Day 15

We have now reached the halfway point of our trip. One could say it’s all downhill from here, but we won’t as it’s all Canadian from here.
We sleep for nearly 11 hours. Through the night there have been some disturbances. People running down the corridors at 4.00AM for starters and old blokes needing to pee for seconders.
Part of the deal at the Auberge is breakfast, all you can eat Continental Breakfast. Quite substantial really with cereal, toast, boiled eggs, bagels and cold coffee.
We have a plan for the day and believe it or not I have an iPhone application that will take us around Quebec city on a walking tour. The app has a number to choose from, including Museums and Galleries, Nightlife Walking Tour, Famous Religious Buildings, Old Quebec, Art Galleries, Famous Landmarks etc. I am sure you get the idea.
We chose Old Quebec and the iPhone leads you from one POI (point of interest) to another. The Tour was 10 sites, two hours, so at 9.00AM we set off.
The first site was the Observatoire de la Capital, however it wasn’t open until 10AMso we headed off to the Plains of Abraham instead, where battles took place in 1759, between the British and the Americans.
We then head to the citadel, the fort that is built at the top of the Quebec cliffs. It’s now being restored and is quite something if you’re interested in forts etc. It is also the residence of the GG of Canada.
We follow the walls that formed the outer fortifications of Quebec, they are huge, many metres thick, pierced at various points with gates, that now allow traffic into the old city.
We then head back to the Observatoire and are rewarded by 360 degree view over Quebec from 31 stories high. It is really quite the way to get an overview of the city and its surrounds. We can see the Appalachians, a mountain range in the US that has the 3000km walking trail, the Appalachian Trail, along its path.
We can almost see the rings around Uranus.
We then wander down into the Old City, through various Rue de this and Rue de that. There are lots of Saints around here.
It’s then down to the old Jesuit Chapel, which we over walk as it’s much sooner than we think. It is fermee.
So we double back to Artillery Park where they made cartridges for the guns and build cannon etc. It’s also fermee.
Suddenly we find it’s lunch time, an we need a cup of coffee and something to eat.
A patisserie is handy so we go in. It’s all in French; however I indicate we would like some quiche. The girls says something in French, to which I reply, “English please” to which she rather snappily says “Eat in or take out?”
So we eat in. It’s rather nice food in spite of the snappy server. I have a Cafe latte-boll, which is a bowl rather than a tasse (glass).
The Hotel Dieux is on our course. It’s the hospital set up by an order of nuns. You can tell I was really paying attention at that point, as I can’t recall their name.
Having had the streets and the various sights to ourselves, as it’s Sunday, the crowds are building up. Again it’s odd to find that there’s very little English spoken, and mostly by Americans, if you call what they speak, English.
The walking tour that was 3.4km and to take 2 hours, is suddenly now 5 hours long, with diversions, getting lost, reading and viewing and eating.
We finish at Chateau Frontignac, a huge building in the old city, that was the residence of various French nobles when the French held Quebec, then various English governors and now of course it’s a hotel. Supposedly the most photographed hotel in the world. Who am I to argue with that?
The tour over we head back to the YHA to catch up on some emails and sort out dinner.
Feet are sore and it’s time for a rest and a beer-Labatt Bleue in 750ml cans.
I think the old bloke may be up again tonight. I only hope the runners aren’t!
And Billy hasn’t said a word all day!