Bien oui bien oui! I'm off to Québec to visit a few girlfriends I haven't seen in waaaay too long. And despite my interest in history, I've never been to Québec City. So it's time for a roadtrip.
It was a chilled-out couple of days; time was divided between sightseeing and hanging out with my friend Julie and her sweet little baby Thomas in their lovely Heritage home.
It was a chilled-out couple of days; time was divided between sightseeing and hanging out with my friend Julie and her sweet little baby Thomas in their lovely Heritage home.
Loved walking through the lovely streets with a coffee in my hand and the spring sunshine on my face. I have a feeling this is going to be a photogenic city...
Québec's stately Parliament building, built in 1877.
La fontaine de Tourny (Tourny Fountain), in front of the Parliament building. The fountain was built in the 1850s and had graced the city of Bordeaux, France for over a century until they dismantled it in the 1960s. Incredibly, it was re-discovered in a flea market in 2003 by Peter Simons, the owner of a popular department store in Québec. He offered it to the city of Québec in 2007 to commemorate its 400th anniversary.
One of many historic homes converted into a charming restaurant.
Dating from 1675, this is Québec City's oldest house or perhaps even its oldest building (depends on the source). It was one of the city's largest homes at the time and is now a popular restaurant, Aux anciens canadiens.
Château Frontenac, easily one of Canada's Top 5 most photographed buildings. One of Canada's founding fathers, Samuel de Champlain, built his first fort on this spot in 1620.
Place d'armes (Munitions Square), a very happening spot next to Château Frontenac. Well, not very happening this morning.
Palais de justice (Provincial Court), built in 1877 in Renaissance style. This architect also built the province's parliament.
Parc du Cavalier du Moulin, tiny little park tucked away in a corner of Upper Town.
St. Matthew's Protestant Church was built next to the cemetery in 1849 and has been renovated as a public library. Welcome to La Bibliothèque Saint-Jean-Baptiste.
Speaking of renovations, many churches in Québec such as this one are being sold off and converted into condos.
Séminaire de Québec, built by Monseigneur Bishop Laval-Montmorency in 1663 and prompting Governor Frontenac to complain that the Bishop was better-lodged than he. Nowadays, it's Laval University's School of Architecture.
Hôtel de ville (City Hall) dating from 1883.
La poutine Chez Ashton! Poutine is one of Canada's most beloved dishes, a Québecois specialty. French fries, gravy and white cheese curds (and yes, it's gotta be curds, not grated cheese!) It's a heart-attack in a bowl, but soooo good! This is a ''Bébé''-sized portion.
It was Thomas' first time at Ashton's as well.
1- Our national sport was always LACROSSE until 1994, when it was declared our national summer sport and hockey became our national winter sport.
2- We are the world's 2nd biggest country, with a population of just under 35 million. Lots of room to run around.
3- We own Santa Claus. Every year, thousands of Canada Post volunteers respond to children's letters from all over the world, in as many as 30 different languages including braille.
4- There are approx 6 million Francophones in the province of Québec and almost 1.2 million more scattered throughout the rest of the country. (''Francophone'' means that French is your mother tongue.) A few million more Canadians speak French as their second language.
5- We have our own Loch Ness Monster : The Ogopogo allegedly lives in Lake Okanagan in British Columbia.
My view while running along the Cap de Sillery, near Julie's place.
Driving around the beautiful-but-still-leafless Île d'Orléans.
Woohoo! Meeting up with Marie-Hélène, the most stylish and most beautiful West Jet flight attendant EVER!
In the Basse-Ville (Lower Town) of Vieux Québec. Maison Chevalier, built in 1752 and one-time London Coffee House.
Place Royale, site of the first French-Canadian settlement in 1608, for the purpose of fur-trading with the aboriginal peoples.
Québec's enormous 2-castled train station. Seriously.
The district of Petit Champlain has so many charming corners.
A beautiful morning jog through the historic Plaines d'Abraham (Battlefields Park). This massive green space set alongside the St Lawrence River was the site of the battle where the English (under James Wolfe) beat the French (under Marquis de Montcalm) in 1759. Both Generals were mortally wounded in the 20-minute battle; Wolfe's body was sent back to England, pickled in a barrel of rum for safekeeping.
Not a bad spot for a run. Almost as good as Canmore. ;-)
Another Canadian invention (originating in Ontario), the Beaver Tail is a deep-fried donut, shaped into a beaver's tail and piled with sickeningly-sweet toppings. I ordered cheesecake with Skor bits drizzled with caramel. I'm pretty sure it knocked a few years off my lifespan. And I've probably got a cavity now. But it was worth it.
