Gifts to Quebec City

Against the advice of the campground office, we choose to drive into Quebec City for our day of touring. The campground offered a shuttle service, but then you were stuck in Quebec City until at least 4 pm. We wanted the flexibility of being able to leave when we wanted to, so we drove. We did get some encouragement from the Tourist Information Center we visited yesterday and felt that we could manage the quirky streets and heavy traffic. 

This is Quebec City Hall. I took this picture because we parked under the building and I wanted to be sure we could find our way back. It turns out that Quebec City is not that difficult to get around in, and this kind of caution was not necessary. This picture also points out that there is a lot of construction, on both roads and buildings, during the summer and early fall. Outdoor work is limited by their long winters so they try to get as much done in the summer as they can. 

We have seen many street musicians, usually guitar, but this is the first time we have seen a harp. This gentleman was playing in front of the Tourist Information Office. 

First stop, while we waited for the tour bus, was the Dufferin Terrace, a broad boardwalk that offers a spectacular view of Old Lower Town and the St. Lawrence River. An 1898 monument to Samuel de Champlain is at the end of the terrace.  

This huge Holland Line cruise ship was in port. This is the view of the St. Lawrence River from Dufferin Terrace.

Built in 1893 in the Medieval French style, with numerous turrets and copper roofs, Fairmont Le Chateau Frontenac was built by the Canadian Railway to encourage tourism. Frederick is checking out the cannons on Dufferin Terrace.

This is a view of Le Chateau Frontenac taken from the tour bus on a street in the Lower City. Our tour guide said it is the most photographed hotel in the world.

Cobblestone streets in Old Lower Town.

The tour bus stopped and I got out to take these pictures. After the tour, we walked back down to Old Lower Town and walked these streets again. 

It was fun to walk these streets. There were tons of restaurants and gift shops.

As you can see, it was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and the sky was blue, with a temperature in the lower 70s.

In a square in Old Lower Town was this gift from France to Quebec City. Our guide said that they don't like it much and compared it to France's gift to the U.S. of the Statue of Liberty.

Outside the Convention Center is this series of sculptures; there is a crouching beast to the left. Our guide said the sculptor described the work as, "the sequence of the jump of an awesome animal."

One of the gates to the walled city. We are sitting on the top of a double-decker bus. You can just see our guide, Patrick (black hat).

An oriel. There are many in the city, each a different style and color. These are some of the other people sitting on the top of the bus.

The 1886 Parliament Building inspired by the Second Empire-style Louvre. Quebec City is the capital      of the Province of Quebec. The population is 750,000, 95% French speaking. The government is the largest employer in the City and the unemployment rate is a low 5%. Medical and optical research are important employers.

The beautiful fountain outside the Parliament Building.

Of course, like most historic cities, there are the horse-drawn carriages.

Given by the Swiss in recognition of the 400th Anniversary of the City, this clock was just installed last week. There was a crowd of people around the clock taking pictures.

I have never heard of this before, but our guide told us of the Holy Door that is part of Notre-Dame Basilica-Cathedral of Quebec. He said that there are 6 in Europe but only this one in North America.

Inside Notre-Dame Basilica. The parish of Notre-Dame de Quebec is 350 years old which makes it the oldest of all parishes in North America, north of the Spanish Colonies.

Outside of the Cathedral.

Samuel de Champlain's ship-planter.