The art of washing dishes

Strange as it may seem, dishwashing in Québec has been an wonderful and insightful experience. At our host home in the city, I was very taken by their gorgeous quality tea towels. So taken that I started fantasising about owning some myself. Turns out that our host’s sister makes and sells these little gems of cloth happiness. I placed my order to arrive in 2019 upon our return. 

During our camping trip to the Camping Bellevue Réserve Faunique de Portneuf, dishwashing again became a thing. There was a communal sink area where campers washed their dishes and conversations were struck. It was here that I first met Julie who was only staying one night. She comes regularly from Québec City to the Bellevue site with her family because it is so simple and idyllic. Attractive enough even to set up camp for just 24 hours. Julie and I bonded again over breakfast the next day when she loaned us salt and pepper for our scrambled eggs and we started chatting about children and education choices which deviate from mainstream routes. 

Next wash time, I met a guy who was fascinated by our trip and especially at the idea of home swapping. In fact, the following morning he came to photograph the website address on our banner (which was strung up between trees) so that he could follow us and perhaps think of doing some swaps himself. 

Finally a special mention for Corinne and her husband. We struck up conversation and they were so open and chatty, telling me proudly how Corinne has been going to that campsite every year for all her 39 years and now brings her four year old son too to keep up the tradition. They rent the ‘posh’ cabin which has its own little beach for a week every July. They pressed a glass of raspberry beer into my hand as we shared stories and insisted that we use their kayak to explore the lake. We took them up on the generous offer the following day and had a magical morning paddling around the lake circumference through lilypads, stopping for Adam and Emily to jump off rocks into the fresh, dark water. Thank you, Corinne, for your bubbly enthusiasm to share your love of camping in this beautiful part of Québec! It stole our hearts (and gave me renewed respect for communal dishwashing).  

Le grá,
Gill