Hi everyone
This has been quite the week since I last posted. As I mentioned, we went into Toronto for the day, which was lots of fun. The CN Tower is a great experience, and we arrived early in the morning before it got too crowded. The bonus was that the weather was fabulous and we got a great view over Lake Ontario, and over the city, which looked miniature from our vantage point. There is a section of glass floor in the tower, so you can actually stand looking down to the ground...it takes a certain trust to step on a glass floor from that height, and I could actually feel my legs wobbling as I stepped on!
We walked by Rogers Place, the stadium where the Toronto Blue Jays play baseball. They were playing that night, against Oakland, and there were tickets left, so we decided to go. None of us are huge ball fans (sorry, Duncan), but it was a great experience to sit in the stadium with so many people who loved the game. We were all greatly entertained by a guy behind us who heckled the opposition outfield (shouting "Watch out!!" when two of them went to catch a fly). There was also a player on Oakland who had previously played for Toronto, who wasn't much liked, so he got huge rounds of "BOOOs" when he batted, and our friend behind us shouted "Nobody loves you Frank! I talked to your mother and even SHE doesn't love you!" When Toronto was in the outfield, he tried to get the left fielder to turn and wave, and tried to get the pitchers in the bull pen to throw him a ball...it was good fun.
The rest of the day we spent exploring the city, and using the $9 all day family metro pass. Since it was a civic holiday, things were quite quiet. In the afternoon, we went to Kensington Market, which was supposed to be full of stall selling food etc., but was really disappointing and quite tacky, until we found Wanda's Pie in the Sky, and had a fabulous veggie pizza and a lemon meringue pie that was the best I have ever had!
We talked a fair bit about heading home. We were all feeling quite overwhelmed by the journey and all we had seen, and I think psychologically, now that August had arrived, as though it was time to start the homeward journey.
The last thing we wanted to do was to go back to Buffalo to finish back-to-school shopping, a promise we had made the kids early on, as they tried to decide where and what to spend their money on...so BACK over the border we went on Tuesday, leaving about noon. We also had to take our trailer in for service and new tires (!!) so we dropped it off for the day and headed out. The kids enjoyed trying on runners, shoes, clothes, etc., and got some nice things, much cheaper, and in most cases, unavailable in Canada. Dennis was the big winner though, heading back to Eddie Bauer, and getting (I am not exaggerating) a year's wardrobe for about one quarter the price.
While he was waiting for us to finish, he struck up a conversation with a US Army vet who was lamenting the mess in Iraq. Dennis asked him if he thought Obama would win, but the guy said "Oh, I am voting for McCain. I'm a racist." Dennis said, "Well, Obama is half white" to which the guy replied "Maybe in your world he is"!
Headed home, paid duty, and got to work packing up the trailer...we left really early on Weds morning to try to avoid the rush hour into Toronto and made great time, driving to Sault Ste Marie and staying in the same campsite we had the way over. The next day, Thursday, we got to Thunder Bay. We actually found northern Ontario quite beautiful, although it does seem endless at points. By this time we were picking up steam and got to Winnipeg, where we got the oil changed in the car, and visited the Royal Canadian Mint. Then back in the car, and off to Brandon for the night.
Then we had to decide...meander or head home. The vote was Head HOME!! So, Brandon to Calgary on Saturday and Calgary home on Sunday, making the 9 pm ferry! The comment of the day came from Ceilidh, who, when we woke her up at 7:15 to get going, said "Thanks for letting me sleep in!" The DVD players proved invaluable, and we became adept at the 10 minute pit stop for fuel and bathroom breaks. Amazingly, there was not ONE word of complaint for the kids; after 7 weeks, they were ready for home!
The Prairies were beautiful, although not as completely flat as we had imagined. The sky is huge, and seems like a huge dome covering us until it joins the horizon. In fact, the TransCanada at that point was not what we had imagined either. I had images of it going through every small Prairie town, but for the most part, it is a divided highway that skirts most centres. I think this had something to do with us being ready to head home...
We arrived after 11 pm, and only unloaded the essentials, including the coffee machine in preparation for the morning java. After 7 weeks and 16,000 km of travel, my latte mug, which I had used each day, slid off the machine and crashed to its death right in front of our house!
Thanks, everyone, for reading, and all the comments...it is too early to sift through all we have done and try to come up with highlights. But this is for sure: we live in an amazing and diverse country. Still haven't totally up the gas bill yet...
Monday, August 11, 2008
Sunday, August 3, 2008
Ontario!
Hi all:
It has been a long time since our last post, so I will try to update you and also include some photos. Boring things to do in Montreal:
1. Drive to the Honda dealer to try to get the right key so the lugnuts can be taken off the car for service.
2. Go to another Honda dealer where they have the master set to remove the locking lugnuts and replace them with ordinary ones.
3. Go back to the original Honda dealer to get the service done.
4. Along with the service, book a time to get the car cleaned out, which was really exciting to the anal-retentive part of me, only to find the guy had gone home sick. We have dirt from North Dakota to PEI in there!
5. Do laundry and clean the camper.
On Tuesday we went into Montreal to explore the old town, while Ceilidh hung out with her teacher, Jenne Martin. We explore Atwater Market (YUMMY!!) and took the metro back to old town. I had a quick look round Notre Dame, and then we met up with Ceilidh, went down to the waterfront and rented a quadricycle, which was a hoot! Montreal is a fabulous city, for sure.
