Montreal, Canada

Tuesday, 26 Dec 2017

Most of today was spent driving from Boston to Montreal.  We took a route through New Hampshire and Vermont.  The roads were quite good and the scenery was gorgeous.  This is the most snow our kids have ever seen.

Once in our apartment, Adam and I walked 0.4 miles to the nearest grocery store for provisions.  It was so cold and miserable (-4F) we’re having big concerns about what we’re going to do tomorrow.  Even with all our layers of clothing, we simply don’t own gear that can handle these temperatures.  By the time we’d walked the less-than-one-full-mile round trip, my legs were so red it looked like I had a sunburn.  We don’t have long johns or snow pants.

Wednesday, 27 Dec 2017

For the first time in Adam and the kids’ lives, they experienced negative-degree weather. It is bringing back so many memories of Fairbanks for me. (For those who don’t now, I went to UAF my first year of college, back in 1990-91.) I’d forgotten how much this kind of cold physically hurts …. much like having the flu, you remember that it’s miserable and you hated it, but when you actually get it again you realize you’d forgotten how much it truly sucks. Today was -5F. We walked around outside as little as possible and bundled up in all our clothes.  We had so many layers it was difficult to move around.

The first two or three minutes you think, “Hey, this isn’t too bad!” — then a slight breeze kicks up and you think, “Oh my god, I’m going to die.” Isabella was seriously worried about her blood freezing as we stood outside for 6 minutes waiting for an Uber; I told her it doesn’t freeze up unless you fall asleep in a snowbank or something, like you have hypothermia so bad you pass out, THEN your blood starts to freeze, but she didn’t believe me and had to look it up online just to be safe. Josie, who has had a love affair with Canada for years in spite of never having been here said, “This is not what I had in mind. I think when I grow up, instead of moving to Canada I’ll live in one of the southern states, maybe California.” Her dream of Canada isn’t matching up with the reality of Canada.  She loves Canadian culture but wants it to swap places with Mexico.

Today was sort of a bust because walking around outside was so awful.  We ended up calling it day after lunch and spent most of it in our apartment playing Cosmic Encounter and drinking wine. (Holden won both games.)

Street in front of our apartment.

Our apartment.  Our door is the one on the middle floor with the light on. Once inside the door, you walk up another set of stairs and our apartment was the entire third floor.  Isabella stayed in the bedroom with the balcony (unused since it was so cold) and the lighted window looked out of the front living room.

Street view from our living room widow. That bueish-gray car had a really hard time getting out of that parking spot, but eventually succeeded.

Holden getting some breakfast before we head out for the day.

Montreal has a series of locations called collective “La Ville Souterraine” – or the Underground City.  There are roughly 20 miles of underground passages that connect various malls and other plazas to give folks a chance to get around downtown without ever having to go outside.

Our idea was to wander around the Underground City but it was not as neat as we’d hoped.  Nearly half of the shops were closed until January 8.   Holden likened the experience to just walking through concourse after concourse at the airport.

Big chunk of the Berlin Wall.

Art gallery that was closed.  We had to be satisfied just peeking in the windows.

Waiting for an Uber.  Isabella has two coats on underneath that big sweater.

For lunch we went to the famous (locally) Schwartz’s Deli – the equivalent of NYC’s Katz’s.  It is the oldest deli in Canada.  There is always a line out front and it took a lot of arm twisting to get everyone to stand outside for 15 minutes before we could get a table.

Almost our turn!

But the wait was worth it.  Their signature dish is the Viande Fumee – smoked meat sandwich.  We each ordered one with a side dish of poutine.

After Schwart’s, we took another Uber to the old part of Montreal.  The intention was to walk around and see what we ran into, but quickly found a Starbucks and settled in.

The kids and I refused to leave Starbucks, so Adam took off on his own because he wanted to get some pictures.  When we came back about 15 minutes later, his face was so frosted over that he looked like a White Walker, minus the creepy blue eyes.  He bought a hot coffee to warm up and we decided to just call it day and go back to the apartment.

In for the day.  Josie huddled by the window to get warmth from the sun and also from the baseboard heater by her feet. The curtain made a nice pocket of warm air so she could check in with her friends in comfort.

