Summer Road Trip Part 2

So, after NH and VT we drove North to Canada!!  My first time to Canada so we hit Quebec, visited the Old City and then did some camping and hiking outside the city.  Old Quebec feels like Europe, the people speak French but everyone is super friendly and most people (in the city at least) are bilingual.  Once we got outside the city my french was put to the test a bit.  It's been a while since I've been able to practice so it was lucky we had our lonely plant phrasebook to help us out occasionally.  Ordering Thai food in French is not as easy as it may seem!  Here's a few of my favorite shots from Quebec.  Every time I look through these photos I'm inspired to paint so I may take a break from the jewelry making soon to do some painting.

Lots of fortifications, of course we had to see all the canons.....

One of my favorite areas, the buildings, shops and restaurants are so quaint.

We didn't stay at the Frontenac but we did go inside to check it out.... very impressive.

The little old man approaching us on the bike is about to tell us his life story.  In broken English we learned about his cancer, how it's affecting his brain and he only has a short time to live but he was very excited to see his son Pierre again soon.  Pierre has been traveling a lot and doing important work but he's finally coming back for a visit.  We never did catch his name but he talked to us for about half an hour with us barely getting a word in before riding away on the bike that he isn't supposed to be riding anymore.  I wish now that I had taken his portrait but at least I have this shot to remind me of that experience.  I hope you enjoyed your visit with your son Pierre little old man on the bike.

I was going to explain this photo, but I think I'll just let you wonder about the pelts hanging from that 2nd floor window....

Had no idea we were hitting Quebec on the biggest party of the year.  Famous local band singing in french with irish accents to celtic music...... why not??!!!

Joe LOVES anything military historical so we visited the citadel and were able to catch most of the changing of the guard.  Yes.... that's a goat, the citadels symbol and mascot who participates in the changing of the guard.

Playing with public art outside the art museum..... seriously, how could you not?

Our camp site outside Quebec.  Roughin' it like I never want to rough it again.  Quebec has mosquitos the size of small birds that kept flying toward us even when sprayed directly with Deep Woods Off.  And it poured that night, hence the tarp over the tent.  You'd think that would have kept the water out, and so did we, but we were wrong.  Cold, wet night, shivering, cuddled close together for body warmth, trying to sleep, while water seeped into the tent from the sides.  Probably the worst camping experience I've ever had, but it looks like it might have been fun and it built LOTS of character.

The reason we dealt with the camping... Montmorency Falls.  We're about to walk over the bridge in the next photo down and then climb down the stairs in the photo below that.  Hiking back up that hill to get back to where we started was tough but the falls were gorgeous so the hard work was worth it.

After this we drove on to Montreal.... I'll save those photos for my next installment.