Quebec 2021

 I mentioned at the beginning of this blog that it would be short.     We head for the USA tomorrow  morning.  We got up early (around 9:00) and went to Paillards Boulangerie in the heart of the old city.  This restaurant is famous for its croissants and is rated as one of the best family restaurants in Quebec City.  After our croissants and coffee we took the funicular to the lower town and enjoyed the Christmas sights one more time.  Afterwards we went to Saint Patrick's Irish Pub for lunch.  We all had fish and chips,  We have eaten cuisines  French, Italian, Hurons, and the Irish on this trip.  All the meals were wonderful. After lunch, we returned to our hotel.  Our real task lay before us.  We had to have a Covid 19 test, passed, 24 hours before re-entering the US.  Our hotel gave each of us a "do it yourself" Covid test kit.  I really needed my grandchildren here to assist me.  We started wo...

 This morning we were greeted by snowfall and sleet.  A good day for sleeping in.  So instead of going to the Christmas markets,  we decided to explore the gastronomic treasure that Old Quebec offers.  We started our day with a leisurely breakfast at the La Sagamite Restaurant.  This restaurant features indigenous recipes used for many centuries by the Huron-Wendat people.  Their home is in Wendake.  Sagamit  the name of their soup, consisting of venison, squash, corn, and red beans. For my breakfast I had the Canard(duck) with eggs.  Linda had the breakfast pizza and Amanda and Harry had omelets.  Breakfast here was not only a good meal, but a lesson in the history and culture of the Wendat tribe. For dinner we ate at the aux Anciens Canadiens Restaurant.  This restaurant  is located in the Maison Jacquet , one of the largest houses in upper-town in its day.  It was built in 1675.  Their menu consisted of a wide...

We arrived in Quebec City safe and sound, got a good night's sleep, and met for breakfast in the hotel restaurant overlooking the Saint Lawrence River. We went to the Voir Quebec and met with Michael O'Neill. Michael will be our tour guide for the next two hours. Michael was born in Canada and was of Irish descent. This was a walking tour and we walked all over the Old Town, both the upper and lower parts. Michael was very knowledgeable about the history of Quebec, both under British and French rule. The citizens of Canada refer to their country as America. Michael made that point several times during our walk. He pointed out that Quebec City is the only walled city north of Mexico. It was said that this was a bit of Old Europe on American soil. My Fit Bit recorded over 10,000 steps on this walk. French is the official language of Quebec. If you are thinking of moving here, there are two things to consider. One of course is the winter (it is in the 20's here and...

 Any time you travel, prior planning is the key.  We booked our trip through Delta Vacations.  It was all inclusive.  We selected our hotel and flight itinerary and they took care of the rest.  We had a choice of several properties and chose the  Fairmont le Chateau Frontenac. We had to have a Covid 19 test completed no later than 72 hours before boarding our flight into Canada.  We had the test administered at the Baptist Convenient Care  in Prattville on Tuesday the 7th. So with passport in hand, vaccination card, and Covid test results we were ready to go. We drove to Atlanta,  parked our car at the Marriott, and took the shuttle to Delta.  After checking in and clearing security, we had lunch and awaited our departure.  The trip was uneventful until....we landed in New York City at LaGuardia airport.  We had  about 1 hour to change planes and make our connections into Canada.  Our schedule was to fly to Toronto, t...

Our home away from home.   The Fairmont le Chateau Frontenac. This hotel opened in 1893. It is located in Quebec City, Quebec.  It was built by the Canadian Pacific Railway Company.  It was the first of the grand railway hotels and designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1981. During WW II President Roosevelt and Prime Minister Winston Churchill met here to  discuss strategy for the war. This hotel is considered the symbol of the city.  It is said to be the most photographed hotel in existence.  I am sure we will contribute to that legacy.  We have not traveled much since Covid 19.  We had planned a trip here last year but deferred awaiting the pandemic to recede.  When Canada announced their door was open for American visitors, we decided it was our time. We\e were fully vaccinated, with a booster, and met Canada's entry requirements. (passport, credit card, and vaccinations). This will be a short trip, as the on online journal...