Quebec City, September 13-17, 2013

We don’t have far to travel so we have a relaxing morning with coffee and breakfast and checking email.  The weather is cloudy but clear and we have no problems finding all the roads and connections we need to get on 20 which leads straight to our campground in Levis, Quebec.  We will be camping at Camping Transit.  Hoping we have better luck with the power and WiFi than we did at the Montreal South KOA.  The skies are clearing more as we get further away from Montreal.  We should be having better weather in Quebec.

We made it to the campground around 1 PM and check in with no problems.  I had found a coupon for the campground on the website and got 50% one day’s fee.  There was a nice man who lead us through the campground to our site in the back…#213.  Nice pull-thru with full 50 amp hookups….which actually works!  The WiFi is extra…$2.00 per day.  We paid for two days and found it’s good for two computers!  The reception for the WiFi is very good so we check emails and investigated the area and Quebec City for our trip into the city tomorrow.

After putting out the roadside slide in the back I saw a strange mechanical looking piece of metal.  We pondered about what it could be and decided to remove the floor of the underbed storage cabinet to investigate.  It was a job removing all the screws and pulling up the board.  Underneath we found a long metal pole and wondered what it could be…part of the slide mechanism?  After checking it out we finally recognized it as the other slide brace for the front slide.  We’ve been missing that one since we purchased the rig.  The previous owners must have stored it under the foot of the bed and then closed the slide over it.  That thing must have been under there moving back and forth for a long time.  We took it out and started putting the floor back down.  To help Jim screw it back down I needed to lift the bracket holding the sleep number bed motor.  Unfortunately I leaned a little too hard against the wooden frame and popped a rib again.  OUCH!  That will not make the remainder of our trip a lot of fun. L  Lot of pain so I put some ice on it hoping to keep any swelling down.

Montreal, September 9-13, 2013

Beautiful day to travel.  Drove along PH 17 until we connected with 417 and then 40 the Trans Canada Highway.  From there we are looking for the exit for 30 which doesn’t show on the navigation program.  It is a new road which allows us to bypass downtown Montreal.  Checked it out on RV information internet sites and the other RVers are praising this route.  It does cross the St. Lawrence River with a new toll bridge.  We made all the connections and cross the river with no problems and no traffic.  Found our KOA campground easily.  The only problem is electricity.  We booked 30 amps but tried two sites before upgrading to 50 amps.  Still having problems with low voltage.  We have a safety plug which shuts everything off if voltage is too low….which is all the time!  Our final site is next to some people from New Orleans.  They have been traveling since January and will not get back home until December.  They actually left the day after we arrived. 

The first day touring Montreal was rainy.  The Hop On Hop Off sightseeing offered a shuttle from our campground.  They picked us up at about 11 am.  It was a very dreary morning and there was not much to see on the trip into the city.  We purchased one of the Hop On Hop Off tours (only two days for almost $50 per person!).  First day we were stuck inside the bus and didn’t get to see everything like we wanted.  After once around the city we got off and found a place for lunch…a pub right near the tourist center.  The waitress looked like a wrestler (sorry!) and asked “What do ya want to eat?”  We had beer with our lunch.

We hopped back on the bus and rode to Notre Dame Basilica.  The area around the church was beautiful…a big square with a fountain and cobblestone streets.  The church inside was magnificent.  It cost $5 pp to get in.  They offer French or English tours of the church and the chapel.  Well worth the $10 for both of us.  The church boasts of a 7,000-pipe organ.  The organist has been playing there for 40 odd years and also practices on Friday.  We would love to come and hear but we will be leaving the area on Thursday.  Once we left the church we walked back through the downtown to meet our shuttle back to the campground.

