Enjoying a Traditional Harvest Meal at the Érablière du Cap Maple Syrup Farm, QUEBEC, Canada

Today was a great day as our schedule was jammed pack. We started with an excellent breakfast buffet at the Double Tree Hilton. When we compared the buffet breakfast between hotels in North America and Europe, the buffet breakfasts at the hotels in Europe always made us feel satisfied with a wide variety fresh food items from which to choose where the North American breakfasts tend to be less elaborate. That was why we were pleasantly surprised by the breakfast buffet at the Hilton this morning! I was happy to find many fresh fruit and salad items included this morning as I would prefer to eat like a vegetarian as much as possible. Later on I talked to our tour guide who told me that her tour company made a specail arrangement with the hotel asking them to prepare a special buffet breakfast for our group which explained why ours was so good.

Our first stop was a maple syrup farm about 30 minute drive from Quebec City called Érablière du Cap. We were welcome by the daughter of this farm owner, a 14th generation of her French decent family who has been continuing the family run maple syrup extraction and making business. What a feat! After her introduction and explanation of her family business, we were shown a short movie about the maple syrup production.

  After the movie, we were seated in a traditional log house style dining hall and served a traditional Quebec harvest meal. We learned that in the early years, it was not possible for one farm family to harvest all they had planted during the spring. Therefore during harvest season, many people from the farm community would come and help out in the harvest.

After the harvest, the family would express their thanks and appreciation to those who had lent a hand in the harvesting work by inviting them to a meal specially prepared for them. The harvest meal which we were served consisted of pea soup, cabbage salad, sausages, tourtiere/ meat pie, baked eggs, dried pork shreds, smoked ham, pork and beans, and dessert. It was my first time eating a traditional Quebec harvest meal and it was quite a feast!

  We enjoyed our visit to the Erabliere du Cap farm on this tour. Unlike many sugar shacks operating only during the spring tapping season, this farm offers traditional Quebec harvest meals year-round for groups and tour visitors.

After lunch, we were allowed time to roam in the maple forest where the sugar saps could be collected each spring. Pictures, explanations and real tools used in the past on the farm were displayed to inform visitors of the process of maple syrup production.

  It was an educational and fun day for us all! Two thumbs up!

  RT, Erabliere du Cap, Quebec, Canada, 082026

Cruising Around the 1000 Islands & Learning about a Tragic Love Story at Rockport, Kingston, Canada

QUEBEC TRIP - PART 2 We went to Montreal recently and enjoyed the trip so much that we decided to visit the province of Quebec again for the second time in the summer months. Desiring to explore Quebec a little more but did not want to drive the distance, we signed up for a bus tour and also invited a family member to join us.

  We picked up Th. from his home the evening before the trip to sleep over at our house so that we would be on time for the 7:00am bus tour departure time from Toronto. We arrived at the Pacific Mall for our tour bus and there were a few people already waiting there. There were many tour buses with a variety of tours going to various tourist destinations.

  Our bus was pretty full and the tour was well organized with seats already pre-assigned. The tour bus made its first stop in Rockport near Kingston for a cruise tour of the Thousand Islands. We passed by Kingston many times but had never stopped for more than an hour.

 

 

 

 

  This time, the tour company arranged for us an hour long cruise of the 1000 Islands.

There are over 1800 islands in the Thousand Islands region surrounding Kingston, Ontario, and the St. Lawrence River area which is famous for its eccentric homes - Some are large; some are tiny and a few turn-of-the-century Gilded Age mansions.

The tour guide also shared with us a few unique island folklore.

  There was one tragic love story which we remember well; and it was about the Boldt Castle (Heart Island). We saw the grandest mansion on one of the islands during our cruise. This is one of the most famous structures in the area built by George C. Boldt, proprietor of New York’s Waldorf-Astoria Hotel. He started building a 6-story, 120-room Rhineland-style castle as a romantic gift for his wife, Louise in 1900. He even had the island re-shaped into the shape of a heart.

However, tragedy struck in 1904 when Louise died unexpectedly and construction was halted. Saddened and deeply affected, Boldt no longer wish to continue building the mansion. In fact, he never set foot on the island again. Half-finished, the grand estate was abandoned for over seven decades before public restoration efforts began. It was eventually donated to the government which has turned it into a public park for all to enjoy.

  It was good seeing Th. who seemed to be enjoying this trip, taking pcitures, initiating conversations with fellow tourists and the bus driver.

  After the cruise, we had a buffet lunch at the restaurant by the St. Lawrence River, enjoying some good food and a beautiful view of the river!

 

Another couple of hours, we reached Montreal, had a ride on the FERRIS wheel where we had a good bird’s eyeview of the waterfront area of Montreal.