On Wednesday we left Montreal for the 1.5 hour drive to Lac St Francois and the town of St Anicet, where my sister-in-law Maryse's family has a cabin. As we were driving past the Honda dealer, the transmission light came on, which is never a good sign. We took it in, but there was nothing they could find wrong with it. The mechanic said to Dennis "Maybe you panicked!" Anyway, off we went, and there has been nothing wrong. Lac St Francois is actually part of the St Lawrence, so in the distance you can see freighters steaming through. The water is really warm, and Jean and Dick (Maryse's parents) have been coming up for years and years. It is a lovely, relaxing spot, where families have been coming for generations. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and the kids were in heaven. There were other kids and there was water! Cousin Yves took us for a ride on a Seadoo (yes, even me!) and we went on their fancy new boat too. It was wonderful seeing Duncan and Maryse, enjoying great food, friendly people and a fabulous location. One funny thing: we were introduced to so many new people since much of Maryse's extended family have cabins on the lake, including one cousin called Jean-Louise. I think Ceilidh must have misheard, because she kept referring to her as "Jeez Louise"!
On Friday morning, we headed out towards our home exchange in Grimsby Ontario, a town of 24,000 about an hour from Toronto at the "gateway" to the Niagara peninsula. Driving in to TO was quite the experience, especially on the Friday of a long weekend. The cities seem to blend together one after another, and we certainly got the feeling that this is the most heavily populated area of Canada. The drive to Grimsby was not all that attractive, but the town itself is lovely and Chris and Laurie's home is a "mansion" (the girls' words). They have their own bedrooms, and so do we!!! In fact, you could put two of our trailers into their bedroom! It has been great to relax in a house, and the neighbours have been so friendly and helpful too. The homes here are largely made of brick, and
On Saturday, we drove to Niagara Falls (about 40 minutes away) and had a good look at the Falls. We went on the "Maid of the Mist" (highly recommended) which takes you to the base of the falls, and is very dramatic. We got to wear highly fashionable blue plastic ponchos.
After that, we drove to Niagara Falls NY (our 5th trip across the border!) and went to some outlet stores, where, believe it or not, Dennis bought more than I did. I bought one tshirt. He bought 15. I should say, though, that there was an Eddie Bauer store where he got tshirts for $7.50 that cost $24.50 in Canada! After that, we continued 20 minutes to Buffalo, where Ceilidh was thrilled to find Hollister, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, etc. We didn't have too long there, so we are going back on Tuesday.
Today, we had an at home day, and Dennis went off to do some wine tasting, which he really enjoyed. He said he learned a lot, got to sample some wines and cheeses, and really enjoyed his adult day. I got into the car to get groceries afterwards, and the radio was blasting a 70s station, so it seemed as though he had a good time.
Tomorrow we are going up the CN Tower, and exploring TO. We are not sure how long we will spend here; there is SO much to see and do, but we are also feeling the pull of home.
It has been a long time since our last post, so I will try to update you and also include some photos. Boring things to do in Montreal:
1. Drive to the Honda dealer to try to get the right key so the lugnuts can be taken off the car for service.
2. Go to another Honda dealer where they have the master set to remove the locking lugnuts and replace them with ordinary ones.
3. Go back to the original Honda dealer to get the service done.
4. Along with the service, book a time to get the car cleaned out, which was really exciting to the anal-retentive part of me, only to find the guy had gone home sick. We have dirt from North Dakota to PEI in there!
5. Do laundry and clean the camper.
On Tuesday we went into Montreal to explore the old town, while Ceilidh hung out with her teacher, Jenne Martin. We explore Atwater Market (YUMMY!!) and took the metro back to old town. I had a quick look round Notre Dame, and then we met up with Ceilidh, went down to the waterfront and rented a quadricycle, which was a hoot! Montreal is a fabulous city, for sure.
On Wednesday we left Montreal for the 1.5 hour drive to Lac St Francois and the town of St Anicet, where my sister-in-law Maryse's family has a cabin. As we were driving past the Honda dealer, the transmission light came on, which is never a good sign. We took it in, but there was nothing they could find wrong with it. The mechanic said to Dennis "Maybe you panicked!" Anyway, off we went, and there has been nothing wrong. Lac St Francois is actually part of the St Lawrence, so in the distance you can see freighters steaming through. The water is really warm, and Jean and Dick (Maryse's parents) have been coming up for years and years. It is a lovely, relaxing spot, where families have been coming for generations. Everyone was so warm and welcoming, and the kids were in heaven. There were other kids and there was water! Cousin Yves took us for a ride on a Seadoo (yes, even me!) and we went on their fancy new boat too. It was wonderful seeing Duncan and Maryse, enjoying great food, friendly people and a fabulous location. One funny thing: we were introduced to so many new people since much of Maryse's extended family have cabins on the lake, including one cousin called Jean-Louise. I think Ceilidh must have misheard, because she kept referring to her as "Jeez Louise"!
On Friday morning, we headed out towards our home exchange in Grimsby Ontario, a town of 24,000 about an hour from Toronto at the "gateway" to the Niagara peninsula. Driving in to TO was quite the experience, especially on the Friday of a long weekend. The cities seem to blend together one after another, and we certainly got the feeling that this is the most heavily populated area of Canada. The drive to Grimsby was not all that attractive, but the town itself is lovely and Chris and Laurie's home is a "mansion" (the girls' words). They have their own bedrooms, and so do we!!! In fact, you could put two of our trailers into their bedroom! It has been great to relax in a house, and the neighbours have been so friendly and helpful too. The homes here are largely made of brick, and
On Saturday, we drove to Niagara Falls (about 40 minutes away) and had a good look at the Falls. We went on the "Maid of the Mist" (highly recommended) which takes you to the base of the falls, and is very dramatic. We got to wear highly fashionable blue plastic ponchos.
