Easter Break

I spent our almost week long Easter break in Trois-Rivière, a city about an hour and a half away from Montréal. After our eight hour drive on Thursday we arrived at Charlotte's aunt and uncle's house. The house was full of energy with Charlotte's two cousins, their parents, Charlotte's parents, two dogs, Juliette (Charlotte's sister), Charlotte and myself.
We spent most of Friday in Montréal trying to find a grad dress. After searching through many boutiques Charlotte found a beautiful dress for her graduation "bal en blanc". Afterwards we went to a huge indoor street market. It was extremely busy with everyone negotiating with vendors for the delicious looking sweets, fruits, fish and other foods being sold. I was glad it was still Lent or I would have spent all my money on all the different French confections. They had macaroons, cakes, cookies, some foreign delicacies and of course much from Québec, like the Gaspesien fish and all the maple products. I ended up buying some maple syrup and the vendor gave me some maple candies "for Manitoba".
After shopping Saturday morning all of us, save the dogs, joined more of the family at Charlotte's other aunt and uncle's house where we celebrated a surprise birthday party. Board games were pulled out and I learned how to play two new games. One was a board game that I lost rather quickly and the other was called loup-garou (werewolf), but it is also known as mafia.
Since I came here I have been told by many people that I have to play loup-garou a game that seems to be frequently played, but I had never heard of before coming to Québec. The reason why I didn't get a chance to play it was because you need at least nine people and we never had that many until this weekend. At the end of every round the players have to perform a "lynching" after accusing other players of being a werewolf and the accusations that were flying where hilarious. With people accusing the person who spoke first to the person who didn't speak at all there was no way to know how to defend yourself. We played all night and into the hours of Easter morning before everyone decide that it was time for the party to end. I was sad to leave, but we were planning to all go back later Easter day so I joined the family members who had not already left and went back to where we were staying.
For Easter, after Mass at the famous Basilica in Trois-Rivières, the family got together again and we had an Easter egg hunt. With only five of us "kids" we all got lots of candy. After eating an unreasonable amount of candy we played loup-garou and a few games of ultimate Frisbee. After supper we all settled down and watched the Montreal Canadians play Tampa Bay before heading home for bed.
Monday morning I decided to go for a run, but because I didn't know the city I got lost a few times. After asking two people for directions I finally found my way back to the house. In the afternoon we played badminton and I received some pointers on how to improve my game from Charlotte's aunt. I was really proud of myself when, out of the two skill building matches we played, I beat her in the second one. When it got dark Charlotte's parents, aunt, uncle and the dogs took a promenade through the old part of Trois-Rivières. We passed a store called Planète Poutine sells at least twenty different types of poutine! The day was slow, but it was nice having a day to cool down before we left.
I ended the splendid weekend with another long drive back to Gaspé. It was weird driving and not being able to see miles and miles around me. I had a wonderful Easter break and it was great meeting Charlotte's extended family, but with only three days left of school I am ready to be back and see my friends before I go back to Manitoba.