If you read the post below, you'll realize I just returned from a holiday visit to Edmonton, the land of my birth.

I hit two favourite restaurants -- The King and I, a Thai joint, and Koutouki, a Greek one -- and am happy to report that since my last visit to the city, prices appear to be up about 30 per cent.

For example, a souvlaki dinner at Koutouki is now $26. I would think you could easily get an equivalent in the $15 to $20 range in Toronto.*

* Update: I walked by Asteria, on the Danforth in T.O., on Jan. 9. The pork souvlaki dinner is $9.95. I've eaten there, and while the decor is more basic than Koutouki, the food is pretty tasty.

Count on spending at least $70 for two at the King and I, which is up substantially from the cost of my last visit (although I can't precisely remember that cost :) ). I think you could do a little better on cost even here in the Big Smoke, and the quality would likely be better.

There might be an Alberta Advantage, but it ain't in restaurants.

That would be from Edmonton to Toronto from takeoff to landing -- a distance of about 2,700 kilometres.

And how long did it take Air Canada to move my baggage from the aircraft at Terminal 1's Gate 145 to Luggage Carousel 3, maybe 800 to 1,000 metres (that would be a guesstimate)?

An hour!

I was in line to report my bag as missing and was in the on-deck circle when the bag magically appeared.

Call me demanding, but that's atrocious service.

Addendum

I'm a whiner with no sense of proportion. CTV Edmonton reported Tuesday, Jan. 8 that hundreds of passengers flying through Edmonton International Airport with Air Canada have been waiting up to five days for their luggage to show up.