Where the Wildlings Are
NP Roadtrip – Oh, Canada! - Day 117 - 125
We hadn't originally planned on going to Canada during this adventure, but circumstances led us there, and we were pretty excited to go to our friendly neighbor to the north. G says we were going "Beyond the Wall", but I don't know what he's talking about. I guess it's a Game of Thrones reference, as is the title of this blog. And since I couldn't come up with an appropriate title on my own, G's obscure title won the spot.
Our trailer was born in Quebec, so we were excited to get to see the factory and showroom for the first time. As a reminder, since we purchased our trailer on the used market, we didn’t get to (or have to) make the trek across country to pick up a brand-new trailer, like the rest of the new Alto owners. Even though we were excited to see it, we also needed to go to the factory to get our air conditioner repaired. That’s right, our brand spanking new air conditioner, installed at GetAway RV in B.C. in January, wasn’t functioning correctly. I can’t convey enough how annoying this was. To add an AC was not only expensive, but we had to drive the trailer up to B.C. from Canada and wait for them to complete the service before we could get started on our trip. This specific install caused a delay of 3 weeks to our original departure date.
We crossed over the border very easily, only being asked one question about our plans while we were in Canada. Scarlett & Murphy thought we were at the Starbucks drive thru and were looking for the customs agent to give them a treat. Two minutes later, and zero treats for the dogs, we were on our way into French Canada for the first time. It is absolutely beautiful scenery. Green and lush rolling hills with lots of pretty farms dotting the landscape. We went to a grocery store, and even the view from the parking lot was picture-worthy! I also broke out the camera while inside the grocery store to capture their amazing cheese selection. We needed to re-stock our fridge and pantry, having whittled the contents down for fear we would need to hand things over at the border.
Our next stop was to eat lunch. We could have eaten sandwiches, like every other day of the week, but we were excited to be in Canada so we picked a restaurant in St. Georges called Rock Café. We felt like all the servers in the restaurant drew straws to see who would serve “The Americans”. After about 10 minutes, we ended up with a server who spoke impeccable English, but continually apologized for her terrible English. We couldn’t understand why she was apologizing when we didn’t even attempt to speak her language! We downloaded an app to help us read menus and try to ask questions, but the effort was futile. Our meal and service was wonderful, and found most everyone to be friendly and willing to speak to us to offer itinerary suggestions. The only indication of unfriendliness was when someone next to us, while in the middle of a slew of French, the words, “stupid Americans only learn one language” was sandwiched in between. It’s true, I can’t deny it. I only speak English fluently. I wish it was different, but it’s not. End of story. On a more positive note, this restaurant also had the most amazing mustard I’ve ever tasted. We asked them if they sold it (they have a small market right next door). The answer was, “sometimes the kitchen staff says yes, and sometimes they say no.” I’m so glad we were there on a day that the kitchen staff said yes!
We had arranged to stay at an AirBnB in Levis, which is just down the road from the Safari Condo showroom, close enough to Quebec City for a day trip, and a 40 minute drive to the factory where the AC repair would take place. As soon as we arrived at the awesome AirBnB, we cleared every single item from our trailer and car into the garage of the rental. We figured it would be much easier for Safari Condo to service with none of our belongings in there, and may even result in quicker service. After unloading everything, we made an easy dinner of Camp Pizzas and took a dip in the jacuzzi hot tub out back. Not a bad way to end our first night in Quebec.
G woke up early in the morning to take the trailer in to be serviced. I stayed back to start our massive amount of laundry that we wanted to do while we had a washer/dryer available included in the cost of accommodation! We’ve paid as much as $3.75 per wash load and the same per dryer load (highway robbery – shame on you “The Pines of Kabetogama”), so FREE is the BEST! Meanwhile, the technicians at Safari Condo were extremely unhappy with the work GetAway RV had done. They said they would turn it around in one day and it would be like having had it factory installed in the first place. G hadn’t expected them to be done with the service in one day, and neglected to bring his computer so he could get some photo editing and trip planning done. He was hungry for lunch, but knew I’d be sad if I missed out on eating lunch at another cute French-Canadian restaurant. He drove the 40 minutes back to Levis to pick me up and we went to lunch at St. Vincent Restaurant. Now that’s LOVE!
