Quebec: Vacation in our neighbor

We just returned from a short vacation to Quebec. While it was only a few days, we managed to cram quite a bit of fun into that time. 

The iconic Quebec Bridge

Native Wendat dancers

Cas Cous stairs

Fruits of summer at farmers market

Isle d'Orleans Bridge

The power of Montmorency Falls

Got to love maple dip!!

Our ancestral home

Jeanne d'Arc garden

poutine

Belgium: Planning a visit to Belgium

Belgium is a small country in the northwest section of continental Europe. It is the home of more battlefields than any other country in Europe. Beyond that, it is home to some of the best chocolate in the world and is a wonderful mix of French and Flemish culture. When you are planning to travel to Belgium, you will want to check the best websites for Belgium travel information. Here are a few to get you started.

Country Sites

Visit Belgium is a beautiful website that will entice you with great pictures of things to see and especially great food, the mussels in their bucket look particularly succulent. If you ever had any doubts about travel to Belgium, this site will make you wonder why you waited so long. Belgian Bites takes you to the best of beer, chocolate, and restaurants. Our Cities will introduce you to the cities you may have been considering and maybe even some that are new to you.

Visit Belgium is the official website of the Belgium Tourist Office and is certainly one of the best Belgium travel websites available. For a comprehensive look at what Belgium has to offer, it is hard to beat.

Region sites

Belgium the Place to Be covers Brussels and Wallonia and is another official tourism site. It has lots of practical information about area codes for calls, airports and transfer information, and currency exchange. While not as exciting as Visit Belgium, this website has lots of good information. Under destinations, it offers some wonderful cities in Wallonia which include of course Waterloo.

If you are visiting Wallonia, the French-speaking portion of Belgium, Belgium Tourism is another official website to use for the best travel information. If you click on either Brussels or Wallonia you can then choose the type of travel you are doing. Are you traveling as a family, a couple or with the girls? Under Brussels suggestions will be offered for all of these Under Wallonia it is has couples and families but also cities and forests etc. An excellent way to find out all the options that are available.

If however, your trip includes Flanders, Visit Flanders.com is the official guide for the Flemish speaking part of Belgium. It starts by asking you where you are from and then makes sure the information is geared to our country of origin. You can sign up to receive their online e-newsletter. There are suggestions for what to do, what to see and where to stay. You can also order brochures and they have a very nice selection of both guides and maps. This is the ultimate website for travel to Flanders, I have personally used it and loved it.

City Sites

Visit Brussels is the official site of the Brussels Tourism Bureau. While just about every website has some information on Brussels, this is the definitive one. Learn about the Brussels Card, nightlife, and exciting happenings and of course the best in food and accommodations. The latest information on what is happening in the city is here at your fingertips. It is a particularly good looking site with lots of magnificent pictures. If you want to get a sneak peak at things to see, this site offers that in spades.

Pick your language and enter Visit Gent to learn about the exciting Belgian city of Ghent or as the Belgian spell it Gent. The home page jumps right in with articles about the Adoration of the Mystic Lamb and the Castle of the Counts. It also tells you that Gent is the veggie capital of Europe. You decide if that is helpful information or not.

Visit Bruges is a great website n if you want specific information about Bruges. It includes all the practical information you will need to make your visit to this amazing World Heritage City just perfect. Beyond just the listing of places to stay and the more obvious places to see and things to do, it allows you to find out what will be on during your visit. There is a section about the museums and also the current and future exhibits.

The site offers brochures that you can print to help you with whatever information will make your visit just perfect.

When you are planning a vacation in Belgium, there are a lot of resources at your fingertips. Use one of these sites or use them all to plan your perfect Belgian vacation. These are among the best Belgium travel websites.

Hotel Review: Quality Inn and Suites Levis Quebec

We were looking for someplace to stay that was close enough to Quebec City to make it a reasonable choice and most of all affordable. I am familiar with Levis which is across the St Lawrence River from Quebec City and thought it might be a good option. I found Quality Inn and Suites on booking.com and the rates were good and the amenities were exactly what we were looking for.

