The other week I got away from my cozy little Bethlehem townhouse for some rest and relaxation in Mont-Tremblant, Quebec. If you're wondering why I went north for spring break while throngs of college students migrated to sunny weather in the south, you're not alone; almost everyone that I told about the trip expressed some surprise at the locale, but with plenty of warm days ahead I figured that there was nothing wrong with hanging on to the last that winter had to offer.
So seven of us loaded into a seven-passenger van at the driver's house in Connecticut for what ended up as an eight-hour international trek. Not having done much traveling, I was a little nervous for the long ride, but with naps, reading and chatting, it didn't end up being so bad. The worst part, of course, was the final hour or two when it felt like our destination was just around every turn.
Being very busy the past few weeks with school and work, I had only done a few quick searches on the Internet to find out what I was in for. I was invited to the trip after it was already planned, so I basically showed up with some cash and a duffel bag, hoping for the best. Luckily, I didn't have to be worried; the resort overlooked an impressive ski mountain, the locals were friendly and we could even use U.S. dollars interchangeably with Canadian dollars.
While definitely a tourist-town, the village at the base of the mountain was beautiful, with European-inspired architecture in cheery pastels. We sipped lattes in a café, soaked in the resort's outdoor hot-tubs and went skiing. Quebec is Canada's only French province, and hearing so many different languages definitely heightened the international -feel of the experience. This trip reminded me of how much there is to learn from different cultures, even within a few hours of my home.
As much fun as it was to get away for a while, I wasn't too upset to make the trip back. There's nothing like home sweet home!
