Canadian Capitals 6/21/19 (Quebec City)







Today was the last day of our Tauck tour.  Most of us will be traveling home tomorrow; however, a few will be staying an extra day or two.  Our tour itinerary for today was to have free time until the farewell dinner tonight.  Our mot excellent guide, Gen, graciously offered to lead a walking tour of Old Quebec City to anyone interested.  All but four tour members took her up on the offer.

Meeting in the lobby at 9:30am, we headed to the lower floor of the hotel.  Gen paused by the display cases lining the walls.  The cases house relics from the original French settlement in Quebec; most of the artifacts on display were uncovered during the building of the Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac.  Built by the Canadian Pacific Railway, it opened in 1893, but has been renovated and expanded several times since.  The name Quebec comes from the Algonquin word Kebec, meaning "where the river narrows" and the settlers picked this location where the Gulf of St. Lawrence narrows to become the St. Lawrence River.

Heading outside, Get showed us how to enter the museum that is under the boardwalk next to the hotel.  It shows more history of the original settlement.  Gen also provided an admission ticket for this museum to everyone when we first arrived in Quebec.

Leaving the hotel grounds, we started our descent to the lower city section.  Stopping first at a plaza on the grounds of the University Laval, we learned that this University in Quebec is the oldest in Canada.    Dating back to 1663, it was also the first institution in North America to offer higher education in French.  The courtyard held a few basketball hoops and all of the windows are covered with screening to protect them from balls.  The campus in the Old city holds only the School of Architecture today, as the University has moved to larger quarters.  On one wall within the courtyard is a unique solar clock.

Moving on, we stopped by a section of the original wall that overlooks the River and served to protect Quebec.  Sections of the wall have been repaired, but all must be kept as historically accurate as possible.  When being repaired, all stones are removed and numbered, so they can be replaced in the exact same location.  If a stone is damaged and must be replaced, it must be procured from the same original quarry if they are still in business.

Gen brought the group into an area that is not really frequented by tourists, showing us neighborhoods that are typical of those inhabited by the city's residents.  They are remarkable for the fact that they have been built in relatively cramped areas, with parking at a premium.  Much of the parking has been carved into areas of the old wall that previously contained very small homes.  The streets are mostly cobbled; we wondered what they would be like in the winter!

After almost two hours, our tour ended at the base of the Funicular that links lower and upper Quebec City.  In perfect Tauck fashion, we each were provided a Funicular ticket for use when we were done exploring the lower city.

Rather than more walking, we opted for lunch at a Bistro that is one of Gen's favorites.  Just a few steps beyond the Funicular, we found Sous Le Fort.  Seated at a small table on the outside, we could watch people stroll by and even called out to a few of our fellow travelers as they passed.  The food was great, the staff very pleasant, and a much better value than anything we would find back at the hotel.

Taking the Funicular back, we went to our hotel to finish packing and get ready for our farewell dinner.  Dinner started with a reception with wine, hors d'oeuvres and live music and finished with a lovely sit-down dinner overlooking the River.  After exchanging contact information with a few folks, we returned to our room, as tomorrow has a pretty early start for us.

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Pictures 6/21/19



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