Summertime is the perfect time to travel. I think we'd all agree on that. So, my aunt and I packed our bags for a little early birthday escape and drove up to Canada for a few days. Now, my last name is obviously French (Belleau - I mean c'mon) and I'm actually French Canadian. My grandparents speak French, but somehow I never made my way up there. So, I figured it was about time.
We made the 3 hour drive through NH and Vermont and into Canada. It was actually a breeze. Chatting, sipping coffee and snacking, completely unaware of just how awesome these next few days would be.
When we finally made it to Montreal, the rain started. We settled into the hotel, and found a pub down the street for lunch. Although it was a wet afternoon, we didn't let it stop us. We braved the rain and walked around the blocks of our hotel, before heading back to dry off. My favorite part of the day though? Our evening show at Notre Dame Basilica called "Aura" - an incredible show of lights and music in the Cathedral. It was breathtaking. And by the time we got out the rain had stopped and we got to walk around Old Montreal and find a place to stop for some dinner.
We were up and out early the next morning to make our trek to Quebec City. Now, I've never been lucky enough to make it over to Europe before, but from the photos I've seen, Quebec City looks just like the charming cities in Europe. We walked ALL around. I mean we really saw it all. From hotels that looked like castles, to tiny coffee shops, to breweries and everything in between. This charming city stole our hearts. The weather was gorgeous and I don't think we could wipe the smiles from our faces. The photos just don't do the beauty of the city justice, that's for sure.
Our final full day in Canada was spent back in Montreal. We made our way to the observatory to get a better view. We saw EVERYTHING - for miles. We walked to the farmers market for lunch, and around Old Montreal again which was overflowing with people and things to do. We shopped around, ate poutine (of course I did, I'm in Canada!) and made our way to the Ferris Wheel for a nighttime ride. Imagine seeing the entire Old City lit up from the top of a Ferris Wheel at night, I can't quite put it all into words.
The next day, before we left, we did a quick hike to get one last view of the beautiful city. I can honestly say I had an incredible time here. Everyone was so kind, the city was gorgeous and I feel like I only saw a fraction of it!
Interested in just a glimpse of our travels? Check out the photos.
I cannot wait to travel back and see more of Quebec and Montreal. A huge shoutout to my Aunt for this wonderful birthday vacation. I had an incredible time exploring with her!
Until next time friends, live creatively.