Someone must have texted something funny.

In light of the ever-worsening temperature forecast — tomorrow is supposed to be -16F — we’re leaving Montreal tomorrow morning (provided our car will start) and heading to Philadelphia instead. When we mentioned Philly, the kids started singing the theme song to Fresh Price of Bel Air and won’t quit, which is kind of annoying but better than hiding in our apartment from the cold and wasting two days of vacation doing nothing. We’re chalking this one up to “experience,” knowing that the kids will never forget it. We got that out of it, at least!

Thursday, 28 Dec 2017

Our car won’t start.

Adam:  I’ve already called CAA and they’ll be by in an hour or so. (CAA is the Canadian version of AAA. They have reciprocity.)

We need to pack up and be ready because once this truck gets going, I’m not turning it off until we reach the relatively balmy temps of the upper 20s in Pennsylvania!

Today was a bust.  We got an hour late start because of the dead battery.  We drove all day to Philly and arrived after dark, and then couldn’t get into our hotel.  It was a boutique hotel and they didn’t have a concierge and nobody to check us in.  Every phone number we called put us in touch with a computer and we couldn’t get an actual human on the phone.

Cold and mad, we had to get alternate lodging at Residence Inn, all 5 crammed into one small room (and grateful to have a place at all.)  For dinner we ordered delivery from Chili’s and the girl who brought the food forgot Josie’s salad meal.  Josie ordered salad because she didn’t want heavy, greasy food for dinner but she ended up having to eat part of Isabella’s pizza and part of my pasta.  She sprawled on the bed saying, “Ohhh, I’m so full I don’t feel good. I wish I’d gotten my salad.”  Just then someone knocked on the door — it was the delivery girl.  “I’m so sorry, I forgot to bring your salad.  Here it is!”  We thanked her and once the door was shut, Josie said, “You’ve got to be freakin’ kidding me!”  Crap day for the most part, although the roads were good and we’re safe, so can’t complain.

Philadelphia, PA

Friday, 29 Dec 2017

Philadelphia is much warmer (+25F or so) than Montreal so we’re able to actually get out and do things today.  It feels downright balmy!

View from our hotel room window.

Holden on his couch bed.

Independence Hall

Courthouse room in Independence Hall

Room where reps met.  There are 13 green tables, one for each of the 13 colonies (2 guys to each table.)  George Washington sat in the big Chippendale chair at the raised head table (back wall.)

Birthplace of the USA – where the Declaration of Independence was signed and where our Constitution was argued, edited and finally written.

Staircase up to second level, not always open to the public.  We got lucky.

Upstairs were some very nicely appointed rooms where the big-wigs of the day could do important things in luxurious surroundings.

Banquet hall

This room was both a library and a munitions storage.

Next up was the Liberty Bell building (all this stuff was free, which was really nice.)

Isabella is thinking deep thoughts about the Liberty Bell with her Shrek hat on.  To her left is the Honorable Senator Marco Rubio (R) of Florida.  He showed up after we were there, with family and secret service entourage in tow.

Adam:  We then made our way to view Benjamin Franklin’s grave and then did a full tour of the Philadelphia Mint.  I wish Jason was here today for that tour – we could have nerded out together in all things coin related.  The factory there is not unlike my factory in Mexico.. except they literally make money while we lose it in a more roundabout fashion.  (No photos of the Philadelphia Mint — no photography allowed.)

Betsy Ross House

Formal sitting room in the house Betsy Ross rented rooms. This home was shared at various times by a myriad of renters.  Note the Delft tile around the fireplace.

One of the bedrooms.

Betsy Ross’s bedroom where she likely sewed the flags.  She was officially an upholsterer and made other things like curtains.  Producing American flags was considered treason (back when the British were still in charge) and she could be hanged for it.  Therefore flag projects were hidden in private rooms and quickly stashed away if anyone came over. It was a dangerous undertaking, but poor women took the risk anyway because the pay was good.

