Smile, It's Free :)

Earlier this morning, on a stoplight, I caught myself staring at a bus 100% électriques. It amazed me how the city is slowly adapting to a technology that reduces greenhouse-gas emissions (hello, air pollution). It may come at a very steep price for the city, but if it means being more environmentally friendly and sustainable, then that is something worth looking into and investing. Surely, the well-being of every tax-paying citizen must be the utmost priority of the government. However,  this post isn't about the technicalities of such. Before our light turned green, I saw the bus driver smiling at me, a smile so warm and wide it made my morning. I waved in exchange of his thoughtful gesture. My husband, although sitting on the passenger seat, missed all this. I told him how that gesture was appreciated. Some people say Canadians are generally friendlier that Americans, but I'd like to say that in this situation I just viewed it as two people trying to start their day with kindness. After all, it's always a good idea to start our day smiling. 

Bonjour from this sunny side of Quebec! Xx

A Cold Sunny Afternoon

Sunday turned out to be the sunniest day of last week. We've been planning to spend it walking and discovering another nearby commercial area in Montreal. Rue Sherbrooke is a thirty-minute walk from our house and is considered the second longest street in the city. The long stretch of street was filled with various architecture, shops, art galleries, museums, cafes, hotels, etc. We could spend a full three days here and I am certain we still wouldn't be able to see it all. We walked from 1:30 PM to a little over 5 PM. We made over twenty thousand steps. I was dead tired by the time we arrived home and I never made it after 8 PM. My entire legs were very numb and tired, I had to ask Jan to apply Salonpas, a pain reliever patch. Would I do it again? Absolutely! Jan and I will always remain to be huge fans of long walks especially when the weather is pleasant. 

Can you spot the car?

ice popsicles as "double kill"

really grateful for the sun <3

It was still cold at -9C and temperature dropped after 4 PM, so gloves were necessary

Westmount Seventh-day Adventist church

this white adorable house stood out from the crowd

Jan and I went into several shops to browse and Quincaillerie Hogg in Westmount left us speechless. It had everything you would want inside your house. J'adore! <3

a gravy boat that's so cute you can use it as your pen holder or just display it by the kitchen shelf--makes for a nice conversation starter

Jan wanted to buy this book but I stopped him, asking him several times if he's really going to have the time to finish it what with his already busy schedule juggling school and work. He left with a heavy heart </3

Jan: If zombies were around they'd surely catch up on us because you're easily distracted and wouldn't care if they were after us
Me: Jan, let me just finish my snowball.

Bonjour from Mr and Mrs Ong!

always looking at the sunny side of life <3

It's still Christmas in February

straight out of a fairytale book-- a big beautiful castle hidden in the thick woods

Can you find the hidden cone?

Visiting Rawdon, Quebec during the Pandemic

After several months of being holed up at home and when the lockdown was lifted, my friends and I headed to Rawdon, Quebec. We had two opportunities to visit the area, the first one on the 26th of July and the second on the 8th of August. Rawdon is a popular tourist destination for foreigners and locals alike. Its mountains and vast lakes, as well as summer cottages are a sure hit to visitors. Rawdon is over an hour trip or 79 kilometers from Côtes-des-Neiges, Montreal via Autoroute 25 Nord Mascouche. There was a toll fee of $8, one way. It was fairly a smooth drive, although the roads get narrower as we got farther away from Montreal. I also noticed it was difficult to drive at night because there were hardly any street lamps and cars were coming in fast as the maximum imposed speed was 90 km/hr.

First stop was at Parc des Chutes Dorwin, or Dorwin Falls, a majestic sight to behold at 60 feet. Parking was ample, but if you go after 11 A.M. or 12 noon, expect a short wait of about 10 to 20 minutes. We arrived here before 9 AM, so the park was not crowded and we mostly had the place to ourselves. It has ecological trails for hiking and is best for beginners. There were several picnic areas and four observation decks. Swimming was strictly prohibited here, but the municipal beach and cascades would allow you to. The admission fee was priced at $12 for all three attractions (Dorwin Falls, Cascade, and Rawdon Beach). Oh, make sure you also bring your snacks or food because there were zero food trucks or stall here. 

After our grand time in Dorwin falls, we went straight to the municipal beach. It was okay. If you fancy the beach with sand, then this is for you. :)

We were too excited to go Parc des Cascades Rawdon. We heard random stories about it, all being wonderful especially in summertime. Our chicken and pork barbecues were ready for grilling. Our toes were too excited to be dipped in cool running water. We've also seen various camping tents scattered all over the vicinity. And may I suggest that you wear non-slip shoes when walking on the cascades, and don't go too far from the stones as the current can be strong. Just enjoy, chill, and watch the sunset to cap off a nice day trip. This is by far one of the most memorable places we've gone too. 

P.S. I also got to shoot some of the cute houses I've seen in the area.

when the kind owner of this house noticed us admiring it, she gladly showed us the back of her house, the pool area <3

As always, stay safe and keep a safe distance between you and others. Let's conquer the virus!