Next day was better…sunny day most of the time.  We rode the shuttle into Montreal with two other couples.  One of the couples was from Germany and driving a pickup truck with bed camper.  They were very friendly and gave us some advice about our next stop, Quebec City.  Today we wanted to walk around the Old Port area of Montreal.  The weather is perfect for that.  We rode the bus to the first stop and got off…walked several blocks and up hills and down to the Old Montreal area.  Stopped in the visitor information center for walking tour map and set off.  Right outside is City Hall, a magnificent building with a large square and fountain on the side.  Walking through the square you find the area with the only remaining piece of the fortification wall of the old city.  The park area overlooks downtown Montreal.  The streets in this area are cobblestone and look very old.  Need good shoes and sure footing to walk here.  The streets are narrow and have rows and rows of restaurants, homes and shops.  We happened on to the Notre Dame Chapel and went inside to see the chapel and to also hear an organ recital taking place during the lunch hour.  It was lovely to hear and to be in such a beautiful place.  We walked down to the Clock Tower quay and all along the dock area beside the St. Lawrence River.  The current was very fast.  We watched a tour boat motor from the dock and just get carried away by the river’s current.  Across the water on an island (Ile Saint-Helene) in the river we could see an amusement park and also the Biosphere.  There is also a beautiful pavilion and park in the dock area.  Right across the street from the dock is a large square surrounded by restaurants and cafes.  There was a group of musicians playing there so we stopped to have lunch on the patio of one of the cafes.  The sandwiches were delicious and the ones we chose were specials and came with a beer!  It was sunny, warm and relaxing sitting there watching all the people go by and listen to the music.  After lunch with explored the other section of Old Montreal and finally made our way back to another pick up point for the bus.  When we got back on it was early in the tour so we rode all the way back around Montreal on the open deck of the bus.  We again went to Mont Royal but this time we got out and walked to the observation point.  It was actually the location of a scene from “The Whole Nine Yards”.  Great overlook of the city and the river.  There was a piano sitting out on the patio area and a couple of people went to play.  It was beautiful.  We walked back down to the pick up place stopping first for an ice cream cone in the little house nearby.  Today was the perfect day to see Montreal.

The last day of our stay here we took off in the car and did some exploring around the area where we camped.  We found the local shopping area and even found a Wal-mart…one of the older places which only carry limited food.  We stocked up on some things and found what else we needed at the local grocery.  We planned to have a big dinner tonight cooking out at the campground.  Steaks, baked potatoes and garlic mushrooms…with some wine, of course.  I love these kinds of days as much as seeing all the tourist sights. 

Tomorrow we set off down the road to Quebec City about 170 miles northeast.

Ottawa, Ontario, Canada September 5-9, 2013

Short trip to Ottawa this morning.  Only 122 miles from campground to campground.  This campground is actually on the outskirts of Ottawa in a town called Cumberland.  It is the Recreationland Campground and we found it with a recommendation from the man who sold us our first motorhome.  We had site #113 at the front of the campgrounds.  It actually backs up with the road passing right behind us.  Some noise but nothing unbearable.

Anyway, we got there and set up camp as always and planned our time in Ottawa.  Believe it or not, Ottawa has no local trains just buses.  We found the closest park and ride with a direct bus into the city center.  The buses have their own roads so it’s almost like a train except more bumpy!  We never had a problem getting in and out of the city.

We rode into the city every day and had tickets for the Hop on/Hop Off Sightseeing bus.  The first day we made the full trip to see the whole city.  Ottawa is the capital of Canada and has all the government buildings.  We saw the Parliament which is actually three separate buildings which sit up on a hill right over the Ottawa River.  The west and east buildings are the original construction from 1859 but the center building burned down in 1916 and was rebuilt in 1929.  We saw all the museums, Notre Dame Basilica Cathedral, several foreign embassy buildings, homes of ambassadors, city parks, Rideau Canal and the market area.  Once our full tour was done we were starving.  Right near the tour stop is a pub so we had lunch there.  I had a huge club sandwich and a beer!  Nice to sit and relax and eat!!

After lunch we took a boat tour of the Ottawa River.  We were able to see all the sights from the river and some extra things as well.  It is a big river and is just used now for pleasure boating.  The Rideau Canal connects with the Ottawa River and we saw the falls.  It was a beautiful day.  Sunny and cool but sometimes a little breezy.  We had to hold on to our hats on the upper deck of the bus and also the boat.  So happy to have great weather.

