Sunday, July 28, 2013

Spectacular! Two 4,000 footers...Mount Liberty & Mount Flume.

Yesterday I went on a long hike (10 1/2 miles) in the White Mountains.  One of my friends is determined to complete all of the 4,000 + footers, and so, we decided to knock off two of these:  Liberty Mountain and Flume Mountain.  It was one of those sunny, clear blue (well, almost) summer days, warm, but not muggy.  Most of the hiking was in the shade so that helped as well.   After a 3 1/2 mile hike on the Liberty Spring Trail, we were rewarded with the most spectacular 360 degree views!  

Liberty Mountain is 4,459 feet!....


















The actual peak is behind me!


From there, it was a 1 1/2 mile hike over to Flume Mountain which is 4,328 feet.  Unfortunately, my iphone camera was malfunctioning and I have to pics from there....all in all it was close to 11 miles, and we were happy to return to the parking lot and imbibe before heading back home!


Friday, July 19, 2013

Quebec- Part deux

Hahahah, we're wearing sorta matching outfits (well, not really & entirely not planned!! believe me)...


More Cirque de Soleil....this is the best I can do with this camera at night with all the motion and the lights...
I would have liked to have gotten the action shots as these people do amazing things; they perform for free most summer nights in Quebec (outside performances in Old Quebec by the waterfront!, make sure to go!)








We took the ferry boat over to Levis and back; never getting off the boat, it's a quick jaunt and cost $6.50....gives you an especially nice view of  Levis &  of  Old Quebec....and it's especially plesant as the sun is starting to set.











This is the old Quebec Bridge, the one that we'd biked across earlier in the week to get over to Levis.

Some of the many stairs we'd also walked up; this one follows the fortified wall along the Plains of Abraham...I believe there are over 300 steps!!!

One of the many outdoor cafes in Old Quebec





part of the fortified wall near the place we were staying






You can walk up to the top of the tower! 





















I'd highly recommend going over to Ile Orleans, known as the Garden of Quebec....we took the eliptobikes there and rode a loop for about 20 plus miles.  The Island is the cradle of French civilization in North America, having more than 450 years of history, and is considered to be one of the oldest populated areas of Nouvelle-France, with more than 300 ancestral families having lived there (mine included, as the Lachances settled there, (my mom's maiden name).

The island also honors its past by having many craftsmen, painters, sculptors, blacksmiths and cabinetmakers working in accordance with ancestral practices.  It is very unique with its agritourism, landscapes and history all concentrated on this one spot which is 21 miles long and 4 miles wide.  It is comprised of six bucolic villages and welcomes tourists and visitors in many ways.  There's a diverse selection of inns and restaurants, and the temperate climate benefits local farms that offer a variety of unique products!


This is one of the roads that cuts across the island, Rue du Mitan.










St. Jean Church


starting up Route du Mitan...


Make sure to go to this charming little restaurant across the street from St. Jean's.














This was Saint Francois Church ..... make sure to visit the chocolate shop next door!




got this treat at the chocolate shop, it was 10x better than a Dove Bar!  

a lunch wagon at the Observatorie in the rest area offers panoramic views of the river, surrounding countryside...



the back of the Chocolate Shop










St. Anne de Beaupre across the river














this is actually where we started, the Church at Sainte-Famille.  Founded in 1661, Sainte Famille is the oldest parish on the island.  The imposing church with its bright red roof and three bell towers, is part of an ensemble that includes a presbytery, a lovely park and a procession chapel.
Wrapping our last night in Quebec with another Cirque de Soleil show....




















I had to shut my eyes during most of this....it was way way way up there, this guy was running circles on the inside of this cylinder, making it spin faster and faster....and then he climbed up on the outside of it and did the same!!!



Goodbye Quebec! til next time!