John & Anne Wiley

2013/04/30

Leaving Quebec

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Islander Adventure,Nature,Random — John @ 04:20

Many people in Quebec the Canadian Province, seem to refer to Quebec City as simply Quebec.

3956 Quebec City

3956 Quebec City

On the river front below the cliff and wall is the old city, where we found a great restaurant last night. Up top is also fascinating, and many people enjoy exploring the fort.

3948 Fort

3948 Fort

Our hotel was quite near the fort, and in this pic is the maze we wandered trying to find our way out of it. We left before we’d like today because weather was closing in. A big item we wanted to see before leaving is this waterfall 8 miles from downtown.

3964 Wow

3964 Wow

I’d almost talked myself into thinking, “Well, I’ve seen lots of great waterfalls so no big deal.” But I’m so glad to have made the small detour after takeoff to see this! I chose a route to the southeast into Maine so as to avoid the rain and low clouds menacing a direct route to White Plains from Quebec City. A few minutes later we were flying past beautiful frozen lakes and ponds.

3994 Frozen Pond

3994 Frozen Pond

Then we turned direct to White Plains and sure enough the skies to our west were dark and impassable but we managed to safely and easily get Bob & Enid home for their busy week. Tomorrow we hope to reach Boston to see Zubair and family. Will the weather cooperate again?

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2013/04/29

Groupings

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random — John @ 04:53

Today was very varied. We began with Starbucks next to the hotel, then a walk to breakfast in the old city with many friendly encounters. I noticed that the pix can all reference groupings, so I’ve updated this post to play with that.

3815 Man & Two Cats

3815 Man & Two Cats

This guy was smiling on the roof of a building watching  as we got updated directions from a friendly Quebec man whose English was of course better than our French. Paillard, recommended by Ed and several other sources, had great food.

3820 Menu Dialog

3820 Anne & Five Chefs

Bob Fournier provided an enchanting lyrical background of French music as we ate, and then our Bob joined him in song as I danced with Enid to the great enjoyment of the other patrons.

3823 Accordion & Two Bobs

3823 Accordion & Two Bobs

We walked back up the hill and paused to enjoy the colorful buildings.

3836 Red & Green

3836 Blue, Green & Red

Then we went on a brief wander back toward the hotel as Bob & Enid paused at a very helpful tourist info office. We managed to get tangled up in the maze of the old fortress, where we saw this classic scene amid the battlements.

3867 Kite & Tree

3867 Grass, Kite & Tree

We learned later that Bob & Enid had a great relaxed stroll along a scenic waterfront promenade as we were trying to find our way out of the fort nearby. They were probably already back at the hotel enjoying a nap as we paused to see if this groundhog would predict more Winter. He did.

3869 Groundhog & Forecast

3869 Groundhog & Forecast

We learned tonight that there may be some unexpected weather coming tomorrow, so it’s likely we’ll be leaving earlier than planned. But we did eventually find a way out of the fort other than trying to follow the groundhog. Back on the familiar street I captured this threesome with a cart.

3871 Cart, Horse, Man & Dog

3871 Cart, Horse, Man & Dog

2013/04/28

Friends, Family & French

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random,Relationships — John @ 06:03

We started the day surrounded by dear friends and Ed’s family for breakfast, all of whom now are our friends.

3532 Friends & Family

3532 Friends & Family

Ed then drove we four on a fun and fascinating tour of his beloved Montreal, including of course a drive up Mount Royal for the stunning high view.

3542 High View

3542 High View

Tho the light angle wasn’t as good for pix a little later, we got what for me was an even more impressive high view as we passed the same area on our way to Quebec City.

3633 High Again

3633 High Again

We notice odd shapes below as we flew along near the river, finally figuring out they were large flocks of birds making such magical shapes of dots the eye connects.

3676 Connect the Dots

3676 Connect the Dots

Walking down into the old city after a warm and tasty dinner, it felt both like being in Europe and for me even more powerfully as if we were walking back several centuries in time.

