Saturday 20th September.
A spectacular blood red sunrise managed to peek through a tiny opening on the horizon on what turned out to be a heavily overcast morning that eventually turned to drizzle by lunch time.
We spent 2 hours touring the city by bus before being set free to explore this magnificent city. It is 400 year old walled city and we are staying right on the edge with my room overlooking the Porte St-Jean (one of the gates). I enjoyed the Art Markets and bought a special piece that reflects the places that I have visited whilst wandering the Old City including St-Louis Street, Rue Du Tresor, Du Petit-Champlain Street and the Chateau Frontenac. Whilst it continued to drizzle rain I wandered in and out of some really interesting shops – furs shops, Christmas shops (and saw a life size version of a Christmas Yoda, looking just a cute as he did in Star Wars) and some great local art and craft. I enjoyed a drink at the bar of the Chateau overlooking the St Lawrence River. It is a 120 year old hotel and it dominates the old city so it was great to chat to a couple of locals – a lawyer from Quebec and a criminologist from Montreal. They told me they met in goal, on the right side of the bars!!
I took a ride down to the old port area on the Funicular and explored the narrow cobbled streets and lane ways and discovered antique shops intermingled with loads of modern outdoor art. I made my way back to the hotel via the old port (Vieux Port) and along the City Walls.
On our way to dinner we took a diversion to Montmorency Falls. They are actually higher than Niagara Falls and quite spectacular. The water flows into the St Lawrence River and a one time carried milled timber down to the St Lawrence River. Our restaurant – Le Moulin de Saint-Laurent was located on the island (Ile d’Orleans). It was originally an old water mill used to grind grains into flour. They pride themselves on their local produce so I dined on turnip and apple soup, Bison, Elk and Venison Stew with Island Beer Sauce and Maple Sugar Pie.
