Day 4: A Goat, French/British Tug-of-War & Canadian Spin-Masters

Heading out for another day of adventures.

Travel Tip #3: Ask. Ask. Ask. And the best tips will be unearthed.

VM:  Bon jour.  Amazing what a difference a day makes.  Yesterday (Sunday), this city was jam-packed with tourists.  Today (Monday) it was as if we had the place to ourselves. Not sure it's good for business, but it certainly made for a lovely day.

First, a shout-out to my work pal, Fatima. Prior to departing on this trip, she mentioned that her girlfriend had just visited Q. City.  I asked that if she had time, I would love to know any "must-dos" from her friend's point-of-view.  Just prior to departure, we got an email full of suggestions.

Between her suggestions, those of our Frontenac Hotel concierge, and those from our walking tour guide Michael, we had a great day. (Hence the tip of the 

day -- ask and ask again when traveling, it's how you find the best stuff).

Guard doing his thing.

First, we headed to The Citadel to watch the changing of the guards.  For those of you who have traveled to England, this is a bit of common sight.  The Brits (and the French) love their pomp and circumstance.  And us -- well, we just loved the goat.  That's probably putting it mildly for me, I became obsessed with the goat.

Turns out that the Royal 22e Regiment's mascot is a Persian goat who is supposedly descended from the Queen's private stock of goats.  According to what I've read, the goat symbolizes "the will to succeed." Me, I just think it's excessively funny that this goat, who was fairly perturbed to be on a harness being marched around, presides over the daily ceremony at Quebec City's active military installation.  

BAAAAA!

Pomp & circumstance prevail at The Citadel.

Batisse doesn't seem thrilled to be on the job.

Ever present, Batisse was ready for this day's ceremony to be DONE!

George the Bulldog on the job in Sicily, Italy during WWII.

While Batisse was definitely the highlight of the changing of the guards visit, we also enjoyed learning that at one point, during World War II, George the Bulldog also looked over the troops.  Not sure that either George or Batisse could really do much at the end of the day if crisis were really to strike, but being the animal-lovers we are, they sure made us smile.

The Citadel visit also began our day of Canadian superlatives.  Just like I'm obsessed with a goat, seems our northern cousins are obsessed with anniversaries and being the "first" or the "largest."  They are without a doubt, PR spin-masters. As an example, The Citadel is "the most important British fortification ever built in North America" and this year, its Royal 22e Regiment is celebrating 100 years of history.

YUM is not descriptive enough.

After visiting with Batisse, we sought a local cafe/bakery, Paillard, recommended by our concierge friend. As an "insider," she told us to seek an almond flaky pastry that is apparently not available until midmorning as it's baked fresh in the morning.  It did not disappoint.  In fact, it simply melted in your mouth.

Getting our doggie fix.

On our way back to our apartment, we met some of our first canine friends in Q. City -- Sally & Scruffy.  These sweet pups were on their way to Nova Scotia.  We got our doggie fix as we really haven't seen any dogs in the past few days and have only met one "chat," a neighborhood black tomcat who visited us briefly at our apartment for a quick scratch but kept going on his morning trek.

Our chat.

Midday took us to an off-the-beaten-path location suggested by Fatima's friend, the Morrin Center.  It's claim to fame -- being built 200 years ago as the city's first prison (yep, another superlative AND anniversary!).  The prison later became the area's first English college.  Hard to make that connection, but it's true.  The tour starts with checking out horrid facilities where prisoners were housed during 1700s.  EM was very alarmed to hear they also had a children's prison.  Personally, I think she was worried that a similar facility existed near our home.  Of course, HM enjoyed ribbing her about it, but mostly she enjoyed listening to our cute tour guide Ryan and charming him with her history knowledge. She really did know quite a lot (thanks Mrs. Sullivan!)

HM & JM dared to try solitary confinement, EM could not be convinced.

Once the college opened in 1868, the sole task was all about spreading English.  Thus began the other theme of the day -- the Canadian identity crisis.  You're either on the French side or the English side of things here.  And the fact is, there is no clear winner.  Personally, I think most preferred the French lifestyle -- the joie de vivre -- but also liked the industry & discipline of the Brits.  Schizophrenic no doubt.