Second day we took the bus into the city and hopped back on the bus.  We hopped off the bus at the Canadian Museum of Civilization which is actually across the river in Quebec province.  We spent about three hours in there looking at all the exhibits about early Canada and its transformation through the years.  It is a beautiful museum and has a great view of Parliament right across the river.  We hopped back on the bus and rode it to the National Gallery of Canada which is right across the street from Notre Dame Basilica Cathedral.  The Cathedral is closed because of a wedding so we went to the National Gallery first.  No backpacks allowed so I had to check mine.  Feels nice not carrying that around.  This museum is also beautiful and very well laid out.  There are some important artists’ work here and Jim and I enjoyed the old art the best.  Unbelievable how beautifully people painted back 400 years ago or even more.  There was some contemporary art as well but not much that I was interested in.  One room had a pile of what looked like heavy woolen felt cut into strips.  One piece we had seen other like at other galleries…just white canvas with black splotches.  One of those similar pieces I remember was called 3+2+2 because it had seven splotches of black.  Anyway…not really my style.

Once we finished at the gallery we went outside and saw that the wedding was still going on….not really the same wedding but another one.  Seems Saturday has one wedding after the other and the cathedral is booked years in advance.  Well we decided to wait since it looked like it was almost done.  We met the chauffeur of the limousine out on the steps and had a chat until the bride and groom came out.  After everyone was out we were admitted into the sanctuary.  Absolutely beautiful.  No way to describe in words but I took some pics to try and capture the beauty.

After seeing the church we decided we had time to walk to the market area and catch the bus there.  We set off down the street sure of where we were going.  Problem was we couldn’t exactly remember where the pick up spot was so, after walking all the way to the market we turned around and walked all the way back to the pick up spot near the church.  We are definitely getting our exercise.  Once back at the starting spot we stopped in the pub and had a little nourishment in the form of a beer before we found our bus home.

Third day we did the same…took the bus into town and hopped back on the bus.  This morning is freezing!  I’m not exactly dressed for this cold windy weather but I’m hoping the brilliant sun will heat things up later.  We take the second stop off the bus at the Canadian War Museum.  This museum is so good looking….it is designed to look like a bunker.  Hard angles, gray concrete and low profile.  There is an angled roof jetting out with tiny windows on the side.  The windows are morse code which spells out “Lest we forget”.  Well designed.  Inside you feel like you’re in a bomb shelter…low ceilings (at least felt that way).  The cafeteria is called “Mess”…everything looks military.  This museum is very well laid out to follow in timely order.  It all begins with the beginning….first nation people, first explorers, first battles…then through WWI and WWII, Korea, the Cold War and through until today.  Highlights on important Canadians who served their country.  I would definitely recommend seeing this if ever in Ottawa.

We left the museum and walked down the path beside the river to the Mill Street Brew Pub…an old sawmill now a brewery and restaurant.  We had some great beer and shared a smoked chicken flatbread.  I even saw a man nearby who looked just like Tim Conway from the old Carol Burnett show. 

Time to call it a day so we walked down the biking/walking path along the river back to the Rideau Locks and up the steps to the Parliament.  We thought we’d try and take a tour of the building but they had already given away all the free tickets…no more tours today. 

We walked back to the bus and headed home saying goodbye to Ottawa.  We had a wonderful time in this interesting and beautiful city.  Now on to Montreal tomorrow.

September 2-5, 2013 Thousand Islands...St. Lawrence River

Easy drive down the road to Ivy Lea, Ontario, Canada, to the Ivy Lea KOA.  Plan a couple of days here mainly to cruise around the 1000 Islands in the St. Lawrence River.

Met a nice gentleman in site next to ours.  He is from Ottawa and camps here all season (a few weeks in the middle of the summer and every weekend May-October).  He reminded me of my Uncle Arvin.  We had a nice chat about the area and he made some recommendations for us.

First day was for exploration and discovery.  We drove the Thousand Islands Parkway to Brockville which is at the east end of the islands area.  Walked around the town and had lunch with the locals at a deli downtown.  Delicious chicken salad on fresh made light rye.  YUM!! 

Found the First Presbyterian Church on the square.  Tried to get in the door but locked.  Went around to the office and was given the keys to the Sanctuary by the secretary.  Beautiful church built in 1879…lots of wood and stained glass. There are two other churches on the same square and three other churches in the town.  Walked down to the marina and had some ice cream while walking back to the car.  Cute little town.

