Category: Quebec

Waking up in a shaded area is always nice, it lets me sleep in without getting cooked out of my tent. I decided to enjoy the peace and quiet of the woods upon opening my eyes. Just laying there under the canopy of trees was calming and relaxing, a perfect place to slowly ease into the day.

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Having packed up my things I set off to the office to pay on my way out of camp, there the owner came out and greeted me. We began an interesting conversation, it turns out she’d also travelling across Canada, twice! I found myself chatting away, sharing my stories and listening to hers in return. It felt encouraging hearing her talk, I could feel the adventurer in me growing in excitement as she shared her travelling tales. A kind lady, she charged me a pretty low rate for the camping which I appreciated. It soon came time to say goodbye and I set off on the road.

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I was torn over where I wanted to go, I figured I’d just head east and figure it out. Eventually I crossing the bridge that led me into a new province, I had arrived in Quebec. My french is admittedly pretty awful but some of it was coming back to me as I drove deeper, trying my best to read the various signs.

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I was going to explore Montreal but due to excessive rush hour traffic I decided I’d skip it for now, instead taking some of the farm roads to the north on my way to Quebec City. It turned out to be a worthwhile venture as the small towns surrounded by farmland was a pleasant alternative to a busy and slow moving highway.

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I drove until the sun set and continued to press on through the early night. I found a nice shaded campground close to Quebec City where I decided to call it a day.

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It was a slow go this morning. I woke up early to hear the rain gently falling on my tent putting me right back to sleep until close to noon. Blue skies had replaced the rainy clouds and the sun was shining brightly as I packed up my tent and got on the road.

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Being only an hour out from Quebec City, I made it there in good time where I began my exploring. Old buildings adorned with statues found themselves mixed in with newer modern architectures. I found a place to park and went about exploring on foot eager to see more of the city.

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The real gem of the city was Old Town, the area I’d been most looking forward to. Beautiful buildings lined the narrow streets with their antiquated designs, taking the people wandering it’s paths into a time before high rises ruled the land.

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I found a nice little restaurant that allowed dogs on the patio and decided to grab a bite to eat. Being in Quebec I simply had to try the poutine, I was oh so wonderfully delicious!

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Street performers were a common thing in the past and they were welcomed to perform their shows for eager audiences of today. Emix Muluk took the stage with a lively enthralling energy and a bag of tricks as he entertained crowds with his humor, juggling swords and fire batons for all to see.

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My parking had almost expired so I decided to return to my vehicle and get back on the road heading east out of Quebec. As I drove along I was blown away by a massive waterfall on the side of the road. Even with the night now upon me the scenery still revealed it’s splendor.

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I found myself tired but I continued to press on, covering as much ground as I could. In the distance I could see a building towering over the land, finding myself incredibly intrigued I turned off the highway for a closer look. Wow, just wow! A massive church stood tall and proud over the land, adorned with all sorts of statues and engravings. I felt like an ant in its presence. If human beings can make such marvels I wonder what kind of buildings God makes. I promised myself on my return west I’d find a way to see that building during the daytime so I could take a peek inside.

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With fatigue setting in I chose to find a place to camp for the night, continuing the adventure tomorrow morning in the sunlight.

The drive out to the campground the night before landed me in Grands-Jardins National Park. With the place being pretty booked up my only option for camping was an open field, sure enough the sun was shining brightly in the morning and I was cooked out of my tent. I met some friendly travelers from the Czech Republic as I was packing my things up, we shared stories with one another and they even offered up their home for me to stay in if I ever made it out to their country.

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Being in the national park already I decided I’d head north to explore it a bit before venturing further east. What a great detour it turned out to be! Exploring the various cities and towns can be exciting but it’s out in nature that I feel my soul truly comes alive. The winding roads of the park took me through tall mountains clothed in evergreens, an abundance of lakes and rivers finding their home at the giants feet.

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I found myself hungry, wondering what I’d do for food. Nature responded as one of the places I’d stopped at to appreciate the scenery had an abundance of wild blueberries and raspberries flourishing on the mountainside. Fresh berries from the wild are hard to top and I took full advantage, eagerly stuffing my face. I must have been there for an hour chowing down, even collecting a nice little stockpile for later on.

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With a belly full of berries I returned to the road, content and cheerful as could be. I continued to find myself stopping a lot to take in the view or capture a picture, always a worthwhile pause in the day.

