My Mélange

Travel Tip Tuesday - Why go solo?

I know many of you out there would never think of venturing out on vacation alone, whatever the reason. 

Maybe your other half would never hear of it.  Perhaps you don't want to ditch your yearly girlfriend

getaway. Fear may rear its ugly head, making you scared to spend THAT much time alone with yourself.  

But for those of you who have already traveled solo, or some of you that may be teetering on the fence, I offer you 5 reasons to go solo.

1.  You can do what YOU want.  "What do you wanna do today?" ,  "I dunno, what do you wanna do today?"  Sound familiar? Yeah,we have all been there.  When you have one or more people in the mix trying to figure out an itinerary, someone always gets the short end of the stick, someone gets pissed off and lets face it, it is frustrating for everyone.  If you go solo, you get to skip all the drama and do whatever you want.

2.  You never miss a trick.  When you travel with other people, you spend lots of time talking to them. When you travel alone, you can become a better observer and soak up everything happening around you. You have more time to appreciate hidden details that would otherwise go unnoticed because you are focused on your companions.  These details and captured moments may very well make your trip that much better.

3.  Set your own pace.  Remember when you were in the car as a kid and Dad had to stop for coffee, Mom wanted to stop a few miles later for food and then a few minutes later your brother had to pee. You were the one whining and rolling your eyes in the back seat, crying "C,mon, we are never gonna get there!!"  You can avoid all of that by going alone.  Stop at a cafe if your feet hurt, leave the museum early if you are bored, take 50 pictures in the park without your traveling companions pacing back and forth crying "Aren't you done yet? How many pictures of the park do you really need?"

4.  Score that deal!  Picture this, you find that deal of a lifetime on the Internet, but you sigh because you have to check with so-and-so.  Gotta make sure the dates and times work for them.  By the time you coordinate and hem and haw back and forth-the deal is long gone.  Well, if you are the only one going- you get to pick the dates and book that deal!  And these days if you find it- you have to book it right away!

5.  Make new friends.  If you are traveling alone, you may find others traveling alone and strike up a conversation.  Maybe with one of the guests in your hotel, maybe with a stranger in a restaurant.  You will meet other travelers that you may never have met if you were traveling with someone else.  Perhaps you will make fast friends with folks of different cultures, in different parts of the world, that last a lifetime.  How nice that would be.

And as an added bonus, if you are lucky enough to have a significant other who  supports your solo travels, best friends or parents that are staying behind, maybe you'll  just have a built in ride to and from the airport!

***

So, who out there has traveled solo?  What do you like and dislike?  Would you do it again?  What's the best thing about it for you?  

For those of you who haven't yet, would you like to?  Why or why not?

And while you're at it, stop by Cherrye's for her Travel Tip this Tuesday!  

A Fall Stroll in Old Quebec City

Strolling down the breakneck stairway, called the Casse-Cou that leads from upper to lower town, if you head to your left, you run into the Park Montmorency.

 

It was a dreadful, rainy, windy, miserable day.  But we made the best of it.  I love the blanket of colorful fall leaves carpeting the park.  It offers a stark contrast to the black cannons and grey stone walls that would otherwise have been invisible against the steely gray pavement.  

 

I can't imagine this park being any more beautiful than in the fall.

Quebec City is a fortified city.  This park is located along the upper ramparts.  These cannons are on wheels and can be swiveled  about 120 degrees to the left and the right.  Napoléon would feel pretty safe here.

 

The spire in the background is the Séminaire de Québec.

It is a magnificent building.  The Seminary was founded in 1668.  I love the zinc mansard roof.  Trés Francais, non?

Another close-up nearby.

This is a view looking down from the ramparts on the port below.  A giant Crystal cruise-liner bellied up to the port, letting passengers off for a stroll around the city.  The lifeboats secured on the sides are larger than some houses I have been in.

Trekking back up the steep staircase, we find a lovely spot to rest our creaky knees and tired tootsies.

And stare across the main square at this beautiful stone statue and fountain.  An oxidized copper turret peaks out on the right.

And a view from the rear.  I love the red roof in the background.

***

What are some of your favorite places to visit or stroll in the fall?

More About.....Me

This is my fourth meme revealing random things about me.  If you are interested you can read the others here, here and here.