After that, we drove to Niagara Falls NY (our 5th trip across the border!) and went to some outlet stores, where, believe it or not, Dennis bought more than I did. I bought one tshirt. He bought 15. I should say, though, that there was an Eddie Bauer store where he got tshirts for $7.50 that cost $24.50 in Canada! After that, we continued 20 minutes to Buffalo, where Ceilidh was thrilled to find Hollister, Aeropostale, Abercrombie and Fitch, etc. We didn't have too long there, so we are going back on Tuesday.
Today, we had an at home day, and Dennis went off to do some wine tasting, which he really enjoyed. He said he learned a lot, got to sample some wines and cheeses, and really enjoyed his adult day. I got into the car to get groceries afterwards, and the radio was blasting a 70s station, so it seemed as though he had a good time.
Tomorrow we are going up the CN Tower, and exploring TO. We are not sure how long we will spend here; there is SO much to see and do, but we are also feeling the pull of home.
Sunday, July 27, 2008
Montreal
Hi everyone!
Sunday night here, and we have been in Montreal for four days. Unfortunately, wifi is not free here, so we picked a slow evening to buy some time and get caught up.
We left Quebec City on Thursday, driving the 250 km to Montreal. This KOA is not nearly as nice as the QC one, and the bathrooms are not all that, but it is a good base for visiting Montreal (it is only about 25 km away).
On Friday, we went into downtown Montreal (CRAZY drivers) and found the world's largest tourist info centre, where an incredibly helpful woman gave us all sorts of ideas. Since we were in the middle of downtown, we decided to use the afternoon to shop, and so Dennis went to Indigo and sat and read computer books while the girls and I went out to shop. Since Montreal gets very wintry, a whole "underground city" developed around the metro stops, with more stores than in the whole of Victoria, I think! All the usual brand names are there, along with Simon's, a Quebec department store that is terrific. Both kids found some clothes there. FASHON ALERT! For those of you who want to be cutting edge, fall clothes are starting to appear, and I saw STIRRUP PANTS for sale. Just FYI...if only I had kept mine! The jeans are getting narrower and narrower, and the tops bigger, kind of 80s style! I wonder if the mullet will return?
Anyway, picked up Dennis (now drinking coffee and reading the paper), and walked to St Denis street, a very funky neighbourhood with hookah cafes and the like. Went to a really nice Mexican restaurant, and then next door to a place the tourist info had recommended: Juliet et Chocolat. Three guesses why it appealed. Everything they served had chocolate, just about...although they also make sweet and savoury crepes. Dennis had milk hot chocolate (which, Sara and Beth, is like that chantico they sold at Starbucks for a while), which comes in a small pitcher and is poured into a bowl for drinking. It is so rich, it is almost like a melted chocolate bar (it also comes in dark and white chocolate). Mhairi had a citron et sucre crepe, which she has been craving since Paris, and had the most blissful look on her face as she was eating it...Ceilidh and I had chocolate cake with a molten chocolate centre, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (we could have had chocolate ice cream, but that seemed overkill, even for us). Neither of us could finish ours, but our tablemates helped us along. I thought my tastebuds were going to explode. I hope to go there again for a savoury crepe and another dessert. That was a meal to remember...
Saturday was not so successful. We decided to go to La Ronde, and amusement park. When we got there, the woman said they didn't give refunds if it rained, which we thought was peculiar, since who does give refunds if it rains? In Canada, everyone would be bankrupt. What they didn't mention was that they actually CLOSE THE RIDES if it rains. So, after paying $38 x 4 of us, and then a stupid fast pass to get us through the lines faster for another $50, and then paying through the nose for food cuz you can't bring coolers onsite, it RAINED! AND, they had the gall to actually charge extra for some things (which we didn't do). So, $300 later, we left. The kids enjoyed some of the rides, but really, it was a waste of time and money. A lesson learned.
Today, we went to Mount Royal Park, which is designed a little like Central Park. Apparently in the 1600s, Jacques Cartier was taken up the mountain by some native guides and he loved the place and decided it would be a great place to have a settlement, and named it Mont Royal...there is the history lesson for today. We took our bikes in with us, stopped by Fairmont bagels, which has THE best bagels in the city (also recommended by my favourite tourist helper!) and is open 24/7. Dennis ordered "plein" bagels instead of "nature", but other than that, he did well. Had a picnic at the park beside a lake, rented a paddlboat, and had a great time. We then biked around the park, stopping at the viewpoint, and at la croix. The story is that one of the founders of Montreal named Maisonneuve carried a cross up the hill when the city was saved from a flood, as his promise to God. Now, unless there is some Quonset story here (a story far too embarrassing for me to repeat here, but I am sure my sister would be happy to tell!), they have replaced the original cross he carried up, because this one was metal and lit up.