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Having now exited the national park, I found myself hungry once again and stopped to chow down on some of the apples I’d picked up from an orchard a few days earlier. I had just started to dice a few up when an older man pulled up and struck up a conversation with me. Death had marked him, he had terminal cancer and was expected to live 3 more months. As we talked he said something that stuck with me, that despite being as sick as he was he would look at the state of the world and often think it was more sick than himself. With the last of his strength he was going to travel to Jasper National Park, admiring its beauty before returning to the earth. What would you do if you had 3 months to live, travel the country? Tomorrow is promised to nobody.

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Returning once more to the roads I could see the sun beginning to set as the night overtook the last rays of sunlight. I drove to a campsite just before the long highway that would take me to Labrador City tomorrow. I arrived just in time as the lady at the office was just about to leave, she gave me a spot right by the water, one of the nicest campsites I’d had this entire trip! With a complementary bundle of wood I decided I’d start a campfire and write my blog entry for the day. The flame-kissed embers smoldering among the dimming flames have caused my eyes to grow heavy, it’s time to call it a day.

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I awoke to a calm lake lightly blanketed by the morning mist. As I packed my things up I took my time taking in the view, such a wonderful display of nature lay before me. Having got some food in me and showering up I hit the road, a big drive ahead.

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I thought it might rain all day with the sky a thick white bundle of clouds. I was feeling cheerful despite the cloudy weather, continually admiring what the landscape had to offer in its misty state. To my surprise, soon the clouds cleared up and blue skies revealed themselves.

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The roads rolled like the swell from a great boat moving across a calm body of water, climbing and descending, winding and weaving. The pavement would often turn to gravel roads that became a stressful navigation.

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The journey took me past many sights, one being a massive dam that towered above me. I wondered how much power they harnessed from the falling water within its thick concrete walls.

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Often the lakes and rivers hid themselves behind the treeline, it’s times like these I’m thankful for a drone and a gps, it allows me to see what would otherwise be concealed from my sight. I found myself stopping constantly to take to the skies and catch a glimpse at the hidden beauty before me.

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The road felt endless. I watched as the blinding sun clothed itself in a fiery garment before dipping down below the mountains.

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With darkness now covering the land I pressed on, trying to get closer to Newfoundland before calling it a day. On my drive I noticed a creature walking down the road. As I got closer I realized it was a fox carrying a rabbit in its jaws. It dropped it’s kill off beside the road and walked up to the car to pose for a picture, afterwards darting back into the bushes as it returned to its feast. Continuing on I ended up finding a dirt road off the highway where I set up my tent and finally called it a day.

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Sleeping in the car usually makes for a night of poor rest and by the morning I was definitely feeling the effects of it. On the bright side, I got on the road pretty early and before long I’d left New Brunswick as I entered Quebec.

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Choosing to rest up and do the coastal drive in the morning was the right choice. With not a single cloud in sight it was the perfect day for a drive alongside the water.

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The coastal drive had a lot more activity then I’d thought it would as I drove past countless buildings and all sorts of unique artwork that adorned the sides of the road.

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While I know I need to cover a lot of ground it’s definitely challenging as there are so many incredible views everywhere you look. I find myself stopping constantly as I take in a picturesque scene before me or to let Winnie stretch her legs.

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As the sun was beginning to set I arrived at Forillon Nation Park. I stopped by the office to grab a map, then proceeded to find a nearby campground where I set up my tent in the remaining light. I grabbed some wood and made myself a cozy fire. As I sat there I figured I mine as well cook something up, so I made myself some dinner and chowed down. With the last of the burning embers turning to ashes I sat there staring up at the night sky, with no light pollution the stars were out in abundance. It came time to get some rest for the big hikes the following day so I climbed into my tent and dozed off at last.

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Another day of blue skies and sunshine greeted me as I rolled out of bed. I decided I’d stay another night in the campground and hike Forillon National Park until dusk. It wasn’t long until my hiking boots were laced up and I took to the first trail of the day.

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A walk through the forest had me climbing uphill along a rocky cliff, glimpses of the ocean revealing themselves through the autumn leaves that waved in the cool breeze. I had opted for one of the longer trails but one with plenty of lookouts. I wasn’t disappointed as the trail led to a massive wooden tower that I climbed to the top. Oh, what a view! With clear skies and sunshine all around, the landscape revealed itself in stunning splendor.

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Despite my poor french, many people along the trail sparked up conversations with me. It was wonderful chatting with the various hikers, taking turns posing for pictures as we shared stories with one another.