This time, Chez Loulou tagged me in late October and I am just getting around to playing.

First, the rules:

1. Link to the person who tagged you. 

2. Post the rules on your blog.

3. Write six random things about yourself. 

4. Tag six people at the end of your post and link to them. 

5. Let each person know they’ve been tagged and leave a comment on their blog 

6. Let the tagger know when your entry is up.

Since I am so late in playing, and I have played before- I am going rogue and breaking the rules.  I won't be taggin anyone specifically, but feel free to play along and let me know if you do.  

I'd love to learn more about YOU too!

Six Random Things About Me.

1.  I read every night before bed.  Faithfully.  Even if I only get though one page before the book smacks me in the face.  I can't fall asleep unless I read.

2.  I learned to drive on a stick shift.  I have always driven a stick shirt car.  I will never own an automatic.

3.  I was engaged when I was 18, or was it 19 years old.  Whew, thank God THAT didn't work out!

4.  I won the Most Perverted award at my high school prom.  Please, don't ask.

5.  I don't eat much fast food, but if and when I do, my favorite is an Arby's Roast Beef ~n~ Cheese!

6.  I believe in and try to follow Feng Shui.  Not to the point of relocating the bathroom in my house, but I try to decorate and set up my home to be auspicious.

And now it's your turn!

Old Quebec: Quartier Petit-Champlain

One of the biggest draws of Old Quebec City is the shopping street,  rue du Petit-Champlain, which is located in lower town. 

Tiny little shops, with stone facades are tucked in along the cobblestone sliver of a street with the same little hand painted artistic signs found in Europe that swing from wrought iron hangers.

You'll find everything from souvenirs, designer clothing, chocolate, art galleries, gourmet food, kitchen and cookware, other specialty shops and cafes.

This shop is the perfect example.  I love the bright two toned colors against the gray stone. Pot en Ciel is a gourmet cook's delight.  Kitchenware, dishes, pots and pans, spices, cookbooks and more.  I bought a few little treats here.

There is always a hustle and bustle in this area.  Mostly tourists of course.  But there are some wonderful stores and fun little places to eat.

The easiest way to reach it is to take the Funiculaire from Upper Town.  It drops you off right on the street.  And at $1.75 CAN, it is totally worth it- just for the view.

And the Chateau Frontenac seems even more majestic from the lower town vantage point.

If you round the corner and head for the rue Saint-Paul, you will find a quaint little square that looks like it was plucked right out of a tiny French country village.

 

And if you are looking for a quick little nosh, don't miss the Bistrot Le Pape George.  Grab a table outside this cute wine bar and enjoy some local cheese and a glass of wine.

The Quartier Petit-Champlain is a great place to get lost and soak up some French-Canadian flavor for the day.

Love Thursday: Laptop Love

I have never owned a laptop.  Until now that is.

I have been writing post after post on a Dell desktop since the day I started this blog, almost  2 years ago.

Many of my blog buddies have laptops and rave about them.  I never thought I would be someone that wanted or needed a laptop- but then I got to thinking about it.

I started to see the many benefits and started considering it.  Seriously considering it.

Up to that point, I had thought I would just get a laptop that ran Windows, like my desktop.

Then my Dad, who has a Mac, chimed in.  He was convincing me to go Mac.  And to sweeten the deal, he told me that if I went Mac, he would give me money toward it as my birthday gift.

After months of research, trips to the Apple Store to check them out, scrolling through posts and posts on the Mac forums and thinking Mac vs. PC, Macbook vs. Macbook Pro, New upgrade vs. old, white vs. black.

The moment has arrived.

This weekend I received it.  A Macbook.  Not the new upgrade (which I really didn't like), but the white Macbook.

My first laptop. My first Mac.

Ain't she a beaut!

And although there is a learning curve involved, I can tell you that I am in laptop love.  And in Mac love.

It is true what they say.

Once you try Mac....you never go back!

And if you have never seen their hilarious, ingenious commercials- click here to watch any or all the Mac ads from the last few years. 

A small warning though.  They are funny as hell, and addictive.  You may be at it for hours!

Happy Love Thursday everyone!

Zucchini and Tomato Orzo

Occasionally, I let the pantry and the fridge run very low.  Too low.

I often put together a creative, delicious dish under extreme circumstances, as was the case this week.

