Holidays in Canada

The story

Itinerary:

14.08

Flight from Florence with AirFrance to Montreal via Paris. Arrival late in the evening, pick-up of the rental car, a gleaming super-equipped Pontiac, and arrival at the hotel.

15.08 Montreal

Morning devoted to visiting the down-town, the university campus and Mont Royal with its lovely park and its belvedere, from which you enjoy the skyline and the St Lawrence. After lunch in a fast food place in the style of Arnold's from "Happy Days", the afternoon is devoted to shopping in the "underground city", and a visit to Chinatown and the old town, where we dined in a picturesque French-style restaurant.

16.08 Quebec City

Transfer to Quebec City, stopping at Montreal's Olympic park to visit the Olympic stadium and its leaning tower. Arrival in Quebec City and first visit of this splendid city, in particular the old town lying on the St Lawrence and dominated by the Chateau Frontenac, one of the most beautiful hotels in the world. We stay in a splendid little hotel in a little square adjoining the Chateau Frontenac.

17.08 Quebec City

The day is devoted to visiting the old town in all its corners, including the fortified citadel... but how cold it was during the changing of the guard... and the lower town in French style... it feels like being back home in Europe.

18.08 Chute Montmorency - Ile d'Orleans - Charlevoix Visit to the Montmorency falls just outside Quebec City and then a full circuit of the Ile d'Orleans with an obligatory stop at a splendid chocolate shop in the style of the film "Chocolat" in a little village where tranquillity reigns... how good the raspberry jam with chocolate is!!!! Leaving the island we head into the Charlevoix region, full of ups and downs along the St Lawrence river. Overnight stay at Le Malbaie.

19.08 Tadoussac

From Le Malbaie we arrive, on a splendid sunny day, at Tadoussac, a very pretty little town on the banks of the St Lawrence at the mouth of the Saguenay fjord, famous for whale watching... and indeed, as soon as we arrive at the B&B we book, at a not exactly cheap price, a zodiac to search for whales. Unfortunately, at least for us, it was a disappointment; in fact, the whales and belugas are there, but the zodiac drivers keep very far away from the cetaceans, letting you almost catch a glimpse of them. At least that was our experience; I hope others have been luckier.

20.08 Lac San Jean

Unlike the day before, today it pours with rain, so the cruise up the Saguenay fjord is spoiled by the weather; we reach the lake where it's still raining and fog has come down; luckily the day picks up when in Mistassini, the Canadian home of the blueberry, we burst into the home of two extremely friendly people, who produce genuine typical blueberry products at home. We immediately make friends and after a bit of ritual "chat" about our country, although they don't speak a word of English and we struggle a lot in French, they have us taste their products... delicious!!!! In the end, after photos all together in the kitchen, we leave with a good number of little pastries for the following days.

21.08 Lac San Jean

Morning devoted to visiting Parc du Pointe Taillon, but a sudden storm forces us back to the hotel to change... despite our raincoats and umbrellas we were soaked to the bone. In the afternoon we visit the Zoo of Saint Felicien, where we begin to see the local wildlife.

22.08 Mauricie NP

Heading back towards Montreal we stop at Mauricie NP, where we spend the day. Very beautiful, above all for the vegetation, but watch out for the mosquitoes......

23.08 Omega Park

We head towards Ottawa and along the way we visit Omega Park, where you can drive along the park's roads in your own car and where the animals come up to the cars to receive the food, bought at the park offices, that visitors offer them... great fun, but perhaps a little unnatural. We arrive in Ottawa in the evening.

24.08 Ottawa

Day devoted to visiting Ottawa, a city that on the whole, even if it has nothing special apart from Parliament Square and its buildings, we like a lot. Transfer towards Algonquin PP.

25.08 Algonquin PP

Visit to this vast park, very rich in little lakes and woods stretching as far as the eye can see, where we decide to walk some of the hiking trails. On one of them we are lucky to come across a moose, which we follow at close range for a while. A lunch break enlivened by a group of squirrels having fun playing with our things and receiving bits of apple to munch on.

26.08 Toronto

Visit to the city of Toronto, the most "American" of those visited, where we wander around the down-town with its skyscrapers, and in Chinatown, before going up the CN Tower, the tallest tower in the world, from which we get a splendid view over the city and Lake Ontario. A particular feature is the glass floor you can walk on "in the void".

27.08 Niagara Falls

From Toronto by car we reach the famous Niagara Falls. The falls themselves are very beautiful, in particular the horseshoe-shaped ones on the Canadian side of the river, but all around rises a small "Las Vegas" full of hotels, casinos, cinemas and entertainment. We walk the tunnel made behind the falls and take the excursion, interesting but wet, on the boat under the falls.