The First Leg of Our Journey - Toronto, Ontario to Baie Comeau, Quebec. What an Adventure!!!

FRIDAY, JUNE 15, 2018

Finally organized, we set off on our new adventure on Thursday, June 14 just after 1 pm. Our goal for the day was modest. We were headed to see Iain and Elaine (son and daughter-in-law) in Toronto. A short drive and a lovely destination. We arrived about 4 pm, having made a couple of short stops on the way. The evening was planned for us. We started with dinner in an elegant Mexican restaurant (yes, there are such places) called Los Colibris on King Street, Toronto. The menu offered so many delicious appetizers and entrees, it was difficult to choose. We finally selected a number of items to share which, not surprisingly, included guacamole, grilled octopus, ceviche del dia and carne asada, an amazing platter of top sirloin infused with Mexican flavours.  Before dinner drinks were superb. My drink of choice was Heroes Del Silencio (Tromba reposado, Campari, Amaro Montenegro, Juniper and Cilantro syrup, grapefruit, soda; Garnished with grapefruit twist). It was good enough to order a second!!

Following a relaxed dinner peppered with lively conversation and laughter, we headed to the Royal Alexandra Theatre, right next door. We had tickets to see Come from Away, a Canadian production telling the story of Gander, Newfoundland where 38 wide-bodied jets landed after American airspace was closed on September 11, 2001. The town of Gander (population 5000) and surrounding villages provided shelter, food and caring for over 7000 unexpected visitors for the next five days. What an amazing story of hospitality and generosity. The story has been made into a Broadway musical and has become a major hit. The music, the acting and the set design were all brilliant. Throughout the performance, audience emotions were a roller-coaster from tears, to laughter, to despair and hope, all the while feeling a sense of Canadian pride that was profoundly strong. If you have not seen this production, it is an absolute must!!!

A comfortable night’s sleep at Iain and Elaine’s led to an early rise. We were driving to Quebec City and wanted to time our journey to miss the morning rush hour traffic in Toronto and the late afternoon rush hour traffic in Montreal. Blue sky and sunshine remained with us throughout the day as we sailed along the 401 with no delays at all. The scenery was all the colours of spring, a beautiful journey through agricultural land, cityscapes, rugged escarpment terrain and woodland vistas. Canada has so much to offer, even in areas that seem to be so familiar to us. We only have to open our eyes and look beyond the edge of the road. The blue water of Lake Ontario sparkled in the distance at times as did the flowing waters of the St. Lawrence River. We stopped at several of the On Route service centres and enjoyed a picnic lunch in a pleasant park at one of them.

We did manage to escape Toronto with no traffic delays but we were not quite so lucky in Montreal. We crossed the St. Lawrence and travelled along the south shore but even there, the traffic ground to a halt at times. It was only 3:30 pm but the roads were completely jammed with cars, trucks and 3-wheeled motorcycles. It was a slow journey for several miles. Once we cleared the traffic, our minds turned to dinner. We found a highly recommended restaurant about an hour away from our bed and breakfast, Restaurant La Belle Quebecoise, where we indulged in some traditional Quebecois food. I had tourtiere and Jim enjoyed ragout de patte. The plates came loaded with peas, potatoes, house salad and cole slaw. Far too much to eat, to be sure. We passed on the opportunity to taste their home made pies for dessert.

We enjoyed the final hour of our journey and settled into our beautiful B&B for the night. Au Manoir de Levis is a large, well maintained, beautifully decorated mansion overlooking the St. Lawrence River right across from Quebec City. As darkness fell, the twinkling lights of the city sparkled on the water. What a gorgeous setting. The bed was comfortable; the house was quiet. It did not take long to settle into a good night’s sleep. 

