Hayley Baxter said:
How did the trip go Groundrush?
I was just reading this thread again this morning and wondered whether you would be back yet and how you got on.
Hope you had a good time....so erm anymore funny stories to tell
Hay
Thanks Hayley we both had a wonderful time - such a winter wonderland - never seen so much snow!
The only problem we had apart from the 3 hour delay at the airport was the fact that British Airways lost my wife’s luggage for the first week of our trip, we only got it back when we were leaving for our second part of our stay & we only got £35 compensation...
MONT TREMBLANT (first week)
The temperature averaged about -5C so wasn't too cold at all in first week - the 2nd week in Quebec was a different story.
Mont Tremblant was a great place to ski - good weather - mostly white skies with snowfalls each day,
Ski school was fun (only 3 in our group - myself, my wife & another woman)
The dog sledding was such fun in Mt Tremblant - went right out into the country and had 6 husky dogs transporting us - mad dogs - one in particular seemed to like running on his hind legs whilst pooing..
- most peculiar (obviously my favourite!)
We did an hour dog sledding, an hour ice fishing and then another hour back -I caught 1 fish and my wife caught 3..
The instructor (whose farm we were on) – told me that if I was ever in the wilderness that I make sure that I bring my wife otherwise I would starve.
The Scandinavian Spa in Mt Tremblant was wonderful too - outside hot Jacuzzis and cold pools, plus steam rooms/saunas
relaxation areas - odd being in a hot tub outside when snowing! And then had a massage ...
QUEBEC CITY
Quebec City is a wonderfully, romantic looking city with a beautiful location surrounded by St Lawrence River and Laurentide mountains. We stayed in the Chateau Frontenac - most photographed hotel in the world - built like a castle naturally and can be seen from most anywhere in the City. The first night we arrived it was too late after the parade to get dinner in the lounge so ordered room service - pizza/chips/2 beers - nothing fancy - this waiter turned up with a portable table cutlery plates, glasses the works and put the table by the window - thought he was going to decant the beer at one point
and best bit was we only ordered 1 pizza between us - he said I believe your sharing this pizza! So funny couldn't stop. He must have thought we had spent all our money on the room & could not afford a decent meal.
It's a very prestigious hotel - Winston Churchill and Roosevelt & Canadian governor met during World War Two for signing of certain declarations etc.
We were actually upgraded to river view when arrived so quite fortunate - the rooms aren't big but adequate - obviously the more you pay the more you get. Apparently Mick Jagger stays in QC frequently and books entire floor where Presidential Suites are.
Carnival - canoe race, winter parade, horse sleigh races, ice sculptor competitions
One day in Quebec it rained and we got drenched in our jeans when we went to the Canoe race and wet jeans and -C temps don't go - I froze for about 3hrs - but great fun and local bloke guided us to the race (as we got lost) and then took us on a bit of a walking tour and back to his local cafe where he bought us coffee!!
The winter parade (part of the Carnival) - was interesting - think these people are mad standing around for 3hrs in cold to watch floats' - passed my mouth a few times - and warmed up with a Tim Horton’s hot choc and donut after (as teasing me across the street as I stood in the cold for ever!!) Lovely donuts.
On the last Saturday we watched horse sleigh races on the main Carnival Site (Plains of Abraham) - that was fun to watch - one cart turned over right in front of us and dragged driver along for quite a way - all fine.
There are ice sculptors everywhere - even outside cafes/restaurants depicting the theme of there establishment - and huge carvings on the Carnival Site where they are entered into a competition and all countries around the world participate for grading. I liked the one carved out by Tunisia - herd of camels on a trek.
Took a walking tour around the city 2.5hrs and that day it was -9C (-19C with wind-chill) - so very cold - there were only 3 of us - woman from South Africa joined us - she looked cold to death - I was quite warm in my ski wear but standing around at times whilst the guide filled us in on historical pointers was a bit nippy - thoroughly enjoyed it however and told him what we had done and seen so far ie. that morning been on ferry across River Lawrence to get good views and here ice cracking underneath, up the Observations Tower for great views and restaurants, cafes and other sites we'd seen - he was very impressed and said we 'Travelled Well' - as you can imagine my wife was touched as she did all the research for the hols and for a local to say that and that he appreciates people like us was very pleasing!
Ice Hotel
The ice hotel was an experience - did an excursion out there and saw the wedding chapel - very cute
and some of the beds in main hotel are works of art (temple theme, orient, honeymoon suite, round bed etc.)
The ice bar was cool - with ice glasses - you could have all sorts of vodka shots - but didn't feel like
it at 11am in the morning. The N'ICE Club looks great too with a little stage, nooks to sit in and strobe lighting.
Got tonnes of photo's I'll try & post a few when I get some time.
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