Quebec and Scandinavian Spa

So I’ve been in staying with my Grandma north of Montreal for the week before I leave.  It has been fantastic; I haven’t been here in 2 years so this stay was long overdue plus it made my flight to Norway easier by stopping here.  I have spent time with my grandpa and got caught up on all sorts of family stories and gossip that I had never heard. 

Quebec is different then AB or BC in the sense that there are many communities but if you are not from the area, you often don’t know which city/town you are in, they all blend together!  That has taken some getting used to as well as seeing shopping centers EVERYWHERE.  Edmonton may (disputably) have the largest mall in the world but Quebec probably has the most shopping malls per area.

My mom and I went up “north” to the Laurentian region (near Mont Tremblant) so see her friends.  The is the same area that I worked for the winter 2008 au p’tit bonheur the outdoor winter camp.  We spent the morning in the Scandinavian spa so that I could get a little taste of what Scandinavia could be like.  It was amazing!  There are hot saunas/hot steam rooms/hot tub like pools, cold baths/cold showers/cold waterfalls and neutral rest areas.  The idea is to spend 10-15 minutes alternating between hot, cold and neutral.  Staying in the hot parts was easy and very relaxing but I cant say that I ever stayed in the cold parts for very long.  The whole experience was fascinating because it was all outdoors and we were surrounded by snow while in our bathing suits!