 H We had a Montreal smoke meat sandwich and a salad in the square. Then we called it a day and stayed at the DTH for the night. RT, Montreal, 082026

Activitie Keeping an Energetic Pre Teen Happy & Busy for a Few Days in Toronto!

B., our God daughter asked to come and spend a few days with us during the summer holidays; we were happy to have her around us. An energetic pre teen, B. could get bored easily. Therefore, we wrecked our brains trying to figure out what we could so with her so that she would not be bored while she was with us. We came up with a plan and a variety of different types of activities to keep B. busy and had a good time together. We had a busy few days and we did the following with B.

  1. Cooking together in our kitchen - I have found that most kids love to cook. Therefore, we came up with some easy recipes and cooked with B. who loved gettingher hands in the dough and in the meatloaf mixing all the ingredients. I let her do it and she loved kneading the hacl ouf of the dough! The best part was getting to try all the homemade goodies!

 

2. Picking and pressing fresh flowers to make dry flowers - I always believe that having fun with kids should not cost much and also like using whatever available to us in our surrounding. Another economical way to have fun with B. was letting her pick the fresh flowers from our backyard and teaching her how to dry them. She was roaming in our yard and picking these flowers.

 

  I loved it as I do feel that kids these days spend too much time on their Ipads and cell phones. Seeing B. enjoying her time outdoors and later on concertrating and creating her own floral artwork at the kitchen table was rewarding for me.

 

 

  3. A fun shopping trip at Nations Fresh Foods - We took Bea to the Nations supermarket which has an area called the OZone Arcade as well as an Indoor Playground where children could claw around built-in indoor play structures and party areas giving children and pre teens like B. a space to burn off energy while we could shop and grab some food and coffee.

4. Attending a 60's Concert at the Stonehooker's Brewing Company - We looked up on the internet and found a resonable priced concert happening at the Stonehooker's restaurant which has one of the largest outdoor patio/beer garden spaces along the Lakeshore area in Torotno. We were happy to be able to find a table for us among the many picnic tables equipped with umbrellas and string lights. There were quite a few people there. It looked like a popular gathering spot for families, groups, and pets.

  The venue has a live band performing some live music performance regularly (often Thursday through Sunday), bringing in local bands, acoustic duos, and trivia nights. We arrived at around 6pm and there were live music, food and drink stations as well as a game station set up.

What surprised us the most was watching B. enjoying the oldy rock and roll music, her little body swaying from side to side following the rythmn.

  With these activities keeping our pre teen girl busy, B. was happy and didn't complain being bored at all for the few days she stayed with us. She even told her Mom her most favourite activity was the 60's concert. How about that? We always love the 60's/ 70's music which was the music we grew up with. But to think that our current young people also enjoy it? Wow! Good music is good music; you cannot help loving it!

  RT, Toronto, Canada 072026

Loved the Beautiful Spiral Shape Exterior Stairs & the Lively Pedestrain Streets in Montreal !

The last time we visited Montreal was almost twenty years ago; it was a brief visit only and we didn't see much.

 From my memory of our last visit, Montreal was not as built up and exciting as it is today.

This time we had a few more days and have come to appreciate Montreal much more. There are many interesting and heritage buildings in the city which has done a great job combining European historical charm with modern North American urban planning. There are numerous modern highrises and office buildings housing offices and beautiful shopping malls in the downtown area.

  These modern design buildings coexist harmoniously with Montreal's traditional duplexes, triplexes and quadruple. The most famous and special feature of Montreal's residential architecture is its steep, winding, wrought iron outdoor staricases which we do not see too often anywhere in Canada.

I have always been fascinated by these interesting staircases and wanted to find out more about them. While they look like an aesthetic choice today, they actually originated in the late 19th and early 20th centuries as a clever solution to urban planning and economic rules. In the late 1800s, the city of Montreal mandated that new residential developments set buildings back from the street to create front yards and green space.

To maximize the indoor square footage of the living space on these smaller lots, builders pushed the stairwells outside.

  Winter temperatures in Montreal could be harsh and drop significantly. Unheated interior stairwells were a major source of heat loss. Pushing staircases outdoors meant landlords didn't have to waste money heating shared hallways.

 

Therefore, staircases were twisted into S-shapes, spirals, and tight angles to fit within the narrow distance between the sidewalk and the front door without exceeding steepness regulations. These clever designs contributed to the unique architectural element of many Montreal houses at the time. I love these spiral staircases and couldn't stop taking pictures of them while we were in Montreal.

  Another reason we enjoyed visiting this city is its inviting and welcoming neighbourhoods and pedestrain streets. Montreal turns many of its major thoroughfares into vibrant, car-free walkways during the summer months.