SATURDAY, JUNE 16, 2018

We had a slow start to this day, a welcome gift after the long day of driving yesterday. We were served a delicious breakfast created and presented by Carol, the proprietor of Le Manior. We shared the table with a Quebecois couple from the Eastern Townships. Their English and our French were similar in structure and vocabulary. It was fun to help each other as we tried to put together a conversation. We found that we had much in common and thoroughly enjoyed the time we spent together. After breakfast, Jim and I were somewhat slow to check out of this wonderful B&B, reluctant to leave its grace, comfort and beauty.

But a beautiful day beckoned us so we once again climbed into the car and began our leisurely drive along the south shore of the St. Lawrence River. The water glistened as we drove along. We noted many, many balloons tied to poles and fences along the road. Clearly there was something special going on. We finally came to a small, delightful community, St. Vallier, that was filled with bicycle sculptures, clothing, murals, pinwheels, bicycle shaped spinners and many other artifacts. It was clear that the bikers had already passed through this community. And so we followed significantly behind the bikes for many kilometres along a highway, mostly flat due to its proximity to the St. Lawrence shore. About 25 kilometers down the road, we drove into the community, Montmagny. It was interesting to note that, though the town was filled with bikes, cars and visitors, not a single business was open on this Saturday morning. Even the freeway exit to the town was closed until 2:30 pm. How strange.

Later we learned that there was a significant bicycle race today, La Boucle. It began in Levis where we had stayed overnight and extended over a 135 k circle route also ending in Levis. It is an annual race and limited to 5000 participants. Today there were 4600 competitors. That is a lot of bicycles. St. Vallier and Montmagny were both refreshment centres along the route.

We had to make a significant detour around Montmagny because of closed roads and freeway exits. It took us a while to find our way back to the river and we continued our lovely drive, enjoying both the scenery and the towns along the way. The south shore of the St. Lawrence is known for its pretty towns. Many of them have won awards in a provincial competition to find the prettiest town in Quebec. Yards and gardens are well maintained; houses are freshly and neatly painted with coordinated furniture on porches and in the yards. It is still spring here, not yet summer, and the colours pink and purple dominate the flowering vegetation. Lilacs are at their peak. Businesses had colourful banners and signage as well as tidy, handwritten sandwich boards beckoning passersby through their doors. This area of Quebec is also well known for its artisans who create all manner of products that fall somewhere between art and kitch. When last here in 1973, we purchased a hand carved wooden lamp in the village of St. Jean/Port Joli. We have enjoyed that lamp in our home ever since. I suppose that, although everything else in the village has changed and grown, we should not be surprised that our lamp has survived all these years. There it was proudly displayed by a carver on a shelf in his shop. This time, we refrained from purchasing anything. We have enough!!

The day passed as we meandered our way toward Riviere du Loup. Finally it was time to turn our attention to finding our hotel and a place for dinner. We left the river’s edge and pointed our car in the direction of a larger town. For the first time today, we actually encountered traffic lights and 4 lane roadways. With ease, we found our hotel and were given advice about dinner – a lovely seafood restaurant at the pier where we could enjoy the sunset as we ate. Off we went only to find out they had no space without reservations due to a lobster special that was on offer. We sadly moved on and settled for a meal at St. Hubert’s, a chicken based restaurant owned by the same company that owns Swiss Chalet. In spite of our disappointment at missing out on the lobster, we thoroughly enjoyed our St. Hubert meals. Good thing since the meals were large enough that we have leftovers for lunch tomorrow.

And now we are in our room. An early night tonight in anticipation of an early start in the morning. The ferry across the St. Lawrence and the potential sighting of whales awaits.

SUNDAY, JUNE 17, 2018

Happy Fathers’ Day to all the dads who are reading this.

It was an early start this morning. The ferry left the dock at 8 am. We needed to be in the vehicle line no later than 7:15. Thank goodness we were in a hotel just 10 minutes from the ferry. It was a chilly and grey morning, not the kind of day we had had yesterday. Socks and shoes, sweaters and jackets were in order, especially since we planned to be outside on the deck of the ferry. Why?? Well, whales of course. About 12 species of whales roam in this part of the St. Lawrence River and we were hoping to see some.

