Day 8: The Final Leg

From: Quebec City, QC
To: Home
KMs: Have I mentioned we're the worst at KM tracking?
Sim's Iced Cap Tally: 5

We went to bed knowing that we would wake up to our last day on this magnificent trip.  We actually scheduled to allow ourselves to sleep in until 8am but we were both up at 7am sharp.  The plan was to grab breakfast in the restaurant downstairs, take a walk on the boardwalk and find a nice café to grab a final coffee before heading out.  For starters, the meal downstairs was phenomenal.  We got a loaded poutine topped with eggs benny and a strawberry crepe to split.  They were both so delicious I am right now dreaming of returning and ordering the exact same meal.  We checked out and stashed our bags at the front desk to pick up on our way out.  The boardwalk was literally across the street from us.  It wasn't as long as I had remembered but we took a nice quick walk to the other end, and then back up into the city.  We settled on a cute little place called Le Petit Coin Latin, with a side path leading up the side of the building into a backyard courtyard (Cote Jardins - Side Garden).  I had a Café Au Lait and Sim had this omg delicious looking and tasting bowl of espresso topped with whipped cream.  So tasty!!  (Good choice).

After a quick walk back to the car we dropped back by the hotel and picked up our luggage and said goodbye to the most unexpectedly awesome stop.  A quick gas up on the way to the highway and we were on our way.

Aside from a few more rest stops and one more gas up, that was it.  All we had left to do was to get ourselves home.  We did pop in to see my parents one more time and deliver a bottle of PEI Chardonnay.  "Ohhhh, did you go to the winery?" my mom asked.  "Errrr, no, we went to the PEI Liquor Store."  We also delivered the handouts from the Pier 21 archives to my dad.  He loves stuff like that, so I was happy to add to his pile of family history.

A quick and final 80 minutes later and we were home.  People on the road in Toronto were in fine form.  If you cause me to honk at you on the highway you are way out of line and probably shouldn't be driving.  As we pulled into the driveway, Spence and the Girlen were waiting for us.  Pips was wearing the most adorable little plaid dress.  She let me give her a quick hug which was so nice.  And I got to hold baby Bobby for a bit.  And cuddle with the pups.  Bugs was so happy to see Sim he was prancing around like a rabbit.  (Never leave again, never ever ever).

So that's all she wrote.  We set out for an adventure and it exceeded both our expectations by miles.  Sim and I have both said neither of us could have expected it would have been that good.  And aside from one almost detour through downtown Montreal, Sim is a super fantastic navigator.

Best Pre-Trip Purchase: My new runners
Best City Name: Saint-Lous-du-Ha!-Ha!
Longest Drive: Halifax to QC
Weirdest Hwy Exit: Montmagny  (we managed to take this exit twice purely by chance.  Traffic circles and roads with no painted lines, and tetris-like parking lots.)
Scariest Moment in the Car: Watching a tractor trailer jackknife and almost tip over behind us
Funniest Moment in the Car: Getting stuck in a traffic circle in Halifax
Funniest Moment in the Cities: Asking for my lamb mild
Most Unplanned Moment: Taking a dip off the North shore of PEI (followed closely by the NS beach swim - really glad Sim reminded me to bring a swimsuit and that I actually turned my car around and went home to get it)
Best Hotel Room: Auberge Du Tresor, Quebec City
Worst Hotel Room: Quality Inn, Summerside
Best Highway: Hwy 2 New Brunswick
Worst Highway: Hwy 108 New Brunswick (worst in Canada in fact)

Updated Reponses:
Best Meal: Sim - Lobster Thermidor @ The Bicycle Thief  / Julie - Seafood Chowder @ The Silver Fox
Worst Meal: Log Cabin Restaurant - Hopewell Rocks - Just don't even
Best Drink: Sim - Peach Julip - The Bicycle Thief / Julie - Amaretto Sour - L'Ateriel
Best Beer: Sim - Blueberry Ale - Gahan / Julie - Pucker Up - Garrison Brewery
Favourite Shop:  We didn't do much shopping.  We spent most of our time in Sport Chek for me lol.  Sim says the Yarn Shop in Halifax.  Aka - the only shop we went into.  But a darn good one!  Pun intended lol
Best View: Sim - Mountains in NB at Sunset/ Julie - Aside from Peggy's Cove....there is this moment when Hwy 85 in QC kisses Lake Temiscouata.  It's gorgeous.
Best Discovery: Sim - Provincial Park Beach in NS & L'Ateriel Cocktail Bar / Julie - the Confederation Bridge lookout point, PEI & Pier 21 Archives


We might come back and add to that later. There's just so much to remember.

WHAT A GREAT TRIP!!!