Visiting Québec

We try to visit Québec at least every year.  We missed last summer because Gen was due in the middle of August.  Traveling with an extremely pregnant, hormonal mommy who can't tie her own shoes is not advised...unless of course, you're into extreme sports or don't value your life.

The 7 hour trip stretched out to about 10.  We stopped often to pee and run around.  Québec City is about 4 hours into the trip so we usually make a pit stop there to visit the Aquarium.  It cuts up the trip right at that point where the kids feel that they just can't take it anymore.  After looking at fish for 2 hours (BTW, I heard that staring at fish is very calming and soothing), they were ready to get back into the van and drive the rest of the way...asleep :)

Sand sculptures at the Québec Aquarium.

A nice lady offered to take our picture by the bridge at the aquarium.  I fully expected her to tuck the camera under her arm and make a run for it, but no!  We got the camera back safe and sound.

The Pattersons, August 2011



 This summer we decided to try Le Village d'Antan.  For such a touristy attraction, I was disappointed that only a small number of staff spoke English (and then only enough to get by).  I found the historic village very interesting, but Richard and the kids got bored easily since they couldn't understand the stories behind the buildings and characters.

Still, very pretty, and quite different from King's Landing in Fredericton.  Le Village d'Antan tells the history of the Québecois and you can see the strong Catholic influence in the families and buildings.  King's Landing is older, and mostly (if not all) protestant.



Sitting in the one-room schoolhouse.

  No trip would be complete without a bathroom mishap, of course.  This picture was taken moments before I caught a whiff of something foul...and it wasn't the pony ride, either!  Gen had pooped on everything!  Wipes weren't going to do it, so we headed to the bathroom to rinse off in the sink...only to find out that the only running water was freezing cold.  Gen was quite awake after that. :)


"Uh oh!  I have a surprise for you, Mommy!"

The next day we hung around my old stomping grounds.  To my surprise they now have a Farmer's Market.  It's a nice one, too!  If I lived close enough, I'd be a regular. 

This man had the best apple juice and Sunrise apples I'd ever tasted.  Yum!

That night we had a bonfire at my Grandma Blouin's.  It's crazy how the kids seem to grow up so fast when you aren't there to watch them.  My little cousins are adults, and my littler cousins are practically teenagers.  The great thing about our family get togethers is that there's no age limit to singing "Squirrel", complete with the bum-wagging actions.

We met up with my brother, R, his wife, N, and little K!  It was a special treat to have the cousins play together.  K is a bundle of happy energy, running and laughing and generally enjoying life.  I'm hoping we can visit more often than just every other year. 

Asbestos is well-known for...you guessed it!  Asbestos!  Graedon was intent on going to see the great, big truck. 

Great, Big Truck...Tiny Little Kids

We visited with my Grandma Noble.  The kids thought her apartment was pretty sweet - especially the big bag of Cheetos!