Monday, June 1, 2015

Traveling Gaspese --- Day 1 (L'Islet- Sur- Mer)

In the summer of 1933, First Lady Eleanor Roosevelt loaded up her new Buick Roadster and took off on what she later described as one of the most incredible adventures of her life. Exhausted from the responsibilities of helping her husband win his Presidential election, and desiring quiet time and some anonymity, she and a friend traveled alone, without the benefit of secret service to the Gaspe Penninsula.  When she returned home several weeks later, she stated that she had been to one of the most beautiful places on this earth~

"For the next few days they drove along the south bank of the St. Lawrence on one of the loveliest roads in all of
 North America...eating meals cooked over wood burning stoves, sleeping under the sun on a warm beach, and swimming in the St. Lawrence. America seemed far away, and their anonymity complete. They stopped at a little church by the water, and the village priest invited them to lunch in his rectory"~
excerpt from-- 
 "Empty Without You:The Intimate Letters of Eleanor Roosevelt and Lorena Hickok"
 By Eleanor Roosevelt, Rodger Streitmatter, Lorena A. Hickok
 
 After spending some wonderful days in Quebec City at the start of our own great adventure, we finally began our travels around the Gaspe Penninsula. Our goal for this entire trip was to NOT be on a schedule.  We allowed 2 full weeks for this incredible trip, thus giving us plenty of time to stop whenever, and wherever we wanted~
  
  We considered the days after leaving Quebec City 
to be the actual start of our trip around the Penninsula --
so for the purpose of our itinerary and this
photo documentary -- this will be
Day 1.

Our goal for this first day
was to travel to the little town of
L'Islet-Sur-Mer,
where our hotel was located.  
Today's driving distance
 would be about 130 miles.
(2 1/2 hours drive)
~
It would take us over 8 hours 
to get there...
driving north,
with the St. Lawrence River on our left..
we soon left the busy tourist areas
near Quebec City.
~
It wasn't long before we knew
that this was going to be 
an incredible adventure...
~
our first impromptu stop
was this little church located on the 
banks of the river. 
~
The weather had already turned windy and COLD..
so we bundled up and walked all 
around the grounds of the church
and the old cemetery.
 located next to the church
was a beautiful little harbor area~
of course we had to stop...
~
(I had no idea that this would turn out
to be a trip that would take us to
countless beautiful churches dating back to
earlier times, beautiful scenic harbors,
and incredible coastal views...)
 any view that includes boats,
and water --- 
I'm there!!

it's the end of summer here --
and I'm sure they are getting their boat
ready for winter~

view from the Marina~
 trying to stay warm...
its brisk and breezy!
 we both loved this lovely
old cemetery on the banks of the river~

some of the monuments
dated back to the early 1800's~

opening into the St. Lawrence~




some photos from the front of the church~


we found a lovely little restaurant
at the marina for our lunch---

our lunch time view~

almost 3 hours later
(and it's only our FIRST stop!!)
we are on the road again~

Route 132
parallels the river for the entire trip~
some of the views are
just stunning.
~
not 20 minutes up the road 
and we have stopped again
to visit this little
 roadside park~
 we passed several of these
little park like areas on
this portion of our
 drive...
 beautiful flowers were
everywhere...

in the late afternoon--
almost 4:00, 
we arrive at our first destination
L'Islet
we aren't going to our motel yet,
we still have one more stop
 to make~

the amazing
Maritime Museum of Quebec
~
we arrived just in time to spend
 about 2 hours here before they
closed for the day~
the museum was exceptional!
on display was this
historic Icebreaker ship --
the Earnest Lapointe...
~
for more info about the museum
 you can click here...





some random photos
of our tour aboard the
Icebreaker ship~

we were like kids
roaming all over the ship,
playing,...
because we arrived in the late,late afternoon,
we were the only ones at the museum..

this ship could tell
some incredible stories~

view from inside the museum
 the Captain's log
in which he kept records
of the character of the crew members..
 after an incredible afternoon
at the museum,
we arrive at our little Auberge motel
just before dusk...
~
wait till you see 
how quaint and cute this place is!
~
more to come
 in my next
 post! 

