World Canada Quebec Québec City

Gypsy Rovers - Dale and Karen

Quebec City, Que. Aug 23, 2009

We pulled in the sides and departed Hither Hill, Ottawa, after fun filled 10 days with Dale’s cousin John and wife Barb and headed for Montreal. When we arrived the temperature was 32 – 34 degrees and no breeze so we were sweltering in the heat and humidity. We are not complaining!! We parked the bus and took the bold leap to drive around downtown Montreal and just have a little look. The streets and traffic were challenging but it wasn’t too bad and of course Dale did a great job. (Glad I wasn’t driving!)

We had lunch at the famous Swartzy’s smoked meat restaurant (at lunch time by the way!) It was a little narrow place and packed at that time. We came a just right time as others were leaving…lucky for us. The lunch was fabulous and worth all the praise. We saw Olympic Stadium; the athlete’s village from the Olympics ’67 which was like boxes stacked randomly. We drove in and out of the downtown area looking at the buildings with old façades. We walked along the Montreal port for a few hours then we had expired, it was time to go home for a nap.

We were there for 3 days on the last day we decided to call friends that we had meet in Mercedes. They were on one side of Montreal and we were on the other, of course! Dale knew the husband, Jon from the woodworking shop and I knew the misses, Mary Ann from the Art Club. We had a evening with them and decided to follow them the next day to Quebec city. That would make getting around Quebec much easier with someone who could speak French, other then the Grade 8 French that we partly remember. Thus making us sound like Tonto when we spoke…… although most everyone speaks 2 languages anyway.

The 4 of us took the ferry over to Quebec City on the other side of the river from our RV Park in Levis. We had leisurely walk up and down the quaint streets, peeking in the ornate shops lining the cobblestone walkways. There were musicians and street performers here and there to make the mood perfect. We had a tasty dinner in an outdoor café on a little side street where the local hangout.

We saved the evening for the Image Mill which was an immense sound and light display of 400 years of the history Quebec City. The show is projected on the world’s largest screen on the sides of the harbour grain silos measuring 400 M X 30 M (the size of 25 IMAX screens). It was a fantastic presentation depicting of the beginning of city from Champlain to present date.

We have made several trips over the St. Lawrence Seaway to Old Quebec just to feel the ambience of France. From our RV site it is only 10 min. to the port and 15 min ride on the ferry to the streets of the Old Town. We also ventured further up the coast and over to an island called Ile d’Orlean. We were told it deserves to look. We visited many historical sites, like the Plains of Abraham and battlements still standing as far back as the 1600. It was a grand drive on a sunny day, to see many lovely little villages, cute houses, a great drive along the coast, fresh veggies and a cheese factory to boot.

We’ll go back to Quebec today to have a city tour with a horse and carriage, lunch in a bistro with wine, cheese and a baguette!! What a life!! OK………we’ll stay another day!!!