I arrived this morning by train in Moncton, New Brunswick and have now managed to find some time to share about my time in Quebec City. Ottawa was the "passing off point" where Greg left, and I met up my other friend, Justine, who I first met in 2004 during a trip to Tanzania. After exploring Ottawa for the day, we got a good night's rest and were on the road by 730am the next day.
As a city that birthed the nation of Canada, QC was a step back in time (and perhaps somewher in Europe!) where I found myself wondering if I was still indeed in Canada. Many things were different including the language, the weather, and the architecture. We decided to spend the majority of our time in Old Quebec, alongside the St. Lawrence River. Our hostel was conveniently located in the heart of Old Quebec and everything was within walking distance. Did you know that QC was initially built within fortress walls? That's a distinctive marker used to show that one is in "Old Quebec" - within the walls of the fortress. Old QC is also divided into Upper Town and Lower Town, both of which have their unique qualities. Although many people spoke english, Justine and I attempted many times to speak french, if not out of respect, then for pure nostalgia or grade 7 french classes. QC celebrated its 400 year anniversary in 2008, and contains within its walls the oldest church in North America. It seemed like Christmas was still going on as many decorations were still in place, and it fit well...with the snow and cold weather etc. In the 2.5 days we were there, we did quite a few things, many of which are documented below.
[view of Lower Town alongside the St. Lawrence River...half frozen!]
[Rue de Petit-Champlain, Lower Town]
[pretty mural]
[pretty streets]
[inside the walls...the fortified city!]
[a watch tower, walking on top of the wall]
I won't go into the historic details of the Chateau Frontenac (also known as the "World's most photographed hotel"), but it was an impressive sight! We took a tour and learned about the history and cultural significance of a hotel that grand during the building of the Canadian Pacific Railway. As Canada was being connected from Quebec towards Vancouver via the CPR, "Chateau" style hotels were simultaneous built along the railway to accommodate the upper class citizens who were traveling by train. The hotel was first opened in 1893 and has continuously been added to over the years. It has housed many prominent figures including Winston Churchill and Franklin D. Roosevelt (along with Sir John A MacDonald who all met to discuss the strategy of ending WW2), and of course many Hollywood celebrities. Because of the different reconstruction addition periods, parts of the hotel have a Renaissance feel to it while others have a more Victorian decor. One neat fact - every room in the hotel is different and uniquely created. If you ever find yourself in QC, I would definitely recommend this as a tour of a different kind!
Perhaps my most memorable moment[s] in QC, however, was when I saw a little cart that said the words, "Tire sur Neige" which essentially translates into "taffy on snow". I remember when the jolly Bonhomme de Neigh came to visit when i was in elementary school in North Vancouver. Along with his entourage of entertainers from Quebec, he brought with him maple syrup...a structure that resembled a trough that was full of snow...and large popsicle sticks. The syrup would be heated up, then poured in a line across the snow. A few seconds later, you were given the stick, and had to wrap the now firm syrup around your stick. The result? A delicious mouthful of maple goodness that was warm, but cold at the same time from the snow that surrounded it. IT WAS AMAZING! and i was able to relive that along the banks of the St. Lawrence River. I can't count the number of times i said to Justine, "i feel so Canadian right now!!!" I said it after eating tire sur neige, after i slipped my way across a sheet of ice, after i spoke french, and proly many other times in between. yep, i got caught up in the maple syrup craze, and i loved every minute of it.
[mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!!!]
dL
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