Upstate New York...Lake Champlain...Vermont...Quebec City...Montreal
It is early in the season for boating, and many marinas and attractions (as we motor north) have just opened or will be opening June 1st. We are definitely ahead of the AGLCA looper group coming from the east coast and Florida. Even the locals don't seem to be in the summer boating mode, yet.
We've found another quiet spot, here at the Westside Marina...not much happening the day after Memorial Day Weekend.
With breakfast over, we begin some projects...laundry, organizing our space, planning our route, returning emails, and things you can't do while cruising down the lake. It's like a Saturday morning at home.
We've had some quick light rain showers, already, this morning, but it is now sunny, the birds are vocalizing, and temps are predicted to reach 90. What a change in a day!
We departed Westside Marina about 10:30 am. We want to get to the north end of Lake Champlain before the predicted storm tomorrow, Our FEDEX package with our chip did not arrive, but it will be sent on ahead to the next marina. Our route, today, takes us from the southern end of Lake Champlain to the northern end of the lake. We will be experiencing the wider "big water" section of Lake Champlain. We have been very lucky in our crossing of inlets, bays, and large lakes...as the weather has been very cooperative. When were cruising Chesapeake Bay, we had a large storm cell pass over the lake, but we stayed south of the eye and were fine! Thank you to our great weather radar system on Dream Chaser!
About 11:30 am, we topped off Dream Chaser's diesel tanks at Point Bay Marina on the Vermont side of the lake. Fill up before you enter Canada-the price north is another 25% above the US price!
Just past noon, we were just finishing our salad lunch in the upper helm when we saw the town of Burlington, VT. off our starboard side. We will explore it by car in a few days. The weather is perfect-sunny and near 90.
About 4 pm with four hours of cruising behind us, we entered the marina and are happy to be off the big lake. Slipping Dream Chaser into her slot was a bit tricky due to the strong winds, but finally, she was secured without incident.
By 6 pm, we had our rental car, a Nissan Juke, and were on our way to dinner in Plattsburgh about 7 miles from the marina. Our choice for dinner was the highly rated Himalaya Restaurant run by the Dorjee family from Tibet.
Momos are native to Tibet and Nepal and are a very popular food. These momos were served with sliced cabbage and special sauce.
Above, Thenthuk is a soup with hand-pulled flat wheat noodles with sauteed vegetables. It is a popular choice in Amdo region of Tibet where the soup originated. The soups have a beef broth base, are consumed as a whole meal, and are very popular during the cold seasons.
Plattsburgh, NY is only 18 miles south of the border with Quebec, and once a major hub in the fur trade with Montreal. There is an interesting history museum in town which tells of the events which took place during the Revolutionary War and War of 1812. Plattsburgh was an airbase during the Cold War (1950's to 1975). Still an international airport, we have been told that the base is used to refurbish 747's for buyers around the world.
Wednesday, May 27, 2015
We are up early, done with breakfast, and ready for a fun day.
Breakfast was a creative endeavor to use up left overs and perishables.
Due to a line of thunderstorms predicted, we are off by car to explore areas in Vermont. After picking up the elusive FEDEX package containing our navigational chip, we headed to the ferry. As we drove through the country, the aroma of fresh manure permeated the air! Our the smell of Spring!
While we waited for the ferry, we stopped at the Pink Pig Boutique and Coffee Shop for cold pressed coffee and a tempting apricot scone.
First stop was the Flannel Factory-great shirts and flannel creations produced on location. Next door was one of the oldest of two covered bridges in Vermont.
The Lake Champlain Maritime Museum, located in the Basin Harbor Club in Vergennes, is a fascinating place spread over five acres with 14 exhibit buildings. Lake Champlain was a critical staging area of the war; if the colonists could gain control of Lake Champlain, they could control the most direct invasion route to British Canada. There are massive amounts of maritime history including artifacts, antique boats, and information on shipwrecks. Over 1,000 Revolutionary War artifacts (dumped into the lake by the British in 1777) have been recovered from the area.
We learned that...Depicted as an arch villian, and whose name is synonymous with traitor, Benedict Arnold had been highly regarded by George Washington and others. In the early early years before his defection, Arnold proved himself a brilliant military leader of great physical bravery.
