HELLO, ALL MY READERS AND FANS!! My first blog post has arrived, following a year-long hiatus of busy-ness and stress and full-time summer employment. Remember: My name is Ben Foley. ;) I'm from Southern Indiana. I am still young, but I am confident, independent, and tricenarian (30 years old) by nature. Despite my physical disability, I can find solutions to nearly every problem I encounter when I'm alone in hotels and tourist areas. And, most importantly, my love and passion for exploring the world supersedes any other aspect of my life (or so I care to think).
Peeps may be wondering where I have actually been in the world in 2017. Of course, the response to this would warrant fifteen blog posts condensed into one, and to eschew the thought of cohesively writing for that long, I shall provide a short answer AND a short snippet of my exploratory bragging rights this past year. But do stay tuned for more comprehensive updates on future trips, as many are in line during my 2018 travel epoch. Without further ado, my answer is "developed North America," and my snippet is about, hence the title of this post, Quebec. Perhaps one should first consider the geographical information: Quebec is an easterly Canadian province with a capital at a city of the same name; it blends together generous preservation of nature, UNESCO-approved historic sites, and eclectic yet indubitably Quebecois cuisine; and its government wishes to secede from Canada (but to no avail as of modern times). These facts were just the fuel to the fire inside of me, burning the remnants of ancient hodophobia (travel anxiety) in my mind and sparking my truest sense of wanderlust. They paved the roads I were to utilize during my vacation, and I credit them for my inspiration. As you may have presumed, I poured over some paperback guides and lots of online resources to obtain knowledge of my destination, but words and images simply don't do justice. So, between June 5th and June 10th, I embarked with my fam, riding on a total of four rocky Air Canada Express jets with roundtrip stops in Toronto. It seemed as if the French language and culture was enclosed in a gigantic dome to which we were inching closer and closer on each leg of the journey, which I thought was very fascinating. Overhearing the safety briefings in French, as well as several in-cabin conversations en route to Montreal, made me believe I was already in a foreign country—when we hadn't even yet arrived in one! In the intended province, French phrases were on every advertisement poster, airport direction sign, and TV flight monitor; I also detected it spoken to a much greater degree than before. It offered me an often-intense challenge to try to quickly translate foreigners talking—or talking to me—and reply back in a timely, natural manner. In Quebec City, French was significantly more commonplace than in Montreal; in Montreal, the Embassy Suites staff first started speaking in English, as they assumed we were from "Les États-Unis" (United States) or "L'Angleterre" (United Kingdom). Quebec was exhilarating. Especially the taxi ride, which I may tell my followers about later—but man was that rough!! My family got plenty of chocolate fixes every day, and we embarked on guided tours galore. The citadel (la citadelle) provided a glimpse into the windy history of the region, as did La Musée du Fort, a small, upper-level exhibition space with a super cool interactive diorama slash documentary film slash micro-scale, model-based historical reenactment. Hard to describe, and I failed to snap any images, so bear with me if you don't understand! The food was impressive too. Being an aficionado of Italian cuisine, as well as boasting picky eater status, the gnocchi and risotto (eaten in Montreal and Quebec City, respectively) were excellent. I recommend Quattro (where the gnocchi came from) and Bello Ristorante. They are both on the pricier end, but they're worth every cent. The presumed owner of Quattro introduced himself to us during the meal, which added to the worthiness of the hundred dollars spent. Do remember to see the future post "Essential Tricks and Tips to Traveling in Canada" for images and more information about my experiences!!! Now for the wanderlust gene. I was born with it (99.99% guaranteed, although I have never undergone genetic testing to prove it). It's a mutation in the gene DRD4-7R (that's all the science I know), causing a natural temptation and excitement to take risks, try new things, and explore new frontiers. Sure I struggle with anxiety, and I am not the most confident guy in the world, but my eagerness to go on vacation surely hints at this genetic trait, don't you think? Friends of mine, discuss in the comments! Well that concludes my very first post! Thanks for reading, and please please keep following for more posts in the coming weeks. May the traveling gods and goddesses be with you, always!
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