Right on time, the ferry left the pier. The St. Lawrence is quite wide at this point and the sailing from Riviere du Loup on the south shore to Saint-Simeon on the north shore took about an hour and a bit. Our time out on deck was chilly but well rewarded. We saw FOUR beluga whales. Belugas are diminishing in numbers in the St. Lawrence. Not long ago, there were an estimated 2000 belugas gracing these waters. This year, the count is 889. And we saw FOUR of them. They were not terribly close to our vessel but they were certainly identifiable as they emerged and submerged over and over. What a treat to watch.

We disembarked with all the other traffic and began our short 90 minute drive to the Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay. All along the road we saw signs warning of moose and deer. All to no avail. All we saw were a couple of porcupine waddling into the underbrush at the side of the road. Nonetheless, the drive was lovely, meandering through forests and rising and falling in the voluptuous landscape. Birch and pine forests lined the road and the landscape was peppered with a myriad of lakes and rocky outcrops. It reminded us very much of the Muskoka landscape.

We turned off the main highway toward the village of L’Anse St. Jean on the shore of the fjord. Once again, we were struck by the vividly coloured roofs on the well maintained homes along the way. Each home had a lovely garden of spring flowers. Many had fledgling vegetable gardens as well. Spring is still young here and shoots were just beginning to appear above the soil. The community is very long with only one main street and one parallel street that extends only about one block. It took a long time to reach the business district which was right at the end of the road. Along the way, we stopped several times – first at a church with a statue of Jesus in front as well as a caricature figure looking through a pair of binoculars. We passed by a bakery which we would visit later in the day. We stopped to take photos of the small but rushing river, capturing the rapids and the green, green shores in our shots. Then came a wonderful covered bridge, dedicated to the various artists of the community. At the entrance was another sculpture of the figure looking through the binoculars. This time he held a paintbrush and palette, beckoning cars, bikes and hikers to enter the bridge. One both sides of the inside walls of the bridge were original, framed paintings by local artists, about 20 in total. It was a treat to see the variety of styles and the clear local pride in the work these artisans do.

Once we reached the end of the road and the ‘centre’ of town, Jim went to inquire about fjord tours on offer today (Sunday). In the meantime, I found a delightful café where we could take shelter and warm up. Did I mention that it was a chilly, rainy day? A hot coffee was a welcome friend by that time. Jim returned with the news that there was a covered boat taking passengers on a tour at 2:30, a tour that would take us to the very end of the fjord … and back, of course. We bought our tickets and then made plans about how to fill the several hours between then and the tour departure.

So we enjoyed a leisurely coffee and took advantage of the internet at the café. Then we had a light lunch of carrot soup and bread. Not the greatest soup but it served the purpose. And then, off along the village road to explore some of the points of interest that we had passed by the first time. The bakery was our first stop. Fortified with a couple of sweet things, a loaf of bread and some locally made duck terrine, we continued our journey. We crossed over the covered bridge again and continued along the road out of town into agricultural land. Hay was already cut and wrapped in white plastic. Cattle were in the fields.

Soon the road began to climb, sometimes gently and sometimes at a very steep angle. We wondered how these roads were maintained and navigated safely in the winter. As we rose in elevation, the vegetation changed along the way. Birch trees gave way to various deciduous varieties. Pine trees grew taller and reached for the sky. The forest floor was fascinating with its wide array of mosses, grasses, lichens and spring flowers. So much colour at our very feet.

We did not spend much time outside the car though. Mostly, it was raining, a drizzle really, and it was humid. But the main impediment to happy exploration was the abundance of black flies. Buzzing all around. Finding ways to get into the car … and sharing the strategies with all their friends. We even got out our hats with face veils although we did not actually put them on.

