One of the things we have missed about living in Indonesia was the ability to plan exciting, non-expensive trips in parts of the world we would never otherwise have been. There are so many places we have had the privilege to explore and it has been difficult to let that go. However, when you start looking at trips in Canada, the prices are not quite the same as what we were used to dealing with. That being said, our "personal trip planner" successfully planned out an outstanding trip to Quebec.
Here's a summary of our two and a half week vacation:
Cooperstown, New York
Some may question why we would start our trip by driving to Cooperstown, New York, but our "planner" kept everyone's heart's desires in mind as he meticulously planned this trip. Cooperstown was a perfect meeting place for us to catch up with our friends from Indonesia who were visiting in the States for the summer. We had a short, but sweet, time together.
Campsite at Glimmerglass State Park
Dear, sweet friends!
Digging up clay after the rain
Boys Day: Baseball Hall of Fame
My beautiful friend!
And a peaceful boat tour of Otsego Lake.
Lunch at the Otsego Resort Hotel
We ended this amazing day off by visiting the Farmer's Museum; a museum
for reenactments of a 19th century village, farm animals and a carousel.
Best Friends who hit it off like no time has passed.
Loved to see their silliness again!
...definitely worth the drive to Cooperstown, New York!
Quebec City
Visiting Quebec City at the time that we did, was perfect. There was a buzz of excitement in the Old City with many exciting events, and we got to meet up with more friends we met while in Indonesia who were on a holiday at the same time.
Campsite at Stoneham, a half hour out of Quebec City
A day touring the Old City
Tour of the Chilean Esmeralda Ship
Buskers in the Old City
Chateau Frontenac
An evening performance, Veles e Vent, along the port, by a Spanish Company.
Hike at Jacques-Cartier Provincial Park
Tall Ships Sailing out of port and Touring I'ile D'Orleans
Ending our time in Quebec City was difficult, but we were ready to see more of the beauty that Quebec has to offer.
Saguenay Provincial Park
Two nights in this stunning park made for a short stay, but our trip planner's main goal here was to go on a hike we would really appreciate. We headed for a less used trail because we always enjoy the trail less traveled by. I'm glad I have pictures, because sometimes beauty can't really be expressed in words (even the pictures don't always do it justice).
Tacos for lunch was the best idea ever! It was a great reward after a difficult hike uphill.Wild blueberry picking.
After our hike we drove to a look out point to enjoy the sunset.
Couldn't ask for better surroundings or a better end to the day!
Tadoussac, Quebec
Two full days in Tadoussac led us to explore a quaint town with a lot of history and amazing sights of nature!
Our tiny campsite in Tadoussac
Canada's oldest wooden church.
The St. Lawrence River offered a lot of beauty and sights of various marine animals. We enjoyed sightings of the Beluga Whales, Fin Whales, Minke Whales and seals just from the shore.
Our whale lover!
The first Trading Post in North America in the 1600's
Our big venture on this trip was to go whale watching. We understood that our chances of seeing a lot of whales, or any whales, might be slim, but we knew that if we were to go whale watching, Tadoussac was the place to do it. Our trip planner made a great call on this one (as always)! We were fortunate to see a rare sighting of a Blue Whale!
Tadoussac Sand Dunes
Joliette, Quebec
A small town outside of Montreal was a late addition to our trip plans, but definitely a worthwhile one. We were able to go to a festival where two French-Canadian Folk Bands of which we are familiar, were playing. De Temp Antan and Le Vend du Nord did not disappoint on our last night in Quebec. It was a heart-warming send-off.
Right up front for the show!
How she could sleep through that concert is beyond me!
Delta, Ontario
The last stop on our trip was a small town of Eastern Ontario. Family camping in Delta is a yearly occurrence and we just so happened to be able to stop in on our way back home. It was special to see family we hadn't seen in a long time and to spend a couple days with them.
Fun at the Beach
.....and looking out for the resident water snake!
So proud of my children who can do a bridge x3!
Last night before heading home. Aunties need to spoil their nieces and nephew
with ice cream before the big ride home.
This country has so much beauty to offer and we only saw a small portion of it on this trip. To see our children appreciate culture and the nature around us is priceless. There are many memories we will take from each place that we had the privilege of visiting.
I am thankful for the time and thoughtfulness that Paul, our "personal trip planner", put into this trip and thankful to God for all the opportunities that He provides to enjoy His World.