Drove all the way back west to Gananoque (pronounced:  gan-a-knock-way).  Booked a boat tour of the islands for tomorrow morning.  This is a bigger town with a Dairy Queen!  We made a note to visit there after the boat tour.  The weather has been cool with clouds, rain, sun and more clouds and rain. 

Next morning got up to cold temps…in the high 50’s.  Weather says it will warm up later with the sun out.  We can only hope we have good weather out on the river.  Our tour is 2 ½ hours.  We layer the clothes and head off to Gananoque.  Sun is coming out but very windy and still cool.

The tour was great.  It’s off season so the boat was not very full.  We had lots of room to move around and see everything.  The commentary was in English and French.  Amazing that people have built homes on tiny little islands.  There are larger islands too but many, many small ones.  Some are in Canadian water and some is USA waters.  We toured all around Heart Island…home of Boldt Castle.  During the season you can do a tour and get off to see the island.  They only offer that now on weekends and we will be in Ottawa then.  We still enjoyed our tour and made a note to come back if possible.

Had dinner that night at a restaurant recommended by the gentlemen I met on the first day.  Rapid Valley Family Restaurant is a local place with a service station outside.  Huge portions of family cuisine.  I had a plate full of baked haddock, steamed carrots, mashed potatoes and coleslaw served after a delicious salad with 1000 Islands Dressing, of course.  We finished our dinner with pie…Jim had coconut cream and I had cherry.  Please excuse me while I burp!  We were stuffed.  Back to the rig to enjoy the night for tomorrow we hit the road again.  Ottawa here we come!

Toronto, Ontario, Canada...August 29-September 1, 2013

Had a good trip from Niagara Falls, NY, to Toronto, Ontario, Canada.  Only hitch crossing the bridge to Canada was getting in the wrong lane and ended up going through with the big trucks.  Guard informed us we were in the wrong place but we pleaded ignorance.  He was nice, asked all the regular questions, then let us pass.  We took the 401 Express through Toronto (our campground was on the other side of Toronto).  Express….I don’t think so!  Traffic was crazy.  Bumper to Bumper almost all the way.  No problems though and we found the campground easily.  Checked in to our reserved spot, #84 which has 50 amp electric and water.  The whole campground looks like a park and everyone parks every which way…at least that’s what it looked like to us.  The sites weren’t very clearly marked.  Anyway, Jim tested the electric and it was not grounded!  We had to move.  The girls in the office were very accommodating and marked the map with all available sites and let me find us a new place.  We moved just “next door” to #86.  A really nice 30 amp site with water.  We set up camp, settled in and had a beer!  

Woke up early after a good cool night.  We’re going into Toronto on the GO train.  The girls in the campground office gave me a schedule and directions to the local station…Rouge Hill.  We drove to the station to take the 10:05 am train.  Thankfully they have free parking at the train station.  The train car was really nice…very clean and air conditioned!  That’s good since it’s hot here.  While we waited for the train we noticed that our station was right on the edge of Lake Ontario.  It was a nice trip into the city. We found our way to the main hall at Union Station and purchased tickets for the Hop On-Hop Off Sightseeing bus.  Our tickets are good for three days.  That’s just perfect for us.  All we need to do is go out to the Starbucks on Front Street to catch the bus.  Is that all?!?!  We exited the building to find ourselves completely surrounded by construction!  Everywhere we looked was fencing for construction sites and detours to streets.  We had no idea which way to go.  We eventually found the Starbucks after crossing one street and then another only to cross again.  Plan is to take bus all around the city to get an idea of where we want to get off.  Actually got off to see Casa Loma.  Beautiful "castle" built in early 1900's.  No air conditioning but fans were strategically placed for relief from the heat.  Spent all day there!  Well worth the stop and the time.