At the very top of the hill, just inside one of the many entrances to Parc National du Fjord-du-Saguenay was the spectacular view we had heard about. Far below our rocky perch, beyond the vast forest that descended the slope was the water of the fjord, stretching as far as the eye could see. Although not visible in its entirety, this fjord is 105 kilometres long, making it one of the longest fjords in the world. It is also the furthest south fjord in the world. All other fjords are found at higher latitudes than this one. It was carved out by the glaciers about 10,000 years ago. A deep valley formed and the water at its maximum is 275 metres deep. High and sheer mountain walls flank this fjord along most of its length. One more unique feature is that it dumps its water into an estuary and not directly into an ocean. There is major tidal motion along the fjord, at times up to 6 metres.

We had to turn and leave this amazing view and head back to L’Anse St. Jean in order to board our tour. It was great fun to travel along the waters of the fjord. An interesting commentary in both English and French provided considerable information and folklore. The scenery was as grand at the surface as it had been from the top. The colours and striations in the rocks were beautiful. The vegetation was varied and stretched to the tops of the cliffs in places; yet some rock faces were totally bare. Over two hours passed by in a flash and we were back in port, kept dry along the way by the glass topped boat.

We said a final farewell to L’Anse St. Jean and headed out on the highway one more time. We stopped briefly at a park interpretive centre in Baie Eternite before driving on to Saguenay: Chicoutimi where we spent the night.

MONDAY, JUNE 18, 2018

It was raining ….. I mean truly raining!! Although that had been the weather forecast for the day, somehow we had hoped to wake up to sunshine and warmth. No …. It was pouring rain. So, we adjusted our plans for the day, forgoing our original idea to go on a whaling tour this morning. Instead, we puttered around in Saguenay and saw a few of the town’s highlights. One of the interesting things happening in Saguenay today is a federal by-election. Election signs peppered the streets and we await the results this evening. The long reach of Donald Trump will have an impact on this election as one of the town’s largest industries is the production of aluminum, exports subject to the tariffs imposed by the USA. All three federal party leaders visited this community in the final days of the election campaign. All, no doubt, hoping for a win here that may impact the outcome of the general federal election in 2019.

We also spent a few minutes at a location simply called “The Little White House’. This house was a rare survivor in the massive flooding that occurred in Saguenay in 1996. Many of you may recall the tv images of water rushing down surrounding slopes and taking homes and other buildings with them. The lone surviving building was a little white house that somehow survived the force and volume of the water. Today it sits as a memorial and museum of the stories of that flood. The backdoor symbolically has water pouring out of it, representing the history of that day.

The second destination of the day was the aluminum pyramid, called the Pyramide des Ha! Ha! It was constructed totally out of red and white ‘yield’ signs and stands 21 metres high. Located on the bank of the River Ha Ha, this pyramid was built to commemorate the Saguenay Flood that took place in 1996.

Our third destination (not our first, as you might have expected) was a stop at Tim Horton’s. There are three of them in this community. Most of you know that Jim and I are among their best customers, relying on Tim Horton’s to feed our caffeine addiction and dietary needs. I have to say, we have been amazed at the frequency of TH outlets so far in Quebec. But, we know that as we travel further north, we may not find any more. So, each day, we stop by and fuel our bodies with TH products.

Once again, in the pouring rain, we headed further east along the north shore of the St. Lawrence. Our next stop was Tadoussac. Along the way, we passed through vast tracts of pine forests and wandering rivers. The inclement weather created unusual fog patches, many appearing as ghost like clouds just above the surface of rivers and lakes. Quite stunning! Quite eery! Absolutely beautiful!!!

In Tadoussac, we had a delightful lunch at Café Boheme. Jim had a lamb sandwich and I had macaroni and cheese with pieces of duck. Both were delicious. We also enjoyed the carrot soup and the crème caramel for dessert. No dinner needed tonight. After lunch, we visited the Marine Mammal Interpretation Centre which shares interesting information and research results about whales and other marine mammals. Of particular note was an excellent film with wonderful photography of many species of whales in the wild. About twelve species of whales live in the St. Lawrence River at the mouth of the Saguenay.

