Northeast Trip - Day 5 (Saturday, June 10, 2000)
- Old Québec -
 |
| A narrow street in Old Québec. (Ville de Québec, Québec) |
In the morning, we went to the condo office to find out our sightseeing options in the area. My mom wanted to relax for the day, so after that my brother and I left for Québec. We parked near the Château Frotenac then left to explore Old Québec by foot. The narrow streets, European architecture, and French language made it feel much more like a foreign country than other parts of Canada I've seen. It had a safe and relaxed atmosphere, with children playing outside on some of the more narrow sections. On the main streets, horse pulled carriages added to the ambiance.
Somewhat curious about the military history of this fortified city, we went to the Artillery Park (Parc de l'Artillerie) to see how the city was defended in the past. We looked at displays and then headed to the Dauphine Redoubt and were puzzled to find no unlocked entrance, knowing this part of the park was supposed to be open. It turned out that the attendant had been out to lunch, and let us in when he returned. We saw interesting re-created furnishings showing the redoubt's long history as a fortification, prison, and barracks since its start in the seventeenth century. Different sections showed samples of life there in different periods of history.
 |
| My brother relaxes in Place Royale. (Ville de Québec, Québec) |
After exploring the redoubt, we took a walk down the ramparts, enjoying the view of the Saint Lawrence River. We reached Lower Town and eventually found Place Royale, a scenic pedestrian area of restored historic buildings, complete with cobblestone streets. We peered inside the Basilique de Notre Dame and then walked past the shops of Quartier Petit Champlain to take the tram back to Upper Town.
Back near where we started, we passed Château Frotenac while walking on the Dufferin Terrace, then climbed up the steps of the Promenade des Gouverneurs. As we got higher on the walkway hugging the cliff, the views of the river and land became outstanding. We walked all the way to the end and then skirted the corners of The Citadel on our way back down to our car.
Soon after, we drove to The Citadel and bought tickets for the tour of the star-shaped military installation. Our tour guide introduced us to the place and its history. She turned out to be funny, which I liked but didn't expect on a tour of an active military centre. Meanwhile, I could see a wedding party enjoying themselves in the distance, getting their photos taken.
 |
| Château Frotenac commands the city skyline. (Ville de Québec, Québec) |
The tour took us to the highest corner, which had a cannon overlooking the river, then took us inside for some military museum displays. We also saw the front of the building where the Gouverneur General sometimes stays, but were not allowed to go near it.
After the tour was done, my brother and I drove to National Battlefields Park (also known as the Plains of Abraham) just to see what was there. It was on those grounds that British forces defeated the French in 1759, making Québec a British colony. This was our last stop in the city, so we returned to our condo in Beaupré.
So that my mom could cook dinner at the condo, we went out to the grocery store. By now I was getting used to the traffic system and realized blinking green lights meant a protected left and right turn. No right turns were allowed on red, unlike in California. Whenever I could, I practiced my French. Sometimes people would respond in French, sometimes in English. After shopping, we returned to the condo to eat, watch TV shows in English and French, then go to sleep.
Contact me if you have any questions or comments about this trip.
| Document last modified January 06, 2009. Copyright © 1995-2009 Andrew Sawadisavi. All rights reserved. |
Comments? Suggestions? Contact me. |