Ahhh, That's Better

So, hello all.  I'm back refreshed and relaxed from my visit home to Niagara and my vacation to Quebec.  I was on a girl's-trip to Montreal, the Eastern Townships and Quebec City and each place was so different from the last.

Montreal was our first stop and we were there for a couple of nights.  We started the "journey of eating, drinking and shopping" right then...ha ha.  We attended the Jazz Festival and sat outside watching and listening to concerts and enjoying the atmosphere.  We went to the old part of the city and shopped in all of the little boutiques, had poutine, smoked meat sandwiches and wine.

Montreal at night

Montreal jazz festival

Montreal outdoor refreshments

Next stop was Sherbrooke and the Eastern Townships; a collection of little villages filled with farmland, antiques and specialty food.  We spent time at a wonderful lavender farm called Bleu Lavande and had lunch on their outdoor patio.  My meal was perfect; toasted baguette smothered in their lavender honey, a thick layer of local goat cheese and toasted pine nuts sprinkled on top.  Top that off with their homemade lavender lemonade and you have the perfect afternoon treat.

Bleu Lavande lavender fields

Bleu Lavande

After the Eastern Townships, we headed off to Quebec City; the best stop on our little journey.  The city is absolutely beautiful; the new and very old parts.  We were a five minute walk from the walled entrance to the old city and spent most of our time there and around the parliament buildings.

We shopped, dined outside and had drinks at little cafes surrounded by happy tourists and locals.  We spent eight hours one day just walking all around the promenade and old, cobblestone streets; in and out of every little specialty store and boutique.

Quebec parliament buildings

Entrance to the walled old city of Quebec

Chateau Frontenac and old city promenade

Old city shopping

Quebec - old city

We sat and appreciated the wonderful architecture, took pictures and drank in the atmosphere and lovely weather.  I am so impressed with everything about Quebec City and can't wait to go back as soon as possible.  We also spent a day on nearby Ile D'orleans (a gorgeous little island right off of Quebec City in the St. Lawrence River).

Specialty cheese farms (fromageries), artisanal chocolate factories, cider houses and fruit & vegetable farms abound on this island and they are all within a short drive or bike ride from each other.  I picked up some organic chocolate & vanilla body cream, went for an alcoholic cider tasting paired with duck and had local cheese and fruit on a deck overlooking the river.  The other girls bought copious amounts of cheese and we just packed it all into a couple of coolers to ensure its safe journey back home.

Ile D'orleans

Local island friend :)

A logical second vehicle on the island

A lovely place to have lunch

There you have it.  I hope that you've enjoyed my pictures and that, if you haven't been yet, you're convinced that a trip to Quebec is in your future.

I spoke to some MSers while at home and have a lot of new issues to discuss and investigate for you so, back to regular blogging next week.  If you have any of your own Quebec pictures that you'd like posted, send them in (my email address is under my profile info on the right)...

Ali