A cute guide (and being the only ones on the tour!) made visiting the Morrin Center
experience even better.

Imagine watching the river to see who is coming with reinforcements.

After the Morrin Center, the history lesson continued as we sought a recommendation from our Frontenac friend -- the museum at Abraham Plains where they featured "The Odyssey," a multi-media experience depicting the history of Quebec City.  It is really well done and we all enjoyed it.  The synopsis -- the French thought they were safe up on the cliff and the narrow part of the St. Lawrence River, the Brits eventually pulled what I call a "Normandy" and attacked the French in the cloak of night, scaling the cliff at 1am and attacking at 5am.  It was all over by 10am.  The French later won it back for about 2 years, but ultimately, when both sides were waiting for reinforcements, the Brits are who arrived.  

So again, identity crisis.  If it had been the French who arrived to save the day, Canada could potentially be a complete French-aligned country.  Fascinating stuff.

Delicious recommendation from tour guide Michael.

After the Morrin Center, it was time for linner (lunch/dinner).  Based on the recommendation of our tour guide Michael, we sought a local eatery called Cochon Dingue (Crazy Pig).  While they had their fair share of pork dishes, we opted for traditional French steak & frites (real French fries) & were not disappointed.

JM felt the need to challenge the bartender at Cochon Dingue, ordering a Brazilian Capirinha (it was on their menu).  While he almost had to go help her make the drink, he later gave it a thumbs up!

Macaroons, a French sweet, are visually beautiful.  

EM decided to try them out and declared them delicious. 

Digging for hidden treasure.

On our way home, we make our final historic stop of the day, an archaeological excavation that shows you the foundation of where the governor's mansion once stood -- the Forts et Chateau Saint Louis.  Just below where the Hotel Frontenac stands now, the chateau housed French and English governors depending who was in charge at the time.  (Again -- identity crisis!!)  Regardless, we thought it was neat and were fascinated to see the patience archaeologists have to have to dig, find and then reassemble artifacts.  We all promptly decided we wouldn't have the patience.

You have to have the patience of Job to find these pieces
and put them all together again!

We ended our day at our local church again, Notre Dame.  Seems Notre Dame is 350 years old (another anniversary!) and is thus, the oldest of all parishes in North America, north of the Spanish colonies (Canadian spin masters at work!)  In honor of the jubilee, Pope Francis approved the creation of a Holy Door.  It is the only Holy Door in North America (the others are in France, Spain, Italy & Egypt) and speaks to the influence the Catholics have had here. Walking through the door is intended to be a spiritual experience where you leave your sins and suffering behind. Still working on that.

The Morrin Center houses the area's largest collection of English books.

Statue of James Wolfe in the Morrin Library.
He battled the French for
control of Quebec City.

EM: The city is beautiful because of all the flowers. The library was cool because of how old all the books were. They have good macaroons.  

HM:  I feel like crud [VM note: HM is harboring a bad cold that we're all bound to get.] but the city is beautiful.  I enjoyed The Citadel and prison (Ryan was really nice!)

Wonder how Quebec City's beautiful flower boxes
are maintained????

With tons of care & a big ladder!

Day 3: 12,000 Steps in the Old City

Travel Tip #2:  When you are unsure where to go,  pretend you are a rich hotel guest.

VM:  We awoke in our home away from home after a good night's rest ready to explore the city.  The only problem was that we didn't know exactly where to start. So we became posers.  We walked the few short blocks to what is arguably the city's most well-known and most-photographed landmark, The Chateau Frontenac Hotel (which is a Fairmont) and asked the concierge.

Our other pretend home away from home -  The Chateau Frontenac.

In all honesty, we fully disclosed that we were not guests, but that we wanted a GOOD walking tour and would be grateful for a recommendation.  And I'm happy to say, we got that and so much more.