We then went into Vieux Montreal, and biked around the old Expo 67 site. We saw the Habitat 67 buildings and the geodesic dome (not sure of that spelling) designed by Buckminster Fuller. I kept imagining Montreal in 1967, which must have seems SO cosmopolitan, especially by Canadian standards. I imagine my sister, a 20 year old, going to Montreal for the summer in 1967. In fact, almost everyone we have met speaks both French and English, and with the large immigrant population, I am sure many are multilingual. What a gift! People I have overheard speaking seem to switch between French and English, even within the same sentence, and if they hear us struggling in French, they automatically switch to English, unless we ask them not to!
Anyway, there is a long pedestrian/bike concourse, so off we went to explore along the river, and a short way along the Lachine Canal. Reminded me of biking along the canal in Oxford.
Navigating here is quite fascinating, since almost every street is either Sainte or Saint something or other, so we are constantly saying "St Jean or Jacques?" "Did you say Ste Catherine or Ste Marie?", etc.
A close to home day tomorrow, then into Vieux Montreal for a good look around on Tuesday. Ceilidh is meeting another teacher (!), Jenne Martin, who is from Montreal, for a morning together while Dennis, Mhairi and I poke around the town.
We took a quick look at Notre Dame, where there is a series of organ recitals going on, one by none other than Matthew Larkin for those of you who would care to know!
Sunday night here, and we have been in Montreal for four days. Unfortunately, wifi is not free here, so we picked a slow evening to buy some time and get caught up.
We left Quebec City on Thursday, driving the 250 km to Montreal. This KOA is not nearly as nice as the QC one, and the bathrooms are not all that, but it is a good base for visiting Montreal (it is only about 25 km away).
On Friday, we went into downtown Montreal (CRAZY drivers) and found the world's largest tourist info centre, where an incredibly helpful woman gave us all sorts of ideas. Since we were in the middle of downtown, we decided to use the afternoon to shop, and so Dennis went to Indigo and sat and read computer books while the girls and I went out to shop. Since Montreal gets very wintry, a whole "underground city" developed around the metro stops, with more stores than in the whole of Victoria, I think! All the usual brand names are there, along with Simon's, a Quebec department store that is terrific. Both kids found some clothes there. FASHON ALERT! For those of you who want to be cutting edge, fall clothes are starting to appear, and I saw STIRRUP PANTS for sale. Just FYI...if only I had kept mine! The jeans are getting narrower and narrower, and the tops bigger, kind of 80s style! I wonder if the mullet will return?
Anyway, picked up Dennis (now drinking coffee and reading the paper), and walked to St Denis street, a very funky neighbourhood with hookah cafes and the like. Went to a really nice Mexican restaurant, and then next door to a place the tourist info had recommended: Juliet et Chocolat. Three guesses why it appealed. Everything they served had chocolate, just about...although they also make sweet and savoury crepes. Dennis had milk hot chocolate (which, Sara and Beth, is like that chantico they sold at Starbucks for a while), which comes in a small pitcher and is poured into a bowl for drinking. It is so rich, it is almost like a melted chocolate bar (it also comes in dark and white chocolate). Mhairi had a citron et sucre crepe, which she has been craving since Paris, and had the most blissful look on her face as she was eating it...Ceilidh and I had chocolate cake with a molten chocolate centre, and a scoop of vanilla ice cream (we could have had chocolate ice cream, but that seemed overkill, even for us). Neither of us could finish ours, but our tablemates helped us along. I thought my tastebuds were going to explode. I hope to go there again for a savoury crepe and another dessert. That was a meal to remember...
Saturday was not so successful. We decided to go to La Ronde, and amusement park. When we got there, the woman said they didn't give refunds if it rained, which we thought was peculiar, since who does give refunds if it rains? In Canada, everyone would be bankrupt. What they didn't mention was that they actually CLOSE THE RIDES if it rains. So, after paying $38 x 4 of us, and then a stupid fast pass to get us through the lines faster for another $50, and then paying through the nose for food cuz you can't bring coolers onsite, it RAINED! AND, they had the gall to actually charge extra for some things (which we didn't do). So, $300 later, we left. The kids enjoyed some of the rides, but really, it was a waste of time and money. A lesson learned.
Today, we went to Mount Royal Park, which is designed a little like Central Park. Apparently in the 1600s, Jacques Cartier was taken up the mountain by some native guides and he loved the place and decided it would be a great place to have a settlement, and named it Mont Royal...there is the history lesson for today. We took our bikes in with us, stopped by Fairmont bagels, which has THE best bagels in the city (also recommended by my favourite tourist helper!) and is open 24/7. Dennis ordered "plein" bagels instead of "nature", but other than that, he did well. Had a picnic at the park beside a lake, rented a paddlboat, and had a great time. We then biked around the park, stopping at the viewpoint, and at la croix. The story is that one of the founders of Montreal named Maisonneuve carried a cross up the hill when the city was saved from a flood, as his promise to God. Now, unless there is some Quonset story here (a story far too embarrassing for me to repeat here, but I am sure my sister would be happy to tell!), they have replaced the original cross he carried up, because this one was metal and lit up.
We then went into Vieux Montreal, and biked around the old Expo 67 site. We saw the Habitat 67 buildings and the geodesic dome (not sure of that spelling) designed by Buckminster Fuller. I kept imagining Montreal in 1967, which must have seems SO cosmopolitan, especially by Canadian standards. I imagine my sister, a 20 year old, going to Montreal for the summer in 1967. In fact, almost everyone we have met speaks both French and English, and with the large immigrant population, I am sure many are multilingual. What a gift! People I have overheard speaking seem to switch between French and English, even within the same sentence, and if they hear us struggling in French, they automatically switch to English, unless we ask them not to!
