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We felt that we
should move on as the weather was good. Ottawa has left a good
impression but more is waiting. After fueling up at Starbucks we followed
the river road down the Ottawa River. Overhead an old Lancaster Bomber flew
exercise patterns and two F-18's made their practice runs. What a fare-well!
On our drive to
Montreal we enjoyed the countryside with its little towns, forests and
pastures. The River grew and when merging with the Lawrence River, a mighty
stream squeezed itself past the large City of Montreal.
We took a day
to check out the City. The Old Town and the river front was worth a stroll.
The business part of the city does not motivate one to do anything else than
business which was not in our program. On our way out we toured the old
residential part NW of City center. It was very educating to take in the various
old architectural styles, some of them very captivating.
Driving towards
Quebec we noticed how the valley gradually grew wider with a mountain range
on the north side and the rolling wooded hills toward the south, which would
prove to be very characteristic to the Nova Scotia area in the following days. The colors
of the woods became more intense and everywhere the farmers did their last
preparations before the arrival of winter. It was worthwhile to take the
slower road along the river. Slow was however a very relative word as most
traffic seemed to be in a great hurry at 10-15% over the speed limit.
Stopping at a village caf� was an experience and insight to the kindness of the people,
though they only speak French.
In Quebec we
were surprised to find the large ocean liner, Queen Mary II moored at the
peer. The ferries we would take the next day looked like small tugboats when
passing in front. In the distance we saw a shiny white Carnival Cruise Ship
parked far enough away to make room for Her Majesty, the Queen. The next day, two of the
cruise ships were parked in the same spot.
Quebec is
definitely worth a visit. It is neat, cultivated and (save the tourists and
abundance of souvenir shops)
a picturesque City. Above all, the culinary aspect has to be mentioned. The
real French quality and hospitality makes you want to come again. Quality
outdoes quantity and does not leave the feeling of being a stuffed turkey
by the days end. The only thing we missed was an exquisite cheese selection
to perfectly complete the meal. On the other side, the sweets we did order
were very well balanced and you didn't have the feeling that they were an
advertisement of a
sugar laden cupboard. We may be back again.
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Your
Own Air-Strip Lonely out in the country the
floatplane waits. The
Beaver will be back soon if the wind is right. |
Small
Farm-House
Modest with a few cows and crops in the field. |
Big
Farms Giant equipment and long rows of hay rolls. |
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Perfume
of the Season
Mammoth manure spreaders place their accent in the fields - smell the recent
fragrance of the season. |
Busy
Guests For a
little while the seagulls become land-gulls. |
The
River Steadily
becoming wider the St. Lawrence River becomes only an artery. |
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Thirsty
Car At 0.90
can$/liter - lots cheaper than in Europe but almost twice of US. |
Hungry
Drivers Get
the flavor of countryside with friendly hospitality when exercising the French
language. |
Geared
for Snow Put
the hydrant sign where it can be seen. People care very much for colorful
front yard decorations. |
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Affordable
Housing Simple
housing for temporary living, movable on sleds put on the river for ice
fishing. |
Spanning
the River
Giant bridge crosses the Saint Lawrence river. More modern ones exist next to
historical construction. |
Montreal
Harbor Front
Charming old quarters along the harbor front with unavoidable big city
background. |
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One
up in Affordable Housing
Secluded town settlements lie behind
black wrought iron fences. |
High
End Housing
Glass and steel facades distract the eye from the suffering streets of a big
old city. |
Montreal
Parliament
Beautiful glass windows decorate
the Parliament's Assembly Hall. |
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Town
Square in Old Montreal
Last flowers before the arrival of the
first snow. Some people still in short sleeves !! |
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Quebec
Presents Very
majestic on the rock overlooking the harbor. |
Queen
Mary II A one
day visit makes this the main attraction. |
Cruise
Ships Next Day
Giving their passengers the chance to
explore town and stock up on souvenirs. |
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Checking
out Dinner The
choice is large and quality range is wide in this French influenced town. |
Quality
above all
Enjoying the finest, get the hospitality the food deserves to be accompanied
with. |
Our
Recommendation
Hidden in a quiet alley, staffed with
people who want to spoil you. |
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Market
Square Busy
street corner. |
Fresh
Produce
Colorful display in the beautifully displayed fruits and vegetables. |
Talking
to Friends
Just get on their level. |
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Visit the next
Web Page |
Road Trip: New Brunswick |
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