Québec City - day two

Through my morning window.
There was much that took place on our second day in Québec City but nothing was breakneck.  We were relaxed all the way.  I think it's the nature of the place.


We had breakfast at le Cochon Dingue.  I had the crêpe au gratin which was a shallot and spinach crêpe stuffed with ham, mushrooms, bechamel sauce and melted gouda cheese.  Oh hello, beautiful.






Upon leaving we found a gnome home.  I am very curious about this place.  I believe a family of Narnian foxes live here and refuse to be told that it's someone's cold storage or somesuch dull thing.






Again, the Château Frontenac.

The only thing in our day that was breakneck were these stairs specifically named "Breakneck Stairs".  If we needed to get down quickly to the lower part of the old quarter there was a little tram that took one straight down the hill for $2 which cut out twenty minutes of walking up or down steep roads.  It came in handy if we were late for a reservation or had already walked our legs off prior and just couldn't look another flight of stairs in the eye.

Every storefront and restaurant was decorated for Christmas and this restaurant had my favourite display of them all.

This was my favourite store to browse through.  Everything was handmade and imported from Turkey.

We took a country bus tour.  Mark and I were the only ones on it.  Apparently December 2nd isn't the high time of the year for tourism.  The first place we visited was the Île d'Orléans - a small island in the fleuve Saint-Laurent.  We visited a chocolaterie and made the appropriate delicious purchases necessary.

This home was across the street from the chocolate shop and on the shoreline of the fleuve Saint-Laurent.  Unfortunately it wasn't the best day for sightseeing because, unlike the previous day, the sky was socked in.  Fortunately I didn't care because it was the first snowfall and everything was beautiful.


Bridal Veil Falls.  I'm sure there is a bridal falls in every province, state and territory in the world. 

After a visit to the falls we were taken to an amazing copper shop.  I wasn't able to take photos there but the work was exquisite.
And then to Chez Marie!  Where we were told she would serve us fresh bread and maple butter.


It was true!  She did.  There she is and there they are.  It was so good.  SO good.  Swirly, melty, smooth, sweet but not too.  A little jar of maple joy now resides in my northern cupboard.  I want to make it last, I really do, but it is extraordinarily hard not to dip into now and then.

The Basilica of Sainte-Anne-de-Beaupré.




We arrived a little late here.  It was dusk and we missed out on the beautiful stained glass windows flooding the sanctuary.  We were unable to take photos during Mass, naturally, which was in session.  But we did enjoy sitting in the old wooden pews and taking everything in.  There was a little sanctuary in the basement and that is where these photos came from.

Every moment of our country tour was beautiful.


After we returned to the hotel we didn't feel like going out for dinner so we ordered room service - nachos and a cheese and fruit plate.  Sat on the bed and watched a little TV.

Mark was done for the night but not I - Iwanted to poke around still.  So I explored the inside of the Château.  I took the elevator up to the 17th floor and then one more elevator to the 18th. 


Snow on the rooftop.  I can imagine Santa's sleigh along the ridgepole.


The Price Building, built in 1929.  The Québec premier's official residence is here.


How beatuiful from the top of the hotel!

One of the halls of the ritzier areas, I think it was either one of the top two floors.  From the 18th floor I took the stairs
all
the
way
down ...


... and stepped outside. A girl gets warm walking down some five hundered steps. And outside was winter cool.  I stood in the park adjoining the hotel for awhile willing time to stand still with me.


One last look up at the Château and then to bed.