Anyway, there is a long pedestrian/bike concourse, so off we went to explore along the river, and a short way along the Lachine Canal. Reminded me of biking along the canal in Oxford.
Navigating here is quite fascinating, since almost every street is either Sainte or Saint something or other, so we are constantly saying "St Jean or Jacques?" "Did you say Ste Catherine or Ste Marie?", etc.
A close to home day tomorrow, then into Vieux Montreal for a good look around on Tuesday. Ceilidh is meeting another teacher (!), Jenne Martin, who is from Montreal, for a morning together while Dennis, Mhairi and I poke around the town.
We took a quick look at Notre Dame, where there is a series of organ recitals going on, one by none other than Matthew Larkin for those of you who would care to know!
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Encore Quebec
Hi again
We have had a busy few days. On Sunday we went to the Valcartier waterslides (the largest in Canada) and they really were amazing. We were there for 8 hours and certainly got our money's worth since Den and the girls went down the slides over and over again. There were also a couple of inner tube rivers that they loved. I sat, read a book (and finished it) and did my knitting. I really must have looked old though, since the book I borrowed happened to be large print (and it was a Maeve Binchy which isn't exactly intellectually highbrow) and I was knitting...However, the knitting came in handy, since I can reset the GPS (which sometimes gets confused) with the tip of my knitting needle. In addition, some of the waterslides prohibit wearing glasses unless you have a lanyard on them...so I gave Dennis a fetching yellow piece of yarn for his glasses, and Mhairi a cool green one for hers. Needs must!
The weather was perfect...a slight breeze and overcast so we didn't get fried. It was a good day! Came home with tired kids too!
The next day, Monday, Ceilidh's Grade 8 teacher, Danielle Brault, drove up from visiting her father in Cowansville. She took Ceilidh, Mhairi and I out to Montmorency Falls (beautiful, and taller than Niagara Falls, although not as wide). Dennis stayed home to work (which he FINISHED and now is free!!) and nurse an injured toe he stubbed at the waterslides. After the falls, we went over to the Ile d'Orleans, an island in the middle of the St Lawrence, which is one of the oldest inhabited areas in Quebec. It is a little like Saltspring, with artisans, craft stores, lots of produce and quaint houses. It is easy to see the remnants of the feudal system in the long, narrow plots of land that reach the water. Went into a couple of churches, too!
We then went into town for coffee, ice cream and a tour around. I really like Vieux Quebec; it is European, pedestrian friendly, and charm around each corner.
Danielle brought us home, and Dennis made the yummiest pizza, with thinly sliced potato and rosemary. She also left us with some of her sister, Suzanne's, home made maple fudge. YUUUUUM! Merci, Suzanne!
Today, we took our bikes, parked on the Blvd de Champlain, and biked the 5 km into Quebec City. There was a fierce wind, which made for tough peddling, but the way home was easy!!
The bike and pedestrian path was installed for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City (this year!) and is a wonderful path, easy to cycle, with beautiful benches, seating and "installations" along it. The benches all look very modern with horizontal lines, and remind me a bit of 60s architecture. The "installations" are sculptures, and other "things", that I am sure have some deep meaning which eludes me. Some seem to look like ships, others emit a mist periodically, which almost obscures everything. It is all very user friendly and appealing to the eye. The installations seem to run diagonal to the path.
In the city we did more sightseeing, and enjoyed tarte au sucre (sugar pie) which is like pecan pie without the pecans or raisins....so sort of a maple custard in a crust. Wow! I hope we cycled off a tenth of the calories! Thanks to Danielle for the suggestion!
On the way home, there were Cycling Security people who kept the cycling traffic moving, and directed cars so that the cyclists had the right of way! What a nice change. Since we headed home about 4:30, I assumed that cycling commuters were joining us.
It is raining (sigh), but we are sitting down to a tortellini arrabiata dinner, which we all are looking forward to!
We have had a busy few days. On Sunday we went to the Valcartier waterslides (the largest in Canada) and they really were amazing. We were there for 8 hours and certainly got our money's worth since Den and the girls went down the slides over and over again. There were also a couple of inner tube rivers that they loved. I sat, read a book (and finished it) and did my knitting. I really must have looked old though, since the book I borrowed happened to be large print (and it was a Maeve Binchy which isn't exactly intellectually highbrow) and I was knitting...However, the knitting came in handy, since I can reset the GPS (which sometimes gets confused) with the tip of my knitting needle. In addition, some of the waterslides prohibit wearing glasses unless you have a lanyard on them...so I gave Dennis a fetching yellow piece of yarn for his glasses, and Mhairi a cool green one for hers. Needs must!
The weather was perfect...a slight breeze and overcast so we didn't get fried. It was a good day! Came home with tired kids too!
The next day, Monday, Ceilidh's Grade 8 teacher, Danielle Brault, drove up from visiting her father in Cowansville. She took Ceilidh, Mhairi and I out to Montmorency Falls (beautiful, and taller than Niagara Falls, although not as wide). Dennis stayed home to work (which he FINISHED and now is free!!) and nurse an injured toe he stubbed at the waterslides. After the falls, we went over to the Ile d'Orleans, an island in the middle of the St Lawrence, which is one of the oldest inhabited areas in Quebec. It is a little like Saltspring, with artisans, craft stores, lots of produce and quaint houses. It is easy to see the remnants of the feudal system in the long, narrow plots of land that reach the water. Went into a couple of churches, too!
