Babalouies countryside tour

Bonjour famille et les amis (Hello family and friends),

I was looking forward to Canada the most and I have to say I haven't been disappointed (I was sadly underwhelmed with New York).

I have enjoyed listening to and attempting (poorly, as I have not spoken it since yr 10) the French (although at least I try - unlike Lol who just does "the face" which we will demonstrate when we arrive home).

Unfortunately due to the ice storms, we really didn't see much of Toronto but Montreal is nice, so long as you stay away from the main shopping street on Boxing day (more treacherous than our boxing day sales as we don't have to contend with the icy footpaths). Mike and I went were having a day by ourselves which was great and I loved Mont Royal (main park at the top of the city), it was very pretty, all white, snow on the bare tree branches, photo opportunities galore (you will all be sick of my snow photos .....- when you see them of course), around every corner something more lovely to see and so quiet, all you can hear is the snow crunching under your boots. There are trails inside the park to snowshoe and cross country ski & also a lodge and the lookout over the city, where you can warm up and rest. Also Lac Castors (Beaver Lake) where you can ice skate, but it was starting to get darker at 3.30pm so we didn't want to get caught coming down the many, many ice covered stairs in the dark. Another funny site during our walk was a lovely golden retriever attached to a dogsled with a girl on the back, with her dad running backwards in front of her to encourage the dog to run, but like most household dogs, he was more interested in smelling what was on the side of the track so kept running the girl into the snow drifts.

Montreal also have a very ingenious (if not a bit confusing - got ourselves lost quite a few times) underground city, which links all of the city metro stations and main office buildings through walkways and shopping centres, so if the weather is bad, you don't have to go out in it again until you need to. When we get back to Montreal I plan to see the old city.

I loved the fact our accommodation was so close to Vieux Québec (old Quebec), as although it is now set up for tourists - I could see past that and admire the lovely quaint buildings, with laneways covered in snow, all trimmed with lights and decorated for Christmas it felt like a little village. I also love the old buildings, the architecture, stonework and copper roofs are very olde world (also lots of photo opportunities) and all within walking distance.

As Mike mentioned Babalouie was feeling a bit under the weather (have been trying to keep it at bay since Washington) so opted out of skiing - good choice as weather not great and they apparently didn't have a Babalou run! So instead went on a countryside tour, lasting about 5 hours. So after a sleep in, at midday I braved the snow and wind to head to our departure point at Chateau Frontenac. Our first stop was across the St. Lawrence river which is mostly covered with snow and ice to I'le d'Orleans (Isle of Orleans, discovered by Jacques Cartier), very fertile farming land and referred to as Quebec's fruit bowl, lovely farmhouses and summer homes, stopped at a choclaterie (handmade chocolate shop), where I bought some chocolate frogs - which I have just remembered and am handing out now - to much enjoyment. Then on to Montmorency Falls (1 1/2 times higher than Niagara and in my opinion more spectacular as I wasn't covered in mist and as it is icing over looks surreal). I even braved the freezing falls spray, that turns and into and hits you like little ice pellets to cross the bridge that tops the falls, spectacular view. Apparently, as the ice continues to form at the base of the falls during late February to early March, it forms a large mound, which you can climb on that reaches halfway up the falls. Also at the top is York Maison which was the summer home of Queen Victoria's father and also where he would bring his mistress.

Then to one of the oldest streets in the countryside - very cute little houses, some of them are from the French occupation in 1700's, which were built before the road, so if you walk out of your front door when a car is coming you could be hit! Also on this road is the Adams Family (TV show) house - no joke, sadly it is unoccupied and in disrepair, but it is still "creepy & kooky".

Next stop was a family owned copper artisan, impressive works of art, painstakingly done with a demonstration by the daughter - it is now run by his wife, two daughters and a neice with only two employees. The father was the artist who made the copper doors for Basilique de Sainte Anne (each door took between 12-18 months to complete and were made with one piece of copper, which if it splits or a mistake is made - you have to start again), which would be our last stop.

Chez Marie, a boulangerie (bakery), where they also make their own maple products was next on the tour. A little stone cottage in the middle of a village, where you were greeted with a slice of freshly baked bread (the smell was amazing) with maple butter - delicious!!

Last stop was the Basilica, beautiful! We arrived around 5pm (completely dark by this time - which made it more spectacular as it was all lit up), the amazing thing was that mass was just starting - our tour group was greeted from the pulpit by the priest in English and encouraged to take photos or just enjoy the mass, I did both - the mass was in French, but I was able to sing 'Gloria' with the congregation, it was quite lovely, unfortunately the tour had to leave before mass finished. Then back home. Lovely trip.

Then met up with the rest of the gang, still a little frozen from their skiing and had a lovely French dinner. Mike and Dave even had escargot!

Love to all

Lisa xx