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The train ride on the famous Adirondak was fascinating, like sitting on a magic carpet, watching landscapes of forests, rivers, and lakes zoom by our windows, green and sparkling in the summer sun. With time to spare and room to move, I was able to relax with a cup of coffee, the boys got to catch up on homework and Paul spend a few chilled out hours wrapping his brain around Sudoku.
Montreal looked small and frumpy after the passionate kisses of NY but we learnt valuable lessons upon our arrival.
1. Next time we decide to strech our legs and walk to our hotel, we should check the weather forcast first.
2. The stronger the rain, the less chances to find a taxi, and of course, the further the hotel, the wetter you get.
3. We now know that all our luggages will remain perfectly waterproof after half an hour of rain and that Maxim and Callum's optimistic resiliance is also waterproof at least for that length of time.
Luckily, the hotel provided us with a warm welcome (thank you so much, Carole if you read this) a good breakfast and a location right in the city centre. We spent the next day chillaxing (very important word for Maxim and Callum). We found a new ride (yes, another Dodge Charger, this time in black, even cooler) and explored this friendly city, getting ready for a whole string of summer festivals. I am getting used to French Canadian, where a car is a char, a friend is a chum and a poutine is not a russian president but a stack of chips, covered in cold nuggets of cheese and hot gravy (an aquired taste).
Montreal has a 'Perth' feel about it, properous, energetic with the comfy warmth of a smaller city and a discret undercurrent of social inegalities. There is a crisis here, looming just below the surface. They were expecting huge demonstrations this week end, as the cost of life is rising relentlessly months after months, expecially the fuel and the groceries hit by a 15% tax. The Canadian Dollar is now at parity with the US, so the american tourists have stopped coming, fruits and veg exports are suffering and the region is hurting. Many houses and business are for sale in quaint, touristic areas that should be making money instead.
The next day, we were back on the road, on the lovely named Chemin du Roy (the King's Way) a road build in the middle of the 18th century to link Montreal with Quebec along the river for the benefit of the fur trade. It is like driving among the pages of an history book, villages after villages. The houses here are as neat as buttons, frozen in time, perfect little gardens, beautiful white wooden walls, french windows in bright colours, from turquoise to red. They really pop out in a landscape of green leaves, long grass and rivers.
We arrived in Quebec City today, just in time to walk around and above the Montmorency falls. From a rope bridge soaring over a massive waterfall, we saw a bright rainbow in the spray, yep, another image for our memory box
After a weekend stroll around the historic town of Quebec, we will follow this road along the St Laurent all the way to the sea, then cross inland to Lake Saint Jean, in a large triangle all the way back to Montreal. Nice tracks ahead, through green leafty landscapes of rivers and forests,
- comments
David alan harry bradley maxim how are you in were ever you are is it fun we are doing speeches right now
Jayd Powell Hello Maxim and family. I hope you are having a great time and are enjoying yourselves. Where is your next destination and what is you most favourite destination you have been to. Have a great time whilst we are here stuck doing work.
Shannon Chong Hello Maxim and everyone. how are you? and have you got a present for us? We are doing speak up speeches and I was nervous doing that. I hope you have fun during your holiday.
Tessa Nolan Hello to all of the Desmond family, it is me Tessa and I am going to tell you guys what we are doing as I'm typing this. Firstly we are doing speak up (it is horrid!). It had to be a persuasive text and it had to be 3 to 4 minutes long. Mine was 2:50 :( Secondly we haven't done any school work today other then speak up. Now I am going to ask some questions. 1. How are you doing with the travelling? 2. How many different airlines have you been on? Thanks guys Have a nice trip!!! 3. Have you got our presents yet?
CooperJames Anderson Hi Maxim its me Cooper,I MISS YOU.Hope your having Fun on your trip and your Brother is not annoying you in the car ride and asking you questions about what's going to happen next.Maxims dad, are you driving the car?Cause if you are I hope you are fanging it around the corners.I've just done my speak up speech.(I did really good) Is you Work really hard?Maxims Mum,What type of food do you cook when your not getting take away or room service?Callum,Did you bring any of your favourite toys on the trip with you? I Miss you Maxim, Davids getting worried about you.Come back soon <3
Joe Walsh Hi Maxim, I hope you have enjoyed your plane trips and I'm looking forward to hearing how your flights are. By the way when you went from the US to Canada did you fly American Airlines? I hope you're enjoying your trip, Joe
Julie Boulos Hi Maxim. I was wondering what the weather is like over there because it is becoming very wintry here. The day before yesterday we had a storm that caused the worst damage experienced in the history of Western Power and there is another predicted to blow in tonight that they say may be even worse. Some people lost their roofs! I wish you were here for the Speak Up speeches because I think you would be very good at it. I am sure you are practising lots of speaking on your holiday though!! Best wishes, Mrs Boulos
Donat Desmond Hi y'all, Montreal sounds great and now off to Quebec. My favourite producer Daniel Lanois is from around there and he does some funky Quebecois cajun stuff too. You're covering a huge amount of ground there and sounds like you're raking up the airmiles. I'm hoping to make an escape maybe to Canada after I submit my master's thesis at the end of July. Well anyhow thanks for the great blog Sabine and bon journee. love to all. Donat