Samuel de Champlain was a prolific writer and for over 30 years he published writings documenting his coastal and inland travels from the Caribbean to Canada. Also known as an artist, his maps are embellished with detailed drawings. As a gardener, Champlain gathered information for France on the flora and fauna of the areas, and he planted gardens in four colonies. Champlain's maps and writings from 27 trans-Atlantic voyages were fundamental in the exploration of the New World.
There was an interesting exhibit on the Burlington Bay Horse Ferry which was powered by horses. The ferry was powered by two horses placed on a turntable on opposite sides of the vessel which caused the turntable to rotate under their feet. Then with a connection to a set of gears, voila!... horse power on water!
We passed back through Vergenesse on our way back to Burlington. With a storm approaching, we stopped in this quaint little town for lunch at Three Square Restaurant on main street. As we enjoyed our BBQ chicken, homemade potato salad, lettuce greens, and dill pickles inside, the staff prepped the outdoor patio for the storm. With temps in the 90's and light rain falling, we explored the town's artist coop and a few cute shops.
Next on the agenda is Ben and Jerry's Ice Cream factory... Vermont's Finest!
Heavy rain accompanied us as we drove on North Vermont 100 into the beautiful Green Mountains to Waterbury. Our witty tour guide spent 30 min. telling us how the ice cream is made, the history of the company, cracking jokes, and of course providing a sample of a new caramel mixture. The number one selling flavor, Half Baked, was not available at this location, so number two was Cherry Garcia! Yum!
With the ice cream but a memory, we headed to Stowe, Vermont to visit the Stowe Ski Resort.
Besides the beautiful scenery along the route, we experienced the Chocolate store, the Cabot cheese shop, and finally the Cold Hollow Cider Mill. Great cider, delicious donuts, and amazing apple pies!
The moose crossing signs were posted long the highway, but "no show" on the moose. We enjoyed the pretty drive to the Stowe Ski Resort. Spring had arrived, but some of the snow on the slopes remained.
Thursday, May 28, 2015
By 8:30 am with breakfast and morning jobs completed, we locked the door of Dream Chaser and were speeding towards Quebec- a city full of history, great architecture, and European charm! Crossing the boarder was non-eventful and three hours later, we were parked in the Lower Town of old Quebec City.
The historic part of Quebec City was founded by French explorer Champlain in 1608. Quebec is recognized as the cradle of French civilization in North America. Built on a cliff, the Upper Town has remained a religious and administrative center with its churches, convents, monuments, the Citadel, and the Château Frontenac. The city is a perfect example of a fortified colonial city and has well-preserved ramparts, bastions, and gates.
We began our visit in the Lower Town with the Place Royale and its ancient districts with thriving shops and restaurants. The Place Royale, located in the Bas Ville, is the site of Samuel de Champlain's original settlement. It was a enjoyable experience walking the narrow, cobblestone streets and admiring the buildings from the 1600's. French is the primary language, but we had no problem. Mary had studied French at Laval University in Quebec for an interim class through Augsburg College-years ago- so knows some French, and we found that English is commonly spoken. We had visited old Quebec City with our kids about 20 years ago, but we wanted to visit again.
The church below is located in the Lower Town at the Place-Royale (market square) and is Quebec's oldest stone church built upon the ruins of Champlain's first outpost. L'Eglise de Notre Dame was completed in 1723 and faces out into the square.
Lunch at Bistro Sous Le Fort: French Onion Soup and Shrimp & Smoked Salmon Salad.
After lunch, we bought tickets for the funicular and rode it to the Upper Town. The funicular which has been operating since 1879, provided a great view of Lower Town while the car climbed the cliff at a 45 degree angle.
In spite of the threat of rain, people were gathered in front of the Château Frontenac and around the statue of Champlain waiting for tours and enjoying the spectacular view for miles. The château is built on the site of two previous structures, one occupied by the first governor of the colony and later the residence of the British Colony. The Château Frontenac, one of Quebec's most prominent features, was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway and opened in 1893 as a hotel of luxury to accommodate wealthy travelers providing 600+ rooms. Being one of the most photographed hotels in the world, the Château is a landmark hotel providing a magnificent view overlooking the St. Lawrence River.
We ran for the car as the showers turned to heavier rain. The Marché du Vieux-Port Quebec is our next stop. The market is full of local foods and products including cheese, olives, traditional breads, and chocolate. Beautiful plants lined the halls, and the food booths were a great temptation.
