Hello and welcome to this week’s blog coming from Quebec City, Canada!
Since the last update I have been busy experiencing and exploring the Quebec provincial capital Quebec City. There is, I can report, plenty to explore. I have been here almost a week enjoying all that the city has to offer. There is so much history here to learn about that it can become a little overwhelming!
The view looking across the St. Lawrence river from the citadel towards Ile de Orleans
This week has involved a good amount of time in museums and other historic buildings learning about the history and culture of Quebec. I have to confess that before I arrived here I didn’t know much about either. The Civilisation Museum was a particular highlight. It covered a lot of the social history and context of the Quebecois as well as that of some of the local First Nations tribes. Learning about this helps put the present into context. The temporary exhibition was about the cultural impact of London, which was a bit strange to be surrounded by images of my home capital!
Another important aspect in the city is the nightlife. There are lots of bars and restaurants to find somewhere to enjoy the evening. Many of these also have live music too. One of the evenings involved an Irish bar, a great band and, quite oddly, Newton Faulkner’s presence. If you know who that is then have a bonus point! Staying in a hostel usually means there is at least someone who is up for going out and having a good time. This can also be during the daytime too, including going on trips organised by the hostel around the city or to a set of waterfalls. This is a great way to meet new people and spend time with them. Sometimes that means only knowing someone for a few days, but that is the nature of this life!
In more general terms, Quebec City is a great city to visit. There are plenty of things to see and do. As most of the historic city on a peninsula, most of the sights to see are pretty close together. Don’t be put off by the fact that the official language here is French! A basic understanding of the language is helpful, but not essential. A large proportion of the population here are bilingual, so if you get stuck then English is also an option too. Still, it is always good to try out other languages when visiting another country. I have found it easier to understand and speak than Icelandic I have to admit!
Whilst in Quebec City I have also been making the most of the local dish poutine. There are so many places to find it here, including ones where you can build your own. This is a risk for a late-night tasting as all sorts of strange, and probably unnecessary, toppings get added. However, who knew there were so many options?! Further to this I have been making the most of the local Quebec beers and lagers too (but not Canadian….yuck!). It’s important to make the most of the local fayre whilst visiting the province.
Looking over the marina in the darkness.
With the World Cup now a distant memory, Canadian sports have now returned to the fore. I can’t say that I really understand any of them to any greater extent now! The triple crown of hockey, baseball and football (Canadian) still have a veil of mystery over them. Perhaps by the time I leave Canada I might have a better grasp on them. I certainly have no real desire to participate in them!
That is all for this week, next week I shall be back down south before heading west into the interior of Canada. I shall be leaving behind the St. Lawrence river too for the first time! Between now and then, there is my Twitter account @mrlukeniktravel and the Instagram account too @mrlukeniktravels. Until next time, stay safe and travel on!
Rue Grand Allier: France or Quebec. So confusing!