Life on Zingara

As we couldn’t move until the 1:30 lock schedule, Rick took a bike ride to check out the brewery, while I had some time to myself.  By 10:00, we walked over to Fort Chambly /Fort Richelieu, a National Historic Site of Canada, which was part of a series of 5 forts built along the Richelieu River by the French in 1675. Looking out onto the Richelieu River from the fort As we still had time before our 1:30 departure, we found a fabulous little cafe, and had a wonderful lunch! I think I ordered he Croque Dame Tartine (see below) Then it was time to return to Zingara and get her ready for the locks. After Lock #9 (4:45 pm), we tied up along the wall for the night – preparing to get up early to make it to Plattsburg on time!

We left Montreal early, by 7:30, We had docked Zingara along that plain cement wall ... A wild cruise ship that was docked in a nearby marina. Good bye, Montreal! to travel northeast down the St. Lawrence Seaway to Sorel, Quebec by 11:00 am.   Then, we turned south, traveling through more of Quebec,  towards the Richelieu Canal system (the Chambly Locks). Update from last evening (Wednesday, 9/27):  While at Happy Hour @ Les 3 Brasseurs (105 Rue Saint Paul, Old Town, Montreal) Rick received an email about a condo for sale in Milford, MI. Meanwhile, our son, Alex received a job offer from one company, and scheduled a 4th interview with another company.  They’re flying him out to Virginia on Friday (tomorrow).  Wow! When it rains it pours! Speaking of which --- after 3 weeks of “summer weather” (sunny, hot, humid), yesterday evening, a storm went through --- so we HAD to have another beer @ les 3 Brassuer (oh Darn!), which co...

What!?!   Clouds this morning?    But at least it's not raining. Somewhere along our way, we came to a lift bridge.  We called it on our VHF radio, and they said there was some repair work going on. You can only image our surprise when they announced over the radio, that they were going to lift the bridge -- WITH THE WORKMEN ON IT! Can you see the trucks up there?   So, we followed a sailboat underneath, and continued our trip, through the St. Catherine Lock, and the St. Lambert Lock, and the Lachine Canal Locks, on our way to the Old Port of Montreal!. Roller Coasters on the island that hosted the Worlds' Fair and the Formula One races     Our marina, the Port D'Escale at the Old Port, was right near the Ferris wheel! After settling in, we took off for a walk around the Old Town!   Dinner at Modavie's!   Rick ate that whole bowl of mussels in a French garlic-cream sauce of course!!

It was another hot, beautiful day for touring the Old Town of Montreal! Zingara, along "the wall" with the city park & the city boulevards on the right Paul Maisonneuve -- the first governor, who lead the settlement (recruiting Rick's ancestors) of Montreal   Notre-Dame Basilica A very cool gallery we found with amazing carved-rock animal sculptures by native american people   We waited until after noon before we had our first beer  the view from our table -- lunch at the Jardin Nelson! at the Jardin (Garden) Nelson, which is housed in an historic building that dates back to 1812, with NO ROOF, and  flowery terraces   lunch! Rick in front of the commemorative Plaque, dedicated to the settlers of Montreal 1653 -- His paternal bloodline. at the Pointe-à-Callière Museum, after lunch --a museum of archaeology and history in Old Montreal, Quebec, Canada. It was founded in 1992 as part of celebration...

As soon as we had left the Crysler Park Marina,  and followed the wide river northeast,  we could definitely tell that  we were in the St. Lawrence Seaway!   It was quite a sight -- seeing this ship traveling up river, as we were going down!     And more ships!        We had to wait outside the Snell Lock for this gal to come through  -- she's a bit bigger than we are, and we gave her plenty of time (over an hour) & space. Waiting for these huge ships to enter and exit the locks takes along time, but the vision of the vessel that comes up out of the lock, makes it all worth while. At the same time, one can't help but marvel at the engineering feat it is to rise a ship that size several 10s of feet. Besides, we didn't have any place we HAD to be,  So, we continued our trip, through the Snell Lock (on the US side) and the Canadian Beauharnois locks (#3 & 4) and tied up in the quaint little tow...