And, it forces me to use up food that would otherwise go bad.

This week,  I stared at a zucchini, almost past its prime. The pantry had a can of San Marzano tomatoes and some orzo.

And since I never let my garlic and onion stores run totally dry, I felt as if I could whip something up.

That is how Zucchini and Tomato Orzo was born.

I sliced both the onion and zucchini in thin half moons.  I drizzled some olive oil in the saute pan and heated it on medium.  I threw in both the onion and zucchini. 

I diced a clove of garlic and threw that in as well.  When all were soft, I squished the tomatoes in my hands and added them and all of their liquid from the can. 

I rummaged through my dried spices and added some oregano and basil as well as a shake of salt and plenty of black pepper. 

I boiled off some orzo until al dente and added it to the zucchini and tomato mixture.

I finished it off with some fresh flat leaf parsley from my herb garden and some grated Parmesan.

It was surprisingly delicious and healthy.  A true Italian victory!

Buon Appetito!

Travel Tip Tuesday : Shipping Luggage

If you have ever had felt uncomfortable about airport security rummaging through your luggage and possibly finding some of your unmentionables- you may want to consider this.

If you have ever had valuables lost or stolen from your luggage-you may want to partake.

If you have prayed, stressed and sweated on the plane about whether your luggage would arrive at the airport with you-this may be a stress reliever.

If you are tired of backaches, sore shoulders and general fatigue from lifting and dragging heavy bags around on vacation-you'll definitely want to check into it.

If you have ever actually had your luggage lost and had to spend part of your trip and extra money, purchasing clothes and toiletries- you may be the perfect candidate.

For what you ask?

For shipping your luggage!

It is not that crazy anymore.

Many travelers find it is an easy, stress-free, backache free alternative to any and all of the above scenarios, though it does still generally remain a more expensive option.

However, since the airlines are now charging for checking bags, and even slapping on extra fees  for over-sized bags, the difference between shipping and checking, might not be as large as it used to be.

Shipping bags generally makes more sense for domestic travel.  International shipping is still out of reach for most, in this budget travelers humble opinion.

There are luggage companies out there that specialize in shipping luggage and odd sized items like skis, musical instruments or golf clubs.  They offer very personalized service, but it comes at a hefty price.  They are Luggage Forward and Luggage Free.  If you can afford their fees-more power to ya!

But as a budget traveler, I'd like to suggest UPS, FedEx or DHL. 

Fast, reliable, door-to-door service, at  much better rates.

The more organized you are, the better you plan and the more advanced notice you can give, shipping at a reasonable cost is most certainly within reach!

Since I prefer DHL, I used them to price a 30 pound suitcase, 24 x 14 x 9 to go from my home in upstate NY to Savannah Georgia. 

If I shipped on Tuesday and wanted it the next day by noon, it would cost me $ 158. 43. 

But the price goes down from there. 

The best rate?  If I choose the 2 day ground option, arriving Thursday by end of day, it would only be only $17.14. 

Not bad eh?  I think it is totally do-able. 

The key here is to plan, be organized and time it just right. 

***

So what do you think?  Have you tried shipping your luggage?  Please share your experience.  If not, do you think you would give this method a try?  Is the convenience, peace of mind worth it to you?

Now, make sure to go see what Cherrye is talking about this Travel Tip Tuesday!!

Château Frontenac

The Château Frontenac is the focal point in Old Quebec City.  It can be seen from anywhere in the upper or lower town.  Its perfect location offers a spectacular view of the St. Lawrence river.

It was named after the Governor of the colony of New France, the count of Frontenac. 

It also just happens to be a luxury hotel, currently managed by the Fairmont Hotels and Resorts.  The hotel opened in 1853.  It did have a recent sprucing up for the Quebec's 400th year celebration.

I just love the stunning architecture of the building, the copper turrets, red brick and interesting heights of all the tiny roofs.  You just can't appreciate how grand it really is!!

This is a shot under the passageway, which just screams Euorpe to me.  Inside you find the grand entrance, lined with a row of about eight flying flags.  And there is a pristinely dressed doorman the help with your ever need.

If I could afford to stay here, I would in a heartbeat.  The rooms are to die for and I can just imagine the view from a room on an upper floor.  The hotel boasts four restaurants, an indoor pool and a health club.