The one we liked most was Avenue Mont-Royal (Plateau-Mont-Royal) - One of the longest pedestrian zones in the city. Our hotel was in this neighbourhood and we visited it a few times. When we were there, Mont-Royal was a massive green corridor lined with vintage clothing stores, bookstores, bakeries, and street art installations.

  The pedestrain street was just as lively at night past 10:00p.m!

We saw a flower shop still opened at 11:00pm, with people inside! Montrealers still shopping for flowers shopping at the wee hours of the night! During our walk on the pedestrain street, we went into the neighbourhood library to rest our tired feet and read for a little while and discovered an art exhibition there. Wow! It was a good show and FREE! Another streer, Prince-Arthur Street East, also a pedestrian-friendly street running between Saint-Laurent Boulevard and Square Saint-Louis known for its terraced dining and casual vibe.

  There are many exciting things to see and do in Montreal! We were absolutely delighted that we made this trip after more than two decades and enjoyed every moment of our stay in this beautiful city.

It is so different from all the other cities in North America! Next time if we crave to have a slice of Europe, we no longer need to fly across the Atlantic Ocean. Just a few hours drive from Toronto, viola! We will be in Montreal, our own European city right in our front door in Canada!

  RT, Toronto, Canada, 072026

  surrounded by classic Montreal triplexes with wrought-iron spiral staircases and lively cafés.

Park Fontaine - A Delightful Park Not to be Missed While Visiting Montreal, Canada

Park Fontaine known as Parc La Fontaine is an 84-acre urban oasis located in the heart of Montreal’s Le Plateau-Mont-Royal district. We moved from downtown hotel closed to the Jazz Festival to another hotel in another part of Montreal as we wanted to experience the different neighbourhoods in Montreal.

  We were not disappionted! Literally just walking out of our hotel, we were right in the park! We spent a good part of the day exploring the park on a nice sunny afternoon.

  Park Fontaine - A beautiful park with a lot to see and do. Not long after entering the park, we found a georgeous spot facing a quiet lake, so we just sat on a bench and enjoyed the calm surrounding and scenery. As it was a lovely afternoon, we saw many people picnicking, watching ducks swimming in the ponds or strolling around the water. What a peaceful and wonderful scene it was!

Walking along the lake, we were surprised to come across a huge open air stage, the Théâtre de Verdure, sitting right in the middle of the park's lake! On the bulletin board, it listed many free outdoor cultural performances, including music concerts, theater plays, dance performances, and movie screenings during the July and August months. How I wished we were staying longer so that we could attend some of these musical events.

  It was a real pleasure exploring the park. We saw a few notable monuments, public art pieces, and a cultural pavilion. My favourite place in the park was the Robin des Bois Restaurant located within the park - It is a well known community driven, non profit restaurant and gathering place. There were some big comfy sofas, large dining tables accommodating good size groups as well as a spacious outdoor terrace for diners. The prices of food and drinks were very reasonable. We bought a delicious lunch, sat down in an welcoming environment and enjoyed some live music by a few local musicians. It was great!

  Park Fontaine is no ordinary park! It is a park for all ages regarding what your interests are. It has everything for everyone - culture, art, music performances, sports, interesting displays and food!

  Next time when we visit, we will be prepared to spend an entire day in this lovely park!

  RT, Parc La Fontaine, Montreal, Quebec, Canada 062026

Montreal - An Unique Charming City in North America!

Montreal, a city of about 1.94 million people, and if counting the metropolitan area (Greater Montreal), it has around 4.3 million people. Though Montreal is the largest city in the province, it is not the the capital of Quebec.

 

Montreal is an unique city in North America as it is the only French-speaking metropolis on the continent. Unlike most major North American cities, in Montreal, everyday life, signages, business, and media operate predominantly in French. Based on the Statistics Canada census, 58.4% of the population has French as their primary language while 25-28% speak English. Montreal also has a diverse ethnic population creating a bilingual and multicultural environment where English and French intersect daily.

 

Though we don't speak much French, we were able to have a fun time in Montreal with few problems. We enjoyed our visit to this beautiful city! Aside from the Jazz Festival, we visited the waterfront, the Old Town, some great neighbourhoods with pedestrian streets where visitors could just relax in the big chairs and benches or stroll leisurely without worrying about cars.

Not sure if it was due to the Jazz Festival, we found that some pedestrain streets were quite lively with a few people still sitting or hanging around on the streets way past 11 p.m. in some part of the city.

  We fell in love with the café culture in Montreal! Instead of seeing the usual chain stores and fast food coffee shops and take out restaurants, we found many independent cafés, bakeries, and bistros all over in the city with the food and dining influenced by French lifestyle traditions and more recently with quite a diverse of ethnic food being served up in numerous restaurants.

