 |
|
The Chateau
Frontenac towers
over old Quebec City.
|
A
Tale of Two Honeymoons
Roving romantics Barb & Ron Kroll
love Quebec City and BC's Purcell Mountains
Trying to choose an ideal honeymoon spot?
Most newlyweds want a romantic, postcard-pretty location, good food
and lots of chances to embrace each other's company while sharing
new discoveries. Should you pick country or city? Mountains or water?
Activities or culture? The answers depend on your preferences, budget
and time of year. These two diverse Canadian honeymoon destinations
- one east, in Quebec City; one west, in British Columbia's Purcell
Mountains - satisfy all the requisites, yet cater to different interests.
Late spring, summer and fall are the best times to go.
 |
|
Crowds congregate
in Quebec City
during the summer music festival.
|
Quebec City
If your hearts are set on honeymooning in France, but you can't
afford the trip, then consider Quebec City. With its stone walls,
17th-century architecture, outdoor cafés, open-air art galleries
and horse-drawn calèches clip-clopping on cobblestone streets, Quebec
City offers the same old-world charm at a considerably lower price
tag.
The Upper Town sits on a rocky cliff 92 metres above the St. Lawrence
River. We reached the Lower Town, squeezed between the cliff and
the river, by descending the Break-neck Stairs, to Place-Royale.
Quaint homes that once belonged to wealthy merchants surround this
former marketplace. Some have been converted to elegant restaurants.
Others, especially along Petit-Champlain, the oldest street in Quebec,
are now boutiques where we shopped for copper, leather, ceramic
and handwoven handicrafts.
 |
|
Costumed
waitress welcomes patrons
at a French-Canadian bistro.
|
A funicular brought us up to Dufferin Terrace. From this 433-metre
boardwalk we had a panoramic view of the river and its boat traffic,
the town of Levis on the opposite shore, the Isle of Orleans to
the east and the Laurentian foothills to the north. More memorable
vistas awaited us at the Citadel - a huge star-shaped fortress -
and along the ramparts that encircle the city for 4.6 kilometers.
Place d'Armes is Quebec's pulsating center of activity. For a handful
of coins, folksingers, jugglers, and musicians entertained us for
hours. On Rue du Tresor, one street over, we found artists selling
inexpensive, though surprisingly good, paintings of the Old Town.
The Chateau Frontenac, the majestic castle-hotel that dominates
the Place d'Armes, is a romantic honeymoon abode. We also found
cozy accommodations in local guesthouses that were reminiscent of
the quaint Left Bank hotels of Paris.
 |
|
Scouting
works by local artists
in Quebec City
Photo by Ron and Barb Kroll
|
Restaurants, bistros, bars and outdoor cafés reminded us of France.
Our favorite place served Quebecois cuisine. At Aux Anciens Canadiens,
housed in a 300-year-old cottage, the tourtière and maple syrup
pie tasted as if our grandmothers lovingly prepared them over a
wood fire.
Afterwards - as we meandered arm-in-arm along the cobblestone streets,
savoring the old city's charm, the ringing church bells and the
clip-clopping calèches - we felt as if we were on a romantic time-trip
back to 17th-century Europe.
For details, contact the Quebec Tourist Office.
Phone: 1-800-363-7777.
Website: www.quebecregion.com
Win a trip to romantic Quebec City
Click on WIN
 |
|
We
huddled in a circle, around our
packs waiting for the helicopter.
Photo by Ron and Barb Kroll
|
British Columbia Mountains
After a hectic wedding, the serenity of British Columbia's Purcell
Mountains is a welcome relief. Glaciers swirl like thick meringue
over jagged peaks, while wildflowers carpet alpine meadows at their
feet. The only way to reach this pristine setting is by helicopter.
In winter, several Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) lodges provide
accommodations for heli-skiers. In summer, five of these mountain
lodges become bases for people who want to explore landscapes reminiscent
of the musical Sound of Music.
We stayed at Bobbie Burns Lodge, just 1½ hours from Lake Louise,
Alberta. Our package included meals, helicopter transfers, guides,
hiking boots, insulated hooded jackets, wind pants, rain ponchos,
day packs, water bottles, snacks and even sunscreen. We only needed
to pack shorts and T-shirts, hats, toiletries and cameras.
We felt no pressure to hike long distances. Guides divided us into
slow, intermediate and fast groups, based on our interests and abilities.
Each morning, after a bountiful buffet breakfast, a Bell 212 helicopter
picked us up in front of the lodge. We huddled in a circle, around
our packs, as the thwop, thwop, thwop of the rotor blades drew near
until our guide tapped us on our shoulders, indicating it was safe
to enter.
 |
|
We relaxed
by turquoise lakes
Photo by Ron and Barb Kroll
|
Inside, two long seats held 10 passengers, while a wonderfully cozy
side seat, which we always picked, was perfect for two. Holding hands,
we watched IMAX-movie views scroll by our large window, as the helicopter
banked over alpine firs, crested razor-sharp ridges and whirled above
emerald lakes and rumpled white snowfields.
Each day's hiking brought new thrills: Hopscotching over stepping
stones in trickling streams of melting glaciers. Admiring red-stemmed
saxifrage and yellow orchid-like monkey flowers. Photographing a mother
ptarmigan, with her cheeping baby chicks. Discovering an abandoned
mine, complete with pick axes and glittering chunks of fool's gold.
For lunch, we relaxed by turquoise lakes, picnicking on sandwiches,
fruit, Swiss chocolate and granola bars. Later, the helicopter transferred
us to a different peak for new adventures and more breathtaking scenery.
Once, we landed by a glacier covered with watermelon snow (tinted
pink by algae). We climbed up to an ice-blue cave, then descended
along rushing waterfalls to a glacial pond, filled with tiny icebergs.
Our favorite peak was Vertigo, where we sat on sun-warmed pencil slate
on a narrow ridge. Sipping Champagne, poured by our guide, we gazed
in awe at the 360-degree panorama of frosted peaks piercing the periwinkle
skies around us. Cloud nine. Rocky Mountain high. Whatever it was,
we were on top of the world.
 |
|
Each
day's hiking brought new thrills
Photo by Ron and Barb Kroll
|
The helicopter brought us back to the lodge each evening, where
hors d'oeuvres and dinner with wine awaited. Afterwards, we enjoyed
massages, played board games by the fireplace and luxuriated in
the outdoor hot tub under a star-filled sky.
A glance through the guest book confirmed that others shared our
ecstatic feelings about heli-hiking. "Pure magic," wrote one couple.
"Scenery beyond description. Guides above expectation. Fabulous
food. Adventure of a lifetime," penned another. "It made our honeymoon
very special," added two newlyweds. "We'll carry these memories
for a long time." So will we. Details: Phone CMH: 1-800-661-0252
Website: Canadian Mountain Holidays (CMH) www.cmhhike.com
Barb and Ron Kroll have traveled more than 3 million kilometers
around the world.
Among their award-winning photographic and writing credits is their
recent contribution to National Geographic's new Great Family
Adventures.
|