St. Vincent is located on the St. Georges River right next to an old train station. They don’t have menus in English, but they did have a server who, again, spoke impeccable English. We ordered a few things on the menu, using one part translation dictionary and one part faith! The result of that crap shoot was WAY too much food. Word to the wise: Everything in Quebec comes with a side. Everything. Our meal was fantastic, but we had more than half left over.
After lunch, G and I drove over to the Safari Condo factory. When pulling in, there is an Alto “Nursery” (thanks Wynn World for that description) on your right. It’s a huge field of Altos surrounded by a fence. There was one yellow one in there amongst a sea of gray and metallic blue. I like to think of it as the diamond in the rough. When Woodstock was finished, Safari Condo let us know that we wouldn’t need to pay for the service, that they felt bad that their B.C. service center had done such poor service, and that that’s not what they are about as a company. What a nice gesture. Their great customer service will not be forgotten. We went back to Levis, had a quiet meal at home, and went to bed. Finally sleeping soundly knowing that our trailer was in tip-top shape and ready to take us through the rest of our adventure.
One of the things we were most excited to do while in Quebec was to take a trip to the Safari Condo showroom. They have every model displayed, each with all the coolest options. It’s located only 10 minutes from the house we were staying, so we went there first thing in the morning. I would say that if anyone were on the fence about buying an Alto, that a trip to the showroom would cure the jitters. These trailers are so nice and I am proud to own one. However, it was just cruel to go look at them, when ours was purchased used. We have options we don’t need (bunkbeds) and don’t have the options we want (the big front window). To see the Big Front Window (BFW) in person was enough to make us want to write a check on the spot and get ourselves a new one. I think that if I had said, “Ok”, that G would have been like, “YESSSSSSSS!!!!!” No new Alto for us, though. Maybe one day in the future, but for now Woodstock fits us just right.
Later on in the afternoon we went to check out Quebec City. We mainly just walked the old city, toured the Chateau Frontenac, checked out a city market, and window shopped. The only thing of note, was our snack at Sapristi which consisted of a great Caesar salad and the most amazing arancini I’ve ever had, not to mention the awesome service. We took the ferry back to Levis and made it to the AirBnB early enough to pack the trailer, make mushroom ravioli with mushroom sauce for dinner (one of our “go-to” meals, and finish the laundry.
In the morning, we headed to Montreal, which is a fairly quick 2.5 hour drive from Quebec City. We made it a point to stop at mecca on our drive, and by mecca, I mean Costco. I wondered what French-Canadian treats we could find here! The reality is that they didn’t have too much that was unique. I would say the one thing they had that other Costco’s do not, is a decent size selection of pate. The highlight of the Costco trip was walking out to the parking lot and spotting another Alto!
We opted to stay at the KOA Montreal South, rather than at the Canadian National Park, Oka. The Canadian national parks don’t allow the use of campgrounds if you have a dog. Oka National Park has a trial program going on right now where some campsites are designated dog friendly, but the limited amount of sites are hard to come by. The KOA was closer and less of a hassle, because we knew the dogs wouldn’t be a problem. Feeling a little lazy, we opted for a dinner out, rather than cooking in. There aren’t a whole lot of choices in the area, but ended up at a decent sushi restaurant, Sushi Kampai.
The following morning, we drove into Montreal. Our first stop was Atwater Market, and it should be yours too if you are ever in Montreal. Wow! Fresh, beautiful hydrangeas and other flowers, cheese galore, large pots of boiling meats, cute café upstairs, butchers with every imaginable cut, fresh pasta, fruit and veggie vendors, etc. It’s remarkably huge, yet still easy to navigate. They even allow dogs in the market, even though ours were chilling out in AC in our car. It’s been a long time since they’ve been to a market and they could probably use a refresher course in “how to act in crowded places.” We purchased very few things, but had a wonderful time taking in all the stalls.
