An afternoon at Parc Raimbault in the Ahuntsic-Cartierville area of Montreal. This Park is rich with wildlife, ducks, squirrels, Canada geese, muskrats. Hard to believe the weather can be so mild and beautiful when we’re already in November.

Parc Raimbault, looking towards Gouin Blvd. Click for full size.

Mallard Hen in flight. Click for full size.

A few hours spent in Old Montreal. Summer 2009.

Click for full size.

Burlington and Stowe Vermont, September 2nd. A fabulous (warm, sunny, clear) daytrip, just a perfect off-season opportunity to revisit this beautiful and ultra-clean border state. Read about the trip here.

Church Street Mall. Burlington. Click for full size.

Street Performer. Burlington. Click for full size.

Church Street Mall. Burlington. Click for full size.

Day trip to Vermont. Burlington and Stowe, September 2nd. We drove straight to Stowe, crossing the border easily at Phillipsburg – Highgate Springs. In Stowe we grabbed a quick lunch and then drove to Mt. Mansfield for a few photos. The recreational path was the next stop.

We didn’t stay that long in Stowe. It was relatively quiet given the busy foliage season was not in full swing. Not much to do there. On the way back we visited the Christmas Loft in Shelburne, a fun place but also a sad reminder that Christmas (meaning winter) is just around the corner.

Our last stop was the Church Street Mall in Burlington. This is a great pedestrian shopping area with interesting shops and sidewalk cafés. There is also an indoor mall (renovated it seems) with many brand name stores. The streets were full of locals and University of Vermont students enjoying the beautiful weather.

On the road back home we drove past Big Man. He’s gone from selling hot dogs to antique furniture, back to fast food, and now back to furniture. Almost full circle!

A nice outing, about 6 hours of driving, but well worth it. I love Vermont.

Stowe photos below. View the Burlington Vermont photos.

Gondola, Stowe. Click for full size.

Mt. Mansfield, Stowe. Click for full size.

Old Montreal’s Bonsecours Market.

Bonsecours Market from the Old Port. Click for full size.

Bonsecours Market (French: Marché Bonsecours), at 350 rue Saint-Paul in Old Montreal, is a two-story domed public market. Named for the adjacent Notre-Dame-de-Bon-Secours Chapel, it opened in 1847. Construction began in 1844 by architect William Footner, and was completed in 1860 by George Browne. Bonsecours Market housed City Hall between 1852 and 1878.