Free Stampede Days

The Calgary Stampede is just a week away. It is beginning to show every where in Calgary. Windows all over the place are being painted with western cartoons. And more and more each day, people are wearing cowboy hats and jeans. 

There was a big stink in the paper the other day citing that over 95% of the food kiosks on the Stampede grounds had violated some health infractions. I don’t think that is going to deter anyone from eating at the Stampede. 

Mark your calendar for some freebies. On July 6th, plan on entering the grounds between 6am to 9am because it will be free. First 20,000 guests will receive a pass that will entitle them to a free breakfast. On July 8th, admission is free all day. On July 9th, it is Kid’s Day and admission is free to all kids under 12 as long as an adult accompanies the kid. Free breakfast will be served from 8am to 10am. Then on July 11th, if you are among the first 40,000 people who wears a cowboy hat, you will receive a free souvenir in celebration for Quebec’s 400th anniversary. 

I hope you get a chance to drop by.

Abit of Europe in Canada

Some people have chosen never to set foot in Europe because they don’t think they will like it. If you are one of these people, let me see if I can change your mind. I have to admit that history wasn’t one of my favorite subjects in school. Perhaps, I found it irrelevant when it came to memorizing dates and being quizzed on the people that made history. Or the fact that these places were so far away and as a kid, you don’t appreciate art, culture nor history until a lot later in life.

To get a taste of Europe without going too far, I urge you to go to Montreal and stay a few days then take a train to Quebec City for some French immersion. 

First, read my earlier blog on Visiting Montreal. Plan to stay a few days in Montreal to take in some of the sights such as the Biodome, McGill University campus, the underground city, Old Port and the site of the 1976 Summer Olympics. Take a cab to Schwartz’s located at 3895 Saint Laurent Boulevard. If you plan to drive there, take note that parking may be a challenge. Schwartz’s is a Montreal tradition since 1928 and when we arrived for a late lunch, there was already a line in front of the small deli. After 10 minutes in line, we sat down at a cramped table and ordered a large plate of smoked Montreal meat along with some olives and a pickle. It was delicious to say the least.

Ask the concierge at the hotel on where to catch the train to Quebec City. The ride is only 2.5 hours away but let me warn you in advance, we were told by a tour guide that the train is always late. Believe it or not, Quebec City is the second oldest existing European settlement in Canada. The old quarter is a walled city and is the only walled city in North America. How cool is that? In Europe, there are so many walled cities that after visiting one, you can almost say you have been to them all. But I have a thing for walled cities which always brings me back to the Holy Grail, Knights in shining armor, castles, moats, watchtowers and medieval villages.  

Quebec City is split into two, a lower part and an upper part. When we sailed into Quebec City on our Canada/ New England cruise, the port was in the lower part. From the port, Place-Royal was a nice 10 minute walk away from the ship. There you will find narrow cobblestone streets filled with quaint shops, pubs and restaurants. There are patio cafes and pubs where patrons can sit, drink a glass of wine or a pint of beer and people watch. To reach the upper part, you can either climb a long flight of stairs up to the Chateau or you can take a funicular. If you have been to Hong Kong or Varese, Italy then you are familiar with a funicular. Even the Montreal Observatory has a funicular that takes people up an inclined hill.

Most of the newer hotels are in the upper part. If you want a blast into the past feeling, stay at the Fairmont Chateau Frontenac that resembles a castle. Actually, I was told that when they built it originally, it disappointed alot of the residents there so they added the extra tower to it so it looked more like a castle. Another good hotel to consider is the Luxe which is walking distance to Place-Royal, the first permanent site in New France. There you will find quaint shops, pubs and restaurants. Be sure to try to local beer brewed in Quebec.

Just a stone throw from the Chateau is a fountain and a square. Across the street from the fountain, you will find a lane that is highly populated with local artists. There you will find watercolor prints and photographic images at reasonable prices.  Down from the lane, you will find a Roman Catholic church, the Notre-Dame de Quebec Basilica which is the oldest parish in North America. Walking through the cobblestone streets, you get a sense of European culture. It is very French here so give your high school French a try when speaking to the locals. Most establishments speak English, but they appreciate it when you try to speak French.  At least, learn the greeting ‘Bonjour’ that means good day and ‘Vas-Bien?’ to ask if someone is well. 

Give yourself a chance to appreciate a foreign place and perhaps, you will find something you like to visit in Europe.

Lobster Everyday

As most of you knew, I sailed on the Holland America Maasdam cruise ship on the May 17th voyage from Montreal to Boston. They call it the Canada / New England itinerary. When asked by my brother-in-law, why I chose that cruise, I answered that we were always curious about Eastern Canada and the Eastern seaboard. Now I can say that I have been to the Maritimes and visited Bar Harbor in Maine and Boston.

I did not want to spend a lot of money on shore excursions so I kept to a budget. I also did not fall for the marketing ploy that most shore excursion desks seem to do, hurry me to preorder before the cruise sails in case a particular tour sells out. I normally wait until I get onboard, attend the port talks then decide the best tour for the value.

Here are the shore excursions that I took:

1. City Tour of Old & New Quebec – If I knew what I know today, I would have skipped this tour and walk into Old Quebec myself. The main sight is the Chateau Frontenac which you see on top of the hill when you sail in. It’s a nice walk from the ship and if climbing stairs is not your thing, you can take a funicular up the hill for a small price. 

2. Panoramic Island Drive – Charlottetown is pretty bland for our taste so if we had skipped a tour, we would have been bored. The drive was ok with the highlight being the Confederation Bridge and the souvenir shops they take you to. My advice: skip buying the Paderno cookware and save yourself lugging it home. You can buy Paderno at Winner’s when you get home.

3. Titanic Tour: The Halifax Connection – After reading comments on the internet about this tour, I was prepared to be sombre when we began this tour. They drive you through residential streets to various houses owned by passengers who sailed the Titanic then they visit the Fairview cemetery where most of the victims are buried. The tour also includes admission to the Maritime Museum where they have a collection of recovered artifacts from Titanic. We spent the morning touring the Halifax port and the Citadel on our own and left the afternoon for the bus tour.

4. Sydney, Nova Scotia – We decided to skip the tours and walk into town ourselves. One of the best sights that we saw was the Jost Heritage house located at 54 Charlotte Street. The admission fee was $2 and it was well spent because volunteers greet you and tell you some history about the house, its inhabitants and how life was back in the 1800’s. Another house up the block called the Cossit House, was not worth the $2 admission that they charge. We also visited a local craft show at a church and talked to some of the locals. (Next time around, weather permitting – visit the Bird Islands of Cape Breton to see puffins, eagles and seals)

5. Acadia National Park – For $39, you don’t get a lobster out of it but you save yourself $60 and you still see the main sights of what Bar Harbor has to offer. The bus winds its way up from the port to the top of Cadillac Mountain where you have a 360 degree view of the area. It is spectacular up there but it will be more dramatic if you go in the fall.

6. Boston City Highlights & Airport Transfer – Considering a taxi would have cost just $20 from port to airport, this tour was not worth it. They charged $71 each and for $50, we had a drive-by of MIT, Boston Tea Party wharf, downtown Boston and where the Celtics play.

Aside from the shore excursions, I would highly recommend that you skip the tours that includes lobster on the menu and order it on the ship (at the Pinnacle Grill where you get 2 tails for a $10 fee). In Bar Harbor, go to the Westside Cafe on West street and tell them you want the special that the ship advertises on their newsletter. For $24.95 (a saving of $4), you get a whole lobster, a cup of New England chowder and a slice of their delicious blueberry pie.

And you ask…how did I gain my 2 extra pounds?