Instead of heading back to New York, we decided to avoid some bad weather and take a day to see Quebec. Of course, the old city of Quebec is the draw for me. I was there many years ago and have a framed print of a painting there.

This is a famous hotel there, the Chateau Frontenac. We didn’t stay there but I sort of wish we had.

It is full of charming buildings like this.

A red door always draws my eye to it.

A lady mime done up in gold.
The next day we headed back to New York staying in a regrettable Inn in Cold Spring-although the town was nice-and then on to JFK. It was a great trip and we didn’t have rain one day.

Maurice went to college for a year many years ago in Montreal so he wanted to make a trip up into Canada and see the area again. I had been to Quebec many years before but had never made it to Montreal. It turns out that Montreal, like Manhattan, is not only a city but an island. We had booked a hotel in what is called Old Montreal. I was a little disappointed that it turned out to be so modern but there were wonderful buildings here and there and a few very cool streets. We really found the people friendly in both Montreal and Quebec. I found the French spoken there to sound very strange and was told it is French Canadian not French. When we checked into our hotel the person checking us in spoke in French and Maurice said, “It is so good to hear French”. I didn’t know that he had missed it.

This cathedral was near our hotel. We were told that Celine Dion was married here. Like Prague, we had to pay to enter which is one way to pay for upkeep. I’m surprised that Notre Dame in Paris doesn’t do the same thing.

This was the interior. It didn’t used to look like this but after a trip to Paris and seeing the Sainte Chapelle, the church head decided to redecorate using the blue stained glass and gold paint.

We enjoyed an area in Montreal called the Plateau. It had a college feel and was full of cute little houses like this.

Along with many bike paths which, I guess, aren’t used too much in the winter, there were many, many steps with architecture often reminding me of that in Manhattan or Georgetown with a short flight of steps leading up to the front door and a basement flat underneath, but they also had many buildings with the first floor on the street then steps on the outside going up to the second floor. Maurice said it gave the people more room on the inside that way. I saw some photos of these steps covered with snow and I bet they could be deadly in the winter. I guess they get some serious snow here.

I liked this sign found in the Old section of Montreal.
We were going to head back to New York State the next day but heard of very heavy rain there so decided to take a day and go up to Quebec.

Some more photos mostly taken around Lake Placid on our trip in New York State.

An old wharf leading out into Lake Placid.

A walkway around some water falls not too far from the town of Lake Placid.

Here are the falls. It was private land and we had to pay to see them.

Nothing to do with water but a lesson on how to walk five dogs. I wonder what happens if one of them takes off after a squirrel?

New York State is packed with Lakes. One of the most lovely is Mirror Lake where we stayed at the Mirror Lake Inn, one of the nicest places in our time in the States.

Mirrow Lake Inn. We had a view of the lake from our room.

This is actually a lighthouse outside the town of Lake Placid. You can rent a room there. I was expecting one of those towers.

I liked this rustic old chair.

Old posts always appeal to me.

A great place to sit and look at the aptly named Mirror Lake. These are Adarondeck chairs which were actually first made in New York. At one time you could buy one for four dollars. One of the originals would now cost several thousand dollors.

Maurice worked and lived in Poughkepsie, NY, for a couple of years, so knew this area of New York State fairly well. One place nearby he had heard of was the Beekman Arms, the oldest contiually operating Inn in the States. We booked a room there and enjoyed the area. I love the Hudson Valley area-so beautiful and green.

The sign out front. We didn’t get to stay in the old section but were in a new annex which was very nice.

While wandering around the cute town of Rhinebeck I saw a bride entering a church.

There was a cemetery by a church in Rhinebeck that reminded me a lot of the ones you see in England.

A comfy corner in the Inn.

We are back in Paris after nearly three weeks. We had a great time in the States but, as always, we are so glad to be home, jet lag and all. I took a lot of photos and will post some of them.
We went to New York City to see some of the US Tennis Open there. It was alot of fun although hot. I usually left my seat to find a place in the shade.

We were way up in the top of the main stadium-this was our view.

If you watch the Open on TV, they often show this spectacular fountain.

A view of the grounds there.

Serena Williams doing well before her ugly meltdown the next week. I bought a little point and shoot camera which took a pretty good photo to be so far away. It was hard to follow a moving player so far away so I cut off her feet. I didn’t see the match in person where she lost against Clisters but I have to wonder about the vanity and nasty temperment of Serena. Maybe her mother should have named her Storm or Tempest.