After checking into our hotel and dinner at the China Garden Restaurant, we set off to find "the falls" at Montmorency Falls Park just a few minutes from our hotel.
The waterfalls are 272 ft. tall (99ft higher than Niagara Falls). We viewed from the edge of the parking lot because the interpretation center was closed, but you can get closer on a cable car, the suspended bridge, or a stairway along side the cliff.
The I'le d'Orleans was the first areas to be colonized by the French and a large percentage of French Canadians can trace their ancestry to early resident of this island. We accessed the island by the only bridge (built in 1935) and drove the northeastern loop of the drive. It is at this point that fresh water mixes with salt water. The island is 21 miles long and 5 miles wide at its widest point and is divided into municipalities/communities.
Friday, May 29, 2015
It's a beautiful sunny day-no rain predicted- and temps in the 80's.
Breakfast was at Cora's Restaurant (a Canadian gem) which is a creative breakfast & lunch place, where...
This is Brioche dorée: a large cinnamon roll dipped in French toast batter and filled with bananas, delicious pecans, and caramel sauce. What a way to start the morning!
Because it was so dark last night when we drove through the I'le d'Orleans, we returned this morning to explore in the bright sunshine. Visiting this island is like visiting rural Quebec over 100 years ago. The villages, farms, churches, and centuries old houses are enchanting.
Next stop, after three hours on the highway... Montreal.
We made our way in traffic into downtown Montreal with an early dinner at La Maison V.I.P. Restaurant in Chinatown. Not great looking from the outside, but terrific food! We shared dinner for two: wonton soup, egg roll, dry spareribs, pineapple chicken, chicken chow mein, chicken fried rice, & almond cookies.
Next, off to the Jean-Talon Farmer's Market, one of the marchés public in Montreal, on Ave. Heni Julien. This market has everything you could imagine: fruits, vegetables, meat, fish, seafood, maple syrups, honey, baked items, ethnic spices, cooking equipment, and beautiful plants. Below is a huge Strophaire á anneau rugueux mushroom. This market is almost overwhelming for the senses-the beautiful flowers, the tempting foods, the smells that waft through the air from the venders, the unusual shops, and unique produce.
Saturday, May 30, 2015
After a great night's sleep and breakfast at the Universal Hotel in Montreal, we drove to the Atwater Market. We had planned to return to Montreal for many years and are excited to be here. We have been looking for a Chinese Buffet that we visited years ago when we came up with the kids for a hockey tournament in the area, but have failed to find anything restaurant even close.
After some difficulty, we located the Marché Bonsecours (boutique market) which is located in one of the ten most beautiful buildings in Canada. There are fifteen boutiques and three restaurants, and after a quick walk through, we are on to the next farmer's market.
The one negative thing that will always stick in our minds about Montreal is the difficulty in getting to places due to detours, many closed roads, and the terrible condition of the roads. We spent an enormous amount of time and saw much of their highway system just trying to get to locations-even with a great GPS.
The Atwater market was very much like the Jean-Talon Market- a sensory treat! It's lunch time, and we are determined to find a good Chinese Buffet, so... We are off to Chinatown to Mai Luin Yuan, a restaurant recommended by a vendor at the market. Lunch was a soup with Chinese dumplings.
We left Montreal, crossed back into the US, and headed to Plattsburgh, NY and Dream Chaser. All was fine and being Memorial Day Weekend the marina was busy with boaters.
Dinnertime found us at one of the best restaurants in the area, Anthonies Restaurant and Bistro in Plattsburgh. While thunder clashed and the rain poured down, we listened to the piano player in the bistro and enjoyed great food. Being so close to Quebec, the food on the menu was influenced with a French twist. We enjoyed grilled calamari, French onion soup, and large chicken salads.
The restaurant was originally an old farmhouse which was built in late 1800's and had an attached pig stye. A judge occupied the residence for awhile and hung horse thieves in front of the house. Today, the farmhouse is the restaurant's dining rooms and the bistro located in the attached former pig stye.
Dream Chaser was waiting for us at the dock, the rain had stopped, and quiet had settled over the marina. It had been a great day!
Our next posting will come from north of the border in Quebec, Canada!
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