Old Quebec City

Life is good!

Thursday August 18 2016

Before going to Quebec City this morning we have one chore to do. The jeep took the brunt of the wet drive on the unpaved section of road construction yesterday. It is completely covered with gray crud from the crushed (rock?) they use for road base before paving. We used the campground WiFi to find a nearby car wash, surprisingly it came clean with just one run through the wash.

 The Campground offers free shuttle service to the ferry terminal, but since we were already out I decided to go by the terminal and check out the parking. The two small city owned lots looked full but we found parking directly across the street from the terminal for $10.

Old Quebec City from the Levis ferry

The ferry was a quick 12 minute ride across the St Lawrence river and landed us right at the base of the walled old city. We walked around the small section of this historic city which is outside the great wall before boarding the Hop-on hop-off bus tour. On the tour we drove through Quebecs beautiful city park, called The Plains of Abraham. In one of the flowered squares was a bronze statue of Joan of Arc, notable to use because it is a work of art by Anna Hyatt Huntington from Myrtle Beach. Brookgreen Gardens in Myrtle Beach was created by her husband to showcase her work along with other American artists. We've seen her sculptures as far away as San Diego California.

Joan of Arc by Myrtle Beach sculpture Anna Hyatt Huntington

Besides getting a narrated tour of the city, it took us inside the walls of the citadel, this level being about 100 feet above the ferry landing below.

An architect's delight

We soaked in all the European charm of this vibrant old city, The panoramic views of the St Lawrence from the parapet walls, the narrow cobble stone streets lined with architecturally significant (if not historic) buildings, the iconic Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac hotel. Of course this type attraction needs people to bring it alive and old Quebec was awash in a sea of humanity. They were mostly tourists but still made it reminiscent of earlier times when towns people scurried about.

Interesting scenes around every corner

No visit to the old city is complete without a meal alfresco at one of the many restaurants offering sidewalk seating. Millie and I enjoyed lunch at the hotel Sainte Anne, our excellent meal enhanced with a street musician adding to the old world ambiance.

Feeling international in French speaking Quebec

All too soon it was time to go, settled into the deck seating on the ferry across the St Lawrence we had one last look at this world heritage treasure.