It would be a crime if we didn't experience the Montreal’s food culture which mixes classic French technique, Jewish immigration history, and local French-Canadian dishes. Some of the famous food items are:

  Poutine: A staple made of French fries, fresh cheese curds, and brown gravy.

  Montreal-Style Bagels: Wood-fired, boiled in honey-infused water, denser and sweeter than New York bagels.

  Montreal Smoked Meat: Brisket cured in spices, smoked, and steamed, served on rye bread with mustard.

  We are happy to report that we tried them all at the eateries in Old Montreal (Vieux-Montréal) where we walked on cobblestone streets, admired the 17th-century French architecture, visited numerous arts and crafts shops in the historic plaza Place Jacques-Cartier which resemble an European historic district.

  We travel a lot across North America and very often we could not tell the difference between one city from the other as all the cities apparently have the same box stores such as Home Depot, Staples, Walmart, Costsco, Winners, Best Buy, Dollarama, Loblaws etc and the same franchised restaurants and fast food place like McDonald's. Starbucks, Wendy's, Dairy Queen, KFC, Domino's Pizza, Subway, and Tim Hortons etc.

  However, Montreal is different! Yes, we have seen all the familiar big box stores and fast food joints in Montreal. However, the city's unique identity means that local chains like Maxi, Jean Coutu, and St. Hubert often hold a special place in the hearts of Montrealers. Sometimes even outshingin their international competitors!

We love Montreal as it is such an unique city! We were only there for a few days, but we definitely will be back for a longer visit in the future!

  RT, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 072026

Feeling Like a Total Fool Watching a 2026 FIFA Game in a Montreal Bar !

We visited Montreal, a little while ago in July. Montreal, a city in Quebec, Canada, is primarily a French speaking place. Though we do not speak French, we enjoyed our time there. While we were visiting Montreal, the FIFA games were being played all over the cities in North America. Not football fans in particular, we did not follow every FIFA game.

However, we did watch the grand opening ceremony and whenever Canada was playing, we were glued in front of the TV cheering on our Canadian team.

  Canada was playing against Morocco on the Sunday when we were visiting Montreal, an exciting game! We finished church, had our church and looked for a nice neighbourhood bar when we would cheer on our home team. Though we started more than thirty minutes before the game started, we didn't get good seats in the house. There were only two seats together at the very back of the bar restaurant. Another option was sitting on the patio outside. We took those two seats because at least we would be inside where we could see the TV screen.

  It was a full house packed with excited fans! Being in Montreal, we heard French all around us; everything was in French, signages, business, and media operate predominantly in French. We couldn't understand a word of what the sport commentators were saying on TV about the game being played. But we could watch what was going on and followed the game. From the overhead screen, we saw thousands of spectators, all dressed in red - our favourite maple leaf colour, at the Houston Stadium being excited and cheering. We were cheering too in the bar.

Canada was playing against Morocco. One team was dressed in black, the other team in white and red. Everytime when a player in white and red almost scored a goal, cheers and excitement erupted in the restaurant. When the white and red player scored a goal, the diners stood up and hugged each other while some screamed in excitement. My husband and I too, were overjoyed in Canada's goals! One woman in the bar was so excited that she could not stop screaming her lung out and was dancing around.

  However, not everyone expressed their joy in the same way. The gentleman sitting beside me was not too excited said quietly in English, " Take it easy, lady. Calm down, just calm down." I was surprised at how cool and subdue this man was at this game. Canada was winning and we were happy!

  More than half way into the game, I needed to use the bathroom and walked towards where the TV was. Since we were sitting at the very back, I couldn't see the scores too clearly throughout the game. I looked up at the screen and saw the scores clearly for the first time: Canada - 0, Morocoo 3!

Wait, how could that be? We were all cheering for Canada when the team scored the goals in the last hour or so? I was confused! I saw the players in white and red scoring the goals and all the people dressed in red in the stadium as well as all the patrons in this bar restaurant clapped and cheered along with them.

  Then, someone explained to me - the players dressed in black were Canadians while those dressed in white and red were Morocans. What fools were we! Unable to understand the commentators speaking in French about the game and neither could we see the scores on the screen from the back of the restaurant, we had been cheering for the wrong team all along! We were embarassed and felt so stupid!

  At least we wil have a good story to tell our friends and family in the future. Most important of all, we did have a good time watching a FIFA game in a Morocan bar restaurant in Montreal!

  RT, Montreal, Quebec, Canada, 072026

 ps: Entering the restaurant, I knew something was not quite right when I didn't see the Canadian maple flag displayed in the restaurant!