1.04.2009

Notes et des Photos from Recent Travel

We had a great time on our recent ski trip. For the first time, Steven and I took off and spent the christmas holidays by ourselves, and didn't try to get together with family. We went to Burlington, took the ferry cross Lake Champlain, had an awesome day of skiing, but then temps rose and the rain came. At least we got one good day in. Charming as Lake Placid and Saranac Lake were in the winter rain, we donned our passports and took off to Montreal, only 2 hours north, and had a wonderful time there for a couple days. Some of the highlights:

1. our host Joel at La Loggia who delightfully peppered every english sentence liberally with donc.

2. Au Petit Extra dans Le Village. Oh la la. Everything we ate in Montreal was un plaisir gastronomique.

3. Me, walking / tumbling (but not skiing) down some of the Whiteface trails that were ALLEGEDLY blue...some portions were waaay black my ankles tell me. I stuck assiduously to the green, thereafter, donc.

4. Our beloved Marche Atwater. I could live there. The camera was dead so we didn't get any photos.

5. Listening to Steven singsong Bonjour each time we entered a shop.

6. Le Plateau and Rue St. Denis et St. Laurent, and the conspicuous, wonderful absence of corporate America in these thriving merchant areas (one can't say the same thing for indoor Montreal, the giant malls and habitrails that connect much of the city in a winter-what-winter? kind of way all along rue St. Catherine).

7. the deliciously and absurdly named "Cafe Starbucks Coffee" we encountered a couple of times. there are a few, but they haven't taken over Montreal. One more downsizing and they will be gone. Betcha.

There's much more, but i'm too ADHD at the moment. Have a look at some pics... including the Adirondacks in the Adirondacks:











7 comments:

Ultra Dave said...

I'm glad you had a safe and happy trip. Glad you're back too! Happy New Year!

Ice John's World said...

It is cool that you guys had a nice holiday vacation off to Canada. Nice pictures!

Mel said...

How interesting that you stayed at La Loggia. I've booked us there for a conference I'm going to in June. So you enjoyed it?

Sam said...

Mel, yes, Rob and Joel are wonderful hosts, their place is fabulous. We were there 2 nights and totally loved it. When we go back to Montreal, we'll go back there. The also turned us on to Au Petit Extra on rue Ontario Est, which was really a great place. Love Montreal!

r. said...

More photos please, especially of you two! :-) Pictures of you guys snowboarding/skiing!! Looks mighty cold! BRRRRRR!

I used to snowboard, but now, it seems like such a hassle! I think I'm just old and crotchity! heh!

Sam said...

Robert, we are way too not together to take pictures while skiing. skiing is a bit of a high maintenance hassle.. but we are thinking about driving over to WV for one days worth of it in a month or so. Once you get through the hassle its worth it!

Anonymous said...

hey sam, glad you guys had a cool vacation and enjoyed ski... nice photos you got there!

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