Shopped ourselves out with many treasures and some artsy things ! The 1st night after shopping and exhausted we sat on a restaurant patio in the center of much action and had our dinner for a few hours. Visited and talked the hours away, all the while eye-ing all the passersby - some with their trendy clothing, some with their dogs, some not so trendy !! As we were ready to leave, I suggested that I must take home all of the shells from our seafood platters to incorporate into some paintings - in memories of Quebec. (Who knows if I would ever do this !! ) Jodie said `` NO Mom - you will embarrass me`` To which I casually said `` No one knows us here`` and shrugging a bit `` what do we care ?? ``
As our waitress wandered over Jodie quietly said (pointing to me) `` She is an artist and would like to take these shells home``. (There it was again - she is an artist - wow) The waitress looked at me and seemed to quizzingly say in a french / english accent `` For her dog ? `` to which we hysterically burst out laughing (almost falling off our chairs ) still laughing and also apologizing to her at the same time and also apologizing for the dog that was going to get nothing from this restaurant said as we were shaking our heads and hands ``NO, NO - not for the dog !! ``. Jodie tried to say again `` She does art `` Then we both said almost simultaneously `` Can you just bring the shells back to us in a take home box ? `` And the waitress understanding said ``Oh in a box - Yes `` and left with our plates. Soon to return with a take home box covered in a brown paper bag ! We laughed at our differences in language and how things sound so different when we really dont understand.
Later that evening we enjoyed a swim in the hotel pool and also a sauna which eased out the aches from our day of walking the narrow, busy, crowded, uphill and broken streets of the city.
The next day after a restful sleep, we all had a great breakfast - omeletts, crepes and pannini`s variously filled with spinach and many other veggies, ham and swiss covered with hollendaise sauce and a grilled panini with many cut varieties of fruit mounded so high on that plate.!!
Full - we left with a mothers day carnation that the restaurant gave to us. We walked and continued on our sightseeing until we finally decided to pick up our luggage from the bellhop and continue towards the bus depot to get back to Montreal First we stopped for a quick dinner meal and were able to get our bus at 5:30pm. 3.5 more hours to travel !! On the bus, sitting 2nd row from the front, the driver got on after all the passengers were sitting and gave every female each a beautiful long stemmed rose of various colors - deep yellow, soft and pale pinks, bright pinks, etc. Arriving almost at dark in Montreal, we trecked from the bus to the closest metro station - 5 minutes, each got a seat and relaxed on the last leg of our journey as we held the handles of our luggage and the shopping bags with our treasures.
Inside Jodies apt, we quickly started to unpack our small pieces of luggage in an effort to relax and unwind down from the very busy day and weekend telling Jodie we had a great time and were so happy to be able to share it with her .
Ring, ring, we had just walked in and the phone is ringing here in Montreal. Oh hi !! Its Robin, our other daughter calling from near Vancouver ! Each girl from the two opposite ends of our country. We talk about her day and weekend and our days and Mothers Day !! Later on, as we ended our call - I thought - what a wonderful day, what a great time we have had touring with one daughter & talking with the other whom we have plans to also visit in about a months time in June. Our country is just much too large as we usually only see them once each summer and at C`mas time. Sad but also makes me feel happy and fortunate !! Happy Mothers Day to everyone !!