Momcation in today’s connected world makes it really hard to disconnect from home. It takes a purposeful act of will to leave it behind.
Momcation Starts off Strong
At home, I walk. I walk almost every day of the week, out my front door, walking at least 7000 steps before coming home and making breakfast. While away, I was determined to keep up my daily steps, especially since I also intended to thoroughly enjoy food!
One Minor Downside to Momcations
Yeah, 7K steps every morning before setting out on my travel thing? That didn’t happen. It happened exactly once this trip – this morning. And I don’t even have anyone to blame, because I’m traveling all by myself! (Note to self: found first downside of my momcation – whatever it is is my fault!) So don’t be too impressed. Just enjoy it in this one post. I must just resign myself because this morning routine never holds up when I travel. HOWEVER, I take great comfort that someone else understands this, because I recently ran across This Blog Post by Girl with the Passport (who always cracks me up) and laughed out loud while I read it. I’ve got #11 lie, “I will keep up with my fitness goals!”
So anyway, the first morning, I was up and out. I started with a stroll through Place des Armes, and around the Chateau Frontenac – the morning light comes across the St. Lawrence and hits on the Terrasse side in the morning.

So, I decided to walk the Terrasse Dufferin, and lapped it back and forth a few times, occasionally stopping for a picture or to just watch the river go by.

The Dufferin Terrace was built by Lord Dufferin in 1879, and is very reminiscent of the Parisian streets, with their benches and lighting, perfect for strolling and being seen that was so important at the time – and for some, still is. As I get there before 7am, the place is deserted, and I’m free to walk the length and enjoy the views pretty uninterrupted.


At the end of the Terrasse, I find the stairs, and realize that this is the Promenade des Gouverneurs. It’s labeled on printed and google maps, and I had looked at it several times thinking it just looked like a continuation of the Terrasse Dufferin, and why are they two different things? Ah, I see.
Getting Serious about the Fitness
The Promenade des Gouverneurs is not a continuing Terrasse, or a walking path around the Citadelle. It’s steps. Lots and lots (and lots) of steps! I head up a the steps, hit a landing/lookout, then continue up the next set, and find this:

It’s has a beautiful view, and is a lovely spot to pause, but as you see, the steps just continue on up. So I keep going. My thighs and calves start protesting, asking exactly what kind of morning walk I decided to go on this morning, anyway? I came to a straight away, which seems promising for a moment, and then the steps start again at the end. up and down, indeed, around the Citadelle.

Daily Life Reaches Out to My Momcation
As I’ve been walking and walking, my phone has been buzzing and buzzing in my pocket, so I finally dig it out. Sigh. Mom might be away, but she is not at all out of contact.
Older daughter is being asked to pet-sit from this date to this date… are we going to be home so she can say yes? I check the dates – with our schedules it’s a valid question. Yep, we’re home, say yes. She’s happy.
Younger daughter’s riding instructor is group texting her and I, unaware that I’m away, asking if she could come over and help hold the horses for the farrier this morning? I read that and know darn well that particular child will not be up before 10am unless there is someone forcing her up, so she’s not seeing this text. But she would also want to go help. But big sister is already up and texting me, so I fire off a text to older sister, asking her to go in and wake up younger sister, and tell her riding instructor is texting. Within 5 minutes, younger daughter is texting back instructor that she will be there, and I see the conversation go from there.
Oh! And Mom is texting, asking if we can come to a final July 4th party at her house sometime the week of the 4th, since she’s selling the house and moving somewhere smaller. The siblings and cousins and family in that state all want to ‘say goodbye’ to the house. Oh well, crap. That’s the week I JUST, literally minutes ago, told older daughter we would be home and she could pet-sit. So conversation ensues about exactly what date, no one knows yet, let’s loop a few more people in…
Hey, good news! Message from the literature co-op I’m putting the girls in next year. They had the meeting last night, and a I got my top three pics of books to teach – the text comes through.
For some reason that reminds me, Lydia has an eye appointment today at noon. Maybe the reading connection triggers the thought. That’s one of those things that I always take care of. Husband can get absorbed in work, I should text him and make sure he remembers to take her. We’ve been having issues with her brand new contacts, and if she winds up going another week without contacts – and then adjusting to putting them back in again, either she or I are going to have a nervous breakdown. It takes serious emotional, cheer-leader reserves to get that daughter through those appointments. I send him a reminder text. He responds pretty quickly that he remembers, I shouldn’t worry, he’ll take her. (And he did.)
And a friend texts, my daughter and her son have been planning. Can she come with them to an amusement park a few days after I return? I check the calendar…
French tutor texts…
This was not what was supposed to be happening on my momcation…

This is my daily life. Pretty much all the time. How did Moms ever survive without a cell phone anyway? The minutiae. The back to back bits and pieces that only rarely add up to something notable ‘done’ by the end of the day, but somehow take up nearly all the time.
How to Totally Disconnect, Is That Possible?
By this time, I’ve made my way back to the Terrasse Dufferin. I’m standing against the railing, occasionally looking at the view, between texts. My phone goes silent. I’m away, I’m on my momcation. But somehow it doesn’t seem as far away as I think it should. How to totally disconnect? Is it even possible to really pull myself out of all that goes on, all different circles of people and things I have my hands in? Is it possible for me to get hubby, or anyone else, totally up-to-date on everything so I don’t need to field these bits for a while?

