What it was that was actually the matter with us, we none of us could be sure of; but the unanimous opinion was that it – whatever it was – had been brought on by overwork.
“What we want is rest,” said Harris.
“Rest and complete change,” said George. “The overstrain upon our brains has produced a general depression throughout the system. Change of scene, and absence of the necessity for thought, will restore the mental equilibrium.”
From Three Man in a Boat (To Say Nothing of the Dog!),
by Jerome K. Jerome

Harris and George almost nailed it. Almost, because change of scene from where I live requires at least a few hours of driving. And in the heat of the summer, the destination should be somewhere peaceful, with a variety of scenery and the benefit of good food. A leisurely trip along the banks of the great St. Lawrence river was almost the obvious choice – another country and language, only a day of traveling from home, and since this would not be our first visit, we could, with good conscience, skip some museums. Picturing chocolate eclairs in Montreal, quaint streets in Quebec City, and lazy food-truism in-between, we crossed the Canadian border.

Montreal met us with construction:

Skyscrapers:

Old edifices:

Even older houses with gables:

The old port:

And houses one actually would want to live in:

A meditating gargoyle (is he thinking about food?):

Fresh pastry

at Atwater market

Next stop: Quebec City