Although I fully enjoyed visiting the countryside during my morning tour, I certainly didn’t want to miss seeing the scenic streets and historic sights of Quebec City, a UNESCO World Heritage Site.
While Tim departed for the included tour, I set off on foot through the cobblestone streets of the city on the optional “Old Town by Foot and Tea at the Chateau Frontenac” excursion. Everyone was surprised to learn that our first stop would be tea at the city’s best-known landmark. I heard many groans from folks who wished they had skipped lunch.
We made our way without stopping to the Funiculaire du Vieux-Québec, a cable-car ride that connects the Lower Town with the Upper Town for those not up for the steep stairway. At the top, we arrived at Dufferin Terrace, where Samuel de Champlain built his fort in 1620. Rising before us was the Chateau Frontenac.
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| Traveling from the Lower to the Upper Town |
The Chateau Frontenac is one of Canada’s grand railway hotels and the first one built by the Canadian Pacific Railway. One of my goals on this trip was to stay in as many of these hotels as possible. We accomplished this with the Hotel Vancouver, the Banff Springs Hotel, and Chateau Lake Louise. We would have stayed at the Jasper Park Lodge, but it had not reopened since the fire. I knew we couldn’t stay at the Chateau Frontenac, but having tea there was the next best thing.
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| The Chateau Frontenac |
Tea was delightful, with delicious scones and a tower containing a vast array of tea sandwiches and pastries. Because our table was only able to eat a small portion of the sweets, I decided to ask for a “to-go” box to take the remaining items back to the Expedition Crew. I ended up with two full boxes!
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| Tea at the Chateau Frontenac |
We then embarked on a quick tour of the Upper Town and saw such landmarks as the Cathedral of the Holy Trinity, the first Anglican cathedral built outside of Britain, and the Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec. We passed other historic sites as we hiked down the steep walkway to the Lower Town.
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| Cathedral of the Holy Trinity and the Cathedral-Basilica of Notre-Dame de Québec |
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| Other Historic Buildings and Monuments in Upper Town |
The Lower Town retains much of its colonial-era character, and here I admired the beautiful stone buildings. Our guide described an interesting mural, la Fresque des Québécois, that recounts the story of Québec City, weaving in visual allusions to its unique architecture and fortifications, and its larger-than-life personalities. Nearby is a large frame, designed for photographs, and I posed with Paul, one of the Expedition Team members.
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| Beautiful Stone Buildings in Lower Town |
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| la Fresque des Québécois |
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| Sarah and Paul |
Our final stop was Place Royale, where Samuel de Champlain founded the City of Québec in 1608. Here is the oldest stone church in North America, as well as buildings that combine French and British influences. It’s a charming area that was reconstructed in the 1970s. This project removed additions made to the square from the period of British control onwards, returning to the space its original French colonial character and architecture.
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| Place Royale |
Following a beautiful sail-away at sunset, Tim and I celebrated our anniversary with a delicious dinner at Manfredi’s. The crew had prepared a special cake for us, and we toasted our years together.
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| A Beautiful Sail-Away |
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| A Memorable Anniversary |
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