3776 Into the Past

3776 Into the Past

We spotted what looks like a path down toward the river into the really old part of the city, said to be the oldest European city in North America.

3791 Gateway

3791 Gateway

Tomorrow we’ll probably find out.

2013/04/27

North With Friends

Filed under: Flying,Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random — John @ 04:08

We flew from New York to Montreal with Bob & Enid to meet their dear friends Ed & Claire. Many beautiful sights along the way of course. Sky reflected in innumerable lakes.

3511 Lake Sky

3511 Lake Sky

Lake bottom shapes and colors emerging from the depths like one of those old magic 8 ball toys.

6916 Deep Shapes

6916 Deep Shapes

Mountains still wearing streaks of winter snow, melting and glistening on ancient glacier carved rocks.

6926 Snow & Stone

6926 Snow & Stone

Descending across the border were many larger lakes and waterways that look more Canadian.

 

3515 Oh Canada

3515 Oh Canada

In one large lake there is a row of trees marking what used to be a road, and a house trying to resist the rising waters.

3516 Story of Battle

3516 Story of Battle

Looking at the photos tonite, I can see that the war is lost.

3519 Paradise Lost

3519 Paradise Lost

I can image not long ago when a family lived here and enjoyed a beautiful view with easy access to water. Still firewood stacked next to one building, but also some of it floating around inside the submerged wall.

6941 Water Power

6941 Water Power

There are many hydro-electric dams feeding power to other areas of the U.S. and Canada, like this one we saw as we landed. A wonderful day of flying capped with a delicious meal and warm conversation. Life is Good. 🙂

2013/04/26

A Camera

Filed under: Happiness,Has Photos,Inner World,Islander Adventure,Nature,People,Random — John @ 04:11

Today we only took Anne’s little red camera. It was nice having no backpack on our long day, and it started at the colorful Nyack farmers market with Enid.

0857 Nyack Farmers Market

0857 Nyack Farmers Market

I think of them as outdoors like Santa Barbara, but here it’s in this cozy building with nice music. A’s camera then rode with us to Bob’s workplace in Manhattan and walked to the P.O. across from Madison Square Garden.

0861 MSG PO

0861 MSG PO

Yes, that’s my head wearing a cheapo toque we bought on a prior adventure (it was cold!). You’re beginning to see the theme: A’s camera looking at me while I’m looking at our Places of the day. Next of course was inside the PO where we felt transported back a millennium to a time when all correspondence was on paper like this missive to May.

0862 May Day Missive

0862 May Day Missive

Then to save time getting across town we took the subway. It was an adventure in many ways, but being newbies we would actually have taken about the same time and had more fun just walking the thriving street to get across town.

0866 Subway Serenade

0866 Subway Serenade

With the clatter of noisy trains, other sounds were drowned out but we appreciated the effort these musicians were making. At last we reached the Metropolitan Museum of Art.

0867 Massive MetArt

0867 Massive MetArt

This place will richly reward several full days of exploration by art lovers. As you’ve guessed, we were there for a somewhat shorter visit. Maybe a bit over half an hour, much of which we invested on Tara’s suggested Street. It’s a sloMo shift into the dance of city streets accompanied by enchanting guitar. By the time we were back outside, we’d learned to momentarily switch the sights and sounds into sloMo. Our walk thru Central Park was especially magical.

0872 Park Spring Enchantment

0872 Park Spring Enchantment

Later when we passed Radio City Music Hall where there was a monster media sports draft event going on, the psyche was still permeable and the deafening din barely concealed a substrate of total silence with a hint of guitar.

0880 SloMo

0880 SloMo

I confess that even before viewing the art film Street at the museum, my head was occasionally back in yesterday’s air over the city.

3491 Yesterday's Air

3491 Yesterday’s Air

I’ve looked at Life from both sides now.

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