[If you missed any of the previous or subsequent articles in this series, there’s a list of all the articles with hyperlinks here at the end of Day Ten.]
Last night after that great trip past Quebec’s white water rapids, I biked a short distance from the train station into the neighborhood Plateau Mont-Royal. (That could be code for “pedaling uphill” I think.)
I spent the night at a wonderful Victorian home now operated as Hotel Armor Manoir Sherbrooke. There are 18 rooms and four suites available, and each is decorated with antique furniture.
My ensuite bathroom was surprisingly large for a room this size; with a deep, deep soaking tub should you want a relaxing bath. I understand the four suites also come with whirlpool tubs.
While the woodwork is rich and stately, and the antiques give it an old-world ambiance, you don’t give up your modern day luxuries. They offer free cable TV, air conditioning, and robust wireless Internet service. A 24-hour front desk and concierge service will get you headed in the right direction no matter what time you decide to go out exploring.
[See more photos of the hotel.]
Downstairs is a little bistro-style breakfast room where complimentary continental breakfast is served. The warm croissants, hot from the oven were excellent. After a quick breakfast, I was off to do some biking before checkout time arrived.
I headed off across the Pont Jacques-Cartier Bridge for Sainte-Helene island where the Biosphere is located. The Biosphere was designed by architect Richard Buckminster Fuller as the United States pavilion for the 1967 World Fair Expo 67. The 250’ high dome was used in the original Battlestar Galactica TV series, but is currently used as an environmental museum by Environment Canada. Beautiful grounds and parks surround the area.
While in the park, I had a chance to check out and field test a new, super-lightweight digital video camera – the [easyazon_link identifier=”B003819TB4″ locale=”US” tag=”thetra03-20″]Coby CAM5001[/easyazon_link]. If you don’t want to add weight to your pockets, this is one you might want to carry.
From there, it was a pleasant ride, following fairly well-marked bike paths around the Vieux-Port area. I then headed back to the hotel to shower and pack up for the train station. On a bike, it was just a few short minutes back to the hotel.
After checking my bike in at the VIA Rail bike train, I checked my bags as well for a few hours with the baggage room. There was a Mondial Beer Fest going on across the street in Place Bonaventure and as a journalist, I was invited. Not one to turn down such a gracious invitation, I proceeded across the street and was quickly swept into the fun atmosphere inside. See my separate report on the Mondial de la Biere event with some great new brews I discovered.
Hating to leave the beer fest early, I went back and caught the 4:00pm #659 bike train to Ottawa. I planned a big biking day tomorrow, so stop back and check day nine as I bike two provinces.
Did you miss any of the other days of this Canadian VIA Rail bike adventure? The links are here if you did…
Continue reading to Day Nine
very nice post. good stuff.