Québec in autumn

[Deleted]

Most of these photos were taken in Québec, particularly in the Gaspé peninsula, but one or two might come from south of the border.

One place I stayed was this small town with a very large church. (I am pretty certain that Lagatta will recognize it immediately.) It was early October, but the town was decked out for Halloween, and leaves were blowing through the completely deserted streets. I found it all quite creepy.

I ended up driving to Baie-Comeau and took the ferry to Matane.

I also went through 'Nouveau-Brunswick' and then went into New England.

I think that this is the state capital building in Vermont.

It was a lovely road trip and a change from Southeast Asia for once.

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It didn't take much of a seach to find out what that big church was: Sainte Anne de Beaupré. That town was creepy anyway!

[lagatta]

Drat, and here I was with the answer! www.ssadb.qc.ca/ The reason for the huge church is that it is Basilique Ste-Anne-de-Beaupré, a shrine (sanctuaire). That town's main industry is the pilgrimage game. Many Roma (Gypsies) from all over North America converge there. I think their cult of Ste-Anne is some kind of syncretism, going back to a Mother Goddess, as many such things do.

The site is appropriately creepy. Don't miss the gift shop with over 2000 items! Kerouac, no plastic Jesus for the dashboard of your car?

The town does have a pretty setting though. I remember going there as a lark long ago, with several other quite heathen young people. It is one of those places with staircases pilgrims are supposed to go up on their knees.

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I arrived late in the day so the gift shop was closed, but yes, I saw it.

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Great pictures Kerouac!

[bixaorellana]

Really, really outstanding photos, Kerouac! I love that view from the dash of the car and the Wyeth-esque house on the water's edge. I could actually feel the chilly breeze in the lighthouse picture. You certainly captured that slightly grim, what-goes-on-here? feeling of small towns in the US & Canada. It was a treat for me to see the autumn foliage, something I haven't seen for @two decades.

You know, what is incredible is that here we all sit in far-flung places all over the globe, but we're able to have individual private viewings of the photo album of a friend we've never met. Thank you so much for taking the time to scan these wonderful pictures and show them to us.