Trois-Rivières, Quebec

Viking Polaris docked this morning at 8:00 am in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, right in the Old Town area. Trois-Rivières, or Three Rivers, was established in 1634, the second city to be permanently settled in New France. Quebec City, which we will visit tomorrow, was the first in 1608.

The Expedition Team was able to deploy the zodiacs this morning for cruises around one of the islands, but it looked very cold on board for me. Perhaps I’ll sign up for the experience later during the cruise. I learned this afternoon that the only wildlife sighting was a cat.

Fun on the Zodiacs

The crew was occupied today with a Crew Drill, which passengers were not required to attend. Viking, like all cruise ships, takes safety very seriously, and drills are performed on a regular basis.

Looking Way Too Happy as They Prepare to Abandon Ship

My activity for the morning was the included excursion, “Notre-Dame-du-Cap Sanctuary.” Tim opted for the “Musée des Abénakis.”

I boarded a motorcoach for a drive to Cap-de-la-Madeleine to visit the Notre-Dame-du-Cap Sanctuary, an important shrine to the Virgin Mary. The basilica, constructed in 1955, soars to a height of 125 feet and can accommodate up to 1,660 worshipers. We toured the modern basilica and admired its impressive stained-glass windows and one of the largest Casavant organs in the world.

Notre-Dame-du-Cap Basilica

The Impressive Interior of the Basilica

We then toured the chapel, known as the Old Shrine, which opened its doors in 1720. It is the oldest church in Canada where daily Mass is celebrated. Pope John Paul II paid his respects at the sanctuary in 1984.

The Old Shrine

After strolling through the beautiful gardens, we reboarded the bus and headed to the Cabane Du-Bois-é, a sugar shack where the owner gave us a lesson on the traditional methods of producing maple syrup. We tasted maple syrup, as well as maple taffy.

All About Maple Syrup

I enjoyed the maple syrup, but I especially loved seeing the fall colors of the maple trees. I do miss the red and orange colors that I grew up with in Maryland, so it was nice to see them again.

Beautiful Fall Colors

We passed a few of the city’s historic buildings on our return journey, but it was chilly, and I was lazy. Thus, I elected to return to the ship, rather than wandering through the Old Town.

A Few Historic Buildings in Old Town

Viking Polaris

Late this afternoon was the Viking Welcome Reception, where we met Captain Xavier Mongin and the Senior Officers of the ship. Immediately following, Expedition Leader Marc introduced the Expedition Team and held his Daily Briefing.

Captain Mongin, Senior Officers, Expedition Team, and Entertainer Elmer

Although I rarely drink at home, I admit that I have been indulging since boarding the ship on Tuesday. Not only has the crew been handing out flutes of sparkling wine and other drinks, but having the complimentary Silver Spirits package, which includes all alcohol, has made it even easier to order an afternoon or evening cocktail.

On previous cruises, I never sat at a bar and enjoyed a drink, but I find myself drawn to the Explorers’ Lounge each afternoon and evening. It’s less about the alcohol than the conversations with some very interesting people. I met Steven and Jerry the first evening on the ship, and we have continued to run into each other here ever since.

Tonight, however, I tried a Cognac Tasting. We sampled three different selections, and I verified that I really don’t like cognac. It was a fun experience, nonetheless.

Cognac Tasting