Visit of Dee, Isaiah and Andrew - Pt 3 (Quebec City)

The drive to Quebec City took almost three hours but the boys enjoyed the views of the Quebec countryside and were excited to see their first glimpse of one of Canada's oldest cities. As it was not yet lunch time we decided to take them to Parc de la Chute-Montmorency fifteen minutes east of the city - site of the famous Montmorency Falls, named by Samuel de Champlain, the founder of Quebec City over 400 years ago! The Falls, almost a hundred feet higher than Niagara falls is a spectacular natural sight, in both summer and in winter when the spray from the water freezes into spectacular shapes. We walked from the main entrance along the boardwalk to the Falls, the welcome spray cool on our faces, then climbed up the panoramic stairway to the Redoubt at the top. From there we followed a shaded pathway through the forest to the bridge crossing over the Falls and to the cable car which returned us to the parking lot below. After lunch we met up with Phil and family at the Best Western hotel where we would be spending the next two days. The kids wanted to swim so we spent a few hours relaxing in the hotel pool before walking into the old part of the city for supper. 

Isaiah and Andrew, Montmorency Falls, Quebec

view from stairway to the top

Diane, top of Montmorency Falls, Quebec

lunch, greasy spoon

supper, Andrew and Amy, Chez Victor

Amy, Isaiah and Andrew, Marche du Vieux Port, Quebec City

Phil and family looking at their next boat

Andrew, Isaiah and Dee, old Quebec city

Phil, Andrew and Dee

The next day, Saturday, we all headed back to the old port to visit the tall ships that were in the City to help in the celebration of Canada's 150th birthday. The crowds were thick and it was hot so we decided instead to stop for some ice cream then walk along the boardwalk to the Plains of Abraham, return to the hotel for some swimming and come back later in the evening to watch the fireworks. We let the kids scramble over the old cannons lining the ramparts by the Quebec Seminary and play on the grassy slopes next to the always beautiful and impressive Chateau Frontenac. After swimming we found a restaurant (Mille et Une Pizza) where we had some absolutely delicious pizza before walking back to the port where the tall ships were moored. We stopped to watch a live show of acrobatic dancing, strolled up and down looking at the ships and waited for ten o'clock and the start of the fireworks. They were very impressive and I think when the heart shaped explosions flashed red in the sky over the St Lawrence River Amy was the most happy of all! It was late by the time we all staggered wearily back to the hotel and bed but with two days of wonderful memories to dream about. The next morning Dee and the boys were up early to catch the 0815 train to Toronto. I drove them to the VIA rail way station to say goodbye and wish them a safe voyage, more fun with Richard in Guelph and thanks for a wonderful visit. Hopefully Dee, Isaiah and Andrew ...we will meet up again soon !  gws

old cannon, Isaiah, Andrew and Amy, the ramparts, Quebec City

Marie and William

Amy and Andrew and the St Lawrence River, ramparts, Quebec City

Amy and Chateau Frontenac, Quebec City

Andrew, William, Amy and Isaiah, Chateau Frontenac, Que City

Isaiah, Amy and Andrew, swimming pool, Best Western, Quebec city

get me outta here!

celebrating Canada's 150th birthday, Quebec City!

Marie and tall ships, Quebec City

Andrew, Dee and Isaiah, fireworks

Quebec City VIA train station, July 23, 2017

Visit of Dee, Isaiah and Andrew - Pt 2 (Notre-Dame-des-Bois)

 The next morning, after a night of on and off rain, the clouds departed and for the most part the skies remained clear and sunny for the rest of the week. First order of the morning was to haul the kayaks to the lake and then cool off swimming in the nearby pond. Isaiah became the official "driver" for the week, handling the old Dodge Dakota between the lake and home like a pro. Andrew loved to wade out to the weeds in the shallows and soon became an expert frog hunter - we lost count of how many he ran over to us with, clenched securely in his fist. He proudly displaced three bleeding holes in his leg from leeches but he didn't let this deter him from the hunt for more green and spotted frogs. The next day we all went to Lac Megantic to visit the site of the tragedy of July, 2013, explaining beforehand to the boys what had happened and what the town looked like four years later.

Ben in the old Dakota

Isaiah and Andrew, Lac de la Passe

 We stopped on the way to gaze out over Lake Megantic from the viewing tower on the outskirts of town before parking next to the Catholic church and walking along the newly constructed boardwalk across from the point the train derailed, reading the memorial to the 47 killed and answering any questions the boys had about that awful day. After lunch at McDonald's (we took a vote) we went with Andrew and Isaiah to the town beach and park where we spent the next three hours running around, swimming and generally having a lot of fun. On the way home we stopped off in Piopolis for ice cream and then it was marshmallows around the firepit later that evening. For the next three days we basically drove back and forth to the lake catching frogs and snakes, kayaking and swimming and home, with a few stops at our friends homes (where Andrew and Isaiah got to hold baby ducks, chickens and rabbits) and a visit to another pond - what Andrew called "frog Paradise" where he ended up catching the grandaddy of frogs that day. Before we knew it it was Friday and we were packing for the next adventure - two days in Quebec City!  gws

Andrew, Lac Megantic

at plaque commemorating the victims

Marie explaining what happened the night of July 6, 2013

fun at the park, Lac Megantic

Piopolis

me and Dee