Magnificent Quebec

At 8:15 we got on the pseudo-trolley bus in front of the campground office. It's an attractive, clean and air conditioned vehicle with a bilingual driver/ tour guide. About ten people got on the bus at the KOA, but we stopped at a Holiday Inn to pick up a few others. Then we headed for the city.

The drive in passes through a very attractive residential area, then in front of Laval University before reaching downtown. We were impressed with how prosperous and well kept everything looked. At least on that road we saw no slums, run down buildings or desolation. It's surely nicer than places like New York or Washington. Then we arrived in the old city, the very European looking part inside the gates and walls. Such a contrast.

Quebec City exceeds everything we expected. It's a fabulous place. It's charming, beautiful, exciting and teeming with history. The old city's streets are narrow, many barely one lane wide. Many are cobblestone or brick surfaced. Pedestrians have top priority everywhere, though traffic is a bit wild.

The trolley bus took us first to the area of the Chateau (Hotel) Frontenac, and that's where we spent much of the day. About six blocks up the hill toward the Citadel, the old fortress, is a gate which leads to the grounds of the Parliment. That ediface was a top priority for us, for it is yet another provincial capital to add to our list. But this one is truly exceptional. It'smore than just the seat of provincial government, it's a national treasure. It's a must for any visitor. The exterior is reminiscent of the national capital in Ottawa, perhaps a bit smaller. But the interior is truly elegant and exciting to see.

We got tickets for the free tour scheduled at 11:00 A.M.. Since we had a hour to wait for the tour we walked two blocks to the Grand Allee. That's a three-block-long street of cafes. Many feature sidewalk tables. The one we chose couldn't have been better. At a little corner table on the sidewalk we had coffee and delicious croisants, really good ones. That was a treat. We sat there watching the pedestrians, other diners and the general scene. The atmosphere alone was worth the price, but the food was superb.

Our tour of the capital began on time. A most pleasant lady guided some twenty of us through the building, two floors of very impressive rooms and corridors. There are near-life-size portraits of past leaders, some from the 1600's. Modern ones have photographs while older ones are oil paintings. The most important and impressive areas are the parlimentary chambers. There used go be two houses, upper and lower. But now there is but one. Yet both large meeting rooms are still used. Parliment meets in one and special committee sessions are held in the other. Both are ornate, most attractive and impressive.

The exterior of the building features niches for statues of famous leaders, political, religious, military and adventurers. Historic names abound. Champlain, Laval. Levis, Verendrye, and others are revered. It's most impressive. The grounds also feature much statuary of heroic proportions, including some honoring the Indians upon whom early French depended so much. This capital complex is right up there with Ottawa and Victoria. Perhaps to many it's even better.

We walked a great deal today, but it was pure pleasure. We could have hired one of the many horse-drawn carriages with personal guides. Or we could have stayed with our own trolley-bus, but we chose to see most of it on our own first. It wasn't until later in the day that we again hopped aboard our trolley to give our feet a rest and let the driver explain things.

A unique feature of our particular trolley tour arrangement was that we could get on or off and any of seven stops throughout the day. Every 45 minutes a trolley would be by to carry us on. It was our choice to do a lot of walking. Things are just not that far apart. Ten blocks at most is involved, especially within the walled portions and adjacent attractions. Much of that is up and down hills, however

One of the things I really wanted to do was to have lunch at the Frontenac. And that we did. It was great. We ate in the terrace dining room overlooking the river and promenade (Dufferin Terrace). That's kind of like Atlantic City's boardwalk. Jean had a most interesting fruit salad plate. I enjoyed a spinach quiche with goat cheese. Rolls and beverage we added. It was all quite nice and now we can say we've dined at the Frontenac. Boy, that's neat.

The magnificent Chateau Frontenac is the obvious centerpiece of the old city. It sits high atop the hill overlooking the city, the river and surrounding countryside. It's the picture postcard image many people have of Quebec. Some may not know that it is but one of many superb hotels built by the Canadian Pacific Railway. The Frontenac is, however, the grand dame of them all. And it is likely the most popular. The train station is down along the river, perhaps a half mile away. And you can still come to Quebec by train.

Quebec City has a population of under a half million. Yet it hosts over three million visitors annually. It's a tourist mecca and tourism is the second largest economic force. Government is number one, with one in three being on the government payroll in one form or another. The whole city is keyed to tourism. There are literally hundreds of restaurants, cafes and other places to eat. There are just as many shops, botiques, galleries and other places to separate the tourist from his money. Everything you might want is available here, from the finest clothing and jewelry to art and antiques. And, of course, there a places selling junk too.

The city was once called "the city of 250 steeples" because of its many many churches and cathedrals. Some are now hidden by surrounding high rise modern buildings. Some have long since burned down or been replaced with newer things. But it is interesting to learn too that some have been converted to other uses, including a library and condos. The sturdy structures were too valuable to tear down. Conversion was cheaper. And on the general topic of churches, Quebec and the Maritime provinces are well-populated with churches and/or cathedrals. Small towns all have one or more. Many are white wooden structures with tall steeples you can see for miles.

The overall ambiance and atmosphere of the place is infectious. You don't want to leave. Yet we only saw it in the daytime. We are told that another whole world of activity and excitement devolves at night. It's a city of many faces and characters.

Some of the highlights include the things I have mentioned, but that's just a small fraction of what we saw, experienced and felt. We are delighted to have experienced part of this wonderful city. It would be nice to spend a week here, perhaps staying in the old city at the Frontenac itself. That would be great, but quite expensive.