Norm and I usually kick off the summer with an anniversary trip so this year we packed our Subaru and took the streets of Montreal, the rolling hills of Vermont and the seaside city of Boston. Here are some highlights of our trip:
Montreal
We stayed in a boutique hotel called Saint Sulpice in old Montreal. Our suite was as big as our condo and we were steps away from the old Montreal square and behind us was Notre Dame cathedral. For dinner, we found a beautiful Italian restaurant called Da Emma which was off the beaten path, about a 15 minute walk from the square. Normally you would need reservations but Norm used his charm and managed to get a table after sitting at the bar enjoying a much deserved drink to kick off our vacay. The food was absolutely incredible and the atmosphere was perfect. It was located in the basement of a building and although I was a little worried as I walked down the stairs, it was a pleasant surprise to see a restaurant so alive and full of people (mostly Italians) who share the same love as we do: food! The next day we visited Jean Talon market where we enjoyed merguez sandwiches - lamb sausages in a french bagette. Very tasty and it was the perfect snack to tide us over to our next stop...Vermont.
Vermont
What a beautiful, green state! The highways were lined with little green mountains. I say 'little' because it does not compare to the rockies in the west coast, but still they were a pretty sight and i can only imagine what the fall foliage would look like. Our first stop was Burlington, Vemont. If you sneeze, you'll miss the main square - which was closed off to cars and offers visitors a selection of shops and restaurants. An hour away is a little town called Warren, Vermont - home of Sugarbush ski resort and the town of 'covered bridges'. Unfortunately the rain would not stop so we had to forego our hiking, zip trekking, and waterhole swimming plans. Instead we woke up early, had a wonderful breakfast at a local cafe and headed south east to Boston.
Boston
I was glad to turn the wheel over to Norm right before the Mass turnpike. I'm not a fan of tunnels so imagine driving in one? Here we stayed at the Fairmont Battery Wharf at the north end of the city. It was walking distance to Faneuil Hall, Quincy Market, little Italy and of course, the Barking Crab. Norm was excited to revisit this place and was so pleased with the lobster that we came back on our second night for another round of lobster and sangria. We took the the Duck tour that takes us around the city and ends up in the water (similar to TO's Hippo tour). If you ever visit Boston, I highly recommend the Duck tour as it was a great history lesson and the best way to see the city both on land and on water. I also want to mention another great find - Mike's pastry. There was a long line up that was out the door so naturally what would you do? Get in line! I wasn't sure what I was lined up for but I knew it was something good. As it turns out, they had the best cannoli's you can find in Boston! Sweet ricotta cream creations - with the perfect cookie shell. We revisited Mike's pastry for breakfast, lunch, snack and a late night dessert.
The trip home was a long haul but i managed to find some "rest stops" - conveniently located at the outlet malls. All in all, it was a great trip - especially since we made frequent stops to visit different places. Personally, i would rather fly. Norm, however, loves the freedom of driving. I guess it's not so bad as long as we get to stop, shop and explore along the way.
