Day 3-4 Pembroke to Montmagny, QC

We managed to get away Saturday morning fairly early around 10 am. With Grandpa Howatt behind the wheel we got as far as Beachburg (approximately 12 minutes from the cottage) before we required our first stop. The kids seemed to have inherited their mothers bathroom quirks. Only until they are in a safe environment are they able to use the washroom and in this case their pants. Less thasn 5 minutes into the trip Grace needed a bathroom break. Since we were close to Dawna`s moms house, and since she didn`t really get to see them when she came over, we decided to stop at her house. But to our disappointment she wasn`t home so we just parked it in the driveway ans stripped her down. We were back on the road in less than 8 minutes (I had been timing myself for diaper changes before the trip, and practicing both my speed and quality changes) Oh my God! I think I am turning into Jason Simpson.

Back on the road and less than 40 minutes later did we need to stop again. It seemed as though Grace wasn`t finished the first time we stopped. We made it to Quebec around lunch and stopped at the tourist information center. It was a beautiful sunny spring day and we had a lovely little picnic.

Back on the road only 40 minutes later we drove until supper time and stopped at the dinosaur graveyard. I believe this is the place where ALL the dinosaurs came to die. What I believe to be a `tourist attraction` was a plethera od half-beaten, chewed up, heads missing dinosaur park. I should have known what kind of red-neck hickville we were stopping in when I saw the prized monster-truck displayed outside the store. We had our dinner out in the sunshine, and tried to avoid looking at the dinos.

Our goal was to make it to Riviere-du-Loup about 5 hours away, and stay there the night and get up early Sunday, adn only have a short drive to Oromocto. But it wasn`t to be. Approximately 10 minutes outside of Quebec City Everett had decided that he had had enough driving for today. He launched himself into a crying fit that nothing could stop. Because this was an unplanned stop we did not have a contingency plan in place. During our lunch stop at the info booth, we smartly picked up an accomodation book-map. Dawna quickly got her phone and started calling the first place in the next town. All booked up they said, so we went to the next town. Montmany, our savior town. Good ol` Montmany. We picked to first place in the book, and fortunately they had space. But its an INN you know, the lovely proprietor Carole Gagne said. Whatever Dawna said. When we finally arrive at the INN, we were welcomed with open arms. They had given us the BIG room which included a king-size bed and a pull-out couch. She offered us dinner once we had settled, and told us just to let her know what we wanted. With the kids all relaxed, bathed, fed and ASLEEP, Dawna and Grandpa Howatt went to the kitchen to see if they could rustle up some grub. This is where they met up with the chef. They asked for sandwiches, but this was not acceptable to chef Lucien Dube, he told us he would prepare a plate enough to feed us all and deliver it to our room. About 15 minutes later he arrived with a gourmet meal on hand. Dorned with veal fillets with bone, asparagus, carrots, and probably THE best potatoes I have ever tasted. We were all in awe at the sight, but once he saw the kids all strewn about the room he was even more amazed.

We woke in the morning, dressed and ready to start another day. With the knowledge we had gained from the previous day we kn ew we had the get an early start. We ordered up breakfast, and head down to the dining room. With the kids in their booster seats, we all enjoyed a lovely breakfast. It really didn't even feel like we had been travelling.

For those travelling within Quebec or on their way to the east coast I highly recommend this stop over. The food was fantastic and the service impeccable. For those interested the name of the inn is La Belle Epoque Auberge-Restaurant Inn. We couldn't have selected a better place to stop.