Final Stop: Montreal

Montreal was definitely the city I was most excited about visiting, and it did not disappoint! So much Old World, European charm surrounding us in Old Montreal, where we stationed ourselves.

First, however, we drove from Ottawa to Mount Royal (where the city takes its name) for stunning views of the city and the perfect spot to enjoy our picnic. We even witnessed an engagement! Danny and Laura thought it was an ideal place to work on their model poses, too.

The Saint Sulpice Hotel, while quite different from the two Fairmonts, was another great venue, ideally located in the heart of Old Town. It was also just steps from the Notre-Dame Basilica, where we watched an incredible indoor light show that really highlighted the church’s ornate interior.

After enjoying happy hour at an outdoor patio, we headed to a local bistro recommended by the hotel concierge and enjoyed what Tim and Danny would argue was the best meal of the trip (just ask Danny about his rack of lamb). With a live musician and a great overall vibe, I might have to agree with them.

For our final, full day, we divided and conquered. Laura and I headed to the Montreal Science Center for some hands-on fun, followed by some lunch and shopping. And the other three went jet boating - which they rave about to this day! The weather during our trip was quite warm, so it was an ideal time to don swimsuits and brave the rapids with their guide, Jeremy!

Eventually we reunited, wandered the streets in search of ice cream and souvenirs, and a final dinner. Laura was pretty tired of restaurants by this point, but thankfully this table offered a white paper tablecloth and napkins, so all was not lost.

We logged many hours and miles in our behemoth rental SUV, and even more QT as a family. We left feeling tired in a satisfied, grateful way. A marvelous adventure for sure!

Stop Two: Ottawa

When Tim first mentioned Ottawa as a stop on our trip, I looked at him blankly. Being an ignorant American, I knew nothing about it. All it took was for him to show me a picture of the Parliament buildings at night, though, and I was on board.

Once again we stayed at a fancy hotel, the Fairmont Chateau Laurier, which looks like a castle and is next door to Parliament. This was extremely convenient given that we wanted to catch the Northern Lights sound and light show on Parliament Hill - which didn’t start until 10pm. It was a cool, interesting glimpse of Canadian history. But before that we enjoyed a nice walk all around Parliament Hill - and noted that Ottawans are very active, taking advantage of their plentiful trails and canals.

With the exception of our first dinner in Montreal, we had perhaps our best meal at a pub in Byward Market, a quick walk from our hotel. We sat outside in their back patio on what was a truly perfect evening, weather-wise, and enjoyed delicious burgers, etc.

Tim wisely suggested we return to Byward Market for breakfast as well as to grab picnic items before heading to Montreal. (I will go ahead and tell you that he planned this entire trip, and totally nailed it!) We enjoyed delicious pastries, then found fabulous fruit, cheeses, meats and a baguette. Then we hit the road again!

Stop One on our Canadian Road Trip: Toronto

Of the three cities we planned to visit, I was the least enthused about Toronto. Not exactly sure why - I think I assumed it would feel the least “foreign” and thus not as exciting. While I still wouldn’t cite it as my favorite, it was such a joy seeing how much Clare, in particular, loved it. Plus, Tim set us up at the swanky Fairmont Royal York Hotel, which was gorgeous and across the street from the also-cool Union Station.

Before we trekked to historic downtown Toronto, we first visited the Toronto Zoo. It’s vast and well worth the visit. Tim and Clare thought the gibbon was the best animal, but they are wrong because the grizzly bear was awesome. We also got a great up-close view of this beautiful, huge tiger.

Other Toronto sights included Casa Loma, which was a hit (Laura really enjoys audio tours) and the Royal Ontario Museum, which was...big and maybe a bit underwhelming for our group.

We also visited the University of Toronto per Clare’s request - and she was quite smitten. Hmmm.

Ever since our weekend in Savannah, Laura has loved the idea of hotel pools, so we made sure to check out the one at the Fairmont! Robes were a fun addition.

Our time in Toronto also included some great meals (and one frustrating evening of discovering that *many* people were also trying to dine out), time spent on the waterfront, and riding their excellent subway. We departed fans!

Back to Buffalo

After last year’s hiatus, taking us to Hilton Head instead, we eagerly returned to Buffalo, and one last visit to the house on Grimsby. This was a shorter trip, in order to make time for our great Canadian road trip, but we managed to squeeze in quite a bit (including dinner at PCC, with the traditional photo on the rock featured above).

