Ville de Québec

Location Coordinates:
46°49'N, 71°13'W
Québec City, Québec
Canada

If you are a Francophile, but the thought of enduring an eight to ten hour flight across the Atlantic to France leaves you uninspired, then you need to visit our neighbors to the north in Québec. To give cultural credit its due, Québec City is definitely French Canadian. But the feel of the city is undeniably European. The spoken language is strictly French, as are all signs, menus and, well - everything. Strolling any of the streets in Vieux-Québec (Old Québec) is virtually the same experience as wandering down an avenue in Paris.

Lower Town

Old Québec is separated into two areas, Haute-Ville (Upper Town) and Basse-Ville (Lower Town). I began my visit in Lower Town meandering along winding streets, dropping into interesting-looking stores and taking in the old world ambiance. When I was ready to investigate Upper Town I had a choice to make. I could climb the rather numerous steps, or I could pay a few dollars and ride the Old Québec Funicular. The decision was an easy one, and I soon was gliding up an incredibly steep angle while being treated to a view of the Lower Town that improved with each and every one of the fifty-nine metres (about 195 feet) we climbed.

Chateau Frontenac

When the funicular stopped in Upper Town I found myself near the iconic Château Frontenac, a grand hotel sitting on the most prominent point of the city. The exterior of the hotel was, of course, under refurbishment, rendering it slightly less impressive than I had hoped. (In my travels I have come to realize that the one building or attraction that one is eager to see will very likely will be undergoing some type of renovation. I'm sure it is some sort of conspiracy, but I haven't yet figured out who or what to blame.)

Upper Town street scene

From Château Frontenac I followed a long, broad boardwalk along the bluff of Upper Town which provided sweeping views of Lower Town and the St. Lawrence River valley. I then made my way to Rue St-louis and passed through the old fortification walls which separate the old historical city from the modern city. After stopping by Québec's Parliament Building I ventured back into Vieux-Québec and decided to have lunch at a restaurant offering a table by a full-length open window. The food was fine, however the service was also typically French. In other words, the server seemed to feel she was doing me a favor by taking my order, and I had to nearly perform a floor show to get her attention so that she would bring the bill.

Side street in Upper Town

After lunch there was time for more street strolling and shop visiting. When I found a store on Rue Sous-le-fort that offered Italian gelato I stepped inside for a cone of my favorite lemon flavor. I bought a cone from a very friendly young salesclerk, but not before witnessing a cringe-worthy example of the Ugly Americans. A couple in line in front of me insisted on paying for their gelato with U.S. Dollars, which the clerk willingly accepted. But the couple became quite rude and irate when the clerk informed them she could only provide change in Canadian currency. The American couple made quite a spectacle of themselves, and as a traveling American myself I was embarrassed at this selfish and insensitive behavior. The clerk handled the situation with extreme courtesy and tact, which unfortunately means she likely deals frequently with similar rude Americans on the same issue. So here is my plea to fellow Americans: if you travel in Canada, please be respectful and stop at an ATM for Canadian currency. After all, how successful would a Canadian citizen be if he or she slapped down a Canadian bill to pay for a McDonald's Big Mac in downtown Chicago? Not very.


My day in Québec City exceeded my expectations. What I appreciated most about Québec was the opportunity to spend time in a completely different culture surrounded by amazing European architecture while still being relatively close to home. And for that I say to the Québécois, merci beaucoup, mes amis.

Charlottetown Charm



Weather vane in Charlottetown Harbour



Location Coordinates:

46°14'00"N

63°09'00"W

Charlottetown,

Prince Edward Island

Canada

     So, what do Philadelphia, Pennsylvania and Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island have in common? Certainly not size. Metro Philly has a population of roughly six million versus Charlottetown's total of about 58,000. But both cities have the common historical characteristic of being the birthplace of their respective countries. Philadelphia was the site of the signing of the Declaration of Independence in 1776, and in 1864 Charlottetown hosted the Charlottetown Conference, the initiation of talks to form the Confederation of Canada. And while Charlottetown is significantly smaller than its U.S. counterpart, it certainly is not lacking when it comes to appeal and personality.


Historic architecture of downtown





     Charlottetown makes a great first impression. I arrived by sea, and therefore my initial contact was at the port and marine terminal where I was greeted by a warm and welcoming group of traveler's aide workers. I opted to take a sightseeing tour by bus in order to get a quick overview of the city. Something immediately noticeable is the people of Charlottetown obviously take pride in their community, homes, and civic buildings. Everything was beautifully landscaped and meticulously maintained, from the city centre to the outlying areas. The downtown core exudes charm in its preserved historical architecture, and the businesses I visited were staffed by the friendliest people imaginable.

Stately homes near downtown

     When the bus tour was complete I headed out on foot to check out areas that had caught my eye earlier. One stop along the path was a unique knitwear store that appealed to me on several levels. First of all, the store owner features the work of dozens of local craftsmen and artisans, something I look very favorable upon. But what was truly unique about Northern Watters Knitwear was the fact their beautiful knit garments are manufactured on site. In the back of the store was a crew of about five people patiently operating 100-year-old antique knitting looms. The resulting sweaters, scarves, hats, and other various knit items were a level of quality that I'm sure cannot be beat. The store owner made it a point to personally welcome and speak with each and every visitor to his store. It was obvious he felt a well-deserved pride for his business.

Prince Edward Battery - Victoria Park

     On the west side of downtown is pretty Victoria Park, which also includes the Prince Edward Battery fortification facing the harbour. I had a peaceful (albeit chilly) lunch here before walking back into downtown along a boardwalk path. It was then time for me to decide if I would partake in a vital ritual for all visitors to Charlottetown: a cone from Cows Ice Cream. Charlottetown-based Cows was voted "Canada's best ice cream", and you can hardly turn around without someone or something pointing you in the direction of a Cows store. As I had already splurged on another Charlottetown treat by eating a small bag of chocolate covered potato chips (don't be disgusted - they are really, really good!), I ultimately decided it would be best for me to skip the ice cream.

St. Dunstan's Basilica

     Although my time was limited, Canada's smallest province made a significant impression on me. I would love to return for an extended visit to explore the whole of the island. But, as there are far too many places to go and far too little time to see them all, I may have to wait a while for that return trip. Even so, Charlottetown, PEI joins the ranks of my favorite Right Latitudes.