Battered Suitcases

 Nature vs tacky.

Our very last stop in Canada was at Niagara Falls. It’s such a classic destination that I was excited to finally get my chance to take a look. And let me be very specific when I say, the falls were amazing. I mean, 5.7 million liters of water go crashing over the falls each second*… you can’t not be impressed.

We spent some time taking in the massive falls and enjoying such a wonder of nature. Mike’s parents generously treated us to a trip on the Maid of the Mist. (But we didn’t pull a Pam and Jim.)

I kept wondering what it would be like if the area around the falls had been left undeveloped. I mean, the view was gorgeous. In the absence of the surrounding hotels and casinos, it would be truly incredible.

Because really, the not-so-amazing feature of Niagra Falls… is the town. Oh boy. I had been warned but I’m not sure anything can really prepare you. The place was tacky. Ok, it was mostly just the main tourist road…but it was bad (and slightly gratifying that it was on the Canadian side!).

I suppose most tourists need something else to hold their interest after seeing the falls, but it’s too bad that couldn’t be hiking or some other outdoorsy non-Ripley’s Believe It Or Not pursuit. 

That night Mike’s parents reserved all of us a room in a nice hotel overlooking the water. It was a pretty special place to be. Not only did we have a great view, but Mike got to spend his last night in Canada with his family.

Early the next morning his parents drove us to Buffalo and off we went to Los Angeles for the next stop on our North American extravaganza!

xo, jill

*at peak flow

Wet and windy.

I found Quebec City to be a bit…soggy.

Just like when we visited Toronto, a big storm hit shortly after our arrival. We tried to not let the weather affect our sightseeing. We even bought those silly rain ponchos from the souvenir shop!

Eventually, we had to admit defeat. Touring a city in the wet is just not very pleasant, especially if you’re not equipped with galoshes.

Still, it was very evident that Quebec City is a charming place.

The next morning we hopped in the car and did a bit of a marathon drive back to Oakville. Our Canadian roadtrip was nearly at its end.

xo, jill

In the rain.

Ever since I read this post last year, I’ve been wanting to visit Orange Julep in Montreal. Every time Mike asked me what I wanted to do while we were there, I’d answer, “Orange Julep!”

Finally, on our last morning we made it there…in the pouring down rain.

It was a mad dash from the car and back. It was so wet that I elected to just take off my shoes and run through the puddles!

I tried to take a few photos but it just wasn’t worth it.

The juice on the other hand… delicious!

xo, jill

Montreal Day 2.

Our second day in Montreal may just have been my favorite of our entire trip! In the morning we rode the subway out to meet up with Frances, Rex, and one of their old friends. Again, it’s such a joy to meet up with friends in faraway places!

Together the five of us walked to the Jean-Talon market for some eating and shopping. I have to say. Walking through this market was a bit like torture. We were surrounded by delicious and interesting fruits and vegetables…with no place to prepare a proper meal! We did pick up a few avocados and a Mexican sauce, but I wish it could have been more. I made sure to accept as many samples as possible though!

After the market we parted ways. Mike and I had plans to check out the famous bagels of St. Viateur. I won’t say too much (wait for the Novelty Snack!) but I’ve never been one to turn down a bread product, and this was no exception!

Another exciting aspect of the day was riding bikes. Yep, in a city! Montreal has a public bike program (as every city really should), and fantastic bike paths. I was a little nervous at times, but in general felt really comfortable riding a bike around (and grateful for mostly flat terrain).

We rode bikes to a park and enjoyed a little snack of our market avocados and sauce (mixing them to make a guacamole). It was probably about 2 minutes after Mike took the photo below that I realized something. Something pretty important!!

The day before we parked in a parking garage and I put the ticket in a very safe place: my wallet. After getting bagels we sat in the park and I suddenly couldn’t find the code needed for my bike rental. Naturally, I went through every scrape of paper in my wallet and bag searching for it. Finally, Mike called the bike company for help and was told that I didn’t need that code after all! No biggie! So I just gathered all those paper scraps and threw them in the garbage…

Ahem. Do you see where I’m going here? We raced back to the park on our bikes, hoping that no one emptied the trash can. Of course, it was my job to riffle through the garbage… but I am happy to report that I found it! A bit wet, a bit smelly but still in working order. Phew!

The next morning we headed out to Quebec City… despite warnings of a big storm heading to the city!

xo, jill

A mild version.

Our first evening in Montreal we climbed up Mont Royal for a night view of the city, a picnic, and people watching. All three turned out to be quite satisfying. Although the path was steep and dark, (we didn’t have a flashlight), it was certainly worth the exertion. If only there were less bugs at the top!

We also visited an independent art gallery in the area. There were quite a few interesting pieces and displays. Unfortunately, the Fast Food Wizard wasn’t working. (Or fortunately?)

I suppose we should have gone out to a few clubs or bars, but I’m a grandma. I can’t stay awake that late!

xo, jill