Next day, we wanted to get an earlier start seeing the city so we caught the GO train at 8:07 am.  We have

Scarborough GO Station all waiting
for buses that never came.

lots of plans for today…Boat trip around Toronto Islands, see CN Tower and Rogers Center, ROM museum and Art Gallery of Ontario.  Well…ever hear about Murphy’s Law?  We got on the train headed for Union Station in Toronto then the announcer came on and said that Scarborough would be the last stop…no trains going further.  Seems there was an incident on the tracks which meant all trains cancelled.  A few people said someone had been hit by a train but we never found out exactly what happened.  Anyway, followed others to the local TTC bus stop and took that to the nearest subway station which we road into the city.  Once we got back on the streets we found one of the sightseeing buses and hopped on.  First stop…the ROM, Royal Ontario Museum.  Museum is huge and has many exhibits.  I think we saw them all.  Sculpture, photography, antiques, dinosaur bones…you name it.  The first exhibition was textiles.  Amazing displays of fashion and how it’s constructed.  There was also samples of embroidery and beading.  We also got to see a bride and groom along with all the bridal party getting ready for a wedding in the museum.  It was well worth the time.

Next stop, the AGO...Art Gallery of Ontario.  We hopped back on the bus and took it around to the AGO where we found a pub nearby…The Village Idiot.  Had a great lunch there before going into the gallery. Since it was Saturday there were lots of other people in line to purchase tickets.  A stranger…a nice looking man, came up and gave us two tickets…just gave them to us.  We weren’t sure exactly if they were OK so we asked one of the employes.  He said to go right in!  We spent the rest of the day there looking at classic paintings and sculpture, contemporary art and everything in between.  Believe it or not we left the gallery at closing and also saw them setting up for a wedding.

Last day in Toronto took the train (no problems) and walked right to the sightseeing bus at our regular boarding place.  Hopped right on and actually got a seat on the open top level.  We decided to ride all the way around to see what we’ve missed being on the bottom level each time.  It’s a whole ‘nother world up there!  We drive under some low bridges and electrical wires for the streetcars so it’s important to stay seated.  Took some better pics of sights but not very good ones as there are power lines and construction everywhere.  The best pics were taken when we took the island boat tour.  There are islands in the bay which you can access with a ferry boat.  Beautiful parks and yacht marinas.  There is even a sailing school on one of the islands….not to mention a clothing optional beach!  Since it was a beautiful day today the parks

were full of people riding bicycles, picnicking and even wading in the water.  There was an air show nearby and we could enjoy the jets and old planes flying around over the bay.  Toronto has a small airport on one of the islands…only prop planes allowed.  We cannot disturb the condo residents in the harbor area.  The Harbour Center has an event every weekend.  Lots to do for all the family.  Since the boat ride was the last thing we wanted to do we walked back to Union Station area and visited the Loose Moose to have a beer.  Nice way to finish the trip and the day.  We headed back to the motorhome on the train.  We will leave Toronto tomorrow and hit the road for 1000 Islands area on the St. Lawrence River.

First Morning in Niagara Falls

We awoke to rain.  Our American Tour of the Falls is not until 2:20 PM so Jim and I hop on the road and head up to Fort Niagara.  It's only about 25 miles away and up on the most northwest tip of New York State and on the shore of Lake Ontario.  We drove thru rain and arrived at the beautiful Fort Niagara park.  They have a huge swimming pool and soccer fields and playgrounds as well as picnic areas on beautiful grounds with lots of large trees.  At the end of the park stands Old Fort Niagara.  I didn't expect it to be so loud but it shook all of us with the BOOM!

The first building on the site of Old Fort Niagara was built in 1726 by the French.  This fort has been occupied by the French, the British and the American forces.  This location played critical roles in the French & Indian War, the American Revolution and the War of 1812.  There are also many other buildings on the site built by the French, the British or the Americans...whenever they were in control of the Fort.  There is even a wall which was built during the Civil War when it was feared that the British would come from Canada to help the South.

We headed back home in bright sunlight anticipating our first look of the falls.  Arrived back to the motorhome with enough time to eat lunch and gather what we needed for our bus tour.  While waiting to leave the rig we checked our emails, etc.  All the time clouds were gathering and it kept getting dark then darker in the motorhome.  Finally we heard a loud clap of thunder.  It started pouring rain!  We were under a severe weather warning!