But, I am a budget traveler, so I stayed nearby, about a block up the road.  And the good news, I was able to appreciate its beauty and European details from anywhere in Old Quebec City, for free.

If interested, you could most likely find packages or specials available for rooms with no view (what would be the point) for about $160 a night off season.  Rooms with views can go upward of $500.

Château Frontenac
1 rue des Carrières
Quebec, Quebec
Canada
866-540-4460 toll free

Travel Photo Friday : Greece is the Word

   Welcome to our 7th edition of Travel Photo Friday.

  Wow, time flies, I can't believe it has been seven months already!

  This month, my best French friend Anne, who happens to be the   Foodie  Froggy in Paris, submitted photos of her trip to Greece. 

Now mind you, this isn't Anne's first trip to Greece.  She went on vacation there 2 years ago and loved it so much, that she and her family returned again this past summer.

And from the looks of all the photos I have seen- I can certainly see why.

Let me just remind you that Anne is French, but her English is amazing!

Anne has chosen pictures from the little town of Oia in Santorini Island, because it is her favorite.

Here is what Anne writes about her favorite part of Greece:

"The history of Santorini is really interesting : it is a group of  five volcanic islands,the main one being Thera, which people tend to confuse with Santorini because it is the largest one and the most famous, but it is only one of the five islands of Santorini.

Of the others, only one is inhabited, Thirasia. The others are too small.  In 1500 BC, Santorini was a unique and round island, before the volcano eruption. This eruption entirely buried the island under layers of  lava and broke the island in several parts, with sea water in the middle. This is why many people think that the legend of Atlantis was actually in Santorini.

The main towns are Fira, Oia, Imerovigli , and Pyrgos. Each one has its own charm, but my favorite  is Oia, because it is so peaceful and quiet, away from the tourist crowds due to its location (at the extreme north end of the island, far from Fira port where all cruise ship disembark their passengers).

I love its wonderful views on the sea and the remains of the volcano, its wonderful narrow alleys with captain houses, houses built into the volcanic rock, the steps that leads down to the harbor, and of course its unique white and blue architecture. 

Some gorgeous restaurants and hotels with views that leave you speechless. What I also enjoyed a lot are the numerous art galleries with beautiful objects made with lava, great drawings, made with good taste, not at all your ordinary tourists souvenirs.

And now on with the stunning show...

As always, the captions below the photos are from Anne.

A general view of the town of Oia, which shows how high is the city and the houses like they were stuck together as to not to fall from the cliffs.

What can I say, the picture speaks for itself : breathless view, wonderful terraces, peace and quietness.

You have the feeling that the stairs will lead you directly to the sea.

The white and blue houses are not a cliché, they are everywhere and they are so so beautiful and serene.

Art galleries with beautiful objects, not the typical tourist traps.

I love them ! They are beautiful and they were seated there under the shadow of the tree, chatting quietly for hours. I want to be like them when I am their age !

------

Thanks so much Anne!!  Your photo tour makes me want to go to Greece.  Now.

Which one is your favorite?  Have you been to Greece?  Tell us about it.

Love Thursday: Broken Hearts

November is bringing chillier weather and cool breezes.  The trees are heavily shedding their colorful fall leaves.

Leaves in varied shades of red, yellow and, orange coat the green grass.

Families rake them in piles around their yards while children play in them, scattering the neatly collected leaves back over the lawn.

The other day while walking Madison, I happen to look down and spot this lovely leaf just begging me to pick it up.

It was definitely a Love Thursday keeper.  An LT post, just waiting to happen.

After a few weeks on the kitchen counter, awaiting its photo shoot, the leaf once full of life, began to wither and shrivel, just like some romances, no?

Alas, when I picked it up, this is what happened.

Oh no.  A sad ending to an otherwise perfect heart leaf.

Here's hoping your heart resembles the first photo.  Complete, whole and full.

Happy Love Thursday everyone.

History Felt Around the World

We all know that history has been made.

That history is being seen and felt around the world.

You can almost feel the sigh of relief, a new day has dawned and upon waking today it is evident that the international community is happy with our choice. 

There is not only hope resonating throughout our country, but hope, like a welcome tidal wave is swelling and flowing over the rest of the world.

