off to the sugar shack.

my one regret from leaving vancouver is that we did not play tourist enough in our own city. we took for granted the amenities and environment and now those are missed the most. with this in mind i am making the most of our time out here and taking advantage of the local amenities and playing tourist in our new environment every chance we can get. we know not how long we are here for so i want to experience and absorb as much as possible.

around these parts this is the time for the cabane a sucre - sugar shacks - to get their groove on.  it's maple syrup harvest time. for this most special of occasions they open their doors and proudly show off the golden nectar they hold so dear to their hearts. it's also gives one carte blanche to pour syrup on everything they put in front of you and get your fix, in some cases, for the next ten years.

we gathered a group of eager enthusiasts and trekked up to the sugar shack and indulged in such an activity. for me it was just okay. the meal was nothing special - you sit at long communal tables and set down platters of cheesy egg fritatta's topped with sliced ham and weird deep fried bacon fat, mini-hot dogs in syrup, baked beans and whole peeled boiled potatoes - and they served pancakes at the end as dessert which was a disappointment to my daughter and myself as we were hoping to tuck into large stacks of steaming hot flap jacks doused in the house syrup. for me the highlight was all the homemade condiments they had for you to sample with your meal - the tomato relish was my favorite.

when we were done we wandered out back to the little town to partake in the treat after the meal - the maple syrup lollipop. this is done by pouring hot syrup on the snow then placing your popsicle stick at the start and rolling it along till all the syrup is on your stick. holy sweetness batman! after the meal and then this the husband was shaking like a leaf as he left the building.

to wear off all the residual side effects we took a walk through the trees - we could have taken a horse & carriage for $2 each but we do have legs that work just fine - to see how it's all done. little disappointed with this part of the experience. i thought it would be a little more touristy when we got to this stage. there was no signs telling us about the harvest, the cooking process, the bottling, the history. we were just left to wander and come up with our own conclusions. and it's all done by tubes now - not one bucket for left for prosperity's sake. we were searching for the experience and it fell flat.

would we have had a good time if we had all just met somewhere for breakfast and then taken a walk after? yes. better? probably. the good company is what made the experience.
and now we can check something off our list. on to the next!