320 kilometers; 3:14 hours
After two weeks of exploring Canada's major cities, we headed into New Brunswick, which is hilly, wooded, and sparsely populated, compared to Quebec and Ontario.
When we left Quebec City, the sun was shrouded by a deep, featureless layer of clouds; the air was heavy and the light was gray. Much of the way the road was lined by thick green trees that blocked the scenery. The monotony was soporific.
The last hour we ran into the most monumental road building project we have ever seen. Earth moving and shaping on a grand scale that went on for miles and miles. It appears they are totally rebuilding the TransCanada highway, as the project extended between provinces.
Which reminds me, overall Canada seems very prosperous, judging by the amount of construction we've seen. In every city, parking lots are being turned into high-rise residences, old buildings are being preserved and re-purposed, streets are being widened and beautified. All signs point to a growing economy. Of course, the picture is exaggerated by the fact that builders want to take advantage of the mild summer weather.
The only interesting part of the trip was lunch. An intriguing billboard caused Dan to pull off the highway to eat at the Restaurant de la Montagna in St-Pascal. The waiter thought he could speak English, but he gave us a totally inaccurate view of what was being served and then botched our order. However, I ended up with delectable filet of sole; Dan got some terrific grilled shrimp. The veggies were fresh and tasty.
When we got settled in our Best Western Motel in Edmundston, I headed straight for the guest laundry, which is on the same floor as our room. It was hot and cramped, and the lights were on a sensor so I had to keep moving or I would end up in the dark suddenly.
The strange thing is that there is a foot massage studio right next door in an odd-shaped, left-over space between rooms that is hardly big enough for a broom closet. It was surreal: a reclining lawn chair, a stool, a dim light. A woman with bug eyes explained that it was called Reflexology, that it was an hour and a half treatment, that she had so many regular clients that she didn't have time for motel guests, and that she enjoyed doing it. A client arrived, female, and I could hear murmuring from her space while I worked on my laundry.
I spent the evening washing and ironing and munching on crackers. Dan went out for a steak dinner at the nearby Old Stove Steakhouse (Le Vieux Poele), having handled his laundry in Quebec City.
