Ile d'Orleans and Le Trait-Carré

This is a view of the Shrine of Ste Anne de Beaupre from Ile d'Orleans

Today our destination for sightseeing was Ile d’Orleans. This large island was settled in the mid 1600’s and runs from approximately Vieux Quebec to past Ste Anne de Beaupre (measuring by mainland). It is a very pretty island with all different sorts of houses, all well-kept and reminded us in spots of New Hampshire. It’s a very artsy island with little artisan shops but also lots of roadside stands of fruits and vegetables and a lot of farmland. We stopped at the Information Bureau as soon as we crossed the bridge onto the island and picked up a booklet of the island then headed west on the highway stopping here and there to take photos. I didn’t take many today as yesterday had me pretty much photographed out.

This guy drove his truck down onto the rocks in the St. Lawrence River with his boat trailer to pick up his boat. There are some guys there in hip waders to guide the boat onto the trailer. Not something I'd want to try!

This is a view of Old Quebec from Ile d'Orleans. There are two more cruise ships in the harbour today.

We spent the better part of the day there and on our way back took a detour to Charlesbourg looked for Le Trait-Carré. This area was founded by the Jesuits in 1665 and was the first colonization not centered on water. Following the signs led us to an area of older homes and a church but I’m still not certain that we found the actual place we were looking for. We’re finding the signage in Quebec rather lacking for those of us that don’t know where we’re going.

We got home just before 4:00 p.m. in time to get the heater on before the sun goes down. It gets pretty chilly inside once the sun leaves us even with the heater and the furnace running. We run the furnace when the inside temperature reaches 64F.

I’ve uploaded some photos to my Yahoo photo site over the last couple of days. They are under Quebec 2006 and Jacques Cartier National Park for anyone who’s interested.

My camera card failed a couple of days ago and I was lucky that Gordon was able to retrieve the photos I had taken so looks like I will be in the market for a new one. Hope the camera doesn’t give up the ghost as soon as I buy a new card! I really like my little Sony.

Jacques Cartier National Park

This morning when I woke up, Gordon had turned off the water as it got to -2C (29F) overnight. Lots of frost on the ground this morning but was bright and sunny. It was 1C (34F) when I ventured out for my walk.

There are still people here from all over. I saw 1 from British Columbia, 1 from Florida, 1 from Nevada, 1 from Michigan, and 2 from Texas.

Since it was such a pretty Fall day, we decided to go back to Jacques Cartier National Park that we had tried to go to last Saturday but it had too much traffic trying to get in. We were pleasantly surprised to find out that today was FREE! We stopped at the Interpretative Centre but didn’t stay there long preferring to continue along and take some photographs. The road was paved but narrow beyond the Interpretative Centre for a few kilometers then after we crossed an old bridge it became a dirt road and with the air that we have to have in our tires for towing it was also very bumpy. Anyway we went into the park to the 18 km. mark, taking photos along the way. It is a very pretty park but has the usual problems for photographers – too many trees and plants in the way and nowhere to pull over to take the shots you want.

Photos in the Park

By the time we headed for home, this being the Friday of a long weekend, traffic had started to back up and it took us over ½ hour to get across the bridge to the south side where we are parked. The photo below was taken out the windshield on our way south on Hwy 73.

Tonight Gordon is going into the Old City to take nighttime photos. Since my camera doesn’t take nighttime photos, I’ve elected to stay home and keep the place warm!

A Tour of the Local Chutes (Falls)!

Wow! Sun! What a concept! It was beautiful, bright and sunny this morning. I hardly recognized it, its been so long since I've seen it! I would have thought that with all the rain and heavy winds last night that the leaves would be gone but they aren’t.

Today we had to make up for four days of being housebound and waterlogged so we headed out to see some places that a photographer from Quebec had recommended to Gordon via pbase.

Chaudiere Falls (Chutes de la Chaudiere)

Jacques Cartier Beach Park

Kabir Kouba Falls on the St Charles River

All three spots were very pretty at this time of year and all of them except for Jacques Cartier Park had lots of stairs so we got exercise! I said that I’ve climbed more stairs in Quebec City than I did in the 11 years we had the house!

