Canada, eh? Part 2

We were so sad to leave our lovely apartment behind in beautiful Montreal but we’re excited for what was ahead…..

After getting our lot situation taken care of we felt happy and free to take off on our 3 hour trek to our next destination.  Quebec City

This time I was smart.  I packed LOTS of snacks for dad to eliminate the need to constantly stop

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The drive was beautiful. There was no traffic and quite easy to navigate.

We did get a bit lost once we arrived in Quebec City.  We sort of surprised a sweet little non English speaking French family by showing up on their doorstep….nope! Not our apartment!  (Awkwward!!)

GPS directions were a bit off but the second time we made it to the right house

Another hit! Our apartment was JUST outside of Quebec City about a 10 min drive. Later I was so grateful for the opportunity to come home to a less hectic/busy environment. I love the city and the business, but also like the quiet 🙂

We had an amazing view of the city and literally a LESS than 5 min walk to Montmorency Falls!

I still can not believe it! My daily morning walks were breathtaking!

This place was perfect for us and would have been great for a small family due to the bunks begs (which I called dibs on!)

  
We drove around a bit to explore the area and decided to go check out the falls. We (foolishly) paid for parking, lol, only to find out we were so close!

Again my parents were troopers! Montermorcy falls and parc is stunning and breathtaking and also full of hills and steps :). After some convincing I assured my parents it would be worth it!  We walked along the board walk , crossed a really cool bridge and walked down (and up) an unbelievable staircase with stunning views!

Look at these steps! The view!!  

Someone probably just walked UP those steps and decided to write this!! 🙂

  Aren’t these two adorable?

  “I’m hungry”
  “Thank GOD they have this cable car, I did NOT want to walk back up!”
We played a little prank on my mom and told her the cable car was closed and that she would have to walk back UP the stairs…..you are never too old to get hit, just keep that in mind.

*in my opinion. The cable car was very expensive and a waste of money! It cost is 10$ per person to ride up one way.  We had better views and scenery during our walk. However if you have bad knees or legs and can not handle stairs I suppose it’s a good deal? :). If you are in shape skip it for a few dollars more you can zip line down the mountain!! Weeeee

Here is info on pricing for parking, cable car and zipline

  

So much fun and not nearly as difficult as it looks….going down
  

 

This was one of my morning views…
    
By the time we finished it was already late and we were tired. So again we went to the local grocery and stocked up

Is this a grocery store OR a metro station?? 🙂  Its a grocery 

Wednesday morning we woke up early, got ready and set out!

A ten minute drove to the city and our first stop was to see the changing of the guards at the citadelle of Quebec . Admission is $13 per adult $11 for senior citizens. They had a good family deal but we did not qualify. Apparently I was too old to be considered a “child”! Hmpf! What ev’s!

It was well worth it. Parking was free and admission included the museum entry, a guided tour and the changing of the guards.. I’d recommend getting their early like we did for the 9 am tour which ends just before 10  am and places you in a great view for the changing of the guard ceremony. It lasts 35 min so be sure to wear comfy shoes or plop a seat on the concrete

It was beautiful. I was impressed by the sync was and….the goat. If you have a weak stomach take caution. The goat is lovely and vote and adorable boy my goodness does it ell! This is why I can not eat goat cheese!!

 

The tour was excellent. Our guide had the cutest voice. (She was from Brazil!)  She taught us some history and even talked about the famous goat, Batisse

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Afterward we got back o to our car and found parking g elsewhere for the rest our day (Parking at the citadelle was only until 5 pm)

We parked at the most beautiful and most photographed hotel in the world,

FAIRMONT LE CHÂTEAU FRONTENAC

(Parking was pricey here 35$ for 12 hours, but it does put you in prime location)

Ideally located inside the walls of Old Quebec, the iconic Fairmont Le Château Frontenac has undergone a multimillion dollar renaissance project that will reposition it as one of the world’s leading hotels. The restoration blends the charm of the hotel’s enchanting past with modern innovations, creating an allure that is fresh & seductive, balanced with the hotel’s rich history & dynamic future.

This heritage urban resort will seduce you with its breathtaking views of the St. Lawrence River and the architecture of the Old fortified City, designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site. In any one of its 611 guestrooms and suites, you’ll feel an elegant touch of historic Europe. Your experience at this landmark luxury hotel will guarantee you a memorable and inspiring stay in one of the most beautiful, and walkable, cities in the world.  

Fairmont Gold, our private concierge floor experience, features exclusive amenities and highly personalized service designed to exceed the expectations of the most discerning corporate or leisure guest.

Let our culinary team introduce you to abundant, local and exquisite dining experiences. For business and special events, our superior banquet facilities will turn any meeting, social gathering and wedding into an unforgettable event. Furthermore, our partner PSAV will assist you in planning your audiovisual needs.

We walked around Upper town Quebec City first. There are so many cute little shops, restaurants, cafes, etc.  Be prepared to walk and be prepared for a lot of hills. It is a totally walk-able city, but take your time and take breaks if you need them

I had intentions of another “self guided” tour, but that failed pretty quickly because I was getting irritated that my eyes were constantly on the MAP instead of what was all around!  So we gave up and decided to just WALK and take it all in.  (I suggest doing a tour because I would have LOVED to learn more about the history. I found this FREE walking tour, but unfortunately it was already booked up when I tried to book it a week prior, so my advice is to do it EARLY)

Upper town also consists of Terrasse Dufferin which is a board walk along the river. It is beautiful, great for people watching too! We sat down and had ice cream and enjoyed the breeze and sights.

Before heading to Lower Town, we had to find some poutine (what is poutine?) to try! If you have never tried poutine, STOP whatever you are doing and GO GET IT NOW!  It was pretty amazing 🙂  We opted for the quick, fast food variety at Chez Ashton, BUT there are so many different types, kinds, from gourmet to plain . Chez Ashton was very affordable, quick and highly recommenced!

In addition to the lovely sights, shops, boutiques and eateries of Upper Town, when you are ready for my PERSONAL FAVORITE trek to the Lower Town, you can either 1)  walk (not bad, but lots of steps) Or 2) Take the Funicular (pricing and details here)

The only of its kind on our continent!! It is a must do experience, and well worth the 2.50$ per person 🙂

Stepping off the funicular into the Lower Town portion of Quebec city, was like the part of Wizard of OZ when everything turns from black and white to COLOR 🙂  That is the only way I can describe it.

This by far was my favorite part. It is beautiful.  Words and pictures do not do it justice. In fact, I forgot we were in Canada, and really felt like we were in Europe!

We had 6 pm dinner reservations at Aux Anciens Canadien , if you plan on eating here and want to make the $19.99 deal, be sure to arrive prior to 6 pm. I was not aware there was a time limit, after 6 pm the pricing increases to $49.99 per person. It is a really cool menu and a great Canadian experience.

After dinner, we were tired from all the sight seeing, walking, eating and fun, we headed back to the car to head back to our comfy apartment across the way 🙂

To be continued! Quebec City (part 2), Il D’orleans