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Published: October 16th 2008
Bonjour! Merci beau coup! Tres Bien! We were practicing our French as we crossed back into Canada. Our first stop was Montreal in the province of Quebec. Our high-rise hotel was located in the downtown area where we walked and walked along with a young cosmopolitan population, lots of packed sidewalk cafes, small ethnic grocery stores, and upscale brownstones. When it was too far to walk we learned the ins and outs of the metro system. The “Vieux” Montreal or old town was located near the port with the oldest cobblestoned street of Rue Paul full of souvenir shops, boutiques, art galleries and intimate restaurants. The Cathedral of Notre Dame Basilica, especially its interior, was well worth the visit. A friend suggested we go up on Mt. Royal, the highest point above the city, and from there you had a great view of Montreal and also the 1976 Olympic stadium. “1000 Places to See before You Die” recommended a 5 star French restaurant named Toque and it lived up to its reputation. With its philosophy of showcasing Quebec products and using only the freshest of regional foods; we enjoyed local lamb, rabbit and mackerel, Nova Scotia princess scallops and an
absolutely delicious strawberry mousse. It was a good way to conclude our Montreal stay.
Quebec City, our 2nd stop was one or our favorites. As we walked around the only walled city in North America, we felt like we were in “old world” Europe. The city was celebrating its 400 year anniversary and there were colorful banners everywhere along with many special exhibits. The highlight of the old town was the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac built on the highest point in town and overlooking the St. Lawrence River. We took an interesting tour of this hotel given by a talented actor portraying a bellman from 1893, the year the hotel was built.
On our way from Quebec to New Brunswick we traveled through northern Maine. Towns like Limestone, Caribou, and Presque Isle reminded me of when my Dad was stationed at Loring AF Base from 1956 to 1959. Although most of the housing and buildings are long gone the memories remain; like skating back and forth on an ice rink made by my Dad, dressing up like Dale Evans with my sister on those snowbound winter days, and sitting under the Christmas tree combing through the Spiegel catalog
for our Christmas wish list. After talking to many “townies” they remembered the big B52 bombers and they shared how life in this area is pretty much the same as it was then. Many had left to experience life in the big city but returned to raise their families in this close knit rural area known for its potato farms. During the fall their children still get out of school for 3 weeks until Columbus Day to help with the potato harvest, just like they did in the 50s.
Then it was on to New Brunswick. It was a beautiful fall day and we’ve never seen so many miles of colorful trees along the way to our destination of the Bay of Fundy. This area and our accommodations were one of the best surprises of the trip. Our apartment, one of 3, was in a home perched on the side of a hill appropriately known as Cliffside Suites. The view of the town of Alma was dramatic, including beautiful sunrises and sunsets. This area is known for the highest tides in the world and the best place to see this phenomenon is Hopewell Rocks. We arrived at low tide
and walked among pillars of sandstone. Later in the day these pillars were almost covered in water.
Our last stop in New Brunswick was the quaint village of St. Andrews by the Sea. Our hotel, the Fairmont Algonquin, was the little brother version of the Chateau Frontenac in Quebec City. Because we were a week away from the off season, they upgraded us to a suite and we had the place almost to ourselves. The weather was perfect as we meandered through the Kingsbrae Gardens and later along the historic Water Street. We enjoyed local “naked” lobster (out of the shell) and Atlantic salmon prepared in a maple syrup glaze. We’ve really enjoyed our 22 days in Canada this trip.
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Ken O'Connor
non-member comment
Canada eh!
Linda and Chuck, We are glad you enjoyed the Canadian part of your trip but are sorry that we did not meet when you were in the Toronto area. This is a beautiful time of the year in southern Canada - crisp mornings and cool afternoons with superb colours. I played 9 holes on a course near my home today and the colours were magnificent. One small correction - the Olympics in Montral were in 1976! Safe travels, Ken and Marilyn O'Connor