Non parle francais.........

View this morning from our window and from the hotel front door

What a terrible night's sleep. Huffle and I are awful at sleeping away from home. Our room was way too warm and although we tried desperately to get the temperature down, the only way we could achieve it was to open our balcony door. This let some snow in and was very icy cold but under our lovely warm duvet it was perfect. Tonight we will be checking with the reception to see how we lower it properly, as the snow ploughs kept us awake too. It snowed very heavily all through the night.

We think we had about 10". We wrapped up well this morning and made our way to a local breakfast cafe where we had croissant and muffin with egg and cheese and ham. The people in there were very friendly and chatty. We left there to find the Basilica De Notre Dame which was a huge church. We decided not to go in there today but walked around the outiside and along to Pl. Jacques Cartier where lots of things should have been going on but obviously all the snow had disrupted things a little. We went to the kids area and got to sit in Santas sleigh and shelter with the toy soldiers.

The buildings here are lovely and old and very European looking. There are many many places to drink and eat and lots of lovely shops. The churches are many and quaint, plenty of statues........

.....and the snow was bountiful. We found an indoor shopping market called Marche Bonsecours. It had some very eccentric people in all waiting to go to a festive luncheon. After walking some more, we stopped for a nice long rest and a cake/scone in a fabulous little bakery called Bar Buerre.

We had a good chat with the owner who sat with us and told us lots of places to go. Once we were suitably rested and warm again we walked considerably more to China Town........

........and on to the subway where Huffle got talking to a 'bum' who wanted money for directions. He gave him 25c and the said bum was not happy. We hurriedly walked away along 'seedy street' past strip bars, sex shops and more bums - though it was an interesting area for graffiti and wall art..........

....and got to the shopping centre calle Eaton Place where we saw a fountain much like the one in Toronto's Eaton Centre, Santa and a penguin slide (the boys would have loved it). We walked along the underground shopping walkway and into more Bum Land where we sat amongst the bums and rested and were stared at a lot.

We then walked plenty more (Huffle mentioned we weren't going to do too much walking this trip ha ha ha ha!), picked up a sandwich and drink and went back to our hotel for a proper rest and a Skype of home. We rang first as Skype was proving difficult but eventually we got through and had a good chat, a look at the decorated (lopsided) Christmas tree and a catch up. There has been much snow there too but possibly not as much as here. They have been building a village, sledging and clearing the drive (though I think maybe Moo did the drive really). Smallest gave away the fact that Moo had let him have a marshamallow in his hot Apple Cider but Moo said he wasn't supposed to put it in there - I say they are being spoilt!

Our Hotel

When we left our room this morning I put the note on the door to say 'please make up the room' but hung it the other side instead by accident which read "do not disturb". I took it off when we got back and the maid came and knocked on the door. I opened it and started babbling about putting it the wrong way. She said "oh can you speak French" NO "oh". I told her she could come tomorrow. (I said it in a French accent so I think she understood). Sorted!

Huffle had a lovely bubble bath complete with a glass of the local vin rouge while I soaked my poorly foot.

This made us laugh so much. It was just the angle but it looked like he was in the smallest of spaces.

In reality, it was a lovely big deep bath.

Fully recharged, we got ourselves ready again and pottered out for dinner and drinks.

 

Please don't use my photos without asking first. Posted with Blogsy