I can't believe I ate the whole thing!

I was in Quebec City last week - for four days, sort of. Let me back track...

On Wednesday I left for Quebec City - got bumped in Toronto and was put on "the next available flight." Not too bad. My original flight was at 11:05, the flight I was supposed to be bumped to was the 12:00 flight. However, it took Air Canada over an hour to re-book the flight and get me a flight credit ($200) for being bumped. So, I missed the flight. I got on the 1:00 flight - to Montreal - instead. Then from Montreal on to Quebec City on a little puddle jumper plane that only had 20 seats. The props were bouncing the plane around so much that we had turbulence before we even started to taxi!

Okay, so here I was stuck in Toronto for longer than anticipated. I was hungry! There was Tim's! I got coffee - and the new chicken snack wraps. They were a waste, both of money and precious points, I didn't enjoy then at all. I ate one and tucked the other one away for my wait in Montreal. I did find a lovely store where I bought a necklace and matching earrings to go with the dress I was planning on wearing to the Gala evening. It was gala-worthy!

So, in Montreal - I scarfed down the other chicken snack wrap.... and waited for my plane to Quebec. Finally arrived 4.5 hrs later than I should have. Grr. I wasn't overly hungry - all those snack wraps - but the girls I was meeting had reservations at Portofino's, a wonderful Italian restaurant in the old city. I walked from my hotel (right outside the gates to the old city) to the restaurant - it was about a 10 minute walk on cobblestone. I ordered spaghetti bolognaise with a small salad, a Caesar! Thankfully, it was lightly dressed with an oil based dressing rather than the creamy Caesar (I don't like creamy!) Day one in Quebec City and already I was "off plan." I needed to get my act in gear pretty quick!

After dinner, I checked with the hotel desk and found out where a little market was - again only a few blocks away. I walked - with my roommate - to where we had been given directions - it was a very expensive little specialty food store. I bought yogurt (2.5% mf - that was the 'lowest' fat they had - there was one that was 8%!!!!), and blueberries, Earl Grey tea, and a litre of skim milk. Figured I could at least have that for breakfast. I left there - $13 later. Walking back to the hotel, I stumbled across another little market - Marche - where I could actually "shop" - and bought a box of Special K Vanilla Almond, cheese (yes, cheese!), Melba rounds, and more fruit. Another $14 later and I was on my way back to the hotel, but happy that now I could have cereal, fruit, and yogurt in the morning with my tea, and then have cheese and melba for a snack if I needed it. Good choices.

I was tired - went to bed around 10:00. I didn't sleep. My roomie snored - like a trucker! I was up most of the night. I was in Quebec for a PartyLite conference, so my roomie was another consultant from my region. I was not a happy person in the morning - about 1 hr sleep in total. UNTIL... I opened the little fridge, and there was my milk, berries and yogurt. That, plus my cereal, made me much happier. Roomie wanted to eat at the hotel - not me. I was STRONG for a moment.

Off to the conference.

Lunch break - it was dubbed as the "Taste of Quebec" ..... tortierre, pancakes, ham with maple syrup, baked beans, pie. Yes, nothing green. Not one thing. I ate the meat pie, and the ham, left everything else.

Dinner - I pretty much slept through it. I was so tired after the afternoon session that I thought I'd go back to my room to sleep it off.... and I did, almost to the point where I just about missed the evening session. So, I grabbed some melba and cheese, and some more fruit, washed it all down with a glass of skim milk. Okay so far.

We all (20 of us) went out after the evening session to a little place just inside the gates of the old city. Because it was late, the kitchen was closed. All that we could get was whatever was on the 'bar' menu. There was nothing appealing. I chose nachos and salsa. BAD mistake. I wish I could say I ate them all and that was what was bad about them. Nope. They were just bad! Some semblance of nachos with salsa that tasted like ketchup & tomato chunks, seriously. THE worst! I left and went back to my room - made tea and ate a clementine.

The next morning - same breakfast. I'm still doing ok. That is, other than being incredibly sleep deprived! What is with the SNORING????

Lunch - healthier - soup (although it was 'creamed' it was fairly watery - so it felt safe), deli sandwiches (grrr.... I had the roast beef and havarti), fresh veggies (three cheers!) and for dessert - pie, again. Apparently the menus at convention centres are limited in their imagination!
Dinner - ah the Gala Dinner! It was lovely - nuff said. I ate it all. Every bite.

Final breakfast - same - including the bags under the eyes from three nights of listening to the incredible symphonic sounds of "the snorer."

Lunch - conference was over so we were on our own. I went with a few others (4) back to Portofino's. I stayed away from the pasta! Good girl that I am.... but..... I ordered a pizza - it was called Pizza Sole.... the thinnest crust I've ever seen, seriously, with tomato sauce, mozarella cheese, and tomatoes. When it comes out of the wood fired oven (yes), theycover it in fresh basil leaves. It was THE most delicious thing ever. My plan was to have some, and then box up the rest. With each piece that I ate, I thought "I'll just ask for a box now"... and then eat another piece. Ya, so there was nothing left to box up. How sad... but very delicious.

I took the after noon to explore Quebec City before I had to fly home that evening. Figured the walking with help work off all the pizza (and all other manner of evil I had eaten). I stopped mid afternoon at a sidewalk cafe and had tea and a chocolate croissant... hey, I had to! I was in Quebec City - it's part of the religous experience!!!

Feeling out of control, I left Quebec City for the airport around 6:00 - and grabbed a Caramilk Bar at the airport -with a bottle of water. And ....I ate the whole thing.

I'm home - and back in control....

I think travel should be outlawed for anyone trying to lose weight!

Speaking of which, I just booked my next flight - Halifax.

*sigh* Hope they start making the seats a little wider!!