Maritime Provice Trip: Quebec City

July 1, 2013
The drive to Quebec City was uneventful. It was such a short drive that we stopped several time to take pictures. Some people saw moose at the moose crossings, but we did not.We are staying in a KOA campground that is huge. We have more space around the RV than usual. The young grandkids would love this park--we have a pool and a large jumping thing.

Behind us you can see mountains. The mountains divide the watershed area: on one side the water flows to the Atlantic Ocean; on the other to the St. Lawrence River.

July 2 (third day) Motorcoach Tour
Quebec City is placed at the narrowest point of the St. Lawrence River. Here it is only .75 miles wide (at its mouth it is 40 miles wide) and it is 200' deep. This makes it a natural port. It is 200 miles from the coast, but is affected by the tide. When the tide comes in the water flows upstream and when the tide goes out the water flows downstream. The water here is fresh. The Province of Quebec has worked hard to improve the quality of air and water. The water is clean enough to swim in and sturgeon have returned. Icebreakers keep the river open all year round.

Quebec City celebrated its 400 year anniversary in 2008. Our tour started in the "old city." This is the area where houses were built on a small strip of land between the river and the cliffs. Some of these original buildings still exist. They Date from the 1600's. A few years ago the government bought these houses and totally renovated them. The government rents these apartments to individuals for about $1000/month. The streets were built for foot traffic and horse carts. The old warehouses were sold to individuals who had to have a plan to renovate the interior. These buildings are condos or shops. It is extremely cold and snowy in Quebec City. Lows may reach 30 below zero and there may to 200" of snow per year. Most people did not put windows and doors on the northeast side of the buildings. The most severe storms are "noreasters." They looked so bare that the government has given contracts to painters to put murals on them.

The area along the river was defenseless. Several years were spent building a thick wall around the cliff and the town moved up. It originally had six gates, but now there are only four. The Fairmont Hotel dominates the walled city. Many chateaus like this one called Chateau Fronteac were built along the railroad tracks to support tourism. This one was built before the railroad arrived. It is now a luxury hotel. The area in front of the hotel has a viewing area. You look down and see the top of the old wall. From the walled city you can look in the distance and see mountains that are 10 miles away.

Views around Parliament Building (just outside of walled city):

Views around Fairmont Hotel:

Gate in Wall

Fairmont Hotel/Chateau Frontenac (Copper

View of Citadel, Defense during War of 1812\

Monument to Quebec by United Nations
Given in 2008
Designates Quebec as International
Historic City

The Field of Abraham was given to an early settler named Abraham, who used the area behind the walled city to raise animals. The Canadian government gave it to the city of Quebec as a park.

View of St. Lawrence River

Joan of Arc Statue

Tour Bus

After seeing the city, we drove to Montmorency Falls. We had lunch there and then looked at the Falls. The falls are natural. It is 100 feet taller than Niagra Falls. It used to generate electric power, but the plant is no longer functional. You can drive to the top (by the restaurant), take a cable car, or walk from the parking lot below.

In front of restaurant

Below Falls

Steps to top of falls Falls and suspension bridge across

Our next stop was to Shrine of St. Ann/Anne. St. Anne is the mother of Mary, grandmother of Jesus.

The shrine was built by volunteers over 50 years. It replaced another shrine that was built by the river. At this place in the river, about 30 miles southeast of Quebec, saltwater and freshwater meet. It is a good spot for fishermen. The story is that fisherman got into trouble. He prayed to St. Ann (patron saint of fishermen or sailors) to save him. In return he would build a grotto. He was saved and built the grotto. The original burned down. I think this shrine was started sometime around 1910 and finished around 1970. The first floor is dedicated to St. Ann and the lower floor to St. Mary. The mosaics are outstanding. Around the first floor are various chapels and statues dedicated to saints.

St. Ann's altar side chapel

reproduction of pieta near St. Ann altar

Statue near entrance Statue near entrance St. Mary's altar

Our final stops were on the Isle of Orleans. The island has fertile soil, unlike Quebec City which has mainly granite. [Granite has been shipped all over the world. Canadians gave the granite to the US has a base for the Statue of Liberty. In Canada it is used for curbs on the streets. Parking is up to 8 levels under the surface. Builders went thru granite to build the lots.] Most of Orleans has been preserved for farming. Only the narrow ends are open to development. In Quebec, land plots near the river are 500 feet wide and 3 miles deep. All houses are lined with the river bank. Other inland, land was divided in a wheel /pie shape. The island grows lots of strawberries, raspberries. There are fruit trees and maple trees (which is used to make maple syrup). There are probably vegetables here.

Migrant workers are invited to work the fields and harvest. Workers are given the same social benefits as Canadians. Health coverage is even included to worker families, which may not be here.

During the French and Indian Wars, the island was left unprotected. The British landed here and studied Quebec. They found an upstream cove and a small path that took them into the walled city of Quebec by way of Abraham's fields. The entire battle with the French lasted 25 minutes.

view of mountains from strawberry At small market after purchases of

fields strawberries, potatoes, asparagus

and canned maple syrup.

Our last stop was for ice cream and chocolate. We were really ready for home by the end of the day. We were so tired!

Stories/history from guide;
People who live in Quebec look half their age. Winters are so cold they are frozen half the year.

Women in Quebec are the most beautiful in eastern Canada. The original settlers were men. The French king wanted families here. He sent a boat with 700 plus women to Quebec. The men were forced to gather. The women got off the boat. Men picked their women and they were married by a priest also at the harbor. The remaining women were loaded back on the boat. At the next stop, the who procedure happened again. Women who were not picked, went back on the boat They continued up river until all the women were picked.

July 3, 2013
We stayed at the park for a while then drove back into Quebec City. What a gorgeous, sunny day. We looked in some of the shops, but bought very little. We toured Notre Dame Church. The church is 300 years old. The original wooden structure burnt down. The new one was built on the same foundation, but is slightly smaller. Next was lunch. We went to one of the oldest buildings in Quebec to a restaurant called Anciens. The inside was supposed to resemble the original interior (low ceilings, paneled wood ceiling, lanterns.) Waitresses wore garments resembling dress from 1670 (when the building was constructed. Typical Canadian dishes were served. We chose two different specials of the day. The special included a glass of wine or beer, soup or appetizers, entre, and desert. We had great food. Gordon had vegetable soup, pork in wine and honey sauce, and maple syrup pie. I had split pea soup, meat pie, and upside down strawberry shortcake.