We then went into town for coffee, ice cream and a tour around. I really like Vieux Quebec; it is European, pedestrian friendly, and charm around each corner.
Danielle brought us home, and Dennis made the yummiest pizza, with thinly sliced potato and rosemary. She also left us with some of her sister, Suzanne's, home made maple fudge. YUUUUUM! Merci, Suzanne!
Today, we took our bikes, parked on the Blvd de Champlain, and biked the 5 km into Quebec City. There was a fierce wind, which made for tough peddling, but the way home was easy!!
The bike and pedestrian path was installed for the 400th anniversary of the founding of Quebec City (this year!) and is a wonderful path, easy to cycle, with beautiful benches, seating and "installations" along it. The benches all look very modern with horizontal lines, and remind me a bit of 60s architecture. The "installations" are sculptures, and other "things", that I am sure have some deep meaning which eludes me. Some seem to look like ships, others emit a mist periodically, which almost obscures everything. It is all very user friendly and appealing to the eye. The installations seem to run diagonal to the path.
In the city we did more sightseeing, and enjoyed tarte au sucre (sugar pie) which is like pecan pie without the pecans or raisins....so sort of a maple custard in a crust. Wow! I hope we cycled off a tenth of the calories! Thanks to Danielle for the suggestion!
On the way home, there were Cycling Security people who kept the cycling traffic moving, and directed cars so that the cyclists had the right of way! What a nice change. Since we headed home about 4:30, I assumed that cycling commuters were joining us.
It is raining (sigh), but we are sitting down to a tortellini arrabiata dinner, which we all are looking forward to!
Saturday, July 19, 2008
More Quebec
I have posted a few new pictures at the bottom of the blog.
There is certainly a wide range of RVs and trailers around this country, and ours is one of the very very smallest. There are many that are like homes on wheels...more than 40 feet long with slideouts, laundry facilities, tv, satellite dishes...and two entrances! We are consistently dwarfed by the monsters around us.
We went into Quebec City yesterday for the evening, which is so beautiful. Narrow, European lanes with shops and restaurants...We also climbed up to the Plains of Abraham, where the fate of Canada was determined in about 45 minutes, and talked about how our parents would not likely have immigrated here if it were a French speaking country. Paul McCartney is playing a free concert here tomorrow; they are expecting 250,000 people, with busses coming from as far away as Mexico!
Well, a nice down day today, catching up on email and letting the kids play in the pool...
Love to all
Kerry
There is certainly a wide range of RVs and trailers around this country, and ours is one of the very very smallest. There are many that are like homes on wheels...more than 40 feet long with slideouts, laundry facilities, tv, satellite dishes...and two entrances! We are consistently dwarfed by the monsters around us.
We went into Quebec City yesterday for the evening, which is so beautiful. Narrow, European lanes with shops and restaurants...We also climbed up to the Plains of Abraham, where the fate of Canada was determined in about 45 minutes, and talked about how our parents would not likely have immigrated here if it were a French speaking country. Paul McCartney is playing a free concert here tomorrow; they are expecting 250,000 people, with busses coming from as far away as Mexico!
Well, a nice down day today, catching up on email and letting the kids play in the pool...
Love to all
Kerry
Friday, July 18, 2008
Quebec!!
Hi everyone...this will be a long post since we have been offline a couple of days and much has happened. We left PEI expecting a short drive (3 hours) to Kouchibouguac National Park which is on the east coast of NB. As we went back over the Confederation Bridge and into New Brunswick, we realized we were in Acadian country; French flags abounded, and the sign at McDonald's in PEI that read "McLobster is back" (who knew there was "regional cuisine" at McDonald's?) now read "McHomard est en retour". Got a laugh out of that. In PEI I announced that since I had parented all the way to the east coast, it was Dennis' turn on the return trip. So, we stopped at Tim Horton's for a donut. Since we were in a French speaking community, Dennis tried his language skills and ordered an apple fritter by asking for "pommes frites". He got a strange look and when we left, Ceilidh said "Dad, you tried to order French Fries!" I thought we were all going to die laughing, and every kilometre or so, we would all bust up again.
As an aside (that comes into the story later) there are NO Starbucks in Atlantic Canada...and virtually no cappuccino. Tim Horton's regular coffee is what everyone drinks.
We stopped in a very sweet town Bouctouche, with a beautiful Roman Catholic church, were we had fries and the girls had slushies (remember, Dennis is parenting). This becomes important later. We were meandering around since we had a short driving day. Then, I look at the guidebook for the national park and read "Under no circumstances should you be without bug spray". We arrive at the park to find there are no water hookups...So we are 1:30 pm in a campsite nobody wants to be in on the east coast of New Brunswick on the scenic route. We decide that we will drive up to the next day's campsite at Riviere du Loup, in Quebec, which the girls are into...but it is a further 8 hours. Back into the car we go.
Now, Dennis was expecting that we weren't driving long, and was OK with the junk the girls had eaten...now we were driving for another 8 hours...Mhairi complained she didn't feel well, and about 2 minutes later, was throwing up into a hastily conjured bucket (my reflexes are pretty darned good after all). FYI, blue raspberry slushie comes up blue.
She felt a lot better after that.
