“Oh the places you’ll go…”

On Monday I journeyed to Gander for “errand day.” It was a quintessential May day for Newfoundland and I felt like it was a bit of a waste to spend it adulting but alas, I didn’t check the forecast and stuff needed to get done. When we got there, I wished we’d thought to take the truck and bring my dog Anna along with us so at least one of the beings in the household could enjoy some sun and fresh air. The sun was bright, the air just a touch crisp, and for outdoor attire, to quote Miss Rhode Island à la “Miss Congeniality,” “all you need is a light jacket.”

I admit I was dreaming about when I’ll be grabbing an ice cream at “Au 1884” to enjoy at Dufferin Terrace in Quebec City. I mean, just look at this view!

https://www.quebec-cite.com/en/what-to-do-quebec-city/dufferin-terrace

I hope you can forgive me for my mind wandering to delectable desserts in Old Quebec now that you’ve seen the photo. My hotel is super close to Dufferin Terrace and I plan to take full advantage of any sunny weather and spare time I have to enjoy that view.

Meanwhile, the clouds came out for the drive home but the rain held off, so it still felt like a lucky day. I’m from Calgary which averages 333 days of sun per year compared to Gander’s 273, so that’s a noticeable change. I’m somewhat light sensitive though so honestly, a cloudy day is often more tolerable. Plus, I’m willing to exchange some sunny days if I can keep the mild winters here ‘cause I do NOT miss -40C.

Here are a few shots from our outing:

On the road home before Gambo.

You can barely see me, but I’m there! And so are the buds on the deciduous trees, so Spring is clearly on its way (or shall we say “Summer” since “Spring” technically started back on March 19??).

It’s nice to be able to daydream about June and the places I’ll go, the things I’ll do, and the food I’ll taste in Canada’s own little slice of Europe. The Quebecois may recoil at the comparison to France but where else can I go to experience another language and such historic buildings without needing my passport? 

Random Trivia: did you know residents of Ontario used to be able to claim “staycation” expenditures on their taxes during the pandemic? They could travel anywhere in Ontario and a portion of it was tax deductible! Canada needs to implement that as a whole country, I think. We could spend our whole lives exploring The Great White North and never run out of places to go. 

I’ve had “visit all the provinces and territories” on my bucket list since I was a kid (grade 8 English class project: “write 100 things you want to do in your life!”). I have already technically crossed off all the provinces but I have barely spent any time in Quebec other than at the Montreal airport (and I don’t count airports) and that one time my friend Lisa and I rented a car in Ottawa, attended a wedding in small town Ontario, then decided we would cross the border at Gatineau so I could say I had been to Quebec. I was never very satisfied with that, though. We just basically did a u-turn and came back, didn’t even stop for lunch. I am more than ready to firmly cross Quebec off my list, once and for all! (With a return trip planned to Montreal with a couple of friends in the near future, since I’m skipping it this trip - a hard but necessary choice to make.)