Heights Seniors Invade Canada


What makes a vacation great? Is it the location, the accommodations, the weather, the food, the sights, or the people you travel with? It was a combination of all these factors and, for these reasons, the Leisure Club’s trip to Canada was a great trip.

A few years ago, the Club traveled to the Niagara Falls area and Toronto. This year it was to French Canada to visit the most popular and exciting cities on the French side of Canada. The five day tour focused on the cities of Montreal and Quebec City.

The best way to describe the many locations surrounding these two cities is to remember the scenes in the old movie, “An American in Paris;” the narrow cobble-stoned streets, the small cafés, the street vendors, the displays of art individually painted, the slow relaxed atmosphere, the small parks with all their monuments, the street performers entertaining everywhere, the horse-drawn carriages and, of course, the beauty of listening to the French language being spoken.

The group of fifty-five seniors will never forget their visits to the Basilica of Notre-Dame-de-Montreal, the Chapel of Saint Joseph’s Oratory, and the world-famous Shrine of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupre. No matter what your religion, these places of miracles were breathtaking. The architecture, the carved statues, the paintings, the wall of crutches and the feeling of peace and solitude made these visits memorable.

The trip included a trip to Cuivres d’art Albert Gilles, a copper museum. There they viewed a display on the artistic applications of copper. There was an exhibition of 50 magnificent silver panels illustrating the life of Christ. There were also many decorative pieces to view and to purchase.

There was a stop at Marie’s Bread Oven to taste a slice of their delicious maple sugar bread. The group also had the opportunity to view the Montmorency Falls. These waterfalls are 98 feet higher than Niagara Falls. The tour also included viewing the 3-D movie, the “Quebec Experience,” which was a journey through time reviewing the city’s history.

They had a chance to ride on the Funiculaire de Quebec which takes you from the lower region of Quebec City up the cliff which is surrounded by a fortress like wall. The Funiculaire does not ride up like an elevator but rides on an incline on a rail track.

No visit to Quebec could be complete without a visit to the famous Chateau Frontenac Hotel. This “chateau” style hotel is perched on a tall cape overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. It towers so high that it is visible from 10 miles away. A tour of this 19th century building with its vast dining areas, small bedrooms and narrow hallways can only remind you of the hotel in the movie “The Shining” – scary but elegant. The group enjoyed a gourmet afternoon tea at the Frontenac.

There was plenty of time for the Leisure Club Tour to relax. There was the afternoon at the Casino Montreal, and dinners at the Restaurant Brochetterie Vieus-Port, Restaurant Festin Du Gouverneur, Restaurant La Trattoria and the Restaurant Chez Greco.

There were so many sights that were viewed that it would be impossible to name them all. But the funniest sight was to view President John Fitzin dressed as the first governor of Quebec standing his ground while being challenged by the last mayor of Quebec. John not only looked stately, but at times he looked like Count Dracula. He gave us all a good laugh.

No Leisure Club extended trip would be a success without the hard work of Alice Shenloogian. She made all the arrangements, collected all the money, listened to any complaints, interceded when necessary and never lost her cool. She has the patience of Job and the gratitude of all. Story and photo by Peter Gallo Jr. ###

Thank you for visiting our hometown.  Come back soon!
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