I was needing a coffee, but we could not find anywhere for love or money, or even a plug for me to make my own. I was regretting having sneered at Starbuck's earlier in the journey and knew this was my penance. In fact, Dennis said it was my penance for booking a campsite in a swampy area, with no water! So, I joined the locals, and got a Tim Horton's!
So, the other thing we kept seeing were signs to watch out for moose. The signs started out benignly, with a picture of a cute moose on a diamond shaped yellow sign. The next signs had a much larger moose trotting out into the road. The next signs had "ATTENTION" in large red letters, with a moose TOWERING above a car, and finally, there were signs that showed a moose sign and a car sign colliding with nasty results, and an "extreme caution" written below. We had already decided NOT to do any night driving, but in this case, to get to our campsite, we knew we would have to, at a time when the moose would likely be out. This coincided with us driving west, into the setting sun, while it rained, resulting in near blinding conditions. However, we were fine, and lo, and behold, saw a mother moose and her calf standing in a field near the road. They very kindly stood while we pulled over, got out the camera and took some good shots.
So, Dennis has seen his moose. We also saw a fox and kit, and a black bear.
We made it to Riviere du Loup at about 9:30, and thankfully fell into bed.
Riviere du Loup is a charming town, with all the amenities, including good veggie selections "Hamburger tofu", and a very nice patisseries with real cappuccino. It was wonderful walking around and feeling immersed in French. The town is on the south banks of the St Lawrence, and we biked along the river, where apparently you can see whales. I guess it isn't really a river at this point...I think I could live here too...although I noticed that the fire hydrants are marked by large signposts, leading me to believe there must be a lot of snow.
We drove today for a couple of hours into Quebec City (our campsite is about 15 minutes outside of the city). Doing laundry and all that stuff...
As an aside (that comes into the story later) there are NO Starbucks in Atlantic Canada...and virtually no cappuccino. Tim Horton's regular coffee is what everyone drinks.
We stopped in a very sweet town Bouctouche, with a beautiful Roman Catholic church, were we had fries and the girls had slushies (remember, Dennis is parenting). This becomes important later. We were meandering around since we had a short driving day. Then, I look at the guidebook for the national park and read "Under no circumstances should you be without bug spray". We arrive at the park to find there are no water hookups...So we are 1:30 pm in a campsite nobody wants to be in on the east coast of New Brunswick on the scenic route. We decide that we will drive up to the next day's campsite at Riviere du Loup, in Quebec, which the girls are into...but it is a further 8 hours. Back into the car we go.
Now, Dennis was expecting that we weren't driving long, and was OK with the junk the girls had eaten...now we were driving for another 8 hours...Mhairi complained she didn't feel well, and about 2 minutes later, was throwing up into a hastily conjured bucket (my reflexes are pretty darned good after all). FYI, blue raspberry slushie comes up blue.
She felt a lot better after that.
I was needing a coffee, but we could not find anywhere for love or money, or even a plug for me to make my own. I was regretting having sneered at Starbuck's earlier in the journey and knew this was my penance. In fact, Dennis said it was my penance for booking a campsite in a swampy area, with no water! So, I joined the locals, and got a Tim Horton's!
So, the other thing we kept seeing were signs to watch out for moose. The signs started out benignly, with a picture of a cute moose on a diamond shaped yellow sign. The next signs had a much larger moose trotting out into the road. The next signs had "ATTENTION" in large red letters, with a moose TOWERING above a car, and finally, there were signs that showed a moose sign and a car sign colliding with nasty results, and an "extreme caution" written below. We had already decided NOT to do any night driving, but in this case, to get to our campsite, we knew we would have to, at a time when the moose would likely be out. This coincided with us driving west, into the setting sun, while it rained, resulting in near blinding conditions. However, we were fine, and lo, and behold, saw a mother moose and her calf standing in a field near the road. They very kindly stood while we pulled over, got out the camera and took some good shots.
So, Dennis has seen his moose. We also saw a fox and kit, and a black bear.
We made it to Riviere du Loup at about 9:30, and thankfully fell into bed.
Riviere du Loup is a charming town, with all the amenities, including good veggie selections "Hamburger tofu", and a very nice patisseries with real cappuccino. It was wonderful walking around and feeling immersed in French. The town is on the south banks of the St Lawrence, and we biked along the river, where apparently you can see whales. I guess it isn't really a river at this point...I think I could live here too...although I noticed that the fire hydrants are marked by large signposts, leading me to believe there must be a lot of snow.
We drove today for a couple of hours into Quebec City (our campsite is about 15 minutes outside of the city). Doing laundry and all that stuff...
Tuesday, July 15, 2008
More PEI and car woes
Hi everyone!
Tuesday today, and we leave here tomorrow, to head to NB en route to Quebec. On Monday we went into Charlottetown (PEIs capital city) and had a great day. We dropped our Honda off for its service and were shuttled into Charlottetown. Went to Founder's Hall, which is a display describing Canada's Confederation (I know it might SOUND boring, but it really isn't). In fact, even Ceilidh gave it an 8.5 out of 10. Basically, we entered into a "time capsule", in 1864, when delegates came to Charlottetown to discuss a union, originally intended to be a Maritime Union, but Canada East and West (now Quebec and Ontario) crashed the party to suggest the union of all the provinces.