Almost immediately, we are seen through different eyes.

Clearer, more hopeful eyes.

My twin passions are France and Italy.  Our standing in these countries, and the ability to forge positive relationships with them,  is something that is very important to me. 

I wondered what their leaders are thinking.

Here is a quote from French President Nicholas Sarkozy, congratulating  Obama:

"In choosing you, it's the choice for change, the opening up and the optimism of the American people. While the world is in turmoil and doubt, the American people, loyal to their values that have always been the American identity, forcefully expressed their faith in progress and the future.

"This message from the American people resonates well beyond your borders. In the moment where we must face together immense challenges, your election raises immense hope in France, in Europe, and beyond, throughout the world. This open America, united and strong, will show the way anew, with its partners, by the strength of its example and its adherence to its principles.

"France and Europe, which have always been connected to the United States by ties of history, values, and friendship, will draw a new energy from this to work with America at preserving world peace and stability."

I'd say that is a good sign.  I remain hopeful and I believe the healing has already begun. 

You can read other comments of congratulations from other world leaders to Barack Obama being elected the next President of the United States here.

Yes We Did!

photo credit : Time Magazine

Yes. We. Did.

We Barack-ed the vote!

After all the waiting, hoping, working, donating, dreaming, debating and voting, the moment has finally arrived.

For the first time in my life, I am actually so very happy with my new President elect.

President Barack Obama.

Gosh, I like the sound of that.

I guess I'll go a step further and say that for the first time, I might also have a little schoolgirl crush on our new Prez.

I feel like I was a part of history, electing the first African American President of the United States of America!!

God bless you and your wonderful family, President Obama.  I am proud to have you grace the White House. I hope you are kept safe and out of harms way. 

I know you have our backs- and we have yours as well.

Now lets roll up those sleeves, unite this great country and get to work!

***

I want to thank all of you for hanging in there with me while my blog went political for a few days. You see, no matter you were supporting, no matter which issues were most important to you, no matter what your race or religion, we should all be involved in the process of electing a President, the most important privilege that we are allowed to take part in.

That is why I wanted to dedicate my remaining posts to the election.

I received a few emails from readers who were none to happy with my election posts, telling me they were dropping me from their blog feeds, but hey, that is to be expected.  

Free county, free speech and all that.

Funny thing though, I would never think to drop them as readers if they weren't supporting my candidate.

So, join me tomorrow where we return to our regularly scheduled blog programming, with a new Love Thursday post.

 

Bittersweet

As most of you know, Barack Obama's Grandmother passed away one day before the election.  He spoke about it yesterday, at his rally in North Carolina.  He was clearly moved at the event, and teared up at one point.  Here is an excerpt about what he said last night.

"No matter what happens tomorrow, I'm going to feel good about how it has turned out because all of you have created this remarkable campaign. She is gone home. And she died peacefully in her sleep, with my sister at her side. And so, there is great joy as well as tears. I'm not going to talk about it too long because it is hard, a little, to talk about.

I want everybody to know though a little bit about her. Her name was Madelyn Dunham. And she was born in Kansas in a small town in 1922. Which means she lived through the Great Depression, she lived through two world wars, she watched her husband go off to war, while she looked after her baby and worked on a bomber assembly line. When her husband came back they benefited from the GI bill, they moved west and eventually ended up in Hawaii.

She was somebody who was a very humble person, a very plainspoken person. She is one of those quiet heroes we have all across America, who are not famous, their names are not in the newspapers, but each and every day they work hard. They look after their families. They sacrifice for their children, and their grandchildren. They aren't seeking the limelight. All they try to do is do the right thing. And in this crowd, there are a lot of quiet heroes like that, people like that, mothers and fathers and grandparents who have worked hard and sacrificed all their lives and the satisfaction that they get is in seeing their children or maybe their grandchildren or their great-grandchildren live a better life than they did. That is what America is about. That is what we are fighting for."

You can watch here.

Though she won't be here to witness her Grandson make history, good news comes from her home state of Hawaii today.  Her absentee ballot was received in October, and will be counted in the election.

***

Karl Rove has even predicted a landslide for Obama.  From his mouth, to God's ears.

There are record turn-outs all over the country.  Please, stay in line to vote.