I decide it’s time to get some of those things done that I intend to do here in Quebec City. Like try poutine, and see the Ile d’Orleans. I tucked my phone back in my pocket and start walking. It buzzes again… and I ignore it.
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I stayed just steps from this view, and it didn’t kill my wallet <<Check it out Here>>
To read more of what I did on the Momcation, <<Go to this page for a listing>>.
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I enjoyed the experience you shared. And the photographs look amazing.
Thank you! 😀 I love photography, and don’t get to spend nearly enough time on it.
It sounds like we live the same life! Really enjoyed your post.
Gee, do I congratulate you, or commiserate on the same life? 😀 Mama hugs to you! It is an adventure all its own, being a Mom. I wouldn’t miss being their Mom for anything, but getting a little time away was much needed!
You idea of walking every morning seems so great! I should do it as well! You should just leave your phone at home or at least put in airplane more 🙂 Your photos are beautiful !
My girlfriend in my neighborhood got me walking about a year ago. At first, I thought I would be bored, but when she can’t walk with me, I listen to book on tape. Now, when I don’t walk more than 2 days in a row, my legs don’t like it! And thanks on the photo compliment.
I love photography, I’d love to have more time for it!
Connectivity is one of today’s blessing even being away from home. I bet you enjoyed your time as you walk around the place and your photos are gorgeous!
God bless!
JM Kayne | #InMyHeart♥
Thanks, Katie! It was a wonderfully beautiful time away. It was just a bit harder to let go of the home stuff than I was hoping. 🙂 Quebec City was a great choice. It’s a beautiful and extremely safe location. Great way to start off with solo-female-travel! See here: https://wandertoes.com/2017/06/19/quebec-city-solo-female-travel/
Connectivity is definitely a blessing… and sometimes not so much, too! 😀 Makes it harder to ‘get away’.
I LOVED all of this! What a gorgeous walk! But also, all the laughs on your #momlife moments!! I love the mix of beautiful walking views mixed with the kiddo connections!
😀 The mix of views and travel – with the constant bleed-over of kids and schedules and life – is pretty much how it goes! 😀
The post-rain shot with Terrasse Dufferin at the far end was beautiful. After all that texting and walking, I hope you got to try the poutine after all 🙂
Yes, I did! And I tried it at two classic locations, the Chic Shack and at Chez Ashton. The cheese really does squeak, which is a bit disturbing! 😀 Had to get used to that.
I am not a mom, I am actually a nanny but I so get where you are coming from. I get random texts too like, when did the baby have her medication, is there a playdate next week, etc. So this post made me laugh A LOT. I am also so glad that you shared your photos of Quebec. I love it there and it brought me right back to a summer that I spent there. Great post and thanks for the laugh.
😀 You know, might as well take the craziness and turn it into a post! The reality of travel as a Mom – and apparently as any kid-caregiver! It just takes over life. Thanks for stopping by. <3
I love hearing stories about moms who are traveling and this sounds like the perfect thing to do! It’s so important to disconnect and relax away from everyone sometimes.
So important to disconnect, and really hard to do! But I was able to pull away more as the week went on, and it was worth it. 🙂
What a beautiful area to take a walk! I love the fact that you take this time to yourself. Every Mom deserves a little “me time”.
It is a struggle in today’s world – to disconnect. We always feel like we’re missing out by staying away from internet, because everything changes so fast. Who knows, maybe in a day you are offline people will start a first colony on Mars! But it is so good for the soul to just be present
Great post!! I felt that I did the walk with you through the photos. Greetings from TravelSupervisors!
This looks like such a pretty place! I love the photos. I also love to walk when away too!
One day, I got in over 20K steps, that’s how much walking I was doing. But I loved it. My feet, not so much. 😀
I love taking walks by myself. Next time, conveniently “forget” your phone!
I’m liking the way you think, Tanya! 😀
I’m seeing more and more families shaving group whatsapp chats, I mostly use email for communicating with my mom and dad online, and another chat service with my brother and yet another with my husband. Such a quick way to get the messages across, even if you are in a meeting at the time and just want to have a little chat, pretending you are checking your work mail!
That’s one dedication to make sure to walk even when traveling!!! The Terrasse Dufferin looks beautiful! Reminds me of Thames Walk in England!!! The wet wooden pathway is just pretty!
What an interesting take on traveling as a mom! I’m not one, so I don’t have my kids texting or calling me, but I noticed that since I moved back in with my parents, my phone is always buzzing! If it’s not my mom or dad asking me to do them a favor, it’s my sisters asking where I am. Glad you got the time to enjoy the walk and have some time to yourself! Your photos are gorgeous!
[…] That same scenario was repeated several times during my time at Hotel Manoir de la Terrasse. I was very thankful that the staff was always kind and helpful, and at times pretty funny: “Promenade des Gouverneurs! You don’t want to go there! There are so many steps, really. Tourists go up in the morning, and by lunch the rescue helicopters are circling!” (To read my reaction when I found myself climbing the Promenade, check out <<This Post>>!) […]
I love your pictures, Meg! The Promenade des Gouverneurs seems so picturesque!
Thanks, Agness, it is! The views at the Terrasse end are amazing, too. 😊