On to Quebec July 20

And goodbye to our hotel in Matane.
https://photos.app.goo.gl/DfLoVR2jRSqW6rin7
The weather was cool and windy and I couldn't see a reason to rush to Quebec City, so we just crossed a bridge, and went to explore downtown Matane.
(you can see our hotel across the water).
Not much to downtown except a pleasant boardwalk, that leads to a park.
Less than a handful of restaurants remain. Stores have been decimated. There is a modern mall on the periphery of the town . But there is one thing left that is interesting, and that is a Salmon Ladder Observation Center.
Built to help the salmon get past a dam.
We saw one or two small salmon make the leap.
Kinda of paltry actually. Not very many salmon and certainly not very large. I tried to ask about it; maybe not the right season? But I couldn't make out what the guide was saying. I don't understand the French language at all the way he was speaking. My loss.
We returned to the highway but didn't get too far because I saw a sign for a covered bridge. I adore covered bridges.
And then I saw people on a field picking strawberries and of course I had to have some.
But I didn't bother to pick them... 
     just bought a small basket.
Back to the highway again, along the coast.
At some point, I decided to switch it up, and see whether we would be able to take a ferry across the river.  And we made it on time to Rivière-du-Loup, for the ferry that would cross the river to Saint-Siméon, in the Charlevoix, a 65 minute crossing.
So, we only saw Rivière-du-Loup from a distance.
The ferry holds 100 cars and 400 passengers.
Fairly certain that I saw a whale (minke) and maybe saw half of another whale.
And just like that, we were back in the mountains.
One anecdotal observation, call me crazy, but I'm certain that I saw more Canadian flags in the Gaspesie than provincial flags.
We arrived in Baie St. Paul in time for supper. Complete opposite of Matane, jam packed with restaurants,
gift stores, and many art galleries.
Finally arrived at our hotel after 8pm. We're staying in St.Foy, which is 8km from the gates to the old city. On a visit last year to Quebec City, we had stayed within walking distance to the gates and I had enjoyed it. But this time, I wanted to stay in a place where breakfast was provided and I figured that we'd be arriving late and I didn't want the hassle about parking.
What we do tomorrow, will depend on the weather. But we're getting closer to home!
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