Boog's Blog

At least two balls of string, and then even more, including ride details.

As to riding, it just does not get any better. Low sixties, interemittent
light rain, and moderate to very gusty head winds. Rode at half normal
speed.

The first ball of string is the cheese shop. Not a Monty Phython one. Two
pictures included. Locally made including sample. Naturally got the one
pictured for consumption at tonite's picnic at the Gite.

Hard to find accomodations for tonight. This Gite is isolated with no
nearby places to eat; we shopped about 10 km back.

The second ball.

When we arrived found the outside swarming with bees. Asked about it and
"not normal" just started. Turns out a local bee hive (makes honey) escaped.
Pics of the recapture process and for those following on twitter a short
video clip. Nice adventure for us and interesting to watch. Owner not so
pleased.

The Gite is situated next to a stream which runs to the mill (Moulin). Not
far away is the vendor selling honey (of our bee adventure) and bleuet
(blueberries).

Dinner: local cheese, local smoked salmon, local baguette, local fruit,
French Camenbert.

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This is Frais season – special strawberry dishes, lots on stands and farm
corners. Different from the California ones. A little less sweet, smaller,
more fragile, no white inside (all goodness). About $5 Canadian a quart and
well worth it.

Pictures of Feve du Lard. Their bean dish. Served as shown from a big pot
into bean pots. For breakfast a bean pot and two thick, verey thick, slices
of toast. Oddly made without maple syrup.

Waiter made a couple of mistakes this evening. Nothing was said by the
boogs. No bill came; when I asaked he said comped or the equivalent in
Quebecoise. The errors were: ran out of moules, forgot a salade we did not
need, forgot my frites, did remind him on that point.

Dinner was lake perch. Fresh from Lac du Piere.

Good storm, excellent clouds. Rode in moderate but comfortable rain, no
mud. Not a death ride.

Took too much time booking ahead for thew 'morrow. First 5 places
'complet'. Not many choices.

Big sucess with getting fresh laundry. Hotel allowed up to use their
facility. After we got it started they finished the drying and folding and
delivered. All outside the system.

Walked the old city. Amazing number of gelato places and quite a few
restaurants. In second oldest city in Quebec.

Catching up on pictures from the isle d'ronde visit.

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Once again with no net connection – none in this town. None. Oh well.

A note from yesterday. The island we stayed on had no drinking water. Just pumped water from the Saint Lawrence. Bottled water did fine.

More discussions about Canadian health system. Happy but waits are getting longer and service will continue to deterioate due to aging boomers. 17 hours in some ER rooms.

Today a longer ride but not a death ride. Peleton raising charity funds passed us. Camera pictures to be posted eventually.

Lots of stone and brick houses along the St. Lawrence route.

Stoped for ice cream. No you cannot have it your way. Vanilla cone middle size. No cannot use the cups for anything except sundays, other no items followed. Similar experiance at the dinner restaurant. Flexibility is not the Quebec way.

Nice four star Gite, pictured.

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Not a death ride (QB) and a very special island.

Easy ride along well marked paths. Lunch in L'Assomption, full lunch as dinner not expected, more on dinner later. Cafe with oeufs epinard avec frommage and a similar grilled casorole with peppers etc.

Then to Saint Sulpice where we booked a 4 star Gite (bed and breakfast). When we booked I asked about dinner as they mentioned it was on an island accessible only by boat, they have a boat. No food, best to shop before you arrive, so we did.

Family owns an island, Ilse de Ronde, about 3km long and 1 km wide. Their Gite, a vinyard, farm with stuff growing and a lot of greenery and peacefulness. Loaded our bikes and food onto the boat for a 15 minute ride to the island.

Charming place. Typical Gite with no TV or net connection. Outside room for setting up our picnic of bread, hummus, procuitto, yogurt, and fresh strawberries just from the field. The strawbs were without any white inside, no water filling, just great taste. Not quite as sweet as the Whole Foods variety. We ate a whole quart.

Took a walk and saw a wild fox running, maybe away from us.

Went to the vinyard and had a glass of Rose. They had good salades so there was no need to have set up a picnic.

The Rose was…. Well this is not far from New York…. Too sweet.

No sounds on the island except for birds and other wildlife. Basicaly a farm house. Pics later when we have a net connection.

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Well, we have decided to go on. Not let the thieves get the best of us. We
can go on due to the outstandingly support from our friends; that and the
well wishes and offers of help. Many thanks.

One comment of especial note came from Mike W pointing out the irony of the
sacking crew getting sacked.

Not much done today except plan for the departure early tomorrow – heading
East; that and work out details which will permit us to continue.

QB uploaded a set of pics from this phase of the trip – camera pics,
labeled.

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Delayed sending as dealing with our house being broken into. Herb: thanks
for the help and support.

Montreal even more.
A late but excellent start. First, trip planning for the next leg – which
towns to stay and where there might be accomodations. More on this as we go
along.

Then off to Eats II called Premiere Moisson, a boulangerie and more. Trois
salade, pain au raison (the best in many years), chocolate cake.

A stroll along Lauriens towards Mont Royal. Good bike shop with a very
interesting "breakaway Richey" bike. Good for traveling.

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A new one on me. Had to look it up. Got the photo & rundown on the Wikipedia, in case anyone else was in the dark like me. Looks like imminent cardiac arrest. So thiis is cooking Quebecois style? Tres elegant!
D.