Tomorrow, we will start our day (the sun is supposed to shine) with the whale watching tour we were supposed to go on today.

TUESDAY, JUNE 19, 1018

What a great decision we made to delay our whale-watching cruise until today. When we woke up this morning, the sun was high in the sky and not a cloud in sight. The wind was blowing but we were going out on a fairly large ship so we did not have to worry about rocking and rolling like the zodiacs would. We drove about 20 minutes from back into Tadoussac from Grand Bergeron where we had spent the night. We stopped at a restaurant that had been recommended for breakfast. It was great!!! And then we proceeded to the pier to wait for our cruise. Everything was coming up roses. We even found a prime parking spot on the pier that was considerably more convenient and a lot less expensive than the lot we thought we would have to park in.

Right on time, we boarded our ship and managed to get seats in the very front window of the enclosed cabin. A clear view in three directions … and the windows were clean, too. On occasion, we went out on the deck but I have to be honest. It was too cold and windy out there for me. It did not take long for the show to begin. The first performer was a minke whale who frolicked in the waves only a few metres from the ship. When the first whale got tired, several others took a turn at entertaining us. Next up was a porpoise, closely followed by some belugas and a harp seal. The grand finale of the show was a very large, even huge, fin whale. He rolled and turned and submerged and reappeared many times. All in all, it was a great day on the water. Adding to our delight, the guide told us that yesterday in the rain and fog, they did not find a single whale. Once again, we made a great decision to delay this trip by a day!!

Back on land, we took a short drive around Tadoussac. It is a cute tourist town with a regular population of less than 1000 inhabitants. Short streets, colourful homes and cottages, some lovely restaurants, a post office, two small grocery stores and a gas station where the fuel is actually pumped for you. That is Tadoussac! We left town and drove along the cliff above the St. Lawrence. There were some patches of agriculture but mostly the land is covered by forest. Except for the sand dunes!!! Yes, huge sand dunes that rise high above the cliff that is high above the river. An amazing site and a real surprise to us. I can imagine that in the true summer season, there are tobogganing parties on these slopes.

Finally, we bid farewell to Tadoussac and headed back along the highway in the direction we had come from this morning. It did not take us long to reach Grand Bergeron again and pass by the comfortable and modest motel we stayed in last night. We continued east along the road, Highway 138, otherwise known as The Route des Baleines. We stopped twice along our way, both times at new Canada National Park displays with information about whales and their history in the area. The first display was on the site of an original lighthouse. A video describing the life of a lighthouse keeper was available in his home. Information about the Saguenay and the St. Lawrence rivers was also on display. The second park we stopped at featured a video showing the amazing array of colorful life that lives on the floor of the St. Lawrence River. We have never imagined what might live in these deep and very cold waters (max 4C). Anemones, starfish, crabs, sponge, barnacles and more, each so colourful that the cumulative result was a veritable rainbow. We have a new appreciation of life below the surface. And an appreciation of those explorers who dare to dive into such depths and cold. The photos and videos they have taken right off the shore on which we stood formed the content of the video we watched.

After our second stop, we headed directly for Baie Comeau where we will stay for 2 nights. It’s time for some life tasks such as laundry, a bit of grocery shopping, and a general reorganization of the car so we can find the things we need. The next leg of our journey will take us from Baie Comeau to Labrador City, 500 kilometres north/north-east of here. No cell service, one gas station and plenty of gravel and construction await us. There will also be a range of trucks and cars along the road. We will have a satellite phone with us, a requirement of travelling on this road (we pick it up in Baie Comeau and drop it off in Happy Valley.) We anticipate it will be a slow journey although we are planning to do the distance in one day. The sun rises here about 5:30 am and sets after 9 pm. Lots of daylight for driving.