The hotel is close to Route 20 (the Trans Canada Highway), has an indoor pool, workout room and includes breakfast.

We arrived at about 5:30 p.m. and the lobby was full of people. I expected quite a wait to check-in but the staff was very efficient, spoke perfect English and told us everything we needed to know. Especially that the coffee and juice is available 24/7.

We had a king room and our son had a double queen room. The difference was that his was a corner room, he had more windows that we did but we had a chair and ottoman which he didn’t have. The rooms are both spacious.

Our king bed was huge and had great pillows and a very firm mattress. The A/C kept the room very comfortable. We also had a microwave, mini fridge, and Keurig coffee maker.

I was delighted that the TV had all the major American channels. For years, we never watched TV when we were here since my husband doesn’t understand French.

The bathroom was not large but the tub is extra deep, it is a great soaking tub. It has the optional handheld showerhead. The pressure was good and there was plenty of hot water. Be careful with that showerhead, it tends to want to spray into the room!!

Wi-Fi is free, you just have to put in the code. It was strong and always available. 

The pool is small but it is heated and was perfect for the great-grandson to enjoy. They also have a small playscape on the side of the building. 

Breakfast is served from 6 to 9:30 a.m. It is one of the best hotel breakfasts I have ever had and certainly the best one that is free. Where else do you get pain au chocolate at a buffet? Or croissant? Really fresh local bread? Hot boiled eggs? They also have scrambled eggs, baked beans, English sausage, make your own waffles with real maple syrup and the best jams and jellies. You can have a cappuccino for breakfast along with your juice. Fresh fruit, bananas, and apples, cold cereal, yogurt and bagels.

Coffee, tea, specialty coffees, iced tea, and juice is available in the lobby 24/7 at a drink bar with machines. 

The price for three nights was $350 inclusive and when you consider the amount of taxes that are added here in Quebec and the exchange rate, we did quite well. 

A Tim Horton’s and Scores are right across the street so you can walk out and get food if you get hungry. The large parking lot has free parking and even an electric car charging station was available. 

We did notice on our last day that we even have a view across the river to Quebec City and we could see the Chateau Frontenac. 

This is our new favorite hotel and I will be likely to try to find a Quality Inn and Suites when I travel in the United States in the future 

Websites to help plan a vacation in Virginia

Virginia’s tourism slogan is Virginia is for Lovers and if you are like so many other visitors, you will find yourself in love with this amazing state. From the Atlantic Ocean to the Shenandoah Valley, Virginia really is the perfect place for lovers and for families as well.

Virginia.org is the official website of the state of Virginia. It has one of the most attractive slide shows of any of the travel websites. It is large, it covers the full width of the screen and has seven screens that rotate. The screens will change with the seasons to give you up to the minute information. For Summer 2015 this includes Craft Beers, Summer Fun, Theme Parks and Big Name Concerts just to name a few.

Under the slideshow is a section called Now In Virginia which has six sections that again will change as the season's change and under that a section called Virginia Experiences. The site offers the option to search for upcoming events by a wide variety of categories within a date range and by region.

Above the slideshow, there are tabs that you can click for additional information. Welcome offers general information that will apply to most visitors, there are Maps of regions, Deals, suggestions for Things to Do, Events, and Places to Stay.

This is a great looking site with loads of really valuable information. It is the place to start your research when it comes to a Virginia vacation.The site includes a trip planner so you can save what you find and you can also order the 2015 Travel Guide.

Visit Richmond is the website of the capital of Virginia, Richmond. This historic city which was also the capital of the Confederacy has a lot to offer to any visitor. This website is a great way to discover all the things you should do if Richmond is part of your Virginia vacation plans.

