Poutine, asbestos and the Eastern Townships

Our first dinner in Canada I experimented with a local dish- poutine!  Hard to describe so that you can see it/taste it...fries smothered in gravy, sprinkled with cheese curd and topped with a variety of things.  We went to Chez Charlie's specifically for "smoked meat" so I got the poutine with smoked meat. 
After reading the description, is this what you pictured?  (well, I had already eaten the smoked meat off the top...):

We spend yesterday morning lollygagging in the fabulous 1950's retro motel in Lennoxville, and then got on our way mid-day.  Who would have ever thought I could "hang" for an entire morning when there were things to see and do!!?  We walked around downtown Sherbrooke which had a surprisingly large cultural base for a small regional seat.  The picture of the canal does not show the power of the rushing water nor the spectacular ice formations on the bridge structures or the surrounding trees!

We had a non-descript lunch at a Vietnamese restaurant and hit the road for Quebec. 

I had never heard of the region call The Eastern Townships, but it is a beautiful area- picturesque lakes, and rivers, huge farms, rolling hills, mountains not far off and a great web of country roads- some of which we could not take with the "better suited for other climates" Prius.  I think that this area would be best explored in the summer.

We passed through a town called Thetfield Mines, and to see the surrounding hills (or what is left of them) is to understand the name of the town.  The entire area is asbestos mining!  I am glad we didn't realize what was being mined until we had already driven through.  There is even a hamlet called Asbestos.  The sunset over the fields and mountains was a study of juxtaposed blues, reds and purples with the barren hills with huge excavation equipment everywhere.

We pulled into Quebec City about 6:30pm- ready to get out of the car and stretch our legs and backs!

Today we find a bank, and approach Quebec City and Winter Carnival--walking!

Blue skies!