Quebec City Day UNO!

Bubba meets the Bulldog.

It all happened on a Sunday morning. I was on the computer, puttering around and doing my usual procrastination bit before leaving five minutes to get ready for church (What can I say? I like to live on the edge) and then before I knew it! We are going to Quebec City.

Dave and I had been talking about a trip to Quebec City after his last final exam, but it was just simply that... talk. Nothing more, nothing planned, or so I thought.

I was browsing different sites that spark my interest. Nothing good on Kijiji, Facebook was having a slow news day and then, there I was, face-to-screen with the Via Rail webpage. "I'll just check what the prices are like to Quebec City. Just "window" shopping so to speak," I thought. "Hmmm.... 50% off the usual fare."

16 digits from my Mastercard later and two seats were booked (and an infant passenger to sit on some lucky adult's lap.)

Click, click, click and BOOM! Priceline matched me up with a Best Western only a 10 minute walk from the Quebec City train station. The whole time I shouted "David! I am doing it! I am doing it!" And he responded from the distant bathroom, "What!?"

I told him that we were going to Quebec City for a week. He seemed okay with it.

David finished his exams and we celebrated with a new adventure. 

We woke up to the usual Little Dragon alarm around 6:30am-7am. Fed the beast and towed our suitcase and stroller to the bus station down the street from our apartment building. Approximately an hour later we made it to the Ottawa Train Station and boarded for our 9:50am departure.

Less than two hours later we made it to Montreal where we had an hour break to stretch our legs and throw some more food into Little Dragon's bottomless pit of a stomach. Four hours later we arrived in Quebec City.

The train ride across Quebec's countryside was similar to Alberta's in the sense that, yes, there is a lot of farms (agriculture and cattle), BUT the thing that struck me as odd is that the Quebecois LOOOVE their swimming pools. Honestly, about half of the backyards I saw had pools. Mostly, the construct-it-yourself, raised, circular pools. At one point, in some small middle-of-nowhere town, I counted five in a row! Go figure.

We arrived in Quebec City and checked into our $50 a night hotel room. Both of us were pleasantly surprised to be given a complimentary upgrade to an executive suite, breakfast vouchers for each of the mornings we were staying and a free cocktail (Virgin Caesar...we didn't "celebrate" that much). Another score off Priceline! Oh how I love that website!

The first night we walked to Upper Quebec  (but just outside of the "wall") and went in a restaurant for some grub. We got a poutine and a veggie burger which were yummy and a pudding that was yucky, although my face in the pictures might lead you to believe the opposite.

Mmmmm! Poutine!

I feel like someone is watching me eat.

Sunset and a statue.

My future house.

The next day was Friday and we went back to the Upper Quebec area and explored some more. We found the wall and strolled into the Old City. She is still pretty good looking for being such an old broad. It was like every corner of the city had 5 beautiful buildings on it. I told David a number of times that this was as close as we are going to get to Europe for at least 5 to 10 years... or more.

This store had signs that said NO PICTURES everywhere so I stepped outside of the door and snapped one! I am a rebel. A weak sauce rebel. Look at those swords! And lots of Medieval weirdo garb.

Don't Just Be Another Brick In the Wall-  "Actually in Quebec we Live in French!" The Language Police busy at work.

In front of the beautiful University of Laval campus (School of Architecture)

We went to the Information Center and asked them where to buy local art. They said in the alley behind this street there are vendors there every day. Yes, I bought a print in an alley! That was on my list of things to do. Good Old Quebec!

We checked out the Citadel, an active military base that overlooks the St. Lawrence River and has a rich history of war. It also houses the Governor General in the summer and the dead bodies of George Vanier. Can you say creepy?

Walking into the base.

Family picture on the highest point of the base, note the canon beside us!

Couple picture with Chateau Frontenac in the background.

Well there's some pictures of the first 24 hrs in Quebec City. More to come... It is a truly magical place and a hidden gem of Canada dare I say North America. I dared. I said it!