This little ferry that we're on crosses from Plaisance, Quebec to Hawkesbury, Ontario. It can hold about six cars, but on this trip, there were just two, plus four motorcycles who were making the interprovincial crossing of the Ottawa River. Once on board, the song "Ferry Cross the Mersey" came immediately to mind, and hasn't left yet! Perhaps by writing it I will finally expunge it!
The day trip that we took last Sunday was appropos of nothing other than the need to see something different than the usual places we tend to visit. So with no direction other than east in mind, we headed along the Quebec side of the Ottawa River. Once past Ottawa it became less familiar and therefore, more interesting as we visited small towns and villages that we established 150 years ago to help manage all the logs that were being cut and sent to sawmills along the river. Of course, the first building to receive more than the old loggers (and our) cursory attention was the church.
The exterior of this lovely old Catholic church in Papineauville could use a little TLC, but
my guess is that paint isn't high on the Brothers' priority list these days.
The interior of the church was soft and lovely.
Not to mention rather high and mighty.
We love to visit these old churches found throughout eastern Canada. Most are spectacular architectural statements and a testament to the power and strength of the Church in Canada during the mid to late 1800's, as well as the early to mid 1900's.
That's definitely changed.
Our Sunday drive took us past many small little cheese shops, where we purchased several different types of soft, unripened artisanal cheese, a lovely mustard~maple vinaigrette, a gorgeous loaf of gruyere and basil bread and some micro brewery lager beer.
So then of course, we needed to stop for a wee rest break at a small municipal park.
In Quebec it should be noted that the women are revered, and treated to the best of everything.
Including outhouses.
The men, however, are expected to tough it up, and to be manly men.
And if they stop to use this facility, perhaps they should also bring a pee shooter.
This is one use for a funnel I have never seen before!
The contrast between Church and State is sometimes described as a hit and a miss.
for other interesting scenes visit http://skyley.blogspot.com/
