Road Trip, Day 21 - Quebec

For the first time in a long while, we did a bunch of stuff together as one group today. We started with going to the top of the tallest building in Quebec - 31 floors - called L'Observatorie for a 360 degree view of the city. Then we walked to the chocolate museum - a tiny little place, but they did have a lot of info about cocoa and where it comes from and how it's turned into chocolate (and the history of all that happening around the world). They also had an entire working mantle clock made of chocolate as well as sculptures and other works of edible art. We got samples, too, and then we all swarmed the retail section to buy a bit of heaven to take with us. I got J.J. a milk chocolate dipped marshmallow and I enjoyed a chocolate cookie.

While others were making their chocolate purchases, I ran next door to a mini-mart to get some uniquely Canadian chips to share with the kids. They have sweet chili & sour cream flavor, dill pickle flavor, but I got the Ketchup chips for the kids to try. I also got some Honey & Roasted Garlic chips since I'd never had those before. Very fun (and most of the kids instantly fell in love with the ketchup chips).

Next we drove to a nearby mall that had an entire amusement park inside. J.J. and I hung out together and wandered through the shops. I found a great little

antique/gift shop with the cutest items. They had a Dollar Tree type store, also, but items were more than just a Canadian dollar. After the mall, we headed to the Parc-de-la-chute Montmorency: a beautiful waterfall taller than Niagara and wider than Multnomah Falls. I was so worn out that I opted to stay in the bus with a few others while the group hiked up hundreds of stairs to an observation deck and bridge that went across the top of the falls.

The kids picked 2 from each group to do Costco shopping this evening, but couldn't find everything the American Costo's stock. When they got back, the staff went out to dinner and I ordered the cheese fondue to share. What I was served was a little wheel of breaded and deep-fried cheese, but boy was it good. I slathered it on the crusty french bread that was served with it and a little side salad. For dessert we shared a trio of creme brulee (chocolate, espresso & vanilla) and a plate full of little vanilla ice cream-filled pastry puffs topped with hot fudge (called Panetafoles?).