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Where's the poutine??

G

Sent from my iPhone

On Jul 3, 2009, at 12:19 AM, Dianne Ellsworth wrote:

> Yum. I guess your and the Q.B.'s motto can be: "We bike for food"!
>
> D.
>
>
>
> —–Original Message—–
> From: Jeff Gray
> Sent: Jul 2, 2009 6:10 PM
> To: sacking@netbox.com, vox <980286c3a15f1c66@moblog.vox.com>
> Subject: BSQ Montreal more
>
> Another delightful tourist day; walking, eating, asking questions, > shopping…usual tourist stuff. Great dinner, see end.
>
> Highlights:
>
> – breakfast of Salmon (me) procuitto and eggs (QB) on Pain Poilane > bread. Bobby very nicely sent us a loaf and this was even better; > the freshness definetly made a differance. Maybe the butter and > creme fraiche too. See pic
>
> Local bike pick up (a la Paris) is called Le Bixie. Pictured.
>
> Walked along Sherebrook. Looks just like Madison Ave. in NYC. > Beaux art and Federal buildings. Small art shops and boutiques. > Even a boulangerie that is similar to Eats (a favorite place of Mike > W).
>
> – used to be one could sit outside and not inhale smoke while at a > restaurant. Now it is the reverse. OK outside in cafe but no > inside smoking.
>
> – health insurance question I have asking. Most are at least > satisfied with their service. Almost none understand how funds are > collected, that is which tax pays for what. Appears that it is paid > (and service level set) at the providence level. Often 7.5% tax > which we would call a very broadly based sales tax. Then the > Federal govt adds some funds. Services covered change if you move. > Employees often get suplimentary insurance to cover non-covered > serevices, dental and Rx.
>
> -dinner. Moules Frites and Belgian beer, two types. Expensive and > well worth it. Outstanding service, Prine Edwards moules, never > ending frites, a blonde and a dark beer. Maybe better than we had > in Antworp. Better quality mussels and better provencal sauce.
>
> – many in town for Jazz festival.

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Yum.  I guess your and the Q.B.'s motto can be: "We bike for food"!

D.

—–Original Message—–
From: Jeff Gray
Sent: Jul 2, 2009 6:10 PM
To: sacking@netbox.com, vox <980286c3a15f1c66@moblog.vox.com>
Subject: BSQ Montreal more

Another delightful tourist day; walking, eating, asking questions, shopping…usual tourist stuff.  Great dinner, see end.

Highlights:

– breakfast of Salmon (me) procuitto and eggs (QB) on Pain Poilane bread.  Bobby very nicely sent us a loaf and this was even better; the freshness definetly made a differance.  Maybe the butter and creme fraiche too.  See pic

Local bike pick up (a la Paris) is called Le Bixie.  Pictured.

Walked along Sherebrook.  Looks just like Madison Ave. in NYC.  Beaux art and Federal buildings. Small art shops and boutiques.  Even a boulangerie that is similar to Eats (a favorite place of Mike W).

– used to be one could sit outside and not inhale smoke while at a restaurant.  Now it is the reverse.  OK outside in cafe but no inside smoking.

– health insurance question I have asking.  Most are at least satisfied with their service.  Almost none understand how funds are collected, that is which tax pays for what.  Appears that it is paid (and service level set) at the providence level.  Often 7.5% tax which we would call a very broadly based sales tax.  Then the Federal govt adds some funds.  Services covered change if you move.  Employees often get suplimentary insurance to cover non-covered serevices, dental and Rx.

-dinner.  Moules Frites and Belgian beer, two types.  Expensive and well worth it.  Outstanding service, Prine Edwards moules, never ending frites, a blonde and a dark beer.  Maybe better than we had in Antworp.  Better quality mussels and better provencal sauce.

– many in town for Jazz festival.

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Another delightful tourist day; walking, eating, asking questions,
shopping…usual tourist stuff. Great dinner, see end.

Highlights:

– breakfast of Salmon (me) procuitto and eggs (QB) on Pain Poilane bread.
Bobby very nicely sent us a loaf and this was even better; the freshness
definetly made a differance. Maybe the butter and creme fraiche too. See
pic

Local bike pick up (a la Paris) is called Le Bixie. Pictured.

Walked along Sherebrook. Looks just like Madison Ave. in NYC. Beaux art
and Federal buildings. Small art shops and boutiques. Even a boulangerie
that is similar to Eats (a favorite place of Mike W).

– used to be one could sit outside and not inhale smoke while at a
restaurant. Now it is the reverse. OK outside in cafe but no inside
smoking.

– health insurance question I have asking. Most are at least satisfied with
their service. Almost none understand how funds are collected, that is
which tax pays for what. Appears that it is paid (and service level set) at
the providence level. Often 7.5% tax which we would call a very broadly
based sales tax. Then the Federal govt adds some funds. Services covered
change if you move. Employees often get suplimentary insurance to cover
non-covered serevices, dental and Rx.

-dinner. Moules Frites and Belgian beer, two types. Expensive and well
worth it. Outstanding service, Prine Edwards moules, never ending frites, a
blonde and a dark beer. Maybe better than we had in Antworp. Better
quality mussels and better provencal sauce.

– many in town for Jazz festival.

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