From there, we drove to the old town area, where the Notre Dame Cathedral is located. We walked around for a bit, but only had a limited time in our parking space. Traffic was absolutely insane, and we didn’t really find much to do that interested us in such a short time. Plus, it was Sunday, which meant that many of the spots that had been recommended to us, were closed. We drove over to the “Portland of Montreal” in Mile End to check out a brewery that Rock Café in St. Georges recommended. Thank goodness they were open. The weather was absolutely fantastic, and we had a great time sampling a few of their beers.
The following morning it was raining, but that didn’t stop us from going back to the city to check out the other large city market, Jean Talon. It’s a pretty big market offering much of the same product as the day prior, without the charm. We picked up some fruits and veggies, but our big find of the day was some fancy sour cream, crème caramels, blinis, maldon salt, fancy butter, and radishes. The little shop we found these goodies had inspired me to get fancy with my breakfast, at least one of the mornings we were in Canada.
Still pouring down rain, we opted not to check out any more tourist attractions, and headed over to Distillerie No. 1, instead. When we walked in we were the only people there. We were greeted with warm smiles and an extensive cocktail list. We spent a good deal of time chatting up the spectacular bartender while sipping on our drinks, then headed over to O’Tyme for dinner. This meal was so-so, but we were pretty pooped by then, so it may have been lackluster due to lack of energy.
The next day we headed to our last stop on our Canadian detour, Niagara Falls. This ended up being a rough ride. Not only was it a long day, but the weather was horrendous. Google re-routed us to go completely around Toronto due to the weather. Honestly, you couldn’t even see the city it was so heavily shrouded in clouds, rain, and thunder. After about 7 hours of driving, we finally made it! We took the dogs to the dog park to stretch their legs and bark at a few people, then checked out Syndicate Brewery for dinner. Syndicate is a pretty unique place, to say the least. We ate outside, because the weather finally cleared and it was sunny and warm outside. However, after a great dinner, we wanted to check out the inside. It has a secret door that leads to the dining room and a hidden bar upstairs. If you’re in the area, I would recommend stopping.
For breakfast the following morning, I decided it was the perfect day for our “fancy breakfast”. We had radishes & butter with French bread and Maldon salt, cherries, and oranges. G wasn’t a huge fan, but said it was “good”. I can definitely see the appeal of the French snack of radishes and butter with salt, but I’m not sure it’s something I can eat every day. For an impromptu snack though, it’s a star!
With full bellies, we were now able to get to the main attraction, Niagara Falls. G had been there before, but only on the American side, and I had never been. The view from the Canadian side is so gorgeous that visitors should always make time to view both sides, rather than pick one. It’s every bit as impressive as it’s made out to be. We walked over the border to the American side to ride the Maid of the Mist. When I was a kid, growing up in Las Vegas, the OmniMax theatre at Caesar’s Palace was a destination for many families and school trips. I distinctly remember the movie about the people who tried to go over the falls. The movie also highlighted the Maid of the Mist, and I’ve always wanted to go on it. It was so much fun and crazy and wet. Good times! We walked back over to the Canada side, grabbed a quick bite to eat, then headed over to the Horseshoe Falls viewing area. You are so close to the water, watching Lake Ontario drain over the falls into the river below. It’s really stunning. Parking is a mess. But well worth the hassle.
Our Canadian adventure was short, but packed with delicious food and drink, new experiences and friends, and amazing sights! We’ve always enjoyed our friendly neighbor to the North. Most of all, though, we were happy to continue on our journey with a ship-shape trailer. It brought some peace of mind that’s priceless and also a little satisfaction and validation of our ongoing service concerns. Onward and upward, or is it downward?!?! Now, if only the customs officer going back to the States could give me back my delicious oranges purchased in Canada.
