Quebec!

You cannot expect great weather every day of your vacation. You just can't. All you can hope for is for some days to be extra fine and we have had those. Today and the next day, on the other hand, are slated to be wet. But not all the time! For example, I wake up on this morning to a very pretty sunrise.

Again, there is no morning rush and for this I am grateful. The kids are on a late schedule and they sleep deeply, well into the next morning. The adults, I am sure, appreciate the lackadaisical beginning to each day. So, I'm on my own with my regular ol' get up at a fairly early hour, with my moments of sifting and sorting in my head the details of the last month, with stepping into that strong shower for a real spa moment!  [You would not believe how weak the water flow is at the farmhouse! We are used to it and Ed reminds me that we save a ton of water that way. When I travel, I love the sheer luxury of something that feels more like a massage than a regular old shower.]

Breakfast. I'm more sensible this morning.

A pastry or two, their island strawberries, yogurt. As I pull away bits of a cinnamon roll, I look around the dining room. Early Fall is the time of senior travel. With good reason: the weather is usually optimal, the venues are less crowded. It's quiet, as the more boisterous crowd is back in school, at work. I take the time to imagine each person's details: what are their handicaps as they explore the world? Hearing aids, stiff joints, slow movements are common. But what else? And what does this particular trip mean to them? Is it a first to Quebec? Are they reliving a beautiful moment from their past? Do they have kids and grandkids back home? 

I think when you are older, despite the physical limitations you now face (new knees on steep steps: ugh!), you are happier and more appreciative of all that you see, all that you smell, taste, experience. You know what you like, you move slowly, you take in every wonderful detail. And the comforts these days! The technology, the simplicity of using a card for everything (I did not exchange a single dollar for this trip)! Travel may be harder at some level, but it's easier at so many others.

And then I go for a little stroll, before it gets too crowded out there. I walk the whole length of  the Rue de Petit Champlain. The Architectural Digest puts it on its list of the 53 most beautiful streets in the world. You can argue about this if you wish, but to me, it's jut a really lovely corner of the city. So I linger. And do very trivial shopping.

And then I turn in the opposite direction, to meet up with everyone for brunch-lunch. For some reason google has me take the back alley. An interesting perspective on the city...

(out on the street again, going uphill)

(here they come!)

We go to Chez Temporal, which has to be a real crowd pleaser as it has it all -- eggs, sandwiches, croissants, waffles. We pick our favs and wait for the food to arrive.

Sandpiper gets a little antsy here. I take him out for a walk. Sparrow joins us.

(aren't you supposed to sit on a bench?)

(Okay, the food is surely here!)

And now it's time for a little more of tourism: we head toward the Citadel and the Plains of Abraham. You have to have a little bit of Quebec history under your belt to appreciate the significance of this place: it's where the French tried to hold onto their settlements, fending off the British successfully, until they couldn't anymore, thus sealing the fate of this territory forever. Well, until it all falls apart as we fight each other to death in the centuries ahead of us.

On the way to the Citadel we pass a small playground. The kids are thrilled!

(the boys choose this time to stay dry)

(Approaching the Citadel)

(only Sparrow walks over to the guard without hesitation; the others are put off by the gun...)

We opt not to do the tour (that is required for visiting the Citadel). A two year old is going to hate the constraints of a group trudge and he is not going to listen quietly to a history lesson. Instead, we turn away from the Citadel and walk over to the Parliament Building.

(Quebec is rich in water fountains, which makes these kids very happy...)

This Parliament proves to be a wonderful place for a visit. Few people go there. It's free. It's beautiful. You can pace yourself and visit the chambers independently. There are places to sit. Winners all!

(waiting for an elevator with a mirrored door...)

By mid-afternoon, the young family heads back down to their place to try to nap their energetic Sandpiper. He has a longer evening before him and he'll do better if he's at least a little rested. I head go to my hotel. It's raining lightly now -- the system of clouds and moisture has finally arrived. It'll stay with us for a bit, but that's okay. The bulk of our sightseeing is behind us. We can deal with wet clouds!

And in the evening we meet up for a Quebecois meal at La Buche. Think: deer with bacon dressing. Well, okay, there are plenty of more conventional Quebecois dishes. I opt for the fish, for example. The kids are happier with grilled cheese sandwiches. 

On the walk to our respective homes, we stop at a small grocery store. Tiny as it is, it nonetheless has boxes of Quebec wild blueberries. A must for me! 

And we stop, too, by the Champlain monument, where a street artist is putting on a show for a rather large audience. The kids find seats, enthralled by it all -- the acrobatics, the lateness of the day, the communal nature of the event.

There's no doubt about it: vacation evenings, travel evenings are special. They stay with you for a long long time. And you never even notice when the rain drops come back to moisten your face just a little. It's all part of the uniqueness of being being with your family, far away from home, sharing with them, with others too, this moment of a splendid summer adventure. 

Goodnight Quebec! You've been stunning and wonderful. Tomorrow, I'm returning home.

with love...