do not want to learn more.

The only field trip I got to go on was in grade eight (1962-1963). Our science teacher, Mr. Budd, took us out around the large school grounds. We looked for and identified various plants, mostly fall flowers. I recall him pointing out Butter and Eggs (Linaria vulgaris) I liked him.

I’ve organized many guided tours for others but have never felt comfortable taking them myself – preferring, as I do, to wander around exploring on my own. I’ve had to take them in order to be able to recommend them to clients but they aren’t my cup of tea. I never feel like you get to see the real country or experience the true local atmosphere – away from the tourist traps.

The two worst places for being over-guided were China and cold-war era Russia. My minders and translator in both places were obviously Agents of the State and allowed us to see only what the government deemed proper. I hated Russia but found much of China – away from the cities – quite fascinating and the landscape breath-taking, in spite of my guides, who stuck with me 24/7.

Psst…where can I get some smokes?

I went with my daughter’s 5th or 6th grade class to San Juan Baptista (CA) to visit various sites — the mission included. We crossed the San Andres fault and I thought that it looked like a big zipper in the ground. Went with my son’s 5th grade class to the old mining town of Columbia. All the kids seem to enjoy the trips. Of course that was a long time ago. My daughter is 59 and my son is 54. We also took trips to the Big Fresno Fair every year.

In the US capital, the National Mall is the park with the Capitol at one end, the Lincoln Memorial at the other, the Washington Monument in the middle, and the White House just off to the side. Several Smithsonial museums are at the edge. I wonder how many of the endless schoolkids who come there during spring break trips keep looking for the Target or Kohl’s?

Actually the Queen Street Shopping district is only a few steps away from the gates to the Parliament Building. When I was frequently there 1999-2004, there used to be a single Mounted Police officer at the gate whenever I went by.

Sadly, too many malls today are ghost towns…

Welcome to reality, fella! Why would teenagers want to watch the government cooking up ways to waste their parents’ money? Kinda shows a dark window into their future, doesn’t it?

I go for the Capital. But then again I’m an adult.

It’s shows to me what a teacher says ..and what the kids think.. love this comic strip..my fave since the early 1990s