Quebec City, particularly the Old City, where we are staying, is a unique spot.  With only 6,500 residents living inside the "wall," the place truly depends on tourism to keep it afloat.  The result?  We have found everyone to be super duper helpful and pleasant.  They really seem to get that their guests are the reason they're employed.  In addition, the govt. invests to keep the place virtually picture-perfect.  It's like a nice, French-English Disney World. And no, JM didn't ask me to say that.

So, what does this mean?  Our concierge did us a solid.  She immediately got us reservations on a terrific walking tour and she also whipped out a user-friendly map to mark other spots of interest that we should not miss.  Best of all, she pointed out great dining spots (yep, we always need to assure we've got great places to eat!)

Getting "tattooed" while sitting on the artist's scooter.

Posers in the lobby at the Frontenac. Photo creds: HM.

After a lovely lunch and a tattoo stop for EM, we were off on our tour.  Slated for a 2-hour walk (to counteract all the dining we like to do!), our wonderful guide, Michael, just kept going and going and going.  Three hours later, EM & HM couldn't hear about another piece of Quebec City history or about a fascinating architectural highlight.  JM and I, on the other hand, enjoyed learning & photographing this most beautiful city.

The best part of having an apartment rental was that just when we thought we couldn't go any more, we could just come home, recoup & then head out again later for dinner.

My FitBit was happy that I made my step goal and more!

It was a wonderful day.

Girls are asleep so they will share thoughts later.

Guess which is the Catholic Church?  Ding, ding, ding if you guessed the one on the left.
The Catholics sort of rule in Quebec City.  They have been a source of culture & education for literally hundreds of years.  Notre Dame is right down the street from where we are staying. The Anglicans tried to diminish this stronghold, but to no avail.  The beautiful church on the right, Holy Trinity, today only has about 80 parish families.

HM getting in her church time. We were fascinated to learn each pew was "assigned" to a family.  The doors were there so that in the winter when the family brought a heated stone to keep their feet warm, the heat did not escape.  LOVE learning stuff like that!

Samuel de Champlain led the French into Quebec City.  They later lost it to the British.  And then the Brits gave it back to the Canadians.  Still not quite clear how the region ended up speaking French.
 I guess they deny the British years.

The Old City's architecture is just one photo op after another.
Flowers and beautiful buildings everywhere you turn.

 

The government maintains a firm hand on the architectural changes/enhancements made.  One of the requirements is these "snow guards" to keep ice and snow from falling off the steep-pitched buildings.

Our favorite statue on the tour.  Intended to be homage to the two great rivers which meet in Quebec City and the trade that was once done here.  

Heading out for dinner, this pic is taken on our street, Ste. Famille.  Straight below us is the harbor. 

The old wall surrounding the city.  Clearly, they're more worried about the aesthetic than safety in this City.  Those teens are literally sitting at least 3-4 stories above the sidewalk.  Not a railing in sight.  Photo credits: EM!

One of the "gates" around the city. Photo creds: EM.

Day 1 & 2 - Grazing Thru Vermont & the Fall of Electronics

Travel Tip #1 - Never let a teenager take her mobile phone to Canada.  But more on that later…

VM:  Friday we made it to New England.  After EM and I were delighted to find out we had been upgraded on the entire trip -- a rare feat for us -- the family was reunited in Boston, meeting up with HM and JM at the airport.  And what was the first thing we did!?!  Set off towards Vermont, but with linner (like brunch, but lunch/dinner) in mind first.  We all arrived famished.  

A quick check of maps, reviews, etc. (a thumbs up to electronics), 

The Puritan Backroom, not healthy but DELICIOUS!

we made our way to a Manchester, New Hampshire staple, The Puritan Backroom.  By all counts, the place is an institution.  Opened in 1917, it claims to have originated "chicken tenders." And given that I sometimes believe our family may be singlehandedly keeping Chic-Fil-A in business, I thought it would be a safe bet.  

We were not disappointed.  We all came to life after a world famous mudslide (JM), a local brew (VM) and the biggest mound of chicken tenders HM & EM had ever seen.  The tenders were yumola and we told ourselves the salads counterbalanced them.