Two sets of tabs are located on the homepage, one at the top and one larger set above the slide show. The top set offers help to media and meeting planners but also offers Civil War and Emancipation and Sports. The Civil War and Emancipation tab brings you to another page where there are links to such topics as Civil War Sites, Battlefields, Lincoln Tours, Civil War Events and Slavery and Emancipation. If you are visiting Richmond with the Civil War experience in mind, this site will certainly provide that.

The second set of tabs includes Things to Do, Events, Where to Stay, Plan Your Trip and About the Area. A very useful and easy to navigate website for tourists who are considering making their base in or near Richmond.

Visit Williamsburg is a great place to start your research for a visit to one of Virginia’s most popular destinations. It is not the official site for Colonial Williamsburg which has its own site. While most visitors to the area will want to visit Colonial Williamsburg, there are lots of other things to see and do in the area. The slide show on the Visit Williamsburg site offers a variety of freedoms that visiting the area provides including the Freedom to Relax, The Freedom to have Fun and The Freedom to be Curious.

Visit Williamsburg includes Busch Gardens, Yorktown and Jamestown and all the wonderful museums associated with these areas. Known as the Historic Triangle, Williamsburg, Yorktown and Jamestown offer a very family friendly vacation environment.

When you are planning a visit to Virginia, you will want to use the best Virginia travel websites to plan your trip. You can start with these suggestions and I am sure you will find some that meet your needs. 

Flashback Thursday: Fabulous Van Buuren Museum Brussels

Located in the former home of David and Alice van Buuren, this fabulous museum is one that should not be missed. The house, built in the deco style from plans drawn by David van Buuren, was constructed in the 1920s. It is a beautiful house in its own right, but the main reason to visit here is its exceptional art collection.

#vanbuurenmuseum

The museum is not located in the center of town. We took the tram to the Edith Cavell stop and then walked up Churchill to the roundabout. Go left at the roundabout to the first street, which is Ave. Leo Errera. The museum is down the street on the right-hand side. It is not well-marked and can be a little tricky to find. Go to the front door and ring the bell to be let in. This heightens the impression that you are a guest at a private home instead of a tourist. Once you have purchased your ticket, you will need to hang up your coat and put protective covers over your shoes. When you see the beautiful floors, you will understand why. 

The first room you visit is the dining room. The furniture is built from exotic woods in the deco style with definite oriental touches in the decor. A large picture window opens the room to the gardens. The walls have cases built in to display an attractive collection of china. The room has a peaceful aura, enhanced by a startling blue ceiling between sycamore beams. I kept waiting to see Joan Crawford with her big padded shoulders come strolling through the door. 

The Brazilian rosewood staircase is magnificent, with a sculpture sitting on the newel post. I really regret not being able to photograph in the house; this feature, in particular, is hard to do justice to and words alone are inadequate. Above the stairway hangs an unusual bright glass paste and bronze lamp.

Several of the pieces of art in the house are spectacular. The most famous is Bruegels "Fall of Icarus." It is in the reception room with three paintings by Fantin Latour. Upstairs there are some very rare paintings by Hercule Seghers, who was Rembrandt’s teacher. Only 14 known paintings are in existence and David van Buuren owned five. Impressive to say the least. Add a Joos van Cleve Madonna, some really fine furniture, and a very pretty garden and you can spend a very enjoyable hour or two here. Entrance fee is €10 for the house and garden. 

Photography is not allowed inside the house.

Indiana: Museums at Washington and Chapin in South Bend

The amazing Studebaker National Museum is located in South Bend, Indiana. While Notre Dame is probably West Bends most famous attraction, this museum should not be far behind.  On our trip out to Rockford, Ill. in 2013 this was our third nights stop. I was totally unprepared for what an amazing museum it really is.   

At first glance, this seems to be a rather standard auto museum with loads of beautiful  cars on display but with a little deeper look, the layers of this museum are revealed. It is part of a complex called The Museums at Washington and Chapin and together with the J.D. Oliver House (Copshaholm), the Historic Oliver Gardens and the Worker’s House; it is The Center for History.

