Friday Aug 23 - Beautiful sunny warmish (24c) day I leave about 7:45 and Im immediately
challenged trying to find Portage Bridge -- if only Ottawa would name (in bold) it's bridges!!
Nevermind I find myself in Quebec and navigating their road signs - only slightly less helpful
than the ones in Ottawa - 
Kazabazua - and first stop Cranberry Valley or, as they say here, Valle de Cranberges - to
my cheery 'hello' the young proprietor smiles, rather apprehensively I think, and asks - prays (in French)  "do you speak French?" - I tell him, in French, yes and badly -- and off we go on a day
of French who knew in this land of signs directing me to 'Fairburn' and 'Mulligan's Ferry' that 
French would be deriguer!!

Cranberries are available as spread, jelly, dried - sweetened with maple syrup for snacks, pies and a loaf of Viennese bread (read brioche) cranberries with orange.....oh yes and coated in dark
chocolate. The harvest is in October and that's the best time to visit!

Next a Pottery Barn - wow! loads of bowls, cups, plates, trinkets etc..... 'Hand-Made Stoneware'
unfortunately their 'toilette' was non-functional so my visit was short -- looking for a -----

Next The Biniere - Beans, nothing but beans with pork or vegetarian and all baked (in a container) overnight in a sand pit!! (their plumbing is in fine working order)...... and the clerk tells me I speak French 'bien'!!

Gracefield next and shortly after the first sign for a covered bridge, of which there are several in this region, unfortunately, not on the road I take - so 20km in the wrong direction I turn around and head directly for Maniwaki sans covered bridge.

Maniwaki - it's lovely- and Im hungry! - find the Logue Golf Resort - and their comfy pub
'Le Poste de Traite' -- right alongside the river and next to a fire-watch tower..... a tasty Mexican
frajita, good cup of coffee and I am off to tour the City -- and find La Mie Sous la Croùte - an artisan bakery with 6 or 8 different types of interesting bread - I buy the one promised to make the best French Toast and walk to the boardwalk which accompanies the river several blocks through the town - brief walk then sit for a few moments and enjoy the view and the beautiful day.
 
Across the street is the Pythonga tugboat - which towed timber on the Baskatong Reservoir N of Maniwaki.

Quick return trip to Ottawa - review all my purchases and write my blog!