So that's about it! A great, chilled-out trip. On the way to Québec City and back, I also visited a few other girlfriends but regrettably never took photos with them. Myriam, Marie-Josée et Mélanie, je vous aime! Ça m'a tellement fait du bien de vous revoir et de pouvoir 'connecter' avec vous après tant d'années! xxxxx
I also discovered a few things about my own country. For all you history dorks out there, here's a brief outline for you:
Norse travelers from Greenland are the first Europeans to set foot on Canadian soil, but are forced to leave in 1000 AD due to the natives' hostility.
In 1497, Jean Cabot (paid by the English King) sets foot in Newfoundland and reports an ocean loaded with cod fish -- this prompts France, England and Spain to send over hoards of fishermen. Newfoundland eventually becomes prime land for rivalries between England and France.
Meanwhile, Jacques Cartier gets his 1535 voyage to India financed by the French Crown, but lands on the banks of our St. Lawrence River instead. He is greeted by Iroquois natives near present-day Québec City and Montréal. French traders arrive and involve several native bands in the fur/weapons trade, which causes imbalance in the already-delicate tribal wars.
Samuel de Champlain is sent to map the St. Lawrence River in 1603 and founds Port Royal as the capital of Acadia (French-speakers in present-day New Brunswick and Nova Scotia). He establishes Québec City as the heart of New France in 1608 and aligns the French with the Huron tribe, while the Dutch on the Hudson River arm the Five Nations tribe with muskets and rifles. This is bad.
Champlain is starved out of his fort by the British in 1629. The French nevertheless control a massive area; by 1663, the entire French colony stretches from Newfoundland to Ontario, and down through the Mississipi Valley to the Gulf of Mexico (!) That's mind-boggling to me and definitely not something I remember learning in school.
Meanwhile, the English Crown feels threatened by France's strong presence in the New World. Armies are sent to abolish the Dutch monopoly at the Hudson River and to brutally and forcefully deport thousands of French families, from Acadia to Louisiana USA, in 1755. Hence today's French heritage in Louisiana and their awesome Cajun food (the word 'Cajun' comes from the word 'Acadian').
Due to their naval superiority, the English (under the command of James Wolfe) eventually overtake the French (under the direction of the Marquis de Montcalm) in a 20-minute battle at the Plaines d'Abraham in Québec City in 1759, effectively ending French rule in Canada. In 1775, an act was put into place to allow French speakers to continue practicing their language, religion (Catholicism) and culture, which is why our country remains bilingual to this day.
Mwah! xxx
Stay tuned for my blog about California -- as soon as I decide to get my butt over there!
In 1497, Jean Cabot (paid by the English King) sets foot in Newfoundland and reports an ocean loaded with cod fish -- this prompts France, England and Spain to send over hoards of fishermen. Newfoundland eventually becomes prime land for rivalries between England and France.
Meanwhile, Jacques Cartier gets his 1535 voyage to India financed by the French Crown, but lands on the banks of our St. Lawrence River instead. He is greeted by Iroquois natives near present-day Québec City and Montréal. French traders arrive and involve several native bands in the fur/weapons trade, which causes imbalance in the already-delicate tribal wars.
Samuel de Champlain is sent to map the St. Lawrence River in 1603 and founds Port Royal as the capital of Acadia (French-speakers in present-day New Brunswick and Nova Scotia). He establishes Québec City as the heart of New France in 1608 and aligns the French with the Huron tribe, while the Dutch on the Hudson River arm the Five Nations tribe with muskets and rifles. This is bad.
Champlain is starved out of his fort by the British in 1629. The French nevertheless control a massive area; by 1663, the entire French colony stretches from Newfoundland to Ontario, and down through the Mississipi Valley to the Gulf of Mexico (!) That's mind-boggling to me and definitely not something I remember learning in school.
Meanwhile, the English Crown feels threatened by France's strong presence in the New World. Armies are sent to abolish the Dutch monopoly at the Hudson River and to brutally and forcefully deport thousands of French families, from Acadia to Louisiana USA, in 1755. Hence today's French heritage in Louisiana and their awesome Cajun food (the word 'Cajun' comes from the word 'Acadian').
Due to their naval superiority, the English (under the command of James Wolfe) eventually overtake the French (under the direction of the Marquis de Montcalm) in a 20-minute battle at the Plaines d'Abraham in Québec City in 1759, effectively ending French rule in Canada. In 1775, an act was put into place to allow French speakers to continue practicing their language, religion (Catholicism) and culture, which is why our country remains bilingual to this day.
Mwah! xxx
Stay tuned for my blog about California -- as soon as I decide to get my butt over there!
