we stopped for doughnuts during our connection in Toronto
Day 1 - Québec City
We arrived late in Québec City and went straight to bed once we arrived at our hotel, the Manoir de l'Esplanade. The next morning, we walked across the street to the old city walls. We walked all the way around the walls; we climbed lots and lots of steps. In the afternoon, we had a late lunch of traditional Québec food at Aux Anciens Canadiens -- onion soup, meat pie, poutine, and maple syrup pie.
view of our hotel from atop the walls
the parliament buildings were just the other side of the walls from our hotel
Evan ran down to the playground about a block from our hotel
Rue Saint Jean gate
we turned down Rue Saint Jean and got snacks at the maple store
Evan firing imaginary arrows at attackers
this part of the wall was lined with cannons
Evan liked climbing on the cannons
the Frontenac is even more imposing in person than it is in pictures
Evan's favorite part of the Frontenac was the revolving doors
Evan ran up all the steps on the Governour's Walk
looking down the street near our hotel
After a nap, we took the ferry across
the St. Lawrence to Lévis. We climbed even more steps to the main street and got chocolate-dipped
ice creams before heading back across the river.
looking back toward Québec from the ferry to Lévis
Day 2 - Montmorencey Falls
We rented bikes and rode along a bike path to Montmorencey Falls. Every mention of the falls included that it's taller than Niagra Falls. We left the bikes and climbed up even more stairs to the top of the falls.
no glace this time of year but we liked the sign
we rented bikes and pedaled away from the city
there was a nice bike path all the way to the falls (about 13km)
walking toward 83m Montmorency Falls
we climbed all the steps to the top of the falls
we took the wet stairs toward the bottom on the falls
view from the top of the stairs
after lunch, we walked onto the suspension bridge over the falls
back in the city
After returning the bikes, we checked out the exhibits on Québec history, First Peoples, and a visiting exhibit with Greco-Roman art in the Musée de la civilisation in the lower town. We had dinner in a sidewalk cafe, and went for a ride in a horse-drawn carriage.
posing at a little park near our dinner stop
we had dinner on this street lined with buildings from the late 1600s
the lower town looked so perfect it felt kinda like a Disney version of an old town
a mural on our way up out of the lower town
we went for a ride in a carriage around the parliament buildings, along the park, and back through the old town
this fountain came was a gift from Bordeaux
parliament buildings at night
Sibéria Station Spa
We stopped at the spa on our way out of the city. The spa is open for families with children in the mornings during the summer. It was hot and cold pools, an outdoor fireplace, a yurt with hammocks, as well as an army of massuesses. Apparently people come here in the Canadian winter and go in the outdoor hot tubs before jumping into an ice-rimmed cold pool!
view from the balcony at Sibéria Station spa
one set of hot and cold pools