Tiny Dixville Notch, NH,  historically the first to vote in each election, voted at 12:ooam this morning.  They have not gone Democratic since 1968, but last night voted overwhelmingly for Obama.  Obama received 15 votes, while McCain received 6.
I'd say we are off to a good start.

Please vote today.  Your country depends on you!

Get Out and Vote!!

Now is the time.  We are now down to the final remaining hours.

I encourage you all to get out and vote.

Call your friends and family.  Knock on your neighbors door.  Remind your co-workers.

Know your polling place.  Go early to avoid the lines.

Stand in line, wait until it is your turn.  No matter how long it takes.

Bring snacks, bring water, bring a folding chair.

Bring patience.

Don't turn away, don't leave, don't think your vote won't matter.

Every. Vote. Counts.

Every. Vote. Matters.

You matter.  We matter.  We all matter.

Vote for your future.

Vote for your children's and grandchildren's future.

Vote for health care.

Vote to end the war.

Vote for our great country.  Vote because you LOVE our great country.

Vote for a better world.

Vote for a better, smarter, wiser leader.

Vote to make history.

Vote for Peace.

Vote for Hope.

Vote for Change.

Whatever it is that you are voting for- just get out and VOTE!

And so I ask you, fellow Americans, what are YOU voting for?

Watch this Will.i.am video for a bit of nostalgia

***

On a side note, Barack Obama's Grandmother passed away.  Oh so close to the election.  I'd like to think that she had it on good (divine) authority that he was to become the next President of the United States of America, which is why she was able to leave in early, but in peace.

My thoughts and prayers are with the Obama's.  For more than one reason.  

Yes. We. Can.

You Can Make a Difference

Since the first primary caucus in Iowa in January 2008, when I first heard Obama speak, I was in.

All-the-chips-on-the-table-in. 

I had never cared much about politics here in the US.  In fact, I never really liked any of the candidates enough to care.  My choice, come election day, was more about the lesser of two evils, but all that changed this year.

If you would have told me I'd be donating money to a Presidential campaign- I would have said you were nuts.  Coo-coo-for-cocoa-puffs.  Insane in the membrane.

I would have sooner eaten tripe.  I would have told you politicians were all rich crooks and they could go to h-e-double hockey sticks. (Palin- that one's for you).

But this year was different.  Obama is different.  I have been donating $25, every few weeks since the beginning of the year.  Mind you, I don't have $25 to spare- but it was THAT important to me.  I made it work. 

But, money isn't everything.  It's easy to just tap a few keys on my computer keyboard and give money to Obama.  C. and I felt like we really wanted to do more.

Yesterday, we made calls for Obama at the Headquarters in Poughkeepsie.  About 20 others showed up as well.  We sat in rooms and made calls to voters in Pennsylvania on our cell phones with a script.  These were just soft calls- reminding voters identified as Democrats of the importance of coming out to vote on Tuesday.  We gave them their polling location, poll closing times and encouraged them to bring friends and family and to get out early to avoid the lines.

We called pages and pages of voters, for 3 hours.  It was fun and the time flew by.  Mostly, we left messages on answering machines, but we had great experiences with the folks that did pick up the phone.  Lots of enthusiasm for Obama!! 

Some of the positive responses:

 "Let's do this!"

 " On Tuesday I am voting for the right, honorable, Senator Obama, me and my whole family." 

Another lady wanted to get into a policy debate, and yet another stated "We were doing a very, very good thing."

Sure, we got a few hang-ups and  another that picked up the phone mid-stream the voice mail I was leaving and screamed "McCain" in the phone and hung-up.  But hey, that is to be expected.

We felt so good when we left, like we really made a difference. 

Why am I sharing this with you?  Well, because maybe I can encourage one, just one of you to volunteer in these last few days.  And maybe that one person will reach just one voter that you call, that you encourage to vote who might have otherwise stayed home.  And maybe that person brings a few people with them.  And maybe those votes in Pennsylvania will push our candidate over the top.

That is why I am sharing it with you.

So, won't you sign up to make calls?  Won't you volunteer in the last few days of this campaign.  Won't you become an integral part of this historic campaign and help the first African-American President get elected?

If you are interested in making calls at your nearest phonebank, here is the link. 

You can even make calls from the comfort of your home, through this link!  How much easier can they make it??!! 