Purchase your ticket at the Studebaker National Museum. You need to register for a guided tour of the J.D. Oliver House. Guided tours are conducted at regular intervals so be sure to check with the website or give the museum a call before you visit to avoid disappointment. Tours are also limited in size, so if it is a busy day keep this in mind. You need to be able to climb stairs to visit here. 

Studebaker National Museum

We started our visit to this complex at the Studebaker Museum. The museum covers two floor and the exhibits are done chronologically. You begin on the first floor learning about the Studebaker family and there journey to the auto industry.  

One of the most fascinating exhibits is on this first floor, it is four presidential carriages. One of the most spectacular is the one the President Abraham Lincoln rode in the night that he went to Ford’s Theatre. It is an amazing piece of history.

The second floor has the later vehicles produced by the company including the Lark and the Avanti. There is an elevator in this building so there is no problem with moving between the floors.

Back on the first floor in the other wing of the building there is an exhibit along one wall entitled “Lincoln Highway: Centennial Reflections”. It celebrates the 100th anniversary of this iconic road that connects New York City with San Francisco and travels for over 3,000 across the country.

Oliver Mansion

A quick walk outside the rear of the building that houses the Studebaker Museum and The Center for History is the J.D. Oliver House. The house was designed by a New York architect Charles Alonzo Rich. Like any other city, there was a certain amount of competition among the wealthy residents to have the nicest home and South Bend was no exception.

Built between 1895 and 1896 the house is a 38 room mansion built of gray stone in the Queen Anne style. The Oliver family had earned their money in the plow business and this house was the way to show off that wealth. The family lived in the house for more than 70 years. Today you can take a peek at what their life was like.

Worker’s House

The contrast between the home of the workers and the Oliver House could not be more vast. Most of us can relate to this since our ancestors would have been the workers.  

Oliver Garden

We did not have time to tour the gardens but they are very much as they would have been in the era of the house 1915.  A tea house, a pergola, a fountain, tennis lawn and formal Italian gardens make up the area you can visit. 

Center for History

Located in the same building as the Studebaker Museum, the Center for History is indeed loaded with history. We had a very short time to tour we were left wanting more. Galleries with a wide variety of displays from items that belong to the Oliver family to the Native American history of the area are offered. One display that stands out is the one about the South Bend Blue Sox of the All-American Girls Professional Baseball League.

I can’t begin to tell you how much we enjoyed our visit to this complex and how wonderful all the parts of it are. I wish we had more time to visit here but certainly allow an entire day. 

Flashback Thursday: What to do on a long flight

I am not a fan of flying,  flying these days is not fun. The amount of space has shrunk so that it is nearly impossible to even cross your legs and when you are taking a long flight, you may well wonder how you can pass the time and how you will survive. 

Having just returned from Ireland we had to deal with a flight of around 6 hours. Of course, you are in your seat at least a half hour before departure and then with landing etc. it is long. I will say that on the way back west, the movies were so good on the in-flight entertainment that I watched three. When combined with having lunch and a snack, before we knew it we were landing in Boston. 

In addition to movies, we could play games, listen to music and watch TV. My screen froze after the 3rd movie and I was not able to use it again. A request for help from the staff went unanswered, but that is for another post. 

Other ways to pass the time on a long flight include reading. I brought along a book and several magazines for just this purpose. Playing cards is also fun and something that Al and I have done many times. Travel games are designed to be used under these types of circumstances. 

If you are traveling to a country where a different language is spoken, using the flight time to listen to language recordings on an iPod or iPad is a great way to arrive with a little extra knowledge. 

Our flight had WiFi so you can feel free to use your laptop, tablet or smartphone. I did play games on my phone. 

While long flights in economy class can be uncomfortable and boring, today's planes offer plenty of opportunities to entertain yourself. If all else fails, you can always take a nap and dream of your destination.