Where are we now? 30-July

Let’s have a little fun. We just spent several days adjusting our travel plans to avoid getting caught in a major event. Can you name the event, city and location? Give us a guess in the comments! Where are we now?

Well, it looks like our readership is on summer vacation. We hope you are all enjoying some nice weather. This is the scene we encountered as we explored the Plains of Abraham Plains in Quebec City, just outside the Citadel. There were no parking signs everywhere and temporary security fencing, but it still took us a minute to figure out what was going on, even though we adjusted our travel plans specifically to avoid this event. This is where the Pope made his public appearance and apology on July 27. There’s plenty of coverage in the news if you want to learn more.

Detour to the Eastern Townships

We had planned to go directly from Montreal to Quebec City until we learned about the Pope’s visit. We rented a car and headed out to the Eastern Townships for a few days. There is a lot to see driving between these idyllic small towns. We based ourselves in the town of Knowlton. If you’re a mystery fan, the fictitious town of Three Pines in the Inspector Gamache novels is loosely based on Knowlton and the surrounding area. Author Louise Penny is good friends with Hillary Clinton, and they actually co-wrote one of the recent novels in the series together.

There’s a lovely bookstore in a historic house near the Three Pines sign, and a stream with a walking path. Following the walking path, we encountered some unique woodland creatures.

The path is also decorated with dozens of bird houses of every imaginable shape and color. We really enjoyed our walk through town and the natural area that runs through it.

Another highlight of our visit was a kayak ride down the Missisquoi River in Sutton, Quebec. Canoe & Co runs a service where they take you to a private launching place, and then you get three hours to float along with the river current until you return to their property downstream. We spent a relaxing afternoon floating down the river.

On our last day in the area, we went on the Chemin des Cantons route winding through farmland, forest, and small towns. We stopped for lunch along the river in North Hatley. It was a great place to enjoy the nice weather and watch the boaters go by into the local lake. The charming colonial houses in the background are typical of everywhere we visited. We have it on good authority from locals that the hotel in town is one of Hillary Clinton’s favorite places to stay.

One unique local attraction is the Abbaye de Saint-Benoît-du-Lac. The monks are known throughout the area for their cheese, chocolates and cider. The monastery is open to the public for tours and, of course, shopping for all the products that support the monastery. We enjoyed a bottle of cider and a box of chocolate covered cranberries.

The inside of the Abbaye was both austere and elegant at the same time. Visitors coming into the monastery are greeted by intricate stone and tile work in the hall where displays present the history of the order.

From Knowlton, we returned to Montreal to catch the train to Quebec City where we just spent a wonderful 5 days exploring and relaxing. It is an amazingly beautiful town along the St. Lawrence river full of stone architecture and a rich history. We’ll cover that soon. Hope you are well wherever you are.