Actress portraying Betsy Ross (below), telling the story of her life.  General Washington originally wanted 6-pointed stars on the flag, since a General’s star has six points.  Betsy told him that a 6-pointed star was much harder to make than a 5-pointed star and would take a significantly longer time to sew each flag.  Then she showed him a trick to make a 5-pointed star with one snip of the scissors.  He was in a big hurry to have as many flags produced as possible, so he agreed to the 5-pointed design.  The American flag uses 5-pointed stars to this day, thanks to Betsy Ross.

Cellar level kitchen.

The kids are waiting outside the Ross house, next to the tomb of Betsy and her third husband. (The first two both died.)

Adam:  We then went to the Barnes Foundation museum – I’ve been before and it’s probably my favorite art museum.  The place is just obscenely lousy with Gauguin, Renoir, Cezanne, Matisse, etc.

As always in the presence of the world’s finest art, our kids are bored.

The city of brotherly Amor, while the original sculpture is out for repairs and renovation.

After lunch we did some shopping at the Macy’s next door – because it was indoors and we were all too cold to spend more time outside.

The entire store was having massive (like 75%-90% off) after-Christmas sales.

Kids resting in the mattress department.  I haven’t looked at mattresses in years and was surprised at how different they are now than the last time we bought one back in 2001 or so.  Technology hasn’t passed the mattress industry by.

Macy’s tree and lights display

Girls buying super cheap discounted makeup and lotion in the double-clearance area on the top floor, way back in a corner.

Appomattox Court House, VA

Saturday, 30 Dec 2017

Appomattox Courhouse (name of the village, not just one building) had a population of about 150 during the civil war.  Apart from the famous McClain house (where Lee surrendered) the rest of the village is numerous other houses and structures that are either authentic, restored or re-created.  I love visiting parks with little to no tourists, and we got just that this afternoon.

Main building with Park Ranger station and museum on second floor.

Wikipedia:  One of the first battles of the American Civil War took place on the farm of Wilmer McLean at Bull Run, Virginia, the First Battle of Bull Run (First Battle of Manassas). Soon after that battle the McLeans, seeking to avoid the war, moved to the village of Clover Hill, Virginia (the name of which was changed to “Appomattox Court House,” having just become the county seat). Because of the name of the village, many mistakenly think the surrender was signed in the courthouse building. (In years past, the county seats of many rural counties, especially in Virginia, had names that were simply the name of the county plus “Court House”; some of these remain today. 

Because the First Battle of Bull Run, fought on July 21, 1861, took place on Wilmer McLean’s farm about 120 miles (190 km) to the north in Virginia, it can be said that the Civil War started in McLean’s backyard in 1861 and ended in his parlor in 1865. (Neither event, however, marked the true beginning or ending of hostilities.) McLean was a retired major in the Virginia militia. He was too old to enlist at the outbreak of the Civil War and decided to move to get away from the Civil War. After the war, he would say of himself that he moved because he loved peace, but he made a small fortune running sugar through the Union blockade. He was also a slave owner, and there are slave quarters next to McLean’s house. 

The McLean House, parlor:  Terms of surrender were discussed and approved in this room.  Lee sat on the left with the marble table.  Grant sat in the wooden chair on the right.

Upstairs bedroom of the McLean son.

Across the hall is the shared bedroom of the 4 McLean daughters, aged 2 to 20.

McLean parent’s bedroom, downstairs.

Cellar level:  kitchen with door opening out into the courtyard where the slave quarters were.

Celler level across from kitchen, formal dining room.

Slave quarters behind McLean House.  This building housed a main room and a large kitchen/dining area.  Another smaller building next to it was all bedrooms.

Kitchen/dining inside slave quarters. The McLeans were wealthy and owned 9 slaves.

Outhouse.

Appomattox Court House General Mercantile.

This is where you’d buy your stuff.  They had an odd assortment of things ranging from doorknobs to ham.

Interior of the tavern, where the 30,000 parole passes were printed.

This building was their prison.  It had cells on the top floors.  The bottom floor looked like the place where the guards would hang out.

Map of our round-trip.  Green is first half, red is second half.

We went through a lot of states on this trip.  Georgia, Tennessee, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland, Pennsylvania, New York, Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont, New Jersey, Delaware, Washington, D.C., North Carolina, South Carolina.

Until next time!