An island without mountains...

... and without railway traffic. But a very beautiful place: The Ile du Repos

We drove north from Quebec with our rental car (obviously, there is no railway traffic in this region - they don't have it in North America), as we wanted to spend a few days at the camping site Île du Repos. Once you leave Quebec and its suburbs, you are surrounded by beautiful hills and mountains covered in dense green forests, often interrupted by small or majestic lakes and lively rivers with small rapids. Apart from the power lines and the highway, there were often no signs of human settlement for many miles. So, we frequently stopped at the designated view points to admire and enjoy the breathtaking nature. The edges of these parking lots were dotted with numerous wildflowers in shades of purple and yellow.

At our second stop, a small porcupine (also known as "North American porcupine") accidentally joined us. It was fun to observe it, but when it noticed us, the fun was over. It froze in the middle of its movement, holding the leaf it was about to munch on in its paws, and puffed up a little. As a result, both sides decided to keep some distance from each other. However, it didn't seem too frightened and showed up again.

Eventually, the forests gave way to traditional American farmland with typical large barns with mansard roofs, grain silos, and occasional small settlements.

After about a three-hour drive, we arrived at Île du Repos - a true island of relaxation, nestled in an oasis of tranquility. The camping site there is very idyllic, situated on a small island in Lac St. Jean. In addition to generously designed tent sites with wooden tables and benches, there are also small houses with individual apartments.

From our chalet with a small balcony for two, we had a great view of the lake lined with birch, larch, and other trees. So, it was nice to simply sit on our balcony and observe nature while contemplating the lake. There were many birds there, and one species of bird in particular sang a very special melody, sounding more like a whistle than a traditional chirp. We can only advise against responding to this bird in the same tones, as otherwise, this "conversation" will turn into an endless chirping. Nevertheless, Mr. Ärmel was pleased to be whistled at while taking a shower.

The next morning, we went to the Zoo Sauvage St-Félicien, which is the most impressive zoo we have ever seen, even though zoos should generally be regarded critically, or maybe even must. You drive through a large part of the zoo in a train with barred compartments, while the animals are free to roam. Some animals showed themselves directly (black bears, moose, prairie dogs, wapitis), while others preferred not to greet the passing train. It speaks highly of a zoo when you don't see all the animals.

Even the animals kept in enclosures were given a lot of space. The enclosures were designed in a great and natural way. So, we stood in front of the tiger enclosure for quite a long time (Mr. Ärmel estimated it to be about 4,000 to 5,000 square meters) and had to climb up to the observation point to see the well-hidden tiger.

At our camping site, we met Thomas (name changed) in the rustic and cozy communal kitchen. Thomas is a French-speaking Canadian, living in the Ville de Québec, and wanted to use Île du Repos to relax a little. A few years ago, he traveled through the Rocky Mountains, so he could give us many useful tips, which we eagerly wrote down. The next morning, he joined us for our frugal breakfast (the only shopping option was at the local gas station), and we continued the conversation from the previous evening.

On our last day on the 'island of relaxation', we took a walk through the national park. There were incredibly many birch trees standing decoratively, surpassed only by the number of mosquitoes. We had no choice but to cover ourselves up. We even sought refuge in the existing mosquito shelter for a moment. Whenever we took a photo or wrote a text message, one or more mosquitoes tried to take advantage of the fact that our hands finally stayed still. It's hard not to blur a photo in such situations... But apart from that, it was a very beautiful and relaxing hike.

The next day, with a heavy heart, we had to make our way back to Montreal, as our two-week language course was waiting for us there. Our vacation and relaxation in impressive nature would come to an end, and we would have to hit the books again. But we will always keep our beautiful memories - and a few photos as a reminder.