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With the first hike of the day being a decent workout at 9 km, I was debating if I wanted to do another longer hike before the sunset. A pretty epic view was waiting for me though and I simply couldn’t resist as I gave into the second lengthy trail of the day.

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I managed to make it down the path beside sparkling ocean waters to a lighthouse at the end where I was able to take a seat in one of the famous red chairs and take in the views. The second lengthy hike had been worth it. I took a different trail back to the parking lot, one that weaved itself through the trees and down along the cliffs.

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There wasn’t much time left in the day before the sun went down and I wanted to squeeze in one final hike. As I was driving to the destination I noticed a bunch of cars parked on the side of the road as a group of people with cameras out were trying to take a picture of something. I knew it had to be some kind of animal so I parked and pulled out my camera as well. Out of nowhere a massive moose walked out of the brush and onto the road. It towered over everyone there, a creature you have to see in person to truly appreciate its enormity. I snapped what pictures I could before it disappeared into the bush once more.

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With the moose sighting taking the rest of the daylight I would’ve needed for the hike, I decided to call it a day. With over 18 km accomplished it had been quite an adventurous journey. I made it to a local store and picked up some food and marshmallows that I brought back to camp with me to roast over the fire. I’d tied Winnie up, away from the fire to avoid potential injury. She was sounding lonely though so I picked her up and and brought her by the campfire where she dozed off in my lap. It’s moments like these I know I’ll cherish when I think back on them, so I simply just enjoyed the moment as the glowing embers slowly faded.

I knew I had a long drive ahead of me from the moment I crawled out of bed. It was time to embrace the grind and cover some serious ground.

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Being on the road during autumn has been a real treat as I’ve watched the leaves slowly change their appearance, bringing forth warm colors in greater abundance everyday.

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The drive took me along the coast beside the Gulf of Saint Laurence. With tall imposing cliffs on my left and salty waters to my right, the day was a continuous supply of majestic views.

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Through the coastal towns I drove as I made my way west, pausing occasionally to take a picture or two but maintaining a good pace.

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The sun was beginning to set and I pressed on into the night. There was a church I’d passed on my way east through Quebec the first time that was closed and I’d promised myself that I would return to it one day to explore inside. With this in mind I drove deep into the night, eventually arriving in Quebec City. Being that it was so late, I found a place to park and dozed off in my car. Having covered over 700 km, it had been a long and tiresome yet productive day.

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Being that it was a Sunday, I felt it was a good day to go church exploring. Quebec has some of the grandest churches in all of Canada and I was eager to seek them out. The first church on my list was the Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre, a massive architectural masterpiece just outside of Quebec City.

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I arrived on scene bright and early, walking up the steps to the heavy doors where I entered the towering cathedral. Upon entering I was immediately in awe at the intricate artwork that adorned the walls and ceiling. To think of the amount of time and skill that went into creating such a marvel was astounding.

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I took my time walking around, admiring the incredible artwork for hours. I even sat in on a catholic service they had despite being able to hardly understand the french. Having spent quite some time in the cathedral, it came time to say goodbye and see what else I could find.

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The church exploring took me through Quebec and into Montreal. I was amazed at how many catholic churches found their home in the cities. I’d found out from a local that 40+ years ago the church buildings were packed as much of the population was catholic.

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With the declining congregations, now the numerous cathedrals had become relics of a time passed, a look into the days when Catholicism dominated the land.

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There was one more church I simply had to see that sat high on a hill in the heart of Montreal, Saint Joseph’s Oratory. As I drove through the city I could see the massive building in the distance, a towering landmark that was hard to miss.

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At last I’d reached the entrance and walked inside to explore. I meandered throughout the halls, passing intricate stained glass murals and detailed carvings that decorated the surroundings.

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Eventually I found the basilica, the main auditorium of the cathedral. The ceiling must have been well over 100 feet tall! The grand and enormous area made me think of what it might be like to approach God, feeling tiny and insignificant in his presence.

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The sun was setting so I did the last of my exploring and returned to my car. I couldn’t figure out what to do next. I had a lot of ground to cover on my return west and I wanted to spent a few days with family in Brantford as I was passing through. Because of this I decided to leave Montreal and begin the drive to Brantford. I managed to get a good ways outside of the city before fatigue was becoming to great to ignore. I pulled off the highway and found a quiet place to doze off in the car, my mind still in awe as I fell asleep at last.

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