Into the World of Three Pines

This trip was built around a chance to participate in a literary retreat in rural Québec based on a series of books that I love by Louise Penny. In her books, the author takes your mind right into the community, the bistro and shops, and the living rooms of a fictional town called Three Pines. Three Pines was based on a small community east of Montréal and 1/2 hour north of the border with Vermont.

I traveled near this area in 2022, and the countryside and fall colors were beautiful. I’ve never done anything like a literary retreat before but thought I’d give it a try. It promised a lot of hiking, a lovely spa environment, and is led by a couple of people I’ve been familiar with through a podcast one of them hosts. So here I am at Spa Eastman.

Today included a tour of Abbaye Saint-Benoit-du-Lac. It is the Benedictine abbey that inspired a fictional abbey that was central to one of the murder mystery books. It felt just like Louise Penny described (but without the deceit and murder). We had the option of staying and sitting through Mass, which I did to hear the monks sing the Gregorian chants.

The fall colors are beautiful, and I look forward to them getting prettier each day I’m here

Spa Eastman grows much of the food they serve, all over the resort.
The building I’m in has a conference room, six hotel rooms and a communal living and dining area.
This little garden space is part of the building, next to the living room.

Street Art

Today one of the things I had planned to do was to go to the Montréal Museum of Fine Arts. Just before I left my hotel, I saw that this is the one day of the month that Québequois can get in to the museum free. I took that to mean it would be crowded. I didn’t have my heart set on it, so I decided to pivot and check out some street art instead. Free and not crowded!

I had seen a guide for a self-led walking tour of murals in a specific neighborhood. So after having what was arguably described as Montréal’s best bagel sandwich for brunch (had to wait in line on the street for 30 minutes for a table and yes, it was worth it), I headed that way.

Leonard Cohen lived a few blocks from here

Jackie Robinson played minor league baseball in Montréal before getting into the major league

Montréal Neighborhoods

Today I used the Metro (subway) and bus to get a little further out to see some of the neighborhoods of Montréal. I started at the Marché Jean-Talon in the Little Italy area, having a breakfast of coffee, pastry and people-watching.

All the produce looked so vibrant and fresh

Then I walked around the residential area of Outremont to see older, historic homes.

I took a bus up to Parc du Mont-Royal and walked some of the paths there. It was another beautiful day.

Mount Royal Cross

City views from Mount Royal Park

Capped the day off with a plate of poutine and a beer, which tasted amazing after so much time on my feet.

Even the fire stations are beautiful.

Bonjour de Montréal

Today was a lovely afternoon in downtown Montréal, partly sunny with a comfortable, crisp fall air. After sleeping late due to a post-3:00 a.m. arrival, I spent my first afternoon here walking around.

I’m staying in the Chinatown area of downtown.

The travel guides I’ve read all point to the Basilique Notre-Dame de Montréal as the must-see attraction. It was stunning. When I first walked inside, I felt a little involuntary gasp. My camera photos don’t come close to capturing the vibrant colors and intricate details.

All along the sides of the building, on three stories, are stained glass scenes such as this one, depicting religious and local historical themes.

I walked down to the waterfront area (the St. Lawrence River), walked around Vieux-Montréal (old town), checked out the Place Jacques-Cartier, an old town square area, and had an early dinner.

Seems like every major city has a big waterfront Ferris wheel these days. No, I didn’t go for a ride.

The fall colors are starting to show nicely.

My plans: I’ll be here until mid-day Monday. Then I will be staying outside a small town called Eastman a little over an hour southeast of here for the week.

Yellowstone and Home, Sweet Home

After two long days of driving across Wisconsin, Minnesota, South Dakota and Wyoming, Thursday I spent the day at Yellowstone National Park. I’ve only been there once before - six years ago in the springtime. Spring was better for viewing wildlife by far, but the nice thing about going in October was no crowds. 

Yellowstone River Upper Falls

Norris Geyser Basin

Artists Paintpots

Mud bubble pot. I should have taken video. It was mesmerizing. But I was also hoping to not get splattered.

Gibbon Falls

Grand Prismatic Spring. This spring is vivid with color, due to microbes. The center is bright blue, it’s rimmed with green and yellow, and the flats (microbial mats) around it are an orange-y red. It was such a windy day that the steam made it hard to see the coloration well.

Another view

Old Faithful didn’t let me down

I saw a few herd of bison, including these that were right along the roadside as I was leaving. (Photo taken from inside the pickup as I was waiting in the wildlife-sighting traffic.) I also saw a brown bear as I was near the park exit. Too far away for a photo, but I had binoculars to look up the hill and watch it for a bit. I’d have never noticed it if it wasn’t for the stopped traffic.

Friday I headed home, on my longest day of driving of the trip. Snowy weather was coming and I was hoping to avoid it. I’m thankful to be home safe, having had a great time.

Wintery Weather

I’m in Madison, Wisconsin and woke up to snow falling from the sky and blowing around. The wind is blowing so hard the weather reports say it’s a wind chill in the mid-20’s. Brrr! Not exactly the weather I was hoping to have for a walking tour of Madison. I dug my warmest coat out of the bottom of my box of jackets, and I think it’s going to be in use the rest of the trip. (And I ended up doing more driving than walking around town today.)

My current plan is to take the next two days to drive to Cody, Wyoming and then go to Yellowstone National Park. After that, I’ll take as many days as I feel like to head home.

 

Chasing Waterfalls

It’s Friday night and I’m currently in Erie, Pennsylvania. I spent most of the day at Niagara Falls. I’m definitely happy I was able to stop there along my route home. My photos don’t do it justice - it’s just magnificent. And like I’d heard, you really need to see the area from the Canadian side.

Looking from Canada, the American Falls and Bridal Veil Falls

Horseshoe Falls, Canada

Video from top of Horseshoe Falls

American Falls from USA side

It seemed ominous to walk Charley over the “Rainbow Bridge” into Canada, but we both enjoyed the trip.

The day before, I went to New York’s Letchworth State Park to see its waterfalls of the Genesee River.

Genesee River Upper Falls

Genesee River Middle Falls

Tuesday and Wednesday I drove from Maine through the White Mountains of New Hampshire and the Green Mountains of Vermont and into New York. Here are some pics from that drive.

Hemlock Bridge, Fryeburg, ME

Saco River Bridge, Conway, NH. Same bridge in photo below.

Bridge over the Mad River in Warren, VT

Bridge over the Tweed River near Pittsfield, VT