We ladies enjoyed tea at the White Linen Tea House.

We of course visited the Buffalo Zoo, and a dinner at Chef’s - a Buffalo classic.

We were also fortunate to spend another great day with the Wards at Bay Beach. Not pictured was the delightful evening we spent at the Lennons, with lots of laughter, food and memories. And two trips to the Park Club pool, one where we had it all to ourselves. We always love our time in Buffalo!

Danny’s New Smile

Today Danny shed his second (and final!) round of braces. So handsome, and so nice to head into Marist metal-free!

Danny’s ND Soccer Life

For years, Danny was never particularly interested in summer camp, aside from the occasional day-camp. But when presented with the opportunity to combine his love of soccer with a week at ND with a best buddy, he was all in!

We are fortunate that Luke’s grandparents live less than two hours from South Bend, so his mom drives the kids up every summer. She gladly added Danny to their crew, meaning I just had to get him home. A trip to campus? No problem!

The boys were assigned to Dillon, one of the older, original dorms - and quite a hike from the soccer fields and North Dining Hall (where they ate all their meals). Nor did they have AC, a tough draw in July. Nevertheless, they had a terrific time, with quite a bit of soccer.

For my part, I relished some quiet time on campus, and a room at the Morris Inn all to myself!

It should also be said that the night before they headed to camp, Danny enjoyed a very fun night on the lake at Luke’s grandparents’ house. Sadly, the following morning the grandparents woke up with the rotavirus, which means Luke’s mom and I were on edge most of the week, wondering if the boys would succumb. Thankfully they did not! Perhaps the luck of the Irish, more likely the power of prayer. Grateful all around!

Ecuador Noonday Artisan Trip

This trip was three years in the making. My first year with Noonday, I surprised myself by earning a trip - I hadn’t known what to expect from this endeavor. We weren’t prepared for me to carve out a week to travel internationally, by myself, so we agreed that I would strive to earn one again the following year, this time with the intent to go. I did, I registered to go to Guatemala, I bought all the things...and then a volcano erupted, forcing Home Office to cancel the trip. As they say, the third time’s the charm (this time with my in-country expenses covered)!

A few of us were fortunate enough to head to Quito a couple of days early, allowing us to begin acclimating to the altitude and explore some before the busy itinerary began. We checked out the impressive, moving, and scenically-located Guayasamin home and museum, then made our way to historic Quito for dinner at a restaurant with a breathtaking rooftop view. The following day we headed up into the Andes to spend the day at a thermal hot springs spa. I relished the contrast of the chilly, rainy air and hot water if the springs - plus a delicious lunch and relaxing massage. Our hotel was also really lovely and peaceful, albeit a trek from downtown.

Our first official day was jam-packed, with a trip to the Equator, a visit to Doña Gladys’ tagua workshop (which she runs with her husband and her son, who is in school studying mechanical engineering), and then a drive to Otavalo. 

The following morning we visited Doña Moni’s tagua workshop - an operation she had to take over solely after her husband died in an accident - and then Luis and Marina’s home and workshop. They’ve partnered with Noonday since 2015 and have experienced so much growth and expansion in that time! Their home has flourished, they build a separate workshop, and they can even afford a musical education for their son. It was a beautiful thing to witness.

We spent the afternoon lunching by this stunning crater lake, surrounded by volcanoes, and then some of us went on a boat ride while others headed to the leather market. Oh, and several of us bought hats!

The next day we made our final artisan partner visit, to Andean Collection. After some great ice breakers and conversation learning about the women who work there, we were paired up and shown how to bead a necklace. Humbling, for sure! Maria Paz was my partner (and ultimately finished mine for me - I was s l o w).

We concluded our final day in Otavalo with lunch, shopping in the renowned market, a trip to a nearby waterfall (where we found llamas!), and then a dinner where Luis and Marina surprised us with a live performance from Luis’ traditional band. It was such a festive evening!

Back to Quito for a tour of the historic district, and then our official farewell dinner. There are several rooftop tests in Quito, because the views are exquisite! Our hotel was charming, too.

On our final day, several of us headed up the Teleferico to an elevation of 14,000 feet. Magnificent! The swing was such a fun, unexpected experience, too. Eventually we made our way back down and to lunch, then another market for shopping, and finally our last dinner (a.k.a. “The final table”) before heading to the airport. 

A FULL week of friendship, learning, and adventure that left my heart full, too.