C'mon folks!!  Let's do this!!

***

Worried about voting problems or long lines in your state?  What if you see or hear attempts at voter suppression?  CNN has a toll-free voter hotline to report any inconsistencies.  Jot it down and use it if you need it.  877-462-6608

Please pay special attention if your voting stations are computerized.  Oprah even reported a problem when she voted.  Votes have been disappearing or showing up as McCain, even if you pushed Obama.  Please, please, double check to make sure everything is right before you leave the voting booth.  This is much too important!!

Do you like coffee?  In an ad running last night, with inspiring and encouraging words, Starbucks is giving away free coffee to anyone who votes on election day!!  You can watch the ad here.

GET OUT THE VOTE!!!!! 

Election '08

Up to this point I have been very mum on the blog about our upcoming election, all the while remaining very, very passionate about it in my everyday life.  Until now, I have only proudly displayed my support, in the form of a badge for Obama and later for Obama/Biden.

But that is about to change.  

There is nothing more important to me this week than the outcome of this race.

That is why I have made the following decision when it comes to my blog.

From now until Wednesday, November 5th, the blog will be all about the election, nothin' but the election.

Yep, it's that important to me!

You may have noticed that I have placed a countdown clock for the election on the blog.  I have also placed a twitter update widget on the blog, as I will be twittering election news, voting problems, election results and any other news worthy shenanigans until the final vote is counted and a winner is announced. 

Follow me on the blog and on twitter, won't you?

Cherrye and I will also be postponing  Travel Tip Tuesday on the 4th, in honor of Election Day.

So, if you are as passionate as I am, please tune in!!  

If not, well, I can promise that we'll be back to our regular programing, with much more on Quebec City, Montreal, Travel Tip Tuesday, Travel Photo Friday and an upcoming interview and book give-away right around the corner.

***

Today we are excited as we are heading out to our local Obama headquarters, fully-charged cell phones in hand, to volunteer to make calls to battleground states and to remind people to vote!!  

My Dad has taken it a step further and has travelled to the battleground state of Pennsylvania, to stay with relatives and volunteer to knock on doors today!!  

Whoohoot for Daddy-o!!!

I will update you on our experience tomorrow.

I encourage all of you to volunteer in the upcoming days.  If you are interested, here is a link.

Please help get out the vote- and vote yourself!!  

And just in case you didn't get to see Obama's 30 minute infomercial, you can watch it here.

Love Thursday : I *Heart* Quebec

Yep it is true, Canada I did love you.

I kept my eyes peeled throughout out trip to Quebec City and Montreal for signs of Love. 

Well, hearts they were a plenty.  

Here are two just for you.

Happy Love Thursday everyone.

Old Quebec City : An Introduction

This year is the 400th anniversary of Quebec.

Old Quebec is a fortified city that is separated into the upper and lower towns. The upper town is surrounded by walls or ramparts.  You can only enter through gates.  There are a total of four.

This is the main gate of Saint-Louis.

How 'bout a close up?

Very French non?  Love those green copper turrets!

Here you can see the very romantic horse and buggy, called a caleche, that takes tourists and lovers through the cobbled streets of Old Quebec.  The city is fairly quiet and you can hear the clip-clop of the horse echo throught the streets.  The city is also very clean- you can see a mini street sweeper picking up leaves and debris under the arch in the right of the photo.

One of the charming homes on a side street.  I loved the black accents, wrought iron, grey stone and red geramiums.  This one screams Paris to me.

A tiny side street.

A square with a church.

And this gorgeous rooftop, that of the Chateau Frontenac, a very exclusive and expensive Inn, can be seen from every spot in the city.  It can be used as a beautiful compass to locate your whereabouts in the small city.  In fact, it becomes fun to spot different angles and small slices of the copper roof through the trees and buildings in both the upper and lower towns.

And here is a shot of the boardwalk, which hugs the St. Lawrence river.  It was totally rebuilt for the 400 year celebration.  This is taken from the upper town, looking down at the lower town.

And how do you get from the upper to the lower town you ask?

Well, by taking the Funiculaire, of course!!

***

So, what do you think so far about Old Quebec City?  Does it look French?  Remind you of Paris?

Stay tuned.  Much more to come in the next few days!

Travel Tip Tuesday: Money Matters