Thanks so very much for traveling along with us... we have only just begun --- the next day is even more amazing!
~~~~~

Some itinerary stats so far..(starting point Quebec City)
 Day 1
miles traveled -- 130
driving time between destinations -- 2 1/2 hours
time spent to arrive at L'Islet
(counting all impromptu stops)-- 8 hours
xoxo,
Vicki 

an update to the 
Josephine's Children project~
we have received word that the boxes
 have arrived in Moombasa.
~
they have journeyed halfway 
around the world
across the oceans...
and are now waiting to clear customs
in Moombasa...
(this could take up to 2 weeks)
~
after clearing customs,
they will journey by land to
reach the children..
this could take up to a week
or 10 days. 
we are ever so close
to making dreams come true
for these children!
 

23 comments:

  1. Oh Vickie, what a lovely adventure so far. Thank you so much for sharing. How wonderful that you are sort of following in Eleanor R's footsteps, I read " Franklin and Eleanor" last year and just loved it! Amazing woman!

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  2. Your photos are breathtaking! I just love old churches and cemeteries. We always stopped at cemeteries that looked interesting when I was a kiddo on vacation with my family. Mom loves them too! What a wonderful place to visit and see so much beauty and history combined! Can't wait for the next installment!

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  3. I always wanted to go on a trip like that, one where you stop along the way and enjoy the local sights and don't care about time. My hubby has only one plan in mind and it is about getting from here to there in the quickest way possible. He only stops for gas and I get to tour the snack shop and the bathroom if I can do it in the time it takes to fill up the tank. While you can spend your time smelling the roses, I only have time to smell the exhaust.

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  4. I can see why it took Eight hours to get there. What an amazing cemetery and church. Love to visit them

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  5. Such beautiful pictures. what an inspiring place.

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  6. Vicki you have brought back some wonderful memories for me with your photos! I am originally from Montreal and have made the trip to Gaspe, Nova Scotia and Newfoundland many times when I was younger! They were wonderful times and I hope someday to make those trips again! Thank you for reminding me of the lovelier times of my life!
    Tina xo

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  7. Oh Vicki, you keep adding destinations to my bucket list!!! I am so enjoying this tour and looking forward to the rest! Hugs, Terri

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  8. Such beautiful photographs capturing such beautiful skies. You know how to work that camera, girl!

    YES - it won't be long now until those little sweeties receive their gifts.

    xo
    SuZeQ

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  9. You bring such amazing and beautiful travels to my glass pages, I just love to see them.
    Hugs Lynnx

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  10. Well I have to agree with Eleanor, it is a beautiful place isn't it!!! So glad that you have enjoyed it so much. It looks like a great place to just take your time in. xx

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  11. I started out on this trip years ago, but gave up due to the weather and headed down through Maine to Bar Harbor. Don't know that I'll ever make it now, so thanks for sharing.

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  12. I wish I could ride in a basket on that bike, with you as my tour guide (no, I do not want to pedal). This is incredible!!! And The Gardener might have to be called The Captain now (does that man ever have a bad day? He is ALWAYS smiling)! Thank you for this and all the info that goes along with it, my friend. I LOVE your travels!!!

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  13. Wonderful photography. One of these days I am going to travel to the east coast.

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  14. Dear Vicki,
    thank you for this round of most beautiful photoes from your so special weeks there.
    How beautiful, for a church and graveyard to be on the coastline. The people whom ended their life there, surely have one of the most beautiful places to rest ,in the world.
    And I agree with Tanya, your husbond always looks so happy, and looking with loving eyes into your photo lence.
    Vicki, thank you again for being the most wonderful friend!!!
    Warmest hugs to you.
    Dorthe.

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  15. I think the Travel Channel needs to hire you!
    xo,
    Deb

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  16. Oh Vicki, I just love travelling to these places with you and your gardener. It looks spectacular and you always take such great photos. They are a work of art by themselves. Everything looks so inviting.

    My heart skipped a beat at getting the update on Josephine's Children project. I pray that the boxes arrive to their destination very soon. The Children must be getting tired of waiting.
    Big hugs with love ,
    Julia

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  17. What a beautiful first day!Thanks for sharing your trip.

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  18. Qué maravilla de viaje.
    Me alegro de que las cosas para los niños ya vayan en camino.
    Un beso

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  19. Oh I am on the west end of that river in Ontario it is a beautiful water. Quebec is a beautiful province. Beautiful beautiful photos and I can tell that you both are enjoying every moment. HUGS B

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  20. How exciting to hear that the boxes have arrived for the children and that they will soon have them after such a long wait. They must be so excited! We did a trip to the east coast a number of years ago and had so hoped to visit the Gaspe but we were on a limited time schedule and unfortunately the time we had to spend there, the area was totally socked in with fog and the local people said not to even attempt the drive in those conditions. Seeing your photos makes me feel as though I got to see it myself after all.

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  21. Thanks for sharing some of the amazing sites you have seen, Vicki. I have been out and about over the last 8 weeks and am just now having the pleasure of catching up on your posts. While I was visiting my last collage roommate in Missouri this past fall, I got to watch the Burns series about the Roosevelts and found it so interesting. When living on the west side of the Hudson River in NY I got to tour the Roosevelt mansion and was amazed that in spite of its large size and the family's high profile, it felt like "home," The series helped me to appreciate the family as individuals with strengths and flaws...human beings who dared to try to make a positive difference in the world...and in many ways succeeded. xx

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  22. "Any views that include water and boats, I'm there" Me too, Vicki :) and churches too. Thanks for posting! xx

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  23. I have just been catching up on all your posts. Every trip you go on is so full of beauty, adventure and discovering. But I love that you seem to always be near water. The ships and especially the handcrafted ones made by Luc are so incredible. I hope that you purchased one. I know we would have. My husband has always wanted to make one and he did begin one from a kit a very long time ago but never finished it thank you always for sharing your travels with us. xxo Kerrie

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