July 4th - La Vieux Ville – The Old City – Quebec City
We’re up at our usual time, I grab a cup of coffee from
Bruce and work on the blog before there’s much activity. Folks are stirring in
the other campsites. A little girl is walking her dad along the dirt roads
between the rows of campsites. She’s about a year old, dressed in a pink onesie
and cute enough to make your teeth ache. The sun is sweet, shining through the
pines and maples found throughout the valley of the St. Lawrence. It’s a
beautiful time of day.
We decide to head into the Old City via a park and ride
option. Wise decision. Driving an RV in any city is a bit more challenging and
why go through that stress when we can take a bus?
The Park and Ride is a bit more complex than the handout
intimates. First, there are only 14 parking spots, all for cars. We backtrack to the alternate Park and Ride.
It’s 1.5 km away. Easy enough for us, but challenging for our older folks. It’s
a long hike to the bus stop at Larue & Vachon, but we finally make it.
It’s hot. Eventually the temperature gets to 33. We take the 800 into the city. I ask a nice woman where to depart the bus for the old town. She asks, “Uptown or downtown?” Great question. We decide uptown and that turns out to be the correct answer. We’re let off ¾ of the way up the hill, close to the giant water fountain and the National Assembly. Betty, Larry & Sven opt for the hop on – hop off red bus tour. They are impressed.
It’s hot. Eventually the temperature gets to 33. We take the 800 into the city. I ask a nice woman where to depart the bus for the old town. She asks, “Uptown or downtown?” Great question. We decide uptown and that turns out to be the correct answer. We’re let off ¾ of the way up the hill, close to the giant water fountain and the National Assembly. Betty, Larry & Sven opt for the hop on – hop off red bus tour. They are impressed.
The Fountain in front of the National Assembly, Quebec City
Shannon, Bruce and I decide to walk the city. We need the
exercise and other than the heat it’s a sound decision. The Old Town is a
uniquely North American flavoured city of European design and custom. Add in
that it’s 400 years old and the ambiance is beguiling. Most folks in Quebec
speak some English and in tourist areas nearly all speak English very well.
It’s certainly better than my French.
After seeing off the other half of the crowd we are in front
of the Chateau Frontenac, the jewel of the Canadian Pacific hotel chain – now
Fairmont. Great meetings have been held in this impressive building, including
the famous meetings to discuss WW II strategies. Churchill, Roosevelt and
Mackenzie King met here to decide Italy’s surrender and to work out the end of
the war.
Over the wide wooden promenade to the rail edge and a magnificent
view of the St. Lawrence River. It squeezes through a narrows here and then
broadens into the wide, wide river that carries on down to the Gulf of St.
Lawrence and the North Atlantic Ocean.
The Chateau is built below the Citadel, both occupying Cap Diamant. The commanding view of the river from both directions and the steep cliffs are why this site was chosen for Quebec City.
View of the St. Lawrence from the Promenade
The Chateau is built below the Citadel, both occupying Cap Diamant. The commanding view of the river from both directions and the steep cliffs are why this site was chosen for Quebec City.
We descend steep stairs onto a winding, cobble-stoned road curling into the old town. Halfway down a very, very steep set of stairs cuts off from the road and leads into one of the most picturesque streets in N. America. Half a dozen bars and cafes perch on the cliff side of the stairs. We choose one near the bottom. The sandwiches are far better than expected. Must be the famous Quebec cheeses. We chat with a nice Australian couple who love, love, love Canada. It’s hot in Oz. Plus 45 last year and huge, raging fires.
We tour the old town at an appropriate pace, shooting photos
like mad tourists – wait, we are mad tourists! The road leading from the
Cul-de-sac, surely the first in north America, has a ceiling of colourful
parapluie’s (umbrellas). A fudge shop needs to be reconnoitered. Yes, the fudge
is way too good. Around a corner and into the original square of the town founded
in 1608 by the somewhat famous Samuel de Champlain and much less famous Pierre
Dugua de Mons. There we spot a bust, on a pillar, surrounded by a plastic
bubble filled with plastic ‘snow’ and two fans blowing the snow around inside
the bubble. A giant Christmas ornament – snow globe in the sweltering July
heat. Must be a French thing.
Hanging Umbrellas
Back we climb up the winding, cobble-stoned street, and take
the steep wooden stairs to the promenade. Along the promenade to the stairs
leading to the Citadel and the Plains of Abraham. Closed says the Parc Canada
sign, but only by 5 minutes, so we scurry on by and trust that we can walk fast
enough to persuade any Parc police that we were on the stairs before the
official closing time.
The stairs go on, and on, and on. There’s a lot of stairs. We finally emerge atop the cliffs amazed that Wolfe could get 4,400 men in combat gear to climb up this wall of stone under cover of darkness!
The stairs go on, and on, and on. There’s a lot of stairs. We finally emerge atop the cliffs amazed that Wolfe could get 4,400 men in combat gear to climb up this wall of stone under cover of darkness!
Ah. The Plains are closed. The FEQ (Fete Ete Quebec - excuse the lack of accent marks s'il vous plait) has erected a giant stage on the plains. There is security fencing all around in patterns that seem to have no meaning. Security guards drive around in white cars stopping folks ambling about the fields surrounding the Citadel. We top the ridge once commanded by Montcalme, view the plains where his army was defeated, then meander through the heat toward the exit. The security guard there is beet red, flowing perspiration. He says, when asked, that its unusually hot for this time in July. We spot a mister mounted on the fence and stand in the ever-so-refreshing mist. It’s a popular spot.
The great fountain in front of the National Assembly beckons
with gouts of water spurting from frogs’ mouths and delicious overspray. Did I say it was hot?
We check in on the red bus tour – it’s on the way back into the city. We await. And wait. And wait a bit more. Finally our crowd of BC travellers reconnects and we make our way back to the 800 bus stop. Google maps shows us all the bus stops on the way back to Avenue Larue & Rue Vachon, our stop. We make it. No French needed. The walk back to The Ceilidh is longer than we remember, perhaps the heat contributes. She starts without a murmur, pleased to see us I think. Whip round to pick up Larry, Betty and Shannon back at Rue Vachon, onward to our campsite. Set up, put on trunks and yay, an hour in the pool. The best swim forever! It has been a full day of adventures. Tomorrow we’re off toward New Brunswick.
Fountain Frog
We check in on the red bus tour – it’s on the way back into the city. We await. And wait. And wait a bit more. Finally our crowd of BC travellers reconnects and we make our way back to the 800 bus stop. Google maps shows us all the bus stops on the way back to Avenue Larue & Rue Vachon, our stop. We make it. No French needed. The walk back to The Ceilidh is longer than we remember, perhaps the heat contributes. She starts without a murmur, pleased to see us I think. Whip round to pick up Larry, Betty and Shannon back at Rue Vachon, onward to our campsite. Set up, put on trunks and yay, an hour in the pool. The best swim forever! It has been a full day of adventures. Tomorrow we’re off toward New Brunswick.
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