We were picked up by our tour guide was told we were the only two on the tour!  Even though it's still raining we head out in the 15 passenger bus.  Our guide, Rita, is born and raised in Niagara Falls.  She does manage to give us hope that the rain will pass and we will have a good time.  She took us on a drive around the immediate area and the city of Niagara Falls, NY.  On the way to downtown she drove us along the Niagara River and explained how the city uses the water for the power plant.  She drove us onto Goat Island...the piece of land that divides the river into the two major sections of the falls...the American and the Canadian Horseshoe Falls.  First stop was Cave of the Winds.  We are given plastic ponchos and special rubber sandals to wear as we will be walking outside on wooden decks at the foot of the American and Bridal Veil Falls.  Why did I wash my hair this morning?  I roll up my pants, try to protect my phone and camera and head down in the elevator and to the falls.  The site is amazing and the sound is roaring!  And everyone is wet!  We walk all the way down and the back up to the Hurricane Deck which is right under Bridal Veil Falls.  I get a great pic of Jim.



We returned back to the top of the falls and walked all around the pathways above the falls.  The speed of the water falling over the edge is fast and the size of it all is huge!   We get right up to the edge of Horseshoe Falls and are mesmerized just watching it rush over the edge.  Of course, there are people with cameras everywhere and posing with family and friends.  I'm sure the crowd was lighter than usual since it was a weekday and because of the earlier rain.



Next we get to the boat ride...Maid of the Mist.  We again are given a plastic poncho to wear to protect us from the water.  Ha!  We'll see.  Our guide told us to get on the bow of the boat..right in front on the bottom level.  Lots of others have the same idea but we manage to find a great spot there.  Finally we get underway and head past the American Falls and straight into the foot of Horseshoe Falls.  It's too wet to bring out the camera but I manage to get a couple of pics in the less wet areas.  The mist is heavy and blowing like a gale.  The perspective is powerful.  We hear stories of people who have dared to go over the falls in homemade barrels, etc.  One story sounds too miraculous to be true.  In 1979 a young 7 year old boy, wearing a swimsuit and regular life jacket, was swept over the falls and survived!!

Finally On the Road

After careful and long-time planning our 2013 trip to Newfoundland...we ran out of time!  We decided it was too late in the season to rush and get in and out of Newfoundland before the weather changes so we opted for just a part of the first trip we planned.   We'll go to Niagara Falls, Toronto, Montreal and Quebec City then find our way back home.

So we finally set out on August 22 for our first destination of Niagara Falls, NY.  All the stops along the way will be just for the night.  We first stopped in Gadsden, AL, at Noccalula Falls Campground.  We've stopped here a few times before.  The time we had site #12 (too small for my liking).  Next time we will try and get into #18 or #19.  We've camped in #19 before...plenty of room to maneuver.  Next morning we got up and on the road and headed for Lexington, KY, where we stopped overnight at the Wal-Mart off I-75.  Nice area with a beautiful park right at the foot of the parking lot.  In the park was a monument to race horses with several "headstones" for some important Kentucky horses.  (See the pics.)

After a very pleasant evening there we got back on the road headed north and drove through Columbus and Cincinnati, Ohio, finally stopping at another Wal-Mart in Ashtabula, Ohio, just off I-90 on the shores of Lake Erie.

Last leg got underway headed east on I-90 crossing into Pennsylvania and then into New York and on the New York Thruway...a toll road.  We finally got off the NYTW in Buffalo and paid our toll... $11.80.  We were able to follow our navigation program through all the interchanges and arrived at our campground too early....We could not check in until 1 PM!  We found the local Wal-Mart where it appeared some families actually use the huge parking lot as a campground.   Lots of children riding scooters around a wagontrain of trailers.  We unhooked the tow and took it for a wash and managed to find a Dairy Queen for lunch and, of course, a blizzard!  By the time we got back it was time to head to the campground, Niagara Falls Campground and Lodging.  We checked in and parked in our site, #41, with no problem.  The campground has a tour office so we checked on tours and purchased the Big Combo Tour of both American Falls and Canadian Falls.  We'll do one on Monday and the other on Tuesday.  So happy to be here safe and sound.