All our stops had very beautiful places to walk with the trees and water all around. I probably liked the St. Charles River itself the best with all the rapids just above the Kabir Kouba Falls. The Falls themselves were hard to photograph with my camera as we were too close to them but you can see them on Gordon’s pbase site at www.pbase.com/merriwolf. The Chaudiere Falls were very pretty too and the pathways were really nice for walking, lots of pretty leaves.

St. Charles River above Kabir Kouba Falls

Jacques Cartier Beach Park

Chaudiere Falls

More Rain and More Rain and More Rain.....

Photos around the park taken in the fog this morning




It was very foggy this morning so I took some photos while on my walk. Late in the morning the sun tried to shine.

After lunch we went out to the grocery store. I wanted to try Maxi as the Super C here isn’t like the one I usually go to around Ottawa. I wasn’t all that impressed with Maxi either. When I went into the store it still hadn’t started to rain but when I came out it was raining. They had called for heavy rain this afternoon and heavy rain we had and high winds as well. I swear that if it rains tomorrow I’m going to the mall and not coming out. It was rainy and windy enough to knock out the satellites, Gordon got the internet back on but not the TV so now I’m going to miss the season premiere of Lost. Having just missed the season premier of Desperate Housewives, I’m getting supremely ticked off! Today I’m ready to pack it in and go back to living in a stick house!

Another Crappy Day Weatherwise!

Some scenes from around the campground

It wasn’t raining this morning when I got up but about half way through my walk it started, not very hard so was able to finish my 20 minutes.

This morning I got the freezer defrosted, some gluten-free cornflakes put through the cuisinart for making coating for chicken for dinner tonight, watched TV, read and did some surfing.

It remained cloudy all day with a bit of hazy sunshine here and there along with a few sprinkles of rain. We’ve definitely not had good weather here so we’ve decided we’re not going to the Gaspé this time but will have to come back and take the fifth wheel somewhere closer. It’s quite a distance to go from here all the way around the Gaspé.

Today we decided to do something we’ve never done before and use the pay showers at the campground. It costs a quarter for 3 minutes. We thought that was probably cheaper than heating our water with propane. Gordon’s shower took 2 quarters and mine took 3 (I have more hair on my head, that is). All in all, it wasn’t wonderful. The water wasn’t that hot and the pressure wasn’t that good. Our own shower is probably better but it was different being in the shower with shampoo on your head and the water stops, then trying to get the quarter to work. Definitely easier at home!

Gordon had planned to go into the city tonight for night photos but the rain has foiled his plans again. Thursday, Friday and Saturday are supposed to be nicer.

We also have to decide on a campground at Montreal for next week. They recommend Camping Alouette here and have brochures. I emailed them and they want $200 plus tax for the week so definitely more expensive than here! It’s on the south side of the St. Lawrence and looks like a fairly easy drive into Montreal from there so maybe we’ll give it a try. Camping Transit is a really nice campground so if they recommend Camping Alouette, we hope it is as well.

Housework

I thought I heard rain on the roof when I woke up this morning but it was only wind so away I went on my walk. It felt good to get out again. I’m really starting to miss walking if it’s nasty weather. Walking in the mall yesterday just didn’t do it. I have to walk first thing in the morning while my back is rested.

After breakfast, I got the laundry ready and went over to the laundry room. No one else there. BONUS! After that and lunch, I did the vacuuming and cleaning, then cleaned out the storage area under the bed and in my closet and disposed of a few things and rearranged other items.

The sun started to come out around 1:30 p.m. but was very short-lived.

Nothing much happened today.

The photo today is one that Gordon took this morning of one of the ducks in the park.

More Rain and What A Difference Another Day Makes!

Rain again today and from the looks of the forecast for the foreseeable future! Sure glad we got out and did something yesterday.

Around noon I got up the energy to go into town to pick up some groceries. While I was there I did a tour of their local WalMart and their shopping mall. I didn’t see much that I wanted or needed but it put in the afternoon for me. I thought it was going to stop raining at one point but it didn’t and as the day progressed it just rained harder.

I don’t expect much else to happen today other than rain, rain and more rain so I’m posting early!

No photos taken today so I’m including some I took yesterday.

The scenes below were taken in Canyon Ste Anne

This guy instead of crossing the bridge over the gorge on foot was taking a more exhilarating route

The scene below was taken westbound on Hwy 138 of the St. Lawrence River

The scenes below were taken along Hwy 138 east of Quebec City