We then went through each stage, listening to a "reporter" cover the news via headsets. There are models, interviews with with the people involved, and some funny anecdotes. The funny thing is that even though PEI hosted the conference, they did not decide to join Canada until 1873. Then the exhibit goes through how each province joined, ending with Nunavut in 1999.
After that we headed into town for lunch, and a little shopping. Mhairi made the sales clerk in bookstore laugh out loud when she asked "Do you have the 'Anne of Green Gables' books?" I wish I could count all the "Anne's" on display; from dolls and figurines, to chocolates, books, tea towels, t shirts, etc etc. Anne is big business. We got tickets for the musical "Anne of Green Gables" for that night. Checked in about the car. Had left the lug nut key at the campsite so they couldn't do all the servicing. Made an appointment for today.
Came home, had a quick dinner, and then back into town for the play, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.
Today, we looked for the lug nut key...no luck...we have lost it. Phoned the Honda dealer where we bought the car and they said each dealer had a master set...not in Charlottetown, apparently! So, we need to wait til we get to Quebec and discuss the whole thing IN FRENCH!
We'll probably end up with red flames painted on the side of the van by mistake. We did go down to Cavendish beach and cycle along the dunes trail, which was wonderful. The sand has a red tinge too, and the kids saw red jellyfish!
So, we all recommend a visit to the Maritimes. We like the pace, the friendliness, and aside from some rain yesterday, the weather. The family next to us in the campsite are from Port Coquitlam; isn't that always the way!
We also have eaten PEI potatoes for the past two nights; they are really really good. Apparently this is new potato season, but when the others are harvested in the fall, they are as large as a litre milk container! Most of those head to McCain for frozen fries.
Dennis is desperate to see a moose; we keep seeing signs for them, but to no avail. Apparently there are lots in Newfoundland, and one guy told us he saw one whose back was 8 feet tall. They are not animals you want to mess with, or find on the road ahead of you in the dark.
No wifi at the campsite tomorrow, so you will likely hear from us from "la Bell Province".
Off to have smores!
Tuesday today, and we leave here tomorrow, to head to NB en route to Quebec. On Monday we went into Charlottetown (PEIs capital city) and had a great day. We dropped our Honda off for its service and were shuttled into Charlottetown. Went to Founder's Hall, which is a display describing Canada's Confederation (I know it might SOUND boring, but it really isn't). In fact, even Ceilidh gave it an 8.5 out of 10. Basically, we entered into a "time capsule", in 1864, when delegates came to Charlottetown to discuss a union, originally intended to be a Maritime Union, but Canada East and West (now Quebec and Ontario) crashed the party to suggest the union of all the provinces.
We then went through each stage, listening to a "reporter" cover the news via headsets. There are models, interviews with with the people involved, and some funny anecdotes. The funny thing is that even though PEI hosted the conference, they did not decide to join Canada until 1873. Then the exhibit goes through how each province joined, ending with Nunavut in 1999.
After that we headed into town for lunch, and a little shopping. Mhairi made the sales clerk in bookstore laugh out loud when she asked "Do you have the 'Anne of Green Gables' books?" I wish I could count all the "Anne's" on display; from dolls and figurines, to chocolates, books, tea towels, t shirts, etc etc. Anne is big business. We got tickets for the musical "Anne of Green Gables" for that night. Checked in about the car. Had left the lug nut key at the campsite so they couldn't do all the servicing. Made an appointment for today.
Came home, had a quick dinner, and then back into town for the play, which we all thoroughly enjoyed.
Today, we looked for the lug nut key...no luck...we have lost it. Phoned the Honda dealer where we bought the car and they said each dealer had a master set...not in Charlottetown, apparently! So, we need to wait til we get to Quebec and discuss the whole thing IN FRENCH!
We'll probably end up with red flames painted on the side of the van by mistake. We did go down to Cavendish beach and cycle along the dunes trail, which was wonderful. The sand has a red tinge too, and the kids saw red jellyfish!
So, we all recommend a visit to the Maritimes. We like the pace, the friendliness, and aside from some rain yesterday, the weather. The family next to us in the campsite are from Port Coquitlam; isn't that always the way!
We also have eaten PEI potatoes for the past two nights; they are really really good. Apparently this is new potato season, but when the others are harvested in the fall, they are as large as a litre milk container! Most of those head to McCain for frozen fries.
Dennis is desperate to see a moose; we keep seeing signs for them, but to no avail. Apparently there are lots in Newfoundland, and one guy told us he saw one whose back was 8 feet tall. They are not animals you want to mess with, or find on the road ahead of you in the dark.
No wifi at the campsite tomorrow, so you will likely hear from us from "la Bell Province".
Off to have smores!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
Montmorency Falls
the two white dots are the kids!
Danielle, Ceilidh and Mhairi
Moose and Baby
Funky Stores
...and you can see our car and trailer
Cavendish Beach
Confederation Bridge
Parking in NYC
Empire State Building at Night
Cool Display on 5th Ave
Maine beach
Hopewell Rocks New Brunswick
Mhairi vs. Polar Bear
Mhairi was found at the museum, unaware of the fate awaiting her in the mammals display
The Canadian Tourist
"The Moment"
I wish I had taken this picture!
Canada Day!
RCMP Musical Ride
The Ride begins
Notice the maple leaf "stencil" on the horse's rump
Sir John A.
For 10 points, what is significant about this man?
The Famous Five
Nellie McClung, Irene Parlby, Louise McKinney, Emily Murphy, Henrietta Muir Edwards
National War Monument
