July 21 - 22 Montreal

Lac  Temiscouta, Quebec 2017

The bulk of July 21 was spent making the drive from Fredericton to Montreal. There are limited roads through this area, and as a result, this was the only leg of the trip that was a duplication of the way there. We had contemplated going through Maine instead, but we would have had to remain on secondary highways versus the new divided highway in New Brunswick. Since neither route was particularly scenic, we chose the faster road. With clear highways, and stops only for food and gas, we made excellent time and were outside of Quebec City by mid-afternoon.


Our only planned stop was at Lévis Forts National Historic Site. As we drove through the city of Lévis to the Fort, dark storm clouds were quickly gathering overhead. Thunder cracked as we dug through the trunk for our rain jackets, and Jason wisely decided it was not an appropriate time to visit the site. Within literal seconds of getting back in the car, there was a torrential downpour. We missed the Fort but had adverted a thorough soaking.

From there it was straight driving to Montreal where the rainstorm once again caught up with us. Driving through Montreal on a Friday during rush hour and in a deluge was nerve-wracking (and relationship testing), but we made it to our hotel without incident and with plenty of time to enjoy an evening in the city.

Le Mount Stephen Hotel, 2017

Our night started with a fantastic dinner at Deville Dinebar - amazing food, great service, giant milkshakes for the kids. The milkshakes apparently did the kids in - after a short walk around downtown, they were ready to head back to the hotel and watch a movie. Jay and I, of course, took this opportunity to have a little adult time.

We made our way to Bar George at Le Hotel Mount Stephen. A trendy cocktail bar would have been allure enough, but the fact that this one was located in a National Historic Site made it irresistible. Located in the Golden Square Mile (the once neighborhood of extravagant homes belonging to Montreal's anglophone elite), Le Hotel Mount Stephen was the former home of Lord George Stephen and later the Mount Stephen Gentlemen's Club. Aside from a few notable additions such as a front desk and bar, walking into Bar George truly feels like you are stepping through time into the 19th-century drawing room of an opulent mansion.

Montreal Biodome, 2017

After a breakfast of - what else? - Montreal bagels and coffee, we kicked off our only full day in Montreal by heading to Space for Life. Space for Life comprises four attractions - the Biodome, Insectarium, Botanical Gardens and Planetarium. We decided to visit the first three.

The Olympic velodrome was repurposed to house five ecosystems including over 4,500 animals from around 220 different species and 500 plant species. The rainforest exhibit was the most immersive, and the kids (okay, and one of the adults too) had fun trying to locate colourful birds, monkeys, and sloths in the forest canopy. While the rest of the exhibits were also well-done, they had a much more zoo-like feel.

Montreal  Botanical Garden, 2017

The Insectarium was interesting, but certainly not for the squeamish. I personally, was most excited about the Botanical Gardens and had assumed that I would be dragging the rest of the family through it kicking and screaming. As it turned out, we all enjoyed it.

There was, of course, the prerequisite collections of plants and displays of landscaping for the gardening enthusiast (me). But there was also plenty of space to run around, including an obstacle park, and interesting things to explore for the kids. It also helped that the main display was an echinacea bred for Canada's 150th that attracted masses of butterflies and bees. One of the most interesting things that intrigued us all was Monumental Dougherty -  a series of maze-like sculptures intricately woven from willow branches. 

Monumental Dougherty, 2017

We ended spending a large portion of the day at Space for Life, and it was late afternoon by the time we made it back downtown. We had early dinner of Montreal Smoked Meat, and with belly's full decided to go for a little walk. Six hours and eighteen kilometers later, our walk, which was completely unplanned, took us through the most quintessential Montreal experience.

Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde, 2017

We started in the downtown; taking in sites such as the Cathédrale Marie-Reine-du-Monde - its grand architecture juxtaposed against modern high-rise buildings; before heading to the Vieux-Port de Montreal. Although it was early, Saturday night was in full swing in the Old Port, and the cobblestone streets were teeming with tourists and restaurant-goers. In addition to the regular attractions, there was a food truck festival and Cirque-du-Soleil set up on the waterfront.

There was so much going on, it became overstimulating, and we decided to detour to some quieter streets and head back to the hotel. A few blocks later, we found ourselves in China town walking through a bustling night market. After several blocks surrounded by the aromas of Asian cooking and the sounds of bartering in Asian languages, we exited the night market only to find ourselves in the middle of a Caribbean festival. As we wandered through the festival, the booths transitioned from Jamaican patties to carnival games. We had now entered Just for Laughs. After letting the boys play a few games, we finally headed back to our hotel. Just as we were collapsing on our beds, we could hear loud banging outside - it was the Montreal International Fireworks Festival.

I'll admit that we found the attitude of Montrealers a bit "superior", but after a night like that it’s hard to fault them.

 

July 20 - Last Day in Nova Scotia

Peggy's Cove, 2017

July 20 was the turning point of the trip - where our movements shifted from East and South to West and North. We were beginning the return trip. Of course, there was still a lot we wanted to see, and since it was our last day in Nova Scotia, we decided to cover as much ground as we could.

We got an early start, and took the scenic route to Peggy's Cove. About a third of the way, we got our first real taste of maritime fog. While it may have obscured the view, it added an ethereal sense to an already surreal landscape, and couldn't have been more perfect.

We had initially thought of skipping Peggy's Cove, but I am really glad we took contrary advice and made the detour. The area was stunning, and truly unique. The kids had a blast playing in the rocks (though needed constant reminding to stay away from the black ones - i.e. within range of a rogue wave or slipping into the ocean), and by arriving early (and in the fog), we had the place nearly to ourselves.

Peggy's Cove, 2017

Peggy's Cove, 2017

Whale jaw bone, Lunenburg 2017

After exploring Peggy's Cove and spending time in the gift shop, we made our way to our second stop of the day - Lunenburg. By the time we reached our destination, the fog had cleared and the day had begun to warm up considerably. Given the old town's UNESCO designation, I had had a perception that going to Lunenburg would be like stepping back in time - horse-drawn carrigages, people in period dress, etc. And while there was a bit of that, it certainly didn't take over the town. Nonetheless, the town was quaint and picturesque with many little shops and restaurants to explore.

We spent some time walking through town and on the waterfront. We had unfortunately missed the Bluenose II as it left earlier in the morning for Halifax, but the were a few tall ships left to see. We then ventured to Montague Street where we had a fantastic lunch at the Salt Shaker Deli, and did a bit of sourvenir shopping.

Lunenburg, 2017

Lunenburg, 2017

In my early planning, I thought we would head to Digby from Lunenburg and take the ferry to St. John. Surprisingly, the family wasn't terribly interested in the ferry. Jay was concerned about the cost, and was interested in going to the Annapolis valley, and for my part, I didn't want the stress of trying to reach somewhere on a schedule. So we altered our plans and headed to Kentville, and from there made our way overland to Fredericton. Everywhere we drove offered something new and interesting to see or do. Christmas tree farms in the interior of the province. Farmer's Markets in Wolfville. Windy roads and salt marshes of the Glooscap Trail.We ended the day by heading back into New Brunswich and stopping for the night in Fredericton. 

Start to finish, we had spent a considerable amount of time in Nova Scotia (particularly in comparison to its size). Yet of all the places we had been, it was the one that most captivated us. We left feeling like we had only skimmed the surface, and that we could easily spend several more weeks just exploring the province in more depth.