Travel Tip #2: When you are unsure where to go, pretend you are a rich hotel guest.
VM: We awoke in our home away from home after a good night's rest ready to explore the city. The only problem was that we didn't know exactly where to start. So we became posers. We walked the few short blocks to what is arguably the city's most well-known and most-photographed landmark, The Chateau Frontenac Hotel (which is a Fairmont) and asked the concierge.
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Our other pretend home away from home - The Chateau Frontenac.
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In all honesty, we fully disclosed that we were not guests, but that we wanted a GOOD walking tour and would be grateful for a recommendation. And I'm happy to say, we got that and so much more.
Quebec City, particularly the Old City, where we are staying, is a unique spot. With only 6,500 residents living inside the "wall," the place truly depends on tourism to keep it afloat. The result? We have found everyone to be super duper helpful and pleasant. They really seem to get that their guests are the reason they're employed. In addition, the govt. invests to keep the place virtually picture-perfect. It's like a nice, French-English Disney World. And no, JM didn't ask me to say that.
So, what does this mean? Our concierge did us a solid. She immediately got us reservations on a terrific walking tour and she also whipped out a user-friendly map to mark other spots of interest that we should not miss. Best of all, she pointed out great dining spots (yep, we always need to assure we've got great places to eat!)
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Getting "tattooed" while sitting on the artist's scooter.
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Posers in the lobby at the Frontenac. Photo creds: HM.
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After a lovely lunch and a tattoo stop for EM, we were off on our tour. Slated for a 2-hour walk (to counteract all the dining we like to do!), our wonderful guide, Michael, just kept going and going and going. Three hours later, EM & HM couldn't hear about another piece of Quebec City history or about a fascinating architectural highlight. JM and I, on the other hand, enjoyed learning & photographing this most beautiful city.
The best part of having an apartment rental was that just when we thought we couldn't go any more, we could just come home, recoup & then head out again later for dinner.
My FitBit was happy that I made my step goal and more!
It was a wonderful day.
Girls are asleep so they will share thoughts later.
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Guess which is the Catholic Church? Ding, ding, ding if you guessed the one on the left.
The Catholics sort of rule in Quebec City. They have been a source of culture & education for literally hundreds of years. Notre Dame is right down the street from where we are staying. The Anglicans tried to diminish this stronghold, but to no avail. The beautiful church on the right, Holy Trinity, today only has about 80 parish families.
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HM getting in her church time. We were fascinated to learn each pew was "assigned" to a family. The doors were there so that in the winter when the family brought a heated stone to keep their feet warm, the heat did not escape. LOVE learning stuff like that!
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Samuel de Champlain led the French into Quebec City. They later lost it to the British. And then the Brits gave it back to the Canadians. Still not quite clear how the region ended up speaking French.
I guess they deny the British years.
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The Old City's architecture is just one photo op after another.
Flowers and beautiful buildings everywhere you turn.
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The government maintains a firm hand on the architectural changes/enhancements made. One of the requirements is these "snow guards" to keep ice and snow from falling off the steep-pitched buildings.
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Our favorite statue on the tour. Intended to be homage to the two great rivers which meet in Quebec City and the trade that was once done here.
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Heading out for dinner, this pic is taken on our street, Ste. Famille. Straight below us is the harbor.
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The old wall surrounding the city. Clearly, they're more worried about the aesthetic than safety in this City. Those teens are literally sitting at least 3-4 stories above the sidewalk. Not a railing in sight. Photo credits: EM!
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One of the "gates" around the city. Photo creds: EM.
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