Our sweet inn had charm galore.

Afterwards, we kept making our way to our charming Vermont inn right outside of Woodstock, October Country Inn.  Our lovely hosts, Edie & Chuck, were California transplants, so JM (who typically wants nothing to do with small talk) enjoyed swapping stories about his home state.  

The highlights of our inn: 

1) seeing a REAL chipmunk up close 

Not exactly Chip or Dale.

2) enjoying a garden with a killer swing 

A cherished play moment in our beautiful Vermont garden.

Proof that the simplest things are the best things.

3) playing checkers & Candyland (yes, Candyland!)

There was a UF mug, but no UGA mug.  Just saying'...

 4) yummy homemade cranberry/orange scones at breakfast (Starbuck's-Edie & Chuck beats you hands down!) 

and 

5) selecting from the many mugs our innkeepers offer to enjoy morning coffee & tea.  Needless to say, it was a perfect introduction to 'cation.

Now those of you who know Vermont know that it is a beautiful state with many outdoor activities -- kayaking, rock climbing, hiking, etc.  We, of course, did none of these.  Instead, our travel through the state took us to learn about the history of a president, flour and ice cream.  And it was delicious.

It's just a beautiful part of our States.

We started our day touring the childhood homestead of President Calvin Coolidge in Plymouth, Vermont.  An often forgotten president he is among JM's favorites.  If you're wondering his top 3, they are 1. Washington,  Jefferson & Madison (it's a tie!) 2. Coolidge, 3. Reagan.  

 

Calvin Coolidge's booty sat here.
His childhood saddle.

HM loved his saying and so did we:
"If some folks would use their feet less, and their heads more, they would arrive sooner!"

The flowers are stunning.

The homestead was really cool as it showed how a village made things work in the late 1800s and early 1900s especially in the harsh Vermont winter clime.  Coolidge (and his family) were fascinating.  JM and I were struck by the fact that he was probably a good president because he actually WAS a man of the people.  He grew up in a farming household where there was nothing his father couldn't do -- he was a farmer, a teacher, a church elder AND a politician.

The state of Vermont has done an incredible job of preserving the homestead and surrounding village and it was really cool to check it all out.  One of the neatest things to see was the actual table and Bible that Coolidge's dad (who was a notary public) used to swear him into office when word that the sitting president, Warren Harding, had died.  Imagine being at home for a vacation and all of a sudden finding out you had a major job change!?!

The Bible that changed Coolidge's life.

We had to taste test Coolidge's favorite soda Moxie - a bitter root beer.

Checking out Union bullets which caused many deaths and amputations.

The North does their thing.

On the day we visited, we were also treated to a band of Civil War reenactors.  We had seen something like this before in Atlanta, but the point-of-view was slightly different.  We spent lots of time talking to a gentleman who portrayed a surgeon who had lived in NY and at 43, volunteered to help in the Union war effort.  At 43, he was the oldest man in his regimen and ultimately he was a triage doctor.  One of the most interesting things about him was that was captured by the Confederates and as an officer, met General Robert E. Lee. As he noted, it was the last "war among gentlemen," and Lee, who discovered this doctor was a Mason like him, treated him with the utmost respect.  Imagine if we could have that today among the warring factions in Ukraine, Syria, etc.  

After a full morning at Coolidge's, our stomachs started talking.  We headed northeast to Norwich to visit the King Arthur Flour Company, established in 1790. Many of you know that I have been converted to this flour after the company visited EM's grade last year for its Learn, Bake, Share program.  The in-school, FREE program was awesome -- teach kids to make bread and encourage them to bake a loaf for their family and bake a loaf to give away.  The result at EM's school was that we donated 200 loaves of bread to a food bank for Thanksgiving and EM has become a junior baker.

While not much to tour as the bread makers were just finishing when we arrived, we enjoyed a yummy lunch with fresh baked goods.

Queen Emma at King Arthur's.

Awesome company with awesome philosophy.

But eating these fresh baked goods didn't prevent us from seeking out our final Vermont stop on our way to Canada -- Waterbury, home of Ben & Jerry's ice cream.  As HM says, "my other stomach's are full, but not my ice cream one."

