9/21 day 18 of East coast trip

We got up early and took the shuttle to the airport, checked in and got through security with little drama. We flew from Philadelphia to Washington DC and then changed planes and flew to Knoxville, Tennessee. Both flights were on Embrear  Brasilia aircraft. I have to say that they are small inside and noisy but other than the hard landings, reasonable flights. 

I am always amazed at the frantic pushing and rushing that people do when getting off of an airplane even when the flight arrived a little early. Either everyone is suffering from claustrophobia or small bladders and can't wait to get into the terminal. It is down right rude in some cases. I am tempted to use my elbows at times.

Chris and Kathy Quemore met us at the airport and we left on the hour and a half drive to their home overlooking Lake Norris past the town of La Follette. After unpacking we all select a rocking chair on the deck overlooking the lake and catch up. It is quiet and relaxing. A hummingbird visits some of the potted flowers on the deck. Button buck deer graze in the yard, a doe and 2 fawns. A hawk flies by, crows chasing and harassing closely behind. A vacation houseboat glides around the bend in the lake, looking for a peaceful anchorage for the evening. You can feel the sense of calm blanketing everything. Ahhh.

9/20 day 17 of East coast trip

This morning we got up at 5:30 am as we wanted an early start for our drive back to Philly. We had a false start but soon we were  back on the road. The wait at the border was minimal and after a few questions we were back in the US. The drive through northern New York was easy, very little traffic and the trees are just starting to change color. 

As we approached Philly, the traffic backed up. Ahead we could see the base of a large wind generator being transported on the freeway, taking up 3 lanes at a time. Traffic tried to funnel to one lane to get around this moving obstruction. Once we got around the freeway opened up completely. I can't imagine the impact on rush hour traffic later in the day.

We drove to our hotel at the Philly airport and dropped off our luggage before returning the rental car to the Amtrak station on 30th street and taking the commuter rail back to the airport and then the shuttle to the hotel. we looked to see if We could catch another episode of Boardwalk Empire but no joy. 

Tomorrow we fly to Tennessee to visit Chris and Kathy Quemore.

So far our trip has included a ferry ride, trains, automobiles, commuter rail and tomorrow planes.

9/19 day 16 of East coast trip

The sun came back out but the wind is brisk and there is a chill in the air. Fall is coming I guess. 

Our first stop this morning was the Marche Bonsecours to buy a few souvenirs and gifts. After leaving our loot at the hotel we walked to the  Notre-Dame Basilica of Montreal. The massive stone church was built between 1672 and 1683. It was expanded in 1824-1829 to its present size. It boast a pipe organ with 7000 pipes. The Chapel of Notre-Dame de Sacre-Coeur was built 1888-1891 and has a smaller pipe organ of  1648 pipes. Both the main church and the chapel have several stained glass windows and very intricate woodwork. Truly works of art.

After the basilica we took at cab ride to Schwartz Hebrew Deli, home of the famous smoked meat. This deli is so famous that someone wrote a musical about it. We ordered corned beef on light rye with coleslaw and dill pickles. The sandwiches were full of meat and tasted great. Now we know why this place is so famous.

Instead of taking a cab back we decided that we needed to walk off some of our lunch. Once we got back to Old Montreal near our hotel we stopped for some liquid refreshment at a sidewalk cafe and watched the pedestrians go by.

In the evening we were to the Papillon Cafe. We had had dessert here the previous evening. We were fashionably late but found that others had the same idea. We sat at the bar to wait for our table. Rich and Phoebe had a martini. I asked the barkeep fora Lemon Drop. He replied that he did not know how to make one but that he was willing to look it up in the Internet and give it a try. His try was very tasty. For dinner we enjoyed squash soup and either pork loin stuffed with blueberries and cranberries or rabbit with a white wine tarragon sauce. The food was delicious but we had no room for dessert this night.

At Schwartz's Deli, Montreal

Phoebe and Reg pose in front of Schwartz's Deli in Montreal. This deli is so famous someone even wrote and produced a musical based on it. We waited in line but the sandwiches were well worth the wait.

9/18 day 15 of East coast trip

It is raining here in Montreal. It is a complete change from the warm, sunny day and warm evening we had last night. So we are adjusting our plans accordingly

After breakfast we walked to the Marche Bonsecours, down Rue Saint-Paul, from our hotel. We thought that it would be a market but instead it was more of a small shopping mall with shops. In the basement was a gallery of art by the First Nations tribes of Quebec. They include Iroquois, Huron, Cree, Mohawk,  Inuit and others that I can not remember. The art is moving. One artist did an oil of tree and the Aurora Borealis, very colorful. Another work was of birch trees with autumn leaves in a style similar to Van Gogh. 

A woman at the gallery suggest we go to the Pointe-a-Calliere, an archeology museum. So after a brief stop at the hotel and a coffee at Starbucks we went to the museum. The museum is built above an archeological dig of early Montreal. At one point it was the site of a guard house of the fortification surrounding the early settlement. Later a storehouse was built on the same site. I. The basement you could see the early foundations that had been uncovered as well as exhibits explaining the progression of Montreal. It was very interesting to see, especially how they built the museum above this site while preserving it in place at the same time. Other exhibits we saw at the museum included the Samurai and the Etruscans. We marveled at the Samurai armor and sword making as well at the 8th century BC metal work of the Etruscans. 

Interesting sign

We saw this sign in Montreal. Beware in the winter.

9/17 day 14 of East coast trip

This morning we drove from Wyckoff to Montreal. At the Springhill Suites in Old Montreal we meet our friends, Reg and Phoebe of SV Three Sheets, who are visiting friends and family in Ontario while their boat is in San Carlos, Mexico.

We are staying in the middle of Old Montreal, a city established in the 1600's.

We walked around the old town. It is sunny and comfortable and there are many sidewalk cages open. We stopped at one on the a large square for some wine and small plates. Many people are out enjoying the weather. A busker plays guitar hoping for some tips. Farther away a group plays pan pipes, attracting a large audience. We continue our walk, exploring the area. There is a building that is supposed to house a market that we will visit tomorrow. 

We stop at another cafe for salad before returning to the hotel. Our waiter is friendly and talkative. We ask him about what to see in the city but he laments that most of the festivals are over for the season but that the historical sites are open. We will investigate more tomorrow.