Today we have discovered why we bought warm clothes, the temperature is 11 C but with a cutting cold breeze. Our plan is to do the hop on hop off bus city tour, so after breakfast, we only need to walk sabot a block from our hotel to the bus stop. It is a double decker open top bus, so the best views and photo opportunities are from the upper deck, but so are the coldest temperatures. Nevertheless, we give it a go.
The tour bus in the Old City
Our tour bus stop is just alongside the Church of Saint Joseph. The number of Catholic Churches in Quebec City is amazing, and many of them are on a grand scale. However we later learn from our tour guide that church attendance in Quebec is now minimal, and most churches cannot afford their upkeep. In the case of this particular church, they have rented out retail space in the church to bring in necessary income.
Church of St Joseph
A retail boutique attached to the church walls
Another retailer is using basement space a little further down the street. The scenery on the tour is filled with old buildings, more autumn leaves and views of the St Lawrence River (Quebec is located on the narrowest section of the river, strategically, to allow control over shipping into the great lakes).
The old city is located on an escarpment high above the river, a perfect natural fortress location.
The plains of Abraham where the battle with the English ended up in French defeat
The old city wall
The oldest existing house in Quebec City
The port where our ship should have departed from
The Southern bank of Quebec City
Not a brand we see much of in Australia
After the bus tour we went for a walk through the streets of the old city and took in the sights.
The Railway Station
We stopped for a late lunch in a hotel restaurant on the way back to our hotel. David tried the local specialty, puteen, which is a big pile of french fries, mixed with cheese curds, and then smothered in gravy and whatever meat you wish to go with it (in David's case, duck). Aparrently it tasted pretty good.
We also tried the local beer.
The girls have been struggling to get a decent cappuccino , both in size and quality. Our last attempt was barely a thimble full. So this time they ordered a large cappuccino, and they got what they ordered, at least in quantity.
On the rest of our walk home, we came across some people still decorating their restaurant for halloween.
And some imaginative horticulture
Tomorrow we fly to Boston, to fill in the next 5 days before our cruise sails on the 18th October. We have booked a rental car and a hotel at Cape Cod for 3 nights, and will the stay on the outskirts of Boston for the following 2 nights and spend our time looking around Boston, before boarding on the afternoon of the 18th.
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