Disciples of Ben & Jerry.

Most excellent reason for being.

HM pays homage to B&J's for inventing the chocolate chip cookie dough
ice cream-- the company's #2 bestseller behind Cherry Garcia.

Not much to the Ben & Jerry's tour, but the highlight (of course!) is the sample at the end.  Not quite the Coke museum experience with its infinite Cokes from around-the-world tasting room, the McCartys were still happy to taste a flavor called Milk & Cookies.  Delicious and available at your local grocers (you see how a cult begins!?!)

One of the best parts of the tour was checking out B&J's flavor graveyard of tastes that didn't make the cut because either nobody bought it or increased cost of ingredients made the long-term production prohibitive.  Supposedly one of the worst selling flavors was Sugar Plum.  Plum ice cream with a caramel swirl.  No surprise there.

Ummmm.  Who thought this would work?!?

Having a sense of humor regarding fails is the way to go.

We then trekked to Canada accompanied by Jim Gaffigan's audiobook, Dad is Fat.  He is a wonderful, family-safe, Catholic (!) comedian with FIVE kids under 8.  His observations couldn't be more spot-on and more funny.  He is a JM favorite.  We recommend his book for ANY parent and recommend his comedy for all.  He's hilarious without being crude.  Our comedian version of the TV show The Middle -- something the whole family can enjoy together with no embarrassment.

While a lengthy road trip, we enjoyed coming through the Canadian countryside filled with dairy farm after dairy farm.  California came to mind again as the fields very much reminded JM of the agricultural parts of his home state.

This is the point in the narrative where I tell you that we are all WAY too connected and reliant on electronics.  Up until Canada, Siri had been our best companion, faithfully taking us to every spot we wanted to go.  Admittedly not doing our homework, we were thrilled when she continued to work in Canada.  While we told HM to shut down her phone cause we weren't clear on roaming charges, we plowed on with Siri until we were 15 minutes from our destination and she stopped.

Just stopped.

Now, while no disaster, it is NO FUN, being tired after a 5-hour drive, arriving in a new country and a new city, and having NO IDEA where to go.  Luckily, I had printed directions as a back up plan and we started figuring our way the sort of old-fashioned way.  While we handled the setback with minor cussing and no yelling, it is safe to say JM and I won't be running in The Amazing Race anytime soon.  

Meanwhile, in the back seat, HM, ever the teenager, had NOT turned off the phone as her parents requested.  She was sure she was not roaming right up until we got the text to say that her phone had been locked for excessive charges.  Yep, the evening did not end up pretty.  Let's just say HM will be enjoying Quebec City the old-fashioned way.

Regardless of the Siri fail, we arrived at our city rental safely and are thrilled with our home away from home in the Old City.  It is right in the heart of Quebec City and is just our style -- shabby chic.  Exposed brick walls, wood floors, a crooked staircase because of settlement, and a claw foot tub.  

Our temporary home away from home in a great city with great promise.

EM: King Arthur was cool because you get to see where they make bread. Ben & Jerry's was nice you saw where it was made and how much.

HM: After arriving to our B&B in Vermont I already didn't want to leave; the beautiful view, gorgeous backyard, and friendly faces made your evening and morning awesome. 

Next was Calvin Coolidge's home, which I must say was beautiful. I especially enjoyed the beds in every single room in the house. In 10 years when you walk into my kitchen the greeting will be, "Welcome to my kitchen, we have a bed!" 

King Arthur's bread was super neat and I'm glad we added it to the list but hands down my favorite stop was the Ben & Jerry's Ice Cream Factory. From the cute tour guide to the delicious samples to the "why-did-they-even-think-of-that-flavor?" graveyard it was super fun and a really interesting stop! Finally, I learned that international data charges are A LOT and I need to get through my stubborn skull that Mom and Dad really DO know best.

Couldn't resist this final Vermont truck statement.
Best sticker - "If you can read this, thank a teacher. If you're reading it in English, thank a soldier."