Posts by Pierroro

Hello. We’re a retired Québécois couple looking for an opportunity to "travel without traveling" and offer our services to take care of your home and its little four-legged occupants while you’re away... plus your goldfish and watering your plants! We’ve "passed the test" more than 7 or 8 times in the past, so we can provide references. If you want to leave with peace of mind, get in touch!

I enjoyed reading about your family trip to Mexico and got some great ideas from it... even if we're not in the same age group!!! And let the whiners whine! 😉

" However, the tourist tax is quite high, 5 € / per person / per day. ":

Are you sure this tax is "per person"?

If you were worried about losing money, you could buy the cheapest flight ticket from Colombia to a neighboring country.

Thanks. Yeah, we’re not fans of all-inclusive resorts either! For Varadero, if we stay with locals, how much risk do you think there is?

Hi Renaldito,

Could you be more specific about the "viruses," the "mosquitoes," and what "adequate protection" means?

PS: At my age...

If you're seriously planning to come to Quebec soon, let me know and I'll point out some great places like Au Pied de Cochon...

PS: I know Rochefort-du-Gard well

Oops! My travel comment was meant for Nohop, as you probably guessed, and my private message was too

As Danielavon mentioned, between Montreal and Quebec City, we don’t linger too much... However, this year on the way back from Quebec City, I took the north shore to Trois-Rivières, the Chemin du Roy*, and discovered some lovely villages: Champlain, Deschambault, Cap-Santé, and Portneuf (+ Neuville). Beautiful "snapshots" of a Quebec from yesteryear, if not the past. Check out: cheminduroy.com * Fun fact: The Chemin du Roy was taken by De Gaulle ("Vive le Québec libre!"). The Magdalen Islands. Wow! Distance, time, and money.

"Highway 20", the #20 between Montreal and Quebec City on the south shore, is incredibly dull... It’s made for rrrrrooling. True, Saint-Antoine-de-Tilly is pretty.

The most beautiful way to arrive in Quebec City is via the south shore, taking Highway 20 + the Pierre-Laporte Bridge (Route 73), and right after the bridge, take the direction "Boulevard Champlain." This way, you’ll follow the river, can take 2-3 breaks, or even go for a quick dip since there’s a beach. The view is remarkable... and you’ll head back up via Côte Gilmour to reach downtown Quebec City.

PS: See my private message

Hats off to you, Monsieur Jacque! I'm 81 years old and you're making me dream.

Check out: cuisinomane.com.

Hi there! For bagels: St-Viateur Bagel, on the street of the same name, and Fairmount Bagel, on Fairmount Street. You can buy just the bagel—they don’t have a restaurant, but you can get everything you need there (cream cheese and smoked salmon) to make your own. Donuts: no idea. Another Montreal specialty: a smoked meat sandwich at Schwartz’s, on St-Laurent Boulevard... with a black cherry cola. Pizza: of course, everyone has "their" spot for the best pizza. I really like Napoletana (you can bring your own bottle of wine) and other Italian dishes—relaxed vibe—near the Jean-Talon Market, and Pizzaiolle (a few locations).

Nice one, Caribou

Credit card only

As Caribou mentioned: a visit to the parks' websites will give you all the info you need—difficulty levels of the trails, boat rental locations, and more.

PS: By late September, some activities might not be available... or services could even be "closed"! Another good reason to check the parks' websites (National Parks and Parks Canada).

I’ll quickly throw out two suggestions—two "bring-your-own-wine" restaurants: French-inspired cuisine with a Québécois twist: Au Thym and Les Infidèles... There’s also Le Quartier Général, L'État-Major, and more.

PS: I know it’s not very original to send a French person to a French-cuisine restaurant... but I’ll get back to you—or better yet, reach out to me here on VF—and I’ll suggest some ethnic cuisines instead.

The best baguette in Montreal: Joe la Croûte, next to the Jean-Talon Market, in a strip surrounding the market. By the way, we go to Jean-Talon on Saturday mornings and grab our espresso or latte at Café Italia on Saint-Laurent Street, right next to the Milano grocery store.

I could go on and on...

Great suggestion to take a "boat tour"; the Quebec City–Lévis crossing will especially help you understand and visualize the historical choice of location for defending the city.

I’ll add: if it’s raining, take a guided tour of the Château Frontenac.

I’ll retract: don’t waste your time chasing down poutine—greasy fries and synthetic cheese in the middle of a thick, greasy, brown liquid. It’s disgusting!... Otherwise, make sure to grab some liquid antacid beforehand!"

If you haven't left yet, hurry to the CAA to get an international driver’s permit—it could save you a lot of hassle if ... Anyway, it’s not worth pinching pennies over!

I offer my sincere condolences to the loved ones of François Boucher, his immediate family, and his professional family. Thank you, François, for all those wonderful hours spent here dreaming of Travel and Adventure, and for making it easier to plan and prepare for my discoveries in Europe, Africa, and Asia.

Patratras is pretty quiet!