Day11 Montreal to Quebec

Another restless night? After breakfast, I packed and dropped my bags in at the desk. Set off for the walk up the hill to the Mont Royal Parc.

I had to walk along Rue Sherbrooke for about 20 mins to then begin the ascent up the hill to get to the main gates. Glory be, not of the feint hearted! But that was just to get you ready for what was ahead. Steps and more steps and walking, with more walking. Then wouldn’t you know, I got to the view point set of steps to find the lookout was shut!!! So I had to continue walking up the track. It wasn’t such a hardship as the scenery was just beautiful. Might not be so next week. Finally had to take some billy goat tracks to get to the top- to find a view of nothing but trees! If I had more time I could have walked to the chalet, but that would be just cutting it too fine. So took another billy goat track down and found one spot with a view of Montreal IF you cut down all the trees in the way. But that was as good as it got. On the way back down I hesitated at one corner and followed my instincts meeting a lovely lady on the way, who assured me I was going in the right direction and it was a short cut. Good guess. We chatted on the way down and she very kindly took my photo among some of the trees.

We parted on Rue Drummond and I went on to the hotel arriving exactly at 11, so I had a moment’s silence for Remembrance Day. Sat in the lounge and caught my breath, got my bags and in no time the taxi was there. The trip down to the station was complicated by the Remembrance Day ceremony. Less traffic on the road today because all the English workers have a holiday, but not the French? Went to my favourite internet café and ordered my tea in French and he gave me coffee? His mistake not my appalling French. I had time to begin my diary while waiting for the train.

We boarded on time at 12:45 and I was able to help a couple who didn’t know what to do.

A different type of train this time (Renaissance) where you had only a small space to store baggage near you, the rest had to be put at the end of the carriage and there was only one seat down one side of the windows and two on the other. The bathroom facilities were amazing. You could wheel a wheelchair into the cubicle and there was plenty of room. The scenery was just as lovely in fact possibly better than coming down when it was miserable. The farmers had all been busy harvesting the dried corn plants. The trees had lost all their leaves.  As we travelled through towns you could see the car tent/ temporary carports that had been erected in preparation for the coming snow.

We stopped three times to let freight trains go through – one had 150 cars and three engines. The sun set at 4 pm and it was dark soon after. We arrived at 4:30 which was late. Tim was waiting for me and it was freezing cold outside walking to the car. Back to the unit to Sarah, Lachie, Heather and John. We went out for dinner rugged up against the very cold wind. I had salmon, which was lovely. We went back home and I had a shower and finished my typing.

A long day, but back in Quebec.